DaveBoman.com

Update on our move to South Africa

2007-08-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

Hi,
We have had many awesome things happen over the past couple of week and wanted to update you. So here it goes:
1.) Our house: It sold through word of mouth (Thanks to Darren Duncan and Esther Payne). The couple that we had emailed about earlier is buying our home and we couldn't be happier for them. They love the Lord and have already reached out to our neighbors. Mike and Karli are a huge answer to our prayers. Our house is scheduled to close the 31st of August.
2.) Star: This is our family dog that we love dearly. She is an 8 year old Golden Retriever. A real mamma's dog, follows Jill around everywhere. Mike and Karli are going to keep her here at the house and make her part of their family. They are even letting us leave Star's bed. This will be much easier on Star as she will be able to keep her same routine.
3.) Chickens: You may have already figured out that Mike adn Karli are pretty cool people. They are keeping our chickens as well.
4.) Our Republic of South Africa home: Our housing situation has changed. We spoke with Jody in South Africa and she informed us of a home that was opening up on a different farm across the way from GMSA. It is a large 4 bedroom home. Wow! It was described as "rough". However our brothers and sisters in South Africa are working on it to help prepare it for our family. This is a gut bomb for me after being there and meeting the people of Storehouse Church and the ministry team of GMSA. Seeing how hard they work, how much more difficult their many of lives are and now know that they are laboring for my family is very humbling. It is a trememdous honor and priveledge to be able to serve them. We hope that many of you will be able to come and experience the love of the South African people as we are now even though we are not there yet.
5.) Our Visa: Got em! We were approved for three years and our children were provided with accompanying visas. This means that we will not be needing to meet with the school districts to have our studies reviewed, latered and or approved. We made a verbal agreement with the consulate to have our FBI background checks sent to them once they were received in Portland by my parents. This was to have taken 16-18 weeks. The background checks arrived this am in Portland after 3 weeks and by the way they were clean (no arrest record).
6.) Tickets: Air fare has dropped considerably. The Lord opened up a door and we were able to purchase round trip tickets from Seattle for a little over $6,000. This was a huge savings. We are leaving September the 25th .
Amazing, isnt't it? This has all transpired in the last 3 weeks. As I write this I am shaking my head. I knew in my heart that the Lord was working this out but to put it on paper and see it is awesome. Jesus said that He is "the way". More than the way just the way to salvation, He makes a way, He provides. Hebrews tells us that He is a new and living way. The way we travel is organic, dynamic and not just alive, but the source of life. We are on Him, surrounded by HIm and filled with His presence. I want to encourage you this morning with what the Lord has done. We appreciate all your prayers and financial support. Take some time as you read this and thank the Lord for what He has done and is doing.
Our new email address is bomanclan@gmail.com
blessings,
The Bomans

Moving to South Africa

2007-02-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

Bomans in South Africa!

In September 2006, I spent 2 ½ weeks in Eastern Cape, South Africa on a short-term mission trip, ministering with Generation Ministries of South Africa. The trip was arranged in response to the growing burden for, and pull towards the continent of Africa that I had been experiencing for many years. After 1 ½ + years of carefully searching out God’s will, and much research on South Africa, my wife, Jill and I (and children, Hannah and Luke) have become convinced of God’s call on our lives to live and minister in South Africa.
We will be ministering through Generational Ministries of South Africa (http://www.gmsagateway.com/), a 4-year old ministry located in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, on a 95-acre farm only a few kilometers from the southeast coastline of the continent. This is a multi-faceted ministry that includes economic development, sports outreaches, a growing church on location, support of HIV/AIDS-inflicted individuals through their Hope and Healing group, disaster relief, leadership training, and youth ministry in 4 public secondary schools. Much effort is made towards mending the damage inflicted upon indigenous South Africans by Apartheid, the legislated separation of races and limitation of rights and freedom for black, “colored” (mixed race), and (east) Indian South Africans, which was in effect from 1948 to 1994. Also, as the HIV/AIDS epidemic worsens, they become necessarily more focused upon related needs. Throughout my trip, I had the privilege of participating in the full spectrum of GMSA’s ministry. To learn more about the trip and GMSA, read my daily “journals” (emails to Jill) on www.myspace.com/daveboman or listen to a recent 30 minute interview on track10.com http://www.track10.com/site/radio_show.php?show_id=75 .
We will be working primarily in youth ministry and with the HIV/AIDS-afflicted through Hope and Healing. Of course, I will be ministering in music as well! We plan to minister in SA for a year, and then determine whether to continue longer term, or move back to the U.S. Our goal is to be on location by mid-summer 2007. But to make this happen, your prayers and support are needed! We need to raise monthly financial support as well as set up costs (airfare, housing, vehicle). If you would like to financially support our ministry in South Africa, you may send checks for monthly support or a one-time contribution to:
GMF-South Africa- The Boman Family
PO Box 18592
Spokane, WA 99228

(Make checks payable to GMF- South Africa, and write “Boman Family” on the memo line.)

Please feel free to contact me with any questions: (509) 846-1683, (509) 322-1224, or boman@ncidata.com

Blessings, Dave Boman

Making It Through Adversity....And Reaching the Other Side (Part 5)

2005-01-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

By Jill Boman

Without exposure to hardship, whether in our own lives or others’, I am certain that all of us would remain in a state of perpetual infancy. If not for challenges to overcome, the necessity for faith to grow, or opportunities to offer a hand of assistance and comfort, mankind might consist solely of spiritual couch potatoes! But while adversity has its place, we were not created for it. At some point we must rise above. I would like to conclude this series by sharing some concepts that have proven invaluable to me in this process.

Have you ever felt like the weight of the whole world was on your shoulders? Or that you are at the bottom of a well so deep that you can’t see the top? Both of these images convey a sense of being “buried” either by crushing weight or sheer depth. Often, we as believers will address this feeling by turning to the words of Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30):

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”

I’ll be honest. I have read those words while feeling overwhelmed and thought to myself, “That sounds great—but I have no clue about how it’s supposed to work!” Oftentimes Scripture is best meditated upon, not just read through, and this is one of those passages that I think is best to chew on for a while. I am sure that others have drawn from here different conclusions than I have, but the impression I am most solidly left with is partnership.

The phrase, “take My yoke upon you,” is intended to bring to mind a pair of oxen harnessed together by a yoke (a wooden frame that fits over the necks of two animals). Being so closely connected, their load is naturally shared. So what is Jesus’ yoke? What does it mean to partner with Christ in the context of a trial? The idea of uniting together the process I was walking through with the process that Jesus went through, from His suffering to His resurrection, occurred to me during a difficult time in my life.

Jesus calls us to partner with Him in suffering. Scripture shows this partnership working in reciprocal ways. Anyone who has been bold in sharing the gospel has experienced some form of suffering, at least in the form of rejection or judgement, at most (common today in some nations) in martyrdom. The Bible contains many references to us sharing in His suffering such as: “…indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17).” Jesus, in explaining the cost of following Him, told his disciples (Matthew 10:38), “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Later He told them (Luke 21:17), “…you will be hated by all on account of My name.” But this sharing in suffering is not one-sided; He also shares in our suffering. Teaching His disciples about the responsibility we have toward one another, Jesus said (Matthew 25:40 & 45):

“To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me…To the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”

Not only is He familiar with our difficulties (Hebrews 4:15), but somehow He shares our suffering in a very real sense. When you are wronged, so is He. When you are hurt, He is hurt also. I don’t understand how, but I know that He has been an equal recipient of any unfairness I may have been subjected to throughout my entire life. There is something incredibly comforting to me about that. It lightens my load.

You know the cliché: misery loves company? Even though that phrase usually refers to miserable people trying to make other people feel miserable, there is another reality to it. No one wants to be alone in his or her pain; we all want to be understood and know that someone else out there can identify with our experience. As it turns out, you are in good Company! There is someone who intimately understands your pain because He experiences it with you. That person is Jesus. I laugh now at a comment I made during the time in life when I first realized this. A woman I had been talking to about my situation was offering me encouragement and assuring me that in my stressed emotional/mental state I wasn’t crazy. She said to me, “You thought it was time for the ‘rubber room’ didn’t you?” I answered, “Yeah, but it would have been me and Jesus in the rubber room together!”

Trials come in many forms and from many sources. I would like to address those whose trials have come at the hands of other people. You can partner with Christ not only in your suffering, but also in forgiving those who may have caused it. Being yoked with Him in suffering, allow yourself to continue to be directed along the course that He took.

The scourging scene in the 2004 movie, The Passion of the Christ, brings Isaiah 53:4 to life: “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried.” My husband and I saw the movie while it was in the theaters. The next morning we got up early, and over coffee, shared with each other what was most impacting to us. I mentioned the scourging scene and how I watched it through the filter of Isaiah 53:4—knowing that I was watching an enactment of Him taking upon Himself my griefs and sorrows. It was all so real to me as I saw Him shaking under the stress and trauma—being beaten literally to the ground and then beaten even more. In a strange way, I think it is a very healing scene to watch.

David shared a profound insight about that scene. He said that what impacted him the most was the amount of blood, knowing the value of His blood to believers. He noticed that when the Roman soldiers were finished whipping Him, they were covered in His blood! Think about that for a moment. The blood they were shedding was the very blood that paid the price for the sin they were in the process of committing! What did Jesus say when He was on the cross, regarding those who had placed Him there? He said (Luke 23:34), “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus died not only for the sins that you and I have committed, but also for the sins that have been committed against us. He took upon Himself every sin committed against you, paid the price for it, and then forgave it. Take His yoke upon you. Let Him lighten your load.

Jesus suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world, making way for the restoration of man’s relationship with God. But He didn’t stay crucified. Three days after He was buried, He was resurrected back to life (Matthew 28, Mark 17, Luke 24, John 20). We can be partners—yoked with Christ—not only in suffering and forgiveness, but also in His resurrection (Romans 8:11):

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.”

The implications of this verse are so incredible that I can hardly begin to wrap my mind around it. If you believe in Jesus, then the very same Spirit that raised Him from the dead lives in you (John 7:38-39). So if the Holy Spirit raised Jesus back to life after being dead for three days, what can He do in you who are still alive? You and I are in our mortal bodies right now; we are not even dead yet. When you chose to follow after Jesus, you received within your being the Spirit of resurrection! The power of the resurrection is at work in you even now as you read this.

Here is a truth that I believe can transform us, empowering us to rise above any challenge that we face, even if the circumstance itself never resolves. Though there is value in the process of walking through difficulty, through the sacrifices of praise that we offer to God in the midst of our pain, and in the depths of faith, wisdom, and maturity we can acquire, at some point we must arise. Jesus didn’t stay crucified forever, and I don’t believe He intends for us to either. He told Martha in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life…” His Spirit, who indwells you and I who believe, is the Spirit of resurrection and life. I believe He can resurrect us now, above oppression, sin, discouragement…you fill in the blank according to what you need to be resurrected above. The Spirit of resurrection is already within you. It is part of His light yoke.

I think it is worth mentioning another discovery here. When we make it to the other side of a major trial we oftentimes find ourselves altered from who we were prior to experiencing it. Restoration doesn’t necessarily mean returning to the exact state you were in at the beginning. Recently I read an interview with the woman who is known as the “Central Park Jogger.” Several years ago she miraculously survived being raped, beaten, and left for dead in Central Park, New York. She has undergone years of therapy in rehabilitating from the brain damage inflicted in her attack. One of her comments that most struck me is that she refers to her life before the assault as her "first life” and the time since as her “second life.” Both she and her life are very different now, but they are good. She travels as an inspirational speaker for various groups around the country, offering encouragement to others who are hurting. When you consider the growth that takes place as we walk with God through adversity and the changes it brings, returning to the original state would be taking a step backwards. When God’s Spirit resurrects and restores us, we move forward to where we begin to see Him use our experiences to His glory.

The provision of God’s grace is much more than our need (1). Romans 5 contrasts the power of sin and death with the power of grace and life repeatedly:

“But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.” (Romans 5:15)

“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

“…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Romans 5:21)

According to these Scriptures, which is more powerful: the power of sin and death, or the power of God’s grace? If you answered, “God’s grace,” I give you an A+! You cannot possibly out-need God’s grace. No matter what your situation, the grace available to you from God is much more than that! Verse 21 implies that the greater the need, the greater the grace available for it. In other words, God responds to us accordingly. There is not a “one size fits all” measure of grace that is allotted to everyone.

We Christians often use the words, mercy and grace, interchangeably. I heard a great illustration regarding the difference between the two. Imagine that you are driving your car too fast and get pulled over by a police officer. If the police officer walks up to your window and gives you a warning instead of a ticket, you have just received mercy. But if the police officer gives you $1,000, you have just received grace! Mercy means not receiving something bad, even if you deserve it. Grace means receiving something good that you haven’t earned, or don’t deserve. God’s grace is abundant, and according to Romans 5:17, if we receive it we will reign in life.

But where can we find this grace so that we can reign? The beginning of Romans 5 tells us (Romans 5:1-2):

“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand…”

According to verse 2, if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you are already standing in grace! Imagine a cloud of grace engulfing you wherever you go. Whether you are in the grocery store, driving your car, or getting out of bed in the morning you are surrounded in grace. And when tribulations come your way, the measure of that grace increases exponentially.

The yoke Jesus invites us to join Him in is a beautiful example of the abundant grace God makes available to us. By accepting His invitation, we unite ourselves with Victory itself. Though suffering is a part of life, God is not intimidated. But don’t just take my word for it. Take the Word of the Lord Himself (John 16:33):

“These things I have spoken to you, that you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Because of Him, you are going to triumph.

(1) For a more thorough and greatly encouraging discussion on grace, I highly recommend reading the book, Grace…the Power to Reign, by Harold Eberle (copyright 2001, Winepress Publishing, available at worldcast.com).

Making It Through Adversity...Glory in the Desert (Part 4)

2004-12-22T16:31:00.000-08:00

By Jill Boman

I climbed into bed, opened my Bible, and poured some lotion into my dry hands. Mindlessly rubbing them together to help the lotion absorb, I scanned the pages and came upon Isaiah 51:3:

“Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and sound of a melody.”

I paused for a moment to bask in what I had just read. At the time I was in the middle of the most difficult trial I had known and felt virtually ruined. Trying to take in the hope and beauty of the verse, I lifted my head and stared towards the window. My gaze fell upon the bottle of lotion I had just used. Beginning to focus, I read the name printed on the bottle: “Desert Essence.” My thoughts ran: “Desert Essence…desert…what did I just read? ‘And her desert like the garden of the Lord’…God, You’re trying to tell me something!”

Do you know how to remember the different spellings of “desert” and “dessert?” We only want to go through the desert once (one “s”), but always want seconds on dessert (two “s”’)! Still, most of us end up walking more than one desert during our lifetime. “Desert” is used for a word picture to describe seasons in life when we feel emotionally and spiritually dry, often the result of enduring a trial. Imagine a person stranded in the middle of a desert. It brings several ideas to mind: being lost, desperate, thirsty, exhausted, despairing… What about glory? You might wonder how glory could possibly come out of a desert, but I believe this is what God was speaking to me about that night. We can be a beautiful fragrance, an incense to the Lord in the midst of a desert experience: a “desert essence.”

Once again, Job provides a fitting illustration. God had permitted Satan to devastate Job’s life, leaving Job feeling, at times, betrayed and abandoned by God. Amazingly, Job maintained his faith, grew closer to God, and even understood Him better by the end of the ordeal. I love the honesty in Job’s words. At one point he said (Job 23:8-10):

“Behold I go forward but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold.”

There is no pretense here. Job was saying, “God, I don’t feel You in my life. I can’t see You—I don’t even know where You are. But You know exactly where I am, and when this whole thing is over I’m going to be shining.” It was an authentic statement of faith. He wasn’t pretending that the situation was better than it really was; his life was terrible at that point. But he chose to cling to hope, believing that God would bring him through. In the middle of his desert God was glorified.

Sometimes the Bible uses running events—races—as an analogy to our lives. Hebrews 12:1-2 says:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…”

I heard a sermon several years ago, in which the pastor elaborated on the idea of our life being like a race. He said that there are times during a long distance race when it doesn’t seem worth it to go on. We can become panicky and out of breath, our muscles may be burning; all the “signals” may be telling us to call it off. But it is by pressing through those times, through the defiance of our bodies, that when we finish the race, the glory comes. Finishing a marathon would mean nothing without the difficulty—it is all about pressing through. This is the reason why the finish line is so glorious. And it is also why God is glorified when we choose to continue walking with Him, especially through our deserts.

Recently I talked with a woman who had been going through a long and difficult desert experience. She told me that she feels guilty when she worships God because even then, she feels miserable. Her statement was a paradox to me. I believe that her worship holds even more weight with God because of her state (though of course anyone striving to remain in a depressed state would be a different issue altogether). She is choosing to worship God, not because she feels good, but because she knows He is worthy—whether she feels good or not. Her praise is a sacrifice and it brings Him tremendous glory. In offering it to Him she becomes a beautiful fragrance—a desert essence.

Many of the hymns that we sing in worship were born out of heart breaking desert experiences. The lyrics of “It is Well with My Soul” came to Horatio Spafford when he sailed over the location where his four daughters drowned, as their ship sank. Joseph Scriven wrote “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” as a poem for his mother after a series of devastating circumstances, the most recent being his fiancé’s death. Thomas Chisholm, who suffered from lifelong health, and subsequent employment and financial difficulties, wrote “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Other classics that were inspired or written by people who endured considerable hardships include: “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” “Blessed Assurance,” “To God be the Glory,” “Just as I Am,” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” Then there are the spirituals, also known as slave, plantation, or jubilee songs that came out of the early African-American church. The glory from all these songs is twofold. God is glorified by the fact that they were written in the midst of trials—they are a “desert essence.” And the glory continues as they bring encouragement and strength to those who sing them now. The authors of these hymns accomplished 1 Corinthians 1:4, which exhorts us to comfort others in affliction “with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Life is not fair. Whoever said that life is fair? It wasn’t God. His grace is not the only “force” active in our world—though it is the greatest of all, which will be discussed in part 5. Out of His love for mankind, He chose to give us free wills. With our wills we can make either righteous or sinful decisions, and so can other people (often to our disadvantage). Sin is a real force in the world, released by the poor choices of Adam and Eve—and a myriad of negative effects along with it. Satan is also active, seeking our demise, influencing us further to live our lives apart from God and to give in to sin. This brings us to another way that God is glorified in our deserts: He is glorified when we quit blaming Him. Certainly, God can intervene on our behalf to reduce or prevent suffering—He can do whatever He chooses because He is God! But consider: if He always intervened, how would anyone grow in character and maturity or learn to be Christ’s hands in a hurting world? If sin had no natural consequences, what motivation would we have to repent or resist its influence?

I don’t mean to step on the theological toes of people holding to certain perspectives, but I believe that Scripture supports the idea that God is not personally responsible for everything that occurs in our lives. At one point God told the nation of Israel (Isaiah 54:15), “If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.” The understanding is that fierce assailing could, and would in this instance, come from other sources. Even Job’s circumstance was not caused directly by God. We read in the first chapter of Job that although God permitted the damage, it was Satan’s idea to begin with. In the limits God places on him (Job 1:12), it is understood that Satan is the one who masterminded and carried out the destruction.

What about the grave sin that was occurring in Sodom and Gomorrah? I imagine that many people suffered as a result of the situation there. Did God cause that? In Genesis 18:21 God announced, “I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” He couldn’t possibly have caused it if He had to go and find out—no one could rightly blame God for the sin, or the suffering it caused, in Sodom and Gomorrah. He Himself was so horrified and angry about it that He destroyed the cities (Genesis 19:24, 25). This makes sense when we remember that God does not tempt anyone to sin (James 1:13). According to these passages, isn’t it possible that God is not only innocent of the pain caused from sin in the world, but that He is even more grieved about it than we are?

So what is God’s response to our suffering? Where is He when we are crying out to Him in pain? “He does not forget the cry of the afflicted,” (Psalm 9:12) and “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). There is something about suffering people that grabs His attention and causes Him to rush to them. Even if the suffering is caused by our own sin, God generously provides for us when we turn to Him (1 John 1:9): “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Taking it even further, He promises to make good come out of bad for those who put their hope in Him (Romans 8:28): “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God…”

Not every occurrence is good, but He does promise to take every circumstance, even the worst imaginable, and work it together for good to those who love Him. Do you love Him? Then you need to realize that He will work everything in your life for good! Choosing to believe this promise brings Him glory. I love this statement, from the testimony I mentioned in part two, regarding the faithfulness of God: “Sometimes you have to hold on to that with your fingernails. But it’s true—not because I believe it, but because God said it. My believing it doesn’t make it true or false, but I can reap the benefits of what God has done if I’m willing to apply my faith.”

The second part of this series was about the advantages that the process of walking through challenges can bring to us. God is glorified when we submit to His working in our hearts and lives during difficult times. We become able to move forward and gain something of value from our trials when we transition from asking God “Why?” to asking Him “What?” As the characters Frodo and Gandolf articulated so beautifully in the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring:

Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandolf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

Nobody likes the idea of walking through a desert. Still, it becomes a reality for all of us at some point in our lives. I have joked with friends that as long as they are miserable, they might as well get some mileage out of it! But there is truth to that. If we are willing, God will not waste anything that we experience. By choosing to believe in His faithfulness and goodness, pressing on, not blaming Him, and submitting to His work in us, we become a God-glorifying desert essence. At the end of our race, we will find the “great cloud of witnesses” going wild, cheering us across the finish line. And as we look upon ourselves, we will wonder at the radiance.

Making It Through Adversity...Take it with a Grain of Salt (Part 3)

2004-12-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

By Jill Boman

In parts one and two I wrote about God’s faithfulness in bringing us through trials as well as the value the of the trials themselves—process is not only inevitable, it is good. This brings me to a little qualifier. Being in a difficult process can be a catalyst for growth and discovery in our lives, but we need to be wise enough not to take every thought and feeling we experience in the course of it too seriously.

There is a “hyper sensitivity” that can develop while we are in pain that has both a good and a bad side. The good part is that the challenge to our faith and security forces us to pursue God more seriously if we are going to spiritually survive. It presents an opportunity to develop character, fortitude, endurance, dependence on God and knowledge of the Word in the same way a plant’s roots grow deeper in times of drought. We can also become open to make necessary changes in our life, especially if the pain is a result of our own behavior or decisions! On the down side, I have noticed a vulnerability to depression, pessimism, and low self-esteem that seems to accompany the emotional exhaustion of walking adversity’s steep and bumpy road.

One day my husband and I were discussing the challenge we were facing together at the time. Speaking in faith, David offered, “It’s going to be so cool to see how God uses this later to minister through you.” I was so not there then! I spoke honestly about my feelings when I answered, “I don’t want God to use this! I don’t even want to remember this whole experience.” Funny how in the years following that season I discovered a type of “radar” within my being that makes me recognize suffering in other people, especially women. Despite my earlier desire to have absolutely nothing to do with this sort of thing, I find myself compelled to talk with and encourage those who are seriously hurting—and here I am writing about it! And to think, my negative declaration years before felt so true at the time.

Just the other day my sister and I were talking on the phone about the postpartum depression she suffered from after her daughter was born. She told me that while she was suffering she would become angry when people tried to encourage her, repeating the cliché: “There is light at the end of the tunnel.” She said, “You know, when you’re in the middle of it, there is no light. It’s impossible to see it.”

The book of Job provides a great illustration of this phenomenon. Job was pushed to the very limits of his capacity to endure suffering. In a moment of weakness and frustration with God he declared (12:14), “Behold He tears down and it cannot be rebuilt.” Further venting his despair (19:7, 10), “I cry violence! But I get no answer; I shout for help, but there is no justice…He breaks me down on every side…” It is a picture of gut-wrenching pain and hopelessness. Job was speaking from the depths of his being what seemed true, but he was wrong. Those emotion-charged words were boldly spoken in error. We know the end of the story, but at the time Job did not. Afterwards, Job was restored—twofold (42:10). In Job 42:12 we see that “the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning.” Even though Job would not have believed it earlier, in the end he admitted (42:3), “I have declared that which I did not understand.”

Being in the midst of a long and painful ordeal can make a person feel not only unfixable like Job did, but also ugly and unlovable. I know several people who have battled with a “nerd complex” as a result of their suffering. Years ago I was reading about the building of Solomon’s temple in 1 Kings when I stumbled upon what could have been passed off merely as interesting trivia. In description of the construction process, I read in 1 Kings 6:7 that “there was neither ax nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.” That struck me as peculiar. Why wouldn’t there be loud sounds at a construction sight? After a few days of contemplating, the answer hit me: because it was holy. The temple was unfinished, unpolished, maybe even a little messy, but because of its association with the presence of God, it was holy.

This becomes more significant when you consider what the New Testament says about the temple of God. We read about the present temple in 1 Corinthians 3:16: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you, and therefore you are God’s temple (John 7:38, 39). Keeping that in mind, look at what God had to say about His temple back in 1 Kings 9:3: “I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting my name there forever, and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually.” Go ahead and insert your name in place of the words “this house which you have built” in that verse and read it again. This is God’s heart towards you and I who believe—His temple. We may be unfinished, unpolished, maybe even a little messy, but He has chosen us to inhabit by His Spirit. This makes us holy—even if we do feel a bit nerdy sometimes!

Refuting the destructive thoughts and feelings that usually accompany trials is a battle! Fortunately we have the best possible weapon for the task. Ephesians 6:17 says the Word of God is the “sword of the Spirit.” And Hebrews 4:12 elaborates a little more, calling it “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Imagine the sharp tip of a sword bursting bubbles. We use the term “bursting bubbles” to describe breaking through wrong or delusional thinking. We might say something like: “Sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s going to rain today.” The Word of God does the same thing for us.

Remember Gideon hiding out in the winepress from the Midianites? He was beating out wheat in order to salvage it from the looting he anticipated. An angel appeared to him and in an ironic, almost comic declaration, announced (Judges 6:12), “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” Valiant warrior? That is not my impression of the scene and it sure doesn’t look like it was Gideon’s either! But look at what happened next. Gideon led Israel in a heroic, miraculous victory against Midian! What the angel spoke to Gideon was the truth, even though Gideon was not walking it out before.

King David is another example. Samuel anointed him as king while he was still known as a little brother and a shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16). Afterward his life changed dramatically: he was brought into Saul’s court, killed Goliath, then after a period of conflict with Saul, he became the new king. In both cases, the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, burst bubbles—the underestimated lives Gideon and David were living at the time—and released them into their destinies.

Jesus, who is our ultimate role model, relied on the Word of God as an anchor to reality when Satan tempted Him. It is interesting that the temptation occurred after a long period of fasting: we seem to be more vulnerable during times of exhaustion and physical weakness. He had become hungry (Matthew 4:2) when Satan came to Him with suggestions that would ultimately have thwarted God’s purposes had Jesus given in. Satan tempted Him to pursue physical comfort, power, and glory in wrongful ways. With each temptation Jesus accomplished His resistance, beginning with the words: “It is written.” He quoted Scripture! He chose to rely on the truth of God’s Word instead of His own feelings, “bursting bubbles”—the lies that Satan tried to ensnare Him with.

The Word of God provides us with the information needed to make it victoriously through adversity. Though I am not always full of faith, I am learning not to take destructive feelings too seriously. Our hearts cannot always be relied upon, but “God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20). Fortunately, He has let us in on the things we need to know! By His Word He has revealed to us the truth concerning who He is, who we are in Him, and what His heart is toward us. The preservation of God’s Word over the centuries bears witness to His desire for us to know what it says. It tells us of the importance of perspective (Proverbs 23:7): as a man “thinks within himself, so he is.” So the next time you feel unfixable, hopeless, or just plain nerdy, open up your Bible and take those feelings cum grano salis—with a grain of salt.

Making It Through Adversity...Process is Everything (Part 2)

2004-11-24T16:23:00.000-08:00

By Jill Boman

“Don’t you know that process is everything?” my friend, Glenda, told me one day when I was discouraged about the seemingly insurmountable challenges in my life. She is one of those rare people who possess such wisdom and maturity that I have actually heard adults say, “When I grow up, I want to be like Glenda.” I was lamenting the state I’d been in when my sage-like friend concluded, “God is at least as concerned with the process as He is with the end result.”

Her statement found a permanent file in my mind. I had been hoping for instant relief, for assurance that the pieces would quickly fall into place so I could happily resume life as it had been before all the chaos. But I got something better: the truth.

Maybe it’s our fast-paced, modern Western culture that makes us expect simple, microwave-able solutions to life’s puzzles. When we have a headache, we take a pill. If our car is acting up, we immediately take it to a mechanic so that we can get back on schedule. It’s frustrating when life throws a wrench into our plans, upsetting the predictable flow of things. But it is during those times that God can work uniquely in our lives if we are willing to let Him. Some will come to know and appreciate God through their blessings, but many of us fail to see the greatness of our need for Him until something in our life goes awry. Personally, I am much more driven to the Word of God and prayer during times of difficulty—almost everything I’m sharing in this series was born out of such a time. As C. S. Lewis wrote so eloquently in The Problem of Pain: “God whispers to us in our pleasures…but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Romans 5:3 sums up God’s working in us through challenges in a neat little package:

“We also exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.”

It is easy to miss the mechanics of this if you just skim over it. The words: tribulation, perseverance, proven character, and hope are used to describe stages, or a progression of events. The last word, hope, made sense to me as the final stage only after seeing it in action. I will share some real life examples of how I was able to gain hope through this process.

During the most desperate time in my life I met some real heroes. I had accompanied my husband on a visit with a man who had only months before broken his neck and severed his spinal cord in a skiing accident. He and his wife had been a young, active, and very productive couple. The accident literally took life, as they knew it, away from them forever. The man was unable to move below his neck and required the assistance of a ventilator to breathe; their living room looked like a specialized hospital unit full of high-tech medical equipment. His wife told me that they knew what the Bible says about God not allowing us to endure more than we can handle (1Cor. 10:13). Then she said, “We feel honored that God thinks we can handle this.” She was serious—there was no sarcasm intended in her statement. That’s faith. She was not saying that they felt able to handle it, but that they trusted God’s Word to be true, even in the traumatic reality of their circumstances. If they could trust God to sustain them in their situation, then so could I. As they persevered through their tribulation, their characters were proven, and it gave me hope.

I had an opportunity to hear the testimony of a woman who had been devastated by an act of violence. After participating in a pro-life rally at her state’s capital, she was sexually assaulted on her way home. The assault left her not only “beat up” physically and emotionally, but also pregnant after 10 years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive a child with her husband. Her testimony, given 3 years afterwards, totally blew me away with its wisdom and encouragement. One of the concepts she shared that made a huge impact on me was that she learned to quit asking God, “Why?” and began to ask, “What? Given my present circumstance, Lord, what is it that You want me to do? What do You want to teach me?” She then went on to testify of God’s faithfulness—giving assurance that His grace is sufficient, even through the most unthinkable trials. Her character was proven and it gave me hope.

Last summer my path crossed with 3 heroes in one unusual afternoon. I visited separately with a man whose son had been murdered only weeks before, a woman who lost both her husband and daughter in a tragic car accident, and a man whose leg had recently been amputated because of peripheral vascular disease. In the midst of their pain, these saints heaped nothing but blessing on me! The first one offered me canning jars, the second affirmed God’s goodness—that it is not measured by how well our lives are going, but by who He is, and the third sung for me a song of praise. He sung it with his whole heart, with tears rolling down his face, as if he were transported into heaven itself. Their perseverance caused their characters to be proven, and you know the rest.
This character-proving process is not automatic. The people I have used for examples did not have to allow their characters to be built. There is a crossroads in Romans 5:3 that begins at the words, “tribulation leads to...” The fork in the road can lead a person either closer to, or farther away from God.

Job’s one good friend, Elihu, spoke about this crossroads in the book of Job. Many of us know the story. God allowed Satan to remove from Job, a righteous man, almost every blessing he had enjoyed up to that point: his children, livestock, wealth, home, even his health. Job had 3 friends who discouraged him by saying things like, “You must have done something wrong to deserve this. Surely God must be punishing you.” Even his wife joined in on it. Eventually Job’s good attitude cracked, and he began to say things about God and his situation that would be wiser left unsaid. Elihu then cautioned Job (36:21), “Be careful, do not turn to evil; for you have preferred this to affliction.” Like a splash of cold water in the face, Elihu brought Job back to reality, reminding him that even in his misery he was still responsible for his actions.

Have you noticed how difficult it is just to be nice when life isn’t going well? When we are suffering it takes effort to be patient with our children (or traffic) and to consider the needs to others. And how often have we heard people use the unfairness of life as a reason not to follow after God? It is easier to react negatively than to endure with patience, trust, and integrity. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is he who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life…” I want the crown of life. When I get to heaven, I would like my mansion to be in the neighborhood of some of the people mentioned here!

Our society seems to equate successful living with happiness. I am not saying that we must be in crisis (or contrive one if we are in short supply) to be pleasing to God—let’s not fall into a martyr complex trap here! These principles apply to any of life’s challenges—even if it’s only a headache or an overdrawn checking account. Remember Jesus said that each day has enough trouble on its own (Mt. 6:24). But if we believe that the meaning of life is just to be happy, we may become disillusioned, feel like failures, and miss opportunities for growth when trials come our way. “Be happy” is a modern American aphorism, and a shallow one at that. Jesus told the Pharisees that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mt 22:37-40). Following those instructions will improve the quality of our lives, but being “happy” isn’t the objective.

While we should be thankful for our blessings, there is something different about suffering that can cause us to draw much closer, even cling to God. It makes me think of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ robe from behind and was healed of a hemorrhage. In my mind I can picture her pushing through the crowd, straining to keep from losing sight of Jesus’ back as He walks through. She is reaching desperately, and she is on the right track; Jesus even commended her for her faith! In Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrote: “Where we find a difficulty we may always expect that a discovery awaits us.” It is in the course of persevering through difficulty, through reaching for God on a deeper level, where we make the discoveries that build our characters, transforming us into the people God made us to be.

Which brings us back to “hope.” In Romans 8:19 we read of the “anxious longing of the creation,” waiting “eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” I used to think of that verse as a general call to evangelism. But there is even more to it. The verse prior to that puts the “anxious longing of creation” into context. Verse 18 reads, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Paul is telling us two things here. He is urging Christians to cling to hope, knowing that there is something in store for us if we will hold on. But it’s not just we who believe who need hope, it is also those who do not yet know Christ—“the anxious longing of creation.” Our neighbors, co-workers, and children are watching us. It is in the process of walking through adversity that the substance of our faith is revealed. In 1776 Abigail Adams wrote to a friend, “Affliction is a good man’s shining time,” quoting a poem by Edward Young. It was a time a great sacrifice in the face of uncertainty during the Revolutionary War, and the “good man” she was referring to was George Washington. Watching others make it through adversity gives us hope that we will also make it through our own challenges.

Tribulation will lead to perseverance if we choose the right path at the crossroads. Perseverance will prove our characters, as our faces remain turned towards God. And when our characters are proven, we build hope in those around us as well as in ourselves. When all is said and done, process really is everything. Here is where the “rubber meets the road” in our Christian walk. This is the stuff that saints and heroes are made of.

Making It Through Adversity...God Makes a Way to Walk (Part 1)

2004-11-18T16:21:00.000-08:00

By Jill Boman

Lately I have noticed a lot of people who are facing difficult circumstances. I realize that there are always people in crisis, but for some reason it seems like they are all crossing my path! I’m not complaining—in fact I am honored that God would entrust me to come alongside friends and acquaintances in a supportive way. Several years ago I experienced a devastating circumstance myself. I have since discovered, through talking with several others who have faced their own challenges and tragedies, that despite the diversity of situations, the effects left on people are surprisingly alike. So rather than getting into the specific details of my own experience, I would like to share some of the insights gained along the course.

I think the most important place to begin is to realize that no matter what you are facing, God will make a way for you to walk through it. If that seems too easily stated, let me assure you that it comes from first-hand experience of watching God walk myself as well as others through what was thought to be impossible situations. Fortunately when we walk, it comes one step at a time—no need to have the whole path mastered right now! There are times when we just need to get through each day.

Isaiah 43:16 and 19 promises us that God makes a way through the sea, a path through mighty waters, a roadway in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. This is not a guarantee that we won’t have difficulties to walk through; life happens. I’ve wondered how often people set them selves up for disillusionment with God by trusting Him for the wrong things. The Bible doesn’t promise us that we won’t have problems in life. Actually, the opposite seems true. Jesus said that each day has trouble (Mt 6:24) and the scriptures repeatedly refer to the challenges we face as if they are a normal part of life. “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials,” we are told in the first chapter of James. So while it may be unrealistic to expect God to always keep challenges at bay, we can trust Him to provide a way through anything.

When I was growing up our cow had a calf during an exceptionally snowy winter. One day the calf leaped into the snow outside the protection of our barn, and got stuck in snow so deep that he couldn’t see his mother. All the poor little guy could do was stand still and cry for her. Being a good mother, the cow trudged out to where her baby was and then slowly walked backwards, clearing a path for him and “mooing” encouragingly the whole way.

A few years ago, while I was in the thick of it, the Lord gave me a vision of Himself doing the same thing for me (except for the “mooing” part!). I had become panicky about my situation—it was intensely painful, scary, and seemingly hopeless. I wasn’t seeing a lot of improvement and began to ask God, “How much longer? I can’t stand this—it feels like I’ve been at the end of my rope forever.” I saw in my mind a picture of Jesus standing before me, facing me, and walking backwards. The scene was like what you see in movies when a child is stuck in a dangerously high place and a fireman is rescuing him. Jesus was pointing to His eyes and saying things like, “Don’t look down…Keep your eyes on My eyes…Oops, don’t look away…One step at a time…We’re gonna make it…”

Psalm 119:45 says, “I will walk at liberty for I seek Thy precepts.” In my study Bible there is a note attached to the word “liberty” in that verse. It says that it literally means “a wide place.” In other words, if you believe in Him and are seeking His ways for your life, you have a wide place to walk. I know what it is like to be paralyzed with fear, afraid to move, as if balancing on a tightrope. But I have learned that you don’t have to be afraid. When you look towards God, you can move forward, knowing that there will be a place for you to step.

Thankfully, God not only clears a path for us but He also enables our own feet and legs to walk it. Remember that it is Him alive in you, whether you “feel” it or not, that makes you able (Phil. 2:13). The psalmist, David, reveled in that empowerment when he wrote about the “God who girds me with strength,” and “enlarges my steps under me…my feet have not slipped” (Psalms 18:32, 36). Habakkuk 3:19 paints a picture of God helping His people to navigate life’s rocky terrain: “The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.”

A few years ago my kids and I joined a group of friends on a hike to a forest service lookout tower at Goat Peak, in the North Cascade mountain range. It was a gorgeous, sunny day in July, but we were high enough to walk past patches of snow. The steep trail kept reaching higher and higher, revealing to me how out of shape I was! We saw wildflower meadows and stunning glimpses of valleys below, like “carrots” dangling before us, beckoning us on in spite of our burning muscles and gasping lungs. As we passed one of the snow patches, a friend of mine purposely fell, arms extended and face first, into the snow for some refreshment! When we finally reached the top, two hours after starting, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the snow-capped peaks surrounding us, as well as some original poetry reading by Lightening Bill, who was manning the lookout tower—we learned that he’s not called Lightening Bill for nothing! Even with all these rewards for our effort, what was most impressive was realizing how high we had climbed. I couldn’t have guessed at the beginning of the hike that the trail would take us so far! To give you an idea of the accomplishment, after the two grueling hours it took to make it to the top, we were able to reach the bottom in only thirty minutes!

Life is sometimes like hiking to Goat Peak. There are seasons when we must endure what we never thought we could. But if we choose to look to God as our source during those times, we will be amazed to discover how very high and far we are able to go. Never in a million years did I think I would have to face what I did, and many times during the worst of it I didn’t believe I could go any further. But God surprised me. Although it was hard to see progress on a daily or weekly basis, I could look back over the previous six months or a year or more with amazement. It gave me courage to know that if God had gotten me as far as He already had, surely He could bring me further. He proved Himself faithful to me. He did what He said He would do in His Word. He cleared a path for me and then enabled me to walk it. If you have been wondering how you are going to make it through your present situation, I promise you that as you look to God, He will do it for you also.

Sticky: Guestbook

2000-01-01T01:00:00.005-08:00

Please sign our guestbook!
The old guestbook is here.

Sticky: Links

2000-01-01T01:00:00.004-08:00

http://deanbaskerville.googlepages.com/: This is "The Man". Dean has probably had more impact on me as an artist than any one person. He has really helped me to find ways to express things on my heart. If you are looking for a great engineer to not only make a super project but also help you tool your craft check out his site and listen to some of the music.

www.gmsagateway.com: This is going to be our new home in South Africa. We are partnering to see how God can use us to reach the people of South Africa.

www.myspace.com/daveboman: My new myspace site. Be sure to check this out for new music. We are presently recording my next project in Portland however you can hear new tunes on this site.

www.voicesinthevalley.com: Creating music experiences that touch people's lives.

www.track10.com: Here Centricity Records showcases Pacific Northwest artists. There is a wide range of genres represented including Dave Boman. We have had the opportunity to hear and/or play with several of the artists and they are all top notch.

www.jacobswellmusic.com: We had the privilege of playing with these guys at an artist showcase and they were tremendous. They can create huge sound with two acoustic guitars, drums, and three killer vocals.

www.impactsociety.com: Building confidence, resilience, character, and integrity in today's youth. Check out the "Heroes" project, an interactive program for use in schools and other community groups that teaches healthy self concept, problem solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity. Schools that have implemented the Heroes program have seen a marked rise in grades and drop in violence, behavior problems, and suicide attempts. Find out how you can bring Heroes to your community. The site also offers parenting tips and confidential, free advice for parents.

www.noondaysunnds.com: I love these guys. They are a great rock band and their drummer fixed my car one night with his magic finger. Thanks Sean.

www.bound4life.com: Youth standing in the gap for our nation in prayer and non-violent activism to end abortion in America. We have heard the founder, Lou Engle, speak and were challenged to the core. Check out the site, get a wristband, pray the prayer, and find out how to get involved with this movement.

www.compassion.com: Connecting needy children in developing nations with people like you. $32 a month will accomplish amazing things in a child's life. Sponsored children receive educational opportunities, supplemental food as needed, healthcare, guided recreational activities, a chance to hear and respond to the gospel, and longterm friendship (via letter correspondence) with a sponsor. Get on the site, choose a child, and change a life (maybe even yours). Lots of great resources on this site including virtual tours of compassion projects around the world.

www.kiros.com: You have to check these guys out. If you get a chance to see them live don't miss it. They are amazing artists and people.

www.ckbass.com: This man is about the best bass player in the world. Listen to his most recent cd "smooth worship"

Sticky: Events

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January 2007

25th @ 6:30: Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Youth Group; God in South Africa; Pastor Bob Worthington 509-826-2061

February 2007

2nd @ 9:00: Abundant Life Fellowship Foursquare; Pastor Chad Jeffries 509-826-4734

March 2007

18th @10:45: Omak First Baptist Church; Pastor John Richards, 509-826-4141
23rd @7:00: Javalive Friday at North Cascades Athletic Club; Opening for Jacob's Well; Ed P. 509-826-8006 www.myspace.com/javalivefriday
25th @1:00: Opening for Jacob's Well: Calvary Baptist Church, Twisp, WA; Tim Schmekel, 509-429-3219, www.voicesinthevalley.com
25th @10:00 am and 6:00pm: Calvary Chapel Fellowship of the Methow valley; Pastor Thomas Klemmeck 509-997-WORD

April 2007

12th 6:00: Our Savior Lutheran Church Okanogan; 509-422-2652

13th @7:00: King Street Coffee House, Wenatchee, WA; John Lafer 509-662-5235

22nd @7:00: Country Full Gospel Church; Pastor Randy McAllister, 509-476-2028

May 2007

18th @3:30: Wenatchee reachout in the park; Tim Schmekel, 509-429-321; more details coming. Check out www.voicesinthevalley.com for details

June 2007

3rd Calvary Baptist Chruch, Twisp AM service
5th KOZI radio interview, Chelan, WA
7th Omak High School Baccalaureate Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, Omak, Washington
9th REFRESH; Winthrop, WA; www.voicesinthevalley.com ; Tim Schmekel 509-429-3219
13th VOLUME, Omak WA
27th Tall Timbers Family Camp, Leavenworth, WA

Sticky: Discography

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Album: "How Many Times"

Released: June, 2004

Accoustic pop/blues with solid groove, exploring a broad spectrum of thoughts and emotions in the life of a Christian seeking after God.

Click here to preview/purchase.

Preview:
(Click a song title to hear a low-fi preview of the song.)
1. Open Up 2. What I've Been Missin' 3. I Need You Lord 4. How Many Times 5. Sweet Memories 6. My Deepest Longing 7. I Am Just A Man 8. Beautiful Day 9. Preacher Man 10. Rest Now

Finally after years of songwriting and contributing to others' CD projects (bass, lending songs), Dave has released his own album! The extra push needed to follow through came from his brother-in-law, Dean Baskerville, a talented recording engineer in Portland, Oregon. Dean has worked with such greats as Sheryl Crow (he won a national engineering award for his work on Soak Up The Sun), Everclear, Smashmouth, Rock And Roll Worship Circus, and others, as well as many independent artists. Having someone with the experience and creativity of Dean to work with made this a dream project for Dave. The lead guitar, provided by sought-after Portland guitarist, Tim Ellis, along with outstanding vocals (BGVs are the genetically well-matched voices of Dave's sister and brother) helped take the album over the top.

It's hard to define Dave's music in a nutshell because there's a lot of variety within it. The spectrum ranges from groovy blues tunes to rock, to happy "park block" pop to tender ballads. A few elements are consistent: strong groove (influenced by several previous years playing bass in many venues--and learning bass initially from the groove master, Chris Kent--ckbass.com), heavy acoustic flavor, and meaningful lyrics, which are reflective of Dave's life experiences. This is a happy CD, which is ironic because most of the songs were written during a difficult period in Dave's life. It's amazing to see how much good can come out of hard times and this album is an example of one of those good things (check out Romans 8:28).

Open Up was written as a sort of plea to God to make a way through that difficult time. It's saying, "God, the Bible is full of stories of You coming through for people. Can You do it for me too?"

I Need You Lord (a groovy-blues tune graced with Tim Ellis' spicy slide guitar) is a similar type of plea, but more as making fun of the way we often don't see our need for God until things go really sour for us. The dog mentioned in the song was actually a dog that tried to attack Dave one day (a BAD day) as he was walking into a hardware store (buying supplies for home repairs--a source of bad days for many people!). He was in such a foul mood at the time he grabbed a dowel near the door and told the store clerk that if there was blood on it when he was done he'd buy it! Fortunately that wasn't necessary because the dog's owner came out and took care of the dog and Dave got a hold of himself!

Two of the songs were written from God's viewpoint. Sometimes when we wrestle with God over issues He offers insight into His perspective. The title track, How Many Times, was God's answer to Dave and his wife's question of, "God, if You really love us, why don't You fix this?" Often in our desperation for a fix or relief we look past the Fixer and the Reliever, Who gave His all to provide for us at the cross. It's like God is asking what more He needs to do before we'll believe He loves us. My Deepest Longing is a funky, warm-hearted love song from the Creator to creation. It paraphrases Romans 1:20 which says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made..." It's saying that the beautiful things we see around us were made not only for our enjoyment, but also as a sign pointing to the Creator. A lot can be learned about an artist by observing his art and the earth is like the ultimate piece of art, designed by the ultimate Artist.

Halfway into the first day of recording Dave received a call at the studio breaking the news that his father-in-law had just unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Of course recording was put on hold, and while driving to his mother-in-law's house he got the words to Sweet Memories.

A few other songs were also family-inspired. Dave's dad, who's retired after 40 years of full time ministry, was the impetus for Preacher Man. It expresses the value of the service that ministers provide, as well as the trials they face that most people (other than their families) are unaware of. Preacher man's organic sound is the result of creative recording, which made it a lot of fun to put together. The percussion you hear is a high heeled shoe hitting a stair, a stack of CDs being dropped on top of a dryer, hands rubbing together, and Dave and Dean banging on a metal chair and a guitar case. The "bass" was actually an old cello that wouldn't stay in tune! Beautiful Day is a happy song about counting your blessings--particularly being thankful for your family. The comfort a child receives from a parent upon waking at night, afraid, is sung as a soothing lullaby in Rest Now.

In a groovy, high-energy jam, I Am Just A Man, Dave revels in the certainty of eternal life for those who've chosen to put their faith in Jesus Christ. What I've Been Missin' relates how often we function on auto-pilot without realizing how much of God we're missing in our lives.

Sticky: Ask Preacher Man

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Sticky: About Dave

2000-01-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Dave and his awesome wife Jill, along with two wonderful children, live in Okanogan county (perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the world). Dave works full time as an occupational therapist. Dave and his family are presently preparing to relocate to Humansdorp, South Africa to serve as missionaries with Generational Ministries of South Africa. In the interim, Dave is traveling to share what God has placed on his heart with people that the Lord brings in his path. He and producer/engineer Dean Baskerville are busy recording his second cd through Baskerville Recording( http://deanbaskerville.googlepages.com/ ) in Portland, Or. You can preview a rough cut through www.myspace.com/daveboman. Please pray for Dave and his family as well as the people that they are going to serve.