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Category: Personal

My Brother

A Jon Post

For those of you who didn’t know, I traveled to the USA about 2 weeks ago to be a part of my brother’s wedding. Paul, the youngest of my siblings, got married to an incredible woman. As part of his ceremony I, along with my brothers and Paul’s best friend, addressed his bride about the man she was marrying. I wanted to take this blog and share what I said to Paul’s wife and try to honor him. Paul has made an incredible difference in my life, encouraging me, strengthening me, and pushing me towards Christ. Here’s what I shared with his beautiful bride last Saturday.

 

Becky,

Some men strive for great things.
Some men of us love wildly, drink deeply, run hard and live life well.
Some men grow old and wise, living in the broken and the whole.
Some men walk feebly, risk little and live long. 

Paul is none of these men.

Some men laugh often, battle fiercely, love their wives with clear eyes and live to be remembered.
These men we look to, marvel at and extol them for their strength of will and arm, their heart of fire and purity, and we remember them well. 

These we call Great Men. 
Paul is none of these. 

For there are yet some…
Some very few…
These hold another title altogether…
These names we men whisper in dark places to find our courage. We read these names in reverent and solemn tones, hushed so as not to tarnish their legacy. 

These are the “Mighty Men”.
These are the Heroes.
These of those of whom the world is not worthy. 

The man standing before you today…
Here is one of those. 

Here is Josheb-Basshebeth, spear in hand, smiling at the approaching 800 enemies.
Here is Eleazar, taunting thousands as his allies retreat, sword frozen in his hand.
Here is Shammah, standing his ground in a field of lentils, roaring to announce his solitary advance against thousands.
Here is Benaiah, laughing at the bad weather, following a lion into an icy pit.
Here is Samson, bone in his closed fist, bringing death at blinding speeds to his enemies.
Here is Jim Elliot, giving what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
Here is Horatio Spafford, writing that it is well with his soul as the waves of suffering threaten to crush.
Here is Keith Green, singing and shouting truth to a generation mired and drowning in its own selfishness and greed. 

Here is Paul Heller…

Here is one of our Mighty Men.
Here is one of our Heroes. 

You tread a path few women are blessed have to known.

 We mere men could not be more proud to be at his side today.

I… his brother…
I am proud to be known as the brother of the hero…
I love this man.

I know you do.

Paul Heller…
Your Mighty Man
The Hero of your heart.

Love him well my lady
Love him well.  

Paul Heller - Hero
Many Waters Cannot Quench

 

May 24, 2012
Personal, Travel
3 comments

Update and Thanks

A Layne Post

We returned to the hospital on Monday after 2 weeks of being away. I don’t like being away for that long, but the health of our family and the patients undergoing Chemo was and is most important. It’s always good to catch up. It is going to be difficult for me when Jovie arrives, and we stay home for 6 weeks! Jon will have to keep me informed!

As I made my rounds, one lady recounted her difficult weekend of a having treatment and the hard days that followed, though she ended with a broad smile saying she was better now, gaining strength. Another friend held her head proud as she boasted of her outing that day; she had gone out to walk around town a little. I could tell she felt like her old self, even if only for an hour or so. Still another lay in her bed, unable to start treatment, needing other medication first; her counts weren’t good.  She was discouraged, as this should be her last treatment, but still a smile emerged. These women are so strong.

I ran into a a boy and his grandmother that were back for control, meaning he is finished with Chemo, but still comes every 3-6 months for a check and some tests. He looks great and is growing tall, which is such an encouragement to our hearts, which are so often weary of death.  I gave his grandmother a long hug, and she rubbed my protruding belly as she laughed. They are some of the first patients we knew. She knew me during my whole pregnancy with Anaya, giggled at every ultrasound photo, and now she is doing it again with Jovie. This time; however, only every few months, as she spends most of her time in her own home with her healthy grandson. Just awesome.

In other life news, I am 31 weeks pregnant and nearing the arrival of our little Jovie. It seems the last stretch will fly by. I am throwing a wedding shower for a dear friend of mine in a couple of weeks; Jon will return to the States for his brother’s bachelor party and wedding; then my Mom will arrive in the beginning of June to help with Anaya and daily needs as we ease into becoming a family of 4! What a sweet time of life, and I am so thankful we are all back in good health to enjoy it. The Lord has been gracious to our family.

And finally, I feel like I haven’t expressed lately our gratitude to you. Your love and prayers during the last few weeks was simply breathtaking. I truly believe the Lord heard your cries and moved on our behalf. We were strengthened, encouraged, and ultimately healed. Thank you for your faithfulness to us and to the Lord.

 

April 18, 2012
Hospital Ministry, Personal
3 comments

Jonny Pirate

A Jon Post

Sorry this post is late in the week. There were a lot of things floating around my head this week and I had plenty that I could write about here but instead I decided to go a different route.

I sometimes draw these “Jonny Pirate” cartoons and I did this one for Layne recently. It’s sort of an “Ode to finding my adventuring/missions girl as I went out searching for adventure/missions”.
Anyway, I thought I’d share it and she didn’t mind.

Sorry to those of you who may be viewing this on phones. I haven’t optimized this site for mobile yet so you may have to go to a computer for this one.

So click on the first picture below and read the little story about finding my beauty out looking for adventure. And her purple sails…

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March 20, 2012
Personal
6 comments

A Grateful Heart

A Layne Post

Well here we are, ready to begin packing our bags once more. On Friday we head to Colorado to a have a big joint family vacation before heading back to Mozambique. How blessed are we that we get this precious opportunity?! We are grateful.

We have soaked in dear moments with family and friends filled with laughter, tears, and comfortable silence. We have wept in our bed alone for news painfully received from Mozambique. We have watched in awe as our daughter has grown. We have collapsed exhausted into comfy beds in cool houses. I’ve been treated with pedicures, girls’ brunches, and more shopping than was necessary. Jon has been treated with fly fishing, golfing, soccer, football, and paintballing. We’ve had too much good food to even recall it all, and me, a few pound to show for it. (Thanks 2nd trimester!) We’ve gone on lots of walks with our daughter. Taken her to parks, the aquarium, a pumpkin patch, play places, bouncy places, etc. We are grateful.

We have heard testimony of prayer warriors and intercessors, those we consider teammates, who have faithfully stood in the gap on our behalf and on behalf of those to whom we minister. Our ministry is not possible without the Holy Spirit and His presence. These teammates are crucial to our effectiveness.  We are grateful.

We have sat with many of our financial supporters and reported back about their ministry in Maputo, Mozambique. They, too, are dear teammates of ours. We have been humbled by their generous gifts. Our lives there would not be possible without them. We are grateful.

So we wrap up this furlough with grateful hearts, absolutely in awe of the Lord and His care for us.

January 8, 2012
Personal
1 comment

Not my home

A Layne Post

So here we are, settling in. Driving no longer feels so foreign. I am loosing the urge to honk at everyone. I’ve stopped admiring fancy toilets and thick heavy mirrors. Incredibly nice customer service is no longer shocking, and I’ve lost my urge to grab and hug the necks of strangers for being so friendly. I do not have the desire to shovel every single food item on the grocery isle into my mouth at the same time.

It is such a blessing to have family and friends that we can pick up with as if no time has lapsed at all. There are not awkward silences, or wishing we could slip away. It has been heartwarming and encouraging to be so surrounded by love.

We are happy to be here.

I can say; however, while life seems a bit easier, or perhaps more convenient here, I wouldn’t want to live here. I’ve really thought about it this week, as I’ve struggled through funny emotions, finding it strange that this was ever “norm” for us. It is comforting that the Lord has grown in Jon and I a deep love for Africa, and now specifically Mozambique. I miss it. How hard it would be to feel like our service to the Lord was only obedience. I’m not sure I could leave all this that I once held dear. Instead God has blessed us with a ministry we love, in a place we’ve grown to love, surrounded by dear friends and fellow laborers we love.

So here I am, in my common predicament, torn by the ones we love. Happy to be here, missing people there. I guess we’ll never all be on the same continent.

I’m ever reminded this world is not our home.

November 13, 2011
Personal
4 comments
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