Sunday, September 5, 2010

Who You Are

Location: J's apartment in Sighisoara, Romania; Sunday evening the 5th, 6:20pm.


(There are more of these pictures in the post below. I have so much I want to write about, and I certainly do not have time to write all of it. A few of you received email replies, and I will work to reply to the rest soon.

This week, some of my friends put on an English Camp in my village, and I was interviewed by the campers on Thursday. I told them my profession was "Writer." Are you surprised? No, I do not have professional training as an author. No, I do not get paid regularly to write. But I write all of the time. I write blog posts, Bible teachings, songs, poetry, and emails. Where does my identity come from? Does it come from my qualifications? From my salary? Or does it come from what I do?

For me, there is no question that our identity comes from the LORD. From that identity flows our lives and actions. Thus, the LORD made me a writer, and so I write. Someday the rest of the world might recognize it, too, right? I do not have to wait to have libraries of books published before I can call myself a writer.

In the same way, I am a saint. The LORD forgave me and is perfecting me; I am living in His victory, and in His grace. Do I have to wait until I never make anymore mistakes before I can call myself a Christian or a saint? Of course not.

So who are you?

I tell you all of this because I told them that what I do not like about my job is that I have more to write about than I have time to write! Forgive me as I summarize the bountifully blessed life God has given me.)

So as you can see, J. and I did get to meet up in Cluj-Napoca as she passed through from Suceava to Oradea. It was such a blessing to visit with this woman of God; He used her to bring me to Romania originally, and He has blessed me through her many times. Please pray for her as she readjusts back to her life in America, and as she celebrates her birthday next week!

After catching up with J., I returned to my village of C., where I found a lazier week than normal waiting for me. I spent most of the time in the woodshop, working on an individual project. But my real pleasure came from my "all-in-one" night in my house. Here is a photo of it. Our hot weather suddenly turned quite cool and rainy, and so I started up my woodstove for the first time. A success! I did not fill the room with smoke or burn myself or anything else! You can see that I even improvised by drying my dishes on top of the stove!

You can also see another achievement: I washed my clothes indoors for the first time. I converted the second bed in my room into a clothes' rack, and voila. On the dinner table, you can see the grey laundry tub, the orange (fresh) water pail, and my red "kitchen sink." It is amazing how many things you can do in one room in one night with a little creativity!

Incidentally, you will see that my laundry is hanging in the picture. I am not embarrassed. In Romania, nearly everyone has laundry hanging all over. In fact, I sat next to a pile of underwear last time I went to get milk from the neighbor. I think a lot of times in America we pretend that no one else has dirty laundry, so we hide everything. Here, most Romanians recognize that everyone has dirty laundry, and they still love you. And I think they have learned that the best way to get rid of dirty laundry in life is to wash it and hang it out in the sunlight where everyone can deal with it...


One of my spiritual brothers in Indianapolis has been praying not only for me (THANK YOU!), but also for my coworker, I. Here is a picture of the two of us together in I.'s house. He has helped me in many ways, and I look forward to watching God continue to work in his life. Please pray for I., too, as he has a lot of unknowns awaiting him in the coming weeks. This photo is from a precious, holy evening we shared in prayer after he invited me over for tea.



And check out this castle! Ok, I do not know if it is a castle or not, but it is called a castle. If I understand correctly, most of the current buildings were build merely a couple of hundred years ago, on the ruins of a medeival castle, the walls of which can still be seen. It was also used as a farm for a while, before becoming a historical landmark.
This castle is in my village, but I had never visited it until now; it is usually gated and locked. However, I helped to host a concert by two Swiss guests with Alpine shepherd horns, guitars, and yodeling. The concert was fantastic, and the preaching and testimony sharing in between was even better!



We had a good turnout from the town (here are friends and family members of the folks I work with). I am sure many people came because of our personal invitations. For example, I visited a third of the houses in our 700-person town on Saturday morning, inviting each family to the concert. I pray that God's Word as it was preached, and His Son Jesus, as He was revealed, find their way into the hearts of each person there.



This photo from the invitation shows the "star" himself.
So now I need to get going, to hitchhike home before rain or dark. Today had some unexpected blessings, such as a special prayer time with a French friend of mine, a meal with him and his family and a collegue of ours, meeting some newly-arrived American students, and some extra internet time.
Oh, and maybe I have not told you that my life will be changing a bit now. Beginning this week, I will once again be working with the child evangelism team with whom I worked last year. I will work with them part-time for four months in the villages around Sighisoara, while continuing to live in C. and teach French and English to a couple of the children there. Please pray as I enter this week of transition, trusting God to provide every bit of wisdom and resource I may need.
By the way, please pray for J., in whose apartment I am sitting. He has been more than generous with me time and again--I even asked him if he were an angel! I am very thankful for his willingness to let God use him; if you are interested in his blog or newsletter, please email me and let me know. Have a great week!
I bless you in the Name of Jesus!

Posted by at

A Rose From Home

A Rose From Home

My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)


I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…

I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.

Have you ever been hurt by the Church?

After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”

Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?

So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.

Have you ever felt like a fake?

Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.

Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?

Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.

In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”

Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?

I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.

It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!

If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!

Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?

If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!

My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.

Now, what is your story?