One thing is for certain - Change Always Happens

It's been almost two weeks since my last post. Since that time there have been a lot of things that have occurred. In just the past week, we were informed of friends who's daughter has a baby in the Neonatal ICU because she was born over two months premature, another friend has been diagnosed with "Clear Cell Epithelial Ovarian Cancer", our son Wesley returned the States to return to college (KU-Lawrence), I had a special meeting with Pr. Davi (co-pastor), Joana D'Arc (psychologist), and Luis (layman) all from the First Baptist Church of Vista Alegre (São Gonçalo-Rio de Janeiro) about their intentions to begin Celebrando a Recuperação (Celebrate Recovery) in their church this coming Friday, and our colleagues Guy and Elena Key, my wife Sharon, our daughters Willa-Ann and Priscila and I met the Lambach family as they returned to Brazil after going to the States to have a funeral service for Elaine (see previous posts).

Change is inevitable. Whether we like it, or not, it's going to happen. As much as I wish that things (life) could remain the same, that's just not reality. Not only is that not reality, it's also not healthy. Think about it, as cute as a baby is (I know, we've had four of them and ALL of them have been the most beautiful creations in all the world), the precious time that we have with our children, watching them grow, all of the "firsts", as great and wonderful as that is, I don't think that any of us would really want our children to stay forever a baby, a toddler, a child, an adolescent, and so on. In reality Sharon and I are looking forward to the day when our children marry and have children. We're looking forward to the day that we can spoil the grandkids and send them home. All of that having been said (or typed), there is yet still a part of me that wants some things to stay the same.

One of the things that I do as a missionary here in Brazil is teach churches how to do Celebrate Recovery (see the link on this page). When invited to train one of these churches, one of the key phases that I teach is this, "We live by two rules of thumbs; (1) there is a God, and (2) I am not Him." Over this past week, several things have happened that if I had the power to change, I would have. But, guess what? There is a God and Jeff isn't Him (and aren't we ALL grateful for that)! I trust God completely! That being said, I also trust Him that He knows what He's doing, that He's still on the throne and still in control. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, the Apostle Paul writes; "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. ". (NASB) I trust God that even when things don't go as I think that they ought to go, He still knows what's best.

I remember when I was first in recovery. I was very ignorant and in denial of the severity of my chemical dependency. Although I admitted that I had had a problem with alcohol and drugs, in my denial I was convinced that I was not like "those" people. I was working at a psychiatric hospital and a co-worker who had lost my copy of the "Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book" had bought me a new one. On the inside cover she encouraged me to read page 449. That page has helped a lot over the years, especially when I find myself not content with my reality and I find myself complaining to God for the way He's letting life happen. The page reads like this:

"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation – some fact of my life – unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes."

Alcoholics Anonymous 3rd. Ed., 1976, Alcoholic Anonymous World Services, Inc., (page 449)

I totally recognize that the AA Big Book is not the Bible, not even close! I also recognize that there are a lot of people who are in our circle of friends and contacts that suffer from the "if only this" or "if only that", or the "I should have . . .", "I would have . . .", or the "I could have . . ." of life. My prayer for me and for all of us is that when we experience life, both in it's good and it's bad, that we accept it for what it is, a precious gift from God. One that is neither earned or deserved, but daily given to us as a present of God's grace.

Saying "good bye" to a good friend

Our home church, Agulha Baptist, was packed with people in the back and standing outside - such a moving tribute to a marvelous life!! I so appreciated the moving sermon of our Pastor about Elaine. Especially moving was the choreography of a group, three of the girls who were discipled by Elaine - as they presented through tears, sobbing, and broken hearts!! A little boy, Artur - rejected and misunderstood by many but loved and taught by Elaine, came up front by himself to look at Elaine's body in the coffin. David stood by my side with his arm around me as I testified of her life - and then he gave the final tribute

This afternoon our IMB family fed us lunch and loved on us as they honored Elaine. Many were deeply impressed to see and experience the depth of her ministry in our church. One reminded us of her always calm word and looking at the longer term. Another shared how Elaine encouraged her in her frustration in potty training her two year old - we have not met a college MK in diapers. She also shared how she noticed her love for me when last month as I arrived late to a fellowship and how her face light up as I walked in.

I was a blessed man who had a wife far about rubies and a marriage in which we two truly became one!! Everything good I have accomplished was because of my foundational confidence, trust, and support that she gave me. Hebrews 12.1-2 is especially precious to me now. Elaine is in that cloud of witnessed watching and cheering especially as I and our children run our race!! BABY - YOU RAN GREAT AND FINISHED WELL!! HELP ME TO CONTINUE KEEPING ON AND FINISH AS WELL!!!

In the grace and peace of Christ our Lord

Paul Lambach

Part of the Mission Family

I remember when Sharon and I were in the process of becoming appointed as missionaries, with what was then called the Foreign Mission Board, and how a fellow missionary presented us with a South Brazil Mission Directory. With great pride, this representative shared how these missionaries would become our second family.

Over these past couple of days we have felt the closeness of what it means to be an IMB missionary. Some of you know that we just returned from our AGM (Annual General Meeting, aka Mission Meeting). On our return home to Rio we were accompanied by our friends, the Lambachs, who serve in Belém. Many of us left AGM feeling like we were catching a cold or flu. I myself spent several days in bed with a low grade fever. The Lambachs stayed in Rio for a couple of days. They wanted to let their son David see Rio before he heads off to college in a couple of weeks. On the Fourth of July, while I was stuck in bed, we had the Lambachs and the Rio Missionary family over for hamburgers to celebrate the Fourth. The wife and mother, Elaine Lambach, shared that she was not feeling well and everyone thought that she was suffering from a cold or from allergies. Upon returning to Belém Elaine began feeling worse. Yesterday she entered the hospital, her condition worsened and she went to be with the Lord at around 11:00pm Monday, July 14, 2008.

Tonight, those of us from the Rio mission who were able to get together had a time of prayer for the Lambachs. We would ask that you remember in prayer Elaine's husband, Paul, their three sons Joseph, Johnathan and David, and their two young daughters, Rachael and Hannah. Please pray for Paul as he will have many decisions to make in the future regarding how to be a single parent, what to do regarding ministry (return to Brazil or seek other ministry options, etc.), how to best support his children, both the young adult sons and the two young daughters. Our hearts grieve and ache for Paul and the children. If we could, we would go up to Belém to hold their hands and hug their necks. We will miss Elaine, her sweet quiet spirit, her contagious smile, and her godly presence. We are confident that she is healed and whole in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We hurt today, but one day we will rejoice with her in the presence of our King! We love you Elaine and we look forward to seeing you again some day.

Being led in Worship

For those of you who are reading this, please bear with Sharon and I. We are new to the whole idea of blogging. So, for the next few entries things may seem a bit chaotic because we are trying to share with you some of the recent events in our lives.

The included photo is a dream that neither Sharon, nor I ever thought would come to a realization. It has always been important for us to lead our children in worship. We had always hoped that one day our children would desire to lead others in worship as well. However, we never imagined that our children would lead our church in worship! The whole thing began several months ago as a desire of our pastor to begin training the Youth Group of our church to lead worship for what will later become service for a younger audience. The youth took this task very serious and after several months they were ready to lead in their first morning service. WOW, what an experience! They did a great job and gave Christ all of the credit and glory. Our hearts were thrilled! Since that time both Naaman and Willa-Ann have led worship during our Annual General Meeting (AGM) of our Area, the Youth MKs (Missionary Kids) and the youth during MK night.

Entering the 21st Century

Communicating to the world on the web is a somewhat intimidating thing. For the past several years, Sharon and I have discussed the idea of creating (or have created for us) a web page. We even had a non-profit group volunteer to create a page for us. Prior to our last STAS (previously called "furlough") we had a "trial" page made, but, as happens in life, our direction of ministry changed and the trail page became instantly obsolete.

Well, this evening everything has changed. Right now in our house we have some colleagues with us and we've been chewing around various ideas about lots of things. The subject of a blog site came up and with the help of our friends, we now have entered the 21st century. WOW, that was easy!

Who are the Renards? Sharon and I (Jeff) were both reared in Wichita, Kansas. We were married on July 21, 1981 and immediately moved to Southwest Baptist University to start college. After four years Sharon graduated with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and I a B.S. in Psychology. From there we moved to New Orleans so that I could attend seminary at New Oreans Baptist Theological Seminary, while Sharon taught at a private Christian school. After graduating from NOBTS with a M.Div. we moved to Norton, Kansas where I began working as a Drug and Alcohol counselor for a non-profit in-patient clinic. I worked with this facility for six years when God called us to the mission field. We have been missionaries here in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 13 years now, serving with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. We have four children (Wesley, Naaman, Willa-Ann and Priscila).