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2/13/2018
Lynn's Celebration of Life
1/22/2018
Prayers up for a woman who is very dear to our family...
Letter to the judge presiding over the case January 23, 2018
January 17, 2018
Dear Your Honor:
I’m writing in reference to a current case in your court regarding { }. She is the birth mother of our youngest son. We have kept in touch over the years and I can attest that she is thriving in her current situation. I have seen it.
My parents and I hope to be at the sentencing on Tuesday to show our dedicated support for her. My husband is currently away in Asia on a ministry trip, otherwise he would be joining as well.
Tuesday morning you will decide { } future. I can appreciate your position as a judge. I hear that the "letter of the law" in { } case requires a prison sentence. I write to let you know { } has an extended support system and to ask you to please consider alternatives to prison. It would be beneficial to her well-being to remain in her current environment.
She is currently in the home of her sister and residing as a law-abiding citizen, and desires to contribute more than simply paying taxes. She desires, to donate one of her kidneys (should she be a match) and be caregiver for { } following the transplant. Given her current support system, it is our hope that you will use your authority to offer { } a chance for continuity, healing and giving back.
I have included more about our history with { } below.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Creasman
San Pedro, CA
Here is our back story:
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| In the lobby of the Sacramento Court House |
In December 1996 a 14 year old girl who had been raped by her half-brother had the guts to carry the resulting baby to term. Seven months into the pregnancy, she combed through the letters and photos of potential adoptive families.
She said she felt like God told her who to choose: my family.
She said she knew it was the right thing to do.
She wrote the dearest letter to her newborn son. She told him how much she loved him and supplied a dozen photos and shared about her family. The social worker was amazed. She said, "Rarely does a grown woman in this position have the maturity to think beyond her own fear and pain. This is a remarkable girl."
At her request, five months later we met face to face. It was her 15th birthday and she knew we were moving soon to Asia.
From the beginning our communication was annual, an agreement through the adoption agency. Each year on his birthday, we sent a letter to the agency. They would let her know about her child's life and development.
When a Tsunami hit South East Asia in 2004, the family figured out a way to directly get in touch with my parents. Baby Momma needed to find out if we'd been affected by the disaster and if her son was safe. Since then our connection became direct, but not regular.
Over these twenty-one years we have known her at a distance. She has been living in Northern California and our family in Asia. Occasionally, we were back to visit family and friends in the Los Angeles area.
We had a 2007 face-to-face meeting at Chuck E Cheese. Our then, fifth grader's #1 request for our time visiting California.
We've been friends on Facebook.
Sent Christmas Cards.
We stayed in touch mostly with her half sister. She lived in the LA area. She is a tough young woman of faith who has had enormous health and personal challenges. She has a great support system in her local church. My son grew up admiring her. She would sometimes share with us some of the trauma his birth-mother has faced; her struggles trying to get life on the right track.
For 10 years she was drug free, until she began having disturbing flashbacks. She didn't know what was happening. She thought she was losing her mind. Forgotten childhood memories were remembered: The alcoholism and abuse at home, Being gang raped and left for dead in 2003.
The flashbacks were so disturbing, and her home environment couldn't provide answers and was not supportive. She turned to the wrong crowd, and drugs, to escape. The group turned to identity theft to get money for drugs.
This young woman says that her arrest last year saved her life.
Through her recent rehab and counseling, she's learned about PTSD. She has begun to understand herself, and her mind, and how to cope.
She had a Christian roommate while in a State-sponsored rehab program last year. Her Christian faith has deepened. One night on her bed, she heard someone lovingly speak her name. The roommate was sleeping. She sensed it was Jesus, and she had a deep sense of peace come over her. This encounter made her confident and secure that he was with her no matter what the future holds.
During the time she was in rehab, she had a support system from a distance. Her half sister and niece called regularly. They got her on a bus to LA as soon as she was released. On the way down south, she sat next to a drug addict who was strung out and picking at her skin. "By the grace of God, this could have been me," she realized as she watched her and was thankful for a fresh start.
Since July, healthy routines living with the half-sister have given her grounding. She has had continued counseling, a loving family environment, and regular employment. She is thriving.
I had the girls to my home for dinner last week and am so amazed by her transparency, humility and gratitude. She has new confidence and openness. She has a genuine softness despite all of the hard things that have happened to her and the things that she has done.
She knows she deserves punishment for her foolishness in choosing bad company, and joining them in their crimes and illegal drug use. Of course, her hope is to not spend time in the harsh environment of prison, but she has peace that the right decision will be made.
We will be support to her no matter what.
11/28/2017
QUESTION: Who was a mentor for you in your practice of giving? What did they teach you or show you?
Brave Women Manifesto: “I will yield my financial resources to the Lord’s work.”
Again today Lord, we surrender ourselves to you. Shape us gently, as you always do, to have your generous mind and heart. Show us your way for us O Lord.
“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers.... The Lord’s message rang out...—your faith in God has become known everywhere.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also...teach others.” 1 Timothy 2:2
One day I found my dad in the garage at his workbench.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
His answer forever changed the way I thought about giving.
I'm not sure if i remember this perfectly, but the impact has stayed with me.
I grew up solidly middle-class. Two working parents; homeowners, mom a teacher and dad a Manufacturing Plant Manager. We had annual vacations and birthday parties. We went out to eat on the weekends. We were not poor.
Both were always serving in our church with the kids/youth (so they could be around us more and know our friends). Dad helped in church leadership and administration. After my brother and I were out of the house, my dad mentored and "discipled" other men. He has the spiritual gift of helps. When mom retired from teaching she became a women's ministry director.
Growing up I assumed that all Christians practiced "tithing," setting aside 10% of their income as a gift to the Lord's kingdom. I learned later that historically, this "tithe" was actually a Jewish tax in a theocratic government. A new testament view of giving was not bound by a percentage.
I knew my parents "tithed" to their church. They also supported a few individual missionaries and ministries that share our "good news" Gospel. Then one day I found my dad in the garage at his workbench. I must have been around 7th or 8th grade.
"What are you doing?" I asked as I walked up to see him with one of his shoes in his hand, and a piece of an old belt in the other.
"I'm fixing a hole in my shoe."
"Dad. You can't afford new shoes?"
"I can, I'd just rather spend my money in other ways."
I knew what he meant without asking. I watched him working with the glue and the shoe for a moment, and then asked, "Do you ever find it hard to give 10% away?"
"Ten percent is easy." He said and I watched forming my next question, daring myself to ask.
"How much to you actually give dad?"
"This year we're aiming for one-third." He said. "But I dont' think we'll make it. We're not legalistic about it."
"A THIRD!??!"
"There's just so much work to be done." he answered. "Can you think of a better way to spend money?"
We never talked about it again. I'm guessing it wasn't always that much. Especially when he switched to Real Estate and the market went south (Helping them out with "their affairs," I now know their "net worth"). It's not nearly as much as their value to others. They are surrounded by Christians who love them. Meals come to the house every week, and more than that I'm sure. They have been faithful and God has always provided for them. He always will.
GOT TIME FOR A COMMENT?
Who was a mentor for you in your practice of giving? What did they teach you or show you?
Generosity is
a way of seeing,
a way of thinking,
a way of living.
Again today Lord, we surrender ourselves to you. Shape us gently, as you always do, to have your generous mind and heart. Show us your way for us O Lord.
“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers.... The Lord’s message rang out...—your faith in God has become known everywhere.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also...teach others.” 1 Timothy 2:2
"What are you doing?" I asked.
His answer forever changed the way I thought about giving.
I'm not sure if i remember this perfectly, but the impact has stayed with me.
I grew up solidly middle-class. Two working parents; homeowners, mom a teacher and dad a Manufacturing Plant Manager. We had annual vacations and birthday parties. We went out to eat on the weekends. We were not poor.
Both were always serving in our church with the kids/youth (so they could be around us more and know our friends). Dad helped in church leadership and administration. After my brother and I were out of the house, my dad mentored and "discipled" other men. He has the spiritual gift of helps. When mom retired from teaching she became a women's ministry director.
Growing up I assumed that all Christians practiced "tithing," setting aside 10% of their income as a gift to the Lord's kingdom. I learned later that historically, this "tithe" was actually a Jewish tax in a theocratic government. A new testament view of giving was not bound by a percentage.
I knew my parents "tithed" to their church. They also supported a few individual missionaries and ministries that share our "good news" Gospel. Then one day I found my dad in the garage at his workbench. I must have been around 7th or 8th grade.
"What are you doing?" I asked as I walked up to see him with one of his shoes in his hand, and a piece of an old belt in the other.
"I'm fixing a hole in my shoe."
"Dad. You can't afford new shoes?"
"I can, I'd just rather spend my money in other ways."
I knew what he meant without asking. I watched him working with the glue and the shoe for a moment, and then asked, "Do you ever find it hard to give 10% away?"
"Ten percent is easy." He said and I watched forming my next question, daring myself to ask.
"How much to you actually give dad?"
"This year we're aiming for one-third." He said. "But I dont' think we'll make it. We're not legalistic about it."
"A THIRD!??!"
"There's just so much work to be done." he answered. "Can you think of a better way to spend money?"
We never talked about it again. I'm guessing it wasn't always that much. Especially when he switched to Real Estate and the market went south (Helping them out with "their affairs," I now know their "net worth"). It's not nearly as much as their value to others. They are surrounded by Christians who love them. Meals come to the house every week, and more than that I'm sure. They have been faithful and God has always provided for them. He always will.
GOT TIME FOR A COMMENT?
Who was a mentor for you in your practice of giving? What did they teach you or show you?
The taboo about talking about money and in particular, charitable giving, in our culture (does anyone remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and George argue about finding out what each of them is leaving for a tip so as not to look stingy)???....left me utterly without a mentor as to how to create a generous spirit. It was not until I was awakened from transactional Christianity (doing, saying the right things to stamp my passport to a place called heaven) to transformational Christianity (understanding that Jesus came in the flesh not just for my personal salvation, but to move the WHOLE world forward in His resurrected power) that my spirit was moved to see just HOW MUCH there is in the world for each of us to bring THIS HOPE INTO HISTORY....to teach and heal as Jesus did!!! As His disciples, Jesus taught the parables of the Unwise Steward, Talents, and Poor Widow to show us how to move the world forward.....and reconcile it all to Him, by giving volume (generously), value (our best), variety (our treasure, talents, and time) and vigorously (enthusiastically). That has changed everything for me!!
11/18/2017
Why this boring infographic? Come on Creasmans! It’s the HOLIDAYS!!!
Why this boring infographic??
Because I want you to take
in the information.
It will probably surprise you.
Continent by continent, it
shows how likely a person in 2010 was to have personal contact with a follower
of Jesus.
What are the chances
a person who doesn’t know a Christian
will hear
the gospel?
While Jim has gone to Vietnam
numerous times this year, I have been learning more about local outreach
in the LA area and studying the values of my home culture.
In 2017, what do American (Californian) Christians care about when it comes to Mission &
Outreach?
Answer: It seems we’re pretty overwhelmed by all the needs close to home. Then there are huge problems of human trafficking and war and natural disasters which all require relief efforts.
For the most part 21st century American Christians are most concerned about causes that help people in their temporal suffering.
The kind of suffering that good people everywhere (and of any belief system) want to help with.
As Christians, we have a
worldview that we are eternal beings. Life as we know it here in this messed up
world is an immeasurably small part of our existence. Depending on each
individuals’ response to Jesus’ invitation to follow him, eternal suffering or
abundant life - happily ever after - follows.
Or do we still believe that?
We do.
The infographic here shows
precisely why Jim and I chose this path of strengthening the church in Asia (It's not because we like Chinese food).
Also consider: ASIA's population is greater than the other five combined (not just 1/6 of the world's population).
Also consider: ASIA's population is greater than the other five combined (not just 1/6 of the world's population).
Take a
look at the odds of a person knowing that “God so loved the world that he sent
his only son."
You know the rest of the verst. "Whoever believes on him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jesus’ words, John 3:16)
Compared
to other places in the world, those who live in Asia are still the least likely to have a chance to
know Christ through contact with a Christian.
Jesus’ last words were,
“Go…to the ends of the earth and make disciples,” Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19.
At
Thanksgiving, we are grateful for those who partner with us to strengthen the
leaders of churches in Asia, so that we’ll improve their odds of knowing Jesus.
Thank you to our donors who
have desired to invest in the growth and health of Christs’ church in Asia. For
those who have felt like anything overseas is just too far away; that the needs
here are so great, won’t you please consider contributing somehow in sharing
the Gospel to those who are not likely to meet a Christian?
www.crmleaders.org/teams/ethne-asiamentors
Added 11/29: Encouraging women in our church to share with each other who their favorite ministries are I wrote down ours.
We have six friends on a team in Turkey. I can't write down their names for security reasons. Since 1997 they've been making friends and sharing about ISA (Jesus) that they know of in their Koran. Because of the refugee immigration rocking that country (and some political reasons as weel), what has been "hard soil" for centuries is now "ripe for the harvest." www.frontiersusa.org
Two missionaries we admire most are Bill & Robin Harris. They are more humble and Christlike than any two people we know. And they are both brilliant, productive world changers. They teach around the world, and are based at the Global Institute for Applied Linguistics. (Dallas, a school associated with Wycliffe Bible Translators). Their work inspires and teaches missionaries how to foster worship music that reflects local culture and hearts. How to use local art forms to communicate/express our good news: salvation and abundant life through Jesus. Around the world, and since the beginning of the church it is always a struggle for the missionary to put aside their own culture, to help the people they serve and know Jesus. At the River, we're learning about that in our study through Acts. Jewish believers had to embrace new freedom from the law and not expect Gentiles to follow their ways. When it comes to worship style, we've exported our culture in translating and importing our styles www.worldofworship.org is making a huge difference in changing that.
Added 11/29: Encouraging women in our church to share with each other who their favorite ministries are I wrote down ours.
As missionaries ourselves, who do we give to?
For Jim and I, our priorities for our larger gifts each year are toward work that focuses primarily on this "Great Commission" of Jesus. Especially in places where people are not likely to hear about him.We have six friends on a team in Turkey. I can't write down their names for security reasons. Since 1997 they've been making friends and sharing about ISA (Jesus) that they know of in their Koran. Because of the refugee immigration rocking that country (and some political reasons as weel), what has been "hard soil" for centuries is now "ripe for the harvest." www.frontiersusa.org
Two missionaries we admire most are Bill & Robin Harris. They are more humble and Christlike than any two people we know. And they are both brilliant, productive world changers. They teach around the world, and are based at the Global Institute for Applied Linguistics. (Dallas, a school associated with Wycliffe Bible Translators). Their work inspires and teaches missionaries how to foster worship music that reflects local culture and hearts. How to use local art forms to communicate/express our good news: salvation and abundant life through Jesus. Around the world, and since the beginning of the church it is always a struggle for the missionary to put aside their own culture, to help the people they serve and know Jesus. At the River, we're learning about that in our study through Acts. Jewish believers had to embrace new freedom from the law and not expect Gentiles to follow their ways. When it comes to worship style, we've exported our culture in translating and importing our styles www.worldofworship.org is making a huge difference in changing that.
11/17/2017
News from Jim in Vietnam: “What training do you need?” “Everything!”
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LynNovember 27, 2017 at 1:03 PM