My Mom Cruising Along 74 Years Without a Name????

Let me start by saying that everyone should get a passport! My mom and I went to Florida to join the Oasis church on the cruise this past week. My mom is 74 years old and has used her hospital birth certificate her whole life; for driver license, marriage license and anything where one was needed. It was a last minute decision for her to join me so we did not have time to get a state issued one -- (a MUST when on a cruise). The cruise line said they would let her on with a fax of her state certified one (in Oklahoma). Mom was born in Shawnee, OK (never heard of it? I'm not surprised). My mom had an old friend there check with the courthouse where he found that all vital statistics are in Oklahoma City (no relatives or friends there). We finally found out we could also get one in Tulsa and my uncle went down there with a faxed permission for him to pick it up. We got a call later saying they could not find a birth certificate for my mom. My mom is a twin. She was born 5 minutes before her brother. That's when they found it --"unnamed female twin". They would not release it because it "not her name". After almost 75 years, we are now working on getting my mom "officially" named Irma Jean Johnson (maiden name).
We can laugh at it now but Monday it was hard for me as mom made me board the cruise with instructions to have a good time and she ventured back to St. Louis. God IS good!! After the initial trauma, we both had a week of enjoyment and reflection. It wasn't what we planned but God was faithful just the same. Here are a few pictures of my week. It was restful and fun and full of little surprises! Thank you Cabaniss family for adopting me for the trip and for all the love from my Oasis family onboard!!! Check out our pastor boy band on the last night of karaoke!

What Has The Lord Been Showing Me Lately?

Hmmm! He keeps leading me to Psalm 23 lately. The other day my quiet time was
1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
I was reading it and thinking, I've got this covered. I'm not anxious about the breast biopsy that will be delaying my trip back to Swaziland. (Although I miss everyone there terribly and feel so out of the loop.)
(Update: 2 mammograms show distortion on my left side, very small and high probability of being just calcifications but I have to have it needle biopsied. It could not be scheduled until the 8th with results not in until the 11th or 12th --I was scheduled to leave the 9th)
I'm not worried about my house not being rented yet or my finances. I figure it's all His anyway and He'll help me make it all work. But then He said "So then why can't you lie in green pastures and enjoy the still waters?" "You are worried about not having enough faith to move mountains or that you are not 'doing enough' away from Swaziland that you are refusing to rest in Me."
BAM!!!
That was God hitting the nail on my head! That's why God keeps bringing me back to the 23rd Psalm (and not to the valley of the shadow of death part)! I'm not really resting in Him while I am away. Why? 'Cause Satan is good at his job and sucked me into "holy" worrying: Need to take time to see everyone that I ever had contact with before I left for Swaziland, share my ministry with everyone I meet, get my house in order, get my house rented, make financial decisions, help my mom make decisions, grieve for my dad; so many "works" to try to fit in. None of them are bad or wrong. Not even that any should have been left undone. But there is nothing holy about worrying about getting them done. Nothing relaxing in stressing over "Am I doing everything?", "Am I doing it right?", "Am I forgetting anything?" "Should I or could I be doing more?". I allowed Satan to steal my joy of each day and each encounter.
Today's devotional was on the "Secret of contentment" which is: "Doing it because the Lord has called me and because of the love and relationship I have with Him. Whether it succeeds or fails is of no consequence to me. What is important to me is that I'm doing what the Lord has called me to do." I haven't been content, not because I'm away from hands on ministry in Swaziland but because I was not doing what God called me to do for these last several weeks; enjoying green pastures and still waters. Time to be content again!

Tomorrow, VERY early, I leave for a short cruise with my mom. We have both been lacking the enthusiasm of anticipating it. Even tried to get out of it "for the sake of the biopsy". But I think it is just what the Lord has ordered, time away from any kind of communication or normal routine. Even in our grief it is okay to laugh and celebrate an adventure. Easy to say but not so easily done. I'm ready to rest Lord until you provide my timing back to Swaziland. No more agenda. No more worrying about being the "perfect" Christian. I will rejoice and be happy that You saved me, You love me and You care about me and there is NOTHING for me to worry about!!!!! So what has the Lord been showing you lately?

My "Baby" Graduates from College

Just want to take a time out to brag on my son Michael who just graduated from Piedmont College the day before Mother's Day! He is a psychology major and planning on going to graduate school in Connecticut.
My older son, Kristopher, will finish his Master's degree and get his teaching credentials from Piedmont College this summer after I return to Swaziland. He is looking to teach high school history. (Anyone know of any openings???) I am so proud of them both.
Hear are some shots during and after the graduation. Michael is the clear head in the sea of blurs. Some of the other people in the photos are Kristopher's fiance Christina, my mom, and my son's other set of supportive grandparents. Thank you for celebrating with me!

Happy 5th Anniversary OC!!!!

Had a great time celebrating the 5th Anniversary of The Oasis Church yesterday!! It is so exciting that our Loganville church opened a Snellville campus (neighboring community) just 3 weeks ago and already over 30 persons have excepted Christ as their Savior!! Awesome!!!!Over these past 5 years, the Oasis Church has been instrumental in thousands coming to know Christ and/or rededicating their lives to God. I am so proud to be a part of this growth by serving and ministering in Africa. Below is a video to express the last year and a half since the Oasis Church began helping in Swaziland. I look forward in anticipation of what is yet to come!!
Thanks to everyone who has been supportive in this life changing ministry to hundreds of orphaned and vulnerable children in Swaziland Africa!!! The faces in this video are not just cute kids. These are the children that will be instrumental in changing their generation in positive ways because you reached out and made a difference!! You let them know that EVERY child matters!! You are helping break down cultural and HIV barriers!! You are sharing with them that we serve an AWESOME GOD!!! (Note: The white dots and squares on foreheads are stickers from teams who have visited.)

Songs are from Chris Tomlin's "Hello Love" album: "Love" and "God of the City"

Live @ the OC

Since being in the states I have seen family and friends from St. Louis, MO to Tulsa, OK to Loganville, GA and now Clarksburg, MO. I have enjoyed Dr. Pepper and free fountain refills (not found in Swaziland). I have stayed on the right side of the road while driving although I drove my mom's manual yesterday and kept hitting my left hand on the door when I needed to shift (in Swaziland the stick is on your left because the steering wheel is on the right side of the car--think about it). I think I'll stick with the automatic. Only had one moment of almost breaking down since returning to the states. It was when I went grocery shopping and couldn't decide which salad dressing to buy (more choices here than in Swaziland). Sometimes I miss the fewer choices. I'm enjoying watching my reality shows, Amazing Race, Survivor and Bigger Loser (although I've gained 10 pounds since arriving) but I realize I'm reading, crocheting and being less creative with my time.

I have enjoyed sharing my passion, my kids in Swaziland! I've become very possessive just like a teacher with their class or a principal with their school and I am excited to see them grow. It is exciting to share how through people's support here, lives are changing half way around the world.

On Wednesday night, April 29th @ 7 pm at the Oasis Church in Loganville, GA on Hwy 81 I will be showing a video and sharing about what has happened over the last 1 1/2 years since I left for Swaziland. If you live in Georgia I pray that you come. On Sunday, May 3rd there will be a miracle offering which includes the funding to continue support for the CarePoints. I feel it is important for everyone to see what their previous steps of faith have been able to accomplish as they pray about what God has called them to contribute towards the coming year. The Oasis Church is the only church that has stepped up to fully fund a CarePoint and they support 2!!! I am proud of the impact they have made and excited to share the faces and stories of the lives they have touched. If you can, COME!

(Get directions by going to http://loganville.theoasischurch.org/index.php?link=contactus )

If you can't come, sign up as a follower and comment on this blog with any questions you might have about Swaziland or the children I work with.

Faith Like Potatoes

I want to thank everyone for their prayers and words of comfort before, during and after my dad's passing. It was such a blessing to hear how my dad had influenced and impacted so many lives. I thank everyone for sharing with me. I also want to publically thank all those who gave to my mission work through Oasis Compassion in memory of my dad. I am touched and honored.

I have neglected my blog in all this but will probably type a lengthy one today because my devotional so excited me. Tomorrow or so I will post pictures of my shorter hair and tell you how America is the same but different from Swaziland. :)

There is a movie made in South Africa, "Faith Like Potatoes" that all us missionaries have seen but have been unable to bring back to the states because South African DVDs don't play on American DVD players. I was so excited when I arrived in the states to see a sign at WalMart and then on a RedBox rental that said "Faith Like Potatoes" was arriving April 7th!!! All those reading this in the US should go rent it and watch it ASAP (and the Zulu you will hear in it is a lot like Siswati).
I was impacted when I saw this movie of a farmer who came to know the Lord and just simply took God at His word. How simple but for one who grew up in church and "knows it" so well, I often forget to put it in practice. Anyway, Angus Buchan (the farmer) has a devotional that I gave out to my coworkers and family that is just straight forward and challenging in it's simplicity in doing what the Word says. Today's excited me and challanged me and I just want to share it.

"Continuous Rivival" (April 8th)

"'Therefore. . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;' Plilippians 2:12

(my other translation says 'put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep revernce and fear.')

To serve the Lord Jesus Christ is not just a 'one off' emotional event. We must be 'born again,' as the Bible clearly says in John 3:7, but thereafter we have to walk in obedience to our Lord and Saviour. Jesus said, 'But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?' (Luke 6:46).

John Wesley, a mighty man of God, turned the British Isles upside down for Christ when he had an experience with the Lord at a little Bible study in Aldersgate, London. when he was in his late 80s, someone asked him what the biggest obstacle was in his walk of faith. He responded, 'The lust of the flesh.' This godly man continued throughout his life to wrestle with areas that were still troubling him, as we all do. He was working out his salvation with fear and trembling.

What about us? I always feel sad when I hear Christians talking about a revival that took place twenty or thirty years ago, or about some supernatural happening in the mid 1950s. Our faith must be relevant to our generation. (I love this line!!!)

When I was a young man and about to preach my first sermon, the elders of my little church laid their hands on me and began to pray. One of them, a man in his 60s, said to me, 'Well, son, get in there and preach the gospel. I've done my bit.' I couldn't understand what he meant and I still don't. We never stop walking by faith, living by faith, sharing the gospel by faith and being open and ready for testing in our lives.

Work out that which God has worked in you -- through prayer, supplication and repentance -- and then press on to take the world for Jesus.

We should never stop striving to be all God wants us to be. There are such blessings we so often miss out on because we stop walking by faith (doing things we don't see or understand because God tells us to) and truely living out our faith. May the Lord bless us today and challenge each of us, me included, to step out in faith today. (You will have to watch the movie though to understand 'faith like potatoes')

Tribute to my dad!

My dad, Howard Sparks passed away today.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last fall and given 6 months. He called and said I wasn't scheduled to come home for 8 months. I told him I would come home early if he needed me. He tried chemo but last Saturday I arrived home earlier that orignally planned and today he took his final breath.

My brother and I tease that he lived 3 separate lives. His early years before marriage and while we were young he owned a motorcycle, then a boat and then a Cessna airplane. It was the years he could be on a bowling league and stay out late and get up early for his delivery route.

I remember him the most in his "corporate life". My dad is the only person I know who started with a company - Wonder Bread/Hostess Cake when he was 22- and stayed with them until he retired, 35 years later, never having worked for any other company. Now that's impressive!
His last life was after he retired. He worked hard those work years and we wondered how he would ever adjust to retirement, but he did. My dad blossomed into a social golf butterfly. My dad took up golf, he had starting into golf prior to retiring but then began golfing 36 holes a day, every day. Sundays and Mondays he would take it easy and only do 18 holes. There are years he had the nation's top number of golf rounds played for the season. He had the first tee time at his country club every morning for 16 years. My dad was the one who organized get togethers for the ORFS (for those non golfers it stands for "Old Retired FartS"). Where he was socially isolated during his corporate years to business associates only, I now say he has a numerous following of friends who have loved him enormously and will miss him deeply.

We will miss you Dad!