Sterling - Jan. 2011

I Regret That I Have but One Life to Give

“I regret that had but one life to give for my country.” I want to start this blog out with this quote by a man who loved his country, even to the point of death; Nathan Hale. He was an American spy in the revolutionary war. He had been caught stealing British documents. The British dragged him out to execute him without even a trial, and when asked what his last words would be, he replied, “I regret that had but one life to give for my country.”

If he loved his country so much that he’d give his life for it, how much more should we give our lives for our God? I have had the privilege to meet people like that all over the world. Some of those people have been put in jail up to seven times. Even though most of us don’t have to live like that, we still have a responsibility to do what God has given us to do, whether it’s in our town or even around the world. Like in Vietnam, China, or any where else no matter how old you are, you still have a responsibility to do what you are called to. That can be hard sometimes. Christ never said it would be easy, instead, He said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation (Mark 16:15).” He didn’t say, “go preach the good news where it’s the easiest.” See the difference? “All creation,” that means Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Russia, everywhere! But sadly, most of the people that I know are nice and comfortable in their nice little house with their nice little car. They never step outside of their comfort zone to tell anybody about God. I'm not saying you can't be comfortable. It’s just that you can't stay in the same place, stagnant, when God has called you somewhere else or to lay your hands to something. You need to go! Wherever it is, no matter how hard it is, we need to “go”. We have to “go”.

Jesus died on cross for you and me and we don’t even take time to listen to Him, or tell anyone about Him in the simplest and easiest of situations. Maybe sometimes we just need to slow down, listen, and come before God willing to do what He has called us to do.

Benjamin - January 2011

I am Called to Pray!

I keep wanting to press more into Jesus, to connect more with who He is and what He thinks about situations that are going on around me and in different areas throughout the earth. Many times at night I lay wanting to be able to really pray. I always start prayers with requests that the Lord help me pray. You know where the scriptures say “teach us how to pray” (Luke 11:1) and “I want to believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24), those kinds of prayers.

In Ephesians 6, Paul talks about the armor of God. He describes how to use the armor. He tells us to put on the armor that we might withstand, and having done all, still be standing when we are wrestling in heavenly places. The wrestling that he is describing is a picture of being in a battle. That is exactly what it is, a battle. Thus we wear the armor. It is for protection as we stand and fight for the truth of God. And that is where Paul starts.

In Ephesians 6:14, Paul tells us to stand with our waist protected with truth, and our heart with the breast plate of righteousness, our feet prepared to take the gospel of peace, and above all to have faith as a shield to guard us from the arrows of the devil. He tells us our helmet is salvation and our offensive weapon is a sword. And that sword is the Word of God. It is a powerful weapon!

So, what I think we can learn from that passage is that we are constantly in a spiritual battle and that battle is prayer! In that battle we have to protect ourselves by speaking the truth in all things, walking in Jesus’ righteousness, and knowing we can only do those things through faith! Salvation protects our mind, and that’s why Paul tells us to put it on like a helmet. But the only way that we can come to salvation and be righteous and truthful and ready to share the gospel is by God’s word, and is through understanding God’s Word. And that is the final thing Paul tells us to “take up”, the sword of the Spirit. It is the only power that we will have to use to fight in our battle of prayer.

I do feel called to pray. Reading this passage really made me stop and think. If I want to be effective and able to pray, I will have to know and live by His word. I don’t have to be fearful and wonder what to pray. I can pray His word and know His will through doing that. I can always pray in Faith!

Benjamin - September 2010

Hobbes

I have a little Hobbe“r”s that goes everywhere with me,
He’s cute and very furry and is as fluffy as can be.

I say that he is cute but if you ever saw this dog.
You’d not “Awe!” about his cuteness,
But probably rather pet a frog.

He looks like a little werewolf
double bottom fangs on either side.
They only serve to hinder licking,
Which he couldn’t stop if he tried.

As ugly as he is
He’s the kindest little thing
Ticks and all can’t keep thankfulness away for
All the joy and happiness he brings.

He shows love endlessly
Playing, chasing, sitting near
And never stopping to lick and love you
That’s how he shows you that you’re dear.

He likes to lick everyone,
No matter who it is.
Though many shoves are given him,
He still always has to kiss.

He stands less than a foot off the ground
His upturned hair, you’d laugh if you saw
But sadly now I have to end this…
I know you might say “Awe”.

Not to worry, I’ll be back with more on Hobbes,
And the next time I might tell
Of our big ole burly golden retriever
Hobbes best friend, Brutis Shnell.

Sterling - September 2010

Choosing

In life we have choices. Right or left? Hot or cold? Fast or slow? And every choice we make will change us. So, saying that, do we always think about our choices like we should? Or do we pass them off like nothing? In choosing, we’re setting ourselves up for later. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to sit back and watch my life go down the drain simply because I want to do what I want now without thinking about the future. I’m trying make choices to shape my life into what I want it to be later. I’m not doing the best for sure, but I am trying. I see so many people who live for the fun they can have right now. And I see the price of the choices they have made. And then I look at others that have made good choices that set them up for later. We all can make choices that help build a stronger foundation for later. But we can’t do it on our own. We need help from family and friends, but mostly we need help from God. He is the only One who can really help us. We have the choice to live for Him or live for ourselves. We have the choice to go to heaven or to hell because of the price that Jesus paid. I have made my choice. It is time for you to make yours.

Benjamin - June 2010

It's been an interesting couple of weeks. First, dad wanted to take me to a "hidden beach." It is about an hour and a half ride on motorcycle up a cow path, a literal cow path, until you come to a small dirt road. The road was muddy, so dad asked me to get off and walk while he tried to ride through the mud. He makes it about 10 yards and the motorcycle sinks into two feet of mud. He starts pushing, but the motorcycle will not budge. After several minutes, some Khmer guys come buy and dad talks them into helping push us out of the mud (it cost $5 to get the help).

It was starting to get dark, but dad still wanted to see the "hidden beach," so we went around the mud by getting on another cow path. It took us over two hours to get to the beach from the time we left the house. When we get there, it was not much of a beach, there were goats, pigs and cows running around everywhere and it was almost dark, so we could only stay five minutes to swim. At least we know the way now. The brochure was not exactly honest in what it said and what it showed about the beach. It was not the paradise shown in the pictures, but it was an adventure to get to.

We start headin' back, guess what we see, a huge paved road on our right. The brochure took us through the cow field, but there was a road that ran right out to the beach that we could have taken. Usually up for the "road less traveled", we decided it would be a good time to take the quick way home and we decided on the paved road. We were hungry from our adventure, so we stopped at a restaurant on the way home and had a good meal. We had a great time and I enjoyed the "dad time." Never ones to miss an adventure, it started raining on our way home, so we had a 45 minute ride home in the dark soaking wet.

Another "Burke Boy Adventure" in the books!

Benjamin - Mar. 2010

We are finally all moved in. It has been quite an easy transition for me into our home here, but there has been some hard things about getting settled in. Leaving my family, friends, and other special things, like pets, in America has been the hardest. Two big things happened after we arrived, that made me feel sad and lonely for my family in America. One was, it was the first time in years that they had an actual white Christmas and I really missed being there for that. I LOVE snow! Then my great Grandma Frances, who was so special to me, died and we couldn’t be there. But I am happy that Grandma is with Jesus and lived such a good and long life… she was 96 when she died. Those things were really hard but I know God was here with us, and there with the rest of our family in America. And He gave me peace in my sadness.

So, God has encouraged me through it all and He had plans to help me with all these things and the transition back before I even knew I would need it. He sent me a good friend back with us. His family came to help us get the Elephant English School started. His name is Eric Jurgielewicz. He’s been so great to have around! I love his whole family and the rest of the team too! Elizabeth LeMarr has been like a sister to me growing up and she is here, and I love seeing her. Also, being back with Srey Roth and the Heritage House kids is like finally being home again. They really are my family too.

And finally after much pleading, Dad gave in and let me bring home a little dog that one of the store owners near the market kept trying to give me. He has been another awesome blessing. He is really little. He weighs about 8 pounds and is quiet and playful and so good. His name is Hobbes and I am so thankful to have him.

There are still days when I pray and ask Jesus to help me transition into another new house, but I love being back in Cambodia, and I am so thankful for all the ways God has blessed me and encouraged me during my transition back.

Sterling - March 2010

Over the past five months I have been trying to get used to being back in Cambodia, but I have realized I was missing something that has made all the difference in helping me get settled back into life here. I am here because God sent me here. I’m not just here because my parents are. I'm here because God has His reasons for having me in Cambodia.

I feel God has been encouraging me that some of the main reasons He has had me here since I was five is to live, grow, and walk with the Heritage House kids. Since I have been back from the states this time, I feel called to continue to encourage them in their walk with God. But again, God has even bigger reasons. Sometimes I’m the one that needs encouragement.

I have been trying to encourage my Cambodian brothers to follow Christ wherever He takes them, but they keep encouraging me. It has made me think a lot about what missions really is. I think about how we send all these teams into countries and think they are really going to help the church there because the church ”really needs it.”

Sometimes it does need the help that they think it does. God said go and make disciples in these nations, but sometimes we’re the ones that need to learn. Sometimes missionaries really just need to go back to their own church and pray and see what God needs them to do there. There’s always lost people around you in your own city or town. I used to always think of a mission field as it having to be in a different country, but I just now learned that a mission field is where God calls you to minister where ever that may be.

Now I am understanding more clearly what God is doing with my life here. God has called my family to S.E. Asia. He has called me here to minister, and to be ministered to. This is where He has chosen to place me and I have to be faithful to follow Him and help others follow Him right here. It’s been a great experience living in S.E Asia for the past 8 years, and I just hope through all of it that God will get the glory only He deserves.