8/22/2017

S'il Suffisait D'aimer

S'il Suffisait D'aimer Celine Dion

I came across this song recently
Been meaning to share it.

I shuffle Celine Dion songs for mom 
while giving her a manicure
It's a new activity we both enjoy on my visits.
She loves Celine, and physical touch is her love language.

The song made us both cry 
even though we didn't know what it meant.
(I looked it up later.)
We made dad listen to it too.

Instantly it became the background
in my prayers for someone dear to me. 

My friend. Her big heart for her family. Her ability to create beauty.  
The sadness I share with her about imperfection and sin.
Brewing hotly in her deep heart begun by the heat and pressure from childhood hurts 
Erupting whena sharp rise in temperature
 
proves again we really can't controlourselves or the ones we love. 
Her dream for Eden to be restored…
We are made to livein a world without brokenness.
Someday we will.Lord, you have promised.
 
Someday.
But for now we all do our best.
 
Which is never enough. 
Until. 

By the grace of God,love from one another,and hope that eternity is real we will make this dream the real world.

French lyrics

Je rêve son visage je décline son corps
Et puis je l'imagine habitant mon décor
J'aurais tant à lui dire si j'avais su parler
Comment lui faire lire au fond de mes pensées?

Mais comment font ces autres à qui tout réussit?
Qu'on me dise mes fautes mes chimères aussi
Moi j'offrirais mon âme, mon c?ur et tout mon temps
Mais j'ai beau tout donner, tout n'est pas suffisant


S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer
Si l'on changeait les choses un peu, rien qu'en aimant donner
S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer
Je ferais de ce monde un rêve, une éternité


J'ai du sang dans mes songes, un pétale séché
Quand des larmes me rongent que d'autres ont versées
La vie n'est pas étanche, mon île est sous le vent
Les portes laissent entrer les cris même en fermant

Dans un jardin l'enfant, sur un balcon des fleurs
Ma vie paisible où j'entends battre tous les coeurs
Quand les nuages foncent, présages des malheurs
Quelles armes répondent aux pays de nos peurs?


S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer
Si l'on changeait les choses un peu, rien qu'en aimant donner
S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer
Je ferais de ce monde un rêve, une éternité

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer
Si l'on pouvait changer les choses et tout recommencer
S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer
Nous ferions de ce rêve un monde
S'il suffisait d'aimer


English lyrics
I dream of his face. I decline his body.
And then I imagine him living in my decor
I would have so much to tell him if I had known how to speak
How can I make him read at the bottom of my thoughts?

But how do these others succeed?
Let my faults be figments of my imagination also
I would offer my soul, my heart and all my time
But I give everything, everything is not enough


If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love
If we changed things a little, just by loving to give
If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love
I would make this world a dream, an eternity

I have blood in my dreams, a dried petal
When tears gnaw at me that others have poured
Life is not watertight, my island is downwind
The doors let in the cries even by closing

In a garden the child, on a balcony of flowers
My peaceful life where I hear beating all hearts
When clouds darken, omen of misfortunes
What weapons respond to the countries of our fears?


If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love
If we changed things a little, just by loving to give
If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love
I would make this world a dream, an eternity

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love
If we could change things and start all over again
If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love
We would make this dream a world
If it were enough to love



8/21/2017

"Article" app helped me make a storybook for my Godchildren....

A newsletter about our trip back "home"

Pray for the Harvest in Singapore
May was a fruitful month of training pastors and church leaders in Vietnam, and I look forward to being with them again in October.  This month, Kimberly joined me for a retun to our longtime home and ministry field of Singapore.  It's been a rewarding visit, and we head back to southern California next week.  
Morning, noon, and night, we met with more people than we expected. So many wanted to get together and open their hearts to us. We have felt moved by all the affection and appreciation from people we have loved and mentored over the years. There are pastors, artists, church leaders, and many others faithfully loving God and serving people in their homes, communities and workplaces.
We thank God for the faithful service and reproduction of those we invested in. And we are so proud of how they are continuing to serve the Lord, live out the Gospel, and reproduce their lives.
Through your financial and prayer support for us, you have invested in them. You have birthed a leadership development ministry in Singapore; one that is building the Church in this country and around the region!

Please pray for continued fruitfulness for those we have invested in since 2000:
  • Jim's first pastors' mentoring network (who are still meeting), started in 2001
  • Many pastors and Christians leaders who have become mentors for others
  • The board, president, and staff of CRM Singapore (the ministry Jim founded here)
  • Christian leaders we have trained who are developing churches and ministries to reach their country and the region
  • Friends who became our surrogate family while living in Asia and raising Tyler and Cameron
  • Our godchildren: Kate, Eliot, Morna, Monica, Berkhamp, and Yi Hui
With gratitude for your partnership,
Jim & Kimberly Creasman
Link for those who partner with us in ministry through CRM: staff.crmleaders.org/creasman
Church Resource Ministries: 
1240 Lakeview Ave, Ste. 120, Anaheim, CA 92807 USA. You may sign up for EFT, or designate checks by adding: "preferenced for Creasman-acct 5651"
Our US Address: 1418 Brett Place #124, San Pedro, CA 90732   |   Jim (310) 698-2588   |   Kimberly (310) 658-1500
As Kimberly shared with our Singaporean friends, her theme verse for them was:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.Galatians 6:9, 10

7/20/2017

Jesus taught us to pray:


Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is
in heaven.
(Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2)



I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reading about this part of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come.”

What is God's kingdom anyway? 

What is our part in partnering with him to bring it? 
What is our part both as individuals and as a church

I found six broad biblically based categories of goals that could indicate that the kingdom of God is thriving in a community.


For which of these categories has God given you a passion? 


Let's join with him in work that brings his kingdom. In God's timing this kingdom will come in fullness, but until then, we are here to live it out, share it and invite others into it.


In Church - A Community of Believers

Witness
Where the kingdom of God thrives, non-believers in communities learn about God.

Corporate Worship
Where the kingdom of God thrives, Christ followers gather to worship in ways that promote deep communication with God and with each other.

Studying and Remembering Scripture
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities understand and remember Scripture

Christian Rites
Where the kingdom of God thrives, Christ followers mark crucial events with ceremonies.

In Personal Spiritual Life

Prayer and Meditation
Where the kingdom of God thrives, individuals have vibrant prayer lives

Spiritual Formation
Where the kingdom of God thrives, Christ followers experience spiritual growth

Personal Bible Study
Where the kingdom of God thrives, individuals examine Scripture accurately and faithfully

Applying Scripture
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities apply the Bible to their lives

Through Justice

Social Justice
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities love and strengthen the poor and others in their margins.

Education
Where the kingdom of God thrives, community members learn what they need to succeed in and contribute to their societies

Literacy
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities read and listen to the Bible and other literature

Economic Opportunity
Where the kingdom of God thrives, all community members can work to contribute to their material well being.

Bringing Shalom (Peace) 

Healing
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities respond to social, emotional, and physical challenges in healthy ways

Reconciliation
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities reconcile with each other and with outside communities

Rest and Play
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities balance productivity with rest and play

Knowing Scripture

Translating Scripture
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities translate Scripture (so that they can know what God has communicated)

Oral Scripture
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities access Scripture through familiar forms (non-literate peoples)

Valuing Individual Cultures - Identity and Sustainability

Valuing Identity
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities value their culture.

Teaching Children
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities teach their traditions to their children.

Using Media
Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities contribute to local, regional, and global recording industries.


slightly adapted from Creating Local Arts Together, A Manual to Help Communities Reach Their Kingdom Goals, Brian Schrag & James R. Krabil, International Council of Ethnodoxologists. William Carey Library, 2013.

Here's another resource, a link to a good sermon I read this week that challenged me on this topic. 

7/19/2017

Finding God in Nature

"Earth's crammed with heaven, 
And every common bush afire with God, 
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries."
― Elizabeth Barrett Browning (18th Century British Poet)

7/15/2017

The Map is Live!



Where are we making a difference in the world? Click on an icon to find out and join us!

6/24/2017

Southern California Christian Writers Conference


Attending this conference focused on making progress with my Experience God booklet based on Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas. This is a first for me. I learned so much from Joseph Betz who was very generous in his attention to our works-in-progress. He and other faculty gave me wonderful insight and affirmation. There's stilll so much to learn, but I'm not alone in the process.

#socalcwc 

6/11/2017

Mugged at knife point! June 10

This sweet (usually mild mannered) son of mine. Has a team of guardian angels. A TEAM. Mugged at knife-point walking to work yesterday. "Give me you wallet!" the homeless kid on drugs said. "Not gonna happen." Cameron said thinking, "I don't have any cash, but it's such a hassle to replace everything." Instinctively he decked the guy in one punch. I pray and grieve for that poor sick kid (and HIS family), while thanking God for keeping @cameron.creasman safe. 
(Photos taken on Mothers Day when I visited last month)