PENDEL Prayer & Fasting Retreat

Very early Tomorrow AM, Debbie and I head out to teach at the PENDEL division's Youth Prayer & Fasting Retreat and Camp Ladore. We're excited at the opportunity, but also quite aware of the responsibility. The retreat starts Friday night and ends Saturday evening (we'll fly back to Bangor Sunday AM, since there were no flights out that we could make that evening).

Your prayers for us would be appreciated.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 5

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SPOILER WARNING! If you haven't seen the movie yet, but still want to, don't read any further until after you've seen the movie. I'm giving away story info that could "spoil" it for you!
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"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." That's the Bible verse that was put on Emily's tombstone. As the camera pans away from those words, we are left with their importance still ringing true in our inner ear.

Emily took her "mission" from God seriously. If her suffering was to open an avenue by which others would hear the truth of the Gospel and turn to Jesus, then she embraced her destiny with vigor. She wrote a note to her priest explaining why she had decided not to go through further deliverance ministry. And those who read her note took her belief seriously as well. A book was written and now this movie which encourages us to think heavily about the importance of our salvation.

Whatever you think of the movie, whatever you think of demons and deliverance, whatever you think of Christianity- where you spend eternity is truly the most important decision you will ever have to make. It is forever and you cannot put it off, because not making the decision defaults to the worst possible choice of the two.

Have you begun the process of working out your salvation? I say process, because it's not just a one time thing. You must work on it constantly and grow in God's grace daily. In The Salvation Army we believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.
- Philippians 2:12b-16a

The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 4

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SPOILER WARNING! If you haven't seen the movie yet, but still want to, don't read any further until after you've seen the movie. I'm giving away story info that could "spoil" it for you!
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At the end of the movie, Emily Rose has a vision of Mary who basically tells her she can go to heaven now and end her demonic agony OR she can stay as she is- demonically oppressed/possessed. But if she sticks it out, God will be able to use her story to tell others the truth about the demonic and thereby win some. Emily doesn't have to think too much about it- she decides her agony is worth it if God can use it for others.

The question this begets is: "God caused this to happen?" Or at the very least, he allowed it?

My gut reaction is "No way- God would not allow such torture! And by The Enemy at that!" But then I remember Job. He lost everything- even all his kids were killed! And it all happened at the hands of none other than Satan. Hmmm. Would God still do that kind of thing?

This presents the age old question of whether God allows evil and thereby causes it, since he could stop it if he wanted to.

Well it all has to do with free will and since he's given all humankind free will, we have choices to make. If he stopped us from doing what we wanted, we'd not have free will anymore- even if we want to do horrible things! It can become quite a tangled mess if we choose to continue chasing down loose ends in such a discussion!

Here's how I choose to look at the possession of Emily Rose: The Enemy got into her life through some open door. Some open doors are our cause, some are not, but The Enemy still claims legal spiritual rights to enter and remain. Once there, he causes all kinds of grief until and unless he is "cast out." In some people he causes much more grief than in others.

However, God can and does use everything The Enemy does to make his plans backfire on him. Just when Satan thinks he's getting the upper hand, God brings glory out of it for himself and blessing for others! This has got to rattle Satan's cage, but he continues to try to outsmart God anyway, though he's never been able to succeed and never will (he knows it too).

So like Paul, who asked for his "thorn in the flesh" to be removed (God saw that he could do more blessing for others if Paul just lived with it), Emily too chose to live with her attack for the blessing of others. And it was her choice (as it was Paul's)- God had provided a way out right then if she wanted it.

We in The Salvation Army know about the importance of "Others." I'd like to think we'd make the same choice to our detriment if it meant others would benefit.

Would you?

(Didn't I tell you this movie would make you think?)

The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 3

I guess one of the things that will "bother" many Protestants about this movie is the strong Catholic theology (of course it would be Catholic, since it's about a Catholic girl, her family and their priest).

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SPOILER WARNING! If you haven't seen the movie yet, but still want to, don't read any further until after you've seen the movie. I'm giving away story info that could "spoil" it for you!
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For instance, at the end when Emily has a vision of Mary, who tells her she can "leave" now or stay and help others by her experience. I'll talk more about this particular happening in a later blog, but for now I want to focus on the Mary part.

Some Protestants will think it's all "baloney" because they would wonder why she would envision Mary and not Jesus directly. But I have heard of people who have seen Paul in a vision or William Booth or some other esteemed Christian who has gone on before. Even Jesus met with Moses and Elijah (I know this is a bit different, because he actually met with them and didn't just see them in a vision, but it makes my point anyway).

And my point is, some people have seen Christian greats in visions whom they have esteemed. And their vision is accepted (I know there are those who won't accept that, but that's another whole issue entirely). If one was taught to esteem William Booth (esteem, here- not worship), it would make perfect sense for God to allow someone to see Booth in a vision, bringing a word they needed to hear from God. I have read accounts of such things and because of my faith in the people relating the story, I believe them. So why would we discount someone recounting a vision of Mary, who is one Catholics have obviously been taught to esteem?

And while Protestants don't believe Mary is necessary to the process of salvation (and not all Catholics do either), we must believe she set a Godly example we should all follow. I mean, when an angel shows up to tell her what's going to happen to her, she effectively says "May it be as you wish." When I read scripture, I usually find others saying things to the effect of, "Who, me? Are you crazy God?" Mary deserves some more respect in Protestant circles. And perhaps some Protestants need to be more careful of their "worship" of Paul?

So why couldn't Mary "speak" to Emily in a vision? I think it's a valid experience that sounds "right up God's alley" of ways to get our attention.

I've never had a vision of anyone, be it angel, William Booth or even Jesus. But don't count me out- I'm not finished yet!

The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 2

After the movie, I ended up chatting for a few minutes with a couple of guys who had just seen it too. "What'd you think?" is what we each wanted to know. I told them I came to see if they handled the truth correctly or if they were just out to make a scary movie.

Ultimately, I think they handled it all pretty well. The theme of the story is to get some truth out about the spiritual realm. As I said yesterday, people who watch this movie will certainly have to wrestle with what they believe about demons and whether they believe in God or not. The ending pulls no punches about that.

I found it interesting how many of the people in the movie just plain thought people who believed in demons are crazy. Even the attorney who kept telling us he was religious (as if being religious means you have all the answers). There just has to be another scientific explanation when weird things happen, right?!

Well demons exist whether you or I believe in them. They'd prefer you don't believe in them at all, but they will accept belief as long as you're afraid of them. That gives them the upper hand. Not standing up to bullies always gives them the edge.

Bottom line: there really is a spiritual realm which is at least inhabited by angels, demons and God. And we have a spirit which is built to sense and access that realm (one day we'll live there too). We can do it for good or we can do it for evil. In the end, like any good story- good is stronger than evil because "greater is he that is in you (Jesus) than he that is in the world."

Jesus trumps any demon, any time. He is not one of them or equal with them, he is their creator.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 1

Whoa! If you want to jump-start your brain into thinking about the theology of certain spiritual things, go see this movie! There’s plenty in there to wrap your mind around and plenty to wrestle with for a long while! I’ve got a lot to say about this movie, so this is part 1 of my first real serial blog. At the moment I’m thinking four parts, but that may change. Today’s subject is "fear."

I must give you a warning- this movie is scary in a few places. In fact, it’s scary in every place they deal with the demonic outside of the courtroom (let’s face it, this is a movie and they know how to produce scary film effects). I had to keep praying and fighting against the fear that tried to rise up within me throughout the movie. And as we all know (from previous blogs), fear is the enemy’s greatest tool. I like to say: "Fear is the door of the enemy."

We mustn’t take fear lightly. Scripture is replete with admonitions to "fear not." You think God might have put those in there for a reason? I do. It’s because God knows how fear can open the door for The Enemy to get into our lives and wreak all kinds of havoc. So that means we should be very careful about putting ourselves in situations that we know will cause fear in us- such as scary movies.

Normally, I draw the line at movies that are intended to produce fear in the viewers (horror and slasher types, etc). That doesn’t include the odd "loud noise" effect or momentary jump. It does include an "intentionally prolonged effect of fear" where it is grown in us and designed to keep us in its grip. This kind of fear is what I’m talking about when I say it opens doors in our lives for The Enemy to walk through.

Understand that "roller-coaster fear" or the thrill of sports is not what I’m talking about. That’s more about excitement as opposed to making us afraid of something. The thrill and excitement of rock climbing or hang gliding produces a completely different effect in us than does a ghost or skeleton.

I went to this movie intentionally, because exorcism (deliverance, inner healing, etc) is one of my spiritual gifts. I wanted to see how accurately the producers dealt with the subject (I know people will be asking me about it). I knew there would be moments designed to cause intentional fear and if they were being accurate, there would also be situations where The Enemy would want us to fear him. He is certainly not above using such a film to plant seeds of fear in people who don’t know our true authority in Jesus.

So I used the tactics taught in "Fear No Evil," the book by Brad Jersak (picture to the right) to keep fear from gaining a foothold in my soul. They worked- except for the occasional "loud noise" moment!

If you choose to go to this movie, I encourage you to be prepared to fight off the fear of The Enemy. If you can do this, the message of the movie will make you think no matter what you believe about the demonic.

Interesting Burr Tidbits

I just found out that there is a connection with the Burr family (particularly me) and Jackson's Point Camp! Yup.

Shortly after I was born, the Burr family headed to Jackson's Point for their vacation. My Dad drove with my brother and sister, while my Mom flew with me because she thought the long ride would not be good for the baby. So we spent a week or two right there on the lake . . . where Jenn & Josh are planning on getting married some 48 years later!

While I'm on interesting Burr facts, here's another one. The Burrs came to the USA way back in 1630 with Winthrop's fleet. They founded the city of Hartford, CT and moved South West to found Torrington, Burrville and some other little towns around that area of Connecticut. Some 352 years later, I go back to my ancestral roots to find and marry a girl from that area (whose family had moved there from other parts)! Debbie swam in Burr Pond practically every summer of her life until we met.

I find these kinds of facts fascinating! I think God might just smirk a bit every time he works one of these things out. One day, we might actually learn of many more such "God-incidences!" Isn't it great to see how he has organized and planned our lives into his great tapestry of life?

The Long way Back to Bangor

Since we'd never been to Montreal or Vermont, Deb & I decided to take the long way back to Bangor (only an hour or so longer).

We left Toronto Sunday afternoon and drove till after dark just past Montreal. I hadn't realized there was so much French in Quebec! All of a sudden road signs were illegible. When we stopped, not everyone spoke English. Ordering sandwiches in Subway was interesting- we didn't necessarily get what we thought we were ordering! (Hmm, there goes that communication thing again!)

After a lovely night in a fine hotel (once we figured out what buildings were actually hotels! There goes that French thing again!), we finally got back into English territory. But finding convenient gas was another thing! And right after you get some at the best rate you can find, you always find it at the next station cheaper!

We also got to visit some friends in Berlin, New Hampshire- Ken & Jean Henderson. We were actually "passing through!" (Inside joke- nobody passes through Bangor or Berlin. They're both a destination and not on the way to anywhere!). Berlin was a mere 6 miles off our route, so I consider it "on the way." From the corps parking lot, you can see mountains in any direction you look and a gurgling stream can be heard passing by- Incredible!

Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are beautiful this time of year! Traveling through the White Mountains was awe inspiring! What amazing creation God has placed out there for us to discover and enjoy! Our trip was certainly worth the extra hour of our time.

While traveling, all I could think of was: "O Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

Josh Can Cook!

I had heard Josh could cook. Well cooking and "cooking" are two different things! I mean, I can cook spaghetti, TV dinners, eggs and even hamburgers. But Debbie's eyes would be rolling big time if she was reading this over my shoulder right now.

Tonight I learned Josh can cook! He whipped up this chicken stir fry and kept apologizing for it- "If I only had fresh veggies" and the like. I didn't pay much attention to his complaints, however, because I was too busy woofing it down! I tried not to look too animalistic as I licked my plate clean. Then Josh learned that if the choice for dessert includes chocolate ice cream, there really is no choice for me!

I hadn't thought about it earlier, but dinner had this weird prophetic thing going- I felt like we were sitting with Jenn & Josh in their home for dinner. I guess that will happen one day, but this is just too early to be thinking like that!

So this is our last full day in Toronto. Tomorrow after the AM meeting, we're heading on a slow trip back home through Montreal and upper Maine. I've always wanted to travel that way, so it will be a nice way to finish up our vacation.

We've had a wonderful week which included a lot of new things to do and see and new people to meet. And it's not even over yet!

Communication Anyone?

Yesterday we took time to travel to Jackson’s Point Camp Conference Center to scout out the probable location for the wedding. The camp is about an hour outside of Toronto and both Jenn and Josh like the setting for their big day. There, all activities can be in either one location or very close by.

It looks like we’re going to involve the camp conference center, the corps building and a local Chinese restaurant! It’s up to you to speculate what’s happening where!

The interesting thing was being a part of the process of two young adults from two different families trying to meld their ideas of what their wedding should look like. They had talked together about their ideas before this meeting, but as we forged out the details, there were moments when we wondered if we could even get on the same page! But we continued to chat and come together. Finally, it appeared that we had a workable plan. I’m sure details will continue to change until we get to the final product- which is how it should be.

Communication is key to any parties getting together in any situation. Being open and sharing your thoughts truthfully is always the best way. Hiding what you’re really thinking and jockeying for position via the "game" people often play is for the birds!

Those are good truths to remember in whatever situation you find yourself. I have always wanted to be a transparent person- not hiding behind a false mask, making people guess what you’re really up to. Truth is always the best way to present yourself.

Got anyone guessing what you’re really up to? Give it up!

We're in Good Hands

The Burr family is being hosted by the Ivany family. We're in good hands.

Did you ever see that old TV commercial where all the neighborhood kids hang out at one house? We've found that house. Or rather, we've found that family. I don't know when I've felt so warmly welcomed into a home and made to feel so much like part of the family.

This is a great family. There are many ways I can tell. One of them is the number of "fun" family pictures around the house. I am captivated by the smiles; the bunny ears; the smoosh of many faces into one picture frame. Pictures tell a lot about a family and through them, I know I'm not going to be worried about Jenn becomming an Ivany. She's in good hands too.

That goes a long way in calming a father's fears of losing his daughter.

I know, I know- I'm not losing a daughter, I'm gaining a son, right? Yeah, I'm coming to grips with that. But the truth is, this Dad's heart aches even thinking about it. Who would have ever thought this would be so hard? {sigh}

Scholarship Winner Announced!

{Trumpet fanfare here}

Ta Taa! The recipient of this year's Bramwell Tripp Phase 2 War College scholarship is Linsey New! Linsey, we'll be getting in touch, praying for you and sending the odd care package throughout the year. You're now an official adjunct to the Bangor corps and your picture is on our world prayer board!

Our scholarship was originally given to an international student to attend The War College. But getting foreign student credentials has proven to be difficult at times, so we have decided to put our support toward a Phase 2 student who is returning to Vancouver a second year for specialized ministry leadership.

Samuel Tim (from Africa) was our first recipient. We're proud to know he's still involved with The War College in the Vancouver area.

After the change in designation, Heather Wright Dolby was the first to receive our Phase 2 support. She is now in London, Ontario planting a new cell ministry, but is heading to Charlotte, North Carolina next year to start a new War College ministry in the United States!

So now Linsey follows in the footsteps of these designees. We'll be watching her progress with The Warrior Academy and the young students she's training to win the world for Jesus and move daily in power ministry.

Congratulations, Linsey!

A Stop with Charles & Kelly

Today is the beginning of a couple travel days for us. We're headed to Toronto to take Jenn & Josh back and meet the Ivany family! It's a long 12+ hour trip, but we remembered that we had good friends along the way that we might be able to visit enroute. We discovered that Charles & Kelly Roberts were not only exactly half way (almost to the minute), but they were willing to put us up for the night, thereby breaking up a too long trip. It had been way too long since we had been together anyway.It is such joy to get together with good friends who share your heart for ministry!

So we ate pizza and wings and chatted and laughed the night away. I even got interviewed for a paper Charles is working on (I know what that's like- PTL I'm finished with school!). We met Noble, their cute little energetic dog, saw how tall Chaz has gotten(!) and got a tour of the house. I also learned about Vonage, which has gotten me interested in finding out more.

What a priviledge God has given us to be able to know such wonderful people! We will leave our blessing on this home, for they are certainly well deserving of all we can pour out on them- and then some. We're going to be watching as God works through them in Albany, NY to effect change for The Kingdom.

Touching the Vision

Driving down Newman Springs Road, I squinted and hid behind my sun visor because the sun was blinding. Still, my eyes were unblinking as I waited for my first glimpse of the new Red Bank corps building coming up any second on our right. There was traffic all around us on that busy road, but they'd just have to be patient, because it took me a few extra seconds to pull into the driveway while watching both the road and the beautiful building that had just come into view. It was hard to take my eyes off it. Great job Captain John!

Wow! It is almost exactly as I had imagined it would look! The hardest part of our visit was getting a few moments alone to take it all in, because the instant we got out of the car the wonderful people of greater Red Bank swamped us with their excitement to see us! We haven't seen some of these people in over five years! That's way too long for some of the best Advisory Board members in the whole country. Not to mention some of the best youth and corps members and employees as well!

As exciting as seeing the building a reality and touching the walls (to make sure I wasn't dreaming), seeing the people was even better. There were five kids (more?) we knew from Red Bank in the divisional youth band and timbrels! That's exciting to know your successors have continued their influence. The Army will be so much better for their involvement. There's nothing more important than the people.

With that said, seeing something so important to The Kingdom that was birthed in your spirit come into fruition, is very satisfying. I truly believe this is just the first step of a much larger plan for The Army in Red Bank. You go, Red Bank! Fill that place with new people! Get them saved and fighting beside you!

It is obvious to me that God is still very much concerned with The Army's ministry in greater Red Bank. Hallelujah!

Yahweh Shammah, the Lord who is There

On this fourth anniversary of 9/11, I want to share with you an incredible story written by Ann Spangler in her book, Praying the Names of God:

Have you ever sat across the table from someone who shouldn't even be walking around on the planet? A year ago I met a woman named Genelle Guzman-McMillan. Her story mesmerized me because she survived troubles the rest of us have only encountered in our nightmares. She is the last survivor of the September 11 attack of the World Trade Center.

Genelle is a soft-spoken woman who remembers what happened in terrifying detail. Employed by the Port Authority of New York, she arrived a little after 8 AM on September 11 and rode the elevator to her job on the sixty-fourth floor of the north tower. Thinking it was safe to stay, Genelle didn't attempt to leave the building until after the second plane hit. Racing down fifty-one flights of stairs in high heels, she stopped for a moment on the thirteenth floor. As she bent down to remove her shoes, the north tower collapsed on her.

Like millions of others, I watched the horrifying scene via live TV, convinced that no one had survived the collapse of the second tower.

Here's what happened to Genelle when all hell broke loose:

One hundreds ten floors were coming down around us. I knew I was being buried alive. The noise was deafening . . .

When I awoke again I told myself I had to do something. But what could I do? "God, you've got to help me!" I prayed. "You've got to show me a sign, show me a miracle, give me a second chance. Please save my life!" My eyes were so caked with grime that the tears couldn't come, but I felt it in my heart. I was talking to God as though he were right there. I told him I was ready to live my life the right way. "Lord, just give me a second chance and I promise I will do your will."

The next day, I heard a beep-beep sound like a truck backing up. I called for help, but there was no response . . . Finally someone hollered back: "Hello, is somebody there?" "Yes, help me! My name is Genelle and I'm on the thirteenth floor," I cried, not realizing how ludicrous the information about my location must have sounded, coming from a pile of rubble . . .

I could see a bit of daylight coming through a crack, so I stuck my hand through it . . . I stretched my hand out as far as I could and this time someone grabbed it. "Genelle, I've got you! You're going to be all right. My name is Paul. I won't let go of your hand until they get you out."

Genelle had prayed to the God she had ignored for most of her life and he had been there for her. After twenty-seven hours she was pulled out of the rubble and then spent five weeks in the hospital recuperating. Afterward, she tried locating Paul, the man who had held onto her hand until she was rescued. Later, when she asked about him, her rescuers assured her: "There's no one named Paul on our team . . . Nobody was holding your hand when we were removing the rubble."

Genelle had felt completely calm the moment Paul grabbed her hand. She had believed his repeated assurances that help was on the way and that she would be all right. Despite the fact that her story has been told in Jim Cymbala's book Breakthrough Prayer, on Oprah and CNN and in Guideposts and Time magazines, no one named Paul has ever stepped forward to take credit for rescuing her. But Genelle knows that Paul was there. He was like an angel of God's presence, assuring her that all would be well.

Hour after hour Genelle had cried out for help. It took more than a day for the rescue crew to locate her, but only an instant for God to pinpoint her location. When a psychiatrist, probing for symptoms of posttraumatic stress, interviewed her in the hospital, Genelle told him that God above was her psychiatrist. "After all, God was there when I needed him. He had made sure I was found. He had comforted me and given me a new life." Like few others, Genelle knows the saving power of the One who revealed himself to her as Yahweh Shammah, the Lord who is there."

More to Come

Oh, I want to write about the new Red Bank building and seeing so many friends, but it's late and there's too much to say. So this is here to let you know I'm going to write more later.

By the way, I had such a blast exploring the building and seeing everyone! Impressive place and if possible, the people are even more wonderful than when we were there!

A Dream Comes True

Today was a travel day for us- all the way from Maine to New York. We're heading to Red Bank, New Jersey for the new corps building dedication on Saturday.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the building turned out. We built the Spring Valley, New York building, but that was different- that was someone else's vision. We just administered the building process.

But the Red Bank building was a vision God inspired within me. We spent 9 years there dreaming big dreams and preparing the ground for new growth. It will be interesting to see what takes place in my spirit as we pull into the parking lot. And when we walk through the hallways. Sure, the basic floor plans have changed a bit, but the overall picture has been in me from the beginning.

Now the work begins to fill the place! May God grant continued vision to his people to reach the lost in new and exciting ways.

An Open Letter to The War College Martyrs Session

Graduate Martyrs,

You're naturally heard a lot about martyrdom because of your session name. And martyrdom is a great thing- so great, in fact, that God has chosen to make it a gift of His Spirit. To give your life for The Cause of The Kingdom is not only powerful, it actually affects lasting change in the spiritual realm around us.

But always remember it is not your death that is important- it's not about you. It's all about The Kingdom. We are here to fight mightily and deal the death blow to The Enemy- not the other way around. It happens now and then, that we lose a skirmish, but those losses are not in God's plan. They usually happen because we have fallen short in some area or not listened carefully to our Great Captain (and I don't mean Stephen!).

I know a real life martyr. His name is Rue Lancero. He was redeemed as a young adult from a misdirected life. He didn't last long on this earth as a Christian, but his flame burned like a flare causing many to look upward. He fought valiantly and with unusual purity and wisdom until one day he thought he could take on the local Territorial Spirit over Red Bank. He proceeded to do warfare by himself one night at the riverfront with Leviathan. The result? He developed cancer and died before another year was out.

We discussed his error at his bedside in the hospital. He saw that he should have listened more carefully for God's timing and not gone to war alone. Many people prayed intensely for Rue. I wish I could tell you why he died or why we did not pray him through his ordeal. But one thing I do know, he became a martyr and God is using his spilt blood for blessing at the very battlefield he died on. I am hearing victory reports from Red Bank and expect to hear more and more until God redeems the land! I believe Rue is a part of that and is still playing a part in that great company of the saints. The end result is that the cause moves forward.

Listen carefully to God's voice. Don't move into tasks larger than yourself unless God specifically says to (if you know he has spoken and you get solid confirmation- go for it!). You have been taught there is unity in community for a good reason. God designed us to work better together than as individuals. Use that to your advantage and depend on those fighting with you. Then you will watch The Enemy fall from heaven and it will bring much glory to Jesus!

And the cause will move forward without your martyrdom. I for one, would rather see you continue fighting by my side than ending up a preventable casualty.

I leave you with a quote from Napoleon:

It is the cause, not the death, that makes the martyr.

Amen! So be it.

Form a Committee!

I just couldn't resist- this is seriously funny! Or is it?

It's funny in the sense that it is ridiculous. It's not funny in the sense that it's true. Especially in large "corporations" like The Salvation Army. When did quick action for capitalization take the back seat to the over questioning and distrust of committees?

The sad part is we weren't always like this. In our beginnings everything was streamlined to promote quick action all across the board. If we made mistakes, we let them go and moved on, trusting God to watch our steps and our public image.

I've written and deleted a few times here, because when discussing such thoughts the tendency is to get negative and complain. I don't want to do that or make this blog a place where that can thrive. So the task is to get my point across without whining (this is a "no whining zone, Debbie!").

So let us look to our own situations and see where we have promoted the committee mentality. Where have I caused this to grow? By starting in our own back yards, we can begin the process of fixing what we can in our own areas of authority and responsibility.

When a decision is needed, I'd like to see us move towards listening to those gifted in the particular subject at hand. Knowing I don't have all the answers nor the desire to learn about everything, I hire people on my staff who focus specifically in areas where I am weak. I then listen to their counsel and give them leeway to make decisions based on that expertise. I also stand behind their decisions and support them. I thank God for my Business Administrator every day! And my Program Director and my Youth Leader . . .

Of course we all have something to add to any discussion, but some are frankly out of touch in some situations and the weight of their counsel should be taken as such, knowing they will have input for other situations that should be taken more highly then. We all have our areas of knowledge.

And we should always listen carefully to the person in immediate command of a given situation. People miles away are not usually even mildly aware of the local specifics and have no idea of the implications nor what goes into the need for the decision in the first place. I believe it was Napoleon who said something like: "The general far from the battle front should always listen carefully to the Lieutenant onsite." If he didn't say it, then I'll claim it and stand by its truth!

committees have their place. Wait- I'm not sure I believe that. Any thoughts out there to convince me one way or the other?

Boundless Magazine (.com)

The Salvation Army in Canada has just started a new web magazine for Teens and Young Adults (and those young at heart, like me)! It's called

Boundless Magazine

and can be found at www.boundlessmagazine.com, by clicking here or on my title above. You could even win an iPod from them!

It looks pretty good, so I'd recommend you check it out and let me know what you think, through comments right here. What a GREAT idea!

Tape Recordings Anyone?

We record our messages each Sunday here in Bangor. The purpose is not so much to make money (they're only $2.00 per tape), but to get the Word out. If any we've recorded so far sound interesting to you, let me know. Postage will be $2.00 (US) and $3.00 (CA). We can combine shipping costs if ordering more than one tape.

1 Reclaim Your Health, Major Debbie Burr- 10/10/04

2 Who Cares?, Major Doug Burr- 2/6/05
A Soldier’s Covenant, Major Doug Burr- 2/13/05

3 The Purpose Driven Army, Major Doug Burr- 3/6/05
Ooh! Pick me! Pick me!, Major Doug Burr- 3/13/05

4 Live Strong! (Palm Sunday), Major Debbie Burr- 3/20/05
El Roi (Easter Sunday), Major Doug Burr- 3/27/05

5 Ugly Foot Syndrome, Major Doug Burr- 4/3/05
A Vision, Major Doug Burr- 4/10/05

6 The Evil Eye, Major Doug Burr- 4/17/05
Don’t Forget, You’re Being Trained!, Major Doug Burr- 4/24/05

7 Toy Soldiers, Major Doug Burr- 5/1/05
Put up or Shut up!, Major Doug Burr- 5/8/05

8 The Perfect Christian, Major Doug Burr- 5/22/05
Sit. Speak., Major Doug Burr- 5/29/05

9 If You Can’t See, You’re Blind, Major Doug Burr- 6/5/05
Do Not Disturb, Tara Ayer- 6/12/05

10 Unity & Community thru the Holy Spirit, Travis Roberts- 6/26/05
Am I my Brother’s Keeper?, Major Doug Burr- 7/3/05

11 Learning from the Past, Major Debbie Burr- 7/10/05
Fitting God into Your Life, Major Doug Burr- 7/24/05

12 Casting Vision...it’s About Today, Aurora Atell- 7/17/05
There is no “I” in Christian, Major Doug Burr- 8/7/05

13 Miqweh Bangor (Hope of Bangor), Major Doug Burr- 8/14/05
Stop Playing with Fire!, Major Doug Burr- 8/21/05

14 Quitters Never Win, Major Doug Burr- 8/28/05
Conviction is God Asking You to Change, Major Doug Burr- 9/4/05

Meet the Burrs

Jenn & Josh arrived tonight!

We weren't quite sure of their arrival time or even which bus station they were arriving at, but we made an educated guess and sure enough- they made it safely to Bangor 'round about 9:15 PM. Debbie and Chris can finally say they've met Josh! And they've taken to him immediately, like I knew they would.

The trip was originally to visit us for a week or so, but because of a couple of interesting additions to our schedule, tonight Josh got to meet Jenn's Aunt Karen, Uncle Dave and Cousin Kevin (they came to visit us for Labor Day weekend). Next weekend, he gets to meet Jenn's Uncle Howie, Aunt Pat and Cousin Tricia. There's a few more Burrs out there, but I guess they'll have to wait for a later time.

Next weekend we head to New Jersey for the dedication of our last appointment's new corps building. Along the way, we pass right through many of Jenn's old stomping grounds so she'll get to show Josh around some of her memories.

Tomorrow it's out to sight-see Maine's Bar Harbor and Cadillac Mountain! Then we'll head home for our traditional Labor Day cookout on the back deck.

Welcome home, Jenn! Welcome home, Josh! It's so good to have you with us (in more ways than one).

Looking Back

As [Jesus & his disciples] were walking along the road, a man said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
- Luke 9:57-21 (NIV)

I'm sure there are many things you can get from this passage, but right now I'm thinking that Jesus was telling us ahead of time that ministry is hard! Jesus gave us this "warning" because it's in our nature to quit when the going gets tough. We naturally look for that proverbial greener grass in some other situation.

In my life, I can easily recall our move to Maine a mere five years ago. The Army sent, so we went! But what most people don't understand is that mid-northern Maine is as different a cultural experience from what we knew all our lives as it is going to a different country! We didn't think that then, but that's what we found.

Who would have ever guessed we would have wanted to go "back to Egypt?" Our response was one something like: "GET US OUT OF HERE!" Something like that . . . well maybe exactly like that! But God had a plan and a purpose for our being in Bangor. At the 4 1/2 year mark, some things happened that gave us insight into The Enemy trying to make us "look back" on "better" things:

"We loved New Jersey! Why can't we go back?"

And he made us speculate on what could be:

"What if we were sent to 'such and such' a ministry? Wouldn't that be great?"

But that wasn't God's plan. His plan was for us to discover the name and nature of The Enemy who was entrenched over this area and begin the fight against him (Hopelessness). And we've made some tremendous strides in the last six months! It would be sad to think what we would have missed if we had given up and moved backwards. We have fought through the worst of it and have come to love it right where God has placed us- in Bangor, Maine!

I believe God's plan is not to gather us all in one place so we can be happy, easy and comfortable (and comfort can mean different things to different people). I believe his plan is for us to "go away!" The Great Commission tells us- "Go into all the world!" It doesn't say anything about staying where you are.

At The War College, one of their strategies is: Capture, Train, Deploy. Deploy means send out- that's apostolic (being sent). I believe that's a good plan. In fact it's a God plan. We should be sent out to go where God has rocky ground for us to plow.

It's not easy. No one ever promised us a rose garden (no place to lay your head). But the rewards are out of this world!

Anyone looking back lately? Maybe that situation you're pining for is one you've never been to. Maybe it's one you know well and already chose to leave. Some ministry situations are harder than others, but wherever God has sent us, we can be sure he'll be there with us.

Non-Sequitur

This explains all those trumpet fanfares!
(Click the picture to enlarge the image)

Battle Gear T-Shirts!

The Bangor Corps is selling Salvation Army Battle Gear T-Shirts to help pay for our War College Student expenses (airfares, care packages, scholarships, etc). Show your Salvation Army pride and support a powerful ministry at the same time!

All T-Shirts are only $10 each (even the long sleeved one!). The Hoodies are only $20. They come in men's Small, Medium, Large, XL and XXL. What a deal! For now (it may change as I learn more about what it costs), shipping will be $3 for 1-3 shirts, $5 for 4-6 shirts and we'll work out anything higher or foreign shipping when you contact me through a comment (or email me if you know my email- but I'm not putting it up here, then I'll get spammed like crazy!).

Click on the image to see a larger picture. If some of the print is still too small, I can answer any questions you have.

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Okay, the print is really small! I can see that now that I've published the picture. So I'm going to list what's written on each shirt:

1) TOP LEFT: Front- TV logo with "to be continued..." Back- Shield with "We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ."

2) TOP RIGHT: Big letters- ARMY. In smaller letters inside the "A" is SALVATION. Get it? Salvation Army!

3) 2ND ROW LEFT: (Tie Dye shirts in assorted colors) Front- "Grateful Dead." Back- I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20"

4) 2ND ROW RIGHT: "On a Mission from God" with shield.

5) 3RD ROW LEFT: Front is a plain pocket T-shirt. Back- Bleeding shield with "The shields of His warriors are red. Nahum 2:3"

6) 3RD ROW RIGHT: Maroon Shirt with TSA Crest in yellow. Made with high collar uniforms in mind!

7) BOTTOM LEFT: Hoodie- Big letters- ARMY. In smaller letters inside the "A" is SALVATION. Get it? Salvation Army!

8) BOTTOM ROW RIGHT: Long Sleeve- (in distressed print) Shield with lines.