Rounding third...focused on Home

Grief is a strange and horrible thing. To watch someone you love suffer well makes it worse. A young man I know is dying of cancer. He was diagnosed as a boy, and has grown into a man with an uncertain future. Yet, now, as the pain becomes unbearable and the cancer takes over his body, he remains fixated on Heaven and on praising God in ALL things.

His sister knows that his time on this earth grows shorter with every moment. She wonders every time she speaks with him if it will be the last time. She hates to leave the house for fear he will be gone when she returns. Yet, she is confused why God allows him to continue suffering. Why, if he has finished his earthly work, is he allowed to linger in unspeakable pain?

His mother has watched his progress from diagnosis through treatments to testimony and now to dying. Her faith is evident, and she chooses praise and trust in God's perfect will, but at the same time her heart is shredded by the suffering of her son.  She knows intellectually that God loves him even more than she can. She understands that God knows the pain of watching a child suffer unto death. She recognizes that God loves each of us more than we can imagine. But she is a human mother who wants to make the path smooth for her child, and she is helpless to ease his physical pain.

How does one justify the love of God with the seemingly unnecessary suffering of a believer and his family?

C.S. Lewis learned about suffering and grief and pain watching his beloved wife die of bone cancer. He wrote of that misery,
    

         "Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact   that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief."     (Lewis, A Grief Observed)

Lewis never lost his faith in a loving God, but he, in all his intellectual genius, couldn't answer the "why" question either. He compared grief to fear, and scorned those who tried to put a "religious" face on suffering. There really is nothing worse than the mindless cliches' about a "better place" or a "reason for everything." They may be accurate cliches' but they don't ease the heartache of the sufferer--or those who suffer around and with him.

I don't understand the mind of God--how could I? I can't make sense of this kind of suffering, either--for the young man physically and for his family emotionally.  I can't see the good God promises to work out for those who love Him, as this family truly does.  All I can do is be inspired and motivated by their stubborn praise, knowing that God is sovereign and that HE knows the reasons.

"Where, except in the present, can the Eternal be met?"

(Lewis, Christian Reflections)

Romania 2010--reflection

Meet my friends, Doru and Ioana Jecu from Draganesti, Romania. Doru's English is about as good as my Romanian, but somehow I connected with this couple in the span of only two days.

They are among the 80 or so people who came up to the Pace Center in Sibiu for a retreat and introduction to The Purpose Driven Life.  Draganesti is a village of staunch Orthodoxy--along with 85% unemployment. Many villagers never travel more than 50 miles from home. The retreat was a special event for everyone--pastors, missionaries, and attendees. God is preparing a mighty work in Draganesti, and I am certain that Doru and Ioana will be among the firstfruits. I smile whenever I think of them. Ioana is a bit shy, but so sweet. Doru is a bundle of energy, and full of spunk. He isn't afraid to challenge the teacher, so it's important to be quick when he starts talking.

Still, I left the retreat feeling like Doru's heart was beginning to soften as he SAW the acts of believers for himself. Ioana will follow her husband's lead--or she will become the praying wife who wins him without a word. The pastor of the little church in Draganesti wrote this note to the Global Missions team at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (who sponsored the retreat):

Thank you for everyting that you have done for us at Selimbar, Sibiu. We had a good time there and we can say that we have received positive feedback from the families which were there. Not only that our souls were fed by the word of God but we also got to know each other better. Because of the distance, only 2-3 families will not be able to come in Draganesti to study "The Purpose Driven Life".


Some realised that they want to follow the command of Jesus of being baptised. Others said they have never seen so many believers - reffering to the church in Alba Iulia. One of the men said that when Stephanie prayed for him, he felt something special inside.

For others, the hosts in Alba Iulia were a good example, providing a spiritual environment. The sermons, testimonies, songs developed deeper understanding of God.

We were all impressed by your dedicated heart. There were many women who said nobody has done what you did, washing their feet and hand massage.

In other words, it was awesome!
Thank you and God bless,
Costea Raul -" Spreading the Gospel in Oltenia"
str. Nicolae Titulescu, bl D14, ap 11, etj 4
Draganesti- Olt
jud. Olt - Romania

So, pray for the church at Draganesti. And pray for Doru and Ioana, my friends who have so much potential to infuse a village with the energy of the Spirit!

Unexpected Inspiration

I expected to spend 3 1/2 days in Savannah and Tybee Island and come away inspired. How could I not be inspired by historic buildings, moss covered trees, museums, horse-drawn carriages, and the sound of the waves on the beach? While I loved the time I spent walking the historic district, touring the museums, and sitting on a park bench in Oglethorpe Square, I found myself inspired most by a story on the lighthouse stairs.

As Corinne and I ascended the 178 twisted steps we passed a gentleman taking a short breather on one of the landings. Not long after we reached the top, he opened the door to the watchtower deck. I noticed his heart rate monitor, so I knew he was getting some cardio into his day. As he was a large man, I inquired about his heartrate. (I thought it must be racing.) I was surprised to hear that it was only at 120---immediately after 178 stairs! Then he told us that he had already lost 180 pounds!

In 29 happy years of marriage and a successful chiropractic practice in New York, "Dr. Phil"(as he calls himself) had gone from 200 pounds to over 460. Knowing that he had heart disease in his family, he determined to develop a healthy lifestyle so that he could be around for a good long time. He began slowly. His target heart rate maximum was to be 120 (based on his size and age) and he reached that just by walking from the locker room to the gym floor. Today his goal was not one, but TWO trips to the top of the lighthouse. Talk about perseverence. Lungs, knees, ankles---it all had to hurt after just one trip up all 178 steps. Twice was an admirable goal. His heart rate recovery was impressive--within just a few minutes it was down to the low 90s and he was ready to begin the trek down. He is part of Savannah's Biggest Loser competition--and he intends to win. I believe he will. The ultimate reward, however, is that his health will be fully restored and he will be wholly alive and well for his family.
How easy is it to look at any daunting task and see only the challenge in its entirety! God never intended for His children to be overwhelmed by the challenges He allows. He wants us to look to the Light as we move forward. The reward at the top of the Tybee lighthouse steps is a panoramic view of the island, the ocean, and the bridge to Savannah. The journey is taken one step at a time. As in life, some steps are more difficult than others, and there is sometimes great pain, but the reward is worth the effort. Life's journey ends, not with a panorama of creation, but with eternity with the Creator. The trials and tasks along the way refine us, change our hearts, strengthen our faith, and make us wholly His.