I'm sitting at a small wooden table looking out at my literal corner of the world. Across the street, Theo limps in his walker to his habitual spot where he likes to hold counsel on world issues with whomever will listen. Regina, who lives upstairs, waves to me from the steps of the laundromat next to our building. The woman who sells hats and scarves is in her usual spot as is the man with his vegetable and fruit cart farther up the street. If I keep watch, I'll see Lavinia's* boys racing down the sidewalk and later see her heading home from work.
Lavinia, who is in our New York City Parakaleo group, could be a poster child for urban church planting. After making the many adjustments to city life, raising three boys in a two-bedroom apartment and working tirelessly to bring Christ to many who did not previously know him, Lavinia and her husband experienced the painful death of a dream this summer when their church plant closed. There was no moral failure. No one thing can be pointed to as the reason why their plant didn't make it. The fact is it didn't survive.
I'm writing you an end-of-the-year ministry letter. Shouldn't I be recapping our successes? Telling of wonderful things that happened this year? Letting you know that your monetary gifts have made a difference? Well, they have and I am!
I wonder, though, if we too often equate success with what we have been able to accomplish. While giving God credit, we inwardly feel great if we accomplished what we set out to do or shame if we didn't. (Interestingly enough, we don't give God credit when our plans fail.)
At Parakaleo we've been told we should be amazed at our success. That we should be astounded at how much has been accomplished in such a short time frame. And we are! Truly great things have transpired since we began six years ago, some of which you can read as the postscript to this letter.
However, I think of Lavinia and others whose churches didn't survive, and of those of you who also believe you are doing what God has called you to and yet it's failing.
Is this the end of the story?
When our dreams don't turn out as planned, when we give our all, when we followed that still small voice of God yet it's not turning out as we thought it would, we may wonder if we missed God or possibly if he even cares.
I've been reminded many times this year that we live in the now but not yet stage of the redemptive story. We know our Redeemer. We've tasted his redemption, yet many times we wait in the pain of the unfinished stories. Our Parakaleo team has walked with many women in these not yet pieces of their stories, in the pain and the confusion of waiting for God to rescue and not yet seeing him show up. Because we know the end of The Story, because we know that he has saved us and will rescue us again, because we know he holds us in the palm of his hands even when it doesn't feel like it, we know we can trust this God. And for those who are wondering if they can rest completely in the goodness of our God, we trust God on their behalf as we walk together.
For me this is the greatest success of Parakaleo: that women can walk together not only through seasons of ministry, but ultimately through the now but not yet seasons of our stories as we wait for that great day when all will be made right!
We deeply appreciate the many creative ways you have come alongside us as we come alongside others. Parakaleo continues to expand. If you know of others who would be interested in hearing about what we do and possibly supporting us, please introduce us! Collectively our staff has raised 55% of its funding needs.
May you be surprised by his rescue this season,
Shari for Tami, Cristina, and Maria
*not her real name
P.S.
The other astounding stuff:
- We published Beyond Duct Tape (link) this year! Our first few reviews, including one in ByFaith magazine, have been very positive.
- We wrote 16 training modules, and they are being translated into Spanish.
- We have a coaching model that is working. (I'm hesitant to admit it, but I think we've hit on how to coach women in this unique life of cp ministry.)
- Our training events have developed into three levels: Level One for church planting spouses, Level Two for network leaders, Level Three for coaches.
- We have an amazing team--from our staff, to our network leaders, to awesome church planting spouses, to YOU- our funders!
- I'm still cancer free. (Two years ago on Christmas Eve I was told it looked like cancer.)
- The Parakaleo vision is spreading ! Woohoo! We're hearing good feedback on our networks with lots of others wanting a network in their cities or countries.
The baffling stuff:
- The Parakaleo vision is spreading (Oh no, what does this mean? Can I really lead this? How? How do we pick and choose with so many requests?)
- OK, so we have three levels of training. How do we do this so we aren't traveling all the time and away from our families?
- Where do we find more coaches? Where do we find leaders for our networks? Where do we find more funders?
- All things electronic, cyberspace, and number-related.
