Benevolence Fund January 12, 2010

Several weeks before Christmas, God gave me the idea to start a special campaign for our benevolence fund.  I called it 100x$100 and sought out 100 people to give $100each to the benevolence fund to help people with their utility bills.  It was a tremendous success and God richly blessed the generousity of His people as they gave into this fund.

At Christmastime, we were faced with the decision of how to distribute the money.  This is not an easy job.  We want to be good stewards, we want to bless those that truly need it, and we want don’t want to miss anyone in our congregation who may be in need, but too shy or ashamed to admit it.  We prayed and prepared to distribute the money.

During this time, we received phone calls from individuals requesting money.  One of them was quite determined and called several times.  She wasn’t specific about her need, but just wanted help however we could.  We, as the Pastoral staff at New Life, prayed about how to help her and discussed it among ourselves.  With this one individual, we could not come to an agreement.  One pastor said “This”, another said “that”, and I was confused about what to do for her.  As the days before Christmas ticked away, we felt pressured to get her something, so we came to a conclusion we all agreed was best and left it in God’s hands. 

Today, she called again, spoke to our Sr. Pastor and wanted more help.   When I first heard her name, I wasn’t sure it was the same woman…same first name, different last name.  I searched our records and found that the phone number was the same.  On a whim, or divine inspiration, I ran this new name through our county’s database of court records.  This woman’s name came up with 2 1/2 pages of records, including a crime of forced entry/robbery against a very respected family in our community and several other similar crimes.  I was shocked!   I should have looked under the other name, but I’d seen enough. 

I called her back, wanting to confront her, nervously unsure about what to say.  I asked her about the two last names and she claimed her last name was the first name given, not the second.  I simply told her that we had helped her at Christmas and couldn’t help her further.  She was a bit disappointed, and we ended the brief phone call.

I’ve thought about it off and on today and wondered, “What would Jesus have done?”  I’ve also wondered if we handled this wrong.  I don’t know the anwer.  I am saddened to feel like we have to question the heart of the people we help and I know that even people with the worst of criminal records can be transformed by the love and touch of Jesus Christ.  I hope she appreciates the help we gave her in the name of Jesus and that He works in her heart and changes her life.  I pray she reaches out to us again, not for silver or gold, but for a treasure that is worth more than any other in this life, eternal life through the forgiveness of sins in the name of JESUS.

Pray for her…whatever her name is, He knows the truth!!

~Blessings~ December 10, 2009

Last night, when I finished up praying with the boys, first Justin and then Jared both said “And keep people safe as they drive on the roads.”  I thought it was strange that Jared echoed the same prayer, but it was obvious he was agreeing with Jusin in prayer.  I tucked them in, kissed them good night, and didn’t think of it again.

Until this morning–

I left the church about 11:20AM to meet a friend for lunch in Freeport. 

I had barely entered the highway when I saw an accident on the oncoming traffic side of the road.  A semi-truck had “t-boned” a car which was perpendicular across the lane.  Immediately, I thought the worst!!  As I approached the accident and was able to view it from my side of the highway, I could see that the driver’s side door was just barely buckled.  The truck got stopped just as it hit the car!!!  I saw two elderly individuals inside the car and the truck driver was jumping out of his truck to check on them.  From what I could see, they both were awake, alert, and talking to each other. 

I stopped to flag down traffic as it came over the hill immediately behind the accident and praised God that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

I don’t always see immediate, obvious answers to prayer, but I’m claiming this as one!!  That elderly couple was able to go home alive and well today!!  I believe the boys’ prayers played a role in their safety.  PRAISE GOD for protecting those people and for His protection of all of us as we drive the winter.

You may never know the power of your prayers!!  I encourage you to become an intercessor and pray for people this Christmas season!!

James 1:5 November 23, 2009

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Lord, will you please give me wisdom?

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:13-18 (NIV)

 

Statistics November 11, 2009

Kay Warren says in her book “Dangerous Surrender”

As long as suffering people are a mere statistic to you, you will never become ruined for life as you know it.  When suffering becomes personal–with faces and names–and when you hear their stories, you won’t be able to remain disconnected.” 

She is speaking of a statistic she heard one day years ago.  She learned that there were 12 Million orphans in Africa from the AIDS epidemic.  She was disturbed by this statistic and surrendered to God’s plan to help however she could.  After one trip to Africa, she was ruined–gloriously ruined for the cause–and has devoted her life’s work to it.  She is encouraging me and inspiring me to be gloriously ruined for my cause. 

Do you know how people joke that they can’t full heartedly say, “I fully surrender to God” because He might send them to Africa?  Kay has considered that joke and HAS been sent to Africa.  But, for some of us here, fully surrendering means He might send us to prison, or to homeless shelters, hospitals, mental health facilities, or child abuse centers.  For all of us, surrendering is tough–it is unknown, and it is a promise to not just give up with a white flag of admiting defeat–but to obey. 

To fully surrender is a call to action–a call to work as we obey the one who gave us life.  Will we do it?  Will we surrender and obey in all areas of our lives?   Will we be gloriously ruined for our cause and God’s calling and dangerously surrender to Him?  I personally, hope I can give up myself, my dreams, and my purposes and obey His for my life!!

Peace November 6, 2009

So, I took a drive last night.  I ended up sitting beside a lake at Four Lakes right at sunset.  It was the very, absolute essence of peace.  I sat there and just breathed God in.  Just let Him love on me and comfort me.  It was delightful.  The lake was like glass, gorgeously reflecting the trees around it.  God very clearly spoke peace into my soul.

Many memories came into my mind during this brief time at the lake.  There was another time when I took a drive and ended up at a lake.  That time was the opposite of peace.  I drove to Rock Cut in tears and confusion.  As I approached the lake, I stopped on the edge of the water.  The lake was down, so there was about three feet of dirt between the shore and the water.  I jumped down there and started to pick up rocks.  I threw rocks into a lake for about an hour.  I didn’t just throw the rocks, I whipped them (baseball sized rocks) with every ounce of my strength and I grunted out loud with every throw.  I’m sure I was quite a sight, wearing dress clothes and strappy sandals, and I noticed there were people watching.  I didn’t care.  I was throwing a fit!  Every throw was laced with questions to God.  Every throw was frustrations that I couldn’t speak to anyone but Him.  Every throw was a physical manifestation of a heart in turmoil.  It was the opposite of peace and I don’t think there is a word strong enough to explain my heart. 

My point to this blog  is…there’s hope.  In any situation, whether you’re in the throwing rocks point of life in frustration, anger, confusion, questions, and worry or you’re at the point of peace sitting beside a beautiful lake and drinking in His glory, know that God is good!  He is in control and, if we let Him, He will gently lead us.

Rise Above!! November 4, 2009

From Lysa Terkeust’s webblog to her daugher:

Rise above the girlish chatter and gossip. When people talk about others in hushed whispers, they are saying nothing but how insecure they are about themselves. Be uncommon sweetheart.

Rise above the daily beauty contest. You can’t see it now, but you have the makings of a gorgeous woman inside and out. Be uncommon sweetheart.

Rise above the incessant need most teens have for someone else validate your worth. No boy will ever be capable of truly making you feel pretty, witty, and loved. Let Jesus fill up those spaces in your heart and eventually show you a boy worth your time. Be uncommon sweetheart.

Rise above the talk about first kisses and stolen moments. Realize how precious and priceless your purity is. What a beautiful thing it is that you still have the gift of a first kiss to give. Be uncommon sweetheart.

For it is uncommon for a girl your age to want to stay home and write on a blog about her Daddy.

It is uncommon for a girl your age to find joy in shoveling animal poop for hours so kids in Africa can have an athletic field on which to play.

It is uncommon to be almost 16 years old and have never kissed a boy.

It is uncommon to spend hours dreaming of how you might one day serve God in lands most people have never heard of.

It is uncommon. Rare. Incredible. Amazing. Precious. Priceless.

That’s who I prayed you would one day be and who you are becoming.

Rise above sweetheart. Be you. Continue to seek the uncommon. 

I wish I had time to write my own words to my daughters.  They’d be so similar, but so different.  They’d be of the same heart…a momma’s heart who wants the best for her girls.  Lord, give me wisdom as I mother my children.  Let me know the words to say to encourage them to rise above senseless things like gossip, lying, rebellion, pre-marital sex, alcohol, drugs, and other sins that teens find to get into.  Let them rise above as your ambassadors.  Let them purpose themselves to serve You and those You have called them to.  Lord, let other wise women speak into their lives giving them hope and direction through Your Holy Spirit.  May my girls rise above and live to glorify You!  I love you, Lord.  May I be filled with Your spirit and guided by Your truth.  You are precious to me and I know my girls are precious to You.  I entrust You with them and I praise You for entrusting them with me.  Help me to show them Your love, and Your Way, and Your grace.  Lead us.  Guide us.  We live for You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Community October 29, 2009

I watch a beautiful video segment of Carol Kent’s “When I Lay My Isaac Down” today.  The segment’s title was named “Community”.  She included this passage of scripture:

  1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Phil 2:1-2 (NIV)

She went on to say “when you are in a crisis, if you have one supportive person, you can make it through the journey.”

She calls them “stretcher-bearers”…people who carry your stretcher even to the point of lowering it through the roof to get you before the Lord.  I call them friends.  Thank you to all of our dear friends-to the one who dropped everything to sit with us through that night and then spoke that morning, to the ones who filled in for Kidzone when I couldn’t teach, to the ones who sent cards, brought meals and gifts, gave hugs, and believed and supported and helped, and to even the youth group segment that wanted to protect and to revenge; to the ones who grieved with us, who cried with us, who LISTENED to us, and who cared–You all carried the stretcher for us.  You supported us! 

I’m sure you don’t fully understand and I pray that you never experience the full hurt of my heart and the extent of the crisis in our family.  Your support brought us through.  Your prayers, your love, and your unity of spirit and purpose showed how the body of Christ works in crisis.  You were there for us when we needed you-you took us before the Lord.  I praise God for you!!!  I praise God that He ordained our connection and that He provided the healing. 

How blessed we are to have friends and family who model God’s love.  I pray that I can learn from you and walk in that love as a “stretcher-bearer” to people in crisis.  I’ve learned so much!! 

May God richly bless you to be a blessing to others!!  We’re counting our blessings and we’re counting our friends twice.  Thank you, Lord, for stretcher bearers. 

 

 

Three Little Words October 21, 2009

A friend and I were talking about a situation going on in a mutual friend’s family.  It may have technically been gossip, but we were both devastated by what was going on and sharing our heart about how saddened we were.  My friend then said that she has a friend with a theory.  She then said three little words that if I believe them change everything about how I see that family.   My reactions change, my emotions change, and my sympathy changes.  Three little words.

I do not believe those words.  I truly don’t.  But, there is a bit of wonder now and I have a bit of question about the character of our mutual friend.  Beyond a bit of question, there is a lot of concern and even anger, if I think about it, but I don’t even believe it.  It’s amazing how three little words–which probably aren’t true–hold that much power.

I think about gossip and how easily we are tainted by it.  How often have we been in the middle of a perfectly healthy conversation only to hear three little words which sink in and change our opinion of someone?  What’s the answer?

Stop gossip.  If someone comes to you with some juicy news or even a problem in their life, you can listen and help them…but then point them to the person and offer to go with them.  I did that about a year ago with a person in our home.  She was going on and on about another person from our church.  I told her that she had to go to that person and she had to talk it out.   She refused.  I told her I would go with her, and she refused.  I told her I would talk to the person and set something up for them to meet, she still refused.  It came to the point where there was no way to help this person because she didn’t want help and didn’t want to follow Biblical guidelines, she just wanted to vent.  Venting is ok, but if it taints the “hearer” against the “spoken of”, we have a problem. 

As a sidenote:  I believe an abused person should not confront their abuser.  Not for a long time.  So, if someone is abused, I would never recommend that the person go to their abuser.  But, someone should.  The police, a pastor, or someone should confront, but not the survivor.

If you are mediating, or listening to someone gossip, vent, or tell their opinion–listen, care, express concern, but don’t let it taint you.  Don’t believe everything as truth, remember you’re only hearing one person’s perspective of what happened.  Seek out Biblical guidelines for peacemaking and reconciliation that make both individuals proactive.

Abscessed October 19, 2009

  I posted this as my facebook status yesterday.  I’ve been doing some thinking about abscessed wounds:

“In abscesses that are large or deep, where an incision is required to be done, irrigate the wound twice a day or as directed, and keep the incision open to allow drainage and promote healing.” God heal abscesses in our hearts that need to be opened, cleaned, and drained–even though it hurts terribly, the healing will come!!

When Linny was a baby she sucked her thumb.  She sucked it until she was around 18 months.  At that time, she was cutting teeth and she literally cut a tooth on her thumb.  It created a sore, calloused area.  We were unable to treat the sore, because she sucked her thumb so much.  We would bandage it and she would take it off.  It wasn’t healing.  After a few days, it started to swell.  Her little knuckle on that thumb swelled up to twice the size of normal.  Thinking maybe it should be checked out, I had Tim take her to an immediate care clinic.  One look at it in the clinic, and the Dr there sent Tim to the ER.  He was very concerned.  Come to find out, Lindsey’s sore was abscessed.  It was infected way down deep in the knuckle.  The remedy, lancing!!

The sore had to be opened up, drained, cleaned, and kept open to be cleaned as it healed.  Lindsey had to be restrained by several nurses, held down by her daddy, and sliced open by a doctor so the infection could be treated.  I don’t know if it was painful, but it was traumatic for her–and she wanted to suck her thumb for comfort!!!  But, she couldn’t.  She went through great stress and cried uncontrollably!!  The poor baby was still sniffling when I finally got her back in my arms.  It took a few days to get her sore healed and in the mean time, she broke free from the need to suck her thumb.

What does that have to do with anything?  Well, as Christians, sometimes we have hurts and coping methods that are unhealthy.  Whether it is a deep down hurt, or secret, that we aren’t treating (maybe don’t even realize is still there) or it is something that we do to comfort ourselves as we go through life,  there are times when abscessed wounds need to be opened and healed.  Believe me, I’ve been through it and IT HURTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It is about the most painful process to allow God into an area  of our heart/hurt that He hasn’t been allowed to deal with.  Sometimes people who love us have to hold us down and make us let the Great Physician do the work to bring the healing.  And then, afterwards, our way of comforting ourselves won’t work anymore.  It just doesn’t work and the only thing that will comfort us is the power of the Holy Spirit!!  It is a very tough process, but something we must go through to find true healing.  

If you are going through a lancing, I urge you to let God do the work He needs to do to bring the healing.  Even though it hurts, even though it feels like people who love you are against you, even though you can not find comfort in what once comforted you, submit to the process ordained by the Holy Spirit and you will be healed!!  Once you are healed, you will be used to bring healing to others!! 

God bless you!!!  Pray for saints who are experiencing a lancing today!!!!!!

 

My Kids are Sinners! So am I! October 16, 2009

from http://www.peacemakers.net/peace/when.htm

Parents certainly can take a lot of the unnecessary grief out of child raising when, as a matter of course (rather than becoming falsely shocked over the fact), they expect their children to do wrong things at home, at school, and in public. There is then no necessity to subject children to unusual and inappropriate discipline or to the excessive anger that sometimes grows out of embarrassment. Once parents are prepared to admit that the Biblical doctrine of original sin is true not only in theory, but is operative as well in the life of little Mary or Johnny, they can relax and deal with the problem appropriately (Biblically). Again, this does not mean that they will excuse or ignore sinful behavior in their children, or that they will be unconcerned about it as something inevitable and, therefore, about which nothing can be done. No, not that at all. Rather, they will acknowledge sin for what it is and will proceed to deal with it in a Biblical manner.

I know my children mess up, I know they make mistakes and bad decisions, I know they lie, I know they rebel, I know they disobey, believe me, I know.  I was the same way–much worse!!  In fact, I still am.  I am still a sinner saved by grace.  I make mistakes, I rebel against God and my husband, I still sin, daily.  I hate it.  I hate sin, I hate lies, I hate rebellion, I hate that this world is so distorted by sin!  I get so frustrated that I want to scream, and sometimes I do, sinfully.  But, I know the answer!!  Jesus Christ and the power of grace and love!!  And true repentance before Him and man.  When my kids mess up, which they do often and sometimes greatly, I try to lead them in repentance.  It’s easier with some than others and younger kids than older ones.  Each child has to feel their own conviction and come to their state of repentance.  I rejoice with them when the receive forgiveness and the cleanness of GRACE!!  I know that feeling, I know grace, because I am a sinner saved by it.

Problems come in when the sin is against someone else (that’s a “duh” statement).  We try to teach our children to reconcile when need be and we try to reconcile when we need to.  When conviction comes, the answer to to apologize and to try to talk it through with the other person.  We work on reconciliation in our family when siblings quarrel or (on the seldom occasion) that PT and I fight (read the sarcasm? LOL!).  Humble apologies are received and forgiveness of the offense occurs.  If the offended will not receive the apology, then we see have a more complex sinful situation where both children are now at fault, and the first original sinner (in the situation) has done what is right and started the process of reconciliation and is forgiven.  It rests in the second person’s hands if that person will forgive and reconcile.  It’s very hard when the hurt is deep and may take a lot of time and an opportunity for that person to express the depth of their hurt from the original sin or their perceptions of what happened.  Hopefully, all can talk it out and come to unity through the power of the Holy Spirit!  

In our family, there’s an added element of complexity when one of us sins–public perception and public opinion!  My dad was very wise when I was caught in deep sin as a teenager.  I had to stand before the church and publicly confess my sin to the congregation and publicly repent (most powerful and beautiful moment of my life to be loved by a unified, grace-based church).  I very powerfully agree the concept of public confession and have required it from my children sometimes, but we haven’t gone as far as requiring it before the entire church with our children.  Sometimes, I wish we could, because it might stop some gossip.   My question as a mom is, “If I know my child has repented and is sorry, do I owe it to anyone to explain?”  I do think he/she should apoligize and reconcile to the person they sinned against…but do they need to apologize and reconcile with the onlookers?  What about to those who have heard the rumors afterwards?   Have they sinned against the onlookers because their public testimony was damaged?  Has the damaged reputation in the minds of people who may or may not be Christians hurt our ministry and if so, what do we need to do publicly to restore it?  There are no easy answers and when it comes down to it, the only thing I can do is leave it in God’s hands.  Obey what He directs and trust Him with the rest. 

Do you know what?  When I privately confessed my “major” sin to my dad–the one which led to public confession–I thought he was going to kill me.  But, he didn’t.  I thought he was going to yell at me, but he didn’t.  I thought I would be kicked out of our family and shunned by our church–I wasn’t.  He wrapped his arms around me in a dad-sized hug and he said, “I love you!”  Thank you, Dad!!  And I found great grace, love, and acceptance in our church, “Thank you, God!!”  I pray that I can be half as graceful as my dad was with me as I deal with my children!  I’ve failed so many times already, but I want them to know–”No matter what you have done, are doing now, or will do in the future, I love you!! No matter what!!”  I am holding onto this promise:   ¹³And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah 54:13.  And, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 “And, I pray that from now through my last breathing breath I will be able to say, “⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:14