The Christmas story

The home group I am privileged to be part of here, contains a young woman who works with the Birmingham City Mission and another young woman who is a primary school teacher. 

Both have entered into the Christmas season in their jobs. 

It is so great to hear how the primary school teacher is trying to share the real Christmas story in her environment even though she has to be very careful because of the various religions represented in her classroom.

She shared that is has been kind of shocking to her that some of the other teachers have never heard the real Christmas story.

The BCM worker shared how she and a small team get to go into schools to take part in the annual Christmas assemblies. They get to bring the story of Christmas to 100s of students and teachers! 

It is these kinds of stories that break my heart and give me hope. 

They break my heart as I think of how in America we think that Europe is taken care of as a mission field. And it gives me hope to see Europeans doing what they can to still share the gospel. 

Each country I have spent time in here, has less than 1% of the population professing faith in Jesus Christ. Even the UK. Europe is still the least responsive continent to the Gospel. Breaks my heart.

We all need Jesus. We all need to have the Gospel impact our lives daily. 

I am grateful for these young women who are trusting God to use them in the schools in Birmingham, UK. 

The nativity scene pictured is one that I purchased in Spittal, Austria on a snowy, journey with a dear Finnish friend in our New Zealand friends' car in 2006. Good memories.

Christmas

Well, I thought I would decorate a bit for Christmas. If you have been checking my blog over the years, you have seen that in each place I live, it requires a bit of creativity. :) Someday I hope to have a Christmas tree again.. but for now, this is a glimpse...

updated Prayer tab

To Pray

Is the tab under which I attempt to keep prayer items current. Please check there every couple weeks, or more often to see specific and urgent prayer items. 

I so very much covet your prayers for me and the work God has me doing. I am not able in my own strength to carry on daily.

Plane tickets

Plane tickets usually excite me. 

When I have a plane ticket with a date of departure in hand 

it means some place new and exciting, 

it means some place seeing dear friends.

And the return means home to my place of residence. 

home to my own church

home to the friends I have in town

The plane ticket currently in my name is a little different. 

It is emotionally difficult to explain how this one feels.

     LH 7639 14 January    
BIRMINGHAM GB    
NEW YORK NJ NEWARK LIBERTY INTL 
   09:00 h    12:05 h


     LH 7520  14 January    
NEW YORK NJ NEWARK LIBERTY INTL
 PORTLAND OR PORTLAND INTL    
17:27 h    20:49 h
 

it means seeing dear friends

but

it does not mean returning home to Europe

If you have not read my last update this may be a surprise to you... you can read about it under the Monthly Musings tab above.

member care

I have been looking at Member Care. Do you wonder that is? :) Member Care is terminology used within the mission and ministry communities to cover the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical care of missionaries and those working in ministry.

I have seen and experienced the burnout, exhaustion, weariness and stress that come with being full time in missions and ministry. And I realise how many people leave the ministry or cease being a full time missionary because of the traumas, stresses and physical challenges.

The first time I was in Lithuania, I found myself drawn to the national and international staff, wanting to help them be healthy physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. That desire coincided with my passion for the growth and development of people in general.

That desire has only grown inside me over the past 10 years. I hear of the idea of member care now, and my heart resonates!  I would LOVE to have a role caring for these dear ones. I love that member care has become an actual field of study over the past 15 years as people have seen the need for it to be a priority.

Forgiveness

This morning I was reading in Matthew 18 about the servant who was forgiven a HUGE debt by his master and then did not forgive a fellow servant of a smaller debt. Jesus told this parable after Peter asked, How many times should I forgive someone who sins against me?

Forgiveness is an amazing thing!  As I read in scripture and interact with people, the depth of what we are forgiven of is driven home to me. So, how much more should I forgive those who I think have sinned against me?

I have to admit, there are times it is more instinctual to forgive than other times.. I long for it to be an instinctual reaction of mine at all times!

I am learning a lot these days about how God defines me and how to have my confidence and worth in Him. I think these are lifelong lessons as we seek to be more like Christ.

But I know that if my confidence is in Christ and that He has forgiven me much. He has justified me! (just as if I never sinned)!!!! Amazing! I know that if I live in this reality... forgiveness of others will be much more instinctual and readily extended.