Tag Archives: God’s Perfect Plan

Kerstetter Chronicles: September 2016

You know the moment. When God has put something on your heart, but everything in you is trying to talk you out of it. Four weeks into our trip, exhausted, brains spinning from Hebrew studies, and ready for a break from the heat, we were running on empty and we had one of those moments. We had made plans to meet up with Yosef that evening and we knew it would be a late night, with class in the morning. We almost called off the plans, but we sensed an urgency in our hearts to see Yosef that night.

When he showed up at 10 pm with a friend we knew right away that we had made the right call. And the life-changing Gospel conversations we had with those guys that night made it clear that, once again, our steps were guided by our all-knowing God. It would have been worth it to us to make this trip for that conversation alone. And we didn’t know at the time that only three days later we would be on a plane back home. If we had ignored God’s prompting in that moment we would have missed out on perhaps the most important conversation of our trip.

Although our time in Israel was cut shorter than we planned, we know with confidence that God has a plan to use even this most tragic loss of our beloved brother and return from our long anticipated trip. Such tragedy is certainly not His will, but He allows nothing to unfold that He cannot use for good beyond our wildest imaginations. As Joni Ericson Tada wisely said, “God uses things that He hates to accomplish things that He loves.” We are eager to see what incredible goodness He will bring out of this brokenness. And we have no doubt that He will continue the work that He started through us in the conversations we shared with Yosef and his friend, and many others. Please be praying with us for their eyes to be opened; for God to use this great loss for even greater gain to His family; for our broken hearts and the new challenges BJ and I face in our personal lives, family and ministry because of it; and above all for His will to be done in all of this. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement, without which, this trip would not have been possible.

 

Love,

BJ and Carissa

Kerstetter Chronicles: July 2016

You can’t plan for it. There’s no good timing. You pray it will never happen. Maybe you think you know how you’ll react, but you can’t really be sure. Until your worst fear becomes reality. Until you lose a loved one.
 
We slept in that morning, and woke rested and refreshed. We were four weeks into our eight week trip in Israel, and had just finished our first week of Modern Hebrew studies the day before. When we saw the missed calls, my breath caught in my throat. I prayed and wished hard and silently as BJ made the call. And as that worst-fear-truth unfolded, I collapsed, hyperventilating, on the cold bathroom floor. With no warning whatsoever, my nineteen-year-old baby brother, Levi, is gone to be with Jesus.
 
Shock. Horror. Disbelief. Agony. Before that moment, I had never thought about how complex grief is. Stunned, we moved about the room like robots. Too shocked even to keep crying, we wondered what to do next. What do you do when you get that call on the other side of the world? As I opened the shades to let the morning light penetrate the heavy darkness that I felt, I looked over the waking city and to the beautiful Mediterranean, sparkling in the morning light. And God spoke quietly to my aching heart.

“Look, what I have done. I bring life from the dead. I have kept my promises to Israel, and I will keep my promises to you.”

And my heart knew what it was too numb to feel. It knew peace that passes understanding. It knew hope. It knew that comfort – which doesn’t always come as a feeling. And I knew that it wasn’t by accident that we got that call in that corner apartment on the twenty-fifth floor, overlooking the bustling city of Tel Aviv, at the heart of the thriving nation in which God has proven over and over again, that He. Has conquered. Death. For everything that God allows into our lives, He has a purpose – even for this.
 
So, we made the necessary calls and got on a plane back to home. And there we said “See you later,” to one of the best friends we’ve had the blessing of knowing. We’ll know we’ll see you again, Levi. Because our God brings life from the dead.

Five Things I Want My Friends to Know about Hanukkah

Today is the last day of Hanukkah 2015, and as BJ and I have lit the candles each night and thought about what this special holiday means to us, I have come up with five things that I want you to know. They may not even be the five most important things or the most spiritual, but they are the ones that I want to share with you. If you would like to learn more about Hanukkah, or how to celebrate next year, check out https://www.chosenpeople.com/site/hanukkah. 

1. Hanukkah celebrates more than one miracle.
The most commonly known reason for celebrating Hanukkah is the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days when there was only enough pure oil for one day. But the other incredible miracle that we celebrate is God’s preservation of the Jewish people under the threat of destruction at the time of the Maccabees and all throughout history.

2. Hanukkah is not a mandated holy day but it does honor God.
God did not command the celebration of Hanukkah or mandate how it should be celebrated, but it celebrates and honors His faithfulness to the Jewish people and His holiness and glory displayed in miracles and in the Jewish people’s dedication to obeying His commands, purifying the temple and keeping the light of the temple menorah burning.

3. Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.
Because Jesus is Jewish. God chose Israel to be the people to represent Him to the nations and through which to bring the promised Messiah into the world. Not only did Jesus choose to honor God and honor His heritage by celebrating Hanukkah in Jerusalem, but the fact that he did was important enough for God to include it in His inspired Word. (See John 10:22).

4. God’s unfailing faithfulness to Israel through history is a testament to His character and His perfect faithfulness.
Because He has always been faithful to Israel, you can know that He always will be and He also will be faithful to His promises to you.

5. It’s cool if you celebrate Hanukkah too.
You don’t have to be Jewish to celebrate Hanukkah. If you do, you show that you stand in solidarity with the Jewish people and your Jewish friends. And if you worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you too can celebrate that God is faithful and always true to His word. Besides, who doesn’t like lighting candles and eating fried foods for eight nights in a row?

Kerstetter Chronicles: August 2015

Friendly faces crowded the apartment, all talking and laughing as they waited to light the Sabbath candles and have dinner. When we walked in, we knew only our host and hostess. But when we drove away at the end of the evening, we had the distinct impression that God had just led us to our “ministry soul mate.” And it seems we were right!

His name is Stephen Arnold, but many of his friends call him by his Hebrew name, Shmueli. On that winter night in 2012, when our new friend, Vlad, excitedly pulled Shmueli across the room to introduce us, it quickly became clear that this was no chance encounter! Shmueli had just moved to Chicago from North Carolina and prayed that God would send him ministry partners to go to Brazil and open a hostel ministry for Israelis. We knew that God had called us to Jewish ministry, and we dreamed of working with Israeli backpackers, but were praying that God would give us clear direction. We never expected that God would combine BJ’s upbringing in and love for Brazil with my Jewish heritage and heart for Israel to uniquely equip us for such a strategic ministry. But here was a man, with a love for Brazil and passion for Jewish evangelism offering us a dream we didn’t know we had.

Now, almost 3 years later, it is becoming a reality. Friend, we eagerly covet your prayers as we step forward into this new work. As missionaries with Chosen People Ministries, our team of three is working to establish a hostel in Brazil in 2017, to share the gospel of Jesus with the thousands of Israelis that backpack through South America every year. And much needs to be done before then!

Thank you for praying for our summer fundraising project. As we near the end of our travels, we praise God for His provision and for all of the gracious friends and family who have supported and loved on us. Please continue to pray for our full funding by January 2017; our Fall Semester at Moody Bible Institute, beginning on August 24th; and our continued healing from Lyme disease.

Praying continually for an overflow of God’s joy and peace in your life,

BJ and Carissa Kerstetter

Kerstetter Chronicles: Happy New Year

     Happy New Year friends! We realize we’re a bit late with the greeting, but we wanted to give you, and ourselves, a chance to get through the holidays and hopefully find a little more time for reading and writing emails. 2014 has been such an exciting year for us. So much has happened that I hardly know where to begin! First of all, we want to sincerely thank each of you for your prayers, encouragement, love and support for us. Your faithfulness and generosity are so vital to our studies and ministry, and you bless us more than you know! We have learned and grown so much in our faith this year, as we have seen God lead and provide for us. We hope our letters have been testaments to His love and our gratefulness, and have encouraged your hearts as well! Here is a summary of what God has done for us in the past year, and some of the things we are looking forward to for 2015.

recap of 2014:

  • We were accepted into the Jewish Studies program at Moody Bible Institute.

  • In August, we moved to downtown Chicago and BJ started classes at Moody.

  • The community of Devar Emet Messianic Synagogue welcomed us as family and has been an incredible encouragement and blessing to us.

  • We celebrated many of the biblical Jewish holidays for the first time, and learned so much about our rich cultural, historical and scriptural heritage.

  • We talked, prayed, dreamed and planned with our good friend Shmueli (Stephen) Arnold about our possible ministry together with Israeli backpackers in Brasil. Please pray for him, as he is working in Argentina for the next couple months, and will then be headed to Brazil to check out possible ministry locations!

  • In December, BJ was accepted as a student missionary with Chosen People Ministries (CPM; www.chosenpeople.com). This will allow us to get involved in ministry part time with CPM, gain needed experience and understanding of this ministry, and begin to raise support as we prepare for full time ministry.

  • As part of CPM Chicago, we were invited to move into Chosen People’s housing in West Rogers Park, Chicago. This will save us around $4,000 each semester. Woohoo! We made the move before Christmas break and we’re so thankful for this opportunity.

Looking forward to 2015:

  • We’re starting this year off with a bang in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where we’re seeing a Dr. Anthony Smith at Dynamic Health for Lyme treatment. We’ll be back in Chicago on January 10; but please keep praying for us because the detox process after treatment is really intense for at least 6 weeks! It will be a rough road for a while but we trust that God will carry us through it, and He has a plan, whatever the outcome is of this treatment.

  • When we get back to Chicago, BJ will begin his second semester at Moody. 2 years to go now! He is especially excited to study Apologetics and Jewish Life & Communication.

  • We have been accepted to go with Chosen People Ministries on their Outreach Israel trip this summer. (Dates TBA.) This will qualify as BJ’s required internship for Moody, and will provide us with crucial ministry & cultural experience for working with Israeli backpackers. We are also praying about staying in Israel after the Outreach program to take modern Hebrew courses that are not available at Moody. Right now we need to raise $9,000 to go on Outreach Israel, and we are looking into the cost of Hebrew studies. Please pray about helping us meet that goal!

  • Praise the Lord! Our first semester at Moody has been paid in full! Thank you so much for your contributions to help us get there! We are now able to start making payments for the spring semester bill of $1,100.

  • More praises! Several dear friends have committed to monthly contributions totaling $265/month! This is fantastic, and we are so thankful. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with us this year in our ministry to the Jewish people?

     Again, thank you for your continued prayer and support for us. We are so thankful for you and we love hearing from you! Know that you are in our prayers as well. May you have a blessed new year.

Because of God’s faithfulness,

BJ and Carissa Kerstetter

     To contribute toward our school bill or other expenses please continue to make donations through our website, kerstetterconnection.com/donate, or make checks payable to BJ Kerstetter at CPO 2163, 820 N. LaSalle Blvd. Chicago, IL.

     If you would like to make a donation specifically for our trip with Outreach Israel, you may

  1. Mail checks to Chosen People Ministries at 241 E. 51st Street New York, NY 10022. Checks must have the name “BJ Kerstetter” in the memo section.

  2. Donate over the phone by calling Chosen People Ministries, 1 (888) 2-YESHUA. Ask for the receipting department and inform them you would like to give a financial gift to “BJ Kerstetter.”

  3. Click here to donate online. Please be sure to enter the name “BJ Kerstetter” in the section entitled “Special Designation.” Donations can be made via Credit, Debit, or PayPal.

Kerstetter Chronicles: November

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Hebrews 12:1-3

     Praise the Lord! – November has been a slower month for us. For really the first time since we’ve been in Chicago, our schedule was a little looser and we have been able to get some rest and do some refocusing. It’s so easy in the middle of the all the things that need to be done and everything going on around us to lose focus of what we’re working towards! So, when Thanksgiving break came, we truly relished the chance to step out of the fast-paced, busy city and into the slooow easy Ozark-land of Missouri, where we enjoyed a cozy Thanksgiving with the Kerstetter family and friends.

     Besides our Thanksgiving trip, there really isn’t much to tell you about November, but we do want to share with you the latest news in our journey with Lyme’s Disease. God has provided in really cool ways for us to go to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, January 4 – 9, for a natural Lyme treatment. We first heard about it this summer from some friends who have been through the treatment and seen really encouraging results. Because it is in Idaho and we had been seeing progress with the course of treatment I was already on, we did not seriously consider this treatment as an option right away. But we began to pray about it and asked God to provide all the funds necessary if He would have us go. We talked with only a few people about this prayer, because we really wanted God to make His will completely clear. And He blew us away with His answer! Within a very short time God provided all of the $3,000 needed for the treatment, a place for us to stay, a car for us to use and airfare to get us out there!

     We had also prayed that God would provide a Lyme-literate primary care doctor for me to consult with closer to home. And God has blessed us with a caring, listening and genuinely helpful Lyme-literate doctor who is covered by our insurance plan! We have no doubts that God is directing us to this treatment in Idaho, but we still covet your prayers! The treatment itself is 6 sessions in 3 days, but the recovery process is much longer. After treatment, I can expect at least 6 weeks of intense detox (read: quite possibly the sickest I have ever been; completely miserable; debilitating pain, weakness, etc.) I am supposed to begin seeing significant improvement at about 3 months out (beginning of May), and ideally reach complete remission in a year. Of course, each case is unique and some people respond better than others. We personally know 2 people who have been declared Lyme-free because of this treatment, but there are others who never fully recover even with this treatment. We are praying for the best and always prepared for the reality that God may allow us to walk this road a while longer.

     In preparation for this intense treatment and try to see the full picture of things, I got tested for a couple other issues. So far, test results have showed that I have heavy metal toxicity and a genetic mutation that messes up my body’s ability to detox on its own. Doc has prescribed chelation treatments to flush out the metals and a couple of vitamins to help me detox. These, unfortunately, are not covered by insurance, so we’re waiting expectantly to see God graciously provide for all our needs, trusting that He knows exactly what we need – and when we need it!

We would SO appreciate your prayers for us

  • As we step out in faith with this treatment, (It is definitely a bit scary, I’ll admit!),
  • Continued prayer for funds for school – we still owe $1,250 on our school bill for this semester, and need to begin making payments for the spring
  • Most of all for wisdom, discernment, grace and perseverance as we seek to follow God’s leading in every area of our lives.

     We love you and pray for all of you as well, and would love to know how we can pray more specifically for each of you! Please keep in touch with us and send us your prayer requests at [email protected]. Keep looking unto Jesus!

Love,

BJ and Carissa Kerstetter

Kerstetter Chronicles: October

     It’s a damp, chilly night in the Windy City, but we’re keeping warm inside with steaming mugs of spiced apple cider. As I contemplate the high points of the past month, BJ is digging into his notes from our Modern Israel class to prepare for the midterm. It is an understatement to say that we are learning a lot, and that God is growing us immensely. Time is passing quickly here, so that it’s hard to believe it has already been a month since our last letter to you. But so much has happened that I am hard pressed to sum it all up. So, here’s the important stuff. 

Over the last month,

  • We celebrated the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Jared & Danika Delello! October 11 was a blessed and joyful day, and we could not have been more happy to be a part of it. We are so excited for Jared & Danika, and can’t wait to see how the Lord will use their life together for His glory.
  • Wedding weekend in Wisconsin was immediately followed by Moody Missions Conference. It was a busy and really exciting week for us, because we had the privilege of spending time with our friends Shmueli and Robynne, staff with Chosen People Ministries, who both work in different ways with the Israeli backpacker community. We got the chance to learn more about Chosen People Ministries at large, as well as get a better idea of Shmueli’s plans for hostel ministry with Israeli backpackers in Brazil. We are extremely excited about this ministry, and would love to be a part of it. Please be praying with us as we continue to seek God’s direction for us in Jewish ministry.
  • In an effort to become more familiar with Chosen People Ministries (CPM), and gain valuable cultural and practical ministry experience, we have applied to go with CPM on their Outreach Israel trip this summer. The trip would also qualify as BJ’s internship, required for graduation from Moody. Total costs for both of us to go amount to about $9,000. For us it seems like an impossible sum, but our God does the impossible every day, so we know He can provide!
  • Following Missions Conference, we returned to Wisconsin for family time, doctor appointments, and a visit to our home assembly, Wauwatosa Bible Chapel. It was such a blessing to spend time with family, and our family in Wauwatosa!
  • Praise! God provided the rest of the money for us to go to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in January for a new and promising treatment for Carissa’s Lyme’s Disease. Several of our friends have seen radical improvement after this treatment, so we are hopeful. Although we know that no treatment works for everyone, and God has not promised physical healing in this life, it is so encouraging to see that He definitely has a plan and this treatment is clearly part of it.
  • Prayer Request – While we were last in Wisconsin, Carissa had some new tests run to check for heavy metal toxicity and detox related issues. The results could possibly affect our plans for treatment in January. Please pray that we will be able to go ahead with the Lyme treatment as planned, and that Carissa’s body will be fully prepared to handle the intense detox that follows.
  • Praise! The Lord has graciously provided for each school payment thus far, according to His perfect timing. Our remaining bill for this semester is $2,100.

Thank you so very much for your continued prayer and support. It is incredible to walk with God and watch Him provide, teach, mold and direct us, day after day. We are honored to be able to share this journey with you. May you have a blessed month – keep looking unto Jesus!

Love,

BJ and Carissa Kerstetter

*Featured Image: Visit to Filter Cafe for coffee, praying, dreaming & planning with Shmueli (right), of Chosen People Ministries, Vlad and Rachel (left), friends from Devar Emet Messianic Synagogue

Kerstetter Chronicles: September

     Crisp autumn air has come again to Chicago, and with it has come more change and opportunity for growth in our lives. Since our letter at the end of August,

  • We have begun weekly Jewish evangelism outreach at a Starbucks in Skokie (a suburb of Chicago with a large Jewish population). Please be praying for our new friends, Carol (Starbucks barista), Elon, Danny and Freddie, (Starbucks regulars), with whom we have been building friendships as we discuss Judaism, Israeli & American politics, and most excitingly – the identity of Yeshua and faith in Him as the Jewish Messiah.

  • We had the honor of meeting Joel C. Rosenberg and hearing him speak about three imminent threats to America, Israel and the Church in the Middle East, as well as address the Arab-Israeli conflict. You can read about his visit to Moody in an upcoming Coffee Talk blog post here.

  • We have been attending Devar Emet Messianic Synagogue. The family of believers at Devar Emet, and in the greater Messianic community of Chicago, have already been a wonderful blessing to us and we are thankful to have a “home away from home” among them.

  • L’shana tovah! We just celebrated Rosh Hashanah – the Feast of Trumpets. According to the Jewish calendar, this Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the year 5775. It also begins the Jewish High Holiday season, and we have been learning about each Jewish holiday in weekly studies at Devar Emet. What a blessing it is to look into God’s Word and read about the holidays that He ordained for Israel, to see what truths and blessings He has given in them. Our studies into these holidays have begun to open to us the rich depths of the history and culture that Jesus himself embraced and celebrated. Watch for new blog posts about the holidays at kerstetterconnection.com/category/coffee-talk, and take a look at our calendar to see what’s coming up next!

  • God has led us to decide that I (Carissa) will not be taking classes for credit at this time. This was a difficult decision in many ways, but we have peace that it is the right one. I am excited to continue learning alongside BJ in our class, History and Thought of Modern Israel, with Dr. Michael Rydelnik. We have already found this to be an incredibly valuable course!

  • We have received 80% of the funds necessary to pursue a new treatment for my (Carissa) Lyme’s Disease. At this time, we only lack the money to fly to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for the treatments scheduled January 5 – 8, during our winter break from school.

  • Praise the Lord! We have received donations totaling 67% of the school payment due October 1. We still need $551 to make this month’s payment, and our total remaining school bill for this semester is $3,551.

We are so thankful for your continued prayers and encouragement for us. God is truly teaching and stretching us here in Chicago, and we are excited to see what this next month will bring. L’shana Tovah – to a good new year!

 

Kerstetter Chronicles: August

Shalom from Chicago!

family photo

Family photo in our new place!

Thanks to all of the friends and family who helped us, we have made the move, and we’re now settled in at Moody Bible Institute.

MK Orientation

MK and International Students gathered for Orientation (Picture taken by Pavel Adamek)

Things started out light and easy for us with a special MK (Missionary Kid) & International Student Orientation.

 In addition to completing some required Orientation sessions early, we got to meet other students from all over the world and enjoy some events hosted by the MuKappa group here at Moody. Now the rest of the student body has joined us and Monday was our first day of classes! We’re so excited as we get started learning more about the ministry and the People to whom God has called us.

Jewish Studies fellowship

A few Jewish Studies students gathered at our place for fellowship

Already in our first Jewish Studies class, History and Thought of Modern Israel, our passion has been rekindled for the great need of the Jewish people for the truth of Messiah. It is such a privilege to be here and our hearts are overwhelmed with excitement for all that God has for us here! It is our excitement that motivates us to come to you even more eagerly for your prayer and support. I must confess that we are just beginning to learn what it means to be transparent with you, our family in the Lord, and understand what things are important for you to know about our lives, needs and ministry. Recently, we have been convicted and challenged in this area. So it is out of our sincere desire to be open with you and to better allow you the opportunity to partner with us in ministry, that we are writing this letter.

As you know, BJ and I both come from missionary homes, and have been blessed by the testimony of our amazing parents who have made countless sacrifices through the years for the sake of the Gospel. As a result of their sacrifices, and the high financial costs of my (Carissa) healthcare over the past three years, we have very little savings set aside for school. While most students in such a position may consider student loans, such a choice would prohibit us from continuing into ministry after graduation. Instead, we would need to postpone missions work and work instead to pay off our school bills. For these reasons, Moody strongly discourages students from taking out student loans and only permits this option as a last resort in certain approved circumstances.

As of September 1, we will have already paid to Moody all of our savings for school. BJ will continue to work and be able to pay a portion of our school bills, but this will not be enough. If we have not paid our first semester bills in full before the Spring semester, we will not be able to return to classes, and will need to move off campus. I imagine, as you read this, you may begin to wonder what I have frequently wondered myself – what sort of crazy thinking made them decide it was a good idea to move to Chicago and start school with no money and no idea how they are going to pay for it? So, I will explain.

afghani lunch

Lunch with friends, Vlad and Rachel from Devar Emet Messianic Synagogue, and our new friend, Isabel, who runs a guest house ministry for the Israeli backpacking community

We firmly believe that God has called us into Jewish Ministry. We know of no better way to thoroughly equip ourselves for this work than the Jewish Studies program here at MBI. Furthermore, we have seen the Lord clearly direct our steps to bring us here. We are trusting that the Lord will provide all of the funds necessary for us to continue our studies here, and we ask that you would prayerfully consider whether God may have a plan for you to partner with us in His work. Please also consider bringing this opportunity before your friends, church, elders or pastor who may be burdened for the Jewish people. Above all, please pray for us as we seek to follow the Lord, wherever He leads us, and learn to trust Him more deeply in these uncharted waters.

Here is a summary of our financial needs, so that you can pray specifically for us, and consider how you may be a part of God’s plan of restoration for the Jewish people.

  • Our total remaining school bill for Fall 2014 is $6,000
  • This is broken down to a payment plan of $1,500/month
  • Our estimated budget for living expenses (excluding medical bills) is $1000/month
  • Total expenses for Carissa’s Lyme treatment $4300 – Praise the Lord, He has provided 80% already!

To make a contribution directly to our school bill, call Moody’s Student Accounts at (312) 329-4223. Donations can also be made online  at https://portal.moody.edu/prt_mainpage.aspx?id=134337. (For online payments you will need to enter BJ’s student ID # 4132121.)

To donate directly to us, mail checks to BJ and Carissa Kerstetter CPO 2163 820 N. LaSalle Blvd. Chicago, IL 60610. Donations may also be made through our website at kerstetterconnection.com/donate.

THANKS again for all of your prayers & support. We appreciate you so very much. If you’d like to receive more detailed updates about what we’re doing in Chicago and what we’re learning in Jewish Studies, please let us know and we’ll sign you up to get all of our blog posts sent to your inbox! To read Carissa’s latest blog post, “Strategic Relocation,” visit our website at kerstetterconnection.com.

In His Love & Peace,

BJ and Carissa Kerstetter

Strategic Relocation

 

Big new city. Here we are at last. After a couple years of dreaming, months of planning and a few detours along the way, we’re here and we’re settling in to Chicago. Most of our boxes are unpacked, and order has begun to be restored after our go-with-the-flow nomadic summer. The last boxes left to unpack are the books. From where I sit, I can see my disorganized bookshelf and a couple still unopened boxes in front of it, next to more books scattered on the floor. But among the books already gracing our disheveled shelves, is a book whose title not only gave us a good chuckle recently, but also prompted a thought-provoking question, whose answer could change your life.

 

The title? “Strategic Relocation.”

 

This book, which we happened across a couple years ago, was written, by a Joel M. Skousen, with the purpose of providing the reader with a summary of all the primary factors which make a place strategic for safety and quality of life. He also provides a very informative “North American Guide to Safe Places.” In case you were wondering, Chicago – while it’s not the worst – is not very high on the list. And to be frank – it’s never been high on my list either. While the big city may have its charms, I’d take a cabin on a lake in the north woods over city bustle any day.

 

Besides personal preference, though, factors considered in determining Skousen’s overall rating of a place include – geography, climate, freedoms, politics, crime, standard of living, prospects of war, invasion and terrorism… you get the idea. While his analysis of the world at large leaves the United States at the top of the list of strategic countries, the state of Illinois rates only 1 ½ stars on Skousen’s five-star system. With Chicago – still ranked as one of the organized crime capitols of the nation and #9 of our nation’s worst traffic cities; a state-wide personal liberty rating of 1 out of 5; with corrupt politicians, judges and police, highly restrictive gun laws, several prime military targets and more than a couple nuclear power plants, Illinois is not exactly ideal for anyone seeking a strategic safe place. But I cannot think of a safer or more strategic place for us to be than right in the heart of Chicago… because God has moved us here. With such limited time here on earth, existing for the sole purpose of knowing God and making Him known to the world, what other factors matter?

 

Abraham. Moses. Jonah. Esther. Elijah. David. Daniel. Our Lord Yeshua. These are just a few examples from God’s Word of people who seemed to the world to be in terrible job positions, making utterly foolish life choices, or facing terrifying danger, but were actually strategically placed to be overwhelmingly blessed by God’s specific plan to use their lives for His purpose and glory.

 

So the question I have to ask is this – How will you determine your strategic location – for your home, your work, your direction as an individual or as a family? Maybe you haven’t really considered much of Joel Skousen’s lengthy criteria in your decision of where to make your home, but we all live by some kind of strategy – whether consciously or not. What is yours?

 

I believe that, while the world around us points to countless other factors to consider in the big and small decisions of our lives, the most strategic path is the one which God has clearly marked out just for us, even if that path is one of wandering through a dry Middle Eastern wilderness; leads us into the flames of an ancient Babylonian furnace, brings us face to face with the rage of a power-crazed, anti-Semitic world leader, or perhaps even takes us to the streets of downtown Chicago.

 

BJ has a t-shirt that reads: “Obey… or Get Swallowed.” I think the message of Jonah’s story is clear. God can accomplish His purpose with or without us, but He wants to give us the incredible opportunity to be a part of the process. And I don’t know about you, but I think in the end, whatever the “strategic” ratings say, Nineveh looks better than the belly of a fish.