Finishing Christmas in India

Phil 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Well, my Christmas week this year is one of the most unique I have experienced. After all, this is my first Christmas outside the US!

I had the privilege of preaching in church on Christmas morning. I realized that although I don’t preach much in the U.S., I get the opportunity often in India, and this year I preached both on my birthday and Jesus’ observed birthday. Pretty cool. The topic was “Missing Jesus,” and it went as well as I could have hoped, given the minimal amount of time I was able to prep.

But the best part of my Christmas was spending several days away from the city and very near to our oldest girls’ home. Sitting on top of the guest house in the cool mornings or evening, taking in the peaceful scenery or crystal clear night sky, getting ample rest and peace and quiet…to quote the Christmas carol: these are a few of my favorite things. And on the evening of Christmas, as well as the days that followed, the Lord blessed me abundantly with quality time with our girls.

For 3 days, I was 2 things: older brother and teacher. On Christmas day, I gifted our girls a world globe and told them about when I was growing up and I had a globe. I would close my eyes and spin the globe as fast as I could, then plunge my finger down onto the surface, abruptly stopping the speeding globe, often pointing to some fanciful, exotic place that I had never known existed nor ever hoped to see. Sometimes my finger would stop on India. As I recalled that portion, they gave out an “ooo” of delight, which I had not expected. I told them that I had wondered what India was like and decided that I would never go there. Wrong!

Finally, I told them that a person never knows where God might send them. Then they each took turns spinning the globe, eyes closed, and “discovering” where the Lord might take them.  Russia, Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, many African countries, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada were of those that were “discovered” with curiosity and delight.  And even a couple of girls landed on the U.S., bringing the biggest smiles and exclamations. It was a wonderful time.

The rest of the week, in addition to playing many games, I tutored our 5^th-12^th graders in the subjects of algebra, geometry, chemistry, physics, general science, and English. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more. Below is a picture of the board at the end of the physics session. Nerd alert: I must say that to my eyes, there is a certain beauty in meaningful equations and theorems written on a chalkboard!

 

Finally, on my last evening with them before having to travel back into the city, we were down to our final hour together. I told them, “We have one hour. What would you like to do?” To my surprise, “message” was the popular response. They wanted me to preach? (You should know that this wasn’t because my sermon on Christmas was particularly powerful or special. I rated it a C minus.) Many thoughts ran through my mind. How many teenagers would you expect to ask to be preached to if they only had 1 hour with a person who is not a preacher?  It soothes my heart to see how hungry our girls are for the Word of God and how readily they receive it.

Well, if you know me, you know that if anyone voices a desire for Biblical teaching, I can’t help but at least try. So I thought for about 30 seconds and realized this was very similar to our littlest girls asking for a Bible “story” unexpectedly a few weeks ago. So I decided to go with Gideon again. Except this time, we could dive into it a little heartier than just story telling.

The easiest way to preach in the whole world, in my opinion, is a scripted sermon through an interpreter. While they are interpreting, you can read your next line, look up, and deliver every word that you have chosen exactly. It’s virtually unnoticeable. But easiest doesn’t mean best.  Now, I took several hours to prepare for the Christmas sermon (though much less than normal). I wrote every line prior to speaking (well, most of the lines). And on this night in our girls’ home, I took 30 seconds to prepare and went completely off the cuff…and it was better by leaps and bounds than my Christmas sermon. Sure, with a few hours of prep it could be polished and improved, cross-referenced and summarized with punch, word-smithed and flow established.  But the Lord reinforced something in me through that experience. He is enough. His Spirit is present. He is ever faithful. He is the Teacher.

I don’t know if I’ll go scripted or go extemporaneous in my next sermon in India. Both have been blessed by the Lord at different times, and I’ve struggled with both at different times. But I do know that whatever the approach, it is God who makes the sermon powerful. It is also comforting to know that there is at least one sermon that I can go to “in season and out of season,” (expected or unexpectedly): Gideon. I must thank my Sunday School teacher and classmates back in the U.S. for allowing God to use them to burn the application of Gideon’s life into my brain in such a way.

Finally, since I’m on the topic of preaching. I am often asked in the days leading up to a day that I am preaching, “Have you finished your sermon?” My response has come from experience, “It’s never finished.” What I mean by that is that even when I think it’s finished, the Lord never ceases to change it. Every day and especially the night before, it changes. In fact, it also always changes somewhere between standing up to approach the pulpit and the words leaving my mouth! I thank the Lord for that. I think being a little “out of control” ensures that the Holy Spirit is still taking the control. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t for lack of trying to get it all done and perfect beforehand! But thoughts enter my mind while delivering the sermon that illuminate points that I hadn’t even thought of before. That is a lot of fun to experience, but also a little unnerving because I’m not always sure how it’s all going to tie back in together. And sometimes (I chuckle as a write) it does dead end and I have to reset back on track.

But the Lord hit me with a realization the other day, after being asked yet again if my sermon was finished. I started praying about that. And I had a revelation. I had told the person that the sermon is only finished when the last word is spoken, as we both chuckled. I meant it. But what a sad ending if that is where it ends! No, my prayer now is for an ever-unfinished sermon. A sermon that Lord continues to finish in the hearts and minds of the listeners as they walk through life that week, month, or even years. In fact, the sermons that have impacted me most…they still aren’t finished…as the Lord continues to use them in my life.

My personality type has a quest for conclusion. Finishing. Completing. Achieving. Marking off the list. And so I have always approached preaching in the same way. I search with my whole soul for the end of the sermon and have an almost restless inner stirring until it has been spoken. My prayer has often been for the Lord to help me finish it. Well, I now pray the same words, “Lord, help me finish this sermon,” but with an entirely different meaning.  I now look expectantly to give unfinished sermons. I pray that every sermon, teaching, and interaction I have with another human being remains unfinished…simply because God is still working in them through it.

And such is life with Christ. Ever being finished, never finished. Ever being sanctified, awaiting that glorious day when we enter our Lord’s perfect rest and completion in Heaven. Our Lord Jesus cried out on the cross before His last breath, “It is finished.” What a glorious declaration! And as Jesus has completed His redeeming work on the cross, as He completes every work He begins (Phil 1:6). I want to encourage you today to know that in the bounds of time, you and I may not yet be finished, but in the timeless existence of our Lord, He is proclaiming over you, “It is finished.” May we walk in such assurance and liberty with our Savior. Amen.

Spilling Over

In my last post, I alluded to another experience from last week that was especially enjoyable for a chemical-engineer-by-training and teacher-at-heart. I am pleased to have the opportunity to share today:

Recently, we were having a Christmas party with our youngest girls. While all sitting down to enjoy our dinner together for this special occasion, one of our littlest spilled her drink right in front of me. Very quickly, I reached over and threw some napkins on top, so as to minimize the devastation (30 little children tracking around sticky soda can be devastation!). For adults, this is a very routine event; however, for these children it was a perfect teaching opportunity.

As the top napkin began to slowly become wet, starting from the center outwards, I heard several of our girls start to gasp and say "Will dada, look!" A few things raced through my mind that may be right in front of me. To my comfort and surprise, it was simply the napkin displaying the principle of wicking. A site that many of our girls were studing with wonder.

For those who know me, you can already guess that this "routine spill" became an instant classroom. I took the opportunity to tell one of our 11-year-olds about the principle of wicking. How tiny spaces inbetween paper particles became like little straws that drew the water along. Part two of the lesson was taking what we could see with our eyes in the napkin and applying it to what is more difficult to see in trees and their roots. I explained to her that trees soak up water from the soil because of the same principle. We talked about capilaries, wicking, and how important it is for the tree to live.

When I get into a conversation like that, even with an adult, at some point I always realize that I have gone into a little bit more detail than they would ever care to hear in their entire lives. So even with this little one, I wondered how much she herself was soaking up and retaining. Her expressions were very matter of fact, so I could not tell.

But when she turned to one of her sisters and began explaining point by point, detail by detail, what was happening, and then explained how trees work the same way, I was thrilled! The greatest test to see if you have learned something is to try to explain it to someone else. The response from the other little girl was quite commical, and one that I have received myself countless times when trying to explain a scientific or engineering concept to someone who has other priorities at the time. The other girl looked at her and said, "I just need a napkin," as she held out her hand somewhat impatiently. I laughed out loud! What also made me laugh is that my scientist-in-training began to hold the napkin hostage and would only give her sister the napkin if she would listen to the entire explanation. At the end, she asked if her sister had understood. She said, "Yes, yes, ok. Will you give me a napkin now?" Yep, take heart little scientist-in-training and teacher-at-heart, you and I will have many of these experiences in our lives.

I loved this interaction more than because it was a successful teaching moment for me with one of our girls, but because it revealed quite a bit about my little scientist in training. I had known that science was her favorite subject, but now I know that she likely has been granted the gift of teaching (still in development, no doubt). I recognized her response of immediately seeking to share and explain what she has learned. And as I saw how important it was for her to not only fully explain but also be fulfilled by her "student" demonstrating an understanding, I realized how similar she and I really are, in that respect. Truly an endearing moment for me.

It all started with a spilled drink, a potential disaster. Before it was over, it was a precious moment. And one more thing brought it full circle for me. When I was about 8 years old, I remember sitting at the island in the kitchen of my childhood home when my father took a napkin and dipped the corner in a puddle of spilled water. To my delight the water began to move across the entire napkin quite magically. And that is the day my dad taught me about wicking and surface tension, something I would study in much, much greater detail over a decade later (sometimes painful detail!). In the moment this week when I realized that our girls were looking in that same amazement as I did as an 8-year-old boy, I myself was thrilled to propogate the learning experience.

Finally, the most sureal thought is this: Perhaps this little scientist in training will one day remember the day that Will dada taught her about wicking and trees as she teaches her little one the same thing. I know I am not this precious child's father, but what a privilege to see how our Father in Heaven has allowed me to be a part of His family, a son of the King sharing life with daughters of the King. I pray that she continues to learn, continues to teach, and most of all continues to love the Lord her God. I pray the same things for you and me. Amen.


P.S. Prayer request: I'll be preaching in church on Christmas morning, definitely a first for me. I've started asking for just three things when I preach: Simplicity, Clarity, Power. Please pray with me for these!

"A Future and a Hope"

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the  Lord , thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV)

The past few weeks have been very busy. Thus a long gap between posts. We have had the privilege of hosting partners and friends from the U.S. who have come to see how God is working through us in India and to minister to our staff and children in our care. This past week contained a couple stories special to this chemical-engineer-by-training and teacher-at-heart. This post is just one of those stories, but stay tuned in the coming days to hear the other.

We often ask our girls what they want to be when they grow up. It is fun to watch how they determine what they want to be, as well as how those things change (or don't change) over time. One of our girls continues to want to be a police officer year after year, and I believe she will be one day! Some of our girls have expressed that they want to be teachers, and in reply two of our littlest have expressed that they desire to be principals. I chuckled out loud to see that interaction. Sort of a "you may have seniority now, but one day I'll be your boss!" I have no doubt that at least one of these little ones will one day be principal and "rule the roost." And one of the sweetest responses which comes primarily from our youngest girls is simply to be a "servant of God." I have yet to determine if in their minds this means that they do not know what profession they will follow, that they want to be in vocational ministry, or something else...but whatever is behind that response, it is sweet to hear.

For the first time, many of our girls are expressing interest in becoming engineers, and those numbers continue to grow. Many of these girls come from a place where basic education was in question and their concept of a future was extremely limited, if not unfathomable. It is so great to see these children begin to grasp that there is no limit to what God can and will do through them, including what education or career to which He may call them. In addition, it is such a blessing to see them excelling in the scholastic subjects in which they are gifted such that those dreams may be achieved.

One of our middle school girls has continued to be the only one to say "I don't know" when asked what she wants to be when she grows up. I have been paying special attention, looking forward to seeing her little mind at work in the day that she first expresses what she may want to pursue, even though at that age it is likely to change. Well, this week was it, and what a blessing to hear her soft voice speak these words: "chemical engineer," as she shyly stole an almost imperceivable glance at me. Man, I felt like a million bucks.

What makes this perhaps even more precious to me is that she probably has a very limited idea as to what a chemical engineer does or what a person must do to train for that profession. And this child might not have even heard of chemical engineering until it became known to all of our girls that I was one. But with the combination of seeing her older sisters setting their sites on their own engineering goals (of a different discipline) and knowing my educational and work experience, this special girl felt confident to whisper the fragile initial dream to become a chemical engineer. That's all that it was...a whisper...perhaps to be swept away by God's true calling in her life, or perhaps to be strengthened into a shout. But whatever God's will, it is my blessing to watch Him work in her life, to watch her formulate her first career dreams, and of course to feel honored by her choosing my own initial career path. I had just told a friend that I'm waiting for the day that one of our girls first says "chemical engineer" as her career dream and that would be a special day. Well, that special day came that same week.

Perhaps you will join me in praying for each of these precious girls, their career dreams, and direction from God along His paths. May the God of all grace grant us all the boldness to dream, the means to achieve, and the direction to walk in His perfect will. Amen.

Unplanned Thanksgiving

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” – Proverbs 19:21

“In His heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

In India, you will be hard pressed to find a Thanksgiving holiday celebration, and even harder pressed to find turkey of any kind. Thanksgiving week is just another ordinary workweek here…after all, the holiday is an American tradition from the early settlers of the U.S.

However, just because Thanksgiving is not an official holiday here, it does not mean that this week failed to be special in my experience.

I had the newfound joy of tutoring some of our elementary school children in mathematics early in the week. For these specific girls, math is their most difficult subject, and being a Chemical Engineer by training, it is one of my favorites.  So I gave it a shot…and loved every minute of it. Seeing their faces focused, learning…then full of delight in a right answer or realizing an epiphany.

The session moved from mathematics to science to God. We discussed the sun, moon, and the earth…specifically their relationship to one another. I presented the example of how as Christ followers, Jesus is like the Sun—he is the source of light—and we are like the moon, in that we reflect His light for all the world to see. When others see us, they should see the light of Christ as our source. Furthermore, if we think for a moment that we ourselves are the source of light and goodness, it is like when the earth gets between the moon and the sun: if the world comes between us and God, we are in utter darkness, separated from the Source. We must choose to remain in the light, reflecting Christ to our world.

Well, our oldest in the younger girls’ home lit up at the end of that teaching. She gave praise with delight at how we combined academics with teaching about God. Finally, she told me, “If you become a teacher, God will bless you and bless you.” What a sweet moment that I absolutely cherish.

On Thanksgiving day, the end of the day did not go according to plan. I was supposed to be picked up from the girls’ home at a specific time to go home for the day. But my ride showed up 2 hours late. This is not a rare occurrence by Indian standards, but as an American, type A, task oriented, scheduler and planner…well, you can imagine that I don’t naturally accept such things with contentment. I chuckle as I recount the story to you because one of the sweeter days in my first month here occurred because of being so far “off-plan.” (God continues to faithfully, and tenaciously chip away at that part of me until I am fully surrendered to Him.)

In that extra time, I was requested to give another math tutoring session, in which more girls, down to 1^st grade, attended. Then I played various games with the girls for about an hour, one of mine and their favorite things to do. Lastly, as they sat down for dinner, they began the normal practice of praise songs and prayer. And since they had a “special guest” with them, I was asked to tell a story.

Being put on the spot, I paused for a second, then realized God had prepared me to talk through Gideon, since my Sunday School class just studied it in detail this summer. It is a special thing to have the full attention of over 30 children ages 3-12, without them making an unsolicited peep for 15 minutes. We had fun with it, guessing how many soldiers God chose to fight an entire army, demonstrating the different ways the soldiers drank water as God chose the few who would be at the battle, dividing into torch holders, pot crushers, and horn blowers. Finally, we flexed our muscles at the end, declaring that God has made us mighty warriors for His Kingdom, even when we are scared.

It is evenings like these that endear these girls to me with even greater magnitude, as the love God places in me for them continues to grow. And it seems to endear me to them, as well…because when I arrived the next morning, I was hit with an uncommonly large mob of girls asking me to play games, give tutoring, and tell stories! Although I was unable to join them on that day, due to other responsibilities, it made my heart glad to see their response.

Dwight Eisenhower wisely said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indespensible.”  Oh how well said.  The truth is that plans are going to change, especially as we are surrendered to God. However, the act of planning, while holding those established plans loosely, prepares the planner to make the best adaptations to the plan. The act of planning carries value outside the value of the conceived plan.

Finally, I ponder these two Proverbs in conjunction with Eisenhower’s assertion:

 

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” – Proverbs 19:21

“In His heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

I will continue to plan. It is who I am, who God has created me to be, and how He has gifted me.  He does use my planning nature for His purposes. But my prayer for you, and for me, is that we would learn to submit our plans to a sovereign, good, and loving God.  May we learn to do more listening to God’s voice, taking a part in establishing His plans, and less dictating to Him what our plans may be. May we come to realize the freedom, peace, and awe of a God whose purposes always prevail and who determines our steps.  And may God continue to give us some of the sweetest moments with His children when our plans fall apart. What a wonderful God who loves us!

My Cup Overflows

Psalm 23 (NIV84): “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Nearly every one of our girls has memorized Psalm 23, and for many, it is their favorite passage of scripture. There are many truths to discover in this passage, but today my attention is on “my cup overflows.”

The meaning of this statement is twofold: 1. Abundance, and 2. A welcome to stay. In the time that this psalm was written, the overflowing cup had a special meaning: When a guest would come to stay and dine with friends or family, their cup would be filled to the brim and then purposefully overflowed…that is, of course, if they were welcome to stay. Having our cups overflowed by our creator first indicates His willingness to bless abundantly, beyond what we could ever need; and second, it indicates His desire for us not to leave and instead remain with Him in His house.

When a guest had his cup overflow, he or she knew that they were being welcomed to stay longer…another meal, another night, and sometimes a lifetime. In the same way, we have each been invited into the house of our Lord, and Psalm 23 declares that we are welcomed stay there with our God forever. Our cups truly overflow.

I feel blessed to be part of a ministry that makes it clear that our sincere desire is to offer an overflowing cup to each of our rescued children. We invite them to remain in our family for the next meal, the next night, and their entire lifetime. And in truth, we make this offer in response to our Lord Jesus Christ. It is God who is first offering each of these children an overflowing cup, an invitation to remain with Him, and He with them, forever.

So today I have this overwhelming sense of blessing to be part of God’s offering of the overflowing cup. To be used by our God to pour into the lives of each of these children, such that their cups would overflow. Each time I hear our little ones and young adults recite this verse, I am now reminded of this blessing. And it is such a joy.

And finally, I realize keenly that my own cup is overflowing. I have told the Lord that being a part of the lives of each of these children that are now in our care makes me quite content. I need nothing else to feel God’s abundant blessing and to notice my own cup running over. And yet, God has even more in store. Every newly rescued child, every way He continues to grow the influence and impact of the ministry, every plan He has for our future to make His name great in India. Yes, my cup continues to overflow.

I praise the Lord my God that not only does my cup overflow in Jesus Christ, but that He allows me to be an instrument of His overflowing the cups of many others. And I am not unique in this…this is God’s design for every one of His children. We are like a pyramid of cups, starting with a wide base, and being built row by row, higher and higher. Wherever we are in the pyramid, as we allow the Lord to pour into us through our brothers and sisters in Christ, and as our cups overflow, we cannot help but overflow into the cups immediately below us. And so the Lord has designed our life in Christ such that being filled and filling others…being overflowed and overflowing others…is the only possibility.

I encourage you to read Psalm 23, meditate on it, and praise God for all of the truths He has given through that passage. May you receive His overflowing love and grace, in turn offering that same love and grace of Christ to others. May we each continue to fill and be filled, remembering that there is one source: Christ our Lord. Amen.