How Blessed We Are

We would like to invite you to praise the goodness of our God with us. He has had us on a journey of growing our faith and molding us over these last few years (and He has all of His children and we are still being perfected). Clay and I got married with two years left of college (we’ve been married almost 6 years). We had plans of finishing school and both of us working for about 5 years before starting a family and we figured that we would have 3 or 4 children. We also both knew that we would like to do missions if God called us to that. We came out of college with significant debt (almost all of Clay’s college and my last two years) and credit card debt. We were not very wise in some of the choices we made – but we figured that with both of us working we would have it paid off in a short time after we got out of school.

We did not plan on God convicting us about our use of birth control just a few months after getting married. We both just felt like God was telling us that if we really trusted in Him and believed Him to be in control of all things that we would trust Him to give us a child in His perfect timing and that He would provide for all of our needs. We were preparing to graduate, I found a job, and Clay was preparing to go ahead an get his Master’s when we found out we were pregnant with our first child – just two days after walking across the stage to get our diplomas.

So we were a two-income family for only about 6 months out of our whole marriage. Needless to say we did not really pay off much of that enormous debt that we had incurred. Instead, we just got by and when something out of the ordinary would happen – the expense would go on credit cards.

A few months before we had Gabriella we were to the point of barely able to pay all of our bills. We were trying to eat rice and beans and meals prepared from chicken legs for most of our meals. We kept trying to remind ourselves that we were still eating better than most of the people in the world. We would do well for a little bit living inside our means and then we would just break down and go get something.

So we got further and further in debt. The summer after I had Gabriella I was in a Bible study and the Lord really used that to convict me of the sin of our debt. I felt like the Lord was saying that if we were going to trust Him to take care of us and provide that we had to pray more and take our hands off of the circumstances and let Him be the provider. That’s when we tried to stop using the credit cards at all. Clay switched jobs to bring home more money and then we cut up our credit cards. It is neat to look back and see how much God has provided for us.

There are so many instances of us looking at our budget and deciding that there was no way we could afford certain things. Then we would pray and God would provide. When Clay took this job we were a single car family but his job took him farther away from home with less flexibility to go in late and work around appointments and such. So we were concerned about the car issue. A little after Clay decided he was going to take the job we were given a car (an 84 Subaru that sounded like a motorcycle – but it got him back and forth to work.) We were ecstatic. Three months later we were given Nissan Sentra that is much more reliable.

Another instance was God’s provision of a mattress. We knew that it would be years before we could save to buy one. When I was pregnant with Jeremiah I would wake up with a backache so bad that I was having trouble walking – so we prayed and told God that we would really like a new one, but that we were thankful that at least we had a mattress. We were then given a mattress in much better condition when Clay’s parents decided to buy them a new mattress.

There would be times were I would wonder how in the world we were going to clothe Micah for the next season. I would worry and scheme and then I would tell the Lord that I did not know how I was going to clothe her. Then I would get a package in the mail full of clothes or I would get trash bags full of clothes that one of my friend’s from high school’s daughter had outgrown.
I had decided that I wanted to use cloth diapers for the third baby. We had budgeted so that we could afford to buy them. But then we had a lot of sickness with the girls and therefore a lot of doctors’ visits and a hospital stay. As a result of all the unplanned medical expenses, we did not have the money set aside for diapers. Again we talked with God about this and told Him of our desire for this. We were given 270 dollars about 6 weeks before we had Jeremiah. I was able to use that money for the cloth diapers and accessories that we had wanted to buy.

We were also was given a crib that turned into a toddler bed along with a cute bed set for a nursery. I had always wanted to buy a cute little nursery set but never felt like I had the money. I was quite excited to finally get one.

Another instance was that our pots and pans were in desperate need of replacing. We knew our financial situation would not allow for us to purchase them for many months or years. Clay and I prayed about the need for new ones and the resources to get them. I knew Clay was going to try and find away to come up with the money to bless me with new pots and pans for Christmas. But much to our surprise – the Lord had a different plan of providing those. One day Clay came home and brought me a very nice set of pots and pans and said that someone had asked him what he wanted to get me for Christmas. Then they bought pots and pans for me.

There were times when I was concerned about our food situation. One time a friend that was moving brought us everything that was left in their freezer and fridge. Another time there was a box of food brought to us. Not to mention all the meals that were provided for us after the birth of babies and after we got out of the hospital with Gabriella.

We could go on and on about all the ways we’ve seen God provide…

There were so many times in the midst of all of this that we would pray, “God we know you can deliver us from this. We also know that there are consequences to our sin of getting ourselves in debt. But God we are tired of living in bondage to all this debt and we want to learn whatever You want us to learn through this time. If You choose to deliver us praise You. If You choose to have us pay this out for the next thirty years praise You. We want Your will.“

I was quite ecstatic a few days ago when someone came to our home a wrote us a check that covers all of credit card debt, pays off our car, and leaves some money for us to finish up some projects around the house that we’ve never had money to do – so that we can get the house ready to sale. Praise be to the Lord, the Great Deliver!!!

As Clay was driving home that afternoon God reminded him that He gave us so much more in His Son, Jesus. As a result of this monetary gift of so much, I am now realizing how unfathomable is the Gift of Christ. How incomprehensible is His Gift!

Our prayer is that God would be glorified in our lives and that we would be surrendered to Him in every area of our lives. Whatever hardships or victories may come our way we want our lives to be the fragrance of Christ.

Concentric Circles of Witnessing?

You've probably heard of the concentric circles theory when it comes to witnessing to people. The theory comes from Acts 1:8 which says "...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

‘Jerusalem’ represents home, family and close friends, where you live and where you are well-known. ‘Judea’ represents your kind of people, people of your faith, culture, language and basic outlook on life. ‘Samaria’ represents cultural, racial and religious diversity. The ‘ends of the earth’ represents global or cross-cultural mission, going to areas that are geographically isolated, with different languages, cultures and religions to your own.

As I was reading this verse I really felt God telling me that there was something else to this verse; that Jesus wasn't telling the apostles His concentric circles theory for witnessing to the lost.

Who was in Jerusalem when Jesus told His disciples this?
Jesus and His disciples, as well as thousands of other devout Jews, were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. They came to worship God for delivering their fathers from Egypt.

What are the regions of Judea and Samaria?
Judea is the inheritance that was given to the descendants of Judah and Benjamin. Samaria is the inheritance given to the other 10 tribes of Israel. Samaria is also a large city built by King Omri of Israel. Multiple kings of Israel made the city of Samaria their home, effectively making it the capitol of Israel. Now you must remember that Judah and Israel are two separate "countries" at this point. They split after the reign of Solomon. Because Solomon worshiped other gods (1Kings 11:31-40) God created two countries, Judah to preserve the line of David on the throne and Israel, the rest.

The remotest part of the earth?
The remotest part of the earth represents everyone who is not of the physical descendants of Abraham, i.e. gentiles, barbarians, etc.

So what?
Reread Acts 1:8 with this historical context in mind.

"...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." - Acts 1:8 NASB

Did you notice that Judea and Samaria are not separated by a comma, but are treated as one. Go to Jerusalem then Judea and Samaria and after that go to even the remotest parts of the earth. Now read the following scripture:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." - Romans 1:16

Jesus did not lay out a plan for concentric circle witnessing, but a plan to witness to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles. This was very evident in Paul's ministry as he went from town to town, first going to the synagogue then preaching to the rest of the town. God has such a heart for the Jews because they are His chosen people.

So what's wrong with the concentric circle theory?
Too many times Christians have abused this verse and used it to not get out of their comfort zone. "I don't need to witness to people across the world because there's people in my neighborhood who aren't Christians." "I witness to people at my work by trying to do a good job, I'm not comfortable with going to the ghetto and actually telling people about Christ."

The following is an excerpt from a newsletter I received from the mission group Gospel for Asia.

"Hardwar is a holy city on the Ganges River, not far from the more famous city of Varanasi( or Benares). Hundreds of thousands of Hindus travel there every year from all over the world to bathe in the river's "holy" waters. Police estimate that 35 million people come to Hardwar's "Kumbh Mela" festival, which takes place for two weeks every 12 years. These millions believe that taking a ritual bath in the Ganges will wash away all their sins.

"One day while Brother Varghese, a native missionary, was walking through the packed throngs of people at the water's edge, he saw a young woman crying uncontrollably. She was beating her chest with her fists as she wailed in grief.

"With compassion, the native missionary knelt down and asked what was wrong.

"'The problems in my home are too many and my sins are heavy on my heart, so I offered the best I have to the goddess Ganges, my firstborn son,' she said.

"At that, Brother Varghese began telling her about Jesus, about how He loved her and her baby, and that through Him her sins could be forgiven.

"'I have never heard that before,' she replied through her tears. 'Why couldn't you have come 30 minutes earlier? If you had, my child would not have died.'"

This story breaks my heart. There are MILLIONS of people on the other side of the world DYING AND GOING TO HELL! EVERYONE in America has heard the name of Jesus. I'm not saying that we should not witness here in the U.S.

"In 2003, conservative and evangelical denominations gave 2.6 percent [of their income] (about three cents per dollar), with the liberals giving only 0.9 percent [of their income] (one cent). The combined average for overseas work is about two pennies per dollar...Where is the money going?...the numbers demonstrate an increased emphasis on internal operations over the broader mission of the church." - http://www.worldmag.com/articles/11176

If you can't or are not willing to go yourself then consider giving money to mission organizations such as Heart of God Ministries (www.hgm.org) or Gospel for Asia (www.gfa.org). If you can't afford to give any more money than you already are then get involved in your church and convince your local body to give more money to foreign missions. If you are not able to do that then please PRAY for the lost. They are dying, dying, dying.

Clay

Obedience

I've been reading through 2 Chronicles and the Lord has really been teaching me about obedience. Chapter after chapter, Kings and Chronicles give accounts of kings who seek after the Lord and are blessed by Him, while kings who forsake Him are destroyed.

2 Chronicles 16:9a really stuck out to me which says "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

I whole heartedly know that by seeking the Lord I will not necessarily be blessed financially or with good health. This is VERY evident in the lives of such great men of faith as any of the apostles, Stephen, Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, thousands of missionaries who have gone to foreign countries giving their lives to God and surviving only by God's grace, and on and on. But I do know as Phillipians 4:6-7 says "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." And James 4:7-8 "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts you double-minded."

This has been very evident in my own life. As I have sought the Lord He has allowed me to find Him, but when I stop He withdraws. I've been struggling for sometime trying to juggle a wife, kids, a job, church, and seeking the Lord. Shala and I have really been trying of late to rise early and seek the Lord and I can already feel Him drawing near to me and teaching me. It has been an incredible blessing and I ask for your prayers to have the strength and determination to persevere in this area.

Clay