New Year, Renewed Focus

Happy New Year!  I believe God has GREAT things in store for us! 

For me, today feels like the last day of the Holidays – the Christmas tree is down, the nativity figures have been put away, and tomorrow I’ll be going back to normal work hours at the hospital (we’ve had the clinic closed for a few days over the last two weeks). In addition, today Rachel and I started our annual 21 day Fast, a wonderful time of dedicating the New Year to God and prayerfully seeking His direction for this year – in both our personal walk and among the Kudjip Nazarene Body, in our missionary work here, and for the road beyond this year in PNG. (If you have followed our Blog from the beginning, you will remember an outline on this 3 week prayer and fasting in a January 2014 Post.)

Being the first Sunday of the month, we gathered today with all the area’s missionaries for the “English Lotu Service”. We had a lovely potluck lunch, and then it was time for Lotu. Every month, the service is hosted by a different missionary family, and as the Lord provided an opportunity, Rachel and I had volunteered to host today. We began the service by taking up the offering – during which time I joined Andy, Jim, and Bill playing “Holy Holy Holy” as a trumpet quartet. I haven’t played much since high school, but playing the low part isn’t so hard, and all together I thought we sounded quite nice. 

Rachel followed the offeratory by leading a few worship songs on guitar, which I was pleased to hear everyone enjoying loudly, and which I thought set the stage perfectly for my message. Now, I’ve spoken only a few times in front of larger groups, but something about speaking in front of seasoned missionaries, pastors, and doctors had gotten me a little nervous. My topic was “Body-building”, a closer look at how we can strengthen our membership in the Body of Christ, and a subject with which Rachel and I had grown intimately familiar while leading a Young Adult ministry in Richmond, Virginia. As such, the moment I began to speak, God settled my heart, and I thought the message turned out OK.

(If you would like to read my message notes, CLICK HERE.)

To conclude the message, I invited everyone to join Rachel and me in our 21 day Fast, turning our focus on Christ for this New Year. Additionally, I encouraged them to join us reading through a Romans daily devotional, and to meet weekly at our house to share how the Lord is leading. My hope is that in our corporate study of the Word, daily prayerful fasting, and regular meeting as a Body, we will each receive new Direction and Wisdom from our Lord, and be strengthened as a Body for the work He has set before us here in the Highlands of PNG.  

If you too would like to join Rachel and me for 3 weeks of fixing our focus on Christ, please find the Romans Devotional HERE, and we would LOVE to hear how God is challenging you. 

All our Love, Ted & Rach

Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, 

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, 

gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. 

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

And over all these virtues put on Love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly 

as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, 

and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs 

with gratitude in your hearts to God. 

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, 

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.