What is NightLight all about?

Not an average Night!

Hard to see, but I consider these lips stick marks on my cheek to be a precious treasure! Received them as a token of appreciation from a women we minister to in the Red Light district. Some of the women are trafficked into Thailand by European countries. They are significantly different than the Thai or Issan women who are trafficked here. The Thai women are usually more approachable. Many of the European women appear to be more calloused, harder to connect with. That is understandable as their have been very rough! As a rule the Eupopeans are more isolated and heavily "supervised" if in a public setting. Tonight we gain access to a few of them through our simple Valentine Day outreach.

Night Bars seem to come in four flavors- for lack of other descriptive words. They progress from street front, to inside, to second floor, to third floor. Each level gets progressively more bizarre/corrupt/twisted? Sometimes the upper floors are referred to as the place to see "freak shows", for reasons I will not elaborate on! My team of four women delivered Valentines Day treats to second and third floor bars.

There is something a little surreal about being mobbed by a swarm of lady boys (young men who appear to be lovely young women) dressed in high heels, lacy bras and tiny panties anxious to receive one of our Valentines Day treats!
Our arrival created such a stir that the "stage show" came to almost a complete stop as the lady boys were jumping down off stage to see us, give us hugs and an occasional kisses on the cheek. It all about relationships around here, and this small act of kindness won us a good amount of favor in the bars and in our neighborhood.

I love that God has placed us right in the middle of all this activity.(All these establishments are in my neighborhood- my home is surrounded on all sidesby this activity) Last night one of the lady boys took me to the top seating to introduce me to more of his/her? friends. As the lady boy read the note inside the bag of chocolates, he/she held up the note and said with a questioning tone, God loves me? Really, me? Is this true? Then the lady boy hugged me and shouted across the room, "God loves ME!" Not exactly your average night at a "freak show" bar! Praise God!

May we continue to be compelled to step out of our comfort zones as we extend the love of Jesus to all.

Heading for Bangkok

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Prophetic Art

I have always had a passion for the arts. Recently, I have been meeting with a few of my friends (there they are) to do something called prophetic art. This is an idea I was introduced to about two years ago at Bethel Church in Redding California. I guess some are curious why it is referred to as prophetic? It's not very complicated, we meet together to worship God by using our artwork. Prophetic art is just another form of communion with the Creator of all things! We use art not only as a means of worship, but also intercession. We simply capture on paper, with images and colors, what others are more comfortable recording with words. Sometimes our paintings are specific declarations, such as a hope of healing for our community. Other times the art takes on an abstract, impressionistic look.

We try to gather for a few hours every other week, always preparing our spirit with prayer and sometimes singing. Then we begin. We come to our easels and ask God, "What is on your heart?" Since God is real and not some distant figment of our imagination. we fully expect to hear from Him. God desires relationship with His people!

The Spirit of God reveals much to those who are willing to listen. I'm always in need of practicing my listening skill! I find the arts to be a powerful and intimate way to express what God is stirring inside of me. Sometimes there are no words to express what we sense in our spirit. Prophetic art is not about drawing the perfect masterpiece; it about having the freedom to express yourself to the Most High God.

"Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring...who gives breath to all the people...I am the Lord, that is My name....I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to a graven images"

MEN, an "UNREACHED" people group?

This is one of my favorite books! A GREAT read for men or women, especially if you're in a church leadership position.

Short preview from website: It's Sunday morning! Where are all the men? Golfing? Watching the tube? Mowing the lawn? Sleeping? One place you won't find them is in church. Less than 40 percent of adults in most churches are men, and 20 to 25 percent of married churchgoing women attend without their husbands. And why are the men who do go to church so bored? David Murrow's groundbreaking new book reveals why men are the world's largest unreached people group. With eye-opening research and a persuasive grasp on the facts, Murrow explains the problem and offers hope and encouragement to women, pastors, and men. Why Men Hate Going to Church does not call men back to the church-it calls the church back to men.

Why Men Hate Going to Church
By David Murrow
Edition: illustrated
Published by Thomas Nelson Inc, 2005
ISBN 0785260382, 9780785260387
248 pages

I found my copy of this book a few years ago on amazon.com for about $10.00 . That reminds me.... I loaned this book out, and haven't seen it since. Maybe I need to buy another couple of copies!

Prefer LISTENING instead of READING books?
Check out the link audible.com
http://www.audible.com/adbl/entry/offers/productPromo2.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&productID=BK_HOVE_000179

REAL MEN need Jesus!

How is the local church doing when it comes to building relationships with the MEN in the community? Lets be honest...
in general, men aren't very good at communicating verbally about what's going on inside of them. It's not a bad thing, it's just the way their wired!

Men have emotions, stresses and a need for meaningful relationships just like their counterparts. The problem is that most males will not be very comfortable sitting around in a cozy circle at your Sunday School class, chatting about their week. That's not how guys usually connect with each other!

I once heard it said, if you put two men in a six foot boat in the middle of a lake for eight hours, they may not say more than a few sentences to each other ALL day.....but a week later you'll over hear them proclaiming to their buddies what a GREAT TIME they had TOGETHER! What if you tried the same scenario with two women.... would you expect the same results? Not likely!

Women and men develop friendships very differently. It's not rocket science and yet so often we fail to transfer that simple information into the way we do church. Men need to be men, they're hungry for a challenge, something significant as well as spiritual to sink their teeth into! When this doesn't happen, it becomes increasingly easier for them to isolate or disconnected from the Christian community. How do we make the Sunday morning experience "Guy Friendly" and not just kid friendly?

Continually seeking creative ways to connect with the men in our culture is a huge responsibility. If we aren't intentional, they'll simply seek fulfilment with their comrades somewhere else.


"Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. Let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us cheer each other up with words of hope. Let us do it all the more as you see the day coming when Christ will return." Hebrews 10:24-25

URBANA 09

The URBANA mission conference is this year!

I have heard some Christians say, "Evangelism and Missions are really not my thing". That's an interesting statement, especially since the God of the Bible is all about those two subjects! As Christians, we have a mandate to love people and to worship God. Evangelism and Missions are simply the heartbeat of such love. We need to shift our thinking. Evangelism and Missions were never expected to be the work of a select few, but an invitation to all who call themselves followers of Jesus. It is not optional. Christians are to demonstrate love in tangible ways to our neighbors across the street as well as across cultural, ethnic barriers. We are called to love others with the irresistible, supernatural love of the Heavenly Father!

"Where is fellowship? Where is community? Young people everywhere are searching for authentic relationships of love. And the one place where they ought to be infallibly certain of finding them (the Christian church) is the one place they often don't even bother to look for them, so certain are they that they will not find them there. But if the church is ever to draw people to itself and so to Christ, it will do so only by the almost irresistible magnetism of a fellowship of love." John Stott

URBANA 09 is a massive missions conference hosted by InterVarsity. The conference, which has been held every three years since 1946 on the University campus in Urbana Illinois was moved to St. Louis for the first time in 2006. For generations, college students have come to this conference from all over the world to hear about cutting edge issues on global missions.

My first URBANA was in 2000 and then again in 2003. It was there that I was challenged to understand more about God's heart for the nations! It was an intensive five days that totally set me on fire for missions. Although the conference is aimed at mobilizing college age students for the Kingdom, there were many adults like myself who attended.

This was a conference unlike any one I had ever attended. We participated in corporate multicultural worship, attended workshops, seminars on favorite topics and met people from all over the world. Messages were presented through drama, dynamic speakers, music and prayer. And if that didn't keep you busy enough, there were opportunities to interact with representatives from more than 300 mission agencies and educational institutions!

To be immersed in a community of THOUSANDS who were hungry for God was exhilarating! One night during worship, I remember glancing all around the arena. Behind me I could see a group of Chinese people, to my right a Filipino looking woman and a young man from Australia, and to my left knelt a cluster of students from Europe. Directly in front of me stood a young man with Down-Syndrome who joyfully sang to the Lord and clapped his hands. For a moment I felt like I was in Heaven ... every tongue, tribe and nation gathered to worship the King of Kings. If you've never attended an URBANA conference, maybe it's time

URBANA 09 will be held December 27-31, 2009

Need more information?

Check out the official URBANA 09 website

http://www.urbana09.org/vitals.FAQ.cfm

Desiring to be more "child-like" in my faith

Some of God's favorite people are CHILDREN

Future Kingdom Builders!

I can't think of any situation recorded in the bible that tells of Jesus pulling aside children from the crowd to tell them to sit quiet, stop interrupting or disturbing his important meetings. Instead, I notice Jesus exhorting the local adults, the important community and religious leaders to be more like children! How do you suppose the business men and religious elite felt when Jesus told them such things? Just for a moment, try to place yourself in their situation.

Word has spread that the God man Jesus and his handful of disciples have just arrived to your village. The hillside to the north of town is swarming with noisy people anxious to get a closer glimpse of him. Although you still have much work to do, you quickly close your shop early and join the other important men of the community in a processional up the side of the hill. Eventually you are able to navigate your way towards the front of the crowd that has gathered.

There he is. Jesus, the one you've hear so much about is standing right before your eyes. Humm…you thought he’d be taller or more sophisticated looking. You strain to hear what he's saying, but it is difficult with so many children climbing around and clamoring for his attention! You and the other men try to hold back an armful of these energetic youngsters, but with out much success!

Finally, Jesus speaks up in a firm voice. Everyone becomes quiet. You're sure the next words spoken will have something to do with the need to restrain these little ones, as they are obviously disrupting this important gathering! You watch as Jesus points to the dusty footed, scraggly haired kids who earlier had been running underfoot, but now are pressing in closely around him. Then he says something you NEVER expected to hear. "Let the little children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matt 19:14)

The Kingdom of God can not be obtained by wealth or education. It doesn't belong to the moral, spiritual or religious achievers. You can not enter by works and self-righteousness or by earning merits. Anybody who wishes to receive the Kingdom, must become like a child, humble, simple and dependent. Salvation is a gift, it can not be purchased or earned. The message of the Cross is offensive to some because it highlights our complete helplessness. We must be willing to lay aside all our human efforts and receive this priceless gift. We are saved by faith, "child like" faith and not by works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do " (Eph 2:8-9)

Children are...

inquisitive...

fearless...

joyfully secure in their father's love...

unsophisticated...

Sometimes we don't know how deeply rooted our pride is until we are invited to become as a child, undignified or unsophisticated in front of our peers! Recently my nephews came up with an interesting way to communication their affection for me. They decided to lavish me from head to toes with their favorite stickers- 47 to be exact! Did they think to do this when we were alone? No, they decided to adorn me while friends and neighbors were visiting for a party.

transparent...

Loved...

As an adult I need to be reminded to be more "child-like" in my approach to life. As Christians we are children of the King of Kings. We are given a new identity through Christ. God has exchanged our old-self or "old name tags" for new ones! He says, throw aside your former life for you no longer will be called; forsaken, unloved, abandoned or worthless. Our Heavenly Father gives us new "name tags" that reflect our new position through the blood of Jesus. God now calls us His sons and daughters, His holy priests, chosen ones, forgiven, redeemed, restored, full of hope, full of joy, full of faith, and greatly LOVED.

Who has captivated your heart?

Like most Holidays, Valentines Day arrives packed with memories and emotions that can easily cause me to become too melancholy. So I decided to use the Holiday to celebrate God's heart for the Nations. I invited some friends to my home for a special evening, we decorate Valentines Day cookies! Actually, it was just a wonderful excuse to gather some amazing women together for the purpose of building relationships! It turned out to be quite an international event.

My guests were varied in ages from 23 to 60 years and had differing economic backgrounds, ancestors, cultures and languages. Most of them had never met each other until that night. One of the women just arrived in the USA three months ago and is still learning English. What a great joy to see these beautiful women from Buddhist, Muslim, Orthodox, Christian and non-Christian worldviews, interacting together as if they had known each other for years.

Valentines Day is all about LOVE. This year I was blessed to have Syrian, Armenian, Burmese, Assyrian, Jewish, European and American women all laughing and sharing stories together in my kitchen! What a great opportunity to love people with the love of Jesus. Building friendships and creating fun memories turned out to be a perfect way to celebrate Valentines Day. God’s heart is for all the Nations and lucky for us, He continues to place plenty of internationals right on our doorsteps! These are people who God cares about and He expects us to be kind and gracious to them. Will they know we are Christians by our love? As followers of Jesus, we are called to LOVE people with the supernatural, irresistible love of our Heavenly Father!

Evangelism

Luke 2:11

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

On my last trip to Southeast Asia a villager was asked "Have you ever heard of Jesus?" The man responded with hesitance, "I haven't seem him today, maybe he is visiting the next village?"

Today there is an estimated 6.64 billion people on planet Earth. Of those, approximately 2.68 billion have never heard of Jesus. They have never had anyone explain the Gospel to them in their own language, in the context of their culture. They have limited information, or none at all as to "The Savior... Christ the Lord." Many of those 2.68 billion "unreached or least reached" people live in an area referred to as the 10/40 Window.

"The core of the unreached people of our world live in a rectangular-shaped window Often called The Resistant Belt, the window extends from West Africa to East Asia, from ten degrees north to forty degrees north of the equator. If we are serious about providing a valid opportunity for every person to experience the truth and saving power of Jesus Christ, we cannot ignore the compelling reality of The 10/40 Window regions and its billions of impoverished souls." Luis Bush, International Director of the AD2000

10/40 Window designated by the red area on map.

I'm always asked, "Why go to Thailand or Myanmar, or any country in Southeast Asia when there is so much to be done here?" My response to that question is usually, why are so many staying here, when there are thousands who are perishing daily without eternal hope or knowledge of the One True God who created them?

Man's beautiful treasures...

Decorations gathered together to celebrate Christmas!

God's beautiful treasures...
Villagers from Myanmar gathered together to hear the true story behind the celebration of Christmas for the first time!

Singapore - No room at the Inn?

Myanmar-No Inn with a room!

Holiday decorations in Singapore

Holiday decorations in Myanmar

Elegant vs Simple

The gift of Christmas is Salvation through Jesus Christ. It is offered to ALL mankind, wealthy and sophisticated, poor or uneducated. That is the beauty of Christmas!

To hear or read more about the ultimate Christmas Gift, check this link http://www.jesus2020.com/jesus.html or scroll up to the column on the right, Kathy's Lost and Found. Merry Christmas and much love to you all. Many blessings, Kathy

As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me...

Christmas dinner for some of us will be a lavish event with all the trimmings. For others, it will be a very simple meal. A special thank you to all those who helped make Christmas a little more enjoyable for the men and women who are incarcerated at the Mendocino County Jail.

For the past 11 years I have been involved with the local Jail Ministry. Every week a small team of volunteers head there for an evening (approx. 3 hours) of Bible study and prayer with prisoners. There is also a second team of volunteers, who work with the troubled teenagers who are in Juvenile Hall.

Though the years we have all witnessed many transformed lives! We have had the privilege of sharing the gospel with hundreds of men and women, both young and old. I think my team mates would agree that this this work has been extremely rewarding and humbling. God has allowed us to develop strong, trusting relationships with the correctional officers and the inmates.

Not everyone is as excited about hanging out at the Jail on a Saturday night as we are - so we had to think of some other creative ways for our church family to participate in this ministry. One of those ideas is our Christmas Cookie Delivery! Every year about this time we deliver homemade Christmas goodies to every person who is incarcerated in the Mendocino County Jail.

First, we enlist all our favorite "bakers" from church.
We will need lots and lots of homemade cookies!

Then we collect, sort and bag all the cookies. This is the hard part for us , because those delicious cookies smell so yummy we are tempted to eat them all ourselves!

Next we assemble individual bags (Our Sunday School children have done a great job decorating them with fun pictures and stickers) Each bag contains: 6 assorted homemade cookies, a gospel story, calender, assorted candy bars, 3 blank Christmas cards with stamped envelopes so prisoners can write to their loved ones ....and last of all....a candy cane!

Bernice is putting the finishing touches on these bags. We are just about ready to load them up for tonight's delivery. Hope they all fit in our cars!

Mendocino County Jail!
Although there are many locked gates, tall fences, security cameras and barb-wire, the love of Jesus still makes it's way through to those inside. Tonight it is cold, clear and beautiful....a perfect night for a Christmas delivery!


Have you ever been inside a Jail? Well, come on in.... Chaplain Gerry allowed me to take a few pictures. Usually taking any pictures around this facility would be a big NO-NO. Gerry is a good hearted man with a generous spirit. His work at the Jail is not very glamorous, but he does an excellent job.


We'll be heading down these corridors soon to deliver our treats. Since we have already been cleared through security we will be handing the bags out directly to each inmate.


Lucy and the Chaplain Gerry review a few details before we begin. Lucy joined the Jail team about a year ago and has loved very minute. At first she was very hesitant. "I've never done anything like this before, maybe I'm too old. Even though I resisted the idea at first, the Holy Spirit kept drawing me to this ministry. God challenged me to SERVE BEYOND MY COMFORT ZONE" Lucy was willing to step out in faith and has had no regrets ever since!


All the cookie bags are "check in"- We're clean, no contraban!

We feel so blessed to be a part of what God is doing here! Tonight's visit will be a surprise for the guards and the inmates, a pleasant break from their evening routine. We wish you could come in with us to see all the faces of women and men. Receiving special "home made treats" can be quit an emotional experience for most of them. Some inmates will break into tears as we hug them and hand them their small bags. The smells and sight of Christmas goodies usually trigger many personal memories. We have seen God soften many hardened hearts through the years.




The members from First Baptist, St. Mary's and Calvary Baptist, all worked together to bless the staff and inmates. It is a privilege to be an extension of God's love to others. We work as ONE body, to glorify the King of Kings who was born to bring salvation to all.

"For I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Matthew 25