Monthly Archives: July 2021

Baby Naomi

28 Wednesday Jul 2021

Posted by in My Story. My Faith.

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Ninety-nine percent of the time, when I write, it’s about my story or experiences. But today, I get the privilege of being the voice for someone else. It’s exciting because I know God set all of this in motion and He chose me to play a very small role.

This is the story of Naomi.

Naomi was born in Tarime, Tanzania December 2, 2020. Tarime is a small village in northwestern Tanzania near the Tanzania-Kenyan border. While you might look at this perfect little face and think she’s healthy and happy, Naomi’s young life almost wasn’t.

Naomi’s mother, Bhoke, was only 3 years old when she came to Angel House. Angel House is for orphaned and abandoned children. Bhoke and her sister Nossi were found by police eating from a trash pile, abandoned by their mother. The police brought the two young children to Angel House in hopes of providing them a safe place to grow and live since their mother was also homeless and suffered from mental illness, preventing her from providing a stable upbringing for her children.

For several years, Bhoke did very well at Angel House. She did well in school and had friends. Unfortunately, in 2019 Bhoke’s sense of safety and trust was shattered when a teacher began to make unwelcome sexual advances toward her. It was frightening for Bhoke to have this person of authority sexually harass her. She found herself scared, confused, and alone. This sexual harassment continued, causing Bhoke to seek safety and acceptance in the arms of a male student.

Bhoke became pregnant at 17 years old. The pregnancy only increased her feelings of fear and isolation. To add to her desperation, Angel House rules stated she was no longer allowed to stay there due to the pregnancy.

Bhoke now had no home. No family. And no support. Thinking she had no alternative, Bhoke decided her best course of action was to get an abortion. But God had other plans…

Anna Migara was instrumental in starting Angel House and continues to serve the orphaned and abandoned children who live there. Anna knew Bhoke’s story all too well. Concerned for her wellbeing, Anna brought Bhoke to live with her.

Even though Bhoke now had a roof over her head, she still felt abortion was the best choice. She attempted an abortion twice. BOTH times, the abortion failed and baby Naomi survived! That should stop you in your tracks, my friend. Two times, satan tried to prevail and God’s protection was triumphant. Twice!

Baby Naomi entered this world with a whole lot stacked against her. But God was obviously protecting her. I think it’s because God has big plans for this baby girl.

Bhoke and Naomi currently live with Anna. However, Bhoke will return to Angel House in October to complete her schooling. That means that Naomi will be left with Anna to raise. That’s not easy, considering Anna has other mouths to feed. It’s a true sacrifice to take on the full-time care of an infant. Anna works full-time, ministers to people, and has just finished college. She is very busy but also very obedient to God. And God has told her that she is the one to take care of Naomi.

As Anna and I were talking recently, I asked her to describe Naomi. This is what she said, “She is so sweet. She’s hard to get to smile but laughs when her stomach is full.”

Do you ever remember a time when you said something like that? Of course not! Because for us, our stomachs are always full. Our little ones have what they need and we don’t typically have to wonder how we are going to feed our children. “She laughs when her stomach is full.”

Naomi needs your help, my friend. Anna simply cannot do this on her own. Like me, Anna believes it takes a village to raise a child. We are her village! Naomi survived a death sentence twice. She is going to change the world in the name of Jesus Christ and you get to be a part of her life.

Right now, her needs are simple but important. She needs proper food, diapers, and clothes. She has no toys but Anna does what she can to entertain her. She is recovering from malaria so medicine and proper medical care is also needed. $185 a month is an approximate amount which will help Naomi have the best care. To help, go to https://gofund.me/1cb91677

If you feel led by God to invest your prayers and/or finances into Naomi’s care, Anna, Bhoke, and Naomi will be forever grateful. Please I have known Anna for four years. Her story is powerful and it changed my life. As strong as she is, she can’t do it alone. Please join me in changing the world through one child at a time.

“You will make her feel the love of God and the kingdom of God here on earth.”— Anna Migera

If we don’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist

18 Sunday Jul 2021

Posted by in The Church

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I read an article recently by Rev. Josh Moody about pain and the church. It’s astonishing how many people … good-hearted Christians … who have been hurt by or who have hurt other church folk. It really makes you realize that the brokenness within each person doesn’t miraculously heal by sitting in a pew. I actually think church hurt is the most traumatic pain a Christian might go through outside of a death of a loved one. And yet, we don’t talk about it. Ever.

How many times have you noticed a fellow church member’s continued absence? If you sit near them, you are much more likely to notice momentarily. But did you reach out to them? Did you let them know they were missed? It’s not something we typically do. That vacant seat is more than likely empty because of some type of church hurt. And yet, we don’t talk about it.

Healing from a trauma of any kind is a slow process. It takes time, intentionality, and lots of prayer. But church trauma is different because it usually surrounds a betrayal or rejection of the very people who are supposed to walk in all the shadows with you. They are the ones you’re supposed to lean on when the rest of the world breaks your heart. So, when you get hurt by the church, you become a leper, outcast and alone to suffer and beg for the scraps of pity that are thrown your way.

This morning I had some serious wounds re-opened. And it stinks! I cried. I got mad. My heart rate shot up and my hands shook. I thought of words I won’t repeat. But here’s what I didn’t do. Pray.

In the moment of my pain, I fell right back into the pit of despair without grabbing onto the only absolute lifeline — God.

All through scripture, we read about ordinary people in the midst of deep pain. It is so easy to think of these stories as just stories. But these stories are our stories, too! And they give us a blueprint as to how to navigate through life. Even the messiness of church.

“Most of the writing in the New Testament about how to live in a church exists because the church has never been perfect. Most, if not all, of the letters were written to solve problems in the church:

  • Galatians to solve legalism (Galatians 1:6–7, 3:1–3, 4:9, 5:1).
  • Colossians to solve heresy (Colossians 2:4, 8).
  • 2 Timothy to solve tension in succession (2 Timothy 4:9–16).
  • Philippians to solve conflict and selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3–22). 
  • 1 and 2 Corinthians to solve a whole host of problems centered around the issues of human pride in gifting and speaking that led to loveless and arrogant religious activity. 

And that’s not even to mention the letters to the churches in Revelation (chapters 2–3), one of which is so unhealthy, it makes Jesus want to vomit (Revelation 3:16).” (Moody, 2015)

It might not be something we want to talk about but if scripture addresses it, it must be pretty important to God. And if it’s important to God, we should find it important, too.

In Moody’s article, he gives us three steps to consider taking when we’ve experienced hurt within the church. This hurt can come from a pastor or other church leaders, members, sister churches, even visitors. It can come in the form of an off-the-cuff comment, an ill-placed joke, an anonymous letter, gossip, avoidance, lying, and straight-in-your-face verbal assaults. Sometimes hurt is intentional but other times, it happens and no one is aware except for the victim. Regardless of where the hurt comes from or how it happened, there are some good steps to follow to begin to heal from the grief.

1. Stay in God’s manual for our grief.

Unashamedly, unshakably, and unreservedly draw your hope for life and healing from the teaching of the Bible. The more we are centered on God’s truth spoken in love (Ephesians 4:1–16), the more we will grow up into maturity and the more resources we’ll have at our disposal to heal from hurt ourselves and to avoid hurting one another.

The temptation will be to avoid God’s word. But keep reading the Bible, even if for just a few minutes each day. It’s like eating. What counts is every single day getting what we need to get through that day. Knowing God’s word will help us as we process hurt and find truth to satisfy and guide us.

2. Pursue the holiness you hope for in others.

Passionately, sacrificially, and deliberately persevere in pursuing Christ-like discipleship. When you’re faced with betrayal or disappointment, it will require perseverance — supernatural perseverance. Learn. Grow. Forgive. Repent. Repent some more. Fight the good fight. Urge each other on. Do not give up meeting together. Stay on the path of discipleship, knowing it will be rugged at times. Trust that the good work God is doing in you and in other believers around you will ultimately be for the good of all who believe in him.

3. Trust that love will eventually prevail.

Love anyway. It seems impossible in the moment, but it’s the call of every Christian in every situation. In the end, only love will abide (1 Corinthians 13:13). And without love, our lives will be meaningless and unfruitful (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Therefore, the wisest and safest way forward is always love. Love as if your life depends on it.

To love someone is to seek his best. I can love someone without even liking him. I can find someone frustrating, but still genuinely and truly want what is best for him. Love does not mean avoiding tough conversations or life-on-life accountability, but doing those sorts of things from a loving, humble, gracious, and patient position which is from a mind and heart like Christ’s.

Jesus said you could tell his disciples by how they love one another (John 13:35), and so we who are loved by him love each other in turn — even through the darkest, most difficult days. (Moody, 2015)

It took me a bit to get back into God’s word. I was genuinely angry at God for allowing my pain to happen. Let’s be honest, we all love the free will God gives us until we experience pain. Then we want Him to fix it. But that’s not how it works. He gives us the ability to fix our own situations by leaning upon Him and His word.

By not staying in God’s word for a while, I was unable to pursue holiness as defined by Jesus Christ. I was completely parched yet refusing to drink the living water. You can’t live your life for Christ when you aren’t filling your life up with Christ.

But loving those who hurt me… that I did. And it’s because I loved them and still love them that the hurt reopened today. Unlike a year ago, however, I’m grateful for the love I have for the gossips, the dividers, the rejectors, and the silencers. I’m grateful because we are all broken, sinful people. And if I can still love with all of my heart someone who hurt me, then that means that I can be loved, too.

A year ago, I wondered if I’d ever step foot in a church again where I would be able to take down some of the wall I have built around my heart. Thankfully, I’m finding that place again.

“I am aware of the many ways the Church has failed me, and I have failed her. Yet I claim this Church as mine. She is my mother; my home. A broken home, yes! Broken because you and I are broken.” — Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB

Moody, Josh. “Help in Overcoming Church Hurt.” Desiring God, Desiring God Foundation, 1 Sept. 2015, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/help-in-overcoming-church-hurt.