the impact of one...

Some of you may remember a blog that I wrote when we first arrived on the field about an incident at a grocery store . (click here if you want to read) At the end of the blog, I shared that God lead us to a new store with a helpful butcher and friendly attendants. The name of the store was Kiler. Sounds strange in English, but it is music to my ears right now because we are getting a Kiler in my current city....well, not just in my city, I can see it from my kitchen window!!! I am SUPER EXCITED!!! We have watched for several weeks now in anxious anticipation, and finally, they announced its opening! I know it is the little things in life that make me overjoyed these days (like the 1 Dr. Pepper I still have in my fridge sent from the terrific Mrs. Shifflette), but why when I have a perfectly good grocery store, am I so thrilled about Kiler? I think it comes down to relationships. Kiler was the first place overseas that I felt welcomed and wanted. I felt safe and comfortable inside the store, and despite my pitiful language, I was able to communicate. Now, before I start singing the theme song to "Cheers" (okay, too late), I do realize that my experience at this new Kiler may be totally different. I could actually hate the store and never shop there. Why? Because really, my excitement about the store is about the friends that I had and hope to have again. Isn't it amazing the impact that we have on the people around us!! Over the weekend, our apartment was put on the market and sold all in one day. Evidently, our apartment owner has some debt he wants to pay off and decided to sell our flat to a business aquaintance. Our doorman gave us 45 min. notice to have the apartment ready for our owner to show. As it turns out, the man that bought the apartment "really liked us". The kids and I mostly stayed out of the way, as it was all men looking at the apartment, but Matt was able to chit/chat with the new owner. He was impressed that we have all "learned the language" (are learning I would say!!) He also asked if we knew a man named "E". "E" was an American here doing the "main thing". He has been back in the States a number of years, but the crazy thing is this was not the first time someone has asked us about him. I know we are one of 4 foreign families in a city of 1.5 million so we kind-of stick out, but to come across people that have met this other foreigner seems strange....well, no it seems like a God thing doesn't it!! We have no idea what "E" said to our new landlord. He said enough to have made an impression, and from what we know of his legacy he shared the main thing everywhere he went. Wow, he will likely never know the impact he made on this land, but PTL he was here before us paving the way. May we continue in his footsteps! We pray God continues to give us those "chance" encounters. Throwing out the seed, watering and harvesting....AT

Which Bible Should I Read?

I have always found this question to be an interesting one. I know it is highly debated among English readers and biblical scholars. As mentioned in a previous post, (click here) I do have an opinion that I will detail out for you, but my short answer is, "Read ALL of them." It has been an almost 20 year journey, but I think that I have finally found a peace. (Some of you know I can be really slow and hard headed!) Starting in my pre-teen years, I attended a very conservative/traditional church. The King James Version or the NKJV were the approved/acceptable copies to use. I love the poetry and rhythm of these versions. I find the KJV & NKJV easier to memorize because of their literary beauty. I use these often with my kids during school. However, when I moved into my college years, the "in thing" became the New International Version. To tell you the truth, despite the fact that this is probably the most widely used version in America right now, and I have studied quite a bit from it, I have never read it through in its entirety. It has never really appealed to me to do so, but I am putting it on my "need to do" list simply for the fact that I don't want to limit God. Like most people, my university years were a time when many things in life were debated. I listened to strong opinions on the inaccuracies of the NIV and in turn the stanch opinions on the "out datedness" of the KJV. These debates led me to begin researching "translations verses commentaries". Translations meaning versions of the Bible that more accurately state what was originally written. Commentaries being versions of the Bible that expound on the scriptures in an effort to make them 1) more readable in common English, 2) culturally connected and 3) often more "devotion like" leading a person to deeper meditation. Now, that being said, I don't want to offend anyone by taking individual versions and giving my opinion on which of the 2 categories each falls because my true opinion is that it is not "that important". It is my goal to read them all. By the end of my college years, I ditched the hype around the NIV & KJV and I found myself with a copy of the New American Standard. I truly love the wording in this version. I find it easy to read and yet it challenges me to think and pray. I used my first copy until I had so much highlighted and written in the margins it was literally falling apart in sections. The NAS is still the version that I use most. I am comfortable with it, and I don't know how else to describe it but that it "suits" me. I think that it is important to find a copy of God's word that you hunger to read, you delight in spending time in and you can be faithful to know well. I also feel strongly that God desires to speak to us daily. We need to be constantly growing. We should never be "content" with where we are in our spiritual lives. What I mean by that is that we should always want "more of Him". I recognize that each person will reach for that "more" differently because we all "connect" with Him differently. I believe that we can hear, feel, smell, see, taste and know God. Reading His Word falls more in the column of "knowing" Him. Why would I want to limit myself to simply one version of knowing HIM? Again, I do not want to debate accuracy. I think that if you are debating theology, making a family or a personal mission statement, needing hard facts with wording, time, etc., you should go to "original texts". I am simply throwing the idea out there that perhaps reading multiple translations and commentaries could widen my understanding and even allow God to speak new truth into my life. (i.e. lead me down the path of KNOWING HIM MORE )I am finding it to be true in my life this year because I have started reading a copy of scriptures outside of my native tongue. I read a section in English and then the same section in Turkish. Then during my daily time with my tutor I read and talk about what God is teaching me. It has been wonderful to look at "new words" and study passages in detail. Recently, during a prayer time with Matt's mom and sister, we sang the old hymn, "More About Jesus". (Why is it as Baptists that we always skip the 3rd verse? They are usually SOOO good!) The 3rd verse of this hymn says, "More about Jesus in his Word, Holding communion with my Lord; Hearing his voice in every line, Making each faithful saying mine." Yes, this is what I want: Chorus = "More, more about Jesus, More, more about Jesus; More of his saving fullness see, More of his love who died for me." Open to reading them ALLLL! AT