I would die for you

As I was packing to leave for Peru, one of the things I wanted to be sure to bring with me were plenty of good books. There wasn't a lack of recommendations of books I was eager to read. As I walked through the christian bookstore searching for some of these books, I found a book that no one had recommended but obviously God wanted me to read. This book is called "I Would Die for You" by Brent and Deanna Higgins (www.amazon.com/Would-Die-You-Students-Passion/dp/0800732448). I was drawn to this book because Brent and Deanna's son BJ (Brent Jr) had served as a missionary in Peru. Three years ago tomorrow BJ, shortly after returning from his second missions trip to Peru, was taken home to be with our Heavenly Father. BJ knew what he would die for, little did he or his family know how soon God would call him to his eternal home. The book is not about BJ dying for Christ on his deathbed. While it definitely gets into the struggles of his illness upon returning from Peru, his families amazing faith through a very difficult time, the support of the community of believers, and eventually his death, it is more about BJ deciding at a very young age to die for Christ each and every day. (If you are considering missions or just considering how to live a godly life in general I would recommend this book.)

So this really challenged me to think, Am I really doing that? Am I really willing to do that? What would doing that look like? We see examples from Paul he writes in 1 Cor 15:31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. Paul also writes in Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. We also see this in 1 Pet 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. Lastly, but most importantly the words of Christ as written in Luke 9:23-26 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. So many of us don't realize that daily we are dying for something whether we admit it or not, something is motivating us to do many things. What do you spend your free time doing? What is it that is driving you in your daily life? Is it a desire to glorify God and enjoy him? Or is it some other false idol that we so often fail to recognize. In my own life there are and have been many of these false idols, I hope and pray that God will continue to draw me nearer to him and further from the distractions of this world. I pray this for you as well.

So now a little update on Peru. I have been here a little over a week, a day after I arrived Sandy and the children all left to return to the states. Yesterday Larry went to Lima and tonight he flies back to the states as well. Please keep them in your prayers. Specifically for the girls Lynae and Mackenzie as they adapt to a new christian school (they have been home schooled all their lives). Pray also for them as they travel to reconnect with supporting churches and seek additional support as well. Here in Peru I am starting to get a bit of a routine, there is plenty of work to be done keeping up the center here and visiting with many of the folks to whom the Rockwell's have been ministering. My biggest prayer request would be for my seminary classes. I have a feeling these will be a struggle for me. Pray that God would allow for less interruptions of the internet and that I would be able to focus during this time. Another big request is for my witness and opportunity to share the gospel with Odilio. Odilio is a friend of the Rockwell's a Peruvian who is staying at the center with me off and on to assist me. He is not a believer, but does seem to be open and seeking. He has mentioned he would like to do a bible study with me and said he is willing to go to church with me as well. Please keep Odilio in your prayers.

These are the lyrics from a song by Mercy Me entitled "I Would Die for You"

And I know that I can find You here
'Cause You promised me You'll always be there
Times like these, it's hard to see
But somehow I have a peace, You're near
And I pray that You will use my life
In whatever way Your name is glorified
Even if surrendering
Means leaving everything behind

My life has never been this clear
Now I know the reason why I'm here
You never know why You're alive
Until you know what you would die for
I would die for You

And I know I don't have much to give
But I promise You I will give You all there is
Can I possibly do less
When through Your own death I live?

No greater love is found
Than of those who lay their own lives down
As sure as I live and breathe
Now I know what it means to be free

I hope and pray you know what you would die for!

Memorial Ebenezer Young Old Somewhere in Between

In the Old Testament we see numerous references to memorials, frequently telling the people of Israel to make a memorial as a reminder of what God has done for them. In today's world we often call a funeral a Memorial Service. Many think that this is about memorializing the loved one's we have lost. For the family of Kelsey Orndorff, a seventeen year old girl who was killed in an automobile accident or for the family of Shirley Dawson, a dear dear woman of eighty-0ne years, they know what my family knew almost two years ago (when my younger brother Joe at eighteen years old was also killed in an automobile accident). These services were a Memorial as a reminder of what God has done for them. It was a time to remember those we love and grieve over the loss of them most definitely, but without a doubt the one being memorialized is God. Some might say in these difficult times, what has God done for me and my family, he took away my loved one. My family and I, much like I am sure the families of Kelsey and Shirley, still wish we had our loved ones here on this earth with us. I miss my little brother a lot, I miss his laugh, I miss playing video games or watching sports with him. I will never get to do these things with him again. There are many things I wanted to do with him I never got to do. Do these things sometimes make it hard to memorialize God and what he has done in the life, death and now eternal life of Joe or Kelsey or Shirley, absolutely. In 1 Sam we read that Samuel after defeating the Philistines at Mizpeh, made a memorial, setting a stone and calling it Ebenezer, translated to mean "stone of help." God knows it isn't easy, that is why we need the ebenezer, a reminder of his help.
Whether 81 or 17 it is always hard to lose someone you love. Whether like Shirley you knew of her battle with cancer or like with Kelsey and Joe they were taken suddenly home in an auto accident letting them go isn't easy. I have been asked by many people since Joe was taken home to be with his Saviour, "Are things getting back to normal for you?" I typically answer that question the same way, there is a new normal and we are all slowly adjusting to that normal. As we read in
Ecclesiastes 3 1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace. 9What gain has the worker from his toil? 10I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;
Many of us are in a new season, but God has made everything beautiful in its time and put eternity into man's heart so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. So we can adjust to the new normal, be joyful in that new normal, and do good, continue to grow in Christlike character as long as we live.