Micah recently chose his life verse for his autobiography, quite an improvement from his first more humorous attempt. I think he did well, don't you? This is something to live for!!!
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Job 19:25-27
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
never a sacrifice
This morning my son willingly trotted up the stairs to his new friend's house, gave me a kiss goodbye, and turned with a smile to anticipate the fun that awaited him for the morning. As I got in the van and headed to serve in a community Bible study for the morning, my mind wandered back to five years ago.
My daughter was 2 then, and my son was 4. When I was asked to consider being a part of a ministry that would involve 2 mornings a week away from home, I initially balked. I loved being at home with my children and didn't want to give up a moment with them; how could such a thing be a part of God's plan for them or for me? I actually sat down and calculated how many hours a month I would be separated from my preschool children and my heart really ached as I considered the cost.
Yet there was a tugging at my heart that could only have been God to say yes to this opportunity. I prayerfully considered the matter for several months and couldn't shake the peace the Holy Spirit gave me to say yes. It meant giving up what I thought was God's plan for my family, how I was going to spend time with my children and my husband, and a whole host of insecurities that would be tested repeatedly every week as I sat in front of women and actually had to take a lead in opening my mouth for Jesus' sake in front of others. Those of you who know how shy I was know what a step that had to be!!!
Yet I stand in awe today at the way God has worked not only in my own life, but the life of my family. My children have seen me take an interest in ministering Christ to others, lighting a fire in their own lives to help others know Jesus. (Micah recently said to me, "Mom, I really want to lead someone to Christ.") I have been trained in such a way that I can pass on my faith to them as I never would have been able to before, especially as it involved my own example. Women who cared for my children on Mondays and Tuesdays in the children's program have prayed over them weekly and many still ask periodically how they are doing and what they are up to.
When I found out 2 years ago I was expecting my third child, I took the matter before the Lord regarding continuing service through this child's infancy and toddlerhood. It would have been so much easier to have stepped aside for a time but I never felt God gave me any peace about letting it go. He then provided precious friends and family as sitters for my baby who cared for him through those early months. Many obstacles presented themselves but God paved a way through them.
Was there anything to be gained? Jesus said in John 12:24 "I tell you the truth, unless a single kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." I have seen women who have come to know Christ in a real and life-changing way, acting on the truth of God's word resulting in families strengthened, marriages saved, tragedies overcome, suffering endured not just somehow but triumphantly. Perhaps only eternity will give me a glimpse of what God has done through the women whose lives He has allowed to intersect with mine for such a time as this. My children have learned to love God's word and His people more than I ever thought possible. My husband has a wife who is more loving, confident in who she is in Christ, and enthusiastic about serving her family. Yes, that's right, God's plan did not mean I abandoned my family but came full circle in shaping me to love them better, less selfishly, with an eye on His best of each of them. I have a long way to go and am far from perfect, but I am being perfected in my service to Him.
I love to read about the lives of missionaries who have sacrificed much for the kingdom of God. Many have had to literally send their children off to virtual strangers to be educated and cared for because their lives would have been endangered to remain with their parents on the field. One of these brave men who lost wives and children in the pursuit of souls said once that he never felt he had made a sacrifice, God so lovingly poured back anything he had poured out to him. I have poured out far less than they ever did, yet looking back I can say the same thing.
My daughter was 2 then, and my son was 4. When I was asked to consider being a part of a ministry that would involve 2 mornings a week away from home, I initially balked. I loved being at home with my children and didn't want to give up a moment with them; how could such a thing be a part of God's plan for them or for me? I actually sat down and calculated how many hours a month I would be separated from my preschool children and my heart really ached as I considered the cost.
Yet there was a tugging at my heart that could only have been God to say yes to this opportunity. I prayerfully considered the matter for several months and couldn't shake the peace the Holy Spirit gave me to say yes. It meant giving up what I thought was God's plan for my family, how I was going to spend time with my children and my husband, and a whole host of insecurities that would be tested repeatedly every week as I sat in front of women and actually had to take a lead in opening my mouth for Jesus' sake in front of others. Those of you who know how shy I was know what a step that had to be!!!
Yet I stand in awe today at the way God has worked not only in my own life, but the life of my family. My children have seen me take an interest in ministering Christ to others, lighting a fire in their own lives to help others know Jesus. (Micah recently said to me, "Mom, I really want to lead someone to Christ.") I have been trained in such a way that I can pass on my faith to them as I never would have been able to before, especially as it involved my own example. Women who cared for my children on Mondays and Tuesdays in the children's program have prayed over them weekly and many still ask periodically how they are doing and what they are up to.
When I found out 2 years ago I was expecting my third child, I took the matter before the Lord regarding continuing service through this child's infancy and toddlerhood. It would have been so much easier to have stepped aside for a time but I never felt God gave me any peace about letting it go. He then provided precious friends and family as sitters for my baby who cared for him through those early months. Many obstacles presented themselves but God paved a way through them.
Was there anything to be gained? Jesus said in John 12:24 "I tell you the truth, unless a single kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." I have seen women who have come to know Christ in a real and life-changing way, acting on the truth of God's word resulting in families strengthened, marriages saved, tragedies overcome, suffering endured not just somehow but triumphantly. Perhaps only eternity will give me a glimpse of what God has done through the women whose lives He has allowed to intersect with mine for such a time as this. My children have learned to love God's word and His people more than I ever thought possible. My husband has a wife who is more loving, confident in who she is in Christ, and enthusiastic about serving her family. Yes, that's right, God's plan did not mean I abandoned my family but came full circle in shaping me to love them better, less selfishly, with an eye on His best of each of them. I have a long way to go and am far from perfect, but I am being perfected in my service to Him.
I love to read about the lives of missionaries who have sacrificed much for the kingdom of God. Many have had to literally send their children off to virtual strangers to be educated and cared for because their lives would have been endangered to remain with their parents on the field. One of these brave men who lost wives and children in the pursuit of souls said once that he never felt he had made a sacrifice, God so lovingly poured back anything he had poured out to him. I have poured out far less than they ever did, yet looking back I can say the same thing.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Asian update
When a cyclone hit Myanmar in May, and was then closely followed by a devastating earthquake in China, God moved many hearts to pray and give to help the survivors. Here is an update from Samaritan's Purse that I found exciting!
Myanmar
By God's grace, the situation in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has been transformed since Cyclone Nargis hit in May. Officials who at first refused permission for Samaritan's Purse to land planeloads of emergency relief are now welcoming our help. One of our first tasks was to set up a series of water filtration systems to provide safe drinking water for tens of thousands of people. Now we are working with local believers to deliver supplies to remote villages that have waited months for help....
Day by day, our staff and ministry partners are making a difference in the lives of the cyclone survivors. Along with bags of rice, heavy duty plastic, and other supplies, Christian workers have distributed back-to-school kits for several thousand children and baby kits for hundreds of pregnant mothers. We have also provided dozens of fishing boats and rice-paddy tractors to help restore the food supply.
Through the efforts of compassionate believers, countless lives have been saved, and many survivors are trusting Christ as Savior.
China
Samaritan's Purse is also helping to rebuild churches that were destroyed by the quake. One congregation in the city of Mianzhu has been so effective sharing God's love through emergency relief that their Sunday attendance has grown to 500 from 200 before the quake. Many people are hearing the Gospel for the first time, and they are responding by placing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ...
Friends, I believe Asia is ripe for the gospel. In the 20th century, the continent was dominated by totalitarian rulers such as Mao Zedong and Pol Pot who wanted to wipe out all religions, especially Christianity. As a result, hundreds of millions of people have grown up in a religious vacuum. They know in their hearts that there must be a God. They are searching, and it's up to us to show them the Way.
We can travel all over the world on our knees, and we have a God that answers prayer. It is encouraging and exciting to see Him bring the message of Christ to those devastated by terrible disasters. We have a God that can redeem human suffering!! He invites us to share in what He is doing and accomplishes much through the prayer of a righteous man or woman.
Myanmar
By God's grace, the situation in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has been transformed since Cyclone Nargis hit in May. Officials who at first refused permission for Samaritan's Purse to land planeloads of emergency relief are now welcoming our help. One of our first tasks was to set up a series of water filtration systems to provide safe drinking water for tens of thousands of people. Now we are working with local believers to deliver supplies to remote villages that have waited months for help....
Day by day, our staff and ministry partners are making a difference in the lives of the cyclone survivors. Along with bags of rice, heavy duty plastic, and other supplies, Christian workers have distributed back-to-school kits for several thousand children and baby kits for hundreds of pregnant mothers. We have also provided dozens of fishing boats and rice-paddy tractors to help restore the food supply.
Through the efforts of compassionate believers, countless lives have been saved, and many survivors are trusting Christ as Savior.
China
Samaritan's Purse is also helping to rebuild churches that were destroyed by the quake. One congregation in the city of Mianzhu has been so effective sharing God's love through emergency relief that their Sunday attendance has grown to 500 from 200 before the quake. Many people are hearing the Gospel for the first time, and they are responding by placing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ...
Friends, I believe Asia is ripe for the gospel. In the 20th century, the continent was dominated by totalitarian rulers such as Mao Zedong and Pol Pot who wanted to wipe out all religions, especially Christianity. As a result, hundreds of millions of people have grown up in a religious vacuum. They know in their hearts that there must be a God. They are searching, and it's up to us to show them the Way.
We can travel all over the world on our knees, and we have a God that answers prayer. It is encouraging and exciting to see Him bring the message of Christ to those devastated by terrible disasters. We have a God that can redeem human suffering!! He invites us to share in what He is doing and accomplishes much through the prayer of a righteous man or woman.
Friday, September 19, 2008
He cares for the small things
Matthew 6:31-32, 30a
So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them...will he not much more clothe you?
OK, I'll admit it, I've been acting like the pagans, running all over town trying to find Rachel dresses to wear to church this fall. If you are a parent of an elementary girl, you know how hard it is to a) find dresses, period and b) find a dress that looks like something an elementary girl should be wearing. Finally I did what I should have done in the beginning; I prayed! Surely providing dresses is not too big for God. Sure enough, two days later my friend called telling me she had several beautiful dresses in Rachel's size at her garage sale. Rachel loves them and they all fit her perfectly!
So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them...will he not much more clothe you?
OK, I'll admit it, I've been acting like the pagans, running all over town trying to find Rachel dresses to wear to church this fall. If you are a parent of an elementary girl, you know how hard it is to a) find dresses, period and b) find a dress that looks like something an elementary girl should be wearing. Finally I did what I should have done in the beginning; I prayed! Surely providing dresses is not too big for God. Sure enough, two days later my friend called telling me she had several beautiful dresses in Rachel's size at her garage sale. Rachel loves them and they all fit her perfectly!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
bears repeating
I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I am a disciple of Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.
I am not ashamed of the gospel....Romans 1:16
by Dr. Bob Moorehead
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I am a disciple of Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.
I am not ashamed of the gospel....Romans 1:16
by Dr. Bob Moorehead
Friday, September 12, 2008
watching it come
Praying for those in the path of Hurricane Ike tonight. Jared and Michelle, Rachel immediately wanted to pray for you when I told her Dallas was under a tropical storm warning. Central Illinois is forecasted to have 3-5 inches of rainfall late this weekend when Ike passes through. That's nothing compared to a 20 foot storm surge.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
too cool for school
Though mystified the first couple of days, Josiah now seems to accept that Micah and Rachel go to a place called "school" while he gets to stay home and have fun with Mommy all day. Still, when I brought out a backpack (like Micah and Rachel have) and he paired it up with some glasses, he was delighted. Purple is a great color on him, don't you think? (OK, the truth come out. He has since lost these Tinkerbell glasses at Kohl's and I did tell Eric not to go back and try to find them...)Wednesday, September 3, 2008
fighting back
I can get this in Josiah's size!! Except no little boy of mine is going to have anything about "head-turning" on his T-shirt.
Sarah Palin for VP T-shirt
Go Sarah!!
Sarah Palin for VP T-shirt
Go Sarah!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)