Jiggle Another Handle?!!

Life is fun for sure! When I picture the doors that we've knocked on or opened in our time, they're never plain ol' doors...

When we diverted our journey to missions 10 years ago, we always knew that the road with the brightly lit signs would be waiting for us to jump on again. There's no doubt that we were created for a life called away from the ordinary. It's just that getting back to that road has been a bigger task than we thought.

We've had many people asking about our status, so here's the current update:

Recently, a door opened to help serve within our community to start building the base we needed to launch ourselves out for wherever God needed us to go. Since we had more juicing in our lives than we wanted, we looked to share the knowledge and healing power with others. There are so many people in our lives now who need some serious healing. I don't mean superficial healing, I mean deep-rooted, death-is-on-your-radar kind of healing. From this, we developed a business plan for starting a juicing cooperative effort where people could get quality nutrition and the workload was evenly distributed. Since we are overwhelmed in our own lives with the work of Sy's therapy, this seemed to be an answer where we could both serve and have some weight taken off our shoulders. Not only would this be an opportunity to help people heal physically, but to really focus on asking people questions about their spiritual health as well. Again, super amounts of encouragement and enthusiasm from others, but when it came to gather people together, it was not the response we needed. Ok God, you can see that we are trying here. We asked the question and you gave an answer on this one. We will move on.

Do we give up now? No way.

As you probably know from our previous post, the door before us has pointed us to look at the need in Dominican Republic and see if we can find a spot for our hearts to be poured out there. As you know, we took the trip and whoa, baby! God showed up and revealed the need for help there. Our skills lined up, we were received with open arms, and there were endless possibilities to live the life the Bible clearly speaks about. Both our hearts leapt as we saw a spot we could easily (relatively speaking) fill. Back in business, right? All doors were wide open, except for one.

Organic produce is something that we certainly take for granted here in States. We asked and looked in the local DR town for produce that would fit Sy's needs. No luck. We spoke to workers in the local hospital about where to get it. Bummer there. We have contacted friends in another DR town to get their knowledge. Another dead end. I've contacted an organic farm on the north coast to look at visiting there to get the information we need. No response. I've been in communication with the country's Department Of Agriculture with a list of Sy's needs. How about a no. We've contacted missionaries in the same organization to get information on the produce. Not looking good there either. We are looking into aquaponically growing what we need, but root veggies are still an obstacle (considering that carrots are the bulk of what we need, that could be an issue since we run through about 75 lbs per week).

Do we give up now? No way.

There are voices that are whispering to just give up and to live a normal, quiet life until we die. I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Why don't you just stay where you are for right now?" Honestly, we would love it! We live in sunny paradise... We dearly love our family, friends and church here... This is home and this is comfortable. But for us, we wrestle between our flesh and spirit every time we open the Bible because of the personal convictions that God has placed on our hearts. When we hear His voice in our lives, we know He is calling us out for more. It's hard because often times we'd rather just stick our head in the sand and ignore it. However, the call to go out and seek who we were really created to be is way too strong.

I can also see that not being willing to radically shake things up is exactly what the enemy wants. We live in a great community where a great song has been written and those that are here are singing it with excellence. However, it has been laid on our hearts that there is a new song that God wants to write and that He wants us to play a part in that. Maybe a small one, but a crucial one. The second issue is that staying where we are isn't working either. It's embarrassing to say this as a man, but the truth is that a firefighter salary doesn't work well when supporting a family of six. I firmly believe that God opened doors for my career and has given me crucial medical knowledge that I will continue to use for His glory--I've even had the priviledge to take part in saving lives. I also have a side business that is small and growing, but it's hard to develop a business with no capital and risk taking the focus off Sy's healing. We will juice in a box on the side of the road if that's what it means to keep our boy healthy.

All of this typing finally gets me to a point. Whenever doors start closing on us, we hear the creaking of another one swinging open. This post is too long already, so that's for another day.

So as another door possibly opens, please pray for clarity and wisdom. We have stood before God and said that we are truly willing to do anything and go/not go anywhere. We just want to live in obedience however scary that may be. I look at Heather and each of the kids and I want to help encourage them to bring the Christ out of their hearts for the world.

We Can't Take It Back

We recently had an opportunity to follow a whisper that has been in our ears for a little while. We returned from a trip to the Dominican Republic and we were able to see and experience things that we never could in our own culture. Although it's considered to be a third world country, we so needed to step out of our lives to see how God is working in other parts of the world. (Btw, you should look up the history on how countries earn their first/second/third world ranking.)

God laid a path for us to visit and I felt that our hearts just needed to be open to what He needed to show us. Before our trip, I just prayed that He would allow me to see and feel what He needed us to. Such a beautiful country and such beautiful people. Thank you, God for such variety in people! The other side of that is that there is so much need, it's overwhelming. It's hard to believe that poverty like we saw is allowed to exist in a world where others consume so much. There's so much to say and we will have more posts, but we'll just drop a few pictures because they usually say more...

This was the orphanage on the property where we stayed. So many amazing kids here!

One of the best/hardest parts was visiting the Haitian immigrant bateys. These people live with nothing, yet are filled with joy. Although you can't see it, these kids are standing on broken glass with no shoes on.

These kids were such a blessing to be around. So much need here for love.

This was the local store in the settlement. There was not much to offer in here.

I had a chance to teach these kids how to play freeze tag for the first time. They wore me out!!

We had a chance to visit the town hospital. The conditions were rougher than we expected...invasive surgeries in rooms that were not air conditioned!

Goat anyone?

So many great places hidden beyond the litter and empty bottles...

So, the question becomes: Who will help them and share the blessing that's been entrusted to us? After returning to the U.S., this was part of the first passage that we were led to:

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

Isaiah 58:10-11

And you know what's strange? Immediately after returning, we were bombarded by our regular lives. Lives that are so distracting that it's easy to put a trip like this in a box and on a shelf. I mean, we should just consider ourselves lucky lottery winners that were born and raised in the U.S., right? But we cannot forget what we've seen and heard. We cannot continue to read passages like this one and continue to live a self-serving, all-about-us kind of life. Even though the DR was missing so many material things that we have and appreciate here, we saw how they were rich in other ways. Things that have been untouched by the busyness and the race to get what we think we (and our kids) deserve...   There will be more about this trip and more pictures soon, so "follow us" to stay tuned!

Listening Heart Required!

So get this...

The other day, I'm in the kitchen juicing and prepping Sy's food goodness. Since I'm a guy, I can usually only concentrate on one thing at a time, so I was pretty involved in my work. Nothing was going to stop me from producing some high quality nutrition!

Before I get any further, let me tell you that Sy decided one day a while back to start reading through the New Testament when he wakes up in the morning. It seems like he just started yesterday and he informed us that he is already through Acts! Let's just remember that this kid is only six! Makes me smile when I know that he is reading God's love letter to him! It's also a reminder to not let the most important instruction manual fade into the background.

Now back to the kitchen...

As I'm scrubbing carrots, Sy comes quietly into the kitchen and watches me work. He then began a dialogue that drew me in right away:

"Hey, Pop?"

"Yeah, buddy..."

"I think God is speaking to me."

!!!??? Although I continued working to keep the conversation natural, Sy had every bit of my attention. I knew in my heart that God didn't want me to miss a word of what was coming up next.

"Oh yeah? What's he saying?"

"I think God is telling us that we need to go."

This is one of those times that I knew God was speaking to me through my son. It was also very clear and appropriate for our hearts. Through how God has been teaching us and calling our family, this statement had a huge impact. Even though I knew, I still asked to see what else was stirring in his heart.

"Where do you think God wants us to go?"

"Either where we've been talking about or wherever he needs us. Like Paul and Silas in Acts. They went wherever telling people the good news."

Oh snap.

It has been amazing to watch God work on Sy's heart. Sy is someone who enjoys his home, his toys, and all the perks of staying where we are. The rest of us are more willing to accept change. This is just another example of the power of God's Word and it's ability to transform us on an individual basis.

Thank you God, for moments like this. Thank you that even though I don't listen to you all the time, you still get messages to me and my family. Please give me the courage to lead my family and keep the focus of their hearts as the most important way of providing for them. I am weak, but you can do great things through me!

As you finish reading this, we ask for your prayers. We ask that we would have amazing wisdom and clarity and that we would pursue His leading with reckless abandon!

Looking Ahead to Hindsight...

As we've been approaching the New Year, our family has been thinking through some big questions. We've been taking a real hard look at our life and looking at it from the perspective of 30-40 years from now. Do you ever think about that? It sure brings up A LOT of questions...

Did we follow our God-given passions or sell out to someone else's idea of success?

Were we obedient? The first time, every time, and with a happy heart?

Will we have accomplished what we felt we needed to or did we waste most of our time?

Did we do absolutely everything we could to honor our marriage?

How will we be seen by those around us? Faithful? Joyful? Kind? Peaceful?

Will we have any regrets?

Were we ACTIVELY involved in raising our children to the best of our ability?

Did we pursue health in all aspects or did we allow unhealth to seep in?

Even as I write these questions, I'm kinda scared to answer these now. So, how do we make sure that we will be able to answer these with no hesitation and with ethusiasm?

As you may know, 10 years ago, Heather and I took a huge step and obeyed a call made on our lives. Although it was scary, it was the best ride we've ever been on. We saw miracles happen frequently and our direction was clear. I'm not kidding, our paths really were straight! Even though that phase didn't end the way we planned, our hearts and our marriage were in the best place they could be. It was a life of living with no regrets...

10 years have passed now and we continue to see blessings and miracles come our way, regardless of the amount of our faithfulness. We look around and see more than we deserve and we are watching Sy be healed from a disease with no cure! From the outside, everything is perfect. We have pursued the more "traditional" route and it's worked out fairly well. Even though our resources don't add up on paper, God has provided for us in huge ways. Our life has definitely felt like Elijah in 1 Kings 17:

God then told Elijah, “Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at the Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan River. You can drink fresh water from the brook; I’ve ordered the ravens to feed you.” Elijah obeyed God’s orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan. And sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper, and he drank from the brook. Eventually the brook dried up because of the drought. Then God spoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.”

But, the question is, what do you do when you sense your brook has dried up? What do we do when we feel that God is calling us to a new life? How do we not question God and say that the way he has been providing was just fine and we'd prefer to just keep things that way?

"Before we respond, could You please give specifics on how exactly you will provide next?"

"Lord, it just doesn't make sense to change things now!"

"Even though we are continuing to struggle, look at all the work we've done to get here! And we may not be able to get back here if Your plan doesn't pan out!"

These are all conversations and feelings that have been stirring around... However, when the worrying settles down and we stop and listen to our hearts, we know that we have been circumventing the life we were created for. Oh brother, if you only knew the things we have considered...

Late last night, Heather and I came across a network of people who have left the life they knew to live a fuller life. An abundant life. A life of spending time investing in a Kingdom, rather than things we could care less about. A life to use the gifts we love to use, rather than burying them deep under busyness, menial tasks, and stress. A life that doesn't push our faith, our marriage, our children, and our friends to the side. It's calling to us...in a big way.

But how do we get from here to there? Open doors, Lord! We're ready!

About the Author...

So who am I? I suddenly realized that after blogging for over two and a half years, I've never taken the time to tell who I am and what is currently on my heart.

I'm Heather!

I try to be groovy, green, and keep my heart gunk-free. I am God's beloved and strive to live as an ordinary radical on this journey of life (more on that later). I am a mother of 4 small children--Esther (7). Silas (6). Phoebe (almost 2), and Asher (4 months). Believe it or not--fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth did not come easy to me and all of my children are definitely miracles.

Sy & Essi

I used to be a public high school teacher and cross country coach back in the day... I now homeschool Essi and Sy and that tends to be a daily adventure! For those who don't know us, Sy is a special needs kid. He is allergic to all food. Seriously. He was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis and is now ironically undergoing the Gerson Therapy in hopes to heal him.

He is in 1st grade and Essi is in 2nd grade. Phoebe is about to enter toddlerhood and Ashy has just entered "smileyhood." I cloth diaper (crazy I know; future blog post) and our home/lifestyle has to be very green for Sy's healing (and to also be good stewards of this earth). My husband, Jordan, is a firefighter and a paramedic and selflessly puts his life on the line in order to serve others.

Phoebe

Asher

This is a big year for us. In 2002, God called us into full-time missions. Obviously, this was before we had kids. I had been on staff at a church in Atlanta for a few years and just loved it. During that time, God grabbed a hold of both Jordan and my hearts and asked us to leave it all behind. We gladly obeyed, stepped out in faith, and lived out of a VW Vanagon (with two large dogs) and traveled the country to raise support. Toasty, our "home" for that year, was super groovy and we just loved her.

Toasty

We were living on mission in every sense of the word. We had raised our support in record time and then... In 2003, that chapter abruptly crashed ending in our brokenness. We knew that God had called us to the mission field--no question about it--but we later realized that He called us in order to break us. For us to come to the very end of ourselves with nowhere to turn but upward. We had given up all that we knew--lost everything if you will--but it was for heaven's gain. It was through sweet surrender that we experienced the loving, healing had of God (The Potter's Inn).

We love the verse John 10:10--"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." So the last 9 years have been great and we are richly blessed. We are so thankful! It's a bit shocking though that so many years have already passed us by... 4 kids later, several moves, a new career, an amazing church, supportive friends and family, and we are still in pursuit of what God wants to do with our crazy little family. We've needed the rest. We've needed the time to heal, plant roots, focus on our marriage and children, gain education, gather life experiences, etc. but that call on our lives... Those last words of Christ that continually ring in our ears... 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

We try to ignore it but, almost a decade later, it's still there. As I teach it to my children, they ask, "Why aren't we doing that?" "What does that look like?" Bam! No escaping it. No beating around the bush with them. 

So as I try to stick to the topic and explain who I am, I feel like I can't appropriately do it without explaining what's been on my heart lately. This is what my husband and I talk about when we get a free moment... What we dream about... This yearning is it. So what is next for us? We're not sure. We would covet your prayers. Even as we homeschool this year, our theme is on different countries and cultures and we are ALL on our faces seeking God for his favor and direction on what lies ahead for the Hargers. It may be to stay exactly where we are but just to focus the lens of our lives a bit differently. We want to be content but not get too comfortable... Are we out making disciples? Are we going to the ends of the earth? What are we truly sacrificing for the poor? ...the widowed? ...the orphaned? Do we even interact with these people that Jesus loved so much? So this is where we are on our journey. I truly love my life but the reality is that we were called by Jesus to give it all up--everything. His call is to come and take up the cross (Luke 9:23). It is a call to radical faith, complete surrender, total abandonment, and forsaking everything. His power is made perfect in our weakness.

I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for [God] to come through... I don't believe that God wants me (or any of his children) to live in a way that makes sense from the world's perspective, a way I know I can "manage." I believe He is calling me--and all of us--to depend on Him for living in a way that cannot be mimicked or forged. He wants us to walk in step with His Spirit rather than depend solely on the raw talent and knowledge He's given us.  

                                                                                        -Francis Chan

Wow! It is really a call to die. It totally scares me yet awakens me to my core because I know it is truth. So please pray with us. Pray for us to be ordinary radicals for the Kingdom. Pray that those opportunities would arise so we can move forward. 

Meanwhile, how can we pray for you? Let us know!