Family Coming Home...

Logan, Scarlett, Tony, Tara and Ava Jo

 

They are coming home...in less then 24 hours we will  wrap arms around our daughter and her family.  Four years have passed since they walked on US soil.    Because they have come from  land of few choices, (Papua New Guinea) they will be overwhelmed at the abundance of choices they have to make after arriving here. Their one year home assignment will pass so quick then they will return to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who have not heard. 

If you would like more information on their ministry you can look on New Tribes Mission web site or connect with them: tony_sutton@ntm.org.  They are open to come share at your church or small group what God is doing in Papua New Guinea. 


“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”  

  

At My Lowest

  





When I was at my lowest, confounded by obstacle, I discovered an astonishing truth.  God is attracted to weakness.  He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him.  Our weakness, in fact, makes room for His power.

Have you been there? What brought you out of it?  Or maybe I should ask, who brought you out of your lowest point?  Were you humbled?  What did God show you about yourself during that time?

I ask all that because several weeks ago I had a friend come to me about an issue in her life that was causing her to struggle with being obedient.  It was refreshing to witness a heart being humbled by God.   Refreshing to listen to a humble heart seeks answers according to the Word of God.  Which brings me back to the first paragraph which is worth repeating again.    "God is attracted to weakness.  He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him.  Our weakness, in fact makes room for His power. 

The ladies bible study I belong to has started reading Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life.  Bro. Warren says this, "real spiritual growth is never an isolated, individualistic pursuit.  Maturity is produced through relationships and community.  Just today I had the opportunity to be mature and say, I am sorry about something that offended someone.  At first I tried to say nicely I was being misunderstood.  The more I tried to defend myself, the deeper my pit got.  Only way to get out was to say I was sorry, can you forgive me?   And I really am sorry for the offence.  Yeah I am feeling pretty low right now, I just hate it when I mess up.  Which is why I needed reminded, God is attracted to weakness, (that's me) He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him, (that's me too).  My "weakness", in fact make room for His power.  I just want to shout with written words....BRING ON THE POWER GOD.  Use this weak, broken, desperate old woman for Your Glory.

Link to:
http://jenniferdukeslee.com/tell-his-story/"

God Never Leaves Us Without A Song

I was challenged  while on a trip back to our home area in Kentucky.  You see everyone there knows I sing so I am called upon to do so as soon as I walk into some churches.  Knowing this you would have thought I would take special care to remember my sound tracts, but I didn't.  Really I was  hoping I could get out of it which tells you the "song" had left my heart.   Up to about 8 years ago I was learning a new song  once a month in hopes I would get a chance to sing it.  Then I remembered it was a little over eight years ago we went to Papua New Guinea and had some of the toughest years of our Christian life and very few opportunities to sing. Besides the enemy of my soul dropped these words in...no one wants to hear an old woman sing.  Then God dropped these words in my heart and the devil had to flee.

God said,   find a song that speaks to your heart that you know well and can do without any music. 

The Greatest Of All Miracles

I wasn't there by the shores of Galilee, when Jesus touched those blinded eyes and made them see
And though I did not see the empty tomb, that day, I still believe
Yes I know what Jesus did for me.

Now I believe there is power in the blood of the Lamb
And I believe there is healing in the touch of His hand
But the greatest of all miracles is when Jesus touch me
Yes I know what Jesus did for me

Now I have seen the lowest sin sick soul, have life anew, be made pure, pure and whole
And I have felt Him loose the chains of sin and set my spirit free
Yes I know what Jesus did for me. 

My voice is not what it use to be of course but again I realized it's is the heart of a song that counts and the heart of the person singing it.  Both were right each  times I sang.  God never leaves us without a song. 




 Link to:  "http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/"

Bring On The Rain, Heat and Humidity

Yesterday I realized what the hard rains, heat and humidity had been producing besides buckets full of sweat from my body. Just outside our house, along the fence is the most beautiful flowers. It had been such a rainy, hot, humid week and all I had been noticing was the frustration it was producing in me until this morning when a friend pointed out the flowers. Then it hit me, how we will never be the beautiful flowers for the Lord with out the rain of our tears that come from the trials and the period of heat and humidity that it takes to bring beautiful blooms forth. Honest there are days I just want to escape to some mountain retreat where the air is cool and dry and be able to read a book without sweat dripping on the pages. This is not the place I would have picked to serve the Lord in but it is the place God has picked for me.

We have been studying in Esther how God placed her where she was "for such a time as this". God placed her in a palace for a time when she would have a part in saving her people. Her actions could have cost her life but she was willing to perish if necessary. All God is asking of me is to endure a little heat and humidity to be a part of reaching the lost in Papua New Guinea.

Oh I want to be a woman of courage and say, bring on the heat and humidity, I'll endure for your sake Lord but as I sit typing the sweat drips on my computer and my determination withers. Then I look at the flowers again and they give me courage to cease the day for Him.
One thing you cannot see in my pictures though is all the bees buzzing in and out of those sweet flowers. I pushed past my fear of getting a bee sting to take several pictures knowing any second one could lite on me and cause me pain. I would have missed the fragrance those flowers produce when in full bloom, a heavenly smell along with an important reminded God wanted to teach me had I just gave up the venture. Wish there was some other way to have beautiful flowers without rain, heat, humidity and stinging bees...but that is God's way.

( This is a repost from about 3 years ago while we were serving in Papua New Guinea.  Sweat is not dripping from my fingers onto the key board, thank God.   Moving back to the states to serve with our mission produced it's own set of trials. They follow us where ever we live but so does He, the one who we can lean on, He does not mind sweat, dirt, tears and weaknesses.  Instead of shying away from us in our frailness He is drawn to comfort and show His strength. )

                               How has God shown Himself strong to you?
link to:
"http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/"

Protecting God

"When we walk in the Spirit we are projecting God image. "    Now here is how I read it, when we walk in the spirit we are protecting God's image.  My mistake caused me to stop and ponder, "protection of God's image."   Yeah...it's exactly what we do when we walk in the Spirit, we protect His image.  This is where that profound thought took me. 

God has given us the desire to protect our children.  Yet almost daily one can read or see on the news a parent who instead of protecting destroys their children.  While I was potty training my first born a spirit of control took over and I was determined she would be potty trained by a certain age.   I loved her beyond anything I could imagine and  it broke my heart to know those feelings were in me toward this precious little girl of ours.  Even then as a lost woman I knew this was about controlling and not love.  When I heard my own sharp voice telling her she would potty I begin to weep...poor child, from an irate mother to a sobbing one. Praise God she does not remember that incident. 

Grace is always there when needed.  I am sad to say I am not always there for God protecting  grace.   Those times I walk in the flesh  hurts God's image to those around me.  If I put on God's armor I am protected against what ever the enemy throws at me.  In turn the armor protect His image.   Ephesians 6:10-20 tell us we are ambassadors of  Him who designed the pieces of armor.  God has provided all we need to battle on this earth

If God had not put I John 1:9 in the Word my failures would destroy me.  His word encourages and strengthen me to pick my self up,  re-arm AGAIN and get back out to the battle.  His unfailing love motivate me to not give up the battle that rages to destroy God's image.  Even my mistakes in reading one simple word is used of God to show me truth. 

Since we are all cut of the same fabric, what has God taught  you lately from a mistake? 

An Affected Heart

Our eyes are extremely important in order to help in everything we do everyday.  Often, what we see stimulates and determines some of our actions.  Psalm 34:8 also includes the spirit man's eyesight along with the tasting. Paul's prayer (in Eph. 1:18) was that the eyes of our heart be enlightened.  The heart (in this reference) does not indicate the seat of emotion as we more commonly refer to, but rather of thought and will.  Our understanding needs to be right so that we can fully comprehend all that God has called us to.

Veronica at "Theshticks.com" has captured my heart in her drawing of me praying in a village in Papua New Guinea. After looking at some of the pictures I sent her I was totally at peace with what she would come up with.

 My eyes affected my heart the first time I viewed slides from a widowed missionary lady who worked in the Phillipines teaching the women and children how to read their own language.  Little did I know God was going to use her to start praying for my husband and I.  Soon after meeting her we begin to get the New Tribes magazine, Brown Gold delivered to us monthly.  Every article we read drew us to missions.   We were heavily involved in evangelism in our community, enjoying our  ministry.  But those articles about the few who were willing to go to the unreached tucked in  remote places stirred us.  Truth is, they did more then stir us, they changed us into people of God who would willingly say, Your will God, not ours.  I love the fact God works is a progression most of the time and His timing is perfect.   About four years after meeting this missionary lady we entered into the New Tribes training that would teach us some ways to live in remote places.  It was exciting and scary at the same time but so worthwhile.

Nothing could really prepare us though for the affect  of finally getting to our first overs seas assignment.  God begin to build on the training of how it takes a team to reach those living in place that sometimes even a helicopter can"t reach.   I think I really understood for the first time why God gave us feet. 

I often write mission posts because it where my heart is.   I know some may not believe this but those who live without a gospel witness will die and go to hell without a chance to believe.   Ace and I are grateful for those who are part of our team, praying and giving so we in turn could go.  God uses many different ways to challenge us all to obey Him...these are just a few He used.  A 50 year widow missionary women, a magazine full of God stories  of going to the ends of the earth, and a pastor with a heart for missions.  When we sit down to tell him what we believed God's will was for us, we said, my brother, you preached us out of this church by keeping before us the needs of the world.  The missionaries we met while in training only highten the desire to go and be a part of telling the gospel.   Never in a million years could the Sunday school teacher who invited us to visit her church could have known what God had in store for us.  But she too was part of the process. 

               How has your eyes affected your heart?              

 

                                                    

A "Wick"

Jesus said in John 5:35 He (John the Baptist) He was a burning and shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.     (Without a wick a lamp or candle cannot give light )

                             
  

 Last weekend we heard a great message on John the Baptist.  John who was called a "wick" whose purpose was to be used up as a shining light for Jesus.  Plain and simple John life was not all about himself.   Not only did he carry the message, he was a part of Jesus influence in the world, the message owned him.  It drove him to risk all to get the message out to a lost and dying world.  John the Baptist was sacrificial in his role. The notion of self-sacrifice or self-forgetfulness, doesn't often play well in a culture like ours.  He not only lived a peculiar life but spoke words boldly to all around him.   Which is exactly why the queen hated him so she ask the King through her daughter for his head.  A "wick" cannot light itself, a match must be struck and put to the wick for light.  The moment we become believers God light our wicks.   Hide it under a bushel, no, I'm gonna let it shine.

This got me to thinking how much brighter this world would be if saints of God obeyed the Lord and tell the sweet sweet story with boldness such as John.  We can be  bold telling someone which sport team we like, or about the latest movie or which political party we are a part of.    But words about those issue do not bring about a changed life.

Just a few more days Easter will be celebrated. Churches will be full of "wicks,"   John the Baptist time is over, NOW IS OUR TIME to be obedience so the world will see His light in us, by our action and our words telling the gospel to all who will listen.

                                                         

 

NOW IS OUR TIME 

Dinangat Mail
I wanted to continue on with an update from one of the women from the Dinangat missionary team.  Ellie has been a vital part of the ministry along with the other two wives.  A few ladies and I are studying "contentment" here in the states but as you will read "God's contentment" is never based on where you live or how much you have.  Worry knows no bounderies but neither does the power of God.  Yes it is the missionaries that bring the gospel to these remote people but God use them to teach the missionary heart also.   How I wish I could take you to this beautiful place in the mountains of Papua New Guinea.  To see the love of God shine from the faces of the believers.  To sit with them on the ground as they worship the same God you and I worship.   To meet Ellie and the rest of the team and and hear their excitement at how God is working in  all their hearts.  But for now this precioius testemony will have to do.   

 March 2013

"Yesterday I worried a lot about whether or not I will be able to think straight and talk right when I will meet again with Elli to check the Bible Translation. Then today I worried again, but then I thought that those worries probably make God sad. Hasn't He helped me all those years and hasn't He worked through me and done it well? Why do I think that maybe now God would not help me again? So I stopped worrying and trusted God. And I came and now you see how well it went!"

 This is what Mesari (2nd lady on the right) told me yesterday as we met to check the Bible Translation for understanding, like we do every Tuesday afternoon. Her words touched me. I had to hold back my tears. How can Mesari have such a trust in God after knowing Him only for 5 years? How can she trust Him so much better than I?

 Wearing a ripped shirt and stitched together skirt, without shoes, without a watch, without any jewelry she sat cross legged in front of me on the floor where we read together the words of 1 Timothy 6, 6-9:

 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich

fall into temptation…"

 When Mesari heard those words her eyes showed this deep shame. She felt bad, for she felt caught in her discontentment. She said, "Yes, that is true, when we have food and clothes, what else do we need? We have God, our Savior, He is everything we need to live and to die!"

 I don't know what to say. I feel awful. Just a minute ago she told me about her bad house and that at night when the family sleeps the rain drops on them through the bad roof. Now they will need to move to their smaller house in the garden which is further away and they will need to walk a long distance to come to the village every day. And for days now she is wearing this ripped shirt, or for weeks really. Sweet potatoes for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner.

 I feel ashamed. And somehow it feels good. For I see in this moment how precious of an example my Dinangat friend is to me. I am proud of her and I will never forget how she trusts God in her poor situation and finds contentment in Him in the midst of all this. This is what I want! And I thank God for Mesari!

We can  identify with Ellie and her friend Mesari...anxiety comes to us all. One of the suggestion in our contentment study is to write our worries out and put them in an Anxiety Box.   It will be a reminder that God is carrying those worries. Once or twice a year open the box and find God's has taken care of most of our worries. 

 I like what George Mueller said: " The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith.  The beginning of of true faith is the end of anxiety."

                          What helps you deal with your anxiety?

 

 

Below the Surface

Of course I love anything to do with missions but this clip made me think about the beliefs of  many people here in the developed country of America.  Often I have heard the phrase, "oh I hope I am going to heaven."  Or, "I think I have done enough good to make it to heaven."   Those words make me want to dig a little deeper into their foundational beliefs.  The better we understand what a person believes, we also gain an understanding into why they do what they do. 

I have said this before but it is worth repeating...without a firm foundation built on the Word of God, anything else is built on sand and will crumble easily.  There are certain groups that would say, leave those people in their natural beliefs but these care nothing for the souls of people or for that matter their daily lives of slavery to fear of their dead ancestral spirits. 

Ace and I have been in this village, it's the one with the postage stamp airstrip that has a take off like a roller coaster ride.  These three families have worked as a team under physically, emotional and spiritual hardship to bring the whole pure truth of God.  I was challenged to take time and build a relationship with people aound so they would let me below their surface.  It is there the issue of their beliefs live.  

I have had to make a cross of two logs, and lie down on it, to show the Indians what it means to crucify a man.  Jim Elliot
    

Most of us will not reach a village at a time but is there one or maybe two God has brought into your life and encouraged you to get, "below their surface"? 

TWENTY YEARS AGO..

 

 

                                     Posted by Vic and Patti Labutes on Feb 7th, 2013

Twenty years ago Patti's husband, Rick Tenenoff was taken captive on January 31, 1993.

 

 My first husband, Rick Tenenoff and our co-workers Mark Rich and Dave Mankins were kidnapped and never seen by us again. There was sporadic contact with the guerilla rebels the first year and many efforts to obtain their release over the ensuing 8 years. However, these efforts were unsuccessful and their memorial service was in October, 2001.
Many have asked me, ‘How is the Kuna Church doing these days?’ In answer to that I think of I Corinthians 3:6. We missionaries planted the seed of God’s provision of eternal salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of His son Jesus. After the kidnapping, some Kuna believers took on the task of watering the seeds in the fertile Kuna soil. A Kuna couple from a different village moved to Pucuro and continued teaching the Word. It hasn’t been an easy time, but it has been profitable in that there are many Kuna now trusting in the finished work of Christ.

Today, 20 years later there are many Kuna believers trusting in the finished work of Christ.

The complete Kuna Bible will be revised and printed in the near future. Kuna Literacy classes are on the rise. Things are happening! It is so exciting to hear of the maturing Kuna church not only in Pucuro, but on the coastline and along the Panama/Colombia border. Again, God is faithful!
Please pray for the upcoming Kuna literacy classes.
Please pray for the translation team as they fine tune the final draft of the Kuna Bible.
Please pray for Vic and me as we serve and teach at the Missionary Training Center.
Thank you for your prayers for us and the Kuna church!
Patti (and Vic too)
*For a book about the kidnapping of Rick Tenenoff, Mark Rich and Dave Mankins see: Hostage
**For a testimony from one of the hostage-takers who became a believer, see this post from Mark Rich’s parents: Forgiven
***For more updates about the Kuna people see: Kuna People Group Mission News

      (We were serving in Bolivia when this happen.  A couple years later two more  New Tribes missionary men were taken in Columbia and killed in  a gun battle.  A few years after a New Tribes pilot serving in the Phillipines took his wife, Gracia to a seaside resort for their anniversary.  They along with others were taken captive their first night at the resort.  After a year of captivity Gracia's husband, Martin was killed during the attempted recuse.  Gracia though shot survived and  has a book out about their ordeal,  In The Presence Of Mine Enemy.   I read somewhere the battle is the bloodiest at the front.  These precious missionaries who give up the comforts of home understand that, yet they dare to say, I'll go, I'll take the light of the glorious gospel to in the remote places.  Please take to heart the plea from Vic and Patti to pray for their request.  I pray you are having a part of the gospel going out beyond your world.  Those who have chosen to be boots on the ground know the danger, understand the cost and would gladly say to you, it is worth it.  

 

I know I always say this to you when I post on mission, but I truely mean it.  I do not post to get you to give money even though it takes it to go.  All New Tribes missioinaries live by faith, over seas and those of us serving in the states.  I do post to make us all aware there is a world outside of "us".   Jesus made it very clear that we are to go and give the gospel out...the location He will direct. 

  I  posted this on my fb and all ready someone told me they stuggling with this  testemony.   Does reading this cause you to struggle?  If so, ,why?