In Hebrew, hevel literally refers to “vapor” or “smoke”.
I’ve recently been reading Ecclesiastes and realized that 2019 was a year of hevel. It was a year that described for me how life is temporary and fleeting, like a wisp of smoke, but also how life is an enigma or paradox. Smoke appears solid, but when you try to grab it, it’s like nothing is there. Shortly after sending my last enewsletter in October 2018 my father passed away, just 11 months after my mother. My son and his family, after 12 years of service separated from the Air Force and moved in with us 2 weeks later, I broke my ankle 3 weeks after that, and then my husbands mother passed away 2 months later. Hevel, hevel everything is literally hevel. During that time my life was engulfed with unexpected distractions and responsibilities.
From this I experienced first hand what the teacher in Ecclesiastes was describing, that life is constantly unpredictable and unstable, like “chasing the wind”.
But just as the wind shifts so did my year. My son and his family found their perfect home, my ankle healed, estate business was coming to a close and summer was my opportunity to recalibrate and focus on something that was not hevel, helping myself and others realize that what gives life true meaning is hope.
Recalibration
As the smoke lifted, there was hope
Summer brought with it hope. Statistically we traveled over 7,030 miles, spent countless hours in preparation, invested over $8000 in playground equipment and ministry materials, were actively engaged in ministry for over 280 hours, resulting in 52 salvations, 13 water baptisms and an immeasurable number of life changing experiences. Was all of this hevel? It certainly was not! What happened in the lives of so many people is all that matters in the end. Lives were changed and drawn closer to the love of Jesus. We tend to find meaning in all of the statistics but there is no meaning and purpose apart from God.
Now that the majority of people are facing colder weather, what better time to share the warmth of God’s love. God has been doing some remarkable things and sometimes it’s difficult to catch my breath, so let me take a few minutes to recap the summer for you.
I watched youth groups draw closer together and I saw relationships built between team members and the people they met on location. Perhaps some of the most touching moments I was allowed to watch were the relationships that were growing between father and son. As I watched them pray together and share the day’s events or as I watched them work and play side by side, I couldn’t help but think of the relationship that Father God wants with each of us. He wants to be part of our everyday lives. He wants to hear about our challenges, concerns, heartaches and needs as much as he wants to hear about our successes, joys and dreams. When we allow Father God to truly be our father, then we will see our lives become FULL!
Team members weren’t the only ones to feel the presence and power of God over the summer. One of the most powerful moments for me was the day we took camp to the river side and baptized 14 children in water. Each person chose who they wanted to perform the baptism. Some chose their pastor or a parent but for me seeing some of the kids choose a teen team member to baptize them, now that was special. As the entire camp stood on the bank and watched, 13 children and 1 adult made their way into the water where they were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. What a sweet spirit next to that river. What must it have been like or felt like when John baptized Jesus in a river as the people stood on the bank and watched?
Take a look at what your generosity helped provide in the community of Whiteriver AZ, White Mountain Apache Reservation.
Homes of Hope was launched this past week as part of iRock Ministries. We saw a need after visiting the Apache Reservation in 2011 and it is our desire to give families a chance to raise their children in an environment where they can thrive and feel secure. By providing a hand up to those currently living in homes that are unsafe, we are showing them how God cares and provides for His children through the generosity of others. I’d like to introduce you to Ronnie.
White Mountain Apache reservation will never be the same! Why? Because 26 people from 4 different churches and 3 states converged in Phoenix to serve the people in and around Whiteriver. The goal was simple; reach the people with the love of Jesus. This goal was three-fold; Mega Sports Camp for the children, a work project to benefit a resident of the reservation and community outreach events to reach children in the outlying areas.
This team consisted of 13 adults and 13 children between the ages of 8 and 16. After spending 8 days with this group of people, I’m convinced that not only was it God led but the team was also hand picked by God. Everyone was focused and driven to complete whatever task was before them. From sunrise to sunset the team gave all they had to impact this community.
Lives were changed that week. Children like Tatiyana who received hope as she prayed with the team on Sunday evening. Or Titus that stood on the side lines and wouldn’t join the fun until different people on the team became friends with him. He was accepted and loved unconditionally. There were at least 35 children that made decisions to follow Jesus that week.