SPIRITUALITY - HIS KINGDOM OF CHOSEN PEOPLE

My husband Gary and I recently had the opportunity to go to Ireland for two weeks. We were invited by a couple whom we met at a Searching Together conference last summer. We thought it’d be a nice opportunity, but assumed that it wasn’t affordable. Consequently, for some time, we didn’t give it much more thought. However, it seemed that almost simultaneously, the Lord began to place it on our hearts that we were to go. We weren’t quite sure what the Lord had in mind, except that we were to go encourage and learn. Having travel points to get us to Newark, I found tickets to Dublin for a few hundred dollars!



Considering that several of our friends are excellent cooks, I think we experienced the best cuisine that Ireland has to offer! Among many wonderful dishes, we experienced Limerick Ham, Irish stew and a traditional Irish breakfast of eggs, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and potatoes with a scoop of hot beans in the center and “pudding” patties on the side. White pudding is similar to sausage served in the U.S. However, the black is also called “blood pudding.” I politely finished one blood soaked pattie! Although black tea is the traditional Irish beverage, Gary and I developed a liking for the bold, full-flavored taste of European coffee.

Arrangements had been made for us to share about our spiritual journey with a group of about 20 people. The evening was filled with encouragement, tears, laughter and lots of hugs. From that point on, our days were filled with invitations for dinner, site-seeing, and most importantly whole-hearted sharing with brothers and sisters in Jesus. Our hosts commented that they felt as though they were housing celebrities. It seemed that the Lord used our willingness to be honest about our struggles and our hunger for understanding what God intends for His Church to open a floodgate for others to safely share their personal struggles and desires.

This fellowship of brothers and sisters from Ghana, Hungary, Poland, Nigeria, Ireland, Romania and America typically gather four mornings and evenings each week, to praise Jesus, study His Word and to pray for and edify one another. It is also not unusual for them to participate in various daily activities with one another on a regular basis. What a blessing it was to witness and enjoy such a precious, intimate family!

I found myself frequently enthralled by the beauty! Yes, we were privileged with opportunities to savor breath-taking Ireland. However, the incredible vastness of the Irish Sea is only a drop in the bucket compared to looking across a room filled with brothers and sisters from around the world who are my eternal family. The rushing, thunderous waterfalls have little power when weighed against that of diverse languages being lifted to the same Lord in prayer. Two days of touring historical Dublin isn’t nearly as fascinating as learning of the spiritual history of my brothers and sisters from various nations. And yes, Trim Castle, where Brave Heart was filmed is intriguing, yet I know that it doesn’t hold a candle to the mansion being prepared for God’s royal family from every tribe and nation.



“…with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” [Rev. 5: 9-10].

Although we are still sorting through the Lord’s purposes for our trip, I am more aware now than ever that in all of God’s creation, including the majestic mountains of Ireland, there is nothing comparable to the splendor of His Kingdom of Chosen People.


Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie

SPIRITUALITY - WHAT'S WITH PAUL & WOMEN?

Have you ever been confused about the role of women in the Church? Have you studied Scriptures regarding this issue and come away even more confused from what seems like inconsistency? Have you received the teaching that women are to remain silent, yet felt in your spirit that something just isn’t right about that doctrine?

What’s With Paul and Women? authored by Jon Zens
“allows the reader to see, maybe for the first first time,
how Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2 are consistent with
Jesus’ belief in the full, functional equality of women within the assembly."
– Wade Burleson

Jon Zens is one of few scholars enabled by the Holy Spirit to remove the tainted lenses of traditional interpretation in order to clearly see God’s Truth. It seems that Jon, like Timothy, has been called by God to this place at this time in order to “command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer!” It is obvious that Jon’s goal is love, which comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith [1 Tim. 1:3, 5].

Jon’s tender heart toward women, but more importantly, his insatiable hunger for Truth resonates with my heart!

Time and again, through years of counseling, I’ve been honored to witness the Wonderful Counselor lovingly release women from spiritual bondage. However, my heart is greatly burdened that many of these precious women have fallen into the suffocating bondage of false teachings within the church regarding gender issues, choking out the Life so graciously given to them. I would love to place a copy of this liberating studying into their hands!

Jon has obviously done his homework! With Scripture used in its proper context, this study of 1 Tim. 2 offers a broader panoramic view than any I have read. One cannot rightly deny the clear image which Jon paints of the Artemis cult and its tremendous impact on the church in Ephesus. With our lenses cleared of distorted interpretations we are enabled to clearly picture 1 Tim. 2 in this context; our understanding of God’s Kingdom will be changed forever!


"The book you hold in your hands
is comparable to an antidote for a venomous snake bite.
The viper known as
'the doctrine of male authority'
has bitten the church.
The toxin emitted by this errant teaching
affects the Females within our assemblies.
It debilitates their God-given gifts,
denigrates their Spirit-led ministry,
and
downplays their role as New Covenant priests.
Those of us who have seen the church bitten
need assistance,and help has arrived.
This book will help you suck out the venom of
male only authority within the church . . . .”
- excerpt from the Foreword by Wade Burleson,
pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma:




If you still think the Bible supports male authority over women,
I dare you...read all of this book.
Jon has given us another significant tool
to dismantle the male-centered theology and practice
that has been in the driver's seat far too long."
-- William Paul Young, author, The Shack

My heart leaps with excitement as I consider the freedom soon to be experienced and expressed by our brothers and sisters set free through God’s Truths in What’s with Paul & Women!

What's With Paul & Women? Unlocking the Cultural Background of 1 Timothy 2 by Jon Zens will be released in early April by Ekklesia Press. This book can be pre-ordered for $11.00 postpaid at www.jonzens.com

Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie

SPIRITUALITY - WISDOM

As “guest columnist” this week, I thank my wife Bonnie for inviting me to share a few of my thoughts with you about the “wholehearted life.” I hope that you’ve been enjoying her articles as much as I have. More importantly, I hope you’ve also been stimulated and challenged to think more deeply about the many subjects she has presented here over the past year. As you can probably imagine, we have had plenty of intense conversations at home about these issues. As Bonnie observed in her recent article, true wisdom is not the same as having information or acquiring knowledge. Many have much knowledge, but remain fools.

Personally, I have had the wonderful privilege of living in and visiting many places in this country and around the world. In the process I have met people from hundreds of cultural backgrounds and lifestyles. I have taken advantage of these opportunities to discuss and address all sorts of life-issues. I have benefited from reading thousands of books and articles about a wide variety of topics. Many would say that I must certainly have attained wisdom by now. However, that gathering of knowledge is not evidence that I am on the road to truth or fullness of life.

On the other hand, I recently met a man whom I consider to be very wise. Now in his 70’s, he has never traveled more than one hundred miles from the place of his birth, a town of which you have likely never heard. Yet, I sat spell-bound for hours as he opened up treasures of truth about life and about God that I had missed (or never absorbed) along the way. Attaining wisdom may include gaining knowledge, but far more important is understanding that information, how it fits together in a positive and purposeful way and then applying it to life.

It has always been fascinating to me that many of the most significant “trailblazers” have been men and women, born and raised in small, relatively unknown towns, without the “advantage” of exclusive, high-priced education. St. Paul once wrote: “We preach Christ crucified…the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (I Cor. 1:23-25). Wherever people are willing to seek truth, to be challenged, to act with integrity on what they have come to believe, the door is open for wisdom. Where there is true wisdom, Godly wisdom, there also is Godly power.

Several years ago, when Bonnie and I were “free” to live anywhere in the world, the Lord clearly led us to Diagonal. We believed then, and still do, that this community holds the potential to be a center to bring about Godly change in this world. Let’s keep on encouraging one another to live and grow in Christ, challenging each other to increase in wisdom, and to watch what the power of God can do in and from Diagonal.


Gary Jaeckle

MY HEART FOR HAITI - Part 2

Although neither of us felt well, another nurse and I went to spend a few days working at a local Haitian hospital.  Within a few short minutes of witnessing the sickening, unsanitary conditions, we couldn’t contain our plight any longer.  Realizing that we needed to be in bed, the staff directed us past the kitchen to get to the nurses’ dorm.  The stench in the kitchen was awful!  We witnessed the staff plucking feathers from a chicken with as many flies feasting on it as the open wounds in the next room.  A few hours after getting us settled, someone knocked on the door and hospitably offered us homemade chicken soup.  We pretended like we were asleep!

 

St. Vincent’s was only a few blocks from Haiti’s National Palace.  Two guards were stationed in front of it, one at each end.  Touting their machine guns, they repeatedly and staunchly marched toward one another coming face to face in the middle before returning to their respective positions.  Across from the palace was a tower with one window, large enough for the barrel of a revolving machine gun.  It took some time to get accustomed to crossing city streets with gunners at every corner and women delivering their babies on sidewalks!

 

                 

 National Palace, 1975.  The Negre Maron statue is a tribute to the first runaway slave.  Haiti, the first black republic, gained independence in 1804.          

 

 

National Palace, Haiti.  2010

 

Fond Parisien:  As I bustled about helping to restore a church building in this village 40 miles east of Port-au-Prince, it seemed that the children followed every step that I took; except to the restroom!  Instead, they would take my hammer and nails and begin to work with them while I was gone, not wanting to give them back when I returned.  Although I did not speak Creole, much was clearly communicated.  They considered the “wealthy” American girl too “honorable” to work! 

 

Speaking of rest rooms….the place for toileting was behind the work site where there were no stools or privacy walls, only the desert floor and the little lizards that crawled around my feet! 

 

I was amazed as the little girls swiped their fingers through the wet, bright red paint that we were using on benches and brushed this across their fingernails!  With no access to Glamour magazines, they knew how and desired to adorn their nails! 

 

One little girl especially enjoyed sitting on my lap so that she could smell my hair!  She repeatedly lifted my long hair to her face, took a deep whiff through her nose and then smiled at me!  The freshness of my shampoo was very foreign to her.  Another little girl repeatedly rubbed her dark little finger across my cheek and then gazed in astonishment that the white wasn’t coming off my face!  She thought it was funny when I did this to her.   

 

Upon completing the renovation, we held a dedication service.  What a precious experience it was to praise Jesus together, in English and in Creole.  We had made a sign to place above the door as a gift to our brothers and sisters.  The love and appreciation they demonstrated made it difficult to part from them.     

 

 Dedication service after completion of the church building for our friends in Fond Parisien, Haiti, 1975. 

                                                            

 

 A field hospital in Fond Parisien, Haiti, was started lessn than a week after the earthquake hit on Jan. 12, 2010.  Meeting inside a makeshift ofice are doctors from across America.  Justin Ide/Harvard Staff Photographer.    

 

 

The home-sickness was so intense that for a few days I experienced strong impressions of never going home or seeing my loved ones again.  Yet, once I was home I longed to return to Haiti.  The compassion in my heart toward those who had so little and needed so much was, at times, more than I could bear.  I wondered if my few days with them made any impact whatever.  There was no doubt that they impacted me for a life-time.  Maybe it’s time to return. 

 

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

MY HEART FOR HAITI

The recent earthquake in Haiti has shaken my heart and unearthed many memories.  At age eighteen I had never seen the mountains or the ocean; in fact, I had hardly been out of Illinois!  Yet, I boarded a plane heading for Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city, on a medical mission. 

 

As our little plane landed, we were greeted with umbrellas to protect us from the pouring rain.  My heart pounding with anticipation, I peered out the window of the brightly colored Tap Tap (wooden Bus) as we made our way to St. Vincent’s Centre for Handicapped Children, my home for the next two weeks.   Waving, unashamed of their nakedness, women were washing clothes and bathing while their children played in the river as we passed by.

 

Port-au-Prince:  As we stepped off the bus at Haiti’s major facility for providing medical attention, schooling, food and clothing for children, we were greeted with thunderous applause and cheers.  Most of them afflicted with malnourishment as well as physical impairments, I was overcome with humility by the loving, grateful faces of these children.

 

Infectious mosquitoes were abundant and our windows were without screens!  Sleeping with nets over our beds was essential and, due to the unbearable heat, most often we slept in our underwear.  In fact, we were only allowed to work in the heat for 20 minutes, interspersed with breaks in the shade and our water bottles.  Following directives, we checked for nesting spiders before donning our shoes.  One morning a roommate shook a tarantula out of hers!  Not realizing their speed, with my shoe as my weapon, I thought I was prepared to smash the smithereens out of the ugly thing!  With my roomies on their beds screaming, I unsuccessfully chased the hairy, eight-legged critter around our room!

 

Built in a square with a courtyard in the center, the wall between our room and the corridors did not reach the ceiling.  I could stand on my bunk and observe the activity in the corridors.  Dogs roamed freely in the courtyard and often into the corridors of the building.  Early every morning, we were awakened by barking dogs!  One morning, they brought their yapping escapade to our corridor.  In my skivvies, I stood on my bunk while my roommates handed me their shoes to use as torpedoes hoping to detour our disturbing intruders!      

 

I was honored to assist with providing the children with necessary prostheses, dental care and medications in addition to renovating their living environment.  Yet, their needs were so tremendous that it felt as though we were only scratching the surface.  Although they had so little, their hospitality and gratefulness was a humbling lesson for someone who, in comparison, had so much. 

 

 

Bonnie Jaeckle with a friend at St. Vincent's, 1975         

 

                        St Vincent's, 2010.  Six children and staff members died.

 

Remembering the directive to not eat or drink anything offered on the street, we ventured off to the dirty, smelly marketplace where vendors vied for our attention and ladies balanced baskets of produce on their heads.  We learned quickly that the prices were never firm and that bartering was expected.  Before I returned home, I purchased a beautifully hand-carved mahogany bowl and an intricately hand-embroidered shirt for a pittance!  However, there was one offer that branded my heart forever.  A lady sitting on the sidewalk holding a baby motioned for me to come to her.  As I stepped closer, she held her baby toward me to take as my own!  Without requesting money, I believe she was honestly seeking a better life for the child.  How was my eighteen year old heart to respond?  

 

To be continued next week -

 

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

SPIRITUAL - KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP

What a blessing it is to converse with brothers and sisters in Jesus about our walk with Him. Yet, we frequently stifle one another in doing so. I observed an example of this only a few days ago when I witnessed one brother sharing with another something that he believed the Lord had directed him to do. The receiving brother abruptly responded, “I don’t believe that! God would never tell us to do that?” What happened? The conversation immediately stopped and I could feel the unity between those two brothers in Christ begin to shut down. This approach eventually destroys not only our fellowship with one another as members of the same Body, but eventually our fellowship with God.

When someone shares a biblical opinion that is differing from our own, why do we often respond as though we have it all figured out and that they must be out of their mind? God’s response to such a prideful person is this, “Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge” [Job 42:3]. Until Jesus returns, we all have only partial knowledge [1Cor 13:9]. Paul is saying to those believers who think they have it all figured out, “… we all have knowledge; however, what good is it if it is used for intolerance rather than for the welfare of our brothers and sisters” [1 Cor 8:1-2].

Conceit of knowledge is evidence of ignorance.
Knowledge that swells the mind tends to hurt others.
- J. I. Packer

Paul told the conceited Corinthians, “Knowledge puffs up … The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know” [1 Cor 8:1-2].

He that knows most best understands his own ignorance, and the imperfection of human knowledge. He that imagines himself a knowing man, and is vain and conceited on this imagination, has reason to suspect that he knows nothing aright, nothing as he ought to know it. It is one thing to know truth, and another to know it as we ought, so as duly to improve our knowledge.… And those who think they know any thing, and grow fain hereupon, are of all men most likely to make no good use of their knowledge; neither themselves nor others are likely to be benefited by it. - Matthew Henry

It seems that the Body of Christ would profit if we would all admit that we don’t totally understand God or the fullness of His Word. What would happen if we were to make a practice of saying to one another, “May I share my understanding of this issue at this point in my walk with Jesus? I do desire God’s truth and believe that all believers have a portion of it. Therefore, I am open to your perspective.”

The one who recognizes that the things of God are too wonderful for him to know [Job 42:3] will listen patiently to his brother, offering assurance that what he is presenting is worth hearing and prayerfully considering.


Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie

HEALTH - SLEEP REFRESHENS BODY & SOUL

Over the last year or so, I’ve experienced increasing difficulties sleeping. I’ve discovered that insomnia is not an uncommon disorder. Reiter and Robinson reported in 1995 that one-fifth of American adults and one half of American seniors experience difficulty falling or staying asleep. A study done in 2002 by the National Sleep Foundation reveals that as many as 47 million Americans do not regularly get the optimal 7-8 hours sleep a night.

One hundred years ago, people scheduled their days based upon the hours of daylight. Nine and a half hours sleep a night was the norm. Sleep is an important time of restoration and reproduction for cells. This vital reparative and manufacturing work is shut down and toxins accumulate in the brain of those who are sleep-deprived, leading to acceleration of brain aging. Insomnia not only causes fatigue and confusion, but various biochemical changes also occur which can damage cells in the brain’s memory center. Additionally, disease-fighting cells of the immune system are weakened, increasing vulnerability to infections.

If you typically cannot fall asleep within 15-30 minutes,
wake up frequently during the night,
or don’t feel refreshed upon waking,
you may be experiencing chronic insomnia.

Insomnia is recognized as a disease produced by a wide variety of
CAUSATIVE FACTORS:

Medical problems – arthritis, pain, thyroid, liver and neurological disorders
Stimulants – caffeine, smoking, alcohol and medication
Emotions – anxiety, stress and depression
Inactivity
Lighting in sleep area – Even light from a clock can decrease the production of Melatonin, a natural hormone in the brain which regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
Lack of sunlight – Exposure to sunlight throughout the day produces chemicals necessary for melatonin production at night.
Nutritional deficiency
Aging – Melatonin production declines with age
Menopause – Decreased estrogen production effects sleep.


TREATMENT:

Diet - quinoa, spirulina, and soy products promote melatonin production
Vitamins/Supplements:
Magnesium - reduces pain and fatigue and promotes sleep
B complex - Magnesium cannot be utilized without B6.
C - aids production of anti-stress hormones
D - promotes sleep
GABA (natural hormone) - induces relaxation, analgesic and sleep
Lecithin - healthy brain function
American Ginseng - provides many of the same benefits as estrogen replacement therapy
Melatonin - 3-9 milligrams an hour before bedtime. Recent studies show that some people may require 1 mg. or less.
Herbs - St John’s Wort, Chamomile, Skullcap, Lemon Balm, Hops, Valerian root, Kava kava and Passion Flower lower anxiety and/or produce sleep.
Essential Oils - Lavender or Roman Chamomile in bath/on pillow before bed.
Exercise - 20-30 minutes at least 5-6 hours before bedtime
Relaxation - prayer, deep breathing and message
Sleep hygiene: consistent bed and wake time, darkness, cool temperature, comfortable bed and quiet.
Sunlight – 20-45 minutes per day

LIMIT/AVOID:
Naps – especially after 3 pm.
Stimulants:
Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine (refrain for at least two hours before bed) and medications containing caffeine/stimulants
“Trying” to sleep – get out of bed after 15 minutes. Do something relaxing until drowsy.
Eating, working, reading or TV in bed
Heavy Meals/Fluids before bed.

Bedtime Tea

Valerian 30%
Linden 20%
Kava kava 20%
Chamomile 20%
Catnip 10%

Blend loose herbs and store out of direct sunlight in cool place. Add 1 tsp to 1 cup nearly boiling water, cover, steep for 20 minutes and strain.

Supplements - Now Foods at www.luckvitamin.com
Herbs & oils – www.mountainrose.herbs.com

May peaceful sleep close your eyes and awaken you, refreshed in body and soul, ready to serve God.


Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie


DISCLAIMER:
The author of this article does not endorse everything represented on/in suggested links, books, etc. Each of us is accountable to God to weigh everything according to His Word.

All content of this article is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. The author sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. The information herein is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. This is best left to the Creator of the universe. In all health-related situations, “qualified healthcare professionals” should always be consulted. The author deems THE GREAT PHYSICIAN to be most qualified. The author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material.