Ninas Family Missional Life

Like the pine trees lining a winding road, I've got a name,  I've got a name. Like a singing bird, and the croaking toad,  I've got a name,  I've got a name. And I carry it with me like daddy did, But I'm living the dream, that he kept hid. Jim Croce          My parents divorced when I was 3 years old, and I was pretty much raised by my stepfather Howard.  Although I did not bear his name, I knew that most people in the small towns where we lived knew him and my mother.  Thus, I knew that my behavior reflected on them as people and parents.  Of my 5 brothers and 3 sisters, only me and two brothers carried the last name Ninas.  I was always proud of my Prussian last name.  I have done my level best to keep that name clean and of good repute to pass on to my son Stephen.       I tried to pass onto my son that when he was out in the world the only thing he took of mine was our last name. ...

     I had what could be called an epiphany several weeks ago.  Let me trot this dog out for you and see if he hunts.  You may remember I am in a discipleship group with a couple of awesome guys (Jeff and Eddie you owe me for saying that) working through the study written by Francis Chan and David  Platt entitled  Multiply Movement .  We are in our last few lessons and were studying Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 about us being the body of Christ.  Let me guess ...the Casting Crowns song just started playing in your head???  I have heard this passage taught many times over the past 30 or so years of my Christian life.  While preparing for our study on The Early Church  (Chapter 22), I was ruminating over the passage in 1 Corinthians 12.       Each time I have heard that passage taught, it has been in the context of getting plugged into your local church  body.  Having attended numerous church...

        What can I say, I am back!!!  I made an agreement with my friends at New Day that I would continue to blog to stay in touch with them.  My last post was in December 2013, so what is the deal!!!  Right!!!!!  I have an excuse if you are willing to listen, but I still need you to forgive me for the interruption.       So here goes the excuse.   My Georgia teaching certificate is up for renewal in 2016.  That means I have two years to earn 10 Professional Learning Units (PLUs).  I began last July investigating how to earn my PLUs.  The Georgia Department of Education called for applications for their three course English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement class.  I dilly dallied, and finally put in an application ... one day too late.  The class is limited to 10 teachers and it had filled up while I dilly dallied.  They asked if I wanted to go on a waiting list in case someone dr...

            First, let me say Merry Christmas!!  Please look at this blog post like a roller coaster ride!  No!  I don’t mean it is going to go up and down.  Stick with me till the end.  God started these thought in my mind yesterday, and finished them tonight during my long hot shower.  I took the shower hoping to relieve the sinus congestion I have been experiencing.  Fasten the seat belt in your rollercoaster car, pull back the safety bar and hang on to your seats.  Please stick with me.             We have had a lot of funerals lately!  Let me be honest, I do not like going to funerals.  My family has buried my mother, father and two brothers!   I did not want to attend any of their funerals. My preference was to remember them the way they were the last time I saw them.  Which begs the question, “why do we have funerals and w...

     I have this picture in my mind constantly.  Several things stand out in my mind when I see this picture.  First, there are Abbey and Hild sitting on stools with the Bibles opening, waiting for the study to  begin.  There is a person sitting with them facing us.  They are carrying on a conversation about day-to-day life. All three are seated on hand-carved wooden stools. There is a chair that is empty.  That day, the chair was for me.  I had been asked to lead the study on God's covenant with Abraham.      This picture came to mind as I sat in my youth high school class with 3 students.   Sometimes I have none, and sometimes it is just one.  But I have learned to wait and see ... not who shows up, but who God sends.  That day in Kavanga the chief and one older lady came to the Bible study.  The rest of the village was off chasing cattle out of the village garden.  However, we waited over an ...

Maribeth and Cricket      If you have been following my blog you know what an exciting and blessed time we had in Zambia at NDO this past summer, and you know we came back excited about going back to NDO.  We discussed the possibility with Blu and Darbi when they were here in LaGrange in August.  Since then Lynne and I have been prayerfully considering if God would have us go on mission in the coming year, and possibly return to Zambia.      So this past Sunday I attended the informational missions meeting at our church to seek information and guidance.  Randy Presley, our missions coordinator, worked his way through the list of mission opportunities methodically.  As he talked about each opportunity, I asked God if he wanted us to go there on a mission trip.  Brazil with the IMB-No!  Guatemala for Spring Break-No!  Zambia for Spring Break or next summer-No!  In my heart the Holy Spirit told me very clearly, ...

  " I've got a uvula, you've got a uvula, all God's chil'en got a uvula !"   From "Barney and the Choir"       I am a big fan of podcasts. Since my daily round trip to school is around 60 minutes, a lot of podcasts echo inside my Honda Fit.   Andy Stanley is probably the most frequent podcast I listen to regularly, followed closely by Stuff to Blow Your Mind  and Stuff You Missed History Class .    Today I finished the Andy Stanley series You'll Be Glad You Did and listened to the first sermon of Follow .  Why am I telling you this? Andy's last sermon in the  You'll Be Glad You Did  series  center on his church collecting information from its members and then helping find their place of ministry at North Point Church .  Paul repeatedly talks in his epistles about the church being the Body of Christ, and us being members of that body.  Andy's text was Ephesians 4.       If you have been a Chr...

"Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another ."   Napoleon Hill (Courtesy of Brainy Quote )      Lynne and I were the recipient of some books (electronic format) on how to learn to speak Chi-Tonga, the language of the Zambians around NDO. Often when people are learning to speak a new language they are cautious in the words they use for fear they may offend someone or make a mistake.  We have learned that it is in venturing to speak the language at every opportunity that we deepen our understanding, sharpen our language skills, and learn to laugh at ourselves.  In the many countries I have visited the recipients of my "mis-speaks" have been forgiving, understanding and helpful.  They seemed to sense that in trying to speak the language my intent was honest, and so any mistakes were honest also and not meant to offend.     You are wondering what la...

     Ambition!    I have heard this word all of my life.   Most of the time it is used with the words " selfish "  and " blind ."  So you at first it seemed a little unnerving to find it used in Scripture.  The dictionary word for ambition  seems rather benign, with nothing belying the evil connotation often associated with it.   Ambition  is defined as " a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work."   Those last two phrases " determination " and " hard work " don't seem to fit the negative stereotype of ambition .        How did I get on this topic you ask?   Since my miraculous salvation at a small church on Crawford Road in Phenix City, Alabama in 1977, I have heard Christians talk about a life verse .  In my study of Scripture and in listening to sermons I have searched for verses that would guide me in my Christian walk.  I k...

     Back on Blogger!!   At least I know the folks in Zambia can read it, even if it isn't fancy!!!  We have finished our second full week of school.  To say that I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest would be an understatement.  However, the joy of being back where God wants me this side of this Atlantic is unspeakable.  Please notice the underline in that last sentence.  I know in my heart that God has work for me in Zambia!!  And a big part of my heart is there with the children and my friends Hilda, Abbey, Liz, Kulenga and Mulanga . . .my brothers and sisters.         Our church is having a Global Impact conference on missions this weekend.  The keynote speaker is Al Jackson from Lakeview Baptist in Auburn, Alabama.  Last night at the supper he preached on missions and asked us at the end to pray for how God would use us.  Lynne and I are both open to WHATEVER or WHE...