Friday, September 28, 2007

lightbulb moment




I was driving over to a friend's house last night who really needed a massage. I was just driving along when all of a sudden I was thinking about a comment I'd made earlier to a client at the spa. We were talking about food that was good for the body. I started telling her about my recent reading in Genesis about Joseph & how the Lord was with him and that he was able to interpret the Kings dreams that there would be 7 years of abundance and 7 years of famine. So the King made Joseph in charge of the palace & all of Egypt. He collected & stored huge amounts of grain to be prepared for the coming 7 years of the famine. I went on to say that I didn't understand why the people of Canaan and Egypt didn't eat their livestock if they were starving to death. They went to Joseph and exchanged their animals for grain. I concluded that just maybe God had originally intended for animals to help us and not for us to eat them. Also, that grain was far more valuable nutritionally. Anways, back to my driving along....Here I was driving along and I heard that still small voice say
"Seeds reproduce"
The seed is what would save their lives. Just as Christ gave his life in exchange for our lives, He asks us to plant seeds to reproduce over and over again what He himself had done for us. The Egyptians ended up selling their own bodies for the seeds and did not die. Plant a seed, you just might save a life!

Monday, September 24, 2007

reflection


In reading my devotional in Oswald Chamber's book "My Utmost For His Highest" I was awestruck by the single thought "If we don't go where Jesus is going, we don't have companionship with Him"
The christian life is constant. It's not sometimes. It's not when I feel like it. It's not later. It's the one single thing in our life that should never change. We change careers, we change our hair style, we change in our ways of thinking and even in the food we thought we didn't like. The missionary's goal is to move in step with Jesus and to be in His will by doing the father's will. There was nothing in Jesus's life that distracted, discouraged, postponed, or resisted Him from doing His Father's will. It was the same from the moment He was born to the moment He was placed on the cross. Jesus's goal or purpose was to die to save us for an eternity with Him.
The other night while attending Pastor George's leadership class, one of the students spoke so clearly to my heart as if Christ was talking straight to me. She quoted what Christ himself had said of His Father.
"I only do what my Father tells me to do"
I know it not humanly possible to be perfect like Christ. A perfect life. A perfect world. Only the Lord can truly do that. I can't wait for perfection to come. I can't wait to see Jesus. Please forgive me Father as I try to live only to do what you tell me to do. Until then, I wait for that perfect day with no distractions or changes. Just the will of the Father in total completeness!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

SCARS


This was passed on to me from a good friend. Like her, I had to share it!



Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida
a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old
swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive
into the cool water, he ran out the back door,
leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.
He flew into the water, not realizing that as he
swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was
swimming toward the shore.
His father working in the yard saw the two as they
got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he
ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly
as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy
became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his
father. It was too late. Just as he reached his
father, the alligator reached him. From the dock,
the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just
as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an
incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator
was much stronger than the father, but the father
was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened
to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his
truck, took aim and shot the alligator.
Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital,
the little boy survived. His legs were extremely
scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on
his arms, were deep scratches where his father's
fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang
on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter, who
interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he
would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant
legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the
reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars
on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't
let go."
You and I can identify with that little boy. We have
scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars
of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly
and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my
friend, are because God has refused to let go. In
the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding
on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you.
You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and
provide for you in every way but sometimes we
foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not
knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life
is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy
is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war
begins - and if you have the scars of His love on
your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and
will not ever let you go.
Please pass this on to those you love. God has
blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to
others. You just never know where a person is in
his/her life and what they are going through.
Never judge another persons scars, because you don't
know how they got them. Also, it is so important
that we are not selfish, to receive the blessings of
these messages, without forwarding them to someone
else.
Right now, someone needs to know that God loves
them, and you love them, too - enough to not let
them go.
"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted
among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalms 46:10

Thursday, September 20, 2007

We are blessed!


Okay, the last entry I posted I ended it by saying I want to live seeing what God is doing. This past week God has answered some of my prayers that I've so wanted and have waited for in two instances. These prayers are what I feel in my heart are from the bible verse that says "Delight yourself in the Lord & He will give you the desire of your heart" These are prayers that I believe the Lord wanted.

My husband stopped working 7 days a week which allows us to go together to church on Sunday morning. He also joined in with me on Monday nights for Pastor George's 7 month leadership class which requires daily bible reading. He also is joining in on a new men's small group!
My husband has been working over 2 years 7 days a week. Two days ago he finally got the call he's been waiting for. He got a 60 day notice from the job he's been working at for 20 years!
The Lord is teaching us both to be leaders. Leaders with influence that will help others raise the lid on their influence with others. What could God have up ahead for us?

I committed to to take my passion for massage to another level by attending workshops. I've got 1 more to go and that will make it 9 for this year. I've learned alot about specific injuries like carpel tunnel, rotator cuff & scalene entrapment, chronic back problems, infant & prenatal massage, cranial sacral therapy & sciatica. I've learned alot about deep tissue techniques & trigger point and stretching. Anyway, I just found out the spa I work at is turning into a "Med Spa". The minute I heard about it, my heart leaped. The Lord has really empowered the place with some outstanding godly people over the last few months. My boss says that the Lord is the one making the changes and she is listening. It's been a passion of mine and I can see more clearly how God wants to use His people there at the spa. Slowly but surely the Lord is moving in that place!

My daughter just left today to go back to start her new life again with her fiance . She is going to be a very good mother. One thing I pray is that she find her way to the church doors once again. My son is in his room right now writing a report for school. I know that it is very difficult for him to write. He dislikes that more than anything. I see God at work there too!

I just started the 2nd course of the theology program on Monday night. This one is Bibliology and Hermaneutics. It's going to be a challenge. Bible history and interpretation are two areas I want to know about. It's incredible that of all the books in the world, this one is eternal. It will never die! & it's history is a treasure to seek as well. I'm excited to learn what God has for me there.

Heavenly Father
You are the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient true God of the universe. Thank you Lord for your presence in big and small ways. I thank you for being the best teacher, the best friend anyone could have. I thank you for loving me and for being my life, my fill when I thirst, my hiding place, and the place I shine. I worship you this day and I thank you for opening up my eyes to get a glimpse of what you are doing in my life, in the lives of my family, & in my clients. I aslo see too Lord how you are working in the lives of my friends and I rejoice.
I ask that you keep me grounded in your word and in the center of your will. "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. "
Help us to grasp and hold on to your word to light our way. I want to thank you for blessing our lives & teaching us how to live.
"I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly"
To know you is to trust you...
"I will never leave you nor forsake you"
In the name above all names
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
AMEN

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

A blessing from above!


It is a precious little boy! By the end of January, we'll be grandparents- I wonder what plans God has for this little one? As I write that the holy spirit illuminates the words of Christ when He said " I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." I pray that very thing with the Lord for my little grandson. A new member of the family !

The road is not clear and we can't see ahead and no plans are certain. What in life is? Only one thing is. That is His love.

The other night the Lord asked me: " Do you trust me"? Do you trust me to know I'm aware of everything that's going on!" "Look back and see that I was there and know that I am God and I am here now" "Be still and know that I am God"

The spirit led me to focus in on what He is doing in the lives of my children, my husband, myself, my grandchildren, my friends, and my family. He's working out plans far beyond my comprehension. I believe that while things look rather glum, the Lord is working behind the scenes and is the great multi-tasker extraordinaire. He's much more interested in what is going on inside while we as humans want to judge things by what we see or think we know. For only God can see what's inside a person's heart. Then he led me with a visual of Joseph's life. I saw that through his life was the power of what God does. Although it was really looking pretty darn glum, the Lord had a purpose we can't always see and sometimes miss while the going is rough. It is the evidence of what God can turn around...I rejoice in the good times. I rejoice in the uncertain times. I rejoice in the pain, persecution, & what ever the Lord allows because I know he will do great things for all those he loves & those that love him. What Jesus did in the life of Joseph was to bring many to himself. The life Joseph lived was an example that harm was meant for good.
Where ever evil is God is in control and will use it and make something good out of it that couldn't be done by anyone other than Him. Our circumstances good and sinful will not derail what God wants to accomplish. It is means by which the Lord uses for the purposes of drawing ourselves and others to Him. I just forget..not much different than the Israelites..I'm humbled by His grace & mercy & that He doesn't hold it against me.
I want to live a life focused on what God is doing ! +
Genesis 50:19-21
But Joseph said to them, "don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God inteded it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children."

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Let nothing consume us but Jesus

Right this minute
I need to relax
my heart hurts
and my brain is tired

I close my eyes
and in the stillness
you are there
bringing comfort and peace

What was stressing me
is put into perspective
as it is taken out of my hands
& into your hands

No place loves us like
his mercy, grace, and peace
Thank you Dear Father
forgiven and set free


I came to you tonight
for I have sinned
and you have brought me to you
and in your presence now
I feel a conviction coming on
it was from fear
the root cause:
wanting to get my own way

Just as quickly as it came
I was not thinking of you
I quickly saw how I was
living without you

I lay that fear at your feet
I know you have a plan
I will not be afraid
I will put you first

You plant my feet on solid ground
You plan and direct the path
You take away the sin
You are the first and the last
the beginning and the end
a cleansing and consuming fire

SHARE IN OUR JOURNEY

My photo
We are missionaries with The Brook Ministries in Costa Rica. We are here to help strengthen the church body of Jesus Christ & to fulfill His Great commission to the lost. At our conferences, my husband directs the recreational activities & excursions. I provide physical renewal with massage for the female attendees. We believe that regularly scheduled renewal of the body, mind, & spirit for ministry leaders in particular, will empower them to serve the Lord with renewed strength & perseverance to do what God has uniquely called them to do....SERVE & BUILD HIS CHURCH to the outermost parts of the world!