Now If That is Not the Gospel, I Don't Know What Is!

Romans 10:14-17

English Standard Version (ESV)

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[a] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

I have recently been witness to 3 of the funnest

 REAL LIFE REAL PEOPLE

 examples of the GOSPEL in action!!!

Story 1:

A few weeks ago I got to skype with my sister, that is living in Uganda, and my Ugandan friend Hannah.  Hannah is not her real name, I was protecting her because while we were in Uganda in November my new friend turned from being a muslim and became a "Born Again" (that is what they call a Christian in Uganda many times) and her husband was still a muslim.  I wrote about her HERE back in December.  She has continued her walk with the Lord.  She has grown in her faith and she has gone to church and Bible study and has learned much.  She has suffered for her faith, she has been physically beat, but she has not been discouraged.  

And as only God would have it, as I was skyping with my sister and Hannah, Justin and Josh were sharing the Gospel with Hannah's very muslim husband. 

He would not even sit in a chair, as it is unclean.

  But then....BUT GOD......He opened the man's heart and his eyes and he became a "Born again today and forever" (in his words) that very day!!!! 

 He later explained that he had became interested in the Gospel because of the change he saw in his wife.  :) 

 She gave her testimony over and over. 

 Now THAT can only be explained by the TRUTH in God's Word and by His Holy Spirit.

Talk about a day of praises going on all over the world.  The families in Uganda were praising God and us in the U.S. that have prayed for this precious family were praising on this side of the world!!

Story 2:

God's sweet Redemption is the Gospel. 

 Good News is what it is called. 

 When people think there is no hope, they are wrong, there is always hope, there is 

always LOVE 

and there is NEVER a situation or a person that is too far gone to

 REDEEM. 

 We have recently been a part of a story that is playing out with

 GOOD NEWS and HOPE for the future

 and REDEMPTION.

I need to be sensitive to all the people involved  so I will just let the picture tell a story. 

 Someday I will share more because it is a God story, but for now, just know that God is at work.

We could not be more excited about how God is allowing us to be a part of something only He could orchestrate.

Story 3:

The most recent story happened yesterday, and oh how I wish I had pictures, but I don't so I will just tell it the best way I can. 

 We had baptism Sunday at church, and there were 10 amazing stories, and 10 courageous people that made their faith public and took the awesome step of baptism.  2 of the baptisms were father and son and we were all a bit teary and choked up about the whole thing.  Both of these guys are well respected men in the community and known and loved by many. 

 But then.......when it was all said and done and the pastor asked if there was anyone else.....the 

grandpa

stepped forward and after being reminded about his hearing aids :), he got in the water trough and his newly baptized son and grandson got to baptize him. 

3 generations making a public declaration of their faith in Jesus!!!

 I'm telling you it turned into a full on sob fest.

It is no longer a "cowboy church" it's a "cryboy church".

 Tears of JOY unspeakable!!!

In Lashae's words:

NOW, IF THAT IS NOT THE GOSPEL, 

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

People I am here to tell you, if you are not involved in sharing the Gospel in some capacity, even if it is simply standing and clapping praises to God when others are getting baptized, you are missing out on the best part of this life.

Hellos and Goodbyes

 Charsie and I sneeked off to Kah-Nee-Tah with Reece and Maezie a few weeks ago. 

 Little did I know God was just giving me a day for exactly what I always need before we bring a

 "new one" 

home.

 With everyone of my kids God has blessed me with some sunshine and relaxation.

 It just gives me the energy and the frame of mind I need to labor.   

The cutest kids!!!!!

I wrenched my back a bit yesterday as I was "nesting" and cleaning out stuff and moving furniture around and making room in this house for more "life". 

 Charsie and I worked hard and we all ready. 

 As a result, I feel like I have had back labor for about 24 hours.  haha. 

 I wouldn't want to add a child to our family without some physical labor and some stretch marks. Right?  :) 

I really believe if God waited to make changes until I felt ready.....nothing would ever change because I would never FEEL ready.  I thank God that He does not base His gifts or His timing on my

 FEELINGS.

 We recently welcomed Kole home and then had to turn around just a few days later and say goodbye again (only for a month, thankfully).  I have that familiar ache back in my heart that takes up residence when my chicks are not in my nest.  

This picture tells a story.....Rebecca is one of my bestest friends EVER.  We have done a lot of life together. We have ran more miles and prayed more prayers together than I can even count.
  Our kids have grown up together.
 Wouldn't you know that God knows all this and cares for each one of us.  He knows what to do to make our mama's hearts feel comfort and joy even as we have to say good bye again. He put our 2 kids that  got the same scholarships but are attending 2 different colleges on the same schedule. He saw fit to put them on the same flight to leave to go do their summer training together.  THAT my friends is just a gift, a gift to me a gift to my son and a gift to my friends.
We got to stand in the airport together and hug and wave at our kids.

 Kole and Taylor.  They are fun and goofy and strong and silly and smart.

I already can't wait for these 2 to get home!!!

As I'm saying goodbye to one kid-o, I'm making room for the next one. 

 Life is wild and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!!

 Wild and full of LOVE!!!!

God is so good!!!

Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord.

God is so good to me and I can tell you He very lovingly "teaches" me things that I need to be taught.  He opens my eyes and my mind to change my heart.  He is pretty strict with me :)  Either THAT, or I have a lot of opinions and blindness that He needs to change and heal in me.  Only He can open the eyes of my heart.

I am not talking about sin.  Sin is something so clear in the Bible and yes He deals with that too, but what I'm talking about is ignorance or misunderstanding.

Here are a few examples of things the Lord has dealt with me on:

Example 1 =  My sister had a dog that was like a family member to them.  This dog got a tumor on her head.  I thought it was nuts for them to spend money on a surgery for a dog.  That VERY week, that I expressed that STUPID opinion, Charsie's little dog got chewed up and spit out by a big dog.  I personally rushed that dog to the vet and begged them to do whatever they could to fix the dog, I did not care WHAT it cost.

Example 2 = I used to THINK "food allergies" were dumb.  I didn't really express this opinion out loud, but I would give an inward eye roll when I would hear about food allergies.  I just thought the person with the allergy didn't really "like" the food, so they claimed an allergy.  Then God gave me Luke, who was severely allergic to many foods.  Luke no longer has food allergies because God also brought us to a natural Dr. that could help Luke, and now I often tell people with food allergies of our experience and I have great compassion.

Example 3 = Eczema.  My old way of thinking, "put on some lotion for Pete sake".  Then I got Reece who had horrible eczema.  I NOW have compassion and I understand it is not a matter of good lotion application.  :)

Example 4 = Kids that spoke their mind and voiced their questions ALL THE TIME.  Anyone who knows Reece does not need further explanation.  I now have such a love for kids with this kind of passion and honesty that I'm drawn to these types of  kids vs. being irritated by their "boldness" and "loudness".

God knows my heart and He knows what needs changed and how to change it.

Here is my current "heart change":

I have not understood people that could disrupt an adoption.  (adoption disruption, for those of you who don't know is when a child has been adopted into a family and it just doesn't work....there are many reasons for this sad event).  I just didn't "get it".  Now, we are smack dab in the middle of caring for a family that is going through an adoption disruption.  We can totally see what happened and we have such compassion and understanding on this broken family.  We believe what they are doing for this child is the best for all involved.  I could have not have said that before, and now that my mind and heart have been opened and changed I know that this is true.  Our hearts are broken for a family that is broken, and our hearts are also full of thanksgiving to God for letting us be a part of the restoration of this family.

Restoration, in the form that we get to adopt another child into our family (yay) and by doing that...... we are allowed to be a part of helping a family and a child heal.  They just get to heal separately. 

Pretty amazing how God works!!!!  Praise God.

I will announce our newest addition soon.  

Boo for Pride

I was born into a Christian family and was raised in a Christian home.
  It really is the most blessed life on the planet.  God is so amazing and so alive and faithful.
 I grieve the years that I knew Him, but didn't pay much attention to Him.
 UGH.
  I was missing out big time.  I'm so glad He never left me and He just kept drawing me back.
 He is so good and patient.

As a young girl and still today, I have listened to and  admired  people that are living to glorify God.
 I love watching people  that God can use to do amazing things in the name of Jesus. I have seen God do great things through ordinary people, that are willing to be used..... and I have also seen some of these people fall HARD right in the midst of their ministry.

 It happens in ministry and in life many times and it is heartbreaking. I think of Judus (who betrayed Jesus) and to think that he walked with Jesus for over 3 years just like the other 11 disciples.
  He saw the same miracles and heard the same teaching and he still betrayed Him.
  This reality terrifies me.

I have been asking the Lord in my time with Him....How does this happen?  How can He let this happen?  It is heartbreaking to me...I can't imagine what it does to Him.

I have been pleading with God to show me, teach me, protect me, because I know I'm the
 WORST
 at wandering off track. 

Here's what I was shown this morning in my Beth Moore Bible study homework:

***side note***

I love Beth Moore but I don't put her on a pedestal well at least I try not too  It's hard because she is so dang good at what she does.  .I know it is God and God alone working in her.  It would be unfair to elevate her, because that is what causes so many to fall or stray.   

"They begin to believe their own press"...and that my friends is Bethy's own words!!
****

Here's what 2 Chronicles 26:5 and 16 say about King Uzziah.  

⁵ He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

**yay...he's on track doing good and seeking God**

¹⁶ But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God 

**boo...dang PRIDE got him.  It ends horrible...he does his own thing his own way and God strikes him with leprosy and he dies and is remembered for the leprosy.

I have seen and have personally experienced God and His work.
  There is no high like the Most High!!!
 I beg Him to help me to remember to point to
 GOD AND GOD ALONE
 when He chooses to use me and allows me to be a part of something He is doing.

Pray for the people you look up to in the faith - your leaders, and pastors and teachers and missionaries,

 PRAISE GOD

 for them!!! And

 PRAISE GOD

 for using them and

 PRAISE GOD

 with them, 
but don't praise them, it's not fair to them.  

Respect them, encourage them, support them, love them, help them, cheer for them,
PRAY FOR THEM,
 but don't praise them or their work it is God and it is HIS WORK.  

GOD WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY!!!!

PRAISE GOD CHURCH!!!!  AMEN!!!!!

God Blesses Me

Praise the Lord!!!!

My Lord absolutely blessed my socks off this weekend.  

I had the PRIVILEGE of going to a Beth Moore conference in Eugene. 

My sister and I planned a weekend that encompassed all our favorite things!!

We got to spend time together, in the Word, and worshiping together with 7300 other women.

  It was FANTASTIC!!!

BETH MOORE brought us a word from the WORD. 

She DELIVERED a word about TIME that I will be chewing on for quite a

 LONG TIME.

In the above picture, I am between 2 of my favorite peeps in the world.  I am between my sister, and one of Lashae's besties,  Brooklyn, she  is one of Lashae's best friends since they were little girls.

I love this girl like my very own.  

It was really something special to enjoy the conference with these ladies.  

Then in the picture below I am with more sweet friends, my pastor's wife and her mom. 

 These ladies are so incredible and they just ooze Jesus all over the place. 

They are both as gorgeous on the inside as they are on the outside. 

After the conference was over, Marlece and I headed over to pick up our 

RACE PACKETS

We ran a 1/2 marathon,

 13.1 miles

  on Sunday along with 8000 other people.  

It was a beautiful day.

We decided to run in support of Hayley, our cousin, who is battling breast cancer right now.

Courage is her logo!

 We wore shirts with her logo on the front.

Hebrews 12:1-2

New Living Translation (NLT)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^[a] Because of the joy^[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

And the bold print in the above verse on the back.

God just lavished His love on me...He is always good and always loving, and this weekend, He went crazy just showing me and reminding me that He loves me and He knows me and He cares for me.

  He spoiled me rotten is what He did.

The weather

the company,

the conference,

 the food,

the run, 

the drive,

it was all beautiful beautiful beautiful!!!

My Auntie Dolly who is in the middle of us in this picture, is a precious precious lady in our lives.

  We enjoyed spending time with her and her family.  She spoiled us just like she did when we stayed with her when we were little.

Hayley is her daughter in law.

I'm so thankful to God for such a GLORIOUS weekend!!!

  It will take me a bit of TIME to recover  from such  a blessed 

TIME!!!