Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas!!
We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your friendship and support this past year. We met some of you while visiting Canada, Korea, China, Japan, and Cabo Mexico. Meeting you is one connection of many networks the Holy Spirit is creating as a part of His on-going desire to reflect and magnify the Person and Presence of Jesus. We are blessed to know you....even if it's been some time since we've seen you.
We are meeting this Sunday evening at 6:00 pm for the final Worship at the River of 2006. Some of us are gathering earlier for our annual Christmas Dinner (sorry if you missed the December 4th deadline or that this is the first you've heard of it) but we will all come together to Celebrate Jesus and say AMEN! to what the Lord has done through the revelation of the Holy Spirit through your ministries.
If we (Darrell and Carlene) could use a series of words to summarize our values and experience in 2006, they might be: stretching....obedience....honoring elders....trust in God with our finances....quietness and stillness...peace....celebration of family....tears of disappointment....wonderful provision....grace in adversity.....expanding vision....and above all, love and humility.
On a personal note, our youngest son, Paul, is graduating from the Art Institute of Portland this December 15th in Graphic Design/Marketing.
Nate and Krista, our oldest son announced Thanksgiving Day that another "bird was in the oven." Carlene and I are practicing calling each other Grandpa and Grandma...ouch with a smile. Danielle and Matt continue working hard in their fields of interest and at their workplace. We are
proud and give thanks to God for each of their lives.
Danielle, Matt, Dad, Paul, Mom, and Nate Krista and Nate with Pepper
We all wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
As a side note, it is all too common for magazines and newspapers to publish their "Man of the Year" or "Top 10" books or movies....thought I'd list mine as well:
MY TOP TEN FOR 2006
Graham Cooke's UNCOMMON LOVE CD SERIES
This conference teaching recorded last year will challenge and confront nearly everything about everything.
Graham Cooke and Gary Goodell's PERMISSION TO DO CHURCH DIFFERENTLY IN THE 21'S CENTURY and THE HEART OF PROPHECY
http://grahamcooke.com/index.php
Gary Wiens' COME TO PAPA and BRIDAL INTERCESSION
Excellent book in revealing the heart of love God has for us. I love the curl up in bed with this book. (Carlene)
He and his wife have a new book coming out soon on the Beatitudes.
http://www.burningheartministries.com/
Misty Edward's Always On His Mind
This is a beautiful collection of modern day psalms and the latest CD from Misty Edwards, a worship leader and prophetic singer from International House Of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City Missouri.
http://www.ihop.org/Shop/Sections/Section.aspx?section_id=1000000274
When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson
It is truly possible for human people to walk in the divine, and Christ came to show us the way. It is by rediscovering our true identity in Him that we can begin to move into the promises of God regarding the miraculous. Bill Johnson not only teaches the supernatural, he imparts it by changing the way we think. If you are not walking in the miraculous, you're living far below your birthright! By laying a carefully constructed biblical foundation for walking in the supernatural power of God, When Heaven Invades Earth provides all the equipment you need to experience miracles every day.
http://www.ibethel.org/store/index.php?product=193
Arthur Burke's NURTURING THE HUMAN SPIRIT
Bill Petersen (one of our council members, Carlene, and myself attended a seminar where Arthur presented some of this material for the first time. We may not (and he admits this) fully understand the human spirit, but I love his questions! Some of his topics:
- The data that is embedded in the light of your spirit
- How the learning curve of your spirit differs from that of your soul
- The limitations of the soul in the womb
http://www.plumblineministries.com/
VISION BEHIND THE VEIL by H.A. Baker
I read this book before I went to China and met leaders who are working with orphans. This classic book of the Holy Spirit's revelatory work among Chinese orphan children is as relevant today as it was in 1920. It tells the story of a group of children--mostly street beggars and orphans--living in Adullam Rescue Mission in Yunan Province, China, under the care of missionaries H.A. Baker and his wife. These children experienced an immense and incredible out-pouring of the Holy Spirit--so great that they literally "experienced Heaven" through visions, were aware of the presence of angels, and were able to describe in great detail what they saw. The result of these intense experiences of God was a fervent passion for worship, the Word of God, and prayer. This thought-provoking and faith-lifting book will challenge you to a deeper and more intimate walk with God. Dangerous reading.
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1009883&item_no=2402784
SHAPING OF THINGS TO COME by Frost and Hirsch
Passionate.. idealistic.. imaginative… seminal.. incisive.. visionary. This is a gripping exegesis of culture, church and history, with some careful theological reflection along the way, contribute to the dialogue on innovation and mission and end up with re-imagining eccelesiology against the backdrop of emerging culture.
http://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Things-Come-Innovation-Mission/dp/1565636597
REVOLUTION By George Barna
There is a new breed of Christ-follower in America today. These are people who are more interested in being the Church than in going to church. They are more eager to produce fruit for the kingdom of God than to become comfortable in the Christian subculture.
http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Resource&ResourceID=196
HOUSE
The TV show about an irreverent Doctor....don't know why, but Carlene and I just enjoy the writing....and honestly cannot give any good reviews of movies...the one or two we saw...we didn't like.
Finally,
ALL THE STUDENTS IN ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CLASSROOMS FROM KINDERGARTEN TO HIGH SCHOOL IN WHICH I WAS A GUEST TEACHER....
The children taught me more about incarnational mission than most of the sermons, books, and tape series I've heard. They made me frustrated, fearful, pray, angry, laugh, but best of all.... gave me hope. Something about the value of stepping into the harvest as opposed to analyzing it. One of the best learning experiences of my life.
I conclude with one of my best gifts from McKenzie, one of my 2nd graders...
This note made my day/month/year.
Bless you this Christmas,
Darrell and Carlene
PS
I was in a Portland coffee shop yesterday, and the music sounded familiar. Duh....it was me. Turns out it was one of the shops favorite holiday CD's. You can order CHRISTMAS PIANO at: http://bestillmusic.blogspot.com
http://pacificministries.blogspot.com/
