Idea: Pray via Email

If someone emails you asking for prayer, reply by, in your email, praying for what they requested prayer for.

Bonus: if you get an email update from a missionary, and read it, think for five seconds and then reply with a couple words of encouragement (eg, "Cool story!"). You will be one of very few to respond at all, and it will mean a lot. Encouragement, baby!

Nip it in the bud

"Sin will take you further than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay and cost you way more than you ever wanted to pay."

(Someone wrote this to me an email today--in response to the Haggard scandal--and I thought I'd share it with you.)

Noah's Ark

I saw this video on Shawn Cuthill's site and thought you might like it. Enjoy!

$100 from a Stranger

Earlier today George and I boarded a train from New York City to Norwalk, Connecticut. There weren't many seats available--it's Thanksgiving here in the States--but I spotted one by a well-to-do couple in their early 40's. "Mind if I sit here?" I asked. "Not if you don't mind dogs," the man said, half-jokingly. And then I realized that his wife had two little white dogs on her lap. "Not at all," I said. "I love dogs."

Thus began my conversation with this man, a hedge-fund manager, and his lady-friend (to whom, it turned out, he wasn't married). We talked about dogs big and small, Thanksgiving, social issues like AIDS and the untouchables of India, foreign policy, micro loans, Christianity, my job as George's assistant, and a whole lot more.

Suddenly, my new friend pulled out a $100 bill, handed it to me and said, "give this to your boss." I thanked him and said, "I'll do that."

A few minutes later, I went up to George and told him about the gift. "No one's ever given me money on a train like that before," George said, as he pulled out a copy of his three-in-one book. "Give that to him," he said, handing me the book and one of his business cards to serve as a bookmark.

I walked back to my seat and handed the book to my new friend. "My boss asked me to give this to you. He wrote it. I need to warn you, though; it's pretty hardcore." "What do you mean," the girl asked. "Well, it's about the authenticity we've been talking about," I said. "It's about spiritual reality, and how everything we do comes out of that."

They were a little surprised, and also truly grateful. "Thank you," the man said, taking the book. "I'm Brandt, by the way." "And I'm Lauren," the girl said. "I'm Nigel," I said. "Hm, I wish I had a business card to give you," I said, "but I'm out." "Well, here," Brandt said, volunteering one of his.

We had been together on this train for about an hour, but it was at that very moment that George flagged me down from his seat further up, indicating it was time to get off. This was our stop. I collected my things and said goodbye to Brandt and Lauren. "God bless," I said as I walked away, not really sure what else to say. "You too," Brandt returned, sincerely.

So, this is what happened on the train-ride in to our destination today. Now, several hours later, it is dark out, and we're on the train back. As I sit here, I can't help but wonder if Brandt will pick up George's book and maybe read some of it. I can't help but what wonder what will become of Brandt, especially now that George has decided to add him to his for-life prayer list. And, knowing that George is involved with funding evangelistic, literature, and social-action projects around the world, and recognizing that our God is a God of mystery, I can't help but wonder what He will do with that $100.

Pictures from the road - October and November 2006

Here are some pictures from October and November 2006. (Click for full size.) Enjoy!



George captured this of me in Idaho, where we were in early October with his son Ben and family.



Visiting my coworkers Cindy (left) and Michelle (right)... and a bookling in the middle :) (Cindy's daughter).



This is Roy. He owns a motorhome and, as a ministry (and because it's fun!), drives George (and me) around America - from meeting to meeting. He is a hip 62 year-old widower who is looking for a wife. :) Here he is enjoying a meal with Cindy, Michelle and myself in a Chinese restaurant.



We Booklings don't see each other often. So this visit and meal was a real treat.



Michael Kaspar was George Verwer's gopher two years ago. He is now the head of college recruiting at OM USA, and he and I have crossed paths several times this year. This picture was taken at a conference about witnessing to Muslims near Atlanta, GA, at Grace Fellowship Church.



I took this picture of George & Drena Verwer, and Ray Lynch, in an airport about three weeks ago. Earlier in life, Ray Lynch decided that he wanted to fulfill the Great Commission by preaching the gospel in every nation in the world. He has achieved his goal, having shared Christ in over 220 countries. (George knows a lot of interesting people. Another of his friends has 99 grandchildren - through one wife. :))



When we got back to England after our month-long tour in the States, Ted came to visit me in my flat (I will eventually get pictures up here) in London. Nathan Smith, the gopher last year, was with me for the week. These are pictures of us running to catch the train downtown. We are trying to be melodramatic.



Nathan is a nut.



Still running to the train..



We made it in time! Here Nathan is making fun of my buck-tooth laugh. How can Ted find that funny??



Back in the States in early November, here I am in the motorhome. Dear Roy made a sign for me, knowing that I would be spending many hours working on my computer at the table here. He originally spelled my name "Niegel." :)



Good ol' Roy. :)



George spends hours on the phone every day - mostly calling regular, front-line missionaries around the world to encourage them. One of them is my dad, whom George has kept in touch with for 40 years. It was my dad who suggested that I consider becoming George's gopher, and I'm glad he did.



A familiar view for me. My bed is where the suitcases are up above (we move them). It's great! Roy sleeps on the couch. George usually sleeps in the home of our hosts. ... The red card you see in my laptop enables me to access the Internet from anywhere in the world there is a cell phone network.



George, Roy and I went into New York City last Wednesday. That's Ground Zero in the background. They are working on the 9/11 Memorial, including Freedom Tower.



Here George is recording an audio-blog (you will eventually be able to listen to it on georgeverwer.com) from the site of Ground Zero.



"It's like a free cruise," says George. Here we are on the free-of-charge Staten Island ferry. Roy is looking out the window. The twin towers once stood amidst the buildings in the background.



Looking at the Statue of Liberty.

Finally, here is a video of Roy and myself in Times Square. The memory card on my digital camera got full while filming this, but it ended at an okay time. Enjoy!

My Plastic Pen and Eternity

This simple plastic pen just blows my mind:
Eons ago it was already here,
As raw material, unplasticized.
If that's a simple pen, then what are you?
You are an awesome and eternal soul.

-Ted Barham

George Verwer in Times Square, New York City - November 15, 2006

George has tried to visit New York City every year since his conversion there--at a Billy Graham meeting--over 50 years ago. Today was the NYC visit day this year--George was on the phone most of the time--and I was there, along with Roy the motorhome driver, to experience it. While standing in Times Square, I pulled out my camera, set it to video and pointed it at George saying, "start talking." He obliged and the below is the result. I will also try to put up some pictures soon. (Audio is now in sync.)

How can we respond to the Ted Haggard scandal? With purity.

Everyone is talking about Ted Haggard and the scandal he has been embroiled in. Although much damage has been done, I wondered if at least our small community might turn this defeat into a victory.

How? By remembering that Christ's name does not depend on any one man. By seeking to live in the light and having a real fear of hypocrisy in our lives. By stopping to ask if we are trusting in people instead of God. By coming back to and renewing our trust in the Word.

And, perhaps most importantly, may we desire and then genuinely live lives of greater purity ourselves. Let us renew our commitment to purity. May we turn on all the lights, admit to ourselves what needs to be admitted, be accountable, help each other, have abundant grace, and settle for nothing less than lives of holiness.

Let us heed the warning of II Timothy 4 and, in response, desire the weakest consciences we can get, instead of "consciences [that] have been seared as with a hot iron."

And let us claim the victory of Hebrews 9:14, "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Christ has already won the victory! Now may we walk in it.

Smile

We often deal with heavy things on this blog, so when a friend sent me these pictures, I thought it would be a good idea to put them on the blog - something a little lighter. Smile. :)

Scott Free

Remember Scott Grieve, the tentmaker (self-supported missionary) in Brazil who had been wrongly charged of criminal activity a few months ago? We prayed for him on this blog. Well, I got this email from Scott late last night:

"Friends and Family, It's been quite a ride, but it's now official. I've been absolved and am free. There are a few loose ends of the legal process that need to be tied up, but my lawyer says I should be able to clear customs and travel by the week of November. Thank you for all your prayers, concern and emails. I look forward to seeing you soon."

After months of waiting and uncertainty, bank-account-sucking lawyer fees, and an experience of true dependence on the Lord (that, sadly, few of us can really relate to), Scott is free.

But the story isn't over yet. Let's pray for Scott as he returns to Canada, looks for a job, and looks to the Lord for his future. Pray, too, for the underprivileged kids Scott has been teaching and organizing sports for, three times a week over the last few months. As you look at these new-to-this-blog pictures, pray for Scott, and for these, his kids.



Father, thank you for the work you have done in Scott's life.



Be in the details as he prepares to return to Canada, provide for him when he gets back, and guide him as he looks to you for the future.



"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him." - Philippians 1:29



Lord, thank you for using Scott to speak into these kids' lives. May the seeds that were planted over these months grow. We ask that our prayers will result in fewer seeds falling on the path, or among thorns, or on the rocky ground; we ask, instead, that seeds planted and watered during this time would result in a harvest, by these boys for others, for your glory.



We pray for Brazil, and we praise you for the millions in this great nation who are saved. Now, we pray, stir up the church there to practical obedience to reach out and meet the needs of the millions in Brazil who are living below the poverty line. May Brazil also play a greater role in the fulfilment of the Great Commission. May more Brazilians go out into the unreached parts of the world.



May these boys now and in the future be part of this very effort.



In Jesus' name.

"Amerian cities are far more dangerous than overseas missions" - George Verwer, in a recent interview with an award-winning journalist

As many of you know, my job this year is to assist George Verwer as his traveling helper. An award-winning British journalist (who is also a committed Christian) very recently interviewed George about missions, OM, AIDS, his own testimony and more. Read this powerful article at georgeverwer.com.