Overwhelmed with Blessings

All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God. Deuteronomy 28.2

Hallmark has done a great job of getting us to send greeting cards. Most of us expect to get a number of cards to help us celebrate special occasions. A friend of my parents' takes this to the extreme. She sends them a card about every week to ten days, just to remind them that she is thinking about them and wishing them well. All of her cards are handmade by her and are quite attractive. These are not cards you read and throw away - you put them on display. My parents have so many of these little works of art that it is becoming a challenge to find room for them. Just as they get one put up, another arrives in the mail!

My father passed away last month. (And we got lots of cards, a nice blessing of caring.) Preparing for his memorial service, I thought about all the good times we had, and the nuggets of wisdom he passed on to me. I realized how much he shaped my character. I had more blessings than there was time to share.

As I delivered my remembrance at the service, I could not help but cry. It was not that I was sad. My dad had a great life and retirement. And I got to see him one more time just before he died. No, I was overcome by how awesome my blessings were, are, and continue to be.

Not everyone can say this, but my sister and I won the lottery, the parent lottery. My upbringing and support are my biggest blessings. What God has done for me is amazing. As I thank God for my many blessings, I also think about how God might use me to bless others. Am I available? Are my eyes open for opportunities? It's something to think about and ask God's help with at Easter time and beyond.

Have you been overwhelmed with blessings?

John Ebert
Walking the Road

John serves on the Interfaith Hospitality Network team. He lives in Merriam, Kansas.

He is Risen

It is important to remember that as the women walked to the tomb on “the dawning of the third day” they expected only to find a dead body. They hoped for nothing more.

Mark says they were met by a young man in a white robe. Matthew says he was an angel whose appearance was like lightning, his clothing white as snow. John says it was two angels. Luke says it was two men in dazzling clothes.

Each account is different. No two of us ever describe the same episode in the same terms. What is universally affirmed, however, is the basic fact of the empty tomb. That never varies. As William Barclay said, nothing so wonderful as the resurrection can escape a certain enhancement as it is repeatedly told and retold.

The tomb was empty! Jesus was not there. “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” the women were asked. “He is not here, but has risen.” (Luke 24:5)

Thanks be to God who gave Jesus and gives us the victory that we may rise in newness with him!

Steve Langhofer

Steve is the Senior Pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church. He can be reached at SteveL@visitasbury.org.

the Deleted Scenes

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (This) proves God’s love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of God’s Son, much more surely… will we be saved by his life. Romans 5:6, 8, 10

When I finish watching a really good DVD movie I click on the special features. Commonly there is a section called “deleted scenes.” These include often powerful parts of the story that for undisclosed reasons got cut.

Each year in re-reading the gospel accounts of holy week I wonder why some of these scenes were not cut. They are embarrassing to both the disciples and Jesus.

The disciples are slow learners and often don’t get who Jesus was or what he taught. They can’t stay awake when he needs them to be alert and supportive. They all desert. Judas skulks away, only later to return with a kiss. Peter denies three times. Jesus tells them repeatedly he will die but they don’t believe him.

Good film editors might have deleted scenes that make the lead character look bad. Not Mark, Luke, Matthew or John. They keep it all in—good, bad and ugly. I’m so glad. If God deleted the disciples for their poor understanding or lack of faith, surely God would need to delete me and you!

The good news of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection is that, for clearly disclosed reasons, God loves us. Without condition. Especially when we do not deserve it. Amazing God!

Steve Langhofer Walking the Road

Steve Langhofer is the Senior Pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church. Email him at stevel@visitasbury.org

Pilate

As we near the end of our journey, we are taking a closer look at some of our fellow travelers.

Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria from 26-36 AD, was appointed by Tiberius Caesar. It was a thankless and dangerous job. Rome expected its administrators to be successful in keeping law and order; collecting taxes; improving conditions (roads, water systems, public safety) and convincing the populace that Rome is their benefactor.

Pilate doesn't want trouble. He doesn't know (or want to know) the details and implications of Jewish belief and custom. He doesn't understand all the Jewish factions, or why they fight, or what about. He doesn't know who or how many people might care about this Jesus. What he cares about is keeping things quiet, and important people happy. Pilate is being threatened with a riot if he doesn't cooperate.

Jesus is being accused of forbidding people to pay their taxes and of calling Himself a king (over Caesar). If these charges were true, Pilate would not hesitate to kill the man. Nor would there be any repercussions for Pilate. But Pilate knows there is something fishy. Why would Jews accuse another Jew of crimes against Rome when every Jew would approve of these actions? Pilate knows the Jewish authorities want Jesus dead, but he doesn't know why. They aren't going to tell him the real reasons. That makes him wonder all the more.

Pilate then makes a strong appeal for the release of Jesus. But each effort he makes is rejected. If anybody had spoken for Jesus , what would have happened? We will never know. But partly, at least, Pilate is delaying, to see who will be offended if he does condemn Jesus. Nobody steps forward. Jesus is, in this hour, a man nobody cares about. We have to wonder, at this point, where all the friends and followers, and especially the twelve.... where have they gone?

From the book "The Believer's Road" by Bruce Van Blair. (Luke Twenty-Three)

Judas

As we near the end of our journey, we're taking a closer look at some of our fellow travelers.

Jesus chooses Judas after praying all night. He chooses each of the twelve because of qualities He senses, and bonds that are already growing. He choose them because together they represent all the major qualities of energy and personality, so that together they can appeal to everyone, and together they can represent all aspects of life. Twelve disciples to start the new "twelve tribes" of the New Covenant.

Judas is a sleeper in a sense. He is more attached to position, fame, and wealth than the other eleven. Yet in some ways he is the deepest in potential. He is too much "within himself," but he also has the marks of greatness if he ever comes out- sees it clearly- buys it all the way. He, like Jesus, is a Pharisee. He has many influential friends and relatives. He is enthralled with the newness and daring of Jesus. He keeps the books because he is a good organizer, and adept at such things. Levi could, but it is easier on everybody to let Judas do it- since Judas is well educated and above suspicion.

As with all of the twelve, Jesus is taking a chance with Judas. Any of the twelve could crack under the pressure of these last days- each in a different way, perhaps, but each one could crack. How close to it the others get, we do not know. That they all come pretty close is revealed in how confused they are when Jesus mentions the subject.

Judas, having been forgiven for total betrayal, will be the only one who really understands how total is the grace of Jesus Christ- and how full the Gospel really is. Sadly, Judas betrays Jesus more in his suicide than he does in his bargain with the chief priest. He does not stay around long enough to be forgiven. He cannot imagine it. He cuts out before Jesus can get back to him. That is the biggest glitch in the whole operation.

From the Book "The Believer's Road" by Bruce Van Blair. (Luke Twenty-Two)

Annas

As we near the end of our journey and approach the cross of Easter, we are taking a closer look at some of our fellow travelers. Today we look at the High Priest Annas.

Only John tells us that Jesus was first brought before Annas. Annas was the Jewish High Priest from 6 to 15 AD. Four of his sons also held this office. His son-in-law Calaphas was now in office. The family was immensely rich and they bribed themselves into office with Annas the power behind it all.

The family made their money by selling sacrifices inside the Court of the Gentiles in the temple. Every animal offered in the temple had to be without blemish. there were inspectors to make sure each animal met the necessary quality. If an animal was bought outside the Temple it was certain that a flaw would be found. the worshipper was directed to buy at the Temple booths where the animals had already been examined and where there was no risk of rejection. Sounds helpful right? But outside the temple a pair of doves would cost about 4 p; inside the Temple at the booths ran by Annas it would cost as much as 75p. The whole business was set up to exploit the worshippers. The Jews hated Annas for this reason.

Jesus had attacked this business, thrown over the tables, chased out the livestock and called them a den of thieves. Jesus had hit Annas where it would hurt the most- his pocket.

So now Annas wanted to be the first to gloat over the capture of this disturbing Galilean.

One more tid bit from today's reading. When Jesus and His disciples left the upper room after celebrating the Last Super they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. Bible scholars tell us that path would have taken them down a steep valley and across the channel of the Kedron brook. At this time all the Passover lambs were being killed in the Temple, and the blood of the lambs was poured on the altar as an offering to God. Some estimates say that as many as 250,000 lambs may have been slaughtered. That's a lot of blood. From the altar there was a channel down to the Kedron brook, through that channel the blood of the Passover lambs drained away. So as Jesus walked over the brook it would be red with the blood of the lambs. And as He did so wouldn't the thought of His own sacrifice be vivid in His mind.

From the Asbury New Testament Challenge. http://www.asburyumcnewtestamentchallenge.blogspot.com/

Diane Young Myers. Director of Discipleship

Simon of Cyrene

As we near the end of our journey and approach the cross of Easter, we are taking a closer look at some of our fellow travelers.

The bible is full of stories of ordinary people who by the power of God do extraordinary things. One of these is Simon of Cyrene.

When a criminal was condemned to be crucified, he was taken from the judgement hall and set in the middle of a hollow square of four Roman soldiers. His cross was then laid upon his shoulders and he was marched to the place of crucifixion by the longest route possible. A soldier marched before him with a placard inscribed with his crime as a warning to anyone else who was contemplating such a crime.

During the time of Jesus, Palestine was an occupied country and any citizen at any time could be immediately forced into service by the Roman government. A Roman soldier could enlist your "involuntary" help by tapping you on the shoulder with the flat blade of a Roman spear. When Jesus sank beneath the weight of His cross, the Roman centurion in charge looked around for someone else to carry it. Enter Simon of Cyrene.

Simon was probably a Jew who had scraped and saved his whole life so that he might be able to eat one Passover in Jerusalem. He had come to participate in a cherished lifetime ambition, and he now found himself schlepping a heavy cross to Calvary. It's not too much of a reach to assume he might not have been very happy.

So what exactly makes Simon so extraordinary? The Bible says that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. Obviously the sons were well known people to early Christians. Paul writes in his letter to Rome "Greet Rufus, and his mother." So somehow the humility of carrying the cross for the Christ must have changed Simon in a profound way.

From the Asbury New Testament Challenge. http://www.asburyumcnewtestamentchallenge.blogspot.com/

Diane Young Myers. Director of Discipleship

A beautiful view

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings.

Cecil Alexander

These words come to my mind every spring. It is then that God's gift to us, a beautiful world, comes alive to all who have endured a long, hard winter providing a new lease on life, and offering a faith for wonders to come. Who cannot know God when looking in the face of a flower. A snow white daisy with a bright yellow center, or a yellow and white crocus boldly popping up even with snow on the ground. These are all God's gift to us.

All around I see rebirth. Birds of all kinds jet back and forth hunting for material to use in building a nest or searching for bugs and worms in the soft earth. Trees, once barren and dark, suddenly are filled with small birds. and fresh buds.

I am cheered as I dig in the garden. Dirt in my hands renews my spirit. As an old Irish prayer proclaims: "May the blessings of God's soft rain falling gently on your head, refresh your soul with the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming. And so may the beauty of God's world renew our faith in God's goodness.

Kathie White

Walking the Road

Kathie is an active volunteer in the church memorial garden and uses her gardening skills to keep the church grounds well landscaped. She lives in Prairie Village.

Asbury will host a Blessing of the Animal Service on Sunday, June 5 at 10:00 celebrating all of God's creatures.

God Has Given Me This Day

I recently came across a card with a poem that Coach Bear Bryant carried with him and reportedly read daily. This card has helped me become aware of something I should have on my mind every single day. Here's what it says.

"This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I traded for it. I want it to be a gain, not a loss; Good, not evil; Success, not failure, in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it."

Jack O'Neal Walking the Road

This devotion was written in 2004 and was included in the 2004 Asbury Lent Devotion Book. Jack and his wife Mildred live in Overland Park.

Travel Itinerary

Life is in the details. Phones that keep ringing, copy machines that jam, and children who are sick when we need to be at work. Look at the details that grabbed Jesus attention. The precision in which he planned his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And look at what details Jesus ignored- the details of urgency, effectiveness, recognition and popularity. Details that consume us never crossed Jesus mind. And we easily overlook the details he was concerned about.

We tend to think that spirituality means escaping all these concerns with details. We know the details of Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Good Friday and Easter. We've gone through them year after year. Why do it again? Because it's the only way we can take our eyes off the things that do not matter and set them upon the arrival of the Savior.

Diane Young Myers Walking the Road

Diane is the Director of Discipleship at Asbury. She lives in Lee's Summit with her husband John and their 15 year old son. Email her at Dianem@visitasbury.org.

A Full Journey

Holy Week freaks my friends out. Imagine the four weeks of Advent and all the pageantry of Christmas Eve Services all crammed into seven days. That’s Holy Week for church workers. Most of my friends are church workers of one kind or another and the month with Holy Week and Easter in it has them on edge.

You can find us pouring over music scores and phone lists, drinking buckets of coffee day and night, desperately trying to book all the musicians for all the services, coordinating with children’s ministry teams over the donkey processional, the communion folks with timings and locations for all the services, flowers, bulletins, video and lighting, cleaning up the chancel area, rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing…it’s a much busier time of year (for we protestants anyhow) than Christmas….…And I LOVE It! Seriously! Don’t get me wrong, the Advent and Christmas Season are filled with beautiful music for bands and for choirs, the children’s bright eyes and anticipations on the Sundays and Christmas Eve Services are great, but nothing beats Holy Week for me.

It took me a long time to realize that the days from entrance processional on Palm Sunday through the mortality of Good Friday to the Resurrection of Easter Sunday could be so powerful. As a musician, I get the opportunity to sing about all these things all year long with various groups. I’ve sung and recorded Holy Week Music in French, Latin, English, German…you’d think I’d be bored with the texts or just going through the motions after twenty years of it…but every year the same darn thing happens.

On Palm Sunday, when we sing the Hosanna’s and watch the children come down the aisle I get choked up and joyful. On Holy Thursday, I participate in the communion meal and I remember what communion is REALLY all about. On Good Friday, I thank God for the greatest sacrifice that I could never imagine, I admit that I have not done all that Christ has called me to do, and I vow to do better in the following year (and I do…a little better every year)..and I get choked up. Then Easter Sunday comes, the Resurrection happens here at Church and the people sing “Hallelujah”…and…you guessed it, I get choked up full of joy once again!

I invite you to allow yourself to go through Holy Week this year. I mean the whole week. If you leave Palm Sunday waving your greenery and full of joy…then return joyfully on Easter Sunday, that’s ok. But if you allow yourself to walk for seven days in the life of our saviour, and fully experience those six days in between Sundays, I think you’ll find the Call to Worship on Easter even more meaningful. “He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”.

Alan Murray Walking the Road

Alan is the Director of Music and Emerging Ministries at Asbury. He lives with his wife Catherine in south Kansas City. Email him at alanm@visitasbury.org.

Choosing the Road

When I moved to Kansas City in 1985, I only knew a few people in town – mostly college friends. As with college, I was many miles from my immediate family. Since I had grown up going to church every Sunday, I didn’t even think about whether I would go to church each week – it was already in my DNA, I knew I would go to church regularly – so I started church shopping.

In college at Baker University, I was a member of the Baker pLaymen (we were laymen of the church who did plays – get it?), so even in college, I went to church most Sundays. Often, as a member of the pLaymen, we were church – sharing our “chancel dramas” (30ish-minute plays based on scripture). I actually remember being at Asbury one Sunday morning, sharing our drama, Onesimus, based on a kind of obscure passage from Philemon, a New Testament book so short that it only has one chapter. In Onesimus, my “entrance” was down the center aisle – and I had one sentence to say, which got me about 10 pews into the sanctuary. So, I got to vamp a little – make up some filler dialogue as I practically ran the rest of the way – down that long center aisle. (It’s no wonder brides love it – you really get to make an entrance!) Anyway, Asbury left an impression on me……

So, a few years later, when I was looking for a church home, Asbury was on my list to visit. Several of my pLaymen friends were from Topeka – and Bud Cooper had been their home pastor. They loved him. So, when I found out that Bud was now the pastor at Asbury, I came back several times, just to hear him preach. For those of you who have been around awhile, you may remember that the pulpit used to sit a bit higher up. In fact, when Bud spoke, I was pretty sure that some of what he shared was being whispered to him right from God, because, standing in that high pulpit, he was pretty close to heaven!

Anyway, besides Bud, the other people at Asbury were quite friendly – very welcoming. And, I knew that I wanted Asbury to be my church home. I chose to be here. And, I continue to choose to be here. Through the loss of a job and my dear parents, Asbury was my home, supporting me and helping me pick up the pieces. And, Asbury continues to be my home and my family – not just to support me, but also to celebrate things with me and, yes, to walk with me – on the road toward the cross.

Prayer: Gracious God – Thank you for Asbury Church. Thank you for leading me to Asbury. Please help me in my walk toward You – and use me, Lord, as someone who can help and strengthen others as we journey together, ever closer to You. Amen.

Mary Moyer. Walking the Road

Mary is the Director of Administrative Ministries at Asbury. You can email her at marym@visitasbury.org.

The Long Road

I was on Facebook in June of last year and noticed a friend had ‘liked’ something called Kiva Walk. I decided to check out Kiva Walk since I thought Kiva was an organization funding loans to third world nations giving opportunities to the working people. It turns out the Kiva Walk was a young man, Jonathan Stalls, and his dog who were walking across the United States from Delaware to San Francisco asking for donations to Kiva.

His day to day expenses were covered. He would couch surf (sleep on people’s couches), and accept the hospitality of strangers in providing a meal and using those opportunities to share what the Kiva program accomplishes around the globe. All of the donations he recieved went directly to the Kiva organization.

As it happened I was out of town during the time that Jonathan and Kanoa (his dog) were in Kansas City. But Jonathan had put out a notice asking for connections along Highway 50 as he traveled through Kansas. My hometown is in Marion County so I asked some friends if they would possibley be able to help Jonathan when he walked through the area.

Wendy said yes, and hosted Jonathan and Kanoa. She had friends who were available to host the next night. Mostly this is how it worked for Jonathan and Kanoa as they traveled town to town, state to state. He walked Kansas in late June and July. Usually about twenty miles a day. I followed the travels of the Kiva Walk via Facebook and marveled that this young 20-something would devote six months of his life walking across the United States to raise awareness and funds for the Kiva organization.

In August I was so excited when I realized Jonathan and Kanoa (along with his cousin, Matt) would cross the Monarch Pass in Colorado at the same time we would be vacationing in Salida, Colorado. My husband Steve and I were able to pack a lunch and meet up with these two young men and their faithful dog for a roadside picnic in Colorado and enjoy the fellowship and friendship of adventure.

You can learn more about Jonathan’s adventure. He is on Facebook as Kiva Walk. He has raised more than $456,000. By putting one foot in front of the other, talking with people along the way, and believing that he can make a difference in this world. Quite an adventure on the Believer’s Road.

Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40: 30-31 (NRSV)

Jo Mead. Walking the Road

Jo Mead is a seminary student at St. Paul's School of Theology, and assists Asbury with our Senior Care ministry programs.

For more information about Kiva contact www.kivawalk.com.

Open Eyes

In the early 1980’s I was the financial officer for a local construction equipment manufacturer. We opened a dealership in Mexico City, and I traveled there on a few occasions. Our Mexican dealer was well-educated and well-connected, particularly with the telephone and the electric power companies that served Mexico City. Those connections were central to our decision to open there.

One day, as we motored to the downtown offices of the head of the electric company, we passed several bare lots that were vacant except for cardboard “structures”. We learned that each was home to at least one family, probably more.

We arrived at the power company and after a short wait were ushered into a very large, expensively decorated office. Bigger, by far, than my living room at home. El Presidente was clearly very much in command, and his staff of lackeys acted as if in they were in the presence of a deity. My unease began to grow.

As we walked out to the car, we passed a large pile of garbage. Right on the sidewalk. An old toothless woman was digging through the garbage with her bare hands, looking for her next meal. I remember thinking “Today I have seen the face of abject poverty."

That experience would not completely leave me. And neither would other things that I saw during my travels there. I asked myself “Why did it take such dramatic examples to get my attention?” I realized that I didn’t have to go to Mexico City to meet hurting and hunger.

Many years later, I visited my parents at their winter travel trailer park in Weslaco, Texas, just north across the border from Rio Bravo. They had good friends they saw every winter, two of whom were Howard and Dorothy. Howard was tall, fit retired law enforcement agent. About every-other morning, Howard left early and returned late in the afternoon. My curiosity finally questioned him . “ I have to feed my kids,” he said. Turns out Howard helped start a free lunch program for children in Rio Bravo. When I returned home, I thought about Howard’s quiet unassuming passion for those people. I sent a check and a note….not much…..and I got a note back. “I thank you and my children thank you…..that will feed a lot of hungry bellies.” I felt pretty small. All I had done was send a few dollars, while Howard poured his life into caring for “the least of these”.

My Mexico experiences helped open my eyes to the plight of people. Sadly, I confess they haven’t been wide-open enough. None of us can do it all, and most of us confess and regret that. But, I do know that it doesn’t always take a lot to make a difference, and that together we truly can accomplish much.

Scripture paraphrased: “Come…..take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you. I was hungry and you gave me food. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was sick and you visited me.” “When, Lord?” And the King will answer, “I tell you truly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25

Prayer: Oh God, open our eyes to the hurts and hungers of the world around us. Then, open our hearts as well. But help us not to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task. Remind us that small steps, when taken together with each other and with You, can lead us far.

Dave Rybolt

Walking the Road

Time Travel

I love to travel. I have discovered that there are times when traveling down the road is not only a linear journey from one place to another, but it involves time travel as well. In Boston when I walked by the Old North Church, I could see the lanterns in the tower. When I walked across the battlefield at Gettysburg, I could hear the guns firing and smell the smoke that must have been hanging everywhere, and sadly I could visualize the bodies of dead soldiers carpeting the land.

When I was in the Holy Land we stopped at the Chapel of the Beatitudes. We sat there in silence for several minutes and listened to the sounds coming from the hills around us. The sounds were reflected off of the water of the Sea of Galilee. We heard children playing, dogs barking, birds singing, and people talking. Then, our guide began to read the beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew. It felt like we were listening to Jesus speak to us. It felt like we had a rare glimpse of what it must have been like to hear Jesus bring love and hope to people by the words he spoke. No wonder the crowds followed him.

Linear travel is wonderful. We get to see so much more of our world. Linear travel allows us the privilege to discover all the places God has given us that are filled with beauty and mystery. But time travel puts us in touch with our ancestors and with the God of creation. Time travel can give us hope and courage as we remember those who have gone before us on the journey and who have lived in the confidence of God’s redeeming love. What a gift we have been given by those who have gone before us on the journey!

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Rev. Jerry Tubach Walking the Road

Jerry Tubach is Asbury's Director of Development. He is a retired United Methodist Clergy and former District Superintendent. He lives with his wife Sheila in Lenexa. Email him at jerryt@visitasbury.org.

A Workout

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

When I joined a gym and started working out several years ago, I was completely out of my element. I constantly worried about what I was doing. Am I using the machines correctly? Am I going too fast or too slow? Should I add more cardio or more time in the weight room? Or both? Is what I’m doing going to allow me to achieve my goals? I watched other people with rapt attention to see what they were doing. If they looked how I wanted to look, I’d try doing what they were doing.

So what’s the connection between working out and walking The Believer’s Road? For me the two have many parallels. Each has a goal and path that you take to get there. But there is more than one way to go; in fact there are several means to the same end. You can watch what others do and try to emulate them. But you really have to make your own way. What’s right for someone else may not work for you.

It’s easy to become distracted and even discouraged in either endeavor. You can find excuses galore for not working on your body or your spiritual relationships and it’s too easy to stray from your goals. You may feel like you’re not getting where you need to be quickly enough or maybe that you’ll never arrive. If you aren’t seeing or feeling results, it can be difficult to get motivated to continue.

The strongest link for me has been the realization that what I get back is closely tied to the effort I extend. When I’m not seeing results at the gym, and I’m honest with myself, I realize I’ve been phoning in my workouts, or even skipping them altogether. And I feel spiritually drained when I become passive and dis-engaged from my faith walk.

Walking the Believer’s Road is not a spectator sport. The Lenten Season always gives me the nudge I need to refocus my efforts. When I pray, study and worship it strengthens my faith. And I get back on track.

Pamela Ottaway Walking the Road

the Return Trip

There is a surprising evolution that preceeds those first precious moments of pure happiness that follow a time of struggle. It is both an awareness that you have come through the worst, but also a remembering that God has been with you all along. The smile that lights your soul and highlights your face is a recognition that you have somehow become more than you were. That growth and moving on are now an option. And although it may have felt like you were all alone trudging through your obstacles. God was just moving aside so you could shine through.

Cheryl Patterson Walking the Road

Cheryl is a psychiatric nurse, she lives in Mission, Kansas.

The Path of Perseverance

Is it spring? Is it winter? It could be a beautiful spring day today and blustery tomorrow. The forsythia are in bloom and then covered with a beautiful blanket of snow. Oh, when will the sunshine, warm breezes and beauty of the day be here on a regular basis? But we persevere! We know the beauty of the day is just around the corner, just as we know that the joy of Easter is at the end of this 40 day Lenten path. Commitment and focus draw us through the path to the rebirth of spring, just as it draws us along the Lenten path toward the resurrection of Christ.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

Lee Svet. Walking the Road

Lee serves on the Worship Arts team of Asbury. She lives with husband David in Leawood, and is very glad to have son Clark home for spring break.

The Road to Forgiveness

The ornery cackle of our Volkswagen GTI’s exhaust floated through the open bedroom window as I lay reading in bed. I listened as son Jon scurried out of the drive and headed to a friend’s house. Ten minutes later the garage door opened, but I did not hear the exhaust of his car.

``Oh no,’’ I thought, and instinctively began to get out of bed. ``Dad . . .?’’ The plaintive wail of Jon’s trembling voice was chilling. He had run five blocks home was out of breath. ``Dad, a strange car followed me. I cut through the parking lot behind the church. I hit a curb.’’ I threw on some clothes and we went to see the car. As we drove, the silence was palpable; my rage seethed just under the surface. Jon fidgeted.

The GTI sat crumpled in the dark, listing to one side. The wheel and tire were jammed up under the fender. The damage was far worse than a broken wheel. I was so mad I could hardly talk. I wanted to scream about carelessness, and trying to ditch the “strange car,’’ but I knew I would erupt if I said anything. As I paced and fumed, I began to calm down. No one was hurt, and the car, well – it was just a car. My son was more important.

Why was this nine-year-old car so dear to me? I bought it new in 1984, and it had been my personal hot rod. After a couple of years I replaced it with a used Porsche 944. The woman who bought my GTI loved it as much as I did. One night, six years later, she called to say it was for sale. I went to see it, couldn’t resist. The car was like the day I sold it. No dents, no scratches and only 51,000 miles. The exhaust still had its ornery cackle. As I ran my hand over the radio I installed myself, the memories came flooding back. The GTI was soon back in my garage for Jon, my 16-year-old. Little did I know that this car would teach me a lesson about forgiveness.

Jon’s words, written when he was the editor of the Shawnee Mission East newspaper, say it better than I ever could:

“In 1984, my dad fulfilled a dream. He bought a brand new, white Volkswagen Rabbit GTI. He cleaned and cared for it with the caution of a mother tending a newborn child. It was his baby. Nine years later, and two or three cars later, I had been entrusted with the keys of his firstborn.

Just keeping the car up to his standards was a challenge all in itself. I can't count the number of times he asked me if I thought that car was my own personal trash can. Of course, I always thought it was immaculate. These small altercations I could handle, but there was one occurrence that I couldn't. As I drove through a parking lot in the dark of night something happened that changed my life.

My car came over the crown of a small hill, and the lights focused on a median. I hit the brakes. It was too late; the axle was bent and the frame pushed back. After arriving at the scene, my dad stood isolated in the parking lot with flames in his eyes. I was going to be disowned. After minutes that seemed hours, my dad came back to his car to go home. His devilish eyes suddenly had an ethereal coolness. His arm found its way around my shoulder. There was no doubt that he was upset, but his words and actions brought comfort. It proved to me that perhaps I am his baby.”

Prayer: “Heavenly Father, forgive my anger and help me see that love is the best path to forgiveness.”

Tom Strongman. Walking the Road

Tom Strongman is a journalist for the Kansas City Star, where he has been writing about cars for over twenty years. Tom lives in Leawood with his wife Susan, and enjoys having grandkids nearby.

The Road Crew.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12: 12 

I used to think that I did not have any gifts that I could share with the church. I am not a very good public speaker, and I am the only person in the history of my high school who was asked to drop out of mixed chorus.


I am sure you have heard of the 80 – 20 Rule. Twenty percent of the congregation does 80 percent of the work. I am trying to be part of the 20 percent group. I used to be the guy that showed up only on Christmas and Easter. And, as a family, we were not even close to tithing back when we were raising our daughters.


God, along with my wife’s help, kept pulling me back to the church. I discovered there are a lot of things I can do, and I have the ability to do them. I can usher and I do. I can be a greeter and sometimes I do. I have been participating in a Bible study, which I find to be fun and interesting. I put the Christmas lights up in front of the church. I realize there are many others at Asbury United Methodist Church that do far more than I do. These are just a few things that I can help with and participate in.


As it turns out, I have discovered that I too am the body of the church. Even though my tasks may be less spectacular, it does not mean that God loves me any less or that I am not important to God. I can personally say that the more I give to the church, whether it is time or money, the more I feel good about myself. This is not to be confused with a feeling of superiority or smugness. It is more like the hug I got from my Mom when I was a kid that made me feel warm, safe and loved.


Prayer: Dear God, I so want to be a member of the body of the church, because I so dearly want to feel warm, safe and loved. Amen.

John Cotter

Walking the Road 

John Cotter is the current head of Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) and lives in Lake Quivira with his wife, Julia. 

The Sacrifice.

I enjoy listening to K-LOVE radio station while I am in the car and even at my desk from time to time. Every once in a while a certain song will catch my attention, and the song “This Man” by Jeremy Camp is one of those songs. The lyrics go:

In only a moment truth
Was seen revealed this mystery
The crown that showed no dignity he wore
And the king was placed for all the world
To show disgrace but only beauty flowed from this place
Would you take the place of this man
Would you take the nails from his hands
Would you take the place of this man
Would you take the nails from his hands 

Especially this time of year, these words mean so much. The sacrifice that Jesus made for people he didn’t even know is just unfathomable to me. But all the same, I am just so grateful that he made this sacrifice so that I can have the peace of forgiveness. With this peace, for me, comes the knowledge that I am responsible for living my life to reflect God’s grace to those around me. I strive to perform an act of kindness every day, no matter how small and all the while realizing that I fall short.

During this Lenten season, humankind tends to be more gracious, and it is my prayer that we would all extend it throughout our entire lifetime. I find strength in my daily conversations with God, and although I have never “heard” Him speak directly to me, I know that he is always with me, answering my prayers even in the most subtle way. I know that if I look, I can see the beauty of God’s love in the faces of our children, grandchildren and elderly and in nature.

So – would I take the place of Jesus and take the nails from his hands? I hope that I would and gratefully.

Grace and Peace,
Kelly Mulvaney

Walking The Road

Kelly Mulvaney serves Asbury as an usher during worship, and has taught Godly Play in the Children's Sunday School program. She lives in Overland Park. 

Doubts Along the Way.

Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?’ John 14:5
But he (Thomas) said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ John 20:25

The apostle Thomas, sometimes called Doubting Thomas, is one of my favorite characters in the New Testament. I have been very blessed to be in an Old Testament and now a New Testament Disciple Bible Study during the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011. The teacher of these classes has been amazing and has added so much to the class with additional research and commentaries on the weekly assigned reading.


But, I must admit, even with so much more knowledge of scripture than I ever had before, I find myself sometimes easily identifying with Thomas. The more I learn, sometimes I feel as Thomas seems to in John 14:5. I just simply do not understand. Thomas was honest and plainly told the Lord he did not understand.

And then there is Thomas’ doubt of the resurrected Jesus and his appearance to his disciples on the evening of Easter Sunday, because Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus came the first time. Thus the verse, John 20:25.

A week later the disciples were gathered together again, including Thomas, and Jesus came and stood among them. Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.’ John 20:27. We know after this Thomas did acknowledge Jesus as his Lord and God.


And so, if one of Jesus’ closest friends, one of his 12 disciples, did not always understand and had doubts, then it must be okay if I also lack understanding and have doubts. God will be patient with me as I continue in my journey of Christian faith to gain understanding, knowledge and remove doubts. It’s almost as if Thomas gives us “permission” to feel this way sometimes. And even though we may remember Thomas for his doubting, we also know through scripture he was capable of tremendous devotion and courage.

And, I can identify with Thomas in one other way – I do acknowledge Jesus as my Lord and my God.


Prayer: Thank you God for Holy Scripture with so many different stories and different characters that we may learn from, as we seek to grow in our own faith and live the Christian life you call us to. Amen.

Julia Cotter
Walking the Road

Trust in the Journey.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.” Psalm 28:7

Trusting in God is easily said, but not always easily done. I used to get to the point where I had exhausted all of my own capabilities and was utterly hopeless before completely placing all trust and hope in the Lord. As I have gotten older, I have learned that there are few things in life I can actually control, and for everything else I need God’s help.
One particular instance provided me with a tangible helplessness that allowed me to feel God’s presence and guidance in my life. I had just finished my freshman year of college and was flying back to the U.S. after spending two weeks with my parents in Prague. I had never flown alone before, and was slightly overwhelmed by the Amsterdam airport. I managed to get to a gate with the same airline and same connecting city, but a different flight time and flight number than my flight. By the time I realized the mistake, I had missed my flight to the U.S. I had no idea as to how to find a ticket counter, reschedule my flight, get another connecting flight, etc. I began to worry I would be stuck in Amsterdam.


A man traveling on leave from the navy happened to notice my situation and went with me to find a ticket desk. He waited while I got my flight rescheduled and walked me to my other gate. He made sure I had everything I needed before heading back to his own boarding area. I was so flustered by the entire situation, I may not have been able to calmly accomplish all of that on my own, with only a two hour delay in the end! As I got home much later, I reflected back upon the experience and realized that God had sent me an angel in the form of this man, who helped guide me when I was utterly petrified and all I could do is pray.


God may not always answer our prayers in such a tangible form, but the times that He does answer help us to remember that He is always there, supporting and guiding us. He is the caring and protective Father that made the ultimate sacrifice for us - sending His son to die for our sins. In this Lenten season, let us remember this sacrifice and give our trust and our lives to God, who will always give us the support we need.

Sonder Crane

Walking the Road 

Sonder Crane is a pediatric resident at Children's Mercy Hospital. She and husband Todd live in Roeland Park.

A Second Chance.

Several years ago, I went in the hospital for what was supposed to be a simple mastoid (ear) repair surgery. When I came to, six hours had passed and I was surrounded by my wife, a daughter, the surgeon and another doctor. The second physician introduced himself as an infectious disease specialist and explained that I had suffered for some time from a leak in my skull. This leak was allowing spinal fluid to seep out through my ear. He then said "I don't know why you're still alive."

As I lay awake that first night, his words kept coming back to me. I realized I had been the recipient of a miracle I didn't deserve. The emotions swept over me in waves that night, as I knew how unworthy I was to have received such a precious gift. By the time the sun came up, I knew with complete certainty that God loved me beyond my ability to comprehend. I like to think that as morning broke, I was not the same person I had been the day before.

For whatever time remains for my journey here, I want to always remember that night, and my heavenly Father who loves me without condition.

Gary Brown
Walking the Road 

Gary and his wife Marilyn lead relationship counseling ministry for couples planning to be married at Asbury. They live in Overland Park. 

Meeting new friends on a journey.

My 40th birthday was an amazingly happy and amazingly sad experience…at the same time. I’m not talking about “aging” or “giving up youthful thoughts” or anything quite so trivial. In fact, my wife threw me an amazing surprise party, and about 70 people showed up, from all aspects of my life.

As much fun as I was having, something even more beautiful took place that didn’t involve me one bit…well, maybe just a little bit. I don’t know that many saw it, after all, you’d have to have known all the players to understand the connection that was happening, but I carry this moment with me still, three years later. Two very good friends of mine (both about my age) attended the party. They were great guys, but I would have called each of them ‘loners’ in a sense. I mean, they each had great friends and families and all, but neither spent a lot of time just hanging out with other guys. One lived out of town, so he spent a lot of time commuting, the other was a deep intellectual who worked three jobs and was very busy all the time. And at this party the two met for the first time.

Although they had little in common, socially or politically or hobby-wise, they quickly found that they were on a similar journey. They had both been diagnosed with cancer. And if there was a ‘good’ kind of cancer to have, well, neither had it. Both were facing terminal illness with poor survival success rates, but they were hopeful. My wife and I were hopeful for them as well. They each had been through surgery to remove tumors, both were in various stages of treatment. So they had a common problem, and instantly connected. They spent the evening talking to each other about the process, the trials, and the accomplishments.

It was great to see these two friends of mine become friends with each other, even if their connection was because of illness. Over the next year and a half, they didn’t ‘hang out.’ But they often e-mailed each other, and each asked me about the others progress regularly.

I know that some may see it as coincidence, but I don’t. That great party allowed them to find each other, to talk for a couple of hours and share their issues. And even if only a short while, help each other through what must have been a frightening experience. Those two friends of mine are gone now. I'd like to think they finally have time to hang out together, and to talk about more cheerful things. And I’m so glad I got to know them both.

Alan Murray

Walking The Road

Alan is the Director of Music and Emerging Ministries at Asbury, and lives with his wife Catherine and several cat-children in Kansas City, Missouri. Email him at alanm@visitasbury.org. 

Memories of the Bible.

When I was a child, I loved visiting doctor's offices that had magazines and books to read. I was a voracious reader, and the doctor's offices always had such interesting things to read that I had never seen. What I remember most about these stacks of books and magazines, though, was The Bible Story.

The Bible Story was a compilation book of various stories of the Bible, set to brightly colored, extravagantly detailed pictures that went along with each story. In my creatively focused child's mind, they were characters in an epic fictional tale that made me feel alive. Jonah in the Whale, Daniel in the lion's den, Esther defending her people, Jesus and his betrayer. I loved them all.

I didn't have a Bible of my own until I received my Good News Bible in third grade. It was harder to read, though not nearly as hard as my mother's pocket King James Bible that she was given as a teenager. I searched for the fabulous, fantastical stories I had treasured from The Bible Story. But I had trouble finding them, there was so much more boring stuff in between, and even the updated language of the Good News Bible made it hard to stay focused.

When my children were born, I wanted them to begin to know the stories that I had loved from The Bible. I bought them cardboard picture books with simplified versions of the stories I loved. One had a handle and a velcro closure, and my son carried it around with him like a little briefcase, a favorite treasure for a while. I wanted my boys to be just as familiar with these stories as they were with the tales of Bob The Builder and Sesame Street. I wanted them to have a road map of faith that they could understand, even at a young developmental age.

I like to think my efforts made a difference in the faith of my children. For a school project, my oldest son put that he believes in God as part of a self-portrait description, without any adult prompting. It's something he wants people to know. It's a part of who he is, and he wears it proudly. As do I.

Jenny Meade

Walking The Road

Jenny Meade is the Director of Family Life at Asbury. She often finds Starburst candies stuck to the inside of her children's pants pockets in the dryer. Email her at jennym@visitasbury.org.

The Hard Road.

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7: 12-14

The other day, the youth and some of the adult sponsors were digging through the youth closet on the third floor. We came across an old board game called “Choices." As one of the youth Sunday School teachers, I’ve had the opportunity to 'play' this game with the youth a few times. It’s a lot of fun. Someone reads a card that describes a situation and the youth decide which choice of behavior they will respond with. Since it is a biblical-based game, there’s a “cheat sheet” with pertinent biblical verses to assist in arriving at an answer that would model what Jesus would do.

I am very impressed with the choices the youth made during this exercise. We all have choices we make every day. Some may seem trivial to you, but they have an impact on someone else. The ‘right’ thing to do may not be the ‘easy’ thing to do. Sometimes, the gate isn’t wide. Sometimes, the road is hard.


Roger Peck  
Walking the Road  

Roger serves on the Staff Parish Relations Committee for Asbury. He lives in Overland Park with wife Kim and son Colin, and enjoys camping with Boy Scouts in all temperatures.

A GPS for Life.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalms 119:105 
 

Today, there are all kinds of high-tech tools to give us directions and help us find our way. There’s MapQuest, Google Earth, and Apps for your smart phone. GPS devices for our cars map our routes and tell us where to go. GPS devices on our wrists tell us where we are, how far we’ve run, and how many calories we burned in doing so.

What about our spiritual life? How do we find our way along that path? Fortunately, there are many things which help connect us spiritually: worship, a church home, prayer, fellowship, and service to others are some important ways to stay on track. Another is the Bible. For me, the Bible is the compass that helps show me True North.

The first Bible verse I remember knowing is “God is love” from I John 4:7. When I was a child of three or four, my grandparents gave me a ceramic figurine of an open Bible with this verse painted on it in gold, which sat on my dresser throughout my childhood. There were always Bibles around our house, as my father owned a small business which sold Bibles and educational books. My parents read Bible stories to us from a large book with colorful illustrations, and I often would see my Dad reading his personal Bible at night before sleep.

But I didn’t really ever begin to read the Bible for myself much until I came to Asbury. I joined a Bible study group led by one of the associate pastors, and found I was both intellectually stimulated and spiritually nourished while learning about scripture. I discovered that the Bible is the living Word, and it still speaks to us today. I have since completed Disciple I and II, which were a wonderful foundation, and also great experiences. I have participated in various other Bible studies in my Sunday School class and other small groups, and I am currently participating in the Asbury study of the New Testament in a modern translation.

While I am certainly not as consistent as I would like to be in daily reading, I know that when I am regularly spending time in the Word, my life is better, and I am more grounded. As we say in worship, after reading the scripture: “The Word of God for the people of God; thanks be to God!”

Karen Nugent
Walking the Road

Karen Nugent serves on the Youth Ministry Team at Asbury. She and daughter Caroline live in Roeland Park. 

All things new.

I've been reading devotionals and doing some thinking about what I could write that would be inspirational and meaningful during this time of Lent. I read about a pastor who spent hours staring at a blank piece of paper as she tried to write an Easter sermon. She couldn't fill it with words because of the death of her son. But on the day before Easter she got up in the morning with a feeling of peace, comfort and joy and was finally able to write a joyous Easter sermon.

Then I read about Jesus in Gethsemane asking Peter, James and John to be with him because He was afraid. He knew what was coming, and He wanted His friends to be there as he struggled in prayer. They fell asleep and failed him. They weren't listening to His request. How often do we listen to others trying to communicate their suffering? All they ask is for a loving touch and an attentive ear, but instead we offer advice or try to solve their problems.

As Lent progresses, God is making all things new (Revelation 21:5). Spring is emerging with flowers, green grass, budding trees and birds. We are invited to a new spirituality and new life. Is this not what is meant as we walk with Jesus through to the resurrection? But we must be listening for God's call. Do not respond with doubt and fear, but believe in God’s transforming power. Be open and do not get caught up in the busy pace of life. Experience God’s transformation taking place in you. Receive the grace He gives to all.

Fran Schrunk

Walking The Road 

Fran Schrunk is Asbury's Parish Nurse. Fran and husband Al live in Prairie Village. 

God's gifts.

The other night I received a phone call from my daughter. She had experienced a particularly good day selling pharmaceuticals for her company. She then told me how God had truly blessed her! Not everything in her life was going well, but that she was going to make an effort to concentrate on the good things in her life as well as the many blessings she had received.

We agreed that God would be pleased if she used her God-given talents to help others in need. In particular, we spoke about how she might use her contacts to help a particular lady find employment. She has since reached out to this person, and good things are happening.

I was reminded of 1 Peter 4:10. "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

Many of us get so caught up with daily trials and tribulations, and forget what wonderful gifts we have been given by God. These same gifts can easily be used to help others.

What God given gifts do you possess? How can they be used to help others?
With a little effort, we can help God change peoples lives for the better!
Reach out and allow God to work through you to help others!

John Ballard
Walking The Road

John Ballard serves on the Finance Team at Asbury. He and wife Cindy live in Overland Park.

Full Throttle Worship.

During Lent I find myself thinking more intentionally about my relationship with God. Some years I add an activity or a practice to my life. This year I feel a need to be more intentionally aware of God's presence in my daily life. I have given up snacking between meals. When I am tempted to grab a cookie or a candy bar, I pause and breathe in deeply, saying: “Light of the World, fill my mind with your peace” and then I breathe out, saying “and my heart with your love.” This simple act centers me so that I am more aware of God.

I treasure worshiping weekly with the Asbury community! But I think there is more to worship than what happens on Sunday mornings, and I don’t want to come to worship with a completely run-down battery!

John Shelby Spong has written that to worship God is to:

Live fully…because God is the source of life; to
Love wastefully…because God is the source of love; and to
Be all we were created to be…because God is the Ground of our being.

I find this understanding helpful. Asbury used to have a summer Music, Arts, and Drama (MAD) Camp for elementary children. I vividly remember feeling “fully alive” after directing the performance at the end of a hectic week of preparation. I have also unexpectedly experienced that “fully alive” feeling at the end of serving and cleaning up at the Cross-Lines food kitchen. For me it is a blessing to define that “fully alive feeling” as worship.

And what is the mission we are called to by this understanding of worship? I believe it is to do all we can to make sure that all of God’s people also have the opportunity to live fully, love wastefully and be all they were created to be. That is no small task, but it is one Jesus modeled for us very well. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may we follow Jesus’ example.

Libby Schoeni

Walking The Road 

Libby Schoeni sings weekly with the Chancel Choir, serves with United Methodist Women, and is Asbury's liaison to the Cross-Lines ministry. Libby and husband Terry live in Overland Park.

A Parable for Tough Times.

Once a donkey fell in a well. The farmer pondered how to get the donkey out. He couldn't figure out any options. Since nothing could be done, he asked his friends to come and help him fill up the well with dirt. But something wonderful happened. Every time a shovel full of dirt landed on the donkeys back, he would shake it off and then step on it. Eventually the donkey was able to step up and leave the well.

We've all felt like we were being buried by our problems. The dirt of life with names like debt, disease, grief or divorce. The lesson of this parable is that we can sometimes shake off these problems and use these lessons to rise above our circumstances.

Lord, we thank you for the gentile rains that nourish the earth, and for the many ways that your love nourishes the soil of our souls. When our burdens become more than we can bear- lift us to new places and give us strength and courage to face them with new determination. Amen.

Diane Young Myers
Walking the Road

Diane is the Director of Discipleship at Asbury. She lives in Lee's Summit with husband John, son Jackson and a very active puppy. Email her at dianem@visitasbury.org.  
 

God In Our Midst.

I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

I am at an age when bad news seems to come my way all too frequently. My father moved to a skilled nursing facility last fall, and mom is fighting loneliness without Dad at the house. My brother-in-law suffers from chronic pain from injuries he sustained when hit by a car years ago. My best friend and a work colleague are living with cancer. Another work friend died of lung cancer last fall. And the world news gets grimmer every day from terrorism, to war, to global warming. Some days it’s overwhelming and I can’t help but question why people suffer, and where God is in all this misery.

Then, in the midst of all this, I witness a beautiful sun rise on the way to work. I think of all the magnificent natural places we’ve visited, such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. I observe people reaching out to each other in kindness. I see my son’s smiling, sometimes ornery face; my son who keeps me laughing. I see my husband who still tells me I’m beautiful after 25 years of marriage. I think of my sister who loves me just as I am and tells me what I need to hear.

In all these things and people, I see the face of God and my hope and faith are restored. I don’t know why people suffer, but I know that God is with us in the good times and the bad, in our healthy days and our dying days and until the end of time.

Kim Peck
Walking the Road

Kim works for the Community Blood Center. She lives in Overland Park with husband Roger and son Colin. Find a place to donate blood at esavealivenow.

Listen to the Whisper.

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

Several years ago I took a Bible study course that our then Associate Pastor Lee Johnson was leading. During the evenings we all met for this study, one major topic seemed to hit me upside the head. In our reading for the week the author talked about how we have to really listen for God to speak to us.

How many times had I heard in my life be still and listen? In our discussions, we all talked about how out of nowhere sometimes a thought will frame in your mind to do something on the spur of the moment, call an old friend or family member, inquire of someone’s health, say a prayer for someone, call and make a doctor’s appointment, give someone a hug and a smile, invite someone to dinner, and the list goes on and on. The author of our series called this “listening to the whisper.” I truly believe that God does speak to all of us if we only listen for the whisper.

Prayer:
Lord I know that my fast pace in life makes it too easy sometimes to ignore the whisper and continue on my way. During this time of Lent help me to take the time to truly listen for God to speak to me and to continue to listen for God’s whisper throughout all the seasons. Amen

Connie Phipps
Walking the Road

Connie is a long-time member of Asbury, and enjoys spending time with her grandkids. 

Who dropped the ball?

Who dropped the ball?

I suppose that was the question that my sister and I asked most often. Over the years we both blamed my father for how he managed my mentally ill mother. She is now diagnosed as having Bi-Polar mood disorder and schizo-affective disorder. It became apparent to me as I entered grade school that my mom was not like all the others. And every time she went into a rage or a paranoid state, I resented my father for not taking care of the situation.

My mother spent many years in and out of the hospitals and had little counseling with drug therapy. As I entered high school my biggest fear was that I would not find a way to leave the home. My sister is eight years older and was able to enter college and make a life of her own much sooner then I. When the day finally came - I rejoiced for God had delivered me to a college campus complete with a dorm room, cafeteria, the world of academia and above all, rational people!

As I progressed through my adult life, I harbored resentment toward my father. My sister and I would agree over and over that he dropped the ball! As years passed, I married, had children of my own and prayed for "typical" children. I wanted my life to be clean of all mentally ill people forever. God blessed me with four boys, two of which have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. I resented always being plagued with bizarre relations. But, God did give me the knowledge to love and care for my children in a way that was not modeled in my childhood. He blessed my sister and me with the ability to love unconditionally despite our anger. Furthermore, He led me to understand love more then I thought I ever could.

My parents are retired and live in Florida. My mom has been declining into a state of dementia over the years, but I didn't understand the extent of her problems because we just don’t visit that often. My dad was firm about spending Christmas together this year. Within 30 minutes of my parent’s arrival I could see that my mom was far worse then I had realized. She had lost the ability to dress herself, complained that our silverware was too heavy to eat with and could not orientate herself. I watched my dad care for her every need in a way that was so proactive and loving. At that point I realized that no one dropped the ball. My mom did not ask to be born with a mental illness and my dad was doing the best he could. There was grace in how my dad cared for my mom, there was grace in having our Christmas together, and there was God’s grace in teaching me how to love a mother who is not capable of loving.

The other day she sent 24 bowls via FedEx. It didn’t make much sense. We already had dishes. But that was her way of loving me. It was what her mind led her to do. So, the phone call ended… mom… thank you so much for dishes… how did you know we needed the bowls so badly… how thoughtful…

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (ESV)

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful..."

Jill Lowery-Robinson
Walking the Road 

Jill serves on the mission and green teams of Asbury. She lives in Lenexa with husband Josh and four active boys.

Finding Strength on a Daily Journey.

 

Wolf Creek pass photograph, courtesy of Continental-Divide.net.

"I can do all things through Him that strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

Twenty years ago, as I labored over Wolf Creek Pass on my bicycle during Ride the Rockies with my son Jon and his friend Chris, I often glanced down at my handlebars. There I had taped Philippians 4:13. The trip was daunting and I needed inspiration.

In January 2010, I started working with seven at-risk youth and 11 adult mentors. We transformed an old race car into one powered by lithium-ion batteries. We covered it with a transparent skin and recorded a test-track mileage efficiency equal to 300 miles per gallon.

One day I pointed my camera’s telephoto lens at one young man’s arm so I could read his tattoo. “I can do all thing through Him that strengthens me,” it said. I sensed that we might share a deeper connection and it has proven to be so.

My friend watched slideshows of my grandchild, and I listened to his rap lyrics. His words were insightful and poignant, but sometimes rough, like his life. Our spirits connected with an invisible bond. Today he’s in business with a friend and plans to launch a music CD.

In early March the car was on display the Kansas City Auto Show. This once-shy young man engaged the public with a quick handshake and a bright smile. He radiated confidence. Much more than a race car had been transformed in the last year.

Our race car doesn’t have a number, but if it did, it would be 413.

Prayer: “Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the possibilities that you set before us. We know that as we travel life’s road, you are always with us, sometimes in ways that we could never foresee. We succeed only by your strength.”

Tom Strongman
Walking the Road

Tom Strongman is a journalist for the Kansas City Star, where he has been writing about cars for over twenty years. Tom lives in Leawood with his wife Susan, and enjoys having grandkids nearby. 

Along the Path To Giving

As we welcome spring we also welcome the season of Lent. It is a chance to simplify our day-to-day living and focus on our relationship with God and Christ. Our lives are filled with school, family, friends and activities (even March Madness) that often distract us from living a life with Christ. Lent is a time to shift from the chaos and focus on what God wants us to be. Tradition asks that we remove and simplify – perhaps we might consider Lent as removing distractions to giving- giving to yourself, others and God. For example, I gathered a can of tuna for each day of Lent to donate to the food pantry.

Some ideas to consider:

• Say something nice to at least one person each day.
• Pray for others while you're in the car, waiting for the kids to come home from school, or even while you are waiting in line.
• Volunteer as a tutor, gather food for the food pantry, help with IHN or visit an elderly church member.
• Forgive someone.
• Use your Starbucks or snack funds to purchase tuna, peanut butter or pasta for your local food bank.

Lee Svet
Walking the Road

Lee serves on the Worship Arts team of Asbury. She lives with husband David in Leawood, and is very glad to have son Clark home for spring break.

Forgiving Fellow Travelers.

Scripture Matthew 6: 9-13

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

In January, Asbury began the New Testament Challenge. I was excited. THIS was the year that I was finally going to read and better understand scripture! I stopped short, however, at the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6. Though I had said the prayer in church numerous times, I had not paused to really examine the text, specifically concerning "forgiving others."

Though many years had passed, the pain from a previous relationship still lingered. I realized that I had not fully forgiven the individual. Denying forgiveness was keeping me chained to the past. The Easter promise reminds us of new life; when we fully forgive others, we can truly live our lives as God intended. Praise God!

Alicia Wolff
Walking the Road

Alicia Wolff teaches middle school music in the Raytown school district. She lives in Overland Park with husband Doug and two little girls.

Click here for The New Testament Challenge blog. 

A Companion for the Journey

Journey, path, road, byway, street, route... how many words describe our way? What footsteps can we follow? In the recent snowfall, footsteps are easy to find. Footsteps of the creatures that inhabit our backyard. Footsteps that find their way to our front door. My husband's footsteps as he heads to the bird feeders to provide food for the feathered neighbors. The postman's footsteps as he faithfully delivers our mail.

I have often been inspired by the familiar image of the traveler leaving footprints in the sand. There are two sets of footprints- one mine and one the Lord's. The story tells of the many times when the two become one, and the Lord answers, "my child, I never left you, for you see when the footprints become one set, I was carrying you."

The Lord has indeed carried me. Through my childhood, I experienced the loneliness of being an only child. Yet many of my happiest memories are associated with the love and devotion bestowed on me and my mother by our church. The strength of those church teachings and relationships led me to meeting my dearest soulmate- my husband. Through separations brought about by the aftermath of war, and the struggles in establishing our family in a new location in the country, I have always felt blessed with the companionship of Christ.

This does not mean I have not many times cried out with "why me?" But with growing experiences of faith I have learned that He indeed has carried and continues to carry me on my roadway.

Phyllis Sullins

Walking the Road 

Phyllis Sullins is a long-time member of Asbury. She and husband Russ live in Prairie Village. 

The Difficult Journeys.

Despite the efforts of those who love us, sometimes our clearest childhood memories are defined by the great tragedies of our time. I distinctly remember the day Ronald Reagan was shot – my family and I were in the car on the way to visit distant family, listening to every word from the radio announcer about what was happening at the scene. My parents tried to be steadfast as we listened, but their fear and grief was obvious.

I was in my 8th grade science class, watching live as the Challenger Shuttle exploded into an arc of white smoke across a clear blue sky. I remember, aside from the total shock, feeling bad for my teacher, who had this grand plan of giving her students an amazing, first-hand lesson in science, and instead gave us tragedy, imprinted forever on our brains.

Not to mention being a child growing up in the Midwest before the Iron Curtain fell, nervous about those nuclear weapons hidden in silos dotted across the peaceful farming landscape. An anxiety brought to the forefront this week, as I listen to the news about nuclear meltdown in Japan.

In the age of Twitter and Facebook, news and images travel at lightening speed. Last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan are just the most recent images of devastation, and will leave a mark on my children. Generation Y remembers 9-11, Hurricane Katrina, the Thailand Tsunami. It’s earthquakes in Haiti, and political uprisings in Egypt and Libya, with pictures snapped with camera phones and uploaded to the internet within seconds. As a parent it’s hard to keep up. And it's hard to remember to turn off the TV, and not over-expose our children to the images of devastation.

Sometimes, the tragedies are ever so much closer and more personal, than what plays on the news. Kate Braestrup, a mother turned chaplain after the car-accident death of her husband, explains it to her children, in this way, in her book Here if You Need Me:

My children asked me, "Why did dad die?"
I told them, "It was an accident. There are small accidents, like knocking over your milk at the dinner table. And there are large accidents, like the one your dad was in. No one meant for it to happen, it just happened. And his body was too badly damaged in the accident for his soul to stay in it anymore, and so he died.

"God does not spill milk. God did not bash the truck into your father’s car. Nowhere in scripture does it say, ‘God is a car accident’ or ‘God is death.’ God is justice and kindness, mercy, and always - always – love. So if you want to know where God is in this or in anything, look for the love.” 1

God is in the helicopters, dropping bottles of water on the tops of buildings marked with SOS. God is with the 60 year old man found floating on the roof of his house, 9 miles out to sea. God is in the beauty of the smoky white jet streams, zigged-zagged across a sunny, blue sky as planes across America turned around looking for a place to land, almost ten years ago.

God does not cause natural disasters, or terrorists. Sometimes the only thing we need the kids to remember is not to look for God in the tragedy, but to look for God in the love.

Jenny Meade
Walking The Road

Jenny is the Director of Family Life at Asbury. She is married to Trip, and has two young boys. Email  her at jennym@visitasbury.org.

1  Kate Braestrup’s website is http://www.katebraestrup.com/

Hope for the Journey

I was in the hospital with atrial fibrillation. My husband and I were nervous about the procedures I would be facing. It was snowing outside and was extremely cold . My husband glanced out the window behind me.

Then he grinned he said "look Marilyn, there's your Cardinal."

My symbol of hope is the beautiful, elegant Cardinal. This one must have flown in from Florida, just to put me back on the Believer's road, replacing my fears with trust.

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!

Marilyn Brown
Walking the Road 

Marilyn Brown serves on the Worship Arts Team. She and husband Gary live in Overland Park. 

A Crowded Journey

Not long ago, I was at the airport in Kansas City and then in San Diego. At both airports the crowds were incredible. When I would try to get to my gate, there were hoards of people all around me, walking in front of me, beside me, bumping into me with carry-on luggage, baby strollers, and back packs. I had a destination in mind and I wanted to get there with as little hassle as possible. I wanted to enjoy my trip and not have to pay attention to what everyone else was doing. But there they were! In my way!

So much of my faith journey has been that way. I want to have this leisurely stroll with Jesus that draws me closer and closer to God. I want to move toward God and the kingdom that God talks about, but people keep getting in my way. People keep bumping into me. People keep cutting me off and stopping right in my path. Some of those people are hungry. Some of them are lonely and frightened. Some of them are injured or sick. Some of them are lost and don’t know where they are going. Some of them are angry and hostile. Some of them are rude and disrespectful of others; living in their own little self-centered world.

I would like to ignore the people around me who get in my way. But I keep hearing Jesus say, “…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matt. 25:35-36)

Why can’t the kingdom of God look more like a stroll on the beach than a crowded airport? Why can’t the kingdom of God look more like a sunset than a thunderstorm? Why can’t the kingdom of God look more like a cute baby than a homeless person sleeping in a doorway? Or perhaps….the kingdom of God looks like all of those.

Rev. Jerry Tubach

Walking the Road 

Jerry Tubach is Asbury's Director of Development. He is a retired United Methodist Clergy and former District Superintendent. He lives with his wife Sheila in Lenexa.  Email him at jerryt@visitasbury.org.

By the side of the road

Jesus met a woman at the well. He was thirsty and she was there to draw water. She came to the well at noon to avoid the other women in the town of Samaria. She was not well thought of by the others in the community. Jesus engaged in conversation with her and said that living water was available to her and she would never be thirsty again. She asked how she could have the living water and thirst no more. He told her to get her husband and return. She told him she didn’t have a husband. Jesus knew this was correct and told her that she has had five husbands but the man she currently lived with was not her husband. She said that Jesus must be a prophet to know that about her and she knew that the Messiah, the one called Christ, was coming. Jesus said, “I am he.”

This woman was an outcast in her community because she had been married five times and this was not acceptable. Jesus offers her living water which changes her and she goes to tell her friends.

Is it five husbands? Divorce? Economic worries? Anger? Bankruptcy? What are the things which are keeping us from Jesus? What messages have been given to people to make them feel like an outcast? Did Jesus judge the woman harshly and send her away in disgrace? No, he gave her living water to transform all that is in her life. She then told her friends and they came to believe because they also met Jesus and found the Savior. Who is waiting to hear about Jesus in your community? Who is thirsting for the Living Water? Who is alone at the well at noon?

Jo Mead

Walking The Road

Jo Mead is a seminary student at St. Paul's School of Theology, and assists Asbury with our Senior Care ministry programs.