I'm too young to retire!

10 years ago I was offered an opportunity to take a voluntary early retirement package. I was 48 at the time and absolutely did not want to retire. A few months went by and the deadline to accept the package was approaching — I decided to pray. :)

As I began to pray the Holy Spirit asked me this question: “Is it riskier to stay or riskier to leave?” In a very short time I was convinced that it was riskier to stay and submitted my retirement papers. In hindsight I can see the wisdom of that decision as people were laid off in masses in the ensuing years. You just never know what God will say when we ask Him.

-Bob Edwards

Purity of the Spirit

From Sunday February 17th: Jim Bailey teaches from 2Corinthians Chapter 7. We as believers we are called to press into the Lord and let Him change our lives and transform us. Paul is calling the church to be Pure in Spirit. Go here to download to your iPod.

Passion for Righteousness

From Sunday February 10th: Jim Bailey speaks from 2Corinthians Chapter 6 where Paul gives us a true revelation of what it means to live with Jesus in relationship with Him and to serve Him. Paul is calling the church to have a Passion for Rightiousness! Go here to download to your iPod.

How does Jesus love so good?

From the mouth of babes, we often say. Thinking back over my life there has been a bit of a pattern, a pattern of the Lord speaking to me through children. So many times, I have been the recipient of a comment, casually said by an unassuming child.

I remember several years ago, my son Josiah (4 at the time), asked “how does Jesus love so good?" I began to think to myself and pondered how to answer a deep question appropriately to a 4 year old. Interrupting my ponder Josiah said “I know, it’s cause he had a great dad!” This began a journey for me of asking the Lord to transform my heart into knowing Him as even more my Father. Having a great dad, I would think to myself….could the Lord be that comfy? Could he be that close, that near…like a dad? Here I was, a Christian virtually my whole life and I found myself craving a “dad” relationship with the Lord.

This not so simple question asked by my son is one that I ask myself quite often. How did Jesus love so well? I think our answers lie in the little people around us. Children remember to love others when it’s hard because they are dependent on love itself. They love well when people are hurting. Have you ever seen a child’s face when someone else is hurting, disappointed or left out? Have you ever seen a child’s face when someone is being mistreated or sick? They don’t run though the reasons why this type of pain might have been brought upon them, the steps it will take to bring them out of the pit. They just love. They hug, kiss, smile or even become mad that someone is hurting. They feel it’s not fair that there is pain, no matter what.

This is precious, precious in the eyes of the Lord. He wants us to love with out measure and conditions. Children are a wonderful example to us of loving well, loving unconditionally. We have something to learn from them even if they are much shorter than us.

-Jen Parker

South Africa: Along for the Ride

In November of last year I had the wonderful privilege of traveling to South Africa with AIM (Adventures in Missions). They asked me to come and help be a part of the training process for 50+ young men and women who would be spending the next six months serving the Lord in different nations in Africa.

AIM is a wonderful agency that has successfully trained hundreds of young people for service all around the globe. They have a proven track record of quality training and innovative mobilization for evangelism. I was blessed not only to be invited to go but also because I had dreamed of traveling to Africa since I was in my teen years!

The highlight of the trip for me was to take Nathan Haas and Greg Beel along for the journey. When I look at Jesus and his powerful example of raising up others through empowerment and love I cannot avoid the call to follow in His footsteps. Jesus took others “along for the ride” wherever He went. He ministered not by himself but with the disciples right by his side. I think that in modern day ministry we forget to travel on our journey with others, we loose out on the powerful impact of community, mentoring, and life on life ministry!

I was asked to teach ten sessions on Discipleship and how to make disciples. While Greg and Nathan did not teach, they contributed abundantly in counseling, friendship, exhortation, prayer ministry, and laughter. Their participation in this trip made it a huge success. I’ll never forget the moment when Nathan took up a basin and towel and washed the feet of a young lady who was full of hurt because of a broken relationship. She was healed powerfully as Nathan served her in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Greg amazed me as he spent countless hours listening to so many of the young people. There was something powerful that would come over Greg as he stopped and listened to their journey! It was as if for a moment he was in the story with them carrying their weariness, learning from Jesus with them in their journeys. I thought many times…”if Jesus were sitting there hearing this story he would look just like Greg!”

What an incredible gift these two men were to so many young men and women who were learning how to serve Jesus! One of the AIM staff members commented, “I did not really know why you brought Greg and Nathan but now that we have spent the last week with them I can’t imagine them not being here! They ministered so powerfully to us!”

Who are you taking “along for the ride”? As you serve the King how are you following in His footsteps? Do you invite others to participate fully in the journey with you and you serve Him? I would challenge you today to consider how you are inviting others to participate fully in your journey. I am confident that as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus we will see the Kingdom of God emerge on the earth all around us!

-Jim Bailey

Strength in Weakness

From Sunday March 2nd: Bob Edwards speaks on how strength is made perfect in weakness. "When I am weak, then I am strong!" Go here to download to you iPod.

The Easter That Changed My Life

Spring is an awesome time of the year for me - it is the time that I remember that Easter weekend in 1976 when I gave my heart to Jesus. My journey to that weekend started in April 1972 when my new bride (we were married the previous June) Ellen came home from a visit to an ophthalmologist with bad news – he told her that the retinas in both eyes were hemorrhaging and she would be blind within a month. The next 3 years were painful years ... visits to eye hospitals ... failed laser surgeries ... losing hope about life as I watched as my beautiful perky wife retreated into painful despair. Several years later hope was returning ... Ellen was seeing in shades of gray ... she could somewhat function with a powerful magnifying glass. Then hope was crushed on a Sunday in November 1974 when Ellen awoke with dark spots in her eyes ... before the day was out everything was black again ... I was devastated!

The days were dark again ... sadness and despair ruled the day ... I medicated with beer and bourbon. Then something changed – I transferred to Houston Texas from Newark New Jersey in February 1975 ... Ellen and I moved in March. Within a week of moving to our new house Marvale, a neighbor, knocked on the door ... Ellen answered the door and Marvale knew instantly why they had move to Houston ... you see she and her husband Jerry (with their 2 children) were packing their moving van in Oklahoma that same Sunday that Ellen’s eyes were hemorrhaging ... they had no clue why they were being transferred to Houston ... but God knew and when she met Ellen Marvale also knew. A friendship began to grow with our new neighbors ... Jerry tried to talk to me about Jesus but I would have nothing to do with religion or God ... my wounds went deep.

On a Sunday in August 1975 Ellen capitulated to Marvale’s invitation to come to church ... after all I had to work that day and couldn't go ... and went to church with her and her family. The pastor did something different that morning ... before he gave his sermon he asked if anyone would like to invite Jesus into their heart ...Ellen’s hand shot up ... she was the only one and the pastor decided to speak to her after the service. He proceeded to give his sermon and asked people to turn to a bible passage ... as Marvale opened her bible Ellen looked down and pointed to the scrpture ... she saw the words of the scripture ... and could read the very small print ... she could not believe what had happened ... she could now see out of her left eye ... simply miraculous!

That evening I returned home from work to this wild and thoroughly unbelievable story and ... being a very wounded and skeptical man ... I shrugged it off as a part of the weirdness of our lives. A week later the reality of the miracle hit me in the face ... I came home to the news that Ellen had ... for the first time in over 3 years ... got her drivers license ... I was shocked and could no longer stay in denial of what had happened to her ... she had passed the eye exam. At her insistence we started going to the church where she accepted Jesus ... what a weird place ... people smiled and seemed to enjoy church ... there were no hymnals ... they didn’t kneel ... it made me feel quite uncomfortable. I quickly took control and announced that we would begin attending an Episcopal Church ... the denomination that I grew up in. Ellen acquiesced and we began a journey that encompassed several churches and many Full Gospel Businessmen’s meetings. I was beginning to see that faith was more than a religion ... I started to be lovingly ... and sometimes not so lovingly confronted ... with the scriptures.

On a weeknight in the fall of 1975 Ellen interrupted my TV time with a few questions ... ones that would impact me for the rest of my life. She started with “Do you believe in the bible?” I replied sarcastically “Of course I do ... Episcopalians believe in the bible.” ... I wasn’t going to let her get the best of me ... my religion was just as good as hers. She asked another question: “Do you believe in evolution?” I said “Of course I do ... it is science.” Then she said something that rocked me – “Then you don’t believe in the bible”. Of course being a New Yorker I had to say something, so I retorted “I don’t know about all that but whatever the Episcopalians believe is what I believe.” I had no clue what the bible said because I had never read it and for some reason this bothered me.

As the months passed I watched Ellen become stronger ... we would argue ... I would win but didn’t really feel that I had won. She was being transformed into something beautiful. Then Good Friday 1976 came ... by now we were watching the 700 Club almost every night ... I was often moved by testimonies of healings and miracles. That Friday night Pat Robertson invited us to take communion with him ... we used a hamburger bun and apple juice ... it was so moving ... my heart was touched and broken. The next night we attended a Full Gospel Businessmen’s convention with Jerry and Marvale ... a medical doctor spoke ... the message was endearing ... then came an altar call for healing ... Ellen still struggled with diabetes and went forward for prayer. As I watched her go forward my heart broke once again and I closed my eyes and prayed my first real prayer. I began to pray by saying “God if you will heal my wife I will stop drinking” ... as I spoke a presence came over me ... I became aware that I was a sinner ... I felt dirty on the inside ... I changed my prayer and told the Lord I would give up the booze because it was what he wanted me to do ... I didn't really know it but I was surrendering my heart to Him. A minute later I opened my eyes and there was Jerry standing in front of me – he told me that the speaker was praying for people and asked me to go down with him. I went down and the man put his hand on my head and blessed me ... that was it ... I thought that nothing had happened ... that is until the next day.

The next day was Easter and we went to church in the evening with our neighbors ... no one had a clue what I had done in the quietness of my heart the night before ... I didn’t plan to tell anyone. I remember, like it was yesterday, that night at a large church in Houston ... I was caught up in worship for the first time in my life. I remember we were singing a chorus from the Andre Crouch song "My Tribute". We were repeating the verse "To God be the glory" ... I was in a state of surrender ... singing my heart out ... entering a most holy place of worship ... then ... shock of all shocks ... I came to the realization that I was no longer singing in English ... I was totally freaked out ... I tried to rationalize but I couldn’t – God had met me, given me a spiritual gift and assured me that I was His ... powerful transformation was beginning ... it was the beginning of the wildest ride of my life ... a ride with my friend Jesus

It has been fun remembering and writing about that season of my life some 30+ years ago ... a sweet memory that I will celebrate this week as I remember Jesus’ week of passion ... a week that started with praises ... continued with betrayal, denials and death ... and ended with miraculous resurrection. What a difference between Good Friday and Easter ... back then and back in April 1976.

-Bob Edwards

Blue Skies

I'd build you a blue sky,
I'd build you a warm sun,
I'd give you the whole world,
If you'd promise to have fun.

I'll give you a new song,
You will be complete,
I'll give you singing heart,
I'll give you dancing feet,

Let's rediscover wonder,
Let's redefine reality,
I'll reinvent your happiness.
Flowers as far as you can see.

Laughter can soothe your soul,
And heal the scars you have inside,
I'll make the broken become whole,
I'll teach you how to cry.

I'll make the earth touch the sky,
So you can reach up and fly,
With me.

I know that you'd be set free.
If you would,
just trust in me.

by Joy Worcester

10 Questions: Doug Aldridge

Q: Where were you born?
A: Superior, WI [across the river from where Carolyn was born in Duluth MN. Coincidence? that we met 650 mi distant, yet our families had common friends in that area.]

Q: Middle name?
A: Frank, my father's first name.

Q: Your favorite chip?
A: Baked Lays

Q: Favorite season?
A: Spring - it's the start of long warm days.

Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Only Coke. Pepsi tastes like bug spray.

Q: Childhood dream job?
A: Independent wealth - still dreaming.

Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Depends on the event but no neckties

Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: Panera bacon turkey bravo.

Q: Breakfast Food?
A: 50/50 mix of rice crispies and cocoa crispies

Q: Dream vacation spot:
A: Las Brisas - an old fortress in Acapulco

10 Questions: Carol Hoffmeier

Q: Where were you born?
A: Seaford, Delaware

Q: Middle name?
A: Dee [short for Delilah; it was the best choice from great names like Augustus, Mable, Oliver, Loretta, and Elmer]

Q: Your favorite chip?
A: Butterscotch in blonde brownies

Q: Favorite season?
A: Spring

Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Nope. Give me a triple espresso.

Q: Childhood dream job?
A: Movie star, all I got offered was babysitting

Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Soft, snuggly sweater

Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: Turkey and brie cheese at Dean & Deluca

Q: Breakfast Food?
A: Fruit or yogurt or bagel or all 3

Q: Dream vacation spot:
A: Costa Rica

Backpacks and Smiles

These pictures and the following report are from Randy Catlett's most recent Missions trip.

I visited Taichung Taiwan where Lyn Strietzel and Kristin Fulmer, Metro Missionaries, one night a week minister to 12 orphan boy's ages 9 to 12. Several months back they sent out emails to their friends asking them to sponsor one of the orphans so they could buy them some gifts. The response was overwhelming and they were able to give each of the 12 boys a backpack, tennis shoes, a towel, books, pens and pencils. Plus they were able to give them an amazing meal.

I was privileged to join them on the celebration night and got to see the looks on their little faces as they received their gifts. They went from playful, rowdy little orphans to quiet, grateful little boy's who have never 'owned' anything in their short lived lives. Now they had these gifts to bring identity to them, something that actually belonged to them. Then to cap the evening off Lyn and Kristin spoke words of encouragement to each boy. It was a beautiful evening.