7 More Lessons Learned by Julie Ruse

Julie was a missionary sent out by Redemption Church in June of 2017. Julie served at the House of Blessing Orphanage in Bachiniva, Mexico and finish out a year-long internship. We were very encouraged and privileged to have partnered with Julie as her sending church.  Take a few minutes to read and learn from some of the wonderful things Jesus did in her life through this process:

1) THE CHRISTMAS TRADITION OF DECORATING WITH POINSETTIAS ORIGINATED IN MEXICO!

This past Christmas was the first one that I spent away from family. Very different, but very wonderful, complete with hot tamales, soccer, and Mexican hot chocolate.

2) WATER CAN BE CONSERVED.

There were multiple occasions when I experienced running out of running water. So on a practical note, there are ways we can change how we wash our hands, shower, and do dishes that can conserve water and make a difference. 

3)   AWARENESS OF BLESSINGS TRUMPS AMOUNT OF BLESSINGS ON THE HAPPINESS METER. 

I know this sounds like the cliché mission trip answer when someone has spent any amount of time in a third world country. It’s often noted that people with less possessions seem happier. And I truly got to experience the relief of traveling light. On Christmas day, I was profoundly grateful for things like running water, let alone hot running water! For brilliant stars in the night sky, for the loyalty of a dog, for the kindness of a friend. For cough drops stilling throat tickles, for the ability to run and the ability to ease others’ pain. 

4)   THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A GOOD STRUGGLE. 

Just because we’re promised victory doesn’t mean we’re exempt from the fight. This reminds me of the movie ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in which it is prophesied that Alice will slay the Jabberwocky. But that only came to fruition after an epic battle. Don’t assume that life being hard means that you’re doing something wrong or being punished. Get out there and do hard things! 

5) STOP COMPARING AND START CARING.

Living and working with the same few people 24/7 can present a little interpersonal friction at times. In any sort of partnership (business, ministry or marital), it’s so easy to subconsciously ask, “Is my partner working as hard as me?” I call this the ‘Martha Complex’ (Luke 10). But I’m learning to replace that question with these: “Am I about God’s business?”, “Am I doing the work He wants me to do?”, “Am I loving the people He wants me to love?”  That change of perspective is hugely beneficial. Jesus addressed this issue another time (in addition to the situation with Mary and Martha). In John 21, Peter and Jesus have an intimate moment of relationship restoration and a sobering moment of prophesy regarding Peter’s calling and future, ending with Jesus’ statement, “Follow me.” Peter’s immediate reaction is, “What about him, Lord?” (referring to another disciple named John). To this Jesus responds, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

6)   GOD INSTITUTED A DAY OF REST FOR A REASON.

Through my previous life experiences, I was accustom to working a salary job M-F, and then on the weekends tackling my personal to-do lists including meal prep, cleaning and laundry. So that didn’t always leave a lot of time for ‘rest’. I mean, in such a fast-paced, capitalistic society, what does it mean to rest anyway? Well after continuously working 14-hour days, 6 days a week, ‘day of rest’ took on a whole new meaning. I learned to detach myself from lists and go climb a tree or hike a mountain with God… to sleep, journal, watch a movie, or call a friend. And you know, when I let one whole day be truly restful, then that one day off was enough. #GoodPlanGod

7)   GOD IS MY ADVOCATE AND I DON’T NEED THE APPROVAL OF MEN.

Phewee, this was a hard one to work through, but what a blessing to realize and to witness specific examples of in my life! Knowing that God stands up for me means that I don’t have to balance the books or zero out the scales. I don’t need to look for verbal ‘payment’ or rewards for the efforts I expend. It means I can actively love people who act unloveable (which is not as easy as one might think). It means you can resolve, “I’m going to treat this person as my friend because I’m choosing to call them ‘friend’, regardless of what I get from them in return.” This might sound like a lot of self-sacrifice, but just remember that God isn’t asking us to do for others anything that He hasn’t already done for us.

Romans 8:33-34

“Who dares accuse us who Christ has chosen for His own? No one- for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? No one- for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”

Dealing with Disappointment by Julie Ruse

Have you ever felt like your world is collapsing and it’s all you can do just to keep from being buried alive? I want to talk about disappointment today. Not the kind when you forgot Chick-fil-A was closed on a Sunday ;) but the kind that truly rocks your world and causes you to question the very belief structures that were your foundation.

I’ve been rereading the story of ‘The Raising of Lazarus’ lately. You may be familiar with this passage in John 11 and how it exemplifies Jesus’ empathy with our pain because it says he wept (when visiting his friends who had just lost a loved one). But I noticed a few other things this time. Firstly, the fourth verse states, “But when Jesus heard about it [his dear friend Lazarus being very sick] he said, ‘Lazarus’ sickness WILL NOT END IN DEATH…’” But then Lazarus dies (verse 14). Mary and Martha (Lazarus’ sisters) had petitioned Jesus for help and He, by all appearances, had done nothing. He didn’t show up in time. How is this the same Jesus referred to in Luke 6:19 which says, “Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.” Talk about confusing and disappointing…

There have been similar situations throughout the Bible. God, you said you would rescue your people from the power of Egypt and now they’re being crushed even harder than before (Exodus 5:22-23). And remember Job? God, I know the rain falls on the just and the unjust but what the heck! Job lost all ten of his children in a single natural disaster. God, you said Lazarus’ sickness would not end in death, and now he’s dead! How does one make sense of that? Well…it must mean that this is NOT THE END OF THE STORY. The same is true for those previous examples and for your story as well, whatever that may be. I’ve heard it said that God’s past faithfulness demands our current trust. He sees the big picture. And usually we can see in hindsight only AFTER we’ve passed through something. 

Jesus does go on to raise Lazarus from the dead, and the ‘delay’ in healing brought about so much good and glory to God. In the next chapter, we see in John 12:9-11&19 that, “When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus… Then the pharisees said to each other, ‘There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him [Jesus]!’”

So when disappointment strikes, take a dose of perspective. I don’t mean to sound flippant. God sees the stuff we go through, recognizes that it’s hard and He cares. Back to the story in Exodus 3:7-8 God says, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I AM AWARE OF THEIR SUFFERING. So I have come down to rescue them…” But regarding perspective, just remember that God’s goodness to me trumps whatever ‘badness’ I’m experiencing. We are never abandoned by God. He’s our infinite blessing, the everlasting fount. Our Comforter, our Advocate, our Hope. No matter what, I have freedom from fear and from every stronghold the enemy had in my life. I am new. I am never alone. I am represented. I am seen. I am known. And I am loved, perfectly and eternally. I’ll close with 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Spiritual Warfare by Julie Ruse

Movie trivia time! Who can place this quote:

“Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective. 

A lot of hope is dangerous.”

Though spoken by the antagonist character, President Snow, in the Hunger Games series, there’s a seed of truth there. I think we all can agree that fear is a powerful thing. It controls and dictates decisions. It cripples, paralyzes even. No wonder intimidation is a primary weapon of our spiritual enemy. He uses fear like a smokescreen in an attempt to cloud our vision and distort reality. But you see, the devil doesn’t have any real power except what God allows. Whoah, that’s a radical statement. But in Job 2:1-7  and Luke 22:31 (both old and new testaments), we see Satan asking for God’s permission before messing with people. God is in control- that changes everything. I once heard it said that the devil is like a toothless bulldog- he can bark, but he can’t bite.

In the book Spiritual Warfare: fighting the good fight of faith, Brian Brodersen states, “Satan will threaten you…But that is all he can do because ‘greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world’ (1 John 4:4).”

This is our reality. God Most High fights for us. (Some of my favorite verses on that topic are Exodus 14:13-14, Jeremiah 20:11, Psalm 144:1-2, Lamentations 3:58, and Proverbs 23:10-11). The Champion King perfects our faith. He wins. He’s already won.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  Romans 16:20a

The reason the intimidation strategy exists is because, sadly, many Christians give in to fear. But we don’t have to. We have something more powerful than fear- hope. And our hope is this, “Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live (Gal 1:4).”

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours

through Christ, who loved us.  Romans 8: 37

ADDENDUM 

I thought I had finished this blog two months ago, but only realized its application (like where it comes alive in my own life) in the last week. Thus, I want to add a few things. I was aware that the devil can spit lies and hurl condemnation, set of smokescreens and act intimidating (like the Wizard of Oz seeming larger than life behind a curtian). And I knew that through Jesus we have the power to stand against that… But how? How do we just not be affected in the midst of a spiritual onslaught? Because as Christians, especially as ‘on mission’ Christians who are pushing back darkness, intimidation will still come and intimidate.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor

so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. 

Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm.  Ephesians 6:13

This passage in Ephesians goes on to describe the ‘Armor of God’, in which the only offensive weapon listed is the Word of God. Did you catch that? The Bible is a weapon. Wield it.

Jesus exemplified this battle strategy when he was under spiritual attack (Luke 4). Each time the devil came at him with something, Jesus responded, “No, the Scriptures say…” And get this, each time that was the end of the story. The devil had to move on to a new temptation because he couldn’t refute the Word of God. (By the way, do you think Jesus was referencing biblegateway.com in the desert? He was able to wield the Word because he knew what it said.) 

So if the enemy drudges up junk from your past, declare that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). If he makes you feel like there’s some habitual sin you can never be free from, remind yourself (even outloud) that “we are no longer slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). When you fear you don’t have what it takes, repeat God’s promise that “my grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

Don’t just ‘stand’, stand on the Word of God. It is powerful. It is life. Go in victory. 

Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. 

Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.  Psalm 27:3

7 Lessons Learned from Missions in Mexico by Julie Ruse

Julie is a missionary sent out by Redemption Church in June of 2017. Julie has been serving at the House of Blessing Orphanage in Bachiniva, Mexico and will be returning there to finish out a year-long internship. We are very encouraged and privileged to be partnering with Julie as her sending church and seeing how God is continuing to work in and through her journey on the mission field in Mexico. Take a few minutes to read and learn from some of the wonderful things Jesus has been doing in her life this Summer as she shares from her heart in the blog below:

1)  Tres Leches is NOT a Mexican dessert.

Poof- mind blown. Turns out it’s actually a Nicaraguan dish.

2)  It seems like Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in America than in Mexico. 

Another shocker to me- be careful what you assume!

3)  Sometimes God leads us to serve, not so he can help others through us, but so he can help us through others. 

Thanks, Alesha for sharing this truth nugget so many months ago! I do feel that the summer in Mexico was a season more characterized by God ministering to me than me ministering to children. Ethel Percy Andrus articulates, “The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.” As Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” I thank God for having needy people in my life, recipients for me to love and serve and, therefore, to be blessed by.

4)  Feeling ‘filled up’ is not a prerequisite to serving. The act of giving out is, in itself, filling.

Though similar to the previous point, I have Angie to thank for this revelation. Isn’t it wonderful how God speaks to us through his body, the church? I definitely experienced that in Mexico- shoutout to the Redemption Church family! Anyway, brace yourselves because this is about to get personal. A couple months before the orphanage internship, my boyfriend ended our relationship. This rocked my world. I wondered how I was going to minister to others when I felt empty, like I had nothing to give. I wondered how ministry was possible when I didn’t have a stockpile of joy, wisdom, hope and faith, at the moment, to draw from. This experience really fleshed out God’s promise found in 2 Corinthians, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”

5)  Hard ≠ Bad

My stance on suffering is continuing to evolve. The lessons learned in that area would require a whole other blog (stay tuned), but in brief, our suffering is not meaningless. Paul confides that the ‘thorn in my flesh’ kept him humble. Solomon (wisest man ever) remarked that sadness is sanctifying (Ecc 7:3). In the sermon on the mount Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn…” The brokenhearted get to experience a special nearness to God (Psalm 34:18). And listen to this from the book of Job: “But by means of their suffering, he [God] rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.” That one hit me. Naturally, we humans attempt to avoid pain, but is pain a problem? We know it’s a promise (John 16:33). 1 Peter 4:1 says, “So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too…” Do we expect God to protect us from pain? Do we doubt his goodness or his existence when he doesn’t? Listen to the second part of the verse, “For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.” Is it worth it to you? Does the surpassing joy of knowing Christ outweigh every loss?

6)  Purity is a process.

My imperfections can be overwhelming at times, and then the devil likes to ride through on the shame train (don’t jump on that train).  But battle after battle, issue after issue, God is perfecting me. Oh sweet victory; I’m becoming more and more free! Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” This nods back to the #4 point- don’t wait until you’re perfect to serve because that won’t happen until the end of the world! God spoke to me about the PROCESS of sanctification through Deuteronomy 7:22-32a which says, “The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. But the Lord your God will hand them over to you.” So rest assured that God’s got you and he knows what’s up. He knows you completely and is still in love with you. He’s in the process of making you holy, but until that work is complete, his grace covers you. Jesus is your righteousness. Rest in him.

7)  God is the Dream Giver and Dream Fulfiller. 

I heard the phrase ‘Dream Giver’ while watching Disney’s Pocahontas, not gonna lie, and thought there was something beautifully poetic about that title. Then I came to realize that that’s who my God is, both in biblical accounts and in my own life. God knows us better than we know ourselves. I was blown away in Mexico watching the Dream Giver fulfill dreams he’d planted in my heart long ago. I was reading through old journals and came across an entry where I had articulated my life goals in two statements: 1) Impact lives through design and 2) Minister to orphans/ children in need. I had forgotten I’d written these and never imagined how God would weave both dreams into one beautiful design. For those who don’t know, I’ll be staying on at the orphanage to do graphic design/ marketing stuff and admin support. Be encouraged that we serve a big God who is able and active. I’ll close with Ephesians 3:20-21. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”

When God Says "Wait" by Andre Amirato

I would like to consider with you one response we might receive from the Lord when we pray and what impact our reaction can have on our lives. It can be a real struggle to even open up to the Lord, but even greater change can occur when we listen to his voice and act accordingly.

Read Psalm 27:7-14

When we seek the Lord, we need to be open to listen. He speaks, we follow, we continue to search him, and he continues to reveal to us. Sometimes he prevents us from ruining ourselves, sometimes he guides us to victory and may even specify the individual steps to take, but sometimes he doesn’t speak. The above mentioned Psalm isn’t just a prayer to the Lord, rather it is a cry, begging the Lord for revelation. It demonstrates the anguish of uncertainty as verse 9 cites, “Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger…” (ESV)

In the previous responses, we are charged with obedience and humility. This passage demands that we give the Lord our patience and trust. The level of faithfulness required when we desperately need an answer and are not receiving one is challenging. We must remember that the Lord has gifted us with reason and logic. It is not wrong to move in the direction that we understand as best, but this is not always possible. There may be times where we simply lack the capacity to reach into the abilities that the Lord has given us due to our inadequacies. We are not called to sit idly, and when in complete lack, confused and desperate, the Psalmist does not acquiesce into fear. The Psalmist waits, but also searches.

This particular response is especially important because our attitudes in these moments can sow something significant in our lives. Before a farmer is able to reap the fruits of his labor, he must first find the appropriate seeds, plow the ground in the right places, and sow at the appropriate time. The farmer nurtures his seeds and gives them attention. He comes to this patch of soil, where he cannot see growth, cannot see what is occurring beneath, but the farmer continues to give the necessary amount of water and fertilizer. He needs that fruit to sustain himself, but knows that should he reach into the soil preemptively, there will be nothing there but a half grown seed. A bit more time and work and fruit will come that then provides for sustenance and new seeds for another harvest.

Our souls hunger for the Lord and our physical beings depend upon this nourishment to reap fruit. We cry to the Lord. In our moments of need we are tried, our hunger and desperation grows and our physical bodies are unsure if the fruit will be enough to pay the bills, to put food on the table, to get the grade, to bring our families to Christ, to allow us to know the Lord more, to provide us with whatever it may be that our spirits are shouting for. We are challenged in our wait and it is frightening because as we wait, our needs do not wither. To wait is to have faith that our God is greater than our needs, our real and challenging needs. 

The Psalmist presents his needs to the Lord. He cries out, leaves his anguish before the Lord and seeks. He seeks and leaves what he can before the Lord’s feet, he seeks and leaves more. The Psalmist seeks and declares victory in his surrender to the Lord in verse 13: “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!”  He is calling us to seek and to leave our needs before him continuously. Whether we are able to leave everything at his feet or must learn to let go little by little, he strengthens us to continue to do so.

Waiting in the Lord can be frustrating and scary. Our doubts grow and are constantly gripping us, so we must continue to lay them before the Lord. We fight off our fears and continue to seek. As we seek, we are sacrificing more and more of ourselves to the Lord. Waiting in the Lord is a unique opportunity to be cherished, for the needs may be great, but our Lord is greater and will demonstrate Himself as faithful every time.

If You Love Jesus, You Must Love People by Esteban Valenzuela

God is all about people and relationship.

His institutions that include the church, marriage, and family…guess what? They’re all about people. Ministry, both inside and outside of the church…yup…also about people. Life guarantees that challenging situations and difficult people will often come our way. We won’t ever be able to fully insulate ourselves from these factors, unless you want to live in some remote place, like Alaska. If, however, you find yourself wanting to live life with some sense of normalcy, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you’re probably going to be with and around people. 

As a parent, I have such a fierce love for my kids. I want the best for them and tend to worry about them here, in the now, but also about their health and safety in the future. In a sense, I see them as extensions of myself. Out there in life, exposed, there is great potential that I/they will experience life and feel pain. Sometimes it feels like a giant risk having kids. Risking my own sanity and my own emotions, as my very being is so tightly knit together in their existence. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s risky to trust people. 

It seems like a gamble to get out there and trust people with your heart and your friendship and to navigate this life and all the social and communal institutions that we potentially face. But it’s part of God’s plan. To be with Him. To be with others. To engage in relationship, fellowship, and community. When God asked Solomon what he would ask of Him, Solomon’s response was for wisdom and knowledge. This was in direct correlation with his relationship to his people, Israel, as their king. 

There won’t ever be a time or season when we are done with instruction in God’s Word. We learn some things, and then life throws new challenges, situations, and new people at us and we need to learn more. This is where God uses the church, pastors, and the Christian community to impact individual lives and whole communities so powerfully. A faithful expression of God’s church is going to have an emphasis on the most important training and equipping source…God’s Word. So, enter the community, get the big picture, and get into the game. Even if it seems risky. Understand that love, relationship, and community are a huge part of everyday life. Understand this is where the devil will often try to wage his war and bring division and a break in relationships. Let God’s Word train you, equip you, and dwell richly within you. Learn, affirm, and confirm to others the truth of His Word, and then encourage them to get in the game, too. Get to that place where the miracle of the Gospel is working something amazing in you, and help others to get there, too. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is radical! It’s all about Him! Somehow, He has engaged us in His mission…

Romans 12:14-21 say this: “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads. Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” 

In life and ministry Jesus Himself is the grand prize and the supreme goal. And He is all about people. 

Are we living in peace as much as it depends on us? It can be a challenging, messy, swampy relational world everywhere you go. If we claim to be His, this should lead us ask how we think about and act toward each of the precious people He has put into our lives and the various situations we face. Are we being faithful?  Like Solomon, we need wisdom. He’s got the blueprints for a life triumphant and victorious. So, be instructed. Allow Him to guide, direct, and equip you. He doesn’t simply desire us in heaven, but He desires for us to be fruitful and victorious here on earth! 

When God Says "No" by Andre Amirato

I would like to consider with you one response we might receive from the Lord when we pray and what impact our reaction can have on our lives. It can be a real struggle to even open up to the Lord, but even greater change can occur when we listen to his voice and act accordingly. 

Read Jeremiah 42:9-19

In this passage in the book of Jeremiah, the Hebrew people had pleaded for mercy and sought direction from the Lord. They looked to the prophet Jeremiah for direction. They were currently residing in a dangerous situation in Babylon. They had been planning on relocating to Egypt, which seemed like a logical and safe place at the time. They went to the Lord having analyzed their situation, which is appropriate, and then seeking God’s final approval. They were then completely devastated when the Lord responded with a clear and resounding “no.” 

It is not incorrect to analyze, think and make decisions—the Lord has called us to do so. However, it is inappropriate to come before the Lord, assuming that our analysis should be what convinces or guides His answer. There may be times when the Lord does direct us to make choices by guiding this process, but we must be open, not only to ask, but to obey His answers to us. 

In this passage, the Lord gave a response that was contrary to that which had been most logical in the eyes of the Hebrews. Oftentimes, the biggest struggle that we face in our day to day is giving up our own ways which seem logical, the schemas we have constructed, and the processes we’ve established. Instead, we must, by faith, choose to accept that our God has every authority in our lives to speak, even when it feels out of turn.

As human beings, we have been educated to understand our environments and draw conclusions based on our findings, and that decisions that are unsubstantiated by some form of evidence should be discarded. When coming before the Lord, we must recognize that though this process is good, it is also insufficient. We do not have the means, nor the capacity to gather the full extent of information needed to draw conclusions that could challenge the direction of the Lord. Accepting a word contrary to that which makes most sense, when guided by the Lord, is an act of obedience and, in turn, adoration to the Lord. 

The Hebrews in this passage were given an opportunity to demonstrate their faithfulness and obedience by accepting God’s answer. The Lord blessed them by giving them direction, as well as explaining what would happen should they choose obey or disobey his word. Their disobedience led to their demise. 

The Lord may not always explain why he is guiding us away from what seems to be the most sensible. Let me encourage you to remember that obeying, even when His answer is no, protects us and provides us with an opportunity to testify the Lord’s greatness.

When God Says "Yes" by Andre Amirato

I would like to consider with you one response we might receive from the Lord when we pray and what impact our reaction can have on our lives. It can be a real struggle to even open up to the Lord, but even greater change can occur when we listen to his voice and act accordingly. 

Read 2nd Samuel 5:17-25 and 1 Chronicles 14:10-16

Soon after David was anointed king, the Philistines came to attack him. He asked the Lord if he would grant him victory and the Lord blessed him. He received a “yes” from the Lord and was victorious. The story could end right there, and everyone would be satisfied. You ask about something, the Lord says yes, end of story. But there are two key behaviors that we should learn from King David in order to delight in the full capacity of the Lord.

In verse 21, Samuel states “and the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.” (ESV) The enemy attacked unsuccessfully, as they retreated, they left behind their relics, false gods, images and identifiable paraphernalia. The Lord gave David the victory that he needed, and before celebrating, before thanking his men, David goes to work for the Lord. He glorified the Lord by purging the land of all that came from the enemy. Verse 21 shows us the importance of honoring the Lord, regardless of how unfulfilling the action may be. Purging this land of these items also prevented that the enemy find something familiar when returning for another attack. We can never be sure that the enemy has run for good; there may be times when he may dare to attack once again, which is precisely what David experienced.

David also demonstrated humility in recognizing that his job was not done until he took care of the cleanup, the boring administrative work that easily gets pushed off to the side. He put God in first place, and, though he had victory, he knew that he must always be ready. The enemy would no longer find something familiar upon returning, and when they came back, David was ready for them. He was ready, he had already defeated them, and he knew exactly what to do. He already had a word from the Lord, a clear mandate and direction and so he went, and paused. Before carrying out with the direction that the Lord had already given him, he recognized that he must be continuously searching for the Lord’s direction, which is what he did.

David knew how to respond to the Philistines, but revered and feared the Lord. He stopped and sought the Lord’s direction once more. He did not rely on his own experience to tell him what to do, but continued in prayer. The Lord gave him another yes, but this time, David was given a unique set of instructions. He would not attack the Philistines as he had done so beforehand, rather the Lord guided him on an alternative path. He found victory once more in this alternative path. 

It is important for us to consider that he may have still found victory if he had done what had worked last time, but such victory would have been victory alone and not a victory that is coupled with honoring the Lord and submitting to his ways and means. The Lord equips us, he teaches us and he raises us up in such a way that we will learn how to advance, but if we open up to the Lord, even in the areas where we are already proficient and trained, we will then gain the opportunity to conquer and obey, to win and to glorify the Lord. As much as we may come to know and understand through the knowledge that the Lord affords us, confirmation can only come from the Lord. 

When the Lord says yes, we advance, but we must continuously submit ourselves so that we may have victory and be able to testify to the greatness of the Lord’s grace and mercy. King David placed himself and his army in second place when he ordered his men to carry away the idols that had been left behind. He recognized the need to prepare because he alone does not have the strength to fight, but he receives it from the Lord and will honor him at all times. Then, he presented himself to the Lord once more when he was again challenged, even though he had already been given victory in that place. Similarly, our response to God’s yes must be consistently humble and continue in prayer.

Sharing Jesus in a World of Strangers by Laura Williams

If you are a parent, chances are you have heard or even used the term STRANGER DANGER. And whether you are an over-protective type with hand sanitizer in both hands at any given moment, or more "carefree," letting your kiddos explore and climb ant-ridden trees and eat the sand at the beach… Every loving parent has to address to subject of “stranger danger” with their child at some point. 

And for good reason! We want to protect our children against the unknown, from any person who might intend harm. We carefully guard them from what could potentially hurt or frighten them. I believe this is built into us--parent or not, the desire to protect and preserve the safety and innocence of children is innate in us as human beings. God made us this way because HE is this way. 

A popular song right now is "Good, Good Father" which comes from a passage in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus spoke about God as a loving father when He said, "If indeed you, (human parents) who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, HOW MUCH MORE will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 

There are countless places where God compares our relationship with us to a Father and a dearly loved child. Our instincts as parents are certainly a reflection of OUR Father's heart for us! And God is not only a Father, He is a GOOD Father, desiring and ordaining what is best for His children. 

So here is the irony I see...

Not only does our Father NOT teach us to fear strangers in the world around us, He commands the opposite. He SENDS us to every stranger! He sends us, the children He loves, delights in, sings over. Jesus told his disciples after the days following His resurrection and before He went back to His Father in Heaven, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." (Mark 16:15)

We are sent to those we do not know because God, our Father, already does know them. He not only knows them, He created them. He loves them. He sent His only Son to die for them because He longs to restore them back to Himself! There are no strangers to God--and His Spirit is living inside of us, and He tells us to proclaim and declare His goodness, His gospel just as Jesus did.

And thank God that He pursued us when we were still strangers!

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8

I find it comforting when I think that the unknown person in line behind me at the store, the barista at my local coffee shop, even my neighbor across the street--all these people may be strangers to me, but they are precious and intimately known by my Father. He has a plan for their lives and has sent me to declare His love to them. I am less afraid when I see the people around me less as "strangers" and more and more as valued and loved and known by name. 

And let me remind you (and remind myself too) that if God is for us, who can be against us?!

Paul wrote in Romans 10:14-15, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?"

And He has sent us! You. Me. Those who were lost and now are found. 

I hope that as we all continue to grow in our love for Jesus, that this will develop into a love for the lost around us. I pray daily for a heart that sees people as Jesus sees them. As my Father sees them. I want to live in a world of confidence in knowing that there are no strangers to our God, only precious, loved people. 

And don't forget that YOU are precious. YOU are His dearly loved child. And your Father knows and loves YOU too. He is YOUR good, good Father. And He will be with you every step of the way.

An Update From The House of Blessing (August 2016)

Summer is drawing to a close here for the children of CDB as they prepare to start school this coming Monday.  I don’t think any of our kids would actually “admit” they are excited for school, however, you can tell that they are.  

The summer was fairly busy, though pretty relaxing as well.  Most of our children got to spend some of their vacation with family and relatives.  We only had a few missions teams serve with us this summer.  My wife was able to go on a missions trip to China with a church from El Paso.  Ayantu and I flew up to Seattle for our annual golf tournament in which we raised $6300 for the orphanage.  And then, we met up with Jackie as well as all my siblings and their families for our family reunion in Lincoln City, Oregon.  What a great time that was.

When school finished in July, we had 14 children in the home.  Now with school starting we have 18.  The Lord was faithful to bring us 4 more children to care for and minister to, 3 of those having come this past week.

Some of you might remember Valeria, the sweet little gal with a squeaky voice that lived with us last year for 6 months.  Her mom decided to pull her from the home after Christmas break.  Honestly, we were all heartbroken and missed this precious gal very much.  What made it even harder was the fact that Valeria wasn’t even staying with her mom.  She was living here in town with her grandparents in horrible living conditions. 

I hadn’t seen Valeria since she left until Jairo and Jessie’s wedding in June.  Valeria came with her grandparents and greeted me with the biggest hug ever.  Towards the end of the wedding, Valeria came up and whispered something in my ear.  I couldn’t understand at first but then realized what she was saying…”can I please come live with you guys again.”  My heart was overwhelmed with emotions and all I wanted to do was take this precious girl home with us.  Sure it was justified, right?  I mean, her mom was neglecting her again, her living environment was very unhealthy, it all made sense to me.

However the Lord quickly spoke and reminded me that as much as I wanted to intervene, I needed to “be still, and know that He is God.” He was in control and would work something out.

Well, the Lord was faithful (as always) to do that.  We received a call from Valeria’s mom asking us to please take her daughter back.  She realized she made a mistake taking her out of the orphanage in the first place and once again was not in a place to take care of her.  Of course we said yes and Valeria is as happy as she was when she left…if not a little bit more.  It is SO wonderful to have her with us again.  Valeria will be starting 1st grade on Monday.

We also received a little guy named Edgar.  Edgar is 5 years old and has a mom and dad.  They are actually a really neat family and we are so thankful the Lord brought them into our lives to help and minister to.  Their story goes like a lot of the other stories.  Both parents are working hard to survive and due to their long work days, 6, sometimes 7, days a week, they aren’t able to nor do they have anyone else to care for Edgar.  Edgar’s parents are thrilled that he will be able to get an education (starting 1st grade on Monday), learn about the Lord, be cared for in a healthy environment, and that they will be able to visit or spend time with him on weekends.

The 3rd child that came to us is a young lady named Carolina.  She is the younger sister of Erasmo and Maria Ana.  We have known her since our very first trip up to their little village in the mountains, 3 years ago.  Carolina finished elementary school in her town and her mom now wants her to continue her schooling along with Erasmo and Maria Ana.  Carolina is very shy, but is already coming out of her shell.  She is a huge help with things around the house and is excited to start school.  She will start 7th grade on Monday.

So, including our daughter Ayantu, we now have 19 children in the house.  WOW…sounds a little crazy even as I read and write it.   Yes, it seems a little overwhelming right now as we change up room arrangements, build new beds, buy more clothes, food, etc.  But what an absolute joy and honor to help care for God’s precious children.

Please, please, please, continue to pray for us, especially over the next week as we get all 19 children settled in school.  Please pray for Valeria, Edgar and Carolina as they adjust to their new home.  Also, please pray for continual finances.  With the additional children as well school supplies, uniforms, back to school clothes, etc. that need to be purchased, we are trusting and excited to see in which ways the Lord chooses to provide.

We are also in great need of sponsors for most of our children.  I will be sharing a bit more about that here in the next few weeks regarding ways that you can partner with us and a child here at the orphanage.

Thank you for your faithfulness in taking the time to read the things the Lord is doing here!

Blessings!