a journey with the Thomason family
Bethany pulled out our little blow up pool this week and set it up on the patio. Yes, it’s the middle of March and our kids are swimming on our patio. This week’s weather in SoCal has been in the upper 80’s and beautiful. Definitely not the best weather to get us ready for Czech Republic, but such is life!
I really appreciate this article from the Gospel Coalition on how to “Grow a Disciple-Making Culture in Your Church“:
Jesus didn’t have in mind maverick disciple-makers; he had in mind a community of believers who, together and under the authority of the local church, seek to transfer the faith to the next generation.
There are some great questions that the church needs to be asking and that we as individuals need to be asking in regards to our disciple-making. Read the entire article here.
Though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say that I am not what I once was, a slave to sin and Satan. And I can heartily join with the apostle and acknowledge that by the grace of God I am what I am.
– John Newton
A quote from Burk Parsons in the March 2013 Tabletalk magazine:
“The problem today is not so much that young people have consciously rejected ancient biblical values but that they have not been taught what they are, much less been trained in them.”
Later he adds,
“…we have neglected God’s call to train up the next generation of young people in the way they should go. If we are to redirect the current paths of young people, we must begin in the church by taking up the charge to come alongside younger men and women, and teach them the old, ancient values of God’s Word.”
It’s been a rough week. Our entire family has been sick with the flu (yes, the one you hear about on TV) and we even spent time in the ER with our daughter Avery because we weren’t sure if she was throwing up blood. By God’s grace, we don’t think that was the case, and she is doing fine….but it was still scary. As I’m writing I can hear our two-year old son coughing in our kids’ room and Bethany has been feeling nauseous tonight. Like I said, it’s been a rough week.
I sat down tonight to write some thank-yous to friends who are graciously supporting us in our ministry to Czech Republic. As I wrote my first one tears began to fill my eyes. I guess I was a little overwhelmed with God’s amazing grace and the sacrifice of our friends and family who are joining us in this ministry. Writing these little notes always reveals how God’s plan has come together in one way or another. One of these notes was to a family who were crucial in helping shape my thinking about missions. Another family are close friends of ours who we will miss greatly when God moves us. A few were to individuals who I have served in ministry with the past few years. These people are all people that God has used in our lives to shape us, help us, mold us, and encourage us. Isn’t that amazing?
We serve a big God. His ways are not my ways. He can see the entirety of my life in a single moment. He knows every person we will meet, every person will we do ministry with, and he knew that maybe one day He would use those people to send my family to another culture to tell people about His Son Jesus. He knew how important each relationship would be in shaping Bethany and I and how crucial these people would be in encouraging our hearts when we’re weak. He knew this week that I would need that kind of reminder and encouragement and for that I’m very thankful. It’s just what I needed.