Serving Stinks.....

Johanna and I have been emptying throw up bowls and bed pans for the last three days. Surprise, surprise, they stink!

Yet, there is one specific reason why we haven't minded dumping those bowl's and pans, know what it is? That's right, love! Johanna loves her Mom and I love my wife soooooo very much that for both of us to perform these nasty task's is actually a privilege. This mother of four and wife of mine is AWESOME. She has served us endlessly, day in and day out for years and years. She has modeled servanthood to us. We know she loves us so much as well because of how she has humbly, and faithfully served our needs for almost 30 years.

This made me think, which is always dangerous. I may not be the sharpest tool in the toolbox but even I could figure this life lesson out. When you love someone a lot, acts of service will surely follow. And no act of service is too much or too STINKY to perform for the ONE you LOVE!

And so that got me thinking some more...double trouble! Jesus came to serve not to be served. He modeled perfectly what humble service should look like out of his immeasurable love for His Father. If we love Jesus then our life should be all about serving our Heavenly Father's purposes and the needs of others! The more we love Him the more we will SERVE! When we humbly serve, even if what we do stinks -literally-, those acts are actually SWEET aroma unto Jesus and others.

Extra word to the wise, if your full of your self you will not be able to love others fully, or much at all for that matter!

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13

This verse expounded on actually means that we have freedom from the Mosaic laws and OPPORTUniTY FOR THE FLESH with our freedom to follow our natural sinful selfish desires. We are then much advised to resist the temptation to serve our selfish ambitions (let's not be slaves to our fleshly desires and the worlds desires), but to use our freedom to serve others with radical love! Therefore, "love your neighbor as yourself."

brian

ps CHRIS IS GOING HOME THIS AFTERNOON!

Tough evening....

but Chris is actually sleeping comfortably right this minute. Very rough patch last night as she actually entered into a delirious state of mind. We held her hands, rubbed her checks, prayed over here, and actually sang a little bit (I can't sing but I figured in her state she wouldn't mine) too. I won't go into details but we think she basically was battling the pain without meds for too long. Then the doctors oked a morphine injection and a little something else to settle her.

By 1 am she was finally out! Nurses came in throughout the night to care for her and she was back to normal by the wee hours of the morning. We hated to see our girl in that condition without the ability to help her out more, but we all got through it TOGETHER.

Thanks for lifting Christine up before the King of Kings brothers and sisters in Christ. The bond we share to together in Christ is unlike any other bond on this earth. Even complete strangers will pray over a friend's friend in Christ. No matter how many miles separate us we unite in a moments notice over a challenging situation for one of HIS! Love our Christian family. Could we survive without it? Sure. But we were created for community and we thrive because of that sense of belonging to the same army . God's army! Soldiers of the cross. Thanks for doing battle on Chris behalf last night with us. Privileged to be on the same team with you. bd

PT is set to start at 8:30am today.

Chris is in GREAT PAIN....

I got home for about an hour before I got the call that Chris pain had returned with a vengeance! Heading back to the hospital now to help out as best I can. Johanna, who relieved me about 7:30 tonight, said "mom asked for prayer because she could hardly stand the pain."

brian

One more.....

PT session tonight by yours truly. It's my first solo PT session. Must admit I'm a little scared.....hmmm....wonder how Chris is feeling? Move one wrong button she could go through the roof....physically and pain wise! Oh boy, the PRESSURE is on! Game time is 7:45 but I'm getting psyched up now. Want to be the best lay person PTer ever! Why is that? I got issues.

After our PT session, assuming Chris survives, then she has another 2 1/2 hour machine workout on the right knee!

Then we are praying that she gets SLEEP TONIGHT before her first PT session with the expert at 8:15am.

almost done DAY One. Yahoo! Well done Christine!!!

EXTREME PAIN.....

has set in now for Christine. Poor girl! No morphine drip and block is wearing off. And Boy oh boy did she experience 30 minutes of grueling PAIN mid afternoon. Reminded me of her giving birth to Joy in Puerto Rico without meds. YIKES!

Short Visits by Johnston's, Breck, Di Steffens and Tim Roberts were a blessing. Although poor Breck had to leave early because she was in so much pain. Prayer times were encouraging for each of us. Best to call before visiting just in case it's not a good time for Chris. Don't want to waste your precious time.

So if you got two good knees today and you know it, JUMP FOR JOY!

bd

PS Grateful for a terrific bunch of nurses and a GREAT PT gal! We are so blessed!

First rehab session completed...YEAH!

Without much sleep last night and low oxygen levels at times she battled through her first one hour rehab session with her physical therapist. Wow, this is going to be one HUGE challenge.

After the rehab session she is put into a machine that moves her leg for two hours and then it's time for rehab session number two, followed by 2 hours on the CPM for the OTHER leg.

We repeat the process one more time in the evening which gives us a total of 10 1/2 to 12 1/2 hrs (depending on pain level) for our starting PT day.

They say her pain will be greater than child bearing the next couple of days after block wears off. Ice packs and morphine to the rescue. Already starting to have increase pain levels since first session. Morphine pump every 6 minutes and a stronger med. every 4hrs. Poor girl!

Thx for your prayers for Chris everyone. Overall we are off to a really good start (no problems encountered in surgery and first rehab session with PTA was excellent)!

Abiding in Him,

brian for Chris too.

Surgery is finished and successful.....

Chris went in around 1ish and was done by 4:30. We got to see her about 7ish and she greeted us with a big thumbs up! She is one tough cookie, of course that morphine helped!

She received a spinal block and was somewhat conscious during the surgery when they chiseled away! Rehab starts in the morning, 12-16 hours a day for the first 30 days! Doctors have prepared Chris well for the fact she may experience lots of pain in the coming days. She is as ready as she can be.

Thanks for praying everyone. Couple pictures posted on facebook.

bd ps Johanna was a real big blessing today to Chris and I.

Time to SERVE.....

the one who has SERVED us so faithfully for the last 30 years. She is not a saint, although 30 years with me at least makes her a good nominee, but Chris is an amazing servant of God as demonstrated by her humble consistent service to others. We look forward to serving her 24/7 in the days to come.

Surgery is planned for Tuesday, December 14th at 1:30pm Presbyterian Matthews.

Joshua goes HOME!

"Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting?" the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. but thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." I Cor. 15:54b -56.

A faithful man of God who made NO EXCUSES despite a completely broken down body (no legs or arms), who had to be carted around in a wagon any time he wanted to go somewhere. He always attended the Joshua Soccer Academy training sessions to read (someone had to hold the bible for him....one of the boys on the team would) God's Word and to teach his boys about the Christian life. he was radiant with Christ love and full of the Holy Spirit the two times I met with him. This was a life well lived. A significant life. The single missionary nurse to Nigeria who was in the hospital the day he was born was a friend of our family's and supported by Parkminister Church in Rochester, NY. Miss Pinneo had quite the impact on my life for missions. She was one of the only survivors of scarlet fever back in the day. To think God orchestrated my connection to her and then to Joshua is simply powerful in my eyes. What an AMAZING GOD we serve. Thank You God for the opportunity to serve the people of Nigeria in your name like Miss Pinneo and Joshua. Two faithful and obedinet SERVANTS of God who made no excuses and served all out for your Kingdom and your GLORY not their own. Enjoy heaven Joshua and THANK YOU for your courage and obedience to YOUR Lord and Savior, you inspired so many to do the same. We will pray those 35 boys you served will impact your town, the city of Jos, the nation of Nigeria and to the ends of the earth for the cause of Christ. To God and God alone be the Glory. PS rejoicing with you for your new body my friend!

Jesus loves the little children of the world.....

"He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All that has gone forever."

Rev. 21:4
Stats from ISC on children:

2 billion of the world's population is under 15 years of age. That means about 30% of the world is children

In many parts of the world, especially Africa, the percentage of children is closer to 50% of the population.

In 2002 about 20% of people had a mobile phone.

In 2010 about 60% of people have a mobile phone.

About 70% of the worlds population is illiterate.

About 70% of children in the world live in risky situations. They suffer poverty, slavery, violence, abuse, abandonment.

About 80% of people who follow Christ, decide to become a Christian before the age of 15.

Jesus loves and cares for 100% of children!

The lost girls of Thailand....

Sports Friends has an Asian base which is located in northern Thailand. Please pray for our staff there as they seek to train and work alongside Thai believers who desire to share the love of Christ through the platform of sports, a terrific relational ministry strategy, during this CHRISTmas season.

Today as I read my advent devotion for the day I was moved by the story of Issan and the Night ministries that takes place in Thailand. Would you consider reading this devotional and having a time of focused prayer for these girls and this cutting edge ministry?

Taken from An SIM advent devotional for Monday, Dec. 6th.

Reading: Isaiah 8:23-9:6

The People have Seen a Great Light

In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:1-2

The first weekend in October I traveled with our production crew to Isaan along with colleagues from Step Ahead Micro Enterprise Development and Night Light Ministries. As among the people of Israel in Isaiah’s time, there are many people in Isaan today who walk in deep darkness: the darkness of poverty, the darkness of spirit worship, the darkness of prostitution (with all its heartbreaking ramifications for the family). Isaan is the main provider of prostitutes to the bars of Bangkok. More than 80% of the girls travel from the northeastern provinces looking for work to help them support their families back home.

Two of the young women on our team had themselves formerly been prostitutes. They know well the darkness and abuse of that lifestyle and the hopelessness of being trapped with no way out. Thanks to the caring and courageous work of Night Light, these two women (and many others) havefound a way out. They have truly seen a great light: the Light of Jesus Christ, who has come into our world, as prophesied by Isaiah in today’s reading. Watching these women give honor to the Lord through a worship dance was nothing less than watching a true miracle of God’s grace. These former prostitutes, both of whom were also “pole dancers” in Bangkok bars, now radiate the Great Light that has changed their lives. On that October weekend, they were going home to tell families, friends and a large group of church leaders about how God has set them free into His Light and Life and Love.

It’s difficult, isn’t it, to imagine what these young women have experienced. We don’t like to think about it. But we all have our own darkness and we are all equally in need of the Light. Whatever hurts have darkened our past, whatever struggles and tears we may face today, whatever fears we may have about the future – God is always near, waiting to shine His Light into our pain, waiting to restore us and to heal our brokenness.

As we look forward during this Advent season to celebrating Christ’s birth once again, let’s grab hold of the joy and peace that God offers each of us. And let’s walk in the light of His love.

Karen Thomson came to Thailand in 1999 and serves as Regional Director for the Christian Broadcasting Network office, CBN Siam. Karen is an American from Pennsylvania.

The Light

The ancients gazed on the light, from afar

Shielding their eyes from the rising dawn, on a future horizon

Looking towards the mounting brightness

That would dispel the great darkness.

With great celebration, the angels heralded the entrance of the Light

Into this earthly arena,

As the Author of light himself, became the tiny fragile vessel,

Bearing the light that could illuminate the deepest recesses of a man’s soul,

Dispelling the darkest shadows.

The light was multiplied and entrusted to those who would pass it on.

Our ancestors took up the torch,

Carrying it high across the globe, down through the centuries.

Sometimes the flame sputtered as the darkness threatened to snuff it out,

But the light could not be extinguished because it springs from the source of all light.

The Light who is Immanuel,

The Light who came so that we who walk in darkness, could experience a glorious new dawn.

The Light who will one day return in triumph, conquering the darkness for ever.

He has come.

He is with us.

He is coming again.

Hallelujah!

Melanie Carey

Take my Son....

My brother sent this to me and I really enjoyed the message. It's entitled "My Son" and has a surprise ending I think you will appreciate.

Take my Son.....

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their
collection, fromPicasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of
art..

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in
battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only
son.
About a month later, just before Christmas,There was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands..

He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved
many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he
died instantly... He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this
package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have
wanted you to have this.'
The father

Opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at
the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so
drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to
pay him for the picture.. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to
see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many
influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to
purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the
bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'

There was silence...

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this
one.' But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding?
$100, $200?' Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!'

But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and
his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting...' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

'We have $10, who will bid $20? 'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.
They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'
A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'
'What about the paintings?'
I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the
will... I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son
would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the
paintings.The man who took the son gets everything!'
God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today
is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?'
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE
ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Russia in 2018!

The World Cup bids for 2018 and 2022 were just announced. Russia and Qatar were the winners.

I remember the days back in the late 80's and in 1990 of taking soccer teams to communist countries for the expressed purpose of encouraging underground churches and Christians as well as smuggling in bibles. Then in 1991 the former Soviet Union was opened up and the first ever ministry initiative for the Charlotte Eagles Soccer Club was a trip that I had the privilege of leading to this country. One year before we ran out of the 500 Bibles we brought to distribute in Czech and Poland. It was a terrible feeling. People begging for a Bible. I asked the Lord to help me raise enough money to bring 100,000 Bibles, N.T's and Gospel of Johns to the USSR in 1991. I made the order but had a drop out date just in case we couldn't raise the $. We needed just over 20,000 dollars which might as well have been a million to us at that time in our little Seahorse office in southern california. This wasn't about my great faith it was about a vision from God. The day i needed to make the finally commitment we weren't even close. I walked into the office and a fellow staff member sitting at his desk asked me, "so what are you going to do Brian, cancel the order?" I responded that the day had just started and we needed to give God the whole day to meet our need for $20+k. It wasn't like I was confident or anything just set on waiting till the end of the day. I will never ever forget that phone call that came from Mike P. after lunch that day. "Brian, my boss Bill S has committed to give you guys 20k for the Bibles and he wants to go on the trip as well." WOW! This money came from revenue he was receiving by the county using some of the land he owned for garbage. In May 1991 22 team members & Eagles staff along with 8 businessmen went to Moscow, Tbilisi and Kiev and distributed 100,000 Christian Bibles, NT's and Gospel of John. It was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on. Going to the place that stored our Scriptures and loading up the bus with each box was terrific. Then giving them out to people after I preached on the resurrection of Jesus Christ in front of Lenin's tomb, on street corners and as our players shared one on one with complete strangers after public presentations of the Gospel was an ABSOLUTELY AWESOME experience. I have some powerful stories that I will share another time from this experience. Giving people Bibles in the old USSR in 91 was like feeding gold fish food. It was quite the experience to see people so hungry for the Word of God after 70 years of being told there was no God. What a privilege! Can we use the World Cup in 2018 for the Kingdom of God? It's the Glory of the Impossible!