On the road again...

As I write this I'm sitting in the home of some good friends in San Diego, California.  It's a long way from Ireland, even as our home is ever on our minds.  We're in the states sharing with anyone who'll listen about Ireland and God's call on our lives in that place.

As we travel we're getting the opportunity to see good friends and make new ones.  Here is a list of some of the places we'll be visiting over the course of the next six weeks.  If you're close to any of these places and want more information just email us at missioneire@gmail.com.  We'd love to connect with you.. regardless we sure would love for you to remember us in your prayers.

Apple Valley, CA
Lakeside, CA
Hesperia, CA
Monte Vista, CO
Canon City, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
Heppner, OR
Kennewick, WA
Richland, WA
Kellogg, ID
Medford, OR
Gladstone, OR
Grand Ronde, OR
Portland, OR
Happy Valley, OR
Hillsboro, OR
Oregon City, OR
Woodburn, OR
Beaverton, OR
Lakeview, OH
Marysville, OH
West Liberty, OH
Wauseon, OH

Thanks for your prayers... and hopefully we'll see you along the way.

Blessings!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

World Record Attempt Promo

Why did we come to Ireland?

I've been thinking about this recently, and not because of the weather.  I've been thinking about it because St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner and I find myself heavily involved in the festivities in our home town this year.  I have the privilege of serving on a committee with a group of great people here in Wicklow Town.  We're having a great time preparing for what will be a couple of great days.

We have the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday, March 17th but on Saturday, March 16th we're doing something absolutely crazy.  We're going for a "World Record".  Costumes have been ordered by a local business and we're hoping to have 1,000 people all dressed up as St. Patrick. (Watch for pictures) I can't wait to see young and old walking down the town together.  As I said, it's going to be a great weekend.

Anyway, back to why I was reflecting on why I'm here!  I was helping prepare for this, collecting support just outside the Bank of Ireland when a little old lady, putting a few cents in my bucket said... "he was a good man.... he loved us."  As she took her sticker, and walked away, I found myself pondering what she'd said... and I realized that in her words I found my voice. 

If you know St. Patricks story you know that he was kidnapped as a child and forced to shepherd sheep here in Ireland.  The story of his escape is incredible, but not as incredible as what happens next.  In a vision, he hears the voices of the people who had known him as a child shepherd, calling him to come back to Ireland... the specific words were... "come and walk among us".  That vision became the impetus for his return to Ireland.  He returned sharing Christ.... yet as he returned he didn't cloister himself away from the people calling them to Christ from a distance... rather he did just what the vision had suggested... He walked amongst the people... he entered their lives... he loved them. 

All that reminds me of what John shares about the coming of Jesus in the opening prologue of the Gospel of John where we read...

           "The Word became flesh and blood,
                   and moved into the neighborhood.   Jn 1:14(MESSAGE)

As we have come to Ireland... we've sought to do the same... to enter the neighborhood, the lives of the people and in doing that we've found ourselves falling in love with the people we live with here in beautiful Ireland.

I keep thinking about that lady outside the Bank of Ireland and what she said about St. Patrick... and I find myself wondering... what might people say about me?  My prayer... Oh that they would echo the words of that little old lady and say about me.... "he was a good man... he loved us."  

AND if you're wondering... what is this love of which I speak... I go back to John, only this time his first letter where he writes these words....

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."  1John 3:16-18

Reflections on Psalm 91

I've been reflecting on Psalm 91 for the past week... it was one of the readings for the first week of Lent.  It's a wonderful song with words that inspire and encourage.... but it has also challenged me, especially the opening words:

Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow

   You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” (NRSV)

   Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. They say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (TNIV)

I have found myself consumed with the question... "What does it mean to live or dwell in the shelter of the most high?"  The thought is continued in the next phrase where the Psalmist speaks of abiding or resting in the shadow of the almighty?  Again, what does that mean?

My mind immediately went to John 15 and the illustration of the vine and the branches and how through their connection fruit is found.... the word used by John to speak of this relationships is translated "remain" in one version and "abide" in another.  As I was musing on this I found myself walking the beautiful beach at Brittas Bay. It was an absolutely beautiful sun filled day.  As I walked I became profoundly aware of my shadow and my thoughts went back to this passage.

"who abide in the shadow of the almighty"

I found myself wondering...

Do I live close enough to God that I rest within HIS shadow?

All that got me thinking about my shadow... 

The NOT so new Year...

Heading into 2013... seeking HIS direction!

Can you believe that the first month of 2013 is over tomorrow... it hardly seems possible.  Even as we've settled into the routine of this new year I can't help but think back to the season of advent and my reflection on HOPE during that season.

I was reminded that Hope is not dependent on the realities that surround, but on the word of God, a God who never lets His words drop to the ground.  That's good news.  By the way, in this I'm not suggesting we live in some pollyanna reality where everything is just great, rather I'm suggesting that regardless of what we see, hear or experience… God can still be trusted. 

In other words, there is NOTHING that will take place in the eleven months that remain in this year that can separate us from the love of God… nothing.  The Light of the world has come, even in the midst of the grey skies of winter.

This month we welcomed Ted & Sarah Voigt and their daughter Abigail.   They arrived on Jan 17th... and in the next few days we begin a Parent & Toddler Group in Wicklow.  Not a bad way to begin our year.  We'll be looking to build relationships with the people who participate and move forward with Parenting Classes.  In June we'll have been in Ireland two years.  It hardly seems possible.  In the fall we're planning to start some home groups.  All along we'll be listening to the leading and Spirit of God… for this is HIS work, HIS church, HIS calling.

As we begin walking through this new year… I'd invite you again to join us in God's mission.  Maybe you could join us in praying this prayer from the pen of missionary David Livingstone.

“God, send me anywhere, only go with me.  (BTW: this might be just across the street)
Lay any burden on me, only sustain me.
And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.”

We'd also invite you to pray these five prayers for our team here in Ireland… and if you're so inclined, yourself.

Lord, give us YOUR eyes to see the world around us.
Lord, give us ears to hear what YOU are calling us to do each day.
Lord, help us to lay down our lives, our dreams, our visions… for YOURS.
Lord, help us to see no action, no word as to small, but to do it to the glory of God.
Lord, fill us with your love that it might permeate our relationships, our actions and our minds.

I wonder... what might happen as we pray and live out this prayer.

Our Christmas Prayer Letter

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Merry Christmas from Ireland!  All the preparation is over the day has arrived, and we're celebrating Christmas.  We've been in Ireland 18 month... it hardly seems possible.  God has provided in SO many ways.  He has opened doors and done miracles that are beyond our wildest dreams.  We have met some wonderful people and are making what we hope will be lifelong friends here in Ireland.  You might say it feels more and more like home. 

I'm sitting in our living room and above our fireplace is a nativity scene... it's made of Olive wood from Israel.  Annette got it when she visited Israel growing up.  As I look again at this scene I'm speechless.  Think about it... GOD sent his son into our world.  Isn't that incredible?  Doesn't it leave you scratching your head?  I mean ponder the distance He traveled.  He truly did empty himself.

There is no greater metaphor for missions than the picture painted by His birth.  Talk about crossing barriers... HE did it!  We should be challenged again to GO into our world, to enter the lives of those around us... and NOT with answers, but by laying down our lives... like Jesus with love.

As I think about 2013 my prayer is simply... Lord, help me incarnate YOU to those around me.  Help me to be what YOU want me to be.

Can I be honest with you?  I need your help... would you pray for me, for us.  Would you?

Pray that while we might not have clarity all the time... we'd learn to trust Him more in 2013.
Pray for the new things that will begin with the new year, (i.e. a Parent & Toddler Group in the community where we live, Wicklow.)
Pray for Ted & Sarah Voigt as they join us in January.
Pray for the CHURCH in Ireland, that we would rise up and BE the people of God.

Thank you... again!  Thanks for reading, for praying, for partnering with us in this great adventure.  Thanks also for the cards, support and Facebook posts... we love you!

Blessings & Merry Christmas!

Stephen & Annette, along with Matthew in Ireland(and our daughter at MNU) 

When you lose your voice...

Can I ask you a question… what do you do when you don't know what to do?  What do you say, when words feel so empty?

I found myself in that place on hearing the news from Connecticut… I mean what do you say?  I was sitting in the library reading the paper where they had pictures of the 20 children who lost their lives, alongside the adults… and I find myself dabbing my eyes.  What can you say?  For all the power of words, sometimes they can seem so powerless… and this is not just true about this tragedy it's true for many of the losses in our lives… in fact it's also true for some of the great moments.  I remember someone asking me about the birth of our son, Matthew.  How do you put that into words.  Even 17 years later I struggle to find the words to express the joy, the love, the power of that moment.

So I ask you again, what do you say when you don't know what to say?

Throughout history men and women have used song to find their voice.  Moses led the people of God in a great song, recorded for us in Ex 15 this on the heels of their great deliverance through the Red Sea.  They were overwhelmed with the greatness of their God.  Hannah, does the same thing in 1 Samuel 2 in response to the birth of Samuel.  David, following his dismal failure penned the words of Psalm 32 and 51.  Even Jesus on the cross… sings Psalm 22  Frederick Handel, trying to express the glory of the gospel, found his voice in scripture that is so powerfully rendered in the Messiah.  Many of us have probably sang or embraced those words in a way that speaks meaning into something that is beyond words.

That's what Mary does… You might think she's penning her own song, but that's only partly true…. you see she's recalling the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2.  The word of God has become her voice.  And Mary is not the only one…  Jonah from within the belly of the whale, cries out to God… but again, these are not his own words, we find him proclaiming God's word… or should I say embracing God's word as his own.  You may find it hard to believe but in his prayer there are more than 10 references to various Psalms.

This got me thinking… This word has the power to give us a voice to us when we've lost our voice.

I can't tell you how many times I have NOT known what to say in my prayers to God… only to discover HIS word on my lips.  I have grown up in a tradition that values spontaneity, and originality in its prayers, but the reality is sometimes we can't find the words… I mean what do you say in response to the terrible things have taken place in Connecticut?

I would suggest the WORD… can give us back our voice… in this case to grieve.  I found myself reading Lamentations and some of the Psalms of Lament. 

Mary, even though she was a young girl still ruminated on God's word.  It was a part of her life.  I wonder… is it a part of our lives?  I'm not talking about just memorising it… some of us struggle to do that, but we can all meditate on it, we can all live into it and out of it and with it.

In fact I wonder, instead of reading God's word for answers… perhaps we should read it to find our voice.

As Mary found her voice… we too can find ours in God's word.

The JOY hope brings...

We're getting ready to celebrate our second Christmas in Ireland.  It hardly seems possible.  We got our tree in the house yesterday.  It smells divine.  We picked it out on a tree farm that's owned by someone Annette made connections with at a Knitting Club she joined in Ashford. It's SO good to make friends.  You might say these connections make us feel more and more at home.

I'm working with Wicklow Rotary on an incredible project.  We're hosting a Tree of Remembrance here in Wicklow.  I got to stand in the cold with another new friend the other day as people came to write names on ribbons to be placed on our community Christmas tree.  They placed the names of Grandmas and Grandpas, but also mom and dads and brothers and sisters.  I watched as a little girl wrote the name of her sister on a ribbon.  Just last week we were in Carrickfergus and attended a service at the Carrick Church of the Nazarene where they lit the tree in remembrance of those who had passed, specifically this past year. 

Christmas is a season of happiness, but I'd imagine that for many this year this happiness may be tempered by the loss they experience.  Tempered by the empty seat around the table on Christmas Day, the person we miss as gifts are unwrapped.  Annette's grandma, a wonderful lady, went to be with Jesus this last week, and she'll be missed(massive understatement).  Most of us are touched by loss at one point or another. 

All this got me thinking about the third Sunday of Advent.  If you're church is traditional at all and you have an advent wreath, you'll notice something about the third candle.  It's a different colour... in most cases pink.  It's the JOY candle.  There is SO much joy surrounding the Christmas story.  To be sure, the birth of a baby brings joy, but the more I've thought about it... I think the reason for the joy in Mary and Joseph or the shepherds and wise men is the HOPE that this baby named Jesus brings... a hope our world desperately needs.

Truth is we can have that same hope, no matter our loss or failure.

I'm a sinner!  I've messed up more times than YOU can imagine.  To be sure I'm an ordained elder, a member of the clergy, but that doesn't mean I'm perfect, it simply means that I take the gift offered to me in Jesus.... and as I do, I discover the HOPE there is for a person like me, a person like you... a hope that brings PEACE, but also JOY.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

I hope this Christmas... you discover the JOY that HOPE brings.

Merry Christmas!