"'Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?' But we have the mind of Christ."

1 Corinthians 2:16

     For an artist, perspective changes everything. A dash of light can affect the overall atmosphere of a room. The mood of a portrait can change from absolutely hopeful to distraught and gloomy, depending on the angle from which the subject is depicted. An actor’s internal perspective determines the believability of their performance. It is common for an artist, when he hits a wall, to take in his dilemma from more perspectives and gain a broader understanding of the thing.

     If you are married, you have experienced the huge effect that perspective has on someone’s relation to reality. Though we are looking at the same problem, it is a rare occasion when my wife and I see it in the same way. While this may seem like a problem on its face, the tension between differing perspectives actually paves the way for a greater understanding of what is true and beautiful.

Katee and I are excited to announce the arrival of our daughter, Amelia Jean, on April 5th. Though she came a whole month early, God blessed us with a strong, healthy baby. Praise the Lord! May our family always be a reflection of His love and goodness.

     Recently, God has been speaking to me concerning His perspective. How does He see things? As a matter of fact, He gives us a sneak peek. His spirit opens our hearts to see a sliver of His Divine outlook. Jesus told us, “when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Living in all truth? That’s a pretty good place to be.

     As we disciple people, there is no gift more valuable than this preview of the Divine perspective. God has given us His eyes, His heart, and His mind, if we are willing to heed them. In order to do God’s will, we must adopt an outsider’s perspective: the perspective of Heaven.

     Doing as Jesus did—only as the Father commands (John 5:19)—means that the solutions will often look foreign. He is establishing what the world may see as foolish, and we have to be fools alongside Him. The outside perspective becomes lonely. As we begin to see what He sees, the world might look at us as aliens in a country far from home. For millennia, persecution and martyrdom have been proof of our “strangeness” in the eyes of the world. But the heart of the Father is infallible; He always leads us, and those around us, into truth. Being different can be frustrating and despairing, but it is often a marker of someone God uses for His Divine purposes. Like I said earlier, that tension of living in two realities is what uncovers the beauty of our Creator.

     So, Go Forth Ministry continues to pursue God’s perspective. Sometimes—rather, oftentimes—this means doing things that don’t make sense from my point of view. But that is okay. This endeavor is not about saving face. As I adopt His point of view over my own, Psalm 23 has become my guiding principle. “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His namesake.” This is how to pursue a Divine perspective: it is for His glory. We pray that we may have the mind of Christ. If we are willing, who knows what He might accomplish through us? 

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     Finally, we would like to thank you for your partnership with us. You have joined alongside us by faith, and God rewards the faithful. May He bless you on your journey!

     In Christ,

                             Jaren & Katee Baer

P.O. Box 626

Dalton, OH 44618

330-462-1029

goforthministry@gmail.com