What stories have impacted your heart lately?  There are so many stories worth listening to that it becomes overwhelming.  Sometimes we just turn off our ears and hearts.

We spent the last two weeks living with Pastor Antoine, one of our Haitian partners.  We traveled around giving him the opportunity to tell the stories of what is happening in Haiti.  Believe me we have been doing spiritual warfare the whole time.  And God will not let us close our ears or hearts to the cries of his people.  

Antoine was supposed to arrive the evening of April 28, but didn't get here until the morning of  April 30.  He literally laid his life on the line to come and tell us the stories of the needs, trauma, and resilience of his people in the village of Neply.  In the outlying villages there is safety from the violence, but they are so weary and hungry, and struggling to understand why, despite their faith and prayers, nothing seems to change.

Have you been impacted by the story of the formula shortage, with people desperate to find formula for their babies?  How can this be, we ask, in the USA?  It is a real problem.  Now imagine that you are a parent, sister, brother, grandparent and you have no way to feed the children, not for a few months, but day after day, month after month, year after year.  You literally live day to day wondering if you will have food tomorrow.  

Now imagine that you desperately want to feed your children, but there is no work.  Unemployment is at 90%, worse than it was 5 years ago.

Now imagine that gas is $12 a gallon, if you can even get it.  The mission can no longer take the children to school on their truck, so children are walking 3-6 miles round trip to school, on an empty stomach.  Antoine desperately would like to feed the children at school each day.

 We hear stories about the rise in mental health issues we are facing because of Covid.  It is very real and must be dealt with.  Now imagine that you have experienced an earthquake, a hurricane, gang violence, extreme poverty (you can't feed your children) and political corruption on top of the covid.  Pastor Antoine asks us to pray for their mental health.  They are desperate.

We can't save all of Haiti, but we have been significantly impacting the village of Neply by providing education through trade school or university, by feeding orphans, and paying the salaries of teachers at the Love Haiti school.  But after listening to the stories for two weeks we know that God is calling us to do more!  We need to raise the salaries of the teachers so they can feed their families.  We need to raise the funds so that we can feed the students, and we want to provide funding for basic medical care in the village.  

It will take open hearts and open pocketbooks!  We invite you to respond beautifully to what God is calling all pf us to do together!  You can be a part of raising up a village, giving them new hope and assuring them that GOD has not forgotten them.  WE ARE GOD'S AGENTS!!

If you have read right through this blog I want to encourage you to read it again, but this time stop after each paragraph and imagine what God is calling you to do. 

Personal message me hollyschutlois@gmail.com If you have questions.  97% of what you give goes directly to our partners...we promise!  To give online go to www.beautifulresponse.org  or make a check out to Beautiful Response and send it to Laura Hoekstra, 386 S. Watertown St., Waupun, WI 53963 

Encounters Along the Way

 I met a man, a big burly guy.  He was 78 and in a wheelchair.  He was hard of hearing, and so used a big burly voice to talk with me.  Harsh sounding.  He was homely, unshaven, with one disfigured eye, the whites of which gazed at me through a slit.  

His legs were useless, he said.  He was trapped most of the time in this wheelchair. He was helpless in many ways, but said he and Jean were making it work.

And then he told me about the women he has loved: a wife who had died, another good woman he was living with, and when I asked him about his faith, he told me about his grandmother.  "As a child," he said, "I went to her house almost every day before school or work."   Now there was a tear in that disfigured eye.  "She taught me about Jesus, and to read the Bible."  His voice had become soft and gentle, as he remembered this love of his life.  She died when I was 17.  Now I had a tear in my eye.

As I reflect on this encounter, over and over again, I am reminded of Isaiah 53:2 where Isaiah is describing the coming suffering servant.  "He had no beauty or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him."  

Lent is a time of reflection, a time to look at ourselves and seeing what is inside us.  At the beginning of this encounter I just wanted to move on.  I had no desire to really look at this man.  But as I listened to his story he became real to me, and then he became an image bearer of God, as we all are.  I recognized in myself the tendency to look for God in people who look like me, and this man was ,"the other."  

"The Other" can be caused by many things: they may be from a different socioeconomic class, a different race, ethnicity, gender identity,  value system, disfigurement, disability, etc.  We gravitate to those "like us," and so are missing what God is doing in the world, and what he would love to do in our lives in so many ways.  God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but how can we love them unless we get to know them?  How can we understand them, unless it becomes a priority to expand our world and discover a little more about theirs?  It takes effort.

I was also challenged to ask myself, when my grandchildren are 78 what do I want them to remember and cherish about me?  Isn't is interesting, two challenges: One about how I interact with the world, and one about how I love my grandchildren?  

Trying to keep up with God

What an incredible summer this has been!!  In the last month we spent a week in Haiti, three weeks with our kids and grandkids, including time in WI, and at Cran-Hill Ranch.  I'm exhausted, but so very thankful!  In the midst of all the good times there was the awareness that there are so many struggles in this world, including a family member struggling with an illness, and a friend of our youngest son dying of leukemia. We are also aware that we live in a lost and broken world, but it is so loved by God, and we need to find our role in being the presence of God bringing hope and healing. 

Like I said, I'm exhausted!  But thankful!  As I write this I am reminded of all our Haitian friends who pledge their love and prayers for us.  Like most trips we met with the elderly of the village of Neply.  Men and women who have lived all of their lives in a country of incredible needs and faith.  Seems an odd combination, but it is real. 

We met and shared a Scripture passage with them. We sang Amazing Grace, and they sang along in Creole. We broke into pairs and prayed for each one of them, and I asked them to pray for us.  In unison they responded, "We pray for you every day.  We pray much, much, much!!"  It is so humbling!  When I fear, they are praying for me.  When I am discouraged, they are praying for me.  When I recognize the blessings God has bestowed, they are praying for me. 

Even as we are enjoying our families this summer I ask that you send up a prayer for these dear saints.  Pray for them, and for their community and country.  They are afraid for their country and economy.  Cost of food keeps rising, as do the costs for everything.  They literally live day to day, praying for the resources to keep their families alive. 

The Haitian community knows and understands the covenant promise that as God's people we are "blessed to be a blessing."  Please join us in the flow of God's blessings!!

Believing God Loves Us, Even When...

Sometimes we wonder, "What can I do?  Am I making any difference in the world?...for the kingdom of God?"  There are times when I wonder that, even in our work in Haiti.  Does it matter that we go down three or four times a year?  Is it a good use of resources?

One of our partners in Haiti, Pastor Antoine was visiting with us here in MI last fall.  We were introducing him to our partner churches in the Midwest.  In some ways it is heart-wrenching to see the 2 worlds collide.  One evening we were at a church and Antoine was sharing his testimony and the story of what God is doing in Haiti.  He was so nervous, working hard to explain, in his second language the essence of that story.

At the end of our Q and A time I asked, "Pastor, why is it important for us to come down to Haiti?

He opened his heart and bared his soul with passion as he said, "In Haiti it is hard for people to believe that God loves them.  They don't have money to buy food for their family.  They can't send their children to school. There is no work for them. In situations like this it is hard to believe God loves you.  The people of Haiti feel like they are living in hell.  When YOU think about hell it is a place some people go after death.  You go to heaven or hell.  But in Haiti the people feel like they are in hell now.  When you come to Haiti and let the love of God flow through you, then they can believe that God loves them."

Once again I was so humbled.  Simply by coming: being their brothers and sisters in Christ, helping to make it possible for children to go to school, to get training for a trade, by worship with them, laughing with them, praying and eating with them, in all these ways we help to bring the love and kingdom of God.  This is why we go, why we send, why we care.  People living in hell can see that God is real and loves them.

This is the challenge, my friends:  to carry the love of God to our family, addressing the poverty in their life, but also in our lives: for certainly they are rich in ways we don't realize and we are in poverty in ways we don't realize. 

James 2:14-17 says:
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds?  Can such faith save them?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, "Go in peace: keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Tiny Seeds

Recently I led worship on a Sunday afternoon on "6 West," the inpatient Psych ward at the hospital in town. Going in it is easy to wonder what good it will do.  Does it change anything for those who come?  How does this 45 minutes impact those who, with such deep needs, show up?

On this particular Sunday I began our time together with a verse from Psalm 17,  "Guard me as the apple of your eye.  Hide me in the shadow of your wings." Do you remember how hard it is to believe this when you are at the lowest of your lows?  Really? God sees me as the apple of his eye? 

Then I told the parable of the Mustard Seed.  If we have only a tiny seed of the Kingdom of God planted inside us we will grow.  There will be movement.  That seed is a living, active thing.  It pushes through the dirt, the asphalt, the rocks.  It reaches up to the air, the sunshine, the rain, to God.  Jesus didn't say plant a grain of sand.  A grain of sand won't grow a beach, but a seed.is living.  A seed of faith grows day by day.  It doesn't turn into a great bush overnight.  Sometimes we have trouble telling that it is growing, but it does.  It is a process, and eventually we begin to perceive that God notices me...God is with me...God does guard me as the apple of his eye: and then sometimes we forget all over again.  But God persists.  He wants us to know in the depths of our being how precious we are in his eyes.

It was a good word for those who have trouble imagining that kind of love and acceptance.  It seemed to make a difference.  The Holy Spirit can do that, even in the most challenging situations. I'll never really know if there was lasting impact, but that afternoon I planted seeds. That's what I can do. 

As I was signing out the staff told me that one of the guys had never been able to sit through anyof the previous session of counseling, group therapy, etc.  But I believe that the quiet gentle way of telling the story, like we do in Children and Worship created fertile soil for the kingdom seed.  And maybe faith grew a little bit, and we believed a little more that just maybe we are the apple of God's eye, even in our most distressed state. Maybe we can huddle in the shadow of God's wings until we can grow a little more faith and can face tomorrow.

What good can come out of ????

For those of us with much biblical awareness we recognize that just about everything is upside down in Jesus' Kingdom perspective.  The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.  The wisdom of God is foolishness in the world.  The least is the greatest.  The poor are blessed and the rich are brought down.

God took me down one of those roads last week as I have been working on fundraising for Haiti.  I was scheduled to speak at a Mother/Daughter banquet at my aunt's church.  It is a little Presbyterian church in the little town of Cambria, about 400 people.  I wondered what God might be up to in this little, off the beaten path village.

I had traveled home from Holland, MI earlier that day, which is about a six hour trip. I showered, changed, gathered up my projection and computer equipment, plus brochures, jewelry I was selling, etc. and dashed off to Cambria, a 2 hour trip west, picking up my mom on the way.

I was weary, and thinking, "What good can come from Cambria?"  much like Nathanael asked when told by Philip, "We have found the one that Moses wrote about in the law, the one the prophets foretold, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph!"   Nazareth, that little podunk village?  You are talking about the Messiah here! God wouldn't let the Messiah come from that scrappy little village, that nowhere.  Everyone needs to know that he is here...a little fanfare would help. Nazareth, ha.

I know better, but sometimes I get sucked into thinking I need to find people with lots of money, discretionary funds that they would be willing to invest in Haiti.  And there may be those people out there, but in my wiser moments I also realize it is usually the humble, the "nobodies from nowhere"  that have hearts open to God's spirit of generosity.

And so wearily I arrived in Nazareth...I mean Cambria, and met with about 35 wonderful sisters in Christ. We shared a meal, a potluck, with tables overflowing, and I shared my story of what God is doing through Help the Youth and Beautiful Response in Haiti.  Humble, compassionate, generous hearts were opened and the people of Haiti were blessed.  Three students will be able to go to school next year because people who have never met them care, people who had never met me before that evening opened their hearts and pocket books.

Once again I learned my lessons in the upside-downness of the Gospel.   My heart was warmed and I hope and pray that they will welcome me again.  Cambria is a good place for Jesus to show up and blessings to flow.

Ice chips! So Yummy!

Last week I had a nasty bout of stomach flu.  Very possibly the worst episode of activity leading up to dehydration I've ever hard. (Wasn't that nicely worded :)  At 2:00 in the morning I wanted to guzzle glasses of water, but knew that my system wasn't ready for that. So I made Al get up and get me a glass of ice chips.

Oh my goodness! It tasted so good.  I would eat a spoonful of chips and then force myself to wait about 20 minutes to eat some more.  As I relished these delightful chips of cold clear water I thought, "If I never eat anything again but ice chips I'll be fine. I"ll never put anything in water again to change the taste, no tea, no coffee, no gatorade, nothing but cool clear water!

I know, a little overboard, but it was real in the moment.

My thirst led to thoughts about Jesus, the living water.  Jesus, the one who quenches our thirst.  I thought about what makes me spiritually thirsty.  How much do I long for more of Jesus?  What sets Jesus apart from from all other spiritual nourishment and refreshment? What wakes me up to my need for Jesus, the living water?  Do I long for what Jesus offers me?

Often I drink most deeply when I'm also weeping most deeply.  Perhaps tears of sorrow, but also tears of awe for the fact that Jesus is present, real.  For me it happens through worship times when the words of a song or hymn just connect with my spirit to nourish me, or the Scripture speaks into the longing of my heart, or convicts me of sins I need to deal with.  Sometimes in prayer with others the community is so strong and Jesus presence is so sweet it feels like fresh rain. And sometimes the chaos in the world is so overwhelming I long for the Living Water to flood over me, to lift me out of the fear and muck I feel mired in.  Living Water...always available to wash us clean, set us free, nourish our souls, quench our thirst.

I'm wondering when it happens for you?   When do you find yourself longing for the Living Water?  

Looking Ahead

This is a big year!  Our son, Cory, turns 40.  I turn 65. I know, those of you who know me can't believe it :)  and neither can I, and Al turns 70; even harder to believe...but all true!  How does this happen?

So we are acknowledging that, even though we are still working hard, we are in our "golden years." Multiple trips to Haiti each year, visits to our kids and grandkids in Australia.  Life that is full and rich, even in the midst of the current chaos in the country.

Then there is the reality that we need to plan ahead...without knowing how much "Ahead" there is; 10 years, twenty years, thirty years, tomorrow?  As we contemplate this our thoughts run to Haiti. How can we ensure that the work that is being done through Beautiful Response and Help the Youth continues.  We are not in this for the short-term!  The needs are long-term: and we have children who will need assistance to become all God has created them to be for many years.  We are in for the long-haul.

When God first turned our hearts back to Haiti we realized it would involve raising funds.  Our first response was, "But God, you know we are not good fund raisers!"  (Yep, God knew, and assured us he would be the provider we needed.)  Today we look back on God's faithfulness, and ahead realizing that we need to set up a trust or foundation to provide a base for the fundraising that will need to continue.

On the one hand that is very intimidating for us. Again, WAY out of our comfort zone!  On the other hand it is very exciting.  How will God provide?  Who will come forward to give?  What will this need to look like?  Where are the "cattle on a thousand hills" that God has reserved to help his children in Haiti?  Where will we get the boldness to invite people to be a part of something life changing for so many people?  How much, Oh Lord?  How many people will be blessed in the giving and receiving?

We are also mindful that we need to watch for the next generation of leaders to take on this ministry 5, 10, 15? years down the road.  Who will God raise up?  Who will find their calling in joining this partnership with our Haitian friends?  Who will fall in love with God's leaders as well as the children of Haiti?

Big questions...big challenges!  We need your prayers!  We need your eyes and ears.  Please join us in the quest for big hearts and the ability to invest emotionally, spiritually and financially in the work God is doing through Beautiful Response in Haiti.  So many of you are dear to our hearts.  We thank you for your love and support!

More Prayer?

I am so excited about the opportunity I am having to bless and invest into the lives of "young" moms.  Friday one of them said, "Yeah, but I'm the oldest of the "young moms."  So perhaps I should say, "The next generation."  I get to be the mentor that Pat Doolittle, Christine Noorlaag, Jo Bush, Shirley Borgman, and so many others were to me; beautiful women who are/were a little farther down the road of life than me.

Friday some of us were meeting for a Bible Study. It was a semester break day, so there were children playing while we met. Sometimes people are tempted to cancel, or postpone when the kids will be with them.  I'm so glad we didn't on this Friday.  

Part way through the morning we paused for a time of listening as we did a guided imagery prayer. In the midst of our silence, from around the corner, we heard 6 year old Judah softly singing, "Change the atmosphere, build your kingdom here, we pray."  Sometimes that is what listening for God sounds like.

Mary has two little adopted boys from an eastern european country. They are 5-6 years old, and both have Down's Syndrome.  We had been meeting for about an hour and a half and Jonah, who is quite non-verbal, was ready to go home. He climbed up on his mom's lap and was whining a little.  I said I was going to close in prayer and he settled down.  I prayed for the families and said Amen.  Jonah looked at his mom and signed, "more prayer."  His mom asked him if that was what he wanted and he signed again, "More prayer."  I prayed for Jonah rubbing his back, and he then was all ready to go.  It was beautiful and humbling. 

There are times we get reminded of what we really seek and how God wants to show up.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Jeremiah 29:13

"And a little child will lead them."  Isaiah 11:6

Go out!

Manite, a Haitian friend greeted me and said, "I'm going to go out and preach the gospel!"  During the week there had been evangelism training by their local pastor, and prayer meetings in preparation, and now they were heading for nearby villages to preach the gospel. (Romans 10:14 How can they hear unless someone preaches to them?)

It was Friday morning and we were in Haiti.  The truck had been loaded with pots and pans, rice and beans, veggies and even beef and chicken. It was loaded with Haitian students who would be cleaning veggies and beans, tending fires, and setting rocks at just the right angles for the huge cast iron pots. We were cooking up a feast for a beach party in Con Crab, a nearby village. We played games with the children, we slivered green beans with half a razor blade, and a village was fed. "Together we preached the gospel."  (James 2:16 Suppose a brother or sister is in need of clothing or food, If one of you says, "Go in peace, keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?)

I walked through the village with one of our team.  We found an albino grandmother with a huge sore on her leg, and another elderly woman with a tumor on her back the size of a baseball.  They invited us into their humble homes, so glad we had come. We brought them food from the feast and prayed with them. It didn't matter that we knew so little Creole, Jesus was there. "Together we preached the Gospel." (Colossians 3:14 Above all else, clothe yourself with love, which binds us all together in perfect love.)

All week long we SAW the Gospel being lived out...sometimes we had the joy of being part of it. All week long we HEARD the Gospel being lived out in songs and prayers, in thanksgiving and petition, in laughter and cries.
All week long we FELT the Gospel being lived out in JOY and LOVE, in HOPE in the midst of weariness.  It has been a tough time for all of them.


I have to admit it is easier to see the Gospel...the Good News...being lived out in Haiti than it is here in the US; at least for me it is. I think about the quote attributed to Francis of Assisi, "At all times preach the Gospel, and when necessary use words."

The Gospel is certainly needed here as much as in Haiti.  I long to see it: justice, mercy, love, compassion, encouragement, joy, hope, kindness, faithfulness, humility, forgiveness...good news for the poor, the captives, and that's us as well.

Let's go out and be it!  That is our calling as Jesus followers, and the world certainly needs us to be all God calls us to be.

Eyes, Ears and Spirit Engaged

Do you know this story from Luke 7:36-50?

Jesus went to a dinner hosted by pharisees, people he knew were probably trying to trick him, rather than really listen to him.

A woman with a well-known, less than glowing reputation entered the courtyard with a bottle of perfume. She proceeded to anoint Jesus feet and wipe them with her hair and tears.

There was tension in the room.  This woman had the ability to "defile" you by just touching you, and Jesus was allowing her to do this to him.

There was tension...there was smugness...there was disdain...AND there was love...there was peace...there was forgiveness.

Al preached on this a couple of weeks ago.  We looked at the pharisees, and the forgiven woman, but what really struck me was looking at Jesus.  Ever since I have been drawn back to this story to contemplate Jesus presence through it all.

While the room is abuzz with the smugness and disdain, Jesus is enjoying the love poured out by the forgiven woman.  He doesn't listen to the voices in the room.  John records several times when Jesus says, "I only do what I see the Father do.  I only say what I hear the Father say."  This is the voice to which he is totally tuned in.

Then he says to Simon, "Simon, we need to talk."  He reminds Simon of what he has not done for his "guest."  He tells a short parable.  He then blesses the woman.

What struck me was Jesus' non-anxious presence in that space.  He is so tuned in to the Father he knows what is truth...he knows what he needs to do...he refuses to be ensnared by the response of others.

I want to be more like Jesus.  I want to be that non-anxious presence in tension filled places.  But, I realize I need to be more disciplined about listening to the Father; better at seeing how God is at work in the world, and my little corner of it.

In our tension filled world today, maybe we need to start by kneeling at the feet of Jesus and asking him to teach us what that looks like for each one of us.

Lord, where are you calling me to be a presence for you?  Teach me to listen for your voice.  Help me to rise above the fear that seeks to blind us to your truth.  Calm my heart and fill me with courage and confidence in you, my Rock and my Salvation.

Sowing Seed and Watching Them Grow

"I do not sow my seeds on the rocks.  I sow my seeds on the good soil!"  These were the words out of TiCarme's mouth after we met with the director of the trade school where Lynx, one of our Haitian students is learning to be a mechanic.  We had just been told that he was at the top of his class, a leader and a great addition to the student body.  TiCarme glowed like the "mom" she is to all 100 of these students.

I spent 4 days in Haiti with Kevin and Sandra Ernst.  Kevin is a professional film-maker and is donating his time and talents to making a promotional video for Beautiful Response, our US fundraising side of this work.  I can't wait to see what Kevin produces!!  The goal was to capture the heart of what God is doing in Haiti through Help The Youth, and as the days progressed I could see Kevin and Sandra making that heart connection.

In the eyes, smiles and stories of the students and leaders HOPE shone through.  Here was an island of hope in the midst of so much despair.  These were lives impacted by the love of God and grace of Jesus.  At one point Sandra commented on the appropriateness of our name, "Beautiful Response."  She said, "It is the perfect name. You can't come here and meet these people and not have your heart changed.  You can't go away without responding to what God is doing!"  They weren't drawn only to responding to the needs...there are huge needs which can be completely overwhelming, but they were responding to the HOPE that exists because God is at work through the Haitian leaders and students.

Like TiCarme we sowed our seed in good soil when we invited them to join us in Haiti.  They are donating all of their time in Haiti and the time Kevin will spend producing the video stateside.  What a gift!  They are also committed for the long haul...hearts touched, beautifully responding, telling others!

Al and I covered their airfare and in country expenses, enabling them to go down.  We know it was seed well sown.  If you would be willing to help us with those expenses we would be most grateful!

Sowing Seeds and watching God produce a harvest is amazing!  What seeds are you sowing?

For those of you not sure of the structure of our partnership let me explain a bit:

Beautiful Response is a 501c3 organization that is committed to coming alongside indigenous missions and organizations where God is already at work through amazing men and women working within their communities.

Currently we have partners in Uganda...Raising Up Hope Uganda (RUHU) Caleb and Sonja Schut are the point people.
And in Haiti...Help The Youth (HTY)  Al and Holly Schut are the point people.

Our partners have the leadership, gifts and abilities, the knowledge of the situations and needs in their countries, and the faith they need to be used by God to bring change and hope.

We have been blessed and humbled to be called to come along side them to provide the financial resources and to be their friends, brothers and sisters, in this work.

For more information or to give online go to www.beautifulresponse.org  Indicate if your gift is for Uganda or Haiti.  We also ask for your prayers for our friends and partners and for us, as we seek to do our part in this kingdom work.

UPCOMING TRIPS:  July 25-29 Young adult and family trip.
                                    November 14-18
                                    February 20-24

Dreaming and Playing with God

Today I had lunch with my friend Marcia. Marcia is a character.  Marcia is 75.  Marcia is feisty.  On her bucket list is getting arrested for a worthy cause. Marcia works for justice for the homeless, the disadvantaged, the lonely.  She invites to her table those who will never be able to invite her to their home.  I got to experience one of those meals recently, and it was quite the experience!  Marcia is beloved.

Marcia had a dream.  She dreamed that she was walking on the beach, though it wasn't beach weather.  There were almost no other people on the beach, although she did see one man up ahead walking toward her.  She was frightened of him, but didn't have anywhere to go to get away.  As he got closer she realized it was Jesus and he looked sad.  With tears in his eyes he said, "Marcia, you don't play with me anymore."

Marcia thought about all the good and important things happening in her life. She is a busy woman. She is also a woman who has been diagnosed with cancer.  She is hoping she will live another 5 years.  That's her goal, reaching 80.  But she doesn't really know if she has 3 months left.  Thus, she is very aware of time and the things she wants and needs to get done, but she also realized in these most important times she is forgetting to have fun with God.

So she has made a decision to spend more time in the woods....with God, knitting and crocheting with friends...and God, and doing those things that make her laugh and bring her and God joy.  And she is trying to have fewer bad days when she is prone to saying bad words.  Marcia is very real.

I'm wondering how I best play with God.  One way is bird-watching.  I may have to buy some new binoculars.  I seem to have lost mine.

I'm wondering how you play with God.  How do you enjoy the presence of Jesus?  I'm wondering how you would respond if Jesus came to you and asked why you weren't spending more time having fun with him.

Are you aware of the Westminster shorter catechism question, "What is man's greatest purpose?"  "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."  (Man's, as in humankind.)

No matter how many our days may be, Lord, help us to bring you glory and have fun with you forever!

Haba...what? Habakkuk

Today I read the Book of Habakkuk. What a sobering, scary, yet reassurring word. God is in control, people! I realize this is true in the world wide sense and on a personal scale. God is in control. God is not blind to the state of affairs in our country. God is not deaf to our prayers. God has not absenced himself from us.


At the same time we need to recognize that we can't play games with God. God cannot be conned into doing our will or being on “our side.”


It seems abundantly clear in Scripture that:
1.  Our confidence needs to be, not in men, or might, or money, but in the Lord our God.  Psalm 20:7  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.  If you google this verse and then read all the corresponding verses it is a culture shock.  We have become very accustomed to the ways of this world.


2.  God cares about justice and caring for the poor, the stranger within our gates, the sick, the children, the vulnerable.  Zechariah 7:10  "Thus has the LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; 10and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.' 11"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.…
(biblehub.com does a god job of referencing Scriptures with the same theme.)


3.  We better not take God's name in vain, which I fear is being done by so many of us lately...claiming the name of Christian but refusing to follow Jesus. Refusing to love God above all and our neighbors/and enemies as ourselves. (Ok, I know that is tough, but how do we pray for those we consider our enemies?) Exodus 20:7


Jesus, help us to follow you! Help us to live so as to bring glory to your name. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable unto you! You are Lord, you are king, you are in control, whether I see it or not.


Habakkuk 3:3 Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.


Have mercy upon us, O Lord.

Hearts and Hope

Over and over again people will ask, “I'm not sure what I would do in Haiti. Wouldn't it be a better use of that money to just send it down?”  In general the answer is “No.” Our goal is that you would fall in love with Haiti's youth and our partners. Our goal is that you would be able to pray for our board and one or two of the students by name...you will see their faces and know their stories. Our goal is that you will laugh and play with your new friends and brothers and sisters in Christ, whether they are little orphans from the mission where we stay, or our students and friends in Neply.  We understand not everyone can come down, but if you can...COME!


Arnold, one of our board members told those who joined us on this last trip, “Thank you for coming to Haiti to see how we live. Together we can start making a difference. The children are not the same as they were before we started Help The Youth. They are participating in church more. Their friendships are better. They understand people better. I see how imporant it is. Sometimes we don't know what we are doing because we don't see the changes inside the heart. I can see there is a great difference!”


Rodrique said, “I don't have a job now, but I know that I have been prepared and have an education, so I will have a job. Our students have that same hope. They know that they are being prepared and educated so they will be ready for what God wants for them.”


We have been told by several people, “If people are hopeless they will turn into bad people out of desperation...thieves, drug dealers, etc. But our students have hope. They know God has made it possible for them to go to school.”


TiCarme said, “The students feel like a president's child. They don't have to worry that they will be sent home from school because there is no money for school.” 

There is no way to understand the power of that statement without understanding the educational system in Haiti. There is no free education. If 2/3rds of the way through the year you run out of money the student has to do the whole year over again. (The importance of us being in this for the long haul really struck me when she said this.)



We can tell the difference in the students by looking in their faces, by watching them tease each other, by watching them serve on a mission trip to a neighboring village. This really is all about changing hearts...mine, yours, our partners, our students.  We know God doesn't just work through Haiti, so I'm wondering, "What is God doing in your heart lately?"

Overcoming Overflowers

Do you ever play the game with your children or grandchildren that starts out, “I'm thinking of an animal.” Then they proceed to ask questions and make guesses about what you are thinking about? With our kids we sometimes played, “I'm thinking of a person.” We often narrowed the field by figuring out where we were living when we knew this person.


I invite you to play this version of the game with me. “I'm thinking of a person who is overflowing with hope.” This person demonstrates what it means to be filled with joy and peace. This person is a joy to be with. This person is authentic. This person hasn't always had an easy life. This person doesn't deny the struggles in her life. This person loves the freedon Christ came to give. This person knows Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. This person loves nature. This person loves children, though she doesn't have any of her own yet. When you are with this person you are likely to get a shower of hope and joy splashed upon you. When you are with this person you will be challenged.


Want to guess? I would love it if you respond on my facebook post.


Recently I was reading Romans 15 and verse 13 grabbed me. May the God of hope fill YOU with all joy and peace as YOU trust in him, so that YOU may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


I began to think of people who were “overflowers” in my life. I realized that many of the overflowers had overcome really difficult things in their lives...it hadn't been an easy life. Overcomers became overflowers when they recognized that their strength, wisdom, and courage came from God, through the work of the Holy Spirit.


I've also walked with enough “overcomers turned overflowers” to know that the battle isn't a one time thing. Once you have learned the lessons of trusting in Jesus in all situations you still continue to encounter tough situations. But under the tears and frustration there is a reservoir of strength, peace and joy that carries you through. Jesus carries you through. And when you keep your eyes on the One who will never leave you or forsake you there is always hope.


Send me your guesses and also send me examples of “overflowers” in your life. I could have chosen so many of you as my guessing name. You have blessed me and I have enjoyed the splashes of joy and peace from being in your presence.


Let's go splash some people out there who need to know there is hope to be had, joy to be experienced, peace to be claimed, by allowing Jesus to infuse us with his Holy Spirit.

Fun-Weird Follower of Christ

Recently I needed to submit a short bio for a church bulletin. Annika, my 8 year old granddaughter was with me as I sat down to type it up. I decided to seek her perspective on who I am, so I asked her how she would describe me to this church.


Her response was enlightening and so much better than anything I would have come up with. Thus the conclusion of my bio read, “According to my 8 year old grand-daughter I am fun-weird, a good talker and a good actor.” Actually the weird part didn't surprise me. I often tell them it is a great thing to be a little weird. You wouldn't want to be so boring as to be described as, “normal.”


I don't come from a culture that necessarily values weirdness, so I have had to practice it a bit, but I find it delightfully fun to be set free from “fitting in” or being “normal.” I remember my introduction to valuing foolishness. It came as we were counselors at Camp Manitoqua back in the early 70's. (Yikes!) Rev. Harold Korver was the camp director at the time and would often encourage us as staff to go out and be “fools for Christ.” So I put on a robe of foolishness and saught to live into this freedom that Jesus gives us: go against the grain of culture, push the edges of acceptable behavior in a Christlike way. Jesus did it all the time. It got him killed. Not everybody will know what to do with us either.


One of my new favorite authors is Mark Batterson (remember? The Circle Maker). I was excited when I got to the chapter, The Importance of Looking Foolish, in his book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Here he quotes I Corinthians 1:27, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.

He also sights a study that found, “98% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 score in the genius category for divergent thinking (thinking outside the lines). Between ages 8-10 the number drops to 32%. By the time kids are teenagers, it drops down to 10 percent. And only 2 percent of those over 25 scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. According to John Putzier the solution to this intellectual conformity and creative atrophy is “Tapping your natural weirdness.” Love it!!

I think it is important for us to remember that it was thinking outside the religious lines that got Jesus into trouble, and just might get us there too.  It helps me to hang out with the most joyous, free-spirited, loving, Christ-followers I can find.


I know that if I am true to our calling of bringing light and life into our lost and broken world I need to tap into that freedom and natural weirdness that Jesus brings me. I am more fun to be around if I'm not so worried about myself or what people think of me. I can focus on making others feel comfortable and welcome when I am comfortable with who God has made me. I am able to do more good when I don't worry about doing something wrong.


And do you know what? Not everybody is going to like me or understand me...and that is ok.

This is Grace

Wednesday night we gathered to process one more time and to figure out what we wanted to focus on as we shared our stories with our congregations.  This was not an easy task!  This team had just been to Haiti where our lives were changed and challenged by our Haitian friends.  Out of all we had seen, heard, felt, touched, smelled; what was rising in our hearts that we just had to share?

We reviewed our pictures, remembered, celebrated the stories, and talked about how our lives would never be the same again.  And we finally narrowed down our focus on what we could share.

In the process Kim said, "Do we have a picture of TiCarme in the back seat of the van?  "I don't think so."  We continued to talk.  Kim, "Are you sure we don't have a picture of TiCarme in the back of the van?"  "No, Kim, I don't see one."  Kim, "I wish we had a picture of that."

The rest of us were confused.  "Kim, what is the big deal about TiCarme in the van?"  Kim, "It is a picture of the grace of God."  We were still confused.  "How do you see that?"

Kim, "She is so calm.  How can she live with all this need every day and be so calm?  She has joy in the work she does, but she has to say, 'No' to people every day. That has to be the grace of God."

He is right, you know.  I have never seen faith, persistence, patience, hope, love, joy, mercy, like I see in TiCarme.  This is a picture of the grace of God.  As director of Help the Youth she knows the needs, because she knows the families, her village, and her country.  But she also knows God, and God has called her to the mission of helping educate, encourage and empower the youth in her realm of influence.  She can't say yes to everyone, and sometimes that breaks her heart, but she also knows she is an agent of hope and a future for many young people who were hopeless.

Since she launched her mission, "Help the Youth," 18 months ago 100 students who were not able to go to school are now back in school.  And everyday at least 3 people come to her pleading for their children to be in the program.  Everyday she has to say, "No, not this year.  You can apply for next year, but we do not know how many studnets we will be able to take."  Then she and her board have to figure out which students can be in the program and which ones will once again hear, "No, not this year."

She is that picture we need, to remember that God calls us to be faithful and diligent, but also to trust in Him for provision and guidance.  The joy comes in the awareness that we are called to be agents of HOPE and a FUTURE for some incredible young people.  Again we invite you to come down and meet these young people and watch the grace of God in action.

For more information call 920-539-3238 or email hollyschutlois@gmail.com to check out our organization, or to contribute financially go to www.beautifulresponse.org and click Haiti when you give.

Connecting the dots

In 2008 I sensed God calling me to a ministry focused on the boomer generation.  I had even done my Doctor of Ministry work on spiritual formation for those in midlife and beyond.  I have been doing retreats and workshops, as well as life coaching for those in the midst of life transitions.  My mission statement is Motivating and Mobilizing the Boomer Generation for Greater Impact on the Kingdom of God.

Then in 2014 Haiti reappeared in our lives.  In 2001 we lived in Haiti for 9 months.  As we have reconnected with our friends there and become fundraisers for Help the Youth it has taken more and more of my time and energy and passion.  There was some conflict in my spirit about how this all fit with what I knew God had called me to do with the boomers and beyond.  Was I being diverted from my calling?  Was this really where I was supposed to invest?  Had I completed that season of my life?

Sometimes I realize I am a little slow on the uptake.  Not the brightest crayon in the box.  This week I finally connected the dots.  Last week we took our third group of people down to Haiti; all of them boomers.  Everyone of them said, "I will never be the same."  Lives were challenged and changed.  Jeff said, "This opens your heart to compassion. You can throw away the brochures in the mail, but when you look in their eyes your heart is opened up and the compassion comes."  It is a very dangerous thing to allow yourself to be this vulnerable.  It takes couage, because it will transform your life if you let it.

This transformation is not just a matter of giving more money, but of sharing more love, being more like Jesus.  It is seeing your brothers and sisters all around you, and in places you have never been.  It is feeling their pain and being willing to walk and work together.  It is becoming aware of our unity in the deepest parts of our being.  It is realizing there is so much we can learn from each other. It is recognizing Jesus all over the place!  It is opening up your world.

I still love to do retreats and workshops.  I still see incredible value in having a life coach.  But, I also celebrate that introducing friends to what God is up to in Haiti is another tool for motivating and mobilizing the boomer generation for greater impact on the Kingdom of God.

When Joshua was about to lead the people of God into the Promised Land  God spoke to him in these words, "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous,  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9      

I talk with so many people who are looking for something more.  There is a stirring in their souls, a longing for more purpose, more connection with the things of God, but it takes courage to confront that stirring, to see what God is calling us to.  It means taking a first step.

If you are ready for a first step give me a call.  It might be engaging in coaching.  It might be gathering friends or church groups for a retreat or workshop, or it might be signing up for a future trip to Haiti.  We plan on going Feb. possible May and in July and November.

Be strong and courageous!!!  Your God will walk with you!
Call me at 920-539-3238

Who's Lighting the Fire?

Who's Lighting the Fire?

We are having some friends over for a campfire tonight.  Al will light the fire.  He typically uses a little gasoline to help things along.  Last time he singed a few hairs right off his arm...too much help!

Sometimes Scripture surprises me by flipping a phrase on its ear.  We are all familiar with the phrase, "running around putting out fires."  Relationships gone awry, projects more complicated that we expected, multiple generations needing our attention, jobs, so many needs, so much uncertainty!   Angst can overwhelm!

Angst:  a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general.  (Oxford Dictionary)

So when I read Isaiah 50 this week it caused me to take a deeper look.  Verses 10-11 read:

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant?

Let him/her who walks in dark, who has no light,

trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

 But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, 

go, and walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze.

This is what you shall receive from my hand:

You will lie down in torment.

Not only does God say, "Stop running around and trying to put out fires all the time."  God also says, "Trust me! and stop trying to light your own fires, make your own light, your own way, your own solutions."  God promises to walk with us through the darkness and bring the light in his way and time.  Don't dig yourself a deeper hole! Trust God!  As our Haitian friends continually remind us, "God knows!" Trust God!

A friend of mine who was stressing out about her financial future, walked into church one morning and literally got a message from God on the overhead screen which read,  "TRUST ME WITH YOUR FUTURE!"  Every time she starts to fear she returns to this message.

But it is so hard for us!!  We are so sure we need to worry, fix things, be "responsible"!  It is amazing to me how often people try to justify worrying by equating it with caring. How do we trust when we don't see the light?  There is a lot of both/and in living this out.  A life with God often sounds paradoxical (Seemingly absurd, self-contradictory).  I need to care without thinking I need to be the answer, or at least figure out the answer.

It is pretty encouraging to do a Scripture study of the phrases Don't worry and Do not be afraid!  God KNOWS we are prone to worrying.  God wants to save us from ourselves.  

So the next time you find yourself swimming in angst I encourage you to check yourself, as I will be checking myself, and repeat a mantra that helps you turn to trusting the name of the Lord and relying on your God.  It might be repeating that verse, or even just saying the name of Jesus, or praying the prayer, "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me."  

What helps you? I'd love to hear the spiritual disciplines you use.