Princess of the King

New blog?

2005-08-28T22:58:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! I had a great day with Becky yesterday. And, yes, Emily, I actually did buy something - although it was mostly gifts! It was fun to just relax and talk, oh and eat fudge! Yummy!

Today was a strange day. It is so weird to be at Oak Pointe, knowing it is my last time there as a regular. Everything was normal, yet in the back of my mind, I'm reminded that it's the last time for me. The small groups pastor, Greg Moore, gave the message today. It was one of those "kick in the pants" types of messages that every church needs every month or so. Way to go Greg! The air conditioning wasn't working and it was soooo hot. I felt really bad for Greg being up in the lights. If you go to Oak Pointe and I didn't see you today to get to say good-bye - sorry and I missed seeing you (i.e. Loren, Jeff K., Emma, etc.!). We spent the afternoon getting our stuff out of the Adelsman's basement (thanks once again Tom & Connie!) and painting our walls. The movers are supposed to come tomorrow between 1-3 pm to load up everything. Then we'll ride off into the sunset!

I am starting a new blog. It just doesn't seem quite right to have my blog named after 707 anymore. I just started it today and still have tons of work to do on it, but you can check it out at www.jonathanherron.typepad.com/amberherron . Eventually, I am going to probably buy the domain name so it will just be amberherron.com. Anyways...I gotta go medicate myself from my sorrows and eat some fudge!

My Friend, Becky

2005-08-26T21:23:00.000-04:00

I have been looking forward to tomorrow all week long! I get to spend the day with my friend, Becky. This may sound funny, but as a person whose love language is quality time, it means a ton! God has blessed me with numerous, life-long friendships. Each place I move, however, it is necessary to find at least one quality friend. I always bring this matter before my heavenly Father. I prayed for a friend in Ohio and He brought me Emily. I began praying for a friend even before moving to Michigan. I remember times when the pastors' wives here would get together and we would talk about and pray for God to bring me a friend. That friend was Becky. She has stuck by my side through thick and thin. She cries with me and laughs with me. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago when we were offered a position in South Carolina and I told her on the phone, she cried tears of joy! She prays with and for me. She holds me accountable. She has often been the prophetic voice of God in my life the last year and a half. She has opened herself up to me and allowed me to speak into her life as well. It's hard to believe that I'll no longer be able to meet up with her for coffee on a whim, but the ties run stronger than good coffee. I know I have made a life-long friend with her. I also know that God will provide for both of us in new friendships - I've seen Him do this before too. So tomorrow is our last hurrah as we spend a couple hours in the car and drive to Frankenmuth to see the Christmas Wonderland or whatever it is! I know she will still be just a phone call away, no matter where I go. (ok, so I've started bawling as I wrote this!)

We got our house!

2005-08-24T18:57:00.000-04:00

We heard back yesterday that the offer we put on the house was accepted! We have a closing date set for September 7! Still keeping busy around here. I took the cats to the vet today and got tranquilizers for the long drive next week. I had some help with packing up part of the kitchen today - yippee! I will probably finish most of it tonight. Then, I just have some bath items, clothes, and cleaning supplies and I'm ready to go! We have to put primer on some of the walls too. I decided that I am taking Saturday off - Becky and I are going to drive up to Frankenmuth to see the cool stores there and also go to the outlet there. I hear they have a Pottery Barn Outlet! Jon gets back on Sunday afternoon. We will be picking up some stuff we've stored in another pastor's basement, finish the primer and be ready to go for Monday! All in all, things are going fairly well.

Boxes, Bubble Wrap and Blogging

2005-08-23T10:22:00.000-04:00

The last couple of days have been just a little bit stressful. I am attempting to pack up all our stuff in about a week's time. I am so overwhelmed as I look around. I know there are tons of things to do, but I just can't keep my head straight to know where to start! It seems like no matter how many boxes are packed, I haven't even put a dent in the job. Add to this, the need to get the cats in to the vet, the cars fixed before our drive, Jon's leaving tomorrow to speak at a camp, etc. Yesterday, Jon's car got inspected and needed $800 worth of repairs!!! How can a car only 4 years old with 44k miles on it need that kind of work done? Today my car goes in, pray that it is cheap! We still haven't heard back on our offer on the house - which I'm really not that concerned about. I am concerned about the fact that we have no place to live prior to the closing on the house! All of this weight seemed to be bearing down on me yesterday. Today, I decided, more than ever, I need to start my day with the Lord and His strength I flipped into one of my favorite devotional books, "Streams in the Desert," and found this verse: "By faith Abraham...obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Heb. 11:8
It was followed by this excerpt.
"Too many of us want to see our way through a new endeavor before we will even start. Imagine if we could see our way from beginning to end. How would we ever develop our Christian gifts? Faith, hope, and love cannot be picked from trees, like ripe apples. Remember, after the words, 'In the beginning' (Gen 1:1) comes the word 'God.' It is our first step of faith that turns the key in the lock of His powerhouse. It is true that God helps those who help themselves, but He also helps those who are helpless. So no matter your cirumstance, you can depend on Him every time. Waiting on God brings us to the end of our journey much faster than our feet. Many an opportunity is lost while we deliberate after He has said, 'Move!'"

It's true, I don't know how in the world I'm going to get everything packed, I don't know where I'm going to live at first, I don't know if or what kind of job I may get, but it doesn't matter. God continues to teach me to walk by faith. I think this could be my theme for 2005!

Greenville Airport

2005-08-21T23:09:00.000-04:00

The airport in Greenville, SC is one of those that is smaller with the little planes. It's nice because you don't have to beat the crowd. We still got there a little early today and sat at a table to eat lunch before boarding our plane. I realized that there was an area outside with a fountain and flowers. We had some fun and took some pictures of it.

This is me in front of a HUGE flower pot! Now, that's what I call planting flowers. I hope to have lots of beautiful flowers in my yard eventually.

This picture is of me impersonating the weird statue in the water.

This is me and Jon on a bench by the little pond and fountains.

House Hunting

2005-08-21T22:41:00.000-04:00

Well, we got back this afternoon from South Carolina. We were there house hunting. After much deliberation, we decided to pu in an offer on a home. We will find out tomorrow the details. It should be accepted because it is new construction, so the price is pretty much set. We are checking into some upgrades - I want a different veneer on the sink in the master bath and I would love to switch out vinyl for pergo in the kitchen / dining area. It is 3 bedroom and 2 bath with a bonus room off the living room. There aren't really basements in SC, so it has some attic space for storage and is a little over 1600 square feet. The floor plan has split bedrooms (master separated from the other 2). I especially like the garden tub in the master bath - I love taking baths. Enjoy some of these pics we took while walking through.

This is a picture of part of the kitchen. I plan on getting stools to pull up to the bar so you can eat there or at the table.

This picture is taken from the doorway of the master bedroom looking through the back half of the living room and into the hall where the 2nd bathroom is.

This picture is of the sink in the master bath (which I'm changing). Jon is standing in the walk in closet taking the picture. To his right is the tub, shower and toilet and to his left is the master bedroom.

This picture is of the bonus room. It is off the back of the living room with double doors to close it off and glass doors out to the backyard.

Moving is so much fun!

2005-08-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

I've been feeling a little guilty lately about how much we've left the cats this summer. Add to that, knowing how stressed they are going to be about moving (cats don't move well). Yesterday, they got a rare treat. I was making some tuna fish for lunch and decided to give them some. This was very exciting for them! Today, Jon and I decided to buy them a new bed. I'm hoping they will sleep in it in the car while we drive to SC. Snickers immediately knew it was for him. He was purring really loud and has been laying in it all night. Here's a picture of him lounging in it. Poor Schweeny hasn't even gotten a chance to try it out.

I've been keeping really busy the last couple of days. We started packing and got most of our books (which is a lot) done. I've also gotten some of the pictures off the walls and wrapped. I got quotes for moving from half a dozen moving companies, got preapproved for a mortgage and emailed several house listings back and forth with the realtor. I also scheduled for our utilities to be shut off and confirmed our move out date with the leasing office. Whew! Does that make you as tired as it makes me?

Tomorrow, we fly out, again, and go house hunting. We are having lunch with our super cool new pastor, Perry (on his day off, I might add). Then we meet with the realtor to check out some homes tomorrow night and all day Saturday. Sunday, we will go to church at our new place, New Spring and then head back to Michigan. Hopefully, I'll have an update with a picture of the house we hope to buy!

I am just so amazed and thankful to God for all He is accomplishing in our lives! Before long, I'll be telling you all about the adoption we plan to go through. Can't wait to post pictures of my coming baby!

Thanks to everyone who has emailed, commented, or called to encourage us! Your prayers have sustained us through this time. Thank you so much for remembering us before our Lord! We love you all!

We're Moving to South Carolina!!!

2005-08-17T20:30:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! I'm sure most of you have either read Jon's blog or talked to me. We were offered a position at an awesome church in Anderson, South Carolina! We are soooooooo excited and thankful to God for His provision. I now have to shift gears to check lists. We have to find a house, buy a house, pack our things, find a moving company, and on and on and on! Just thinking about it makes me tired. Well, I gotta go get some packing done!

Photos: Me sitting in a rocking chair in the airport at Charlotte, NC.

Schweeny helps with the packing!

Snickers stakes his claim on a U-Haul box.

7th Anniversary!

2005-08-15T11:50:00.000-04:00

Today is our 7th Wedding Anniversary! We are currently in South Carolina interviewing with a church. Jon wanted to make sure he did something special. Before we left this weekend, he worked extra hard to put together a DVD for me! He transferred our wedding video and reception from VHS to DVD so it will last forever. He also took the time to scan in a ton of pictures from the history of our relationship (dating to present) and put together a love story video with music for me! Isn't he so romantic?

We are going to hang out this afternoon and evening and explore the area a little. I have loved being married these 7 years. I've learned and grown so much. I look forward to a lifetime with Jonathan as we continue down this journey God has us on!

Trust

2005-08-12T21:04:00.000-04:00

I listened to a message by Jill Briscoe online today, entitled "Trust." It was really good. She based it on Jesus walking on the water. I jotted down a few things as I listened that I thought I'd share with you.

First, Jill was talking a little bit about the name which God refers to himself by - I AM. She gave an interesting meaning to the phrase, "I AM that I AM." Said in another way it is, "I will be all you need me to be when you need me to be all that you need." I just thought that was a really cool way to look at that phrase! God will be all we need when what we need Him to be our everything - how encouraging!

Jill also gave an acrostic for the word, trust. It is a guide she recommends when we are in the storms of life, fighting to trust in God.
Thinking not feeling when the storm comes. Don't base your faith on your feelings.
Realize worry is sin.
Unpack your bag. Give your burdens to the Lord out of a heavy heart. We must exercise discipline not to put our burdens back in the bag.
Scripture memory - this will flood your mind during the storm, rather than feelings.
Thank Him fo rwho He is and what He will do in the situation.

Another thought I found interesting is that when Jesus stepped in the boat with the disciples during that storm, the boat immediately arrived at the planned destination. Without Jesus, the boat was going nowhere. What a parallel for us in the storms of life! I don't know about you, but I want to have Jesus in my boat!

Hope

2005-08-12T10:55:00.000-04:00

"We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other Christians, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and patience." Hebrews 6:9-12

Yesterday, we got an unexpected delivery in the mail! I have always loved getting the mail, because although usually it is bills and junk, you never know when you are going to get something good! The students and volunteers of 707 were encouraged to participate in giving us a financial gift towards our future adoption. This was their "good-bye" present to us. It was amazing and very encouraging. We still are stumbling upon some encouragement notes! Naturally, that's what I thought was in the mail when I saw the return address label being one of our volunteers. Certainly there was a note of encouragement from his family. Instead of a financial gift, however, there was a catalog. Inside it is all kinds of things one might want/need for caring for a baby! I don't where you get these things, but basically, we choose what item we want, order it and it's ours. The note attached said something like, "here are some things that we know you're going to need soon." It is moments like these that instill hope in me. Right now, I feel like we are further away from being able to start the adoption process than ever! Sometimes, I feel like I'll never experience motherhood. Then, along comes something like this and my hope builds again.

I found the above verse when thinking about hope this morning. I find it very encouraging. We are leaving our current ministry to follow God's leading. Sometimes you wonder if it is the best thing, but this verse says, "we are confident you are meant for better things." It continues to say how the Lord sees and remembers how your love for Him caused you to care for other Christians. We are admonished to continue doing this so we can receive the promises we hope for. I'm not saying this is a magic formula to get whatever you want. The promises being referred to are those things which conform us to the image of Christ. I am reminded as I read this, that because of my desire to be conformed to Christ, He has blessed me with being a spiritual mother to many. I don't know if/how/when I'll be a mother to a child, but I have experienced motherhood. Each time I've allowed the love of Christ to flow through me to a teenage girl, I've practiced motherhood. As much as I hope and desire to be a mom, I would rather be a spiritual mother to hundreds of teens than to never be a mother at all. I want to continue to be one who "inherits God's promises because of my faith and patience."

Lord Willing...

2005-08-11T23:26:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and somewhere in talking about their plans, they throw in the phrase, "Lord willing?" I know I have. Sometimes I've been the one to say that. Now, I am not saying that it is wrong to say, "Lord willing." I just wonder how many times we flippantly throw that phrase in so God sees we are being obedient. It's one thing to use the phrase as a reminder of God's sovereignty and our humility, but another to use it to try and earn bonus points with God or something.

I have been thoroughly studying the book of James since January. Tonight, I studied the paragraph, Chap 4:13-17. James is addressing the arrogant attitude of the human race that we are self-sufficient. He then encourages believers to seek the Lord's will and then procede with plans. One thing that's interesting is that James says, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." It does not matter what our well layed out plans are. God must will for us to live first! We are not only not self-sufficient for our plans, but we are dependent upon God for even our very next breath! How many days do you wake up thanking the Lord that it was His will for you to live today?

The best part of this little section, in my opinion, is the last verse. "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." Have you ever read this and thought it seemed out of place? I know I used to. Once you ponder and pray, however, it really makes sense. James has just encouraged the believers on the importance of seeking out the Lord's will. Now, he continues in a major theme of his entire letter and admonishes the believers to not just know the will of God, but to do it! We simply cannot stop at seeking out God's will for our lives - we must take the next step in faith and do it! The alternative is to continue on with our plans and hence sin. The Bible is filled with stories about people who chose this alternative (Abraham, Jonah, etc). It becomes clear when reading these encounters that the best choice is to be in the middle of God's will!

This may sound like an easy thing to do, but in the moment, it is quite challenging. Are you willing to sacrifice something that seems really good in your life in hopes that being in the will of God will be ultimately more satisfying? What about when the will of God is to be still and wait? This is my life right now. I thought I had my future all figured out. It seemed God-honoring and the best plan. He had something else in mind. Right now, being in the will of God for me, means being still before Him and waiting on His provision. I certainly have my moments of struggle and doubt, but there's no other place I'd rather be.

Amber goes international!

2005-08-09T23:28:00.000-04:00

I just want to say a big "Welcome Back!" to all my international friends out there! I've really missed seeing you for a couple of weeks now. I was so excited to see my pals from Peru, United Kingdom, Singapore, Denmark, Canada, Brazil, Dominica and Mexico. I am wondering where my Malaysian friends have disappeared to though.

You may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Well, this picture shows stats that are traced in reference to my blog. One page tells me what countries and cities people are from who read my blog. Check it out for yourself, it's pretty cool. Go to www.statcounter.com to hook yourself up!

For now I must say, adios, good-bye, aurevoir and leave a comment to tell me how else you say good-bye!

"Skirrels"

2005-08-09T19:28:00.000-04:00

Ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved squirrels. I think they are the neatest little animals. I always wished I could have one as a pet! The closest I got to that was a little stuffed squirrel - I still have it. I used to call them "skirrels". Anyways...Jon and I take walks together nearly every night. We always love seeing all the dogs, squirrels and other animals along the way. One squirrel, in particular, we see again and again. He is very unique as he hardly has a tail. We've affectionately named him "notail".

Jon decided that we should take our camera with us on our nightly walks this week. We haven't seen much until tonight! Notail finally made his modeling debut! Enjoy these pics of my new squirrel friend, notail.

Another Great Poem...

2005-08-09T13:13:00.000-04:00

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you...As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs." (Psalm 84:5-6)

I have been through the valley of weeping,
The valley of sorrow and pain;
But the "God of all comfort" was with me,
At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,
Our souls need both sorrow and joy;
So He places us oft in the furnace,
The dross from the gold to destroy.

When he leads through some valley of trouble,
His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us,
Are part of His lessons in grace.

Oft we run from the purging and pruning,
Forgetting the Gardener knows
That the deeper the cutting and trimming,
The richer the cluster grows.

Well He knows that affliction is needed;
He has a wise purpose in view,
And in the dark valley He whispers,
"Soon you'll understand what I do."

As we travel through life's shadowed valley,
Fresh springs of His love ever rise;
And we learn that our sorrows and losses,
Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we'll follow wherever He leads us,
Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we've proved that our God can give comfort;
Our God can give songs in the night.

Author Unknown

Spirit Empowered Living

2005-08-09T11:10:00.000-04:00

Fill all my empty spaces,
Heal all the hurts I've borne.
Give me the power to change my life;
I need to be reborn.
So take my life, Lord Jesus;
Know all my days I'll spend
Investing in Your kingdom work,
Till life itself shall end.
Send all the power I ask for;
Give all the grace and peace,
All Your present presence,
The Spirit's sweet release.
Give all Your grand dynamic,
You want me to impart,
All this sweet enabling,
Please pour into my heart.
-Jill Briscoe

In the words of students...

2005-08-05T12:30:00.000-04:00

At long last, here are some excerpts from letters students wrote to us. We leave in a few hours to interview at a church in Florida. Pray for us!

This is from one of our staff members:
Jon and Amber,
I wanted you both to know how much I've enjoyed hanging out with you as our 707 leaders this past school year. When I started as a staff member, you both made me feel so welcomed and really encouraged me through some tougher times - and being this was my first experience working with youth it was greatly appreciated! Thank you both so much for all the time, effort, and love that you've poured into 707. It has made such a difference in many of our lives.

Jon & Amber
Well your going to be leaving soon to start a new life for a lucky child and I just wanted to say how thankful I am that you two came into my life...I love you guys very much and again I want to thank you for being like a second set of parents for me this year. I know God is going to do amazing things with you and I am so happy about that.

Dear Amber
You and Jon were the first models I had of a Godly marriage, and you were the first "P-31 Girl" that I was able to witness. You were always there when I showed up on time for worship practice, which was always way too early to be there since everybody else would be running on Shirock or Talbot time. I enjoyed our conversations just to check things out and I thank you for helping out all the girls at 707 who I call some of my closest friends. You are going to be a wonderful mother. (this was written by a boy!)

Amber
I share your desire of wanting to be a mom and have a family (not at this point, but in the future). I know God will bless you with a family, just as He did Sarah. Be patient and wait for God's perfect timing. I will never forget you. You helped me when I needed someone most. You paid attention to me when I felt invisible. Thanks to you, I was able to come out of my shell. I can never thank you enough.
"When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." Isaiah 43:2
(this girl's speaking my language and right to my heart!)

Amber
Thank you so much for bringing me to Becky and her small group. I really can't say how much you both mean to me. Amber thank you so much for guiding me to a small group and setting an example of a truly strong woman after God's heart. Your example means more than anything to me. Now that I have said how much you guys mean to me, it would be time to say good-bye. However, I don't think it is good-bye. Somewhere in my heart I know that wherever God may take us, I hope that we will be able to stay in touch...Hey, who knows, maybe you'll meet a girl named __________, who happens to be looking for a youth group!! (If you do, tell her I said Hi!)...Anything that is great and good that has entered my life always links back to 707 and you both! I thank God for bringing you both into my life!

So, there's a few highlights. There's ton more where this came from. I plan on putting them together in a book with pictures of the students next to it. For anyone out there who works with teens, I always recommend saving anything like this that you receive. I always save notes, emails, etc. from students. Then on the hard days, I get them out and read them to remind myself why I'm doing this! It's one of the best motivators out there. Well, I gotta go pack! I'll update when I get back from the BEACH!!!

Be Strong!

2005-08-04T11:29:00.000-04:00

I still promise to post more about our farewell last night. Just need to process some first.

There's no doubt about it that 2005 has been the hardest year of my life! It seems like every couple of months or so, something huge and disappointing happens. Each time, I tell God, "man, I was already at my limit, I can't take anymore!" I've had people tell me that we must be strong because the Lord doesn't put more on you than you can bear. My reply is, "I don't want to be strong!" With my latest disappointment, I've been thinking, "God, for once - just ONE time- can't something be handed to me? I'm so tired. I know You want me to grow, but can I have just a little break? Why do things have to be so hard right now?" Well, once again, I'm pointing back to "Streams in the Desert" for a response to this idea.

Be men of courage; be strong (1 Cor. 16:13)

Never pray for an easier life - pray to be a stronger person! Never pray for tasks equal to your power - pray for power equal to your tasks. Then doing the work will be no miracle - you will be the miracle. Phillips Brooks

We must remember that Christ will not lead us to greatness through an easy or self-indulgent life. And easy life does not lift us up but only takes us down. Heaven is always above us, and we must continually be looking toward it.

Some people always avoid things that are costly, or things that require self-denial, self-restraint, and self-sacrifice. Yet it is hard work and difficulties that ultimately lead us to greatness, for greatness is not found by walking the moss-covered path laid out for us through the meadow. It is found by being sent to carve out our own path wtih our own hands.

Are you willing to sacrifice to reach the glorious mountain peaks of God's purpose for you?

Be strong!
We are not here to play, to dream, to drift;
We have hard work to do, and loads to lift.
Shun not the struggle; face it.
It's God's gift.

Be strong!
Say not the days are evil - Who's to blame?
Or fold your hands, as in defeat - O shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely,
In God's name.

Be strong!
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long,
Faint not, fight on!
Tomorrow comes the song.
-Maltbie D. Babcock

Farewell

2005-08-04T00:25:00.000-04:00

Tonight at 707, they had a farewell party for Jon and I. Wow! What an encouragement. In ministry, you do a lot of stuff (most of which people don't know about) and you sometimes wonder if you are making a difference. Nights like tonight can be what we (persons in ministry) live for. I love to hear all that God is doing in the lives of students! What a blessing to hear what He's done through me for these students. It was deeply moving. Another total blessing is the students' participation in our future adoption. They collected money to give us towards it and we have nearly $900!!! I can't wait to one day share the picture of the child they participated in helping us find.

I plan on blogging more about specifics from students tomorrow, but for now, I want to leave you with a poem one of my small group girls wrote for me. I know! Can you believe a student wrote me a poem? How touching!

Picture: Connie as she reads me her poem.

To My Dearest Amber
Words cannot describe what I want to say,
now that she's going away.
But no need to worry,
because this loss is only temporary.
For there will come a day,
when I will see her again.
We will at last cry tears of joy,
for we have looked upon the face of the Savior.
We will no longer share pain and sorrow,
but rejoice in the One who brings a new tomorrow.
Again we'll share our awesome God stories,
because when I'm in heaven,
I will see dear Amber Herron.

God is Standing Just Outside the Door

2005-08-02T17:42:00.000-04:00

The first week of the month, the staff at Oak Pointe gather for lunch and prayer. It is one of the times the entire staff and committed volunteers are together and celebrate birthdays and anniversaries for the month. Today was the August "birthday lunch". The staff prayed for Jon and I as we search for a new position and this one comes to a close. Afterwards, I had the chance to talk with Lindsey (our outreach coordinator). She is an awesome woman of God and has been such an encouragement to me in Michigan! (btw guys she is single and beautiful - all interested, solid Christian guys in their 20's let me know) I was sharing with her some of my frustrations with life right now. She gave me this story/analogy which I thought was really cool and want to share with you.

Lindsey has a one year old nephew. She was babysitting him last night. He loves to be around people and thus HATES bedtime. She rocked and sung to him and got him calmed down. She put him in his crib with the lights out and left. About a minute later, the wailing began. He was alone in the dark crying. Lindsey was just on the other side of the door thinking, "This is good for you. You need rest for your next day. I'm right here."

This whole scenario got her to thinking, how much is this like God and us? We feel like we are alone in the dark and crying. Does God hear us? Does He care? Why won't he turn on the light and come in and comfort us? All the while, God is just on the other side of the door, anguished over our tears saying, "My child, this is good for you. You need this time to prepare you for what lies ahead. I'm right here."

I have chills as I write this and further ponder it. I may be in the dark right now in my life, but God is on the other side of the door teaching me to wait on Him and what He's preparing for me. He is right there.

You Can Trust the Man Who Died for You

2005-08-01T12:26:00.000-04:00

Ok, so you may be getting sick of all the "Streams in the Desert" quotes, but I can't help myself. I love this little book! Nearly every day that I read it, it directly applies to my life. Check out part of today's reading:

...I completely failed to see the better things God had for me, so my soul was running from Him. And then for the last time, with a swift force of convicting power to my inmost heart, came that searching message: "My child, you can trust the Man who died for you. If you cannot trust Him, then whom can you trust?" Finally that settled it for me, for in a flash of light I realized that the Man who loved me enough to die for me could be absolutely trusted with the total concerns of the life He had saved.

Dear friend, you can trust the Man who died for you. You can trust Him to thwart each plan that should be stopped and to complete each one that results in His greatest glory and your highest good. You can trust Him to lead you down the path that is the very best in this world for you. J.H.M.

Are you as convicted as I am? I've never thought of not totally trusting Jesus as running away from Him. I don't know about you, but I want to be running towards my Savior, not from Him. This must be my personal theme for 2005. Way back in February, I read a great little book, "Faith is not a Feeling." I have had this challenge rise up again and again all year. In the moment of despair and sadness, will I abandon God because I don't "feel" Him near? Or will I trust that God is who He says He is in His Word and choose to thank Him in all circumstances with my will and trust that my feelings will follow? Sometimes the longest distance is from our head to our heart, you know? I know all the great and trustworthy things about God in my head, but that traveling to my heart is another story. No wonder the greatest commandment is, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength!"

Lord Jesus,
Today, help me to love You with all my mind and my heart! I want to trust the Man who died for me.
Amen.

2005-07-31T23:43:00.000-04:00

When you are unsure which course to take, totally submit your own judgment to that of the Spirit of God, asking Him to shut every door except the right one. But meanwhile keep moving ahead and consider the absence of a direct indication from God to be the evidence of His will that you are on His path. And as you continue down the long road, you will find that He has gone before you, locking doors you otherwise would have been inclined to enter. Yet you can be sure that somewhere beyond the locked doors is one He has left unlocked. And when you open it and walk through, you will find yourself face to face with a turn in the river of opportunity - one that is broader and deeper than anything you ever dared to imagine, even in your wildest dreams. So set sail on it, because it flows to the open sea.
God often guides us through our circumstances. One moment, our way may seem totally blocked, but then suddenly some seemingly trivial incident occurs, appearing as nothing to others but speaking volumes to the keen eye of faith. And sometimes these events are repeated in various ways in response to our prayers. They certainly are not haphazard results of chance but are God opening up the way we should walk, by directing our circumstances. And they begin to multiply as we advance toward our goal, just as the lights of a city seem to increase as we speed toward it while traveling at night.
-F. B. Meyer

When God Is Running Late...

2005-07-31T18:38:00.000-04:00

WARNING - this is a long post. Just some thoughts I've been wrestling with this weekend that I decided to put down on paper.

Life doesn’t always go the way we want it to. There are many times we think God has dropped the ball. In our humanness, we think that if things would have fallen into place the way we thought it would (or should), everything would be great! God, however, failed us. He screwed up the timing! Where was He? He was 10 minutes too late – or was He?

I am learning a lot about this idea. It seems like God has been a little late on some things in my life lately. It is tempting to give up all faith and trust and try to take things in your own hands. You know, show God how it’s done. Well, this reminds me of some women in the Bible who were doing the very same thing…

Enter Martha and Mary. Remember these gals? Martha was upset with her sister, Mary for sitting at Jesus’ feet rather than helping around the house. They were very close with the Lord – and so was their brother, Lazarus.

John 11 records the unfortunate event of Lazarus falling ill and eventually dying. Mary and Martha have a splendid idea amidst this tragedy – send for Jesus. Surely He will heal their brother whom He loves so dearly! Quickly they prepare a message to be sent to Jesus. Their hope is being restored.

Jesus receives the message and responds by saying that Lazarus will not die from his illness. He then says that He (God) will receive glory from this! The next verse is especially interesting. “Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, he stayed away where He was for the next two days and did not go to them.” In the NIV, it says “therefore because Jesus loved…” How is it loving to not answer them amidst tragedy? It gets worse in verse 14 and 15. “Then He told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there because this will give you another opportunity to believe in me.’” What is He talking about? What kind of friend would be glad they didn’t heal their friend from a deadly illness? And what does He mean by giving His disciples (who already believe in Him) an opportunity to believe in Him?

The answers would come as they arrived in Bethany. Most of us know how the story ends. Jesus sees Martha and then Mary. He cries (debated if it is because He is sad for their mourning or sad for their disbelief). Jesus then calls Lazarus forth from the grave and restores his life.

So, how does this story apply to you and me? First of all, we learn that God does not operate on our timing. He has a plan set in motion and He will bring it forth when He is good and ready. When He does move, it will be for the sole purpose of bringing glory to His name. Sometimes when God seems late, it is because of His love, not His indifference – just like is mentioned in this story.

Secondly, this story applies to our faith life. One reason Jesus is glad He won’t heal Lazarus prior to death is because it will give the disciples another opportunity to believe. Jesus is not insinuating that His very own disciples don’t believe in Him. Rather, He is teaching them more about Himself. He is showing them that their belief can and should grow throughout their lifetime. He is also teaching them that amidst difficult circumstances, believers should not allow their feelings to so cloud their vision that they no longer believe. Faith is a continual process that grows in each situation we face. We have a choice – will we believe Jesus (even if He’s not on our time?) or will we doubt Him? This is a very important choice because if we choose to believe, then we develop perseverance, then character, then maturity in Christ! However, if we choose to doubt, this leads to temptation then to evil and then to death. We must ever be growing in our belief in Christ.

Lastly, we learn that God’s plan and timing is what is best. The timing of this situation ends up being quite near Jesus’ own arrest. This is one of the complaints the Pharisees will charge Him with. Yes, Jesus could’ve healed Lazarus and still brought glory to Himself. God’s best was to wait and bring greater glory by bringing Lazarus back from the dead. This would aid in the perfect timing of Christ’s crucifixion later on and foreshadow His resurrection.

The next time you are checking your watch, wondering “where is God? He’s late again,” remember God does not operate on our timing, God wants our faith in Him to grow through our situation and God’s timing and plan is what is best.

Trust and Obey

2005-07-30T11:38:00.000-04:00

We received a phone call last night, indicating that the church we've been pursuing has chosen not to extend us an offer. A little disappointing. God is really challenging us and calling us to a new level of faith! Read the following poem in "Streams in the Desert" one of my all time favorite devotional books.

If we could see beyond today
As God can see;
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret.
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.

If we could know beyond today
As God does know,
Why dearest treasures pass away
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary paths will soon grow bright;
Some day life's wrongs will be made right,
Faith tells us so.

"If we could see, if we could know,"
We often say,
But God in love a veil does throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er;
Trust and obey.

Personal Evangelism

2005-07-27T00:09:00.000-04:00

I have really been challenged for the last year or so on how I am doing with evangelism. I ask myself, "have I lead anyone to the Lord in the last 12 months?" The answer is yes, but it seems like it is from the mission field - not my local one either. The next argument I resort to in my mind is, "I work in a church, I am around only Christians, besides I help teens reach their friends who I never could reach." This thinking is wrong, though! I have been trying to really keep my eyes open for evangelism opportunities. I really believe the Lord provides them. The more we are faithful, the more He provides.

A few months ago, I was pumping gas. I saw a guy going up to another person to ask them something. In my mind I though, "oh no, I hope he doesn't come over here." Well, he did. He seemed really desperate and was asking if I had just one or two dollars for him to buy gas with. My first response was, "I don't have any cash." (which was true). While my gas pumped in my car, I felt really convicted. I went up to the guy and said, I'll go in and pay with my debit card for you to have $5 of gas. He was incredibly thankful. I wanted to tell him why I would do this, but just as I started to go over, he was in his car and gone. I trust that God will somehow use that experience to draw that man to him. It's funny because I just finished studying chapter 2 of James yesterday. It talks about if we go up to someone who is hungry and has no clothes, it does no good to say "God Bless You!" We must show we are Christians by following up with action - in my case, buying a stranger some gas.

I always hear, speakers in particular, talk of these great evangelism encounters on airplane rides. It has never happened to me - until last week. Jon and I were headed home from Texas. We got to our row and the 3rd passenger was a little girl who was crying her eyes out. Instantly, I thought, "I've got to figure out a way to talk to her and tell her about Christ." I introduced myself and asked her name. That was all it took for her to start opening up to me. She was going home from a 6 week visit with her dad (parents are divorced). She was crying because the visit went too fast and she didn't get to say good-bye to her younger brother and sister since they were still sleeping. Her dad is in the airforce and is going to go to Iraq soon.

I kept going over and over in my mind of good transitions to the gospel. Finally, I came up with, "my mom and dad weren't together when I was your age. I know it is hard. You know what helped me? I remembered that God could be my Father when my dad wasn't there and I missed him. " She seemed a little intrigued by such an idea. She told me her grandma used to take her to church, but had since died. I went on to tell her how to have a relationship with Jesus. I didn't feel like I did the best job, though. I didn't want to scare her off, you know? We went on to talk about other things. At one point, she looked out the window at the clouds and asked me, "Where do you think heaven is? Is it above these clouds?" The Holy Spirit opened the door for me once more. I told her how the Bible tells us that the streets are gold in heaven! I asked her how she thinks people get to heaven. She had no idea. I then explained the gospel a second time. I asked her if she ever asked Jesus to have a relationship with her. She kind of changed the subject. Later, she told me of her friends next door. I could tell by her description that they are Jehova Witnesses. I explained that they don't believe the same things about Jesus I had just explained to her. She responded saying, "well, I guess they go to a different heaven. Or maybe the same one." I just shrugged my shoulders, indicating that I did not agree. The cool thing in all of this is that from that comment, I could tell she did take in at least some of what I had shared with her. The Holy Spirit is amazing. I was so tired and had planned on taking a nap that entire flight, but He had something else in mind!

It is never our job to produce results, but we must be obedient when opportunities arise. I just hope I can continue to keep my eyes open for the next person God places in my path. There is something wrong with a Christian if they are not doing evangelism - that's not healthy. The church continually struggles with this balance - feeding the flock vs. outreach. I think this balance might disappear if the individuals of the church take the feeding they receive and live it out. If we all were reaching people in our personal lives, then the church wouldn't need to hold special outreach events. People would come as new believers because their friend, neighbor, co-worker had witnessed to them. I don't write this having attained the goal - I am talking to myself as much or more as I am talking to you. Just some thoughts...