You Matter Spoken Word

Someone highlighted this link for me a few days ago and I thought it was well said. It's a little over 5 minutes - be sure listen to the whole thing.

Jo-Ann

http://bit.ly/Ak74Hc

"So proud of our students this past weekend in HSM at Saddleback. The video above features one of our students performing a spoken word she wrote called You Matter."

Baggage Handlers

I am by no means a seasoned traveller. Actually I am not really even a fan of travelling. I don’t mind being somewhere else….it’s the getting there that gives me grief.

Part of the “getting there” is luggage. What to pack. What not to pack. Checked luggage. Carry on luggage. Can I bring my nail clippers now or is that still a threat to national security?

The last time that I spent some time at an airport waiting for a connecting flight, I was doing some people watching. This thought crossed my mind: What did people do in airports before they had wireless devices and before the invention of suitcases with wheels? I really hope that the guy who came up with the wheels on luggage idea got some sort of prize for that!

Watching travellers, you can easily guess who the veterans are. They know how to stack their baggage neatly and efficiently and off they go, confidently dragging it behind them. Doesn’t matter that it weighs a ton. It doesn’t slow them down one bit.

Then there are the newbies. They either have brand new luggage or something they dug out of grandma’s closet. Either way, they are not comfortable with it at all. They obviously need some help.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of making a trip with a few folks from my church into the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). As we crossed the border into that country, we were met with singing and much, much joy…and people that we had never seen before began taking our luggage! It was a little disturbing until we were assured that these were members of the church that we had come to visit. Throughout our stay they continually honoured us in this way – suitcases, backpacks, purses, Bibles…to carry our stuff was an expression of love. Oddly enough, it took some getting used to…we like to think that we can handle our own stuff.

In my daily walk, I am sometimes like the veteran traveller. I have been dragging my baggage around so long that I have become quite skilled. To anyone looking on it could appear that I have everything under control. No matter how heavy it looks, I can pull it with ease. No help needed thank-you.

Some days, I am the newbie traveller. The load that I’ve got is a little much to handle. But I am not sure where to turn – the veterans make it look so easy.

Occasionally, I get it right and allow those who love me to carry my burdens for me.

Gal.6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

When you read this verse do you think, “I could do that – whose burdens can I carry today?”

That’s good. Do that!

Do you allow others the same honour – of helping you with your burdens? Maybe that question is for the “veteran travellers” among us. We’ve been “churched” for quite awhile. Our baggage is neatly packed, well organized and we are ready to carry on. The thing is, that is neither good for us nor for those who may be looking to us to be an example to follow.

We don’t have to tell everyone everything – that’s not healthy either. However, we do all need to find at least two or three whom we honestly allow to walk beside us.

Ecc.4:9,10 &12

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Though one can be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

There is strength in numbers…especially when it comes to handling baggage!

Ruth

Generousity

For many of us, we have repeatedly heard of needs, including financial needs, of others. Whether that's from missionaries, ministries in our churches, or perhaps non-profits outside the church. It seems there is always a need to give to. Are you tired of always having people ask you for your time and money? Perhaps you don't feel like you have either to give. I'm not here to decide how you fill your 24 hours in a day - I have enough trouble managing my own time. I'm also not here to look at your bank account to see what your financial balance is. However, I am here to challenge you to a biblical principle.

When we hear of a need from someone, or from an organization, I think we have two options to consider. First to ignore it, tune it out and hope it will go away (my experience says that is unlikely). Second, to be obedient. Each of us needs to do our part to meet the needs of others.

Deut. 15:11 says, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land."

Just before Jesus walked into Jerusalem days before his crucifixion, we see this verse repeated after Mary (Lazurus' sister) took a pint of expensive perfume, poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. Jesus said (referring to 'wasting' the expensive perfume and not selling it and giving the money to the poor), "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” John 12:8

Then in Luke 21:1-4 it says, "As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'"

I believe it's clear we will always have individuals who need our help financially and it's also clear we have a part to play in helping them, however have you noticed in the Bible it doesn’t say anywhere we have to give a certain dollar figure? Consider the example of the widow who gave her two copper coins. She gave generously from her heart, not out of her abundance. Our time and money needs to be given out of our generous hearts, not out of the leftovers. I pray the Lord will challenge us out of our familiar, comfortable places and change our hearts so we will be generous with those around us!

Lord, I pray you would change our hearts to give generously and to love on others generously.

Jo-Ann

Change Reaction

Sitting across the table was a Lawyer I didn't know, talking about stuff I wasn't sure about, and hearing things in such rapid succession I didn't really know what was going on. That was my introduction to our settling in Panama and trying to get our immigration and banking issues sorted. Integration and immigration were two words I had not dealt with since our arrival in Africa in 1992. The changes and situations that we faced that day at the lawyers office and the days to come intensified. Life would never be the same for me.


The trouble with change is that it takes me out of MY comfort zone! It makes demands on my life and emotions. Change does not pause until I am right with it! It just keeps going.


For me drastic changes, like a move to a foreign country, become more difficult as we get older. Being in my mid 40's at the time, was challenging because I was more set in my ways. I wanted to anticipate what was next. That is not always guaranteed.


The process of big changes began before we even left for Panama. We sold our home and all our belongings and stored all of the stuff we didn't sell. A family graciously said we could live with them until we were to leave for Panama, which turned out to be 8 months. As we left our home in Saskatoon and locked the doors never to return I felt very odd. The land of limbo is a desert place for most of us as women.


Women are nurturers and nesters. When doing so is a struggle, we find it hard to settle and come to grips with the changes that are around us. I know many women experience this and much worse things than what I have described to you. Yet it does not diminish the facts of what change does to us.


The next big change was the aspect of ministry to which we were called. This was a whole new world. It wasn't like pastoring a church, where for 20 years I could anticipate the next step. In this situation I didn't know the next step. For James, the plan was crystal clear. He had a vision and he knew how to get it done. For me, I wondered for quite a while. Mainly because I was trying to do things I had never done before.


What was my response? Many times the tears would run down my face in desperation to know what I am supposed to do. The temptation was constantly to just do nothing, in hopes it will go away, which we know never happens!


It didn't take long for a divine intervention to happen. The one who sent me to Panama promised that he would keep me and equip me. As I prayed and cried out to the Father his gentle kindness was my portion. He showed me that I needed, with all diligence to seek first the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33) That sounds very easy, but it took discipline. It took laying down my ideas. I started to set my eyes to seek Him in all things, not the answers, not the knowledge or asking Him to remove the difficulties, but just get my eyes on Him and watch Him work.


As promised, He did such profound things in me. He helped me depend on him. He gave me wisdom to do what was required. He supernaturally provided help with things we couldn't do. He IS my very present help!


As I have traversed through these last few years, He continues to encourage me. I found another verse that I pray every day, because changes do not cease to come. Isaiah 28:29 says " All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent."


Change - Marvellous?! or Meltdown?!


Colleen
Colleen was born and raised on the prairies and spent many years pastoring and leading alongside her husband in ministry. They currently live in Panama and minister into the lives of global workers in Latin America and the Caribbean. They very much miss there family and grandchildren back in Canada.
https://www.facebook.com/LACMinistries.org

Sounds of Spring

Like many of you, I have been basking in the warmth, smell and freshness of this new season. I adore listening to the birds chirp early in the morning and watching them fly about preparing for mating and young ones. The freshness of it all is invigorating. Each time I stop to think about it I am reminded of the passages in Matthew that instruct us to be worry free, trusting in the Lord’s provision. Worry can be an all consuming thing. It can break you down. It is not from God. Each time we see a bird, let it remind us not to worry about what to eat, what to wear or the future. Instead, remember Jehovah Jireh – provider.

Matthew 6:30 says, "And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"

Worry replaced by prayer equals trust.

Press in and press on,

Giselle

Labels

Be warned. I have a label maker and I know how to use it!

Mostly, I have only labelled my own stuff. Me & my label maker have not interfered with the “organization system” hubby uses in his workshop. Except for that little incident in the church kitchen, I think that I have kept this obsession of mine under fairly good control.

I just like labels. They help to keep things neat. Predictable. In place. I do have a fear for the day when I have labelled everything that I can in my home though. Will my friends require that I surrender all labels before I enter their homes?

Labels help us know how to react – how to behave in certain circumstances. When I see a container with a label that says poison, I take certain precautions. If you have a food allergy, you quickly learn to scan labels for those ingredients which would cause you problems.

Sadly though, I must admit that labelling is not always a good thing. Two of the things that we can do with labels can cause great harm and heartache – we label ourselves and we label others.

Remember the story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:36 – 50) – labelled the ‘sinful woman’ – and yet vs. 37 says that she ‘had’ lived a sinful life – past tense perhaps? Jesus talks about how much she loves because of how much she had been forgiven. When Jesus said to the Pharisees who were busy making judgments, “do you see this woman?” the implied answer is “No” – she wasn’t seen. All that was seen was the label that they had applied – “sinful woman”.

We probably all have issues with applying labels. We apply them to ourselves all the time. Sadly, most of them are negative. That comes so easily. Failure. Rejected. Alone. Unworthy. Unloved. Not enough.

The labels become the starting place for what we believe about ourselves and what we really believe about God and His love. We put limits on God’s love and what He can do through us. We say, “I know God loves me but….”

Once we are all labelled up, it is so very simple to look at others and apply labels to them as well.

Might I suggest that the only labels that matter are the ones that our Father applies?

Isa 43:1 “…Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

MINE – He says that I am HIS! He has put his label on me!

And, how about this one:

Mal 3:17 “They will be mine says the Lord Almighty, in the day when I make up my treasured possession.”

Treasured Possession! Not junk. Not worthless. A Treasure!

It’s not that we can’t come to God if we have labels. It is that we need to know that these are no longer the labels that God sees when he looks at us.

Broken, rejected, sinful, failure become whole, accepted, forgiven, redeemed.

You are his Beloved. That’s a label worth accepting.

Ruth

Guarding Against

Deut. 8: 6-18 says, “So obey the commands of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
 But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath." (large font mine)

Do you know someone or have you ever observed someone, who struggled to "make it" only to watch them stumble and fall, and perhaps loose everything they worked so hard to gain?

I have been working at reading through the Bible and I often wonder how the Israelites could watch and be part of so many amazing miracles and still mumble, grumble, complain, and blatantly disobey God; then I am reminded of myself, and perhaps others, who do exactly the same thing. I don't have all the answer as to WHY I do that, but in the above reading it tells me how to guard AGAINST it.

Deut. 8: 10-11 stands out so boldly to me.

Sometimes when life is challenging and difficult we desperately trust in the Lord, lean on Him and can't even imagine breathing without the Lord's guidance, however for many we have done exactly as the Israelites did. We think we achieved the raise, the wealth, good health, the blessings on our own, but we need to remember our blessings only come from the Lord. When the blessings flow and life is no longer moving from one struggle to another we must never forget the Lord and continue to always obey His commands.

Perhaps you need to take some time today to ask the Lord to examine your own heart (Ps. 51), thank Him for the blessings, and remember it's the Lord who blesses each of us with His abundant blessing.

Jo-Ann