Phoebe

During the four years we lived in Kentucky we frequently drove the long drive from Louisville to Atlanta. We had to pass all the way through the state of Tennessee. We did get a lot of talking time in during those many trips south. With our busy schedules juggling school, work, church, home, and eventually a child, we rarely had an opportunity for uninterrupted talking time. On one of our long travels we were talking about not knowing where the Lord would call us to be in the ministry one day. I remember looking out my window and saying, “If God would let me choose anywhere I wanted to live and minister, I would choose a small town right here in Tennessee.” About four years later is when God granted me that very wish.

Many weeks into the interviews with the church in Tennessee I remember the turmoil over leaving my class of women I was teaching at our church in Kentucky. I did not know anything about the new church and I did not know anyone. I told Josh one day that if God would let me choose any class I wanted, I would love to teach the college age girls. I found out shortly after that they had a wonderful teacher, but I must admit I was a little disappointed. One year later the teacher told my husband that he just had too much on his plate, which is the absolute truth due to his many roles in our church. My heart leapt with joy as I found out that the college girls needed a teacher. I am so happy to be teaching again and I enjoy it.

This month we are learning about women in the Bible that we should try to model after. Actually, the title of our lessons is, “The woman I should be” and the guys are doing the same study but theirs is titled,”The woman I should marry.” Next month we will swap and focus on the men.

This week we were studying Phoebe. I had not really studied about her much and when I went to write the lesson, I was disappointed to only find two verses about her. As I studied and read, I found out that two verses is a book worth when it comes to Phoebe. She was a hard worker, she instructed the other ladies and children, she took care of the sick, she helped ministers, she served in the church and was a blessing the the ministry there while she was responsible in fulfilling important tasks. Phoebe was living in a city among heathen people and other women that were gossiping, prostituting, adulterers, partakers of alcoholic beverages, and lustful. She remained focus on Christ and the mission of spreading the Gospel. Phoebe lived such a pure life that other women and younger girls wanted to have her purity, work ethic, strength, and wisdom. Women like that are to be desired because they are so rare. Proverbs 31 says that her price is far above rubies and her value is unmatched. Perhaps this is because there were very few women in that day that measured up to her, perhaps it is also even more rare to find her today.

I know I was deeply convicted this week.. Teaching is really about learning and I learn way more that my students. I know that I feel like I strive to please Christ in everything I do and my goal is to excel at every job I have. I am a perfectionist and I must do everything right especially when it comes to serving Him. When I studied about Phoebe this week I felt like the woman I strive to be is even farther out of reach than I imagined. Her worth really is unmeasurable because she really is a rare jewel. It does feel impossible to attain and just when I think I am there, I read about women like Phoebe.

I think today she probably would be spending time at the prisons praying with the prisoners, going to the homeless and giving them hot food from her family table and clothes from her closet, she would probably be delivering Bibles and prayer to the mommy’s and daddy’s in the neonatal intensive care unit where babies are lost every hour, she would probably be mowing her neighbors grass because they are recovering from surgery, she would probably be delivering diapers and formula to the neighbor that just had a baby and her husband lost his job last week, she would probably be balancing her checkbook and trying to find a few extra dollars to send that youth on a mission trip this summer with the church all the while sacrificing that new outfit for Easter service, she would probably be calling her pastor and encouraging him on a weekly basis, and when important tasks come up in the church he knows he can call her to do it. Paul knew Phoebe would be able to deliver that letter to Rome for him and she fulfilled the task God called her to do by doing just that. She did not ask for her name to be mentioned in the Bible, she did not ask for any recognition. She was ready and willing to do service for the Lord.

O Lord, please make me more like Phoebe. Please make me to be less about myself and more about you. Please help me to focus more on people than on this one person. As I struggle with being materialistic, please help me to think of those with bare feet. Please help me to think of the hungry as I fill up my cabinets and refrigerator with food each week. Please help me as I tuck my children and myself in a comfortable and warm bed every night to think of the children that lay cold in the night. As I kiss my children help me to think of the children that have no mommy. Please use me Lord to do Your work. Keep me seeking Your face and give me a heart to serve like Phoebe had. Amen

Change my heart O God, Make it ever true

Change my heart O God, Make me more like You

You are the potter, I am the clay

Mold me and make me, this is what I pray!

You can probably tell if you know me well, or even if you just read my articles, that I have a huge desire for my children to grow up and accomplish a great work for Christ. I came across this article written by my friend that closely resembles the heart I have for my children. I really liked the quote she uses from Adoniram Judson. We debated over names for our son we narrowed our search down to two names; JohnMark and Judson, after the great missionary Adoniram Judson. We picked JohnMark, but of course we also named him after a great role-model.

This article was written by Courntey Everson:

“Jarrod and I really had a chance to talk together and the conversation immediately went to these crazy kids. We shared our prayer for these boys and Ellie, to do something hard for Christ. Wyatt is able to communicate well and my prayer is that the Lord uses him to communicate His Word. Our prayer is that God calls him to preach. Ty has a boldness that I have rarely seen in a five year old. Jarrod’s prayer is that the Lord uses him on the mission field. That’s a hard prayer for a momma, but Jarrod directed me towards something I have never seen before. Adoniram Judson’s proposal letter to his prospective wife’s father. It’s hard for me to read, especially when the burden of your heart is for the Lord to really use you and your family. Here is the letter…..

“I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls, for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”

Her father concented, she went and she died on the mission field. My thoughts this morning are toward heaven. I would rather Ellie live a life by her husband’s side, spreading the Word, Ty leading people to the Lord through the Word, Wyatt proclaiming the authority of Scripture, and that life run short than for them to live to be 80 and do nothing of eternal significance. My heart is heavy for my children. I am burdened for their salvation and their sanctification. I pray that the Lord will use me to influence my children toward the kindgdom and that their hearts would be hot for His Word and His people.”

Thank you Courtney for sharing this with us. It is so hard for us to let our children go, but they are far greater protected in God’s care. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. So why is it so hard to let go? Lately I have met preacher after preacher that have wayward children. My heart breaks for them, but it also breaks at the thought of that being my children. My prayer is that every day and every moment that God gives me with my children, that I will be such a great example for Christ that they will have a strong hunger and a burning desire for a relationship with Him.

Lord, please help us mothers to be the very best example of Christ in front of our children. Our children do, in fact, know us better than anyone else. Amen.

Lord, Make Me a Mother Like That!

 I recently came across a prayer request from a friend on facebook. I took the time to pray for a pastor’s wife in Texas that had been in a serious car accident. I did not know her, but I have a friend from seminary that was close to her. She, her husband, and three-month old son were in a car accident and she was the only one injured. She went home to be with the Lord a few days later. I hurt for this family even though I did not know her personally. Having young children myself I could not imagine leaving them right now. Although Heaven is so real and so wonderful and my soul and spirit long to be in my eternal home, I must admit it scares me to leave my babies.

Four and a half years ago my husband’s best friend, William, was killed instantly in a car accident. He was only twenty-nine years old and his young wife was pregnant with their first child. He and my husband were both called into the ministry and were zealous to preach when given the opportunity. Just a few days before his death, I remember driving down the road thinking that I was so fortunate not to worry about God taking my husband in death since he was just a young preacher. I knew that since God had a calling on his life he was sure to live many years fulfilling his call to preach and minister. It was not until several days after William had died that I remembered having that thought. I knew then that I was placing my security in something other than God.

God has a plan for each of us and it takes faith to live knowing that we do not know what each day holds. As I read on a blog site about the young pastor’s wife that passed away in Texas, I realized how one person’s testimony can impact many people. Her family and closer friends were quoting her from her personal prayer journals. I never realized before that the personal things I do, or don’t do, can become public once I am gone. Family and loved ones will read things I have written in private and see many of my most intimate notes and meditations. Even my checkbook and records will be exposed. What will they all think about me then?

I remember my friend, Williams wife, telling me things he had written in his Bible, notes and other journals. She even knocked on the door one day during his personal time with the Lord just days before his death and when she peeked through the door to tell him something, she witnessed him prostrate. He was laying flat on his face in prayer.

I pray that my life will be one that brings honor and glory to God now while I am alive, and also after my passing. I would like to think that I will be about ninety years old when I go to be with the Lord, after a long life of seeing many grandchildren. I would like to think that all my children and grandchildren would be rummaging through my belongings and see that I did indeed finish the course strong. I may have had failing health and tired hands, but my faith kept young and strong. I pray that at my funeral God’s Word would be preached and the Lord Jesus lifted up, and that my grandchildren would all be saved as a result of their grandmother’s teachings of our Lord Jesus.

This is my earnest prayer for us mothers. May we not give in to today’s sinful desires and stay focused on God and His plan. My prayer is that mothers today will teach their children about a BIG God, and live a life of submission to Him clearly in front of them. My prayer is that mothers will discipline and the lines will be drawn clear and their will be no gray areas. Mothers can be the greatest influence on their children. In today’s ever-changing, God hating society, we must stay true to Him in raising up our next generation to be godly. We are only responsible for the little lambs God has given us to live in our homes, and their little eyes and ears are seeing and hearing our every move.

Lord, please make me a mother like this. Please change me, break me, mold me, and re-make me into the mother that leads my children in Your way. Amen.

“And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. ” Duet. 11:19

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her.” Prov. 31:28

Dear Mother of Moses

I am currently teaching my three-year-old pre-school at home. Each day we have a Bible Study and we are going through the Old Testament. We have spent several weeks on the life and work of Moses. A few weeks ago we studied about Moses when he was just a baby. The king during that day was terrible and he demanded all baby boys to be thrown into the river. I immediately put myself in the shoes of his mother, well, as much as I possibly could imagine. I am sure she must have been very scared to say the least. I know how it feels to have a love only a mother can have for her children. I remember being pregnant with my first child and feeling such a strong attachment even then, but nothing compared to the emotional connection that happened when I birthed her and held her against my chest for the very first time. I can actually say I would give my life without question or second thought for the life of my beloved child.

I placed myself laying in bed with the fear of knowing that tomorrow would be the day I would have to finally succumb to the kings commands. They must have already banged on my door a thousand times threatening my family if we did not heed to their commands. I have gathered thick grasses from the river banks and woven together a basket boat. I have slaved many hours over this project making sure the grasses are woven as tight as possible, ensuring the water will not get through the strands. I have bled from my fingers as I weave and braid each strand. Tears saturate the grass as I weep from fear of not knowing what might happen to him as I let the basket go in the rapid current of the Nile River. Oh the dirtiness, filth, and danger that river holds. Disease, crocodiles, piranhas, sharp rocks, waterfalls, and snakes to name a few. Please Lord, I beg for you to protect him.

The faith she had was unbelievable. I think this mother would have died right along beside my son. I do not think I would have had the faith it took to let go of that basket in the river that day. God did the unthinkable. He actually protected that special child. God did allow that basket boat to find its way into the hands of the king himself. The most unbelievable part is that Moses’ mother actually got to hold her precious baby once again, yet this time with the king’s honor, blessing, and protection. She actually got to put him at her breast again to feed him until he was old enough the be weaned. She got to see him smile, crawl for the first time, pull up on the furniture, spit out food, throw toys, teeth on everything, hear him cry when she walked into another room, take his very first steps, and even hear him say, “mama” for the very first time and many times after that.

God protects His people. Why do we spend so much time worrying over our children when God is unfolding His perfect plan. Lord, teach me to weep for my children in prayer. Help me to let my children go, trusting that you will be their Protector. Please help me to be like the dear mother of Moses.

Exodus 1:22 “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.”

Exodus 2:1-10 ” And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took [to wife] a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he [was a] goodly [child], she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid [it] in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash [herself] at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened [it], she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This [is one] of the Hebrews’ children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give [thee] thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.”

The Perfect Job!

This quote is from an email I received a few days before Mother’s Day. I modified it a bit, but it really made me get emotional over some of the moments I have already experienced as a mother, and things I have to look forward to! I recall my high school and college years trying to imagine myself in a successful career doing something I love at that “perfect” job. I also recall working that “perfect” job and longing for the days I would become a mother. Now I rock crying babies, wipe snotty noses, wipe very dirty bottoms, explain complicated things to a two-year –old such as breast feeding, spank bottoms, clean up many spills, sing a sick toddler to sleep, wipe away tears, put passies in mouths, bake birthday cakes, spend many dollars at the one-hour photo in Wal-mart, gain nearly fifty pounds in pregnancy, carry a kicking baby inside my belly, sacrifice a flat stomach and nice thighs for a cottage cheese body, and become a human milk machine . This is my successful career and the “perfect” job that I love doing.

I hope you love being a mommy as much as I do. It truly is the highest paid, most rewarding job in the world. Happy Mother’s Day!

“This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up vomit saying, ‘It’s okay honey, Mommy’s here.’

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can’t be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who have spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.

And that when their kids asked, ‘Did you see me, Mom?’ they could say, ‘Of course, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,’ and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read ‘Goodnight, Moon’ twice a night for a year. And then read it again. ‘Just one more time.’

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls ‘Mom?’ in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home — or even away at college ~or have their own families.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they’d be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can’t find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips?

The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?

Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 12 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation… And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. For all of us…

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray and never stop being a mom.

‘Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall.’”

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Pure Motives, Impure Actions

My husband became the pastor of our new church in January, so I am trying to find where God wants me to serve in this new church. I know of “needs” we have in the church, but I have served in the past in positions because I was needed, and not because God wanted me there. I believe God has a place for everyone in the church, it is just a matter of being obedient to where that place is.

I have been sitting in the youth Sunday School class for several weeks. I sat Sunday morning with about 15 girls and the things I heard shocked me. These girls were sharing how their thoughts had become very impure. They admitted to thinking such perverted thoughts because of the things they see and hear at school from piers, at the movies, on the radio, and on televison. These girls were convicted about what trash they were putting into their eyes and ears because the trash was coming back to their minds even in the most innocent situations. The teacher of the class was not the one that brought up this conversation, but the girls were being convicted on a daily basis, and as one began to share, more girls admitted that they were experiencing the same shameful thoughts.

This proves that what goes in the brain does control the thoughts. If we daily put Scripture in the brain, Scripture will come to our mind throughout the day and in circumstances in our lives. 2 Timothy 2:15-16 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

I have recently been very heart broken over hearing ministers and other professing Christians advertise the television programs and movies that they enjoy.  Not only are they not ashamed, they are proud that they enjoy watching sin. I will confess, not out of pride, but humbleness that the Lord has chosen to convict myself and my husband about this very same matter. There is NO program we watch at night that promotes or condones sin. We watch only re-runs of clean older programs with good morals, game shows, or singing competitions (unless someone in the competition is a known homosexual or involved in another known sin). The young generation behind us is watching all of us in the ministry as examples. If we are watching a program, then they think it must be acceptable for them to watch as well. We are teaching them that these programs are an acceptable way of living, and that includes illicit sex, sex with multiple partners, prostitution, immodesty, gambling, drug use, cursing God, false idols, homosexuality and much more.

I once was watching most of the popular programs on television until the Lord revealed all of this to me. Yes the story line of the programs are entertaining, but that is the Devil’s scheme. He can attract even the ugliest sin to the point that a God-fearing minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ can sit in front of the television set and laugh until they cry. Then they set their tivos to tape all of these shows to ensure they do not miss one minute. Then they get to work the next day or see an old friend and what happened on the show last night becomes the topic of discussion. It is such an easy trap to fall in to, but one of the most dangerous. How can we teach our children the principles of the Bible when they see such a hypocritical lifestyle played out for them in the center of their home? And many of them are witnessing their parents being entertained by it.

A principle I strive to live by is living my life as if everyone lived like me. Once when I was lost and living indulgent in my sin I remember having that thought. I was ashamed as to what the world would be like. Now I think the same thought, but it is what would the church be like if everyone lived like me? I am a pastor’s wife, although I am a normal sinner saved by God’s grace, and if everyone in the church lived like me then most of the time God’s church would be in trouble. I must daily die to my sinful ways and strive to fill my mind with thing that bring Him glory.

Here are some shows NO Christian should promote and reasons why:

House- illicit sex, adultery, prostitution, drug use, false god worship, greed, lust, perversion, adults lusting over children, assisted suicides, abortion issues, filthy language

CSI- soft pornography, love triangles, illicit sex among cast members, alcohol, drug use, filthy language

GREY’S ANATOMY- sex among cast members, fighting over sex, drinking and bar scenes, lying, love triangles

LOST- A couple is pregnant and the paternity is questionable

FRIENDS- sex outside of marriage, fornication, pornography addiction, alcohol drinking

WILL & GRACE- homosexuality, alcohol, perverted conversation

BOSTON LEGAL- adultery and sexual affairs

UGLY BETTY- ex-boyfriend has pregnant girlfriend, sex-changes

SAMANTHA WHO?- before her accident she was having an affair with a married man and an alcoholic
This is from one of my favorite hymns:

“Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the One I love, Here’s my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.”

A Sleeping Baby Is Worth Its Weight In Gold

When I was hired at the Wellness Center as a personal trainer I was hired to replace a lady that was pregnant and about to take her maternity leave. As she was training me for the position she asked me if I had ever heard of Babywise. At that time I had not yet heard of it. Throughout her sons young life she was telling me what she was doing to follow the program and explaining everything to me. A few months later I was pregnant myself, so reading the book to me was just review.

I had discussed it with my husband and he was a little skeptical of the whole idea but always up to trying anything that would help our baby sleep through the night. We were at a cookout at a neighbor’s house when he was sold to the idea. A friend of our neighbors was staying with them from out of town when he asked us the same question, “Have you ever heard of Babywise?” Our antennas perked up and we listened to what he had to say. He explained how he and his wife did it with their two daughters. Now they were older children but they still loved to go to bed at night and get a good nights sleep. He explained that he attributed it to their good behavior, good grades, and pleasant demeanor. Our neighbors agreed that his girls were to be admired by all parents.

I have to agree, I am not sure what I would do without it. It worked wonderfully with my daughter and I am now doing it with my 5-week-old son. I have many friends that have done it with their children and I know that it works. We moved into our new home seven days before our son was born. The day I got home from the hospital a new neighbor came by to meet me. She asked me if I knew about Babywise. When I told her yes she said, “Good, I was about to go home and get you my book. I have 5 children under the age of 10 and that is how I have been able to manage raising 5 children at once. I have friends that did not believe that Babywise was what helped to make them so manageable, but with each child I had she grew more convinced.”

So what is Babywise? It is offering a PARENT LED parenting system rather than the CHILD LED parenting system that is so popular today. It is a scheduling system for babies. Please read the book for yourself because the authors do a wonderful job explaining why everything works the way it does and why this program benefits both parent and child. It teaches parents to start their babies on a schedule of feeding, wake time, and nap time on a two and a half to three hour cycle- in that order throughout the day. At night they just feed the baby and let the baby wake up for the next feeding and have no wake time. At eight-weeks of age a baby’s stomach can hold enough food to last them eight-hours through the night so you drop night feedings until eight weeks old until they are able to sleep soundly through an eight-hour period. This is my nutshell version, there is a lot more to it.

The benefits come into effect with the parent and the baby getting a good night sleep. Both parent and baby are allowing their bodies to go through the different stages if sleep that the brain needs. When they both wake up in the morning they are refreshed and well rested. It is so crucial for a baby to experience this at a young age. This is why the Babywise babies are generally happier and actually healthier than babies that are up all throughout the night for the first couple of years of their life. I have a friend that is still up with her one-year-old at least once per night. She is exhausted and frustrated and regrets not doing Babywise.

There are many critics of the program. One major point of criticism is that we are starving our children that need to eat more by forcing them to wait every couple of hours for a feeding and that we should just feed them when they are hungry. My argument to this is that a baby does not know when he/she is hungry. Like a horse, a baby will most likely eat when food is in front of them. I was feeding my infant son about every hour because he would scream and it sounded like he was starving. Sure enough as soon as I would offer my breast, he would eat like he had not eaten in days, although it had only been just an hour, or less! I thought he was just an avid eater. After many times vomiting up all he had eaten I soon discovered that he was not hungry, he was just screaming because he was sleepy. My children fight sleep as babies for some reason! As soon as I put him on a two-hour eating schedule he stopped vomiting and soon grew accustomed to eating every two hours. Now he is on a schedule and he knows when it is time to eat, wake and sleep.

Another point of criticism is that letting your baby cry somehow makes them feel neglected. Well, if we answer a baby’s every cry, we are teaching them that crying lets them get their way. Understand, this does not mean not to answer a hungry cry or a hurting cry. This does mean not to answer the unnecessary cry. Soon you learn what the difference in crying means. I know now the hungry cry in my 5 week old son, and I know his sleepy cry. The sleepy cry is the one I ignore. I lay him down in bed, he cries himself to sleep. He never remembers it later, he does not hold it against me and he is not scarred for life. Rather, he learns to lie down and go to sleep, he eventually does not cry after a couple weeks of being consistent and he soothes himself off to sleep. When I know he as been fed, changed, and he is not sick or hurting, he cries when I lay him down but within about five minutes he is fast asleep.

Another point of criticism is that sick babies can get sicker or even experience trauma when left to cry on their own. The authors are VERY clear about ignoring the schedule when your child is sick or has had surgery. You cannot be too strict and ignore signs of sickness or illness. They also tell you that you can modify it for your needs. For example, I rocked my daughter to sleep when she was a baby. That was something I did not want to miss out on. The program still worked fine, I followed all the rules except for that one. The book also states that if you are on a crowded airplane or are a guest in someone else’s home not to let your baby just scream to disturb everyone.

The book is fascinating and I am convinced because I have seen it work and I did it for myself. I encourage you to give the gift of Babywise at a baby shower to someone you care dearly for.

Ezzo, Gary M. A. and Bucknam, Robert M.D. “On Becoming Babywise” 1995, 1998, 2001

Suffering and Sacrifice

I sat in Sunday School a few weeks ago and the teacher used an example I thought illustrated a point very well. He said if you take a worthless plastic cup it means nothing to you. If you drop your diamond wedding ring inside of it, it instantly becomes valuable. That is just like Christians. We are worthless, but Christ in us makes us valuable.

This is a personal study I have done on the suffering and sacrifices of many of the disciples and apostles that served Jesus. It fascinates me to see how dedicated these men were to spreading the Gospel and how devoted they were to making sure the world knew about Jesus’ death. It motivates me to evaluate my service to the Lord and my responsibility to make sure the world I live in knows about Jesus’ death and resurrection.

I love what John MacArthur says in his Matthew Commentary:
“The greatness of God is seen in His choosing the undeserving to be His people and the unqualified to do His work. It should be a marvelous encouragement to every believe to know that, just as Elijah, the apostles had a nature like ours. Apart from the brief ministry of His own Son, the history of God’s work on earth is the history of His using the unqualified. The twelve disciples who became apostles are no exception. The twelve men Jesus chose as His apostles had in their hands the full responsibility for initially taking the Gospel to the rest of the world.”

Matthew- Publican made an apostle. King Hytacus in Ethiopia had him arrested. He was dragged outside, nailed to the ground with short spears and beheaded. 66 A.D.
(Jesus Freaks, 219)

Mark- Apostle with Jesus. He preached the gospel in Egypt, and there, drawn with ropes unto
the fire, was burnt and buried. (Foxes Book of Martyrs, 7)

Andrew- Brother of Peter, Apostle of Jesus. Sentenced to a crucifixion where he hung on the cross for three days until he died. 66A.D. (Jesus Freaks, 149)

James- Son of Zebedee, Apostle of Jesus. King Herod Agrippa had James arrested and sentenced to death based on a man’s testimony about him. This accuser gave his life to Christ after he saw James’ extraordinary courage and stedfast joy even condemned to die. He asked for James’ forgiveness and James kissed him. They were both beheaded. James was the first apostle martyred. 36-44 A.D. (Jesus Freaks 193, Foxes Book of Martyrs, 6)

Thomas- Apostle of Jesus, called “Doubting Thomas” because he had to see the risen Savior. He was preaching in India and North Africa to savage tribes. Many in these tribes were getting saved. In Calamina, India, the people were worshipping an image of the sun. Thomas destroyed that image and put a stop to their idolatry. The sun god’s priests were furious. He was tortured with red hot metal plates and then thrown into a glowing furnace. He was still alive in the midst of the furnace. They threw spears and javelins into the furnace at him until he fell dead.
(Jesus Freaks, 56)

Stephen- Preacher of Jesus. First recorded Christian martyr. Stoned to death. 34 A.D.
(Jesus Freaks, 37)

John the Baptist - Preacher of Jesus. Beheaded.

Simon- Brother of James and Jude. Simon the Zealot. He preached in Egypt, North Africa, and islands of Great Britian. He was painfully tortured and crucified.
(Jesus Freaks, 220, Foxes Book of Martyrs, 6)

Batholomew- Apostle of Jesus He preached to the Indians. He translated the Gospel of St.Matthew into their tongue. He was beaten down with staves, then crucified, then beheaded. (Foxes Book of Martyrs, 7) He preached Jesus for 37 years. He learned the language of the Indians and taught them in their native tongue. Many people turned to Christ from thier idolatry including the King of
Armenia’s brother and his family. the king threatened him to make sacrifices to the god of Astaroth. First he was beaten with rods, then crucified upside down and skinned. Then his head was cut off with an ax. (Jesus Freaks, 205-206)

Philip- Preacher and missionary He labored among the barbarous nations. He was crucified and
stoned to death. He was the 2nd apostle martyred. 51 A.D.
(Jesus Freaks, 219)

James- Half brother of Jesus Apostle of Jesus He was a just man. He drank no wine nor did he eat animal food. He would enter the temple alone to pray for the people. His knees had lost sense of feeling for kneeling to pray that he was said to have “camel knees”.They threw him down from off the temple wall but it did not kill him. They stoned him then took an instrument and struck his head killing him. (Foxes Book of Martyrs, 10-11)
For thirty years he had been the bishop at the church at Jerusalem. He wrote the book of James. He converted many people to Christ. The religious pharisees tried to tempt him into denying his faith. They pushed him off the temple roof. His legs were broken but he was still alive. They started stoning him. A man ran up to him with a big stick in his hand and struck James in the head where he died instantly. (Jesus Freaks, 89-90)

Jude- Brother of Jesus Apostle of Jesus He preached boldly to pagan nations against idol worship and heathen sacrifices. When the pagan priests saw that they were losing followers and money they attacked him with sticks and clubs beating him to death. 68 A.D. (Jesus Freaks, 219)

Peter- Apostle of Jesus Peter was sentence in Rome to be crucified. He said he was not worthy
to be crucified in the same manner as his Savior and requasted to be crucified upside down. The romans honored this request. 65 A.D. (Jesus Freaks, 311- 312)

John- Apostle of Jesus John was tortured and exiled. H elived to be about 100 years old. He
was exiled to the island of Patmos where he had the visions and wrote the book of Revelation.
He was tortured and persecuted, but he died in peace and was not martyred. 95 A.D. (Jesus Freaks, 163-165)

FOOTNOTES:

William Byron Forbush, “Foxes Book of Martyrs”. July 1978.

DC Talk, “Jesus Freaks: DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs”. January 1999.

Her worth is far above rubies…

Dr. Adrian Rogers has some very practical suggestions for wives and mothers. Here are some things he states in his message, “Five Ways to Be a Successful Husband.” This is to the wives:

“Consider if your work adds to the home or takes from it! Why does a woman work? Some women work because they must in order to meet the household budget; it is necessary for her to work for financial reasons. Some and most women work so she can receive a paycheck and see her worth. Why are women in the workplace and they do not need to be? Her husband may not be acknowledging her worth in the home and homes are suffering.”

I cannot agree more. If my husband were not all the time supporting me and encouraging me to stay at home, I must admit, I would probably be working. I struggle with staying at home and feeling like I am “losing” my education and skills due to non-use, while he is at school each day and studying to sharpen his skills and abilities. This is a lie from the devil! I am sharpening my skills in many areas- just different areas. Do not think for one minute also that I do not struggle with being ready to be financially free. I miss wordly things like shopping and having more than one family vehicle so I can go where I want when I want! But each time I watch my baby learn something new and know that I taught her that, each time we do puzzles together, sit in the floor for hours in a day and sing, read and play, I would not trade that time in for $100,000 a year salary. I would be a millionaire if I had a quarter for every time I am in the store or somewhere and an older lady will say to me, “You better enjoy them while they are young because it does not last long.” I realize that graduations and weddings come fast, I mean, where did my own childhood go? That is why I will stand at graduations and at weddings and know that I may have made a LOT of mistakes raising them, I may have put other tasks priority from time to time, I may have said things to them I should not have, I may have not disciplined exactly like I should have, I may not have had much money to buy them the perfect most stylish clothing, but I pray that they know that time with them surpassed everything else in life during those young, precious years. The years we will never get back.

Every night I read the Bible to my daughter and we say prayers. Every night the thought comes of when she will not longer be within my grasp. I will be willing to pay numerous amounts of money when the time comes to get her back for just one day, am I not willing to pay numerous amounts now?

In the same message from Dr. Rogers, he lists many jobs of a wife and mother. Dennis and Barbara Rainey are the ones he credits for coming up with these many roles:

“As a mother she is a meal planner, nurse, counselor, comforter, policeman, judge (settling internal disputes with the children), clothier, wardrobe consultant, budget and financial planner, teacher, tudor, cheerleader, spiritual advisor, nursery worker, seamstress, cook, maid, linguistics expert (specializing in the dialect of two-year olds), resident gardener, administrator, interior decorator, schedule planner, chauffer, environmentalist (maintaining proper home environment), family historian (preserving family history).
For her husband she is a confidant, lover, companion, advisor, encourager, partner, comforter, hostess, and entertainer.
For her community she is a neighbor, gracious entertainer, volunteer counselor, friend, and church member.”

Mothers are worth VERY much in the home!

Moving Day

One of the hardest aspects of ministry is being ready at all times for God to do something BIG! This is easier said than done. Most of us all love being on a routine and planning out the future in our minds. Well, in ministry we must depend on God for our future plans and that means NOT knowing what He has in store.

This came true for my family just in the last twelve weeks. We were at a friends house visiting their new born baby when Josh took a cell phone call. We got in the car to leave and my husband tells me that a pastor search committee chairman had just called and asked many questions. We became nervous but we also know that several times his resume was sent to a church without a pastor and we prayed for God not to even let them call us if He was not in it. Sure enough, neither church ever even picked up the phone. This was a start to a major prayer in our life. “Lord, please do not let them call us back if You are not in this. We are happy where we are and we will only move if You want us to!” We prayed this prayer many times a day and every other day the phone would ring from the committee.

One thing led to another and the first Sunday in December we were sitting in the balcony at Cornerstone observing the service. We went to another church in the area that evening and Josh preached a message to that congregation and the committee. We headed home on Monday and prayed again that God would shut the door if He was not in this.  We kept waiting for something to go wrong and for God to shut the door.
The next day we received a call requesting Josh to preach before the congregation at Cornerstone and they would vote in TWO weeks. We knew by this time that God had not shut any doors and we even had NO reservations about moving to Tennessee.

Now, just a few weeks later we are getting ready to move to Tennessee. The hardest part is leaving the close friendships we have here. I know that we have many lifelong friends here. Our entire church has given us so much love and encouragement that we have been overwhelmed. Everyone has been so positive and uplifting and we know that God is blessing our obedience.

We leave in just a few days for a ministry that God has called us to. We cannot wait to get started and see what God is going to do!