Rest

First of all, I am terribly sorry for the lateness of this post! It completely slipped my mind...better late than never???

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Oftentimes I feel like the world will stop spinning if I'm not doing something. The hard-cold truth is that it won't.

I have a very difficult time just resting. I worry so much about the next step that I rarely let God take care of it for me. Not long ago I was at my wits end because I didn't have a plan for my life 2 years from now! (If you know me, you know that I am not exaggerating one bit!) So, obviously, the issue of not resting in the Lord shows up in many areas of my life. More often than I'd like to admit, when I feel weary and burdened I look for an equation to fix it, instead of looking to the truth of God's word. The passages that follow this memory scripture speak of God's passion for us to be 100% dependent on Him. So, I guess there's no need to work out the equation, the answer is already there for us. Throw any variable in the equation and it always works out that we are to be 100% dependent on God. He works out the details. When I stop and meditate on how simple that concept is, I am overwhelmed by our Savior....and I realize how silly I am not for not doing it more often!

I hope you find time to rest in Him this week.

Love in Christ,
Tosha

Stinkin' Thinkin'

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8

I don't know about any of you, but so often I find myself dwelling on the negative. It's not any surprise then that its hard to find good in anything when all I fill my mind with is negative negative negative. There is a book that I've read ("Created to Be His Help Meet") that has a chapter on this very subject. I wish I could just copy the whole chapter here because it is filled with so much truth. A couple of quotes that I underlined..."Your reactions break you loose from your social inhibitions and manifest who you really are inside and what you really believe at your core level....the way you think everyday determines the way you feel, and it will determine how you will react in stressful situations...the heart is filled with thoughts, and it is out of that reservoir of thoughts that the mouth speaks words of praise or bitterness." Talk about a kick in the gut! I remember struggling the day I read this with having pleasant thoughts toward Austin. I was quickly convicted and began to ask the Lord to help me "take captive those thoughts" (2 Cor 10:5) and replace those negative thoughts with positive ones.

Even the last few weeks while we've been on this roller coaster waiting to go and get Ada, the negative has been looming over me and I've had to constantly go back to this passage remembering to "DWELL ON THESE THINGS!" As we were reminded yesterday through Brody, the war that rages around us is very real. I have been quite aware of this truth lately and refuse to let the enemy into this camp to destroy what God has already redeemed and conquered!

Hope this post makes some sense...I'm writing on adrenaline as we just found out we'll be leaving this week for Ethiopia!!! Our embassy date will be one day next week...imagine that we still don't know details for sure. All I know is that THIS Sunday I will be holding our daughter and joy has filled my heart! Thanks so much for your prayers for us. Can't wait to get her home to meet all of you!

Keri

Finding Acceptance in an Unaccepting World

Romans 15:7, "So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified."
This was a verse we memorized in Sunday School in the Romasn study. Romans is such a cool dictionary of the road for a believer to travel. I just love instructions, routines. If you have ever met my middle son, Brent, you know he does as well. Brent is a highly functional autistic child. We are so blessed with Brent. He often says inappropriate things, has absolutely no pride, doesn't get embarrassed (which is a bad thing when trying to potty train,) and just basically tries to emulate whatever he can to fit in. Brent watches others and mimics what they do and holds on tight. If Brent is watching the right people, this goes smoothly, if not, watch out. Brent has a cousin who he has favored above all else since he was born. Sam loves Brent and Brent loves
Sam. Sam is very smart, well versed, mature. Brent is not. Brent has a light that shines from within that seems to infect all he encounters. Brent loves life and openly loves Sam. This relationship works because Brent never judges, just accepts. Sam chooses to love. For Brent, love is easy, he just does it and does it completely. He loves fully about 5 people in the world, knows he likes a few others. Imagine if everyone loved like Brent and chose to love like Sam what the world would be like. If we loved more like Christ and enveloped everyone's faults, idiosyncrascies, character traits. Everyone would have a relationship like Brent and Sams and we would all be able to accept the full love of Christ and the way He loves us. I think of Brent and Sam and how much Glory He receives from those two and it makes me want to be more like them both. God didn't design us all to be a cookie cutter of the perfect person, he gave us differences so we could work to love like He does. I challenge you to find that someone different and radiate God's love to them!

The Fast Lane

Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exhalted among the nations,
I will be exhaled in the earth. Psalm 46:10


Give me a B
Give me a U
Give me a S
Give me a Y
Whatcha Got
Busy
Whatcha Got
Busy

Beginning August 25, 2010 life began to get busy. Of course, this was due to school starting. This was not too bad. It was something I knew was coming. However, it just did not seem to stop. Out of nowhere, life was no longer life. It has changed it form and I did not even recognize what it was anymore. I kept going, sometimes not even knowing how I made it through the day because the days were just coming so fast and never seeming to start or end. I have always been busy, especially with 3 kids, but it has been managable. This time however, the business controlled me and I lost focus of my priorities. This is not to say that I did not keep trying to do something to fix it myself. Of course I did because I am such a practical person. I just knew I could figure out how to make life slow down. Practicality was not the answer. Who would've known? I kept hearing this voice say,"Be still." "Be still." "Be still!!!" Was God crazy? How could I possibly BE STILL. "I" had too much to do! Then, not surprisingly, came the shear exhaustion. It was then that "BEING STILL" felt like heaven. God, the Father of the universe, had been trying to get me to rest in Him for months and I totally ignored Him. I am praying now that my life will not become USELESS because of business, but USEFUL because of resting in HIM.

What's In The Wrapping?

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7

O.K. girls, be honest - are you as exhausted as I am? Here it is two days before Christmas, and I feel like I'm ready for a long-winter's nap! I must say, I do love this time of year. Last night I pulled down some old photo albums, and was looking at the pictures of Christmas' past when my boys were younger. Needless to say I was brought to tears as I reflected on those special times.
I remember one particular Christmas - Caleb must have been five or six years old. He'd gone shopping for his family in the Santa Shop at school. As I picked him up that day he was so excited about a gift he'd bought for me. He talked about this "surprise" all the way home, and even told me that if I wanted, he'd let me have it as an early Christmas present. Needless to say he was a little disappointed when I told him no, let's wait for Christmas day and I'd unwrap it then. So, Christmas day finally arrived, and as we went to open gifts, Caleb wanted me to open mine first. Inside the wrapping was a small crystal teddy bear. It probably cost him $3 or $4 at most, but to him (and to me) it was a priceless treasure. I still have that teddy bear sitting on my computer stand, and each time I look at it I remember that Christmas day.
I'm sure we all have found memories of a particular Christmas gift, whether it be one we have given or have received. But let's just pause for a moment and reflect on the perfect Christmas gift ever given. Of course you know I'm talking about God's gift to us, Jesus. God could have given us His gift in rich fancy, shiny wrapping. After all, He was born a King, but instead, this gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Swaddling clothes were strips of cloth that the Hebrew women would wrap their babies in to help the baby's body grow straight. It also helped prevent SIDS. The mother would wash her newborn with salt water, anoint him with oil, and then wrap him in the strips of cloth.
Let's take a moment to carefully unwrap this precious gift that God has given to us. In it we find first of all love, but then mercy, and grace, and best of all salvation - eternal life for all who believe in Him. All these things rolled up into one - Immanuel, God with us - Jesus. Oh, what a beautiful gift our Father has given us.
But we can't leave this gift wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. No, God's perfect gift lived a perfect life, "humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." He died a humiliating and painful death for you and for me. God the Father highly exalted Him. He is now our risen Lord, and He lives and reigns forever!
So, I challenge you, on Christmas morning as you unwrap your gifts, take time to thank God for the perfect gift that He's given to mankind. Take a closer look at the Gift that He gave, wrapped in the swaddling clothes.
On behalf of the Venture Women's Ministry, I wish you and your family a very blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Donna

My plans or His plans?

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I know, I know, many of you are thinking, "I've known that verse since I was a child!" Well, I haven't known it long, and don't know if I've ever thought too much about it, even though it's one we hear quoted often. It came to me in a powerful way today. I had actually planned to write about my foray into the book, Radical, (for those of you who haven't read it...read it, it will change your thought life for sure, but hopefully your actions as well), but apparently God had different plans for this blog!

Anywhooo, I have had one of those days! I should have known something was up last night when I couldn't sleep and thought, "I should get up and work on my blog entry", then thought, "I'll do it tomorrow morning when everyone is out of the house". Well, that plan went right out the window. I have been on the RUN all day. Here's a little background.

I have been mentoring a young girl for almost a year now. I had never planned to mentor a teenager, (by God's grace we have gotten through the teen years with 2 daughters; and one son to go...I was almost home-free!) but need I say it, God had different plans. It's been an incredible blessing to me, my family and hopefully to this young lady. Anyway, she has really struggled this year; first with drugs and alcohol, then academically (it's hard to pass your classes when you are on drugs, in jail or in the hospital). Praise God, she has passed drug tests that have been administered to her in the last couple of months, but academically is still struggling some. Long story short, the feeling was that she would be better served by earning her High School Diploma through Adult High School. Well, today was the last day to take the placement test for that, but in order to take the placement test, she had to be discharged from public school (run, run), get her dad's signature and the school superintendent's signature (run, run) then show up at 5 to take a test from 6-8pm (run, run). Well, we did what we had to do, but she did not pass the test! She is so disappointed and embarrassed and full of "should haves and could haves". I didn't know what to say to her! Was all the running and maneuvering for nothing? Did we make a mistake? I told her that I wasn't sure why things turned out the way that they did, but God had a plan for her. He would use the situation ultimately for her good - she may not be able to see it now, but I was sure of it. She wasn't a failure or a loser (this was part of her self-recrimination). Sometimes, many times, things don't turn out the way we planned, but God is still in control and if she would embrace that, learn from it and move on, He would do great things in her life! He has a plan...an awesome plan!

As I got ready to write this blog, Jeremiah 29:11 came to me! I knew vaguely what it said, but not fully. How can I encourage others in God's Word, if I don't know it? This has shown me (again) how important scripture memorization is. If we hide God's word in our hearts, He will give it to us when we need it most. Our plans don't always work out, but God's plan always does!

Here's my new plan...learn and memorize His word, after all, that's part of His plan for me!

December 4, 2010

Turn Your Heart Toward Jesus...More!

“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrew 12:28

Hope you are embracing this Christmas season with an awesome view of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

As 2010 comes to an end, I have found myself in a time of reflection. This is usually experienced at the first of the New Year. But none the less, reflection time has begun with an increasing awareness of God's love, grace, and mercy. Honest reflection revealed that too many things have interrupted my awareness of Jesus. This year's spiritual struggles brought me to a realization that I had lost my awesome view of Jesus and the reality of that shook me to the core of my heart!

BUT, our amazing and most loving, gracious, and merciful Lord took pity on me and has begun to renew my heart with a more awesome view of Him. While I have experienced spiritual ups and downs; the Lord is leading me to confidently persevere in Him and live for Him with a much more awesome view of Him. It has been evident that in 2010 the love and patience of Jesus Christ toward me has been abundant.

It has become clear that having an “awesome view of Jesus” ensures that He will dominate everything I do. It gives me an awareness of His heart in everything and everywhere He leads me. It will keep the right focus on what I do being all about who He is. It want be the doing that will be the consuming fire, it will be JESUS!

This is what the Lord is calling me to, a renewed awesome view of Him that leads my heart to be consumed with His heart. I’m not waiting till the first of 2011; I’m yielding this minute to His leading to turn my heart toward Him MORE! And what’s more, He is leading me to invite YOU!

In 2011, our Women's Ministry's motto is "Turn Your Heart Toward Jesus...More!" and our scripture reference is:

“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrew 12:28

What a powerful verse to memorize and meditate on. May each of us seek to have an “awesome view of Jesus” and for HIM to become a consuming fire within our hearts?