Family time

You have heard me talk many times about family. It is still amazing to me how God created family and uses it so wonderfully. Family is God’s design for how we work best. We need each other. We grow by struggling with relationships together. We learn from one another. We practice love and hope and courage when we care for one another. We see what is real by seeing it in the examples of those around us. Family is simply amazing. 

And that is true whether we are talking about blood family or God’s family. Not every family works as it should do. But it is family that shows us how things can and should be. So I keep my eyes open for family moments and I relish every moment that teaches me another truth through family. 

This month we have several church family moments coming up. This Saturday we will be down at camp with members of the church from around the Netherlands and Belgium. The church in Ghent is planning the Family Day. We are looking forward to seeing some of the teens we had at camp, some of their parents, and many others from various congregations. It is always a great day - and we should even be getting some sunshine to go with it (a real blessing in Belgium)!

We already had our singing evening this past Friday in Maastricht. The last Saturday we are planning a youth day. This week Shirley and I will be dropping in on our young Ukrainian couple for a study and some games. We were planned to see them last week, but the car broke down. We are thankful for good garages and the funds to take care of things so that we are now able to visit them. 

In the Fall we are looking at starting up some Saturday walks in the neighborhood to encourage the church and also share the gospel. In November we look forward to the COPA Benelux - an indoor soccer tournament with teams from the various congregations. The last one was held in 2019. (The picture is from 2015!) We may not be playing this time (although we might), but we will definitely be there to encourage all who attend. Family time is always good. 

On the other side, we are also thankful for family in difficult times. This past week Shirley heard that her youngest brother unexpectedly passed away. It hurts to know that we cannot be there, although we know this is simply reality. But it is good to know that there is family there to care for one another. Roger - Shirley’s brother - had a whole family of co-workers who cared about him and cared for him. His children, whether they were from his loins or not, feel the loss and are there for each other. Please keep them and Shirley in your prayers. 

Take time to look around and see how God is using family in your life. Be thankful for the connections that are there. And know that God’s design for family, the church, is just what we all need - at all times. 

The body of Christ

When we first came to work in Maastricht we were so thankful for the people that God put in our lives, for how He was able to use normal couples to do mighty things in His power. Through the years many of those couples left. One sister passed away from cancer and her husband married another wonderful sister. They became an amazing couple in another city. Some couples became families and moved to other cities to be used by God there as they grew their families. It always felt a bit double - we were so sad to lose them to another place, but we were so thankful that God was using them in this other place. 

In the past year or so we have become the recipients. We welcomed a family back to the family here in Maastricht who had been here four years ago. We welcomed another family from one of the congregations in the North. Some sisters from other congregations moved to our area and have strengthened the congregation here. New people, coming from congregations elsewhere in the world, are now part of the family here. 

Each time we know that God is blessing us - either by moving a couple/family to another place away from us, but in His hands, or moving them to Maastricht and still in His hands. We know that if we are willing to listen to God and follow His lead, He will be able to use us mightily wherever we are. 

This past Sunday we welcomed Mark and Oneta Tornij back in Maastricht for a day. Oneta is the middle daughter of our sister Geesie. Mark and Oneta married here in Maastricht before moving first to Amsterdam and Haarlem, then to Germany, the Czech Republic and now Connecticut (Mark works in NYC). 

God is not in one country, He is everywhere. God is not restricted to using you and blessing you in one place. As a child of God, you can be useful wherever you are. The important thing is trusting in Him for your daily walk, wherever you are in this world. 

How has God used you in the places you have been? How is He using you now? 

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.  Psalm 139:1-3

Magnificent, Marvelous, Matchless Love

This past year was the second corona year and brought its share of challenges and blessings. Although we certainly were not always happy with how things progressed throughout the year, we were aware - and are even more aware now as we look back - that God is always busy as only He can be, with wonderful, matchless love. 

Time and opportunities

The lockdown provided more time for other activities. Scott and members of the congregation recorded Dutch-language songs and versions of songs so that others in the church could be surrounded by singing. Scott’s colleague, Luk Brazle, was doing the same thing across the country in Ghent. This continues today as well, when we have the time. You can find those songs on Youtube

But now in Christ Jesus 

you who once were far away 

have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

Ephesians 2:13

When we were stuck in the second lockdown, we were amazed and thankful at how beautiful it was to be able to get together from so many places. That is the beauty of online. While meeting online for weekly worship, we got to know members from the church all over Belgium and the Netherlands. Quite literally, those who were far off were being brought near to one another. 

Scott even had the opportunity to teach and take part in opportunities across the globe. A youth gathering online brought young people from all over Europe together. A (very) early morning in Belgium was an evening sermon during a lesson series on Colossians in a congregation in Colorado. And early Friday mornings in Minnesota translated to Friday afternoon men’s meetings for Scott in Belgium. 

In Maastricht we began meeting in person again and have not looked back. We care for one another and any who come our way. And there have been quite a few visitors - either from other congregations as they traveled or from people in the area looking to be able to meet once again in person. 

The congregation itself has expanded with new members from all ages and locations. There are 4 new women, a family from the past who has again been posted in our area, and a husband who found peace in God and returned to his wife. There are members and visitors from Brazil, Belgium, Ukraine, Poland and even the Netherlands. 

In this time we have all come to realize how important it is to care for one another, to be together and to encourage one another in God’s word. Our attendance at the Wednesday Bible study (online) has increased as we have seen the use of this tool to bring people from far away closer together. Our Sunday morning worship time is followed by hours of fellowship time where we also share insights from the Word with one another. 

This coming year will also bring its challenges. We pray that we, and you with us, will have learned that God can use all of these moments for His glory. He is able. He is shaping us into a temple where people can find His grace. We pray that we will continue to be focused on that grace in all of our actions with the people in our lives. 

Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.  Psalm 31:21-22

We are in this together

As the corona lockdowns loosen around the world we have been making plans for how to go forward in the coming months. Our enthusiasm for the possibility of seeing one another again and being able to do many things that have been restricted for so long has to be tempered by the laws of the land (two countries in our case) and our desire to do what is best for all concerned. We want to untangle this mess in the best possible way and turn it into something very useful.

In The Netherlands - where we meet as a church - congregations are allowed to meet together again from today, meaning that Sunday, June 14 would be the first Sunday. I already saw some Catholic churches in the city holding mass today. Only 30 can gather, and the normal restrictions must be followed: 1.5 meter distance, hand-washing, no greeting by handshaking or kissing, etc. 

In Belgium churches are also allowed to meet again, with up to 100 people. But only if they can do this while keeping the minimum distance and refraining from any kind of touching. And in both countries there is to be no singing! So, while we have had a challenge to sing together in our skype/zoom gatherings, we are now going to have to figure something else entirely for the coming weeks. 

For our congregation in Maastricht we will have to wait until the 21st of June because the border between Belgium and The Netherlands doesn’t open until June 15. About a third of our members live on the Dutch side while the other two thirds live just across the border in Belgium. So when the border officially opens, we will finally be able to gather together - even if it does mean all sorts of special rules and changes. 

As with so many of you who have already started through this process, we have discussed with one another if we will wear masks or not (we will in the beginning), how we will partake of the Lord’s supper (we figured this one out) and how we will sit while keeping enough distance from one another. We have also had to think about a protocol for hand-washing, toilet usage, and how we can share a time of coffee afterwards. But we will finally be able to be together and that is the most important thing at this time. 

One of the biggest struggles I think we as congregation will face is the injunction against singing. We are a singing church. Every service ends with a prayer after which we all head over to the coffee table and during which at least one brother our sister usually continues singing one of the songs sung during the service. A small group often forms of others who - coffee cup in hand - stand around and sing some more. This is not yet allowed, since the thought is that singing too easily spreads the virus. Still, we will find a way to keep the words of the Lord in our hearts and heads - together. 

And while we deal with these realities we are also making our plans for our summer Bible camp weeks. We had heard a few weeks ago that these would be allowed to continue. Now we are trying to make sure our teams will be able to attend and getting everything ready. Until this last week and news of the borders, we were not sure if kids and team members from The Netherlands would be able to attend. Now that that hurdle has been taken, we can move on to the normal tasks of getting lessons and activities ready. 

And all the while we are aware that we continue to be vigilant in trying to be safe. We know that there are some who have greater fears for the virus - correctly since they are part of a high risk group. There are others who have greatly missed being with others and will need to let the floodgates loose as they get the chance to talk to others. We want to look to one another and see how we can serve each other, care for one another.

This is a daily desire, a daily struggle. There are all sorts of struggles we must face - how to do what is right and good. And often it is not the big things, but the little things that will make a difference - even on the world stage. We continue to try to keep our focus on what is eternally fundamental: our salvation and that of those around us.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11

Family!

As we prepare to head off for two months, we are reminded again of the things that are so important and real in our lives. The apostle Peter said to Jesus, “We have left all we had to follow you!” Jesus replied, “No one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of Godwill fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

People here are almost flabbergasted when we mention that we will be gone for two months – until we explain where we will go and who we will see. Then it is often surprise that we are welcomed in so many placesby people we don’t even know. And truly, it is wonderful to know that we have family all over the world. And while we are very much looking forward to hugging on our boys’ necks, seeing our daughters-in-lawagainand seeing our blood relatives, we are also so thankful that we will be able to see brothers and sisters in Christ whomwe have not seen for quite a while and meet new parts of the family all over the US.

But before we get to see everyone on that side of the water, we have been spending time with our family here. As I wrote earlier this year, blessings come in all sorts of packages, including painful ones. It has been beautiful to see how we as a family in Maastricht can help one another when a member loses a loved one, when a dreaded diagnosis is given, or when a daily reality of living with a spouse antagonistic to faith hits again. We are here for one another. 

We have also been spending these last couple weeks trying to take care of everything that needs to keep going while we are gone. We will jump into a week of camp three days after we arrive back in Belgium, so lessons and plans need to be in place already. We want to make the most of relationships with people we have been talking to about God’s love, so we have spent time around the table in conversations. And the grass finally needs to be mowed and the weeds on the driveway pulled. 

In March Shirley enjoyed the ladies retreat in Germany. Scott held another singing workshop, this time in Eindhoven where Scott and Shirley go every third Wednesday for singing. We enjoyed several Monday evening studies with brothers and sisters as well as several other Wednesday studies at our home. 

These are the kinds of things we also look forward to in our travels in the coming months. Scott will offer a song workshop in Muscatine and Denver, will share thoughts and views on Bible camps and missions and will, together with Shirley, talk about how God has brought us this far and how He wants to use all of us. We look forward to seeing you in the US. Please let us know if we can hook up when we are in your neck of the woods. Family is very important to us.