We Need a Friend - Thoughts on Pain from Lady Buxton

I am good at stealing thoughts from others, chewing on them, and spitting them out to you! Today I want to share something I actually read a year ago. (I looked back in my journal from 2008.) Lady Buxton was a philanthropist in the late 1800's and early 1900's. For 47 years she suffered pain from osteoarthritis, yet she helped promote missions and both the YMCA and the YWCA. Here are her comments about pain:

"Things do NOT improve... all seems increasingly hard sometimes, and I am rather hopeless of getting better. We need a friend, above all a Saviour, in the depths of our being - and, thank God, we have one."

Is your life growing increasingly harder? Are there burdens that go on and on? Let's cling to the friend that meets our needs in the depths of our being.

Earthquake Photos

The epicenter of the big 6.2 earthquake we experienced on Thursday the 8th of January, 2009, was just under 20 miles away from our home and office. It really was strong! Right at the epicenter the damage was devastating. One small town was totally destroyed. Our favorite tourist spot, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, was seriously damaged. Thankfully, the hotel there claims that no one died there. So far we don't have a clear death count. I think it is 17, though CNN says there are 34 confirmed dead. These photos are from the La Nacion newspaper. One shows an area where a body was recovered from a car buried about half-way down the landslide. The body was recovered by a Colombian crew working from a helicopter. Another shows 6 amazing before and after photos, including the La Paz Waterfall. The third photo shows one of the monkeys that escaped from the monkey cage at the Waterfall Gardens. It is eating at the lovely restaurant where we have taken many guests. Two monkeys were not recovered. A jaguar that escaped was recovered. I haven't heard about the poisonous snakes!

A Beth Moore Miracle

When I was in the USA last July I had only a few minutes to look for a Bible study to take back to Costa Rica with me. That store only had one Beth Moore study - on the book of Daniel. I wanted to study something from the Old Testament, so I bought the book.

Only after getting back to Costa Rica did I learn that it requires either a video series on DVD or an audio series. The cost of ordering that was prohibitive.

Last week I downloaded the first video session for just over $5 and enjoyed the first week of study. I was praying yesterday about whether to quit the study, becuase it would require at least another $60 investment. Weighing the cost, a couple of weeks ago I had even tried writing Beth Moore herself, explaining my situation and asking if they offer any discounts for missionaries. But, I hadn't heard back from Lifeway Ministries.

During my prayer walk, I felt God nudging me to continue. As I tried to figure out how to make that work, I thought to myself, "Well, I can spend the rest of my birthday money to pay for at least part of it." From there, I will just have to see.

After my quiet time I briefly stopped by to talk to Karen, a missionary colleague. I meant to share something with her from the Daniel workbook that I'd studied. When she saw the book, she was very excited because she studied it with a group while in the US on HMA in 2008. She told me, "You just have to study it! We'll find some way to do it."

My eyes filled with tears of gratitude to God as I read an email from Lifeway Ministries upon returning home from Karen's house. The timing was perfect. It read:

Dear Susan,
Thanks for writing~
I would be blessed to offer an audio cd set to accompany Daniel.

Isn't God great?!? I already have two other missionaries who want to buy the book and study it with the audio series I've been promised. As Karen often says, "Cool beans!"

Rocking and Rolling

I've lived in Costa Rica for over ten years, but recently I feel like I've just been baptized into life here. Last night I was just about asleep when an aftershock hit. (We had a strong earthquake last Thursday.) My bed shook and so did the beams above me. So, that got my adrenaline going. I had just calmed down and barely fallen asleep when another hit. This one was weaker, but it made me decide to try sleeping on the couch. I was just about asleep again when the neighbor dog, Beckham, started barking like crazy! While trying to ignore him, I felt another aftershock.

Now sleep was out of the question. Finally I went out with Celeste to try to calm the other dog. He wouldn’t be calmed. Diego, who lives across the street joined in the effort to quiet Beckham. So, Diego and I had a nice 1:30AM chat.

At 2AM I felt another tremor while I was working on my inbox. I managed to get back to sleep after 2:30, but awoke with a fifth aftershock at 5:10!

Lord, calm the earth today!

Intercession 101

This morning I was reading about the need to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit as we intercede for others. Without this sensitivity there are at least two consequences: we become hypocritical (praying words just to sound nice); we become subject to a critical spirit (praying for the faults we see in others while conveniently ignoring our own).

So, how can I be a true intercessor? I do not have the answers, but I have two clues based on something I read by Oswald Chambers.

1) I must be aware of the Spirit's leading and discernment about the souls of others. This discernment allows me to have the mind of Christ on their behalf.
2) I must pray from my soul that God will convey His mind to me as I pray for others.

If we allow our hearts and minds to be "roused up" by His Spirit in such a way as we see His view about the people for whom we pray, then "Jesus Christ will be abundantly satisfied with us as intercessors."

Prayer Specialists

How many specialists do you have available "by speed-dial?" I could quickly tell you phone numbers for lawyers, neurologists, ENT's, surgeons, washer/dryer repairmen, surveyors, cabinet-makers, and many others. But, do I know the number of a prayer specialist? A prayer specialist would be someone I could count on to not just respond with casual words of goodwill on my behalf, crafted in spiritual-sounding words to God. A prayer specialist does not offer pat answers. A prayer specialist listens to the heart-cry, responds with empathy and calm trust, and says, "Let's talk to Jesus about it." He or she then talks simply and intimately with the Savior, claiming the Bible's promises.

This kind of prayer is most effective if done in person and includes a touch of the hand or a gentle, loving hug.

Most of all, a prayer specialist continues to lift up the arms of Moses, and pray throughout the day or even during the night as the Spirit lays the need upon him.

May I learn to be a prayer specialist! Do you need my number for your speed-dial?

Spirit-Inspired Discontent

As we pray in the Spirit, God will make our soul profoundly discontented with all that is contrary to His will. From that sense of discontent arises an even more profound power in prayer. G. Campbell Morgan wrote, "The heavenly people are, therefore, those who most acutely feel earth's sorrows."

The above thoughts came to me through my study on prayer by Edwin and Lillian Harvey. At the same time, I am beginning a Beth Moore study on the book of Daniel. The study neatly dovetails the above thoughts as she describes the values of the culture of Babylon and draws the parallel to our own culture today. My soul grieves as I see how we, too, value youth, intelligence, and physical beauty. Babylon had the philosophy, "I am; and there is none besides me."

One thing that God has laid on my heart over the past years is the pressing question that Beth Moore also raises. As a church, are we influencing our culture with JESUS or are we being influenced by our culture?

I am not talking about social and political issues. I am talking about Jesus. That is our purpose as individuals and as a community of believers. May they see Jesus in us. May our values reflect the priorities of Christ!