My Precious Son!

Deputation Trail

This past week has gone well. We have traveled over a thousand miles and are now in PA. Not everything has gone as planned (not sure it ever does), and at times it has been stressful, but the Lord has given us more than we deserve. I have definitely been out of my comfort zone and am learning to grow closer to Him and serve Him with a more sincere heart. I thank the Lord that He does whatever He needs to draw us to Himself.

Services at each of the Churches have gone well. David has done an excellent job preaching and presenting the ministry. Joshua has been going to the nursery and has done very well. I have to say, we have a great baby. I even get to sleep most nights! We are definitely already praying for his salvation and for God to use him mightily.

I have been reading in Revelation during my devotions and the Lord is speaking to me about being zealous for Him, hot or cold but not luke warm. I pray to be the Christian I can for God's glory most of all, but also that I may be the wife and mother I need to be. I was challenged at LBC anniversary service when John spoke about his Godly mother. I pray that one day Joshua will be able to say that about me.

Growing in Christ

Wow, this last month has been, well, it's been great and challenging and fulfilling and challenging and sweet! I have enjoyed my precious son so much but am realizing how much I need the Lord to be the wife and mother I need and want to be. I have a long way to go. Please pray for my walk with Christ to grow closer and sweeter. I would greatly appreciate these prayers and prayer for God to mold my heart into what He wants it to be and for Him to give me the desires of His heart. This is my sole desire for myself. I know it will help me to do His will.

God has been so good to us. He has more than provided for our needs and has provided the funds for David to go and visit our field in the next few months. One day David and I were discussing the need for him to go and how much it would cost and that evening we got a check in the mail for just about that amount. What a mighty God we serve!

This month is going to be busy. We leave on the first and will not get back until the 23rd. Sure hope that Joshua adjusts to traveling pretty soon!!

New Bundle of Joy!

On Saturday, September 20th, I received the best thing I could possibly get besides my salvation and my husband. At 4:52, Joshua arrived, and I was finally able to hold him in my arms and see his beautiful face. Although many people tried to explain the excitment and awe of the situation, I never understood (nor think it is possible) the love and joy that overwhelmed me and still does. The sickness and pain that I went through was worth it all. I thank God for this wonderful gift that He has given my husband and me, and I pray that God will help me to raise him for His glory.

For His Glory

I haven't written in quite a while, and a lot has happened. The Thursday before, last David, my mom, and I went to my doctor's appointment and on the way home we got a phone call. My aunt told us that my grandfather was passing away and may not make it until we got there. Well, to make a long story short, he did make it for us to get there, and we took him home. My family and I stayed with him there day and night until the following Wednesday night, when he went on to be with the Lord. During the week, my Grandpa did suffer some, but he also had some good moments: sweet moments that we will never forget.

My Grandpa lived 78 years, a good long life. Yet, it seemed so short as he lay there and I watched him pass into eternity. I thought about life and it's purpose. I thought about my Grandpa's testimony of salvation, and how thankful I was that there was a pastor who was willing to go to my Grandparents house late one night and lead him to the Lord. Then, I thought about the millions and billions of people across the world that lose loved ones who do not have the assurance of their loved ones going to heaven or of ever seeing them again. Devastating, hopeless: these were words that came to my mind. Then, I thought that as my husband, child, and I go to the mission field, we must first go to glorify the Lord, but it gives comfort that we will be able to give peace, hope and assurance of heaven to a people who have nothing they can fully trust in or rely on. Please pray that God would continue to work on my heart. Pray that He will make me like Him and will prepare me to leave this country and to help my husband reach a people who do not necessarily want us there. Pray that our entry into the country goes smoothly and the transition into the culture is fast and with few mistakes. Pray that the Lord Jesus will do a work in my heart and the hearts and lives of the people that will glorify Him to the highest. When I think about this task, I realize more than ever my need for the Lord. I know I can not go it without His power.

My God shall supply all your need... Phil. 4:19

I recently heard a man teach that God has not promised to meet all of our needs. He said that because of the sins of the world, we may not have our needs met whether we were doing right or not. He went on to say that the portions of the Bible that taught about His faithfulness to meet each need were not written to us in this time period.

My immmediate reaction was probably anger. How dare him, I thought. Then, sadness. Wow, how much more hope, joy, peace, etc. does this man, his followers, and other Christians that believe similarly have than unbelievers? What caused this man to believe this.. merely false doctrine? a catastrophe in his life? Perhaps.

I know that Christ meets the needs of my husband and myself. I can mishandle money and other things and pay the consequences for my own actions, but I do not believe that God will not provide for my needs because of the sins of others. If I did not believe that God would provide for me, I would tell my husband to forget the mission field or to go without me because I would need to find a way to provide for myself. After all, if I can't rely on God who can I rely on? Man? Churches? I think not. He uses man and churches, but He is the One that every good and perfect gift comes from.

I write this because the Lord is continually teaching me how HE meets my EVERY need. In the last week, He has helped us to pay off some bills and provided immensely for the Baby through Lighthouse Baptist Church and family and friends, but more than that, He has given me more peace, security, and comfort for the near and far future! I thank Him that I can trust in Him for all things!

Because HE Lives!!

My heart has been so heavy lately. The Lord has been blessing just as He always does, but I have been so focused on my own desires and so full of pride that the smallest things have discouraged me. I have wanted to blame it all on the pregnancy, but the Lord has shown me how wretched my heart has become.

During the song service at Church last night the Lord spoke to me so clearly. I can't do what Christ has called me to do except by fully relying on HIM. So many times, I have thought that there was no way I would make it on the mission field. I have felt so insufficient and honestly I have despised the idea of leaving my family. But last night, as we sang "Because He Lives" I just cried and cried as I realized how and why I WILL live out the Lord's will for my life by HIs grace.

This morning I had one of the best times I have had with the Lord in a long time. I read in 2 Corinthians and cried and prayed for His forgiveness and His help and strength. I pray to become closer to Him with more of a love for Him and for souls. I pray to be a help to my husband, and to make the ministry more personal and to become even more involved. There's so much I can do to help him. My desire is to be the Christian the Lord expects me to be, and the wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, witness, etc. that the world needs me to be. I pray for the qualities given in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10.