What has God done for you?

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations 

what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:8

During my devotional time today God gave me that verse. Moments later God gave me Mark 5:19 which reads,

"Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

So, I wanted to Fully Surrender to what I believe God was asking me to do today.

Here you have it:

"Making known to others what He has done for me."

* While still in my mothers womb, God had a very special lady praying for me - my mother-in-law.

* My mother-in-law prayed for "the wife her son would some day marry" for all my childhood and teen years.

* At just 6-7 years old God drew me to His Word and His Truth. I tried reading the King James Version Bible on and off for most of my childhood, trying to understand what it was I was supposed to know.

* At age 12 God brought this amazing gift into my life, my dear friend, Macalla. She began introducing me to Scripture through verses written on the bottoms of "illegally" passed notes in middle school. {Sorry teachers...}

By age 13 and 14, I had become "friends" with a bad crowd of kids and had been sexually assaulted three times. I did not know up from down and was so lost I didn't know what to think or do.

* But my Abba Father brought me another sweet sweet gift at age 14. A gift that would rebuild my confidence in people and in myself once again. A gift that told me, "You are beautiful. You can do whatever you set your mind to." A gift that coached me on how to cheer and get on the cheer squad. This gift's name is Carmen. She was the truest of true friends and together we made the cheer squad.

* At age 15, the most pure love I have ever known occurred. My mother, knowing I had been searching for "god", entered into my bedroom on a Sunday morning. She told me a man at work had been talking to her about God and she was going to go to church that day. She invited me and told me I had 10 minutes to get ready. I hurried and put a pink dress on with black shoes.

That morning, my mother and I headed off to church for the first time.

That morning, July 8th, 1992, I gave my life to God.

That morning, I found God and... as the saying would go, "God found me."

My all-time favorite Scripture passage comes from this life-long search for God,

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord."

~ Jeremiah 29:12-14

* Graduating from high school, I was supposed to attend Evangel Bible College in Springfield, MO, but God had other plans for my life and moved me, along with my family, up to Maine.

There, God made himself quickly known. My family and I found a church and began attending there regularly. Another family was also attending there - my future in-laws and their children.

Three months prior to ever meeting my husband, my quiet and humble future father-in-law made this proclamation to his family,

"Do you see that girl up there with the blonde hair? She is going to be Jason's wife some day."

Never before, or since then (that we know of), has he ever made such a bold proclamation.

* Three months later, December 24th, 1995, God led me to the man I now call my husband.

On this day, God gave me another amazing gift. A man who had saved himself for me. A man who loves and cherishes his Creator. A man who is gentle, humble, intelligent, kind, and honors me in so many ways.

* August 2, 1996 - Jason asked me to marry him.

* January 4, 1997, at the age of 19, I married my best-friend. I married the man God created for me. On this day, Jason married the woman his mother had prayed for all of his life.

* After infertility issues and 2 miscarriages,

God blessed me with my first miracle in December of 2000.

* My second miracle and gift from God came just a short 15 months later in April of 2002.

* After more (3.5 years to be exact) years of infertility and three more heart-breaking miscarriages, my third miracle came in September of 2005.

* And finally, after another 3 years of infertility and 2 more heart-breaking miscarriages, I was blessed with my fourth miracle (thus my handle, 4Miracles. :-)) in July of 2008.

* Along the way, God has also given me the desires of my heart. He has allowed me to stay-at-home with my children, to home school them, and to do public speaking engagements throughout New England teaching and bringing awareness to others about the atrocities of human trafficking.

* I've been married for nearly 17 years and still going strong!

My life is richly blessed. Not because life has been a walk in the park, but because I know God has done great things in and through me; because I know God has been with me since before my conception.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb...

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your

book before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:13,16

So, here, at this moment, I want to praise God for all He has done for me. I want to proclaim His great name, the great name of Jesus Christ!

So, what about you? If you inventoried your life, what great things has God done in you and for you that you want to praise Him for, proclaim His name for, and make known to "all the nations"?

The victory has already been won!

It's been a long time. Re-prioritizing caused me to step away from this blog, but today, I find myself back because I can't stay silent.

As of late, I have been reading more and more articles of Christians being persecuted in our own country. Where Christians are being denied basic rights and freedom of religion. We are being denied the ability to pray, to run our businesses as we see fit - according to God's Word - and to even admit to our beliefs.

This summer I read of:

• A mom in NH who had been told she was not allowed to pray on school property for her children and their friends. 
• The 5 Pillars of Islam were put up, replacing the 10 Commandments in a TN school.
• A Christian cake business in Oregon shuts down because of threats and coercion by LGBT groups angry they didn't want to participate in a gay wedding.
• And of the Air Force cracking down on Christians at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, TX.

Those are just a few of the many attacks on Christians, and our beliefs, in this country. As I read about the Air Force this morning, I was feeling so discouraged. We are idly standing by while atheist and other non-Christian groups wage a great fight. And it appears they are winning a great number of those fights. As a nation under God, we are seeing the pendulum swing to the left and God is being taken out one fight at a time. 

We have great leaders like the owner of Hobby Lobby, David Green; the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, Aaron and Melissa Klein; and Lizarda Urena, a praying mom, paving the way for us to be brave and courageous. (BTW, Lizarda Urena won her fight(!) and is now allowed to pray on campus again, but must do it silently.) But we must rise up and be courageous, too. We cannot allow our freedoms to be taken away. Just as non-Christian groups are fighting to take God out of everything, we must fight to keep God in everything.

Skillet has a great song just out - take a listen. I love their emphasis on how we fight. Specifically, they depict the battle happening with weapons such as faith, hope, and most importantly love. We're not going to overcome the world with weapons or hostility, legislation or protesting. But rather by demonstrating the love of God and living out his commandments.

That fight begins in God's Word and in prayer!

In my devotional this morning, I was so encouraged by God. Knowing I was feeling discouraged by the state of our country and the direction in which she is being lead, He led me to 2 Chronicles 36. 

2 Chronicles 36 chronicles the making and fall of 4 kings over just 22 years and 6 months. All had done evil in the eyes of the Lord, mocked God's messengers, despised His Words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:16) The wrath of God was aroused!

Then God lead me to Revelations 12 and 13. Revelations 12 speaks of the woman and the dragon - of Jesus' birth and how Mary was protected, but how Satan waged war on her offspring - us! 

Revelations 12:9-12

9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power

 and the kingdom of our God,

and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

 who accuses them before our God day and night,

has been hurled down.

11They triumphed over him

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much

as to shrink from death.

12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens

and you who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

because the devil has gone down to you!

He is filled with fury,

because he knows that his time is short.”

Satan knows his time is short and he's working hard to get as much done as possible.

Revelations 13:8-10

8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast - all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

9 He who has an ear, let him hear.

10 If anyone is to go into captivity,

into captivity he will go.

11 If anyone is to be killed with the sword,

with the sword he will be killed.

That was not what encouraged me though. With all that's happening around us with regards to Christians and our faith, both domestically and internationally, do you know what happens? Follow me to Mark 16.

Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

We win! Jesus wins! God wins!

SAINTS: THE VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN WON!

What an encouragement!

In a world that can look so discouraging at times, it's so good to get into God's Word, talk with him, and be reminded that we have the victory! Maybe not here on earth, but the battle has been won and God is victorious!

Remember, Ephesians 6:12 tells us, "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world."

This is not a battle between humans. We are to love our brothers and the lost and hurting world. Rather, this is a spiritual battle - a spiritual fight! It's weird to think that the way we "fight" against Satan is by loving people... humans typically think about weapons, lobbying, or earthly approaches.

Are you willing to be fully surrendered to God? Are you ready to be so fully surrendered that you're willing to give up your business, your security, your privacy, or your job for the sake of Jesus?

David Platt asks this great and challenging question in his book, Radical:

"If you were on trial, accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"


Let's pray now, work now, and fight now (not with violence, of course!) so that the answer to that question is an unequivocal YES!

Are you ready for your signature ministry?

God's timing is always perfect! We see that time and time again in Scripture and I'm sure you've seen it in your lives as well. We saw (and are seeing) it with my husband's company. We are seeing it with the adoption process. His timing is best!


So when I read Galatians 1:15 and a commentary from Beth Moore, it made me think about my life and the lives of those I know and don't know. 


Galatians 1:15, "But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace..."

"The apostle Paul was born around AD 10. He did not receive salvation until around  AD 36. He was not set apart for his signature ministry until around AD 46. Not one minute was wasted."                                    ~ Beth Moore

To me, that is something to be noted and it was so beautiful to read. How many of us think, "What does God have for my life?" or "When will I "arrive" at where God wants me|?"

I know it may be easy to look back and tell yourself that you've missed the train that boarded for your destination - but that's not true! Or maybe you did somewhere along the way, but that doesn't mean you're washed up and can no longer board a new train to the same destination God had for you years ago or a new destination God has for you. Get on board and ask God, "Where would you have me go? What is my signature ministry? What do you want me to be doing?"


That will look different for all of us, but rest assured, God does have a plan for your life! For some, it may look like missions, for some, raising up Christ-centered, Biblically-minded, sold out believers, and for others, that may mean working in the work place to be a witness to those around you. 

That's how my mother came to know God. One lone man would bring his Bible to lunch and began witnessing to my mother. After a year, he invited her to church and she gave her life to God. As a result of his ministering, I too, went to church that day and also gave my life to God, my father followed suit, and as a result, I'm raising (with my husband) Christ-centered, Biblically-minded believers! This is a part of my signature ministry!


You are never too young and you are never too old. Press into the things of God and ask Him to reveal His plan.


Acts 13:3, "Then, after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off."


If you really feel you do not know what your God-ordained blueprints are for your life, begin with some time on your knees before the Lord. Cry out to Him and ask Him to reveal His plan for your life. Then, fast. Take a day, or a specific meal, to fast. While you're fasting, use that time to be on your knees before the God of all creation and say a quick prayer asking Him to reveal His plan to you, then sit and wait. Listen! "Be still and know I am God!" (Psalm 46:10) Try to remember, God usually doesn't reveal the whole plan to us either. He may only reveal the next step to you. 


Again, with my husband's job, we both had prayed for 4 months about the move to DC. We didn't feel like we heard anything, but we had peace about it. So, he accepted the job down there. Then, our house didn't sell. So the kids and I had to move back to our home we had left. That put our family in a position of being separated for two years, only seeing each other on the weekends. 


Did we not hear from God? Had we missed the mark on this one? Someone had questioned us, "So, do you still feel this was God's plan for your lives or do you feel you did not really hear that from God?"


Not at all.

God had only revealed the part of the plan that Jason was to accept the job in DC. We didn't need to know the rest. We only needed to know that part. We can see many reasons why we were supposed to stay put in our home now though - reasons why our house didn't sell. Jason was able to start up his business. I was able to start up a chapter of a non-profit organization and began getting very involved in abolishing human trafficking. I was able to help start up a home school co-op and meet a lot more home schooling families. And we are seeing it evidenced through the current adoption situation. 

We were meant to be exactly where we are because God had a plan. He didn't reveal ALL of that plan to us 5 years ago when we were praying if we should accept the job in DC. He just revealed the plan that he was to accept it.


I want to encourage you, Fully Surrendering and being IN the will of God will often times set you up for others to come in and judge your life. Being in the will of God makes people uncomfortable with their own lives and they will begin to question you on your life. Stand strong!

Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" 


Prior to making any major decisions, it's always best to get Godly counsel. Jason and I rarely ever do anything major without getting the counsel of our pastor. So, with prayer, fasting, the laying on of hands, and the counsel and support of your pastor, trust what God has laid before you. Trust that God has spoken to your innermost being and walk boldly in your signature ministry.

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." ~ E. M. Forster

Rule-breaker's wanted!

"It is a good idea to obey all the rules when you're young just so you'll have the strength to break them when you're old." ~ Mark Twain

As I sat having my quiet time this morning, I was struck by a certain section of verses:

"Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks (Gentiles) also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord"  - Acts 11:19-21

Rule-breakers - that's what God's looking for!

For the sake of sharing the Gospel and spreading God's word, these men broke the mold and preached to the Gentiles. As we know from verse 21, "a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord." The fruit of those men breaking the mold and preaching to the Gentiles is still being felt today. Because of all the work they had done, they were ridiculed and named "Christians" (Acts 11:26) - a name that initially started as a way to mock, bring shame, and persecute the men whose lives had been so radically changed by Christ.

This next section comes from a great website I found while preparing this:

They Evidenced the Grace of God

 

“When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” What did Barnabas see when he saw the evidence of the grace of God? I think it was the same things the pharaoh saw in Joseph. It was what Moses demonstrated when he delivered the Hebrews from bondage. The Babylonians witnessed the same thing in the life of Daniel. It was what the first century world witnessed in Christ’s presence. Barnabas saw the grace of God saving the Gentiles—he saw the Gentiles turning from their pagan lives to embrace the grace of God.

First century Christianity challenged pagans to turn from the immorality of their pagan society. In doing so, their world saw evidence of the grace of God.

 

1 Thessalonians 1:4-10

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia-your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. NIV

 

These people weren’t simply converted from one style of worship to another—from one church to another. The gospel challenged every facet of their lives. Their deep conviction led them to lives separated from worldly influences. This led others to imitate their lives as it allowed them to see Christ in how they lived. Those converted became a model to all the believers in Macedonia.

 

You have to understand they weren’t called Christians merely because of their conversion, but because of their belief, their conduct, and their life in Christ. They turned from their pagan lifestyles to embrace the life of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. NIV

 

It is something that the 21^st century world has a real need to witness. What that pagan world witnessed led them to call those first disciples “Christians.” The Latin suffix tan means "belonging to the party of" In derision, some of the pagan citizens of Antioch joined this Latin suffix to the Hebrew name "Christ" and came up with Christian. The name itself reveals the impact those first believers were having on their godless society. The name is found only three times in the entire New Testament: Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, Acts, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright (c) 1989 by SP Publications, Inc.)

 

Unfortunately, the word Christian has lost a great deal of significance over the centuries and no longer means "one who has turned from sin, trusted Jesus Christ, and received salvation by grace" (Acts 11:21-23). Many people who have never been born again consider themselves "Christians" simply because they say they are not "pagans." After all, they may belong to a church, attend services somewhat regularly, and even occasionally give to the work of the church! However, it takes more than that for a sinner to become a child of God. It takes repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins on the cross and rose again to give us eternal life. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, Acts, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright (c) 1989 by SP Publications, Inc.)

 

Statistics reveal the morality of Christians today is on the same level of the world. There is no appreciable difference. We have many people today calling themselves Christians, but their life is or has become suspect. Is it because they have a false definition of what it means to be a Christian?

 

Many believers in the early church suffered because they were Christians (1 Peter 4:16). Dr. David Otis Fuller has asked, "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" A good question! And the answer is a matter of life or death! (Warren Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, Acts, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright (c) 1989 by SP Publications, Inc.)

Source: http://www.focusongod.com/Acts-11_19-26.htm

What a powerful question: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

Wow!
 
Since I was old enough to remember, I have been a rule-follower. A people-pleasing, rule-follower. I believe God used this in my life to keep me away from drugs and alcohol, but as a believer, this can hold us back from doing what God has called us to do. My husband on the other hand, he's more of a rule breaker. It derives pleasure from hacking systems and creating a solution to the problem. Hacking, at it's core is rule-breaking. 


But, what if God wanted to do a new thing and He wanted to do it by using you and/or I?


Isaiah 43:19 tells us this, 
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." 

Sometimes God wants to do a "new thing" and that might require us to break the mold. It might require us to move out of our comfort zone, to protest something, to fight for something we believe to be true and right - even if it's not politically correct or goes against main stream society, or to, as in the case of Katie (from the book Kisses From Katie I mentioned in my last blog), pick up everything and leave all you know to follow after and obey God in Uganda.

Whatever God is calling you to, be sure to be obedient to Him. It may cause you discomfort and embarrassment, but Fully Surrendering to Him and His will show "the evidence of the grace of God" (Acts 11:23) upon you and in your life. 

I would like to share a story with you: 

Because of a few bold Christians and servants of God, my life was radically changed. Not just mine though, but, also my mother-in-law's, my father-in-laws, my husbands, and my brother-in-laws!


When my husband was 2, a few Christians from 'Campus Crusade For Christ' went knocking door to door. Out of roughly 270 homes they visited that day, my in-laws were the only ones to accept Jesus.
They accepted Him, and coming out of the 60's, their lives were dramatically changed! They began praying over Jason (and his brother, who was born a few short months later) and also began to pray with the boys for their "future wives."


In a life where I still cannot think of a single person who may have been praying for me as I was growing up, I was being prayed for by parents I did not know and parents who already loved me enough to pray for my upbringing and my salvation.


Because of those few who were stepping outside of their comfort zones, breaking the mold of what a "normal" Christian does, they uncomfortably knocked door-to-door and led my in-laws to the Lord. 


So, as Barnabas encouraged the men in Antioch, I too, will encourage you: Be bold! Don't be afraid to break the mold. God may have a "new thing" for you; don't be afraid to step out in faith and obedience. 

"There are no rules in the service of God, and this itself is  no rule." ~ The Yehudi

For the sake of Christ

2 Corinthians 11:24-31 

²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? ³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

After reading through Paul's description of what he had suffered through, one cannot help but ask themselves this question: "Would I be willing to suffer the same fate for the sake of Christ?" 

It reminded me of our recent missions trip to Haiti. On our first night there, we slept on a cement rooftop with a 2-3" mattress under us.There was a day I could do that somewhat comfortably, but at my current age, I felt that cement "floor" in my hips, shoulders, neck, and back. I was in a fair amount of pain as I tossed and turned all night long to secure a comfortable position. 

I thought about the latrines and the lack of latrines, in some cases, or the scorpion sting our fearless leader endured. 

For most Americans, this might be the closest we come to "suffering" for the sake of Christ - inconveniences. 

But Paul, he layed down his life for the work of God. We see a partial list of the ways Paul suffered for the sake of Christ and it made me wonder, "If God called us to that, would we accept it? Would we walk through the fire to fully serve and obey God?"

Fully Surrendering ourselves to God might require real sacrifice on our part. Paul, in the "missing 5 years" likely had to face the "death" of his family. Scripture doesn't talk about where Paul's father went, but one can most certainly ascertain that upon arrival to his hometown, he was greeted by a deafening silence from his father and his family. 


Saul was well on his way to becoming a Pharisee, just like his father, when he walked that long road to Jerusalem at the tender ago of 13 to become a man. He was likely his fathers pride and joy. Now Saul was a Christian. A convert from Judaism. 


That was a "death" sentence for family members. His father and family has likely acted as if Paul had never been born. Even now, in some Orthodox Jewish communities, a person who turns from Judaism is considered dead to the family. 


I think about my family (both my parents and sister, as well as, my own husband and children) not being a part of my life - it's too hard to comprehend. The thought of losing them in any manner (either by their choice or by real death) is overwhelming. The thought of cutting off my child because he doesn't do what I want him to do or follow what I want him to follow is unthinkable.


And yet, this is what Paul likely faced. We know he faced prison, flogging, stoning, being shipwrecked, floating in the ocean for a couple of days, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, and much more - all for the sake of Christ!


Would we be willing to sacrifice all of our conveniences, luxuries, family, and friends for doing the Will of the Father?


I just recently read a book, written by Katie Davis called Kisses From Katie, about her walk through sacrificially choosing to Fully Surrender her will and her agenda for the will and agenda of her Lord and Savior. The book walks you through her journey, at the very young age of 18, to Uganda. 


On a short-term missions trip in her senior year, Katie feels God calling her to live in Uganda. She has some hurdles to jump over, but after she graduated high school she returned to Uganda permanently. By the time she was 19 she had adopted 7 children. And at her current age of 23, she has adopted 14 children and is running a huge non-profit, feeding over 1600 families in Messe, and helping to educate, cloth, bathe, and feed an additional 400 children near her home with her children. 


The journey was not easy and she tells of times where she is so lonely and misses the comforts or Tennessee, but she knows this is the will of her Father. 


Are we willing to Fully Surrender our lives to God for His sake?

He placed me in a little cage, 

    Away from gardens fair;

But I must sing the sweetest songs

    Because He placed me there.

Not beat my wings against the cage

    If it's my Maker's Will,

But raise my voice to heaven's gate

    And sing the louder still!

~Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Do you have Ananias-obedience?

The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!"  

                                                                              ~ A. W. Tozer

Acts 9:10-19, we are introduced to Ananias, the disciple. To be clear, there are three Ananias' in the Bible, all found in the book of Acts. 


The first one, was married to Sapphira. The two of them conspired to deceive the Christian and immediately fell down and died after he uttered the falsehood (Acts 4 and 5). 


The second Ananias, is the one I will be talking about today. Ananias, the disciple (Acts 9).


And the third was Ananias, the high priest who became enraged at Paul's declarations (Acts 23).


Ananias, the disciple, caught my attention this morning in my quiet time. Ananias, the disciple, appears in Act chapter 9, verses 10-19. As I read this short passage, a passage I have read many many times, I was struck by how briefly we met Ananias, and yet how his obedience so profoundly impacted Saul and now, thousands of years later, even our lives. 


You see, Saul had just had his conversion. He had just met with God on that road to Damascus. In that meeting with God, God (and I envision God empathetically asking Saul, with deep conviction in His tone), "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"


Saul, a little freaked out (as I picture it), says, "Who are you, Lord?" 


"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." (Acts 9:4-6)


The only people who knew of what had happened were the men Saul was traveling with. That's it. So, fast-forward just a few verses to verse 10 when the Lord spoke to a man named Ananias in a vision:


 ¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
   “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
 ¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
 ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”


Ananias' first reaction is a reaction I think most of us would have, "Lord, Lord.... don't you know he's persecuting, overseeing the stoning and death of innocent, God-fearing servants? Don't you  know he's coming here, to Damascus, to kill us and have us arrested? Are you sure this is what you want me to do? Are you sure this is where I should be going?


Fear. Doubt. Questioning God's orders. These are things we are just as prone to doing as Ananias was. We are no different in that regard. However, read on...


 ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
 ¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.


Ananias heard from His Lord, and trusted and obeyed what God was telling him. He decided that whatever may come, he would trust and obey his Lord. 


In ten short verses, the only 10 verses in the entire Bible where we see Ananias the disciple, we get a beautiful picture of Ananias' faith. We see him exhibit such faith and trust in God. He obeyed, in spite of any fears he may have had in regard to his own life and his well-being. 


In his obedience to God, he was responsible for Saul getting his sight back, as well as, Saul getting baptized. 


Outside of Saul's conversion, those were, arguably, two of the greatest moments in his life. Now, I have no doubt that God could've and would've used other means to give Saul his sight back and get him baptized, but He used Ananias and Ananias obeyed. 


Would we obey? No matter what the cost?


I often think of this when I think of all of my friends and family who may not know Jesus. Will I obey, even if it means alienation or being ostracized from them? What if it meant going to share the gospel to some of the tribes in the Amazon where death is a real possibility? What if it looks like this: giving up your children's sporting events so you can serve the homeless on a Saturday morning? Or giving up your evenings to lead a small group Bible study to runaways or to youth at the local youth prison?


Will we obey? Do we have Ananias-like faith in God and obedience to Him to do what He is asking us to do? No matter what the cost? No matter what others think of us?


We are experiencing our own Ananias-faith question right now. We are praying through it and submitting to God to what seems to be a mountain in front of us.


What is God asking of you? Will you obey Him?

He has right to interrupt your life. He is Lord. When you accepted Him as Lord, you gave Him, the right to help Himself to your life anytime He wants. 

                                   ~ Henry Blackaby

It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it. 
                                  ~ B J Miller 

Growth - the angels rejoice!

Growth - the process of developing or maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually.

Isn't this what we are all doing on some level? Our bodies naturally grow and mature (despite some protesting). Our minds grow each day, taking in new information in mass quantity, usually by default and sometimes by choice and effort.

However, the same is not true for spiritual growth. Spiritual growth takes effort. It takes us committing ourselves to praying, studying, training, and hiding God's Word in our hearts.

Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

One of the greatest joys in growing in your relationship with the Lord is hearing Him speak to you. Sometimes that comes through a series of verses you see. Sometimes through the prayers of others. Sometimes through a sermon. Sometimes through the loving acts of others. But, my personal favorite is when you hear God whisper into your heart and soul. When you know there is no other explanation for what you are hearing.

Our daughter has been experiencing this kind of growth.She came to me about 2 months ago on her own and said in a gentle voice, "Mom, I'm ready to get baptized." My first response was to ask her if she knew what that meant to be baptized. She quickly responded with a very accurate answer. I told her I would talk with our pastor about getting her baptized.

In the meantime, as I was spending time daily with my Lord and Savior, He began whispering into my heart about my daughter. I was reading a book and through that book, God began telling me to take my daughter into a quiet place in our house and talk with her about her own salvation.

I invited her into our room. We sat on the bed and I shared some scripture with her, then I asked her if she knew what salvation meant? When she responded that she didn't know what that word meant, I explained it to her, then I asked her if she wanted to make that commitment. With a smile on her face, she said yes.

I held her in my lap. I asked her to repeat after me. I led her in prayer, confessing her sins, acknowledging Jesus, and accepting Him into her heart. We were both crying. After God had me lead her, I felt led to just to pray aloud. Another one of our children was in the room too, so the three of us sat on my bed, crying and praying.

As a parent, there is no greater joy and moment in life that will compare with that - knowing you have led your child to the Lord and that they wanted it. Imagine how God feels when His children come to Him. Imagine the joy He feels and the rejoicing that goes on in Heaven when one of His children asks Him into their heart and to cleanse them.

After we were done, we went downstairs and she was beaming. Literally, beaming with joy! Our eldest daughter asked her why she was so happy and as our daughter tried to explain what had happened, she couldn't say it without crying tears of joy. My husband came out to the kitchen a few minutes later and I asked him to ask her what had just happened. She began telling him, and again, she began to cry. It was so real. So tangible - the love for God and her enthusiasm for the change that had just happened in her life.

Following dinner, we sat down and had our family devotional. We went through several scriptures talking about salvation, baptism, and confessing our sins. As we read through some of the scriptures, in particular, Romans 10:9, our daughter would smile really big and say, "Hey, that's what I did tonight!"

In my head and heart, all I could say was, "Yes, my love, that is what you did tonight!"

My heart beamed with pride and joy. It beamed with a love so real - for God... and for my family. As my friend said to me, the angels rejoiced last night!! Indeed they did!

No matter what your age, growth happens. Physical, mental, and spiritual, if you allow and foster it. God began speaking to her little heart and she heard Him and she obeyed Him. Friends, there is no greater joy than being in the presence and obedience of the Heavenly Father.

My husband's mentor, Bob, once shared a beautiful mental picture with us. He shared with us that everyone is on a journey and on that journey your arrow is either pointing forward or backward. He challenged us with the idea of always being aware of which direction our arrow was pointing. It doesn't really matter where you are on that line, but it matters which direction you are moving - forward, toward God, or backward, away from God.

I--------------<---------------->--------------->--------<-------------->-----------I

Each one of those arrows represents a different person. We are ALL on the same journey - LIFE. We are all here on earth and in the end, we will all die an earthly death. The journey is the same - birth through death, but the roads are not the same.

Which road will you take? Which direction are you pointed? Toward God or away from God? Are you growing in your walk with God and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you, to intervene in your life, and to move you in a new direction - back on the correct road for your life?


The angels rejoice!