His Love Endures Forever

We've finally moved all of our things from Amarillo where from among other treasures, the kids found their sleeping bags. They are all snuggled down in them soaking in the warmth from the fire. There is a peace in our home tonight I thought we'd never know again.

One year, on the anniversary of his successful liver transplant, my dad used Psalm 118 to remember all the ways God's love had been demonstrated to him and our family. He took the stanzas and made them personal for all God had brought us through. Since I am overwhelmed with thankfulness and unsure how to express it all I decided to do the same.

Psalm 118 reads . . .

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”

Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.”

Let those who fear the LORD say:

“His love endures forever.”

When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

The LORD is with me; he is my helper.

I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them down.

I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and my defense;

he has become my salvation.

Now to make it personal. . .

God has redeemed us and is restoring our life.

His Love endures forever . . .

God renewed our sense of calling and placed us in a field of lost souls.

He has helped us be effective, provided a facility and given us a vision for growth.

His love endures forever . . .

God has gone before us in so many instances and given us favor with people we hardly knew.

His love endures forever . . .

We have a church family who prays for us, serves with us and encourages us daily.

His love endures forever . . .

We have learned to make family a priority. God is blessing our marriage

and enriching the lives of our children.

His love endures forever . . .

In a two week span our family battled colds, the flu then croup.

One by one the kids are healing and were all able to go back to school this week.

His love endures forever. . .

I have the love of Chad, David, Sean and Ruby.

His love endures forever . . .

My mother and best friend.

His love endures forever . . .

We get to see Chad's parents more often and share in special days. Last month after I told Chad's aunt Mary how much I appreciated them travelling all the way to Oklahoma from Kansas to help with lunches

she said, "We're family. We support each other!"

His love endures forever . . .

He has provided extra work so we can make ends meet.

His love endures forever . . .

By God's hand we were lead to a beautiful school called King's Gate Christian School

where our children are learning and growing in wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

This opportunity is one of the greatest testaments to God's faithfulness to us and we are thankful everyday.

His love endures forever . . .

Chad left Monday to gather up all of the things we left behind in Amarillo.

It was the last week to sell our home and the bank had already taken steps to foreclose the property.

While Chad was in Amarillo the realtor called and asked if we would be willing to accept a short sale.

A couple had been waiting for their preapproval and praying we would accept their offer.

By the end of the evening the contracts were signed and a burden is being lifted.

His love endures forever . . .

We went from having to visit the food pantry for our own family in February

to serving 960 meals in the month of October.

His love endures forever . . .

What started with one family in our living room grew to over 60 in worship each Sunday.

Last month we baptized four new followers of Christ.

His love endures forever . . .

I have a home being built for me in Heaven, by my Creator, Savior and Lord, so that

where HE is I can one day spend eternity.

His love endures forever . . .

"You are my God and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt you."

Psalm 118:28

Broken Bottles

Saturday Morning I took the kids to the trails at Lake Hefner just to walk. It was a beautiful day, but the lake level is very low. The sun was hitting the beach area around the water and all of us were distracted by all the glass sparkling in the mud. We stopped and carefully pulled some of the pieces out, brought them home and cleaned them off. I guess I'll make something out of them. They were just too beautiful to leave behind.

I lead the ladies Bible Study last night. Two women came who did not know each other before. All of us have a relationship with The Redeemer and this was our common bond. We shared our stories together. One lady had been in Prison. She said the day she was released she came home got on her knees and prayed for Salvation. The other lady had been on her own since she was 16. Both expressed how living in these apartments they felt alone until one of them saw us leading worship on the tennis courts. The other lady saw pastor Chad praying with her neighbor. They shared how they felt God had sent us here just for them. As I was falling asleep, I wrote this poem.

BROKEN BOTTLES

You're just a piece of what used to be a whole

Now your sharp and ragged edges show

Stuck in the mud where by the waves you were buried

Still the light hits and your beautiful colors shine through

Try to remember who claimed you once,

Then try to forget who tossed you away

It doesn't matter now what you held or who held you

All the places you were shattered make sense

As He takes the edges down and fits you together

With other beautiful broken pieces

To make something new

My God is Mighty To Save

Sunday  night we met in our new space at Artisan Ridge for the second time. Already we are experiencing a need for more space. After serving the burgers outside on the patio we invited everyone in for worship. As I looked around the room there were families with children, older adults single adults lots of children who came on their own and a group of six young people right up front.

Many of these young people I already knew from the summer. Most of them come by to get a drink and snack in the afternoons after school. There was one fifteen year old boy on the front row who was new to me. He was trying his best to act like he didn’t want to be there.  As soon as I began to lead worship he stuck a pair of headphones in his ears and clapped loudly and off beat with every song we sang.

After worship, we dismissed the children and youth to their classes. I was excited to have the opportunity to teach the youth, especially this young man “Michael” even as he sang, “OUR GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE! MIGHTY TO SAVE!” loud and sarcastically all the way to our class. I said, "See, you thought you were being so cool. Now you can't get that song out of your head!"

Having endured years of this type of behavior I carried on un-phased to teach. However, before starting my lesson I explained to “Michael” he was not obligated to stay. If he would rather listen to his headphones and cut up, he was welcome to leave. Surprisingly he stayed. Then listened intently to my lesson on how “Blind Bartmaeus” cried out in desperation to Jesus knowing Jesus was the only one who could heal his blind eyes and free him from sin.

The next day while cooking dinner I heard the familiar sound of a knock on the door. When I opened it there was “Michael”. He asked, “Is pastor Chad here?” I invited him in to visit with Chad in the living room. He wasn’t hungry, didn’t want anything to drink, but he seemed to just want to talk.

From the kitchen I could hear Michael and Chad’s conversation about football. He plays for John Marshall and had just finished practice. Then he got quiet before he explained to Chad how scared he was right now. His mother is in the hospital. She has abused alcohol her whole life and her kidneys are failing. Michael is living in a less than stable situation with his mom’s boyfriend. Then he said there had been something on his mind from Sunday night. “Why did Jesus HAVE to die?” He asked bluntly.  

It was a perfect opportunity for Chad to witness to this young man who is now realizing, despite all the horribly wrong things in his life – there is Hope.

Calling Artisan Ridge "home" is not always easy for me, it’s a challenge to have the faith to fight discouragement day after day; However, we are desperate to tell the good news and we’re living in a world that is desperate to hear it. Seeing lives transformed day by day to the glory of God keeps us planted. 

A Boy Like Sean

Sean was just four months old at Christmas time and we were making the holiday rounds to see family. One night, towards the end of our travels he woke up with a very high fever and was congested. Our first son, David, was a pretty healthy boy and never did we make any trips to the pediatrician with him other that his well child checks. So, having a small baby with a high fever scared me a little bit.

The nurse at Dr. Young's office was nice enough to call me back in the wee hours of the morning. She gave me instructions to help bring the fever down. I thought if I could keep him comfortable he'd be fine for the rest of the trip.

After two nights of fever and more congestion his breathing sounded much worse so Chad and I decided to take him to the children's hospital in Ft. Worth, the town we were staying in. His oxygen levels were low and his fever was worse, but they called it bronchitis and sent us home with a prescription.

The next day was December 30th and we decided to get home to Amarillo, to get Sean well. New Years eve night Sean started turning blue and he was struggling to breath. His fever was spiking, so we rushed him back to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with Pneumonia.

The good doctor set us up with breathing treatments and other instructions to help clear Sean's lungs then sent us home. I will never forget the next few days. I'd take him into the bathroom and run the shower till it steamed up the place and let him cry as loud as he could to open up his lungs. I just remember holding him, praying over him and thinking how badly I wanted to watch him get better and grow up.

Next week Sean will turn FIVE. What a handsome, funny boy he has turned out to be! He says things all the time that give me insight into the man he might become. God has made each of our children with their own personalities and they each shine in different ways. What Sean does best is make people smile and laugh with his stories of wild adventures. He's always observing the world around him and if he can't study a bug close enough with his naked eye he'll use my old glasses to magnify it. He's very open about what's on his mind and takes matters to heart.

The other day he said emphatically, "I want to be a veterarian when I grow up. If I'm ever working on a turtle. . .and that turtle snaps at me. . .I'll keep working on him because it's my job to take care of him."

Happy almost birthday Sean, we're proud of you. It's a joy to be your mom and to watch you grow in wisdom, stature and favor with God and men!

A Day at the Beach

Chad felt God leading him to come to this prayer event in Houston when he heard about it on the radio last week. Grandma Jennifer generously offered to watch the kids so I could go too. We took the kids over after dinner Thursday night intending to wake up early to drive the next day. Chad, knowing that I’m always up for an adventure, said on his way out the door, “If you can get us packed up we’ll leave tonight and have more time to go to the beach.”

I was on it! Figuring I had at least an hour to get enough clothes together for one night and two days. By the time he came back from taking the kids I was ready. We loaded up in our car that I have affectionately named, “Hatch” as in “Escape Hatch” and headed south.

Chad and I have very different personalities. We are both practical and adventurous, but he is more pragmatic while I am creative and romantic. The key to harmony for us is that we are constantly “making deals”. For instance, Chad knew that I would take less time looking for the perfect bumper sticker at the Truck Stops if he bribed me with watching the sunrise on the beach. So, right at the onset of our trip he said, “If we don’t waste time we’ll get to Galveston just in time for sunrise.” “Who wants to waste time?” I asked innocently.

His trick worked. I was in and out of those truck stops like a man. I didn’t even bother to take a picture of one very funny inscription on the bathroom stalls. I just saved it in my mind and recalled the event to Chad after we were buckled up and on the road.

As a result, we didn’t miss a single shade of pink, purple or orange as the sun came over the horizon. It was beautiful! We took pictures and I thanked my strong sure captain for keeping his word. Then reality set in. By now, we were stinky and sleepy and a few of the other dwarfs. “Now,” I said excitedly “Let’s go shower and sleep!” “We can’t do that” Chad replied. “We can’t check in until 3:00.” In all of our excitement at the thought of getting away together we missed this important little detail.

“Let’s go eat breakfast. That will waste some time”, we told ourselves. We ate, got refills on our drinks and watched the guy clean the fish tank in full snorkel gear at McDonlad’s. Still it was only 8:00 am. and we were both too brain dead to even make polite conversation.

We decided to go to the state park and spend some time on the beach. After playing in the surf for about an hour we came up to the beach to lay down. Even with the sun beaming down on us we both conked out as soon as our eyes shut. I’m guessing we were out for a while since the surfing class that started as we dozed off were receiving certificates of achievement when we woke up.

We showered off in the camp ground bathrooms and drove to the motel. By now, it's only 11:30 am. Chad called the motel and begged for an early check in which they gave us, “your room will be ready at 2:00 pm” they said. I gave up hope and fell asleep again, covered in sand, sun beaming down on me through the car window, in my wet bathing suit smelling like a bait shop. Chad startled me awake by announcing abruptly, “Captain America is starting right now!” I was still feeling disoriented and having trouble figuring what the heck he was talking about. I had also fallen asleep with my mouth open and the air conditioner vent was pointed right at the back of my throat, so I couldn’t even make words. I realized he was talking about waiting out the rest of the time in an air-conditioned movie and was once again, “on board” - as long as he bought me a big icy drink.

Don’t ask how we got our regular clothes back on, but we did. I was concerned about our slobby appearance until we got to the theatre and it looked like everyone else had changed clothes in their trunk too. We enjoyed the movie, came back to the motel, kicked the maid out of our room and slept. Just another day at the beach for us.

Fixing Our Eyes on The Unseen

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Sunday service at our apartment has always been interesting, but last Sunday had an extra dynamic. Chad and I were babysitting a 6 week old baby and his older brother for our “charter members” and friends who were in need of a date night. It’s been a while since I have cared for a newborn baby overnight. I forgot how much they like to keep people company in wee hours of the morning. It was a joy to spend time with Micah, but I knew Sunday morning would be an adventure.

A few weeks ago we started having two services on Sunday. From 9:30 to 10:30 we have children’s church and from 10:30 to 11:30 we have adult services. I actually woke up feeling pretty rested, and Chad was merciful enough to buy donuts for breakfast. I had used the late night hours to study for my lesson, so I was confident to teach.

The children arrived and Micah decided to help out by taking an extra long nap. About mid way through my lesson Chad got a call from the security guard at our apartments. About a week earlier Chad had trouble getting through the gate and asked this guard what the code was. After they talked for a while Chad gave him his card.

Much to our surprise he was calling to find out what time our services start. We have a few other adults who have started coming on Sunday morning regularly. One lady is a widow and prayer warrior. She serves her neighbors in the apartment complex where she lives and has a heart for missions.

After Chad prayed and as he began to preach our neighbor walked through the door. He described how he had moved here from New York to get away from a life of crime and has lived here for only a few months. As Chad preached he listened and followed along in his borrowed Bible.

Sunday afternoon Chad and I were reflecting on our day. Even though it was kind of crazy we were grateful to have had so many children come and to see God moving in the lives of those around us. About that time “Jerry”, the security guard, called. He was under conviction during the sermon about the way he had been living. He said he came to church in search of answers for his life. Chad asked him if he had ever asked Jesus into his heart. He had not. I bowed my head and prayed at our table as Chad led this man to Jesus over the phone.

I don’t know how to explain how we got here – to this place. It is a place of perfect peace in the center of God’s will. Everyday God proves His love for us and His love for those around us. It is in the precious notes and gifts from perfect strangers and longtime friends who are a part of our extended family of God. We are strengthened daily by the prayers of so many of you. Our church family at Quail Springs have served faithfully with us all summer, young and old alike, making lunches, walking door to door, and serving popsicles poolside while children listen to a Bible story.

We have benefitted from wisdom and guidance from Pastors Hance Dilbeck, Ray Griffin and Greg Penna. We’ve been blessed by support from Chad’s family and my mother. We have also grown through a healing of our hearts and renewed sense of calling that can only come from our Heavenly Father.

If we’re looking at our lives in the physical we don’t really amount to much, but when we consider the work God is doing, the souls saved and lives changed we feel unstoppable. We have a glimpse of the walk Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 4: 6-18

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Sold Out

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added. . .” Matthew 6:33

Last week in the midst feeding kids we received a call that the compressor at our home in Amarillo had gone out. I’m not sure what connection Air conditioner compressors have to the universe, but if there is ever a bad time for them to go out – they pick the worst. We were pouring every dime and bit of energy into the work here, and truly did not have the money to drive to Amarillo, much less make the repairs. After we prayed and considered all our options (none of them very good) we decided to go to Amarillo and sell the items we had stored in an attempt to make the money we needed.

It was a quiet drive. The kids were sleeping, and Chad and I both were thinking about how we’d get through the next 24 hours. It’s in moments like these that Satan really doesn’t even have to bring out the big guns to discourage. He can just make a few subtle observations to bring us down. Like, “. . .weren’t you just telling people how great God is all week. Now, you’re resorting to having a garage sale to save a house you aren’t living in?”

We arrived late and woke up early, left the kids in Nana’s care and drove to the old house. I love our old house. It’s in a nice neighborhood and has a pretty yard. In the front is an herb garden my dad helped us build for mother’s day; then Chad built a fenced in garden off the front yard with a view of the park.

I tried not to even look that direction as we opened the gate leading to the storage building containing the last of our worldly possessions. “Trust me, there’s some good stuff in here.”, Chad reassured me. I knew there would be it was all the things, that at one time, we thought we couldn’t live without. While it was good we hadn’t driven this far to sell a perfume bottle collection, I wasn’t thrilled to be setting “our life” out on the lawn.

Piece by piece we did just that. Piece by piece it was carried away until by the end of the day we had made enough (with a little left over) to buy a new A/C compressor all without even setting out a sign. We went ahead and called the guy over to make the repairs, and drove away feeling victorious.

We arrived back in Oklahoma in time to get a good nights rest. The next morning we had the opportunity to speak to several Sunday School classes at Quail Springs Baptist Church. We let people know about the ministry God has made possible so far this summer. Many of them are already involved and wanted to know about our future plans.

It’s hard to think about our own future much less the future of Truth Baptist when we are buried in what appear to be desperate circumstances. Even so, in all of what God has brought our family through He is teaching us there is nothing in this world as trust worthy as His word. Nothing is more powerful than a life lived for Him and we should seek after His Kingdom with our whole hearts. We won’t be disappointed with the result.

In I Kings 18: 20 – 39 we find Elijah challenging the false god of weather, Baal. He told the 450 prophets of Baal to choose a bull, quarter it and put it on their altar. Then he told them to pray for their god to light the fire. After a full day of yelling, cutting themselves and “raving” the prayers to Baal fell on deaf ears. There was no fire and the sacrifice was not consumed.

In verse 30 in says, “Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down.”Elijah set twelve stones representing the tribes of Israel in the name of Yahweh. He dug a trench around the altar and instructed the Israelites to drench the altar with water, not once, not twice but three times.

I can’t get away from the impossible scenario Elijah is creating here. If he’s trying to earn his fire starter merit badge he lost it at digging a trench around the altar and filling it with water.

In show business there is a term used called, “planned spontaneity”. It may look like David Letterman just hops up from his desk and walks down to the sandwich shop and ends up back at his desk to great laughs from the audience. What the unsuspecting public doesn’t realize is that these stunts are all perfectly timed, well rehearsed, scripted actions built in to generate interest.

That is what Elijah was doing here. He wasn’t pacing back and forth, hoping God would come through. He knew no matter how much he drenched that wood the Creator of the universe was in control and could send fire without difficulty. In doing the elaborate show, he got the attention of those who had seen the Baal fall to shame.

In verse 36 it says, “Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, ‘LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel, and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things.”

In order for what we’ve been through personally to make sense and in order to have hope for the future, we must settle some issues in our hearts. Is our faith in God or are we praying at the altar of a false idol? Are we truly serving Him and obeying His word? If so, we should pray with confidence! It is just a matter of time until His word comes to fruition in our lives.

Finally, Elijah prayed, “Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people will know that you Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back.”

Then God sent the fire. His word says Yahweh’s fire fell consuming the offering the stones and the dust. It even burnt up the water in the trench. “When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”