I notice a natural dip every year when I come back from Russia. Actually, I have to give props to my brother for pointing it out to me. I’m not sure why it happens but it does. It will probably happen next year as well. The reality is that it has been happening for years. We all have dips. We all hit seasons like this. Is it jet-lag? Is it spiritual warfare? Is it the stress of reengaging with everyday life? Is it saying goodbye to our friends in Russia who steal your heart? Maybe it is missing the connection God forges with our team. Not sure…maybe it is a combination of all the above. All I know is that finding your stride when you get back is problematic.

The past two years I have had the privilege of taking my daughters to Russia with me. They love it. They love the people there. They experienced the dip this year as well. Tonight Michelle and I had a chance to talk to them about what they are experiencing. I love those kind of talks. I think they define what family is all about. Hearing our girls hearts…explaining ours…gaining perspective…connecting on a deep level. Michelle is an amazing Mom. It is her calling. She brings an amazing amount of discernment to the table. It was her idea to finish our talk with prayer…what a cool thing to be able to cover your girls in prayer.

So where and when does your “dip” hit you? Do you see it coming? Do you have friends that have permission to speak into your life? It is so much easier to see stuff in someone else’s life isn’t it? Seeing it and knowing you are in the midst of it is half the battle.

Life moves fast forward for most of us…it is easy to forget that men and women are serving in harms way.  I am privileged to have a good friend (Pat Fensom) who has served two tours in Afghanistan.  Pat is a warrior.  He serves in Special Forces as a Green Beret.  I was scared when he was deployed.  I wanted to share an email he sent me yesterday of one of his friends who was killed serving in Afghanistan…Pray for his family…pray for those who have suffered loss and injury…pray for those still serving.

As the list of names grow, I feel like I can honor their memory and sacrifice by offering a little insight to you.

Shortly after getting to work this past Monday, I was told the news of 4 SF Soldiers from my old unit were KIA.  I asked for the names and when I heard Shawn’s name my heart sunk.  Shawn came to my old company in ’99 and we hit it off.  I left to instruct shortly after but he would stay in touch.  He eventually became an instructor and we would cross paths, especially after I finished my last OEF tour and returned to the SF School.  After he was promoted and knew he was returning to lead a team, he started coming by to talk and ask questions.  He was motivated and excited to lead his guys in battle.  We discussed many scenarios, he asked me what I would do in different situations etc.  We had good talks.  He was sincere in his service and committment to the Nation.  He took his calling to lead men in combat especially the Green Berets on his team seriously and with passion.  I last saw him a week prior to him flying overseas.  He was focused.  He was a quiet professional.  I will miss him.  (see below)

HOPE MILLS — Master Sgt. Shawn Elliot Simmons, 39, Green Beret and Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha Team Sergeant in the U. S. Army, was killed in the line of duty on a recovery mission near Khosrow-E Sofia, Afghanistan.

A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Master Sgt. Simmons served in the U. S. Army for more than 16 years. Shawn and Tricia were married July 19, 1992, at Bethel AME Church, and from this union, two children were born.

Shawn was always active in the church, starting at his home church, Greater Mount Zion P.B. Church. Having a desire to know the Lord as his Savior, at the age of 12, Shawn confessed Christ and was baptized by the Rev. C.K. Steele at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. Shawn continued to stay active in church; he and his family joined his mother at Bethel AME Church. Upon being stationed at Fort Bragg, he and his family became active members of Cliffdale Christian Center in Fayetteville. He was considered a leading role model for children in the Hope Mills community.

Shawn’s distinguished military career began in February 1992 as a power generation equipment repairman in Karlsruhe, Germany. In 1995, he was assigned to the 307th Forward Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. In May 1997, he began the Special Forces Qualification Course and he earned the coveted “Green Beret” in 1999 and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha engineer sergeant. He left the battalion in 2005 to become an instructor at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He returned to the battalion in December 2007.

He leaves to cherish his memories a loving and devoted wife, Tricia; daughter, Erin; son, Justin; mother, Alberta Jones Simmons; and a host of other relatives and friends.

It is Monday in Smolensk and our groups are busy getting started.  We have
had a great trip so far.  Several of those with connecting flights from
Missouri and Texas barely made it to Chicago before our flight.  God took
care of all of that and we made it here safely.  Everyone is doing well.
We had a great time in church yesterday worshiping with our Russian
brothers and sisters at the Smolensk Christian Church.  It is always one of
the highlights of these trips.

Work started this morning at two project sites.  Dan Muller is building the
largest playground I have ever seen in Russia at the Smolensk orphanage.
Ryan and our students are all working at that site along with those fathers
that made the trip.  The Russian kids are pitching in.  There is playing
and working going on at the same time.  I was almost beamed by a soccer
ball a couple of times.  Those of you parents checking in…your kids are
doing great…you would be very proud.  I see a lot of initiative and they
are working hard.

Our Pochinok orphanage project is also going well.  They are building a new
playground, a fence, and finishing the roof that the Russians started.  I
will be headed out there momentarily with Buddy to check on them and their
progress.

Morale is great and we have had no injuries.  The weather is awesome (low
70s) and the mosquitos are busy.  I’m proud of the group God has assembled
this year.  They are “living different.”  I sense God working already.  Be
praying.  We are honored to represent Fellowship in Russia.

Our flight arrives in Moscow at 12:15 PM (4:15 AM EST). In case you wondered the flight is somewhere between 9-10 hours of cramped fun. I have a hard time “loving” those people in business class…

Once we pass through customs we are headed to Red Square. It is amazing to see. If you were alive during the cold war it is a surreal moment to say the least. Our group will be snapping shots of the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s tomb. Russians love to have weddings at Red Square. It is not uncommon to see over 10 wedding parties in the vicinity. After Red Square we will grab our last (for the week) American meal at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Following Hard Rock we will travel by bus to Smolensk for the last remaining 6 hours of our journey. We will check into our hotel…eat some pizza (Russian) and call it a night.

Sunday brings church with our Russian brothers and sisters and some sightseeing in Smolensk for our group. Smolensk is a city rich in history. Every army that has tried to conquer Russia has had to come through Smolensk from Napoleon to Nazi Germany. I will be going to survey the orphanages with our project leaders so we are ready to hit it first thing Monday morning.

Keep checking my blog for updates throughout the week.

By the time you read this 33 of us will be en route to Russia. We (26 of Fellowship’s finest) will be joined on this year’s trip with some friends from Texas (2), Missouri (3), Colorado (1), and Florida (1). God has given us a great team. It is a tough trip travel wise, not to mention that this is our largest group ever.

Our theme for 2008 has been “Live Different.” Now we are taking “live different” international! We are going to build playgrounds at two orphanages and also build a security fence around a well at one of the orphanages. Seems like they dug a well last year but the authorities won’t let them use it until they secure it with a fence. Can you imagine an orphanage without water?

I have to give it up for our group. They are sacrificing their time and treasure…they are living different…they are answering the call Jesus gave when he said to “go.” Please be praying for them. The trip is not easy but the rewards are eternal. Getting out of your world and entering into someone else’s is living like Jesus. The enemy will try to get us off track…anything he can do to make it about us instead of others. He will attack our chemistry and synergy.

Stay tuned over the next 8 days…”live different” is going on tour!

We decided to do a last minute trek to the beach today. My youngest son Drew was sick with a fever so Michelle decided to stay home with him. Alli had a bunch of school to finish her last week (she graduates Friday!), so it was me and Emily, Bailey, and Grace headed to Rehobeth Beach. We had a great time together. It’s pretty cool watching your kids play together. They tried to get me in the water…yeah right…not until about July.

At lunch I asked my kids to share something they had learned about God so far this year. It was cool to hear them express their hearts and to see them be comfortable with it. I need to have more conversations like that. I want to make God part of breaking bread together. I am hungry for him to bleed into every part of our life.

Does anyone else get misty when they watch the commercials honoring our troops? It gets me every time. I rocks me to my core. We are blessed to have the most incredible people giving their all in our Armed Forces. For those of you who have served, I want to say a very heart felt thanks. We have no idea the cost being paid by those in Iraq and Afghanistan right now or the sacrifice of the families that are here waiting. I also think of those working in our V.A hospitals to give our vets the care they desperately need. Thanks for serving our Country!

I had the privilege to visit Gail Oxley today at the V.A. Nursing Care facility in Wilmington, DE.  Gail suffers from ALS.  We had a great time talking together (mostly I listened).  He seems to be doing very well.  He is ready to go, but living and appreciating everyday to the fullest.  His doctors tell him it is a matter of weeks not months as far as his prognosis.

What really amazed me today, aside from Gail’s spirit and perspective, was the level of care that he is receiving.  From the moment I walked in to when I left, everyone I came in contact with inspired me.  What a tough job they have.  These people must have a calling to do what they do, the way they do it.  As I drove away today I whispered a prayer to thank God for caregivers.  They help people who can’t always help themselves.  Most of them do it with very little thanks or recognition.  James talks about pure religion being the kind that helps those who aren’t able to respond in kind.

I’m glad God puts people in my path to inspire and encourage me.

Because of the earthquake that hit this week, several of you have asked or sent notes inquiring about my sister Kristin and her husband Jerry who live in China.  They are fine.  They didn’t feel anything where they live.  Thanks for remembering them and for your concern.  Kris is a regular blog reader and I am sure she will appreciate you thinking of them.

This past week I got the bright idea to redo our kitchen floor.  We have some guests coming over next week and I had been thinking about doing it anyway so why not dive in?  So we tear up the old floor and find out that this is going to be way more extensive an undertaking than I imagined.  If I had known what I know now, there is no way I begin the project.  The timing has been terrible because things have never been busier for me as our team cranks it up for Elevate (teaser..more to come on elevate later).  But, the kitchen is in shambles…guests are coming…we have to push through and get it done.

I wonder if God doesn’t allow the kitchen floor of our life to be torn up sometimes so that he can see the renovation process begin.  He has incredible plans for us.  He promises to do a complete work in us in Philippians 1:6.  We hate the process of renovation.  It’s messy.  It’s inconvenient.  It makes us weary.  But the finished project is something to behold.  I wonder if God doesn’t step back, cross his arms, and then look at us on the other side of the “projects” he takes us through and say…Nice.  I like it.  It looks good.  Good job.

Only my family and my two good friends that helped me with our floor will know what a pain in the butt it was to complete.  Likewise, only God, you, and those closest to you will know the cost this spiritual journey exacts on you.

This is my Facebook badge. You can click on it and it will take you to Facebook where you can “friend” me!  Our new I.T. Director, Greg Davis, encouraged (understated) me to open a facebook account a couple of weeks ago.  He also gave me a book called “Facebook For Pastors.”  It is amazing to see the way people communicate on facebook.  As best I can tell it is clean and safe.  My daughters, Alli and Emily, both have accounts as do most of our staff.  One of the highlights for me has been connecting with our students and college age adults.  You should check out facebook if you get a chance.  Greg will be developing a Fellowship page on facebook soon.  If you are on facebook already, I would like to be your friend.

Parents…I encourage you to sign up.  Stay engaged in the world in which our kids live.  Stay connected to their friends.