Traditions, Old and New

I love the word 'tradition' when applied to the holidays. My family has so many fun traditions that we have kept up over the years, especially around Christmas. Some have even come from my own parents' childhood! A few of them have evolved through the years, but it is so wonderful to celebrate them as a family when we are all together.

This year was no exception! We also did a few new things this year that will surely stick around. Here are a few of the highlights!

1. Christmas Tree Decorating
My family always gets a real tree and decorates it together. I love pulling out ornaments and filling up the tree! Some people like to have a theme or just a few decorations perfectly placed, but I would much rather have our family's tree filled with memories.

My aunt and uncle started a tradition 16 years ago of giving my siblings and I a different ornament every year until we turn 18. Often our ornaments each year were similar, but were specifically suited to each one of us. Decorating the tree means pulling out our individual ornaments. Someday, we will be able to take our own ornaments and put them on our own tree.

2. Playing games
For many years my parents would give us a new family game for Christmas. My siblings and I took up the tradition and have been picking out a new game for all of us to play together each year. It is always fun to play different games throughout the Christmas break time. This year on the Saturday before Christmas, my siblings and I had a game marathon- playing a few rounds of a bunch of different games we hadn't played in awhile. Taboo at midnight combined with a lack of sleep sure makes for a lot of laughter!

3. Dance Parties, Pump up songs and Sign-making 
These would go under the category of new traditions. Christmas Eve we were in a jolly mood, and before going to bed we had an impromptu dance party! Throughout my time at home, my brother would select a song to get us pumped up for whatever we were about to do- be it shopping, eating dinner, playing a game or taking pictures. He had songs for every occasion.

My siblings also came up with the idea to make funny signs and use them in our picture-taking. They speak for themselves.

4. Christmas morning
After our annual sibling sleepover on Christmas Eve, we open our stockings as a family, enjoy a breakfast of little boxes of cereal and cran-apple juice, and then open presents. Although I enjoy all of these traditions (presents and candy are great), the best part is just being together as family. Especially knowing that I will be missing out on Christmas with my family for awhile after I leave for Cambodia, that time together is so sweet.

I will probably have to come up with some new traditions (or find a way to continue them Cambodian-style) but I am so thankful for a fun time with my family and our traditions, both old and new.

Lessons From the Farmer

When I am home I always enjoy going over to my grandpa Hilkemann’s for supper. He and my dad share a meal every Wednesday night, and my grandpa at 87 still cooks up some mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and chicken. It is always special to join them, and this week a coffee cup waited at my plate so he and I could enjoy an after dinner cup together, something we started just a couple of years ago.

My grandpa was part of the first generation of Hilkemanns born in the United States, and he didn’t get more than an 8^th grade education. He has never used a computer, gets frustrated with most modern conveniences, and lives a simple life.

But my grandpa is one of the smartest people I know. He can tell you what the weather will do simply by looking at the clouds and checking the direction the wind is coming from. He can diagnose livestock diseases, fix machinery, knows intuitively when to plant and when to harvest, and how to make a profit. He has had to use economics, physics, chemistry, biology, algebra, and geometry while lacking a degree in any of these. He still remembers the ebb and flow of droughts and good years, who owned what farm and what crop they put in.

My grandpa has modeled hard work, the kind where you put in long hours and get your hands dirty and finish the job. He has passed on those kinds of lessons to my dad, who has passed them down to us. My heritage is found in the soil of rural Nebraska, the many years and work invested in this place. While I have also inherited the Hilkemann bad back and knees, I treasure the model and lessons passed down to me by my grandpa Hilkemann. 

Reflections on Evil in the World

People are often quick to ask questions after a tragedy happens or natural disaster strikes. Where was God when this happened? Could a loving God allow this terrible thing to happen? Is this God's judgment?

I suppose these questions are natural. We want to have an answer, a reason for bad things. We want to know that there is something good that can come, and cling to that hope.

There are a few things I know, and these come from Scripture.

1. There is evil in the world. Sin entered the world and has affected all of mankind and creation itself. Without God's grace, we live according to our sinful nature.

Romans 8:5-8, 22 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

2. God WILL bring justice for the evil that is committed.

Psalm 9:7-8 The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.

3. God is sovereign and His ways are higher than our ways.

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways", declares The Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways."

4. God has our days numbered and He created us with a purpose. I don't understand why some people get 90 years- worth of days, others only 6 years-worth.

Psalm 139:15-16 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

5. How we fight against evil- loving those around us, shining light into dark places.

1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 John 4:10-11 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

I do not have answers exactly to why bad things happen. Yet I have to trust God- He doesn't change and He has shown us through the Word that He is faithful.  

Hidden

I'm not gonna lie, I like a good pat on the back, “Awesome job, Sarah”, or even a simple “Thanks!”. I can serve unseen, un-thanked for awhile, and then I start to get jealous of others’ recognition or success. My sisters used to tease me for being the “suffering servant”, making sure everyone knew that I was dealing with some hardship for the sake of others (and even wanting a pat on the back for that too).

We all want to be needed, wanted, recognized.

I read Colossians 3 in a new way this morning and it has given me a different perspective, one I am still wrestling to wrap my mind around.  

Colossians 3:1-4: Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

  

Our life is now hidden. This is the opposite of what I want! I want to be recognized for my success. But see, when we follow Jesus it isn’t about us anymore. When people look at us, they should see Jesus because we are hidden in Him. It is about His glory, and we have put aside the earthly measures of success. Paul goes on in the rest of the chapter to give a picture of what it means to be hidden in Christ. The sinful nature is cast aside and all of the practices of the old self must be eliminated, burned, gone. Instead, we should be known for our compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We should look like Jesus! Our reward is not on earth, but rather in heaven when Christ is revealed to the whole world. Every conversation is a chance to extend grace.

I have a long ways to go! But today I am looking up, to the things of Christ and not on earthly things as I seek to hide myself more in Him. 

 

"In the Scriptures, the great miracle of the incarnation slips into the ordinary life of a child; the great miracle of the transfiguration fades into the demon-possessed valley below; the glory of the resurrection descends into a breakfast on the seashore. This is not an anticlimax, but a great revelation of God. We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It's one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want something that will make people say, 'What a wonderful man of prayer he is!' or 'What a great woman of devotion she is!' If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the loft height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time.”

~Oswald Chambers

Where is the Joy?

This weekend I was in Wal-mart, and talk about a crazy place! People were everywhere, lines were long and patience was running thin. As I waited to check out, I observed a lady chewing out the cashier, not trusting the total he said she owed. The lady behind me in line was sighing over the long wait, and the lady behind her was complaining about the others who were complaining. I have heard comments from people who have not put up decorations or shopped for presents yet. “I guess I am a ‘Scrooge’ this year” they have said.

Where is the joy? Is Christmas just about Santa Clause, presents, holiday traditions, carols and family time? There is nothing wrong with those things, but they sure don’t seem to be making people very happy.

Perhaps we need to take a lesson from Mary.

Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me- holy is name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendents forever, even as he said to our fathers”.

Mary had learned of a pretty major change in her life! She was going to have a baby, and not just any baby. She had every right to give into fear or worry or anger, and yet she praised God. She rejoiced in who God is, His character and the ways He had worked in the past.

Perhaps as you prepare for Christmas your life doesn’t seem real rosy. There might be any number of reasons why- related to the holiday or not. Our joy is not found in a season or holiday, but rather in trusting the Mighty One who has done great things for us. Instead of focusing on the stresses or struggles, let’s commit together to focus on what we can praise God for and celebrate His goodness. 

What is a Person of Peace?

Every organization or sub-culture has their own vocabulary. The church, and specifically the missions community, is no exception! UPG, CPM, PoP; when I first came to Plano to work in the office it took me awhile to understand the lingo.

One of the big concepts in the work of my organization (and also the work that I will be doing in Cambodia) is the Person of Peace. Here’s the background:

Luke 10:5-7 When you enter a house, first say: “Peace to this house”. If a man (or person) of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

Jesus had sent the seventy-two workers to the places he was about to go, and he gave specific instructions about how to proclaim the Kingdom. The person of peace in each town was someone who opened up his home to the workers, received their blessing and attention, and listened to what the workers had to say.

One trend in Christianity today is the idea that we have to win someone’s trust in order to share the Gospel with them. This goes against the old idea of “cold call evangelism”, just knocking on a door to share. As I look at Luke 10, I see a different picture from both of these. The workers enter the town and first speak peace. They are proclaiming a message to see if people are interested. We can do this today too. By opening the discussion early on to spiritual things, in a way that is natural and not pushy, we allow people to know we are followers of Jesus and invite them into further discussion. Instead of waiting a long time, perhaps losing the chance to share, the topic is on the table early on. I heard of a story of a worker who was in a closed country for two years. He worked hard to build relationships and win trust, but did not share the Gospel because he didn’t feel he was to a place that he could. Finally after two years he knew he was about to leave to go home, and he shared with a friend about Christ. The person had no idea this man was even a follower of Jesus and he asked, “If this message is so important to you, why did you wait so long to share?”

Christ has given us an incredible message. We should look for people who will respond and engage in discussion as we share and hopefully they will become followers of Him as well.

Here are a few ideas from an overseas worker for how to find a Person of Peace. These can be applied here in the US too!

1.      Get to know neighbors, networks, clubs, etc.  To find People of Peace, you need to spend lots of time where the people are.

2.      Go to places where spiritual people hang out--mosques, graves, religious schools, banyan trees, shaman's homes, etc. to meet people who are spiritually seeking. 

3.      Figure out ways to "be a blessing"--like community health, teaching, sharing, inviting, etc.--not necessarily "spiritual things" but helping with felt needs, being a good neighbor, etc.  Then PoP's can show themselves.  We should provide some sort of connection though to our relationship with Jesus.

4.      Take prayer trips (near or far) to pray for resistant areas through prayer walking and use the "Can I pray for you?" tool as people ask what you're doing or as you see notable needs.

5.      Go out persistently trying to find PoPs.

6.      Get into a real coaching/accountability group where you do the all these together or are accountable to each other for doing them.  This is a huge key to fruitfulness!

7.      Simply and courageously ask the question:  "Instead of us talking about our opinions, how about we study together the Holy Books that God has given us"? (or variation thereof) This is often the missing step!

8.      Follow up contacts from Radio, TV, internet and other mass media ministry. In many places there are many contacts from these ministries but no one is willing to follow them up!

9.      Host an English club where the texts are Bible stories.  This won't work in many areas, but in others it can be done effectively.

10.  Start a Discovery Group (House Fellowship) with your team and/or national partners then challenge each member of the group to find a group to do the same with. If they can't find non-Christians, do Discovery Groups with Christians as a way of making disciples and challenge them to do the same thing with people they know.

Lessons from the Manger

I was thinking yesterday after our Sunday morning service about the great sacrifice required by Joseph and Mary. On Joseph’s side, the woman he was supposed to marry was found to be pregnant. I would imagine her story that an angel came and told her that it was the Holy Spirit that had conceived the child sounded pretty far-fetched to him! He risked his own public humiliation and had every right to have Mary stoned or to divorce her publicly, bringing shame to her. And then there’s Mary. I was trying to put myself in her shoes, to imagine a visit from an angel who starts out his message with “Do not fear”. Today it is not uncommon, although still looked down upon in some circles, for a baby to be born out of wedlock. Then it was a huge cultural offense. I cannot imagine the shame that Mary could have dealt with and the fears that could have overtaken her.

Yet, I am amazed at the response of both Joseph and Mary. After Mary heard the message from the angel, she said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Joseph had to be convinced in a dream to take Mary as his wife and be the father to the child, but when he woke from his dream, Matthew 1:24 says that Joseph did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him. At first, I thought, “What a huge calling! Could I have done that?” Although Joseph and Mary were chosen of the Lord for this task, they were just ordinary people. What mattered was that they did what the Lord commanded. They obeyed. That is pretty simple, isn’t it? And isn’t that was we are called to do as well?

Jesus said in Luke 11:28, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it”. We have been given many instructions in God’s Word that we are to follow. We are to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow the calling that He places on our heart. It might be something that seems impossible, scary or makes no sense from a worldly perspective. Or, it might be something simple like making a phone call or reaching out to a neighbor. We are to walk in joyful obedience and do what the Lord commands, just like Joseph and Mary did. 

Fundraising as an Introvert

In my organization, each missionary must find ministry partners to join in the work with their prayers and financial support. Fundraising involves sharing the vision that God has given, asking for financial support and meeting with churches, mission committees and individuals, while also networking to find new avenues for partners.

I am an introvert. I get recharged by having time alone. I listen more than talk, have a small but deep circle of friends, and would often rather read a book than go to a party. I love people, but they exhaust me after awhile and I need time to be refreshed before going at it again.

As an introvert, fundraising is not my cup of tea. In fact, I have dreaded this part of ministry for a long time. The very thought of meeting upon meeting, the BIG ASK, tires me out. But, here are a few things I have learned in this journey of fundraising as an introvert.

• Ultimately God is Jehovah Jireh, the God who WILL provide. I must look to Him as the giver of all gifts.
• Fundraising is NOT about how outgoing I am, or how good I am at it.
• People will give a little bit because they know me, but they will sacrifice for the vision.
• I need to set reasonable goals for myself, knowing my strengths and weaknesses. These goals may be different than someone who is more extroverted and that is okay.
• Try not to schedule too many appointments and speaking engagements close together. Allow for time alone to rest and be refreshed.
• Understand what is expected as much as possible before going in. Will I be speaking for 15 minutes or 40? The only one to share or part of a group of other missionaries that will also be sharing?
• Prepare adequately. Write out an outline, with the important points that you want to make.
• Have something you can leave with people that can keep them thinking.
• Even if all of the “fundraising experts” say letters and emails are not as effective, it is okay to use them. Use these tools to communicate clearly and concisely.
•  Follow up with people sooner rather than later. The longer you wait, the harder it is!

Mostly in this journey I have learned to press closer to Jesus, to trust His timing and provision. He is the One who created me just as I am, and He will give me the confidence to move forward as He calls and leads.

Proverbs 3:26 For the Lord will be your confidence.

With A Grateful Heart

I love Thanksgiving! It is a time to enjoy special time with family and reflect on God's goodness. I have been thinking back over this year, and I am amazed at all that has happened! I see God's hand and His plan that is unfolding and bigger than I could have imagined. Here are a few of the highlights for me from this last year:

- Taking a class from Kent and Erika- squeezing an amazing amount of information and digging into God's Word into two weeks! God deepened my conviction for those who haven't had a chance to hear about Jesus and also stirred my heart to increase my prayers for Cambodia and the unreached. Out of this came a very special weekly time of prayer with my now-teammate Kristin.

- Finishing three years of study at Dallas Baptist University and celebrating with friends and family. It has been a privilege to get to further my education and learn from great professors and fellow students.

- Lovely visits from friends, exploring Dallas together and making memories

- Getting to go home to Nebraska for two cousins' weddings, and spending some really special time with family.

- Seeing prayers answered as my sister went to Cambodia and watching her journey begin to the nations

- A deepening love for the Khmer people, seeing God provide in amazing ways as I prepare to go, and confirmation that this the way and I am to walk in it, even as I battle fears or doubts. God continues to use His Word, songs and stories to confirm this direction.

The way is not always easy, but God's grace is so amazing!

Psalm 89:8 O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

The Cost of Following Jesus

Luke 9:57-62 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go”. Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”. He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father”. Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God”. Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God”.

I have always struggled with these verses. As I look to the not-so-distant future when I will get on a plane for Asia, in many ways I dread the goodbyes, the tears, the culture shock, learning a language that I can’t quite get my mind around. I dread getting in a moto accident, getting sick, being hot all the time, and having to constantly, every day push out of my comfort zone. I fear failing as a missionary.

But, my hand must be to the plow because the fields are ready to be harvested and there are souls that MUST hear about Jesus. I fear sacrifice and yet this is what is required. Joy will replace the fear, peace will replace the dread because I am choosing to obey and choosing to serve.