I know as life moves on that tragedy can be forgotten when we aren’t the ones personally touched by it. I so appreciate Pastor Haron keeping us up to date and reminded. Because really, we are personally touched by it.

These are our kinsfolk.

Kinsfolk: a group of people related by blood.

…and we are related by Christ’s blood.

They are hurting and they need their kingdom family to know, to pray, to care.

•••

I bring you warm Greetings from the people who survived the recent Earthquake in Nepal.
Nepal was struck by another significant earthquake, causing even more fear and injuries to a ​nation whose people are reeling from deep trauma.

As we prayed and asked the Lord to comfort​ ​the thousands of people affected, we remember the following passage from Lamentations, where we are reminded to cling to hope.

‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’(Lamentations 3:24)

The most recent quakes and tremors have caused buildings that were damaged from the first​ quake to fall to the ground, creating even more instability, and increased fear.

Every day earthquakes are taking place. Families are sleeping in open fields because they have lost their homes or are fearful the existing walls will fall in on them at any moment.

The most recent earthquake has not only affected Nepal, but has also caused destruction in other areas where RHM operates, including North East India (Sikkim).

​See your Love and Sacrificial support reaching the least of these.

Your financial support and prayers are allowing our indigenous leaders and myself to serve and care for people who are in desperate need in the remote villages where others have not gone before.

They are sharing Christ’s love in a tangible way and bringing hope and Light into a very dark place.

They are giving Hope to the Hopeless Children of Nepal. They lost their school, uniform, book etc, and are sad for their future because they cannot go to school.

Earlier this week, previous to the most recent earthquake, a Reach Himalaya Ministry team was able to reach an extremely remote village that is devastated. Kunchok Village is very​ ​remote, Mr Dhan, one of the senior heads of the village and the only Christian, said: “During this terrible situation, you Christian people came to us first in our place. Before nobody wants to come because we are Dalit’s and untouchables and we have nothing. Our children went to bed with empty stomach, no food, no shelter nothing. You have shown lots of love and helped us more than we ever thought possible. We are thankful to you for the great help. You have not only provided us the relief material, but have also brought love, encouragement and blessing for us; we have never seen anything like your prayers and encouragement. Thank you. Please​ ​don’t leave us and forget us, we need your help so that we can get our village back normal and we want the new church planted to grow and become big.”

We thank God for how He is moving and working in the midst of this tragedy. Thank you for your continued support.

If you want to help, please pray, share and give to the link below.

Thank you!​ You can help by giving​ ​here:​ http://www.reachhimalaya.org/donate.php

​

Thanks for pressing into the kingdom of God together. Seeing his church come together to help is an awe-inspiring thing.​
​Blessings…
Ps Haron

Every time I set to write I pray that what I publish is God inspired and not a high horse or soap box.

Slipping off your podium is ugly… Ask me how I know.

This post is late. I struggled to hit publish for fear of sounding holier than thou, for fear of sliding off that soap box or dismounting my high horse in shame.

Be what it be, I can’t get it off my heart.

As you read know it’s not intended to be a rant. It’s most certainly not intended to kick anyone while they are down, and God forbid it come across as being judgmental to any Christians on their journey that aren’t where “we wiser mature Christ followers” (said with sarcasm) want to make them feel they should be.

It is really about: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; Psalm 1:1

•••

I’ve been wincing a lot lately. I’m afraid you have too, but I’m even more afraid you haven’t been.

Oh lawdy, I’m not claiming Facebook is the fall of humanity.

I am claiming I see a lot more falling since my begrudged joining of Facebook.

Oh sure, it has it’s sins, but really it’s more of a documentation to the world of the sin it’s in.

…and it’s not just Facebook. It’s social media. It’s the World Wide Web.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 1 Peter 1:14-15
I see you faithful. You standout brave and tall and illuminating your corner.

I also see you complacent, worn and weary and caught in the current.

Debbie said it like stating the obvious, “If you aren’t growing you are dying.”

I heard God say it deep in my heart, …and if it isn’t nurturing you, it’s poisoning you.

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”  1 Corinthians 15:33

So my hearts been torn. Do I give up the opportunities to serve that has come to me by way of social media?

My wise husband told me the night I was activating my account and wondering if I was doing the right thing by joining the women’s ministry app launch team, “Just post that you are on here for ministry purposes and that you love everyone but if they post anything contrary to your values that you will unfollow them.”

I thought it was smart but I decided to not stir that pot because as soon as the app launched I was outa there. Who wants to revisit that old preschool game of “I’m not your friend anymore”?

Then another opportunity came and went and then another.

So here I am, digging through the dumpster for the tiny slivers of good.

I feel a bit like a trashetarian.

I’ve made good friends with the ‘I don’t want to see this button’.

Unfortunately, I’ve already seen it.

Say what you like, but the truth is, if you aren’t growing you’re dying, and if it isn’t good for you, it’s bad for you.

...whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus… Colossians 3:17

I am incredibly thankful for the ministry opportunities that I have received through social media.

I am also incredibly grateful to you for the support you’ve given me through social media.

However, it is time for me to clean house. If you are posting anything contrary to God’s law and values, I love you, but I am unfollowing you.

Because if you are not growing in Christ you are dying, and if it isn’t  nurturing your relationship with Christ it is tainting it.

I pray we never stop wincing at the unholy.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

You may call it bursting a bubble but from here on out it is egg cracking to me.

Last Friday evening my children and I went to Grandma’s to help her with some yard work. While there, Hudson discovered a bird egg in the grass.

I told him what a neat find he had made and to be careful with it because whatever was inside was likely rotten and it would be gross to crack.

It will surprise nobody to know that it wasn’t long before he’d attracted the attention of both sisters and they all wanted the egg.

I was getting irritable and they were building nests. I was insisting they get rid of it before it got broken, they were insisting on incubating it.

Finally, over the bickering, I told them to say goodbye to the egg and get rid of it. They chose to bury it in the flowerbed we were working on, but, as predicted in the process the egg got broken. I insisted it was already dead. There was no way they could have mother it…

It’s common sense and simple science after all.

That night while soaking in the tub I was sorting my email and received a flattering comment on my blog. With excitement I forwarded it on to a special friend who is always encouraging and supportive. They replied with,”probably a robot.”

I reread it and it did seem to be a cookie cutter comment. I followed the link they had left. She was real. She was a doctor, and it did seem she was looking to direct hurting people to her website for counseling sessions.

As I lay there soaking in the tub and feeling foolish, I looked up and one of the children had drawn a picture on the wall with their tub crayons.

It summed up my heart. Egg + cracked egg = 😦

I lay there feeling ashamed for being so cross toward my whimsical children, and wallowing in my own feelings of gullibility.

Why do we feel the need to bring everyone back to reality. Is it really our job to keep them from getting hopes too high, dreams too big???

God brought to mind something I had said a week prior to a very special and dear friend.

She bore her heart to me and the ache of regret she had for a permanent decision she had made… She said with the sound of skepticism in her voice, “You know, friends say God can still change permanent things.” I agreed with her wholeheartedly, all the way down to the skepticism. I said, “He does, but this kind of miracle we are talking about is very rare.”

It’s common sense and simple science after all.

I hated the words as soon as they left my lips but figured I’d only make it worse by trying to fix them or giving her false hope for something she already told me she battles.

However, it continued to come into my thoughts, and, we know what God has to say about such people… having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:5

I have a phone call to make.

Somehow laying in the bath wallowing in my own cracked egg, I realized how maybe it’s not us being reasonable, but being fearful. Fear of believing God will show US favor. Fear of getting OUR hopes or THEIR hopes up. Maybe it isn’t common since that we have at all, but lack of faith. And maybe we are all just great big doubting Thomas’ who need to feel the scars to believe.

Is this why we are egg crackers?

Take away all their hope and no one gets hurt. That’s the lie of the century… And of the devil.

We serve a God who loves to awe us with the miraculous and woo us by defying reason.

Clearly the bird had never developed, but what would it have hurt? I remember nurturing an egg as a child.

God loves to make dry bones live. He loves to call dead things forth.

Since when did it become our job to keep people rational or to keep God in a box?

Crack a persons egg = breaking their heart.

Crack a persons egg = you putting God in a box.

Crack a persons egg = you declaring your lack of faith.

And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.
Job 11:18

The egg is evidence there is still hope, and who do we think we are?

Maybe it isn’t just whimsy our kids have… Maybe, they have more faith than their “rational” parents.

And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Ezekiel 37:3

By the way, I think God kinda likes whimsy. I mean, look around.