Author Archives: Maggie

February 2015 Letter

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2015 Cartogram

February 9, 2015

Dear Roger and Maggie,

 

This map puts 2015 in perspective. We tend to think of the US as the center of the world. But if a map represented nations not by land mass but by population, this is how it would look. Australia and Canada hardly exist while India becomes massive, larger than China. Islands of SE Asia were the biggest “ah-ha.”

 

Information like this helps us realize where resources (prayers, workers, finances) could to go to reach lost sheep with the gospel. Before the re-occurrence of her cancer, Maggie was able to help Steve Douglass (President, Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ) initiate a study to determine a baseline on our vision that “Everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.”

 

The results are in and illuminating. Europeans have the highest awareness of who Jesus Christ is (not a surprise), but are least likely to say that they know a true follower of Jesus (sad). Awareness of Jesus is low in Africa, yet it was the highest continent to know of a true follower of Christ. And despite all of our churches, North America’s responses made it the third lowest continent to know a true follower. Generally, when asked how responders know the person who is a true follower, family (32%) or friend (37%) were the highest responses. (If you would like to see the full report, go to click here).

 

Putting the map and the survey report together, we need to build networks of family and friends in areas of large population. In Africa, those who know Jesus need to make him known. And in our own nation, we need to live lives that cause those around us to know that we are true followers of Christ.

 

Our church’s small group is studying, “Walk Across the Room.” Amazing conversations have been started just in the first week as individuals reached out and make themselves available. One man, who had cut off a co-worker when she was rambling on an IT issue, went back and apologized which, much to his surprise, opened up a conversation about his church who teaches about putting faith into action.

 

Thank you for your prayers and support so that we can work on projects like the survey.  We appreciate your encouragement to us, as we, in turn, encourage others in their walk with God. Pray about what the survey and map means as far as next steps in our lives as well as yours —

Roger and Maggie

2015 -01 New Year’s Years Letter

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Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year is what you write on the top of a Christmas letter that didn’t make it on time! Last week was a rough week in the family (including a hospital stay) that scrapped the best of plans, but we’re coming out of it and are grateful.

 

It has been a good, hard year. Maggie started with aggressive chemo treatments which, praise God, did their work, bringing her cancer marker down from 12 to .4. She continues on a maintenance dose with some side effects, but for the most part, is doing well.

 

I celebrated 44 years with Cru this last summer. The ministries I supervise are stepping into new areas of growth with exciting opportunities and challenges. They solidified their leadership and support base for which I give God all the glory.

 

Becky and her family are doing well in Orlando. The boys are in high school and over 6 foot tall(and stretching to beat me!). Her work at Clinique is stable even with economy shifts. Jason’s company was bought out which is challenging but stable.

 

Jessica and her family moved to a different house in Fort Lauderdale. They transformed their back yard from a jungle to a mini-Key West paradise. Rick’s mother, Lori, moved into the guesthouse and is working locally. The kids are having fun with Cheer and soccer. We love having them nearer to us.

 

James’ company has also gone through transition this past year, but seems to be solid at this point. Zachari is also over 6’ (we have tall boys!). His half-sister, Chloe, is still fighting brain cancer, so continue to pray for her.

 

Amanda is our “escapee,” living in downtown Grand Rapids. She moved to a new position with the Reformed Churches of America in their donor department. Her big accomplishment was a charity bike ride from GR to Chicago — go girl!

 

Time has a way of flying by. It seems just yesterday we were newly married, starting out with little more than a prayer. We feel so blessed with family and friends. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering this year, in pain or estranged. We pray that they will find peace this next year, and that they will come to know the One who delights in them —

 

 

 

“He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me.”   Psalm 18:19

Roger and Maggie Bruehl ● 267 Bayou Circle ● DeBary, FL 32713

 

Forward — Taking off Rules

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2011-5-22 Great WallI’ve been surprised lately with the effect rules have in my life. A broken leg and then fighting cancer have forced adjustments the last couple of years, but as I think about “forward,” I’m realizing the deeper role they have played.

I didn’t see them coming at first. I was just doing what made sense. I couldn’t walk so I made a “rule” to hobble along on my walker. A walker doesn’t do stairs, so I made a “rule” to delegate the reason I mainly went upstairs — the laundry. I got tired at night, so I made a “rule” to take a nap in the afternoon.

But then, rules begat rules. If I took a nap late in the afternoon, I couldn’t fall asleep at night. So…the rule became, take a nap by 3 pm. And as I began to walk again, I made a “rule” that I could work on the laundry, just not carry it up and down the stairs. I began to see how the Pharisees got into their legalism!

Rules then became subconscious. I became tired mid-afternoon, whether or not I needed a nap. I didn’t try to carry laundry even when I was able to walk stairs. I was limiting myself without realizing I was doing it.

And I think I made a “rule” not to expect to move forward. Maintaining status quo was hard enough. In fact, just not dying felt pretty good.

So right now I’m feeling like a train who just realized it’s not moving. It’s all coupled up to freight cars, but not going anywhere. Between not remembering what it is like to move (what comes first, second, etc.) it’s not sure it should move (is it on the schedule to move? What track should it be on? What is the destination? Should I toot the horn or not?)

So I have a choice…to stay where I am or to move forward. There is risk involved. I might fail. It takes effort to do what use to come naturally.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

I know what it is like to be enslaved to sin and freed. Our physical frailties also enslave us. They can be healed and we can be freed again. Emotional fears can be even stronger than physical limitations, but it’s as I exercise my muscles in faith, I can feel His strength.

Forward…taking off the rules.

What rules have you made that limits your moving forward? What are you going to do about it?

Dripping with God’s Love

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1992 - Darlene's porch wagan - MarmaladeI love word pictures, and Margaret Feinberg draws a beautiful one in her blog:

“With cool water droplets streaming down Jesus’ face, Mark 1:11-12 records: “And a voice came out of the heavens: ‘Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased.’ And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness” (NASB).

Jesus isn’t just baptized in water — He’s baptized in love.

Drenched in the divine delight. Immersed in the holy affection of God.

The same baptism you and I are invited into. Not just when we become followers of Christ,but each day. Each hour. Each moment.

We are meant to live as those who drip with God’s love.”

This morning, I’m trying to picture what I would look like today if I were “dripping with God’s love.”

How about you?

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/01/one-secret-weapon-everyone-needs-for-every-battle/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aholyexperience.com%2F2015%2F01%2Fone-secret-weapon-everyone-needs-for-every-battle%2F&utm_content&utm_campaign=A+Holy+Experience+Blog+Posts

Mission Accomplished

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2011-5-22 Great WallI took some notes after reading an article in Real Simple (“Mission Accomplished”, September page 145) that seemed appropriate this time of year when I’m thinking about how we to move “forward.”

  • Choose a Goal
    1. Zero in on something specific and measurable
    2. Make it just hard enough (range goals)
    3. Check that the goal is within your control
    4. Review your skills (performance goal vs. learning goal)
  • Master the Logistics
    1. Break down the goal
    2. Create a detailed agenda
  • Stay motivated
    1. Check in frequently (accountability)
    2. Plant daily reminders
    3. Spread the word – when you write it down and share, you are 33% more successful
    4. Learn from your mistakes
    5. Celebrate victories, large and small
    6. Reassess if necessary

It’s not “rocket science” but just good reminders, something I need to sit down and do. I’m still trying to figure out what “forward” looks like. As I do, I’ll post.

After all, I need every 33% advantage I can get!

What goals are you working on this year? How can I celebrate with you?

Forward

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2011-5-22 Great WallI’ve resisted the movement of people picking a word for the new year rather than a resolution. I’m not sure why…maybe because I hate eliminating options, maybe because I was afraid of failure, maybe because it was vague.

But this year I was challenged individually and prayed about it. And I woke up one night with a clear sense of a word.

Forward.

I started out with a feeling of disappointment. It’s not a very dramatic word. It’s the opposite of “backward” and who wants that for a word for a year? It’s not sexy like “courage” or bold like “strength.” It’s not promising like hope. It just kind of sits there, inching along.

But when you have been where I have been this past year, dealing with cancer, trying hard not to go backwards, it’s not a bad word. My cancer has once again been declared as “stable,” another not sexy, bold or promising word. I’ve fought physically, emotionally and spiritually this last year. I’ve wanted to retreat within myself.

Even with the most amount of hope the word “stable” can muster, I don’t just want to stay where I am. I want to move again. I want to move forward. I have to confess I don’t really know exactly what that looks like or where it is. Each time I wrestle the disease down, each time I draw in my life because of physical limitations, I struggle to know how to expand into the grace of extended time.

Do I go back to doing what I was doing before things got desperate? Projects I was working on got wrapped up, just in case “something happened.” Some projects moved on with other people taking responsibility. Some things don’t seem as important as they did a year ago. The same was true with relationships — some wrapped up while others moved on.

So, do I go back to what I knew or move forward? I’m familiar with back; not so much with forward. And since I’m not as strong as I used to be in many ways, could I even do the things I used to do? A few things I tried this last month (like facilitating a meeting) didn’t go so well. I’m not the same person I was before this last year battling cancer.

A verse comes to mind: “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13

It feels like a good thing to do, even if it is a strain. Straining is not dependent on the amount of strength you have. It’s going beyond what you think you can do. I will strain to move forward because, even though I don’t have clarity of what “the goal for the prize of the upward call” is, I know it is good. And I know God will be faithful to show me what this all means…as He uses the word in my life this year —

Forward.

Medical Update 11/07/14

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2011-5-22 Great WallMy oncology appointment went well yesterday. After 4 weeks off chemo because of low white blood cells counts/diarrhea, I’m back on an even lower dose than before. To give perspective, in the last year I’ve gone from 25 to 10 to 5 and now 2.5. Correspondently, my cancer marker went from 12 to 3 and has stabilized at 4.   If I continue to have side effects from the drug but my cancer maker stays the same, there is a glimmer of hope that I could go off any chemo! That would be so nice.

I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much, but I can’t help but smile.

Medical Update 10/13/14

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2011-5-22 Great WallJust wanted to let you know about my last doctor’s visit. He took me off the chemo again, before I finished the round, because of low white blood cell counts. It also gave me diarrhea for more than a week (that may be more than you want to know?!?).

The good news was my cancer is remaining stable, even on a low dose of chemo. I go again today for labs, but it sounds as if he’s going to cut my dose in half again, hoping I won’t have the side effects but that it will be enough to keep the cancer stable. In the meantime, I’m keeping my exposure low and getting things done at home (even writing a little bit!).

We have a trip planned on Thursday, so pray that I am healthy enough to go!

Date Night

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2011-5-22 Great WallFor me, it’s important to keep the perspective that my relationship with God is just that: a relationship. As soon as it turns into “should’s” or “ought’s,” I’m dead in the water! It begins to turn into a “religion” where I try to please in fear of what will happen. When that happens, I’m more than dead in the water; I’m floating to the top.

In small group from our church, we were talking about “devotions.” They asked me how I did it. Embarrassed, I had to confess I don’t do it the “right” way, the way I “should” do it, the way I have been taught was best. I’ve never been a “morning person” and with cancer, I’m not good I’m a night person anymore. God and I say “good morning” and I (in words or spirit) thank Him that I have another day. I tell him I want to spend it however he desires, as an offering to him. That’s it.

It reminds me of when Roger goes to play basketball ridiculously early in the morning. I’m half (or all the way) asleep, but he plants a kiss and tells me where he is going so if I wake later, I’m not disoriented. We don’t have to have a long talk (with me half asleep, that usually doesn’t go well). It’s just a connection that we can get away with because of the whole of our relationship.

There are times when we have longer together, catching up on our day and to-do items. Those are great, usually. Sometimes they end up in longer, decision-making conversations (code for arguments/reconciliation), but that’s all a part of relationship. We need to know we are headed in the same direction, sharing values. That takes some working out.

And then there is date night — pure fun. That’s what I call my extended time with God. I try to be aware of atmosphere — reading my Bible on the porch at Panera’s alongside a lake or just making sure we’re alone and away from my desk. I usually don’t have a time constraint or now it’s at least an hour. I take my time reading, thinking, reflecting, praying, writing – whatever comes. I inhale our relationship deeply, and exhale the crud in my life. Usually I’m surprised when it is over, just like I am with Roger or a favorite friend and time is up. I get lost in the moment, being present with someone I love and who loves me.

And then, back to reality, little pecks in the morning. I feel it’s what keeps our relationship fresh. There is no routine, no ought to’s. I feel it’s never enough, and I can’t wait to do it again. I can’t help but think it’s a vision of heaven — eternal date night, intimacy with God. As much as I love it here, there is a part of me that can hardly wait.

How do you keep your relationship with God fresh? Believe me, I’ve got nothing against regular times in the morning if you can do it, I’d love to hear how! Where are you reading right now? What is the Lord saying to you?

Writing Poetry – Psalm 29

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2011-5-22 Great WallPeople have asked me how I got started writing poetry. I can’t remember the very beginning, but I know the Psalms have been a great model for me. When I get stuck (like I have been lately), I go to the Psalms for modeling and inspiration.

Last week I read Psalm 29. I couldn’t help but notice the repetition: “Ascribe” 3 times in the first 2 verses, “The voice of the LORD” 7 times verses 3-9, the “LORD sits…gives…bless” at the end. So I re-wrote the Psalm in my own personal version, thinking through what I would “ascribe” to the LORD, etc. It’s not my best poem, nor do I consider it in finished form, but I thought it might encourage others to think it what their personal version would be. And, who knows, maybe you are a poet!?!

Psalm 29 – A Psalm of Maggie

Ascribe to the LORD, Maggie Bruehl, 

Ascribe to the LORD his majesty and mercy.

Ascribe to the LORD the majesty as creator of all;

Worship the LORD in the mercy of forgiveness.

 

The voice of the LORD created the earth

Formless to form

Sun, moon, stars, waters, and land.

The voice of the LORD created life

A spark connecting sun, waters and land

To make earth lush, green, beautiful

The voice of the LORD fed fish and animals

Creating diversity and beauty

Man stumbles to try to duplicate.

The breath of the LORD created the Spirit of man

In an earthly image of himself

For eternal fellowship.

 

The voice of the LORD called out in the Garden

To woo back that which was broken

To clothe naked vulnerability.

The voice of the LORD found one righteous man

With the faith to build an ark

And hope in the midst of darkness.

The voice of the LORD called out to Abraham

Promising the impossible, giving life to a nation

Offering eternal life to all peoples.

 

The voice of the LORD continues to rule the earth

Through thunder and fire

The sweep of waters.

The voice of the LORD allows man the choice of evil

To give his heart to lust and violence

To destroy what God created and loved.

The voice of the LORD continues to call mankind

Offering intimacy and life

Hope and strength.

The voice of the LORD responds to cries of

Repentance begging for

Mercy, hope and strength.

The voice of the Lord embraces, forgives, restores and renews

Promising eternal life in oneness with him

The perfection He created without sin.

 

The LORD sits enthroned as Father, Son and Spirit.

The LORD sits enthroned, scarred hands held out

May the LORD give strength to me, now one of his people

May the LROD bless me and all his people with mercy.