A LOST and DYING WORLD

I'm starkly reminded today of what a dark and depraved world we live in, and how this world is not our home! There are so many hurting people out there. I was in a Circle of Moms chat earlier tonight for my first time, b/c the topic struck me so deeply. The topic, "How Do I Explain Puberty to my Transgender child?" This mom writes that her daughter who just turned 10 is beginning puberty, but 2 years ago began telling her family she was a boy. Now the family has accepted it. She asked for help in handling the pressures of her body turning into a woman's yet being a boy. She said her daughter has some disorder where she pulls her hair out and is struggling. I spoke with Brian and felt I had to reply to her. So here is what I wrote, maybe it will encourage you.
"Hi Kim,
         Thank you for posting your question on COM. In response, I would let you know that I live in Colorado a beautiful state with gorgeous mountains, and I have been very blessed to have 4 sweet children. As I consider any of those things I mentioned, I can not help but wonder about the Creator of the Universe and His handiwork and design. The eyeball alone has over 1,000,000 cells that work together with the brain for us to see. Have you ever paused to wonder if there is a God who has created all things? "In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth," Genesis 1:1. Every sunrise, every sunset, every grain of sand has a design and a purpose, to bring God glory. He allows us to enjoy His creation everyday. There is more to this life, than what our 5 senses can experience. My thought for you, Kim, is that your sweet child was created by our Lord to be a beautiful person who is made in His image. "In the image of God, He created them, male and female, He created them," Gen 1:27. I would say, that He does not make mistakes. Your daughter is not a fluke, she was designed by a creator. The fact that she was born a girl isn't a mistake, and I know this flies in the face of popular culture.
         Some of the moms who have commented have suggested letting her know what will take place during puberty, and walking with her through it, and helping her to accept who she is, and was designed to be.  
         When you said, "We struggled a bit at the start of the revelation,...but some days there is uncertainty on both sides." I would use the fact that there are struggles and uncertainty to remind her that she is "Fearfully and wonderfully made," Psalm 139:14. Nothing about her is an accident, even as her body transforms into a woman. I'm sure she brings great joy to your lives. May this continue to be so, and may you all find peace that only Jesus can bring.
          Thank you for allowing me to share my opinion and beliefs with you.
May you be blessed!"

I posted this a couple hours again, I have gotten 2 positive ratings and one person said, "Leave god out of this," and another said, "Ignore some people who are just trying to push their agendas."
        Sadly, someday every lost person will find that God has everything to do with ALL things! May each of us have courage to speak up with given an opportunity. I know there are times I do not, or am just too tired. May I be more alert to the Spirit's prompting and leading.

Here They Come

       Our dear friends Eme and Tibor have come to the States to stay with us with their 3 beautiful sons! They hail from Budapest, Hungary. We became friends in Belgium. Brian began one on one discipleship with Tibor just outside the EU (European Union) building. They also began to come to the marriage Bible study in our home. Eleven days is all we get...this time! But in a few months they are coming to live in Denver for a year or two! We are so excited! You should have seen the kids bouncing off the walls tonight visiting with their long lost friends from Belgium!! It has been good for my French, as well. Their oldest son prefers French to English. He isn't as confident in English, hopefully this will encourage Josiah in his French language usage. He has forgotten sooo much, and is quite shy about it.
           Please pray for their time in the States, and as they plan for their move here! they are a SWEET family! It felt like a piece of Belgium has come to visit, such a BLESSING for our family!
     

Happy New Year

2012

It's hard to believe it's here! The Lord has given us another day to serve the Lord!

2011 Zee Family Highlights

January- Kids' Club! Volleyball Outreach begins
February- Josiah takes Iowa Standard test (1st for our family!) Scary, but good practice
March- NAMB Commissioning Ceremony in Tampa, FL (second honeymoon for B & H) 
April- Sharon's Surprise Engagement
May-Elijah's 2nd birthday; Grandpa & Grandma's trip to CO
June- Makinna 5th - her Golden Birthday celebrated at Broomfield bay; Brian 41 Family vacation in Steamboat Springs
July- Josiah 9th, Heather 34; take Overlook kids to Broomfield Bay!
August- 12 year wedding anniversary- One night trip!
September- Second homeschool year begins! The kid's favorite subject is history!
October- Makinna learning to read! Precious! First snow fall! Beginning to meet with a young Jehovah's Witness couple each Saturday for 2-3 hours for Bible study. MSC retreat Lost Valley Ranch
November- Elijah speaking, singing, and making us laugh all the time! Aubriana making endless crafts! Thanksgiving celebrating with family
December- Watching the children interact with the elderly at a local nursing home; hearing the kids play happily together for hours on end! Aubriana's 8th birthday! Christmas season celebrating Emmanual - God with us!

Those are just a few of the highlights that make 2011 special for our family!
Hope you enjoyed taking a look!

Missions in Denver

Even though we haven't been blogging, we sure have been busy, perhaps that is the reason why we haven't been at this blogging thing very much! :0) The Lord is very gracious to us! He has faithfully brought over 30 ministry contacts into our lives in the past year. We have met regularly with these folks, sharing the gospel, and reaching out to them with the truth. In many of the instances these relationships have developed into weekly Bible studies that have lasted months, and others only happen a few times before the plug is pulled. The Lord is sovereign and gracious as we plant seeds and He alone will bring in His harvest! We changed our format from our traditional blog, begun while we were missionaries in Belgium, to a monthly prayer later that goes out snail mail style to 40 plus people. This is where we share short stories of what God is doing in and through our ministry to people involed in cults and false religions in Denver metro! If you'd like to join our prayer letter just comment on here, and we'll contact you to get the info we need to keep you up-to-date! Thanks for your interest in what God is doing, we'll shoot to keep this blog more current, as well! 

Overjoyed

Francis, our friend, is heading for baptism! We have been counseling and encouraging her in her young faith. She brought up needing to be baptized. She had been baptized as a child, but felt as though she wasn't a true follower at that time. In the last year, she has truly grown in her walk with the Lord. We are so excited to be able to support her along this journey! We'll be attending to rejoice with her and her family!! Thank you so much for praying for her and her family!

Time for Photos

Makinna and Rachel

Our Josiah and Big Josiah his Gadgets and Gizmos' Partner

Cowgirl, Aubrie!!

Rebecca and her girls

Mimi

One more chance to share the Gospel

Open Hearts

We've had several hour long conversations with someone who is lost, and hurting, yet keeps chasing the wind, as it speaks of in the book of Ecclesiastes. It's tough to watch someone running from thing to thing or person to person chasing what can not be attained. It can be filled by only one person, Jesus Christ! While it is wonderful to be free and share openly about what we all need as sinners, it's also discouraging when it seems like the person isn't getting it. But the Lord says, "His Word will not return void!" There is certainly joy in that, and knowing that it is the Lord who draws and saves His own! Praise Him!! I am sooo thankful it does not depend on me or my Gospel presentation! It is Christ ALONE who saves! And in His own time I might add!

Jehovah's Witness Dialogue Update

Thank you for praying, Monday's meeting went well. I met with Ricky and Pablo, two Jehovah's Witness men. We discussed the name "Jehovah" and many other of their JW doctrines. I met with them to testify to God's grace in Jesus Christ, not to win a debate, or to become more prideful. I hope that you will join me in praying for Ricky and Pablo, that the Lord would open their eyes to their false beliefs and use me to deliver his message of Good News. Grace, Priceless, yet Free!

Answer to Prayer

One of the main focuses of our outreach ministry is to cults. We've been praying for a one on one dialogue with Jehovah's Witnesses. That prayer was answered today, as I met some folks who are willing to come to discuss the Scriptures with me. We're meeting at 10:30 on Monday, mountain time. Please keep this time in prayer, that the Lord would open the eyes of the blind to the truth in His Word. Some may call this a pointless debate, but the wonderful thing is I don't have to win a debate, because "It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes," Romans 1:16. The Bible also says in Isaiah 55:11, "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth, it shall not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I desire, and acheive the purpose for which I sent it." His Word, the Bible, will not return empty. Pray that His Word will be proclaimed boldly.

New Year ... New Resolutions!?!?!

Here it is, the start of a new year! 2011! It's time to bring on all the new year's resolutions! Lose Weight, work less, make more money, exercise, give more, read more books? I'm praying each day this year, that I would glorify God! He calls each of His children to a task. Evangelism. It's something He has called us to do Matthew 28:19, but as His children telling others about His grace is a privilege! We need to pray for each other! I pray that we continue to have urgency to share this most precious News of the Gospel!! Go proclaim it!!

Knock Knock ... Ding Dong

Do you ever hear that knock, when you aren't expecting anyone???
When you peek out your peep whole, do you think, "Maybe they won't know I'm home"?
Or you answer the door and give a short answer of "No, thank you."
Why do we, as Christians, do that? Are we unprepared?
           We know it is the power of the Gospel unto Salvation, but we are afraid or we believe they are beyond hope. Are they? Were we??? NO! We weren't, though we were wretched! Filthy! Helpless! Lost! Deceived! That is exactly what they are too. I find it so exciting to share the hope within me. In the last few months, I have had Bible studies with seven Mormon missionaries - three different sets. Please pray for them. They have each heard the truth found in sacred scripture! Pray that it will take hold and that they will not be able to rest, as they read the book of Mormon, that their minds will be drawn to the conflicts with the Bible, and to the true Gospel! 

The Hand of Providence

All I can say is WOW!

In October our driver side airbag was replaced by the dealership on a recall. Days later, the airbag light came on. Friday I headed back to the dealer hoping the problem was with the newly fixed airbag, and therefore free to repair. However, this was not to be.

The service man let me know that it was the unit that controls all the airbags in the minivan that needed to be replaced. WONDERFUL! Sounds very expensive! Perfect at Christmas time!

Then he said, "But." and I felt the world stop. He continued, "Honda extended their warranty to 150 thousand miles, and your car has 149K. We'll have to order the part, it could take a few days to get here, and by then you may be over the 150K mark."

A few minutes later, he let me know that he could reset the order so that if I go over the 150K mark before the repair is completed the repair would be under warranty. To be honest, at that moment I wasn't sure I would need that coverage. I figured we had a couple hundred miles to spare, we I got in the car to leave the dealer, I saw that we had 17 miles left before 150K. The dealer is in Longmont, I didn't make it anywhere near home before we hit that mark. What a blessing! The Lord does have His hands in our lives.The Lord's providence was certainly evident to our family, in a MAJORLY obvious way! Thank you, Lord, for how you care for you children, like the lilies of the field, and birds of the air!

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was WONDERFUL this year! We were able to have a GREAT Bible Blast Kids Club with our kids from Overlook. They even made a craft with what they are thankful for. It was good to see. We are thankful for the kids that come and for our helper, Cheryl and her two kids and come.

On Thanksgiving day we had a great time with family in Littleton. We love hearing everyone share what they are most thankful for this year. It was fun to hear that Brian and I had just about the same list of things on our Thanksgiving card. We each wrote something like this, "The Lord's grace, goodness, and provision, my wonderful spouse, our precious children, outreach ministry, family and friends!" I particularly liked the wonderful spouse part! He He He!

Who is Jesus Christ?

Colossians 1:16-20
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Overjoyed

God's Word is living powerful and sharper than any two edged sword!

Carlos & Joseph

Jazmin with her new Bible

The fun get to know you game

Today was another one of those days. Well, I guess it started on Tuesday, when Heather got to spend time with her Mormon friend. She is a homeschool mother of 6 (one of whom should be making her appearance in a few weeks). :0) Gretchen and I are forming a relationship, please pray for our friendship and for the truth of the gospel and the free-ness of grace to penetrate her heart and life. Then yesterday Brian and I were able to meet with an old friend, Christine. It was great to be able to mutually encourage one another. She is a follower of Christ and it was great to hear what He has been doing in her life the past 8 years.

Then today, we had the awesome privilege to host a kid's club at the overlook apartments in Denver. We were thrilled that 11 children came this time, none attend a local church. All heard the gospel clearly presented, the state of their sin-filled hearts and desperate need of Him. Each one participated in the review game (a chance to see if they actually heard and grasped what was taught) I was sooo excited when Karla, an eleven year old, clearly shared nearly word for word what Brian taught about the state of man's sinfulness and Carlos, 9, shared how that leads to our need for the Savior, Jesus Christ. These unchurched children we excited to take Bibles home with them. Each one learned a Bible verse, Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the earth." We discussed so many great things. With Bible clubs of this nature (in a HUMONGOUS apartment complex), it's difficult to know if these children will ever return. With that in mind, we mix things up a lot, keep things moving, and try to share many things from the scriptures! Each one is excited to return on the 11th for our next kid's club. Please pray they will read the Bibles they were given, share them with their families, follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and plug into a local body of believers!

Heather & Christine

All in all, we are overjoyed. Thank you so much for praying for our ministry. We know the Lord is faithfully listening to the prayers of His people!

Exciting Week

Well, this week was GREAT. It was one of those weeks you just have to blog about, just so you can read it later on a down week. Brian and Josiah went downtown to do open air evangelism. They prayer walked, spoke to a few people about salvation, and shared the Gospel. One lady they met was very interested. We are praying that the Lord will work in her life. On Thursday evening, Heather had the privilege to share the gospel with one of the moms at Josiah's soccer practice. It was the first time the ladies had ever met, and she was sharing with Heather all the struggles she is facing with her adult son, the oldest of 7 children, who has gone astray from how they thought he would turn out. It was a great conversation. On Saturday, they talked again. We are praying for further opportunities to share, and for the truth to transform! Later, we got to have a great conversation with a teenager and her mom who are really struggling in trusting the Lord. Truly this was a really encouraging week. Thank you, Lord, for times like these when we can see your hand leading and guiding us and working through us in spite of ourselves.