Shovels, Love, and Hot Cocoa

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

I John 4:18 NKJV

Yesterday I watched my sons, ages 5 and 7, shovel the snow.  They were so excited to get out there, shovel in hand, helping and making the way clear.  As I stood and watched them, I was filled with love and thankfulness for my little men, growing up so big and strong, physically and spiritually. 



They weren't perfect in their shoveling.  But, they would try to improve their methods if a lift or push didn't do what they wanted it to do.  Of course the bigger boy got more done, but the younger did his best.  I love them the same and didn't compare them.



It was a moment of love, not fear.  And it made me think of God's love for us.  He looks at us in love.  He is not wagging His finger in disgust, micromanaging our lives.  He allows us to make mistakes.  He forgives.  He doesn't compare us with each other.  He gives us the "thumbs up" as we walk along the path of life with Him.



When the boys saw me watching, smiling from the window (between stretches, lunges, and squats - gotta get exercise in sometime!), they worked harder, happier, and pretty much "went to town," clearing the entire driveway, sidewalk, and steps.



Knowing that God is watching me with love removes my fear.  He is with me.  He is cheering me on.  He is providing everything I need to accomplish His will.  He appreciates it when I do the laundry and dishes for His glory.  And He has a reward waiting for me ...



Aches, pains, cold.  After putting in several minutes of hard work, my boys came into our warm home, happy to find hot cocoa and a loving, thankful Mama.  Someday, I am going to go home, too.  And I want to hear my Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  Maybe He will even have hot cocoa for us to share together.

In Her Shoes - Missionary to Japan

This month we get to hear from Susan in Japan.  I am so thankful for her willingness to share from her experience on God's mission, here in the States and in Asia.  Thank you, Susan, for your testimony!

 

"Missionary wives are not so different from any other Christian wife. The only difference I can tell is location. Our lives are maybe more upside down at times than the average American's, but when it comes down to it, we are simply women who desire to glorify God and serve Him, just like you.

Here are a few observations I've made after being a missionary or appointee for fourteen years.

Ways You Can Be Involved

 

First of all, we love hearing from our supporting churches.  Unless someone takes the initiative to do the telling, we rarely hear any church news. Occasionally a pastor writes quarterly updates, but many times, we are out of the loop for years at a time. We like to know what's going on in your church (ministry opportunities, upcoming events, etc.), including pressing prayer requests. Sometimes we don't know a new pastor has been called until long after the event. If church email addresses change, it is very helpful for us to know that, too.

Missionaries need your prayers. And one of the most encouraging things to a missionary is to hear that you are praying. Sometimes we wonder if we are “out of sight, out of mind.” When you write or email to tell us of your prayers, we feel fortified.

If you are a member of a supporting church, develop strong relationships among fellow church members. You might wonder how that helps a missionary, but if our supporting churches are weak, splitting over minor matters, or dying, it affects us greatly! But if American churches are strong, vibrant, and growing in Christ and in unity, all of us benefit.

Many of you host missionaries in your homes. We are very grateful to each of you! If you asked me what you could do better, I can't think of anything! You all do a very excellent job. Thoughtfulness and basic cleanliness are a plus.

Do you feel that missionaries are super-spiritual saints? Wipe that thought from your minds! It's simply not true. We are fellow Christians, with no higher access to God than you. I've heard people introduce me, and the awe in their voices makes me cringe. When people act like that, it usually means they feel like they could never do what we do. That is not true either. Whatever God asks you to do, you can do in His strength and enjoy it.

Some people feel awed that we would sacrifice so much in order to serve God. We don't see it that way. (Or we shouldn't!) We are only doing “our reasonable service.” God has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The Christian's only response can be one of gratitude and joyful surrender of our lives to Him. Not everyone will serve Him overseas. Each of us is placed in the Body of Christ as God has determined. We can't all be the “eye” or the “ear” or whatever position that seems most attractive. We all should serve God wherever He places us.

The missionary wife needs spiritual encouragement, too. We need to spend time in God's Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other sisters in Christ. Sometimes, when the church plant is new and small, fellowship is hard to come by. Many needy people take and take and take from the missionaries, with little encouragement being given back to them. Ways to encourage a missionary wife may include sending a note saying how God has spoken to you recently, sending Godly Christian music on a CD, sending a good Christian book that has helped you, visiting if possible, or making a phone call or setting up a Skype session.

Helping You Understand Us Better

 

Many missionary wives struggle with their role – or maybe it's their perceived role. We feel like we have to perform missionary duties since we're part of the missionary couple. Where does motherhood fit in? Or wifehood? Where should our priorities be? Many missionary wives I've met struggle with balancing these roles.

I have to constantly remind myself that my family must come first. If my children suffer from lack of attention or spiritual direction, I have missed my first calling. I must spend time with my children, investing in their lives while they're young. The problem comes in writing that prayer letter. What did I do the last two months? Well, I changed diapers, washed a lot of dishes, attacked massive piles of laundry, and told Bible stories to my children. In my human thinking, that doesn't sound like a successful missionary strategy! And I feel guilty.

In talking with other missionaries, I've found that many times we rest in the fact that just being there on the mission field as a support team for our husbands can be a huge factor. If wives are doing their job (cooking, cleaning, caring for children), this frees up the husband to do the work of making disciples. In some cases, the missionary wife is the husband's sole encourager on the field . . . and sounding board . . . and assistant.

In conclusion, missionary wives are just common people, trying day by day to follow God's leading. If you feel you cannot imagine what their lives are like, ask them! And maybe one day, if you yourself continue following God one step at a time, He may lead you to be a missionary wife, too! It's an adventure of faith!"

Priority Check

"... the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things — that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,  to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." Titus 2:3-5

In Her Shoes - Women and Cancer

 

"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me,

I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10 NKJV

 

This month we are blessed to hear from three women who have walked with God through the valley of the
shadow of cancer.  Each testimony will bless your heart and remind you of
God's ever faithful love.  Below is a list of resources.  If you would like to share about your cancer journey or the journey of someone you love, we would treasure hearing from you at the end of this article. 

 

Our first testimony is from my sweet sister in Christ, Sarah from Iowa, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and the very real possibility
of cancer.  She delights in sharing about God's faithfulness through her time of trial.  Thank you, Sarah!

 

Somewhere around the middle of 2012
was when I first began to realize that something might be wrong.  There
were no major symptoms, but just a series of incidents that were significant
enough to begin to cause some concern, such as some memory loss, a couple of
severe headaches, and a dizzy spell or two that all seemed unusual. 

 

From the very beginning, God’s hand
was amazingly evident in every detail!  First of all, our family has a
friend who is a neurologist, and she was the one who, after hearing about the
incidents I had, was able to get me a referral to see a doctor in early
October.  He did an EEG and an MRI, which revealed a small mass in my
right temporal lobe that was causing some minor seizure-like activity in my
brain.  He was of the opinion that it needed to be removed, even though it
appeared benign, and he referred me to a doctor at the University of Iowa
Hospital, because of the world-class excellence of the neurosurgery department
there.  I first saw him on October 22, and he was able to get me scheduled
me for surgery on November 14. 

 

God graciously allowed me to
continue teaching right up until the day before my surgery and make
preparations for my aid, who took over the classroom in my
absence.  This dear woman was another clear evidence of God’s
sovereign provision, since she had been a part of our classroom since the
beginning of the year and works wonderfully well with the kids! 

 

The
surgery lasted 7 hours and went very well, however they had to leave a small
part of the tumor, because it was located so near to the brain stem.  We
had been told that very likely I would have to do further treatment at some
point or possibly have another surgery in the future.  I was
released from the hospital 4 days after surgery and permitted to go to stay
with my parents during the recovery time.  God’s timing was so
perfect, as the time recommended for recovery took me right up to Christmas
break, and it was such a blessing to be able to be with my family during that
time! 

 

When
the pathology report came back, I was told that it was the best possible news I
could have received!  Not only was the tumor benign, but amazingly they do
not believe that I will ever have to worry about it again, even though they
couldn’t remove it entirely!  I was totally overwhelmed by God’s goodness
and mercy in giving me such complete healing!  The prayers of so many
people on my behalf during this time were truly humbling and encouraging, and
it was wonderful to be able to share this news, for when many people pray, many
thanks can be rendered to God for His answer!

 

As
I daily recovered my strength, it was great to be able to resume more and more
normal activities, and when school started back up in January, I was able to go
back to teaching.  It really only took about a week before I really felt
like I was back into the swing of things, and in fact, in many ways I felt even
better than I had before the surgery! 

 

God
has continued to give me many opportunities to share what He did through all of
this, and to Him be all the glory for everything, for He is truly sovereign in
every detail of life and wonderfully good in everything that He allows! 

 

I
would not trade this experience, because I learned so much through it –
especially about what the Body of Christ looks like when it is truly
functioning as God intends it to, the nearness of God that we can most fully
experience when we are hurting the most or feeling the most needy, and His
absolute sovereignty in every detail of our lives!  I praise Him for
entrusting me with this small trial, so that I can be better able to be an
encouragement to others with the same comfort that God gave to me during this
time!

 

One
of the verses that became especially precious to me through all this is Psalm
59:16:

 

“I will sing of Your strength and will
joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning.  For You have been a
stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble.”  CSB

Truly,
God is my strength, my joy, and my refuge, and life’s trials only serve to make
that truth more real and more precious than ever!

 

 

This next testimony is from the heart of a beautiful friend named Kay who lives in Alabama.  I learned so much and was extremely encouraged by what she shared, and I know you will be, too.  Thank you, Kay! 

My
Cancer Journey . . .



- When your Mom gets breast cancer and you're in elementary
school, and when she passes away from it when you're 12, you always have in the
back of your mind that you're going to get breast cancer, too.



- So when you find your first lump at 16, have it removed and
it comes back benign, you're relieved.



- And when you start having mammograms at 30, and they
routinely show lumps that are non-cancerous you are relieved.



- And when you have a lump that doesn't change, but doesn't go
away, you don't really worry, but you get it checked out.  But, when the
hospital Breast Cancer Center calls you back, and you walk in and see the doctor and
the head of the BC Support Group, and before they even open their mouths,
you know "this is the moment you've been dreading for 36 years!,"
you're still shocked, surprised, and numb.

At
that point I was thankful for 3 specific things in my life: an amazing husband,
a wonderful care team, and God's immeasurable grace.

 

The
medical care team told me they believed we had caught it early, but that
we would need to do some more testing.  At that point things flew
very quickly.  I was glad I’d thought through what I’d do, because
you have to make life-altering, and body-altering decisions rather
rapidly. 

 

I chose a completely traditional medicine approach at that
time.  If I had it to do again, I would probably do it differently – but I
trust that God had me where he wanted me when He wanted me, so I choose to have
no regrets. The doctors thought lumpectomy might be enough. With my history
(which also included positive aunts on my father’s side), I chose double mastectomy.

 

Following surgery, the doctors told me they were glad for my decision; they
found tumors in both breasts that had not appeared in any diagnostic procedure.
Mastectomy was the only logical choice, and it had been the choice God had led
me to make.

 

I cannot describe God’s overwhelming presence throughout the
entire journey. Frankly, sometimes I almost miss cancer because I miss that
extra grace that God gives in trials like that.  And, when you know your
life is in God’s hands, you can trust that He is in control and going to do
with it was it best for you and best for bringing glory to His name. Period.

 

I had many extra opportunities to talk with others about the
Lord during this time. Many could not understand peace in the midst of my
storm. On the other side, many were a great encouragement to me during this
time.  I started a Facebook Page (link here),
just to keep everyone updated. It was a HUGE comfort to ask for prayer and KNOW
that friends were truly praying for me.  It was also very cathartic to be
able to write out what I was going through each step of the way.  I’m also
encouraged to go back and read through God’s provision and presence at every
single step.

 

What did people say “right?”  “I’m praying for you” and
“I love you” were always the best!  I loved the specific people – “we pray
for you every day at breakfast!” or “the kids and I pray for you each night at
bedtime.”  It reminded me that, if I was feeling bad at 8:00, the family
that put their kids to bed at 8:00 was praying for me! Also the tangible “what
can I do?” was wonderful.  It was offered often, but the ones who really
waited and listened for me to answer were special. Also those who gave me
permission to have bad days and a shoulder to cry on, even if words were never
spoken were a blessing.

 

What did people say “wrong?” “OH, that’s terrible! My
Grandma died from that!” or “Have fun in the bedroom now, you won’t be
attractive to your hubby after they cut your breasts off!”  “Oh, you must
be so terrified for your daughters!” (That one WAS one of my greatest fears,
and I had to address it with the Lord. But someone reminding me really didn’t
help anything!) Yeah, those three were pretty bad! Most of the time, people
were great! Sometimes people put their foot in their mouth – but we usually
just laughed together after that. I appreciated the effort and the selflessness
of trying to say something sweet, even if it came out wrong. J

 

If you found out you had cancer today, I’d encourage you to
pause. And then pray. I was grateful for quick care. But, frankly, there really
was no rush. We’d been watching things for over 6 months; we could have waited
6 more months and little would have changed.  Pray and ask God to guide
you (and spouse, if you are fortunate enough to have one involved). Then seek
the counsel of those who have walked the path already. I learned more from
other “survivors” than I did from Google, WebMD, medical journals, and the
American Cancer Society together! Then pray some more and ask God to direct your
specific path. Talk with your pastor and pastor’s wife.  They probably
have a great deal more experience with “big things” than you do – even if it’s
not cancer. Then walk your path with peace and confidence.

 

Our purpose on this planet is to glorify God. Psalm 86:12
tells us:

 

"I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore." KJV

 

I also found comfort in Philippians 1:20:

 

"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death." KJV

Frankly, if God wanted me to die from cancer, everything would be better because of it. He had a plan, and I was blessed to be a part of that plan. 

 

I’m thankful I’m still here. But I remind myself, am I glorifying God today as much as I was when I was walking the path of breast cancer?  Cancer, in its own way, was something God allowed in my life that drew me closer to Him – and for that I am thankful.

 

 

This last testimony is from the mom
of a dear college friend.  Thank you, Donna in California!  You are a blessing.

 

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

 

It was about the beginning of
December that I noticed something wasn’t quite right.  I made an appointment, and a verse started
going through my mind – we had the
sentence of death in ourselves.   

 

The nurse practitioner found a large
mass and seemed alarmed.  She told me to
schedule a mammogram and ultrasound.  The
next day the verse went through my mind again and I was by myself: “Lord, are
you trying to telling me I am going to die?” 
I stopped what I was doing and looked up the verse: II Corinthians
1:8-11:

 

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble
which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength,
insomuch that we despaired even of life (sounds
like cancer surgery, chemotherapy, being sick as a dog, and finding out you
have Stage IV cancer):  But we had
the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but
in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth
deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us: Ye also helping together
by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many
persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.” KJV

 

I want to just make a plea here for
you to familiarize yourself with God’s word. 
It is so easy to do that in this day and age, with all the technology
available to us.  You can listen to
scripture on your iPod or iPad, download it, put it on CD’s, hear it in your
car or when you are getting ready in the morning, you can get preaching from
Sunday (online) – there are so many ways to get the Bible in to renew your mind
- what a harvest of blessings that will bring to you!

 

You know, God really is good all the
time.  He knows I am prone to worry.  He knew I might just fall apart if I got news
of cancer.  So, He gave me these verses
ahead of time, so I wouldn’t go off the deep end and despair.  I haven’t been upset about having
cancer.  Other people are more upset than
I am.  God was good to prepare me.

 

I had the mammogram and ultrasound,
and the doctor said he saw something and scheduled a biopsy.  Three days before my biopsy, I was
asked to play the offertory for Sunday. I chose Be Still My Soul. The phrase kept jumping out at me – in every change, He faithful will remain.
God will be faithful to me in every change.

 

On January 22^nd I found
out it was breast cancer and the doctor who gave me the news was so sweet.  I really was doing fine until she started
being sympathetic and told me to put my trust in God.  That made me cry, and she cried with me.

 

My Bible reading for that day was
Exodus 14-16: 14:13 says, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of
the Lord, which he will show to you today.” 
God told me in His word that morning, before I went to the appointment,
not to be afraid.

 

The oncologist said, “This is a
sneaky kind of cancer.”  It’s not a lump
– I never felt a lump – it’s a thickening, so it’s harder to detect.  And it’s lobular, so it doesn’t show up on a
mammogram until it is very large.  She
told us what our options were and one of them was the mastectomy and
reconstruction. 

 

Obviously, what I think is best for
me would be no cancer.  But God had
something else in mind.  If you had asked
me 5 months ago if I thought it would be good for me to have cancer I would
have said, “Of course not!”  But if it is
true that God only does what is best for me, then it is good for me to have cancer. 

 

We’ve been praying for some loved
ones, to be saved, for some time now - and we don’t really know if they are
unsaved or just away from the Lord.  One
of them responded positively to an email update.  If I had to get cancer in order for him to
get right with the Lord, it’s totally worth it. 
If I have to endure some light affliction in order for his immortal soul
to be in heaven one day – that’s such a small price to pay.  I’ve always wished I could be able to reach
some of my coworkers for the Lord, and this cancer has really opened doors for
me. I want them to see that God is good, all the time … even when you get
cancer.

 

My pastor came over that day and
prayed with us and said he agrees with me about my verses and feels the Lord is
going to use this cancer for ministry to others.  He gave me Philippians 1:29:

 

 "For unto you it is given (it’s a gift) in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."  KJV

 

Suffering is a gift from God.  He said there are 3 reasons people suffer –
for stupidity, for sin, and for service. 
And part of the reason may be stupidity – I hadn’t had a mammogram for 8
years, so we might have caught it sooner, but maybe not since it’s so hard to
detect.  My doctor did say I have had
this cancer for years.  (I just want to
put in a little plug here.  If you do need
to get a mammogram, you are better off to get the thermal kind, so you are not
getting all that radiation.)

 

He said God is not doing this to me,
He is doing this for me.  Then he gave us Psalm 71:18. I love this
one: 

 

“Now also when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not;
until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to every
one that is to come.” KJV

 

God will use this to show His power
to my children and my grandchildren.  I
was actually kind of excited about having cancer.  I do want my children and grandchildren to
love God and cling closely to Him all their days. 

 

I thought I was handling everything
pretty well, but even if our minds are doing well, our bodies can be reacting
to the stress. That night I had flashing lights on the side of my vision that
last for several minutes.  Before my
appointment (to check my eyes), I went to a nutrition class for cancer
patients, and saw a man with a scar from one ear to the other, over the top of
his head, and his hair was just starting to grow back.  I thought, Oh my word, he must have brain cancer! 

 

After class I told my nurse about
the flashing lights and I said, “You don’t think that could have anything to do
with my breast cancer, do you?”  She
said, “Well, breast cancer goes to the brain, so your doctor will probably
order a brain scan, in fact she’ll probably order a full body scan, just to
make sure.” 

 

I went to the car and cried.  I don’t
mind having breast cancer, but I don’t want to have brain cancer. I found
out it was an eye migraine caused by stress. 
The Lord has given me grace for breast cancer because I have breast
cancer … and that’s why I’m okay with it. 
But He has not given me grace for brain cancer, because I don’t have
brain cancer.

 

Some of you may think, “I could
never handle what she’s going through!” 
Yes, you could.  If God gives that
to you, He will also give you the grace to bear it.  Grace is spiritual strength.  It is that ability to be obedient to our
Savior, even under pressure.  It’s what
keeps us from falling under the load. 
You will have the spiritual strength to endure whatever the Lord brings
into your life because He’s a good God. 

 

The end of that week I had a biopsy
of the lymph node that was positive for cancer, and later had a bone scan that
showed cancer all down my spine and in my pelvis.  So, I am Stage IV.  Once breast cancer has metastasized to other
parts of the body, there is no cure. 

 

They still felt I needed surgery, so
I went ahead and had a 9 hour surgery at UCLA that included the mastectomy,
removal of 60 lymph nodes (59 of which were cancerous) and the
reconstruction.  Just before surgery I was
tempted to be frightened.  But, I had
taken a verse with me to the hospital (Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts … and be ye thankful”). 
That verse calmed me right down, and I started thinking of all my
blessings.

 

I remembered all the cards, emails,
kind words and prayers going up for me. 
There are some perks to having cancer – you find out how much everyone
loves you.  I was thankful for my husband
and all my wonderful family.  I felt very
loved and cared for.

 

Right now I am doing very well.  I don’t have any symptoms, I don’t have any
pain.  The Lord has been so good to
me.  I haven’t had to endure what most
cancer patients go through.  I didn’t
have to have chemotherapy and be sick or lose my hair.  My treatment is a pill I take every day and
then I get a shot once a month.  I have a
couple more out-patient surgeries for reconstruction. I do have Stage IV
cancer, but my doctor said I could live for years on this treatment.

 

I hope all this has helped you
realize how good God is and that you can trust Him with anything, even that
hard thing that makes you tremble.  I
would like to close with another song the Lord gave me.  It talks about trusting God with all your
heart and not wanting to depart from the course that He has marked out for you.

 

My God Is Good

by Tracey Zimmerman and Faye Lopez

 

Where can I find hope in all the
trials that you bring? 

How can I have joy while suffering loss? 


When my soul’s imprisoned how can I find cause to sing?

How did you find peace while on the cross?

 

Though I may never understand, I’ll
trust with all my heart,

and from the course that you have planned I never want to part. 

In searching for your way and wisdom
teach me if you would,

that for all time, in every place,
my God is good.

 

How can you give pardon to a life
that’s full of sin? 

Where is there a refuge for my cares? 

Is there any healing for a void that lies within,

when silence is your answer to my prayers?

 

Though I may never understand, I’ll
trust with all my heart,

and from the course that you have planned I never want to part. 

In searching for your way and wisdom
teach me if you would,

that for all time, in every place,
my God is good.

 

 

Resources

 Articles: 

• 12 Tips to Help You Prevent Breast Cancer


• Cancer's Unexpected Blessings by Tony Snow


• Don't Waste Your Cancer by John Piper


• Dos and Don'ts of Communicating with a Cancer Survivor

Books:

• A Husband's Guide to Breast Cancer by Todd Outcalt


• A Journey Through Cancer: My Story of Hope, Healing and God's Amazing Faithfulness by Emilie Barnes


• Dear God, They Say It's Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women On the Breast Cancer Journey by Janet Thompson


• Hope In the Face of Cancer by Amy Givler, M.D.


• Prayers In the Storm: Resting In God's Comfort and Care by Sandy Lynam Clough


• Praying Through Cancer: Set Your Heart Free From Fear - A 90 Day Devotional for Women by Susan Sorensen and Laura Geist


• Seeing God's Heart When You Hurt by Sandy Lynam Clough


• When You Don't Know What to Say by Sandy Lynam Clough

 

Children's Ministry Resource Bible

This treasure recently came to my attention ...

 

 

Developed with Child Evangelism Fellowship, this study Bible abounds with the riches of God's Word and additional helpful tools to help us communicate God's truth to our precious young people.  It would be helpful for parents, school teachers, homeschooling families, Sunday school teachers, Bible club helpers, and church children ministry leaders. 

 

This Bible has many helpful components:

• 
  Thousands of Footnotes that clarify important Bible terms, phrases, and ideas.  They provide you with cultural and historical background and insights on Bible people and events.
  
  


• 
  Teacher Training Sections that help you learn how to communicate important Bible lessons in a kid-friendly manner.
  
  


• 
  Lesson Outlines that take selected Bible stories and break them down into an Introduction, Progression of Events, Climax, and Ending.  Each is prefaced with a Teacher's Objective and Child-Related Truth.
  
  


• 
  Full-Page Articles that address foundational skills for evangelizing and discipling children.
  
  


• 
  The Wordless Book, that presents the gospel message in a way children can understand.
  
  


• 
  Full Bible Text in the New King James translation.
  
  

 

Since I purchased this for our home school, I have been impressed with the many helpful charts, subject index, the concordance, and the pronunciation guide.  It includes maps and the usual "Harmony of the Gospels," as well as time lines, etc.!  This helpful tool makes things clearer to me so that I can more effectively communicate God's Word to our boys.

 

To find out more, look here.

His List Is Longer Than Mine

To be completely honest, I wish I were on a beach without a care in the world this morning.  Instead I have a list longer than an elephant's trunk of things I need to do. 



Thankfully, I have something far better than a day (or week, or month!) at the beach.  And it is not dependent on location, weather, or my state of mind:  God never changes ... aren't you thankful?  So much in life is unpredictable.  Yet, God remains completely trustworthy!  As I stare at what needs to be done, and want to shrink back in my weakness and lack of "want to," I am hopeful and revived, because God never changes!



The fact that God never changes means:



1.  I am always loved.

"The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.'" Jeremiah 31:3

2.  I am never alone.  He is always with me, as He promised.

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper;I will not fear. What can man do to me?'” Hebrews 13:5-6

3.  He is always holy - He never sins, never messes up.

"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble,and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.'" Isaiah 57:15

4.  He always makes His innumerable resources available

     to me - His kingdom never shuts down!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," Ephesians 1:3

5.  His mercy is unwavering, His grace immoveable.

"For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations." Psalm 100:5

6.  His forgiveness is always available for this saved sinner.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9

7.  I never stop being His child.

^"having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,  to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:5-6

 

Can you think of anything else to add?  I'm sure there is no end to the list (it's much longer than our to-do lists!!!), but these are what stood out to me this morning.  Have a blessed day, basking in God's faithfulness!

How Not to Thrill Satan

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!"

Psalm 46:10

I love storms.  I love the booms of thunder, reminiscent of Independence Day fireworks, that shake my house and the lightning flash that always takes me by surprise.  Not so much when I was a child.  But, somewhere along the line I became captivated by God's power. My boys are also calmed during a storm when I say, "Listen to how powerful God is!"  They are still a little afraid, but they are also impressed. 



This morning during Bible study, I have the rare delight of sitting by my bedroom window as a storm comes in.  The weather radar on the website tells me soon it will be on top of us.



I've been working my way through Hebrews, and this morning I came to the last half of Hebrews 12.  Good stuff!  Will you join me for a few moments in His Word? You can grab your own Bible or read it with me here:



Hebrews 12:18-29



Mountain Tour



Let's go back.  We find ourselves back at the foot of Sinai.  I AM presents Himself to Israel. And all around us we hear Israelites, scared out of their wits, crying and begging for the trumpet sound and His words to stop.  Terror of His might is only surpassed by their terror of His commandments.  Even brave Moses was "exceedingly afraid and trembling" (21).  Behold the power of I AM!



Let's go forward.  In verse 22 we zoom to another mountain - Mount Zion.  We are situated in the realms of a new covenant, made possible because I AM came further down than the top of a mountain, to live among us.  We read here about how the "God the judge of all" (23) provides "Jesus the Mediator" (24).

"SEE THAT YOU DO NOT REFUSE HIM WHO SPEAKS." (25)

From the halls of heaven to Mount Sinai, to Mount Zion, to our very hearts.  He is still speaking ... are we really listening?

"Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;  but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.  For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: 'Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.'”

Hebrews 3:12-15

Satan and Self Don't Want Me to Listen



I crave solitude.  But I don't always like quiet.  Whenever I am presented with the rare gift of being at home alone, the first few moments I bask in the silence.  But, soon I turn on music or find myself humming as I work.  I've even been known to turn on the radio or TV just for "background" noise.  I like to watch Netflix while I'm working on my menu plan, play the piano, listen to the radio in the van, talk to my Mom or a friend on the phone.



Satan would be thrilled if we are too busy - to ever listen to God.



Jesus died and rose again to have a relationship with us.  How would we like a friend who always talks but never listens?  I love to read my Bible, talk to God as soon as I wake up, talk to Him in the evening before bed, and those sweet moments alone with Him in the dead of night.  But, I rarely take time to truly listen to God.



Why?  Partly time constraints, and the reality of homeschooling two noisy boys.  But, also I think I have to admit, I am afraid of what He is going to tell me.  I'd rather listen to those who say what I want to hear.  What feels good and fits my agenda.  What sin is He going to uncover in my heart?  What is He going to ask me to do?  If I am willing, perfect Love, God Himself, will cast out every fear ... replacing it with Himself.

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

Romans 8:14

Make An Appointment with God



It's time to make an appointment.  Otherwise, it may never come to pass.  Get out your day timer or gaze up at your family wall calendar in the kitchen.  Let's schedule some time, 15-30 minutes, either this weekend or next week just to listen to I AM.  Begin your time by reading His Word and asking Him to speak to you.  Like Samuel, "Speak Lord, for your servant hears!" Then, let's try to get into a habit of spending time every week, even 5-10 minutes daily, just to listen to Him.  We will be changed by His presence and His power.



The soothing rain and booming thunder draw me in, grabbing my attention and feeding my senses as I sit here talking with you.  Let's let God's powerful Self draw us in!  God, in His graciousness, makes Himself accessible to us.  While basking in the riches of His grace, let's not forget Who He is ... and that He wants our attention, our reverence, and our obedience.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Hebrews 10:27