See, on the first anniversary of 9/11, I was in Kingston, Ontario on business. I will never forget that day. Looking out of the hotel window at the Canadian Customs House across the street and watching as they lowered the Canadian flag to half-mast.

As we went into the office that morning, I remember many words of condolence and grief. Many of our Canadian coworkers were genuinely grieved by those events.

Later that night, I watched special new coverage on the CBC. They talked about the hospitality of cities like Gander who housed thousands of displaced travelers as jet after jet was grounded outside of the US.

As I sit here on the tenth anniversary of that horrific day, I do as I have done every year since, I say to my friends north of the border…

THANK YOU!

You taught the world what it means to be a neighbor.

Effective 7 August, we have embarked on a new adventure. We have left the company we were working for and moved on to full-time missions.

You can find us on the web at Led By The Word or on Twitter (@LedByTheWord).

See you there.

I’ll continue to blog personal blogs here.

Peace.

However….

God has put a new pair of glasses on my head for this time through it.

All too often, we read Ecclesiastes from an understanding of Solomon (The Teacher) as a “grumpy old man.” He’s growing older. He’s lived through a successful kingship. He understands the world is a difficult place, and clearly expresses frustrations — largely of his own making (aren’t they often such?). On the surface, it reminds me of an old grandpa telling his grandkids how not to screw their life up.

But there’s more to it than that.

Solomon is not merely cautioning us to not do what he did, but rather he is exhorting us to never forget from whence we came. (Remember your Creator in the days of your youth… – Ecclesiastes 12:1 NIV) He desires for us to understand that life is not about us. It goes deeper than that. He views life as something that shouldn’t be wasted on vain pursuits.

Vain pursuits…

You know…

Things like…

• Successful career
• Big bank account
• New car
• New house
• Brand-name clothes
• Brand-name food
• 42″ 3D TV
• Etc…

Rather, Solomon shows us through story, metaphor, simile, and exhortation that in the end all that matters is how you treat God, and how you treat people.

Hmmm… That sounds familiar.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” — Matthew 22:37-39

If you kept those words close to you as you go through life how would it change your thought/decision/action process?

• Would you measure the success of your career by the size of your paycheck, or your title?
• Would you view your bank account as a place to horde your loot, or as a holding place while you search for somewhere to give it all away?
• Would you buy a new car, or keep driving the one you have?
• Would you buy a new house even though you already have one? (Maybe if you weren’t buying as much stuff, you wouldn’t need a bigger house anyway.)
• Would you “have to have” the latest brand-name clothes, or would you be content to wear what you have? Would you keep shopping at Macy’s, Dillards, and Saks, or would Savers and Goodwill do just fine?
• Would you keep buying Cheerios or would Toasted Oats suffice?
• Would you insist on looking silly by wearing those giant 3D googles in your own living room?

In the end, it’s all about pride. Solomon teaches us that the pursuit of things is vainglory, while the pursuit of God is where life is truly lived to the fullest.

This evening we took a few minutes and toured some of devastation from the tornado that ripped through Joplin on 22 May 2011.

I can sum it all up in one word: sobering.

Simply sobering.

As we drove through the neighborhood around St. John’s Hospital and saw areas where the bulldozers had already been and areas where they had not yet been, my heart went out to those who were impacted by this violent event.

At one point I was really hit by a sign in a yard (I have a picture, but will need to update this post later and add it). The sign read: “Richardson. All ok. Donation welcome.”

All ok.

Donation welcome.

That pretty well says it all.

While, many were not “all ok” (150+ lost their lives and many many more were injured), to find a sign of hope in a wasteland of devastation is what matters.

Live is slowly moving on. People will never forget it, but you can’t stop everything to dwell on. At some point, you have to say “we’re all ok” and you move on.

Yet, for now, needs still exist. In major ways. Money is still needed. Clothes are needed. Food is needed. So many needs.

Stop and a say a quick prayer for Joplin. It’s truly mind-numbing to see, but even more so to try to place oneself in that position. To try to understand the thoughts, fears, and concerns of those impacted.

They need our prayers.

As we drove back to the house, I thought about the story of Jesus as he slept in the boat during the storm. The disciples are freaked out. Jesus slept.

When they finally had woken Him up, Jesus first rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. He then calmed the storm.

In your moment of storm, how do you respond? Panic? Fear? Faith?

If Jesus was sleeping in your boat during your storm, how would you respond?

There He is snoring,

There you are…

Faith.

Please, remember Joplin in your prayers. Your prayers will help to strengthen their faith.

And stronger faith, makes for more peaceful storms.

The Simants’ are going into full-time ministry.

For sometime now, we have been on a trajectory to enter the ministry in June of 2012.  However, God has seen fit to change the timeline on us.

Here’s the 30,000 foot view of how this all came about.

Throughout the season of Lent, our church had a season of 24/7 Prayer.  Throughout this period of time, God was dropping us clues about our future.

• “Keep your suitcase packed.”
• “Called to the nations.”
• “In America, but not of America.”
• “Ambassadors of the King serving at His pleasure.”
• Etc.

So, we began working and praying that we would know where God was working, and asking if He would allow us to join in.

During the 40-Days in the “Trailernacle”, we watched as God paid off $18k+ in Student Loans for us, and provided us with the needed funding for our trip to Mexico.

While in Mexico, we were so incredibly at peace with the work that we were participating in, and clearly knew that in each of the places we ministered that God was saying, “Here’s where I’m working.  Yes, you can join in.”  Yet, we also felt Him saying, “This isn’t the only place or the only work.”

On our last night in Mexico, God confirmed in us the words which we knew He had given to us in the Trailernacle.  It was confirmed that we were called to the nations.  That prayer and leadership development were the key components of that ministry.

Within two weeks of the trip to Mexico ending, God further confirmed the leadership development portion of the ministry by bringing into our path a couple of people who appear to be pivotal components of that aspect.  We’re not sure exactly what those relationships will end up as, but do know that they were brought into being by God for a season such as this.

Memorial Day weekend, we spent time at the 24/7 Prayer US National Gathering in Tulsa(rusalem).  While there, God further confirmed the ministry He was putting together for us by bringing into our path more individuals who will likely be instrumental in helping to establish the prayer side of our ministry.

And while the details were still (and are a even now) a little sketchy, we were comfortable in beginning the process of determining when we were to step out.

June 3, 2012.

Clearly.

Cause that’s the date we had set.

Arbitrarily.

“Realistically.”

BUT…

On May 24, I was notified that my position with my employer was being eliminated.  I could either take a severance package (effective 5 August 2011) or apply for other positions which would essentially require at least a 2 year commitment to the company.  We began to pray for clear direction, even though we sort of knew what it would be.

We are confident that God has released us into full-time ministry (aka full-time short-term missions) on 6 August 2011.  While we are still finalizing details, we are working hard to that end.  Numerous things are in the works.  We ask that you join us in prayer for the following:

• Quick sell of the house and at the price we’re asking.
• Quick sell of larger furniture pieces and at the price we’re asking.
• Direction as we work to finalize a realistic budget.
• Direction as we work to identify what the calendar should look like for the remainder of this year and early next.
• Direction as we finalize the face of our ministry (name, vision, areas in which to work, organizations with which to partner, etc).
• Direction on whether or not we should purchase an RV/Travel Trailer for the work we will be doing in the US/Canada.
• Favor with international medical insurance companies as we work through rates/coverages/etc.
• Favor with the various individuals/organizations that God has clearly dropped into our path.
• Funds to meet our budget.

We will be putting out more information as we go through the next few weeks.  There are a lot of moving parts right now, yet please know that your prayers are VITAL to success.  God listens and responds to the prayers of His people.  So, please pray for us.

We ask that those of you who are willing to commit to praying for us daily, please respond to this blog (either via comment here, or on Facebook/Twitter, or a text/email/phone call).  Please let us know that you are committing to pray.  This will enable us to better keep you informed of what is going on as it is happening.

If you are not already, follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook.  We will be launching ministry website/blog/Facebook/Twitter in the next couple of weeks, and will let you know when you can “friend us” in those places.

We are excited about what God is doing.  We are thankful that when we prayed asking Him to show us where He was working and to allow us to join in, He graciously responded by showing us where, and saying “Yes.”

Pray for us that we may earnestly and unashamedly proclaim the Gospel of Christ!

Me.

In charge.

Uh oh.

The best way that I can describe this transition is:

sksimants=George W. Bush

mdsimants=Barack Obama

eksimants/cesimants=Glenn Beck

Well…. maybe not Glenn Beck, but definitely one of the (slightly) less crazy FoxNews commentators.

Yeah….

“That’s not how mommy does it.”

Nope.  I’m not mommy.  I am ill-equipped to be mommy.

“When mommy’s here she…”

Is your mommy here?  No.  So Daddy does….

You get the picture.  Dad’s you’ve all been there, so I know you can relate.

At any rate…. that’s so not the point of this post.

The point is this.  My kids blew me away yesterday with the lesson they taught me.

We were getting in the car to leave.  I was dropping the kids off at Nana’s and then was headed to Youth at the Church.

We get strapped in.

Shut doors.

Turn the key.

NADA.

Nothing.

Zilch.

Not even a remote attempt at starting.

Dead.

As a doorknob.

While I go into panic mode, the kids sit peacefully in the back.

I hear a soft voice: “God, please help our car to run.”

I get them out of the car, and begin to check the things I know to check.

Papa is on his way to the rescue.

The kids are staring at the frantic daddy through the front door.

And, I learned later, were praying.

On a whim, I put the key back into the ignition.

Turned the key.

Started right up.

Turned it off.

Again.

And…

Again.

About the time that Papa pulls up, the car is working great.

As we load the kids into Papa’s car, I hear eksimants tell Papa that her and cesimants had been praying for the car.  She was almost in tears at the goodness of God to answer prayers.  She told Papa that she was so glad that mommy and daddy had taught them to pray.

I was humbled and convicted.

As I drove to the church, I stopped to repent of my unbelief and my attempts to go it alone.

The kids did exactly what we have taught them to do in all circumstances.  They prayed.

I did what we as humans do in all circumstances.  I fretted and tried to go it alone.

I’m so grateful that their way worked and mine did not.

Folks, prayer works.  In every case.  In every circumstance.  PRAY.

Thanks, kids, for teaching me what I’ve been trying to teach you.

When all else fails.  When you can’t see the end of the tunnel.  And when you are on the mountaintop of victory.

PRAY!

We were in San Juan, Puerto Rico about four years ago.  We were in a taxicab.  Our driver had one arm and one leg.

Seriously.

One arm.

One leg.

From what I could tell, he wasn’t much good in the eyesight category either.

He drove.  We prayed.

Spiritually, that’s how I have felt here lately.

I’m merely a passenger.  My Father God is the driver.

I’m riding.

He’s driving.

Sometimes it feels a bit like He is driving with one leg and one arm.  Like the car is a bit out-of-control.

Well, it is.

It is out-of-MY-control.

And it’s good.

As we allow the Father to drive, we become more in-tune to the miracles that He is constantly performing.  We view more clearly His work.  We learn what the Proverbs mean when they say that the “Fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom (seeing things through God’s perspective and acting on it).”

See, to allow God to drive (without us backseat driving) is to Fear Him.  It is to say, “I love You, so I will do what You say.”  It is saying, “Not my will, but thine.”  It is to say, “Show me where You are working, and let me join in.”

It’s beautiful.

It’s scary.

It’s incredibly exhilarating.

So, yes, I do realize that the automobile looks like it is careening out of control.  Yet, I remain content sitting here quietly in the backseat and letting Him take me wherever He determines the next stop will be.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Yesterday at about 4:45pm, we made a major Kingdom step of faith. By 6:15pm, eksimants was complaining of a headache.  By 1:30am, she had a fever of 103.  This afternoon, we spent time in the emergency room since her fever spiked at 105.6. 

Yesterday at about 4:45pm, we made a major Kingdom step of faith.  This morning, I had a reaction to my medication for MS.  After that subsided and I headed outside to get yard work completed, I had issues with MS.

Here’s the thing…

When you make a major move in faith for the work of the Kingdom, the enemy will attack.

Everytime.

Mark it down. 

You decide.

You act.

He attacks.

Thankfully, our God hems us in on all sides!

Be prepared though for the attack.

I’ve been thinking about this question all day.   Not so much about how I would answer it, but rather how will my kids answer it in about 20 years.

In other words, what is the legacy world-view which I am implanting into them.

eksimants and cesimants look out over Tulsa from a hotel room.

My prayer for my kids is that their world-view is truly global.  I want them to understand the plight of the world’s problems.  I want them to understand the prayer needs in even the remotest of countries.

Even before sksimants and I felt a call to the nations, we had begun training eksimants and cesimants to see the world as a giant playground.  We wanted them to view it as fully accessible to them.  There is no where they can’t go.  It’s a wide open world inviting them to come and explore.

More importantly, though, we want our kids to understand that the world needs a Savior.

We want them to understand that over 153 million children are orphaned.

We want them to understand that almost half the world lives on less than $2.50/day.

We want them to understand that over 1 billion people have no access to clean water.

We want them to understand that there is a vast swath of the world who has never heard the Gospel (also known as the 10/40 Window).

We want them to understand geography, yet as they learn about the nations and their location in the world, we want them to know what God is doing in those nations as well as what prayer needs exist.

We want them to understand that they — just like ALL who profess to be Christians — are missionaries.  They are called to have a world-view that is bigger than their particular city, state or nation.

We want them to have the same world-view that Christ had on the cross.  It’s a world-view that says, your redemption is more important than my life.  It’s the world-view that Paul expressed in Philippians 1:21.  It’s the world-view that Jim Elliot had when he wrote: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”

When my kids look out of hotel windows, that’s the world-view that I pray we are leaving with them.

Dignity — Noun.  Bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation

In the Scriptures, we have two stories of King David becoming “undignified.”  The first is in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.  The second is in 2 Samuel 6:14-15 and 21-22.

In 1 Samuel 21:10-15, David is in trouble.  Saul is chasing him with the intention of killing him.  He flees to enemy territory.  Not just any enemy territory.  He flees to Gath.  GATH!  As in “Welcome to GATH: The Home of GOLIATH!”

Yeah.  That GATH.

Let me take a rabbit trail here.  David finds himself in the middle of God’s will for his life and in the middle of hostile territory simultaneously.  It is safer to be in danger and in God’s will, then to be in safety and out of God’s will.

So, here’s David.  In hostile land.  In God’s will.  Fleeing from an even more hostile situation.  These Gath-ites (some of them maybe even kin-folk of the giant cucumber (as it were)) realize this is the kid who killed their hero.  And they begin to whisper around town.

“Hey, that’s him.”

“Is he the one?  That guy?  I thought he’d be taller.”

“He killed Goliath?  Our Goliath?  Really?  Why’s he here?  Is he nuts?”

David realizes he’s in hot water.  So, he does what any perfectly normal person does when their back is to the wall.  He acts crazy.  Totally undignified.  Lacking all decorum.  Lacking all dignity.  He goes stark-raving-crazy.  He goes Charlie Sheen nuts.

The King of Gath says, “What in the world did you let this guy in for?”

“Get him out of here.”

Fast-forward a bit.

David leads an effort of 30,000 men.  He sends them to rescue the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines.  (Yeah, those guys.  Goliath’s people.  Again.)

They rescue the Ark, and put it in Obed-Edom’s garage.  Obed-Edom is met with blessing.

Another rabbit-trail here.  When you park yourself in the presence of God, the blessings will flow.  Not only on you, but also on your household.

David hears about the blessings, and says, “Hey, I want some of that!”  He goes to Obed-Edom’s place and retrieves the Ark of the Covenant.  2 Samuel 6:12b-15 picks up the story (bold for emphasis):

“So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.  When those carrying the ark of YHWH had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.  David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before YHWH with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of YHWH with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”

In other words, they went nuts for God!!

David’s wife (Saul’s (yeah, the guy whose throne David has taken) daughter) sees him acting nuts, and gets mad.

“That’s not how we act in church.”

“You need to be more subdued in church.”

“Why are you running down the aisle?  Don’t you know this is church?”

“Shhh.  Don’t shout in church.”

David then responds: “I will celebrate before YHWH.  I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”

Now.  With those two stories firmly planted in your mind, let’s look at Psalm 34:1-3.

I will extol YHWH at all times, his praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in YHWH; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify YHWH with me; let us exalt his name together.

Let’s look at a couple of key elements in this passage.

David makes a conscious decision (“I will”) to bless YHWH continually.

Continually.

In every situation.

In every circumstance.

When things are good and when they are bad.

He decides to bless YHWH.

David places the praise of God above all other speech.  Everything he says is to bless God.  How about your speech?  Do you bless God in all you say?  Do you bless God always?

David points out that we need to praise/worship/extol God with ALL OF OUR MIND, WILL and EMOTIONS (“My soul”).

Then comes a crazy word.

BOAST.

The Hebrew implication here is “to make a show of oneself.”  It is to “act foolishly.”

To become undignified.

To dance, sing, shout, blow trumpets, flail wildly.

WORSHIP intensely.

WORSHIP will ALL of your mind, will, and emotion.

WORSHIP crazily.

He further shows us that when we “BOAST in YHWH”, those who are in trouble, who are downcast, who are at the end of their rope will hear it and join in!  Changing the environment in the room, changes the environment in the hearts (mind, will, emotions) of the people.

Finally, he talks about unity.  He asks the people to magnify YHWH with him!  Let us exalt YHWH TOGETHER!

To quote Jon Peterson: “Let’s terrorize the universe with kingdom mischief.”

When you worship, do you keep it in the box of “acceptable?”  Or are you willing to allow your worship become undignified?  Do you worship with the dignity of David?

The Simants clan was recently at the 24/7 Prayer US National Gathering where this very type of worship happened with unity!  The entire room worshiping intensely!  With all of their mind, will, and emotions.  With all of the dignity of David. (Video below.)