Remembering: “Smothered in the Night”

The long car twisted through tall grass 
In the shy darkness following sunset. 
Suddenly it was before us—the village, 
Mud huts huddled close like frightened sheep. 
Our headlights swept across them and then fell 
On a pile of children tumbling from the night 
To swarm around the car as we stepped out.

A skinny girl looked timidly up at me,
Hesitantly smiling. She held her baby brother,
Almost half her size, on her small back.
I smiled in return, and almost instantly
Muddy little hands from everywhere reached out
To greet me. We walked slowly, then, into
The cluster of huts, to a courtyard inside.

A boy lit a lantern, and we all sat down
On rough wood benches in the puddle of light.
A dwarfish man took out a tattered book
And we began to sing. Our music wasn’t sweet,
Yet with each song that rose and fell
Those hearts expressed their new-found joy.
A voice spoke quietly, and we all prayed.

A crude green box was passed around,
And from two work-worn fists there dropped
within it hard-won coins, their sacrifice
of love. Dad opened his black Testament,
And children playing near were quickly hushed.
Behind us women pounded grain and talked,
but in the courtyard all were silent, listening.

I looked around at every face, and pondered
On those lives. Four boys and men
Sat on a bench across from me.
One leaned ahead, intent on every word
that Daddy said. The others slumped
Against the wall. Their eyes were deeply tired.
They had worked hard and long that day.

One lonely girl leaned back against a post,
Her face a study in hope lost, now almost found.
She listened, but kept looking at the ground.
Lost deep in inner searching of her heart,
I felt for her, and longed that she might come
To Jesus, and find peace she’d never known.
Then all our heads were bowed again in prayer.

And as we rose to leave, once more
I glanced around at those then near to me,
And saw contentment in the young girl’s eyes.
The earnest listener on the bench was smiling.
But his companions’ faces were unchanged.
I yearned for these—their need was great.
“Oh, God,” I cried, “Please bring these souls to Thee!”

The car was waiting in the pitch-black dark,
And as we waved goodbye the headlights leapt
into the grass again, and left the village
Smothered in the night.
      Linnea Slater, 1967

I was a young teen when I wrote that poem about going with my parents to Pisankaha for an evening meeting. There were just a few young believers in Jesus there, men who really wanted to learn more. My parents did not speak their language, Nyarafolo, so they took a young man from church in Ferke to translate from French for them . He did not speak Nyarafolo either, just a related language from across the river, but the men could understand a lot of what he said.

Whenever I was home from boarding school I would join Mom and Dad, drawn to the need of these people isolated from so much. Only these few Nyarafolos knew about Jesus. I just sat in the dark and absorbed the scene, never imagining that in 2025 I would be back in that village in a big new church building remembering how it all got started when Jim Gould was following up young men who had come to the Baptist Hospital for treatment. They had showed some openness, so he went out to their village, Pisankaha, to try to meet with them. They were working in their fields; he went there to find them—they remember him trying to help with the work. Then after a while they agreed to welcome him in the village. He was learning Nyarafolo, doing the best he could, and several decided to follow Jesus instead of worshiping the gods of their traditional religion.

Then on Christmas 1965 Jim had died suddenly when his car rolled off the road, just after taking them back to Pisankaha after the all-night Christmas service at the Ferke town church. Mom and Dad and my Uncle John and Aunt Marion Slater all pitched in to continue his work in Pisankaha, joined by Pastor Bazoumana from the Ferke church as they rotated the responsibility.

This past Sunday (January 26) we gathered in Pisankaha with over 200 people, including pastors from other churches, to celebrate what God had done starting way back then. This was prompted by the visit of Lori Gould McKee and Greg Gould, who had been just six and four when their father died in 1965. Greg’s daughter Hannah was with them, and they admitted that she was the one who really had pushed them to come from America and see the harvest that had grown from the seed her grandfather had planted.

Remembering what God has done is actually a critical spiritual practice! It is dangerous to forget to look back, to quit sharing the proofs of the Father’s involvement in our lives. That leads to spiritual dryness and wandering and the consequences of wrong choices (see how it affected the Israelites:  Isa. 17:10; Ezek. 23:35).

Instead, we are told to do this:

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. (Deut. 4:9 NIV)

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. (Deut. 32:7 NIV)

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered (1 Chr. 16:11,12 ESV)

And the psalmist vows:

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. (Ps. 77:11 ESV)

This is why I am in the long process of writing my memoir (maybe autobiography), remembering how I have seen the Lord’s fingerprints on my life. I need to pass them on:

We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the LORD, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed. (Ps. 78:4 CSB)

Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell the next generation about your strength, and those coming after me about your power. (Ps. 71:18 NET)

A huge part of my story is how God used Jim’s death, and my father’s prayer that someone would be sent to continue his work, to plant an alert in my heart. I thought I was “just a girl” and could never do that. True—I could not do it alone,  especially not as a teen, but the Father sent me and Glenn here to be a part of the ongoing struggle to bring the Good News to this least-reached people group. We have seen Enemy pushback, we have seen amazing church growth in spite of it. Beleivers were once “smothered in the night” of spiritual darkness but now they are walking in the Light! The Lord is accomplishing his purpose!

Most of our work has been at Tiepogovogo, a village northeast of Pisankaha, another place God had chosen to plant seeds that would grow. After the small group of believing men was thriving there and some of their wives came to Jesus, we asked those first hardy believers from Pisankaha to come share their testimonies. As they told about the persecution they had experienced and the ongoing peace they found in Jesus, there was response we never expected: the women brought their idols and sacrifice jars to be burned! They had heard testimonies that Jesus’ power is the greatest, that he has opened the path to rescue and that it is worth it to suffer for him. The believers from Pisankaha were remembering the wonderful works of the Lord, how he had brought them through much persecution and had provided for them

We can find it easy to forget the fingerprints of God on our own lives. A few decades ago I was following a study guide that urged me to draw a timeline of my life, with moments of spiritual impact noted on it. These were likened to a standing stone set in a place to mark it as sacred, a monument to a critical moment (cf Gen 28.18). I had just learned what such a marker would be called in Nyarafolo as we translated Genesis: sɔ̀ngidaadiʔɛ: “a place to think and find”. You would mark the spot so it could be found again, think about what happened there, treasure it. I drew my timeline and began that journey of remembering. It was stunning how many different “standing stones” I needed to insert! Looking back we can notice things that we walked through without realizing what the Lord was doing.

Here is a challenge: take time to remember how the Lord has worked in you and in your world. Then share it with others, especially “the next generation”!

In the photo below there is a standing stone at Pisankaha that we just saw: the church that was burned nine years ago by Sacred Forest initiates (the men’s secret society in the traditional religion, who felt threatened by the growing numbers of Jesus followers), and beyond it, the new building with a crowd of people celebrating the memory of how God sent Jim Gould and then others to build his church there!

Photo credit: Linda Sharp

Africa in my Veins

Its heat beats deep in my veins 
thrumming tumbling drumbeats 
off-beat softer scuffling of my feet 
beside dark feet in the community 
of rhythms that thump the earth 
and thrust our souls into one warm hum 

Its winds blow gently through my hair 
flowing even now in wisps 
of ash, flower powder, dust –
night air from sand dunes –
blending glowing sundrenched yawns
and mellowing my thoughts to rest.

Its skies arch infinite spaces over
the curved green flatness of grasslands
brushing up the sides of rock
mica mirrors glistening in granite
tracing water falling down slopes
to throw red rust onto the trees.

Its leafy giants stand their ground
through multiple generations
and shade my momentary passing
and the life breath of teeming hordes
feeding us, greeting us, seeding us
with strength to face the sun.

Its people’s smiles and sparkling eyes
fill my heart with gratitude
for years spent soaking in their grace
and learning who they are, the riches
of their culture and their welcoming embrace
of me and my beloved ones.

The hard times fade to learning curves
and scintillating histories
of how God planned it long ago
by reaching out through emissaries
planting fertile seeds of love
to draw them to himself!

We landed on African soil six days ago and they have all been filled with reminiscence and discovery—there is no way to share it all. But deep roots remain firm, and it is wonderful to exult in them

That is the richness that comes with being a TCA (Third Culture Adult), with a background of my TCK (Third Culture Kid) years. It brings with it the awkwardness of never being either totally American or totally African. On the other hand, the blend of all this experience becomes like a rich stew, all the better for the understanding it can bring of different worlds. I am truly humbled by the grace I’ve experienced from Father God.

Coming back this time, what has warmed my heart most has been these kinds of experiences:

  • walking through the market, when a woman selling vegetables turns around and shrieks surprise then greets me in my local language, Nyarafolo! “Where have you been? How are you?”
  • going into the fabric shacks and being greeted in Nyarafolo by the owners who know their faithful client!
  • women friends who work at the Baptist Hospital running over to hug me, eyes moist, so glad we are back.
  • the taste of local papayas, finger bananas, fresh pineapple, and my favorite pineapple-ginger drink (spicy to the nth power!).
  • going to church in Tiepogovogo and dancing worship, following my dear friend in the  circling ring of women.
  • waking up to the concert of bird calls all around.
  • seeing one golden rain tree beginning to bloom.
  • hearing the stories of how Nyarafolos are coming to Jesus!

I could go on and on, but you get the point. I am in the other garden where God planted me, loving it. We are showing dear friends around, two others who grew up out here (younger than me) and one of their daughters. As we tell them about what has been happening and what we have learned it brings it all back with powerful force. God has done what we never expected, saved us from war and sickness, led us by the hand to those he had prepared to come into his Family. He does whatever will accomplish his purposes.

Where are you on your journey? Think back: what have you seen God doing in your life? Gratitude and appreciation of his gifts promotes health and grows our faith. You may have been strengthened by suffering. You may have seen prayers answered in amazing ways. You have been held in the Father’s arms through thick and thin as he cared for you. What blessing can you thank him for right now? Let’s send incense of thanksgiving and worship to the God who loves us and loves the whole world!

The LORD values the lives of his faithful followers. 16 Yes, LORD! I am indeed your servant; I am your lowest slave. You saved me from death. 17 I will present a thank offering to you, and call on the name of the LORD. 18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD before all his people . . .  (Psalm 116:15-18 NET)

Higher Things

Even tiny finches

live in a dimension

far above mine—

perching on light poles,

playing among tree blossoms,

drinking sweet nectar.

But you, Lord, also call me

to higher things,

to not stay prisoner

to dust and traffic

and corruption.

You say my name

and my soul rises

to meet with you.

You give a

panoramic view,

instilling understanding

in place of hopelessness.

You take my deep fatigue

and turn it into rest,

the kind where

I lay back

onto your chest,

and when you lift me up

to soar like a small

clinging eaglet

I know your wings

hold me aloft.

You own the skies

as well as earth.

I watch the birds

slice the high reaches

and remember,

joy rising,

that – with you – I can fly.

Today we will take off, flying up into the sky to wing it through the night to Paris. Then we navigate the airport to find our next flight, wait for boarding, then board. The engines begin roaring; we whip down the runway and glide into the clouds, past eagles and any other winged things. The miracle of soaring so high we cannot see land takes us into the beyond. Then hours later the plane will slowly dip, the rain forest and then the sprawling city come into view. The plane turns around and lands on the African continent.

Wow! We are so used to airplanes that sometimes we can forget what an amazing gift they are. What used to take days or weeks, crossing the ocean on ships, now happens in a day. The time and weather change hits home as we step out into hot, humid Abidjan. Thankfully, the next day we will be driving north into the dry season in the woodland savanna: cool nights and warm days. Not sweltering.

All this contemplation of flight is here to take you with us on a journey into the metaphors of flying!

If you worship God Most High (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, ‘el ‘elyon in Hebrew) you are aligned with the exalted ruler of the entire universe.

He has astonishing ties of love to the humans he has created, and is intimately involved with those who are united with him:

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. (Ps. 57:2 ESV)

He not only is King of the World and has a plan for it, he has a purpose for each of his own. When we stay bonded to him, we are still aware of all that is going on around us on this dusty earth but when we look up to the Most High, and keep our heart’s eyes fixed on him, we find hope. He is in charge, in charge of everything. So even though the nations rage, they do not have control over the endgame.

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? (Ps. 2:1 ESV)

Earth’s leaders and local bullies may think they have power to do as they please, but that psalm goes on to say that the Lord “laughs” at them—they are not the ones who rule the universe after all.  His Chosen One, his Son, is King. So  all should respect his sovereignty! The Lord closes by saying:

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Ps. 2:10-12 ESV)

Earthly rulers tend to exult in their own power, but when they do not respect the commands of Yahweh, the Most High, they will be judged for their evil and all the suffering they have brought about. The opposite is true of each person who is wholly devoted to the Most High, to Jesus the King. They can turn to him for comfort in the present whirlwind, knowing that he holds the future in his hand, and even if they don’t live to see it they have safety in his care forever. Remember, he is preparing a perfect place for them, for all of us who love him. And when we trust the Most High we can soar with renewed strength in the here and now:

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa. 40:31 NIV)

Another psalm I love is this one that uses the metaphor of a “weaned child” for the person who leans on Yahweh in complete trust:

My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. 3 Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore. (Ps. 131:1-3 NIV)

It was originally written to Israel, but we are now part of his chosen people. So think about how this  picture of the “weaned child” depicts complete contentment and trust. I breastfed my three babies, so I remember how when they needed comfort or felt hungry, if I lifted them up to hold them close they would start rooting around for that source of milk. But once they had been weaned, if they were crying and I lifted them up, they would sit quietly on my lap, head on my chest—not rooting, just absorbing consolation and love.

Think about it: the King of the Universe wants us to lean quietly against him, finding peace. Are you suffering some kind of foreboding these days? Are you dealing with grief over loss of a loved one, or unexpected disaster like high winds that demolish all that is stable (like in Los Angeles), or political turmoil that feels like high winds? Whatever it is. here is the invitation to fly above the sorrow or angst, to see things from the Most High’s point of view, to rest. Even if this is a good day with great things in view around you, when you fly with the Most High you find yourself wrapped in love.

You say my name
and my soul rises
to meet with you.
You give a 
panoramic view,
instilling understanding
in place of hopelessness.

You take my deep fatigue
and turn it into rest,
the kind where
I lay back
onto your chest,
and when you lift me up
to soar like a small
clinging eaglet
I know your wings
hold me aloft.

While You are Here

Endure! Stay strong, 
not relying on muscle strength 
because it won’t last. 
Like the grass, like flowers, 
you will fade away 
and dissolve. You will 
go back to the dust. 
It is on God you must
always focus! Glue your trust
on his goodness, his wisdom!

He has known you since
he formed you in the womb.
He knows your life path,
knows when he’ll bring you home.

While you are here, breathe.
Bloom where he has planted you.
Spread joy in the company 
of others, or alone, looking up.
Cope with the chill as autumn
turns to winter. Your Creator
loves your unique place
in the world he made.
He loves you, the gift he gave,
the child he holds
close to his loving heart.

A friend recently said to me, “You seem so healthy but you have all these little things to deal with!” She was referring to the physical changes that start coming into play with aging. And yes, there are constant new challenges. When a birthday comes, you are grateful that you’ve enjoyed another year. But as the years pile up you wonder if the “autumn” of your life is becoming “winter.”

How can I keep on being fruitful in this phase? How can I bloom where I’ve been planted during this aging process, this “winter”? Am I an evergreen? Or am I like that flower that can’t make it past mid-autumn?

Maybe you are not in your eighth decade like me, that place where you hit the average life expectancy for the U.S. But it’s true that none of us can know how much time we have:

15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. (Ps. 103:15-16 NIV)

That said, worrying about how long you may have been given is not productive unless it is a wake-up call to live every day to its fullest, not focusing on what does not matter in the end. The accumulation of wealth or of little souvenirs will all be left behind. And we have no way to predict what will happen to it or to us in our lifetime. What matters is our faithful attachment to our God and to his daily plan, living according to his commands. Jesus himself said:

  As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Lk. 6:47-49 NIV)

That firm foundation that keeps your house from being washed away by the flood is putting Jesus’ words into practice. Hearing them is not enough. The greatest ones, he said, those that fulfill all the others, are to love God with everything we are and those around us too, just the way we care about ourselves (Mat. 22:36-40).  Focusing on that is a lifelong purpose! We need to learn how to do that. We can dig deep into the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, and ask our Master to show us how to live it out. Then do what he underlines for us. That is a high calling! So are Jesus’ words about living in union with him as his disciple in John 14-17. The fact that he promised to give each one of his followers a Guide, his own Spirit, is what gives us hope. We are not supposed to figure this out by ourselves. When we lean on him and obey his teachings, we can grow up the way he wants us to, blooming where he has planted us.

Relying on God’s faithfulness also gives us peace. All around us the world is swirling with dangers, everything from relational conflicts to traffic accidents to illness to crimes (the list is long). The one safe place where we can have confidence is in our union with him, living each day in the company of his Spirit who teaches us:

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25 -27 NIV)

There it is: “do not be afraid!” Don’t even let yourself fall prey to ongoing frustration that wears you down!

Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers! 2 For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants. 3 Trust in the LORD and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! (Ps. 37:1 NET)

Trust him, rely on him, do what he says; do not stay focused on the evil all around!

Finding joy in the journey often requires making the choice to remember that the hope of God’s children is both in his ongoing Presence here and now and all that he is preparing in the Great Beyond for us. That is a confident “hope”, an assurance that when your end comes, you are welcomed into the Joy he has prepared for you. Meanwhile, if you are one who gets to live a long life, be glad!

When I was helping the Nyarafolo translation team translate Leviticus, many days were filled with tough examination of weights and measures, animal and plant names—lots of tricky details. But when we came to chapter 19, which is the climactic center of that book, we found lots of deep teaching and some delightful applications. Take this one that commands reverence for certain ones of us who have made it into the category of the aged—I asked my cohort to obey, to stand up in front of me! We all laughed:

“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. (Lev. 19:32 NIV)

Old people are indeed honored there in Africa where the life expectancy is much shorter than here in America. And long life is a precious gift that brings a wealth of experience—hopefully leading to wisdom:

The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old. (Prov. 20:29 NLT)

God loves us all, the child being formed in the womb, the old lady and old man. Those of us in his Family can rest in his love, no matter what foreboding is attacking us. I had to repeat this to myself in the middle of the night last night, lying awake and wrestling with a long list of must-do’s and what-if’s. Where was that peace beyond understanding? Why was my heart wondering about so many outcomes?

Stop, Linn, I kept telling myself. Keep your mind fixed on the Lord and his goodness, and his promise to empower you to do what he sets before you! Remember to relinquish ownership of plans! He will accomplish his projects!

I finally slept again. May you find peace in the goodness of God as you step into 2025 too!

What He is Weaving in the Wind

Wind whips wisps of hair 
into eyes blurred by despair; 
gusts grab my pulsing heart. 
Nearly toppling, 
scrambling for safe purchase, 
I scream . . .

DON’T BE AFRAID!
STAND UP,
THROW ROOTS
TO DEEP SOIL,
TWIRL THEM 'ROUND
ALL OBSTACLES—
GO FURTHER DOWN,
FURTHER IN;
WRAP THEM 'ROUND
MY LOVE!

KNOW THAT
I AM HERE
WITH YOU,
AWARE
ACTIVE INSIDE
THE TWISTERS,
WORKING 
MY RESCUE PLAN.

I rise, reach out,
send soul tendrils
into the silence
of rich loam,
plunge them further
into firm foundations,
wait to see
what he’s weaving
in the wind.

Think back: What gusts of wind hit you so forcefully, so unpredictably that you found yourself unsteady? I was walking in the neighborhood last week and felt that very thing. The chaos in our nation and around the world reminds me of such a moment. In addition to tornadoes and cyclones, there are wars and murders. The wind is blowing. That cloud on the horizon is eery. Where can we find that solid ground where our roots can go deep and hold us fast?

I woke up today and found out that overnight a plane crashed while landing at an airport in South Korea, and 179 of 181 passengers died. I always pray fervently when on a plane about to land, and I agree with the Africans on board who clap when we are safely cruising down the runway. The possibility of landing gear not working was only in my imagination, until today!

Last night I cruised my Facebook page and saw a post that told me one of my closest friends, Donna Halbert Harvey, had passed away the day before! The death of someone my own age, someone whose prayers and love I treasured, underlined for me that truth that we never know when life will be over.

Donna Halbert was the first other mk (missionary kid) friend that I made after my family transferred from Congo to Côte d’Ivoire in 1961. We were nine years old then. When we were about 12, I stayed with her several days in Korhogo where she lived. We were both yearning to grow in our relationship with Jesus, and read much of Ezekiel together. This struck us:

But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” (Ezek. 2:8 NIV)

Sitting together on her bed, we opened our mouths and asked God to fill them!

While at boarding school we had some misunderstandings. But when she returned to Côte d’Ivoire with her father for a visit after Glenn and I were already serving in mission there, we spent an evening together, reconciled and bonded deeply. Since then we’ve become prayer partners, even though we’ve never been geographically close to each other. Our last exchange was just one month before she died, and she sounded fine in spite of the multiple physical issues she has been dealing with! I did not expect to hear that the healing she hoped for was that she is now in the Joy!

So we enter a new year now, 2025, and wonder what it will be like, what else will happen. The truth is, we cannot know!  Our fears can accumulate: Will that loved one come to know Jesus or stay hardened? Will my immigrant friends be safe here in the U.S.? Will wise people be put in administrative positions in our government? Will the wars in Africa triple down to my beloved Nyarafolo region? What purpose does the Lord still have for me?

I think back to that moment when Donna and I told the Lord that we were ready to be filled by him, to know his words, live them out and speak them. That was 62 years ago and I am ready to be filled again, this time with the meal that he wants to give me in preparation for 2025. He is laying certain Scriptures on my heart:

Not to us, O LORD, not to us! But to your name bring honor, for the sake of your loyal love and faithfulness. 2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven! He does whatever he pleases! . . .11 You loyal followers of the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their deliverer and protector. 12 The LORD takes notice of us, he will bless– he will bless the family of Israel, he will bless the family of Aaron. 13 He will bless his loyal followers, both young and old. (Ps. 115:1-3,11-13 NET)

The world is whirling through space and the winds are blowing. God knows what is going on and he is still the one in charge of where it will go. I am one of the “old” ones following him. He knows that, and pays attention.  All my trust must be in him, our Lord Yahweh who loves us, takes notice of us, and will bless us.

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith– of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire– may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  (1 Pet. 1:3-9 NIV)

This is a timely reminder that trials will come, and they will prove the quality of our faith. If it is solid, it is a lasting hope, a confidence that actually brings us joy right now! That joy is not because we are happy with what is going on around us. Yes, there will be some good things. But world disasters and grief in our community are reality. So our faith, which is worth more than gold (which is of temporary value), needs to keep focused on the eternal truth that Jesus Christ is not finished! He is still our rescuer, and will return (in his own timing) to completely remake this world. This is who we believe in, and he is real.

Right now, he is still remaking us. Eyes on him, he will empower us to handle the turmoil brought by death, by hurts and disappointments, by catastrophes.

Torrential winds may blow, but rooted in him, we can “wait to see what he’s weaving in the wind!”

That Defining Moment

joy and wonder 
at the audacious miracle 
ripped open a gap  
a window in the curtain 
between dimensions 

because God 
had become human
divinity crunched in a body
out of love
for wretched humanity

an angel looked 
for someone awake
not sleeping 
in this defining moment
and found shepherds

alert night guards
who suddenly saw 
something beyond belief
could it be??
an angel of light

blinding their vision
speaking peace 
to chase away terror
with news of Messiah—
He was just born!!

and heaven
could not stay silent
the rip grew wider
and suddenly
a crowd of angels

was exulting, singing
praises to the Mighty God
King of the Universe
Lover of Earth
his broken creation

joining together
the two dimensions
heaven and earth
God and human
in one small child

the window closed
but baffled shepherds
filled with wonder
pondered what each 
had seen and heard

the spectacle
of heaven’s joy
the message of peace
for everyone
even the lowest rung

they had to see it
for themselves
confirming this truth
and they could not
keep silent either

going home
was not the same
“Do you all know 
what we just saw?
Messiah has been born!”

© Linnea Boese  

The Joy of Living in Light

Before God said, “Let there be 
light!” and there was light, 
God was.  And Jesus was: 
Light of the world, 
uncreated light that was, 
and is, and is to come. 

Within the new Jerusalem
no other light will shine,
for he will reign, and day
and night (light undulating) 
will be redefined.  Forever
will be lit another way.

And I live in this light!
In “now” when sun still
rides the sky and moon 
still swells and shrinks
to mark the months,
my heart knows other rhythms.

The Joy within is lit by fires of
radiance from the Throne,
unending, independent of
rotations, situations.
I ask then, why am I:
too often numb to Joy?

How can my heart turn blind, 
unconscious of that glow?
Why do the ebbtides of
my passion leave me low,
stumbling once again 
in half-light, in dark shadow?

I yearn for understanding that 
goes deeper than my skin, for eyes
that see within and through
to what is real and true.
By Spirit power may I be filled 
with light, within my now!

We light the third candle of Advent and sing “Joy to the world! The Lord has come!” Contemplating the entry of the King of the Universe into human form, beginning as an embryo and growing up through childhood and teen years to manhood, we are overwhelmed by wonder. That is, we feel this impact when we let that truth sink in. But when we just light the candle and sing in what can become a routine celebration, we can miss that joy.

The shepherds heard the angels announce that joy and were amazed. They rushed off to see the reality of the baby wrapped in cloths to keep warm, lying in the trough that had held food for the animals. Wow! It was true! Just as the angels had said! Thrilled, they had to tell everyone they met what they had just seen. Their joy was overflowing. I wonder how many of those they told believed them and took off to see the newborn for themselves. Maybe they just disregarded their joy and their message as a frivolous rumor—as many do today.

Those of us who believe and know the rest of the truth about this King come to rescue us, we can experience the same joy that the shepherds felt. It may feel like we are in the dark of night, living in this world, but the Good News is still good news. And although we were not physically present when Messiah came to earth, we believe. That opens our souls, our spiritual selves, to joy!

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy[!] (1 Pet. 1:8 NIV)

Does that extravagant joy seem elusive? It is indeed hard to experience unless we focus on the gifts we have received from Messiah: forgiveness, redemption (bought out of slavery to the dark), constant guidance and companionship. We respond in love, committing ourselves to walk life with him. When our hearts are aligned with his, aware of his presence and activity, his joy fills us. It did that for the followers of Yahweh in the Old Testament days:

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. (Ps. 126:3 NIV)

Yahweh’s light gave joy to those aligned with his principles, the “upright”:

Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. (Ps. 97:11 NIV)

Then Jesus came as God in human form. He was the true Message from God, the one who breathed life into the dark world at creation and in his coming to earth:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  (Jn. 1:1 NIV)

And since Jesus is light, we have light that is more than just daily sunshine. It is life that lasts forever. We will never walk in spiritual darkness again!

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8:12 NIV)

So if we are walking in his light, and coming to know him and love him increasingly by turning our inner eyes to him constantly, we will experience that joy that we long for. The darkness has not overcome his light. We can see clearly, and God himself fills us with all the hope, peace and joy that we are so deeply grateful for as we contemplate the miracle of his coming to us. The Word himself underlined this provision for his people when he prayed to the Father just before he gave his life for us:

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. (Jn. 17:13 NIV)

Peter heard that prayer, and passed on great encouragement in the letters he wrote. His words assure us that we can experience this joy when we love him and let him be the focus of our life:

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Pet. 1:8 NIV)

May our joy overflow so that the world is intrigued and drawn to the Light of the world!

Peace, Good Will! And Yet . . .

The angels sang of peace. 
And yet I struggle 
to remember 
what seems 
so elementary: 
peace has its source 
in you, the Prince of Peace. 

Peace seems to be 
the theme song of
a mocking bird,
just borrowed
and played back,
called out in bland
irrelevance, mere words.

Where is good will
when wars devour
the planet? Even
in your Body
cruel manipulations
of the truth score wounds.
Ill will is out to banish peace.

There is no peace.
At least not in 
the daily scratch
and dig of
selfish, cancered
brokenness.  Bells and tinsel
are meaningless if this is all there is.

If not for you, our hope
would lie abandoned
in the darkness.
But your Light
still shines, and in that
Light we see beyond the now
to the not yet, made perfect with your peace.

Peace is my hope, my
solid confidence 
beyond myself in you:
that you will come 
and call us each by name
to lead us like a flock 
to peace that never ends, shalom,

to living undisturbed
by tranquil streams
where canine teeth 
no longer tear
our hearts apart,
where we are safe and
loved, your Kingdom come.

So now I take this truth
to be my own, my
present living out
of future grace.
Your Kingdom
is alive inside my heart.
Your will be done, dear Prince of Peace!

I wrote this poem 23 years ago! Rumors of war were swirling there in Côte d’Ivoire, but we did not know that nine months later we would find ourselves in lock-down while rebels and government troops fired at each other in the city were we were. Peace did seem elusive. Our hearts raced, prayers rose frantically. The only source of any kind of peace was knowing the Prince of Peace and the truth that he promises Real Peace that cannot be understood.

Why can we not understand it? Because it makes no sense to rest in quiet confidence when you are living in a boiling pot. Doesn’t it seem like the world is in chaos now, too?  Wars are raging around the glbobe, dissension and violence make headlines.

But Jesus said:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (Jn. 14:27 NIV)

He said this just before he would be arrested and crucified! The world was not peaceful! But Jesus’ disciple John remembered that Jesus had said it right then, and when he wrote his book about Jesus he included it. He knew it was true: Jesus’ peace was inner peace, not peace founded on circumstances. He was giving peace that was based on a secure relationship with a loving God. Then, no matter what would happen, their inner well-being would carry his people through the crises.

The note on that verse in the NET Bible explains it will:  “[Peace] is here a reflection of the Hebrew shalom as a farewell. But Jesus says he leaves peace with his disciples. This should probably be understood ultimately in terms of the indwelling of the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who has been the topic of the preceding verses. It is his presence, after Jesus has left the disciples and finally returned to the Father, which will remain with them and comfort them.”

So yes, this is peace that we cannot manufacture. But if we belong to God through the sacrifice that Jesus made, then he lives in us—not in bodily form but through his Spirit.

Then we have true shalom, the Hebrew word for peace. I appreciate this deep explanation of it:

“Basically the OT word for peace, šālôm, means ‘completeness’, ‘soundness’, ‘well-being’. (See BDB.) It is used when one asks of or prays for the welfare of another (Gn. 43:27; Ex. 4:18; Jdg. 19:20), when one is in harmony or concord with another (Jos. 9:15; 1 Ki. 5:12), when one seeks the good of a city or country (Ps. 122:6; Je. 29:7). It may mean material prosperity (Ps. 73:3) or physical safety (Ps. 4:8). But also it may mean spiritual well-being. Such peace is the associate of righteousness and truth, but not of wickedness (Ps. 85:10; Is. 48:18, 22; 57:19–21).[1]

The Nyarafolo word for peace, yanyige, means “coolness.” In that hot tropical climate where the sun beats mercilessly down on you, “coolness” is the beloved opposite of heat. It is the shade that you seek, the cool water that you splash over you and the breeze that brings relief. That has spoken peace to me. When Jesus promises peace, he is promising shelter and relief. The kind that lasts forever is only found in him.

Someday the Prince of Peace will return to make the world whole again, a new creation. Then we will have no more war or dissensions or violence, that world peace we long for!

“Isaiah predicted that when the Messiah arrived, He would be called the “Prince of Peace”—presumably because He would achieve lasting peace over His enemies (Isa 9:6; compare Mic 5:5). At this point, God would destroy weapons in the world as the people ‘beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks’ (Isa 2:4 ESV; Mic 4:3 ESV).”[2]

When that final victory is won, there will be complete peace on earth all around us as well as in us. All will be well! So during this second week of Advent, we contemplate peace and celebrate the Prince of Peace!

[1] F. Foulkes, “Peace,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 891.

[2] Joshua M. Greever, “Peace,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

It’s Not Over Yet!

Everything vibrant is going to seed: 
burgundy tufts on the yellowing grass, 
slender filaments lined with beans 
drooping down between withering leaves, 
millet high on the dusty stalks, 
papaya clusters, lemons, limes -- 

all reminders that it is time 
to pass on the treasure of living life, 
to breed a crop of who we are: 
succulent fruit and shade from the heat, 
life-giving grain, soft carpets for feet 
time for the aged to go to seed 

till all is renewed, born again, re-viewed, 
so nothing is lost in the crush of death 
but instead finds hope: it’s not over yet!  
another round of growth and struggle 
while we all wait for the re-creation: 
new earth, new sky, new bodies too 

that will never ever ever die!

When I wrote the above poem I was in the tropical woodland savanna climate in northern Côte d’Ivoire. It was late October. Leaves were dropping from the trees, and even grasses were going to seed. Soon the “winter wind”, the harmattan, would be whooshing down out of the cool Sahara nights. It would strip the trees bare and seed pods would fall. The grasses would dry up and slump over.

Here in Michigan the last colored leaves are being stripped from their branches by high winds. Autumn is getting ready to go to bed; life is ending for certain plants.

That is the picture  of mortality that is underlined in Psalm 90 (attributed to Moses, perhaps coming out of the disastrous reactions of Israel to his lengthy stay on Mt. Sinai). He writes:

3 You return mankind to the dust, saying, “Return, descendants of Adam.” 4 For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a few hours of the night. 5 You end their lives; they sleep. They are like grass that grows in the morning– 6 in the morning it sprouts and grows; by evening it withers and dries up. (Ps. 90:3-6 CSB).

It is intriguing that this Psalm is the first reading assigned three days in a row this week, the First Week of Advent, in the revised common lectionary. Why so much emphasis on the shortness of life, when the theme of this week is hope? The world around us is dark, full of humans who hurt each other and break God’s commands. As a result his anger at their crimes results in punishment, some of it just the reality of the consequences of their evil acts, some of it specifically engineered by the King of the Universe.

For we are consumed by Your anger; we are terrified by Your wrath.You have set our unjust ways before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence. For all our days ebb away under Your wrath; we end our years like a sigh. Our lives last seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years. Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow; indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.  (Ps. 90:7-10 CSB)

So why read this psalm when the theme is supposed to be hope?

It is because of the truth and faithful reliance on God’s goodness that is sandwiched in between the laments. Looking back the psalmist affirms this:

You have been our refuge in every generation. Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God.  (Ps. 90:1 CSB)

And looking forward, we know that our God will continue to be our refuge and will listen to our prayers. We look around us in desperation. We look to him, and ask him for the wisdom we need to navigate the swamp:

12 Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. 13 LORD– how long? Turn and have compassion on Your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us rejoice for as many days as You have humbled us, for as many years as we have seen adversity. 16 Let Your work be seen by Your servants, and Your splendor by their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands– establish the work of our hands! (Ps. 90:12-17 CSB)

How should we “number our days”? Recognizing our mortality, we must look to our eternal God to make our limited lifespan meaningful. If we experience his compassion, his faithful love, in the morning of each day—or in the morning of our lives—then we find joy. We do not find that kind of deep inner happiness by focusing on ourselves or on the world we live in. No! We find it when we are looking to him, heart-eyes fixed on him. We want to see what he is doing and participate in it, because due to his kind favor to us, we can ask him to “establish the work of our hands!” Work done in line with his purpose, under his supervision and empowered by his love, Is meaningful. Even though we struggle and meet tough stuff along the way, the eternal God who has always been our refuge will listen to the prayer of his servants, his dear ones, and work in and through them. Evening will come, and we look forward to it!

The end-goal of our hope is our confidence that this God is the one who sent his Son to conquer death, rise to life, and prepare the way for us to join him in eternal joy in a brand new world! One of the other readings this week is in Revelation 22, where the Lord God promises that although it seems as though this broken world is lasting forever and those set apart for him are in need of ongoing transformation, he is preparing the New World, a perfect city, for them. He says:

Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy go on being made filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; and let the holy go on being made holy.” 12 “Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.  (Rev. 22:11-14 CSB)

There we have a stunning picture of the solid hope that is being made ready for us. The “holy” people are those who are consecrated to God, set apart to follow him and serve him. What do they need? Ongoing submission to the work of God’s Spirit in their lives, the one who is changing them to become like him! “Don’t give up, “he says. “Just be sure to focus on what matters. Accept my forgiveness (I wash your robes!) and my promise of life that will last forever with me, the one who is before everything and after everything: the Eternal One!”

We don’t know when Jesus will return, but we do know where we are to focus our hope, and someday we will arrive at the destination that is waiting for us! For now, knowing that eternal death has been conquered by our Master, we just keep on doing each day what he gives us to do. When done for him, it matters:

56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:56-58 CSB)

Because of You I Run with Joy

Sleep may slip out of reach, 
but I will rest in you. 
Age may take its toll, 
but I am renewed by you. 

I may hobble along the path, 
but you will keep me upright. 
I may wrestle with fear in the dark, 
but you are the light in my heart. 

The world’s disasters may trouble me, 
but I will find peace with you. 
Tangled emotions may strangle me,  
but you will pull me through. 

You hold my hand to guide me 
and keep me walking strong, 
you shade me from the burning heat 
and slake my thirst with love. 

If not for you I’d be a mess, 
crippled, fried and lost. 
Because of you I run with joy 
to the goal: forever with you!

Tomorrow is wonderful: a day for focus on giving thanks! There is one item at the top of my list: God my Father, Rescuer and Counselor!

He called me when I was a child and molded me as I grew up, continuing to do it all my life. He does that with each of us who give ourselves to him, acknowledging him as our Master—even when we pull back from time to time. He kindly waits for us to return to him, holding out his welcoming arms. Think of the dad in Jesus’ parable about the son who ran off to do his own thing, but eventually came home destitute (Luke 15:11-32); his father was waiting for him and ran to embrace him. That is what my Father did for me when I was still vacillating. I decided to stay with him forever. Then he showed me the path that he had for me, not all at once, but step by step, in his timing.

Looking back, I can understand much more about how he cared for me through thick and thin.

So now, getting ready to give thanks with special emphasis tomorrow, I will take time to list key moments and sweet little gestures by which God demonstrated his protection, guidance, provision and formation of his daughter. Will you join the chorus that will be raised all across this country and beyond by other sons and daughters?

Instead of taking up your time by writing a long essay for this key holiday, I will just share a song that keeps flitting into my “inner jukebox” every day this week. Lately there have been some tough moments, and it has lifted me. When I looked up the story behind it I was wowed. May it inspire you too!

“In 1978, a young seminary graduate named Henry Smith was struggling to find work and coming to terms with a degenerative eye condition that would eventually leave him legally blind. Despite those hardships, Henry found hope in 2 Corinthians 8:9 and penned “Give Thanks,” one of the most beloved songs of our time.”[1]

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy one,
Give thanks because He’s given,
Jesus Christ His Son.

And now,
Let the weak say I am strong.
Let the poor say I am rich.
Because of what,
The Lord has done for us.
Give thanks.[2]


[1] https://www.praisecharts.com/blog/the-story-behind-the-song-give-thanks/

[2] https://st-takla.org/Lyrics-Spiritual-Songs/English-Coptic-Hymns-Texts/3-Christian-n-Gospel-Lyrics-E-F-G/Give-Thanks.html