Romans 10:14-15

It is hard to believe that 2013 is almost over and we leave home in less than a week to spend three months in Uganda and Rwanda spreading God’s Word and His love.  I miss all the friends in Africa and look forward to seeing them and yet it feels like we just got home….maybe because we did.

It’s been a crazy, busy, wonderfully full year.  I am so thankful for all the places God has taken us and all the friends that we have made along the way but I have to say that I am missing spending time with our 17 year old son.  I think it is often over looked just how much he gives up to allow the word of God to be spread around the world.  We trust God and good friends to watch over him. 

As we work on the final details, satan has attempted to attack in many ways – but no weapon formed against us shall prosper.  We are thankful for everyone’s prayers both before we go and while we are gone.  These are not just nice words that someone says.  Your prayers truly do mean a lot to us as we face this spiritual warfare.

We also are thankful for everyone who supports our ministry.  Your support is what allows us to take the word of God to remote areas of the world that might not otherwise hear it.

Romans 10:14-15 How then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?

Because you send us, they hear and because you send us they believe, and because they believe they can call on Him. 

We are reminded just how critical this is as the people of South Sudan are once again dying needlessly from the fighting that began there a few weeks ago.  The word of God is critical to the world everywhere and if it were not for those willing to go and those willing to send them, how would the world hear of God and his GREAT love for them.

As we travel into remote areas to share the word of God, we will be limited to internet but we will try to keep everyone posted through this blog, but more often there will just be short updates on our facebook page so if you would like to follow you can like our page: Loving the Majesty Ministries

Be blessed, Denver and Stacey Urlaub

 

Wait or Push?

Often times, having faith in God means that we learn to wait and trust in God.  He always has a plan and it’s always a good plan.  It’s always beyond what we could ask or imagine.  If we wait on the Lord, it’s actually fun to watch His amazing plan unfold.

Denver and I have watched as each step of the plan for the details of the three months we will spend in Africa, began to come together.  Then suddenly, details that we thought were all set changed.  In October we were able to purchase tickets to get from New York to Uganda and then also tickets to get from Nigeria back to New York. The plan was to fly from Uganda to Rwanda for two weeks and then fly from Rwanda to Nigeria for two weeks.  We recently learned that our time in Nigeria needed to be cancelled for now.  This means we have tickets to fly home from Nigeria but right now, we have no idea why we are going to Nigeria other than to catch a plane home.  I am sure God knows, but as of yet, we do not know.  For now we wait and see what God has planned although this is challenging because we need a visa to get into Nigeria and in order to get a visa we need a letter of invitation stating why we are there.  I could mail them a bible and explain that it is my invitation: go into all the world.  Do you think they would give me a visa for that?  They should because there is no greater invitation.

For me the most difficult part of waiting is to know when to move.  During our daily devotions, Denver and I read the second chapter of Mark.  Jesus went to Capernaum and when the people heard that he was coming, they gathering in huge numbers.  There were so many people that even outside the door there was no room.  Some men were carrying a paralyzed man and they knew they needed to get this man to Jesus.  They knew that if they did, Jesus would heal him.  You know the story: they dug a hole in the roof and let him down through the roof.  As I read this passage, I thought of the woman with the issue of blood and how she believed if she could just touch Jesus hem, that she would be healed and she pushed her way through the crowd. 

We must often wait on God but sometimes when there are obstacles in the way of our miracle, we have to push through.  When the men got to where Jesus was teaching, they could have seen the large crowd and they could have said, I guess it isn’t God’s will for this man to walk.  They could have said, let’s just wait out here and see if Jesus comes by; if it is God’s plan then he will.  They knew Jesus could heal this man if they could just get to him and they didn’t let anything stand in the way. 

So how do we know when to wait and when to push our way through? 
What is God saying to us (you)?

Whatever is before us, the answer really comes down to what is God saying?  Right now for these two weeks of unknown, I hear God say wait, so we will wait and I’m excited to see what He has planned?  But if God says go to Nigeria, then even though I do not see the way. Even though I do not know how they will possibly give us a visa, then I will begin to push.
 

Wait on the Lord

Listen for His voice

And then push through to whatever He is calling you to do

Healing of Spirits

This is just our second day home from Haiti and we are still recovering from the long journey and readjusting to the time schedule here in Alaska.  There have been times of emotions and times of rest and as we get the opportunity to visit with family and friends we search for the words to describe our time in Haiti and what God did during our time there. I’ve posted in the past on my facebook page how there were many challenges in Haiti and many victories and yet we seem short on words to describe this time.  What we do say seems superficial at times and just short of explanation.

Sometimes the greatest testimony has to start with the greatest challenge.  Haiti had many challenges but it was because of these challenges that we are able to declare some of the greatest miracles.  In order to explain the miracles, we are finding our explanation begins to focus on explaining the difficulty that we faced and this is not what we hope to focus on when sharing with everyone.  We would like to focus on the miracles and the lives that were changed and the work that God did. 

Where God sends us, it will be a dark world at time.  We face cultures of voodoo, witch craft and spiritual warfare. There are many teachings in the world that are not from the bible or from God and so we face generations who have been misled and misinformed.   We often have to die to ourselves to accomplish what God has called us to do.  We however, consider ourselves blessed to have the opportunity to teach and lead people to a new understanding of what Jesus did for them on the cross.  To help them know that God “remembers their sin no more” and that God is not in the earthquake (1 King 19:11). 

We see healing of bodies, but some of our greatest miracles come from healing of spirits and this is what we witnessed during out time in Haiti.  These are the miracles that we find difficult to describe.  These are the miracles that seem to start with us explaining the darkness that the people were in but we do not want to forget to mention the light that they received by revolution from the word of God that they received. 

 

We praise God for:

Healing of Spirits
Reconciliation of families
Healing of bodies
New believers giving their lives to the Lord
For being able to share the truth of God’s word with pastors and other believers in Haiti
For being able to be a light in a dark world

Street Smart Spending

As American missionaries, people often approach us hoping for a hand out of money and although we are here to help people; a hand out of money is not the way to help.  We feel that one way to help is to purchase goods from the people, as a way, to support their business helping them in their effort to help themselves rather than just giving a hand out. 

Today, we went for a walk and purchased 6 bananas for a dollar.  We were able to get something that we would enjoy eating -yet help a family by making our purchase from them rather than the market (grocery store). Many people have set up stands selling all sorts of things here in Haiti; rice, beans, crackers, vegetables, fruit, sugar cane, and lots of hot foods, as well. We have not had the opportunity to purchase all of these items; however, we have gone for a few different walks to get fresh vegetables and fruit. A basket of about ten mangoes cost us just over $2. The mangos were so delicious. They were located far away as we were passing through an area that had lots of mangos. They do not seem to be as available here in the mountains where we are staying.

Before we came to Haiti, our host explained told us that the cost of food is very high here and although this is true of many items, we are finding that it is dependent on what you buy and where you buy it.  Many items are imported to Haiti from America and other countries.  These items are very expensive; in fact, those items are so expensive that there is unrest in the country that began just a few days ago. The people have demanded that the President be thrown out of the government.   From what we have been told, the government has added a very large tax on all items that are imported.  Buying at the market groceries, or other items, the price is about double or more what we pay in America.  I can somewhat understand the higher prices for items that are imported; as I know there is a cost to import, a cost for the tax, and a cost to operate the market.  What amazed me is how much some of the items are in the market that can be purchased from the small stands found on almost any road in Haiti.  A whole chicken in the market is around 500 goudes ($12); a package of three carrots cost about 75 goudes ($1.85); and four tomatoes cost 85 goudes ($2).  Now if I could get tomatoes for that price in Alaska, I would be pretty happy. So in a way, this price doesn’t sound so bad, although it is more than many Haitians make in a day.  I do not know the exact price comparison for each item; however, Denver and I are finding that anything that is grown locally is much less expensive to buy from the people on the street rather than from the market. At first they may ask a price way higher because we are Americans-yet once they realize we are educated to their ways the price quickly becomes more reasonable yet they are still making a profit.

Denver and I struggled to figure out why it was costing so much to feed the people during our time at the pastors training here, because we were seeing the prices of the fresh produce that was available to purchase.  With a bit of a language barrier we began to ask many questions.  Even in the home of our host we tried to understand why it was that it is costing them so much to feed their family.  We know that one of the reasons is that they feed many more people than just their own family every day.  There are many people that are hungry that know that they can come here for food. We are happy to help in any way that we can, but even then the meals seam to lack the inexpensive produce that we know is available (items that any Alaskan would love to find for a good price).

As we watched and asked many questions, we have learned that almost all the food is purchased at the markets.  We are told that it is faster & easier to go to the market rather than trying to get it from the people since life is so busy.  I do understand being busy; Yet, I feel this causes two issues: first it cost more for food. Secondly, the opportunity to help the people on the street is missed. 
When we traveled to Codes de Fer, we were able to feed more people with less money.  In my thinking this just doesn’t make sense. The difference is where the purchases are made.  Many Americans are criticized for the method they use to help the people. It is said at times that it hurts the people rather than helping them.  It was for this reason, we thought it was best to let the church make the food purchases to feed the people during the conferences.  The people did get fed, which was the objective; however, I find that I am disappointed that more people weren’t helped by making the purchase from the people.  In one effort it is not possible to change a mindset. Many feel it is not a meal if they do not have beans and rice. For those even a King’s table would not be appreciated. Yet little by little it is possible to try different methods to accomplish the same end goal making resources expand.

We may not always make the best choices on everything that we do, but as we will learn from our experiences we can grow making sure that it is done differently should the Lord bring us to Haiti again.

 

Additional thoughts from Denver:

Communication and understanding open the door for integrity and trust. When a person feels something is not being done the best way it is the right time to dig deeper to learn how both parties see the picture. 

Clarifying communication builds trust and trust builds ownership of integrity. Mystery causes confusion and distrust. We have had minutes when we questioned motives and actions during this trip. Yet each time we pursued the understanding and made sure that we were on the same page together. Now that we are about to leave this group of people and our hosts we have established a connection that has been successful and we know the heart of those we are dealing with. The Lord has placed before us  a New Project that Stacey & I have developed that we are praying about to help one of the communities we have preached at. We know this is a group that we can trust to do what we have before us. We will share more about this with you in the days ahead.      

The church from Duvier, Haiti

This morning we preached at a church in the community of Duvier, Haiti. Remnants of walls and foundation remain from the church building that once stood but was destroyed by the earthquake.






While most people just left in frustration, a couple dozen people remain including two of the women who originally founded the church 30 years ago and a number of children.







Those that stayed have put together what most would call a shack out of a few old boards with bent over nails, a few pieces of tin and tattered tarps for a roof. Yet in the spirit of these people, there remains a hope that one day they will once again see a building to worship in like the one they had before the destruction. Of course, this would be a miracle because they lack the income or potential of income; yet God has promised in John 14:18 that He would not leave us orphans. He has promised that He would build his church and while the church is the human spirit of the heart and not cement and mortar; the very foundation, walls and roof of a building point to the hope that life again has some normality. Loving the Majesty Ministries hopes that it will be able to stand with this church and see this miracle occur.


The rocks on the left are from the original church while the building on the right is the church that they put up after the earthquake.







You can see the altar of the original church and then the new church behind it.

Revival in the mountains of Haiti

 We praise God for His protection and anointing as we traveled to Cotes De Fer.  It was as if we had entered a new country from the other areas that we had been.  Deep into the mountains of Haiti, we found many people traveling with donkeys carrying large loads of supplies; houses separated by deep valleys, and a peacefulness that made us feel like we were home.

After several hours of travel; our road turned into a foot trail and finally we arrived at the church and our new home for the next couple of days.  We did not know what our home here would be like because we had been told many times that the people here are very poor and although they do not hold the riches of the world, they had great wealth of love in their hearts. 

 A family of four graciously gave up their house to us for the three nights that we would be there.  It was a small home but it appeared perhaps previous missionaries had assisted in building it as it had been built differently than the other homes with a well designed cistern.  Off to one side was a separate kitchen area built with sticks and banana leaves.  There were two homes and the church on the property and both homes were given to us and the pastors that traveled with us while the families slept on the cement floor of the church. 

As we passed the kitchen area, women were busy at work preparing to feed us and everyone that would walk the mountain trails to hear the word of God.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to the feeding for the people during our time here. 

I promise you that they do not waist a thing and on our first morning because of your generous donation, we were severed a breakfast of soup made with the intestines and other internal portions of the goat.  Admittingly, I picked through the soup to find the cabbage and yams, but even the broth shared the taste that I could have easily skipped.  For them, I am sure this was a great delicacy that they had saved for their guest. 

The floor and walls of the church were well built with cement but the ceiling was very low so Denver had to duck at points to make sure that he did not hit his head on the wood rafters above.  Fresh flowers had been picked and tied around the post of the church and the people were ready for revival for the time we were there.  After just a short period of rest after our long days traveling, the rival began the first evening.  Many people from other churches in the area had also made the walk through the mountains in the dark to be there. The people sang and danced before the Lord for around two hours and so the pastor asked them if they could stay an extra hour to allow time for the word of God.  Unlike, what we had encountered at the pastors training, the people were in no hurry to leave; so the revival continued.  There was a special dedication to Denver and I from two small children who sang in English “I have decided to follow Jesus”.   After Denver shared a powerful message from God and the service had ended, some of the people began to leave, but the music and dancing continued and when those leaving realized that we were still worshiping God, they turned and filled the church up again.  The worship must have continued for about another hour or so.  My heart instantly filled with love for these people and this place so deep into the mountains of Haiti.

The singing and dancing continued for the next two days as we fed on beans, rice, goat, and the gospel.   In the morning, I shared with the children and Denver shared with the adults about the finished work that Jesus did on the cross as well as a teaching on the old and new covenant.  So much of this was new to the people but we could see that God was opening their eyes, ears, and hearts to the truth of what Jesus had to done for them.  

As I taught the children, they were very honest about what they believed: that God had caused them to be sick and brought destruction on Haiti as punishment for things they had done.  I had not prepared for a children’s program but the Spirit of God lead me as I shared with them how God is a good, how they are good, and how much God loves them. 

In the evening, we did a healing service where I continued Denver’s teaching about how Jesus had redeemed us and that as part of that redemption, we had been redeemed for the curses of Satan and the sickness that he tries to put on us.   

On the final day, the children were not able to be there because of school but Denver continued to teach the people about the blood covenant.  The people asked him several questions which helped us know that they were hearing and receiving the word of God that we were sharing. There were many testimonies of God’s healing from the evening before. 

After just a couple hours rest, we awoke early to make the travel back out of the mountains and into the busy city.  I will simply say that God was watching over us and protecting us and we are thankful to be back and having a night of rest.

Please continue to pray for His hand of protection over us, for anointing as we preach the Good News of Jesus and for healing for a fever that has tried to attack Denver today. 

Feeding on the crumbs

We have been in Haiti only a few days now and are just beginning to learn about the people and life here.  There is so much already that I look forward to sharing with all of you but time will only allow for a short blog.  This week we are preaching a pastors training in the morning and afternoon; and then a rival in the evening.  Today the people were blessed with rain which the pastor here tells us is a good thing because they are coming to the end of their rainy season.  This however, meant that the revival was canceled for the evening because people must walk a distance to get to the church and although they will walk in the dark or rain, the two combined creates a greater challenge for them.

“Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” – Matthew 15:27b

On Sunday and in the mornings during the pastors training, coffee and a slice of bread is served to everyone because many are without food.  A lunch of rice with beans is also served after the service and at break for the pastors training.  The Canaanite woman and her statement to Jesus came to my mind as I watched the hungry dogs that wonder around the church hoping to catch just a crumb from the bread that is dropped.  They know that there will be food there and although no one offers them anything they are able to find just a crumb here and there.  Their bodies are skin and bones and even if you are not a pet person you can’t help but have compassion for them. 

On Sunday, I was presented with a large plate of rice and beans and I could tell it would be more than I would be able to eat so I asked the pastor what I should do with if I cannot eat it all.  He said “just give it to one of the children. They are hungry and would be happy to get it”.  I noticed a group of children standing in the middle between the pews of the church.  Although, I would have been able to eat more, at that statement, how could I deny these children food?  He was right; they were very excited to get it and wasted no time beginning to eat. 

Today during the pastors training, I noticed the face of a young boy who had come to the church every day when we were there.  I sat near the back leaned against one of the pillars.  It was obvious he was at an age he should have been in school but most likely his family did not have the money to send him. When he arrived, we had already received our morning bread and today there had been enough for everyone to get two slices but I choose to eat only one and had left the other wrapped up in the napkin.  As I looked back at this little face I thought again of this verse and I thought of the dogs and how they know that there will be food at the church. It was then that I realized this little boy(and the group of children on Sunday) also knew that there would always be food in God’s house.

So he comes and he waits and he hopes that he will get food.
I walked back and sat next to him and offered him the slice of bread which he wasted no time eating. 

At lunch, the plates of beans and rice were passed out to everyone. I watched as he waited with anticipation in his eyes that someone might give him just a little of what they had left.  Denver went and requested that he would receive his own plate and so it was along with a second plate.  He set his plate down and ran out of the church with great excitement as of someone who had just given him a great gift.  Then he returned to eat is food.

Later, we asked the pastor who the little boy is and they did not know his name but they say that he comes always hoping for food.  I am a bit sad that no one knows his name and he does not understand me when I talk to him, but I am determined that before we leave I will find someone who can ask him his name for me.

He comes to the church hoping for food but while he is there he also sits and feeds on the word of the Lord and we do not know who this young boy will someday be and how God will use him to change Haiti because he knows that there is always food in Gods house.

A snowstorm for Haiti

Summer has quickly slipped by us and snow has begun to fall here in Alaska.  In just over two weeks Denver and I leave Alaska to meet our new grandson, who will be arriving any day now; and to spend some time with our family in the lower 48.  From there, we will travel to Haiti to spend three weeks sharing God’s word and His love with the people there. 

The days before we leave are busy with many details and admittingly at times, I’ve allowed myself to become a bit overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done and with the huge need that we will face as we meet our new Haitian friends who have faced so much disaster in the last few years.   In addition to the earthquake, there have been hurricanes that have flooded lands and destroyed much needed crops leaving the country with an extreme shortage of food.  What food is imported is very costly and would cost the average family two days wages for one days food supply. 

As I stand outside watching the tiny snowflakes fall to the ground, God reminds me to rest in His peace; knowing that He is able to provide all that is needed. Philippians 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Each snowflake is light and small as it slowly drifts back and forth until it rest on the ground; then another and another, until I notice that together each of these tiny flakes has covered the ground in a blanket of white.  I can only imagine how many snowflakes there actually are and each although independent works together appearing as one mass of snow working together to change what once was.  Ephesians 4:16 - He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

I was never meant to be the only snowflake or the only member of the body. God’s design is that we would all work together in love, to help each other grow; to love and encourage each other.  

To be a part of the snowstorm that God has planned for Haiti you can:

Partner with us in prayer

Support financially:
$10 will feed a person for a day during the conference
$10 will provide a bible to someone

A bible will change a life

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1

Last week I bought myself a new bible. I had wanted a new one and it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for but it was what they had available locally so I got it for now until I could get another.  I remember not so long ago when I didn’t actually have a bible.  I would go to church but I didn’t actually have one of my own.  One year the World Changers came to Healy and they gave us a bible which I used for some time until a couple years ago when I actually began to read God’s word more often and so I bought another bible that I could highlight in and make notes in.  Then recently I felt the Lord speak to me about something He wanted me to do, so I wanted to get a new bible for that project.  I have a dear friend who gets a new bible every year so that she can start with fresh highlights and notes.  I think it’s a wonderful idea. 

Why am I telling you about buying a new bible?  Because this past week has brought new revelation to me about how blessed we are to have God’s word to guide us in our lives.  While traveling through Canada, we met a young waitress who shared a bit of her testimony with us.  She noticed that we had prayed at our table and commented how nice she thought it was to see us pray.  This opened up a great conversation between us where she eventually shared how she has spent time in prison and while she was there she found an old tattered bible that at first she didn’t’ think was anything until she began to read it.  God’s words and love changed her life

 Then when we returned home, Denver received an facebook request for a name that did not look familiar at first, but he went ahead and accept the request because he could see the young man was from Uganda and had some mutual friends.  We have many new friends around the globe that we don’t often recognize in the beginning because their names are unique to us. After accepting the request, he received an email that blessed us to over flowing.  I believe it will bless you as well.    

The email was from a young man named Julius, from Abba House (orphanage) in Uganda.  Last January the Lord led us to take some supplies to the orphanage.  We had no previous connection with the orphanage and were only able to spend a few hours there, but through that God blessed the children at Abba House with Bibles, new school schools, tennis shoes, and sheets.  It was an amazing walk of faith; watching God provide everything that He had called for us to do. 

 Julius sent an email to Denver to thank us for bringing to him the school schools and the bible which Julius says has helped him to learn more about God.  Since that first email, Denver has received additional conversations where Julius has sought out wisdom on specific passages of the bible.  It is such a blessing to see how God used this one day mission to touch lives and we believe God is raising up future leaders for Uganda who will be strong Christian men. 

Thank you to everyone who has partnered with us along the way because it is with your support and prayers that lives are changed.

 

Abba House is still in need of a  partner sponsor for Julius.  Sponsorship is $20 per month. If you are interested in sponsorship let me know and I can get you the information.

Launching out into the deep

On May 26, 2013 during a church service at” The Barn”  in Kansas City Mo, Stacey Urlaub & I (Denver) announced our new ministry that the Lord has laid on our hearts. Loving the Majesty Ministries based in Healy, Alaska derives its name from a minute in our living room, as we watch the Bill Gaither Gospel Hour. During the singing portion of the program as the Gaithers cruised the Inner Passage of Alaska the camera showed the majestic snowcapped mountains, beautiful glacier fed rivers, moose, bear, and sheep on the shoreline. As the camera panned back to the singers on the cruise ship the thoughts in my mind and words of my mouth came out saying, “show me more of the Majesty. At that very moment the Word of the Lord came to me saying, "I AM”.

I understood immediately. As humans, we look at God’s creation and behold what we call His majestic works; however, when God looks at his Creation; He sees the majesty of His handiwork in People. You and I are the reason that He spoke the worlds into being 6000 + years ago. You and I are the reason He Jesus, Himself,  died on a cross becoming the curse for us carrying all of our sin, sickness, poverty, and shame;  paying the penalty for Adam’s disobedience  that passed to All mankind (Romans5:17; purging the sin of each person in this  world by HIS blood (Hebrews 1:3); and freeing us from slavery to satan by destroying satan’s work and death itself ( Hebrews 2:14-15; Romans 5:5-11; romans 6:17).

Many years past in my life while I did not believe that God loved me. I heard the words, but thought that meant everyone else – just not me. After much study of the Word – diving back into the original languages, I now understand the impossibility of my own previous emotions.

Right now we – this world is in a state of Grace. God has accepted the Blood of Jesus on the cross as full payment for the SIN of the Entire world. Every man, woman, boy & girl is forgiven. Each is now a son or daughter of God at this time by the GIFT of God’s Grace.    We have been adopted by the Father God to Himself By Jesus Christ because God had good pleasure to make a way where there was no way before the cross (Galatians 4:4-7).  This makes us Heirs and sons of God and part of His family…Ephesians 2;19.

For this very reason,  the purpose of Loving the Majesty Ministries is to spread the Love of God to the world in every place the Holy Spirit leads us to go.

Let me see if I can put this into plain English for you. You have been given a gift from God. If you do not open it by faith-believing what God says about How to get to Him thru Jesus Christ) you will lose it.Not only do you lose this gift by refusing it but you also  bring God’s judgment on yourself for eternity- that means in this life and in  the hereafter. We are NOW all sons and daughter of God by Jesus Work on the cross.

Obedient sons and daughters receive the gift of grace by trusting what Jesus did for them by faith…faith is believing what God says instead of what we see with our natural eyes..
 Disobedient sons and daughters who reject the free gift have a price to pay…the price Jesus already paid for them, which they refused to accept. We have the proof of these things written in EYEWITNESS testimony of those who saw and heard what is written from our history in God’s Word-- The Bible.

It would be great loss to learn of your treasure only after having thrown it away.

Loving the Majesty Ministry’s main  purpose is to Reconcile all people to the knowledge of the gift of grace and power of God in today’s world for their individual lives.  

We will have a discipleship teaching orientation for Pastors, leaders and believers of all age:.

- with a special focus on geographical  areas that do not get many well-known speakers;

- including widows and orphans.

Our next Mission is in Haiti, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria.  The main  calling seems to be Africa, but the Lord recent spoke to my heart to think bigger…His is a WORLD WIDE OPERATION- and He will not lose what He died for---His people- You!

Recently, the Invitation to Haiti has come to us. We will preach the word, disciple, and feed those who travel to our meetings (James 2:15-16).

Our focus is teaching the Love of God,  and His Grace for all mankind, and warning of the alternative….

2 Corinthians 5:18

All of this comes from God, who has reconciled us to himself through the Messiah and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give to you who are troubled rest with us when THE LORD JESUS is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels., in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of His Power when He comes in that Day to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among them was believed.,

Know the Lord. He loves you and gave Himself to make you heirs of God by His divine power – 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Loving the Majesty Ministries is on a journey from the cross to the throne. Our goal is loving His Majesty to gather them together in great multitudes of individuals, who form one body of which Jesus is our head and Lord- King of all kings!

We are praying for prayer partners and financial partners to reach out with us to the world Jesus died to save and join hands together to lead them home. If you sense the Holy Spirit directing you to join with us please let us know. 

 

Give and it shall be given to you

Mark 12:41-44
And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

How much did she put in?  All she had.  And so it was also for the children at Abba House in Entebbe, Uganda.  The missionary, Barb Decker, was taking some of the children from the orphanage to another orphanage in Katogwe Uganda to do some missionary work there.  Without Barb knowing, the girls from Abba House gathered together what they could to take to the children at the other orphanage who “had less” than they had.   They wanted to make sure that each child at the orphanage felt special so they took old newspaper and wrapped a gift for every child at the orphanage.

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything; you may have an abundance for every good deed.

Deuteronomy 15:10
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

The children at Abba House gave out of their hearts, not reluctantly, but cheerfully and God was faithful to His word.   Just a few weeks before Denver and left for our mission trip to South Sudan, God put Abba House and the children there on our hearts.  God provided us a list of things that the children needed and desired and He provided a way to meet that list: Bibles, balls, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, calculators, new school shoes, new tennis shoes, and new sheets.  It truly was amazing what God did.  You can see more about that on this newsletter:  April-2013-Newsletter

Abba House is operated by the combined efforts of House of Friends (US) and Grace Global Impact Ministries (Uganda).   House of Friends is sending a team of missionaries to Abba House July 10^th-22^nd.  They will be doing some much needed work on the girls’ home. If you feel God leading you to help, you can make a donation here

Just put in the comment section that this is for the girls’ home project or you can sponsor one of these children for as little as $20 per month.

A day in Yei, South Sudan

Although we returned to Alaska a couple weeks ago, the people of South Sudan and Uganda have not left our minds and hearts.  How do you express in words the love that God has put in your heart for these people.  How do you explain how much you miss the smile of a little boy named Oliver (Duku).  There are so many stories to share from our time and we hope that you are enjoying them even after our return because really our hearts are still there.

Todays blog is a short story from my wonderful husband and partner:

This story is not really about Denver & Stacey. We are not boasting here in what we did. If you read that in these lines you are mistaken in your interpretation of what I am saying. This story is about How God uses His people to show He is alive to others and How Good He is to us all.

Often our opportunity to be led by the Holy Spirit will be skirted with distractions that may have nothing to do with the upcoming opportunity other than to simply get us off course and leave us in a position where we do not listen to the Promptings of the Spirit because we are focused on the distractions, or our emotions occurring as a result of those distractions. 

One day toward the end of our time in Yei, we decided to take a walk into the village. It is a six mile round trip journey on foot on dry dusty paths and roads. As we walked, we were greeted by each person with some acknowledgement or smile or the more common children’s greeting of “quacha (white person), I am fine How are you?” Of course it is very easy to allow your reply to be reduce to the same “I am fine…How are you” in reply once you begin to realize that this is in all likelihood is the only English that person would understand.

A large numbers of older adults – both men and women had little stick built road side stands set up as they tried to earn a living by selling various items. After a while it became apparent to us that most people were selling the same items over and over…..tomatoes, onions, small bags of sugar or beans, some had a kind of dried fish or two. Occasionally some had a drink of some kind or an offering of sodas to sell. Most also had self-made charcoal in various sized bags. Some even had milled flour or rolls they had cooked ready to eat.

  The obvious question we began to ask each other was,” if everyone is selling the same things, who is buying these item?” There seemed to be more sellers than purchasers. There are almost no industrial jobs here in South Sudan. One can easily observe mostly older men and women, lots of children, and very few people in the 20 to 40 range. A few this age, have sewing machines and have become quite good at “tailoring” Many younger men find employment driving people around with their “Taxiing or Kubota motorcycles”.   Although most people work very hard at the daily routines of getting wood and water, food or making bricks, only a few have  jobs producing lumber from the beautiful Mahogany or Teak wood natural to their environment.  While we expected the shops to very unique and specialized perhaps for tourism and local crafts these were very rare if not non-existent.

In Africa, Time is not so important unless you are part of an orphanage that depends on the bell to maintain the day. It was in this relaxed setting that almost without sensing it, the Holy Spirit began to lead us each at different time to do little things we did not even recognize at first. Then little by little we became more alert to what was happening.

It started with a lady with a platter of bananas ask if we wanted to buy any as she walked by.  At first we dismissed her, but retracted our decision within a few steps calling to her that yes we would make a purchase.  Why did we do that? We get our bananas at the orphanage each day as part of our breakfast. What would we do with these?  Then I decided to purchase a bag of rolls- even though I personally had been Gluten free almost a year and a half. What would I do with these rolls and bananas?

This continued with Stacey saying lets go to that stand and buy tomatoes here or then another stand for onions; each time the small price was so little- Maybe a USD quarter or so.

Once as we bought tomatoes, I said I would also take a bag of g-nut sauce the locals make. The grandmother aged lady running the stand spoke out loud. I know she said, ‘We have been blessed by the Lord Today”.  I heard it but then again I did not really quite hear it either. SO, I asked her to please repeat what she said…of course she did not understand what I had spoken, but eventually we agreed she had in Fact said, ” that she and her man had been blessed by the Lord, God because Stacey & I had bought 3 Sudanese pounds of product from them. Not being able to resist, I replied in agreement…”Yes, You have been Blessed by the Lord today….as we handed her a small but generous tip to go with that Blessing in Hasus name (Jesus Name).”

By the time we turned the corner past the Taxi park on the edge of town our bags were heavy with little food items.

Soon we passed a tukul that had an empty platter sitting on a box out front. Two ladies sat in the shade not noticing us as we past. That is when I heard the Holy Spirit say in my spirit turn back and give them the tomatoes………It was so faint I almost did not recognize it at first, yet as I obeyed unquestioningly I knew it was His voice.  Stacey had stopped and turned to watch as I retraced the 20 feet to the platter.  She told me as I turned from the platter to walk back to her side the two women ran to recover the tomatoes and dances with obvious joy in delight of the provision.

Yet one more stand stood beside the path before we turned from the road to walk down the small path to the orphanage in the ½ mile distance. Why would we stop? Stacey had hoped for a soda. As she located and purchased it from the man behind the stand, I sensed an unusually strong desire to buy some beans and dried fish from the lady remaining outside. I could not imagine what I was doing at the time. Why would we want these local delicacies?

Yet it was so much like the rest of the day. So much like the rest of the trip really….very much like the day in Fairbanks before we left home when we were looking for 64 pair of shoes for the Orphans At ABBA House in Entebbe…like when we felt we should buy this pair of shoes “extra” that were not on any of our lists……you just grow accustom to knowing there is a reason you do not understand so you follow those promptings and trust the Holy Spirit is speaking something you do not understand at the moment….something you will shortly realize had a precise target and reason just a little way done the path.

Having completed 51/2 hours of this 6 hour walk in 100+ degree sunlight with dust from head to foot- Our hearts very warm with God’s refreshing love from the days adventure in giving- we turned down the final trail toward awaiting cold water, soap, and a nice cold shower at our dorm just ½ mile away carrying two bags of food that grew heavy in our arms; food that we did not knowingly need.

Half way down the trail, it was there again. That faint voice. Almost not a voice at all, but a growing sense or desire to do something for no apparent reason or preplanned knowledge. Stacey wanted to go visit Egba. For some reason I did also so we ventured toward the tukul; the home of this older lady.

 

We would never have met Egba except for our friends Bruce and Joanne Carter. Several years earlier they had visited this orphanage and during their visit our dear friends had taken the time to think of us by returning with a special gift basket made by this precious little lady. Now my wife Stacey & I were standing in the very same African home of Egba.

Just two weeks earlier, Bruce, Stacey & I had stopped to visit her family. We found Egba was not in good health during our prior visit, but she had still managed the strength to sit and talk to us and take pictures together. Today, at the Holy Spirits leading we were lead to the same family without any prior plan to check on this dear lady, who was now bedridden from sickness.

We were able to pray with her and encourage her with the offering the Lord had supplied along the way. God knew His widow lady had a need and directed our very steps along the way to bring supply refreshing her and her family. What a loving special family they are. Like all Africans were met along the way.

The thrill of this experience was seeing God walk by our side and Bless many people yet at the same time weave together a masterpiece of our daily bread while it is called today.  Our prayer is that Jesus, our Great High Priest, can move His whole body to hear His voice each day and be His hands and Feet to care for those in need and give them the desires of their heart.

 

Let Them Fly

Flying into Yei, South Sudan meant that our luggage was limited to 15 kilograms or 33 pounds.  Considering that we were going for a month and that we had a strong desire to take some things to the children and widows there, this seemed at times like an impossible task.  One of the wonderful ladies at church donated about 400 little wooden airplanes to take.  This was a great option because they were very lightweight.  We distributed the first bunch of planes to the 150 orphans at Harvesters in Yei. Some of the planes were broken very quickly because with so many flying around, they were easily stepped on by some of the other children, others ended up on top of buildings or in trees. Some of the children quickly saw what was happening so they carefully took theirs apart and put it back in the little plastic bag that they came in.  For several days after you would see a plane come out here or there and a child carefully playing with it where not many other children were around to break it.  The older boys became very creative in putting together some of the broken parts and creating new planes which actually began to fly better.

 

Next we gave planes to the 47 children in Terekeka.  We cautioned them on how easily they could be broken.  With great joy, I watched them tossing their planes and chasing after them.  Then, I saw one boy step on another boy’s plane, but it was very interesting to watch what happened next.  The boy took his broken plane to the boy that had stepped on it, handed it to him, and then took the one that was still good.  Another boys plane was broken but he came up with a great idea:  he took the plane to a friend of ours and had him tie it with a string to a stick and then he flew the plane around that way. What creative children they are.

 

When our time was finished in Terekeka we took the seven hour taxi ride back across the rough roads of South Sudan.  At one point in the ride, Denver was turned around digging through our luggage and then he turned back with a bag of the planes.  What a fun idea this was: we put together airplanes and as we would pass children on the side of the road, we would toss them out the window to them.  I wish I could find the words to express just how much fun this was. The taxi driver was having so much fun with it that he would slow down and pull toward every person that we saw.  Sometimes the children would just stand there and look around with an expression that seemed to say “what just happened”.  Other children would run toward the plane with smiles and laughter, and sometimes even toward the car while we would quickly try to put more together. 

We were now back in Yei and we still have several airplanes left so one day we put them together and walked into town.  As we went we would hand them out to the children in the village. It was so much fun to see their joy and excitement.  I think we could have given away another 1000 airplanes if we would have had them. 

Denver came up with a great idea of taking these again in the future but having the words “Jesus loves you” printed on them in their native language.  Oh, that is going to be so much fun.

 

 

 

Humble or Blessed?

Are you humble?  Are you blessed? Can you be both?

The bible has many verses about being humble, but it has just as many (or more, I really didn’t count) about being blessed.  I use to think that being humble meant being poor and in fact some bibles are translated this way. But then being poor didn’t seem too much like being blessed to me so how could I be poor and be blessed?

Psalm 147:6 - The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Psalm 149:4 - For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.

Matthew 18:4 - Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 4:2 - Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

James 4:6 - But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

James 4:10 - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 5:6 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

 

I began to study the original Greek work for humble and humility and this is what I read: For the believer, tapeinophrosýnē ("humility") means living in complete dependence on the Lord, i.e. with no reliance on self (the flesh).

Now if you go back and reread these verses changing humble to living in complete dependence on the Lord, does it put them in a different light?  It did for me.

Psalm 147:6 - The LORD sustains those who live in complete dependence on Him (the humble) but casts the wicked to the ground.

Psalm 149:4 - For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns those who live in complete dependence on Him (the humble) with salvation.

Matthew 18:4 - Therefore, whoever lives in complete dependence on the Lord (humbles himself) like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 4:2 - Be completely living in dependence on the Lord (humble) and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

James 4:6 - But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to those who live in complete dependence on the Lord (the humble)."

James 4:10 – Live in complete dependence on the Lord (Humble yourselves) before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and live in complete dependence on the Lord (humble).

1 Peter 5:6 - live in complete dependence on the Lord (Humble yourselves), therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Many times the bible refers to humility verses pride because they are the opposite of each other.   Whereas humility is living in complete dependence of the Lord, pride is relying on one’s self and having no faith in the Lord.  When we walk in fear, then we are walking in pride because we are not being humble.   When we are humble (putting our faith in God) then God says that we are blessed

Jeremiah 17:7 - "But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.

Psalm 34:8 - O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 40:4 - Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

Matthew 5:5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

Live in completely dependence on the Lord and God promises that you will be blessed

Humble = Faith = Blessed

 

More updates about our time in Uganda and South Sudan will be coming soon