Giver of all Gifts

                                                                   
What does the word “gift” even mean? Here is the dictionaries definition:

1.“something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.”

2. something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned: Those extra points he got in the game were a total gift.

The sound of shredding paper is deafening, the shrieks, the screams, the laughs, the thrills, the joy lighting upon the faces. What Christmas day must look like to the Maker of it! What it must sound like, all combined and done simultaneously! What does He hear on that day? He sees it all and hears everything, and to think, every gift that anyone receives on that day (or any day) they have only because of Him. So really He is the Giver of all gifts!  And I am tempted to think on that day, do I even give thought to the giver of all gifts?

People rushing everywhere, they shove this person aside, running into that cart, grabbing anything and everything in sight. They stand in line after line, hour after hour, just to buy gift after gift for the special people in their worlds. Chaos! Pure chaos! Those are the words that best describe the all dreaded “black Friday.”

From that Friday on, the stores are filled with people looking for gifts for everyone on their lists. Some people’s lists are bigger than others, but their goal is all the same : to get a gift for someone in their world, to make that person feel special and loved.
We all know the feeling of joy, that inexpressible happiness, that surge of love and excitement, that comes when someone opens the gift we bought for them.

Whether you are a millionare and have just gifted your child with the latest  most expensive gifts, or you are the little child who has saved his money to buy his mother her favorite candy bar and give her his home-made card, the joy in giving is all the same. It does not matter whether you spent a lot, a little, or even none at all, a gift is a gift, and the joy of giving is always the same!
I can remember giving someone a gift this past summer, and it was a pretty substantial gift, it cost me something.

I also recall taking part in a “white elephant” in my dorm at Faith a few weeks ago. We were not allowed to spend any money, but rather had to give stuff that we found in our rooms and did not mind giving away. I took great care in going through my room, I made sure to find things that people would want and use. To be quite honest, both joys in giving were the same! Oh sure, the price tags were much, much different, but the joy was the same!

I wonder if the Giver of all gifts feels the same? And to answer that question, I give a definite YES! Why? Because we are made in the very image of God, and so we know that He feels that same joy, that inexpressible happiness.

However His is much different, it is fuller! He knows it better than we do, because ours is marred and tainted by sin, and often has a streak of selfishness in it, making it less tasteful and real. God’s however is pure, and a holy joy! You cannot separate His attributes, He is all merciful and yet all justice at the same time. WE cannot comprehend this because we are finite, and He infinite. So in other words we get only a small ray of this joy, God gets the whole sun! We get a small drop, God gets the whole cup!

I got to thinking about this idea gift giving last night, when I shared the Christmas story (the greatest gift) with the Kids at Kid’s club last night. And ironically, but definitely not coincidental this morning I opened my Bible to Ps. 127:2, and read about gifts that God gives again, see if you can catch it:

“It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.”

Did you catch that gift? Sleep! God gives us sleep! He invented it, made it so that our bodies needed it, why He even provided a specific time for it, when there is minimal light so that we can get the rest we need!

Ironically the next verse I read in devotions also holds another gift inside of it. Psalm 127:3:

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.”

This one is more well-known. We have often seen it on posters in the nursery. And I’m sure that you, like me, have used this passage to remind you of this truth, especially when the children in your world are being exceptionally hard!

While I was encouraged reading about these two gifts that my Beloved Heavenly Father has given me, and while it was a joy to reflect on the specific “rest” He has given me (I let myself sleep in till 6:30 this morning instead of rising at 5am lol). And while I enjoyed reflecting on the specific children He has gifted me with (my cousin whom I get to see everyday, and also another babysitting child my mom watches, my neighbors and the kids at all stars whom I saw last night). While all that was joyful to reflect on and thank the Lord for this morning, I was also spanked by my Father this morning.

The “spanking” is found in the first part of verse 2 of psalm 127.

It says  "It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;”

At first this verse seems to be able to preach and push for a 7pm “go to bed time” and a 9am “wake up time.” This way we would not be rising early, or sitting up late. But that’s where the end of the verse comes in: “To eat the bread of sorrows.” To eat the bread of sorrows is pointless and wasteful. It is meaningless. So NO this verse is not saying go to bed early and wake up late, rather it is telling us to get the rest we need. Not to rise early to do frivolous and pointless things (which would be my tendency because I am an early bird) and not to stay up late doing pointless and frivolous things.
Instead we are to use the time we have been given wisely, so that we will not abuse the gift of sleep that God gives us!

Just like with any gift we give to others, God’s gifts can be abused! That is the point of the first part of Ps. 127:2. It is talking about how we abuse God’s gift of sleep. We want too much, or take too little.

Very tragically, and much worse perhaps, is how the gift found in the next verse (Ps. 127:3) is abused. We all know that the abuse of children, the precious and wonderful gift God has given, has been abused. I don’t need to expound on the ways they are abused: abortion, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. The numbers and ways are countless. The stories sickening, the lives ruined, heart wrenching.

And I have only touched on two of the gifts of God! These two, are gifts God has given, and yet as with every gift He gives, we take them for granted. How often do we unwrap His gifts only to be found ungrateful, wanting more, or wanting something different (and I am not just talking solely about the two gifts of sleep and children above, I am speaking to all His countless gifts!) We are found abusive of the wonderful gifts He gives.

And to think, that He, like us, longs to see us unwrap His gifts and use them. Longs to see the warmth and the smiles light upon our faces, to hear the joyous shrieks, and chuckles and laughter (depending on your age). To see us use them in the proper way, timing, and the proper amount!

But so often He finds us doing the exact opposite! And to think, everyday is a gift giving day for Him! Not just on our birthday, not just on Christmas, but EVERYDAY He LOADS us with gifts to enjoy! And to think that sometimes we do not even notice, we totally miss that He gave us a gift.

Have you ever been there? I’m certain you could easily think of a time that you gave a gift to someone and they abused it, or were ungrateful, or wanted more, or something different, or took too much, or perhaps they didn’t say “thank you” (like the nine lepers) but have you ever given a gift and had the person not even notice that you had given them a gift? To be honest, I’ve had all the above happen, but never had I seen someone not notice a gift I have given. And yet we do that to God, and often it is because we do not even know that He has given us a gift. Or we don’t recognize it as from Him.

And so with those thoughts, spurred by my time with God this morning, my heart was stirred to search scripture and to find more of the gifts from the Giver of all gifts. This way I can be grateful, I can see how not to abuse them! And so here is some of the things I have found. But I did’nt find them all (we may never until we reach Heaven)!!

I would be SO encouraged if you would go and search too! Join my in this quest, to unwrap the gifts from the Giver of ALL GIFTS! Come, join me at the Christmas tree, and please share what you unwrap here as a comment. Share the verse, and what has been given (if it is not explicitly obvious). THANKYOU! And may you and I take great JOY in unwrapping these gifts, and in bringing JOY inexpressible to the Giver’s heart as well!!

The greatest Gift ever given, without whom would be no other gifts: JESUS CHRIST, the sacrifice for sins!
Gen. 3:15 (the Proto evangelium= first mention of the gospel)
“And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

The end of this verse talks about the fact that Satan would bruise Christ’s heal (the crucifixion) which we know would not be that bad of a wound, but Christ would bruise Satan’s head, which is a deadly blow! We have the victory!!

There are countless other places where the greatest of gifts is recorded, but probably the most well known is John 3:16, don’t let this just pass as normal, just mundane, as often it does! Think of the magnitude of love that the Father had for us! For me He died!

John 3:16
“For God so loved”: This answers why He gave the gift, everyone has a reason as to why they give the gifts they have.

“the World”: You know many many people, but chances are you will not give everyone a gift, but God did!

“That He gave”:Just like all His gifts, or any gift for that matter, it is undeserved and you can’t do anything to earn it!

“His only Son.”: It was’nt like so many of the gifts that we give, which take really no sacrifice at all. This was His one and ONLY Son! This was a sacrifice!

“That whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but will have everlasting life.”: All gifts have a benefit, a certain reason and way that they bring joy to the gifted, and the gift that God gave was no different! Jesus Christ would bridge the gap, He would make it possible for humans, the created, to once again have fellowship with God, the Creator!

Imagine it, before there was time, God decided to make a world with the Holy Spirit and Jesus His Son. And they all are omniscient, they know everything, even the future, they knew that one of their top creations (Angel, Lucifer) would fall, and with Satan many other angels would fall as well. And they also could see what would happen next, they knew that Satan would tempt Eve, and she would fall and Adam with her. And that sin would reign in every man’s heart after them.

They saw and knew this would happen. But they also knew that Jesus would pay the price. Jesus would do it, it was planned from the beginning of time, and out of love for man!

It is the gift that surpasses ALL time!! It is the One gift that we always will have!

Here are some of the first gifts that were placed under the Christmas tree of life:

1. Gen 1-2: He gave us creation!!!

2.Gen. 2:7: He has given us a body (“He formed man”). And He has given us life, and not just life like the animals have, He breathed into us eternal life! Two deep and crucial truths can be found within this gift.

A. We are separate from animals. We are different!
B. We will live forever! No matter who you are you will live FOREVER. The question is not if you will live forever, but rather where you will live (heaven or hell) and how you will live. If Hell is the destination then it will be a life forever stuck in ones sinful heart and depraved body.

The worse thing about hell is perhaps not the heat, perhaps not the darkness, perhaps not the thirst, but rather that one is stuck forever in their sin, unquenched, and growing day by day but never satisfied!

Or if the destination is Heaven, then life abundant, free from sin and with your Savior, finally able to Worship Him in truth and out of a pure heart!

So the gift in this verse is life eternal:

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

3.Gen. 2: 21-24: God gave us companionship, (this is the passage where He created Eve for Adam). He gave us family as well.

4. Gen. 1:29: He gave us plants specifically:

Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;

5. Genesis 9:2 : God gave us the fear of man in animals, and aren’t you glad! I mean it is bad enough when they do have the fear of man (we still hear of animals attacking people) can you imagine how much worse it could be without the fear of man in animals? Can you imagine what it would be like if the dominion mandate had not been given?

“And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.”

6. Genesis 12:7: This obviously applies only to those who are of Jewish descent. God has given the land of Israel to the Israelites:

Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

I’ve barely scratched the surface folks! There is much more to be found in Scripture! To be shared just from your own life! Please share! So that we can join one another in thanks to our Wonderful, Gracious, merciful, loving, GIVER OF ALL GIFTS!!

So please share!!!

The hidden war

The sound of cannons pierce the early morning air. You rush out of bed and over to the nearest window. There in your front yard the lines have been drawn. The red against the blue, they are lined up in one of the most awful and stupid war tactics ever seen, and yet there they are before your very eyes, fighting on your property. You watch in horror as men drop dead on both sides.  A voice behind you asks “mama (or papa) what’s happening?” You turn around to face your young child . You really hope that you can deter his attention to something other than the war that’s going on outside in the fields he plays in. “Nothing son…let’s get breakfast.”
 “That’s not nothing! Tell me, it’s the redcoats battling the blues!” The excitement in his voice is clearly evident. “I hope the blues’ win!” You, his parent, cannot deny what is clearly seen, you are forced to face the reality and share it with your son.

 The civil war was no different either. It would have been very hard to say “there’s no war going on.” It was not even a thought that could rationally be thought! There was no denying that lines had been drawn and that war was waging.

But that’s not how it is today. The war is not on our property, it is not within our country, and thus if we do not have a relative fighting over there, it comes easy to just forget about it. We live so peaceably, so mundanely often, that we don’t even turn our minds there. It is deep within the recesses of most of our minds (with the exception of those whose brave loved ones have gone over there and are serving there currently).

 Ever catch yourself saying after a news report on this war with Iraq “wow…I almost forgot that there was a war going on.” I mean sure, we know it when we pay for gas and groceries, and when we catch newspaper clippings and bits of the news. But, if we are completely honest, it is not something that is constantly on our minds. We don’t walk around everywhere constantly thinking “wow there are people over in the east fighting for our lives and freedom.” Those are not constant thoughts, at least not for those of us who are not engaged in the war, or who have a loved one there.

 May I contrast that with the spiritual war that we Christians face against Satan and our own sinful selves? (What I mean by sinful selves is this: “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Everyday we face a battle against our depravity, against our sin nature!) It is much the same, or at least has that tendency to become that way.

Unlike the civil and revolutionary wars, which were on our land, before the eye of the people, this battle with Satan is invisible (kind of like the war in Iraq). “Out of sight, out of mind” is often the idea here. We often can’t even tell where the lines have been drawn, and thus we often step right over into enemy territory, unguarded, unready, and down we go!

 Think of it! How awful for a union officer, to walk across enemy lines and face a confederate with no weapons, unprepared, and then to try and say “well I never saw the line…please have mercy.” Of course we know how that would go! That excuse would fall before it even left the mouth of that officer! And it is much the same! The war is raging, but do we not see it because we are not looking?? Do we fall a lot because we are unguarded?

I don’t know about you but this is often me! I often forget about this war that goes on against Satan and against our sinful selves (the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak…THAT’S A WAR FOLKS!) And because I forget, I often totally miss it going on within others! And then I am surprised when they sin against me, or when they confess to me the sins they struggle with. WE wouldn’t be that surprised at all, if we would remember that a war is raging, within (sinful self) and without (Satan).

The sun had long since slipped behind the horizon, taking with it those precious rays of the sun that so wonderfully illumine everything so that we can see as clearly as possible. With the going of the sun, my vision became more and more impaired, adding to the stress of driving at night. It was long about 8pm or so, and I was heading once again to the Older couple’s farm to take care of them. Normally when I go there it is light out because I leave my home at 2 and get there at 4, but this time I was taking a different shift and needed to be there on Saturday evening till Sunday. Thus I was forced to drive at night.

I only just got my license a year ago this January, and have never been a good driver, always having trouble judging how big my car is and the like (just ask Joshy or my brother who have ridden with me frequently…SCARY STUFF they would say…haha). So as you can imagine, this being the first time I would have driven for a long amount of time at night, this would be difficult! It most def. was! I had a hard time seeing, and I was tired and just wanting to get there and be done with driving.

So  there I was tuttling along (my car has been affectionately been named “Mr. Tuttle” and it kind of stuck….thus “tuttling along” heehee not really a “need to know” thing I know but I thought I would share!).

Anyways, there I was tuttling along and I was rolling through the quaint little town of Coon Rapids. To most outsiders everything appeared correct. I was driving the speed limit, and was wearing my seatbelt, but there was one problem, I was driving on the other side of the white line towards the ditch side (not the dangerous side of opposing traffic, just to clarify that this was not an immensely dangerous situation!)

Anyways, to most it would appear that all is well, but not to the trained eye of a cop. He picked up on that small minor problem (driving on the other side of the white). So the lights came on and I knew I was in trouble. I quickly pulled over, my hands began shaking and my face turned hot almost immediately.  Suddenly his flashlight turned on and he walked up to my window. I quickly rolled it down, and he shone the light into my car. Blinking against the light, I try to make eye contact. “Do you know why I am pulling you over?”

Thinking to myself, I was like well I was going the speed limit…it must be a tail light out or something…perhaps I blew a stop sign?? Wait there were not any stop signs.. At a loss I just say as kindly as possible “no, no sir I don’t”

“Well you were driving on the other side of the white line, I just want to make sure your not intoxicated.” Was his matter of fact reply.

INTOXICATED! Are you kidding! I have not even drank so much as caffeine for like 5 years…this has got to be a joke! Hoping that my eyes were not bulging with bewilderment, I quickly compose myself. “Oh, uh..”

Shining his light into my car, his eyes take in my surroundings. To my surprise he fixates the light on my GPS on the windshield and my tassle hanging from my rear view mirror. “You are not allowed to have those two things, they are obstructions of view.” His words hit like a ton of bricks…I was like “WHAT!!??” you have got to be kidding me!

Of course I never said this aloud.

He of course was not kidding and asked for my drivers’ license and registration and proof of insurance. I quickly dug them out and handed them to him.
As he left to go to his car, I quickly began to take my GPS down and remove my tassle. All the while thinking “I thought I had everything right…I was going the speed limit…how could I have missed not just one thing, driving on the other side of the white line, but THREE THINGS??

He returned shortly, but not after I had taken the things down. Shining his light back on me, he said that he was going to let me go. He seemed a little hesitant though. He had handed me my things (registration/insurance etc) and I had put them back so quickly that I thought he hadn’t given them to me, so as he was leaving I asked for them. He said he had thought he gave them to me, but said he would search his car. He came back shortly, only to point his flash light right at my open dash drawer that had my stuff carefully placed inside.

I quickly apologized and thought “wow, now he must really think I am drunk!”
He looked at me unbelievingly, and hesitated for a moment, I thought “surely he is going to have me walk the line!”But he just left and got back in his car, warning me to keep those obstructions down.

I pulled away slowly and watched my driving very carefully till he was out of sight. And suddenly tears started rolling down my cheeks. Now if you know me well, you know that I am not a terribly emotional person, in fact when possibly I try not to cry as much as possibly. There have only been a few times in my life where I suddenly started crying uncontrollably for seemingly no reason at all, and all three have had to do with something spiritual going on in my life.

The first was after my baptism at six, I immediately was embraced by my father who had done the baptizing, and I started crying, I couldn’t honestly tell you why. The second time was at Jr. Girls camp when I was 11 and I started crying uncontrollably in my bed, my counselor (Penny Fogle) came and asked me what was wrong, I said I felt I needed to be saved, so that night I got assurance of salvation that night. And the third time was right there in tuttle driving away from that policeman.

At that moment two thoughts hit me. One the immense grace of God, in that He had made it so that policeman did not give me a ticket. And really the policeman’s grace in not giving me a ticket, regardless of if this man was saved or not, reminded me of and reflected God’s grace in my life! That policeman did not give me the ticket I deserved! He had let me go. With that thought I began praising and thanking God for His grace.

Shortly thereafter the second thought hit, and this one with more weight and conviction. My life at that moment (and even now) mirrors in a metaphorical way, that “pull-over.”

As I said I thought I “had everything right” and really I did have “most” (key word) everything right, but come to find out I did not, especially with the light of the flash light that policeman had shone!

And just like that, so in my spiritual walk I at that time had thought “I have everything right.” But I know, as God has always known, that I most certainly did not! Last year, the summer before my jr. year (so I am talking of  summer 2010) I fell back into a sin that I have been battling since I was 17. I wrote a memoir about the beginning of this battle (when I fell into it ) on facebook entitled “my secret..or so I thought” and I have copied it to my blog as well (so if you want the beginning of this “story” you will have to read that).

Anyways this battle I have engaged in, is the battle against an eating disorder. It is a silent thing, though public on facebook, most people do not even know that I struggle this way, and most who have found out were shocked. Mostly because, one does not have to be “skinny” to struggle with this…why? Or how? You might ask. The answer is simply this, an eating disorder is not about eating…or exercise, or making yourself puke. Those are just symptoms of a greater problem, a heart issue!

The symptoms help you identify the problem but they certainly do not define it! So in other words, I could be well over 300 pounds and still be struggling with an eating disorder in my mind. It is a HUGE temptation!

And to most on the outside, I look like I did driving that night…to a trained eye it appears that something is “amiss” slightly (driving on the otherside of the white line), they notice me skimping at meals, or perhaps they notice my obsession with running everyday. But it is’nt until the light of God’s Word and Spirit shine into my “Mr. Tuttle” of life are found the other problems (the tassle and GPS).

And just as that Tassle and GPS obstructed my view of the road, thus causing the driving on the wrong side of the road, so to my eating disorder (self worship and control) and pride have obstructed my view of the spiritual road I am on.

I have been taking Biblical counseling classes for most all of my four years at college (that is my minor), and so of course I know the “right answers.” I know the cause, I know what I should be doing to remove the tassle and GPS from my windshield (pride and selfishness, control and self-worship). But the sad thing is I don’t do it! I don’t apply the precious truths of God’s Word. And why do I not? Because I don’t yet want to give up my sin.

Friends, I am probably in one of the most scariest places of my life at the moment! Honest! I have begun to pray that God would change me, break me, help me to see the severity of my sin, help me to want to change!

And PRAISE JEHOVAH that He is gracious and faithful to this His lost and wandering sheep! I need Him! I honestly can’t do it on my own.

I believe that an eating disorder (like any addiction) will be a lifelong battle. It will be a constant fight. You have all most likely heard the stories of addicts to achohol or cigarettes, how they change and overcome, but the moment they get around the temptation or think of it, they have to really fight, and this is no different!

Because I have allowed myself to become ensared in this deadly and trapping sin, I will now suffer and have to fight the rest of my life, but PRAISE JEHOVAH I don’t have to go it alone (Phil. 4:13).

I believe that there are more who struggle this way, and who just keep it “underwraps” as I have and still often do. May I encourage you to reach out and get help! This is honestly a deadly and ensaring sin. It is scary and it will drive you far away from your Savior (I know from experience, I no longer hear His voice as clearly as I used to…and it has affected my relationships with others as well.)

This is not something to “mess around with.” It is not just a little thorn in the side, it is a HUGE thorny bush that traps and squeezes all spiritual life out of you!

I know what I have to do, I must let go of my gods ( running, a skinny body) and begin to find a balance between eating right and running. I must depend upon God and allow Him to change me. I must see running as a gift, that could easily be taken away, and not hold it tight, but rather be thankful to God when He allows me to go! Not have it be a “must do or else..” thing!

 I must surrender…this is a moment to moment thing! Believe me! I have a long road to haul! But praise Jehovah He is there every step of the way!

Maybe you don’t struggle this way, be watching out for those around you that might. It is a slow fade, this doesn’t just happen overnight, it happens over time. Look out for your brothers and sisters around you. It may only take a simple word (such as the example of June, a lady in my church, in my note entitled “still small voice.”).

Or maybe it will take an outright rebuke that cuts to the quick (examples of this would be my sweet and ever paitent  boyfriend Joshy, who faithfully reflects his Shepherd to this His lost sheep. And also Mrs. Gutwein as well and Lynnae, and also my parents and even my brother Joe and sister Krista). All  of them did not give me “Pat answers” or the “I feel so bad for you” line, or even the “just quit running and eat right why don’t ya” line, but rather they paitently got to the heart of the issue!

Thankyou to the three of you and the countless others I know I am probably missing. I know that I must frustrate you all, when I don’t change, and when I am so up and down. And I know that with some of you I have even blameshifted, changed the subject, or gotten upset, or just plain old shrugged your advice and admonition off. Forgive me!

 I set a horrible example for my siblings and church family and really anyone I come into contact with, and I know I need to change! I wrote this to help others see that perhaps this is more common place then we most often think!

And maybe you don’t struggle with this particular ensnaring sin, but something similar, may I again encourage you to reach out to someone! But most importantly reach out to God!

Don’t deny that you are in a war! Don’t live as if it is taking place “overseas” out of sight, out of mind. But rather take up your arms! Realize it is on your own property, before your eyes! And engage yourself! Don’t become like me:

On the outside, she looks totally fine. She was saved at a young age, and baptized. She was known for being a witness for Christ growing up. She attends church regularly, accept for every other weekend, which is when she goes and takes care of an elderly couple in their 80s. But even then she is still serving. She attends a Bible college, in her S.R. year in fact! She has served at two Bible camps, and once even as a counselor. She has taken many counseling classes, and studies her Bible daily, prays and strives to grow closer to God. She writes frequently about God and our relationship to Him.

All is well right? WRONG!

There is a terrible battle that is raging without her and within! And to the untrained eye, she seems totally fine.

She may have most everything right, but there is something gone terribly wrong, that is missed. It is that unseen war, out of her sight…out of her mind, and out of the sight and minds of those around her.

1 Peter 5:8

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Eph. 6:11-12

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devilFor we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Don’t be oblivious! Know your in a battle, ready yourself! It’s here whether you acknowledge it or not!

Philosophy of counseling children

Introduction:

Sixteen one and a half and two year olds, all crammed into a small room from 7am till 6pm. With them there are three to four teachers, who are held responsible for each of them.

A mother puts her hands over her face, hiding the tears from her young children. It has been a hard day, a constant battle between mother and children, and she is exhausted. They have tried her and she is at her wits end. And now they have made a pig-pen out of her living room, and company is expected to come tonight.

A Father and son stand in the garage talking about the boy’s day at school and the issues that this young kindergartener faces. “Simple” issues such as how to respond to the boys that won’t include him at recess, and always being the last one chosen on kickball day. And the father is tempted to give the “quick fix” and brush these issues, or brush them off completely.

Screams and shrieks can be heard from the basement playroom. Both mother and father rush downstairs, expecting to find severe injuries, only to discover that their small children have broken out into a fight over a toy. How will they handle this?

The new mother comes into the living room to find her 6 month old child near the outlet. She removes the child, and says no. Then seats herself on the couch, and watches as the child moves toward it again, this time with a smirk as he looks back to make sure she sees him. His sin nature is already rearing its ugly head.

The expecting parents have just finished “child-proofing” ever corner of their house as they sit down to decide on the color of the baby room.

All of these people either have the opportunity to counsel before them or have already chosen their method of discipleing the children in their world. These moments, though small and brief and in our eyes, maybe even dare I say “simple,” have very profound affects on these children, and have the potential to shape them either toward God or away from Him.

Counseling takes place every moment of everyday, thus the counseling of children is all that more serious and not to be taken lightly. These young people are little souls that need to be steered toward God and are at a very vulnerable stage. The potential is high to be steered His direction and this can have lasting affects on their lives. And yet  the potential is also equally high to be steered away from God, and sadly this too has lasting affects on their lives. So whether the counsel being given to a child is formal or informal, it is always a stewardship that must not  be taken lightly, and we must always be alert and ready to be used of God in the lives of these little sponges who are soaking up all they can.

God’s Concern for Children:

Obviously anything that concerns God had better concern us! So is God concerned about children?

            The cry of a child: sometimes we find it cute, like when their little lips pucker out and we have the bottle close at hand so we know the tears will not last long.

Other times we find it annoying, like in those wee hours of the morning when suddenly a shrill cry breaks the peaceful silence of slumber, and the mother has to once again drag her exhausted body out of bed for the umpteenth time to care for her baby.

Other times we find it down right heart breaking, like when the little five year old lies in the hospital bed, tired of chemo treatment after chemo treatment, and silently the tears begin to form and fall down his precious face, as pain wracks his small thin frame.

Nothing but sand could be seen for miles, and the wind is beginning to pick up. The woman falls, stumbling to her knees, almost dropping her son. She reaches for her skin with the water and tries to give her son a drink, and notices that it is empty. Crying, she holds him tightly, he is scarcely breathing, and his eyes are sunken in. With an extra surge of energy she gets up and spies some bushes. Walking over to it she gently places him underneath of it.

Not saying a word to him, she walks away, and sits down. Sobs wrack her entire being, for she knows that soon her son will die, and she cannot even be there for him because she cannot bear to watch.  Suddenly she can hear his cries, as weak and faint as they are. She plugs her ears, and squeezes her eyes shut tightly, “Soon this all will be over…it will all be over!”  The amazing thing is, she was not the only one to hear the cries of the young child that day. His cry was not just heard by his mother and all the wildlife within in the desert that day, but was heard by God Almighty! God heard the cries of a child:

^15” When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she^[c] began to sob. ¹⁷ God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” ¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. ²⁰ God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. ²¹ While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.” Gen. 21:15-20

This is one of the first places in scripture that we see God care for a child. From heaven, He heard the cry of this little baby in the wilderness, and God responded! He sent an angel and got Hagar and her son out of trouble, and Ishmael grew and became a great nation (Islam) and we see God still using them today! And throughout the rest of scripture God’s concern for children is shown time and time again. In His instructions to the children of Israel to teach their children (Deut. 4:8-10, Deut. 11: 18-20), in His care for Moses, protecting him as a baby, giving him a place to live, and the countless care He showed to others. And as we move into the New Testament His care is even more evident! When His disciples were shoving the children aside, seeing them as perhaps “too young”…”of no concern to the Master.” The very Son of God, who created humans, specifically who created them to start out small and young, responded much differently than His young followers:

13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

So as we see here, God is greatly concerned with children. With their physical well-being: as seen with Ishmael and Moses, but also more importantly with their spiritual wellbeing: as seen with His commands to Israel to teach their children. And as with all people no matter their age, God’s primary concern with children is at the heart level, He is always searching the heart:

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

The Parents Role in Counseling Children:

      Many Parents today have handed the training (counseling) of their children over to the daycare teachers, and the school teachers, and it is sad to say that when the parents don’t train, others will and more often than not in a way that does not turn their hearts toward God.

     This is backwards and so contrary to what God wants. He expects parents to bring their children up, certainly there is room for help from the outside, but the primary source of training and counsel must come from the parents! The parents need to be the ones raising their children.

        Whether the children are home schooled, public schooled, or Christian schooled; the parents still need to be the primary source of education. Whether they attend an E-free or a southern Baptist, or a Regular Baptist church, their primary source of spiritual training must be taught to them by their parents. The problem with the counsel and training of children today, I believe is with apathetic Parents who are not willing to personally teach their children.

    They instead are allowing the Public school and its secular teachers, to raise and teach their children. They are expecting the church to bring their children up spiritually. And the thing is these are meant to be only a help, an assistant to the parent, and parents are sadly making the huge mistake of trying to allow them to be the overall source of learning and education and counsel.

      No wonder God wrote for us to “train our children” for He knew that the temptation would be for us to just sit back and allow the world or even our church to raise and teach and train our children. The primary source is always to be the parents!

Responsibilities of Counselor:

Since the primary source of counsel and training is to be the parent, I must see myself as a helper that comes alongside and helps the parent. Thus I have a responsibility to the parents first, to involve them, and to get it to the point where it is them counseling their child not me.

 My responsibility to the child is to love them enough to get to know them, and then to speak to their life in such a way that they see and turn to God and His Word, and then to help them to see how their life fits into Who God is and what God says. I have a responsibility to get to their heart, and not just their behavior, and help to train their parents to do the same. To help them and their parents to see them as God sees them.

And God calls me to be faithful in speaking the truth to both the parents and their children, in both word and deed. This is in other words me “planting and watering the seeds” (1 cor. 3:6-7), and trusting God to give the increase! And He will, in His time.   And maybe I never get the blessing of seeing that growth but I know that I have done what God has called me to do. My goal is not treasures on this earth (the good feeling I get in seeing the counselees change/praise of parents)  but laying up treasures in heaven!

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3: 6-8

It is not about me (“neither is he who plants anything….but God who gives the increase.) It is not me who brings about the change, but God thus I need  to trust God with that and just be faithful in teaching the gospel and living it out ( planting/watering) trusting that God will use it and work in their lives and bring them to Himself in His time (bringing the increase).

And I must always remember that I am just an instrument, and the player of the instrument is the One we always focus on. He is the One I call others (even children) to focus on, as well, for all else fails:

                “Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless.” Ps. 208:12

Responsibilities of Child:

As a counselor I will be used of God to help call the counselee to the responsibilities that they have within their current place that they are in life. Children must:

 A. Either to come to faith in Christ or live with faith in Christ:

            Every person on the planet has one purpose, and that is to please God and bring glory to our Maker ( 1 Cor. 10:31)  The only way we can do this is by living with Faith in Christ: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 1:16

As a counselor, my ministry to others will be to call them to faith in Christ (if they are unsaved), or to call them to live with faith in Christ (saved) especially in the midst of their crisis.

C. Remember that God requires them to obey the authorities He has placed in their life:’

This means that I will strive to turn their hearts toward their parents, and strive to get them to turn to their parents and get them to the place where it is them getting counsel from parents. My job is never to come in between the parents and the child. The child has a responsibility to the parents alone.

           

D. Get involved in what God is doing

            This will obviously look different and vary from person to person.  And it will look different from the parent’s perspective, to the children’s perspective, but one thing is certain they are required to trust and obey Godm and this is what I am to strive to help them to do.

Conclusion:

Counseling children is highly important, because they have some of the greatest potential for impact, both good and bad, that can change their life to turn to, or away from God. I must always be available to be used of God as an instrument in the life of another, even when that “another” is a young “another”!

                When people are really young not a whole lot is going on spiritually and too often this affects the way we see them and teach and counsel them. We sometimes are tempted to think that because they are small, and not fully developed mentally that it is not worth counseling them, but how it is!

            They are little souls that are just as sinful and in need as any adult and grown person! Though often we may not even see the effects of our counsel, we still must be faithful in steering these young hearts toward God, by being an example to them.

No matter how I look at children, whether socially, physically, or mentally, the most important is spiritually for that part is what will last.

There are only two things that will last, God’s Word and people’s souls, and if my life is not being used to invest in both of these then something desperately needs to change! And one way I can do this is by ministering God’s Word to the children He gives me the privilege to come into contact with. I must always remember that they are little souls that need to be steered toward God in any and everyway possible.

We have what we have to give Part 2

Also another thought in this whole deal, is that I discovered a lot of areas where I struggle and really where I fail: such as really getting to know people…being an introvert it is so hard to branch out and really find out and discover people, thus this inhibits my counseling because I would say a HUGE majority of counseling is just KNOWING people! Another area where I fail is in not asking the right qs so that people will be more likely to open up. I also fail in stepping forward and asking the hard questions.

And I also failed in being “loving” in tangible ways that others can see.

                            

You see the love languages are great in defining how we show love, and in helping us to know where we are at…but you see it cant stop there! We cant just learn what our love language is and say “yep that’s it” and allow that to define us. We never are called to just know where we are at and sit there in that same position. We are ALWAYS called to strive HIGHER!

God made love languages to spice things up, I mean come on how difficult is it when a husband keeps trying to show love to his wife in his love language instead of hers…and vice versa…it creates a lot of problems!  But more importantly He made them to create an opportunity to grow! An opportunity for us selfish and sinful and depraved humans to buck up and be used of Him to love another in the a SELFLESS way, in the way that is not our love language… “our own interest” ( Like Phil.2:4 talks about) but in a selfless way that calls for sacrifice (like 1 cor. 13 talks about).

Folks real love, is not comfortable…real love is NOT easy…real love is not usually shown in our preferred way of showing love (love language) REAL LOVE is outside of our box….outside of our comfort zones! Real love requires a sacrifice!

And my struggle in this whole failure at sr. high camp…was to wallow in my shortcomings and was to just say “well I guess this is just who I am…and I guess there is no hope.”

But the moment we do that folks is the moment we cut the ties to a hope of rising above our struggles! The only way to overcome is to pick urself back up and entrust yourself to the power and strength of God (for we can do nothing on our own) and to aim higher!

So where are you at friend? Have you made something about you that wasn’t? Repent of that! Turn back to God and place your focus upward (to God) and outward to others! Realize that NOTHING you have ends with you, but rather you have what you have so that you may be able to give to those who have of need!

Or friend are you struggling with showing love in a different love language. Have you been selfish in the ways you show love. Remember real love requires a sacrifice…I mean look at God and His Son Jesus Christ…it cost them EVERYHTING! Don’t allow your love language to define you! Branch out, try all the other love languages God has made! Don’t favor one, like a parent does one of his children, rather branch out and use them all! Sacrifice requires us branching out of our “normal” our comfort zone, our favored way of showing love (love language). I believe God meant for us to learn to USE ALL of the LOVE languages not just one!

Or are you wallowing in a failure of yours (whether recent or past) realize that God has forgiven you and has given you a second chance! Take it, pick yourself up and in His strength aim higher! The moment you wallow in your falls is the moment you cut the ties to be able to rise in forgiveness! Accept the forgiveness and mercy of God, it IS ENOUGH!

I pray this was an encouragement friends!

We have what we have to give Part 1

Ever find yourself making something that is totally not even about you, all about you? Or have you ever known someone like that? Where you say something totally not even remotely about them or do something and they take it the wrong way and make what was not about them, all about them. Any moment we make  about ourselves is a moment where we sin, any words that we make about ourselves is a moment where we have become selfishly focused on ourselves.

And the worst thing is when one is in the position of ministry, and they begin to make it about themselves.

There I was, it was the weekend before Sr. High week at RRBC, I was at home relaxing and enjoying time with the three Js of my life: Jesus, Joshy, and Jacksie and of course my family! But I knew that the time would come where I would have to go back to the work at RRBC, back to counseling…only this time it would be very different. We knew from the git go that it was going to be a “big” week (for RRBC anyways), over 80 people had signed up and we were expecting to have a few just show up, and while we were praising the Lord for that…on the inside a fear (at least for me this was true) was creaping its way through my whole being.

I mean here I am 5’5” (or so), and I knew that many of these girls would be taller than I in height…I barely look my age…and I have a very hard time connecting with girls at this stage in their life. And on top of all that I felt SO inadequate to counsel these ladies, esp. since I had NO IDEA what I might face! Many teens in this world today come from broken homes and some terrible situations that some adults cannot even begin to fathom let alone face! I knew it was going to be an interesting week.

And as it turns out…I failed left and right that week!

I have a very difficult time with showing love in the physical touch kind of way. I show my love more by doing things for people…I love serving people and that is often the way that my love is shown forth…I really really struggle with showing love in a “huggy” kinda way. My sister however was created by God much differently!

I often wish that I had been created that same way, for she is so outgoing, she can strike up a conversation with anyone, and she also demonstrates love through touch very well. And I have always struggled in this area, and I also struggle with trying to get to know people, I struggle with trying to connect with people and get to know them since I am often more of an introvert. And thus I failed to connect with my girls that week.

It was awful and hard to suddenly realize just how inadequate I was! I totally blew that thing! And what made it worse was I made something that was not about me, all about me! Instead of looking at myself honestly and realizing “Hey I have got some things I need to work on” and then getting up and trying to do better,. I instead wallowed in my failures and made something that was not about me, all about me!

It was Thursday evening, and 3 of my eight girls were struggling that night. The message that had been delivered by God through the speaker had been powerful and convicting, and I call it the “crying night” because there were SO many girls crying! Left and right, everywhere you turn there was crying!

Now those of you who know me well, know that I struggle around crying people…I get uncomfortable and I don’t really know how to handle it (best way to handle it, is to listen and be that presence, that hug ect. For the person).

So as you can imagine I was unsure as to what to do, and I failed a lot that night!

Anyways that evening three of my girls sought “other counsel” besides me…and I sadly and selfishly and WRONGLY made that about me! Can you believe that??!!

A counselor…who is to be the example of selflessness…had gotten so wrapped up in herself  and wallowing in her failures, that she added to her failures: sin!!

I cried for the first time all summer at RRBC that night…not because my camper had accepted Christ….not because I was “weeping with another who weeps”, not because of the sin in my life or in the life of another…not because of a “lost soul”, none of that…I cried because I had made that ministry ALL about me!

And the really awful thing was, I had just helped another counselor in this exact same area…and could not even take my own counsel and apply it!

Another counselor faced this very thing ( campers going to others for counsel instead of her) and I told her that night (this was the night before the “crying night” when my campers would seek counsel from another) Anyways I told her that night: “It really does not mater so much WHO gets to counsel them, but rather THAT they get counseled!”

WOW! And I could not even take my own counsel and live it out! WHAT A SELFISH HYPOCRIT if there ever was one! I admit, I was awful that “cry night”. I mean here I was a counselor…in a leadership position…making things about me that were NEVER about me, because after all it is GOD who gives the increase…and it is GOD’S work through me anyhow (for apart from Him I can do nothing).

I threw myself a pity party that night because God had not allowed me to be the one to minister! God uses whomever He pleases, because it is Him working through us (Eph. 2:20-21).

You see ministry is never ever to be about us…NOTHING for that matter is ever about us! WE have what we have ( possessions…ministry positions…work…money…the gospel itself) not for our benefit alone, not for our usage alone, but so that we can give to those who have of need : Eph 4:28 “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”

So you see, nothing (not even ministry opportunities) are ever about us or stop with us! We always have what we have (opportunities..possesions…things and especially the gospel) so that we can give to those who have of need! NOTHING ever ends with us!

Calvary illustrated best!

Blue eyes scan the room for some sort of sign that the audience is grasping what he is saying. His voice flows in and out- not real deep but not high either. Every once in a while, he walks the floor of the stage, to illustrate a point or get our attention. Then he takes his spot back behind the pulpit.

Speaking with such ease, he shows not a single sign of nerves. Talking to a large crowd comes so easy for this man. I wish with all my being that I could be as outgoing as him. He settles easily into a crowd of people, while I stand in a corner wishing to go home. He makes meeting new people and establishing new friends look so natural and fun. While I complain about each new move we have had to make in the last eight years and all the new friends I would have to meet, my father rises to the challenge of meeting new people and making new friends.

I fear the thought of having to be the first to say hello to a new person. Not my father though, he easily makes new acquaintances. Being an extrovert he seems to never have met a stranger. He almost never shies away from an opportunity to talk to someone.
Although we do not act a lot alike, we certainly look similar. The “girl version of Dad” is often how I have heard others refer to me.

My blue eyes and brown hair mirror his. The wretched witch’s nose is something I could have done without, but unfortunately I inherited this from him also. However I must count my blessings because I was bequeathed with thicker hair, I won’t have to worry too much about his receding hair line problem.
Every time I look at Dad I am reminded of years gone by. The hair loss (due to baldness inherited from his grandfather) and the less vibrant color and life in his skin are all reminders that time has flown by and with that things have changed.

Amongst the many changes, there is still one thing that has not changed- the fact that he is my father, my help in time of need, my listening ear, my instructor, the shepherd of my heart.
He has always been a good father, someone I laugh with, cry with, share problems with and have fun with. Some of my fondest memories are times spent with dad, fishing, hiking, bike riding, walking, and playing football and basketball with. He gave me my passion for the outdoors and a love of God’s creation. He also gave me a love for music.

One of my favorite people to sing with is my father. He harmonizes with me so well and has taught me a lot in the area of music. I look forward to every chance I get to sing with him. One time, we even decided to whistle a hymn together at home. I whistled the melody and he backed me up with harmony. Little memories like that are ones I cherish and hope to relive with him again and again; till the Lord comes or calls us home.

He also has been a great spiritual leader. From the time I was young he shepherded my heart towards God. One of the many ways he did this was by encouraging me to do my devotions everyday. He began to teach me the importance of having my time with God alone each day when I was around eight years of age. Because of that I do not struggle to have that time and I enjoy them everyday. He is the reason I now call my siblings best friends instead of just “brother” or “sister.”

For as long as I can remember he would always remind us that we were friends, not just siblings. Whenever we got into a tussle, he would always remind us that we should not hurt our friends and he emphasized the fact that we needed to treat each other as best friends. The reason that all of us siblings refer to each other as friends and see each other as such ( although one could not always tell by how we treat each other) is attributed entirely to our father.

But perhaps the way he impacted me the most was by his illustration of Jesus Christ to me. He did this in many ways (far too many to fit into this paper) but one such way outstands them all.
This opportunity that my dad chose to grab and illustrate Christ to me happened when I was around ten to eleven years old. I had seen pictures of Jesus Christ and heard His story every where but the way my father chose to illustrate it was far more descriptive than any Sunday school story I had heard up to that point. This was neither a painting nor a word picture but rather a combination of circumstance and the message behind it all.

It must have been afternoon time or something, because I can still remember my siblings playing outside and the sun shining through my west window. I had committed a sin (I cannot remember what exactly) and had been told to report to my room for a spanking to be administered by dad. How I hated when he made us wait for our spanking. He did this often; almost every time any of us Duffy children got into trouble we would have to wait for him in either our own bedrooms or his, and those moments that ticked by so slowly were one thing we hated most and I almost could swear that he knew it.

As I sat there on my huge bed that I shared with my sister, my anger began to well up inside of me. When I was younger I was a tyrant. I was awful towards my parents (fortunately it is not as bad as it once was). I was also very stubborn and would sometimes out right defy my parents.
So, as one would imagine, when I heard his footsteps coming up the stairs, I already had a plan in my mind as to what I was going to do. In those few seconds before he even darkened my door, I had planned to frustrate him. He had just frustrated me by getting after me and was now about to spank me but I would have none of it.

He walked into the room spatula in hand, and told me to bend over for my consequence. I of course refused, my plan to frustrate already taking motion.
He persisted in asking me time and again, staying ever patient with me, but I was not about to give up. I refused every time he told me to bend over. I even went so far as to defy not only verbally but physically by crawling across the bed to the opposite side of the room. I could and would have played that game all night if he would have it. And I think he must have known that, for in the middle of this back and forth tennis match of words he changed the whole course of the game I thought I had set up and had under control.

He stopped persisting and pulled a new card that I was unfamiliar with, but would forever change the way that I look at Christ.
He coaxed me to the side of the bed he was on, then handed me the spoon. Whoa! Now how many parents would be dumb enough to do that? At first I was taken aback not expecting this at all. I held it in my hand, beginning to giggle.
“Spank me ,Bethany,.” He said.
“No” was my reply of course but I now knew he was not joking.
“Spank me, you have waited too long to receive the punishment yourself, so now you will spank me.” He pressed.

In his eyes I could tell he was not going to give up. That stubborn sheen that often was mine now was mirrored in his eyes. Bethany would not win this battle. And as is my habit no matter what the game is, when I begin to lose I give up.
I gripped the spatula tightly. Giggling so as to cover my emotion, I hit him softly still hoping that it was a joke and that any minute he would turn around and ambush me and grab the spatula and I would receive the punishment due me. But it did not happen. “Harder Bethany.” was his only reply.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I planted the spatula firmly on his hind quarters several times, until he told me to stop. He had taken the punishment that I deserved. I knew I was guilty and deserved a consequence for my action and yet I never had to pay it. My dad took my place he bore the pain due me.

He had paid the price; he was totally innocent and did not deserve that spanking and yet took it for me.
That day was the most vivid picture of Christ that I have ever come into contact with. Christ, just like my dad (at least in that moment), was totally innocent and did not deserve the punishment he received.

But the thing is, they bore that punishment for someone else. They bore it for me. What a picture! And my dad was the one who demonstrated that. God must have put it into his head knowing that I needed it and still am reminded of it even today. I will never forget it; I can still picture it in my mind like it was yesterday. Many people have displayed Christ for me but only one has illustrated it really well for me thus far.

Christ was never as real to me as in that moment. I accepted Christ when I was four and understood what Christ had done. But this illustration was such a great picture that I will never forget and a story that I will tell to better illustrate Christ’s message to my own children and others around me.
One of the parents many responsibilities in the stewarding of their children is to display and show forth the gospel to their children. And I would have to say that for me my dad illustrated this well. I will always be grateful to him for everything he has done but most importantly for shepherding my heart towards Christ and for leading me to a saving knowledge of Him. For illustrating Calvary in such a real and defined way!

This Christmas season my focus will be on what my dad illustrated for me that day.
And that is this, Jesus was born to die that I might live. I deserved the punishment He bore and yet I walk off free without blame without the punishment. All because an Almighty God chose to humble Himself and take on the form of a man and chose to take the punshment due me.

I have so much to be thankful for this Christmas but especially for the birth of Jesus Christ and for His death which made me free! All i had to do is accept the gift and believe! Just like that day with my dad. All i had to do was accept the fact that "dad" was going to take the punishment for me. Not only did my earthly father do this for me but more importantly my Father in heaven did as well!!

He died for us the least we could do would be to LIVE for Him!

God melts the heart of stone!

Ah! Rest time, tis the most wonderful hour of camp ever invented (or at least according to the counselors!! Sorry to all the campers out there!)

My girls were all quietly and contentedly playing with stuffed animals…leaving me time for a much needed short rest…to lay my aching head (heat and a little bit of a challenging week) back and read a little. 

All was calm and well…but my hopes for rest were quickly demolished by a tussle that very quickly broke out amongst the girls.

Rising to my feet I very quickly took care of the outward behavioral side of the tussle.

“Alright everyone into their own bunk for the rest of the time!” I said in a surprisingly calm manner considering the surge of frustration going through me…boy things would be a lot easier if counselors no longer struggled with sin!

Anywho, actually only two girls were involved in a tussle, but I told them all to get into their bunks so that I could think…it was so loud and I just needed time to sort everything out.

So after sending them all to their individual bunks I then went after the girl that had stormed out of our room into the bathroom down the hall…upon meeting her I spoke with her about leaving like she did. Once we returned I sat on my bed in the silence and quiet.

But as I sat there…searching for answers as to handle this tussle (you see I did not quite get what exactly had gone on) and so as I sat there on my bed my mind was racing with thoughts of what exactly I should do next… I knew that I needed to get to their hearts for in every situation esp. tussles, it is crucial to get to the heart of it all not just the outside or  the behavioral side of it all, but to the heart where in reality all things start.

So as I sat there scrambling for words to say to them, I knew what I needed to do. So in desperation I called out to my Father…  “Father, I need answers! I feel as if this is really simple and that I should already have the answers…but Father I don’t! I need you! Please help me to know how to address this…for I do not even exactly understand all that has gone on…help me to get to the heart of this problem! I need wisdom now Father! In Jesus’ name Amen!

And right then, the very second I finished praying I began to think through everything, and the answer of how I should approach this situation came to mind, and I knew exactly what I needed to do. And so I got busy carrying out the help that God gave to me. I pulled the two girls aside away from everyone else, and addressed it.

And the amazing thing is they seemed to get it!

But why did I have to come to that point? Why did I have to come to my “wits end” and then call on God…the theme this year at RRBC is based on prayer and our motto is : “Is prayer your spare tire, or steering wheel.”

And I must confess that quite often it is my spare tire! Too often! I have all the power of heaven to call upon, the Almighty God, the One who created EVERYTHING, and yet I have not because I ask not!

I have to be at my “wits end” before I rely on the Wits of God! Why?? He is SO much greater than I…and I can do NOTHING apart from Him :

John 15:5

“Yes I am the vine, and you are the branches, Those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit (notice not just fruit, but much! And too often I wonder why I am not seeing Him at work…hmm). For apart from Me you can do NOTHING!”

There it is, black and white! Can’t get any more all encompassing than that…apart from Jesus Himself, apart from His work, I can do NOTHING! So why do I so often find myself trying to “go it alone?”

No wonder Paul said “Some plant, some water, BUT GOD (anytime in scripture where it says BUT GOD, it is ALWAYS AMAZING and CRUCIAL!! WOW! Think about it…the Word is going along your reading your reading…and then BAM it hits you : BUT GOD!...and this folks has been another “random bunny trail” with Bethy…thankyou!)

So this incident where prayer was my spare tire was about week 3. Week 4 I thought prayer had finally become my steering wheel…I mean I prayed everyday! I even prayed whenever an arrow (yeah I know…they should never have let me be in charge of archery! EVER! Lol) went missing, because again “Apart from Him, I can do NOTHING” (not even finding that missing arrow).

And truly I was relying on Him! And it was a good thing that I had learned my lesson because that week was probably one of the hardest weeks of my summer! It was Jr. High!!! AAHH! Nightmare waiting to happen! I mean you have a ton of these homosapiens who are not quite children…not quite teens…and thus one minute they are that sweet little school child…the next minute they are trying to be older than they are…and then another minute they are awkwardly stuck in the middle…uugh! It hurts to watch folks! Jj jk lol! I loved them!!

Anyway, it truly was a harder week…to go from jrs to jr. highers is quite the jump…weird but it is!

Anyway, that week a very odd spiritual fog (which is the only way to describe it) had settled over the camp. I don’t know about anyone else that was there, but literally I could feel the apathy..everytime I set foot in chapel and the speakers started speaking…everytime I opened up my Bible to try and share from the Word I felt as if it was all falling on apathetic and tuned out ears.

Many of them have been “churched” their whole lives…by now they know the answers…they know what to say to get the speaker… teacher…counselor off their back…and they really don’t care anymore. And maybe that was just a “feeling” that Satan had put in my heart that week…either way whether imagined or real, I was discouraged, and was calling out daily for the Lord to work in and through me despite myself.

I asked that He use all of us to water and plant and that He would bring an increase. And the amazing thing was HE DID! And why was I surprised?? Because I had prayed expecting to most likely not actually be able to witness the answer. I thought that the answer to that prayer would come later down the road in the kids’ lives when I would not be there to behold it and I was totally fine with that, perhaps it will still, but I do know that some were changed and I was privileged and blessed to see some of that!

One of my campers was having doubts about her salvation, and so after much prayer and sharing the gospel with her a couple of times, finally on Friday night (the last speaking session) she got reassurance of her salvation! PRAISE HIM! It was not me! I banged that job up so bad! I totally missed the ball, but God still worked!

WOW! It was so cool to hear her pray, and say “I believe God! I believe that you died!”

She was so sincere!

And it was so cool cuz I usually ask one of my campers to pray before bed and that last night two of them volunteered (where as all week everyone shyed away from it) and one of them was Morgan (the one who got reassurance) and it was so neat to hear her pray and thank God for the reassurance she got!

God is amazing!

And not only did He work in Morgan, but He also worked in another little boy named Philip.

I had the wonderful privilidge of being in charge of Archery all my weeks of camp (I know I still can believe they let me!). And this one young boy would always come at least once or twice a day, his name is Philip. And I liked Philip because he is really small for his age and really short, he reminded me of my brother Andrew, so it was always great to see him. But as I watched him, he seemed to have that same apathetic spirit that seemed so common that week (again perhaps it was just imagined), and there also seemed to be a hardness of heart within him.

And so as the week went on I kept begging God to do a work, to melt the hearts of stone that seem so prevalent and common place. On Friday during the morning time I was alone running archery, and Philip was there. And it was just him, so I decided to seize the moment, and began asking him what if he liked the morning and evening speakers.

He said that he did, but that he especially liked the missionary hour.

I must admit that I half expected him to either blow me off or to continue shooting and not answer me. So I pressed further with that.

“Well Philip maybe someday you will be a missionary.”

He turned and looked me square in the eye and said “I can’t I am too short!”

I was taken aback by that, and was instantly reminded of Moses and how he argued with God about not being a good enough speaker. Course it would have taken too long to share that whole story with him, so I took a different approach.

“Well God can use anyone Philip! It does not matter what size you are! What if He called you to be a missionary, would you go?”

Now I can’t remember exactly what he said, I do know that he did not say “yes” I think he just said “God would not call me!” And at that very moment another girl came up to shoot, and thus I was not able to take anymore. But I was so thankful for the chance to challenge his thinking.

After that I thought nothing of

it…that was the end of that in my mind. But God was not done!

The next day after breakfast I was heading back to my cabin to help my girls pack up to leave. The sun was shining so brightly and warmly and I was just casually walking along enjoying God’s good earth and the good morning and reveling in the wonderful gift of salvation because the night before was when one of my campers had gotten reassurance of her salvation.

Anyways as I was reveling in all that, suddenly I heard a voice behind me “Hey! Would you be a missionary if God called you?” What a pointed question!?? What a bold one!

I turned around and squinted through the bright sun, and there was little blonde haired Philip, he wanted to know if I was even willing to do what I had challenged him to do and rightly so!

“Well yes, yes Philip if the Lord calls me I will!”

“Well how can we know if he calls?”

“Well Philip, He will give us a burden and a desire for what He wants us to do and where He will have us to go.”

“That’s neat” (wow and remember this is coming from a seemingly hard hearted child…I mean I never saw him smile, except when we were talking just then, I am guessing that due to his small size he must be picked on a lot.)

“We just need to be telling others about God!”

“You are exactly right Philip!”

And we parted ways, it truly was a blessing to my heart to see God take this little guy, and work his heart over to where he was ready to serve God now, so that he would be able to serve God later…many adults don’t even get this concept! WOW!

What I thought were hearts that were “far gone” were actually melted and brought near! God is amazing!

And maybe you are like me, maybe there are those in your life who just have hard hearts…and apathy and just seem so far gone nothing could bring them back….know this friend that God NEVER gives up on people! There are no “lost causes” for God!

And dear friend He asks us to reflect His faithfulness! So keep watering…keep planting! God is awesome and HE WILL BRING INCREASE!

Entrust everyone to the One who not only sees hearts (1 Samuel 16:7) but also has the power to fashion them toward Himself : PS. 33:15 “He fashions their hearts individually (He is a very personal God) He considers ALL their works!”

Keep going, do not lose heart for in due time you will reap a harvest! Do not grow weary while doing good! God is not mocked and His Word NEVER  returns void Gal. 6:7: “Don’t be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God, you will always harvest what you plant!”