Good preaching...

I commend to you Dr. Martyn Llyod-Jones. He is considered by many to be the best preacher in the 20th century. Half of one of his sermons is made available every week. He preached in England during the 50s - 70s. I have found his insight into the culture of his day to be still extremely relevant into understanding the culture of my day. Enjoy!

Click here:

Llyod-Jones Sermons

LRH

ahhh....Sweet Direction

Daryl-Ann and I got our letter of acceptance from the mission board we desire to serve overseas with (sigh of relief). As of now our exact date of departure from the LBK will be January 28th, 2009 with a field arrival date around the first of April. Please keep us in your thoughts as we make the most of these last few months in our homeland. We are stoked!

LRH

the real me

I think I am safe to say that all Christian people are thankful to God for saving them from destructive sins of the past that they were indeed bound to. And rightly so, it is all of grace that we gain victory from our sinful habits, and God must be praised for it. 

I think it is less often to see a person thankful to God for keeping them from sins that they have never committed, which is also of grace. Within ourselves we all posses the faculties to commit great evils, but thanks to God's sovereign hand he has kept us from such. I need to remind myself to stop and think for a moment what kind of person I would be if God were to leave me completely to myself. If I do not see myself in that moment as such a miserable wretch then I probably do not know myself as I really am, a debauched sinner in desperate need of a Saviour. 

LRH

Time at Work...

I have had the opportunity to have many great conversations with a few of my co-workers, and I have learned so much about the Christian life, and how 'being a Christian' should effect us. Most of our conversations have consisted around the idea of suffering and its effect on our soul. The most profound thing I was struck with today is that Christian life is not merely about what we do and do not do. It is completely what we believe and what we don't believe. What we believe about the Gospel, the nature of God, and the Holy Spirit's work in the world determines how we respond not only to specific situations, but how we live our life. For example, if I have no biblical backing in my heart and head on why suffering and evil exists in the world, then when I am encountered by suffering and evil I will respond no differently than a person who does not know God. Or if I do not know God's revealed desire for the lost peoples of the earth (or my neighbor) then there is no way that I will be rightly motivated to go to the hard places and pay the high cost that is required for people to be brought into God's family. Is that not what Jesus did for me? He paid the highest price for my salvation. If I really believed this I should be willing to bear the cost with him and go. 

Said concisely, being grounded in the revealed heart of God in all things governs my thoughts, actions, and the responses I have to any kind of situation. 

I know what I am saying is nothing new, in fact I think God just opened up to me a verse I have read a hundred times in a real practical way.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, acceptable and perfect" (Rom 12:2, ESV).

Always learning and re-learning,

LRH

typical irony

For those of you who don't know, I work here in Lubbock at Carillon Senior LifeCare Community.  (You may have seen me on tv...)  I actually work in the food and beverage dept., which I said I would NEVER do.  It is enjoyable, sometimes stressful, but what job isn't?

Anyways, all of that to set the background.  I had to run to the kitchen to look for something in the walk-in this morning, and I totally slipped in a puddle of grease (yes, I did say puddle and grease) and wiped out.  No injuries, though.

Ironically, there was a "safety" meeting this afternoon...where we learned all about how to not slip in the kitchen.  

--dh

By the way, I agree whole heartedly with Logan's previous post about the Lewis book.  It was incredible.  

Our Lewis Hook

Over the years I have heard countless people speak of their appreciation for C.S. Lewis. I have  spent time in many of his books and have had the hardest time seeing what the big deal was. I could tell the claims he was making were powerful and truthful, but I was not gripped by them as most others seemed to be. Honestly I think he is in another intellectual class altogether and I cannot reach that high. Nevertheless, I decided to try again, this time with a book that I picked up at Barnes and Noble called Till We have Faces: A Myth Retold. 

I must say that this was one of the most gripping books I have ever read, and most profound. It was Lewis' last piece of fiction and he considered it his greatest. I read it in a few short days (very unusual for me), and enjoyed every minute of it.

I am not going to go into what it is about or even the focus of the book. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves good fiction that aims at stirring your affections, and may have a hard time appreciating the works of Lewis.  The moment I was finished with it I gave to it Daryl-Ann and she finished it in half the time I finished it (which is normal), and we were able to have good conversation and mutually appreciate the man, C. S. Lewis.

LRH

Encouragement from an 'Ordinary' Gospel Centered Life

Over the past few days I have been reading a book by Don Carson titled Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson. The book is aimed at highlighting the faithful diligence of an 'ordinary' pastor in the midst of much hardship and daily 'ordinary' life.

One story that proved really relevant for Daryl-Ann and I concerning the ministry we are pursuing was the story of Don asking his father why so many ministers left their region in French speaking Canada and went to other areas where, seemingly, God was moving.

To give a historical context:

The Carsons were serving in Quebec, a predominantly French speaking province. Missionaries were displaced from the French speaking colonies in the Congo in Africa and thought it a wise move to go to Quebec to continue their French-directed work. None of the missionaries lasted for more than six months.

The rest I quote in full.

So I (Don) asked Dad why none of them had the courage and stamina to stick it out.

Always the meekest of men, Dad replied mildly, "Don, you have to understand that they have been used to serving in a part of the world where they have seen much blessing. They are used to considerable crowds, they have built clinics and hospitals, they have seen many people converted and helped to train pastors to teach them. Then they arrive here and find everything to be interminably slow. How are they likely to read this, except to conclude that they must have misunderstood their call to Quebec since no fruit seems to be forthcoming?"

"So," I replied, "why don't you go to some part of the world where there would be much fruit instead of staying here and produce so little?"

Until then the conversation had been casual. Now he wheeled on me and said rather curtly, "I stay because I believe God has many people in this place"-- referring , of course, to the encouragement God gave to Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:10).

What a ballast to a weary Christian who daily proclaims the gospel and prays earnestly that the hearers would be brought to faith in Christ.

Keep laboring and praying. I have people here, and they will come to know me.

Sorry for the long post. I hope you found it worthwhile.

LRH

And Now A Word From Daryl-Ann...

Well, Logan wants us to have a blog.  It's a great idea.... especially for those who have cute kids to write funny stories about and post pictures of, those with deep insight or humorous comments to make, or someone who just really wants to keep you posted on all the ins and outs of daily life.  Pretty much, that's not us, uh, me.  (Sorry Logan, you have great insight.)

What you need to know is that I once kept a blog.  I was young and stupid, and wrote all about all kinds of emotions and things I was going through.  And then I wised up and realized I really didn't want to post my thoughts and feelings for all to see, and really, I didn't have all that much to contribute to the blog world anyways.

However, this will be a great way for you to keep in touch w/ what's going on in our lives....most of you reading this already know that we hope to be moving overseas fairly soon, and so this is a most efficient way to catch a glimpse of our daily lives.  I really foresee Logan writing more here, but you may hear from me every so often.

And just to let you know, we just got back from conference today.  Overall, we were really encouraged.....by the people we got to meet and fellowship with, by hearing what God is doing all around the world, by the fact that our interviews went well, etc.  I know that the time we potentially have here in the states is short, and I hope we spend it well--loving on the people who are dear to us and doing all things for the glory of our Lord.  

Well, the dryer just buzzed....that's my cue.  

Love,

--dh

A Promise fulfilled...

Here is one more picture of beauty we in west Texas don't see too often. 

I finally took some pictures of the place we are staying for interviews. It is also the place where Missionaries are trained and come home for furlough. I have more to come. Enjoy!

This is DA being sleepy pants on the floor in the library.

A barn and silo... I have no idea for what.

Here is a picture of the ILC. The place where we stay and learn.

I was probably a little too excited when I saw this Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum).

And Again...