The House

Come On, Ring Those Bells!

2011-12-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

This is a familiar Christmas song, as I listen to songs of the season while I work... feeling like one of Santa’s elves as I help show appreciation for the people who support Young Life...and praying for people the music brings to mind while I work away, cozy and warm, happy to do it.

Another familiar experience in this season is the Christmas classic "A Wonderful Life". The bell rings; an angel gets its wings, right? And that brings me back to my original thought. This year I’ve tried to add more Practicing the Presence of God, (thank you, Brother Lawrence!) being more aware of God’s being present at all times, whether I’m alone with Him, or aware of the Holy Spirit when gathered with Christian friends.

Part of that practice has become the habit of praying for each person He brings into "my space". Sometimes that’s easy; sometimes it’s hard. It’s easy when a tearful friend shares from his heart about a painful experience, hard when someone behaves in a way that says, "You’re old, and don’t matter anymore. Get out of my way!" or worse, "You’re invisible. I can ignore you. You don’t count."

And finally, when I want to remember to continue to pray for someone and their circumstances, I look for something like the bell ringing in the movie. When I see a toy, I remember to pray for my son, who works in a toy store, is frustrated by parents who let their kids destroy books and toys, and just walk away, and is also suffering from clinical depression, and unwilling to get help. Kind of a sad thing to pray about when I see a toy, but hey, it draws me to prayer, so it’s a good thing.

I have a printout of a family whose wife and mother has stage-four cancer. The kids are three teens and a five-year-old. This is a young and beautiful mother who is the center of her family’s life. I have the picture posted on my cork board in my office, a smaller one tucked into my morning readings book, so at least twice a day their faces are "in my face"; another sad but good thing.

I just take it for granted now that if someone walks into my office, it’s a divine appointment. So many times, just being in a "listening" attitude opens the opportunity to ask, "Can I pray with you/for you about that?" You’d be amazed how often that happens. I am. Just by being aware of His gentle voice and "nudges".

Maybe you will want to try this "trigger" method of remembering to be in conversation all day with our loving heavenly Father. He speaks to me all day, every day, when I am listening. Is this what Paul was talking about when he said, "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Do you have other ways of being drawn to prayer? Maybe you would be willing to share those with us. Just jot some thoughts in an email to me, and we’ll share them with our EHA family. God’s blessings in this blessed season, as we celebrate the Christ child’s arrival once again, and . . .

Come on, ring those bells!!

Mary Hagle

Editor, The House

Taking Prayer to the Streets

2011-12-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matt. 6:6 )

Why would we seem to disobey Jesus’ clear direction for private prayer by prayer walking Longview/Kelso? In Matthew 6 Jesus confronts those making pretense of piety by praying publicly. These, according to Jesus, have their reward; accolades of men and self gratification. Jesus tells another parable, in Luke 18, of two men praying in the temple, obviously a public place. This story illustrates that it is not the public praying that Jesus is against, but the condition of our heart and our objective in public prayer.

That said, why do we prayer walk? There is no specific biblical directive, to my knowledge, for a person or a group of people to intentionally pray as they travel through an area. Some of the pictures that come to my mind when I think about prayer walking are based on scripture, however.

^{It’s the People

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings…." (Matt 23:37)

^{"…as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. How I wish today that you … would understand the way to peace." (Luke: 41, 42)

We walk the streets to pray for the people; those we see and those they represent. We ask the Father for his eyes to see what He sees. We desire to know and participate in the stories of those for whom we pray. We ask the Father for insights into the area for which we are praying as we look into the eyes of those living in the area. Do we see hope or hopelessness? Do we see spiritual and/or physical poverty or well-being? Do we see energy or lethargy? Do we see or feel those that are beaten down? These are the types of questions we ask the Holy Spirit to use as triggers for precise prayers for God’s intervention. Our intercessory prayers must include questioning the Father for direction on how we can be agents of His intervention. What is it that either myself, East Hills, or the Christian community at-large can do to either remedy or foster what it is we are being shown?

It’s Warfare

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. …Pray in the Spirit at all times.." (Eph. 6:12, 18)

A lot of the Old Testament story is a type, albeit a physical one, foreshadowing our spiritual journey. The Israelite entrance into and subsequent conquest of Canaan is a type of the spiritual warfare aspect of prayer walking. We understand that the world governed by the evil one and we are invading his kingdom. Now we do this whether we intercede from our prayer closets or on the street. But when we are on the street we are confronting Satan on his turf. We are spiritually attacking and tearing down strongholds and temples of idolatry.

God may whisper to us that an area is home to overt evil; strongholds of generational curses, occult practices, or abuse of many kinds, etc. We strategically bind the power of darkness in these areas and loose the power of heaven.

An idol is anything or anyone to whom we look for protection or provision other than God. We have created an idol when we get our self worth from any source but God or when we focus on something that keeps us from being whom or doing what God desires or demands.

As we prayer walk, ask God for direction in how to pray over physical representations of what may be an idol. Institutions, relationships, and activities may all fall into one or more of these categories. These, when subordinate to our relationship with God can be good, but evil when they replace God.

The more common are places representing power and influence, such as: government buildings, headquarters of business and labor, educational institutions, and churches. Other places might signify where people are distracted from whole heartedly serving God, such as casinos and sport/recreational facilities.

These potential idols are neutral. It is the people involved that should be the focus of our prayers; freedom for those worshiping these idols, and wisdom and power for believers to be Godly influences in these arenas.

We must pray for the people of Longview/Kelso; pray in our prayer closets, pray in corporate prayer settings. And whether or not we partner for the January 14th prayer walk as part of Global Impact week, take our intercession to the streets any time we walk, run, bike, or drive the streets of Longview/Kelso. We will be forcibly advancing God’s Kingdom.

Jim Venable

Elder}}

Shining God's Light in the Streets of Sarajevo

2011-12-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

By Kathy Eikost. Kathy Eikost is a part of the Alliance team in Sarajevo that works in the Izvor center. This is an article that appeared in the December issue of aLife magazine. See the box to the right to see how you can receive aLife magazine for free.

Zora ("Dawn" in Bosnian) could be on a "least-of-these" poster. She’s someone you might walk by on the streets without seeing. If you take the time to look, you’ll see eyes that have almost given up hope.

The Bosnian civil war ended 15 years ago, but the country is still struggling to get on its feet. There are no inspirational leaders rising to the top as Tito did after World War II. No one seems to have a plan big enough to encompass the whole country, although many politicians have plans for their own constituents or inner circle. Unemployment stubbornly hovers around 40 percent, and millions live hand to mouth. In a country of only 4 million, this is easily the majority. Those who are working have extended family in dire need and take responsibility to help however they can.

There are many new buildings in Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina’s capital), but closer inspection reveals that storefronts are empty and condos have not been sold. In each case a developer came up with the money to build but did not think through to the other side of the equation. Red tape and corruption make Bosnia one of the most difficult places to start a small business. With such high unemployment rates, few families have the means to buy a condo or rent a luxury apartment.

Like many middle-aged people in Sarajevo, Zora is a civil war victim who has fallen through the cracks. Employers consider Zora, now in her fifties, too old to be hired, and she doesn’t qualify for the meager financial assistance available to people who are disabled, laid-off or over 65. Her extended family is not in a position to help, and she won’t beg since she retains the self-respect and pride that characterizes many people in her situation.

Although Zora has a house to live in, her electricity and water were shut off years ago because she cannot pay the bills. Her children are grown and gone, so she fends for herself the best she can by recycling things she finds in dumpsters. Beer bottles and soda cans bring a few coins. A certain-sized jar can be sold to beekeepers for honey storage.

She doesn’t understand the politics that destroyed her beloved city. She had a much better life before the war and seems bewildered at how her life came to this.

We met Zora when she was recommended for a monthly food packet. A Dutch organization gives the Evangelical Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina aid in the form of food boxes. Our congregation in Ilidza (a suburb of Sarajevo) sponsors 10 families each year. In addition to food, participants receive clothing and an invitation to a weekly coffee time. There, they get to know church members and are able to talk about their lives and problems. Members listen to, advise and pray for the participants.

Naturally, an invitation is extended to attend our worship services. Many participants have come a couple of times out of a sense of obligation. But Zora was different. In addition to Sunday services, Zora came faithfully to the Alpha course, which covers the basics of Christianity.

The light had not yet gone completely out of Zora’s eyes. A kind word and handshake would bring a smile and a hopeful glance. She soaked up love and human contact like a parched garden that had lain fallow far too long. She seemed embarrassed about her physical condition at first but was soon put at ease by the sincere love and friendship offered by ladies at the church. Many of them have been in similar situations and can empathize with Zora.

Our little church in Ilidza doesn’t have much money; the 15 members can barely cover its expenses. In fact, the Great Commission Fund paid the church’s rent for the first few years. But the members gave Zora what they had. She was invited to do laundry at the church and to use the shower as often as she liked. The manager of the church’s second-hand store set aside articles she felt would be useful to Zora and offered them at a deeply discounted price. Church members saved bottles and jars for Zora and brought blankets and sheets from home to help her out. She was invited to take vegetables from the church’s community garden to supplement her diet.

In May 2011 it was time for us to return to the United States for home assignment. We wondered whether Zora would still be attending the church when we returned a year later or if she would drift away as so many others had. Our Sarajevo-based team of international workers is small. When we left for home assignment, there were only four adults remaining to continue the work, three of whom were nearing the end of language study.

One is far enough along to be able to preach occasionally in Bosnian. Recently, he preached on prayer and led the congregation in a time of listening to God. Our elder’s wife felt impressed to talk to Zora.

"What is keeping you from accepting Christ as your Savior?" she asked.

"Nothing," Zora replied. The elder explained the gospel to her, and she received Christ that same day.

The glimmer of hope in Zora’s eyes has become the radiance of one who walks in the light. Instead of wondering whether Zora will be in church, we can’t wait to see what beautiful fruit is growing in a life that was parched and fallow.

By Caleb Cox

2011-12-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

With eager anticipation I stepped into the fellowship hall. Throngs of people surged in human masses as there were too many bodies to sit in chairs. The air was static with energy as people came to be a part. Though dark outside because of the early morning hours, the light from hearts inside caused a spiritual glow the outmatched anything the darkness had to offer. Suddenly a voice cried out for God to come. Another voice boldly proclaimed the reign of Jesus over our city. And suddenly prayers shot out like rockets through the ceiling as person after person in holy desperation cried out for the move of God in our city. It was a prayer meeting like no other...

It was a daydream like no other... I looked around at the 7 of us meeting together for our early morning intercession time. 7. A good number. But not what I'd hoped for. As I had shared the previous weekend about desiring to see God to do a move in our church and our city, and how we as the church were uniting together in prayer to intercede for those things, I had high expectation about people responding to the call.

As a pastor at EHA, it's my dream to see God's people so in love with the lost, so filled with compassion, so moved by our Father's heart, that prayer and intercession would be our natural response. And as a pastor I am never to lead by twisting arms or using guilt as a motivation. But I'm also reminded that part of my role is to teach when necessary, and to call people to change and to action when necessary. And I feel that as a church body we have so much potential for corporate prayer. There are so many passionate and gifted individuals in our midst, that as we turn those passions and gifts toward Kingdom things we will see an amazing turnaround. Unfortunately, we are a busy people, and busyness is one of the key death strokes that keeps us from being prayer minded. When busyness runs our lives, prayer becomes inconvenient. I had always heard it joked that "if you ever want to know who the real church is, then hold a prayer meeting." Sadly, there is some truth in this humor!

Until we as a church corporately feel the desperation of the hour, and the urgency of the need, then we maintain busy lives without much thought to the priorities of heaven. Why is it we are loosing over half of our marriages to divorce? Why are so many of our teenagers becoming sexual addicts? Why are people content with mediocre Christianity and status quo lives? Because we've rarely or never seen what God can really do! Because we've never committed to praying for those things until they happen.

The other day, I was reading in Matthew 21. And there's a story of Jesus getting heated with a fig tree. Jesus is hungry, so he goes to the side of the road where the fig tree is. He sees that there's no fruit on it, so he curses it and it withers there on the spot. The disciples, having just seen something amazing happen, ask Jesus how it happened. And Jesus again tells them about the power of faith and expectation in the power of God.

Jesus isn't demonstrating power to draw unsaved people to himself. He's not even glorifying God through this action. But what he does is demonstrate that a life of faith and prayer are powerful, and that they can change the physical realities as well as the spiritual ones.

With my eyes I have seen the lame healed, legs grow out, blind eyes restored, growths disappear, and unsaved people knocked over by the presence of God. And to me, this is the normal Christian life. This is what should be happening. The supernatural life is the normal Christian life. But I look around and I see a different picture. If prayer is the primary work of God's people, then what are our hearts captivated by? Where are our priorities? Has busyness kept us from being effective in the move of God? Prayer is inconvenient! Prayer costs us something. Prayer has ramifications on our social life; will cost us sleep, will cost us money, will cost us physical discomfort, etc. But the things that we sow into are eternal. And we are investing into a harvest that will completely be altered for the glory of God.

I want to challenge you who are reading this: How will you invest in the prayer movement God is doing here at EHA? What will it cost you? If prayer is the primary work of God's people, then let’s pray together for the reign of God to be recognized here! May we be a people sold out and completely surrendered to the things God wants to do!

Huge Turnout at Coffee House Forum on Church Planting

2011-11-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

After adding extra tables and chairs, and setting up a microphone for the unexpectedly large turnout, everyone settled in to listen, share, and dream about the possibility of East Hills doing a church plant.

Pastor Nick took some time to give an overview of how church planting has been on the hearts of the people of East Hills through many decades, and while it has sometimes been moved to the back burner, the vision to plant keeps popping up.

There are many statistics that support planting churches, but the most compelling is that church plants are the most effective form of evangelism today.

After Nick’s presentation, the floor was opened for questions and comments on the matter. Of the over 50 people in attendance, many had something to say. Here are some highlights from the discussion. (If you would like a full transcript or audio recording of the evening, contact the church office.)

"A church plant is like a child. We instill our values, but our child (plant) will take on its own ministries and strengths as we let it grow."

"Is the decision to plant a new church already made? I think in the back of our minds we’re thinking ‘it’s already done.’" Pastor Nick’s response to this common sentiment was "That as the lead pastor, I have made a decision to take steps in that direction. But it’s not a bus I’m driving, but I’m stopping and asking questions. Having the conversation is what’s essential at this point. I’m not trying to push it forward. I want us to take steps together to see if this is what God wants to do."

"You talked about one of the benefits of planting is that we can partner with the daughter church in events and outreaches. But it is sad that the only partnership we can take part in is with our own brainchild. Shouldn’t we be doing this with other churches in the community now?" Sadly, we can plant a church faster than we could learn to work with other churches. Buy in is extremely slow for partnering churches. The Longview/Kelso Ministerial Association has spent 20 years trying to accomplish just this, and is just beginning to scratch the surface.

"What are we looking for in a church planter staff person?" Evangelistic, entrepreneurial, administrative. This person would go through extensive assessment before ever being hired to determine if they have the right stuff to be a church planter. The planter would become a part of East Hills as a church planter in residence, and then let their vision and their passions mold what our new plant would look like.

"What about the possibility of taking over Splitz bowling and just enlarging East Hills?" There was much discussion on this topic from various people. "You miss people unless you’re in a different geographical location." "Our community is proud of being a small town. This area really likes small churches and the feeling of mini communities. "People really need to know they are cared for, and you don’t get that in a larger church."

"What are other things we can do to reach out instead of planting a new church." "What are those church plants doing that really attract new people, who then become new believers?" Nick’s response: "Yes, that’s the conversation we need to be having. What can we do outreach wise to reach those who would never come otherwise? Church plants create relationships. Relationships create evangelism opportunities."

"What if our good leaders leave with the church plant? What are we left with?" Response from the group: "If all the good people left, the people you didn’t know sitting next to you will surprise you with their gifts. Vacancies create leadership opportunities."

"When our life group split, it hurt. But I’m excited about this church plant and its flavor, and who it’s going to minister to!"

"I feel like God will always provide when we get to that spot."

"This is a faith process. If this goes, God will cover it. God works when we risk. When we obey and step out in faith, God will reward and bless it."

Testimonies of God at Work

2011-11-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

By Jim Fishel:

Changes are a necessary part of life. Without changes we would not mature or gain skills or meet new friends. For example, as parents we are always looking for changes in our children. We look for the first step, the first word, the first report card from school. We want our children to change from infants to toddlers to teens and finally to mature adults. Change sometimes scares us because we don’t know what is ahead of us. What challenges will we face if we start doing things differently?

I remember some major changes that Sharon and I experienced without knowing for certain what the outcomes would be. In the first year of our marriage we were convinced that God wanted us to tithe, and though our income and expenses were very close we chose to follow God’s leading. That same week as a confirmation we had done the right thing I got to work some unexpected overtime with extra pay. I’d like to tell you that we never had a financial difficulty after that, but what I can say is God has been faithful and has provided our every need. When our two daughters were still small we were convinced we needed to move our family out of California. So we moved to Oregon in 1976 without a job to go to or a house to live in. We just packed up our belongings and moved. We were trusting God to provide the things we needed because He knew all about us and certainly knew all our needs.

We bought a 6 acre property of trees, ferns and poison oak and built a home. The mid Willamette Valley in 1976 was experiencing a minor drought. As a confirmation that God was in this move, we planted a garden that God watered with small clouds that only dropped water on the garden. We raised our girls along with rabbits, chickens, sheep, pony, horse, goat, dogs and cats with no prior experience except for the dogs. The most important change for us though was attending and getting involved in the Veneta Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. We had missionaries stay in our home and their impact on us and our children is immeasurable.

My employment was on and off and in 1988 I was offered a position in Portland. After much prayer we decided to try to sell the house and all the animals (except the dogs). Sharon contacted a local church that put out a weekly newsletter and in less than a week we had sold or given away all the animals and had an offer on the house. This was another confirmation that God was in this move also.

Another big change came in 1994 when we became grandparents and I can tell you if I knew how fun that was I would have traded raising kids to being grandpa. In 1995 our other daughter married and made us empty nesters. We had planned for this change by following some advice we had received years before to maintain our "two" while we were a family of four.

The next big change came last year. During my routine annual physical my Doctor asked "How are you feeling?" As a man my usual response has been" Fine", but this time I said "I get a slight pain in my chest when I mow the lawn." He set me up for a stress test which I failed and a couple of weeks later had bypass surgery. Now I have to change a few of the habits I have had in order to provide a healthier environment for my heart.

It is easy to develop habits or behaviors by just doing the same things over and over. I’m not referring just to bad habits or things I should not be doing, but to the patterns that our lives develop in ordinary daily living. For most of the last 53 years I’ve been waking early, dressing, eating breakfast, driving to work, coming home, eating dinner, going to bed and starting the same process over the next day. Weekends varied the routine, but what I’m saying is that habits develop. Changing those habits is going to be a challenge.

At the end of July we started our latest life change. Sharon and I retired. I wanted to retire years ago but had to wait for my child bride to get old enough to join me. Retirement will be a big change in our lives and I like the challenges that this change brings. For the last 3 months my alarm clock has been set about 4 times. The habit of early rising has been broken without a struggle.

Pastor Nick’s latest sermons on freedom are an exciting series of making necessary changes to move from sin to righteous behavior. I expect the truth of God’s Word to reveal sin in me and continue to set me free.

Interview with Amber Hansen

2011-11-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Bio-Notes . . . Amber Hanson was introduced to Jesus Christ as a child at summer camp, probably at the age of ten or twelve, but in December, 2010, being in relationship with Jesus became real for her.

Amber grew up in Longview, and graduated from Mark Morris High School. She is employed by OHSU, and works in the Casey Eye Institute in Longview. She began her training and employment in the optical department, and is now a receptionist there. Her two boys, Micah, 5, and Jonah, 2, claim any free time she has. She loves being with them as much as she can.

The House: As we talked about, the November issue of The House is focused on seasons of life and the challenges in change, including the steps we are learning about as part of the "Setting Me Free" series.

The video was saw two weeks ago about the major change in your life in the last year certainly speaks to all these things. In the video you shared that from the age of fifteen until you were twenty-five, you were using some kind of narcotic, and that in December, 2010, you ran out of money, became very ill, and pretty much came to the end of yourself being in control of your life.

Can you tell us what you think caused this drastic change in your life, beyond your circumstances? Amber: Running out of money and being very ill really forced me to look at my life. I know my prayers and the prayers of my family are what really made the difference. I went through sixteen days of withdrawal, and I was angry when the only person who knew I had been hiding this secret for ten years told my family and the doctors, but I am grateful now that she did.

The House: "Setting Me Free" talks about how "confession destroys the barrier of pride, creating humility." How have you experienced that truth? Amber: Every day I see something new that makes me think, "How did I not see that before?" I am confronted every day with something else that my addiction allowed me to hide from. I am grateful for the new life I have, even with all the challenges. I know I am growing in faith, and "one day at a time" applies to my life, and I’m glad it does. The House: We are very grateful to you for sharing your story with us. It’s a privilege to hear about your journey. Amber: I am grateful for an appropriate time and place to share it. I know it is important for my life and future, and for my children’s lives. And, I always hope there is someone hearing my story who is like I was, and might have the courage to surrender their life to God, and be able to receive it back from Him, but in the way He has for them.

The House: Another aspect of "Setting Me Free" is about patience, a word none of use likes much, because we know that means learning to wait on God and seeking His plan for our lives, when sometimes that is very difficult. What do you have to say about patience in your life now? Amber: I believe I am learning to trust Him, to "live and let live", meaning that I just need to live my life out, day to day, and not try to manage and control everything. I don’t have "new" plans beyond living one day at a time, working, playing with my sons, and doing the work it takes to remain sober. I know that change will come when God knows I am ready for it. The House: You are working, raising your boys, and going to NA meetings. Since we’re talking about changing seasons in our lives, are there some changes in yours? Amber: Yes! I’ve deleted my FaceBook account, leaving my cell phone off, at home or in my car, not holding it in my hand all the time, constantly checking for messages. I’m amazed at how freeing that is; not being "on call" all the time.

I check it a few times throughout my day, just to be sure I can be reached in an emergency with my kids or something, but I find my thought-life is not as anxious and "cluttered" as it was when I was constantly "checking in". I found that stuff I had been "sitting on" for six months, feeling like I didn’t have time to do, suddenly were things I had time for. It feels really good to not let "distracting electronics" dictate to me all day! LOL! The House: You’ve done so well with your recovery. What are the challenges you feel are on your horizon now? Amber: I still have to struggle with being with friends who are not in a recovery program, and might not need to be, but continue to have a drink. That is not something I can do, so being comfortable with them is hard. I also have a hard time with "having nothing to do". If I have a time like that, I usually fill it up with visiting family, taking my boys somewhere, like OMSI, anything but "doing nothing". It will be great when "doing nothing" is okay for me. The House: It is really wonderful to hear your enthusiasm for learning about your faith, bringing friends to EHA to hear what you’re hearing, and how diligent you are about your recovery. We are with you, and praying for continued healing and wholeness. Thank you so much for sharing your story again! It’s so clear that you understand how much we all need God in our lives, and that He wants so much for us to be free in Him to live the life He has in mind for us!

We will remember the word you felt was most important: SURRENDER!

Time Marches On...

2011-11-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

In the Pacific Northwest, changing seasons from winter to spring and spring to summer can be a little difficult to mark.

"Is this still winter rain, or have we moved on to spring showers?"

"Is it going to stay warmer long enough to say summer has arrived?"

Fall, however, is a little more easily defined because of the trees. When the brilliant yellows, oranges and reds appear, we feel a briskness in our souls, gear up for trick or treat-ers, jack-o-lanterns, plan our shopping for the right turkey for this year’s Thanksgiving gathering, and start getting serious about that Christmas list.

This seems like the season to take inventory of our lives as well . . .

"What has changed for me since this time last year?" "Has this year been especially trying for me?" "Do I feel ‘asleep at the wheel’ or is everything ‘on track’?

Perhaps this is the time to join a Bible-study group, Life Group, or book club.

Have you ever tried a "morning letter to God"? It can be a great exercise in getting your heart-thoughts down on paper. You might be surprised at what comes out when you write for five minutes without allowing yourself to "edit". Just "Dear God . . . "a deep breath, and what comes. Giving yourself a little time restraint, and not allowing editing, but speaking from your heart, can really be something that brings clarity to questions and pondering you’ve had going on "in the background" and bring it to the front so you can ask Him to help you with the underlying motivation for those thoughts.

Maybe you would be willing to tell us a little about something new in your life . . . a baby, a job, a book, a study . . . anything that has caused you to "adjust your sails" a little.

Here’s one of mine: I’m adjusting my calendar to allow more time for writing. I’ve had several writing projects lying on my desk, waiting for me, and letting them collect dust because I started them, but stopped when they got hard. Some of them are ancient!

I’ve been convicted that I need to be obedient in finishing them, not judging them before they have a chance to breathe, and just plain having the discipline to sit there until something comes. It’s hard, but I have good friends and family who have heard me out about it, and called me on it.

I went away for a retreat in early October, with the question of working on these things at the front of my mind. On the first morning, I gathered at a table before breakfast with several friends to complete the guided study we were provided. When we had all finished our study worksheets, we began a conversation that included discussing study/devotional books that had influenced us.

The woman on my right mentioned a book, and the woman on my left said, "That’s amazing! That book changed my life! I had forgotten about it!"

A few minutes later, the woman on my left mentioned another book, and the woman on my right said, "That’s amazing! That book changed my life! I had forgotten about it!"

This conversation was "in my face". I came to the retreat questioning whether the hard work of finishing these writing pieces "matters". The conversation between these two women said to me that I needed to finish what I had been called to do, without judging the outcome, and trying to decide before I am finished if I actually have something to say.

The Holy Spirit was pretty clear: "That’s not your business. You need to be obedient, and leave the results up to me."

It wasn’t easy. I came away from the weekend doing an inventory of my time, to see if I could squeeze in some writing time. My cohorts pounced on me! "Stop postponing what you’ve clearly been told to do. Just do it!"

So, this new season, I’m moving things around, and making time for writing. It’s hard. And good.

What’s up for you? Are you being called to "do it differently" in some way?

Please share your walk. It’s how we help one another grow.

Mary Hagle, Editor, The House

Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. KJV

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. AmplifiedBible

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;　he's the one who will keep you on track. The Message

Gunfight at the OK Corral

2011-10-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Know that lovely feeling you sometimes have when you’ve left church and there’s no big agenda for the afternoon, the message really spoke to you, and all seems right with the world, at least for that moment? Yeah, I was having such a moment.

Nick had spoken to us about the life lesson from Haggai – making complete dedication to God the foundation of my life. All his message points and the personal application of them were still firing away in my brain synapses.

My "low fuel" light came in, so I stopped at the Safeway fuel station to fill my gas tank. On such a lovely summer’s day, it made sense that it would be a busy scene, especially so close to the interstate, and I was patiently waiting my turn. Two cars in front of me got their place, and then a spot opened up right in front of me, so I began to turn my car around so my gas tank would be next to the pump.

I was just about to back into the spot, when an older man and his wife came into view, and began to head around me into the place I was headed! I motioned that I was about to back into the space, but he just kept coming!

Then I realized there wasn’t room for him to get around me, and that if he didn’t stop, he was going to hit me! He didn’t even slow down! He just plowed right into my driver’s side front bumper and tried to shove my car out of his way! I was so amazed, I didn’t know what to do! I had said out loud, "You’re going to hit me!" just before he rammed into me. He ignored my pleas to stop, and the look I know I had on my face, and just kept coming.

It gets better. After he hit me, he realized he couldn’t shove me out of the way, and BACKED UP AND HIT ME AGAIN! This time he had pulled to the right enough that when he hit my bumper again, he slid across it and around my car.

I was so in disbelief that this had happened, I just sat there for a few seconds. None of the guys pumping gas into their cars tried to come to my rescue, or even yell,

"Dude! Whaddah yah doin’?!"

I wanted to jump out of my car and scream at this man. I wanted to cry. I thought about how quickly I went from pleasant contentment to the urge to strangle someone!

So much for my pleasant Sunday morning!

I got my gas, finally, at a different pump. I drove away, in rapid conversation with God.

"What was THAT about, Lord?!?"

(My daily meditations this past week have been from John MacArthur’s The Quest for Character, the chapter on Merciful Compassion.)

"You expect me to have MERCY and COMPASSION for this guy?!?"

"Why should I?"

"He was so obviously in the wrong!"

"This isn’t fair!"

"I should have at least been allowed to get out of my car and give him a piece of my mind, and You know I considered doing that, even when I knew it wasn’t going to change the outcome!"

Finally, I shut up long enough for the Holy Spirit to get another word in sideways.

The only thing I had heard from Him during all this, when I begged for the Grace to forgive this guy, was a gentle reminder of this week’s study.

That was before my little rant.

Then the Holy Spirit said, "You have prayed all week for this character trait to be given to you. You have asked for insight about how that might happen, since all the suggestions in the Beatitudes seem so far beyond our human capacity. This is certainly an opportunity for that, don’t you think?"

"What has happened in that old man’s life to allow him to think what he did was justified?"

"Maybe he is suffering from dementia, and really shouldn’t be driving anymore, but doesn’t know any other way to get to town and get groceries and gas."

"You don’t know, and you don’t need to know. Just surrender your "rights", your "will" and your life, again, the way you did at the close of this morning’s services, and go on.

"You might even remember to express a little gratitude for the lesson in mercy and compassion. Have a nice day."

So, the focus for October’s The House: Grace Stories. How has it come to you when you needed it most? Share it with us, won’t you? We grow as we share our stories. It’s part of His Plan for our lives; walking this walk together.

Mary Hagle

Editor

The House

Stories from Bosnia By Marian Waller

2011-10-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

The best way to describe what the EHA mission trip to Bosnia meant to me is to let you have a glimpse into my thoughts and feelings from the daily journal I kept. While I have left out many precious memories and experiences, I hope you will get a sense of the profound impact this journey has had on my life.

Tues, Sept. 13

– It’s early morning, having some quiet time before I head to work one last time before we leave. It’s completely surreal knowing I’m leaving in twenty hours for an adventure unlike anything I’ve ever known. I can’t even fathom it. I just want to drink in every moment, savoring with all my senses what God is allowing me to experience. I want to be open and responsive to the people I meet. I want to share my journey without fear. I want to go to Bosnia as a risk taker and come home that same way. I am overwhelmed at the immensity of this trip and so humbled that I get to be part of it all.

Fri, Sept 16

- Petula (the missionary we worked with most closely and who is also the director of Izvor) encouraged us to learn from the Bosnian way of ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’. Relationships trump everything and they are taken very seriously – one would never think of meeting for coffee or lunch and then texting on their cell phones all through their time together. If you have a best friend, you see them every day or call or text them daily at the very least. This isn’t just a girl thing either. Men will meet their best friends for coffee as well. This closeness also makes it difficult (for believers) to enter into new friendships (with unbelievers).

Sat, Sept 17

– Lora and I are back at our home, preparing to meet Petula so we can get ready for the Pampering Seminar, where I am speaking. I really don’t want to be nervous about this. I want my story to touch the heart of another woman, even if I never know of it. God, please use me any way You choose.

What a powerful evening – and yet so different from what I expected. About 20-25 women arrived for the Pampering Seminar. They are a friendly, vivacious group of women; all ages, believers and non-believers alike. It was awkward at first, but several of the women and I talked as we beaded. I mostly talked and joked with a beautiful and funny young girl named Marissa, who I later learned was a devout Muslim. I should add that it was decided that I should not give my testimony because there were several unbelievers there who needed the non-threatening environment of just being with women of the church. I totally got that, too. Petula encouraged me to invite Marissa to Izvor for a one-on-one English session, which I did as I told her goodbye, hugged her and thanked her for being such a great beading partner. She said she will come to the center and I can only pray she will. I do believe that God has given me an opportunity with Marissa, whether it was just to nurture the seeds planted in her heart, or if there will be more. Regardless, she will be in my prayers for a long time.

Sun, Sept 18

– Lora and I walked for about 30 minutes along the river to meet Karen (one of the missionaries) and her girls, so we could take the tram out to Ilidza for church, which was amazing. Zeljko is preaching there and his heart for Christ and his love for people is so evident. As soon as he began praying I just wanted to cry. We worshipped, singing in Bosnian, and it was so easy to let my mind and heart go to God’s throne room. Nick preached from Zechariah and it was powerful.

We attended the Malta church for their service in the evening. It was full – maybe 30 or 40 people. They are passionate and responsive worshippers. Caleb shared about the mission trip to Mexico – about how God moved as they persisted in praying for healing. Nick preached from Habakkuk about when God seems slow to answer. So timely.

Tues, Sept 20

– Marissa came to Izvor tonight!! If the weather had been nicer, Lora and I would’ve been shopping and would have totally missed her! I asked Marissa if she is coming to the Open House on Saturday and she said she would, and took an invitation. I will keep praying for her. She has touched my heart.

Wed, Sept 21

– I had trouble falling asleep, but woke up on my own around 6am. Marissa was on my heart and I prayed for her. I’ve really been thinking about people here and at home. Without Christ, all are without hope and peace, no matter where they live. I have been so convicted of how content I am to live in my own little bubble, with very little concern for the lost people of Kelso/Longview. I want to be much more intentional about living each day in expectancy and building relationships with unbelievers. I want to go home a radically different woman, living in confidence and boldness, not the "Much Afraid" that I am honestly much more comfortable with.

Sat, Sept 24

- Tonight was the Open House. To my delight, Marissa came to see me! She stayed with me at the kids’ table the whole time she was there. I tried to give her the bracelet I made at the Pampering Seminar, but she would not accept it. Instead, she gave me one of her bracelets. We hugged and kissed so many times – I am a bit surprised. I told her I would join Facebook so we could stay in touch. She will be worth it! Having her come absolutely made my day!

Sun, Sept 25

^{– The bells are ringing their 7am cacophony and I am trying to savor those sounds, knowing I will hear those chimes only one more time. I don’t understand why I feel such heartache at leaving – well, actually maybe I do. Even though I say I will come again, only God knows the reality of that. Saying goodbye – maybe goodbye even in the eternal sense – grieves me and spurs me to pray even more for my new friends here who do not know Jesus.}

^{Tues, Sept 27 – This trip has been beyond anything I could have imagined. I am sad to leave, yes, but I spent time alone saying my goodbyes and praying over the city, so now I am ready to go home. I am leaving with no regrets, only a very full heart that will be missing the piece I am leaving here. My prayers will be so different for this place and for these people whom God has allowed me to love. I pray I am coming home a different person, fatter in my soul and spirit, not just in my body!

Ciao Sarajevo. I love you. I will miss you. I will pray for you. I will rejoice with God’s people as the love of Christ is poured over this place. Hallelujah.}

What's So Amazing About Grace?

2011-10-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Philip Yancey

Yes, it is the title of his book, and a book I have found very informative about understanding Grace. But, it is a question about which I still have lots of questions. I wonder if I am alone in this. If you are reading this newsletter, and you have insight about accessing Grace, I would love to chat.

The question that has been in the forefront of my exploration on this subject over the last ten or eleven years is, "How can I stay ‘plugged in’ to Grace?"

You know how we talk about Grace:

"She just had lots of Grace to do that. It was so difficult, but she just seemed to have an extra measure of Grace and Favor to do what had to be done."

"God’s Grace just seemed to fall on him. He was able to do what he had always failed to be able to do before. He just had Grace to do it."

A good friend and Christian cohort and I were talking about this just last week. My questions remain:

"Is all Grace available all the time?"

"If it is, how do we access that Grace?"

"Sometimes a difficult task just seems easy, like I’m being carried through it. At other times, I just can’t seem to accomplish what I want so badly to do, or say what I want so badly to convey. What makes the difference?"

"Is it my surrender to God’s will, or the lack of it?"

"Is not ‘having Grace’ a sign that God isn’t in what I’m attempting to do or be?"

Yancey says:

" "What pulled me along was my search for grace. I rejected the church for a time because I found so little grace there. I returned because I found grace nowhere else."

And he also quotes from "Babette’s Feast":

"In the generals’ speech, Isak Dinesen leaves no doubt that she wrote "Babette’s Feast" not simply as a story of a fine meal but as a parable of grace: a gift that cost everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient. This is what General Loewenhielm told the grim-faced parishioners gathered around him at Babette’s table:

‘ We have all of us been told that grace is to be found in the universe. But in our human foolishness and shortsightedness we imagine divine grace to be finite . . . But the moment comes when our eyes are opened, and we see and realize that grace is finite. Grace, my friends, demands nothing from us but that we shall await it with confidence and acknowledge it in gratitude.’

Twelve years before, Babette had landed among the graceless ones. Followers of Luther, they heard sermons on grace nearly every Sunday and the rest of the week tried to earn God’s favor with their pieties and renunciations. Grace came to them in the form of a feast, Babette’s feast, a meal of a lifetime lavished on those who had in no way earned it, who barely possessed the faculties to receive it. Grace came to Norre Vosburg as it always comes: free of charge, no strings attached, on the house."

I would be interested in a book study Life Group gathering to read Yancey’s What’s So Amazing about Grace?, gathering over coffee to discuss what we’ve read. There are twenty chapters, divided into four parts. We could gather four times to discuss having read each part, or twenty times to discuss each chapter. Anyone? Call me at 355-6286 or email me at hagle54@gmail.com. I’d love to learn more about Grace!

Microwaves and Stoves...

2011-10-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

It may come as a complete shock to you that as a college student, I was often very self-centered. I am sure none of you struggled with this in your late teens as you blossomed into adulthood. I am certain you were a generous, kind-hearted, others-focused individual. I, however, was not. I was very concerned with my own world and having things my way.

So in my junior year when I moved into upper-classman housing, I was surprised to find that our shared apartment did not come with a microwave. Granted, we did have a stove, but among the four of us sharing the house, I am uncertain if any one of us knew how to turn it on. A microwave, however, was a basic necessity. The thought of surviving a year of college life without one was absolutely unthinkable. The idea that perhaps we should just buy our own never crossed my mind. Why? Because every dorm room at our campus had a microwave. This meant that every freshman on campus had something for "free" which we did not, even though we were paying more for our apartment-style housing.

As a young man seriously committed to my own well-being, I decided to give our campus janitorial and housing staff a piece of my mind. In a rather tersely worded e-mail, I informed them that it was only right and fair for the college to install microwaves in the upper classman apartments. With an arrogant sense of self-righteousness, I hit "send" and waited for this great wrong to be righted.

By the next day, I had received a kind reply from Dave Grandy, the gentleman in charge of this department. He wanted to meet with me in person. Looking back, I can see that it would have been entirely fair for Mr. Grandy to call me onto the carpet and straighten me out for my attitude. It would have been entirely fair for him to ignore me all together. So why call this meeting? I am convinced that Mr. Grandy, a man of great grace, saw a teachable opportunity.

Mr. Grandy called me into his office that day to gently point out my error. He responded kindly to my email, even thanking me for pointing out a flaw in their services. But then he walked me through my e-mail and helped me to see how my attitude and approach was not only selfish and arrogant, but simply wrong. Mr. Grandy knew that I was headed into ministry, and he had it on his heart to help me see how to deal with conflict in an appropriate manner.

The truth is, I experienced on that day the kind of encounter Jesus had in mind in Matthew 18. I was corrected that day by a fellow believer, but done so with such grace and love that I actually left the meeting feeling grateful. Mr. Grandy chose to exercise that rare blend of grace and truth that is so uncommon today. He truthfully pointed out my sinful attitude, but graciously helped me to learn and grow.

I will always be thankful to Dave Grandy. He served in a thankless job outside of the college limelight. But when he faced a choice to rightly administer truth or boldly offer grace, he followed the example of Christ in choosing both. I hope that in my current roles as pastor, father, husband,

and friend, I am learning to do the same. I have also learned to operate a stove.

Grace AND Truth to you-

Nick

Why Plant?

2011-10-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

Over the last several months, the leadership of East Hills has begun to think, dream and pray about the prospect of planting a second church in the Kelso/Longview area. Dating back several decades, East Hills has had a vision for planting a church but the timing has never seemed right to make this idea reality.

We believe that the right time may be now. Here are the top 5 reasons why we are considering planting a second church:

More churches are closing each year than opening.

Each year, between 3500 and 4000 churches in American are permanently closing their doors, while only 1100 to 1500 new churches open. We need to plant churches just to keep up with population growth!

Kelso/Longview is not as “reached” as we think.

Not only is the Pacific Northwest regularly referred to as the “least reached area” of our country, but our cities are also in need of more churches. If every single church in town was filled to capacity twice a weekend, there would still be 20,000 people in our cities without a seat in the building.

Church plants are effective with evangelism.

More people are coming to Christ in America in church plants than in any other environment or gathering. Over 80% of churches in the country are plateaued or in decline, while church plants continue to reach the lost and grow.

A church plant creates leadership opportunities.

As churches become established and continue to age, leadership becomes more static with a small percent of the congregation involved in leadership. Church plants create leadership opportunities on multiple levels and encourage people to move from by-standers to fully-engaged participants.

God is blessing East Hills.

We are a time like never before for our church. The leadership is strong and united. The church body is filled with peace and unity. Our financial picture is incredibly healthy with no outstanding debt. Why has God blessed us with so much? We believe it is so we can give it away and multiply ourselves.

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about church planting! Please email or contact Pastor Nick directly and let us know what God is stirring up in your heart.(nick@easthillsalliance.org) It is only by God’s grace and strength that this will happen, so we are relying on Him each step of the way.

Team Bosnia- Final Day

2011-09-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

As I write this final blog of our trip, I am sitting on the airplane flying homeward. While I am beyond excited to see my wife and hug my children, I can’t help but feel sadness over the end of this fantastic journey. We arrived nearly two weeks ago, hoping and praying that God would use us to bless the church, encourage believers, and grow faith in our own hearts. I can confidently say that those things have all happened, and so much more. We have truly left behind not acquaintances, but friends- on the Alliance team and in the Sarajevan church. I am honestly having a difficult time putting into words what has happened over these days.

We spent our last day in Bosnia taking a day long trip to Mostar, about 120 kilometers from Sarajevo. A beautiful three-hour train ride through the mountains brought us to the second largest city in Bosnia. Here, we met up with Mark and Vivian Shady, who are international workers with the Alliance and also directing the Bible School. This is THE only Bible School in the entire country and plays a pivotal role in training new leaders for the church. Continue to pray for Mark and the school in Mostar- they face significant challenges in funding and in transitioning their classes to meet the needs of the Bosnian church.

After touring the school, we strolled through the streets of Mostar. This is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. As Marian Waller put it, “I have to keep pinching myself to remember I’m not at Disneyland. It’s real!” The Stari Most bridge is the largest single-arch bridge in the world and attracts thousands of visitors to this city. After Sarajevo, Mostar was probably the most significantly war-damaged city in the country. Buildings still in rubble are a common site. Our stroll through the city led us to a hole in the ground. This is actually the future site of the West Mostar Evangelical Church. It remains a hole, however, because for 11 years their efforts at getting the proper permits and paperwork have been thwarted at each turn. Pray in faith with us that one day believers will worship in this place!

We chose to grab the bus home, which gave us some extra time to enjoy a “farewell gelato” at a local café. Even though we arrived back in Sarajevo after 9 PM, we still met a group for dinner. It was our last chance to chat with Petula Myers, who served as our host throughout the trip, and Laura Eckman, another Alliance worker who helped us quite a bit. Also, Pastor Sas︣a of the Malta church joined us, along with another member. This spoke volumes to me of the depth of relationships we have established, as these guys really wanted to have one last meal with us. We pray for continued connection with them, as they strive to be light in a dark country.

The evening was spent packing, and this morning after some final coffees and strolls, we headed to the airport with full hearts and grateful spirits. We are especially grateful to all of you who have journeyed with us. Whether you checked the blog once or daily, whether you prayed for a moment or for hours, we are honored by your partnership with our team. We felt as though we were ambassadors for all of you, and in some small way you made a difference in Bosnia as well. Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, and thanks for continuing to keep Bosnia and the believers there before the Father.

Journey On-

Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 11

2011-09-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

What a great day! Today was one of those unique opportunities where we had the time to receive more than it felt like we gave! We attended two different churches in the morning and other than bringing greetings, we just entered into worship with them. (Caleb also played some guitar at the Ilidza church) It is a joy to see the local church doing her thing!

This afternoon, we did some team debriefing and spent time talking through trip highlights. It's hard to believe we're already at that point! But we have so much for which to be grateful.

Tonight was an absolute highlight. At the Malta church, two of their young singers/worship leaders released a CD they have put together, all with original songs. It is one of the coolest combinations of Euro Pop/Techno/Worship I have ever heard! The two artists are both in their early 20's and have come to Christ in the last 5 years. They are a glowing representation of the church here and how God can change lives. Be praying that Mirela and Alen would have a powerful impact on people here. Their hearts are to see their friends and family find Jesus as they have! And wow did the crowd come out- probably close to 100 people, which for a church event in Bosnia is really astounding. I will have 5 copies of this CD to sell- first come first serve!!

Blessings-
Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 10

2011-09-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

A Girl Named Irma

Today, a few of us had the opportunity to have coffee with Irma, a Bosnian whom we met on our last trip to Sarajevo. It was good to see her again! As we sat, she shared her story, which I do not remember hearing before...at least not like this.

Irma was 6 years old when the war began. She talks about sitting in their basement and hearing bombs fall outside. The family got to where they could tell how far away a particular bombing might be. When they would hear sirens, they could tel if it was an air raid, or just mortar fire. They would play all day in this basement, and pretend they were eating chocolate. Each day, they would wait for their dad to come home from the front line, hoping he had picked some wild strawberries for them.

About 6 months into the war, Irma's mom gave birth to twins, two months early. By this time, the hospitals had all been badly damaged by bombing, and what maternity care they had was make-shift and limited. When the twins were born, the doctors told her Mom, "Pick one. We are only able to care for one." The mom couldn't do it and said, "You choose." One baby was cared for, and one died the next day. When she took the baby home over a month later, he still weighed just over two pounds.

Irma's family would survive the war, and in 1994, she, her mom, and her little brother walked through the Tunnel of Life (see yesterday's post) into the mountains where they escaped to Croatia until the war was over. Their dad remained to fight and avoid being prosecuted as a deserter. When the family arrived in Croatia, Irma got to go to school without fear of death. She said she couldn't believe it when she walked into her classroom and saw books, a chalkboard and desks. These were luxuries she had only heard about in Sarajevo.

Irma returned to Bosnia after the war. Life since then has not been easy. Three years ago, her brother was killed in a car accident. She has struggled to find work until just recently. Her fiance has been looking for a job for years. (But he just got one! He starts on Monday!) Yet amongst all this, Irma found faith. She and her fiance George attend the church in Krsevsko Brdo, where they hope to be baptized next month. Jesus has become for them hope which they have found no where else. What you and I view as an unimaginable childhood, Irma sees as "just life", and she is grateful to be where she is today. Irma's story is typical of each person we have met here in Sarajevo. Please pray for she and George- they and others like them are the church, both present and future, of Sarajevo.

The open house tonight was a blast. Maybe soon I will post a video of Caleb singing some helium-induced choruses that brought the house down. Overall, the attendance was less than expected, but those who came were joyful and grateful. Many of the believers attended, which the Alliance team took as a positive sign that they are embracing Izvor as a good, neutral space to invite their friends. We had a great time serving food, pouring drinks, and just chatting with our new friends. Pray for continued connections between Izvor and the community.

Pray for Caleb as he preaches at Ilidza tomorrow! May his message on faith be God's word for them in that place.

Peace-
Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 9

2011-09-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Prayer works! Yeah!

Today was another good day! I will share an encouraging story at the end of this post that will keep you praying until we come home. But first, a run-down of our day.

We spent the morning preparing Izvor for the big open-house celebration tomorrow night. Between the 8 team members and the Alliance team here, we moved tables, wrapped gifts, purchased and replaced light bulbs, ironed more table cloths, baked cookies, mixed dips and cut up chocolate (they don't have chocolate chips here so you cut up the bars). All in all, we made good progress.

After lunch at Cheers (actually a British themed restaurant, not like the one in Boston), we headed out on a field trip. First, we saw the re-upholstery business that the ex-addicts group has started as a way of providing income for their families. What an honor to pray with and over these great guys whose lives have been changed by God! After that, we went out and saw the "Tunnel of Life", a small corridor the people of Bosnia dug underneath the airport during the war. For a period of several years, this was the only way to get goods in and out of Sarajevo. Many believe had it not been for this secret tunnel, the siege by the Serbs would have been successful. Unfortunately, we arrived 15 minutes too late and did not get to see the actual tunnel. Bummer! But we did pray that the local believers would be a tunnel of life into Sarajevo today.

Next, we drove up the mountain for another high point prayer time. It has been powerful to stand on the hills around Sarajevo, often within feet of where Serbian tanks had been stationed, and to pray life and freedom over the city. Finally, most of our group returned to the Mostar church where we joined the local believers for their Friday night prayer time. We all love hearing the passion of the believers as they pray here. (I say "most of our group" because the gals all returned to Izvor to do more cooking. Our hosts planned an aggressive menu!)

Okay, now for some encouragement. Yesterday, Petula Myers (of the Alliance team) was very discouraged because plans for a film seminar had begun to fall apart. One of the most well-known cameramen in all Sarajevo is planning to host a 4-day seminar at Izvor to teach high school students about film. But as of yesterday, every high school in town was responding negatively to the request to send students. As I heard Petula share this frustration, I knew we needed to pray. And what hit me as odd was that I sensed we should pray for the benefit of Vesna, who is the office administrator at Izvor. Thus far, Vesna has not given her life to Jesus. She likes God, and Christians, and Izvor, but hasn't yet concluded that Jesus is the only way. I knew we needed to pray so that she would hear prayer and know that it works. Well guess what- by noon today, four high schools had called to say they would be sending students! One school even wanted to send 30 students! (The class has room for 18-20) Some of these same schools had told Vesna just yesterday that they would not participate. Vesna told Petula over the phone, "Tell Nick thanks for praying! That really worked!" How exciting is that? God chose to answer a prayer so that Vesna would see how powerful He truly is. Please continue to pray for Vesna, and for the film seminar. It will not be a "faith based" seminar at all, but an opportunity to bless the community and build relationships.

Well, that's all for now. I sense that we are growing a bit weary, so please pray for stamina, energy and joy. We are loving the trip, but foreign travel can start to get to you before you realize what's happening.

Can't wait to tell you tomorrow how the open-house goes.

Peace-
Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 8

2011-09-22T15:07:00.001-07:00

Well, friends, it is late so this update may be on the short side. Here's a quick run down of what we did today...

We began our day by prayer walking around the center of the city. We walked through the main areas of city government and commerce. Overall, the team felt greater freedom to pray and sensed God's power at work in this city.

After prayer walking, we went and visited the Bosnian version of Celebrate Recovery- a ministry to drug addicts. This ministry has truly been an area of fruit for the local church. Though we have talked often about how few people are coming to Christ, this drug recovery group is seeing people come to Christ regularly. On such person was Tanya, who now works as the receptionist and also cleans at Izvor. Two years ago, she hit bottom and reached out to some former drug addicts she knew who had changed. They told her about Jesus and this program, and now her life has been radically changed. She is a thriving member of the Malta church. Please pray for her and her son, as they have both been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Pray especially that her son would be healed as a powerful testimony to her family, who are still antagonistic towards her faith.

After visiting here and grabbing some quick lunch, we went up to the site of the 1984 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies. The reason for this trip was actually the view across the valley. During the war from 1992-1995, the Olympic stadium became the city morgue. They had 10,000 bodies at one point and nowhere to put them. (This is only a fraction of the total deaths during the war) After the war, they used a pulley system to move the bodies into a massive cemetery- Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks all sharing the same field. To see this hillside of tombs is almost beyond words. We took some time to pray over this area.

Then, we went to a great fortress that overlooks the northeast end of the city. It's a great place to pray over the city. You'll see some shots from here if you are EHA this weekend.

We ended the day with some time of preparing for the one-year celebration open-house at Izvor. They have invited over 200 people to attend. Please be praying for this night- Saturday. It is a significant point of connection for the Alliance team and the Bosnian community. Pray that relationships will be deepened and that more and more people will be led to connect with what is happening at the center.

Pray for the team- it seems that energy is lagging a bit, and Jim and Lora have come down with a bit of a bug now as well. Ask God for strength to finish well!

Thanks for partnering with us. Each and every one of your prayers are valuable to us!

Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 7

2011-09-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

How do I begin to describe what this trip has been like? How do I describe the hopelessness that a lot of the young people feel about the state of their country? How do I convey the underlying distrust and the very distinct underlying ethnic and religious lines people have set up in their lives to guard themselves? When I look at the city of Sarajevo, I could easily give in to hopelessness and give up on the area and on the people. However, when I get into prayer with the rest of the team, whether we are walking around the city or in a room praying for the city and for specific individuals, I get a glimpse of what God wants for Sarajevo. When we meet with the different pastors and hear about ministries that are going on, and we hear their hearts crying out for a people group to be saved, then I get excited for Sarajevo. When friends daily meet together for coffee in Sarajevo, I am reminded of the early church, who met regularly to eat together and to praise and worship God. Would you pray with us for the city of Sarajevo? Would you pray that God would continue to move and soften people's hearts? Would you pray that God's light would shine in a very dark place? God's word tells us that darkness cannot abide where light is. Would you pray that Sarajevo would be filled with God's light? I am excited for the potential in Sarajevo, Bosnia!!!

Izvor is also holding an open house on Saturday. At least 150 people have been invited to come to this open house. While we are working on preparations for the open house, would you join us in praying that connections and relationships would be made? This is not an evangelistic event, but would you be praying for the people who come to the center? God is doing amazing things here!! Come join us!! -Nathan

(PS- The photos are of 1)Karen Dinius, Allianc worker, posing with kids school supplies EHA sent, and 2) our team praying together at Izvor.)

(PPS- While I truly appreciate the five people who responded to the last post, I think I failed to convey my true intent. I am hoping to spur on thoughts, conversations, etc, on ALL our posts! Therefore, I will now offer a Bosnian souvenir to the person who most faithfully interacts with the team blog between now and when we return. May the most faithful prayer warrior prevail!)

Team Bosnia-Day 6

2011-09-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

It is hard for me to believe that we have reached the halfway point of our trip. Usually I would say that it has gone by so quickly, but this time I truly feel the opposite. I feel that our days have felt so full and so significant that I am amazed we still have 6 full days to spend here. Awesome!

This morning, our group split into three teams and prayer walked through the heart of the city. We met up again at the Holiday Inn, which was the international and press headquarters during the war. Lunch was spent at a little fast food spot run by friends of Todd and Karen Denius. Todd and Karen are Alliance workers, and they have reached out to this couple from their apartment building. Pray that these friends would continue towards Christ!

After lunch, we went up the Avaz Tower, the tallest building in the Balkans (see picture). We rode the elevators 35 floors up where we then spent some time praying over the city from above. The symbol of this building is the dragon, as shown on their floor tile which heads this entry. What is strange to me is that the city of Sarajevo when viewed from the air is laid out in roughly the same shape as this dragon. What is more, the Avaz Tower is the central communication (radio, tv, etc) company in all of Sarajevo. Add to all of this that the tower itself is located at the heart of the dragon on a map, and it seems like a spiritually significant place. Darkness has had a grip on this city, but we are proclaiming that Light has come and Jesus is Lord in this city.

Would you join us in that prayer?
Please continue to pray for Caleb- he still feeling under the weather. We need him back!

Tomorrow, we have been asked to head up the small group time for the Malta church. They have three small groups that will meet together for a message and discussion. Pastor Sasa is out of town and asked me to bring a message and for Caleb to lead some music. I think this is pretty great progression- we have gone from hardly knowing Sasa to being left in charge when he leaves! God's favor, my friends! Pray for continued effective ministry with this church.

Finally, blogs are meant to be interactive by nature. They are intended to invite feedback, questions, interaction, and encouragement. From our web traffic, I know many of you are checking in. THANKS! But no one wants to comment...so, I will bring home a Bosnia souvenier for the first five people who post a reply to this blog. (And you must post more than "Praying!") Leave at least one complete sentence and the goodies are yours.

Blessings!

Nick

Pray for Caleb!

2011-09-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

Hey all-

Pray for Caleb today! He woke up this morning with some kind of stomach bug and has spent most of the day in bed. I know it kills him to miss out on our prayer times and seeing the city. Add to that how he feels physically and it's just all-around rotten. He hopes and thinks it's a one-day bug, and we hope to have him back on track tomorrow. We would appreciate the prayers for him!

Thanks-
Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 5

2011-09-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hello to all of our faithful followers! Okay, hopefully you are following Jesus, but we also appreciate that you are following us on our trip and praying with us as we go.

I had hoped to have others share some thoughts and reflections by now, but we have been so on the go that you'll just have to put up with me for now!

Last night (Sunday) we joined with the Malta church for their service. It was really great to worship with them- they sing loud and love being together! All of the guys on the retreat are from this church, so having that connection with them made the night significant. I appreciate your prayers for all of the preaching I did- I felt that God showed up each time and somehow I found energy for each message.

Today, our team again "split" for different purposes. Most of the team returned to the small church in Ilidza to help with their second-hand store ministry. As many of you might have guessed already, Pastor Caleb was all over this opportunity! But what the guys really did, rather than getting to sort through cool Bosnian second-hand stuff, was lift boxes; over, and over, and over. I asked them how it went. They said, "we moved boxes for four hours." So I asked, "did you feel you were a help to them?" "Oh yeah- we made a huge difference!" And they were pumped to do so! The gals got to serve by cooking everyone (our team of 6 plus their 6 helpers) a "mexican" lunch. Bosnians rarely get mexican, so this was a real treat. But our gals confessed that all of the supplies were bought here in Sarajevo and it wasn't all that authentic. I'm sure the meal was still very much appreciated.

While most of the team sweated for Jesus, Noel and I took a curvy drive up into the mountains to see the only Christian camp in all of Bosnia. The director had invited us to come and see what the vision was for this ministry. I see it as a possible opportunity for our church to get involved in helping do some building projects. The photo you see above is the only permanent structure on site. It has only one useable room- a make-shift kitchen out of which they feed as many as 150 people in a given week. The other structure you see in the photos is their gathering area. Everyone who comes stays in tents- rain or shine! Pray with us for the ministry of the camp and for our potential future involvement. Think about this- 4 million people- one camp. Wow.

Tonight, two of our guys and the two gals did English speaking practice with two different locals. They said it was a great time of conversing. You can pray that these conversations might spark someone to ask more about Christ and faith- we'll be doing these practice sessions with locals the rest of the week.

We are well, but missing all of you. One final prayer request is that God would continue to direct our team, and our church, as to where we should direct our time and energy. There is so much to do in Bosnia and we want to go where God would lead. Ask Him for some direction. We feel pointed in all directions right now.

Peace to you from Sarajevo, a truly beautiful place-

Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 4

2011-09-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

We are back from the mountains, so I am finally getting to update again. It is now Sunday afternoon here, and we are preparing to participate in the Malta church service tonight. This is a young church and probably the largest in Sarajevo (50 people or so). I will be preaching for the 6^th time in 3 days, so you can pray for continued energy. God has been so good to me in that way so far.

The guys really had an amazing time at Jahorina with the Bosnian men. We were at an area very close to the 1984 Cross Country skiing Olympic Venue. A beautiful mountain retreat cabin that was built by a former missionary from Germany. 10 guys from the Malta church came with us, many of them young men who accepted Christ through a drug rehab program. They were a great group and really open to us. A highlight was playing paintball in the woods with us, and believe me when I say they showed the Americans no mercy. We all have welts to prove it. I’ll post a picture soon.

The gals also had a great weekend. There were about 35 ladies at the pampering seminar, and several of them had never come to the church before so that was very encouraging for the international workers. The beads and supplies that we sent over were very appreciated.

This morning we helped lead the church service at Ilizda, a small church in the west end of Sarajevo. When I say small, I mean that your living room is likely larger than where we met. They have a faithful group, mostly ladies, who meet each week. They also have a vision to reach a people group that they feel are completely unreached. Pray for Pastor Zelko and this church!

Thanks for praying with us! We will hope to have other team members post their thoughts, as well as more pictures, during this next week we are here.

God is good!

Nick

Team Bosnia- Day 1

2011-09-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

We are in Sarajevo and doing well! We have had limited time and wireless access up until now, so I apologize if any of you have been checking for info and not found it.

Our first day went really well. Flights were all on time and with a minimal amount of turbulence. One highlight was seeing Novak Djok0vic (the world’s number one tennis player and a Serbian) at the Munich airport. He’s much shorter than I expected.

Yesterday afternoon, we had an orientation at the Center, Izvor. It was great to be back in this room where we had done a kids club 14 months ago. In some ways, it feels like no time has gone by at all. After this, we had some time to tour downtown and the old city. During this time, we glimpsed Penelope Cruz, who is shooting a movie in Sarajevo. She is also shorter than I expected.

Our evening was a real highlight. We got to sit in on a 100-year celebration of Miss Irby, believed to be the first Christian worker to come to Bosnia. They have a street here named after her, and memory of her was fading into extinction until one of her great grand nephews came to Bosnia and found a street with his last name on it. When he explored further, he found a rich history of his relative who had started schools, educated women, and transformed the spiritual landscape of the city in the late 1800’s. The local church of Sarajevo put on this celebration in a theater at a brand new shopping mall. Dignitaries from across the city, including the British Ambassador, came to honor the work of Miss Irby. It was a powerful opportunity for the local church to talk about the transforming power of faith in Christ and the true meaning of the Bible. Pray for continued impact of this event! (I must also confess that as we battled jet-lag, various team members nodded off from time to time. We hope the locals didn't notice too much!)

Today, we are preparing to “split” our team as the guys head into the mountains for a Men’s Retreat with a local church and the gals stay in Sarajevo for an event tomorrow night with the ladies. Pray for good opportunities to bless and encourage the believers here. I hope to update you from the mountains tomorrow, but we’ll see!

Thanks for praying and journeying with us. God is at work!

Nick

Why We Go

2011-09-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Today I am in the final stages of preparing to be in Bosnia for two weeks. What an exciting adventure to partner with seven others from EHA to be on the ground in Sarajevo!

On this final day before stepping on board a plane, I thought I’d take a few moments and respond to a question I often hear about this kind of trip. People will ask me, “Why spend all that time and money to go? Why not just send the money to those who are already there?” A valid question! Two questions, actually! As this trip marchs closer and closer, I find my response to those questions growing ever clearer.

First, we go to build relationships and encourage our friends! It is a fallacy to believe that sending enough money anywhere will result in true change. Sure, money is necessary and workers cannot be sent without our support, but all too often we slip into the mindset that sending money is all God wants of us. Taking a trip like this gives our team the real opportunity to see people face to face. We get to shake hands, give hugs, share meals, laugh, cry and pray with them. As we do this with our friends in Bosnia- whether international workers, pastors or locals- God is at work. The gospel advances over relational bridges that get built one piece at a time.

Second, we go to pray on site. I don’t pretend to know all of the ins and outs of prayer. I am not certain whether some prayers matter more than others or not. But I have found in my experience that praying WITH someone is better than only praying for them. Praying at the site is somehow more significant than praying from far away. Please don’t get me wrong- I believe that prayers of any kind from any distance can be effective and powerful. But when we have the chance to see with our eyes and touch with our hands, in some way the Presence of God is given more freedom to work, move and change lives.

Third, we go to be connected. One of the amazing things for me to watch has been how this trip has naturally connected us to Bosnia and the team in Sarajevo. Because we are going, we have talked more in church about Bosnia. Because we are going, we have prayed more at our gatherings. And I have found that I am personally praying far more than I would have had we not been going. Knowing that we will be there in person has helped us “be there” already in our hearts and spirits.

Fourth, we go for the change that will occur in us. Too often, we tend to wonder what good we can do for a country or a city in two weeks. The better question is how much a country or a city can do in us! I know for a fact that our team will be profoundly impacted by what we see and experience. We will be drawn to prayer in new ways. Our eyes will be more open to spiritual realities. We will have better clarity to look at our way of life and question what is crucial and what is not. For this reason alone, I will take as many people as I can on overseas trips!

Finally, we go in order to build our church for the future. As we continue this partnership with Bosnia, I am certain that our vision for the world is growing within the church. Our horizons are being expanded, and people are being challenged to take steps of faith like never before. When we go, we send a message to our entire faith community about the nature of following Christ. We become a sending church. A going church. A praying church. Will this single trip leave a lasting mark in Bosnia? I hope so. But will it create lasting change in our gathering? I am certain of it.

In light of all this, I wonder aloud: How could we not go?

Peace-

Nick

PS- Please check back daily in the next two weeks as our team posts updates. Our hope is that these posts will prompt YOU to pray. And perhaps one day, to GO as well!

Ministry in Joplin

2011-08-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

On May 6, 2011 the most devastating tornado to ever touch down hit the town of Joplin Missouri. Tornados were previously rated from F-1, being the least to F-5, being the most sever. This storm created a new category, with wind speeds reaching up to three hundred miles per hour the National Weather Service called it an F-6, the first time this had ever been done. The tornado even had an eye, like a hurricane does; this also had never been seen.

Larry Russell came to our church at the end of June to talk to our congregation about this terrible storm and to solicit money and help. He asked for skilled craftsmen to go there and help in the recovery effort. The only skill he mentioned was a plumbing.

When he was through talking I looked up and said to myself, “Okay, Lord, I understand." After the service was over I went up to Larry and said “You need a plumber, I’m your man.”

Thus started my mission to do whatever I could to help Joplin and its people to recover from the devastation. I was in for the shock of my life. I don’t watch the news very often and never saw any footage of the devastation, so I had no idea of the magnitude of destruction I was to witness. Devastation would come to be a word I would use often.

We got to Joplin about 7 p.m. and started our tour of the town, and I started crying. Devastation is too mild a word, utter and total devastation is closer to the truth. As we passed by piles of remains of buildings, Lewis, our contact in Joplin, would tell story after story of how people miraculously survived with their homes intact while their neighbors’ home and lives were completely gone.

The pictures that you have seen and the stories you have heard on the news don’t convey the story as it truly is. Nothing I can tell you will do the city justice, you really need to see it yourself. The closest I can come is to imagine what Hiroshima looked like after the atom bomb. Some of you might think I’m exaggerating, believe me, I’m not.

Lewis told stories of neighbors helping each other and surviving only by the grace of our Lord.

A mother held on to a tree with one hand while holding on to her four year old son with the other. Finally, the wind was too strong and she lost her grip on his hand. He was swept up in the storm and whisked away. She was sure that she had lost him; not so though. He was carried five miles away by the powerful winds and deposited in a Home Depot parking lot without a scratch. When he was returned to his mother she asked him what had happened, he replied that the butterfly people had carried him there.

Another man and his two children huddled in their bath tub and pulled a mattress over themselves. The son was the only one face up. The mattress was pulled away by the winds. When the storm passed the man exclaimed. How did we not get hurt? His young son said that the man with wings wrapped them around us.

Two churches were totally destroyed; they had crosses placed in front of them, the crosses remained untouched.

I could go on, but I need to tell the rest of the story, some people looked at the devastation in disgust and took whatever they had and moved elsewhere.

But there were the faithful who said this is our home, we will rebuild it. Ian Martinez, Rick Hicks (the other workers that I went with) and I went to a worship meeting every night and each night we were acknowledged for the good work we were doing.

People came up to us all the time and shook our hand and hugged us, thanking us for having traveled so far to do what we were doing. We, of course, said we were only doing the Lord’s work as we were directed. We were often asked to speak at these meetings.

One night I said, you give us praise for doing the Lords’ work, but I have to say that you people that live here are the ones who deserve a pat on the back. It’s been two months since the storm; still you get up each morning and get to the task of rebuilding. This looks like it will never end, but I have seen the smiles on your faces and your dogged determination. We are here for just one week, you will still be here for years cleaning and rebuilding, you are the salt of the earth. I know that you will rebuild Joplin into a bigger and better town than it was before the storm, you will not quit.

After I sat down a lady came up to me and asked me to pray for her. She said that she had been thinking about moving out of the area, and that my words had hit a chord in her heart. I asked her if she had lost her home. She replied; my home, my husband

and my dog. She had no family left in the area. I asked her if she truly believed in God. She said yes. I said, look around you, you are surrounded by family. She began to cry and I gave her a hug and began to pray that she would understand that we are all related, we all have the same thing in common. She wiped the tears from her face, looked around and said, “You’re right, we are all struggling, and we all lost something or someone.”

Sometimes the simplest things can make a large difference. The next time I saw her she thanked me and told me that I had convinced her to stay, and that she would not be alone while she had friends and the Lord to comfort her. I thanked the Lord for giving me those words of comfort.

On Sunday, we of course didn’t work. We went to two services and also went to a river and watched as twelve people were baptized. It was heartwarming to see so many people come to the Lord at the same time. It’s also tragic that it took this storm for them to come to the Lord. Pastor Jim said it had been like this ever since the storm.

Our mission in Joplin was to build a kitchen and a shower room for other relief workers that would arrive in the weeks to come. There were no blue prints, Pastor Jim just told us what and where he wanted things to be placed. Since I had the most knowledge about building, I was given the unenviable task of foreman. Without plans we built on the fly, we would discuss what needed to be done as we approached the task.

We left Joplin at eight o’clock the twentieth of July. We were able to finish our task at two o’clock that day. It’s truly amazing how God gave us just enough time and money to complete our task. We worked eighty-four hours in six days, and on the last day we only had six hours to finish, the other five days were very long.

Six months ago I was walking with a cane and was in such poor shape that I thought I would have to mostly direct someone to do the plumbing. It was over one-hundred degrees with humidity over eighty percent every day, but again the Lord gave me the strength to do my own work. I was truly spent when we finished. Three days back and I am still tired. How I was able to work as hard as I did only the Lord knows. Rick told me a couple of times to slow down or I would have a heart attack. Still I pushed on knowing that we had limited time to finish.

It’s easy to quit or give up, the people of Joplin could easily do this, however they have chosen to stay the course, which is hard considering what they have been through. Their faith in Christ is strong however, and with the temptation to quit around them every day their faith remains very strong.

God bless the people of Joplin. My only regret is that I’m not still there to help more. While the destruction was hard to witness, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to make this trip, and finish the project as assigned. It was one of the most fulfilling things I have ever experienced. We did what we did for the love of the people of Joplin.

--Ernie Jones

Keep on Praying

2011-08-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

"Keep on praying!"

Haven’t you heard this many times before? I know I have.

But proof that God hears and answers our prayers became real for me once again when I got the news that something I’ve been praying about for fourteen years was answered!

My son, Chris, shared with me two weeks ago that he is now praying EVERY morning for each of his kids and his wife and marriage. Chris and Peggie have been married fifteen years. They met when both of them were working at the Cannon Beach Conference Center. Their son, Cody, is fourteen, and his little sister, Mollie, is four. They wanted lots of kids, but it has been difficult. They love their kids fiercely.

Chris and Peggie recently attended a Basic Youth Conflicts seminar in Portland, and gained a lot of insight about the Bible and how it applies to their lives and the lives of their children. I remember attending this seminar in the ‘70’s. The seminar addresses “seven Biblical principles that apply to every person, regardless of culture, religion, age, education, or social status. It emphasizes the factors needed to develop and maintain healthy, growing relationships with God, family members, and friends.” You can learn more about it at their website: http://iblp.org/iblp/seminars/

Chris related that he always leaves for work about forty-five minutes before time to be there, so he doesn’t have to feel rushed about being in his place at the wood mill when the shift begins. After attending the seminar, Chris has begun to use some of that “before work” time to pray about specific things that are going on in his family’s lives. They visited here two weeks ago, and the change in the relationship between Chris and his son, Cody, is remarkable.

Chris said he learned that the two things kids say most about their dads is that they respond to them in anger, and they don’t keep their promises. Watching Chris listen to his son, and calmly respond to him, was a miracle. His response to his son caused me, several times, to stop in my tracks and listen, with tears in my eyes.

This is a HUGE answer to prayer for me. Whatever your concerns, your hopes, your worries, your fears, for those you love, I would encourage you to take them to the Cross, and keep bringing them there until you hear them answered. Isaiah 62:6-7 says to put the Lord in remembrance of His promises, to not keep silence, and to give Him no rest until He follows through with them.

Claim this promise. He will hear you, and He will answer.

Whatever you are praying on behalf of someone else, KEEP ON PRAYING!

-Mary Hagle

Pray for Team Mexico

2011-08-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here's how you can be praying for our team traveling in Mexico:

Trip dates: August 15-23

These are the specific prayer needs for the trip to Rancho de Sus Ninos near Tecate’ in Mexico.

That the team would be unified
That we would have lots of "hands-on" prayer opportunities.
That we would witness many miracles
That we could be a great blessing to the orphans and team down there.

Please tape this list to your bathroom mirror – and have a morning discussion with the Father every day, especially August 15-23! We will be eagerly waiting to hear how God has answered! Stay tuned!!

Members of the 2011 Mexico Team

Nate Beck, Becky Cox, Caleb Cox, Cody McKinney, Logan Taylor, Vicki Taylor, Trishia Venegas, Evan Waller, Jake Wilson, Caity Wilson, Jerry Wilson

Pray in the Spirit!

2011-08-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18

As a child I attended Sunday School at Arbor Heights Community Church in Seattle. In time, this church became affiliated with, and then a member of, the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Through the witness of my Sunday School teachers I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior at age 14. In my first year of college in Bellingham, I attended a “Tent Meeting” held in a tent with a sawdust floor. While listening to the preacher, I realized that I not only needed Jesus Christ as my Savior, but also to invite Him to be my Lord, or Master. I walked forward and prayed, dedicating my life to listening to the voice of Jesus and obeying Him to the best of my abilities, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

In 1962 I began attending what was then called Women’s Missionary Prayer Fellowship (WMPF). This is the “arm” of the C&MA that all Alliance women are invited to attend. At age 20, I was the youngest person attending. I barely knew anyone, or what the procedures were or who the missionaries were that they spoke of and prayed for. Nevertheless, I persevered, knowing it was something God wanted me to do. Over time, I learned so much about missionary families, how they lived, what their needs were, and how to pray for them. Their letters were read and prayed over. We rejoiced over their successes, prayed even more over their ongoing requests, and praised God for the amazing fact that we could reach the world effectively through the Name of Jesus Christ! We often sent gift boxes to these missionaries. Finally, I was able to meet them in person when they came home on “furlough” after three years of service.

I also learned the history of WMPF. In the late 1800's, Rev. A. B. Simpson, the educator and organizer of missionaries and ways they and Christians stateside could communicate better, began writing and publishing a magazine. It, too, has changed its name and currently is entitled “aLife”. The Christian women formed local groups to pray for the needs of the missionaries who were ministering in Africa and China under Simpson’s direction. As they heard Rev. Simpson’s passionate preaching, women even felt the need to give their jewelry as an offering, due to their heartfelt compassion for the lost. The idea for the small groups of praying women eventually spread to most, if not all, the Alliance churches world-wide. Donations are still an important part of Alliance Women’s Ministries. Our National AWM annual giving recently surpassed $300,000. It funds missions projects that would not otherwise be completed. The GCF pays for missionary allotments, but not for the needed projects in their area of ministry. So, women united together to help collect funds for different projects each year. A project is decided upon each year; a goal is set. By the end of that year our goal has nearly always been met, thanks to our amazing God!

When planning our meetings, we ask God to give us ideas to make our meetings interesting and profitable for our church family, our community, and the world. This has led to clever ways to keep the prayer time interesting. Those attending bond together, learn geography and about foreign cultures, of the missionaries’ needs and how to help provide for them.

Our times of prayer have been meaningful and successful. From around the world, we learn of miraculous answers to our prayers. Email and Skype has helped to learn of urgent needs quickly. Some prayers are answered immediately, but others are ongoing and often are answered in different ways than we anticipated, but always in the way God planned. We feel closer to our beloved International Workers, as if we know them before ever meeting them, because of our prayers offered up on their behalf. Once I introduced myself to international workers from South America who visited EHA. I’d prayed for and written to them several times, but we had never met. Upon my introduction, the wife said, “I remember you, you wrote to us”. The husband said the same thing when I met him. What an honor to be known by praying for and writing to these workers on the “front line”. Others have spoken to our Alliance Missions Connection (our group’s current name at EHA) and voiced their thanks for our prayers, emails and gifts on their behalf.

It is a privilege and joy to regularly attend AMC and pray with those attending. It is a “free” way to help further the Gospel around the world as was Rev. Simpson’s dream. It is an honor to be a part of Alliance Women’s Ministries worldwide and of what God is doing through faithful prayer.

--Linda Grewelle

"Time For Your Check-up! Please step into my office..."

2011-07-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

Nick and I agreed that since it's been almost half a year since The House focused on our response to the mentoring experiences we might incorporate into our lives, it might be a good time to check in about that.

Hopefully, these words from the February issue will refresh your memory, and you also might recall what some of us shared about being mentored by Tom Hight: "Mentoring. Walking alongside. Friendship. What is the value to us in one life lived in a side-by-side relationship with the Creator of the Universe?"

Nick’s message at that time about asking for and finding someone to mentor us, and being willing to be a mentor to another, produced some new mentorships, and stories about some of them are included in this month’s issue, along with an article from our pastor on the subject.

These are My Three Current Mentoring Experiences:

One – Physical Fitness & Spirit: I know I was inspired to ask someone to act as a mentor and accountability coach for developing a fitness plan, as my doctor continued to urge me to walk as part of controlling my diabetes, and I longed to be able to come back to tennis as an enjoyed pastime. I was also very aware of the spiritual aspect of being a good steward of my health.

My coach has been inventive, encouraging and inspiring. I find having another person’s perspective, and especially an informed one, changes everything about what it means to incorporate a new discipline in my life. She continually amazes me with the ability to bring about "paradigm shift" for me in this area in which I’ve struggled for so long. Her wisdom and experience are better than gold.This has been an enriching and informative experience, and what I believe to be a genuine miracle in my life. I find my walking time to be another opportunity to be in conversation with God, reflecting on my day, my week, my year, and where He is leading me in other aspects of my discipleship disciplines. My walking time has become sacred, a gift of "built-in" sabbatical, as I walk and listen.

My general health has improved, my bad back is much more flexible, my aching joints have eased, and I’m playing tennis again! You have no idea how joyful an experience that is for me!

Two – Financial Fitness & Spirit: My confession: I am a lifelong "money-drunk" (Julia Cameron’s term for those of us who are compulsively unable to control our spending.) It is painful to admit that this has been a struggle for me for as long as long as I can remember.

As soon as I heard Nick's words of encouragement for finding someone to walk alongside us, I knew I wanted to ask someone who had been through the Financial Peace University material to help me. I have had success, and failure, in this process, but I haven’t given up!

My mentor talks with me, reviews my reporting about what is and isn’t working, and encourages me to "stay the course". At the center of all of that are love, concern and clarity when I’m mired in my issues about this area of my life. I have experienced the love, acceptance and forgiveness I need to be healed of this affliction, and have felt God’s hand in it all. How grateful I am for my mentor’s wisdom and encouragement. The struggle continues, but I know there will be more success as I press forward, with the help of my mentor and the Holy Spirit.

Three – Discipleship Fitness & Spirit: Finally, I will remark on a mentorship and friendship that has lasted forty years, and continues today. I meet with this woman weekly, to share my walk and use her as a sounding board for my life decisions and the joys and pains of my circumstances.

I don’t always agree with her. She doesn’t always have something to say. My experience is that the key is "acceptant listening". I know she will listen, she will pray, and on occasion, directly speak to a question or issue I raise.

During some of the most acutely difficult periods of my life, she kept me from disastrous decisions. At other times, I chose to ignore her, with disastrous results.

Another key: consistently returning to the relationship – through it all knowing about her basic faith, scripture-based knowledge, and compassionate heart. These are the qualities that have kept the mentorship alive all these years.

If you have not experienced such a side-by-side relationship with another follower of Christ, I encourage you to ask God to show you who that might be. When you hear from Him, and I believe you will, ask them to mentor you. It will change your life. You will find your perspective on whom you perceive God to be will change and mature. You will be encouraged to mentor someone else when asked, and that relationship will bring even more growth in your walk.

I am convinced that Nick’s words about mentoring from the February article are still as fresh and inspired as they were then: "This month, we are focusing on the topic of mentoring. I know that many of you reading this article are on the lookout for a godly mentor in your life. But the thought of becoming a mentor intimidates you. You wonder if you have what it takes; if you’re close enough to God. Let me encourage you from my experience. Dave made a difference in my life, not because he was godly, but because he wanted to be godly. Dave helped me grow, not because he had it all together, but because he opened his life to God and others. Dave taught me about God and faith, not because he knew all the right answers, but because he showed me how to ask the right questions and wrestle in faith with the realities of life.

And now, I believe in you because Dave believed in me. If you will pursue God with your whole heart, faltering though your steps may be, that very journey is what God will use to touch and change the lives of others. So get on the pursuit! And invite someone to join you along the way. You never know; you just might become their mentor."

And so, we encourage you to ask God to show you whom He would have you approach in friendship, and allow Him to cultivate that friendship into mentorship. Ask God to show you whom He would have you approach in your need of a mentor, to walk beside you in a specific area of your life experience, or as a spiritual mentor for observing how God is working in all areas of your life. He is waiting to give you this gift. Open your heart, and your life, and receive all God is holding in His hands for you to receive.

We grow as we share-

Mary Hagle

Editor

The House

Testimony of Crossing the Generational Gap

2011-07-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Being a mentor…My first reaction is whew! Being a mentor is pretty hard. My next reaction? It’s pretty rewarding and can be a lot of fun. If I really think about it, I am in three mentor relationships. I asked Bob Simmons to be my mentor to which he readily agreed. He also noted it may really be a co-mentor relationship. Bob and I are both logical problem solvers. We are reading a book together, which we discuss over lunches. Both our schedules are pretty crazy, so we meet when we can, which is not as often as either of us would like. But it works pretty well for us. Bob is a great guy and very intelligent. I am really looking forward to the growth of our relationship. I would consider this my EASY mentor relationship.

Our Life Group has been working with the Youth Group this year to help create a bridge between younger and older members of East Hills Alliance. Work really isn’t the right word to use here. The young people in our church are awesome!! Our two groups have met at our home for dinner, games on the Wii, and board games. Everyone had a great time and looked forward to our next gathering. Recently we met at the church for pizza and a game of Bible Pictionary. The Youth Group whipped us! Well, they beat us by one point, but they really know their Bible!

Admittedly, this may not be what might be considered a traditional mentor relationship. We believe, however, this is an important one. Our youth need examples of older Christians in the Church and in social environments. We can help them make the step from young Christians to adult Christians. Personally, I have developed great relationships with many of these young people, respect their dedication to our church and to their relationship with Christ. Have I already said they are awesome? Well, they are! I love them all.

I was asked by Tony Echerd to be his mentor. Of course I said yes. This young man is a great person and has a heart for God. This is my most difficult mentor relationship but will be my most rewarding. My work schedule makes it difficult to meet with Tony as often as I would like. He is busy with school and activities. The toughest thing for us is working on trust. He needs to know that he can trust me. If he thinks he can’t trust me, how can he tell me the things he needs help with? I can’t share anything he tells me with his parents, his friends, his siblings, anyone.

Our relationship is in its infancy. We’ve only met a few times for coffee and lunch. As much as I enjoy being around young people, as I grow older it is getting more difficult to relate. I believe being a teen today is much more difficult than when I was a teen. Meeting one-on-one is much different than when meeting in a group. The pressure is on!

It dawned on me recently how these things make it difficult for me to be a quality mentor. I’ve been doing some on-line research on being a Christian mentor and have found some great information. One site says men think they need to: make the journey alone, remain quiet, keep it under control, and that others won’t understand. My hope is Tony will understand none of this is necessary. His parents, family, church family and I are there to support him. This same website indicates mentoring is really about discipleship. We can learn from the experience of each other without making the same mistakes. We will naturally begin to mentor others as our skills become better.

My prayer is that Tony knows that he can trust me, and that our bond is based on our relationship with Christ. I look forward to continuing our friendship, watching him grow into an adult with a firm foundation in Christ, and serving as a mentor to young men. I pray Christ will bless our friendship and help me say the right things and make the right decisions.

Being in a mentoring relationship is hard! It’s fun! It’s rewarding! I am glad God put it on my heart to serve Him as a mentor. I hope you have found it to be the same for you.

Steve Jones

Testimony of God at Work

2011-07-07T12:19:00.000-07:00

I find it rather unusual that I have been asked to write about mentoring. It is strange because I have not been mentored in the traditional sense nor have I sought to be a mentor to anyone else. Ernie Jones came up to me one Sunday and asked me if I would mentor him. I could not see where I would have the time to do it, and I started to make excuses. I do struggle with time. I teach in a field that is constantly changing, I am in the midst of putting together a documentary on the problem with the New World Translation of the Jehovah Witnesses. Also, I cannot neglect my wife. Besides, I live way out in the sticks above Kalama. There was another obstacle I did not mention to Ernie—wondering what would I share with him. Before leaving him, I said I would pray about it. Oops, that was a mistake.

It hit me that if Ernie was willing, I could meet him for half an hour before church. The other problem concerning what I would have to share came back at me in the form of what would I have wanted someone to share with me. Then I started to think about many of the significant events in my life that caused me to grow in grace. In junior high and in high school I read maybe a total of five books and one of them was the Classics Illustrated comic book version of Silas Marner so I did not have to read the book itself. I was a slow reader and I found reading books rather boring. After becoming a Christian in my late teens, I read The Cross and the Switchblade by the late David Wilkerson. I had no idea that Christian books could be so interesting. That had impact on me (as I look at my 1000+ books in my library). It could be something of significance to share.

Then I started to think of other things that impacted me, like having written up my own spiritual journey as to how I became a Christian, how Christian radio, especially the music, has ministered to me, how God has taught me (and continually reminds me) of giving thanks in all circumstances, spending a daily time in the Word, and the list goes on.

The following Sunday, I was willing. My two obstacles were no longer issues. It was all up to Ernie. He had no issue with the time or place. So we made a commitment of three months of getting together. These past three months plus has been a breath of fresh air. Over 40 years ago I became a Christian. The new life I see in Ernie reminds me of what it was like when I first became a Christian. His joy in the Lord has overflowed into my joy. And to think of it! I could have missed out on the blessing that I have received if I had not prayed about it.

What I did was not significant; many others could have done the same. The difference was that Ernie was pliable in the Holy Spirit’s work in his heart.

Jack Sande

Walking Beside...

2011-07-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

How do we become isolated, and find ourselves wistfully looking back on a time when we were sharing our walk in a deep and momentous way with someone who "gets us"?

For me, it’s just part of my human nature to "drift". My prayer for you, and for me: "God, help me not to do this. Help me to embrace my vertical relationship with You, and my horizontal relationship with a mentor, and stay "caught up" and "fresh" in my awareness of the Holy Spirit.

I know how to practice this, Lord. Vertical: openness, humility, gratitude. Horizontal: love, acceptance, forgiveness. When I talk with You, or journal to You, or meditate on You with openness, humility and gratitude, my heart is soft, my mind is clear and my spirit is free. Then I’m free to practice the horizontal, acting in love, acceptance and forgiveness.

Lamentations 3:22-24 - Amplified Bible

^{22 It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.

24 The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.

You are new every morning, Lord. Help me to be."

Mary Hagle

Editor

The House}

What Does a Mentor Do?

2011-07-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Over the last several months, one topic we have highlighted as a church is mentoring. I am starting to realize that we may have encouraged people to find and become mentors without ever defining what a mentor actually does.

Culturally, we have many good examples of mentoring programs. The system set up by Big Brothers and Big Sisters comes to mind: a caring adult who spends time with a needy child, teaching them valuable lessons and skills as they do fun things together. In general, this might be our perception of a mentor: take what I know and pass it on to someone else. While this definition might be useful in many scenarios, this is not actually what a spiritual mentor seeks to do. Let me tell you how I discovered a better model for mentoring.

Several years ago, I was left needing to find a new mentor when my then-current mentor took a new job. It was at this time that I sought out another pastor by the name of Tim Barton. Tim had always impressed me with his wisdom and depth; he seemed to me to be someone who walked closely with God. I believed I could learn a great deal from him.

Tim and I began to meet about every 6 weeks. My experience in these meetings was almost always the same, and forms the real content of what I want to share with you as you consider being a mentor. When Tim and I met, he would begin asking me questions about life and faith. As I talked, Tim would listen intently and nod. After I would finish, Tim would proceed to ask more questions. He would at times interject a thought or a comment, but more often than not, he would only summarize or clarify what I had already said. And then he would ask more questions. I would talk some more until our time was up, at which point we would pray and head our separate ways.

I inevitably walked away from these encounters disappointed. I would feel that I had shared my heart in order that Tim could then tell me what to do and give me some great advice. Repeatedly, however, Tim failed to share much advice at all! I would be left thinking, "What in the world is the point of this? If all that happens when we meet is me talking, I can do that by myself!" Honestly, I would feel jilted, as if Tim was holding back from really helping.

But then I started to realize what was happening in these meetings. Rather than answering my questions for me, Tim was helping me find my own answers by looking at what God was doing. Tim asked questions in order to discern where I was at, and where God was at work. The more I talked and the more Tim listened, the answers or ideas I most needed seemed to surface on their own. These conclusions always meant more and stayed with me longer because they had come from my life and my heart. When others give us pat answer or advice, we tend to forget. When God reveals truth to our own heart, we cannot help but be changed.

So this, in my mind, is what a spiritual mentor does. This is something I believe you could do. Sit with another and listen to their story. Listen and ask, listen and ask, listen and ask until you start to discern where God is at work. And then, when necessary, speak a few words to clarify or encourage. The truth is, the person you are mentoring doesn’t need more of you. They need more of God. Your job is to help them down that path.

Here are a few good questions to ask as you seek to mentor in this fashion:

What do you think God is trying to teach you in this situation?

Where have you seen God at work in your life recently?

What Scripture passages has the Spirit brought to mind lately?

When you pray, what do you find yourself praying about the most this week?

How does your recent experience fit with other ways God has shown up in your life in the past?

When you mentor someone, always keep in mind these are never one-on-one meetings. It is always three, and your role is to help the other person discover what God, the third person, is saying.

Blessings! Nick

2011-06-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

As Nick let me know EHA is planning to focus on a local ministry each weekend in June, and explore reaching out to people with practical displays of love, I was amazed, because I was thinking about focusing on ways we can remind ourselves that Jesus is here, now, like setting a place for him at our dinner table (which we have done, with interesting results). Sometimes one of us remembers it’s there, and it calls us to ask for prayer about something or someone. Since it’s close to my place at the table, I think I’m reminded more often than Susan and the kids, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we recognize His Presence in our lives, and respond to Him.

But this idea of Nick’s is even better. Finding ways to BE the hands and feet of Jesus really helps when the cares and woes of the world and the people who inhabit it seem overwhelming and prompt the "it’s such a huge problem, what can one person do?!?" There are things we can do, one person at a time, often for one other person in need. And we become the hands and feet of Jesus. What a joy!

I’ve found that to be so in serving as the area office administrator at Young Life, a Christian ministry for middle school and high school students. This ministry is founded on the concept of walking beside these kids, being there at school lunch breaks, their art or sporting events, taking them to camp in the summer, and getting to know them, so that when they are ready to talk about their relationship with Jesus, they know the volunteer staff person, and feel more comfortable about talking with them.

The joy comes for me because I know I’m supporting the staff and volunteers so that they are freed up to be with the kids when it matters most. I also enjoy the privilege of praying for each kid I add to the database when they’ve signed a "club card" at the weekly gatherings, or registered to go to Washington Family Ranch in Antelope, Oregon for a week in the summer, billed as "the best week of their lives".

I have a "built-in" prayer list. I pray for staff, volunteers, and kids while completing my administrative tasks. My "part-time" job is a "full-time" prayer experience. Everyone who comes into the Young Life building I consider a spiritual encounter. As soon as they push open the door, I start praying, whether it’s staff, a volunteer, a kid, or the UPS driver.

As you read these words about Young Life, perhaps you will think about how you might find a place to walk beside a kid. Call me! We’ll go for a coffee, and talk!

As we hear from others in the community who feel called to the ministry they are sharing about in this House issue, my prayer is that you will be listening for that Sweet Voice of the Holy Spirit, urging you to step into that for which you hear Him calling you.

We grow as we share,

Mary Hagle, editor

2011-06-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

An Interview with Brian Wrezesinski

Bio-Notes . . . Brian Wrzesinski: Brian has known Jesus as his Savior from the age of eight, growing up in Onalaska, and finishing high school there in 1977. He attended the Presbyterian church and was active in a youth group comprised of kids from four churches in the town, who came together as one group. Brian attended the Inland Empire School of the Bible in Spokane, considered a "junior college for Whitworth" with thoughts of being a Christian school teacher, but he was eighteen, and just married to Monica. They moved there together, and stayed for ten months. It snowed hard for months, and when Monica ran over their snowman in March, that was enough! They moved home.

Brian enjoys baseball and reading in his spare time, and especially likes reading "cops and robbers" novels, and Max Lucado. He also enjoys teaching Sunday school to little kids every Spring, as his "anti-work" experience.

He feels he is still working on establishing spiritual disciplines, and is most grateful for family. He and his sister and three brothers all still live an hour from their parents’ home, and Monica and her two sisters and brother all live one and one-half hours from her parents. At Christmastime, there are 35-50 family members gathered at his mother’s house.

The House: Thank you for taking time to talk about the prison ministry that is a part of what you do as an Administrative Sergeant in our local law enforcement. You told us that your work includes arranging transportation, overseeing volunteers coming to offer support to inmates, and making sure inmates and staff have the supplies they need.

Can you tell us more about how you became involved in the prison ministry?

Brian: This ministry was definitely a calling on my life. It wasn’t hard to recognize it for what it was, as I grew up with a social worker and nurse for parents. Dad would bring his clients home with him, give them a place to stay until they were able to go out on their own, so jail and these people weren’t new to me.

I came to visit my dad at his office as a probation officer, and a job was posted just outside his office door. I had only visited him at his office three times, but when I saw the posting, I applied for the job immediately and was hired to work in our local prison system.

Ten years ago the captain who was head of the program was retiring, and I was asked if I would be interested in taking his position, and I said yes.

The House: How have you recruited volunteers for the program, which you told me has grown to over 100 volunteers?

Brian: Thirteen years ago Monica and I were without a church home, and visited many churches in the area, and met a lot of Christian people in the process. When I began looking for volunteers, many of them I found because of getting to know them at the churches we visited until we were led to join East Hills Alliance.

The House: Can you tell us about the different ministries actively reaching out to inmates currently?

Brian: On Saturday there is an NA group, as well as Seventh Day Adventist church services. On Sunday, there are five different churches that share the responsibility for church services, including Shekinah, St Rose, the Gideons and New Life. There is also a Bible study on Tuesday, AA on Thursday and Attic Ministries comes one Sunday morning a month.

The House: What is Attic Ministries? Do they serve former addicts?

Brian: No. It is a "street ministry" and they minister to lots of people on the streets, not just addicts. It is ministry to the homeless, whatever their history.

The House: How long have you been involved in this ministry?

Brian: Thirty-one years. I see family members being booked in their third generation of burglars, but I also see churches stepping up and ministering to these people within their churches.

We have training for volunteers every quarter. Ten of our volunteers have been doing it for twenty years. We need new volunteers, as these faithful ones are reaching the place where they will retire from the service they are doing.

We have a volunteer potluck every November, which is a "Volunteer Reunion" of all the volunteers who have served.

We also have "Chaplain Call" and inmates can ask to talk with a chaplain. There are about 7 "regular" local pastors who come to talk and listen. There are a couple of them who have been coming for ten years.

There are pastors who have members in jail, and can visit their congregants twice a month.

Some volunteers have been inmates who have been out of jail long enough to be able to come back as volunteers, after they have proven to staff that they have genuinely changed their lives and want to help others. They make great volunteers, because they have "been there".

Some of these people don’t have ANYBODY to care. The interest and compassion the volunteers show makes a difference in the inmates’ lives. Showing them respect and responding to them as another human being is something they are hungry for.

The key to volunteering in prison ministry is KNOWING you will make a difference in these people’s lives.

2011-06-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Some of you will recognize Love INC by another name: Servant Week.

For the last 5 years, area churches have banded together for a week (or two) of service to the community. During these 5 years, hundreds of Christ’s servants gave time, talents, and energy to help needy individuals, whole neighborhoods, schools, and city governments.

The idea of service together was such a success that requests started coming in for year-round help. As a result, the participating pastors made the decision to adopt a more permanent structure for serving the community, i.e., Love INC. Love In the Name of Christ officially was launched last fall and later (last February) hired me (Larry Russell) as the Executive Director.

Here’s what Love INC does. We mobilize believers in the local participating congregations (about 22 at present) to meet the needs of people falling through the cracks. This week a group of us helped move an elderly woman into a new apartment. She could find no one to help her and started calling churches. One of the churches called Love INC and 24 hours later she was in her new apartment. The same day over 100 youth from area churches cleaned trash out of 12 Highlands alleys. Next month we will replace a leaky roof for an elderly widow in North Kelso. As I am writing this letter to you, a call came in to help clean an elderly man’s yard.

Another Love INC ministry is "Loving Teachers". This program purchases school supplies for teachers to give to needy kids. These are supplies the teachers normally have to buy themselves.

Mobilizing the saints for serving the community has given the church tremendous favor in our two cities. Hundreds of opportunities (divine appointments) are just waiting for God’s people to meet. Many of these calls for help will come to Love INC. Saturday, June 18^{th and Sunday, June 19th I’ll be at East Hills Alliance to tell you how you can be part of what many are calling "The Movement."}

-Larry Russell

Executive Director

Love INC of Cowlitz County

^{Contact Love INC

by calling:

(360) 430-1355}

2011-06-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

By: Cheryl Wilson

I heard about Pregnancy Resource Centers back in the 80’s, but never investigated fully what they were. When we moved here from California in 1989 I met a couple who were involved with the Caring Pregnancy Center. Still, I didn’t pay much attention.

Shortly after our daughter was born in September, 1990, God began to softly whisper that He wanted me to volunteer at CPC. I was working full-time (from home) and our benefits were through my job, AND I was a new mom. So what could I do? Why, ignore Him, of course!

However, over the next 8 months His prompting grew stronger, and I tried to continue to ignore it. I’d since learned that this was one of those pro-life places for women with a "crisis" pregnancy. Well, I’d never had one of those, so I knew I would be of no use to such a ministry.

One morning while I was having quiet time I felt so heavy with conviction that I’d been running from Him, but at the same time I was angry with Him for hounding me! Surely He understood my predicament! I reminded Him that I had to work full-time and couldn’t volunteer, so if He wanted me there he’d better figure something out.

The company I worked for was based in Connecticut, but I was with its California subsidiary. Two short weeks after reminding my awesome & faithful heavenly Father that He would need to figure something out if He wanted me volunteering, I got a call from my boss. Something about taxes…my residency in Washington state…too expensive…blah blah blah. He was very sorry but they were going to have to let me go.

Not amused. The God of the universe, and this is what You come up with?! Fine. I’ll just keep ignoring You, because now I have to found another job so my family can have health benefits!

Well, long story short, my awesome & faithful heavenly Father did not allow me to continue to ignore Him. My husband and I prayed and agreed I would be a stay-at-home mommy now, as that was really where my heart was. We would just have to trust God to provide. And after an additional 8 months I ran out of excuses and finally got up the courage to talk with the Director of CPC about volunteering.

Although I hated leaving my daughter, I loved volunteering at CPC. I had to completely depend upon His leading in order to minister to each young woman that came to CPC, and because of that I grew closer in my walk with Him. But in all honesty, I hated the days when a young woman would have a positive pregnancy test, and instead of being filled with joy she was scared, or angry, and was adamant about her decision to abort her baby. I would go home crying out to God, asking Him where He was and why didn’t He soften that mama’s heart? Why did He let me fail? Where were THY words that could’ve been spoken to change her mind?

And then something very terrible happened. In the span of one year I suffered two miscarriages. My heart became resentful toward these young women, whom I now perceived as cold and heartless, and undeserving of ever being blessed with a baby.

I hated the ugliness that I saw within my own heart, so I called the Director to let her know that I needed time for God to heal and soften my heart. He is faithful…

Over the years there were times when I was unable to volunteer ~ two, three years at a stretch. But for some reason my heart remained. And while I was volunteering the summer of 2004, I was asked to come on staff temporarily. The Director of 11 years was retiring at the end of the year, and by that fall I knew God was calling me to become the new Director. Believe it or not, I attempted to ignore Him again!

I have been Director since January 2005. It has been challenging and rewarding, exhausting and exhilarating. And while I have no clue how much God has used me to touch the lives of others through this ministry, I do know that my life has been forever changed because of my involvement.

The women who come through our door each have a story. Most are from a culture that is not too dissimilar to that of what Paul encountered in his travels. These young women desperately need to know of the unconditional love and saving grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We may have one encounter to share His love with them, or they may become a client whom we get to mentor and minister to weekly. In every encounter we desire to be His hands and feet.

I remind my fellow Christians that we are ALL ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if you want God to use you, just have a willing heart (sometimes that takes a bit of prodding!) And pray. I am so grateful that He is so faithful to equip us when He calls us!

If you’d like to know specific opportunities about volunteering at CPC ~ give me a call (636-3333) or come talk to me, and sign up for our newsletter so you know about miscellaneous opportunities that arise.

Cheryl Wilson

Director

Caring Pregnancy Center

2011-06-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

By Ann Hight:

I wish everyone could have the experience of working in the environment of a healthy church. I love coming to work, love the variety of tasks, love the people I work with, and love the blessings that come my way every day. When people talk about the challenge of sharing their faith at work, I cannot enter in to that conversation because everyone I work with is a Christian and nearly everyone I meet with each week is living a life of committed faith.

But there is an underlying problem with all of that. It is easy to lose awareness of the needs in our community and world. It is so comfortable to sit in my office and talk Jesus stuff with people and leave the gritty rest of the world way out on the periphery of my life. It is easy to let the darkness creep in as I work in the Light.

From our earliest days on staff here we are encouraged to find ways to serve outside these walls. I had dabbled around with this, trying a few things, but never really connecting in the way I wanted to. I envied Pastor Nick having the opportunity to connect with kids as he coached; I kept looking around for ways I could connect in that way.

Then one day I happened to see a small ad in The Daily News offering training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). I was not even sure what that was, but it piqued my interest. When I saw the same ad a couple of days later I picked up the phone and called. After an initial conversation followed by an interview, I knew I had finally found a place to serve outside East Hills.

A few months later, after successfully completing the training, I clutched the folder of my first case. I was ready to dive in to the world of dependency. As a CASA volunteer I investigate the issues and people surrounding the placement of children outside of their family home. When cases are brought before a judge for his or her decision, I have the opportunity to speak on behalf of that child, using the information I have gathered to seek the best resolution for those who otherwise have no voice in the system. During court proceedings parents have lawyers, the state has the attorney general, and the child has a CASA. Each case takes more than a year to complete, so I get to know the principle people involved and often get to speak about hope in the middle of distress.

It has been an interesting three years and the opportunity to learn more is never ending. The juxtaposition of my two "jobs" reminds me that everyone needs to experience the love of Jesus, no matter what their circumstances are. I have new appreciation for the verse in Proverbs 31 that says, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Letting Go - Taking Hold

2011-04-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

by: Mary Hagle

"What is the basis of our security? When we start thinking about that question, we may give many answers: success, money, friends, property, popularity, family, connections, insurance, and so on. We may not always think that any of these forms the basis of our security, but our actions or feelings may tell us otherwise. When we start losing our money, our friends, or our popularity, our anxiety often reveals how deeply our sense of security is rooted in these things. A spiritual life is a life in which our security is based not in any created things, good as they may be, but in God, who is everlasting love. We probably will never be completely free from our attachment to the temporal world, but if we want to live in that world in a truly free way, we'd better not belong to it. "You cannot be the slave both of God and of money" (Luke 16:13)." Henri Nouwen

To one degree or another, I think Henri Nouwen is right; we probably will never be completely free from these things as long as we’re here on earth. I could feel their "tug" as I thought about losing money, friends and family. It felt cold and lonely instantly. It was like the thermostat of my contentment just "went to zero in 15 seconds". Not that I don’t ever rely on God, because I do, and try to, always, but, if I’m honest, financial security, friends and family are very important to me. What a great wake-up call! Reading the list is a quick way to gauge just how attached I am.

What can we do about it? We’ll be asking several of you to respond to that question. A few things come to mind:

1. Stay in conversation with our sweet Lord, and repeatedly confirm to Him (and to ourselves) that in spite of the pull of all these things to "keep our hearts and minds captive," we want to be captivated by Him and His heart.

2. Develop a healthy relationship with money. Do the work from Financial Peace University. Read The Gift by Lewis Hyde. "I am not concerned with gifts given in spite or fear, nor those gifts we accept out of servility or obligation; my concern is the gift we long for, the gift that, when it comes, speaks commandingly to the soul and irresistibly moves us." Ask God to show you your heart condition about money. Give to help others. Be generous and joyful at the same time (quite a good learning exercise!)

3. Express love and gratitude to your friends and family for how important they are to you, and especially make the connection with them to how God’s love for all of you deepens and enriches those relationships for you. That may be a part of loving and being loved by friends and family that we take for granted and think "everybody knows that", but it’s important to say it. And, maybe some of them don’t know that. They need to. You need to.

4. Set a date on your monthly calendar to stop and think about this. It could only take a minute or two, or an hour, depending on your journey and life’s circumstances, but if you make a habit of checking in with yourself about it on the same day every month, it could be very informative. Do the tough exercise of contemplating how content you feel when you think about being without success, money, friends, property, popularity, family, connections or insurance.

So, thank God for Henri and his inquisitive heart, and for the loving One who created it.

We grow as we share . . .

Lentimonies from April 2/3

2011-04-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

As we thought about our Basis of Security question, the Lenten stories told during the Celebration Service seemed an appropriate response to the question "What can I do to rely on God more?" These stories came as we shared what we were letting go of, and what God was putting in to us.

Becky Cox: "I have given up all reading except the Bible for my Lent experience. I found my days so busy, I decided to get up early, which is unusual for me, to spend more time alone with God, and it has been really good for me. I am reading, praying, journaling and being honest with God about my fears and giving up control. I have found myself contemplating, "What does God want for my life?" more than ever before."

Steve Jones: "I gave up alcohol, and found I don’t miss it at all. Two things have changed; one physical and one spiritual: I am sleeping so much better, so much more soundly. Working out at the gym and working on weight loss, I think about those empty alcohol calories I’m not consuming. More importantly, the biggest change is that I was excited to see what God would put in its place, as Caleb had suggested when he heard we were "doing" Lent. I have spent more time in prayer and Bible study, and am aware of more of His Presence with me, at work, play and home. I have really noticed the Holy Spirit being with me twenty-four hours a day. It is a great experience."

Michelle Stumbo: "I have given up sleeping in, desserts and candy. It’s been a challenge, but different from past experiences, I think because of the deep changes that have come from fourteen months of accountability in the counseling we have been receiving. I have made it a habit to start my day with the Lord, and my children are watching and mimicking this.

When I think about desserts and candy, often, and how long Lent lasts, I thought about what was driving those thoughts, and how God would fill me up instead."

Matt Milligan: "I gave up snacking after dinner. Shelley has told me she can hear my tummy growling after we’re in bed for the night. I have experienced going to the fridge, taking out a pop, looking at it, and putting it back, many times. This process has begun to remind me to pray for my sister overseas, and her mission, and the people she is ministering to. Some of them go hungry often, many times with only two meals a day."

June Hoover: "I decided to get rid of some of my excess . . . my closets, drawers, shelves. I gathered a big bag of clothes from my closet. That was easy. Some of them still had the tags on them. The hard part came as I went into stores: "I wanna buy something." Having to say "No" to myself was hard. I was reminded about Matthew where Jesus said not to store up treasures here on earth, and where he said not to worry, but think about the lily, and how beautiful it is, and it doesn’t worry about the future. Also, the part that says God wants to give us good gifts.

It’s getting easier to say, "It’s NOT a buying day." The desire is not as strong. The lesson really came home for me when I thought about watching my daughter graduating from college in a month, seeing her less, and having to "give up stuff" about our relationship, and I’m learning how to give up my expectations and desires, and wait to see what God has to give me instead."

Val Squires: 'I gave up ‘noise in the car’. Silence in the car means I’m praying, singing to God, and listening to the Holy Spirit instead of the radio or CD’s. Practicing Mindful Silence has been phenomenal; it impacts everything, especially the peace I feel in the silence. I find myself much more aware of His Presence throughout my day, not just in morning or evening "devotional" time. The Holy Spirit gives me clear instruction, wisdom and revelation. With gratitude and relief I am able to leave stuff at the Cross. The Mindful Silence has given me a thirst to want God more throughout my day. I am finding small pockets of time where I can silence my mind and body, and God meets me there."

Struggling With Definition

2011-04-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

By: Josh Droke

I believe that struggling with security is essentially struggling with definition. Not struggling with how to define security, but rather with how our security defines us. We struggle with letting go of something, struggle with the thought of being without it, because it defines part of who we are.

Take TV, for instance. Television isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about being able to have relevant conversations with people the next day. Would people still talk to me if I didn’t know what was going on in the sitcom/drama/sports/news world? Or if I didn’t own a car, would that change how people look at me? If I wore the same clothes every day, would that change the way I look at myself? What if I didn’t have this job? What would I say when people ask what I do for a living? What would I do with the looks they would give me?

As a husband and father, a house and food are important in defining how good a caretaker and provider I am. It is vitally and intrinsically important to me to protect my family, and the quality of my house shows the world how good I am at providing shelter. I want my wife and daughter to be happy and healthy, and the quality of food I can supply goes a long way towards defining my ability to do that. The thought of being without a house, or without food, is more than just being cold or going hungry. It’s grappling with how I would live with my failures as a defender and protector.

Even more incomprehensible is the thought of living without my family. What if something were to happen to them? Husband and father are the most important roles in my life, right? How could I go on without them? What would give my life meaning?

In the end, I think that we cling tightest to the things that define us the most. We find our security in creating our own definition of ourselves, and hold on to that for all we’re worth. And yet Jesus invites us to be ready to leave it all behind. He called the disciples to drop everything that defined them – their businesses, their families, and their possessions – to come and let him change their definition of everything. And he invites you and me to allow him the opportunity to define each of us, a definition wrapped in grace, love, faith, and hope. If security is simply a battle for definition, let us all be defined through clinging tightly to Jesus.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

Lent, Take Two

2011-04-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

By Ann Hight

Last year I was exploring some of the ancient practices of the Church. I read about solitude, Sabbath keeping, journaling, and other personal spiritual quests. I decided to engage in the practice of lent. I thought a lot about what to do, what to give up, what to add in. It was a private endeavor. I wasn’t so sure that any of my friends or family would be very keen on this ancient practice that was so new to me so I just kept it to myself.

That was a mistake. Trying to go it alone doomed my plan. In just a few days my weak will was overcome by the press of "real life" and lent got lost in the shuffle. So when we began talking about doing lent around East Hills this year I was both excited and apprehensive. I love the idea, but was dogged by my earlier failure.

I was on sabbatical when lent began for me this year. I was out of touch with the details of our church observance so I began my practice of lent on the more traditional day of Ash Wednesday, about a week and a half before most of the church began "lenting". But this year, several people in my family began on the same day so I had a little support this time.

After some consideration, I decided to give up all beverages except for water. I did not really expect this to be much of a challenge since I do not have coffee every single morning, don’t drink that much of any one particular thing. For a day or two I was just fine. Then someone brought over a pizza. In my world, pizza REQUIRES root beer. Ouch. A day or so later, on a very gray and grim morning, I could actually hear a double short cinnamon dolce latte calling my name. Ouch. And I discovered that warm toast without cold milk is just dry bread.

By this time, the church had begun the observance of lent. It was my first day back to church. As I watched friends carry cards forward to make their pledge, along with remotes, candy bars, bags of sugar, and many other representations of their commitment, I was moved by the sincerity and earnestness of what I was witnessing. I felt enfolded and empowered to be part of a wonder-filled journey with friends. I was no longer trudging along on a lonely road, but a fellow traveler anticipating the adventure.

Along with giving up all drinks but water, I have been making an informal study of places in Scripture where water is a key part of the story: the woman at the well in John 4, the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14, and others. I have had a renewing time in the "water of the Word" as God has chosen to speak to me in the particular circumstances of my life.

And since I began lent on the more traditional date, according to my official orthodox source, I am "allowed" to have each Sunday off from lent. That way, it still ends up being forty days. So this past Sunday morning I went to Starbucks for my you-know-what. However, as I carried it in to the church I was extremely self conscious that I was breaking the rules that my lent friends were keeping. I actually stashed the coffee in my office until after worship practice so no one would see me. By the time I secretly drank it 45 minutes later, it was pretty tepid, definitely not worth the hassle! I know that my enthusiasm for lent is tied directly to participating in it with you. How can I falter when friends are nearby, going through the same thing? I truly believe that our lent experience has it’s greatest value in us as a group, though the individual practice is very worthwhile. I hope you are finding your lent challenges to be rewarding as we realign our priorities and collectively step closer to Christ. Easter will be a grand celebration together.

Finding Comfort in the Storm

2011-04-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

By: Brian Clark

It seems the past few months have brought much heartache for me and those around me. As I’ve dealt with grief and great loss, the same words that are meant to comfort us all during these times keep coming to mind. Sayings like, "Time heals all wounds," "This too shall pass," "God has a plan," "Hang in there," and the list goes on. Although the sentiments are nice, the comforting effects of these phrases do little.

I remember several years ago when my wife and I went through a particularly difficult season. We were blessed to be surrounded by friends and family who loved us and truly shared in our pain. Often in their compassion they would offer words of encouragement to help ease the sorrow. I recall appreciating the heartfelt attempts to comfort us as the waters of life raged out of control and our emotional and spiritual strength was tested to the limit.

As the details of our crisis became known to more people we were often approached by folks who shared similar stories of heartbreak and loss. Although we had known most of these people for many years we had never known some of the most defining and difficult moments of their lives. Moments that undoubtedly shaped them into the very people we had come to know and love. While the deepest part of their grief had subsided we stood smack dab in the middle of our storm clinging on for dear life.

As their stories were told I was shocked at how many people tried minimize their pain in an effort not to overshadow our situation. The accounts would often start with words such as, "I know this isn’t as painful as…," or "I realize this does not compare to…." Then I would listen to how some tragic event changed their life forever. I remember thinking how these dear people were trying to help us process our grief by sharing a similar experience but at the same time, in their humility, minimizing one of the most painful things anyone could face.

Through that ordeal I learned many valuable lessons. I feel one of the most important is not to try to compare any situation, any amount of pain, any level of sorrow with anyone else’s hurt because no one can really know the emotions another is facing except our Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 56:8 (NLT) "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book."

Sometimes the best comfort you can receive, or give, is to just be there while the storm is raging. Seasons of grief are inevitable, like a hurricane; tragedy can rush in unexpectedly and at times tear us down to our foundations. These events and trials come in many shapes and forms and affect all of us in different ways. It is my prayer that when you face these trials you will know the peace that comes though the presence of the Spirit and God will send you someone that will be there as you endure.

An Interview with Chris Jenkins

2011-04-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Bio-Notes . . . Chris Jenkins had two grandmothers who prayed for her always, and that’s who she credits with having introduced her to Jesus Christ as a child. She related to us having walked away from her conversion experience as a teen, but being brought back to Him because of stormy times in her life. Chris grew up in Kelso, and graduated from Kelso High, married Tary at a young age and began a family, focusing her energies on her home, marriage and children, while working outside the home as well.

Chris and Tary enjoy camping in their RV, which they bought when Chris was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago now. They were intentional, as Chris wanted something to look forward to after her surgery, chemo and radiation. Their currently favorite campsite is one close to home outside Castle Rock at the Toutle River RV Park, but they also enjoy going toward the beach as well. Other fun activities for Chris include knitting, reading and enjoying grandkids. A favorite author is Joyce Meyer, who wrote, among others, How to Succeed at Being Yourself and Battlefield of the Mind.

The House: As we talked about, the March issue of The House is focused on weathering stormy times, and especially, how they can be an opportunity for spiritual growth. We remember you sharing some in the Monday Night Live Life Group about your experience of cancer survival. That can be the "definitive" storm of life idea for many of us. Do you feel like your experience has deepened your faith?

Chris: Yes, but it is not the roughest thing I’ve been through. That was another storm Tary and I weathered together. Thirteen years ago, our nineteen-year-old son died. The lessons I learned in my grief and despair are what help me keep my perspective as we continue to drive the cancer into remission.

The House: Did you find more of a sense of God’s presence during the time around his death, or is it clearer as you look back now?

Chris: When my son died, my grief was so great, I felt it could crush me, and even still, I make a conscious effort every day to give my grief and pain to Jesus to carry for me. I couldn’t let it crush me; I was forty years old, and my husband and I had two daughters, fourteen and fifteen at the time, to raise. I couldn’t, and still can’t, "bear" it, though. Jesus carried it for me. I know I will never be the same, but I feel I would have died without Jesus being there for me. Healing has come, but I am very in touch with how much we all need the Lord. During the worst times of grieving the loss of my child, or facing the challenge of fighting the cancer, my faith has been a gift to me. I know I had to choose it, but still, it was and is a gift to me.

The House: We are very grateful to you for sharing your story with us. It’s a privilege to hear about your journey.

Chris: I am grateful for an appropriate time and place to share it. I can’t "just share it" anytime. It’s too heavy to casually talk about in everyday conversation.

The House: What do you consider some of the gifts you have received through these experiences, beyond knowing how much we need God in our lives?

Chris: I am acutely aware, both with the death of a child and the cancer, of how many other people have it worse than I do. I don’t allow myself to have self-pity. The doctor has told us we must go on fighting this cancer for ten years, at least. We have one year done so far. The surgery, radiation and chemo are done for now, and I am taking cancer-fighting medication to continue the treatment until we can expect it might be beaten. One thing I do to fight when I’m feeling overwhelmed is to take one verse or a portion of Scripture and meditate on it. A good example is a simple one: Psalm 56:3 "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you." I will find a verse, or phrase, and repeat it over and over throughout the day. This practice has brought me so much peace. It reminds me where I need to focus – not on the grief, or the pain, but on God. I would encourage anyone, no matter what the problem might be, to write down Scripture and put it in front of themselves, and meditate on it.

The House: Are there other times when you’ve used another way to focus on God?

Chris: When I was in treatment, everybody told me radiation would be the easiest part, but it was the most difficult for me. I was naked from the waist up, every day, with my arms up over my head. I felt so vulnerable, and as the machine passed over my body, all kinds of clicks and buzzers sounded. It was so unnerving . . . so . . . I filled my IPOD full of praise music, put my IPOD on, and listened to praise music during my radiation treatments, telling God, "I’m praising You!" And then, we had a new challenge: While I was in chemotherapy, I was very ill, and had to be hospitalized. While I was there, I dislocated a disk in my back, and had to wait several months for the surgery I needed, until the radiation was over. I had to rely on God during those painful months, until I could have the back surgery. I’m still in recovery from that, and relying, again, on God’s AMAZING GRACE. These words are not just a song title, or something we just say: His Grace is Amazing, and helps me to go on. Another thing I noticed was how when you’re looking for God in your situation, He’s there! During my treatments, at every turn, there were Christians there, in hospital staff; everywhere. God was there all along the way.

The House: Is there one other thing you want to say about weathering storms?

Chris: I have begun praying intercessory prayers for people. I use it a lot these days. I have empathy for people. I know what it is like to have hard things in your life. The Holy Spirit guides me to pray for people, and it’s a privilege and a blessing to do it. I also have been blessed with a husband, children and grandchildren who have given me lots of love. And, God. When I asked, He gave.

The Stormy Times of Job - by Pastor Caleb Cox

2011-04-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

My wife and I have been reading the book of Job this past month. If any man in history hit a rough spot, it was him. He had it all; incredible health,　wealth, land, servants, a huge family, respect in his city, and a blameless life. Everyone looked at him and said, "I want to be this man!" And then God allowed for divine reasons of His own this unthinkable tragedy to befall Job. God gives Satan the reigns to afflict Job's body with boils and sores; bandits come and steal away all of Job's wealth, livestock and possessions, and Satan causes the house where Job's kids are feasting to fall on top of them and kill them. The only thing Job has left is a wife who tells Job to "curse God and die." Job couldn't go any lower.

Imagine if you were stripped of everything you had. If your family was killed, your house dispossessed, your possessions robbed of you, your health taken away; you’re sitting in the mud in the cold Washington rain with nothing but hurt and sorrow. You couldn’t go any lower.

A few years back I was in Scotland doing a bagpiping competition. I traveled with some other band members who were not saved. And one day I was sharing with them about what I believed, when one of them brought up the suffering of Job. This person said to me, "I just might consider Christianity to be a good religion if I didn’t know about what God did to Job. How could I ever trust a God who could let a man go through all that? What if he did that to me? I couldn’t give my life to a God like that!" I remember thinking at the time that it was a good question. And right now I’m still convinced that it’s a great question. How can we trust a God who lets His children go through hard times? Is God dependable when we suffer loss? Is his heart for us really good?

This month we are considering the possibility that stormy times in our life may actually cause our faith to grow and allow us to sink deeper roots into what we believe.

There’s something about Jesus sleeping in a boat in the middle of a storm that causes us to pause. There’s something about Job’s reaction to his circumstances that makes us stop and wonder, "what’s really going on here?" How can Job say, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; Blessed be the Name of the Lord!" There’s something about Horatio Spafford loosing his daughters in the ocean and then writing the words to the hymn "It is well with my soul." It makes us wonder: from what perspective am I seeing my life? How am I seeing all that is going on around me?

Perspective changes everything. God sees things perfectly clearly. We see like we looking through a steamed up car windshield. So much of our life is caught up in trying to understand, when our life should be truly about surrendering to Another’s perspective. That’s why we call it faith. That’s why we call it trust. If we truly saw things the way God sees them, our whole world would change. We would still experience suffering. We would still experience loss. We would still grieve. But something would happen in us as we look from that place where we know that the heart of God is good, and that He is trustworthy, and His plans for his children are amazing! We would look up and see that the hills are filled with chariots of fire…

-Caleb Cox

Stormy Times - March 2011 Issue of The House

2011-02-10T11:58:00.001-08:00

It’s hilarious, really. This fall, we “paved” a flowerbed with concrete stones we made with some mix and a mold, as we decided we wanted to put big pots and solar lights there instead of tulips and roses. Looked just fine, we thought. Then, the bluebells decided to come out. And come out, they have, pushing sections of concrete stone out of their little way, forcing their shoots and leaves to the air and light.

I was thinking of the March issue of The House being about stormy times that deepen our roots in our faith and make us stronger – spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. When our fall and winter has been as wet as the past months have been, Western Washington people seem to really be watching closely for any sunny day, any sign of Spring.

And the “winter months” of our spiritual journey, the stormy times, can help us, if we let them, to get more deeply into the Word; find a friend with whom to talk about our walk, if we don’t have one already; ask God to show us where we need to grow; study a book like Crazy Love, or Making All Things New; or look for ways to serve others, as Jesus taught us to do in response to His Love for us.

When my daughter, Susan, was very young, she began singing for church. I think she was two years old the first time she sang for service. One of the songs she sang was “Little Flowers Never Worry”. The words are:

“Little flowers never worry
When the wind begins to blow.
And they never, never cry
When the rain begins to fall.

Though it’s wet and oh so cold,
Soon the sun will shine again.
Then they’ll smile unto the world,
For their beauty to behold.

When the clouds begin to gather
And the storm begins to blow,
Little flowers don’t complain,
Though they’re tossing to and fro.

Oh, I guess they’ve learned the secret,
They don’t fret because they know,
If it never, never rained,
Then they’d never, never grow.

So, let it rain, let it rain, let it pour,
Let old trouble keep knock’n at my door,
If we learn the right from wrong,
It will help to make us strong.

Lord, please help us learn the secret,
Even little flowers know,
If it never, never rains
Then we’ll never, never grow.”

_Beth Bernard

As March winds blow, and April comes with showers (more rain?!!?!?), let’s ask God to help us grow deeper in our faith, put down roots in practical ways, and celebrate with Him every evidence of His Love blossoming in our hearts and lives. Keep shoving against those “stones”!

Don’t be shy! We NEED to hear from you! Please write to us and share your thoughts and experiences in walking the Walk, and especially, practical ways you are “putting down roots”.

Send your thoughts, questions, ideas, book recommendations and experiences to: hagle54@gmail.com, or Mary Hagle c/o EHA, 1405 East Burcham Street, Kelso WA 98626.

We grow as we share . . .

Mary Hagle

Editor

“The House”

The Process of Finding A Mentor

2011-02-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

By: Steve Jones

Sometime in 2009 Pastor Nick’s message was on mentoring. He discussed how important it is for Christian brothers and sisters to have someone in their life who can help grow their relationship with Jesus Christ. As someone just returning to the church and a relationship with Jesus, I understood this importance. Finding that person to work with took longer than I had hoped.

My search for a mentor during the next year was casual at best. There are many good men at East Hills Alliance who have and display a strong faith. The relationship with a mentor is what is important to me. They must understand and appreciate each other. Each person must be patient and listen to the other.

Recently, a casual conversation with a co-worker revealed that I was a Christian. He asked some questions about speaking in tongues. When I mentioned this to Tom Hight, he suggested we meet for a Bible study. We met at East Hills on the Thursday prior to his passing. This was the only one-on-one meeting Tom and I would have. As we parted that afternoon, we stood in the cold air talking about how we should get together again. We gave brotherly hugs and parted.

The following Sunday after church service I was standing in the aisle speaking with a mother who was asking me to mentor her young son in a Scout project. As we spoke someone walked by and gave me a hip bump. I turned to see Tom looking back at me. We smiled at each other as only good friends or brothers can do. I was so excited. I knew at that moment Tom Hight was my mentor.

The news of Tom’s passing came Tuesday, and I was devastated. This was the same day I was to meet with my young Scout friend. I knew Tom would want me to continue. As I met with my young friend, I kept thinking, "What would Tom do?" "What would Tom say?" Suddenly being a good mentor had taken on great importance.

Tom’s sudden passing meant our mentoring relationship had ended before it had hardly begun. Or had it? Much of the past week has been spent thinking about Tom. He was so happy to see me return to church. Tom always listened to my stories of my Christian growth. He was always happy to see me. We spoke often about a very good friend of mine with whom Tom had worked for thirty years. He always encouraged me to be active in the church. It is now obvious to me that Tom was mentoring me all along. The importance of this is not lost on me.

Pastor Nick and Pastor Caleb have asked each us to have a mentor and to become mentors. Those of us who accept God’s challenge need to look no further for an example than the man who greeted us each Saturday and Sunday service. Tom’s father-in-law called him, "The most Godly man I know." Pastor Nick spoke of Tom as a great man and how others must step forward to fill the void. It is important for me to accept the challenges of leading and mentoring. Tom Hight wouldn’t have it any other way.

A Mentor To Lean On In Tough Times

2011-02-10T11:53:00.001-08:00

It was through reading the book, Touchdown Alexander, the story about the Seattle Seahawk running back Shaun Alexander and his experiences as a Christian that

I first contemplated finding a mentor who could support me in my own journey with God.

He writes about his pastor, who encouraged his parishioners to have a mentor, a protégé and encourager in their life. As I began to pray and ask God for help to find a mentor, He gave me a surprisingly quick answer. I knew I needed someone who was a godly example; someone I could trust. He needed to be someone that I could be honest with and respected enough to heed his advice. Tom Hight fit the criteria.

I hadn't spent any time with Tom outside of church, but every time I spoke with Tom or watched him at church, I saw a man who cared about people and was doing his best to serve God. So I approached Tom one night following a Monday Night Live meeting to see if he would be interested in joining me in this special relationship. I was a little nervous, again, not knowing him very well. As it turned out, he was so gracious and suggested we meet and get to know one another first. From that first meeting to the last (which occurred the Wednesday before he passed away) I knew God had his hand in bringing us together. In one of the most challenging years of my life, I had a mentor and friend to look to for wise counsel and support.

Little did I know that God's timing, as usual, was going to be perfect. Three months into our regular meetings, my younger brother, Craig, died of a heart attack at 38 years of age. As a family, we had celebrated his birthday earlier that very day. Craig was my only sibling. So while I grieved the loss of my brother, I tried to be there for my sister-in-law Teresa, my three nephews and niece, my parents and my own family. Thankfully, Tom was a constant support with his prayers and encouragement. He and Ann attended the memorial service down in Vancouver, where I spoke about my brother and what he meant to me.

I leaned on Tom as he kindly reminded me of God's strength and love.

I so appreciated the fact that God knew I was going to need a mentor more than ever and that Tom was willing to serve in that role for me.

There were other difficult situations I faced during the fifteen months I spent with Tom. With each one, he consistently listened, empathized, and offered words of encouragement and wisdom from the Bible. Whenever I told Tom how much I appreciated our relationship, he would say the feeling was mutual. Even though I was the one being mentored, I would ask him how his life was going and what I could pray about for him. I was honored that he trusted me enough to allow me to be a part of his life. This demonstrated how mentors are human too. Humility, when practiced in front of others, is a powerful testimony of what God can do through us.

Through my relationship with Tom I gained a deeper understanding of the verse found in James 4:10,

"Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up"

My respect for Tom grew as he showed his humanity and dependence on God.

I will cherish the time I had with Tom Hight as my mentor and dear friend. I am a better man and a stronger Christian for having known him. The lessons I learned I will forever remember and proudly pass on if ever asked to be a mentor to someone else someday. I hadn't anticipated gaining a friend by having a mentor, but what a wonderful and blessed byproduct of having one! I have come to believe that only when someone is willing to become a friend can he become an effective mentor. If you do not yet have a mentor in your life, I strongly encourage you to find one. I guarantee you will not regret it.

-Mike Mendenhall

A Mentor Named Tom

2011-02-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

By: Cameron McKinney　

Tom was my Mentor. We met on Wednesdays every other week at Starbucks. We started out just getting to know one another over several weeks, sharing family backgrounds, how we met our spouses and how we came to know and follow Jesus Christ.

　　　　 He was the one I would talk to if I was having family struggles or had questions on Godly parenting. Tom was always encouraging and never had a judgmental response to anything I shared. He was an excellent example of what a godly man is and should be.

　　　　 I know when someone dies, people "come out of the woodwork" to say all kinds of good things about them even if they didn't really know them. However, with Tom, he had a way of impacting everyone　he came into contact with.　

Tom was the man I want to become. He was generous, kind and always willing to help or listen. Tom was a righteous man and full of Godly wisdom.

　　　　 There was a time when one of my children had a bit of an "error in judgment" and Tom offered some advice that most likely saved me from making a very serious parenting mistake. His advice also　preserved my child’s dignity, saving them from further humiliation, while restoring them to a place where they could have continued positive influences and be able to rebuild trust. Because　I followed Tom's Godly advice, that child felt the freedom to repent and not repeat the same unwise choices.

　　　　　I miss Tom and can't wait to see him on the other side. Knowing he is with our precious LORD and SAVIOR brings great comfort. Yet I must confess to being envious of who he gets to keep company with, "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses". I'm truly excited for him. I imagine him dozing off in his EZ-chair,　then waking up and the first　thing he sees is "THE SON of THE LIVING GOD, JESUS THE CHRIST" our Master and　King, surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousands of　His angels and the great cloud of witnesses. WOW!!! AWESOME!!!　 I can't wait to join him. "Soon and very soon we are going to see the King"! Amen

An Interview With George & Tricia Salas

2011-02-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Bio-Notes . . . Tricia Salas had her first conversion experience at about the age of ten, during the time her grandparents were taking her to church with them. At about thirteen she kind of fell away from a relationship with God. She has been coming to the Easter service at Kelso High for the last four years, and she and George had been talking with Ann Hight for about two years about marriage and parenting their son, George.

Tricia made the decision to return to her faith in Jesus this past November, and George followed in December, surrendering his life to God for the first time.

Both George and Tricia grew up in California and finished high school there. They have made Longview/Kelso their home for the last six years. George works with Steve & Cheryl Mazzuca at Grocery Outlet, grateful for the kind of employers they are, and Tricia is the manager at the Kelso Safeway Starbucks. She enjoys interacting with people, so it’s a good fit for her. They have a delightful little boy we met for the first time during this interview, named George after his father.

They don’t seem to have a lot of free time, but they do enjoy "hanging" together, and are working on developing a time of reading the Bible together. They like watching movies, and George is busy with on-line marketing. They are also trying to establish a time of praying together, and for Tricia, the experience of "talking to God all day" is new, but great. She wants to get past the "don’t have time . . . I’ll do it later" aspect of Bible study and prayer with George, but they’re definitely "working on it"!

Tricia has started reading Five Love Languages, about learning a simple way to express feelings and bring joy back into marriage, and George has been reading bits of a book about Christian persecution and the hardships of being a Christian, during his lunch break at work.

The House: As we talked about, the February issue of The House is focused on Mentoring, and particularly, the relationships that grew out of knowing and talking with Tom Hight. I know you told me that wasn’t directly true for you, but that he did influence your spiritual journey. Can you tell us more about how that’s true for you?

Tricia: I only had brief conversations with Tom when I came into Celebration Services every weekend. He was always at the back of the church, always asked me about my week, always asked about George, even when he wasn’t with me. But . . . the counseling George and I have been doing with Ann is based on the relationship she and Tom shared, and the way they raised their children.

She talked to us always about how they loved one another, and how forgiving and loving Tom was. One example she used was what she called "the gas fairy" because she would go to bed knowing she needed gas in her car, and when she got to her car to go to the church, Tom would have taken her car and filled the tank for her.

One phrase Ann repeats often sticks in my mind: "Love is kind".

An example of Tom and Ann’s parenting style was splitting responsibilities. Ann would wait for Tom to take care of the part he was responsible for when he got home from work. They respected what the other brought to their parenting relationship.

One funny story is how, when they were newly married, Ann thought it would be funny to pour water on Tom. She told me he got so mad, and she had never seen him mad. She said she was afraid he was going to leave. She said he hadn’t ever gotten that mad again, but she never threw water on him again either!

How well they lived their life together has really impressed upon me how important it is. My dad died when I was fifteen. I never had the opportunity to experience what it would have been like to have parents like Tom and Ann, but I want to base all my relationships on their example.

The House: George, you have been chiming in to agree with Tricia all along the way tonight. Do you have something to add?

George: Just that there were so many people who would say, "I need to know what to do in this situation. I think I’ll go talk to Tom. He will know the best thing to do." I want to be like him.

My Friend Dave, a Mentor

2011-02-10T11:48:00.000-08:00

By: Nick Stumbo

As a high school student, I was pretty sure the world revolved around me. Most of us live with that delusion for awhile. (Some of us for far too long!) I would like to tell you about a mentor and friend I had at that time. His name was Dave. Dave was a boisterous, quirky twenty-something who did ministry at our church and was a local substitute teacher. Dave was single. Dave sometimes said the wrong thing and inadvertently offended people. And for some reason, Dave wanted to be my friend.

Dave would find ways to include me in just about everything he did. Dave and I performed puppet shows together for kid’s church and walked in community parades as clowns. I went car shopping with Dave and hung out with him while he ran errands. Dave introduced me to unique ethnic foods and showed up at all my basketball games to take pictures. Most of my high-school teammates thought he worked for the newspaper and were rather shocked to find out he was just there to take pictures of me.

And all along the way, Dave shared his life with me. He talked of his struggles and his joys. He told me what he thought about God and what he believed God thought about Him. At no point in this friendship can I remember Dave telling me that he was trying to mentor me, but trying or not, he did. He invited me to learn about life and faith with him. As I look back, this friendship had a more significant impact on my life than any other relationship outside of the one with my parents.

This month, we are focusing on the topic of mentoring. I know that many of you reading this article are on the lookout for a godly mentor in your life. But the thought of becoming a mentor intimidates you. You wonder if you have what it takes; if you’re close enough to God. Let me encourage you from my experience. Dave made a difference in my life, not because he was godly, but because he wanted to be godly. Dave helped me grow, not because he had it all together, but because he opened his life to God and others. Dave taught me about God and faith, not because he knew all the right answers, but because he showed me how to ask the right questions and wrestle in faith with the realities of life.