Posted in My Christian Walk
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As if I didn't have enough to do, I've recently volunteered to mentor a homeless, pregnant mom through a christian-based children and family services organization in Memphis. I'm very excited about this! I've wanted to do something like this for a long time - even back in Arkansas. I work with children all the time - at home and at church - so I really wanted to work with someone my own age for a change. In Little Rock, i tried to volunteer at a battered women's shelter, but the timing wasn't right. This organization houses homeless, pregnant women who want to turn their lives around. The mentoring initiative is voluntary, so anyone I'm connected with will be there because she wants to. Hopefully, I'll be a blessing to her as she works to get on her feet and provide a solid home for her child(ren). I've been so blessed. There are times I feel guilty for not having suffered much in my life. I am also blessed with skills that many people are clueless about such as home management, financial management, budgeting, etc. I know the Lord has called me to touch the lives of others in some way. I really think this is it. For years, I've felt "drawn" to women who others have ignored or given up on. I think I seem to be able to sense when someone needs a friend. Most of the time, those people resist my effort, but I realize that it's got more to do with them than me. When you've been abused and betrayed all your life, friendships don't come easily. I have one very close friend who has taught me this. It's hard not to take it personally, but I just pray and keep on loving. Anyway, I will find out in the next week or two (after they do all their background checks on me) who I will be partnered with. I can't wait to meet her. I hope she'll benefit from our friendship. I know I will. The Lord is drawing me to this for some reason. |
Posted in My Christian Walk
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This was the topic for today's sermon. Before today, whenever I heard this beatitude, I only thought of grieving (as in losing a loved one). However, it was presented in a totally different way today by our interim minister, Jim.
Mourning is healthy. It's when we are broken and our eyes are open to see something for what it truly is. It's when we fall to our knees in humble repentance before the Lord. Jim emphasized the difference in moaning and mourning. We all moan from time to time – complaining and groaning about the tasks of life. Moaning is not blessed, but mourning is. So, what are some things we should mourn? In my opinion, the top two are the sins of the world and our personal sins. We should not be so conformed to the world that we don't even recognize the dire condition of the world. It's so much easier to turn off the news, cover our eyes, and pretend that the evil of this world does not exist. It's much more comfortable to overlook our wrongdoing by convincing ourselves "I'm not so bad after all – not compared to most". We go day by day, in an endless cycle of apathy… blending in with the world… becoming more and more blind to how far off course we really have become. To condemn sinful acts would be considered "judgmental"… "politically-incorrect"… "pretentious"… so we choose to do nothing. Christians, we need to be truthful with ourselves, with God, with our kids, and with our society. We need to feel grief for all that's really wrong in this world. We need to repent of our own wrongdoing and take all this to the Lord with a sorrowful heart – asking Him to guide our hearts and our actions, then listening for His answer with the courage to obey. This lesson only validated my beliefs as a home schooler. We tend to be more aware of the true state of society. It just amazes me the number of people... Christians even... who bury their heads in the sand and claim to see the world through rose-colored glasses. It was somewhat refreshing to hear someone proclaim to a stunned, silent audience of believers what I've mourned for so long. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." – Matthew 5:4 |
Posted in My Christian Walk
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I’m reading a book – for the second time, actually – written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and entitled Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free. This time around, the Lord seems to be speaking to me more clearly than a few years ago when I first purchased and read it. Isn’t it funny how that happens? The topic on my heart tonight is ‘difficult circumstances’. Let’s face it… we all have them from time to time. If not, we will at some point. Nobody enjoys suffering. Tough times make us feel helpless, frustrated, and sometimes even hopeless. Here are some quotes that resonated with me. I never really thought about it this way until reading this book. “The truth is, our circumstances do not make us what we are. They merely reveal what we are… God brings circumstances in our lives to show us what we are really like – so He can change us.” – Nancy Leigh DeMoss (slightly paraphrased) Hmmm… I’ve always felt that God moved us to “When a problem threatens, we rush to God – not to seek his perspective, but to ask him to deflect the trouble.” – Arthur Matthews, former Chinese missionary Oh boy did that ring a bell!! Many times I’ve prayed to be delivered from a situation… for God to just ‘take it away’, when I should have instead asked God to guide me through it and use me so that He may be glorified through it. I’ve grown tremendously in this area, but still have room for improvement. I hope this touches your heart as much as it has touched mine. Trust really is the key. It’s liberating when you think about it. Once we realize that “every circumstance that touches our lives has first been filtered through His fingers of love and is part of a great, eternal plan that He is working out in this world and in our lives” (DeMoss), then we can experience true joy and peace.
~ Proverbs 3:5-6 |
Posted in My Christian Walk
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This past Wednesday evening, a couple walked from their car, arm-in-arm, across the street to the church building on their way to Bible Class. As they crossed the street, a speeding car didn’t see them and struck them both… killing them both. The wife was killed instantly, and the husband died soon afterwards at the hospital. This is a true story. It happened at my home congregation in Arkansas The couple’s daughter-in-law (who is a veteran home schooler and a friend of mine) emailed me yesterday, telling me of the events – in case I hadn’t heard. In her message she expressed something that I had already thought of and even said to my DH...there is a bright side.
Her words: Isn’t that a sweet, bright side to focus on? They started their lives together almost exactly 60 years ago, and ended it together on Wednesday night - arm in arm...going to church. Neither of them having to mourn the loss of the other… Neither of them living with self-blame for not doing whatever they should have done to save the other. In fact… when you think about it… they are the ones who suffered the least in this tragedy. The driver of the car has to live with his error the rest of his life. Family and friends mourn for a while.
But, the couple rests in the arms of the Lord... throughout eternity… together.
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Posted in My Christian Walk
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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." - King Solomon (Proverbs 3:5-6)
These wise words have repeatedly renewed my spirit over the past year. I hope this passage blesses your life as much as it has mine. From time to time, it comes to my mind. This time, I just wanted to share.
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