Prophets as Preachers

Can I share with you some of the fruit of my day in class? Good, because this was powerfully encouraging to me today. It can be hard to sit in class all day, but today was riveting, so buckle your seatbelt, here we go!

Ever wonder what to do with that huge section of the Old Testament we reverently call the prophets? Ever wonder how to interpret all their strange imagery and calls of condemnation? Well I sure did and hoped that my time here at seminary would help me develop my thought instead of indulge an "avoidance ethic". (You know what that is, its skipping tough chapters and avoiding Leviticus entirely! :-) But we don't have to indulge, we just need some solid understanding.

So, the prophets, who were these guys? Radical spiritual ascetics out in the wilderness who came into town with a message and great need for a bath? Did everything they said come as a result of a vision or a divine voice? These were at least the images I had in mind as the semester began here at Bethlehem. But no longer! The prophets were primarily preachers of the Pentateuch. Oh, they were men of God filled with the Spirit and a message, for sure! But their message was already decided for them in one sense. They were preaching a text that Israel already had and yet was living in ignorance it. They were called by God to come shine the light of certain truths already written in Deuteronomy into the darkness of people's lives. They knew their Bibles, were filled with the Spirit, and then preached the truth God's people needed to hear - calls to repentance, promises of comfort, hymns of praise, prayers of intercession.

So, next time you run into Jeremiah or Nahum or Haggai don't consider just flipping over to Matthew again. Read it as a sermon that a godly man is preaching with power and tears to a people he loves and doesn't want to see the curses of Deuteronomy 28 fall upon but hopes that God might stir repentance in them so that they live holy lives and the blessings of D-28 rain upon their heads.

Baby-Blizzard

So, we were in Michigan this past weekend for a baby shower. Turned out though this it was more like a baby-blizzard and we were overwhelmed by the generosity of so many friends and family members. Upon returning home to our Minneapolis apartment we had quite a job squeezing everything in! Whew! Check out so pictures below, and thank you to all who have shown us such great generosity in these days.

A Vision of Fear Leading to Holiness

What follows is a devotional thought that I wrote for class, may it bless you in the reading:

Exodus 20:20 - And Moses said to the people, "Take Courage! for God has come down in order to test you, in order that the fear of Him might be in you, in order that you might not sin."

A little context might help us here. Exodus 20 is the famous chapter in which God gives the 10 Words, the 10 Commandments, to Moses and the people of Israel. He speaks these 10 Words in the hearing of all the people because at this point in the narrative Moses is at the bottom of Mt. Sinai speaking with the people as well. But to the people the voice of YHWH was like peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, shakings of the earth, and loud trumpet blasts. And quite naturally they feared for their lives! They say to Moses in v.19 - "You speak to us and we'll listen; but don't let God speak to us or else we'll die!" So when we arrive at v.20 this is Moses' attempt to comfort the people in their terror.

Moses' injunction, "Take Courage!" is followed by a string of purpose clauses which serve as the ground or reason why the people can obey Moses' command.

1) "God has come to you in order to test you" - This awesome display of power before your eyes it a test for you, Israel, to see where your trust lies. The Septuagint translator is so set on communicating this point that he uses both a purpose conjunction and a purpose infinitive to make the point. But this purpose is not God's ultimate aim in this encounter.

2) "in order that the fear of God might be in you" - This reverent fear Yahweh is aiming at must be "in you". It is an external test with inward aims. God will not settle for externally submissive worship if their hearts are "far off". Pharaoh showed this kind of reverence at times when he acknowledged the greatness of Yahweh but the fear of Yahweh was not in him. God came to test Israel to produce inward fear, but this purpose is still not ultimate.

3) "in order that you might not sin." - Here we land on God's ultimate purpose in this fiery ordeal, holiness! Sin is a powerful adversary and it has a death grip on all of humanity. Only something more powerful can combat this evil foe, only something that penetrates our hearts deeper, only something that fills us to overflowing. The people of Yahweh needed a reverent fear of Yahweh produced by a magnificent vision of Yahweh if they were to follow the ways of Yahweh, His 10 Words. This is the ultimate end of this verse, a fearful vision producing holiness.

Did this happen? Sadly, no; v.21 tells us the people stood "far off" and the fear was not courageously in them. Not many chapters later the people of God learned how to completely ignore the thunders and thick darkness while they worshipped images made in the likeness of creation. But it need not be so with us! Everytime we sit before the sacred and terrible Word of God, take courage! God is there to reveal Himself in all His glorious majesty so that we fear ("believe") and live holy lives. What mercy it is to know Jesus Christ! In Him we can take courage and in Him have eyes to see this fearful vision leading to hoilness!

Picture as seen on: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/RelS369/Pics/LXX.jpg

Reporting in from sunny Minneapolis...

What a joy it is to see the sun today, to feel it's warm rays, to breathe deeply of the cool air. God's gifts abound all around, let us give thanks!

By word of update, we're resuming life as usual. What's that like you say? Well, I'm glad you asked. I've begun tutoring in ESL again. Every monday we have about 20-30 graduate students from the U of M who assemble at our church building to talk with their tutors about that week's assigned subject. I've been getting to know two guys very well, both are from Mainland China and here to study. Besides this I am in class Mondays and Thursdays, at Starbucks Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and studying every spare moment I get. But this is just great because I told Rachel today, "this kind of studying is what I want to do for the rest of my life!" (but in order to teach!) On the weekends I usually come to work with Rachel and study in the hotel lobby, she likes the company :-)

Rachel is doing quite well too. She takes lots of naps and works hard everyday. Last night at church she tried about 10 different sitting positions because Baby was kicking up a storm. They must have wanted to make their presence known with the sermon being about "spiritual parenting" and all that! But when Rachel's not managing the waterpark or teaching little kids how to swim, you can usually find her stretched out on the couch with a good book or talking on the phone or doing her bible study workbook.

We're so thankful to the Lord for every element in our lives right now, even with all the busyness that it brings. We'll that's about all from sunny Minnesota for this week.

Learning from Dead Guys

So, I'm back in class and that means we're digging deeper into the book of Ephesians. As I read it through and through again over the winter break one phrase caused considerable contemplation, "being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone" (Eph. 2:20). There are at least two senses in which this is true: 1) these men have gone before us in the faith, 2) these men have laid down inspired, life-giving texts for us to be built upon. But what about other men of God throughout history? How much stock should we put in their teaching?

This last question came up again and again at the recent Desiring God Pastor's Conference we attended here in Minneapolis because of how much influence various Puritans and C.S. Lewis seemed to be having on the theme. It came up in my mind too because for three semesters of my time here at Bethlehem Seminary I'll be devoting myself to the study of Jonathan Edwards' works and theology. Why? Why not just study the Bible? It's a worthwhile question to consider.

Just like the first apostles and prophets God chose to use for laying the foundation of the Church, so I believe he uses other believers throughout time for similar building purposes. Granted, these men are not inspired in their writings and often time reveals many glaring errors in their life, ministry, etc... But should we simply skip over their titanic thought and insights of interpretation because of these pitfalls? The answer at the conference was "Yes" and "No"!! YES, we should always be as the Bereans of Acts 17 and search the Scriptures to see if these things are so. But, NO, NO, NO we must not neglect the gift of these human teachers.

Just as we don't despise bridges built by past generations because we must find our own way across the river, so we must not neglect the great wisdom of the past. Certainly, let us test the soundness of the bridge before crossing. Let us examine the infrastructure and undergirding but when this is done, let us joyfully cross over!! Thus, as we spend three semesters studying the works of Jonathan Edwards we are not idolizing a man, we're not deviating from the Bible, we're not building little religious kingdoms on earth. What we are doing is joyfully yet attentively crossing a bridge to greater glory than we have yet seen on our own.

May the Lord bless you with godly and wise teachers, even dead ones, as you seek hard after Him in the Scriptures. Soli Deo Gloria

Goin' Wild!

I must confess that we've lived in Minnesota for 6 months now and I'm

only just getting to my first hockey game! I had a great excuse though, take my beautiful wife out for her

23 birthday...a month and a half late. But it was worth it!

Minnesota Wild vs. Detroit Red-Wing...final score 5-2

Wild, woohoo! Quite a game.

Pictures::

Rachel seated on her ice throne in St. Paul.

Rachel with her Rodeo bull.

Just us at the Arena.

Sacredness of Human Life

Hold up your hand and pretend like you're

holding a peanut between your thumb and

forefinger. Now, imagine in that span of your fingers is a fully formed baby with all it's bodily organs and appendages. That's the size and structure of almost every baby that is aborted in America on a daily basis. (3,000/day) I'm still trying to grasp these silent, unreported realities!

Our pastor compared it to the Haitian earthquake happening everyday among the unborn, because as many babies are aborted daily in this world as people have died in Haiti!! That's staggering...that's horrifying!!

This is all the more real because of two things going on in our lives. Firstly, just this week Rachel and I had a sneak peek into our baby's world. Spread your fingers a little farther apart and that's the size of our baby. As we watched on the monitor for almost an hour my mind raced back to Psalm 139 which we memorized this fall, "You formed my inward parts, you

knitted me together in my mother's womb. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works, my soul knows them very well!"

As the Psalmist meditated on the darkest places on earth he thought of two places: 1) his inner parts, 2) his mother's womb. Yahweh God made our inner parts, Yahweh God mak

es every baby, and he does these

incredible works of creation in absolute darkness. If He can see well enough in those places to do those creative works, we should never have to fear darkness in our lives,

Yahweh sees and Yahweh knows and Yahweh does wonderful things in the dark. Wonderful, fearful, sacred, holy creations of God...and we do terrible things in that same dark place! God have mercy on us and our nation. Pray too that God would continue to bless and strengthen Rachel through this pregnancy, she's doing great!

The second thing that gets me thinking about sanctity of human life this weekend is because God has opened an opportunity for a fellow apprentice and myself to lead a worship servic

e at our church for those among us with mental handicaps. Often corporate worship is far too difficult, too distant, and too long for them to glean much spiritual fruit. As a strong symbol that our church values human life inside and outside the womb we're hoping to offer this service every Sunday for these dear people and their caretakers. Pray for us as we step into new territory for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom. 90% of all children who are projected to have a physical handicap are aborted! 90%...they don't stand a chance! (If you want Jesus' perspective on this reflect on John 9:1-7, Ex. 4:11) Yet has not

God made them as well, isn't he the one knitting them together too!? Yet, even with the mental capacity of 3 year olds we want to preach the gospel to them in a way that they might understand. Who knows what God will do in the dark places of their minds, perhaps he will create faith and joy and love for Jesus!

So, I end my reflection on the sacredness of human life for now. Please pray for our unborn child who is a work of God in progress. Please pray for this ministry opportunity with our mentally disabled friends. Please pray for eyes to be opened to the glory of God displayed all around us through people made in His image and likeness. AMEN

P.S.-We closed our eyes when we could have found out our baby's gender so guess you'll just have to wait another 4 1/2 months with us :-)

A Freeing Thought

I've been thinking, praying, wrestling more and more lately about what it means when Jesus says, "you will be my witnesses..." (Acts 1:8). There's nothing terribly complex about it. He sent the Holy Spirit not just to comfort and encourage us but also to empower us in being witnesses! Everywhere we go we are witnesses for Jesus Christ, those telling the good news.

Now, here's where I've been wrestling - "telling". I hear a lot about lifestyle evangelism and friendship evangelism but not about preaching evangelism! Isn't that what evangelism is? Isn't that what it means to be a witness, to attest to some truth before others? Isn't that what the Holy Spirit was given to empower us to do? And yet I find myself tongue tied, lip locked, and just plain cowardly.

"You will be my witnesses..." It's called arrogant by our culture. It's called imposing our wills on other people. It's called rude and politically incorrect. -- We call it love of neighbor. We call it good news. We call it telling the truth.

So, here's the freeing thought. We serve a Great King, his name is Jesus. He's coming back and will demand total allegiance from all people everywhere in every-age. By a work of grace we heard about this Great King, his blood, his mercy, and something changed in us! Now, this King calls us to be his "witnesses" in the world telling others that He's coming, He demands allegiance, He made a way by the cross... Witnesses don't get measured by their response rate but by being witnesses! We must speak this truth in love, call for joyful response, and _________ (what?). That's where we pray and wait for the Spirit to move; we're witnesses not miracle workers. So, would you join me in not being afraid of ________ anymore. Let's be witnesses of the King and not neglect our calling because we're not able to control the result. God grant us joy and boldness for this work, AMEN.

[more to come on this subject]

A New Year, A New Blog

Greetings faithful blog readers, this post is for you. Most of you read because you want to check in on Rachel and me. Some of you read because you are helped by the occasional thoughts from scripture we provide. This is good, because up until now we've had the hope that those who read will both encounter us and through us encounter God.

So, we are head into the new year I've been thinking about what purpose this blog should serve: informational, devotional, conversational? We're hoping all three! Every other Sunday we'll be posting a brief update on our lives, schooling & ministry, and any news on the baby. The alternate Sunday we hope to post something that we've been studying in God's word or encountered while serving here at Bethlehem. Our hope is that out of those two types of posts will spring conversation. May the Lord bless our endeavor.

The Frigid Bite of 14

The weather outside hasn't quite been "frightful" but certainly "frigid". I would say "biting" best describes the feeling when I walk out the door at 600am to go to work. The slow numbness that comes over your ears and fingers. The nip of every gust of wind. Welcome to Minnesota! But I love to walk to work so early in the morning because no one else is outside yet and sometimes I'll sing as I walk.

"There's not a plant or flower below but makes Thy glories known,

And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from Thy throne..."

-Isaac Watts

Every change in the seasons is to point us to God and His mercy as renewing the world day by day. As I feel the frigid bite of 14 degrees on my walks to work I thank him for this truly "alive" feeling! Sometimes in life when it is dark and cold and we are utterly helpless is when we're most alive to God. That's because Christ is the light! Sometimes when we feel the bite of life's circumstances is when we most long for heaven. That's because Christ is the life!

"In Christ was the life, and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

-John 1:4-5

Thankful with you,

Marcus & Rachel

Ah, the Smell of Spruce

Don't you just love the smells of the season! I sure do, it's one of my favorite parts. Christmas tea, cinnamon & clove candles, all kinds of baked goodies, and of course, the tree. I didn't know that when I got married I was marrying a spruce lover, blue spruce to be exact. But that'

s been our tree for three years running! (they're really prickly though-ouch) But they sure do look good and smell even better. So, I guess that's just one of those marriage things you find out later and love even more. Check out the video tour by Rachel - Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Hymn

By: Marcus Leman

26 November 2009

(You can sing it to Ellacombe - "I Sing the Mighty Power of God")

Lord of the heavens, Lord of earth, thank you for making us;

Made in your image and likeness but formed from lowly dust.

Thank you for labors to attend whereby you sustain us;

We are your vessels to command, you give our lives purpose.

God of salvation, God of grace, thank you for saving me;

When I was lost and hard of heart You displayed great mercy!

Thank you for Christ, our pascal lamb, offered upon the tree;

He did not seek His rightful place but suffered willingly.

King of your people, King of love, thank you for giving life;

Born of your free and sov’reign will, born of the Spirit’s light.

Thank you for eyes and ears anew by which to taste the Christ;

Make us to treasure Him within even in darkest night.

Ruler of nations, Risen One! Thank you for being hope

To ev’ry people, tribe and tongue, let everyone rejoice!

Thank you for life beyond the grave, Jesus, the Great Firstborn;

Shepherd your sheep to pastures green until we reach our home!

Why Study Biblical Greek and Hebrew

Since coming to Bethlehem Seminary I've often received the question from friends and family, "Why do you need to study Greek/Hebrew?" My simplistic answer has always been that it allows me to go deeper into the text and be more confident when teaching from it. But last week our Old Testament professor, Dr. Jason DeRouchie, gave a special lecture for the whole church body regarding why it is important for some Christians (especially leaders) in every generation to learn the Biblical Languages. For the curious, here are his main points:

"The good hand of his God was on him, because Ezra set his heart to study and to practice the Torah of Yahweh

and to teach both statute and rule in Israel." (Ezra 7:9b-10)

1) Using these languages exalts Jesus and affirms the wisdom of God in giving us his Word in a book. (i.e.-God gave His Word in these languages)

2) Using the biblical languages enables one to observe more accurately and thoroughly, evaluate more fairly, understand more clearly, and interpret more confidently the inspired details of the biblical text.

3) Using the Biblical Languages allows one to use more efficiently and evaluate more fairly the best secondary tools for biblical interpretation.

4) Using the Biblical languages fosters a depth of character, commitment, conviction, and satisfaction in life and ministry that results in a validated witness in the world.

5) Using the Biblical Languages provides a warranted boldness, a sustaining freshness, and a more articulated, sure, and helpful witness to the Truth in preaching and teaching.

6) Using the Biblical Languages equips us to defend the gospel and to hold others accountable more confidently.

7) Using the Biblical Languages helps preserve the purity of the gospel and a joyful glorifying of God by his Church into the next generation.

Conclusion: Hebrew and Greek are morally neutral realities that can be used for good or ill, yet they are fixed and do not change with time thereby help us to have a steady place to stand in the ever shifting cultures and times.

(All of this was said in an great attitude of humility recognizing the great and powerful value of having the Bible in every heart-language of all peoples. Yet he did not shy away from the call to church leaders - especially future pastors/teachers - to know and use these God given tools!)

Fully Formed

So, everyday Rachel gets these little electronic updates on her homepage concerning "the little one". Just the other day she happily announced that our baby it fully formed. Wow! In just three short months and weighing in at only 2 1/2 inches long the baby is fully formed. How is such a thing possible!

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be as night,'

Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Ps. 139:11-14)

Our church memorized this whole psalm a few months ago but these verses have taken on new meaning recently. As the Psalmist meditates on struggling through darkness he thinks about the darkest place imaginable, the womb. And in that place of utter darkness God does some of his greatest work of creation. If it only take 3 months for Him to form a child in absolute darkness how much more can He do right now as we walk in the light!

On the Way...6/12/10

So, the strangest things have been happening lately. First, we start getting these unique packages in the mail (like the one on the right). Then Rachel starts waking up in the morning and feeling all queasy. So, finally we go to the doctor and they send her home with some pre-natal vitamins. And today she tells me that she wants to go shopping for some new pants because hers are feeling a little to tight! What's going on!?!

OK, that's not how it actually happened but it can feel that confusing at times. That's right, come June 12, 2010 there's gonna be another Leman joining us in the world!! And there's gonna be a new mommy, a new daddy, new grandparents, great-grandparents, and lots of new aunts and uncles. All from one little baby, wow!

So, needless to say, we're pretty excited and are learning a lot as we wait expectantly for that day to arrive. It's so much fun to see Rachel get excited as one of her dreams is about to come true. And me, well I'm trying to adjust to the idea of being a dad! Whew! Lot's gonna be changing but we're trusting our Father to watch over us. Just last week in class we were studying the name of God, Yahweh, "He who causes to be". We are confident that this little gift is directly from Him and by His grace we'll grow into our new roles with much joy.

Quick Q's -

-No, we're not going to find out the gender (mommy's preference)

-Yes, we have names picked out already

-No, you can't know!

-Yes, I think it's a boy

-Yes, she thinks it's a girl

-Yes, I think I'm right...

OK, we'll stop there. More stories to come. Hopefully we'll be able to use this space to keep you up to date and I'm also planning to post more about my insights from learning in this church-based setting. Thanks for your prayer, we need them!

Stirred Up!

Don't you love to be stirred up! The Spirit of God taking something and moving your spirit to worship, to wonder, to action; moving you such that the ashes of this life are shaken off and you feel the weight of eternity. So often I feel the sluggishness of the world weighing on my soul and then the Spirit comes in conjunction with the Word and stirs me up. I've been experiencing that a lot lately and it's no wonder. Lots of friends have asked us why we're here at Bethlehem Seminary, why we're putting ourselves through another 4 years of school and training. Simple Answer: so that we might be prepared to stir up God's people by the Word as the Spirit is pleased to bless it! We don't know where, we don't know how, we don't know the context, we don't know the roles...but we know that this is His purpose in bringing us here.

Here's a reading from my textbook that stirred me up today:

"Proclaiming the Word must be restored, because all the evidence shows that the churches are filled with people who so not know doctrine or Scripture - and many of them are hungry for teaching! No matter how the ministry of the Word is developed in the life of the worshipping community, when the people assemble for a full worship service with Holy Communion, the risen Christ must be lifted up in the eyes of the people and glorified through it...And the Spirit of God will burn the Word of God into the hearts and minds of the devout so that their loyalties will be renewed and the worship enriched.” (Ross. Recalling the Hope of Glory, p.430)

Life-Guard II

Wow! In two days, two jobs! Rachel just had two phenomenal interviews for jobs as aquatics instructors/lifeguards at a YMCA and Foss Swim-School. Both asked her to come teach with them and we are glad. Like the pouring rain outside my classroom come down the mercies of the Lord at this time. Thank you for your prayers!

Desiring God Conference

This past weekend I was able to attend the DG National Conference called Calvin in the Theater of God as we celebrated the Biblical vision of God cast through the life of John Calvin. But the conference wasn't about Calvin at all, it was all about God. Any doubts you can just listen to the last message Pastor John gave on Sunday morning. Check it out, all the video and downloads are free! And may you be blessed with a greater and more glorious vision of Jesus Christ!

http://www.theaterofgod.com/summary

Life-Guard

I feel overwhelmed with work these days, and glory! Oh to have time to sit and reflect on these wonders that wash over me everyday! God be praised!

May the shortness of this post bless you nonetheless. Life-Guard, what do you think of when you hear the word? Probably someone in a red swimsuit sitting on a tall white chair near a pool of water, right? Sun-glasses, sun-screen, sun-visor...the works. Well, when Rachel and I think about that term we cannot help but think of our good God.

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

your preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

and your right hand delivers me."

Our Life-Guard has been so good to us in these recent days. Rachel has a string of interviews that she is going through right now, day after day! Wow! Silence for so long and now the stream continues to roll over us and we are overwhelmed! Thank you for your prayers, continue to join us as we wait on the Lord for his provision.

Oh, and their all for job interviews looking for a good life-guard.

Band of Brothers

Every Monday and Thursday these are the 14 other guys I spend all day with. Right now we're wrestling through Paul's Greek in Ephesians 1:3-14, crafting our understanding of corporate worship, and nailing down important background issues to studying the Pentateuch. Whew! Sounds like a lot of work - challenging but glorious.

I love the cooperative attitude in our classes. There is no competition here, we're soldiers of Christ in training together and helping each other along. Each guy in this picture is dealing with unique challenges and struggles as this seminary pathway opens up to each of us. Would you take a moment and pray for each one - then for us as a whole. Thank you!

The Mighty Hand of God

Just came from chapel, a joyful experience each week when we come together as students, apprentices, and faculty to exult in those truths we're learning in class! Today we were led in the word by a brother who ably communicated the wonder and weight of I Peter 5:6-7.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties upon him, because he cares for you."

Trials and suffering in this life must be view and responded to in the right way: 1) They are from the mighty hand of God! All of them, without exception, he ordains our pain and suffering in this life. And here we echo Job's cry, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord!" 2) God's plan in this pain is to remove pride from our lives, to humble us; what a mercy that is! But we, in the power of the Holy Spirit, must respond and humble ourselves. Here is our opportunity to make the most of suffering in this life - humble ourselves under His mighty hand!

Oh, there was so much more but I'll leave it at that for now. We are certainly under his almighty hand these days, surrendered to his will, calling on Him to help us, to save us, and all our hope is in Him. Let me just recount the ways since school began:
-Rachel's had 3 job interviews!
-On our first day of orientation we were given a miniature library from Desiring God since we would need numerous resources they print in our next 4 years of study!
-We found out that we can pay our tuition in increments (no interest) which frees up funds for other necessities.
-A gift in the mail from someone who wanted to bless us as we seek to be faithful to God's call on our lives.
-Rachel and I were invited to someone's lake-home over labor day to relax and be refreshed.
-Numerous times my manager at work has saved "sample" food for me - I smile and pray "thank you Lord!" (we're still eating, don't be too alarmed, in this I mean to draw attention to the fact that God can provide us everything, anytime!)
-When we were at a difficult time looking for jobs I simply prayed, "Lord, give us a phone call" and 30 seconds later a friend called with two employment opportunities for Rachel. (30 seconds, really)

I could go on longer and deeper into the many internal mercies of the Lord these days, how he is humbling us and in his mercy making us utterly dependent on him! Rachel is officially on day 41 of her job search and with all her encouragements has still yet to hear back with an actual job offer. We continue to thank you for your prayers and ask that they continue. School has been wonderful thus far!! It is so encouraging to be in class with many like minded guys, to grow in skills that allow us to dig deeply into God's word, and to pursue the glory of God among all the nations together! But, more on school next time. Thanks for your faithful support as you keep up with us and pray. May the Lord bless you today as you live under his mighty hand.

#6

Before we left Illinois we were overwhelmed by the gifts and well-wishes of our friends. It was truly a mercy to us that God is reminding us of everyday! I know the scriptures say that His mercies are new every morning, and that is certainly true, but past mercies are also active and reasons for thanksgiving. And what reminded me of this most was song #6.

A good friend gave me a CD before I left for Minneapolis. It was by some of my favorite artists and the general theme was "the perseverance of the saints in tough times." As I listened to it for the first time I ask the Lord, "are these songs intended to meet me now or sometime in the future?" And then we moved. For the first few weeks as we were learning our way around the city, the CD sat in our car and was unheard. But this week, as we wait eagerly for the Lord to provide a job for Rachel, it came out and this is what I heard...

You have ordained every breath we take
I pleasure or pain there is no mistake
Gladness and grief, both are in your hand
And sufferings brief carry out Your plan
And our fleeting sorrows will yield an endless prize
When some bright tomorrow we see you with our eyes, and

Grace upon grace flows down, flows down
Through the precious blood of Christ!

What do you do in the middle of a situation that is entirely out of your hands? Well, basically we either curse God or bless Him. And what a mercy this song has been in helping me bless the Lord. These "fleeting sorrows" are for some bigger purpose in our lives. This "pain" and "grief" are grace, grace flowing down from Jesus Himself! Oh, how we must bless the Lord for all His gracious purposes for soon they will yield an "endless prize" that will far outweigh all their pain.

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. As we wait patiently for the Lord we know that He will incline his ear and hear our cry, he will lift us out at just the right time. So, as you pray for his provision and his soverign work in our lives, thank him for his mercies - past and present!

If you want to hear the song - it's #6 http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/albums/category/sovereign_grace_music/come_weary_saints

P.S.-Rachel just got an email about a job interview! Thank You Father!

Our New Home

So, many of your are probably wondering what our new place in Minneapolis looks like. Well, here is a batch of photos to introduce you to our new world. We hope to put up some pics with people we know sooner-or-later we are just not very good at remembering to take a camera everywhere. Enjoy!

ABOVE :: Our new living room with our few Turkish accents prominently displayed. And here is our desk where I'll be spending multiple hours a day starting next week!

LEFT :: Rachel's new pride and joy - a kitchen with countertops, dishwasher and a garbage disposal :-) The first few weeks the disposal sounded like a hungry bear underneath the counter, since then we've had a new one installed!

LEFT :: Our place of rest, and all the furniture fits this time! The only air-conditioner is in our bedroom but it drowns out the noise of traffic at night when we're sleeping.

BELOW :: The view from our bay window - The MPLS skyline and the Metrodome. The tallest building in the picture -Capella Tower (with the fan on top - is next to where my Starbucks is located in the downtown.

LEFT :: Our new church home, Bethlehem Baptist Downtown Campus. There are three campuses, one in the northern and one in the southern suburbs. You can see the sanctuary on the left and the building connected to it is offices, educations space, and the home of my seminary! This is just around the corner from our apartment and we're already beginning to wear a path between the two.

Memorize the Bible!!

Can I put in a little plug here, "memorize the bible!" After I left the library yesterday I was feeling rather downcast. Maybe it was because we had spent hours looking for jobs added to the heat & humidity on my bike ride home but when I got home I had no resolve left.

Since we've been tracking with this move to MPLS (Minneapolis) and Bethlehem Baptist we've been doing the church-wide scripture memory program. Every week we end the announcement time/begin the service with a recitation of that week's verses. Our first week at BBC we began memorizing Psalm 139 (and will continue through October memorizing the whole psalm!!). So, by now we're up to verse 5...

Anyways, when I got home last night we prepared dinner and ate it thankfully. After dinner we recite that weeks verses to each other and think about it in prayer. Let me show you how it lifted my gloom: (the mercy of the Lord)

• LAST WEEK -"O Lord, you have search me and known me; you know when I sit down and when I rise up, you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are aquainted with all my ways." What a crazy week that was: moving to MPLS, starting a new job, find our way around the city - and he searched out every path beforehand! We have give thanks over this truth many times a day!


• THIS WEEK-"Even before a word is on my tounge, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in behind and before and you lay your hand upon me." What a declaration and what a promise, he is always with us, he will always provide. It's a little unsettling to know that every doubtful thought and every hopeless sigh is seen by our Father before it even escapes our heart. Fearful even! Yet should we not fear him, fear him more than that which cause the doubt and the sigh. O Lord, search us and help us know ourselves that we might be more conformed to this image of your son Jesus Christ! Let your hand rest powerfully upon us that we might feel your strength and be kept believing always. O Lord, we truly are yours. AMEN

So, friends, this is what took place as we were memorizing the bible and this word has been with me all day. Won't you join us in this quest? May His word abide in you!

A Wild Goose Chase

The busy sound of clicking is in my ears as I type this at the Minneapolis Central Library. We've been here for many hours now posting application after application all over the Web. While we are so thankful that I have a job at Starbucks, we're about ready to see if Rachel should don the green apron too! She's worked tirelessly over the past few days getting her name out there on the web, calling places to follow up applications, and searching out new possibilities while I'm steaming milk for someone's $4 triple grande 3 pump vanilla nonfat no-foam extra-hot latte.

When we moved here it was with the understanding that the Nanny Agency she had applied to would have interviews ready (like they said). Since we've arrived all her calls have been greeted rather casually and no interviews have surfaced. Obviously this was an episode of mis-communications but one that is unfortunately very detrimental!

So, please pray for us as we continue this search. It feels like a wild goose chase because in a big city like this the application process seems very impersonal. It was only today that we found a few applications for a swim instructor and the website invited us to return the application in person! WOW!! So, here's our first list of requests for those of you supporting us through prayer.

• For perseverance and patience in this process, it can be very discouraging.
• For a job to surface soon, especially before Marcus begins school in 2 weeks.
• For us to make the best use of time otherwise in acclimating to this new city.
• For joyful and deep connections among our new faith family, Bethlehem Baptist.

Thank you for your prayers!

Donning the Green Apron (Again)


I'm quite sure that as you read this at least a few of you are sitting there with a cup of coffee in your hand. And it is not unlikely that your coffee was blended and sold by the world-renown purveyor of fine coffee found on most city street corners. It's that happy third place where you go to hang out with friends or be by yourself or just dart in and out for a mid-morning "pick me up". Ah, yes, Starbucks!


Rachel and I have been in Minneapolis for 10 days now and I've spent four of those in a green apron. It felt good to make my first latte again and hand it to a customer with a smile. But right now after an eight hour shift...I'm just tired! But I'm also very thankful that in such a short time the Lord provided my with employment. So, I'm the one wearing a smile most days at Starbucks!

Winter Days Are Here Again

So, no matter what anyone may tell you, winter it here! When I have to go outside and face skin-piercing winds, blinding flurries, and 3 inches of snow on my car, it's winter. Today wasn't that bad though, by Mid-Western standards. I worked up a pretty good sweat clearing the driveway but we're still in the "fun phase". You know, when snow is still magical, shovelling isn't a chore, hot chocolate and furry slippers seem like novelties once more. Here's my question, why do these things lose their appeal so fast?

Seriously, the snow won't be any heavier, wetter, or colder in February than it was today. Even though february winds move from skin piercing to bone piercing, what changes in our minds and hearts so that suddenly snow and cold are evil? Just a question, maybe we need new eyes to see the magic all year round? Maybe we need more endurance to face the tough reality all year round? Maybe we need both!

I'm inclined to think the later and to pray for that weird combination in myself: the joyful wonder of a child everyday mixed with the battle-hardened steely discipline of a veteran soldier. Can they co-exist, I sure hope so because that's what gets us through the winter here in the Mid-West, and that's what will get us through the race of life! Lord, grant us steely discipline and joyful wonder everyday that we might more glorify you in thought, word, and deed.

* * * * *

Rachel and I just got back from a Thanksgiving holiday at her parent's house. I learned all kinds of fun and useful things, like:

1) When hunting deer for 4 hours in the freezing cold, don't unload until you're out of the woods, they may be closer than you think!

2) When hanging a deer for skinning, volunteer to tie the knot so you don't have to hold it up!

3) When carrying firewood, make sure you leave the house door open!

4) When lighting a fire, light the smaller pieces first, trust me it's a lot faster!

5) When clothes shopping with your wife, stop browsing while she's trying things on otherwise you'll get the awkward question, "can I help you?"

Marathon of A Fall

The crowds were packing the sidewalks, the cheer was deafening! I turned the final corner of the Chicago Marathon, only 0.2 miles left to go, and it was all uphill. "Uphill!" I thought, "who plans a Marathon course that ends uphill?"

For all my fright the last hill was not that bad. But the whole course of events since we arrived back from Turkey has been a sort of Marathon in our hearts. First there was the reverse culture shock, then sorting through feelings of loss; we had to restart our lives again from restocking the shelves to renewing relationships; then there was work and school to attend to, ha! Well, we made it through that first month and the emotions settled. But after that point we found ourselves on a different part of the course.

We found ourselves on our knees questioning God about the future, our next steps. The vision that once seemed bright and clear was now cloudy and dark, like a storm rolling over the race course and we had nowhere to run and hide. I the silence of those months it seemed like our dreams were shattered and that even our relationship was beginning to tear at the freshly stitched seams. But, God is good.

At the end of some very difficult days we're emerging with a fresh vision, some new excitement. Marcus is applying to a seminary that's very difficult to get into but seems to be a perfect fit for us right now. It would be a chance to get more training, grow stronger together, begin ministering together since Rachel will be done with school, and time to seek God about the next step. We're currently at a loss, does He want us overseas or staying as mobilizers? But our hope is that 4 years of seminary would not only give us time to hear Him answer but also be more prepared for when the vision is clear again.

We'll let you know how it goes!

(Oh, and Marcus has to learn 2 semesters worth of Greek by July, yikes!! - pray for him)

Round-About

After a long hot day with no air conditioning Rachel and I would trudge down the main street to our bus stop. On numerous occasions it included the humerous exchange:

R::"If we move here can we get one of those fun little motorscooters? Pleeeeease?"

M::"We'll have to see where we're living then?"

R::"So we can get one?"

M::"We'll have to see but you know they're not very good family cars."

R::"Oh...yeah...but maybe just one for me then!"

And on and one it went until the bus can squeaking down the street to pick us up and jostle us to our apartment. After our trans-atlantic flight and sitting up all night in the London airport, those busses don't seem to have such a terrible memory though! But now we're back, in a round-about sort of way. We spent this past weekend up in Canada at a wedding, in Michigan presenting our summer at FBC-SJ, and now we're in two separate locations for the first time in two months. So, though I'm home and Rachel's at her childhood home, we still don't feel like we've totally arrived yet. Soon...

Let me do two things with the remainder of this post:

1) recount our last few days of the summer

2) give some of our initial feelings upon being home (more to come)

We left off at the beginning of our last week, a week that turned out to be an intensely eye-opening bitterseet span. Our English students had to cancel on us for the last two classes. Rachel kept up working in the cafe but I was only allowed a few opportunities to meet with my tutoring students. I was preparing a sermon for sunday morning worship while Rachel worked on the packing. We wandered the streets of the city one last time, shopping and enjoying the richness of the setting. We even took two days to celebrate our anniversary at a nearby resort hotel (with a waterpark at Rachel's request!) But most of all the last week was about relationships...the real reason it's hard to leave. For all that we love about the culture and cuisine, there are substitutes here in the states. But for all those whom we love in the culture there are no substitutes.

Thus, upon arriving home there is a great sense of loss. It's the loss you feel when someone dear to you passes away because you can't have them back. It's the loss you feel when life circumstance change without your ability to stop them: a family move, a sudden job change or loss, a freind or co-worker who moves on to something else. It's that something you came to count on everyday which is now out of your life forever (or so it seems). It may be years before we are able to return but the loss feels permanent and needs to be grieved.

Meanwhile, life goes on all around us and often has but scant time to bear out our losses. So, we carry them to the Divine Ear that so graciously bows itself down to hear us at all times. Thank you for carrying our requests there all summer, keep checking back in future days for more of our post-return ponderings. Until then may your good-work be full of fruit and your spirits full of wisdom and joy in the King.

M&R

We're Back...(well almost!)

After a week on the road we've made it home away from home away from home...(you get the picture)...we slept on two buses, a very soft bed in Central Turkey, and a little bungalo near the beach. Now we're back in our apartment in Lara for one final week. So, let's recap the week...

Day 1 (our first anniversary)

Our bus pulled into the otogar at 800am, three hours early! We napped, visited, napped, visited with Turks, and fell asleep.

Day 2

We drove over the ancient volcano, Erciyes, we found a...well Rachel can describe it below! Then we proceeded to a nearby town to give Rachel experience rug shopping. No pressure to buy, no plan either, she picked the best in the shop :-) I guess it makes up for spending our first anniversary on an overnight bus!

Day 3

We began our day separately, I at the barber shop and in the "old" neighborhood with the guys; Rachel was at the mall with the girls. More visiting with Turks and with our hosts, then another overnight bus!

Day 4-6

From one bus to another, from that bus to a packed van. Finally we arrived at Olympos, the beach we began our trip camping on. (mulberries, yuck!) This time we stayed in a small wooden bungalo near the beach, attended retreat meetings, got to know people, helped with childcare, and swam in our freetime. We got up one morning to watch the sunrise: Rachel from a kayak, me on a run. We saw the ruins of ancient Olympos, learned about Paul's travelling teams, and learned more about long-term living here.

So, now we're back! One more week of language learning, teaching, and open eyes... Thanks for your support over this past week, we certainly felt it!

More soon, M&R

"Follow the yellow-brick road..."

Munchkins, witches, and that little dog too! If you've never been out of the country then you probably wouldn't know the extent to which American cinema has invaded the world. A few weeks back I saw a clip from the adventure in "Oz" and the song hasn't left my head...(help!)

12 days ago Rachel and I moved into with a Turkish family I had met two years ago. What an amazing and challenging cultural experience. The man of the house spoke good English, wife and son-zero! A quick summary: all Turkish food, swallowing second hand smoke, sleeping without air conditioning, going for days without a shower, personal space restrictions, late night hours, and seeking to keep our spiritual lives on track with little personal "alone" time. But through it all we had some great experiences: my late night talks with the man of the house, Rachel cooking American/Turkish food with the lady of the house, creating a spiderman costume for their son (2), teaching them to play "pig" (a card game), and smiling/laughing when we just couldn't communicate. We still have much to reflect on together...

The past two days we moved back to our original apartment, now all alone here, for a dose of "American-ness": a good shower, an Italian dinner, cranking up the stereo, ________ (you fill in the blank). After "going Turkish" for so long we just needed a bit of normal. We helped lead the worship service again this morning (Rachel played a great flute duet with a church member). It was a wonderful time in God's presence with God's people setting our minds and hearts on the King again. And it's wonderful to have tea-time after church seeing other believers you may go the whole week without seeing!!

And now we're off again, bags packed, tickets in hand for an overnight bus-ride to a nearby city. We'll be visiting with a couple of "friends" there and seeing what life is like in a smaller, more conservative setting (Antalya is kind of like Miama!). In fact, this whole week we'll be spending most of our time with "foreigners" who live & work here. Our goal is talking through what it looks like to live here, what we may need to do in these next few years to prepare, and to encourage them as well. Basically, we're taking time to talk with people further down the yellow-brick road and get their perspective. We don't know where ours leads just yet but trust the Father's direction. Would you ask him specifically this week to be guiding our thoughts and conversations in such a way as to clarify and not confuse, to confirm and not contradict. We are so grateful for your support in this way.

May He continue to guide each of you in the Way, setting your gaze firmly ahead not straying to the right or the left. Blessings until we're able to udate again.

M&R

P.S.-Tomorrow is our first anniversary...waking up on a bus!!

Favorites

Ice Cream: Marco Polo Chocolate & Arabian Nut (R), Marco Polo Orange & Vanilla (M)
Drinks: Starbucks Iced Mocha Latte (R), Apple Tea (R), Tea (M), Schweppes Bitter Lemon Soda (M)
Foods: Turkish Pilaf - Rice (R), Tavuk Shish (R), Simits (R), Lentil Soup (M), Kumpir - Stuffed Potatoes (M)
Places: The Beach (R), Our swimming hole (R), The park near Paul's Place (M), Starbucks (R/M), Our Italian Restaurant (R/M)
Activities: Practicing Turkish in the kitchen (R), Cooking (R), Grocery Shopping (M) Early Morning Runs (M), Romantic walks along the cliffs (R/M)
People: Enes - the chef, Soner - the internet cafe guru & Marcus' tutor, Avery - our short-term guide, Hayri - the beloved security guy, Danny - our sunday morning pianist, Nazan - our most eager student

Maybe it's just because I'm reading through the Pentatuch now or maybe it's because of the heat but I find myself eager and able to complain at a moment's notice. As Israel wandered through the wilderness their clothes never wore out, they never lacked food or water, they were never lost or withour protection, and they had the presence of God all along the way. But they complained and complained and complained!! The Lord even heard their grumblings they uttered within their tents. This was not open rebellion but a low, slow murmer that began to permeate the whole camp. We find ourselves in the same place, everything provided and yet easy to complain.

So, everyday we talk on the way home about our "favorite" thing that day: a conversation, a new experience, an insight, a chocolate & arabian nut ice cream cone... With three weeks left in this internship we've battled through the dark clouds of complaint and have broken through to fresh open spaces of joy. Colossians 1 again, "May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy..." That's our request and our desire for each of you as well.

Out of the Comfort Zone

Are you aware of yours? It's a bit hard to define and a bit of a personal subject, but we all have one. Unfortunately we don't realize how much we depend on it until we're pushed out of it's peaceful confines! It's people & places, sounds & smells, preferences & privacy, and on and on...

We're certainly out of our comfort zones now but have the most reassuring peace about it. It's the point on the roller coaster when your stomach stops fluttering and starts to soar with the ride. We are so happy to finally be at that point because the fluttering was wearing on us day after day. We're still uncomfortable at times but this peace is greater than the discomfort.

The host home we're living in now is quite a ride! Every morning we're confronted with the uncomfortable question: "What's for breakfast?" Every conversation we're confronted with the uncomfortable reality: "I can't speak to them even if I wanted to!" Every time their child starts screaming we're confronted with the uncomfortable presence: "Maybe if I just watch the T.V. it will be like I'm not here." And everyday brings new uncomfortable experiences like this that we're gladly and peacefully embracing.

Sheref & Fatosh just moved into their new apartment 5 days ago, we moved in 2 days ago, and we're all still setting up house. Rachel's helping with the cooking, cleaning, and dishes; I'm available for the heavy moving but more for babysitting. (Their two-year old son is a joyful handful!!!) We sleep with a fan at night to avoid the heat & smokiness, we shower in the half-put-together bathroom with a hand spigot, and we eat foods that would not be our normal choices. (Rachel is doing great, I'm so proud of her! 4 slices of tomato for breakfast, eggs, watermelon, tea, tea, tea, -with lots of sugar for sure- and some new syruppy desserts.)

Well, as we enjoy the roller coaster we're constantly forced back to the reason we're doing this. Not for thrills or notches in the belt, not for adventure's sake or accomplishment...but this is for the name and fame of our King. So, to whatever extent you need to jump on board and get out of your comfort zone, this is a great reason to leave it behind. Until next time, enjoy the ride...

Pardon Our Dust...We're Moving!!

We apologize that we've not written as of late, our access to the internet has been a bit more constricted. On top of that we've been busy, surprise, surprise! Some days we're functioning in Turkish mode (more relaxed, take it as it comes) and some days in American mode (have a plan and run with it). The past few days have been a mixture of both, wow!

Yesterday we made the move to our new residence (With a Turkish Family; July, weeks 1&2). Upon moving our suitcase I returned to the cafe to bring Rachel along - it was kind of an American day for her! So, we decided to be a bit American: grab flowers, a couple pizzas, and call before we came. Well, all should have worked to plan except that I got us lost...yes, lost. We took the wrong mini-bus and ended up on the edge of town. After a cell-phone call and a taxi ride we arrived with some cold pizza and mildly wilted flowers, but it was a fun evening with this couple. (We'll write more about them later)

This was a very Turkish morning though: wake up whenever, have breakfast whenever, clean up at leisure, think of something that needs doing and do it! So, we helped unpack boxes, build a wardrobe, and enjoyed the experience. We'll get you another update soon but for now we're going Turkish :-) (Prayers appreciated!)

PIC-The daily tools of our language trade: beginner's book, notebook, dictionary, lesson planer