One of our "daughters" in Asia writes about the ways God is using her commitment to witness to others. She is the mother of two special needs children and the wife of a Pastor. Ask God to bless her and the family.
We started visiting ___ uncle soon after we heard that he was suffering from liver cancer. In the process of visiting him and his aged wife, we shared the gospel with them. Their response was "wait a little while more." Meantime, the Lord convicted me to call him every day to pray with him over the phone - in Cantonese - and speak the presence of God into his life. This was something I have done before, with another dying man last year, who spoke only Teochew, so it wasn't too difficult for me. Therefore I obeyed.
After a few weeks into praying with him over the phone, he started to utter "Praise the name of Jesus...Thank you Jesus." Still, he wasn't ready to receive Christ. Some weeks later, he was taken to the hospital because his cancer has worsened and he was in pain. Doctors said there is no more treatment, and his days are numbered. I again tried to ask him for his decision about Christ, he was still not ready, and his wife was strong against it, but both were wiling for us to pray with them.
In God's sovereign ways, He brought a lady, who happens to be the wife of a pastor in my previous church, into their path. She visited him two times and on the second visit, led him to make a decision for the Lordship of Christ. I was overjoyed! All those times of sowing has finally bore fruit!
The next day, we went to visit him and got to baptise him in front of his wife. We were amazed at how strong his faith was in the Lord. He was very certain of the decision he has made and he knows where he will be going when he dies.
I believe he has truly counted his cost before he decides to give his life to Jesus. We have been visiting him at the hospice and praying with him. I taught him to pray Ps 23. Recently, I asked him which is his favourite verse so that we can put that in the tablet to remember him. He chose v6 - "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!" Wow! He understands that the Lord is with him and to be with Him is the best thing. He told me he has no more worries because all things are in God's hands and he is prepared to meet the Lord. There is such a peaceful countenance in him despite his pain.
For his faith to come to this stage can only be credited to the work of God. This is a poor couple, whose only son has not honor them and is nowhere to be found. He bore such pain of not having his son with him in his dying days, but he told me he has a bigger family now - brothers and sisters in Christ (like us) whom he can call upon.
Pray for us that the Lord will take him home soon as he is all ready to meet the Lord. He is fed with very strong pain killer 24 hours a day. Pray that God will be merciful to him. I want to be around for his wake and funeral before we leave for our sabbatical. His wife has asked us to manage it as she and his siblings will have no idea how to run a Christian funeral. Pray with us that it will be a glorious time of seeing God's work in the lives of non-believing relatives.
I am impressed with this woman's commitment and strong follow through with her relatives. I have learned a lot from her and my other Chinese friends about the need to persevere in witnessing.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Staring at Mortality
Over the last two weeks I was given the gift of facing my own mortality, again. Several years ago I took a very hard look at my mortality after experiencing severe chest pains while on a flight to Singapore through Japan.
The short story about "flying the unfriendly skies to Asia" covers my having to return from Asia and get a thorough exam by Dr. Kereiakes at the Ohio Heart Center at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. While lying uncomfortably on a very narrow steel table in the cath lab Dr. K and his minions shot some radio isotopes into my blood stream and then took xrays of my heart and arteries while I looked on from below the monitor.
It is a strange thing to look into a computer screen and see one's heart pumping away over 70 times each minute while a Physician is pointing to the areas of danger called blockages that can cause instant death if they break away and hit the heart. It may be routine to the doctor but not to the patient.
That ended in a stent inserted into one of my arteries and the pronouncement that I had lost about 1/3 of my heart muscle to some former unexplainable event. The docs all agree that once a muscle is damaged there are no medical cures only supernatural ones. I have regularly applied prayer to the hopeless region and found significant relief but more prayers are needed.
One of the blockages was in such a tight spot that a stent could not be applied. I take a daily pill to keep the arteries spread wider than nature intended so the blood can move around the dam caused by excess hamburgers. I take another pill to reduce future damming and exercise to keep the parts of my heart that are still healthy ticking strongly.
But recently I began experiencing some tightness in my chest and when I told Dr. K he immediately prescribed another nuclear stress test. More on those results later, but it was a great opportunity to face my mortality and my need for self care, again.
The short story about "flying the unfriendly skies to Asia" covers my having to return from Asia and get a thorough exam by Dr. Kereiakes at the Ohio Heart Center at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. While lying uncomfortably on a very narrow steel table in the cath lab Dr. K and his minions shot some radio isotopes into my blood stream and then took xrays of my heart and arteries while I looked on from below the monitor.
It is a strange thing to look into a computer screen and see one's heart pumping away over 70 times each minute while a Physician is pointing to the areas of danger called blockages that can cause instant death if they break away and hit the heart. It may be routine to the doctor but not to the patient.
That ended in a stent inserted into one of my arteries and the pronouncement that I had lost about 1/3 of my heart muscle to some former unexplainable event. The docs all agree that once a muscle is damaged there are no medical cures only supernatural ones. I have regularly applied prayer to the hopeless region and found significant relief but more prayers are needed.
One of the blockages was in such a tight spot that a stent could not be applied. I take a daily pill to keep the arteries spread wider than nature intended so the blood can move around the dam caused by excess hamburgers. I take another pill to reduce future damming and exercise to keep the parts of my heart that are still healthy ticking strongly.
But recently I began experiencing some tightness in my chest and when I told Dr. K he immediately prescribed another nuclear stress test. More on those results later, but it was a great opportunity to face my mortality and my need for self care, again.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Pat Sikora: Another Generation of Teachers
Many years ago I had a training center on the west coast located in the San Mateo Presbyterian Church. During the several years we held LIFE Seminars at San Mateo many people came from all around the Western USA and learned about Listening, Renewed Thinking and Breaking Free From the Past. It was a wonderful few years filled with fun, fellowship and faithful followers of Jesus.
One of my favorite students was a mother and wife named Pat Sikora. She eagerly lapped up the knowledge and skills we offered and before long Pat was teaching others in California. Now Pat is a well known author and teacher with a speciality on small groups. Just go on Google and type in Pat Sikora and buy her books.
Mighty Oaks Ministry is one of her many ways to influence people. In a recent newsletter Pat mentions the things she learned at San Mateo.
Communicating with Empathy
Communication. It's the stuff of relationships, whether in the family, the church, your small group, or the workplace. It's also essential in helping people grow into the men and women God created them to be.
Unfortunately, as our society gets busier and the niceties of former days seem passe, communication can often be an obstacle to relationships rather than an asset. How can you develop the ability to be a more effective interpersonal communicator?
There are three core communication skills in healing relationships. I learned these many years ago from Gary Sweeten in a wonderful class that was then called Apples of Gold. He discusses it in the book, Listening For Heaven's Sake. These basic skills include empathy, warmth, and respect, which are essential before we can move into any form of helping relationship or any degree of intimacy.
We'll look at empathy in this issue, and warmth and respect in the next issue.
We'll look at empathy in this issue, and warmth and respect in the next issue.
Empathy:
Empathy communicates an accurate understanding of the other person's needs, feelings, or ideas and is essential in interpersonal communication. Empathy shows our care and compassion for the other person, but it also helps them move toward health. Sympathy, on the other hand, simply brings the listener into the speaker's pity party.
Empathy does not say, "I know exactly how you feel." That's impossible. Even if we've experienced the same event, it's been screened through our own unique grid of emotions, personal history, and coping mechanisms. Rather, empathy says, "I understand what the issue is, and I believe I understand (or I want to) how you're feeling about it." An empathic response communicates an accurate perception of both the content of the issue and the speaker's feelings about that issue.
For example, your friend is ranting about not getting a coveted promotion at work. A strongly empathic response might be, "It sounds as if you're feeling angry because your boss passed you over for the promotion." The content is what happened--you were passed over for the promotion. The feelings are the person's response to the event--anger.
Read the rest Online
A Great Article on my Other Blog
Take a quick gander at the article by Time Magazine on rearing boys. Just click the link on Committed Couples and read away. If you have male children or grand children I think you will like it.
Karen and I had all three grand kids with us over the weekend and it was grand. As I read the Times story I was inspired to think of ways to support the development of strong males. (Don't worry about the girls. They are already strong.) Then we played putt putt yesterday and had a ball.
Next, we are getting a lot of feedback about our link to Love Deb Smith. Make sure you click on the link and get ready to be inspired. Michael Cristian, an old friend and student from the Jesus Movement, has put up a terrific blog that honors Tom and Deb and is giving us a model for 21st Century Ministry and Fellowship.
Michael and wife Linda are celebrating the arrival of their first grand child. WOW! Life will never be the same.
Karen and I had all three grand kids with us over the weekend and it was grand. As I read the Times story I was inspired to think of ways to support the development of strong males. (Don't worry about the girls. They are already strong.) Then we played putt putt yesterday and had a ball.
Next, we are getting a lot of feedback about our link to Love Deb Smith. Make sure you click on the link and get ready to be inspired. Michael Cristian, an old friend and student from the Jesus Movement, has put up a terrific blog that honors Tom and Deb and is giving us a model for 21st Century Ministry and Fellowship.
Michael and wife Linda are celebrating the arrival of their first grand child. WOW! Life will never be the same.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Not Everyone Affirms Seasoned Citizens
Over the past few years the Holy Spirit has been directing me to emphasize facilitating the healthy lives and work of Seasoned Citizens. I admit that it was a bit of a shock to read the "Letters to the Editor" section of the New York Times and discover that some folks think we who have lived for five or more decades should just shut up and die.
Take a look at the views of one Times' reader's attitude toward what he thinks of Rupert Murdoch, the head of News Corps, the group that just bought Dow Jones.
July 31st,20074:42 am Murdoch may be “clever” in the business sense, but as a human being he’s both mentally deficient and morally deficient. He’s in the closing years of his life.
What on earth is the point of wasting precious time & energy grabbing more & more? After all, we’ll all be in the next world in the blink of an eye. What a waste, when he could be appreciating the magic of this extraordinary existence we’ve been given, Why, he could even be doing something that makes him feel like a human being, creating better conditions for those less fortunate.
By my book he’s really stupid, really thick. What a waste of an incarnation.— Posted by David Lewiston
Obviously Mr. Lewiston does not consider running a company that employs thousands of people and delivers the news to billions is not a worthy life nor is providing a salary and benefits to people really a good thing.
I do not know this gentleman, of course, but he seems to advocate a kind of socialist point of view that says only giving hand outs is doing something for the "less fortunate". I, on the other hand, am in awe of men and women whose creative minds and instincts are able to produce great institutions and organizations.
I strongly disagree with the notion that when one passes forty he or she should quit thinking and creating and quietly run off to a corner and die. Perhaps in the near future I will run a series on great things that people have done after what is generally considered their "prime".
Take a look at the views of one Times' reader's attitude toward what he thinks of Rupert Murdoch, the head of News Corps, the group that just bought Dow Jones.
July 31st,20074:42 am Murdoch may be “clever” in the business sense, but as a human being he’s both mentally deficient and morally deficient. He’s in the closing years of his life.
What on earth is the point of wasting precious time & energy grabbing more & more? After all, we’ll all be in the next world in the blink of an eye. What a waste, when he could be appreciating the magic of this extraordinary existence we’ve been given, Why, he could even be doing something that makes him feel like a human being, creating better conditions for those less fortunate.
By my book he’s really stupid, really thick. What a waste of an incarnation.— Posted by David Lewiston
Obviously Mr. Lewiston does not consider running a company that employs thousands of people and delivers the news to billions is not a worthy life nor is providing a salary and benefits to people really a good thing.
I do not know this gentleman, of course, but he seems to advocate a kind of socialist point of view that says only giving hand outs is doing something for the "less fortunate". I, on the other hand, am in awe of men and women whose creative minds and instincts are able to produce great institutions and organizations.
I strongly disagree with the notion that when one passes forty he or she should quit thinking and creating and quietly run off to a corner and die. Perhaps in the near future I will run a series on great things that people have done after what is generally considered their "prime".
Leaders Leave Legacies
Bill Walsh, a football coach best known for his leadership of the San Francisco Forty Niners, recently passed away. He leaves quite a legacy for innovation and creativity among football fans. However, as the Wall Street Journal notes, he showed Christians how important it is to follow Jesus' method of making disciples and not simply filling seats.
It was as a teacher, though, that Mr. Walsh had his greatest and most lasting influence on football. Unlike Lombardi, who left worshippers but no disciples, Mr. Walsh spawned an entire generation of acolytes. His defensive coordinator George Seifert won two Super Bowls with San Francisco; his offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren won one with Green Bay. Mr. Seifert's pupil Mike Shanahan, schooled in Mr. Walsh's methods, won two more with Denver.
Mr. Walsh's influence on football today is so pervasive that nearly 20 years after his final game, the Super Bowl has practically become an annual showcase for his adherents. This past February, Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, a former player under Mr. Walsh, squared off against the Chicago Bears' Lovie Smith, who trained as an assistant to Dennis Green, once a Walsh receiver's coach.
That Messrs. Dungy and Smith were the first African-American coaches to reach the Super Bowl highlights perhaps Mr. Walsh's greatest legacy: In 1987, he helped create the Minority Coaching Fellowship Program. "I can tell you this," says Mr. Dungy, "his life was about much more than just X's and O's."
Mr. Barra writes about sports for The Wall Street Journal. http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110010410
In today's church world we hear an awful lot about the importance of being big. Big churches, big conferences and big men on the church campuses. Mr. Walsh was a big man in his world who filled a lot of seats in football stadiums but as we see in the article above, he was much more.
Jesus' model of leadership was one of equipping and multiplication. If you are not raising up and rewarding men and women who are more gifted and experienced than you then you are not leading like Jesus no matter how many times you have read the book by that name.
Now is the time for Seasoned Believers to multiply there wisdom and influence.
It was as a teacher, though, that Mr. Walsh had his greatest and most lasting influence on football. Unlike Lombardi, who left worshippers but no disciples, Mr. Walsh spawned an entire generation of acolytes. His defensive coordinator George Seifert won two Super Bowls with San Francisco; his offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren won one with Green Bay. Mr. Seifert's pupil Mike Shanahan, schooled in Mr. Walsh's methods, won two more with Denver.
Mr. Walsh's influence on football today is so pervasive that nearly 20 years after his final game, the Super Bowl has practically become an annual showcase for his adherents. This past February, Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, a former player under Mr. Walsh, squared off against the Chicago Bears' Lovie Smith, who trained as an assistant to Dennis Green, once a Walsh receiver's coach.
That Messrs. Dungy and Smith were the first African-American coaches to reach the Super Bowl highlights perhaps Mr. Walsh's greatest legacy: In 1987, he helped create the Minority Coaching Fellowship Program. "I can tell you this," says Mr. Dungy, "his life was about much more than just X's and O's."
Mr. Barra writes about sports for The Wall Street Journal. http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110010410
In today's church world we hear an awful lot about the importance of being big. Big churches, big conferences and big men on the church campuses. Mr. Walsh was a big man in his world who filled a lot of seats in football stadiums but as we see in the article above, he was much more.
Jesus' model of leadership was one of equipping and multiplication. If you are not raising up and rewarding men and women who are more gifted and experienced than you then you are not leading like Jesus no matter how many times you have read the book by that name.
Now is the time for Seasoned Believers to multiply there wisdom and influence.
The Most Dangerous Drugs
For the past forty years we have heard about the dangers of street drugs like cocaine, heroin and meth. There is no doubt that these drugs are both illegal and dangerous. However, alcohol still remains the most dangerous drug in the world.
A recent series on HBO covered the rather complex issues surrounding addictions and had this to say about treatment.
Which Treatment Should I Pursue?
by A. Thomas McLellan, Ph.D.
I am not sure I have a substance use problem Perhaps you have found yourself drinking or using more than you intended, or you have had an accident or social problem associated with your alcohol or drug use, or you have friends or family who have been worried about your use.
Option 1
Try to reduce or quit yourself. Experts have set guidelines that can help you determine if you have a problem. In the case of alcohol, drinking more than four drinks in a day, 14 in a week is considered "heavy drinking" for men.
Women who have more than three drinks in a day, 11 in a week fall into this category. If many of your friends drink this much, it may be difficult for you to drink less and still be around them.
Try drink-reducing strategies such as having a drink of water or soda between alcoholic drinks; or taking only the amount of cash that you wish to spend at a bar and not using credit cards. Other strategies include making a contract with yourself for use only at planned days and time periods. The Internet offers many other reduction strategies. Regardless of your strategy, keep the alcohol guidelines in mind - and be honest. If you find you cannot keep within these guidelines it may mean you need additional help.
Many people think if they drink only beer and do not drink what we call "hard liquor" they cannot have a drinking problem. That is not true. Beer is as dangerous as whiskey.
It is especially important for parents to be careful when they drink. Many accidents are the result of a couple of beers and kids also pick up the habit of seeing alcohol as an answer to stress.
For several years I struggled with a drinking problem. I finally quit when God touched my life. However, I was still deeply addicted to smoking. I could not quit until the Lord used the birth of my daughter Julia to convince me that seeing her grow up was more important than a drag of nicotine. I immediately stopped doing that drug as well as alcohol and I am much better off for it as are my kids.
If a family member or friend has warned you to stop or reduce your drinking, you have a problem. If you have failed at managing it yourself, find some place to get help. AA is a good place to begin.
If you are married to a problem drinker, go to Al Anon. Get help for your self.
Stop being a slave to drugs. Alcohol and nicotine are drugs.
A recent series on HBO covered the rather complex issues surrounding addictions and had this to say about treatment.
Which Treatment Should I Pursue?
by A. Thomas McLellan, Ph.D.
I am not sure I have a substance use problem Perhaps you have found yourself drinking or using more than you intended, or you have had an accident or social problem associated with your alcohol or drug use, or you have friends or family who have been worried about your use.
Option 1
Try to reduce or quit yourself. Experts have set guidelines that can help you determine if you have a problem. In the case of alcohol, drinking more than four drinks in a day, 14 in a week is considered "heavy drinking" for men.
Women who have more than three drinks in a day, 11 in a week fall into this category. If many of your friends drink this much, it may be difficult for you to drink less and still be around them.
Try drink-reducing strategies such as having a drink of water or soda between alcoholic drinks; or taking only the amount of cash that you wish to spend at a bar and not using credit cards. Other strategies include making a contract with yourself for use only at planned days and time periods. The Internet offers many other reduction strategies. Regardless of your strategy, keep the alcohol guidelines in mind - and be honest. If you find you cannot keep within these guidelines it may mean you need additional help.
Many people think if they drink only beer and do not drink what we call "hard liquor" they cannot have a drinking problem. That is not true. Beer is as dangerous as whiskey.
It is especially important for parents to be careful when they drink. Many accidents are the result of a couple of beers and kids also pick up the habit of seeing alcohol as an answer to stress.
For several years I struggled with a drinking problem. I finally quit when God touched my life. However, I was still deeply addicted to smoking. I could not quit until the Lord used the birth of my daughter Julia to convince me that seeing her grow up was more important than a drag of nicotine. I immediately stopped doing that drug as well as alcohol and I am much better off for it as are my kids.
If a family member or friend has warned you to stop or reduce your drinking, you have a problem. If you have failed at managing it yourself, find some place to get help. AA is a good place to begin.
If you are married to a problem drinker, go to Al Anon. Get help for your self.
Stop being a slave to drugs. Alcohol and nicotine are drugs.
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