How much of your Life do you spend Waiting?

“He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)

Waiting in lines, we all have to endure it from time to time. Waiting in waiting rooms, waiting in check-out lines, waiting to fall asleep, or one of my least favorites – waiting in traffic. According to an NPR report, the average American spends two to three years of his or her life waiting in line. My Ukrainian friends would agree that they must spend at least five. I’m not sure how that compares to the rest of the planet, but that is a lot of time.

Yesterday I was contemplating the concept of waiting and the natural frustrations that often accompany it while we were at the U.S. Embassy in Manila waiting to renew our daughters’ passports. The frustration arose when we were told that we could wait even though we may not get an appointment; however, we could not leave our documents. We had to FedEx the documents to the very same office even though we were holding them at that moment. There was no logic in that, so we waited and were finally successful in completing the process.

My thoughts digressed to how people spend their time while waiting. This is a serious topic for consideration if you live in a large city. If I know I will have to wait, I usually take a book or something I have to get done along with me. But when that is not possible, there is inevitably a large amount of thinking time. I was browsing a bookstore recently when a humorous title caught my eye, “Blank: The Power of Not Actually Thinking at All”. It was obviously a parody on the book “Blink”. But our minds are never really neutral ground.

In our own personal universe of thoughts, God wants to shed light on situations, giving us wisdom and encouragement. He wants to debunk our pre-conceived ideas with life-giving, illuminating truth. What if we spent all of that accumulated waiting time conversing with God and thinking thoughts that bring encouragement, faith and wisdom? Life is often stressful and anxious thoughts can multiply quickly. Thoughts like these weigh us down and bring discouragement. But if we turn to God, His consolations will bring delight to us.

What if the majority of our waiting time was spent waiting on God? Our strength would be renewed. Life can be too busy to postpone taking time to think about God and converse with Him. Take hold of all that waiting time, and see if you find your strength being renewed and your stress diminishing. What if?

“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:19)

The Thrill of Victory and Agony of Defeat

Our daughter Abigail, age 14, ran for president of her class last year and lost by one vote. She took it in stride, but I encouraged her by telling her that she had something in common with former US presidential hopeful Al Gore, except that he actually accumulated more votes than his opponent. For readers who are not from the US, that would take a paragraph in itself to explain and even then, I am not sure that I could explain it. I reminded her that former President Abraham Lincoln ran for office and lost many times before being elected US President, but then he went on to become one of the most honored of all presidents because of his character, wisdom, leadership and perseverance during one of the most trying times in US history. Finally I threw in a favorite quote from Churchill: “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”

So she was inspired. This year she announced that she would run for vice president. I asked her why she chose to run for that office, to which she replied that she did not want to run for president against Ee Ern, a Malay student, because it would be like running against God. Besides being a stellar student, he memorized entire excerpts from “The Lord of the Rings” for his previous speech. So she ran for vice president and won. Abigail is a people person. But not only that, she is a purposeful people person, meaning that she wants to make a difference in the lives of others. She also enjoys any and every (well, maybe not every) opportunity to give spontaneous speeches. So I am happy for her.

Rebecca, age 11, is our other daughter. Her 5th grade class at Faith Academy in the Philippines is run like a country, so she also decided to run for office. She ran for librarian and gave an enthusiastic, heart-felt speech on how much she wanted to be class librarian and organize a check-out system for books. A classmate gave her speech, saying that she wasn’t really interested in being the librarian, but she would appreciate the votes. A boy in the class organized a smear campaign against Rebecca, bribing students not to vote for her. She came home devastated when she lost. I tried to encourage her with the Abraham Lincoln example, and when that wasn’t very effective, with sweets. Still, during the holidays she dreaded returning to school.

But she greeted me with a smile after the first day back to school. It turned out that the president asked Rebecca to be her assistant. A classmate told her that meant she was secretary of state. She was thrilled. We went shopping for matching clipboards and she has a file on the laptop so she can help the president organize her schedule.

When we are adults, we can look at the trials our children face and see the bigger picture. We believe in them and know that the disappointments they encounter will pass. I believe God looks at us in much the same way, picking us up and encouraging us to move on and see the bigger, brighter picture of His plans for us. And with the enormity of His great love that encompasses us in every place or situation we may be facing. If we consider what really matters in life, it is to delight in walking with God and pleasing Him.

Love Factually

I forgot to post this on Valentine's Day, but it is still the love month, so here it is. A few years ago I accidentally watched the film "Love Actually", thinking it would be a light romantic comedy, while positioned in front of the screen on a long flight. The film followed the stories of many kinds of love relationships, however people wanted to define love or relationship. It embraced any kind of "love" as long as the people involved were happy.

While I agree that love is wonderful when it is rich with emotion, enjoyment and romance, it is also at its best when it involves commitment to one another within marriage, husband and wife. I read an article in the newspaper here on Valentine's Day stating that the busiest days for hotels in Manila during the month of February are the days before and after Valentine's Day. It went on to say that Valentine's Day is for the wife, but the day before or after is for the lover. Mike smiled and responded that he is happy to say that I am both.

I don't want to embarrass Mike, but when he tells me he loves me, I know it. I know it because he shows it in so many ways. He talks to me more than any husband I have ever heard of. He genuinely enjoys spending time with me and cares about what I have to say, what I desire, and he values my input and thoughts. But more than that, I know that he loves me because of the promise he made.

I enjoy any excuse for a romantic dinner, flowers, chocolate and a special date together, so naturally I always look forward to Valentine's Day. Here are my favorite romantic places where we have spent Valentine's Day.

New York City - New York is a very romantic, fascinating city, with many fantastic restaurants and shows. We liked to go out for dinner, followed by a walk in Central Park. However, in the month of February, you have to bundle up because it is cold. Snowfall provides a beautiful romantic backdrop, but I don't want to think about that right now since I am in the tropics, the place of perpetual summer. Besides, the beaches in the Philippines are very romantic spots as well.

Krakow, Poland - Krakow is a magical place, especially in the city center with the cobblestone streets, horse and carriages and Wawel Castle lit up in the background. The restaurants are excellent and inexpensive and it is fun to wander through the streets together, hand in hand, exploring the center. But once again, in gloves, hat, etc. because it is cold.

Manila, Philippines - Manila has many great restaurants, malls and coffee shops. And if you want to watch a film, the tickets cost less than three dollars. It is a romantic place for a Valentine's Day date. And the weather is nice in February, which is relatively cooler.

Nehemiah: Vision and Strategy

When we lived in Ukraine, we visited castles occasionally (see photo of castle in Ukraine). We felt as if we walked through a wrinkle in time and arrived in the Middle Ages or a set from “The Lord of the Rings”. They were always built with strong walls and fortifications to provide sanctuary from inevitable attacks. The Huns, Goths, Mongols, Turks, Poles, Hungarians, Austrians, Swedes, Russians and Germans tried at different times to establish their rule over western Ukraine or the entire country, bringing war and havoc. It is no wonder Ukrainians value their independence. This provides a vivid image of the dire situation Israel faced when Nehemiah went to rebuild the wall.

After inspecting the situation, Nehemiah gathered the people.

“You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer be a reproach. And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me, and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work.” Neh. 2:17, 18

After the rallying call to rebuild, the people began to work. They did not simply return home to hope and pray that the work would somehow get done. There was no way Nehemiah could accomplish the work by himself. If it was going to happen, it was up to them to accomplish it. So each one did their part in rebuilding a portion of the wall. The common vision held them together and the wall was rebuilt.

Reaching cities and nations requires this kind of vision and dedication. While in Manila, we have been amazed to see a passion for God and reaching people combined with a clearly defined plan for making disciples from the point of meeting Christ to training and empowering people for ministry. The tremendous growth here did not happen overnight. It is a work of God and the result of focused leadership, a clear vision and strategy, and the hard work of many. And I have to add that the filipinos are exceptionally good at enjoying what they are doing.

Worth the Investment

I remember quiet evenings with my father in his study. He would sit in his comfortable chair, lost in thought while he read and listened to classical music. But I always knew that he was available to talk. We would discuss books, world events, history, dreams, aspirations, ideas ranging from the real to the surreal, and faith in God. He told me regularly that he loved me and that I could do anything I put my mind to, anything I dreamed of accomplishing. I believed it and the security from that love and affirmation took residence deep in the recesses of my heart. I remember his favorite verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Phil. 4:13. I can remember the sound of his voice and the love in his eyes. That is how it should be.

I have met many young women who grew up fatherless or in abusive homes. After meeting Jesus, they begin to find out their new identity in Christ. They begin to discover a personal, close relationship with their heavenly Father. Love begins to unlock their hearts and emotions, bringing light to their eyes and security to their souls. Sometimes it is a tumultuous process, but truth shapes a new reality for their lives. And when they begin to reach others, life is reproduced instead of pain. Powerful.

It is always worth the time we invest in our children and the people around us. This should not be a distraction from our busy schedules, but a priority.

Everyone Needs Encouragement

I was going over my plans for the week when I realized a common theme that corresponds with the title of my blog. People need encouragement. Monday I was at the dumpsite in Tondo and the cemetery in Navotas with a British friend who is one of the most remarkable, but unassuming people I have ever met. Like Nehemiah, she saw devastation and had to do something about it. She started a work 10 years ago to help the poor families living in these areas and she has persevered against enormous obstacles. Lives are being changed.

Today I had a small group Bible study for some missionary wives who face challenges raising young children in a culture different from their own. A Hindu neighbor usually joins us. Tomorrow I will meet with the wife of a campus minister who will be joining us in Ukraine. Their hearts burn with such a passion for making disciples and reaching students. They are a joy to be around. Thursday I will have lunch with a Japanese pianist who is an atheist. She plays beautiful music, but has yet to meet the God who gave her such wonderful creativity and life. Friday I will have coffee with a beautiful Cambodian Buddhist. She is often lonely, missing her family and familiar culture. She and her British husband live here in Manila. When I was a child, my grandparents frequently traveled to other nations and I asked them to bring me a doll from every nation. I would often look at my unique collection and wonder about the nations they came from. Now it is as if they have come to life as I meet these women.

There was a time when I wondered how going through trials and difficulties could be of any real value. In and of themselves, they are not. But when I seek God in every situation and find my treasure in Him, I curiously find myself with a calendar full of people who need encouragement. I can even thank God for difficulties that I did not understand at the time, because I can comfort and encourage others who are going through similar experiences. Without those life experiences, I wouldn't have a clue. A few days ago I spoke with a friend who is a missionary in another nation. We are from different parts of the world, but I was amazed to find that the opposition she and her husband are going through so closely resembles our situation in Ukraine several years ago.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
2 Cor 1:3-7

So I will continue to encourage. Part 2 of "Encouragement from Nehemiah" soon to come.

Encouragement from Nehemiah, Part 1

Nehemiah heard about the condition of the remnant of the Jews who had survived captivity. They were in great distress, the wall surrounding Jerusalem was broken down and the gates were burned by fire. He was motivated to fast and pray for the people, but he did not stop at that. He was motivated to go. He went from a palace to a place of ruins because he had to do something to help. He served as cupbearer to the king of Persia, which gave him a position of influence, enabling him to travel safely and use timber from the king’s forest to rebuild.

But when he arrived, the job was no easy task. He endured tremendous opposition. He suffered ridicule, threats of attack, extortion, treachery and slander. That brings back memories of some of our missionary experiences in Eastern Europe. Yet he accomplished what he set out to do. In our own lives, we cannot see the outcome of our circumstances except by faith, because we may be living in Chapter 10 of a 30 chapter epic. It is helpful to gain insight and encouragement from others. What can we learn from the life of Nehemiah so that we can accomplish our goals without giving in to discouragement when we face opposition?

1. He had a strategy and he clearly communicated it to others.
2. Teamwork – He did his part, but not the work of others.
3. The joy of the Lord was his strength.
4. Humility – He sought God for wisdom, strength and protection.
5. No compromise.
6. He gave glory to God.
7. He motivated others when they were discouraged.
8. He did not let down his guard, realizing the schemes of the enemy.
9. Focus – He would not allow himself to be distracted from what needed to be done.

“Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Winston Churchill