Thank you for Blessings the Demian Family!
Dear Unified …,
Thank you so much for your generosity of blessing David and his family yesterday! The total amount of the love offering was $—-. The Demians were deeply touched by your generosity. David, Ruth, and the 7 kids live a very responsible and frugal life, especially when it comes to finances.
David has never asked for anything for doing ministry. Whenever I have invited him to come, his reply has been, “Sure, I will do whatever you want me to do.” He has not even asked to be reimbursed for travel expenses, which we have freely given. But his reply has always been, “No, I don’t expect this!”
Yesterday was a very tender and special time for their family which deeply touched all of us. One of the reasons I love their family is because they are very transparent about their lives. The Demians are a real family with real challenges, like you and I.
Little did I know that when the Holy Spirit prompted Kerry and I to take a love offering for them, and to call up the whole family to honor them, God planned to minister to them. What Anna shared is so very real! Often it is the spouse and children who are often required to a pay a higher price for the sake of the Kingdom.
I believe itinerant ministry has been overly glamorized within the church and the world. Advertisements and commercials have successfully raised travel as a status symbol of success in our society, something to be attained. Having a resume which says, “international speaker” adds the wow factor! But those who do this on a regular basis have a different perspective. Getting on a plane to head out on a vacation is exciting and fun … but if you do this weekly, well, it will definitely change your perspective of airplanes and lounges.
I can speak a little from first hand experience. Believe you me, it is a sacrifice which itinerant ministers pay. We should not forget the family who also sacrifice and at a higher price than the itinerant person.
Anna is 16 years old and at the age where she often needs her dad. When David said, “Anna, said, “Dad, you are never around when I need you.” I deeply felt both of their pain and the struggle of a father to both please His God and be there for his beloved daughter. It is a much too common pain which I have heard from the mouths of dear friends who have been given much in service in the Kingdom.
The “Anna” in my life, is my wife Kerry, and with the lost of mom, my dad. I don’t know why God allows this if He is so about family. May be it has to do with revealing something about Himself and what He experienced, or maybe it is a result of living in a broken world which is not yet fully restored.
But whatever the reason, Jesus did say, (Luke 14.26)
“Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple.”
I hope by sharing this it will help you as you struggle in your journey to follow God and value family.
There are certain sacrifices which we have the privilege to offer only on this side of heaven that we will never be able to offer once we get into heaven.
I now consider what I go through an honor and a privilege to offer this as my sacrifice to the God I love. It doesn’t lessen the pain, but it does bring reason into a difficult situation.
I want to sincerely thank you, my Unified … family, and say to you how much I truly appreciate you. You have had to pay a sacrifice to support me to do what I am called to do. I also an deeply endeared to Kerry for what she goes through to support me. (Please many people thank me for doing what I do, but you really need to thank Kerry, and don’t forget to pat yourself on the back to).
Knowing that their are those also sacrificing at home, helps me through those lonely nights in hotel rooms when my heart is being tugged to carry on with the Lord’s work while also wanting to be there for family.
From my heart to yours,
Pastor Dean