2:52 p.m. Today's project was to try to straighten up a goof-up of mine from last weekend. In all of the fun and excitement of my week's close, I forgot to make the Friday afternoon call to Riverside Special Senior and Disabled Transportation to arrange rides for Steve this week to his daycare!
So, I had completed most of my devotions when 8:01 arrived and I was able to call RTA. I'd seemed to remember that between parties on Saturday, I had made a call, because the service is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. But perhaps I sat down to do so and was distracted or interrupted, and didn't actually make the call, because the phone lady said Steve wasn't on the schedule, and of course he couldn't be added until Tuesday. So that was that. Now "remembering" that I'd called on Saturday to make Steve's ride reservation was harmless in this case, because Steve was ready to go, but I called them any way, double-checker/confirmer that I am!
Have you ever done that? Envision yourself doing something so vividly that you thought you actually did accomplish it? Proverbs 23:7 says,
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Actually, if the Lord has given you a goal, a dream of a future ministry or accomplishment at home or in a career, God's gift of imagination can be both positive and powerful in cementing that vision in your heart, especially if it will not be fulfilled any time soon, and you are tempted to doubt whether God spoke to you at all. I love the prophecy of Joel 2:28-30 for the last days, God speaking:
"And it shall come to pass
afterward
That I will pour out my Spirit on
all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters
shall prophecy.
Your old men shall dream
dreams,
Your young men shall see
visions.
And also on My menservants
and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those
days."
At the same general time as I needed to make the bus call, my prayer time with Cara was to start, and then our leadership conference call with our sales director Laurie was scheduled for 8:15! I needed to prioritize rapidly. so at 8:04, I called Cara, and her voicemail, but she called me within two minutes. We did pray, and then I was able to participate in the conference call, sharing and gleaning ideas and inspiration. We all hung up to start our day.
Downstairs meanwhile, the caregiver (who knew about the bus snafu) was guiding Steve into other activities as a distraction, so he stopped focusing on looking for the bus. Good job! Steve helped attach my new garden hose to the front spigot, occupying the time before his care giver's shift ended at 8:45, and allowing me to finish up my personal journal. Only 8:45, and I definitely had received new matters to write to the Lord about!
The rest of the day went smoothly, with a few errands I took Steve on, a nice lunch together--not as nice as the full hot meal he gets at Care Connexxus each weekday, however--and checking out the newly blooming Amaryllis in our front yard.
As I reflect on the different kind of Monday, I realized that I pocketed $51 not spent for a day at the activity center; and thanked the Lord that the Special Transportation people had gone ahead and simply put Steve down for Monday through Friday from now on! That's one less task to remember and one less phone call to make!
I also received a fresh vision for our days together because things got shaken up a bit. Instead of feeling off kilter and annoyed, I was given a new outlook on the Lord's plan for today, a better one yet!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mother's Day-- a new way
4:51 p.m. Today's project was to enjoy the fun of Mother's Day without worrying about keeping traditions, a real first for me.
I was just recalling Mother's Day 2011, and my worry about Steve giving me a card, even if I would be the one helping him to select it and then pay for it. It's all coming back to me now. We were standing in a long line at the Post Office at Pierce and Hole Streets in the La Sierra area of Riverside, with my proofed copy of Galatians: An Exploration of Faith & Freedom in order to mail it to my editor at Tate Publishing. In the corner by the packaging materials, I spotted a revolving rack with Mother's Day cards on it. I asked Steve to go to the rack and pick out a card for me, like he had independently done in 2010 at a Vons grocery store. Just before Steve walked over, a father in line urged his 3 year-old boy to select a card for his mother, and the little boy went right over and got one, envelope included. It was very cute.
Steve walked over after repeated urgings, and started fingering various cards, in complete indecision and confusion, and came back with the separator between the cards and an envelope. I slipped out of line, put the separator back and handed him a "To My Wife" card to go with the envelope. Little did I know that it would be the last Mother's Day card he would ever get for me!
And little do I care this year. Funny, but a card from Steve is the last thing on my mind, now that he can hardly walk and can't talk, eat unassisted, dress or care for himself.
8:38 p.m. I just came in from dinner at P.F. Chang's with my daughters, a great time of sharing in God's word, funny family anecdotes, and very delicious food. And above is my requested Mother's Day gift--a garden hose for the front yard!! Thus goes the stripped-down life.
Jesus said in Luke 12:15,
Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he posseses.
For me, the stripped-down life has been a very blessed life!
I was just recalling Mother's Day 2011, and my worry about Steve giving me a card, even if I would be the one helping him to select it and then pay for it. It's all coming back to me now. We were standing in a long line at the Post Office at Pierce and Hole Streets in the La Sierra area of Riverside, with my proofed copy of Galatians: An Exploration of Faith & Freedom in order to mail it to my editor at Tate Publishing. In the corner by the packaging materials, I spotted a revolving rack with Mother's Day cards on it. I asked Steve to go to the rack and pick out a card for me, like he had independently done in 2010 at a Vons grocery store. Just before Steve walked over, a father in line urged his 3 year-old boy to select a card for his mother, and the little boy went right over and got one, envelope included. It was very cute.
Steve walked over after repeated urgings, and started fingering various cards, in complete indecision and confusion, and came back with the separator between the cards and an envelope. I slipped out of line, put the separator back and handed him a "To My Wife" card to go with the envelope. Little did I know that it would be the last Mother's Day card he would ever get for me!
And little do I care this year. Funny, but a card from Steve is the last thing on my mind, now that he can hardly walk and can't talk, eat unassisted, dress or care for himself.
Jesus said in Luke 12:15,
Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he posseses.
For me, the stripped-down life has been a very blessed life!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Ruth rang a bell
3:36 p.m. Today's project was to attend a women's ministry event at Sandals Church in Riverside, a gift from my daughter Heather who attends and is active there. She also treated her mother-in-law Kathleen to this special time. The Rev. Billy Graham's daughter, Ruth Bell Graham, was our featured speaker for this dynamic morning.
And I do not use the term "dynamic" lightly, considering the Greek word dunamis from which this word was derived! The word "dynamite" is also a member of this word family. The term dunamis was used to described the coming of Holy Spirit power in flames of fire on the heads of Jesus' disciples in the Upper Room after our Lord's return to heaven. Acts 2:1-4 describes this day:
When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Holy Spirit fell with power on our gathering today. Ruth spoke of the pain in many women's lives, and reminded us that in Genesis, that as the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters, He created life, and order out of chaos. And as the powerful testimonies of local women were played on the screens, we saw living proof that God is still creating order out of chaos!
As Ruth taught the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke Chapter 15, she wove each of us into the story--which person were we? Her spellbinding testimony of marital betrayal and then falling into sin herself, showed us the unconditional love of our heavenly Father through the complete and compassionate forgiveness of the prodigal upon his return home. Her parents' welcome was unequivocal when she returned as well. came home, too. As we saw and read the testimonies of women who had experienced God's healing, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, for certain, of the ways in which I need just come to Him for healing, forgiveness, and direction. Over 900 women were comforted with God's love.
In some moments of silence, each woman wrote what she knows that needs to be brought to God; on the other side, to write the answered prayer! On the back of my card, I wrote what it would look like not to dread the future with Steve's disease. So the Lord gave me a picture of the virtuous woman, clothed with courage and confidence acquired from preparation and hard work for her family, Proverbs 31:21 (NLT):
She is not afraid of winter for her household, for all of her family has warm clothes.
Lord, that I might be clothed in You, with confidence and trust in You alone, that you will meet and surpass every need that I bring to you, as well as needs I don't even know I have! In Jesus' name, Amen.
And I do not use the term "dynamic" lightly, considering the Greek word dunamis from which this word was derived! The word "dynamite" is also a member of this word family. The term dunamis was used to described the coming of Holy Spirit power in flames of fire on the heads of Jesus' disciples in the Upper Room after our Lord's return to heaven. Acts 2:1-4 describes this day:
When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Holy Spirit fell with power on our gathering today. Ruth spoke of the pain in many women's lives, and reminded us that in Genesis, that as the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters, He created life, and order out of chaos. And as the powerful testimonies of local women were played on the screens, we saw living proof that God is still creating order out of chaos!
As Ruth taught the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke Chapter 15, she wove each of us into the story--which person were we? Her spellbinding testimony of marital betrayal and then falling into sin herself, showed us the unconditional love of our heavenly Father through the complete and compassionate forgiveness of the prodigal upon his return home. Her parents' welcome was unequivocal when she returned as well. came home, too. As we saw and read the testimonies of women who had experienced God's healing, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, for certain, of the ways in which I need just come to Him for healing, forgiveness, and direction. Over 900 women were comforted with God's love.
In some moments of silence, each woman wrote what she knows that needs to be brought to God; on the other side, to write the answered prayer! On the back of my card, I wrote what it would look like not to dread the future with Steve's disease. So the Lord gave me a picture of the virtuous woman, clothed with courage and confidence acquired from preparation and hard work for her family, Proverbs 31:21 (NLT):
She is not afraid of winter for her household, for all of her family has warm clothes.
Lord, that I might be clothed in You, with confidence and trust in You alone, that you will meet and surpass every need that I bring to you, as well as needs I don't even know I have! In Jesus' name, Amen.
Friday, May 11, 2012
The last enrollment
The first year after my retirement, Steve and I were able to travel in our RV, and because of the one-time annuity payout I received (known as a Golden Handshake) we paid off obligations and were able to keep a good savings account. Steve had not yet qualified for lifetime disability income, so he received unemployment and later, CA State disability. The Lord was good to us, allowing us to stay in our home with just his unemployment and my pensions from Jurupa and the Public Employee Retirement System, from my 13 years of school board service. Our drastically reduced income allowed us to modify our house payment before we even fell behind. And since our house in Wyoming has a small payment which renters are covering, we saw no difference in expenses there. Psalm 4:8 describes the way I feel about God's provision of a safe home for our family to live in:
I will both lie down in peace, and
sleep;
For You alone make me to dwell in safety.
Amazingly, by the last quarter of 2009, we'd helped with Kriss and Marisela's wedding; and we'd given them Steve's unused Saturn. We helped Steven get settled in Fresno, where he began attending a Christian university where he founded a student prayer group, and also got his start in youth ministry at The People's Church. By 2010, Steve and I still traveled, with me driving the RV now. We also were blessed with fun togetherness by using our annual passes to Disneyland. This was Heidi's engagement year, so the Lord allowed us to begin our parental "contribution" for her wedding. And God brought about the finances to help with the author contribution that allowed the Bible study Galatians: An Exploration of Faith & Freedom to be published the following year! Retirement cleared my schedule to write the book as well!
2011 came in with a bang because of our daughter's June wedding at Kimberly Crest in Redlands. Yet, with only a minor amount of stretching, we were able to do our part to make our bride's day ideal! But 2011 also brought the realization that Steve needed more care than I could provide and still supplement our fixed incomes with my Mary Kay business, so we began to tap into another resource God had given us the means and wisdom to purchase: long term care insurance. At first, the caregivers provided companionship with tasks and chores, like gardening and walking the dogs with Steve over two miles a day. Fast-forward to 2012, and Steve is not only covered by insurance for 5 days a week of adult daycare at an activity center, but has home care beginning at 5 a.m. seven days a week. Only the Lord's good provision could make that possible, now that my arthritis is making itself felt and my growing business requires alertness and the enthusiasm and ministry I feel on the inside to manifest itself genuinely on the outside! Constant early hour wake-up calls (like Steve crying out "HELP" at 3:40 a.m. today) are for new moms like our Marisela, not for senior citizens like myself! I need to sleep in until at least 5:30!
I also thank the Lord that my flexible appointment schedule allows me to call or drop over to my 84.5-year-old dad's house in Redlands, now that he is slowing down quite a bit and calls upon me for the odd errand a couple of times a week. Praise the Lord that my Heidi and her husband Pavel live just a few blocks away from Daddy!
Perhaps you are under thirty years old and cannot fathom turning sixty-one; or you may be in your fifties with no plans for your senior years. Pray, my friend, pray hard for guidance. Jesus promises, in Luke 11:9,
So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Hear James 1:5:
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
And do not only pray for wisdom concerning your own life. Pray and plan your life and livelihood so you can best serve others. God may be giving you a bold vision for ministry, like He has given to a friend of mine. God will do what He has promised; but meanwhile, she is working hard to have the financial means to give of her time freely as His plan for her evangelistic ministry unfolds.
One day believers will come to that "last enrollment"-- our entrance into heaven. Pray, work and plan--because should the Lord tarry, you and I have decades of time for God to use us.
So live ready!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
May not see a sign
3:45 p.m. Today's project was to head off to Anaheim Hills for what I optimistically was calling a Mary Kay "party." I say "optimistically" because the hostess said it might just be her, and possibly her mother, in attendance. I told her that was fine, and we'd have fun with her facial anyway.
In the morning, I was feeling rather down, even though Steve had a good start to his day and got on the bus in a cheerful mood. It was just me having doubts about the rate of growth of my team, and foolishly comparing myself to others who have experienced their own ups and downs. Actually, II Corinthians 10:12 warns us about comparing ourselves to others and wise counsel it is!! I am thrilled by my fellow consultants' successes, and try to assist in any way I can, because I know experientially that God will do His supremely individual work in my life, in His timing. It just would have been nice to see a little evidence and have some confidence that I was going to have an excellent day...
After I finished my scripture readings and prayer journalling, I logged onto my Gmail account, mostly deleting less critical items, while my scrambled eggs reheated. I came across the daily online devotion by Mike MacIntosh of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, formerly Calvary Chapel of San Diego, a massive church that does outreach worldwide. When Steve could still focus his eyes and be seated at the computer, he used to read these messages and the supporting scriptures, which would give me the opportunity to have my own quiet time. Then caregivers had to read it to him while he sat. (One of our caregivers prayed with me to receive Christ after being in God's word daily, NOT coincidentally)! But now, they read to him out of a devotional book while he eats, because changing seats from the computer to the kitchen table makes for one too many confusing actions to undertake.
The title of today's message was "God will be your answer." That caught my attention right away! The scripture was Mark 8:11-12:
Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
MacIntosh goes on to suggest ways that we perhaps make Jesus sigh with hurt over us, such as being hard-hearted and insensitive. I would add to that list, when we are unbelieving. This is not the unbelief of the Pharisees then or the unbelievers today who adamantly oppose Jesus' claim to be the Son of God. This is the unbelief that Christians like you and me can slip into. We truly do expect God to do what He has promised--such as His promise that He is in this business for me. But when all the lights aren't green, we get a little quavery, if that's a word. And when doors we just knew were going to open, shut in our faces instead, we panic for a while until we pray and get our Holy Ghost equilibrium back. When we make God our answer, He is then free to work miraculously in our personal lives and business affairs!
I arrived at my hostess's home, a very lovely one, in good spirits because she'd told me that in addition to her, she would have her mom and a friend there. All three ladies, Romanians, are very strong Christians, so the fellowship was sweet. The hostess said she especially liked knowing of Mary Kay Ash's Christian testimony and the Golden Rule that the company was formed on, which is still corporate policy today. The company's motto, "God first, family second, and career third," also resonated with the ladies. The party was very successful, and a follow-up session is planned.
Father, I pray you would grant me a fresh filling of Your Spirit, that I may trust you more and more! In Jesus' name, Amen.
In the morning, I was feeling rather down, even though Steve had a good start to his day and got on the bus in a cheerful mood. It was just me having doubts about the rate of growth of my team, and foolishly comparing myself to others who have experienced their own ups and downs. Actually, II Corinthians 10:12 warns us about comparing ourselves to others and wise counsel it is!! I am thrilled by my fellow consultants' successes, and try to assist in any way I can, because I know experientially that God will do His supremely individual work in my life, in His timing. It just would have been nice to see a little evidence and have some confidence that I was going to have an excellent day...
After I finished my scripture readings and prayer journalling, I logged onto my Gmail account, mostly deleting less critical items, while my scrambled eggs reheated. I came across the daily online devotion by Mike MacIntosh of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, formerly Calvary Chapel of San Diego, a massive church that does outreach worldwide. When Steve could still focus his eyes and be seated at the computer, he used to read these messages and the supporting scriptures, which would give me the opportunity to have my own quiet time. Then caregivers had to read it to him while he sat. (One of our caregivers prayed with me to receive Christ after being in God's word daily, NOT coincidentally)! But now, they read to him out of a devotional book while he eats, because changing seats from the computer to the kitchen table makes for one too many confusing actions to undertake.
Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
MacIntosh goes on to suggest ways that we perhaps make Jesus sigh with hurt over us, such as being hard-hearted and insensitive. I would add to that list, when we are unbelieving. This is not the unbelief of the Pharisees then or the unbelievers today who adamantly oppose Jesus' claim to be the Son of God. This is the unbelief that Christians like you and me can slip into. We truly do expect God to do what He has promised--such as His promise that He is in this business for me. But when all the lights aren't green, we get a little quavery, if that's a word. And when doors we just knew were going to open, shut in our faces instead, we panic for a while until we pray and get our Holy Ghost equilibrium back. When we make God our answer, He is then free to work miraculously in our personal lives and business affairs!
I arrived at my hostess's home, a very lovely one, in good spirits because she'd told me that in addition to her, she would have her mom and a friend there. All three ladies, Romanians, are very strong Christians, so the fellowship was sweet. The hostess said she especially liked knowing of Mary Kay Ash's Christian testimony and the Golden Rule that the company was formed on, which is still corporate policy today. The company's motto, "God first, family second, and career third," also resonated with the ladies. The party was very successful, and a follow-up session is planned.
Father, I pray you would grant me a fresh filling of Your Spirit, that I may trust you more and more! In Jesus' name, Amen.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Cleaning up!
6:37 p.m. Today's project was to enjoy an uplifting hour and a half with friends in Redlands at our Legacy unit's Wednesday Morning Makeovers. As Cara and I had prayed at 8:05 a.m., I was looking for a clean, refreshed approach to building my team of beauty consultants. To my mind, the best ideas are a result of synergy between colleagues who seek to build one another up, especially when we build one another up in the Lord through prayer and praise! Jude 20 counsels us, after warning against divisiveness,
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God...
This morning at breakfast, I began a cleansing detox program that our son Steven had brought with him from Lassen's 100% organic market in Fresno. The teaspoon of "ZeoForce" grey powder mixed easily into a tall glass of water, and had no taste at all! I will see how it works, but things are looking good so far. (At least I didn't have the kind of results you get from some detox programs that seem to be more of a violent purge)!
It was Cara's turn to train us on booking appointments, which led us to making lists of women to call and then proceed to call them. It's fun to communicate with friends, and it's good business to make calls, texts, and emails in a focused period of time. The camaraderie, mutual encouragement and fun gave me a real emotional "clean-up" that was sorely needed and right on time. I might actually get into the doldrums if it were not for sisters in the Lord and in my business to cheer me on.
Upon leaving to get into my car, I noticed how very dreadfully filthy the Jeep was looking in the bright, hot sun. With a very nice party on my books for tomorrow, I thought, "This looks unprofessional," and it does. Years ago, when I was an insurance agent at the prestigious old-line company Connecticut General, I remember our manager telling us, "You don't have to drive a new Cadillac, but you can keep your own car clean!" I think that showing your care for details makes customers more certain that you will care for the details of their lives and needs!
As believers, we are to be wise stewards of all that God has given us. If we believe that all we have belongs to and is on loan to us by God, I Corinthians 4:2 makes us take our responsibility for all that God has entrusted us with quite seriously:
Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
Caring for my vehicle wasn't all seriousness! Like many of my tasks, using the drive-through car wash on Barton Road was quite a bit of fun, especially with the cheddar and sour cream Ruffles chips I treated myself to as I was rinsed, soaped, scrubbed, dried, waxed and polished. I was also satisfied that I had saved 10 cents per gallon of gas by purchasing the Deluxe wash. The cash refund was only 50 cents, but it was 50 cents I wouldn't have had otherwise, while continuing to drive a dusty Jeep. I'll add the car wash to my business expenses for 2012 taxes, because that's the reason it was done!
God had a great surprise for me back at home. After Teresa the Brightstar Agency nurse had finished updating Steve's Plan of Care forms, she agreed to have a facial! So we enjoyed a much more relaxed time than we'd had in the previous 1/2 hour spent discussing the bad changes in Steve's condition. I hope she emails in her before and after pictures to our Makeover Contest, because Nurse Teresa's cleansed and made-up face looked gorgeous when we finished!
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for a "clean sweep!"
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God...
This morning at breakfast, I began a cleansing detox program that our son Steven had brought with him from Lassen's 100% organic market in Fresno. The teaspoon of "ZeoForce" grey powder mixed easily into a tall glass of water, and had no taste at all! I will see how it works, but things are looking good so far. (At least I didn't have the kind of results you get from some detox programs that seem to be more of a violent purge)!
It was Cara's turn to train us on booking appointments, which led us to making lists of women to call and then proceed to call them. It's fun to communicate with friends, and it's good business to make calls, texts, and emails in a focused period of time. The camaraderie, mutual encouragement and fun gave me a real emotional "clean-up" that was sorely needed and right on time. I might actually get into the doldrums if it were not for sisters in the Lord and in my business to cheer me on.
Upon leaving to get into my car, I noticed how very dreadfully filthy the Jeep was looking in the bright, hot sun. With a very nice party on my books for tomorrow, I thought, "This looks unprofessional," and it does. Years ago, when I was an insurance agent at the prestigious old-line company Connecticut General, I remember our manager telling us, "You don't have to drive a new Cadillac, but you can keep your own car clean!" I think that showing your care for details makes customers more certain that you will care for the details of their lives and needs!
As believers, we are to be wise stewards of all that God has given us. If we believe that all we have belongs to and is on loan to us by God, I Corinthians 4:2 makes us take our responsibility for all that God has entrusted us with quite seriously:
Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
Caring for my vehicle wasn't all seriousness! Like many of my tasks, using the drive-through car wash on Barton Road was quite a bit of fun, especially with the cheddar and sour cream Ruffles chips I treated myself to as I was rinsed, soaped, scrubbed, dried, waxed and polished. I was also satisfied that I had saved 10 cents per gallon of gas by purchasing the Deluxe wash. The cash refund was only 50 cents, but it was 50 cents I wouldn't have had otherwise, while continuing to drive a dusty Jeep. I'll add the car wash to my business expenses for 2012 taxes, because that's the reason it was done!
God had a great surprise for me back at home. After Teresa the Brightstar Agency nurse had finished updating Steve's Plan of Care forms, she agreed to have a facial! So we enjoyed a much more relaxed time than we'd had in the previous 1/2 hour spent discussing the bad changes in Steve's condition. I hope she emails in her before and after pictures to our Makeover Contest, because Nurse Teresa's cleansed and made-up face looked gorgeous when we finished!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Yours fondly in prayer
5:42 p.m. Today's project was to wrap up our women's Bible study year at Calvary Chapel. I have so enjoyed leading my group, exploring God's word as it rings utterly true in human lives at every age, location, race and cultural background. We'll be looking forward to our ladies' retreat the first weekend in June, and there will be a monthly study gathering at church.
With our home Bible study on II Samuel beginning Thursday, June 7th, I'll once again be dedicating unbelievably joyful and productive hours studying, researching, and writing the message for my ladies each week. I am so grateful that over 25 years ago, the Lord gave me lessons for the book, so all that had to be done was to have a gifted sister Kathy Langtry, a retired secretary, put those hand-typed papers into Microsoft Word format. Last year, our I Samuel lessons went out online to 70 women, not all of whom could physically attend Bible study. The essence of the ministry is simply this: God's grace, God's calling, God's gifting, God's plan, God's doing!! He thinks so much bigger than I could ever have done back when I wrote lessons for the 30 women who attended Bible study in our home in the 1980's! Romans 12:5-8 exhorts believers, [bold type mine]
...so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individual members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy according to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
With our home Bible study on II Samuel beginning Thursday, June 7th, I'll once again be dedicating unbelievably joyful and productive hours studying, researching, and writing the message for my ladies each week. I am so grateful that over 25 years ago, the Lord gave me lessons for the book, so all that had to be done was to have a gifted sister Kathy Langtry, a retired secretary, put those hand-typed papers into Microsoft Word format. Last year, our I Samuel lessons went out online to 70 women, not all of whom could physically attend Bible study. The essence of the ministry is simply this: God's grace, God's calling, God's gifting, God's plan, God's doing!! He thinks so much bigger than I could ever have done back when I wrote lessons for the 30 women who attended Bible study in our home in the 1980's! Romans 12:5-8 exhorts believers, [bold type mine]
...so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individual members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy according to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
When I went forward at an altar call on January 6, 1980, the Lord gave me an insatiable desire to learn the Bible. He placed my son and me at Calvary Chapel Riverside (Harvest Christian Fellowship) where there was a tape library of teachings by Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie. Since I was working as an insurance agent, I would take in some teaching in between my client appointments. Additionally, I listened to cassette tapes and every radio Bible study I could find while driving around. Isn't God good to give us the desires of our hearts, according to His will for us? I John 5:14 says,
Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
And I asked God for more knowledge of the Word! And the Holy Spirit gave me my request. then as I was about to head up to the Harvest tape library, sitting in my 1980 T-bird, a 6-month-old baby believer, the Lord said to me, "You are going to teach women's Bible studies." That's quite a shock for a new Christian to absorb, but rather than fight and argue, I applied myself even more. I spoke to Tim Weeks, a future pastor who led the home Bible study I attended and where god had place my future husband Steve. He said, "Keep studying, and find a mentor in the women's ministry." Bonnie York, teacher of the Tuesday morning women's Bible study and teacher of the children's Church class I assisted her with, agreed, and I sat under her teaching, and eventually began to sub occasionally. I was married to Steve by then, and learning both by studying and by doing the ministry God called me to. By 1983, I had a two -woman Bible study at a neighbor's; by 1983 I was the Tuesday morning teacher; and my home Bible study was in motion, growing and serving the church and surrounding community until 1988 when I "bequeathed" the study to 3 trusted godly young women I'd mentored, to carry on after the birth of my 5th child.
The Lord has called me to several ministries over the last 31 years, and I am always happy to serve as asked, as leader or participant. But I never feel as at ease and with just the perfect mix of challenge and excitement in any other ministry as I do in teaching and mentoring women in God's Word. Just as the Apostle Paul exclaimed in I Corinthians 9:16 (KJV), "yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel," I feel the same way about teaching the Bible. With my God-given hyper energy, I get agitated and even bored when I am not studying with a pile of Bible versions, commentaries, dictionaries and concordances on my desk. And putting a message into writing is a slice of heaven on earth to me!
Not one to ever stop learning, I still listen to Chuck Smith, Greg Laurie, J.Vernon McGee, and David Hocking just as I did in 1980. Imagine how many pastors and teachers have sat at the feet of these men of God. Praise God for Christian radio!
The only plans I can make are immediate ones such as resuming our study next month. But whatever God calls me to do, when, where, or how, or with whom is His call. I'll leave it all up to Him, because my Father knows best!!
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