Alesha Mugdha of Kolkata

Last week April and I had the privilege of accepting a referral for a beautiful little girl currently residing in Kolkata, India. With open arms and open hearts we welcome you into our family dear Alesha! Isn't she beautiful? (see April's blog http://www.pfeiffer4.blogspot.com/ ) We've been in the adoption process for nearly two years now. We hope to have our little one home by spring time

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I've been asked many times, "what made you want to adopt?" and "why India?"

I've always thought that adoption is a beautiful thing. It speaks of God's grace and redemption and love. Until two years ago, I always thought it was a wonderful thing for others to do. I on the other hand, had absolutely no interest in bringing another child into our home.

Then one day (I believe it was November 4, 2007) in an instant, it all changed! April and I were at church and a promo video for the 2008 India missions trip was shown. It touched me deeply. I went home and started reading about the orphan problem in our world. As I did this God put in my heart an OVERWHELMING desire to bring one of these little ones into our home.

We chose India because we are just somehow drawn to that crazy land of chaotic beauty. I take a pretty lax view of the details of adoption. Some people hold strong opinions as to whether one should adopt locally vs. internationally. I would encourage anybody wanting to adopt, to look carefully at ALL options, pray and go where God leads. Personally, I believe that with over one hundred million orphans world wide, the where when and how God leads one to adopt is not of great concern....I just would love to see God's people asking, "What can I do to look after these little ones that are made in His image?"

This Thanksgiving Day, I'm so grateful to be a part of something that God is involved in.

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 02

I think I'd rather die than go to a church like the one "Christian" goes to in this video! Sad that there's still a lot of people out there that think that's all that church is.

Broken Beat and Scarred w/ Lyrics

This song reminds me of life...overcoming drug addiction, spiritual warfare, growth, being a Christ follower. It paints for me a picture of a seasoned warrior, battle scarred but, still in the fight not willing to give up. "The dawn, the death, the fight to the final breath"
It sounds like the "sons of thunder" spoken of in scripture....

Simple Church

..."Through these simple acts of hospitality and prayer, we joined God's mission in our neighborhood. His mission does not have to be pumped up or hyped. We don't have to start it or defend it. God owns his mission, and He will do His mission through us if we allow Him" Floyd McClung-"Starting a House Church"

It's amazing what God will show us and where He'll lead us when we start thinking along the lines of what He's doing and how we can be involved in His mission rather than "doing something for God"

How often we don't recognize divine appointments because we're looking for the spectacular. Sometimes the "spectacular" happens in the spiritual relm but, appears very ordinary on the outside...

Emotional Russ Taff Interview

"Through all that I found the real Jesus" - This is such a powerful testimony of the healing work and restoration that only Christ can bring about. I find my own story somehow in this interview. I think of how God brought me through a season in my life that was marked with pain, addiction, disillusionment and finally despair. But, "through all that I found the real Jesus" When we let God do his work in us we're simply never the same!

"Avoid the Appearance of Evil"

I've been wondering how to reconcile the above scripture with how Jesus lived his life.  He hung out with hookers, tax collectors and drunks.  He turned water into wine. He did some serious house cleaning with the money changers in the temple! He didn't seem to have any concern about what "people might think" or "what is this going to look like to others?"

 "Could what I'm doing appear as evil?" Did not seem to be of any concern to him.

I did a brief study of this passage (1 Thessalonians 5:22)  and discovered that most modern translations render the passage as - "Avoid every kind of evil" or "Avoid all forms of evil" Only the KJV says, "Avoid the appearence of evil" I believe that most scholars would suggest that the KJV, in this case is not the best translation.

It's funny how many times I've heard this verse to justify a legalistic approach to life!  "You shouldn't go to the movies, dance, go to bars, drink, go to rock concerts"....on and on it goes. Because you want to " avoid the appearance of evil."  The religious spirit is a subtle one indeed.  The rationale always sounds so pious and holy. It usually feels so pure and sacred, Yet all too often, it stems from a self rightous, religious attitude. 

I find that when I'm worried about how my actions might be seen by others, (especially other Christians) there's a good chance that I'm dealing with a self rightous, religious spirit. The religious spirit causes you to focus on yourself  and outward appearances and holds you captive in a prison of what others think.

Is there not an irresistable draw toward Jesus and his approach to life and ministry?  He knew his heart was in tune with the Father's will and that's all that mattered.  He came to "set the captives free and to bind up the broken hearted"  What others thought about him and his friends or his approuch to ministry or how others thought that he would reveal himself as the Messiah made no difference to him.

I long to walk, in ever increasing measure, in that same freedom that Jesus walked. I believe that the key is rooted in love. Love for the Father and love for others. When we're compelled and motivated by love, don't we find ourselves free from what others think?

Simple House Church

I've been reading a short book called "Simple House Church Revolution" It is available for download free of charge. http://www.simplechurchrevolution.com/download.htm

Reading this book is kind of messing with me. I've always thought that house churches are a little weird, perhaps a good place for a cult to get started! However, the more I read about the house church movement the more I realize that it seems to reflect the passions of my heart.

I think two things in particular get my attention:

1) The concept of community.

2) The focus on "being the church" over focus on church buildings and programs.

- The concept of community within the house church movement seems to resemble new testament church where believers truly shared their lives together, not just an hour and a half on Sunday mornings listening to the pastor. For an example of this type of community check out the chapter titled "Fellowships of the Heart" in John Eldredge's book "Waking the Dead" here's a link to download the chapter - http://www.ransomedheart.com/assets/PDF/WTD11.pdf

- When we see ourselves as "being the church" instead of being "part of a church" we're far more likely to depend on the Holy Spirit to transform our lives. There's a world of difference between simply trying to get a neighbor or coworker to "come to my church" vs. being the church to them, modeling who Christ is in how I live. The first is possible in the flesh, the second is not.
We're also more likely find our God ordained calling if we broaden our horizons to see beyond the walls of our church building. What if our personal mission/calling doesn't fit into Sunday morning worship service? Or even within the context of the institutional church?

I think it's possible to apply the above principles within the context of a traditional church. I guess that's what I'm wrestling with....I'm wondering if it really is. I'm confident that God will lead me in the way He desires me to go.

The way it used to be

On my run this morning I was thinking about the whole issue of suffering and death. What am I to think of the child who dies in a car accident, a man or woman of God who models the Christian walk who dies in a plane crash or some other "freak accident"? Do we blame Satan? Do we blame God? Do we just say, "It must have been God's will" Is it possible that God nor Satan is directly involved? ( responsible for the accident or tragedy itself)

Imagine how differently we would see things if sin only recently entered the human race. Let's imagine that the fall of man occurred only a year ago. Those of us older than a year would have known a time in which there was only life, no death. Until a year ago we would have never known about wars, famine, cancer, injury, birth defects, rape, abuse, shame, neglect....

Then a year ago EVERYTHING changes! Suddenly, all the things mentioned above and much more are part of our world...our new reality. Oh, how we would regret with bitter tears and a broken heart, the choice we made to disobey God! Surely, we would long for the way it used to be!

What then would our response be to death and suffering? Wouldn't we immediately be painfully aware of why there is pain and suffering in our world? Would we even consider asking, "If God is all loving and all powerful, then how could he allow this?" (A question that has tormented me in the past) No, we would know why the horrors in our world take place and we would long for redemption and restoration. We would long for forgiveness. We would long for a Savior....we would long for Jesus!

I know this doesn't answer many complex questions about God, Evil and the fall of man, but,I think God has set a part of me free this morning. Somehow, when I imagine the fall as a recent event, I think I can see our world with just a little more clarity.

Treasuring Him - DWYL Sermon Jam Video

Philippians 3:7-11 "...I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..."

Waking the Dead!

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

"There is a widespread belief among Christians today that the heart is desperately wicked-even after a person comes to Christ.

It is a crippling belief.

And it is untrue." John Eldredge - Waking the Dead

Oh, how this truth is setting me free!

7-24-02 - Rescued!

"Sleep, and dream of this Death angel's kiss

Brings final bliss Completely!

Empty they say, Death, won't you let me stay? Empty they say Death, hear me call your name? Oh, call your name!

Suicide, I've already died You're just the funeral I've been waiting for

Cyanide, living dead inside, Break this empty shell forevermore

Wait, wait patiently Your death-black wings Unfolding sleep Spreading on me

Empty they say Death, won't you let me stay? Empty they say Death, hear me call your name Oh, call your name!

Suicide, I've already died You're just the funeral I've been waiting for

Cyanide, living dead inside Break this empty shell forevermore"... Metallica

"He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God" Psalm 40:2-3

July 24th 2002 is my sobriety date, a day that I will not forget til the day I die...Perhaps, I'll remember it even throughout eternity....I hope I do!

It was the day that my father in heaven rescued me from certain death...literally! Towards the end of my love affair/addiction with drugs and alcohol I became suicidally depressed. The lyrics from Metallica's song, "cyanide" explain exactly how I was living and thinking in the summer of 2002. "Sleep and dream of this Death angel's kiss, brings final bliss completely!" It's almost surreal when I remember that in those dark days, I actually believed that embracing death was the answer! I'll never forget feeling the cold chains of a merciless addiction crushing my very soul. I can still remember the utter hopelessness of blackest, darkest night surrounding me as I helplessly sunk ever deeper into the pit of hell! Out of control, fear, no...terror! Oh, sweet death, please come, embrace me...

I'll also never forget the merciful hand of God reaching down from heaven and bringing me "up out of the pit of destruction" Life has not, and will not ever be the same! Since then, I see God as my Deliverer, my Rescuer, my Healer, my Redeemer, my Saviour...my only Hope. He's my Hero, He saved me!

I took the above picture in 2001 after getting high. I think something in me was hoping that one day I would look at this picture with several years of sobriety and say, "Thank God he set me free!" Today is that day.

Waiting for Orphans to Arrive

April and I have completed all our foster parenting classes through DHS and are now simply waiting for "the call" from DHS asking us if we'll take a particular child or sibling group into our home.

It's kind of interesting that we don't call foster kids orphans....they're "foster kids"

Definition of orphan:

A) A child whose parents are dead.
B) A child who has been deprived of parental care and has not been adopted.

"B" seems to describe foster kids perfectly. These kids have been deprived of parental care by parents who are checked out for one reason or another (often drugs/alcohol) and the kids suffer from neglect or worse....

Sometimes I wonder if we think that the biblical mandate to "look after orphans....in their distress" doesn't apply to foster kids. I think it does apply to them as much as the orphans in India or Africa or any other place in the world.

It's not that I take the view that "we need to take care of our own first" They're ALL God's children! In fact April and I are in the process of adopting a little girl from India. (More on that in future blogging) It's just that I think it's easy to think that the "real need" is overseas while we miss "real needs" right under our nose! If we take the view that foster kids in our communities...our neighborhoods are in fact modern day orphans, than doesn't James 1:27 take on more of a personal feel? "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Camping

Had a great time camping with Martin and Luke. We went to "Indian Henry" campground. With a little rock climbing and a fire, we had a great time. It was a reminder to me how important it is to get time alone with my kids, we had some great discussions.

Evian Roller Babies US

Something strange in that water!

Jim Gaffigan - Camping

I'm heading out camping with my sons. Martin thought this was really funny...Luke, not so much....

Disturb us, Lord

Sir Francis Drake (~1577)

"Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we have dreamed too little,When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when With the abundance of things we possess We have lost our thirst For the waters of life; Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas Where storms will show your mastery; Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars. We ask You to push back The horizons of our hopes; And to push into the future In strength, courage, hope, and love".

How often do we sincerely cry out to God and ask him "disturb" us? This year God has really been showing me how much I value my comfort. He's also showing me that my comfort is something that doesn't matter to him! As Christ followers in America I think that can be a difficult thing to grasp...at least for some of us.

It's one thing to say that "God wants us to get out of our comfort zone" That can simply mean that from time to time we step out of our comfortable lifestyle for a moment and then retreat quickly back to safety and feel good about stretching our faith. Isn't it entirely different though, if we conclude that our comfort is simply irrelevant to God? That could mean that he could call us to a lifestyle that involves heartbreak, pain, and uncertainty. It could mean that our lives could get very messy as we reach out to desperate people with desperate needs. It could mean that ministries that we previously thought were only for "special" people with a "special calling" now may have our name on it.
Disturb us, Lord, out of our half dead, comfortable existance. Give us the grace to take hold of the life abundant that you offer to us.