During the recent Kentucky WMU Executive Board meeting we had many reasons to give thanks, including the presence of Tina Nicely who has undergone treatment for lung cancer this year.  Tina led our missionary prayer time on Friday morning and shared her testimony of thanksgiving.

Her testimony was not about being healed, though she has been.  Her testimony was one of thanksgving for having been sent as a missionary to the cancer treatment center. It blessed me when Tina shared that while she was disappointed that she had not been able to participate on our WMU team to Puerto Rico earlier this year due to the cancer treatments, she was thankful that God used her to minister to the people she met during treatment. People need hope, and what a testimony for Tina to give thanks for cancer so that she could be in the midst of people without hope. 

Then today I read an article in the October Missions Mosaic that was another reminder of God at work in the midst of difficult circumstances.  The story is about James Knottel, an 18-year old student from Lawton, Oklahoma, who had participated in a World Changers trip.  James, who is deaf, was uneasy about the trip and how he could fit in.  He almost went home, but was persuaded to stay. On day two he met the homeowner of the house where the World Changers team was working. His uneasiness turned to joy when he discovered that Lisa Jungheim, the homeowner, was also deaf.  James went from being unable to communicate well to being the only student who could effectively interact with the family.

The World Changers experience not only taught James how to paint a house and replace a window, but most importantly, he learned that God could use his situation to help others.  Through the World Changers experience, James felt called to missions. He was impacted by a map of the world showing places where the gospel has yet to take root and said  “I can’t use my deafness as an excuse to sit at home.”

Romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”  I like to call this a “Be-Attitude.” And if we truly believe Romans 8:28, that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose, the Be-Attitude of joyfulness in hope is proof that we believe the other verse. 

May we focus on giving thanks throughout November.  Don’t skip Thanksgiving.  Sometimes the materialism around us, with Christmas decorations next to Halloween costumes, causes us to miss the significance of Thanksgiving.  John Grisham wrote a novel about skipping Christmas but way too many of us are skipping Thanksgiving.  If Tina and James can give thanks and see God at work, none of us have an excuse.

And while you are at it, hum the song by Henry Smith, “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart.”

Last year, when the 2009-10 Eliza Broadus Offering, exceeded the goal by over $168,000, we wondered just what God was up to.  Of that overage, $100,000 was invested in Find It Here, $15,000 in a new Disaster Relief Shower Unit, $12,000 in other Disaster Relief expenses, $4,500 in a church plant in Whitley County, $2,000 in R/6 ministries, and $35,000 in The M?ze evangelistic outreach.

The M?ze is presented by Jim Munroe, a magician who has presented the gospel all over the United States to youth groups and on college campuses.  Through illusions that challenge people to think about the possibilities inherent in being wrong about what they perceive as being true, Munroe shares the truth of the gospel.  The presentations are even more compelling as he tells his own testimony of having a rare form of cancer and receiving a bone marrow transplant that saved his life.  Munroe makes the connection between his personal story and the gospel.

The attendance and the number of students who have made decisions for Christ has been amazing. 
9/13 – Murray State University – Attendance 275 with 53 decisions
9/14 – Hopkinsville – Attendance 751 with 184 decisions
9/21 – Corbin – Attendance 385 with 39 decisions
9/22 – University of the Cumberlands – Attendance 450+ with 69 decisions
9/28 – Frankfort – Attendance 375 with 151 decisions
9/29 – Campbellsville – Attendance 1000+ with 172 decisions

Ed Pavy, Campus Minister at Campbellsville University, sent this note about the experience there:
     Yesterday was a great day for CU.  Jim Munroe and his crew arrived right on time, were very friendly and were easy to work with.  We utilized his street magic abilities in our dining hall during the busiest rush, with our football team as they prepared for practice, and with our marching band before their afternoon rehearsal. 
      (Side note:  While my conversations with Heather – the Nashville contact for the M?ze – included my plans to have Jim speak with the football team at 3:15 and the band at 3:55, he didn’t know these two appearances were coming.  He mentioned that he will typically ask to be free from on-campus appearances by 1:30 p.m.  However, once I told him I had already arranged the meetings Jim was more than happy to comply.) 
      Our show was scheduled to begin at 8:30 last night.  We had students waiting at the doors at 6:45 to get in!  Our venue, the Ransdell Chapel, seats around 800.  We set up extra chairs, had people standing all around the place and estimate that our crowd last night was 900+.  The show was simply…amazing.  (you all knew I couldn’t resist!)  Jim’s connection with the crowd was instantaneous.  His production was flawless, unique and very VERY entertaining!  The way Jim uses his personal story as a backdrop to incorporate his beliefs about the act he is performing as contrasted to the Truth he puts his faith in is just excellent.  We all know the message.  His communication of it is personal, powerful, and effective.  After we had collected the response forms our Prayer/Usher team counted 172 professions of faith by CU students.  What an impact for the kingdom!  
     Various council members headed up committees.  All council members served on two committees because all are on the follow-up committee.  So our task now is to get with these 172 and do it as soon as possible.   God is good and powerful.  Now we are to be faithful disciplers of new brothers and sisters in Christ.  I guess we’ll soon see where our BCM’ers test out on the maturity scale!

The M?ze will be presented on Oct. 4 at Eastern Kentucky University and a spring date for Western Kentucky is being worked out.  Thank you, Kentucky Baptists, for your faithful giving to the Eliza Broadus Offering.  Even after we close out an offering year and start another, the results from prior year giving keeps having an impact. 

Please give generously to the 2011-12 Eliza Broadus Offering and pray for the ministries across our state that receive funding.  Learn more about EBO at: www.kywmu.org/ebo.