I knew it was going to be a process, but....

Who could have known things would be so tough along this journey?  I have been feeling sorry for myself lately and singing "Oh, Woe Is Me".  Have you ever sung that song of self-pity?  I have sung it in the past but not this many verses.

Conversations and prayer with some family, friends (Mark and Tom) and our Board have helped me regain perspective...God's over mine.

Mine = problem is too big, resources are too small, life is too short, and the hindrances are too strong

God's = He is bigger than any challenge, His resources are unlimited, eternity is timeless and this life is simply preparation for eternity, and no hindrance can stand against His will and power.

Can you imagine that when my perspective is the place where my thoughts live, I get down (I mean discouraged not "get down" as in dancing..remember I am an older guy)?
But when my Father's perspective rules my thoughts, I get His peace, understand His love, and enjoy great hope in Him (and feel like dancing and sometimes I actually do)!

So, by faith, I say today that my God "shall supply all your (my) needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus", not because I think it is true but because He said it.  That settles it.  Philippians 4:6,7, 19 are some of my 2011 verses to pray for my own spiritual health.

When we started this venture, I did the best I knew to communicate it to my family, but I realize I didn't do a very good job.  I have put Carol, especially, in a very difficult place by possibly moving ahead without her buy in, at least to the degree I should have.  However, here we are, and we are more on the same page, singing the same song, and trusting God for His will to be done "on earth (in our lives) as it is in heaven" as ever.

Our Couple #1 and now perhaps Couples #2 and #3 will receive the best care and love we can give them as we, by God's grace, watch the Holy Spirit move to heal marriages, and then use them mightily to influence 1000's of other couples to exhibit the love of Jesus powerfully at home, in churches, and communities around the world.

• The Problem:  not too big for God to solve and in Christ it is solved already, we await the revelation of His solution
• The Resources: are around us in abundance, "God's work done God's way will not lack God's supplies" - not my original thought but borrowed from Hudson Taylor
• The Life:  though not void of challenges is abundant nonetheless; an eye on eternity keeps this life in true focus
• The Hindrances:  though real, are only temporary and will not stop the will of God from being done!

I look forward to reporting how God does what only He can "take the nothing I see, add the something He owns, so that we have everything we need to ensure all the honor is His".

We're Baaaack!

We didn't quite beat the snow! That made the last 15 miles or 40 minutes of the journey treacherous and exciting; thus, our trip up the slippery driveway was slow (took me 3 attempts to make it to the top) but brought great relief to actually be home and out of the "blizzard". 

Since we got home we've taken more steps toward putting final building blocks in place for TBI.  Couple #1 continues to make progress.  We love them and trust God will continue the miracle work they desire and need. (Don't we all?)  There are now 3 or 4 retreat/conferences in the discussion and planning stages for this year.  Awesome! 

I continue to marvel at how intimately God knows me and us; and I stand amazed to see His miracles of healing relationships, saving souls, providing resources, and delivering lives.  Jesus truly is a wonderful Savior and Friend. 

67 Years in the Same House

Can you believe it?  You certainly don't hear about this very often, but I know a wonderful Christian lady, my mother - Mae Evelyn Lewis, who has lived in the same house for 67 years.  I would tell you which of my brothers was just a few weeks old when Mom and Dad moved there, but that would give away his age.  He looks much younger than that.  :)

As I sat around the table with some of my other family and my Mom, we talked and laughed about old times and memories of Dad.  He has been with Jesus for 34 years this April.  While we were talking it struck me how blessed I am to have renewed relationship and loving fellowship with many of my extended family.  I personally think we've come a long way to this "better place" as a family.

I give the glory to Jesus because He has pursued us, picked us up, forgiven us, taught us, taught us again, and simply produced His love in us and shown us how to give it away.  Love is a great thing(the greatest thing if I remember correctly), but it is hard to consistently demonstrate.

Our sweet Mom has certainly tried to do that in greater and greater ways all her life.  For a 97, almost 98, year old lady, I think she is amazing.  She is happy and free not bitter and hardened as many expect "old people" to become.  Her freedom and growth in love for God and for us are parts of the legacy she is passing to us. 

I leave Kentucky today after celebrating my brother-in-law Sammy's birthday, finding out my only sister may have a spot of cancer on her pancreas (more tests to come), visiting with Carol's brother's family in Paducah, and learning more about my Mom than I knew before I came.  I will pick up Carol and Jeanne in Lexington, KY on the way back home, and hopefully we'll get there before the big snow storm hits north Georgia.

I am more convinced after several conversations here with family, friends, and a timely email encouragement from a friend back in Cumming that the journey we are on with The Basic Idea Ministries is truly about as basic as it gets.  Learning to love, to love again, to know how loved we are, you are, and "letting our roots grow deeply into the soil of God's love" forms the only worthy foundation on which to build our lives.  I am so glad God IS love and that His love is clearly seen in the rising of the sun, the provisions to meet our needs....all of them, and the sure hope of being with Him forever by simple faith in a loving Savior, Jesus Christ, who truly came to offer Himself as my substitute on a Roman cross.  He loves me and you and nothing can ever change that truth.