The sugar fast is finished. It came to a natural end while visiting our families in South Carolina. I can't say I had a word from the Lord for it to end. I had peace. I am now much more aware of the sugar I consume. I am slowly becoming aware that my diet and exercise habits need an overhaul!
On another "learning about yourself" note, I am reading Preparing For Rain by Michael Catt. The book jacket says, "It is the story of a church that believed God for the impossible." Catt is the pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church, the church that "challenged the Hollywood establishment with the locally produced, nationally syndicated moving Facing the Giants." Half way into the book while learning about the building of the ministry team that accomplished this feat, I saw my own weaknesses. The Holy Spirit put his finger on two heart attitudes that needed confessing. With those heart issues unsettled, I realized Mr. Catt could not have hired me for his ministry team. I am glad for the cleansing. I asked God to prepare me personally for rain. I read on.
Another eye opener from the book was that you need to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is no formula. I acquired the book to see how they did it, i.e. how they made those movies. I was looking for the formula. Mr. Catt made it clear. It is all about getting "alone with God and find out what He has called (p.166)" you to do. He says, "We must be spiritually authentic ..." and "... we're to be original and unique (p. 167)."
There is so much more to the work of that church than just movies. They have a huge sports ministry program, a diligent prayer program, conferences to refresh pastors, and the reclaiming of the arts - the movies. I thought of my two tours with YWAM in Montana then Nashville with worship and dance to today's singing and songwriting in Nashville. Again Mr. Catt offers this direction that comforts me, "The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. Timing is essential for us to see God's blessings. I thought Sherwood was ready to build a new facility in 1992; we didn't build it until 2000. I wanted to change our worship style in 1990; we made gradual changes over a five-year period without a fight or split. We finished filming Facing the Giants in 2004, yet had to wait until 2006 for national distribution. Be patient, wait on the Lord and trust his timing (p. 169)." Running ahead of God. Yes, I have made that mistake before. I don't want to do that again. Wait. Wait. Wait on His timing. I should also trust him for the plan. It may be bigger and broader than I can imagine, like Sherwood.
As I edit this to prepare to hit the publish button, a new thought hit me. These two items are related. God is working on both my physical body and spiritual house. Wow, prepare me for rain!!! To believe you for the impossible!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Learning From Children
It is amazing how much we can learn from children. Our daughter again has shown the way. She "sold" seven soccer balls for the team to take to Africa. However, she was only able to secure six from the church because .... wait for it ..... the children bought all the balls the church had ordered. Yes, they ran out. Don't underestimate them!!!!!
My own daughter astounded me when she was talking with someone she wanted to buy a soccer ball. The lady was not able to afford a ball, but she did not miss a beat and told her about the children also gathering flip flips to send to another African orphanage where one of our pastors is working out an adoption. You could help with that she said. The next time the lady saw her she handed her $5.00 to buy flip flops. To have that focus. To not miss an opportunity. To have no fear. To not stop for Jesus.
We will be buying $20 worth of flip flops to replace that soccer ball. I had not thought of that until typing this example of my nine year old. I suppose God needs more flips flops and less soccer balls now. We are redirected but still in motion. We are not going to stop!
My own daughter astounded me when she was talking with someone she wanted to buy a soccer ball. The lady was not able to afford a ball, but she did not miss a beat and told her about the children also gathering flip flips to send to another African orphanage where one of our pastors is working out an adoption. You could help with that she said. The next time the lady saw her she handed her $5.00 to buy flip flops. To have that focus. To not miss an opportunity. To have no fear. To not stop for Jesus.
We will be buying $20 worth of flip flops to replace that soccer ball. I had not thought of that until typing this example of my nine year old. I suppose God needs more flips flops and less soccer balls now. We are redirected but still in motion. We are not going to stop!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Car on Fire
Remember that post back in February when my daughter raised money to buy soccer balls for our church's missions team going to Kenya, Africa. Her efforts earned her recognition at our church. The children's pastor e-mailed that they were going to introduce a program to the children to "purchase/sponsor" soccer balls for the June trip. In children's church, she wanted her to tell about how she had raised her money and to sign the first ball for the program.
On that Sunday we excitedly headed to church. We saw her center stage telling her story. She wrote on her soccer ball, "Jesus loves you, and He died for you." God had rewarded her efforts, and she was seeing the eternal! We were so happy.
Straightway from church we headed to Wal-Mart to buy a gift card and were on our way to Chuck E. Cheese's for a birthday party. While on the interstate I smelled smoke. We checked all our gauges. All was well. Further down the road we saw the source of the smell ... a car had grey white smoke coming from the back end. We went on by. Something then told my husband to slow down.
Yes, that something was the Holy Spirit. He slowed down preparing to cross the three lanes of traffic to move closer to her. We came up behind her the second time, and I saw fire beneath the undercarriage. Yes, fire. I told Woody, "We have to get her out." He told me later I yelled, "We have to get her out."
He pulled behind her and by the grace of God she pulled over. He told me to call 911. I began dialing. He exited the van calling for her to get out of the car and that it was on fire. She slowly complied. He wrapped his arm around her walking her to our van safely parked a distance away. She stopped. She needed her cane. That fast it was not safe to go back. We waited for the fire truck and watched her car burn.
There is more to the story, but my point here is that we watched our Heavenly Father orchestrate events to save this lady's life. He was working in the physical to save a life. One hour before he had used our daughter's efforts to save a life in the spiritual. Those soccer balls are evangelistic http://www.e3resources.org/ in that they use the five colors of the Wordless Book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wordless_Book tell the story of Christ.
Wow! What a day!! We went on to the party late, smelling like smoke, but humbled to be doubly used by God.
On that Sunday we excitedly headed to church. We saw her center stage telling her story. She wrote on her soccer ball, "Jesus loves you, and He died for you." God had rewarded her efforts, and she was seeing the eternal! We were so happy.
Straightway from church we headed to Wal-Mart to buy a gift card and were on our way to Chuck E. Cheese's for a birthday party. While on the interstate I smelled smoke. We checked all our gauges. All was well. Further down the road we saw the source of the smell ... a car had grey white smoke coming from the back end. We went on by. Something then told my husband to slow down.
Yes, that something was the Holy Spirit. He slowed down preparing to cross the three lanes of traffic to move closer to her. We came up behind her the second time, and I saw fire beneath the undercarriage. Yes, fire. I told Woody, "We have to get her out." He told me later I yelled, "We have to get her out."
He pulled behind her and by the grace of God she pulled over. He told me to call 911. I began dialing. He exited the van calling for her to get out of the car and that it was on fire. She slowly complied. He wrapped his arm around her walking her to our van safely parked a distance away. She stopped. She needed her cane. That fast it was not safe to go back. We waited for the fire truck and watched her car burn.
There is more to the story, but my point here is that we watched our Heavenly Father orchestrate events to save this lady's life. He was working in the physical to save a life. One hour before he had used our daughter's efforts to save a life in the spiritual. Those soccer balls are evangelistic http://www.e3resources.org/ in that they use the five colors of the Wordless Book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wordless_Book tell the story of Christ.
Wow! What a day!! We went on to the party late, smelling like smoke, but humbled to be doubly used by God.
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