Hey everyone!
We are taking a bus today, Dec 27th, out of northern Mexico to Oaxaca, Mexico. We will be down in the area for a week and a half or so. Please pray for the time we are down there visiting believers, encouraging them, finding housing for February visit and connecting with some pastors to find some unreached people groups in southern Oaxaca.
Please pray for our safety. We trust our sovereign God in everything. Nothing comes our way unless it is from His hand and what is best for us. ALSO, He hears and uses the prayers of His saints, His children in much of His work. So, I ask, please pray much for safety and for great work to be done in this small trip for Kingdom purposes!
“The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” - Samuel Chadwick
"The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'"
- J. Hudson Taylor
May our great God and King be glorified in our lives and in this trip!
Thank you for all your prayers and support!
For His Glory!
Chris & Michele
1 Peter 1:3-5
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time"
The Johnsons
Chris & Michele, Malachi, Josiah, Levi, & Isaac
Monday, December 27, 2010
The American Dream
David Platt is senior pastor of the 4,000-member Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama.
My take: Why my church rebelled against the American Dream
We American Christians have a way of taking the Jesus of the Bible and twisting him into a version of Jesus that we are more comfortable with.
A nice middle-class American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn’t mind materialism and would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts.
A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who for that matter wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings comfort and prosperity to us as we live out our Christian spin on the American Dream.
But lately I’ve begun to have hope that the situation is changing.
The 20th-century historian who coined the term “American Dream,” James Truslow Adams, defined it as “a dream… in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are.”
But many of us are realizing that Jesus has different priorities. Instead of congratulating us on our self-fulfillment, he confronts us with our inability to accomplish anything of value apart from God. Instead of wanting us to be recognized by others, he beckons us to die to ourselves and seek above all the glory of God.
In my own faith family, the Church at Brook Hills, we have tried to get out from under the American Dream mindset and start living and serving differently.
Like many other large American churches, we had a multimillion-dollar campus and plans to make it even larger to house programs that would cater to our own desires. But then we started looking at the world we live in.
It’s a world where 26,000 children die every day of starvation or a preventable disease. A world where billions live in situations of such grinding poverty that an American middle-class neighborhood looks like Beverly Hills by comparison. A world where more than a billion people have never even heard the name Jesus. So we asked ourselves, “What are we spending our time and money on that is less important than meeting these needs?” And that’s when things started to change.
First we gave away our entire surplus fund - $500,000 - through partnerships with churches in India, where 41 percent of the world’s poor live. Then we trimmed another $1.5 million from our budget and used the savings to build wells, improve education, provide medical care and share the gospel in impoverished places around the world. Literally hundreds of church members have gone overseas temporarily or permanently to serve in such places.
And it’s not just distant needs we’re trying to meet. It’s also needs near at hand.
One day I called up the Department of Human Resources in Shelby County, Alabama, where our church is located, and asked, “How many families would you need in order to take care of all the foster and adoption needs that we have in our county?”
The woman I was talking to laughed.
I said, “No, really, if a miracle were to take place, how many families would be sufficient to cover all the different needs you have?”
She replied, “It would be a miracle if we had 150 more families.”
When I shared this conversation with our church, over 160 families signed up to help with foster care and adoption. We don’t want even one child in our county to be without a loving home. It’s not the way of the American Dream. It doesn’t add to our comfort, prosperity, or ease. But we are discovering the indescribable joy of sacrificial love for others, and along the way we are learning more about the inexpressible wonder of God’s sacrificial love for us.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my country and I couldn’t be more grateful for its hard-won freedoms. The challenge before we American Christians, as I see it, is to use the freedoms, resources, and opportunities at our disposal while making sure not to embrace values and assumptions that contradict what God has said in the Bible.
I believe God has a dream for people today. It’s just not the same as the American Dream.
I believe God is saying to us that real success is found in radical sacrifice. That ultimate satisfaction is found not in making much of ourselves but in making much of him. That the purpose of our lives transcends the country and culture in which we live. That meaning is found in community, not individualism. That joy is found in generosity, not materialism. And that Jesus is a reward worth risking everything for.
Indeed, the gospel compels us to live for the glory of God in a world of urgent spiritual and physical need, and this is a dream worth giving our lives to pursue.
By: David Platt.
Author of "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream"
My take: Why my church rebelled against the American Dream
We American Christians have a way of taking the Jesus of the Bible and twisting him into a version of Jesus that we are more comfortable with.
A nice middle-class American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn’t mind materialism and would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts.
A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who for that matter wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings comfort and prosperity to us as we live out our Christian spin on the American Dream.
But lately I’ve begun to have hope that the situation is changing.
The 20th-century historian who coined the term “American Dream,” James Truslow Adams, defined it as “a dream… in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are.”
But many of us are realizing that Jesus has different priorities. Instead of congratulating us on our self-fulfillment, he confronts us with our inability to accomplish anything of value apart from God. Instead of wanting us to be recognized by others, he beckons us to die to ourselves and seek above all the glory of God.
In my own faith family, the Church at Brook Hills, we have tried to get out from under the American Dream mindset and start living and serving differently.
Like many other large American churches, we had a multimillion-dollar campus and plans to make it even larger to house programs that would cater to our own desires. But then we started looking at the world we live in.
It’s a world where 26,000 children die every day of starvation or a preventable disease. A world where billions live in situations of such grinding poverty that an American middle-class neighborhood looks like Beverly Hills by comparison. A world where more than a billion people have never even heard the name Jesus. So we asked ourselves, “What are we spending our time and money on that is less important than meeting these needs?” And that’s when things started to change.
First we gave away our entire surplus fund - $500,000 - through partnerships with churches in India, where 41 percent of the world’s poor live. Then we trimmed another $1.5 million from our budget and used the savings to build wells, improve education, provide medical care and share the gospel in impoverished places around the world. Literally hundreds of church members have gone overseas temporarily or permanently to serve in such places.
And it’s not just distant needs we’re trying to meet. It’s also needs near at hand.
One day I called up the Department of Human Resources in Shelby County, Alabama, where our church is located, and asked, “How many families would you need in order to take care of all the foster and adoption needs that we have in our county?”
The woman I was talking to laughed.
I said, “No, really, if a miracle were to take place, how many families would be sufficient to cover all the different needs you have?”
She replied, “It would be a miracle if we had 150 more families.”
When I shared this conversation with our church, over 160 families signed up to help with foster care and adoption. We don’t want even one child in our county to be without a loving home. It’s not the way of the American Dream. It doesn’t add to our comfort, prosperity, or ease. But we are discovering the indescribable joy of sacrificial love for others, and along the way we are learning more about the inexpressible wonder of God’s sacrificial love for us.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my country and I couldn’t be more grateful for its hard-won freedoms. The challenge before we American Christians, as I see it, is to use the freedoms, resources, and opportunities at our disposal while making sure not to embrace values and assumptions that contradict what God has said in the Bible.
I believe God has a dream for people today. It’s just not the same as the American Dream.
I believe God is saying to us that real success is found in radical sacrifice. That ultimate satisfaction is found not in making much of ourselves but in making much of him. That the purpose of our lives transcends the country and culture in which we live. That meaning is found in community, not individualism. That joy is found in generosity, not materialism. And that Jesus is a reward worth risking everything for.
Indeed, the gospel compels us to live for the glory of God in a world of urgent spiritual and physical need, and this is a dream worth giving our lives to pursue.
By: David Platt.
Author of "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream"
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
LOVED BEFORE THE DAWN OF TIME,
Chosen by my Maker,
Hidden in my Saviour:
I am His and He is mine,
Cherished for eternity.
When I'm stained with guilt and sin,
He is there to lift me,
Heal me and forgive me;
Gives me strength to stand again,
Stronger than I was before.
So with every breath that I am given
I will sing salvation's song;
And I'll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.
All the chains of Satan's curse
Lifted through His offering,
Satisfied through suffering;
All the blessings He deserves
Poured on my unworthy soul.
So with every breath that I am given
I will sing salvation's song;
And I'll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.
Singing glory, honour, wisdom, power
To the Lamb upon the throne.
Hallelujah, I will lift Him high.
Singing glory, honour, wisdom, power
To the Lamb upon the throne.
Hallelujah I will sing with every breath that I am given
I will sing salvation's song;
And I'll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.
Stars will fade and mountains fall;
Christ will shine forever,
Love's unfading splendour.
Earth and heaven will bow in awe,
Joining in salvation's song.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Back from Mexico
Hey everyone!
Thank you so much for all your prayers and love! We returned yesterday, Friday, from our two weeks in Oaxaca, Mexico. We went into the mountains in Western Oaxaca where our team is at. We brought in two doctors and a nurse and well as a dentist and all of the students this year that learned how to find, clean and fill cavities. It was a VERY busy time! We saw over 500 people from 6 villages in this area. I was able to help the dentist with training the students and assisting them as they did their first hands on dental work on the people. Gerry, the dentist, spent most of the time extracting teeth. Michele helped at the sign in table with writing down information and helping to send the people to the doctor or to the dental area. It was busy seeing those 500 + people and hearing what they needed.
Please pray for the team that is down in that area (Chris Berger, Jim Blomstrand and Reuben & Debbie Ibanez and their two kids). They are hoping to get into this village to live regularly and help teach English as well as live and preach the Gospel to this dark area! Pray they get in soon. The village leader and President has given the team an invitation to come live and teach English to the village. This is the first step!
Please continue to pray for us. Michele and I really enjoyed the time in the village and being back in Mexico. Please pray for a team to be formed with us to go down to Oaxaca and for wisdom and direction and how to work in the village in that area as well as looking for another area that is unreached to begin working with. We will be heading down for a week Dec 27-Jan 7 as well as 4-5 weeks in February - March.
Thank you again for all your love and prayers and support!
Seeking His Face
Chris
Thank you so much for all your prayers and love! We returned yesterday, Friday, from our two weeks in Oaxaca, Mexico. We went into the mountains in Western Oaxaca where our team is at. We brought in two doctors and a nurse and well as a dentist and all of the students this year that learned how to find, clean and fill cavities. It was a VERY busy time! We saw over 500 people from 6 villages in this area. I was able to help the dentist with training the students and assisting them as they did their first hands on dental work on the people. Gerry, the dentist, spent most of the time extracting teeth. Michele helped at the sign in table with writing down information and helping to send the people to the doctor or to the dental area. It was busy seeing those 500 + people and hearing what they needed.
Please pray for the team that is down in that area (Chris Berger, Jim Blomstrand and Reuben & Debbie Ibanez and their two kids). They are hoping to get into this village to live regularly and help teach English as well as live and preach the Gospel to this dark area! Pray they get in soon. The village leader and President has given the team an invitation to come live and teach English to the village. This is the first step!
Please continue to pray for us. Michele and I really enjoyed the time in the village and being back in Mexico. Please pray for a team to be formed with us to go down to Oaxaca and for wisdom and direction and how to work in the village in that area as well as looking for another area that is unreached to begin working with. We will be heading down for a week Dec 27-Jan 7 as well as 4-5 weeks in February - March.
Thank you again for all your love and prayers and support!
Seeking His Face
Chris
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Going to Oaxaca
Hey everyone! Thank you so much for keeping up with us and reading what we are able to put on this post. I am sorry that I do not write as much as I should. I need to be more disciplined on this!
I just wanted to let you know about a trip we will be taking from this Monday, 11/8 to 11/19 into southern Mexico. We will be going to the state of Oaxaca, Mexico to a group of people called the C-O-I-C-O-Y-A-N. I write it with the marks between letters for the safety of the people in that area not searching and finding this post about themselves. It helps keep the team we have on the ground there from being confronted about them being a "work" or any other danger.
Michele and I will be helping to lead the school down to this area to help the team on the ground already. We will be having 4 days of Medical and dental clinics. Please pray for the doctors and nurses as well as the students using their skills learned in the dental training. Please pray for safety on the roads as well as unity in our team!
Pray for the salvation of the people in the village we will be going and the surrounding villages. May God be Glorified in this area. He WILL be great among the nations and in this village, God promises that!
Malachi 1:11 "For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts"
We go to the unreached people because they have no understanding of the Gospel and ability to know of our one true God. We Go for God's Glory and for the people. If we have this great hope of salvation, this great gift from God, how can we keep it to ourselves? If we truly are Christians, we can't! We do this for God's Glory and so that the people can find joy in our great God and praise Him and worship Him as they were created to do! Jesus came to serve and make known to the people about the way to the Father and we are called to follow and do the same. God has people in every Nation and we go to be used by Him.
John 10:16 - "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd"
Please keep praying for the work in Mexico and specifically for this trip into Oaxaca to help this team and help the people!
For His Glory!
Chris
I just wanted to let you know about a trip we will be taking from this Monday, 11/8 to 11/19 into southern Mexico. We will be going to the state of Oaxaca, Mexico to a group of people called the C-O-I-C-O-Y-A-N. I write it with the marks between letters for the safety of the people in that area not searching and finding this post about themselves. It helps keep the team we have on the ground there from being confronted about them being a "work" or any other danger.
Michele and I will be helping to lead the school down to this area to help the team on the ground already. We will be having 4 days of Medical and dental clinics. Please pray for the doctors and nurses as well as the students using their skills learned in the dental training. Please pray for safety on the roads as well as unity in our team!
Pray for the salvation of the people in the village we will be going and the surrounding villages. May God be Glorified in this area. He WILL be great among the nations and in this village, God promises that!
Malachi 1:11 "For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts"
We go to the unreached people because they have no understanding of the Gospel and ability to know of our one true God. We Go for God's Glory and for the people. If we have this great hope of salvation, this great gift from God, how can we keep it to ourselves? If we truly are Christians, we can't! We do this for God's Glory and so that the people can find joy in our great God and praise Him and worship Him as they were created to do! Jesus came to serve and make known to the people about the way to the Father and we are called to follow and do the same. God has people in every Nation and we go to be used by Him.
John 10:16 - "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd"
Please keep praying for the work in Mexico and specifically for this trip into Oaxaca to help this team and help the people!
For His Glory!
Chris
Monday, November 1, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Weeping for North Korea
I just read this and wanted to share it with ya'll. Do we weep for the lost? Do we count Jesus as worth it to go and tell them? Or to be financial martyrs to send many to go and tell them?
JESUS IS WORTH IT!
Here is the article by Michael Oh:
Tonight for the first time in my life I wept for North Korea.
On the second night of the Third Lausanne Congress taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, an 18 year-old girl from North Korea shared her story.
She was born into a wealthy family, her father an assistant to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong II. Eventually her father’s political fortunes shifted, and after being politically persecuted by the North Korean government, he, his wife, and his daughter escaped to China.
In China a relative brought her family to church where her parents came to know Jesus Christ. A few months later, however, her pregnant mother died from Leukemia. Her father started to study the Bible with missionaries and eventually the Lord gave him a strong desire to become a missionary to North Korea. But in 2001 he was reported as a Christian, was arrested by the Chinese police, and was returned to North Korea. Forced to leave his daughter behind in China, he spent three years in prison. During this time the girl shared that it only "made my father’s faith stronger” and that he “cried out to God more desperately rather than complain or blame Him.
After three years he was able to return to China where he was briefly reunited with his daughter. Soon after, however, he gathered Bibles having resolved to return to North Korea to share Christ among that hopeless people. He was given the opportunity to go to South Korea, but he turned them down.
In 2006 he was discovered by the North Korean government and was arrested. There has since been no word from him. In all probability he has been shot to death publicly for treason.
In 2007 this girl, who at the time was not a Christian, was given the opportunity to go to South Korea. While still in China waiting at the Korean Consulate in Beijing to go to South Korea, she saw Jesus in a dream. Jesus, with tears in his eyes, called her by name and said, How much longer are you going to keep me waiting? Walk with me. Yes, you lost your earthly father, but I am your heavenly Father and whatever has happened to you is because I love you.
She knelt and prayed to God for the first time and realized that “God my Father loves and cares for me so very much that he sent his Son Jesus to die for me.” She prayed, “God here I am. I just lay down everything and give you my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength. Please use me as you will.”
Now God has given her a great love for North Korea. She shared that, Just as my father was used there for God’s kingdom, I now desire to be obedient to God. I want to bring the love of Jesus to North Korea.
She closed with the following words:
I look back over my short life and see God’s hand everywhere. Six years in North Korea, 11 years in China, and a time of being in South Korea. Everything that I experienced and love, I want to give it all to God and use my life for His kingdom. I hope to honor my father and bring glory to my heavenly Father by serving God with my whole heart.
I believe God’s heart cries out for the lost people of North Korea. I humbly ask you, my brothers and sisters, to have the same heart of God. Please pray that the same light of God’s grace and mercy that reached my father and my mother and now me will one day come down upon the people of North Korea… my people.
How many of us so easily choose the path of comfort and safety. The path that is our answer to the question, “What is best for me?” But so many of those whom God has used to make some of the greatest Kingdom impact have been those who have not made decisions based on "what is best for me?" (at least “best” in a worldly sense). They made decisions, or perhaps for some it seemed like there was really no decision to make at all, based on an undeniable, unshakable, "illogical", "foolish" passion for Jesus Christ and for His kingdom glory among the lost.
For this girl's father there was a “safe” path before him. The door was open for him to go to South Korea where there was political freedom and religious freedom, where he and his family could have been safe. No prison, no persecution, no pain. Instead he chose the path of danger that led him, Bibles in hand, back to North Korea, the homeland that he loved.
And now his daughter has determined to follow that same path.
Paul wrote the following words in 2 Corinthians 5:13-21.
If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
May God grant us the grace to serve with undeniable, unshakable, illogical, and foolish passion for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom glory among the lost. And may we discover the joy in knowing that such a life is a part of the glorious answer to the question of what is truly best for me.
Dr. Michael Oh is president of CBI Japan and serves on the board of the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization. Dr. Oh spoke at the 2009 Desiring God Pastor’s Conference on “Missions as Fasting.”
JESUS IS WORTH IT!
Here is the article by Michael Oh:
Tonight for the first time in my life I wept for North Korea.
On the second night of the Third Lausanne Congress taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, an 18 year-old girl from North Korea shared her story.
She was born into a wealthy family, her father an assistant to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong II. Eventually her father’s political fortunes shifted, and after being politically persecuted by the North Korean government, he, his wife, and his daughter escaped to China.
In China a relative brought her family to church where her parents came to know Jesus Christ. A few months later, however, her pregnant mother died from Leukemia. Her father started to study the Bible with missionaries and eventually the Lord gave him a strong desire to become a missionary to North Korea. But in 2001 he was reported as a Christian, was arrested by the Chinese police, and was returned to North Korea. Forced to leave his daughter behind in China, he spent three years in prison. During this time the girl shared that it only "made my father’s faith stronger” and that he “cried out to God more desperately rather than complain or blame Him.
After three years he was able to return to China where he was briefly reunited with his daughter. Soon after, however, he gathered Bibles having resolved to return to North Korea to share Christ among that hopeless people. He was given the opportunity to go to South Korea, but he turned them down.
In 2006 he was discovered by the North Korean government and was arrested. There has since been no word from him. In all probability he has been shot to death publicly for treason.
In 2007 this girl, who at the time was not a Christian, was given the opportunity to go to South Korea. While still in China waiting at the Korean Consulate in Beijing to go to South Korea, she saw Jesus in a dream. Jesus, with tears in his eyes, called her by name and said, How much longer are you going to keep me waiting? Walk with me. Yes, you lost your earthly father, but I am your heavenly Father and whatever has happened to you is because I love you.
She knelt and prayed to God for the first time and realized that “God my Father loves and cares for me so very much that he sent his Son Jesus to die for me.” She prayed, “God here I am. I just lay down everything and give you my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength. Please use me as you will.”
Now God has given her a great love for North Korea. She shared that, Just as my father was used there for God’s kingdom, I now desire to be obedient to God. I want to bring the love of Jesus to North Korea.
She closed with the following words:
I look back over my short life and see God’s hand everywhere. Six years in North Korea, 11 years in China, and a time of being in South Korea. Everything that I experienced and love, I want to give it all to God and use my life for His kingdom. I hope to honor my father and bring glory to my heavenly Father by serving God with my whole heart.
I believe God’s heart cries out for the lost people of North Korea. I humbly ask you, my brothers and sisters, to have the same heart of God. Please pray that the same light of God’s grace and mercy that reached my father and my mother and now me will one day come down upon the people of North Korea… my people.
How many of us so easily choose the path of comfort and safety. The path that is our answer to the question, “What is best for me?” But so many of those whom God has used to make some of the greatest Kingdom impact have been those who have not made decisions based on "what is best for me?" (at least “best” in a worldly sense). They made decisions, or perhaps for some it seemed like there was really no decision to make at all, based on an undeniable, unshakable, "illogical", "foolish" passion for Jesus Christ and for His kingdom glory among the lost.
For this girl's father there was a “safe” path before him. The door was open for him to go to South Korea where there was political freedom and religious freedom, where he and his family could have been safe. No prison, no persecution, no pain. Instead he chose the path of danger that led him, Bibles in hand, back to North Korea, the homeland that he loved.
And now his daughter has determined to follow that same path.
Paul wrote the following words in 2 Corinthians 5:13-21.
If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
May God grant us the grace to serve with undeniable, unshakable, illogical, and foolish passion for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom glory among the lost. And may we discover the joy in knowing that such a life is a part of the glorious answer to the question of what is truly best for me.
Dr. Michael Oh is president of CBI Japan and serves on the board of the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization. Dr. Oh spoke at the 2009 Desiring God Pastor’s Conference on “Missions as Fasting.”
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Know the culture and language!
This week there has been a couple speaking about church planting in different cultures. They worked in Chiapas, the state next to Oaxaca in Mexico, for 40 years. It has been a great week so far listening to them and having some time to speak to them alone.
Something To Every Tribe Ministries teaches much on is learning the culture and language before you can go into an area and speak into the lives of the people. If we want to convey the message of the Gospel so they understand, we need to know them well. Michele and I have been growing in understanding of the Spanish language and culture.
The following video is a joke about what it is like to speak in American phrases and how other cultures don't really have translations of our ideas. Enjoy this video but also please pray more and more for Michele and me as we are learning and growing in understanding of the Spanish language and Mexican culture!
Enjoy!
Chris
Something To Every Tribe Ministries teaches much on is learning the culture and language before you can go into an area and speak into the lives of the people. If we want to convey the message of the Gospel so they understand, we need to know them well. Michele and I have been growing in understanding of the Spanish language and culture.
The following video is a joke about what it is like to speak in American phrases and how other cultures don't really have translations of our ideas. Enjoy this video but also please pray more and more for Michele and me as we are learning and growing in understanding of the Spanish language and Mexican culture!
Enjoy!
Chris
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
New Additons
Check out our new Prayer Requests for October and new photos from September that have been added!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
All I Have Is Christ
Hey everyone!
I just wanted to share a song with you that has grown on me more and more. The words are so true and so humbling, while still giving such a great hope in Christ! The song is called "All I have is Christ" and here are the lyrics:
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.
Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.
© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin
I hope the video of this song attaches below this so you can hear the song and SING WITH IT! Praise Our God and King and Savior for their work. We once did HATE God and was running from Him and running to Hell, BUT GOD, with His loving grace and mercy, showed us Himself and brought us to the cross! We saw our sins and His holiness and we fell to our knees and wept....and repented and we now live by grace in giving Him Glory in all of our lives!
Ephesians 2:1-10
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them"
Let us praise God and thank Him for His Great Mercy! Sing this song with me, praise our Savior with me and let us go out and tell all of this great mercy that He has shown us so that they too may know Him and praise Him with us!
For His Glory!
Chris
I just wanted to share a song with you that has grown on me more and more. The words are so true and so humbling, while still giving such a great hope in Christ! The song is called "All I have is Christ" and here are the lyrics:
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.
Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.
© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin
I hope the video of this song attaches below this so you can hear the song and SING WITH IT! Praise Our God and King and Savior for their work. We once did HATE God and was running from Him and running to Hell, BUT GOD, with His loving grace and mercy, showed us Himself and brought us to the cross! We saw our sins and His holiness and we fell to our knees and wept....and repented and we now live by grace in giving Him Glory in all of our lives!
Ephesians 2:1-10
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them"
Let us praise God and thank Him for His Great Mercy! Sing this song with me, praise our Savior with me and let us go out and tell all of this great mercy that He has shown us so that they too may know Him and praise Him with us!
For His Glory!
Chris
Monday, September 6, 2010
Our Apartment
Hey Everyone-
For those of you who are interested, I just posted pictures of our apartment. To view them, click on the "Photos" tab at the top of this page, then the link that says "Click Here" and then choose the album "Our Texas Apartment". Enjoy!
Happy Labor Day!
Michele
For those of you who are interested, I just posted pictures of our apartment. To view them, click on the "Photos" tab at the top of this page, then the link that says "Click Here" and then choose the album "Our Texas Apartment". Enjoy!
Happy Labor Day!
Michele
Friday, September 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Desiring to be with Jesus!
I was just reading this morning in Mark chapter 5 and I came across the story of the demon possessed man that was living in the tombs. Two things jumped out at me. The first being why I wrote this post.
The first thing I saw was after Jesus had healed the man and cast out the demons, the man wanted to go and leave with Jesus to be with Him. I just struck me so hard. Jesus had healed this man of being demon possessed and given him life! This man did not want for anything but to be with Jesus and go where He goes.
My thought is....... do we live this way? Do we desire to follow Jesus and be with Him daily? Do we take time to be in His Word and grow in knowledge of Him? Do we pray much to commune with our God who saved us and raised us to life from death?
I think of the story of Peter in Matthew 14 where Jesus was walking on the water and Peter asked to go out and be with Him. YES, Peter did not have alot of faith to continue walking.....but he was the only one who wanted to go and be WITH Jesus.
We were just like this man, dead and overcome by the world. Jesus comes to His people and raises them to life from death and shows us Himself. When we truly see Him, do we act like this man and run to Him and live by Him each day? Or do we start to live life and forget of the great work He has done in us?
2 Corinthians 5:17: " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come"
John 20:31: "But these are written (the book of John) so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have LIFE in His name"
The other thought is looking at what Jesus told him to do. Jesus told the man he could not go with Him but that he should go and tell his friends "how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you". You know what the guy did? HE OBEYED and he did that exact thing! But even more, he went farther then just his home town. The Bible says "he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled". The Decapolis is a big region around his hometown. He went home and did as Jesus had commanded....then because of his joy inexpressible, he went further and kept going out more and more and telling of Jesus and His great works!
Do we find this Joy in Jesus and His great mercy He has shown us in our salvation? Do we go out and tell our family and friends about Jesus and His great mercy? Do we then go further and tell more and more people in our town.....state.....country about His great love, mercy, grace? Even further.......do we give it all up, if God gives us the desire, to go to the Nations, the world, and proclaim of His excellencies to those who don't know about Him?
Psalm 66:16 - "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my
soul"
Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age"
Please pray with me that we will grow in knowledge of our Great God and His Great Mercy and what the Gospel and the Cross is all about. Pray that we will be so consumed with His Glory and with joy inexpressible from His mercy in saving us that we GO and tell all around us of Him. Pray for God to send workers into His field and pray that you would be open to BE one of those workers!
Be encourage this wonderful day that the Lord has made! Praise Him and GO and BE a disciple for our great King and God and Lord!
For His Glory!
Chris
The first thing I saw was after Jesus had healed the man and cast out the demons, the man wanted to go and leave with Jesus to be with Him. I just struck me so hard. Jesus had healed this man of being demon possessed and given him life! This man did not want for anything but to be with Jesus and go where He goes.
My thought is....... do we live this way? Do we desire to follow Jesus and be with Him daily? Do we take time to be in His Word and grow in knowledge of Him? Do we pray much to commune with our God who saved us and raised us to life from death?
I think of the story of Peter in Matthew 14 where Jesus was walking on the water and Peter asked to go out and be with Him. YES, Peter did not have alot of faith to continue walking.....but he was the only one who wanted to go and be WITH Jesus.
We were just like this man, dead and overcome by the world. Jesus comes to His people and raises them to life from death and shows us Himself. When we truly see Him, do we act like this man and run to Him and live by Him each day? Or do we start to live life and forget of the great work He has done in us?
2 Corinthians 5:17: " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come"
John 20:31: "But these are written (the book of John) so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have LIFE in His name"
The other thought is looking at what Jesus told him to do. Jesus told the man he could not go with Him but that he should go and tell his friends "how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you". You know what the guy did? HE OBEYED and he did that exact thing! But even more, he went farther then just his home town. The Bible says "he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled". The Decapolis is a big region around his hometown. He went home and did as Jesus had commanded....then because of his joy inexpressible, he went further and kept going out more and more and telling of Jesus and His great works!
Do we find this Joy in Jesus and His great mercy He has shown us in our salvation? Do we go out and tell our family and friends about Jesus and His great mercy? Do we then go further and tell more and more people in our town.....state.....country about His great love, mercy, grace? Even further.......do we give it all up, if God gives us the desire, to go to the Nations, the world, and proclaim of His excellencies to those who don't know about Him?
Psalm 66:16 - "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my
soul"
Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age"
Please pray with me that we will grow in knowledge of our Great God and His Great Mercy and what the Gospel and the Cross is all about. Pray that we will be so consumed with His Glory and with joy inexpressible from His mercy in saving us that we GO and tell all around us of Him. Pray for God to send workers into His field and pray that you would be open to BE one of those workers!
Be encourage this wonderful day that the Lord has made! Praise Him and GO and BE a disciple for our great King and God and Lord!
For His Glory!
Chris
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Arrived in Texas
Hey everyone!
Well, its a week late but just wanted to let you know that we arrived back to Texas last Saturday! Its been a busy week of getting unpacked, settled in the apartment and doing some work around the property here.
Thank you very much for all your prayers and support! We did have a crazy ride down here with a trailer breaking down on us, having to buy a new one and the car thermostat going bad and having to fix that. We may write some more on that and post some pictures as well.
Remember to keep your eyes on our hope, Jesus Christ! Do not let this world entangle you! Be a good soldier of Christ Jesus!
1 Timothy 2:4 - "No soldier gets entangles in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him"
All Glory to our great Savior!
For His Glory!
Chris
Well, its a week late but just wanted to let you know that we arrived back to Texas last Saturday! Its been a busy week of getting unpacked, settled in the apartment and doing some work around the property here.
Thank you very much for all your prayers and support! We did have a crazy ride down here with a trailer breaking down on us, having to buy a new one and the car thermostat going bad and having to fix that. We may write some more on that and post some pictures as well.
Remember to keep your eyes on our hope, Jesus Christ! Do not let this world entangle you! Be a good soldier of Christ Jesus!
1 Timothy 2:4 - "No soldier gets entangles in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him"
All Glory to our great Savior!
For His Glory!
Chris
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Packing
Hey Everyone!
Just wanted to give a short update on what we have been up to. For the past few weeks we have been doing a lot of traveling visiting a few different churches and saying goodbye to family before we move back to Texas. We started our trip in North Jersey to visit my (Michele) family. We were able to celebrate my grandmother's 70th birthday. Next was a trip to the Adirondack Mountains where Chris' brother and family lives. Chris had the opportunity to preach up there at one of our supporting churches, Adirondack Bible Chapel. We enjoyed fellowship with our brothers and sisters there but also some sad goodbyes. The last leg was to central Jersey, Chris' parents house and home church, Fellowship Bible Church. Chris and I were able to share about To Every Tribe during Sunday School and then Chris preached during Sunday Service there on July 25.
This past weekend we made a trip to York, PA to speak at a new church we met, Springwood Chapel. We enjoyed meeting new people and having the opportunity to share about To Every Tribe, the misson's work we do and Chris again was able to preach there Sunday morning. Since we were sort of in the area we stopped to spend a few days with Chris' grandmother up near State College. It was nice to spend a few days with her and learn some more about Chris' family roots. This was especially interesting to me as I am beginning to work on a family tree for both of our families. I was grateful for his grandmother's good memory!
We are currently busy packing up our apartment. We will be leaving to drive back to Texas on August 19th. Just two short weeks from today. We hope to drive straight from New Jersey to Alabama and then there to Los Fresnos, TX. This will make for two VERY VERY long days in the car but we are excited to get back into the swing of things in Texas and Mexico. We should arrive in Texas on Aug 20th.
Blessings,
Michele
Just wanted to give a short update on what we have been up to. For the past few weeks we have been doing a lot of traveling visiting a few different churches and saying goodbye to family before we move back to Texas. We started our trip in North Jersey to visit my (Michele) family. We were able to celebrate my grandmother's 70th birthday. Next was a trip to the Adirondack Mountains where Chris' brother and family lives. Chris had the opportunity to preach up there at one of our supporting churches, Adirondack Bible Chapel. We enjoyed fellowship with our brothers and sisters there but also some sad goodbyes. The last leg was to central Jersey, Chris' parents house and home church, Fellowship Bible Church. Chris and I were able to share about To Every Tribe during Sunday School and then Chris preached during Sunday Service there on July 25.
This past weekend we made a trip to York, PA to speak at a new church we met, Springwood Chapel. We enjoyed meeting new people and having the opportunity to share about To Every Tribe, the misson's work we do and Chris again was able to preach there Sunday morning. Since we were sort of in the area we stopped to spend a few days with Chris' grandmother up near State College. It was nice to spend a few days with her and learn some more about Chris' family roots. This was especially interesting to me as I am beginning to work on a family tree for both of our families. I was grateful for his grandmother's good memory!
We are currently busy packing up our apartment. We will be leaving to drive back to Texas on August 19th. Just two short weeks from today. We hope to drive straight from New Jersey to Alabama and then there to Los Fresnos, TX. This will make for two VERY VERY long days in the car but we are excited to get back into the swing of things in Texas and Mexico. We should arrive in Texas on Aug 20th.
Blessings,
Michele
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Cup - CJ Mahaney
Just a video to make up think of the cup, to think what it cost our Lord Jesus Christ.
Take a few minutes to watch and meditate and praise our Great God!
Take a few minutes to watch and meditate and praise our Great God!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
What will it cost?
What will it cost you?
I guess the question is "Is Jesus worth it?"......... even unto death?
I read a lot of blogs and the magazines that talk about Christians around the world, forsaking all, living for the Glory of God and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even though it might, and in many cases does, cost them their lives.
I look at my life and i have not been there. I have had rocks thrown at my feet, threatened to be thrown in jail and kicked out of a village because of preaching the Gospel, but not unto death, not where I felt like I was "persecuted".
Most of us would say "bring it on" to persecution if God wants it. But the thought for today is, would you really be ready? Would I really be ready?
The answer to "Is Jesus worth it?" is YES, He is more than worth it! We need to feed ourselves on the word of God and remember His great promises. Jesus promises He will never leave us nor forsake us in Joshua 1:5 / Hebrews 13:5 "I will not leave you or forsake you"and that He is always with us in Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Jesus also promises hardship and suffering.
Philippians 1:29 "For it has been granted unto you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake"
Not only is it promised for Christians, it is a blessed thing!
Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
Matthew 5:11-12 " "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Now I am not out looking for persecution, I am not trying to get persecuted. That is not what the Bible teaches us. We should not go out looking for or desiring persecution, just to be ready for it, cause it WILL come.
If you do not have "small" persecutions like being made fun of, or family struggles for being a believer, for living it out......you might want to ask "why don't I?"
I ask myself that when things get quiet. There are times I realize I have "settled" a bit and I am not living out a Christian life where people will see it and ask questions, and make fun.
Are we stepping out of our worlds and reaching to the community, to our neighborhoods, to our work places? We have to be living out the Bible as well as being in the community to make a difference, to show a changed life, to live the Gospel out for people to see.
May we be encouraged when hardships come, praise God in persecution and and suffering! Remember what happened in Acts 5?
Acts 5:40-41 " and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council,rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name."
They REJOICED after getting beat! How did they do that? They did it because JESUS IS WORTH IT and they knew that Jesus was glorified in that moment. Those doing the beating saw something different as they beat them and saw them rejoicing. That is living a life ready for suffering when it comes and knowing that this breath of a life is to be lived out loud for our great God!
God is working all things together for good and for His Glory! The sufferings and persecutions are meant to make us more like Him as well as proving our faith "so that the tested genuineness of our faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7) 1 Peter is a great book to read about suffering.
Above all, read the Word daily and go to your closet and cry out to God to show you more of Him and to conform you more like Him. Our number one goal in life is to grow more and more like Jesus and in love with Jesus. Sanctification is a awesome thing!
Be encouraged!
For His Glory!
Chris
I guess the question is "Is Jesus worth it?"......... even unto death?
I read a lot of blogs and the magazines that talk about Christians around the world, forsaking all, living for the Glory of God and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even though it might, and in many cases does, cost them their lives.
I look at my life and i have not been there. I have had rocks thrown at my feet, threatened to be thrown in jail and kicked out of a village because of preaching the Gospel, but not unto death, not where I felt like I was "persecuted".
Most of us would say "bring it on" to persecution if God wants it. But the thought for today is, would you really be ready? Would I really be ready?
The answer to "Is Jesus worth it?" is YES, He is more than worth it! We need to feed ourselves on the word of God and remember His great promises. Jesus promises He will never leave us nor forsake us in Joshua 1:5 / Hebrews 13:5 "I will not leave you or forsake you"and that He is always with us in Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Jesus also promises hardship and suffering.
Philippians 1:29 "For it has been granted unto you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake"
Not only is it promised for Christians, it is a blessed thing!
Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
Matthew 5:11-12 " "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Now I am not out looking for persecution, I am not trying to get persecuted. That is not what the Bible teaches us. We should not go out looking for or desiring persecution, just to be ready for it, cause it WILL come.
If you do not have "small" persecutions like being made fun of, or family struggles for being a believer, for living it out......you might want to ask "why don't I?"
I ask myself that when things get quiet. There are times I realize I have "settled" a bit and I am not living out a Christian life where people will see it and ask questions, and make fun.
Are we stepping out of our worlds and reaching to the community, to our neighborhoods, to our work places? We have to be living out the Bible as well as being in the community to make a difference, to show a changed life, to live the Gospel out for people to see.
May we be encouraged when hardships come, praise God in persecution and and suffering! Remember what happened in Acts 5?
Acts 5:40-41 " and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council,rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name."
They REJOICED after getting beat! How did they do that? They did it because JESUS IS WORTH IT and they knew that Jesus was glorified in that moment. Those doing the beating saw something different as they beat them and saw them rejoicing. That is living a life ready for suffering when it comes and knowing that this breath of a life is to be lived out loud for our great God!
God is working all things together for good and for His Glory! The sufferings and persecutions are meant to make us more like Him as well as proving our faith "so that the tested genuineness of our faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7) 1 Peter is a great book to read about suffering.
Above all, read the Word daily and go to your closet and cry out to God to show you more of Him and to conform you more like Him. Our number one goal in life is to grow more and more like Jesus and in love with Jesus. Sanctification is a awesome thing!
Be encouraged!
For His Glory!
Chris
Monday, July 5, 2010
Hey everyone!
Thanks so much for checking out our blog and following us! Michele and I both had blogs before this and we are merging them together now that we are married! Michele and I will take times where we write what God has been teaching us or leading us through, or just what God showed us in His Word or a book for that moment.
Today I read the news of Sono Sato Harris passing away. If you do not know who she is, she is the mother of Alex and Brett Harris. They are the founders of "The Rebelution", a organization to spur on teenagers and young people to "Do Hard Things" and not live up to the expectation of the generation that young people should not and can not do great things. Especially in their organization, the center of it all is to do hard things for the Glory of God! I met them through connections with To Every Tribe. Their father was on the board of Directors.
First of all, my heart mourns for them, breaks for them and prays for them as a family. Loosing a wife or mother is never an easy thing. Please, join me in prayer for the comfort of God to be with them and carry them through and that they would stay at the foot of the cross as all times.
As I was reading a song written by Sono's oldest son, Joel, I could hear the hurt of his mother passing but the joy of her passing to Jesus. How do people make it through these hard times without Jesus?
In the book I am now reading, "The good news We Almost forgot" by Kevin DeYoung, I can across a chapter on death and dying. There was a question there: If Christ's death meant the death of death and paid in full the penality for our own sins, why do all Christians still die? His answer was, death is our entrance into eternal life. Something he wrote opened my eyes about the idea of death. We struggle EVERYDAY, ALL DAY with sin. By the power of God we can overcome it since we are a new creature in Christ. What he wrote was: when we do die one day, just think, that struggle, that battle will be gone forever! Sin will not ever be again a struggle or ever a part of our lives!
Please don's think I am promoting dying so to be away from sin. I am promoting to live your life for the Glory of God in ALL things, pray for His strength and wisdom and grace to battle sin, and when He calls you home, know you will be in His presence and the battle with sin is DONE!
Sono Sato Harris finished well last night and the battle with sin is over for her. She is in the presence of perfection with our wonderful Savior! May we all live with the hope of being with our God one day, in His timing, yearning to see His wonderful face, finishing well this race God has given us.
May we all say one day with Paul, "I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing" 2 Timothy 4:7-8
This life is a vapor, may we make the best use of our time and live for His Glory!
Because of the Cross,
Chris
Here is a picture of Sono and you can visit the Rebelution blog here:
http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2010/07/goodbye-mama/
Today I read the news of Sono Sato Harris passing away. If you do not know who she is, she is the mother of Alex and Brett Harris. They are the founders of "The Rebelution", a organization to spur on teenagers and young people to "Do Hard Things" and not live up to the expectation of the generation that young people should not and can not do great things. Especially in their organization, the center of it all is to do hard things for the Glory of God! I met them through connections with To Every Tribe. Their father was on the board of Directors.
First of all, my heart mourns for them, breaks for them and prays for them as a family. Loosing a wife or mother is never an easy thing. Please, join me in prayer for the comfort of God to be with them and carry them through and that they would stay at the foot of the cross as all times.
As I was reading a song written by Sono's oldest son, Joel, I could hear the hurt of his mother passing but the joy of her passing to Jesus. How do people make it through these hard times without Jesus?
In the book I am now reading, "The good news We Almost forgot" by Kevin DeYoung, I can across a chapter on death and dying. There was a question there: If Christ's death meant the death of death and paid in full the penality for our own sins, why do all Christians still die? His answer was, death is our entrance into eternal life. Something he wrote opened my eyes about the idea of death. We struggle EVERYDAY, ALL DAY with sin. By the power of God we can overcome it since we are a new creature in Christ. What he wrote was: when we do die one day, just think, that struggle, that battle will be gone forever! Sin will not ever be again a struggle or ever a part of our lives!
Please don's think I am promoting dying so to be away from sin. I am promoting to live your life for the Glory of God in ALL things, pray for His strength and wisdom and grace to battle sin, and when He calls you home, know you will be in His presence and the battle with sin is DONE!
Sono Sato Harris finished well last night and the battle with sin is over for her. She is in the presence of perfection with our wonderful Savior! May we all live with the hope of being with our God one day, in His timing, yearning to see His wonderful face, finishing well this race God has given us.
May we all say one day with Paul, "I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing" 2 Timothy 4:7-8
This life is a vapor, may we make the best use of our time and live for His Glory!
Because of the Cross,
Chris
Here is a picture of Sono and you can visit the Rebelution blog here:
http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2010/07/goodbye-mama/
Monday, June 28, 2010
Getting Settled
Hey!
We have been busy trying to get settled in our apartment here in Pitman, NJ. Getting things done each day but still a lot to do. We have spent the last week working mostly on getting a new prayer card made, changing my name over to Johnson, writing up a new newsletter, and updating our information on the To Every Tribe website. You can check out our new page there at www.toeverytribe.com and clicking on the missionaries tab. The newsletter is just about finished so I might have it up here on our updates section either today or tomorrow.
I am enjoying being married and learning how to be a good, godly wife. This week is the first week I've had to start cooking every night. If any of you ladies out there have some recipes please email them to me. I am a beginner so the more details the better! I can see how your day can go quickly with just trying to get simple things done such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. I was encouraged and challenged at a Ladies Gathering at my church last Saturday about being productive with our time.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17
Chris and I are trying to develop a schedule that will help us maintain different disciplines in our lives. The days are evil and they go by oh so quickly, walk wisely and make them of worth for Christ.
We have been busy trying to get settled in our apartment here in Pitman, NJ. Getting things done each day but still a lot to do. We have spent the last week working mostly on getting a new prayer card made, changing my name over to Johnson, writing up a new newsletter, and updating our information on the To Every Tribe website. You can check out our new page there at www.toeverytribe.com and clicking on the missionaries tab. The newsletter is just about finished so I might have it up here on our updates section either today or tomorrow.
I am enjoying being married and learning how to be a good, godly wife. This week is the first week I've had to start cooking every night. If any of you ladies out there have some recipes please email them to me. I am a beginner so the more details the better! I can see how your day can go quickly with just trying to get simple things done such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. I was encouraged and challenged at a Ladies Gathering at my church last Saturday about being productive with our time.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17
Chris and I are trying to develop a schedule that will help us maintain different disciplines in our lives. The days are evil and they go by oh so quickly, walk wisely and make them of worth for Christ.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Welcome
Hi All!
Welcome to our new blog! We are excited to get back into the swing of things after celebrating our blessed wedding on June 12. Both Chris and I will be posting various posts on here to keep you all updated on what is going on in our lives and hopefully share a few encouraging words as well. We are still in the process, as you probably can tell, of creating this website. Some of the pages have been created but not finished. Hopefully we will have it all up and running soon. Hope this is a good way to keep y'all involved in our lives.
Much Love and Blessings,
Chris & Michele
Welcome to our new blog! We are excited to get back into the swing of things after celebrating our blessed wedding on June 12. Both Chris and I will be posting various posts on here to keep you all updated on what is going on in our lives and hopefully share a few encouraging words as well. We are still in the process, as you probably can tell, of creating this website. Some of the pages have been created but not finished. Hopefully we will have it all up and running soon. Hope this is a good way to keep y'all involved in our lives.
Much Love and Blessings,
Chris & Michele
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