Another Winter's Day

(Location: My house in C., Romania, on Sunday morning at 9:30, the 6th of March)

Spring-like whispers and birdsongs have been teasing me with a few days of gorgeous sunshine, but now it is snowing again. I do not mind; I like both. Nonetheless, I will not complain when it warms up enough that my house stays above 10 degrees Celsius (50 F)when I am going for a day or two.

My life is more relaxed right now in the day-to-day routine, and I like that. Cutting wood, doing laundry by hand, and preparing food take a significant amount of my time, but I am still finding some time to write and sing and dance. You never dance while doing laundry or washing dishes? Where is your joy?

However, I must say that time in general seems to be flying. Monday begins Lent in the Orthodox Church, which will catapult us forward into Easter (the same day this year as the Western Church's Easter). So it is already March, and this week we will be leaving for our special choir concert at a music festival in Bavaria, Germany. Meanwhile, teaching French and English keeps me busy, along with Bible study and church involvement. Yesterday, I helped out again with the children's program in C. Each Wednesday, I continue to go to V. where we teach the weekly Bible Hour.

What has God been teaching me? So much that I cannot do it justice here. He continues to teach me about obedience, which I know will be a life-long lesson, as it is the Christian's number one job. He teaches me again and again to trust Him more, and to surrender myself and my plans and my doubts into His loving, capable hands. He shows me how to better enjoy Him, and how to let Him delight in me. And each day I am anticipating more and more Christ's return!

Last week, I was delighted to receive emails from several people I had not heard from in quite some time. Several people also emailed me good news, which is fun to receive. Thanks!

So what am I working on for the coming months? I am going to be hosting a couple of European friends who want to know more about ministry in Romania, and together we will visit several ministry sites in the area. The preparation is fun for me, and I am particularly excited to make the visits, because it will reveal to me in increasing clarity the big picture of what God is doing in this area of the world. At the same time, I am feeling the spiritual shaking in all parts of the world right now, and I am privileged to join you in prayer as God works in your areas of the world.

So, this does not seem like a very exciting post to me, but I wanted to update you. I have been spending more time with Jesus lately, more time with M., and more time writing other things, all of which equals less time to write a blog post. But I am also laughing more, smiling more, singing more, and rejoicing more. Isn't God good?

Oh, I wanted to tell you that after being sick several times this winter, I am pleased to announce that I went through the whole month of February without being sick once!

Ok, I am off to town for church and choir rehearsal. Have a wonderful day, and even better week, and a fantastic life (if you know Jesus, it will be!). I bless you in the Name of our Jesus!

Read On!

Location: M.'s apartment on the 1st of March, a little after 2:30pm.

Just a quick note to tell you there are three new posts below; enjoy!

I have been very productive this week, and this morning I even successfully changed my rear bike tire, and put it back together so everything works! When you look at my busy little one-room house, maybe you see a simple life without plumbing or electric heat. I, on the other hand, see wealth! You never know how rich you are until everything you have is in one room!

Delight in the Lord today, and give thanks to Him, for He is good!

Ready?

Location: My little house in C., Romania, Sunday afternoon the 27th of February, about 4:30.

There are so many exciting things happening! I just returned from an 8-year-old's birthday party; today is also the birthday of an American missionary in our church. My computer was attacked by malware last night, but with the help of a lady from my church in Indianapolis, everything got sorted out. I had a great conversation with my parents via Skype, and I am so excited to see God at work in their lives, and in the Church in Indianapolis! I am also in conversation with a few people in Belgium and Switzerland about ministry visits this summer, as well as with some folks in Greece and France and America about working with adolescents and the fight against human trafficking. Meanwhile, the world seems to be unraveling as political riots and revolutions shake Africa, as American legislators act like toddlers, as New Zealand shakes after a devastating earthquake, and as religious violence burns through Asia.

Jesus was reminding me today to be ready. Is there any more that I need to be or do to be ready for Him to come back?

In light of that mindset and the Spirit's moving, we had a great worship service today. My buddy R. returned (I gave him his car back before I could destroy it!) and preached a powerful message on Genesis 1:1-5, God as Creator. I translated quietly in the corner of the congregation for a couple of ladies. We had several visitors in our midst today, including a group of street kids that I often encounter begging. Today when we met on the street, I did not give them anything, but I prayed with them. Then they wanted to come to church with me, and they were so well behaved! I had not planned to invite them, because we have already been challenged by people offending others by begging in our midst on Sunday mornings, but I am so glad that they came!

I am convinced that another reason worship was so powerful today was that I have been observing the Sabbath more carefully. The Lord had been convicting me about it for a while, but I wrestled with the idea, trying to figure out the freedom we have in Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath, and the idea that the day of rest is holy. But in the end, I elected to have a "date night" both of the last two Friday nights. Not with my beautiful girlfriend, but with my beautiful Lord. Each time, I turn my phone off at sundown, and just spend time with Jesus: in prayer, in the Word, in rest, in writing, in singing. I composed a simple poem the first Friday night (M. teases me that I took the main idea from one of her songs) and a song this past Friday. Then I go to bed very early and rest easy, not having anything I have to do on Saturday morning. Resting with the Lord on Saturday definitely prepares me for the Lord's Day on Sunday!

I have more to tell, but your attention span is probably about exhausted. There are some more pictures on my Picasa site (the link is to the right), but that site is almost full, so I need to look into new options. Maybe I will post the poem and song for those of you who are interested. So, I will tell the rest of my stories another time, like the one about the elderly hitchhiker who did not seem to plan to get out of my car after I prayed for her, or about helping with the children's program here in C. yesterday, about babies and orginal sin, or about February being the month of "giving." When you do have more of a desire to read, read the Book of Romans in the New Testament of the Bible. It is not about Romanians, nor Romans for that matter. It is about you.

Are you ready?

Steadfast Love (Psalm 33)

Your steadfast love never fails!
I will put my hope in You!


1. Rejoice, you Righteous! Rejoice!
Praise the LORD; sing a new song!

2. For His Word is upright, His work, faithful.
The earth is full of His steadfast love!

3. With His Word He made the heavens and the deep;
Let all the earth stand in awe of Him!

4. The counsel of the LORD stands forever;
Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD!

5. God is watching over us;
We are not saved by our strength!

6. The eye of the LORD is watching to deliver
The one who hopes in His steadfast love!

7. Our soul waits for the LORD!
We gladly trust in His holy Name!

You Listen to Me (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Wonderful Counselor, you are wonderful
You counsel me, you listen to me
With you I am safe

Mighty God, you are mighty
You are God, you listen to me
With you I am safe

Everlasting Father, you are everlasting
You are Father, you listen to me
With you I am safe

Prince of Peace, you are Prince
You bring peace, you listen to me
With you I am safe

Come, Lord Jesus, you are Lord,
You come, Jesus, you listen to me
By you I am loved
By you I am saved
With you I am safe

Careening into Blessings

Location: J's apartment in Sighisoara, Romania, at nearly midnight on the night of February 20 (almost the 21st).

My buddy J. is on a work-related phone call with America right now in the room next door, but since it is his apartment, and I rarely stay here on Sunday nights, I cannot complain. Instead, I will make uses of the time to explain why I am town still tonight.

Today was a day full of blessings; it was one of those days when God's plans looked very different from mine, so living according to His plans was a wild ride--literally.

Yesterday found me visiting Sibiu with some of the American students. The rainy day hampered the tour a bit, but we had a nice day, especially when I got to introduce M. from Sighisoara to M. from Hunedoara--two of my friends who are very similar and whom I had been wanting to introduce for a long time. Last night though, the rain turned to snow. Last night, I thought it was pretty. This morning, I thought it was a shame I had to go pick up people for church, because it would have been a good day to stay in the village. I had no idea . . . .

I hopped in the Dacia a little later than I wanted to leave this morning, so I drove a little faster than I should have on the very snowy road. I knew it was fast, but I thought it was still a safe enough speed; after all, a lot of the rural roads in Romania get better when it snows. So I was singing a song from Deuteronomy 6:4 when the car started sliding. As usual, I stayed calm, and corrected a bit to the right. As the car continued to slide, I corrected back to the left thinking, "Don't over-correct." By the time I had to correct back to the left, I knew I was in trouble. Praying the whole time, and still calm, I realized I was headed over the embankment. I told the Lord I was ready, and hung on, thanking Him that the car did not flip when it went up on two wheels. I was surprised at how smoothly I slid down the hill; I was not whipped or thrown around at all. The car came to a stop in a muddy field with the hatch up against the bank--there would be no going backwards!

I sat in the car feeling stupid that I had crashed (I am a veteran driver with many miles under my belt, even in the snow), thankful that the Lord had been so gracious, and guilty that I was in my friend's car, who already thinks I break everything. On top of that, I had just had the brakes repaired! Figuring I had destroyed the car, I called the people I was supposed to pick up, and then called my neighbor to come help me out. Actually, I scoped out an escape route and tried getting it out myself, but to no avail. You see, I found out that not only was I not hurt in any way at all, but the car had very little damage and was still driveable.

While my Swiss neighbor, U., and his family were on the way, another car stopped, and a couple of guys helped me. We managed to get the car out of the field and back on the road, but I felt bad that one of the guys got sprayed with mud as he pushed! As I told you, I was praying the whole time, and I remained calm. After I was back on the road, I went toward home far enough to meet U. and tell him, "thanks anyway," and then turned around and headed to town. Not only did I make it in time for church, but I was hit with blessing after blessing today: God is SO good!

One highlight . . . last night, God asked M. to pray for a young couple we know who have been going through a rough spell in their marriage. We wanted to visit them today, and would you believe that I found them at my church when I got there?! They usually go to another church. So I cornered them and told them they had lunch plans; the four of us had the most amazing lunch fellowship discussing all of the good things God has done in our lives. When was the last time that you spent your time conversing with other Christians about the good things God has done in your life? Too often we spend our time whining or complaining or joking, and we do not talk about the most important Person in our lives, and all of the blessings He has given us!

That is why I am risking worrying you by telling you this story: I have to boast in the LORD! How good is God! God blessed me with a car to drive for a month. Then, not only was I able to drive the car out of the mess I got it in, but I was completely unscathed myself. (If you do not believe me, my entire church and my friends M. and J. saw me today, so they can vouch that I am not hurt in any way. Mom and Dad, this is especially for you; thanks for your prayers.) I am staying in town to have a mechanic friend look it over in the morning, but there was no serious damage because the Lord sent me between the telephone pole and the tree that I could have hit, and cushioned my two-meter descent with snow and mud. I had friends I could call to help me get unstuck, yet God even sent strangers to help me. The temperature was right about at freezing, so it was not nearly as cold as in past weeks, and my "incident" happened just before I would have lost my cell phone signal, so I was able to call for help. Then I was able to drive safely to town and to church, to bless others, and to be overwhelmed by amazing blessings in a wonderful day!

(Here is a post-script written on the 21st of February... I am very happy I had the accident! Not only was it a great reminder of God's grace, protection, provision, and power, but it also spawned bunches of blessings. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with my mechanic friend from the Baptist church and talking about life with Jesus. And would you believe it if I told you that I threw a car over a two-meter drop-off into a field, and there is nothing wrong with the car? The right side turn-signal cover had been knocked loose, but I had retrieved it from the snow and threw it in the trunk; today we were able to put it back on. Two screws was all it took to put the fender back in place, and a little bending of the hood made it close properly again. If you looked at the car not knowing what happened yesterday, you would never guess! So I had to buy no parts, and the brake repair before the accident was more costly--time and money--than the accident itself! And yet, when I arrived home today, U. told me that when he saw where I had gone over the edge, he could not believe I was still able to drive the car! What a miracle!)

We have a great God. Thanks be to God for His mercy and grace! And I want to thank you for all of your prayers. In fact, one man I was supposed to pick up for church told me that God had told him to pray for me and the car this morning, right at the time I was diving off the road! Our God is so faithful, that I cannot begin to convey the idea clearly enough!

Next time you are having a bad morning, I want you to remember that the same day that I planted a car in a field in the morning turned out to be one of the most blessed days I have had in a long time. God's plans are not ours! May your days be blessed, even without car accidents. But if bad things do happen, stay calm, trust God, and keep praying. There are people praying for you, and there are blessings to come! Best of all, Jesus loves you! Do you believe it? Live like you do!

Money Talks

Location: My house in the village of C., Romania, just before noon on the 18th of February.

I have to fight to protect my quiet village life; it is hardly that! I find myself in town nearly four or five days per week, which is not typical of a villager. Lately, the blessing of my friend's car is what has been taking me there, both literally and figuratively.

Many of you did not know that I was shopping for a car last autumn. I did not write about it, because I was shopping on faith. I thought that the plan the Lord gave me required a car, and so even though I did not really have money for it, I shopped for it, praying the Lord would provide. I did not mention this endeavor, because I only tell the Lord my needs, and He then provides for them how He wants. I do not want to get in the habit of mentioning a need on my blog, and then pretend to be surprised when some generous-hearted person meets that need. Like George Muller, I take my praises and petitions only to the Lord; He knows when I have need and when I have plenty. No one else needs to know.

So, twice I found suitable cars; twice the Lord clearly prevented me from buying them. I am very thankful that He did, because I see that I did not need a car. That season of almost daily commuting is over, and God provided the transportation in a variety of ways. Now he has provided me a car on loan for a month, and it has been a great blessing, but it also reminds me why I am blessed not to own one. This car has been expensive, requiring both time and money.

Gasoline in Romania is about 5 RON per liter (a little less than $2, or a bit more than 1 Euro). For you Americans, consider that a liter is roughly comparable to a quart, with four quarts in a gallon, and we are already talking about 20 RON per gallon, which is just under $7 a gallon. And my British friend tells me that Romania's gasoline is still far cheaper than the rest of Europe's!

On top of that, I wanted to bless my friend by getting his brakes fixed, because driving without breaks is scary enough for a lone adventurer like me, but when I have his family in the car, it is just plain dangerous. To do so, I took the car to the garage where they put more brake fluid in, and then they send you to go buy parts and come back another day. I had to go buy parts at two shops, and the same part (I needed two, one for the left and one for the right) was 20 RON different in price between the two places (roughly a gallon of gas)! Surprised, I questioned the guy, but there was nothing I could do about it, so I bit the bullet and walked out--only to realize later that he had not given me my change (or I dropped it somehow, though I think not).

Then I took the car to the garage, and they told me they did not have time to fix it: come back tomorrow! They told me, though, that I had bought the right parts, and that the job would take around three hours. I rearranged my schedule accordingly, and made an appointment for nine in the morning. Actually, a date. My poor girlfriend came with me, and you know she is a blessing if two of our first dates were babysitting four kids for Valentine's Day and then hanging out at a Dacia repair garage!

So we showed up at 9:00am, and it was not long before two wheels were off the car, lying on the ground. That is when the mechanic came and told me that one of the parts was wrong (he needed the front instead of the back), and that he was not sure if he could get the car done before they close at 4:00pm. A seven hour job is a lot different than a three hour job! We had already prayed about the whole process, and I trusted the Lord to work everything out right. I was happy to learn that they had the needed part for purchase at the garage, which saved us time. Then I told the mechanic that I would wait and watch him work, and we would see how things went. Pretty amazing that he got everything done in under three hours, don't you think?

On the way home, we ran a few errands, and I ran into a village kid I know. He asked for a ride into town, so we took him with us. Meanwhile, M. reminded me that I wanted to stop at the part store to try to get my money back. She ended up running in, while I stayed in the car with R. R. and I chatted, and we talked about God's provision, and we even prayed together. We had a very nice time, and when M. came back without success, I told her not to worry about it. I had invested a few RON and some extra minutes in what resulted in quality time with a young man who needs Jesus.

Please pray for R.; he often comes to my church with several of his peers for the kids' program before service. Normally, they go home before service starts.

One time, though, one of R.'s peers sat next to me during worship, and when he saw me put money in the offering plate that was more than the 1 RON note that most Romanians drop in, he began to tell his friends. We then had a little chat about giving to the Lord, and about giving quietly.

I always try to give quietly, however much or little the Lord asks of me. I believe that giving tithes or offering to God through the Church is symbolic of us as we give ourselves completely to the Lord. Thus, sometimes when the Lord does not lead me to put cash in the offering basket, I put my hand over the basket and metaphorically give myself all over again to my God. At other times, I give generously, recognizing that all I have is my Father's, and that it came from Him, and that it is to be used for His glory. I can never pay Him back for all He has done for me, nor can I give Him what He deserves, but I can give obediently and gladly, showing Him that He is my master, not my money nor my possessions nor even my own welfare.

Yesterday, I was dismayed to learn that my giving (even the sum) had become the subject of gossip. I am neither ashamed nor sorry of how I give; in fact, I pray that others could learn to also give freely. However, it is a good reminder that people are watching us, and that they need to see Jesus in every part of our lives, including in our wallets and purses.

What if your giving suddenly became public? Would you pray for others to give like you do, or would you be embarrassed to find out if they do? Does your giving communicate to Jesus that He is First in your life? Do you feel free to give large sums, or do you just through in your spare change? Do you feel free to let the offering plate pass you by, or do you feel obligated to give, worried about what others might think or trying to pay off the debt that Jesus paid for you?

I am an American, and many people think that all American's are rich, which is a stereotype I hate. However, as much as I try not to live as a rich American, I hope I always live like a rich Christian! You see, if you know Jesus, you are rich! The fullness of God dwells in Jesus, and to those who have surrendered themselves to Him, Jesus puts His own Spirit in them to dwell. Everything in heaven and on earth belong to Him, and it pleases Him to bless us. So even if my wallet does not show it one day, I can always know that I am rich in Him! He is my provider, and He loves me! So wherever I am in the world, I will live as a rich Christian. I will give my love, my time, my money, and myself extravagantly to Him and to the people He puts in my path. Some people will think that my week has 8 days in it; others will think I am a millionaire. Some might think I am a saint; others might think I have infinite strength. The truth is, I am connected to the Vine, to the Source, to Jesus. He holds time in His hand, owns the cattle on a thousand hills, invented supernatural love, and gives me His joy as my strength.

Do you know this Jesus?

If so, do you realize how rich you are, no matter what is in your pocket?

Do others see you as rich and blessed, or do you whine pathetically because life is hard?

Christian, you are rich! May you use of your riches reflect the abundance of life we know in Jesus!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Location: Sitting at the table next to D. while he takes his English test in C., Romania. It is about 9:15am on the morning of the 14th of February.

Valentine's Day is not huge in Romania, but there are a lot of people that take advantage of the occasion to make a buck or to wink at a pretty girl. In the States, I have a lot of friends who boycott the day, recognizing that it is about ninety percent sillly, nine percent tolerable, and one percent based on the truth of God's love. However, my friend M. and I decided it was a good occasion to have some fun. Choosing Sunday afternoon the day before, we volunteered to "family-sit" for our Swiss friends who have four kids, and we helped the husband arrange a secret get-away date for his wife. When they headed off to their surprise destination, we stepped in with the groceries we brought, made pizza from scratch with the kids, and watched Ice Age 2 with Romanian subtitles. We had a really fun evening, and I submit it to your analysis, guessing that no matter how you feel about Valentine's Day, you will approve of the way we chose to enjoy it!

Maybe you are in love, want to be in love, have never been in love, or hate being in love. But wherever you are on the love spectrum, whatever you think of Valentine's Day, I encourage you to settle for nothing less than God's true love. It makes Hallmark holidays fade into yesterday as it stuns you with hope for something real and fresh, something worth celebrating. God's love for you is so real, so strong, that because of it Jesus gave His life for you, to sweep you off your feet and to set you on His path, for His glory, forever. Have you ever been pursued by love? You have, even if you have not recognized it! I pray that you will allow yourself the privilege of being loved by God! God's love is not "gushy" or "girly" or "chocolates and flowers," it is like a sunrise wrapped up in victory, the grand finale of perfect peace eagerly rushing into the glory of tomorrow's adventure!

Yes, Jesus loves you . . .