Posts Tagged ‘International Messengers’

My 2012 in Picture Review

Monday, December 31st, 2012

I sit in the stillness of my living room this morning, sipping my coffee and reflecting on 2012. I’m so thankful for the many blessings it brought, and for the lessons learned in the hard places. Most of all, I’m thankful for God’s presence and power, and for the fresh understanding of the Holy Spirit’s role in my life as a believer. The reassurance that He lives in me and equips me for whatever life brings my way enables me to face 2013 with courage and confidence.

Yes, life brought many blessings in 2012. There were also difficult times, some of which present ongoing challenges mostly with health and relationships. While I’d choose not to have to deal with them, God has chosen otherwise. And so I’ll take them and let Him to use them to refine me as He deems necessary. Not fun, but all good. I’m sure you can relate.

In the midst of ongoing challenges, I feel as though the Lord lavished His love on me. Here are some the highlights 2012 brought my way:

  • Multiple speaking opportunities allowed me to meet countless women. Many drew me aside and shared their stories with me. Some stories warmed my heart; others broke it. I count it a privilege to be trusted with others’ private pain, and to pray for those who hurt.
  • February—hosted my first annual weekend getaway for businesswomen. Doing this was a major faith step for me, and God honored it. Thirty-six women came, and we had a great time! The second annual getaway takes place in March 2013.

    Businesswomen's weekend getaway 2012

  • February 11—my third grandson was born! Welcome to the world, wee Simon. I love you.
  • February 20—celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. Grateful for a solid marriage and a godly spouse who builds into my life.
  • Also February–Harvest House released Peaceful Moments to Begin Your Day: Devotions for Busy Women. It’s a revamp of 10-Minute Time Outs for Busy Women, but repackaging it meant reaching a whole new audience. 
  • March—my husband and I attended our mission’s annual staff conference in Poland. I feel blessed to be part of an organization that gives its staff the freedom to use their giftedness in creative ways to share the Good News. We have some incredibly passionate and gifted people on board.
  • May—taught at the Seattle Christian Writers Renewal Conference. Love that conference! My Bible study, Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman-to-Woman Conversation, won the Selah Award of Excellence for Bible Studies!
  • May—an unexpected health challenge. Symptoms mimicked a heart attack, and I seriously thought my time on earth was over. But God spared me, and doctors have puzzled over me. Follow-up procedures are scheduled for this week, January 2 and 3.
  • June—interviewed with Moira Brown on 100 Huntley Street. Was MC at the Write!Canada awards ceremony in Toronto, and taught at the Write!Canada writers conference.

    Grace and Moira Brown

  • June brought the blessing of a new book contract with Harvest House Publishers. This devotional—Good Morning, Lord—will contain 180 short meditations and will be released in December 2013.
  • July—led short-term ministry teams to Romania and Poland. Saw God work in people’s lives in amazing ways! Wanna join us next summer? In the midst of our summer ministry, I received word that Harvest House issued a second book contract and that the North American Baptist denomination women’s ministry chose to make “Moving from Fear to Freedom” their 2013 theme!
  • August—family vacation. I’m so grateful our kids enjoy spending time together, and that my 80-year-old mom could join us.
  • Also in August, our family finances dipped to an all-time low due to several huge expenses (car and house repairs, physiotherapy). In the midst of wondering how we’d pay our month’s mortgage, God rushed to our rescue. Interest levels dropped, and we received funds from my in-laws’ estate that enabled us to refinance our townhouse. Amazing.
  • September—a third book contract from Harvest House! Overwhelmed (in a good way) by the new doors God is opening.
  • October-November—a whirlwind of women’s retreats and conferences in BC, Alberta, and Ontario. Enjoyed a five-day retreat with our International Messengers mission leadership team in Centennial, Wyoming.

    International Messengers leadership team

  • December—rented a local guestroom for two weeks to write, write, write. So thankful for my supportive husband who suggested doing this, and who brought me mid-afternoon lattes. In the midst of my writing marathon, the Newtown tragedy rocked the world and made me realize anew how desperately the world needs Jesus.

    My writing spot for December!

Today we stand on the brink of 2013. What will it bring? No one knows, but God is in control. He holds us in His right hand, hides us under His wings, and surrounds us with His promises. He guarantees to direct us, give us wisdom, and provide for our needs. He promises to give us strength, comfort, joy, and peace.

We don’t know what 2013 holds, but we can smile at the future knowing God holds it in His hands. Happy New Year, my friend! May 2013 be filled with blessings and joy, and may it overflow with opportunities to experience God in new and unexpected ways.

Question: What was a highlight for you in 2012?

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Posted in Courage, Devotionals, Faith, Fear, God's Sovereignty, Gratitude | No Comments »

A Taste of German History

Monday, August 6th, 2012

Gene and I spent two days in Berlin in July while awaiting the arrival of our second International Messengers ministry team. While there we took a tour of East Berlin. The guide, a 30-something Brit named Barnaby, majored in political science and history. Educating others about the Cold War was obviously his passion.

Here are a few highlights:

  • The Brandenburg Gate. Did you know that the infamous Berlin wall was built only a few meters behind the Gate? The wall’s height dropped significantly behind the gate so the western portion of the city could see it and—for lack of a better term—drool at the easterner’s “good fortune” at possessing the famous landmark. Incidentally, east Berliners couldn’t access the gate either because it stood in the middle of “no man’s land.” Civilians attempting to cross this barren strip would be shot under suspicion of running to the western sector for freedom.

Gene and Grace at the Brandenburg Gate -- Berlin, Germany

  • The infamous Berlin wall was built in four stages. First came the rounds of barbed wire that were erected in one night. These were eventually replaced by a brick wall. When this failed to keep easterners from escaping, pre-fab concrete walls topped with barbed wire were erected. That barbed wire was later replaced with a rounded concrete brim along the entire wall. The rounded top made it impossible for an escapee to get a firm handhold and hoist himself up and over.

Infamous Berlin wall. Note the rounded top.

  • Two and a half years after the wall was erected, west Berliners were granted visas to visit relatives and friends in the eastern sector. Those visas lasted only 24 hours. Upon their return, they had to pass through border security in this building. Eastern guards scrutinized each person’s ID photo and face for 20 minutes. The reason for this? They studied 16 facial measurements to ensure the person was indeed the same as indicated on the paperwork. How unnerving must that have been?

Tearful family goodbyes were said here.

  • The secret police headquarters was in this building. They kept detailed files on everyone in east Berlin—files that became public in the early 90s. The divorce rate soared when many people learned that their spouses had reported their activities to the police, albeit under blackmail. Reading one’s files proved so traumatic that it became mandatory for professional counselors to be present when doing so.

Former headquarters for the German secret police.

Listening to the stories made me shudder at the inhumanity of man. It also made me very thankful for freedom. It’s to be cherished and protected, wouldn’t you agree?

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Posted in Missions trips, Travels | 2 Comments »

My Secret to Dealing with the Day’s Stress

Friday, June 1st, 2012

How many of you feel pressure or stress right now? I do.

May turned out to be maintenance month for physical health, it seems. This week held a treadmill stress test for my heart, blood tests, two physio appointments, and a doctor’s follow-up appointment. These tests resulted in my being scheduled for a cat-scan and an ultrasound later this month. Even as I write this, my husband is having a skin cancer lesion removed. Thankfully the doc thinks it’s non-invasive.

This weekend Gene and I will train 23 volunteers who are heading overseas with International Messengers in the summer. Besides teaching, I’ll be preparing three meals for everyone. That means I need to do the shopping this afternoon. Besides that, my house is still in chaos after being painted this week, so I’m snatching minutes here and there to unpack boxes. And I have several people waiting for email responses re: upcoming speaking engagements.

Everyone feels pressure or stress at some time or other. It may be caused by physical health issues. It might be due to finances, a tough relationship, or conflict at work. It might be due to having unrealistic expectations placed on you. Whatever the cause, pressure or stress can drain the life outta us.

Today I woke knowing that spending time alone with the Lord before beginning my day was absolutely non-negotiable. Human tendency told me to skip it because, after all, my to-do list was a mile long and I’d never reach the end if I didn’t tackle it the moment I rolled from bed. But I rejected that thought, poured a cup of coffee, grabbed my Bible, and found an empty space on my favorite loveseat. Buried behind packing boxes, I met with God and found my soul restored.

Psalm 119: 143 says, “As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.” That’s my verse for the weekend. When fatigue hits, I’ll draw my joy from spending time in God’s Word reading about His love and faithfulness. I’ll also draw joy from His literal commands—to give thanks, to serve others gladly, and to keep my thoughts on Him. When Sunday rolls around, I’ll find joy in obeying His command to rest.

How about you? How are you doing, my friend? And how does this verse encourage you?

Photo Courtesy: FreeDigalPhotos.net

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Hi from Poland!

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Hi from Poland! We’ve had a whirlwind week since leaving Vancouver on Monday night. Landed in Berlin on Tuesday evening, drove three hours to Gorzow, Poland that night, taught a class there on Wednesday evening, and then traveled by train for nine hours yesterday via Warsaw and Karpacz to reach Poronin.

This area reminds me of Banff–an alpine resort. This morning we woke to a beautiful snow cover.

Snowy day in Poland

We spent the day with our International Messengers staff. There are about 185 people at this conference. It’s like a giant homecoming! Enjoyed two worship services with great music and a wonderful speaker. Spent time this afternoon meeting with individuals to talk about what’s happening in their lives and pray. Some of these friends/coworkers come from the Ukraine, others from Russia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, and of course, Poland. What a great group of people. It’s an honor to know and work with them. They inspire me!

The day ended with plans being made for a week of family camp this summer in Poland. It was topped off with a Skype call to wish our grandson a happy third birthday.

And now, while you’re in the middle of your afternoon, I’m going to bed. There’s a nine-hour time difference. Good night!

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My Impossible Situation

Friday, March 11th, 2011

It began in January 2007 with an early morning phone call. The caller was a close friend, one of our former pastors. “Do you still sense that God has something new for you in ministry?” he asked.

“Yes,” my husband answered. (We’d sensed a change coming for two years already but had committed to waiting for clear direction from God before stepping out on our own).

“Then you might be interested in what I have to say,” our friend said. He explained that a U.S. based ministry called International Messengers wanted to expand into Canada and needed a director. “The job description fits you and Grace,” he said. “May I give IM your names?” And so began our adventure into the realm of the impossible.

As dialogue began with IM, we asked ourselves questions such as, “Will this ministry come with an income, or will we have to continue living on faith support? Where should we set up our headquarters? Will we find a house within our price range? What will become of our youngest daughter if she chooses not to move with us? What if we try to mobilize Canadian believers to get involved in short term missions but no one buys into it? What if we’re too old to handle the overseas travel well? What if we’re not really cut out for this? We’ve never ministered in Eastern Europe; what if we step out in faith and fall flat on our faces?”

Our questions focused on three areas—manpower, know-how, and finances. These were justifiable concerns, and I believe we were wise to ask them. However, we couldn’t allow the lack of obvious answers to hinder us from doing what God was telling us to do. The foremost question we had to ask was, “Is God speaking?” We believed the answer was yes, and that meant trusting Him for the details.

Was that easy? Heavens, no. We prayed a lot, asking God to provide for those three areas of need, and He answered. He showed us where to move and provided us with a townhouse in our price range. When our daughter decided to stay put rather than move with us, He taught me to trust her well-being to His care. He’s continually given us the energy needed for overseas travel and ministry. He’s provided financial support, and He’s drawn enthusiastic volunteers to fill our short term ministry needs each summer.

The first summer we had 14 Canadian volunteers work in Poland and Slovakia. The next summer, 19 volunteers went to three countries—Poland, Romania, and the Ukraine. And last summer, we grew to 34 volunteers who worked in four countries—Poland, Romania, the Ukraine, and Slovakia. Then our church offered us an office rent-free, which enabled us to move the IM Canada office out of our basement. To top it off, the Lord provided us with an administrative assistant.

Summer 2011 -- with team members and Polish friends

Four years ago at this time, we were asking all the questions I listed above. If we’d allowed fear to reign and said no to God’s call because it appeared impossible, we would have missed this opportunity to experience Him in new ways. Saying yes, however, meant tackling the impossible in His strength.

How about you? How has God enabled you to tackle an impossible situation?

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Sabbath Rest

Monday, February 28th, 2011

My life is not what some might consider “normal.” Take this weekend, for instance. My husband and I were at Missions Fest Alberta in Edmonton. Among other assignments, we manned our International Messengers booth on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday morning, we spoke at a church about 1 ½ hours’ drive from the conference venue. Then we returned to our booth where we talked with attendees until 5:30. That’s when the exhibition hall closed and we packed up our banners and brochures. Two flights and several hours later, we rolled into our own bed, exhausted.

Working weekends is what we do. If I’m not involved in ministry directly related to International Messengers, then I’m often speaking at a retreat somewhere and traveling home in the late afternoon or evening. However, when Monday morning dawns, my to-do list is waiting for me. Upcoming speaking engagements need my attention. So does the new DVD and study guide project. Book proposals wait to be penned. And then there’s the follow-up for people who have expressed an interest in summer ministry trips. And what about laundry, grocery shopping, housecleaning, and spending time with my kids and grandbabies?

Our ministry is expanding. Without a doubt, it could consume me. It would be easy to work seven days a week. In fact, I’ve been guilty of doing so. I’ve had good intentions of taking off a complete day mid-week to rest, but I’ve not been successful in pulling it off. I’ve struggled with a nagging fear that someone or something will fall between the cracks. Heaven forbid, something will be left undone and ministry will falter. But today I’m facing that fear.

I’m acknowledging that refusing to stop for one day is disobedience to God’s command for Sabbath rest (Leviticus 23:3 for one). It’s evidence that I’m depending on my own strength to accomplish ministry, and I want no part of that. And so, I’m making changes. They might take a few weeks to fully implement, and they might have to be flexible especially when we’re overseas for several weeks and taking a day to rest simply isn’t possible. They might even mean not writing a Monday blog once in a while. Regardless, I’m going to ask God to help me honor His command. After all, it’s for my own good. This is tough for me, considering my personality, but I’m looking forward to seeing how God will grant me wisdom and success in this endeavor.

How about you? What insights do you have about taking a Sabbath rest? If anyone out there has an abnormal schedule like mine, what advice can you offer?

 Image: Sura Nualpradid / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Amazing Encounters and Encouragement

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

I came to Urbana ’09 to represent International Messengers and to answer questions/encourage students who are exploring options for their future. During Monday morning’s worship service, however, I heard the leader say, “God has brought you here for a reason. What does He want to tell you or show you?” Hey – that’s right, I thought. I’m here to do my job as a mission co-director, but that’s not the only reason. God has something for me, too. What message does He want to give me?

Later that day, a woman named Beth stopped by our booth to speak with me. Her daughter had read Moving From Fear to Freedom, found it very helpful, and started following this blog. When she’d read about my trip to Urbana, she asked Beth to meet me here and to tell me that the book had helped her work through fear issues in her life. Wow – what an encouragement to me as an author and blogger. As we spoke, Beth called her daughter on her cell phone and then handed the phone to me. Another wow – what a treat to speak with this young woman whose life has been impacted by the words I’ve written in solitude.

While I love writing, I don’t find it an easy task. Penning a worthwhile article or book or even a blog takes much time and energy. It requires a willingness to be transparent and to risk rejection by readers who may not agree with what flows from my heart. It requires saying no to other activities that would be a whole lot easier. But I know that my mission is to write the message God puts within my heart, to communicate hope to those who are discouraged, truth to those who are choosing the wrong path, and light to those who have lost their way. I don’t know who my readers are, and I don’t know their deepest needs, but God does. It’s my job to obey – to write – and it’s His job to put my words into the hands of those who need to read them.

What message has God given me at Urbana ’09 (so far)? To continue writing, even though I cannot track the results. He’s using my skill to bring glory to Himself and I’m forever grateful.

What skill(s) has He given you? How can you use them for His glory?

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Posted in Devotionals | 3 Comments »

Getting Ready for Another Trip

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

Hello, my friends! I finally got caught up on the blogs from our recent trip to Eastern Europe, and now it’s time to travel again. It’s true — we’ll leave on Wednesday.

Once again, I’ll try my best to post blogs as we go. We ought to have internet access about every third day as we travel through Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, and then back to Poland. Sometimes it’s just dial-up as opposed to high-speed, so that makes posting pictures difficult, but I’ll do my best. I also intend to go back to posting my devotional thoughts on a regular basis.

BTW, I was in Toronto for a day of taping at “100 Huntley Street” recently. I did an interview about International Messengers with Ann and Ron Mainse, and then did 14 devotional segments for “Truth to Go.” I don’t know when these will air, but hopefully it will be later this spring.

Grace with Ann and Ron Mainse on the set of "100 Huntley Street"

Grace with Ann and Ron Mainse on the set of "100 Huntley Street"

Blessings on you! I pray for you regularly.

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