Micah has been preaching on the book of Joshua and God has been burdening me to share a story that I am super uncomfortable sharing. In my reading the Bible in 6 months, I start the book of Joshua tomorrow. I know what story I am going to read. The same one Micah KEEPS mentioning...the one about the Jordan River parting...God led Joshua to tell the priest to carry the Ark of the Covenant to pass over Jordan. He told the priests just to step in and the people to follow and that the "waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above" Joshua 3:13. Really just step in and the waters are going to pull back? REALLY? Yep, really. That must have been very hard for Joshua, the priests and the people to believe. The banks were flooded because it was harvest time (3:15). But it happens "And as they that bare the ark were come into Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water...the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap...and the priests that bare the ark of the convenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan" Joshua 3:15-17. Every last person crossed over on dry ground...dry and clean to the other side. I'm not sure why God keeps leading me to this story but I THINK its because I usually think to myself: well, how does this apply to me? I don't need to cross a river...And now God's telling me that I have an example of this and I need to share.
While I have felt compelled to share this example in my life of how God blesses when we have faith and trust his guidance, I have been reluctant to do so. First, I do not want this to seem arrogant, boastful or pious. Secondly, I do not want to come off as insinuating that we live some sort of perfect or charmed life because as all of you know that AIN'T THE TRUTH...blessed YES, perfect...HA! And lastly, the story deals with money and finances which is a touchy subject...for us and probably most of you. However, I really feel like God wants me to share this...someone, maybe just one person, needs to hear this testimony of God's blessings!
Am I bragging about my incredible faith that I exhibit daily and never waver in. Ha! I wish! Do I claim to always be in tune to God's will for my life and have a 5 step process to guide you to this revelation also? Nope...only One always knew what the Father had for him and he sits on the right hand of the Father today! Has our faithfulness and efforts to follow God's will for our life led us to complete financial freedom where we never have to "wait till payday" to do something. Goodness no! Just like everyone else, some months are tight and we eat deer meat out of the freezer until payday!
But there was this one time that we truly prayed and submitted to the Father. We were willing to take a step of faith even though we weren't sure where that next step would land. We trusted God to carry us and boy, did he show out and show up for us BIG TIME?!?! Wanna hear about it? Here goes...
Last Spring, I heard about a possible job opening in Magnolia Public Schools. It was a high school Math position...my love, my passion, my heart is with high school students. Why? Who KNOWS??? But I had a job that was great, in a school district that was WONDERFUL to me, with great friends and great co-workers. Why would I ever want to leave? I had to truly consider this, but I felt that it was time. It was time for me to go back in the classroom and teach Math to high school students, who do not want to be at school and certainly do not want to learn Math. As you can see, this is a very appealing job! I could not stop thinking about it. I wanted to teach. I wanted to teach Math. I wanted to teach high school, in my own classroom, every day.
So...here's the money part. Emerson - Taylor was paying for me to finish my Master's Degree. This was in the spring and I was due to graduate in the summer. If I left Emerson - Taylor, I would have to pay the district back for the fall semester and we would have to pay for the spring and summer semesters. Again, let me stress how thankful I am to everything Emerson - Taylor School District did for me. However, I could not get this job opening out of my head (and heart). Micah and I talked about it and thought it was just too much money. If it was the Lord's will, then another opportunity would come up. We agreed to keep praying but it just did not seem like the right time. I couldn't shake it...I talked to Micah and we put pencil to paper. We needed about $1,500 for each semester. We could come up with the money for 2 of the 3 semesters but just could not get the 3rd one without going in to debt, which we did not feel was best for us. This is not going to work out. I am disappointed but know that God will reveal his plan, in his time. On Sunday at church, 2 different people (who know NOTHING) about this job opening, ask me in passing, "so, when are you coming to Magnolia"? I immediately asked both why they asked such a question and both looked at me as if I were crazy. UMMMMM.....because we were being nice and making small talk! Oh ok...red face!
I relay these conversations to Micah and we go to bed Sunday night praying that God would reveal his plan.
Monday morning....Micah is heading to preach chapel at Seminary in Minden. I ask him what he is preaching on. Why did I ask? Who knows? I never ask...never! He replies: tithing. TITHING??? To a bunch of preachers, that is DUMB! He appreciated my support. We both leave and he calls me on my way to work...and I answer. Now, both of these things are strange, because he never calls (we only text) and never on my way to work. Secondly, I never answer my phone, but I did. He says, find out exactly what we owe to Emerson - Taylor... pursue this job if you want to; it will work out. I tell my superintendent that I plan to put my application in to Magnolia. He is kind, not quite supportive but kind, and says, "I'll let you know what you owe back to us... you'll get the interview and they will hire you." I put in a call to Magnolia to see when I can pick up my application. Now remember this all transpires before Micah ever even gets to the seminary or preaches.
When I get home, Micah relays this story to me. Get ready....He is preaching (on tithing..to a bunch of preachers...DUMB). He notices a guy that he doesn't know, sitting in the back. The guy has on a suit so Micah sort of assumes he's a preacher but doesn't really know for sure. After the sermon, as Micah and some others are about to head to lunch, the guy approaches him. The man tells him that he pastors in East Texas and on the way to the office this morning, he felt like he needed to drive to Minden to the Seminary (like a 3+ hour drive). They continue to talk for a few minutes as he compliments Micah's sermon. As they finish the conversation, he hands Micah a couple dollars. Micah insists he does not want the money but the man replies "yes, this is it, its just between us". Ok...so they go to lunch and when they get back, Micah gets the dollars out of his pocket to put in his wallet. Well...it was $1,623. Yes, you read that right. $1,623. The exact amount of money we needed to be able to pay for the 3rd semester! I know, I know....chill bumps!
I could continue on all night but I know this. God could not bless us until we were willing to trust him. The decision to pursue the job in Magnolia, that I knew God was leading me to, was made BEFORE we had the money. We decided to go forth and step off before we knew how it would work out.
Is it normal for people to walk up and give you $1,623? I wish but no. It's not! But God does not always work things out the way we imagine they should be. I have no guidance, no wise words...just a testimony of God's faithfulness and how he blesses when we follow HIM! Those Israelites had no hard proof that Joshua was right and the Jordan was going to part for them. It took a lot of faith for them to gather all of their belongings and follow but they did. God doesn't ask us to understand his plan, but simply to trust Him.
My prayer for myself is "Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus; anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on"!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Let your light shine...even if it shines differently than mine!
Before I start writing, let me just throw out this disclaimer: this post is neither aimed at anyone in particular nor is it meant to incite an argument (or riot) or hurt feelings. I am not saying that my family and I are doing things perfectly or that you are doing them badly...just weighing in on a topic that seems to flood my thoughts recently.
There seems to be a ever increasingly popular trend in this strange cyber world that consumes many of our waking hours of blogging about, posting, linking pictures, etc of the innovative and creative things that we are doing to raise our family and to boast of what a wonderful job we are doing as mothers, wives, and Christians. It seems if you do not plan a daily routine around educational, biblical based activities for you children, then you are less of a mother and certainly a less than stellar Christian. If you love your child then you will have morning educational time, then a healthy sandwich cut into Larry from the Veggie Tales for lunch, then an on schedule nap at 11:57. While the offspring are sleeping peacefully in their beds, you should first exercise then spend the next hour planning the next month's lessons while washing clothes with your homemade clothes detergent and reading a highly educational and challenging non - fiction book. According to schedule you must wake the children up at 1:57...2 hours is ample time for a nap and we all know you should have your children trained to not get out of their bed until they are given permission (if they happen to already be awake). The afternoon should be spent on their studies and possible physical activity outside where children should be identifying various leaves and insects that are in the biome in which they live. All of this will be followed by a fully balanced dinner......OK I'll stop! But you get the idea!
There was recently a Facebook post of a mother who was in essence challenging this idea of the perfect mother and wife. And I do not want this to sound as if I am against any of these things...I am NOT! And if this schedule works for you, GREAT!!!! More power to you! However, I do not feel like I am doing my children any injustice by working outside of the home and sending one to daycare and one to public school. However, many blogs, websites, facebook pages, etc. can make you feel as if you are a little bit less of a mother or wife or Christian because of these choices. Also, to my stay at home mom friends (and I have lots of them)..you know I do not ever diminish or make light of what you do...we ain't all cut out of that mold! (Just for the record, I love a schedule...my claim to fame is a strict 8 PM bedtime for my kids...but relinquish that this is not the ONLY acceptable choice...it simply works for us!)
My point in all of this rambling is that we are missing the point! Isn't the point to let our light shine before men?
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
The light we are supposed to be shining is not our light and what great things we have done and what great mothers, wives, and Christians we are. Our light should always point to Him! Our light should not be divisive or offensive and our light should not try to outshine others. When we are shining towards Him and looking to Him, we don't know what others' lights look like! Sometimes we get so wrapped up in comparing ourselves to others that we forget whose opinion really matters! Trying to outdo/impress one another, whether it be through the wonderful activities we design for our children, or the exhaustingly rigid routine that we have perfected, or by the Christian education we are providing for our children in our homes, or by the wonderful homemade recipes we come up with (and you know I love to cook so I'm preaching to myself here) ...all takes away from the One who we should all be striving to please in the first place.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Again, none of these things are innately bad. Competing with them is distracting, consuming, and harmful. I am not against any great activities or sharing them. You know I love to share a quote or picture of my crazy kids. And because someone shared their idea, we did a wonderful activity at Christmas time with a paper chain with scriptures (I'll share sometime). Sharing is great...but let us all watch the spirit in which we share. I should not be trying to outdo you but to please Him!
Let us all remember "we are his workmanship"...Ephesians 2:10.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.... (that's the southern version)!
Final disclaimer here: I know there are some run - on sentences here and my mother and sister will cringe but I can't fix it...too much typing as I was thinking.
There seems to be a ever increasingly popular trend in this strange cyber world that consumes many of our waking hours of blogging about, posting, linking pictures, etc of the innovative and creative things that we are doing to raise our family and to boast of what a wonderful job we are doing as mothers, wives, and Christians. It seems if you do not plan a daily routine around educational, biblical based activities for you children, then you are less of a mother and certainly a less than stellar Christian. If you love your child then you will have morning educational time, then a healthy sandwich cut into Larry from the Veggie Tales for lunch, then an on schedule nap at 11:57. While the offspring are sleeping peacefully in their beds, you should first exercise then spend the next hour planning the next month's lessons while washing clothes with your homemade clothes detergent and reading a highly educational and challenging non - fiction book. According to schedule you must wake the children up at 1:57...2 hours is ample time for a nap and we all know you should have your children trained to not get out of their bed until they are given permission (if they happen to already be awake). The afternoon should be spent on their studies and possible physical activity outside where children should be identifying various leaves and insects that are in the biome in which they live. All of this will be followed by a fully balanced dinner......OK I'll stop! But you get the idea!
There was recently a Facebook post of a mother who was in essence challenging this idea of the perfect mother and wife. And I do not want this to sound as if I am against any of these things...I am NOT! And if this schedule works for you, GREAT!!!! More power to you! However, I do not feel like I am doing my children any injustice by working outside of the home and sending one to daycare and one to public school. However, many blogs, websites, facebook pages, etc. can make you feel as if you are a little bit less of a mother or wife or Christian because of these choices. Also, to my stay at home mom friends (and I have lots of them)..you know I do not ever diminish or make light of what you do...we ain't all cut out of that mold! (Just for the record, I love a schedule...my claim to fame is a strict 8 PM bedtime for my kids...but relinquish that this is not the ONLY acceptable choice...it simply works for us!)
My point in all of this rambling is that we are missing the point! Isn't the point to let our light shine before men?
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
The light we are supposed to be shining is not our light and what great things we have done and what great mothers, wives, and Christians we are. Our light should always point to Him! Our light should not be divisive or offensive and our light should not try to outshine others. When we are shining towards Him and looking to Him, we don't know what others' lights look like! Sometimes we get so wrapped up in comparing ourselves to others that we forget whose opinion really matters! Trying to outdo/impress one another, whether it be through the wonderful activities we design for our children, or the exhaustingly rigid routine that we have perfected, or by the Christian education we are providing for our children in our homes, or by the wonderful homemade recipes we come up with (and you know I love to cook so I'm preaching to myself here) ...all takes away from the One who we should all be striving to please in the first place.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Again, none of these things are innately bad. Competing with them is distracting, consuming, and harmful. I am not against any great activities or sharing them. You know I love to share a quote or picture of my crazy kids. And because someone shared their idea, we did a wonderful activity at Christmas time with a paper chain with scriptures (I'll share sometime). Sharing is great...but let us all watch the spirit in which we share. I should not be trying to outdo you but to please Him!
Let us all remember "we are his workmanship"...Ephesians 2:10.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.... (that's the southern version)!
Final disclaimer here: I know there are some run - on sentences here and my mother and sister will cringe but I can't fix it...too much typing as I was thinking.
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