Friday Foto–In Training and on the Road
I leave tomorrow for Europe and the M.E. I asked for prayer in my last post for this 3 week trip. Briefly, I'm headed first to Barcelona to reconnect with ministry partners and friends, followed by our staff retreat in Southern France. Mark Novak, our conference Superintendent in the North Pacific Conference, is our speaker and I get to be his and wife Marilyn's special host for a few days in Barcelona before we head across the border to France. Should be fun.
After two weeks in Europe, I join 3 others for a trip to the M.E. to observe some things going on in that region. This will be my first venture into that part of the world but is very important for our ministry. I'm a tad bit excited and eager to learn, listen, observe, pray and discover. Pray for our team, for safety and God's hand to be upon us each step of the way. So I will be on the road for awhile. Hope to post some stories from abroad but we will see if I have time.
Besides being on the road, I'm also in training. I suppose you could say this applies to at least two areas in my life right now. Clearly, I am still learning what it means to be a messenger of the Good News to focus people. I started on this journey in midlife and do not have command of the holy language nor years of experience under my belt. But clearly, God has called and continues to lead in significant ways. I used to look at my "liabilities" as something that disqualified me for this work. Now I view them as assets. They keep me focused and trusting God.
I'm also training for another adventure. This picture gives a hint. Since January I have been exercising and doing small climbs in the area in a regular training regime to climb Mt. Rainier with a group of friends this summer. The picture above is from the summit of Mt. St. Helens, looking into the crater. You can see a new peak that is pushing up the rocks, making a new summit for the mountain, slowly but surely. I took this before we left for Spain, in the summer of 2006. I hope to get back up this one sometime this summer but the big goal is Rainier in August.
As I sit here in my favorite chair, I'm aware of the soreness in my legs from training. I am also aware that it takes time to prepare for reaching the summit. Climbing is a bit like spirituality and the fruit of ministry. It doesn't just happen. Nor does it come from merely trying. It requires training and concerted, focused effort, while also leaning on God. But the rewards are great! Join with me in training and living the race set before us. "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14.
