From Living Loved • Winter 2013
A Clean Slate
Over the past couple of years Sara and I have unwound the complications surrounding our lives at what we’ve felt was the Lord’s request. That has allowed us to take a fresh look a the next season of our lives and ask God how we complete the work his given us to do on the planet. We have put a lot of resources in the world to help encourage people to a real relationship with God and in that find genuine expressions of community with other people. While I’m relatively certain I’ll be writing some new books and continuing to encourage others through our various websites, I am most hopeful that we’ll launch some new ideas to help people who feel called to help others live loved. The only enduring imprint we leave in the world are transformed lives that can help others do what we’ve been doing, but in their own unique way. I’m not sure how this will take shape yet, but some of the other news items below are also part of this change.
Last Mail-Out Newsletter
This is our last mail-out ISSUE. We’ve been sending these out for free for almost 17 years. I know it is very convenient to receive it by mail, but technology has moved on and the cost of printing and mailing out this newsletter every month seems poor stewardship in this day when things can be accessed so easily and cheaply over the Internet. If you don’t have Internet access, I’m sure you know someone who does and perhaps they would be willing to print you out a copy when a new one is available. If you’d like to subscribe by email so you’re notified when a new issue is released, you can sign up for that at lifestream.org.
Where Is The Travel Schedule?
You’ll notice no travel schedule in this issue. That’s a first. And the reason is I don’t have anything scheduled in 2013 or any time thereafter, at least not yet. It’s not that I lack invitations. I have nearly a hundred on my list. It’s just that God’s asked me to take a break for a season of writing and attending to some important realities at home. That said, I’m in active prayer now about some invitations to North Carolina, South Africa, Australia, and Brazil in the coming year, but timing on any of these trips is not clear.
Jake Colsen Movie
I am also involved with a group of people adapting So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore into a feature film sometime in 2015. As I write this we have a screenwriter working on the first draft of the film. I’ll be working as a consultant and advisor in the pre- and post-production phases.
Christmas List
If A Man Like No Other and In Season came out too late last year to make your Christmas list, you might consider either one of them a fun way to share what God is doing in you with others you care about.
New Projects
So what’s on the writing list? After this newsletter I want to complete the book version of The Jesus Lens. The DVD series has helped many people get see the Scriptures without the religious interpretations that has disfigured its message. Many are finding it a valuable tool to help transform their reading of Scripture. I want make it available in book form and then finish a book I’ve been working on for some time, called Finding Church: What To Do When You Know There Must Be Something More.
New Video Series: Engage!
I’m going to release a new video series this year designed to help people engage their own relationship with God. These 5-7 minute videos will coach people who don’t feel like they know how to connect with God into the beginning of a journey with him. They will start with some specific ways you can begin to look for him in your own life, but then I will help people with very specific questions they are having about that engagement. This series will be a resource for years to come as others want to begin their journey as well.
Lifestream.org Makeover
Early in January we’ll be rolling out our all-new Lifestream website. We are making some updates to help people find our resources more easily and to maintain our encouragement to other son this journey.
International Translations
Check out our web-page for new translations of articles and even some of the audio into languages such as French, Spanish, German and Russian. In Season has just been released in German and we are getting ready to produce an e-book and printed version of He Loves Me in Spanish, and one in Swahili to be distributed free of charge in East Africa.
Gratefully Yours
Finally, Sara and I want to express our sincere gratitude to all of you who have participated with us last year in helping support Lifestream and the travel we’ve done around the world as well as caring for 72 orphans in Kenya. Thank you so much for your prayers, generosity, and love. May 2013 be a blessed year for you…
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