What I Learned While Traveling the World with My Babies this Summer (Part 2)

As I mentioned in my previous post, the main lesson that I learned while traveling to Europe with my babies this summer is that God can be glorified in a place where we focus on doing less and being more.  This is hard for me.  I like to be busy.  I like to do things, but I'm learning day by day to embrace His grace and walk in it.

I'm also learning to find joy and His fingerprints in the messes of life.  I don't like messes either, but this simple lesson was on full display as we traveled to Europe this summer with our girls (honestly, is it even POSSIBLE to travel with a 3 year old & 13 month old without a giant mess in your wake?)...and I think I'm starting to get it.  God can be in the midst of the mess.  He isn't nearly as uncomfortable as I am, and He really does love using the foolish and weak parts of our lives to show off.  Here's two ways He demonstrated this to me on our trip:

Fashion Class and "Glitter Nails" in Czech Republic
We were teaching in a creative arts camp while in Czech Republic and I was assigned to help my
amazing friend Dita teach fashion class.  Now, while I DO love a good pair of shoes & sometimes tune into Fashion Police, I am far from a fashionista and I know next to nothing about designing clothes, which is what this class would be doing.

Leading up to the camp, Dita would email me her amazing ideas (creating wedding dresses out of plastic, t-shirt transformation, and a lecture on Grace Kelly style), and often asked what I wanted to contribute.  Contribute?  As in teach something about fashion?  I had nothing.  I scoured Pinterest, but discovered that my best ideas had been done in previous years at the camp.  The only idea that I had to offer that seemed of interest was "glitter nails."  Now, I had never done "glitter nails."  I had read about it on Pinterest and seen some successful ventures on the hands of a few friends.  It looked easy enough, and I felt confident as I purchased numerous shades of polish & glitter from Wal-Mart - I could make this fabulous!

Dita gives the girls her opinion on their latest des

My first day in fashion class was fun albeit a little overwhelming.  I was trying to get into a rhythm of juggling my babies while also connecting with the young people, and I just tried to stay up.  We colored fashion designs and played with pastels to get a feeling for how color works with fabric.  I smiled at the sweet girls in our class and had barely exchanged names when our 3 hours class was finished.

Each day got progressively easier while the projects were progressively harder.  We created dresses, painted t-shirts, and designed wedding gowns out of plastic.  I quickly realized that I needed to at least try to help with fabrics & design.  I remember clearly trying to help my girls with the wedding dress and thinking to myself, "I am making a mess!"  And in that moment, I felt God whisper, "I can be in a mess...just keep working at it."  And so I stapled and fitted plastic on our model.  We laughed together and little by little we transformed yards of white plastic into a beautiful gown that I was quite proud of (if I do say so myself).

The final day of camp we had a fashion show & party where each class was able to show off what they had learned.  As we prepared for our walk down the cat-walk, Dita asked if I could give each of the girls "glitter nails" so we could look fierce.  Absolutely!

And so, in the last few minutes of class with these precious girls, I helped create another mess.  We started to paint and add glitter to our fingers when I realized that we were not looking like the Pinterest pictures that I had seen.  It was a mess.  At first I wanted to panic with the realization that this was not living up to my preconceived ideas of fabulous "glitter nails" when I looked around to see that the girls didn't see the lack of perfection that I was so sensitive to...instead, these girls who had bonded over the previous week were oohing and aahing over one another's hands.  There was laughter in the room, and more than a couple of the girls asked if I could paint their nails for them (I was, after all the "glitter nail" expert).  And in that stuffy classroom across globe, I felt the presence of God.

With sparkles of glitter on these young women that I now loved, I silently prayed that they would find Him.  May they be drawn to the One who makes life radiant.  May they see that He alone can redeem and create beauty from the messes we are so prone to create.

Pastel drawings as we practiced with color

Our plastic wedding dresses as modeled in the fashion show

Selah's FAVORITE moment of the entire trip - modeling her t-shirt in the fashion show

Puddle Jumping in Norway
Our week in Norway was focused on prayer and encouraging our good friends (Sean & Hannah) as they prepare to plant a church in September.  Again, we would "do missions" by just "being with them."  Everyday was spent prayer walking for a couple of hours & then we would simply hang out - talking, dreaming, bouncing ideas off one another.  In the midst of this talking and prayer, we had five children in their house, which could only mean one thing - plenty of messes.

I gave up after a couple of hours trying to pick up after my girls.  It was a loosing battle, and we all decided to just relax and let them have some fun.  In my mind, this was fine when we were at home, but when it was time to do our prayer walks we should be extra spiritual - no messes.

I think God was laughing at my attempts to be spiritual, because on our very first prayer walk we definitely encountered a mess.  We walked to a school where they plan on meeting for their church services, and because it had been raining for days the parking lot was dotted with puddles as big as a playa lake.  Our kids were in strollers, and so the adults took a few minutes to walk around the school praying and seeking God...and being spiritual.  I was focused in prayer when I heard my daughter's laughter across the parking lot.

As I looked up, I realized that she & Sean's oldest son had gotten out of the strollers and were running, jumping, and splashing in the giant puddles!  My first thought was that she would be soaked, and that I wasn't up to the mess that would certainly ensue, when I was reminded of my recent lesson in Czech Republic - God can be in the mess.

And so, I decided to let her play, and I stood back and smiled at the joy of these two small children.  It was better than Disney World!  They laughed and shrieked, and before I knew it, all of the adults were cheering them on.  God spoke to my heart a lot that day - about jumping a little more...about trusting Him even when what is before me looks like a mess...about the joy that is all around if I will look for it...and about this church plant.  Our friends are probably going to make a mess or two.  They will definitely be forced to jump out of their comfortable and clean lives to make an impact in Norway, but they are saying yes to God and ready to make a mess for Him.

We prayed that day while our kids jumped in puddles that this school would be a blessing for their church...that they would find favor there & that God would get glory as they make a mess for His kingdom.  And guess what?  Two weeks later, they met with the principal of that school and were given three rooms to meet in each week...for free.  Let the puddle jumping begin in Norway!

When Art Is A Call For Justice

I don't consider myself much of an artist, but I've decided to take on an art project to use at our annual Pursue Missions Conference.  This conference is kind of my second baby - the Lord spoke to me very clearly several years ago that one of my purposes was to be someone who gets missions & justice in the hearts of West Texans.  I've learned over the years that I can't place anything into another's heart...but I can do my best to stir up thoughts - to expose people to stories of injustice and hope - for those stories make a lasting impact in the heart.

This year at Pursue the theme is FOCUS - I feel like there are so many causes and so many voices clamoring for our attention that we do one of two things - we either shut down because the voices cause us to feel helpless...we feel like we can't really make an impact in any of the areas where need is great, so instead we become paralyzed and don't try to make any dent...OR we try to give to every voice that we hear, which in turn leaves us feeling stretched and ineffective.  As I prayed this year about our annual conference, all I could think about what a statement that Keith Wheeler (a missionary who carries the cross) would say in college.


Ministry is nothing more than an overflow of Jesus' love in my heart.  

As I thought on that quote...it became clear to me that my small efforts are most effective when they come out of a heart that is full of His love.  It is when I know that I am loved by Him...when I see His grace at work in my own life that I am most aware of injustice in this world.  It is then that I want others to experience that love...that grace...that joy.  It is then that my efforts are most sincere and beautiful.

And so this year we are focusing - Focusing on Him & then trying to help others actually focus on what they can do - the simple and the complex...the small and the big...the prayers and the gifts...the overflow of love.

I am a big believer is using all sorts of methods to get stories and this message of focus into hearts.  I came up with the idea that this year we would take photographs from all over the world that have a story - we have blown them up into huge portraits & we are asking people to turn them into art - to say something with the picture...

And this brings me back to where I began - my art project this weekend.

I'm taking this picture - it's a picture that I personally took 4 years ago in India.  I was at a school with 4 years olds and I couldn't help but notice that this beautiful small girl had feet that were painted red.  Her little toes were barefoot in the school in the middle of the slum & her ankles sang with each step she took as the anklets she wore jingled.

I pulled aside one of our contacts from India and inquired as to why her feet were painted red.

It's a sign that she has been married to another.  I shook my head in disbelief certain that I had misheard, but my fears were confirmed - at the age of 4 this small girl had been given to another in marriage - for reasons unknown to us.  Perhaps because it was a way to align the family with another or because of religious insistence.  The contact assured me that she was not living this marriage out, but that she would be given to this person she did not know as an early age - her life...her path was determined at the age of 4.

I took a picture of those beautiful feet and this picture has hung in my office from that day forward - a reminder to pray for this one and so many like her...girls in India - precious girls who's lives feel hopeless - that they would meet the author of hope.  That the color red would take on new meaning one day - that their feet...and their hearts would encounter the red blood of Jesus that covers all.

And so, I'm looking at this giant picture of red feet & asking Jesus how to send a message with this art piece.  I feel as though I'm to put scriptures and prayers around her feet (hopefully it will seem artistic) but mostly I want them to be a declaration of hope over her life...

And here is where I would love your help.  Would you share in the comments section scriptures or prayers that are on your heart?  Perhaps they are directed at this young woman or perhaps for the injustice that this one story stirs.  I want to use thoughts beyond my own to paint a picture of God's hope for this life.

As a thank you for sharing, I will draw one name from everyone who comments and send you a matted picture of these beautiful feet so you too can remember to pray.

Back from Czech Part 2 - Friendships and Partnerships that Go the Distance

Dita & Lukas in front of a theater billboard highlighting their church

Our trip to Czech Republic was the result of our good friends Lukas & Dita Targosz inviting myself and my dad to speak at their annual Family Fest.  We have built a friendship with Lukas and Dita over the past 8 years and our church, Church on the Rock, has built a partnership with their church – Element (www.element.cx) . 

For the past 8 years we’ve sent mission teams to partner with Element, and watching this partnership and friendship grow has become a highlight in ministry for me over the years.  As many of you know I organize around 10 mission trips every year for COTR and Pursue Missions and around 3 years into doing trips I became convicted about the way many “do missions” in the states.

I realized that many American Christians are guilty of simply doing what I would call drive-by trips.  They love seeing new cultures, tasting new foods, meeting new people…and although they do go with good hearts and do want to see the church built in other nations, they are quick the next year to decide to go to a new location.  They want the excitement of something BRAND NEW and they leave behind the national church planters to try and establish new partners.

I must admit that I like experiencing new cultures as much as the next person (I so badly want to go to Africa!), but I’ve found that what I love more – is actually planting a piece of my heart in one or two locations and watching God do something amazing!  That is what has happened to Josh and I when it comes to Czech Republic.

Our first trip 8 years ago just so happened to fall a few weeks before Lukas and Dita were going to plant what later became Element.  We didn’t know this brave couple yet, but they welcomed our team of 7 with open arms and took us around the city of Hradec Kravlove.  They shared with us their hopes for the people of this city…they shared with us why they had chosen to plant a church in this location…and as we traversed the city and prayed at many locations I began to get great hope in my heart as well.  I WANTED Lukas and Dita to succeed.  I could envision a church in this city that had so little Christian influence, and when I came home 8 years ago I had given a small piece of my heart to HK.

We’ve gone back almost every year (this was our 8^th trip since 2003).  We’ve taken teams to teach in schools, we’ve brought bands to draw crowds, we’ve  gone just as a couple to encourage and share – and EACH time a little more of our hearts have been given.

Josh & I teaching in a Czech school in 2006.

Swingletrees playing a concert on one of our mission trips.

 And so with this trip, I have to tell you that our hearts were overflowing when we saw with our eyes what God has done in the last 8 years.  Those prayers and dreams that Lukas and Dita first shared with us were unfolding before our eyes – we saw Czech people, many who were atheists only a year or two ago (probably close to 100 of them) worshipping God with abandon.   

Worship during the Czech Service at Element.

We saw international college students serving with determination and love.  How fun to see young people from Kenya and Norway…Ghana and Dubai working alongside Czech church planters for the sake of the Kingdom.

Two of my favorite Element girls - Veronica & Theodora

 It was a sight to see, and it made us proud!  And it was there standing with this brave group of believers that I once again was reminded why I’m so glad I haven’t just done missions to see new sights and to have stories to tell.  I’ve done missions to build lasting friendships – to make an investment in a community.  I’ve done missions many times but to only a few places…and it’s changed me more than I know.

By the way, we’re not the only ones who’ve given to this friendship and partnership.  Lukas and Dita have traveled to Lubbock as well.  They’ve come to support our Pursue Conferences, Lukas has taught in our Ministry Training School, and this past October – Lukas trained our staff and spoke in our weekend services.  This is the sign of a true partnership – where Americans put down our pride of being the only ones who have something to give & realize that our fellow Christian leaders around the globe have a WEALTH of wisdom, experience, and truth to share with us!

May we all find places to plant our hearts…our time…and our prayers.  

Selah loves her Czech Aunt & Uncle!

 Oh, and if you read the Czech language, you should check out Lukas' blog - www.lukastargosz.blogspot.com

I learned how to head bang!

I don't quite know how to start this blog other than by stating the truth: I NEVER thought I would spend 22 hours in a Coliseum (in Snyder, TX no less) with Rock Music playing non-stop (actually only 17 hours of music)...but that is what I did this past weeekend...and although my ears still ache and there were moments when I became delerious with exhaustion...I must admit that I had fun...I had a lot of fun!

So how does a girl who prefers the likes of Corrine Bailey Rae, Brooke Fraser, and Phil Wickham start to describe head banging and screaming? I honestly am unsure, so I'll just share my pictures & hope that they do justice for our trip.

First, a little background info: Myself along with 7 others traveled to the Red Letter Rock Fest in Snyder, TX to promote Pursue Missions & LIFT. It was amazing that other than the bands it was us, AirOne & Compassion International. Our booth was actually on the ground where the concerts were taking place, so we got to talk to a LOT of people...

Here is Missy & Greg talking to a few kids about LIFT


The concert started on Friday night & here is my amazing team ready to ROCK


I wasn't too sure about some of the bands Friday night.
Norma Jean...Spoken...Disciple...
But when Audio Adrenaline came on I realized two things: 1. I'm old & 2. I still like them!
Here is Kyla & I doing the moves to Big House

The headliner on Friday was Family Force 5...although I didn't know their music I have to admit that I am now a BIG fan! These guys were AMAZING performers. I mean, who sings while wearing Hulk Gloves? And of course I love a band who says things like, "Shake your BA-DONK-A-DONK for Jesus!


Oh, also Kyla & I got all-access passes & we even went on stage twice to scream about Pursue & Lift. We were hoping that we would get good slots to go on stage & sure enough...we went on before Audio Adrenaline & Superchick...very cool!

Saturday morning started out with the band: Stars Go Dim & they were my FAVORITE! Seriously, I think you should check them out...I got their CD & have been listening to it since I got home. Plus, it was nice to look at the lead singer's arms (I'm not gonna lie...)

Randall joined us on Saturday!


They had a resident artist that would paint something during each band on the main stage. Here are two of the works that he did. It was really amazing to watch him paint & I loved his artwork.


Superchick

Hawk Nelson

Missy & I - we were pretty much done at this point...oh yeah, I get delirious when I'm super tired...

I'm Ready to Rock

So, I'm headed to the thriving metropolis of Snyder, TX tomorrow to the Red Letter Rock Fest. It is an amazing opportunity to promote Pursue & share our vision with 5,000 young people...so, I'm really excited although I'm not sure if I can do 12 hours of Christian Rock Music. I just went to the website to listen to a few of the bands, and while I'm great with the likes of Hawk Nelson, Super Chick, Family Force Five and other...I have to admit that a few of the bands just scare me!

So, just a quick request to all my readers to say a prayer for me! Here is what I'm praying for

1. That I actually can be cool for the weekend so that I have lots of opportunities to talk about our vision for Pursue missions - (My AMAZING co-worker Kyla is going with me, so I think she has coolness enough for the entire booth)
   
2. That my eardrums are protected - super jazzed that our booth is between K-Love & Compassion International...but our booth is actually on the floor of the concert pavilion, so it is non-stop music for the entire weekend!
3. And for the 3 minutes that we have on stage - that we would be dynamic, passionate & somehow communicate what is most important to convey the heart behind PURSUE!

That's it! Oh, and while I'm on it - mark your calendars now for Pursue 2009 - October 16-18 - our theme is ALL - All of Him, All of Me, All the World...It is going to be fabulous!!!!
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