This is my favorite picture of Neil. Whenever Neil travels, the children cuddle happily against him. Although this picture was taken a few years ago, he texted today that the little girls sat beside him, stroking his arms. God brought needed comfort through those children. If the pressures in your life are overwhelming you, crawl into your Heavenly Father's lap. Good Friday is good because Jesus prepared a safe place in our Father's arms. He sees your future and has good plans for you, no matter how dark today may seem.
After breakfast, while Francis took some of James' visitors on a little tour, Neil met with a few people interested in learning how to mentor others. He gave them copies of our Navigating Life book, as they studied the chapter on Making Disciples. Neil modeled the study session like the mentoring sessions he has held over the past 40 years. They enjoyed it and want to study another chapter together this morning. One of the visiting pastors asked if there was a way for them to publish more copies right in Kenya.
This evening, during Neil's message, he asked, "How many of you ever heard your father ask your mother for forgiveness?" No one responded. Then Neil asked, "How many of you men have ever asked your wife to forgive you?" It got even quieter. Then Neil spoke to them about the importance of taking responsibility for what we have said and done that has injured our spouse or our children. Forgiveness was purchased for us on the cross. We need to be forgiven by God for our sins, but we also need to ask forgiveness from others when we have wronged them. Neil told them how much he enjoys the peace and harmony in our home. That doesn't come naturally. We guard it, and we keep it by asking each other for forgiveness before we fall asleep each night. We sleep better and wake up happier when we don't allow bitterness to creep into our relationships.
Neil said at one point during the day he was left in the house with just one woman, so he walked to the church building. When Francis and James returned to the house, they could not find Neil. The event downtown had already begun by the time a young man stopped by the church and notified Neil that people were searching for him. That was the first time James had ever lost an American!
People really got into worship tonight. Neil said the dancing is so rigorous it is like working out in a gym. After the second teacher, they worshipped again until after midnight. When night falls, Neil enjoys the stars, which are brighter without light pollution. He knows I enjoy the constellation Orion, which we can see only part of the year, but is visible all year long on the equator. It is comforting that even though we are a third of the earth away from each other, there are still objects in the universe that we can enjoy together.
Prayer:
- Lord, we thank you for those who want to become mentors. Help them strengthen others as they share the Bible study tools in our book.
- On this Goodest of Fridays, we pray for peace in our world among nations, within families, and especially in Jerusalem.