Wrecks on freeway, fires in homes, friends stuck on roads evacuating, lots of confusion. Fire spreading all over the front range of the mountains and nearing Air Force Academy--God knew this would happen and He is with us, but we pray for rain, for safety, for homes to be saved and for the fire-fighters--for grace for all the children and families in the midst of it. We just need God's mercy and redemption in this situation. Thanks for praying.
Like so many people today, I struggled as a young woman to know what I should do with my life. What was my purpose? What should I be doing with my time? What would be the best use of my talents and resources? At college in the 1970's, the answer to that question seemed to be, "Do whatever you want!" While it seemed fun at the time, there was still a hollowness in my soul that longed to be filled.
One day, a young lady knocked on my dorm room door and asked if I'd like to take a religious survey. Though she seemed doubtful as to my interest, I knew she'd actually come as an answer to prayer. And when she asked if I'd like to ask Jesus to forgive my sins and to live in my heart and be lord of my life, I was ready to do it. Suddenly, an entirely new avenue of possibilities was opened up to me! The group of young people whom I gathered for Bible study with several times a week were very energetic and positive about encouraging new believers to reach out to others and pass along what we were learning. I gladly gathered a small group of new(er) believers to meet with weekly, and began to get truly excited about the possibility of using my life to help others come to know God and serve Him, too.
It struck me that just as Jesus had come into the world to teach people about God, redeem them back to him, and show them His kingdom purposes, He wanted His disciples to go into the world to do the same. Since I was a serious follower of Christ, just as the disciples were, I assumed that His purpose for them must become my purpose--to use my life to reach others for Him and to teach them what it meant to know and follow Him by understanding and obeying His Word!
One passage in particular seemed to clinch this idea for me. Matthew 28: 19-20 was a final command from Jesus to His disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I comanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Jesus wasn't asking His disciples to go into all the world and set up church buildings or youth groups or Wednesday night church suppers but to make disciples--to cultivate spiritual relationships with people, to draw them to Christ and then train them to reach out to other people who would also be trained and able to make other disciples. He was entrusting the messages and work of the kingdom of God into the hands of ordinary people who had come to know His love and forgiveness."~The Ministry of Motherhood
Many years later, after discipling people all over the world through this model, Clay and I decided that if we were ever to have children, we needed to train them the same way. And so I found my mission--the same one Jesus demonstrated for His own disciples as He laid down His life for them on a moment by moment basis, loving, serving, training, healing, and finally literally giving His life on the cross for them. While discipling my children isn't likely to lead me to physical death (at least I hope not!) it has certainly been a season of giving that includes incredible, wonderful blessings for me at the same time.
My mission is to love well the people He has entrusted to me. To demonstrate for them the love of God through beauty and grace, through meal planning and laundry and crafting fun experiences for all of us in the midst of this crazy culture we live in. To inspire them to live for God and give their own lives in His service.
Do you realize you're a mom with a mission? How are you embracing your own mission, today?
News changes from minute to minute. This morning all the plans were to move people back into Manitou (Summit Ministries) and homes but now with the smoke so heavy and needing time to be sure, kids will be staying at Mountain Springs Church which is air conditioned and Summit isn't--and we have record breaking 100 degree weather predicted off and on for the next 6 days.
In the midst, lives are being changed, people are evaluating their lives and God is on His throne. I am thankful for the sweet fellowship I am having in the midst with so many great-souled people and love having friends in my home and love having friends who are all reaching out. Onward!
A picture from my bedroom toward the mountains that Joel took.
With the smoke and the mountains, fire and sunset, there is still beauty.
As many of you know from my facebook picture. The fires have attacked our wonderful city and area. Joy is presently attending Summit Ministries Conference in Manitou Springs and all of the kids have been evacuated to a local church and are safe, praise God.
Many of our friends have had to evacuate their homes and we will be keeping a family this week.
Please pray for God to send rain.
To protect the homes near the forest.
To keep the firemen and women safe--we have a friend who is there now.
Pray, Pray that God will protect Glen Eyrie, the Navigator Headquarters and retreat center from burning as it backs up to the mountains that are burning.
Please pray for God to protect Summit Ministries buildings and dorms and all the other Christian ministries close by.
God is with all of us and He is in control and He is giving us all thoughts about eternity and about what really matters.
The Lord is indeed near. Peace to us all.
Helen Allingham
"Home is a haven from a world that is swimming with challenges and difficulty. It is a school where one learns how precious life is intended to be. It provides the context of learning to know and love my Creator, the beauty of the world He made, and His Word, which guides me. And it is the environment where direction and purpose and values are passed from generation to generation, protecting and preserving all that is precious in life."
Mission of Motherhood chapter 9
Sally C. :) Have a blessed weekend
Cornelis Pietersz Bega
Isn't it difficult sometimes to be a mom? There are so many questions along our journey. We all long to be given concrete answers. I have been asked many questions over the years. Moms want to know how to deal with their toddler's whining, their teenager's rebellion, their elementary-school student's math problems. They want me to tell them just what to do to solve the problems they face.
I wish it were possible for me to help everyone! But the truth is, each problem you encounter in your own family has an individual answer. I can give you advice, direct you to scriptures, and share what has worked in my own home--but that still won't tell you exactly how to handle yours! It's not possible for me to know what you should do, because I am not aware of every detail that touches your particular situation. And if I did, I would be cheating you out of the opportunity the Lord is presenting through this problem, for you to interact with Him to receive His answer for it.
"There so many books on motherhood that focus on how to's and often end up in formulaic philosophies about how to do it right. But most of these books, although they offer some wise principles to follow, do not exactly fit my circumstances or tell me how to handle my unique problems and stresses. There is no book or speaker that can inform me about precisely what to do to make the right decisions I need to make as a mom.
Many times, during my own years of mothering, I would find myself on my knees before the Lord with a problem, struggle, or dilemma to solve, having come to the end of my own rope. What should I do about my child's asthma attacks? How should I handle my child's loneliness? Tantrums? The family member who causes so much stress? My lack of support systems? My struggles in marriage? My own loneliness? Depression? Moves? Financial problems? My child's disability?
As I began to read scripture more and understand my relationship with the Lord better, I realized that God didn't clearly define every issue of family life or parenting in the Bible. Since I know that God is thorough and good and providential over each day of my life, I figured He hadn't just forgotten to put all the rules in His Word.
Instead, I began to understand that even as He asked me to live my life by faith, based on the wisdom of Scripture and my relationship with Him, so He intended me to walk this journey of motherhood the same way. I was to walk by faith and with wisdom,. through the guidance I found by knowing Him and His ways, becoming obedient to His principles, praying for wisdom and then learning to walk each day by confidence and assurance with Him, resting in His promises, His dependable character, and in His provision."
This is His plan for all of us--that we take our cares and cast them upon Him; that we seek His wisdom and grow closer to Him through the challenges we face. Is there something troubling you, sweet mom, that no one seems to have the answer for? Ask your Father. He longs to guide you as you walk with Him.
quote from a book by Gregory Orr
We were created to dance, to laugh, to love, to enjoy, to hug and hold hands and to find joy in life--
because He, who is the Great Artist, crafted life to be filled with hidden pleasures,
sparkling treasures,
deep fulfillment and smiles and thankful hearts and fulfilled dreams--happiness and joy.
Yet, sometimes the melody is hidden or overpowered by the noise that surrounds us, is it not?
Who makes the noise of the world so loud that, at times, we do not even notice the music or acknowledge it's reality?
Who would want us not to dance, not to listen, not to engage in the joy?
We must not give in to this dark side, that creates the cacophony to blot out all of the alluring, dazzling, delightful, pleasing, heavenly music.
But, if indeed, when God imagined us and longed to grant us beauty,
If God created life such as this--one in which there is so much soul wrenching, toe tapping, love-giving, comfort making music,
our deepest souls were also made to dance and to enter into and engage in the divine symphony, irresistable rhythms, haunting, memorable melodies, the harmonies, that He has surrounded us with all the time, every day.
May God grant us ears to hear, hearts to perceive and a willingness to dance with all of our might.
But perhaps we must remember,
Unless one becomes as a child, he cannot experience the kingdom of heaven--or hear the sounds of the music He is playing for us, even now.
Joy, (far left) as Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Ernest--a couple of years ago
Joy was born to be in front of people. Even as a little girl, she was fearless and opened our mom's conferences with a welcome for many years. Thousands of women in the audience didn't threaten her in the least--as a matter of fact, it seem to inspire her to do even better at inspiring the crowds.
About 5 years ago, Nathan and Joy and I attended a national actors, singers and dancers competition where the kids competed in a number of events. Joy did quite well in several areas.
One of the perks of the competition was that the kids got to meet with real Hollywood producers, agents, record companies and Directors and Marketers from Broadway.
Soft blonde curls encompassing large blue eyes and sophisticated clothing left quite an impression on us as we met with a lovely woman who was a Broadway producer, and who wrote an evaluation for Joy in her performances. With a poised demeanor and gentle tone, the experienced and wise woman said,
"Joy, you are indeed quite naturally talented at acting and communicating in front of people. However, what you need the most is to be surrounded by people who are more talented, more experienced and who will challenge you to move further ahead in your skills. It is always wise to put yourself in the company of others who are more excellent than you."
What great advice and how needed in Joy's life at the time. I have adopted this principle in my own life for many years. When I read, "He who walks with the wise will be wise," in Proverbs, I began to look for those friendships and acquaintances of women who challenged me to be "more" than what I already was. I seek out excellence in most arenas in my life--not because I have it together, but because I always want to be growing.
Cultural voices tell us that we deserve a break, that it is ok to compromise and standards of life for most people are quite mediocre. These voices give us permission to rest on our laurels and to stay complacent and even to learn to whine about our difficulties.
Yet, I believe that if we understand that we have an amazing capacity to be excellent, hard working, bright, authoritative, influential--because we are crafted in the very image of God to be like Him, then we will always be straining, in a positive way, to become all that He created us to be, to fulfill our capacity in life.
And intentionally placing ourselves in the company of other excellent people; reading inspiring and challenging books, studying scripture in depth, practicing anything in which we would like to become more excellent, will expand our capacity to accomplish great works in our lifetime.
God even disciplines us, stretches us, trains us, that we might become more like Jesus--that our hearts might reflect more of His sacrificial life and love and that when someone sees us, they will be looking at the very character of Jesus.
But God delights in using normal, run-of-the-mill people, to do great things for His kingdom. Rarely did He choose "important" people to be the ones who experienced a miraculous life.
Joy in her dramatic duo--a very humorous rendition of stories about Prince Charming and those women he chased
Recently, when Joy immersed herself in Speech and Debate for just 4 months, the value of the commitment expanded her borders and capacity greatly. She was in the company of hundreds of great youth who were all striving to become better communicators. Their very lives, hard work and integrity inspired and pushed her to become more excellent. It matters not what she accomplished and what status she achieved at the National Speech and Debate Tournament (I think she did well enough to be satisfied.)
But the real value was that she was in the company of hundreds of excellent youth who were wanting to become more excellent, who helped her to use her time in a productive way and who personally challenged her to become more astute and excellent in a skill that was already developing.
And so this summer, as I was pondering this, I gathered a few women around me to deeply challenge each other. Our goal is to walk with the Lord more deeply, to live by faith, to study the word in depth, to become more excellent. Together, we are lifting high the standard of His call on each of our lives because we do not want to just stay as we are--but we want to grow, and stretch---these women are creating in me a desire to grow, to become better, to stretch in God's ideals for me.
So, how about you? What kind of woman do you want to be when you grow up--a little more? What can you read this summer to better your mind? What can you do to shore up your weaknesses? How can you stretch yourself to become more of the woman Christ created you to be?
It is only in being intentional and purposeful about your life that you will grow. But in growing, your heart and soul will become more fulfilled, because God's will, which is to become more "holy"--set apart for His purposes--is indeed good and acceptable and perfect.
And no one can make you more excellent--you must want it and work for it yourself--that is a glory to our heavenly Father--when we choose to be more excellent, for His glory.
So, start a group, join a Bible study, make up a new exercise cycle, develop a skill, take some lessons--meet with a mentor--make this summer one of growth, stretching and inspiration and in a few months you will be amazed at the progress you have made, and in conquering one or two areas of growth, others will fall into place.
