On our way to Europe...

Today we leave for Europe. This is a trip that has been in the making since last June, long before we made the decision to accept the European Director position. Dennis, as Mission Director in our district, was invited to join GP Director of Operations Peter Moore, and other District GP Directors in the states on a Taste and SEE tour of our work in South Eastern Europe.

It's timely that I was given the privilege of joining this team of five now that Dennis and I have accepted the appointment of European Director.

This 17-day trip begins in Thessaloniki, Greece, where we will begin our journey spending some time seeing the biblical city of Philippi while we catch up on time change. From there we will make our way north to Macedonia, then onto Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, and eventually the Czech Republic.

I plan to post updates and pictures whenever possible along the way.

Life Changes...

Many of you have read the following news of life changes for Dennis and I. I just thought I would post what Dennis sent out via email this week as a beginning point as we begin looking forward to a new journey.

Over the past year we have had the joy of serving the West Michigan District. We have loved the opportunity to invest in the lives of pastors and the ministry of churches. It has been a huge gift to us to serve in this way. With the new economic realities, it appeared that our position would undergo significant adjustments after July 31 - potentially bringing a change to our role.

As we processed the anticipated changes, we sensed that we were to look at wider options for His place. We checked into several opportunities: local churches, other district leadership, unique combos and global leadership.

After praying through these options, it will be announced today, April 6 that we have accepted the appointment as European Directors for Global Partners the missions ministry of The Wesleyan Church. This was an option we had considered a year ago and has been growing in our hearts over the past year.

In this role, we will give leadership to Mission Directors and Missionaries in Europe where over 40% of our mission force serves. We plan to complete our service with the West Michigan District and hope to raise the support needed that we might be relocated to Europe by January 2010.

Obviously we are excited about this new venture and can’t wait to communicate more of the details as they unfold. In the meantime, we covet your prayers.

Thanks again for being such vital prayer connections for us. We love you.

Shame Lifter...

Marilyn Hontz – friend, fellow pastor’s wife, mom to five grown children, grandma to six, speaker, and author – recently published her second book, Shame Lifter. I was looking forward to getting a copy when I discovered it at a friend's house when we were staying with their kids while they were on a cruise. I debated what book to take with me for reading material, but never really settled on anything. As soon as I saw Marilyn's book, I knew that was the book to read. I finished it in three days and found it to be thought provoking and insightful. Anyone who reads this book will find themselves reflecting on their own life. Shame-givers come in a variety of forms... for me it was two grade-school teachers who instilled a shamed based sense of inadequacy in me.

I plan to get my own copy of Shame Lifter so I can go back over the questions at the end of each chapter. Plus I have a lot of highlighting to do! Marilyn writes with transparency of her growing up years living in an environment that produced within her a sense of shame, leaving her with nagging thoughts that imposed on her life. These shame-based feelings held her in a prison of self-condemning thoughts that tormented her whenever she would receive a compliment, especially after speaking in public.

One loving, but honest comment made to Marilyn after a speaking engagement began a journey to finding freedom from the shame-based thoughts that plagued Marilyn for years. Anyone who struggles with anything along these same lines will find themselves absorbed in Marilyn's story. But she doesn't leave you hanging in defeat or wallowing in hopelessness. At the end of each chapter Marilyn gives questions for reflection, then gives positive and encouraging tips that she calls "Shame Lifters," and offers an insightful and meaningful prayer of commitment and renewal.

Whenever I am with Marilyn she always draws me to Jesus. That's what I love about her! Her writing does the same. She draws her readers to the ultimate Shame Lifter and shares how she found victory and freedom in the love and truth of her heavenly Father. She writes, "no longer do I want my past circumstances, lies, or shame to shape me. I long to be shaped by the Lord Jesus."

The Lord Jesus has been shaping me over the years so that I no longer see myself as inadequate. Marilyn's book affirmed His good work in my life and gave me new levels of understanding in my walk in freedom. Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing your story!

"Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces."
Psalm 34:5