Books - be generous with them

Books play an important part in our family's life.  You will find books in almost every room in our house. Our books not only have stories and conversations within them but also wrapped around them. I look at certain books and remember the places I have taken them, people who have borrowed them and those who have received some as gifts.

Recently God has given us several ministry opportunities through the books we own. I hope this little post encourages others to see their books not just as learning tools but also as ministry opportunities.

Book #1 - Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Brandon has had the opportunity to hand a couple of these out to workmates recently. He decided that he and the group at work who get together for lunchtime religious/Christian discussions should read the book.

For Christmas this year, Brandon decided to give everyone in his group the book.

Pray that those receiving this gift would read it and be challenged by its content. Pray also that if they don't read it that the book wanders into the hands of someone who will.









Book #2 - The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller

As you can see from the dust jacket this book has been handled well. Brandon and I have both read this and would have to say it is one of the best books on marriage that we have ever read. One tip...read the footnotes! Timothy Keller's footnotes help to dig deeper and give you even more to chew on.

We recently lent this book to a Christian friend who is still single. He was encouraged by the book and found it useful. Lord willing in the next year we might start a Bible study around this book and the study guide that the Head, heart and Hands blog offers.









Book #3 - The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

I always carry a book in my purse/bag. One valuable lesson my dad taught me early on in life was that you should never leave home without a book. It doesn't matter how long you think you will be gone or what you might be doing. Always come prepared, bring a book.

A few Saturdays ago I had the privilege of hearing another sister-in-Christ's life journey. During her testimony this book came to mind and how it might be encouraging for her to read. Providentially the book was in my bag - thanks Dad. I was a bit hesitant to hand it over as I was only half-way through. The prompting from the Holy Spirit won out and I passed it on to the new owner.  I figured I could buy another one in a few weeks.

Little did I know, that the book our church would purchase for every family this Christmas was this very book! I read the last half of the book today for my Sunday reading.

Book #4 - Handmade books by our girls for two deaf Sri Lankan girls

Through a workmate of Brandon's God has provided us with a ministry of mercy. This workmate is Sri Lankan and while back home met two families who have deaf daughters. The girls need hearing aids but these devices cost the amount of a year's salary for both families.  Dan, the workmate, asked Brandon if our church helped with this sort of need. Through our church family, other workmates and family we have been able to raise enough money to buy both girls hearing aids as well as a little extra.

As a family we decided to send these homemade books along to tell the story of Jesus and Jarius' daughter. See Luke chapter 8. Brandon's workmate has graciously said that he will translate the stories found within these humble books into Sinhala, their native language. We also included notes sharing with the families how Jesus' ultimate mission was to come and clean/fix our dirty/broken hearts. Below is the entire message we added to the back of the books. Please pray for these families. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in their hearts. Pray that God would bring Christian Sri Lankans into their lives.

We are so glad that Dan told us of your need for hearing aids. People from America and Australia all wanted to help and gave generously. All of us gave a little and it added up to a lot. Some people who gave are Christians, who worship Jesus. Christians are happy to give because Jesus gave so much to us. Christians believe that God came to earth as a man and lived with the very poor and helped those who were sick. But that wasn’t his ultimate mission. His mission was to fix broken hearts. 

All of our hearts are broken from birth and don’t work right. We sometimes lie, cheat, steal, hurt others and much more. These actions make our hearts dirty before God. Dirty hearts make it impossible to have God as our Father, as he wants to be. The only way for this to happen was for Jesus to die for us, punished in our place. Then we could have God as our Father forever. Jesus didn’t stay dead, because he was God, death had no power and he came to life after three days. If we believe this and worship Jesus, who is now with God in heaven, we can have God as our Father forever, our dirty hearts are taken and he gives us a new heart, and we can have hope that we live forever with him after we die 

This is what Christians believe. This is why we like to give and help others; because our God loves and gives to us. He even gave himself.

Pray and look forward to the opportunities that God may give you through your books. And be generous with them!

Future ministry opportunities? First on the left for sure.

Our Neighbourhood Thanksgiving

Every year we enjoy gathering with fellow Americans and their families for a Thanksgiving lunch down in Geelong. We always have a great time together and are thankful that the Nelson family opens their home to all of us.

This year we decided to extend our Thanksgiving holiday by having a second feast the following Saturday for our neighbours. We wanted to provide an opportunity to get to know some of the families we didn't already know as well as provide a house/meal where neighbours could get together.

Two weeks prior we printed out invitations and walked up and down our street handing them out. This act in of itself was valuable. We were able to meet four residents that we hadn't previously known. The reactions of people were interesting. Some were genuinely surprised that we were doing something like this. We tend to live in a society now days that guards our homes and we do not often invite each other in. Sadly, the high fences in the Australian suburbs lend to this fortress mentality.

A week before the event our oven broke. We called the realestate agent our landlord uses and they promised to get someone out there soon.

As the day drew near we had a few neighbours RSVP. Due to a small number of neighbours who said they would come we decided to invite one of Brandon's workmates and wife who were really eager to celebrate a Thanksgiving, "like the ones in the movies", they said. We also decided to invite an Indian fellow we met Target and another lady who I have become friends with through the local grocery store.  This was a bit difficult in that I really had no idea how many people would show up. I have learned since moving here that Australians are not  big fans of the RSVP, so who knew how many would really show up.  Was the turkey big enough? Should we set up three tables instead of three? Should we invite others outside the neighbourhood?

Brandon met the Indian while shopping in Target a few weeks ago. He saw Brandon's moustache and started telling him about a village in Indiana where all the men grow similar moustaches. He asked Brandon to send him a few updates about the 'stache which then eventuated into an invitation to Thanksgiving.

My friend from the grocery store works as a cashier there. I try to go through her line whenever I'm there so that we can talk. She and her husband are from India. We talk from time to time about missing home, being away from family and life in general. She asked me about Thanksgiving last year and so I invited her to this year's meal.

Two days before the event our oven was still not in working order. I planned our menu so that everything but the Turkey, stuffing and pies could be eaten cold. So for instance instead of mashed potatoes we might have potato salad. Instead of green bean casserole we might have a cold green bean salad. I was planning on driving all the food over to the church for cooking until our neighbour, volunteered her oven. This was very kind of her and took her up on the offer. A bit humbling for me. Invite the neighbours over for Thanksgiving but then use their oven to cook everything!

The day of, still no oven. Brandon and I started running food over to the neighbours for cooking.

The girls decorated the tables for me with paper leaves in autumn colours.

Brandon set up a curtain outside for our play.

In the end we had three neighbour houses come, one family and two widows. We also had the workmate and wife and the man from Target along with his friend. Sadly the lady from the grocery store was called in to work late at the last minute and she and her daughter could not come. The countries represented were Greece, England, Indian, Australia and American.

Before having dessert our kids and the neighbour boys put on a play explaining why we celebrate Thanksgiving.  I think the Thanksgiving story should fit under the category of a drama but it turned out to be more of a comedy. Gideon was slipping down the Mayflower gangplank, the pilgrims' guns were plastic machine guns, Gideon forgot his one line of "land ho!" and other confusions. It was enjoyed by all and perhaps even educational.

During dessert Brandon read part of Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving day proclamation to our guests. You can read the excerpts below.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God...

...No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. 

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth. 

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

We really enjoyed our neighbourhood Thanksgiving meal. I don't know if you could say it was like the ones in the movies...maybe in 'A Christmas Story' sort of way? When you open your home to people you never know what will happen. An oven may break, guest numbers may be uncertain making the food difficult to plan, the entertainment may not go as smoothly as some would hope and your grocery budget may be blown to bits.  Hospitality is not easy or cheap but as Christians we are called to open our homes to others.

When we open our homes we make ourselves vulnerable to others. Through this we learn to rely on Him for our needs (even how the food will get cooked), we learn to care for those who society forgets (widows, orphans and migrants) and we are reminded that Jesus made himself completely vulnerable on the cross, giving up his rights and ultimately his life, so that we might have forgiveness and eternal life through his sacrifice on the cross.

We also are provided with the opportunity to show Christ's love to others. Something we desire to do on a daily basis.