Nancy Beach

Snow Day and Blogger Good-Bye

     We just got over 19 inches of snow here in my Chicago suburb - and I am nesting, catching up with life, baking banana bread, and enjoying the comforts of a warm house and no urgent need to drive anywhere. What a winter most of our country has experienced!  There's something quite magical about hunkering down, schools getting closed, and in this storm, thunder and lightening as the flakes came down!  

     In my new adventure as an Associate Producer of television movies with Front Porch Entertainment, I am growing and learning every day. It's wonderful to be stretched, and to be surrounded by many great people who don't yet know Jesus. After 25 years in church ministry, I am loving the challenge of being salt and light on an up close and personal basis.  We just finished a shoot in Santa Fe, and my next film looks to be filmed in Montreal.  I am exceedingly grateful for this opportunity, as I continue to serve local churches whenever I can. I will be teaching in about 10 days at Christ Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, a terrific community of faith who I have come to know and love.

     After about 4 years of blogging, I have decided it's time to close this door of communication for me. I know that any readers who still attempt to follow may have been frustrated by the lack of frequency of my posts. I apologize for that.  From the start, I didn't know if I had worthy thoughts to contribute to the blogging space, and I still don't know how any of us keep up with the flood of communications that come our way.  But for those who have followed my posts, I thank you. I can still be found on twitter (NancyLBeach) and Facebook, and offer my new email account as well - [email protected]

     Finally, I send my blessings to all those who seek to follow our Lord and Savior, and especially to those who traffic in the arts and teaching.  I will always be a champion for those who are called to communicate God's timeless truths in creative and compelling ways. May your journey toward authenticity, excellence, and creativity continue to grow and flourish. And may you build communities where artists and teachers are ennobled, encouraged, and deeply loved.  

     Please stay in touch, and thanks again for reading.  

     Your sister in Christ...

     Nancy

"Change of Plans" Airs Tonight!

Up against a big football playoff game tonight is the television movie I worked on titled "Change of Plans." It will air at 7 PM CST on Fox. Please watch. The film features Brooke White and Phylicia Rashad. Don't look for a credit for me because the Associate Producer doesn't get one! I will be watching from a hotel room in Santa Fe where I am working on another film. I love this city! However, we have been filming outside and I was so cold I had to go to the local REI store to get some Eskimo clothes. This movie features Candace Cameron who played DJ on "Full House" so my daughters think I'm pretty cool. Our hotel suite has two televisions so my husband can watch my movie and the football game at the same time...feels just like home. Let me know what you think about "Change of Plans." it is targeting moms and tweens. We are still learning a lot in this process and would appreciate constructive feedback.

Close of a Magical Week

     The week between Christmas and New Year's has always been one of my favorites of the year. I know that lots of people need to work that week, and it isn't as relaxing for them. But I have alays been grateful for a different rhythm on those days, almost a magical time when everything slows down a bit, when we have more relaxed conversations with family and friends, when we eat way too many cookies, watch a lot of great movies, nest indoors with candles and enjoy our lighted tree even though the needles are falling and the pine scent is fading.

     So tonight, I feel a bit of melancholy. We drove our older daughter Samantha back to college today, the tree is down, stockings packed away, and a new year is launched. Tomorrow morning I will fly to Santa Fe for the filming of another television movie. I anticipate whatever adventures lie ahead, including the joy of seeing my younger daughter graduate from high school this Spring and choose a college.  I am stunned by the goodness of God, and exceedingly thankful for health, family, a home and plenty of food, and most of all, for the grounding that comes from knowing my Savior and walking with Him day by day.  I wish you a year filled with the unexplainable astonishing peace that comes through Christ, no matter what our circumstances may be.  Happy New Year!

What a Difference a Year Makes

     This morning I'm boarding a flight for Sante Fe, New Mexico, where I'll be involved in location scouting for a television movie that will start shooting the first week of January.  I serve as the Associate Producer for this film, titled Dear Annie, and will be based in New Mexico for most of next month.

     Last year at this exact time I was at the very center of 12 Christmas services at Willow Creek, serving as Executive Producer. If you had whispered to me at that time what I would be doing just 12 months later, I would have been incredulous. I am learning all over again that we never truly know where the intriguing pathways of life will take us, where the opportunities for a new adventure might lurk, what relationships might lead to a surprising twist, an unexpected fork in the road. As we listen to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit and hold everything loosely, I am convinced we will occasionally be astonished at the place we suddenly find ourselves.

     As you enter the new year, I want to urge you to stay open.  Some of us will remain planted in a work we have been engaged in for years and years. For all those faithful folks, I hope your passion will continue to flame stronger than ever, that you will not take for granted the wonder of your calling. Others might be sensing a certain restlessness, that maybe, just maybe, something new is in the wind. If that fits your place in life these days, do not be afraid, as the angels proclaimed. Our God can be trusted even in the scary in-between places that feel so uncertain. I hold tightly to the Scripture that reminds me His ways are infinitely higher and wiser than our ways, and He wants to give each one of us a future and a hope.

     So off I go to a role that is not yet comfortable (and maybe never will be), to a new team and a new identity.  And yet, it's still the same me with the same strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, with the same Heavenly Father walking with me every step of the way.

     I pray a special blessing on those of you in the thick of serving our God in Christmas services, sacrificing so much of your own holiday for the enrichment of others. May you know the peace and deep delight of a job well done, even in the midst of too much on your "to do" list. And when Christmas day dawns, may all of us breathe a huge thank you to the God who is WITH US no matter what.

Nesting

There's a bit of an Arctic blast blowing outside here, so I have hunkered down and invested a day in cooking (yes, I do that occasionally), Christmas card writing, gift wrapping, and checking my lists for the rest of this busy week.  Most of all, I"m preparing the nest for the return of one of my precious little birds who flew off to Ghana for over 4 months.  All will feel right with the world when Samantha sits down to our dinner table once again tomorrow night.  I made one of her favorites, Chicken Tetrazzini, and just hope her jet lag isn't so awful that she can't stay awake for supper!

Warren and I are deeply grateful for the impact this experience has had on our daughter. We truly believe Ghana came about as a leading from the Spirit in her life. She will never be quite the same in some significant ways. It will be delightful to unpack the adventure with her over the next couple weeks, and to come alongside her as she seeks re-entry into the First World where the food is not so spicy, where it's about 100 degrees colder (that's right!), and where she will fight the battle of feeling like we have too much and yet enjoying a hot shower and "normal" meals once again. The bigger adjustments will come when she returns to the performance challenges at Northwestern, the kind of schedule that is not nearly as friendly to long walks, slow listening, and simply room to breathe. There are parts of her Ghana experience I know she wants to carry with her, however difficult that may prove to be.

Today, I am a grateful woman. I have plenty of food to feed my family, a warm and cozy nest that shields us from the bitter cold, and the resources to plan for Christmas gifts for those I love. I will not take for granted these simple gifts.  And even the Bears embarrassing performance against the Patriots will not ruin this lovely day of nesting!

 

A Thanksgiving to Remember

     Our family just returned from a week in Ghana where we visited our daughter, Samantha.  What a memorable week!  I can't possibly describe all of our adventures there, but I will hit a few highlights. First, what a deep joy to hug my girl again!  She's been gone since early August, and that is just plain too long...She looked great, tanner than I've ever seen her, very fit and smiling from ear to ear. The biggest change I observed in her has to do with assertiveness. Sam has always struggled with being a "pleaser" and standing strong for herself in the face of opposition. So imagine my astonishment as I watched her negotiate boldly with taxi drivers and sellers in the marketplace, even walking away when they would not match her price!  In addition, Samantha has shown incredible adaptability to difficult conditions. Her trait of "Positivity" has never been tested so much. In the face of no water at times, unpredictable schedules and unreliable transportation, an entirely different culture and extremely spicy food, oppressive heat and no air conditioning, she has chosen to adjust and simply make it work. I could not be more proud of her.

     One of our visits was to the Cape Coast Slave Castle.  You may recall that President Obama and his family visited there about 18 months ago. This is an extremely sobering place to explore. Somewhere between 12 and 25 million Africans were held in horrific conditions here, chained together with no toilets and very little food, waiting to be loaded onto ships heading West. There are actually marks on the stone walls where people clawed their fingers in agony. A door marked "The Door of No Return" leads from the castle to the tunnel walkway where they would board the ship. Above the slave quarters sits a chapel where the white traders worshiped. I can barely get my heart and mind around that juxtaposition. Our Ghanaian tour guide summed it up well at the end of his tour, expressing hope that mankind may never again show such injustice. Sadly, slavery still exists in too many places.

     On Thanksgiving Day, we went to the Beacon House, an orphanage where Samantha volunteers every Thursday. She works with the 4 and 5 year olds, who jump up and down when Sam arrives. We blew bubbles with them, played with sidewalk chalk, read them stories, and colored pictures. Most of them are healthy, but some have HIV.  Samantha was hoping we would bring a few of them home to join our family permanently, and it was certainly tempting!  It was such a wonderful way for our family to spend the start of Thanksgiving.

     That evening we attended a dinner for the American students. The hosts from Ghana did their best to prepare a Thanksgiving meal, including turkey and their version of "mashed" potatoes (no gravy, stuffing, or pumpkin pie).  I was beginning to feel a little ill, so I only took a little food. On the way walking to the taxi, I got sick by the side of the road 3 times, and that began what I can only describe as a very, very long night!  I told Warren to take a sleeping pill so he would at least get rest before we traveled home in about 24 hours. That turned out to be dumb. In the middle of the night, I heard a deafening crash in our little cottage. I assumed someone was breaking in. When I tried to rouse my husband, he was absolutely dead to the world. So sick as I was, I got up to see what had happened. Johanna was throwing up in the other bathroom. She had leaned on the sink and the entire unit had crashed to the ground! So I tried to hold her head, and when she was done, I got sick again myself. Samantha and her father slept through til the morning...No comment.

     Somehow we made it home. I'm so very grateful to have been with my family for the holiday, one that we will never ever forget. Johanna and I are recovering, and Samantha will be home for Christmas. Ghana is an amazing country, one that is so worth visiting if you ever have the opportunity.

Thanksgiving in Ghana

I am counting the hours until we leave for Thanksgiving - visiting our older daughter who is studying at the University of Ghana. We haven't seen Samantha since early August, and I can't wait to hug her, have a relaxed conversation, and be together once again as a family of 4.  I have no idea what we will find to eat on Thursday - maybe a Thanksgiving goat or chicken will have to suffice!  But the more I think about it, this holiday is all about gratitude and love. There are no people I'd rather be with than my husband and 2 daughters, no matter what we find to eat.  Of course, my younger daughter Johanna wants me to be sure to make the American version of the meal sometime after we return to Chicago!

Whenever any of us has a life-changing experience, especially in another country, we struggle to describe that experience to those we love. We show our photos and use our words...but it never seems to adequately capture our sense of the adventure. Samantha is therefore incredibly excited for us to actually come into her world there in Ghana, to meet her new friends, to see the orphanage where she serves, to smell the smells and eat the food and see the sights. How deeply grateful I am that we are able to share this as a family!  It will certainly be a Thanksgiving to remember...even without the pumpkin pie.

Nothin' LIke A Brand New Church

     Last night my husband and I drove to the west side of Chicago for the Grand Opening service of Soul City Church.  As we entered (a little late) the room located in a warehouse, we joined over 200 other folks eagerly worshiping and gathering as a new community of faith. Our friends, Jarrett and Jeanne Stevens, are the co-pastors of Soul City. They left a comfortable situation in Atlanta because God clearly stirred them up to start a new work in the heart of the city. The Stevens are taking a huge leap of faith, along with several other devoted Christ followers at the core of this adventure.

     Adventure. That's the best word to capture the wonder of a brand new church. I've only been a part of a launch one time, many moons ago.  Years later, we tend to glamorize that era as a bit of a Camelot time, only recalling the best moments and choosing to allow the long hours, anxiety, and limited expertise to fade in our memories. There really is nothing quite like getting in on the foundation of building a new community of faith. It's truly exhilarating. Banding together because of how desperately we need one another, each person pitches in to do absolutely WHATEVER is required to get the church going. We grab a hammer, make phone calls, network like crazy, and just keep showing up whenever needed. We wake up with a twinkle in our eye, knowing that God is using us to create something completely beyond ourselves, and surprising us by His faithful miracles all along the way.

     I know several people planting churches these days, in locations all around the world. Each situation is unique, and yet they share in common the dimension of risk and crazy faith and enormous trust. Often, these new churches are started by young people simply because they are more likely to be willing to jump.  I hold these folks in very high regard. I lift them up in my prayers. I may not have the experience again of launching a new community of faith - and I will never get over the wonder of the time I got to be a part of something that took my breath away. Go Soul City...and all the other brand new churches seeking to usher in the transforming love and light of Jesus to places of darkness.

Just Show Up

     Years ago, I discovered a principle in friendship that I have tried to live out ever since.  It's the Just Show Up principle - when your friends lose a loved one, are in the hospital, or experience any major storm in life, don't wonder if you should be there, don't ask them over the phone what you can do to help, just show up.  I learned the hard way, by taking my attendance at a wake too casually.  Ever since, I know how much it matters.  And I have been the recipient of friends showing up for me when my mother-in-law died and when my 2 yr. old was in the hospital.  I remember all the loving people who visited, made meals, and cared for me!

     So when my good friend Suze found out she was going to have highly risky, invasive surgery to remove a non-cancerous mass from her pancreas, I knew I needed to show up.  This operation was so extreme that Suze was in the hospital for 12 days!  She was surrounded by family and a huge community of friends from her church during those first days.  But this week I was able to drive the 4 plus hours to Ft. Wayne to visit her as she continues to recover.  We had a delightful time catching up, and I loved the relaxed space we enjoyed for me to hear the stories of her experience, see her photos and scar, learn what it was like for her and her family to go through this difficult time.  I had read her blog and talked with her husband, but nothing could compare to actually sitting with Suze in her living room.

     The previous week, my older sister and I drove my parents 2 1/2 hours up to Portage, Wisconsin to visit friends they have known for 55 years!!!  These lifelong friends now are in an Assisted Living facility. So we took 4 people in their late 80's out to lunch.  Believe me, that was a challenge!  But as we watched them catching up with one another and exchanging stories and memories, it was a beautiful scene to witness.  When we left, my mother said, "That was the highlight of my year!"  How worth it to help them show up for their friends.

     I continue to learn this principle.  And I urge you to live it out as well.  If you have any hesitation about whether your friend really needs you, jump past that catch in your spirit and simply move toward them in whatever way you can.  You will never, ever regret showing up - but all of us regret times when we didn't.

An Angel Named Mike

     Yesterday I was headed to O'Hare airport on a blustery day that saw winds and storms we haven't seen the likes of in 70 years. My ultimate destination was Maryland, where I was expected to co-teach a "Gifted to Lead" workshop with Nancy Ortberg.  As I approached the exit for the airport off the busy expressway, my Toyota Camry started to make an awful sound.  I finally realized my tire must be flat and carefully attempted to make my way over to the right shoulder. Cars and trucks were whizzing by at an alarming speed. I looked in my rearview mirror, wondering what I would do next and how I would ever make my flight on time. As I was pulling over, a white van followed me slowly to the side. A sign on the side of the vehicle advertised some kind of woodworking company.  A young man got out of the van and came over to look at my tire, which was clearly shot and smelled of burnt rubber.  When I was a teenager, my father tried to teach me several times how to change a flat tire - but I never really listened.  I admit, I am a helpless female when it comes to cars.

     The flat tire was, unfortunately, on the same side as the expressway. What a precarious predicament!  I opened my trunk, having no idea whether I had the right equipment for putting on a spare.  Moving aside my box of books, random DVD's, umbrellas, and canvas grocery bags, we found the hidden tools and tire. I was beginning to see that this guy had every intention of helping me. I asked him for his name, and he said, "Mike."  While changing the tire, Mike was literally a few feet from the vehicles whizzing by. I tried to stand there and slow the drivers down a bit, without much success.

     If I had called AAA for help, I never would have made my flight. Mike was finished with the job in about 15 minutes.  I asked him if he was an angel, and he just laughed.  I gave him some money, which he tried to refuse, and thanked him over and over again.

     Typically, I don't see God's presence as often as perhaps I should. I get a little annoyed if people seem to over-spiritualize every little detail of life. So it's not like me to think God would send me an angel. But I really think he did. That white van was exactly where it needed to be to keep me from harm and get me to Maryland on time. Mike was an agent of grace for me yesterday, and I am so very grateful. One of God's names in the Old Testament is El Roi, which mean "the God who sees."  God sees you and me all the time, in every sorry predicament we find ourselves in.  Not only does He see, but He cares. So I thank God for Mike, the angel woodworking guy. And I also thank God for what turned out to be a wonderful day with 256 women, mostly African American, gathered in a Maryland Baptist church to talk together about leading as a women in God's kingdom. I am the daughter of a God who loves me outrageously...