Toothless

I must be getting old. Our 5 year old daughter Emma lost her first baby tooth today. It had been loose for a few weeks and we were waiting for it to fall out. When she told me, I was of course excited and asked where she put it. Her reply, "I threw it in the garbage." I immediately began searching the waste basket full of horrors I would rather forget. It wasn't until Emma found it that I was delivered from the smells that no one should have to endure. Now the tooth proudly sits on our piano, reminding us that time waits for no man and marches on to the return of the LORD.
Of course this incident can be used as an illustration of what mankind does with Jesus and His offer of salvation. To some it is wonderfully valuable, more precious than gold or silver. It means deliverance from evil and death. He grants eternal life, blessing, forgiveness, adoption into His divine family, reconciliation, regeneration and resurrection to name a few. However, there are many who discard Jesus as easily as Emma threw away her tooth. They see Him only as a controversial teacher or a man who may have never existed at all. What are you doing with Jesus? Have you accepted Him as your personal Savior? Do you commune with Him daily as the bread of life, allowing Him to feed you spiritually and sustaining you both here in this life and in the eternal life to come? Do you spend time in His Word, learning from Him and applying His teachings daily by the power of the Holy Spirit? Or have you discarded Him?
Emma's tooth possessed no value to her, but to Laura and I it had tremendous value as being her first baby tooth that fell out. I wonder how valuable it will be to her now, knowing that we'll be giving her a few dollars as a reward for it??????

Hope in Christ

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been a typically busy summer, more so with Awana in our lives full time.  We just got back from our trip to Kirkland Lake yesterday where we served for 9 days, ministering to a town in desperate need for hope, and a brief visit to the Awana scholarship camp. We had a great time, but again were reminded that life without Christ is hopeless and desperate. Kirkland Lake is a mining town which has survived the recession quite well because the value of gold has skyrocketed. But the use and dependence on alcohol and drugs has also skyrocketed. Families are broken to the point that children don't even know who their parents are. Children actually wander into Sunday school from the streets without parents, not knowing what to do. The youth seem aimless and spiritually starved. The spiritual disposition of the area is grim. I don't mean to generalize or sound like a "Debbie downer" because we did see the hand of the LORD moving in a number of lives and churches in the area. But it's a town that desperately needs the revitalizing news of Jesus!
Please pray for this area, it's a mission field in our own country, one we plan (LORD willing) to visit again and again.
On a personal note, I had a great time leading the games time at the VBS we minintered at. I also was invited to preach at two of the churches in the area, though I was only available to speak at one. I shared from John 6:22-35, in which Jesus explains that He is the Bread of life and the importance of nourishing ourselves spiritually on Him. A truth this area needs badly. If it's the LORD's will, we hope to get up there again to minister.
We have dear friends in the town pastoring a church who were willing to give up there house so we could have a place to stay. Thanks Carl and Sherri, you have displayed the sacrificial servant's heart of Christ so beautifully and we will not soon forget it. God's blessings to you as you continue to "harvest the fields".
Thanks to everyone praying for us......and as I said, keep Kirkland Lake in your prayers.
On a lighter side, I did get to see a three legged bear at the local hot spot, the town dump.........yes I said the town dump :)

And.....away......we.....go!

It has been said by a wiser man than I that "smooth seas do not make a good sailor." It is in this vein that we now embark on the journey of a lifetime, sailing the seas of missions work. As most of you know, Laura and I have been prayerfully considering a position with Awana International Canada. Yesterday, we were offered that missionary position and after a period of prayerfully seeking the LORD's will, we have realized this is the path He has laid out for us. So begins a new chapter in the life and times of Laura and Bobby.
The LORD has always been gracious to us and He who is unchangeable and unfailing will take us to places of faith that we have yet to experience. We look forward to the ROCK steadying us on the seas of life as we begin to prayerfully raise support, both financial and in prayer partners. We "Cast all our cares upon Him who will not allow us to be moved" (Psalm 55:22) and look forward to glorifying God in His work in reaching children and their families in the name of Jesus.
We "are anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving, we are making our requests known to God, and it is He who will give us His peace." (Philippians 4:6-7)
So away we go.....

Even in the valley, the Light shines bright

It's summer break for the kids....but Satan doesn't take a holiday. A lot of things are happening in the lives of the Halek's, including a great swell of support (both prayerfully and financially) for us as we are almost officially Awana Missionaries for Southwestern Ontario. But like I said, Satan doesn't take a holiday....he's at it again, trying to mess things up for us....But I take great comfort in knowing that "stronger is He that is in me than he who is in the world."1 John 4:4, and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13).
Now I don't know much, but this much I do...I'm on the winning side, even if it feels like I'm losing.....my question to you is, are you on the winning side?
So during what has been a dark week for me, I know that the Light of the Lord penetrates and gives me hope.

What's really important?

As some of you already know, I am a huge sports fan, especially all things Canadian. I, like many of others, watched as the Vancouver Canucks fell flat in Canada's hopes of returning the greatest trophy, the Stanley Cup, to it'r rightful home of the True North Strong and Free. I cheered them on since the opening round, as they were one of only two Canadian teams to make the post season (and I do realize that even the American teams skate mostly Canadian boys, but it still would have been nice to see the Cup return to Canadian soil). But it just wasn't meant to be as the Canucks lack luster performance against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins led to another year of the Cup living in a city to the south.
However it wasn't long after the game that the baseness of humanity and it's inherent sinfulness that has been passed down from the time of Adam and Eve reared it's ugly head. A minority of disgruntled fans (if they can even call themselves that) began to display the reality of human kind's best. Immediately after the last horn sounded to end the game, these fools began to turn over cars, set them on fire, smash in windows and ransack any store they could get into, not to mention the fighting and rioting. Now I want to give credit where it's due, like those true fans who stood arm in arm to protect as many store fronts as they could and condemned the actions of these tools who think that any reason is a good one to vandalize and destroy private and public property. But as I resolved to remind myself, it's just a game. It's JUST A GAME!!! The fianl outcome didn't effect the economy, homelessness, the rampant and rising abortion rate in Canada and the States, the amoral behavior that is being preached to our young people in public institutions or the real issue of human trafficking. It's just a game people!! Sure I was as heart broken as the next fan, but once we put it in perspective, it's really an insignificant thing. What are our real priorities, especially as followers of Christ. As those who stood arm in arm to protect those things which fade away and are victim to moth and rust (Matthew 6:19-20), so should we. We must stand to protect those things that are precious to Christ, like the family, the unborn child, and the widow and orphan. These are the things that should be important and cause us to rise to our feet and take a stand. Shall we again take up arms and battle the forces of this world, after all people's souls are at stake. And as much as I love the Stanley Cup and would like to see it again in a Canadian city, I am more concerned with seeing a lost soul come to the Savior and see them in glory at the end of all things. That is a true victory that has eternal value.

Off to Toronto we go we go, off to Toronto we go......

As some of you all know, we have been over seeing the club at Ridgeville Bible Chapel for the last six years. It has, we believe, prepared Laura and I to take a big step. We have been prayerfully considering a position within Awana as Missionaries for part of Southwestern Onatrio. This of course is a scary and exciting opportunity to answer a call to ministry that the LORD has called us to almost 3 years ago.
We are heading to Toronto this afternoon to have another meeting with the Executive Director of Awana International Canada. We have begun the preparatory steps in order to move forward in time for the upcoming Awana year. Of course with the position being a faith based ministry, we are praying, knowing that the LORD is faithful to His people, that some of His people will come along side us as we jump out of the boat, always keeping our eyes on Jesus. We are learning from Abraham's example, sometimes the LORD calls us to new places, and as long as we keep our faith strictly on Him and His graceful provision, we will be all right.
As always, whatever we do, all the glory belongs to the LORD.

"Glory to God in the highest...." Luke 2:14a