Project North Africa

This was written by Jeff Adams, pastor in Kansas City, upon attending a concert last night. What a challenge to the people of God!

“Two of the other composers heard from tonight were Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. If you know much at all of music history, you are aware that these men were tormented souls. Among the painters, Van Gogh and Gauguin also suffered incredible personal anguish. There have been, of course, some remarkably happy and well-balanced musicians and artists down through the centuries, but it is striking how many were hugely flawed, hurt or both. Yet, God used these individuals and many others to bless us with great beauty.

I find it fascinating that hurt, pain and agony squeeze beauty and creativity out of some people and bitterness and selfishness out of others. The four talents I mention above made no pretense of having a victorious spiritual walk with God; they were not happy or satisfied people. How sad that many who profess great devotion to God, study the Bible voraciously and even engage in Christian ministry are sometimes those who are most angry and bitter. There is no beauty to behold, despite an occasional Bible study on the joy of the Lord being our strength.

The Apostle Paul said that we must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). He also told Timothy that all of us who would live godly in Christ Jesus would suffer persecution (2Timothy 3:12). As I took my seat at the concert and turned my Blackberry to vibrate, I saw an urgent email forwarded from Latin American sources urging prayer for a family set to be executed this evening in a Central Asian country if they do not denounce their faith in Christ. What did they do wrong? Maybe nothing.

Despite such plain teaching, many of us never learn to embrace pain and suffering and find beauty. Instead, we tend to flee pain at all cost and wonder what we have done wrong or why God has let us down. We naturally find it hard to reconcile pain and suffering with abundant living.

I would hate to waste pain and suffering! It’s hard enough as it is. I want to be certain that I allow my hurt to drive me to God, not away from him. Suffering is not something I seek; it is something I am promised. I want to have open eyes to discover the beautiful side of hurt and pain.”

Please pray for our friends Mark and Natasha Tolson as they have recently received some troubling news about their unborn baby.

Here is his latest update about the situation:

Please Pray for Our Baby and Family

This is one of the hardest posts for me to write. Today, we went to the Doctor to find out about our baby that we are expecting in 19 weeks. Because this pregnancy hasn’t gone as smoothly as our first one, we were a little worried going into the appointment, especially since we had been given no new information at our last appointment. Well, we finally received some answers today.

We were able to hear the baby’s heart beat and see it’s profile (got a picture). We were excited! Then the ultrasound technician had to get the doctor and the doctor came in to look at the rest of the baby’s body. After she was done, she took us into a different room and explained the condition of our little baby.

Our baby has what is known as “Body Stalk Anomaly.” Basically, all the organs from the mid-chest down have developed outside the body and have attached themselves to the wall of the placenta. This condition makes the baby incapable of living outside the womb. The baby has a 5% percent chance of living. If the baby does make it full term it will only live for a minute or two.

With that being said, please be in prayer for the baby, my wife, and our family. The baby is currently living, and Natasha will continue to carry the baby as long as it lives. We know the Lord is in control, and we will continue as normal to see what the Lord does. If the baby passes away before it is full term then Natasha will be induced and give labor to the baby. This could happen at anytime, so we will be going to the doctor at least every other week to check up on it.

We will love this baby as long as it lives. We will tell it of it’s Creator and the love He has for us. We will tell it how it could soon be meeting Him.

We are thankful that the Lord has given us this child. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away; blessed be the name of the LORD. As the baby lives we will praise the Lord for everyday He has allowed us to have it, and once it passes on, we will continue to praise the Lord!

Thank your for your prayers and concern!