5.22.2013

GAP


We are getting ready to temporarily move to Morgantown, WV to get ready for this coming 6 months of travel with a small group of students who desire to be discipled and to see how they can fulfill the Great Commission as missionaries. Right now we have 2 committed and 2 more potential students.

A friend from Des Moines emailed us this link, "Advocates of 'gap year' say time away from school builds confidence, expands worldview", about the benefits of a GAP Year.

Please pray for us as we pack and head into another chapter of this fun and crazy life the Lord has us living!

Here is our tentative schedule:
July to August - training in Morgantown.
September - Paidha and Lira Uganda
October - Inner City US ministry
November to December 15 - Central America; Honduras, Guatemala & Belize.
January to June 2014 - Students are placed with missionaries and we will be visiting to see the progress.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!

If there are still people out there praying for God's direction in this...it is not too late to say yes to an exciting and adventurous year serving the Lord!

5.21.2013

God's Amazing Grace


   
We have been traveling to Uganda since 2000. Each time is unique and humbling. It never ceases to amaze me how little people have but how much joy they posses. They exhibit amazing faith under daily trials they face just to exist for that day.
   Brooke had a great time teaching the pastors’ wives and women’s leaders through the book of Philippians and also explaining the biblical role of the woman in the home, the community and the church. A huge challenge for many of these women is they do not read, so their understanding of the Word is elementary. We are praying how we can get audio Bibles into their hands. Please let us know if you have any ideas or would like to help.

   The pastors I taught were elated to use the Inductive Bible Study tools they had already learned to teach through 1Peter. I modeled expository teaching through James. The theme to James is “The Mature Christian”. We looked at this book as it applies to us as pastors and teachers. There are many customs in this culture that are followed in the church but are not biblical, so we talked about how to over come the culture and live as biblical Christians...not Ugandan nor American Christians.

   After observing me for 2 days, we had them teach through 1Peter. Some of them did an amazing job. One of the pastors said he never thought he could stay in one chapter of the Bible to teach. But now that he has seen it done through a whole book of the Bible, he is committing to teach through the Bible verse by verse!
   Another had an epiphany moment when I asked them if they only read a few paragraphs when someone writes them a letter or just a chapter here or there when they read a book. He said the Lord confirmed with him that he must teach the whole book so his people  can get the whole meaning of God’s love letters to His people.

   So we are planning to return in September to much of the same and also work with youth and children. We have a few seats open if any one wants to come along. Give us a shout so we can start making plans.
Because of His grace!
Wayne

Rejoice Always!



We are just home from another amazing time of ministry in Uganda. I had the humbling privilege of teaching and sharing with over 100 pastor’s wives and women church leaders. As I often find, the challenges and issues they face are similar to those here. Many of the things they shared and asked about have been true in my life as a pastor’s wife and church leader.

   As I was praying about what to teach and share with these women, God showed me to take them through the book of Philippians. This book has been significant in my life as it is stock full of some of the most powerful and familiar promises in all the New Testament; verses like 1:6 & 1:21, 2:1-11, 3:12-14 & 3:20, 4:6-9 & 4:19. All of these verses bring me back to the main theme of this book: JOY! As we choose to be joyful each day; as we look with thanksgiving at our lives, God strengthens us for every challenge before us.

   We also looked each day at what the Bible says about specific subjects; not my opinion or any other person, but the Bible alone. We searched out scripture on women in ministry, women in marriage and women as God sees us. It was a powerful reminder that God values us and uses us greatly but we must remain within the confines of His order to receive His blessings: Order in ministry and order in marriage.
   My high point? Two women who I have known from previous trips, both female pastors, although not invited, attended the conference. As I taught very clearly on 1 Timothy 2:12 without apology or excuse, they were both convicted by the Holy Spirit and shared that they desire to make this change. One of them, unknown to me until the very end, had already gone to her husband/pastor and told him she was no longer going to teach the men but strictly women!! Once again, I am reminded that if we just teach the truth without dressing it up for comfort, God will honor His word for His Name’s sake and do the needed work.
   I am excited to continue the groundwork with these women in September and I hope and pray that one day not so far away, they will be teaching and disciplining other women in the truths of God’s word. The goal is to work myself out of a job! Until then…pressing on for the goal of the upward call in Christ Jesus!

Rejoicing in Jesus!
 Brooke

4.29.2013

My Obedience


   
Obedience...we take our dogs to training, we read books on how to train our kids, if only our employees would always do what they are suppose to… We desire obedience in others but strain and make excuses for our self. 

   The Lord has really been hammering me this past couple months about obedience in my life. I am not in any gross sin, but I am in sin because I have not been obedient in the little things. The Lord knows...our thoughts, the intents of our heart, everything...so my prayer has been “Lord fill me again with your Spirit & give me Your heart & mind so that I might be obedient!” And you know what...He is faithful and is working it into my life!

  Here is something I picked up from a friend's blog. It is a good reminder and I have it posted on my desktop to read every time I open my computer.
1. Confess all known sin.
2. Deal with and get rid of anything ‘doubtful’ in your life.
3. Be ready to obey the Holy Spirit instantly.
4. Confess Christ publicly.

His name is Bill Holdridge and here are a some links to his writings; In the Word, Bill's Blog, Cross Connection Network.

    So let’s pray for obedience in our lives and then walk in it. AMEN!?
I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.  2 John 1:4

4.22.2013

FREEDOM IN CHRIST



These past two months have had us close to home. As a result I have had the blessing of being involved with two ladies Bible studies. We are going through the book of Galatians inductively verse by verse. The main theme of Galatians is the comparison of Grace and The Law. Paul is passionate and even righteously angry about the men who have come in and are trying to draw these new believers into or back under the law. He wants them to understand that the freedom they have received through Christ’s death is true freedom; freedom from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).

   He even goes as far as to say that if anyone perverts the gospel of grace they are cursed! This is strong language which reflects the seriousness of this issue. God wants us to be free to find our own way in Him. Free to live each day by grace and not by acts. The law says I must do certain things but God just wants me to be with Him and learn to obey Him. This is grace; not what I do but who I am in Christ!


   What I love about studying inductively is that we must always bring the Scriptures down to personal, daily application. This is where real, long term life change comes in. So, as I am looking into this epistle, I see time and again how I too set up a law for myself. I bring myself back under my own law. One that God never intended for me. I think that I must perform a certain way in order to keep God’s favor or attention. I then want to place others under my law, asking them to perform in certain ways as well.

   So I must take inventory regularly and ask myself, “Have I set up any laws that God did not intend? Am I trying to please God in my flesh? Am I looking to please others?” I believe we set up boundaries, a fence line, in our own lives as a way of feeling safe. Then we think we are free because we have rules to keep us safe. However, what I am beginning to understand is that if I build a fence then I remove the daily need to cling to Christ for safety and wisdom. I might feel comfortable but I will miss the depth of a relationship founded upon need. So I am determined to tear the fence down and keep it down. To abide in and cling to my one and only safe place; Jesus Christ!
Free because of Jesus!

 Brooke

1.05.2013

2012 in Review

  
   Thank you for your prayers & support over this past year! We have been blessed to serve in many parts of the world this past year.



January we started out at the Missions Conference in California, spoke at supporting churches & met with many friends in California & Arizona.


  
February & March we were blessed to teach at CC Bible College in Peru. I taught the Pastoral Epistles & the Life of Christ while Brooke led a Women’s Bible Study.


  April I spent with Moses Ouni in Uganda helping with IBS seminar, discipling the church, surveying the property in Paidha & teaching how to make rocket stoves. Brooke hosted a Women’s Conference in Ames, Iowa.






  May we were in Honduras working at Rancho Oasis & teaching IBS.

  June Brooke took off for Uganda & Rwanda with 13 women to lead 2 Women’s Conferences & Children’s Outreach. I stayed in Iowa to begin prepping the house to paint.



  July we visited supporting churches in Kansas & West Virginia; ending the month back in Honduras with a small team from Britt Free Church.

  August traveled to Guatemala to work along side CC Guatemala & Servants 4 Him teaching IBS.

  September we traveled back to Uganda with a group from our home church in Des Moines, IA. After returning to the USA I headed to Costa Rica to work once again with the YWAM base in Guanacaste. Brooke taught a Women’s Retreat in Wisconsin.



  October began with Brooke teaching a Women’s Retreat in Minnesota. We  were blessed with the arrival of our 4th grand-child, Poema Aliza Beard, who was born in our home on the 14th. We had the family with us until the first of November. What a blessing to have the grand-kids running around awakening the home with life & joy!
Also the house was painted!


  November we taught an IBS seminar in Colorado Springs & spent most of the month packing up my father’s house in Lake Mills, Iowa. The last week I was off to CC Bible College Mexico in Ensenada to teach IBS for 2 weeks. What a blessing to be able to teach hungry hearts!

  December was used to move my father to Britt to live closer to us. We ended the month and year with a short trip to Mexico for some R&R.

   2013
  We are blessed & excited to see how this New Year unfolds! We continue to covet your prayers for God’s direction. There are many good things to do and  many requests for us to come along side to serve, so we are willing, available & ready to go where He says go! We are booked through March with many tentative plans thereafter.

   Please pray that the Lord will raise up 8 people to come along side us this year to serve in the GAP Discipleship ministry. We desire to see more people catch a vision for serving as missionaries to a lost and dying world in the USA, Central America, Mexico, Africa and beyond.
Enjoying His grace,
Wayne & Brooke