The Lemon Connection

You just never know...

daranlemon — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:04:41 -0400

Cody Kopaska - The Newest Addition to Our Team!

Little did we know in 2004, the quiet red headed kid, who made concerts happen at our youth outreach center, would be foundational to launching Chi Alpha at UVU.

“You can’t never always sometimes tell. That tongue twister is a mind-bender, so you might need to read it twice. Here’s a translation: ‘Anything could happen.’”

Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker.

Mark is quoting his grandma here, but that’s a bit how we felt when Cody told us he would move to Utah. As we’ve asked some to give, we’ve asked some to go. As we shared with Cody the vision for reaching UVU, we asked him to pray about going. The next thing I knew, Cody texted me, “I’m in.” Kind of shocked with the quick reply, I was unsure of what Cody meant exactly. We scheduled a meeting time where Cody explained what God had been doing in his life lately. While we had been praying for a launch team, God had been speaking to Cody about change and doing something more.

You can’t never always sometimes tell. God’s timing is everything. Cody will be joining our team as a missionary associate. The best part, Cody will be finishing his degree at UVU. As a student he will be able to help us charter our group as a recognized student group and be a founding officer. This is HUGE. Just as we are praying for a launch team, we are also praying for God to connect us to any Christian students on campus to do this.

It’s exciting to be a part of something when you see God orchestrating the details. Especially when you’ve been praying and God brings it together in ways you didn’t see happening. Continue to pray for the new members of our launch team of missionaries and students. By your prayers we believe that we will see God move on campus.

Thank you for your prayers!!

For The Campus - The Lemons

Party In The Car!

noreenlemon — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:37:00 -0400

When we crossed the Utah state line with our kids a couple weeks ago, there was screaming, singing, and picture taking going on. The kids had been anticipating our move to Utah for almost 2 years. It is like we crossed into the promise land! For the girls, this is their first trip to Utah. For Ayden, his second, but it was an answer to prayer for all of them. Almost every night we pray with them, “Help us raise the support so we can get to Utah.” We’ve been in Utah for a couple of weeks and have been scoping out a place to live. We are wanting a place that:

is close to UVU.
is pet friendly because we promised the kids a dog when we moved to Utah.
has lots of parking for students
has a room for an office
has a fenced back yard for the kids and the doggie

Please pray for these things and most of all pray that God places us in a neighborhood where we can be a light for Him.

Again, we love you guys and can’t put into words how you are an answer to prayer!

The Lemons

"We’re at 70% of our budget needed!! (monthly financial commitments). Just 30% more!"

daranlemon — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:23:05 -0400

“We’re at 70% of our budget needed!! (monthly financial commitments). Just 30% more!”

God’s plan is not always immediate but is always definite!

daranlemon — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:46:00 -0500

What were some of the dreams that God has given you for your life?

Have they come to pass? Is God still giving you more dreams? Are you still waiting for some to happen? Perhaps you’ve given up.

In 2001 we took our youth group from Strafford, MO all the way to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. While there, we literally saw thousands give their lives to God. We visited a lot of schools with students ranging from elementary to college age. One of our students, Abby, was struck while visiting the largest university in Santa Cruz, that there was no Christian ministry reaching these students. God began stirring in her heart a passion for the campus. Maybe, she was to be a part of that. After she graduated from high school, she returned to Bolivia as a missionary associate to work with another missionary. She sought ways to start something on the campus in Santa Cruz but the door never seemed to be open. She prayed for Chi Alpha to be started on that campus.

Meanwhile, a University student from Bolivia came to the U.S to study at the University of Arkansas. While there she became a part of Chi Alpha and gave her heart to Christ! After finishing her studies in the U.S. she returned to Bolivia. In her first 2 weeks home she led her parents and siblings to the Lord and landed a job at the same University Abby saw. She began telling Ronnie Hoover, Chi Alpha Pastor at University of Arkansas, about the students coming to Christ on the campus. God spoke to him to commit the next ten years to launch Chi Alpha in Bolivia. Ronnie and his family lived six months in Santa Cruz and helped launch Chi Alpha on that very campus of 80,000 students. Now those students have helped along with the Arkansas students to launch Chi Alpha in three other cities with plans to launch in three more cities this summer.

You can’t make this stuff up! Abby never knew until we shared with her recently how her prayers were answered, as campus ministries have been started in Bolivia. She also didn’t know that her former youth pastors would stir up that desire again to reach the university campus. It was a dream that had faded some time back, but was now rekindled again as we asked her to pray about joining our launch team in Utah. Since graduating from college, Abby Whitmore, has been in ministry and missions. She is now raising her financial and prayer support to join us. We are absolutely thrilled to have her!

God’s plan is not always immediate but is always definite!

March Family Update

noreenlemon — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:57:06 -0500

We only had one decent snow in Missouri this year. The kids bundled up in their snow gear and waddled outside. Ayden’s favorite game was filling Analiese’s hood with snow and forcing it back onto her head. For some reason Analiese didn’t mind. I cringed as I watched from the window. Adalynn’s favorite game was making snow angels, although the snow wasn’t very deep so they were more like grass angels. The next week we were outside with no coats on because it was so warm outside. Missouri winter is crazy!

The kids are enjoying the whirlwind of activity around our household and looking forward to our move to Utah! Ayden has planned for his birthday to be early so he can celebrate with his cousins and grandparents here. We will begin the packing process soon so that we will be ready to move our things in July. This will be our last big move and we are so excited!

Many thanks to all of you for being a part of this God sized vision to launch Chi Alpha in Utah. We see miracles so often and we know that you guys are a part of making those miracles happen!

New prayer cards/coffee coasters. Let me know if you’d...

daranlemon — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:24:17 -0500

New prayer cards/coffee coasters. Let me know if you’d like some. Thanks to Matt Wilkie, Convoy of Hope
Missionary for the idea. The idea seemed so perfect for our new cards. Not just because I love coffee but because caffeinated drinks are a bit taboo in Utah.

Passion and Peace,
Daran

Christmas at the Post Office

daranlemon — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:25:54 -0500

I just visited our closest Post Office to pick up some stamps. Yikes! The line was going out the door. Most days I would go on the next errand on the list. But I knew it had to be done. I thought maybe I could keep it quick since I was going to use the self check out machine.

I patiently got in line and tried to make small talk with the lady who walked in shortly after I did. She was not too pleasant, stating she simply wanted to weigh her envelop and she continued on complaining until thankfully a postal worker who was floating through the line asked if she could help. The couple in front of me was arguing as they weighed and prepared their Christmas packages. Throughout the other lines were a mix of agitated people and others trying to distract themselves with their phones.

It would be easy to point out how people are missing the point of Christmas, etc. In the midst of this line, I heard a familiar voice. A friend was mid way up the line changing the vibe for those around him. Instead of joining in on the complaining or ignoring it all together he was laughing and joking.

As followers of Christ, we are often labeled judgmental. This season let’s be know for our joy! After all, God is with us.

There's a story to write...

daranlemon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:18:10 -0500

We know the story of Jesus. We’ve read the book.

But Mary didn’t know the story when the Angel appeared to her and said “Don’t be afraid!,”(Luke 1:30, NLT) (Which as I’m sure you’ve thought before, kind of blows the soft cuddly imagery we may have had of angels). Mary was living the story as it was being lived out before her as her son would be called Emmanuel, God with us.

Noreen and I are reminded again and again how this journey to Utah is bigger than us. It started with a call, God’s call, not a phone call. Trust me at times, we responded like Mary, “Me?” Every time we share the stories of God’s leading with people it also builds our faith, not just for finances, but for the incredible plan He has.

I know there is an incredible plan for Chi Alpha and the Kingdom of God in Utah, because He keeps calling people. Over these last few months we’ve asked you to pray for a team of people to go with us. These next few months we want to share with you the stories of the people God is calling to Utah. I know it was God and not Daran or Noreen, because God was already stirring something in these individuals before we even talked about Utah. We’ve already written about Shiloh. But there are more! God is forming the team; former students from youth pastoring days, Chi Alpha students & missionaries we’ve never met, and others!

Like Mary, we don’t know the end of the story in Utah. The story is still being written. Unlike Mary, we’ve read the end of the story. We know that her little baby would grow to be the savior of the world. Yet Mary must have marveled over the attention as Luke 2:18 (NLT) describes ”but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.”

What about you? What is God preparing for you next year, 2012? Like Mary, think about these things God has spoken. Celebrate Christ this Christmas with the joy that will make everyone around you want what you’ve got. There’s a story to write.

December Family Update

noreenlemon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:10:22 -0500

“Mommy, why don’t you have any chores to do?” I proceeded to explain to Analiese that if I didn’t do any chores, she would not eat, sleep, or have clean clothes.

I asked Adalynn the other day why she poured a cup of water on her bed, and she proceeded to explain very matter fact, “Analiese’s duck wanted to sleep there.” She couldn’t understand why Daran and I were laughing so hard that we could respond.

They are currently playing with a big box that they have converted into a hide out in the living room. They fight over it all the time. When we told Ayden we were thinking of getting each of them a box for Christmas, he did not think it was funny. Ahhh! The joy of having children!

Hope you enjoyed the little update! We love you all and hope your Christmas is full of the love of Jesus! We appreciate you so much!

For Utah and the Campus!

Noreen

Happy Thanksgiving!

daranlemon — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:11:09 -0500

Psalms 9:1 “I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! We hope you do as well.

So as Noreen and I pause and give thanks, we are thankful for many things. At the top of the list is our friends, family, and churches that are helping us to reach a generation of students.

THANK YOU & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Some Place Like Utah (Part 3)

daranlemon — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:48:54 -0400

“I’ve been praying for six months for a Christian group to come to my school!”

I don’t know whose mouth was more wide open, ours or Shiloh’s.

We had only been at Pastor David’s (the church planter) house for fifteen minutes when the pastor from the new Orem church walked in with Shiloh. After the usual small talk, Shiloh asked, “Why in the world did you come to Utah?” We explained that we were looking at a few universities in Utah to launch Christian student groups on campus.

When Shiloh told us his prayer we were nearly as excited as a kid getting his first bicycle on Christmas morning. Yet again we were experiencing the hand of God not just gently leading us but almost shouting.

Even more amazing, Shiloh had only recently come to faith in Jesus Christ as God. Now this former Mormon was working with us as we helped the new church in Orem as well as prayer walking through his university! His enthusiasm was only extinguished when he found out that it would be over a year before we would be back to work full time establishing Chi Alpha at his school.

I was reminded recently of how the Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul in Acts 16. Not just once (v. 6), but twice (v. 7) the Spirit kept Paul from preaching in two provinces, Asia and Mysia. Then in verse nine Paul had the “Macedonian Vision” compelling him to leave at once for Macedonia. Then in Phillippi (v. 14) they found Lydia, whose heart was opened by the Lord. So wow, what a coincidence (said with sarcasm). Of course, God knew exactly what the plan was. It was not that God did not care about the people of the two provinces, his timing knew better. Later we know from Acts 19 and Revelation 1 that there were churches in these areas.

From the beginning, God planted the desire in our hearts to launch a new Chi Alpha. The question was where. The nation was wide open, but the Spirit of God led us to Utah and progressively to the university to launch the first Chi Alpha. A school of 32,000+ students, no Christian ministry on campus (unheard of!), and of course in the heart of Mormonism. Now you know why we feel so compelled and are working to raise 100% of our budget. The Spirit compels us. We must go.

As we left Utah that week, Noreen told me, “If Shiloh prayed for a Chi Alpha on his campus, I believe God would turn the world upside down to make it happen.”

October Family Update

noreenlemon — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:49:01 -0400

So pumped!! Just got done with our one week pre-field orientation! Now we are full time support raising to go to Utah! My heart is there, now I just need to get my body there!

We have this game that we play at the dinner table where we focus on one of us and talk about our favorite things. The other night we focused on Ayden. We asked him what his favorite state was…his answer…Utah! God is preparing their hearts too!

Adalynn’s just had her birthday on September 30th and she is thrilled to put up four little fingers every time someone asks her how old she will is. Look for pictures in our next newsletter. She requested macaroni, pizza, soda, and a beautiful cake for her party. It was quite delicious!

Special thanks to all of you that have supported us since the beginning of this journey. We are honored to be your hands extended to Utah! We love you guys and can’t wait to update you on the journey to Utah Valley University!

For Utah and the Campus!

Noreen

Hilarious and true video on how we fail to communicate with...

daranlemon — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:01:17 -0400

Hilarious and true video on how we fail to communicate with authority. Thanks to @MichaelHyatt for sharing.

"Persecution is an enemy the Church has met and mastered many times. Indifference could prove to be a..."

daranlemon — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:30:43 -0400

“Persecution is an enemy the Church has met and mastered many times. Indifference could prove to be a far more dangerous foe.”

- God’s Smuggler, Brother Andrew

Some Place Like Utah (Part 2)

daranlemon — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:47:00 -0400

Joe told me,

“You should give this guy a call. He’s a church planter in Utah, not exactly sure where, but he’d be really cool to work with. Let me get his contact info.”

A couple of days later Joe had emailed me the contact info for the church planter. Joe is the Chi Alpha Director for North Arkansas College and had met this church planter at another missionary event.

For months, Noreen and I had been praying about three different campuses. Trying to discern God’s will, where to launch Chi Alpha. Remember there are no Chi Alpha ministries in the whole state. We could choose anywhere, but where was God lining things up? One of our responsibilities while in Arkansas was to lead a spring break missions trip. Where? Utah of course! But who should we work with? I could call an old college acquaintance that pastors one of the churches in Salt Lake. Or how about the church I grew up in during the 80’s? Then I remembered the seemingly random conversation I had with Joe about that church planter. I wasn’t even totally sure where he was launching new churches, or if they were close to any universities. Did he want any help?! While praying about it, I strongly felt I was to call the church planter first and see if there was anything we could to do to just be servants.

So I picked up the phone and called David Nicholson, the church planter. Guess what happened next? Yep, voicemail. David returned my call later that day, and was enthusiastic about hosting our small group. He shared his vision and what God was doing in their world, and how we could help. They were just about to launch their second church in the area, in Orem. From that phone call I knew that God’s providence was again at work. Orem, is home to Utah Valley University, the largest public university in Utah, a university that Noreen and I had been praying about. We were not ready to shut the door on the other schools yet, but it sure did seem like God was narrowing the list.

God wasn’t done yet, since we must have not been convinced yet, he had one more surprise for us…(to be continued.)

Read Part 1

The Three Little Lemons

noreenlemon — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:00:52 -0400

The three little lemons are having such a great time back in Missouri! They absolutely love their cousins and can’t get enough of them. We just had a new cousin join the family - Seth Paxson. He is a month old now, and I am sure that he is ready to join the other Lemons in their fun! Here is a little update on each of the Lemons:

Ayden- is in 4th grade now and still homeschooling because of all the moving. He loves it though because he is so bright and can fly through it so quickly. He reads massive amounts of books, and we have to force him to put the books away so he can go to sleep. The other day he was doing a science experiment with a light bulb and batteries and Daran saw on the page that you could put the two wires in water and try to light the light bulb that way. Daran asked Ayden why he hadn’t tried that yet. Ayden said very matter of fact, “Dad, water is a poor conductor so it probably won’t work very well. I’ll try. Give me some salt.”

Analiese - She is in 1st grade now and learning to read. We have to be very creative with Analiese because she does not like being read to like her brother does unless there are lots of pictures. She is plodding through and enjoying most of it. She loves clothes and fashion and loves to put outfits together. She lives for new seasons and new hand me down clothes from her Aunt Angel and cousin Alura.

Adalynn - asked me this morning when we were going to move to our new house. They are really excited about moving to Utah and Adalynn sees it as a big adventure. She is so looking forward to her birthday next month and is planning what she is going to do for it. She has lots of ideas - We will have to help her narrow it down to something reasonable!

Thank you guys so much for praying for us during this journey to Utah! Please continue to pray for our precious children as they approach this transition. We love you all and pray for you daily!

"Our one great business is prayer, and we will never do it well unless we fasten to it by all binding..."

daranlemon — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:15:01 -0400

“Our one great business is prayer, and we will never do it well unless we fasten to it by all binding force. We will never do it well without arranging the best conditions of doing it well. Satan has suffered so much by good praying that all his wily, shrewd and ensnaring devices will be used to cripple its performance.”

- E. M. Bounds (via noreenlemon)

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is..."

daranlemon — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 23:52:00 -0400

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day Christ Jesus returns.”

- Philippians 1:6