The motivation of Grace

This last year I have called on the name of the Lord. I have cried out to Him countless times, in tears, frustration, anger, joy, weakness, gratitude – the list of emotions could go on. These last twelve months I have petitioned Jesus Christ to intercede on behalf of my daughter, my marriage, our ministry, sick friends and family, hurting marriages, raging storms of all kinds.  Sometimes the events of this life invite our full participation in how they unfold and sometimes they just happen completely out of our control. A little over a year ago the latter came knocking on our door.

I remember sitting at my kitchen table, tears streaming down my face, anger burning in the pit of my stomach, confusion and helplessness overwhelming me. Nathan had just taken our sweet three year old Rosy to be admitted to the hospital for uncontrolled seizures.  As a parent this has to be one of the worst experiences I have ever encountered; the complete and utter loss of being able to help my child or control any variables that were making her sick. I felt panic, instinctively wanting to call Nathan, or my mom or just anyone to ease the spiralling thoughts going through my head. But the reality struck stiffly, that no words from anyone here on earth could change Rosyn’s situation. There was no definite answer or intervention that we knew to try that would give us the results we wanted.

Rosyn in the BC Childrens Hospital February 2014

I remember sitting at that table in the middle of the day, completely at a loss of what to do and I closed my eyes. I found my mind remembering stories of people scattered throughout the bible that had been in distress and crisis and their response was often to cry out to God. Taking after these examples was a strange thought, to sit there right where I was and start talking – well more yelling - in the height of all my disconcerted, raging emotions to God, but the Holy Spirit was impressing upon me to do just that. I remember taking the time to question and ask in doubt and annoyance how this could possibly be what I was supposed to do in that moment. There was no specific revelation as to why this would help - but simply that was what God wanted me to do, even what He was asking me to do. He wanted me to invite Him into my distress.  He was not going to barge into my weary and burdened state uninvited. He wanted me to cry out to him for help. And so I did just that.

I remember up until that point feeling quite reluctant to bother God with my honest and very raw emotions – I would bother Him once I had it under control. I didn't believe that He wanted me to unload all my confusion and anger at what was happening to Rosyn. Guilt told me to cling to every illusion that I had it together on the outside, even before my all knowing God! As a maturing Christian – a missionary no less, I should have been feeling emotions much more admirable, I should have been the picture of hope and strength.  As I thought through my logic, I realized the opposite was actually true, God wanted me to bring to Him my deepest emotion, my anger and all, not with a manner or heart of disrespect but out of a place of my honest living flesh – for He had created my inmost being, He had created my very flesh and knew far better than anyone how to handle my every thought and concern. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And so I decided to surrender in that moment, come before God instead of man and cry out. I don’t remember exactly what I said; I just remember feeling liberated to finally get real and honest with God.

Rosyn Spring 2015! Praise Jesus

God did not heal Rosyn on that day. But I cried out to God and he heard my cry. He did not give me all the answers I wanted. But he did answer me. After pouring my heart out to him, right in the middle of the day, sitting at my kitchen table, I felt better. I had not called Nathan or my mom, or anyone else. I had called upon the name of the Lord and he saved me from the pit of despair I was falling into. It is from my very own authentic and honest experience that God lifted my spirits that day; He renewed my resolve to believe that He was in control and had Rosyn in the very palm of His hand. Happiness was quite the opposite of how I felt that day, but strangely I did feel hope and joy; only God.

And so I can tell you; I have called on the name of the Lord. I have been given this undeserved, totally unprecedented privilege to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater ease or peace or release of burden, than to call on the name of the Lord in times of trouble and find a very real response. As I drew nearer to Him – He not only drew nearer to me, He washed over me songs of joy which filled my heart when I should only have felt sorrow and despair. He brought to life verses from His word that ministered to my heart, words that I clung to and words that I still have etched throughout my home.  And in the year to come, as my cries continued, he gave my family and I comfort through his presence and through an army of friends and family. He surrounded our aching clan in unending chains of prayer. These precious gifts which have preserved my very soul were made tangible because I was able to call on the name of the Lord my God.

Can you see the excitement???

Little Princess celebrating her 4th birthday!

This last year I have struggled with the idea of sharing these moments, of revealing intimate times in my journey with God. I have asked myself the question, 'how can the out of control emotions of a mother, and God’s response to her hold any relevance in telling the story of her sick child?' I don’t believe Rosyn’s health concerns were meant to happen for a reason or were purposed to grow my faith, but I do believe that God had much to teach me in how to trust him through the situation.  My hope is that as I share bits from my experience in crying out to God that He would use it for His glory; that other’s would hear and know that they too can call out to God and He will answer. God gave me, Rosyn’s mother; the where with all to face in strength, hope, compassion and love every high and every low lived out by Rosyn. He reached out to help me at my point of despair and hopelessness, and equipped me with the perseverance to pray like mad for my daughter for multiple hours each day during the months when her illness was at its worst.  So as I have cried out to the Lord and found help personally, we have with great thanksgiving and praise also witnessed God bring healing and answer prayer for the stability of Rosyn’s epilepsy. Crying out to God that day marked just the very step He was longing for in the journey I was embarking upon as Rosyn's mom, an invitation to be Lord over every situation in our lives.

As I emphasize the sheer grace and gift it is to call on the name of the Lord I am struck by these words I read on Easter Sunday this last weekend, found in David Platt's book Radical. Platt quotes a fellow missionary living in a place where it is illegal to spread the word of God, “How many people have not believed because they have not heard? What will it take for those people to hear? Have they not heard because there is no one to tell them? What can we do, in obedience to God, to change a world in which there are millions and millions of people who cannot call on the name of the Lord?” And this question plunged straight to the depths of my heart; what can I do for the millions and millions who cannot call on the very name of Jesus Christ himself because they have never even heard His name?

It is completely incomprehensible to think about how my family would have made it through this last year without being able to call on the name of the Lord. I cannot begin to fathom what I would have done without the Helper, the Sustainer and the Healer to call upon for my daughter. Funny how words on a page can affect our souls and the words from this particular missionary in Platt's book did just that. Like a new Christian, stunned to think about their life without Christ, I am brought back to the same place of contemplating my life without having this amazing outlet to call on the Lord. And I am compelled to enter in to the devastating reality that there are hundreds of millions around the world who live and die without even having the chance to call on His name.

Easter Sunday 2015 - The easter bunny was good to us!

This challenging read by David Platt, went on to beg the question, what are we doing to bring the gospel to those who have never heard – to those who have no knowledge that in the staunch despair of this spinning world that they can stand upon the promise that when they call upon the name of the Lord - they will be saved (Romans 10:13). As Paul teaches, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10: 13-15).

It is plain to see that these concepts in Platt’s book are not novel ideas; they are echoed thousands of years earlier by Paul and were inspired by the very God who lets me call upon His name. So as I reflect over the roller coaster of grace this last year I am reminded by modern day and century old Christian writers what it is I am to do with the grace God has given me. His grace is no gift by which I have any right to keep to myself. So begs the question how do I carry this Jesus gospel to those who have not heard, how do I preach so that others who do not otherwise know – may call upon the name of the Lord? Nathan and I are working hard to answer the “how” in our own lives while humbly trying to ask God what could be standing in the way of our full participation?

Grace
Sisters who have a lot of love to share!

As Platt penned in his book, Radical, “There must be more to this American gospel – that has become, “accept the freely offered salvation of Jesus Christ, let his grace wash away all your sin and then live the remainder of your every breath pursuing a nice life”. Nathan and I are uneasy at the thought of living by a North American gospel but we have not been immune to it. We confess the temptation to live a mediocre faith and nice life is very real. But when we re-orientate ourselves to the truth of the Jesus gospel, we fully believe we are all called to be a part of God’s global delivery of His grace and salvation especially to those places with no viable way to hear the Jesus gospel. With this propelling wave of motivation crashing upon our hearts, we too would love to inspire fellow sojourners in Christ, to stay participants in how God can use them, to ask the hard questions about how God would have them be involved in taking Christ to the least reached, to not scare away from the sacrifice and cost but to embrace it and search for achievable means by which we can support one another to live radically for Jesus’ gospel.

Nathan Staffing the 1st ever Vancouver YWAM Spring DTS

The events that have happened this last year have challenged me beyond what I thought I could handle and have brought me to a place of what now...how do I move forward, how do I and my family take the cards we have been given and serve the Lord? Rosyn's journey could reach far beyond a testimony that changed my life. If I could be so willing, Rosyn's story could be the beginning of the manifest passion to see Nations call upon the name of the Lord. Crying out to Jesus has not been my first taste of God's amazing grace and I hope not the last! But I pray that this encounter will be the spark that lights a fire in my soul; to live a radical life with an insatiable appetite to see Nations call upon the name of Jesus – for there is no greater name.

By grace alone.

Jenny 

"The currency of the kingdom of light is FAITH"

Emily is an extraordinary young lady who has been taking part these last three months in the Vancouver YWAM DTS. She has a gift to write, and I would love to share her latest post - which could not be more fitting as the team heads into their last week of lectures before they depart for Thailand on December 8th. As she writes....their team truly has nothing to fear!! Check it out...you will not be disappointed!

CLICK HERE
http://www.ywamvancouver.org/training/dts_update.html

Be blessed

Jenny

WATCH THIS VIDEO from the Vancouver DTS Thailand Team

WATCH THIS short video made by the Vancouver DTS about their outreach to Thailand coming up SOON!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pioeAdCJEhE


My heart is invested beyond words to see what God has in store for each on of these individuals. It has been an absolute privilege and joy to watch their journey as they have come to know more about God in the last three months and it never ceases to amaze me how I am shaped and changed by each of their stories.

This exuberant group is about to embark on one amazing journey! Please pray for this amazing team as they prepare to go and during their time away from December through to March!

Would you consider asking God if you could pray for one of the team members during their time in Thailand? 

DTS Students and staff, "How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?" 1 Thessalonians 3:9

Jenny

A Work in Progress

Vancouver DTS 2014/2015

So I have this heart’s longing to communicate with the world around me just what it is my family is doing, just what it is we have given our lives to be a part of, not because I hope that people would in some way understand me better but that in the hopes that I could possibly elicit some reverberating heart beat to join the movement of God in their own life – because from one ordinary heart to the next it is possible to say good bye to the ‘American Dream” and serve God with every single flaw and every single vice in tow.

Nathan and I are quite ordinary people. If we are each other’s standard in which ordinary is measured, I am quite astoundingly ordinary for that matter. Yes we are quite your typical prairie grown, small town kids – quiet lives appeal to us as do years marked by memories made in the close comfortable proximity of family and friends. Our stories both apart and together possess no unusually flashy details that would place us on any note worthy pedestals. I can make an easy case, that with the ordinary odometer tipping the scales of very high, it was a small miracle we had the unsound wherewithal to step out of the very ordinary into the little less ordinary life of a six month Discipleship Training School in Vancouver.

So just what in the world is a “Discipleship Training School” and why would anyone decide to do something like that? I will answer the latter first, we had a somewhat loose yet like minded objective we set out to achieve as newlyweds and that was to start with a foundation of partaking in a missions/ministry based experience for two major reasons; 1. to learn more about God and 2. to grow our faith. So is the premise of our story. The Discipleship Training School came up in a handful of options and I suppose in the end we just went for it because of a few personal recommendations and the appeal that DTS appeared to focus more on overseas missions in developing nations.

So we embarked upon what I am sure will go down in my short life here on earth as one of the most personally challenging faith altering experiences of my life – not a small feat for this ordinary girl. God began the long and gruelling process of transforming this stubborn hearted, pride filled prairie princess. I am living proof, God is patient. I left our Discipleship Training School 6 months later with complete relief that I could finally return to the ordinary life!

God of course had planted in my heart seeds that in time would take deep root and unearth a calling into full time ministry! What an amazing God, he is anything but ordinary and gracious enough to call just ordinary folk to take his hand and jump! This was not an easy endeavour by God and it took me three whole years to even acknowledge the idea of our family doing full time ministry– three years for me to even entertain the idea that my life could look very different than I had imagined! After overcoming the sheer panic at the thought of saying goodbye to my dearly loved ordinary life, God began to shower me with an overwhelming desire to obey Him! And so one day I uttered out loud these mere thoughts of returning to Vancouver to do full time ministry and my ‘not as ordinary’ husband was sold.

In September 2013, our family started working for Youth With a Mission (YWAM). YWAM operates in nearly every geopolitical location around the globe with one unified purpose; to know God and make Him known. There is a great two minute video you can find here which gives an over view of YWAM. So what about YWAM Vancouver? Just as any organization does, YWAM carries some fundamental values, but each location offers the unique flavour of the local culture. YWAM Vancouver is no different, and the location we have chosen to join forces with has a heart for both frontier missions – going to places that do not have a viable church - and urban missions – which is reaching the cities for Christ. YWAM Vancouver staffs about 40 missionaries – each with individual desires to work with their God given gifts and skills they possess and to serve outside the box in areas where needs arise.

Before leaving our lives as we knew it, into the unknown world of being missionaries, Nathan and I sat down to join our hearts and ask God if he had a mission statement he would like us to focus on as we stepped into ministry and this is what we got;

Our passion is to see hearts so inspired by Christ’s love, that they must live their lives recklessly and totally for His glory.

We have had the unreal opportunity to explore with God this last year what this mission statement looks like serving at the YWAM Vancouver location. It has been amazing to see this vision unfold before us in the form of young people opening up to have their lives transformed for the Kingdom of God. Nathan wrote in our last email update a brief note on one of the lives we have seen God take from the pit of despair and suicide to a life full of ambition and dreams to see Christ taken to the lives of the people in Myanmar,

"One of the buzz words I've been hearing in Christian circles recently is 'multiplication', the idea of making disciples that make disciples that make disciples and so on. It's been truly inspiring during the start of this DTS to watch a former student, one that we as staff poured countless hours into, now taking what he's learned and discipling four more young men. God is so good!"

Witnessing this story is truly more than we could have ever dreamt or imagined possible. It has been a completely humbling experience to be in the mix of God’s unfolding work.

The YWAM Vancouver DTS is in the throes of preparing to go on outreach, with hearts ready to say “yes” to what God has in store. One of the most exciting aspects of outreach is watching as God builds into each individual and no matter what degree of transformation takes place, each life returns home with a heart that has grown and changed. God in His perfect timing never misses out on an opportunity to draw the most he can from a situation, and so it is no surprise Nathan and I have been evaluating God’s calling and purpose for our lives.

As we dive more into our role here at YWAM Vancouver and work towards seeing hearts passionately changed for him – we have seen God expand our vision and widen our dreams. God has joined the desire to see lives discipled and transformed with the desire to seeing these individuals mobilized to go to the least reached places of the world. These hopes and dreams have really shown us how God reaches into the willing heart and places visions and longings that would look dramatically different without him.

I speak of the beginnings of our missionary story and where God has taken us, because I know this is not who we would be or where we would have ended up without the deep searing mark of God’s grace and leading in our lives. We are absolutely passionate about our God, and we have a burden to see the hearts of others stirred to something more, something deeper than the ordinary. We along with the community that supports us are living proof that it is possible to join God's story.

The Vancouver DTS staff and students will head out into regions of Thailand where Christ is not known, where the church is not viable and where people are trapped in slavery and oppression. It is only the second season in our life that we have prepared with the staff and students, and though this year we will cheer them on from Canada, I cannot help but well up with absolute delight at what God has in store.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:8-12


With love and the grace of Christ,
Jenny


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It's no mistake you have a heart

How do I say thanks to every person I have had the pleasure of sharing moments in time with this last year?

Wife, mamma to two little women, nurse and missionary working in one of the greatest culturally diverse, secular cities in the Americas can lead to the schedule that got away and so I must say a good steep in God’s presence is a rare occasion these days! But amidst life’s busy craze, God has graced me with His much needed presence! It has been here in God’s presence where I have marveled at how He has taken care of myself and my family, carrying us through a tough year and leaving our cup fuller than it was before we started. I am struck by the wholeness of Gods’ plan for everything. I see a great creator and inventor God who effortlessly formulated and now sustains each end of the natural world from the galaxies right down to the microscopic atom. These far from understood realities blow my mind of course but I would have to admit this is not what draws me to him most – I am utterly and reverently drawn to God because not only did He choose to play his hand at creator and sustainer of everything physical but He purposefully and intentionally chose to give me a heart and soul for the purpose of relationship - with Him and the world.

However you like to define the essence of the human, be it the word “spirit”, or “heart”, or “inner being”, God cares immensely for this part of us – He cares so much about it in fact that He fabricated this part of us to be eternal, with the hopes we would choose to be in relationship with Him forever –(as a side note I would like to state my mere mention here regarding “eternal soul” fails miserably to pay credit to this monumental part of God’s design – I apologize but I vow to stick to the point)! So back to how God purposefully planned to care for our hearts (the word I will choose); there are four means obvious to me by which I know God cares for our hearts; 1. the timeless truths of His written word, 2. through His very own presence of the Holy Spirit, 3. through the world He created for us to live in (ie. Nature, animals, technology etc) – and 4. (which I find most interesting) through relationship with Him and with people – the people namely being His “body” or group of individuals whose lives have been transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This group 4 was not an afterthought, it was very well thought out in fact, and His word – the bible - clearly demonstrates on a big picture scale God’s attempts throughout history to have relationship with us and for us to have relationship with each other.

It is through number 4, this group of individuals, this body of believers that God has been taking great care of my heart as of late. As I’ve not be able to deny the work of His hands through the vessel of His people, my heart overflows an intense and reverent appreciation for God and how He loves – He is so good and I am so thankful! This summer we have had the gift of passing through the lives and hearts of so many people, from all walks of life it seems – all possessing individual journeys of different joys and hardships.

A college and career pastor once gave me some words of advice which I hope never leave the fibers of my bone marrow, “never stop learning”. And so I have been lead to step back and ask God what is all this about, what would you have for me as I pass in and out of the lives of a good number of people, what would you have me learn? When God speaks it’s often in a still small voice that whispers softly; and I hear Him say, “search for me and I will be there, look for me in the heart and soul of this person and I will reveal myself. You will find me in the way this person loves their child, or in the way this person serves their husband, or here in the way this person generously gives of his time, her money, their possesses, opens her home, or in the way this friend or family listens or prays ceaselessly or in the way this person you just met offers encouragement or there in the covering you feel when you walk into the church you’ve long missed, or over here through the hidden note you find tucked away for later, maybe in the hug , hand shake or affirming look that speaks a million words of ‘we’re with you and for you’. Search for me and find me in the vulnerable, sincere conversation found with the least expected, see me there in the smiling eyes of the hello’s and good-byes, look for me and I will be there, hunt through what the world calls a mess and you will capture what it is I’m up to and what I can teach you through the moments of someone else’s life”. And it all seems that this spinning world stops just long enough for me to realize in the vapors of this life that pass me by, here in these precious moments spent with people, I find God, and I cannot stop being thankful for how He loves me.

The search has been so intriguing and further simply encouraging. “As iron sharpens iron” so the lovers of Christ sharpen me. Where do I even begin other than to say God’s people – the people in my life whose path I have crossed in a Godly and Christ centered way have all influenced me to keep on keeping on – to seek God and grow deeper, and love more, and give my time, and serve well, and practice generosity and to take heart and find courage and to show grace and more grace to those I daily love and to be a good friend and to spend my time wisely. The list goes on people, but this is it, this is what I’ve been given this last year and I have to share it because this is GOD, this is how he loves. He puts people in our lives to sharpen us to make us stronger to push us on, to lift our weary heads, to bring hope to the hopeless and healing for the broken hearted! God does this, He cares for the heart's of His people. And it will be through his people that others will know His love - He will be made known by US!

So I have been reminded why we do not do life alone, because this was never God’s design. This was never God’s intention. No matter how messy someone’s life is now, no matter how different someone’s life may look, with God at work, there is love to be shared between each other, there is grace to be given and there is a world to make known the love of CHRIST.

 Jenny

Stewarding Grace

Nearly a year ago our exuberant first born was diagnosed with epilepsy. This very personal family matter arose in convergence with our biggest vocational/faith based commitment; saying yes to full-time ministry with YWAM Vancouver. We've been navigating first hand the unchartered water of discipling other's in Jesus, while simultaneously facing head on the uncertain, unpredictable road of a child with a chronic diagnosis. Both have required more leaps of faith than we could have ever predicted and both have called forth a sacrifice and suffering; one by choice and one by lot.

Ok folks, here's the disclaimer; I'm not here to write about anything trendy or sexy, and this I say mostly to remind myself. Following Jesus isn't sexy, as a matter of fact, it turns out this thing requires some sweaty, gritty effort. Ok so hard work could still find appeal in our performance driven society, but mention the word suffer and  here is where I nix sexy.  As Christ followers we’re destined to face suffering, according to Jesus himself and a host of other writers found in God’s word. From a modern day voice, Beth Moore puts it in her Daniel bible study, “it’s not a matter of if suffering happens, it’s a matter of when”.

Following the results of Rosyn's last EEG, May 28, we received the most welcome news that she has finally been stabilized (0 seizures, and 0 continuous frequencies). We praise God for sustaining our family, for the work of His hand, we praise Him for respite, we praise Him for answered prayer, we praise Him for the extraordinary band of believers who championed us on, we praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness to us, we praise Him for how He loves and we praise Him for WHO HE IS!  But, after break through comes or in the case where it never does, what about the suffering bit? If we commit to be fully devoted follower's of Christ how do we embrace suffering when it opposes every natural choice, want or desire? I think if I could ask Jesus face to face he might wrap me up in his wise words and say; 'though this road will be marked by suffering, I will carry the load, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light, come and seek me for I want your whole self; your heart, mind, soul, and strength'! The answer may just be, though we will find suffering in this journey with Christ, the exchange is JESUS himself.

Nathan and I have lived a little life, we’ve had our own individual messy pasts, and together we’ve experienced and walked along side loved ones who have been thrown into the trenches of pain, suffering and death. I’m talking about some real-life blows we would not wish upon anyone. And these ‘now’ moments where I find myself in the throes of answered prayer, good news and miracles of plenty I cannot forget the suffering, not simply because it's so fresh the taste still lingers, but because of how Christ has proven himself completely worthy of my trust! I would say in these last four months with our Rosy journey, we have encountered some times of suffering and I have never worked harder to practice my faith and trust in God nor have I ever experienced more of Jesus himself as a result.  Though we do not seek out suffering, there is an unexpected treasure found when you travel down it's road; the raw, exposed, pungent and perfect love of a cross-hung-savior.

Miracles of plenty! Zoe Faith

Suffering for Christ is denying the nature of how one would normally be disposed to cope with a situation. For example in the face of the recent ongoing serious health concerns for my daughter, with out Jesus showing me the way, I was prone to feelings and actions filled with anger, bitter-doubt, cynicism, blame, envy etc. (Pardon my confession if no one else can relate!) To suffer in the way of Christ, I had strength to respond differently by the gift of grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank God for this person He sent to help me, for it is by no credit to myself I was able to feel peace, thankfulness, hope, power, strength, joy, motivation, and deep lamenting God filled sorrow and grief.  This journey has been far from picturesque, and thankfully I'm glad to say Jesus does not ask for perfection, simply a willing heart; for as my husband would say we definitely do not bat a thousand!

I’ve been asking God how I can bring the most glory to His name in the light of our good news; would it be by proclaiming the work of His hand over Rosyn's physical healing, would it be by testifying that the prayer’s of the righteous are indeed powerful and effective? Or in this call to steward the sheer grace we've been given, could the heart of the matter have more to do with testifying about the person I encountered, about WHO Jesus is, so that others may know, my faith is not built on if Jesus did or did not heal my child, but upon His name alone?

I’m challenged to my core with a great responsibility to make the name of Jesus known – to proclaim I serve a God who gives and takes away – yes – but will never leave me or forsake me – no. I serve a God who will walk with me in the valley of suffering and on the mountaintop of happiness. In the contemplation of how to communicate our story, this thought dropped into my heart, glory will not be given to Jesus by proclaiming how he has served me – his glory will be made known by telling other’s that by choosing to serve him in the pit of suffering and hard times I experienced a God who was enough for me! Glory to his name would be given if people could hear and know that in the pain of suffering and in the joy of good news, Jesus is enough, his love is pure and his presence is real, his compassion is tangible and his comfort is overwhelming. From our story we will proclaim we live life simply by the grace of God and on top of that stands a free invitation to do life along side the perfect creator, to find care under the shadow of His wing. This is an invitation to any old sinner, to be real and honest and completely transparent before him with all of life's grapplings, but also, to give Him our heart in return for the grace of life – and He will grant us, in the good and the bad, a life abundant with peace and overflowing with purpose!

Jenny

This will be part of the masterpiece...

Miracles come in all shapes and sizes, some appear instantaneously and others are traced over the passage of time. Miracles involve us, change us, captivate our attention, build our faith, and leave us mystified. Yet we have no control over them, no formula to create them and no ability to replicate the result. It is likely no stretch to say, a life lived, positions us all with the opportunity to cry out for a miracle or two. Our life has carved out a few of these occasions to date; the most recent being our cry for the miraculous healing of our daughter who has epilepsy.

There are many unique and ongoing details attached to the journey we are on with Rosyn Joy, though a simple explanation would be; in our brain there exists a looped circuit, while we sleep this circuit is normally at rest but for Rosyn this circuit is continuously active, which prevents her from putting what she learns to memory. Her speech is the most obvious area that has been affected and we are searching for a treatment to help her!

The seriousness of Rosyn’s epilepsy really began to emerge in February, with two different hospital stays. Family is our most important earthly treasure and as such we have gone to our knees, in submission before God to work out how He would have us respond in a time like this. We have been brought to seriously wrestle through some big questions like; why do we pray, how do you pray effectively, what is a miracle, how do you pray for a miracle, who is God and what defines His character, how do you get faith to move mountains, how do you access grace when life is hard and the list could go on. Our pursuit for answers has been challenging and at times unwanted, but humbly I tell you that Jesus Christ has been the center upon which we have focused our energy, and for this I cannot give thanks enough! I would say this journey has not been a crisis of faith but rather a building of trust in the belief that God will redeem the setbacks Rosyn currently faces and this is exciting news! Our circumstances could quite easily equate to the making of a sad story but we serve a God who will use Rosyn's trial for His ultimate glory!

Of course it would seem God can always teach me more than I set out to learn and so it was during one of the most difficult weeks we’ve experienced so far, God had plans to deepen my perspective! I was scheduled to take a bible course called “Kairos”, a Greek word which can be fittingly translated “taking full advantage of the present time”. This course presented the overarching purpose of God’s plan and how He assigns us the task to make His name know throughout the world. Ultimately the Holy Spirit used this time to birth in my heart what was only yet knowledge to my head; the belief that as a disciple of Jesus Christ I am called, at a cost, to make God’s name known among the nations. Following Jesus is not just believing in Him and reaping the benefits of His blessing, rather it is intentionally choosing to take His blessing to people who have not heard!

God is comforter, His love is perfect, He loves Rosyn, He is always faithful, He is for me and my family and my loved ones and all creation for that matter – but I would be missing the point if this is all that structured my purpose in following Christ! God is Lord of all and desires to have his name known in all the earth. God loves me yes – but ultimately God’s desire is for all peoples of the earth to love Him – and His plan will be completed with or without me. This whole truth impassions me to look past living for myself to a life lived under the outline of God’s plan. Right now our journey with Rosyn will be used to proclaim that the one God of this universe is GOOD, ALL the time, He will work together the health issues Rosyn faces for the good of his Glory because we love Him. We will continue to pursue God and seek the ways He would like to use our story to impact those who have not yet heard the good news of Jesus. There is a bigger picture being drawn out, and although we can only see one brush stroke, we believe in Christ and know Rosyn's story will be encompassed in the masterpiece of God's story.  

Jenny