A note about a mote

by David Goodman

Whatever chips and processors came standard with my brain, they sometimes become completely overwhelmed. Occasionally, the equivalent of the blue screen of death appears inside my head and I need to reboot.

Here’s an example. As the sun streams in through the window, I watch dust motes flying randomly about; my own private mini-universe contained in this single room, situated in just one neighborhood, within this particular town, located in Colorado, somehow clinging to this massive spinning globe which, if I could step back far enough, would appear as indistinguishable in the universe as those flying motes in my bedroom universe.

It boggles the mind. What infinite detail God created! And just as we cannot fully explore the outer reaches of all the aggregate universes out there, no microscope exists to fully explore the composition of those motes that flee before me as I sweep my hand through the sunbeam.
By now you may be tempted to reboot.

But wait.

King David’s microprocessors dealt with the same astounding data: “Why, God, do you give a hoot about me … about any of us down here?” (That’s the gist of Psalm 8). The wonder of it, for David, is that in the midst of this infinite complexity, we are not forgotten in some distant archive “in the cloud.” Rather it’s as if, front and center on God’s personal desktop, I am the focal point of his attention and love.

This is where you and I must derive our meaning and significance. Incredible as it may seem, you are not some insignificant piece of lint to be brushed off God’s cosmic monitor. You are an integral part of God’s plan for this world. Never forget that. Seek his best in everything you do and even a speck of dust in a sunbeam will lead you to say, “LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

Psalm 8.

David G. Goodman
President, Entrust


From David's President's Perspective on the Entrust web page. To read more of David's President's Perspectives, go to www.entrust4.org/PP

Healing old “word wounds”

by David Goodman

“Sticks and stones,” the saying goes, “can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Wishful thinking, that! We hope children will believe it, but deep down we know better. Bones heal. Our spirit, our psyche, our lives can be broken and scarred for life by hurtful words. We all know people who have yet to heal from old “word wounds.”

How easily we parents can wound the ones we love most.

I remember an incident from my childhood in Africa. I was six. My father, a missionary, had a friendly bet with my dorm parent who was preparing lunch for a long trip we were about to take. Evidently Dad said I would not want mustard on my sandwich and she, based on her several months’ experience with me, was certain I would. She beamed at my father when I chose mustard. Later, as we ate our sandwiches, Dad expressed surprise at my choosing mustard. I could hear the disappointment in his voice. Looking back now, I imagine he wished he’d known me better, or perhaps wished he’d raised me to have better taste. All I knew then was I had disappointed my father. I can still feel the pain of that conversation.

Later, when my parents first visited me as a brand new pastor, I remember how I longed for some words of commendation from my father. Mom kept trying to make up for his lack, but that only served to underline the absence of affirmation from Dad. “Silence speaks loudly” and in such situations, we substitute words. What I “heard” from my father was, “David, I see nothing worth affirming here.” What a deep wound.

Years later, some wonderful Christian friends pushed me to raise the issue with my father. In one of the most difficult conversations I ever initiated, I told him how much it hurt that he rarely said he loved me or affirmed me. He immediately acknowledged, “Yes, Mom always tried to get me to do that more.” He went on to express regret and explain that his father rarely affirmed him and it had been difficult for him do so with me. In that moment I realized that he and I (and probably my grandfather as well) all shared the same wounds.

To my surprise, after that conversation, my father began taking the opportunity to affirm me and even say he loved me, multiple times! I can’t tell you how healing that was for me ... and him. He’d always loved me, but his own “word wounds” kept him from showing it and left him wounding me in unintended ways.

Perhaps one of the most important lessons I learned from my father was the power of exposing old “word wounds” so the Spirit of God can bring healing and even more importantly, so that we do not wound others as we, ourselves, have been wounded.

Some helpful scriptures about the power of our words:
   Prov. 12:18, 15:1, 15:4, 15:23, 16:24 and James 3:1-12.

David G. Goodman
President, Entrust


From David's President's Perspective on the Entrust web page. To read more of David's President's Perspectives, go to www.entrust4.org/PP

The Greatest Journey?

(At left: a Hubble photograph of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, 3000 light years from earth. I wrote this inspired by photographs like this one, which remind me just how far our Savior came).

Not the inn keeper staggering from a warm bed to unlatch the door for a frantic husband and step-father to be. Not the shepherds, in the dead of night scrambling over rocks, wading streams to find Messiah, swaddled, and lying in a manger. Nor well-traveled gentiles (perhaps with knowledge descending from Daniel, that Magi of old) who, enlightened by a star, persist in paying homage to the Jewish King of Kings.

Not even mother Mary ten days on a donkey to Bethlehem pregnant, pushing against her due date a husband hoping those are false labor pains he’s hearing about. No, none of these! 

From celestial splendor to a prickly bed of hay, from the highest praise of cherubim and seraphim to a barnyard melody of poor cattle lowing. The Creator, inserted into his own creation, to be carefully cradled in a carpenter’s hands. All that way he journeyed seeking, searching ... for you.  

- David Goodman

 

 

Never do we feel more pressed for time, and at the same time, more privileged to be engaged in the continuing journey Christ initiated over 2000 years ago, bringing the news of everlasting peace and joy to those who will embrace this free gift.

Ministry is a team effort and the only reason we can do what we do is because we have a great team behind us who make it possible. We are humbled and grateful for all your encouragement, prayers and support.

As we mentioned last month, this year brought many opportunities to refine Entrust strategies for empowering leaders overseas. Our goal is to release church leaders from an over reliance on Western curriculum which often fails to address their most pressing concerns. With proper tools and training they create contextualized lessons using their own language for teaching other leaders. You should see their excitement when they realize they let go of their learned dependence! Your prayers and support make this happen!

Shown below is the obligatory family album update with Matt, Monika, Olive and Rockwell - Jessica’s wedding (to a great guy, Joey Snyder) Megan and Sophie celebrating Josh’s graduation from Med’ school.

As 2014 comes to a close, we know you might be considering end of year giving options. We are thankful for encouraging offerings for staff and general fund and we are praying for a much needed strong finish. Please remember Entrust general fund as well as Entrust staff around the world who are serving in so many strategic places.

Remember as you celebrate the blessings of Christmas. We have all that because God sent his son on “The Greatest Journey.” It is with that Christ- like quality Entrust staff goes to far off places with the Good News. It is all . . .

Because He came,

David and Nancy

 

 

 

 Thank you for your partnership, prayers and support!

You can also send gifts to:
Entrust, PO Box 25520, Colorado Springs, CO 80936-5520
Attach a note “For David & Nancy Goodman, M125”
Office: (719) 622.1980
Email: DGoodman@Entrust4.org or NGoodman@Entrust4.org
Web: www.Entrust4.org