A hero of our faith: Robert Allen Reed

On Wednesday, March 20, it will be fourteen years since the death of my first husband, Robert Allen Reed.  If you are new to this blog, he died very suddenly when we lived in Ghana; our daughter Hannah was 16 and our son Noah had just turned 15.  By next year, 2025, he will have been gone from my children's lives more than he was present.  While we still talk of him very frequently, his voice and memories fade from our memories unless we are intentional to watch videos, read his writings, or look at pictures.

During this Lenten season, we consider the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and we imagine where we would have been on that day.  Would we have been like Peter?  Like the naked young man who ran away from the soldiers?  What type of sacrificial love do we live out today?  How do we carry our cross?

As always, when the anniversary of Bob's death approaches, I find my mind reliving that week, appreciating his life, it's impact on me, my children, and many others.  And this past week I also considered how he was willing to give his life for his faith.  In this blog, I want to share a bit about him in this regard, as I think it's also an important story to tell.  Please forgive me for the length of this post.  I write it in part for myself and for my children, but I understand that it may be too long for all to read.

Bob did not grow up in a Christian home.  He grew up in Lansing MI, in what many would describe as a "blue-collar" household.  He was the third of four children, and his father died in a house fire when he was three.  His mother later married his uncle (Bob's father's brother) and two more children came from that marriage.  That marriage later ended in divorce when Bob was a teen, and his mother married again to the man with whom she would spend the rest of her life.  These circumstances, and the lack of a reliable father figure during his formative years, had a deep impact on Bob.   

But he was a curious guy and he deeply appreciated curiosity.  [In fact, he often said that curiosity was one of the "missing fruits of the spirit."  He believed too many people simply accepted things and didn't ask the deeper, important questions of life.]  He didn't let life's problems get in the way of trying to figure things out.

It was this curiosity that led him to Christ, but that journey took him through drugs, then other religions, eventually leading him to an encounter with God.  Once he gave his life to Christ, everything changed.  He went to Moody Bible Institute to learn more about God and Scripture, began cooking food in a soup kitchen for the homeless, and sought a way to contribute to the flourishing of others.  He found his giftedness in counseling - he was curious about people and what made them tick.  He had a direct, no-nonsense approach to understanding what drives behavior and a deep desire for people to be curious about that as well.  He desired for people to look in the mirror and understand what they saw there - not simply point to others for the reason for our behavior but to take a deep look inside.  What frustrated him the most is when people refused to take time to be curious about themselves and grow in understanding and wisdom for how God had made them.  While he could be impatient in that, he is also the counselor who sat with one young woman three times a week for more than a year before she spoke a word.  He was willing to simply be present with her until she found the ability to speak.  

As a Christian who grew up in a Christian household, I didn't wrestle with my faith.  Christianity was a deep part of my culture, especially as my father was a pastor.  Faith was not to be questioned.  It simply was.  Marrying Bob introduced me to someone of authentic and questioning faith - someone who made a decision as an adult, without having it modeled to him growing up.  He made a decision to believe in something unseen.  And that is the essence of faith - it is making a decision to believe in something that is not grounded in facts.  Bob had to choose, sometimes daily, to have faith.  It was not unusual for him to wake up in a sweat, wondering if he was wrong.  He was also afraid of death because he hadn't been raised with regular reminder of the comfort of heaven.  So his faith was real and raw.  To me, it was incredible to watch and learn from him.  [Please don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying my family's faith was not real.  It was and is.  But the assurance was imbedded in the culture from the time we could talk.  My bedtime prayer growing up was: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; and if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."  Now, ignoring the fact that we were being reminded of the fact that we could die each night (!), we were also stating each night that we would/could be with Jesus.  That is the comfort that Bob missed, and it is an anxiety that I don't know.]

Bob helped me to break the "faith of my fathers" and discover Christ for myself at the age of 27.  Then in 1997, we felt called to move, with a four- and two-year-old, into the inner city, on a street with three drug houses and a house of prostitution.  My goal was community development - social work.  His goal?  For one African American child to grow up around a white person who didn't view him/her with prejudice.  

He then lost his job at Calvin University in 2001 because we felt led to send our children to the local failing, closing public school, where they would be the only white children.  After sixteen years of serving at this Christian college, he lost his job for following a call to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  He not only lost a good salary, retirement benefits, health benefits, and his work community; he also had to deal with Christians and family members telling him he was not a good parent, and that he was sacrificing his children for ministry.  He set up a counseling ministry in the neighborhood, earning one-third of what he had been making, and serving many who could not pay.  And after doing that for a few years, he began to bring up Africa.  

He had brought it up before leaving Calvin, but when he went to visit Africa in 2000, he came back and told me that he was afraid he wasn't strong enough to live there.  But that didn't stop him.  He brought it up again in 2004 and at that time, I was ready to listen.  We went for a visit, and then in 2005, sold all we had and moved to post-war Liberia.  He was 51 when we moved there and again our income was cut to one third of the previous one-third.  We moved to a home with no running water or electricity, where ex-combatants were breaking into our home or other homes in the village where we lived every night.  We were up from 2-5 am nightly while we listened to rogues breaking in, and Bob felt so burdened for the safety of our family.  The days were not much easier as Bob was frequently arrested by the police who were looking for their "blessing," (as they had not been paid for some time and were hoping for a payoff).  But Bob learned to sit all day at the police station and chit-chat with the police until they gave up hope of a bribe and let him go.  

I can't fully describe everything he went through in Liberia - it would take a book to tell the story (and actually he chronicled most of it in our blog Reeds in Liberia) - in brief, from having to change shirts four times a day because of sweating so much, to spending each evening digging out chiggers or mango worms from children and dogs, to loving the kids in the neighborhood, to counseling and setting up the countries first social work program, it was a wild ride.  

And then it was time for us to turn over the ministries we had set up to nationals.  And we asked God to direct us for where to go.  Unfortunately, Bob was not offered the positions that he was hoping for.  I was receiving offers but he was not.  While he loved and supported me, and was proud of me, that hurt him deeply.  Just as like every person, he so wanted to be used and liked and loved.  (He always said that he wanted to be invited to the party and then not go - he was a strong introvert with a tough exterior, but he wanted to be wanted.)  He had struggled with his own self-esteem for most of his life, especially regarding his weight.  Many times he was judged because of being overweight - he was often written off or disregarded because of it.  And how he struggled to lose weight!  Having been overweight since childhood, his weight was not one of complacency or lack of care.  He tried and tried and tried and tried and tried.  Man, did he try.  

And so at the age of 54, having left Liberia and unsure of what would come next, he was lost.  And that brought about depression.  Due to (lengthy) circumstances, he ended up being offered a part-time position to do conflict resolution and justice work in West Africa.  The move to Ghana was difficult for him and he struggled for the first six months that we were there.  The depression continued and it was difficult for him to be motivated.  But two weeks before he died, I saw the old Bob emerge.  And the day before he died, was the first time that I had seen him with his energy renewed, having just returned from a valuable trip to Nigeria.  

He, like all of us, needed to be needed, to be used, to contribute.  He got that gift during the ten days he spent in Nigeria and he had came back invigorated.  What a gift that I saw that right before he died!  The day before he died, he and I had a conversation about our future, something that didn't happen when he was depressed.  I'm so thankful for that!

And then he work up on Saturday morning, didn't feel well, and died that afternoon.  We were told it was a pulmonary embolism.  That was proved wrong in the autopsy, where it was found that every organ was full of infection.  Yet he was fine on Friday and had no fever on Saturday.  

I've puzzled over this for fourteen years, talking to doctors, pathologists, nurses, and many others.  I believe I finally have a plausible idea of what happened.  Unfortunately, it involves me. 

Bob had struggled on and off with staph infections while living in Ghana.  He kept self-diagnosing, self-prescribing antibiotics, and then often not completing the cycle of antibiotics.  He and I made an agreement (in February) that he would not do that again.  The night before he died, he made pizza for the family and then I cut his hair.  In cutting his hair, I noticed that there were three or four sores on his head that looked like staph.  I pointed it out to him, and he said, "This is my year for illness!"  

I believe, in hindsight, that I might have nicked one of those sores when cutting his hair, causing the staph infection to go into his bloodstream.  When staph enters the bloodstream, it can cause sepsis, and has a high mortality rate.  I'm told that if someone's immunity is low, there is the possibility that staph will not manifest with a fever, as the body isn't strong enough to have that fight.  I don't know why his body was not strong enough to develop a fever.  I don't know what was going on with his immune system. But I now believe that he died due to a staph infection that went septic.  Unfortunately, the hospital had no working machines nor doctors who were able to pick upon anything that was going on.  Even the labs that came back after his death showed no problems...which means they weren't real results.  We will never know for sure, of course, but that is my best guess.  There has been no other explanation offered that makes as much sense as this theory.

In the end, Bob gave his life to serve God and His church.  He knew the risk.  WE knew the risk.  He didn't let his fear stop him.  And given that he had to actually choose to believe over and again, and given his fear of death, I marvel all the more.  

This year, I am the same age as Bob was when he died - 55 years old.  As a widow at 41 years old, I didn't know what it was like for him as a 55-year-old man.  Today, I better understand his tiredness.  I better understand his desire to do work that has meaning - to be affirmed in that work. 

I'm proud of him.  His children are proud of him.  He is a hero of the faith.  And while he died too soon, and his life was nowhere near perfect, I know that I know that I know that His Father in heaven was proud of him.

Bob picked up his cross to follow Jesus.  He was a disciple and he discipled others.  Jesus called him and was faithful to be with him until the end.  

On Bob's mug were the words, "Pay Attention."  I often think of that and how indicative it was of his character.  May we continue to pay attention to the one who brought us, to the one who invites us, to the one who equips us, and to the one who is working in us, faithful to complete the good work.

I leave you with the words of his first blog post to Reeds in the Wind, which capture the essence of what I have shared about him:

If you are at all like me, you wonder about the nature of things. You are not so smug as to think you have it all figured out, nor have you uncovered all the rocks under which truth dwells. Even if you are, like I am, deeply devoted to to a particular faith or philosophical orientation, you may acknowledge, as I do, that your devotion is regularly tested by your perceptions of reality.

This blog is an experiment in devotion-testing. My particular faith explicitly, implicitly and logically guides me to a certain way of doing and being, that I spend my time and my life consistently with the implications of my faith.

This blog is a testimony, for better or worse, of the kinds of things that happen when a family continues to say, "Let's take what we say we believe to the next level of action." To testify is to bear witness; affirm as fact or truth; to declare, profess, or acknowledge openly. Our goal is to share our lives as openly and honestly as we can.

And so, this blog hopefully will be evidence. Evidence not only that humans can be increasingly successful at living true to the logical implications of their beliefs, but evidence of something more. Hopefully, if we pay attention--all of us who wonder-- will see evidence that something greater than our faithfulness or even "logical consistency" is here. Hopefully, if we pay attention, we will see evidence that something greater than our work, or ourselves, or even what we smugly call truth is here.

As I say, it's an experiment.

In the book of the Hebrew prophet Malachi, we are told that God is angry. God's people are not taking Him seriously. They are not being logically consistent with the implications of their stated beliefs. They give meagerly to His works. They do not push themselves beyond their levels of comfort. Their spiritual leaders are corrupted by greed. They do not understand the spiritual discipline of sacrifice. So God, understanding that unbelief is at the heart of their hypocrisy, tells them something remarkable. He makes a deal. He says, "Put me to the test. Live it like you say you believe it," He says, "and see if I don't show up." God apparently loves a good experiment.

I believe in God, and I believe He works like this. When we show up, He shows up. Hence this blog. Let's see if the Reeds are just whistling in the wind, or if they are whistling in the Wind.

Let's see if He shows up.

He showed up.  

Bob was also a very good writer.  

I miss him.  

Unveiling the Thrilling Journey: DML's Journey with God through 2023

Some of you may have already received the DML 2023 Annual Report through snail mail but for those of you who have not, you can find it here.  

I always find annual reports a fun thing to do - looking back over the year to see what happened, what didn't happen, what went according to plan, what did not go according to plan.  And where was God in all of that?  What was/is He up to?  How ready were we to pivot to flow with what God was doing?

It's always an important time of reflection and learning.  

While I know that many of you will read our annual report from cover to cover (😊), some of you may not have the time, so I'll highlight just a couple of things here.

We thank God for the following findings:

• The number of Marketplace Ministers involved in our mentoring and advocacy work increased by 38% in 2023, compared to 2022.
• There was a near doubling of businesspeople trained in basic business practices.  From 8,877 in 2022 to 15, 450 in 2023.
• Pastors and church leaders who attended DML's foundational workshop increased from 3,047 in 2022 to 9,353.  This is an increase of 207%!

This is the result of the movement of God in the Marketplace, and the amazing response of the DML teams across Africa and beyond.  When we partner with churches and denominations, that work not only becomes more effective in terms of discipleship but it also can help the reach grow exponentially.  

And while I give thanks for each of our implementing partners, we also know that this work cannot be done without the time, treasure, and talent of many of our donors.  Our annual report also includes the financial breakdown of 2023.  

Our donors not only give of their treasure, but their treasure comes from their time and talent, which contributes to the flourishing of world.  Most of our donors are marketplace ministers in their own capacity - from builders to restauranters to importers to plumbers to furniture makers to accountants to social workers to IT specialists...and I could go on and on.  

Their work creates wealth, and then they share it with others, so that their work can create wealth and they can share it with others...and so it goes, round and round.

And I am one person who gets to watch this amazing cycle from donors to implementors to marketplace ministers on both sides of the ocean, learning to do work as worship.

I'm humbled to be able to watch heroes of the faith both up close and far away.  And I am so appreciative of every person who connects as part of the body of Christ, to work together the way it was meant to be. 

Our prayer is that God will continue to help us to be faithful to the message that He has entrusted to us, and that we will continue to have eyes to see and ears to hear where He is working, and how we can join in that work.  

Please do continue to pray with us!  

And in this report we are also doing a brief survey and would love for you to participate so that we can get to know you a bit better!  Please scan the QR code.  Thank you in advance for your time!

From Convert-making to Nation-building

"The church has moved from nation-building to convert-making.  We used to be present in every sphere, contributing to creativity and progress.  But we have retreated to our buildings, content with making converts.  It's time we redefine our mission field."

These words, spoken by a DML colleague in South Asia, resonated with the attendees in the DML workshop.  He continued, "Recently a man told me he left his government position with the Income Tax department to start a church.  I told him that he should reconsider his decision.  He had an opportunity to be salt and light in a place of great darkness.  He had an opportunity to reach people that a pastor could not reach."

In my recent weeks in four different cities in South Asia, I have come to the conclusion that governments should want to have Christians in their nations!  A calling to be fruitful and multiply (creativity and provision) for a world that flourishes, seeking to contribute to humanity and creation, not putting profit before people and planet, a solid work ethic...these are things that we are created to do!  Nations who want flourishing through jobs and economic growth should be crying for more Christians!  But instead, we are seen only as risks for converting people, for proselytizing.  

This concern was reinforced on a recent flight I took in a country with anti-conversion laws.  I was seated in a window seat with a couple (nationals) next to me They politely asked me about myself and why I was in this country.  I gave the safe response that I have been instructed to give, "I'm here to visit friends."  They then asked if I was a Christian and I said yes.  At that point, the husband began to share the gospel with me, pulling out the Bible on his phone, asking me to read verses.  I pointed out, again, that I am a Christian and that I have memorized many of the verses he wanted to share.  I tried to ask questions about how and where they are sharing the gospel in these challenging places...but he was intent on witnessing to me.  After about fifteen minutes I resigned myself to just listen and take mental notes of the path he took to share the gospel, to see if I could learn something from him.  He passionately went through his offering for an hour, shushing his wife every time she tried to interject.  The people in front of us, behind us, and across the aisle kept looking over (as he was not quiet).  When he was done, they asked if I had any prayer requests, and then he sat back in his seat for the remaining 30-minute flight, satisfied that he had done his job. 

I loved his passion.  He was articulate and his message was good!  But he spent no time developing a relationship or even listening/caring about the person he was speaking to.  His choice to shush his wife repeatedly (rudely at times) was a turn-off.  

This reinforces the message that many Christians are bent on doing one thing and one thing only - fulfilling the Great Commission.  But when we do that without the Great Commandment (loving God and neighbor) and without the context of the Great Commitment (Genesis 1:28 and 2:15), it can be off-putting.  

We need to get back to nation building.  Jeremiah 29 says that we are build houses, plant gardens, and pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation.  We are to be nation-builders.  Daniel and Joseph are examples of this - even while in exile, they contributed to the growth of that nation. They worked hard. They worked with excellence.  And as they worked, they were a light pointing to God.  

The three Great Directives given by God are like a three-legged stool.  Let's be sure that our stool, as well, has three legs that are balanced.  

Business, Babies, and Birds

Two years ago, when DML first started working in South Asia, I met a young couple who was having some challenges in their business, which was also having a negative impact on their marriage.  They were able to receive some counseling, made some changes and adjustments, and last year when I met them, it was clear that they were doing much better.  I visited their business and saw that there were still some important areas of improvement needed, which we discussed.  Before we left, they showed me the small apartment that they had behind their shop - essentially two rooms - and the wife pulled me aside and asked me very earnestly whether I thought it was time for them to start trying to have children.

In my experience, this is not a typical question, and I was a little surprised!  But of course, I answered that I would be happy to pray for them and if they feel ready and it is God's will, He will provide.  So we prayed together. [I later learned that the husband is an orphan, and the wife is from a different religion who has essentially cut her off as she married for love (not an arranged marriage) and left their religion for Christianity.  So they seek advice from brothers and sisters in the Lord who are now their new family!]

Three months later, I learned she was pregnant, and she gave birth to a healthy baby girl at the end of November.  

And to my absolute surprise and delight, they had the baby dedication service last week and I was asked to give the message and the prayer after the dedication.  What an honor!  What a joy!

I spoke about being "born on purpose and for a purpose," but mostly spoke to the parents about their call to be dedicated as stewards of this gift.  They have been given a gift, but it is not for them alone.  They are raising God's daughter (Deuteronomy 6).  In this country, gender reveals are not allowed as too many will terminate a pregnancy if it is a girl (despite abortion being illegal).  This is so sad so affirming a message of "on purpose, for purpose" for a female baby was near and dear to my heart!

During the service, the baby was fussing.  Mom was bouncing her up and down to keep her quiet and had to leave the service several times to tend to the baby.  After the message, the pastor did the dedication, and then called me to take the baby and say the prayer.  I worried about whether she would be still or fuss and cry.  They laid the baby in my hands, I lifted her to the Lord, and said a long prayer.  And amazingly, the baby was quiet throughout.  Didn't move a muscle!

What a joy to be part of the family of God, the body of Christ, which can extend across miles, nations, and continents!

After the service, we went to a newly planted church in a community where there was none before.  So many trials and such persecution for this dear pastor and businessman, his wife, and their beautiful children.  This man had been in the training of trainers the previous week, where we were training people to teach basic business skills.  He had stated that one of his economic goals was to grow his number of chickens from 2 to 50 by August 2024.  He said that on a Thursday, and three days later, when we came to visit, he said he had already seen an increase his chickens by 8 to a new total of 10!  Eight new chicks had hatched, and he was thrilled!  He told me very confidently that he was sure he would reach 50 by August!

These are the little joyful moments that I get to be a part of and as partners in this ministry, it's a joy to share this with you as well!  Please continue to pray that perspectives may change to see work as a joy and an act of worship, and that churches may see that the purpose of Sunday is Monday!

Lausanne Congress 4: Seoul Journey

Today (Monday) I leave for South Asia where I will be until March 1st.  This is the first of a number of trips planned for 2024 and I'm excited to get going!  I will have the opportunity to speak in four different cities, do business trainings as well as other workshops and speaking events, including a keynote address at a business university on "Globalization, Capitalism, and Flourishing."  

While this is my first trip in 2024, our DML team has preceded me in missionary journeys, with a combined DML team from Burkina Faso and Ghana making their way to Togo to spread the DML message there.  We thank God for how the DML Global team is growing and moving!

I'm now excited to share with you about a very special opportunity in September of this year.  The Lausanne Movement is meeting for their fourth congress in Seoul, South Korea and I have been invited to participate.  This is a special honor as you cannot apply to be part of this congress - you must be nominated.  There will be 5,000 people from almost every nation in the world joining for this congress!

If you aren't familiar with the Lausanne Movement, let me offer some information.  The Lausanne Movement is a global movement that seeks to accelerate global mission by providing a shared platform that is collaborative, biblical, and catalytic for a four-fold vision:  1.  The gospel for every person.  2.  Disciple-making churches for every people and place. 3.  Christlike leaders for every church and sector.  4. Kingdom impact in every sphere of society.

In 1974, Billy Graham felt a prompting to bring the global church together to address issues pertaining to the Global Church.  Each Congress and its ensuing documents offer a vision for how these issues can be addressed.  The first Congress in 1974 brought together 2,700 evangelical leaders in Lausanne, Switzerland and the Lausanne Covenant was written (mostly by well-known theologian John Stott).  In 1989, the second Congress met with 3,000 people from 170 countries, and the Manila Manifesto was formed. In 2010 the third Congress was held with 4,200 people from 198 countries and the Cape Town Commitment created.  In between the Congresses, subgroups met and continue the work; networking and partnerships grow and develop.  For example, in 2004 Business as Mission was discussed and formed the recommendations that DML has adopted for our work. We also often refer to the Cape town Commitment for its important contribution for the global church's responsibility to creation care.  So DML have benefitted and now we get to give back.  To learn more about the Lausanne Movement, especially the fourth Congress, watch this video.

My nomination and selection were based on my work in the intersection of the church and the workplace, and that is what I will participate in specifically during the Lausanne Congress in September.

There are a number of things that are happening in preparation for this Congress.  A document called the "State of the Global Commission" will be released, as well as a number of other important papers/research relating to the global church.  

On a more personal level, I've given monthly reading assignments and videos to watch, small group meetings to join, prayer calls to join, and more.  They are making sure that those attending are prepared and moving together in thinking in one accord in order to hear the voice of the Lord in September.  Many important issues affecting the global church will be addressed and the opportunity for us to work in unity and harmony, across denominations and cultures, calls for earnest prayer and commitment!

Each person invited to attend in person is asked to pay a conference fee on a sliding basis based on income and other factors.  It is a significant fee for those of us in the West, as the funds will be used to help those coming from countries who can't afford the hotel/airfare. I need to raise $5,000 in total for this (conference fee, airfare, and hotel) and this is where I am asking for partnership from the body of Christ.  

God has given every person three key resources - time, treasure, and talent.  I will use my time, talent, and treasure for the Congress and the preparations entailed, but I know that I'm not going alone. I will be representing DML as a ministry with its many denominations and businesspeople -- who long to be seen as contributing to the flourishing of this world through their work.  I also will be representing my church, my family, my community, and my nation.

Therefore, I would ask you to prayerfully consider joining me on this journey with your time, talent or treasure.  I would love for you to join me in prayer for this congress as it will be looking to address the state of the Church in 2050.  I also need financial support to be able to join this congress.  The financial support will make it possible for people from every nation to attend.

If you would like to join me in this opportunity and would like more information, you can read more about the Lausanne 4 Seoul Congress here and read a letter from me here which provides the details for donations.  

While the percent of worldwide Christians has remained the same for the last 150 years (about 33%), there is a real opportunity for that to change.  The goals of the gospel for every person and Kingdom impact in every sphere of society need a global effort. Please join us as we join the Global Church!

[If you do feel led to contribute to this, I respectfully ask that this does not take away from any gifts that you would normally give to DML, as the work of DML continues in sixteen countries and needs the ongoing support that allows us to reach more and more people with its message!]

No Shadow of Turning: The Transformative Power of Personal Confession in Teams

A couple of weeks ago, I shared that our DML Global team gathers three days a week for prayer, following the ACTS format (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). In those sessions, I discovered a profound aspect of our team dynamics: the power of personal confession.

While prayer sessions typically involve acknowledging our collective shortcomings, we've found that confessing our own sins, individually, has been remarkably transformative. It's a vulnerable experience, looking in the mirror before our colleagues. Doing it once a week is one thing, but engaging in this practice three days a week has allowed us to truly understand one another. We've become familiar with each other's persistent struggles, or as we refer to them, our "thorns in the flesh."

During one of these confession sessions, I had an enlightening moment. I realized that we were often confessing our own "shadow." What does that mean exactly? Let me explain.

I believe every person is endowed with unique gifts and talents that, when combined with their network, culture, and community, create a distinctive contribution to the world. However, I also believe that every gift has a shadow—a potential for both light and darkness.

For instance, my strong inclination towards organization is a gift, but when it's projected onto others or interferes with other values, it starts casting a shadow. This, I believe, is true for most, if not all, gifts. How many of us have experienced a trait we once loved in someone becoming a source of frustration?

My revelation was realizing that the confessions I was hearing were part of the gifting in that person—a dimension I value. For example, a passionate team member often confessed struggles with anger, which is understandable given their passionate nature. Another person, appreciated for their logical approach to life, confessed a lack of sensitivity to their loved ones—a trait expected from someone with a cerebral approach.

The profound realization was that the more I get caught up in my gifting, the longer that shadow becomes. However, when Christ is central in my life, directly overhead, there is no shadow. I use my gift for Him, read the room, and recognize the place of my gift in relation to others.

My goal is to have no shadow, keeping my eyes focused on Him and not on myself. This brings us back to the hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness," acknowledging that "there is no shadow of turning with thee; Thou changest not; thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever will be."

Steady.

No shadow of turning.

Faithful.

God overhead.

My talent/gifting for His glory.

May God help me!

Christian Businesswomen and Sustainability

Last fall, I was invited to contribute a chapter to a book relating to women and sustainability.  I was given some freedom regarding the direction of the chapter, and I elected to write on impact of Christian women on global sustainability.  There was some pushback on this topic as most people have an idea that there should be a separation between faith and these topics.  But I like to argue the opposite.  We need to see faith not simply as proselytizing but as a lifestyle.  We need to re-embrace or redefine how we see religion - not something to shy away from in fear, but a lifestyle of values and behaviors that generally contribute to the flourishing of the world.  

This is true across most religions, but since Christianity is the largest social demographic in the world, the importance of the contribution of flourishing through Christians should not be overlooked.  In fact, it should be celebrated and promoted, by both believers and non-believers.

In the chapter, there are a number of facts shared, including that 85% of the world's eight billion people identify with a religion; of that number, 2.38 billion are Christian, 1.91 billion are Muslim, and the next largest religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and then others.  

Also, women tend to be more religious than men, often by wide margins.  For Christianity, 51.6% are women.  This translates to a number of 1,228,080,000 Christian women in the world.  This is not a small number!

Having established that, we now look at women and their influence/contribution to business/economics/workforce.

As it relates to business, nearly one in three entrepreneurs are women and women are more likely to be solopreneurs (1.47 women solopreneurs for every man).  Women make up 43% of the global agricultural work force, with that number rising to 60% in parts of Asia and Africa.  Women are more likely to offer innovative new products and services in lower and middle-income countries.  

Women also tend to consider social and environmental sustainability more than men and prioritize sustainability over economic goals.  This usually means increased flourishing of employees and the flourishing of the creation.  (For references to these statistics, send me an email and I'll be happy to send them to you!)

So what does this mean?  We need to be encouraging Christian women in business. We need to help equip and empower them for the flourishing of creation, employees, individuals, communities, and families!  Let's not leave them out of the mix!  Let's not overlook the contribution of Christian women in the flourishing of this world through business.  God is a working God and is the God of business, as can be seen throughout Scripture.  The gifts of our faith reach beyond the building to the public square.

The church, when gathered, can and should equip the church, when scattered, to do business to the glory of God. 

As Gerd Miller, the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, writes,

Religion plays an integral part in all societies and is the most important source of values for many people.  Any development policy that respects people as individuals must also respect their individual world views.  For most people, this world view is fundamentally shaped by their religion.

 Author Edward Brown, in his book, Our Father’s World, says,

“Whatever the source of the problem is, religion has to be part of the solution…My conviction about the role of the church in this [environmental] crisis comes from a belief that environmental problems are sin problems. We have a spiritual problem, and we need a spiritual solution. Solving spiritual problems is what the church is all about, and that’s what we can bring to the table in this crisis. (Brown, 2018, p. 18)

Losing the right to say, "It's okay!"

In late December, while taking our two five-month-old puppies for a walk, a German Shepherd in a back yard a house a few blocks away, scaled the six-foot chain link fence and attacked us.  Thankfully there were no physical injuries, but there are some emotional injuries that will take some time to heal.  The response of the alpha puppy, Pepper (right in the picture), is very different than the more emotional puppy, Ginger.  Pepper, we believe, has fully bounced back, while Ginger shows more fear.  (As for me?  Well, let's just say I'm not walking by that house again! Oh, and my son Noah quickly bought me pepper spray to put on the leash should it ever happen again.)

Since that time, when I walk them and they show some fear at the loud snowplow or a big dog barking, I do what I normally do, which is to say, "It's okay. You're okay."  Recently when I say those words, I see Ginger glance back at me, as if to say, "You've said that before and it wasn't!"  Now, her response may be my imagination, but as soon as my reassuring words leave my mouth, I'm very quickly aware they might sound hypocritical.  I wasn't able to protect them that day and it wasn't okay.  

And feeling brings me back to a much more significant time in my life where I also lost the right to say, "It's okay," or "It'll be okay."  That time, of course, is when my husband Bob died, thirteen years ago. I lost the right to say that to my children. And ever since then, whenever I have left on any international trip, especially to some more risky countries, and I want to reassure anyone, especially my children, I always have to stop myself from saying, "It'll be okay." 

Of course, I know that I was not responsible for either of these events.  But protecting and comforting those we love is instinctual.  It's how we were made, especially for those whom we are primarily responsible.  

And so daily, again, I'm reminded of my inability to guarantee safety and security.

As I've been processing that, I realize that this is the case for millions of parents/caretakers around the world, who are exposed to much worse.  How threatening, scary, and humbling it is to not be able to say those words.  But those living in war zones, in conflict, in poverty, dealing with racism, sexism, and so much more are also unable to promise that "it'll be okay."  Bad things happen. 

Letting go of control with loved ones is something we all go through.   It increases my faith in God, reminding myself that He does not have grandchildren, only children.  And the same instinct we have to love and protect our children comes from God, who does the same.  

He doesn't do it in the same way as us, as His perspective and long-view are much broader, but that He loves us is undisputable as seen in the gift of His own son, who endured mocking, bullying, torture, and ultimately a terrible public death.  

In the end, it was more than okay.  

PS - In case you are wondering, the dogs are from a shelter, and are half Red Heeler (Australian cattle dogs), 1/4 doodle, and 1/4 something else.

PPS - I didn't really want puppies.  I feel like there is enough to do in this world without taking care of the daily need of dogs.  But the dogs are what I call my "DML tax."  In order for my generous husband to allow me to travel as much as he does, he needs company for those long months when I am gone.  So in some ways, these are DML dogs!  

Fearfully Adorable

Our DML Global team continues to meet for prayer every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for one hour each day.  We spend the first thirty minutes going through ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication), and the next thirty minutes going through a text and how it applies to us personally, to our local ministries, and to the global church or DML Global.

We have grown in love and in community by using this format, which began when COVID broke out in March 2020.  We are going on four years now with this!  And not only have we grown in intimacy as a team, but I have learned so much from my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Recently, Pastor Theo Pare from Burkina Faso was leading our prayers and he thanked God for being "fearfully adorable."  Now, a few months earlier, Pastor Rogers Fovo from Tanzania had described God as "adorable" during our adoration time.  I remember smiling at that word, as my image of "adorable" is a baby...a stuffed animal...a little puppy.  To describe God in this way, seemed funny to me.  But then I remembered that we are giving adoration to God...so of course He must be adorable!  And so I began to embrace that my definition for adorable had been narrowed by my culture, but it is much bigger and can be used for God!

And then I heard God described as "fearfully adorable."  Sounds like an oxymoron to me.  It does not sound like two words that belong together!  

Yet how appropriate.  These two words display the incredible complexity of who God is, so far beyond our understanding.  He is a God who is worthy of our awe, reverence, and even fear in light of His majesty.  Yet at the same time, He is a God completely deserving of our adoration.  

He is:

• a God who is a God of justice BUT also merciful. 
• a God who never slumbers or sleeps.
• a God who knows us by name, pursues us, and desires for us to participate with Him in His work, DESPITE our daily failings. 
• a God who oversees universes AND also atoms.

And I could go on and on.

God is fearfully adorable.  And I desire to both fear Him (with reverence) and adore Him.

Tackling the Enigma of Miracles

I grew up in the Christian Reformed Church.  We didn't talk a lot about miracles, although we appreciated the reported miracles during Jesus' time on earth.  While we prayed for healing and maybe some prayed for miracles in that regard, I don't remember a feeling of expectation that it would actually happen.  I also don't remember recognition of a miracle taking place if healing did happen.  People would thank God, but not say it was a miracle.  

At least, that was my recollection.  Miracles were not a big part of our theology.  But admittedly, I don't have the best memory in the world, so I could be recalling things incorrectly.

Living and working in Africa, I encountered more charismatic Christians who prayed for and expected miracles regularly.  They saw God being much more active in day-to-day life, and over time I grew to appreciate that.  One could say that the pendulum swung from one side to the other for me.

But now I believe I'm getting closer to the middle of those two extremes.  As I mentioned in last week's blog, I believe that "Christ IS come" means that He is with us today, and we are His hands and feet - we continue to bring the gift of Christ to the world through our time, talent, and treasure.  Being His hands and feet, and being made in His image, means that we need to problem solve most issues ourselves.  That would be the norm.  So if someone has cancer, the miracle is that there are people that are discovering new treatments, medicines, and providing care that can cure it!  If someone's car breaks down, there are people who know how to fix it!  If there is an emergency across the country, we can get on a plane and fly there - or we can send instant messages or have video calls!  People end up being the miracle that God intended and created them to be!

So what is the purpose of miracles?  I don't have any solid answers - I'm just wrestling with this and struggling through how to fit this into my current paradigm of God at work in us, to work with Him, in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.  But here are some thoughts.

I believe miracles are the exception, not the rule.

I believe that the purpose of miracles is for God to show His glory - to be a witness to those who do not know Him.  When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he said, "Father, thank you for hearing me.  You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me" (John 11:41b-42).  God desires to draw all people to Himself.  

A miracle is something that is done that people observing would say it could "only be God."  Miracles often break the laws of science.  The goal is that it would lead people to a belief in God.  Evidence of miracles would be in the presence of witnesses.

So then, are miracles a result of faith?  What is God's process in deciding a miracle?  Certainly He would choose to do miracles that would draw the biggest amount of people or have a big impact, as opposed to one sick person in a private hospital room, no?  

Maybe what I'm really struggling with is how we pray.  I am finding that my prayers are often met with God saying, "I concur.  Go do it!  I've equipped you!  I am with you! You are blessed to be a blessing!"  There is an affirmation, an encouragement, an accompaniment of God.  Yet I hear in many prayers, that there is an expectation that God alone will do it.  That the answer will come through miracles.

When I teach, I often tell the story of the man who died and went to heaven and lamented to God that he never saw a miracle, yet he had prayed for them his whole life.  God said to him, "Do you remember that tree outside your kitchen window?"  The man replied, "Yes."  God said, "That's a miracle."  The man said, "How is that a miracle?  That's just a tree!"  God said, "Let's see you make one out of nothing.  And also, you liked looking in the mirror every day."  The man said, "Well, yes, that is important for being respectable."  God said, "What you saw in the mirror as well is a miracle."  

The point is that we are surrounded by miracles.  Most of these miracles follow the laws of science and nature, which God put in place.  Those are the norms which are still incredible!  Thanks be to God!

Is Christmas the Appetizer?

I've been struggling with my Christmas spirit, or lack thereof, so far this season.  

But the truth is that this is not unusual for me- I often struggle with Christmas.  Don't get me wrong - the birth of Jesus is the greatest gift ever!  I love the family time as well!  But I often struggle with the incongruity between the "now" and the "not yet."  

In essence, this has been my struggle: In the Christmas season, we sing the classic hymn, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come."  But to be honest, it feels fake to sing this amidst so much turmoil in the world.  And there is so much turmoil.  So, so much.  

Much of the world does not know or feel joy, both Christians and non-Christians alike.

The song goes on to say, "No more let sin and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground, He comes to make his blessings flow, far as the curse is found."  Yet the curse continues to be found everywhere.  There does not seem to be a flowing of blessings.  There is war, death, famine, sickness, poverty, persecution, and so much more.  

So to help with this paradox, Christians spend time during Christmas talking Christ's return, when all things will be made right.  We celebrate His birth, but we focus on His coming again as the next best thing.  The problem is that there is a lot of time in between these two events which feels quite joyless and very painful.

But a closer look at the lyrics of the hymn states, "Joy to the world, the Lord IS come."  "IS" is present tense.  "IS" is now.  Many have changed the words of this song to "the Lord HAS come."  But that change puts the presence of Christ in the past and that creates a serious challenge for us today!  If we are celebrating something that happened 2,000 years ago, which gives me a ticket to go to heaven when I die, what does that mean for today?  Not much.  And that is just not the case.  The Lord IS come.  He IS here.  

We are not a people simply waiting.  We are to continue the work that Christ started.  Christ is with us today in the 2.3 billion people who call themselves Christians! We are in a time of waiting for Christ's return, but we are not only in waiting mode.  Waiting is a time of inactivity.  Waiting is a time of looking and longing.  Waiting is focused on the future and not on the present.  

We are not just to be waiting for Christ's return.  We are the hands and feet of Christ every day until He returns.  We are agents of reconciliation.  The gift that came so long ago continues to be with us.  As we lament war and conflict and death, we get to be part of the solution.  

I think Christmas is a dark and lonely time for many because there is such a disconnect between the joy of the birth of Jesus and the present suffering that we are in.  And when our answer to this is that "one day He will come again," we miss out on the hugely important presence of Christ with us today.  

Christ's birth was not the appetizer with the full meal coming at His return.  The work for the restoration of this world is not for God alone to do.  We are not simply waiting for Him to act...and wondering why He tarries...and questioning His goodness while the world languishes in darkness, and death, and despair.  We join Him.  He calls...equips...and blesses us to be a blessing.

Christ in us...Christ IS come...we continue to live out and with the gift that came long ago.  

But what about all the pain and suffering in the world? It's true that I can't end the conflicts in the Ukraine, Middle East, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Nigeria, or elsewhere.  But I can be an agent of reconciliation in my own sphere of influence.  I can love my neighbor as myself.  I can speak the truth in love.  I can do all my work as an act of worship for the King.  I can care for creation so that it will flourish.  I can be a steward of my time, talent, and treasure to make this world a better place.  I can be salt, light, and leaven.  I can be prophet, priest, ambassador, saint, king.  

And I can pray.  I can encourage others to have compassion, capacity, competence and courage in their spheres of influence.  I can support agents of reconciliation in those places that I can't personally reach.  And together, we can make the world a better place.  We bring the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, a little bit of time, being faithful UNTIL He comes again.

I can because of Christ in me.  What a gift that would be if I do it well!  A gift that keeps on giving to the glory of God, in gratefulness to the Son, and only because of the Holy Spirit!

That is a message that gives me hope.  That is a message that can make me feel good about celebrating Christmas.  I'm thankful that the Lord IS come!

Transformation and Job Creation: Meet Joseph!

There's a difference between activities and impacts.  Activities are the things we do in the hopes that it will bring about impact.  Some of our activities are workshops for pastors, church leaders, and businesspersons.  Some of our activities are mentoring, training, and advocacy.  Our partners regularly report on their activities.  But we are very aware that activities do not lead to transformation.  Education without application is just information.  But information plus application leads to transformation.  So, every October, each of our partners hires an enumerator to do a randomized survey of 50 businesspersons and ten pastors who have gone through DML to assess impacts.  

Our impact survey results from 2023 closely align with the results from 2022, which makes us happy!  For every business trained, two new jobs are created (of course, we know this is an average - some create zero, some create ten, but two new jobs for each business is the average).  More than 1000 jobs were created just by our sample of 550 businesses in this past year - yet we have trained almost 18,000 businesspeople so far in 2023! [I'll let you do the math!] Business profit has increased by 20% and household income has also increased by 20% (this is down from 25% in 2022, mostly due to inflation and instability in some partner countries).  94% of churches reported increased attendance, giving, and spiritual growth in their members.  We thank God for these reports of impacts!

The story below shows the impact of one man in Ghana who attended the DML training in 2020:

Mr. Joseph Osman, owner of Joseph Farms in Sanga-Tamale metropolis, Ghana, is a young and talented entrepreneur who worships at a Baptist church in his small community. Joseph Farms, specializing in pepper and maize farming, is just two years old.

In his quest to become a successful businessman and acquire essential knowledge, Joseph eagerly attended the DML business training in 2020, despite having to travel a significant distance. The training had a profound impact on him, shifting his perception of business from a secular endeavor to a platform for spreading the message of Christ. He learned valuable skills, such as customer satisfaction, business boundary setting, and pricing.

After the training, Joseph faced the challenge of choosing a specific business venture. With guidance from DML partner Hopeline Institute, he decided to venture into farming and secured one-acre plots for maize (corn) and pepper cultivation.

Joseph also has aspirations to become a journalist and is actively saving around 60% of his crop farming proceeds to fund his education. In addition, he plans to diversify his income by raising goats and sheep, recognizing the importance of a solid business foundation and clear boundaries.

In closing, Joseph expressed his gratitude to DML Hopeline Institute for the insightful training and the loan that kickstarted his business. His ultimate goal is to use his business as a means to spread the Good News of Christ to others.

These impacts could not happen without the work of partners, prayers, and supporters around the world.  Thank you for partnering and praying for DML!  

We still have a matching challenge grant for new recurring givers until we reach $25,000.  If you would like to give a monthly gift, for $5/month and up, our donor will match your giving for the first year.  Please prayerfully consider helping us reach our goal for 2023 by going here.

Translation as Mission: Impact Spreading!

We talk a lot about "business as mission" and even more so lately about "work as worship" which can be done in any workplace.

I received an email a week ago from our DML leader with the Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) in West Africa, Pastor Theo Pare, who has been asked to bring the "work as worship" message to the CMA in several West African nations.  This email showed me the potential of "translation as mission" - another workplace where unique opportunities (coupled with obedience) opened doors to the work as worship message.  Pastor Theo gave me permission to share his email with you:

Dear Renita,

I hope this message finds you well in God's grace. This month, I unexpectedly attended an international Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) conference in Monrovia, representing DML at President Job's request. Surprisingly, I was chosen as the translator for the event, translating between English and French for eight days. This unplanned role turned out to be a blessing for DML, significantly increasing its visibility.

During the conference, missionaries shared impactful stories of integrating business and mission. When I presented DML, it resonated strongly with the audience. The Congo Church and Guinea Church expressed eagerness to adopt DML, with the Congo Church, known for its extensive medical centers and schools, enthusiastic about implementation. Guinea is considering sending a representative to Mali for DML training.

Burkina Faso and Mali, celebrating their 100 years CMA anniversary until year-end, propose holding the DML training after the celebration, around the beginning of the new year. This unexpected turn of events showcases God's divine planning.

I appreciate your prayers and support, and I wanted to share the incredible impact of this trip. It was a testament to divine circumstances leading the way.

God bless you abundantly!

Pastor Theo

Isn't that amazing?  Pastor Theo is working fulltime with the Christian Missionary Alliance in Burkina Faso to equip every local church with this message.  This position was created in part because there was increasing demand for this message from other West African nations and the President of CMA in Burkina Faso wanted to respond to that.  Please pray for him, these open doors, and the opportunity for the flourishing of many as we begin to do our work as an act of worship, for the flourishing of all creation!

We can't do this without the partners who help to support this work through denominations and churches across Africa and Asia!  Tuesday is Giving Tuesday, and we hope to meet our year end goal of raising $80,000 in order to meet our 2023 budget and move into our 2024 goals with strength.  Please prayerfully consider joining us - go to Donate - Discipling Marketplace Leaders for more information!

The Five Trillion Dollar Drain: Unmasking the Global Cost of Corruption

[Don't miss the important announcement at the end of this post!]

This past week we were able to enjoy a visit from one of our partners from South Asia and learned about more than 2000 churches that have been planted in the marketplace in the past two years!  There are small churches gathering in factories, laboratories, hospitals, schools, transportation centers, farms, and more!  The priesthood of believers are disciples making disciples who are making disciples (2 Timothy 2:2).  

While we celebrate this, we understand that this is happening in a context where it is very difficult to be a Christian, where there is persecution and corruption which can be so discouraging.

We often think that poverty causes corruption, and sometimes that can be true.  Proverbs 30 says that God should give neither poverty nor riches...or I might have too much and disown God or have too little and steal.  But Vishal Mangalwadi, an Indian Christian philosopher, tells us that the opposite is more true - corruption causes poverty.

This excellent video gives perspective on corruption by using examples of the consequences of honesty and corruption in both the Netherlands and India.  Vishal Mangalwadi shares that corruption costs five trillion dollars every year and adds no value to the cost of goods that are being sold.  

He says that transforming a nation requires cultivating character.  He says that nations need more than investment, aid, or protests.  They need hearts and minds that are transformed.

Please take a few minutes to watch this three-minute video.  This is what Discipling Marketplace Leaders is seeking to do.  When we do our work as an act of worship, instead of for our own personal gain, it changes everything.  

In this week of Thanksgiving, we are thankful for the mission of God, which invites us to participate in bringing reconciliation to all spheres of creation - including hearts and minds transformed in the marketplace!  We are also thankful for each of you who has partnered with us, in prayer, encouragement, and financial support.  The demand for this message continues to grow and we could not respond without you!

PS - In light of Giving Tuesday, just a few days after Thanksgiving, we will be announcing that a generous donor has agreed to match any new recurring donations for 2024 (up to $25,000 USD).  This means if you give a monthly gift of $50 to DML, the donor will match that for twelve months! Additionally, on Giving Tuesday only, they have agreed to match any gift over $250.  Please prayerfully consider if you can partner with us in this way to reach more people in 2024!  Go to Donate - Discipling Marketplace Leaders - giving is easy with ACH, PayPal, and credit cards!

Global Planning and Preparations Through Zoom!

This week DML had its annual summit - virtually this time.  [On the even years, we gather in person; on the odd years, we gather online.] We had more than 90 people in attendance, from fourteen countries, across thirteen time zones.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship, fun, worship, sharing, planning, and processing.  

Each of our implementing partners went to a retreat center to have some fun, fellowship, prayer time, rest time, and planning time for 2024.  A big thank you to all of our partners who help to make this possible!  This is such an important time, as we look at what we have done thus far in 2023, what our impact surveys have told us, what we can celebrate, and where we need to make course corrections.  We then plan on how to use our time, treasure, and talent better in 2024 to increase the return on our investment for the building of the Kingdom of God on earth!

Here are a couple of quotes that we heard this week from pastors and marketplace ministers:

As a pastor, I had no idea how to equip myself economically and I was living a low-level lifestyle. After the DML training God opened my eyes as he did with Moses. I sold my house and bought land for farming. Then I planted banana trees. After a few months, I covered all the cost that I spent on the land. This has become a good example for other church ministers. 

I am a taxi driver. I used to charge unreasonable amounts to my customers. I attended the training of DML and understood that I need to honor God through my business. I started being honest to my customers. 

I have a weighing machine's business. I provide sales and service. Customers used to bring their weighing machines for repairs, and I used to give them a time frame. I never used to stay true to my word. I learned that I must do work as worship. I brought change into my behavior. My customers are happy with me now.

Some of the team pictures from this past week are below.

This week, one of our partners from South Asia, Praveen and Chrysolite Karagani, will be with us to share about the incredible work being done in planting marketplace churches.  We are so excited to hear from them as they share what God is doing to build His church in places where churches are no longer welcome - the marketplace is such a place where real growth can be seen!

Burkina Faso Christian Missionary Alliance team

Uganda DML team

Ethiopia Kale Heywet Church Team

Nigeria DML Team

Burkina Faso AEAD and Assemblies of God team

Tanzania team, with new team member from Zambia

Cameroon DML team