1. God wants us to look different than women of the world.(If we put on the uniform of the wrong team, we become subject to Satan's snares).

2. God wants us at times of worship to show the reverence due Him.

3. Remember we are observed by others as well as by divine witnesses.

4. We are the glory of the man and should try to look attractive and well?dressed within the limits of the family budget.

5. We are to dress modestly, sedately, meekly.

6. We are to dress like women, look like ladies.

To make such a list for yourself, ask yourself, why do I think these things?  Are these standards based on God’s way of thinking or the world’s?  Write down what you know to be true and follow that Word.  Make a choice today.  Sit down and make your list after reading the following scriptures.

Genesis 35:2b, Exodus 19:10b, Proverbs 31:22, Deuteronomy 22:5, 1 Timothy 2:9, 1 Corinthians: 3-15b, Romans 12:1,2, 1 Corinthians 11:10, Titus 2:3-5, , Romans 1:26, 1 Peter 3:4, Joshua 24:15, Ephesians 5:16, Romans 6:16

1 Cor. 6:19 (KJV)

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

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Jan. 3, 2006 - my personal testimony

Personal Testimony

I received Christ as my personal Savior and received the call to ministry when I was seven years of age.  My parents were starting a new church called Trinity Baptist Church in Rocklin, California.  I had heard the gospel many times as my father preached every Sunday morning.  Every night, before I went to bed, my mother read Bible stories and a missionary story to my sister and me. 

One night, as my mother was finishing a story about a missionary preaching the gospel to the heathen, I felt a strong feeling that I would like to go into a foreign land and preach the gospel too.

Then I had another strong feeling, one of conviction of sin, I began to ask myself if I was really sure that I had salvation and if I was on my way to heaven or not.  I began to ask God to forgive my sins and surrendered my life to Jesus to follow Him that night. 

As the years went by, I felt the missionary call get stronger and stronger and I even felt that I was to go to Asia.  As I grew up, I was able to take youth mission trips to various places and when I was in High School I met a young man of similar background, who also wanted to be a missionary. 

Bill received Christ as a young boy one night while attending a Methodist Church revival meeting.  He had heard the gospel many times before and his father had been a Methodist minister, but he had never really understood the gospel; until that night.

Bill’s friend gave him a nudge and before he knew it, he was down at the altar and an older man was explaining to him how to receive Christ.  That night as Bill prayed and opened His life to God, he was filled with wonderful joy.  Even though his childhood had not been very happy with his mother and father divorcing because of his father’s illness, he began to have a true joy that came from God.  A few months later, Bill was given a book to read about the life of Hudson Taylor.  As he read that book, he began to sense that God also wanted him to go to Asia as a missionary.  He began to prepare with great earnest.  He began to witness everywhere he could and when he graduated from high school, he wanted to attend Bible School but he had to wait to because his mother requested he attend Jr. College first.  Bill honored his mother’s request and finally after graduation, he was able to fulfill his dream and attend Bible College.

 In Bible College his minor was missions and his final thesis was on Asian missions.

As Bill and I prepared for marriage, we thought we would immediately go to the Orient as soon as he graduated.  However, God had much training for us.  Our home church helped us to find a newly started group in Louisiana and we helped them start a church in that town and was their pastor 3 1/2 years.  We also helped another church as assistant pastor in a wonderful church called Community Church.  We had been married 10 years when Bill and I both began to feel God was once again leading us to take a step of faith and move; this time to Thailand. 

A missionary friend whom we had been supporting was calling for help.  He had just started a church and needed someone to come that was experienced in pastoral ministry.  After much prayer, we moved our family to the mission field.

God has truly blessed our lives as we have been here nearly 15 years. 

We have four children, their ages ranging from 23 to 11.  Our oldest two children finished high school and both went on to Bible Schools.  They are both helping us in the work here as missionaries in Thailand.

Update: My daughter (20) is attending Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida working on her B.A. in communications with hopes that it will make her more effective when she returns to Asia as a missionary. 

Isaac (23) has begun a traveling ministry as well as helping us in the ministry here.  He was in India traveling for two months to many different churches, preaching and praying for the sick.

Josiah (16) is in 11th grade.  He is involved in the music and youth ministry of the church here in Khon Kaen. 

Rachel is 11 and is in 5th grade.  I enjoy working one on one with her, training her to be a godly woman and help her in her studies. 

We have traveled to other areas in Thailand and in Asia, but our main work is at home, in Khon Kaen, a city in Northeast Thailand.  Our emphasis is the church planting and evangelism in the city and outlying areas that have not had the gospel preached.  Our method of evangelism is by passing out tracts, holding open air meetings and teaching people one on one.  Our church continually grows with new people as leaders are trained in evangelism and church planting work. 

Our hope and vision is to have many new churches planted in the next few years, a Bible training center to be continually training leaders and sending them out in to the harvest fields. 

For more information: you may see our websites at:

http://goodnewsthailand.50megs.com

http://goodnewsthailand.tripod.com

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Dec. 20, 2005 - Priorities

Priorities

Because my life is so complex and demanding, I must have a plan if I am to live by God's priorities and obey His call on my life.

If I order my life by God's priorities, decisions are easier.  I can see more clearly when the storms of life start to rage and the tyranny of the urgent beats at my door, if my guidance comes from God's unchangeable Word.  Choices become easier when I am confident where I stand. 

These are the really important things:

 * Loving God and following after Him with my whole heart

 * Loving, helping and serving my husband

 * Loving, teaching and discipling my children

 * Caring for my home in order to provide a quality life for my family

 * Continually developing and growing so that I have something to give to others.

 * Loving and serving God's people (includes loving and serving extended family, friends, neighbors and the lost.)

 * Serving in my career or ministry

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Dec. 20, 2005 - Date Recipes

Date Recipes:

Anyone who has tasted a fresh date knows the crispness, coolness and honey-like sweetness of this common Middle Eastern jewel; they never forget its flavor.  .In the date-growing areas around the world, (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Isreal, India) many people have dates and milk for breakfast.  Dates appear in all sorts of recipes, stewed in meat sauces, cooked and flavored as a dessert or made into a thick molasses syrup. Dates are rich in fiber, potassium, B-complex vitamins, magnesium and iron.

Following are some recipes using dates, both sweet and savory.  Most are suitable for any occasion, some are exotically delicious.

Stuffed Dates

8 oz. box pitted dried dates
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp. grated orange peel

Make a slit down each date. Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange peel. Fill each date with cream cheese mix. Refrigerate. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar just before serving.

Other delicious stuffings:  Peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, pecans, ricotta cheese, marzipan

Date-Almond Truffles

1 1/4 cups toasted slivered almonds

1 cup pitted dates

1 tablespoon orange blossom water (available in Middle Eastern

        groceries)

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamo

1/2 cup shredded coconut

In food processor, blend almonds, dates, orange blossom water, honey, and cinnamon until finely chopped.  Alternately, chop nuts and dates well and mix with other ingredients.

Form into 1-inch balls.  Roll in coconut, pressing to coat lightly.  Place them in miniature paper candy cups. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Stuffed Date Cookies

1 lb. pitted dates
24 walnuts, halved

Dough:

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Put a nut piece inside each date.

Mix dough ingredients together.

Cover each nut-stuffed date with dough. Put on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat butter to boiling until light brown, about 6 minutes.  Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add hot water until frosting is easy to spread. 

Spread frosting on each cookie.

Tropical Date Loaf

1 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Soak dates in the water for 15 minutes.

Cream butter and sugar, then add the egg. Stir in the flour, coconut and dates.

Spread into a greased, floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.

Stand for 5 minutes before turning out on a rack to cool.

Orange Date Cake

1 1/2 cups butter

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, separated

2 cups buttermilk

3 Tbsp. grated orange rind

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb. chopped dates

2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

6 cups flour

Glaze:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup orange juice

2 to 3 tbsp. finely grated orange peel

Cream butter and 1 1/2cups sugar until light. Beat egg yolks until lemon colored. Add to creamed mixture. Add buttermilk and grated orange peel.  Mix well.

Toss dates and pecans with 1 cup of the flour until well coated.

Mix remaining flour and other dry ingredients.  Add add to creamed mixture.  Stir in with nuts and dates.

Beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold gently into batter. Pour into greased and floured Bundt cake pan and bake at 400 for one hour and fifteen minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven, invert on plate.

Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle on cake while cake is still hot.

Date-Oat Quick Bread

2 1/2 cups flour

21/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup quick rolled oats

8 ounces dates, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cups milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.  Stir in sugar. Stir in oats and dates.

In a separate small bowl, beat egg with milk, then stir in melted butter and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir until evenly moist.

Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center.

Lamb Tagine (Stew) with Dates

2 lb. boneless leg or shoulder of lamb

2 oz. butter

2 tbsp. oil

1 large white onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cup water

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 oz. dried dates, chopped

salt and black pepper

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. lime juice

12 fresh dates

1 oz. whole almonds

fresh lime for garnish

Trim excess fat from the lamb and cut into 1 in. cubes.

Heat half the butter and half the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until transparent. Increase the heat, add the lamb and cook until browned, stirring often.

Add the water, spices and chopped dried dates; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, until the lamb is tender.

Stir in the honey and lime juice and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Place the whole fresh dates on top, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan. Add the almonds and cook until golden.  Remove to a plate.

To serve, transfer the tagine to a serving dish, arranging the fresh dates on top. Sprinkle with almonds and garnish with lime slices.

Dec. 17, 2005 - Bread Recipe (easy)

Here is a bread recipe my daughter made two days ago.  It was so easy and quick and kids can make it without much help from you at all. 

Can be made into a loaf, rolls, pizza, pita or round loaf.  We did a round loaf.

 

3 cups bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 T. sugar

1T. yeast

1 t. salt

1T.olive oil

1 1/2 cups warm water

 

Place dry ingredients in bowl, stir together, make a well in the center add oil and water.  stir together.  Knead until soft and feels like skin.  Let dough rise till double. Punch down and let rise again.  repeat 2 times.  Place dough on floured surface to divide or roll.

 

For loaves: roll into rectangle and roll up like a jelly roll pinch sides under and let rise till double.  Bake 30 min or till brown.

For rolls:  Make clover leaf rolls by pinching off dough and rolling into one inch balls place in threes in a muffin tin and let rise 10 min. Bake 15 min. or until lightly browned. 

For pizza roll out dough and let rise 10 min then let bake 10 min. Top pizza with sauce, cheese and toppings of your choise and bake 10 min. or until cheese melts.  For all projects: bake at 350-375 degrees. 

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Dec. 16, 2005 - Chanukah

The Complete Story of Chanukah

	A Small Cruse of Oil More than 2000 years ago there was a time when the land of Israel was part of the Syrian Empire continue...		Yehudit Only one person, a woman, remained in her place, as if riveted to it, and she addressed the Elders continue...
	After Chanukah The brightness of the first Chanukah light had dwindled down. But the holy fires on the altar burnt again continue...		The Chanukah Lights Tale The tiny flame flickered and made a curtsy. "Good Chanukah!" the Chanukah Light said continue...
	Miracle of the Maccabees This action-filled dramatization portrays the miracle of Chanuka as a victory of Jewish spirit over the forces of assimilation. continue...

For the complete site: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default.asp

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Dec. 15, 2005 - Christmas Cookie Swap

Christmas Cinnamon Crackle Cookies

(with optional “add- ins”)

 

Ingredients:

I cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

½ tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 T. cinnamon

additional sugar for rolling

 

optional “add-ins” are as follows:  (choose one or two)

¼ cup chopped dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped raisins

¼ cup chopped dates

¼ cup chopped dried apricots

¼ cup chopped “fruitcake” fruit

½ cup chocolate chips

1 tsp. grated orange peel

½ cup chopped nuts

 

Directions:

In one mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together.  Add extracts and egg; mix well.  Combine the next ingredients in another mixing bowl and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Add your favorite “add- in.” Shape into 1 inch balls (I use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop.)  Roll in sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on un-greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 min or until lightly brown.  Cool on wire racks. 

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Dec. 14, 2005 - Forgiveness

Forgiveness

 

God wants us to experience secure, fulfilling, and lasting relationships.  The most important thing in life is relationships- our relationship with God and others.  Sin destroys relationships, but God can restore relationships through starting with us. 

 

Matthew 6:14,15

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

Jesus saw the importance of living in freedom and instructed his disciples to forgive.  We are also commanded to forgive even when we are offended, wounded, and have a good reason for being angry.  The action that has been done to us does not need to be justified or excused.  We need only to acknowledge that, yes, it was wrong and it hurt, but we release that person from punishment in our thoughts and actions.  When we forgive we are saying that we choose not to harbor judgment and  punishment in our hearts for them. This doesn’t mean we are willing to be a victim again, we are not foolish.  And we are not saying that they are innocent.  But we choose to forgive in order to obey Christ’s command and follow Him.

 

Matthew 18:2,22

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

 

 

It is easier to forgive if we remember that we need mercy for the wrongs we have done.  Jesus said if we want to be forgiven by God, we must forgive.  That person needs the mercy that we can give them.  Jesus died for your sin and theirs too, why would we keep their sin?  Forgive! 

 

Forgiveness is releasing the arrows in our bow not at the person, but into the air.  We release them as an act of faith, releasing the hurt that goes with it, to God.  When we forgive we are saying that we do not wish to hurt that person or wish ill upon them.  If we find ourselves wanting something to happen to that person to punish them, it reveals that in our heart we have not yet forgiven.

 

We may not be aware of our anger or hurt because it is suppressed deep within, but many times it will manifest in other ways in our life- ill health, back pain, wrinkles, angry countenance, feelings of suppression, inability to express displeasure for fear you will explode, feelings of embarrassment or shame, as well as other physical and psychological conditions.  Feelings of unforgiveness and bitterness kept hidden deep inside become a dormant volcano that one day may erupt when provoked.  Release them and you will be free. 

 

Ephes. 4:3,32

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

 

If we don’t work through our problems and receive healing, we will keep on having our pain and because of that pain, we will sin more and more and others will be affected by our sin.

 

Proverbs 17:9

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

 

 Our children and those we love the most will be the ones who hurt the most by the bitterness that we allow to remain in our lives.

 

Hebrews 12:15

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

 

Offence is allowing our hearts to be hurt by a wrong done to us and internalizing the pain.  Many times, our pain is coming from inside us that are triggered by memories of past events and not solely as a result of another’s actions.  We also may attach significance to an event, thinking, “This is happening because of me.”  or  “They are doing this to me because I am not valuable or loveable.” We can also compound our problems by looking around for someone to blame and become trapped in our offence.

 

 Proverbs 18:19

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

 

 

In order to walk free from offence and bitterness, we must forgive all who have offended or hurt us and ask God to take away the roots of bitterness.  We also need to ask for healing of our emotions that have been damaged.  We must release people from our judgments. 

 

Forgiveness prayer

1. Write down those who have offended you through:

  Rejection

  Injustice

  Abuse

  Neglect

  Betrayal

  Control

2. Face the hurt, acknowledge, yes they did wrong.

3.  Look at the cross

4. Put that sin on the cross

5.  Give up your pain to and put it on the cross also

6.  Decide you will forgive, release judgments, and not hold them in prison in your mind.  Ask God to forgive the offence and your bitterness.  Speak it out:  I now forgive____ for ______

7. Destroy the list

 

Prayer for forgiveness of others, yourself and lifting judgment off yourself, others and God.

 

Thank you Jesus, for your death on the cross so that I could receive forgiveness of my sins and failures.  Right now I choose to forgive from my heart and release myself from judgments of others that have caused me pain _______(say the names of the people you will forgive and release) . Please help me to show your love and bless those who have hurt me.

Please forgive and cleanse me now also through the Blood of Jesus.  Lord, please grant me forgiveness for those whom I have hurt also.

 Father God, please forgive me for the sin of judging you in different situations in my life.  I realize that this was wrong and I ask you for forgiveness. 

Thank you Lord for forgiveness.

I also forgive my self for all the times that I have done wrong.  Please help me to be set free and enter into the freedom that you want me to have. 

In Jesus Name I pray, AMEN

 

You may have much hurt associated with your memories and are reluctant to even think of them.  It is important to realize our memories have no power over us to hurt us again.  We can pray that God will heal our hearts after we acknowledge our damaged emotions are real. 

 

Prayer for receiving healing for damaged emotions:

 

Dear Father God,

 I receive your unconditional love for me.  I know that you gave me emotions.  I acknowledge now that I have been wounded in my life and this has brought me pain and anger.  Please help me now to forgive the one who caused me this pain.  I choose now to think about that person and imagine myself forgiving ______(name) I release him/her/them now from judgments that I have made against them. 

I now repent from letting myself be controlled by emotions that were not from God.  I now lay these feelings down and release these painful emotions along with the anger that I have allowed to control my life

I now ask you Lord to please help me to be able to identify the various feelings and emotions that I have buried deep inside my heart.  I choose to release the hurt and pain now in Jesus name.  ( I lay it down at the foot of the cross.  Jesus you took it all for me so I can be free.)  I ask you to replace those feelings and emotions with you and your love.

I ask all these things in Jesus name, Amen

 

In some cases where you feel a certain connection with a person (sexual or emotional) because of their control over you in the past, it may be necessary to break the soul ties that are attaching you to other people’s  judgments of you. Break free from that control and vicitimization.  Break free and shut the door to the doors you have left open for the enemy.  Break soul ties with those you have been immoral with and break the ties with the lies people have told you.

 

 

Prayer of breaking ties

 

In Jesus Name, I now cut off relationship with Satan and all his evil works he has been doing in my life.  I now decide and with the power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that Jesus has given me  I now shut the door, every door, and every way the evil has come in through my past, though sin I have done.

I repent of all sin done in the body or in thought.  I turn from every evil way and believe that through the grace and mercy of Jesus, I am now forgiven of my sins.

I now speak out in the Name of Jesus Christ who has complete victory through the cross that Satan has no right from this day forward to come and bother me especially in these areas of sin that I have already confessed and repented of already.  Satan has no right to remind me of these sins.  I have already received forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ. 

          In the Name of Jesus Amen

        

 

Note:

If you have offended someone else, it is important to ask them to forgive you and try to make peace with them if it is possible.  To do this it takes a lot of humility and grace.  But we will feel close to God once again if we know that we are free from other’s judgments.

 

 

 

 

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Dec. 8, 2005 - How to Win over Perfectionism

This from my daughter (20).  She is attending Southeastern University and studying communications.  She was chatting with my youngest (11) in Thailand who battles with discouragement almost daily when she misses the tiniest problem.  I thought this might help some of you who also have children who are perfectionists. 

Do they get it from their parents??   Perish the thought!  

 

 How to Win over Perfectionism

 

1. Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of trying to be perfect. When you make your own list of costs and benefits, you may find that the costs are too great. You may discover that problems with relationships, excessive workaholism.....and so on actually outweigh whatever advantages perfectionism holds for you
 

 2. Increase your awareness of the self critical nature of your all-or-nothing thoughts, and how they extend to other people in your life. Learn to substitute more realistic, reasonable thoughts for your habitually critical ones. When you find yourself berating a less than perfect performance, whether your own or someone else's, force yourself to look at and acknowledge the good parts of that performance. Then ask yourself questions like these: is it really as bad as I feel it is? How do other people see it?
 

3. Be realistic about what you can do. By setting more realistic goals, you will gradually see that 'imperfect' results do not lead to punitive consequences you expect and fear....

 4.Set strict time limits on each of your projects. When the time is up, move on and attend to another activity. This technique reduces procrastination tat typically results from perfectionism. Suppose you must find references for a term paper and also study for exams. Set time limits.....
 

5. Learn how to deal with criticism. Perfectionists often view criticism as a personal attack responding to it defensively. Consecrate on being more objective about the criticism and about yourself. IF someone criticizes you for making a mistake, acknowledge the mistake and assert your right to make mistakes

 

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Dec. 8, 2005 - Suggestions or Commands?

As I read the Bible, I must be aware and constantly remind myself

 that the ideas expressed are not merely statements of suggestion but are actually commands to be obeyed. 

 

I have noticed in the Thai translation of the Bible, the language is clearer because before the command is given you will notice there will be a word showing that you are getting ready to read at command.  The word could be translated “you must”. 

 

In Philippians 4:8 we are told:

 

…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things...

 

Thoughts that are dishonest, judgmental, and impure not only go against God’s word, but they give way eventually to actions that are dishonest, judgmental, and impure.  I am trying to train myself to be aware of my thinking.  To discipline my thoughts to dwell on truthful, loving and pure thoughts.  Then I will be more likely to find myself loving and serving others from the heart. 

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Dec. 8, 2005 - Seven Sevens

Seven Sevens

 

1. Seven things to do before I die

1. Go to Israel and see the empty tomb

2. Go to India and do a women's conference

3. See all my kids serving God and raising theirs to do the same

4. Write books
5. Plant a total of 10 churches in Thailand

6. See my kids get married
7. Make sure everyone I know knows I love them

2. Seven things I cannot do

1. drive in Thailand...yet

2. play sports

3. lift heavy objects..ever again..

4. climb concrete walls..ever again
5. tell a lie without cracking a smile
6. eat weird things
7. miss my devotions

3. Seven things that attract me to my husband.

1. He loves me like Christ loved the church

2. He is a wonderful father

3. He puts God first above everything in his life
4. He works so hard
5. He is so faithful, steady and a man of integrity
6. He listens to me
7. He is such a good preacher

4. Seven things I say most often

1. Sawadee Kha (hello in Thai)

2. God bless you (Prajaw oy phon)
3. Wow!
4. I love you.
5. sleep good.
6. all you do is...
7. you doin' alright?

5. Seven books I love

1. Bible
2. The Daily Light

3. A Chance to Die

4. Searcher for God

5. Becoming a Woman of God

6. The Good Shepherd
7. How to Stop the Pain

6. Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would watch over and over if I had the time)

This is hard!

1. Little Women

2. Anne of Green Gables

3. Shadow Lands

4. Chariots of Fire

5. The Gospel of John

6. The Sound of Music

7. Matthew

 

7. Seven People I want to join in too:

 

1.  JenIG

2.  ccmmum

3.  HomeGrownKids

4.  nehemiahmommy

5.  TOSPUBLISHER

6.   DandelionSeeds

7.   homeschool3ks

 

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Dec. 1, 2005 - Let not your Hearts be Troubled

Let not your Hearts be Troubled

 

Jesus gave us a command in Matthew 24:6:

 

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

 

The Greek word for troubled in this scripture is “throeo”.  It means to wail or clamor or

for example to be frightened.

 

After I read this one morning in my daily devotions, I thought, “God is commanding me not to be troubled; not to allow myself to get troubled.”  That evening as I was watching the news, I began to find myself getting disturbed, and frightened.  Normally, I would have allowed this kind of story to get me all upset.  Jesus words, came to me, “Don’t let your heart be troubled, trust in me.”  I knew this was God’s will for me, even though I was hearing gripping news, I could consciously make a choice to trust God instead or getting troubled.  He wants me to show forth my trust in Him, by keeping a peaceful heart in the middle of any disturbing circumstance.

  

Here’s another scripture where Jesus is encouraging Martha to not be troubled.

Luke 10:41 (KJV)

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

 

This Greek word for troubled is “thorubos” which means to be in an uproar, or to be disturbed.

 

Jesus asks his disciples:

Luke 24:38 (KJV)

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

 

This Greek word for troubled is the word “tarasso, which means to be uncertain, or agitated or stirred up.

 

In John 14 Jesus uses this same Greek word “tarasso”, when speaking to his disciples and exhorted them that they were not to allow themselves to be troubled. 

John 14:1,27

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

But when we see the word troubled in this verse, it has a different meaning altogether.  Paul said he was troubled.

 

2 Cor. 4:8 (KJV)

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

 

This word troubled is thlibo, and it means to afflict, to suffer tribulation. 

Paul says when they had trouble, they did not despair, they did not allow themselves to be troubled.

 

This same word is used in his second letter to the Corinthians.  Paul writes,

 

2 Cor. 7:5,6 (KJV)

For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears , Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us…

 

Paul uses this word “thlibo” again.  He said, “we were afflicted on every side, but God brought us comfort.”

 

In his epistle, Peter says:

 1 Peter 3:14 (KJV)

But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of  their terror, neither be troubled;

 

He is using the same word Jesus did in John 14 when He said, “Let not your heart be troubled.  That word in Greek is “tarasso.”  We know that Peter went through some intense suffering and even eventually died for Christ.  No doubt, many times during his hours of trial, he remembered the words of his Savior who had gone ahead of him, “Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

 

 

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Nov. 24, 2005 - Harvest

Harvest

 

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

 Hebrews 12:11 (NLT)

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Don't ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.   Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.

You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail. When all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity.  Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will.

 Then you will receive all that he has promised.

 "For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.

 And a righteous person will live by faith.  But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away."

But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate.

 We have faith that assures our salvation.

 Heb. 10: 32 -39 (NLT)

There will be a harvest and there will be rewards.

The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who planted a field.  A kingdom person is fruitful.

 

You are his field.  We are planted in the garden of God. There will be a harvest.  But there is a cycle of fruitfulness.  We see that even in the natural there are seasons.  Seasons of fruitfulness. There is a natural cycle in a field that bears fruit for the master and I would like to compare them to the cycles in our spiritual lives. Discover and buy the field treasures are there.  You must buy the field. Put your heart into it.

 

Plowing

Before the Word of the Lord can go into our hearts, our hard ground must be broken up.  When I plant my garden, if I don’t get the rocks and other clumps of debris out of my piece of ground, I may have the seeding spring up, but I won’t see it grow into a mature fruit bearing plant.  God wants us to seek Him and prepare our hearts to receive the Word that will bear fruit in our lives. “ Break up the fallow ground,” the Lord spoke to the Israelites.  From that verse, it seems God is expecting us to do something to prepare ourselves.  Before the Day of Atonement, the Lord had the people search their hearts, purify themselves by prayer and seeking God.  If we are expecting to be fruitful, we must take the time to allow God to search our hearts and ready ourselves to receive whatever God has to say to us.  When I do this, I set my heart to obey the Lord whatever He tells me to do.  I purpose to obey Him and then He begins to show me things in the Word that I need to hear. When my heart is well prepared, I can easily receive the Word and it can go and bear fruit.  When we are going forth to minister the Word and wanting to see others come to know Christ, we must remember to pray for their hearts to be ready to receive the Word we speak.  Ask God to help them to break up the old thinking in their minds and begin to reach out for truth.  We need to be sensitive to people.  When we sense they are having struggles or seem to be more open, we need to take time to speak to them the Word of God.

 

Planting

We are the planting of the Lord.  He plants the Word of God in our lives with the faith that His Word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish that to which it was sent.

The Word of God is our daily food for our personal growth, but also if we want to reap a harvest of souls for Christ, we must plant the Word of God in others lives.  Sometimes we may get discouraged at the slow response of our family member and friends, but I am reminded by the Lord, that I must put the seed of the Word of God into them, not just speak my own nice words.  It is the Word that brings for fruit and life.   The seed has life in it.  It will produce fruit.  When we go out bearing precious seed, we must act in faith, believing in our hearts that the message is true and speak with confidence that our faith will be contagious.  We must believe they will receive it and that they will be changed by it. 

 

Watering

Sometimes the seed can lie dormant in the ground for a long time, but when the rains come, all of a sudden the life in the plant begins to be activated.  The Word of God is also compared to water.  Sometimes it takes more than just one person to speak into people’s lives.  We need to ask God to follow up on the planting that we have done.  Ask God to send someone to speak more of God’s word to them to reiterate what you have said.  Ask God to send people in their lives who will show forth the Word of Light in their lives as well.

There was a time in my life that I was particularly discouraged.  We had been trying to plant a church and were meeting with some opposition.  I was severely attacked with depression.  I was constantly battling thoughts of quitting.  I had no one to turn to but God.  I started increasing my time in Bible Reading and sometimes I would even carry it around as I would walk around the room.  I would hold it to my chest and say, “God, I believe this word. I believe you hear me. I believe you will help me.  I believe the Word of God is near me in my heart and in my mouth.”

It wasn’t long before the clouds over my head began to part and the water of the Word washed over me, changing my frame of mind and brought peace to my soul.  That is when the peace of God becomes the fruit of righteousness.

Going to church and fellowshipping with fellow believers can also water the seeds in our lives.  God has spoken many promises to our hearts and when we hear others share the same thing in church, our faith is strengthened. It’s like God is watering the seeds in our hearts. 

 

Growing

As we read God’s Word and are watered we begin to grow.  Some people grow faster than others. I have noticed when someone comes to Jesus, if they are excited about reading the Word of God, They will usually grow quickly in the Lord.  But some people are not very diligent.  Many times, they become passive and then other things begin to take their interest away from the Lord and spiritual things.  The cares of this life, are things that come into our lives, if we do not actively begin putting the Scriptures into our hearts.  We are very concerned about the growth of the people in our church.  We have a program in which we will meet with the new convert for several weeks and teach them the basic foundations of the Faith and pray with them.  We have noticed the people who have been taken care of well, will grow and grow, becoming strong in the Lord and begin bearing fruit as well.

Pruning, thinning, weeding

Ouch!  This is the painful part of growth, but oh so important!

The farmer thins the plants.  He pulls out what is in an overabundance so that the plants that are left can bring forth the most fruit.  Have you ever had an herb garden?  When I first planted my basil, I was so excited about all the plants that were coming up I just left them there to grow.  Eventually, all I had was very tall grass and there was nothing at all  that looked like basil.  My neighbor then explained to me that I was to thin out the seedlings  to enable one very nice bush to grow and produce fruit.  I, of course, did not want to do that.  I couldn’t bear to weed out the little grass that I finally had growing. It seemed I was killing my efforts and my potential fruit when in actuality, I was killing the potential fruit by just letting all the seedlings grow up together. 

Jesus also has an illustration in John 15 about the grape vines.  It is interesting to note that grape vines do not render fruit until the third year.  It is pruned and cut back every year for three years.  The farmer is not even expecting or desiring fruit from it. But if he is patient and diligent to prune every year, at the end of three years the full fruit will appear, the good, quality, sweet fruit.

Sometimes we get impatient!  We want our spiritual children to grow up fast, we don’t want to discourage them, but there are times when we must speak to them about hindrances to growth.  They need to understand the purpose of trials is that they will become more fruitful.  God may want us to give up some things in our lives that are preventing us from bearing fruit.  When we are sure what God wants us to do, we should forget secondary things and put God’s kingdom out ahead in our priorities.  We sometimes must cut some things out, but the joy of an abundant harvest will bring us so much joy. It will all be worth it.  The pain in the pruning is what draws us closer to God.

 

Cultivating

I see this cultivating aspect of the growing period as the time when the farmer singles out the plants for some good quality attention.  We may notice that we need to spend some quality time with God.  Like take some time off to spend just with God in prayer and reading.  God will use that time to cultivate us and make us ready for the next stage in our growth.  We want God to use us, but we must spend time and invest in the ministry that God has for us to do.  If you want God to help you to be more evangelistic, then you must do your homework and learn how to share the gospel and relate better to the group of people to which you are going. If you want God to use you in music ministry but you have never been asked to sing in church, do your homework.  Pretend someone will ask you soon.  What would you do to prepare?  Start doing it.  Get out the songs and look through them, choose some and begin practicing. It is amazing the opportunities God will send your way when you are ready and available to serve.  So many Christians are waiting around.  Cultivate your gifts and begin stepping out in faith and use them.  God will bless you and you will see fruit. 

Some of those we are training may need us to do some cultivating in their lives. Maybe we need to spend some extra time with someone and help them overcome a certain problem in their life.  Maybe someone needs special prayer or encouragement.  Maybe our children need some extra time spent with us as we simply read the word and sing hymns together.  What strengthening comes when we cultivate our lives with good things.

 

Waiting

No one likes to wait.  Especially when we hear God speak so plainly!  We can almost see it.  We can almost taste it.  But God is waiting.  We feel frustrated and sometimes complain to God.  We must remind ourselves that God has a different time table.  We think in time, God thinks in eternity.  He is not in a hurry.  He is waiting till we are ready to receive the harvest He has for us.

Bill and I have been laboring in Thailand for many years, and have been discouraged many times at the slow growth of the churches.  We long for the day when Thailand will see the revival that so many of the nations of the world has seen.  But we wait.  Sometimes, it is hard to be patient.

But we remind ourselves that God is always working and we must work.  If we keep going out and speaking the gospel, sooner or later we will find people who are ready to receive.  They do come in slowly, the culture being so hardened toward the things of God, but we long for the day when thousands will be saved.  But God knows what we can handle.  He knows there must be leaders in place to take care of the harvest, so we prepare.  We know it will come.  We will wait.

Those who wait on the Lord are active waiters. We are not to just lay around and wait for the harvest.  We must be always busy and we must not give up.  Let us not grow weary, let us not give up. In due season we will reap, if we don’t give up.  Many times as I am tempted to throw in the towel, but then I remind myself of the truth that if I do not quit, then I will surely reap.  I pray that even if I am to harvest just a little, I will be faithful to God.  I will wait for Him to act. 

 

Getting mature

God wants us to be mature Christians. He wants us to be parents.  He wants us to grow up.  He wants us to bear fruit.  This is His goal for our lives.  And when we are mature, He will receive the Glory.  Our lives will be golden grains. 

We also are getting ready for when the time will come for people to whom we are witnessing will come to know the Lord. This will be harvest for us.

 

Harvest

There is lots of rejoicing when the wheat or rice is gathered into the barn.  But there are still challenges to the harvest time.  When things get busy and fruitful don’t get proud and  don’t complain.  We have had different seasons in our ministry in which we were experiencing harvest.  We were worn out.  There were sacrifices to be made.  We had much less personal time.  We have to ask ourselves if we are ready to pay the price.   Are you really ready for harvest if it did come? 

When we were in Kansas, there were several fields of planted crops off to our left.  I especially enjoyed observing the wheat field. It was golden and each head was full of weighty grain.  I enjoyed looking at the fields and remembering what Jesus said to his disciples one day, probably while looking at a field similar to this one.  The harvest is white. The laborers are few. 

One day as I walked by, I said, “look at that beautiful field just ripe for harvest.”  Then in one day, swish, it was gone.  Between the time that I walk each morning, just one day and the night, it was harvested. Just like that.  Just that fast.  I was astonished. “ Look the wheat has been harvested in such a short time! “ I was amazed.

In Thailand, the rice harvest must be gathered in a few days and usually in a hurry. Friends and neighbors sometime help each other, sometimes workers are hired to gather in the crop.  After harvest, the farmers must lay the rice out to dry before the rains come.  If the rains come after it has been harvested, the rice will spoil, and mold. 

I was thinking of the swiftness of the harvest and thought about in the Bible where it talks about the end days.  At the end of time there will be a harvest.  The Lord himself will harvest the world. He will thrust in his sickle and reap.  He will reap the people of the earth.  It will happen suddenly, quickly and with no warning.  No man knows the day or the hour.  “Watch and be, ready”, Jesus said, “ You know not when the Son of man comes.”    The wheat and the tares are allowed to grow together in the field.  Then the wheat and the tares are reaped up together.  The tares will be burned and the wheat will remain. The wheat speaks of the one who has given his life to God. He belongs to God. God planted him and he is God’s harvest.   After harvest we have lots of work to gather into the barn.

 

Barren Ground

There is the stage where you life may seem barren.  It does not look like there is any life at all.  During this time, you may feel God is not as close to you as before because you are not seeing fruit come forth from your life.  It is time to look at your other fields.  Some of the areas in your life may not be blooming, but our life is very complex.  Surely if you belong to Jesus, He is making sure that some area of your life is bringing forth the life of God.   Maybe you have been focusing on the fact that you are not seeing a particular person come to Christ, or maybe you are not being able to serve in your church as much as you did before.  There have been times in my life when I have had to make some difficult decisions.  I remember at one point, my husband and team were traveling extensively and holding large outdoor services in cities and villages in Thailand.  I wanted to go too.  There was opportunity for service, but because of my commitment to my family and to home school my children, I was not able to participate.  I felt left out and unfruitful.  The Lord encouraged my heart by showing me that while I was supporting my husband with prayer, help and encouragement on the home front, God was counting his fruit as my fruit as well.  God has made us one.  God sees us as one and doing the job together.  My job to disciple the children and stay at home, was also bearing fruit.  God showed me that this is what He had called me to do and it was His will.  If I did not obey God in staying at home, what good would all my sacrifice be?

 

Burning

In Thailand they burn the fields after harvest to kill all the snakes and enable the ground to be prepared again for more planting.  You may feel like a burnt piece of ground. You used to be useful but now you are wondering if God will ever use you again. You may have gotten discouraged, quit or fell into sin or distraction.  Don’t give up.  God will use you again.  He will use this burning to produce the things in your life to make you stronger for the next season.  There is always…

 

Cultivating and plowing again getting ready for another crop

In the Old Testament there was also the method of alternating crops. We do not decide what the crop will be God does.  Recently, we have had the opportunities to go to other Asian nations.  We did not think this would happen when we first came to Thailand.  We figured Thailand was enough of a challenge!  But God by and by opened other doors.  He gives us fruit in other places to encourage us.  Sometimes we are so intent on someone coming to know Christ that we concentrate all our focus on that, but God has other things to do for us. He surprises us.  Other people may come into the church that need our attention and before long, we turn around and we have a whole bunch of fruit. 

 

God is the Lord of the Harvest. Let Him decide what needs to be done and who is ready to be harvested. 

 

Praise the Lord of the harvest!  May He receive all the Glory for the fruit He enables us to produce.  We are truly working in His fields of grace.

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Nov. 24, 2005 - Happy Thanksgiving

From our family to yours -  Happy Thanksgiving!

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Nov. 23, 2005 - The Commands of Christ

 

 

 

& Repent and believe

Mark 1:14b-15

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

 

& Be Baptized

Mark 16:16

He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

 

& Love God and love your neighbor

Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

 

& Share in the Lord’s Supper

Luke 22:17-20

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. "And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. "Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

 

& Feed on God’s Word

Matt 4:4

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "

 

 

& Pray

Matt.6:-5-13

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.  And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.  In this manner, therefore, pray:

 Our Father in Heaven

Hallowed be Your name.

 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

 On earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors. 

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom

and the power and the glory forever.

 Amen.

 

& Forgive

 

 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not Matt 6:15

forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

 

& Give

Matthew 6:19,20

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

 

& Evangelize and disciple others to be obedient followers of Jesus Christ.

 Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

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Nov. 22, 2005 - Thanksgiving

In Thailand, we still celebrate Thanksgiving.  Sometimes, though, I have to be a little creative.  Last year was wonderful as we had invited other missionaries to come and eat at our house.  I was  brave in the invitations, but when it got time to do the actual cooking, I was a bit nervous.  I have a site to which I frequently run.  It is http://epicurious.com   Sometimes, it slips our mind just how to do something like carve the turkey, or a little bored with traditionals and ready to try something new.  Or maybe you are like me and having to be creative because the store didn't have what you needed or you don't have a huge budget, but you still want to make it special.  Epicurious recipes have never let me down.  Everything I have tried from their site has been delicious.  They also have wonderful "how to" videos if you have forgotten (as I had last year) how to tie up the turkey. 

This year epicurious is dedicating a whole section to Thanksgiving http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/holiday/thanksgiving

Be sure to make use of the search bar, I very often type in the ingredients I have and up pops several recipes to choose from.  For instance, if you have rice, celery and pecans and you want to make a stuffing.  Just type rice + pecans and up will pop a huge stack of recipes to go through.  You can print them out in 3x5 cards or you can save them to the recipe box that you can create on line in which to keep all your favorites. 

Hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving and are able to have all your loved ones around the table holding hands and thanking God for all His abundant blessings this year.

You are blessed,

Julie

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Nov. 19, 2005 - Books on my Nightstand

I am the type of person that reads in books.  I rarely ever sit down with a book or novel and read straight through!  This is one of the reasons why I enjoy reading aloud to my daughter because it makes me read the whole book! 

But for the most part, I keep a collection of relavant literature for several compartments of my very complicated life, right near my bed.  I can then scan what I would like to read for a few minutes in my in between moments.    There are

devotional books, a collection of Bibles and different help books as well as missionary stories.  These are my findings as I cleared out some of the books on my nightstand. (It has a shelf underneath, hence the pile up.)

 

My favorite at the moment:

 

A Woman after God's own Heart  by Elizabeth George

 

Other books I have stacked:

 

Thai Language New Testament

Thai and English whole Bible

 

New Living Translation Bible

New King James Bible

 

Daily Light

 

Ascent to the Tribes  by Isobel Kuhn

How to Stop the Pain  by James B. Richards

Captivating by John and Staci Elderedge

A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Eliot

Stress Less by Don Colbert MD

A New Time and Place  by Jack Hayford

Healing the Angry Heart by Kathy Collard Miller

Leave your shoes at the Door  by Corrine S. Sahlberg

Feelings Women Rarely Share by Judy Reamer

And of course:

The Old School House Magazine!

 

 

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Nov. 18, 2005 - Books we are reading aloud

 

The Holy Bible

We are reading through the Bible in a year out loud together in the evenings.  It has sparked my daughter's interest in the Word and she is reading ahead on her own. Yesterday she read 11 chapters in the New Testament.  Another idea is to download the Audio Bible on to the PC and listen while doing other chores.

Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola

My daughter and I are reading this aloud, one chapter per day and then discussing it.  She said the other day while stirring the dinner on the stove that it helped her and gave her good ideas about what a woman should be like. I wished I had read this book when I was a young person.  So many things are explained.  It's a book that brings music to the years.  Great read aloud.

 

Some chapter headings are: Character Building; The Strength of Obedience; A Sunny Disposition; The Beauty of Truthfulness; Ideals; A Conversation on Dress; Making Friends of Books.

 

 

Daily Light

 

A new remake of the old classic daily light book has been written by Billy Graham's daughter.  It is in the New King James version.  It takes excerpts from the Bible on a different topic for each day.  We use this for our copy work. 

 

A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Eliot

 

This book about Amy Carmichael's life as a missionary in India has changed our lives.  I read this aloud to my daughter. It goes into India's history as well as Amy's life struggles.  It was very imformative for us as we were doing a unit on India at the time as well.   Wonderful read aloud book!

 

 

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Nov. 17, 2005 - The Cure for Loneliness

Loneliness

 

Is loneliness an emotional feeling, or is it an attack from the enemy to get us distracted?  Someone said, the way to cure loneliness is solitude. 

 

I think women are especially lonely when they have made the tough decision to stay at home and home school their kids.  Of course, our kids grow and become our friends, but what about that lunch outing or women’s Bible study group that sometimes has to be given up for the more important things.

 

The more I am here on the mission-field, the more I am familiar with the ends and outs of loneliness.  Sometimes I do feel it is an attack from our enemy, the devil.  His trick is always to try to get us distracted.  He wants us focusing on our self and preventing us from truly being fruitful.   

 

Sometimes, loneliness may be a sign that we need to make an effort to visit someone, or make an appointment for tea so we can have some “girl time” with some of our friends.  We need that fun and laughter to help us lighten up. 

 

Some people have more choices than others.  Because I am on the mission field, my choices of friends are a bit limited. I am very thankful for my friends on email and friends here other missionaries and the people in our church.  But sometimes, I find myself getting lost in the busy-ness of life and forget to make time for my friends, this is when I start realizing how much I need people in my life. 

 

I found it is helpful to have a standing “date” with someone.  I see a close friend every other week on Wednesday at 1:00 PM. And unless something unusual comes up, we keep our appointment.  Also, it has really helped me to have a date once a week with my husband.  Having that time to laugh and share has pulled me up time and time again and has given me hope to carry on.  It also has helped us keep our relationship fresh.

 

My husband went to India for 15 days last month, and I was so lonely; I thought I would burst, waiting for him to get home!  I also had a back injury while he was gone. 

 

My son tripped while pushing his motorcycle and when he fell the heavy bike fell on top of him and pinned in his right leg.  It was right before going to church and I had been walking out side to leave when I saw the whole thing.  My son called softly, “Mom?”  I walked over thinking I could easily lift the bike off of his leg.  But it was much heavier than I had anticipated!  My lower back told me instantly that I was way over my capacity!!

So, I stood up with the bike and held it just high enough so my son could quickly pull his leg out.  Even though it was only for a few brief minutes, I knew I had done something terrible to myself.  Before I knew it, I was in excruciating pain.  Why hadn’t I called the neighbor?  I guess I just had no idea how heavy it would be, and responding to my son as any mother would do.

 

The next day I was flat on my back, not able to bend over at all or hardly even move! I  had ripped the muscles and ligaments in the lower and upper back and I was stranded on my back for three weeks! 

 

I learned about loneliness!  This time it was the solitude that did cure me.  I began to read.  I read several books and prayed.  I drew closer to the Lord and He met my needs.  I realized through this experience that I really have depended on my husband, family and others I love to fill my lonely void.  God wanted me to learn that He wanted to meet all my needs.  He wanted to be my all in all. 

 

So often, the conflict that comes into my life, is when I have lifted up something above the knowledge of God.  I realized that I had looked to others more than God to meet my need for friendship.  God showed me many things during the time flat on my back.  I was strengthened in my faith and learned that my relationship with God is the most important thing in my life.  So in this case solitude did cure my loneliness, because my solitude was spent in communion with God - the only One that could fill my empty soul.

 

I remember as a child singing this song:

 

Fill my cup Lord,

I lift it up, Lord!

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

 

Like the woman at the well I was seeking

For things that could not satisfy:

Like the woman at the well I was seeking

For things that could not satisfy:

And then I heard my Savior speaking:

"Draw from my well that never shall run dry".

 

 

There are millions in this world who are craving

The pleasures earthly things afford;

But none can match the wondrous treasure

That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

 

Words and Music by Richard Blanshard

Public Domain

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Aug. 27, 2005 - Keep your teen motivated to learn

Keep Your Teen Motivated To Learn!

Homeschool.com His eyes glaze over. He starts to tap his fingers on the table. "Are we done yet?" he asks desperately. If you homeschool a teenager, you will surely hear the anguished cry, "Are we done yet? It's only natural for high school students to become restless, even in their chosen learning environment. Usually, there is no cause for concern. However, if you see patterns of negative behavior emerging, it may be time to make a change. Often homeschooled teenagers will respond well to one or more of these ideas: - Ask your teenager to write down his/her goals, and then sit down together to discuss the best path to take. If college is a short-term goal, start touring early to motivate and inspire. - Let him/her choose the study time and environment, but include some variation now and then. When the weather allows, head outside. - Mix reading with projects, experiments, and crafts; and illustrate math with art, movement, and music. - Replace some of your tests with discussions to improve interpersonal skills and public speaking. - Use strategy-oriented board games to promote logical thinking and memory, as they offer a welcome change of pace. - Provide encouragement and structure in your homeschool, so that your teenager senses progress. - Join local homeschooling support groups for activity ideas and companionship. - Find a neighbor or grandparent, local musician or business executive who might like to act as a mentor for your teenager. - Take field trips when you sense your teenager's motivation level is down. Explore his/her stated career choices. - Select work and volunteer experiences to enhance lessons. - Emphasize your child's strengths and learning style. Public schools usually focus on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences only, but you can create a classroom that fosters kinesthetic, visual, or environmental skills if you so choose. With a little creativity and the right resources, you can help your teenager rediscover his/her love of learning. --------------------------------- This article originally appeared in Homeschool.com's excellent eNewsletter, which is available for free at: www.Homeschool.com/subscribe

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Aug. 26, 2005 - Living on the Edge

Living on the Edge


Rev. 12:11  ... they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 
 

The blood of the Lamb.
Jesus loved us shed his blood, let us trust in that Love. Let us trust in His blood not only for salvation but for life. Our daily walk.

Word of their testimony.
It is important to always speak with faith. We have victory through faith .

When I was out walking one day, I knew I was battling because I was depressed and felt intimitated by the devil. It suddenly came to my mind why it must be that I felt so defeated. The Lord showed me that the devil wanted me to feel this way so I would not be able to go forward and hear from God and do the will of God. I had been preparing to do a camp for women and there were many people who needed a faith filled message, but if I was intimitated by the devil, how could I stand and minister. I started praying that God would give me the faith I needed. I saw a picture of myself lifting up the shield of faith and walking forward. God gives us the shield to help us go forward. The only way we can go forward is if we are holding our shield out in front of us, believing God has called us and given us the words to share. I started thinking how important faith is to our lives. It is totally central to our Christian life!

 

Some people asked Jesus in John 6:28, "What does God want us to do?"  "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"  Jesus answered, "What God wants you to do is to believe in the One He sent."

When we have faith in Jesus, we please God and do what God requires of us.

They loved not their own lives even to the death. 
How could they not be afraid to die?  Dying is our greatest fear, but we see here, that the overcomers were not afraid.
Fear is our enemy. Fear keeps us from feeling victorious. We limit ourselves.

 

I have experienced  fear on many levels.  fears have hindered me from having the full life God wants me to live.  Frears have kept me from social involvement, from risking and doing things that seem dangerous.  So I if I am afraid, I will miss out on opportunities for adventure.    It seems sort of funny that God would call me to be a missionary where my fear is challenged everyday.

It's amazing to me that my kids are  so courageous.  Don’t let your fear hinder your kids faith!

Faith is closely liked to confidence.  The Bible says that Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

In order to stay full of faith, I must encourage myself in faith.   I must be free from fear of judgment. I must believe that I am not deserving to have some tragedy happen upon us.  Doom is not coming because of my failing. Jesus took all my failings and doom upon Himself.  I must trust God’s declaration of my righteousness through Jesus.   I can even have boldness on the day of judgment.  I must believe that God has planned good things and not evil for me.  

 

1 John 4:13-18
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.
18Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.

 

There is no fear in love. What delivers me from fear?
Perfect Love.
I John 4 :4;13-18
I John 5:1-5; 18b; 20

1 John 5:1-5 says:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult. 4For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. 5And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

verse 18 says:
We know that those who have become part of God's family do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them.

 

Then we see in verse 20:

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

What if I came to the end of my life and felt that I had allowed fear to limit me.  I want to be able to say, “ I risked.  I did not allow fear to control me.  I attempted great things for God.  I was not trying to save my life. I was loosing it for His sake and the gospel.  I lived on the edge with my faith.”

We need freedom from Fear.

What is Fear?

Reasons why we have fear.

1. We believe God will judge us. 

1 John 4:18:
Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.

2. Evil spirits are also involved

Galatians 4:7-10:
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

3. Fears come from the lies we are believing.

 Jesus said you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  When I know what is true, the lie holds no power anymore.  I cannot be fooled into believing a deception because the truth has been revealed already.

Fears can affect many areas of our lives, but God wants us to be free and peaceful in our sprit, soul and body.

 

1 Thes. 5:23
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Here is a Foundational truth in the word to help us overcome fear.

Psalm 91:1-16
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2This I declare of the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I am trusting him.
3For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from the fatal plague.
4He will shield you with his wings.
He will shelter you with his feathers.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor fear the dangers of the day,
6nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8But you will see it with your eyes;
you will see how the wicked are punished.

9If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your dwelling.
11For he orders his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12They will hold you with their hands
to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.
13You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.
16I will satisfy them with a long life
and give them my salvation." 


Steps to entering into freedom from fear:

 1. Acknowledge and receive the truth

2.  Agree with the truth in the word of God about our security, our identity, and our eternal destination (our future)

 

3.  Agree with God that we have allowed fear to come in and we must not give power to the enemy anymore.

4.  Deal with the power of the evil spirits that may be involved.

5.  Think back about the different times when you  were bound by fear and the various emotions connected to the fears.  These may have been kept deep inside but you must identify the emotions and allow God to come in and heal those emotions.  These emotions are connected with the fear and when the emotions are healed, the fear is destroyed.

6. Choose to surrender to the Lord Jesus and allow him to be Lord of everything in each area of your life.


Here is a prayer you may pray to help you to receive freedom from fear.


Dear Father God I come before you in Jesus name. I admit that I have fear and I have been a slave to this fear. I now surrender my whole life to The Lord Jesus Christ and I declare that you are the almighty, my savior, and my helper.

I ask for your forgiveness for when I chose not to trust in you and let fear come in and control my life. I ask you now to reveal the fears that I still am allowing to rule in my life. And I ask you to show me the truth of God. (Stop here and let Jesus speak to your life)

Now I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord. I ask Lord that you would drive away this fear that is in my life and I now take authority over this fear in the name of Jesus.

You, spirit of fear, I speak straight to you: I cast you out right now! The blood of Jesus Christ has washed me and cleansed me. The blood of Jesus has redeemed me. You have no authority or power to touch me at all. You must lift off me and leave me now in Jesus name.

I release myself now from every evil spirit that is connected with fear through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus I ask that you come to me now through the power of your Holy Spirit and bring healing to my emotions that have been damaged during the times when I was fearful, afraid or terrorized.

From this moment on I choose trust in you. Please help me to change the way I think and respond when I am afraid. I will not allow the enemy to come in and take any rule over my life or control me by giving me fear.
Thank you Jesus for your healing power in my life. Thank you for delivering me and setting me free. I receive the freedom you have for me.
In Jesus Name,
AMEN

 

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Aug. 23, 2005 - my favorite homeschool links

Some of you know what a challenge it is to home school in America where the libraries are convenient and bookstores are available, how much more so now while living overseas.  But where there’s a will there’s a way.

 

I have found the internet to be an invaluable source. Whatever you want to know, chances are, you can find the answer on the net.  Let your fingers do the searching.  There are libraries on the net, free music classes and free art lessons, as well as all the research books you could ever need.   There are classical literature books written in Word format as well as Abode reader format in their entirety for absolutely free, scientific demonstrations, history clips, music midi files, downloadable images, and much more. With web sites being added everyday, the internet is a resource with no end!

 

I will be listing some of my favorite sites as well as a brief summary of what you will find there following this short blog.

 

Some of you are schooling young children and early elementary.  There are free color sheets and fun games you can download and print out to keep the little ones busy while you give your attention to your older child who needs your help on a writing assignment. 

 

For upper elementary and junior high grades there are sites that they can access themselves and you can just supervise as the internet teaches your child art or computer science.

 

I have a special interest in helping those home schooling high school students.  You will need to begin to count their hours in their extra curricula activities so as to accumulate for credit starting in the 9^th grade.  Most states require about 23 credits for graduation.  With all the core subjects Math, English, Literature, Government, Economics, World and American History, Science and Etymology (vocabulary and word studies), they will still need several credits which make up the category of “Electives”.  Some could include:

Art, Speech, Music lessons and History plus theory, Communications, Bible, Consumer or business Math, Accounting, Advanced science and math classes (above and beyond the regular requirements)  State History, Creative Writing, Health, Life skills, Ministry, foreign language and many others.

 

There are sites available to help you prepare transcripts and organize your high school schedule.

 

I have had two children graduate from high school and another child who is well on his way to finishing in a couple of years.  So I know the stress of the unknown.  Most parents are not only concerned about the question, “Will my child know what he needs to know for life?”  But “Will my child be able to get into the college of his choice?”  The answer to both is a resounding YES!  Colleges are looking for potential students who are eager and of steady character and study skills as well as just merely intelligence.  Neither of our children had any trouble taking the SAT tests or being accepted into the institution of his or her choosing because they were home schooled.

 

If you have any concerns, questions or comments, you may post them on the email response of our community.  Please tell others about our international ladies community and especially those who could use a little encouragement and friendship.

 

 

 

Drop me an email at Vibrantwoman714@yahoo.com.

 I have a website community for international women at http://vibrantwoman.multiply.com

and a blog site mostly for home school mothers at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/goodnews

 

 

And for all of you dedicated to not only educating but training up your children in the ways of the Lord, this list of favorites is for you.

 

Much love,

Julie

 

For any of these links push ctrl and click on the link and you will open up to that page if you are connected to the internet.

 

My two favorite favorites:

 

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine  The best resource station!!  If you don’t go anywhere else go here.  They have so many links and could keep you busy for a while.  Also hosts the blogger site that I use.

 

http://www.donnayoung.org/   The site that has so many templates you can download and print for yourself.  Apologia lessons, vocabulary, lab report templates and so much more!

 

 

 

YoungMinds Printables and Resources     contains the on-line website created by Donna Young as well as her extensive homeschool resources website, YoungMinds, that she keeps on her home computer. Must purchase

 

Welcome to davidandlaurie.com!                      download daily planner- free!

 

Free Homeschool Art Lessons - Visual Manna  art lessons

 

Welcome to Simply Music    piano lessons on videos purchase required.

 

Deeper Roots   Bible Curriculum

 

painting instructions, watercolour techniques, design and colour   online watercolour lessons free

 

Free Art Lessons - Learn Oil Painting Techniques  online oil painting lessons

Eagle Forum University  free courses:  Famous Historical Figures, American Government, Constitution & Current Events, Global Warming Controversies, The Foundation of Our Republic, Evolution & Politics, Courting Justice, Plus a writing course also offers free email newsletter. 

http://university.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp?nhid=bn  for free courses (high school or adult learning)

charlotte mason books  read Charlottes Mason’s education ideas here.

 

http://www.amblesideonline.org/index.shtml  Art, poetry, music links

 

My Wildflowers - Wildflower identification, gallery, gifts   flowers to identify

 

Writer's Caf? fiction writing software - novels - screenwriting - short stories - creative fun 

downloadable program for free to help writers organize their thoughts.

 

The Journal - Personal Journal and Diary Software - Free Download - For your life, for your work, for you!

 

e-Sword - the Sword of the LORD with an electronic edge  Bible program download for free

 

Google Earth - Home  an interface to the planet fascination for geography

 

No Greater Joy Magazine  home and marriage encouragement

 

Distance K-12 Baker's Guide to Christian Distance Education  guide to curriculum supplier companies

 

Sonlight Christian Homeschool Curriculum, Resources, Education, Homeschooling Materials and Books  Sonlight ( a literature based curriculum that is great for large families)

 

The Jubilee Academy  online academy they keep your records

 

Homeschool Parent Resources http://anotherdaybooks.com/index.html  used books

 

Core Curriculum Packages for Homeschooling - Getting Started  helps you pick the right curricula for your child according to learning style

 

sketching.htm   powerpoint presentation for lessons on sketching

 

Learn To Draw What You See  drawing lessons

 

Freedom Bible Seminary for accredited degrees  Bible school on line

 

Essentials of Music   Composers history and music patches for almost all the masters

 

Paula's Archives of Homeschool Advice  tons of links and ideas, printable sheets etc..

 

Mr. Donn's Pages Site Index  The best site I have seen for free lessons- history and language especially.

 

PowerPoint Presentations  For English lessons

 

MrDonn.org - Mr Donn's Pages (lessons, activites, homework help for K-12 teachers and students)  the best I have seen

 

 

Guide to Grammar and Writing   English handbook on line

 

Helpful Links High School and College--Homeschool Christian.com If you have a high school student, this is for you

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/index.htm   Many home school links

 

free home school   You can get on their mailing list to receive a newsletter

 

Oklahoma Homeschool   gives you an idea of one states requirements, helpful transcript information

 

castlemoyle.com -- home of Spelling Power and Writing Power spelling and writing curriculum for multilevel teaching

 

Spelling Power How To Use It, Paula's Archives   Helpful site if you want to just see what spelling power is like. 

 

Teaching Vocabulary, Paula's Archives  vocabulary- important for SAT test

 

 

Homeschool Curriculum Excellence - Robinson Self-Teaching Homeschool Curriculum  All on a  cd could be a good resource and books.  Must purchase.

 

Keepers of the Faith  reminds me of 4 H club projects.  Also reviews books and sells only godly materials

 

 

YoungMinds Printables and Resources     contains the on-line website created by Donna Young as well as her extensive homeschool resources website, YoungMinds, that she keeps on her home computer.

 

Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy 101 Working with Words   Computer tutor for Word, Excel etc..

 

EasyFunSchool - Homeschool curriculum ideas, unit studies, crafts, math games, reading activities, home education activity idea    So many links to science, history, art lessons Amazing!

DCAds Classified Ad System   used home school books

Homeschooling Used Curriculum Sites  a whole list of used home school resources for sale.  Cheaper than e-bay and you don’t have to wait for the auction.

 

http://www.timberdoodle.com/index.asp   The Timberdoodle Company- sells the popular Easy Grammar recommended by Charlotte Mason users as well as lots of books and kits  for purchase

 

http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/  more used curriculum; cheap; user friendly site

 

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Aug. 20, 2005 - Art

I am doing plenty of painting lately.  I think of it as therapy.  It seems that when I am doing water color, I get lost in my work and forget everything else.  This is great for combatting worry.   My kids know why I make them do art class.  So I can paint.  They are finished and on to other things and I am still painting!

 

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Aug. 16, 2005 - For all my Vibrant Woman Friends

How are you all my Vibrant Woman friends?

 

You have not heard much from me for a while so I thought I would give you an update of the last six months or so.

 

March was spent getting ready for a very long trip -furlough.  I get excited about seeing my family and friends and being in America again.  On the other hand, sometimes I think that furlough must be the hardest part of being a missionary.  It seems that our whole life changes for a few months, all the while knowing that we will soon go back to normal.  There are many things to which we must adjust, not just the food, weather and shopping, but our self image takes a turn around.  My identity is questioned and my destiny challenged. 

 

When we took our first furlough about 13 years ago, I was in culture shock.  I was confused.  I felt like an alien, but no one else seemed to notice I was different, so eventually, I calmed down.  With every subsequent furlough, I have grown in my ability to handle the big identity issue and God has shown me that I am unique.  There is only one person on the face of this earth that has had the same experiences that I have – me!  And I am a product of all that has been my journey.  I am trying to listen to God tell me who I am instead of letting other people tell me who I am.

 

Furlough is also very tiring, emotionally and physically mainly because of the social aspect.  Every place I go, I have a whole new network of people to remember and relate to.  This is hard for me because I want to try to remember all the details about their lives that I am supposed to remember - like the names of their children!  Then after a short weekend, we are off to another place with another whole set of folks, totally different from the last.  It can get overwhelming!

 

I think if there is any advice to come from this well worn traveler it is: Don’t try to do too much!  I cannot believe the schedule I so energetically booked back in March, but by May, I thought, “What on earth was I thinking?”  We did a whole lot of driving.  I think the most ridiculous leg of the journey was when I booked speaking in four states in three weeks.  From Arkansas to Kansas and then down to Alabama and then on the same Sunday traveled to Florida to begin a missions school!  What a trip!  By the time I arrived I was over the top exhausted.  I really need someone to stop me when I start booking itineraries!

 

I don’t know if it was exhaustion or what but the next couple of days I was less than 100 percent.  We took a trip to an island and while doing a “survivor” type game, I fell and injured my foot.  I thought it was fine, and continued to walk on it for about an hour, the pain increased and by the time I was turning back toward camp, Bill had to carry me on his back!  I was off my foot for a whole month. 

 

That was an experience!  It sure changed the way I feel about what I have totally taken for granted.  I have never been as thankful for my feet as I am now.  Because I was on crutches, I could not do anything with my hands.  I couldn’t make dinner or do any work.  I bet you are thinking, “Wow what a vacation!” 

 

The last month of my furlough was somewhat different from what we had planned.  I still was able to travel some after a week or two, but a lot of plans I had were cancelled.  I prayed to be healed and no miracle came.  Then I prayed that I would learn what ever the Lord had to teach me for that time.

I sure learned humility, dependence on others and my patience grew to a totally new level. 

 

I read, painted, and watched the Food Network and the Home and Garden channel till I had memorized all the commercials…  And I prayed.  It wasn’t the break I thought I wanted, but God used my weakness to give me a true rest. 

 

Jesus said in Mathew 11:28-30 (The Message)

“Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?

Come to me.  Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.  I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. 

 

While I was recuperating, I heard a story:

 

There was a man driving his new, red, shiny Jaguar in a neighborhood when he was abruptly interrupted!  A brick flew out from the curb and hit his car door on the driver’s side.  He slammed on his breaks and jumped out of the car to see a neighborhood boy standing on the sidewalk.  This young man was obviously the one who threw the brick at his new car.  The man began shouting angrily but when he drew his breath to start again, the boy said meekly, “I’m sorry, Mister, but I had to stop you somehow, or you would have run over my little brother.”  Terrified, the man looked in front of his car.  He had come just shy of running over a paralyzed little boy on a skate board!  The man later said he never fixed that dent in his car door.  He wanted to let it be a constant reminder that he needed to begin slowing down in life and he resolved to never make God have to use a brick to stop him. 

 

When I heard that story, I thought, “That is what this injury is for me.  God is stopping me and making me take life a bit slower.”  He always knows what we really need.

 

The most wonderful part about furlough is seeing all the wonderful people who make it possible for us to be in Thailand and do this job.  We have so many friends and are so grateful.  We traveled to Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Mississippi and Hawaii. 

 

My favorite part, of course, was stopping back through my home town Sacramento California.  We always plan a week stop-over on the way back to Thailand and catch up on all the dear friends who are really more like family than friends. 

 

I was dreading the trip home, with my crutches, but actually, I was pleasantly surprised.  I have to put in a good word for United Airlines, as I had a wheel chair at every gate and VIP treatment through all the check points.  The family all got in on the benefits and we avoided the crowds through every line! By the way, just in case you need this information: neither crutches nor walkers will fit down the aisle of any plane or jet!

 

While I was in America, I was able to distribute many of my new hymns CD, Hymns from the Heart.  If you would like a copy, let me know and I will try to get one out to you. 

 

I was able to get a hold of  a whole bunch of new recipes  that I am excited to be sharing with you in the days ahead  and some home schooling web sites for those of you who like that. 

 

God bless you till the next update.

 

My love,

Julie

 

 

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