Death is Not Dying

What if you had it all? What if you were in the midst of your thirties and thriving? What if you had a loving and devoted spouse? What if you had two beautiful little children? What if you had safety, security, and many good friends? What if you had a wonderful church and deep faith in Christ? What if you found out you had only weeks to live?

Response to death has always been fascinating to me. This has become especially so since the Lord saved me. There is nothing sadder to me than someone such as Princess Diana who seems to try so hard to find their way and then dies seemingly without having found The Way. I have often sat transfixed through hours of television reports on the death of a celebrity life being celebrated, with the distinct awareness that all evidence indicates that while this world is honoring and celebrating the celebrity, he is writhing in Hell. It is the ultimate reflection of the powers of this world to deceive.

Yet, there are other stories of those facing death that amaze and convict me while reminding me of God's goodness and power to overcome the curse of death. I have come across one such testimony this morning that is as powerful as anything I have ever seen. Rachel Barkley is a young mom facing death. She has a loving husband and two small children. She has a group of loving friends, freedom, and faith. And she does not have long to live. Her response and reflections are captured in a video presentation she gave to a women's conference in her home city of Vancouver. As part of her presentation, she notes the following:

"In His providence, God has used the tough things in my life to draw me closer to Him; to show me His great love and to teach me many things. I have learned that I am not perfect and I have the scars to prove it- thirteen of them, and they serve as the physical reminder of a spiritual reality that I can never be perfect on my own. I need a Savior. I have learned that the greatest evidence of God’s love is seen when I stand at the foot of the cross. He took my shame upon Himself and rescued me. I have learned that being a Christian is not just hope for the future, although it is most definitely that. It is the joy of knowing and trusting in a God who is loving and faithful no matter what the circumstances."

The full video of Rachel's presentation is available online by clicking here. It is 55 minutes long, but it is 55 minutes well spent. May we trust Him in life as Rachel is trusting Him in death.

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Jumping Hoops and Being Good

I'm in the midst of reading through some Baptist21 content and just came across this sentence. It responds to a tendency I often find in my own heart, one that I am also often overwhelmingly frustrated with when I see it perpetuated in others:

"The Bible never treats the gospel as a hoop and morality is never exhorted apart from the Gospel."

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Fanning the Flames?

I am starting to wish I were Amish. I readily admit that I have always been a tech junkie. I had Facebook and a Blackberry for a while before they were popular. Ask anyone who works with me and they'll tell you that I am constantly multitasking. I have not counted lately, but I am guessing I send between 100-150 emails a day. I know I receive that many. If I'm awake and not driving or in a meeting, then a laptop is probably on and within arms reach. This used to just be me and my personality quirk. It's not anymore. Now it seems that everyone is blogging, facebooking, and twittering.

I don't know why, but in the past few weeks I've started to feel smothered by the electronic connectedness of life these days. Are we really more effective? Are we really contributing more? Is this really socially healthy? Is the Kingdom of God truly benefiting?

I'm in publishing. And, yes, I (and we) most definitely care about the ministry impact of the books we publish. And, yes, we genuinely want to connect the message with the masses because we believe it will change their lives. But, the reality is that the publishing industry has changed drastically in the last several years, largely due to technological shifts and trends. As such, everyone is trying to figure out how to communicate a message in this new world while doing so efficiently and at minimal cost. We want to be good stewards of message and resources. The business realities require that we exhaust all available channels and mediums to communicate our message. Only I'm starting to wonder if we're all just exhausting ourselves and each other as we seek to squeeze every bit of opportunity from online networking.

I'm not sure what the answer is. I know that I am grateful for some ministries I've seen born out of blogs. The truth is that if someone has a blog that tens of thousands of people are following, then that means that they have a message that people clearly need (although not necessarily as a book). Yet, I can't help but wonder if we're in some way fanning the flames of over-networking because we know it helps us manage an increasingly challenging business model. I'm not sure, but the more I have thought about this post, I'm wondering if what I'm wrestling with is the tendency for us to try to encourage or create the mass followings online.

I'd genuinely like to hear how you reconcile the ministry with the frenzied craze of online networking. I'd especially like to hear from editors, marketing managers, and authors. I know there's genuine value there, I guess I'm just wondering how we can maintain and foster authenticity.

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Detox Induced Thoughts

I am feeling extremely scatterbrained. My attention span is about 90 seconds. I know the cause. Brace yourself...I'm easing myself off caffeine. No, I'm not a coffee or Starbucks junkie. My drug of choice is Diet Dr. Pepper. A lot of it. I actually tracked it a few weeks ago and realized I was drinking in excess of 100 ounces a day. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that probably isn't great for me. So, I've been gradually decreasing my intake for the past couple weeks and am now down to one 20oz a day. In honor of my caffeine detox that has left me scatterbrained, I've got a few [very] random thoughts to share:

• I just discovered an excellent resource for those raising support for missions. It looks great. You should check out MissionMatchUp.
• We (at B&H/LifeWay) are in the midst of working on some plans for a women's online resource that is unlike anything else out there. It will take a couple months to launch, but suffice to say that I am super excited about the potential.
• I am overjoyed that Mine That Bird won the Derby. I love when the underdog wins. He even looked less formidable than the other horses. Susan Boyle-esque. Yet another sign that outward appearance is not a sure indicator of internal substance. Easy belief to articulate, difficult to consistently manifest.
• I really hate it when I get proposals in any font other than Times New Roman, 12 pt. I also hate any sort of creative formatting. The only components you need are a title page, headings, subheadings, and text in normal paragraph form. All Times New Roman. If you read this and ever send me a proposal, please, please, please follow these guidelines. It will make me happier when I read your proposal. That can only help you.
• I'm getting a new office sometime in the next week. This is because a lady who has been working at B&H for almost twenty years has volunteered to give me her office and move into a cubicle. I can't get over it. I know that I would be angry and prideful if I were her. Yet, she is genuinely fine with it, no drama, and super gracious. Did I mention that I can't get over it? I really can't. I seriously feel like I should wash her feet or something incredibly symbolic. The problem is that I would do one kind and humble action then go back to being selfish while she embodies kindness and humility. I'm trying to believe sanctification is powerful enough to get even me there someday. Perhaps the lack of caffeine will help...
  

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Sunday Quote

"If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead."
- William Law

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Compassion in the Slums

These photos were taken today by a photographer/blogger traveling with a group surveying the work of Compassion International in India. They spent today in the slums of Kolkata (aka Calcutta). These particular slums are known to be among the worst of the worst in the entire world.

Yet, check out a couple of the images from Compassion's ministry:


Read Angie and Melissa's take on their day. View more of the photos. Pray. Sponsor a child. But most of all, worship our great God who can shine light into the darkest places on earth.

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Cabbage Patch Kids & Publishing

Do you remember Cabbage Patch Kids? I am of the Cabbage Patch Kid generation. They became insanely popular when I was in Kindergarten and I distinctly remember the stories about women beating one another up in lines for the dolls. As an adult, I can recognize that the dolls are not actually very cute. Yet, at the time, I was ALL ABOUT Cabbage Patch dolls. I distinctly remember being consumed with envy when my best friend got a Cabbage Patch Kid playpen for her CBKs. It was covered with that heartwarming logo of a dolls head coming out of a cabbage plant…okay, in hindsight that logo is more creepy than heartwarming.

Do you remember what the marketing hook was for the Cabbage Patch dolls when they first came out? Oddly enough, even though it has been over 25 years, I still remember the commercials. The thing that stood out was that no two dolls were the same (or so they said). This was reinforced when I saw the dolls on the store shelves. They had unique outfits, features, names, and birthdays. A really sharp marketing team figured out how to tap into the feelings and emotions that come from children feeling different. Then they delivered on that by actually creating distinction in the dolls.

Now what in the world does a doll have to do with publishing? I talk to a lot of women who want to write books. Additionally, I often hear from other individuals who want to tell me about women who are potential authors. The problem is that more often than not, the women or those advocating for them communicate how they are just like some existing author or speaker. It’s even worse when someone tells me that a particular woman is going to be the “next” expression of a current author or speaker. Seriously? I understand that a lot of times people are just not careful with their words (I’m certainly guilty of that). However, I am concerned about the potential misconception behind the words and the frequency with which I hear this sort of thing.

So, let me talk specifically to those of you who desire to reach or teach women, especially if you desire to publish in some form as an aspect of that ministry.

Don’t try to be someone else.

God created one Nancy Leigh DeMoss, one Beth Moore, one Priscilla Shirer, one Kay Arthur, etc…No one will ever recreate the ministry the Lord has given them, nor can anyone on the outside possibly have the full story behind how God has created it or the fires they have had to walk through as a result. Penetrating ministries are not built by seeking prominence, but rather by seeking faithfulness. That includes faithfulness to who God has created you to be.

I recognize that a lot of times people are trying to communicate that someone is gifted in a way similar to some of these women whose gifts have been so effectively used. Let me suggest another way to communicate without comparing yourself to others. If you happen to stumble across this and are an aspiring author (or agent) who may someday submit something to me for review, I’ll go ahead and give you a heads up that it would be a good idea to definitely include this approach in your proposal.

I’m most interested in working with women who have a message that is already impacting women. As such, if you want to write a book for women, teach the message first. If you cannot find a class, Bible study, conference, or group of ladies to teach it to, then that probably means that something about the message, audience, or your communication of it isn’t tracking. Perhaps you are trying too hard to be someone you are not or to emulate someone else’s style and message. Find a way to communicate the message face to face, through your own life experiences and gifts before you try to convince me that it will track on paper. Then, don’t tell me who you are like, tell me how lives are being changed by your ministry. I’m serious, I really want to know this.

I am convinced that just as a generation was drawn to the distinct nature of the Cabbage Patch Kids, so is the Body of Christ drawn to distinct expressions of God’s gifts. Work, write, and minister out of your God given distinctions and do not try to cultivate a ministry built on the template of someone else’s.

Epilogue: Incidentally, I just googled the Cabbage Patch Kid playpen and found it listed on a website as a “Vintage Cabbage Patch Kid Playpen.” VINTAGE!?!?!?!? Since when did something so closely tied to my childhood become vintage!?

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Grace, Power, Gospel

I just watched Steven Curtis Chapman sing the Cinderella song live on the Dove Awards Show (yes, I'm watching the Dove Awards... I already confessed that I'm a nerd, remember). You probably know that he and his wife lost one of their daughters in a tragic automobile accident this past year. Little Marie Sue Chapman was only 5 years old when she died. Yet, Steve, his wife Mary Beth, and the entire family went on to testify so faithfully to the goodness and grace of God in Christ Jesus. If you missed their interview with Larry King, you really should read the transcript. It was such an amazing and honest testimony.

Just about a month and half prior to Maria Chapman's death, another little girl was lost. Audrey Caroline Smith, daughter of Todd and Angie Smith, died just a couple hours after she was born. Todd and Angie were told that their little girl wouldn't make it a few months prior to her birth. And for the months that followed, Angie blogged her way through prayer requests, updates, and the general struggles of days filled with the prognosis that their little girl wouldn't grow up. If you've never read her blog, read it. (that's written in the imperative tense) You will catch a glimpse of God's grace, care, and power in a way that you just don't often experience. He's getting them through it.

I cannot conceive the utter hollow that these parents have felt at losing one of their own. Yet, they have all stood firm in their faith and continue to persevere in the Gospel. How do you explain walking through what they've walked through, believing in a sovereign God, and yet still praising Him? The only explanation is that He has granted them grace, faith, and peace to do so. He's real. The Truths we proclaim really are true. He really is strong in our weakness and He really does give grace to the Body of Christ. Really.

While I was writing this post, Steven Curtis Chapman was named Entertainer of the Year. He accepted the award by acknowledging that he had not won that award this year merely as a result of musical talent, but rather it was undoubtedly an expression of the love of his peers and fans in response to the loss of Maria. He went on to talk of their continued heartbreak over losing Maria, but of the sustaining grace of God in the midst of immense hurt. He closed with the reminder of the greatest of truths- We have hope in Christ and that hope should make us bold for Christ. That simple, yet profound declaration in the midst of such tragic circumstances is an expression of the simple, sustaining, transforming power of the Gospel. Christ truly has conquered.

So, as you read this... pray for the Chapman and Smith families. They continue to walk through difficult days and I am sure they would appreciate our prayers that they hold fast to the hope that has sustained them thus far.

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Emily is...

Now, I am the first to admit I wasn't raised in the south and Emily Post wasn't exactly my childhood reading. I did read Machiavelli's, The Prince, though. Not quite the same thing, huh. Then the Lord saved me and began to sanctify me. One of the amazing things about how God manifested His grace toward me was that I didn't fight the Bible as I read through it for the first time. One such biblical teaching that I studied and accepted easily was the biblical teaching on the distinct roles for women in the home and the church (I Timothy 2, Ephesians 5). Now, I'm going to resist the temptation to get off on a rabbit trail articulating the boundaries and defending where I stand on the issue. Suffice to say that I fall into the complementarian camp, believing that men and women are equal in value, but distinct in role and function within the home and the church. If you'd like to know a little more of what this means, check out the True Woman Manifesto and the Danvers Statement.

Here's the thing, I came to understand the boundaries of what was biblically permissible and what was not. I made my list of what it meant to be a godly woman and checked each item off. However, it wasn't until the past couple years that the Lord has shown me that my list was insufficient. My list consisted of things I needed to avoid doing, but failed to recognize what I should be and do. I have to admit that it was a bit of a bummer to realize I didn't quite have that whole category figured out like I thought I did (go figure). As a result, the Lord has had me on a bit of a discovery mission to understand how to cultivate markers of godliness that I see in some of the women (younger and older) that I respect.

As a part of how the Lord started to work on me in this area, He brought a very dear friend into my life who has actually read Emily Post's books. She began to articulate how the social graces contribute to the development of godliness and can even help to avoid some seriously awkward situations (many of which I have caused at one time or another). As a result of many conversations and watching others interact, I've come to appreciate the social graces and am trying to practice much of that which does seem to cultivate gentleness and a quiet spirit.

Now, that's all well and good, but here's another complicating factor. I'm a nerd. I admit it. I love technology. There's no doubt in my mind that I am addicted to my Blackberry. I'll even go ahead and admit that I was once a proud member of the math team. Incidentally, it was a competing team, not a club, so do NOT try to call it the "math club." All this being true, it probably doesn't surprise you that I was an early subscriber to Facebook. And, people, I just have to tell you that some of the things people write and do on there amaze me. I mean, seriously, can you not think about who all is on your friend list before you post that status!?

I've often told the friend who introduced me to Emily Post that she should write a handbook for Facebook users and apply etiquette to the world of social networking. Well, it turns out that we were not the only ones who have recognized this need. I was absolutely delighted to discover a resource that I hope will be entertaining...and instructive! So, please. I beg you. If you are on Facebook, especially if you are my friend on Facebook, check out "How Not to be Hated on Facebook." Also, just because I'm blogging about my appreciation for the social graces doesn't mean that I always manage to manifest them. That's just a little disclaimer for the next time I do something super awkward. I don't want to have to feel like a hypocrite. Sanctification is a process!

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For Sale

Pop-culture is an interesting thing. The recent mainstream success of Slumdog Millionaire has brought images of India to the front pages of our newspapers and award shows. Over the past few days various news reports have indicated that one of the young stars of Slumdog was essentially put up for sale by her father. The father of Rubina Ali (young Latika in the film) is now denying some of the reports, but it does seem that some sort of arrangement was in the works. Clearly Rubina's recent stardom has not changed the difficult circumstances in which she lives. Unfortunately, one of the difficult circumstances that is a regular part of life in India (and other countries) is the threat of being sold into various forms of slavery.

The fight against human trafficking, sex slavery, and other human rights violations has become a trendy thing in recent years. I'm pleased with that. All humans are created in the image of God and we should champion for human freedoms. Unfortunately, we in the conservative end of evangelicalism have, at times, surrendered this area of deep physical need to those who may or may not even care about someone's spiritual freedom, much less be in a position to address spiritual issues. The good news is that trend is shifting, thanks in large part to some key individuals with an amazing organization.

International Justice Mission is a human rights organization driven by the biblical call for justice and freedom for the oppressed. I've had the opportunity to spend some time with some individuals from the organization and to participate in one of their Global Prayer Gatherings and I can tell you that the work they are doing is amazing. Here's a bit of what they are working to combat:

• The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion (U.N.)
• Each year, more than 2 million children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade (UNICEF)
• 27 million men, women and children are held as slaves. (Kevin Bales, Disposable People)
• 1 in 5 women is a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. (U. N. Development Fund for Women)
• More than 1 million children live in detention, the vast majority awaiting trial for minor offenses. (UNICEF)

In case you haven't heard of International Justice Mission prior to reading this post... Check them out. Pray for them. Get involved. Partner with them.

Be willing to learn about the horrors many are facing to begin to understand what role the Lord might want you to take in the solution.

"Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."
-Isaiah 1:17

(sidenote-- Okay, I'm three blogs in and sheesh, these are all HEAVY. I'm about to go get some Laffy Taffy so that I can steal the jokes of the wrappers as fodder for my next post. Never fear, comic relief is on the way)

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God's Trail

Last night I got together with a friend who is about to go to India for a couple weeks. She’s never really done the whole missions thing, so she’s a bit apprehensive. I shared a bit about how feeling a burden for missions was one of the first things the Lord did in me after my salvation and told her about some of the more bizarre experiences I’ve had overseas (and since a portion of my missions experience includes several months in Amsterdam, there are some very bizarre stores). One of our rabbit trails landed with me telling her about Rachel Saint’s life and ministry.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the story, let me give a very brief sketch. On January 8, 1956, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCulley, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming were speared to death by members of the Waodani tribe as the men sought to reach them with the Gospel. Rachel Saint was the sister of Nate Saint and was a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators at the time of her brother’s death. Not long after Nate’s death, the Lord opened up an opportunity for Rachel and Elisabeth Elliot (widow of Jim Elliot) to go into the jungle and live with the very individuals who had murdered the five missionaries. To make a very long (and extraordinary) story short, let me just say that Rachel served, taught, and loved the Waodani people for the rest of her life. They named her “Star” and came to see her as a dear member of their community. She left to return to the USA only a few times and eventually died in the country she had loved and among the people she had come to reach. Rachel “Star” Saint was eighty years old when she died and had served in the jungles of Ecuador as a missionary to the Waodani for almost forty years.

Okay, that’s incredible in and of itself. After a group of people murdered her brother, she responded by sacrificing the comfortable and easy life she could have had to instead basically go into the jungle and not come out. She never saw the influence her family’s story has had on generations who have responded to their faithfulness with obedience to God’s call. But she did see generations of Waodani believers, biblically trained Waodani church leaders, and a transformed culture. To be honest, some of the methodology she used is uncomfortable for my formally missiologically trained brain–but then again, that’s easy for me to say from my couch with my DVR running and an entire theological library at my fingertips.

So what does this have to do with the conversation I had last night at Starbucks? Last night my friend asked me what I’d do with my life if there were no obligations standing in my way. As I shared my response, I told her about Rachel “Star” Saint and what strikes me most about her life, ministry, and legacy. The Waodani refer to Christians as “God Followers” and to a life of godliness as “God’s trail.” So, at the end of her life, as a tribe changed by the message she brought, they chose to inscribe the following on her grave marker:

“Teaching us to walk God’s trail, Star came.”

That alone is remarkable and the sure sign of a life lived for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus. Yet, Rachel’s own words are even more profound. When speaking to her nephew, Steve (Nate’s son) shortly before her death, she remarked the following, “’Isn’t it something,’ she asked, ‘that the Lord Jesus would have used someone like me to do His work in this special place? I was too old by the time I could apply for missionary service. I couldn’t help the Waodani much medically, I was not a Bible scholar, and I was never really a superior translator.”

When asked why it was that she thought God had given her this assignment and used her in this way, she answered, “Well, Stevie Boy, I loved the Lord Jesus with all my heart, and I trusted Him completely. And I guess I just learned to persevere in whatever He gave me to do.”

So, what’s the point? It’s simple. Rachel showed up and she trusted the Lord when she got there. We’re not all called to go to the jungles of Ecuador (but some most certainly are). We are all called to be faithful. We are not required to be perfectly prepared. We are required to trust. Frustrating, huh. Faithful and trusting are not things we can so much accomplish in one step and I, for one, like to be able to check things off my list quickly. Unfortunately, we cannot teach anyone to walk God’s trail quickly… not even ourselves.

One last thing, again back to my friend at Starbucks. She’s a dear friend, but she’s also one of my authors. She’s definitely walking God’s trail and teaching others to do the same. She’s stepping out of her comfort zone in faith and with the full knowledge that she will have to trust the Lord Jesus every step of the way. People ask me all the time what I’m looking for in an author—and that is it. She gets extra credit for throwing a direct missions connection in as well!

Recommended Reading and Rachel Saint quotes from:
End of the Spear, Steve Saint

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The Inception

I have had this blog design completed for two weeks, but have been stuck wrestling over the content for my first post. I felt like this post was supposed to set the tone and create the foundation for the blogs to come. Talk about adding some pressure to the process. No wonder I've resisted blogging for so long!

I've come to suspect that a blog could help to weave together some of the areas of my life and work while also providing a forum to communicate bits of information that I often wish I could share more efficiently. To be honest, I'm not totally sure what this blog is going to end up being. I know that it will include posts about publishing, missions, and the pursuit of godliness. I hope that it will be helpful and edifying, while linking people, ministries, and worldviews that don't always overlap. Over the next few days I plan to begin a series of posts on some foundational thoughts related to publishing, missions, and godliness.

So, here it is-- my first post. I'm so glad to have it behind me. Oh, one other thing. Each of my posts will lead with one photo tied to the post and include a closing photo that may or may not be tied to the post. I really believe a picture is worth a thousand words and sometimes photos capture the beauty of God's creation in a way that no one can explain. I'll typically let it speak for itself...but for this inaugural post, I'll explain that I'm closing with an image of Amsterdam. I served as a summer missionary in Amsterdam many years ago and it was during that time that the Lord confirmed so much of His direction for my life-- it was a beginning, just as is this.

(okay, so that last sentence was a little over the top and Hallmark-ish, but it is oddly appropriate and it's my blog, so I'm indulging myself)

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