#BeAmazedRHCC

For the Global Outreach conference this year, I had the opportunity to be part of the committed planning it. Searching for news about God at work in the world, here are some of the nuggets I found and posted on Facebook and Instagram.

#BeAmazedRHCC! God is at work in: TURKEY

Elections in October 2015 – “Amazingly the elections went peacefully with no protests and no terrorism! That's a HUGE answer to prayer. Thank you for praying and may the peace that came with the election make for greater peace to come in Jesus! (Even though 50% of the population is against the current government they still won!).”

#BeAmazedRHCC! God is at work in: THE PHILIPPINES 

In 2015, our Missionaries accomplished the following ministries:

Planted 3 house churches in 3 different villages. Have 6 on-going small groups (villages) that will soon be house churches. Another 5 on-going small groups where the people attending become church worshippers in an existing church. Have 3 village churches (with church buildings) that have regular weekend services. Baptized 86 new believers. Started a new campus ministry in another college. Have 2 on-going campus ministries and discipleship classes in Digos City. -Gwynn Lewis

#BeAmazedRHCC! God is at work in: VIETNAM Finally! The Vietnamese church is deeply divided and highly monitored. The officially recognized church and the underground church have virtually no collaboration. But things are changing! Read about it: http://tinyurl.com/hspj2su

#BeAmazedRHCC! In the USA, more than 80% believe God is real

If statistics are to be believed (which is a big “if”), the vast majority of adults in the United States believe in the existence of God. Despite all the hubbub about New Atheism and the rise of the Nones (those with no religious affiliation), between eighty and ninety percent of us still think God is real. For those committed to the mission of the gospel, this would appear to be good news. After all, having to convince people of God’s existence before persuading them to follow Jesus Christ is an uphill slog. – Skye Jethani, Editor, Christianity Today http://skyejethani.com/the-age-of-secular-pharisees/   

#BeAmazedRHCC! God is at work in: ROMANIA

After three and a half years of weekly visits to the orphanages, a youth football team, Christmas programs & sleep away summer camps, the children of Bucharest continue to deepen their relationship with Camilla Croxton (a missionary sent by RHCC) and most importantly, to grow in their relationship with God. Where have you seen God at work?

Where have you seen God at work?

#BeAmazedRHCC! Calming the Wind and the Waves in: MEXICO

October 2015 the category 5 Hurricane Patricia was the largest ever to hit the Western seaboard was headed toward Mexico. It most certainly would have wrecked havoc, taken lives, and by flooding and winds destroyed homes and infrastructure. God’s people were urged to pray as Jesus did to the wind and the waves, “Peace, be still.” Upon hitting land the hurricane lost it’s power, and took no lives and caused minimal damage for our poorer neighbors to the south.

Glory be to God for his mercy in this instance! http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2015/October/The-Mexico-Miracle-Prayer-Slows-Hurricane-in-Its-Tracks.  

#BeAmazedRHCC! The Gospel Has Been Spreading Among the Unreached!

Unreached People Groups (UPGs are ethnic groups around the world who have no known fellowship of Christians) are now down to about 6,600 (of 16,000). When research started in the 1980’s, it was about 7,200. God is definitely working and moving in the world to have established his church among 600 formerly Unreached People Groups. –RHCC Missionaries Jim & Sonya Witherspoon, Frontier Ventures

#BeAmazedRHCC by this miracle from the LIGHT AT THE LIGHTHOUSE Christian music festival in San Pedro. “The photo of a Honduran boy in need of heart surgery caught the eye of a woman at the . It turned out she was from the same small town in Honduras, and her cousins were all doctors there. She returned to the booth later in the day to say that she had called and arranged for the boy to be admitted to the hospital that night to receive his life-saving surgery at no cost.” Read more about LATL, (article written by Bill Fleury)

#BeAmazedRHCC! Former Muslim rebels in SE Asia have embraced the teachings of God and been baptized! Read more about it here.

#BeAmazedRHCC! Indian Pastor, after 10 years in the USA returned to his homeland to carry on the work of his missionary father. Read the story: http://tinyurl.com/gwbjwcr

#BeAmazedRHCC! God is at work in: MONGOLIA

When we started in Mongolia, there were only about 5 pastors and for years we thought planting 1,000 churches in Japan would be a big audacious goal. Mongolia now has more than 6% of the nation following Christ with a goal of reaching 10% by 2020. -Joe Handley, Asian Access, 11 December letter to RHCC Missions Commission

#BeAmazedRHCC! : Building Bridges to Followers of Islam

Last year a seasoned RHCC missionary Jenny Kottke joined Crescent Project to inspire, equip and serve the Church to reach Ms with the Gospel of Christ. They work toward their vision of a day when fear is replaced with love and millions of Christians are actively sharing the truth of Christ with millions of Ms from the streets of Redondo to Riyadh and everywhere in between. www.crescentproject.org. 

God is moving mightily in the mid-east. We have a number of Bible studies going on among non-believers (so far). It is hard to keep track of all of them. I think that over 50 people are involved with quite a few more wanting to do studies. Pray that the people in these groups meet Jesus and are born again. Pray also that these people tell others and see the groupsmultiply into many groups. -name withheld

“Missionaries working in the Islamic world noted that more Muslims have converted to Christianity in the last 14 years…. The number of converts in the recent period, they said, is greater than during the entire 14 centuries of Islamic history.” -Christianity Today, June 8, 2015

#BeAmazedRHCC! : God is at work among Asian Immigrants

Our Father God has brought children from the East to the USA in order to become His own. Asian Americans are the fastest growing people group in America with about 90% unchurched. RHCC Missionary Tom Steers of Ohana Partners (formerly Asian American Ministries, The Navigators) mentors Ohana leaders across the country and has a local ministry among Cambodians in Long Beach.

#‎BeAmazedRHCC‬ @rollinghillscovenantchurch! Founders of @rosepublishing were long time active members our church. God has done amazing things (around the world!) through the Bible reference, Christian Living & childrens resources published by this local team. Use the 25% off anniversary coupon and $1 for each item you purchase will go to build wells for families through @compassioninternational. Go Gretchen Goldsmith and Wittes! So proud of you!

• Despite Vietnam being a strictly controlled Communist country, believers excited tell others about Jesus and the Churches are growing and planting new churches. One of the many pastors we are mentoring there had 1500 conversions in his church last year. Another has the goal of planting one new church every year for the next 10 years.
• 100,000 people per day come to faith in Jesus—Global Media Outreach
• 38,880 people attended Franklin Graham’s outreach in Japan in 2015 with 1,480 making decisions for Jesus.
• Mongolia had only a handful of believers in 1990, but nearly 170,000 today.
• Nepal had less than 300 believers in 1980, but 1.6 million today.
• RHCC supports about 80 missionaries in 28 countries around the world.
• By 2030 China will have the most Christians.  At least 100 million maybe even 150 million so far.
• The hospital which RHCC has adopted in Loko Congo is the primary (and only) hospital for a population of 123,407 people.   Loko Hospital treated 12,341 patients in 2015
• Through SAT 7 approx. 20 million per day view Christian programming in the M.E.
• Of the 108 clinics in the Congo, 102 have now been adopted by Covenant churches in the U.S. Just six more to go!!

#BeAmazedRHCC: Global poverty is in free fall. http://www.vox.com/2015/12/24/10651338/2015-poverty-decline

‪#‎BeAmazedRHCC‬ that so many of us are mistaken about where the Syrian refugees are! "Very few are in Europe or the US. Of roughly 4.6 million Syrian refugees, 2.5 million are in Turkey, another 1 million in Lebanon, 635,000 in Jordan." Also amazed at the surprising news about conversions to Christianity among refugees. PRAY for those displaced by war, wherever they are, and pray for their future security...especially their eternal security! http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php 

#BeAmazedRHCC! Rwanda

The Bridge2Rwanda Scholars Program has opened new "on ramps" onto the Bridge!
We have been often urged to build a Bridge2Malawi or a Bridge2Burundi or a Bridge2SouthSudan or a Bridge2Ethiopa.

Dig Deeper: Reports from Rwanda, Tom Allen (formerly RHCC member, Lawyer who took early retirement, doesn’t need financial support from GO) http://www.tomallen3.blogspot.com  http://bridge2rwanda.org

From Blog Bio: After 30 years as an attorney, I am now a typical Halftimer who is determined to move beyond success to significance. Inspired and convicted by three sons (Tommy, Nathan & Wesley) who live passionate and adventurous lives, I am now privileged to participate in the exciting social changes and development occurring in Rwanda and elsewhere in Africa, hoping to empower the desperately poor. But I must be very clear on this: I am just your average coward. Suffering and sacrifice are very foreign concepts to me. However, I now believe that life comfortably ensconced in a safe cocoon misses out on too much of what might be learned, experienced, and shared with others in the Majority World, many of whom are crying out in desperate need, and some of whom beam with smiles and contentment such as I have seldom seen. I want to know them and their lives.

#BeAmazedRHCC! God is on the move in Mozambique with spiritual openness to the word of God. Ten new churches were planted in 2015. Some gather for fellowship, singing and chanting without any understanding of God, but evangelists and pastors are sharing the truth of God’s Word in their midst. Alex & Melanie Viana grew up at RHCC and now serve as Covenant Missionaries.

#BeAmazedRHCC! Ending Treatable Diseases by 2020

More than half a billion children in the developing world have one of seven preventable diseases that keep children from going to school, parents from working and limit any chance families have of lifting themselves out of poverty. Without treatment, they can lead to lifelong disabilities, suffering or death. Only 50 cents can treat and protect one child against all seven diseases for one year! Formerly a member of RHCC, Michelle Brooks is currently the Policy Director, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases in Washington DC. http://www.end7.org

Advice on Preparing for a Cross Cultural Marriage!

(written to my friend Shannon the Singaporean, marrying Rafael the Swiss this coming May)

Check out Marriage 365. Casey Caston was with CRM and traveled to Singapore to visit us. He’s done premarital counseling and officaited more weddings than any other officiant in Orange County California….then he keeps up with couples he’s married by way of Marriage 365. 

He’s really amazingly encouraging and so believes in helping marriages launch well and thrive (have not met Meygan but she seems pretty neat too). He left CRM because he could do this passion full time. I just wrote them to see what they recommend.

The one book I’ve heard the most people recommend as #1 is His Needs, Her Needs. 

Focus on the Family has a good book 

Your Intercultural Marriage 

Available from the Singapore Focus site

A short article you may have seen on cross cultural marriages:

When I look back THIRTY+ YEARS AGO, on our pre-marital counseling and prep, the best advice I can remember was:

1. Approach disagreements by sharing how you FEEL rather than blame. “Help me understand and process my feelings. As I look at the ____, it feels to me like… I know you are for me, and we are partners, but this feels wrong.” etc.
2. Agree on a maximum amount you as a couple can spend without checking with the other. It was a good way for us to grow in trust and accountblity in spending as a couple. AND turned out to be a GREAT excuse to use when people were trying to sell one of us something on the spot. “My husband and I have an agreement not to make any purchases over $50 without checking with the other.” Somewhere along the line we stopped doing this, but it was because we had learned we are both responsible with montha and pretty much in agreement on what we want to spend it on.
3. HEAD OFF potential IN-LAW issues re: Holidays and the time you will spend between families. 
4. Discuss between you two ahead of time where you would like to spend your holidays/time with family, when you are just a two-some and knowing it will change when/if you have children. Then manage THEIR expectations by letting your families know NOW what you’ve decided, so that you are not wearing yourselves out trying to please them all and not doing what is best for you. You can ask them if there’s anything in that plan they’d like for you to adjust, but at least you’ve set the precedent that YOU ARE A NEW FAMILY, and you are thinking ahead on these things that can cause great stress later. How you two expect to navigate your parents’ aging is also something you’ll need to talk about if you haven’t already. Big differences between family and cultural expectations with aging parents!

My Reflections on 2015

If you’ve been my friend for more than a year, you know my drill at the end of the year...

LOOKING BACK

This year Iearned to.. 

I can now use the remote controls.* Hand lettering on a chalkboard, and watercolor bleeds as a base to calligraphy. Wordswag. Shoot a handgun (on Tyler’s 22^nd)

(*don’t hold your breath for gaming)

Oh yes! I learned that my irritation at the sounds of other people’s eating noises is not uncommon. It’s called Misophonia. Others’ throat clearing, coffee sipping, chewing noises are sometimes unbearable. Like I can’t hear anything else and I want to leave the room. This article made me know I’m not alone in this struggle to live with (and try to hide) the irritation. http://www.wsj.com/articles/annoyed-by-loud-chewing-the-problem-is-you-1445277757

I grew most in…A Scripture verse, passage or book that was important to me was…

Ephesians 4:21-24 teaches us:

… when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Also Colossians 3:8-10 ESV

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

2015 brought a lot of learning about spiritual strongholds and walking in freedom from them. So many dovetails into this topic and intentionally digging in research and reading. The cycle of Shame, Fear & Control. Listening to teaching from Restoring the Foundations. Essential Teaching, and Walking it Out (30 days of emails with links to short teaching that came after I bought the pack of essential teaching http://stores.rtfresources.org).

Another Scripture passage that meant a lot to me was… Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess 5:16-18

Job 33:31-33 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.

The best book I read last year is… (What did you like about it?) I GIVE YOU AUTHORITY, Charles Kraft. I have thought a lot about how Christians tend to live accepting things that hold them down, or seem beaten down with various spiritual conflicts that they’ve come to accept as the norm rather than living victoriously or having a hope for change.

Memorable Song or Movie: After he had passed away, "Good to be Alive” was playing on the radio in my father-in-law's car the first time I got in to drive the car. It was as if he were sending a message from the grave.

The best word of advice or encouragement I can remember: “Think of eternity and live backwards from that.”

One of my best adventures was…  March: While Jim recovered from surgery I drove with the dog Jack up to SLO to stay with Tyler for the weekend that happened to be St. Fratrick’s Day disaster (early in the morning, a frat house roof caved in and kids who’d been standing on it were hospitalized). August: Taking Cameron to Liberty Univeristy and getting him set up in the dorms, and then driving to Ft. Benning with my brother Kevin to see Tyler in his new home there. The first time since college days that Kevin and I had a long stretch of time to talk with one another. This happened again in October when he was in LA for business, we had dinner together. It was nice to relax and enjoy uninterrupted time after all these years.

I saw/knew God was doing something when… February: Howard fell and went to the hospital (the beginning of the end) a day or two after Jim was off his Rx pain meds and could drive after knee replacement. The women at the River invited me to their retreat and the praying they did before, and the supportive community that deveopled after that (thanks Lyn Woodruff for including me!) November: Inviting Stefan Dyer to come from Mississippi to have Thanksgiving week with us. Being able to encourage him after having had to drop out of school, and his good friend dying in a car accident, and being too thin to enlist in the military, and being homeless.

July: I had a chance to go to Chiang Mai Thailand for an Arts in Mission conference, and an extra week in Singapore beign a gyspy and visiting many people I loved and sharing some about the book I’ve been writing. Was able to change my flight from Thailand to get an extra day in Singapore (not without great effort! “No way, but not ABSOLUTELY no way.”). Prayerfully asking God about our return to Asia and the potential of living in Chiang Mai, and everytime I thought about it, it was distasteful to me…even to think about it. I just kept thinking, “I’m DONE with living in Asia.”

A real gift from God was… being invited to share feedback on the February Missions Conference at our church, and that led to working on the Conference for 2016. Getting to know the others on the team, and seeing if I can help build stronger bridges with our sent missionaries has been a real answer to prayer.

Something I really enjoyed doing more of was… taking long walks with the dog exploring local beaches and parks. Playing the guitar, even taking lessons. Calligraphy and embroidery.

I was really brave when…  I volunteered to help out at Drama [CHAOS] Camp at church. Way too many kids/teachers ratio! I stayed behind while Jim went to Vietnam and Thailand, I was going to help Jim’s mom “sign the papers” for a retirement community. That didn’t happen.

My thoughts/prayers often turned to... Gratitude. Being mystified that we have it so easy compared to others who suffer. Syrian Refugees and their need for home, their openness to the Gospel, and the relief workers who share with them. My longing to DO something. My mother-in-law…as her husband was dying and then later as she had to grapple with life as a widow again (and Jim as he tried to support her in it). How do we love and support her and show her honor when I don’t like how she’s acting and what she’s saying? A new friend, from a Bible Study, as she wrestled with how to parent her teenaged adopted daughter. She had started disappearing – running off, and getting involved in dangerous activity.

I’m still trying to learn what God wants to teach me through this hard experience...But I think perhaps, it’s: My strong emotions NOT coming the day before at the Army commissioning (which would have been appropriate), but after. After living overseas and never being able to be the host events when my family is together, I was SO excited to have that opportunity this year. There were two chances in a row: Cameron’s grad in May, and then Tyler’s in June. In both cases, my family would change the plans I had made. I had an emotional  "melt down" at the end of the day at Tyler's graduation. The following week I snapped at my dad, and realized that I have a lot of resentment I need to work out with the Lord and figure out how to roll with or confront my family in the future.

One of the happiest memories I’d like to freeze in my mind was looking across the lawn at Cameron after his High School graduation. It has been a long road of love, hopefulness, cheerleading, anxiety and frustration, coaxing, near despair, heaps of money, and tough love that led to this day. Cameron had only attended The King’s Academy for his Senior year and yet, it seemed he was dear to everyone in this community. He cared about others and they cared about him. He even had one friend from his previous Military school who drove 15 hours to come surprise him that day. As I watched him make his rounds of hugs in his cap and gown, I sensed the Lord say, “He’s going to be okay, this kid. No matter what, he’ll always be surrounded by friends because he is a good person.”

Other happy moments: December: Suprising Cameron on his flight back from Liberty U at Christmas. Would he make the connecting flight in Atlanta where his grandparents and I were waiting on to surprise him?? Then, the very next day, Tyler surprised us by coming 4 days early for his visit turning 3 ½ days with us to a full week! Jim had said, “I’m running some errands that are Christmas surprises.” And came back with Tyler. The campfire we four had at White Point Nature Reserve, San Pedro. Alone for hours on a beach in Los Angeles, California. Oh, yes, and spending hours making a crazy dinoaur banner for Tyler at his graduation.

Something I’m looking forward to in this New Year… Finishing Put Off/Put On and publishing it somehow. Whether through am established publisher, officially or self-published, I want to finish it so I can start on another! I also want to start putting together ways to communicate the content, in a talk…in a seminar…with devised theatre…

NOTE: HOW Reflections GOT STARTED: A number of years ago, with 5 young and beautiful Singaporean theatre friends, I started these reflections and Post it note Resolutions. A year ago last January I had the privilege of sharing the exercise with my "Seasoned Sisters;" friends in California. Last year we set up this facebook event. This year we started discussing the reflections in our home group (we're attending a new church plant Redemption Hill Church) Joelle Chiow drew her highlight. It's featured here!

It's really rewarding to reflect and look over the past years and see what's been accomplished, then look ahead with a sense of expectation.

Putting Down Some Roots

Friendship Park, San Pedro. Taken September 30, 2015

I’ve never been very good with plants. Jim used to tease me when after 2 weeks, a houseplant I’d purchased was brown and wilted. If we wanted to have plants in our home, we’d have to make it part of the monthly budget. I’ve always been a plant killer.

However, three moves and three countries ago, I developed a longing for a garden. 

I was more like a compulsion. 

I wanted to be a part of the process of seeing fruit come from plants that had grown from seeds or seedlings I had planted. And for some reason, the plants I started in my styrofoam grocer boxes flourished. I passed my year old Malaysian garden on to a homeschooling family I had met there when we moved. They were thrilled, I felt like I was giving a child up for adoption.

They are just plants. Weird. I would ask the Lord why my heart had this new love that followed me to the the USA one year ago when we came back for a year’s Sabbatical. Doesn’t the putting around in a garden distract me from the work of ministry? Spending time with people? Writing an encouraging note? Preparing a Bible Study? What’s with this hunger to put my hands in dirt and see things grow? I took some birthday money and bought pots for our San Pedro balcony and started another garden, thrilled that in this small space I had 27 varieties of seasonal plants.

Deep down, I knew what was behind it. And even as I write I know, but I am reluctant to tell. 

I want to put some roots down. After 11 moves in 4 countries, in 18 years. I dream of sitting under a mature tree that I’ve seen grow. Perhaps part of it is that I’m starting to have a subtle symbolic reaction to pulling up roots from the hard fought depth of relationships we had cultivated there. Perhaps it’s that I’m coming out of denial about what it means to be an empty nester, my role of cultivating those little seedling boys of ours is over and they are off somewhere else becoming mighty oaks.

So. Here we are. Exactly 12 months into a one year Sabbatical and I feel like we’ve only just started here. Coming alongside aging parents who have suffered a lot of loneliness because we made a choice 18 years ago to move to Asia. Coming alongside women who need encouragement as they step into ministry roles, or are disempowered by the glass ceiling for strong women in evangelical churches. Coming alongside a couple of at-risk teenagers who need an auntie mentor. Coming alongside a team at our sending church who is planning next years Missions Conference. For years I’ve had a blog about Blooming Where I’m Planted. This year has been no exception. 

I suppose we have to be making plans to move on. While both Jim and I now sense God has confirmed we need to be in the USA for a season, primarily for our parents’, Jim still feels strongly about continuing his investment in the Christian leaders in Asia. 

I could go anywhere. 

But I’d prefer it to be where I could put down some roots.