Lead Us Home

To Be or Not To Be . . .

2010-09-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

For some reason this morning a little quote from a Shakespeare play popped into my head . . . "To be or not to be, this is the question."

This quote got me thinking about us as people and the choice we have to follow Jesus. To be a Christian or not to be a Christian . . . this is the most important question we as people will face in our lives. There are those who will cling to the promise of salvation through Christ and those who will completely turn their backs on Him and follow the ways of the world.

Then there are those who have never even heard . . . who have never had the chance to make this choice. So back to the question, "To be or not to be" . . . are we as believers going to keep salvation to ourselves or are we as believers going to make sure that others have the opportunity to choose like we had???

We can choose to be Christians and still try and walk in the world . . . or . . . we can choose to be Christians and live in the world but not of the world, reaching the lost and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. To be or not to be . . . is this something we as Christians really need to think about???

Back Again . . .

2010-09-11T20:15:00.000-05:00

After taking the last month off from blogging I am back . . . the last month or so has been crazy around here and the computer has not been a priority!!!!!

In our eyes summer has officially come to an end as our children have headed back to school. We had a great summer but it was time . . . which is why this is the most wonderful time of the year!!!!!! Once again we are reminded that we are blessed and fortunate to have good education for our children. We are blessed and fortunate that our children can go to school everyday and feel safe. I am thankful that we can afford to send our children to school . . .

So hopefully I can maintain this blogging thing . . . without the long breaks!!!! For those of you who receive our monthly newsletters I will be picking that up again mid September. Thanks for hanging in there and for supporting this blog.

Romans 10:9-10

2010-08-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

"Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and trust in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God) and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms (his) salvation. Romans 10:9-10 Amplified Bible

The God of Blessing . . .

2010-08-07T08:31:00.000-05:00

Don't let anyone ever try to tell you that God is not a God of blessings . . . multiple blessings!!!!! The last two weeks for us have been full of blessings and we thank God for what He has provided for us. Those mountains which stood before us have been moved, allowing us to journey forward and not be left at a standstill shaking our heads . . . . God is the God of multiple blessings to those who are faithful and obedient to His word.

He Tore Down The Wall . . .

2010-08-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

"It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us ding what we felt like doing, when we felt like dong it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose His temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, He embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on His own, with no help from us!!!!! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah." Quoted from Ephesians 2 (The Message)

The Call . . .

2010-07-21T23:18:00.002-05:00

The call is so strong . . . the Lord has commanded us to go . . . and our hearts ache for the lost . . . help us to be patient Lord . . . give us the strength of a thousand armies!!!!!!

To Those Who Continue To Suffer . . .

2010-07-13T19:46:00.000-05:00

"History will judge us harshly if, once aware of the nature and scope of this violence, once outraged by its injustice, we do not choose to act against it." - Jan Egeland

First Kill Your Family . . .

2010-07-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

"Richard Opio has neither the look of a cold blooded killer nor the heart of one. Yet as his mother and father lay on the ground with their hands tied, Richard used the blunt end of an ax to crush their skulls. He was ordered to do this by a unit commander of the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group that has terrorized northern Uganda for twenty years. The memory racks Richard's slender body as he wipes away tears." Peter Eichstaedt (quoted from the book First Kill Your Family)

"Man's inhumanity to man is not only perpetrated by the vitriolic actions of those who are bad, it is also perpetrated by the vitiating inaction of those who are good." Martin Luther King Jr.

You Stood Before My Failure . . .

2010-07-10T22:52:00.000-05:00

"You stood before my failure,

carried the cross for my shame.

My sin weighed upon Your shoulders,

my soul now to stand . . ."

For God So Loved The World . . .

2010-07-09T23:21:00.000-05:00

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son . . . "

Though our world has turned their backs on God, He still loves the world. He loves the world so much that He gave His only Son so that we can be free. Not only can we be free, but the whole world can come to the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. He gave His Son for the "Whole World" . . . not just a select few but the whole world!!!!!

But He needs our help . . . He has given those of us who have come to faith in Him the ability to reach others, to reach the lost souls in this world. He did His part by giving us life through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, now its up to us to reach out and share the love of Jesus with others. With all that's going on in our lives . . . our main focus should be growing closer and more intimate with the Father and reaching others, leading them to salvation in Christ. Whether in your community, province/state, country or overseas, God has called us all to reach so that souls may not perish, but have everlasting life.

Don't keep God's love to yourselves . . . reach out . . . share your faith . . . so they too can one day enjoy eternal life in Heaven!!!!!

It's Been A While . . .

2010-07-08T20:24:00.000-05:00

Well it's been a while but I am back blogging!!!!!! My last post was in April and I want to apologize for the time that has past since I last wrote . . .

God has been so good over the last few months, especially when it comes to our journey to Africa. God is opening doors and continuing to lead the way . . . He continues to lead us home. He is a faithful and just God, and I thank Him and praise Him for His leadership, wisdom and love. God is awesome and we want to do what ever He asks of us . . .

He is our teacher . . . and over the last two and a half years He has taught us how to be patient. Patience . . . yeah that's a tough one for me but I am learning to be patient as each day passes. I've learned that I can't put trust in the world, I can't do things myself . . . I need to trust in God and be patient as He brings these things to pass. Right now He continues to open those doors and we continue to be patient . . . this is part of our training.

I'm the type of person who can get worked up about things . . . yet these things are going to happen regardless of whether I'm worked up or patient. God doesn't get worked up about all the lost souls in this world . . . He is patient with us as we reach the lost for Him. We need to remember that we are created in His image, He has given us the ability to be patient. So be patient . . . with God and with others. God is good . . . He is faithful and He won't let us down. Put your trust in Him and be patient . . . it will come to pass!!!!!

Our Family . . .

2010-04-15T09:48:00.000-05:00

This is the most recent picture of our family . . . do you see any difference? Oh . . . the man in the middle is my brother and friend Pastor Raha Muzibao from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In your eyes we may not look a like but in the eyes of the Father we are the same . . .

After spending a day with our brother, the desire to serve in Africa runs deeper than ever . . .

A defining moment in the day was when Pastor Raha said, "You are willing to give this all up . . . all this wealth to come to Africa?"

This opened our eyes in two ways:

1. We know that we are to go
2. We know that we are wealthy even though it feels like we are not at times

God has a plan for us . . . He has a spot for us in Africa. During times of frustration and patience building, we often question Him as to where He wants us. We often ask, "Why is this taking so long?" We struggle with this since our hearts and minds are in Africa yet our bodies are still in Canada!!!!!

We can't push Him . . . we need to listen and follow

Yikes!!!!!!

2010-04-08T09:59:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have those weeks when the days just seem to run together? I realized that a couple of weeks ago I started into a series on faith . . . and thats where I left it!!!!! Ahhhh . . . it frustrates me when I don't have the time to write . . . so here's to making the time.

Today it is my plan to find my study notes . . . once I have located them I will continue on in my series on faith. Hopefully this will be sometime in the next 48hrs or so . . . thank you for your dedication to this blog and I apologize for the lack of entries.

Faith . . .

2010-03-12T20:40:00.000-06:00

I'm going to try something a little different . . . you see when I study the word I write all my thoughts down. Whether I go back to these thoughts varies at times . . . since the reason I do this is to help me learn what I am reading. The Lord has challenged me to share some of my thoughts with you . . . hopefully its not to confusing!!!!

Faith - ". . . is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

By faith we believe in God - we believe He sent His Son - we believe His Son died - we believe His Son descended to hell to take back the keys - we believe His Son rose from the dead - we believe His Son ascended to heaven - we believe He has left His Holy Spirit to continue His work here on earth - we believe that He is our Saviour - we believe when we ask He will forgive our sins - we believe we can ask Him into our hearts - we believe He has given us eternal life - all of this we believe - we do this in faith.

By grace we have been saved through faith - this is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) . . . By faith we believe we receive His blessings . . . We believe we will see His blessings, His promises and someday His face . . . faith . . . the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

By faith in God man can be saved . . . "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." Romans 10:9-10

To be continued . . .

The Giant . . .

2010-03-04T08:59:00.000-06:00

This past week I came across the story of David and Goliath while doing my morning devotions. I realized while going through the scriptures that we still face our own Goliaths in our day to day lives . . .

Giants such as health issues and financial burdens . . . okay I will be honest with you . . . I chose these two because these are the giants we are facing today. How do we get rid of these giants? What's the easiest way?

The god of this world brings these giants upon us . . . and at times we are left realing and wondering to ourselves, "What are we going to do?" But we have our faith, as did David when he faced Goliath face to face. We have our faith in Christ Jesus and we know through Him all things are possible. We have that slingshot loaded and pointed at the enemy,but only our faith in Jesus will allow us to let it go!!!!

We load our slingshop (the word) with the rock (the spoken word) and let it fly . . . hitting the enemy right smack in the head!!!!

Only our faith in God the Father can bring us through these times of despair, these times of hopelessness. We have victory in Jesus . . . we have victory over all the things of the world!!!!!

Our current situation will get better . . . we know it will get better . . . we've laid it in His hands. We are facing a giant . . . and our giant is about to fall!!!!

Who's House Is This?

2010-03-01T07:55:00.000-06:00

While reading this morning I came across this verse in 1 Corinthians 3 . . .

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy and that is what you are." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

This verse opened my eyes this morning . . . I triggered the thought of, "I need to take more care into what I put in my body."

The things we listen to, the things we watch and the stuff we eat . . . we need to ask ourselves, "Should we allow these things to live in the temple of God?"

Some may say this is a "Figure of Speach", I believe this needs to be taken seriously!!!! I'll be honest with you though, I have a long way to go to changing the things I put into the temple of God. I've come a long way but still have a ways to go!!!

I'm going to leave it at that . . . so that you can think about it as well. So that you can ask yourself, "Who's house is this? Mine or God's . . . " Hopefully it challenges is as it has challenged me this morning.

Looking Back . . .

2010-02-23T09:02:00.000-06:00

I'm taking time to reflect back over the last two years since we started our journey to the mission field. Its been a good two years . . . a time of building our marriage, our relationships with our children and most important, our relationship with God. We have been through exciting times and we've been through times of discouragement . . . yet through it all God continues to give us peace as we walk through the ups and downs of life.

Over the last few months the enemy has been working hard at trying to slow us down. The devil knows that we have been called and he will stop at nothing to try and de-rail us as we move forward. The enemy has tried over and over to attack our health, finances and of course last month Laura's life. As the time draws nearer to our eventual work as missionaries, the attacks seem to becoming more frequently.

Please continue to support us through your prayers as we continue to walk this journey. Feel free to encourage us as so often the enemy tries to beat us down. Thank you for your support over the last month . . . over the last couple of years. We appreciate you all and praise God for your friendships . . . God bless you in your walk with Him.

Psalm 91:14-16

2010-02-18T07:44:00.000-06:00

"Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation."

He is our rock, our fortress . . . He is our security, our protection. He will answer us, and walk with us in times of trouble. This is our God . . . our protector . . . our provider. His promises are unchanging, they will stand until the end of time. He is not a house divided; He will not say one thing and do the other. He won't harm you so He can protect you . . . He won't lead you into trouble so He can rescue you. He is there to help us when we lead ourselves into these situations.

He is a God of honor . . . We honor Him and He honor's us . . . what more can we ask for? He wants us to live well and He wants us to be satisfied.

Our God . . . a God of blessing . . . a God of love. Take the time today to tap into His promises, take time to really focus on God and what He has done for you.

Keepin Up . . .

2010-02-11T10:56:00.002-06:00

Its been tough keeping up with the blog for the last few weeks!!!! I apologize and hope to get back to it on a regular basis sooner than later. With Laura recovering and Judah having a nasty case of bronchitis/strep throat, things around here have been pretty hairy. I do want to finish up our short study of Psalm 91 . . . please bare with me!!!!

Count Yourself Blessed (Psalm 91:5-13)

2010-02-03T23:22:00.000-06:00

As Christians we so often forget that God is a God of blessing . . . He's not a God who wants to bring darkness and mayhem into our lives. He's not a God who wants to steal our belongings . . . kill our loved ones . . . or destroy our world. Our God doesn't want to see us suffer, even when we bring things upon ourselves. What bugs me is why we as Christians right away question God, at times almost blaming Him for what is going on around us. For example . . . I believe the god of this world tried to stop the ministry my wife and mother have on this earth . . . I believe he attacked them, trying to snuff out their lives, yet we question God as to why it happened and in some ways the devil gets off scot free. Here's something I'm just throwing out there to stimulate some thought . . . if they had remembered to plead the blood over the truck before they left and asked God for His protection, would things have been different?

Let's look at it in a larger scale . . . mass destruction which see's a city, nation or country crumble, keeping in mind that it's the thief who comes to kill, steal and destroy . . .

"A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not approach you. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways."

God is our protector; He has given His angels charge concerning us. He will watch over us in all we do . . . but if we turn our backs on Him and give the power to the god of this world, the promise of protection becomes void. If a nation turns their back on the Lord, His promise to protect them becomes void. Yet we question God as to why mass destruction is happening . . . once again letting the devil off the hook. My God brings life in abundance . . . the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.

Let's stop giving the devil the glory and tap into the promises set forth by our Heavenly Father. God is good . . . He is a God of blessing, a God of abundance. Even when it seems as though the devil is having a hay day here on earth, God has the last say. Only God can provide us with the ultimate victory . . . only He can bring us complete joy. He is not a house divided . . . He does not afflict to heal . . . He heals the afflicted!!!

"The thief comes only to steal, and kill and destroy; I come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly."

Count yourself blessed!!!!!

To Be Continued . . .

2010-02-02T09:31:00.001-06:00

I started a series on protection last week. I will continue in that direction tomorrow . . . as for today I want to post a "Thank You" letter I wrote this morning. I've emailed to those of you whose addresses I have but I felt I should post it as well for those of you who read our blog . . .

Hello Friends . . .

Here is a quick update on Laura . . .

She is slowly regaining energy and strength. She did pretty good yesterday as we were in Brandon for the day for her cast removal appointement and to do some shopping to replace the clothing she lost in the accident.

The cast is off!!!!! That's the good news . . . the not so good news is x-rays revealed that her tendons in the thumb are all torn, meaning it will take time for them to heal. If they don't heal she may require surgery to repair the thumb . . . we are believing it will be healed!!!! Right now she can't use her thumb at all which makes it hard to perform many tasks using that hand. Yesterday at supper we had a good laugh as she tried to use a fork . . . it was definitely a struggle!!!!

She begins physio tonight on her shoulder. She is going to the same physio therapist she saw in her last accident 8 years ago. He did a really great job so were hoping for the same results again . . .

I mentioned she had an accident 8 years ago . . . for those of you who don't know this, Laura and Maddy were in a collision at an unmarked intersection on a country road just outside of Boissevain (20 minutes from Killarney.) They were fortunate to walk away from the accident . . . another accident the RCMP could not believe no one was killed. In both accidents they figured she was within a split second of losing her life . . . pretty crazy. Unfortunately there was one death in that accident . . . at the time Laura was just over eight months pregnant . . . the baby did not survive and she ended up giving birth to our stillborn son Levi. That was 8 years ago . . . so we've decided in 2018 she will stay out of any sort of moving veichle!!!!!

This most recent accident has brought up some memories of the past one . . . but Laura and I are in a "way better position" to deal with this one!!!! Amazingly she is sleeping well with no memories of these accidents haunting her. She knows she is fortunate and blessed to still be here and there's no sense in worrying about what could of been. She is definitely moving on and enjoying being home with her family.

Thank you so much for everything . . . your encouragement . . . prayers . . . and for loving us so completely. No matter where you are . . . you are our friends and we appreciate you more than you will ever know.

Blessings,

Joel & Laura

Psalm 91:1-4

2010-01-28T12:25:00.000-06:00

Abiding in the shadow of the Almighty . . .

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!" For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper, and from the deadly pestilence (disease). He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark."

He is our refuge, our fortress. He delivers you from the snare of the trapper . . . He will cover you with His wings!!!!!

Now that's a promise we as Christians need to cling to. I remember the first time I really sat down and read Psalm 91 thoroughly. I remember how excited I got when I came across the word pestilence and its meaning. Pestilence - plague: any epidemic disease with a high death rate. I right away thought of Deut. 28, where we read about the blessing and the curse. Sickness, disease and uncontrolable plagues will come upon this earth yet those who walk in faith can find shelter under the wings of the Almighty.

Even when scripture talks about the snare of the trapper, I realized that we can be protected from the things of this world . . . all that has come with the curse. I look at the "snare of the trapper" as another way of refering to the "god of this world" otherwise known as the "prince of darkness." It is so easy for us to get caught up walking in the world rather than in Christ. Sometimes its more fun, or at least looks like more fun to walk in the ways of the world. But when we do this we get caught . . . in the snare of the enemy, in the snare of the trapper.

Only through our faith and trust in God can we stay clear of what the world has to offer. Clinging to the promise which is laid our before us, the promise of God's protection on our lives, though we need to remember one important thing . . . we need to do our part as believers. We need to live lives completely devoted to Christ and the promises of His Word. If we do our part, He can do His . . . and I believe when we ask Him, He will protect us.

This takes us back to yesterday . . . there is power in the blood!!!!! When we are covered by the blood the of Lamb, nothing can harm us!!!! Nothing can come against us!!!!! We are covered by His pinions . . . we are covered by His wings. This is a promise overlooked by too many Christians . . . we all to often blame God for what's happening rather than turning to Him and asking Him for His protection. He is our protector, He is our shelter . . . take heed in what He's promised you; let Him protect you.

Our Protector . . .

2010-01-27T09:36:00.000-06:00

I'd like to start off by saying how thankful we as a family are for God's promise of protection. For the last few years we've clung to Psalm 91 and it's promises. We have taken shelter under the wings of the Almighty and have been protected day in and day out. What a blessing . . . to have God looking over us and taking care of us day by day. We are truly blessed!!!!

One thing Laura and I have come to understand is the power of the blood of Jesus. Before we as a family go to sleep at night it is important for us to thank God for His protection plus we plead the blood of Jesus over our home, car, school and Laura's job. Most important, we plead the blood of Jesus over our family, asking God to provide His protection on our lives.

He is our protector . . . it is satan who comes to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10) On the day of Laura's accident she remembered everything quite clearly. As a parent she is devoted to praying and asking for protection . . . except that morning

As I talk about protection you may agree with me on some points and you may disagree . . . that's not the point of why i'm writing!!!! I want this to be thought provoking . . . to help us understand His promise of protection. I don't have all the answers and maybe my opinions are not always right, but I am doing the same thing . . . trying to provoke thought on the subject.

So here's my opinion on something . . . do I believe it was the Lord's desire and will for Laura and my mother to be in that accident? I don't believe so . . . I believe the enemy had is hand in it, yet I believe the Lord protected them and then healed them of their injuries. Would the outcome have been different if they had prayed over their trip before they left? I'm not sure . . . all I know is that God was true to His promise, He protected my wife and mother, His faithful servants.

The god of this world is busy a work . . . killing, stealing and destroying all that lies in his path. We have the protection of our God, we are covered by the wings of the Almighty. He is my protector . . . He is my Father.

Back Writing . . .

2010-01-26T09:18:00.000-06:00

Well after a short layoff and a scare, I'm back writing. Laura is doing well and recovering from the accident she was in. It will take time but we know she is in God's healing hands, so we will be patient.

Tommorrow I want to start back into sharing my thoughts with you. We just finished doing a short series on love . . . so what's next? I'm thinking I would like to tour through Psalm 91, the "protection" chapter!!!! Since Laura's accident I've been reminded of how important God's protection is on our lives. Even as we journey towards the mission field we need to understand how important it is for us to remain under His wings, under His protection.

Thanks for praying and encouraging us (especially Laura) through this time . . .

TRUST!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-11T10:48:00.000-06:00

For the last few weeks I've been struggling trying to find answers . . . asking God, "Why does it seem like we are stuck?" As we wait for Him to reveal His plans for us, we struggle with the whole process of sitting, once again asking God, "Why does it seem like we are stuck?"

Yesterday I spent some valuable time in prayer, just talking with my heavenly Father. While we were chatting, the words "Just Trust Me" kept flowing through my mind. Finally it made sense . . . it was God telling me to stop worrying and to begin trusting . . . what a revelation!!!!

"Trust Me Joel . . . in your health, your finances and in my future plans for your family."

If we really love Him . . . we can trust Him. During the good and the bad, our focus needs to be on Him. As Christians we seem to walk away from the Lord when things are going well and turn back to Him when it all falls apart. We can't do this and expect Him to always be there!!!!! He desires our full attention and I believe in order for Him to help He needs to have our full attention.

Trust . . . if you are struggling today, trust in Him. Trust . . . if all is well with you today, trust in Him. Only God can carry you through the victories and struggles of daily life . . . trust in Him.

Thank You For Your Love . . .

2010-01-07T11:44:00.000-06:00

Over the past couple of weeks we've touched on love, most importantly, God's love. We've learned that in order to operate effectively as Christians we need the love of God in our lives. We need to allow His love to shine through us as we attempt to reach the lost.

The greatest love is God's love . . . and God's love is free!!!! Many of our struggles will be resolved when we connect into God's commandment of practicing love in our lives. We can try over and over to do it on our own but we will never see success like we will if we allow God's love in our lives. Anger, resentment and bitterness will get us no where . . .

For example . . . we've seen other missionaries go before us . . . we are about to see more friends leave for Africa . . . yet we still wait. We have a choice in this; we can sit around whinning and moaning because we don't seem to be progressing, or we can walk in God's love keeping our focus on what He has called us to do. If we stay in His love and follow His lead, we will get to where He wants us to be. If we sit around moaning and groaning about our journey, we will continue to sit and continue to moan and groan about our journey. It's that simple . . . trusting in God will get you somewhere!!!! His love is free . . . take it . . . accept it . . . live it.

Love . . . the greatest commandment

Tap into His love . . . truly seek the face of God.

Don't Be Ashamed To Love . . .

2010-01-05T16:29:00.000-06:00

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:5

Are we as Christians ashamed to love? I mean loving is hard at times, especially loving those who have offended or hurt you in some way. Maybe we are ashamed to love because our friends and family will think we've gone off the deep end!!!! Regardless, as humans its easier to hate and hold a grudge than it is to love and forgive others.

Our witness to the lost is lost, if not done in love. We need God's love in our lives so we can pour His love into the lives of people around us. I heard this saying once, "God's love is magnified whenever we share it with others. God never intended for us to hoard it or cover it up."

Have you ever tried to share God's word with someone while in a state of anger? It doesn't work . . . to have an affect on someone we need to act in love. We need to be true followers of Christ, imitators of Him. He has given us the gift of salvation yet we so often live lives of anger, bitterness and resentment towards others. We forget who our Father is and what He has done for us . . . we may not know it but we act as though we are ashamed of loving God.

We need to reach the world . . . we need to reach the lost. This starts with love . . . asking God to fill us with His love so our ministry on earth can be effective. I may not be the deepest thinker or even the scholar type, but I do know one thing . . . nothing is more powerful than God's love. Nothing is better than the blessing which comes as a result of God's love. If we receive His love and act in it, our voices will be heard across the nations. God's love will be effectively shared and like wildfire, will spread to the ends of the earth.

God is love . . . and His love endures forever

God . . . Please Fill Me With Your Love

2010-01-01T18:53:00.000-06:00

The key to walking in love is having God's love in us. Do you ever have one of those days when there's no love in you what so ever? Days where you feel you'd be better off left alone?

It is key that we keep our focus on God . . . it is key that we continue to renew our minds with His word. For myself I've begun to ask God on a daily basis these two things:

1. Renew my mind Father with the truth and promise of your word.
2. Fill me with your love Father . . . I desire to see others as You do.

If you're not in the word and talking with God on a daily basis, you will begin to become very negative, to the point where you do nothing but feel sorry for yourself. Only God's love can bring us peace, only God's love in us will help us to be effective in ministering to others. I once heard a speaker say, "What good is a miserable Christian?" If I'm miserable all the time, is God's love shining through me? How will I have an effective ministry if my words and actions are not those of the Fathers? We need to be filled by His love, so His love can radiate out from us.

Whether here or in the mission field, we need to walk in God's love. He has commanded us to go and He has commanded us to love. You can't have one without the other . . .

Allow God to fill you with His love . . . allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life as you walk the walk of faith. Ask Him, there's nothing to be ashamed of . . . ask Him to fill you up so that you can fill up the lives of others.

Merry Christmas . . .

2009-12-23T22:55:00.000-06:00

We just wanted to say Merry Christmas . . . God bless you and your family as we celebrate the birth of His son. May He provide you with peace and safety in your travels, wherever you may go during this festive season.

I will continue with my series on love after Christmas . . . Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings

Forgetting The Past . . .

2009-12-21T11:29:00.000-06:00

Creflo Dollar writes in his book, "Paul said that we must forget the past-not only those things we are most ashamed of, but also those things that we are proud of. Why? Because dwelling on either one can hinder our spiritual progress and prevent us from pushing ourselves to do better."

As Christians we all to often forget this one important thing . . . when we ask forgiveness, God remembers it no more . . . He casts it into the depts of the sea. It is wrong for us to dwell on the sins we've been forgiven for. Its like we really don't believe that God actually forgave us . . . we act in doubt of God's forgiving power.

In my walk with the Lord I've had to forget my past . . .

I've had no problem letting go of past addiction, that's actually been a breeze. Where I've really had to work in my life is towards past bitterness and resentment. Letting go of those who have hurt me emotionally, knowing that God has dealt with or will deal with them at some point. From personal experience, if we do not let these things go, they will eat at us and drag us into a pit of despair. I've been in that pit . . . its not a fun place to be.

I think of Jesus ministry and the persecution He went through as He spread the love of God. If He would have got hung up on what people said and what people did, His ministry would have been ineffective. Even during His ministry Jesus probabley struggled with staying positive, but He had to. Jesus had to stay positive to have an effective ministry plus He had to teach His disciples how to keep positive in order to have a successful ministry . . . He had to teach them how to walk in love.

Jesus is our example . . . He is our example when it comes time to letting go. He is our example as we walk in love, yet still today the church is filled with people who hold bitterness and resentment towards their brothers and sisters. We are to be imitators of Him . . . what a world this would be if we all let go of our pasts and walk in the love of Jesus.

As we progress in God's will, things will become easier, our walk with be easier. There will still be times of trial and temptation, but God's love and faithfullness will carry us through.

This Christmas season let things go . . . begin walking in the love of Jesus.

God's Calling . . . Will You Answer?

2009-12-20T10:44:00.000-06:00

This morning the Holy Spirit laid it upon my heart to do a series on God's call, using our situation as an example. For two years we have felt God strengthening us as we journey towards serving Him in Africa. As our faith has become stronger, our desire to serve Him has increased as well. The journey has been wonderful and He has taught us so much and I my hope is that as you read our blog, you would allow God to develop the call in you as well.

First things first . . . "The Great Commission". Found in Matthew 28:18-20, the great commission is a commandment to us, to take the Word of God to all the nations until everyone has had the opportunity to hear of God's love. What does God mean by the world? Does this mean we all have to be missionaries and go overseas? No . . . we are to go to the ends of the earth . . . right here at home is part of the earth. We are all missionaries, we have the authority to do this if we choose so. Whether its going to the end of the earth or to the end of the street, God has called His children to spread His word.

God calls us . . . that is so important. You see we don't "call" us, our friends and neighbors don't "call" us, only God "calls" us into His service. I truly believe if we act on our own will and not His, things won't go the way we've planned!!!! One thing we've learn't about the Call of God is the Harder's are not going into the field because we feel sorry for people, we are going into the field because God has called us, He has commanded us to go. He has given us a heart for Africa . . . our heart has broken for these people yet we go not on our own will, but in His will. Guess what? I took us nearly a year and a half to figure this out!!!!!

As we prepare ourselves for what lies ahead, God continues to do a powerful work in our lives. While thinking about missions this past week, the Holy Spirit laid it upon my heart to pick up a book I read a couple of years back. The book called, " Lord, Teach Me How To Love" by Creflo Dollar connects the importance of walking in love and serving God. This book has been a great tool for me over the last few years as I've had to learn to walk in love.

Over the next couple of posts I would like to touch on three areas of successfully walking in love. I believe we need to develop these areas in order to be successful as we reach out to the lost in this world. These areas are "Forgeting The Past", "Asking God To Fill You With Love", and "Don't Be Ashamed To Love."

In order to be successful in sharing God's word we need to be filled with His love, we need to be walking in His love. Jesus wasn't a bitter old man, He was a man of love and that's what drew people to Him. Seriously, what good is an angry Christian? Who wants what an angry Christian has? Jesus is love, His ministry was based on love, shouldn't we love?

Harder Family Christmas Newsletter . . . By Laura Harder

2009-12-18T09:24:00.000-06:00

2009 has been another busy year for the Harder family. So here is our yearly update for you . . .

Maddy - This past spring Maddy was once again involved in baseball. She really enjoyed it this year. Their team won silver in the league tournament which was held in Boissevain. She’s definitely grown up a lot this year. She’s becoming more and more like a teenager!! We hear about the Jonas Brothers daily. In fact we went to see them in concert over the summer in Winnipeg. I think Joel had the most fun . . . There’s nothing like thousands of screaming girls. In November Maddy turned 10. She is busy taking piano and art class this winter. She is our resident drama queen and we love her.

Olivia - Olivia turned 7 in July. She is loving grade 2 this year. Her teacher was sick for nearly two weeks, so they had a substitute filling in. Most kids would perhaps take advantage of the change of pace!!! But Olivia made sure they kept up the pace!!!!

Olivia loves to learn and has always wanted to be a teacher. Her teacher shared with us that Olivia should be drawing a wage as a Teacher’s Aid since she loves to help others when her work is done.

Olivia played baseball in the spring and did swimming lessons with the school over the winter. She’s busy with piano lessons and kid’s club this winter.

Judah - Wow where do we start . . . Jude turned 2 on October 5. He keeps our lives very busy. Judah lives life on the edge and so do we!!!! There is never a dull moment when Judah is around. His favorite activities are eating and tormenting his sister Olivia. He has become a little parrot, repeating absolutely everything that people say. Of course his sisters think this is great!!!! He has a favorite song and whenever we are in the car we turn on the song “Oh Happy Day”. As soon as the song begins playing his ears perk up and begins to shout “HAPPY DAY” over and over until the song ends. It suits him well since every day seems to be a happy day for Judah.

He is all about trucks and wood, especially big trucks which are carrying wood!!! Joel has had a lot of fun Christmas shopping for Jude this year.

Treatment Number 1 . . .

2009-12-16T10:51:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning I was in Winnipeg for the first of two injections in my back. These injections consist of a combination of freezing, cordizone and a long lasting steroid. The injection goes directly into the joints of the lower and upper lumbar of the spine . . .

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to be honest with you . . . this procedure is not a lot of fun. Even as I waited in my lovely hospital gown, I became more and more nervous. When I got into the room, the nurse proceeded to talk about the size of the needles . . . two or three times she said, "These are like two inches long". To top it off, she then opened them and laid them on the tray in front of me . . . this was about the time my stomach became quite queezy!!!

Finally I was able to lay down on the table . . . when I noticed a screen in front of me. The next thing I felt was a pinch and my back went numb . . . I looked up and watched on the screen as the needles began their journey towards my spine. Then I heard the three words you never want to hear from your surgeon, "Oops, I missed."

The muscles on the left side of my back went into spasm, knocking the needle away from the spine. Thus began the aggressive attempts ( 5 of them) to get the needle in the joint. Okay, lets be honest here . . . no matter how much freezing is in one's back, I felt everyone of his attempts (yes all 5!!) Finally on attempt number 6 he got it . . . PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

Ten minutes later I was done. Once I got my sea legs back, I headed back to the change room. All I could think about was, "One down, one to go."

Now I know what to expect . . . next week should be a breeze. Please pray for me next Tuesday morning at 8:00 as I go in for another round of stabbing. Pray that this procedure will work so that surgery can be avoided. Pray that the injections and the physio therapy will help in strengthening my back so that the Lord can use us effectively here and in the mission field.

On the lighter side of things . . . pray for my surgeon . . . that his aim would be one of "Perfection!!!"

In His Hands . . .

2009-12-13T19:00:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love this picture . . . the beautiful flowers in the backdrop . . . with my beautiful wife by my side. God is a God of beauty . . . this picture proves it for me!!!!

I'm not a flower type guy (I could really care less), but flowers like these amazed me when we were in Bukavu. As we would walk and see the beauty around us, it was hard to believe we were in such a poverish country, which has been affected so deeply by war. Yet through it all, God's beauty is all around, it's everywhere you walk.

The beauty of Congo assured me that the DRC is still in God's hands. God never turned His back on Congo, unfortunately they've turned their backs on Him. As for those who believe in Jesus, their hearts and smiles are as beautiful as the flowers of Bukavu, more proof and assurance that God is moving in the DRC.

God brings hope . . . and the Congolese people of faith have clung to that hope. They see past the war . . . they see past the poverty . . . and they understand that God is a God of blessing, they understand He is a God of hope . . . they are in His hands.

I remember preaching in a church one Sunday morning in Bukavu. I had a message prepared, not knowing the night before the service the Holy Spirit would lay something totally different on my heart. I ended up changing my whole message because I knew in my heart that the Lord needed them to hear what He had to say.

The next morning I stepped into a non english speaking church . . . with Laura by my side and our translator by my other side!! Wow, talk about having to trust in God . . . knowing that He's laid a word on my heart to share with these wonderful people. My message . . . going verse by verse through Psalm 91. Sharing with our Congolese brothers and sisters God's promise of protection for those who are faithful to Him. Guess what? It's exactly what they wanted to hear . . .

They are in His hands . . . they abide in the shadow of the almighty . . . and God is their protector. The Congolese people are created as beautiful as the flowers in the garden's of Bukavu. Their heart and passion to serve God is unlike anything I've ever seen . . .

We look forward to what God has in store for us . . . we look forward to the day we see our Congolese brothers and sisters again. God is so good . . .

The Call . . .

2009-12-10T23:44:00.000-06:00

It's just after 11 pm, my family is asleep . . . in the peace and quiet I've had some time to reflect on what God has asked us to do. I tried to go to sleep but I felt the Lord wanted me to share with you tonight.

I remember so clearly the night two years ago when Laura and I were able to get away and have supper . . . just the two of us. A night out which would change our lives forever . . . and forever change the way we thought about others. It was during this meal that Laura and I had a really good heart to heart. Our conversation became more and more intense as we began to discuss God's will for our lives. In our hearts we both knew that God wanted us to succeed at something, we knew His desire was to see us grow. As we talked and hashed things through, we began to see what God was ready to reveal to us. I remember saying this to Laura, "We should lay it all down . . . leave it all behind." At the time we were not sure what that meant, but it didn't take long until the Lord revealed to us His call on our lives . . .

We both looked at each other and said, "I believe God is calling us into overseas missions!!!" Surprised? Most definitely!!!! Yet at that moment the weight of the world came off our shoulders . . . at that moment we knew in our hearts that we had found God's will for our lives.

I often refer to this as "stumbling" across His will for our lives. You see it would be so easy if we just knew . . . if we just walked right into His will for us. As for us, it just seemed like we stumbled across the path He has chosen for us. Did we see it coming? Yes and no . . . when Laura and I were first married we felt the call on our lives to serve in the mission field. We went through the application process (with a different sending organization) but decided we would rather move back home. I often refer to this part of our life as the "Jonah Years", simply because we spent many years in the belly of a whale after walking away from what God asked us to do. Just so you know, we won't be walking away from the call again!!!!!

Over the last two years we've had some growing up to do, we've had some maturing to do as indivduals and as a couple. We also needed time to figure things out . . . for example, why has God called us? It took us a while to figure this out but we finally understand. God has commanded us to reach the lost . . . to go to the ends of the earth to tell everyone about Jesus, until everyone has heard. We had to suck up our pride . . . we had to come to the understanding that we are not going for ourselves, for personal satisfaction or to make ourselves look good. We are going because God has commanded us to go. Missions . . . God's mandate for us . . . we've chosen not to sit and wait for His return. Everyone needs to hear . . . everyone has to have the opportunity to make that decision, whether or not he or she will accept Jesus as their personal saviour. When this has been accomplished, He will return.

God has done an amazing work . . . He has given us amazing lives. All He asks is that we reach . . . all He asks is that we try. The call is there . . . its on all of our lives . . . lets reach and bring the lost to Christ.

Are You On The Road?

2009-12-10T16:14:00.000-06:00

If you are a believer, you have been down the Road to Damascus. A time in your life when the conviction of the Holy Spirit was so strong, that it knocked you to your knees. At this time you submitted to the Father; you gave Him everything. The scales fell from your eyes and you began to see the truth!!! This was truly a Road to Damascus type event in your life.

For others, they are still on that road. The conviction of the Holy Spirit will only become stronger. You will become miserable and angry, wanting to fight the truth of the gospel, but soon you too will fall off your high horse and onto your knees, where you will submit all to God. God has a plan for every one's life. As long as you have been born into this world, He has a plan. It is up to us to make the decisions to follow His plan. Like Paul, we have to make the decision whether to follow the god of this world or to follow God Almighty. You see God had a plan for Paul. In Paul's case He personally stopped him on the Road to Damascus. As for you and me, He will use the Holy Spirit to give us an experience like Paul had. God sees which way your life will head. He sees the bad choices that are made when you follow the ways of the world. He wants you to follow Him, because He knows you will live an abundant life (it's a promise). He knows that He can use you to spread the gospel to others. God is not a respecter of persons, and He has given everyone the opportunity to come to know Him. He doesn't pick and choose, He patiently waits for all to accept His grace. When your road to Damascus experience comes, do the right thing and submit to God and His loving ways.

I Am Free . . .

2009-12-09T14:52:00.001-06:00

I realized today that I am about to celebrate four years of sobriety. I'm not sure of the exact date but I know my deliverance happened approximately three weeks before Christmas. Four years later . . . I am free from the bondage of alcohol. I have no fears . . . I have no worries of ever sliding back into that life. God is so good and I thank Him for what He has helped me accomplish in my life and in my marriage.

Deliverance . . . it's great, but we need to do our part. I've had people in the past ask me how I was delivered from the bondage of alcoholism. Its kind of a long story but I will explain it briefly, by trying to paint you a simple picture.

I believe the whole time I was headed towards rock bottom, the Lord was by my side, His hand stretched out as He waited . . . for me to grab hold.

Finally the waiting was over . . . I grabbed hold of the Hand of the Father. This began the process of deliverance . . . I took the first step when I turned back to Him. I learn't something very valuable that night; I realized that God wants to help, but He needs us to do our part. I remember crying out to God, pleading with Him to release me from the bondage of alcohol. I didn't realize He was there and He was waiting for me to take the first step. Once I took that step He could help . . .

I found that during the process of deliverance both parties need to being to their part. I couldn't just rely on God to do everything; I needed to work through my issues and bring them before Him. I had to bring it all and lay it at His feet; I had to let it all go. Amazing . . . if we do our part God can do amazing works in our lives.

God is good . . . He makes life so much fun!!!!!!

Hopefully this all makes sense. I went for the condensed version of what the Lord laid on my heart this morning. God is good . . . He makes life so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM FREE !!!!!

I Am Back and Committed . . .

2009-12-08T10:51:00.000-06:00

Wow . . . I haven't blogged for quite sometime but I am back!!!! So where do I start? I guess the best way is to get back on the horse and begin sharing with you what's on our hearts . . .

This morning I received a news clip from IRIN news focusing on a deadly meningitis outbreak in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. When I read the headline I was immediately drawn to reading through the article.

Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo province is home to the Maikazo Technical Institute. Yesterday it was confirmed by the Minister of Health, August Mopipi that at least 100 people have been infected throughout the port city on the Congo River. Local leaders have began to call the menengitis outbreak an "epedemic".

Local hospital officials and the UN radio service in Kisangani have reported and confirmed 17 deaths from the bacterial infection, all students from the Maikazo Technical Institute.

As I continued through the article I came across a statistic which really broke my heart. Kisangani is one of the largest cities in Congo, and it lies in the middle of Africa's "menegitis belt." According to the World Health Organization, a outbreak of meningitis in early 2009 across the "belt" infected nearly 25,000 people, killing more than 1500 of them.

My heart aches for the congolese people and what they endure on a daily basis. A country torn apart by war, rape, starvation and even an earthquake in the past which rocked the city of Bukavu. If things aren't bad enough, you read about chlorea outbreaks and menengitis outbreaks which continue to take the lives of the innocent.

This article hit me deep . . . so deep that I decided to sit down and share these thoughts with you. Yesterday Laura and I were in Winnipeg for a meeting. In the morning we decided to finish up our Christmas shopping while we were in the city. Our main stop was Superstore, where I left in kind of a foul mood . . . I was holding a receipt in my hands for $182, accumulated in approaximately 30 minutes. It was tough to spend this money . . . correction . . . it was tough to let this money go!!!!

At times I struggle with the fact that we are blessed, and its a tough obstacle to overcome. I thank the Lord for His blessing of health and safety upon our family. I thank the Lord for His continual financial blessing so we can provide for our children. But as I sat and looked at the receipt in my hand, I thought of those who struggle with the constant threat of heath epedemics. I think of those who struggle to put food on the table and shelter over the heads of their children. It's Christmas time and yet people continue to die in third world countries of diseases which can be treated here in Canada. Then there's the $182 dollars . . . for those who live on a dollar a day . . . that's 182 days of survival.

I challenge you during this festive season to thank God for His provision, to thank God for His promise of protection. Seek Him in ways you've never sought after Him before . . . and ask Him, "Lord . . . how can I bless the people of Africa with what you have given me?"

We are brothers and sisters in Christ . . . whether from Canada of Africa . . . we are one in Him. Pray for our nation and yes, pray for the nations of this world.

2009-08-06T21:24:00.000-05:00

Lead Noah Home . . .

2009-07-29T19:18:00.005-05:00

Today God called our nephew Noah home. We thank Him for providing for Noah over the last few years. His ministry was powerful. Lives were changed because of Noah . . . including mine.

I believe in my heart that our son Levi was there to welcome Noah home . . .

Two strong boys ready to make their mark in heaven!!!!!

We love you Noah . . .

Praying . . .

2009-07-29T15:18:00.003-05:00

"And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith, and really believing, you will receive."

Matthew 21:22

July Newsletter

2009-07-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

The Hirondelle News Agency reports that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) sentenced on Tuesday the former Rwandan Governor of Kigali, Tharcisse Renzaho, 65, to a life sentence, for inciting and participating in the killings of ethnic Tutsis during the 1994 genocide.
The three-bench presiding Norwegian Judge, Erik Mose, concluded that the accused was guilty of crimes committed in Rwanda.
In an approximately half-an-hour judgment before a packed gallery, Judge Mose said that the accused played a crucial role in the annihilation of more than 100 ethnic Tutsis who had sought refuge at the Sainte Famille Church.
“It is undisputed that, on 17th June, shortly after the Rwandan Patriotic Front had evacuated some Tutsi refugees from the Saint Paul Pastoral Centre, the interahamwe attacked and killed refugees at the Saint Famille Church,” he said, adding that evidence demonstrated that Renzaho played an important part in connection with the commencement and cessation of the operation which led to over 100 Tutsi refugees being killed.
“He [Renzaho] was involved in the removal of the bodies,” stated the Judge. The Judge also pointed to the roadblocks which were erected with the sole purpose of identifying the Tutsis to be killed.
“Around 10 April, he convened a meeting that included local officials, such as mayors and councilors and explained that the Inkontanyi or inyenzi had shot down the President’s plane. He instructed those present to erect roadblocks for the purposes of fighting the enemy, referred to Tutsis as accomplices,” he said, noting that at this time Renzaho was aware that Tutsi civilians were being targeted and killed based on their ethnicity.
“Their actions contributed to the slaughter of those identified as Tutsis. Renzaho reiterated his support for these roadblocks,” he underlined.
The Chamber also stated that the accused incited sexual violence by encouraging rapes of girls and young Tutsi women. “The Chamber finds that Renzaho was aware of rapes taking place in his prefecture…he made remarks encouraging the sexual abuse of women,” the judge ruled, as the bemused accused, clad in a smart blue suit, heard the judgement from the docket.
The defence said it will appeal the ruling. “We’re going to appeal…my client is a Christian he did not think rape can take place in his own town,” said Francois Cantier, lead counsel of the accused, adding that they would also challenge other counts in which the accused was convicted.
This is the third judgment delivered for this year.
The ICTR has so far convicted 40 persons and acquitted six. Trials are underway in eleven cases, involving 24 accused persons.
Posted: 17 Jul 2009 06:34 PM PDT on "The Men Who Killed Me" website.

Dear Friends . . .
In 1994 an estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsi men, women and children were exterminated by the Hutu people group of Rwanda. A whole people group nearly wiped off the face of the earth during a 100 day period in the African nation of Rwanda. The men were beaten, humiliated and slaughtered in front of their families while the women and children were raped, beaten and left to die by their friends and neighbors. Complete satanic possession and domination took over the lives of the Hutu men and women who carried out these attacks.
In 100 days men such as Tharcisse Renzaho organized mass groupings and killings of Tutsi in Rwanda . . . and the world was unaware what was going on. Those who were aware . . . they chose to "ignore" the situation. Just imagine if a genocide were to take place in North America . . . would the world "ignore" the situation? Imagine if the most powerful nation in the world, the United States of America, hit extreme poverty . . . would the world "ignore" the situation? Imagine if the government of America completely turned on their people for their own benefit and gain . . . would the world "ignore" the situation?
This is happening in Africa . . . and the world continues to ignore their situation . . .
Since our return from Africa in November 2008, our hearts continue to ache for those affected by civil war and genocide. Our hearts ache for those who've lost loved ones to the affects of war and genocide. To drive the point home I would like to share something with you I came across while reading different books based on the Rwandan genocide . . .
A majority of the women who were killed were raped and left to die . . . not once but multiple times by multiple men in the span of an hour or two. Thousands of women died because they were raped to death. Those who were pregnant at the time experienced the same treatment . . . and then their babies were removed and destroyed just to make sure their was no sign of life. This is not normal human behavior nor was it an act of God. God never left Rwanda . . . Rwanda left God.
Over the last couple of months in our newsletters I've share with you what is on our hearts as individuals as we journey towards Africa. We continue to ache for those who have been affected by genocide and the thousands of children who have been abducted to serve as child soldiers or to work in the sex slave trade.
As the Lord continues to prepare us for the field, we ask that you keep us in your prayers. Laura and I are currently taking the "Perspectives" course online. This course will help us align our lives with God's global purposes. This course will give us a better understanding of the world Christian movement. When the Lord called us into missions we knew we were stepping out of our comfort zone. For me (Joel), taking an online course is stepping out of my comfort zone!!!!!
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we continue in our journey. You have been a blessing to us and we cherish your friendship. Until next month . . .
Blessings

2009-07-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

An estimated 300,000 children are being used as soldiers right now.

Children are fighting in 19 conflicts worldwide.

Most of them are abducted from their families and forced to become soldiers. Some are orphaned, and joining an armed group is their only chance of survival.

Once recruited, they are often used as front line soldiers, as spies, scouts and sex slaves.

Serving in both government armies and rebel groups, these children are subjected to unimaginable violence and torture.

Commanders often ply them with drugs and alcohol. In some places, they are given brown brown, a rudimentary mixture of cocaine and gunpowder.

These children are repeatedly abused, and disposed of when they are deemed useless or ineffective.

Young girls are also used as soldiers. Some are forced to become "wives" to commanders and are consistently beaten and raped.

Close to 2 million children have been killed in conflict since 1996.

What can we do . . .

Hard To Imagine . . .

2009-06-22T20:50:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday we were in Boissevain for Maddy's league ball tournament. The girls had a good run, only to fall short in the final. They won a silver medal which they are quite proud of.

It got me thinking . . . our children are so fortunate and blessed. All in all, they are safe and well taken care of. Our children have beds to sleep in and food to eat. Our girls have a three block walk to and from school . . .

What about the invisible children of Congo and Uganda? Children who walk to and from the city in the evening and the morning to keep safe and to avoid being abducted. Whether going back to the villages for work or school, these children have been stripped of their childhood.

My daughter won a silver medal, then went home to sleep in a bed after enjoying a warm meal. The children of Congo and Uganda have no choice . . . they do not have a comfortable place to sleep. Our girls understand what the children of Africa are going through, and like us, they want to help. I look forward to seeing our girls in Africa. I believe they will be a blessing to the hundreds of African children they will be in contact with on a daily basis. God has not only called Laura and I, but we believe He has called our children to Africa as well.

Pray for us as we continue to journey towards Africa. Pray that the Lord would connect us with a missionary couple who would take the time to mentor us. Last but not least, and most important, pray for the invisible children of Africa. Those who trek to and from safety every morning and evening. Pray the Lord's protection upon them as they journey . . .

Just Sittin . . .

2009-06-09T15:14:00.005-05:00

As the days go by we wait to hear from the Lord as to where He wants us to serve. Our hearts continue to ache for the people of Africa . . . and the Lord continues to prepare us as we journey to our destination overseas.

So what do you do during these times of waiting? Laura and I are both committed to learning Swahili. We have been trying to do a little bit everyday . . . with three kids and not much down time this leaves little time for language learning. What keeps us going is knowing how far ahead we will be in Africa if we can communicate with the locals!!!!! We feel this is such an important tool . . . since we saw first hand how tough it was in Bukavu to communicate with others, especially when a translator was hard to find.

We are also doing a lot of reading and research into the Central African nations such as DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanazia, Zambia, Burundi and Zimbabwe. A majority of our research has gone into the Lord's Resistance Army and their use of child soldiers and the effects of genocide in such places as DRC and Rwanda. As we read the Lord continues to "fan the flame" so to speak. To think we are willing to give up all the Lord has blessed us with here in Canada to help those in need in Africa. God works in amazing and wonderful ways!!!!!

Right now we need one thing from you . . . your prayers!!!!!!! It's hard waiting but we continue to be patient. God has a place for us, and He has a time for us. Pray for us as we continue to develop God's calling on our lives.

God Bless You

Help Child Soldiers . . .

2009-06-07T20:42:00.004-05:00

Here's a You Tube video you can check out from the Help Child Soldiers website. Click on the "Help Child Soldiers Video" link over to your left.

Waiting For Summer . . .

2009-06-07T19:54:00.002-05:00

This is as close as our children have been able to get to swimming this year. Yeah, its been a cool and rainy spring with frost . . . in JUNE!!!!! Here's hoping that summer comes soon!!!

I continue to be hit and miss with posting on our blog. I apologize for that . . . which is why I am going to make a better effort to keep you informed about the Harder's and their quest for Africa.

I also want you to check out a new blog posted by our friends . . .

http://www.namibianow.blogspot.com/

May 2009

2009-05-23T15:29:00.002-05:00

A couple of months ago our laptop crashed. We lost everything, including many email addresses. Today I would like to post our latest newsletter for you to read. If you would like to get back on our mailing list, send your email address to harderl@mts.net

Greetings From The Harder's

Well May is here and almost gone. We are patiently waiting the arrival of summer in Killarney, though over the last few days we've been experiencing frost warnings over night. It has warmed up nicely during the day which allows our children to spend more time outside. This past week we built Judah a huge sandbox (yeah I got a little carried away) in our backyard. This keeps him busy and out of Laura's hair!!!!!!!!!!

During the month of May I (Joel) turned over a new leaf . . . I've begun to read more . . . at a rapid pace. Okay, I've finished two books which for me is pretty amazing!!!!! While in Winnipeg a few weeks back, I picked up some books written about ex LRA child soldiers (First Kill Your Family and Warchild), and a couple of books based on Rwandan genocide survivors (The Men Who Killed Me and As We Forgive.) I've found these books extremely hard to put down and at times have felt that I am that child who has been abducted or that man who has just witnessed the killing of his family. As I continue to read about genocide and the use of child soldiers, my heart continues to ache for the people of Africa. My wife has been reading these books as well and her passion to help these people continues to grow as well!!!!!!

I remember when we were learning about Congo and the years of genocide which they have faced. When we arrived in Bukavu, it was hard to comprehend that such evil ever took place in such a beautiful country. In a country where the media has made it out to sound like God has abandoned them, God was moving in ways we could never imagine. I learn't one valuable lesson from the Congolese people . . . God is good and you need to put your trust in Him!!!!! Even though it looked as though these people didn't have much, they continued to give God praise for what they had. This has been a constant reminder for us as we seem to take things for granted. We have so much . . . but are we thanking the Father for what He has provided us with? Laura and I can hardly wait for the day when we can use our skills and our blessings to help others in Africa.

A couple of weeks ago we did a presentation at a school in Selkirk (just north of Winnipeg) based on the Congo. Our Pastor, a Congolese friend and myself had the opportunity to talk to the students about the Congo and our time spent there. It was awesome to see a teacher who has taken the time to teach her class about genocide and the use of child soldiers in Africa. Every student in the classroom listened intently to what we had to say. You could sense that these young adults were very concerned about what is going on in Africa. They were full of questions and very receptive to hearing how they can help the people of Congo. We need to start small for it to turn into something big . . . and that is why I appreciate what the Teacher in that classroom is teaching her students.

Thanks for taking the time and reading our newsletter. For those of you who are receiving a newsletter for the first time . . . welcome aboard. God bless and we will keep you posted!!!!!

Blessings,

Joel and Laura Harder

Please Remember Me . . .

2009-05-03T10:19:00.002-05:00

As you prepare to send your children to school this week . . .

Take time to remember the children of Africa . . .

Passion . . .

2009-04-16T17:45:00.002-05:00

Have you ever been so passionate about something that it breaks your heart? For me its a couple of things, both to do with Africa.

I am passionate about bringing hope to those who have seen so much. Bringing joy to those who have endured more than we can ever imagine. In Canada we cannot comprehend what is going on in Africa. So what is it that affects me so deeply? Genocide and the abduction of children forced into military activity and the sex trade . . . otherwise known as child soldiers.

It is amazing the amount of genocide which has and continues to take place in Africa, and the involvement of child soldiers in these genocides. Places like Darfur where child soldiers continue to fight with the Janjaweed as they continue to carry out the genocide in Sudan. Or what about Uganda where children continue to walk to the city to sleep at night so that they will be safe from abduction. The DRC where LRA leader Joseph Kony continues to reside, training children for war. Or who can forget Rwanda, Kigali in particular where an estimated 800,000 people were violently killed . . . 90% of a people group wiped off the face of the earth.

These are all countries that have seen their share of genocide. These are all countries where child soldiers have been involved in the genocide. Some of these countries are still in a genocide.

The picture I have posted today was taken at the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda. This is just one of the many mass graves where thousands of Rwandan's are buried, as a result of the genocide. For me personally, I found it really tough to walk through the memorial. I've read so much about this particular genocide and I was left speechless as I walk from grave to grave, knowing full well that there were children involved in the genocide as well.

So why am I writing about this? Just a reminder . . . just a reminder to us Canadian's who live in this blessed country to stop complaining about the petty things that bug us on a daily basis. Be thankful for all that you have . . . be thankful that we live in peace and your children live in a fairly safe society.

Stay Tuned . . .

2009-03-31T18:22:00.000-05:00

Things are getting exciting . . . stay tuned!!!!!!!

Let It Rain . . .

2009-03-23T18:36:00.002-05:00

I was looking at our Congo pictures today when I came across this one. I took this picture as the rains made their way across Lake Kivu. What intrigued me about these rains was none of the fisherman came to shore, they waited out the storms. Its like they knew God would calm the seas.

One thing I really look forward to when we go back is the sound of the fisherman singing. The first morning in Bukavu I was woken up (at 4 am) to the sound of the fishermen singing hymns. They started at one end of the lake, then another group started at the other end of the lake and so on. Wonderful voices and beautiful harmony spread across the lake in the early morning hour. While I was standing on the balcony outside the house, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What an awesome way to wake up . . . this was an alarm clock anyone could love.

Once in a while I remember the small things that happened when we were in Bukavu. It's the small things that get me excited about the possibility of going back.

It's Leaving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-16T16:13:00.002-05:00

Could it be . . . could spring possibly be here? Yeah, its been a long winter around here. We missed fall!!!! We boarded a plane for Africa on October 30 and it was 21 Celsius. When we returned on November 15 it was almost -20 Celsius and there was snow. Lovely when you didn't pack a winter coat!!!! Oh well, summer and all the warmth that comes with it is on it's way.

We Need Email Addresses!!!!!

2009-03-16T16:03:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago our laptop died and we lost all of our information. If you follow this blog, could you please send us your email info to harderl@mts.net so that we can get our monthly newsletters out to you.

Winter Fun!!!!!!

2009-03-09T15:53:00.003-05:00

Now that winter is finally "warming up" we have been able to have some winter fun with our children. This winter we've tried to do some different activities with the kids such as skating. These activities sum up the Canadian winter . . . activities which will be hard to come by in Africa!!! After living in Manitoba my whole life I think I will be able to handle the harsh African winters!!!! I'll be honest though, I will miss the snow on Christmas morning but I am willing to tough it out. We thank God for our home and our country . . . we thank God for our future home and our future country.

New Computer

2009-03-04T16:48:00.002-06:00

Since I haven't posted anything for the last few days I figured I should come up with an explanation. Last Friday evening my girls were enjoying a movie on the laptop when suddenly it shut down. Little did I know, the silly thing shut down for the last time!!!!! Frustrated and in a panic I phoned DELL . . . not a good idea!!!! They had nothing but bad news for me. So on Saturday I packed up the kids and headed to Future Shop. While looking for something new, they tried to extract all of our files from the laptops hard drive (all of our pictures and missions files). They were unsuccessful . . . which made it hard for me to tell Laura that everything was gone.

So, I purchased a new computer which is light years ahead of our laptop. We got an excellent unit for an excellent price . . . loaded right up with warranty (yeah the warranty on the laptop expired two years ago).

The long and the short of it is we needed a computer in a pinch, and we believe the Lord provided us with a system which suits our needs to a tee. We always bring major purchases such as this one before the Lord and it was nice to feel His support in the whole deal. We realized having no email and Internet access for one day was hard to deal with!!!!!

It is good to be back . . . online!!!!!

Lube . . . Oil . . . Filter

2009-02-25T20:18:00.003-06:00

Lube, oil and filter, yeah its a weird title but its how we as a family feel right now. Knowing what our future holds, we are trying to get as many little health and dental things done while we are still in Canada. Even our bodies need an overhaul at times!!!!

Today Laura had knee surgery on her left knee. She had a cartilage tear which has been bugging her for quite sometime. Having this fixed will make things more comfortable for her.

As for me, I'm scheduled to go see a back surgeon in April. The doctors what to get everything fixed up before we go back to Africa (trust me . . . I've seen African Operating Rooms!!!!!) The nice thing about this possible surgery is I won't be out of commission for long. For years I've been praying for healing and I truly believe that this is the Lord's leading and part of the healing process.

Pray for us as we face the journey ahead, for safety and health. God is preparing us to serve and I know He wants our health to be 100%. Until next time . . .

Two Nations . . . Two Cities . . . One Purpose

2009-02-21T16:32:00.003-06:00

For the past few days Laura and our watoto have been in Winnipeg having fun and visiting friends. Let's just say I had some time on my hands and decided to play around with Movie Maker. I have some ideas for possible fundraising material. This promo video is one of my many ideas. Check it out and let me know what you think. Eventually I would like to make two videos . . . one comparing Bukavu to Killarney and one showing the need in the DRC. Hopefully this works . . . enjoy!!!!!

Where Is My Heart?

2009-02-19T21:17:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was a tough day. I was lectured for an hour on production and money. You see, I work in an industry where money is the main focus . . . a place where greed rules and stabbing others in the back is a daily occurrence. I was hired on for my ideas and to help improve the area I specialize in. Yesterday I was told to keep my ideas to myself and do what the company wants me to do, whether I agree with it or not. During the whole conversation I had one thought running through my head, "All these people are concerned about is producing more and making money. What about those who have nothing?"

My heart was broken in more ways than one yesterday. I saw how greedy and thankless we have become in this nation. As I was criticized over and over again for the decisions I've made, I began to think about the people of Bukavu. I thought about the need in that city and the surrounding areas and how those people would love to have a job, especially one that pays a wage. My heart aches for them . . . I know where my heart is. I can't imagine carrying on working jobs like these when their is such need in the world. Where is my heart? My heart is in Africa, my passion is to serve the Congolese people and to bring them hope through Jesus Christ.

This Picture Sums It Up!!!!!!

2009-02-17T16:09:00.002-06:00

Smiling faces and laughter . . . for us that's what its all about. Before we left for Bukavu I thought to myself, "The Congo sounds like a place I would never take my children. It doesn't sound like a very safe place to raise our kids." Wow . . . how one's opinion can change in a heartbeat. I remember one evening laying on the couch with the window open and hearing the laughter of the children as they played. This was the first time while in Bukavu that I realized, "You know what? This would be an awesome place to raise our children."

I look forward to the day when our children meet the "watoto" of Bukavu. Maddy and Olivia have both told us how excited they are to go to Africa, but are sad about having to leave friends behind. I told them both that once in Bukavu (hopefully!!!!), within minutes they will have more friends then they'll know what to do with!!!! Laura and I had children all over us and we are adults . . . I can just imagine what it will be like when they meet Maddy, Olivia and Judah. It will be an awesome day!!!!

One More Step . . .

2009-02-13T17:41:00.002-06:00

On January 30th, I officially received Credentials with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. This past week it was made official when I personally received my certificate and credential card. This is a big step as we work towards our missionary appointment in Africa. Wow . . . I've come a long way in four years!!!! If you had told me five years ago where I would be today . . . yeah its hard to believe. Thank you for all of your prayers over the last few years.

Also, I added another link for you to check out. Christian Weekly Magazine published an article on the DRC. The article talks about what has been happening in the Congo over the last decade. Pastor Darrell was interviewed when we returned from Bukavu as a part of the article. I encourage you to click on the link "Christian Week" and check out the article on the DRC.

Let's Not Turn Our Backs . . .

2009-02-11T20:31:00.003-06:00

This evening I watched the documentary "Darfur Now" for the fifth time. It has to be interesting to watch a documentary five times. I guess the whole genocide thing gets me. Actually what gets me is how we here in the western world turn a blind eye to what's happening in different areas of Africa. It really hit me last November when we had the opportunity to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. To read stories of those who survived, walk through rooms full of pictures of those who died. What hit me the hardest was passing through a room where they perserved clothing, bones and skulls of the victims. Then walking the paths through and around the mass graves . . . unbelievable . . . words can't express what you feel as you walk through a room with faces of children and description of how they died.

Since 1994 the Congolese people have lived amongst strife and civil war. People killing there own people, you know, genocide. Since 1998, an estimated 5.4 million people have died from war and it's lingering effects. An estimated 45,000 people continue to die each month. This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. The amazing thing is the smiles you see on the faces of the Congolese people, especially those who know Jesus. Please pray for these countries . . . DRC, Rwanda, Darfur (Sudan) and Africa in general. Let's not turn away from them . . . lets turn towards them so that they can see a face of hope and love.

2009-02-11T16:47:00.004-06:00

ORPHANS AT BETHSAIDA CHURCH RECEIVING STUFFED ANIMALS DONATED BY MADDY AND OLIVIA HARDER

Not a day goes by where we do not think about our children, our watoto in Bukavu. We knew God sent us to the Bukavu for a reason . . . to fall in love with His children of another nation. We are still overwhelmed by the thoughts of their smiles and laughter and we await the day when we will see them again.

We often wonder if the children still remember us and talk about us. We received an email the other day where we were told the children still ask about us, especially my wife. They ask about Laura "Mama Watoto" (Mother of Children) and when she will return. We will return and this time we will bring our children. Oh how we long for that day!!!! It's so exciting to hear about the impact our first visit had on the Congolese people. We definitely look forward to returning some day.

This is a new blog where we hope to post information on the Democratic Republic of Congo and to share with you as we journey towards Africa. Please be in prayer for us as we continue towards fulfilling God's call on our lives.