What are You Teaching?

I know my blog posts have been sporadic and for that I apologize but a filtering out or focus is developing and it just takes time. So you know what to expect I intend to blog 2-3 times weekly with the exception of special events.  You can expect a few more posts in the next few weeks due to some wonderful time at conferences which will no doubt be full of life to share.  That said, I do have a few thoughts for you to consider today.

My husband and I will be teaching at each of these conferences. It's a very humbling, weighty, exciting thing to do. Daring to believe that God uses all of us and that that includes us. Crazy! But it occurred to me yesterday while walking that we tend to look at this as a really special "event" in our lives. A focused time to share Christ with others.  I've asked others to pray for us specifically in regard to our preparation and obedience to God's will for this time. But the truth is we are all ministering every single day. Much more is "caught than taught."  Wayne Grudon, noted Bible theologian says, "The more we come to know a person and the more we see in that person a pattern of life that warrants trust, the more we find ourselves able to place trust in that person to do what he or she promises, or to act in ways that we can rely on." That along with much of scripture convinces me that it is not so much in the "special events" but in the day to day of our lives that really influences those around us.

Are you aware that you are "teaching" or "preaching" each and every day?  If you think of us we still would really appreciate your prayers as we really do want to do this "right." However, include yourself in your prayer. YOU have a ministry happening all around you.

Thankful for a first!

So my friend J is thankful for a new experience in her life, a short term mission trip to Mexico. See what she has to say.

I went on a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico in October , 2010 with a group from church. I had no idea what to expect . . . but was looking forward to what God was going to do there with us!!! We took children from a very small orphanage to a local zoo. The language barrier made things interesting as I know very little Spanish!! But love knows no  language barriers . .  we got to love on them, buy them treats and watch their faces light up!! They REALLY touched my heart!!! They just soaked up the hugs you gave them!!! I saw where they lived with so little . . .  yet they were so happy!!!  I realized how materialistic we are!! Their meals were NOTHING like the meals I served  the children in my daycare!!! The one day we were there, it was 10:30 and they hadn't had breakfast yet!! But every little face greeted us with a smile!!

    On a very rainy day, we went to visit and share at a tiny church. The path (not road or street!!) to the church was very muddy and rough. The church was no bigger than maybe 15 ft wide by 23 ft long, seating was old movie theatre seats bolted down, no doors on doorways, "window" boarded over and lighting consisted of 4 hanging light bulbs!!!!

The pastor was embarrassed at the small crowd ( 7 people other than our group of 11!) due to heavy rains that day . ..  most of his parishoners walked .  . they had no vehicles!! Our pastor preached that night - most of them came  forward for prayer. One gentlemen there, who spoke good English, told us he slept in the front of the church at night - his bed, a mattress behind the chairs!! He was so  happy to know that Christ was his savior!!! The praise band - a gentlemen playing an old, cracked guitar that was out of tune and missing strings!! He played that guitar like it was a fine instrument - especially when Pastor was praying over him . . . he all of a sudden started to play his guitar with an unequalled passion for God!!! The Holy Spirit was definitely in that building . .despite the fact that  it didn't look even remotely like a church from the outside!!!  I had the opportunity to pray with parishioners there  that night. God got me outside of my comfort zone!!! We didn't understand each other at all  .  . . . but one couldn't help but feel the zeal each one had for worshipping God!!!

     I came to truly love the Mexican people!!! You saw where they lived, how little they had and yet they welcomed  us Americans with open arms and wanted us to pray for them. It was good to be immersed in their culture .. to see who the Mexican people truly are .. . especially when you usually hear only negative stereotypical labels for them in America! We had a common bond - we had the same God!! We had the same desire to worship God and to know God better. This was just the first few days of an awesome, eye opening and life changing visit with the people of Tijuana.

Sharing the Moments

As you have already noticed I've missed a few days again. It wasn't intentional this time. I've started a 1/2 time job to help us continue in ministry and we're still working the "kinks" out of the schedule.  I just want to say that my current "moment" of recognizing God is how peace-filled I am in amongst the change. It is a great encouragement to me to think I've learned a little something in my lifetime and that I know God is with me.

Anyway, I'd like to start sharing the great thoughts of my friends. We are attempting to give God glory by thanking Him for the "moments" in our lives. Also, we are trying to challenge you to recognize the moments realizing God is with us in every one of them.  Like this one:

"For me it was the many times that I listened to my dad share the Lord Jesus with people, as a small child I was on his lap as he was giving the gospel to someone. As a teen I would be like "Oh dad come on lets go, it is time to leave!" LOL ...:) But when I became an adult I realized that I was learning from him all this time how to share with people the saving knowledge of Jesus!! Those lessons were priceless, but at the time I didn't even realize it!! God is good, He always supplies for us in life what we need, even when we are not aware of it!!"

 

I grew up with this gal and witnessed these conversations. God uses all those around us to teach us, whether we realize it or not. Let's realize it! Thank you God!

I'm still asking, what do you do with what you know?

So what do you do with what you know? My observation is that a lot of us just keep collecting knowledge and/or waiting for _______(you fill in the blank) to happen and then I'll __________.(again, you fill in the blank)  If you don't believe that, look around your home. I bet you are like me and you'll see several projects that aren't done, some not even started. Why? Because you are waiting for something. Is that really how you want to live?

I've had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Phil Vischer's family a bit. The following is a quote from his web site. www.philvischer.com

"This morning in my devotions I was rereading the notes I had taken from Henry Blackaby's study on the book of Samuel, and I came across this quote from Mr. Blackaby:

"To tell the people that He is with us in all of His power when there is no evidence of it in our lives is a betrayal to God's people."

This convicted me when I first read it 7 years ago, and it convicted me again this morning.  It's so easy for us as leaders to stand up in front and proclaim God's awesome power.  They hear it in our messages and our praise choruses.  But do they see it in our lives?  I mean, really?  Is God's power visible in our lives?  Or is it just lip service?

But… this will only reach its potential if God shows up in it.  If His power is manifest in this work, and, more importantly, in my life.  Am I just giving God lip service?  Just repeating things I've heard in a million praise choruses?  Or am I bearing witness to a God who has made Himself present in my life?  Am I focusing on the work, or on God?
How about you guys?  The world doesn't need to see how clever we are.  The world needs to see the manifest presence of God in our lives.  The power of God.  On the canvas of humanity. (emphasis mine) It doesn't matter what comes out of my mouth, if it isn't coming out in my life.
Thanks for the reminder, Henry."

Besides the fact that he is reviewing notes from Henry Blackaby one of my favorite author/teachers, he is asking the same question I am asking. Do you know God? If you do, how does that relationship make a difference in your life, your daily life? What do others see?

P.S. Check out Phil's web site and see his newest project "What's In the Bible"DVD's.

The Makings of a Hero

So as I continue to learn from meeting my new "heroes" I continue to realize their conviction is what makes them stand out.  I've just met 9 people who truly believe and live out 24/7 their belief that "one died for all...that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Cor. 5:14 and 15.

Carrie told her story of being a missionary in Iraq along with 4 others, one of them being her husband. She describes a great day of making a new contact with group of people who had a very unreliable small water supply. Her husband and their friends provided ways to improve the water supply. That is how they ministered to the physical needs of these people. After a great meeting on the way home their vehicle was suddenly overtaken by terrorists with automatic weapons. To make a long story short 3 of her friends were killed right there. Her husband died the next day. She tells of brave Iraqi men who came to the rescue of her husband and herself at great danger to themselves. Standing there after many surgeries, a month in the hospital and many, many months of rehabilitation she states, "the only difference between those Iraqi terrorists and me, is Jesus."  See?  She believes Christ died for ALL. That He loves us first. His love is not based on us. It's based on Him. He is love.

When I stop and really think about that, it changes everything. It changes me. What do you think?

Right where you're at!

Have you ever thought about how many occupations there are in the world? Your interest in your vocation is not born of your own making. So many workplace believers and even pastors have made the mistake of encouraging us who have a deep desire to walk with Christ in the workplace to pursue vocational ministry. To remove us from the workplace where the greatest harvest is yet to occur would be to remove us from where God called us. We can share Christ right where we are at!

We continue to get to travel around the Midwest, primarily Iowa, meeting new people nearly everywhere we go. This weekend we spent 24 hours with a school custodian, housewife, farmer, mom, universal worker (yep, that was really her title) and a funeral director. They are all passionate people about people. Laughter came easy in this group and there were even a few tears here and there. We spent our time learning ways to reach out to couple, with the goal of strengthening relationships. These people are working in the field of their home town. They are caring for the people around them on a day to day basis. They told stories of phone calls and break talks at work where their neighbors and co-workers are reaching out to them for help and encouragement. That tells me that they are living, representing the love of Christ well in their community.
Another small town we have visited started a Saturday night, free get-together in a community center in their downtown. They just want to provide a safe, fun place to be on Saturday nights. The last time we were there, there were about 70 people of all ages there. Again, they just want to "do life" in their home town, reaching out to all those around them.
My daughter called last week. A friend at work had a sudden, really tough situation come up and money was really tight. She called a few friends (who didn't even know this person) and they got some money together to help her out.

I am encouraged and challenged to look around my neighborhood to see how I can become more involved with those that live near me. What's going on in your neighborhood? Share your story and encourage the rest of us!