Friday was Family Day

Last Friday we held our monthly team meeting. It was an unusual day. I was very exhausted before it even began because I had been at camp and had spent 2 days in debriefing for a short termer. On Monday we had learned that the husband of Ann Magalong had passed away and the ACTION funeral for him would be Friday after our team meeting. The day began on a somber note. I had just learned that a pastor from our church, Greenhills Christian Fellowship, was going out for Valentine's day date with his wife on the 14th. Their car was hit by a bus, killing both of them and leaving 2 children ages 10 and 8. Pastor Kevin shared a special concern for Micah as a soldier and prayed for her last December.

We had many guests there, Kathy Fothergill who is a former ACTION missionary was there with her daughter Ruth and Ruth's husband Paul Ortiz as well as their 3 children. Their testimony was full of memories and stories of what God is doing in their lives today. Kathy left Manila after her husband Kent passed away from a heart attack. Fond memories of Kent were shared.

Then we had a testimony from Carmen Salacsacan. She is a Filipina missionary whom we sent to serve in Mexico. This is her first furlough after 7 years. Some of what she shared was how she had learned how to conduct Kid's Clubs under the teaching of Kent Fothergill. Our other Filipina missionary--Raquel deJesus is holding Kid's Clubs in Colombia.

We also had a despidida for Mike and Rebecca Watters. It is hard for our field to loose them but they will remain with ACTION and serve in the US or Africa. They will depart on March 2. I am glad that I will get to see them in April and then again in Minnesota. They will be greatly missed.

Then we went to the funeral home where we held a service for Pastor Jun Magalong. It really felt like I was with family as I traveled there with the ACTION staff. We care so much for Ann and her two boys, Paul who is going to graduate from high school in March and Timothy who is in 3rd grade (those are the names of my brothers).

This past year I have been learning what it means to bear one another's burdens. In one regard, we have to bear our own burden and I can't totally take away another's burden. But my love, presence, serving, caring, can help to lighten their load and give them hope.

What My Obedience to God Costs Other People

I read this devotional today in My Utmost For His Highest and wept. I am in the Philippines out of obedience to God and I actually have joy in serving Him on the mission field. But I know that at a time like this, it causes pain for Micah. She would like us to be there for her at this time as she prepares for deployment. She has many challenges and I am limited in how I can help her. But I know she loves the Lord and wouldn't have it any other way--even though it hurts.

My Utmost For His Highest, January 11, 2008
As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon . . . , and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus —Luke 23:26

If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything— it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people’s plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, "You call this Christianity?" We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.

When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, "I will never accept anything from anyone." But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).

A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, "I will not cause other people to suffer"? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.

Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.

More about time

Our situation regarding plans for this year continues to get interesting. We learned that it is possible Micah will not begin her deployment until July. This will have an affect on our furlough plans as well as the plans of several other people. We are at a place right now where we can't even book our flights because we don't know what will be happening and when. We can pray, however, because God has these details and many other events in His hands. The Phillips Translation gives this name to God "The Blessed Controller of All Things". Amen.