More Love For Lisa...

As this week goes on, I'm even more moved by the impact that Lisa Lengacher had in the lives of those all around me. Click to read the thoughts of Steve Gall, Jon Andrews, Shelley Flickinger, and Rhonda Schrock.

Another Tribute To Lisa...

First, for those of you who would like to pay your respects, the viewing for Lisa Lengacher will be from 2-8 pm on Thursday at the Wakarusa Missionary Church with the funeral at 11 am on Friday.

My great friend and former WMC pastor Mark Slabaugh has written a very eloquent post on the impression Lisa left on him and his ministry, and how we can carry on her legacy. Click here to read it...it's worth your time.

A Tribute To Lisa...

"Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:15-16,19-20, NIV)

We lost a great one yesterday.

Lisa Lengacher, whose life could be described by the verses above, went home to be with Jesus at the age of 39 yesterday morning. It's hard to believe that she's gone from us here...I know I still am in shock from hearing it. We still don't yet know what caused it, but we know she had accepted Christ into her heart, and that's enough for now. I've known Lisa for about 20 years, and I'd like to tell you a little bit about her...

In high school, Lisa was one of those "it" girls. You know what I mean...the kind of girl every guy wants to date and every girl wants to be. She was very beautiful and outgoing. She was a cheerleader, a member of the swing choir, and a friend to anyone she knew, regardless of their social status. I had always admired Lisa from afar, and got the chance to get to know her when I started dating one of her good friends. Lisa was just what I imagined she'd be. She was one of those people who made you feel like you were the only one in the room when she was talking to you. She genuinely cared about you and what you had to say, and always gave you her full attention. Right around her graduation, I think, she and Jeff started to date. Our girlfriends were roommates at Taylor, and I spent a few rides down to Upland with Jeff and got to know him. He loved Lisa dearly, and they were married about a year later.

I kind of lost touch with Jeff and Lisa over the next few years as we attended different churches and started our families. About eight or ten years ago, they came to my church and got involved in children's ministry, creating a program for 5th and 6th graders to fill a much needed void. They asked me to be a part of it and, after wrestling with God, I accepted. Watching Lisa with the young boys and girls in the class, I was impressed to see the very same girl I knew in school, one that would take all the time in the world to listen to the problems of an 11 or 12 year old, and talk and pray with them. She led the music for our group, and her love of singing and praising God rubbed off on everyone, including me. She also was involved in mission trips to help those in need, most notably her experience with Samaritan's Purse in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Listening to her share with our congregation, it was clear that God gave her a heart for service...and that blossomed into a brand new ministry that will be her legacy.

Lisa and Jeff have always had room in their hearts for latch-key and at-risk kids. On their own, they have spend time with and mentored many young kids over the years. About two years ago, they had the vision to create an after school program for kids that would provide a safe place to be, along with help with schoolwork, and a Christian atmosphere of love and acceptance. This vision has become "The Compass", and is flourishing in its first full year in operation. (You can click the link above to learn more, and you can read Lisa's own posts and thoughts on this ministry.)

Lisa had a very child-like personality and faith, and I mean this as the greatest compliment. She believed that there was nothing God couldn't do, and seemed to be genuinely amazed and excited at His blessings and answers to prayer every day. No matter what state she was in, Lisa always had a smile and personality that left you feeling better after talking to her.

No matter how much all of us miss Lisa right now, we know she is in an awesome place right now. The headaches she struggled with will never bother her again. Any of her illnesses will not touch her anymore. Someone heard one of Lisa's sister-in-laws speaking yesterday and she said this: "Knowing Lisa, she's in such awe of all she's seeing up there, she probably hasn't closed her mouth yet!" (She's exactly right...and thinking about Lisa there in heaven does make me smile.) Lisa will spend eternity now praising God, singing, and waiting at the gates to meet all the many people she's known and influenced for God's kingdom over her lifetime. I know we all can't wait to see her again.

He's no theologian, but Garth Brooks said it best in his song, "The Dance":

"Looking back, on the memories of
The dance we shared, 'neath the stars above
For a moment, all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye?

But I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance"

Garth got one thing wrong: our lives are not left to chance, they are in the hands of God, and even though we can't see His plan right now, we just climb up in His mighty arms and let Him hold us during this time. Garth was right about this, and I think I can speak for Jeff, his family, and everyone of us that knew Lisa: no matter how bad it hurts to lose her, none of us would trade the pain for the memories we have of her.

Goodbye Lisa, and "thanks for the dance"...and we all can't wait to see you again someday...

Bridges

Thursday of this week, it had been an exceptionally hectic day for one of our regular volunteers at The Compass (one of the responsibilities she carries is to give a daily devotional during the children's snack time). As soon as she had arrived, she realized she had forgotten her devotional and object lesson materials for the day, and because she was pressed for time, it wasn't possible to go back home to retrieve them.

This volunteer said she, "shot up one of the fastest arrow prayers of her life," as she reached for an emergency-stand-by object lesson book kept at The Compass. The only other thing she remembered thinking at the time was that she, "knew it had to be an object lesson where no items were required." She stopped at a page entitled 'A Bridge,' where there wasn't any additional material needed to deliver this particular biblical object lesson/truth.

Thanking the Lord as she sought out an additional volunteer, she asked if the volunteer still had a photo on her cell phone from a summer vacation (she knew that the volunteer had taken pictures of a very large bridge they had daily crossed). The volunteer affirmed she still had photos of that bridge on her cell and wanted to know why she was asking. Without answering the first question, she asked the volunteer if she had her cell phone with her. Again, the volunteer affirmed she had her cell phone and now was really curious. In the final minute they had remaining, she quickly filled in the volunteer helping what had happened that day, how God had directed her to this particular lesson, and how he had reminded her of the photos of the bridge. They both agreed to have her show the photo of the bridge to each individual child while the other volunteer was sharing the lesson.

After all of the children were signed in, had found a place at the table, and a child had said a prayer of thanks to God for their snack, the volunteer started to share. She talked about a very large bridge, and how it is almost impossible to get to the other side of where you need to go without crossing the bridge; which meant that basically, the only way to get from one side of the bridge to the town the volunteer had traveled to, they had to cross the bridge every day to get there... it was the only way to reach their destination.

At this point, several hands shot up in the air (usually, the volunteer giving devotions doesn't stop to answer questions, or allow talking during the devotional, until at the end -- unless questions/sharing needs to happen in order to deliver the biblical point, or lesson, for that day). This particular day though, she stopped and allowed each one with their hands up to share. Each one of the children were saying, "I know what you're going to say next. 'So do I,' " several of the other children chimed in. She allowed to have one of the children share their thoughts on the subject. "You're going to talk about Jesus."

She told the children yes, today's lesson was about Jesus and then she read them this verse from John 14:6, "Jesus told them, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " Another hand shot up, and the child said, "Jesus is the bridge! Jesus is the bridge!" She asked if anyone knew where Jesus led to? Yet another child raised her hand, and said, "God?" Yes, said the volunteer, "Jesus leads us to God, and just like the bridge that brought the family where they needed to go, Jesus brings us to God. She also shared that Jesus is the only way to God, just like the bridge was the only way to take the family where they needed to go."

A few of the children were saying, "cool," and several more chimed-in as the two volunteers watched what they called 'light bulbs turning on' with the children's expressions. It was cool to witness God's truth being understood and planted into the hearts and minds of the children. It was cool how God reminded one of our volunteers of the photo of the bridge. And it was really cool how God had provided a way to a 'God appointment' that He'd had set up for that day and time for The Compass children and volunteers, before the universe was ever created by Him. God again showed His faithfulness and love in a very visual way, not only to the children, but to the volunteer who said she felt "scatter-brained and panicked," for a few moments until God blessed all of us with ways He remains open and accessible to Him, when we've accepted and know His Son, Jesus!

How Does It Happen...

...that two children, at the start of the school year, told their mom, that they didn't want to come to The Compass, even if she wanted them to.

...that those same two children, couldn't stop talking about The Compass the first night they got home, and have looked forward to coming to The Compass every day ever since.

...that children are beginning to understand, respect and follow the expectations/guidelines we have here at The Compass; and as a result, no foul language has been used, or heard, for the last two weeks.

...that two children, in the same class, who have the same teacher and didn't really know one another before, are now friends who play together, not just at The Compass, but every day at school.

The Answer Is Simple...

...God. He answers prayers. He is at work. The love of Jesus is being felt and experienced by the children. The Holy Spirit is at work within the hearts and minds of the children.

How Does Anything Good Ever Happen...

...God. He hears and delights in answering prayers, and we're so glad. To God be the glory for all of the good things He has done these past several weeks!

We excitedly continue to pray, watch, and listen...
...won't you join us?

I Will, I Will....

It has been both touching and exciting to see a room full of hands shoot up into the air every day at snack time. Last year, a few children, periodically, would volunteer to pray and thank God for our snacks every day.

This year, we are having to make out a list of names to give everyone wanting to pray before snack time, a turn. It has been incredible to hear the children expressing their thanks to God - not just for their snacks, but for their friends, families, The Compass & its volunteers, people who are sick. Many of them are truly expressing their thanks and needs before Almighty God. We'll keep you posted as to how God answers some of their requests; and thank you in advance, for keeping The Compass as part of your requests before our Almighty, heavenly Father.

Thanks for all the support!

We feel grateful having just cleared the full two weeks mark for the 2008-09 ministry year to have such wonderful support from a number of individuals. We have had different ones step forward to bake us special treats once a month (using the church's kitchen, a state law requirement), helping tutor various students, letting us know of their prayer support; and most recently, Pastor Paul, our head pastor at Wakarusa Missionary Church wrote a letter to the entire church body letting the church family know what we are about and the various ways they can get involved if God so leads them.

We were again reminded of a promise in Isaiah that we have claimed which says, "I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!" It is humbling, and awe-inspiring, to see God begin to answer those prayers as we continue to watch our waiting list numbers grow and seek him for more 'workers for the harvest.' (We are confident that if God has brought so many children, and families, to be a part of The Compass, He will provide all that is needed to accomplish His ministry and will).

It has also been humbling and gratifying to be building relationships with the attending children, and their families these past few weeks - nothing beats a hug hello, or goodbye, from an attending child, or a thank you from a grateful parent. Several, on both counts, are expressed almost on a daily basis.

We continue to joyfully anticipate what God has in store, which we are quite certain is above anything we can think to ask, or imagine, as we establish a routine with the attending children, and expectantly wait upon the Lord for His provision of the remaining volunteers needed. Thank you Pastor Paul, our Compass Board members, Compass volunteers, and all other individuals for your participation, support, and prayers. We can attest to the fact that none of it goes to waste - God is a work here!