Summoned to Lead

The following is a quote from Summoned to Lead by Leonard Sweet.

A historian's job is to tell the truth about the past. A consultant's job is to tell the truth about the present. A psychiatrist's job is to help you tell the truth about who you are. A theologian's job is to tell the truth about God. A leader's job is to rise to the occasion, to imagine the best possible future and to tell the truth about how to get there. A leader's voice rings the bell of the future.

If you are not familiar with this book (which is a favorite of mine) it is the retelling of the story of Ernest Shackleton who commanded in 1914 the doomed British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Shackleton lead a group of explorers who were to cross Antarctica sea to sea for the British, but he never made it. When his ship was within one hundred miles of the continent he and his crew became stranded in the most hostile place to mankind place on earth. Obviously this failure is not what made Shackleton one of the world's greatest leaders. No, it was the act of bringing home safe every one of his crew and how he accomplished such a seemingly impossible task. There are other books written about this expedition and even a movie made. The story is worth reading anytime, but this particular book focuses on the summons to lead, not the call. Although I am not gifted in leadership I was captured by the concept of leadership presented in this book and by the need for such leadership in our country today. Elections are nearing and we are choosing leaders for our nation. We have a responsibility to vote, but our choices are limited. It would be wonderful to have one or more of the many candidates rise to moral courage and ring the bell of truth. Please pray as never before in the months left to us for those candidates who will be elected to office. Not only is voting a right, a duty and a privilege, but so is prayer for each of us Christians.

Be A Listener Today

Do you ever wish someone would really listen to you? Have you ever started telling a friend or family member something that you thought was important and they didn't hear you out before they were distracted? Recently I had an idea that I wanted to share with someone, and as I started to tell her she was momentarily distracted by something else in the environment. I waited a moment to see if she would begin the conversation again by telling me to go on, but she never did. In fact, it was like I had never said anything. It has happened more than once and with many people, and I am finding myself more often than not letting the conversation just die. Each time I feel rejected even thought the listener didn't mean to hurt me.
As some of you know I took the training to become a Stephen Minister and one entire module is devoted to the art of listening. There was some great teaching and tools in the module, but there was one thing that could not be overcome with a short cut, and that was that listening is an active process that requires personal involvement, commitment and patience. In other words, listening is work. After finishing the training and beginning with care receivers, I realized just how true that was. I had to focus and pay attention and fight the wanderings of my mind and the noise of the environment. It was much like reading a heavy tome on religious thinking of instead of a Christian romance. It took effort, but with time I could listen more effectively. In Stephen Ministry it was part of my ministry, but what about in my daily living? I find I fail often. Listening is definitely a need in our world today, but if that need can't be met by strangers, family, or friends, then we still have the greatest listener sitting waiting to hear every word, every idea, every dream, every comment, or anything at all that we want to express. Jesus knew everything, but it didn't stop Him from listening to the people around Him. We have that same option today, and I have found that God is a two way communicator and great listener. He never fails me and He takes my ideas, my dreams, my thoughts, etc. and He listens and He responds. So, I am learning to feel less rejected and am turning to Him who can meet this need as well as all my other needs. Even so, He doesn't remove the responsibility we as believers each have to listen to our fellow sojourners. I guess what I am asking each of us today is to simply practice better listening whenever we can so that God can use us to help someone else by just simple listening.

"Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace
and the things by which one may edify another."
Romans 14:19

More on the Twins

Sorry everyone, but I never get tired of showing off the girls. These are their official 6 months photos. If you are wondering who is who, look at the bows. Kylee is wearing the red bow and Ashlynn has the black bow. Both girls are rolling over now and are reaching and grabbing for everything. Their little personalities are very different as are their abilities right now. If one of them gets picked up and the other doesn't, the left behind twin will cry. Both Kylee and Ashlynn are full of wide grins and beautiful smiles. Ashlynn likes to wake up early and is sunshine at that point (like her big brother Connor). Kylee on the other hand wakes up later and takes a little bit of time getting used to the day (like her big sister Alyssa). Notice their feet in the double photo. Holly can't keep their socks on because they are constantly rubbing their feet together. They are doing well and growing rapidly. Bethany went out last weekend to see them and help Holly out while she wasn't feeling well. Now Keegan and I are hoping to make a trip sometime in the near future. Connor told Keegan on the phone the other day "that he needs to come out to his house and get to know him." Don't know where that came from! Thanks for letting me be proud grandmother.

Pat goes to Israel; Jim comes home from Ghana

Below are the prayer requests from Pat, Keegan's sister who is traveling to Israel this week. We know how much she would appreciate your prayers for her and the team. Her husband Jim made his trip to Ghana and has come home with many testimonies about God's work there. Prayer can carry us to many places in the world and help us to impact the world for our Lord and Saviour.

I am writing mainly to ask you to pray for us as we put together this prayer room. There are many people groups there and only the Holy Spirit will be able to lead us to successfully honor Him in what we do.

Please pray that He will clearly speak His will over us and that we will be able to hear exactly what He wants us to do and then be obedient.

Please pray that we will be able to encourage national believers and the workers in the region.

Pray that we will bless the couple who is hosting us (and the Prayer Center) and be a source of encouragement for them.

Pray for our protection.

Pray that the IPCJ (International Prayer Center for Jerusalem) will be a light in a very dark world and that many will come to know our God through this.

Pray that all the financial resources for our team will be provided.

Thank you for being so faithful to pray both for both Jim and myself! We would not dare go without your prayer covering as we know that our battle is not against flesh and blood as Paul tells us in the Word.

Time is a great healer...

" Time is a great healer but a lousy beautician." author unknown.
Isn't that great? Any of you close to my age or older know just how true that statement can be. Keegan and I just went home for a quick trip to just see family, especially his dad. Everett is 90 and his sister is 94. Everett lives alone in a senior living center and is so active physically and mentally that you would guess his age at probably 15-20 years younger. Aunt Gladys is now in a nursing home and only lives in this world mentally for brief moments. They are the last of the generation in our families that went before. None of will get to choose how we age and how our final years will be, but those of us who know Christ know this world and life is only temporary and we will leave here to spend eternity in new bodies in heaven. I like what Psalm 70:10 says, " The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass and we fly awayl" I know Aunt Gladys is ready to fly away, but Everett still finds much to enjoy here in this world. It was a reminder to Keegan and I to use the time God is giving us today for His glory and trust Him for tomorrow and what lies ahead. Many of us are not afraid of dying itself, but of the process. I am one of them, but this trip was reminder to me to turn my fears once again and hand them over to God who will give me His peace.