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In This Issue...
Articles
- A Theology of Humor by Cheryl Taylor
- Ministering With Humor by Stephanie Nance
- Christian Leaders Having Fun? by Pam Morton with Kathy Jingling
- The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter by Dwenda Gjerdingen, MD, MS
Resources
Book Reviews
- Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins
- The Purse-Driven Life by Anita Renfroe
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To the Edge of Extremity
By Debbie Fulthorp
Debbie Fulthorp has been an ordained Assemblies of God minister for almost 10 years. She has traveled to over 27 countries sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. She has a heart to reach the nations by training others for ministry. She is currently in the D.Min. Women in Leadership Cohort at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri. She is wife to Brian, mom to Mercy, age 4, and Samuel, age 2.
My recent home and ministry placed me at the south rim of the Grand Canyon national park in Arizona. Following graduation from seminary, my husband and I served in our first pastorate there. We went from the gentle rolling plains of Springfield, Missouri, to living on the edge of the deepest and widest chasm of one of the natural wonders of the world.
The Grand Canyon national park boasts 4 to 5 million visitors and 3,000-4,000 transitional residents annually. Of these, approximately 600 international students arrive for hospitality work internships. The international students and the unchurched within the 2-mile radius of the Grand Canyon village were the focus of our ministry. Our labors of love were not in vain: people heard the gospel for the first time, signs and wonders occurred, and a student with a Muslim background was saved.
As we drove, all of our dreams for ministry in the Grand Canyon vanished, as if a death occurred.
However, as God was reaching people through us and doing awesome acts, our family was hit with a terrible situation. Upon our arrival in the Canyon, our 10-month old daughter was consistently ill with bronchial and respiratory illnesses every other week. Three years and two homes later she contracted pneumonia and her breathing deteriorated. Immediately, we packed our bags and headed to the emergency room 1½ hours away. But as we drove, her breathing suddenly improved. Our questions and suspicions were confirmed: the problem was our house. This was the second time in 3 years that toxic mold had an impact on our family's health. In that moment, we made the difficult decision to keep driving and not return.
As we drove, all of our dreams for ministry in the Grand Canyon vanished, as if a death occurred. We were without a home, genuine nomads searching for a place to pitch our tent. Jesus' words, "The Son of Man has no place to lay his head," became alive and active, bringing new meaning to me as we lost our equilibrium.
Equilibrium involves stability, symmetry, and composure. This situation shattered any sense of equilibrium I had. I examined my heart. Yes, I had counted the cost of following Jesus in ministry. Saved at the age of 5, called into ministry at age 15, and ordained at 24, I followed Jesus to the ends of the earth. My previous mission experiences to several continents in extreme situations attested to that fact. God called me to the Grand Canyon, and He knew my family was interconnected with our ministry. I accepted this call without hesitation. I always placed my hopes and dreams for ministry into His hands. Yet, somehow the reality of homelessness and joblessness never occurred to me. This was not on my radar. My focus was a long-lasting fruitful ministry with my family there. But God knew me better than I know myself. He knew I could handle this challenge, even if I had moments of doubt.
So, is any kind of equilibrium realistic when extreme conditions come our way?
Lessons Learned
The passage in Luke 9:57-62 is aptly subtitled, "The Cost of Following Jesus." Luke writes:
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
This passage highlights questions posed to Jesus about following Him. People want to follow Jesus, essentially saying, "Sign me up!" But rather than shouting "Great," Jesus deters each potential convert with the possibilities of homelessness, death, and leaving one's family. His answers have one thing in common: extreme situations.
This was not hyperbole, but possible literal consequences of following Jesus. Without hesitation, Jesus lets the audience know that following Him will involve hardships, challenges, isolation, and even death.
So, is any kind of equilibrium realistic when extreme conditions come our way? Having my personal extreme experience recently, I have found three practical ways to help me maintain equilibrium in following Christ.
Stay Connected. Isolation is a danger, and the enemy will use this against you. With the closest city 60 miles away, we lived in extreme isolation in the Grand Canyon. During this difficult time, I surrounded myself with encouraging people who cared about me and spoke truth into my life. I have mentors and accountability partners with whom I intentionally meet and who pray for us. Reach out to people and ask for help.
Even though we lost our home, ministry, and livelihood, we knew God loved us and had favor over us.
Be Transparent. A lack of authenticity is another tool of the enemy. To experience and cultivate true community and connect with one another we must express authenticity. This involves risk. The listener may give an unhelpful answer or respond with platitudes. Our goal is Christlikeness and this growth occurs in challenging circumstances and with challenging people. God desires authenticity in us, and the return is a healthy, authentic community.
Find identity in Christ Alone. Transitions and challenges are opportunities to evaluate where our identity lies. Do we find identity and solace in Christ, regardless of our circumstances? Or do changes and challenges bring confusion and questions of identity? If the latter, the easiest remedy is to stay close to Christ through regular Scripture reading, prayer, and remembering the Lord's grace towards us. Create new ways to get away and spend meaningful time with the Lord getting to know Him, not just His will. If that means going to a Starbucks and reading God's Word, curling up with a good book, or taking a drive along a scenic road with worship music blaring, do it!
Even though we lost our home, ministry, and livelihood, we knew God loved us and had favor over us. His grace alone has sustained us and carried us through this difficult time.
Through this extreme situation, I have experienced again two bedrock tenets of my faith: Jesus is faithful and He loves me. My love for Him grows each day. He is my equilibrium. I know that He will carry us through to the other side, and He will do this for you, too.
