Exploring Drama as Ministry in MAY 2009: emailed news

Big Day last Saturday for Kimberly: 

and the 19 others who joined me in this adventure.

Exploring Drama as Ministry

A great joy for me to teach, and watch my friends up teaching/performing too (people from 8 different churches involved!)

Two weeks ago only 3 had registered.

Didn't know how many would show up at the door, but the number of notebooks I ordered on Thursday was exactly the right number: 85.

(Sometimes we hear from the Lord, and he guides us in small details.)

One big recession proof takeaway for the participants: it doesn't take money to do drama! This 4 hour workshop/showcase had virtually zero budget turned out to be a priceless experience. The whole thing was completely networking/grassroots comraderie! Plan to offer it again in the summer.

Prayers in our personal life answered: 

-Growing depth of friendship and spiritual nurture with peers.

-Competent health care providers on the various fronts of healing.

-Confident decisions made for summer and school: Tyler will not change schools next year and will spend the summer with grandparents in Orange County, and work June 18-July 18 in a YoungLife Camp, Trail West, in Colorado's Rocky Mountains.

Prayer for May:

Provision for those who are partners in our ministry financially. Continue to pray with us that God will provide for you, bless his followers and meet all of our needs. We are confident that He is able, but we are all now more aware of our dependence on Him!

Planning next steps. 

In mentoring, leaders' networks, leading CRM Singapore staff and initiatives, leadership and mentoring with artists. 

Jim has a big day May 14th, launching new mentoring networks in English AND Mandarin.  

His New Staff Orientation April 7-9 and Mentoring Seminar April 23 were great successes!

 Tonight Kimberly starts teaching another Theatre in Ministry Class in a Christian College 

(exposing students to the "behind the scenes" aspects of theatre), and wraps up the school year w/drama club performance at International Community School. 

Deciding where to go with this drama momentum and coaching singers for an outreach concert June 2nd. Whee!

Also:

Praying for Cameron's maturity in studies & basketball. Still working at discipline needed to succeed in middle school.

Health problems continue for Kimberly. The last few weeks it's been a root canal gone bad. 

Feel lifted and protected in spite of pain and infection in jaw. 

(Found that one's prayer life improves when you're up in the middle of the night looking at friends' facebook status' and praying for them as a diversion from pain!)

DRAMA WORKSHOP: Tyler helped out today! good kid.

Tyler recently read and enjoyed: BE INTOLERANT (BECAUSE SOME THINGS ARE JUST STUPID), by Ryan Dobson.

Cameron's on his first run thru Narnia books (thank God he's finally started to enjoy reading!)

Kimberly's Bible study meditates on the Gospel of John and they've all begun reading the Seasoned Sister's book Fantastic After 40!

Jim's enjoyed Spirituality & Leadership, Alan E. Nelson

Special note for RHCC Missions Commission:

2 of your missionary kids Cameron Creasman (#24) and Gibby Pena (#23) are playing on the same basketball team! 

short video from first game last week. Short season!

www.worldcreasmans.com   family news/updates

http://spicetolife.blogspot.com theatre as ministry   

Pluralism? Tolerance?

This month Singapore society's strong polarized views over homosexuality has blown up in the local media over the leadership in a woman's group called AWARE. The arts community has been vocally in the middle of the fray. It's been ugly.

It appears to be a watershed event where under the rhetoric of "inclusiveness" and "pluralism" flames of intolerance have been fanned toward Christians/Christianity or any whose convictions are for the equal right to speak of or uphold traditional moral values in the civic arena.

Jesus is still the Son of God and Saviour. The Holy Spirit brings conviction and some choose to turn & follow. The Father "is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance." I read John chapter 1 again and am strengthened with an eternal view. However,

Please pray I will have wisdom to be an agent of peace and truth with grace and character.

Visual Learner: Doodles on John's Gospel

Coming Soon...

I began to sense the "marching orders" to do this as I watch a few local drama presentations last Christmas. Then through my little post-it note resolution gatherings, some of the ideas came into better focus. Despite feeling poorly, I knew I was hearing the Lord say to me: "JUST DO IT" (at the same time I was deciding about going to Egypt). So , gulp, I stepped out with some partners to see about putting together a showcase/workshop like this. It's been very healing to have a little theatre community on Thursday nights working on this project together. So much fun to have a team to rally, shepherd, pray & work with!

There are larger images of the full brochure at my Theatre Ministry Blog. The 20+ who are helping me put this on have been great! We've had a great time rehearsing since the first of February. Now, if we can get some more folks registered, it will really be a hit!

Young Life, Singapore - my "plug"

When asked to write a short paragraph for promoting the ministry of Young Life here in Singapore, here's what I penned:

When we returned to Singapore after spending a school year in USA, our family had a hard time finding contentment and figuring out where we fit. Life circumstances had changed here, and we had all changed from being back in the nurture of a larger circle of friends and having family nearby. As we tried to find contentment and equilibrium upon our return, our sons discovered WyldLife and YoungLife. The genuine caring and attention of the staff, along with the activities/events helped our boys "find their feet" again. YL gave them a sense of being part of a larger community of faith than what they knew in their local church or school, as well as a new kind of grounding in this country that has been their home since 1999.

In just this one short school year, God has loved and strengthened our family through Young Life here on many different levels. They've offered listening ears of Godly people who can speak into our lives. They've given support, and coaching, in sports. They've provided the opportunity to attend fun Christian camps. And the latest opportunity is a YoungLife USA summer job for our teenager who will now take another step toward independence in a wholesome environment (Trail West, Colorado). We are grateful for the influence YoungLife is having on our boys' development as Christian leaders with strength, character, and a good dose of craziness!

Gypsy Church

A few weeks ago I started something for friends here in Singapore who are not settled in a church. I call it my "Gypsy Church." 

Via email, I invite them along to meet James and I whenever we're going to be visiting somewhere, or he might be a guest preacher (because of his work with pastors, we often go to see them on Sundays). Instead of going alone now i invite these others along and every week someone on the list joins to be a "visitor in community!"

It's been fun to see the response.  It's a little crazy and unconventional, but I ever since I thought about the idea, I wasn't able to stop thinking about it. A good sign that it's something I'd better act upon! 

Hopefully, eventually these Gypsys will plug in to one of the churches we visit!
(all of the original "5 stars" are now in various churches tho only one of them was attending church when we started!)

We'll go to 3 different churches over Easter weekend.  Trinity Christian Centre for a musical drama "Hope", the Bloodbank to donate blood on Saturday at 4PM, Barker Road Methodist for Sunrise & breakfast 6:30AM...and still dreaming up what to do after that...

Last Sunday I ran the gammut of variety of traditions. I went to our former home church Grace Assembly of God, their second venue in Bukit Batok. Pastor Lim was preaching. He's definitely A list for Singaporean preachers/teachers. Any list of preachers I think he'd be on the A list.

Every part of Worship in Grace Assembly's new venue in Bukit Batok. It was as alive and vibrant and modern and exciting as the traditional worship experience at St. George's was dull (8AM is their most traditional/liturgical service of many options). What an amazing thing to have such a DRASTIC contrast in a few short hours.

Whenever I'm visiting churches I imagine what it might be like to be seeking God and venture to church to find him. Worship here at 8AM is still the same as it probably was in the 1700's (except for women are up front reading Scripture). I wonder...how, oh HOW, does the traditional church appeal to people in 2009? Is there any hope for them to keep the next generation coming to church once they are out of the nest and making worship choices on their own?

A friend from this church in her 50's found out about a relationship with Jesus and decided to live life as his follower 3 years ago. She "found Christ" through the Alpha Course, but attends this church with her familly in tow now. She is only now reading the Gospel of John and can't believe she's waited this long to do that. Finally she's actually reading the historical account from an eyewitness to the life of the Lord who's changed her worldview and she's surrendered her allegiance to. She stayed at church Sunday to hear the monotone - read from a transcript - sermon again at the 10AM service!

I also read GIRL MEETS GOD last year - written by brilliant Columbia post grad student Lauren Winner who first converted as a teenager to conservative judaism and then later found Christ and made her home in the Episcopal church. The book chronicles her first year as a Christian, comparing the practices and theology of both religions. So, I know that some younger people are drawn to Anglican style worship.

But oh my, even in the front row at St. George's, and trying desperately hard to stay engaged, and keeping my hands and body active (what with all the standing and sitting and kneeling and activity switching from the bulletin, to red worship book, and hymnbook), I was STILL really fighting the inclination to take a nap!

Jet Jockee

Too funny.
Facebook is reconnecting the world.
We just spent a few days connecting with a outrageously fun friend I've not seen since dating his brother in the early 80's.
Another lifetime ago.

But for the past 9 years I've known he is mutual friends with our colleagues, and last week I saw he was going to Thailand. So I posted on his wall:
YOU'RE SO CLOSE, YOU'VE GOT TO COME ON DOWN TO SINGAPORE!

He took up the invitation and is my son Cameron's new super hero.

Living in a modern city in the middle of South East Asia, a hub for travel elsewhere, we get a lot of guests coming through here on their way somewhere else. It's an interesting and regular part of our life that those we influence, or are influence by, often are people we only see for 2 hours or a few days and then may never see again.

So when I announced that an old friend of mine was coming to Singapore my boys, 12 and 16, rolled with it without rolling their eyes. Sure. They'd go out to lunch with another visitor friend of their parents they'd never met.

"I'm not going to tell you, but sometime over lunch, ask him what he does for work" I whispered to Tyler.

This friend hands a dollar bill out to each of my boys, "This is my bosses dad."

Seriously.

He's working for a wealthy family in the Middle East. He works 6 weeks wherever the plane is, then has 6 weeks back home in Seattle. This 4 months the plane is being serviced so he's seeing what there is to see in South East Asia and using up Marriott reward points enjoying the executive club and a room with a view.

What does a missionary family do to entertain a single man who for work hangs out in 5 star hotels of Monte Carlo or Paris waiting for his employer to decide where in the world they want to party next, or whether they'd like for the jet to courier some of his favorite fruit from their home town?

What could we possibly do that he may not have done before?

We took him to a FISH SPA, a new gimmick alternative to a Chinese foot massage. We spent 40 minutes letting the Turkish "Doctor FIsh" swarm our feet and nibble off dead skin.

A lot of living has gone on in more than 20 years since I've seen him as a teenager, but mannerisms, the sense of humor, the voice inflections, the twinkle in his eye as he talks about a prank or tells a joke comes out of a grown puppy-man who loves life and brings life and affection to everyone he touches.

And he touches a lot.

As I enjoy our first big bear hug, or see him throw Cameron in the pool, or watch him put his hand on the shoulder of the hotel's bell captain or the ice cream seller as he speaks to them (or the gals at the stoplight, in the RED BULL convertible, whom he asked for samples...and got4 cans by climbing across the backseat of their car and riding along with them to the next light!).

I am reminded how powerfully affirming and humanizing it is to warmly touch other people when we speak to them. Cultural appropriateness be damned! No one - not even strangers - seems to mind a hand on the shoulder, or a hug from the side. I'm encouraged by watching Randy to embrace my outgoing American culture and keep being generous with affection here.

I also believe that he's encouraged by spending time with his old friends here. I know he was observing things about us that influenced him. I'm not sure what, but he was loved on for the last 5 days. Days filled with rich memories, great conversations, a quick time of prayer. With our colleagues the Webbs, we were a chorus of voices from his past who can imagine the impact of what his ultimate contribution could be from his unique position.

Am I a dreamer to see in him a 21st Century Daniel or Joseph? Maybe. But as he heads off to Vietnam and Cambodia on this little Asia tour, I can hopefully envision and pray for the influence he will have as he spends time with God and then simply shares the genuine faith & relationship with Jesus part of who he is with the friends he makes, and touches, through his work.

If he can find a way to do that, the Holy Spirit can do the rest of the talking.

Abnormals at El Barrio, Singapore

Abnormals at El Barrio, Singapore
Originally uploaded by K!Mberly

I think we've found a home for him...

PRESCRIPTION: the Spiritual RED BULL of fellowship in Egypt

SINGAPORE. 60% Daoist Chinese. 16% Christian.        

Pop: 4 million. Cultural hub of Asia.

My head is spinning from jet lag, career euphoria and a clash of cultures. There’s an Indian Festival going on in the common area of our concrete apartment blocks. My boys are playing funky American hip hop on the stereo. And though Asia has been our home since 1997, I just got back from turning 47 (middle aged?) in the Middle East.

ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT. 90% Muslim. 10% Christian. 

Pop: 80 million. Cultural hub of the Middle East.

No. I didn’t mix with the terrorists suspected of bombing a popular tourist spot (Day 1) or have a chance to meet more than one Muslim; a girl who’d just graduated from college in Islamic Law (Day 11). I spent all the time in the middle with 80 of the most passionate followers of Jesus of the millions of Arabic speaking Coptic Christians living in the 10/40 window.

SELF-DOUBT. Is it really a good idea to leave your family for 11 days? I mean really, you’re depressed. You’ve had a hard time juggling homemaking and a few teaching commitments. You’re rarely speaking your hard earned and easily forgotten Chinese in day-to-day life. What are you doing running off to the Arab world to teach drama when you’re a failure in Asia as a wife, mother and missionary who can’t keep toilet paper stocked in the bathrooms let alone be involved in any really significant theatre related work or ministry? 

HEALING. Despite having the world’s most supportive and positive husband, I have become world-class at negative self talk. 

However, New Year’s 2009 found the children and I making seriously positive steps toward equilibrium and health on all fronts (so far, 20 doctor visits, 6 prescriptions, and 4 books to figure it out!). Amazingly, it turns out that part of my healing was a solo trip to Cairo. 

SHOULD I GO? When I was invited to come teach Drama Teams again this year, I brought it up with my sensible lady friends in Bible Study. The 6 who since August have most intimately seen me struggling in readjustment to life in Singapore. Instead of saying, 

Egypt? Are you kidding?,  they said,

Egypt! You HAVE to go!

I called the conference planner. I wasn’t sure how Playback Theatre, the style I’d taught last year, could be used with their theme this year to “Train the Trainers.” I could see how it might work to have 4 days to take Actors, or Directors, or Script Writers or Technicians to a level where they might be able to pass on some skill. But I needed to ask him directly: Do you really need me there this year? I was sure the answer would be “Not really, …but thanks for asking.” Instead we had a 2 hour conversation that started with,

I don’t think you understand that you’ve made a huge impact on these people. You are famous here. The first thing people ask when I tell them about the conference is, “Will Kimberly be there?” I’ve told them all “Yes!”…. You have to come.

(Egyptians, by the way, are world class at making people feel special. He may very well have said the same to all of the other trainers!)

So, by faith and credit card I booked the ticket and knocked on only two doors to pursue extra funds to help cover the cost in our internationally flagging economy. Door number two, a Singaporean pastor, followed up with an email, 

Have my secretary cut Kimberly a check for the entire cost of her flight. 

I made 2 Corinthians 12:9 my theme verse for the trip. The Apostle Paul had been complaining about having some kind of a nagging problem, his thorn in the flesh, when he heard God speak to him:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

WEAKNESS INDEED. I made my itinerary to arrive a day before the 5 other international trainers to make sure I’d get over jet lag. A sore throat and drippy nose hit and the now irregular curse hit my aging female reproductive organs full force. By the 3^rd of the 4 day conference I couldn’t get myself out of bed for breakfast. While my achy body waited for aspirin, vitamins and the healing of Jesus to kick in, downstairs the conference prayed for me because I had no voice. I laughed about my theme verse and thought,

The only way I’d be weaker and his power more perfect is if they brought me in on a stretcher and all laid hands on my English teaching notes to learn by osmosis!

BUT THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN. And he cares about you and I and our little attempts to please him. More than I could have even imagined before, his power was made perfect in my weakness. Needing to be flexible, and not knowing ahead of time who or how to prepare, I brought those notes from last year, and the Holy Spirit clearly lead my pedagogy for each of the 13 training sessions. I fell in love with the 10 students in my Playback section who quickly bonded, learned to love and trust each other, grasped the difficult and unusual concepts for this new style, marveled that they could use their whole bodies in worship and storytelling, stretched their creativity to the limits and told me over and over, 

I didn’t think this kind of theatre camp; creativity was possible for Upper Egyptians. 

I was skeptical at first, but now I see how amazingly powerful this can be used to bring people closer together and find common ground.

Playback gives us an unforgettable platform for sharing our testimonies, our stories of faith; our prayers. Not just among us in our drama teams, or in our church meetings, but somehow, as you’ve said, God will show us how to use it in our communities to bring down the walls between us and find what we have in common so that maybe we can open doors to share more…

The class did a performance on the last night. You’d have thought they had been rehearsing for more than half a year. One first time observer called it “miraculous.” A dozen told me they wanted to learn it too. Perhaps my class will train them. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to return again. My fellowship with Egyptians for a week was like a Long-lasting Spiritual Red Bull energy drink. I’m more than just pumped, psyched, and excited about being back in Singapore. I’m full of love and motivation to serve my family, navigate the health issues to complete healing, and follow through on many wonderful opportunities I have to merge my other loves: Jesus Christ, artists and theatre. Especially the group of Christians in Theatre that’s recently started meeting Thursday nights. But that’s another story for another letter.

That Self-talking censor is silenced, and I hear myself saying instead, 

I wonder how much Arabic I can learn by 2010?

Playback Class in Egypt

Playback Class
Originally uploaded by K!Mberly

A great week teaching Playback in Egypt this week. Wow! Amazing students. Tons of fun. Eager to hear what and how they end up using it in their cities/teams/ministries...

Inspiration for the Floundering TCK

THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY ECCUMENTICAL TOURS

I have a new idea almost every day, but some of them mull around awhile, and some of them actually turn out to be something.

This morning I woke up with an idea: a new Sunday/Saturday night family club!
This is how it works: I round up all the friends i have here who are unsatisfied with church,
and together, once a month, we make own church be ROVING.
We all go en mass to visit churches, pray for that local body and the staff while attending worship, and then with the kids go out to eat after to discuss the varied worship styles and pray for one another
(then write an anonymous blog reporting on the churches we visit).

So many of the people I know here (and in USA) are unhappy with their current church. They genuinely love God, want to honor him in their lives and want to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit seeing God use them for good on this planet. They ALSO long for more out of their weekly connection with the body of Christ and want have something more from their worship and fellowship. It seems like for all of us, corporately connecting with God and connecting with others is so impoverished. It seems like an epidemic.

I wonder if this ECCUMENICAL TOURS is going to be one of my bizarre "crazy ideas" or if it's actually something that will become a calling and turned into action...

The People in my Life/Work Here: Why I'm Happy to Be Back

PS. Here's another link to a slide show: The people in my Singapore life and ministry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjlDvba0LMI

Before heading back to Singapore last summer, I made a slide show of what I was looking forward to upon returning. 

The song "GOLD" from Camille Claudel is what I sang for the CRM Donor Retreat in San Francisco last May.

The photos in this slide show are the nuggets of the gold in my life

My February 2009: Egypt, Kids, Singaporean Christians in Theatre

The New Year's Reflections & Resolutions we emailed in January has lead to some interesting developments in February for K!M. 

REFLECTIONS on 2008: 

One of the highlights of my year in USA, was a trip to EGYPT! I was thrilled to introduce Playback Theatre to those who studied with me for that week (Link is to my article on the conference).

I was invited back this year February 21st - March 4. For a number of reasons, I didn't think I could manage going. But after a call to the conference coordinators, support from my Creasman men, and a unanimous "YOU HAVE TO GO!" from my Bible study girlfriends, I bought the ticket with a credit card and faith. Thursday night I learned that a local church is going to write me a check for entire amount of the ticket! 

God has made a way for me to go back to Egypt. 

Thank you Lord for this opportunity to invest in the lives and artistry of enthusiastic young people there who have a passion to share our good news through theatre. I pray this short conference will exponentially fertilize their growth and effectiveness for your glory.

RESOLUTIONS for 2009:

1. My Role in Singapore Theatre & Ministry

It's been brewing in my heart for a long time now and as 2009 got underway, it wasn't hard to put all the pieces together. 

Piece: Christians in theatre and drama ministries here feel alone and need more inspiration and fellowship with one another.

Piece: Churches here could use more training & exposure to a higher standard of what can be done with drama in ministry.

Piece: It's not enough that I teach a class that's an introduction to many forms but don't have a platform to take it to a higher level.

Piece: I needed some kind of a forum where I can regularly encourage performing artists in their faith and art.

Piece: A local church drama ministry leader was looking for a way to branch out and grow, and bless the larger arts community.

Thank you Lord that last Thursday night a collection of 17 talented actors from 8 churches met to start something new with me. 

Weekly on Thursday nights, we'll first meet in small groups, then work together on scenes for a showcase we'll video and present (part of an Exploring Drama as Ministry Workshop later this spring). There was real excitement in the group as we read through the scripts they'll work on in the weeks to come.  I told them, "I'm not exactly sure where this is heading in the long run, but hop on board with me and let's see where God takes us this year!"

Christians in Theatre Arts, Singapore. 

First gathering February 5, 2009.

if you're on Facebook, see more photos from one of the group:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=214492&id=848875135&ref=nf

2. Simplify Life

...While Enjoying the Kids

One of the many "perks" of being a missionary is reduced tuition at the International Community School. My small way of giving back to this school where Tyler and Cameron attend has been to teach the Drama Club. This year so many children signed up we split it into two age groups of about 20 kids each. This past Friday night was INTERNATIONAL NIGHT. The sweet kids stretched and grew through the experience! I enjoy being able to teach Cameron and his friends in the Middle School club and be a part of his development and school life. ("Psalm 100: Shout for Joy!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMKUy_dCmb0 , "It's a Small World" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rra70hwuOe0 )

...In Bible Studies and weekly staff meetings 

As I reflected and made my New Years resolutions, I realized I was trying to do too much last fall. I thought perhaps I needed to drop my Thursday morning Bible study 'cause I couldn't keep up with the homework! They agreed instead to let me combine what I'm learning and applying from our CRM staff meetings. Jim has been teaching staff from Bobby Clinton's Becoming a Bible Centered Leader and helping staff think through a lifelong strategy for mastering the Bible. Because of this, my lady friends, have set aside our printed Bible Study books with the fill-in-the blanks-get-your-homework-done approach with the intent to grow in a deeper hunger, appreciation and love for the word of God. We are expecting to hear from him as we daily read and meditate on Scripture alone. We're exploring different methods for having a daily devotional life, and starting with repeated readings of Psalm 119. This is a long chapter in the center of the Bible which enumerates through the Hebrew alphabet the wonders of the word of God. It's especially exciting because there are a couple gals who've never studied this way, are fairly new believers and are really growing in their walk with Christ!

Elementary Drama Workout backstage at International Night. 

February 6, 2009.

3. Staying Prayerfully Positive and Proactive...

We're thankful for your prayers not only for Godly and powerful ministry, but also for our health, provision, protection and encouragement. Since late December, Cameron, Tyler & Kimberly have been working through some health issues, learning to heal/live with ADHD and a few other difficulties. We're thanking God for exceptional Christian doctors whom we trust, and God's sweet provision of some new family friends for us.

Praying that your February 2009 is blessed as you live out your calling and destiny!

Fondly from Singapore,

K!Mberly 4 the 4

Text of Obama's Inaugural Address

Missed it on the news, but I was inspired this morning by reading it and actually do have a little excitement event in the intangible hope that his presidency inspires across the world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_obama_text

Resolutions & Reflections: JOIN ME!

Kimberly's doing her annual reflections & resolutions. Join me!!

ONLINE:

http://charminfullbloom.blogspot.com

it's where I've put my answers! Post a comment with yours!

or if you're on facebook, copy your reflections to the wall of the event 

(you don't have to be here in Singapore to do it!):

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=41561327621&ref=nf

or send me the link to somewhere else you put them!

LIVE:

talk about them over dinner with your friends, family or small group!

REFLECTIONS:
In 2008 

I learned to…
I grew most in…
Another way I saw myself growing was…
One of my best adventures was…
I saw/knew God was doing something when…
A real gift from God was…
Something I really enjoyed doing more of was…
One of the happiest memories of 2008 I’d like to freeze in my mind…
I was really brave when…
A Scripture passage that meant a lot to me was…
I’m still trying to learn what God wants to teach me through this hard experience…
The best word of advice or encouragement I can remember is…
One thing I’m looking forward to in 2009 is…

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, 

to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, 

whether or not you would keep his commands."

from the 5th book of the Bible, the Old Testament which is Ancient Jewish History,

Deuteronomy 8:2

"But they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands. 

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. 

They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. 

But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. 

Therefore you did not desert them,.." 

Also from the Old Testament Nehemiah 9:16-17

RESOLUTIONS
I use post it notes to brainstorm the resolutions. It is my way of saying, "they're just ideas, so if you don't do them, you don't have to feel guilty about it." When we do this in a group, after sharing some of the reflections above, we take a break to individually do the brainstorming, then come back together to share a few. It's fun because we find that some of us have the same goal, and realize that we can do it together. I have 6 categories for brainstorming resolutions:

• Physical
  
• Spiritual
  
• Service
  
• Important Relationships
  
• Professional/Intellectual
  
• Adventure/Risk
  

May you have a wonderful new year, blessed by God the Father, Jesus the Christ the one who "became flesh and dwelt among us" and the indwelling Holy Spirit. GOD. A Trinity who leads and guides and loves you and me, if we just stop arguing with him and let him be God!

In this new year, join us in praying for wisdom in leading & serving both in and outside our family.

Thank God with us for his hand in building CRM in Singapore and our many opportunities to invest our lives in others.

More next month on that!

Praying you'll know God's goodness, blessing and joy in 2009!

The Creasmans

I hope we have your current mailing address:

Please let me know if you don't receive a postcard from us with this message on the back! 

We'll send you one for Chinese New Year! it's just around the corner!

JOIN ME! Reflections & Resolutions

I love this week between Christmas & New Years. I look over those resolutions from last year and realize:

After 5 years of making the SAME resolution, I took a dance class in January, and when it was over took another one. Not just one, but TWO dance classes...and performed in a dance recital where I was featured! HA (see me dancing to ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST uploaded to youtube!) I'm looking into what my options are now that I'm back in Asia and getting chubbier and stiff again...

I taught music two times a week in Cameron's school which was on the list, but a big focus of my spring in 2008 I didn't even make the resolution for: taking vocal jazz lessons and singing in a jazz ensemble or a jazz club!

I didn't get completely on top of organizing my mailing lists, or go through all the old photos with my mom and dad, or start podcasting, or cut out coffee, but i did cut out the sugar, and go to Africa and Austria and a 5 star hotel in San Francisco (all for ministry trips!)!

I also survived the packing/sorting/moving/goodbyes and hellos of settling back again to Singapore again after our year in Pasadena!

The HUGE thing is I finally came to terms with, was the resolution to BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GOOD NO MATTER WHAT. After years of wrestling over my skepticism and lack of a heartfelt conviction that God is good and loving and has me here, now, for His good purposes (I needed more than a belief because of what the Bible says, or knowing it's what I should ascribe to as a Christian). I've finally come to a place where in my deep heart I can trust that he is loving, no matter what the circumstances in my life, or in anyone's life in this messed up world. He grieves deeply over the brokenness in this world, yet he chooses to wait to restore Eden. He is Sovereign and all powerful, his Kingdom will come. From the looks of it, we're not anywhere near it; a time described in the Bible as when "every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." But God has his own good reasons for waiting and holding back his judgement. When bad things happen, he is not malicious or out to get us. He allows but abhors all the many evils in this world - many of which are due to the freedom he gave humankind to freely worship and follow him...or not. For me to fight him over these issues is pointless. It's a SIN of presumption. I presumed that I know better than HIM! The Eternal God of the universe had me live here, and now, in this generation, with the passions and personality I have, for his purposes, I can stop being upset by it all, and stop questioning his judgement, and get to work!

Many prayers, conversations, books, and even some wonderful words directly from God himself worked together for this resolution to be fulfilled, but reading THE SHACK this past fall was like frosting on the cake.

Yeah! Reflection is so good! Though I've recently had the blues over this move & resettling, looking over the list from the WHOLE of last year I'm reminded of God's favour. It's been a GOOD year!

A number of years ago, with 5 young and beautiful Singaporean theatre friends, I started these reflections and Post it note Resolutions. Last January I had the sweet privilege of sharing the exercise with old friends in California. 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.

May you have a wonderful new year, blessed by God the Father, Jesus the Christ the one who "became flesh and dwelt among us" and the indwelling Holy Spirit. GOD. A Trinity who leads and guides and loves you and me, if we just stop arguing with him and let him be God!

As the Ruin Falls, CS Lewis

As the Ruin Falls

All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had a selfless thought since I was born. I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through: I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn. Peace, re-assurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek, I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin: I talk of love --a scholar's parrot may talk Greek-- But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin. Only that now you have taught me (but how late) my lack. I see the chasm. And everything you are was making My heart into a bridge by which I might get back From exile, and grow man. And now the bridge is breaking. For this I bless you as the ruin falls. The pains You give me are more precious than all other gains.  C S Lewis  (When asked : HOW ARE YOU THESE DAYS? an old school friend Peter Svensk forwarded this to me as his update on himself. Pretty much sums it up for me too.)

A Remarkable Christmas Memory

December 1997. 8 weeks into our 2 years living as language students in China I found myself being asked to teach conversational English in a government university (well, they're all government universities there!). The original teacher had fallen ill and I was asked to take over some of his classes. They agreed to let me teach anything I wanted just to cover the classes for them. So, there I was, in communist China, the drab dingy hospital green walls, still using black boards, and a classroom full of fascinated young people, teaching my first lesson for my series: holiday traditions of the west. I stood there teaching about the original Christmas story and the words to Away in a Manger thinking, "I can't believe it." I marveled. "Communists are paying me to teach this when it wouldn't even be allowed in USA."

Ministry Update: A Refresher Course for Ministry Mentors

Dear Friends, 

A week ago we sent out a specific time related request regarding Jim's FACILITATOR REFRESHER COURSE. We spent a day away, a two hour drive north in Malaysia. It was a significant rallying opportunity for leaders in the ministry of CRM in Singapore.

Thank you for standing by us, for partnering with us, for your encouragement and support over the years as we've seen this ministry develop and grow.

The Creasmans

RIGHT: Cameron turned 12 today, 

Jim preached on Destiny, and 

Sally Wuu was visiting from Shanghai.

Here's Jim's brief report if you've not seen it yet:

Thank you for your prayers for us last Sunday and Monday.  I felt them, and the participants felt them.  I kept telling the Lord I would not be satisfied with a great training course unless there was a sense that he was there ministering to people.  After the four sessions, I kept having participants come up to me saying God had spoken to them about an area in their lives dealing with the issues of destiny and boundaries that I was teaching on.  I know God was deepening them and inspiring them.  There was also great connection as everybody felt a sense of comraderie and learning together.  I felt like prayers were greatly answered in those three aspects, especially.

The harder part that is yet to be seen is the mobilizing them - working together to mentor others.  CRM Singapore has ambitious plans to start 9 new mentoring networks in 2009, and several of these facilitators have volunteered to lead those groups.  It is demanding work, and I am praying that the rest will also agree to help lead new groups throughout the year.  I want all of them applying what they are learning through investing in others.

I also sensed affirmation from God through the participants of my calling to do more teaching like this.  Besides my primary work of facilitating mentoring small groups and personally coaching Christian leaders, I need to find avenues to impart important lessons about character formation, spiritual renewal, and leadership development.

Here are some quotes from emails I received in the hours afterward, and a few pictures below. 

You can also view more photos online at www.flickr.com/photos/crms/

"Enjoyed it immensely and was a blessing in my journey...."

"God said that he is with me right in the midst of the transition I am in. More so, he is drawing me closer to him and is sovereign in working out his purposes in my life."

"Thanks for the opportunity to spend the weekend with the CRM band of warriors! It was indeed a refreshing and timely for me personally."

"God has revealed to me during the retreat that I need to have confidence that He will see me through this transition. Trust Him and come out from all this, stronger for there is no “shame” being a servant leader!"

"I was blessed to have a wonderful time at the retreat. Seeing so many participants and friends there affirmed me of what we are doing is relevant and needed."

"The fellowship was fantastic, the teaching uplifting, and more important, I gathered strength from the Lord and after hearing from some of the other participants their own struggles, that God will always be with us! Thank you, the blessings cannot be counted."

The Humiliation of Still Getting My Act Together

Wrote this a couple weeks ago, just getting it up now...

It's rather humiliating to be months at trying to get my act together and not having a good excuse for not functioning up to par. (a GOOD excuse would be like a terminal illness or something other than "I'm just tired after moving so much, I don't have a car and don't know my way around the neighborhood yet, plus...I'm not used to physical labor in tropical heat") 

 

Anyway, we'll get through this. God has allowed me to be this way. I was thinking a few weeks ago that when I was in my super-got-it-all-together-30's in California, I was EFFICIENT and GIFTED. But I was not EMPATHETIC. My experiences of weakness, being LAME. DISORGANIZED and WIMPY has made me much more sensitive. There was great room for improvement in my sensitivity, so I believe that's part of why I'm in the current situation!

The Lord keeps reminding me that I'm a perfectionist who wants Eden (Heaven) NOW. I may not be doing everything well, but we'll survive no, we'll get through this season. PLUS I'm in constant communion with the Lord in prayer, the students, both at TCA and at ICS have loved what they're learning and experiencing even if I've felt unprepared and behind in planning. The Creasman boys are happy. No one's ready to fire me from any of my roles (yet!..though I have resigned from being a 6th grade room mom!). 

I may be humiliated, but I'm submitted to this season of weakness to let God do what he needs to do in me. With me. Suffering produces perseverance, Perseverance character and character HOPE. Hope is coming.

I'm still getting to do some things that I love at least some of the time and find time every week to spend time with people I have come to love here, and even making some new friends along the way too.

If you can relate...I hope you'll take heart in your current situation! These seasons never last forever...

November News

If you're in the USA and recently voted in the elections, or have been hit by the financial crisis, we've been praying for YOU these past 2 months. We've said it before, but please know that we stand ready to support you in prayer and any other way we can. It is a privilege to stand by you, and our home country USA in prayer. Let us know!

During such times as these, many more people are open to the Gospel or are learning in new ways to put their trust in God's provision and unfailing love. The recent financial crisis, the other election issues, and the change that's coming with our new president elect has catalyzed many of us to fix our hearts on heaven and look to God to be Sovereign and give each of us Godly direction and wisdom. We are all more urgently aware that all of us are on the front line of ministry now! May our relationships with Christ and one another be strengthened as a result of the times we are in.

As for us, we continue to settle here in our new home here and renew relationships, start new initiatives, building on an 8 year foundation.


Jim's been in meetings focused on knowing our Asia Staff better while at a conference in Hong Kong this past week. This month we are adding more staff!
Today Jim is starting a new mentoring network and teaching a seminar to pastors on spiritual authority.
Kimberly finishes teaching her TCA College class Performing Arts in Ministry on the 17th, and the boys have finished up an exciting season of football in Singapore!

Late last summer we wrapped up a promo video about CRM's FOCUSING LEADERS ministry here in Singapore (view it from the link below). It's being used to introduce the ministry locally to Pastors and Christian leaders, but we want to share it with you too since it's a good explanation of why we're here, and what a big part of Jim's ministry is.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you and knowing how we can support you through prayer!



(a recent CRMS staff meeting)

Putting a Little Music Back in My Life! Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! Gotta Play!*

Other than a couple of tunes for my monday night students, I've not sung since our return.

how abruptly life can make u turns!

Was it really me singing in a LA Jazz Club last May? 

Or at the 5star Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco?

But I'm gonna get back into it!

This week I've started forcing myself to make music (and exercise) a disciplined part of my day. It started because I got my little electric keyboard back this past week and have set out to spend 30 minutes a day learning how to really play. If i commit to it for a few months, I wonder how much progress i can make.

It's amazing how therapeutic music is for me. MIRACULOUS really.

I've really been fighting yucky symptoms of depression the last month (I suppose who wouldn't, given the circumstances of another international move, and the workload without helper and a car).

But, I have found that if I just take some still time to shut out the rest and listen to worship music and start singing along, or sitting down at the piano to self-teach some lessons and have a go at some simple songs, it has actually TRANSFORMED my outlook.  I can get on with the day with a happy attitude that's not just being the "strong little soldier" who's constantly crying out to the Lord, "Change my heart oh God!" 

(The Thessalonians verse "Pray without ceasing" is especially helpful for the depressed who have an extra challenge of "taking all those negative thoughts captive and giving them to the Lordship of Christ!)

A few months ago I told Jim that all my life I've wanted a real piano, and that if I prove to myself that I'm committed, I'm going to reward myself with purchasing or renting one! I've got the name of a 2nd hand dealer and a rental company.

Regardless of my children's lack of enthusiasm for taking music lessons (yes, with football over, now there's room in their week for other activities), I'm ready to roll! I don't have the emotional energy to force them to complain through their practicing, or keeping them on task with it, while I'm in the kitchen peeling the carrots for dinner.

If they don't want to practice for their music lessons, I'll have THEM make the dinner and I'LL practice!