Back to the Beginning...a Repeat worth Repeating...and an Update.

Isaiah 43: 18-19 "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Someone once gave me a plaque to put on my wall that said, "When God closes a door, He always opens a window." I kept it on my wall for many years, although it was often moved from one wall to another as we saw one door closed on that particular home and place of employment, and a window opened in a new location. I finally got to the place where I hid that plaque, because it was beginning to feel like we had a perpetual door slamming shut and I got tired of rehanging that plaque on a different wall. However, the truth I need to focus on is the fact that I did have another wall on which to place it...because God had in fact opened another window. In reality, God has always opened another window whenever we heard that proverbial door slam shut on our hopes and dreams. He has never failed to open another window for us, albeit, perhaps not always a window that we had ever thought of before, or even that we would have considered had it not been for God's supernatural guidance and intervention on our behalf.

Lord, right now I am in one of those places between the slammed door and the open window...and I have no clue where or when that window will open. I know I can trust in You, since You have promised in Your word in Isaiah 43:18-19 that You will "do a new thing" (open a window?) and that You will "even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Here I am Lord, ready to travel that road or cross that river, whatever it takes to reach that open window. Thank You for Your message of hope and encouragement today. I can hardly wait to see what window You are going to open next! Amen.

This was my original blog, written way back in February of this year...a bold new step for me....Little did I know on that day just what kind of windows were about to open in my life...at that time I was unemployed and had been for quite a few months.  However, within three weeks of the date of this writing, I was miraculously employed in a position that was better than I could ever have imagined!  God was already working on my behalf even as I sat here at my computer at home wondering what could possibly ever open for me. 

Also, within a week after writing this, I attended a writer's conference, which further encouraged me in my writing pursuits, and now 113 blog entries later, I am enjoying the camaraderie of other bloggers and new writers as we share ideas, prayer requests, and dreams with you and each other.

A not so encouraging event some four or five weeks later, when my 37 year-old son, Matthew, was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive cancer. This has changed the whole focus not only of my writing, but also of our whole attitude towards life and the preciousness of it for all people.  I am thankful to be able to report that Matt is doing better than expected with his chemotherapy, and Lord willing, we are praying for a full recovery within the year. The key to this joyful possibility was early detection, and a lot of prayers going up on his behalf.  Nothing is final yet on his prognosis, but we are very optimistic and full of thankfulness to our God.

It is such a blessing to sit here today at my computer and look back over how God has intervened on our behalf in so many ways over these past months.  And not only that, I am further encouraged by other little signs I see developing on the horizon for other possible outlets for ministry in our future.  I can't wait to see what God is going to do next!!! I hope you'll continue to come along with me on this journey!  Thank you for being here thus far!!

"Back to the Future"?

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

"God knew...amazing the ways He prepares us for our present back when it was still our future." ~ original quote....Pamela M. Steiner, 9/16/2010 in response to a fellow-writer-blogger who is discovering that God is using her previous experiences in mission work to inspire her devotional writings today. (See Marti Pieper at her blog: "Read, Write, Pray" http://blog.martipieper.com/  )

How often have you discovered that the experience gained from your past trials and tribulations, joys and elations, happy times and sad times have popped up in your thoughts, meditations, words of wisdom and advice and reactions today?  Now imagine that if, when you are in the midst of those trials and tribulations, joys and elations, happy times and sad times today, you are actually being prepared for a future event, whether personal or in the life of another loved one or friend, so that you may be better able to encourage, strengthen and give much needed assistance when the time comes. 

I know that those thoughts may be hard to fathom while in the midst of a struggle or heartache, but as many of us have learned through the years, our present situations all have a greater purpose in the whole scheme of life.  When we are able to step outside of our current position and look at the complete bigger picture with the eyes of God's perfect vision...we are often astounded at the beauty and magnificence of the masterpiece He has created.  I have often heard it explained as a tapestry, with all of the fibers of our daily lives, sorrows, mysteries, and joys woven together into one amazing design.  Had we never experienced those things that seemed so difficult at the time, our picture would not be complete...there would be missing threads and gaps that would detract from the overall impact and leave us wondering why it was incomplete. 

So today as we go about our daily routine, if we should happen to come upon a bump in our otherwise smooth road, let us trust God to weave that new piece of thread into our tapestry, and look forward to how beautiful it will appear in the future when we look back upon it.

God bless you and may you have a day of pleasant surprises!

Numbers 9:23a: "At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed..." (KJV)


Have you ever randomly selected a verse of Scripture and it just leapt out at you in such a way that you knew God was talking to you? I don't recommend that type of Bible reading or study as a general practice, but sometimes I do believe that God uses our random meanderings through His Word to get our attention and give us an important message. Numbers 9:23a was one of those verses God used to prepare me for His will.

Quite a few years ago now, due to circumstances beyond our control (and yet still in God's control), we had taken a step of faith and moved to a location that we dearly loved. Our prior ministry had come to a standstill, and no other doors were opened unto us. We had to make a move somewhere, so we chose to go to a small town where our older sons were attending a Christian college, and where we hoped we would find work at that college. We settled into a nice rented home and the Lord provided secular jobs in the community that would provide the basics until something better developed for us. We were determined to stay there until we got what we wanted--no matter how difficult it would be in the interim working at jobs that were totally out of our field of calling. Our whole family was together; we loved our new town and were starting to make friends. After all, we were living in the town we had dreamed of living and working in for many years. It was like a dream come true.


I had placed a little box of scripture verse cards on the windowsill above my kitchen sink, and each day I would pull out a new card with a verse for the day to read and learn. On this particular day, Numbers 9:23 happened to be the chosen verse. As I read the words I almost dropped the little card like it had burned my fingers, so shocked was I at the message...."At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed...". I immediately stuffed that card right back in the box and refused to look at it again! Deep within the message struck home...we were not going to be able to stay where we were...we were "resting in the tents" away from the ministry...but the time to "journey" again was coming soon. I didn't even tell my husband. God would tell him soon enough. Sure enough, within two or three days we received a call from a District Superintendent in a far away district asking if we were still willing to candidate for a church position. Even though we had just moved less than a month before, we knew we had to say yes. It seems as though this particular church had been trying to locate us for several weeks, and even the knowledge that we had just made a major move farther away did not swerve them from their desire to meet us. To make a long story short, in just two short months from the time we had moved away from the ministry, God had moved us right back into it.

Perhaps you have also gone through periods of "resting in the tents", and maybe right now you're wondering if God will ever again give you the command to journey. One thing I have learned through this experience is that God does not lose track of His children, no matter where they may be resting or journeying. The fact that the Israelites rested in the tents at the commandment of the Lord tells me that God designs those times of rest for a purpose, to better prepare us for the journey ahead, to help us recuperate from the journey left behind, and to give us a time of respite so that we can reflect on His purpose and direction for our lives. Sometimes we need to experience "the real world" for a season to be better servants in His kingdom here on earth. Oftentimes our periods of resting come to us through circumstances that we did not initiate or anticipate...health problems, accidents, incidents of conflict within our jobs or homes, or even an educational sabbatical. We may not always be able to explain to our friends, family, or colleagues just why we need to "rest" or "journey". It was comforting to me to find this verse that explains that it is at the commandment of the Lord that we rest or journey. No matter what the earthly circumstances may be that lead us to make those decisions or have those decisions made for us, it is always at the "commandment of the Lord" that we servants of God make any move to rest or to journey. Thank you, Lord, for your sovereignty in my life.

Have you had any such times of "resting in the tents"...times for which you had no obvious explanation other than it appeared to be your only choice?  Have you looked back upon that time that was in the past, and now realize that it was God's way of preparing you for your present situation...whether it was so you could rest up for the journey ahead...or recuperate from the journey left behind...it was all a part of His plan and design for your life?  Either way...stop and take stock of your circumstances, whether good or bad, pleasant or sad...and consider what God may be doing to help you in your walk with Him through these "detours" in your life. Give thanks...and look ahead...the sun may be rising on a new horizon for you. God bless you and have a great journey!

Who's Holding YOU?

Deuteronomy 33:27:  "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms..."

Safe in His Arms

Psalm 119:117 ~ "Hold me up, and I shall be safe..."

Psalm 119:114 ~ "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." 

Mark 10:14-16 ~ "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  "And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them."


It seems as though the news these days just keeps getting more and more frightening and discouraging...whether it be the state of the world at war, or the state of the economy, the political turmoil in our country, the unemployment rate...wherever we turn, the news is not good.  If we are not strongly grounded in our faith and our personal convictions, we can be tossed to and fro in an angry sea of anxiety, fear and doubt.  We find ourselves surfing the news channels in hopes of finding some good news for a change, and once in a while we may happen upon a good human interest story or some other positive words of encouragement...but not too often.  After a while we begin to wonder why our bodies are feeling so tense and stiff, and why our hearts are pounding and we can't seem to stand in one place for long because we are so filled with dread.  Suddenly we begin to realize that we are allowing the world to hold us hostage to fear and hopelessness, and we have to do something to stem the tide of negative emotions.

God said in the book of Isaiah:51:12-13; 15-16

"I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass? And you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he has prepared to destroy.  And where is the fury of the oppressor?"  "But I am the Lord your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared~The Lord of hosts is His name.  And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, 'You are My people.'"

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills~from whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul. 

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore."

Psalm 121

Amen.

What more can I say?

Perfect Rest.

 Thank you, Jesus.

Who's A Nag?

Proverbs 21:9: "It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman."


Proverbs 21:19: "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman."

Proverbs 19:13b: "And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping."

Need I say more? Old King Solomon "had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart." (I Kings 11:3) So if any man knew about contentious wives and women...I imagine he did! These proverbs that he wrote make me wonder if, with all of his wealth, "wisdom", and wives, he would rather have lived out in the wilderness with the wild animals than in his palace!

Sometimes I've been accused of being a "nag"...especially when company's coming and the house is a mess...and everyone turns a deaf ear to my pleas to help clean up!  It would seem to me that most every woman is accused of nagging from time to time. But is nagging really the same as being contentious? Contentious means "quarrelsome" according to Webster's Dictionary. Some nagging does become quarrelsome, and if it is constant, it could be considered contentious. I like Proverbs 19:13b that says that the "contentions of a wife are a continual dripping." You know, like a leaky faucet? Who doesn't hate that?

How can I avoid becoming a contentious, nagging wife? I mean, aren't some of my contentions justified... afterall, if he would just do what I need him to do, when I need him to do it, the way I want him to do it in the first place...I wouldn't need to nag him. (Isn't that right, ladies?)

In matters of true need and not just "wishful thinking", perhaps it would be better to let your requests be made known to God first, and then as He directs you, share your thoughts with your husband.  "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5) Then together you should discuss and pray about the best direction you should take to solve the problem.

However, if your request happens to turn into an argument or heated debate, remember this advice:

"Be angry, and do not sin": "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27).

In plain English, Don't go to bed mad! Settle your differences before you touch your head to the pillow at night. Don't let Satan get a foothold in your marriage. Once he finds that weak spot, he loves to keep rubbing it in! So don't give him a chance.

Lord, help me to not be like that leaky faucet...that irritating constant dripping. Help me to bring my requests to You first, and seek wisdom from You as to what the next step should be. I know You will lead me in the right direction always. Thank you for this timely advice. Amen.

Some Thoughts for The "Preacher's Wife" ...and those who care about her...

Proverbs 12:4: "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones."

First of all, I am speaking today from the position of a woman whose husband was formerly a pastor...we are not currently pastoring a church...but my years of experience in this position uniquely qualify me to write this particular blog.  However, the thoughts shared here could also apply to any couple, whether in the ministry or not.


Throughout the years I'm certain we've all seen examples of pastors who had to leave the ministry because of their own mistakes or personal issues. However, perhaps less often,  pastors  have had to leave the ministry due to the indiscretions or behavior of their wives. Maybe it's not even a great big immoral sin...but just a case of a wife who couldn't make it in the "fishbowl" kind of world where ministers and their families have to live. Perhaps her attitude changed over the years...maybe she became unreasonably selfish with her husband's time and placed impossible demands on him.  She may have refused to participate in the activities of the church because she didn't like the people or the community, or some other facet of the ministry. Possibly she just plain rebelled against the restrictions placed on her "freedom to be me" philosophy of life. It might be that she could no longer submit herself to the authority of her husband, and ultimately, to God.


Please don't misunderstand me. I am not standing in judgment of any pastor's wife who couldn't take the stress of the ministry. I know what that's like. I've been there too. Let's face it, next to being the "First Lady" of the United States or other public figure, I know of no more difficult position for a woman than to be a minister's wife! But that's not to say it is an IMPOSSIBLE position! For we know that "with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26b.)



What I'm talking about is guarding our hearts against developing attitudes of rebellion and unwillingness to serve. It's so easy to fall into that trap. We are only human, after all. And our feelings get hurt, we get tired of all the meetings and "command performances", we get physically ill and have a difficult time recovering because we've just had enough. There were many times when I  found that happening inside of me, and I knew it was time to withdraw awhile from the "maddening crowd" and get alone with God. Even Jesus had to withdraw from the multitudes and pull away to pray and talk to His Father and find some time to rest. If we are to guard ourselves (and our husbands) from getting "burned out", we must take the time to get away periodically and just do nothing but whatever we find restful and relaxing. We need to have peace and serenity...away from the cell phone, computer, television, and hectic pace.


Maybe that can be accomplished by just taking a nice long country ride...we always try to do that at least once a week. We find that it is easier to communicate while driving along a country road away from everything as opposed to sitting across the table from each other in a noisy restaurant. (But we do enjoy going out to eat also...wifey's night out away from the kitchen).  We also try to have quiet times alone as well. My husband seems to sense when I really need to curl up in a chair by the fire (when we had a fireplace) and read a good book...or take a nap. He may even bring me a cup of hot tea to make the setting complete. The whole idea here is this: take time out to rest, recuperate, and "recreate" whenever possible...and make a point to make it possible. If more pastors and their wives would schedule in some quiet time into their busy schedules, there would be less opportunity or reason for any wife to become a shame to her husband (and vice versa). She would stand a better chance of being that "crown" of her husband instead.

So: Maybe you aren't a "Preacher's Wife", but I'll bet you know one or two.  Perhaps you could also help "lighten" her load by offering to do something special for her...babysit so she can get away for a day with her husband, or invite her out to  lunch with the girls...or a fun shopping day.  Surprise her with a gift card to her favorite tea room or bookstore. Take her a pot of mums to plant for fall...or a basket of fresh apples from the orchard if you happen to live near one. Be creative...think about the fact that oftentimes your pastor's wife may be lonely...even though she is always surrounded by people. Be a true friend to her...don't assume she "has it all together" just because she's a pastor's wife.  But whatever you do, allow her to be herself...and hold her confidence no matter what.  From one who knows...becoming a true friend is one of the most rare and treasured gifts you could ever give her. Think about that...and hug your Pastor's Wife the next time you see her. You'll be blessed for blessing her...I guarantee it! Oh, and one more thing: Pray for your pastor's wife daily!  You do not know what burdens she may be carrying on her heart that she cannot share with you or others. If you don't do anything else, please pray for her!

(I wrote this prayer a long time ago, while still serving in the ministry, but it still fits today:) Thank you, Lord, for these thoughts today. I've just come through another very hectic week of work and extra stress from outside pressures. Help me, Lord, to have the strength to keep going, and the time to stop and rest before I get too far-gone. I am reminded of your words in Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For, My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

  Therefore, I come to you now, Lord. Thank you for bearing my burdens, and helping me to rest in You. Forgive me when my attitude shows the signs of strain...help me to keep my heart tuned into You. Amen.

As an addendum to this blog, The Pastor's Wives I've had the privilege to know have all been super wonderful Christian women. They have shown the love and compassion of Christ to others in their daily walk, and have given the love and support to their husbands that is so greatly needed. They have set a tremendous example before me and others of the kind of woman we all ought to strive to be, whether in the ministry or out. Thank you, dear pastor's wives!!

Friends are friends forever...

Proverbs 17:17  "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

So, today I discovered that I had been "de-friended" on Facebook.  I wondered why I had not heard from or seen any messages from a certain "friend" for a while...so I checked my "friend" list, and discovered that she was no longer there.  I know I didn't remove her from my friend list, so she had to have removed herself.  I checked a couple of our other "mutual friends", and she was still on their friend lists, so I then realized that this was a deliberate action on her part.

Wow! I must say I was at first a bit perturbed by this discovery. I mean, for quite a few months I had attempted to be as real of a friend as one can be on Facebook...even though we had never actually met face to face.  We became acquainted through one of our mutual friends, and although we didn't have a lot of things in common, I truly believed that there was a real purpose for our becoming friends.  Actually, to be quite honest, one could say that we both came from opposite sides of the Universe as far as what we believed, both religiously and politically, and what values we held as precious. In many ways we were extreme opposites, and we often found ourselves in the middle of a great debate about our individual stands. After going back and forth expressing our opinions, quoting scriptures, deciphering truth vs. fiction, we would then bring our "discussion" to a halt with an agreement to "disagree".  Even though I would become frustrated and somewhat disturbed by our differences, I actually appreciated the opportunity to stretch my own knowledge, take a look at the other side, and dig deeper for the truth.  It was a healthy exercise that kept me on my toes, and I was learning in the process.


I guess I need to just chalk this one up to inexperience in the art of relating to someone so obviously different than myself.  But I can't shake the feeling that our paths didn't cross by some cyber-space accident.  There was a Divine pilot steering our vessels into each others' worlds, even if for only a millisecond of eternity.  I don't believe in "coincidences"...they are ALL Divine appointments.  Both individuals do not have to agree on this point for it to be true, and I know my "friend" did NOT agree that this could be possible. (She was very emphatic about that!)

So, I pray that somehow, someway, in HIS TIME, our "friendship" will resume.  If not in this world, then maybe, by some stroke of God's paintbrush, it will be in the world to come.

"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible.'"  Matthew 19:26

What a Beautiful Way to Start the Day

 I just finished reading one of my blogger friend's blog from yesterday about praying with her spouse...here is the link so you can read it for yourself:  http://blog.martipieper.com/2010/08/pray-love-honor-and-pray.html%20

What a beautiful story...and I know it works. One thing I would add to Marti's thoughts about praying with her husband is that we,(my husband and I) always start our morning with our Bible and devotional reading together...this is with our morning coffee (his) and tea (mine). Starting the day with God's Word, prayer and sharing of thoughts and ideas is such a wonderful way to start the day, no matter what else is going on. Ending the day with prayer and "I love you" makes whatever happened during the day not as significant as the fact that we are together, We three are one...God, husband, and me. What could be better than that?

It is interesting that God led me to this today, as just last night when I was falling asleep, I was snuggled up against my husband's shoulder (armpit...doesn't sound as romantic, but technically that's where I was) and I had such an overwhelming sense of peace, calm, and comfort.  I thought to myself, this is what it will be like to rest in the arms of Jesus someday, perfectly at peace, assured of His Divine love, forgiveness and blessing...safe in the arms of Jesus.  But then, I had to stop and realize, "hey, I'm already there!"  Safe in the arms of Christ, perfectly at peace, assured of His Divine love, forgiven and blessed!  I don't have to wait for eternity to experience God's love and grace and peace...it happens right here and now...when I allow myself the  privilege of believing and accepting that forgiveness and peace.  It is a free gift, mine for the taking, anytime, anywhere, no matter what.

 Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

I love what Paul wrote further in this letter to the church at Ephesus:

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man (woman), that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."   Ephesians 3:14-19

Oh sisters and brothers...it is my prayer today that you may also know this peace that comes from knowing Christ...that you may also experience the width, length, depth and height...and to know the love of Christ which passes ALL knowledge...and that YOU may be filled with all the fullness of God.   Amen.

Could there be any better way to start your day?

Getting Fit? What's the Motive??

Proverbs 31:30: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

Today it seems as though there is so much emphasis in the world on beauty and keeping "fit and trim" (isn't that a dog food?) that I sometimes want to rebel when I hear of women going to the "Gym" and aerobics classes. I think I've already shown my rebellion by just letting myself go...I've proven my point...all that fitness jazz just isn't for me! I once had a friend who invited me to visit her health spa with her for a morning workout. I came well prepared...jogging pants and a sweatshirt, and lots of extra weight to lose. We tried out the different exercise machines, and when she saw that I couldn't even stay on the bicycle, let alone get it up to any speed, she suggested we just walk around the jogging trail. That suited me just fine! Funny, I've never heard from that "friend" since that day! I guess she found someone more her "speed".

Well, is it really a sin to try and be beautiful and charming? I guess that depends on your motive. I think a lot of us would do well to try and be a little more beautiful, charming and fit. What woman doesn't feel better about herself and her position in life when she's just had her hair done or when she has a great new outfit that she feels good in and knows it looks good on her? Sometimes even the simplest additions to our wardrobe can make a big difference in how we view the whole wardrobe. I remember one time we were invited to a 50th anniversary party at a lovely hotel restaurant for some relatives. There were many people invited that I didn't know, and as this was my husband's side of the family, I wanted to make a good impression. I didn't have an appropriate outfit for such an occasion, and we couldn't afford to buy one either. So in looking over my existing wardrobe I decided that a black skirt with a dressy blouse and accessories would be appropriate. However, my black skirt really needed a belt to finish it off properly. So I went to a local discount department store and found two great belts for a very low price...one was black velvet, and the other a beautiful tapestry with black trim. I decided on the black velvet for the dressy evening affair, but the tapestry belt made another whole outfit for church or other special events! So there were two new outfits for the price of two inexpensive belts at a discount store!

Back to the issue at hand...what was the motive? Well maybe it was vanity...I admit it...but at least I was "frugal and intelligent" (my opinion, ha!) in solving the problem! And because I felt comfortable about the way I looked, and that my clothes were appropriate for the situation, I was more at ease and able to forget about myself for the evening and enjoy the party.

The proverb says that "a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Perhaps what this is teaching us is that our goal in life should be to know and reverence (fear) the Lord, and not to desire to be noticed and admired by the eyes of the world. A woman who truly loves and knows the Lord will show it in all her ways. She will be charming and beautiful, but her charm will be the attractiveness of Christ glowing out from her, and her beauty will come from deep within her soul. Everything she touches will have a certain radiance of Christ. I've known sincere women of God who, although their physical features were plain, they were the most beautiful women I'd ever known. When we truly know Him in our hearts, all the other areas of our lives fall into the right perspective.

We don't have to be constantly "working out" to get fit, or filling our closets full of useless dresses to make us look beautiful. Certainly we will take proper care of our bodies, "the Temple of the Holy Spirit", because we are not our own since we were bought at a price (I Corinthians 6:19-20) and therefore we should "glorify God in [our bodies] and in our spirits], which are God's." Rather we should spend more time in getting our souls and minds "fit" for the Master's use, and He'll show us how to take care of the rest.

Lord, please help me to remember that You desire my beauty to come from knowing You, and not from a cosmetic or the latest hairstyle or fitness regime. I am reminded in Matthew 6:30-34 that if I will seek first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness, all these things shall be added unto me. You tell us in Your Word not to worry about tomorrow or about what we should eat, drink, or wear, because since you take care of the grass and lilies of the field, You will surely clothe us as well. Thank You, Lord, for this timely reminder. Amen.

Ok, friends, Please don't think that this was just a cop-out for not keeping myself in "shape". I truly desire to be in the best physical condition possible for my age and stage in life...and I do try to eat right, get enough exercise and fresh air, etc. It's all about keeping things in proper perspective and order in our lives...setting priorities and not letting any activity get out of control or placing us in an unbalanced position. The proper order should be:

1. My relationship with God: which includes: spiritual, emotional, and physical attitudes and concerns
2. My relationship with my husband and family
3. My relationship with my church, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others
4. Everything else

If I maintain this order...I should be in good shape!!!

The Poor You Have With You Always...

Proverbs 31:20: "She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy."

I am currently working in an old established historic church in an old established historic downtown neighborhood. Due to the current difficult economic climate in our country, our church is in a prime location for the transient, homeless and hopeless people to come searching for some kind of help.  We have so many hurting people stopping by on a regular basis that we had to limit our times of giving out assistance to one day a week.  This really hurts...the needy can't limit their times of need to one day and one hour a week.  We are having to turn people away every day because we just can't keep up with the constant flow. Our resources are being stretched to the limit and even our own church people are finding it difficult to make ends meet.  We refer people to all of the usual charitable organizations in the community that are established for that purpose, but we have discovered that the charitable organizations are sending many of these people to us in the first place because of their own lack of resources. It is a heartbreaking situation that is being played out in churches and communities all across the country.

I must admit that this is an area where I personally have a lot of difficulty. Oh, I've given a fair share to the needy, you know like old clothes to the Salvation Army and other such organizations, and food for the food pantry at church to be distributed to the needy or gifts for baskets at Christmas or Thanksgiving. But I feel like this just isn't enough anymore.  What else should I do?

God has called some people to become very involved in "rescue" type ministries in our urban areas. He has called others to foreign places where the gospel has never been heard. He has called some to difficult ministries in large suburban churches where the needs are of a different kind, but still important. Who's to say that one kind of ministry is more important or needful than others? Isn't that why God gave diversities of gifts to men and women in the body of Christ? I Corinthians chapter 12 is very comforting and helpful in understanding that God did not intend for all of us to do the exact same things in serving Him. Furthermore,
I Corinthians 13:3 says that "though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." In verse 13 we are reminded that "now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love."

So I must conclude that the most important thing for me to do is show God's LOVE to those that He brings into my path. Whether they are rich or poor, sick or well, good or bad. All are equally important to God. If the needy are around us, we must reach out to them with love. However, we must also identify who the needy are in our personal sphere of influence. It may be the wealthy lady next door, or the bag lady on the street. It may be the teenage friend of your own child who comes from a broken home. It may be a lonely widow or the unsaved neighbor dying of cancer. It may be a friend on Facebook whom you've never personally met who has burdens she/he is afraid to talk about, but who always seems to be right there searching for hope and answers.

Yes, the needy are everywhere, in every neighborhood, in every church, and possibly right under our noses.

Help me, Lord, to identify the ones You've placed in my path that I may be able to help. Keep my eyes open, my ears attentive, and my heart softened to their pleas. Give me discernment to know when and how to act to show them Your love. Help me to always point others to You, and not to seek praise for myself. Enable me to screen out the voices of the world and tune in to Your voice only. Thank you, Lord, for teaching me Your way of love. Amen.

Perhaps you could share some of your ideas for helping others during these difficult times.  What does your church do to meet the needs of the needy in your community? How can others become involved?  Maybe this has gotten you thinking about ways you could help as well.  I know my mind is working on this, and my heart is praying about it.  I just pray that God won't let go of me until I do something about it.