Understanding

It's something we desire so much from others. Yet we often have a hard time having it for the people we come in contact with, especially those that are closest to us. 

Thomas Edison believed that the concept of understanding comes from the two simple words under and stand. When one acknowledges that he stands below someone or something else, he makes himself receptive to obtain and retain information from it, thereby allowing for understanding to occur.

I wonder how often I really allow myself to acknowledge I am below someone or something, that I may be receptive to the information I am getting.

Little actions, Big lessons

A blog from our time in N. Ireland. 

Wondering if you are having an impact on the kids you teach?

 

I know that I do. We have been here a while now and it seems as if we are not making any head way at times. Recently, I had been thinking how I would like to see something to know what we were doing is having some effect. I had not told anyone I was a little discouraged, so I wouldn't bring them down with me. Then God allowed me to see something so good that I thought I would share.

It was a Tuesday night at the youth club, like any other. John Silverson, Stephen and I played some games with the kids until half 7, then John gave a lesson from the bible. The lesson was about the women who gave all she had to the Lord for her offering. I thought the kids listened well about the same as they do every week. 

I believe God was doing something in their hearts I couldn't see, because the next Sunday Amy one of our faithful Tuesday night goers came in for sunday school. Now from what I understand Amy used to come in for Sunday School but has not been in for a long while. Well I was sure glad to see her. She looked a little out of sorts, her long hair not fully brushed and kind of sleepy eyed still, but she was there and I praised the Lord in my heart for it. 

The service began with some songs and then the offering. That is when God let me see something very special that the others apparently didn't notice. Amy went up to give her offering and very shyly so no one would notice she pulled out a bag of coins from her jumper pocket and placed the bag gently into the bucket so none would hear them then she meekly made her way back to her seat. She left that day never bragging about her gift or bringing any notice to herself.  

It has been a couple of weeks since that event and Amy has not been back to Sunday school, I don't know why? I hope she starts coming back in soon. She is a very good listener and really enjoys the fellowship at our Tuesday club. So I don't understand what is keeping her away on sundays. 

I just thought it was a great blessing from the Lord. I had been a little down in my heart about seeing some sort of effect for the work we are doing. God had apparently spoken something to her for her to be there, maybe it was the lesson on Tuesday about the women giving to the Lord, I would like to think God moved in her heart about it. 

I pray the Lord continues to move in the hearts of the people we are working with. 

Sometimes it is the little things God uses to show me a big lesson. 

Visiting with Mom

One of the Joy's of being a missionary is you get to see the world or the part of it God has called you to, which also means you are not able to spend as much time with family as you would like. 

So today my mom decided to make the 3 hour drive and come visit with me for the day. I am very excited about getting to spend some quality time with her. 

Blogging made perfect

I am afraid my blogging has been next to nothing. Mostly because I have been struggling with what to write. Sometimes I just over think things and would rather do nothing. Glad nobody else has that problem. 

Lately, I have really been struggling with comparing myself to others. When I read the other wives blogs, I get discouraged about some aspects of my life I can not control. God didn't make us all the same and He doesn't have the same plan for our lives either. God has really been helping me see this in my life recently. I am a slow learner. 

My hope is to be more faithful in blogging. I heard this statement again, "I will only be more tomorrow, what I am today."  over the last few days and it really has been eating my lunch as Bro. Tony would say. 

So I figure I got to start somewhere. So please forgive the roughness of this blog. 

It's been two years...

I can hardly believe it myself when I say how long I have been married. Wow, where does the time go.  

More then once this year has someone congratulated us on our first year of marriage. While saying thank you, I simply add it's been two. Their response is the same, "Wow, Really, It doesn't seem like two years."

Honestly, it hasn't felt like two years to me either, it has gone by so fast or maybe the years went by slower when I was single, who knows.  

Over the past two years God has opened many doors and we have had a marvelous time going through them together. We are excited about the future and look forward to what God has in store for us. 

Great Blog... Thought I would pass it on

Some things I know about our new president!

Last night Barak Obama was elected president of the United States. There are several things you should know about this election as God’s people.

Psa 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
Psa 75:7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

It is God that puts up and puts down. I must trust that God has chosen Barak Obama to be the president of our country now!

Pro 8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Pro 8:16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

In our desire to think that we make many of these decisions I think it is wise to remember all of these verses from Scripture.

Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

So I recognize that God is of greater power than the people and not only that I recognize that He has the heart of the king in His hand and will do through the president what He pleases.

Pro 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

I know that God can work in the king’s heart and place thoughts there:

Ezr 7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:

I recognize my need to honor the authorities that God has placed over me and to pray for them. I hope you will do the same. Please remember that to obey is better than to sacrifice–in other words God prefers that you obey Him even to the worship that you could give Him.

Rom 13:1-8 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

I hope you will commit to pray for our president and all other authorities in positions of leadership above us. We can disagree with their policies but I think Biblically should respect their position. We should honor them. We ought not get into bad attitude bashings of our leaders.

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Be careful of the attitude that you have.

2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Let us put the ignorant who would talk bad about us as God’s people to silence. Do not have a bad attitude. Do not go around talking trash because your candidate didn’t win. Do not show disrespect for the president just because he wasn’t your choice.

1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

So let’s sum it all up:

God has placed Barak Obama in this position as our president!

God is still in charge and we can rest assured that He will accomplish His purposes under Barak Obama!

I need to honor and respect the authorities that God has placed over me.

I do not want to allow any kind of bad attitude or actions to ruin my testimony before those that do not know God personally.

I need to pray for all the authorities that God has placed over me.

I can disagree with policies and principles but ought not to get into personalities.

I know that God is at work to bring great honor and glory to Himself and I anxiously await what He has planned!

Stay on Course

Over the past week, I have really been thinking about the importance of staying on course. 

In these pictures you see the airstrip to the left and a photo of a small branch stuck in the wing about two feet in. 

Two feet off course that is all it took for my grandfather to loose control of his plane and loose his life. 

I started thinking about my own course in life. Am I off course some where? Am I still in the race? Two feet. That's it. 

We think we can do this or that and it is not really a big deal but it could be, that one thing that turns your world upside down along with everyone else's. 

I asked myself what course am I on really? Am I on the course God has set before me am I running the race that He has asked me to run? Maybe I started out on course and I have started to drift away from it. Two feet. Some times that is all it takes for your race to be over. 

I want to finish the race God has given me and stay the course that is before me. I know this with out him that is impossible because he is my compass, my guide, my everything. Just how you can not fly a plane with out the right instruments, you can not stay on course with out the word of God to guide us. 

Life goes by in an instant. My grandfather didn't realize he was off course till it was to late. 

I don't want my life, the vapor it is, to be over and stand before God and not have stayed the course he set before me. 

A plane crash

I just received a phone call that my grandfather died an hour ago. I don't know anything other than he was trying land his two man plane on his airstrip in Florida. 

Please pray for his wife Anne who lost her son in a motorcycle accident just 6 months ago. 

Stephen and I are going to leave as soon as possible. 

Before and During the Call

It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)

Quick work this! The Lord hears us before we call and often answers us in the same speedy manner. Foreseeing our needs and our prayers, He so arranges providence that before the need actually arises He has supplied it, before the trial assails us He has armed us against it. This is the promptitude of omniscience, and we have often seen it exercised. Before we dreamed of the affliction which was coming, the strong consolation which was to sustain us under it had arrived. What a prayer-answering God we have!

The second clause suggests the telephone. Though God be in heaven and we upon earth, yet He makes our word, like His own word, to travel very swiftly, When we pray aright we speak into the ear of God. Our gracious Mediator presents our petitions at once, and the great Father hears them and smiles upon them. Grand praying this! Who would not be much in prayer when he knows that he has the ear of the King of kings? This day I will pray in faith, not only believing that I shall be heard, but that I am heard; not only that I shall be answered, but that I have the answer already. Holy Spirit, help me in this!

Just a thought from Spurgeon.

It's a small world...

After all.

Last night the Lord gave me the opportunity to speak at a ladies meeting in Ooltewah, TN for the first time. They have been such faithful supports through their giving and prays, it was an honour to get to know them better. 

As the Pastor,  his wife (Bro. Gene Hooker and Mrs. Bessie) and I introduced ourselves we realized what a small world it really is. Turns out Bro. Gene was a Rock of Ages man for over 25 years, so of course we knew some of the same crowd of people. The more we talked the more we thought about friends and places we had in common. I told him my home church during that time and he fondly remember Bro. Landy and Mrs. Rita, John and Sandy, and our little church on the hill. He said he really enjoyed our church and the people there and it was a real blessing to see them in the new building. 

It was an encouraging time in the Lord. I  meet the Ladies and had a wonderful bit to eat. God allowed me to share from my heart about Ireland, the times we spent there, the people we meet and give God the glory for the souls saved during those four months.

I shared a lesson about overcoming bitterness, kindly shared and written by Teri Snode (Thank you Teri),  that had really helped me to see bitterness for what it was and how it effected my life, others and warnings signs to avoid becoming bitter. 

The lesson really helped me to grow closer to the Lord and see that there is just so much more we can do with our time then be bitter, be it bitterness toward someone I love that has hurt me or bitterness toward the Lord over a problem I am facing. God wants us to have a life full of Joy and yes sometimes some trails come along the way, maybe so we can remember and embrace the sweet times just a little more and forebear the bitter ones a little easier. 

The ladies seemed to really get a lot out of the lesson. At different times each lady let me know just how much they enjoyed me being there and more importantly how much they needed that lesson. They shared some their hearts and some situations taking place in their lives. I am grateful it was blessing to them. The Lord always knows what we need to hear. 

Some thing that was a blessing to me. Was the young ladies involved in the meeting. Some of the girls are as young as 11 & 13, helping to set up and coordinate the speakers, meals, read the minutes form the meetings. It truly was a wonderful example of the older women training the younger.  

I praise the Lord for the great meeting and the fellowship.