Roadblocks

Posted on by

As Birgitta continues her Discipleship Training School here in Kona, Hawaii, I continue being Emerald’s nanny. Our adjustments have been legion and continue still. But we have pushed past several roadblocks and feel like we’re making progress.

Our first 4 days at the University of the Nations were a blend of sickness and jet lag. One rocky night found Emerald vomiting seven times, keeping both she and Birgitta scrambling for dry bedding and clothes throughout the night.

IMG_1468Emerald’s flu was complicated by exhaustion and lasted 3 torturous days. We were tired, too, and had all we could do to keep up with laundry as we tried to figure out where to find quarters, a wash machine, and time to use it. We couldn’t bring a vomiting child to the dining area so had to figure out how to buy food for the room. It was 4 days before I got a sip of coffee.

During that time I, for one, forgot how to have a normal conversation and could only speak in questions: How do I get into the front gate? Why is there no way to close the room door without getting locked out? Can I have a second key? How might I get one? Where do I collect mail? Is it true we can use bowls and spoons left behind by others? Where are they? Can I take books from the library? How do I get a library card? Is there a preschool playgroup on campus? Would Emerald qualify? How far is the walk to town? What stores are available?

Emerald's roomBut now, after 15 days, the 3 of us have learned a handbook-full of new things as friendly folks on campus have given us the answers we craved. And at long last we are beginning to feel at home in this beautiful, tropical place full of people who love the Lord. Emerald is healthy, and jet lag is history.

Birgitta, as the only mother in her group, has had to adjust to being “odd-man-out” in that regard. Merging Emerald into class sessions, prayer meetings, and worship gatherings has been only moderately successful so far, but that’s why I’m here, at least for now – to pick up the slack.

But we aren’t the only ones struggling with a new start. Everyone comes to such challenges again and again through life. Despite a burst of enthusiasm at the beginning, before long we wonder if we made the wrong decision. Looking back to our previous normal tempts us to quit when things get hard. But then what do we do if we feel God led us to make the change in the first place? Quitting seems like questioning his wisdom.

We don’t have to look very far to get God’s advice on this. He says we’re to blast through every roadblock that gets in the way of doing what he’s assigned us to do. (Hebrews 12:1) This will not only please him but will lead to a good end-result.

FullSizeRender (22)It’s taken 15 days, but today we three are beginning to see the results of persevering. Though we still have questions, following God’s advice is our best option.

May the Lord direct your hearts into…. Christ’s perseverance. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

A Proper Passion

Posted on by

Most young children make no secret of their passions. Whether it’s puzzles, trains, dolls, or coloring books, once they settle on something, it’s what they want to do ‘round the clock.

Emerald, for whom I’m a nanny here in Hawaii, has been consistent in her passion for several things. Bubbles have fascinated her since she was a baby, and we’ve enjoyed blowing them every day of her life. Then, for at least a year, Disney princesses have been added – 14 of them — and she knows which gown belongs on who and which crown.

IMG_0611A third, long-term passion has been fish. A trip to Chicago’s Aquarium was a dream adventure, and Emerald never tires of studying a fish’s movements. “Did you see that? What’s he doin’ over there?” Louisa and Teddy are caring for her betta fish, Jason, while she’s in Hawaii.

We adults have passions, too, and often they’re consistent through our lives. When we look into the Bible and study the life of Jesus, we see he had a passion that never varied – start to finish. It was to do whatever his Father told him to do.

In John 14:31 he summarized his passion. “I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” Most of us would say we love the Father, too, but can we say we do “exactly what he commands?” If we do some of the things he commands, does that qualify as a passion?

Watching Emerald pursue her passions has challenged me to be more passionate about pursuing the Lord. Over the weekend, a group of us visited a fancy shopping mall here in Kona and were treated to an object lesson of what passion-in-action looks like.

IMG_1759We took Emerald to a fish pond full of Japanese koi fish. The minute she saw them, her right hand flew up and down with enthusiasm, and her face became bright with joy. Her mouth opened in awe, and she never tired of interacting with them – throwing ice chips into the water to get them to move, exclaiming over their colors, commenting about their movements, guessing at what they were thinking. She only turned away when we insisted it was time.

How does Emerald’s passion for fish compare with my desire for more of the Lord? Am I enthusiastic about connecting with him whenever I can? Is my joy evident when I talk about him? Am I in awe of what he’s done and will do? Do I love him so much I never tire of him?

The real question is, can I even call my relationship with him a passion? And if not, what’s holding me back?

Jesus said, “I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.” (John 8:28)

Adjusting

Posted on by

One week ago, Birgitta, Emerald, and I left our Michigan home well before dawn in a car loaded with five bulging pieces of luggage and a sense that God was nudging us to the starting line of a unique adventure. We figured it wouldn’t be easy, but knew it would be significant, because he had been the one to initiate and then facilitate it.

IMG_4871After a grueling travel day of 22 hours, we reached our destination – the University of the Nations, YWAM’s global headquarters in Kona, Hawaii. Welcome baskets and hugs awaited, along with freshly made beds, bubble-stuff for Emerald, and even rice cakes with peanut butter for me. School leaders let us know they’d been praying for us individually for many weeks and that they were “so glad” to finally meet us.

Though our adjustments have been hampered by exhaustion, sickness for Emerald (a violent, 48 hour stomach flu), and steep learning curves on the how-where-when details, we are gradually learning who’s who and what needs to be done. Though the week was dotted with quite a few “lows,” veteran YWAM-ers advised us to delay judgment until the end of the first week.

FullSizeRender (3)So here we are, and they were right. We’ve all adjusted to the change of 5 time zones, everyone is healthy, and we’re functioning successfully within a well-structured schedule. But other categories have needed adjust- ment, too, some by God himself. I think back to that first morning on the YWAM playground, sitting in the warm sunshine with a cranky, sick Emerald as I complained to another nanny about our long travel day.

“Twenty-two hours and three airplanes!” I said, knowing she’d be impressed.

“Thirty-six for us.” she said, “Six planes. Three little kids.”

That two-line conversation taught me two things: (1) There’s no benefit to complaining, and (2) every person on this campus has a fascinating story of how they got here – logistically, yes, but also by way of God’s call.

IMG_1447Our best adjustment, though is the joy we’ve found living in a thoroughly Christian atmosphere — many cultures but only one God. With few exceptions, those on this campus (1200 in all) are here because they either love the Lord and want to know him better, or are sincerely seeking him for the first time. All ages are represented, and young children are everywhere.

So, after this first week, our expectations are high that God will make himself known in new ways – not just to student-Birgitta, but to nanny-Margaret, pre-schooler Emerald, and everyone else on campus.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4)