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| Photo taken by Alyssa Thomas |
John and I decided to enjoy our evening with some of the disciples in the student ministry here in Paris. Our son Timothy and our daughter Joanna are here for a few precious weeks during the summer months, and they wanted to go and see the fireworks at 11 pm. After all, Who wouldn't want to witness fireworks being launched from the Eiffel Tower! We decided to avoid the Champs de Mars and its huge crowds and instead find a spot nearby, taking in the colorful display of sky fire from the banks of the Seine.
After meeting up in front of the fountain at Saint Michel, and enjoying dinner together at Chez Clement, we strolled along the Seine River until we reached the bridge Pont Alexandre III. There we sat and waited for the show to start, laughing, playing cards and chatting with our temporary neighbors from about 10 to 11 pm. As cars drove by us on the bridge, I had a dark thought, the kind you get when terrorism is a part of life: "A vehicle could just drive up on the curb and run us over." I chased that thought away and said a silent prayer of protection to God. My physical and spiritual children were with me. I didn't want to go to the Eiffel Tower because I thought that it could be a target and threats had been made. Yet I don't want to live in fear either. Of course, the students were having a blast. Little did we know that while we are looking up with oohs and ahs, those in Nice were running for their lives. Eighty-four lost their lives that night in southern France, something we learned upon our return to our apartment around 12:30 am.
My heart broke as we listened to the news unfold. Our Independence Day had become a day of death. Three more days of national morning followed. The state of emergency will continue. This is our world right now. Not just here on French soil but all over the world. Our world is lost and hurting and needs Jesus more than ever.
The next morning I prepared my heart and mind to study the Bible with Jaimie. Margaux, a French summer student intern, along with Anne, a student disciple baptized least year, and I shared our struggles, sins and weaknesses with Jaimie as we studied out sin, repentance and baptism. Jaimie's heart was so moved by the message of forgiveness and hope. She cried with tears of joy that she could be baptized on Sunday. The next day we met again with Joanna, Sandy and Sophia joining in on the study. As I sat there with all seven of these beautiful young women, we shared our hearts and tears together as we examined the scriptures explaining the cross and the amazing sacrificial love of our heavenly Father for each and every one of us!
Then we broke for some lunch and relaxed a bit. Strangely, the street below us had been blocked off by the police as they invaded a home and made an arrest. We heard a small blast, which is still unexplained to me, and then the arrest was made. We could have stopped there and sent everyone home, but we still needed to study the Scriptures about the church. At the end of the study, Jaimie made her decision to become a disciple and to be born into the family of God! The students left together to enjoy their Saturday evening and we made plans for her baptism during Sunday morning house church.
That evening we enjoyed eating out with our sister and friend Doini Dolapchieva from Sophia, Bulgaria. She was in town on a business trip. We talked about the ongoing and unfulfilled need for full-time leadership in small churches like hers. We talked about the crisis in Turkey, and we reminded each other about our awesome God and our need to stay in step with him and to trust him especially as we endure hardship. When we are weak then we are strong!
The next morning I took the train early to meet with Jaimie and the sisters for one last Bible study. John prepared the baptistery. We then worshiped God together in prayer and song. Joshua and Christelle Maxwell, who lead the student ministry at Purdue, along with their daughter Maxine, are with us for the next few weeks and led our thoughts in communion. Following communion we had a time of sharing for Jaimie.
Several sisters and brothers from the states joined us via FaceTime. Jaimie had been invited in June by a group of student interns from North River Church of Christ in Atlanta. She was met the first day of the internship by Emily and Jackie. Emily shared via FaceTime as well as Lizzy, another young intern who had been in on her studies, and Joseph listened in. It was a cross-Atlantic celebration! We then stepped outside where Jaimie was baptized and became our sister in Christ. We ate a delicious meal together with glad and sincere hearts. We were filled with gratitude. The horrors of the 14th were far from our minds because at that moment God had won a great victory!
Why do I share all of this? Because every day is a battle, to deny ourselves, to follow Jesus and live poured out lives for Christ. Every day we must decide to look to the example of Jesus and sacrifice our time, energy and money so that more and more souls be saved. Every day is a choice to love sacrificially or to give in to selfishness, fear, comfort and greed. I fall short often, but in the face of terrorism, God continues to remind me of what is most important and that is saving souls for eternity.
I don't want to be among those who shrink back in fear, even though I am tempted to do so. I want to be like my brothers and sisters who have gone before me, Peter, Paul, Priscilla and Aquila, Lydia, amongst other heroes and of course my big brother Jesus. He did not shrink back from death so that I could be with him. My battle is not against the flesh and blood of others. It is against my own. It is a battle of self denial and unconditional love. It is a battle to live and live with the power of Christ in me. Satan is waging war, but the victory is ours. I don't want to sleep through it, I don't want to cower in fear, I want to be one of his faithful ones who is willing to run to the fight, and to love more deeply and more selflessly.
Please continue to pray for us here in Paris. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Turkey and in the Middle East. Pray and do. Do great things for God. Share your love for God boldly with the lost. Inspire us, and lift us with the victories God blesses you with. We need each other now more than ever to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
There is plenty of evil to focus on in this world if we so chose to, but Jesus has overcome the world. To him be all the praise and glory forevermore! Amen.