Hi!
Just this morning I said to Jon, "I will never ever pray for colder weather again, because the Lord has provided that just for me her in Red Cloud this winter." You see I love the colder weather especially since it kills all the outdoor allergies that I suffer from. I love the white glistening of snow, I love wearing layers upon layers of clothes to stay warm, I love drinking hot tea and curling up with a good book. This is usually my time of year, but this year has been different. I am longing for the sun to shine like it is today after almost a whole month of gray sky. I am longing for what spring brings with its newness! I am wanting a spiritual renewal to begin in me again.
This past weekend our church hosted an Attachment Adoption Seminar for families within our community who are struggling with kids that have never attached to anyone. I came away with a whole new awareness of what some of these dear friends go through every day of their lives.
God created us to be children that bond and attach to our mother, father, caregivers... Just like He created us to bond to Him as His children. So often because of circumstances this does not happen at birth like it should. A child is born with an illness or a parent has a illness or issue that causes them not to hold, rock, look into their babies eyes... all the things that are to come so naturally in parenting. It isn't per say any ones fault, but when attachment doesn't happen naturally then it is so hard to make it happen in a person's life.
Looking at this from a spiritual view point in relationship to attaching to a Savior has given me so much new insight into situations that have happened within my own life. Attaching to my Savior involves being with Him daily, hearing Him speak to me from His Word the Bible and in prayer,
looking into the eyes of a loving Savior and focusing just on Him and not all the things that distract me.
As I shared earlier the Lord has been using a situation within my own life to mold me to be more like Him. I have no answers, but I know He does. The Lord cares so much about me and about what is going on that He won't let me just brush it aside. He has decided it is time for me to deal with this situation with His help.
This past weekend, the teaching I received helped me so much. Sometimes we bond to others who have no idea how to bond to us. It has given me freedom from guilt that the enemy has showered upon me as I have continually blamed myself for what happened in this situation. And now I am feeling the freedom to love other people who may not respond and that comes only from Christ .
As I thought about what I said to Jon about the weather, I also know that I won't stop praying for this situation because God already has a plan and for His purposes He has allowed me to be involved.
My prayer for you this week is to open your heart to Christ and let Him direct each step that you take on this journey towards Heaven as a believer. I often have to remind myself that Heaven is still awaiting!
An old song chorus says it so well. O Rejoice in the Lord, He makes no mistakes, He knowest the end of each path that I take, but when I am tried and purified. I SHALL come forth as GOLD~
Blessings
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Half way through
I can't believe we are half way through January. Time flies and life continues on with its ebbs and flows until we blink and another year will be complete. My thoughts lately is that we are one day closer to the Lord's return and that gives me joy to think about the time of His return. It also makes me think about all those people around me that don't know Jesus. Oh they know his name and may even use it from time to time but they don't have the HOPE of heaven that only comes when you accept what He did on the cross to pay the price of yours and my sin. My heart aches for friends and even family who don't know Jesus in a personal way. I guess if I could some up what I want to be remembered for is that I would be a living Jesus to those around me, imperfect as I am, that they might see Him through my witness and my life.
I finally was able to see the movie "The Blind Side" tonight, as I sat there watching it I was reminded of times when the Lord has brought someone into my life to pour out His love into. Sometimes is has been for a brief time and at other times for an extended period of time, but each time it was of His leading. Only Jesus can bring the people across my path that need that kind of love. Over the years I have been in the ministry alongside my hubby the Lord has brought so many individuals with varying personalities and backgrounds, for me to be a living Jesus to, they all are seeking something that only Jesus can give them.
I think back to how He has brought each of our kids across our path at just the time He had planned. I can remember each time that the Lord birthed each of them in my heart. Although some times the pouring out has involved pain and suffering, I am reminded how much Jesus suffered for me. Other times there has been so much joy to share and I am reminded how Christ rejoices over me! He gives me the opportunity to love and to give and to pray knowing that He has a plan for each of them.
Last week I shared I have been reading "Praying for your Adult Children" by Stormie Omartian.
The chapter I have read this week has emphasized that the most important way to pray for them is to ask God to pour out His Spirit upon them and pray that they will welcome an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I have to keep in mind that God can do far more for them than I can ever do and I must ask Him to speak to their hearts by the power of His Holy Spirit. My job is to pray and God's job it to answer!
This is also what I need to do with all those that come across my path during my lifetime. Prayer is the best way for me to be a living Jesus to them.
So who do you need to be a living Jesus to today? Could it be the lonely neighbor who needs to be encouraged, a lost relative who needs the saving knowledge of Jesus in their lives, a child who is pondering the Lord's will in their lives... I encourage you today to be that person who leads them closer to Jesus.
Praying your week will be filled with the Lord's Blessings,
Deb
I finally was able to see the movie "The Blind Side" tonight, as I sat there watching it I was reminded of times when the Lord has brought someone into my life to pour out His love into. Sometimes is has been for a brief time and at other times for an extended period of time, but each time it was of His leading. Only Jesus can bring the people across my path that need that kind of love. Over the years I have been in the ministry alongside my hubby the Lord has brought so many individuals with varying personalities and backgrounds, for me to be a living Jesus to, they all are seeking something that only Jesus can give them.
I think back to how He has brought each of our kids across our path at just the time He had planned. I can remember each time that the Lord birthed each of them in my heart. Although some times the pouring out has involved pain and suffering, I am reminded how much Jesus suffered for me. Other times there has been so much joy to share and I am reminded how Christ rejoices over me! He gives me the opportunity to love and to give and to pray knowing that He has a plan for each of them.
Last week I shared I have been reading "Praying for your Adult Children" by Stormie Omartian.
The chapter I have read this week has emphasized that the most important way to pray for them is to ask God to pour out His Spirit upon them and pray that they will welcome an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I have to keep in mind that God can do far more for them than I can ever do and I must ask Him to speak to their hearts by the power of His Holy Spirit. My job is to pray and God's job it to answer!
This is also what I need to do with all those that come across my path during my lifetime. Prayer is the best way for me to be a living Jesus to them.
So who do you need to be a living Jesus to today? Could it be the lonely neighbor who needs to be encouraged, a lost relative who needs the saving knowledge of Jesus in their lives, a child who is pondering the Lord's will in their lives... I encourage you today to be that person who leads them closer to Jesus.
Praying your week will be filled with the Lord's Blessings,
Deb
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A New Year
Well the first thirteen days of 2010 have come and gone. This month is almost half way over and I still feel behind as I recover from our Christmas Holiday.
We had a wonderful time with two of our three girls being home for Christmas.
Hannah spent three weeks with us and it was so hard to see her drive off to LaGrange, WY last Saturday morning! I think the goodbyes are the hardest part of loving my adult children. Seeing them leave over and over really tears me up, but I know with each goodbye it means that our next Hello is just that much closer!
Esther spent two weeks with us and we had such a great visit. We all just picked up where we left off almost two years ago and quickly got into a routine. We ate wonderful Korean food and laughed over silly things. We made many new memories over the two weeks she was with us.
DeeDy and Dietrich called us on Christmas Day over Skype. We had a good time all six of us talking and laughing and yes also crying as they played the piano over the computer. I am so thankful for technology that keeps us linked together. It was fun to help them celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple!
We saw Steven in Chicago for his graduation in December. He is living in Chicago and working for Moody Food Service until he determines what the Lord's next step for him is.
A dear family member bought me the book "Praying for your Adult Children" by Stormie Omartian. I have been slowly soaking in each page as I am learning a whole new area of prayer. From time to time I will be sharing what I am learning through reading it.
The one thing that has been emphasized in the first chapter is that just because your children are adults doesn't mean that they need our prayers any less. In fact this is the time of life they need them even more. I have always prayed for my kids each morning but now I am being challenged to pray specifically and fervently for them. I look forward to see how the Lord works in each of their lives in the years to come as I lift them up before the Lord each morning.
On another note, Jon and I are rejoicing as Hannah made the Dean's List at Frontier School of the Bible. She really worked hard at studying and it really payed off. We are so thankful to see how the Lord is working in her life. I just watch from a distance as she matures and grows more in the Lord. What a blessings she is!
Well for now I will close, wishing each of you A Happy New Year in our Lord.
Deb
We had a wonderful time with two of our three girls being home for Christmas.
Hannah spent three weeks with us and it was so hard to see her drive off to LaGrange, WY last Saturday morning! I think the goodbyes are the hardest part of loving my adult children. Seeing them leave over and over really tears me up, but I know with each goodbye it means that our next Hello is just that much closer!
Esther spent two weeks with us and we had such a great visit. We all just picked up where we left off almost two years ago and quickly got into a routine. We ate wonderful Korean food and laughed over silly things. We made many new memories over the two weeks she was with us.
DeeDy and Dietrich called us on Christmas Day over Skype. We had a good time all six of us talking and laughing and yes also crying as they played the piano over the computer. I am so thankful for technology that keeps us linked together. It was fun to help them celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple!
We saw Steven in Chicago for his graduation in December. He is living in Chicago and working for Moody Food Service until he determines what the Lord's next step for him is.
A dear family member bought me the book "Praying for your Adult Children" by Stormie Omartian. I have been slowly soaking in each page as I am learning a whole new area of prayer. From time to time I will be sharing what I am learning through reading it.
The one thing that has been emphasized in the first chapter is that just because your children are adults doesn't mean that they need our prayers any less. In fact this is the time of life they need them even more. I have always prayed for my kids each morning but now I am being challenged to pray specifically and fervently for them. I look forward to see how the Lord works in each of their lives in the years to come as I lift them up before the Lord each morning.
On another note, Jon and I are rejoicing as Hannah made the Dean's List at Frontier School of the Bible. She really worked hard at studying and it really payed off. We are so thankful to see how the Lord is working in her life. I just watch from a distance as she matures and grows more in the Lord. What a blessings she is!
Well for now I will close, wishing each of you A Happy New Year in our Lord.
Deb
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