Hold Up!

{This post is dedicated to my friends, Maury & Dana, who encouraged me to keep writing.....as it turns out....they read the blog!}

Exodus 17 tells the story of Moses leading the Israelites into battle against their enemies.  While Moses was on the mountain holding up the staff; the Israelites began to win against the enemy. When Moses’ arms became tired and they fell to his side-the enemy would overtake the Israelites and begin to defeat them.  Along came Aaron and Hur-- fellow leaders of the Israelites tribes.  Each of these men raised an arm; so that Moses’ arms and staff would once again be lifted high, defeating the enemy.

While we are certainly not Moses defeating a literal army against the enemy, we most definitely need your prayer support to hold us up.  This enemy we fight seeks to prowl and devour the souls of a nation with sickness, disease, and death.  There is no better ‘arm holder’ than a prayer partner.

Over these years in ministry, we have been so grateful for those prayer partners who remember us to the Father.  We often tell our church family as some have transitioned from one church and town to another; we will cover you in prayer until you get settled into a church that will take over that prayer cover. Not to say that we wouldn’t continue to pray for them-but I think you get the idea. 

Will you hold us up?  We are now about a month away from this new adventure.  Our time of traveling to raise our funds, finish selling our ‘stuff’ and packing up the rest is rapidly coming to a close.  We have received countless emails, facebook messages and words of encouragement.  We are so grateful for your support.

Here are a few things that can top the prayer list for the Schmelzenbachs in Swaziland:

• The smooth transition out of our house and safe travels on the road and in the air
• Wisdom, discernment and teachable spirits when we arrive and as we adjust to our new life and culture, as well as following the Lord’s leading for our place in ministry
• That we would draw close to one another on the tough days of feeling out of place and homesick
• Continued support as we raise our own salary; whether monthly or one-time gifts
• Katie and Peyton as they find their place of service and continue homeschooling (me too!)
• Pray for all The Luke Commission staff as we all land next month and begin the work of compassionate medicine--seeking to save lives by meeting a physical need and bringing the Word of God and the love of Jesus to Swaziland.

Siyabonga.  (Thank you.)

m

96 Days to GO!

We are moving.  I have been fielding facebook messages and emails asking what is going on; so here we go.....

Our family is moving to Swaziland, Africa. We will be working in partnership with Nazarene Compassionate Ministry Partner, The Luke Commission.  TLC is a compassionate medicine organization that takes a mobile medical clinic to remote and underserved areas of Swaziland.  No-we do not have any medical experience to offer.  We will be ministering along side them in the areas of pastoral and discipleship ministries; as well as administrative support--among other things that we do not even know yet!

We will be serving as Mission Corps missionaries with our denomination, The Church of the Nazarene-which means that we are raising our own salary and partnering with many friends, family and extended family to GO and make disciples in the nation of Swaziland.  We are grateful, blessed and humbled beyond words at how God is answering prayer on our behalf.  Here are just a few ways He has answered:

• Our children are excited and getting more excited as the count goes down.
• The church we currently serve has been incredibly gracious in allowing us to stay, 5 months after our ‘resignation.’
• Our house is being sold--without a sign in the yard or a realtor. Wow.
• We have all our prospective dates for speaking in churches before we go booked and have more on stand-by.
• At 96 days to go, we are at approximately 65% funded.
• Provisions are being made now for a home when we arrive in Manzini, Swaziland.

This list is just what is coming to mind now...He is blessing us in unbelievable ways. 

Some frequently asked questions--

“How do we get a care package to you?” 

• The answer is--hand carry!  We are not assured to receive a package that would come in the mail, so the system would be to send us an email mkschmelz@lukecommission.org or brianschmelz@lukecommission.org,  then-we would send back an email with the addresses of upcoming Work and Witness teams that would be coming over to us.  The package would be sent to them to hand carry or pack in their suitcases to bring to us.....so hand carried from home.  This will be a treat and we welcome packages anytime!

“How can I help? What can we do for you while you are there?”

Prayer is our greatest request.  There are many, many things that we don’t even know yet to ask you to pray for; but here are a few things we can ask:

• Pray that we stay focused on Christ and our relationship to Him above all
• Pray specifically for Brian as he continues to lead our current church-that the Lord would anoint his study time and strongly speak through Brian in our final days here--as well as the church leadership team as they search for the next pastor
• Pray for endurance and strength we continue to pack and prepare our house
• Pray for our health and safety
• Pray that even in the excitement of a new place that we would continue to sense God’s presence and His touch; especially in times that may seem lonely and homesick
• Pray that we will continue to see His Hand of provision as we close in on our final days of fundraising 

One of the memories of this time of preparation will be etched in my mind forever.   My all-time favorite part of the worship services in which we have had the privilege of sharing our story is the close of the service.  Without fail, at the close of every gathering; the pastor has asked us to come forward and kneel at the altar and then we have been surrounded by these loving, wonderful, praying people.  

This, this is how I KNOW we go, covered in prayer by the believers, interceding on our behalf; raising us up to Heaven, and as He hears, He provides. 

Pray.  It’s the most important answer.

We are grateful.

Ephesians 6:18-20a (MSG)

Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.  And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time.

m

Today.

As I sit writing this today, a precious friend of mine is going through something no parent should have to go through, planning a funeral for her son.  Heart wrenching and just totally wrong.  There are no words at a time like this to comfort or heal.  Yes, Jesus cares, yes, He is present, yes, God heals and all of those spiritual things; but let’s face it, the physical and emotional hurt is bad and it just sucks (sorry Mom, sometimes we have to use sub-standard words). 

Many have faced losses recently, whether tragic and sudden or slow and painful, yet losses none the less.  It’s grief. Denial. Anger. Hurt. Bitterness. Memories. Celebrating a life.  Repeat.  We think about conversations we have had with our lost loved one, places we went, things we did, plans for the future...then sadness that those plans will not be fulfilled how we expected.  We reflect on the life, what we have learned from the one we lost and we laugh and share all the stories that make us giggle remembering good times.

One thing I believe we can take away from these experiences is this, don’t wait. Say what you need to say!  Love people. Make a difference.  Share Jesus. Don’t wait to tell everyone who means anything to you how you feel about them.

As we laid to rest a dear sweet saint years ago; I remember very vividly the story that was told about her and her family.  It was something they lived, making sure that every word counted.  Whenever any one of them was parting from the other, whether just heading home from church or traveling to a country a world away, they would always say to one another, “See you at the house.”  The sentence was far more than 5 little words.  It meant, ‘I love you, you mean the world to me and even if this is the last time I see you on this earth; I will see you on the other side.’

Call your loved ones.  Maybe you need to make amends with someone, forgive, or be forgiven.  Do it, don’t wait.

My love and prayers to you, Teresa.

See you at the house, Josh.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have everything I need.

He lets me rest in green pastures.

He leads me to calm water.

He gives me new strength.

He leads me on paths that are right

for the good of his name.

Even if I walk through a very dark valley,

I will not be afraid,

because you are with me.

Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.

You prepare a meal for me

in front of my enemies.

You pour oil of blessing on my head; 

you fill my cup to overflowing.

Surely your goodness and love will be with me

all my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23 NCV

m

Clutter

Clutter.

We all have it.  

As we begin to clear out closets, drawers, rooms and the garage, we realize how much 'stuff' we have accumulated in the 9 years we have lived in one place.

Having everything we need is a comfort most of us afford; for even more of us, having everything we want is a luxury.

It begs the question, why do we keep so much stuff?  Sometimes even hoarding things...like paperwork, books, 'sentimental' items...just to name a few.  Maybe it's because we don't want to deal with it when it enters our home, maybe the clutter belongs to another family member and we are waiting for them to take care of it.

I have to admit, the clutter is totally overwhelming.  If not for a very good friend who is gifted at seeing a task and knowing where to begin; I may be inclined to just walk away from this mess and wait until it's crunch time to deal with it.

Clutter can be spiritual as well.  How many times do we feel that twinge of the Holy Spirit to do something or take care of a situation, and we put it off until later?  Often times, we know what it is we need to do, we know what is right, but we ignore what we know and do what we want anyway.

When we pile on the spiritual 'stuff,' it can become overwhelming to even know how to get out from under it.  Many times, we may just walk away from the spiritual things (i.e. the church, Christian friends or even God) because we just do not want to deal with our own stuff.

I love the word picture here in Matthew 3:12: 

'He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.'

He is where you start.  You see, what happens when you come to Him, you allow HIM to be the organizer and the detailer.  He will do the de-cluttering.  When you let Him; He will take care of the junk.  The old things that you deemed so important don't seem so earth shattering anymore.  He will change your 'want to.' 


2 Corinthians 5:17
'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.'

De-clutter.  Not just your home, but most importantly, bring your spiritual clutter to the One who is the Master of the mess.

m

First Reaction

We are experiencing some very interesting and unique times in our lives.  Preparing to go to the mission field full-time invokes quite a range of questions from friends, family and even acquaintances.  It is kind of funny to me what the first reactions are.  I wonder if any of the disciples went through similar situations, well, except the hair color!

What?
You are going where?
Where will you live?
What do the kids think about this?
How long will you be gone?
When will you move?
What will you do with Ellie?
How will you get paid?

And a popular one:
What will you do about your hair?

My absolute all-time favorite first reaction to the news of our accepting a mission call comes from a child, well, a tween.  We have a sweet friend who wrote us a letter asking if she can set up a table at our church to have a bake sale.  She intends to sell cookies and cinnamon rolls (which she specified she will make from scratch) in order to help us raise financial support.

Wow.  Now that is a reaction I'd love to duplicate.  Her first response was, 'I see a need.' This is a kid who gets being part of the solution and wants to do her part.  I love it!

Don't get me wrong,  the curiosity from others is well-meaning and we feel blessed to have people in our lives that fully support following God's call wholeheartedly.  I just cannot help but learn a lesson from our little friend.  Why do I sometimes call into question a motive, when I should be asking 'how can I help?'

The truth is this about our missions call.  We have been praying and asking God for wisdom and guidance for years.  If you know us at all, you KNOW that we would not make this kind of decision overnight.  We have sought God and His guidance alone.

Our prayer is that our first reaction to His plan would always be, 'I see a need' and 'how can I help?' Whether the idea is popular or not was not the question.  How will it all come about, we don't know.  God guides, He provides.  He has proven faithful to His followers for centuries, to our family for more than 100 years, to Brian and myself as a couple for 20 years.   We trust He will continue.  We covet your prayers and your first reaction.

Below, I'm answering the above questions.....just for the curious.

What?  Yes, we are moving to Africa.
You are going where? Yes, Africa, Swaziland, to be specific.
Where will you live?
In a home, not a mud hut or tent with a thatch roof.
What do the kids think about this?
They have been part of the process, and while they will be giving up luxuries, they understand they will gain plenty.
How long will you be gone?
Currently planning on 3 years. (Jan-Oct-Swaziland, Nov-Dec-US)
When will you move? We plan on leaving in January 2013
What will you do with Ellie? We have arrangements with a close family friend to care for this 4-legged family member.
How will you get paid?
We are currently seeking monthly supporters and speaking at a few churches to raise our prayer and financial support.

And a popular one:
What will you do about your hair?
This is a good one.  My very special salon girl (Misty) has been on alert and she is helping me by getting my hair color to take with me AND teaching Brian the basics of trimming my hair ;) Love her!

Most importantly, will you pray?

If you would like to know more or learn how you can be involved in joining hands in ministry with us, visit:
missionswazi.org

1 Corinthians 1:4-9
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,  for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you,  so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by Him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

m

Pound, Pry, Pull

[Confirmation the Lord is moving both of our hearts in the same direction, when Brian and I write similar thoughts.  

I have asked him to be my guest blogger today. ]

There have been times as I worked on a project that I have reached into my tool box and in that moment the tool I needed was not available. I am a son, and have a son, so I am well aware of who likely saw that tool last. Yes, I could complain about not having the right tool, I could even stop the project and go searching for the right tool, maybe even buy or borrow a new one. There have been times though that I have actually used a wrench to pound a nail into a board or a screw driver to pry something apart; even a set of pliers to pull out the bent nail my wrench just hit. I will admit,  I have used tools to accomplish a task for which they were not designed. Pound, pry, pull; the bottom line was, I got the job done even if it took a little longer because I used a different tool than was intended.

As the owner of the tools I can choose to use any of my tools as I see fit. If the right tool is unavailable for the job at hand and I need to get the job done, then I can choose to use the next best tool available. In that project, it is not the tool that decides if or how it is used. It is the owner of the tool that makes the decision.

I often wonder how God’s kingdom would be impacted for eternity if we chose to understand these truths. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have submitted my life to be His tool and He can choose to use me anyway He sees fit.

If God had a tool He intended to use for a kingdom task and it was not available, can he choose to use a different tool? Maybe it would help me in my journey to ask myself which tool am I choosing to be? The one that is available or unavailable? Do I bristle up when the Lord reaches for me, slipping out of His grasp with my own self-will refusing to be used. Do I yield to His will? And if I happen to be the next best tool, can God still do amazing things for the Kingdom with and through me? 

I have been asked on more than one occasion why in the world would I choose to leave a ministry position I love... serving a church family that loves me and my family? Why would I leave a place so close to the ocean, right on the Gulf of Mexico with all of its outside activities on or near the water?  Why would I choose to part with most of my earthly possessions and move my family halfway around the world to live in a third world area that has the highest HIV/AIDS rate of any country on the globe? 

In those moments with those questions I can only reply that as the Lord’s tool He has the authority to use me anyway He chooses.  At this time, for this task, He has chosen to use us in this way. I believe that He knows the end result and I am only a part of the project. A tool in His hand to pound, pry and pull with as He sees fit.

Brian

Paddle Partner

{I am not a canoe-er, kayaker or any kind of paddle boater, whatsoever. So when I say, 'we took the youth group canoeing,' I mean, I sat in the boat and ducked, dodged and did my best to help steer our canoe away from branches.}

Many lessons can be learned on a canoe trip down the river.  For instance, who you choose as a partner is critical.  Does your partner have the same goal as you or does your partner's goal for the day look more like a bumper boat party?

So step 1- choose a good partner. Enough said.

Step 2- get a game plan.   Exactly which side of the boat do you paddle on?!! You might want to know that paddling left takes you right, and vice versa.  Good knowledge to have when you are heading in the direction of a tree trunk.

Step 3- COMMUNICATE with your paddle partner.  The two of you will have a smoother ride down this river if you anticipate the obstacles together, or even better, trust the front rider to shout out which direction is best...after all, she has the best view on that canoe!

Step 4- don't panic....well, ok, scream a little if you need to (I sure do), but don't rock the boat!  You can do this!

Step 5- when you do hit the obstacles in the water, and you WILL hit them, paddle together to get yourself turned around and headed in the right direction.

Step 6- enjoy the ride.  Really.  It can be both leisurely and stressful, but the best strategy for canoeing is ride the current.  Over-paddling can get you in worse trouble, you could end up going around in circles or flipped backwards or upside down!

I'm sure you've got the point of this illustration by now.  Many lessons.  Christian living.  Marriage. Friendship.  Mentoring. Teamwork.  Really good stuff for life.

During one point in the trip, one set of youth 'paddle partners' said to the adult chaperones, 'Hey, can you go ahead of us, so we can see how you do this and know what route to take?'  Seriously good advice for the generation following us.  Let us help you map the river.  We know at what points you will need to make adjustments, duck or dodge obstacles that are in your way.

This is what we do as followers of Christ.  Follow Him.  Some further down the 'river' than others, but ultimately, all rowing in the same direction.

m