Good Friday

 I read this this morning and found it to be very thought provoking... just thought I would share it here...

"Put yourself in the place of the first followers of Christ who were there at His death. Your heart would be broken. Your mind would be racing. This isn't anything at all like what was supposed to happen to the King of the Jews. He was supposed to set everything right. Mend what was broken. Restore what was lost. But now, it would seem, all is lost. Everything is broken. Nothing is right.

Spend some time today trying to live in that space between the cross and the empty tomb. After hope has left. Before grace has come. Use that feeling to fuel your prayer for someone you know that lives there every day. Ask God to show you how to reach out to them and invite them into your Easter observances this weekend." 

from YouVersion Easter reading plan

Time in the Word

I read these quotes recently and have really been thinking on them.  I have wanted to blog a bit about what they have stirred in my heart, but just have not had the time to sit down and get my thoughts out on paper...

...so I am just putting the quotes here for whoever happens by my way to ponder upon... they are most certainly better than any of my thoughts could be on them anyway...

"The poorest [man] who understands his Bible, knows more about religion than the wisest philosophers of Greece and Rome." 

and...

"Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be got by hard, regular, daily, attentive and wakeful reading. Do we grudge the time and trouble this will cost us? If we do, we are not yet fit for the kingdom of God."

These were taken from Sunsets, Reflections for Life's Final Journey by Deborah Howard, RN, CHPN

 Any thoughts??


                                                                                                                                                                               

How God Uses Our Suffering...

I read the following this morning and just wanted to share it here...

It addresses how God uses suffering in our lives... and let's face it, we all have some sort of suffering in our lives.  Sometimes it is a season of intense suffering, and other times the suffering is more bearable but it still hurts...

God uses suffering to purge sin from our lives, strengthen our commitment to Him, force us to depend on his grace, bind us together with other believers, yield discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, impart wisdom, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to repentance of sin, teach us to give thanks in times of sorrow, increase our faith, and strengthen our character.  And once He accomplishes such great things, often we can see in part what we will one day see in full - that our suffering has been worth it.

Lord, though you have redeemed us, we are yet incomplete, in need of your daily touch and refinement.  Thank you for using adverse circumstances, disappointment, discouragement, frustration, and uncertainty, along with our ailments, to transform us into Christ's likeness.  May we submit ourselves to your chisel, making transformation easier for us and more honoring to you.
from 90 Days of God's Goodness by Randy Alcorn

Are you able to thank God for the hard things and the suffering in your life? 

Sharing Jesus through my story...

Fair warning to any readers... this post is long... I recently shared my testimony at our Community Bible Study opening assembly and wanted to share it here also.  

 

Father God, I pray that you would use these words that You have given me, 
and the story You have written with my life, 
to bring hope and encouragement to many.  
I pray you would you draw others to Youself and to Your Word, 
and through Your Spirit bring peace, comfort, and healing.  
In Jesus' precious and holy name, Amen.

  Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

  Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Psalm 103:1-3

I am a stay at home, homeschooling mom… so I am hardly ever by myself…

Back in September, near the end of the month, I went away for a weekend, all by myself… I attended a women’s conference, all by myself, and stayed in a hotel all by myself… and it was heavenly!! God spoke to me while I was there through one of the speakers (and I actually got to ride in the elevator with this speaker... all by myself... although I did not get to talk to her, as she was on her cell phone, asking her son about his soccer game.)

What she spoke to me, from her platform, was this:

“Tell them your story – that is how they see Jesus.”

 Now this grabbed my attention, as I had just recently told my story, back on September 9th, to a group of friends who had gathered in my home to celebrate with me the goodness of the Lord and the fact that He had carried me through the fire… exactly a year prior…

The next week I read this…

“Corrie ten Boom told her story many times. And it was in the telling of that story that lives were changed. Deep within each human being is an ancient, profound desire for a good story. You and I have a story, too, without which every other Christian is the poorer. Perhaps in learning how Corrie told her story, we will learn how to tell our own stories as well – and in so doing we will affect our world in ways that only eternity will tell.”

God got my attention, I heard Him… and that is why I am here today… telling my story, out of obedience to my Savior and my love for Him…

As I look back over my life, I can now see very clearly how the things in my life which have brought me great suffering and pain are the very same things that my Lord has graciously used to carry me deeper into intimacy with Him and to cause me to depend on and rely on Him alone.

Looking back, I can see that the things I had suffered are the very things that God had used to prepare me for an even greater season of suffering that I never would have anticipated…

I had suffered:

• The rejection and ridicule of others in high school because of my stand for Christ,
• Heartache from a broken engagement
• A difficult pregnancy, requiring a lengthy hospitalization
• My sibling choosing a different lifestyle which has torn our family apart and shattered dreams…

Jesus has graciously redeemed each and every one of these circumstances and used them collectively to draw me closer to Him, to speak to me through His Word, to teach me more about who He is, and to make me more obedient to Him… because somehow, in His grace, and in His sovereignty, I turned to Him and to His Word and not to other people or “stuff”… As I endured each season of suffering, my Lord has proved Himself to be so very faithful, and I have learned that His Word is trustworthy, true, and powerful.

I am so thankful that I learned these truths before He brought the next season of suffering into my life… which is the story I am here to tell you about today…

My story starts about 4 years after our boys were born. I started having problems associated with that time of the month, but I tried to play them off, as “this must just be what happens after you have had a baby, especially twins.” For about a year, I was able to manage pretty well.. I only had problems for about a week each month, they were bothersome, but I still functioned pretty well. They didn’t really slow me down…

About a year after that, we started homeschooling… and I started running more. I decided to train for a couple of half marathons, therefore I was running 4 to 6 days a week. I noticed that I was really tired a lot, and did not have as much energy, but blamed it on the homeschooling and running. And I just kept trudging along…

Well, I successfully trained and ran the Mercedes Half Marathon in Feb of 2010, and in March I ran the Seaside Half Marathon… we were also in the midst of K… then in April my symptoms significantly increased in severity. They went from being bothersome to being painful, but were manageable with lots of Aleve.

Then came May, and with May came more pain, more frequently, and there began to be times that it was debilitating… but at least we finished K …

Then June came, and when June hit, I began to experience pain like I have never in my life experienced… Aleve no longer had any effect… and the pain and discomfort were no longer confined to just a week, it was for 3 weeks… and it just kept getting worse. My pain originated in my right lower side, and it spread around to my right lower back, to my tailbone and pelvic area, and even at times down my right leg.

July was BAD! I could barely function, and I was getting worried, because we were supposed to start school back in August. All I could do at the time was let the boys watch TV, they watched LOTS of TV that summer, send them out back to play, and just try to survive from hour to hour…I had no idea how once August arrived I would homeschool my children, I couldn’t even effectively be a wife and mother, I rarely cooked dinner.. I did only what had to be done around the house, it was excruciating to make a trip to the grocery store, riding made my pain worse and walking through the store just made my pain even worse… my husband frequently came home from work to find me in tears because of pain, my boys would come inside from playing out back and find me in tears, I often had to call my husband to come home from work because of the intensity of the pain… nothing would bring me relief… I just wanted to throw something across the room or ram something into the wall I hurt so bad…

Through this time I was unable to study God’s Word, my mind felt like it was in a fog, the pain was so consuming, that concentrating on what I was reading practically impossible… but I KNEW God’s Word, and I KNEW God, thanks to my previous sufferings…

I would often listen to praise and worship music, unable to sing along because of the tears streaming down my face, and one song I listened to over and over and over was Psalm 121 put to music, and it was a balm for my broken and hurting heart.

	I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.  He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.  The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.  The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.  Psalm 121

Around this time I started sleeping (or more like attempting to sleep) in our guest room because I did not want to keep my husband awake at night… I rarely was able to sleep… the pain kept me awake and I tossed and turned all night long…

Most nights I laid awake in excruciating pain, pain that truly no words can adequately describe… I was unable to get relief, and did not know anything physically I could do to help my situation… so I often would just close my eyes and call on the name of Jesus, I would just say His name over and over… One night while calling on the name of Jesus, I was finally able to go to sleep and God gave me a vision. In this vision I saw a huge hand, it was the hand of God.  I saw myself, laying down, curled up into a ball, in God’s big, strong hand… I was laying in the palm of His hand. And His hand was big...  so big that He could close it up over me to protect me without harming me…

This gave me HOPE, and I clung to that HOPE…

Not long after that I was sitting in my chair in the den, with the heating pad (which had become my best friend), James and the boys were outside playing, and I was able to spend some time reading through the Psalms… and my Lord spoke to me so clearly through His Word – He gave me scriptures to pray back to Him… this infused me with HOPE! For I know God’s Word is powerful and that praying His Word is powerful.

At this point I KNEW that my Lord was not going to leave me in such a state of pain forever – and I knew that He would be honored and glorified even through one of the most physically, emotionally, and mentally hardest times of my life…

These are the verses that I read…

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Psalm 71:20 “Thou who hast shown me many troubles and distresses, wilt revive me again, and wilt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” Psalm 119:25 “My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Thy Word.”

Psalm 138:7-8 “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Thy right hand will save me. The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; do not forsake the works of Thy hands.”

Hosea 6:1-3 “Come, let us return to the Lord, for He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.”

Revive was a recurring word and theme I was seeing in these verses, so I decided to look it up in the dictionary.

REVIVE – to bring back to life, consciousness, or activity; to make or become fresh or strong again, to bring back into use…

I knew God was going to bring me healing, but I didn’t know how…

Well, through a series of God-ordained events, I ended up having surgery on September 9th because of severe endometriosis… the doctor said it was one of the worst cases he had ever seen… I had a complete hysterectomy, and because of complications, I had to have 8 inches of my colon removed because the endometriosis had grown into it… and I stayed in the hospital for 8 days… However, I knew the moment I woke up from surgery that my pain was gone… and my pain is now completely gone with no trace of it whatsoever!

God provided for me so graciously… He provided me with a Christian doctor who held my hands and prayed fervently over me the morning of my surgery, He provided me with a surgeon who was an oncologist gynecologist who typically did surgery on cancer patients, therefore I was thoroughly checked for cancer and none was found! He provided me with wonderful caring nurses and friends and family who were used to be the hands and feet of Jesus to me and my family during my recovery…

He is my healer, my redeemer, my Savior, and my Lord… and I am so grateful for His hand upon my life, I praise Him for first of all my salvation, and then for my healing... He did not have to heal me, but for some reason He chose to heal me completely… therefore I desire to live fully and completely for Him, to share His love with others, and to share my story, to bring Him glory, whenever He gives me the opportunity to do so…

 Psalm 71

 For You are my hope;
O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.
⁶ By You I have been sustained from my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You. (verses5-6)

 But as for me, I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
¹⁵ My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
¹⁶ I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.  ¹⁷ O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
¹⁸ And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
¹⁹ For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?(verses 14-19)

“God uses suffering to achieve the glorious transformation of our characters to prepare us for service and joy in in the next life”… and in this one… Randy Alcorn

The Comfort of God.... through others...

I read this verse this morning during my quiet time and I ended up just camping out on it for a while... 

 "Nevertheless, God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus."
2 Corinthians 7:6 NKJV

And as I like to do, I then looked at it in the Amplified Bible...

"But God, who comforts and encourages and refreshes and cheers the depressed and the sinking, comforted and encouraged and refreshed and cheered us by the arrival of Titus."  

Now, I am very familiar with 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4,
 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

...and have often in the past clung to the fact that God is the God of all comfort.  I have spent time thinking about how God uses us to comfort those who go through trials and valleys that we ourselves have gone through, and have even been used by God to share that comfort He has provided for me with others. 


But what struck me today was that God sent comfort through a specific person, through Titus.  He used Titus to comfort, encourage, refresh, and cheer those who were depressed and were sinking...  it made me wonder, who is it in my life that God wants to bring comfort, encouragement, refreshing, and cheer to through me?  Am I being obedient to His promptings to do so?  Am I willing and available to go to the depressed and the sinking... the people these words describe are not always the most fun and enjoyable to be around.  Often times they can draw others down into their depression and their pits, but if we are filled with God's Spirit and His love, God can use us to lift them up... to bring them comfort, to speak words of encouragement, to do things for them that make them feel refreshed and that cheer them up. 


What about you?  Is there someone God wants to send you to...  to bring them His comfort, to encourage, to refresh their spirit and cheer their heart?  Will you go?

Pursuing Love...

I mentioned a couple of posts back that I feel led by the Lord to "pursue love" for 2012...  As I was reading my Bible this morning, my heart was stirred again... I read this in 2 Corinthians 5:14...

"For the love of Christ compels us..." 

Here it is in context....  2 Corinthians 5:9-21

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (emphasis mine)

Here is just verse 14 from the Amplified Bible....

"For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died;"

Christ's love should compel me to love others, to love them so much that I willingly and with joyful abandon fulfill my calling to be His ambassador, to allow Christ Himself to plead through me to others for their reconciliation to God.  For truly there is nothing more important in this world than one's reconciliation to God.


Pursuing God...
Pursuing His love...
His love compelling  us to be His ambassadors...
and then His love compelling those we share His love with to be reconciled to God...


 Is His love compelling you?




 

God's Provisions...

Earlier this week, we were sitting in our classroom (we homeschool) doing some reading, and as my eyes took a sweep around the room, I was struck with the awesomeness of my Lord's provisions for us through the hands of others...

He provided us these desks, one for each boy, through a friend whose children had outgrown them...

He provided us this desk, which has become my teacher desk, through a different friend who gave us a bedroom suite they no longer used...

This table and chairs (chairs aren't in the picture, being used somewhere else for the moment...) was mine and my sister's when we were growing up....

This globe on the table was left at our door one afternoon...

The globe ball and the game below were provided by James' aunt, to use to teach our boys to pray globally...

This piano was handed down to us from my parents, who no longer use it....  and lessons are graciously and selflessly being provided for our children, who seem to have a bit of God-given talent...

These wonderful, huge, dry erase boards were sweetly made by my dear husband, for a fraction of the cost we would have paid if we had bought them already made...

If there was any question in my mind as to whether or not I have been called to homeschool our children, that question has most certainly been answered now... God has provided for our every need!  My heart is overwhelmed at His gracious provisions for us, and most through the hands of others... what a testimony to me of how God uses us collectively to meet the needs of His children... 

Do you feel the Lord is calling you to homeschool your children but not sure how to "get" all the "stuff" you think you need... put it in God's hands and watch Him provide... He is so very faithful!  And when you feel that prompting of the Lord to give to others, do it, He may just be using you to meet a need!

A Pursuit for 2012

Happy New Year!  I am really hoping to find a bit more time to blog again this year... this past year I had numerous blog posts rambling around in my head that never made it to the computer...  but that is not a reason for me to stop altogether...

So for 2012 I really hope to share snippets of what God is doing in my life and what He is teaching me as I study the Word, attend Bible studies, and just go through life day by day, being a wife and mom. 

As I had my quiet time this past Sunday morning, which was New Year's Day, a couple of words literally jumped off the page and into my heart and mind...

"Pursue love..."  1 Corinthians 14:1  NKJV

Short, simple, and to the point...

Then I looked it up in the Amplified Bible, and went back just a little bit to see what was written before that:

"...(love - true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us), these three; but the greatest of these is love.  Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love [make it your aim, your great quest]; 1 Corinithians13:13 - 14:1

And God has sweetly confirmed to my heart that that is what He desires for me to focus on this year... pursuing love.  In church on Sunday, our pastor shared how God has laid upon his heart to pursue humility before the Lord and before the church... to pursue...

And I read these verses today...

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  Let all that you do be done with love."  1 Corinthians 16:13-14  NKJV

And then amplified a bit...

"Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith (your conviction respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, keeping the trust and holy fervor born of faith and a part of it).  Act like men and be courageous; grow in strength!  Let everything you do be done in love (true love to God and man as inspired by God's love for us.)" 1 Corinthians 16:13-14  The Amplified Bible

So I look forward to what God is going to teach me this year about love... I have a feeling I have a lot to learn, and that I will be stretched and pulled out of my sweet little comfort zone...  but God's love has a way of doing that for us, taking us away from what is cozy and comfortable, and placing us in places where we are so uncomfortable that we want to squirm out and run away.  But if we stop resisting and allow God to work in us and through us, we find joy without measure and blessings we never could have imagined in those most unlikely places...

Pursue love...  What are you pursuing this year?


 

Answered Prayers!

"If you declare with your mouth,

“Jesus is Lord,” 

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, 

you will be saved."

Romans 10:9

Yesterday we had the wonderful privilege of watching one of our sons as he was baptized!  It was a very special day, and I did shed a few tears, but they were happy, joyful tears!

 David and our pastor, Bro. Hal Warren, praying before his baptism...

David's baptism was followed by a very powerful and moving service as men from Louisiana Teen Challenge shared their testimonies of how God had delivered them from lives of sin to lives of grace.  As I listened to the men share, and watched them sing songs of worship to our Lord, I could tell from the looks on their faces and their hands lifted in surrender, that they had experienced what they were signing about... that they were now passionate about Jesus, and desired to live for him and no longer return to lives of sin.


What struck me the most, and what I have thought much about since the service, is that these men no longer desired the sin they had once loved.  They met Jesus, really met Jesus for themselves... they have come to know Him personally through His Word and through prayer.  When we meet Jesus, really meet Jesus, He changes our desires... we no longer desire the sin that at one time entangled us... yes, we are still sinners and we still sin everyday.  But our sin does not define us, does not entangle us and does not keep us in bondage... for when we truly know Jesus, we are quick to recognize our sin as sin, repent and ask Him to empower us to turn from our sin.  It is only by the power of Jesus that we can overcome a lifestyle of sin, and He freely gives us that power if we just ask...

"His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence."  2 Peter 1:3 NASB

Later yesterday afternoon, we presented David with a letter from the pastor of the church we were members of when he was a baby.  Bro. Bill Wilks presented us this letter on the day we dedicated David to the Lord before our church family, instructing us to save it for him, to be opened on the day he was baptized.  So we gave it to David yesterday, and explained to him that when he was a baby, we took him before the church, dedicated him to the Lord, and prayed with our church and pastor for his salvation and for him to grow up to be a Godly man who serves the Lord wholeheartedly.  So... David read the letter out loud, (all by himself... another proud mommy moment, as I taught him to read...)

October 17, 2004

Dear David,

On October 17, 2004, your parents dedicated you to the Lord.  On that day, as your family's pastor, I prayed a special prayer for you.  I prayed that you would give your heart to Jesus at an early age and that God would have very special plans for your life.  I gave them this letter to give to you when the first part of that prayer was answered by your acceptance of Christ as your Savior.

 I am so proud of you for your commitment to Christ and believer's baptism.  The Lord has answered the first part of that prayer that I prayed for you many years ago.  I believe the second part of that prayer will be answered too.  As you grow in the Lord and seek His will for your life, I believe you will discover that He indeed does have special plans for you.

 Take God's Word as your guide, never take your eyes off Jesus, have the courage to live every day for Him no matter what the consequences, and your life will be richly blessed.  You can always count on God's faithfulness (Philippians1:6).

 If possible, please call me and let me share with you the joy of your salvation and the answer to my prayer. 

Yours and His, Bill Wilks

So, I believe we have a phone call we need to make... 

Thankful Thursday! 9 Months Ago Today...

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psalm 103:1-5

Home from 8 days in the hospital!  One little boy was very glad his mommy was home and feeling better!

I am so very thankful that 9 months ago today the Lord graciously brought me healing from severe endometriosis... words can not begin to express the pain that I endured, but I am so very thankful that the Lord carried me through in the palm of his hand.  I learned much from that season of  my life, some spiritual lessons and some practical life lessons.  My life is better for what I had to endure, I am closer to my Lord, and as a result of the many things we learned our family is now healthier.  This time last year I could not even walk a block without being in excruciating pain... yet this morning I was able to run 4 miles without difficulty or pain! 

I am thankful for learning the following:

• My Lord is faithful, and He never leaves or forsakes His children...
• The Holy Spirit really does pray for us when we do not know what to pray or are not even physically able to utter the words...
• I have a husband who is selfless and loves me deeply and unconditionally... he never once complained about me being so sick or the many things he had to take over at home because I was unable to do them...
• I have true and faithful friends, many whom I do not get to see often enough, who love me and consistently carried me to the throne of grace in prayer...
• The Lord really does direct our steps and uses all things for our good and His glory...
• What you put into your body makes a huge difference in your health!  Our refrigerator and pantry look drastically different than they did a year ago... my husband and I now avoid wheat and gluten, all of us eat little or no processed food, and we significantly reduced the amount of sugar we eat and that our children eat... and we feel sooo much better!
• Regular adjustments by a chiropractor are definitely worth it! 

My heart is full of thankfulness to my Lord for all He has done for me and in my life... I look forward to the next season of my life walking with Him.  There is no better place to be than walking with my Lord...

Collecting Bibles to Share Lasting Hope and Peace

Collecting Bibles to Share Lasting Hope and Peace

We live in Alabama.... very near to where much destruction took place from the tornadoes that hit on April 27th.  We sat on our couch and watched the tornadoes live as they approached Cullman and Tuscaloosa, and then took cover ourselves when they came near our area of town.  I have never in my life seen such huge tornadoes as I watched on TV that day... I was overwhelmed with fear for the people in their paths.  My boys and I prayed for those in the pathway of the tornadoes, and we prayed for the storms to weaken... we continue to pray for those who have been affected by the storms... those who lost everything and are having to start over with nothing, those who lost loved ones, those who are wondering what their future will be like.

We have talked about what we can do as a family to try to help out.  It is not very practical for me and two 7 year olds to go help remove debris.  We have donated drinks and school supplies, but we want to do something that would help bring lasting peace and comfort.  So we have decided to collect Bibles to take to the areas that have been hit.  Just about all of us have numerous Bibles, I myself have 10 that I can think of right now, I am probably forgetting about 1 or 2 others.  That is not counting the ones my children have or the ones my husband has... so what if we all were willing to part with 1 or 2 of our Bibles so that someone who lost theirs could have one, or so that someone who may not have ever desired to read the Bible until now could have one...

I know how powerful the Word of God has worked in my life, and I know that the Word of God is the one thing that can bring those affected by the storms lasting peace and comfort.  We hope you will join us in collecting Bibles for those affected by the storms.  If you know us personally and live close by you can drop them off at our house... If we are not home, I will have a box by the front door labeled "Bibles for Tornado Victims".  If you want to join us but do not know me personally or do not live close enough to drop them off, leave me a comment with your email address and I will contact you about where you can send them. 


We would also covet your prayers... that God would guide us in where and when to distribute the Bibles.  I already have a contact person for a church in Pleasant Grove, AL who is willing to help us distribute them, but am praying for God to lead us to any other areas with people who are in need of the lasting peace and comfort that can be found in His Word.  Thank you so very much!

Lent...

 Today starts the season of Lent, only 40 days until we corporately celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior...  For years I have wanted to spend the 40 days of Lent doing something to further focus my heart and mind on Christ and what He did for me over 2000 years ago when we took my sins upon Himself, endured the cross, conquered the grave and rose from the dead.  Things have always gotten in the way before... or it would slip up on me and we would already be halfway through Lent so I wouldn't start.

Well, this year I am joining Nancy Leigh DeMoss and countless others as we read through The Incomparable Christ by J. Oswald Sanders.  We are reading a chapter a day up to Resurrection Sunday and then for a week after...  she is also teaching about each chapter on her daily radio broadcast, which you can also hear online.  I am looking forward to this... looking forward to spending more time sitting at His feet and listening for His Voice... won't you join me?

Here is just a taste... this spoke to me as I read it this morning... (from the introduction, page 10)

"Consider Him" is the counsel most needed by our generation - and every generation. Christ is the Tonic for tired, troubled hearts. He is Wealth for impoverished souls. He is Life for those bored and deadened by endless entertainment and meaningless pursuits. He is Wisdom for the perplexed, Health for the wounded, Freedom for the addicted, and Grace for the guilty. He truly is more than enough!

A Dust Pan...

As part of our Bible curriculum for homeschooling, we are reading through a book about missionaries, Missionary Stories with the Millers.  I highly recommend it!  It is a wonderful book with true stories of true heroes of our faith... I have enjoyed it just as much and maybe even more than the boys, but they do get excited when it is time to read from it!

Last week we read a story that has really stuck with me, and I wanted to share a portion here with those of you who still stop by for a visit, in spite of my lack of consistency! 

The story takes place in South Africa, and is about a little boy who begged to go to the mission with the missionary, because he wanted to learn about Jesus and learn to read the Bible.  This required the little boy leaving his family and walking for 9 weeks to get to the mission!  What commitment and dedication on the part of a child!  I can not imagine doing that as an adult...

Once at the mission, the little boy enthusiastically learned all that he could... he was like a sponge, soaking up as much as his little brain could contain.  The following passsage is what spoke to me and has really had me thinking...  he has just learned about a dust pan, something he has never seen before...

"Thank you!" called the boy as he hurried past on his way to school.  Slipping into his seat, he waited for class to begin.  As soon as the teacher called his name, Tisese rose to his feet. "Teacher," he told the missionary solemnly, "I want you and everyone to know that my name is no longer Tisese, 'the animal which runs through the woods'.  Now that I am a Christian, my name shall be 'Dust Pan' forever!"


"Dust Pan?" the teacher exclaimed, surprised.  "Why ever would you want your name to be Dust Pan?"


"Because, Teacher," the boy replied earnestly, "I was just passing your house and saw your wife sweeping, with that tool called a dust pan in her hand.  She carried all the dirt out of your hut with it.  I want to be a dust pan, too, so that when I go home I may carry out the dirt from the lives of my father, my family, and all my friends.  I want to be a Dust Pan for Jesus!"

And Dust Pan did just that!  When he went back home, it took time, but he eventually led his whole family to Christ... even his father who was one of the most famous witch doctors and killed almost 600 people a year!  What a powerful story!

So, what would you change your name to in order to symbolize what you would like to do for Jesus?  I have been thinking and thinking about this... what common, everyday object would I want to be called if it symbolized what God was using me for in His Kingdom.  And I am still thinking...   what about you?

A Love that Never Fails or Disappoints...

 

This post has been brewing in my heart for the past few days, as Valentine's Day has been approaching.  And I now find myself with a few moments of quiet and an opportunity to put my thoughts here who for whoever happens to pop in for a visit. 

I always like to not only focus on our "worldly" reasons for holidays, but I like to think about the spiritual significance they can also have... so I have been thinking about how the love of God always satisfies and how His love is the only one which can meet the deepest, most unspoken needs of our hearts.  Years ago I was truly ministered to as I read "The Perfect Love" by Ruth Myers.  I had just suffered a big-time broken heart as my fiance had broken things off and we were no longer engaged or even seeing each other... my future was uncertain, I had 3 friends who were engaged and whose weddings I was in (how hard was that!), and I was just plain hurting.  So I sought comfort in God and His Word... and He spoke powerfully to me through His Word and through the book I mentioned above.  He brought total and complete healing to my heart and I found a love that would never abandon me or change His mind about me. 


I wanted to share a few quotes from "The Perfect Love" that truly ministered to me.  It has been years since I read this book, but some of the passages I can remember as if I read them yesterday...

"This is where we find the kind of love we most deeply need - not in human relationships, but in God.  If we want real love, ideal love, perfect love, God's heart is where to find it.  It's the only love big enough to meet the God-sized needs of your life and mine."


"Indeed God can and will go beyond merely meeting those needs.  'God is so vastly wonderful,' wrote A.W. Tozer in The Pursuit of God, 'so utterly and completely delightful, that He can without anything other than Himself meet and overflow the deepest demands of our total nature, mysterious and deep as that nature is.' ... God has proven to me that He can more than satisfy my heart - as I let Him." (page 7)


"I discovered that God's lovingkindness is good, abundant, marvelous, precious, and better than life.  It extends to the heavens, and the earth is full of it.  It is from everlasting, and it will be built up forever.  It is mine for all the days of my life and for all of eternity.  The Lord shows it to those who trust Him, who fear Him, and who call upon Him.  It follows us, surrounds us, and crowns us.  By it we enter His house, by it we expect answers to prayer, and through it we will stand unshaken, for it will hold us up when our feet slip.  It satisfies us and is the one unfailing basis for rejoicing and being glad all our days.  It is infused into all God is and into all He does ..." (page 99)

So, for those of you who are sad, lonely, or depressed this Valentine's Day, lift your eyes up, focus them on the one who died for you, who passionately and fiercely loves you, who will satisfy your every need, and who alone can give you all the love your heart desperately desires.  Find joy and contentment in His love... and He will bring peace to your heart and soul.


"May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God's children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is, and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it.  And so at last you will be filled up with God Himself."  Ephesians 3:17-19 The Living Bible

Thankful Thursday!

"My heart is steadfast, O God;

I will sing and make music with my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth."

Psalm 108:1-5

Today I am thankful for:

• The Lord taking my pain away!  I will forever be thankful for the healing He has brought me!
• The reviving power of the Lord... He has revived me physically, mentally, and most importantly I believe, spiritually, I am so very thankful for all!
• For divine appointments!  The Lord opened a door today for me to share my story to encourage someone else going through a physical health challenge... what a blessing for my "valley experience" to be used by the Lord to encourage a sweet lady as she faces possibly entering a valley herself...
• For the ability to get out and exercise again!  I ran almost 2 miles today!  I have just recently started running again... the last time I ran was late May of 2010.  So thankful for the opportunity to exercise and take care of my body, after all, it is the temple of the Holy Spirit!
• All I have learned about healthy eating through my health problems... we always thought we were eating fairly healthy, but through the help of my chiropractor, who also stresses healthy eating and healthy environments, I have learned much that is helping our family get healthier.  Once you start eating healthy junk food just loses its appeal!!
• For the beautiful weather we have had here today!  We all needed to see the sun and get a good dose of vitamin D!
• For my boys!  We celebrated their 7th birthday this past weekend (they are twins)... it is so hard to believe they are 7.  I am so very proud of them and look forward to seeing how the Lord is going to use them to impact this world for His Kingdom!
• For the quietness of the mornings when I get up early enough to spend time in the Word before starting my day.  This is something I did very consistently until I got so sick, and I am working on getting that consistency back!
• For another day to enjoy life!

Have you taken time today to stop and give thanks for the many blessings the Lord has sent your way?  If not I encourage you to do so, you will be blessed as you take time to thank our Lord for His blessings.  It often gives me the attitude adjustment I need when I focus on being thankful rather than complaining about things that really do not matter at all.  Feel free to join us over here to see more TT posts or to link up with us with your own post!

What am I teaching them?

The boys and I are currently reading through the book of Genesis as part of our homeschooling; and I have just started a new read through the Bible in a year plan.  My readings have me just slightly behind where we are in our school readings, so I am basically reading all the chapters in Genesis twice.  So last night, as I was doing a bit of catch up (already behind a day or two, but that is ok!), I asked the Lord to show me what He wanted me to see.  I really feel that it is no accident or mere coincidence that I am reading the same thing over again, God has a purpose for it, so I asked Him to help me not to miss what He wants to speak to me through His Word.

As I read Genesis chapter 27 (this is the chapter where Jacob deceives his father Issac and receives his blessing rather than Esau), I was struck by the fact that Jacob's mother Rebekah encouraged her son to be deceptive.  She listened in while Issac spoke to Esau about preparing him a savory dish so that he could bless him before he died.  Then she hastily went to Jacob and said,

"Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, 'Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.' Now therefore, my son, listen to me as I command you.  "Go now to the flock and bring me two choice kids from there, that I may prepare them as a savory dish for your father, such as he loves.  Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.' " (verses 6-10).  

Jacob questioned his mother, wondering how he could pull this off.  However, she told him basically not to worry, she had a plan... and it was a plan of more deception.  Later, she deceives Issac even more, all to try to protect Jacob from the anger of his brother Esau over the deception which caused him to not receive the blessing of his father.  For in verse 46 she says to Issac, "I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?"  As a result, Issac sends Jacob, with his blessing, to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethel, to find a wife.

As I read this and reread it, I began to ponder... What do I teach my children through the things I do or don't do, the things I encourage them to do, and the things I tell them?  Do I teach them to live deceptively or truthfully?  Do I teach them to live selfishly or selflessly?  Do I teach them to treasure Jesus and His Word?  Do I teach them to walk in the grace of God and to extend grace to others? 

I do not want to be like Rebekah.  I do not want to encourage my children to go down the wrong path, I do not want to encourage them to lead selfish, greedy lives.  I desire to lead my children to live a Godly life.  I desire to impart to them a hunger and thirst for God and His Word, I desire to live every day in way that points them to Jesus, and I can only do that through His power and His strength, through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.  How thankful I am for the precious Holy Spirit of God!  How I pray that He would guide me, empower me, and work through me day by day, moment by moment...

My "Word" for 2011

In the past I have often heard of others receiving a "word" from the Lord that they felt they were to focus on in the new year or a new season of their life... I have often prayed for God to give me a "word" to focus on also, to let me know what He would have me to work on in my life and to learn more about from Him.  Well, this year one word keeps coming across my path and into my mind, so I am taking that as my word from the Lord for this year...

My "Word" is...

grace

I know that it is only by His grace that I survived 2010 without going into a deep depression... I know that it was only by His grace that I was able to homeschool my children and take care of my family while in the valley, and I know that it is only by His grace that I did not grow bitter and angry at my Lord for making me go through the hardest time of my life.  I clung to the verse from 2 Corinthians 12:9:  "And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 

So I am on a journey with my Lord this year, to learn more about His grace.  I want to consciously recognize and experience His grace, I desire to be more aware of His grace in my life on a daily basis.  I want, through the power of His Spirit, to extend grace graciously to those who are hard to extend grace to.  I want to continue to be living proof that His grace is sufficient... I desire to live in His power and not my own (for my power fizzles out quickly, yet I have a never ending source of His power through His Spirit).

Take a look at this definition of grace from my KeyWord Study Bible:

A favor done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the lovingkindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and freeheartedness of the Giver; ... God's grace affects man's sinfulness and not only forgives the repentant sinner, but brings joy and thankfulness to him.

Isn't that good!  I look forward to sharing my lessons in grace this year with you... what about you?  Is there something the Lord has laid upon your heart that you are focusing on this year?  I would love to hear about it...

Thankful Thursday

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so..."

Psalm 107:1-2

I have many, many things to be thankful for, too many to list here or even on paper... however, I do enjoy taking time on Thursdays to stop and really think about the things I am thankful for and sharing them with whoever might stop by my way.  So here is my list for this week!

• I am thankful for my salvation!  I am thankful that Jesus was willing to pay the price for my sins so that I could know and experience the love of His Father!
• I am thankful to be pain free!!
• I am thankful for memories... just today I was thinking about this silly peppermint container that David loved to wear as a hat when he was probably about 2 or 3.  It was a clear container that fit his head perfectly... he wore it with such a serious expression on his face, he would wear it for hours and just play away.  It was too funny, so glad I have memories and pictures!
• I am thankful for sign language... I often sign "I love you" to the boys when they are in the backseat.  Paul will always sign it back to me with such a sweet smile... I love seeing that in the rearview mirror!
• I am thankful for shelter from the cold, for heat that works, and for a warm bed to sleep in.  It has been miserably cold here, and I am not a cold weather person!
• I am thankful for quiet rides home after trips to the library... the boys are always intently looking at the books they have checked out so I get to enjoy a nice, peaceful ride home!
• I am thankful for the opportunity to attend Bible study with other ladies... we started 1 and 2 Thessalonians today.  I am looking forward to digging into these books and hearing from my Lord as we study.  
• I am thankful for another day of life... another day to enjoy my family, another day to walk with my Lord...

I would love to hear what you are thankful for from this week!  Leave me a comment or join us in your own Thankful Thursday post.  For more TT posts or to join us in sharing what you are thankful for just go here.

Thankful Thursday

"I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to Him, 

as I rejoice in the Lord."

Psalm 104:33-34

It has been quite a while since I have participated in Thankful Thursday... it has always been such a blessing to me in the past to take a few moments and reflect on my week and share things that I am thankful for, big and little.  I hope to post a Thankful Thursday post more regularly this year, as I always have things to be thankful for!

This week I am giving thanks for:

• A new year!  Last year was a tough year for me, so I am definitely looking forward to a new and exciting year!
• The privilege to homeschool my children... what a blessing to spend each day with them, to see them learn new things, and to see the excitement they have for learning;
• My wonderful husband... he is a wonderful man, takes such good care of me and our boys, and truly desires to live a godly life.  He is quick to admit he is wrong and to say he is sorry, and he is quick to forgive me on the rare occasions when  I am wrong...
• My boys finally beginning to feel better!  They have been sick with head colds and the flu for almost 2 weeks, but now they are getting their spunk back... although I did enjoy the 3 hour naps they took each day while recovering!
• The Word of God... I have started a different read through the Bible in a year program and am looking forward to what the Lord is going to speak to me through His Word.  
• And I am so very thankful, as I think I will be for the rest of my life, that God chose to take my pain away and heal my body... I feel like a new person, I am enjoying life, and am loving feeling like being a wife and mom again... thank you Jesus!

I would love to hear what you are thankful for from this week!  Leave me a comment or join us in your own Thankful Thursday post.  For more TT posts or to join us in sharing what you are thankful for just go here.


 

His Word Fulfilled!

In thinking about Christmas this year and the birth of Christ, I was reminded of all the many prophecies that were fulfilled upon His birth.  How truly awesome is the Word of God!  It is true and never fails... it reminded me of His Word that I read this past summer while in the midst of excruciating pain and in the middle of a very deep and dark valley.  His Word gave me hope while I was in that valley, His Word gave me something specific to pray for, and His Word has been fulfilled in my life!  Praise His Name!!  So I wanted to share what He spoke to me through His written Word this summer.  No matter how deep and dark your valley is, make yourself get into His Word.  He will speak to you, He will give you hope, and He does fulfill His Word in His time...

It all started with Psalm 34:19:

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivers him out of them all."

I definitely had some afflictions... how encouraging and very comforting to read that the LORD delivers the righteous out of all of their afflictions.  This led me to Psalm 71:20:

"Thou, who hast shown me many troubles and distresses, wilt revive me again, and wilt bring me up again from the depths of the earth."  (emphasis mine)

This in turn led me to Psalm 119:25:

"My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Thy Word."

And then to this, Psalm 138:7-8:

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Thy right hand will save me.  The Lord will accomplish what concerns me, Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Thy hands."

And it kept going, this was next, Hosea 6:1-3:

"Come, let us return to the LORD, For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.  He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him, So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.  His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth."

Do you see the recurring theme the Lord was showing me?  Through His Word He was telling me that He would revive me again!  I looked up revive in the dictionary... I knew in my heart what it meant, but I wanted to see some physical words, to really grasp what my Lord was telling me.  Here is what the dictionary said:

revive - to bring back to life, consciousness, or activity; to make or become fresh or strong again; to bring back into use

Can I just tell you how much this encouraged me!?  You see, I felt physically, spiritually, and emotionally dead... I definitely did not feel fresh or strong, I felt all used up and weaker than I have ever felt, and I did not feel useful at all, not even as a wife or mother... I felt as if I were just existing.  So these words from His Word, and a fresh understanding of what revived truly meant gave me such hope!  I began reminding God daily as I prayed that He had promised me through His Word that He would revive me, I began to feel hope that one day my pain would be gone and God would once again use me as He saw fit, and I began to know that He would use the very pain I was experiencing somehow for His glory.  How I praise Him for His Word!


You know, if I had not already had an established habit of reading His Word, if I had not previously experienced how His Word could sustain me, encourage me, strengthen me and carry me through, I may not have reached for His Word while in this deep, dark pit.  I would like to think that I would have, but if I had never experienced the power of His Word in my life before I may have thought it would have been futile.  So I write all of this to encourage you... if you have never had the habit of daily reading and digging into His Word start NOW, it is so worth it!  If you already have that habit, don't let it go, don't let the business of life cause it to slip away... it is your lifeline!  And if you happen to be in a deep, dark pit, get your Bible, put it in the pit with you, and read... ask God to give you a Word that you can cling to and can pray back to Him.  He will, for He is faithful and true...