Friday, September 24, 2010

Meet the Board: Nancy Yacher

L.I.F.E. Ministries International is led by a five member board with varying backgrounds and life experiences. You may know the L.I.F.E. Ministries' Leadership Team, but we want to introduce you to the board; today, we share an interview with Brockwell Bone, editor, and Board Member Nancy Yacher.

Brockwell: God has led many of us through educational, relational, and other experiences to make us who we are; what experiences do you feel have led you to serving on the Board at L.I.F.E. Ministries?

Nancy: My family pattern growing up was to keep family emotional secrets, meaning we could not speak of feeling, think about feelings, or feel--a familiar story. The religious way to handle questions was to be stoic, and the intellectual environment my father came from through his graduate training was effectively New Age. My own Christian conversion from "spirituality" to Christianity has shown me the amazing help toward emotional health that comes from living out the life of Christ in us.

Brockwell: God has blessed each of us with unique skills and passions; what do you feel is the gift or skill He wants you to use most while serving the ministry?

Nancy: Because my father was a college professor of English, my mother a teacher of French and Spanish, and my own experience as a Danforth Graduate Fellow during my graduate training in American civilization, I have been thinking about historical and social patterns of behavior as presented in stories and related to Christian groups. Following my grandmother's tradition, I enjoy hosting groups, helping people meet other people, and supporting students by being available off campus to connect and share interests when they come to me. These social connection skills and social behavior research allow me to understand the disconnection of addiction.

Brockwell: Nancy, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Nancy: Reading has always been recreation for me, especially biographies, Christian experience literature, and mysteries. I enjoy cooking imaginatively with local, seasonal food, going to plays and concerts on campus. A walk in the state park at Clinton Lake near my home with friends or with my dog is always a pleasure. I also sing in the Lawrence Civic Choir for concerts and on performance trips. And most of all, being in touch with my two sons and their families; I am blessed with five grandchildren.

Brockwell: What other Boards and organizations have you served?

Nancy: I have served at Trinity In-Home Care in my community, as well as having been on the Board of the campus Episcopal center and organized or participated in conferences on the writings of C.S. Lewis as it relates to college curriculum. Lewis is considered the "foremost Christian apologist" of the 20th century, and presented the theology and philosophy of the Christian past in Western civilization. Being able to teach his works was God's way of letting me make amends for so much of the anti-Christian teaching in the humanities these days. And students DID want that material, despite my being challenged about it's being relevant or accurate or politically correct. I see that hunger as one of God's messages to both my family and the department that this, material, too, is important. I also have delivered papers at several academic conferences, including one at Cambridge University in England, at the C.S. Lewis Foundation Summer Institute.

Read at http://ping.fm/231eU

Friday, September 17, 2010

Fallen: A Pastor's Story of Recovery

(from our Late Summer newsletter)
By Dan P. - Part 1 of 4: Make It On My Own
Forgive me for beginning where I must, but I have been studying the life of David for obvious reasons: a man after God's own heart...a leader of God's people...A man who committed adultery.
The Psalms are full of David's thoughts prior to his sin, his pain and despair from the consequences of his sin, and his reflections of God's goodness after his redemption from his sin. But what I have found most interesting was this excerpt from Psalm 38:16-18

"For I said, 'Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.' For I am about to fall and my pain is ever within me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin."
Before everything came crashing down, I had this sense that something big and terrible was coming at me. And I knew that when it hit me, it was going to hit me hard, and it was going to hurt. I wanted to get out of the way, but for reasons I am still learning about, I couldn't make myself move.

Why was I so vulnerable to a fate I did not want but could not avoid? The reasons are multiple and deep and they overlap in many different and complex ways...but the primary reason I was so vulnerable was that there was no one in my life close enough to me who could see the approaching danger and help me get out of harm's way. There were a few people who had tried to get that close...but I never let anyone in.

Perhaps this is where you find yourself; troubled by your sin, fearful of the pain and destruction your sin will ultimately bring, but without a person close enough to you who can see the urgency of the moment and help you escape the destruction that you know is descending upon you. If this is you, please understand that I know about this place. It is a terribly lonely and intimidating place. But I want to join you there, without great sounding logic, moral condemnation, or impatient demands. I just want to be present with you so that together we can find safety.

The Eagles have always been one of my favorite bands from the 70's. One of their most popular songs is Desperado, and in that song there is a line that says, "your prison is walking through this world all alone." I never realized how true that was until I stopped walking through life all alone. Before, I dealt with life by isolating myself from others. Now, I regularly engage other men and we "do life" together.

Given my own experience, I doubt there is a better way to close than to quote the last line of the song Desperado...

"you'd better let somebody love you, before it’s too late."

Read this on our website at http://ping.fm/tUknD

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Spouse's Facilitator's Calls Return

It's September and time to begin our monthly conference calls for facilitators of LIFE Spouses' Groups. If you are currently facilitating a spouses' group or are interested in beginning a group in your area, the conference call is a great place to dialogue with other facilitators and learn from those who are ministering to spouses across the country. Melissa Haas, author of the LIFE Guide for Spouses, hosts the call--providing training and support for facilitators. There is also a time for questions and problem-solving on each call. September's call will take place on Tuesday, September 28th, at 8:00 p.m. EST. If you are interested in registering for the call.... http://ping.fm/cmPom This month's topic is "Dealing with Disclosure."

Friday, September 10, 2010

Walk in the Light Conference Review

(from our Late Summer 2010 newsletter)
The Walk in the Light 2010 conference was more energizing and fulfilling than we could have ever imagined!

We want to thank the participants for making this conference a success and traveling across the country from as far away as Maryland and Arizona. This conference hosted individuals in recovery, facilitators - even entire leadership groups came! Participants enjoyed opportunities to network during lunch and drew strength knowing others were alongside them in this battle to restore purity. Counselors and pastors alike were also equipped to better serve and challenge in their sphere of influence.

As testimonies were made throughout each day, there was a glorious witness to God’s power and goodness that declared lives can be changed through recovery. The Lord’s presence was felt throughout the conference but there was a particularly sweet time of prayer after a family testimony when men and women came forward laying down their guard to let the Holy Spirit fill their souls. O how the Lord encourages us through you!

Participants graciously gave essential feedback and encouraging comments that helps us hold fast to the vision that God has given L.I.F.E. Ministries. We are so grateful and humbled to provide L.I.F.E. Recovery Training with cutting edge research and recovery information at a level of excellence that can only come from Him. We admit through this process we most assuredly will continue to accumulate considerable amounts of valuable material, so we are reorganizing the format to deliver this information in a more palatable format. We encourage you to look to L.I.F.E. Recovery Training to build upon your training experiences and to equip and empower your leadership and recovery skills.

Considering all of the value that comes from providing L.I.F.E. Recovery Training, nothing is more rewarding than to see previously despairing people catch a vision of hope and purpose, only Jesus can do that! We are privileged to walk with you united as God’s army battling sexual addiction.

L.I.F.E. Ministries International