Multitude Monday: Living Brave

We're about to do something brave. I go from scared to excited, all in the same minute.

We will write a proposal to our church for front money to begin a neighborhood ministry. It would start with The Jesus Storybook Bible, one per family, along with the accompanying curriculum kit for me to use in teaching.







Between my husband's theology degree and my teaching degree, we should be able to fill in any holes left by this curriculum.

Lord willing, the ministry would grow to include the neighborhood parents.  My husband could provide Biblical counseling for families, one-on-one discipleship for the men, and a men's Bible Study. I could encourage the women and lead them in a Bible study.

Other needs, such as clothing, food, paper products, home and vehicle repairs, could be coordinated through us and through various businesses represented in the church body.

Meeting the needs of our two special-needs children makes me wonder if we can manage. That could be a spiritual attack though; Satan loves to attack even the idea of a new ministry.

Thanks-living is brave living. Faith-filled living. The Lord plucked me out of this world and remade me. I bare no resemblance to the woman I once was. While I used to only shed tears over all He's done for me, I now feel a deep need and desire to live my thankfulness.

So, please pray? That the proposal would be well accepted? That God would provide strength for us? If Beth needs to go on the chemo drug (methotrexate) for her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, we would have to worry about exposing her to viruses and bacteria. In that case, we might wait until Easter to begin our ministry and give the Bibles out then. God willing, her blood test, which she will have next week, will show reduced swelling, allowing us to once again forgo this cancer drug.

1 Peter 4:10
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

1 Samuel 20:24
24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.

Mark 10:45
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Luke 22:26-27
26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Giving Thanks Today:

• Watching Mr. Popper's Penguins together as a family. Not like the book at all, but hilariously funny.
• Hugs from my husband on a weary day.
• Well over a week with no sun, but sun predicted tomorrow!
• Beth falling in love with the book Penny and Her Doll, by Kevin Henkes

• Reducing my headache medicine has made a positive difference. I take one now instead of the two called for on the bottle (extra-strength acetaminophen mixed with caffeine). This lower dose combats the headaches well.
• My aunt watched my children on Saturday so I could take another family to a free coat giveaway.
• Paul celebrated his 9th birthday with joy and thanksgiving.
• Beth looking at more and more books, now that the rain gutters display them optimally on the playroom walls. Books stuffed in shelves don't entice very well.
• Holding a sweet, tired four-year-old boy in my arms while we waited in line for his free coat.
• The Spirit instilling the desire to live my thanks.
• Prayers that instill bravery.
• The freecycle network in my area. What wonderful people! I learned about the free coat giveaway from them.

Giving thanks with Ann today, and other thankful ladies.

Fruitful Fridays, Part 4 Love

We continue our series on the Fruits of the Spirit today. Read part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Our main text for Fruitful Fridays will be Galatians 5:13-26 (ESV). 

Today we begin our discussion of love, the first characteristic Paul mentions. The fruit of the Spirit is a singular word, so each characteristic is not a separate fruit unto itself; rather, they all work together.  

While I don't have my study work done on this topic, I do have something to offer today. Know that a more studied post is in the works. We've been busy with neighborhood needs, ironically. God never fails to give me an object lesson on whatever topic he wants me to explore. 

Today I want to discuss what love has come to mean in my life, as a fifteen-year Christian.

Love does not come from us, but from God. That's paramount to understand. We are called to love much, but only because the Spirit in us does the loving. Our role is to yield to the Spirit. To walk with Him and stick with Him, not choosing our own path.

Love is nothing if not inconvenient. It's a near-constant denial of self. If you're not willing to inconvenience yourself, you're probably not a good lover.

• Live is reading to your kids when you'd like to check your e-mail.
• Love is buying cheaper make-up so you have more money to give away.
• Love is making a lunch for your husband to take to work.
• Love is peeling and slicing apples for your children's lunches, even though it's time consuming.
• Love is raking your neighbor's leaves since you're already out there.
• Love is noticing needs outside your home and not just feeling sad about them, but meeting them.
• Love is holding and rocking that cranky child, rather than putting a movie in.
• Love is sitting at the table for all your meals so you can pray together, read some Scripture, connect.
• Love is not buying your child a cell phone so you'll always know where he is. Love is being with him.
• Love is pausing when your husband gets home, to hug him, to tell him thank you for his hard work.
• Love is sponsoring a child and spending time writing to and praying for that child and his family.
• Love is praying for all the needs you see, but don't have the means to meet yourself.
• Love is writing cards to lonely people, sick people, discouraged people.
• Love is getting up in the middle of the night to change that bed lovingly, to soothe those fears.
• Love is nursing and cuddling your baby enough, instead of using a bouncy seat or playpen or binky each time.
• Love is biting that naggy tongue when discussing something with your husband.
• Love is taking the time to talk with your children about how Jesus would respond to their dilemma.
• Love is having the kids write more to Grandma and Grandpa.
• Love is holding your blessings loosely so you can dedicate them to God with an open hand.
• Love is forgiving your husband for his transgressions, rather than keeping notes.
• Love is sitting down and praying with the child driving you nuts.
• Love is getting to church on time, rather than stressing over your appearance.
• Love is serving at church, rather than sitting and relaxing there.
• Love is giving your child's good sneakers to the child whose sneakers have holes. Your child's dirty yard sneakers are better than sneakers with holes. Sneakers can be laundered, after all.
• Love is going through your closets to see what is truly needed, and giving the rest to the family with too little.
• Love is keeping a gratitude list so you can say thanks to God. So you can live that thanks.
• Love is not taking more manna than you need, so that the next family will have enough manna.
• Love is looking to Scripture to find enough, rather than using your pocket book to find enough.

Most of all, to love is to give. Your heart, your time, your resources. When you've begun giving more than receiving, meeting others' needs before indulging your wants, than you're loving as Jesus would. 

The only thing that truly satisfies? Your Heavenly Father. Fill up with Him and then love others with the overflow. Without that fill-up you'll look to the world for satisfaction. And in the process, you'll only love yourself.

The hardest love is that which squeezes our belt, for this love requires the most faith. I close today with more 60-second radio spots produced by Dr. Brian Kluth, pastor. Find these spots and more on givewithjoy.org

Nancy was a single mother with young children. Her ex-husband sent her only a small amount of grocery money every week--so small it couldn’t even feed 1 person, much less her family of 4. But Nancy decided to begin giving to God from her little bit of grocery money and trust Him to provide. Shortly after, she got a job with a cookbook company. The company paid Nancy to go grocery shopping and prepare meals so they could take photographs for their cookbooks. When they were done taking pictures, Nancy could keep the food she had purchased and prepared. Isn’t that an amazing story of God’s goodness? Nancy learned that even if you’re poor, you still need to learn to give from whatever you have.

While ministering in Africa, I met a Christian worker who raised his 6 children on $10 a month. He told me the story of how children in his village were going blind because of a disease that could be prevented with medicine that only cost 50 cents. He began to pray and ask God to send a rich person to their village to help give the money for the medicine, but no one ever came. As he kept praying, the Lord told him he should give the money to buy the medicine. But with 6 children and only a $10 a month salary, he couldn’t see how he could do this. But he and his family prayed and decided that every month they would buy the medicine to help one child. When I last spoke with him, he'd been doing this for 7 years and had saved 84 children from going blind. And his family saw God meet all of their needs.

After my 40-Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life book became an unexpected bestseller, I was contacted by NBC to do a TV news story. When the TV reporter interviewed me, she asked, “So, you think God wants everyone rich?” I said, “No, I don’t believe that.” She was a little surprised by my answer and then asked, “Well, what do you believe?” I responded, “I believe that everyone needs to learn to become more generous with whatever God has given them.” She then asked, “Well, didn’t your book becoming a bestseller make you rich?” I replied, “No, it helped me become more generous!” The truth is--every one of us in America is rich when you compare us to the rest of the world. What each of us needs to learn is how to become more generous with whatever God entrusts to us.

Follow Up On Neighbor's Need

I found a coat for my little neighbor girl from the freecycle network in my area. Yippee! My heart was warmed by the response from the freecycle ladies. Thank you, Terra, for telling me about freecycle some time ago.

Winter Coat and Prayer Request for Neighbor Family

A neighbor of ours with four children just had their only car repossessed. As a result, as of Friday, the father lost his job. He had frequent absences after they went down to one car, and then to no vehicle. We've been shuttling two of their children to school. This morning I noticed that the kindergartner girl (age 6 last August) had only a thin spring jacket on. She said she doesn't have a winter coat.

As a regular thrift store customer--getting all of our clothes there--I can tell you that due to the economy there are fewer and fewer jackets and shoes and mittens available (more people are using thrift stores). So the odds of my finding her one are fairly slim. In Ohio where we are, coats are needed now.

If you have a used coat and other winter gear/clothes for a slim, average-height six-year-old girl, could you send items to me cash on delivery? Thank you!

christine4431(at)ymail(dot)com

And please pray for this family? The mother brings in the only income right now, and she has a low-wage job.

Dear Christine (from Divya)

Dearest Auntie Christine,

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I've received your letters. Very glad to read your letters and it was so peaceful as you sent the word of God in all the letters. It was so blessings to me and to our family. 

Thank you for sending me all your pictures and also for your love and prayers. Here the weather is cool and raining. I like rainy season. Sometimes I like to play in the rain. 

I felt happy to hear about your children's school holiday and also to hear about homeschooling. Homeschool is a nice system. Here we have to go to school everyday and we will be tired sometimes. In India we do not have homeschooling.

Happy summer holidays to all your children. I love the bird picture along with the family picture and was inspired by all the drawing colours.

To Peter: I love you too. You are my inspiration for my gardening.

To Beth: I love you too. Thank you for the lovely pictures.

To Paul: You too are so sweet, cute, I love you too. Thank you for the cute picture. God will bless you to be a teacher as per your dream and your heart's desire.

To Mary: I love your name. Your name is so cute. Uncle your father is happy and also lucky as you and Peter help in the garden. 

So happy to hear about all your vegetables growing. I'll start growing vegetables in the pots. Here near our school and our home there are colorful butterflies. 

I hope all your children will enjoy their vacation and in VBS this year.

Beth: Once again thank you for all your colourful drawings of rainbow and I enjoyed the cute small house. It is so beautiful.

Ending this letter with much thanks and love for all the Bible verses for the Word of God, as this Word of God are so blessings to my life and also for the family. Please send me more of the Bible verses. Waiting for your next letter.

Your Loving,
Divya


Would you like your own Compassion child to love and exchange letters with? The love it will bring to your heart, the sunshine it will bring to your life, are indescribable. God makes sure these relationships are very special. You and Compassion work together to rescue children and families from the hopelessness of poverty, by giving them Life Abundant in Jesus Christ. Please, give your family the best Christmas present ever this year: The gift of a child to love.

Click here to begin. It's only $38 per month.

May I send gifts to my child? (answer from compassion.com)

Yes. Compassion encourages sponsors to give additional monetary gifts to their sponsored children for special occasions, to address specific needs, or simply as an act of love. These gifts are another effective way for you to reinforce your care and commitment to your child.

One hundred percent of all individual child gift amounts go to that child. Local child development center workers purchase gifts on behalf of our sponsors and make certain that these funds are used appropriately. As a guideline, we ask that sponsors keep these contributions between $10 and $100 for each child and limit their gift giving to twice a year.

You may also send a gift to your sponsored child's family. With your monetary gift of $25 to $1,000 (with a $1,000 maximum per year), the child development center staff will buy items your child's family needs, such as new beds, livestock and food supplies. We will work closely with the family to determine the greatest need and then purchase items accordingly. One hundred percent of all family gift amounts go to that child's family.

Read more here at the child sponsorship fact page.