Never's

Contentment comes when we totally give up  trying to control whatever circumstances or people we find ourselves involved with.   Control is easier seen when someone tries to control me or others through me.  When someone does that to me it frustrates me to no end.  Which means I frustrate others when I do it to them.   Control is a quick way to drive others away from us which is the last thing I want to do. 

Some ladies and I are studying "contentment", trusting God, allowing His sovereign to rule in our life.  Our goal is to come to a deeper understanding of His ways are better then our ways.  There is a set of "never's" we have gleamed from our study  which will be our daily guideline.

  Philippines 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungrey, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength

Never allow yourself to complain about anything...not even the weather.

Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.

Never compare your lot with another's.

Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.

Never dwell on tomorrows..remember that tomorrow is God's not yours.

Seems like an impossible list to accomplish, doesn't it?
(From the book: Calm My Anxious Heart)

One of the questions in our first study was:   Do you think most women try to control or manipulate people and circumstances? If yes, why?.....I like the answer one woman gave, yes because we are born to be care givers.   Hummmmm....What do you think?  Men, I welcome your take on this question too. 

Filler of Holes

 Recently I was viewing posts I had worked on but never finished.  Came acoss this short testemony of what led me to salvation.   The process of God bringing me to salvation was long and sometimes very painful.  How grateful I am He does not give up on us.   

 

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This child would make it!    

 Laying quiet and perfectly still, I felt a gentle flutter, sort of a soft thumping inside me. After 12 years of marriage and 6 miscarriages later, life was growing in me and making himself or herself known. I simply got lost in the wonder of being pregnant: morning sickness, losing the waist line, every poke of an arm, leg of his or her little rump, swollen feet and those chocolate ice cream cravings in the middle of the night were welcomed.      

Crazy as this sounds, I found myself wishing it lasting longer then nine months. For the first time I felt almost complete.  Yet somewhere deep inside me a question started forming.   

 What happen to those six babies I lost?????

 Months later, holding our sweet daughter, the same nagging question took root in my mind and grew every time I held and smelled her sweetness.  It started me on a search created to forever change my life.    

 (And search I did too....loads of self help books, (no internet back then) and countless opinions from my friends and family left me mostly confused and not as happy as I should have been for someone who just had their first child.  Everything I ever dreamed had come my way - a husband with a good job, a house and a darling little red headed girl, Tara Jo. To add to our goodness we had a son Jared 4 years later after another miscarriage. 

  Soooo why did I still sense a huge hole inside of me? 

 That hole had been there all my life really. As a young child I can remember dwelling on that hole and feeling my self shrink into the nothingness of it till there was no more Betty. If I disappeared into the hole would anyone even miss me?    Thinking I could escape that hole, I tried to outrun it and got married at seventeen. I also tried some of those self help tips which brought some outward changes, but that question returned often leaving me feeling guilty for not being content with the good I had. 

 Until I bought a bible from one of my bookclubs.  

 Being an avid reader I tackled the Bible just like any other book, from the beginning.  Nothing could have prepared me for the effect it would have on me.    Power and light poured out of the words on those thin parchment pages.  My hole became smaller and smaller till it disappeared.  But Betty did not disappear.    I had found the “filler of holes” in those pages.     Oct of 1980 my search ended as I trusted Jesus death, buriel and resurrection for my salvation. 

 Oh, one more note, I found the  answer to my question in the bible...those seven children are in heaven.  

             When did God fill your hole? 

"What A Day"

   

Nothing starts my day better then reading or listening to deep truth that tells me someday I will see Jesus, the finisher of my faith. I can face what this day brings for I know without a shadow of a doubt I will see Him, be with Him, live in the place He is preparing for me. A good preacher once said, if you want fuel to make it through the days here on earth remember we are only sojourners, this world is not our home.  While here remember who saved us and who will meet us when our journey is through here on this side of heaven.  Life in between those two events will then be all about Him.  What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. 

 

Does it excite your heart today as you think about what a day that will be?

Jason Prayer

Last night we were able to get two couples together, one, Thomas and Laura home from the field for a short furlough and Josh and Bethany heading to the same country in a few months. .  It was encouaging to watch them interact and hear the excitment in voice as they shared their hearts.  Ace and I were encouraged that we could  be a part of it as Member Care Reps.  We talked about how hard it was to share our hearts even with Christians at times.  One of the couples said, they just don't get it.  Another said it's sad when you have been gone for two years and meet up with your old friends again and  there is no excitment over what God is doing in their life let alone in other countries.

Being back in the states for a little over a year we have gained some understanding of what these couples were talking about.  Your heart wants your family and friends to "get it, the vision you have that would make you leave your comforts and give of yourself to those tucked back in some remote place.  If you had been in our living room listening to them you would realize they know they are not special people but  the God they serve is able to use ordianary people.  It's not our hearts to guilt someone into giving or even going but at least to be excited to hear some of what God is doing.  One thing I have learned  I can never be excited if I am not growing myself.   These clip keep me aware of what is going on beyond my world even though we will not get to serve overseas again due to my husbands heart issues neither one of us want to lose the vision to reach the whole world. 

The closer we get to God calling us home the harder the enemy works to discouraged us.  When we are focus on ourselves or our trials we will not be a witness.  This new year I believe will require more prayer for those willing to reach beyond their world whether it's across the street or in another country.  More prayers needs to be lifted up for each other as we all face our daily battles.  Abuntant prayers for strength, wisdom and a willing heart, for us to catch  God vision for the lost everywhere.

The apostle Peter instructed the believers to be ready:  "In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV). I ask you who read this to pray for me this new year.  Now how can I pray for you?