Yesterday I was in a situation that I have described as "awkward, hard" to those who have asked me how it went. I had to be with someone for several hours with whom the LORD restrained my communication. I know this sounds a bit vague, but that is because I am choosing to be. The past several weeks our family has been going through some life adjustments, causing all of us to find ourselves in difficult places. At some point in the future I might share the first drafts I have written (but not posted) as I have gone through this. But, for now, I wanted to share what the LORD taught me yesterday.
It was not until late last night, when everyone was asleep, that I could finally sit down to journal and listen to Him explain to me the "audible thoughts" he was giving to me all day. {If you have walked with the LORD any length of time, you, no doubt, have also had "audible thoughts" from Him.} Throughout the day when this person would make a comment which did not necessarily require a response, but was surely inviting one, I found myself unusually unresponsive. With the spiritual gift of exhortation that the LORD has given to me, it is usual that He would bring to my mind a verse of Scripture or Biblical precept to share with a hurting person or one who has offended.
But, yesterday, when those "audible thoughts" would come to my mind, I would ask the LORD if I should speak them to the person, or were they just for me to know. All day long, He restrained me from speaking them. Over and over I asked Him if I should share what I was thinking. Each time, I just felt led to pray that He would speak to the person and share those same insights in His timing. It was, as I said....."awkward and hard".
Then last night I picked up a book I had not read for several years, that I pulled out about two months ago, called The Seeking Heart by Fenelon, written in the 17th century. I opened up to a page that was what God was wanting to teach me. I will share the excerpts that He used to explain what He was doing in my own life through those awkward hours.
The page was entitled “Dealing With Offenses”. The parts that really spoke to me were these:
You really need the Spirit of God to give you strength in your trials. His Spirit will hold back the overpowering nature of your natural strength……. God always attacks your weak side. When God aims to kill your old self nature, He touches the tenderest spot—the spot full of life!! This is why He gives you the kinds of trials that He does.
Allow yourself to be humbled. If you are silent and peaceful when humiliating things happen to you, you will grow in grace. I realize that you will be tempted to defend yourself for a thousand different reasons. But it is far better to be humbly silent. Humility that can still talk needs to be carefully watched. You will comfort yourself too much when you speak out.
Don’t be upset when things are said about you. Let the world talk; just seek to do the will of God …..Silent peace and sweet fellowship with God will repay you for every evil word spoken against you. People will come and go—let them do as they please. See only God. He is the One that afflicts or comforts you through people and circumstances. He does this for your benefit.
By the end of my time with LORD late into the night, I knew that I wanted that "Seeking Heart" that waited upon Him. This morning in my quiet time I came across a great verse in Isa 30:18....The LORD waits to be gracious to you, and He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who wait for Him. A note I had written beside it said... wait for = look, long, love, live for!!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Cycles of Life
This post definitely is going to be one of my more difficult writings. I am having a hard time sorting out my racing thoughts, editing what to write and what not to write. Even knowing how to start has been difficult for me because of the many contrasting thoughts. I think I am just going to take the plunge and then maybe save drafts before publishing..........we'll see.
As you can see there has been over a month gap in my postings. That is because of various circumstances that have crashed into my life. I am not really sure that the seemingly important things, at the time, in July are now worthy of blog space. So I guess I have decided to eliminate all of those swirling thoughts and go to Aug 6, when I met with a surgeon who confirmed that I needed to have my gall bladder removed from the premises of my body. When I tried to tell him my dilemma... that I was planning to be gone Aug 15-23 to Jackson Hole, WY, and was wondering whether it needed to be done before, or could it wait????.....he offered to go into his office and look into his crystal ball to see if I would experience a sudden burst of pain while in the air and need emergency surgery.......!!!! To that I replied that was exactly what I was paying him the big bucks to do (I have $2500 deductible insurance which I will more than reach in the cost of all of this)!! So after the chuckles died down, I asked him what he was doing on Friday, Aug 8th!!! I suddenly felt compelled that I was to do this immediately. It was not an audible voice from the LORD, but I knew He was leading me to do this right away.
So, it all happened two days later...........At 8:30 a.m.,I entered the out patient surgery center for my first experience of any medical treatment with an anesthesia since I had my tonsils removed when I was 6!! I had not been in a hospital since my last baby was born 33 years ago! And I didn't even have an IV with her then!! And, by 5:00 p.m., I was walking into my house, minus one small body organ. I lay down on the bed and the phone rang!!!
That call led me into the darkest trial of our family's lives thus far. I say that because on my radar screen were only "real life" possibilities: the loss of a parent.....cancer for a family member, or causing the death of a best friend......death of a child.....death of my husband....car wrecks......loss of a grandchild.....financial reversal!! The "normal" tragedies of life, not desirable, but certainly understandable!!! That shock of that phone call had never entered my mind before. It was so upsetting that I called the doctor-on-call for my surgeon, weeping, and asking him if I could fly tonight after just coming home from surgery. I had a daughter who needed me and I wanted to get on a plane then.
Monty said absolutely not... and the next thing I knew, our daughter and her four children had round trip tickets from Denver to OKC, arriving at 11:30 p.m. Saturday (the next night)!!! Within that following 24 hour period of time we had found out that her husband had been living a lie for their whole 11 years of marriage and was not the person he pretended to be. NOT ONE OF US WHO KNEW HIM HAD A CLUE!!!! That, my friends, was never on my "Life's Difficulties" radar screen!!!
If you have read my previous blogs about Monty's heart attacks, you remember that I believe you learn in the light what you will need to live in the dark!! This was pitch black to all of us. I heard my daughter and her children wailing with me on the phone, with such horror and grief and sorrow that it was almost unbearable. I was hurting so deeply for them that I was not even aware of the pain from my surgery just 27 hours before. These grandchildren went from "we are going to go see Mimi and Poppi for a few days" to "we are moving to OK today, pack everything" in a matter of a couple of hours!!
He was a fire-fighter!! You expected that a call could happen someday that he was killed in rescuing someone else from danger, trying to save them from a fire, a burning car, etc. But none of us expected that he would be the cause of such destruction to his own family, and the many concentric circles touched by this precious family.
The questions began.....But, what about that "coming to Jesus" that was so genuine??? What is she to do....what school do we put her children in....should she divorce.....should she separate.....what about this......that.....how did we miss it???.....why??? Watching her gut-wrenching vomiting over and over, not able to sleep, can't eat, crying!!!
And, remember, we are supposed to fly to Jackson Hole for a vacation Aug 15-23!!! How could we possibly leave her and the children?? LORD, You knew this was going to happen!! Are we supposed to cancel........or were You planning for us to have that as a time to get away and pray and get prepared for walking this valley of the shadow of death with our daughter and grandchildren, who are now living with us for the next several months, at least!!?? Show us what we are to do, I prayed. And, I was finding myself coming to the realization that, yes, it was laparoscopic surgery....but it still was surgery!! He did cut into me and take out an organ that had been playing well for the past 61 years!!! For some reason, I thought it was going to be no big deal, which to me meant, I would be normal right away!! Remember, I had not had anything wrong with me ever before!!! I am a little slow!
I must rush in to say here that our three other children and their spouses have been amazingly helpful, prayerful, compassionate, sacrificial in caring for her and her children, making phone calls that had to happen, taking her places she had to go, but dreaded, getting them ready for their new school, getting clothes, loving and serving in every possible way. Not only that........but my friends have brought in food for almost two weeks now!!
So, we did come here to Jackson Hole, one week ago today. God has graced us once again in a needy time in our lives with loving, prayerful friends who are willing to bear another one of our burdens with us. (One year ago today, my mother died while we were up here with them.) We fly from here to Denver tomorrow where I will stay overnight with our other daughter and her family and then drive the van loaded with other needed things from their house, especially Jack, their beloved Rat Terrier, back home in OKC to do life in this new cycle.
I covet your prayers for healing and restoration from the devastating destruction one's choices have done to a precious, unsuspecting family.
As you can see there has been over a month gap in my postings. That is because of various circumstances that have crashed into my life. I am not really sure that the seemingly important things, at the time, in July are now worthy of blog space. So I guess I have decided to eliminate all of those swirling thoughts and go to Aug 6, when I met with a surgeon who confirmed that I needed to have my gall bladder removed from the premises of my body. When I tried to tell him my dilemma... that I was planning to be gone Aug 15-23 to Jackson Hole, WY, and was wondering whether it needed to be done before, or could it wait????.....he offered to go into his office and look into his crystal ball to see if I would experience a sudden burst of pain while in the air and need emergency surgery.......!!!! To that I replied that was exactly what I was paying him the big bucks to do (I have $2500 deductible insurance which I will more than reach in the cost of all of this)!! So after the chuckles died down, I asked him what he was doing on Friday, Aug 8th!!! I suddenly felt compelled that I was to do this immediately. It was not an audible voice from the LORD, but I knew He was leading me to do this right away.
So, it all happened two days later...........At 8:30 a.m.,I entered the out patient surgery center for my first experience of any medical treatment with an anesthesia since I had my tonsils removed when I was 6!! I had not been in a hospital since my last baby was born 33 years ago! And I didn't even have an IV with her then!! And, by 5:00 p.m., I was walking into my house, minus one small body organ. I lay down on the bed and the phone rang!!!
That call led me into the darkest trial of our family's lives thus far. I say that because on my radar screen were only "real life" possibilities: the loss of a parent.....cancer for a family member, or causing the death of a best friend......death of a child.....death of my husband....car wrecks......loss of a grandchild.....financial reversal!! The "normal" tragedies of life, not desirable, but certainly understandable!!! That shock of that phone call had never entered my mind before. It was so upsetting that I called the doctor-on-call for my surgeon, weeping, and asking him if I could fly tonight after just coming home from surgery. I had a daughter who needed me and I wanted to get on a plane then.
Monty said absolutely not... and the next thing I knew, our daughter and her four children had round trip tickets from Denver to OKC, arriving at 11:30 p.m. Saturday (the next night)!!! Within that following 24 hour period of time we had found out that her husband had been living a lie for their whole 11 years of marriage and was not the person he pretended to be. NOT ONE OF US WHO KNEW HIM HAD A CLUE!!!! That, my friends, was never on my "Life's Difficulties" radar screen!!!
If you have read my previous blogs about Monty's heart attacks, you remember that I believe you learn in the light what you will need to live in the dark!! This was pitch black to all of us. I heard my daughter and her children wailing with me on the phone, with such horror and grief and sorrow that it was almost unbearable. I was hurting so deeply for them that I was not even aware of the pain from my surgery just 27 hours before. These grandchildren went from "we are going to go see Mimi and Poppi for a few days" to "we are moving to OK today, pack everything" in a matter of a couple of hours!!
He was a fire-fighter!! You expected that a call could happen someday that he was killed in rescuing someone else from danger, trying to save them from a fire, a burning car, etc. But none of us expected that he would be the cause of such destruction to his own family, and the many concentric circles touched by this precious family.
The questions began.....But, what about that "coming to Jesus" that was so genuine??? What is she to do....what school do we put her children in....should she divorce.....should she separate.....what about this......that.....how did we miss it???.....why??? Watching her gut-wrenching vomiting over and over, not able to sleep, can't eat, crying!!!
And, remember, we are supposed to fly to Jackson Hole for a vacation Aug 15-23!!! How could we possibly leave her and the children?? LORD, You knew this was going to happen!! Are we supposed to cancel........or were You planning for us to have that as a time to get away and pray and get prepared for walking this valley of the shadow of death with our daughter and grandchildren, who are now living with us for the next several months, at least!!?? Show us what we are to do, I prayed. And, I was finding myself coming to the realization that, yes, it was laparoscopic surgery....but it still was surgery!! He did cut into me and take out an organ that had been playing well for the past 61 years!!! For some reason, I thought it was going to be no big deal, which to me meant, I would be normal right away!! Remember, I had not had anything wrong with me ever before!!! I am a little slow!
I must rush in to say here that our three other children and their spouses have been amazingly helpful, prayerful, compassionate, sacrificial in caring for her and her children, making phone calls that had to happen, taking her places she had to go, but dreaded, getting them ready for their new school, getting clothes, loving and serving in every possible way. Not only that........but my friends have brought in food for almost two weeks now!!
So, we did come here to Jackson Hole, one week ago today. God has graced us once again in a needy time in our lives with loving, prayerful friends who are willing to bear another one of our burdens with us. (One year ago today, my mother died while we were up here with them.) We fly from here to Denver tomorrow where I will stay overnight with our other daughter and her family and then drive the van loaded with other needed things from their house, especially Jack, their beloved Rat Terrier, back home in OKC to do life in this new cycle.
I covet your prayers for healing and restoration from the devastating destruction one's choices have done to a precious, unsuspecting family.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
To Exercise or Not To...that is the question???!!!
Do you wonder sometimes if that exercise push is all that it is cracked up to be? I do, now that I am in my sixth decade and things don't move as easily as they used to. And I used to move things a lot when I was younger. I guess I am suspicious of it all now since I am beginning to have things other people have who have never worked out. Not that I felt like I was going to beat all odds and not have physical difficulties at some point in life....but I guess I am just surprised that it is upon me this "young".
I really know I shouldn't complain, as I have been very blessed with excellent health all of these years. And when I went in for an ultrasound this morning on my gall bladder, the technician reminded me of that when she asked me about the last time I was hospitalized. I said it was 33 years ago when my fourth child was born. She was shocked and said that I was definitely the exception. It's just that I am not in the same shape I used to be in and don't have the where-with-all to get it back again.
Walking and doing 450 crunches with my ab bar 3-4 times a week, just doesn't seem to cut it anymore. So, I wonder, do I stay in the battle of buffeting my body, as Paul talks about and listen to his counsel in 1 Tim that bodily exercise profits very little. I thought I was obeying the Word, but I think I have been deceived by those Paul warns us to avoid in Col 2:20-22 "You have died with Christ, and He has set you free from the evil powers of this world. SO why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 'Don't handle, don't ea, don't touch.' Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them."
But verse 23 says...."These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it come to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires."
Well, there it is! I just answered my own questions. I don't exercise to get rid of my evil thoughts and desires...........but I do need to exercise for the purpose of strong devotion, humility and severe bodily discipline. Okay.........so now that I have worked that one out in my mind and heart, I guess I will get on my walking shoes and go for it........and get back into the routine of buffeting my body!!
I really know I shouldn't complain, as I have been very blessed with excellent health all of these years. And when I went in for an ultrasound this morning on my gall bladder, the technician reminded me of that when she asked me about the last time I was hospitalized. I said it was 33 years ago when my fourth child was born. She was shocked and said that I was definitely the exception. It's just that I am not in the same shape I used to be in and don't have the where-with-all to get it back again.
Walking and doing 450 crunches with my ab bar 3-4 times a week, just doesn't seem to cut it anymore. So, I wonder, do I stay in the battle of buffeting my body, as Paul talks about and listen to his counsel in 1 Tim that bodily exercise profits very little. I thought I was obeying the Word, but I think I have been deceived by those Paul warns us to avoid in Col 2:20-22 "You have died with Christ, and He has set you free from the evil powers of this world. SO why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 'Don't handle, don't ea, don't touch.' Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them."
But verse 23 says...."These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it come to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires."
Well, there it is! I just answered my own questions. I don't exercise to get rid of my evil thoughts and desires...........but I do need to exercise for the purpose of strong devotion, humility and severe bodily discipline. Okay.........so now that I have worked that one out in my mind and heart, I guess I will get on my walking shoes and go for it........and get back into the routine of buffeting my body!!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Mimi in Real Life
It seems that "posting time" has taken a back seat for me.........by back seat, I mean in a 15-passenger van!! There could be many reasons for my lack of creativity in expressing what has been transpiring in my tiny world, not the least of which is time management. I manage what little time there is left for me lately with trying to finish a book that has captured my interest more than my desire to post on my blog.
We (Monty and I, known here as Poppi and Mimi) are in Lakewood, CO with four of our grandchildren while their parents are on a much needed vacation in GA with friends on their annual trip to the Chattahoochee River.
Ryan,8(girl), Micah,6 1/2(boy), Addie, 5 next month(girl), and Presley, 3 1/2(girl) are managing my time more this week than I am. It has been a reminder of how much Mamas and Daddys need prayer for the awesome task that is at hand. Shaping the lives of children, which is what goes on in a home whether it is intentional or unintentional, is full time and has tremendous implications. Only God can give the wisdom, strength, endurance, joy and peace that is needed to do this job well.
When I was doing this same job in a full-time capacity many moons ago, I remember thinking (to myself.....I didn't dare say it out loud) that Jesus didn't really know what it was like to be a Mama......you know, tempted in all points like we are!!! But, in His still small voice that I had come to know so well, He reminded me of the 12 "children" He trained, not the least of which was rebellious Judas Iscariot, and the sons of thunder who wrangled about who was the best and should be seated in the best place!!! And those were adults, acting like children!! That had to be really hard!! At least these children are acting their ages.
It really has been a good week for us, aside from the two hottest days of the year without AC in the house!!! SO, we spent the afternoon today in a mall to kill the hottest part of another hot day inside with air-condtioning. Some would say that is demented, taking four children to walk around a mall for three hours, but they don't know us!!! There it was!! Our salvation..... a booth that wanted to take their photo for the bargain price of $20 for an 11x14. They had us when they said they had old-fashioned costumes the children could wear with all of the hats, parasols, caps and bats, necklaces, etc.. You mean they can play "dress-up" and kill some more time in AC? You bet we will spend the $20! Who wouldn't?? (That was a much better deal than the silly Merry-Go-Round there for $8 for a three minute dizzy-maker-ride!!)
Going through the dresses for the girls and the shirts, vests and caps for Micah, and adding all of the accessories made it all worthwhile. And thanks to technology, we were able to see that there was not one good shot of them!!! So we got our money back....sad for them....glad for us!! (Ty and Kaylyn would never have put that 11x14 up in their home, not even in the laundry room in the basement!!!)And we killed enough time to allow us now to head to the "dining in facilities" (also know as the Food Court)for expert mall culinary cuisine!!!
So, now for those of you who have endured this stab at "bringing you into my world", just let me know if you need any other suggestions for perfect grandparenting!!
We (Monty and I, known here as Poppi and Mimi) are in Lakewood, CO with four of our grandchildren while their parents are on a much needed vacation in GA with friends on their annual trip to the Chattahoochee River.
Ryan,8(girl), Micah,6 1/2(boy), Addie, 5 next month(girl), and Presley, 3 1/2(girl) are managing my time more this week than I am. It has been a reminder of how much Mamas and Daddys need prayer for the awesome task that is at hand. Shaping the lives of children, which is what goes on in a home whether it is intentional or unintentional, is full time and has tremendous implications. Only God can give the wisdom, strength, endurance, joy and peace that is needed to do this job well.
When I was doing this same job in a full-time capacity many moons ago, I remember thinking (to myself.....I didn't dare say it out loud) that Jesus didn't really know what it was like to be a Mama......you know, tempted in all points like we are!!! But, in His still small voice that I had come to know so well, He reminded me of the 12 "children" He trained, not the least of which was rebellious Judas Iscariot, and the sons of thunder who wrangled about who was the best and should be seated in the best place!!! And those were adults, acting like children!! That had to be really hard!! At least these children are acting their ages.
It really has been a good week for us, aside from the two hottest days of the year without AC in the house!!! SO, we spent the afternoon today in a mall to kill the hottest part of another hot day inside with air-condtioning. Some would say that is demented, taking four children to walk around a mall for three hours, but they don't know us!!! There it was!! Our salvation..... a booth that wanted to take their photo for the bargain price of $20 for an 11x14. They had us when they said they had old-fashioned costumes the children could wear with all of the hats, parasols, caps and bats, necklaces, etc.. You mean they can play "dress-up" and kill some more time in AC? You bet we will spend the $20! Who wouldn't?? (That was a much better deal than the silly Merry-Go-Round there for $8 for a three minute dizzy-maker-ride!!)
Going through the dresses for the girls and the shirts, vests and caps for Micah, and adding all of the accessories made it all worthwhile. And thanks to technology, we were able to see that there was not one good shot of them!!! So we got our money back....sad for them....glad for us!! (Ty and Kaylyn would never have put that 11x14 up in their home, not even in the laundry room in the basement!!!)And we killed enough time to allow us now to head to the "dining in facilities" (also know as the Food Court)for expert mall culinary cuisine!!!
So, now for those of you who have endured this stab at "bringing you into my world", just let me know if you need any other suggestions for perfect grandparenting!!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Above and Beyond
Thinking back over the past couple of weeks since my last post, so much has happened that I hardly know where to begin on this post. First I think I need to share how the week at Frontier Ranch ended.
On our last day there, after we drove some go carts around a track, Monty mentioned that he wanted to rappel down the mountain that Nick, Rachel and I had done the day before. The one hitch about that idea was the climb up he would have to do in order to rappel down the 125 foot cliff!!! The camp doctor, who was at the track, told me that if he had chest pains and needed nitro, to come back down and not finish the hike. He asked if he had a fear of heights, to which I responded with a grin that he used to be a super-sonic jet pilot!!! No problem with heights!
The short story...........he did it!!! That is how "above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine" God has answered our prayers for him only four months before. He was so thrilled as he, Rachel and I rappelled down together!
The next cool God-thing......at the ledge below was a young man from Central Denver for whom I had been praying all week. He had been in a near fatal accident only 11 months before which left him brain dead for 12 hours, in a coma for 16 days and having to learn to talk, eat, use the bathroom and everything else. And here he was at Frontier Ranch, hearing how God has been extravagantly pursuing him since the day he was born. He said he is not ready to trust the LORD because of what happened to him. And yet he trust a rope and a carabineer on the side of a cliff. I continue to pray for him and thank God that He allowed me the privilege of putting a face with a name. What a blessing that was for me.
That evening in the final club time, they had a "Say So" time where probably a third of those students stood to tell the rest that they had chosen to follow Jesus the rest of their lives. Only the LORD knows what He is going to do in those young people's lives. How blessed we were to be there to see Him at work, transferring students from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His marvelous Light!!!
On our last day there, after we drove some go carts around a track, Monty mentioned that he wanted to rappel down the mountain that Nick, Rachel and I had done the day before. The one hitch about that idea was the climb up he would have to do in order to rappel down the 125 foot cliff!!! The camp doctor, who was at the track, told me that if he had chest pains and needed nitro, to come back down and not finish the hike. He asked if he had a fear of heights, to which I responded with a grin that he used to be a super-sonic jet pilot!!! No problem with heights!
The short story...........he did it!!! That is how "above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine" God has answered our prayers for him only four months before. He was so thrilled as he, Rachel and I rappelled down together!
The next cool God-thing......at the ledge below was a young man from Central Denver for whom I had been praying all week. He had been in a near fatal accident only 11 months before which left him brain dead for 12 hours, in a coma for 16 days and having to learn to talk, eat, use the bathroom and everything else. And here he was at Frontier Ranch, hearing how God has been extravagantly pursuing him since the day he was born. He said he is not ready to trust the LORD because of what happened to him. And yet he trust a rope and a carabineer on the side of a cliff. I continue to pray for him and thank God that He allowed me the privilege of putting a face with a name. What a blessing that was for me.
That evening in the final club time, they had a "Say So" time where probably a third of those students stood to tell the rest that they had chosen to follow Jesus the rest of their lives. Only the LORD knows what He is going to do in those young people's lives. How blessed we were to be there to see Him at work, transferring students from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His marvelous Light!!!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Frontier Ranch
Monty and I are enjoying the majesty of the collegiate peaks of Colorado outside of Buena Vista at the Young Life Frontier Ranch. We came up here with Nick and Rachel (our son-in-love and daughter)as "adult guests" to observe what happens at a Young Life camp for high school students. They are maxed out serving 503 of us this week, which is more than capacity for them. This place is a well-oiled machine where unchurched kids are loved and served to the fullest to show them Jesus and what He can do in their broken lives. They have been doing this here since 1951, with great old photos all over the place to prove it!!
If you are looking for a place to send your student who might not be so sure about Jesus and His pursuit of him/her, OR......if your student already has a walk with Jesus, but just needs to be with other Christian kids in a serve-others-for-Jesus setting, then you probably should go to the Young Life website and peruse to your heart's content. There is work for college-aged or high-schoolers in any number of capacities.
When I was 16 years old, I came to a YL camp up here in at another ranch just down the side of this mountain. It was a great experience for me to see many of my friends come to faith in Jesus because of the way they were loved for a week by these "strangers" who had no reason to serve them like they did. That was a long time ago, and this week has been so nostalgic for me to think back to what I saw happen in kids' lives. And now to be here and to be the one praying for God to work in the 476 students who are campers from Knoxville,TN, Northern CO, MO, TX, and Central Denver as well as some special needs campers in Capernaum . This week, God could change the course of their lives, from brokenness to wholeness in Him.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Greatest lessons I have learned
This title is not an original one; in fact it came from a book by that name that was compiled by Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. I have had that book for several years, but had never read all of the stories in it until recently. On my walks in the neighborhood with Monty, I have been reading these interesting accounts of many people(some well-known in Christian circles and some not so well-known)and their "greatest lesson learned".
"How would you answer that question?" I asked myself!! And I would ask you that, as well. For me, I think I came up with two that have impacted me the most. Without going into the details of "how" I learned the lessons, (as was done in the book)I just want to cut to the chase and say "what" they are.
They both came very close to the same time in my Christian life, several years ago, and have certainly been the most impacting since becoming a follower of Jesus nearly a lifetime ago, it would seem. The first was that "I do not have to live the Christian life!" Christ is the only One Who can and by His amazing grace, He chooses to do that through me by His Spirit. I realized, after years of trying to "do all of the right things as a believer" that God's program is not a "do-it-yourself" or self-improvement course of following all of the rules and regulations of the Law. But, rather it is God Who is at work in me both to will and to do His good pleasure. Phil 2:13.
There are many great writings that explain how that all happens far better than I could in this brief post. And that is true also for the second great lesson I have learned and loved living.
IT is the sovereignty of God. I remember wrestling in my spirit with the LORD about this because my finite mind just could not put it all together. SO, one year when I was choosing my topic for the year in reading through the Bible, I picked "sovereignty" as the doctrine I would look for and mark!!! I was blown away at the end of that year when I went back through the version I used that year and saw how many times I had written "Sov" in the margins. I would say that it was on nearly every page.............at least once!!! I LOVED IT!!! And, I have loved it and lived it ever since.
I am redoing a study I did many years ago by Jerry Bridges, who was with the Navigators Ministry in Colorado for many years, called Trusting God. Both, the book and the study guide, are excellent and I highly recommend them if you are struggling or have struggled with the issue of His sovereignty. Give yourself a treat, and dive into this wonderful doctrine, if you have not done so by now. It is a great place to live and to love........God and others!!!
"How would you answer that question?" I asked myself!! And I would ask you that, as well. For me, I think I came up with two that have impacted me the most. Without going into the details of "how" I learned the lessons, (as was done in the book)I just want to cut to the chase and say "what" they are.
They both came very close to the same time in my Christian life, several years ago, and have certainly been the most impacting since becoming a follower of Jesus nearly a lifetime ago, it would seem. The first was that "I do not have to live the Christian life!" Christ is the only One Who can and by His amazing grace, He chooses to do that through me by His Spirit. I realized, after years of trying to "do all of the right things as a believer" that God's program is not a "do-it-yourself" or self-improvement course of following all of the rules and regulations of the Law. But, rather it is God Who is at work in me both to will and to do His good pleasure. Phil 2:13.
There are many great writings that explain how that all happens far better than I could in this brief post. And that is true also for the second great lesson I have learned and loved living.
IT is the sovereignty of God. I remember wrestling in my spirit with the LORD about this because my finite mind just could not put it all together. SO, one year when I was choosing my topic for the year in reading through the Bible, I picked "sovereignty" as the doctrine I would look for and mark!!! I was blown away at the end of that year when I went back through the version I used that year and saw how many times I had written "Sov" in the margins. I would say that it was on nearly every page.............at least once!!! I LOVED IT!!! And, I have loved it and lived it ever since.
I am redoing a study I did many years ago by Jerry Bridges, who was with the Navigators Ministry in Colorado for many years, called Trusting God. Both, the book and the study guide, are excellent and I highly recommend them if you are struggling or have struggled with the issue of His sovereignty. Give yourself a treat, and dive into this wonderful doctrine, if you have not done so by now. It is a great place to live and to love........God and others!!!
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