Image: lifehacker.com
No…THIS is Us
There is a popular television show running (which I’ve never seen). It’s title is This is Us.
As I sat and read what our partner Wycliffe Associates accomplished last year, which included the work of Ken, I thought, “No, THIS is us.”
Your prayers and financial support allowed Ken to take a multitude of trips in order to support our national Bible Translators. Together, much was accomplished.
Here are the stats:
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Currently Accelerating the work of Bible translation in 76 countries
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Last year mobilized 7,097 volunteer and staff members to advance the cause of Bible translation throughout the world in 76 countries
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Installed 544 Bible Translation Acceleration Kits (BTAKs) in 48 countries for 788 language communities since started installing BTAKs
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315 new translation projects started in 2016 using Mobilized Assistance Supporting Translation (MAST) workshops
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Improved hundreds of facilities for Bible translation around the world
Nicely done, partners.
Celebrate with us! You did it!
Here is a short video from Wycliffe Bible Translators, USA president Bob Creson. This is the progress we made in giving everyone God’s Word in their mother tongue in 2016. Your prayers and support made it possible! Let’s praise God together!
On Weddings and Funerals
Churches: For weddings or funerals….
Credit: unsplash
Attending someone else’s wedding is good for my marriage. It reminds me of all of the vows I once made publicly 33 years ago.
Attending someone else’s funeral is good for me too. It reminds me to think of how I want to be remembered after I die.
This week we went to a neighbor’s funeral who, along with her husband, was also a long time Bible Translator with Wycliffe Bible Translators. We listened as her daughters, sons-in-grace (not “sons-in-law!), and grandchildren regaled us with stories of her crazy antics and her love for her family and God. She was a nurse, a Bible translator, and an author later in life. A prominent speaker, she and her husband had many stories of how God had worked in their village with the Awa people of Papua New Guinea.
What resonated with me were phrases such as, “She didn’t worry about offending people, but about offending God” and “She told everyone she met about the love of God.” There were no conversations about how clean her house was, whether she was a good cook, or what her favorite TV shows were.
God and family.
Stephen Covey, author of the popular book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, suggests to his readers to imagine their own funeral. Think about who will attend it. What will they say about your life? What did you stand for? Who were you as an individual?
The older I get, the more I see the importance about being intentional about my time. While I have a vague “bucket list” that I want to complete, what is paramount is serving God and family. Doing that well takes conversations with all involved. Using my gifts to do something that lasts beyond my own short life is most important.
So if you ask, “What are you doing this year?” my answer is “Supporting my family and serving God.” Being available for my extended family is intermingled with my service to Wycliffe Bible Translators, Bible Study Fellowship and volunteering at my church, Forest Hill. Hopefully, by the grace of God, that will come out at my own funeral.
Miles and Miles
Charlotte to Orlando
Charlotte to SouthEast Asia
Drive to Pennsylvania
Philadelphia to India
Charlotte to Philippines
Charlotte to South East Asia
Charlotte to Orlando
Charlotte to Montana (vacation!!)
Charlotte to South East Asia
Drive to New York
Charlotte to Orlando
Tired? Although Ken made his own schedule, he didn’t realize how many trips he had taken last year. When he returned from his last trip he said, “I’m not sure I can keep up this schedule.” He followed that up with, “But I feel like something big is going to happen soon.”
Ken loved his work supporting Bible Translation using his technology and training skills. Seeing God’s words translated and given to people to read immediately has brought us both so much joy. We’ve seen grown men and woman cry as they received portions of the Bible in their Mother Tongue for the first time. We feel so blessed to have been a part of this process in particular for the last 6 years.
When Ken had his heart attack on September 20th, we realized that our life schedule needed to change and that God really did have something else for Ken to do.
Thank you for standing with us as we support Bible Translation in yet another are of need.
P. S. Those trips covered about 100,000 air miles!
Encouragement via Colored Paper and Words
All those cards! All the love!
The day after Ken had his heart attack was one of joy and fear. Joy that he was alive and had survived two stents being put in his heart. Fear of the open heart surgery scheduled two weeks from then. And ultimately, fear of the unknown.
We had so many questions and wondered what was ahead of us.
But within days, cards started arriving in the mail.
“We’re praying for you.”
“God gives us peace.
“Recovery is a process.”
Other people sent emails, called or visited us. This continued for three months!
Your words we such an encouragement to us…like a warm hug, balm on a wound, or good piece of music. We smiled, laughed and cried over each one. Each act took time. It took effort. It took work for the person who did it.
The things you did helped remove our fears and replace it with just JOY and PEACE. As Ken healed, we were thankful for each new day. We also recovered as a family.
Thank you for being the body of Christ. You have taught us how to be better members for others.
Happy Memories 2016!
Our family December 2016
Happy Memories 2016
Every January, I make a post about our “Happy Memories” jar. I have a mason jar on our kitchen counter. Each time we remember a happy memory, we write it down with the date and drop it in the jar. On January 1st, we read the memories and think back on all of our blessings.
This year, because we had both of our girls and their families with us, we did it early on December 27th. Everyone added their own happy memories and we went around the table reading 30-40 different memories.
The comments were, “Oh, I forgot about that!” and “Oh, yes, that was a good day.”
At the end, we had a time of prayer, thanking God for all of his good things.
In my devotions this morning, I was reminded that with the new year ahead, we will have many rough roads and times of difficulties. But God is still with us! Some of our happy memories are connected with difficult memories. “Ken’s life was spared from a massive heart attack.” That’s a joyous thing to remember, but such a difficult time too.
Just as God came down as a baby to take our place years later on the cross, so has he also walked the life of man, enduring all things that we will endure. What will that be for us? We have no idea, but I trust my Lord and Savior to take us through.
Below are some of our happy memories. Do you have some to share?
Trip to New York to see supporting churches: Vacation with old friends and to old places, specifically Montana; No cancer for a family member; Visits from Anne’s mom; Ken’s life was spared; Ken’s brothers and Christine came for his surgery; Christine and Dan bought a house; Both son-in-laws had a successful year in their businesses; Anne graduated from university; A new grandchild; Surprise gifts; Anne and her mom safe when the brake line broke on their car.
Praise God!
Reach for the OTHER Sheep!
I’m studying the book of John in my weekly Bible Study Fellowship class. We’re up to one of my favorite chapters. Chapter 10 talks at length about hearing God’s voice. The key to hearing God’s voice? Knowing Scripture and recognizing that God’s voice will always match what the Bible says.
I am praising God this morning that Jesus came to do the will of God which was to die for us. He came to die. That was His job. So as we finish celebrating Christmas, the coming of Emmanuel, we are led to reflect on the fact that the baby came to give up his life 33 years later. I lived years protecting my two little girls and now hover over my grandsons. I can’t even imagine that they would be born for the purpose of dying for others. I want them to live! But thanks be to God who gave his Son for me, to die, so that I would have eternal life starting right now! God reached down to us!!
Our pastor is going to start teaching in January using the book of John too! I’m reading his new devotional each day entitled “Hearing the Voice of God” by David Chadwick.
David Chadwick says this:
“Live for Jesus. Obey him as he obeyed the Father and laid down his life for you.
Go into the world and reach his sheep in different pastures. If you can’t go physically, send money. It represents you. You spent long, laborious hours earning it. When it is sent, you are being sent.
And pray fervently that people will be drawn to Jesus…just make sure you are going-in one way or another. As Jesus was sent from heaven, so he sends you into the world.”
Ken and I donate to several people who have gone out into the world just as you donate to us. We represent Jesus in New Jersey, Egypt, Papua New Guinea and across the world! What a joy to reach sheep in other pastures just as Jesus reached out to us.
Thank you for your continued love and support these many years. We pray that we might that in the year 2017 we might listen to God’s voice and reach many more sheep together!
This just in from our Headquarters
The last day to make a tax-deductible contribution for 2016 is Dec. 31. Online gifts may be made at wycliffe.org/invest/year-end until 11:45 p.m. ET. For those who want to make a donation by phone, the Wycliffe team will be covering the phones until 6 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 30, and between 1-6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 31. To make contributions via phone, please call toll free at 800-WYCLIFFE (992-5433).
Thank you for your continued support ending Bible poverty!
The Haugh Herald 