Saying "NO"

            This is one thing that was shared on at our church’s Bible School. I’ll go into more detail in a later post, but for now I thought I’d give you the quote to think on . . .

“Learn to say “NO”. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.”

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Why?

That's the question that we often hear when difficult or heart-breaking situations arise. It’s a question that many of us, myself included, struggle with.

Yesterday some of us attended the funeral of the young man I mentioned at the beginning of this post. There were thousands of people praying for his healing, but after two and a half weeks the Lord saw it best to take his life. At a time like this many ask, “Why?” He was young, much of his life still ahead of him. He had a wife and unborn son. It could seem like a senseless death. How feeble and limited our human understanding is! If only we could see everything that God can see, we would not call it senseless. We would not doubt that it was perfect. (That does not at all mean that it is easy or that we should not weep with those who weep.)

Step for just a moment from the human-centered and earth-focused point of view. Instead of asking, “Why did God allow this?”, think about the question, “Why does God ever give us anything good?” Why would a perfect and holy God allow such a wicked world to go on? Because of His great mercy!

So many ask why God would allow bad things to happen. He is in complete control and could stop everything wrong in no time. Think about what that would mean, though. If He stopped everything that wasn’t perfectly good and holy right now, almost everyone on earth would be gone. However, because of His love and mercy and His desire that none should perish, He has patience with us and does not destroy us all right now. In fact, He even gives us many good gifts! I think that it is our perspective that is wrong. Instead of looking at what we think is bad, let’s look at the wonderful things God does for us each day – things that He certainly doesn’t need to do.

Another thing to consider when trials come is that life can be compared to a beautiful picture that God is painting. We can only see what is being painted right now. A good painting consists of all colors – including gray. At the time when God is painting the gray, that is all we can see. We don’t see the yellow that He will paint afterwards, and we often don’t remember the blue that He painted before.

The following song is called “Blessings”, by Laura Story. [Disclaimer: I do not endorse the music that Laura Story produces.] I came across these lyrics while I was thinking on this subject and I think that its message fits very well.

Blessings

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Refrain:

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Refrain

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?
What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?
What if trials of this life,
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights,
Are your mercies in disguise?

God or His Work? - Abortion Mill Update

One danger that any of us who are involved in Christian ministry (and that should be every follower of Jesus Christ!) need to watch out for is the tendency to get so caught up in God’s work that we lose our focus on God Himself. So here is a word of encouragement and caution, to myself first of all. If we do not keep God first (even neglecting ministry if we must, although that is not God’s desire), at some point we will not have the strength to go on. Also, we will not have God and His truth and joy within us to pour out to those we are ministering to. This has been a thought on my mind for the past few weeks, and was again yesterday morning as we ventured out to the clinic.

We had the privilege of joining two fellow pro-lifers, one nicknamed “The Gatekeeper”, as well as the mobile ultrasound unit team out on the front lines. Yesterday morning was the coldest morning I’ve been out yet, and people’s hearts seemed to be much the same. No one (that we know of) turned away from the place of death. However, God’s truth was proclaimed, help was offered, and we did have a few interesting interactions.

One young man driving by on the road stopped a short way up from the mill entrance and actually backed up on the road so that he could pull in and talk to us! He wondered what we were doing and we were able to share with him that little children were being killed there and God’s perspective on that. When we first began talking he immediately brought in the question about rape cases, but by the end of our conversation he seemed to agree with us.

I think that the situation that made me the saddest (they’re all very sad but some seem to touch us in a certain way) was a family that came in a red convertible. The woman’s mother went inside with her so that the woman’s husband/boyfriend could stay out in the car with their (maybe three-year-old?) twin daughters. The man seemed very restless – changing parking spaces, leaving several times, in and out of his car . . . Their little daughters were so adorable and it was heartbreaking to think of what that family will go through now.

The third most significant contact was with a couple as they were driving out. They said that they had been there for birth control removal and that the reason they went there was because it was thousands of dollars cheaper than other places. When asked if she would get pregnant now if they would keep the baby, they identified as Jehovah’s Witness and said that they were against abortion. We talked with them for a bit and gave them an information packet.

So, my friends, as each one of you go and minister in whatever way God has called you to, remember to keep God first. His work is never more important than Him!

In Christ Alone

After a full and blessed week like the one the one that I’ve just had of Biblical teaching from older, godly men, fellowship with other like-minded young people, singing beautiful, God-honoring hymns, and times of prayer and sharing, it’s hard to know what to say. What can you say?! Some of the most beautiful things that God does just can’t be put into words. But after all the rich spiritual blessings I’ve received, I’m going to attempt to share some of them here.

While I get some of my thoughts together, I’ll share one of the songs we young people practiced in choir during the week. The phrase that blessed me the most is in the third verse: “And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me”. Amazing! As you read, really think about what this song is saying. It’s message is powerful!

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

An Example of Those Who Believe

Due to our church having a Youth Bible School, this blog will be quiet for the next week. I thought I’d share our Bible School verses here––

Our theme verse: “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” ~ I Timothy 4:12

            And the verse that all of us youth are supposed to memorize: “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” ~ Titus 2:6-8

            We might be young, but if we take the instruction of these verses then we can, as William Carey said: “Expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.” Let’s do it!

What Selfishness Does - Abortion Mill Update

I have had a lot of opportunity recently to think about selfishness and what it does to people. What it does is not pretty. In fact, it is very, very sad and ugly.

Just a few days ago, a young man from our area who goes to a sister church of ours became the victim of someone’s selfishness. He, a completely innocent man, was shot by burglars. (Burglars are, by definition, selfish. Why else would they rob a home?) We are all praising the Lord that the young man is still alive, but because of the selfishness of another person this young man is now in a hospital ICU. He, as well as his wife and unborn child, family, friends, and even many people who had never met him before are hurting – all because of the selfishness of another.

There are many thousands of people all around the world who suffer and die every day because of selfishness. These victims of selfishness are babies, killed by abortion. If you think about the reasons given for abortion, they always boil down to selfishness and what I think is best for me:

“I don’t have enough money” (to raise a child and do and buy everything that I want)

“I don’t want anyone to find out what I did” (fornication, adultery, rape, etc.)

 “I don’t want to have a child with Downs Syndrome or anything else” (that would hurt my pride)

“I don’t want to be sick” (while I’m pregnant)

And the list just goes on.

It’s hard to describe this morning out at the abortion mill . . . my mind is still trying to deal with the horror and sadness of that place . . .

I arrived almost half an hour before the doors to the mill opened and there were already at least fifteen vehicles waiting in the parking lot. That number is up very high from the last time I was out, and the numbers continued that way throughout the morning. My main spot was manning the clinic’s driveway – attempting to hand out packets of information and/or talk to those pulling in.

One of the more significant interactions I had with anyone came about half way through the morning as a vehicle with two women was pulling out of the clinic. The abortionist had not yet arrived.

I noticed that the passenger had her head in her hands, but I couldn’t tell if she was crying or not. Indeed not – when she lifted her head she was laughing. I was a bit puzzled. Why would she be laughing? Had she changed her mind? I stepped up to the vehicle, extending an information packet toward the driver.

The driver shook her head at me. Through her half-open window, she told me, “that’s not for me, I don’t need it.”

“Did you come here for an abortion?” I asked.

“No.”

Motioning to her passenger, “Did you bring your friend for an abortion?”

“No.”

Okay, I know this trick. They are trying to make me think I don’t know why they are here. So – “but all they do here is abortions.”

The driver just shrugged her shoulders.

I again extended the packet of information toward the driver. “Would you take this?”

“Sure.” She reached out and took the packet, and then drove off in response to the “prompting” of one of the bouncers. The interaction with these ladies had seemed a bit strange to me.

Moments later, I learned from someone else on the sidewalk that there had been three women in that car when it went in. So that’s why they were talking and acting that way to me! Deceitful . . . But at least I praise God that I got that packet into her hands. If only I would have been able to get it into the hands of the one who needed it more right at that moment! But I had no idea. Learning from my mistakes, I would have asked them why they were there, then, if they weren’t there for an abortion. I wonder what they would have said . . .

There were a number of other interactions – the girl that looked so young (that really broke my heart), the grandma who said she didn’t care if her grandchild was going to be ripped apart, the woman who tried to talk her friend out of getting an abortion during their drive to the clinic (the mother was in tears, too, but felt like she “needed” to for various reasons), and more.

The spiritual battle out there on the front lines is real, and I was extra aware of it today. There is a struggle going on between the light and the darkness. Selfishness is always on the side of darkness. God’s way of light is to forget about ourselves. As in everything else, Jesus is the perfect example of selflessness.

Forget about yourself today and be a sunbeam in someone else’s life!

By Permission

“Every abortion clinic should have a sign in front of it saying, ‘Open by permission of the church.’” 

~ Francis Shaeffer

Ouch! 

Are we going to do anything about it?

One of God's Gifts . . .

Sisters!

To my five sisters – I love you all so much! You are God’s gifts to me!

Sisters touch your heart in ways no other could. Sisters share . . . their hopes, their fears, their love, everything they have. 

~ Carrie Bagwell

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. 

~ Cali Rae Turner

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. 

~ Isadora James

Thanksgiving

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Ten things that I’m feeling very thankful for today:

1.     My Heavenly Father who cares about every detail of my life

2.     Jesus Christ who was obedient even to death and made my reconciliation to God and the forgiveness my of sins possible

3.     The Holy Spirit who lives within me and makes intercession to God on my behalf

4.     God’s Word, the truth

5.     The ability to worship and obey God (even if these freedoms are being limited more and more now, we still have more than some people)

6.     My very dear parents and siblings – all ten of them!

7.     A loving church family and so many friends

8.     Fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink (it is often easy for me to take these things for granted, but they are no small gifts)

9.     The ability to enjoy God’ creation, including the use of my eyes and ears

10.   Last, but not least, over three hundred children (and mothers, etc.) saved from abortion in “our” city alone so far this year!!

I Know He'll Pilot Me

Although I cannot see the way

O’er life’s tempestuous sea,

I know that Jesus is my friend,

And that He’ll pilot me.

Dark clouds may gather in the sky,

And rough the sea may be;

His love shall ever be my song,

I know He’ll pilot me.

Dear Lord what e’er the storm may be,

I’ll simply trust in Thee;

Relying on Thy love so true,

To safely pilot me.

By His hand He’ll pilot me over life’s tempestuous sea,

When my blinded eyes can’t see cannot see the way, the way,

Let come what may, let come what may, on life’s dark and stormy sea,

My dear Lord, blessed Lord, He will pilot, pilot me.

~ Author Unknown

Warfare - Abortion Mill Update

In the warfare that is raging for the truth and for the right,
When the conflict fierce is raging with the powers of the night,
God needs people brave and true; may He then depend on you?

See, they come on sable pinions, come in strong Satanic might,
Powers come and dark dominions from the regions of the night.
God requires the brave and true; may He then depend on you?

From His throne the Father sees us; angels help us to prevail;
And our Leader true is Jesus, and we shall not, cannot fail.
Triumph crowns the brave and true; may the Lord depend on you?

May the Lord depend on you?
Loyalty is but His due;
Say, O spirit brave and true,
That He may depend on you!

This hymn is one that has meant a lot to me since I started pro-life work, and I think of it almost every time I go out to the mill. This Monday was no different despite the absence (for which we were very thankful) of the pro-choice woman who has been out a lot recently.

I spent most of the morning outside the building next to the mill (which is the call center for the mill) holding our sign “Stop and Talk”. That turned out to be a good thing as most of the people who came, seeing the sign, assumed that building was the mill and pulled in there. That way we had all the time they walked into the call center, came out, and walked across the parking lot and into the mill to call out to them. That’s more than twice as much time as we usually have!

The morning started out slowly as far as people going to the mill. Only one couple came early and while they were standing outside the front doors waiting for them to be unlocked, we were able to speak to them for a while. A few minutes later they got in their car and drove away, but not before they had heard quite a bit! We were hoping they wouldn’t come back, but they did.

Also early on, a man came onto the sidewalks (we didn’t see exactly where he had come from) and began videoing us on his cell phone. When asked if he had brought a woman for an abortion, he replied that no, he hadn’t, but he knew one who was contemplating abortion and wanted her to see and hear what we were doing. One of our especially strong and effective speakers was speaking right then, so I am thankful that he got to hear that. We pray that it will be able to reach the woman, too. After a few minutes he walked on up the road and we didn’t see him again that day.

We were able to give out two of our packets of material. The first one was to a couple who pulled in to the call center. After giving them the packet we asked them to pull over and talk to us, but they just kept driving in. The man in the vehicle assured us he would be over after he parked. As they walked in to the call center and then over to the mill, we again asked them to come over. He repeated that he would be over in a minute. We did not see him again, but later learned that he had come down after a while and talked to one of the other men on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, but delaying, he forfeited his opportunity to save the woman and child he brought.

The other packet we gave was to a man who had brought his neighbor who works in the call center. He kept insisting that it was “just a job”. We tried to explain how, by working there, she was supporting what was happening in the mill and therefore her pay was blood money. We also told him that by driving her there, he was responsible for enabling that to happen, as well. He listened to what we said (and might have stayed longer if the bouncer hadn’t come down) but didn’t seem to agree with us. Lord, convict him!

There is a battle going on all around us “for the truth and for the right”! May the Lord depend on YOU?