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Milestones on the Christian Journey

Below is a chart I am working on to determine where I am on this grand adventure called the Christian journey. I’m sure some of the milestones are out of order, but it gives me a general sense of where I’ve been, and where I’ve got to go. Honestly, it is a bit overwhelming to see all the milestones ahead, however, my task for this year is to identify and pursue only the next milestone God wants me to work on.

I find that my old nature is hostile to moving forward on this journey. He wants to sit down, shove a thumb into my mouth and say, “It’s too hard, I can’t go any further.” But I have to remember, I don’t have to do this alone, it is God’s power at work in me. So I am going to be intentional, decisive and aggressive against my old nature.

What about you? Where are you now, and what is next? What specific actions are you taking this year to achieve the next milestone?

Milestone	Sub-parts	Notes
Salvation
	Believe in God & Jesus as his divine Son	Salvation begins here but must also result in a changed life where there is opportunity. Jhn 3:16, Rom 10:9
	Admit un-payable sin-debt
	Acknow-ledge Jesus as Savior and Lord
Baptism		To be a milestone, the person must be old enough to choose baptism and comprehend its major symbolism. Mrk 16:16, 1 Pet 3:21
Prayer		Eph 6:18
Bible Reading		A new hunger for the truths found in the Bible.
Holy Spirit		An awareness of the presence and/or love from God's Spirit in the moment. 2 Cor 1:22
Church		Commit to regular meetings with a body of believers such as a church or cell group. Heb 10:25
Spiritual Gifts		Discover how God has gifted you to support his church body then exercise those gifts. 1 Cor 12:7-11
Victory Over Obvious Sins		These are the easier outward sins such as swearing, chemical abuse, sex outside of marriage, and theft. Gal 5:19-21
Victory Over Secret Sins		Worry, fantasizing, jealousy, greed, lust, laziness, etc. Luk 6:45
	Forgive all who sin against you	Mat 6:14, 15
	Stop gossiping	Speak only what will build up others. Jms 1:26, Eph 4:29
	Thought life	Develop skill at replacing worldly with thoughts of Jesus. Phil 4:8
	Lust & greed	Mat 5:27-30
	Worry	Mat 6:25
	False Religiosity	Jam 1:27, 1 Tim 1:5-7
	Laziness	2 Thes 3:10-12
God's Provision		Wait on the Lord and experience how he meets needs. 2 Cor 9:8
Daily Devotions		Meet with God every day for prayer, Bible study & meditation. Luk 5:16
Tithe		Regular giving of a percentage of income. 1 Cur 16:2, 2 Cor 9:6-13
Discernment		Discern God's leading for specific life decisions. Acts 16:9, 10
Walk in the Spirit		Learn to hear the Holy Spirit's direction as opposed to following rules by rote. Gal 5:25, Col 2:6-22
Compassion		Learn to hate sin in yourself, but patiently love others who sin. Eph 4:2
Release From Habits, Hurts & Hang-ups		Apply the substitutional death of Christ to specific past emotional injuries and sins. Sometimes requires counseling, deep repeated confession and even deliverance. Phil 3:13, 14
Pray in the Spirit		Learn to listen to the Spirit's direction on how to pray. Eph 6:18, Rom 8:26
Transpar-ency & Accounta-bility		Confess deepest secrets to trusted believers and live in full admission of sinfulness and weakness. Jms 5:16
Ministry Vocation		Make your life purpose to expand the kingdom of God. This may be different from your occupation (paid job). Col 2:2, 3
Embrace Trials		Seek God's lesson in trials before release from the suffering. Jms 1:2-4
Dwell in God's Presence		Ability to spend long hours intertwined with God's love until nothing else satisfies. Psm 42:1-2
No Fear of Death		Be as willing to continue on earth as in heaven. Phil 1:21-24

Fiji #8

Find some new pictures at: http://gallery.me.com/jamesdchristian#100053

After a week at high school camp, we are now in the airport ready for the eleven-hour flight from Fiji to Los Angeles. What an awesome week the Lord gave us. The students were attentive and soooo polite. They clearly blessed us more than we blessed them. Nevertheless, we could see the lights come on in many of the teens as we worked through the twice-daily sessions.

When asked if they would be willing to give up personal pursuits to heed God’s calling for service in his kingdom, most every hand went up. This was no small covenant. It was sealed before the Throne and we expect the Holy Spirit to do great things through these radical believers in their generation. Praise God!

We made a fun video of two of the campers and the students watched a new installment each night. You can enjoy the whole “The Amazing Thomas” video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiJ9EKewgu0

As we left Fiji, three different groups sang the national goodbye song in beautiful island harmonies. The words typify the loving Fijian spirit. Here is a rough English translation:

Isa, Isa you are my only treasure;

Must you leave me, so lonely and forsaken?

As the roses will miss the sun at dawning,

Every moment my heart for you is yearning.

Isa Lei, the purple shadow falling,

Sad the morrow will dawn upon my sorrow;

O, forget not, when you're far away,

Precious moments beside dear Fiji.

Isa, Isa, my heart was filled with pleasure,

From the moment I heard your tender greeting;

'Mid the sunshine, we spent the hours together,

Now so swiftly those happy hours are fleeting.

Isa Lei, the purple shadow falling,

Sad the morrow will dawn upon my sorrow;

O, forget not, when you're far away,

Precious moments beside dear Fiji.

O'er the ocean your island home is calling,

Happy country where roses bloom in splendor;

O, if I could but journey there beside you,

Then forever my heart would sing in rapture.

Isa Lei, the purple shadow falling,

Sad the morrow will dawn upon my sorrow;

O, forget not, when you're far away,

Precious moments beside dear Fiji.

Thanks for joining us via prayer. We were very blessed to be the clay jars empowered by your prayers and put to use in sprinkling the Good News about. What a great privilege! We look forward to introducing you to your Fijian brothers and sisters in person. They are such wonderful people, however, we may not get a chance to present them until the new era. Nevertheless, you are going to really love them.

Until the next trip to wherever God sends us, may blessings, peace and grace be yours in Christ Jesus.

Fiji #7

Dear Beloved Partners,

Find some new pictures at: http://gallery.me.com/jamesdchristian#100053

We are getting ready to teach a week of high school camp at Sigatoka and wrapping up our wonderful time with the church in Lautoka. It has been a huge, fat blessing. I use those words because of all the feasts. We have made excellent eternal friends. If you can, look at the pictures and into the faces and you will see why we have fallen in love with the people. Don’t miss the Fijian Fight Dance video.

Over and over we have heard how the Tree of Life Discipleship books are helping even seasoned Christians know their Jesus better.

James had two more students in his Scripture class receive Jesus plus we baptized Tomasi, one of the Lost Boys. Thomasi is the one holding the other fish in the picture--not the old man.

About the pictures:

The story on the tuna is not much of a story. Several times the lost boys offered to take James tuna fishing at sea overnight. They don’t use poles here but hand-line even large fish into the boat. Weather, timing and boats never worked out, so there is something to look forward to next trip.

Not to be totally defeated by the tuna’s, we made two trips to the wharf to buy fish from the incoming boats. When even that failed, we broke down and hooked our catch at the fish market.

Maybe the story will be more interesting next time.

At least Dani has some great stories. Below are copies of emails telling how the giving of our supporters has blessed the people of Fiji. Hope you enjoy.

About Una

Hi, just wanted you to know that I brought some of the knitting needles you gave me and found a lady here who wanted to learn. Her name is Una and about my age. We have had a wonderful few mornings visiting and knitting. She said her grandmother showed her when she was 16, but she hasn't knit since then. She had a few small balls of yarn that Mary had given her a few years back. Una showed me her knitted scarf this past Sunday and is coming on Wednesday to learn how to cast off. She remembered it very quickly. There is not much need for knitted items here because it is so warm, so I am not sure how much she will use it in the future, but we have had a great time fellowshipping over the lessons. I brought one skein of yarn with me that I am going to give her on Wednesday. You probably won't meet her when you come in the summer, she is in Lautoka which is about 45 min from Nadi where Mary lives. She was showing off her scarf on Sunday and every one was so impressed. Thank you for sharing your needles with me so I could pass them on!

Una loves to crochet and has done some beautiful pieces for the church here with small needles and crochet cotton which you can buy here, but haven't seen any yarn at all. Una shared with me her treasured collection of patterns. She has 4 books, one for knitting machines, one of cross stitch, one general craft book and one with quilt patterns. She uses x-ray film to make her quilt templates and the book has been taped so many times to keep it from tearing. I am humbled by her to think of the two boxes with lots of pattern books back home. And all the needles I have and loads of yarn. We are so blessed in the States and it takes coming to Fiji to realize it. To see it so clearly how much I have.

About Shennai

I wanted to share a story with you about how a Bible from Sequim Bible Church was used this week. I have befriended a young mother named Shennae. She has a 15 mo old son and is due with her second in about 4 months. She is married to a young man who grew up in the Lautoka church we are serving at. She was raised Catholic and is just not sure about this church. I was raised Catholic too. The Lord does prepare us in the most interesting ways. The first Sunday I saw her was 2 weeks ago and she was sitting out front of church playing with her son. He was probably a little noisy, so she took him outside during the sermon. We don't have a nursery. The Lord was prompting me to go say hi, so I did and we got to talking. I told her I was raised Catholic too, so if she had any questions, I will understand where she is coming from. I also told her that back in the states, I teach preparation for childbirth classes, then explained what that was. So if she had any questions at all, about her faith, or childbirth, let me know. Then a flood of questions about childbirth came. A few days later she came to church in the afternoon while her husband played volleyball, we just chatted. No faith questions yet, just child rearing and birth questions. I called Mary Cairns and asked her if she had any literature that she could share with me, so I could give it to Shannae. The next day Mary stopped by for a visit and brought me a whole bunch of great things, including a Bible, which I recognized as the ones you sent over with a new sticker on the front "a gift from South Pacific Evangelistic Fellowship". She didn't come for a few days, but when I saw her husband, I gave the package to him to give to her. This past Sunday they were in church again. We stand at the back door and shake everyone's hand as they leave. As she came by she gave me a kiss on the cheek and she said thank you for the Bible, we really needed that, we did not have one. I have only gotten a kiss on the cheek a few times.

So that's my story and I am sure there are many others. Thank you for sharing the Bibles. They are making a difference here.

Fiji #6

Find some new pictures at: http://gallery.me.com/jamesdchristian#100053

The first thing you will notice in the photos I have added for the great pig hunt is that there is no pig. I think this was a blessing, but listen to the story and decide for yourself.

I was cooped up in the parsonage for days working on lessons and stuff. I only lasted that long because of Dani’s patient company while she did patchwork sewing.

“I need to go hiking,” I said.

“So go.” She secretly wanted to spend a day in a personal retreat — which I know means God instead of me, but hey, I understand, “better is one day in your courts than a thousand with your husband.”

Remember the Lost Boys from Peter Pan? Well, we found ‘em. They all moved into the fellowship hall next to our house. Six live here, but about 25 show up each afternoon to live off the mango trees, howl in laughter, lift weights, play volleyball, harass passing girls and even yell cock-a-doodle-do much like Pan’s crowd. For entertainment, we only have to pull open a curtain and see what face is there and ask about the antics they are hatching.

I grabbed hold of four unemployed Lost Boys and said, “Come on, you are going to show me Fiji.”

They were happy to oblige. “We’ll hunt wild pigs,” they grinned.

I wanted to see how Fijians would provide so I brought no lunch, transportation, or map. First they pushed a single flower bloom behind one ear: white plumaria, red hibiscus or a blue morning. After a bus and pick-up truck ride into the hills, the Lost Boys B-lined for wild mango, guava and pawpaw (papaya) trees and collected a bag of lunch. Using a machete, they hacked a stick into a carrying tool and we started hiking.

Before long there were new varieties of mangos to sample, rivers to swim, young ladies to evangelize (go figure), more mangos and alas, steep mountains that were difficult for the old men in the group (me). I’m guessing we covered 10 miles at a rate of 7.5/MPM (that is mangos per mile) for a total of 75 mangos. Half of the boys wore no shoes and I could barely keep up with them.

There were also waterhole cliffs to jump from and a hot spring to lounge in. I got all proud and cocky when I was the first to discover fresh boar tracks. We followed them for a half-mile and I demonstrated my uncanny outdoor skills. The pigs turned out to be four goats bleating from high on a rock. They were not even wild goats.

That was the crescendo of the big pig hunt. Embarrassed as I was that I couldn’t tell a pig print from a goat print, I was, nevertheless, glad we did not find the beasts. The Lost Boys only had two machetes and a box of matches. I assume the idea was to find wood and roast a boar, but beating a pig to death with those big knives was not something I was looking forward to. I prefer my meat shrink-wrapped and frozen, thank you.

The boys surprised me when they pulled out a loaf of bread and tuna. We put them together with the wild fruit and had a great lunch. Drinking water was abundant from the outdoor faucet of a farmhouse.

The ancient volcano was quiet as we read Scripture and worshiped above the pale-blue sea. The Lost Boys asked me about matters of spiritual formation and drank up the replies, because, you see, these Lost Boys are not really lost at all, but found in a way most can never understand. They know Jesus, intimately, and they know it is he who provides so abundantly for them.

After another swim in another river, we had to wait out a torrential downpour under a tin porch. Blam! Lightening flashed with instantaneous thunder that made everyone jump. The rolling boom was returned by our own uproarious laughter. The machetes hacked open coconuts and the juice and white meat helped to pass the time. Ten silvery waterfalls formed on the jagged peaks from which we had descended.

After the worst of the storm passed, we shivered in the drizzle for hour at the side of a dirt road until a bus bumped and rattled us down to the main highway; Then another bus got us back to our side of the Island.

When I came into the parsonage sunburned, sore and soggy, Dani was in the same chair sewing, but she had a new glow on her face from her time with the Lord — as did I.