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Tuesday, 29 July 2008

  • Goodbye, Kenya

    I said I'd try to post news, eh? :-/ It's impossible to catch up on that now, but the short story is that I'm going home today. The last few months have been incredible in more ways than one - incredibly busy, incredibly short, at times difficult, but incredibly blessed as well. Ab Fisher and his family arrived last month. He is taking over responsibility for Lamp & Light, which Merv and I had shared. They're settling in well and we really enjoy having them as part of the unit.

    I am exceedingly grateful for the privilege of serving here in Kenya! Part of my heart will definitely remain here. Relationships with fellow staff and natives are especially meaningful. Yesterday was a wonderful day...last visits with native friends, supper with Dave's family, the last volleyball (and surprise farewell party) with the unit... it was almost overwhelming and I felt so undeserving of the love and blessings given to me. So much more could be said but I don't have time. God is good.

    Randys are planning to take me to the airport this afternoon and I should be in Cleveland by 6:50 tomorrow evening.

    A prayer request: Melodie Beiler, Jonas & Wanda's oldest daughter (19), is very sick with measles and this morning her fever was dangerously high.

    "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass" (Proverbs 37:5).

    Blessings to everyone,
    Nathanael

Friday, 30 May 2008

  • Currently Reading
    Don' t Waste Your Life
    By John Piper
    see related
    Anyone who is interested in the subject of the last post should make sure to read buckeyebold's comment. (Thanks, Bob!) He completed the thought very well - the entrance of God's perfect love is the key to casting out fear. While our love for God (and others) can be perfected in the sense that it matures and deepens, that comes as a result of accepting God's love...check out verse 19 of the same chapter. I tell you, this whole truth is a mighty powerful one, folks! (Bad use of an adjective there, but right now I don't care :) Like BB said, who or what are you going to fear then? Just the visualization of that possibility thrills me sometimes and in that instant makes me want to shout, "Yeeehaw, I'm free!" Soon I come plummeting back to earth... That is, I see rather clearly again that though I am in the process of being freed by accepting and delighting in God's love, it just doesn't happen overnight. There are still fears that will be cast out over time, by God's grace. BTW, if you don't know what I mean by those emotional highs followed quickly by deflating lows, maybe you're not a melancholy. Seeing a truth in a new or clearer way can be exciting, but doesn't mean that its infiltration into our beings is instantly complete. Truth is, that growth and purification and all the other work of God in our lives will continue until we leave this world.  Ok, enough rambling. Back to love and fear, think on this: love means doing what is best for someone...which means God loves us by giving us Himself...which in turn moves us to love and delight in Him, and our passion will be to magnify Him by our lives. That chain of thought is not original with me - see the book listed above. If you want to be shaken, convicted, humbled, inspired... read it sometime.

    You might be wondering what's up with all the spiritual-sounding posts the last while. I wonder too sometimes. :) Seems like a dam opened up or something. I'm not some super-Christian that has it all together. Help, no. No one is, no matter how it looks. I am a normal mistake-ridden human being...chosen by God to be one of His children, though totally unworthy of it. Along the journey we learn to know the Father better and discover what we are here for, and those things have been a major part of my thoughts and struggles the last while. Expressing what you are learning or are blessed with to others seems to be a part of healthy growth. Try it yourself, even in very small ways, and it will strengthen your own heart. It just might bless someone else too, but that's not for us to worry about. :) It's not about our significance, but the glory of Christ.

    I'll post more news-type stuff sometime if possible. Everyone have a great weekend!


Wednesday, 28 May 2008

  • Weight Loss

    Yeah, you read the title correctly - an odd subject, I know, but give me a minute and I'll explain. Sometimes it takes a simple, everyday experience to bring out a Scripture like nothing else can. I'm thinking of that verse in Hebrews: "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Tonight I jogged a while, just for fun, and was surprised at how easy it was. Only 2/3 of a mile, but it used to be harder. Then I realized that since the last time I tried it (six months ago) I had lost 12-14 pounds. Getting rid of weight does make a difference. There are lots of spiritual weights, I reckon, but right now I'm thinking of FEAR. That sack of rocks has been a big one for me lately. Maybe it was there much longer but I didn't feel its heaviness until now. Fear paralyzes. Fear is the hindrance to so much good. I'll bet a lot of you can identify with what I'm talking about. And there's another verse that hits this fear business head on: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18). Wow. So it can be cast out. That sounds great, doesn't it? And it's true, though I'm finding it to be a slow process.

    What are you afraid of today?

Friday, 16 May 2008

Saturday, 10 May 2008

  • We serve an AWESOME God, folks! You probably think there's some fabulous answer to prayer or something wonderful happened. No, it's not that. I just recognize His greatness and amazing goodness more than ever tonight, and I felt like praising Him publicly. Maybe it's because I just got home from an evening with Cliffe, one of my best friends and a passionate Christian. We spent a lot of time sharing and talking freely about God, what He's doing in our lives, and so on. I wish for each of you the blessing of such a friend - and more than that, a close relationship with the loving God who created you. Yes, there are plenty of times, at least in my experience, when He doesn't feel so good or so loving... but He is. And the more our lives are wrapped up in Him the more joyful and useful they will be. So there's my spontaneous sermonette... be encouraged, wherever you are, and never quit seeking God.

    Blessings to all, and a great weekend!
    -NB

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delight_in_God

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    • Name: Nathanael
    • Gender: Male
    • Member Since: 7/29/2006

Profile Info

  • Nationality: USA
  • Religion: Christian
  • Interests: learning to truly know God and be used by Him; music and singing (one of God's greatest gifts to man, I think =); effective methods of missions and outreach; open, honest discussions about real issues; I enjoy volleyball, softball, tennis, and a few other sports; reading, traveling, computers, photography, spending time with close friends
  • Occupation: mission accountant/office manager

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