What is YOUR calling?

What is YOUR calling?  This is a question that I have been pondering for some time now.  My calling... what has God intended for me?  What has He asked of me?  What does He have for me?  


The reason for the introspection is just that I have been thinking these questions because a great friend (D.) just left today, with her family, for a hostile part of the world.  So hostile that it is only known by a few exactly WHERE she is going.  A few years ago her husband felt the calling to missions.  Being the submissive wife, D. went along with the calling.  And as a committed follower of Christ she said, "Oh yeah.  We'll go somewhere like a third world country and tell others about Jesus.  Somewhere like South America or Asia.  It'll be fun."  I remember her telling me that she was excited about the prospect of going to these places.  Places that didn't necessarily have a reputation for hostility toward the Gospel of Christ.  But God didn't call them there.  To those places.  God called them to a place of hostility.  Even extreme danger!  WOW!  

I think of her and her family.  Her husband and four children.  YES!  FOUR CHILDREN!   In a country HOSTILE to the GOSPEL!  Could I do that?  Could I live that?? They are so willing to follow what God has for them that they have sold all of their belongings except a few things and are moving, at least for the next three years, to this place.  All for the love of a Savior.  THE SAVIOR.  The Savior who loved us so much that He died for us... took our place on an ugly cross.  He took the HOSTILITY of sin and bore it on His very own shoulders so that we could have a friendship... a relationship with GOD.  


They, D. and her family, are going so that those who are hostile to the Gospel, might have a chance to know it and receive it. They are going with the HOPE that strangers may come to know JESUS who died for them... 

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”    How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:


      “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
      Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Romans 10:11-15

Wow!  How much do I love friends?  Enough to feel uncomfortable?  How much do I love strangers here in the States?  Enough to receive a bit of ridicule for my beliefs?  How much do I love foreigners living in countries hostile to the Gospel of Christ?  Enough to lay down my life?    

John 15:13 says this, "Greater has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."  D. is laying down her life.  She is willing to give up her life.  Her life in suburbia.  Her life of comfort.  Her life of safety.  Her life.  So that she and her family can tell others about Jesus' love.   I always considered that laying down your life meant dying.  It doesn't necessarily mean that.  It means surrender.  Surrendering your comforts. Surrendering your income. Surrendering your safety.  Surrendering those things that I hold on to so tightly sometimes.  D. is going.  She heard the call. She is obeying.  May I be so obedient when I hear God calling.  Whatever He asks of me  - I desire to do it because HE IS SO WORTH IT!

Dinner with a Spiritual Giant

We invited a friend over for dinner last night...a friend who has been in the midst of a storm for a while now... I'm talking years.  Every time I hear her speak I am utterly amazed and dumbfounded.  She has dealt with infidelity more than once, divorce, the pain of her boys hurting, death, ridicule, false accusations, court issues calling her an unfit mother, and just all around ugliness that is almost laughable.   But what is so different about my friend?  

I know that by her nature she would be embarrassed by this post of her... because she knows.  She knows and believes with all her heart that it's NOT her!  You see, she has Jesus Christ as her Savior.  She has the Holy Spirit dwelling inside her - enabling her to make good decisions - and what's even better is that she "plugs in" to that power.  She is in the Word DAILY!  She is on her knees DAILY! Her words are seasoned with love, grace, and mercy that could only be supplied by God's divine love and character.  She is salt and light in a dark world.  I've witnessed her loving her enemies and doing good to those who persecute her.  I have heard her give all praise and glory to GOD in everything that has happened in her life... both good and bad.  She. is. AMAZING.  She is a testimony - not only to those who don't know the LORD... but also, to me and to many like me who love the LORD.   She is an encouragement just by observing her and hearing her display God's grace and mercy.  WOW!  

 As the waves rise about her and the hurricane force winds begin to blow... she gets on her knees and faces the storm - not cowering - but confident - in her LORD JESUS to bring about good for her through all of this that He may be glorified.  And that is all she wants.  His Glory!  WOW!

As I live through my days... may I remember the lifestyle of this spiritual giant - and display more grace, more love, and more mercy... that I may bring glory to my Savior!

God's Huge Lesson

Yesterday was a REALLY rough morning at our home.  A power struggle ensued early and continued for a few hours between my oldest, his momma, and then his daddy.  It caused my husband to go to work quite later than normal.  It was one of those win and win decisively moments for my husband.  After a while I grew tired of the battle and wondered if we should even be fighting  it.  There comes a point in dealing with children that you have to ask if the goal is to really win the battle or to focus on showing your child who God is by grace and mercy.  Unfortunately, some times these things aren't clear or don't coincide because of our sinful nature in desiring to be right and be "the parent" or because we forget that we (the parents) are how our children learn who God is.

All while this struggle was going on I was questioning my abilities as a mom, fearing that my son would grow up to walk away from the LORD, reject his family, etc... all because of the struggle that was happening.  Ugly words were said - 6 year old words - wishing his family away - wanting to be in control, just fueling my worries even more.

Then God decided to show us all His grace in a perfect picture of His Son through ours!

After this power struggle had settled with my oldest, his brother decided to be defiantly disobedient.  Discipline would need to be delivered.  Immediately, the older stepped in and said, "I don't want him to have to have punishment.  I'll sit in time out in his place."  And so he did.  Whoa!  What a picture of what Jesus did for us!  He took the punishment in our place!  My son showed me Jesus.  He showed all of us a picture of Jesus.  My husband explained to both boys that this is exactly what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross.  Of course, this won't be allowed to happen all the time - but for one morning, when the struggle seemed so great, God turned the tables and showed us all a lesson.

Jesus with Skin on

Today was another challenging day... I'm wondering if we are just in a challenging season right now. I awoke early to have a practice ride into work on my bike to see how long it would take. When I returned home an hour later I had the beginnings of a headache. Unfortunately, it grew into a "send me to bed for the remainder of the day" event. I was able to shower and get breakfast into my kids before Jeremy left for work. I laid low while the boys played and antagonized each other. Every time I had to get up from my reclined position my head pounded all the more. I finally relented and turned the tv on for an hour or so of mindless watching until Jeremy could come home, feed them lunch, and put them down for a nap. I was back in bed by 12:30 praying for the pain to subside.

Even though the morning was ugly God was in it. Listen to what He did through a very special person... my husband is very busy at work right now trying to finish deadlines and projects. He didn't have the luxury of dropping his day to come home and care for our kids. He called his mom. She came in while the boys were sleeping. When they woke up she played with them, gave them snacks, read to them, AND brought over dinner so that I wouldn't have to worry about feeding my family in my condition. What's even more amazing is that she wasn't working today. She works at a botanical garden. Because the college kids are going back to school all hands were supposed to be working. They called her out of the blue today and told her to take a day off, that they wouldn't need her. Instead she came over and took care of me by taking care of my boys. This is NO SMALL THING to me. It was huge! What a blessing she is to me. She is definitely Jesus with skin on. Thanks mom. I am blessed to have you in my life.