"I am only a servant that has been called to be faithful and full of faith, not a technician to fix things." David Powilson
This is something at camp that has to be in the forefront of my mind. I cannot fix these girls that come, I can only be faithful to what God has called me to do at the camp. Many people attempt to carry upon their shoulders the burden of fixing a person's heart. That is too much for any human to do. We can not claim this kind of responsibility. Only God is the one doing the work in the heart. If a child comes to Christ or recommits their paths to Him, it is ALWAYS God that has worked in their heart. I was only a servant delivering a message. God's word is not original with me, nor do I give it any power. It already has it's power to do the work from God. When we attempt to assume responsiblity of fixing someone else's heart, we can become prideful and think too highly of ourselves....or perhaps we were thinking to highly of ourselves in the first place and that is why we believed we could fix a person's heart.
Philippians 2:12-13:
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
Friday, June 29, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Props
I have been thinking about what trials can reveal about us. I am finding out that they reveal just how many things and people we can use to prop us up in life. Trials tend to show just how much we are or are not trusting God on a regular basis. If we are using any thing other than God to prop us up, trials tend to knock those daily props out from under us and we fall flat on our faces. If we are regularly relying on God to prop us up then when the trials come our peace and contentment will still remain.
Di
Di
Friday, June 8, 2007
Camp
Leaving for camp in the morning. Neeed lots of prayer for strength and wisdom. I am struggling with this head pain again. The timing is a bit of a discouragment to me. I I am back on blood pressure medicine. Got lots to do today. I need to pack, organize my thoughts for each lesson, and alot of misc errands.
It was fun this weekend. we set up three tents in the back yard. THe kids really enjoyed playingin those. E had her good friend from Arkansas here all week. She is a good friend to my E. Her friend brought her hair straigtner iron and used it on E. It looked great! We will get one after camp. E has never had straight hair. She wants highlights now...hmmmm...my daughter is growing up to fast for me....God has been loosening my grip a bit. Just learning to trust him more with her. My son is maturing alot lately too...not so goofy anymore. His awkwardness is going away too. He went to his first youth activity yesterday. they went barn swinging. Sister said it was wierd having little brother along. She said she will have to get used to that.
Well, I better go. Bye for now.
It was fun this weekend. we set up three tents in the back yard. THe kids really enjoyed playingin those. E had her good friend from Arkansas here all week. She is a good friend to my E. Her friend brought her hair straigtner iron and used it on E. It looked great! We will get one after camp. E has never had straight hair. She wants highlights now...hmmmm...my daughter is growing up to fast for me....God has been loosening my grip a bit. Just learning to trust him more with her. My son is maturing alot lately too...not so goofy anymore. His awkwardness is going away too. He went to his first youth activity yesterday. they went barn swinging. Sister said it was wierd having little brother along. She said she will have to get used to that.
Well, I better go. Bye for now.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Parental Idols
"Whose Idols are in the Way?" This was the name of the chapter that probably has been the most convicting to me as a parent. It is from the book, "Age of Oppportunity" by Paul Tripp.
Here were the idols that he listed that as parents we can hold so tight to:
1. Comfort-We may secretly wish that our lives were a resort. That the only demands on ourselves are those we place on us. We may live for comfort and believe that we are somehow entitled to comfort. That any time 0ur child or another person brings us discomfort they are disrupting our lives. As parents if we demand peace and quiet, tranquility, space, etc from our kids we are in danger of seeing our children as the enemy, because we all know that kids do not always bring comfort. We may begin to act out of frustration toward our children and even resent them.
2. Appreciation-How many times have we served our kids and expected them to appreciate it? Not that it is wrong to teach our kids to appreciate things we do for them, but is that our primary motivation for serving them? A sure sign that you have set up an idol of appreciation in your heart is when you find yourself saying something like, "I can't believe you have done this to me after all I have done for you."
3. Success--Believing that if we do our part as parents our children will turn out as success stories. And if they don't we worry what others will think.
4. Control-The author points out that there are probably two ways to live: A) Trusting God and living in submission to His will and His rule, or B) trying to be God.There is little in between. As sinners we seem to be better at the latter than we are at the former.
When we live our lives trying to control our children we will only be focused in on the outward changes in our children, not so much caring about transformation of the heart, so long as I have my thumb on my child everything is okay.
5. Respect-Being convinced we are entitled to respect. Being focuses on this may cause us to "lord" it over our children and abuse the authority God has given to us. When we are only motivated by, "I deserve respect from you." Then what do we teach our kids? We obey mom and dad just to respect them, what about the other dimensions to obedience? Isn't there love involved and relationship?
Having one or more of these idols can cause us to lose balance as parents. All these things are essential keys that parents do actually need to teach their kids, but only for the purpose of training our children the admonition of the lord. We can become so focused on one or more of these that it then becomes our primary motivation for our own selfish desires.
I am also thinking about how these relate in other relationships in our lives. I can see how these things become idols in our hearts when we begin believing lies from the devil. We begin believing that we have rights and we must fight for them, or maybe we believe we deserve so much more, or perhaps we even believe life is supposed to be easy.
Di
Here were the idols that he listed that as parents we can hold so tight to:
1. Comfort-We may secretly wish that our lives were a resort. That the only demands on ourselves are those we place on us. We may live for comfort and believe that we are somehow entitled to comfort. That any time 0ur child or another person brings us discomfort they are disrupting our lives. As parents if we demand peace and quiet, tranquility, space, etc from our kids we are in danger of seeing our children as the enemy, because we all know that kids do not always bring comfort. We may begin to act out of frustration toward our children and even resent them.
2. Appreciation-How many times have we served our kids and expected them to appreciate it? Not that it is wrong to teach our kids to appreciate things we do for them, but is that our primary motivation for serving them? A sure sign that you have set up an idol of appreciation in your heart is when you find yourself saying something like, "I can't believe you have done this to me after all I have done for you."
3. Success--Believing that if we do our part as parents our children will turn out as success stories. And if they don't we worry what others will think.
4. Control-The author points out that there are probably two ways to live: A) Trusting God and living in submission to His will and His rule, or B) trying to be God.There is little in between. As sinners we seem to be better at the latter than we are at the former.
When we live our lives trying to control our children we will only be focused in on the outward changes in our children, not so much caring about transformation of the heart, so long as I have my thumb on my child everything is okay.
5. Respect-Being convinced we are entitled to respect. Being focuses on this may cause us to "lord" it over our children and abuse the authority God has given to us. When we are only motivated by, "I deserve respect from you." Then what do we teach our kids? We obey mom and dad just to respect them, what about the other dimensions to obedience? Isn't there love involved and relationship?
Having one or more of these idols can cause us to lose balance as parents. All these things are essential keys that parents do actually need to teach their kids, but only for the purpose of training our children the admonition of the lord. We can become so focused on one or more of these that it then becomes our primary motivation for our own selfish desires.
I am also thinking about how these relate in other relationships in our lives. I can see how these things become idols in our hearts when we begin believing lies from the devil. We begin believing that we have rights and we must fight for them, or maybe we believe we deserve so much more, or perhaps we even believe life is supposed to be easy.
Di
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Momentary Trials
When I think about how long a trial is lasting and then compare it to the amount of time that I will have absolutely no trials (eternity)...well, actually my trial is just momentary.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Motivations and Expectations
Something I have been thinking alot about lately...the Lord has recently been revealing some motivation in me that is less than pure. It's funny how when you begin a new role in your life you can face some insecurities. And that's kind of where I am at.
As a PW I go to my husband's work. I watch him at work. The way I act and my kids act are kind of all connected to his job. It's hard to keep it all separated out.
Actually, there are some biblical expectations the Lord has placed upon me as a PW--like, I need to be temperate, self controlled, etc. I suppose you could say that in order for my husband to qualify for the job he has, I have to qualify. And really, so do my kids. Scripture even teaches that an Elder/Bishop should be able to manage his own household well or he is not qualified.
Ultimately though, those qualifications all fall on my husband's shoulders.
That's alot of pressure.
Then you add to that hundreds of people's expectations. People are all so different. Therefore, expectations will be different from person to person. Everyone comes from various backgrounds, etc.
Then there are the expectations that I place on myself. Sometimes those are very unreasonable. Why I do it, I don't know for sure--expect that maybe it has to do with pride. The Lord is slowly revealing to me the "whys" of this.
Anyhow, I find myself tempted at times to respond to expectations from myself or those around me instead of from the Lord. It's a huge temptation when you are in the spotlight.
My most recent prayer has been, "Lord, please help me to be the woman you have called me to be. Help me to seek to serve you, not man."
I believe that I need to be responding from faith to do the things I do, not other's expectations. I need to be compelled by love to serve. I need to have a genuine heart for this ministry God has placed us in.
It's also easy to get wrapped up in self-serving motivation. Like, doing for others, so that I get something in return, perhaps approval, maybe friendship, etc.
I have to be on guard for this. It's way too easy to fall prey to these wrong motivations. I am just a person with very weak flesh.
Di
As a PW I go to my husband's work. I watch him at work. The way I act and my kids act are kind of all connected to his job. It's hard to keep it all separated out.
Actually, there are some biblical expectations the Lord has placed upon me as a PW--like, I need to be temperate, self controlled, etc. I suppose you could say that in order for my husband to qualify for the job he has, I have to qualify. And really, so do my kids. Scripture even teaches that an Elder/Bishop should be able to manage his own household well or he is not qualified.
Ultimately though, those qualifications all fall on my husband's shoulders.
That's alot of pressure.
Then you add to that hundreds of people's expectations. People are all so different. Therefore, expectations will be different from person to person. Everyone comes from various backgrounds, etc.
Then there are the expectations that I place on myself. Sometimes those are very unreasonable. Why I do it, I don't know for sure--expect that maybe it has to do with pride. The Lord is slowly revealing to me the "whys" of this.
Anyhow, I find myself tempted at times to respond to expectations from myself or those around me instead of from the Lord. It's a huge temptation when you are in the spotlight.
My most recent prayer has been, "Lord, please help me to be the woman you have called me to be. Help me to seek to serve you, not man."
I believe that I need to be responding from faith to do the things I do, not other's expectations. I need to be compelled by love to serve. I need to have a genuine heart for this ministry God has placed us in.
It's also easy to get wrapped up in self-serving motivation. Like, doing for others, so that I get something in return, perhaps approval, maybe friendship, etc.
I have to be on guard for this. It's way too easy to fall prey to these wrong motivations. I am just a person with very weak flesh.
Di
Saturday, May 26, 2007
His Light is greater than my despair
I have always "known" this...but have just recently taken it to heart more than ever before in my life. It has been making such a difference too. I thought I knew peace with Him and His presence. And I did, but now on a very new level. And this has come about because of a new and fresh realization that His light is greater than any despair, grief, sin, or sadness I could have.
There are times that our sadness overwhelms us and feels so big. I have also come to realize that my feelings, especially during periods of deep sadness are usually very unreliable. Our "dark" certainities that we tend to cling to while in depression, you know, the lies that Satan will attack our minds with are not sureities at all. The only sureity is God's Light. And we must cling to that in the middle of all sadness. We have to discredit each dark thought and take it place it into the light where the true perspective will be revealed.
Here is a quote from John Piper that I have found encouraging, "While we have light, let us cultivate distrust of the incertainities of the darkness." This means that when I am walking in the light and the times when the sadness has lifted I must saturate myself with the true certainties of his light and truth--this will arm for the times that the darkness will fall.
I believe this will be a huge weapon when that darkness falls again--and you know what? It will because we live in a sad world. Even God has told us not to be surprised when we suffer various trials. We need to be prepared. And I really don't want to continue on in my naivity believing that it won't happen to me. It will and I need to be ready, not in denial.
Di
There are times that our sadness overwhelms us and feels so big. I have also come to realize that my feelings, especially during periods of deep sadness are usually very unreliable. Our "dark" certainities that we tend to cling to while in depression, you know, the lies that Satan will attack our minds with are not sureities at all. The only sureity is God's Light. And we must cling to that in the middle of all sadness. We have to discredit each dark thought and take it place it into the light where the true perspective will be revealed.
Here is a quote from John Piper that I have found encouraging, "While we have light, let us cultivate distrust of the incertainities of the darkness." This means that when I am walking in the light and the times when the sadness has lifted I must saturate myself with the true certainties of his light and truth--this will arm for the times that the darkness will fall.
I believe this will be a huge weapon when that darkness falls again--and you know what? It will because we live in a sad world. Even God has told us not to be surprised when we suffer various trials. We need to be prepared. And I really don't want to continue on in my naivity believing that it won't happen to me. It will and I need to be ready, not in denial.
Di
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