God will provide as we obey.

Today there is urgency in my heart. I met with a missionary last week. He has dedicated his life to the children of Cambodia. A few weeks ago he received an email notifying him that they will be loosing 90% of the funding for his orphanage. There are 62 beautiful children in this home. Here they are feed, educated, loved, and nurtured in the things of God. While it is true that my wife and I need $3,000 to complete our adoption expenses, I believe that as we are obedient to help raise these urgent funds, God will be faithful to provide for us.

The orphanage must bring in $100 per month per child. What we are seeking to do is find 100 people, churches, or businesses that are willing to donate $500 per year, each year, for the next four years. These funds will ensure the orphanages stability for four more years. If you would like to help us with this project, please fill out the attached pledge form and return it with your donation. This is an urgent need. The funding source will run out in the next few weeks.

Help us save this orphanage.

Darren

100% of your donation is tax deductible and will be sent to Cambodia through our Orphan Care ministry, Mission 1:27.

Surprised by Joy

As I sit in my office today, the words to that old Etta James song rings through my head, "At last". Monday afternoon, while waiting in line to pick up the kids, my cell phone rang. It was the call that we have waited for......for 25 months (here I'm yelling). We are officially approved to adopt our little girl. At this time we are not allowed to post her full name or picture, so I will just call here Joy....which is one of her names.

As my head spins around the final paperwork and the final payment of $6,100 due by the end of this week (ouch), I am reminded of a book by C.S. Lewis, "Surprised by Joy". In his case, Joy was both the emotion and the name of his wife. The theme of this book is finding Joy in this life. Lewis recounts the ups and downs of mortality and our never ending search for happiness.

Though we have time of great emotion, true Joy is only found in Christ. It is because of the grace and direction of Christ that we are adopting. It is an honor to be used by Him in this way. To imagine that the God of the universe would entrust us with such responsibility is indeed humbling. Joy is now and forever will be part of the Lewis clan. Her life will be dedicated to Christ. Through the journey, I have no doubt we will continually be "Surprised by Joy".

We can't wait to meet you!

Love,
Daddy

"The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation."
                                                     C. S. Lewis, "Surprised by Joy"

BLAH BLAH BLAH

It has been a while since I have been able to write. Spring break, ministers meetings, and the busyness of life. I wish I could write today about our approval, but I can't. I wish I could tell you that our little girl is on her way to us, but I can't. I wish I could tell you how I'm not frustrated by all this, but I can't.
I know all the sayings we use, "All in God's time", "You don't want to rush it", "His time is better than ours"...blah blah blah. I know all these things are true but platitudes don't help. Really there is only one thing that does, WORSHIP.

When I'm down and frustrated worship lifts me back to reality in Christ. Those things that I set aside temporarily are brought back into their rightful place. I know God is in control but sometime I want to forget...so I can have a little pity party over in a corner all by myself. While there, I despise happy people. I'm sure none of you experience this. After a time of self doubt and frustration I pull myself up and make myself focus on what really matter in this life...Jesus.

Once I am lost in His grace and mercy, He reminds me that He is in control. Worship causes me to sense the arms of Christ wrapping around me, loving me, calming me. Yes, this process is really annoying me. In the end it's just that, only a process. When the process has come to a completion and our beautiful little girl is in our arms, somehow I bet that the wait will no longer seem long but worth every minute.

We do thank all of you for your continued prayers and for the support that you continue to give us.

Darren

Something Bigger

God has placed within human nature the desire to accomplish something greater than ourselves. Most would not think twice about switching jobs if the new opportunity would fulfill them more...even if the money was less. Money does not equal happiness. It is a fact of life we all desire to give back, to change a life, to make a difference. Those who do not have this desire are viewed by society as selfish. Still as much as we think we would do the right thing, when God brings opportunity we find many reasons to say "no". You might say we find baggage to hide behind. "I don't like change." "I think I'm more suited for ___." "But I've been here forever." "I'm really in over my head."

There was a famous king who dealt with this problem as well.

1 Samuel 10:20-23 "So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 21 Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! 22 So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?” And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” 23 So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else."

We can all identify with Saul. He was not ready to become king. Israel had never had a king before. How was he to know what to do? The point is when God calls us to do something beyond our scope of reason, He intends for us to do it. Sounds obvious right? But it isn't. We often forget who God is and what He is capable of. Verse 24 says, "Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him! “And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!" When God directs you, follow.

Don't look at your inabilities, rather, look at God's ability. He is bigger and stronger. He has the power to change you into what He wants you to be. It is not rocket science but we tend to forget.
Two years ago, God called us to start the process of adoption. Some days we wonder if He will ever finish it. In our humanity we ask if He knows what He is doing. Our faith tells us that He does. We know that He does all things well in His timing and in His way.

"So today, I submit myself again to Your will. I ask you to take the baggage of self-doubt, worry, confusion, and money out of my way. Don't allow me to hide behind it. Instead push me to step into the divine purpose you have for my life. Amen"

Turn From Your Sin

There is a very concerning trend occurring within the church.   People will admit their need for Christ, but they will not turn from their sin. This is not how it works. You do not come to Christ but keep doing all the sinful things you have always done. True repentance is coming to Christ with an open heart acknowledging that you are in need of forgiveness and turning for your sin.
(all references form the NLT)

·         Matt. 4:17 “From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

·         Matt. 18:3 “Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

·         Acts 20:21 “I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.”

·         Romans 2:4-11 “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?  But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.”

No one gets into heaven by the skin of their teeth. You are forgiven and changed or you are not. It is that simple. Much of this is the churches fault. In an effort to not offend, we have become soft on sin. We need to return to a balance of preaching grace and judgment. Heaven is real, but so is hell.
Heaven is forever, but so is hell. Some of you may need to come back to God and say, “I want you in my life and I don’t want to sin anymore.” We are not judging by making sin apparent in a person’s life. That cry is a cop out and expresses the human desire to half do what’s right. God desires, He demands, our full repentance. I freely take of the chains of sin and put on the chains of Christ.
May we always be ready to speak the truth, teach our children, and spread God's love. He is a God of love, but He does not tolerate disobedience.

"God give us the strength to live as we need to live, to stand as we need to stand, to teach as we need to teach. May our families not be lost, but may every member come to know you for who You are; a wonderful and merciful God who gave His life for us. May we be willing and ready to share this good news with our world. May you use our lives to touch the world...whether it be through adoption or loving those around us. Amen!"

The Two Faces of Disney

My wife and I have been struggling with television lately. "Kids" channels are now introducing to our children many things that we disagree with. There are good things too, but those are becoming fewer. When I was a kid cartoons were on Disney...not today. Now they are all situational comedies. Most of which portray middle school age kids kissing, young ladies wearing very little, attitudes that would have gotten me smacked, and much more.

As an example; the other day my kids and I were watching "Good Luck Charlie". This is a show that revolves around the Dunken family and their toddler Charlie. Great and innocent premise right? Not really. In last episode I saw, the mom kept lying to prove to her husband that she did not need his help...bad from the start right. Well in the end, he finds out, but is there any remorse, no. In stead she says, you mean I can't lie to you, what kind of a marriage is this. (Not a direct quote) This is a normal theme for this show. Perhaps it should be called, "This is How You Lie Charlie".

On another show, "Sweet Life on Deck" gay characters are often portrayed. All of this is done to cause our children to be comfortable with what the world sets as right. Instead, we should be following what the Word of God says is right. Humor is a dangerous thing when it comes to our kids. If they can get us to laugh we become comfortable with the issue being pushed on us.

Disney needs to remember that they are here to entertain, not push sociaital issues at our kids. They need to return to the basics of Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. If not, soon Christan parents will be forced to turn it off; thus loosing a large portion of their base. I love Disney World, I love the old cartoons, but something is seriously a mis.

Philippians 4:8 says "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about these things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
"God help us to parent wisely, as you would have us do. Help us to trin our kids in the truth of Your Word, not in what society dictates."

Know and Do

Ephesians 5:17 "Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."
I have read this verse many many times over the years, but today it really jumped out at me. This is great advice from the apostle Paul; however, it is not easily accomplished. We go through seasons in our lives where, as the word says, our prayers feel as if they are hitting a clanging ceiling and falling back to us. At other times we know quickly what we are to do. The variation of these times in our lives teach us much about the character of our God, about our faith, and about what God wants us to learn.

The Word also says, that sheep should know the voice of their God. What do we do in the times that we are praying and waiting but all we hear in return is silence? What do we do when this is an extended time? The simple answer, but hard action, is to wait. Wait on the right time, wait on His voice, wait to see if our situation changes or a way is made clear.

In those rare times that we hear God speak quickly, we need to jump to obedience and act. There are a few times in my life I knew quickly what I was to do and never really questioned it. One was my calling into ministry and along with it the school I was to attend. Second, was marrying my wife. Third, was our adoption. Fourth, was my returning to school. There have been other more minor things. These times are great, to hear God's voice and do it. There is no greater pleasure.

If you are in a season of silence. Remember that your confidence and your faith is in an eternal and loving God. Remember the words to the old hymn, which is also taken from scripture; "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."

Take heart seasons of silence often develop into seasons of great joy. Seek to know God's will and do it!