"And I helped!"

When was the last time you allowed someone to help you – when you needed it? And when was the last time you allowed someone to help – even though you didn’t need it? I am so thankful for how God continues to help us learn how deep and wondrous His grace truly is.

We were so thankful that Harding University Chorus stopped by on their tour to sing with us and two local choirs. What impressed me was the willingness to help in whatever way possible, including crawling around on the ground setting up a podium, unstacking chairs before the concert and stacking them again afterwards. When I don’t want to ‘bother’ people in asking them to help, I remove any opportunity to serve. The concert was a time full of people being willing to help, even when they were not asked.

This past weekend I got to go down to our Bible camp. We hold a work camp every year at this time to get things ready for the summer weeks. Once again, people came willing to help, looking for ways to serve. There was a list of things to do, but there was also a willingness to ask: “What can I do?” And when some of the younger ones wanted to help, we found ways that they could take part as well.

We want to help. We are made to be part of creating. And God’s grace is what makes this possible in His kingdom. He allows us to help. He even puts us in places where we can help. I love working in His kingdom and learning from His grace.

Go on over to our photo site to see some pictures of the concert inMaastricht or of our time down at work camp. And remember to allow people to help you too, today.

I have been crucified in Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live in faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Sing and be Happy

You have heard me say it before, but I’ll say it again – I am so thankful for what God has given us in song! Singing brings heart and mind together. When we sing together, we bring our hearts and minds together. What a blessing and encouragement!

In March we organised the second Song Workshop in Antwerp – time to learn new songs for any congregation, to learn how to read music, to learn the bass line or other part from a specific song. It was a great day of encouraging singing and hopefully preparation for more in many local congregations.

On some Monday’s Shirley and I get to visit with Mario and Tonia in Aarschot for a study. Often we will finish the evening in song – no matter how late it has gotten. And on the first Wednesday of every month we welcome some members from the church in Liege for an evening of singing (often in three languages). This month Mavis Antwi was able to come as well. She is from Scotland, but is doing an internship in Heerlen (outside Maastricht) and made sure to be active with us for the three months she is in the Netherlands.

In May we are organising a concert with Harding University Chorus. Harding will sing with two local choirs and Laus (a group of Dutch-speaking church members) for a varied group in a church building that has been turned into a home and laboratory for blood studies (wonderful symbolism there!). Be praying for the singers, the listeners and all hearts involved, that they will be touched with the words and heart of God.

Whatever your heart is – lift it up with God in song. Are you alone? Sing it out (even if it is only in your heart). Better yet – get together with others and share those hearts and minds in glorifying and extolling our gracious Father.

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. James 5:13

Check out a few pictures here.

La La La and Who’s who?

One year ends, another begins, and life keeps moving on. We might have to learn how to make our fingers write (or type) that new number, but a lot of what we do remains the same. Our desire and task is to live daily in the will of God – especially in the little things.

A lot of what we are doing has to do with language, singing and relationships. At the end of 2016 we were invited by the congregation in Eindhoven to come for their monthly singing and help out with learning new songs. So now we get to meet with Christians from Liége, Maastricht and (soon) Hasselt on the first Wednesday of each month and then again with the members from Eindhoven on the third Wednesday. Learning new songs, enjoying singing together and encouraging one another is an amazing blessing for which we are so thankful.

We are also looking forward to Harding Chorus travelling in Europe. Besides hitting Germany France and the UK they will stop by Maastricht for two days and a concert. We have put together a program with local choirs as well as with the group Scott leads, called LAUS. We hope to not only touch hearts with the songs we sing and through the hearts of the singers, but also to let the neighborhood better know who we are as followers of Jesus. Think about us in your prayer time working up to May 16 and thereafter as well.

Multiple languages is simply a reality in Europe, and as more people arrive from various areas of the world looking for a safe place to live, we want to make the most of this opportunity to let people know who Jesus is. Last year we helped translate a basic book from Let’s Start Talking designed for beginning speakers. The plan was to use these with refugees.

Although we have not been able to begin this yet in Maastricht, in Eindhoven they have a group of refugees as well as a group of internationals looking to learn Dutch better. This means that we are looking at how best to get the normal FriendSpeak materials in Dutch as well. In Maastricht we are watching closely and praying about how best we can do this here. Would you pray with and for us?

Prayer is such a strength. It is in prayer that our relationships become clear. Every Wednsday morning at 7am Jan C. and Scott are together to pray for one another, fo r families, the church, the world and so much more. Brothers and sisters in Long Beach and Woodbury continue to encourage us as well as we take time together praying. What a blessing to know that we are a family and that God is in control. God’s design is glorious!

So we continue with our weekly activities. We meet five times a week with various groups to see what God is telling us in His word. Some of these are Christians and we are encouraging one another to live for Him. Others are those who are seeking God, but don’t always know where to look for what He really desires. Still others are simply trying to figure out how to get along in the relationships they have. We want to keep trying to be an example and a guide in these relationships.

As we look forward to the rest of 2017, we are excited about how God will use us. We just finished looking at 2016 at Ardennen Bible Camp and were excited by how much camp is being used not only for our summer activities, but also throughout the year by various congregations. We were thrilled recently by the news from our brothers and sisters in Long Beach who shared a gracious gift of $6000 to help make a needed renovation of our kitchen possible! This year we are planned to help out with at least two weeks of camp in the summer.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24