VBS 2009

Last week we had an amazing week of Vacation Bible School. This was the third year that Kevin and I served as directors of our VBS.

If any of you ever attended VBS as a kid or served as a worker, you know that it is quite a week. VBS is no doubt a lot of fun. There are crafts, games, music and snacks. However, most importantly, for one week, three hours a day, children ages 3 through 5th grade are taught the Word of God. How wonderful is that!

This year's theme was Boomerang Express, an adventure that took us Down Under to Australia. The boomerang theme was a great reminder that "It all comes back to Jesus". Our verse was I John 4:9: " In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only son into the world, so that we might live through Him."

VBS only comes once a year but our prayer is that we are living through Him everyday!!!

Kevin starting off the morning in prayer.

Sofia enjoying craft time.

Selah didn't quite know what to think of the week.

Sofia and her classmates.

Some hot days around here.

The first few weeks of June were quite mild temperature-wise.  Daytime highs averaged in the mid-60s.  But, of course, it was still officially Spring.  

This past weekend Summer began and boy did it begin. Each day we've had temps in the high 80s/low 90s and because of the humidity the heat index has risen above 100.

So what do we do to stay cool?   Go to the Splash Park!  We love this place.  It is located in our local park, it is nicely fenced in, and it's FREE.

 

 

 

Father's Day Foot Theme

 

Happy Father's Day!!!!

We actually celebrated this amazing father yesterday.  You see, today is the final prep day for VBS.:)

The girls helped create a card/sign that reads:

"Dear Daddy,

Thank you for teaching us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Love, Sofia and Selah"

To go along with the foot theme, daddy's present was a new pair of sandals (no pic) and a foot massage.

The girls really got into it.  First they sprayed daddy's feet with water, towel dried them, then loaded them up with lotion.  They must have rubbed his feet for for a good 20 minutes.

Daddy loved the foot massage, especially since it came with time of relaxing on the couch and watching the Cubbie game.

The Dance Party!

While the girls were in town we had a dance party!  Wendy's parents who travelled with Wendy joined in the fun.  

 

 

 

Friends...but really family.

Julie and Wendy.  Friends who mean the world to me.  Friends who are more than just, well, friends.  Friends who are family.  

Julie and I met in 1989.  Twenty years ago!  I wish I could say we were six years old when we met but we were a bit older than that.  We were students at Cal Baptist and on the drama team "Celebration!" that ministered in Australia the summer of 1990.  A couple of years after school we became roommates.  That first year we married off THREE roommates.  The fourth one to move in was Wendy.

Wendy and Julie had known each other previously but it was in 1994 that my friendship with Wendy began.  Thankfully the Julie/Keri marriage magic had worn off and Wendy stuck around for awhile.  

We had some good times.  Amy Grant, two Christmas trees, and Mimi's Cafe will elicit smiles on all our faces.

Julie and Wendy have been there for me.  They have been my sounding boards and my encouragers.  They have seen me ride the roller coaster of life, and heck, they knew I was going to (or should I say they knew I should) marry Kevin before I did.

We are bonded through similar circumstances such as marrying later in life and each of us having a daughter as a firstborn.  But it is our faith.  It is our understanding that we are nothing without Christ that keeps us glued together. Our friendship, our sisterhood, is reliant upon the Word of God and who Christ is in our life.

Now that Wendy is in California, Julie in Tennessee and I in Illinois we obviously don't see each other as often as we like.  But when we do...it is a sweet time.  Last week was one of those sweet times.  This year's meet up was at my place.  

Here are some pics:

On the couch from left to right:

Julie and her almost 4 yr. old Katie

Wendy with her 2 1/2 yr. old Kendra and 7 week old Oliver

Keri with 4 1/2 yr. old Sofia and 21 mo. old Selah

(I put in the different pics because not everyone looked at the camera at the same time. 

 Click on pic for closer view.)

Sofia and Katie are best buds.  Their first conversation this year was a theological one about who God is in their life. 

 

The gang (minus Oliver) enjoyed the free tour at the Jelly Belly Factory in Kenosha,WI.

 

And Baby Oliver.  

When he is a 10 or 11 yr. old boy he is going to be in girl heaven at our get-togethers!

 

Short-Term Missions

Desiring God offers some helpful blogs on short-term mission teams.

We have had the privilege of being on several short-term mission teams.  We have also supported several people who have gone on such trips.  So, it almost goes without saying, but we are strong proponents of such trips.

 

We are aware that short-term mission teams have as much potential for harm as good on the mission field.  However, with determined preparation, STMT's can:

• Multiply the hands, hearts, and feet in practical ministry in the field.
• Bring encouragement to "full-term" workers.
• Mobilize concentrated and sustained prayer for the mission field(s). 
• Produce additional full-term workers.
• Produce partners in the ministry of the gospel. 
• Open the eyes and hearts of others to the needs, blessings, and opportunities in the world.

Have you gone on a successful short-term mission trip?  Are you an overseas worker who has been blessed by a short-term mission team?  What kind of preparation do you find the most effective to produce the results mentioned above?

  

This man.

This man is a man of integrity.

This man understands forgiveness.

This man is a recipient of grace and mercy.

This man is passionate about the word of God.

This man loves His Lord with all his heart, mind and soul.

This man is my husband.

This man is the father of my children.

This man encourages me.

This man challenges me.

This man leads me.

This man focuses me.

This man I love.

This man is Kevin Sheckler.

Thanks for the Light!

How far that little candle throws his beams!

So shines a good deed in a naughty world. 

- William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice

I am so blessed to have a wife that wants to share the light of Christ to the world!  Soon, Lord-willing, I will be able to hold my Sweets again!  I am eager to feel her embrace and to see her beautiful smile.  Of course, I am very eager to hear the details of her trip and to get her perspective on how things went in Israel.  Undoubtedly, she and her teammates brought the light of Christ to a dark world.    

As I reflect on the light that Keri and her team must have shown the last twelve days, I can't help but think that there has been a lot of light shining here at home too.  Sofia, Selah and I have been well taken care of in Keri's absence.  We've been taken care of especially by loving citizens of The Kingdom.  Whether it was through prayers, meals, playing with the kids, having the kids for several hours or for a day, we've been blessed tremendously by the love of others. Those of you who served us the last twelve days, we sincerely thank you.  

Thanks for letting the light of Christ shine through you and allowing us to experience its effects!       

Israel - Update #8

Here is a continuation of Keri's last update (Update #6):

This village of 20,000 people does not see many foreigners.  But of course, in keeping with Arab hospitality we were welcomed.  After prayerwalking, the three teams met back up in the city centre for lunch.  On the way out of the restaurant we gave each worker a Jesus film.  A little later a couple ladies on the team thought it would be good to go back in to the restaurant and give the Jesus film to some young people who had been sitting next to our table.  One of the restaurant workers, however, did not like this and ran them out shouting, "Muslim, muslim!"
 
But we were not dismayed.  Earlier when we had been prayerwalking each team had been invited into a home.  So after lunch we headed back to these places.  I (Keri) had met a young lady who worked in a neighbourhood shop (bakkal).  God no doubt placed her in my path because she spoke some English (very uncommon in this village).  She accepted the Jesus film and gave me her e-mail address.  The local believer we teamed with is going to have his wife do follow up.  My team also had spent time in a family's home earlier while prayerwalking.  We went back to the home to give them the Jesus film and a box of cookies with scripture on a piece of paper that the local believers use for outreach.  
 
At this home, we once again were invited in to stay for awhile.  Before we knew it, we were sitting in their home drinking pomegranate juice, sipping very strong arabic coffee and looking at wedding albums.  Only the women were at home.  The father and husband were working at their butcher shop.  The women were so animated and so eager to interact with us.  Thankfully we had the local believer to translate for us.
 
These opportunities of sharing life have given us more than an understanding of the Arab Muslims of Israel.  It has given us a love for the moms, the dads, the babies, the butchers, the shopkeepers...Arab Muslims of Israel who do not know Christ.
 
Wrapping up our time in K'far Mando we all met up at the gate/entrance to the village.  Half of the team stood on one side of the road, the other half on the other side.  Each person had small bags with the Jesus film and we did some mass evangelism.  How we did it was by offering passing cars the bag.  Within a 10 minute period we had passed out close to 100 films.  Then bam.  We were stopped.
 
We weren't stopped by the police.  We were stopped by two guys in a old white chevrolet.  They approached S and the local believer and told them that there would be trouble.  S told us to stop and get in the cars.  We did and were about to drive off when S noticed the two guys were having their own trouble.  Trouble with their car.  S tried to help them battery jump but when that didn't work he drove one of the guys into town.  While he was doing that, a few of our team along with R and the local believer interacted with the second guy.
 
The gospel was shared in many ways in that village.  It was shared through the passing out of the Jesus film, prayerwalking, smiles, and random acts of kindness.  All done in the name of Jesus and with the love of Christ.
 
We claim the promise that His Word does not go out void.

A Tribute to Dr. Ralph Winter

Since Missions has been a dominant theme on our blog lately, I (Kevin) thought it would be fitting to post a tribute that John Piper did for Ralph Winter (to get to Piper's tribute click on the title of this blog). Dr. Winter, the the founder of the U.S. Center for World Missions in Pasadena, California, died yesterday. Dr. Winter had a significant impact on my life. In 1994, while attending Victoria Community Church in Southern California, I took a course called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, which Dr. Winter had helped originate, and had compiled a reader with the same title. That course caused a paradigm shift in my life. Among the many things that I learned from that course, the one thing that stands out the most is that our God is a missionary God, and our purpose on this earth, as Christians, is not to be all blessed up with no place to go, but we are "blessed up" to be a blessing to the nations.

Thank-you, Dr. Winter, for your service to the Lord, particularly in the area of missions to the unreached!

Israel - Update #7

Another update from Alison on the Israel team:

Picture 1 - We were able to enjoy some delicious "sweets" in a sweet shop downtown Nazareth. Huge trays of pastries lined the counters of this place and it was bustling with people even at 9:30 at night. We sat down and enjoyed some baklava (rows of it pictured on a tray) and some Kanffe (which is a kind o deep fried cheese with honey and "shredded wheat" on top).

Picture 2 - I've had such a gift in being able to do my job while here at the hospital. They've welcomed me with open arms and are continually asking my opinion and what they should do, although, I'm trying to figure out when they really want my opinion and when they want me to say that things are wonderful -- I think I've come away with, of someone else did it, they want my opinion -- if they did it, they want me to tell them that its wonderful!... Its a tricky business. There is a man who is the head of infection control that I've spent most of my days with and have gotten to know fairly well. He is Arabic and Muslim, although, not totally devout. His name is Sameer. We've had some good conversations and he's invited out group to his vineyard in Cana of Galilee (pray that this will work out as I think it would be good for the relationship as well). I also started working with the head of the OR at the end of the day on Wednesday and will continue on Friday - he's very appreciative of my being here and helping them out, so please pray that I have wisdom and insight in order to truly be of help. Lastly -- the picture included is of three men that I've been working with in the sterilization area -- Sameer (another one), Adel and Mourn (Moen). Adel is a very joyous believer who said that he never knew about Jesus until a woman from England who worked at the hospital 30 years ago told him the story and he accepted Christ. He and his family attend the Baptist church near where we went on Sunday. He is so excited and bubbling even after all these years. The last man on the far right of the picture is Mourn. This man claims to be a Christian, but I do not think that he is truly a believer. He is extremely angry right now as his daughter is attending school in Italy and staying at a convent with some nuns who have been very mean to her. He is angry at Christianity and that they would treat her like this and seems to imply this treatment on others as well. I kept on telling him how religion and the name Christian is not actually having Christ in your life. Christ brings change that is evidenced and, even though mistakes are made, there is love that Christ gives us when he lives in us. Please pray for Mourn that I would be able to speak with him more and also that I would be able to introduce him to some friends here in Nazareth who can show him Christ's love.

Picture 3 - Last thought for the evening. Its amazing to be here in the land of Jesus and see things that are referred to in the Bible and to suddenly get a grasp on things. Olive trees are abundant here and they will not bear fruit and flourish unless, before a certain time, a branch of another olive tree is grafted into the larger tree. In this picture you can see the grafted in branches and it brough to mind Luke 11:24 --- "For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree".... Thank you for your continued prayers. Please pray for us as we do some interaction with some different M communities tomorrow and attempt to show Christ's love to those who don't know Him yet.This is the last over and out for Wednesday, May 20th (or is it the 21st by now???? :))

Picture 4 - To show how confused things are here...

Alison

Israel - Update #6

May 21 - God is good!

Today's plan #1: Go to an Islamic seminary --- cancelled.

Plan #2: Do outreach with four local believers --- changed because some had to do last minute other activities and the fourth's car broke down.

Plan #3: God's plan! Our team along with R and S and the local believer B headed to the town of K'far Mandra. We met in the city centre and then divided into three teams for prayerwalking. The next hour was amazing! Each team had opportunity to meet a local family and go into their home. The interaction allowed for us to give them a gift of the Jesus film!

More later...

Israel - Update #5

Here is an update from Alison, one of the Israel team members:

Picture 1 - We were able to enjoy a meal at a beduin restaurant at the base of Mt Tabor on Sunday evening.  We opted to sit at the tables for the meal section and then resort to the floor for the dessert and coffee.  There are the traditional beduin tables and cushions that we reclined on.  The owner and those working at the restaurant were extremely hospitable and friendly.  We enjoyed some of the fiercly strong "coffee in a thimble", as I like to call it, complete with grounds in the bottom and hint of cardemon.  

Picture 2 - After the meal, we then went to the top of Mt Tabor (one of the spots where the transfiguration of Christ may have happened).  As we all exited our three vehicles and went to avidly snap our touristy photographs, the call to prayer started in a 100 different directions and eerily rang out over the valley we looked down on.  All of the group fell silent, several of us switched on our videos as we panned across the expanse of the valley.  In the picture, you can see pockets of dark, which is still just hill country, and shining patches of light which indicate the cities.  Within those patches of light reside an almost 100% Muslim population.  This is especially sad considering this is the land that Jesus lived and walked and taught and healed in.  As one of our local believing friends had pointed out, they've forgotten the teachings that he had brought to them not that long ago.

Picture 3 - This is the hospital in Nazareth that we're working at.  Its the most frequented hospital in Nazareth and it has the only emergency room that is open 24/7.  They're just completing work on 4 new operating rooms and they have many babies born.  There have been almost 15 born between the time we arrived Wednesday.  In specific, the second evening, we had been informed by the midwife at the hospital that there was a woman who was having contractions, but the baby was way too early to arrive so they were trying to do what they could.  The ladies in the group who had spoken to the midwife told her to inform the pregnant woman that we would pray for her - and not 20 minutes later, a group of 5 of us did pray for her.  The next day, we met up with the midwife in a meeting and she told us how she had told the pregnant woman we had prayed for her and that she was overjoyed and her mother, who was with her, was so happy that she literally jumped up and down.  We pray that these M women would come to know Christ through the love that we can share with them and that God would keep this baby safe and would in fact raise him or her up to serve him in a great way in this land.


Over and out for Wednesday, May 20th!

Alison

Israel - Update #4

May 20 - Here is a picture at a Beduin restaurant.  The reason we ate there is because the midwife of S is Beduin.  She is from this village.  We pray our going there helps further this relationship.
 
Now, just after I shared with you about Thursday's expedition to the Islamic Seminary, they cancelled.  But keep praying because we hope to do an outreach event with a local believer.  More on that later.
 
Today (Wed) we hope to finish the painting projects.  It has been quite a task.  We also continue to take turns prayerwalking through the hospital.  Pray for Alison.  Today and Friday she is meeting with some of the hospital administrators in regards to sterilization processes and handwashing.
 

Israel - Update #3

Keri called today!  She and the team are doing really well.  They are experiencing higher temperatures than they had expected.  Two days ago it was 95 degrees and today they had 80 degree weather.  No doubt, this has had a bearing on them as they have been working hard at the hospital.  (Keri says that Israel is very close to California climate-wise, so, being the California native, this has been a great blessing for her.)

I think Keri would appreciate prayer that she would be able to sleep at night.  In addition, she requests specific prayer for Thursday (Wednesday/early Thursday in the states) as the team has some neat engagement opportunities lined up. 

She said that R.G., and the Lord, have really been taking care of the team!  

  

Israel - Update #2

May 18 - Good evening! Monday was spent working here at the hospital. It was a very hot day but we persevered. We are working to renovate a guest apartment on the hospital grounds. The buildings are about 100 years old. They are solidly built of cement with ceilings about 18 feet tall. Carmen and Julie had the task of taking off a Snow White wallpaper mural that has probably been on the wall for about 30 years. Very tedious work. John and Dave along with Deborah worked in the bathroom. Some much needed wall repair was done. Brian, Debbie and Alison prepped and painted the railings and benches on a long porch. I (Keri) helped paint the kitchen. Debbie and I also had the privilege of prayerwalking through the hospital halls. Tonight we are all relaxing after a dinner of schwarma and falafel.

Acts 10:34-35 - So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him..."

Israel - Update #1

Here is the first update from Keri:

May 16 - Saturday evening upon arrival we drove to Haifa to have dinner at the B's. The G family was there as well. It was a wonderful place to eat, orient, and connect. We arrived in Nazareth around 9 p.m. and settled into our flats. A good night sleep was had by all.

May 17 - Sunday a.m. we woke to a beautiful warm day. Around 10:00 a.m. we began our half hour walk to church. We were a bit sweaty when we got there but it was fine. Even though the language spoken was Arabic we knew we were among brothers and sisters in Christ. Songs were sung and Scripture was taught.

For lunch we walked into the center of Nazareth and ate at a pizza parlour. The owner is a man that R has been building relations. The pizza was pretty good. Even the corn pizza. During the afternoon we took a tour of the hospital. This is where we will be working throughout the week. We then headed out of the city and had dinner at a Bedouin restaurant. It was delish!

Our Sunday came to a close atop Mt. Tabor. We had an amazing overlook of the Galilee Valley and were able to pray for the villages and people.

Keep praying for us.

We are praying Sweets! Selah asks about five times a day, "Where's momma?" So far my reply, "She's in Israel", satisfies her.

That the Nations May be Glad

May God be gracious to them (Keri and her team) and bless them

and make his face to shine upon them,  (Selah)

that your way may be known on earth, 

your saving power among all nations,

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you!

Psalm 67:1-3

Keri is bound for Israel.

Her joy is in Jesus who saved her.

She wants others to know that joy.

Her message is simple, but good, and powerful to save. 

Please pray for hearts to be fertile for the Seed that they sow. 

We love you, Sweets/Mommy!

Kevin, Sofia, Selah

I'll Miss You!

 

Dear Sofia and Selah,

Today I leave on a trip to Israel for 12 days.  Israel is a country far away from Grayslake, IL.  It is a land of many places found in the Bible.  I will be staying in Nazareth.  Nazareth is the city where Jesus lived as a young boy. My main reason for going on this trip is to tell people about Jesus.  

I will miss you guys a lot!  

I will miss seeing your beautiful faces each morning.

I will miss watching you dance and sing.

I will miss playing with you.

I will miss taking you to storytime at the library.

I will miss your hugs and kisses.

I will miss your funny faces.

I will miss your squealing.

I will miss singing "Jesus Loves Me" to you at bedtime.

I will miss you.

But girls, I cannot miss out on this opportunity to go.  To go to a place where people need to know about Jesus.  To go to places such as Nazareth, Jerusalem, Jericho, and the Dead Sea.  I will have many experiences and stories to share with you when I return.  I pray this trip will benefit our family and our spiritual growth.

I love you girls sooooo much.  I am so thankful that I get to be your mommy.

Lots of love,

Mommy

This is Ash!

 

This is Ashley.  

Ashley is my little sister.  

She loves to take pictures.

She loves to garden.

She loves to travel.

She loves God.

Ashley has been staying with us since mid-January.  But in less than two weeks she will be moving to Alaska.  She will be working with the Kodiak Baptist Mission for the next year.  

Ashley, thank you.

Thank you for taking lots and lots of pics of our girls.

Thank you for watching the girls when I needed to run to the store.

Thank you for just hanging out with us.

We will miss you but we are so proud of you.  

Continue to take pictures.

Continue to follow Christ.