Wisdom from Albania

I always get an itch to write whenever I've set my mind and opened my schedule to knock out a couple hours of freelance work. Tonight, I took a brief click break to read a dear friend's blog entry about her toddler overcoming a fear of play-place heights which really touched my heart and inspired a little writing. A little writing about some wisdom I recently received indirectly from Albania.

Tripp and I have the privilege of knowing a family of brothers and sisters in Christ at RPCC who lived and served for many years in Albania. The parents are near the ages of our own parents, and their four children are grown and in their 20s. If we had life go our way this past Summer, we'd be living one floor beneath them and thanking the Lord for such near mentors and friends. However, the Lord's ordered our steps differently, yet we're still so grateful for their friendship and example.

These past few weeks, Tripp has stepped in to help with leadership responsibilities at RPCC while our Senior Pastor spends precious moments with his very ill father. It's been a more realistic glimpse into leadership and pastoring than Tripp had anticipated. Tripp would love for God to lead us into planting a church in a high-need area, and the last few weeks only confirmed his deep desire. For me, it confirmed that I needed to reach out and ask a sister with more experience than myself how this road is walked with grace and children.

I was so generously met with kind and rejuvenating words from the mother of the family of which we adore. She reminded me that children are a KEY part of our ministry, that they are important and including them in as much as we can only helps them see christian life better. She shared wisdom from another saying, 'Always talk to your children in the attitude you'd like them to have about their parents serving. On an occasion where they miss one parent, say, "Isn't it wonderful that Daddy can serve 'John' tonight?" She admitted that this attitude was hard to maintain at times where her patience was tried, especially special events for the children. I was reminded that children are flexible and if they must have an activity they've dreamed of another day, they may not actually mind. Or better, they may learn flexibility. Their daughter said that she wasn't sure how her parents kept up all the ministry they did, but always felt they did so much as a family. She didn't feel slighted, but she also didn't feel like she was the center of their universe. They talked about everything.

The reminder that David and Judah are a KEY part to our ministry, an important tool in serving Jesus,  blessed my heart unspeakably. I wanted to release my response in tears, but instead I kept it together so that our meeting could be brief. As David's become entirely mobile and now conversational, I've not been sure what to do with his wiggles and my desire to meet with women, design for church or host small group. Looking reflectively on my week, I am noting that I do have quite a few women that will not only come visit, but do my dishes or plop a child on their lap. It's already happening... Tonight I just told Tripp too, that he should be ready to say to David, "Isn't it wonderful that Mommy can serve the women of RPCC on a retreat this weekend?"

Glory to God, thank you for Jesus.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

I received an email this morning, which I've included below if you'd like more details. This morning I am touched by a precious memory of Cathy Ng in our first days at Rogers Park Community Church. She passed away last night after being in a coma from the worsening condition of her brain tumor. She's rejoicing in the presence of the Lord, but I also remember a time of much rejoicing...

Tripp and I had been attending RPCC for just a few months. We were so enamored by the friends and quirky acquaintances we were finding among our christian brothers and sisters there. I believe Tripp knew of Cathy's brain tumor after walking by or being a part of a prayer meeting asking God for her healing. I knew Cathy as the woman who stood in front of me during worship with one hand wrapped around her little baby girl and the other lifted high in praise. For multiple Sundays we happened to sit behind them. And for multiple Sundays I could hardly sing because that woman just brought tears to my eyes. I think I even told Tripp that if we sat behind them again, I just wasn't going to sing.

My heart was broken by Cathy's unabashed praise because I knew her days may be numbered with that beautiful baby girl and she praised Jesus regardless. I was so humbled standing behind a woman in trial singing 'Forever You are faithful, forever you are strong, forever you are with us, forever...' Oh goodness, things haven't changed. That woman still makes me tear up.

I wanted to write this post just a day after her death and new life with God in eternity because as a mother, I don't know how she did it. I do know she did it with lots of tears, I saw those too. I guess I could also determine that she did it with LOTS of PRAISE! In the fiery trials of life, even in those that lead to death, blessed be the name of the Lord. He was my beginning, He WILL be my end.

Job 1:21 (KJV)

Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

 

" Dear Brothers and Sisters of RPCC,

Tonight I received a phone call from our dear brother, Jason Ng.  Earlier today because the condition of his wife and our dear sister, Cathy, had become even worse as she remained in a coma, he and her parents decided that she needed to be taken off the life support.  Before doing so, her mother dressed her up very nicely!  Shortly after she had been taken off life support, praise the Lord that she looked beautiful and peaceful as she went to be with our wonderful Lord Jesus!  Consequently, Jason and her parents were really comforted to see her leave this world in that way!  Glory to God that she is now rejoicing in the presence of the Lord forever!  

Please pray for the Lord to continue to abundantly comfort and strengthen Jason and her parents due to their heavy loss! Thank you very much! 

Love in Christ,
Pastor Scott "

Called away, called here

This week we said goodbye to dear friends, Zach and Katie Byington as they go forth as missionaries in Liberia. Tripp and I are crazy about these guys and their friendship refreshes us in the Lord. We met Zach and Katie just as our close friends, Mark & Katheryn McCreary, were moving on from Chicago to Iowa. Then soon after we would bid farewell to long-time college buds, Jon & Clair Lee, as they settled in TX near family. Essentially, we had a lot of goodbyes in our life at the time we first said hello to Zach and Katie. In truth, we had said goodbyes to so many people, even more than I've included here, who were like family and loved us as brothers and sisters in Christ. In that season, we informed Zach and Katie of these great losses and told them that they better be stayin'. Oh what different and better plans the Lord has for us all!

So, as God would have it, He's called another close set of friends on. This time, into the mission field. So how can we argue?! Truly, we can't. I am so, so sad to see my brother and sister go, especially to a place we can't drive to. But I am so encouraged at how God loved us through them. Zach and Katie had not been attending RPCC long before stepping up as small group hosts. Katie relieved so many of my anxieties during this past women's retreat and she inspires me to serve selflessly at RPCC. They'll be greatly missed, like our other dear friends who have been called on.

I was reminded that we, all believers no matter the city, have been called as well. What an important thought and reminder from God. Perhaps we should be thanking Him for making a way for us to live in this transient place. Acts 17:26 says that He has determined the boundaries of our dwelling places, or in some translations 'the places that we should live'. And in God's sovereignty, according to Isaiah 61:1, we are here to proclaim the freeing and healing news of Jesus. This is our mission, and He has called us to it here. Glory to God.

Visit their blog at: http://zandkbyington.wordpress.com/

There is a very sweet children's bible song that sums up precisely what I'm sayin':

There were twelve disciples Jesus called to help him:
Simon Peter, Andrew, James, his brother John,
Philip, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus,
Thaddeus, Simon, Judas, and Bartholomew.
He has called us, too. He has called us, too.
We are His disciples, I am one and you!
He has called us, too. He has called us, too.
We are His disciples, We His work must do!

This version with someone singing with his kids is adorable (except the photos). He's called us regardless of how we sound singing his praises: