Salado UMC - A Journey of Faith

"Lost and Found"

2012-02-13T13:45:00.001-06:00

“Lost and Found”

I was so saddened to see that Whitney Houston had died this past weekend. She was 48 years old and had a history of drug and alcohol abuse. They still have not disclosed the cause of death so the jury is still out on whether it was related to drugs or alcohol. I was reading some bio information on Whitney Houston that was most interesting. She grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Her mother Cissy Houston was the choir director for the New Hope Baptist Church and singing in the church is where Whitney Houston formed her love of music and of sharing her extraordinary musical gift. The article went on to say that Whitney understood that her ability to sing was God’s gift to her. Of course, as she began her career she moved away from her roots in the church. Most people would envy such a life as she has lived with fame and fortune. There is nothing wrong with fame and fortune unless it becomes the purpose around which one attempts to build a life. I don’t know enough about Whitney Houston’s life to make a very informed judgment concerning what happened in that hotel room. What I do know is that somewhere, somehow Whitney Houston lost her way in life.

When I read such stories I become saddened at the reality of apparent aimless living. I remember hearing her sing and her rendition of “I will always love you,” will always be my favorite. It is easy to lose one’s way in life. I should know, because I have been lost more times than I would ever care to admit. In my own experiences of being lost it always has something to do with losing my sense of God. What I have learned over the years is that when God is not an active, shaping, present force in my life I don’t do very well. Left to my own devices I am capable of messing life up pretty badly. Whitney Houston’s story resonates with me more than I would ever care to admit. Oh, I have not ever had an issue with drugs or alcohol but I do know what it feels like to have lose my way in life. It is not a good feeling. As a matter of fact there is a desperateness to it that is consuming and most frightening. I have been lucky in my lostness. Somehow, in some way God has always managed to get my attention. Once I realized God was present in the midst of whatever I was experiencing it was the beginning of finding my way again. I don’t begin to know what happened to Whitney Houston. Each of our life situations brings its own unique set of circumstances. But based on what I have read and what was public knowledge somehow, some way she just lost her way. When I read of such stories I am always saddened and heartbroken not only for the one who is lost but for all of those around them who love them so much.

Somewhere today there are family and friends who have lost someone they loved so very much. My prayer for them and for others like them is that they experience the very presence of God. I know that if they can experience that present reality God will lead them where they need to go. We live in a world full of people who have just lost their way for one reason or another. When you realize that truth it makes the work that we do in the church all the more relevant and pressing. After all Jesus came to seek the lost.

I know because he has found me more times than I could ever remember. Maybe today, because of the grace of God, Whitney Houston finally realizes the truth and rest that such a reality brings to living and to dying!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

Romans 8:28

"God Has Plans For You!"

2012-01-31T11:42:00.001-06:00

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

“God Has Plans For You!”

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace,

not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope.” Common English Bible

I have been asked more times than I would care to remember are you following God’s plan for your life? Now that is a loaded and intimidating question. Christianity has been consistent in its belief that God has a plan for our lives and that our purpose in life is to follow it. As I think about it now it connotes a very limited approach to living and certainly to the God who created the universe. I have read Jeremiah 29: 11 more times than I could ever recall. It is certainly one of my favorite scriptures for my ministry and my life. As a matter of fact it is displayed in my office right beside my computer so that I see it everyday. In looking over that passage recently it came to my attention that the word plans that is used twice in the text is the plural form of the word plan. I am not sure why I have never noticed it before now. I have been reading this text all my life from the beginning of my ability to read the Bible. Now that I see the text as it is with the plural form of the word plan the meaning of this text now becomes so much larger! It is not the typical plan God has for us that we have always been taught in our Christian upbringing, but plans! Think about that for just a moment. Plans!!!!!!!!

Personally I have always struggled with the God’s plan concept not because I didn’t believe there was truth to it but because it seemed so limiting and so impossible to live. If God has only one plan for us to live than there is a feeling that if we don’t get that right or follow it to the letter we are really in trouble and we have missed the whole point of all that God has for us in life. It is quite disturbing really when you think about it! For someone who have been living outside of what many would interpret as God’s plan for their life then you can almost get to point of desperation and just say what the heck! I think about the lives of my children. Since they were born I certainly have had some dreams, hopes, and plans for them. But just one plan? Can you imagine how intimidating it would be for my children to share with them Daddy’s one plan and one plan only and my expectation that they are living it!

Plans! Now that word brings a whole new meaning to God and life and our relationship with God. It just is more consistent with the overall salvation history as told by our Bible where God is depicted as adjusting and altering God’s love and relationship to God’s creation over and over again. Isn’t that why Jesus came? Didn’t Jesus come among us to bring a new sense of God’s love incarnationally revealed and lived in a human being? Isn’t Christ the best example we have of the truth of Jeremiah’s powerful imagery and prophecy as it comes to life. Such words provide great comfort and hope to me as God’s child. Such truth makes me realize that God is not dictating a singular plan that is limiting and rigid but open and flexible. Such a description gives the impression that God does know us and that God has plans for us and those plans are tied to who we are as human beings as much as it is tied to who God is as God. How freeing to hear the word plans!

God has plans for you my friend! There is nothing quite like knowing and sensing the truth of that!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

Romans 8:28

"Is Your God Big Enough!"

2011-08-02T13:43:00.001-05:00

August 2, 2011

“Is Your God Big Enough!”

One of my favorite stories from the New Testament is the story of the birth of the church at Pentecost. You know the story where the disciples are waiting in the upper room together for the coming of the spirit Jesus promised them. As they are there waiting the Holy Spirit comes violently and loudly and it fills each of them and their lives are never the same again. It is a story of God’s great power being sent into the life of the world through the disciples. This event changes the lives of those who experienced it and it changed the course of world history. Through the work of the Holy Spirit and it’s expression through the witness of people, Christianity spread like wild fire and transformed the known world of that time. For them God became big enough to do anything!

As I think about my life and my leadership in the church I oftentimes realize I fail to allow God to be big enough in the world in which I work and serve. I find myself limiting the work of the Holy Spirit by always qualifying what I do as a person of faith or what our church can do as the body of Christ. I read this story from Acts 2 and it just seems so unbelievable that sometimes I find myself using the disclaimer for such a story that it might have worked like that then, but…… Why must I limit the work of God in my life? How can I come to the place Paul was as he gave himself to a very present God and lived the moments of his life very large. I want to live my life like that. I want to live free enough to just surrender to the will and work of a God that knows no limits. I want to be a part of the work of such a God. I truly believe that when we are in the will of God the resources are made available to do the work. When God leads us where God wants us to go God provides!

We just returned from Kenya, our Belize team did great work in the school there, the YAC is almost complete, 10 new members joined our church two Sundays ago, we will baptize three of our youth Sunday, over 160 kids joined us for VBS with 100 people volunteering during the week, and the list goes on and on. God is big!!! I just love that about God!! It is fun being a part of what such a God is doing among us here! God changed the world with a handful of people led by God’s spirit! Who knows what else God will seek to do in and through you and me! My prayer is that we won’t limit God here and what we believe God is doing among us. Is your God big enough? I sure hope so!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

Romans 8:28

"Practiciing the Presence of God!"

2011-07-18T10:59:00.001-05:00

Monday, July 18, 2011

“Practicing the Presence of God!”

I apologize for not writing in a while. I offer no excuses except to say I am sorry. It hasn’t been that I haven’t wanted to write. It just hasn’t been a priority for me lately and that is difficult for me to admit because writing is therapeutic for me. So to admit that I haven’t been doing it is like going to confession to confess those pesky sins that keep tripping you up. Not writing means I haven’t been doing a very good job of taking care of myself. Writing is one of the best spiritual disciplines for me in my practice of the presence of God. So to admit that I haven’t been writing is to realize and own that my practice of God’s presence hasn’t been the best lately. Oh, you know how it goes. You get too busy. What is so interesting to me is how when we get so busy we begin to lose control of those parts of our lives that are the best parts of our lives. We get sloppy in expressing our love to those we love most is a constant example. We begin to just take it for granted because we know we can. After all they love us, don’t they? It really makes very little sense when you step back and analyze our thinking on stuff like this. Let’s see, we sacrifice the most significant parts of our life and relationships for items that are demanding and we pay attention to them because………………. You begin to see what I mean. Well, I am just coming off one of those periods in my life and ministry. In a nutshell I have sacrificed what is best and most life giving in my life for stuff, for agendas of somebody else’s choosing. Reflecting upon it I realize I have fallen prey to making an idol of things and people that will never bring me fulfillment nor a sense of purpose. I have sacrificed the best for what is good or sometimes for what is trivial. God help me and God forgive me for such choices.

In the wilderness temptations Jesus was tempted with such things. The tempting thing about what was being offered him was how flashy and how exciting it all appeared. The key word here is appeared. There is a great deal of difference between appearance and substance. Jesus, thank God, knew the difference and would not yield God and his sense of God for any appearance. I must confess that lately I haven’t been so disciplined. That stops today! I have been led, by the grace of God, back to what counts. I don’t really have time to disclose what has led me back to this awareness. Suffice it to say it was a series of people and experiences. Once I realized the difference I just shook my head as I realized how easy it had been to get so lost, so very quick. When we lose ourselves and our sense of God to appearances we have given up the very soul of our living. What distinguishes Jesus from us is that time after time he refused the easy, deceiving, appearances for the only reality there is, God with us. I wonder sometimes if we ever understand the depth of what we profess to affirm each Sunday with the powerful words of the affirmation of faith, “we are not alone, God is with us. Thanks be to God!” Such a statement, such a living reality is always the difference between loving and apathy, compassion and indifference, fear and hope, selflessness and selfishness, and the sacred and the secular. It is one of the many reasons we recite it every Sunday so that we will always be reminded of the difference!!!

Well, once again God, in only the way God can, God found me in my wandering. So…….back to practicing the presence of the one who loves me and you like no other can! So here I am writing again because when I do I sense God so very near to me. It just feels soulful to try to express such love and its presence and the work it is doing with us, through us, in us, among us. Even as I try to express such reality I find myself in awe once again of this marvelous mystery of the transforming presence of this God I love! It feels right and good to be writing again. It reminds me of what I and you must never forget. God is with us!!! May that truth define all of who we are today and everyday!!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

Romans 8:28

"A Day Worth Remembering!"

2011-05-08T18:46:00.001-05:00

Sunday, May 08, 2011

“A Day Worth Remembering!”

I am in my office and it is Sunday, late afternoon. I am reflecting on the day we shared today at church. All the families, the flowers, the mom’s, those baby bottles, the handbells, just being in community together and worshipping with you. I am truly blessed beyond what I can describe or in what gratitude I sense at being the pastor of such a church! I, quite frankly, am just overwhelmed sitting here in front of this screen typing these words. I am one of the lucky ones! I truly know the truth of what Jesus says in John 10:10, “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.” I live a life that is full of such abundance. As I realize the truth of that in this moment I can’t find the words to express to my Lord what it means to have him love me so very much and for that love to find such powerful expression by allowing to serve a congregation like you! What I realize as your pastor is that I am in love with you all! I know that may sound strange to say, but it is true nevertheless. There, I finally said it.

Today, so many of you, as you departed, were just so present with me and you represented to me God’s love as you exited with your hugs, your handshakes, your words. I am at a loss at such an experience. However, what I know is that somehow, mysteriously God is in it all. I do know that! I am not sure why I came to that realization today but I did as I sat down to write my blog for the week. Maybe some of the explanation has to do with Mother’s Day, I don’t know. I also know that I don’t have to know. I just know that God’s love is present in you and in this wonderful community of faith we all share together day in and day out, week in and week out. We don’t tell people often enough how we feel about them. Well, I am telling you all today that I love you and thank you for loving me!

I am so blessed to be your pastor! Thank you for allowing me to labor in the vineyard with you all! I love what God is doing among us here! It is so alive, so fresh, so powerful, so humbling! Happy Mother’s Day to all you mom’s! It has been one of those unforgettable days, hasn’t it? I will take all of these I can get! What a God we serve who continues to trust us with so much! It has been a day I will always remember!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"Graceful Surprises"

2011-04-25T17:50:00.001-05:00

Monday, April 25, 2011

“Graceful Surprises”

Have you ever received a surprise gift from someone that just came out of nowhere? I get to be the recipient of those sometimes. My office is full of pictures our children have done for me, cards that have come at times I least expect them, a call, a story here and there, a thanks related to something that was of not much consequence to me but meant something special to someone else. I was meeting with the Monday morning prayer group a few weeks ago and we were going through the prayer request cards. Bitsy was reading them and as she did she said here is one that wants us to pray for our pastor. I did a double take. They want to pray for who? It was authored by one of our kids. It just caught me so off guard. And yet, it came at a time when I desperately needed to know that someone, somewhere was praying for me! I got a little emotional as I thought about the sensitivity of one of our children who thought that our congregation needed to be praying for their pastor. I still get somewhat awed by the whole thing. I am not really sure why. But that day I first heard it was a graceful surprise!

It just meant so very much to me.

This past Sunday was one of those graceful surprises too! It was such a powerful day as over 500 people came together to celebrate the resurrection work of God in Jesus Christ our Lord! What made it most memorable for me was the parade at the end led by our children. I will never forget Jon Kendall and Dan Westbrook holding the ends of that banner announcing the resurrection of our Lord followed by all the children at children’s church waving their own home made banners praising God for the resurrection of our Lord! It was so celebratory and joyful! The youth and everyone just jumped on in and followed the children led parade out of the doors of the sanctuary and into the world to share the good news of Easter! When I joined in the parade I was just smiling from ear to ear. I didn’t want to walk outside, I wanted to run outside.

And then if all of that was not enough, as I exited the sanctuary, I looked up and there were two of my former kids from the Methodist Children’s Home standing there and one of their girlfriends who I have come to know and love. I hugged those kids and we all went to lunch together. We then went to the house and remembered all the great times we shared together at the Home and how present God’s grace was in all of it. As I visited with those kids I thought about the theme of the day, resurrection! As those young men now filled me in on their lives and how great they were doing I just sat there in my living room overwhelmed with yet another graceful surprise!

I know all about the reality of resurrections! Two of them visited my home this past Sunday!! How appropriate it was Easter!! Jesus has risen indeed and because he has so can you and I and everyone else! Now that is the best graceful surprise there is!!! Hallelujah!!!!

I will see on the road, (who knows what lies ahead!)

Travis

"It Is Time......"

2011-03-02T09:48:00.002-06:00

It is hard to believe that March is here! I struggle at best to sense the significance and fragileness of time. It just seems to get away from me most of the time. It seems that there just is never enough of it to go around. I always seem to be craving for more. If I just had more time I would be able to……….well we can all fill in that blank. You never really know what the next minute or second will bring to your life. I received a phone call at 7:30 am on Saturday morning, February 19, that my friend was in the hospital diagnosed with a brain bleed and acute leukemia. By 7:20 pm later that evening he was dead. My life has been altered in a way I could never have anticipated nor imagined. Thank God I saw him on Friday at lunch. Little did I know it would be the last lunch I would have with him. It was a good use of my time on that Friday. I will never forget that lunch with him and other friends that have known one another and shared in ministry together for over 30 years. At least for those moments time was well spent in something with lasting significance. It was the first time we had all been together in years. I would have hated to have lived with not being at that lunch because I was too busy doing something else! Little did any of us know how important that lunch would become in our lives with our friend.

We struggle so to know what we should do with the time we have. I wonder if we ever fully realize how limited it all is. We act sometimes as though we will live forever and we become very sloppy in our utilization of the time we have. We become so pre-occupied with activities and events that carry little meaning. We sacrifice time with family, friends, and those we love the most for ridiculous meetings that mean nothing and make no difference to anyone or anything in the world. Oftentimes we over schedule ourselves and we end up tired and worn out so that even the time we spend with those we love is not quality time. We measure our lives by how much we do and how busy we are. It is the curse of a culture that places all the wrong values in all the wrong things. As I think about my time with my friend I wish that I would have spent more time with him. I wish we would have had more long lunches together. I wish I would have created more time to be with him. I wish………..

As we approach Ash Wednesday part of what we will be saying on that sacred evening is that we are mortal creatures. As mortal creatures we only have so much time. There is a deadline for us all and none of us know when that is. For my friend it was 52 years and 11 months and 3 weeks. Yesterday he would have been 53. Lent is a time of taking honest stock of where we are in our lives related to the deadline we all someday will face. I want to invite each of you to join me in this journey of the Lenten pilgrimage. During out time together we will be exploring what it means to soulfully live. A huge piece of such an exploration will be to examine how we are living the time we have. I hope you will join me in this journey. It is time to take to an honest look at who we are in light of God’s love. It is time!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"Remembering A Friend"

2011-02-22T16:47:00.002-06:00

February 22, 2011

“Remembering A Friend”

As most of you know by now Dr. Ken Diehm, pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Grapevine, and my good friend, died of a brain hemorrhage this past Saturday at 7:20 pm at Harris Hospital in Ft. Worth. I have known Ken for over 30 years. We have been in ministry together, we have shared our families together, we have traveled together, we have roomed together, we have done mission work together, we have played together, we have done all of those things together that friends do. So today I just would like to take a personal moment to reflect on Ken’s life and our friendship as I remember. I really don’t remember how Ken and I met but I think it was as a part of a minister’s study group started by the pastor he worked for who was a friend of mine, and who had invited me to participate. Ken and I are wired somewhat differently. Ken is steady in the boat, a planner, organized, disciplined, cautious, creative, humble, not quick to judge, a good listener, a person of devout faith and witness, and fun to be around. I, on the other hand, tend to be all over the place, extemporaneous, risky, egocentric, a talker, emotional, up and down, sometimes moody, a loner on occasion, gregarious, an extrovert, and judgmental. We sort of balanced each other out. When I needed grounding I called Ken. When he needed pushed to risk he called me. It was a good fit. We always chose our continuing education events together each year. We always roomed together at those events and at anything where an overnight stay was concerned related to our work. If he needed to stay at my place he was always welcome. The same went for me at his. The practice of ministry can be a very lonely calling. There is just so much about it that you cannot share for a variety of reasons. So it tends to make you inwardly focused and somewhat isolated. You are always carrying others secrets and much of what you see and do are just so sacred and personal with those you serve that you really most of the time couldn’t find adequate words to describe them anyway. So when Ken and I were together we talked about such experiences because we trusted one another that much. I don’t even have the words for such moments with him. Just suffice it to say that you become incredibly connected on a soul level as you share such holy conversations. There were many times in my ministry when those times probably kept me sane, kept me focused, allowed me to shed what needed to be shed, and gave me the strength and inspiration to make it for another day in the trenches. Such is the nature of the calling we lived and the friendship we shared.

Ken Diehm was one of the most Christian people I have ever known. He was devoted to his wife Kenda, his son Cody, his daughter, Callye, her husband, Josh, and his grandson, Julius. He love his mother, Emily and his sister, Jan and her family very much. Ken is one of the most gifted pastors I have ever known. He just knew what to do in leading a church where God wanted it to go. His disciplined devotional life was the bedrock of a faith that never faltered. He was always up to the challenge of whatever life had to bring him. He thrived on working things out and on problems of all kinds. Ken was cool under pressure and brought his “A” game to bear upon even the toughest of issues. He was compassionate and loved being in mission to people anywhere and everywhere. I will never forget him preaching in Kenya or handing out gifts to the children of Meru. He was a pastor’s pastor! There was no one like him.

I will miss my friend and colleague. I will miss our trips together. I will miss watching him preach and minister on mission trips. I will miss his calm under fire. I will miss driving with him on road trips to conferences. I will miss all those unique habits that were him. I will miss watching him love his family. I will miss the calls when OU beat Texas. I will miss his advice concerning pastoring a church. I will miss laboring with him in ministry. I will miss him at annual conference. I will miss those long conversations late into the night about so many different topics but mostly about discerning where God was leading in our lives and ministry. I will miss his stories. I will miss breaking bread with him. I will miss his laughter, his voice, his presence, his thoughts, his compassion. I will miss our phone conversations and texts. I will miss my friend Ken.

I don’t know why Ken had to die at 52. It is too young and no parent should have to bury their child as Emily will have to do on Saturday. I won’t spend much time on why. I will choose instead to remember the blessing it was to know my friend. I will choose to celebrate with great joy a life devoted to God and the work of God in the world through the church. I will remember all we had, all we shared, all the many gifts that graciously were just given to us while he lived. And when it is all said and done I will give God thanks for bringing him into my life! I will always remember………….

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"Staying In Love With God"

2011-02-14T12:09:00.001-06:00

February 14, 2011

“Staying In Love With God”

Well it is Valentine’s Day! The day when lovers everywhere celebrate and share their love for one another. Flowers, cards, candies of all kinds, diamonds, gifts of all sizes and shapes will be shared and given as tokens and expressions of the love we feel for our sweethearts. Love is a word that gets used a lot in our culture. We love our children, we love our spouses, we love our pets, we love our cars, we love our homes, we love our jobs, we love, well you name it. Love it seems to me has been watered down to the point that we are not even completely sure what it is we are expressing when we use the word anymore. Is it a feeling, is it an emotion, is it a term of endearment, what exactly do we mean when we say, “I love you?”

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, offered three general rules for living a life devoted to God. They were, do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God. Wesley believed that these three rules provided the framework for a disciplined Christian life. When we say we love God what exactly are we saying? When I took Hebrew in seminary I will never forget translating the scripture from the original text of Hebrew into the English. The first time we came to a translation where the word love was a part of the Hebrew text our professor shared with us that the closest equivalent in the English language to the Hebrew word for love was commitment. When I heard that for the very first time it changed how I understood the word love for my life. When a Hebrew said, “I love you,” they were saying, “I am committed to you.” As I thought about that I then realized that all throughout the Hebrew text when God says to God’s people God loves them God is saying, “I am committed to you.” As we look at the work of God throughout the Bible the reality of such a commitment becomes clearly evident in the work God does in the world and in the relationship God shares with God’s people. When Wesley says, “stay in love with God,” Wesley is saying, “stay committed to God.”

As we celebrate this Valentine’s Day may we dare to ask ourselves the hard question of are we committed to the one we love? If so, how? Certainly on this day when we pause to share such love flowers, cards, and other expressions of our love are appropriate. But, how does our commitment to the person we love play out, not only today, but each day. Isn’t that all any of us really need or want? Someone who is committed to us in such a way that we can trust it and rely on it through anything that comes and in the everyday living of our lives. Isn’t that all God is asking? On this day of love may we examine honestly where we are related to our commitments with those we care about. Staying in love is all about commitment and not just on a certain day of the year! It is about living out that commitment in identifiable ways that make a difference each and every day. Staying in love requires awareness, dedication, discipline, and work. Are we staying in love? I certainly hope so and not just for a day, but in each moment of each hour of each day of each month of each year. Now that is really loving!!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"Letting Go!"

2011-02-09T10:02:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

“Letting Go!”

As hard as I would like to give up my obsession with being in control of my life it is one of the greatest challenges I face in living. I am so tempted to believe that I am the master of my destiny, the designer of my future, the architect of my journey. Someone once said that life is what happens while you are planning other things. There is a great deal of truth to that. We love to schedule stuff. Calendars, whatever app you may use, get full quickly as we hurry and scurry from one appointment, one power lunch, one game, one conference, one meeting to another. Just ask someone how they are doing. After they give you the obligatory “fine” it is usually followed by how busy they are. Full calendars have become the symbol of important and get things done kind of people. It just seems like it is always something, doesn’t it? We like to fool ourselves into believing that we are in control of it all. We are the captains of our own destiny. The reality is that planning is a part of how we live our lives. Planning and scheduling certainly figure into it all to some degree. But do we ever examine what it is we are planning and why? Or do we plan just so we can plan? What difference is really made from such obsession with wanting to control it all and to be in charge of our life?

When I was younger I was very ambitious. I couldn’t pastor the church I was serving for plotting and planning for the next one I thought I deserved. I was an on the go scheduling, planning fool. The meetings couldn’t start without me. If there was an issue going on I needed to be there to solve it and bring direction. Oftentimes at the expense of my family and anyone else that got in the way of my plans I was on my way to God knows where! And I couldn’t get there fast enough to suit me. Then while I was attending a meeting one day I received a phone call from my secretary saying that my father’s partner had just called the church looking for me and that he needed to talk with me ASAP! I hung up the phone and back to the office I went! I called my father’s partner only to learn that my dad had called in that morning to the office and had threatened to kill himself. That call and my father’s subsequent suicide later that afternoon changed my life forever!

In that one phone call I learned just how much control I really had and it wasn’t much. We all are affected everyday by events we could have never anticipated, planned, or ever seen coming in our lives. Life is just like that. Life is very unpredictable. As a result of my father’s suicide and other events that have touched my life I have come to realize that all we have in life is the present moment we live. Futures still happen and planning is a part of it all but never at the expense of this moment. Life isn’t really much about schedules, plans, and the future as much as it is about today! The only control I have in my life is how I handle and respond to this moment. When this moment is lived fully it seems that what follows next is pretty well taken care of as well. It is tough letting go of all the stuff. It is difficult at best not to allow our worry, anxiety, and desperation about the economy, retirement, insurance, climbing the corporate ladder, making enough, providing enough, to so fill our living that we never really live! I am going to let go of a little more and include some space for God, for silence, for play, for spontaneity, for family, for friends, for all of those things and people that are what life is really about. Come on we can do it. Let go and trust God!! We might all be surprised at what God is doing in this moment. After all in reality it is the only moment we have!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"To continue the journey of seeking, serving, and sharing God's love."

John 13:35

Salado United Methodist Church

Just for today...

2010-08-26T18:51:00.003-05:00

Just for today...

Yearning for your love

Hungry yet smiling

Inquisitive yet shy.

Through your eyes,

They stare in wonder.

Searching your soul,

For a glimmer of hope.

Suffering yet full of God's love

Sad yet grateful.

Unbeknownst to them,

They fill your heart

With beautiful spirit

Giving you a greater gift than you have them

One of God's grace and compassion

One of strength, faith, and commitment.

They love you unconditionally,

Just as God loves all His children.

Unsure of what tomorrow may bring,

They pray and are truly thankful

Just for today.

These are the children of Kenya.

Scarlett Mikeska Steele

August 6, 2010

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Posted By . to Salado UMC Kenya Mission Trip at 8/26/2010 02:25:00 PM

"God Is Working, Again!"

2010-08-16T21:32:00.001-05:00

August 16, 2010

“God Is Working, Again!”

I just finished another church meeting! As a pastor I do lots of those in the course of a month and year. There was a time when I dreaded them and saw them as just another necessary means to an ends of doing church business. That all changed for me in the fall of 2006. I had been assigned as an interim pastor to a small, rural congregation that had experienced its share of hurt and struggle in its faithfulness to be a viable family of faith. There were several reasons why they had struggled in years past. Some of those reasons were theirs and others had to do with decisions and events outside of their control. Anyway, both had taken its toll on this family of faith. When I went to become their interim I, too, was pretty beat up. I had just left a job I loved as the Chaplain of the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco for 12 years, I was going through a divorce from my wife of 25 years, and my best friend had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Needless to say I didn’t bring that much to the table for them. I was broken, hurt, angry, guilty, disappointed, betrayed, with little confidence and not much of a self left. This interim was all that was available to me so I girded up my loins and accepted the appointment because when it all comes down to it I am a United Methodist pastor and I go where I am sent and called.

The first sermon I preached I broke down and cried through most of it. Actually I cried through most of the first few I preached there. I just couldn’t get through it. It was all too close and I was too raw. I think they were beat up pretty bad too and they just seemed to understand and let me go with it. After a few Sundays I began to find my way there. Their acceptance and love me as I was, broken and all began to heal me. I think God might have used me to help begin healing them too. I don’t really know what happened there but all of a sudden there began to be an excitement about being at church. It even began to find its way into church meetings. Can you imagine that? All of a sudden I began to realize that every time the church met it was an opportunity to sense and get a feel for where God was moving and sort of join in with what God was doing among us there. Attendance at everything began to grow. People didn’t want to miss out on that next opportunity in whatever form it was sensed and expressed. We began to learn that church meetings could become more than they had ever been for us. Our perspective changed and we all enjoyed being together as the family of faith. We began to realize the power of such opportunities and the partnership God was forming with us and between us. And all the while this was all going on we just began to become healthier and whole again as pastor and church.

I just left a mission faire meeting tonight in the library of our church. As we met I sensed that same excitement there. Before that the expansion committee met about the progress and ongoing work with the Vicky Sartor Memorial Youth Activities Center. As we discussed the plans and thought about what God would be doing in and through that facility as it would be used for ministry that old familiar feeling was there again. You know that feeling! That feeling that comes over you when you know that what you are doing somehow is of God. I sensed it tonight at our church in of all places two church meetings. I can’t explain its presence here this evening anymore than I can explain what happened in a small, rural church between a family of faith and their pastor. All I know is what I felt and knew in my heart. I have finally realized what makes such experiences possible in our lives. Why it is God of course. When God is present there are no words that can adequately describe what that is like. God was here again tonight. And God will be here again in the morning. We proclaim that sacred truth each Sunday. We are not alone. God is with us. Thanks be to God!!! You see in the final analysis that is the only truth worth knowing! Such presence can transform anything and anyone, even a church meeting! God is with you. Do you know that? I sure hope so because such knowing will lead you to places you never thought you would go to do things you never thought you could do. Just ask Moses, or Jacob, or Saul, or Esther, or David, or Mary, or Peter, or John, or Paul, or anyone else that came to trust the presence of this God who is working and who will never stop!! God is working, my friends, again!!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

“To continue the journey of seeking, serving, and sharing God’s love.”

John 13:35

Salado United Methodist Church

FW: Hurled Over a Distant Ocean

2010-08-13T15:09:00.001-05:00

I have asked Grady Newton, a member of our church and a member of our last Kenya mission trip, to write for the blog-site this week. I hope you will read what he has written and allow God to speak to you through a fresh experience and perspective inspired and empowered by a journey after which no one is ever the same again.

I will see you on the road,

Travis

From: Grady Newton [mailto:gknewton@embarqmail.com]
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 11:30 AM
To: tfranklin@saladoumc.org
Subject: Hurled Over a Distant Ocean

Hurled Over a Distant Ocean

Experiences on a mission trip to a third world country take time to digest and sort into a language that can be empathetically deciphered by those willing to listen. One can only highlight parts of days, pieces of conversations, and images that will be forever embedded in the observer’s memory. Some images are merely interesting; some quite novel; some echo haunting, black clouds of injustice, poverty, and hopelessness; and some gloriously reflect the smiling visage of God. Kenya is a proud, magnificent, lumbering beast. She is pierced with jade and gold jewelry of past civilizations, tattooed with waving banana forests and cool blue mountains, fed by free roaming lions and giraffes, scarred by civil unrest, shackled with corruption, yet fitted with an elaborate headdress of knowledge-hungry citizens. She ambles forward through a maze of English and Swahili syntax and collides head-on with Western culture.

Her myriad needs are apparent and beg for redress.

So why would anyone want to leave the security, safety, and comforts of small-town, USA to travel so far to an unknown place to see strange sights and people? For me, I can only state two reasons: 1) precisely to follow my own innate yearning to leave the security, safety, and comforts of my small home town to see strange sights and people and 2) to heed the nudging voice of God to… just go.

I heard of a traveler besieged and robbed on a distant highway in a distant land. Passersby ignored his torn cloak and moans of pain. We know the story. It is about caring for a neighbor. A Samaritan walked along the same road, saw the man, bound his wounds, attended him to the next town, procured a room for him, and lent him money against his return.

There is a road closer to our homes. Across the access road paralleling Interstate I35 is an oozing hot asphalt street leading to a trailer park. A middle-aged man walks the road who has not worked in three months and can no longer afford cigarettes, a change of underwear, or a meal for his four children. Neither is there a gesture of hope for his anxious wife. Oh yea… he is there….a neighbor…

Another dusty road meanders through the Kenyan hillsides…. The road is deeply furrowed by two-wheeled ox-driven carts…A 15 year old head of the household stands with his three little sisters in front of their splintered wood and corrugated tin shack. Both parents have died of AIDS. The girls sleep together on a tattered blanket on the dirt floor. The boy [GLN1] rests in an adjoining room in a hammock. A wire strung across the room serves as his closet. A tiny family room houses a homemade wooden table and two rickety chairs. Nailed on one wall is a faded portrait of Jesus. Facing their shelter is a small two-room wooden plank shed. The left side shelters two goats, and the other serves as a kitchen. In it, a dirt mound is topped with scavenged pieces of lumber and bush twigs for fire. A dirty black pot sits on dead ashes. The boy must find some bananas today. A calm but unsure look resides upon his face.

Oh yeah… he is there…across an ocean and across a continent…still a neighbor…

We cannot always pick the persons we encounter. Do miles or language or race or economic situation bar us one from another? Are my neighbors only in my community?

What are we to do? What does God expect? In a sweeping simplification, Jesus commanded three things: 1) love God with all your heart,[GLN2] 2) love your neighbor as yourself, (Matt.22:34-40) and 3) go and make disciples of others who will do the same. (Matt. 28:16-20). Other passages echo the message very clearly:

“The king will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me.’”

Matthew 25:40

And from Jeremiah 22:16,

“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well.

Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord.

Are not neighboring disciples near and far away?

A recent journey to Africa found ten travelers and myself

near Meru, Kenya. Three dusty, bumpy hours of inching along a lonely, rocky road had rendered our bones shaken and our mouths dry. After maneuvering across one more jagged ravine dotted with straggly, thorny bushes, we came to a halt

atop an arid, rocky hillside. Nearby, a large, round cinderblock water tank proudly rose against the vast horizon. We were heartily greeted by a few neatly dressed men and about a dozen bare-headed women adorned in multi-colored dresses and elaborate necklaces. They sang us two songs in Swahili as they swayed and clapped in unison. We mingled awhile and talked briefly with those who could communicate in heavily accented English. Hitherto unnoticed, a very black complexioned man announced himself wearing crinkled denim blue pants, leather sandals, a sweat stained red and white striped shirt underneath a dusty, worn, dark blue sport jacket.

Bare-headed with a bent walking stick, he looked like someone had randomly glued rusty wire on his face…. Another neighbor?…Another neighbor…”We had”, he emphatically and boisterously claimed, “been placed in the leather pouch of David’s slingshot by God and hurled over a distant ocean” to land on this particular piece of parched land to stand in front of his gleaming black eyes. He thanked the visitors from Grapevine who had provided funds for them to build a water storage tank and pipeline. He welcomed his curious visitors from a strange town called Salado. His friends and relatives had prayed, and God had answered. He assured us that seven kilometers into the distant spring-fed hills and seven more back to their arid, rugged countryside is a daily trek dutifully made by the women of his community to retrieve water for their families. However, the pipe from the hills to the water tank had been trampled by elephants, and there was no water. He unashamedly and humbly beseeched us for money to repair the pipe and erect an electric wire around the tank so the elephants would not damage it. He confidently stated that his faith would surely see his village through to the day when they could turn the spout from the tank and fill their buckets to the rim with fresh water and in turn fill them with the Holy Spirit and thankfulness for friends so far away who had become partners with them in the name of God. Then he backed away behind his friends and disappeared over a rocky hill… Yeah, he’s our neighbor too.

So, what now?

Rather than being overwhelmed by the immense magnitude of the poor and needy, let us act individually and collectively to joyously respond to God’s command to love and care for our neighbors both at home and abroad.

To do that, we have to take an honest look at our own position in society and decide if we are able to leave our comfort zone and truly act on behalf of our neighbors. Perhaps a few words from a classic hymn can joggle our consciences:

“Are ye able? Still the Master

whispers down eternity,

and heroic spirits answer,

now as then in Galilee.

Lord we are able. Our spirits are thine.

Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.

Thy guiding radiance above us shall be

A beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.”

It was Martin Luther King Jr. who stated that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Technology has made people aware of the cesspools of poverty around the globe. So let us roll up our sleeves and act. Each of us can make a difference in some way. Henry Van Dyke said “Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” Let us heed the wisdom of Proverbs 21:13 … “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”

Perhaps an old African saying might be appropriate here:

“If you think you are too small to make a difference,

try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.”

Poverty and its wretched effects on people worldwide will undoubtedly never be completely eradicated. But God is love and hope.

Therefore let us ponder the words of Helen Keller: “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

My hope is that each of us will become more aware of our needy neighbors both near and far. Let us find the courage to reach out to each other in compassionate faith.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen and halleluiah.

Grady Newton

[GLN1]The boy

[GLN2]Insert ove our neighbors. command.ruly act. at our own position in the world and decide if we are able.

A Disciplined Life!

2010-07-21T15:04:00.001-05:00

July 21, 2010

“A Disciplined Life!”

I remember when I played ball how tedious and sometimes weary I would become practicing during the season. In the beginning of the season I had a bounce in my step and an enthusiasm in my attitude related to practice. As the season wore on and I became more familiar with the schemes it became much more difficult to be as invested in preparing myself for the games on Friday. My life of faith can sometimes get that way. After all I have been at this for 54 years. Practicing day in and day out, reading scripture, meditating, worshipping on Sunday, Wednesday night Bible studies, praying, sharing the various disciplines of our faith. It can become predictable and old hat sometimes. I tend to forget oftentimes the reason behind the discipline. I am not practicing the disciplines out of obligation or as some test or proof that I am a good Christian. It is through the practice of the disciplines that I come to be aware of who God is and what God is doing in life!!! The disciplines are tools that God and the church give to me to sense and become present with the reality of God’s presence and work in every moment I live! When I come to remember that and I come to realize the purpose behind the practice it makes the disciplines come alive because they are about sensing and discerning the will of God now!!

When I become sloppy and lazy in my practice of the disciplines I become numb to the presence of God in my life and in the life of the world around me. The given of the Christian life of faith is that God is working and revealing God’s will in this moment, right now! My apathy and my lack of discipline with sensing and responding to that presence and work leaves me out of the loop of what God is doing. Many Christians keep wanting God to do all the work. Many Christians just keep expecting God to show up in miraculous ways that are obvious and powerful. Many times the work of God is discovered in the silence, in the stillness, in the background of living. Our role is to utilize all the tools God has given us to heighten our awareness and sensitize us to where God is, what God is doing, and how God is revealing God’s love in the midst of a hurting creation. Practicing the disciplines bends and shapes our wills to God’s. Without such discipline we become unaware and unavailable to all that God is doing in our lives and in the life of the creation all around us. God continues to be so faithful to us. When you stop to consider all that we have been given by God it seems a little foolish to keep expecting God to do all the work for us. We must learn to live out the disciplines of our faith. Such a life is really the only one worth living!!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"LIfe is...."

2010-07-01T11:33:00.001-05:00

July 1, 2010

“Life Is ….”

It is hard to accept that July is already here and the summer is slipping away from me. Life seems to be like that. It just seems to squirm and turn and wiggle and jiggle and we struggle at best to keep it where we think we want it. About the time we think we have it secure something happens and we lose our grip on it again and then we find ourselves wrestling with it and clutching at it, trying to hold it down. I remember being at a rodeo once and they had an event where several kids were put in the arena and a greased pig was let loose. The object was to catch the pig for a cash prize. It was so funny to watch those kids and their efforts at catching and controlling that pig. One kid finally did it but it took a while and he didn’t hold it for long!

It is difficult at best to allow life to be what it is in any given moment. We work hard, we expend great amounts of time and energy to box it up, contain it, control it and make it fit our ideas of what it should be and how it should express itself. It doesn’t take long before it just gets away from us again and we find ourselves frustrated, angry, and hurt because once again it has surprised us and delivered to us an experience we just didn’t see coming. I am not sure God ever intended that we control life. The Genesis story has God and the first human beings just enjoying the life of creation, carefree, and in harmony with it. Maybe we should spend less time trying to manipulate life and more time just sensing what it is and the expression it is seeking to share in any given moment. It is not easy to grant life such freedom. Any yet, I am not sure we grant life anything. It seems to me life is free no matter how hard we try to convince ourselves it is not. I like the wildness of life. I am beginning to appreciate the reality that it cannot be contained and that it defies our pitiful attempts at controlling it. Life is here, right now and we have the freedom and opportunity to go with where it seeking expression next. What an adventure! There is nothing quite like living, is there?

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"Blessed To Be a Blessing"

2010-06-28T15:39:00.001-05:00

June 28, 2010

“Blessed To Be a Blessing!”

I just returned Saturday from a trip to Belize to explore the possibility of our church doing some mission work there. As our team of Jamie Perrin, Howard Lufburrow, and Jon Kindle were so warmly greeted and escorted through the country to different sites of need I remembered what it was like to visit a developing country. Throughout our travels I realized how broken and in need most of the world is. It is easy to forget that as I live in the land of the free. On the eve of July 4^th I am a passionate patriot when it comes to my country and my love for it! Ours is quite a story on the world stage. I am so very proud to be an American. However, my experience in Belize and Kenya remind me of an old biblical principle. One is blessed in order to be a blessing to others. The Old Testament is the story of the Hebrews struggle with such a truth and responsibility. They kept missing the point of God’s blessing to them. They kept making it about them and how very special they were and about how after all they deserved it. The prophets warned them of such prideful thinking and acting. Of course they didn’t listen and the rest has been downhill ever since as they have struggled with what it means to be God’s chosen.

On the eve of our countries independence day celebration may we be reminded of what our forefathers knew and believed. It was the providence of God that guided and directed their actions and beliefs. Anyone who has read Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, or Adams knows their since of God’s destiny for them and the country they longed to create. Such is the heritage of our nation. I am honored and blessed by such heritage. The best way to dishonor it is to become selfish with its blessing and its resources. I wonder where our nation would be had it not been for the charity and aid of France and the most powerful navy in the world!! Blessing by its very nature is meant to be shared. Certainly we do that with our own here. However we are also called to be in the words of the prophets and our Lord “a light to the nations.” Jesus was most clear about what our response to receiving the gospel must be as he mandated for us to go into all the world!! Right now we are needed. We have been blessed with so very much. That blessing is rooted and grounded in the sacred trust of God that it is given to be shared.

I hope that you will visit with one of the team members from Kenya or Belize. They will witness to you of a need that goes beyond our comprehension. My prayer is that on this independence day we will celebrate the blessing of God upon us and that we will be very generous in sharing such blessing with a hurting and broken world. Enjoy your holiday this coming weekend. God bless America!!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

'Following Where God Leads"

2010-06-22T20:57:00.001-05:00

June 22, 2010

“Following Where God Leads!”

Bright and early in the morning I leave for Belize. I am joining 3 lay people from our church on a fact finding mission to explore a partnership with the Methodist Church of the Caribbean to possibly adopt a village in Belize. It is difficult to realize I will be there in another 12 hours. I am unsure of what this may mean for my life or the life of the church I serve. I have sensed God leading me and us in this direction and I don’t know what else to do but to go and see. I know before I get there that God will be in that place because I truly believe that God is everywhere. What God has for us there I am unsure. That seems to be the way it is with God. Never really being sure but going on anyway trusting somehow that God will let you know all along the way. In a culture consumed with knowing it seems somewhat irresponsible to go to such a place without much of a plan. Oh we will meet with representatives from the Methodist Church there and they will guide us throughout our stay. In terms of what all of that means I just don’t have much of a clue. I remember not long ago as our church was studying the book by Richard Stearns, “A Holy in the Gospel,” someone asked me where is this leading us Pastor Travis. I had to admit I did not have any idea. All I knew was that God was at work in that study. Part of what happened in that study is one reason I am going. I believe God calls us to respond to the needs of a hurting world. I suspect that once I get there God will show me whatever God wants me to see and to experience and to know. That is my hope. That is my prayer.

I have been reading the Africa blog authored by those persons from our church that followed God’s lead there. I wonder if any of them really knew why they were going to Africa. I suspicion they too went because they sensed God leading them there. I dare say they nor I will be disappointed with all God will do with us in those places, among those people. Following God’s lead is not always easy work. As matter of fact it is rather hard work when you stop to think about it. I remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his death as he prayed for God’s direction. He followed God’s lead that night and it led him to a place that was difficult and burden laden. I hope that tomorrow I have such courage and faith. Going where God leads oftentimes takes us to places we otherwise would probably never go to do things we probably didn’t think we were capable of doing! But then I must remember the going and the doing are not about me at all. It is about God and what and where God leads and does. All I need to do is to trust that and God will give to me whatever I need in order to do what is needed to be done.

Tomorrow I leave for a place that I have never been before. I am nervous and excited all at the same time! All I need to remember as I go is that I am not alone, that God is with me, praise be to God! When you know that, when you trust that what really is there to fear!!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"God's At Work!"

2010-06-16T11:00:00.001-05:00

June 16, 2010

“God’s At Work!”

I just had prayer with our mission team who left for Meru, Kenya today. Rolly Correa is the team leader of our mission team of Jordan Holmes, Grady Newton, Joe and Scharlet Mikeska. As they departed I was reminded of a meeting at 4:30 am in the morning of a similar group who met in the parking lot of the First United Methodist Church of Grapevine at this same time last year preparing for our departure to the same place. As I reflect back on that trip it was such a powerful experience of the mystery of God and life. Two months earlier Vicky Sartor, our program coordinator, had died. Her fight with cancer and death had really taken its toll on me. I was weary and very sad. I probably would have backed out of the trip because of that if I wasn’t already so committed to our partnership in Meru with Bishop Muriuki. So I went on the trip. Words fall woefully short to put a description to what happened to me in that mystical and moving place. I experienced through the trip a different perspective of God, life, the church, mission work, community, and just about everything else in my life and ministry. In that sacred space God healed me, loved me, renewed me, held me, spoke to me, empowered me, re-charged me, graced me, and led me in a way that I still have difficulty even describing. In a sense I was re-born into a life that now a year later is just hard to believe. I thank God everyday for a mission trip to Africa!

Isn’t that the way God is and certainly the way God works in our lives. What we so oftentimes fail to realize is that God is at work in each moment of our lives. Paul tries to remind us of such truth in Romans 8:28 when he writes, “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Paul’s life and ministry offered such evidence of the truth of that bold and declarative statement. For two weeks in the summer of 2009 I experienced the power and truth of that scripture in ways I never had experienced it before. I was forever changed on that trip. My life has not been the same since.

God is in this here and now moment for you and me. Part of the reason I can say that with conviction is because I saw and experienced it first-hand in the people of Meru. They had nothing related to material possessions. They lived meagerly and simply. Now one would reason that they had every reason to be angry at God and curse God for their plight in life. I have seen that happen often in my ministry here in America. Something bad unexpectedly happens to someone in life and they turn against God and blame God and curse God. The people I experienced in Meru chose just the opposite response to their condition. They sought God out, trusted God more than ever, expressed their profound praise and thanksgiving for what they did have instead of cursing God for what they didn’t, they just sensed and believed what Paul wrote, God is at work in the world and that is all that really matters. I watched it in the way they worshipped, in the way they opened their hearts to we as strangers, to how they gave willingly and freely, to the humble acceptance of who they were and of what they had.

They humbled me there. They taught me that regardless of what happens in life God is still present working for good! I needed desperately to experience that truth and learn once again how to trust my own life and ministry to its presence. In Meru, Kenya I was reminded life is all about God and has very little to do with me.

I am somewhat envious of the mission team as they travel there to that special place with those special people. As they leave I am reminded once again that God is here and at work in my life and in yours. Related to our life and ministry here together that is all that really matters, isn’t it? I pray that I might never forget the reality of such truth as it seeks expression in and through who I am and how I live my life and ministry. God is at work! Praise be to God!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"Letting Go!"

2010-06-15T12:25:00.001-05:00

June 15, 2010

“Letting Go!”

I was sorting through my contact list in my email the other day. It was sort of a late spring cleaning. As I worked through the list I was amazed at how many of the contacts I had in the list were or had experienced change of some kind. Some of the couples were no longer couples. Some had moved to new locations and had gotten new emails. Some had retired and had closed their business email accounts. Some had lost loved ones and had moved or re-married or both. Some had been ill and were recovering from sickness. Others I had just lost track of and I was no longer sure where they were or what they were doing. As I sorted through the list one thing became clear life moves on and life changes for us all.

Some folks are threatened by such a reality. Some folks expend great amounts of time, energy, and resources trying to build a sense of security refusing to believe or acknowledge that such change is just a moment away for us all. Some folks want to try to control life and manipulate it into what they want it to be. Life has a rhythm and movement of its own. It is really a waste of our time and energy to try to make it something it will never be. The beauty it seems to me is to celebrate life as it is. I hope to always appreciate it for its mystery and movement. I got tired a long time ago of trying to make it something it wasn’t. Over the years and through the experience of much pain I have finally come to a place where I just accept and allow it the freedom to be what it is in any given moment. My power is discovered in how I choose to respond to whatever life may bring. Oswald Chambers says in his devotional classic, “My Utmost For His Highest” that, “we are not meant to be illuminated versions, but the common stuff of ordinary life exhibiting the marvel of the grace of God.” Our role in creation is not to change it but to accept it as it is for what it is, the handiwork of God. Our part to play in that beautiful tapestry is to exhibit the marvel of the grace of God. We do that by sensing that grace in the wonder, the awe, the power, the changing nature of life as it is. In such a role we then become the means by which the grace of God becomes visible in the world. What an honor it is to play such a part. Thus understood we simply surrender to that grace as we sense it, experience it, feel it, watch it, through whatever life brings to our doorstep. Inherent in it all is the grace and love of the God who created it all.

When you know and trust that such grace abounds and lives in the fabric of living your life takes on a different movement, shape, form, power, direction, expression. To live any other way is to miss the whole point of who we are, why we are here, and what life in its essence is. Control is not all it is cracked up to be. Letting go is so much more fun than holding on. So…..let go and let God have you in this moment. There is no telling where it will take you. And that my friends is the point!!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

"The Simple Life"

2010-06-02T14:34:00.001-05:00

June 2, 2010

“The Simple Life”

Life is anything but simple! Life can become so complex. Our schedules seem to fill with more stuff than we can ever get done. Even when we are free from work we tend schedule our free time. There seems to be so many choices that even our down time has become a chore as we seek to select from so many things we can do. We have become masters at complexity. More has become the norm not the exception. One of the fastest growing businesses in the United States is storage. We no longer possess our possessions they have come to possess us. There just doesn’t seem to be much about our living that is simple. We sort of just get lost in the complexity of living and sorting through all the stuff. The stress of choosing alone from so much can be overwhelming. When I played basketball you had two choices related to the shoe you could buy to play in. You could buy adidas or converse. I was an adidas man. Now you need to know what kind of surface you will be playing on, do you want low tops, mid tops, or high tops. What color would you like? Now you can choose from 30 brands each with their own unique choices related to the sport. Even buying a basketball shoe has become more complex than it has to be.

I was in Plainview a few weeks ago staying with friends on a functioning farm. While I was there time and life just seemed to move into slow motion. I saw the sky, the clouds, I felt the wind, I smelled the seed, the plants, the flowers, I took time to be visit with people around a circle for hours. The food seemed to taste better. The schedule just seemed to work differently there. The schedule seemed to value people and have a certain respect for nature, life, neighbor, and community. Sometimes I get weary of busyness. I look at what I do and I wonder about the necessity of some of it. Simplicity is a choice. Grounded in a sense of value for God, family, people, friends, church, I am beginning to realize my own need for a simpler life. Will I have the courage to let go of some things? I don’t know. I am still reflecting and sorting it out in my heart and head. I long for silence, for God, for family, for friends, for a slower and more intentional pace. Maybe I can have a more simple life. I guess that really depends on me and the choices I am willing to make.

I will see you on the road,

Travis

You Would Have Been Proud!

2010-05-17T15:40:00.001-05:00

May 17, 2010

“You Would Have Been Proud!”

My mother was the shaper and molder in our family. She took great effort to instill in each of her children faith and values that would serve as guides and waypoints all along the journey of life. She lived what she said. This past Sunday I was off celebrating my son Michael’s graduation from Texas Wesleyan University in Ft. Worth. I rented a small guest house in Azle, Texas. Azle is just a few miles east of Weatherford, Texas. So on Sunday I decided to go a little further west past Weatherford to the Bethesda United Methodist Church to hear a new, young pastor there named Brady. As I sat in young Brady’s service that morning listening to him preach from the pulpit of his new church I was just so proud of him. He is a pastor of a church!

After the service we were getting ready to go over to their new parsonage to see it and Brady excused himself to lock up the church. I remember my first church. I remember when they handed me that first set of keys. As I received them it begin to dawn on me I was now the pastor in charge. I was now God’s representative to those folks that I pastored and all of a sudden the weight of those keys was tremendous. As Brady and I visited throughout the afternoon it was now as pastor to pastor. We exchanged ideas about our churches and I now understood clearly that Brady was da’ man for the people of the Bethesda United Methodist Church.

As I reflected on my day with him and Annie I was just so very proud of him and of the church that God used to shape and mold them. He is today who he is because of this sacred place. I always loved to hear his stories about growing up in this congregation as a child and later as a youth. It always amazed me at the experiences that he paid attention to that for many people would surprise them regarding their influence on him and his faith. That went for Annie too! You see we never know what God is doing in someone’s life do we? As I look at our children today as they gather for the children’s sermon or for Sunday school, or for M & M kids on Wednesday evenings I wonder how God is shaping and molding them in their faith here among us. There might just be another Brady among them or another Annie. Who knows?

As I drove home and thought about my day with them I was proud of them and I was proud of you. Thank you for allowing God to use you and work in and through you. After all isn’t that why we are here? Isn’t that what God has called us to do? Had you been with me this past Sunday you would have been so very proud! Regardless of where they are called to go by God they will always be ours! Praise be to God!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

Why Wait?!

2010-05-11T14:16:00.001-05:00

May 11, 2010

“Why Wait?!”

I just received an email from a friend that reminded me of how precious the moments are we share in life. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit how many of those precious times I have lost or wasted on feelings or thoughts or actions that just don’t really matter. Feeling sorry for myself, worrying about stuff that may never happen or even if it does wont’ make much difference in the big scheme, angry over something stupid, vengeful over something insignificant, unforgiving with people I really love desperately, or well you fill in the blank of whatever it is that you have wasted time on in living. Jesus had a way of living in the moments he had. He did not judge life by what happened to him, or what didn’t, or by how people treated him, or by what he had a right to do or not, or by what he thought he should have received, or any of those other experiences we allow to rob us of the only reality we have, this moment! He demonstrates the power of his life over and over again in scripture. Maybe the most powerful example is from the cross where his response to cruelty, injustice, and hate is, “Father forgive them for the they know not what they do.” The next time I am feeling sorry for myself or the next time I want to waste one of God’s precious gift of the moment to me maybe I can remember his example and live aware of what all I have instead of that which I do not. We just waste so much of our living angry, hurt, disappointed, hurried, depressed, anxious, or numb!

God forgive me for wasting such a beautiful gift! Today is here and it is a gift to each of us. Today will not be wasted on things I cannot control! For today at least I realize God is in this moment and that is all I ever need! Yesterday I shared in the funeral service for Virginia Matthews. Virginia was to turn 95 on the very day we had her funeral, May 10. The family shared with me a quote that Virginia always used with them in their growing up years. We don’t know who to attribute the quote to and I am going to take a chance and quote it anyway. This quote was on the front of her funeral bulletin. “Divine love always has met and always will meet every human need.” I had never before heard that. As I think about the gift of this moment from God I realize how true that statement is. When you know that in your heart, you are free. You are not free from the struggle of life but you are free in how you seek to respond to it! That is the greatest freedom there is! Jesus chose to be free on the cross that day! He offers us the example of what great power such freedom brings to the moments of our lives regardless of our experience. The family of Virginia also gave me the devotional to read in the service for the day of the service, May 10, from the daily word. The title for that day was joy. The thought for the day was, “Joy is only a thought away. I choose joy.” In the midst of death and loss the subtle message of that family to all who came that day was that they chose joy! You know it really doesn’t matter what happens to me or you today does it? I choose in this moment joy! How about you? Why wait?

I will see you on the road,

Travis

The Miracle of God's Love

2010-05-10T08:43:00.001-05:00

May 9, 2010

"The Miracle of God's Love"

When I reflect back on my raising I am somewhat awed! As an adult it begins to dawn on me the many sacrifices my parents made on my behalf and on behalf of my two siblings. I was raised to believe that family was everything. I still believe that today! There is no other tool God uses more effectively in someone's life to illustrate what it means to be accepted, loved, and forgiven than family. Now I realize that my statement is not true of every family. If anyone knows the truth of how families are sometimes the last place persons feel love and acceptance it is me. Afterall I witnessed firsthand the effects of such families on people as the Chaplain at the Methodist Children's Home for 12 years. But please let me brush the canvass with a broad stroke here. My hope would be that those families are the exception and not the rule. Maybe I am being naive but I still believe in family. As I reflect on my own upbringing I thank God for parents who loved me regardless. I always knew that home was safe and that home would help me and that home would heal me. I hosted my family this year for Christmas. There were some 16 of us there. It was fun, loving, restorative, and intimate. My mom is still living. She is now 76. My father is deceased. As we stood in a circle before we opened presents just after we had read the nativity story I turned to my mother and I said, "as the matriarch of this family is there anything you would like to say?" With tears flowing from her eyes and in a voice that cracked she said, "I am so proud of you all!" And with that we bowed and prayed and gave God thanks for our family and the gift that it was to us all.

Today is Mother's Day. I am grateful for my Mom. She never tires of loving us. I can't imagine my life without her. The world can become a ruthless, mean spirited place, that breeds fear in us if we allow it. Sometimes I find myself struggling to not give in to such living. If I learned anything from Mom and Dad it is that life is good because a good and loving God made it. I hope my children came to believe that too! I pray to God that when they reflect on how they were raised that they too will share good memories of love, of hope, of acceptance, of fun, of laughter, of just being together. As I think back to those years of growing up I begin to realize that my family was just another one of God's miracles. It was the place where I learned to love. It was the place where I knew I was loved. It was the place that shaped and formed me. It was the place where God worked in ways I still find it hard to understand or comprehend. It's effect on me will last a lifetime. Just another miracle of God's love in the world. Thank you Lord for loving us so!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

What's At Stake Journal Entry

2010-05-06T10:24:00.001-05:00

May 6, 2010

“What’s At Stake?”

When I read the gospel stories of Jesus I am somewhat stunned by his treatment of the marginalized people of his day. The woman at the well, Zacheus, the 10 lepers, the woman caught in adultery, and on and on the list goes. He had a sense for where people were in their life and he was consistent in providing whatever it was that they needed. He lived his life so compassionately. He changed the world one person at a time. We live in a world that just overwhelms us most of the time. Too much stimulus, too much information, too much news, too much knowledge, too much of just about everything. Have you been to the grocery store lately and tried to buy bread? We have become obsessed with choice to the point that we are exposed to so much from which to choose we don’t know what to choose. In the midst of such a culture even our ability to share compassion becomes affected. Do I give to my church, to World Vision, to Save the Children, to the food pantry, to the relief fund, to Haiti, to the Red Cross, to……… And if we are not careful we can use the constant bombardment of so many causes to never give to any of them.

Jesus focused on the need at hand. He took care of the one that stood before him. In doing so he sought to focus his help, his love, his care to those he could help. Each of us need to learn from his example. Focus your love, your efforts, your compassion, your resources where you can. We can’t save the world, but we can help to save one person, one child, one young person, one senior citizen at a time. If we do that for a lifetime we might be surprised at the difference God can make through us. The point is that we do what we can, where we can, with what we have. A biblical truth is that it is not about the gift anyway. It is about what God does with the gifts we give. Not giving, not trying, not sharing our resources is really not an option. Our church needs us, our community needs us, our world needs us. God can make a difference through what we offer one child, one youth, one person, one senior citizen at a time. What’s at stake if we don’t? Everything we love and hold dear, that’s all!

I will see you on the road,

Travis

2010-05-05T19:34:00.000-05:00

May 4, 2010

“The Journey Begins”

Beginnings can be exciting and at the same time cause us to wonder. Where will this beginning lead me? When and where will the journey I begin end? How will it end? What will happen all along the way? As I begin this journey of reflecting on the life of everyday faith I, too, wonder about such questions. This is the beginning entry into a blog entitled the “The Journey of Faith.” It will consist primarily of reflections from me regarding our daily walk with God in Christ. It is meant to be a journey with those of you reading who will be taking the journey with me. Therefore, I would encourage your input, your thoughts, your reflections upon what I share. My thoughts are really where we will start the discussion. Each of you who make the trip are invited and encouraged to join in the dialogue. It will be helpful to all of us who will be bound in this journey together. I hope you will contribute. It will make the trip much more fun and much more enjoyable.

You might be wondering how will I find the time in a hectic and busy schedule to read the blog, let alone write and respond to one. My question would be in light of the journey of faith how can you and I afford not to! At the heart and soul of biblical faith is the idea of idolatry. Idolatry has to do with those things we make with our own hands that we attribute greater significance to than our relationship with God. We truly are an idolatrous people. That theme is common throughout the biblical narrative of salvation history. It is so easy to become so lost in our own importance and ego that we no longer have any sense of judgment about what our priorities should be. We tend to give great value to things that are trivial in the big picture of living. Our relationship with God continues to get shelved in favor of short term satisfactions that neither fulfill or carry much meaning. And we wonder why we don’t seem to find much purpose in all the stuff we do. We seem really, really busy and we probably are. However, what are we doing and why?

Today we begin a journey that reflects on such questions related to our everyday living. We will just have to be patient and see where God leads us in this. May we remain open to how God wants to use this blog. I hope you will join me for this journey. Remember, contribute as you can. Who knows what God will do with what you seek to offer. I am looking forward to your comments and your reflections as we make the journey together.

I will see you on the road,

Travis

July 2, 2009

2009-07-02T02:37:00.002-05:00

Well we are finally back in civilization. We lost our ability to blog early on due to electricity problems. All we had was dial-up. That is why we never sent any pictures. The good news is we are all safe and the trip has been something none of us will ever forget. God has been with us throughout. I have come to experience that truth in a way I never have before. I have seen people who depend on that in a way that is miraculous to see. We have many pictures, videos, and stories. The consistent theme with each is the presence of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. To give you an example of what I mean we spent the last two days in the Masai Mari game preserve to unwind and see the animals of Africa. Our last night at the lodge where we stayed Ken (pastor at 1st Grapevine) was asked to lead a worship service for the staff. So we did. I really can't capture the experience except to say that the staff witnessed to us in a way that was most inspiring and humbling. God's grace was just so at work in and through the simple way we worshipped together. I truly felt that I was with family. It was just so inspiring.

I am writing from the London airport as I await our flight. I am tired and ready to come home. It is very difficult to take in and absorb all that has happened to us on this journey. I have missed my family of faith. I look forward to being with all of you this Sunday. Our team will be sharing with our church all that we learned on Sunday, July 12. I hope that date is right. I am a little disoriented related to time and place right now. We have really enjoyed getting to know the group from Grapevine. We formed community early on. I thought that in order for you to at least meet one other member of our group from there I would introduce a guest blogger. He has been an important part of our team.
See you when we get home,
Travis

Hello, my name is Keegan from Grapevine and I'm sophomore at L.D. Bell High School. I have sincerely enjoyed this trip. It is truly a trip I will never forget. Seeing the presence of God in a place where that is all they have to hold on to is extremely humbling.
Thanks for allowing me to blog maybe at some point I'll get a chance to meet some of ya'll.

Hey! It's Brittany now. Soooooo I am both physically and emotionally DRAINED but it's totally worthwhile. This experience has been one to last a lifetime and I can't wait to share our stories with everyone! I have taken tons of videos and pics....so be ready for that! But even with that, there's no way I can ever completely describe what happened to us there and what we saw. I can at least try though, and feel free to ask questions when we get home! Not only do we have many stories to share, but we also have lots of information for the church! It is awesome, getting to see what is happening there due to our support! It will be a huge adjustment, coming back home. Probably because while in Kenya, the people made us feel so comfortable, and like members of their family...that place became our home for the past two weeks. It will be interesting to see how we all react! Right now I have no sense of where I am, what time it is, what day it is...anything! It will only get worse....all these time changes! :p

Anyway, our time on here is running out so we're gonna let ya go! Bill & Dottie, as well as Jo, say "Hi"! We can't wait to see you all!
-Britt :)

2009-06-29T17:13:00.003-05:00

Internet access remains an issue, but here are the latest updates from Brittany as the team wraps up their trip at the game preserve ...
JD

We are here and this place is AMAZING! I have NEVER stayed somewhere so nice! The food is literally gourmet. I wish you could see what I see. The monkeys definitely have no fear of us, haha!

We went on Safari -- soo cool!! Saw a lot of animals for our first night. A leopard sighting is rare and we even got to see one! It's storming but is beautiful. Tonight some Masai will have a show and dance for us!

There are sooo many neat things here! Its cold because of the rain and they have the big fireplace going. Its ambient and sooo cozy! The rooms are luxurious - compared to what we've been living in. It's like...a resort, but its not TOO touristy. Just right!

This was the PERFECT way to end the trip.. and in a way, recover! Lol.

At 9pm we're watching some Masai people do a dance show!! We saw ostriches, cape buffalos, giraffes, gazelles, elephants, etc. No lions or rhinos yet but we DID see a leopard which is a rarity! Also saw a buncha lazy cheetahs. The most beautiful birds and butterflies.

Trust me when I come back I'll probably be very different... And for a while I'm sure everything will start with the phrase "Well in Africa..."

Brittany

Update from Brittany

2009-06-29T09:38:00.002-05:00

Internet/Electrical issues continue to hamper the team's internet access, but did get the following texts from Brittany...
JD

Friday - "Couldn't blog, internet is down goin to bed. Going to an orphanage and a wedding tomorrow! Update ya then love ya all."

Saturday - "Went to an aids orphanage event - it was amazing! It was fun. Also had dinner at the Bishop's house. Today was a wonderful way to end our time in Meru. We will go to church in the morning and head to Nairobi Immediately after. Then headed to Masai Mara on Monday!

Sunday - "In Nairobi finally. The traffic is truly INSANE! (Lol) people are switching across the highway and driving into oncoming traffic. We have finally passed that" We haven’t had electricity at night, and right after eating supper I will probably go to bed. I don't thing this place has a computer.

Update from the Kenya Team

2009-06-28T09:32:00.003-05:00

Got a text from Brittany today.....
The area they are in is experiencing some electrical problems so they haven't been able to provide an update today. But the team are doing well and looking forward to their visit to the Masai Mara.
JD

25 June, 2009; 9:00pm Kenya Time

2009-06-25T12:50:00.002-05:00

Just when I think it can't be anymore powerful than what we have already experienced God moves among us and we are once again awed and amazed. We have bathed in God's grace all day today. It began at the Methodist Hospital in Maua just about an hour east of Meru. We met the missionaries we support there Bill and Jerri Savuto. Their hospitality was once again overwhelming. After a short time with them I felt as though I had known them forever. They welcomed us into their home, fed us, introduced us to another Methodist mission team from Sherman, Texas, gave us a tour of the Hospital and the ministry there, and then introduced us to two young men who were orphaned along with their brothers and sisters by Aids. Their stories alone were miraculous stories of just how present God is in this place. Through a program at the Hosptial their lives and the lives of their brothers and sisters were saved. They are both now very successful and their families have been restored. After a full 3/4's of a day at the hospital we headed to the Lanyru church. I had visited this church before. We were greeted at the gate once again with singing. They welcomed us and shared with us the building of their new church which had been started as a result of our first visit there. They were so incredibly proud. The children at the school shared a poem with us from memory. Brittany shared some inspiring words with the whole community. They have 550 students in their school. They consumed us. It was.......I just can't find the words. We shared tea with them and worshipped with them in their old clap board, dirt floor church. They gave us Kenyan tea to take home with us. We shared gifts with them. We shared food with them because their area has been in a five year drought and starving. They were very excited. We left with our hearts full of joy because they were joyful. You would have never known they were hungry. You would have never known they were poor. We came home and shared supper once again tired but inspired and certain that the grace of God is alive and well in the world. What else could any of us possibly ask. God is good! I am coming to learn the power and meaning of that in a way I never have before. Looking ahead I begin to anticipate our leaving. I am already beginning to grieve. These people are my family. I thank God for them and all they have shared with me. I will share again tomorrow with you. Next up is you know who. I am really glad I don't have to follow her tonight. Bill, Dottie, and Jo say hi. I miss you all.
Grace always,
Pastor Travis

Welllll hello there! Once again, another exhausting but totally AMAZING day!
I handled the whole hospital thing much better than I thought, but some of it was still heartbreaking. We got to meet the Savutos, who are absolutely wonderful! "Sister" Jerri took us on a tour of the hospital and boyyyy did we learn a lot! The amount of people they have to be ready to serve is about 1,000,000. About 18 die a week. Some bodies are even brought in and never picked up. And guess what? The only people citizens are willing to bury (must be on their land) is people that were married. So all childrens' bodies are disposed of somehow. Any bodies at the hospital are thrown into a pit (at night) where EM, a natural degradable substance, is poured over them. I can't really comprehend that....but it's simply what they have to do. Cremation is absolutely unacceptable here. Anyway, the #1 problem in the hospital is malaria. Next up is diabetes and guess why? Kenyans seem to love American food and they are all now having a problem with maintaining their healthy diets! Hypertension is also on the rise. The hospital also has the only eye surgeon in Eastern Kenya. Their dentist recently died so they have one that works part-time, and they sure are thankful for it! Another obvious problem is HIV/Aids. They advertise prevention methods all over the hospital and have a progressing program for the patients. There are currently 3,000 enrolled and 1,300 being treated. They also provide free testing. Their nursing school is doing well and a lot more is being taught. Some of the previous students weren't ever taught certain processes like dialysis! One of the problems in the hospital is that of machinery. Most of the machines they have are hand-me-downs and are hard or impossible to repair. The hospital also receives about 100-110 patients a day in a 60-bed ward. Even in the maternity ward people are forced to double up...meaning 4 people to a bed (mothers and babies). Miraa (a common drug/narcotic) is becoming a bigger problem, causing violence as well as other issues...hmm sound familiar? ...........well Pastor is telling me to move on :) Gosh there is SO much to say!

Next, we went to the church and WOW that was something else! The children treated me like a rockstar and were bewildered by just getting to touch my hands! The leader of that church asked me to say a few words to the congregation and afterwards the Sunday School teacher told me the class had prepared a poem to recite! It made me feel so special! Afterwards we went to the "old" church and had tea and arrow root (yuck). After doing some praying and talking, etc...they said they had a gift for us! The gave us EACH a 1lb bag of tea from the factory! Here these people are...amidst a FIVE-YEAR drought, with nothing to their name, and at least an 8km walk to the nearest store...giving US a gift! The spirit, hospitality, and presence of God's love was inspiring and surprising. Just when I though I couldn't be any more amazed by this place, I am once again proven wrong! After we gave them the maze, the thankfulness and graciousness of those people was just something beyond explanation.

Well, it's getting late and we have a big day tomorrow so I'm going to end it here. We're lucky to have the chance to blog because for the past three days the power has gone out at dinner. :)

Ohhh, the ways we have been blessed here. Can't even begin to explain. What we've expressed on here is just a mere glimpse. We would add pics but this is a dial-up connection. ;)

Please pray for Joy, from Grapevine...she got pretty sick tonight.

Love and miss you all,
Britt

24 June 2009; 8:00pm Kenya Time

2009-06-24T11:48:00.004-05:00

Well today was pretty unexpected, to say in the least. When we were going to meet the Evangelists, I honestly had no idea what TO expect, but if I DID have an expectation, what happened today definitely wouldn't have been it.
First off, let me say, that the Evangelists are WONDERFUL people. They are out in the middle of nowhere, amidst a terrible drought, and still find ways to see their lives with a positive outlook. They ask for little which in turn makes me want to give them even more. The first church we visited was in an incredibly small, dirty room that they were RENTING! The second church was using what looked like a school classroom, but even again it was still small and not fit for people to have church or for expansion to take place. The third church was truly in the boonies...and the ride there was what our driver likes to say "rock n' roll". We roll up to a group of people standing around and guess what? They were waiting for us to worship, but I didn't see a building. They worship God under a tree! How different! Better yet, they were Masai! It was so neat because they find their traditions and culture to be of high importance and are very consistent! Honestly, if I could, I would LOVE to worship like that. I really can't adequately explain what that was like but it was truly life-changing. All they asked for was a roof for the tree during the rainy season. How many of us can say we are that humble and that appreciative of what we have? Some of these people walk 5 "kilometers" or even more to "church" and sometimes we're too tired or too lazy to even drive to our church! It was really a big eye-opener and I will never look at church or worship services the same. They included us, once again, as their brothers and sisters in Christ. We sang their songs with them and danced their dances....ugh I just can't explain!!!!!! This church started with 3 women and a few children, and has expanded to many more, all throughout. It is remarkable how these people are spreading the Word and love of God, even in the most remote and hopelessly desolate areas.

Either way, today was overwhelming once again, but in the most incredible way. Learning about the way these people worship and experiencing that was amazing. It was weird...we were out in the middle of NOWHERE but found people that share the same devotion we have, maybe even more.

Weird, but intriguing.
Tomorrow we visit the Maua hospital. Let's see how we handle this!
Thanks again for y'alls support and love!
-Brittt

How do I follow Brittney's words. What has been a burden is at least now shared with others. This place with its wonder, grace, and its great and overwhelming need is hard to forget. I needed this trip. I know it may sound selfish to admit but it becomes so easy to get lost in our culture. This place provides perspective as well as reminds me of why the church and I exist, to serve God. I can't explain any better than Brittney already has what happened today. However, people worshipping under a tree and sharing the love of God with a bunch of strangers is just hard to explain. I find it hard to believe myself hours later as I write these words that it actually happened. Maybe they just need God and God's love more than I do. I don't know. What I do know is that it is amazing to see, feel, hear, and experience such love, devotion, faith, and joy. We left food for them. There is no water. And yet, they were worshipping God under a tree singing loudly how much they loved God and joyful and complete their lives were. Coming home was time for reflection. I am still haunted by what I experienced today. I really felt these people as different as they were from me were my brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord. I need to quit tonight because I am still processing what all of this means. I have never in my life experienced anything like this. I give God thanks for all of this. I give you thanks for this. Thank you for allowing me the privilege and opportunity to come to this place and be in the presence of all that God is doing in this strange and mystical place.

Grace always,

Travis

2009-06-23T11:53:00.002-05:00

Sooo today we started off doing manual labor. Again. But today was much easier, just had to move rocks. :) However, the workers' job was pretty much still the same. A boy named Peter, age 15 (same as Keegan from Grapevine) had shoes that had holes in the toes and were in terrible shape. While the workers took their lunch break, a couple of people from our group went to Nakumatt (Wal-Mart) and Whitney (Keegan's Mom) bought each worker a pair of working gloves. Keegan, having befriended Peter, ended up giving his pair of shoes away to him. It was a good day for Peter! We also gave each worker a new t-shirt, either with an American logo or a Texan one. The thankfulness and joy expressed in their eyes made everything we've done these past two days completely worthwhile. After lunch we went to the passion fruit place, which I found out has grown significantly since it was started...two years ago, thanks to the Kaaga Synod. It is absolutely incredible how much they produce...even coffee! To see the work of these people is inspiring and comforting. Because of the support of the Methodist Church, a few families have been able to become self-sufficient, which is becoming an important concept here. After visiting the farm, we spontaneously went to a local orphanage. I had begun preparing myself for the visit to the Aids Orphanage we will go to on Saturday, but was definitely not prepared for this. We first took a tour of the beautiful place, and then saw the children. They sang for us and a few of the women, including me, had the most difficult time keeping our emotions in. Looking around I began to notice that these children had broken flip flops, mismatched shoes, clothes with holes...need I say more? You see it on TV or hear about it, but to truly experience it right in front of your face, while listening to their harmonies and watching their bright faces, is in every way overwhelming. I fought hard to keep the tears back, but once the children left, I couldn't keep it in any longer. The retired Bishop overseeing the orphanage discussed some issues with us, that were incredibly heartbreaking. Some of their supporters are giving them an ultimatum...they will continue supporting the orphanage, but must get rid of some of the children. I absolutely CANNOT comprehend how that's even a consideration!? To take a child off the streets and give them a home, something they can call their own, a network of "brothers and sisters" in Christ, and give them a hope they could only dream of...and send them RIGHT back, is outrageous. These children find places to sleep on the streets and make homes out of paper...then the cops demolish these "homes" and chase them away. There is NO way I can understand ANY child going through that. I mean, these children are any age!

Ugh, that's the end of my ranting for now. The worst part about it is, this isn't the half of what I am going to see. I ask for all of your prayers in keeping us all strong and steadfast with this trip. That we may be prepared for what else is to come in the week and that we can find ways to help these most-deserving people.

We love you and miss you all.
-Britt

Well what can I say after Brittany's witness to the power of this day. There is just too much to share. Those who have joined me for this trip are beginning to understand how overwhelming all of this is. I have never been with so many people who have so little who complain so little and seem so happy. There are many times I just want to ask them according to my culture and what we think is so important how can you be so happy? It makes me wonder. Our mission team has been so great! They have had long days and been exposed to much but have been real troopers. We are learning so very much. The passion fruit farm that Brittany mentioned above was begun from a loan from the Methodist Church. It began with one family. I could not believe how much it had expanded and how many people were now involved. It is a clear example why I feel so committed to the work being done here. They make such a difference in the lives of people who are poor and now through the work of the church have a chance. The orphanage we visited was just an experience that I cannot find the words to describle. When former street children starting singing in harmony words about how good God is and that God is working in the midst of living I just will never forget that sound and that sight. God was indeed working through them. Many times the most powerful and memorable expressions of God's love in my life have been through such broken and hurting people. This was certainly no exception. I am tired after a long day but it is an incredible good tired. I don't mind being this kind of tired. God has been very good to us today. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We feel them so present with us here. Tomorrow we go to see the new church starts out on the edge of the synod. It will be another long but good day. One thing I am learning here is that the presence of God does indeed bring meaning and purpose to all of life both the scarce and plenty. Brittany and I will see you tomorrow. We miss you!

Grace always,
Pastor Travis

June 22, 2009 7:56 pm Kenya time

2009-06-22T11:56:00.003-05:00

Well we are finally here. The trip was long and interesting but worth it. I really can't describe what it is like for me to be back among these great friends I have made here. Bishop Muriuki hasn't changed. God's vision for the church here as articulated by him is amazing as well as so comprehensive. It almost overwhelming because of the great need. Being back here has convinced me more than ever that this is the right time, the right place, and for the right reasons that we should be involved in this partnership with the Kaaga Synod of the Methodist Church here. I have only been here two days and I have already been so inspired and empowered related to what God is doing here. I will not try to speak for the others on the trip. I will let them witness to it in their own way. Yesterday I preached one of the churches near Meru. The place was packed with people outside the door. The service was 3 and half hours long and it felt like 30 minutes. The 40 member children's choir sang and I just can't even begin to tell what it was like to listen to them. They are all so welcoming and hospitable. I feel like I am with family when I am here. God is in this place in a way I have never experienced. It is such a mixture of inspiration, witness, faith, joy, thanksgiving, and great poverty and need. I am so excited our church is here. Our investment is distributed here in so many ways. Our dollars go so far to making such an impact and difference. I also believe our prayers are powerfully answered here in the ongoing work that is being done. I am so proud of our church for being willing to risk such an investment in a place and a people so far and so different from us. As I worshipped with them yesterday though I realized more than ever that they are indeed our brothers and sisters in Christ! Today we visited the biotechnical agricultural center. It helps to teach small farmers how to get the most production from the land so that they can be self sufficient. To know that the Methodist Church is doing such work among such poor people to help them to have a better life is awe inspiring. Tomorrow we will be working at a construction site and then visiting a passion fruit farm that was started with a micro loan from the synod. It has now grown to where it has made several families self sufficient. Families who before the loan were poor and didn't know where their next meal was coming from. This is the work of the church! Well as usual I have been long winded. I am now going to step aside and let Brittany say a word or two. Keep us in your prayers. We will be updating daily! We want each of you to sense and experience as much as you can what God is doing here from moment to moment. I miss you all and will see you soon.

-Hey guys! Wow, I don't even know where to begin with explaining how this trip has been for me so far! There is SO much to cover, and I don't want to say too much and spoil anything! So I'll just keep it simple ;). Well, today we did some manual labor stuff...and I must say, it was pretty primitive! I asked if they had machinery to do the things we were doing, along with the workers, and the supervisor said they did, but if they used the machinery, these people wouldn't have jobs! And what I did wasn't NEAR what the workers were doing. They mixed concrete with rocks, water, and shovels. That's it. And to level the area they were pouring the concrete onto? A hammer...to beat the rocks down into the ground and make them flat. It's hard to explain but you will better understand when we show you pictures. Either way, it took FOREVER and I learned a lot from it. I doubt that I will complain about doing any type of work very soon...or procrastinating. Anyway, this experience so far has be humbling in every sense of the word, and, funny thing is, it has only just begun. The trip up here turned us into monsters, but after a few days of rest, we have recovered...for the most part ;). Nairobi was an interesting place, and because it was a city, it was easier to begin adjusting. The trip to Meru was tiring because of all the things to see. The equator was interesting, to say in the least. Ask me about that later :p. We were welcomed to the Thiiri Cultural Center (Thiiri meaning "peace", the place we are staying) very warmly and oh my gosh, if only I could BEGIN describing how beautiful it is! This area is so lush and the colors are so vibrant! Yesterday was our first full day, and as exhausting as it was, it was just as magnificent. The church service is something neither I, nor Pastor Travis could ever adequately describe...but we can sure try. A few of the old men that work for the church all called me "Juju", meaning granddaughter in Swahili. It was always "Juju this.." or "Juju that..". Just the sense of family and companionship there was comforting and inspirational. It didn't matter that we were foreigners...we were one of them. They made us feel so special by their hospitality and graciousness. The children were absolutely fascinated with us! In fact, anywhere we go, they always give us big smiles and wave. It is the most precious thing! Anyway, this is pretty long so I'm going to cut it off for now, but, let me just say this...the presence of God in this place is overwhelming. I questioned some of the aspects of coming on this trip but now that I am beginning to experience Meru, those questions have been answered, in a plethora of ways. I am already in awe of the wonderful people and wonderful ways God influences their lives, and can't wait to see more of it within the week. Thanks for your support and prayers...we will update you tomorrow! It has been a blessing so far and I really do hope you all can at least try to understand what we are experiencing. Bishop Muriuki is incredible and I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us!

Love you all!
-Britt :)

The Team Arrives Safely in Kenya

2009-06-21T08:57:00.002-05:00

We look forward to receiving updates from our mission team in Kenya - provided of course they can find internet access. We have gotten word back (by cell phone text) that, after a lenthy journey, the team have arrived safely and are getting settled in.

The team will be visiting the new library that we helped to fund in the library where Bishop Muriuki's wife, Catherine teaches. The team will also present over $5,000 from Salado United Methdodist Church that was given during this year's Pentecost offering. These funds will be used in the construction of a new church, continued support of the school, and new support of the work our missionary team, the Savutos, are doing at the Methodist Hospital in Maua.

Please check back here often for periodic updates from the team.

JD