And then there is this thought...

Thanks to SIM Australia's Kookaburra newsletter for Aussie missionaries.

And just for good measure: a photo of the
Zen garden in Holland Park

I have discovered that much of the enemy’s

plan to destroy us has to do with wearing us

out.

The missionary life is not a sprint; it is a

marathon.

Did you have a tough day? Get some space.

Take a nap. Take a walk. Listen to some

music. Don’t overact to the day. Rather,

respond by the Spirit. Instead of reacting to

the daily fl uctuations of the “spiritual stock

exchange,” choose to be a long-term investor

in the Word of God. If you remain faithful,

your ministry will reap eternal dividends.

The enemy loves to place a large map of

the Sahara Dessert in front of your face

and remind you how diffi cult your journey

is going to be. As you look at the many

challenges set before you, a demon whispers

in your ear, “Even if you make it through

this day, look how far you still have to go. It

is going to take you weeks, months, even

decades to get across this desert and you are

thirsty already. Give up now! Turn around!

Go back to Egypt!” Discouragement is a

powerful weapon.The enemy wants you to

become overwhelmed and to give up the

ground you’ve worked so hard to gain.

Remember the Lord’s words: “Do not worry

about tomorrow...each day has enough

trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). When

you are weary, don’t think too much or talk

too much. Don’t even glance at the big map

when you’re tired. Set your sites on getting to

the next shelter where you can rest.

~ Dr. Robert S. Miller, Spiritual Survival

Handbook for Cross-Cultural workers

(p. 37)

This is what friends are for!

Since I shared my burnout situation with my prayer partners, I have been receiving words of encouragement from different sources. I don't want to 'lose' these articles - they have all meant something to me, so I'm putting them into my blog so I can read them again - and so you can also be encouraged....

If I had the chance to preach to a crowd of believers only once... this is what I would tell them:

A preacher said that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him". A powerful reminder for those who are tired and regret not having enough time to do the things they want to do or feel called to do... for those who believe they dont have anything to give or feel trapped in the darkest corner.
Finding complete satisfaction in God does not require time or effort, or discipline, or money, or some prescribed attitude or behaviour, or theological knowledge. It does not require going to a church, or small group, or worship concert, or prayer meeting. It does not require giving or doing things for others. It does not require memorizing bible verses or reciting a special prayer.

The ONLY requirement is to BELIEVE that God is SUFFICIENT. That in Him is EVERYTHING I ever REALLY need and the rest is added. That His GRACE forgives me, His LOVE is abundant and His JOY is my strength. NOTHING ELSE!

That everything we do brings glory to Christ is what being a Christian means... and this is how we bring glory to Him. Not so much by doing or giving or being as by RECEIVING what He has given, done and been and getting SATISFIED with it.

Notice how we don't have any protagonism in this supernatural exchange of an old broken life for a new revived one. Is that unsettling? why would it be if you think of the responsability that comes with being the center. EVERYTHING comes from him, exist through him, and ultimately ends in him (check link below). This truth sets us free lifting the burden of needing to try hard... or try at all.

Think about this: If God has abundant blessings and is most generous with his children, wouldn't it be dishonorable not to receive them? It would be inglorious! what would bring most glory to this all-giving God would be to ask for MORE!
Now think about this: If God wants only the best for us and the best that exists is God (and He knows it), wouldn't He give HIMSELF for us as the biggest blessing of all? and wouldn't we find most satisfaction in that which is the best?

My only resolution then is to cry out for God to give me more of God before I say anything else and I'm sure I won't need to say anything after that.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%2011:33-36&version=MSG

What is real education about?

Another link to listen to:

http://www.thersa.org/events/video/vision-videos/how-to-change-education-from-the-ground-up

My French husband, of all people, put me onto to this group and to this speaker. Maybe he was tired of hearing me criticize the French education system, but I now feel more justified given the stature of this speaker and the things he is saying.

I do want to pay tribute to my Aussie collegues. I feel you have been adressing these issues for a number of years, putting into practise a number of educational values and techniques which help our kids to be creative and adaptable members of this fast-changing world.

The Thinker - angel version!

Tatyana, the Ukrainian lady who is very artistic and very evangelical, gave me this angel as a gift after her time in the Ukraine.

Her reason? "This looks like you, thinking hard about what you could be organising for Lamastre ! "(meaning evangelical and outreach activities).

I may not be an angel, but I do think hard about what we could be doing to open up the way for people to hear about the Lord God. Sometimes, I don't even have to think hard - the ideas come as I wake up or go to sleep and I have to write them down as quickly as possible so as not to forget them.

The next stage is the hardest - praying about the ideas and being patient in waiting for the Lord to direct. Then 'selling' the idea in order to build a team, getting it past the Church Council, having their approval and understanding.

The easiest bit is the actual organising.

My latest idea - organising a St Valentine's Day dinner for couples - firstly in our church, then for so many others whom we know. The French Alpha Course organisation has a package we could use. As a Christian Counsellor and pastor's wife, I'm in touch with so many heartbreaking stories of couples breaking up that I have a real burden to organise things that will help couples.

Please pray with me that this idea can come to fruition.

Burnout leads to new discoveries, new understandings

Through F/book I read the following article and want to share it with you because this last year I have been faced with my own fragility and burnout. The author has found such a great way to express her own journey and it rang true for me in a number of ways.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/october-web-only/second-calling-of-christian-burnout.html?start=1

I can't say I'm in the

 academic world in the same way as her, but the exclusion and the subtle (and not so subtle) disapproval of her Christian faith is exactly what we Christians experience in France.

The suffering and trials she refers to have helped her understand God differently and more profoundly. I have the same experience.

The need to be in an environment from time to time which can 'fill up the well' is one of the reasons I love travelling to England or being able to get a dose of Australia and it is why I continue to be part of the Femmes 2000 movement, even if it means travel. (But nothing is in vain, because this article was posted by Lidija, a Croatian theologian I met at the Femmes 2000/Hope for Europe conference in Strasbourg)

My counsellor is helping me to live for the moment and to enjoy the sheer wonder of being in God's presence in the here and now.

Peace and joy be with you.

Take time

After a beautiful, warm, sunny summer, autumn has arrived. And that's beautiful around here as well. So this needlework picture that my Mum and Dad gave me sums it up perfectly. Each day, in the midst of the busyness, I should - NO: I shall! - sit a while and enjoy the beauty.

("I am determined that this will not be just like a New Year's resolution" - repeat 3 times!!!)

Travelling

I'm off again ...

As the bus winds its way down the hills from where we live, I catch glimpses of snow patches on the highest sections of the French Alps, and I catch my breath as they glitter in the distance.

Another trip; another train to catch. My husband and I take it in turns to travel as we continue our work to the best of our ability.

In the bus my mind plays the vagabond. I love travel for that - time to think, to dream, to analyse, having down-time and leaving the imperative behind while sorting through the details of the necessary. Putting events, organisation and those famous 'lists of things to do' back in place in my mind.

This time I'm preoccupied by our church situation and I write down yet another wish list as the ideas resurface in a clearer brain.

When I get down-time, my creativity pops back up.

I am in awe at the way God is present in a couple of the situations which are suddenly evolving in a positive way.

I dream about starting up a young adults groups because we know quite a few 20-30 year olds who have nothing (more) to do with organized church.

I pray that God will send help for a few odd-jobs that need doing around the house because Pascal simply hasn't the time to manage them.

I regret not having more contact with other mums now that our kids are all in High School - must get those weekly walks back on the agenda. 

I search in my mind how to get my husband to have a real 3-week break by himself so he can rest completely and recharge his batteries. I'd love to see him leave on one of those Catholic pilgrimages !

I think about my 3 teens and hope we've sown enough for them to want to explore faith further - although I suspect that in their minds we are so connected with organised institutional church (BORING!!!)  that they may be turned off. Have we been living the Gospel and not just preaching it? I often don't think we have.

But thinking about them has really cheered me coz they are such great people !!! ;)

And then my thoughts turn to the event I'm heading for and I wonder what's in store for us there also. And because my prayer team has been praying for a time such as this (cf Esther), I'm confident it's going to be a fabulous experience.

I sigh with relief, mind more clear, optimism on the rise. I look out the window and admire this beautiful country I've been sent to. God is in his Heaven and it'll all be OK in the end. Mmm, could go for my mid-morning coffee ....

Travel broadens the mind!

Another version of 'liberty'

Last week they all went back to high school and uni ....

Pascal and I looked at each other Wednesday morning (after no. 3's departure) and felt .....

FREEDOM!

After 2 solid months of being 5 in the family, putting 2 meals on the table every day, seeing evidence of their constant presence all over the house (inspite of substantially sized bedrooms), fighting over who watches what on TV and turning off the TV during meal times, motivating speeches about helping because we live in community, proposals to change the daily diet of getting up late, lazing around, watching TV or computer screens, suggestions and outings, completing DIY chores .... Can't say that we were annoyed by constant music pounding away in different rooms, because youth today wears headphones. However, I found myself more than once either climbing the stairs to get their attention or sending SMS messages to communicate with them (thank God for unlimited texting!) because they couldn't hear us calling out!

So, a sense of liberty was our main feeling that Wednesday morning at 7:50 am .... Added to that, it's Pascal's day off! And we realized as well that it was our WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! 21 years together. where has the time gone??? In the rush to get everyone back to school we had forgotten this significant date.

"Let's go and have a coffee on the café terrace in the sun," suggested my husband. 

So our first morning of freedom was spent in the sun at a local café ..... checking our diaries together to make sure we had each other's activities noted! Because we are now teen-free during the week, but we've been back at work for a month already.

"Bonne rentrée!" as the French say.

* Good luck for the new school year

PS we also celebrate our wedding anniversary on 19th September which was the blessing at Syndal Baps church. Well, we'll see, because that's the day an Aussie couple arrives to spend 2 1/2 weeks with us ....

One happy family inspite of all I said above !

Spiders and liberty!

The French spider population is harmless and of a bearable size .... in general! Spiders are one thing I really don't miss from Australia. My ability to get close enough to a spider to kill it (still can't bear the thought of capturing it and putting it outside - it's the movement which gives me the shivers!) only developped along with my maternal instinct when my desire to protect my children became stronger than my aversion to spiders.

So imagine how grateful and proud I was to discover that no. 2 son (16 years old) had dealt with an uncommonly enormous spider just over our front door before his sister and I were due to go out cycling. He didn't even tell me it was there: he went down to check the tyres of the bikes, saw the beast and killed it right then and there! He even got rid of the body!

Wow! You know what my strongest feeling was after pride? FREEDOM! I had this amazing sense of FREEDOM! I no longer had to take on full responsibility for the well-being of my kids, nor think for them (well, let's not exaggerate - they are teenagers after all!), nor take initiatives, nor adapt my original plans to accommodate a changed situation. FREEDOM! to get my drink bottle and go downstairs and go cycling with my daughter! FREEDOM to be afraid of spiders and to let someone else deal with them.

Thank you, Lord, for accompanying us as parents and letting us see our kids grow into fine, young people.

What did we do for our summer holidays?

Watched Claire and the Town Band on July 14th (Bastille Day)

Visited a local village fair and admired this visitor's car. 

Inviting friends for BBQs and occasionally being invited

Welcoming Amy and Jesse on their honeymoon

Proudly watching on as our youth group led a service - outside!

Discovering Pat Berning and his band: a Christian song-writer

Harvesting our first zucchinis and reading P.G. Wodehouse!!

So far I've only got to read ONCE on the lounge chair outside under the trees - need to work on that one!

Started back 'at work'  by lunching with Catherine as she ha a full time job for the summer and can't get to church.

It was good not to leave for the holidays, but evidently, from time to time we found ourselves in work-related things. We loved being in 'our' lovely house and making the most of the garden. I was especially pleased to be able to invite several times without overloading the kids and hubby with social engagements! We did a flea market and sold quite well until a huge storm stopped us all and we played 'wet t-shirt' contests as we packed up. We went along to a few outdoor concerts put on by the Tourist Office. The weather has been really hot.

No.2 son has been valiantly picking and sorting cherries since 1st July and will finish at the end of this week.

No.1 son didn't find paid work, so has been helping us out in our odd-man jobs, tidying the attic and cooking. Daughter has been able to invite friends and be invited and has caught up on her favorite music and some artistic endeavours!

For the Southern Hemispherers: French school goes back 3rd September, so the parents are back at work and the kids on holidays until then.

Planting, planting ...

 




Sun's finally come out! Pascal got enthusiastic and planted out the rest of his seedlings, but found he had to create new vegie patches to contain them all.

In our pastoral rôle we often feel that our job consists of planting: ideas, Biblical principles, encouragement ...

For example, in my Junior High School Sunday School group, we are looking at why the Bible is essential to our well-being - it's our instruction booklet, the lamp to our feet, our bread, a mirror for ourselves, a purifying fire, and the images go on.

We calculated how much time we spend in front of our different screens! then we calculated how much time we would need every day to read through the Bible in one year if it took just over 70 hours of reading to get through it (12 minutes a day). So our challenge for this week is to read one of the books of the Bible for 10 minutes each day. One of the teens chose Genesis, the other Revelation! Then they decided that I should read the Psalms!

I'm reading them in The Message. It's quite a different take - sometimes quite surprising, and I'm enjoying reading them this way. It's also very reassuring because given our current social context, I'm reminded how much the LORD is sovereign and that He will have the last word.

"God's business is putting things right;

he loves getting the lines straight,

Setting us straight. Once we're standing tall,

we can look him straight in the eye." Ps 11:7

"Up, God! Aren't you fed up with their empty strutting?

Expose these grand pretensions!

Shake them up, God!

Show them how silly they look!"  Ps 9:17-20

And my prayer and desire: "I'm not trying to get my way in the world's way. I'm trying to get your way, in your Word's way. I'm staying on your trail: I'm putting one foot In front of the other. I'm not giving up."

 Ps 17: 4,5

Our job is to explain our HOPE

Yesterday my husband and I attended our regional Pastors' meeting at Lyon. Our day started with a discussion on the following text.

1 Peter 3:13-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats^[a]; do not be frightened.”^{[b] 15} But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

We said a lot of things on this text: we will suffer for following Jesus because He overturns the values of this world;  we need to keep Christ at the centre of all things, then we will act correctly and in harmony with His heavenly principles; we mustn't sin ourselves when hard-pressed by circumstances or persecution; we need have no fear (remembering that perfect love casts out all fear); and, in particular, there was a discussion about our main task as Christians. I highlighted the text : it's our testimony to who God is in our lives and from whom we get our hope. So this powerpoint reminds us that HOPE is the distinguishing feature of all mature Christians. God gives us the rest: peace, faith and love.

This discussion also comes after a seminar we organised in our church about how to understand persecution. It is a weekend course written by the Open Doors - Brother Andrew's organisation and has been done in many situations where Christians are persecuted. As events unfold in France and we see decisions being made which don't correspond to a majority viewpoint, we feel the oppression and the combat. We need to be and are actively preparing our flocks...

Gay marriage & Gender choice debate in France

I'm posting a commentary written by Lauren Moore who is also an Aussie missionary working in France. She sums up a very worrying situation and I'm grateful for her perspective. I'm really worried at the way government is operating here and rough shod decisions and lack of correct, informed, public, intelligent and respectful debate. Even if our rôle as Christians is primarily to proclaim the Kingdom of God and not to try and impose our way of living and believing (if not, we would be practising the equivalent of the sharia - think about it!), we do have a rôle to play in stating our beliefs and explaining why we understand things in that way - we have to be an alternative voice.

"The gay marriage debate is officially over in France last week, but yesterday the protests continued. There have been 3 major protests, gathering Catholics, Protestants and non-believers alike, to protest against the law to allow gay marriage and same sex couples right to adoption. There is also a change in the education system, to teach children that there is NO difference between male & female, that gender means nothing. (I promise I'm not exaggerating). Despite the protests being massive (hundreds of thousand up to millions of protesters gathered in Paris), nothing has been heard. Literally nothing in any of the articles of these laws have been stopped. Gay marriage, same-sex adoption, and the teaching that there is no gender have all been passed."

Still accounting!

Still going through my diary to record my 'business' trips and note ministry expenses and found this entry at the end of January:

internet connection down so made the most of it by sorting through emails. After sorting, cleared out 1500 emails from between November 2012 and end of January 2013! Mmm, definitely feel lighter after that!

(PS wish I could lose kilos as quickly! - come to think of it, if I spent less time on the computer and more on getting out, I could lose kilos almost as quickly. Keeping up communication today is a very time-consuming process ....)

Accounts

It's when we run out of money that I realize I haven't done my ministry expenses claim forms for a while! So here I am at my accounts work. Usually, I'd rather not have to bother about all this money stuff, but it is interesting to look back over the last few months and to take stock of our ministry activities. Especially when you remember why you thought it was a good thing to organize at the time.

An example: in my diary somewhere in mid-January I had noted during one of our World Day of Prayer meetings : "About oecumenism - it's now over 500 years since the great split in Christianity - 1000 years if you go back to the split between orthodox and catholic. It's only in the last 50 years that the number of mixed marriages between Protestant and Catholic (and can be noted now between different religious backgrounds such as Muslim and Christian, Jewish and Christian ...) has really increased. Learning to live with each other, to respect each other, to concede that the other's relationship with God has its own sense and validity is such a recent thing really - and what strikes me is that it has come about because people have turned away from religious faith and practices in such a big way. As people were less tied to religious practice, they formed other alliances and now our formal institutions are being forced to related to each other through oecumenism; forced by the changes in society and the (often valid) questionning of past practices and beliefs.

Now we Christians are working in a spiritual desert - and you can't erase 500 years of animosity in 50 years. But this spiritual desert is making us ask all the right questions and opening us up to God's leading in a much clearer way. And here I am in Lamastre - a country town in the middle of Ardèche - working alongside women from the Reformed Church (more liberal theology, and quite liturgical), nuns from the Holy Sacrement Order and Catholic lay women, looking for ways to attract more children and their families into the World Day of Prayer, an ecumenical experience par excellence! In our discussions we are pinpointing the fact that this generation of children have no real spiritual 'prejudices' and their parents don't know anything much to transmit to their offspring.

Our challenge : work together for the Kingdom and see more of this generation intelligently informed of the spiritual choices we all have to make.

We are all accountable to God for this.

So I'm glad after all that I have to do my accounts!!

Grains of Hope - for French speakers!

This will test your French!

You know I participated in the organisation and running of the big women's conference at the beginning of April. Well, they also planned to publish a collection of meditations on the theme "May Your Kingdom Come" using contributions from a great variety of women connected to the Femmes 2000 organisation.

I had something on hand so contributed one small offering based on 1 Cor 15: 35-58 which many of you heard me speak on when on Home Assignment in Australia.

The editors managed to compile this collection and print it in time for the Congress. Here is the advert!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUP7jIuqTv8

Each meditation is like a grain/seed of hope to its readers, as much as the idea itself was an encouragement to the authors. At the congress we had times labelled "Graines du Royaume/Seeds of the Kingdom" which gave a chance to several women to explain their particular ministry and how the Lord lead them and encourages them to be witnesses in His Kingdom. It's been a real boost to hear of so many things done in the name of the Lord and from many very small, even tiny beginnings (miniscule steps of faith) some amazing things have happened. The Kingdom is advancing, inexorably!!

Le contentement/Being satisfied

Had a lovely 3-day retreat at the SIM France guest house and offices. Soula Isch took on the question of being content/satisfied. Here is one of the reflexions she found to share with us.

Vis le jour d'aujourd'hui, Dieu te le donne.
Live today right now, God gives it to you
Il est à toi,
It is yours
vis-le en lui. 
Live it in Him.
Le jour de demain est à Dieu,
Tomorrow is God's
il ne t'appartient pas.
It doesn't belong to you.
Ne reporte pas sur demain
Don't carry over to tomorrow
le souci d'aujourd'hui.
Today's worries.

Demain est à Dieu, remets-le lui.
Tomorrow is God's - give it over to him
Moment présent est 
The present moment is
une fête passerelle.
a festive passage/bridge.
Si tu la charge des regrets d'hier, 
If you load it up with yesterday's regrets
de l'inquiétude de demain,
and tomorrow's worries,
la passerelle cède,
The bridge will collapse
et tu perds pied.
And you will stumble.

Le passé ? Dieu le pardonne.
The past? God pardons it.
L'avenir ? Dieu le donne.
The future? God gives it.
Vis le jour d'aujourd'hui
Live the present day
en communion avec lui.
In communion with Him.

Bernadette Coupey.

Christ is Risen!

Have a blessed Easter, all of you.

I've used this painting before, but love it, so you are getting another dose!

Feeling thankful because, although I would prefer Easter to be the biggest celebration of our church and it's not, today we have been able to organize for many people to participate in the service.

Especially thankful to have got the teens involved - working the computer, reading texts with several voices, playing music....

Praise the Lord, this Easter morning we will have 'real' music: here is Claire practising with Bernard. There will be a piano, 2 or 3 flutes, a guitar and me on tambourine!!!

Last night we had a youth group - not as many turned up as hoped, but a visiting pastor spoke about Heaven - what the Bible says about heaven and hell, the last judgement, what it will be like, what we will do in Heaven. It lead to some deep discussions and a couple of teens who are really searching had a chance to develop the subject.

We are feeling more encouraged - thank you for holding up this ministry in prayer.

Good Friday - thanks to Bronwyn for this

AND A GOOD FRIDAY WAS HAD BY ALL 

 

You man there keep those women back

and God Almighty he laid down

on the crossed timber and old Silenus

my offsider looked at me as if to say

nice work for soldiers, your mind's not your own

once you sign that dotted line Ave Caesar

and all that malarkey Imperator Rex

well this Nazarene

didn't make it any easier

really - not like the ones

who kick up a fuss so you can

do your block and take it out on them

Silenus

held the spike steady and I let fly

with the sledge-hammer, not looking

on the downswing trying hard not to hear

over the women's wailing the bones give way

the iron shocking the dumb wood.

Orders is orders, I said after it was over

nothing personal you understand - we had a

drill-sergeant once thought he was God but he wasn't

a patch on you

then we hauled on the ropes

and he rose in the hot air

like a diver just leaving the springboard, arms spread

so it seemed

over the whole damned creation

over the big men who must have had it in for him

and the curious ones who'll anything if it's free

with only the usual women caring anywhere

and a blind man in tears.

Bruce Dawe

Australian Poet - 1964

Meetings, meetings, meetings

In the last 10 days I've had the following meetings:

Fri- the SIM France Director and Personnel Manager came to visit us in our 'natural surroundings'! We shared our frustrations and our sense of loneliness in this country ministry. Pascal had written his Moral Report for the church's Annual General Meeting so we had concrete things to discuss.

We aren't alone, but at present that's how we feel.

That evening I attended the launch of the next issue of a new magazine created by a dynamic group of women here in Lamastre. A great collegial effort, creative, united, respectful of each other's differences and qualities, encouraging, beautiful, wise. They had 2 guys there to slam taking words provided by the audience. It happened to be the International Women's Day. That's the sort of dynamic I'd love to see in our church. We are so far from that, although there are aspects which could lead to that if people would only let it happen.

Sunday afternoon, the church AGM. Just reports, but some discussion on the financial situation. We really need to see the sale of the former chapel and manse at the other village. Unfortunately, there wasn't much opportunity to discuss why we are not reaching other people outside of the church. No volunteers either for the Synod. One very significant confirmation this week of the people's lack of vision or understanding of what is church: Pascal asked them why they thought they were elected on to the Church Council and what a council's job was. No one had a real answer. The main one being: because someone has to do the daily admin business of church. Basically like it was a club.

Monday - a young couple and a new convert for lunch.

Tuesday - a day-long meeting at Valence with our Regional pastors. One pastor forced to end his ministry for lack of compatibility. I arrived at that meeting in tears - the aftershock of the AGM and all the scenarios going through my mind. I guess it was my pastoral crisis time. The good news is that there are great things happening in other churches, mainly bigger cities. Unfortunately, we also learned that someone from 10 km away from us had applied to the Valence church for membership! That's the drawing power of a big dynamic church.

Wednes - my RDV with my counsellor. More tears.

             - afternoon with G and C who helped me prepare for the next church service - a little theatrical presentation of 2 Samuel 12 and Luc 19: 1-10

             - that evening the AGM of Femmes 2000 south-east held in Montélimar. A positive time of reviewing the year's activities and updating on future projects which are looking good, including Hope For Europe congress for Women in Leadership the first week of April.

Thurs - I drive back from Montélimar in time to quickly prepare my ladies' group for the afternoon, which should have been followed by the first Spring term after-school English class. No-one turned up (I found out they had forgotten, but are definitely interested) so will turn up in 10 days for the next date.

 Fri - went to wisit someone in the country whom I'm counselling.

       - big rest the afternoon, then housework, emails, and tried to get my head around the rest of my preparation for leading Sunday's church service. Pascal leaves for Lyon and his other church with its AGM

Sat - shopping, finish planning service with M and C's help. Youth group that evening, but my colleague is leading it, so I go to the Catholic church for a jazz concert! All alone! Bliss - sense of freedom and the music was a call back to life and joy, even with a gospel song!

Sun - lead the service, incorporating several changes - still very aware of appealing to the teens who are grumbling away and whom we risk losing. Very grateful to all those whom I enrolled to help - went well and felt God had been very much part of the whole process.

      - slept the afternoon away with a quite a bit of telly!

Mon - this morning spent in a follow-up meeting for the World Day of Prayer. Globally very positive and a special bonus in being an ecumenical group of women. We have our differences, but we work well together.

So yes, busy. My questions are always: is this leading somewhere positive? Is it part of building up God's Kingdom? Do I really need to be part of this? How is God leading?

That was the World Day of Prayer

My workshop with Vito (Italy), Marie (Belgium),
Claire & Marc (Franco-australian)

The kids chose questions from a box and asked our 'foreigners' about their experiences in coming to France.

ex. 'What are the difficult aspects of arriving in a new country?'; 'What do you miss the most from your home country?'How do you would  like people to treat you?'

 

I had the task of leading the first part

The kids define the word 'foreigner'

The first celebration Friday with Sylvie, our coordinator(L), Tatyana who spoke of being a foreigner, Philippe and Claire-Lise (who composed a song especially for the day), Henriette, our former coordinator. Took place in our church.

Pascal greets people for the beginning of the afternoon service.

The symbolic gesture - joining together multi-coloured scarves to show unity inspite of our differences

We had smaller numbers this year - was it because it was the school holidays? or because it was France? Pascal thinks it could be because the novelty has worn off.

31 kids for the Wednesday programme

38 in the afternoon service

56 with only 3 children in the evening service

Pray for France

objectiffrance.fr

PRAY FOR FRANCE!   The Campaign is under way - join us to make a difference!

See the web site - CCFOF or Impact France

And read the following -

This week (March 10-16) we are praising "The God of Inheritances" as we celebrate how God has used his people in France and how He is still blessing them and making them a blessing today!

Below you will find the major themes for each day (as translated from Objectif France's prayer guide)!

Prayer Topics

Sunday, March 10: Martyrs - Witnesses

Monday, March 11: Martin de Tours - Intimacy

Tuesday, March 12: The Huguenots - Prophecy

Wednesday, March 13: Destined to be a voice

Thursday, March 14: Hesitant destiny

Friday, March 15: Human and humanitarian rights

Saturday, March 16: Love and relationships

Virtually praying

This past Sunday, we tried something new to bring our community together in a way we'd never tried before with a virtual prayer group. Please "like" us on Facebook to see how to join us for the next two Sundays of the campaign at 7:00 PM Eastern here in the United States. There may be other "spontaneous" times of prayer that will be announced on our Facebook page during these next few weeks, so don't miss out!

May you be blessed again this week as you go forth in prayer and intercession for France!

In Christ,

David Broussard
President, Impact France

The French and the Vatican

Just heard yet another news item on what's happening at the Vatican on French National radio.

Ever since Benedict announced his resignation, the French press, TV, radios and newspapers have been reporting on what's happening.

For a country which has wanted to ignore religious beliefs in the public domain for so long, this is getting a bit ridiculous. Only 8% of the population consider themselves to be practising Catholics, although nearly 60% would say they are Catholic because they were baptized as babies in the Catholic church.

It's also interesting to see what and how the press are reporting on events. A few weeks ago (only!) they were full on about the the legislation on "Marriage for All" (the right for homosexual couples to get married and the question of adoption in homosexual couples) and very strongly supporting the bill being debated in Parliament. They minimized all opposition and tried to ridiculize those who spoke out against homosexual marriage especially in the huge demonstrations organised by religious groups - the main work and support base was done by Catholics and the Catholic Church tried to make its voice heard in a serious, valid manner.

Now, we have daily snippets of information which don't tell us anything major: apart from the main news about the resignation and the information that it's the first since 1400s;  the Cardinals all arrived the other day: they will soon lock them in; the fire has been lit. This mornings news was about the crowds in the Vatican square coming to see, wanting to be part of the action.

It's significant the way they talk about religious facts: the crowds were multinational and the cacophony of different languages spoken compared to those in the TOWER OF BABEL! What's the implication ? That these people are all waiting for the judgement of God and for the Tower (The Vatican) to be knocked down? What's the attitude of the reporter in this? Is he just trying to show off a minimal knowledge of Biblical history? Is he anti-Catholic (hoping they will be judged???) Why didn't he at least give them credit for being believers and use the image of Pentecost??? That would at least have been a proper Christian image and relevant to the beginnings of the Christian church.

Even if the Catholic Church has deviated from the vision God first had of building up His people, there are real believers in their midst. Many in those crowds are there to pray and not just to all the Saints and Mary Mother of God, but to their Creator God who made it possible for all of us to enter His Kingdom through the faithful actions of His Son Jesus Christ.

World Day of Prayer

Here in our little country town - there is LIFE!!!

For more than 15 years, women from the Catholic, Reformed and Free Evangelical (that's us!) churches have been getting together to organize the local version of the Women's World Day of Prayer (that is now open to all, by the way.)

When I arrived as the new Pastor's wife, it was expected that I get involved. The first year was 2009 - Papua New Guinea. Quite close to home really! It was a nice, staid experience, but not necessarily my cup of tea. However, I was called up for the next year's organisation. The group was getting older and looking for younger women to take over. The several women that I took along with me to the meeting were all younger and very involved in the children's ministry in our church. We said that if they wanted younger participants, they would have to reach a younger age-group in order to pass on the richness of the idea of Christian unity and prayer along with the discovery of a different country each year.

The Catholic church was in the process of holding a Mission in the region; their version of evangelizing their own people to re-awaken believers and renew the church.

So our mixed group of women, including Catholic nuns involved in their mission, came up with idea of involving children in the WDP celebrations.

In practice, this meant organizing activities and an introduction to the World Day of Prayer and the featured country on the Wednesday afternoon preceeding the first Friday of March. Probably the only time I thanked God for the French education system of no Primary School on Wednesdays, and only the mornings for the Junior and Senior High Schools!

The kids came along for the afternoon, then we invited them to take part in the Friday evening celebration. Of course, this meant that the families would come with them. We held a traditional celebration in the afternoon for those who preferred it and who don't like to go out at night, then the family celebration in the evening. It worked really well - great attendances and a generally positive attitude to the different churches getting together. It's always held in our church, too, so we are better identified now.

To these celebrations, we added a participative Bible study in the morning to get the most out of the prescribed texts and a meal based on the recipes of the featured country.

This year is a little different. We held a meal and Bible study earlier, in order to recruit new people to help with the kids' section and the actual celebrations. Now we are finalizing our preparations for Wednes 27th Feb for the kids afternoon. Then we'll have the 2 celebrations in our church on Friday 1st March.

This is also an opportunity to invite kids from non-practising families, especially since the issue of migrants in France is a hot one now. How do Christians understand their rôle in welcoming/integrating foreigners? What does Jesus ask us to do? Compare what He says with the Old Testament rules stated in Leviticus 18 and 19. What is the definition of 'foreigner'? In French, the word for 'foreigner' is 'étranger' which means 'stranger' as well, so this year's celebration, written by the French committee, asks participants to define "who is a stranger to me?" In the kids' section we are going to help them to understand that anyone who is different to me could be considered as a stranger/foreigner, so Jesus is asking me to accept that person and to value his/her differences as if we were reaching out to Jesus Himself.

A precious lesson.

And a bit ironic that I'm involved in promoting a positive attitude to foreigners as I am one myself!!!

May His kingdom come ....

See the Aussie WDP web page : Aussie World Day of Prayer website