Not Forgotten

Many people have asked this question, and I may have even asked it myself at one point or another. Why are 13 people from Bethel Hill Baptist Church going all the way to a small village in Ethiopia to minister to and work with a tribe of people who most in the world have never heard of? The simple answer just came to me as if I had asked it aloud to someone sitting in the room beside me. Though many people have never heard of them, and many who have heard have forgotten them...God has not forgotten.

When you're alone in your room and your heart is breaking over losses that you feel so deeply that you don't want to face another day, God knows and He loves you. He has not forgotten you.

When you're really sick, or you're experiencing physical pain that is so intense that if you were the only person who you had to think about, you would beg God to take you from this world, God knows and He loves you. He has not forgotten you.

When the fear of life is bearing down so hard on you that death seems preferable to facing another day, God knows and He loves you. He has not forgotten you.

If you are so deep in a pit of sin and misery that you can not imagine the possibility of ever finding a way out, God knows and He loves you. He has not forgotten you.

If you are living with this kind of hurt, pain, fear, or misery...remember His love for you.

"I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are always before me." (Isaiah 49:16)

"Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our LORD." (Romans 8:39)

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Regardless of what's going on in your life, He loves you and He has not forgotten you.

Just as He, through the hearts and hands of His people, has found and is pouring out his unfailing love upon the Bergi tribe in Ethiopia, will He do the same for you.

"...you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 29: 12-14a)

For He has not forgotten.

Double DooDee Diapers

Today I had an appointment at Durham Women's Clinic for my yearly physical, which also meant time for myself! Just me! As I was driving to Durham, I was really enjoying my time with God...praising Him for the miracles that He's done in my life, praying for loved ones who are suffering, and so on. I was crying a little. This is not unusual for me at all. As I was going down 501 I was needing a tissue and there were none handy, so I just grabbed the clean diaper in the seat beside me. Though an odd choice, it worked well, thankfully.

I went on to to doctor's office, checked in, an sat down to do a little reading. Then after a short wait, I got called back. The nurse told me to remove my clothes and put on the gown that opens in the back. (DON'T WORRY. THIS IS AS GRAPHIC AS IT GETS. :) ) After waiting in that condition for a WHILE I thought of one of Jerry Seinfeld's jokes. In it he references similar experiences in which a nurse has told him to go into the exam room, pull his pants down, and that the doctor would be with him in about 10 minutes. He said that he's always wanted to say, "No. How about you tell him (the doctor) to go in there, pull his pants down, and I (Seinfeld) will be in there to see him in about 10 minutes. Now. See how he likes that!" Anyway, I thought it was pretty funny, and that you might like it too. : )

I saw Dr. Powell today; she is my absolute favorite doctor in the practice! It's always like visiting an old friend. She's one of the kindest, most encouraging people that I've met...which are excellent qualities to have if you're an OB/GYN. She makes this yearly (typically dreaded) event a positive experience, which I appreciate more than I can say.

After leaving there I went to Chic-Fil-A. I really love Chic-Fil-A. I love the food and the atmosphere. I get a combo with a grilled chicken sandwich, waffle fries (yay!) and diet lemonade (no I am not dumb enough to think I need to be on a diet. I'm just not supposed to ingest much sugar). They're usually playing K-Love and today one of the ladies even said God bless you after she gave me my polynesian sauce. I love that! I also love the fact that they go around and ask if you need anything or want a refill when they can.

I actually got mine to go today. I had to wait longer than I expected at the DWC and I felt like I should be getting back to the kiddos. So though an unusual occurrence, I ate while I drove. So back to the diaper. I didn't want to get sauce on my shorts so I put the "clean" diaper in my lap and used it as a plate while I ate my fries. Then I was presented with a different issue...a sloppy sandwich. I was trying to think of a way to eat it without making a huge mess, and once again it came back to the......."clean" diaper. I know this sounds a little gross because it does to me too, but it worked quite well as a sandwich holder. They are very absorbent; the only thing I got on my shorts was crumbs.

Who would have thought that diapers could be so multi-purpose? I was pleasantly surprised. I know this is quite different from what I typically write. Though minus my typical brand of inspiration, I hope you enjoyed it...or at the very least that you're not so disappointed that you'll never read anything that I write again. Have a great day!

Simple Truth

Shawn got called to come into work this morning, and the kids and I went to church. Bethel Hill Baptist has preaching at 10:00AM in the summer which I love! I'm not quite disciplined enough for Sunday school yet.

Anyway, as we were riding just before 10:00, (running late as usual) I was playing with the radio and came across a Christian program. The station was 106.1; who the speaker was I have no idea. He had taken a call from a guy who was asking questions about God, religion, and church. The guy seemed to be in that uncomfortable place between unbelief and belief. The host was answering his questions with such clarity and simplicity that I just had to share some of what he said.

Many people wonder how a "so-called" loving God could send people to hell. This is a common misconception among people. God does not send people to hell. He, however, does give them a choice while they are here on earth to either live a life with Him or without Him. He respects us enough to allow us to make our own choices. If we choose a life without Him here, then He will not force us to live in eternity with Him in heaven. As a result, those who do not choose a relationship with God will have to live with the eternal consequences of hell, which is a life completely apart from Him.

What many people don't consider is that on a daily basis, while they are on earth, whether or not they choose a life with God, they are enjoying many of the benefits that believers have. Some of these are the beauty of nature, an earth that sustains and renews itself, and that provides us with the resources that we need for life. It's kind of like stealing someone else's cable. If you choose a life apart from God, then you will live in eternal torment without the presence of God and His benefits.

The man asked if he could be a believer and not go to church. The host explained that he could but that he would miss out on the many benefits of being part of a body of believers. You will miss out on the encouragement of knowing that many of the things that you deal with on a daily basis are common problems. You will miss out on the support and encouragement that comes from being a part of a group like that.

None of this is "word for word." I just thought that what I heard was important enough to share. None of this is my commentary and I have none to add, so without further ado, I'm gonna close. I do pray that these words will answer someone's questions or give someone clarity in areas that may have been fuzzy.

The Authentic Christian Life

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5

This could be my daily theme verse. It tells you how to walk the Christian walk on a daily basis authentically. And truly, is there really any other way? We either DO or we DON'T! We either ARE or we AREN'T!

Going to church every Sunday isn't going to cut it. If we lived in a sin-free world it would, but that is FAR from the case! The TRUTH is that if you are saved by God's grace, YOUR LIFE WILL LOOK DIFFERENT! If it doesn't, then there is a serious problem. It doesn't change all at once; if it did then God would have no reason for leaving us in this sin-infested place. We are here to do battle.

Typically you know that I'm not overly pessimistic, but unless you are pretty sheltered, then almost everything that you come into contact with on a daily basis is in opposition to God's Word. It is vital to your spiritual health that you erect certain safeguards to protect yourself from the lies that permeate the entertainment industry. Does this require radical living? Most definitely! Is it easy? NO!

From my own personal experience...God lovingly nudged me away from soaps for many months (maybe years to an extent) before I actually gave them completely up. It was HARD! My Mama had them on when I was little and I had watched them ever since. What's the problem with that you may ask? The biggest problem with it for me is that they present anything extra-marital as desirable, enticing, and the norm. If you think that you can watch things like this on a regular basis and not have it affect you mentally, then you are fooling yourself.

Many people are careful what they allow into the minds of their children but watch exactly what they want to watch when their children aren't around. It is impossible to exaggerate the impact that the things that you allow into your mind on a daily basis have on your actions. Like Joyce Meyer says, "Where the mind goes, the man follows."

The only way to recognize the lies that you you will most certainly contend with on a daily basis is to LEARN TRUTH. Doing this requires time in God's Word. It requires commitment. Sometimes it's enjoyable; sometimes it's not. But it will change you for the better. It will change your life for the better...and the lives of those around you.

Following is a quote I read yesterday from Proverbs 31 Ministries. "Jesus gave all so that we wouldn’t have to live our lives based on how we feel in the moment. We can live our lives based on truth. And the more I understand that and determine to let truth reign my heart in, the more peaceful I am." Lysa TerKeurst

You may have been doing exactly what you want to do your whole life, but please hear this. GOD'S PLANS ARE BETTER! I've tried it both ways and I know. Do I still have to remind myself of that? YES! Is it worth the cost? Most definitely!

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those tho love Him..." (2 Cor. 2:9) Eschew what is less now for a greater, authentic return later. You won't be sorry.