Travel log from Ecuador and ministry update

Dear partners in ministry,

I just got back from Ecuador and I want to thank you again for your prayers and financial support! Thanks to your support the entire amount of $1,850 was raised for me to go.
I truly believe that you were an answer to my prayers and that God also answered your prayers for the people in Ecuador. Below is a travel journal which shares the work we did and how we saw God working on this mission trip day by day. Some of you however, may interested in a summary and for you, I have included the following bullet points and definitions below before starting the travel journal. The website (www.theMeetingPlaceEcuador.org) is a great way also to connect with the ministry we worked with in Ecuador. There you will see additional pictures and info of the ministry. May the grace of our Lord be with you, now and always!
Love,

Barry

• Team: 15 people from FBC West Columbia plus 6 from a church in Cypress, Texas
• Ministry goals: 1) serving the disabled through service and construction, 2) providing discipleship to children through Soccer camps 3) helping the poor, the neglected, in remote places in the name of Jesus.

• Carlos Gaona - though blind he is the founder and director of a Special-Needs ministry
• Daniel Arellano - semi-pro soccer player, started the Seed Soccer ministry to children
• Eduardo Andrade - evangelist, missions facilitator, national director of IMOJ, runs the Meeting Place now that the Beaks have passed away.
• IMOJ - International Ministry of Jesus
• Rodrigo - our bus driver for the week, Christian, and friend of Eduardo.
• The Meeting Place - buildings used as a center base for missions, for missionaries, Christian conferences, and pastor retreats
• Tom & Joan Beak - retired missionaries, now deceased, who built the Meeting Place and cast the vision for it.

Day 1: Sunday, March 11th, 2018, 7pm

Got up, went to church with my family. The sermon was good. Pastor Ryan talked about “what things are eternal”: God, people, the Word of God. I needed to hear that basing my life on eternal things is what’s going to last.
Lately, I have been discouraged. I look at the bank account and there is not much. I look in the mirror and I see an overweight, balding man. I go to my job and wonder if I make a difference. I think about all my failures and what could have been. It is very easy to get discouraged.
But when I look at Jesus, I have hope. So what if I am not doing well temporarily?—I have life eternal through Him. I will see Him and his kingdom on earth. I will join all the saints who have trusted in Him. Like Job said in Job 19:25-27

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How forgetful I am about who God is and what He has done in my life! I go to Ecuador to proclaim this Jesus—King of Kings and the only Savior. There are precious people in Ecuador who need to hear of Him. I pray that my words and service this week will point people to Him.

Day 2: Monday, March 12th

view from the balcony at the Meeting Place

Last night was crazy! We arrived in Quito just before midnight, got our bags and drove by bus to the “Meeting Place” in Nanegalito where we are staying. The last 15 minutes of driving in the bus was through a narrow jungle road on the side of a mountain, lurching downhill and uphill, crossing a narrow bridge and arriving at 3am. Rodrigo is our bus driver for the week and he knows every inch of his bus.
Today we got up and met the leaders of the ministries here over breakfast: Eduardo, Daniel, and (later) Carlos. I got to go with Daniel, a 20-something-year-old soccer player who has a ministry to children called Seed Soccer. Today we went out to Carlos’ house to partner with his ministry. Carlos is blind himself and runs a ministry out of his home for the physically and mentally disabled. We drove to his house and played a friendly game of soccer against Carlos and his team—except we played blindfolded! The soccer ball had a bell in it that you could hear as it rolled. The spectators would try to help the players by telling them, “left, right, forward” until they got to the ball. Believe it or not, one team lost 8-0 and it was not the team whose leader is blind. You would have laughed to see us stumbling around, groping with our feet to find the ball. Of course, Carlos had us play this game to be aware of the challenges those with disabilities face. He has a huge heart for caring for people who have been overlooked and neglected.

blindfold soccer. Carlos is on the left with thumbs up.

After the game, Carlos played the keyboard while we helped serve food to the disabled. There was a moment when we were asked to share why we (our mission team) were here this week. Of course we said we were sharing the love of God that He has shown us. I had my testimony prepared in Spanish so I got to stand up and share with 20 or so people how Jesus saved me and how they too could find eternal life in Him. Linda translated to English while I spoke for our group.
I told how I thought I was a Christian growing up because I went to church and read the Bible and tried to be a good person. I also shared how I was prideful, thinking I was better then others, about how in college I realized I was not a good person and I need Jesus to save me from the penalty of my sins and give me a new heart.
Afterwards, we learned about how this group of disabled people made handmade baskets to sell and help themselves. We spent time stripping vines for them to use for weaving baskets.
We took the long journey through the steep mountains back to where we are staying and I saw cloudy mountain tops through the afternoon rain on the forests of tropical plants and banana trees. There is a reason this area is called the “Cloud Forest.”

Cloud Forest

Day 3: Tuesday, March 13th

Today was busy but awesome! I coach soccer in the States and when I got assigned to help with the Seed Soccer camps I was a little disappointed because I am tired of soccer at the end of the high school season. However, the ministry led by Daniel here was refreshing to be a part of today.
One part of our group went to do construction today in the Dos Puentes (Two Bridges) community. They are working on a home for a lady name Carmen who takes care of her 3 brothers. All her brothers are named Luis, and all of them have mental disabilities. Carmen’s husband left her at some point and she struggles to take care of herself and them. She began building her own house though and our construction group last year put a roof on it and windows. This year they are fixing some of the walls and laying tile on the floors. I met Carmen and 2 of the Luises at Carlos’ house on Monday when we played soccer.

My part of the group however left early by bus to go to a remote community called Palmitopamba to give 2 soccer camps—one for kids ages 5-10 in the morning and the other in the afternoon for the older kids (11-15). Daniel is a semi-professional soccer player who began a ministry 6 months ago. He has had to step away from his team though because of the demands of this ministry. This ministry goes to remote communities in the mountains to teach kids soccer once a week.

Palmitopamba kids. Daniel is the one on the right.

Not only do the kids have fun but he teaches the kids to pray by having them repeat after him at the beginning and before eating lunch at the end. We got to help with the drills, games, and also we put on a play about Joseph in Egypt. We told them how God was with José (Joseph) even in difficult times and that God has a plan for the kids’ lives, too. This story was part of a series of Bible stories that Daniel has been teaching the kids called, “Heroes of the Faith.” Daniel organized a soccer game on Friday between this community and another one close by whose kids are also part of his Seed Soccer ministry. He goes 1 time a week to 3 communities on Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays to put on the Seed Soccer camp. There the kids are loved, taught, fed, and prayed for. Daniel’s vision is to reach these communities through the children. Many of these rural communities face difficulties. The one we went to today has a high level of alcoholism. Daniel told me that he prays for protection for the kids to not be sexually abused because he has seen how angry they become and closed off to people and God. Please pray for Daniel and the Seed Soccer ministry.

Soccer drill, Collecting Easter Eggs

I got really sunburned today because we are at a high elevation (about 6,000 feet above sea level, or more than a mile.) I don’t care that I got sunburned today because it was a joy to work with the kids and share the love of God with them. Daniel told me that we may be the only friendly faces they see all week.

Bible story time

We returned home late after a good dinner at a local restaurant. I had “trucha” or trout, rice, and lentils and it was excellent.

Day 4: Wednesday, March 14th

Welcome to Urcutambo

Today the weather was beautiful—sunny skies with a cool breeze. We went to do another Seed Soccer camp. This time we went to a village called Urcutambo which has a gorgeous view on the top of a mountain ridge.
Daniel, our leader, has been coming to this community for about 6 months. There were a lot of kids so we divided them into two groups: 9-12 yrs and 13-15 yrs. One cute little boy named Milán tagged along with siblings. He is 4 years old. He was my little buddy today and I helped him with the drills. I also ran the drills for the younger kids while Daniel lead the older group. Our schedule for the soccer camp went something like this:

1. opening game
1. drill
2. water break
3. Bible story part 1
2. drills
1. scrimmage
2. water break
3. Bible story part 2
3. Awards for the best player, best attitude, and best attendance
4. Lunch

Today it was a joy to play with the kids. Yesterday, I was shy because I didn’t know what we were going to do but today I jumped in to get to know the kids. When we asked questions after the Bible story to see what the kids learned, all of the older kids were sitting, listening, and answering. Milán, the 4 year old, had been wandering about during the story time so I sat by him and gave him a rock to play with to keep him from distracting the others. He began digging in the dirt with it. When Stephanie, who had been telling the Bible story asked the kids, “Where does believing in Jesus lead us?” Milán shouted out the answer “al cielo” first without looking up from digging. “Al cielo” in Spanish means, “to Heaven.”

After practice we visited some families in the community whose kids attend Seed Soccer. After a short visit with them we asked how we could help them and if we could pray for them. They were happy to pray with us. One family gave us a bunch of bananas cut straight from the tree and a packet of sugar cane wrapped in banana leaves.
We returned to the Meeting Place for dinner. After dinner we had our own Bible study and then played games like Uno and Ping Pong late into the night.

Day 5: Thursday, March 15th

Today was another beautiful day of weather with a scenic (but long and bumpy) ride on the bus. This time we went to the village of Vista Hermosa to put on a soccer camp for kids ages 5-8. We drove through the mountains past banana trees, corn, aloe plants, yucca, and sugar canes. Chickens were pecking and scratching near the houses we passed. Men on motorcycles (usually dirt bikes) sped by at alarming rates on the narrow mountain roads.
When we arrived there were 29 kids that were waiting for us! I took the 7-8 year olds on one field for drills while Daniel worked with the 5-6 year olds on the other beside it. We had them play soccer games like Wolves & Lambs and Collect the Easter Eggs.

It was fun to play with the kids and give them lots of smiles, hugs, and encouragement. They got sweaty quickly and we took a water break and had them sit for a Bible story. We followed the same schedule as before.
Again there was a little boy named “Smith” who was 4. In Spanish his name sounds like “Eh-smit.” He worked hard to keep up with the others. Many parents came out today to watch the practice. They sat above us on the edge of the hill that the soccer field was carved out of. There are not many flat places where we were. However, the parents go to hear the kids pray out loud. Daniel had them repeat a simple prayer at the beginning asking God to keep them safe, to help their bodies grow, and to learn more about the God who loves them. At the end he also had them pray after him to thank God for the day and the food they were about to eat.
Tomorrow (Friday) 2 teams of the older kids from this community (Vista Hermosa) and Palmitopamba will play each other in the stadium. Both teams are the ones Daniel has been training and ministering to through the Seed Soccer program.
I am amazed at how a 25-year-old soccer player like Daniel has started a ministry that disciples so many kids in neglected areas. He is also trying to reach the parents with the love of Christ. Please pray for him and Seed Soccer. He has a few financial supporters from the States but honestly I don’t know how he does so much with so little.
At the end of the day we went to a place to eat which also had ziplines through the top of trees. The view was beautiful but the climb to get to the pulleys and cables was difficult. I’m still sunburned and sore, but happy.

Day 6: Friday, March 16th

Today was the big day of the soccer game! The older kids from the Palmitopamba and Vista Hermosa were to play each other in the large soccer stadium. Of course, these are the same kids that my group and Daniel worked with earlier in the week.

The Big Game

These kids, some of who come from poor and difficult circumstances, were beaming with happiness when they received their new soccer jerseys for the game.
Both teams played well and I think the final score was 6-4. I enjoyed helping with the warm up drills, chasing balls that went out of bounds during the game, and coaching a little from the sideline.
After the game Daniel shared a soccer story with all the kids (about 30 in all) which related soccer to the greatest story of all—the Good News of Jesus Christ. He urged them all to faith in Jesus and gave them an opportunity to respond in faith and pray. Many prayed quietly during this time. A few of the kids have already professed faith in Christ and they are bold about their faith. They answer first in the Bible story time and lead out with their attitude, sportsmanship, and kindness to the other players. Both groups need our prayers though because God only knows how He is working in their lives.
After the story, we fed them lunch and celebrated at the stadium. I played with 3 of the younger boys: Ferné, Elking, and Derek. Ferné is 4 and shows exceptional skill at soccer for a boy of his age.
After saying goodbye to the kids we went to a nearby sugar cane farm. It was 5 minutes from the stadium. We saw men there boiling the cane and cooling it to brown cakes of solid sugar. It smelled strongly of molasses. I could have bought a 5 pound round of sugar for $1.

The Greatest Story

Next our bus went to the Two Bridges community to see the work that our construction team had down on Carmen’s house this week. One of the Luises was sitting right outside the house jabbing our men with a stick. It was a fun game for him this week to try to catch our guys off guard and poke them. One time, Kevin Cox, a youth leader at our church, was doing chin ups on a bar when Luis snuck over and started beating him like a piñata. They tell me that last year, this same Luis had a spear! Despite the mental disability he has, Luis is always smiling and has a great sense of humor. The men (and women like Dina and Ya Ya) worked hard this week mixing concrete, sifting sand, and laying tile in an effort to finish Carmen’s house. She was very appreciative.

Luis trying to get Rodrigo with the stick

We returned to the Meeting Place and had a good meal together. Afterwards we went upstairs to the large upper room and Eduardo asked us what God had taught us this week. We went around the circle to share and after an hour he came to me last. I told the group that I was grateful to be able to show love to the “least of these my brothers” as Jesus says in Matthew 25:40. For example, serving food to the disabled, loving kids, helping the poor—basically people who couldn’t repay me. But saying that they couldn’t repay me is not entirely true because God blessed me through them. Then I told the group that on a personal note God gave me hope this week. I often feel like my life doesn’t make sense:

• I never wanted to be a Spanish teacher or a soccer coach but have been doing it for years now.
• I was a pastor and called to vocational ministry but now I am not.

But this week I spoke Spanish, coached soccer, and testified to Jesus by word and deed. For this reason, I felt that my life made sense, that God was showing His love to me and giving me hope for the future.

Day 7/8: Saturday/Sunday, March 17-18th

Believe it or not we had to be packed and ready to go by breakfast because we would not be returning to the Meeting Place. Our flight leaves at midnight Saturday and we would spend the day in Quito before being dropped off at the airport.
Even though we have been here for only a week it was hard to say goodbye to Eduardo and his wife. Eduardo is an evangelist, a godly Christian leader, and full of wisdom and joy. His lovely wife, María, served us food each morning and night and made us feel at home. She is an excellent hostess. Eduardo had to stay behind while we went to Quito to prepare for the next mission team which is arriving at the same time we are leaving.
Daniel and Samuel (the photographer for the week) spent the day with us in Quito since they live there and go home on the weekends. It was hard for me to say goodbye to Daniel because I saw God working in this young man’s life and ministry and I wanted to stay and help.
I also talked to Rodrigo, our bus driver for this week quite a bit. He is a Christian about my age and he has worked for Eduardo about 6 years. We had to speak Spanish because, unlike Eduardo and Daniel, he is not bilingual. Rodrigo is good-natured though—smiling, laughing, joking. We got along very well and I will miss him.

Our trusty bus, parked at Two Bridges. Ain't no mountain this baby can't climb!

Rodrigo took our group to Quito in the morning where we stopped at a huge crater—a flat, green valley surrounded by mountains. The view was breathtaking! There was a small gift shop where I haggled for some souvenirs. If you have never haggled it’s like shopping but a lot more fun!

the Crater

Next, we went to a museum on the equator that’s right at 0° 0° 0° latitude. The outdoor exhibit told us the history of Ecuador and showed us some neat properties of standing on the equator—like balancing an egg on the head of a nail or weighing less and having your balance thrown off.

One of the Equator markers

Being Americans abroad we stopped at Burger King for lunch.
Next we went to a Basilica in Quito which is a large, ornate Catholic church. In my opinion though, it was not worth the $2 admission. Finally, we went to an open-air market to haggle some more. There were so many booths of indigenous hand-crafted articles: ponchos, beads, shirts, bracelets, hats, figurines, swords, shrunken heads, spears, canes, and much, much more.

the outdoor market in Quito

I bought a Panama hat. Did you know that what we call a “Panama” hat is actually from Ecuador? They have always been from Ecuador. American workers on the Panama canal bought these straw hats and thought they were local but they had been imported from Ecuador and the name stuck.
After shopping we drove 40 minutes to the airport. Quito is large and the traffic is horrible! Seriously, you are always on the edge of having a wreck because they drive like maniacs. And the pedestrians, which are many, cross the roads whenever and wherever.
So here I sit in the airport waiting for the red-eye flight. We leave around midnight, arrive in Houston after 5am Sunday morning, drive from the airport, and most likely arrive home around 8am. I plan to go to church tomorrow but I will probably be a total wreck. God is so good though and worthy of all my praise and energy. Whether I am sleeping at home tomorrow during church time or attending I will be resting in the grace of my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Update: I did make it to church. I was the only one from our team that did. Pastor Ryan preached on how we haven’t arrived, that we are a work in progress. I bowed my head to pray halfway through the sermon and fell asleep. I barely realized what was going on when we stood to sing the final song.

Rent is Due

"It's the first of the month, rent is due." said the wife.

"I know! I'm on it." snapped the husband without looking up from typing on the laptop.

"Well, are you going to pay it then?" asked the wife.

"Yeah..." said the husband quietly.

"When?" the wife persisted.

"We have a couple of days of a grace period before they charge a late fee. I'll get it in tomorrow or the day after." said the annoyed husband. The annoyance was more of a cover up for other feelings such as shame and fear. It was hard for him to face the fact that his family did not have much money. "Why couldn't he earn more and save more?"--shame. "What would happen in the future?"--fear. This was not the first time he and his wife had had this conversation. It had played out at the first of every month for maybe a year now, (maybe two?)

"When can we go shopping for groceries?" asked the wife. "We're getting really low on food."

"Can we make it a week more?" asked the husband.

"I guess." she replied with a sigh. "But you need to pick up some milk and bread soon."

"OK, I will tomorrow morning then, before work." he said.

"What are you working on now?" asked the wife.

"It's my latest story. I am having trouble getting started." said the husband.

"Do you think anybody will buy your stories?" asked the wife.

"I pray that they do. It's all I can think to do to earn extra money. If I could just get a penny per word we would be rich." he said.

"Well, I'll go pick up some laundry," said the wife smiling, "while you pick up pennies."

The husband sat and stared at the start of his latest story.

Dusty Mangum spat in the dirt and looked at the mule train stretching out in front of him. "Five hundred more miles to go across this god-forsaken land while eating the dust that these smelly animals kick up." he thought.

He quickly erased what he had written. "Nobody wants to read a corny western."

"What is the purpose of telling a story?" thought the husband. "Is it to simply entertain, to distract the reader from the misery and trouble of life...?"

He was beginning to believe so. After all, it wasn't just the rent that was due that was troubling him. There was the water heater that was about to go out. It had been making a distinctive knocking sound after every shower and he had repaired it twice already to save money on a plumber.

 "And what about the car?" thought the husband. "Where will we get the money to fix it when it starts breaking down?"

"No," he thought. Somewhere inside he knew that a story was more than a distraction. It was meant to transport its audience beyond the mundane, beyond the difficult--not to distract but to lift above the noise. And being lifted the audience could see the truth ahead.

"I have a life, a wife, and a God who loves me. It's enough." thought the husband. "All good, all good, nothing but good ahead of me no matter what." he said out loud.

And being lifted to see the gifts he had received he began to type.

A ball of thick spit hit the dirt behind the mule train that Dusty Mangum drove. He had been here before: no water for the last day, no food for two, and five hundred more miles to go.
"God," said Mangum above the noise, "I thank ya for keeping me above the ground rather than below it. You fed the chil'ren of Israel in the desert and you can take care of ol' Dusty too. Favor me, Lord with your grace and git me 'cross this desert to the good woman that is waiting for me. But Jesus, if you let these bones o' mine fall here in the sun to be bleached and dried, I'll meet you on the other side. As it says in the Good Book, You is the resurrection an' the life an' he what believes in you though he die he shall live. I believe it, Lord...

The husband wrote on.

Sometime later, Fifty Mules and Five Hundred Miles was published and the pennies rolled in. But a greater story played out in the life of the husband and wife, one told by an Author writing the story of history.

Beaten to Life

Unfeeling, unseeing, dark and dead, I lay in the bottom of a mountain, surrounded by dirt. I could not move, breath, or speak. I had no color; no shape.

How long did I languish in the dark? I do not know. I have no recollection of a beginning—only darkness.

Then one day a pinpoint of light appeared. It spread into a blinding light as a blow from behind it knocked it apart. Rock clattered and fell aside like the opening of an ancient tomb, but for me it was the exit of a womb.

A miner stood in the light, sweating, covered in dirt from his descent down into the muck. His pick was slung across his shoulders like someone carrying a cross beam.

With joy on his face, he looked right at me. "I found you." he said. With that he reached out and plucked me from the dirt.

Now the joy was mine. Air! Light! Color! Shape! Thoughts flooded me faster than I could comprehend them. It was a new world for me outside of the mountain. Was I ever really alive before?

Up in the light, the miner gently washed me. Now I had weight and form.

I had just met the miner but I loved him. I loved the one who had rescued me.

Just when I thought I could contain my joy no longer, I was taken to the furnace. The miner placed me in the bowl of a crucible and then into the fire.

An intense fire! I felt that I could not take the heat. I melted and feared that there would be nothing left of me. Yet, as I looked through the opening of the kiln, I saw the miner carefully watching me and controlling the temperature. If too hot; I would vaporize. If too cold; I would stay mixed with the lifeless and dull lead. But neither happened. He used a bellows to blow off the impurities into the fire.

The miner drew me out and I emerged as pure, liquid gold. Shiny and precious, my surface was now a mirror for the miner's smiling face.

As I cooled into a lump my faith in the miner solidified as well. No matter what fires may come I knew now that I could trust the miner's good purposes.

So when he took me and placed me on the anvil, I was ready. The hammer fell on me again, and again. Ringing out, it beat me, flattened me, shaped me. I had no idea of what the miner was making me into.

It did not matter though, I only wished to be used by the miner. I hoped I could be useful to him.

Slowly, he added jewels to the outside of my circlet. I was placed as a crown at the foot of a king. As I looked at the king I saw the same blinding light that shone on me in the depths of the mountain, and the same smiling face that found me. It was the miner as he really was—a king. As for me, I was finally home.

1 Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

On the Edge

 "My life is not my own." Jared softly said. "I determined that long ago."

He sat behind the steering wheel in his parked car. Moments before he had contemplated driving his car into the river ahead and drowning himself.

It would certainly look like an accident. The river bank was steep and the road and its shoulder were very close to the bank. Who would know that he had purposefully driven off into the deep river rather than  merely taking his eyes off the road while driving?

"God would know." thought Jared. Though this thought should have been enough to sway him, Jared still felt the weight of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and lost dreams come flooding back. It was hard to say which one exactly he was feeling at the moment. They all seemed to swirl and churn together like the muddy river in front of him.

"I just want to escape!" Jared suddenly said out loud.

He gave a half-chuckle and said, "Am I praying or am I just talking out loud to myself? God, I don't know."

Jared had weathered tough times before. The year his father died he suddenly realized he was all alone now in figuring out manhood.
"You're the only father, I have now, God!" he said that night through tears.
"But then, that's always been the case, I guess."

"On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother's womb you have been my God."

Yes, Jared had read that passage in the Bible shortly after his father had died. He could not sleep well so he read the Bible and tried to find comfort from it. He started with the familiar 23rd Psalm ("the Lord is my Shepherd...") but found himself drawn to the agony of Psalm 22.

In it, David says that he was cast onto God from birth. Jared closed the Bible and prayed. "You're all I have, Lord. My life is dependent on you. You have watched over me from birth and you can sustain me now."

Many years earlier Jared had come to another crisis. College had left him messed up and confused. Far away from home he wondered, "Who am I?"
He had been searching for the answer to that question and he did not like the answers he found. When he looked in the mirror he saw someone who faked it, put on a mask, lied so much that he wasn't sure anyone knew the real Jared. His quest for pleasure and popularity left him empty. Guilt was a constant companion.

But at his darkest hour so much became clear. It was clear to Jared that his life was messed up and that he was to blame. It was clear that he had rebelled against God by doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted without regard to his Creator. Jared had been his own god and Jared was sure that the real God was not happy that he had tried to usurp Him. For years Jared had been taken to church by his parents. Now in college he attended sporadically with friends. Jared thought he had heard it all but only now did the message make sense. He was a sinner. He had rebelled against God. His wicked sin separated him from a good God. God would punish him as a lawbreaker and he would be sent to Hell. But Jesus...

Here is where the light shown into the darkness of Jared's life. Jesus, the son of God, coming down at Christmas long ago to be born as one of us. Jesus, the only man who ever lived a perfect life and fully pleased God. Jesus, who willingly died for sinners, such as Jared, on the cross as a sacrifice to turn God's wrath away. The same Jesus rose from the dead at Easter and appeared to his hopeless disciples. He encouraged them for forty days then ascended into heaven. The disciples gawked until angels appeared telling them that Jesus would return in the same way some day. Until then they were to proclaim to others about this Jesus, the risen Savior and Lord, that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations.

"Have you made Jesus your Lord and Savior?" Jared had heard a thousand times before on the lips of people he had humored—people who were proclaiming the message like Jesus' first disciples. "What a strange phrase!" Jared had thought at the time. Now as a college student who was hopeless and humbled by his sin he finally understood.

"Jesus, save me!" he cried out. "I need your forgiveness! I have ruined my life. Please lead me—be my Lord. My life is not my own."

From that moment on in college life had never been the same for Jared. His trust had been in God and not himself or his circumstances. He saw the world with new eyes, had fresh hope, and a new birth.

Jared was startled from his reminiscence and found himself sitting in a car on the edge of a river. "Jesus, you are enough. You are all I need. Thank you, Jesus, for the reminder."

He put the car into gear and slowly pulled back onto the road. The river now seemed like a calm, ever-rolling stream that extended far past his view rather than a watery grave before him.

*****
A year later Jared drove up to his home after work. Hardly out the door of his car his three kids ran out in the yard to meet him. They began talking all at once, competing to tell him about their day. He gave them hugs and tickles. Inside his wife almost had dinner ready for the family. When she saw him she apologized that the food was not ready yet. He assured her that he appreciated her hard work.
"How are you doing today?" asked Jared's wife.
"Better than I deserve." he replied with a smile.

Sunday Morning

As the last chord from the pipe organ faded, Rev. Tuxedo rose from the stately wooden chair on the dais and approached the lectern. In a voice that was reverberant, reverent, and dignified he began.
"Beloved, we are drawn now to a subject of utmost importance to the souls of all present—for the words of our Lord as recorded in the Gospel of St. John, Chapter III, verse 3, declare:

'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'"

"Beloved, our Lord himself declares in no uncertain terms that 'You must be born anothen' which is variously translated as 'again' or 'above.'"

*****
Down the road, Bro. Coat-n-tie approached the pulpit with noticeable energy. Moments before he could hardly contain himself during a plodding hymn played on the piano while the plate was passed. He fidgeted, smiled, picked up his Bible, thumbed through it, and then set it back on his lap. Now behind the pulpit he began to speak. He was unpolished, extemporaneous, at times shouting, at times losing his place, but always passionate. At one point he whined,
"Friends, I'll tell you plainly,

'You must be born again! Except a man is born again he can NOT enter the kingdom of heaven!'"

"Amen!" shouted someone in the back.
"I'm talking about you!" shot back Bro. Coat-n-tie at the flock. "All here should ask themselves, 'Am I born again?'"

*****
A smiling team of singers in color-coordinated outfits crooned as a well-organized band backed them on a popular praise song. Perfectly timed with the ending of the song came Pastor Open-collar from the side of the stage. He walked up to a plexiglass stand which was practically invisible.
"This morning we begin a series called, 'A New Start' and I am very excited about this series because I know that God is going to use it to change many lives forever. Some of you sitting here today will get 'a new start.' Who here wants a new start?"
"Whoo!" the crowd responded.
"But there's something very important I have to tell you up front," continued Pastor Open-collar. If you don't get anything else out of today's message, GET this:

You'll never get a new start without being born again. You need to be spiritually born from above to enter God's kingdom.

*****
The worship band blasted out a popular, secular song which nevertheless had words that could be interpreted as longing for God in the midst of despair. The band members were authentic in their emotion as they sang and played. They were trendy in their style. Before the pastor took the stage a well-produced video was projected as an intro. Scenes of a smiling baby were shown. Suddenly the video quickly reversed. A time-lapsed camera showed the baby getting younger and younger until we are left with a woman who is large and in labor. Suddenly, the same baby is shown but screaming, bloody, and with the cord still attached. The scene fades as the word, "REBIRTH" appears.
Dude T-shirt gets up to speak. His style is always direct, raw.
"Some of you here have seriously, screwed-up lives (if I could put it mildly.) You have lost track of the beds you've been in, the bottles you've drank, your addictions. You have been drinking from the toilet instead of the living water that Jesus offers.

And unless you have a spiritual rebirth, you will go straight to Hell.

Are you ready to have a new life? Then cry out to your King!

*****
And now dear reader, church attender, or visitor I ask you this simple question from our story:
Which did you notice—the music, the man, or the message?

The Glass Half...

Brian's eyes opened one hour before his alarm went off. "Great," thought Brian, "now I'm awake. I might as well get up." He slowly dragged himself out of bed and mildly cursed as he hit his foot on something by the bedside he had left there the night before.

In the shower his mind raced with all he had to do for the day. "It's only Monday and I'm already behind this week." he muttered.

A slice of toast and jelly and a cup of coffee were in his hands as he went out the door to his car.
"Crap!" said Brian while setting his coffee cup down on the roof of his car. "Where are my keys? Oh, never mind. Here they are in the other pocket."

The rest of the drive to work went on without incident. Brian listened to the morning news about the latest world affairs and political wranglings on the radio. This did not improve his mood.

Upon entering the office, Jerry greeted him with the usual joke. Brian tried to summon a grin. Frankly, Jerry annoyed him. Before he even sat down at his desk, Sharon walked over to remind him about an important office meeting that would take up most of the morning.

"You do not want to mess with me today!" Brian snapped. Sharon was taken aback. "Brian, are you alright?" she asked. "Just give me a couple of minutes, Sharon, OK?" Brian replied while trying to soften his tone. He didn't do a very good job, though. Brian sat down as Sharon walked away.

"Is there some way this day could have turned out different?" Brian said out loud to no one in particular.

* * * * *


Brian's eyes opened one hour before his alarm went off. "Great," thought Brian, "I'm already awake. I might as well get up." He sleepily dragged himself out of bed and picked up the Bible that hit his foot at the  bedside. He had read a little of the Bible the night before. He did not get as far as he wanted to before falling asleep but he was glad that at least he ended his day reading it and in dreamy prayer.

"Good morning, Lord. Please speak to me. I need you today," Brian said as he opened his Bible to the bookmark.

In the shower Brian's mind raced with all he had to do for the day. "Jesus, help me not to worry about tomorrow but just take care of what I have to do today." he prayed. Coincidentally, he had read a familiar verse that morning that said just that.

Brian grabbed his breakfast and headed to the car.
"Now where did I put my keys?" said Brian while setting his coffee cup down on the roof of his car. "Probably my other pocket. Yep!"

The warm coffee felt good on a cold morning. Brian knew that Mondays were tough though and he could feel a general frustration already rising. So he resisted the urge to catch up on news on the radio and instead switched it to a Christian music station. "Lord, please help me to worship you today. I want to have the right attitude and I need your help." A couple of songs played and Brian switched it off to finish the ride in silence.

Upon entering the office, Jerry greeted him with the same joke he had heard every Monday. Brian laughed not at the joke but at the predictability of Jerry.

"Jerry, I appreciate you, man. Every Monday morning you greet me and try to cheer me up. It takes a lot of work on me though." said Brian. Both were now smiling.

Before he even sat down at his desk, Sharon walked over to remind him about an important office meeting that would take up most of the morning. Sharon looked worried. She always had something on her mind.

"Sharon, are you alright?" Brian asked. "Yeah, I just need a couple of minutes to calm down. I'm worried that they are going to start laying off people in our department and I need this job bad, Brian." A sob crept into her voice.

"Would you mind if I prayed for us, Sharon?" Brian asked.

"Please." she managed to reply. After Brian finished praying, she mouthed, "Thank you." and squeezed his hand.

"Lord, I don't know how this day would have turned out so far without Your help." Brian said out loud to Someone in particular.

The Death of Imagination

"Hey, Dad, look at this!" the little girl said while shoving a drawing of an alien riding a unicorn towards him.

"Um, not right now. I'm trying to pay bills online." the father said crossly and brushed it away.

This was only half true. While the online site was open the father was checking on the results of his favorite sports team at the moment. "It figures," he thought, "another loss. Not one thing can go right today. I should have switched teams years ago. Of course, whatever team I switched to would hit a losing streak. Whatever I touch turns to lead."

Lead. A dull, lifeless, heavy, gray (poisonous?) lump. That pretty much summed up his life.

He couldn't even remember the drive to work this morning, much less the drive home. After years of taking the same route he didn't even notice the half hour (hour?) it took to get to and from work. Heck, he was doing good to remember to get the oil changed in the car every 3,000 miles. He would have forgotten that too except for the little sticker on the driver's side windshield. Its numbers hung in the air like a winning lotto ticket that would soon enough match the odometer.

His daughter kissed him and asked him some question about fairies. He didn't really hear. He was struggling to remember what his wife asked him to do a few minutes ago before he got online. "Take out the trash? ...close the garage door?"

"Dad! I said, 'What are you imagining?'" repeated the little girl. 

"Oh, Sweetie. Daddy doesn't have an imagination. He has to worry about other things." 

"Well," said the little girl, "it looked like you were thinking really hard so I thought you were imagine-ating."

The father tried hard to imagine something for his little girl. All he could think of was how one year had slipped into another with so little change that they all became indistinguishable. No, that's not true. There was once something exciting long ago, like a sandcastle on a sunny day. But now it seems time had carried it away slowly, slowly with the tide.

"A see a statue..." the father started to say out loud. He indeed did see a statue made of stone. It looked a lot like him--still, lifeless, with a stupid expression on its face, like squinting at a screen. The statue did not move. It did not think. It was hard to say even how old the statue was. A little girl came up to it smiling. She clambered up to its lap and gave the hard cheek a kiss. The statue moved slightly and the eyes moistened. Its heavy arms became warm and soft and moved to hug the little girl. She laughed and now the hands tickled her until she squealed. The statue was alive again. 

"What happened to me?" thought the statue. "There was a day when a stick in the yard became a gun, a sword, a snake--no a sword. A sword to slay Medusa."