During this summer, I have spent some time clearing out a worship spot at my house in the back of our woods. I must say, I really enjoyed doing it. I wanted a spot that I could go and spend time with God in solitude. I gathered old down trees to use for seating, found various pieces of old furniture to place back there, and Tiki Torches to help keep away bugs. In the middle I built a good-sized fire pit for bonfires. The other evening I went out to that spot to spend some time with God. My brother was with me and we were trying to light the fire. The pit had quite a bit of wood in it so if we ever got it lit, it would be a very big and nice fire. The problem was we couldn’t get the fire lit. Granted the top pieces were a little wet, but the rest of the pile was dry, so we didn’t think it would be much of a problem. We had pieces of cardboard to help start the fire, but it didn’t work. We lit some of the dry leaves in the midst of the sticks, but it didn’t work either. We even found some straw to light to help with the process, but all it did was burn. It didn’t stay lit and the fire died quickly. So finally after much frustration, we got the gasoline. Now, I realize this is not the smartest choice nor safest, but I wanted a fire! Luckily nothing bad happened! So we light a few more pieces of cardboard and paper just enough to keep it a flame for a few minutes. Then we doused the places we didn’t have lit with some gasoline so with the fire caught it, it would light up. The finally we applied the gasoline on the flames that were going and instantly, the fire went ablaze. We experienced the thrill of getting our fire lit and the fire was glorious…for about ten minutes. But soon, that gasoline had burnt away, the wood had never really caught a flame, and the fire died out again quickly. Now I realize that there are better ways to light a fire, and if I did some other things I could have probably got that fire going. However, I’m glad I tried to light the fire the way I did because God used it to teach me something.
When the fire began to die out again, I was getting kind of irritated. Then I felt God speak to my heart saying, “I need people who will tend and stir the fire, not just light it.” I immediately knew what God was saying to me. In order to keep a fire going, you have to constantly add fire to the pile, you have to stir the fire to keep the fire going, and you have to watch it. Gasoline is a nice help, but it is only a temporary fix. It only lasts for a moment. It looks glorious and the flames are huge, but they don’t have much life. God doesn’t need followers who will be like the gasoline. Who will become very passionate and devoted to God one day, and have a devotion to Him that dies at the end of the week. He wants followers who will fan the flames. Who will keep the fire going, even if that means taking longer steps in doing so. Followers who will spend the extra time in prayer, reading of His Word, and living out the life He calls His people to.
I think you would be very hard pressed to find a church, if you asked them, would not want to see people come to know Christ. I mean, that’s just a ludicrous thought. The Church may have many different denomination and beliefs of theology, but I don’t really think there are many people in the Church who do not want to see souls saved. In fact if there are any, I really think those people need to evaluate their life and see if the are in step with the Spirit. But all too often the Church tries to witness to the world with gasoline. With big and glorious displays of various ministries, emotional appeals, etc. Those of you who serve the Lord know exactly what I’m talking about. But those things don’t last. People who come to the Lord on those terms won’t last unless that fire is cultivated. Unless their flames are stirred and wood is added to the fire. If the Church and Christians want to set this world on fire, we first have to cultivate the fire in our own hearts, then also be willing to take the time to minister properly and effectively to help keep the fire lit the hearts of others as well. Jesus told His followers that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and they will be His witnesses. The Holy Spirit gives Christians the power to witness to others about Jesus powerfully. God is the source of that fire. I pray that believers everywhere will submit to the Holy Spirit and allow God move in their hearts. I also pray that Christians all over the world will fan into flame the gifts of God and take the steps necessary to keep that flame going. When the fire rises true and proud, the world around us will catch fire too. Don’t use the gasoline. Cultivate that fire.
“Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” ~2 Timothy 1:6
“Fire must be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not go out.” ~Leviticus 6:13
Q: Will you tell us a little bit about your son, Caleb?
A: Caleb turned three on April 12, 2013. He gives the best hugs and kisses. He has a sweet personality. I truly think our dog Bella is his best friend in the world. And he really likes bubble gum. Though, I’ve had to restrict that now because I found it in, our daughter, Camden’s hair.
Q: What was it like when you first saw something a little different in Caleb?
A: He was about six months old and laying flat on the living room floor. I realized he wasn’t even trying to sit up or crawl. Speech wasn’t even on my radar. At that point, we were trying to fix all his motor issues, which were most important at that time. I began to get scared, thinking, “My kid is different. What’s not exactly right and how am I going to fix it?”
A: Caleb’s Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) diagnosed him with Apraxia on April 9, 2013. She showed me Caleb’s scores. There was so much he couldn’t say that was typical for his age. In that initial moment there’s no blame, it’s more, “Why? What?” But then as you start thinking more and more, you become obsessed. All of your thoughts are encompassed around, “What did I do to cause this?” Did I hold him too tightly as a baby? Did I take some kind of Tylenol or eat feta cheese while I was pregnant?
I was devastated … helpless. Caleb deserves everything and I can’t fix this for him. Then I became overwhelmed. I was realizing the journey was not going to be short-lived. This is going to be hard work. That night with Shaefer, I just sat on the couch and bawled. But my crying was followed by motivation. “Alright fine, you know what? I’m going to empower myself, learn everything about this. The kids are going to wake up in six hours. We’ve got to be ready.”
Q: Can you describe Caleb’s disorder?
A: It’s a neurological, expressive communication disorder. Basically, the brain is unable to tell the mouth/muscles how to move in order to form words. When Caleb wants to speak, his brain does not tell his mouth, tongue, lips, etc., how to move to make those sounds come out.
Q: After you discovered his disorder what did you do to assess that? Therapy? Related services?
A: Apraxia is commonly diagnosed (by a SLP trained in childhood Apraxia of Speech) at approximately three years of age. I’m finding that there aren’t a lot of professionals that are trained in this type of disorder. I’ve seen kids improve much faster with a therapist trained in Apraxia, as opposed to one that is not. Intensive speech therapy is typically required three to five times a week. Some go every day.
Caleb also has Developmental Delay, which is a gross and fine motor delay. So he has PT and OT for that. There is a relationship between motor delays and Apraxia, but researchers haven’t discovered why.
Q: You’re finding out, I understand, that there is not a lot of awareness for this disorder?
A: Yes. Even physicians or professionals in the Speech Language world haven’t heard of it. So that’s part of my role, advocating for it. It’s not easy. It’s time consuming.
Q: How did that change how you view all of this?
A: It was frustrating at first because you think, “Wait, my kid has something that nobody knows anything about!” Everybody acts like it’s this terrible thing, but that’s just from lack of awareness. There are few people out there with Apraxia knowledge and they are hard to find. It’s a daunting task to know that you’re the link to making your child functional in society.
Q: Were you ever angry? Angry in general? Angry at God?
A: I haven’t been. Or at least not long enough to dwell on it. In an early interview for a study at Vanderbilt I was asked, “Would I change this if I could? Would I take away his challenges?” I sat there and eventually said, “I don’t want my child to have this. I would love it if he didn’t. But no, I wouldn’t take it away. God is putting this in our lives for a reason.”
I have found myself angry at people who ignore him or treat him like he isn’t intelligent. They’re just not aware. They can’t see his disability for what it is. So I’ve made it my goal to try to empower them with knowledge. I love people knowing what his challenges are so they can understand him and support him. Labeling his challenge isn’t a problem. Labels help us know how to help.
The purpose of our struggle is so much bigger than us. Hundreds of people have already come into our lives because of this. These people see our good days or our bad days. Caleb isn’t the only one learning from this. Shaefer and I are learning, Camden is learning … everyone around us. Yes, I would take away his challenges, but I would not take away the lessons and the things that God is trying to teach us.
Q: Do you think this may have strengthened other areas of Caleb’s life that wouldn’t have been otherwise?
A: Caleb is constantly meeting a new therapist. At his school, there’s always a student coming in to work on something with a special needs child. They’re observing him, they’re talking to him, and they’re wanting to record the sounds he does make. Can he run? Can he jump?
I’ll take him to a kid’s birthday party from his class. He doesn’t want to sit with the group. He wants to look around, typically migrating by himself. Caleb can’t build relationships because others don’t understand him yet. I don’t think he’s introverted, I think he has to work his way into the group. He’s having to work on that almost daily.
So he’s constantly being tested or on the spot, which I think in the end will build character. He’s got to either choose to do what is before him or cower in the corner. It’s probably helping him overcome some social issues that may have been more prevalent, had he not had all these people in his life.
Q: I hear you saying, basically, he’s going to be really good under pressure in the long run?
A: Yes, because he’s constantly under it. He can choose to either be good under pressure or to crumble. And I don’t see him choosing to want to crumble.
Q: It sounds like he not only is good under pressure, but he will be really good at finding alternate routes to whatever end result he is pursuing?
A: Yeah, he does. When he tries to get me to, “Come Momma,” I sometimes think he’s saying, “Bubble gum, Momma.” I’ll respond, “No you can’t have bubble gum.” So he’ll grab me and pull me into the living room, which is what he wanted initially. He’s finding another method to get my attention, whereas he used to just walk away.
In the car today he was trying to tell me something. I had no idea what he was telling me. In the rear-view mirror, I saw it in his face when he gave up. There’s not a, “tell me in another way,” when you’re snapped into a car seat. It’s frustrating.
Q: What is the progress that you’ve seen?
A: According to research, it is going to take years to talk intelligibly. But he is making such great accomplishments. Since April 12, the day of his first Apraxia Speech Therapy, I’ve been there every day with him. I have a notebook that I keep of things the therapist does and says. I think his progress has improved because we’re now working with him at home, in the structured method. He’s putting these things together–consonant, vowel, consonant. He now has about 32 words, but most of them are approximations. On top of that, he knows about 150 signs, which is fantastic for him. He’s improving his sequencing. We probably have five new phrases just in the last month. The word “no” is very constant now. Which I’m realizing, how blessed was I because I had the only child that didn’t say, “no”?
I saw a Facebook posting, “Guess what my son did for Mother’s Day! He said, ‘I love you’ for the first time.” Though, I do want to hear that one day, I’d rather him be able to tell me what his favorite color is. We long for him to tell us something we don’t already know about him. That’s our desire.
Q: How has this affected your faith?
A: It pulled me closer to Him, honestly. I became more committed to my quiet times, getting back into The Word. I had to have Somebody that understood and loves me more than I love myself to make me stop blaming myself. I had to find something to power my energy into so that I wouldn’t focus on the wrong things. So I chose to focus on God. This isn’t about me. It’s so much bigger than me.
Q: How does this affect Caleb’s relationship with God?
A: I think Caleb feels God’s love through all the others’ around him loving him. I see these people giving him this special love that can only come from God. It’s almost as if it’s channeled down through them. Camden is getting that same exposure. But the only difference is that Caleb has extra people in his life working with him on his challenges, so there’s more opportunity for love.
Q: How has this changed you and/or your family?
A: Concerning Shaefer, he deals with this differently. After reading a lot of blogs, I realized that husbands can’t figure out why the mother is so bothered by it. It’s something they maybe think they can just fix. So, Shaefer and I had to come to an understanding that it affects me in more of an emotional way than him.
Concerning me, at first I wondered how other moms are busy with typical children. We have to go see the Developmental Pediatrician, his regular Pediatrician, his Speech Language Pathologist, run to an IFSP or IEP meeting, etc. That was maybe a bit of resentment, wondering why others have two typical children and I don’t. But by the grace of God I’m able to push those thoughts away.
Concerning Camden, we’ve tried to teach her that God made all of us all differently. If she sees someone in a wheel chair, hopefully we’ve instilled that this is the route God gave them to walk. They use that chair instead of their legs. But there’s nothing wrong with us for being different.
Q: How’s Caleb’s relationship with Camden?
A: She’s a super-supportive lil’ big sister. If he’s signing in the back seat while I’m driving, she communicates it. She tries to give him speech therapy. She’ll say, “If you say ‘candy’, I’ll give you some candy.” Knowing he can’t, but still trying. Of course she gives him candy in the end. It’s very sweet. I said that Bella’s his best friend but I think Camden is truly his best friend because she “gets” him.
Q: Has Camden ever said anything to you that really just struck you?
A: Her awareness of how much time having a special needs child takes was evident because she said to Shaefer’s Nana, “When Caleb can talk better and walk better Mommy will have more time for me.” This of course devastated me so I moved all of his therapies outside of the house. It was an internal struggle to figure out how to expose her less, but also teach her that this is how God made her brother. No matter how much I want to, I can’t shelter her from all of this. I want her to know so that she can tell others. Camden can be that voice for Caleb.
Q: What has God taught you conceptually as you reflect upon your experiences up until now?
A: Everybody has their own challenge. Ours happens to be a special needs child. But we’re not special because of that. Somebody else’s family may have the death of a loved one that haunts them. Another family may have someone who’s chronically sick or financial struggles. Whatever our challenges are, we deal with them. We learn from everybody’s challenges. That’s how we grow.
Q: That we’re not alone in our struggles?
A: Exactly. God gave us the verse, “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” [John16:33] He didn’t tell us this was going to be an easy life. But everything we have is a gift. Caleb and his challenges are a gift. Even though I don’t always view it that way, hopefully one day I will.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add? Anything toward awareness in general?
A: If you’re wondering about a child that seems different, or if you’re wondering what the braces are on Caleb’s feet/legs, just ask. It’s more beneficial to ask instead of wondering or judging. If you ask you’ll gain understanding and empower yourself with knowledge.
In my mind, I think Caleb will be “typical” one day. I don’t know if that’s false hope or if I haven’t mourned the loss of a typical child. Most likely Caleb will not live with us until he’s forty because he should be able to be functional in the world. So maybe I don’t have to mourn that. But in my mind, I’m mourning the loss of a typical boy who can tell me right now at three, “I want ice cream. I like chocolate, not vanilla, Momma.” I need to mourn some of those experiences.
Q: It almost seems like a daily acceptance?
A: That’s right. In my marriage, it’s a constant conscious effort to put Shaefer before me. He does the same thing so that’s why it works. Maybe with Caleb it needs to be a constant conscious effort to accept, learn, and empower. Because being sad, negative, or mourning is not helping him. BOO-YAH!
**A hearty “Boo-yah!” isn’t the “typical” response in any of the interviews I’ve conducted. However, of the many things I’ve learned from this extraordinary family, here’s one of them: do we really want to be “typical”? Probably not.
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9 NASB)
Last week was a busy one. With middle school ending for my oldest son, there were extra things added to the schedule. Then he had graduation and a dinner dance. My daughter had soccer try-outs for next year. I started walking with a friend in the morning and my husband asked me to run some extra errands for him. I gladly do all of these things but by the end of the week I was burned out. I was tired. And frankly, I was just looking for a few minutes to myself. It seemed as though every time I made plans to do something last week, my plans were altered because someone needed something. It even seemed as though the kids were asking more questions than normal. It was a busy, chaotic week ending with church on Saturday night.
I was so thrilled to go to church because I wanted to just sit and chill for an hour. I was looking forward to being quiet and taking it all in. As we began to enter the sanctuary, someone stopped me and asked if I would be willing to serve communion. She needed someone to walk around and serve the people who couldn’t walk through the line. I agreed although in my mind I wanted to say “no”. I just wanted to sit. I just wanted to do nothing, be responsible for nothing and just take it all in. But, like the good “Christian” I am, I agreed to serve.
The time came to serve and I began my duties. I went to a little old lady sitting on the end of the row and offered her communion. She looked at me with such joy in her eyes. I don’t know if she just enjoyed being served or she was in a good mood but immediately I was blessed. I continued on with my duties looking for people with their hands raised and I offered them the symbolic body and blood of Christ. They all thanked me and when everyone was served I returned to my seat. I was surprised because I realized I was honestly blessed to serve. I did something I didn’t want to do but in the end was filled with joy. I was completely honored to serve and I guess it caught me by surprise.
I have thought about that little old lady ever since that night. Her smile remains in the forefront of my mind. It caused me to reflect on the events that took place over the last week. In all of the chaos and tasks that needed my attention God showed up. He gave a huge blessing of grace that brought me to tears. He answered a prayer for our son and provided financially for something we have been praying about. I can’t remember a day that passed where God didn’t make Himself obvious. It was an emotional week for so many reasons but at the end of that crazy busy week, God asked me to do one more thing so He could bless me. I believe I was asked to serve so God could show me one more time that He loves me and understands.
There are many times I forget to look for God. I forget He is involved in all things at all times. I complain about my circumstances. I refuse to obey. I think only of myself and my comfort. I am so thankful I agreed to serve Saturday night because God had a plan and a purpose. He wanted to show me the joy there is in serving. He wanted me to experience the exhilaration that occurs when I put my wants aside in order to make someone else feel special. The Lord works in mysterious ways and makes Himself known in the most unlikely places; even in the smile of a little old lady.
As the Colorado weather slowly becomes more predictable and the sunshine lightens my Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s as if I am opening my eyes after a long sleep. It comes to me in a flood and if I think too long on it, I will be overwhelmed. I have been standing in my own way all winter long.
In my twenties, thirties and even early forties I would have told you if you want something, quit waiting and do it! I would have found it that simple. The kicker is, I would have MADE it that simple too. Now, hitting my mid-forties, I have to admit it isn’t as simple as I thought. I have responsibilities, I have expectations laid on me, I have limitations in time, ability and (dare I say it) finances. I no longer “mind over matter” things impulsively. I think it through, weigh the consequences to my family members, check the schedule and do the math.
There are benefits to impulsive living. I admire someone who can wake up one day, pack a bag and move to Borneo because they feel the Lord calling them to it. That is a freedom and confidence I have never felt. There are things I fear about impulsivity: Unrecoverable mistakes, regret, failure. The thing is, how much of what I allow to slow me down is really necessary? Am I being responsible or stalling? Am I considering others or making excuses? Do I really need the money I think I do or will God provide the answer if I let Him?
With the return of warm weather, my bravery peeks it’s fuzzy head around the corner too… There is a big, amazing world out there. I serve a tremendous God who wants things for me that I cannot even dream to desire yet. I have hope… Hope is huge!
Somedays you need a dash of inspiration and a gentle shove to wipe away the sleepy sandiness from your eyes. Pick something. Big or small, filled with impact or inconsequential, but choose something that you have always wanted to do. Ask God to water that seed and grow your dream. What’s the worst thing that could happen? The time will pass whether you are doing something you love or not – why not do something you love!?!
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. (Eph 1:11-12)
Hebrews 2:2-4: “For since the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. This salvations, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
You know, today people are looking for an escape. I have no doubt that many are seeking God out of the deepest and darkest pits of their life. And others are looking for something else. They’re turning to idols and those idols will never satisfy them. They’ll never comfort them.
I have friends of mine that are in this boat that the verses above mention. They want to serve Jesus. I have no doubt about that. The problem is that they are missing, or rather ignoring the escape or the salvation that Jesus is extending to them. It’s frustrating because they want to do what is right. They want to get rid of their idols and follow Jesus with everything they are, but they just can’t seem to. As soon as something comes along they decided to put God on the back burner. It’s grievous to me. How can they escape if they ignore such a great salvation? They can’t. Jesus is the only Way out. God isn’t something we run to when our boyfriend or girlfriend other cheats on us. He isn’t something we run to when things don’t go our way. And He’s not something we run to when tragedy strikes. He should be our life. We shouldn’t be able to function properly without first seeking the Lord. Yeah, you’ll have to dump some things you might enjoy. But it’s so worth it.
If you find yourself in this situation, I urge you to come to your senses. God is extending his beautiful grace to you. All you have to do is take it. Surrender your life to Christ completely because he bought you with his life. You will either be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. You pick.
If you will please join me in praying for those friends I mentioned. I pray that anyone who reads this is just solidified in the faith. I pray that if you are going back and forth with God, you stop and surrender to Him. You’re fighting a losing battle if you don’t
God bless!
-Austin
P.S. Sorry for not being able to post much lately. School is in the process of rapping up (just six days left!) for the summer and I have been busy with other obligations. I’m so grateful God has given you to me as an audience so that I may bring His Word to you.
When someone asks you how many friends you have, what leaps to the forefront of your mind? Is it that awkward moment in time standing in the gym during high school PE and the teams being picked were down to you and Chubs McGhee? Does your Facebook or Twitter account leap to validate your worth? Or do you stop to actually count out among real, live, analog human beings who you would call at three am to help you out of a sticky situation? How do you define your community?
To say community has changed is a gross understatement. It is a reality that is forever changed with the introduction of social media and is still changing at lightening speed. What it means depends largely on your individual perspective and paradigm. For me, community means different things at different times. As a writer, I have a community that I write for. I have made friendships that fuel me creatively online through my blogs and my writing obligations. I don’t discount this community because it is virtual – the blogosphere is still very real and very important to my process as an author.
I have community created by my work environment. As a horse rancher I am welcomed into a community that harkens back to loyalty, old ways and words that come out of your mouth meaning something. It is a comforting community that bonds on a level some people have never been exposed to. We raise our kids together, laugh together, weep together, celebrate accomplishment together – it is the closest thing to an old fashioned barn raising or quilting bee I can think of. Whether your ag involvement is cattle, horses, pigs or farming – we all understand that not many understand us, and we like it that way.
Lastly, there is the community of my relationships. This circle is the smallest by far. Those closest to me are allowed to see my heart, to feel my hurts, to listen to my whispered dreams, my fears and my sins. This community is supposed to be small, sacred, protected. Too often I have watched as someone exposes too much and I cringe. I guard this inner circle fiercely and I expect its protection in return. It is not for every eye to see.
I have been struggling of late with the term “community,” mostly because I have a shy daughter who would rather pull her own fingernails out than be subjected to a room full of people. She is assaulted by the noise, the expectation of inclusion, the fear of rejection. It is not something I relate to easily and so God is working through her to teach me. What is community and what should it be to be healthy? Is that the same for everyone? Should it be?
We are called to fellowship with one another in order to rejuvenate our souls to exist in the World. We are not made to be lone, solitary creatures, of this I am sure. But how much is too much? Is community really found in the pews of a mega-church? Am I invalid as an effective Christian if I cannot make myself stand up and dance in the aisles? Is reservation and introversion a sin? Am I really called to expand my community to encompass all 1800 Facebook friends? Does everyone want to know what I had for breakfast or hear about my latest argument with my teenaged son on Twitter? Somehow, I doubt it.
I long for days gone by when community had a much simpler definition. It included the surrounding farms and homesteads. You counted on neighbors to help with the harvest and to share in the bounties. You knew who was having a baby and your extended family stayed pretty close. Community meant safety, security and provision. Your communal circle was the source of your livelihood, your pantry was open to trading for what you lacked, people cared about each other’s needs and made a point to make sure their community’s needs were met. The lack of technology made things very simple…
Modern convenience has changed our definition of community from a small neighborhood circle to a world wide arena. You don’t have to live right next door to follow the growth of your high school bestie’s kids. While that has widened our horizons it has cheapened the impact when we can hit a button and “like” anything we find funny, inspiring, or worthy of congratulations. Gone are the days of being physically present in order to celebrate with those we know. Gone also are the days of actually knowing someone. You can be anyone you want to be online. You can hide volumes behind a sunny status line. You don’t have to be real, flawed, or human if you don’t want to. This falsity has created a faćade of unattainable perfection and a detrimental sense of inadequacy when we fail. It tells us that if we are not as perfect as our Pinterest buddies we have somehow failed as a human being. It isolates us from participating in the real world that surrounds us. Its effect is tragedy beyond imagining.
All that said, I am confusingly grateful for the ability to connect with others through social media, blogs and the internet in general. Living out here on a horse ranch more than twenty minutes from the nearest coffee shop or Walmart, this widening sense of community has afforded me a lifestyle that I would not have otherwise. I chat with friends I cannot see often, I can FaceTime with family that lives half a country away, I text my husband to let him know how much I appreciate his drive while he works away from home. It isn’t all bad – as long as it is balanced. In that word, volumes of wisdom lie…
If you feel like you are coming away from this with more questions than answers, you are not alone. I still don’t know if there is a “right” answer… I do know that community isn’t going back to the days of knowing your neighbors well, and I am ok with that. I will continue to strive to reach out in the physical sense and be present to those I find dear. I also know that dealing with my daughter will teach me to care for her heart differently. While I will push her to develop friendships that challenge and stretch her, I will also encourage her to nurture her need for solitude. Those times will strengthen her when she steps out to become the woman of God she was always meant to be. That alone is my goal as her mother…
Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
This passage tells us that not everyone who claims to be a Christian will go to Heaven. Jesus says many times that obeying the will of God is a condition for entering Heaven. It doesn’t save us, but it should be a response to our salvation. It is by God’s power and grace that we are able to live according to God’s will. That means we need to pray for that power and put it into action.
Jesus states that “not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.” There will be people who truly believe they are serving Him, but they really don’t truly know Jesus. They don’t have that relationship. It is important that you strive to know Him more everyday. Your salvation has everything to do with your relationship with Christ. If you don’t have that true relationship, you aren’t saved. No relationship=Unsaved. But when you accept Christ as your Savior (come into a relationship with Him) you get your salvation. Jesus is salvation.
Jesus told the people who “ministered” to people that he never knew them. There it is again. That relationship I’ve been talking about in recent posts. These people are involved in powerful, supernatural activity, but they didn’t have a true relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul says that what appears to be powerful ministry can actually be the “work of Satan.”
So listen to this warning. Be careful of false teachers! When you hear a message, look into the Word. If the message doesn’t line up with what the Bible says, then throw the message out! Always go back to the Word.
I would want someone to do that for me. If something I say or write doesn’t line up with God’s Word, confront me about it so I can go back to the Word myself and correct my message. I never want to be a false teacher!
God bless! And remember (no matter who the preacher is) check a message with God’s Word.
“Sometimes life just seems to get the better of me.” Probably we have all heard that statement many times and in many situations.
You may have even said it or felt it yourself a number of times as well.
Life IS hard – Life can be VERY hard – We can have things thrown at us that can send us completely off the rails if we let it and even cause us to go into deep depression.
Australian statistics are pretty alarming as to the number of people suffering from a myriad of differing depressive illnesses – from very mild to very severe, depressive illness can rob people of their self esteem, their jobs and often sadly their very lives.
http://www.beyondblue.org.au describes it like this “Depression is one the most common of all mental problems. One in five people (here in Australia) experience depression at some stage of their lives”
One in five!! WOW that’s pretty startling – statistically one in every five people we meet, in theory, have some sort of depressive problem – worry, stress, anxiety, phobias and fear.
Christians certainly aren’t exempt from suffering trials, tribulations and worries – there are hundreds of different reasons why we are thrown a curved ball in life and they all have serious potential.
Worry is so debilitating – it steals the joy from living and we can become so preoccupied with whatever the problem is that there is little else left over.
We can feel that we are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the problem we are facing – we feel alone, helpless, weak and vulnerable.
Worry can rob us of peace, sleep and communication. It can affect our marriage, our jobs and worst of all it can cause separation from God.
Worry can rob us of our prayer life and study of God’s Word – we can feel God is not there or that he doesn’t care about our problems.
Worry and stress can lead us away from God – lead us to a dark place in our lives and lead us to a point where we take our minds and hearts off Jesus.
Some days we feel we can’t possibly make it through – there is nothing absolutely nothing going right – everything has gone pear-shaped – our lives have been shattered.
It is in those dark places of our lives that, as strange as it sounds, is the very time we have to place our utmost faith in God – where we have to praise Him for what we DO have in our lives and look at the blessings that He has given to us.
When the days ahead look their blackest – when there is seemingly no answer to an on-going problem that is the very time we, in faith, have to reach out to God and hold tight and hold on to His promises.
Annie Hawks and Robert Lowr wrote a song which I feel spells out pretty plainly what I’m talking about, it goes like this:-
“When I think I’m going under, part the waters Lord.
When I feel the waves around me, calm the sea.
When I cry for help, O hear me, Lord and hold out your hand.
Touch my life, still the raging storm in me.”
Knowing that God loves us is pretty amazing – we are never alone – we never have to face our trials, no matter how huge they are, alone.
He is the one who wants to take our burdens and even in the darkest place imaginable – He is there to shed amazing light and the promise of a better future – all we have to do is hold on tight to Him – he will show us the way.
Jesus has promised us a prize – an amazing prize – an awesome prize, but we need to press on, hold on and with God’s help we will have the strength.
Even though we are battered and scarred in the process, even though we may stumble and bumble along, God’s perfect plan is for us all to reach His goal.
When we are sad and worried we can a huge tendency to look on our worries and trials in the most depressive way – everything takes a mammoth amount of trouble – everything looks like it is working against us.
To every dark side – every sadness – every worrying time, there is often a brighter side – we as Christians need to hang on tight to those ‘bright’ sides of our problems.
As Charles Spurgeon once said “Even the darkest underground mine often yields a vein on pure gold” and again “Samson’s lion yielded honey, and so will our adversities, if rightly considered.”
Faith’s way of walking is to cast all of our cares on the Lord and then anticipate good results from even the worst of calamities.
Even in the face of death itself – we Christians can look beyond the grave to the amazing light of the resurrection – sure and steadfast in the knowledge that Jesus’ sacrifice knocked death on the head – killed and forgotten – death will have no hold on those whose hope and faith is in the Lord.
Christians need to hold on tight to Jesus no matter where we are in our lives – whether on the mountain peak or down in the deep dark valley.
Living close to Jesus we are covered with the very wings of God himself – His wings of protection – his wings of peace and underneath us are His everlasting arms.
We have all had difficult roads travelled in the past and we are sure to have more in the future – whatever the case – whatever condition we are in, we will need Jesus.
Hang on tight to His hand – Hold on to His promises and press on to the Goal.
Romans 5:1-5: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
How many Christians actually believe that suffering is a blessing? Suffering can include a wide variety of hardships, but did you know God uses our trials to make us stronger? There’s three points I want to hit in this blog.
1) Through Suffering We Become Dependent on God
In the midst of our suffering we realize we can’t do this thing alone. We realize while our wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends,and family will fail us, that God will never fail us. Our hope lies in Jesus Christ alone. When you become dependent on God, you will grow closer to Him. It may be painful, but with the help of God you will come through it stronger than before.
2) The Pain is Temporary
Yeah it may hurt for a time, but remember the pain won’t last forever. If you are in Christ, one day you will be in Heaven and you will no longer have to experience the pains of this life. Nothing will compare to what God has in store for you.
3) Suffering does NOT disprove the existence of God.
Many atheists I’ve heard of say that a loving God wouldn’t allow His people to suffer. Because of that believe they think they disprove the existence of God. They don’t realize that they are dead wrong. God allows us to go through trials because they make us stronger and move us closer to Him. As verses 2 and 4 state above: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
I quote from Lee Strobel’s book “The Case for Faith:”
“God is wise enough to foresee that we need some pain for reasons which we may not understand but which he foresees as being necessary to some eventual good. Sometimes God allows suffering and deprives us of the lesser good of pleasure in order to help us toward the greater good of moral and spiritual education.”
And again from the same book:
Atheist: “First, there is no reason that would justify God in permitting so much evil rather than a lot less; second, if God exists, then there must be such a reason; so, three, God does not exist.”
Response: “That’s like saying it’s reasonable to believe in God if six Jews died in a Holocaust, but not seven. Or sixty thousand, but not sixty thousand and one. Or 5,999,999, but not six million. When you translate the general statement so much into particular examples it shows how absurd it is……
At no point does suffering disprove the existence of God”
We believers are thankful for the salvation we find through the Son of God and in His ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross. With an inexplicable love, God sent His only Son to die a horrible death so that we may be redeemed and called His adopted children. For this incredible act of mercy and love we should be in a constant state of worship, praise, and thanks.
There are many ways for us to express our reverence and adoration for Him. To start, a thankful heart will often spur a believer into a state of gratitude, which can then turn into a song of praise. Music and song is a great way for us to show our love for God. Praise means, “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praising God is an expression of worship. By lifting Him up, we glorify and edify Him. By focusing our complete attention on the Father, we bless Him.
An act of service is also an act of worship, praise, and thanks. The Word tells us to comfort others with the comfort that we ourselves have been given. When we obediently follow God’s leading to serve and help others, we are submitting to His divine will. It is not just the act of serving but our obedience and submission that blesses the Lord. To honor and exalt Him is worship and we can do it through praise, submission, service, obedience, and acts of devotion and kindness.
God does not have to have our worship, but we must worship Him in order to please and bless Him. Worship brings us closer to God. The Bible says that, “God inhabits in the praises of His people.” (Psalms 22:3) This makes me think that He “dwells” in the atmosphere of our praises for Him. This is communion with God. As we draw near to Him, He in turn draws near to us.
When we choose to act on our desire to selflessly worship, bless, and praise our Creator, it should cause us to reflect on His power and majesty. These acts should also cause us to think more like Him. A heavenly perspective that is lived out in daily life is another way we can worship our God.
The Bible tells us that we can come BOLDLY to the throne of God with our petitions and requests. However, worship demands a contrite and humble heart of submission. Psalm 51:17 reminds us that the “sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” It is only with a pure heart, humbled by the sacrifice and love of the Father and Son, that our worship attempts will be an acceptable offering to our Father.
So, even on the dark and difficult path you are presently enduring, you need to thank Him. At all times, you need to look up and BELIEVE in His goodness and kindness. You may not understand the “whys” of your trial but that does not matter. It is by faith you were saved and it is by faith that you must trust your situations to God. Set down your burdens today and make time to thank Him. Choose to bless His name even though you don’t feel like it. Decide to trust in His goodness and praise Him. This will be a sacrifice of worship pleasing onto God, like sweet smelling incense before His throne.
Exodus 23:25 (NIV) Worship the LORD your God, and His blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you
Take A Listen To “Ten Thousand Reasons” by Matt Redman
