Extravagant God!

"Enjoy yourself in the Lord.  Relish His goodness.  Revel in the adventure of walking with Him.  Savor every moment with Him.  Delight in His unconditional love."    - Steve Backlund's expanded version of Psalm 37:4

Just returned from "Catch the Wave 2012," a 7-day Caribbean cruise and conference-at-sea, hosted by Catch The Fire  (http://www.catchthefire.com/), with speakers Reinhard Bonnke, Heidi & Rolland Baker, John & Carol Arnott, Duncan Smith, worship leaders Chris DuPre and Chris McClarney... I wanted to describe some highlights, but how does one choose from so many wonderful experiences?  It was such fun to hear Duncan Smith, son of British missionaries to Africa, doing his impression of childhood hero, Reinhard Bonnke - followed by Bonnke himself a few days later (who joked that Duncan's imitation of his German accent was the best English he'd heard so far :))  Of course, the endless sun and sea and extraordinary food & entertainment options were all delightful... A few thoughts here:

1.  You can have everything.

A startling statement?  While ordering dinner one night, one person at our table said this to another who was having trouble making up her mind between two appetizers.  As soon as the words were out of her mouth, I laughed, because (of course) it sounded prophetic to me  :) 

A week before the cruise departed, I found myself in a prayer circle at church, mentioning that I was about to sail on the biggest cruise ship in the world (Royal Caribbean's fabulous "Oasis of the Seas") and that, during a mission trip to eastern Europe last June, I'd also flown on the world's largest passenger airplane (Air France's Airbus A380).  A prophetic intercessor responded, "Seems like there's a message in that..."

Obviously there is much we could say about the bigness of God, His limitless love and power, His endless blessings... On a Catch the Wave cruise, the enormity of the sea and sky - the beauty of creation, and the extravagant goodness of God who allows us to enjoy the richness of life - are all brought to one's awareness in vibrant living color.

Another message I heard the week before the cruise (via internet) was a remark by Bill Johnson, at a Global Awakening meeting in Florida, that in these last days before the return of Jesus, we (the Church) need to learn how to "access everything" God has for us, due to the size of our assignment as His Body in the earth.

Jesus drew near and said to them, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

[Matthew 28:18-20 GNT]

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

[Philippians 4:19 NKJ]

I heard a related message from Heidi Baker on my first Catch the Wave in 2006, that we need to lose this notion that we cannot feed the poor and also enjoy a Starbucks or vacation, as if somehow God's resources are limited or insufficient to do everything He wants to do.  It's a lesson Heidi has had to learn as well - that God loves those with material wealth just as much as He loves the desperate poor - and we need to let go of limited ideas about how God moves and loves a lost and dying world back to Himself & His everlasting Life in every possible way.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

[Romans 8:32 NKJ] 

2.  Joy & Enjoyment

Believe it or not, it took my first 3 cruises with Catch the Wave (this year was my 5th) to loosen a deeply entrenched pattern of "working hard" and really begin to enjoy God's Love and the pleasure we find in His Presence.  We can find Him anywhere in the world - among the poor as well as in relative comfort and ease - but if we do not learn to enJOY Him, we risk burn-out and might well question what we are working so hard to share with the world.  Is it really the gospel, i.e. "good news?"  Do we manifest His love, joy, peace...?  For me, Catch the Wave is an exercise in learning to enjoy His Presence, to accept and be saturated in His abundant and overflowing Love.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

[Psalm 16:11 NIV]

Again this year, Rolland Baker, 3rd generation missionary and co-founder of Iris Ministries (www.irismin.org), wonderfully demonstrated and communicated God's love & joy while delivering a profound message on this essential power to sustain us through the many serious challenges that confront those who would advance His kingdom around the world.

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

[Psalm 36:8 NIV]

Abundance tends to overflow:  although organized outreach events were smaller this year (Abilene TSSM did prophetic evangelism training & outreach in Cozumel), we couldn't help sharing the Love of Jesus every day of the week.  Salvations, healings, even baptisms occurred on a port stop in Jamaica.  Worship leaders from IHOP-KC and Bethel sang in an onboard karaoke contest, and Oasis crew members showed up at our meetings.  And, by the way, this group of 600 "pleasure-seekers" also gave a missions offering of $75,000 to Iris, CFAN & CTF for ministry among the poor in Africa.   :)

"The joy never ends!"

- Pastor Surpresa Sithole, Iris Ministries

3.   Feasting, Exercise & Hunger
It may sound silly to write about "my greatest difficulty" on a luxury cruise but, honestly, this time I struggled a bit with all the food.  And since God can use anything to teach me multiple lessons - spiritual as well as emotional & physical - it's probably worth mentioning...

There are more than 20 different places to eat onboard the Oasis, and most of them are free (no extra charge above the cruise fare).   The Opus dining room serves up sumptuous 3-course dinners, with multiple menu options every evening.  Pizza, hamburgers, french fries & frozen yogurt are available all day long around the pool, and the Windjammer Marketplace buffet curves around the entire aft portion of the ship.  While there are plenty of healthy options - yogurt, fresh fruit, salads, whole grains, grilled fish, etc. - needless to say, temptations to over-indulge abound.

For the first 3 or 4 days of the cruise, I felt overly full and fat from all the meals - it's not hard to see how this could be a picture of North America, where we have so many resources and don't always realize how it's affecting our health when we consume more than we can really digest.  I began to see that the root issue, for me, was that I'd been stressed out and starved for enjoyment - when presented with so many options, at first I wanted to try everything at once.  I've heard Heidi speak about bringing orphans home, and how desperate street kids grab for everything because they lack security that there will always be enough.   Sons & daughters of the King don't have to gobble up everything in sight - we know there will be another lovely meal later on today, and again tomorrow.  Once I realized that I could simply try something new at each meal, I didn't need to "eat it all" in one day - I found it easier to choose, appreciate and enjoy a variety of options (salads, as well as desserts :)) in a healthy way.

I felt God spoke to me in those first few days, "Don't just eat."  When we overeat, our energy and ability to enjoy anything (including good food) is diminished.  We are meant to be so much more than consumers -  we need exercise & activity, as well as nourishment & rest.  Fortunately there is plenty to do onboard the Oasis, including an extensive fitness center (I love looking out at the sea and listening to worship on my iPod while using the treadmills and elliptical machines :)) and lots of other activities - I even went ice skating one afternoon, just because it tickled me that you could do that on a cruise ship in the Caribbean!  We are meant to give out and spend what we take in  (spiritually and physically), then rest and hunger again and receive more...

"...and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."

[Isaiah 58:10 NIV]

Last but certainly not least, it's important to realize that our real hunger is for God Himself.  A luxury cruise with extravagant meals and endless options for entertainment & activity can never fill the depths of our spirits or satisfy our true desires.  Love, joy, peace... God is everything we really want, and the source of all true pleasure.  The word "Eden" literally means "pleasure" - we were created to live in a garden of delights, enjoying God and sharing His joy as a family.  I believe this reminder to pursue His Presence and connect with others in His Love is the best part of Catch the Wave!

"Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink -- even if you have no money!  Come, take your choice of wine or milk -- it's all free!  Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul!  Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the mercies and unfailing love that I promised to David.  He displayed my power by being my witness and a leader among the nations.  You also will command the nations, and they will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."

[Isaiah 55:1-5 NLT]

For information about next year's Catch the Wave conference-at-sea (February 24 to March 3, 2013) - check for updates coming soon to www.catchthewavecruise.com

"Buttery Steps!"

"When my steps were bathed in butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!"

[Job 29:6 NAS]

The night before I left for Nicaragua (see previous posting 2/12/12), members of my home church gathered around to send me off with prayers and spiritual encouragement.  After we were done, a prophetic leader got up to share on another topic and, before she began her own subject, she turned toward me and said something like, "Gina, I felt the Lord wanted me to say this to you, but I didn't say it earlier because I'd never heard Him say anything like this before.  But I keep hearing it, so I believe He wants me to tell you to 'Follow the yellow brick road.' "  :)

I smiled, because I understand that God speaks to us creatively, in ways that may seem unusual, amusing, or even confusing at first.  I think this aspect of Holy Spirit communication encourages us to be child-like, to remain open and expand our hearts & minds, to keep listening and seeking Him for all that He wants to say and do in our lives.  So I thanked her and tucked that funny little word away in my heart.  I'd been experiencing new freedom to follow Holy Spirit (more than just "rules" or what other people expect of me), so I figured this had something to do with following His grace and guidance - I knew He'd continue to speak and bring futher understanding and clarity, as I continue to listen and walk with Him.

The next day, as I was going through security at Dulles airport, I heard a TSA employee call out loudly, "Come on, people... Follow the yellow brick road!"  Now, I have been in dozens of airports in my lifetime, and although there are probably yellow lines on the floor in many of them, I had never heard those words spoken out loud in the security area before.  I chuckled, because it seemed obvious to me that God was reminding me of the previous night, and that those words really were from Him.  I continued to "put them on a shelf," so to speak, and to walk in His grace, looking forward to the mission work we were about to do in Nicaragua.

To be honest, I didn't fully connect the words "yellow brick road" with "walking in His grace" until the end of the week, but God continued to develop this theme by introducing a second - seemingly unrelated - thought:  "buttery steps."   As I walked through the airport that morning, I was keenly aware of God's presence, and a sense of peace & joy in the perfect ease with which He was providing all we needed for this trip - it reminded me of a sermon I'd heard the previous week about God's grace and favor, including a reference to a Bible verse about "steps drenched with cream," butter and oil... so I got out my cell phone and posted on Facebook (where lots of my 329 friends are Christians :)), "Who knows where the verse is about 'buttery steps'?"  Instantly, a friend replied, "Job 29:6."  When I got to my departure gate, I sat down and looked up the reference in various Bible versions on my Kindle.  The first two translations were very different from one another, but I was starting to get the picture:

"In those days my cows produced milk in abundance, and my olive groves poured out streams of olive oil."  [NLT]

"When everything was going my way, and nothing seemed too difficult."  [MSG]

Another version sounded more like the message I'd heard the week before:

"...when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil." [NIV]

I believe this verse came to mind because I was experiencing how wonderfully things come together when we're walking in God's grace.  I had seen God's provision for every detail of this trip - from things I knew would be "easy" to others I'd been tempted to worry about ("how am I going to...?") but had seen Him provide effortlessly as I simply trusted His grace and "put one foot in front of the other," following Him step by step.  Of course I don't think that walking with God means we won't encounter obstacles or challenges along the way, but I've begun to realize that, as we yield everything to Him, we can have confidence that He - in all of His magnificent Goodness and unlimited ability - will give us all we need to do wherever He has called us to do.  Perhaps you've heard this, too:  "Where God guides, He provides."   It's true!

The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.

[Psalm 37:23 NLT]

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

[Ephesians 2:10 NAS]

So maybe I was a little slow to make the connection, but I didn't fully realize that "buttery steps" were related to His

earlier instruction to "follow the yellow brick road" until my fifth day in Nicaragua:  on Friday morning, a Canadian visitor was teaching a baking class for some of the women at House of Hope and, as I walked toward the kitchen, I was vaguely aware that something was stuck to the bottom of my shoe...   a butter wrapper!  When I looked down and realized what it was,  I could hardly believe it  :)  it seemed so random, and yet perfectly in line with what God had been speaking to me that week.  As I reached down to peel the greasy paper from my foot, I laughed out loud and said to my friend Aeron (as the light bulb went on above my head), "Butter comes in yellow bricks!!"

When I got home from my trip, I ordered a 2-CD teaching set by Danny Silk of Bethel Church called "Follow Your Favor" (see http://store.ibethel.org//advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&categories_id=0&keywords=Follow+Your+Favor&x=22&y=4), which I recommend for anyone who wants to learn more about this subject.  I also started re-reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (the complete Oz series is available for about 94 cents on Kindle :)) - it's been fun and inspirational to rediscover this magical tale of a child who travels a golden path through all kinds of dangers, having been kissed by Goodness that overcomes evil in every situation.   Life is not always easy, but difficulties will melt before you, as you look for God's goodness and follow His way.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

[Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJ]

But for those who are righteous, the path is not steep and rough. You are a God of justice, and you smooth out the road ahead of them.

[Isaiah 26:7 NLT]

Love from House of Hope - Nicaragua 2012 :)

Just returned from my 4th annual mission trip to House of Hope (Casa Esperanza) in Managua, Nicaragua, and wanted to summarize some of this wonderful experience! :)  A link to some of our photos (with captions) is included below.

I traveled with Aeron Moore, a friend from church with whom I've traveled twice before on mission teams to Guatemala (she's 24 and I'm 54, so people kept asking if she is my daughter :)) - this was Aeron's first trip to Nicaragua, but the 11th overseas mission trip for both of us. The purpose of our trip was to minister on "Joy" at House of Hope, a Christian vocational rehab center for women & children escaping prostitution in the Managua area. We left on Sunday 1/22, returning Monday 1/30.

House of Hope currently serves nearly 60 residents - primarily teenage girls, plus several adult women and their children - and over 400 women who attend the day program on Tuesdays, making greeting cards and jewelry as an alternative source of income (vs. prostitution).  Most of the women attending on Tuesdays have accepted Christ, and are able to plug in to multiple home fellowships led by Oscar & Vilma, Nicaraguan directors who live on the House of Hope campus.  For more information about House of Hope, to purchase products made by the women or contribute financially to this growing mission work, please check out their website: http://www.houseofhopenicaragua.com/

Aeron & I arrived close to 11pm on Sunday at Quinta Primavera, a beautiful Christian lodge which accomodates teams working in Nicaragua for just $10/night ($20 with meals) - the lush tropical vegetation and peaceful atmosphere on this well-tended property made us feel as if we were on vacation at a luxurious resort!  Since I'd previously visited House of Hope solo or with just one other person, I'd never experienced Quinta Primavera (or similar lodging at Quinta Shalom) - House of Hope is not equipped to host visiting teams overnight.  Because there were only two of us, we were allowed to stay at House of Hope during the latter part of the week - I even got up for devotions with Oscar & the residents at 4:30am this year!  :) - but Aeron's brave battles with unusually large spiders in her room there convinced me that the restful "Quinta" surroundings are best for overnight stays, with visits to HoH during the day.  Pastor Mike (HoH director April Havlin's husband) pointed out to us that, although conditions at HoH may seem primitive to North Americans, it is still a great improvement for the women and children who live there to have shelter, security, running water, electricity, and a Christian environment in which to grow & be established in a new life. Some have previously lived in cardboard boxes near the garbage dump, or on the street near the brothels. Children as young as 6 to 10 years old have been sold for sex, some by their own family members.  The desperate poor are most vulnerable - with over 60% unemployment, Managua has numerous child brothels, and Nicaragua is 2nd only to Haiti as the poorest country in our hemisphere. Thank God for practical help and vocational training offered by ministries like House of Hope, and for the unlimited power of Jesus Christ to save, heal and transform broken hearts & lives!

Our ministry on the theme of Joy ("God is Joyful, and He wants us to be joyful in Him") was warmly received with smiles and open hearts from Day One:  on Monday, we followed the Bible teaching with giving out small gifts we had brought for each resident (soft toys, hairbrushes, small journals & personal items);  on Tuesday, I spoke about God's Joy to over 400 women who came for the day program - we touched and prayed over each one of them by doing a "joy tunnel" as the women walked by our small (but powerful :)) ministry team; on Wednesday, Aeron shared an anointed testimony from Zechariah 3 about how God's judgment is not like ours (He calls us righteous and beautiful!), followed by my teaching on Laughter (see 9/2/11 http://holy1fire.blogspot.com/2011/09/spiritual-benefits-of-laughter.html ), and we distributed postcards of "Laughing Jesus," which I had made for House of Hope with the artist's permission (http://www.suemartist.com/ - this was also the cover for printed handouts, with Spanish scriptures, which we gave to HoH residents); on Thursday, we taught about Celebration from Luke 15 and followed up with a pizza party - many of the women came forward to testify of the good things God had been teaching them and doing in their lives during the week;  on Friday morning, a lovely Canadian visitor taught residents to bake bread & cookies, which went well with ice cream we enjoyed after our closing "Jericho march" at the end of our last class called "Sounds of Joy," with worship streamers and silly instruments we gave to each resident as reminders of the beauty, colors & diversity of things to enjoy in God's kingdom.  On Saturday, Aeron & I enjoyed a beautiful day at the beach with Laura (HoH staff member who coordinates visiting teams), and on Sunday we visited Pastor Mike's new church in a wealthier part of Managua, and had lunch at T.G.I.Friday's with the Havlin family - including son Jeremy & his wife Jessica, who lead a growing children's ministry called One by One  http://www.theinnocent.org/) - before getting up early Monday morning for our flight home...

Two thoughts stand out most vividly in my mind and heart as I reflect on this trip:  one is how wonderful it felt - and I believe it thrills the heart of God as well - to see families and young girls who have been rescued from severe poverty and sexual abuse - especially so many teenagers and children who are now safe, laughing and playing and attending school, with a whole new life ahead of them.  As I prepared for my last teaching on Friday morning, God spoke to me from the book of Joshua that these few adult women who are holding on to the Word of God, plus a whole new generation of teens and younger girls, have an opportunity for radical blessing and transformation of the same magnitude as that of the Israelites who went from slaves to landowners - not just wandering the wilderness of escape from sin, but truly coming in to their own "Promised Land."

The other thing that happened to me on this trip was more personal:  on previous trips, the physical challenges of living & working at House of Hope (tropical climate, dirt, bugs, etc.) seemed much more daunting - this year I began to feel more comfortable in Nicaragua, and could imagine visiting at other times of the year (although I enjoy the pleasant weather in January) or for longer periods of time.  I also hadn't expected to return next year (I'm still planning to go to Israel in February 2013), but after 3 or 4 girls shared testimonies & said, "Next year when sister Gina comes back..." I began to feel - well, how could I not?  :)   I don't know exactly how God's plans for my future will unfold, but sharing the Word of God and His Love for these girls year after year has become more than isolated short-term mission trips - I'm beginning to see the fruit of ongoing relationships and investment in what God is doing at House of Hope... Before I left this year, April & I checked the calendar and decided on next year's dates, and by the time I'd been home in the U.S. for just 3 days, I already had a full outline of teaching notes and ideas, ready to begin communicating with potential teammates for 2013...

Lots of Love from House of Hope, Nicaragua... Until next year!    :)

Link to more photos with captions:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2531003357314.109872.1320390486&type=3&l=a29ef1ae36

Happy New Year!

A friend asked recently if I was still blogging - she hadn't seen a posting since October;  I told her I hadn't intended to stop writing, but - for many of us, the "holiday season" (November-December) can bring a measure of busy-ness that limits our normal activities.  For instance, my job includes supervising inventory levels of toys, holiday trim, videogames, and small appliances at 76 northeast Costco Wholesale stores.   I'm also preparing to travel and teach on "Joy" in Nicaragua later this month.  So, while I've had some ideas related to those teachings, writing them as blog postings has been less of a priority than planning, packing, working, resting, as well as preparing and enjoying the holidays with friends & family.

However, today I wanted to post a few short reflections on the transition from 2011 to 2012, as I appreciate the sense of a fresh start and goal-setting we often experience around New Year's Day.

The first half of 2011, for me, was overshadowed by the process of diagnosis & treatment for stage 2 breast cancer - which, I am happy to say, was completely eliminated with very low risk of recurrence.  Walking through that season taught me the importance of rest, of valuing simplicity and clarity in how I spend my time and energy, not taking things for granted but living with a greater degree of thankfulness and thoughtfulness than I had before.  It was also interesting to me that the Lord had already given me my teaching topic for this January - joy! - in December 2010.  I had thought 2011 would be a "fun" year - and it was, in many ways - but I think what I discovered most through the trials and difficulties of those first 6 months is that spiritual joy doesn't depend on circumstances at all.  God's joy flows in your spirit, i.e., where God lives, and I learned through those months how to tap into a sense of happiness and contentment and delight that runs far deeper than simply "what happens."

The second half of 2011 involved transitioning from a church fellowship of which I'd been a part for 14 years to a new place of worship with a lot less traditional structure.  It was difficult, at first - often, when it's time to let go of something familiar in favor of something unknown, it can be tempting to "look back," to compare or criticize - eventually I realized that no one is "wrong" or "right" about everything, sometimes God is just moving us into a new season of growth and closer alignment with His plans for us.  Having worshipped at The Gate (www.thegatedc.com) since August 20, I have experienced a deeper, richer sense of God's Presence in everything I do (not just "church" activities), and greater freedom & joy in following the Holy Spirit than I've ever known before.  Other than the place I worship on the weekends, "who I am" - including friendships, activities, and core values - has not changed all that much, except that I feel I am beginning a new season of spiritual growth, challenged to go deeper with God in every area of my life, with greater peace and freedom, a sense of delight and connectedness to the family of God all over the earth, and - yes - fresh joy in the goodness of God.  :)

As the New Year's weekend began, I found myself thinking of typical goals for 2012 - improving health, diet & exercise, spending habits, personal organization in my home... but as I attended a wonderful worship service on New Year's Eve, I closed my eyes and "saw" Jesus standing above us, at the peak of the sanctuary ceiling, as if He was about to take a step down from heaven into the room.  I was reminded again of a verse that's been coming to me often in the past week or so: "Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end" [Isaiah 9:7a NIV].  I realized that I needed to lay aside my own goals (and self-focus!) in favor of looking to Him, inviting Him to come and order my life, my thoughts, my plans, etc.  And that sense of Jesus being about to "step down" into the room?  All of history, all of our activities as God's children, all point to the day when Jesus will, in fact, return to earth - how should that focus order our priorities and what we plan to do with our lives in the coming year?

Of course, each of us has a unique place and purpose in the unfolding of God's will on earth - for me, there's a simple "mission statement" I've felt God speaking to me over the past several years from Isaiah 58:7 (below).  My understanding of this verse, and how I live it out from day to day, grows deeper as I learn and walk with Him.  As I packed over 100 lbs of gifts & clothing for Nicaragua in December, and continue to prepare my heart and teaching notes so He can release His joy through me to others on that trip - even as I am learning to carry His love & joy, just as faithfully and fervently, into my all of my work and relationships here at home - His instructions continue to speak to me:

I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

[Isaiah 58:7 NLT]

What about you?   Is there a verse or a theme God is speaking to your heart?  Are you allowing Him to deepen your relationship with Him and your understanding of how to let Him work His will in & through you in the year ahead?

May each of you find your unique place in the Body of Christ and a sense of belonging to God's family throughout the earth.   May you know the joy of hearing Him speak to your heart of His Love for you and others - each and every day in 2012, and beyond.

Happy New Year!

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

[Psalm 37:4 NIV]

Changing the Way I Think about Pink

(I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while, since I was diagnosed and successfully treated for Stage 2 breast cancer earlier this year.  I know it's the last day of the month, but I wanted to get this one posted in October, because…)

October is “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” According to Wikipedia, “Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer. As well as providing a platform for breast cancer charities to raise awareness of their work and of the disease, BCAM is also a prime opportunity to remind women to be breast aware for earlier detection.”

Although my mother died of metastatic breast cancer in 1989, I’d never participated in a “Race for the Cure” event, or purchased anything (yogurt, laundry detergent, microwave meals, etc.) just because it had a pink ribbon on it. All that "pink stuff" seemed a little too commercial for my taste and, after all, what does laundry detergent have to do with breast cancer? (Corporate sponsorships can add dollars for research, awareness and treatment programs - but I didn’t know that until recently.) I had serious misgivings about chemotherapy (having seen two dear friends annihilated by “curing” lung cancer but killing the patient) and I wasn't sure if contributing to “pink” fundraising supported those kinds of treatments.  Actually, this month's issue of Marie Claire magazine includes an article by Lea Goldman entitled "The Big Business of Breast Cancer," which exposes some less trustworthy organizations that have jumped on the "pink" bandwagon - a solid warning to pay attention to where the money goes (good advice for any type of charitable giving).

A few months into my own journey through breast cancer - which started with a routine mammogram, then a sonogram that same day in December, referral to a breast surgeon who did a needle biopsy in January, ordered an MRI in February, performed a lumpectomy in March, followed by daily radiation treatments that spanned 8 weeks into early June, and an "all clear" MRI in August - I found myself defending "the pink stuff" to a friend who had lost several loved ones to cancer and wasn't buying into the all-too-cheery "cancer culture" she sees around us these days. I was beginning to understand a little better why many who'd been through breast cancer - their own, or that of a friend or family member - would want to support and encourage efforts toward awareness and cure... My friend also mentioned "Crazy Sexy Cancer" - a documentary film by cancer survivor Kris Carr, author of several books and a website www.crazysexylife.com, which promote a kind of boutique spirituality, raw foods and yoga - little comfort, I would imagine, to anyone with late stage cancer or terrible chemo side effects, but strangely appealing to me in the early months of my own diagnosis and treatment.  I found Carr's saucy blend of humor and realism deeply comforting, like having a good friend who understands exactly what you're going through, at a traumatic time when most of your "normal" friends have no idea what to say or do...

Shortly after I finished a couple of Carr's books, my sister (a nurse-midwife who has participated in several Race for the Cure events, and cared for my mother in the last years of her long battle) recommended Nancy Brinker's Promise Me, the story of how her sister's death inspired her to build the Susan G. Komen foundation, which has raised over $1.5 billion "for the cure" since 1982.  Brinker's book put "pink stuff" into a whole new perspective for me:  30 years ago, if I'd been diagnosed at all, I might have undergone a mastectomy and/or chemotherapy, with all kinds of horrendous (and some irreversible) side effects, none of which was necessary in my case.  Thanks to increased awareness and support for medical advances in breast cancer research and treatment, more than 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer this year will survive "long-term" (at least 10 years or more).

So, in spite of legimate misgivings about commercialism and not wanting to be superficial about the various complex and painful experiences of others, I still wanted to write this little article to say "thank you" to people like Nancy Brinker and Kris Carr, who have affected my life in some pretty important ways.  These days, when I see a pink ribbon on anything at all, I inwardly thank God all over again for people who've been brave and bold and committed enough to do whatever they could to change my world for the better.   And for the cancer survivors I know - like the receptionist who sent me a pink bouquet with a pink ribbon on behalf of my office, a few days after my last radiation treatment... Some of that "pink stuff" really means a lot to me after all.

Unity in Diversity

“Unity isn’t conformity, but the celebration of diversity.” ~ Kris Vallotton

About 15 years ago, I purchased an original watercolor (pictured above) by a young artist named Sara-Anne Wolgin (Caudle), a member of the church I attended at that time.  I liked the painting because it reminded me of two things that were significant to me: (1) the pastor’s mother, whom we all called “Grandma,” had a beautiful garden at the side of her house, with just this kind of not-too-tidy array of diverse plants and flowers; and, perhaps more importantly, (2) our church had held an outreach event the night before, where I saw an amazing display of various gifts & talents flowing together in harmony, which struck me as an equally beautiful sight.

“Under His [Christ’s] direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

[Ephesians 4:16 NLT]

Sometimes church leaders try to organize around a military model - discouraging “individualism” and “independence” in their (mostly well-intentioned) efforts to ensure unity, loyalty, respect, obedience, servanthood - to minimize internal conflict and pursue common goals… Scripture speaks about spiritual warfare – the fact that sin and evil “war against” our new nature in Christ - but the primary model for Christian relationships is family. Words like “soldier,” “war” and “warfare” are used to describe the Christian life just a handful of times in the entire New Testament, while Jesus used the word “Father” (referring to God), “brother” and “sister” (referring to one another, not just biological family) over 60 times in the book of Matthew alone.

In a healthy family, aren’t we glad that our children are different from one another and not little clones, exactly like us in every respect? Isn’t our goal as parents (and leaders) to raise up individuals who can handle God-given freedoms and make good choices? What loving father is offended by his child's questions or continually preoccupied with how his children are falling short of perfection? Do we think this is how God sees and deals with us?

Unity is not sameness, and God is not threatened by our multiple perspectives or points of view. He is willing to answer our questions, comfort us when we feel weak, pursue us in our waywardness, and forgive our mistakes (and we all make them).  Of course this doesn’t mean we don’t have any rules, or that we don’t respect leaders – but leaders also need to respect God’s people, and rules can be expressed kindly and clearly, without threatening an individual's God-given identity and freedom in Christ.  From the beginning of creation, God has given human beings the freedom to choose His way, or not - so that our love can be a genuine, voluntary response to His.

[For more on related topics, see books & audio teachings on relationships by Danny Silk, available at www.iBethel.org/store - especially Culture of Honor and Loving Our Kids On Purpose.]

In truth, we need our differences – consider the apostle Paul's description of God’s Church as Christ's Body, in which many different parts work together according to His design: 

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ...we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.  If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body?  Suppose the whole body were an eye -- then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything?  But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where He wants it.  What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part!  Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.  The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."  In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.  And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen,  while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.  This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.  Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

[I Corinthians 12:12-27 NLT] 

Various perspectives, personalities, giftings, strengths, even the care with which we handle our "weak areas" - all are necessary and valuable to the overall health and functioning of the whole.

By the way, I recently met a few more members of my spiritual family in Guatemala, and was blessed all over again by the beauty of how God brings together diverse people, gifts & talents, causing them all to flow together in harmonious and loving unity in Christ.  Below is a link to my photo album - the captions tell some of what I experienced on this trip (9/16 to 9/24/11).  I worked as a translator for the medical team (including a doctor, 4 nurses, and a tax attorney who organized volunteers from upstate NY).  Other team members did plumbing repairs at the school, built a house for the family of one of the students, helped teach classes in sewing, crafts, and English.  Some were Lutheran, Catholic, charismatic, and… it was a beautiful thing to see.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1983851998872.97425.1320390486&l=9530665057&type=1

 Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church...It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

[I Corinthians 12:4-7, 11 NLT]

Spiritual Benefits of Laughter

A joyful heart is good medicine

[Proverbs 17:22a NAS]

Medical science has shown that laughter is good for you - laughter is reported to lower stress, blood pressure and bad cholesterol, and boost our immune systems in a variety of ways. What about the spiritual benefits of laughter?

Laughter is child-like.

Studies also show that children laugh an average of 400 times per day, while adults laugh an average of only 15 times daily. Considering Jesus’ statement below, we adults might consider deliberately increasing our daily dose of laughter:

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

[Matthew 18:3 NIV]

Joy is strong.

Laughter flows from a position of spiritual strength and victory. Remember: “…the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  [Nehemiah 8:10b]. The Bible says that God laughs when nations, peoples, even kings and rulers, try to oppose Him:

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

[Psalm 2:4 NIV]

In Christ, we, too, are positioned to laugh at ungodly opposition:

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

[Ephesians 2:6 NIV]

Filled with godly strength, the woman in Proverbs 31 “laughs with no fear of the future" [NLT]:

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

[Proverbs 31:25 NIV]

Pastor Steve Backlund (author of Possessing Joy) suggests that laughter is the appropriate Christian response to lies and intimidation by the devil – in fact, he says he regularly takes time to laugh at specific negative, threatening or unscriptural thoughts being presented to him, such as, “God won’t meet your needs this time,” or, “nothing happens when you pray.”  HA HA HA !!!  :)

 

Promises Fulfilled

Sarah named her miraculous son of promise “Isaac,” which means “laughter” or “he shall laugh.” I thought Sarah named Isaac because she and Abraham both laughed when God told them they would have a child in old age (Genesis 17:17 & 18:12), but God gave the name “Isaac” (Gen. 17:19).  Laughter is an expression of Sarah’s joy at the fulfillment of God’s promise to her, and also points to the future joy of God’s covenant promise of salvation through this son’s descendant, Jesus.

Sarah said, God has blessed me with laughter and all who get the news will laugh with me!

[Genesis 21:6 MSG]

Laughter and joy are related to answered prayer and fulfillment of God’s promises - Jesus said:

“…Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full."

[John 16:24b NAS]

Why wait? Jesus found strength by looking beyond temporary pain to what God had promised:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

[Hebrews 12:2 NIV]

Why postpone our joy until we see fulfillment? Can we trust Him enough to laugh by faith?  :)

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

[2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV]

It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going.

[2 Corinthians 5:7 MSG]

Winnie’s “Crazy” Laughter

Some people call Winnie Banov “crazy.” When I first met her at renewal meetings in 1997-98, I rarely heard her speak – she does speak and teach beautifully from the Word of God, but back then it seemed like all I ever heard her do was laugh.  :)  I’d been through a painful divorce after many years of abandonment and abuse, then further rejection and misjudgment by religious people. Winnie’s “crazy” laughter sounded heavenly to me. One evening after a church service, I said to her, “I want what you have!” – to which she replied, “You can! you can have it all!” - then she laughed some more.  :)  Winnie is a living demonstration that God has plenty of joy for all of us!

This past summer, I was in eastern Europe on a mission trip with Global Celebration, and Zhoro Penchev – a Bulgarian pastor and long-time friend of the Banovs – told us a story about what he thought of Winnie when she first began to manifest this kind of laughter. He told us he said to Georgian, “Your wife has gone crazy. You should just take her to the crazy doctor!”  :)  Until…

One day Georgian, Winnie, Zhoro and his wife Merry and some other Bulgarian missionaries were doing an outreach in a gypsy neighborhood. Zhoro was watching the van, because they were in a dangerous area, with lots of drug-related crime. A female addict, half out of her mind on drugs, hit him in the face and tried to steal his cell phone out of his pocket.  Zhoro is a big, beefy guy with a wrestler’s physique, and he said it took him quite by surprise that this woman would attack him! So the next day, when he saw her coming in the neighborhood, he warned Winnie to watch out. Winnie said confidently, “Get behind me!” Zhoro was puzzled – Winnie is a slender woman, too.

The drug addict approached with the same look in her eyes as when she hit Zhoro the previous day. And Winnie began to laugh… glorious, Spirit-filled laughter. Zhoro told us that little gypsy woman froze right in front of Winnie, who took her hand and began to dance with her, and the two of them danced and laughed together for the rest of the afternoon. Now, that’s crazy anointed laughter!  :)

So… feel free to laugh!   Laugh, because it’s good for you – spirit, soul, & body. It’s healthy for God’s children to laugh, liberally and often.  Laugh, because your heavenly position in Christ is one of spiritual strength and victory. Laugh, because the promises of God belong to you already.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

[I Corinthians 1:25 NIV]

“God is in a good mood.” – Bill Johnson

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Bonus: link to Winnie Banov's "Bliss Report"

(in case you didn't know that "bliss" is a Bible word :))

http://www.globalcelebration.com/media/coco-s-club-house/bliss-report/

"Laughing Jesus" by Sue Morrissey
To donate or purchase prophetic art (including this image)
http://www.suemartist.com/paintings-inspirational.html