by BJ | Nov 14, 2014 | Life
We are embarking on a new adventure!
After working with Precept Ministries since 1987, full time for the last 18 years, God has called us to leave and begin a new adventure. So, with Kay’s blessing, David and I will be joining the team of Hope and Help International as Co-Directors of Ministry Development.
Hope and Help International focuses on training and equipping national pastors in rural India. Working with and supporting national pastors also means supporting their ministry projects such as church planting among unreached people groups, taking care of orphans, village schools, and widow ministries.
We will also work producing Bible studies, teaching, and networking with churches and ministries here in the US.
Our story with Hope and Help International
The first time we were in India I was overwhelmed by two things, the poverty and the number of people. I remember thinking to myself there is not enough money in the world to solve the problem of poverty in India. I was right.
Then we met several Indian pastors, about 500 of them, along with their wives. They were poor and powerless by the world’s standards. But as we talked and prayed together we saw something that caught us completely off guard. They were full of hope and joy.
In that moment, when the Spirit of God in us bore witness with the Spirit of God in them, we found it. We found the hope of India.
The hope for India was and is the national pastor who loves the Lord with all of his heart and does not love his own life at all.
These men and women possessed the one thing that could change the despair, the hopelessness of the world we were standing in, the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, they were poorly trained and under educated. They had zeal and passion but they needed to be equipped. They needed someone to invest in their lives and equip them for the work of the ministry.
One of the pastors moved into this village of unreached people. As a result of his preaching the gospel this woman came to know Christ! You can see it in her face.
We saw God at work and we felt God drawing us to join Him in His work with Hope and Help International.
Over the last few years we have returned to India several times. Each time God has confirmed to us the calling to invest in the lives of these men and women the way we invested in promising young men and women during the twenty years we were responsible for Transform Student Ministry. So, it was no surprise when God led us to leave Precept Ministries and join the HHI team.
This is a new adventure for us in a lot of different ways. One of which is, we are required to raise our own support. We have seen God provide miraculously and abundantly over the years and we know that where He guides, He provides. So, we are excited, not anxious, about what He is going to do.
Would you please pray for us, and with us? We need prayer partners who will come along side and intercede as we make this move, and as we work with Hope and Help International. We believe a praying team is essential!
How can you join in the adventure?
If God leads you to partner with us and with Hope and Help International financially you can send support to the following address.
Hope and Help International
PO Box 23232
Chattanooga, TN 37422
Attention: David Lawson
Or you can donate on line at https://www.hopeandhelpinternational.org , select “special needs“(ha ha, yes we are) and “other.” In the comment box please mention David or BJ Lawson.
Hope and Help International is a 501c3 and all of your donations are tax deductible.
Speaking Engagements
To invite either David or BJ for an event or teaching/speaking engagement or just to keep in contact with us
David – DavidLLawson@gmail.com
BJ bj@thethirdcup.com
Thank you for considering partnering with us. You can be a part of what God is doing to equip pastors, teach women, children and widows and to reach unreached unengaged people groups in Southeast Asia!
Please feel free to contact either of us if you have further questions.
10,000 Blessings,
David and BJ Lawson
We would LOVE to engage in a conversation with you! Please ask your questions in the comment box, others may have the same questions and it will help others see what God is doing in India!
by BJ | May 14, 2014 | Life
Ding. I looked down at the text that had just come in from my daughter.
“I need you to pray. Tiffany’s mom flipped their four wheeler into the pond with Tiffany’s niece and nephew. They are on the way to Erlanger”.
I’ll never forget the impact of those words, it was as if someone had punched me in the stomach and knocked the wind out of me. Waves of nausea washed over me. My ears began to ring and my vision went dark, I thought I was going to pass out.
Still gasping for air I dropped to my knees and began to pray but words eluded me. I heard a sound I didn’t recognize. There it was again. I’m still not sure whether it was an audible sound or that I simply heard it in my spirit, a groaning that seemed to come from my heart. All I could eek out was ” Oh God!”
As I pressed into my prayer the words finally came. They trickled out at first but before long they fell over the edge of my lips like a waterfall.
God may your peace envelop them
Remind them of Your truth
Guide the doctors
God may their faith remain strong
Strengthen them according to Your Word …
Ding. Another text came in. This time I was hesitant to read it. I just knew deep down …
“No one made it”
As word got out and the body began to absorb the news and come together to minister to the family I found my response was not uncommon.
Person after person told of being weighed down with an incredible mantel of grief that nearly crushed the very breath out of them.
Heaven was being bombarded with the intercessory prayers of the saints, begging for mercy, peace and comfort for those who are left behind. Sometimes with words, sometimes with deep, deep groaning.
A community of believers, each one Jesus with skin on to those who need to see God’s love manifested in a very tangible way. A love that snaked its way through the funeral home and spilled out into the parking lot, not minding the 2 1/2 hour wait to be shed abroad into the hearts of a family suffering such an unimaginable loss.
A fellowship of suffering by nearly 1200, groaning under mantles of mourning they still carried, took the time to attend a memorial service in the middle of the day, to show the family how much God loves them. God’s love embraced the family and drew them close.
It was a time to celebrate life, eternal life. Life that doesn’t end – life that simply changes clothes. Renee stepped out of her “earth suit” and is now clothed in righteousness.
The Pastor’s words were medicinal and the praise and worship was a soothing balm. Breathing became less labored. The groans began to morph into an amazing melody, almost angelic.
And this song came to mind describing what was happening so well
Mourning into Dancing
(click title to listen to song)
Where there once
Was only hurt
He gave His healing hand
Where there once
Was only pain
He brought comfort
Like a friend
I feel the sweetness
Of His love
Piercing my darkness
I see the bright
And morning sun
As it ushers in
His joyful gladness
You’ve turned my mourning
Into dancing again
You’ve lifted my sorrows
And I can’t stay silent
I must sing
For Your joy has come
Your anger lasts
For a moment in time
But Your favor is here
And will be on me for
All all my lifetime
© 1992 Integrity’s Praise! Music Words and Music by Tommy Walker
A community came together to minister to the family. They had been carrying their grief for four days, nearly smothering under the oppressiveness of it. But in God’s perfect time He gave His healing hand to those not family who needed Him to lift their sorrow.
There was a oneness of Spirit from the beginning to the end of the service. A single mind. Focused on one thing. That unity of Spirit encircled the body drawing them together into one, single minded entity.
The weight of the mantle was lifted by His love piercing the darkness and His healing hand brought comfort to those not family. They began to see the morning sun usher in His joyful gladness once again!
It’s not that they don’t remember the hurt of the family, they do and they continue to pray for them. But the oppressive weight has been lifted, their sorrows have been lifted so that they can sing of what He has done!
Mourning turned into joy!
The family, having been given those days of grace, will now be able to mourn without being crushed in Spirit. They too will experience God’s healing hand, they will be comforted and His love will pierce their darkness and usher in His joyful gladness.
He will turn their mourning into dancing again! They will not be able to stay silent, they will shout and make Him known and we will know that His joy has come!
Now I know even more deeply what it means to weep with those who weep.
Could it be in that weeping and carrying the mantle of mourning we are allowing those who are suffering to “breathe” and take care of business until the time comes that they are taken by the hand by the God of all comfort to walk them through – Piercing their darkness with His love healing their broken hearts turning their mourning into joy again!
by BJ | Jan 8, 2014 | Life
Recently my friend Robin asked me to be a guest writer for her blog robindance.me Robin is a fabulous writer, in fact I learn something from her every time I read one of her blogs. I want to write like her when I grow up. You will want to subscribe to her blog too!
The topic assigned was to share some insights on age and aging as a woman in her fifties. I thought I would share it with you too.
(more…)
by BJ | Nov 19, 2013 | Life
Today you are 32 years old!
I am thankful for the special gift God gave us 32 years ago! You captured the hearts of everyone you came in contact with since the day you were born! From your earliest years you considered everyone you met to be your friend. You love God with all your heart, strength and mind and you love others as yourself! What more could a mother ask for?
You’ve invested love into the lives of many who: loved the Lord and wanted to grow, were going thru some very difficult circumstances, walked away from the Lord, were searching, were needing to be rescued and the list goes on!
You’ve entertained us with your antics, stories, recounting of dreams and misuse of words like; hysterectomy, mammogram and condiments.
You’ve taught us how to enjoy life, be a better parent, love deeply, stand firm in hard times, glorify God and much more!
God created you uniquely you! In a world where many strive to fit in, you intentionally set out to learn who you were both in Him and in His creation of you so that you could serve Him more fully. He created you with
A huge personality. You came into this world with a huge personality which many have mistaken as a strong will. You come from “pioneer” stock, according to the personality tests you are a high I and a high D (which means you are: Enthusiastic, independent, confident, self motivated, an influencer, with persuasive communication skills). Combine that with the spiritual gifts of prophecy and discernment and this combination can be very intimidating to many and they will try to cram you into their box. Don’t let them do that. God is the one who wired you this way so that you can accomplish the plans and purposes He has for you since before the foundation of the world.
Identity in Christ. You are chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, have an inheritance and are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise to be the praise ofHis glory! Embrace that with your whole heart and continue to honor and glorify Him! Don’t ever forget who you are!
You have made us proud. You have studied God’s word and determined to live by it. You have stood firm when the enemy tried to destroy you and understood that God would use it to refine and strengthen you. You have not lost heart, nor turned away. God gave you a vision for Become weekends for girls and you developed a 7 year program that has impacted girls both here and in India!
Since you were born we prayed. We prayed you would
love God and His word with all your heart and you do.
keep yourself pure and you did.
make an impact for the kingdom and you have literally made a global impact!
marry a man who loves God with his whole heart, soul and mind, and you have.
You are not perfect but you are allowing God to conform you into the image of His Son. One day you will hear Him say “Well done my good and faithful servant. ” Dad and I are extremely proud of you and have enjoyed watching your journey thus far!
I will be eagerly watching to see where God takes you on your journey from here!
Love you! Happy Birthday!
Mom
by BJ | Sep 21, 2013 | Life
Have you ever wondered who created time and why?
I have thought a lot about who created time and why, over the years, so recently I did what anybody would do, I Googled it and this is what I found:
The origin of time is unknown, It is however expressed by scientists as the indefinite and continued progress of events. Astronomers have over the years established that time is atomic. – Ask.com
So there you have it. Kind of a letdown isn’t it?
Actually I did find out that I am not alone in my pondering. Men have perpetually puzzled over the question of time. Surprisingly enough many scientists believe, like the Bible teaches, that time originated at the moment of creation.
So in my pondering here are some conclusions I have come to.
Read more
by BJ | Sep 18, 2013 | Life
Reading through many of last year’s Christmas cards and letters I noticed a common repeated phrase in one form or another:
Life is busy here …
It’s been crazy busy here …
We’re so busy …
I could relate with them! I bet you could too!
Busyness has so invaded our culture that we have come up with a new vocabulary for it. Words like: on overload, crazy busy,fried and tapped out pervade our speech. Some old school phrases: running around like a chicken with their head cut off and going 90 to nothing prove that busyness isn’t a new thing.
Although it is not a new phenomenon busyness has increased exponentially over recent years! When I inquired about the potential for a new project, a fellow worker responded that no one in their department had the bandwidth to take it on.
Read more
