July 2014 - Summer Newsletter
Psalm 77:1 - I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
An "American History Missionary"
I think Bernie has coined a new term to describe a good part of our ministry in recent years. As he says, an "American history missionary" is "someone who uses America's history for evangelistic purposes." :-) Bernie has had many more Christian heritage outreach and tour opportunities with families, churches and international organizations this year. He loves it! Bernie is just so hardworking and extroverted and eager to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. Every year since we launched Great Commission Families in 2006, Bernie has gotten more and more requests. Word of mouth seems to spreading about his enthusiasm and skill in presenting American history from the Founder's perspectives. He is so interesting and easy to listen to! And by God's grace these outreach tours and the Gospel fliers he creates help tell 'the rest of the story' of America's Christian heritage, much of which is left out in many modern textbooks. A Capitol Visitor Center official tour guide who overhead part of his talk once, told Bernie that as official guides they are actually not permitted to say anything with a religious orientation. Which is a shame since what Bernie shares is all true stories and direct quotes "in their own words" of the people who founded and shaped our nation. What he shares is not some fabricated story, but just the true facts and details based on source documents, which it seems to me should be part of the story told to all. A person certainly doesn't have to agree with the founders views, but isn't it important to not be denied knowing what those views truly were? So Bernie is happy to be able to fill that niche, in particular and most often in Washington, DC.Our hope is that when Bernie leads tours and outreaches, telling the stories of the good in the heros of the past, we can remember God's goodness and trust Him and serve Him as we look to the future. These men were not perfect, as none are, but Bernie chooses to speak of the good they did and lived as our nation was founded, in the hopes of inspiring us, in our own imperfection, to do the same.
- We cannot express how much your tour meant to us! You are very exceptional." - a Baptist pastor after Bernie spent the day with him & his family in DC.
- "What you do is really unique, and a great ministry help for us!" - an int'l student ministry leader
Please pray for more opportunities as the Lord wills!
Sarah's Summer
Bernie and I are excited about Sarah's acceptance to and attendance at the Summit Oxford Study Centre for 9 weeks this summer. The first three weeks she is enjoying a World View Intensive course taught by Kevin Bywater of Summit Ministries. Through the relationship between Summit Ministries and Oxford University, she will be privileged to have access to Oxford's massive library for the full 9 weeks, and the last five weeks she will enjoy a tutorial with an Oxford professor as she reads, studies, dialogues and writes about the Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers and Plato as part of Oxford's OSAP program. Along with 14 other Summit Oxford students, she is able to walk the same halls and enter the same rooms as some of her favorite authors, including 'Inklings' CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. She is terribly excited and loving her time there so far. :) I think it has been a nice little break from her world here; in many ways I think philosophy might be at the core of what motivates her in life, so to spend a whole summer soaking in and discussing ideas and writing about it, is wonderful for her. She does enjoy music too; her collection of books is rivaled only by her collection of mostly classical music scores.:) I wonder if maybe music is one way philosophy can express itself? Some of the wonderful modern classical music in the acoustic of the large cathedral-like churches there has been an amazing experience for her. Studying at Oxford for a summer really seems like a wonderful and stimulating break for her so far.
Where the Inklings met!
Ezra!!
We wanted to ask for prayer for Ezra. After a fun morning at a playground, having enjoyed for the first time, coming down a slide backwards, and climbing up that same slide as well, he tried a twisty slide on Christina's lap. His foot got caught on the way down, and he fractured both bones in his lower leg! It was shocking to find out that something that seems the safest way to try to slide, Christina discovered afterwards is a fairly common way children get a playground injury. We think they should have warning signs next to those slides! If they can have 'choking hazard' on so many toys, why not 'tibia fracture hazard' next to these slides!
New York Times article - surprising playground risk for toddlers
He is really doing well and has already largely adjusted to wearing the cast, and manages crawling and even cruising with it. He actually is doing some coloring and stays still a bit longer which has been a sweet fun 'blessing' amidst this trial.
Please pray for Ezra's bones to heal with no problems, as is
expected. Pray for his continued tolerance of and adaptation to the
cast. Pray for peace when the cast is removed with a loud saw, as
he is rather terrified of Doctor visits right now, and the saw will
make it even more unnerving for him. Ezra is an extremely brave boy, when he broke his leg he didn't even
cry much. He seems to be rather tolerant of pain, but I think not
being able to understand what is being done to him and why, in the
Doctor's office, makes it more traumatic to him than the actual
injury which he barely seemed to notice.
At his recent follow-up doctor visit post strabismus surgery, his eyes are perfectly aligned and stable. :)
Feel free to keep up with Aaron, Christina and Ezra at this link where Christina writes so poetically and so well about her family.
www.fullmooninksplots.blogspot.com
We hope you all are enjoying your summers as well!
God's abundant blessings to you all!
~ Linda for the Bealls