Spring Update

The Mister wrote an update so for all of you who would like to sit back and have a read along with some pictures here you go.   Thank you for your love, prayers and support.  Without you, we couldn't do what we do!!!

Wow, can you believe it has been a year since we were in Cali for a visit? We truly do miss you all and want to thank you for your love, prayers, and support. The fall season came and went without a trace after the annual CC European Missionary Conference in Austria and then we hunkered down for a long, cold, and sometimes lonely winter. We thought it would never end and other than the Holidays, it really was quite uneventful. However, Margie was busy with the annual Women’s Christmas Tea, which was a great success with 120 ladies attending. We were blessed to have our daughter Marla reunited with us in December and she is such a help with our ministry and household. Reminds me of those priceless years she assisted us on the mission field at CC Baja, Hungary. In January I attended the annual Pastors conference at CC Siegen, Germany, a much needed time of refreshing. I also had a couple more opportunities to play electric guitar gigs for a friend’s band doing DMB covers. It’s a lot of fun and thru music I have been able to make a lot of contacts and new friends and have had countless opportunities to witness and share the gospel. I am putting a group together for the summer and I pray for a fruitful season of extra money, sharing my music and faith, and church growth thru new relationships. Most people consider themselves to be Christians by birthright here, so I build upon the doctrines and common beliefs that we can share, i.e. the Finished Work, God’s Grace, and The Bible. It is a challenge for people from this region to let go of their tradition and try something new, especially a Protestant approach, since it really is completely foreign to them. We’ve also noticed that most Evangelicals here in northern Italy are transplants from the South or foreign immigrants from Africa, South America, or the Philippines. Our region of Veneto seems to harbor resistance to Evangelical Christianity. Please pray for developing friendships and for perseverance in ministering to people with love and patience. Statistically, 98% of Italians claim to be Catholic Christians, but only 20% actually attend church regularly. In contrast, professing Americans attend church regularly at a 40% rate. Is it any wonder that we are burdened to reach people for Christ here in Christian Italy?

Recently, we’ve been quite busy finishing up our citizenship and residency process. I am happy to report that I am an Italian citizen and so are all of our children and grandchildren. Margie has a 5 year residency card and can become an Italian in a couple years. Somehow I like the idea of holding dual citizenship, especially in this day and age that we find ourselves. Italian passports are the most welcomed in the world. As much as we miss our children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends, so much that it hurts, we want you to know that we are here for the duration, that is, until the Lord tells us otherwise. So we pray that God will continue to bring to your remembrance our mission here in Italy. At my age finding a job is difficult, but with my music connections, I hope to find side work performing from time to time and in the process meet and make new friends and share the Lord with many people. Also, Margie and Alice from the church are volunteering in an organization that helps young women, mostly from the South, Eastern Europe, and Northern Africa, get off the streets.

As Spring broke we were blessed by our dear friends Doug and Rose Martin from CC DC Metro, who treated us on our annual “Stewart-Martin Road Trip”. This year it was in conjunction with the annual Pastor’s Wives Conference that Margie and Becky Dente from CC Paris put together. Rose was one of the guest speakers and Doug and I tagged along to help shuttle guests to and from the airport and haul luggage and supplies. Then after the conference the four of us took in Paris for a couple days and then my long awaited dream came true of visiting Normandy. At the American Cemetery and Memorial at Omaha Beach, I was uncontrollably overwhelmed with tears as we walked through those endless lines of stark white tombstones and read the names of so many brave young Americans that sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom. An experience I will never forget. We were able to hike down the hill and traverse the remnants of the German trench lines, gun placements, bunkers, and ruins that remain. I was solemnly transfixed when we reached the hallowed sands of Omaha Beach and walked along the expanse with the tide far out just as it was on the morning of June 6, 1944. We also explored the bunkers, cliffs, and hundreds of bombardment holes left at Pointe du Hoc. We ended the day at the Naval Memorial at Utah Beach, after closing time, with only the sound of the flags snapping to the crisp sea breezes. After 12 years on the mission field, just the sight of Old Glory makes me cry.  The presence of God was unmistakable throughout the day at every memorial, especially in the small Chapel and throughout the gardens of the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. A trip I would highly recommend, to anyone that can venture it.

Immediately upon our return in early April we hosted an outreach team from CCV that included their renowned High School Choir. The kids sang at numerous venues, including 3 High Schools, a Middle school, the Youth Dept. at the Pollini Conservatory of Music, CC Montebelluna, CC Padova, a Nigerian Evangelical Church, 3 Pizzerias, a Gelateria, and various Piazzas throughout the center city of Padova. We were so impressed by their talent, commitment, courtesy, and energy to walk endlessly… without complaint! They were a true testimony to the kind of genuine Christian character and maturity that CCV is known for and seems to instill in its young people. We are already benefiting from the fruit of their ministry with some solid new friendships and acceptance by otherwise skeptics. Pray that God will continue to move in the hearts of those who now have a much clearer view of the Lord and their faith and that they will discover that faith and fun do go together, despite Italian misconceptions of religious piety. Saturday night the Choir sang to a full house at CC Montebelluna with people from CC Feltre and CC Treviso attending as well. Several visitors committed and recommitted their lives to the Lord at the concert after Pastor Rob spoke and gave the invitation. The following morning at our church CC Padova, we were blown away when around 50 new people attended the morning concert and service and heard the clear message of the Gospel by Pastor Rob.

(the theatre we are praying for)

 Finally, we are now at a crossroads and really need to move. Although we are a small fellowship, I believe we are on the verge of substantial growth that will be facilitated and accelerated by our move to a more central and more visible and accessible location. We are searching for a full time location in the city center for the church since the community building we use is not downtown and used only on Sunday mornings. Join us in prayer and if God leads consider helping to underwrite the new building for a season. We see a great need for midweek opportunities to connect and evangelize our community. Padova is such a beautiful city and we have fallen in love with it and desire that CC Padova will be a real beacon of light here for the glory of God. We have our eyes on an abandoned Theater on a busy walking street downtown and we pray that God would open the door and windows of heaven for that or something similar. May the Lord richly bless you and with all of our hearts and deep gratitude we thank you for your prayers and faithful support. 

Spring Is Coming

Never has a word meant so much as the word 'spring' has in the past month.  This winter season has been an extremely rough one and yet God has shown Himself to be so faithful as He always is.  It was interesting because a few weeks ago we had nice and sunny days.  All the windows and doors were open, we even put the laundry outside to dry!  I looked to Marla and said "Well, winter is finally over and we can start to enjoy a new season"  Sure enough, in a week and a half we had a snowfall.  It was unbelievable for us.  We don't usually get a lot of snow and once the sun starts to come out it is usually a sign the winter is over.  But, it was a good analogy for us because as we have gone through a really rough time the past months and we thought it was over but there was to be another surprise storm that would come.  It reminded me how easy it is to be prepared for certain things yet unprepared for others.  In winter, we expect colder temperatures (well, not if you are in So Cal lol) we expect the snow, the storms.  But when these things happen unexpectedly it throws you for a loop.  Imagine you have put away your shovels, your winter boots are packed away, you start to think about the flowers you are going to plant in the garden and BOOM...you find yourself off guard and taken back as you look out your window and see snow falling.   But, just as in the last post I wrote, Spring will come.  It can't not come.  It is a part of God's plan and we can trust that Spring will come.

In just one week God has done so much!  He has put us in contact with people and organizations that we have been praying about for years.  Jim has been meeting with a guy pretty regularly just to chat and today the guy brought his 3 brothers along to meet Jim.  Marla was hired to lead an English Conversational Group at a language school in town and I was able to begin training with an organization who help girls working on the street to have a way out if they would like.  Marla and I went to a women's coffee and had the opportunity to meet some really nice ladies and we will be keeping in touch with them.  Jim's friend who manages the park wants him to put together a band and be playing regularly there this summer.  It has been a blessing for us and to be honest, we really needed to see and hear from the Lord that He indeed wanted to keep us here in Padova.

A few months ago the Lord gave Jim the promise in Exodus that He would give us the land little by little.  The way things were going it was a bit difficult to trust in that but we held onto that promise.  The other  week in a devotional we read it was about every place that your foot treads I will give you the land.   I love how God reiterates and reminds us of His promises.  When you are just weeping, questioning, doubting, He uses a different verse but the same promise.  He is ever so tender towards us I cannot even fathom His great love and care.

With the opportunities that have been coming our way it has caused us to reconsider where we are living.  As much as we enjoy it where we are we are looking to move to the city center.  It will be much easier for Marla to get work, it will be easier for me to go to the places I need to go to and also to meet up with friends.  It will also be much better for inviting people over so they can either walk or take public transportation.  You can keep this in prayer that we would find the right place for us.  We have to give 6 months notice where we live (that's the Italian way) so it probably wouldn't be until Fall that we could actually move.

My friend Becky, who is the pastor's wife in Paris, France and I have been busy organizing a Pastor's Wives retreat in Paris March 22-24.  We are really excited and all the ladies coming are looking forward to this time of fellowship and refreshment.  Inga-Lill Guzik and Rose Martin are coming as our guest speakers so we know that we are going to be so blessed.  Our theme is from Song of Solomon 2:10  'Come Away My Beloved'.  I love the next few verses also because guess what...it talks about winter being over and spring is coming-the birds are coming out to sing!  Ah, it was such a great blessing to read beyond verse 10.  I think this is going to minister so much to all the ladies who are coming.

We are so thrilled because our home church CC Vista is coming with the CC School Choir in April.  They will be here as our very first outreach group and the timing is so good.  You can be praying for the different venues and opportunities for them to sing in the schools, connect and meet Italian high school students and just shine the love of God in this city.  Please pray for their travel, health and anything else the Lord would put on your heart to pray for them while they are here.

Jim will be writing an update in the next week but I wanted to give the 'female version' and plus I am going to try to be more faithful at the blog writing again :)

And now....guess what.....I just had a mosquito fly by my desk two times!!!  Alas, winter is over and Spring is on it's way!!!  Perhaps this is the one and only time in life I shall be happy to see this most dreadful creature!  Is it not like the Lord to use such nuisances to bring a smile to our face and remind us of what is to come!!

I will leave you with some beautiful pictures of the city that God has called us to, that our feet will continually tread upon and that He has promised us!

His Compassions Fail Not

Yesterday I was able to catch up with a dear friend and was encouraged to once again read one of my favorite devotionals. I enjoy having them in different places around the house and reading throughout the day. This year I have been faithfully reading through Streams In the Desert. It's been so good and encouraging each time I read it. So, this morning I picked up "A Very Present Help" by Amy Carmichael. I read the first entry and though I have read this devotional a few times over the past 15 yrs or so it was like I was reading it for the first time all over again. There is something to be said for how God's Word ministers to your heart exactly where you are. It's been a really rough past 6 months or so. As many of you already know, my back is a complete mess. It's been deteriorating for years, but this past Spring's visit to the states revealed just how bad it is. Without God intervening or surgery the doctor said I probably won't be able to walk very well in a year. So you can be praying that we find a good surgeon here and we will have perfect peace because it is extremely scary to me to have a surgery-especially in a country where I am not fluent in the language!

 The entry today 'God will not fail you during the Winter season of your life'. The scripture for the devotion is Lamentations 3:19-33. I encourage you to read this portion of scripture! It's a great reminder not only for ourselves, but to remember to share with others as they go through struggles. If you would indulge me as I write down this illustration from Amy:

  You were like a leafy bush, and many little things came for you to shelter. You were not great or important, but you could help those little things. And it was the joy of your life to help them. Now you can do nothing at all. Some desolation—illness, monetary loss, or something you cannot talk about to anyone, a trouble no one seems to understand—has overwhelmed you. All your green leaves have gone. Now you cannot shelter even the least little bird. You are like a bush, with its bare twigs. No use to anyone. That is what you think. 
 But look again at this bare bush. Look at the delicate tracery of its shadow lines on the snow. The sun is shining behind the bush and so every little twig is helping to make something that is very beautiful. Perhaps other eyes, that you do not see, are looking on it too, wondering what can be made of sun and snow and poor bare twigs… The spring will come again, for after winter there is always spring. 
 But when will the spring come? When will your bush be green with leaves again? When will the little birds you love come back to you? I do not know. Only I know that the sun and snow are working together for good. And the day will come when the memory of helplessness and inability to give help to anyone else, or the memory of hard financial times, of loneliness, loss, or isolation—these will all pass as a dream in the night. All that seemed lost will be restored. 
 Now, in the midst of so much unhappiness, engulfing your heart in cold, let these words seep down—like fingers of sunlight, like trickles of first-spring rains—to refresh your inmost soul: He will not fail you, who is the God of the sun and the snow. Amy Carmichael Figures of the True

I find it comforting that when we lack the ability to put into words what we are going through, God has gifted someone else to pen these thoughts.  And to know that had they not gone through pain and suffering they would not have been able to express in such a way the very thoughts that are racing throughout your very own mind.

How often I have felt like that barren bush these past months.  The one who was always on the go, full of energy, wanting to do this and that, go here and there.  Years ago I was one of the best runners in our school and now I have trouble just walking for more than a couple of hours.  I don't think anyone likes to feel useless in life.  The beginning paragraph so wonderfully depicts my thoughts of late.

All the years we lived in Hungary and how many of the women would come to me for help and how much joy there was in being a part of their lives and watching them grown in their walk with the Lord.  To see their eyes uncovered and experience the love of their Savior they never thought possible.
 And now, I feel like that barren bush-with no leaves that are flourishing upon it.  Nothing to show for its existence.  It is just there.  I picture this barren bush in a field and there are no other bushes around it to help it stand and the winds come gusting forth and blow and try to topple it over.  Not just one storm, but storm after storm trying to knock it down until twig by twig it is broken into little pieces.  The bush is trying to hang in there and wait for Spring, but Spring doesn't seem to come fast enough.  There are hints of Spring and the hopes are high and then another storm comes and with that another twig falls to the wayside.

To read the words "When will the Spring come?  I do not know....I only know that sun and snow are working together for good"  Wow, just wow!!  We always want answers, at least I always want them.  I want to know when, I want to know why, I want to know how....but the truth of the matter is that we don't always know but God knows and He is indeed working all things together for good-even when I don't see it, even when I don't believe it-He is!

God has given me a task and I have put it off for quite some time.  I started it and put it aside for lack of motivation.  Today I realized that I need to be diligent in picking it up again.  He's allowed this season of my life for a purpose and I want to believe that He will use it. You can be praying I will complete writing the devotional I once started.  In September, when Terri and Carol were here, the Lord gave me the title "A Gentle Transformation".

No matter what any of us are going through-whether it is physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, whatever it is...He has promised that He will not fail us.

Though He brings grief, He will show compassion,
So great is His unfailing love.
For He does not willingly bring affliction
Or grief to anyone.  Lamentations 3:33

Befana

Oggi in Italia è l'Epifania e anche la festa della Befana. Ecco le informazioni sulla Befana che ho trovato in rete: La Befana è una delle leggende più antiche e più celebre d'Italia. Ogni anno, il 6 gennaio i bambini di Italia si risvegliano nella speranza che la Befana ha fatto una visita a casa loro. Questo è un giorno importante per gli italiani, perché segna la fine della stagione di Natale e il giorno in cui i tre Re Magi arrivano alla mangiatoia di Gesù Bambino. Nel corso degli anni l'Epifania è stata una vacanza più celebre per i bambini d'Italia del il Natale. Suona abbastanza normale destro un po 'come il giorno di San Nicola in gran parte dell'Europa. La leggenda dietro Befana davvero afferrato la mia attenzione di recente. Continua a leggere: (E 'un po' lunga ma vale la pena leggere) Secondo la leggenda i tre Re Magi erano alla ricerca di Gesù Bambino quando hanno deciso di fermarsi a una piccola casa per chiedere indicazioni. Al bussare, una vecchia che tiene una scopa aperto la porta un po 'per vedere chi c'era. In piedi alla sua porta di casa c'erano tre uomini vestiti con colori sgargianti che avevano bisogno di indicazioni per trovare il Cristo bambino. La vecchia non era a conoscenza di ciò che questi tre uomini stavano cercando e non poteva farli puntare nella giusta direzione. Prima i tre uomini che escono hanno gentilmente chiesto la vecchia ad unirsi a loro nel loro viaggio. Ha rifiutato perché aveva molto da fare lavori di casa. Dopo la loro partenza si sentiva come se avesse commesso un errore e decise di andare a recuperare il ritardo con il gentili uomini. Dopo molte ore di ricerca non riusciva a trovare. Pensando l'opportunità che aveva perso la vecchia si fermò ogni bambino per dare loro un trattamento piccola nella speranza che uno era il Cristo bambino. Ogni anno alla vigilia dell'Epifania si mette in giro a cercare il Gesù bambino. Si ferma a casa di ogni bambino di lasciare coloro che erano buoni dolcetti nelle calze e quelli che sono stati male un pezzo di carbone. Riesci a vedere dove sto andando con questo! Naturalmente è tutto leggenda, ma lo trovo molto interessante. La parte della leggenda che ha mi ha colpito è come la Befana era troppo occupato per andare a cercare Gesù con i Re Magi e ora passa le sue giornate alle ricerca sperando che non sia troppo tardi. Che una grande applicazione! Dio può anche utilizzare le leggende tramandate di generazione in generazione per dare un insegnamento. Oggi vediamo che così tante persone sono troppo occupati: sono impegnate a studiare, lavorare, fissando le loro case, andando qua e là e non hanno tempo per Gesù.. Quante volte abbiamo sentito le scuse perché la gente non vuole venire in chiesa, perché non sono interessati e non vogliono sapere chi è Gesù. Ricordate la parabola della grande cena? (Luca 14:15) Il maestro aveva preparato una festa e mandò il suo servo a invitare molti alla festa. Uno per uno, tutti hanno detto scuse-acquisto di terreni, occupato con la famiglia, impegnato con il lavoro. Il maestro si arrabbiò a tutte le loro scuse! Non c'è nulla di nuovo sotto il sole! Le scuse stesse oggi come erano nel giorno della parabola. Non hanno tempo di venire via e sedersi con Gesù. Tutto il resto ha la priorità. Purtroppo, anche i cristiani sono caduti in questa categoria. Cristiani che una volta erano nella chiesa-per ogni studio biblico, ogni volta che le porte erano aperte e qualcosa stava succedendo, non ci sono stati. Non mi dispiace che potrebbe perdere una o due ore di sonno se lo studio era la sera, che stavano per ascoltare la Parola, essere in comunione. Fellowship e la Parola era la priorità. Qui in Italia le persone sono noti per la loro dedizione al lavoro domestico. Questa è un'altra cosa che trovo particolarmente interessante de la leggenda della Befana. Stava facendo una buona cosa-pulizia della casa sua. Ma, il suo lavoro domestico ha la priorità rispetto trovare Gesù! Forse sto allungando un po 'nel mio confronto, ma per favore mi indulgete un po' :) In alcune culture in cui le donne sono impegnate nei lavori di casa, Gesù e lo studio della Parola può prendere un sedile posteriore. E 'come la storia di Marta e Maria. Martha stava facendo ciò che è buono, dopo tutto, qualcuno doveva preparare il pasto giusto! Ma Gesù ha detto che Maria ha scelto la parte migliore. Che cosa stava facendo Mary? Era seduta ai piedi di Gesù, ascoltando e imparando l'assunzione in tutto ciò che poteva da lui. Quindi, qual è il punto di tutto questo??? Se ci dimentichiamo di lavori domestici-ovviamente * NO * È solo uno scherzo! Non dovremmo fare il nostro lavoro, la nostra scuola, trascorrere del tempo con le nostre famiglie? Facciamo tutte queste cose, tutto ciò che Dio ci dà da fare dobbiamo farlo con forza, come a lui. Tuttavia, nessuna di queste cose deve avere la precedenza su di Lui e la Sua Parola. Passare del tempo con Gesù e conoscere Lui dovrebbe essere la priorità nella nostra vita. Proprio come la leggenda della Befana, lei cerca ancora oggi, sperando che non sia troppo tardi. Lei cavalca il suo piccolo giro su scopa sperando di trovare Gesù. Ci sarà un giorno in cui è troppo tardi. Non indurire il tuo cuore verso la sua voce, il suo cenno, la Sua chiamata. Non siate così preoccupati con la vita che non si ha il tempo di sedersi ai suoi piedi. In Matteo 6 Gesù parla a noi in merito non preoccuparsi dove avremo il nostro cibo, i nostri vestiti. Egli si prenderà cura di tutto quello che serve. Spesso confidiamo l'ordine delle cose. Pensiamo che tutto il resto deve venire prima e il tempo in più può essere dato a Dio. No, dice che dobbiamo cercarlo in primo luogo, cercare primo il suo regno. Lui sa quello che abbiamo di bisogno. Egli conosce le nostre finanze, quante ore di sonno abbiamo effettivamente bisogno, le prove e gli esami che stanno arrivando. Prendete il vostro tempo e datelo a lui. Sì, essere fedeli nel vostro lavoro, la vostra casa, con tutte le tue responsabilità, ma non usare ciò che Dio vi ha dato come una scusa per metterlo fuori. Egli vi ha dato quel lavoro, che Egli vi ha dato la famiglia, l'intelligenza di andare a scuola, la casa in cui vivete, ecc, ma Egli non vi ha dato tutto questo in modo che potessero avere la priorità. Facciamo la nostra priorità Dio cerchiamo veramente prima le cose di Dio, per mettere ogni cosa al giusto posto nella nostra vita.

Fall Update

Greetings to all of you!

It seems like it's been a whirlwind over here since August.  Many visitors have come and gone since then, we attended the annual CC Missions Conference in Austria which is always an incredible time of encouragement through God's Word, catching up with old friends and enjoying the opportunity to meet new ones.

Everyone at church is doing well.  Bethany and Lorenzo had their baby boy and we anxiously await Greg and Alice's  (Alichay-soft ch) new baby girl.  We have the phone right next to us all set to take her to the hospital.  It's always a joyous time to see God bring new life into the world. 

We had to say good-bye to a few young college students this past summer as they finished their year abroad which was quite sad.  But, true to His ways, the Lord has brought us two new students.  One is a gal from England, the other from Hungary.  We are blessed to have them in the church now and pray that God will use them in a great way while they are here studying in Italy this year.  Please keep them in your prayers-Chloe and Kinga, as it is a difficult age and also a difficult climate to be in at times.

We have a couple that were gone for about 2 years return to church in September.  They were going through some personal difficulties and yet they allowed God to work in and through them and now they are back in fellowship.  We are thrilled to experience the joy that goes with seeing people return to the Lord!  It's been great!

Now that Greg and Alice have moved to Padova, a couple of the girls and I are going to start meeting each week for prayer.  This is one of the most exciting things for me, Margie, as I have not had any gals to pray with on a regular basis for 4 yrs now.  Alice is a prayer warrior so we look forward to seeing the power of God work through our prayers.  Don't take it for granted if you have a ladies prayer group at your church :) 

Jim has finished teaching through the book of Acts on Sunday mornings.  He is going through a short series now and is praying to see what the Lord will have him teach next.  There seems to be a leaning towards Revelation which will be quite exciting - especially with all the things going on in the world these days. 

In September we had a gal that previously was in Italy for bible college come to stay with us for 3 weeks.  She's 22 and has such a precious heart to serve the Lord.  After much prayer and seeking the Lord, we officially asked her to begin praying to move to Padova to come alongside the work here.  It's interesting that in 11 yrs of being on the mission field, we have never asked someone specifically to pray to move.  There is just something about Rachel and we see God's hand upon her life.  She is spirit-filled, joyful and servant-minded.  She sings like an angel and has such a heart for the University students here.  Her church in PA has started a prayer group for her.  Please keep her in your prayers that the Lord would speak His perfect will to her. 

We are seriously looking for a building for our church to move to.  Though we are blessed to have the building we have, it is not in a very good location.  We are also not considered a church so as Kinga experienced last week, it is almost impossible to find the place unless you have been there.  We would like to find a building that is more centralized and easily accessible from the train station and city center.  This would mean finding additional help to pay for the rent of the church.  We are looking for a few new churches and or people to come alongside the work here financially and prayerfully.  Realistically, we would seek a two year commitment and after that we would like to know that our own church could take over the payments.  Sunday mornings are so busy with Jim picking people up and bringing them back home. It's not that he minds this, but it does take up a lot of time.  Please be in prayer about this for our church here.

Jim is officially Italian!  He received all the right documentation and is now a card carrying Sicilian :)  He will apply for his passport in the next couple of months.  It is not necessary to have it but as he travels in Europe it will be easier to go through the EU lines.  Please continue to pray for me as I am still waiting for my paperwork to be completed stateside so that I can have the documents needed.  We made friends with the Immigration Officer at the Questura (police) so we no longer have to wait in a long line for hours on end-he lets us go straight to him. 

Please keep our city in your prayers.  There is so much evil and wickedness here.  Some of you have heard us say this in the past-but truly Italy is overlooked as a mission field.  It is easy to think of it as a Christian nation, but sadly, it has become a nation void of God.  The youth are screaming out to be heard, the young adults are throwing aside all tradition of family and spiritual upbringing and replacing it with the things of this world that lead to emptiness in the end.  I would love it if some stateside would get together even monthly, just to pray for Padova.  Pray for the thousands of students that wonder through these streets without a thought or care as to who the living God is.  Pray for the young couples who see no need to marry or no need to have a relationship with Jesus.  Pray for the elderly who seem to just throw up their hands in hopelessness with this lost generation.  Pray that God would so empower us with His Spirit that we can make an impact here-that we will turn this city upside down!  We cannot do this without your prayers!!  Again, it is so reminiscent of the early days of Calvary Chapel when the youth were rebelling against everything.  They no longer trusted the government, the establishment, the churches-they were searching then for something that was lacking in their lives and they search today-we are here with the truth, we desire with all of our heart that they would listen! 

Thank you to all who pray without ceasing for us, to those who support us financially even when it is difficult.  We appreciate everything so much.  Thank you for doing what you do so that we can be here as an extension of all of you!

Much love,

Jim and Margie

Got to spend some time with Mike and Sandy 

Mom enjoying her ice-cream treat in Verona

Welcome back to Sunday School 

Saying good-bye to Terri and Carol

Train up a child 

Love Permits Pain

This morning I awoke with so much pain in my back.  Each day there is pain but some days just become unbearable-or at least it seems unbearable at the time.
We have some sweet gals visiting for a few days and before they left to visit Venice they prayed for me and my back pain.  I was thankful and hopeful that the Lord heard the prayers and would be faithful to ease the pain.
About an hour or so goes by and I find myself in so much pain that all I could do was cry.  I was frustrated and just tired of being tired of this back pain.  As I got up from my chair with my heating pad I grabbed my Streams In the Desert Devotional to read for the morning.  I opened to the page for today and before I could even read the entire devotional, my eyes went straight to the sentence with the words "Love permits pain".
I read the devotional through tears.  Tears that acknowledged that God indeed hears our faithful prayers and doesn't ignore them, but for whatever reason, He allows us to endure pain.  It's not always physical pain.  It can be emotional, or some other type, but He will allow it.
The devo was talking about Mary and Martha when Lazarus was ill and they sent the news to Jesus.  It says they didn't doubt that as soon as He heard the news He would come quickly-but He didn't.  He waited.  As you can imagine, even more tears started to flow.  He heard, but He waited.  How those words ring true for so many.  We pray, we get others to pray and yet the pain, whatever kind it is, endures.  It doesn't go away. And often we wonder why.  Why, God, why aren't you healing me?  Why are you allowing this to be?
For me, sometimes I get so frustrated with this back pain.  Why in the world would God call me to be in a foreign country-to serve Him and yet be limited in what I can do?  Why did I bother to exercise and want to be fit for so many years just to end up like this?  Why when so many prayers go up to Him does He choose not to answer them.  Sometimes I think...God, are you there, are you listening to these prayers?
Today's devotional was such a sweet and tender reminder that He does hear, He does care, He does remember.  But, love permits pain.  Why does love permit pain?  I honestly can't answer that.  We have all listened to tons of bible studies on why God allows pain, why He allows things to happen the way they do.  But, for each person, the answer is different.  People even say it's because God wants to teach us a lesson.  I don't always like that answer-sometimes it sounds so mean the way they say it.  As if God is punishing us or making us be in pain because we have to learn a lesson.  You know, in some ways that is true.  But our God is a loving God and He's not up in Heaven figuring out ways to inflict pain upon our lives just to show us who's boss.  He doesn't make the pain happen, but He knows it is there and He will allow it to be there and He will use it for His glory if we let Him.  He will get us through it.
For each day, for each task that God has called me to, I know that I have to rely on Him for every ounce of strength to be able to do it.
I am so thankful for that little phrase I read today.  I think it will be a stone of remembrance for me.  No matter how I feel physically I know that my God knows what I am enduring and He will help me through it and for that I am grateful.
If you are going through some kind of pain today, rest assured that He knows, He has heard your pleas, your prayers, the prayers of those who have prayed for you.  He will be strong for you and help you through it.

Don't ever think that His delay means He doesn't care or He doesn't hear.  Always remember there is something greater.  It was in His delaying to go to Lazarus that Jesus spoke these amazing words:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

For Such A Time As This

Thank you for praying for Jim's journey...he made it home safely :)
 Now, if you want to hear a God story......he couldn't drive all through the night so he slept a few hours at a gas station/rest stop.  He was about 1/2 hour from home and stopped in a gas station-saw a gal with an Italian city written on her arm-realized she was a foreigner.  She was alone,  had her wallet stolen, and had to hitch-hike her way around  while busking ( you play an instrument and people put money in your case) to have money to eat.
She spent the last two nights sleeping outside in Venice and today 'just happened' to decide to leave Venice and head south.

Of course, being a father of three girls, and this gal happens to be the same age as our youngest...Jim couldn't leave her there.  He phones me and tells me the situation.  I asked if he was sure she wasn't a scammer and he felt such a peace about her and that she wasn't making the story up.  Well, a couple things-number one, we have a rule that no gals ever drive alone with Jim.   We learned this in the ministry a long time ago that it isn't something you should do.    Two, no matter how much peace you might have, there is still that one part that is a little nervous-especially for me.
I told him ok-bring her home.  Thankfully I had cleaned house yesterday.  Actually, I was mopping at 1:00am because I couldn't sleep lol!!  I had my shower and was dressed, knowing Jim would be coming home shortly so at least me and the house were prepared.

Twenty minutes go by and a little bit of panic starts to set in....that .05% of fear....wondering if he was being set up, someone might follow them to our home, etc.   My imagination was going a bit bizurk.  If you are a regular reader here, you know how easy it is for me to get my mind going :)
Anyway, they arrived here and I just looked at her and felt so sad for her.  Of course I can't help thinking like a Mom and just wanted to hug her-but I had to hold back so as not to scare her.
Now she's here-a hoarse voice, hungry and thankful for a place to stay and able to have a shower.

What's neat is that today is the day that the Calvary Chapels around here have a picnic and baptism.  It's always a great time together and I was sad that we weren't going to be able to go.  But God....He had another plan and there are so many little things that happened to orchestrate the circumstances of this gal being here.  Jim never stops where he stopped, she wasn't even planning on being at that gas station, we don't do the guy/gal driving thing and we even had a phone charger that worked for her dead phone.
I am in awe of how God works.  He takes ordinary days and makes them extraordinary.
Of course me being me, I did write a note to my friend to tell her what was happening and to pray and if she didn't hear from us she would know something was up-but I laughed at myself after reading it and decided not to send it....Miss Paranoia.  :)

I don't condone breaking rules, but in this case we knew it was okay.
Please pray for this gal and that we will shine the love of Jesus into her life-that she would see how much He cares for her and was watching over her.