June–July 2016
A Mighty Man Lies Weakened
(physically, that is . . . )
In 1978, fairly new to the YWAM world, I took part in the Football World Cup outreach in Argentina. (I should explain to some readers that ‘football’—the most played and watched sport on earth—chiefly employs the foot to move the ball around. Some people call it ‘soccer.’)
Back to Argentina . . . While our large outreach team from many nations was ministering in the western city of Mendoza, nestled in the shadow of the mighty Andes mountains, a 6’ 7” mountain of a man came to speak to, and encourage us. He was a longterm YWAM leader by the name of Floyd McClung, a trailblazing missionary to Afghanistan and then The Netherlands, where he settled with his wife Sally and their two young children, Misha and Matthew.
Floyd stayed a couple of days in Mendoza, and I had the blessing of meeting him up close—we shared a room in my billet. What a gentle giant! Previously, I had heard him speak and always remembered this son of a pastor’s ‘terrible’ testimony of his younger years: “I’m the guy who smoked half a cigarette, and that was about it.” 28 years ago, Floyd suggested ‘YWAM Associates International’ as our ministry name; he also wrote the foreword to Re-Entry, my first book.
Several years ago, Floyd pioneered ‘All Nations,’ a new ministry based in South Africa. As I write this, Floyd lies powerless in a Cape Town hospital bed—he has been basically semi-conscious since early March. Recurring infections have ravaged his body, and his only communications have been finger-squeezing and other little indications of life in his spirit.
This has been a great test and mystery for Sally and Misha & Matthew, not to mention their wider family.
Sally writes a daily dispatch on Floyd’s—and her—progress, telling of the enormous challenges she constantly lives and faces. This is the stuff of a book—a chronicle of graceful endurance under unendurable conditions—for most people.
But for the grace of God.
Here is an excerpt from one of Sally’s days . . .
“My heart has been a bit heavy the last few days. We had a beautiful day today, so I sat in the warm sunshine and had a good talk to the Lord. He reminded me of some good things:
– He’s in control!
– He’s not surprised by anything that is happening.
– I just need to keep my eyes on Him.
– I need to keep trusting Him.
– Whenever I’m worried, I need to stay close to Him.
– I need to just steadily keep taking it one-day-at-a-time.
– I need to keep asking for the healing breakthrough Floyd needs.Come to think of it . . . these are pretty good guidelines for life at any time!!
My heart is calmed, and my focus is where it needs to be. “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.” [Psalm 55:22]
He is faithful!”
Through Sally, Floyd continues to minister to thousands, many of whose lives he has already touched over the past half century.
“Floyd’s life is in His hands,” was never truer than now.
Join the multitude that prays daily for Floyd and his family, as well as for his wonderful hospital carers. If you would like to send a note of encouragement to Sally (or to Misha or Matthew), we will gladly forward it to them, just click here!
Every Blessing,
Just in from Sally: “My whole world has shrunk very small. I go to the hospital, I manage Floyd’s care, I pay the bills and handle the essentials of our life, and I write a prayer update. Not very exciting. But all God is asking of me is to stay the course. Keep walking out this journey.”
Also pray for much-loved YWAM teacher, Dan Baumann, who lies in a somewhat similar condition. Injuries from a 30-foot fall while hiking, have left him mostly immobilized. Gunila, his mother stays by his hospital bed, and Lis Cochrane, his sister, writes facebook posts on his progress—the latest one was encouraging.
Potpourri
“There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong, but there aren’t many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up.”
[I Corinthians 4:15 MSG]
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
“Any concept of grace that makes us feel more comfortable sinning is not biblical grace. God’s grace never encourages us to live in sin, on the contrary, it empowers us to say no to sin and yes to truth.” Randy Alcorn
“If your faith can’t be tested, it can’t be trusted.” Adrian Rogers
Enjoying life is worship. All of life is (or should be), worship.
Hana Hou! (Do it Again!)
Join YWAM Alumni Dave & Cheryl Buehring for another
Hana Hou History Tour on the Big Island of Hawai’i
Historical Perspective – Personal Reflection – Fun & Relaxation
For all the details – www.HanaHou.info
Donna’s Corner
Feet Up?
Dear ‘Old’ Friends (who really are ‘Family’),
The expectation of retirement in the world, is around the age of 60-65—time to put your feet up! But my friends, our remaining years could be the most fruitful ones. The Holy Spirit is igniting this significant part of the army, and we can dream again. Us ‘oldies’ can still dream the dreams that are on God’s heart. [Acts 2:17]
Many of my friends are over 70, some are over 80 and even 90, yet they continue to be effective in the Kingdom of God. They are not sitting in a rocking chair waiting for Jesus to return. My sister is 81 and goes to a women’s prison three times a week, does Bible studies, and one-on-ones.
I’m 77 and after speaking in a Kansas City DTS this week, I’ll be going to Singapore to share with my YWAM Associates family plus a DTS; then to YWAM Cambodia to another DTS and to speak at their annual Staff Conference. This takes faith and courage and without the the ‘word of the Lord,’ I wouldn’t do it. His grace is sufficient for whatever He asks us to do.
I have many friends in YWAM who are also over 70, and they continue to travel, serve, teach, mentor others, and dream dreams. I love to hang out with these people—they keep me young in my thinking. Corrie Ten Boom was one of the first speakers in our DTS, and she did more after the age of 80 than she did before. But what she did, came out of her learning experiences before she was 80.
Joy Dawson and Jean Darnall—both over 90—had, and still have, tremendous impact in my life; I wish I lived closer to them, just to talk to them and hear their hearts. A couple of years ago I had a few hours with Joy over lunch and she is so alert in her mind and spirit. It was such a blessing and encouragement. She confirmed so much of what God was speaking to me. To this day, she still hand-writes words of encouragement to us.
If you are over 65 and love Jesus, break off old mindsets and start to dream again. Do not put your resources or your wisdom in storage. [Matt, 6:19-20] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Continue to walk in the fear of the Lord and keep your spirit built up. Be careful what you listen to and where you look for advice.
Doctors are well-meaning people and sometimes prescribe medication that you may not need. Ask God to confirm what you are taking into your body—as well as your mind and heart. He is our great physician. We must continue to be dependent on Him. He gives strength to the weary and as we hope in Him, we will rise up like eagles, walk and not faint. [Is.40:29-31] Sometimes He makes us lie down in green pastures to restore our souls. [Psalm 23]
Reach out to others, serving, loving, praying and sending words of encouragement. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you each day, step- by-step, and He will. He is networking His people and getting us into place for what He wants to do, as we hope in Him. Be a worshipper, keeping your eyes on Him—not on the circumstances; keep your ears in tune to Him. You who have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying—not to the voice of the world.
I can’t keep up with the younger generation, but I love them. Sometimes I picture myself as a tortoise, staying on the path, just trudging along; and when the arrows fly, I pull my head in and keep going while the rabbits, full of energy and multiplying, are running around me! But we’ll end well, and 
finish the race. [2 Tim 4:7-8] That’s my heart. I don’t want to waste time, energy or resources, just give out as He leads.
The Bible is full of stories of the older generations, and they are our greatest gift; but we need faith, hope, love and courage to pattern our lives after them. Our lives too, can be great examples—the greatest gift we can give to others.
With love,
Camps & Gatherings
July 31-Aug 06 – Champagne, France: with Carl Tinnion, Leader, YWAM, UK
http://www.intouchcamps.comAug 7-10 – Singapore (JB) with Donna Jordan & Dean Fujishima
For information & to register–click hereSept 4-10 – Kansas City, YWAM Family Gathering
To register click here for general registration (Children’s Track click here!) For more information on schedule and activities www.ywamkc2016.org
. . . and Finally
How Not to Make a Decision
Hungry (and poor as a church mouse), I went out for the football team while at university. I knew I’d never be a star athlete—my reason was simply so I could tuck in to the free buffet dinner provided after daily practice. I loaded up at the nightly feast. But well before Christmas, the football season came to an end. I faced hungry days until May.
My good friend Doug, also on the football team (he was a real jock, later playing professionally), was in similar circumstances. We decided we would join the university military reserve training plan, so we could earn some money on weekend duty, plus have a full-time summer job. But first we had to choose which branch of the service we would grace with our membership—Army, Navy or Air Force.
He wanted Air Force, I wanted Navy, but we both wanted to be pilots. (My oldest brother had been a Royal Navy pilot towards the end of WW2.) So how did we make our decision? Did we pray and ask God—first ‘if’—and then ‘whether’—Air Force or Navy? Not even considered.
We flipped a coin. Heads Air Force, tails Navy. It came up heads.
So we joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and started to eat again; then we had our pilot suitability testing. I’m thinking, “Doug the athlete, will ace this, because he’s so physically coordinated.”
You guessed it, he didn’t make it to pilot training, having to settle for ground duty, while I was accepted and got to learn how to fly an airplane (after a very tough boot camp). The sense of superiority in being able to do something few others could, got to me quickly. So, discouraged and tired of all the studying, I quit ‘the halls of higher learning’ and joined the full-time Air Force, so I could do something I really wanted to do—something even higher than those other ‘halls.’
It all came to nothing a few years later, when a bunch of us trained pilots were released for basically, a government’s political ruling. Choices have consequences, and I was back to being hungry again (not to mention that I was losing my longtime girlfriend, Donna). But that’s another story.
So, how do you make a decision?
I have learned that my coin flip was probably not the way a follower of Jesus should make a major (or even minor) decision. Donna and I have learned to intentionally and specifically ask God to direct our steps—often with confirmation by others. That requires basic trust and faith.
In God. First.
Do we make mistakes? Of course. But admitting them and learning from them, helps us to move on in our walk with Jesus.
Till next time,
hought-provoking of the saints.
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Editor, Peter Jordan; Regular Contributor, Donna Jordan;
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