Author Archives: Maggie

2013 January – New Year Update

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January 27, 2013

Opportunity – that is what the New Year rings in! Campus Crusade for Christ never stands still, so we wanted to let you know about a couple of opportunities:

  • SuperBowl Breakfast Webcast is February 2 & 3 – check out the details at http://www.superbowlbreakfast.com/webcast. Athletes in Action hosts the breakfast and Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys is the winner of the Bart Starr Award. CCC is making it available at their headquarters, so if you are in the Orlando area and want to come, let us know. We understand that it makes a great church event.
  • Jesus Film app for a smartphone, pad or computer – search for “Jesus Film Media” in your Apple App Store or Android Google Play Store. You can access the Jesus Film in over 100 languages!

For us in our individual ministries, there are new opportunities:

  • Our website – www.thebruehls.com – Maggie’s started blogging again! Several friends have asked if she has been writing through her pain. We switched to WordPress so let us know if you have any difficulty viewing it or commenting.
  • CrossRoads: Trinidad – In March I’ll see this training in action. It’s similar to another ministry I am supervising which works with teachers. I’m meeting with the leaders February 4-5 to talk through how the two ministries can work together for synergy.
  • Measuring Vision – Maggie has been working to globally measure our vision statement, “Build movements so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.” She is on a steep learning curve as she interviews major companies like Gallup and Barna, thinking through implications of culture.

And personally, we would like for you to pray for a miracle. Maggie’s leg has not been healing and they have mentioned surgery. Pray that when she goes in January 29th, the doctor would be surprised at the amount of healing that has taken place and say she can walk again. Visually, we keep thinking of how Jesus healed the lame – Maggie needs that kind of miracle!

We trust you will face 2013 with a “seize the opportunities” mentality. I know we would not be able to seize these if it were not for your prayers and support —

Roger and Maggie

P.S. – Pray for our brothers and sisters in Syria as the war goes on. They have shown enormous courage and have continued ministry despite risk to their lives. In spite of everything, two people have applied for staff!

 

God…We Need to Talk…

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Simply a broken leg – what’s so simple about it? And why can’t I seem to do things simply?

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A compound fracture, exposed to air and germs for 8 hours? Splintered Fibula and Tibia, 2 inches above the ankle running into the ankle. 2 plates, 19 screws. Looking at the xray, it reminds me of the Canadian Rockies.

Two surgeries and a week later, I was able to travel the 10 hours home. Life became more complicated as we struggled to find a doctor who would take over my case, learning that insurance companies lump the surgery and aftercare together – doctor’s don’t get paid as much for aftercare if they have not done the surgery. I needed bandages changed and was turned away. We couldn’t go back; we couldn’t go forward.

A month later, a doctor took my case. I sported a new cast (New York black, of course!). I tried to smile through each trial, through each pain.

Then I heard the words I dreaded, “non-union.” The bone is not healing, “knitting together” as the Bible would say it. I had the same situation on my wrist when I broke it – it  took 2 different bone growth stimulators and 5 surgeries to get “almost” corrected. No way will I go through that again!

Why can’t I just do a simple break? A simple healing? Why do I have to make it so complicated?

Life is complicated. I know someone right now in the midst of divorce. It is complicated. There’s little clear “right and wrong” but tangled feelings that have ended up in a lot of “wrong.”  It’s a mess. It’s a fall. It’s a fall in the midst of a “fallen world” of sin and mortal bodies.

Why should I expect it to be easy? Because I am a Christian? Because I’ve done some good things? Because Jesus loves me, saved me, and gave me a beautiful life with friends and family? Shouldn’t he save me from this also.

But he didn’t.

Somehow, in his love and wisdom, he wants me to go through this. He wants me to lean into him and trust his love like I never have before. He wants to grow my faith deeper. He wants me to share my pain with others so they can be encouraged and know they are not alone, even in the midst of pain.

Jesus is not just a patch we put on to avoid the complications of life. He’s not a “good luck charm” to help us escape pain. But he has promised to be with us through it all, never leaving or forsaking us. When the going gets tough, Jesus ramps up his availability, his love, his peace.

 Life is complicated…

 Leaning into Jesus is not.

God… We need to talk…

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Isn’t having cancer enough? Did I really need a broken leg? Come on…

I think I was handling the cancer pretty well. Hearing the words “cancer” and “incurable” were hard enough. Going through a bone marrow transplant was very challenging. Contracting pneumonia on top of it, experiencing the brink of death, was almost unbearable, except for your peace. Continuing to live with the knowledge that is will come back can be despairing.

But you have been with me through it all. I re-learned the simple concept of “spiritual breathing” (exhaling sin/lack of faith and inhaling the peace and power of the Holy Spirit) in the midst of different circumstances. My circumstances had changed, but your Holy Spirit had not.

And I’ve done pretty good with it. Sure their were moments, but as I look back, I did pretty good trusting you. My friends and family came around me, each trying to encourage me as they tried to deal with their own emotions and fears of death. And I’ve enjoyed these years of relative health as the cancer is growing slowly. I’ve gotten back into a routine, loving life, busy doing things I enjoy and I feel you have called me to. I’ve tried to be obedient.

Maybe that is why I am here? Maybe in the midst of feeling good about my walk with you, you wanted me to dig deeper. In the midst of my business, maybe you wanted me to listen harder.  In the midst of what I thought was obedience, maybe you needed to get my attention.

Well, it worked. You got my attention. I’m listening. What do you want to say?