Reaching Europe

Check out our new ministry video! 

    Reaching Europe is the type of ministry that, as our pastor says, "Missionaries love it! Pastors don't understand it. This is the biggest challenge for Reaching Europe." 

Our desire is to clarify the ministry through this video:

https://youtu.be/j6TxGfXjTT8

A World We Never Touch

    Today, my husband and I ran into the store to grab a few items for dinner. I noticed one lady on a few occasions making her way speedily down the one-way isles with her mask and disposable gloves on. She took no notice of the people around her other than to avoid them as though she had an actual 6-foot pole in her hands. We managed to make it to the self check out lane the same time she did. When the man directly behind her ventured too close, she extended her hand to warn him not to proceed any further. When the associate in charge of the self-checkout station passed by her, she quickly moved to the other side of her shopping cart to maintain her distance.  She looked increasingly agitated whenever someone did not observe proper social distancing     It really is sad that Covid 19 has produced people fearful of each other. While watching that one paranoid lady in the store, I could not but help thinking of that song that says, "How can we reach a world we never touch? How can we show them Christ if we never show them love? Just to say we care will never be enough. How can we reach a world we never touch?" This song, of course, is talking about missions. It refers to getting wrapped up in our comfort zones, serving in our local church, but not allowing our reach to extend past that. The incident in the store made me think literally our world has become one we "never touch". If you don't maintain social distancing, you do not care about other people. You are being selfish and unsafe if you don't wear your mask. Keep glass barriers between yourself and the people you serve for safety's sake.Literally, a world we never touch.    Praise the Lord, when Christ walked among men that He did not social distance. He wrapped children in loving arms, touched blind eyes, and healed those who. likewise, reached for Him as the woman who was sick for twelve years had. No 6-foot rule. No masks. No social distancing.    We have heard this verse quoted often since March when the pandemic hit: 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Instead of fearing our fellow men, we need to reach out to them, not physically, but a kind word does go a long way. Everyone is so fearful of catching this virus that kindness has gone out the window. This is no way to live.     After that woman finally secured her lone spot at the self-checkout, my husband caught the eye of another customer making his purchase. He tugged his mask down, and said: "I just wanted you to see I am smiling at you."
    The man's face lit up as he too tugged his mask down and reciprocated the gesture with his own big grin. 
    Such a simple exchange, but my husband is a wise man (Mann). He knows that you can't reach a world you never touch.

Pride Vs. Humility

Proverbs 16:18-19 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."

    While preparing to teach some children on the topic of humility, I decided I would share some thoughts here I had on the topic. When considering which Bible passage to share with the group of 1st-3rd graders, I considered Jesus washing His disciples' feet. He wonderfully displayed humility as an example to us in this portion (John 13:15). But the more I thought about it, it seemed more appropriate for this age group to show the opposite quality to clarify the focus on humility: pride. And what better picture of pride versus humility is there than the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector? 

Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

PRIDE

    Jesus always had a purpose in sharing the parables He did. His listeners comprised of a group that was trusting in their own righteousness. They thought they were better than others whom the Bible says they despised (fairly harsh word, don't you think?).

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

    At first, to the listener, it may seem as though the Pharisee was the better of the two men anyway. After all, no one likes a publican (a tax collector). We can see in Matthew 9:11 that the publicans did not have a very good reputation And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"

Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

    Wow. What an example of a pride-filled person! The person filled with pride puts others down in order to lift himself up. The worse part of his prayer is that the publican probably heard what the Pharisee was saying about him as he showily brought his prayer to the Lord.

Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

    Now the Pharisee is boasting of all the good things he does. So (1) he put others down and (2) he lifts himself up. Sounds like he's headed for a hard fall if he doesn't change his ways. I think there's a verse somewhere about that. Oh, yes: Proverbs 16:18-19.

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Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

HUMILITY

    This guy, on the other hand, in his spirit of humility won't even lift his eyes. He recognizes his sinful condition and is humble enough to admit it. That's what makes pride so harmful. A person is so reliant on themself and what they do that they can't recognize their sinfulness and need for the Saviour! 

Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

    Basically, here is the two-part conclusion:

(1) He who lifts up himself will be abased (or humiliated). 

(2) He who humbles himself will be exalted (or honored).

I know I don't want to be in that first category! So what does it take to humble ourselves? Well, recognize that we are sinners and that He is the Saviour! Without Him, we could never save ourselves. So if He can humble Himself and wash the feet of His disciples, how much more should we humble ourselves?

Father's Day

Last Sunday was Father's Day. I read the following excerpt in a book and thought it was a nice story to go with honoring fathers everywhere :

I have a memory of my father teaching me to climb the stairs. He had taken me by the hand and was helping me up. By the third step, I had froze: I could not go up. I could not go down." No!" I said with all the vehemence of a child.
My father did not force me to go on. He tousled my hair and said, "That's all right, Son. You did well to come this far. He picked me up in his arms and carried me the rest of the way. Carried me safe. It never occurred to me that I had failed. I felt like the king that had conquered three steps by myself. That is what fathers do. They see how far you have come and cheer you so you will learn to go the rest of the way.

Thank you to fathers everywhere for cheering on your children! And thank you to our Heavenly Father who carries us safely in His loving arms.

Budapest During a Pandemic

In May, my family was able to do a bit of sightseeing in Budapest. The coronavirus threat still had many businesses shut down, but as regulations were lifting, those businesses that could open were starting to. But there was still one thing missing from the normal sights of Budapest - tourism.

Walking around Heroes Square was strange. This area normally packed full of tourists taking pictures and listening to the speeches of tour guides was empty. How strange it was to be able to take our own pictures with no crowds of people!

The Buda Castle had a bit more activity, mostly of families looking for a day trip with their out of school children, but it was still not the usual amount of visitors.

Laura's Youtube Channel

     My daughter, Laura, has a Youtube channel featuring her two dogs, Winston and Walle. She is striving to get subscribers, so please click on the following link and hit the subscribe button. Thanks for helping her out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VGsCbEtjVI

Cast Your Care

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

At this time, the whole world is fighting against a virus that has left no one unaffected by it. Schools are closed down and any nonessential businesses. Grocery stores, pharmacies and doctors' offices remain open. Everyone is asked to stay at home as much as possible. 

I think we will be able to look back on this time similar to how we look back on 9-11. "Where were you during the coronavirus of 2020?" It will be a story to tell the grandchildren when they learn about it in history class for sure! But hopefully, we will be able to tell our grandchildren that we put our trust in the Lord when fear and panic permeated the news and social media. Coronavirus did not take Him by surprise. What good does fearing and fretting do anyway? 

Let's resolve to cast our cares on Him for He does care for us!

This picture was posted today (3/31/20) showing the number of people with the virus in Hungary.
40 have recovered and 20 have died from the virus so far.