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What
a glorious time we all had at this year’s convention! Beginning a week before
the convention, all the International Directors and USA
Regional Directors gathered together to pray and plan for the days ahead.
We opened our hearts to the Lord and He began to pour out new plans and new
strategies to reach the families of the earth. There was so much it was hard
to contain within us!
Then
over the weekend before Team Training began the Board met and continued on
the same theme—seeking the Lord for the next steps for the ministry. By the
time Team Training began on Monday, we were all so excited it was hard to
sit still.
Team
Training was a powerful time of building and developing teamwork throughout
the world. All international directors and regional directors met with the
couples from their areas of the world. As a team they began exploring the
new realms into which the ministry was moving and then made plans for how
to step by step see it all accomplished. As the days progressed, there was
a tangible anointing of unity and power that grew daily.
We
were blessed to have Dorie Funck join us. She and her husband Lenard were
the LITs for the very first Married for Life group (then Nova Shalom) in
1983. Lenard went home to the Lord almost two years ago and Dorie joined
us as a widow with a powerful call on her life. She participated in the Region
3 team building times and we are anticipating that God is forming a
new arm of ministry to widows and widowers that we have seen in our
spirits for many years now. It only seemed fitting that Dorie would be pioneering
with us once again!
Many
exciting changes are coming in the ministry—new ways to reach more people,
exciting leadership development tools, increased internet communication and
development—so many things are opening up today! Since the convention ended,
the leaders of nations and the US
regions have been praying and prioritizing for what needs to be done first.
Very shortly we will be communicating some of the first changes that will
be put in place.
Preparation Begins
Coming back from the convention on such a high it was almost hard to integrate back into normal life. When you’ve been on the mountain top, the valley is not where you want to go, but the valley is where the fruit grows.
When
we returned to the home office, Will and Jen Glover, our facility’s oversight
couple, announced that Will had joined the Air Force and that they would
be leaving within two weeks. Then Jack and Pam McLaughlin (Region 5 Directors)
shared with us that the Lord was calling them to a new assignment, writing
and consulting, and they were resigning as well. In the midst of great excitement
we suddenly were faced with great loss. Even though we rejoiced for both
Glovers and McLaughlins, it hurt to see them go. At a time when we were looking
to the future, it was hard to release people we felt were so key to the next
steps.
Around
the world other things began to happen as well. Issues seemed to be coming
to the surface on a daily basis. In the home office, relationships were tested
by reorganization and in the field challenges arose on many fronts. What
on earth was happening? We were sensing so many emotions—joy at what God
had promised, loss of relationship with those we loved, concern about what
was happening in some nations—it was really hard to grasp all that was transpiring.
When
things begin really swirling around us, there is only one place to find peace
in the midst of the storm—in the presence of the Lord. Thank heaven for the
monthly prayer and fast day because it mandates that we take time that we
sometimes feel we don’t have to just sit in the presence of the Lord. Setting
aside that day to seek the Lord and pray for the nations really has become
a wonderful oasis.
As
we prayed, God reminded us of the Israelites as they prepared to enter the
Promised Land. God had given them wonderful promises and they knew (because
of the spies) that the new Land was filled with gigantic fruit. What excitement
must have gone through the camp when the Lord told them to prepare to enter
in. Then Joshua commanded
the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the camp and command the
people, saying, “Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days
you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.” They must have felt much like we all did as we left convention. Finally—we are moving on at last!!
At
that point the Israelites were staying in Shittum (the meadow, or moist place,
of the Acacias). It must have been very beautiful there after the long time
they had spent in the desert. We began thinking about what a bittersweet
time that must have been for the families of Israel.
No
doubt they experienced many emotions there. First of all, there was great
joy at the promises that lay ahead. But at the same time there was great
loss. Because 2 and ½ tribes were remaining on that side of the Jordan,
it was a time of good-byes. Friends were leaving friends and families were
leaving family. They knew they would probably never see each other again
and that must have brought a great deal of pain to the hearts of many.
There
was probably some anger as well. Some may have been questioning this new
plan of God and why they had to leave ones they loved behind. They may not
have liked the two options God gave them—cross over into somewhere they had
never been before or stay where they were and not move on. Maybe they had
other ideas of what they should have been offered or the direction they should
have been allowed to take. Maybe they weren’t really happy with the new leader
God gave them or the way he was handling things.
There
was probably also some fear and uncertainty about how long it was going to
take to accomplish the mission so that the warriors whose families were remaining
on that side of the Jordan
could return home. Would they be safe? Would they ever come back? Why did
they have to go fight for a land they weren’t even going to live in?
Then,
as they prepared to cross the Jordan, God moved them to the Acacia grove.
Acacia trees provide very strong wood, but they are knarled and very thorny.
Now the Israelites were not only emotionally challenged, but probably physically
as well. The warriors who perhaps had escaped the emotional upheaval by focusing
on the battles ahead, were in very short time going to experience physical
pain as the Lord commanded they all be circumcised after they crossed over
the Jordan. Emotions and flesh had to be submitted to the Lordship of God. Strength for the days ahead came out of brokenness.
There
is a parallel here for us as well—we cannot enter into the new that God has
promised until we submit our hearts and our flesh to the Lord. Right
now from every LIT to every leader of nations, hearts are being challenged
throughout this ministry. Before God can take us to the next step, we must
allow Him to deal with our hearts and our flesh. In all aspects, in all things, we must honestly determine, who is Lord and Master of
ü our plans
ü our time
ü our choices
ü our feelings
ü how we find comfort
ü how we earn money
ü where we go
ü how we go
ü when we go
ü our stability
ü our health
ü our life and death
Just to name a few.
If
we have allowed something or someone else to take His place, He is going
to make that clear to us and bring us to repentance. None of those
things will sustain us in the days ahead. People will fail us. Jobs will
fail us. Leaders will fail us. Even our own hearts will fail us. He must
be our all in all. We may have built very strong personal kingdoms, but they
will not stand in the days ahead. Whatever we have built out of our own strength
will not withstand the giants we will face in the land ahead. It is better
our personal kingdoms fall now so that we can build on the strong foundation
of Jesus.
Exciting
days lay ahead of us! The prophetic word given last year--it's a new season,
a new day--is coming to pass. Right now we are in the Acacia grove, preparing
to enter in. Make the most of this time of preparation. Do not resist the
Lord, but listen as He speaks to your heart. Allow His refining fire to bring
the dross to the surface so that He might skim it off. Face the things He
wants to show you. As we all walk through this season together we are being
prepared for that wonderful moment when He says, "Come, put your toe in the
water and see what I will do!" | 
The children of the nations sing together in a special time of praise.
Latin America rejoices in praise. 
Hitchmans (European Intl. Directors) from England and Añibarros (National Directors) from Spain
Lakes (Asia Intl. Directors) sing praises in Tagalog with the Santos
from the Philippines
Around
the world every month new courses begin and more couples are reached with
practical spiritual principles for marriage and family. The following are
couples who are teaching their University of the Family course for the
first time in the United States.
Some of the folks who will be looking forward to seeing you in 2006
