Posted in Adoption Journey, Uncategorized

longest. advent. ever.

Posted on by Wick

So here’s another official adoption update without much officially to update.  We’re still “next on the list” for a child who meets what we’ve been approved of.  We’ve even been able to extend the age a bit, because we began this process with a younger youngest child.(Illinois doesn’t generally allow “artificial twinning”, which means adopting a child the same age of your children.)  We’ve gotten e-mails in recent weeks that are exciting, and we’re hearing of sibling sets, and twins, and girls the age of our kids being adopted.  This is great news, as children who need a forever home are being connected not only with shelter, but in many cases with a home centered on Jesus, and God – the ultimate Father.

There are new posts on a regular basis by this author, or that news source, or this organization.  Many of them sounding the alarm about corruption in the adoption system.  Some saying international adoption misses the point.  Some simply trying to educate.  Others processing their own guilt publicly, after not asking questions in their own process of bringing home a child.pinkdrc

So much of the conversation continues to distract us from the truths.  Soooo many children are dying, and in need of being cared for.  So many women and children are being abused, forgotten about, and fought over.  The war in Eastern DRC continues to move toward the edge of who knows what, as UN Troops arrive in the next month or so for the first ever offensive action aimed at controlling the M23/rebel forces.

And in the midst of it all, it seems the brokenness of our creation offers a possible volcanic eruption.

I listen to NPR…probably too much.  It’s at the point now that when I read a book that talks about something thought provoking, I hear the voices of prominent NPR reporters reading me the text.  I hear stories from all over the world, and I realize there are so many important things happening.  But when I see or hear an extended report on something I feel like has gotten way too much media attention, I can’t help but feel the sting of injustice, when I know the current homeland of my daughter is enduring so much suffering.  I’m reminded that this…right here….this lump in my throat.  This filling of my eyes.   This emotion that rises when I read another report on the abuses against the people of the DRC….this is one of the reasons we’ve been called on this journey.  To have our hearts broken by that which breaks the heart of Christ.

Before we began traveling this road, I could hear reports from all over the world, and maintain my waffle square.  Safely compartmentalized in my Midwestern US world.  Now, my eyes and heart are being changed.  Already in the midst of wanting to “rescue” my daughter (I realize some bloggers challenging the evangelical adoption movement don’t like that word…deal with it.)…she has already begun to rescue me from what had become an all too localized world-view.

All of that to say….please continue to pray with us.  Not just for our daughter and family, but for the people and nation of the DRC.  May God come, and begin to set things right even now…

Also, we’re still raising funds for when that e-mail/call comes, and we begin the journey to actually bring her home…if you’d like to give, click here.  Thanks so much!!!

Posted in Different Learning, Different Thoughts

free.

Posted on by Wick

Last week, we gathered a group of mostly senior highers together from all over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois.  The goal was to take 36 young people through a few days of learning about our history as the Free Methodist Church, hear what God is currently doing through us, and look forward to how they fit uniquely into the future directions of our movement.  It.  Went.  Awesome.

Seriously, better than we could’ve planned. (we’re not great planners, admittedly)

One of the “Group Times” involved students taking important dates from our timeline, and important aspects of what defined us as we began the FM Church – and finding unique ways to remember them.  Here are a few our group came up with:

1. BT Roberts was an MVP, or “Most Valuable Preacher”.  Michael Jordan was also an MVP, and his number was 23.  BT Roberts was born in 1823.  Boom.

2. Heinz 57 Sauce is red, like a stop sign.  It was in 1857 that BT Roberts was told by his church to STOP some of the stir he was causing toward certain freedoms he believed were vital to the life of a Christ-follower.  Just one year later, in 1858, his ordination and credentials were removed.

3. So, since his church had “86’d” his role as a minister, he began a new movement by inviting like-hearted followers of Christ.   He began “Peeking” into a NEW movement (denomination) in 1886 in Pekin, NEW York.

4. From the very beginning, this movement embraced 5 essential freedoms along with the ordination of women:

S- Slaves should be freed!

P- Pews should be free! (Many churches in those days had begun “renting/selling” pews, with more expensive seats toward the front.   So an unofficial “caste” system had developed within the churches, leaving many people without a place for worship.)

E – Freedom of Expression in worship.

W – Freedom from the trappings of the World/Wealth.  (Freedom from Sin)

S – Freedom from “secret societies”. (Much drama was being caused in the church by members uniting in a secret society, and then approaching the church with a desire and ability to control what was happening within.  BT Roberts himself was falsely accused of this.)

Yup, that’s right….just about every one of the 7 small groups of teenagers came up independently with the acronym “S-P-E-W-S” to remember the 5 freedoms we embraced from the very beginning.  There was a beautiful moment on one of our last evenings out on the town, where our teens were approached by a stranger who asked what group we were.   They told him “Free Methodist Youth”, and he was confused.  He’d heard of Methodism, but not the “Free” kind.  They proceeded to explain to him, using the very elements listed above.   The teens thought perhaps we’d planted him in the crowd to test them!  It was great confirmation of wickrobertsthe importance of what we’d been doing all week!

Later on, we discussed the 9 points of emphasis our church is currently embracing here in the US.  Many of the teens were freakin’ out, because they’d talked earlier in the week about what they really want changed in our church, and this was almost an exact list of what they’d come up with!  Just another reminder for us not to simply give nods to our young people, but to listen to what God might be speaking through them.

Oh yes….and BT Roberts was often sporting a neck-beard.  I happened to have an NHL play-off beard that needed shaving.  It was perfect timing to illustrate what a neck-beard would look like in person…..

Posted in Different Learning, Different Moments

holy unintended

Posted on by Wick

It’s enough to make you paranoid. The fact that you never know what moments your children will look back on in their memories. What words they’ll latch onto. What moments will influence and “build them” into the growing person they’re becoming.
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I’m constantly reminded by this in youth ministry as well. We can craft a series of moments, plan a retreat, be aware of environments for worship and follow the Spirit’s lead in prayer. But in the most unlikely place, God can connect a student with a new revelation for their life. I remember some of the formative moments in my times as a child, and as a student in youth ministry. Sure, there were some obvious ones – my 16th birthday party where my mom still let me take friends to Little Caesar’s to play in the fun house, drive silly cars, and act like 10 year olds again. Or in youth ministry, when our youth pastor had us to retrieve an object from the woods that represented our current walk with Christ. I chose a branch, as I was heading out of high school and felt like God was reminding me to stay connected if I wanted to grow.

But I also remember the unscheduled moments. The times that may have been completely unnoticed by most of the people around. I remember walking down the hall of my elementary school, having just won a spelling bee, reward money in hand, and feeling like I’ve got a pretty good life. I remember in the midst of a VBS program, being that kid who would ask “What time is it?”, my classmates would say the time and I’d tip my chair over, feigning how tired I was. Class clown at an early age, fo’ sho.

I also remember the candid moments my youth pastor didn’t spend hours planning, that impacted me in big ways. I remember on a youth camping trip, his son Shaw was pretending to play basketball. I played with him, just for a few moments, and in that brief moment God planted seeds for when I would be a father someday.

So we plan big things for our girls, and I plan big things for my youth. I celebrate their birthdays, applaud at their ballet recitals. I write messages and speak things I hope will connect with their souls. But I’m also working to be aware of the little moments, and acknowledging that I have no idea what God might desire to use. I suppose that’s why we offer him our all, eh….? 🙂