Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Global Service Associates

I want to write and share our beta website that is partially up and running for Global Service Associates. It will come into fruition in the months to come.

You can click around to see some of the initiatives that the staff members are taking part of.
Global Service Associates

Categories:

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Only God Can Do This....

I have been thinking and reflecting a bunch on the power of God, His Grace, His desire to bless us and move in our lives. Last week in the midst of my cancer scare I had lunch with one of the most non-religious spiritual Jesus loving people I know, Tom, my dentist. We went out to lunch last week after he put my good looking gold crown on.


We were talking all about the changes in either of our lives, the presence of God and His church. Tom asked me if I ever tried to catch a butterfly without a net. I said, "No." He was teaching his kids this past summer and as you probably know, it is nearly impossible, except for maybe Mr. Miagi from Karate Kid. The key is that don't go and try to catch it but just sit still and let it land on you. The point he was making for my life is to stop trying to control, catch, create, manufacture what God can only do. Rest, be still, wait and let God do the healing, creating, birthing and moving in and around my life. That is exactly what I needed to know.

The previous night I was meeting with another non-religious spiritual Jesus loving Friend, Andy, over an adult beverage in Longmont. I love Andy's chaotic faith filled life. A year ago he quit his job, adopted 2 twin African American premies, that makes 6 kids in his house under 7. He was sharing with me the powerful year it has been. Turning down jobs, seeing God move, touching his family and blessing them. It increased my faith a ton.

Much of what I'm pondering and thinking about in our own lives, marriage, family and ministry has been about the real power of God. For so long, tied to my performance issues, I have worked hard for God, producing great results, becoming addicted to them, looking for praise and honor from friends, donors and family. I have done the tried and true strategies that I know with my power, strength and energy will yield great God results. The bummer is that in hind site it doesn't feel like God is moving at all. I'm begging God to bless me, move around me, do something supernatural but I'm unwilling to sit, wait and listen for God to show up.

Starting over in life, marriage and ministry gives us a great opportunity to create a new value system of living, loving and serving. Realizing that my issues are still tucked away in the corners of my heart, we're begging God to shed His grace on us. We need a new and fresh way of living and serving. We want to see the supernatural, not the natural.

Andy sent me this great article from a pastor of a church called, Time Square Church. It is well worth the read.

Maybe all we need is a great big push to move from the Natural to the Supernatural.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Healing

The past couple of days have been emotional whirlwinds for us since hearing my biopsy was melanoma.


Friday afternoon on the way back from Boulder area my Dr. called and told me he had great news. The skin cancer experts in Denver said that my biopsy wasn't cancer. My Dr. was excited and so was I. I didn't know what was the deal between the first pathology report that stated I had malignant melanoma and this secondary lab other than to say that Jesus healed me.

I was told that I had severely dysplastic nevus - pre melanoma. It was a-typical melanocytic poliferation. Yes, there might be spelling mistakes, but it wouldn't matter anyway. I don't know what those words mean except I don't have cancer. I don't need further test. I have a clean bill of health.

The Lord has taught us a ton this past week and year. He heals, He restores, He makes new all things. We fell deeper in love and trust of Jesus this week.

Thank for praying. I believe God performed a supernatural miracle.

Categories: ,

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Malignant Melanoma

Last night my Dr. called Christine and told her that my biopsy from a mole this previous week came back positive for malignant melanoma. As you can imagine I have been in shock all day long. The pathology reported at first said that the surrounding tissue was clear and that the cancer hasn't entered the dermis tissue. That is good. My biopsy was sent today to the leading skin cancer Dr. who happens to be in Denver. The next stage is to follow his advice. If the cancer cells have entered deeper tissue then we'll cut out more skin. At that point we'll go through CT scans, bone scans, etc. The best case is that it was localized and we caught it early.


It has been an up and down emotional day and week. Rich Lotterhos a fellow member, director of Global Service Associates and dear friend called just to see how I was doing. I shared all of it. The hope for the future, tension and anxiety of transitioning to a new ministry and now this news of cancer. Immediately he reminded me that Satan wants to take Christine and I out. I know and believe God has a plan but I am sure tired of Satan's attacks.

We know God has been with us all along. If we were still living in Mexico City I would have not had a physical. And because of our leaving Campus Crusade I wanted to use our remaining health care wellness before Dec 31st, therefore my physical.

Pray for us. Pray for complete healing and that the biopsy this past week cut away all the cancer cells. Pray for us emotionally and physically. We are spent. Pray for us spiritually. We are crying out to the Lord for help. He is the only place we can go.

Thanks!!
Steve
Categories: ,