We started this blog as a way for us to keep track of God's many blessings and for keeping all of our dear friends and family up to date with our wanderings and adventures. But God has been running so far ahead of us, there is no way to keep up with what He's been doing.
It never ceases to amaze me what an adventure life is when you live in obedience to Him. It is also beyond me to translate into words some of the things He has done in us and for us.
We are so thankful to the family that has hosted us for the last eight months. Their generosity and hospitality have made it possible to stay out of debt while I finish my Masters. We are continually blessed by their prayerful decision to host us and the grace and kindness they show us each day. Talk about living what you believe!
We are thankful for Ben's new job. He is now working days (a huge answer to prayer, for him).
We are thankful for the community of believers in this area. God has been working in my life to heal some of the hurt and resentment I had built up towards the Church. God's vision for unity and truth within the Body of believers is very much alive! In the short time that we have been up here, I have seen some things I had told myself could never happen in today's Church. I repent for being a self-righteous cynic. God is good, and His Body is very much alive and active. I am humbled and blessed to be a part of it.
We are thankful for the generosity of so many in our community. I started this year with anxiety about our financial situation. Ben told me it was a great opportunity for God to show off. He was right! God has provided for us abundantly through our dear family in Christ. At every turn, He meets us with another surprise, another display of His grace and goodness. He is indeed "showing off" proving to us beyond a shadow of a doubt that our lives are in His great and powerful hands. Nothing comes to us that is not from Him, and nothing is taken from us that He does not release.
To this last point, some of you know that this year has held pain for us as well as joy. Even in grief, especially in grief, we have found God to be all sufficient. He is the giver and the taker, and what He does is good. He comforts those who mourn. He lifts up those who rely on Him for strength.
Please pray for God's continued provision and guidance.
Right now it looks like we may be in Papua New Guinea as soon as this time next year! We are praying about partnership and accountability with the many Church communities that have encouraged us and built us up through discipleship and prayer. We are continually blessed by God's provision and direction so far.
We are thankful for this time in our lives, for the adventure God has given us to live, and for the work He is doing in and through His people.
Love and Blessings,
Mary (and Ben)
Monday, February 23, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Of Hand and Foot and Torso
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,'"
For many years I have struggled with the whole concept of organized Church. Line up a few bad experiences as a kid, a life of perpetual transition from one place to the next, a negative gut reaction to authority, and a tendency to get a little self-righteous or just bored around sleepy communities full of good people and you have a snapshot of my bad attitude with all the excuses needed to justify it.
The problem is...
Well the problem is God.
He has this thing about the Church. He loves it like His own flesh and blood. Or... like a groom loves his bride. He writes poetry about it. He brags about it.
In short. It's really hard to talk to God and not have the Church come up.
I've tried all the usual - being deeply connected with a small group of Christian friends and saying that is Church, ministering alongside other Christians and saying that is Church, reading the Bible a lot and doing my best to live it and saying that is Church, basically doing all the 'Faith' things that are personally fulfilling and saying that is Church.
But God doesn't let me get away with anything. He's patient. But He's not stupid, and I'm not fooling Him with any of my excuses or my attempts to substitute parts for the whole.
Some parts of the body are not as beautiful as others.
Your palms will never be as lithe as your fingers; your belly button could never compete with your eyes. But you can't pick and choose, only keeping the beautiful or interesting parts. God calls the Church His body. If I am in Him, I'm in the Church. It would never do for the fingers to be cut off form the torso. It will never do for me to isolate myself from the larger body of believers.
So.
Here I am 'going to Church.' Or more appropriately, joining the Church in meeting together for fellowship. It's still a struggle for me. A discipline in hope and faith - to believe that God's big story of redemption, making the messed up stuff whole and beautiful, is not only possible for me but also for the larger Church.
Ben does not seem to struggle with this like I do. I bring apprehension; he brings anticipation. He seems to think that every believer is excited about what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives and in the world. He walks up to people like it's natural to ask them about prayer needs and then actually pray with them. I am hyper aware of barriers, both real and imagined. Ben is barrier blind. So, while I have been creeping around the edges of our new community, Ben has gone jostling right into the center.
A typical conversation on the way to Church:
"I just don't feel connected. No one's invited us to dinner. No one even notices if we aren't there... Rawr, Rawr, Rawr, Rawr."
"Well, let's pray about it... God, please help us to find ways to connect to and serve this community!"
"Mow."
Ben is good for me. God is good.
(to be continued)
For many years I have struggled with the whole concept of organized Church. Line up a few bad experiences as a kid, a life of perpetual transition from one place to the next, a negative gut reaction to authority, and a tendency to get a little self-righteous or just bored around sleepy communities full of good people and you have a snapshot of my bad attitude with all the excuses needed to justify it.
The problem is...
Well the problem is God.
He has this thing about the Church. He loves it like His own flesh and blood. Or... like a groom loves his bride. He writes poetry about it. He brags about it.
In short. It's really hard to talk to God and not have the Church come up.
I've tried all the usual - being deeply connected with a small group of Christian friends and saying that is Church, ministering alongside other Christians and saying that is Church, reading the Bible a lot and doing my best to live it and saying that is Church, basically doing all the 'Faith' things that are personally fulfilling and saying that is Church.
But God doesn't let me get away with anything. He's patient. But He's not stupid, and I'm not fooling Him with any of my excuses or my attempts to substitute parts for the whole.
Some parts of the body are not as beautiful as others.
Your palms will never be as lithe as your fingers; your belly button could never compete with your eyes. But you can't pick and choose, only keeping the beautiful or interesting parts. God calls the Church His body. If I am in Him, I'm in the Church. It would never do for the fingers to be cut off form the torso. It will never do for me to isolate myself from the larger body of believers.
So.
Here I am 'going to Church.' Or more appropriately, joining the Church in meeting together for fellowship. It's still a struggle for me. A discipline in hope and faith - to believe that God's big story of redemption, making the messed up stuff whole and beautiful, is not only possible for me but also for the larger Church.
Ben does not seem to struggle with this like I do. I bring apprehension; he brings anticipation. He seems to think that every believer is excited about what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives and in the world. He walks up to people like it's natural to ask them about prayer needs and then actually pray with them. I am hyper aware of barriers, both real and imagined. Ben is barrier blind. So, while I have been creeping around the edges of our new community, Ben has gone jostling right into the center.
A typical conversation on the way to Church:
"I just don't feel connected. No one's invited us to dinner. No one even notices if we aren't there... Rawr, Rawr, Rawr, Rawr."
"Well, let's pray about it... God, please help us to find ways to connect to and serve this community!"
"Mow."
Ben is good for me. God is good.
(to be continued)
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
 |
| Molly Pitcher Dinner, a formal military ball, put on by my Guard unit Dec2013 |
So here are the exact words of our prayer requests from 29Dec:
1. What kind of education Ben should
pursue (he is a personal trainer)
I have been introduced to a set of leadership courses for ministry put on by my church. There is also a school in the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea(PNG) which has medical training; something I have been looking into.
2. Whether we should attempt to secure
visas without Ben having a degree
PNG is one of the few countries which does not require immigrants to have a bachelors degree.
3. Financial provision for the coming
semester, this will be the largest hurdle yet!
Ongoing, but we have made it through the first month and I have been hired at a job which both pays more and suits my abilities much better. Also, we have had commitments for support made by friends and family that are helping already.
4. Wisdom for Ben in communicating
better and to be the husband God wants
I have learned my place better as the one who needs to have a plan; to have vision. Also, I am learning to identify the bad habits I have been using that cause tension between us. It is easing the friction between us and helping us to love each other better.
5. Patience and wisdom for Mary in
being a good helpmate for Ben
Mary has become better at letting me lead and being persistent and patient in helping me to overcome my many character flaws while trusting more and worrying less.
6. We are currently looking at a laptop
for her; please pray God will provide what we need to facilitate her education
Our friend just GAVE us a laptop. GAVE. I am blown away.
Every prayer request. Every one has received special, tender attention from Abba. I have no words to describe the absolute sense of contentment in where we are. Whether the bank balance showed .76 or 1,700.00 we have been cared for every step of the way.
I declare without reservation that our blessings stem directly from our obedience.
When we received instruction, we followed regardless of what circumstances dictated. No money? Don't care. Not legal? It just happened. They always say 'no'? YES. Several times more expense than income? Try zero debt.
Blessing after blessing after blessing. There has been a cascade of opportunities to trust; to have faith in the Provider. Tough situations, real tear-jerkers and anxiety wrenchers. They keep getting more adventurous too. We have been in an every increasing spiral of craziness ever since we started dating and despite the insanity of saying so we are eager for more. No matter how impossible the hurdle, we have been carried over every one in ways we could not have imagined.
If you are not stirred to your core by this I urge you to ask yourself: Why not? Don't be afraid to be uncomfortable, to step outside the familiarity of your routine. That is where God works. In His plan. He doesn't need you: He wants you. We are extras in this play and He loves us so much He is giving us a spot on stage when He could just make everything from nothing. Wouldn't you like to see the adventure he has planned for you today?
In His grace,
Ben and Mary Grimm
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