The Irony

It is perhaps the nicest day in the history of Indiana. 70 degrees, sunny, gentle breeze. Absolutely wonderful, wonderful day.

Earlier, I have just gotten done reading some of the plans for abortion and stem cell research that is being moved forward by the Obama camp.

On such a beautiful day, I am reading about something that must be a stench in the nostrils of God Almighty.

This is not a blog on politics--democrats or republicans. It is not a mockery of the current administration. We are told to pray for our leaders--and I do that. What this is is an honest outrage at the lack of value of human life by our leadership. We say it all the time: "God bless America." But how can He bless us when we brag about a country that holds so little value to human life.

The cruel irony is that I am enjoying the wonder of this gorgeous day. And policies are moving forward that will not allow some others to enjoy this beauty.

In His Time

If there are any things that make me concerned--it is trying to gather the very best partners and team members possible. Each year there are always people I am trying to recruit to be Operation Barnabas leaders or speakers for youth min classes or for three days worth of chapels for Youth Emphasis Week. And while I am always excited about working to make these teams and speakers the very best opportunities possible, it is also the biggest thing that I worry about.

I have learned a lot about patience (I still need more), God's timing (I want it now), and His provision (It really turns out much better that way than what I originally had conjured up). You would think that I would be less rattled and stressed about all of this, but I still have some more growing and maturing to do.

Friday, we just finalized out YEW speaker--a real find: Tim Eldred from Christian Endeavor. He speaks at all kinds of stuff. Only reason he was free to speak April 1 (no foolin') and 2 was that he had reserved the dates for his kids spring break--only to find out it is actually a week later. He had reserved our dates and just found out he didn't need them. Perfect. I had struck out at every turn previously.

We are trying to finalize Operation Barnabas leaders for this summer. Back when I started directing ob, it was scary if all leaders were not lined up by Christmas. Things change as we are just beginning to get a couple commitments by Christmas. Well, we just got great news over this weekend: Eric Miller, from Frederick, MD has been granted permission to senior lead again. Awesome. Then today, I was just contacted by an ob alumna who is finishing up college this spring, with a youth min minor, and she wants to go with us this summer.

I prefer to have these things set way in advance. But God is pulling all this together in His timing and His way. I still need one more ob senior leader and one more adult guy ob leader. Guess I've still got some learnin' to do...

A Good Story Comes Full Circle

Erica told me last summer that she was willing to go again as an Operation Barnabas leader. She is a great gal and led a team with us in 2006 in CA. She would graduate from college and then go on ob. A week before leaders retreat in April she came to me and said she was not going. She had been praying and asking God what she should do. She decided that ob was not for her summer. I asked Erica what godly influences she had consulted to help her with this decision. Her response was that she didn’t seek anyone else out—but was looking at Scripture and praying. I shared that God’s will is also revealed through spiritual leaders in our lives. I asked what her parents thought of her decision. She said she did not know—she had not told them of her change of plans. I ask Erica if she would do one thing: Ask for her parents opinion of her decision as God’s will is revealed through our authority figures.

Erica’s parents said they thought it was a poor decision to drop leading ob. With full credit to Erica, she decided to obey her parents and came and talked to me at our house at 10:30 that night and asked to have her position back. After discussion, Erica was back in as an adult leader on ob 2008.

Why share this story? We went to a wedding on Saturday. It was Erica’s wedding. Turns out that there was a good looking young man named Josiah Teeple who felt led by the Lord to be an adult leader on ob. Erica and Josiah were on the same ob leadership team, did ministry together and decided that they would like to serve the Lord together as husband. And now they are married.

By the world’s standards, you pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. You make your own decisions. No one tells me what to do—I decide what to do. (Hence the love of the American public with a little song that Frank Sinatra made famous, “… I took the blows and did it MY way.” Great song, horrible theology, and a lousy way to live one’s life.) Because of Erica’s obedience, she found her husband. We are thrilled for them and believe that God is going to continue to use them incredible ways in His work. I think that is an ob success story.

I would hope that if there is anything we teach teens and adults through Operation Barnabas, The National Institute and other ministries, it would be this: That God wants obedience before any sacrifice. And God's will is revealed through the authority figures in our lives. People who truly understand ministry, embrace and live out this concept.