This seems to be a theme lately. People are telling me to "write down" the specifics about what God is doing, so I have decided to tell you most of it via the blog. I get to record the history of God's faithfulness to us, reread it when I doubt or fear, praise Him over and over for caring for us and those for whom we seek to do ministry, and preserve for those who want to know how God's care is individual, strategic, lavish, and love-driven.
When we started The Basic Idea Ministries, Inc., the main reason I called it "the basic idea" is that God's love for me is the basic idea that started all of this. He loves me and sent Jesus, He loves me and knows me; He loves me and wants what is best for me all the time. His love for me does not always show up in making life a piece of cake, but just as a perfect, loving parent He cares about my life even when I don't and cares about me without hesitation or condition. My response is to lovingly obey, remain honest with Him even when I have difficult things to tell Him, and run to Him as my primary care giver and friend. Wild, isn't it, to think that the God of the universe is my friend, father, provider, and comforter. That's personal!
Lest you get the idea I am saying not to go to others and just rely on God, let me be quick to say......balogna. We need each other, we are to love each other, we are to meet needs for others from a heart of love for them, but when we go to others we should have already been with the Father or be ready to go there soon. These relationships we are in with each other and with Him are related...I know, I should have used something other than a word like "related" which is so closely related to relationships. I digress.
Another example of God's faithful provision: As God has supplied the money, venue, and couples for the Honduras Marriage Retreat May 22-28, 2011, He is now supplying the need for the bills to be paid while we are preparing and going. I was in need of a little over $1200 to be current with expenses, and last week I decided to pray instead of freak out. What a concept!
Weeks ago I was contacted by a friend from a former youth group. He now lives in GA and wanted to talk about some personal stuff he faces. We met for a meal last week and talked a couple of hours. He is facing some tough challenges so we discussed resources and God's power in our lives as it concerns loving others over the bridge of friendship. We talked deeply about our role as parents in knowing our children and loving them in ways they can feel.
At the end of the conversation, he asked how he could help me.
My response was both predictable and limited. It was predictable in that I am struggling with being gone from North Point, working alone much of the time, and trying to handle the details of a business/ministry as well as trying not to be angry at churches who don't seem to place much priority on marriage ministry. I want to be passionate about it but not judgmental or mad. After I told him he could pray for me about that, he asked, "What can I do?" I finally caught his meaning and answered that we always seem to have financial issues in paying for family needs and ministry projects. I didn't give him an amount so I limited what he wanted to do. He finally asked the question again with emphasis on my being specific enough to give him an amount. I told him we needed about $1000 currently to help prepare for Honduras and pay bills for TBI. He pulled a check from his billfold (he said he never carries a check in his billfold except for that day) and wrote a $1000 check to help TBI keep moving forward. How about that!!!!
A few days later an email came in from a counselor-friend. Carol, Jeanne, and I have had a great time getting to know this couple over the last few months. In her email she stated that they were thinking about our ministry, believed in what we are doing, and were led to send in a check for $300 to Helping Hands Ministries for us. (Helping Hands is still our umbrella while we continue to wait for our tax-exempt application to be processed by the IRS.)
You don't have to be great in math to see that we needed approximately $1300 and God supplied it through these 2 friends.
Certainly we need continued financial provision for not only our family budget but also for the work God sends us to do for other people, groups, churches, missionaries, pastors, leaders.....
When I think of it as being needy continually and not having a company or church over us to pay for insurance, food, house note, travel expenses, accommodations for conferences in other countries, etc, etc, etc, I can get a bit "freaked out", but we are now 7 months into this ministry and our Father continues to supply the resources to meet our needs. He has even done things I didn't ask for specifically. This trip to Honduras to get to work with 6 or 7 missionary couples wasn't on my radar until He put it there. Getting to lead the last day of the Galatians 6:6 retreat for Dr. Ferguson at WinShape, and working with the Central Texas marriage leaders, or helping with the Orlando Conference were all opportunities I had no idea would come to us. Now there is a chance to go back to Kenya for a marriage conference this fall.
Not once have we received a check on the "Bank of Heaven", but He just as surely is behind the supply for our needs as if the money had come directly to us from His pocket. He has given to others and they have freely given to us, and the sources have for the most part been unpredictable. As my friend Shad Williams (wegotothem.com) told me recently, "I know God will send what we need from His warehouse of resources, but I don't know which truck line He will use or exactly when that truck will arrive." I couldn't have said it better myself.
So, please keep praying for us that we'll wait patiently, trust fully, seek prayerfully, love unconditionally, and move quickly on the paths God opens for us to serve His body, the Church, wherever He wants us to go.
OK, all you advisers out there....I wrote it down again. :)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Even Shorter than Yesterday
Just a quick note to give glory to God for His faithfulness. Today I give Him praise for two specific ways He "saved" me yesterday!
No, I didn't lose my salvation then get it back.... :)
What I did do was lose His perspective on Sunday morning and took up my own. In the middle of ministry yesterday (Monday), God spoke to my heart to let me know that what I was hearing come from my mouth was what I needed to hear in my own heart. I received His truth and He gave me hope in Him again.
Then I got word that the Honduras conference is set. Our friends the Becks have a venue, couples are signing up faster than they thought, and plans are now set in motion. We are by God's continued faithfulness going to be able to meet with 6 or 7 missionary couples the end of May to serve them and encourage/train them in biblical relationship principles for their own health, their ministry to others starting at home, and for the advancement of God's kingdom. Would you continue to pray for us?
I said it would be quick! :)
No, I didn't lose my salvation then get it back.... :)
What I did do was lose His perspective on Sunday morning and took up my own. In the middle of ministry yesterday (Monday), God spoke to my heart to let me know that what I was hearing come from my mouth was what I needed to hear in my own heart. I received His truth and He gave me hope in Him again.
Then I got word that the Honduras conference is set. Our friends the Becks have a venue, couples are signing up faster than they thought, and plans are now set in motion. We are by God's continued faithfulness going to be able to meet with 6 or 7 missionary couples the end of May to serve them and encourage/train them in biblical relationship principles for their own health, their ministry to others starting at home, and for the advancement of God's kingdom. Would you continue to pray for us?
I said it would be quick! :)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Twelve Pastors and Next Steps
This post will be brief:
We, Carol and I, were honored last week, April 12 -13, to be part of Galatians 6:6 retreat in Rome, GA., at WinShape Conference Center. Besides being a beautiful place this center hosts many marriage retreats, intensives, and conferences. God has used the Chic fil a corporation to build and host marriage investment environments at this once-upon-a-time dairy farm associated with Berry College.
Three other friends joined us there to help. Jim and Jean Price and Donna Taylor helped by leading small groups of pastor couples. The small groups offered conversation around the idea of what to do as next steps after experiencing breakthroughs in their marriages. God worked mightily in them on Monday and Tuesday through Dr. John Vining's teaching of intimacy principles.
We had such a great time getting to know the couples and hearing their stories. On Wednesday morning, I presented options for couples to help them continue to grow as a couple and to help them pass these principles to others through a variety of marriage ministries. Our prayer is that God will use us to help them through mentoring, ministry start-up, conferences, or any other resources TBI can help supply.
Our desire is to see couples across this country and around the world access the power Christ offers to love and be loved...starting at home.
Today, I got to worship with the fine folks at Harmony Grove Baptist Church and get reacquainted with several of the couples we met at the marriage retreat in Brasstown back in March. What a thrill to see them again and worship our Savior there.
We continue to make progress toward Honduras and should be able to finalize the details this week. Praise the Lord for opportunities to serve those who serve others. We trust He will bring several missionary couples to the marriage retreat the end of May. Would you pray for God's powerful Spirit to do in each of us all He desires to accomplish?
We, Carol and I, were honored last week, April 12 -13, to be part of Galatians 6:6 retreat in Rome, GA., at WinShape Conference Center. Besides being a beautiful place this center hosts many marriage retreats, intensives, and conferences. God has used the Chic fil a corporation to build and host marriage investment environments at this once-upon-a-time dairy farm associated with Berry College.
Three other friends joined us there to help. Jim and Jean Price and Donna Taylor helped by leading small groups of pastor couples. The small groups offered conversation around the idea of what to do as next steps after experiencing breakthroughs in their marriages. God worked mightily in them on Monday and Tuesday through Dr. John Vining's teaching of intimacy principles.
We had such a great time getting to know the couples and hearing their stories. On Wednesday morning, I presented options for couples to help them continue to grow as a couple and to help them pass these principles to others through a variety of marriage ministries. Our prayer is that God will use us to help them through mentoring, ministry start-up, conferences, or any other resources TBI can help supply.
Our desire is to see couples across this country and around the world access the power Christ offers to love and be loved...starting at home.
Today, I got to worship with the fine folks at Harmony Grove Baptist Church and get reacquainted with several of the couples we met at the marriage retreat in Brasstown back in March. What a thrill to see them again and worship our Savior there.
We continue to make progress toward Honduras and should be able to finalize the details this week. Praise the Lord for opportunities to serve those who serve others. We trust He will bring several missionary couples to the marriage retreat the end of May. Would you pray for God's powerful Spirit to do in each of us all He desires to accomplish?
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Man, that was fast!!!
In some ways the latest conference (potential) came about quickly; however Rick, Kim, Carol, and I have wanted to do this for years.
Rick and Kim Beck were in our youth group in Memphis over 25 years ago. They were then and are now wonderful, passionate people who love Jesus, each other, and share a burden for those without a relationship with Christ. For years they've served with Youth for Christ and are now missionaries to Honduras. We have had great talks about a potential marriage conference for the missionaries there, but until now things never seemed to fit. Now they do.
Just a few days ago, Kim and I were on Facebooking about the need there and our new ministry TBI. We sorta' wondered out loud if God would allow us to go there for the missionary couples to have time to invest in each other and have others invest in them. That led to our talking about when that would be possible, what time of year, etc. Kim said, "Well, April and May are really great months in the schedules of most missionaries. I inquired, "You mean this year?" Her answer sticks in my brain, "Well, next year may be too late for some!" That was it for me. We determined to discuss the possibility with Rick and Carol.
Since that time we've seen the following fall into place:
1. Rick put together a budget to approximate the cost of a conference in Honduras for May, 2011.
2. I sent a message to our board and prayer team to ask for prayer.
3. I spoke to one of the couples we are currently mentoring - affectionately known as Couple #3 for confidentiality purposes. I asked him to pray about this possibility with me.
4. Since he is already a contributor to TBI, he asked a follow-up question: "What do you want me to pray?" I said, "...for wisdom about going to Honduras so soon." His response also sticks in my mind: "Well is it a need there?" To which I replied, "Yes a critical one." Then he said, "Well there is no question; you have to do it!!"
5. My mind was spinning because I did feel compelled to go, led to go; but I knew that money was an "issue".
6. He said he'd match what came in. I asked for clarification because I know some people mean well but can't follow through for various reasons. His clarification....clarified...."I will match what comes in."
7. The next day Carol, Jeanne, and I attended a training conference in Roswell, where we learned alongside our dear friends - a TBI board member and his wife.
9. When we got home that night after the conference, Carol handed me a check that this couple had given to us after being led of God to contribute toward Honduras or "whatever we needed it for". I was blown away.
10. I texted Couple #3 to let him know what had come in and he doubled the amount right there and then. So, we are almost fully funded for the Honduras trip as God continues to open doors.
Honduras looks like a "Go" for sure. Would you now join us praying about the couples who need to be there since the space is limited?
I have no doubt that God will supply the rest to make it possible for us to help keep expenses low and affordable for the missionary couples as well as pay our transportation costs.
The blessings of God have once again poured into our circle of experience from places I had no idea He'd bring them, in order to advance His work and His kingdom.
So many things are going on, it is hard to keep up with them all but this list will give you some idea:
a. Conference in North Georgia with Harmony Grove Baptist Church couples was awesome.
b. Conference in Pennsylvania with couples from PA, NJ, CT, NY was awesome too.
c. Marriage Ministry groups are launching in the area as a result of the marriage conference in PA.
d. Presenting the need for greater focus on marriage ministry at a conference in Austin, TX with Dr. Ferguson.
e. Dr. Ferguson, author of Intimate Encounters Workbook, has been kind to us and included us in many opportunities to network TBI with other marriage ministry opportunities, including giving us the last day of the upcoming Galatians 6:6 retreat, April 11-13, at WinShape/Rome, GA to offer pastor/leader couples assistance with marriage mentoring (ongoing) and helping to begin or expand marriage ministries.
f. Carol and I will travel to Kentucky next weekend where I have the privilege of preaching at my home church in Princeton, KY.
g. Mentoring 4 or 5 couples via Skype, face to face visits, and phone/email/text conversations.
Heavenly Father, I praise you for these opportunities, but even more I praise you for your life-changing love extended to me in Jesus Christ and gifted to me in the presence of the Holy Spirit within my life. What an honor it is to be called your child and to get to meet the incredible people you allow my path to cross, not the least of which are those of my own family. Carol, our kids, and our grandkids, extended families are all blessings. May you powerfully redeem this world and bring about revival in all those open to your Son. May the Church live loved and give love freely starting at home. May we as leaders and pastors called to serve, do so from a pure heart and love at home as the platform for demonstrating your love everywhere we go.
For Jesus and the Kingdom of God in the power of the Holy Spirit,
Amen
Rick and Kim Beck were in our youth group in Memphis over 25 years ago. They were then and are now wonderful, passionate people who love Jesus, each other, and share a burden for those without a relationship with Christ. For years they've served with Youth for Christ and are now missionaries to Honduras. We have had great talks about a potential marriage conference for the missionaries there, but until now things never seemed to fit. Now they do.
Just a few days ago, Kim and I were on Facebooking about the need there and our new ministry TBI. We sorta' wondered out loud if God would allow us to go there for the missionary couples to have time to invest in each other and have others invest in them. That led to our talking about when that would be possible, what time of year, etc. Kim said, "Well, April and May are really great months in the schedules of most missionaries. I inquired, "You mean this year?" Her answer sticks in my brain, "Well, next year may be too late for some!" That was it for me. We determined to discuss the possibility with Rick and Carol.
Since that time we've seen the following fall into place:
1. Rick put together a budget to approximate the cost of a conference in Honduras for May, 2011.
2. I sent a message to our board and prayer team to ask for prayer.
3. I spoke to one of the couples we are currently mentoring - affectionately known as Couple #3 for confidentiality purposes. I asked him to pray about this possibility with me.
4. Since he is already a contributor to TBI, he asked a follow-up question: "What do you want me to pray?" I said, "...for wisdom about going to Honduras so soon." His response also sticks in my mind: "Well is it a need there?" To which I replied, "Yes a critical one." Then he said, "Well there is no question; you have to do it!!"
5. My mind was spinning because I did feel compelled to go, led to go; but I knew that money was an "issue".
6. He said he'd match what came in. I asked for clarification because I know some people mean well but can't follow through for various reasons. His clarification....clarified...."I will match what comes in."
7. The next day Carol, Jeanne, and I attended a training conference in Roswell, where we learned alongside our dear friends - a TBI board member and his wife.
9. When we got home that night after the conference, Carol handed me a check that this couple had given to us after being led of God to contribute toward Honduras or "whatever we needed it for". I was blown away.
10. I texted Couple #3 to let him know what had come in and he doubled the amount right there and then. So, we are almost fully funded for the Honduras trip as God continues to open doors.
Honduras looks like a "Go" for sure. Would you now join us praying about the couples who need to be there since the space is limited?
I have no doubt that God will supply the rest to make it possible for us to help keep expenses low and affordable for the missionary couples as well as pay our transportation costs.
The blessings of God have once again poured into our circle of experience from places I had no idea He'd bring them, in order to advance His work and His kingdom.
So many things are going on, it is hard to keep up with them all but this list will give you some idea:
a. Conference in North Georgia with Harmony Grove Baptist Church couples was awesome.
b. Conference in Pennsylvania with couples from PA, NJ, CT, NY was awesome too.
c. Marriage Ministry groups are launching in the area as a result of the marriage conference in PA.
d. Presenting the need for greater focus on marriage ministry at a conference in Austin, TX with Dr. Ferguson.
e. Dr. Ferguson, author of Intimate Encounters Workbook, has been kind to us and included us in many opportunities to network TBI with other marriage ministry opportunities, including giving us the last day of the upcoming Galatians 6:6 retreat, April 11-13, at WinShape/Rome, GA to offer pastor/leader couples assistance with marriage mentoring (ongoing) and helping to begin or expand marriage ministries.
f. Carol and I will travel to Kentucky next weekend where I have the privilege of preaching at my home church in Princeton, KY.
g. Mentoring 4 or 5 couples via Skype, face to face visits, and phone/email/text conversations.
Heavenly Father, I praise you for these opportunities, but even more I praise you for your life-changing love extended to me in Jesus Christ and gifted to me in the presence of the Holy Spirit within my life. What an honor it is to be called your child and to get to meet the incredible people you allow my path to cross, not the least of which are those of my own family. Carol, our kids, and our grandkids, extended families are all blessings. May you powerfully redeem this world and bring about revival in all those open to your Son. May the Church live loved and give love freely starting at home. May we as leaders and pastors called to serve, do so from a pure heart and love at home as the platform for demonstrating your love everywhere we go.
For Jesus and the Kingdom of God in the power of the Holy Spirit,
Amen
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