Trust

The Lord has been doing some major changes in our lives, teaching us some deep lessons that I would like to share. Up until June the Lord had been teaching us to trust Him in a very simple way. The bills would come in, they would be paid. He always brought the work in time. Always. Sometimes the very day something was due we would have no way of knowing how to pay it but always before the day was over the money was there to cover it. I finally came to the place of just trusting Him, if an anxious thought arose it quickly was sent away by the realization that God always provided for us. Always. Then June rolled around. We sent out our monthly checks like before and one after the other they were returned because of “Insufficient funds”. No work, no reprieve, nothing. I was totally shocked. How could God allow us to arrive at that kind of trust and then BOOM, drop the bottom out from under us? Had we sinned? Was it a test (for what)? Why??? We waited and struggled to find enough work to put food on the table as well as pay some of the bills and the multiple fees associated with an overdrawn bank account. July, same story. It did not make sense to me, I know God does all things well, but this just did not add up.  The Lord revealed to me that I had become angry with God. That sobered me greatly and made me fall on my face before Him, begging for some sort of understanding, pleading for peace. I went to my husband for help, asking him “why?” his answer was so simple, yet so profound. “Even when we don’t understand, we need to trust the Lord. It is not always going to be easy to trust Him like it has been but we should trust Him even in the hard times. Whenever doubt comes in, take it to the Lord right away.” So I began to pray about that, especially “even in the hard times”. Then the Lord reminded me of Job. WOW! God allowed everything to be taken from Job, even his children, and it was still for God’s glory. Job basically answered the same way I did…paraphrasing... “Why, what have I done? I am innocent.” Yet Elihu rebuked him and his rebuke now stung me as well….

“Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. Why doest thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters.” (Job 33:12) and in 34:5. “For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.” V. 10 “…far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.” V.23. “For he will not lay on man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.” V.29. “When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:” vs. 31-32. “Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.”

The Lord is bringing us into a new level of trust. Up until now we trusted that He would provide. Now He wants us to trust Him even if He does not provide. Is our faith conditional? Will we only praise Him when things go our way? Or will we still trust and praise Him when it seems like everything is falling apart and we are faced with losing everything? Our dear Lord Jesus Christ has a plan and purpose in all things that He does and in what He allows to happen. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Does that mean that everything will go the way we want it to? No. All things work for our good, even what seems “bad” works for our good. God is bringing glory to His name and He has many ways of doing that. If teaching us to praise Him even in the hard times will bring Him more glory, than I rejoice and am very thankful for this deep lesson He is teaching us! Growth is painful, but oh how blessed we are that He is willing to allow us to go through painful times that we can grow through it. Praise Him! Praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!! He is worthy of all praise and honor! Sing to Him, offer a sacrifice of praise, He is worthy! (Hebrews 13:15)

Snap Shots of our Life

Hello everyone it sure has been a long time since I have written anything on here! I do not have much time but want to make a short update...During the past (almost) year my husband stopped building sheds since the company he was working for began to short us large amounts on his paychecks. We started a company as a family hauling all over the US and added many new States to our "been there" list. Lately the Lord has led us to do more local hauls as Grace is growing quickly and it is very hard for her to take long trips now that she is mobile. Though in the past few weeks people have been calling us from all over wanting things hauled and we end up making more than when we were looking for things to ship! We have taken note of the fact that this has happened only after we each (separately) "let go" of our ideas of what God wanted us to do and just let the Lord show us day by day what to do next. We are overcome with the peace He has given us now! No longer are we saying "we need to pay these bills so we have to look for shipments that will meet our needs". We just say "what should we do Lord?" and everything is met without all the worry and stress! I am so thankful that He is so patient and has brought us to this point. Thank you Lord Jesus!!! Our God is faithful and delights to care for His sheep.
 We are much closer to moving our mobile home to our property! I can hardly wait for that! and..... We are expecting a new little one the beginning of October!!!! We are so excited and praising our Lord Jesus for His great blessings on us! I love being a Mommy...no I said that wrong... I LOVE being a Mommy!! There are so many challenges and we are learning so much as Grace grows and learns, I wish I had time to share what the Lord has been teaching us. Our lives seen to be a whirlwind of activity and I am so grateful to our Lord for the quite times He gives us to seek Him. I could not survive otherwise, He is everything we need and indeed everything we have. Praise Him!!!

I must go now but here are some pictures recapping the year:

A visit to Wisconsin in October! We were able to share the gospel at the Bayfield Apple Fest

Grace's first time at Lake Superior

Enjoying time together! :)

Grace and Nana!

Playing with Grandpa!

With Daddy on the skid loader :)

October 26th Grace is 7 months old!

While visiting with family in Colorado Springs, CO in December, they took us to see "The Garden of the Gods" It has a strange name but what a wonderful place to see the beautiful creation of our God!

Patrick and I at the "Balanced Rock"!

Grace on the military tank :)

This tank is the reason we were out West. We hauled it from Ohio to Idaho. It was quite the adventure!

Patrick and Grace in Yellowstone National Park!

We did not realize that they close Yellowstone to "tired" vehicles in the winter until we got there and did not get to see much before a park ranger told us we had to leave. It was beautiful though!

On our way back home we stopped to visit my family again! :) Here is Uncle Michael playing the piano with Grace :)

Lifting a skid loader out of our truck in Indiana

Skipping ahead a few months...March 10th 2012... Grace in Birmingham, AL enjoying the warm sunshine

We hauled this load of flooring down there

Not so sure about being bare foot on the ground :)

The warm weather spoiled us, it was so beautiful!

Patrick and Grace :)

Back home again, Grace is showing off her teeth :)

She absolutely loves to read!

Grace's Birthday! March 26, 2012  It is so hard to believe she is one year old! Can you tell she is enjoying her balloon?! :)

Best of all Grandpa and Nana were able to make it down for her big day! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Grandpa points our something of interest

:)

Too much fun!

Grace was eating it up!

Ready for work around the house :)

Reading with Daddy :)

We love you so much!!!

So hard to say goodbye

Here we are hiking at Mohican Sate Park April 1st

At the Dam

That is all for now I hope to update more often... May our dear Lord Jesus be glorified in all that we do and say! Praise Him forever!

What our life has been like...Part 1

I must say that I was surprised to receive so many comments on my last post, thank you all so much!

The Lord has been so good to us, He is faithful in all things just as He promises in His word. Patrick lost his job about a month before our wedding and has not been able to find a good steady job since, yet the Lord is our provider and He has never failed us. Time and again we have wondered how He would provide for our next need only to see His hand move in a mighty way. Our dear Heavenly Father is taking us through a trial of faith that we might be more conformed to the image of His son, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful thing to know that whatever He takes us through it is that we might be more like Him for His glory, this is the joy of our journey.

 O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
  Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

O to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand'ring sinners to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.

Our Lord has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us, we are His children and the sheep of His pasture, He cares, oh so tenderly He cares for His own. When I have times of doubt the Lord points me back to Matthew chapter six. What comfort is to be found in those precious words of our Lord Jesus!

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek;) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matt. 6:31-33)

We took a trip up to Wisconsin in June to get my dog Abby and some of my things as well as visit with the family. 

 It was wonderful to see everyone again!

We brought back tomato and pepper plants that I had started back in April, which we were able to plant along with beans and a few other things. It was a smaller garden, but a great blessing. It is so much fun to work the soil and care for the plants, then later to harvest and can. This time was especially fun as I worked alongside my husband! 

 We had to harvest the tomatoes while they were yet green because of caterpillars attacking them.

There are no words to explain the blessing and joy of having a godly, loving husband! When I think back over all the years that I prayed for him, hoping that he existed, I can see so clearly now how the Lord was answering those prayers. I used to think that maybe I was asking too much when I told the Lord what kind of a man I wanted for my husband. I thought maybe I would have to settle for less than what I prayed for, then after more prayer I realized that I did not want to marry a man who was not what I was asking for. So I began to think that I would never get married, since it seemed impossible that such a wonderful, godly young man existed. Please allow me to tell you that the Lord answered far above what I could ask or think! Patrick is so much more than what I asked for, daily I am brought before the Lord with thanksgiving for creating me for such a wonderful man!

Eyes Focused on Jesus

Oh, let us keep our eyes on Jesus dear sisters! There is no other help for us. If we focus on our ministry, on the things we do for God and not on Him, then are we sure to drift. To gaze at Him, to seek, and adore Him is our great privilege. Upon taking our eyes off of Jesus we are sure to falter, slip and fall. Remember Peter on the water. He took his eyes off of Jesus, and soon sunk in the waves. How easy it is for us to look at our circumstances instead of our great God. Again, how easy it is to look at our work, and ministry, instead of looking at He who equips us unto the ministry. For a time we can manage to go on "auto pilot", seeming to be in the same spiritual state as before, but time will show that growth has stopped. We will begin to notice a coldness in our hearts, a lack of deep fellowship with our God. Outwardly we say the same things, do the same things, but inwardly we are groping in the dark, dieing. Indeed, if this process continues, we will stop bearing fruit all together, and being no longer a glory to our King, we will in a sense die.

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory in Christ Jesus our Lord! Cry out to Him for mercy, repent of your sin. Seek fellowship with your Father in Heaven, and plead with Him to soften and change your heart. He is our dear Father, we can cry Abba (Daddy!) and oh how tenderly He cares for us.

These things I know because for a time I had forgotten. I looked around me instead of at Jesus, and I was miserable. But, Praise be to God who brought me out of the pit and brought me back to the the Light of His countenance! Our God is so good, faithful, and kind!

We do not have the answers, but He does. We cannot see the future, but He does. And He cares, He knows how to get a hold of our hearts. Give Him your heart, and He will glorify Himself through you. Oh what joy!

A Heavenly Vision

I am excited. God has given me a vision for this life. Even as a child I had a vision of wanting to serve the Lord, but He keeps expanding it. It certainly cannot be communicated through words, He has to give it, but at least I may provoke some to ask for it.

This life on earth is but for a moment, it is passing away very quickly. In heaven we have an eternal home in the presence of God..... By the way, are you ready to be in the presence of God for eternity? If you are uncomfortable in His presence now, what about then? We had better learn to love His presence now, we will be with Him forever and ever!..... There is no sun in Heaven, because the Lamb is the light of that city. It is a glorious place, just read Revelation and see how wonderful it is. Then look back at this earth and all our material possessions which are all going to be burned up. Weigh these things in the balances. Can the earthly even come close to comparing with the value of the eternal? Do you even have to consider which is greater in value?

Jesus said; "...The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field." (Matthew 13:44)

He does not even have to stop and think, is it worth it? That would be a ridiculous question. Yet day after day we cling to this earth. Heaven is security for the future, but for now this life is what life is about. We cling to material possessions, to jobs, to earthly comfort, security and pleasure. We cling to our families, and our own bodies which are passing away.

Remember the "muck raker" in Pilgrims Progress? Though an angel held a crown of gold above his head for him to receive celestial glories, he would not look up from the muck of this life. Though a pool had been set where he could look in to see the glories above him, he avoided the pool because it also would show him what he was.

Are we also so caught up in the affairs of this life that we do not see beyond to the heavenly vision?

This life is NOT the end in it's self, it is the means to an end. Whatever I do only has lasting value and meaning if it enables me to further the Kingdom of God. This is a Kingdom vision. Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." He was not talking just to missionaries, to those who feel a "calling" to go, He was, He is, talking to all of us who are His people.

We are not called to work so that we can eat, so that we can live, to work, to eat, to live, to work...no, that is an endless loop with no eternal value. We have a higher calling, of lasting value.

Jesus said: "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25)

Yes, it is. This life is not about us, it is not about me, it is about God and His glory.

Jesus said: "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, How shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:31-33)

The ungodly see only this world and live for it, but we are called to see the kingdom of God and live for Him. We need to catch hold of His vision, ask God for it. We need God's prospective on everything that we do. We must look at this life through the eyes of faith, seeing beyond the physical, confessing that we are strangers and pilgrims here on earth. We seek a better country.

We need to ask ourselves, By doing this, am I furthering the Kingdom of God, or is this thing an end in it's self? If it is not enabling us to further the Kingdom of God, it is not worth doing.

I hope to someday marry a man who has this kingdom vision. A man who's work is only a means to enable him and his family to preach the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 24:14, Mark 1:14). A man who has a vision of his wife and children working hand in hand with him to further the kingdom of God. A man like this: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." (Genesis 18:19) A man who's children desire to follow in his footsteps because he is following Jesus. A man with a heavenly vision is the man I want to follow, a man who looks to Jesus.

If everything is about God and His glory, no wonder we are told, "Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might." (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

"And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." (Colossians 3:23)

Oh, I am so excited!

OSA 2009, July 20, Monday

If you have not already read the introduction to this mission trip report please read it, Here.
Read Day 1
Read Day 2
Read Day 3
Read Day 4
Read Day 5


Early Monday morning we went out again as part of Mark Holick's team, to another abortionist's home. This one was also in a gated community.

The day before, Mr. and Mrs. Holick had gone there to check out what it was like. They had driven in behind someone else, like we had done on Saturday. There seemed to be no problem, so they thought it would just be a repeat of Saturday. But, when we all arrived, there was a guard stationed at the gate, and a security truck driving around. So we congregated at a park which was right there, and scouted out the area on foot. Then Mark Holick called us all together. "We found a way that we can get in on foot." he said. "But the police are going to come, and the abortionist's home is on the opposite side of the community from us here. There is no way that we can get out before the police come, and it is very likely that we will be arrested for trespassing. So, anyone who does not want to come with us is welcome to stay." (Not an Exact quote, but as close as I can remember).

Most all of us decided to go ahead and go in anyway. Later, Mr. Holick said he was very surprised that so many were willing to go in. By twos' and threes' we walked through the place they had found, and we were in. Quickly we spread out and began to place the literature on doors. Now this gated community had no sidewalks, people just don't walk around in there, I guess. So, imagine what it was like for the driver of the security truck to suddenly come upon group after group of people, walking quickly down the streets, some wearing our red t-shirts, and going up to door after door. His reaction? Smile and wave, and give us the peace sign!

We finally reached the opposite end of the community, no police yet and the end was in site, another entrance/exit gate. A car pulls up near me and I hear a voice say "hello", I turned and a camera snapped. The driver continued to drive up to each of us and snap pictures. She asked Ken Scott (from Denver CO) "How did you get in?" he answered, "By the grace of God!" She did not like that too well! I was not with the small group that went to the abortionist's door, but I think they said that there was no answer to their knock.

Soon we stood before the gate, and tried to open it, but it would not budge! There we stood, looking up at the eight foot tall gates, wondering how we were going to get out. Our God is so merciful, He thinks of everything! Along came a car to pull in, the entrance gate opened, and we walked out. Mr. Scott held it open for our other people coming out, and we all made it out! We were praising God!

We were regrouping at our vehicles in the park when a man with a clipboard began writing down our license plate numbers. Then the lady with the camera found us and took more pictures. We drove away, and passed the police on their way in.

At a gas station we took a group picture, but it turned out very blurry. Though it may not appear very bad in this small form, it is terribly blurry in the larger format.

We then went back to the first abortionist's home that we had gone to on Friday, to do another literature drop in his neighborhood. The first time we did it, our literature had many typos and things wrong with it, so we did it again with the fixed version.

From there we made our way to Fremont street, where we planned to hold an aborted baby memorial service. Somehow Operation Save America had found a real aborted baby boy, and we wanted to give him a proper funeral and burial.

The procession started at one end of Fremont street and went to the other end. It was very moving.
The bagpiper flew in at his own expense just for this purpose.

At the place they had set up to hold the service, the casino owner turned up his filthy music as loud as he could. So, our people turned up our PA system so that we could be herd above the din. It was deafening, but at least we could hear our leaders preach.

Flip Benham preaching

Christine Odell, who had an abortion when she was young, gave an incredible call to mothers who have had abortions and all others involved in one. She said "If you have had an abortion, say it, '"I am a murderer."' If you have taken a woman into get an abortion, say it, you are an accomplice in murder." She then went on to explain how there is hope only in Jesus, in the work that He did on the cross for us.

Rusty Thomas stood up to lead us in prayer, saying "I think it is entirely appropriate if we get on our knees right now." We all went to our knees, and the blaring music stopped. Rusty Thomas lifted up his voice to God in repentance over the innocent blood that is being spilt in our land, and we wept before our God.

* see bottom of post

As we knelt there in the midst of the reviling filth of Fremont street, I felt the presence of the Lord very strongly. As one preacher had put it, we don't want God to deal with our nation as it deserves, history shows that He is very heavy handed when after great mercy He finally brings justice. Take Sodom and Gomorra as an example. So we stood in the gap, repenting and crying out to God for mercy on this nation which has rejected him. Maybe He will hear our cry, or maybe the innocent blood which cries out to Him from the ground has a much louder voice.

The police came and asked some of our leaders, "Why didn't you tell us that you were going to do this?" They explained that they had not planned it until the night before. The police said "You should have told us, we would have escorted you." ! And they said that the music thing "Will not happen again." ! It was incredible the amount of favor God gave us in the eyes of the Las Vegas police.

Procession reflected on the windows across the street

That evening at the 6pm rally, Michael and I sang two hymns with the Yoder family as part of the worship time. Also, Skip and Isaac Yoder played some hymns as a piano, violin duet.

We had another service for baby Able, that is what they named him, and they opened the casket for us all to see him.

Oh, I cannot describe what it is like to see a child who has been murdered in such a cruel way. Should we even dare to ask God to have mercy on our nation?
As one preacher said, God said to Cain after he had killed his brother, "Where is your brother? What have you done?"


And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.
(2 Kings 24:4)

*This photo courtesy of Ken and Jo Scott, click on their name to see their Picasa web album of the week with OSA.

A report on day seven coming soon....

Day 7 and 8