April 2015

“Do not cry; for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, ”Child, get up!” Her spirit returned at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Luke 8:52-55

Recently someone asked me how we have managed to spend 30 years in this kind of ministry—knowing the heartaches and disappointments that have been a regular part of the journey. But isn’t that really true in all our lives—into each life some rain must fall—and if we live long enough we learn that we cannot be immune from the pain and brokenness of this fallen world?

I know one thing that has been of great help to me along the way and that has been learning to pray the Gospels—meditating on and imagining being right there in the story—with Jesus. I have been the child crawling into Jesus’ lap when he said, “Come unto me.” I have been the widow who grabbed the hem of his cloak and the disciple scared to death in the storm.

For the past couple of months, I have been praying the story of Jairus, who came to Jesus because his child was dying. Over the weeks, I have felt God’s words sinking deeply into my heart. In the story Jairus comes to call on Jesus and Jesus gets occupied helping someone else so that by the time they get to Jairus’s house it is too late. Everyone is crying. Jairus’s little girl is dead. Then, Jesus enters the house. And those who are closest to the situation laugh when Jesus says the little girl is sleeping—because they KNOW that she is dead. But when Jesus takes her hand and tells her to get up, she gets up at once. She IS ALIVE.

Broken finances, broken relationships, broken bodies, broken career, broken marriage, broken children, broken hearts, broken dreams…when Jesus is invited in, he brings NEW LIFE. What we thought was dead and gone was ONLY SLEEPING…until Jesus brings it life.

I don’t know if any rain or storms or desert are your particular road to walk right now, but I invite you to pray the gospels with me so that you may walk with Jesus toward the wholeness and holiness that is our life in Christ. We are encouraged and strengthened by your prayers and kindness and gifts.

We are gearing up for the happy celebration of high school graduation for our son, Javan and for Alize, a young lady from our church family whose mom we have known since she was about seven years old. Sometimes it takes a long time to get to see things come alive…but our hope is in the One who comes to bring life.