The Divine Crash

Over the summer I had the privilege of speaking at a youth camp.  While there I met the parents of a young woman who is a missionary in India.  While there she adopted a little boy named Kyle.  However, even though the adoption is legal the U.S. Government has been with-holding the visa required for Kyle to come to the United States.  After a few weeks of planning I worked out an interview with Becky.  My comments are in bold and her responses are after.  Please join me at in praying for Kyle and Becky and that they would make it home soon.

At the bottom of the conversation are links to her news stories and information about how you can help.

1. What brought you to India?

I have always loved to travel. God put the Himalayas on my heart a long time ago. I was drawn to Tibetans and Nepalis. I really wanted to do ministry in the mountains, among those people groups. An opportunity came up in 2004 for me to volunteer at a children’s home in the foothills of the Himalayas, in India. I went with two friends for 2 months and fell in love with the people. I knew God would take me back. I shared with my church, friends, and family about my vision to live in the foothills and minister to kids there and my church wanted to send me out as their missionary. (New Covenant Community Church, Somers Pt. NJ) So I moved to India in Dec. 2007 to represent New Covenant as their missionary.

2. What has kept you in India?

My original plan was to be in India indefinitely, but to go home 2 times a year to be refreshed, to meet with church and supporters, to catch up with everyone at home, etc. BUT Kyle was born in Jan 2008 and we haven’t been able to go home at all. And now that I have a child of my own, I really want to raise him in the States, close to family and friends, so my vision for ministry in India has changed. I’m looking forward to being stateside, but still doing short-term trips.

3. Why can’t you bring Kyle home yet?

Right now, every single legal requirement has been met for me to go home with Kyle. The adoption has been recognized on an international level. However, the US Embassy in Delhi and specifically USCIS, has not been very cooperative. We are STILL waiting for a visa for Kyle. That’s the last step. Since all the requirements have been met, we are baffled as to why the embassy/the USA is being so slow to issue the visa.
4. What do you still need to get to back to the U.S.?

We just need Kyle’s visa and we’ll be on the next plane!
5. How has your faith in God kept you going?

It was faith in God that even gave me the peace to take Kyle. He was about to be abandoned by his birth mother and I was asked to take him. I had immediate peace. God’s faithfulness has brought us so far. Kyle was 3 1/2 pounds when I got him (2 days old) and having an infant in the foothills is just soooo hard. Medical care is horrible, there’s no BabiesRUs, no heat, etc. It was really challenging, but God totally had His hand on us. Clinging to what I KNOW to be true in the Bible (even on days when I don’t FEEL that way) has gotten me through so much. Standing before the Indian Supreme Court is incredibly intimidating, but God was right there with me. I have learned to believe for things that I never thought were possible. And if I didn’t have God to turn to, to cry out to, I would have fallen apart a long time ago.
6. When you need a verse to strengthen you, when verse do you read?

One thing that has been incredibly hard is to be here on my own. I’m a single mom in this crazy, unstable, unsafe country. Psalm 4:8 has been my go to verse. Kyle and I pray it together every night. Also, Lamentations 3:22-24. I’m SOOO thankful for new mercies every day and I’m so thankful that God is truly our portion, all we need.

“I will lie down and fall asleep in peace because you alone, LORD , let me live in safety.” – Psalm 4:8 Common English Bible

“Certainly the faithful love of the LORD hasn’t ended; certainly God’s compassion isn’t through! They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness. I think: The LORD is my portion! Therefore, I’ll wait for him.” – Lamentations 3:22-24

7. What can my blog readers do most to help you? 
8. Anything specific that we can pray for you?

I would really appreciate prayer! For our safety and health, for favor with the Embassy/USCIS, mainly for Kyle’s visa to be issued quickly, for provision, and also for us as we have a HUGE transition ahead of us.

9. If anyone has more questions how can they contact you? 

My email is bringbeckyandkylehome [at] gmail.com

For more information check out her hometown newspaper which has written several articles on her.

For some reason this week the sermon recorded but it would not transfer to my computer. Not sure why, if I fix it I will post it. Otherwise enjoy the text.

Colossians 2:6-23

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Dear Jesus, this morning as pastors get ready to speak and people get ready to hear your word.  Be with those pastors who bought a sermon online and are going to read it.  May their words touch the heart of your people. For those pastors who have given up all hope of reaching their congregation may you renew in them a spirit of ferociousness that is able to raise not just the dead but also the living to a new standard of care.  For those pastors who aren’t even quite sure you exist, be with them. Show them the miraculous and give them you to believe in once again.  For those pastors who are going to boldly stand and preach your word and transform many lives, remind them it isn’t about them but it is about you. – Amen.

I felt like this was an appropriate post after my last post and something I have been thinking about lately. Sometimes people are wrong (not me, but other people).

Sometimes you are wrong. 

And sometimes people will point out to you that you are wrong.

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This morning I was speaking with some other pastors in my area.  We were speaking about why we do what we do.  Why we are pastors.  While others mentioned calling, love, etc… I said

“I am simply trying to change the world.”  (more…)

Good morning! We continued to look at the gospel and where it is true in our daily life. Feel free to enjoy the audio at the bottom or on iTunes.

1 Thessalonians 4:14

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Dear Jesus, for all those pastors who are preaching this morning, may you give them words of truth, love, comfort, and courage.  May the pastors stand up and speak your name with boldness and a refusal to bow down to politics, hatred, and evil.  May those who sit in the seats be touched by your words.  May they be stirred to greater acts of grace and goodness than the world has ever seen before. – Amen

In Highschool God brought me to Karate to give me a place to channel some energy and learn some basic philosophies of life.  But then God needed me to focus on college so I gave up my karate.  Then after college God brought Karate back to me so that I could cope with my horrible job.  Then God called me to seminary which meant giving up karate.  Now, is God bringing me back to the dojo? It has been years.  Can I even go back?  Is God allowing me to have this back? Could this really be something God is bringing me back to?

My dream was to one day have a black belt, could that start now? Again?

Sometimes God gives us gifts and things to enjoy to make life more enjoyable at certain times in our lives.  And sometimes those seasons of our life end and we move on.  We grieve the loss but we must move on to where God has called us too.

Has God ever done that to you? Given you something wonderful and then called you to something else more wonderful but  it meant you had to give up your first gift. Leave a comment and tell me about it.