... for all the little things

I was recently reminded of various moments in my life that were pivotal. What amazed me is that when I recounted these moments to the person or persons who made the moment such a turning point, they didn’t even remember it. For them it had simply been part of who they were. A comment about what it means to be a follower of Christ, a listening ear when times were difficult, a word of encouragement when I needed it most – these moments in time had printed an image on my memory, but not on theirs. 

A few months back when we had a singing here in Maastricht, people came from Cologne and from Eindhoven. One of the visitors from Eindhoven was a Syrian refugee who has given his life to Christ. At one point, after the singing, he shared his story with one of our contacts who is considering giving her life to Christ, but is scared to death of water. His story, which includes a near-drowning and a similar fear of water, concluded with him showing a video of his own baptism and how beautifully simple and tender it was. 

He didn’t know how important showing that video was. The woman watching wanted to see it at least three more times. And she asked how he ahd overcome his fear. “I knew I was safe with these people.” T. is still struggling with her fear, but those words and that video have stuck with her. I wonder how God will use her in the future as he used the brother from Eindhoven. 

I am so thankful for the little things we all can do in our daily lives. But I am mostly thankful for how God can turn those small things into mighty deeds with His grace. It reminds me that this is the One who took a boys lunch and fed more than 5000, who turned jars for washing into the best wine at the party, who took 12 misfits followers and spread the good news of life all over the world. Of course that last bit is still happening – through you and me. 

Enjoy this weekend (we will be celebrating “Thanksmas” on December 1, which is when most of us will be free and can get together) and remember how mightily God can use your simple words of thanks, your simple deeds of kindness to touch people all over the world and through eternity. Thank you for your prayers for us and for your faithfulness if you are following the One who showed us all how life is to be lived. 

Rejoice always,pray continually,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Colours of the Seasons

Autumn is a favorite season for me. I love the smells, the colors, the variety in the days. Every day can be different, every week brings new changes. And God’s beauty shows through each day and each change. That is how I experience our Fall activities as well: a varicoloured variety of challenges and changes. 

We do a lot with singing. This is a gift God has given me that I want to continue using in every way possible. At the end of September we got together with the church from Cologne for our annual singing – but this time in Maastricht (the previous times has been halfway between the two cities in Aachen). We invited people from the neighbourhood and were thrilled to welcome visitors in the groups that came from Maastricht, from Cologne and from Eindhoven. The singing was great, but the conversations during the day were even better. 

A few weeks later we were in Eindhoven for our monthly third-week Wednesday singing there. One of the visitors from the singing with Cologne was also present at this evening. And a few weeks later, at the Song Workshop, she was present again. Singing is a time to speak truths to one another and share the emotions that God’s grace puts in our hearts. We are so thankful for those moments. 

At the Song Workshop midway through October we focused on writing new songs. This is the 5th time the workshop has been organized (twice a year, but started in the Fall of 2016), but this time we focused on writing instead of on learning how to sing. In Maastricht we have over 30 songs in our songbook from members of the church in Belgium and the Netherlands, so we know that this is possible. At the end of the day (the workshop is one day, from 10:30am – 4:00pm) we had 8 new songs. We figure at least half of those will wotk their way into the congregations in the coming months. 

(Interested in hearing some of the [very] rough work? Listen to the first recordings from the day here.)

In between all the singing, we went off to play some indoor soccer at the annual tournament for Dutch and Belgian congregations. Scott got to play with some other old guys (and a few young ones: they were the good ones) and both of us were able to have some good conversations. This is a time to encourage members and visitors from outside the congregations. 

In the meantime we also put Sean and Jill on a plane to New York City. We do not know how this adventure will turn out, but we put them both in God’s hands where we know they are safe. We have been very thankful to be able to talk with them every week and get pictures from their adventures there. They will be back in January, but we do not know for how long. 

And so we continue to enjoy the astounding beauty of what God can do – unexpected colours, scenes that take your breath away and the certainties of the seasons. The symphony of colours correspnded with a chorus of activities which continue into the next season. We are thankful to know that God’s beauty shines through all of these moments and we look forward to how He is going to use us in the coming days. 

Would you pray for us in the coming months as we continue with some singing activities, but also with a group that is following our “Meeting Jesus” sessions in Maastricht. And let us know how we can be praying for you. 

Radio Silence - pure enjoyment

This morning is the first time in 10 days that I have been out walking with Chester (our dog) in the morning. After having dropped Stephan and Natalie off at the airport early this morning, I am enjoying the sun that seems only to be shining here in the south as I remember the beautiful moments we have had these past days. 

We tried hard to keep away from appointments and social media because we wanted to make sure that we were soaking up the time with our kids. It is strange to call them that: kids. Stephan and Natalie have now been married for almost 6 years and Sean and Jill are past the 6 month mark of their marriage. But this was the first time that we were all together. It was the first time for Stephan and Natalie to meet Jill and vice-versa. So radio silence at this time was more than appropriate. 

We are so thankful for the opportunity we have had to get to know each other in these days. It has been thrilling to see how our daughters-in-law have shaped our sons, to see how our boys are men, and to see thee couples shaping, forming, becoming. The time was too short (is it ever enough?), but we were thankful for every minute. 

We had time with all four down at camp on the 15th, where church family could also get to know our kids. Stephan and Natalie visited Sean and Jill in Brussels for a day as well. And then we all met up for a day in Brughe. We are thankful for the little bits of conversation that we could have, for the moments to discover more about each other. The boys have heard all of our stories about them, but now the girls could hear some of them too. And now we, as parents – with the safe distance of time – could hear some of their stories that we didn’t know.

We also got to spend some tourist time with Stephan and Natalie in Amsterdam, Haarlem and Oxford – all because of church family who took care of us as well (Jim and Ruth Krumrei and Johan and Ludwin Huyghebaert - and the Boonaerts family who watched Chester). Take the time to look at as many of the pictures as you dare and feel free to ask us any of the stories that go along with the visits. Here are our pictures of the time together. 

We are so thankful for the time that the kids made for us, for the financial ability to make this possible and for the life and love that God gives us in this family. 

What does love look like?

The past month has seen us preparing for and enjoying our weeks at Bible Camp. We are so thankful that we get these kinds of opportunities to encourage and be encouraged by people at camp. It is our fervent desire that these moments bring young people closer to Jesus, encourage brothers and sisters to see how God can and is using them in His kingdom, and enjoy the challenges that God brings us to help us grow in faith as well. 

At the end of July Scott directed a week of Teen Camp with the 12-14 year-olds. What an amazing age, with young people who are wanting to change the world and who are willing to see and accept the challenge that God gives them in changing the world. Our theme was “Living Upside Down” and we talked about being willing to swim against the stream, being willing to stand up for what is right. 

What always amazes and encourages me is how God presents immediate opportunities to put all of the lessons we are learning into practice. Not only did we have a few campers who are not believers, but we had to struggle with what it means to differ in opinions and still try to love one another and get along together. Of course the setting always helps – the fantastically beautiful nature, getting to work together at ‘kp’ (kitchen duty), playing sports and games together. And struggle is good. 

The following we were both down at camp for Family camp – Scott directing and Shirley directing the kitchen. I am always thankful to be back together as a team – I depend immensely on Shirley’s ability to run a kitchen well and very efficiently. But we are also then able to share our thoughts, feelings and prayers at the end of the day – preparing for the next day. 

This week was centered on prayer, and it was the question from our young brother in Christ, Mathias van Ginneken that stuck with me from his lesson on the Lord’s prayer (“Our Father” in Matthew 6:9-13): What does love look like? He pointed out that in this prayer – the most important thing Jesus teaches his followers concerning prayer – Jesus mentions forgiveness as the most important thing we do (it is about ‘us’, not ‘me’). After the Lord’s prayer (verse 14 and 15) he reiterates this essential element: forgiveness. That is what love looks like. 

This struck me because we were blessed with families in this week who were so grateful to be away from struggle, away from angry neighbors or strident ex-partners fighting for kids, or difficult relationships with family members. Here at camp, although no one is perfect, we work together, we share, we encourage one another. It was like another world. And isn't that exactly what God intends? 

It has stuck with me since that week. God’s greatest show of love is in forgiving us. That is what Jesus came to do and what he modeled for us as well. It is the hardest thing we will have to deal with in our lives – nigh on impossible. And yet God asks us to do the impossible – with His strength and might. He makes the impossible possible. 

So as we head into September and many more activities and wonderful discussions and studies, we hold on to that thought: What does love look like? It looks like us forgiving one another, striving to live together. What a blessing! 

Head on over to our pictures and taste a bit of what the weeks were like. You can see Teen Camp here. You can see Family Camp here. Thank you for your encouragement and desire to live for Him every day!

Remember. Celebrate.

This past weekend I saw signs of "May the 4th be with you." And sombrero's and more for "cinco de Mayo". In the Netherlands the 4th and 5th of May are special. They say: On the 4th we remember; on the 5th we celebrate. The 4th of May is to remember the soldiers who gave their lives in World War II to make the country free. The 5th of May is a celebration of Liberation Day - the day the country was freed from occupation. 
On the 4th we were together with church members during our first Friday singing day - together with members from the French-speaking church in Liege. At 8pm we spent a moment of silence (two minutes) and we thought about those who had gone before us, fighting the good fight of faith. Then we sang of the liberation brought to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are free! 
I thought about several people who have been influential in my growth and life as a child of God. Here in Maastricht we recently said "See you soon" to our sister, Willemien. She and her husband were two of the first visitors to the church when we arrived in Maastricht. Willemien was a grandmother to our boys and to many in the congregation. Our sister, Roos, was taken by cancer in the early years of our time here in Maastricht. She was not only a part of our team, but I had known her in my years as an apprentice in Haarlem, 10 years before. We look forward to singing with these two women soon. 
But then my thoughts went on to the family members in the congregations who support us. My father in the faith, Ron, who taught me so much, well before I was a child of God. Or the elders from 11th and Willis in Abilene who were our first experience as a married couple and what they meant to our lives in Christ together: Dub, Neil and others. 
In each of the cities we visit when we go on Home Assignment, we always have a place to stay. In Minnesota that was first always with Susan, who also helped establish a wonderful, loving family. In California it was Wanda who often made sure things were organised. Both sisters went Home quite unexpectedly. 
But it is the celebration that reminds us that we will see them all again. We will sing the new song (and even if it IS a new song, we will all know it) as we gloriously celebrate the Lamb and His victory. So we know, even now, that we are liberated. We are made free. We are made new. And we live as people who know that we do not belong here, but we will bring the liberation of the King here. That is why these and many other of our brothers and sisters have taught us. 
Remember. Celebrate. 

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.  Hebrews 11:13-16

Now that's family!

I have used this space before to talk about family. It's one of my favourite topics. Shirley and I both grew up in large families, although we did not always know our extended family. But once we became Christians, we found out what family really means. I remember the first time I read Jesus' words in Mark 10:29-30 about leaving family for Jesus. I was already experiencing this truth in my Christian life and it would only be emphasised even more through the years. 

God loves family. He created it. It is His design. And it is amazing. So when we have opportunity to experience family, we enjoy it completely. And the last months have been full of family moments. 

On March 15 our Raab family added a daughter-in-law as Sean married Jill Verhaeghe just outside of Brussels. Both Sean and Jill work and live in Brussels. Jill joined us on a trip to Prague in January as we got to know her better. Now we look forward to getting to know her and being there as family for her and Sean. On May 26 we will hold a reception for the church members and friends in the area so that the broader family can get to know Jill as well - and vice-versa. We have been so thankful for the help that our brothers and sisters have been. 

At the end of March we spent a day with church family from all over the Netherlands and Belgium singing, learning new songs and getting to know one another. This was the 5th time a Song Workshop was organised and we had about 25 participants. The church in Rotselaar hosted us for the first time and we saw several first-time participants. 
We are so thankful for brothers and sister who so desire to spend time together and to spend that time singing to the Lord, our Father. Since I was leading the workshop, there are not many pictures, but we had a great and upbuilding time. We were able to record some songs that were new for some. And we learned some new hymns that I hope more in the church will be able to learn as well. 

At the beginning of April we said goodbye to our sweet sister in Christ, Willemien. She was 96 and has been patiently waiting to go Home for years. Her spirit of sharing, of patience in the Lord, of strength in His promises has always been an encouragement to me. Our life will be very different with her gone and we will miss her. But we so look forward to the time we will sing with her again around the throne. 
We were thankful that her passing was also a time of coming together, sharing as family, remembering how good it is to be children of God. He designed family for these very purposes. 

Take time this week - on Sunday and the days in between the weekend - to experience and remember how good it is to be part of His family. 

The manifold wisdom of God

We have been blessed in our lives to travel quite a lot and see all sorts of different places. In the US we have lived in the Midwest, in the West “and even in Southern California,” he said with a wink in his eye. In Europe we have had the opportunity to travel all over most of western Europe and much of Eastern Europe. But we have realized that there is an amazing variety of beauty and information wherever we are. Look in your backyard (or on your terrace or balcony) and pay attention to what you can see, hear and smell even there.

In all of this variety, God wants to share with us His will, His word and His beauty. I have seen God’s beauty and truth in deserts, in coastal waters, in forests of pine trees or oak, in the rolling plains and the Grand Canyon. In each place there is something else to see, something else to learn.

In the same way, the various people we have in our lives are all opportunities to learn about God’s grace, love and patience – with us and others. This is how our weeks and months pass, in a variety of conversations, studies and activities – just like yours.

With the congregation in Maastricht we are working through a study of ‘The Mighty Deeds of God’ and how we proclaim them. On most Wednesday’s we are reading in Acts to discover and be encouraged by the way the church belongs to the Lord. This ties into a mentoring study that Scott is working on with a brother in the north of the country.

At least three times a month we meet with members from Belgium and the Netherlands to sing together and learn new songs. In March we are organizing a Song Workshop for the 4th time – a day to learn new songs for all the congregations, encourage one another in the beauty of singing together for the Lord. We are also recording these songs so that members can learn and teach them to others.

But each day also brings us back to our time together, what we have been reading in the Word, what God has been teaching us in our daily struggles. And we try to be aware of what we can learn and share. This is no different than the many ways that God has been working in your lives as well.

Would you like to share with us what you have been learning and experiencing? We would love to hear from you and share together, encouraging one another. Drop us an email, leave a message here on the blog, connect with us on facebook. The world is much smaller today than ever before. 

On the Family Side ...

We are so thankful for technology and what it makes possible. Almost every Monday evening we are able to sit down to eat with Stephan. It is his lunch as he comes home from work, it is our dinner before we head out to a study. But we get to spend at least 30 minutes together just checking in. Stephan and Natalie are doing well in Indianapolis and we hope to continue this good contact.

Sean used to be home from Brussels for sure every

© Joost Paulussen

weekend. But now that his band is past-tense, we cannot always count on seeing him. Some of you may have seen that ‘Wooly Mammoths’ pulled the plug (I am imagining the mess that will leave in the bathtub!). If you are interested in hearing their music, check it out here. This does not mean that Sean has stopped working on his music. It simply means that the guys were going different directions in their lives.

In the meantime, Sean continues working on and evolving his music. If we understand correctly, more news will follow in March when he presents a new project. So, although he does not come home for rehearsals on the weekend, we do still get to see him regularly. When he had two weeks vacation around Christmas and New Years, we planned another get-away together for a few days. This time we visited Prague and his girlfriend came along.

Shirley and Scott are both enjoying technology and people as well. Scott talks with his best friend almost every Sunday evening – something they decided on after the reunion at York College in October last year. Shirley uses her iPad to research, discover and communicate: the world at your fingertips.

We enjoyed family time around the holidays and especially the time in Prague. A quick trip (two and a half days) is short but sweet. We are thankful that there are so many interesting things close by. And many of the things far away can be brought close through some technology.

Oh - and Chester is still doing great. Any time we put Sean's music on, Chester starts 'singing' along. He guards our house and is a balm to our hearts (even when he doesn't listen or do what we wish). 

Thank you for sharing your joys and pains with us, making it possible for us to be part of your life as well. We are so thankful for the family that we have in Christ all over the world. If you would like to see some pictures of what we do at times, surf on over to our picturesite.

Living Stones

In December we always enjoy the people that make the month so special: Shirley’s birthday brings to mind how we met and our many adventures together, our wedding anniversary speaks to how we have grown together, Stephan and Natalie’s wedding anniversary is the very next day (it has already been 5 years) and Christmas brings us together with all sorts of family. So we share meals and moments and enjoy the end of the year looking forward to the beginning of a new year.

As January approaches we shift our focus to new and continuing activities. What is exciting about these moments is how we see God working in us all together to do His will. Shirley and I welcomed 2018 with members of the church from Eindhoven and otherwheres. Later in the month we held our first Wednesday singing on a Friday and decided to make a meal of it. We met with 22 people from our congregation in Maastricht and the church in Liége to share together and sing – in whatever language possible. It was great to see how ‘Aunt Nel’ (as we call our sister from Maastricht) made such an effort to fellowship, even though she can speak no French or English and they could speak no Dutch. The 3rd Wednesday of the month found us singing again, this time at our monthly singing in Eindhoven.

As the year progresses we will be working on various projects that include members from around the Netherlands and Belgium. At the end of the month we hold our annual Ardennen Bible Camp meeting and Family Day. Much has changed down at camp because of a generous legacy from our sister from Brussels. In February there will be time at the Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS) in Germany and I will work further on a mentoring program with a brother in Haarlem. March will bring a new song workshop for the Dutch-speaking congregations – learning new songs and encouraging members to sing by offering tools to sing and lead singing.

Buildings in Belgium are made of brick – stone by stone. Each stone matters. Peter understood this image well and emphasizes how we all are being used to build this temple of praise for our Lord. Let yourself be used, wherever you are, together with those around you, for a building of praise.

As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5