Congratulations Anna!

Congratulations ANNA on your 60th birthday. I am very happy to live with you. In December it will be 40 years since we got married. You have blessed my life. I know many people feel the same.

It is told that it was really cold and snowy on the plain of Uppsala when you were born ..... today 60 years ago. Yes, you can (surely) take many tough challenges.

Mika helped grandmother quickly this morning to blow out the candles. Anna was happy for a new camera, which she received from many friends. We had Birthday coffee at the Region Office today 09:45, but otherwise most celebration will be on Saturday in Pai.

I wrote on the congratulation card this morning: We give you not only the gospel of God ..... but also our own lives, because you have been dear to us. See 1 Thessalonians 2:8.

Ingvar

.........God`s own Presence.

Now we have had an intense period of many visits. Gudrun B. and Matilda H. have been here. Yesterday Owe A. ended his serivse as Region Leader and today Josefin F. and Helen R. took over this task. Today our daughter Mariam with her family came from Cambodia and today our daughter Ruth was 34 years in Sweden. CONGRATULATIONS Ruthan.

In the midst of this all, and much more, I have been thinking about 3 areas of work. I like to “chew” on scriptures or on truths .... ... along the way. What is needed?

1. I do a good job!

2. I train up others so they can do a good job!

3. I am strengthening families, churches, organizations and communities so they get an inner strength and ability to solve common problems and can be from inside a voice for change! All these 3 are needed, in right portions.

But they are not enought. We need also in all this a charisma, authority, influence, attitude, character, love, faith, hope, the Holy Spirit and ... .... God's own presence. The last months I have been using the greeting: Be Blessed from Heaven .....

I might like to give it to others, because I need to remind myself that I need a heavenly shower in the middle of my everyday life. Ingvar

Like an Orange in the juice machine

Hezekiah spread his issues of concern before the face of God (Is. 37). He was threatened and 'squeezed' by his enemy.

When crisis' are increasing and we feel were are crunched and squeezed on every side, like an orange in the juice machine.

When we know the only option is: To enter the prayercloset and before God spread it out before the Lord. Do it!

I sat in my 'closet' drawing in my diary. There were three areas like three puzzles. One was Kambodja and the work which Mariam and Phil are involved in. The second was theTree of Life, which is going through a transition and there are many pieces in the puzzle yet to find their place, but for every step it is a walk on a slack rope over the Niagara Falls. Let the third will stay untold today.

I needed to concretize every prayer, so I took to pen and paper and specified every situation. Well this has been my life for some time. But when the 'closet-time' is up, and I close my diary I have left it in God's hand.

Then one morning Lampuang, one of my Thai friends came and asked to show me a dream she just had. She drew a puzzle and said: Jesus came to me in the dream and pointed to the puzzle and told, that you had done the right thing ;-)

I laughed, excuse me, but Jesus often has a funny way of encouraging us.

Hezekiah knew that God was mightier than all his enemies and used this ancient tool: PRAYER.

Since then good news is trickling in about situations changing and prodigals coming home etc.

Let us not forget, in our so often crunched and squeezed lives; that there is ONE who is ready to listen and happy do what we ask Him to.

With Love

Anna

Information & Inspiration

The world is overflowing with information. Sometimes we might wonder: How much can we take? Personally I like to listen to News but ...... as they often are bad news, they can be heavy. They can create discouragement so I lose heart.

We can resign seeing all evil, misery and injustice. But we can also receive a calling to service. We can take a decision: I want to do something about it and be the salt and the light of the world.

Soon we realize that to be able to do something sustainable we must work together with others ... and with God. Only than, we can change circumstances and we can see transformation in individuals, families, congregations and in societies. We need a lot of inspiration, spiritual food and encouragement. Also hear Good News and see positive things.

We need both Information & Inspiration. And God has provided a lot of inspiration for us, also right here, also this weekend. Ingvar

Cooperation....do I have time for that?

All of us are tempted to have too much to do …. by ourselves. By this we do not have time to cooperate with others and with God, for building up families, communities and societies. Some words from a coworker in Mongolia have been ringing in me:

"We can show how good we are at catching a lot of fish.

We can teach others to catch a lot of fish.

But if we return home with a lot of fish, but quarrel and behave violent with our wife’s and children... we have failed.''

"Our goal is to do the job,

to work well with others,

but also to have the peace of God rule in us as individuals, families and communities.''

I've been thinking about this and would like to add:

Step 1. I do the work: "Hands On".

Step 2. I teach others, so they can do the job.

Step 3. I encourage others that they also can teach others to do the job.

Step 4. I build up individuals, families and communities with the Kingdom of God values and "gifts".

Step 5. And .... it works even without me.

Life and missions is exciting. There's much more to discover in 2012 in our mission work ... ... together with God and together with other people.

Ingvar

From Anna's desk at the Tree of Life

I have just moved my home office to the new premises of the Tree of Life Ministry. It is with my eyes resting on the Lord and a holy expectation for what he has install for us in this year of 2012.

I give you full control O Lord. Have Your way.

A word that spoke to me this morning. When God was teaching young Samuel in the office as a prophet it says in 1 Sam.3: 19 '' So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground''. Lord let our words be inspired by heaven to give life and let none of the words be wasted.

Love Anna

Be Blessed from heaven .... 2012

First, we wish you all:
A happy new year 2012.

We look much forward to meet you and cooperate with you this year.

"We Have A Dream" .... for 2012. This is also a prayer. That God's Church would be the meeting place where everyone feels at home, whatever background or ….however "broken", no matter how good we are or what position we have in society.

That there is “Space for Grace”. Not a man-made blind Grace, that says "I do not care" but a divine Grace, that cares and also has a way forward. ... together. How can we from this position let life, grace and justice fully flow through us in todays society? And where the weak, the poor, the fatherless, the lost, the odd, the sick, the unemployed and immigrants ...... have a chance to be loved and restored.Then we His children display the Father's heart and become true followers of Jesus.

We Have A Dream ".... for 2012 also for Christian leaders, pastors, elders, missionaries, etc., that we all will experience a heavenly Year of Grace fully functional, although we all might feel helpless now and then.

Be blessed from heaven 2012. Ingvar & Anna