Marriage Resource

I subscribe to an audio journal called 'Mars Hill Audio,' which offers a Christian, scholarly perspective on a variety of topics.  Recently, MHA featured an interview related to the subject of marriage.  The person being interviewed is a legal scholar at Harvard, and he presents a perspective that I found both surprising and refreshing.  Click on the link below, create a simple account at no cost, then download the interview.  It's well worth your time and will certainly be featured in our upcoming class on the meaning of marriage.

http://marshillaudio.cmail2.com/t/i-l-qoity-iilhdrlt-k/

Shalom,

Travis

Mission Partner Update: International College Student Ministry

Kevin is one of our former student ministries interns.  He did a fantastic job serving students and families at FPC a few years ago, and now he's taken his passion for the gospel to a college campus in the Washington DC area.  Specifically, Kevin (who comes from a Chinese background) is reaching out to international students at American University through an organization called Chi Alpha.  Kevin shared this update with me earlier this week, and it's written from the perspective of one of the leaders of their ministry - not Kevin himself; I doubt he's having grandchildren anytime soon. :)

My Chinese friend Rou Zhang and I are continuing our [ministry] relationship. It is a very productive one and we've done many things together. She has been in my home several times and to church for our Lessons and Carols Service and brought a male friend. She has also attended, once, a Chinese Fellowship where I teach a Bible study for Chinese professionals, professors, and graduate students that is loosely connected to George Mason University. She has become close to my little grandson, whom she loves, and I think feels a special affinity for us because my daughter-in-law is Chinese, although they, themselves, have not met. 

I feel that she's open spiritually but not yet questioning much about Christianity. I have shared a great deal with her about how the Lord helps me, which has been made very natural because my husband, whom she had met and likes, was struck with a catastrophic illness in January, and she has watched how we have dealt with that. She says that now she feels that she has two grandmothers, one in China and one here. I'm planning to take her up to Skyline for the day next Saturday. We are also Facebook friends.

I have been praying about connecting with another student and since you have some that need to be matched with American friends, I feel that I'd like to have one more. I don't necessarily feel that I need a Chinese student because of my background and focus - I would certainly be willing to have a student from any country. We have traveled extensively and have interest in many places. If you have a student who is particularly eager to have a friend, let me know. I know that Rou very much wanted a friend and was waiting for one when we were connected.

So, let me know if you have a student you'd like to give me. I have prayed that the Lord will bring me together with one that He wants me to have. My husband is now in long term care, so it is only me at home right now.

Several things to keep in prayer:

-Pray for this woman's husband

-That current partnerships, (over 60 in total) will be just as life changing

-There are 15 students still waiting for an American family, so we need more volunteers from partner churches

-We have a Christian beach retreat for the campus ministry that many international students have signed up for (most of them are not Christian). Pray that God will meet them in a meaningful way

- For the women, men, and families involved in the shooting at the Naval Shipyards.

--
Kevin Kusunoki
Chi Alpha Campus Ministries @ AU | auchialpha.org
American Friends Director @ AU | auchialpha.org/americanfriends

Bike Crash Update and A Special Event

I’m writing this blog update from the waiting room at the radiology department at Community Hospital.  I had a good visit with our family doctor this morning, and she checked out my knee and made a couple of observations.  Because she could manipulate my knee pretty well and also because I’m hobbling around somewhat successfully, ligament damage may not have happened.  She did send me over to Community to get a x-ray because I may have broken my patella (the kneecap) or done something to the bursa – small sacks which help pad the tendons around my knee.  If nothing else, my Scrabble vocabulary has been enhanced today. :)

After I get my x-ray, my doctor will take a look at it and draw conclusions from there.  If she thinks it’s possible that I hurt my ligaments, I’ll go in for a MRI, but not for a while.  My knee is still pretty swollen, although the soreness and tightness goes down like the mercury every day.  Until then, I’ll be wearing a knee brace (a hand-me-down from my brother, James – thanks man!) and keeping to what has become my ‘normal’ routine since my bike crash: ibuprofen, ice, and elevating my knee whenever possible.  Thankfully, I’ve been able to swim a few times a week, and last Saturday I did yard work.  Self-propelled mowers are a wonderful invention.  :)  Also, I’m grateful for health care, doctors who are willing to take their time with me, and a very patient wife.

UPDATE: My x-rays came back negative.  Nothing seems to be broken!  The next step is to keep taking care of my knee and allowing time for the swelling to go down.  I’ll have a follow-up appointment with my doctor in 3-4 weeks, and we’ll go from there.

On a somewhat related note, a movie will be shown this Saturday evening at 7pm to benefit the Colorado Mesa University cycling team.  The movie is called Right to Play, and you can watch a trailer for it below:

http://vimeo.com/m/32346872

From the press release from CMU:

Right to Play is a documentary directed by Frank Marshall for ESPN Films. It aired on ESPN 30 for 30. It is the story of Norwegian speed-skating gold medalist Johann Olav Koss, who founded the non-profit organization, Right to Play, which brings sports to children in third-world and war-torn countries.

As we partner with ministries like InterVarsity on campus, it’s important for our church to be a supportive presence at events like the cycling movie.  Students will know they’re loved and cared for, and you can support the national champion CMU cycling team as you enjoy a great film.

Hope to see you there.  And thanks for continuing to pray for me as I recover.

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis

Always Wear Your Helmet!

Two Saturdays ago, I was riding my bicycle with a friend.  It was a lovely morning, and we were nearing the end of our ride through the wine country and orchards in Palisade, just east of Grand Junction.  We took a side trail off of the main road to get to the riverfront pathway heading back to the city, and that's when the trouble started.

A patch of gravel sat at the top of the trail, which the heavy rains had brought across the path the night before.  I skidded for a moment on the gravel but regained my balance.  Heading down the side trail, I barely noticed another patch of gravel before I began to pick up speed.  Actually, it was too much speed on the short downhill switchback, and by the time I'd applied my rear brake, it was too late.

Have you ever had that sickening feeling in your stomach that the thing you've been treating like part of your body - a bike, skateboard, skis, etc. - isn't actually part of you but could actually hurt you?  That's what crossed my mind as gravity took over and the inertia of my body overmatched the movement of my bike.  I flew over the handlebars as my tire skidded over the second patch of gravel, landed on my face and right shoulder, and dragged my right knee under my body.  Dirt spilled into my mouth, and hot blood began to run down my face and chest.

My helmet saved my life.  I landed on a relatively-soft patch of dirt and mixed gravel, which provided me with a better cushion than the asphalt trail - although it still put quite a few scratches and cuts on my face.  I immediately felt around my body and checked my teeth, all of which were miraculously intact.  My riding buddy, Michael, saw the whole thing and hollered for me to stay down and try to relax.  Lying on my back for a moments, I felt my muscles tighten, so I picked myself up, then moved over to the shade and tried to rinse my mouth with water.

After we figured out that I could walk (my knee was skinned up pretty well but wasn't swollen just yet), we hobbled over to the main road while Michael called for a ride.  I noticed that my lip was split, so I asked Michael to watch me and see if I demonstrated any concussion symptoms, which thankfully I didn't.  About 30 minutes later, I was sitting at urgent care, talking with a great doctor and caring nurse who helped me get cleaned up, stitched up, and wrapped up.  I'm very grateful for their care and patience as we figured out what I needed to do.

Urgent care selfie.  I feel and look a lot better now.

Since then, I've been watching my face heal up nicely.  The knee is still swollen and sore, and I'd be grateful for your prayers for continued healing and that no tendons or ligaments would have been damaged in the crash.  I keep telling people, "It could have been so much worse," which is true.  My helmet saved my life, and my sunglasses took all the damage instead of my eyes.  I couldn't have made it to the finish line of crash and it's aftermath without Michael, his family (who picked us up after the crash and saved me a $1000 ambulance ride), and the staff at urgent care.  I thank God for them.

In one of his letters to his young friend Timothy, the missionary and church planter named Paul wrote these words: "Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Tim. 4:8).  That's been my prayer lately: focusing on recovery from my injury while keeping the pursuit of godliness as primary.  I love to exercise and keep in-shape, which I'll be able to do by swimming as often as I can.  But I also need to be reminded that the pursuit of Christ is immeasurably more important than even the best physical training - like riding a bike through Palisade on a late summer morning.

Solo Dei gloria,

Travis