Sometimes we can listen to something over and over and never really HEAR it!
Friday is our "therapy day" or better known as our grandparents' day...every Friday that Gary and I are in town we are privileged to have the company of the most adorable 19 month old boy EVER! Yes, we are biased but just stop by and see for yourself! Landon is our first grandchild and we are both first borns so of course we want to encourage and inspire and enhance his little life in every way humanly possible! Jesi and Jeremy are great parents! Jeremy is the googey-eyedist devoted daddy who loves to spend time with his son! And Jesi is a smart experienced child development savy preschool trained and Sunday school tested teacher!So they really don't need our help much, EXCEPT physically, they value the time to redirect their energy and effort back into one another, their marriage, work, friends, or sometimes just to sleep in! We proved trustworthy enought to not only keep him all day on most Fridays but also overnight! And we LOVE it!!!
Jesi decided early on in Landon's life (Jesi is a first born as well! And Jeremy IS a first born son!)to teach him sign language. It is supposed to help defer the terrible two's and temper tantrums (we will let you know in a few months:) and allow a way for babies and toddlers to communicate before they can actually speak. My sister, Brigette, experienced being a grandmother before me and she told us how helpful it was to teach her grand daughter sign language. So Gary and I were glad to help! So we purchased some Baby Signing Time dvd's and began learning along with Landon! And we all love it! The songs are great and they make signing easy to learn and remember!
We only have three dvd's and we have been watching and interacting with them once a week or so for over a year! Today we were listening to one and I had heard the song hundreds of times but today I HEARD the message for the firsr time!
Rachel Coleman, author and creator of the Sgning Time program and dvd's, wrote the song (probably after discovering her first born daughter was deaf). I hope that it encourages and inspires you as much as it did me.
The Good
It was you and me and the whole world right before us
I couldn’t wait to start
I saw you and dreams just like everyone before us
We thought we knew what we got
And then one day I thought it slipped away
And I looked to my hands to hold on
And then one day all my fear slipped away
And my hands did so much more
So maybe we won’t find easy
But, baby, we’ve found the good
No, maybe we won’t find easy
But, baby, we’ve found the good!
It was you and me and a new world right before us
I was so scared to start
I saw you and dreams just like everyone before us
But how did they move so far?
And then one day I thought it slipped away
And I looked to my hands to hold you
And then one day all my fear slipped away
And my hands did so much more
So maybe we won’t find easy
But, baby, we’ve found the good
Maybe we won’t find easy
But, baby, we’ve found the good!
To my awesome husband Aaron- Maybe we won’t find easy, but baby, we have found the good! I love you~ Rachel
My sweetheart said to me this morning,”Hey, am i remembering right? Didn’t I propose to you on Valentine’s Day?
That he did! We both were working in Houston at Fast Motor Freight, the late evening shift which meant all of the bills of lading had to be completed before we could leave so we usually finished about 11:00 p.m. We rode together so we had special permission from the authorities at the Christian College we attended, Gulf Coast Bible College (now in Oklahoma City, renamed Mid American Christian University) to be in late that night. But what I didn’t know was that he had asked special permission as well to be inside the Chapel at West 11th Church there on the campus of the school. So we went inside and there in the semi darkness of the chapel we he told me of his love and asked me to marry him! We took communion and prayed at the alter together. He had planned to wash my feet but the chaplian thought that that was too risky and we might get carried away. Anyway, I said YES! and we celebrated 31 years of marriage this year! And we have fought hard for every day of it! Sometimes we have fought others, sometimes our kids, sometimes the enemy and sometimes each other! But it is a BEAUTIFUL fight! And we know it won’t be over until we finish the race!
Just a few days ago we sat at the kitchen table with our oldest daughter as she talked about her next adventure for the advancement of His Kingdom. She was processing aloud the trip and all that it would include and contemplating the impact and value. She wondered aloud if the value would be the same as if her father had gone. I tried to encourage her. “Of course they will know our interest is high! Kristen, your dad is sending his most valued treasure—his daughter.” Gary, always the encourager, chimed in, “My one and only daughter!” Then it dawned on us. Gary and Belinda so loved the world that they SENT their only daughter (first to Mexico, then to China, and to India and even to be married and live in OHIO)!
Psalm 127
3-5Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb His generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.
I still remember his emphasis and point that arrows were not meant to stay in the quiver. They were meant to be SENT OUT!
As a young bride who did not yet have any arrows in my quiver, though I loved the thought of it, I certainly had no idea how it would feel to draw back the bow. But I knew how it felt to be chosen and to be aimed at a target and sent out! How it felt to know that you were on mission and were spending your one and only life for an eternal difference!
Today Kristen is sent out to a target, half a world away and Mom and family are praying that she will hit the mark.. an arrow out of the quiver. Jesus was willing to be SENT from heaven and God was willing to send His very best!
Twenty-nine years ago, my life was forever altered by the incredible entry of a beautiful, perfect baby girl! It was love at first sight! We were absolutely flabbergasted that they would allow us to take this precious treasure home with us? Didn't they know that we didn't have a clue as to what we were doing? Oh, how thankful I am that Someone else did! I prayed often that God will fill in the gaps of our ignorance with His mercy and grace! I so believe that He has and still does!
Kristen was born at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Merriam, KS and lived in Kansas City, Kansus for the first couple of years of her life! Gary and I were serving the First Church of God (now New Family Life) in Shawnee Kansas. She loved being the first born and relished her position until the second born, Jeremiah Lynn came along (in belly in picture :) Jeremy and Kristen were comrades in exploration and discovery! Once they climbed behind the chair and holding on together stuck a play set of keys in the electrical socket! Yeah, they received a bit of a shock! No, they didn't do that again!
Less than two years later, Kristen gained another brother, Luke and we continually reminded her that though she was bigger than them at the moment, they outnumbered her and would more than likely become taller than she would be, so it would be wise to treat them kindly! God has gifted you, Kristen with gifts of leadership and communication! How beautiful they are on you! We rejoice with you that you are doing what you feel "you were born to do!"
We join Jesus in rejoicing (to twirl around wildly and jump up and down in wild celebration) over you, Kristen Janee Levit!!!!
Doug loved and lived out loud! I don’t know that I have ever met anyone who knew him who he didn’t impress and who didn’t adore him…including my three children.
He coached Pioneer Trail Junior High Panthers boys’ basketball team when my son, Jeremy, tried out but didn’t make the team. Doug recognized the spirit of encouragement that Jeremy embodied and invited him to be the manager and that was the year they won the city championship!
The way Jeremy cheered the boys on, he was an active playing part of the team. Thanks Doug for allowing him to exercise his gift and contribute to the team that year and share in the glory of the victory!
Mr. B was Kristen’s homeroom teacher who she adored! He was her history teacher whom she loved and admired and believed. He was her mentor and role model He was a Christian brother who taught her how to be a witness and stand up for what she believed at school. He was an inspiration to her and to us as parental units (I always wondered where they discovered that word, until Chanda let the cat out of the bag that that was what Doug called HIS parents)!
Doug was an encourager to our youngest son, Luke, who was not on the basketball team, but he loved sports and girls! So Mr. Barnett asked him to video the girls’ team which he was coaching. So Luke travelled with them and filmed their games and loved it! Luke was a valued part of the team and was even allowed to travel with the girls’ team to the away games! Thanks Mr. Barnett for valuing his gifts and inspiring and encouraging him.
Chanda said that often Doug would tell her how much he hated for her to have to do everything for him and how he didn’t want her to watch him die. To which she replied, “Doug this is what you do when you are married. This is what we signed up for. And remember this is what you did for me while I was sick. You cared for me when I could do nothing, you did everything. This is what you do when you are married. I won’t be alone. I have our family, friends, our church and God.”
I remember when Gary and I went over to talk with Doug and Chanda when they learned that Doug’s days here on earth were going to be drastically reduced if God didn’t intervene dramatically! They both sat in the family room and proclaimed that they were ready to accept that. Chanda said, This is a BIG thing God has given us to do! This is huge!However, Chanda said wide-eyed, “What if God decided to intervene and to heal Doug? Wouldn’t that be awesome? That would bring so much praise and glory to God and we would definitely give it all to Him and people would know it was God!”
I remember hearing in my mind (I don’t believe it was my thought), “Or maybe God will get more glory like this. Maybe I, God, will get more glory for people to witness the way Doug dies—courageously, proclaiming My, God's, Glory the entire way home!”
The words surprised me so and were not what I wanted to hear that I didn’t say anything while we were with Doug and Chanda. Gary and I talked with them some more and prayed and then went home. When we got in the car, I told Gary what I believed I had heard. Gary and I still continued to pray desperately, faithfully for Doug’s healing here on earth.
On Saturday, October 9 at Indian Creek Community Church hundreds of people gathered to celebrate and honor Doug's life. We also gathered to comfort his family and mourn together the absence of his presence among us. Doug had along with his family pre-planned every song and element of the service. He had definite ideas and he had a message for those who came. He knew he would have a platform and influence with those who came and he wanted to have one last literal voice in their lives. He didn't want to miss the opportunity to speak and teach literally with his life story. So he did. Part of the messsag is
Doug attended a special weekend called DARE TO DREAM where he heard God impress upon him to tell his story...and so he did. And many responded to his appeal to get off the fence and choose to jump down on the side of Jesus Christ. And I am certain he is still celebrating those decisions today because Doug is absent from his body (which he dedicated to KU Medical Center so that he could keep on teaching through research) but Doug Barnett is present with the God that He lived loving.
At the end of the morning Chanda said, "I knew we would have fun today but I didn't know we would have this much fun!" Many came and stayed afterwards to share special stories and memories. I wanted to share the contents of the service so that perhaps if you missed it, you could somewhat experience it here.
DOUG BARNETT’S CELEBRATION SERVICE
PreludeNames of God (CD loved by friend Valera Bachman & Doug)
Trumpet Prelude How Great Thou Art Josh Thye (Nephew)
Opening Prayer Pastor Gary Kendall
Songs of Testimony Testify to Love
Jake, Hillary, Dave, and Cheri Thye/TRAX (Doug's sister and family served as worship team
The King is Coming Congregation/Dave/Susan Meyer/Darlene Wahaus (Friends)
Memories assembled by family and compiled by Doug's sister, Cheri
Song of ThanksgivingThank You
(Signing Interpretation by Paula Cyphers, Chanda's sister) Susan Meyer & Darlene Wahaus
Doug’s Video Personal Testimony Produced by Ray and Terry Robins (friends)
Message of Hope Pastor Gary Kendall (included excerpts from Doug's journal
Songs of Hope I Can Only Imagine Eric Millard/TRAX (recorded solo by young man whose life Doug impacted)
Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone Congregation/Dave/Susan/Darlene
It is Finished Dave Thye/TRAX
Closing Remarks and Invitation Win One More for God Pastor Gary Kendall
Songs of Invitation
The Old Rugged Cross Congregation &/Dave/Susan/Darlene
At the Foot of the Cross Susan Meyer
Closing Prayer Pastor Gary Kendall
Doug's service concluded the way that he had planned. We celebrated his life and his GOD and people were reminded of the importance of making a decision to stand on the side of Christ today as none of us know when will be our last chance to make that decision! Many people responded when given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision by coming to the front of the room to stand to signify their choice!
As Pastor Gary in closing that every good teacher would want his students to take action on what they had heard! What a tribute to Doug's life and an honor to His God and Savior Jesus Christ!
How could we ever say enough thanks for 25 years! How could we even begin to thank THE GOD who has been Faithful, Povider, Healer, Waymaker and more! On September 16, 1985 Indian Creek Community Church took her first breathe of life in the form of a public worship service! And God began writing His Story of life transformation all over Olathe! So on Thursday night, September 16, 2010 we rolled out the red carpet for all of those who were participating in A Night of Thanks! So 25 years later to the date we wanted to honor God by honoring His Story in every story of life transformation! What a fun and life-giving time! We invited as many of the original Indian Creek founders as we could. And thankfully some are still in the area and close enough to be here! We were all much younger then! Many returned to enjoy a night of food, fun and fellowship!
Three different rooms were set up with many interesting pictures of eras long since gone! Along with the pictures there was delicious and gorgeous food all around!The evening climaxed with a worship service purposefully designed to tell God's Story in His Body! Many special guests came just to help celebrate, a wonder filled God! What a grand celebration it was! Lots of praising and shouting and telling of His goodness as He supplied in so many ways! Before and After testimonies written on cardboard were moving expressions of people's gratitude for His narvelous work in their lives! Only God! Only God could create SOMETHING from nothing! Only God! I was delighted to share praise for God's incredible provision over the years! Here is my talk:
Good evening Indian Creek
What an awesome opportunity to welcome you on this 25th Anniversary to the date of the very first service at Indian Creek Community Church! 25 years ago the doors were swung open for the very first time and people were welcomed in! I welcome you here to share this evening together!
God tells us in His Word that He will do more than we can think, hope, dream or imagine and this place and His Body here testify to the overwhelming truth of that!
Ephesians 3:20 (The Message and New Living Translation)
20-21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Wow! Only a God like You!! Only God could take 27 people and in 25 years multiple their efforts to more than 2500 families!
My name is Belinda Kendall and it is awe-inspiring to me that 26 years ago a small group of people dared to believe that God would provide a body of people who would be a place of grace, love and acceptance in their own community so that they might bring their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers to a place where they could come to know of such great love and provision for themselves!
It is amazing to me that they dared to believe that they could BE the Body of Christ and God would create a place of hope and healing for so many! They dared to believe that God wanted to provide through them healing for the broken hearted, freedom for the captives and life for death!
Tonight it is my pure pleasure to welcome you to a time of thanksgiving to God for His miraculous incredible transformation work in the lives and hearts of thousands! Indeed He is the One who did it and He is the one who deserves all the praise and glory!
Would you help me to give it to Him?
Truly Indian Creek’s story is His Story and His Story is our story! Tonight we will share in some time and tell just a few of the thousands of stories of God’s transforming power and work! The stories will not be in any particular order, chronological or otherwise and will be snapshots of glimpses of a few of the attributes of God! Truly God has proved Himself to be more than faithful and has provided all along the way for His people here at Indian Creek for 25 years!
Personally, for me it has been a joy to have had a front row seat for all these years to God’s continual display of Who He is—Provider! Why wouldn’t we trade our lives for a cause that would outlast us! Our family has been on this ride and witnessed God’s faithful provision for 25 years.
A story that goes way back to the beginning before there was ever a single service is the way God provided the property this building as a future home for His people!
One day Gary Kendall, my husband and Gary Burrell were having breakfast, as they often did, and eagerly anticipating the day when the small group that was meeting in a home in Olathe would become a Body of believers who would be housed in a facility that they could utilize to glorify God. The two like minded visionaries were looking for land. Afterwards Gary Burrell went out to drive some of the outlying areas in search of available property. He saw this property on Black Bob road and he thought it was the right space in the right place. He was thrilled when he learned that the owner was a good friend of his wife, Judy.
Gary investigated the land and discovered that it was a seven acre piece of property and that it was available for a very reasonable price. Gary Kendall and Gary Burrell went to look the prospective land on Black Bob road. At that time the road was a two lane road narrowing to a one lane bridge across the creek south of 127th. Across Black Bob was pasture land with cattle. Gary Kendall loved the land but was unsure if it was right because he believed God told him not to settle for less than 10 acres.
When Gary and Gary actually saw the plat for the land Gary Burrell said the property looked larger than the seven acres it was listed as. Gary Burrell felt so confident that he volunteered to pay to have the land resurveyed. And so it was! How big do you think the acreage was? Absolutely, it was NOT a mere seven but actually TEN acres! They learned that it was listed as seven because three of the acres were in the flood plain. Those could not be built upon but they could be used for a parking lot. When the owner, Leroy Ellsworth, learned about the difference he said he would sell the ten acres for the price of seven. And then Leroy decided to give seven more acres he originally planned to give to the city of Olathe for a park. All total we received 17 acres for the price of 7! Definitely a provision of God!
And the story isn’t over yet! The city decided to upgrade Black Bob road from a two lane to a four lane road. So they served Indian Creek a $52,000 road assessment fee. YIKES! There didn’t seem to be any way that this new church could pay it! Mr., Ellsworth, the owner, stepped up and gave a gift of $26,000 to pay for the extra land he gave in the first place. His reasoning was that we were a brand new church and he didn’t want the church to have to pay an assessment on the gift that he gave! He didn’t want it to cost us anything but it did cost him...
Leroy then revealed that during this whole process that when he first bought the land years earlier he imagined creating a development to the north which became Foxridge North and a development to the south which became Foxridge South. He thought to himself at that time—and right here in the middle would be a great place for a church. Over time he developed both of the other properties and even specked out this property for homes because the original purpose slipped his mind. But when Indian Creek entered the picture it all came back to him, he was moved to tears and desired to be a part of making it happen.
God has provided for Indian Creek from start to finish. God is the Provider and He is perfect in His provision. Will you join me in giving God a clap offering for being the Provider!
Oh, what a night of giving thanks to many who played a part but most of all to THE ONE GOD who transforms lives and hearts and does MORE than we can think or imagine! To HIM be the Glory forever and ever, AMEN!
Wheeeee!!! What an adventure! It is never over until you reach home soil! We prevailed through ticket confusion, double bookings, conflicting schedules, all day in Chennai, loading all luggage on the International 'coach' and just when we thought the finish line was in sight, we learned that our flight out of Delhi was delayed 6 hours! But here we are rebooked and awaiting a 6:00 a.m. departure! Good news--we are all flying BUSINESS class for 16 hours! God is good! Thanks for praying us through!
What a great day touring the campus and India Gospel League offices and then program presented by 250 children! They pray, sing, recite memory verses and study! They recite whole chapters of the Bible that they memorize--very humbling!
Tomorrow we spend the morning shopping and then drive 6+ hours to Kerayla where we partner in two more women's conferences before heading back where we came from--America. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to speak through our hearts where no words are needed. Please pray for the women to have open hearts for God's Word, open ears that they might hear Him speaking to each one of them. Also pray for strength and inspiration. We long to be vessels for His glory!
I will try to get to another internet cafe so that I can post more pictures.
Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the ocean! It is always a treat to get to spend the night in Negombo at Camelot on the Beach. No time to sun bathe but we can always get in a walk on the brown sand! Katrina is surprised by the wave.
The first conference in Negombo was a Leaders Conference with women from regions in Sri Lanka. Stella Rahjas is a National Leader with the Women With a Mission. She encourages and prays with a pastor's wife who is needing her support. He has turned their mourning into dancing, their despair to joy!
The pastors of the area are always serving the women during these conferences! Pastor is serving tea to Katrina. Sri Lanka and India influenced by Great Brittan produce the world's finest tea so of course tea time is always observed!
It is difficult to believe that it has just been a week today since Katrina and I departed KCI for India, reluctantly leaving Paula still in St. Louis as the VISA agency searched for her passport at the India Consulant.(Our representative told Paula that in the 18+ years that she had been serving in VISA's that she had only LOST her passport. someone was leaving her. I have been trained to "keep going" until you reach your final destination and trust that the others will make it there eventually as well! So on Katrina and I treked! When we landed in Chennai we were pleased to see good friend and partner in ministry Pastor Bennie. He seems to always draw the short straw to make the late night/early morning runs to retrieve the women's team members! Pastor Bennie was quick to inform us of a schedule change! Instead of heading to Sri Lanka at the end of the trip, we were leaving the next morning, very early. So off we went to the hotel for a few hours and then up and back to the airport for a short flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka! What a delightful experience to see women at the Leader's Session with whom we have partnered over the years! That is when we learned that the reason we could travel freely in Sri Lanka was because the war was over! We certainly were celebrating the freedom gained! Later we learned that the Tamil Tigers had been shot as they were surrendering in cooperation with the UN...This was the reason for the women's somber faces we greeted later that day. Please continue to pray for peace in Sri Lanka, spiritually as well. Many women leaders, less than 100, gathered in Negombo to hear God's heart and voice speaking to themselves through one another and other ordinary women leaders. So Katrina and I filled up and boarded the plane withthe rest of the team.!
What joy to arrive at the same hotel where we had once been and to find the women already praising God! Though they lost much God is fulfilling His promise to heal their broken hears and set thecaptives free! Certainly, God moved powerfully and touched the hearts of women so that they were encouraged and inspired at the outcome!
The next morning we traveled to Battocolea, the same village that I had traveled to in 2005 shortly after the tsunami with Sam and some friends to deliver relief items. The church facility was only a shell at the time and now it is a beautiful sight! Completed and full of some 300 women praising God for His faithfulness!
The next day we traveled about an hour and a half to another village and encouraged another 300 women. God demonstrated His love powerfully through Paula French's telling of the woman at the well and her need to leave her "water jar" and proclaim what Christ has done for her. Katrina encouraged the women with Proverbs 31 as she assured women that our worth is not wrapped up in our works.
We traveled back to Negombo in preparation of flying out of Colombo, Sri Lanka to India. So we gave up a day at the Elephant Orphanage to visit the India Gospel League Island Mission Base which serves as a home for some 80 girls! And we were so very glad that we did! The children were beautiful and their faces reflected the joy that they were learning about at the base! Prati reminded me that even though we had visited the base before its completion, of another visit there prior to all of that when a team of American women walked the property and prayed for the project! God certainly did more than we could imagine at the time!
We had also visited the site where they were beginning to construct another base that would include a facility for boys. (The government won't allow a facility to house both male and female orphanages.) As we started to drive across the sandy foundation it began to rain, harder and harder. We were disappointed as we realized that the van wouldn't be able to drive through the wet sand and neither could we. So we sat in the van and waited until the wind lessened. And we were amazed at what we experienced! Several pastors were approaching the van under the protective wooden makeshift umbrella, holding it over their heads with one hand while sporting a china teapot and tea service so that they served us tea from outside in the rain, standing in the pouring rain, pouring the tea from an exquisite tea pot. What a humbling cup of tea!
Monday morning we arose at 3:30 to be ready to leave our beloved Camelot on the Beach in Negombo for the paradise oasis of the home of Prati and Sam Stephens as houseguest and family! So we flew out of Colombo and in less than two hours were on our way to Sharon Gardens, our home away from home!
But first a trip to the village that Indian Creek partners in the Adopt-a-Village project. We prayed over and dedicated a spot for a water well that will provide clean water for the less than 3,000 people. We gathered in the Community Center of the village to hear reports about how IGL's partnership encouraged, inspired and strengthened the people of the village and non believers testified about how they benefitted. It was an honor to welcome and greet the people! Afterwards we were invited to eat lunch in the pastor's home. But first off to the LIfe church to encourage and inspire the believers. We sat in a circle and I was honored to commend and encourage those who came. We heard a powerful testimony of a woman whose eyesight was healed and God gave her a child when she had been barren.
Time for lunch we traveled to the pastor's house where he and his wife served us on banana leaves a meal prepared especially by her for us!
Now it is 12 hours after we embarked upon our day's journey and time to begin the 3 hour drive to Salem and our beloved Sharon Gardens! This is when we are grateful that we are served by a driver and he is the one who will be doing the driving dance in the maze of traffic!
What a fully pacted day! We just pray that we made an inpact on some for God's glory and kingdom advancement! !
Finally, we arrived at Sharon Gardens tonight around 7:00 pm and enjoyed dinner in the elegant dining hall that allows Prati and her family to have their dinning room back to feed their hungary family while hosting teams of guests as well.
Since I have been utilizing internet cafes, I have been unable to connect camera so that I can post pictures because I have many to share!
