The way forward

One of the things I have really enjoyed about being with the college is the team of people I work with. It is a joy to know them as brothers and sisters in Christ and to see the heart they put into training the next wave of workers for the Kingdom.

One of these brothers has been trying to make the jump into the RCMP force. He has received his call up notice and will be leaving mid July to join the other brave souls who serve Canada as Mounties. We will miss him but know that the purposes of God are higher then ours.  Good luck Lenin as you lead in this new endeavor.

Everyone who has any contact with CFN over the last 12 years know the B’s. This couple has served the body of Christ through CFN in teaching, mentoring, training, and just plain service. I could not even begin to list their input over these past years. If you know Grant and Janyce, you know they have a heart for the people of God. To honor that heart’s call, Grant and Janyce are leaving the college to return to the pastorate.

It is bittersweet to see these departures. Bitter because as selfish people we want to keep our family and friends close. Sweet because we know they are following God’s direction and others will be blessed by their lives as we have.

We pray for their ministries as they yeild themselves to God’s Holy Spirit. May He guide them, teach them, protect them, and bless them beyond measure.

Where oh Where has it gone

I am looking for the month of June. Has anyone seen it? I lost it along the way during weekend visits to Tim’s, holiday early  and parental visits late. I guess I have seen the last week of June 2009.

I am shocked how a whole month can disappear into thin air. Has anyone else ever had this problem? My daughter blames twitter for stealing her blog desire but my lack of twitter posts reveal that it would be a lame excuse indeed. I guess I can bleame facebook, but excuses are not the answer. I just have to face the fact that I lead a boring life. Not really boring (to me anyway) just normal. I am not a spiritual giant that has “voice from on high” revelations to pass along. I am not an expert on current events or living an extreme life of any kind.

I am just me and I am just lazy busy and did not take the time to put my wonderful thoughts onto cyber paper. I could never keep a journal or diary either.

At least my dog supports me. She thinks I am the bee’s knees! (you know-neato, cool, spiffy)

Time marches on.

May has been a blur and June is less than one week away. Wow has the time flown by. When last I posted I brought my (small) world up to date on Tim’s accident and injuries. He is back in Seattle, convalescing at home. He is able to move around on crutches and work a bit on projects for his clients.  We have begun to understand the extent of Tim’s recovery period. It has been three full weeks since the call and not a day goes by that I don’t realize how blessed we are to still have him. It will be a long road but he does not walk it alone. We met he and Rachel’s minister yesterday. They attend a small church located in Fremont. The abbess came by to pray for Tim’s recovery. It was fun to witness her support of them and to see her anoint his injuries with oil as she prayed from the Book of Common Prayer. Quite the blending of the old with the freedom of the Spirit.

God is good and we serve Him willingly. Trust and rest, these are the words we march too this summer.

Shalom

Where do I start?

The school year ended, we had a few days of summer (enough to plant flowers and put down a new paver walk to the front of the house) and now the rain has come with a vengeance. But the big news came last Monday morning. We received a call about an accident and the short story is that Sue has been in the LA area every since. She is being mom to our son and daughter(-in-law) while recovery is taking place.

This is one of those events that will mark our lives for a long time. we will remember 2009 as the year we became grandparents for the first time. But we will also remember it for the events of “May.” Time will tell how long May will last this year. Full recovery is on the horizon, lest my few readers worry but it is a distant place at this point.

When my oldest son and daughter(-in-law) were in a roll over years ago our family learned a valuable lesson about car insurance. Another couple is learning that lesson right now. All of you should consider the company you keep and I don’t just mean your friends. Read the fine print!

The Word of God is my comfort in all I face. This morning was no exception.

Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

How is that for fine print!

Be blessed,

Gerald

Spring 2009 is in the books

With the last apartment emptied and the furniture moved into storage the Spring semester has officially closed. Dr. Deeks in his eloquent way summed it up this way:
Dear everyone,
Thanks for making this year’s commencement another success. Nobody fainted or fell on their face (except Troy) and everyone who was supposed to graduate, did. (Good-bye Andrew!)
Special thanks to Grant for pronouncing Korean names; to Sue for making the student’s futures sound so bright; to Gerald for getting those tassels moved; to Troy for getting us started and to Kyung for getting us done; to Dennis for amazing sounds of grace; to Janyce for remembering to put the diplomas on the stage this year; to Veronica whose slide transitioning finger was working perfectly; to Endang who led the faculty flawlessly; to Lenin for holding back on your “cool” walk so the rest of didn’t look like dorks; to Sean who led us to Jesus in worship; and to Clint whose word reminds us all why we do what we do.
Grace and peace to you all,

I could not say it anybetter.

Shalom

Raise Him Up

Randy Travis – Raise Him Up (Video Version)

Drawing to a close

The Spring term at CFNBC has drawn to a close with only a few days of exams left. The commencement ceremony will be Saturday the 25th. Many visitors and family will join the rest of the college as we celebrate the completion of this stage of life for those who have finished the course.
The summer stretches out before us with its own challenges. How will the economy effect enrollment? How will the downturn effect donations? The constant in every fear is the big IF. Praise God He has shown Himself faithful through the years. Faithful to provide but also faithful to shed His light on what is happening. With God as our source we have only to trust.
What is the big IF in your life. Whatever it is, remember the promise of Jesus that His Spirit would never leave us. Feel His presence.

Easter, Piracy and you

Modern day pirates are not new. There have been pirates and privateers for centuries. But this last week the eyes of much of the world was focused on a small life raft floating in the middle of the ocean off the coast of Somalia. In that boat were four pirates and a captured captain from a freighter. It did not end well for the pirates.

Now the ship they took hostage in the first place was carrying relief supplies to needy countries. Other African countries were to receive food, clothing, books, tools and supplies. If the pirates were capturing the ship to distribute the supplies in their own country the world may have viewed the crime in a different light. But they were only after ransom money for the already rich war lord leaders of one of the three main clans.

The country of Somalia has now trees, no electricity, no phones and little food. The price at which recruits can be steered into piracy is simply the promise of food. The young negotiator who was taken captive after the other three were shot was only sixteen.

The answer for the problem of Somalia and much of the other problems in the world today can be found in Easter and what it meant to the first century world. The hope of the future became brighter that first resurrection morning. We have lost some of that brightness. The church needs to remember the whole person, not just count soul notches on their gospel belt. Reach the whole man, body,  soul and spirit. Feed them, clothe them, teach them, reach them.

What part can you play?

Friday Morning

Friday morning the students in the theology of Worship led the service. Student’s are always a bit nervous when in total control of the chapel (or so it seems from an outside observer) even though they normally provide the bulk of every chapel. Leadership carries with it a greater weight i guess.

The service included a short message and communion. The message was a taken from John 12 and included a comparison of the differences in how the other gospels handled the same story, primarily that of Judas and Lazarus. Very insightful. Read John 12 and Mark 14 to see if you can find the difference. I will give you a hint, the setting appears different but Mary is there in both. What she does, the aftermath and the finishing focus of the passage is striking.

What you wanted me to give you the answer? Nope, I am a teaching remember? Give a man a fish…….

This is the passion week, let your mind and heart be reconnected with our Lord and Saviour during this important week.

Shalom

Keith Green

Last month the students, under the direction Of Dr. Sean, preformed a short skit for the rest of the students. It brought back many memories of youth group days back in the 70’s. The message of the skit came from the scriptures and the words came from Keith Green reading them. It was a powerful reminder of what our day to day life can be if we are sensitive to those around us.  What was the scripture?

Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Can you guess the skit? it is not hard.

Shalom