Islam, Hate and Love

   Today we heard another unique testimony from Emanuel, a Nigerian who reaches out to Muslims. Of course he must be very careful and his ministry team have just narrowly escaped persecution several times. He has his team always ready to 'move' if situations get bad and he has them make emergency bags that they can grab and leave with. They also have to have their cell phones fully charged at all times and escape routes planned out.
   He has found Christian policemen that help him stay informed and he scouts out an area to live in that are not fundamentalist Muslim. He explained that all their evangelism takes place on a one to one basis and never in a group. He believes that many Muslim are having dreams that point to Jesus and the cross. He also sees that often Muslims can 'convert' to Christianity but return home Islamic.
   Emanuel explained that while some believe there are peaceful Muslims, that to believe in the Koran is the only way to have peace and you can choose or be forced to believe regardless if they are fundamentalist or not. What draws Muslims into unity is any presumed attack on the Koran or Allah. Many of his friends and acquaintances have been killed by sharing Christianity.
    One church was attacked by Muslims because they believed some Christian had torn a Koran and flushed it down the toilet. It turned out after an investigation, a Muslim actually did this as a way to gather support to destroy that church.
   Emanuel explained that no matter what they do, how much harm they cause, how many are attacked or killed we must love them. Love shown is what he testifies to be the one and only way to convert them.
       "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death." I John 3:13,14

Out of Hell and in to Heaven

One distinct advantage of having a cross-cultural degree is having people in your class that come from all over the world. From Uganda, to Ethiopia, Slovakia, Canada and from different states in the U.S. all coming together sharing their stories. Let me share one story with you told by a brother from Ethiopia named Damtew.

He was second in command of the lawless mafia faction that constantly rebelled against the government and other authority. They craved power and controlled the people by charging them tax on their businesses and beating them up whether they paid or not. Their joy was to see others bleed. Murder was common place. They thought all Americans were colonialists and shouldn’t be in their country. The ruling regime had ‘red marked’ him meaning anyone could shoot him on sight. He went in to the bush to hide for two months and then the current government was overthrown and he was forgotten.
One day, a white missionary came to talk to them and Damtew wasn’t listening to a word the missionary said. He was only trying to decide how to hurt the missionary. He hit the missionary in the head and the missionary dropped his Bible and ran away. Damtew picked up the Bible and put it in his pocket as a trophy. Later he put it in a box that contained other things that had meaning for him. It wasn’t until 9 months later when he opened his box and saw the Bible. He picked it up and it opened to the Gospel of Mark. He ended up reading it three times and in tears asked God to forgive him. He said an unimaginable weight was lifted from his shoulders.
However, in time, his becoming a Christian made him fall out of grace with the mafia that he was so high up in. Again he had to hide and not let the mafia see him as someone who betrayed them by seeking Christianity. Over time, his mother and brothers and sisters all became Christians. This is an amazing testimony.

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.” – Hebrews 12:3,4

Accra, Ghana, West Africa

After a very long flight I have arrived in Ghana! I'm taking my last four courses for my master degree and there are about 20 other nationals who are students with a couple of us "foreigners". The courses are 4 hours from 8am to 12am and then 1pm to 5pm for two weeks. They are very intensive and compacted yet we have the weekend off. My goal is a  masters in Social Science specifically in Organizational Leadership. It has a cross cultural element thus why I'm in Ghana. I have taken courses in Taiwan, Azusa California, and Alaska plus numerous online courses. Please pray for Dezi as she holds down the fort back in Phoenix!
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June Update On Our Family

One year ago, our family moved down to Phoenix to start a new endeavor that is now reaching out to Chinese international students. We are settled in and at the end of the month, Mike’s mother will be moving into our home. She’s becoming unable to completely take care of herself and we are glad we can open up a room to her.  Please join us in praying for her especially at this time. It’s hard to make these kind of life changes. We definitely have a house full right now! We don’t often tell you about our kids so we thought you might enjoy getting to know them a little more. 
    Ian, now a Senior has excelled in music and was awarded Outstanding Junior Musician. He can play the drums, bassoon, french  horn, trumpet, violin and piano. He’s turning out to be a leader and has future hopes of being a missionary.
    Talon, a Junior, is very interested in culinary arts and is blessed with his high school offering special courses for this. He cooks quite a bit at home and is definitely gifted at it. He wants to be a chef and he believes that can also be used on the mission field some day.
    Colan, a Freshman, practices on the clarinet and can’t wait to be in high school. He’s made some friends in the neighborhood and volunteers at the local library. 
    Devin is in 6th grade and he plays the trombone. He enjoys swimming and you can usually find him playing games on the computer. He’s taller than Colan and is proud of it.
     Raena has many little girlfriends on our cul-de-sac and loves riding her bike. She got straight A’s all year and she’s in 3rd grade already. 
    We really do appreciate the support you give to our family and our kids fully realize what our purpose is. We thank God daily for your generosity! We also
 want to remind everyone to make checks out to Outreach International.  

May Update - INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MINISTRY!

    Over a year ago we made the decision to move to Phoenix and work with Christ’s Church of the Valley in developing their mission department. Over time, we felt our particular gifts were not being used and we prayed and fasted and asked God to put us in a place where we could be. Even when we first came to Phoenix, we met a Taiwanese lady named Grace Ou-Yang who encouraged us to help her in reaching out to many of the Chinese students that are here. So, in January we chose to pursue that ministry. In the last few months, we have dissolved Harvesters International and joined up with Outreach International who have a primary focus on international student ministries.   
    As we develop relationships with the Chinese students we have found that more than what we teach, what we are seen doing makes the greater impression. On a recent outing up one of the many mountain ranges in our area with a group of Chinese students, I was having a hard time keeping up since my leg is still weak from the motor cycle accident (actually I’m just out of shape but the other sounds better). Coming down was very hot and difficult and we had already run out of water. Our oldest son, Ian, saw I and the others could use some so he ran down the mountain and then came back up and met us half way with more water.  The students were amazed at this act of compassion and often talk about it and use it in examples during our Bible studies.
    Most of the students we are in contact with are from mainland China and know nothing of Jesus, the Bible or Christianity. They are most certainly a mission field in our own back yard. Part of our ministry includes picking them up from the airport as they come here to study and we are literally the first Americans they have ever met. That first impression means a lot.
    We thank you so much for your continued support and want to remind you to please make all checks out to OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL with “COC2001” in the memo line. And please continue to pray for our family. Mike’s mother will be moving in with us so she can have better care. It has been a difficult transition this past year. Without God’s faithfulness and your partnership we could never have made it through. And pray for open doors among the international students we are now working with.

   Pictured here is Leo-Ning who was baptized on Easter Sunday. She’s just one of many students who come here without knowing anything about Jesus until someone teaches them.

April Update

The young lady had just come from China into the U.S. and had come down with the flu. With no car and very little understanding of our culture with insurance and what doctor to go to, she was getting worse and worse. That is, until a Chinese Christian found out about her need and helped her go to the doctor and get the prescribed medicine. This young lady is now attending a local Chinese church. When we reach out to people in need, we can change their lives for all of eternity. Romans 15:20 says “It has always been my ambition to preach the Gospel where Christ was not known…” Romans 15:20
    We usually think of that in going overseas, yet many foreign un-reached groups are right here at our doorstep studying in our universities.  We have discovered the Lord leading us into that direction more and more and have recently partnered with OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL to take advantage of this new opportunity. We are merging Harvesters International with Outreach International.
    Al Hamilton, the founder of O.I. is someone who has great charisma in recruiting and was responsible for our decision back in 1990 to return to Taiwan to help start a new church work in the capital city. We believe in O.I.’s mission and are excited to have this new level of accountability as we step out into reaching the many Chinese students from Taiwan and China here in Phoenix. The change includes writing the checks out to Outreach International  and putting in the memo line, COC2001. Please continue to send your checks to our forwarding agent. And continue to pray for opportunities to reach the Chinese students and families.
    Thank you for your confidence and support and we thank God for you every single day as we could not accomplish anything without your partnership!
    Be sure to check out Outreach International's website at www.oionline.org! 

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Our growing family! Devin 11, Talon 15, Ian 17, Mike 47, Colan 13, Dezi 46, and Raena 8!

Unfolding Plans and Mountain Climbing

Proverbs 19:21 says in The Message, “ We humans keep brainstorming options and plans but God’s purpose prevails.”
   So often we plan out what we are going to do and we run way ahead of God. The hardest part about being a Christian for me is to wait for the Lord. Dezi so often reminds me that all of our plans have been changed, tweaked, deleted, revised, dismissed or put on hold most of our married lives. Sometimes, God reveals a plan to us but we are too busy with our own agenda that we entirely miss what God has put right before us.
   It’s been a year now since our move to Phoenix and there have been many ‘changes’ in our lives and ministry this past year. It was a difficult year, a year that ended with us still waiting on the Lord in many of our unanswered questions and in the need for direction. We are learning to wait on the Lord, to be strong and take heart, and wait. (Psalm 27:`4). In the mean time we have been provided an amazing opportunity to work alongside a Taiwanese sister we met while at CCV who reaches out to other Chinese students on the universities here in Phoenix. Pictured below is our clan along with a group of Chinese students that hiked up the arduous Squaw Peak in Phoenix. It was a great time to get to know many of them and more outings are already being scheduled. They have come from Taiwan, China, Singapore and Hong Kong right here to our doorstep. They are open to friendship and we pray they will be open to the Gospel as we get to know them. Please pray for further divine appointments in our efforts to minister to them.

October Update

    A new initiative that wouldn’t have been made possible without the partnership with Christ’s Church of the Valley is starting to take shape.
    In our last update we told you about John Maxwell’s Equip program that is literally reaching millions all over the world with Christian Leadership Training. As an Associate Trainer, we can now begin creating a network in two different locations in China and hope to go into Taiwan and train selected leaders that will train other leaders to maximize our efforts . We are planning a preliminary trip in January to connect with leaders and start the process of planning with a target of presenting the first section of material in June. This really is an exciting endeavor and has unlimited potential to reach many, many Chinese leaders to help them in church planting and evangelism. It’s a proven program and well accepted even in dark and difficult lands as the focus is ‘leadership training’. However, it is completely biblically based. Pray for us that the right connections with the right people will be made for this to be successful.

See their site for more information: www.iequip.org

    We have had a lot of generosity poured out on us by God through many of you, our supporting churches. In fact, the money needed for our closing was received to the dollar.  CCV also contributed to helping us with needed repairs with a lot of man power and also funding those repairs. We are always amazed at God’s provision and never want to take that for granted.
    We have also appreciated the many prayers for us during this time of change and trial. We know that God has led us to this point and we see God moving in even bigger ways than before. Thank you so much for joining us on this journey. It has now been 20 years since we began working for and in the Chinese harvest fields! Many of you have been with us the entire time supporting us, praying for us. Please know that the Lord is working through you and us to make a difference… through recruits, training, evangelism, encouraging, translation projects, awareness and so much more. Let us all keep striving until the last soul is saved. It is possible in THIS generation. Remember II Peter 3:9… not wanting ANY to perish.

August Update - Maximum Impact

What if you had an opportunity to reach a few that could reach millions?    Would you please pray for Dezi & I as we seek to determine the direction the Lord is taking us and that we have the heart, the passion and the determination to stay faithful and stay the course he has set before us?
    We thank you for your continued support to keep going in our effort to mobilize more workers for the Harvest. My time in Atlanta, GA was very challenging. John Maxwell’s Equip program is literally reaching millions all over the world with Christian Leadership Training. They go into an existing network of church leaders, and offer them leadership training to help them reproduce themselves, more leaders to start more churches. We want to take this into China using the network we have and it certainly appears the time is ripe. We would travel to various locations twice a year and gather house church leaders, businessmen and other entrepreneurs and go through a series of seminars teaching them Biblically based values and roles that they are held accountable to pass on to others. Over six years of curriculum has already been produced and translated into Mandarin Chinese and this is already being used in a few locations including Taiwan. We have been given an opportunity to be trainers and while it is completely self-funded, we have found no other way that is making as big an impact in China as this has the potential of being. Chinese are migrating all over the world now. The picture above was taken in Nairobi on my trip in June. Chinese restaurants were in places where there were no churches. Remember, there is an urgency to getting the Gospel out. With every breath there is someone passing into eternity.
    God is amazing as he has raised up faithful supporters like you to help us in ways beyond we could ask or imagine. We have been given a closing date of September 24th on a house in Surprise, AZ and my mother is settled in to a new apartment near by. The kids have started their new schools and are enjoying their new youth group. The last year has been the hardest of our lives and we are striving to learn the lessons that God is gently teaching. One of which is being more thankful. We never want to take you for granted. Thank you… for believing in us.

July Update - FIRE!!

There was a fire just starting on our street. I tried calling 911 on my cell but they wanted a lot of personal information and data from me before they even asked what the emergency was and the fire was growing. I looked down the street and there was a fireman checking a hydrant so ran to him to tell him. He kept on fiddling with the fire hydrant and said, “Yeah, I’ll call it in.” The fire was now engulfing the house. Many trucks came and a lot of fireman were all scrambling and getting hoses ready and connecting them, talking on their radios, getting out equipment and raising ladders. But not one hose was spraying on the fire yet. The fire was spreading to the nearby trees, yards and the roofs of neighboring homes. By the time the water was flowing, the fire was consuming the entire block. Then, I woke up….   It was only a dream. Or was it. I was really disturbed by the dream. Angry actually. Frustrated. I felt it was real. That it could happen. And then I realized it is happening. Christians are really busy. Doing a lot of things. Administrating this. And that. Gathering all kinds of seemingly important information that really doesn’t matter if it is in your computer or iphone or file cabinet at all because that’s where it sits. People are made aware of the danger of so many people all over the world, oppressed, in poverty, lost, but also your next door neighbor. They continue not knowing about the grace that can quench the guilt and rescue their souls. We are busy. Reading our Bibles. Going to ‘how to’ evangelize classes. Encouraging each other to worship. Having BBQs with our church friends. Discussing the need. Getting counseling. Praying for needs and wants. But, the world is engulfed and very little water is being poured on the flames. We need firemen actually fighting the fire.
   I’m heading to Atlanta this month for a one day conference with John Maxwell’s Equip and meeting with their International Director on an opportunity to train Chinese pastors in China to multiply their efforts. Perhaps firemen can be found within the neighborhood. When the dream fire started, a few garden hoses probably could have done the job. Put out a fire this month. Tell someone about Jesus.

June Update

Orphaned elephants. Yeah, probably not what you would expect me to talk about after returning on a trip from the Mathare slum in Kenya. I mean, I still can’t describe what I saw, felt, thought, smelled, witnessed. It’s all… overwhelming. The need there. The poverty. With a million residents living in a 2 ½ mile stretch of land in downtown Nairobi, 200,000 of which are children living in filth. Many if not most are orphans due to AIDS and malaria. They have nothing. Nothing. Just hope. They love Jesus. They danced to him. They sang to him. They wrote poems about him. They know he’s changed their life. Not their living. Their lives. They are following the one who loves them. Kinda like elephants at the Elephant Orphanage we visited. They have emotional trauma when their parents are killed or they become lost. In fact, elephants can stop eating because of mourning. So, their trainer adopts them. Sleeps with them. Feeds them. Talks to them. Lives with them 24/7. Giving them hope. Kinda like Jesus with the children. Hope is all they have. All they probably will ever have. We could never meet all the physical need of the slums. It’s not stopping the amazing CMF and Missions of Hope staff from trying. Our team of 90 did what they could for a week providing medical care, VBS, soccer clinics and building skylights in the shacks. Jesus is present in the slum. And there are many following him. When you have nothing else, you still can have peace. Like the baby elephants. They follow their trainer wherever he goes. Not wandering or wavering. Always in a straight line. They’ve been abandoned once. Never again. The children of the slum are learning to follow Jesus too. They’ve been abandoned. They will never stop following Jesus. He’s all they can depend on. He’s adopted them.

Dezi moved to Phoenix while I was gone and we are all back together. We had our first Mission Weekend at CCV and had over 600 sign up for mission trips. Recruiting is off the charts. Thanks for supporting the mobilization of more laborers. It’s making a difference. It’s spreading hope. And more are following.

Unsurmountable Need Is My Conundrum

This is crazy. So many people here in Nairobi, a couple of million living in slums which again, I can in no way begin to describe them to you. Nor can a picture truly capture the magnitude of the destitute life these admirable people live in each day etching out a living on pennies a day. (Don't fret, I'll add pictures as soon as I get back to my Macbook and download them from my iPhone. I hope you can sense my irony as I write that.)

While sitting at the Pangani Center today that holds just over 1,000 children from the Mathare slum teaching them and feeding them once a day and sending them back in the slums at night, the mission team from CCV met about strategy for Asia. We talked about possibilities in Taiwan, China, Thailand, Laos and India. You know, almost 60% of where the entire world's population resides.

The papers here in Nairobi are still wondering who threw the two grenades that killed 9 people and injured over 60 others into a Christian gathering discussing political changes. It's pretty obvious the Muslim counter party probably had a hand in it showing how much Islam really needs Christ, even though it is still the fastest growing religion in the world since 9/11.

Zach and Emma, two new friends from North Dakota who are serving on our medical team were trying to figure out why a little girl's ear was hurting so bad. There was no infection. But the ear was severely needing some serious irrigation. The equipment brought was useless because the batteries couldn't be charged properly here in the slum. We were trying to be innovative, but just didn't have the tools necessary to really help her. We gave her a small packet of vitamins and worm medicine and sent her on her way. She was the last patient to be seen today. She left crying.

Sitting on the bus to go back to our hostel, my window was pounded on and a young man high on sniffing glue, dressed in clothing that was so dirty there was no way to tell the original color of the cloth, his hand was held out for anything I might give him. I took a picture of him. And of a few other glue sniffers standing like zombies in the middle of the road. They were about 12 years old. We were told not to give handouts by the missionaries. We didn't want to enable them of course. Sigh.

It's been a busy week connecting with all sorts of other mission groups and missionaires while here. Too many really. Some even came all the way from their orphanages, and mission offices and churches to our hostel all wanting to "connect", aka... hoping for more support.

I could continue but if you know me, you know what I'm thinking. What in the world are we doing. WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE DOING.

Jesus said the poor we will always have with us. I think his point was pretty obvious. We can't do it all. We can't win all the lost, fix all the problems, feed all the hungry, heal all the sick, support all the missionaries who are so under funded. We can't. I feel we are supposed to. But we can't. The only thing that matters.... the ONLY THING THAT MATTERS is our relationship to Christ. Maybe you can find the passage where Jesus says that part about the poor, and then check out the context. It's late here and I'm exhausted. And I just realized that after all the days activities and serving so many and doing so much, I have forgotten to pray.

The need has overwhelmed me. And I have missed the point again today.

Missions of Hope - Nairobi, Kenya

I am currently sitting at the Gracia Hotel in Nairobi along with 90 others from Christ's Church of the Valley and First Christian Church of Phoenix. It has been an amazing trip so far. And words can't describe what everyone has in their hearts right now. It is nothing like I have ever participated in before.

We have six teams working here in a variety of projects... a medical team bringing dental and general medicine to about 250 people a day living in slums who can't afford health care of any kind... a VBS team working with 1,000 kids a day... a soccer team playing with 200-900 kids a day with some kids walking over two hours to play... an I.T. team working on the Mission of Hope computers and installing ten new donated laptops to their network... a video production team recording all kinds of footage to be used by the churches and the missions we are working with (and posting the official trip blog:  CCV - Nairobi ) ... and a Bring The Light team who goes into the slums and cuts a 12 x 12 inch hole in the tin roofs of about 45 shacks a day and installs a sheet that allows light in to what was complete darkness while sharing the Gospel with the residents. Yeah, a lot is being done.

They have nothing. I'm overwhelmed with the complete destitution of the Mathare Slum residents. Yet I am confounded with their indomitable spirit. They seem.... well.... happy. They have nothing. Yet, they are content. They are readily accepting of the Gospel. But they were smiling before we came... and as we left. I found myself wanting what they have. They have nothing.

This group is ripe for the harvest. Not the residents of the slum, even though I have seen no riper field in all of my missionary career. But the 90 who are with us. They are seeing the need and realizing they have the power to meet it. Not merely for a 12 day mission trip, but perhaps for a life time. That is what I am praying for. And if you pray for me, pray that what I have becomes nothing.

Uniting The Passion

Can we tell you… the vision that you have been supporting has not changed. In fact, we are convinced that we are in a time that God is calling us to see a much larger view than what we have previously imagined. The Chinese are still very open to the Gospel and yet so many are dying without a Savior because of the lack of opportunity to hear. In connecting workers, enhancing training and strategizing to become more effective with our resources, we believe we can together better meet this urgency. Or we can simply believe in what the Holy Spirit is doing and follow along as best as our faith and prayers will allow. Or maybe it’s the same thing. What we see is this, the Lord bringing like minded people together with this same goal, the same vision. It’s about reaching the lost, the lonely, the marginalized, the forgotten, the trapped, the forsaken. And people with that passion are uniting their efforts.

Over spring break and the weeks before and after, the friends pictured, and 7 others all came to Phoenix to see what God is doing here and how they might fit. One has already secured a two year internship with CCV and is focusing on Cross-Cultural Counseling. One is going to China for a 6 month internship. Two others who have had to return from China for an indefinite period and are relocating here to begin work with the many students who are studying here from their original city in China. Coincidence? Or spiritual?

It’s been hard to live by faith. The house is under contract. We are looking for one here. Flew home for a weekend to see the family. Preparing to take 90 including a nephew to Kenya in June. Still thankful for your trust. And prayers

I Came to the Desert Alone

Sometimes life feels like you are walking in the desert. Alone. There are no two sets of footprints. Just yours. And you know that it is good. You have read the stories of the men and women of God who have gone before. You empathize with their struggles and trials. And yet, you desperately want to get to the end of the chapter. To see how God is going to turn things around to the amazing. To the more than you can ask or imagine. From the harm that the enemy wishes to do to the good that will save many others. Dezi and the family were able to drive down to Arizona for a weekend last month, and we took a day to visit the desert. The real one. It was good for the family to come together and see where God seems to be leading us. Overlooking the Phoenix area on top of South Mountain, the kids were reminded of Taipei and all the millions of people who still do not know Jesus. We all realized that though we may live in the desert for a time, we are living for something bigger. And we need to wait to see how the chapter unfolds. We don’t want it to end quite yet. We can’t write the story ourselves. We must wait. We must trust. And sometimes, trusting feels like... the desert.

We really are not alone though. If not for you, we couldn’t be on this journey. We want to know that you are amazing. That your giving to us is like a drink of cold water in arid places, like Phoenix. Well it’s a dry heat. But thank you. Really. We are still living two lives. Dezi is in Moberly and has put our house up for sale. She’s finishing up the last semester of teaching Chinese and allowing our kids to finish out their school year. I am adapting to working out of Christ’s Church of the Valley and learning… and being challenged to believe in something much larger. Every church is fully capable of winning the lost. CCV is an excellent model. We expect recruitment to increase just as soon as we all get to the desert together.

My Father Who Art In Heaven...

Thomas S. Worstell, age 87, of Moberly, departed this life on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2009, in Moberly. He was born in Bixby, Oklahoma on September 17, 1922, son of Charles William Worstell and Minnie May Williams. On July 7, 1951, Thomas was united in marriage to Mary Marie Fleischman, who survives at the home.

He worked for 30 years at Richardson Bass Construction Company, from which he retired. During WWII he served in the U.S. Army where he was stationed in Europe for four years and attained the rank of Sergeant. Thomas was baptized in Jesus Christ in his youth and he always tried to live the life that his savior wanted him to. Thomas was a member of the Westside Christian Church, in which he raised his family, which then became the Forum Christian Church, then later in life he attended the Crocker Christian Church for 10 years, and in 2004 he transferred his membership to the Timberlake Chirstian Church in Moberly . He enjoyed gardening, learning, and reading the bible. He loved his family and His Lord Jesus and was a faithful husband of 58 years.

He is survived by one daughter, Lillie Schoville and husband David of Phoenix, Arizona; four sons, Thomas Worstell and wife Duonna of Lamonte, Timothy Worstell and wife Kylene of Macon, Charles Worstell and wife Jean Ann of Crocker, and Michael Worstell and wife Dezi of Moberly; seventeen grandchildren, tengreat-grandchildren; four brothers, Frank, Gene, Paul, and Ted Worstell; two sisters, Frances Allen and Flora Toalson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one great-grandson, Mason Worstell; three brothers; two sisters; and his parents.

Visitation will be from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m., with services immediately following at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, December 29, 2009, at Mt. Zion Christian Church near Tuscumbia. Charles Worstell and Tim Worstell, sons of the deceased, will officiate. Interment with military honors under the direction of the Iberia VFW Post 6167 and the American Legion Post 105 will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery.

Memorial contributions are suggested by the family to be sent to Harvesters International, a Christian missionary service organization, c/o Debbie Mallette, 18559 387th Road, Unionville, MO 63565

Arrangements are under the direction of Fancher-Rekus Funeral Home in Iberia.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.fancher-rekusfuneralhomes.com.

Time to Lay the Burden Down

Argh. Don't you hate it? You are teaching in class about the Way of Christ and you inadvertently touch upon a subject you know that God has been prodding you in the back of your mind.

Carry one another's burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.

So, it's not what you may think. It's about spiritual pride for me. For years while we were on the mission field we believed that God would always provide for us. And he always has. Always. We would tell people about the field. Report on our successes and our failures. And trust that God would provide financially. And it was awesome. We didn't depend on flashy newsletters to get our support. We didn't have to call people or make appointments or send out envelopes. And it became a matter of pride. That we don't have to do what every one else does. God takes care of us! As if everyone else just does it for themselves.

So today, we were talking about how of course we don't need to pray. God already knows. Of course we don't have to worry about tomorrow. God's in control. And all you have to do is lay your burden down at the foot of the cross. He's already on it.

But that's not the intent of prayer. We are brought into fellowship with God when we communicate our desires and concerns in prayer. It's a privilege he affords us. He is in control because he is sovereign and he could rain down manna from heaven on a whim. Yet his exact design for us, while perplexing, is still the optimum way for us to live. So, my point?

My pride inhibits me from asking others to carry my burdens. I believe God could, can and should provide for me since I am serving him in a full time volunteer capacity in recruiting for the harvest. Yet, today I was confronted with this verse... to not carry one another's burdens is to not fulfill the law of Christ. I won't let someone carry my burden. God could. But he wants us to rely on each other too. So well...

The past two years has seen increased ministry expenses as we endeavor to develop Harvesters International. Our medical bills and expenses following the accident have depleted any and all reserves. We have had some special offerings and surprises along the way yet we are having a difficult time with our monthly responsibilities. A few churches have discontinued support since we are not technically 'on the field'. However, we believe that God is wanting us where we are as over 100 recruits have been sent from Central since 2003. We have been praying for his provision, thankful for what he continues to do... yet wondering why all of our needs are not being met. We have gone against his will for our lives by allowing ourselves to get in debt... making those decisions not believing that God could provide any other way nor giving him the chance. Our debt convicting us that we will never choose that again. And now, we are convicted that our pride, my pride has not allowed me to share the real issue with our churches, our friends, our family. So, this is our burden. I don't want to share this. I don't want to depend on anyone but God. Yet, I am being convicted that the Lord desires our burden to be shared. We don't believe we deserve it and that there are more lessons to be learned. Yet, we have cried out to God and now follow what I taught today in class... to carry one another's burdens, means to share our burdens. Sigh.

Lord, I see myself, but it's hard for me to see what held you on the cross when you could have walked away?

The song by Michael O'Brien, What Held You On The Cross, has spoken a lot to me lately. I have been overwhelmed in my life for quite some time. Even before the accident. And now believe most of the attacks have come from my own insecurities and how Satan is continually twisting me in to believing his lies. Through this God has proven faithful, even though friends have failed, He has taken the opportunity during these trials to continue the refining process. So often it is incredibly difficult to see the difference between an absolute lie and the absolute truth about ourselves. It's hard enough for us to see it ourselves, and even harder when complicated by the opinions and perceptions of those around you which in themselves must go through the same process between falseness and real honesty.

I had two choices before me. Either just give up and begin to make everyone's perceptions true and just live up to their negative expectations and succumb to those insecurities in my life.... or.... to finally begin believing Christ died for me. That Christ loves me beyond what everyone else sees. Beyond what I see. That even in my sin. Even in my weakness. Even in my inappropriate behavior. He still loves me. He still gives me potential. He doesn't make me start over in our relationship. He doesn't assume the worst. He always has been there even when I screamed at him for leaving me alone.

It's hard for me to see that Jesus would have allowed himself to be fixed to the cross just for me. The alternative is depression and misery. So, today I choose to say that he does love me. The real me. And by God I will only live up to his expectations for me. Not mine. Nor anyone else's. If he is for me... if he died for me... if his love was so great to hold him to the cross for me... then no one else matters anymore. Only him.

Sending Out

Just this Sunday I had the privilege of joining the church at Camp Point, Illinois in praying for and sending out Ryan & Lori Eidson to the Harvest in East Asia. This has been a long time coming. Lori had worked with me in Harvesters during her 4 years at Central and after graduating and marrying Ryan, they have been raising support for over two years.

Our alumni are wanting to go out into the harvest fields in greater numbers than ever before. The need is greater than ever before. God's plan and purposes are fulfilled through his people working together. I am discovering that recruiting is the easy part. Raising the support needed for them to be sent is the hardest. Especially knowing that even in the midst of an economic crisis, we are still the richest nation on earth and this blessing must be used to fulfill the great commission. Instead we increase our standard of living. But what about the lost, the poor, the oppressed? There are those willing to go out and make a difference. We need even more willing to send and support them.

Thankfully, Ryan & Lori have found enough partners to allow them to go. They depart on August 19.

Follow the Eidson's ministry by viewing their blog at: http://heopenseyes.wordpress.com/