Chocolate Is From The Lord

One of the many things we loved about our time living in Bolivia were these little chocolate rolls called Baton.  It was worth the effort to chop them up and make cookies, put over ice cream but my favorite way to eat them was frozen. Yep, when frozen they melt slower so the enjoyment last longer. 

Bolivia was the first country we served in with New Tribes, from August 1991 to June 1998 as dorm parents to high school boys.  Another set of dorm parents took care of the high school girls, two more sets of dorm parents for middle school children.  Most of their parents worked in remote places translating the bible into an unwritten languages, a few were Asian children whose parents wanted them to get an English education.  Most of the time we had five cultures living in our dorm...sure made for some interesting conversation. Those guys taught us a lot about trusting the Lord.   

Our pastor in Kentucky always had missionaries coming through so we were exposed to the needs from day one after we got saved.  Each one that came through made our hearts cry, we'll go with you, let us go, but like all things it's better to wait on God's timing.  We needed a little more chiseling and refining before we were ready to serve Him overseas.

 A fifty  some year old widow working in the Philippines in a tribe teaching literacy to the children came just in God's perfect time.  She shared her slides and after talking a few minutes about the needs we felt like she sit those people down in our church and God said, whose going to tell them????   It wasn't like we weren't already busy telling folks the gospel, I taught Sunday school, Ace had a bus route, we were faithful to witness every chance we got, sometimes to the same people and we were already supporting missionaries.  To know there were people tucked in remote place who had never heard the gospel one time again caused our hearts to say to God, we'll go.  

People have said to us, "you must love God very much to do what you did".   We tell them, no, He loves us very much and how could we not go give others a chance to know the love God.   My husband and I took II Corinthians 5:14 to heart...For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that, one died for all therefore all died, and He died for all , so that they who live might no longer  live unto themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

You know it's not about the location we serve it, it's about what are we doing in the location we live in right now.   It's harder physically to serve in a third world country but we think it's harder to serve spiritually in good old USA with too many choices of chocolates to keep us confused. 

Back to the Baton.  They were hand delivered by a missionary father bringing his daughter back to the states from Bolivia to enter collage. 

We knew him and his wife when they were both single, was there for their wedding.  He had no idea my husband and I had been talking about those little rolls of chocolate and our time in Bolivia.      When he handed them to me, these words popped out of my mouth straight from my heart.  " Oh, God loves me so".   He loves me so much He wanted to bless me with a box of chocolate Baton's.  Actually the better blessing was the few hours we had with this dear family.  Phil is the government rep for New Tribes Mission in Bolivia.  His wife and other children had to stay in Bolivia just because it expensive to fly the whole family. It's one of the sacrifices missionaries make to give the gospel out to the unreached.  

One last note:  God loved on us through those rolls of chocolate carried by hearts that are not living unto themselves.  How has God loved on you lately?

Deferred Hope/Tree of Life

Proverb 13:12  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes it is a tree of life. "

I love this commentary of Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick - When once a good is discovered, want of it felt, strong desire for the possession excited, and the promise of attainment made on grounds unsuspected, so that the reality of the thing and the certainty of the promise are manifest, hope posts forward to realize the blessing. Delay in the gratification pains the mind; the increase of the delay prostrates and sickens the heart; and if delay sickens the heart, ultimate disappointment kills it. But when the thing desired, hoped for, and expected comes, it is a tree of life, עץ חיים  ets chaiyim, “the tree of lives;” it comforts and invigorates both body and soul. To the tree of lives, in the midst of the gardens of paradise, how frequent are the allusions in the writings of Solomon, and in other parts of the Holy Scriptures! What deep, and perhaps yet unknown, mysteries were in this tree!

 My simple mind has  always believed the tree of life represented Christ, life is in Christ.  Gen. 3:24 So, He drove the man out; at the east of the garden of Eden, He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the "tree of life."   Jesus says in John 14:6 I am the way, and the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father but through me.

 I've had my hope deferred countless times both before and after salvation.  Before salvation I look to Betty to pull myself up by my boot straps and stop being depressed.  It worked pretty good and I took that mentality into my walk with the Lord.  Till a trial came along I could not for the life of me pull myself out of the pit of despair. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for the truth God taught me and continues to deepen my knowledge of the truth, through Him all things are possible. Life is in Christ not in Betty, not in others, not in what this world offers, not in my circumstances no matter how good they are.  Life is in Christ, not in my family, my friends all a blessing but they did not stay at the gate of the garden of Eden to keep Adam and Eve from destroying all hope of ever being reconciled with the Creator.

One of the thing suicide shows us is the result of man taking his life into his own hands, the life God gave him.  My heart is sadden like everyone else at the death of Robin Williams.  Last night I chatted with a dear friend whose brother killed himself and once again she was battling grief and those thoughts of, what more could I  have done to prevent his death?  Her brother made a profession of faith as a teen  but always struggled with depression and it got worst after his Dad died.  So many attempts were made by family and friends to help him and it seems he was on an up swing the week  before his death.  How little we know what goes through the mind of one,  minutes before they take their life. My husband shared at this young man funeral Roman 8:35-39 who shall separate us from the love of God, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, life, angels, principalities, things presents, things to come, powers, height, depth, nor any other created thing , will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  This is my belief, nothing , not even suicide can separate us from the love of God.  If we are His, we are His, even in the bad times, even when we follow our way in doing anything we are still His, even my stubborn will cannot separate me from His love if I am already His. 

I have read some profound words today on blogs, Facebook and even the news but none touched me more then this post .  http://www.aholyexperience.com/2014/08/what-the-church-chri . . .

The flaming swords are gone,  The Word is our sword now.  The angels are gone, no need to protect the Way. He has come, lived, died, rose again and  return to His heavenly home leaving us with the Comforter to guide, teach, comfort us through this sin sick world.    He waits leaving us with hope that He will return for us.  His hope does not disappoint because HE has met the desires of our hearts to be reconciled with the Father. 

All of us know someone who struggles with depression, lets be proactive in reaching out to them. Lets be proactive in praying for them and their family.  I have someone right now I am praying for, a friend and a family member.   I sending them them  the link above and praying it will encourage their hearts to look to the one who alone can give eternal hope.    
 

I Will Praise Him

                       This song makes my heart shout, what song does that for you?

                  

Testing, Testing, Testing

A spiritual test, according to several religious traditions, is a life situation, provided by God, to evaluate man’s individual moral character and obedience to His laws. Spiritual tests assess one’s virtue in many aspects of everyday life, individual conduct, particularly when no witnesses exist, and reflect the maturation of the character with regards to such moral imperatives as honesty, respect, and consideration for others. Wikipedia. 

The testing has been pretty fierce lately because I am working to put together the contents of a three part session on being " wise hearted".  My mind says, how can I speak on  being wise hearted when I have been everything but wise lately with my attitude, my words, my thoughts?   While in my pit of despair I looked back to some notes I know God gave me concerning this issue.  Maybe you can help me with this list.  

A proud heart is not a wise heart.
A strong willed heart is not a wise heart.
A fearful heart is not a wise heart.
An anxious heart is not a wise heart.
A forgetful heart is not a wise heart.
An unforgiving heart is not a wise heart.
A weak willed heart is not a wise heart.
A materialistic heart is not a wise heart.
A stubborn heart is not a wise heart.
An angry heart is not a wise heart.
A cold heart is not a wise heart.
A comparing heart is not a wise heart.
A boxed heart is not a wise heart. (When we try to put God in our box we limited Him and limited ourselves from seeing God's ways.

  What would you add to my list of what  keeps us from having a wise heart. 

White Hankie Movie.

 

Noah has been on my list ever since it came out even though I understand it really did not give a biblical view of the flood, or why God destroyed a whole race except Noah and his family.    Really I have not heard much on it either and I am sure a few of my friends have went to see. 

       But, all my friends have been talking about,

    God's Not Dead".

  Finally today I got to see it and it was worth every penny we paid too including the price of popcorn and a diet coke.   I usually have low expectation concerning Christian movies so I was in for a surprise.

Of all the Christian movies I have seen, old and new ones they never felt the way this one did.   I felt like I had went to church for one hour and thirteen minute  listening to  this young college student proved God is not dead and listening to the music at the end.




By the end I was wishing I had my white hankie so I could wave it in the air and shout, Amen, Amen and Amen.  I pray God give me the boldness the young freshmen college student had.  I was challenged to look around me more often and look for opportunities to share, God's Not Dead. 



One way we can know if God is real is His spirit in me will testify to His spirit in someone else or a situation.  God paid me a visit in that dark movie house through the message given in the movie.  This was no act of the devil,  I am sure he is doing all he can to stop this movie from spreading.   A person would have to be dead themselves to not be encouraged by the truth presented in this movie. 


                                           Have you seen it, what was your conclusion?

Early Morning

Early this morning, around two a.m. I found myself unable to sleep.  Thoughts of my mother kept me  awake for I talked to her today.  Like most phone calls she starts out telling me her ailments, about the ones who died recently in the nursing home, who had visited her this Sunday.  Then her mind slipped a little and she started talking about her past roommate who died about three months ago.  She kept saying,  she is better off,  all of us in here would be better off if God took us home, we're not much use for anything.  Those phone calls always leave me sad and well, up late looking for some comfort through songs that sing the hope God provided for those who believe.  I think of a  time years ago, 1985, when my mother and mother in law came to watch our children while I had some needed surgery.  Our church was having a revival with Tim Lee, a Vietnam vet who lost his legs in the war and promised God if He would save his live he would preach the gospel till he died.   My husband took my mother, his mother and the children to church.  I don't even know what he preach on but I knew he would present the gospel and give an old fashioned invitation to those who wanted to know more about getting saved to come forward where someone would meet them and explain what the Bible said about salvation.  

After they return from the revival my mother called me,  right away she told me  she had got saved and was baptized too.  She told me the ladies name who let her through the Roman's road right to the Savior.  And then she repeated, I got baptized too.  If you knew my mother you would know she was scared of having her face put under water for she almost drowned when she was young.  I said, Mom were you scared, no she replied. 

Now she is down to her last years here on earth, she is 87, frail, wheelchair bound, pretty forgetful, but she remembers the night she met the Savior.  I was just with her a week before Mother Day, rolled her out those nursing home doors one sunny day to the Dairy Queen across the street to have a fish sandwich.  A few days later took her for a car ride, drove through the drive through of McDonald's, got us another  fish sandwich and  drove  to the park where we had a picnic in the car with all the  windows rolled down.   Drove her around the country where she use to live, stop a few places and had folks come to the car to say hello.  After about two hours she was wore out so I returned her to the nursing home.  I left sad and as always a little depressed.  After hearing her voice on the phone today I knew it was going to be a long night. Grief always move into my heart when it comes to my mother.  I wish I could roll back the time to when she could walk, drive a car, go fishing at the pond,  fry up the caught fish , and drive me around.   Can't,  so I cling to the old rugged cross knowing  someday God will call her home.  She will leave that wheelchair behind and walk those streets of gold on new strong legs all because she believed what took place on Mt. Calvary. 

                  I wonder what comforts your heart when it's heavy?

My Favorite Post/Second Time Wife

NOTHING I HAVE EVER POSTED BEFORE OR EVER WILL POST IN THE FUTURE IS AS IMPORTANT AS  THIS ONE.  IT'S THE STORY OF OUR PRODIGAL SON JARED AND HIS SECOND TIME WIFE. 

Jared and Grace Draper
2008

                                                             GRACE'S TESTIMONY


Three years ago my world was turned upside down when my husband (Jared)  told me he wanted a divorce and walked out the door bag in hand. I was shocked and completely devastated. So many things went through my head at that moment but what scared me the most was being alone. How was I going to support and raise our two kids alone? The thing is I wasn't alone. God was, is, and had been with me through it all! He came along side me to be a shoulder to cry on and my strength to stand on. He gave me family, friends, and a loving church to take care of me. He used such a difficult time in my life to grow in my faith in Him. I never stopped loving my husband. I prayed for him often and always held on to the hope that he would come back. Well, a couple months ago God did something amazing! He got ahold of my husband's heart and turned his life around! God brought my husband to himself and in doing that brought him back to his family. We are getting remarried April 12. I can't wait and I'm so grateful for what God is doing in my life and in Jared's life. He's given us such a beautiful story and all of it gives praise and glory to God! It shows His love, His grace, His mercy, His strength, His sovereignty! God is so good!

                                                                          JARED'S TESTIMONY

I've re written  this post a few times trying to get the words right but it's just easier to say what's on my heart! Three years ago I made the decision to divorce my wife (Grace) of almost 5 years. We had two small children but I still thought the best decision was to walk away and not honor the commitment I made to her! I have spent the last 3 years living for myself and trying to justify the decisions I made. I've hurt a lot of people by doing that and my heart breaks because of that! It wasn't until recently that God, miraculously, did a work on my heart and has not only brought me back to Him but has brought Grace and I back together. I am so excited to announce that Grace and I are getting remarried April 12th! Emarie and Austin, our two beautiful children, are so happy that mommy and daddy will be together! I can only claim that this is possible because of the power of prayer of Grace and other people that this is even possible! I am so thankful that she never gave up on me and continued to pray that God would change my heart! I only share all of this to say that God does work miracles and I am so excited that He is giving us an opportunity to get our family back together! I hope that anyone that reads this will share in our excitement and that it will be a testimony that God is a loving God. I'm so thankful for His forgiveness! I'm so thankful for the mercy and grace that He shows me everyday
Jared, Grace and children on their wedding day, April 12. 2014

Sometimes marriages cannot be put back to together for lots of reasons so we prayed for Jared to come back to the God who loves him more then we did.  We prayed for strength and courage for Grace as she  faced being alone.  Then we put ourselves out there to just love on them and build up our relationship with both.  Boldly we prayed, God make Jared miserable and ask others to pray the same and then we watched as God brought  sweet conviction to him over and over. Loving others as Christ loves us is never a waste and it carries a punch

 that our human love does not carry.  Their incredible story is not over.  The pastor who married them said it was his first time to re-marry someone and he challenged Jared and Grace to share their story of what God has done in their life so others will be encouraged to trust God for their love ones who have strayed from the Lord.
 Is there someone you are trusting God for? 

Lifeline

 What or who are you trusting today for that trial in your life.  Our faith is built through the storms in our life.   Try as we may we cannot calm the storm but God can calm us through the storm.  Who is your lifeline today?

Today I want to highlight a post written by my wise hearted blogging friend, Diane at,   an encouraging word.    Change is never easy, read how Diane chose to handle the change in her life.

Wanted: Job Title

My Father is an awesome God.  I wrote this post very early a week ago Sunday morning, but didn't post it.  I wanted to go over it one last time after I got back from church. Please read the post first, then I'll tell you how awesome The LORD is to me. This is what I wrote:

Is there a lost and found for job titles?  I’ve lost mine.

No longer a wife. No longer a mother.  What’s a woman to do?

From my earliest remembrances all I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother. No career aspirations. Except that. That was my career, as well as serving The LORD in whatever capacity.  

So, what’s a woman to do when she finds herself no longer an active mother – as all her children are self-supporting adults living everywhere but here?

A mother is prepared for the day when her children will “fly the nest”.  I did not suffer any kind of empty-nest syndrome, except for the months of August/September when I would ache to shop for school supplies.  Nine years later and I still experience those pangs come school time.

This woman continued to fill her life with ministry work and serving/supporting her husband and his business venture, just as she did for the last 40 years.

So, what’s a woman to do when she finds herself no longer a wife?

A wife is not prepared for her husband to "fly the nest".  

So, what’s a woman to do who now has no husband to serve/support?

What’s this woman to do?  My purpose in life abruptly ended…

Yet, my husband is still my husband. He just no longer wants to be served or supported – not from the wife of his youth anyway…

I’m still his wife, but not. I have a husband, but I’m not a wife. 

It’s no longer my job title.

…sigh…

I don’t know how to not be a wife.

…sigh…

So, what is this woman to do?

Is there life after 40 years of being a wife?  Of course there is. Ask any woman who has forged on after her husband has died. But, in the lost and found department of job titles, I’m definitely in the "lost" section.  

For this you can pray, if you are so inclined…

~~~

And now for the postscript:  

I closed my computer and went to church.  I entered into worship and immediately, I heard the Holy Spirit speak one word to me: "Daughter".  I knew in my heart what He was saying.  My job title is now Daughter of the Most High God.  

"Lord, I know I wasn't the best mother, and obviously I wasn't the best wife, but I will do my best to live the rest of my life being the best Daughter I can be", I sobbed back to Him.    

Two days later, I was praying with my prayer partner and I shared about the post and then going to church and what The Holy Spirit said to me.  As I was talking, she gasped.  "Oh my gosh, as you were telling me about the post, I was going to say "Daughter of God".  

We rejoiced in The LORD confirming His Word to me.  We rejoiced in His Lovingkindness, Goodness, and Faithfulness. We were thankful for those who are praying for me during this transition in my life.

For those of you who have been praying for me, I thank you. God is faithful. He meets needs.  He supplies.  He comforts.  He promotes.  He hands us our job titles. 

Because of Him and Unto Him,

 

 

 

Even Though



  Even Though (C.Wells)
 We’ve watched the house fall - right before our eyes,  we have seen countless  children die
We have wept tears at - the end of dreams, no one is free here from suffering
But the life we gain through Christ cannot be taken

Chorus
 Even though we lose it all, we’ll not be lost, we’ll not be lost
Behold, this love of God has ransomed us, He’s ransomed us
Even though

We’ve been the lepers outside the gate,  we were the poor man without a name
The unfaithful woman falling at His feet, I am the unloveable and He came for me
His arms are fastened firmly round us now

Chorus again

 We had nothing when He found us, we had nothing to recommend us
His grace is like an ocean, His gifts are overflowing
He will care for those who know Him, His promises are certain
We will not walk alone

I don't know about you but I get probably 40-50 some request for prayer a day on my facebook wall from all over the world.  Friends with dying family members, families who have lost it all because of a job loss.  Children being abused,  spouses left to care for children after their mate walks out.  Family and friends who are battling cancer.  Prayer request for missionaries for wisdom, strength to continue on in the face of danger.  On top of that there is the news, families grieving for their love one on a missing plane.  Soldiers fighting wars across the sea,  countries in civil war.  Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes (just had one today here in southern California), disasters everywhere.  Everything we hold valuable can be taken from us here in a moment here on this earth.        EXCEPT HIS LOVE. 


Roman 8:35-       Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Verse 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, verse 30 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 


Even though you may be suffering at this moment, even though you may feel separated from God because of your suffering,   you are not alone. His love follows you, pursues in you, dwells with you, keeps you, hugs you and does not forget you in your suffering. 

   Today I needed to hear the message in this song, how about you?