A Whisper of Hope

The last few months my attention has been drawn to butterflies. Yes, it was spring so of course butterflies are evident - but this spring it seemed God has been specifically drawing my attention to these beautiful creatures. Their resounding life story of hope has penetrated my heart. The beauty of breaking out. The struggle through the storm of the cocoon. The freedom of flight. Every time I see a butterfly - there is a song of hope that springs up in my spirit. This song sings of the amazing truth that life is not always what it appears to be. The chorus resounds with a steady reminder that we don’t always understand the mystery of what God is doing “behind the scenes” or “in the cocoon”. As I walked around Central Park on a warm, sunny June day - my friend and I were talking about life. In between the stories we would stop and snap pictures of the ponds, the bridges, the famous New York scenes. We stood on the edge of one of the beautiful ponds, a picturesque bridge in the background and a city skyscraper in the distance reminding us that we really were in New York. A perfect picture of Central Park. Click. Smile, one more - click. We laughed and did the normal routine - let’s make sure the picture is ok before we move on. Then - what is that? We moved into the shade so we could see the picture better . . . a beautiful butterfly right smack in the middle of my Central Park picture! Neither of us had even noticed a butterfly anywhere around. My friend didn’t even see the butterfly when she snapped the picture! There it is - photo bombed by hope. The unseen, pulling back the curtain and reminding us - there is more than meets the naked eye. There is grace and beauty and hope fluttering around us far more often than we realize.

Are you Reading This?

Saturday morning we went to the market . . . not to buy vegetables or sample local food, although we did end up doing a bit of that. Our purpose was to meet some people and ask if we could pray with them as well as give them a bottle of cold water on this VERY hot morning in Guyana. A simple task - offer prayer and a bottle of water - refreshment for the spirit and the body. We approached a stand with 2 young women selling eggplants, okra and a few unidentifiable vegetables. One of the young women came over and we began to chat. Her name is Rachma, she is 14 years old. Her family lives in a neighboring village and they come to the market every weekend. Behind her sat another young woman, a bit older who looked like she was ignoring us. When I attempted to talk to the second girl, Rachma said - she can’t hear you, she is deaf and she doesn’t talk either. Rachma explained she is my older sister, Rose - sometimes she understands, sometimes she doesn’t. As we continued to speak with Rachma, I asked her if she went to school. Her huge smile quickly disappeared and she said, I finished the 4th grade, but then my Mom wanted me to stay home and take care of Rose. “Do you read?”, I asked. Her shaking head said it all. I could feel the disappointment in her voice as she said, No. I can’t read. The change in Rachma’s demeanor said it all. This young girl wanted to read. She would’ve loved to continue her education. But like so many young women around the world, family demands take precedent over their education. I thought of my nieces. I can hear Bailey, who is 7 reading a book as she sits on Grammy’s lap and I thought what a very different life Bailey has from Rachma. Thankfully, the YWAM base in Guyana has a literacy program and we were able to give Rachma the phone number and invite her to the base to see if she might want to come to the classes. We had an opportunity to encourage Rachma - speak truth to her that she is intelligent and has gifts, which reminded me of the scene from the move The Help - “You is smart, You is kind, You is important” - that was the message we wanted Rachma to hear - we also told her how much God loves her, sees her and He too thinks she is smart - in fact He created her. Her smile returned and she asked if we would be back again to the market. A compelling invitation that makes me want to return to Guyana. Please say a prayer for Rachma and Rose - and remember - if you are reading this - you have a great gift that so many do not have.

Whispered Prayers . . .

This morning as I walked into the classroom here in Guyana, I noticed there were several flags hanging around the room - some familiar to me and others were brand new. I recognized the Guyanese flag on one wall from the welcome packet I had received when I arrived. “Lord, I’d like to get a Guyanese flag, I casually whispered under my breath” Then I began to ask a few of the students if there were shops in town that sold flags. Different opinions responded, “yes, there were”, “not sure what size”, til finally the consensus was that “you need to go to Georgetown, the capital to get one”. I found my seat and began to unpack my computer, when Winston, one of the Guyanese staff came over to me and handed me a large Guyanese flag. “Here” he smiled - I looked at the wall, the Guyanese flag was still hanging, this was a different one, brand new. He smiled and said - “here, it’s a gift”. I thought wow, that was a quick answer to a whisper of a prayer. I smiled as I remembered that right before leaving for this trip, I was waiting for some books to come that I need to read for my Master’s degree. I ordered about 10 books and was hoping a few of them would come in so I could take them on this trip. I wasn’t sure which books to start with so a few mornings before I was to leave, I whispered a prayer - “Lord, I would really like at least a few of the books to come in . . .I’ll take the first 2 that come . . . “ Just a couple hours later - my whispered prayer long out of my mind, I went out to the mailbox - you guessed it - 2 books shoved tightly into the box awaiting a trip to South America! thank you Lord, for listening to that fleeting whisper of a prayer . . . Those books reminded me of a few weeks ago when I was speaking up in Central Jersey. On the way home late in the afternoon, I found my stomach gnawing at me for a coffee and a donut - the perfect tie over til I got home and could get some dinner. Mom and I were in the car and she was also up for a donut stop - so I said out loud - “Lord, I really would like to find a Dunkin Donuts before we get on the Parkway” . . . the last word was barely out of my mouth when I looked to my right and saw the pink and white sign with DD. Mom and I both were taken back - a quick whisper of a prayer for something so eternally insignificant - and there it was . . . He Heard my whisper - and boy did it taste good! The coffee and donuts reminded me that earlier that week another whisper was heard. I was considering the assignment for my Master’s of a 24 hour Silent Retreat. Hmmmm, I thought, where can I go that is conducive to a silent retreat. I know, I will contact Mrs. Kane, a member of our local Catholic church and ask if she knows of any places associated with her church where silent retreats are hosted. I made a mental note to myself to try and remember to call her in the next few days. Later that day, I headed over to the local supermarket. As I wandered through the produce dept., who is standing somewhere between the romaine lettuce and green onions, but Mrs. Kane. After the usual hellos and how are yous - I jumped right in with my request. Sure enough, she was my lady - knew exactly the right place and called me later that night with the contact information. Another whispered request - another immediate response. So, here I sit - looking at my Guyanese flag and remembering that God DOES listen. He not only hears the cries of my heart - He also hears the soft, under-my-breath-whispers. I hope today He hears me whisper - THANK YOU!

10,000 Reasons - Guyana

As I woke up this morning while flying from New York to Guyana - I peered out the window to the amazing beauty of a heaven’s view sunrise . . . the light reflecting off the clouds, the moment by moment unwrapping of sunlight caused me to soak in a new day. I immediately thought of this song by Matt Redman - “The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning . . . bless the Lord oh my soul”. I found myself whispering a prayer of thanksgiving - thankful for a new day, thankful for the opportunity to visit a new country, to meet both old and new friends, to see God’s goodness and beauty in a different culture . . . indeed it seemed like 10,000 reasons for my heart to find to worship and be in awe of God’s grace, goodness and beauty. As we prepared to land, all I could see was a vast jungle below me, a river winding through followed by more jungle - till at last we dropped onto a runway that popped up out of nowhere. The next 2 hours I was taking in all the newness. Greeted at the airport by a familiar face, we then started off on our trip along the coast to the YWAM base. The taxi driver was a proud Guyanese man who enjoyed sharing with me all the unique aspects of his country - the only English-speaking country in South America, the highest waterfall in the world, the longest floating bridge in the world, the largest wooden building in the world. My fact-filled trip was interrupted a few times, like when we passed a young boy holding up iguana for sale along the side of the road. We also stopped at M&M, the local fast-food joint to pick up some- “doubles” - a tortilla type wrap filled with something similar to curried chick peas - it was a tasty introduction to the country, even though “doubles” were brought here by a man from Trinidad. I indulged in my Trinidadian, Guyanese snack purchased for me by my Barbadian friend and literally was singing on the inside at the international moment - 10,000 reasons! As I was eating the “double” we drove over the famous floating bridge . . .and continued our journey onto the YWAM base. After a much needed rest, I enjoyed hanging out with some of the folks here who have come to be a part of the leadership training and found myself looking at pictures of Nepal - a place I had visited almost 10 years ago. One of the guys here did a school in Nepal and was showing me his pictures of a village where I had been. Two Americans looking at pictures of a village in Nepal while sitting on a porch in Guyana - 10,000 reasons for my heart to find to worship an amazing God. If you’ve never listened to this song 10,000 Reasons, please do and ask the Lord to help you begin to be on the lookout for all the incredible reasons we have to worship Him - Bless the Lord of my soul - My soul is indeed blessed and very full!

Peace - A New Understanding

This season I have discovered that the Hebrew definition of Shalom (peace) is very different from our English definition of peace. Most people when I ask them to define peace respond by saying one of two things - Peace is an absence of war OR peace is a feeling of inner tranquility - or something very similar to one of those definitions. However, the Hebrew definition of shalom is "fulfilled", "finished", "whole" - the peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship with God and with one's fellow man. The definition brings a whole deeper meaning to Jesus being the Prince of Peace - He alone is the one that can bring us into right relationship with God and with others. When Jesus tells us "Peace, I leave with you - not as the world gives" - That peace that Jesus promised to us is FAR greater than what we naturally think of peace. He didn't give us an absence of war or an ooey-gooey feeling inside. He gave us so much more, in that we have the possibility to be in right relationship with God and with others. I wrote a poem in response to this revelation. I hope you are blessed.

Peace, Peace - the world proclaims
We want to live in peace
No more conflict, no more strife
We want the wars to cease

Peace, Peace - each person cries
I want to live in peace
No more struggle, no more pain
I want heartache to cease


Peace, Peace - Jesus is born
Peace on earth, goodwill to mankind
Immanuel, Prince of Peace
Yet still that peace is hard to find

Peace, Peace Jesus proclaims
Not as the world do I give
Let not your heart be troubled, afraid
For in my peace you will live . . .

You will live in relationship
to God and to all
In wholeness and righteousness
Fulfilling my call

For peace as I give is not as the world's
The peace that I leave you is so much more
Your life will be whole, your spirit alive
For Shalom in its fullness, will be your life's cry

Feeling Unprepared, Knowing You are Called

"Mary, we need to be on the road. We have to make it to Bethlehem before the baby is born. I think we need to leave early tomorrow morning. Do you have everything together that you will need both for the journey and the birth?"
"Do I have everything I will need, Joseph? I have no idea - What will I need to give birth to the Son of God?

This morning I was imagining a conversation between Mary and Joseph as they saddled up the donkey and headed to Bethlehem. I'm not sure anyone in history could feel as unprepared for a world-changing task than Mary did as she prepared for the birth of Jesus. And then there is Joseph - What was he thinking as he headed off to Bethlehem with a very pregnant young girl - who was his wife, but not carrying his child and with whom he had promised to be pure and righteous. I am thinking they both must have felt VERY unprepared - for the journey and also for the future events that they knew were ahead of them. So, the scenario begs the question - Why did they go? Why did they continue to move ahead with the plan? Surely they could have made some excuse to stay behind - or Joseph could have gone on his own explaining Mary's condition. (I've been in enough Middle Eastern settings to know that given the situation and all the people it would have been very possible for Joseph to fly under the radar of the census takers.) But he didn't. Mary did pack her bag and climb onto the donkey for the one week or more journey to Bethlehem. I think they went because they were called of God. Both Mary and Joseph had supernatural encounters with an angel - giving them their call - explaining their part in this world-changing adventure. So they went. Most likely not with an abundance of natural confidence. Not feeling like they had the world by its tail. Not even fully aware of the dangers, the miracles, the unlikeliness of some of the settings. They went.

When I first joined the group I work with - I had no idea what the future held. I had a plan to go to the Discipleship Training School for 6 months, but after that I knew nothing. I had quit my job that I loved, sold most of my household belongings and was preparing to go. I remember speaking with a man at church (he was a special speaker whose name I can't even remember). I went up to him and explained my apprehension in not having a long-term plan. His response was - "Do you have your marching orders?" I thought that a strange question. "What do you mean?", I replied. He said, "Do you really believe God has called you to go?" "Well, yes, of course I do, I wouldn't have left my job and sold everything if I wasn't confident that God said Go" - "Well, then GO - and let God unfold the rest of His plan"

I'm sitting here thinking that must have been how Mary and Joseph felt - both confident deep within themselves that God had called them - called them to be the parents of His Son, called them to travel to Bethlehem to fulfill prophecy . . . but I am also just as certain that they both probably felt very UNPREPARED for the journey. I am so grateful that they obeyed - they pushed forward with God's plan, not based on feelings, but rather based on knowing they were called. May God give us all the grace to do the same with what He has called us to do.

Immanuel - Beginning to End

I love the name Immanuel - God with us! What a promise. I recently read an article that pointed out that the book of Matthew begins and ends with the promise of God being with us. Matthew 1:23 - "Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel", which is translated God with us". Matthew 28:19,20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always even to the ends of the age" Amen. Jesus' birth was announced as being God with us. What an incredible reality that we so often glance right over. God WITH us. God with US. The Creator of the universe, the Almighty God is with us. How does that change my life? God came to earth to be with us and then as He was physically leaving the earth He promised to be with us always. We are never without His presence. This Christmas season may our hearts be encouraged with the wonderful reminder that God came to be with us and He promised to always be with us. We are never alone. No matter where we are or what we are going through God is with us - He is Immanuel. When you see the nativity in a yard, or in a store or in your living room - call out the name "Immanuel" and be reminded that He is with you from the beginning to the end!