Summer reading and a great cloud of witnesses

August 18, 2008
The Great Cloud of Witnesses

I have long been one who loves history, and believes that we are made richer and wiser by learning from others' failures, as well as their successes. And so as a believer, I have found that biographies of the saints are not only enjoyable, but also encouraging to us as we seek models and mentors in our daily walk with Christ.

Hebrews 11 has been called the "hall of Faith" a Bible hall of fame. Verse 4 speaks of Abel who By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

My summer of reading
I have just completed a biography of John Newton (writer of the great hymn Amazing Grace), prior to that I read the biographies of William Wilberforce, J. Hudson Taylor, Mitsuo Fuchida, and Adoniram Judson. And although I need to read Iberia in order to prepare for a short tour of Spain, I really must find my small bio of George Mueller to read as a break from the hefty Michener volume.

Except for the book on Fuchida, the man who led the air attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and later became an evangelist (book is entitled God’s Samurai), the other books have been about believers who changed their world.
Early this year I found a copy of Prisoners of Hope, Our Story of Captivity and Freedom in Afghanistan in the bookshelf at the Clinica Corban, where I work in Oaxaca. I found myself inspired by the book, but it left me craving another. Back to the bookshelf, Deadline by Randy Alcorn, a riveting Christian whodunit (that is: who done it…aka murder mystery). Suddenly I realized that every gringo on the mission base was reading something other than their Bibles, I guess the hard work in the heat demanded that we rest our minds with entertainment. We began passing books back and forth, and okay, we did the same with DVD’s, but you know, books are more portable, and the pleasure lasts longer!

So back to the topic of the Great Cloud of Witnesses, when I got home I started digging through the mounds of books that Eddie and I have packed away. And then I started putting them on my Facebook iRead. Then I started looking at what others were reading. Then I started ordering them from Amazon (free shipping!)

Okay, back to the topic again! We all have our preferences in books, theology, Christian living, Self help…..I don’t learn that way. I learn from observation and reflection of what I see and hear. Biographies of the saints who have lived their faith in difficult times are my teachers!

My Hall of Faith
Over the years I have learned many things from the biographies I have read.

“No hole is too deep that God’s love is not deeper still” from Betsy and Corrie ten Boon, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boon

He will sustain us through desperate times, and even in our suffering He will give us the opportunity to know Him as our companion and lover. Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose.

The man who helped form my approach to faith suffered some of the same
emotional struggles I have suffered . Oswald Chambers, Abandoned to God by D. Mc Casland.

God saves some who are so far from faith others would consider them hopeless. I recognized that their humility at having been so low gave God the opportunity to use them in mighty ways. And they never forgot that they were “great sinner(s) and Christ is a great Savior”. John Newton, From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by J. Aitken, and God’s Samurai by G. Prange. These two books also demonstrated by contrast how the believers you surround yourself with effects your effectiveness.

We should chronicle the signs and miracles along our way that demonstrate God’s faithfulness in our own life story. Walking God’s Trail by Steve Saint.

Social justice is part of our commission, and God uses true believers to reform a society. Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by E. Metaxas.

Five men gave their lives just so the Waodani (once called the Auca) would be present at the Throne. They chose not defend their lives with guns because they were ready to die, and the savages weren’t. Jungle Pilot by R. Hitt, and Through Gates of Splendor by E. Elliot

The testimonies of these saints have helped form my walk with Christ. These men and women gave their lives; they suffered as I never have. They deemed Christ worthy, and they loved the lost with their very flesh and blood. They call me up from my whining and complaining to be grateful, faithful and true. They pound deeply into my spirit the determination to be like them in one way or another.

Oh, and I almost forgot Gladys Alward, Amy Carmichael, Ann Hasseltine Judson, Sarah Boardman, and most of all Catherine Booth. I have never been much of a feminist, because I have never needed to be. In the church since Christ set us free, neither male or female, the gospel has been advanced across cultural boundries by women, such incredible women!

I encourage you therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

It's finally summer in the Great Northwest

I always say the people of the Pacific Northwest celebrate summer. There are times when summer seems so short, when it seems like it has been raining forever...and then the sun comes out and we forget all that!

We have been camping, river rafting, picnicking, working on our deck, we even got over to Leavenworth and the Stonewater Ranch. We finally got to see the Leavenworth's community theater's annual production of the Sound of Music! And I have spent many hours by the pool reading, getting too hot, jumping into the water, and then reading some more.

The Gathering CampOut at Fort Casey

The campfire is the center of every great campout and so it was with us. Mercedes from Spain was with us, it was her first time camping, or sleeping in a tent. She even got to build the fire one night!

From Fort Casey it is a not too long walk to the Keystone ferry which takes you to funky Port Townsend. Amber W. got in on the Josh Kelley family portrait.


Sunday morning we had a Kelley family breakfast. I camped with Micah and Amanda. We had an all electric kitchen. Here is Amanda making the pancakes. My other daughter-in-law Marilyn commented on how good I was at bringing luxury to camping as I showed her my cafe con leche with foamed milk (a french press can easily foam hot milk!)


Grace, Kaitlyn and Mercedes. Mercedes really enjoyed Kaitlyn, in fact Kaitlyn was more disposed to letting Mercedes hold her than Kaitlyn's grandma.

We had church outside. I appreciated Josh's short sermon. He spoke of how our church is a community, a family living together. So a campout with campfire and s'mores and all the other outdoorsy fun is spiritual activity where we grow in relationship.

.

Micah and Matt leading worship. I got a great video of one of the songs, but I forgot that my singing was recorded too....so I will spare you the misery. Pity, the song was one of my favorites.

And last weekend was the Gathering Church Picnic at the beach!

As Mercedes said to me. "Your church has so many young families, so many children!" And their were kids everywhere, and they, and their parents had lots of fun.

Christa and Luke

Mercedes

At the end of July it was time to say good-bye to Mercedes. We had spent some good times with her, and bonded well. As she and I were driving back from Fort Casey together, she asked me many questions, and told me about churches in her home city of Burgos, Spain. As we know, the gospel is not readily available in Spain these days. She was impressed with the life and the joy we enjoyed as we worshipped together. Church where she lives is strict, solemn, and apparently doesn't have many young people.

She also asked me about the word Grace. She liked it very much as a name, Josh and Marilyn's daughter's name is Grace. But moreover, she noticed that we used the word a lot more than as a name. And she wanted to understand what it meant. I started to try to give here one or two of the many definitions and explanations we have all been taught, but I realized that she would have to understand what God's grace was to her as she sought it out. And so that is what I ended out telling her.

When we said our good-byes we were touched at the huge tears that fell from her eyes when she realized this was farewell. Later Marilyn suggested that she wasn't used to the affection that it is common to us, and she loved it. I suppose that Spanairds are not Mexicans.

Thank you Paul!

Last week Eddie's sister's husband Paul brought his great skill and experience, and tools to help us finish our deck. Now we have almost double the living space! I love it.

Paul framing the roof

Eddie building our new fire pit. We also put up a roll-away tarp that can be used to cover us and the fire in case of rain.

My dear friend Carol came out to help me break in the outdoor living space. Eddie stayed at Paul and Suzanne's place while Carol and I enjoyed a couple days of fellowship. Carol had just returned from an outreach to Uganda, and we had a lot of talking to do. She also brought us a gift of beautiful windchimes that continue to bless us.

The Ten Brinks are coming! the Ten Brinks are coming!

We are all anticipating Jay, Faith and the kids arriving sometime soon from Mexico for a 9 month furlough from the mission field. And also, we are all very excited about Amanda and Micah's annoucement that we will be getting a new grandchild in March.

Isaiah with his graduation padrinos Pola and Juan Luis

Isaiah graduated from primaria in Mojocuautla. He did very well in the bilingual (Spanish/Cora) school and was one of three who won an academic olympics that sent them Tepic for more competition. He said to me "but I haven't graduated from my English 6th grade".

Almost time to return to Oaxaca

It is hard to believe that we will be leaving for Mexico in 6 weeks! That means I am back to reading my Bible in Spanish, and we need to get that big garage sale organized! (we say that every year) And this week I notified Mira Vista of my last day available for work (Sept. 10)

We have stayed in telephone contact with Laura and David, and Angie and Berna...and by internet with Dave and Mary Kay. Facebook has also been very useful to keep us close to the happenings with our family in Mexico...so I am ready to get back to see everyone face to face.

But before that I get to have one very special adventure! My father and I are going on a tour to Spain! On our way down to Oaxaca, Eddie and I will stop at my dad's. Eddie will house sit for Dad while we are in Spain (Sept.24 to Oct. 5). From there Eddie and I continue south planning to arrive at Mision Victoria by October 10th.

Prayer Requests

So as I close, I would like to ask you again to pray for us.

--- for Mercedes as she goes back home

--- for good time with family in this short time left

--- that the Lord will provide what we need for travel and living expenses which will obviously be more this year

--- for our health, that my joints, knees and shoulders, settle down and I be able to give my all in the work we do, and many outreaches in to the mountains

--- for Oaxaca and the people of the mountains, that God will break through the darkness and bring light to the people of the Ixtayutla region

Support for our ministry can be sent to The Gathering Christian Church, P.O. Box 512 Mount Vernon, WA. Write the check to The Gathering, and put our names in the "notes" section for a Tax deductible receipt.