One thing I love about my phone is that it syncs with my PC so if I lose it, or it ends up going through the wash cycle, I don't lose all my contact info. Put PC and phone together with a cable and in no time they "think" the same thing.
How awesome would it be if we had a cable like that to plug into God? Plug in, hit the "sync" button and in no time I am on His schedule, thinking His thoughts and operating in perfect harmony (100% sync) with Him.
Of course that is what a daily personal devotion time is all about - slowing down long enough to get my life and thoughts in line with Him.
But that is such a slow process - being conformed to His image bit by bit, poco a poco. How much cooler to just jam a USB (Update Spiritual Brain) cable into one ear and in 30 seconds I am ready to go.
What do you think? Thumbs up idea or Lame?
Let me know your thoughts.
3/26/09
In Sync
April Prayer Calendar
1 - Brent & Cheryl Garzelli - Brent and Cheryl are new to CTEN. They will be in Costa Rica. Pray for them as they raise their support.
2 - Tucker & Pam Martin - Pray they would see their indigenous disciples develop into a house church in Mexico.
3 - Palmas de Mamre - Las Palmas de Mamre includes a medical outreach, church planting & other ministries in northern Costa Rica. Pray for Ana Moshenek who leads it and pray for more funds for needed supplies.
4 - Jimmy & Linda Read - Please pray for Jimmy and Linda Read in transition as they set up house with 7 teenage boys and prepare to launch a new life-skills ministry in Mozambique, Africa.
5 - David & Jayne Ann Harder - Praise for the birth of their fourth son, Harris Preston. Pray for the continued success of their work at SAT 7 in Cyprus.
6 - Jason Hagelberger - Please pray that the Holy Spirit will guide him to indigenous men that he can disciple in Tlaxiaco, Mexico.
7 - Missionaries in sensitive areas - Pray for their safety and open doors in spreading the Gospel.
8 - Johanna Cobb - Pray for extra energy to complete the school year. That God would use me to leave a legacy of Christ and a love for learning with my students in Guatemala.
9 - Kelsey Winters - Pray that her application for Romanian residency is accepted and that Kelsey can begin the adoption procedure of her foster son, Caleb in Romania.
10 - Kirk & Kelle Richter - Praise that their video ministry in Cambodia is expanding greatly and that Hannah loves school.
11 - Valerie Peters - Pray for guidance in her preparation for the field and for people's hearts to begin to be connected with the work in Rwanda.
12 - Bonita Woods - Praise that they have gotten additional teachers at Morning Star Academy in the restricted country where Bonita teaches.
13 - Grant & Jennifer Haynes - Pray as the Haynes make plans to return to the US from Mexico to start a mission training school. They want to equip people to serve among unreached people groups in the 10/40 window.
14 - Keith Britton - Pray for God's continued mercy on Keith and his mission to men of the rehab center in Costa Rica that he oversees.
15 - John & Sarah Dale - Prayer for John and Sarah Dale as they transition back to living in the U.S. after serving in Guatemala.
16 - Tiesha Willis - Pray for a smooth transition into the ministry in Veracruz, Mexico and safe travels.
17 - Frank & Maria Godin - Pray that the video ministry will pick up again and Maria's bakery will be blessed at the new location where they live in El Salvador.
18 - Ricky & Tracy Vargas - Pray for favor in meeting with potential support team members and guidance during transition back to YWAM in Mexico.
19 - Fontaine & Paula Greene - Pray for wisdom as they are seeking to purchase ministry property in Guatemala.
20 - Scott & Debra Walston - Pray for health for the family and safety as some of their adult children are serving in the Air Force.
21 - Amy Mikul - Amy has just joined CTEN. She just returned to Guatemala. Pray for a smooth adjustment and additional support.
22 - Don & Heather Logan - Please pray for the Logan family as we walk the journey of having a baby in a foreign country.
23 - Alberto & Laura Zamacona - Doctor and wife who do medical outreaches to remote Indian villages of Mexico. Pray for increase in funding and safety.
24 - Joel & Michawn Ebersole - Pray for language training for Michawn & health for their kids. Pray for Joel as he steps into a new role as a trainer at their mission training center in Brazil.
25 - Steve & Aracely Hinkeldey - Praise for their recent marriage. Pray that she gets her visa in a timely manner so they can travel from Guatemala to the US.
26 - Isaac Vargas - Pray for finical provision for upcoming wedding & marriage as we begin our lives together serving at YWAM in Mazatlan, Mexico.
27 - Jim & Cindy Crouch - Having made the tough decision to come off the field this summer, please pray for the financial provisions needed for the move from Guatemala to the US.
28 - New Life With Education –Judy Kerschner/Director - Please pray for the very severe water shortage in the village of Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala. Pray for the students and national staff.
29 - Kristalene & Isai Bautista - Pray for their Oaxacan Church who will be doing a big outreach from March 22 until May 3. They will invite non-Christians to study a book for 7 weeks in homes
throughout Oaxaca in hope to spread God's Word.
30 - Ami Chouravong - Pray for Ami as she adjusts to her new life in the Philippines. Pray for her visa application and banking matters and praise God for her new apartment.
10/30/08
November Prayer Calendar
1 - Marcos & Andrea Pavkov - Marcos & Andrea Pavkov are new to CTEN. They are preparing to go to Mozambique. Pray for their support.
2 - Elias & Beatrice Ngome - Thank God for a new baby, William, in their family and for God's continued provision for them as they serve in their native Cameroon. Pray as they prepare for a medical and agricultural outreach in January.
3 - David & Kathy Doss - They serve in Guatemala teaching sound business practices helping Guatemalans earn a better living for their families.
4 - David & Leah Teran - Pray that they meet their budget, and for a healthy pregnancy as they serve in Mexico.
5 - Jed & Jaime Benoit - Praise for many open doors and new relationships in Cuzco, Peru. Pray for the healthy birth of their 2nd child.
6 - Theresa Buggs - Pray for a reliable vehicle, or for God to keep the one she has to keep working as she serves is South Africa.
7 - Tucker Martin - Tucker Martin is serving in Mexico. As part of the church planting team pray for him to disciple well. Pray for his upcoming marriage to fellow missionary, Pam Carter.
8 - Jessica Gormley - She teaches school in Guatemala. Pray for a great new school year.
9 - Valerie & Nicasio Martinez - Pray for unity among all the pastors (around 20) in the Quiatoni area, as they minister in Mexico.
10 - Frank & Mary Lou Ticknor - Praise for a successful women's conference where Mary Lou represented her Mexican Ladies' Quilting talents. Pray for a restful time in the States.
11 - Sarah Agee - Pray for wisdom in designing Children’s Bible Curriculum and strategies for making it available in many minority languages in Guatemala.
12 - Palmas de Mamre Palmas - Las Palmas de Mamre is a medical outreach ministry in Costa Rica. They are new to CTEN. Pray for Ana Moshenek who runs it and for more funds for needed supplies.
13 - Jimmy & Linda Read - Pray for safety in Mozambique where they serve with Iris Ministries serving young boys.
14 - David & Jayne Ann Harder - Prayer as the TV ministry in Arabic grows and for life in Cyprus. Pray for the health of Jayne Ann as she is pregnant.
15 - Missionaries in sensitive areas - Pray for their safety and open doors in spreading the Gospel.
16 - Johanna Cobb - Please pray that the children from the Guatemala City Dump will feel God's presence during a two week English Camp that she will be assisting with at Casa Del Rey in Guatemala.
17 - Kelsey Winters - For a door to open so that Kelsey can begin the adoption procedure of her foster son, Caleb in Romania.
18 - Kirk & Kelle Richter - Kirk & Kelle Richter are new to CTEN. Pray as they prepare to serve in Cambodia helping to build a medical center.
19 - Bonita Woods - Bonita has been serving in Indonesia for several years. Pray for her classes that she teaches in Bible School.
20 - Grant & Jennifer Haynes - Directors of a Missionary Training School in Mexico. Pray for their expanded vision into Thailand.
21 - Keith Britton - Pray for the men of the rehab center to walk in true faith. Pray for more financial support for Keith as well as enough money to purchase the property of the Rehab Center in Costa Rica.
22 - John & Sarah Dale - Please be praying that God clearly reveals to them the specific work they need to be doing in Guatemala after language school, and the specific people that they should help.
23 - Frank & Maria Godin - Ministering in El Salvador. Pray for the success of their children's video outreach.
24 - Ricky & Tracy Vargas - Ricky and Tracy are new to CTEN and will be serving at the YWAM base in Mazatlan, Mexico. Pray for good support raising as they prepare to leave.
25 - Fontaine & Paula Greene - Pray for their new orphanage project, for favor with the authorities as they complete the necessary paperwork in Guatemala.
26 - Scott & Debra Walston - Pray for health for the family and safety for their daughter-in-law, Sevena, serving in Afghanistan.
27 - Don & Heather Logan - Praise for a good move to Guatemala. Pray for more MK teachers to go to Casa del Rey to teach.
28 - Alberto & Laura Zamacona - Doctor and wife who do medical outreaches to remote Indian villages of Mexico. Prayer for increase in funding and safety.
29 - Joel & Michawn Ebersole - He is in bush pilot training in Northern Brazil and she is a nurse. Pray as he continues flight training.
30 - Steve Hinkeldey - He is a teacher in Oaxaca Christian School. Pray for successful inroads into the students lives. Pray for direction concerning his next move.
10/22/08
Therapy International
Dear CTEN missionaries:
The missions director at the church where I serve is also a physical therapist. She has formed an organization called Therapy International with the vision of working alongside missionaries to help those needing physical therapy.
She will come to you, train you or others and equip you to help handicapped or injured people in your area. She has already done this in the Philippines, Albania, Romania and Guatemala. If you want more info, leave a comment and email address and I'll send you a pdf intro letter.
If helping the handicapped has ever been something you have an interest in, this would be an awesome way to get started.
9/30/08
October Prayer Calendar
1 - Ross & Margi Rohde - Ross plants house churches. Pray for more disciples to be raised up in the Canal section of the Bay Area of California.
2 - Tod & Kathy Wood - Pray for an expanded ministry in recruiting teachers for MK schools worldwide.
3 - Kevin & Ardella Fry - As they have ended their time in
4 - Greg & Gail Malczewski - Praise for good summer trips. Pray for a great start to a new school year as he teaches at a Christian school in
5 - Dick & Birdie Johnson - Pastoral Care Team for CTEN missionaries in
6 - Carl & Lisa Norton - They just finished a year of missionary training school. They are working in community evangelism.
7 - Brad & Becca Hewitt - Living in
8 - Jake & Holly Schilinski - Pray for the Schilinski family as they settle into the town of
9 - Joél & Emily Malm - Pray for them as they step into a new role leading a ministry north of
10 - Jude & Jane Geroy - Praise for the healthy birth of their first child. Pray for a good adjustment for baby and parents in eastern
11 - Steve & Lena Kim - Steve & Lena are new to CTEN. They will be moving to
12 - Dave & Mandy Osborn - Dave teaches at the
13 - Bryan Brugger - Pray that
14 - Ken & Joy Eisner - Pray for them as they prepare to move in December to
15 - Melody McPherson - Pray for her safety as she teaches in
16 - Karen Lam - Karen is a Canadian who is teaching at
17 - Dallas & Anna Lee Ward - Praise as their evangelistic ministry in
18 - Robin Abbott - Teaches missionary kids in a Christian school in
19 - Larry & Laura Smith - Their ministry is to Jews in
20 - Jennifer Diehm - Pray for her recent marriage to a Romanian young man, Cristi. Pray for her service at an orphanage in
21 - Carlos & Karen Feijoo - Pray for their ministry in
22 - Rigoberto & Christina Andino - They minister in rural
23 - Pamela Carter - She is part of a church planting team in
24 - Peter & Teresa Cawthon - They mentor and train indigenous Mexican leaders, direct a Christian library in
25 - Robert & Barbara Nesbitt - Praise for their completion of language school. Pray as they begin to serve in various ministries.
26 - Amy DeYoung - Pray for her as she works at New Life With Education, a school for handicapped indigenous children in
27 - Dan & Kelly Farr - Pray for them as they begin a new year working at a missionary training school in Mexico.
28 - Betty Tijerina - She directs a
29 - Tom & Esther Fritz - They work with local churches on an island through their development center in
30 - Misty Boisvert - Having settled into her new apartment in
31 - Dan & Sarah Reeves - Pray for their support raising to go well as they are moving to Cyprus to serve with SAT 7,a Christian television network serving the Arab world.
Things got worse
Someone said, "Cheer up. Things could get worse." So, I cheered up and, sure enough, things got worse. :)
Who would have guessed things could continue to go downhill? But that is exactly what has happened. To review:
- We are divided 50/50 on who should be our next president.
- Political squabbling, bickering and name calling is daily fare on the news.
- On September 11 we were reminded of the tragic and vicious attacks on the US.
- Hurricane Ike blew through and devastated the Texas coast and way beyond.
- Many are still suffering without water, electricity and unable to return to their homes.
- Then we heard of the horrible and senseless train wreck in California.
- North Korea has reactivated their nuclear program and has missiles that can reach the US.
- The Iranian leader is visiting New York and declaring the US and Israel are doomed to disappear.
- Now we are told the entire economy is about to crumble down around us.
"If you can keep your cool when everybody around you is losing theirs,
you probably don't understand the severity of the crisis.
But a wise man said,
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
Isaiah 26:3
So who ya gonna trust?
Your savings and bank account? We're told that could disappear overnight.
Your own wisdom? The wisest economists are really just guessing.
Business Leaders? Aren't some of them the guys who got us in this mess?
The government? Hmmmm. Need I say more.
When times are uncertain the tendency is to draw in,
circle the wagons and look out for #1 - ME!
But that just starts a whirlpool that sucks us
spiraling downward.
The best bet is to stay fully invested.
Stay fully invested in the Kingdom of God.
Keep giving of yourself and your resources to help others.
Keep reaching out to lift up and encourage others.
Care for others and God will care for you.
Help others and God will help you.
Give and it shall be given to you.
God has routinely carried His people through things much worse
than even the most dire of predictions.
Don't hang your head and look downward.
Lift up your head and thrust your trust heavenward.
Certainly, pray for our leaders.
They need God's wisdom and guidance.
But keep your hope rooted in Christ Jesus the Lord of heaven and earth
not governments of men but in the economy of God the Most High.
9/15/08
Perspective
What a week!
For those of you stationed around the world I don't know how much you have been following the happenings in the United States but it has been quite a rough week here. You will probably be able to relate to some of my thoughts below.
1. The nation has been through months of political storm and is divided right down the middle as to who will be our best presidential pick.
2. On Thursday we were reminded of the great loss and sorrow of 9/11 when our nation was attacked seven years ago.
3. Then Hurricane Ike blew through Texas and Louisiana and Northward bringing death and destruction.
4. In the middle of that we heard of a disastrous train wreck in California.
5. Now predictions are that we may be seeing record high gas prices.
What are we going to do?
Lift up your head!
God is still in control. He still has you in the palm of His hand.
None of this has caught Him off guard and your future and hope are still secure.
The church has always shined the brightest when the world around is the darkest
so it is time for us to be a light, offer hope, hold out our hand to help.
Here are some things to consider to help you keep that eternal perspective.
We can be thankful that we do not have to pass heavily armed guards
posted at every gas station, grocery store, restaurant or business that might have $50 in the till.
In many nations business owners must employ small armies just to protect their business.
We can be thankful that if we do have a crime, we can call the police without concern
that those who answer the call may be partners with those who committed the crime.
Thank God for an honest and reliable police force that serves and protects.
Thank God that we no longer have public markets where you can buy a human being
to be treated as personal property. Yes, tragically, human trafficking and slavery still exist
but at least it has been criminalized and organizations are working to catch and punish offenders.
(PS- For those who claim the Bible supports slavery, check out 1 Timothy 1:10 NIV)
Gas prices may be high but it is available.
Food prices may be high but it is available.
In fact, while many countries of the world suffer epidemics of hunger and starvation
our officials are concerned about a different health epidemic in America - an epidemic of obesity!
Yes, sadly we are politically polarized as a nation.
Yes, there is a lot of bickering and ugly sniping going on as each party vies for votes.
But let’s not forget that the only reason this great division can even exist is because
we, as a people, actually have some say in who will govern us.
For the history of the world, the majority of people have been subjected to rulers and despots
who permitted them no input nor allowed criticism of their government.
In November, whether Americans make the right choice or the wrong choice - we have a choice!
Someone recently asked me if America has ever been this deeply divided before.
It certainly has and much worse!
Only 150 years ago, brother was taking up arms against brother and Americans
were spilling American blood on American soil.
Estimates say 620,000 to 700,000 Americans were killed in the Civil War.
That is more Americans than have died in all our other wars combined!
Today’s bickering and name calling is like kids fighting in a sandbox
compared to the hatred, division and strife in our country just 150 years ago.
Yes, we are engaged in a tragic war.
All war is tragic - whether the cause is just or misguided.
General Sherman said it best, “War is hell.”
None know this better than those who have suffered through it.
But, because we live in a fallen world, the evil of war is often the high price
that must be paid to end even greater evils - slavery, tyranny, “ethnic cleansing”.
Yes, we pray for an end to this war - as we pray for an end to the evil it is combating.
Yes, there are still those who pre-judge others based on race, gender or other criteria.
Yes, there are still barriers to women, blacks and other minorities in the work place.
But in November we will see America elect either its first black president
or its first female Vice President.
That is “one giant leap” from the day they were struggling for just the right to vote.
Yes, we have problems with our health care system.
Yes, something needs to be done to bring costs under control.
But thank God that “miracle” treatments are available today.
People routinely survive medical problems that were sure death just 50 years ago
and still are sure death in most of the countries of the world even today!
Yes, our courts need reforming.
Long ago we sacrificed a system of justice and replaced it with a legal system
where procedure and loopholes trump justice and fairness.
Yes, many of us are facing financial struggles and even foreclosure
but thank God we are not living in a refugee tent because our town is under seige.
Thank God we are not digging through rubble looking for our children
because a car bomb exploded or an earthquake hit. This is daily reality for millions.
I am not saying we do not have problems.
I am not saying we do not need to work together for solutions.
I am not saying all is fine in America
or that we should close our eyes and whistle in the dark
hoping nothing bad jumps out and grabs us.
I am saying that while we work to solve our problems,
while we pray for our nation and its leaders,
while we vote in accordance with God’s laws and our conscience -
Don’t forget to be thankful
Give thanks for the liberties we so easily take for granted.
Give thanks for the blessings we have received - though undeserved.
Give thanks we have a future hope and a promised Kingdom -
a Kingdom with a just King who will set right all the scales of justice.
We look for a King whose reign will be one of peace, “with liberty and justice for all.”
Lift up your head! Keep your focus on the author and finisher of your faith.
Live a life of gratitude for what you do enjoy rather than discontent for what you may lack.
We are the most blessed of people and even if we should lose everything this side of eternity
we still have everything because we have HIM !
What are your thoughts?
