Bud Simon

Being Still...

Sunset over the Xingu River - the mission boat, Maranatha 2, is resting at anchor

Being still - this is rare in our society. 

We are fascinated by technology.  Phones, radio, television, walkmans, boom boxes, portable dvd players, laptops, net books, cell phones, blackberrys, palm pilots, ipods, the internet - the list goes on. 

Is God speaking to us through the technology?  Or does technology distracting us from our adoration? 

It is amazingly difficult to find a quiet moment of reflection, of prayer, of uninterrupted meditation. 

However, it is in the quiet moments that we can hear God's voice.  It is in the stillness that God's voice speaks to our hearts. 

"... a powerful wind, an earthquake, a roaring fire - God did not come with them.  But after these things, came a gentle whisper and Elijah covered his face..." (I Kings 19:10-18)

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)

God's voice is heard in the stillness, in the quiet, in the solitude, in the morning hour, before others are awake.  We struggle to keep up with all the latest and greatest.  More often than not, it distracts our spirit.  Rarely does the technology bring peace of mind, quietness of heart, or calmness of spirit.

Be still and know that He is God. 

Hand made canoe and paddle near a river village

Some Reflections on Grace and Forgiveness…

A few years ago, an interesting situation happened to our family. We had a dear friend who was in our home all of the time, watching our kids, helping out, and just being around. One day, we noticed there was money disappearing from the house. Large amounts of money. Brazil, being a cash based society, makes it common to keep a lot of cash on hand. So we hid some video cameras, using our computer. And, there our friend was on video, going the desk drawers and file cabinet, looking for money. We felt terribly betrayed and deceived.

The one phrase that sticks with me from the Lord’s Prayer is “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”.

Maintaining a life of forgiveness is a constant struggle. Forgiveness extends grace and mercy to others. Forgiveness is Gracious. Understand. A spirit of reconciliation. Kindness. Bridging differences. Love. Compassion. Consideration. Honoring others, even in their weakness.

The catch is that we receive as we give. Life in the Kingdom of God is an exchange, a giving and receiving. It is always true. Planting and reaping. Reaching out and having others reach out to us. The Kingdom works in the supernatural. I can forgive here and receive grace and forgiveness from some other person that I never imagined.

Is there something more powerful than giving forgiveness when forgiveness is not expected nor deserved? Forgiveness surprises, forgiveness delights, forgiveness humbles.

That is how I received forgiveness. And it had the power to change my life. And it still is changing my life today. The foundations of the Kingdom of God are built on His Grace. I want to extend grace as well as receive it.

Earlier this year, I read two books in tandem. “Free of Charge”, which is an exploration in the theology of giving and forgiving and “The Shack”, which is a fictional account of one man’s struggle to forgive. The two books together provided a powerful insight into ministry of forgiveness, moving both my heart and my mind. I would highly recommend both of these books.

Forgiveness is understood as it is applied. Giving forgiveness releases in us a more mature understanding of forgiveness.

Put forgiveness into action we enter into this season of Christmas. God is calling us to a higher place.

Books

I am an avid reader. 

I enjoy reading but I also read as a discipline. 

The discipline of reading helps to provide different perspectives and insights that shape and form my thinking and actions. 

Here are a few of the books that I have read in the first six months of 2009 ( in no particular order). 

Know What You Don't Know: How Great Leaders Prevent Problems Before They Happen
This book is an insightful and helps me to think in a new way about problems and issues that arise.  It helps to move from a reactive place to a proactive place.  The book is written from a business perspective.  The priciples are sound and practical for pretty much any forum of life.  A quick and easy read and I highly recommend it for those that want to think differently about problem solving. 

The Message Bible Large Print Burg Lthr Lk: Large Print Edition
This is a new Bible I purchased.  I love it.  The Message, of course, is a paraphrase Bible.  But, the print for my 45 year old eyes is fantastic.  I also have always preferred the single, wide column filling the page as opposed to multiply columns on a page.  It makes the reading quick and easy.  The Bible is high also well made, being of a good quality.  I recommend this for those that enjoy the Message Bible. 

Tell It Slant: A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers
A wonderful book by Eugene Peterson.  In it, he explains the parables that are unique in the Gospel of Luke as well as the prayers of Christ.  I know, it may not sound too exciting.  However, it is eminently practical and applicable to daily life.  I have enjoed the book immensely for reflective reading and highly recommend it. 

Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
An excellent book for those that speak on a regular basis, especially as teachers or preachers.  It will help to improve your communications by focusing your thinking.  It is an easy read and very practical. 

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
This was written by a couple of professors.  They explain in the book why some ideas and thoughts are easy to remember.  This is a must read for anyone that communicates or presents in any context.  If you are interested in people remembering what you say:)  I highly recommend this.  Funny, interesting and practical. 

Outliers: The Story of Success
Fascinating.  It covers a wide range of subjects and provides for a much wider perspective into all kinds of subjects.  It provides a creative way to perceive things that intuitively you understand as correct.  It will widen your understanding and insight.  Gladwell is an excellent writer. 

Adventures of a Bystander
This is the closest thing to an autobiography of Peter Drucker that you will find.  He tells dozens of stories from his life and interactions with famous and not so famous individuals through the years.  He shares the lessons and insights gained from those times.  A great book, if you know who Drucker is and want something that provides a totally different perspective. 

Take a look at the links to Amazon.com for more indepth reviews and information.  I got a load of other books also, but these are just a few that I found interesting and insightful. 

Good reading!

Do I Love What I Do?

You know, life is short. 

We all come to grips with our mortality, sooner or later. 

But sooner is better than later. 

As I have reflected on a number of things over the past several months, it has become apparent that it is much better to focus on my personal strengths and on the things that I enjoy doing.  We all need to do some things out of responsibility whether we want to or not (I am thinking about taxes).  However, we can, with some forethought and insights, make good life choices that will allow us to do the things that we actually enjoy doing in life and the things that re rewarding. 

Not always, but often.

And, as I look around I realize that it is easy to drift from those things and get caught up in fulfilling other people's expectations.

Finances and Missionary Life (aka - 5 Principles of Missionary Living - Part 4)

This is the fourth installment in a series on missionary living.  This has been several months in the sharing.  I say in the sharing because the article has been written for a long time.  Talking about finances is always a tough topic, and even tougher in these difficult economic times.

Here are links to previous topics in the series.  I encourage you to take a look.

 Part 1 - Calling

Part 2 - Convience

Part 3 - Uncertainity

Finances

There is never a good time financially in a person’s life to be a missionary.  At this moment, every single missionary that is on our team could be making more money back in North America.  Everyone.  Every missionary has taken from 50% to 90% pay cuts from their earnings potential by choosing to serve on the mission field.  A missionary couple currently needs $2000 monthly to live in our corner of Brazil.  When you consider that two people each work a minimum of 40 hours a week, that adds up to 320 working hours for the month as a minimum.  Or, $6.25 an hour.  Less than minimum wage.  Nope, there is nothing really financially great about serving on the mission field. 

 One of the biggest hindrances for people that want to become missionaries and support missionaries is the “American Consumerism” mentality.  This drives so many people into debt.   And then, they wait to pay off their debt, but they do not know how to fend off the monster.  School debt, credit card debt, car debt, house debt.  Personally, I have seen how a commitment to “debt avoidance” has been a huge help in achieving freedom to do ministry.  First, it made it possible for me to minister in the States for more than a decade in unpaid positions before I came to the mission field.  Then it smoothed the pathway while here on the mission field.  More than 20 years ago I made a commitment to God to take no debt.  This was while I was still a student at Arizona State University.  When I married Suzanne 16 years ago, she took up that commitment with me.  No debt for anything.  What an immense freedom to serve and not be restrained by the concerns that normally come along with a debt.

 It is difficult to “get rich” or fulfill financial dreams for those that serve on the mission field.  It should be clear that if someone is seeking temporal security (in finances) and wanting to go to the mission field, the two will probably not coexist.  The need for security is a strong pull in our lives.  We often let that desire be the rudder that steers the direction of our lives.  Scripture is pretty clear that there is much more to finding out what God wants for our lives than a simple financial formula. 

Where We Need to Go

I like C.S. Lewis.  I always have.  From the first time I picked "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" back in Middle School to this present moment. 

I always amazed at how relevant and thought provoking his books are. 

 

"A Year With C.S. Lewis" is mind stretching and spirit stretching.  It takes me where I need to go.  After getting there, I am glad that Lewis provoked my thoughts to travel in a new direction or reexamine a half forgotten line of thinking.  The book is a 365 day devotion, with snippets from most of Lewis' books.  The readings are short and concise, but this is the way Lewis wrote. 

Profoundness is the ability to concisely say what needs to be said.  Lewis understood this clearly.  Many mistakenly believe that by say more and saying it loudly, that we strengthen our arguments.  Quite the contrary. 

There are books that make us uncomfortable because we do not like the way an author treats a subject.  And there are other books that make us uncomfortable because we need to think, ponder and reconsider some of the ideas and images we have in our head.  Lewis' writings clearly fall into the second category. 

Lewis' book is a wonderful challenge on a daily basis.  It is a delightful departure from most of the easy reading that is so common.  And the relevance transcends cultures and eras.  This is a mark of a great writer. 

Take the time to enjoy this book.  The pleasure is that there is a morsel of insight every day.  The book just may turn into a long term companion on your bookshelf. 

Book Review: Heroic Leadership

 

I had the opportunity this last month to read the book, Heroic Leadership.  It is an excellent and interesting view of how the Jesuit Society of Missionaries has impacted the world over the last 450 years. 

They book describes four transferable concepts that are connected to the success of the Jesuit movement. 

1) Self awareness - understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, and world view
2) Ingenuity - confidently innovating and adapting to embrace a changing world
3) Love - engaging others with a positive, loving attitude
4) Heroism - energizing yourself and others with outstanding ambitions

I was impressed with two main thoughts communicated in the book.  One, the author unashamedly explains how these concepts can work in the secular market place.  He makes clear that how loving you people (team, employees, etc) works for everyone's benefit, which is impressive.  Two, the author also unashamedly uses relevant examples from the lives of a variety of Jesuits and their varied experiences from around the world.  These examples help clarify how these principles can work, even in extreme situations. 

I recommend this as an excellent leadership book with a different perspective that is worthwhile to read and explore.  Pick up a copy if you have the chance. 

Dealing with Uncertainity on the Mission Field (aka 5 Principles of Missionary Living -Part 3)

 I have previously shared some thoughts on missionary living in prior posts.  This is the third part in that series.  The series has been awhile in development and delayed with other events.  I encourage you to check out the other posts.  Here they are:

Part 1 - Calling

Part 2 - Convenience

A major adjustment in dealing with life on the mission field (and living in third world countries in general)  is dealing with the lack of certainty.  We, as North Americans, love certainty.  We embrace and celebrate it.  We really do.  We recognize it and reward it.  We want things and people to be on time.  Our culture awards consistency.

We like knowing that the car will start in the morning, that the store will be open when you go there, that the store will have what they said they would have, that they will deliver things when they say they will, and that the bank machine will give money out when we use our debit card.  But, reality in the third world is that certainty is a scarce commodity.  Things that are normal and things that we are accustomed to as being reliable, consistent and certain in the context of a North American culture, just are not in many other parts of the world.  We come to take for granted that type of dependability and it becomes glaringly obvious when it is lacking. 

Or, think of it from a different angle.  Like, I am certain I will need patience, that things will not go exactly as I plan, that I will be delayed, that other people will mess up my plans, and that circumstances will make things difficult.  Most everything here has a lack of certainty that provides for a greater dependence on God, and not our own abilities or ingenuity.  On the mission field, there is a degree and element of uncertainty virtually every day and in most events.  Things like having consistent water and electricity, getting the mail, the gas station having gas, the phones working, cell phones working - the list goes on and on.

And there is an effect that comes into play when these simple tasks become complex, uncertain, and unreliable.  It is the principle of compounding inefficiencies.  The effort of dealing with all the uncertainty can become overwhelming. 

It can seem that all of life is consumed in dealing with and resolving in innovative ways all of these situations that do not even exist in the context of the North American culture.  Many simple things need contingency plans built into the thinking and planning. 

And this is where we can see God revealed in our living.  Do we have the strength of character to deal with these issues?  Are we focused on how things delay and inconvenience us, or are we focused on what God is doing in each and every situation?  On what do we set our eyes?  Or maybe it is better to ask, on whom?  The lack of certainty is an obvious reality of life on the mission field and may be one of the most difficult adjustments to make. 

Books

I changed most of the selections on my sidebar of "recently read books".  Take a look there to see some of what I have been reading.  Let me highlight a few.

Two books stayed on, Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels.  I find this is a book that I refer to time and time again.  Great book.

The other book is more unique - Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston.  This is probably the funniest story I have ever read on being single and the struggles and desires that are faced AND wanting to be a missionary.  Totally unique.  The first of a trilogy, I recommend all three of these books.

Another book, not on the list, is "Band of Brothers" an excellent book.  I also watched the DVD movie series with my wife and it was wonderful.

I have been listening to some CDs, "Church Planting, God's Heart for Expansion".  This is a series of teaching by John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement.  He lays out clear principles for church planting and church growth.  The material is relevant and practical.  Great stuff. 

The one book I have read these last six months that has most impacted my life is Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson.  It is a life changer.  It is a book that has transformed the way I think of the Bible, the way I read the Bible, and the way I communicate the Bible. 

Eugene Peterson wrote the Bible paraphrase, "The Message".  He also discussed his approach and the birth of that project. 

I recommend this book for a better perspective and understanding of the Bible.  I will be reading this again in the near future. 

5 Principles of Missionary Living - Part 2

 The landscape near Altamira being lit by lighting

A couple of weeks ago, I shared the first principle of missionary living, Calling.  It would be good to check that out as a prequel to this post.  Because of some changes in the server where I store my blog, I was delayed a bit in post the second part.
 
Convenience

Convenience – There is NOTHING convenient about being a missionary.  Nothing.  The weather stinks.  The bugs bug you.  The culture and language will mess with your mind.  You will be cranky, irate, and agitated.  You will have mysterious sicknesses and pains.  You will miss people, places, foods, things, and the order of society.  Mold grows where you never thought possible.  The people you came to help will steal from you. 

Nope, there is nothing convenient about missions, and even less so here in Altamira.  Here, you are just one step away from the ends of the earth and you notice it.  The cars break constantly.  The electricity goes out.  Computers burn up.  It is a struggle, and don’t be fooled, there will surely be troubles and difficulties.  Going to Brazil isn’t the same as going to heaven.  In heaven, everything is great.  On the mission field, it is tough and you must be resilient in all areas of your life to stand up to the challenge.  

Our American society is deluded and deluged with convenience.  When something is tough or difficult, we seek an easier, less painful way.  There are very few things that are easy or convenient out here.   

And it is never a convenient time to be a missionary.  There are always legitimate reasons to put off missions work.   

• We want to finish school.
• We want to start a family.
• We just want a few years of job experience.
• We want to save a bit more money before we go.
• We want to see Europe first (or travel more).
• We want to first get married.

You get the idea.  There is a large list of good reasons that stand in the way of doing that which God is calling us to do.  These are not wrong things, but they quickly become convenient reasons to avoid the mission field.

These are all appropriate things in the context of when God tells us to do them and in the order which He tells us.  But, too often we grab onto them (and other reasons) to prop up our “reasonable arguments”.  Sometimes doing the unreasonable thing is what God is putting before us.

The idea of convenience is contrary to the reality of missionary living.  This realization that missions takes us into areas out side of our comfort zone and outside of our normal routines is one of the main principles in a realistic perspective on missionary life.