Olympic Games 2008

Hey, this past Summer I was blessed when I made the decision to go to China to help with an orphan camp. Check this out. My good friend David Bolt and and these kids are awesome!

Waiting room stuff

Today I went to the hospital to pray with a friend and volunteer in The ReignForest who was going to have her retina reattached for the 2nd time in less than three months. She's an amazing young woman with a heart that loves God, a faith that will enable her to make it through this difficult time. After praying with her I sat with her husband in the surgical waiting room. We had been sitting there an hour when Jason got the call that they were starting the surgery. It's going to be a while. We spoke of politics, religion and family life over the next couple of hours. We discussed how kids today- well most everyone wants service or stuff - right now. They don't want to wait. We need answers now, plans now, toys now, food now, better bodies now and relationships in 10 minutes or less. Genuine relationships take time to nurture and grow. You can get a lot of things by driving up to a window...but relationships - well they're not on take-out menus or at drive-up windows.

I learned alot about Jason that I didn't know. He is a deep thinker, a sensitive yet strong and protective step-dad, a loving new Father, an admiring husband and a follower of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we want a quick relationship with God but God wants so much more. He is a quality creator. Jason is a bright intelligent thinker with strong moral fiber and a heart that recognizes where his blessings come from. Lately, the rainstorm of problems has been coming in sheets and not letting up.

When the doctor came and discussed the outcome of the surgery with Jason, the doctor mentioned that he had to go all out and risk it all to make the best possible situation out of a very difficult one. I was impressed by Jason's questions to the doctor and the confidence he had in this doctor. When Jason asked if there was anything he could do to make the scarring less for Theresa. The doctor amazed us with "You need to pray". Pray that there will be minimal scarring.

In a book I handed to Jason to read you will find 4 certainties that children of God can count on:
1) God will make you well 2) God hurts when you hurt 3) God knows why you're suffering 4) God is in control (pg. 6)

Thanks Jason for the great conversation and allowing me to share time with you "waiting".
Thank you God for the awesome outcome of Theresa's surgery and for reminding us what the waiting and the rain is all about.

Hope in Times of Trouble

I'm reading this little book by the above title...
I'm rememebering my friend Theresa, whose retina has detached for the 2nd time, a new mother, concerned about her husband...
he may be mad at God over his wife's possible loss of sight, she wants him to trust God...



I'm reminded of a friend who is struggling with not feeling right, she needs someone to walk beside her to assure and remind her God's timing is perfect, His plan is perfect...
I think of a volunteer, a gifted teacher whose recent surgery didn't go as planned and now her plans are being rewritten for the holidays...
or thinking about being a good neighbor, taking the time to reach out to make new friends because God's revealed a door of opportunity...
I think of my daughter who is pregnant her hormones all over the place, she's sick most of the time and barely able to work, she even doubts her ability to be a new mom - the concern over her well-being is out of my hands - I place this into hands that are much more capable than mine...
it's great to be reminded that at the end of the day it's all about having hope in the power of God being revealed for His glory...
so live in the moment of worshiping God and find refreshment, encouragement for your soul.