Posted onDecember 31, 2022|Comments Off on Christmas and New Years 2022
Hello everyone! We have been through quite a year in 2022. Last year at this time, we were in our South African Christmas quarantine. It actually turned out to be a blessing and a rest that we needed before becoming caregivers. We hope that 2022 was a good year for you.
Tony and I wish you all the very best, for the Christmas season and into the brand new year, 2023. I’ve been reading various prophetic words from many well known voices, and many are saying that the new year will bring a season of favour, grace and blessing. There will be more opportunity for the gospel, more people reached, and that predicted revival is that much closer. Some have seen the starting fires of it in small towns. It’s a time of all hands on deck, for ALL of us are required, not just the “brand names” of those in the know. All of us are needed to “gossip the gospel” as a very dear charismatic Anglican bishop used to tell me (his name was Malcolm Harding, and what a blessing he was).
Tony and I became ill this month with an RSV like virus, and my dad was also affected. I did not have energy or stamina to write, but now that I’m beginning to feel better, I’m somewhat behind. However, I can say that there will be a brand new Ways to Grow in God article in January – on a topic you don’t always hear about – widows and orphans. Both these demographics are very important to the Lord, as is the refugee and the “stranger/soujourner/foreigner.” Tony and I were given an assignment with widows and orphans in South Africa (2017-2022), and we befriended a widow in Mozambique in 2016. Although we are no longer in South Africa as currently active Iris missionaries, we are full time live-in caregivers for my 93-year old dad. We still ‘foster-sponsor’ a grown orphan that we unofficially adopted while in South Africa. We continue to help towards her university (room and board, and a stipend towards her family’s food in her absence. This is so they don’t pull her out of school to work low-paid manual jobs to make ends meet for them. She’s on a scholarship at CPUT. We also have a widow who is dear to our hearts. a dear friend lost her husband last January to stage 4 colin cancer (after being treated for separate lung cancer). We reach out to her often, and love her fiercely. It only recently occured to me that while I consider her my life-long friend, she also is assigned to us. And why not? It’s a biblical thing that family cares for their own. She’s not family biologically, but she’s practically closer than that. She’s not a project and while we aren’t in the same country, I will never leave her.
This is commitment to widows and orphans. This is what they need, so they aren’t forgotten and invisible. God sees them. And while I can’t help them all, we can love and help two. More to come on this special topic.
Meanwhile, we bless you and pray that 2023 will be a kind year to you. If it is not, then turn to the God of all comfort, Jesus Christ. He not only loves you with an everlasting love, but he gives you grace, and kindnesses that you don’t expect. Look for them. He sees you. He remembers you. Happy new year, my friends.
Love, Laurie-Ann
Medical Updates: For those looking for news, Tony continues his immunotherapy infusions at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. He had a CT scan earlier in December, and it showed that the tumour has slowed its growth in one area and shrunk in another. Although this has been a slow process, we believe that it is better to continue on immunotherapy rather than switch to chemotherapy. Otherwise, Tony gets very tired after climbing steps, and has to rest often. This affects how we caregive L-A’s dad.
L-A had another breast ultrasound, and the lump she has in her right breast has not grown. The surgeon was satisfied,but the oncologist remains concerned. L-A next meets with her for a phone appointment in January. L-A is also in the middle of receiving dental treatment for crowns. Two have been done so far. L-A gifted her dentist with a USB full of colouring sheets as a thank you. He gave her 15% off the price of the treatment, since we have no dental insurance. Kindness begets kindness.
If you feel led to contribute towards medications and hospital parking expenses, and perhaps lymphedema treatments for L-A, this would be most welcome. Not everything is covered under Tony’s senior drug plan and OHIP, but don’t feel obligated. But meanwhile, all my teachings are online for free to bless you. Here is our Paypal for any of you who feel led to contribute: https://www.paypal.me/WaystogrowinGod
Laurie-Ann’s Colouring Books: If you are in South Africa, and would like to purchase one of L-A’s colouring books, some are available at LeRoux and Fourie wine shop on R60 beside Cape Lime. This is west of Robertson in Western Cape. Or you can have your own copies printed for you through Print on Demand through Takealot.com.
Laurie-Ann in the Billy Graham museum, Heaven Room, Wheaton, Illinois, June 1994
Right now at our Toronto church, we have been reading the Word on experiencing heaven, with an emphasis on Isaiah 6 (the prophet Isaiah’s commission) and the Apostle John’s experience in Revelation 4. John was considering his encounter with Jesus before he was invited to “come up here” further into his heavenly experience. After all, the Apostle Paul speaks of us being “seated in heavenly places” with Jesus (Eph. 2: 6-9 NIV). “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
I remember taking a Glory School in 2003 under Patricia King. She emphasized that a part of us is already in heaven. Our spirit is connected there already. We can pray and also worship from that perspective. We don’t have to be weighed down in our troubles. We encounter troubles, absolutely. However, we don’t have to be overwhelmed by them. Remember that the Apostle John was in a prison colony and wrote the Book of Revelation on the windswept island of Patmos. This was not a retreat, but the presence of Jesus, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit helped John to pen a very misunderstood part of the Bible. I won’t go into disputed details of the rapture, tribulations and all that. We know it’s a horrible time, but at the end Jesus wins. He is the one who has the lasting glory, not the adversary. Thank you Jesus, that in you we are the winners, we are victorious through you, no matter the troubles.
In 1991, I had a throne room heaven experience that was similar to Isaiah 6. I couldn’t understand it at the time, since I was a broken person then. Since then, I’ve had a lot of inner healing, and learned wisdom through experience in life and in the mission field. While I don’t aspire to be a famous prophet, I do have a prophetic gift. I am a seer, which is normally shown in some of my line drawings (which I later colour in). Here is one of my “heaven stories.” It came to me like a movie when I was half asleep in August, 2022.
“We were singing the last song of worship, which ended in a song where the first line of Crown him with many crowns was sung over and over, deeper and deeper. Then I was shown an image of many kinds of crowns in what looked like a gigantic auditorium. The atmosphere was of many shades of blue in a spectrum. The sea of glass was a deep ultramarine that vibrated with pulsing love and light.
An angel strapped little drone jets on my feet and I was able to swivel up and around without touching the ground or the sea. The jets had eyes and wings on them and I loved the mobility.
I saw thousands upon thousands of lovers of Jesus surrendering their many crowns, tributes, medals, honours and gifts to Jesus. They were grateful for the opportunity to give honour and praise to the one who gave them the grace, love and assignments that originally brought the Lord glory. Even though the crowns filled the room, there was always room for more.
Every time a crown came down, the Sea of Glass would say, “Yes! For your glory, Lord.” The glass would also flash and light up. There were rainbows with extra green in them surrounding where Jesus sat, and Jesus smiled at everyone and into each face. No matter where you were in the room, you could easily see Jesus’ face. Jesus’ hair was snowy white, but his face was unlined, and his eyes were burning with deep compassionate love.
I felt like it was an honour to be in heaven even for a short time. The atmosphere was electric with worship, honour, holiness and deep love. I knew I was accepted and loved, so joy bubbled up in me as I was shown about the room in the company of angels. I was handed a pen, and asked to draw and to write. This would be two of the ways that adults and children could receive and turn to the Lord.
Then another angel came to me and handed me a little tiara. I was told that this was a sign of the anointing that I would need -and to not take it off. I would be helped in writing deeper truths and also conveying them in drawing. Both would begin to receive favour to reach many. My previous drawings and writings have already touched many, but the reach will expand exponentially. This is all because my heart has been prepared and ready. There will be no pride, for we have learned to go “low and slow” with the Iris tribe and we will continue that way. The way of honour is key.
I looked to Jesus for confirmation, and he smiled and nodded with the word, “yes. I still have many souls in you. You will not be alone. You have Holy Spirit, and I assign angels to help in your assignment. You are always loved. Do not forget, daughter.”
I have learned that sometimes the anointing doesn’t come as we expect. Quite often the prophetic drops on me and I enter a semi-trance, while I’m doing whatever. If I’m driving it comes as little impressions, superimposed over the windscreen. That was when I was shown that I would be teaching African children about art (which turned out to be one of my tasks while in a small Worcester school for two years in South Africa). Other times I would be studying scripture and the words would leap off the page, and I would get insight into the scripture that I would be reading to my husband. We do this daily, and Holy Spirit gives me insight even into well known scriptures. Things like realizing Jesus’ power and true authority, and keeping in deep obedience to him. Others like a highlight of the historical cultural context in the footnotes and I think on what that might have been like. How would have been if we were walking with the disciples and following Jesus not just by belief, but by actually walking behind him and watching everything he is doing? Learning by his side?
Other times I might be teaching in a larger context and I get the prophetic trance thing and see that God is highlighting someone in the crowd. This happened once when Tony and I were teaching the Alpha Course in Migori, Kenya back in 2005. Tony was asking me to minister to someone, and I intended to, but Holy Spirit interupted me. I saw this man, and Holy Spirit had me call him out. I prophesied over him that God wanted to use him to tell Kenyan village elders about Jesus with his special cultural way. He was to just connect with them, be in relationship, and share his heart for Jesus. I asked him if he would accept this assignment and say yes to Jesus. He did. Then I prayed over him and ended the prayer with something simple like, “I also pray over you health and strength to accomplish your task.” Apparently, unknown to me until a day or two later, this man, Stephen, was healed from a mystery disease that the local doctors could not help him with. He also had feeble legs. So he truly had health and strength to accomplish his task! I was overjoyed in seeing how God touched him.
I had other stories that happened in Pakistan (which I will share another time), in Sierra Leone, in Mozambique (where both Tony and I had dreams) and later in South Africa. In South Africa, I continued in prophetic seer stuff, especially in our calling there, and later impressions were depicted in drawing (when I could actually capture these images!). However, the anointing came on me differently while we were concentrating ministring to children, teens and inmates. It was more gentle, less intense. It was filled with kindness (remember God’s kindness leads to repentance!), and incredibly deep compassion. This compassion was so deep at times, that I felt like it was searing my heart! It was incredible. I still get like this at times, although I would love this to come as we minister to my frail 93 year old dad. That’s another story. We are going lower still in ministering to my dad, which is a tough assignment, since he still hasn’t accepted the Lord. There is nothing quite as stubborn as the human heart. Sigh. Anyway, if any of this resonates with you, I pray it blesses you.
Health Updates: For those looking for news, Tony continues his immunotherapy infusions for mesothlioma at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. He will have another CT scan in December to check how the tumour has responded to the immunotherapy (after seven treatments or so). The last CT scan showed that the tumour had actually grown, not shrinked! Otherwise, he will continue for some time. He had his sixth infusion just last week. If the tumour does not shrink, we may have to switch to chemo, although that will affect his daily lifestyle. Please keep Tony in your prayers.
We ask you to give thanks for the skills of Tony’s doctors, and that the tumour in Tony’s lung lining shrinks and even disappears. Thanks for coming alongside in encouragement and prayer.
Laurie-Ann had an oncology check up last week with her oncologist, and it was revealed that the ‘cyst’ that has been on L-A’s remaining breast is not entirely benign. It is a block of hyperplasia. This means a growing area that has a 10% chance of becoming cancer. So we must keep vigilant. Meanwhile, it is sore. L-A’s oncologist also wants L-A to go on zoledronic acid infusions, which can stop any breast cancer recurrence from spreading to the bones. The only thing is, it really wrecks the jaw for dental treatment! L-A’s new dentist says that she really needs crowns for four teeth, which are basically held together by earlier dental work! The cost of the crowns and two more fillings is $5,600 Canadian dollars! We don’t have this money. At this point, we can only do one or two teeth at a time and put it on a credit card. Ouch. L-A’s not sure whether she should go for the zoledronic acid infusions now. Another option would be to extract every tooth and wear complete dentures. But after witnessing the daily trouble that L-A’s dad has with his dentures, no thank you! So dental work with the infusions, or no infusions are the two choices. We need prayer and favour for provision.
L-A was NOT approved for progesterone (or any other hormones) in treating the hot flashes. Dr. Eisen just doesn’t want to take that chance, even though L-A’s former tumour was estrogen and progesterone negative (meaning not receptive to these hormones).
L-A’s Lymphedema check ups continue (we have one in three days). We can’t afford a lymphedema therapist, and our family doctor doesn’t believe that L-A has lymphedema in her legs (but a lymphedema nurse, L-A’s lymphedema therapist in South Africa and her fitter in Toronto, all agree L-A has lymphedema in her legs as well as her left arm, and left side of her chest. Tony gives L-A simple lymphedema massage, but it’s not like it was in Paarl. Oh well, we will manage. So a Lymphedema therapist who is also a physiotherapist is on L-A’s wish list to get her stronger. (Good opportunity to pray for L-A’s “health and strength” to complete her heavenly tasks!)
If you feel led to contribute towards medications and hospital parking expenses, L-A’s dental costs and perhaps lymphedema treatments, this would be most welcome. Not everything is covered under Tony’s senior drug plan and OHIP, but don’t feel obligated. But meanwhile, all my teachings are online for free to bless you. Here is our Paypal for any of you who feel led to contribute: https://www.paypal.me/WaystogrowinGod
Laurie-Ann’s Colouring Books: If you are in South Africa, and would like to purchase one of L-A’s colouring books, some are available at LeRoux and Fourie wine shop on R60 beside Cape Lime. This is west of Robertson in Western Cape. Or you can have your own copies printed for you through Print on Demand through Takealot.com.
Posted onAugust 31, 2022|Comments Off on Growing in God through his LOVE
unknown township boy at Mail box club
Tony and I have been Canadian missionaries in South Africa. We have learned through our African friends in different countries how to slow down and be relational. This is something all of us in fast-paced countries need to learn. So come along with me and we’ll learn together on the adventures of Growing in God.
My name is Laurie-Ann, and I’m a missionary. During my mission travels, I have ministered with people in Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and the USA. I’ve also ministered in African countries like Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. But at this time, we are living in Toronto, Canada.
During our last article, we learned about growing in God through truly entering his rest. Rest is actually a command to us (see the Ten Commandments on Sabbath!) Remembering the Sabbath rest and keeping it holy is an injunction that in our busyness: if we don’t take a regular weekly rest, or a sabbatical retreat, our health can force us to “lie down in green pastures!” (Psalm 23). Is this a joke or an exaggeration? Yes and no. In my own story, I burned out so many times, got serious mono in my 20’s, and spent two months where I could do very little. This is not an exaggeration. Later, when I was helping my parents (for three months in 2015), I would go for days and then crash and spend a whole day in bed.
I believe at the very core of rest is a sense of trust in the Lord. You become content in his presence, give him your deep concerns and hurts, just like when he offers in the Gospel of Matthew. “Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:28-29 NIV) Rest is a gift. Rest is a choice to stop and trust. You choose to pick up his yoke. His yoke is the same connection that Jesus has to the Father. When we abide in him, we are also connected to the Father, and his rest.
Rest is also connected with repentance as shown in Isaiah 30:15. “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, (but you would have none of it). (Isa. 30:15 NIV) Salvation and the Lord’s rest are one and the same! Would we also have none of it? What about God’s love? Would we stop and receive this? Trust is at the centre. Trust in the Lord is what keeps us before his face and in his presence. This is what abiding is, as shown in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This is an invitation to his love. His love is like a tractor beam on our hearts (to use a Star Trek analogy) into that rest. Let’s go and explore how God’s love helps us grow in him.
I’ve written about growing in so many aspects of God’s grace, and in disciplines that help us grow in the gifts he’s given us. I’ve shared my personal devotional journey within many of my articles, starting with my preferred disciplines of soaking prayer, journaling and reading the Bible (usually, chapter by chapter). But I cannot miss the deepest foundation of all of this. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that you can do all sorts of things in anointing, but if you don’t have love, you’re like a clanging cymbal. What matters most is love. Trust is an essential thing taught by a baby bonding with their parents. It’s important. But love? We need love to grow spiritually, emotionally and physically! It’s like needed water that we are meant to drink daily in order to live.
I have learned, through one of my pastors, that a child needs that love to have their brains develop properly (Ash Smith, Living in the emotional heath of Jesus, CTF Toronto, August 14, 2022). This is confirmed by the Canadian Pediatric Society. They say: Your baby’s brain needs a strong foundation. Loving, consistent, positive relationships help build healthy brains and protect your baby’s brain from the negative effects of stress.” [https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/pregnancy-and-babies/your_babys_brain#:~:text=Your%20baby’s%20brain%20needs%20a,the%20negative%20effects%20of%20stress].
Stress, feelings of rejection, abandonment, shame, feeling unloved: all these things are slowly melted by consistent love. Pastor Ash Smith encouraged us that love is the key foundation for a child (if not all of us). She talked of orphanages in Romania where babies and toddlers were shut away; with no contact, no loving touch and no soothing lullabies. They were catatonic, lifeless of emotion, and separated from each other. Their brains were being stunted, and their neural pathways weren’t developing from the lack of consistent love. They weren’t being given a foundation.
I have found with my work in Iris Western Cape (and other missionaries would support this) that abandoned children can be difficult to love initially. We found that the farm workers children we saw weekly, were among the toughest kids to consistently love. We unfortunately lacked adequate Afrikaans, which was their heart communication language. However, they did respond, it just took longer. They went from boys throwing stones at our car and shouting at us, to more at peace when colouring in my prophetic drawings. They were captivated by love, especially when they saw that I drew an image of some of them with Jesus. I had remembered them. The Father remembers and loves them, as he does us. Other children that we worked with responded much faster, but sometimes had ‘weedy hearts.’ What do I mean by a weedy heart?
Think of the parable of the sower (Matthew 13: 1-9, 20-23 NLT). Three places that the sower scattered seed didn’t fully take in the seedlings. One area was the stony path, so there was no soil. The second was too shallow and the third grew full of weeds. Jesus explained to his disciples that: 20 the seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Many of the kids we worked with had a shallow faith, which wasn’t always real to them. Others, like C, were genuine in their faith but other concerns cropped up but choked their faith. How I longed to uproot C’s concerns of worry, envy, comparison and gossip. Oh, it did bother me, and sometimes when she was like that, I didn’t want to be around her. I loved her but it was difficult for that love to penetrate this cheeky, grabby girl who loved to get attention. Then at times, she was intent on her faith and wanted to teach about Jesus to other township youth. She was good at it, and did it with joy. She loved reading the Afrikaans Bible we gave her. We pray for her perseverance and that those weeds in her heart will be pulled up at the right time.
Another girl we worked with was ‘my girl.’ We bonded deeply and she was one of the ones who helped me during my cancer journey. She didn’t laugh at my bald head. We enjoyed quiet sharing about our faith, and she liked to colour my drawings in the most delightful way. We connected on a deep spiritual level and it was always easy to share and pray with her. She surely was the fertile soil that Jesus talked about in the Sower parable. She needed deep love and stability, which we gave in part, and she bloomed. We could see her potential beyond high school in a dangerous township. During the time we knew her in person, her family had serious continuing struggles with health, poverty and safety concerns. We prayed that she would be able to ‘graduate’ from the township in a way that she would be a blessing to her community and to God. She had been given a university entrance scholarship that was deleted from the university database through administrative error, but with Tony’s help in talking to her university and to her school, it was back on track. She underwent 3 operations for scoliosis, and at the same time as the third one was diagnosed with drug resistant TB. Finally, school began, and she was able to attend online at the hospital with a computer we had bought her. Now, she is happily housed in residence. Then we found out that her scholarship only covers half of her room and board (as well as her tuition). She had no money for that, so this means a further investment beyond how we had planned to help her and her family. Wow, this is a serious commitment. But we cannot end here. We will pray that our resources will stretch so that we can handle this load with the Lord’s help. It’s a lesson in faith to Bella and to ourselves. God is faithful. And his love is practical. Heidi Baker always says that “love looks like something.” Through this faithful consistent love, Bella is flourishing in her faith, her local campus church and her studies.
There are so many other stories, that were also weedy hearts, but they did respond to love, whether it was given in practical ways or in encouragement, prayer and gospel truth. We baptized one girl, who flourished through the Alpha Course, and another took us on another journey where we lost trust in her, but regained some of it back. She knew we still loved her.
One of my favourite South African ministries was to go into a local primary school and spend an hour and a half on Tuesday mornings. We went in using the same ‘persona role’ we use when we go to a kid’s club. We sing together, with Tony on guitar and me on my Irish bodhran drum. Then Tony shares an interactive nugget of science that he re-learned in a children’s science curriculum he used in our MasterPeace Academy school. Then we either taught them life lessons, or I taught them art from a charismatic Christian expression. It was soaking prayer and colouring/drawing. During one semester, I created a group project where they all painted an abstract background of blue, purple and green. Then they were to draw their personal Christian symbol that they each chose as theirs. I had to teach about Christian symbols several times for these children to ‘get it.’ A few never did, and just copied others, or added spaceships as their symbol because they were learning about space ships in another class. However, there were some that understood from the very first time I shared. There were two very smart and spiritually astute children, Liam and Caitlyn. I bonded to Liam and even had a little impression of him giving a hug to Jesus. He understood right away, and I said, “now, I know that’s hard to draw, so draw instead you holding Jesus hand, like he is your buddy.” Liam smiled and understood. After weeks, sure enough, his symbol was proudly displayed within the group painting among the many crosses, rainbows, waterfalls and (haha) spaceships. Liam also drew glasses on all the angels in our shared drawings, since he wanted the angels to look like him. Ah, so sweet. Later when we finally left the school, so many children had bonded to me, and despite the spread of Covid, they ignored that no touching rule for this one time. They hugged me like they didn’t want to let go. Each was welcome in my arms, whether it was our first grade ones, or the ones who followed. It didn’t matter whether I knew their name or not, I loved them with the deep, jealous compassion of Jesus. They will always be in my heart, and I trust that I will be in theirs. This legacy of love continued through other mature people from a local retirement village where we used to live. It’s really special when children and surrogate “grandparents” (including “aunts” and “uncles”) can interact in a way that God touches and uses both to bless. Love is shared. It grows stronger when it flows through a pipeline, instead of being stagnant like a puddle. These children will grow with the deposit that we gave them. God willing, others will continue in this legacy. Nothing that we sowed will be in vain; weedy hearts or not.
I had moments when the kids of OVD township loved to sit beside me and colour. Colouring sheets were always a tool to bless the kids, and see where their hearts were at. One day, a young boy that I didn’t know sat beside me on a tree root. He only had a few crayons, and I suggested in my limited Afrikaans, “groen” (green). He gave me the sweetest smile and we connected on a deep, deep level. The godly compassion that overflowed through me felt like love was searing my heart. It felt like it was going to be painful, but what it did was open up a door to the deepest parts of my heart that needed to receive and give God’s love. I grew exponentially in that moment. It was simple but profound. These moments are like mini-surgery, and connects you to the hearts of the “least of these” (aka Matt.25) and the heart of God the Father for children.
Our 2022 assignment of unknown duration is to love and care for my frail 93 year old dad’s needs. Elder care of a man with vascular dementia is more challenging than it was to inspire and love wonderfully messy township children. Even here, we have moments of deep love as we take care of his practical day to day needs. We are slowly and gently leading him to Jesus. Sometimes I want to ask him right off, but the time is not quite here. We are re-establishing love in his life by giving him consistent touch, gourmet type food (I love cooking for him), listening to him, and letting him rest when he needs it. He gets too confused to go out much other than the front porch. The last time we took him on a summer ‘picnic’ by Lake Ontario, he had a TIA and we had trouble getting him back to the car. Dad knows that we love him, even if he doesn’t always know who I am. He knows me as “Laurie,” but doesn’t always realize that I am the same person he raised. That’s OK. He’s become fond of me anyway, and this is about God’s love and our love to him. He will continue to grow in that reflective love of God through us, until he receives God’s love directly. That is my greatest wish – that he would receive forgiveness, know God’s love from inside, and love Jesus.
My own desire to love others has always been there, and I wanted to do something “big” for God. Many new believers have that desire as well. Yet that something big really is allowing yourself to keep your heart “pipeline” pure so that you can love well consistently. This is especially important as a long term missionary. Short-termers (which I was from 1993-2010) make an impact, but long-termers can continue to bring lasting change in people’s lives because they are consistent. They are re-laying foundational love in these children’s hearts. They are helping to heal past hurts, although this doesn’t replace the need for special counselling for traumatic events like gang violence, gender based violence and domestic violence. These things are rampant in the townships (as well as other spots). They aren’t unique to South Africa. It takes time and care to recover and grow in resilience, without giving up hope.
My heart was big on the short-term missions, but grew so much more in our longer South African mission. Heidi Baker mentions in the “Compelled by Love” movie that she wanted to love people from the inside. This was her desire even before she knew Jesus personally. When she came to faith, she also received her call to be a minister and missionary to “Asia, Africa and England.” Since then, she and her husband Rolland ministered in Indonesia, Hong Kong, inner-city London and Mozambique. She is in demand as a speaker all over the world. Heidi “stops for the one” all the time, whether with the poor and needy, or among the spiritually poor in the first world. To “stop for the one” is to say “yes” to divine appointments that seem to be set up just for you. You may get a rush of sudden compassion for someone and you just have to respond. I’ve done this with the homeless, with children and with adults. Heidi did this for me at a women’s conference in 2010. Someone had given her red roses, and she tends to not keep much for herself. She passes them on. So I had a moment in worship one morning, and felt the deep love of Jesus as Heidi stood beside me, hugged me and handed me roses. I was ‘love-bombed.’ I had no idea what was going on, or why she did this act of kindness. It took me years to realize that she had ‘stopped for the one’ – and I was in that moment the one she stopped for. But, oh the love was deep. I felt the presence and love of God while she stood there beside me. So, I was impacted to stop for the one from then on, even before we went to Harvest School. Tony took to that form of love even faster than I did, and he made good progress after missionary school. Consistent love was a key, and still is.
Iris is known as a ministry movement that is empowered by love. It’s just a little bit different. Right now there is a terrorism insurgency in northern Mozambique, and this forced Iris to move the Harvest Schools to other locations. This love consistency, when combined with humility is the foundation of the previous and current issues in Pemba. The “Irisers” are still empowered by love. Heidi shares in the 2022 film “Nefento” that “love always wins, especially when you go low and slow. Instead of being overwhelmed with a world where there’s so much pain, when extremists come and war happens, we’re empowered by the love of a God who IS love to stop for the one in need.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g1jVzfAego)
Back in 2013, I hungered to be empowered by love, and was drawn like a magnet to Heidi. I had wondered what kind of long term ministry I should be involved in, and considered my new skills in radio broadcasting and especially audio production/creative writing. So, I considered a radio-based ministry. But this only made sense in my head, not my heart. I was meant to be with the children, using my art, the calling that I had abandoned for so many years, after it was originally my identity. The Holy Spirit re-knitted me into that calling, and used it beautifully in South Africa (and beyond). I know that he will continue to use it in other countries, as children who are thirsty for love, encounter the love of God in the colouring sheets and books. Love looks like something. For some, it’s sharing soup, beans and rice, or paying their school fees. For me (right now), it’s to be with children at play – in drawing images planted by God in their hearts. It’s my heart to do this consistently or at least whenever I’m given the opportunity.
I’ve grown so much while learning to love. It’s been quite a journey but I do not regret it, even having inflammatory breast cancer try to ruin our golden time on the South African mission field. Even the refining times have carved away the dross in my life so I could love better. I received such love and peace from God, throughout my cancer journey, often beyond it as well. I was able to feel God’s love in every season and know that he does not fail me. He is consistent. He is always faithful, and we knew God’s favour and kindness at every step along the way. He opened us up to love in so many different ways, through our different gifts.
Catch the Fire Toronto Pastor Murray Smith recently taught on the Emotional health of Jesus. He spoke on love as the necessary foundation of our hearts. He said: “the measure of our (spiritual) maturity is, how do we actually love? How much do we walk in love? How much do we practise love? How much are we able to contain our souls, and our disconnection, because of the issues of our heart that we are dealing with? Can we REMAIN in love, even when people around us are freaking out.Let’s make that measure of love our spirituality.”(Pastor Murray Smith, Catch the Fire Toronto, August 7, 2022) In Murray’s context, he was sharing that nearly all of us need to go back to our basic foundations and repair them. Ask God about receiving love for yourself. Get inner healing from trusted people who have experience in Restoring the Foundation or inner healing background. You can start by inviting Jesus into any hurtful memory and ask where he is. He will open your imagination and show you. He can and will fill you with deep love and peace as you accept his presence in your memory. Let him love and heal you. You won’t regret it. Say YES to Jesus’ yoke, just to hang out with him and not let go.
If you’ve never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, it’s very simple. Nicky Gumbel mentions on earlier Alpha Course videos a simple way to remember the way. It’s Sorry (for my sins and all I’ve done wrong). Forgive me. I now turn from everything I know is wrong. Thank you Lord for your love, and I accept you as my Saviour. Please fill me Lord with your love and all that comes with it. I give you my life that I can live for you, with you and have your love in my life. Lead me, and help me along the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, please bless all who have read this article and may they encounter the love of God poured into their hearts, just as Paul talks about in Romans 5. May everyone become deeply rooted grounded in your love, as in Ephesians 3. “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Rom 3:17-18 NIV) Holy Spirit, come and reveal the love of God to each person today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I will record an audio version of this article, which will be posted on the Ways to Grow in God (WTGIG) podcast page on coppleswesterncape.ca. Mouse over the “Listen” drop-down menu, or click here: (https://www.coppleswesterncape.ca/wtgig-podcasts.html) and when it’s recorded, scroll down to #79!
If you have been blessed by this article, please let us know!
Updates: For those looking for news, Tony continues his immunotherapy infusions at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. He will have a CT scan in September to check how the tumour has responded to the immunotherapy (after three treatments). Otherwise, he will continue for some time.
His left eye has healed to the extent it ever will, and he now has an updated eyeglass prescription. His vision is now better than at any time since his retinal detachment.
We ask you to give thanks for the skills of Tony’s doctors, and that the tumour in Tony’s lung lining shrinks and even disappears. Thanks for coming alongside in encouragement and prayer.
If you feel led to contribute towards medications and hospital parking expenses, and perhaps lymphedema treatments for L-A, this would be most welcome. Not everything is covered under Tony’s senior drug plan and OHIP, but don’t feel obligated. But meanwhile, all my teachings are online for free to bless you. Here is our Paypal for any of you who feel led to contribute: https://www.paypal.me/WaystogrowinGod
Laurie-Ann’s Colouring Books: If you are in South Africa, and would like to purchase one of L-A’s colouring books, some are available at LeRoux and Fourie wine shop on R60 beside Cape Lime. This is west of Robertson in Western Cape. Or you can have your own copies printed for you through Print on Demand through Takealot.com.
Posted onMay 25, 2022|Comments Off on Growing in God through developing perseverance
“From a Rainbow to a Tapestry” – July 2021. Laurie-Ann Zachar Copple (copyright)
Tony and I have been Canadian missionaries in South Africa. We have learned through our African friends in different countries how to slow down and be relational. This is something all of us in fast-paced countries need to learn. So come along with me and we’ll learn together on the adventures of Growing in God.
My name is Laurie-Ann, and I’m a missionary. During my mission travels, I have ministered with people in Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and the USA. I’ve also ministered in African countries like Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. But at this time, we are living in Toronto, Canada.
During our last article, we learned about growing in God through a different kind of pause: that of an oasis rest between seasons. Transition usually is a difficult period of adjustment. We had an unexpected month at the end of our season in South Africa. On the day of our flight we were found to be Covid-19 positive, without a planned place to stay still in South Africa. We had sold or given away most of our belongings (that weren’t accompanying us). Thankfully, the very kind friend who was to take us to the airport instead took us to his home, until our third attempt to leave the country (the first was at the beginning of all the lockdowns). We had a quiet place to rest, recover and by the time we were taken to the airport (Covid-free this time!), we were given the grace and favour to travel. We both ordered wheel chair assistance at three airports, were picked up by my cousins at the airport, and taken to our second quarantine stay – a Residence airport hotel on the same street as our future Toronto church (Catch the Fire Toronto).
Again we had a little oasis for fourteen nights, which allowed us to acclimatize to winter in the northern hemisphere (we had come from southern summer), and we purchased phone plans with new Toronto phone numbers. We couldn’t do anything without them – whether ordering food, groceries or update our IDs with Service Ontario. But we managed, apart from a fault on L-A’s phone with sending texts.
We knew that we would be in for a challenging season between the care of my frail dad, who turned 93 recently, and care for Tony. I did some research on the asbestos.com website and discovered that naval personnel were exposed to asbestos on their ships. This could explain Tony’s diagnosis of potential mesothelioma. Thankfully, when we discovered this in October 2021, I researched if there was anyone I could reach out to for help. I discovered that Toronto General Hospital is a world leader in mesothelioma care. There wasn’t any answer, but a day after we arrived back in Canada, we received an email from the secretary of the thoracic surgeon I had emailed. So we were noticed! It took three months, but we found out later that it takes three months to respond to family doctors referring patients. We waited that time in South Africa, so that worked out. Tony went through a series of tests, and after two months, he saw his specialist. It wasn’t time to diagnose him yet – he needed a special biopsy where the thoracic team would cut a one centimetre hole in his side, so they could insert a little camera and the biopsy equipment.
Again, we need to stop, wait and trust. This time, while we wait for the final results of Tony’s biopsy (pleuroscopy), and then the treatment plan, we are learning perseverance. We also are learning that virtue while caring for my dad, who keeps getting TIAs (mini-strokes) that take a little more of him each time. The first one that we observed (there were many before we arrived), had him lose his balance and he could not get up off the floor. At that time, his legs were weak like jello. My sister called 911 to get the firemen to pick him up and let him be comfortable on a couch. He was also looked at by paramedics. He did not want to go to the hospital or a care home. He recovered after an hour, and seemed stronger. This TIA was unusual. In the ones afterwards, he has usually just had a meal, and then goes off into dream land, or half asleep in a kitchen chair. One time Tony could not move him, and he strapped him in with a luggage strap. It kept him from falling. Since then, my dad knows the drill. When we see him acting strangely, we get him sitting or lying down in a safe place where he cannot fall. Are we trained for this? No, but we have learned. Otherwise, either Tony or I constantly cook and have snacks for dad as he makes his rounds through the house, looking for things to graze on, and sights to see. He has a PSW to come give him a daily shower or sponge bath, which he needs since he deals with incontinence. Well, he is 93. Tony in particular is kind but firm in our care of dad. In some ways it’s like he is like a child, being inquisitive. Yet with each TIA, he remembers less. So we turn on music that will stimulate the stories and thoughts, when he has little awakenings.
We have no idea how long our season with my dad will be, as well as the time for Tony’s treatment. Yet we know we are to be here. My dad is our assignment. That is good. God has us in the right place, before we eventually return to our Ottawa condo. Because I seldom leave the house, the only time I get to go out is when we go to church. My sister comes most weekends and sees our dad, and with her daughter spends family time with him. One Sunday, one of the church’s leaders asked the congregation to ask the Holy Spirit for a personal word for this season. I was indeed given a word that was whispered with love into my heart. The word was perseverance. I’ve written about perseverance before, but it was in a different context. At that time, I just had trouble waiting to get to the next season. Now, I’m wading through just a difficult time that we must pass through one hurdle at a time. I’m not the only one who is going through or has gone through this journey. The families we served in Avian Park developed SOME perseverance in the form of coping, but then their desperation also made them shut down in sadness. At this time, I choose not to go that route, but to instead TRUST in God. He will give his grace that will be sufficient in this season. 2 Corinthians 12:9 gives this promise, when the Apostle Paul shares of his struggle with something he could not shake. Holy Spirit told him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
What IS perseverance? Is it coping? Resilience? Or is it not quitting out of pure stubbornness? I believe that it is in choosing not to quit, with a goal in mind. Tony tells me that when he was in training for the navy, he was taught the skill of “dead-reckoning.” If a ship or an aircraft loses communications and is unable to find land or hazards, they will look back on their chart for the last accurate position recorded, and calculate the direction they should have taken from there, and then follow that compass bearing, with an awareness of the uncertainty since that position was recorded. They then steam on (or fly on) using the calculated bearing, and hoping that eventually they will recognize a feature of the land. This takes perseverance, because their sense of direction will suggest a myriad of alternatives.
This is similar to when Pastor Shawn Gabie prophesied over me before we went to Mozambique for our Harvest Missions School in 2016. He told me that I must “keep my focus forward on what the Father has for me that season.”This goal orientation meant a laser focus on the promises that were to come. This word was a reminder to me to allow the refining and uncomfortable difficulties to purify me, without my giving up. Proverbs 4: 25-26 confirms Shawn’s message, which is to “let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure.” Sometimes there are difficulties in life, and especially when you are in ministry. Unfortunately, the average time that a full-time missionary stays in the field is a year. Many give up before that. We lasted four years in our South African assignment, throughout my cancer journey. Mind you, Covid stopped travel for some time, and it was difficult to get back to Canada. Getting back required not giving up and returning at the right time. We did try multiple times, to the chagrin of those well-meaning advisors, who insisted that we return even earlier.
I am coming to believe that perseverance involves actively pushing towards a goal. Sometimes you push hard together with others, other times, you stand alone – standing in the place where you must be to ‘hold the line.’ Holding the line is exactly what we are doing in caring for my 93 year old father. It’s a daily process of continual care. At times when you are corporately persevering together, there is even more strength, because you can encourage each other, or change roles for a time. It’s like the birds when they migrate south or north, depending on the season. One bird will be the head bird leading the pack in their V-formation towards warm climes. After that head bird gets tired, they retreat to another position, and another bird takes over for a while. I’m thankful for the human equivalent, of leadership in teams, where there is a shared burden. And in life, I’m thankful for the Holy Spirit, who gives me life and strength, and for my husband Tony. Yet at the same time, God gives you little “kindnesses from God” as like a breadcrumb trail of blessing. If you are moaning and complaining about the difficulties, you miss the little (and sometimes big) blessings he sends you along the journey. It IS a journey. You aren’t stuck in a little valley, surrounded by rain clouds or tornadoes. And even if you do encounter severe storms, such as those that hit Ontario in the spring and summer, you can withstand the strength of a (spiritual) tornado far more than the fences of my sister and cousins that blew over in a recent derecho storm. Those fences could not persevere. But, if we don’t give up, we CAN.
How can we persevere? Perseverance is something that we develop during the difficult times, whether it is illness (like our cancer journeys), financial stress, war (like the Ukrainian conflict), transition difficulties, domestic violence, gang issues or being in the middle of various chaos. Through those storms, Jesus brings peace. He can bring the peace that passes all understanding, so that it feels like you are in the eye of the storm. It will not harm you, as long as you stay connected with Jesus. Romans 5:3-5 reminds us that our suffering isn’t wasted, especially when we choose to trust God and not become bitter. The Apostle Paul said that “we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Suffering produces perseverance when we trust God that he is at work in our lives, in our ministry, and in situations that are way beyond our control. When we stand alone in perseverance or push in community together in perseverance, we are refined and become better people. Then we have renewed hope. It’s a refining fire, where what is against us, becomes a pruning force to make us better.
Perseverance in the faith: We grow stronger through engaging with scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that “all scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” We are encouraged by scripture being a “consistent anchor” that helps us to avoid traps of discouragement and apathy. It encourages us to stay away from becoming prideful. It gives us direction and insight. In ministry, scripture (along with Holy Spirit’s insight”) becomes the toolkit to live a life of outreach, as well as helping in our personal lives. https://www.fh.org/blog/gods-story-persevere-life-is-hard/ Holy Spirit helps us with the next step of persevering. We gain strength to persevere by praying (communicating with God) and thinking on his revelation. This is contemplation. The Apostle Paul encourages us in Ephesians 6:18 to: “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” “Throughout the Bible, God’s people are called to pray at all times, regularly, genuinely and in faith. Moreover, prayer is a conversation with God, in which we cultivate deepening intimacy with him.” https://www.fh.org/blog/gods-story-persevere-life-is-hard/
When we pray, God often answers right then, before we know it. Other times, he answers those prayers gradually. Sometimes, the full answers come a lot later. But in hindsight, they end up being answered at just the right time. In overseas ministry, we encountered insurmountable difficulties in the townships. The emergencies and calamities that had been happening with the girls we mentored happened nearly continually. Tony would constantly say to me that “they always seem to be living on the edge.” In the first world, we can’t imagine those difficulties, although we have the hidden poor among us in cities and in rural areas. We just don’t see them (but the need exists). In South Africa, they aren’t hidden; the real poverty is confirmed with our eyes. In less developed countries, roads can be washed out in cyclones (even British Columbia had that issue in Abbotsford). People in hidden communities had no access to the outside world for help. In that circumstance, medical emergencies can happen with no access to a doctor. Or in the case of northern Mozambique, there are terrorist insurgencies that disrupt peaceful villages, where they persecute and kill Christians. Corrupt government or police can stall aid workers and missionaries from making a difference in a practical way. How do we move forward? No matter what, God is ready to listen and make a way forward. Prayer and contemplation gives us the inner strength to do what God would have us do. Jesus is always with us. We are not alone. As we depend on God, our trust and intimacy with him grows.
We persevere better when we actively participate in a local church. It is there that we ‘plug in’ to the Body of Christ. Pastor Murray Smith encouraged us at Catch the Fire Toronto (May 22nd, 2022 11:15 am sermon) that we do need small groups in order to grow and develop relationship. But in the setting of a larger church service, there is a corporate anointing, where the Holy Spirit isn’t just in us and around us, but then he works among us. Something special happens. We go to honour God, give him sacrifice and offer ourselves to him. Yet, as a tribe or multi-coloured family, we grow both individually and as a group. We are strengthened organically in a deep spiritual way. It is like Hudson Taylor’s secret of abiding in the Lord, which is shown in John 15: 5-7. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” You are pruned – yet you produce fruit by remaining. This is what happens when you truly follow Jesus. When we sat with young township kids, their mothers, and the local widows, and the inmates, we felt like we heard the heartbeat of Jesus. It was like we were deeply in his presence. They were the least of these, and Jesus was strongly with them. Wendy McMahon at Food for the Hungry describes the dynamic for which I just can’t find the words. She says, “we know that the poor are very close to the heart of God, and Jesus loved to spend time with them when He was on earth. By seeking to closely follow Jesus each day, we invite Him to make us more like Him.” https://www.fh.org/blog/gods-story-persevere-life-is-hard/
The writer of Hebrews also encourages us to not give up on being a part of church in Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on, towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day (of Jesus’ return) approaching.” God reveals himself in a different, collective way – where different strands of his revelation and encouragement bless others. He weaves us together like a beautiful tapestry, similar to an impression I had in South Africa. In the vision, I saw God changing the South African rainbows (aka the Rainbow Nation) into a Rainbow tapestry. The tapestry is much stronger than the rainbow, even though it’s inspirational. The bands of colour are stronger and more useful when they are woven together with the other fibres. It is in the local church that we are encouraged in our own calling, and are cheered on not to give up.
So when we are to persevere, we know that we are not meant to be alone. Perseverance is meant to be a continual lifestyle, whether it’s to achieve the end of a big project, an entire life’s accomplishment, or something that is inter-generational (like building a cathedral). My Iris and Harvest Family Network mentor is one who encourages, and cheers alongside those running the race in ministry and assignments. He is mentoring me even in a season of hidden family care giving. It matters just as much to God as our four year missionary season in South Africa. Brian shared on his Facebook page in April 2022, this important message. He said, “most people today, especially in our western culture, want to achieve great things very quickly. But most great achievements happen through years of hard work, dedication and perseverance. So most, when things get hard or time is required, will quit. I know so many who were called and made for great things, who simply gave up over the years, as they faced resistance or things didn’t look like what they planned. I have found that there is always resistance and things seldom look the way that I planned. Hold on to the promises of God, move forward with Him daily, pray, listen and trust Him! You WILL see victory, and what He has shown you in the secret place, shall come to pass. I believe in you! You have been created for a purpose. You have an anointing that abides within you! He will never leave you or forsake you! Expect to win! (Brian Britton, Facebook page, April 12, 2022) What a rich heritage this gem of wisdom is! Again, Brian encourages us to trust in God throughout the journey. He is the one who will carry you though the journey as we grow close to Him. He even carries us through senior issues! Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you,’ I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” This encourages Tony and me as we care for my dad, but also in Tony’s physical issues as a senior. Trusting in God isn’t just a “senior thing.” Sure there are a lot of ‘gray hairs’ in the church, but challenges and growing through them is an intergenerational journey.
There is nothing in life that is wasted as we continue on. Absolutely nothing. If we stand still, it’s only to rest and regroup. It’s never in running away or quitting. The Psalmists often exhort the people to trust in God. Psalm 71:5-6 shares, “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned (trusted) from my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.” The prophet Jeremiah was encouraged at his young age to trust God as he picked up his calling and assignment as a prophet to Judah. He was given strength, fortitude and extreme perseverance. Such endurance shines as an example that only God can give. It is beyond super-hero!
So do not give up, choose to grow in the journey. Grow in your assignment with the Lord, whether in a difficult task, ministry, job or being in a situation where you are called to make a stand for righteousness (like Jeremiah). Let us remember the Apostle Paul’s encouragement in Philippians 3: 14-15: “Brothers (and sisters), I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” So as the writer of Hebrews shares in verse 10:23: “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
Perseverance is actively tied to hope and trust in God while in the midst of staying IN the battle. The battle is the Lord’s. But we are IN it.
Lord, thank you that you are there for us and with us while we persevere in your assignments for us. Sometimes it’s a time to learn and grow. Other times it’s to rest and be healed. Then it’s times where we minister, whether in hidden places, or public. You are always with us. We choose to stay in our assignments, whether they are difficult or seemingly easy. We choose the path of going “low and slow” (as we say in Iris): in humility and patience; in trust and compassion, in illness and difficulty, and in all the things you experienced in your life on earth, Jesus. We choose you, and we choose to persevere. We choose to be rooted in you during the storms, and choose to pick up with you in transition. Thank you that you are faithful. We choose to walk with you on the water, as we look into your eyes. Carry us Lord, despite everything, and draw us deeper into you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you’d like to hear an audio version of this article, please visit the Ways to Grow in God (WTGIG) podcast page on coppleswesterncape.ca. Mouse over the “Listen” drop-down menu, or click here: https://www.coppleswesterncape.ca/wtgig-podcasts.html and scroll down to #77!
If you have been blessed by this article, please let us know!
Updates: For those looking for news on my cancer journey, I was declared chemically cancer-free as of February 2021, and as of May 2022, I am currently having ultrasounds, mammograms and an upcoming biopsy of a lump on my remaining breast. I expect it to be benign, but it’s worth checking. Tony is in care at Toronto General Hospital for malignant mesothelioma in his left lung lining. He had a pleuroscopy and we are waiting to hear an analysis of the chemical components of the tumour. I remember this process when I had breast cancer. In Tony’s case, he hasn’t met his oncologist yet (that’s to come in early June). Everything seems to be in slow motion, despite multiple scans and reports that don’t look good. However, the reports (and the doctor’s diagnosis) isn’t the whole story. We will see what God will do, especially as Tony is one of my dad’s caregivers, an essential team member. Tony is having major eye surgery a week from now to complete retinal reattachment that was started a year ago. We ask you to give thanks for the skills of his surgeons, and that in the case of the cancer the tumour responds and spurs into an accelerated healing like mine did. Thanks for coming alongside in encouragement and prayer. If you feel led to contribute towards medications and hospital parking expenses, this would be most welcome. Not everything is covered under his senior drug plan and OHIP, but don’t feel obligated. All my teachings are online for free to bless you, with no pressure. Here is our Paypal for any of you who feel led to contribute: https://www.paypal.me/WaystogrowinGod
Laurie-Ann’s Colouring Books: If you are in South Africa, and would like to purchase one of L-A’s colouring books, they are available at LeRoux and Fourie wine shop on R60 beside Cape Lime. This is west of Robertson. Or you can have your own copies printed for you through Print on Demand through Takealot.com.
We plan to republish the updated books in North American format (and in English only) in the future (after taking care of family). Colouring sheets are available to children’s ministries for free, please just let us know. Bless you, and thank you for your support!
Love, Laurie-Ann
Comments Off on Growing in God through developing perseverance
Posted onDecember 16, 2020|Comments Off on Growing in God through Kindness
My name is Laurie-Ann, and I’m a missionary. During my mission travels, I have ministered with people in Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and the USA. I’ve also ministered in African countries like Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. But at this time, we live in the beautiful Western Cape of South Africa.
During our last article, we journeyed through establishing legacy. Legacy applies to families, relationships, and investing in others. It also applies to passing on skills and education. Legacy in a spiritual sense is about discipleship. It’s not in creating other versions of yourself like a franchise, but in training up leaders in their callings. While we have different gifts, we all have the same ministry – that of passing on God’s love in some way. And Legacy is also something that Tony and I have in mind for leaving something behind in Worcester that will last long after we leave South Africa. We also offer these Ways to Grow in God podcasts as part of our legacy to you. Legacy is also a gift – which is ultimately based in the kindness of those who have invested in us, and also the kindness of God. Let’s journey through the field of kindness.
We need kindness. Even the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who always said, “Always try to be nice, and never fail to be kind.” [https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2017-12-26/did-you-spot-all-the-doctor-who-references-in-peter-capaldis-regeneration-speech/ ] He’s right. But what is kindness? Kindness is often hard to define unless you use synonyms. When you Google it, the answer comes up as “the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate.” It also comes up as decency. Yet the definition goes beyond that to include tenderness, good-will, affection, warmth, concern, care, thoughtfulness, altruism, hospitality, generosity and graciousness.
Christian Cheong believes that “we all need kindness. It is a language the dumb can speak, the deaf can hear, and the blind can see. Kindness is far more than loving people. It is loving people more than they deserve. “Kindness is ‘going the extra mile’, it is grace put into action.” https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-kindness-of-god-christian-cheong-sermon-on-grace-136864Stephen Wittmer believes that “Kindness is underrated. [Some people] equate it with being nice or pleasant, as though it’s mainly about smiling, getting along, and not ruffling feathers. It seems a rather mundane virtue. ”- [https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/kindness-changes-everything] But kindness is NOT mundane. Kindness deeply touches hearts. It can melt past emotional defences and anger to soften a stone-cold heart. The Old Testament ties kindness and mercy into one word: that is ‘Chesed.’ This word comes up 35 times in the Psalms and in 1 Chronicles; within the context of worship and decrees. How often have you heard this tune, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.”
That love is not just any love – it’s loving KINDNESS. It’s also mercy! When you look up 1 Chronicles 16:34 in the NLT version, it says: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” In other versions, faithful love comes up as: mercy, love, loyal love, grace, and loving kindness. My Old Testament professor in Tyndale Seminary taught us the importance of God’s loving kindness. Some misinformed people think the God of the Old Testament is mean and vindictive, while Jesus is (more) loving. However, The Father is also love. Jesus told Philip that he who has seen the son has seen the Father. They have the same character. John 14:9 states: “Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” This loving kindness is something that can be counted on. This is like God’s faithfulness like a father, because He is THE Father.
So, this love, this loving kindness has been here all along. Just as love searches out the beloved, so kindness does the same. Kindness is an active virtue. We as believers try to act in God’s kindness. Bible scholar David Huttar believes that “human imitation of God’s kindness does not come naturally. In fact, ultimately no one is kind. Psalm 14:3 and Romans 3:12 have the same message, that “all have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Kindness can be a consistent part of the believer’s experience because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. [David Huttar, https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/kindness/] Kindness is supernatural, as shown in Galatians 5:22-23. Notice that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Kindness also made the list of the Apostle Paul’s fruit in the midst of suffering. Stephen Wittmer says, Paul proved to the Corinthian church that he was a true apostle. He did this by detailing three things. These were the trials he endured for the sake of the gospel, the inner grace God gave him despite his suffering, and the God-produced fruit in his life. Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13. In the midst of all kinds of suffering, verse 6 shows that Paul had “purity, understanding, patience and kindness.” Wittmer shares Paul’s defense this way: “You want proof I’m an apostle?” he said, in effect. “Okay, here it is: I’m kind.” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/kindness-changes-everything Kindness within the context of being wronged, is similar to Jesus’ command to love our enemies. True kindness is Spirit-produced. It’s a supernaturally generous turning of our hearts toward other people. This means we do this even when the other doesn’t deserve it or doesn’t love us in return. God himself is kind in this way. God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance which means if we haven’t yet turned to him, we are not yet his friends. Romans 2:4 says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
When Tony and I were preparing to go back to Canada for our home visit, I prayed about the topics we would share. We wanted not to just have a show and tell of slides of the teens and children. We’re always happy to share stories, but sometimes there is a specific message for the people who come to see us. We minister as much to them as we do on our South African mission field.
Prior to our arrival, I woke up from a nap while thinking about the “kindness of God.” Part of this was tied to the Romans 2 scripture, but the kindness of God leads to more than repentance. Kindness leads us closer to God, because he softens our hearts. This is also tied to the loving kindness and care that was mentioned in the Old Testament. Loving kindness is about deep care and compassion. It’s tied to mercy because we don’t deserve it.
Sometimes kindness is to those who don’t love you at all. Proverbs 25: 21-22 tells us that, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” I always wondered what that scripture meant. It has to do with extending kindness on God’s behalf, even to those who have been mean to you. They may re-think their meanness. While some wrongly interpret the coals would actually burn, there is a meaning behind the instruction. In the time when Proverbs were being documented for posterity by Solomon, people heated their homes and cooked with coal or wood fire. Jeremy Myers from redeeminggod.com shares sometimes if your fire went out, you would go ask a neighbour for a coal to relight the fire. He interprets this scripture as, if the fire of your enemy goes out, and they come asking for a coal to relight their fire, to be generous. “Instead of turning them away or giving just one [coal], we should be extravagantly generous. How? You must keep one coal for yourself, and give all the rest of the burning coals to our enemy.” [Jeremy Myers https://redeeminggod.com/heap-burning-coals-on-your-enemies/]
This example gives us a lot to ponder. King David was kind to his friend Jonathan, and even more to his surviving son Mephibosheth. While other royals killed the last remaining children of their enemies, he did not. Jonathan’s son was the grandson of King Saul. Saul was the same leader who ruthlessly tried to have David killed multiple times. But David was intentionally kind. 2 Samuel 9:3 says, “The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.” Four verses later, we see that David’s kindness was not a short-term thing. King David says to him, “you shall eat bread at my table continually.” Later verses show David meant this promise. This kindness was a commitment. This is also a reflection of God’s loving kindness to us.
What happens when you are kind? It stops people in their tracks. It also gets at your own heart. Sometimes it even exposes your sin for God to take away. Loving Kindness in the Old Testament may reflect mercy. In the New Testament, the Greek word for kindness means “goodness in action.” Kindness and goodness are kissing cousins, and are two of the nine fruit of the Spirit. When God’s goodness is prompted to us, it feels like tenderness and compassion. [http://www.christianmessenger.org/kindnessofgod.htm] I often speak about stopping for the one, or divine appointments. What happens during those special moments? They are acts of deep kindness. This kindness is received not only from the person who stops, but also directly from the Holy Spirit. They are like a spiritual love letter, and you feel deeply noticed. You’re not invisible. God has searched for you and found you. Stephen Witmer says that “kindness is no small thing. It yields marvelous fruit both in our lives and the lives of those around us.” Proverbs 21:21 says that “whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” We open ourselves to the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit when we ask him to produce in us kind hearts that overflow through kind lips. [Stephen Witmer https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/kindness-changes-everything]
We need to ask God for his kindness before we give kindness to others. While people can do kind gestures for others, real kindness flows from compassion. Human kindness falls short of that. What can the kindness of God do for us? It opens our eyes to God’s care for us.
Tony and I have an expression that we’ve come to embody since before we arrived in South Africa. We say that the kindness of God chases us down. God wants to be kind to us. He draws us to him like a tender lover, even though we sometimes run from Him. We have so many examples of what we call T-K-O-G – the kindness of God – in our lives. Heidi Baker said recently at an Australian conference that “God wants to open your eyes and open your heart. When your eyes are closed, you can only feed your family of four.” She was referring to the first time that the Holy Spirit stretched a pot of chili and rice to feed not only her family, but over 300 children. An experience like this is eye-opening. So were ours, even if they weren’t as dramatic. We had a T.K.O.G moment in the speedy process of our South African visa. Normally it takes 8 weeks. We had a call to pick up ours in 24 hours. We were led on where to live – and found our gated retirement village house is perfect in size for ministry, and safe to live in. It was available right when our guest house lodgings were finished. We were given renters to live in our Ottawa condo at just the right time for us to leave. Only one couple was interested, but that’s all we needed. Their rent enables us to pay for our rent in South Africa.
We were led to our local church and bi-weekly connect group through expat YWAM missionaries that we had met through advisors. And we found that our connect group met in our prearranged guest house. This was a great kindness. We were drawn into a loving church family who, while Afrikaans, made provision for translation stations, and have been there for us in prayer and encouragement ever since we arrived. They even prayed for us while we were in Canada. We had another T.K.O.G connection when we were invited to become teachers, and I was reminded of an impression I received four years earlier. The image showed me teaching art to African children – and I was asked to teach art. We had similar experiences for many of our other ministry involvements, which are too many to mention. But in every case we have experienced sheer pleasure in ministering. That is also T.K.O.G. We have been lovingly guided on every step. We were even given expert and kind care by multiple doctors, from GPs, gynecologists, surgeons, urologists, cardiologist, oncologist and other specialists. Each has been wonderful in hearing us out, and doing the very best they can. We don’t always get that in Canada. We even had a confirmed diagnosis from an ailment that I suffer from within months, when the average is seven years.
And while we haven’t had the miracles of stretching food like Heidi Baker, we’ve had our own resources stretch when we need it. We’ve had entrepreneurial ideas for art, resources and colouring books. We’ve had special connections and networks, and have been blessed by breaks and getaways just when we need them. Even when I was enduring my first and worst flare-up, Tony was an amazing nurse. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I experienced the kindness of God through his love and service. Another T.K.O.G was when my parents gifted us with the cost of our rental car on our home visit. All of these gifts and more have been manifestations of the kindness of God. His kindness and compassion are to provide for us, guide us, and give us joy every day. He’s opened our eyes to see the smallest everyday kindnesses as well as the larger ones. So even when we’re not in good health, we have peace because we know our issues will be resolved. This certainly was the case during my inflammatory breast cancer journey from August 2019 until recently in December 2020. Even though this was a horrific season (super-imposed on a glorious mission season) in having a deadly disease, my husband and I were carried by the grace of God through the treatments. A shower of crowd-funding fell at my feet, since our insurance company refused to no longer cover me. We were given the very best of care, and there were so many tangible manifestations of God’s kindnesses extended to us.
Even after we attempted to return to Canada for surgery in April 2020, we were locked down tight due to severe covid-19 restrictions all over the world. God’s kindness at that time became emergency mastectomy (where the surgeon had excellent margins for the cancer, which he called a miracle), and following treatments of radiation, lymphedema massage, compression therapy and Herceptin injections, which ended in November 2020. We were kept away from covid-19 far more where we were than if we had returned to Canada. We are now waiting on medical visas, to carry us into May 2021, for a spring return to Canada. We trust that the visa acceptance would be another kindness of God. What about the cancer journey, you may ask. How is that the kindness of God? Well, cancer is NOT the kindness of God. However, God was kind in the midst of it. While he was healing me of the cancer through medical professionals, he was also working on other things – including my heart, the discovery of undiagnosed lymphedema in my legs. None of the pain and tears are wasted.
Is God kind to you also? I would believe that he is; but just ask God to help you notice the ways He is kind to you and to those around you. God’s kindness may also affect others in particular ways. God shows His kindness through the ongoing provision described in Acts 14:17: “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons.” God’s kindness is part of His nature. It’s easy to overlook the everyday expressions of His kindness, but if you intentionally look for them, you become more aware of God’s love.
As we think on God’s kindness, we discover four things; these are: that God IS kind, we choose to be kind, that kindness has a flavour, and that we can pass on that kindness to others. It’s just like paying it forward. Being kind is a choice. You make choices every day; some big and some small. Think about all the choices you’ve made in the last hour. These may be what food to eat first at dinner, where to sit while reading your Bible, and who to share compliments with; those are all choices. I believe that God wants you to choose to be kind. Boaz was kind with Ruth, as she gleaned from his field. Sometimes kindness is a choice to share what you have with someone in need. Other times, it’s a decision to encourage someone with a sincere compliment. When you do, you grow as you actively practice being kind. Remember Matthew chapter 25, when Jesus compared the sheep and the goats. The sheep were kind, the goats were not.
Kindness also has a flavour, and it is sweet. Sweet words are like honey to the soul. The words we say to others make a difference. Words can be sour, or they can be sweet. They can hurt feelings, or they can repair relationships. Words can build people up or tear people down. You need to choose your words carefully because they are powerful. The apostle Paul urges believers In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to “encourage one another and build each other up.” When you choose kind words, you’re giving others a taste of God’s kindness, and that brings Him honour. It also honours them.
Divine Kindness is essential to be reflected in our human experience. Both the books of Hosea and Matthew note that expressing kindness to others is more important than religious rituals. We are to love kindness. We are to love kindness and mercy. Hosea 6:6-8 remind us that if we really want to please God, burnt offerings, deep sacrifices and other offerings are not what God really wants. Verse 8 gets right to the point. “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” In other words, to be kind. There are many other scriptures that confirm this, before we even examine the nine fruit of the Spirit.
What are some ways you can show kindness to those around you every day? Could you let God use your loving touch and words to encourage others with kindness? Part of this is addressed in the Iris way of “stopping for the one.” You can also intentionally be kind to everyone, in the style of Steve Sjogren, who wrote the book Conspiracy of Kindness. While this is a gentle book on low risk, high grace evangelism, being kind does more than bring people to faith. It also brings healing and deepens relationship. Kind deeds, and kind words create “phone wires’ for sensitively transmitting love into people’s hearts. The Kindness of God does that with us – either directly through the Holy Spirit, or through other people. That heart melt helps bring a wave of emotional healing and good things to come. Don’t close your heart to it, and don’t shut down if someone rejects it. Even a little kindness is a great blessing.
The Apostle Paul experienced the kindness of God when after he encountered Jesus, he was cared for by some Damascus Christians. He was accepted. The power of this acceptance confirmed his direct experience with Jesus. It proved to him that the love of Jesus is real. People come to faith when they realise God’s kindness – either directly through the Holy Spirit, or through those who can represent God. We can represent God when we are filled with kindness and compassion. Both are from him. Ask him to fill you with both, since he really wants to do that. God loves to bless his children with kindness – just look at all the acts of kindness he’s done for us. And we pass this on to those we love and serve. We let the overflow go to others. How? Go to him and ask him to fill you, and open your eyes to those you would miss.
The kindness of God opens our eyes to others in special moments. Steve Sjogren shares that kindness includes the art of noticing people. Most people are lonely. [Steve Sjogren, The Conspiracy of Kindness p 35] This includes our neighbours. Jesus asked a lawyer who had challenged his authority by asking him the greatest commandment. When Jesus answered him correctly, he offered deeper insight into the second commandment – that of loving your neighbour. Your neighbour is the person right in front of you with a need in their life. [Steve Sjogren, The Conspiracy of Kindness p 86] The kindness is in noticing them, and not expecting anything in return. Sjogren shares that “we are by nature completely selfish. But when Christ comes in, something elemental changes. [Early Christians were known for] their generosity towards others.” [Steve Sjogren, The Conspiracy of Kindness p 80] That generosity – one of the flavours of kindness – breaks the hardness and fear in your own heart as you reach out to bless someone else.
Don’t be afraid to be kind – we have opportunity to sow the seeds of kindness every day. And as we do, we’re not doing this out of the desire to gain influence or power, but in the pure joy of sowing. There is a law of reaping what we sow. Galatians 6:7-10 shares that we should not be be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” This works for good and bad. If it is to “live to please the Spirit, [you] will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone.”
Lord, thank you for T.K.O.G’s – you’ve given us so many. You’ve blessed us here on our mission field in South Africa, in family, church family and ministry family. You are giving us kindness and blessings every day, whether we know you yet or not. I ask that your kindness with melt hearts so they turn to you. Melt hearts so they can also bless each other through your kindness. I ask that you be praised for being so faithful. Help us to reach out to others with your kindness. Your kindness leads us to repentance, and that’s a good thing. It leads us closer to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you’d like to hear an audio version of this article, please visit the Ways to Grow in God (WTGIG) podcast page on the coppleswesterncape.ca website (under the “Listen” drop-down menu). Click here: (https://www.coppleswesterncape.ca/wtgig-podcasts.html) and scroll down to #61! If you have been blessed by this article, please let us know!
Updates: For those looking for news on my cancer journey, I am still receiving oncology visits, and I am awaiting plastic surgery on the left side of my mastectomy scar (on January 12th). We have been given favour from the plastic surgeon who is waiving his surgical fees! We are waiting on my cardiologist for the echocardiogram results to be sent to us, so the anesthetist can feel safe about sedating me. We find this surprising, since I had two surgeries with general anesthetic, including the first (chemo port insertion) surgery right before the echocardiogram was done. I also receive MLD therapy, lymphedema treatments and physiotherapy to get me stronger for our eventual return to Canada.
Meanwhile, we are still waiting on our medical visas, which would allow us to stay six months longer in South Africa. According to Home Affairs, the wait can be up to 60 business days. That’s a long time without our passports, but we need to be patient and trust God and our lawyer during the process.
We believe that the medical treatment here is excellent, although expensive, despite the rand-Canadian dollar exchange has helped keep costs almost 15 – 20 percent lower. We have incurred significant medical debt, although kind people in Canada and around the world have helped us so far. God bless each and every one of them. But we still need help. Please click here for the medical campaign page to get more info: https://www.coppleswesterncape.ca/medical-campaign.html.
We are still crowdfunding to cover the cancer treatments (as well as Tony’s TB treatments). If you feel led to contribute, please do so via our PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/WaystogrowinGod
L-A’s colouring book: If you are in South Africa, and would like to purchase one of L-A’s colouring books, they are available at OliveTree Bookshop in Mountain Mill Shopping Centre (near Pick n Pay), Worcester, Western Cape. You can also buy them at LeRoux and Fourie Wineshop on R60 beside Cape Lime (between Nuy and Robertson). Or you can order one (or more) printed for you through Takealot.com through this link: https://www.takealot.com/colouring-with-jesus/PLID68586424
Bless you and thank you for your support! We also wish you a blessed and happy Christmas!
Posted onJune 29, 2015|Comments Off on L-A’s writing a book
Hi, It’s Laurie-Ann. During this season, I’ve been encouraged to grow in creativity. While I already am a visual artist, audio producer and radio host, I have been pushed to begin to write my story. I know some of you have been encouraged by little stories that I include in my Ways to Grow in God articles. Would you be interested in a sneak peak, or even read the book when it is finished? Let me know!
Posted onAugust 3, 2013|Comments Off on Prayer and Fasting – another important way to grow in God
Growing in God doesn’t have to be a race like this fast boat from Mackinac Island, Michigan
Growing in Prayer and Fasting: Ways to Grow in God
Last time we discovered that we flourish as we express our prayers in journaling, as well as waiting for the Holy Spirit’s voice in reply. This reply often comes by remembered scriptures, words of encouragement and being drawn closer to Jesus). We also learned the popular model of ‘A.C.T.S.’: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Supplication includes praying for others; sometimes in the form of lists. The ‘Prayers of the People’ that we share at church would be in this category. I believe that God listens to these prayers. Yet, have you had times when you were interrupted by an urgent thought, a picture of someone you know in your memory and an intense desire to pray for them? This is intercessory prayer – prayer requests from the Holy Spirit himself. So you’ve obey that call and pray for that person. You feel that burden on your heart grow lighter. Sometimes you may weep while praying. Then soon after, you learn the person you prayed for had urgently needed help at that exact moment. Your prayers were used by God to get them out of some danger. The Apostle Paul encourages us in 1 Thess. 5:17 to pray without ceasing (or to pray continually). This doesn’t necessarily mean for us to literally be on our knees 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but it does encourage us to have a prayerful attitude where you can offer up quick ‘arrow prayers’ to the Lord throughout the day. This attitude keeps us thankful. It also helps remind us that Jesus really is there with us all the time. This is “practicing the presence of God” (or abiding as mentioned in John 15: 1-17). This posture keeps you peaceful and centered on Him.
Remember to take your time in all forms of prayer. Don’t just pray quickly to get it over with. Slow down and listen – and be quiet before God. It can be difficult to hear God in the midst of an adrenaline rush. When you take that time, He may say something to you. He may lead you to specific scripture verses, or pour His love and peace into you as you wait on Him. You will find that time refreshing and a welcome break to a hectic day. Then you will be more energized and focused. Think of it as a divine refreshment break.
Fasting isoften combined with prayer. My former priest Fr. John reminds us that we need to give something up and take something on during the Lenten season. This kind of fast is specific to Lent, since it is giving up one thing for a specific period of time. However, you can also set other times for specific fasts if you are called to do so by the Holy Spirit. Usually that item or activity that you surrender would be important to you. The activity you pick up could be extra time with God, or doing a ministry for him (This practice is meant to be a gift of devotion to God and bring you closer to Him).
Many people chose to give up chocolate. Your Lenten fast doesn’t have to be chocolate, although many people choose it as the thing to fast from because it’s their favourite thing. There are many things we can give up for a season. I remember going off coffee one year, and it wasn’t easy. Another year I gave up television, which was difficult at the time, but later on I didn’t watch much of it when I was in school nearly full time. A few years ago, I gave up credit cards, which was a good thing, though I have since relapsed.
You don’t have to limit your fasting to Lent. Tony and I went on weeklong vegetarian fast before a mission trip. It is also called a ‘Daniel fast’, since the Old Testament prophet Daniel fasted from meat and wine for 3 weeks while he prayed (Dan 10:2-3). We did this as a time of praying and waiting on God’s confirmation of our 2005 Kenya Alpha mission. During this week my mind cleared and my heart began to change concerning Tony’s role in the mission. While I did not yet get the guidance I needed, God was preparing Tony’s heart for that mission; even though he wasn’t yet willing to join me. I simply asked the Lord to speak to Tony about going to Kenya during my own devotional prayer time.
During that week Tony shared with me that he could sense God very strongly several times when he was working on his computer, and he prayed in response to God’s call, but he did not get direction on going on the mission trip. Eventually, Tony did hear the Holy Spirit speak to him about going with me on the mission, but this was in HIS time, not mine. Fasting in the context of prayer is meant to change the heart of the person who prays. It also helps that person get more in tune with God’s heart.
Now did any of these Lenten fasts bring me closer to God? I would have to say that in and of themselves, they did NOT bring me closer to God – but that is where the taking on something extra comes in. When one gives the Lord what you have given to him as a GIFT, not as an obligation, and in the time you would spend watching television, or eating dessert, etc, you would be spending that time with Him in a specific way, then it can become a blessing to you. One Lenten season I taught the Ways to Grow series at St. Paul’s and all of us were deeply blessed. I especially received as I poured out love, teaching and prayer to those who attended. This was the something extra that I took on that year.
Other fasts can be more intense than Lent. This includes fasting from one meal for prayer, to forty days fasting from food, but not liquids. Jesus spent this kind of fast in the Judean desert. Do we need to do this in our own walk with God? Perhaps – but I would advise taking small steps as you learn. I am still learning this discipline myself, and I know the Lord honours our efforts to grow in Him. He will guide you closer as you dare to walk closer to him. You won’t be sorry. Note: I also shared a longer talk on prayer and fasting that will be posted online separately for readers who need more than this bite-sized story.
Yours in Christ, Laurie-Ann Copple
Laurie-Ann recently moved to Nelson BC, and works for Vista Radio. She attends Kootenay Christian Fellowship and has roots at St Paul’s in Kanata ON.
Comments Off on Prayer and Fasting – another important way to grow in God
Last time we discovered that we grow really well when we are mentored or discipled by someone who holds us accountable in our faith. My priest, Father John often reminds us that his faith is not entirely his own. Our parish helps him grow, and we are encouraged by him (individually and corporately). We grow in relationship. Mentorship can be done by peers or by someone more experienced than ourselves. Sometimes this accountability can be a form of tough love, but it is absolutely necessary for us to grow spiritually mature. Our spiritual journey is also deepened by obedience. This means we must obey God’s principles shown throughout the Bible. Obedience is outwardly shown as integrity and holiness. It’s a reflection of our faith and obedience to God.
Mission trips are like pressure cookers of faith experience. Long days, culture shock, and human frailty often show what we’re really like inside. What is really visible in those moments? Is it something that points to Jesus or our own weaknesses? I have been told by the Anglican mission agency SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) that sometimes we are the only Bible that others see. This means that our actions much match our faith. Integrity includes honesty but goes much deeper. Integrity is a special fruit of our character as Christians. It develops over time. Some of this is based on the baptismal promise to “persevere in resisting evil and, whenever we fall into sin, to repent and return to the Lord.” Good character develops as a foundation for choosing to walk in his holy ways. When we answer “I will with God’s help”, we acknowledge that we can only live the Christian life in His power, not our own. When we do this, it frees us, since without God’s help we’d burn out. OK, I get it. We can’t become holy by our own power. So how DO we become holy?
When our faith in Jesus comes alive for the first time, He makes us holy because he died for us. God the Father looks at us and sees us through His Son. Yet there is a process in becoming more holy in our habits and our actions. This is a process and most of us have a lot of bad habits to overcome. This process is called sanctification, or becoming holy. Some biblical teaching on holy living is simple and straight forward. If you are married, stay faithful to your husband or wife. We are to love and honour them in a way that blesses them. Paul encouraged husbands to love their wives as much as Jesus does the church. Wives are to love their spouses and understand that their husband wants to protect them from harm, or at best, he should. If you are single, it means you stay celibate until you are married. When we come to faith, sometimes we don’t know the details of how to live a holy life and it takes time to work this out in our lives. The Holy Spirit often speaks to friends about areas of weakness in their lives in a gentle corrective way at just the right time. Sometimes over zealous Christian leaders have mistakenly beaten the Holy Spirit to the ‘punch’ and approached these friends over their poor choices. Mentors and leaders have to be gentle in holding us accountable, since this is the Holy Spirit’s job. It is God who makes us holy, not our church leaders, although they can be used to encourage us to obey God.
The Bible and the Holy Spirit also teach us to act with integrity in other areas: in our work lives, in friendships, and in daily living. God is our source for godly living (2 Peter 1:1-11) and He will help you live out the holiness that you are given through salvation in Jesus Christ. This means you do not do this in your own strength. The Apostle Paul tells is in Phil. 2:12-13 “To continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
Part of becoming more holy, is to make good and godly choices. Quite often we wonder, “OK, I’d like to please God and become more holy. How do I know what is His will for me?” God often leaves simple choices to us, especially if we do not distract others in their faith walk (for example, not drinking in front of an alcoholic and causing him to be tempted). This freedom grows as we become stronger in our faith. It often becomes easier to make good choices because of this strength. However, this freedom gives us more responsibility not to stumble others in their faith because of cultural differences. Paul encourages us to “not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God… (1 Cor. 10:23) and John reminds us that “whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble (1 John 2:10).
Cultural differences include worship styles. When I was in Pakistan, I learned their cultural experience of prayer. When people pray, their shoes must come off, because where they are praying is holy ground. Women wear shawls over their heads during services, and especially in prayer. I grew used to this, although it was difficult pulling my boots on and off. One of the associate pastors in Lahore joked with me, “Sister Ann, you are powerful with your shoes off, but when you have them on again, you are weak!” I thought this was incredibly funny at the time, because he was helping me put my shoes back on yet again. But what they saw when I had my shoes off was a “holy lady” who knew how to pray. Culturally I was connected with them. I showed by my willingness to enter their culture that I loved them. This was a godly choice, and it blessed them. It was the same motivation that caused me to dress African-style when I was in Kenya and Sierra Leone.
So you see that our choices can affect others for good or ill, and cause us to grow or stop growing. I pray that in our choice to follow our Lord, we may become aware of WHEN we are given direction to walk in His way. If we continue to walk in His ways, He grows our trust in Him. I will speak on growing that trust next time.
Yours in Christ, Laurie-Ann Copple
Laurie-Ann is an Ottawa based media person. She attended Tyndale Seminary and graduated in 1999. She attends St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kanata, Ontario
Posted onMarch 6, 2013|Comments Off on Growing through Relationships: Mentorship and Spiritual Friendship
I’ve been on a journey and learned that we grow when we allow God’s grace to work in our lives.
Last time we discovered that we grow well when we minister to and encourage each other – in fellowship or koinonia. We are created to be in relationship. Another form of relationship that blesses us is mentorship.
Mentorship means to have someone help you intentionally grow deeper in your faith. When you are a new Christian, it helps to have someone to ‘disciple’ you. A disciple is a person who has wants to be more than a church-goer. Like Jesus’ disciples, we choose to follow Jesus. As we grow on that journey, we can do great things for God. This process takes time and willingness to learn. Jesus said to “take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” (Matt. 11:29) Although Jesus is Lord, he was also a mentor to his disciples. He taught them the way of service and love. He does the same for us through the Holy Spirit, and through the relationships we have with our mentors.
A mentor can be someone who is like a spiritual mother or father (not just a godparent). This person actually is what a godparent could be. That person intentionally comes alongside you and in a loving relationship encourages your walk with Jesus. They don’t just take you to church. Time together can include Bible Study sessions, prayer and pastoral care. Other times a mentor can seem quite harsh in their admonishment, but that is only when we really need that discipline. I had a mentor like that – she was an Australian lady named Jan and she would always tell me to “pick up your socks, mate!” She wasn’t talking about my actual socks!
Other biblical examples of mentors include the Apostle Paul, who was a mentor to Timothy. Paul encourages younger Christians to be imitators of him (1 Co. 4:16) and to be imitators of God (Eph. 5: 1-2). One of the things that a mentor does is to encourage you. Paul talks about encouragement as being one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom 12: 3-8). My former pastor Dale always said that ‘encouragement is the oxygen of life.’ This is true of all relationships, including marriage. My husband Tony and I believe so strongly in this that we included the promise of encouragement in our wedding vows. We pledged, “to love, honour and encourage.”
A mentor is often a person who is ahead of us on the journey and lends hand in guiding us forward. Peer-relationships can also help you grow, and are encouraged at Tyndale seminary (where I graduated in 1999). I took a course called Foundations of Christian Spirituality, which taught about ways to grow in God. This included the experience of spiritual friendship – which is to have someone as a dedicated listener and prayer partner with you for a season.
A spiritual friend should be the same gender you are. They can be older or younger, more experienced or on your own level of faith and growth. The important thing is that you must be very honest with them, and they must be allowed to tell you the truth without you getting annoyed. When it was time to choose my spiritual friend, we had one female and one male left over in our class. I was the leftover female. This meant that I had to have a spiritual friend from outside the class. I chose my friend Claudia, and we shared the devotional book Space for Godat least once a week.
Near the end of our course, Claudia remained faithful with me. She also benefited from our deepened friendship. It turned out that Jan (our Australian friend) was dying of cancer. Jan and I used to be close but when she got really sick I saw her less due to my school and work schedule. I also didn’t know how to comfort her and procrastinated in going to see her. When Claudia told me that Jan wouldn’t make it through the week, I grimaced and said “I’d like to see her on the weekend.” Claudia then gave me a metaphorical push and said, “Jan won’t be alive by the weekend. You need to go NOW. I will go WITH you.”
Thanks to Claudia’s push, I was with Jan the day before she died. We spent a few hours with her, I fed her ginger ale and was just “with” her. I didn’t expect her to talk, but she knew I was there. While we were there, others came to visit. This included a chaplain and an emotionally weak friend, who cried all over Jan. Jan responded and tried to minister to her. I knew this was exhausting for Jan, but it was very important for this other friend to see Jan almost as she was before she became ill. I held my feelings in, and didn’t expect Jan to do that for me. I felt guilty that I hadn’t been to see her for so long.
Somehow I ended up singing Jan’s favourite worship song, “Faithful One” to her. I closed my eyes and sang my heart out. I was later told that during the song, the Holy Spirit fell on Jan in such a way that she looked like the Jan she was before she was sick. At that time she shone with love for Jesus, and pride in me for singing to her. When I opened my eyes, I saw Jan as the way she had been. I thanked her for being such a faithful friend, and that was her gift to me.
The chaplain asked Jan if she’d like me to sing that song at her funeral, and she said yes. It was at this time that Claudia came back into the room to support me, and take me home. This is what a spiritual friend does – like Jan, in her faithfulness, from telling me to ‘pick up your socks, mate’ when she was well. Jan also forgave me for not being there when she was sick. Claudia also was a great spiritual friend. She gave tough love when I needed it, and was supportive when I finally did what was right.
Spiritual friendship and mentorship are both intentional relationships. This means setting a certain time aside, saying to each other: “how is your soul, really?” It means going through your spiritual walk with the Lord together and being HONEST with each other. God will still bless us through our regular friends, but there isn’t as much opportunity in those friendships.
However, they have potential. My priest reminds us of this every time he mentions in his blessing, “May you know the Love of God in every friendship.” Next time I will share with you another way to grow in God… meanwhile I pray that a mentor will be available to you when you need one for whatever spiritual season YOU are in …
Yours in Christ, Laurie-Ann Copple
Laurie-Ann Copple is an Ottawa-based media person. She has been on mission trips to Northern Ireland, Kenya, Pakistan and Sierra Leone. She attends St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kanata, Ontario.
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I’ve been on a journey and learned that we grow when we allow God’s grace to work in our lives.
We allow Him to take away the ‘speed bumps’ that get in the way (such as restlessness, unforgiveness and bitterness). Speed bumps harm our relationships with other people as well as with God. We are created to be in relationship. We grow best through being blessed, encouraged and loved by others and when we share that love with others.
Some people call that fellowship, but what exactly is fellowship? It is more than small talk and asking a polite ‘how are you?’ during coffee time on Sunday. Fellowship is time spent in caring friendship and journeying in your faith with each other. It includes sharing daily struggles and encouraging each other in love. The Bible has many examples of how we can minister to each other – the phrase ‘one another’ is repeated the New Testament many times. I found this statement in the Snodgrass Ephesians commentary: “we cannot be mature Christians by ourselves, for we cannot give ourselves everything we need for a life of faith. Christ has chosen to grace others so they contribute to us and us to them. Grace comes from God but it is conveyed through horizontal channels” [Snodgrass, Ephesians commentary, p. 221] My priest, Father John Bridges has said many times that his faith is not entirely his own. He is validated in his faith partly by us, the community that loves Jesus with him.
One of my former pastors, Dale, had a lot of practical sayings about church. Dale shared his hopes and dreams for our congregation in a way that I’ll always remember. He said that the church is meant to be a prayer army, a family and a hospital. This triple role was also confirmed to me in seminary counseling class. I learned there that the church is seen as ecclesia(a place to worship), therapia(a place of healing) and koinonia, (communion of saints). When we greet each other during Sunday services with the peace of the Lord, we aren’t just giving hugs and handshakes, although I love these. We are extending love to each other in the Lord’s name. Each time we do this, I feel incredibly blessed. We do this because we have just been forgiven by God for whatever sins we’re given to Him. This is also a time to extend that same love and forgiveness to each other, even if it is just for a minute. It’s worship, healing and family at the same time.
Perhaps a good way to understand Christian fellowship is to ponder the term “communion of saints” – a term that I’ve come to love. I studied at the University of Toronto. While I was in my first year, I took “Basic Christian Beliefs” at St Michael’s College. I became fascinated in New Testament word studies. One of the Greek terms I studied was parousia, (the return of Jesus), another metanoia, (which means changing your mind/attitude). However, the most interesting one to me was koinonia, which means communion of saints, or fellowship.
Although there are many different aspects to church, the one that means the most to me is communion of saints.
It’s more than a line in the Nicean and Apostle’s Creeds! It’s that special bond between Christians that is more than friendship, and deeper than family ties. It’s the sense of deep connection that you have with someone that you have shared and prayed with. When the Holy Spirit fills you both while in prayer together, he knits your spirits and hearts together. This often happens during the healing prayer time that we have in the Sunday services and it is an intimate bond. This is a safe place to be when this bond is strengthened by friendship and inspired compassion. It’s this aspect of church that can make it a hospital and place of healing, because healing happens within relationships.
Of course, we should all know by now that there is no such thing as the “Perfect Church.” We’re all at different stages of spiritual growth and emotional maturity. However, we do see glimpses of how the church should be, for example: during the Alpha Holy Spirit weekend, or the Cursillo weekend, and in small group sharing and prayer time. I love getting to know the guests as an Alpha Course leader. Through Alpha, I have gained really amazing friends. One gentle participant said that he was able to share deep things with us that he never could have with his long-time secular friends. This isn’t because it’s a secret – sharing thing, but rather the sense of trust in each other that is very intimate.
Years ago, “May” was part of one of our Alpha courses. She loved the course, but she didn’t like going to church, except the occasional evensong, (an afternoon service). She didn’t have any fire of course, although she appreciated the company of other people at Alpha. I wondered how she could even survive in her faith completely on her own. Nicky Gumbel tells a story of a young man who used to be very much on fire in his faith. However after he decided to not go to church anymore, he lost his enthusiasm. So he went to see an older, wise man to ask him why he lost his joy. The older man didn’t say a word, but instead spoke through action. Since they were in the UK, and it gets cold and damp in the winter – so the old man had a coal fireplace. All the coals were hot and glowing red. The man took a coal from the fireplace with a pair of tongs and set it down on the hearth. At first the coal was red, but very soon it faded and became grey and then black. The older man then looked at the younger one, and then took the lonely piece of coal and put it back into the fire, where very soon it grew red-hot again. He showed the young man without a single word- why he lost his enthusiasm.
The author of Hebrews encourages us to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25) The Apostle Paul encourages us as well that we are a body (in 1 Corinthians 12:12-20). We NEED each other. “Communion of Saints” is also mentioned in the Nicene Creed that we recite each week, so this again confirms how central Christian relationships are to our growing faith.
And so my friends, I want you to have the same blessing that Father John often gives us – that you may see the face of Jesus in those you meet, and may you know his love in the friendships you have. I would also like to add that I’m grateful for the prayers of all my Christian friends during my time in radio broadcasting school. Since I was the only Christian, I have come to value the communion of saints even more. We have something special in God and each other.
Yours in Christ, Laurie-Ann Copple
Laurie-Ann Copple is an Ottawa based media person. She graduated from radio broadcasting at Algonquin College and attends St. Paul’s in Kanata, ON.
Ways to Grow in God 
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