Lists, a book, and more lists

Birthday present from
one of my sons!

A birthday

On Monday I celebrated another birthday. I've had a lot of them now! It was a busy day on the other side of Tokyo with OMF colleagues, something I'm thankful for. I didn't have time for much navel-gazing or feeling emotional about how many decades have passed.

Great book

When God doesn't answer your prayer this is the title of a book I finished reading recently, actually on the train on my birthday! It's one of the easier books on prayer that I've ever read (and perhaps the shortest). But it was also hard to read: because it brought to mind the many griefs: people who've died, people who are alive but struggling with overwhelming problems, and other people who don't walk a path of faith in Christ. Not to mention those things that happen that just don't make sense.

The author, Jerry Sittser, comes to the topic from a place of deep pain (losing his daughter, wife and mother in a car accident and then being a single parent to his remaining three children). There are no cliches or glibness. It's very honest. He writes:

I view suffering with horror, and I recoil from it. I have seen too many people fail to bounce back. Yet I cannot fathom what we would do without suffering either. I have come to this conclusion with great hesitation. Adversity strips us down, exposes us, and breaks us, all prerequisites for genuine growth in the spiritual life...it drives us to God.

His theology is sound and he's happy to admit where he struggles and where he doesn't understand. The book has encouraged me to persist in prayer, to be more honest (God can take our complaints), and to be more willing to ask God to change me than to change the world around me (though that is a hard thing to pray).

I'd love to read it again, perhaps with one or more other people (it has questions in the back for groups). I'm delighted that this is in my local Australian library as an ebook!

Daily life

After over a week away from my desk I had to face my growing list of "to dos" on Wednesday. As home assignment gets closer, the lists of things to do continue to grow. Some lights are glowing dimly at the end the proverbial tunnel. But it does feel like the train is going faster and faster.

Lists and more lists. This is how I cope with an overwhelming number of things to remember to do. This week, amongst my usual work, I've also added arrows to calendars and made a few lists of what is in my head that I need to pass on to others who will take over my various roles. I've answered emails and written messages and emails about potential commitments in September, and March 2024.

Today, Good Friday, the Christian Academy in Japan, our school, has taken the afternoon off. I worked this morning at my computer and this afternoon has been a mishmash of various home and work responsibilities. This evening, we're meeting colleagues/friends for dinner at a local cafe.

Upcoming stuff

Tomorrow we've got our last Saturday sports event ever. I have mixed feelings about that! (We've got one more athletics meet at the end of the month, but it's a mid-week event.) We're hoping that the rain that is forecast will not eventuate!

On Sunday afternoon we're taking a short walk down the road to look at a possibility for our next abode in Japan (from next July). Still very much only a possibility, but I'm keen to take a look.

And then Monday it's back to my desk, and continuing to add and tick off items on my to-do list on my phone. The items on the list aren't just busy work, they are things like: 

• write 100 words for OMF Japan's monthly prayer letter about my ministries
• flat plan for HA photo album
• follow up with three people (after the 18th) about a topic they might write on
• list the processes for OMF blog editing
• write a call for proposals for the next magazine

Another online list (on Asana) tells me I also need to 

• edit blog posts by Megan, Simon, and Peter.
• get back to an author about his edited article

Important bits and pieces related to all sorts of things that I'm responsible for. And having them on the list means I'm not wearing myself out trying to remember it all. Hopefully, it means that the balls that are my responsibility to keep in the air and usher eventually into the right hands aren't dropped.

I'm well aware today is Good Friday, though nothing much of what I've done has been particularly contemplative. We aren't especially big on elaborate traditions in our family. But know that what today represents in the death of Jesus Christ, son of God, is central to my faith and my life, every day. Some people look at us and the various things that we have faced, especially in the last few years, and wonder why we're still here when in some ways it would have been easier to "give up and go home". The truth of the matter is that it's because of Easter.

I have a note in my Bible: "This is why we serve him." It's in the margin of Isaiah 53:12— "Because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (NIV).

Here's a different way of writing it: "He has poured out his soul unto death. He was counted as a sinner, and he bore the sins of many, and he pled with God for sinners" (Living Bible).

With regards to the hard things that come our way, in the "unanswered prayer" book, Sittser writes:

The real heroes in life are those who respond to adversity with dignity, faith, and patience. All we must do is be attentive to the little irritations and problems we face every day, asking the question, 'What is God trying to do in my life?' And then pray, 'God, use this adversity to transform me.' This might be the most difficult prayer you will ever pray because of the circumstances you face. It might take all the faith you can muster just to say those words. I urge you, nevertheless, to pray them, and then wait for God to answer it.

I wouldn't count myself as a "real hero", and I surely am not good at saying "God use even this to transform me." But I hope that he is transforming me regardless of whether or not I pray this.

Not feeling festive?

How do you “do” Christmas when you’re not “feeling festive”? 

Now I understand that my life is really quite different to many of yours in this respect. I do not live near family and will not be celebrating Christmas with them. In fact I’ve celebrated very few Christmases with my family in the last 21 years! So I don’t really have much experience of all the pressure that families put on one another at this time of year.

I also live in a land where “Christmas” isn’t an overwhelming factor in life. I remember being surprised to see Christmas everywhere in Australia last time I was there in December (2018). The receptionist at the doctor was all decked out in Christmas gear. The pharmacy next door gave me my medication in a red paper bag covered in white stars and Christmas greetings. In Japan you have to work a bit harder to find such things, and mostly it’s in shops, churches, and of course in my own home. Before the pandemic we saw more at our school, with weekly concerts, decorated hallways, lights on the grounds etc. But I’m rarely at school these days and because I don’t have kids in music programs, I’m not invited to concerts.

People in church-based ministries (not our family) are usually very busy this time of year, as Christmas is the easiest time of the year in Japan to invite people to hear about Jesus, so there are lots of events. Not so much these last two years, though.

In fact in Japan, if you aren’t a self-starter, you might miss Christmas altogether. It can be a little lonely if you’re used to celebrating with family. But we’ve got our small family routines and traditions that mean it’s just a quiet, at-home affair.

But back to my first question: how do you deal with the season if you aren’t in the mood for festivity? 

A couple of weeks ago I struggled to get my head into the right place to come up with social media posts for our mission for December. I wasn’t feeling festive. I think, even beginning to feel a little jaded. I mentioned this to a couple of friends and one later shared this short article that helped: https://m.facebook.com/547967600/posts/10157506078937601/?d=n

It’s just a Facebook post, so I’m not sure if you can read it. To summarize. The author’s family was tasting grief and she went to a candlelight service at their church as she usually did. She writes: 

I felt like an imposter. I was a cloud of grief and darkness amidst a cheerful celebration. I felt guilty for dampening the time of rejoicing 

As I sat I found myself talking to Jesus. "I'm ruining your party," I told him. 

It was his response in that moment that changed Christmas for me forever. He told me, “Cassie I came to that manger as a baby not for those in celebration, but for those in mourning. I came for you. In this moment. Right here.”

She’s right. Jesus came, not to be celebrated with tinsel and shallow joy. He came because this world is in pain. We are hurting and needed him to come to comfort us, to save us.

So, I girded my loins and pushed on to do the usual things we do at this time of year. Not with a light heart, because it’s not been a light year. I continue to grieve the losses, to feel the sadness and confusion, the frustration and angst. But I also remember my Saviour who actually chose to enter this sad, confusing, painful world for me. He didn’t have to. I don’t know what kind of grief he felt leaving the fellowship of the Trinity for life in a human body. It’s beyond my understanding. But because he did, I choose to trust him and celebrate him.

I’m thankful that we don’t live in a place where we have to do lots of events just because it is December and that’s what you do. I’m glad for the quiet of the season that’s coming, when school finishes and we have a brief hiatus before the craziness of January begins. I’m hopeful that I can spend time resting in the love of Jesus, waiting on him.

(And I tried multiple times and ways to get a photo to load on this post, but could not. Sigh.)

Come, and see

In John 1 we see two encounters over two days between John the Baptist and Jesus. On the second encounter two of John's disciples started walking after Jesus, when he noticed, he asked them, "What are you seeking?"

They replied, "Teacher, where are you staying?"

Jesus said: "Come, and you will see." 

They followed through and went and spent the day with him.

Like many of the conversations we see in Scripture, we don't get a full run-down of what's happening here, but think about that invitation of hospitality that Jesus gave: come and see.

This photo says "home" to me. I only lived there for two
years, during grades 11 and 12, but my parents have lived
 there for over 30 years. It's the only residence in my boys' lives that
hasn't changed. My parents are about to move to a smaller
 property. I'm very happy about that. But even so there is a little sadness
that this, a place that seems very "safe" to me, is not permanent.

Jesus still says "come" to us today. Do we hear him? I know I get too busy in the things I think ought to be going on, in ticking off things that are on my To Do list. I fret when I get a headache that sidelines me and makes me stop. I grumble when someone doesn't do something I expect them to do and the responsibility falls on my shoulders. I despair when things go contrary to plan and I have no way to make a new plan.

While I don't live a nomad-type-of expat life, I do live in a country where I am not a citizen. That means I live with a certain amount of non-permanency. There are times when I long for a permanent home. Do I turn to the only one who can offer that? Do I hear Jesus invitation to "come"?

In all of us there is a longing for home, for a real home, a safe place, a refuge from pain and betrayal, from disappointment and grief. A place where we are deeply loved no matter how we act, where we are nurtured and cheered on in our run for life. We look for this home in various concrete ways: the arms of family around us, walls and a roof with our name on the mailbox, an appreciative community at work, a loving spouse. (p.56, from Jane Rubietta's book*) 

The truth is that none of us live in a truly safe place. Bricks and mortar don't provide that, nor does a marriage ceremony, or a loving community. They can help, but ultimately they will fail.

Jesus's invitation reminds me of this proverb:
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe (Proverbs 18:10 ESV).

Yep, there's no other truly safe place. The only question that remains is: will I accept (and continue to daily accept) his invitation to come and see?

* Note: This is part four in my series of reflections on the word "Come" that Jesus used, originating from the book Come Closer: A Call to life, Love, and Breakfast on the Beach.

Uncertainty over hard decisions

This weekend a friend shared a helpful article on Facebook about searching for God's will and why it isn't always clear what we should do. It resonates with me as we made a couple of hard decisions last week. Decisions that I don't want to talk about here, but required us to choose between two good and important things and also required us to not be concerned about what other people thought (please don't worry, these decisions don't have long-term implications regarding our current ministries in Japan).

Jon Bloom writes in the article:

But conformity to the world or to Jesus is most clearly seen in the pattern of decisions we make over time. That’s one reason why God makes us wrestle with uncertainty. He wants us to mature and have our “powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). (from here)

 He also writes:

Shouldn’t we expect God to direct us more explicitly in these [big, life-shaping decisions]? 

The answer is no, not necessarily. Why? Well, the short answer is because he is God, and we are not. “It is the glory of God to conceal things” (Proverbs 25:2). His wisdom and knowledge are unfathomably deep, his judgments are unsearchable, and his ways are inscrutable (Romans 11:33). Considering all the factors in play in the universe, it is likely no exaggeration that there are trillions of reasons for why God directs the course of our lives, and he prefers to carry out his purposes in ways that confound, surprise, and humble humans, angels, and demons.

Good points. We're simply not equipped to deal with making decisions with all the knowledge that there is to have, so we have to do what we can with what we've got. And in the process we will, if we allow God's spirit to work in us, be gradually transformed into people who are more like Jesus. (Romans 8:29 and 12:2)

It is helpful to remember, though, as we go out into another week and daily wrestle with uncertainty, that God wants us to wrestle with these decisions, but also that he is right by our sides throughout it all.

Here's one more Scripture to ponder:

I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast before you.

 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever. (Ps 73:22-26, NIV)

Disappointed

One day we'll understand the troubles we go through now,
 but for now it's as if we are looking through grubby glass.

Our daily Bible reading notes usually has a single, sometimes pithy, sometimes redundant or corny statement at the bottom. Today it was disappointing.

Jesus is the only friend who will never disappoint you.

Just quickly without thinking hard I could think of several people (most of whom are friends) who haven't had their prayers answered: two whose spouses have died young this year, one who desires joy but never seems to get it, one who has post-natal depression for the second time despite all precautions, and one who is lonely, despite many people around her, one who wishes her job were easier, even though she works for a Christian organisation, and another who yearns to be married. 

Those represent only a smattering, of people I know about or who've confided in me in recent months. I'd want to bet that there are many more out there, or perhaps everyone who's had something that they've desperately prayed about not answered in the way they wanted.

Philip Yancey's Disappointment with God delves deeply into this.

So clearly there are problems with the above quote. Everyone I mentioned above are Christians. 

Jesus is indeed the perfect friend, the only perfect friend, in that he doesn't ever do evil against us. But because we aren't perfect and we don't live in a perfect world bad things happen. In God's great wisdom he's using all this imperfection for his good purposes, but we don't necessarily know what that is. And it often hurts.

On Sunday one of David's colleagues preached about the Bible metaphor of God as the potter and us as the clay. It was great to hear a live sermon in English (I often listen to a  recording of a sermon from our home church during the week). But the metaphor is such a good one, and as a lover of pottery and the husband of a potter, he was able to give extra insight.

This image appears in several places in the Bible. Some examples are Romans 9:21 "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?" and Jeremiah 18:4 "But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him."

The preacher on Sunday pointed out that if we were to imagine ourselves as clay being formed into a piece of pottery, there's a lot of rough stuff that happens during the process.

It is a helpful analogy when feeling that Jesus isn't appearing to be the perfect friend that you want. He's not just a friend, he's our creator, Lord, and is in the business of forming us into the vessels he wants us to be.

So I object to the simplistic statement that Jesus is the only perfect friend. He is perfect and he is a friend, but he's much more than a friend. And from our limited and flawed perspectives he can appear very imperfect indeed.

Do not be discouraged. Jesus' love for us is very great, greater than a best friend.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). 

Considering Hebrews 12:1-3 again in September

It's been three months since I did this. Time has slipped away fast! Back in January I blogged here about a passage that I felt God wanted me to focus on this year. I've been trying write something about the passage at the start of every month.

Heb. 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV)

Cloud of witnesses

After the weekend a "great cloud of witnesses" brings to mind the many who've witnessed

our missionary careers, especially those exmissos and others strongly connected to OMF Australia. What a privilege to have these earthly witnesses.

On the weekend we met with people who've known me since my youth, even childhood. People who've been with us on our journey even before we became missionaries and followed us through the years as we struggled in our early years. And who still pray for us regularly. It was such a joy to see them face to face.

We're very aware that we also have heavenly witnesses who we used to know on earth.

These were two of my youth group leaders
who are heavenly witnesses for me now.

People like Ian Scott who I knew as a child and young person, yet passed away too young, yet who encouraged me when I showed an interest in mission as a university student. Youth group leaders and parents of childhood friends from church, who all encouraged me in my faith. And more lately, people like Mary and Bjorn who visited us in Japan to encourage us in our first term, Neill and Merle who invited us out to lunch last time we were in Brisbane and used to send us weekly emails with summaries of news. All these are now our heavenly cloud of witnesses.

Perseverance
This is something that is on our minds as we see many others who began their missionary service, but have moved on to other things for one reason or another. We're aware that, whether we feel like it or not, we're now "senior missionaries", having served three terms. It is only by God's grace that we're able to continue on, that we have our health and the financial and prayerful support to remain in this work.

We're also aware that staying the course is not a given. The possibility of a change of course is always there. God may call us elsewhere. Our health, or that of someone in our family may fail. And we always need to guard against temptation, against being pulled away from our faith or failing to serve with integrity.

Fix our eyes
There are many distractions. And many of them are very good, eg. friends who want to see us. Of this, we're very aware. In Japan we have considerable blinkers on. In some ways we're sheltered from many distractions. In Australia we see what kind of lifestyle we may have had if we'd remained here and both had professional careers. We've both taken leave of our consuming jobs in Japan and, poking our heads up, we see other things we could be doing with our time. The temptation is there to get distracted from our calling.

And what is our calling? Primarily, to fix our eyes on Jesus. After that, he makes our next steps clear bit by bit. But we mustn't keep our eyes on the world for long or we're sure to make some mis-steps.

Hardship

Stories of missionaries. We didn't hear too many of them on the weekend, there simply wasn't time. Perhaps if we'd be able to go to other workshops, we may have heard some. But here are some samples:

• A missionary leader who seemed to constantly have national disasters thrown at him. "Constantly in a state of crisis." were his words. His advice to his successor who's feeling like he's drowning, "Ask God for grace and strength and wisdom for today and today only."
• A couple coming back from their first term. Whose leaders had to leave the field in their first few months with them, and who had significant health issues.
• A family who deeply desired to be overseas, but had health issues with their family members (actually this is a common story). They had to stay in Australia to take care of their family, though their hearts were overseas.

Say yes to being a missionary, you say yes to hardship. That's been our observation. You also say yes to many amazing experiences and wonderful privileges. Trusting God in the midst of these challenges, in the midst of long periods of waiting, of financial uncertainty, produces faith that is strong and deep.

Tempted to grow weary and lose heart

My temptation is in weariness at present. Both physical weariness and a temptation to lose heart. When you realise how few Christians care about mission in general and how few church are interested in really praying for the lost other countries, it is easy to lose heart. 

But these verses rally me, keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, who seemed to be on an even lonelier mission when he was on earth. At the end he was abandoned by almost all of his closest friends. Keep looking at Jesus and what He's called me to do.

Belonging

One of the thing I love about having my boys* involved in sports at school is that they are belong to a team. Belonging is something that is very important to most people. While growing up it's something kids long for. So to be a part of a team as middle and high schooler is a big thing. 

Belonging: CAJ's cross country team.

It is one great thing about cross-country and wrestling at CAJ is that the middle and high schoolers all train together. It is a very inclusive atmosphere and they make friends across grade levels there.

I've loved having my son involved in wrestling. From early on the high schoolers looked after him and included him as one of the guys. To see a high schooler come over and talk to my awkward 12/13 year old was sweet to behold. 

I can see it extending a little to his younger brothers too. As we've supported the team as a family, the younger boys become part of the package. Last week we stuck around at the school gym after the dual while the team put the mats away in the smaller, training gym (via a crane: the smaller gym is on the second floor adjacent to the main gym). Our younger two helped roll the mats and the team gave them a ride on the mats across to the crane. The grins on their faces were priceless!

Students involved in sports (or other "teams" like the cast for a musical) gain so much and a lot of it has to do with belonging to a group. They connect in ways that you don't get with just being in classes with others. This is especially great for boys. Doing things together seems to be the way the male sex relates better, more so for boys who haven't yet developed much in the way of social skills. Sitting around having conversation just isn't their thing. My son has many more relationships that he otherwise would have, just because he's participated in extra curricular sport.

The search for belonging is a common one, not just for kids and teenagers, for adults too. We're always subconsciously searching for other people who agree with us, who have similar thinking about things to whom we can "belong".

It comes to mind at this time of year, a time of year when people generally gather together with others that they "belong to". Family groups, friends etc. It is equally a time when people feel lonely, sometimes because they don't have anyone they "belong" with or because those you might assume they "belong" with have rejected them. Others have had significant people in their lives taken from them by death and so there is loneliness. Others can't physically be present with those they "belong to" like us. Often those of us in these situations make up by spending time with friends.

I was reminded of this theme of the search for belonging by a sermon I heard this morning. One of the points the preacher made was that if we have accepted Christ as our saviour, we belong to His group. All who have done the same are His family and ours too. Like a child that has been adopted. They once didn't belong, but now they do. 

That's the reason for Christmas. Jesus came to earth so that he could make a way for us to belong to God's family. It makes a lot of sense, given the deep longing for belonging that almost every human being seems to have from birth. It's what we were created for: to belong. And it is the ultimate in belonging, we will never not belong, it is forever.

* Yes, I'm speaking about the future, right now only one is involved in extra curricular sports because the school only does this from middle school and onwards.

Miracles

I have a friend*, Camilla, who had a harrowing experience last year, and it isn't over yet. After nearly dying when a virus attacked his heart, her husband is now waiting in hospital for a heart transplant. A witty introduction to his story is here on his blog. 

She reads this blog and a couple of weeks ago she wrote this comment on a post: 

Having recently had what we believe to be a miracle in our lives, I'd love to read your take on miracles. 

I believe that miracles happen. As you know, I'm a God-follower. I believe that God created everything. Everything including natural laws. I believe that he is all-powerful and able to suspend those natural laws whenever he wishes. 


In the Bible we see many miracles, from the parting of the Red Sea to Jesus healing people and rising from the dead. There are times recorded in the Bible that were flush with miracles and other times when they were rarely seen. 


I don't agree that miracles were only for back then, they are experienced here today too. We probably actually don't acknowledge miracles as much as we should. We attribute a lot to technology and science these days, but sometimes they obscure true miracles. 


Camilla, I believe that God was intimately involved in the miracle that you experienced.  I'm thrilled that God did this for you. I was praying for you and your family at the time that Paul was in a coma, praying for a miracle.


I read this quote recently that is quite helpful to me: 

Christianity . . . is perhaps the most materialistic of the word's faiths. Jesus's miracles were not so much violations of the natural order, but a restoration of the natural order. God did not create a world with blindness, leprosy, hunger, and death in it. Jesus's miracles were signs that someday all these corruptions of his creation would be abolished (p112 The Prodigal God, Timothy Keller).

So we look forward to the end of all this pain and suffering, and it will be an incredible miracle when God abolishes all the bad in this world. This is what it says in the second last chapter of the Bible about heaven:

I heard a loud voice shout from the throne:

God’s home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever (Revelations 21:3-4, CEV).

Oh yes, I look forward to that day.


*I wrote about catching up with Camilla after 20 years in this blog post.

Resurrection Sunday

Growing up, I didn't know this name for Easter Sunday, but it is a good one!

I have greatly enjoyed listening to English worship songs on this wonderful day. Hard to choose what to share with you, but here is my pick:

Hard to focus on Easter

It is a little hard to focus on the fact that this weekend is Easter. In Japan there are no reminders. No eggs, no holidays. No Good Friday service (at our church) - and anyway, with it being a usual school day (we find this quite a strange American custom - to have school on Good Friday, always assuming that America is more "Christian" than Australia...), it is difficult to get to church anyway. In Australia this is a long weekend when people go away and do things like camp or visit family or have retreats. 

Here, nothing much will be different. However, it is good to take time, even small pieces of time to meditate on the significance of this weekend. I find music a great way to focus my mind. Recently we've been singing a lot of Easter hymns to our boys at bedtime - there are so many great ones. 

But here is a more contemporary song that speaks to my heart:

Encouragement to keep running (or walking or crawling)

We are facing some very big, scary deadlines. In less than 15 weeks we will move out of this house in Tokyo, store most of our household and fly to Australia. Not for a holiday, but to work, for 12 months, and then return to work in Japan. This deadline has me overwhelmed at times. Particularly when I try to swallow it all in one lump. I've taken time to refocus my eyes on Jesus, this week, however and it's been a more-than-beneficial way to spend my time. One of the things I've done is reread parts of a book by a speaker I heard last year at a women's retreat. Below I've typed out one of the sections that made a significant impact on me when I read it this week. I pray it will impact you too and encourage you to keep running. "Come Closer" by Jane Rubietta, p 214-5 Come and Consider (what Jesus might say to you) "How I love you, Child. How I love you. I am by your side constantly, Your faithful guide. Keep running the race before you - Keep making a difference, Day in, day out. If you listen to your heart, If you listen with the ears of your soul, You will hear my heart berating Strongly, Cheering you forward, Strengthening you for The final kick across The finish. Meanwhile, the way is long And the road winding. But don't quit. Don't forget to invite Me to help yourun, To strengthen you, To cheer you on. Keep meeting my eyes, And you'll have all you Need for the race. And listen: Do you hear Them? The cloud of witnesses? They, too, surround You with support and Cheer you on, Though you can't always See them. Hold fast, Run well, And grab my hand. I'm not telling When the trumpet will sound, But until then, We have lots to do. Let's get loving." Thanks, Jane, for your insight and encouragement.