Genevieve of Paris: Doing good

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. Acts 10:38

“Genevieve was born at Nanterre, near Paris… During the siege of Paris by Childeric, king of the Franks, Genevieve went out with a few followers and procured corn for the starving citizens. Nevertheless Childeric, though a pagan, respected her, and at her request spared the lives of many prisoners. By her exhortations again, when Attila and his Huns were approaching the city, the inhabitants, instead of taking flight, gave themselves to prayer and penance, and averted, as she had foretold, the impending scourge. Clovis, when converted from paganism by his holy wife, St. Clotilda, made Genevieve his constant adviser, and, in spite of his violent character, made a generous and Christian king. She died within a few weeks of that monarch, in 512, aged eighty-nine… Genevieve was only a poor peasant girl, but Christ dwelt in her heart. She was anointed with His Spirit, and with power; she went about doing good, and God was with her.”

Genevieve of Paris (419-512) in The Lives of the Saints by Alan Butler, 1894 (Global Grey edition, 2019) 3 January reading. Here’s the link to a PDF copy of this book if you want to download it freely.

I am safely in Vranov, Czechia, just north of Brno, in the home of a friend, Milan Hluchý (pictured above at sunset last night).  Because I am traveling the next three weeks with limited internet, I downloaded this classic to inspire my service and yours.

Notice how Genevieve rallied others to join her in procuring corn for the starving citizens. This reminds me of part of the reason for our mission to Ukraine. With 6.5 million internally displaced people, many are starving and in need of food.

Through Bread of Life ministry in Donetsk, we can purchase 3,000 small loaves for only $1,000. That’s one example of the aid will supply. And we trust God will be with us and protect us despite the siege of Ukraine by Russia.

Additionally, we have many meetings in Kyiv and Lviv. An alliance is forming with 39 organizations wanting to exhibit consistent stewardship and follow standards for sustainable ministry now and after the war.

But right now, join me in praying for the Czechs and the Slovaks, whom I serve this week. And give as you are able to our efforts in Eastern Europe and Ukraine. We can do good together and bring healing because God is with us.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

“If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! Without doubt they would devote all their care and concern to winning for themselves pains and afflictions. All men throughout the world would seek trouble, infirmities, torments, instead of good fortune, in order to attain the unfathomable treasure of grace.”

Rose of Lima (1586-1617) in Letter as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 526.

I located this reading a month ago. I returned to it as I think about spending the next three weeks in Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Moldova. I am praying for divine grace as I travel.

When this posts, I should on my way to Brno, Czechia. I am thankful for the grace to serve Christian workers in Czechia and Slovakia this week. Let me know if you want my itinerary for prayer.

When we move toward others in service, we discover untold riches and experience unfathomable joys and delights. And the hardships we endure, just give us opportunities to learn more about God’s faithfulness.

He is able to make His grace about to us. But He does not do that until we act, move, give, serve, love in a way that exceeds human capacities and demonstrates reliance on Him.

What about you? Remember, the hands that give and serve are never empty or weak, all because of grace. To whom might God be leading you to move toward and devote yourself to their care today?

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9

“Prosperity and adversity, wealth and poverty, health and sickness, honors and humiliations, life and death, in the mind of the wise man, are not to be sought for their own sake, nor avoided for their own sake. But if they contribute to the glory of God and your eternal happiness, then they are good and should be sought. If they detract from this, they are evil and must be avoided.”

Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) in Letter of Saint Henry from Lives of the Saints as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 526.

There’s so much wisdom here.

In Proverbs, the sage urges us to aim not at avoiding poverty or attaining riches but at trusting God for our daily bread. That’s precisely the instruction of Jesus in the Lord’s prayer.

Then Bellarmine echoes this wisdom in plain terms for us.

The things most people spend themselves and their money to attain or avoid–“Prosperity and adversity, wealth and poverty, health and sickness, honors and humiliations, life and death”–must not steal our focus.

We must focus on bringing glory and honor to God, which impacts our eternal happiness. In other words, we should make stewardship decisions not with the next 30 years in view. That’s what the world says.

We should, as Michael Blue keenly says, “Make decisions with the next 30 million years in view.”

So, when we have things we must put them to work (not hoard them on earth), realizing that our actions will impact our eternal happiness. And when we don’t have things we must ask God to supply them.

In this way God always gets the glory and we assure our eternal joy.

I leave for Eastern Europe and Ukraine today. Could you pray for safe passage and fruitful GTP service from 16 June to 7 July and for provision for the travel, transfers, and relief efforts? I appreciate it.

And if you have resources to put in play through generous giving, click here.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

“We are taught and advised to abandon temporal riches, to lay aside earthly goods, and to strove to reach the eternal and everlasting dwelling-places in heaven. For present glory is fleeting and meaningless, while it is possessed, unless in it we can glimpse something of heaven’s eternity.”

Henry the Exuberant (973-1024) in Letter of Saint Henry from Lives of the Saints as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 525.

I had a video interview with Saraí Súchite, founder and director of Honey World, a business as mission effort in Guatemala yesterday. She’s replicated GTP trainings in Guatemala and Costa Rica and so we were meeting to gather her impact story.

She said something that seemed to echo this post I read earlier in the day. She said that while we may be taught about stewardship and generosity, we don’t realize it is the way to live until we lay aside the good things God has give us to receive His best.

And she added, and “giving hands are never empty.” I just loved that. Ponder with me a moment. The reason we are taught and advised to let go of wealth is because it hinders our running of the race set before us. You can’t imagine a sprinter or a marathon runner carrying a suitcase, can you?

So, the lesson for our generosity today is this. Do as you are taught and advised. Lay that stuff aside and give generously because “giving hands are never empty.” Strive to finish the race set before you. Keep your focus on your eternal dwelling. Storing treasures there. With you!

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

“You, King of glory, know how to give great gifts, and you have promised them; there is nothing greater than you, and you bestowed yourself upon us; you gave yourself for us. Therefore we ask that we may know what we love, since we ask nothing other than you give us yourself. For you are our all: our life, our light, our salvation, our food, and our drink, our God. Inspire our hearts, I ask you Jesus.”

Columba of Iona (540-615) in Instruction 13 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 519.

As I prepare my mind and heart to serve war-weary people in Eastern Europe and Ukraine with the ministry of presence and meetings to explore what it means to build local, sustainable ministry in the crisis times and after, here’s what comes to mind.

The hurting people need Jesus and they need love. And so that’s what I need to pack in my proverbial suitcase, Jesus and love. Jesus gave Himself for us in love and all I need to is more of Him and more of His love. And the same holds true for you.

Your generosity will directly correlate to the great gifts you have received from God. Sit in that idea today. Call to Him. Ask Him to fill you with His love, light, salvation, food, and drink. Only then, can your heart be filled and thrilled to go bless others generously.

I also know that on the altar at Iona, where Columba ministered, it reads, “Stand Fast.” So, once you resolve to receive great gifts and distribute them generously, be ready for difficulties. It will be hard and faith-stretching at times. But know that the God we serve is faithful.

Still praying for funds for Ukraine and other projects around the world. Would you pray with me for God to supply the remaining $53,000 by 30 June? If you want to give, click here. O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!

In the same way, you who are younger must be subject to the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:5-6

“Paint your house the colors of modesty and humility. Make it radiant with the light of justice. Decorate it with the finest gold leaf of good deeds. Adorn it with the walls and stones of faith and generosity. Crown it with the pinnacle of prayer. In this way you will make it a perfect dwelling place for the Lord. You will be able to receive Him as in a splendid palace, and through His grace you will already possess him, His image enthroned in the temple of your spirit.”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in Homily 6 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 515.

My wife loves to paint rooms. It adds beauty and color. She’s good at it. And it sets a mood and sends a message of welcome. Then she decorates with simplicity and special care. She’s good at that too.

And then I located this reading. Chrysostom, known for his eloquence, does not disappoint.

His exhortation to us: paint and decorate. This is powerful and timely. Soon, my wife and I head to serve war-weary stewards in Eastern Europe and Ukraine. And what should we say to people trying to rebuild their broken world.

Paint and decorate. Brilliant! “Adorn it with the walls and stones of faith and generosity.”

So, how does this relate to you and me? We must paint our lives with modesty and humility. And adorn them with the best accessories, faith and generosity.

Ponder the implications for your life.

What would it look like to paint with humility and modesty and decorate with faith and generosity? Now don’t just think about it, follow the leading of the Spirit and take action.

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.” Ezekiel 3:17

“Note, that a man whom the Lord sends forth as a preacher is called a watchman. A watchman always stands on a height so that he can see from afar what is coming. Anyone appointed to be a watchman for the people must stand on a height for all his life to help them by his foresight.”

Gregory of the Great (c. 540-604) in Ezekiel as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 501.

With the LORD calling Ezekiel, “Son of man,” it comes into view that Ezekiel foreshadows the work that Jesus would have. In this text, Ezekiel is told to wait for a message then deliver it.

That’s where I find myself today. I am a watchman waiting. I am preparing for my travels from 16 June to 7 July 2023 and not precisely sure what the Lord wants me to say in some of the meetings, so I will block time this week to wait on Him.

Ezekiel had to wait a week for this message. and the message was a warning. Once He got it from the LORD it was not an easy message to deliver. If God has you as a preacher and a watchman, do not cower in proclaiming the truth.

This comes into view as generosity because both the one who delivers a warning and the one who receive it get a gift from God. What is the gift? The watchman gets the opportunity to help others, and the receiver gets the help from God.

On the first Sunday in 2 July 2023 I will preach in Kharkiv. I will be with Andrey Kravtsev. He ministers there. Jenni and I along with Michael and Nina Cherenkov will deliver aid to him.

We will also discuss the formation of an alliance with Christian workers like him across the former Soviet Union. GTP has been asked to help ministries follow standards and rally local support.

I shared this a couple days ago. If you missed it, watch the video here. And please help send us. Make a gift to GTP today. Click here. And say a prayer for me, as a watchman, to wait for the message from the LORD and be bold to proclaim it.

And what about you? Has put you in a key spot to receive and deliver a message? Is it time to proclaim that truth to others? I just might be the most generous thing you do today, this week, this month, even this year.

Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:4

“It is characteristic of holy men that their own painful trials do not make them lose their concern for the well-being of others. They are grieved by the adversity they must endure, yet they look out for others and teach them needed lessons; they are like gifted physicians who are themselves stricken and lie ill. They suffer wounds themselves but bring others the medicine that restores health.”

Gregory of Nyssa (c. 540-604) in Job as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 488.

Jenni and I will head to Ukraine with Michael and Nina Cherenkov, in part because the adversity our brothers and sisters face there grieves us deeply. To help send us, make a gift to GTP here.

But we don’t have to go to a war-weary land to serve like a gifted physician.

The key is to entrust ourselves into the hands of Jesus and look around us to see the needs of others and consider how me might minister to them with what we have.

It’s the Surrender Novena that comes to mind again: “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!”

When you pray that 10 times a day, you become free to see and serve those who suffer. Want to grow in generosity? Ask God to sort your situation and show you someone you might serve.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35

“Since this house is open to everyone, it receives the sick of every type and condition: the crippled, the disabled, lepers, mutes, the insane, the paralytics, those suffering from scurvy, and those bearing the afflictions of old age, many children… And for all of this no payment is requested, yet Christ provides.”

John of God (1495-1550) in Letter as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 489.

One stop on our journey in Ukraine includes preaching and encouraging relief workers in Kharkiv the first Sunday in July. Specifically we will take financial aid to Andrey Kravtsev.

Watch this 10-minute video to see how he came to Christ and how God has used him to minister to those displaced by the war in Kharkiv and Saltivka in the name of Jesus.

He’s a close friend of Michael and Nina Cherenkov, with whom Jenni and I will travel. Give to GTP here. We will take aid to Andrey and many other Christian workers like him.

We trust Christ to provide for our trip. Andrey trusts God to supply so he can serve the needy for no payment. Pray that relief efforts like Andrey’s can remain open and safe to serve.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

“There is a time to be born and a time to die… For Saint Paul every moment was a time to die, as he proclaims in his letters: I swear by the pride I take in you that I face death every day… How Paul died daily is perfectly obvious. He never gave himself up to a sinful life but kept his body in constant control… He was always being crucified with Christ. It was not his own life he lived; it was Christ who lived in him. This surely was a timely death, a death whose end was true life.”

Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335 — c. 395) in Ecclesiastes as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 416.

Don’t think me morbid with this post. Hang with me to learn a lesson from Paul and Gregory.

It starts with Christ who gave Himself for us. This inspired Paul to die daily. We get to follow suit. And here’s the reason why. It’s the only way to grasp life. Please hear me. Whatever we hold on to we lose. So, if we try to hold on to life daily, we actually lose it. We only find life when we choose to die daily. This relates to our living and our giving.

That’s why we hold nothing back. Only when we let go of everything (including life and money) do we gain anything.

As I shared yesterday, I am excited that God has opened the door for GTP to work in Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, and Moldova. Jenni and I will serve in Ukraine with Michael and Nina Cherenkov and with GTP partner on the ground Mission Eurasia. See my post yesterday for more details on how we aim to bring help and hope.

Join us. Die daily. And I’ll share our itinerary next week, but right now we need funds for travel and delivering relief, especially with the dam breaking. Click here to make a gift to GTP to help send us. Thanks.