Press On-Selah

         
Do you need a word of encouragement today?  Got any trials that are on going?  Wondering if you will ever see another mountain top?  Is the valley the lowest you can remember?  Take heart, God is our  help in our race, He runs besides you and keeps saying above the roar of the world, press on, come on you can do this, I am with you every step of the way, press on.  It's not much farther, you can finish, press on.  

Life has a way of reminding us how frail we are.  Every part of your body may hurts, and your minds cannot take in one more detail yet you must keep going, people depend on you.  

That"s the way it's been for a few weeks around our house.  You see, we have been in a move for a month and about a week ago we moved into a new place with our son and family.  We have moved a lot in the 51 years of marriage but this was the first time we moved two families at once.  And the first time we have done it at 68.  Even when you know the move is from the Lord, your feet still hurt so bad you cannot get to sleep.  

    God did not take the pain out of the move.  

This song kept running through my mind at each step we took to get to this lovely place.  Press on Betty, come on, one step before the other, it will be worth it when all the things are put away and you have time to enjoy each other.  God has walked every step with us, but my feet still hurt. 

Way before they nailed his feet to the cross, His feet hurt. He walked all over Israel preaching and teaching. Then He walked up Calvary, with blood dripping everywhere from the beating and whipping.  His feet must have been swollen beyond recognition.  He could have healed His own feet,  stopped the blood from flowing but He pressed on. A move to another house is a small thing in light of what He did for us on Calvary.  I pray this song encourages you as you press on in what ever situation God has you in.  
       
 
                  

       

      

Good questions

For the past 4 months, the Inapang Bible teachers and many faithful women have been making the long hike to Tangguat each week to live out the Great Commission and preach the Gospel to those who have been bound by the enemy's lies for generations. This past week they heard the amazing story of God Himself giving his life as a sacrifice for the sins of man. It has been a joy and a privilege to partner with and labor alongside the Inapang church and to see God bring glory to His name in this corner of the jungle. As Tim (missionary) sat with the Bible teachers late in the evening after the crucifixion lesson had been taught that morning, the Bible teachers were saying, "God has certainly prepared this place for Himself and His word! They are embracing it and believing it in such an amazing way. This is only God!"

Here is one of the testimonies that was shared with us after the finale of the Gospel presentation ..."God sent his Son to this ground to be born from a woman and He followed God's thinking all the way until he was grown, and it was all to pay for our sin. I believe what I have heard and I can't do anything to save myself from my sin. I heard that the Deliverer would come and I thought about him and I thought about him and wondered how he would save me. He came to become our "sin-person" and defeat Satan and get us back from him. I heard about him and I believed and trusted in him as I heard his story all the way until yesterday and today's story. I am giving God a big thank you that He sent His only Son to save us. I am getting a very big thank you and giving it to God because He was thinking of us and sent His Only Son whom He loved very much. All the sins that we were doing before and that we will do, we couldn't save ourselves from those, but God sent His Son for us and for all the bad people. True, true, true, true... This is God's story. Jesus is with us. He is the one door to God. His blood was shed for us and if we believe in Him, then by that road we will come to God. He has completely erased all our sin and because of that I am so happy. Thank you, Tim, (missionary) so much for coming. We were nothing, we were just bush people who were going astray, but God by His strength sent you to Papua New Guinea to the bush people to preach His word. And Jesus is with us now. He died for us. I am completely believing in that. He is coming again and those that believe in Him, He will come back to get us. But those who do not believe in Him will go to the place of fire. I cannot save myself from this... only God."

I love this testimony of God's work through missionaries who stepped out of their comfort zone to take light into these dark places.  Here the thing though...that darkness is all around us in America too.    Just a few days ago I sit across from a young women who was in darkness.  How did I know that?  By asking a few simple questions, such as, do you believe there is a God, a creator?  Have you heard of Jesus and who do you think he is?  Out of those few questions she begin to tell what she believed.  

 She truly believed she was re-incarnated several times and it was God who did that. She had heard of Jesus but did not know Jesus Christ was the perfect Son of God, God in the flesh. She did not know He came to die for her.  Just because there is a church on every corner and religious programs on the TV does not mean people have an understanding of the Bible.   We tend to think just those living in the remote jungles do not know the answers to the Bible.  

Occasionally I  watch, Watter's World on fox news.  He goes around asking specific questions about history which is embarrassing because it really shows how little American's know about America.   Good questions will reveal what we believe or know. 

       Below is a few questions to use when witnessing to someone. 

1. Transitioning question:  Can I ask you an interesting question? May I ask you what you think will happen to you after you pass away?
2. Where are you on your spiritual journey?
3. What is happening spiritually in your life.  
4. If you died tonight, are you 100 percent sure you would go to heaven and why?
Those are only a few questions that can bring the information needed to proceed in presenting the gospel.

  The young women I wrote about was willing to meet with me because I had earned favor with her by caring about her in general ways.  I did not have to travel to the jungle, only to McDonalds, or learn a new language to ask some eternal questions.  All I had to do was care more for her soul then what she ate that day.   This young women will now meet those Tangguat believers in heaven.  But just like those missionaries serving across the ocean our work is not done.  There is much disciplining yet to come to help these new believers mature in their faith.  

I Peter 3:15 tells us to be ready to give an account (explanation)  for the hope that is in you with gentleness and reverence.  Lets reach the tribe we live around.  

Forgiven Unforgettable

   A few week ago I downloaded some free books for my Kindle to read as we traveled.   One by one I begin to read as we crossed off the miles on our trip. The first three were light novels, easy reads, until I opened chapter one of Nikki Lee Brannon book, Forgiveness Unforgettable.   With each chapter I kept saying to my husband as I read, "your not gonna  believe this", "this is uncanny, too real.    

(Forgiveness-Unforgettable )

You see, Nikki's  story  is also mine.   There are a few things that are different but the core of her story is so close to mine that I was left in tears with each page I read. My tears were full of gratefulness for not only surviving a painful childhood, but for God's love that has healed those wounds that left scars fit for the Master use.  

Nikki story reminded me how well I hid what went on in our home most nights.  Even my closest friend did not know because I never talked about it even with my best friend. Never invited her to stay all night with me for fear she would know.  Looking back I am amazed how I went on about my daily life as if nothing was going on.   Shame is a powerful emotion which toughens the heart by building a wall around it that keeps everyone out and pain in. 

There are times I  wish I could share  good memories of my father but, honestly they are not there.  What I have learned to do though, is not hide the bad ones. In doing so God, (my heavenly Father), has built great memories of how my past pain can help others to no longer live as a victim but as a victor.  Just reading Nikki's story, seeing in print how God brought her from being a victim to having the strength to write such a healing book made me feel victorious with every word. 

What I can write about is God love for me that pierced me deep enough to cause a yearning to be like Him.  When you want to be like Him you give Him permission to heal your wounds, through the power of His forgiveness. 

 Long before He became my Savior He gave  me the gift of choice.   When  I was a child I did not understand the power that gift contained.  The power of choice let me  affect  my destiny. Choosing God's way to forgive is often the hardest way, but God will reward you for your wise choices. Charles Stanley  frequently says, Obey God, leave the consequences to Him."

My choice, along with Nikki and many others is  to live as a victor rather then a victim which has resulted in a life of freedom just as John 8:32 says, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. So the power of choice is not a myth but the most solid truth you can find. When we choose God and let his ways dictate all of our choices, we receive the freedom that no other choice can equal. 

Forgiveness is a choice and a process, it's not magic. 
“Forgiving someone doesn’t mean condoning their behavior. It doesn’t mean forgetting how they hurt you or giving that person room to hurt you again. Forgiving someone means making peace with what happened. It means acknowledging your wound, giving yourself permission to feel the pain, and recognizing why that pain no longer serves you. It means letting go of the hurt and resentment so that you can heal and move on. ~Daniell KoepkeLife 

 Nikki and I have struck up a relationship through Facebook and recently she referred to her book as "our book".   I have pondered those words for I know many will see themselves in her book.  It is "our story", those of us who chose to forgive.   The enemy of our soul meant it to destroy, but he is no match for the God of the universe who can heal any willing heart.  

Need a touch from God, Nikki's book will give you that. 

He Is

Someone told me years ago if you want to stay excited about who God is, then,  muse, think, talk, study, teach, sing, meditate, pray, about His character.  I challenged myself to listen to this little 3 minute 11 second video clip for a month.   I double dare you to try this challenge, it will take you beyond excitement, it will take you past your emotions, consume your mind till you cannot do anything by praise Him and trust Him for whatever is going on in your life.  

   
                

A Team Effort...

Not sure why the video says 8 eight minutes on it because it is only 3 minutes and 37 seconds long.   Today I was watching some of New Tribes Missions video's thinking about which ones to share.   This one stood out because we have been on that helicopter with that pilot several times and I came to love it.  Unlike a plane the heli goes lower and slower so you can see more of God's creation.  And there is such beauty to see in Papua New Guinea but the best part was the beauty we seen  face to face  when we landed and met up with the missionaries and believers in what ever location we flew into. These folks will tell you they are  not extraordinary but their God is and it is He who they trust to do the task He has called them to.  

A team starts back in the local church, a missionary comes to visit, maybe your church supports or they are looking for support.  They stand before you pouring God's heart out that the whole world needs to hear the gospel.  Sitting in a pew you listen to God's heart and sometimes you hear Him say, "I want you to go", I want you to give", "I want you to pray".  I want you to be involved somehow.   I pray you listen...

 That pilot and the couple in the Hewa tribe sit just where you sit and heard God speak to their hearts.   Training came next for you would not want to do what the pilot or the couples does without it.  God loves for us to be prepared for the task so we can be more effective.  Finally after a few years you find yourself flying in a helicopter into a remote location excited to see what God is doing in the jungle.  He certainly not looking for Tarzan, He is seeking lost souls, bound for an eternal hell unless they have a chance to hear and accept the gospel. 


                     

 My heart gets all mushy every time I watch one of these videos. Our lives,  Ace and mine,  was forever changed when God ask us to be part of the team that serves in a foreign country.  Every time we meet with a young couple home from a foreign country and hear their stories , almost every time after we leave them, one of us will say, man, I could work with that couple.  And every time we both wish we were young again, just starting out.  

Tomorrow we start off on a three day trip to northern California to meet up with four different couples serving in three different countries.  They are on home assignment now, or as we oldies call it, furlough and we get to meet them face to face and with God's grace encourage them.   Possible give them some direction for helping them settle back into stateside living.  After living in these remote place it's pretty over whelming to come back into the land of abundance.  

We have come full circle, from the stateside church, to the foreign field, back to the states and we are still part of the teams, serving as Member Care Reps for our mission.  And you who pray for us, thank you, we never cease to need prayer, never.  Some of you have supported us and for that we are grateful.  Our journey is not over............more to come......

                       Where are you in your journey?

Writing has been hard for me lately due to a health issue that has required some new meds that literally makes my mind numb a lot.    Along with asking for prayer I wanted to share this song that does keep running through my mind.   

I've been in this place many times, you know that place where the only thing you can do is trust the Lord or fret.   Fretting never lift the Lord up, it always lifts up the circumstances.  

I have been reading many of your blog lately which has been an encouragement to me and  bring me back to the truth of this song.  He is the God on the mountains and the valleys.  He created both so we would learn to enjoy Him in what ever place we find ourselves.  

This little break I am taking has already been profitable for my soul.  Living with limitations tends to make us humble and God knows I need to be humbled.  But they also give us wisdom and insight into Him.  Before you get overly concerned, this is not a life threatening issue.  A little life debilitating at times in reading and writing.  

Just drop a prayer at the throne on my behalf when you get time.  Thank you. 

Being quiet before the battle...

 How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. July is here before it’s August. My goodness how the time has flown. How did it get so late so soon?   
~ Dr. Seuss

I do believe this has been the longest stretch of time I have went without posting.  With so much going on in the world and in our personal lives I have felt the need to just listen and read what others are saying and writing.  Silence is not sticking ones head in the sand and ignoring issues, personal or world wide such as, same sex marriage, racism, war in the middle east or the political problems.  Silence is best used to gain insight into what God has to say about anything and everything. 

In fact I have to agree with the wise men of the Bible, "even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise, when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. (Proverbs 17:28).  This period of time has given me a chance to really think about what my mouth says, is it wisdom that comes from the Lord or my opinion?    Is the words coming out of my mouth ones that would draw someone closer to the Lord, or drive them away.  Am I using my mouth to promote Godly values, and His view, not mine?  

I could easily get caught up in moral and injustice issues and spend my time fighting to bring about change in any area.  And I applaud others who do that but this silence time has helped me to confirm some things God has taught me and re-teaching.   

I am also a firm believer in this scripture, which covers for me all the hurtful, evil, sad, painful and terrible things happening in the world.   Matthew 15:18-23 ‘‘What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,  greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’” 

Our heart ultimately governs our behavior. So when we say or do something that "surprises" us, if we will get really honest with ourselves (and with God) and think about it, we will discover the root of that action.

God is more interested in our motives – the why behind the what. Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (NIV). He is not looking at our outer actions as closely as He is looking at what motivates them. Because what's inside us is the root of what comes out of us. God is much more concerned that the things we do come from a pure, Holy Spirit-led heart.

So instead of joining one of the good causes out there and battling that injustice I am going to join the battle of the ages again.  It the same battle that's been going on since creation.  It cannot be won with guns, laws, protest, marches, and even  votes.   The battle was fought and won at Calvary.  

I chose this day to fight the good fight, to give out the gospel which is the only thing that will clean a heart and make it pure.   With God's help I am going to share John 3:16 anytime, anywhere while I have the freedom to do so.  It is my weapon of choice. 

 "It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge, and my job to love.  Billy Graham                    

Footsteps

 There are days when I just want to settle down in a nice little house, lead a normal all American life and enjoy the fruits of living in a free country.  To stop traveling the roads for ministry sake but maybe travel for pleasure a few times a year.  To focus on my family, my dreams, my wishes, yeah, a ministry devoted to me.  Then I watch a two and half minute video and I re-focus again into being all God wants me to be for His sake.  
  
 I hope this video encourages your heart,   not to give, not to go but to be where ever God has you.  For Lisa, it's the jungles of Papua New Guinea. For Ace and I it's in southern California being Member Care reps for New Tribes Missions. 

I also hope you noticed the contentment in Lisa voice, and in her face.  It comes from "being" a child of God first, second from being obedient to Him, third from enjoying all God has for her and others, even in the sweaty jungles.  

With the passing of Elizabeth Elliot one has to wonder if there will be women to take her place, I say yes, I know a few, Lisa is one of them.   Women who give their all  ministering to other, for the sake of the gospel.  Women who believe and actually live out the commandments, to love God with all their hearts and love others.  Women who don't spent their time judging others or comparing themselves but women who take courage and say, here am I, God use me, Your way, in Your timing, and with Your power.  

 
                        

“The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.” 
― Elisabeth Elliot

Surfing the Web

Recently I went  surfing on  a few facebook posts written by people I had never read.   Usually I don't get into trouble because I normally just read to gleam with out leaving a comment.   So when I decided to leave a comment on a certain post about the wrong in USA Christianity concerning abuse I had no idea how others response would affect me.  It was a brutal eye opener how my comment could be misunderstood,  tore apart  and  leave me with such a desire to defend myself. 

Here are some some things I learned and pray I will remember in the future. 

First, I should have read more then one post of this writer before I commented.  I would have had a better understanding  of the core of their blog.  

Second, I should have read all the comments, and the  replies by the blog writer, it  might have  stopped me from commenting.  Usually I do not use my commenting freedom to put other belief down but can be bold about my beliefs and opinions.    And  because this one was something close to my heart, abuse of children, I wrote with freedom.

Third, after reading the replies to my comment and even though I felt attacked,  I should have stop right there, let it go.  But my pride got involved and I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding and have the last word that would bring it to an end.  Another round of comments and replies took place leaving me even more frustrated.   It seems the more words I shared explaining what I felt was a misunderstanding the worst the replies were coming back to me.  Not sure how long this back and forth would have went on had I not stopped but those replying back  to me got the last word and it was not nice. 

Fourth, had I done this there would have been no need for 1-3. I should have listened to my husband after he read the post.  I think he read between the lines and knew what I was getting myself into.   Pride  struck again,  I mean I am the one who travels the blog world not him, I surely could handle a few disagreements or different opinions.  Something I read recently in a novel fits perfectly here,    "It weakens you to feel proud of yourself".

This took place about five days ago and I am still running it over in my mind.  What could I have said to lesson the misunderstanding?   Was I being offensive by my comments?  Should I have used more scripture to back up my comments? And, of course,  in my frustration the thought did come to me...I just need to get out of this blogging.  Thanks God I knew that last thought came from the enemy of my soul. 

  Since the little phrase, "make it count" has been an on going theme for me in the past six months I took courage by the fingers and went back to only read all  the comments and replies, and  found I was not the only one being "put in their place".    I have to confess I am still a little emotionally bruised but no longer feel the need to continue reading what this person writes.  and I am not shutting down my blog or my blog reading.  But I will be more careful in the future.  

Even at 68 the need to be a people pleaser came back with a rush as I struggle to explain myself so I could get a good word from those replying to my comment.   The best reply is the one I got when I went to the Lord.   “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness.” Psalm 145:8-9  

Stress comes when we allow the many voices in life to drown out the only voice that really matters, the voice of God.  

Anyone else experience something like this?  

Used Up

  

I use to say if I lived to be a hundred I might smoke again since there was a time I enjoyed a smoke after a meal.   Foolishness is not only bound up in the heart of a child but a few of us adults also. God has so changed my desires, took some away totally, like cigarettes but mostly replaced them with His desire to be a Holy vessel for  His use.  

A short study of the life of Joshua brings encouragement today:

 As a young man, Joshua was sent to spy out the promised land. Only he and Caleb believed the Israelite could conquer the enemies living there. So the people wandered 40 years until the exodus generation perished—save the two spies. Then, succeeding Moses, Joshua led Israel into the promised land. Though he was about 80, Joshua captained Israel to victory over six nations and 31 kings.

Fast-forward 20 years. Joshua 13:1 somewhat understates, “Joshua had grown old.” It is estimated he was around 100 years old. Joshua might have expected God to send him on vacation: go float atop the Dead Sea or fish in the Lake of Galilee. But God didn't offer Joshua a retirement plan. Instead he said, “There are still very large areas of land to be taken over.” Joshua’s next task was to divide the land.  

Sometimes I wonder just how much time I have left on this earth. I've looked for an expiration date but I can’t find it. One thing I do know is that I want to leave this earth having “used up” every gift, every resource…everything that He’s entrusted to my account. And that thought makes me want to love more, give more, laugh more…living every day and making it count!! I’d rather leave this earth “on fire” with nothing in my hands than just “fizzle” out holding onto what God meant for me to give away! How about you?   "Safe Haven Bible Study"

Ace and I  were just ask last week when we were going to retire.  Like Joshua, God has not offered us a retirement plan.   In this dispensation people do not live to be as old as they did back in Joshua day so we may not see 100.  But no matter my age I too want to be used up for the Lord, making every day count.  I want God to give me large areas of land to be taken over. 

          You got any plans for your "old age"?