The Good Gifts

This past weekend Hannah was given a very special gift.  She got to celebrate her birthday a little early with a splendid tea party honoring her and her best friend Chloe.  She was surrounded by her dear little girl friends in Houston and savored a time with them she didn't think she'd ever have again.  To say it was a sweet gift just doesn't do it justice.  As her mom, my heart is overwhelmed with God's goodness to this little soul who has been so brave and has persevered through more than her share of intimidating circumstances.

Hannah and Chloe.  Best friends since they were four.

Throughout our journey to move and minister in Italy, we have tried to communicate over and over to our kids that God honors faith.  When we walk in obedience, He showers us with His good gifts.  We have also tried hard to communicate that those good gifts are most of the time not things like new toys or ice cream.  They are far better, more fulfilling and more satisfying gifts.  A big concept for a five and eight-year-old.

Having Tea.  

But this party was one of those very good gifts.  Mom and Dad are not the only members of our family who have sacrificed a great deal to take the gospel to Italians.  Our kids have had to completely leave the friends, city, church and life they knew.  God has given them great tenacity as they have forged ahead.  He has given them some really good new friends.  But it has still been hard to be away from dear friends in the States.  Especially for Hannah.

As I look at these fun pictures and think back on the Tea Party, my heart is SO FULL for how well the Father takes care of my kids.  He doesn't just meet their needs, He blesses their socks off, just as He does mine.  The rewards of walking in faith can come in no other way.  Thank you, Father, for this incredibly sweet time you gave our precious little girl.

The girls all decked out in the hats and purses they made.

Happy Birthday Chloe and Hannah!  May God continue to knit your hearts together despite the miles that separate you.  May you continue to put all of your nine-year-old faith the Great God who honors your faith in ways you couldn't even dream to ask for.

The Joy of Worship

So my mom hates when I post entries without pictures.  I can understand that.  We just happen to be in a season when I don't have a lot of pictures that correlate with what I'm blogging about.  But, in an effort to keep my mom reading, at the end of the post, I have a few pictures from Halloween.  The kids had such a good time with this American tradition.  Enjoy!

Perhaps THE thing I miss most while we are in Italy is worshiping in English.  I don't think I have ever longed to worship--just to acknowledge and praise God for who He is--as much as I have in the past two years.  In the midst of all the craziness and challenges we've faced, simply looking at God and acknowledging His goodness and sovereignty and His heart and vision for Italians (and the world) is the only thing that calms my heart.

God's Word has literally nourished my soul.  I have craved any worship music I can get my hands on.

So the greatest highlight of my time back has been going to church every Sunday.  I have savored every minute.  Since we are living with my parents in Ft. Worth, we had to find a new church to get plugged in to during our furlough.  We jumped in to a church close by who partners with Agape Italia, and it has been such an incredible blessing.  The kids have loved it too!  They love going to church, and they love AWANA.

As I have been savoring my time worshiping among a Body of Christ who speaks my native tongue, I came across a quote from Beth Moore quoting Eugene Peterson that so beautifully captures how I have felt.  I hope you are encouraged, as you read it.  I hope it causes you to throw yourself deeper into the worship of our MOST WORTHY God.  And when you have the chance to be with believers worshiping together, you can remember how much I long for the same.  And rejoice in the opportunity you have.

Worship has endless side effects in the life of the everyday psalmist.  Among them, it exalts God to the highest place, thereby relieving the sojourner of the backbreaking burden of ego.  It defeats our enemy.  It answers grace with gratitude.  And it ends in joy.  "God is a personal reality to be enjoyed.  We are so created and so redeemed that we are capable of enjoying him.  All the movements of discipleship arrive at a place where joy is experienced.  Every step of ascent toward God develops the capacity to enjoy.  Not only is there, increasingly, more to be enjoyed, there is steadily the acquired ability to enjoy it.  Best of all, we don't have to wait until we get to the end of the road before we enjoy what is at the end of the road."

Amen.


And now, the random pictures. . . (love you Mom!)

Our little Puppy, Indiana Jones and Hannah Montana

This was Ben's first Halloween, and he was so shocked people were giving him and candy (and Mom wasn't taking it away) that he hardly knew what to do with himself.

Cody's most excellently carved pumpkins

INCREDIBLE!

Who is this man, and why is his picture on our blog?  This is Charlie Duke, the 10th man ever to walk on the moon.  Charlie is follower of Jesus, and last week he came to Bologna to share about the role Jesus has had in his life.  (You can read more of Charlie's bio at http://www.fivestarspeakers.com/espeakers/5572/Charlie-Duke.html).

The only other full-time Campus Crusade staff in Bologna are a couple named Jesse and Tricia Marcos.  Charlie has been a supporter of the Marcos' ministry for years.  For the past year, we have been working to bring Charlie to Bologna.  God moved in the most amazing ways!  I've pasted Jesse's e-mail, giving us the update on all that had happened.  I know it's a little long, but the way God moved is worth reading every word.

"INCREDIBLE!!!  This morning we have no words to describe what just happened these last two days here in Bologna. I will let the words of the Brucato’s and others who have lived here speak for themselves. “Whave been here 23 years and never have we seen these kinds of crowds and never have we seen doors open like this.” If you recall we told you that when this all began, the university said; “No way he can mention God at all, nor can we mention Agape Italia.” So we had everyone praying that God would break through all of that. So the Lord KICKED DOWN those walls like none of us would have anticipated!! I want to let you know how it all went and at sometime we can fill you in on the more details.

Monday morning we had to have Charlie at the TV station for an interview on the regional morning show that covers all of Emilia-Romagna. The last question he was asked in the interview was, "What do you today?” So he could there launch into sharing that he speaks all over the world and shares the love of God. The man then closed by saying Charlie was speaking Monday at the U of Bologna. We were all horrified because that was wrong. When then they realized the mistake, they had to change it and announce it on the news--which was repeated several times in the day!! That mistake ended up being more air time to advertise it.

We then went to a press conference held at the hotel at 10AM. There the head of Astronomy at the University, who said there could be no mention about God, asked him in the interview, "What do you do now?"  Again he repeated what he was doing to share Christ around the world.

Next was the scientific high school where nothing Christian is ever let in the door. This is the school where a 15 yr old student shot himself right before Charlie came. He was able to share his story in detail. Part of their testimony is his wife was suicidal. He shared that, and the students were riveted to his every word and listened intently. After he was done with his testimony and closed, the principal came up and thanked Charlie for coming and reviewed the main points he made about his story!! WOW, never in our wildest dreams in a school where atheism is their god could we have imagined this to happen!!

We were able to give them postcards with Charlie’s picture on it and that also had Youth for Christ and Agape Italia websites.  We were introduced as well.

Monday night the outreach night for the community was standing room only!! Many non-Christians came, and many who are in the science community came. The exciting part was that night Charlie held nothing back. Both Charlie and his wife spoke, and wow that was POWERFUL. We had appetizers afterward and people stayed and shook his hand and talked with them.

Tuesday morning he spoke at a private high school, one of the top in the city. These students study Aeronautics and will all go to university. This school was not one we had planned on, but there was cancelation in the schedule. It happened that a connection was made two weeks ago which got us into the school. Once again standing room only!! Students heard about Youth for Christ and then heard about Agape Italia briefly. Once again in Q&A, he was asked what he does now. We were not sure how much we could say here. When asked, he took advantage of it and answered with a gospel presentation. The creativity he used was incredible but yet very clear.

Next was speaking at the U of Bologna in the Astronomy Dept and guess what. . .standing room only. The University of Bologna and everyone had told us if you have 100 – 150 that will be a GREAT success.

Everywhere he went they planned for those numbers and were shocked to see the interest. Over 120 students came, they were standing outside in the halls listening. This was set up by the university and specifically the man who said no God. After speaking, there was Q&A and the man who said no God asked Charlie to share about the challenges of life after reaching the pinnacle of his career at age 36. WOW!  He who said NO GOD knew what he would say!!! Then that night at dinner, he told Charlie again to make sure he talked about his personal life.

Tuesday evening we met for dinner with all the university officials who were responsible for the evening. His lecture was to begin at 9:00PM. It was 8:55 and we were just ordering our coffee. The professor said no problem, we were on Italian time!! So we left at 9:05 walked into a room that seats 300 and it was STANDING ROOM ONLY again. It was an estimated crowd of at least 400 so you can imagine it was PACKED OUT!!!! Charlie walked into the hall. I was behind him and had not seen the crowd yet. We then heard a HUGE loud applause and were overwhelmed, as were the school officials.

He opened his talk by thanking Agape Italia for bringing him to Bologna. He then talked about how he and his wife have known Tricia and I for years, which helped Agape build credibility.  The gospel went out clearly and wow, was it incredible again. We felt like we were with a ROCK STAR!! He was amazing and the crowd was not disappointed. We can promise you that crowd was all non-believers!!!!

THANKS FOR PRAYING!! Pray now for the followup of all of this and we can continue to build strong relationships with the university and these high schools!!!  Wish you could have been here for it, because the ground had to be prepared for this to all happen and you have been a part of preparing the soil for God to work!! Thanks and see you soon so you can enjoy being a part of the harvest God has used you to be a part of!!"

We have been telling everyone we meet how we feel like this is a unique time in Italy's history.  We really believe God is moving in unprecedented ways.  We could not be more excited to a part of what He is doing.  To God be the glory!!