Opportunity in Closed Doors

As I was reading today in Streams in the Desert devotional book, this thought was the theme.

Acts 16:6: They were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.

"Beloved, whenever you are doubtful to your course, submit your judgment absolutely to the Spirit of God, and ask Him to shut against you every door but the right one. Say,

'Blessed Spirit, I cast on Thee the entire responsibility of closing against my steps any and every course which is not of God. Let me hear Thy voice behind me whenever I turn to the right hand or the left.'" It goes on to say when you are listening to God and following Him-"Do not be surprised if the answer comes in closed doors."

What a thought. What opportunity awaits us when we are obedient to God. Waiting on God is a hard thing to do. Sometimes it is discouraging but hold on-don't run ahead. Wait. Ask God to shut from you everything that would cause you to turn aside from His course. He is so faithful and keeps us. That is exciting.

Faithful to God's Call

It's been a while and to be honest that is probably because of discouragement on our part. To quote an old theologian: "I'm in a hurry and God is not". It amazes me just how much God wants to speak to our situations in life. I read through several devotion books as well as a read the Bible through the year devotional called My Utmost Devotional Bible. This is today's reading just for us at this time. God is so awesome.

"Faithful to God's Call- Jonah 1:1-3

The discernment of God's call does not come in every moment of life, but only in rare moments; the moments our Lord spoke of as "the light." We have to remain true to what we see in those moments; if we do not, we will put back God's purpose in our life. the undercurrent of regret arises when we confer with those who have not hear the call of God, and if we listen to them we get into darkness. (NOT KNOWING)

Arguers against obeying the call of God will arise in the shape of country and kindred, and if you listen to them you will soon dull your ears to God's call and become the dullest, most commonplace Christian imaginable, because you have no courage in your faith; you have seen and heard, but have not gone on. If you accept sympathy from those who have not heard the call of God, it will so blunt your own sense of His call that you become useless to Him. (NOT KNOWING)

You hear the call of God and realize what He wants, then you begin to find reasons why you should not obey Him. Well, obey Him, because away in some other part of the world there are other circumstances being worked by God, and if you say- "I shan't, I wasn't made for this" you get out of touch with God. Your "goings" are not according to your mind, but according to God's mind. Remain true at all costs to what God is doing with you and don't ask why He is doing it." (NOT KNOWING)

Friend, remain true to what God is calling you to do. It may be hard but God is always faithful. We feel we are on a threshold at this point in time. Waiting is hard to do but God is drawing us ever more into His presence. Don't give up the call even if it seems strange or crazy to you. If you have given yourself to God, He decides how you are to be used. Just be available and don't quit.

Hinds' Feet On High Places

I have been reading this piece of classic Christian literature- Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. It is an allegory a lot like Pilgrim's Progress except the main character is a woman. I was looking for something new to read and have seen this on the shelf many times. I picked it up finally this week and it's been hard to put down.

The main character, Much-Afraid is from the Fearing family. She broke away to follow the Shepherd and now He wants to take her from the Valley of Humiliation to the High Places. The book chronicles her journey with her two companions- Sorrow and Suffering. I have so identified with this character. Being at home at night while my husband works second shift really brings out my anxious heart. Also, this new chapter in our ministry is a little scary. I prayed that the Lord would speak to me through this book and He has especially through the dialogue shared between Much-Afraid and the Shepherd.

One in particular comes when Much-Afraid is faced with a sheer cliff she must climb in order to follow the path of the Shepherd. The Shepherd knows her concerns about having to go this way. He reminds her if she wants hinds' feet she must go the way of the hind to develop them. She says she's not sure she wants them if that is what it takes. The Shepherd almost laughs as he says: "Oh, yes you do, I know you better than you know yourself, Much-Afraid. You want it very much indeed, and I promise you these hinds' feet. Indeed, I have brought you on purpose to this back side of the desert, where the mountains are particularly steep...." He reminds her of something He said earlier "Now thou shalt see what I will do." She says "Why, it's too preposterously absurd! It's crazy! Whatever will you do next?"

That sums up exactly how we have felt from the beginning of this journey. We know God has called us here and sometimes everything seems so crazy. There is excitement and fear all rolled up in one. Much-Afraid faces more on this journey and at times she listens to the voices telling her she is headed in the wrong direction, but yet she trusts the Shepherd. Although the Way to the High Places seems at times to lead in the opposite direction, she stays on the path. She is willing to trust even though it means giving up everything.

God sometimes takes us through things in our lives on purpose to develop His Ways in us. May I be like Much-Afraid and follow the Shepherd no matter the cost.

Happy Birthday, Daniel

Daniel's birthday was August 29th but last night he experienced a different kind of birthday. As you have already read, we broke away yesterday for a worship experience in the woods. As we were on the third mile of the four mile hike, Daniel started talking to me. I cannot remember the exact words but he said something along the lines of I cannot have Jesus in my heart because I haven't been baptized. I explained that you didn't have to be baptized first all you have to do is pray and Jesus will live in your heart. He answered okay I'll do that when we get back to the car or we get home. I went on to ask him if he did bad stuff and he said yes as he begins to list his latest offenses. Then he changed the subject. I didn't want to push him so we left it at that. As I was praying with him at bedtime, I prayed first with my usual prayer for his salvation and when I was done He prayed his bedtime prayers which consists of "Dear Heavenly Father, help me to know you." He had barely said amen when he said he needed to kneel down and ask Jesus to come into his heart. I explained he could pray where he was but he insisted he had to kneel down. We kneeled down beside his bed and I led him (more like stammered through) the sinner's prayer. When he got up, he ran out to tell JP and Tera just beaming from ear to ear. JP explained that now Daniel was not only his son but his brother as well. Daniel latched onto that. I went to tuck him in and in the sweetest voice you ever heard-Daniel said "I love you, sister." That was music to this mother's heart. I have had the privilege of leading both my children to the Lord.

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

Following The Right Path

Today was the first time we decided to separate completely from our old routine and begin to allow God to develop a new pattern for worship apart from what we have always known. Until now we figured we would continue in a local church waiting for some kind of message from God saying, "OK, go now and do something different!" But we realized that this already happened when we were called to come out here in the first place. So we took what we already loved to do and became more intentional about it; turning what was a recreational activity into a worship event.




Today we hiked the Little Greenbrier School trail to the Walker Sisters cabin, about a four mile hike. Before the hike during breakfast we read Psalm 119:105-106 together, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep your righteous judgments". Then on the trail we talked about the path we were taking. I asked the kids, "what would this trail look like if it were a moonless night? What if we decided we would forge our own trail and go tromping off through the woods? Why is it important to follow the path already laid out here before us?" The kids already know how to identify several types of plants such as Mountain Laurel, Dog Hobble, and Rhododendron. The know that Dog Hobble are thorny vines that can stop a pack of dogs running through the woods. They talked of the "Laurel Hells" that can trap hikers. These are patches of growth with Dog Hobble and Mountain Laurel (a tangly vine) on the floor of the forest and Rhododendron at body level above the ground. Getting lost in a Laurel Hell means getting tangled up and disoriented so that, even seasoned hikers, could get trapped and end up dying of thirst or starvation before finding a way out or being rescued.

By the time we arrived at the Walker Sisters cabin the kids already had summarized the message for the day. The path through the forest is like the path of life and God's Word, the Bible, is the guide that helps us stay on the right path. Choosing to forge our own path apart from God's Word is to end up lost and entangled by bad choices and disorienting voices in our world. But even in the dark times God's Word will show us the way. Through this exercise the kids not only reinforced things they learned about the forest, but also learned to apply this knowledge to their spiritual walk. These little five and seven year old children could repeat a Biblical lesson on a level of understanding they may have never obtained from a traditional church service. I think we are on the right path!

The Power of Prayer

While the kids had "revised morning school", JP took Buddy for his walk. Through several different situations ( a dog without a lease freaking Buddy out, an older man whose dog broke its chain and then lunged at Buddy, the older man getting up to catch his dog, etc), Buddy slipped his collar and ran off. When Buddy gets out of his collar, it's bad. He will not, I mean will not come to you. The bike trail is off of a four lane busy highway divided by a median. JP calls me on the cell phone which I "accidently" left in the car last night. Now I believe it was more Providence than an accident. He says pray because Buddy slipped out of the collar and is now in the middle of this highway running back and forth and sometimes just standing there while cars and motorcycles are driving by him. We immediately got off the phone to pray. I prayed God would put his angels around Buddy and protect him. We went back to work and less than 5 minutes later, JP called again. Buddy had run back to the car, then ran off but eventually came back and jumped in. It was crazy. JP said Buddy was in the middle of this street and it was a miracle he wasn't hit. God answers prayers!

August 27th Streams in the Desert

"Taken aside by Jesus,

To feel the touch of His hand;

To rest for a while in the shadow

Of the Rock in a weary land.

Taken aside by Jesus,

In the loneliness dark and drear,

Where no other comfort may reach me,

Than His voice to my heart so dear.

Taken aside by Jesus,

To be quite alone with Him,

To hear His wonderful tones of love

'Mid the silence and shadows dim.

Taken aside by Jesus,

Shall I shrink from the desert place;

When I hear as I never heard before,

And see Him 'face to face?"