Saturday, August 22, 2009

YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN 8 COWS

I went to Choir Rehearsal today and Brenden (our music guy) shared a story. A Reader's Digest version goes something like this.

A man had a daughter who was very plain. She walked with her head down and her shoulders slumped. A man came into his town and offered 8 cows to marry the girl. The usual amount of cows was 3 or at 4, but 8 was amazing. The man was hoping to get 1 cow for his daughter. So of course the girl married this traveler for 8 cows.

Later on, a man was traveling through another town when he came upon this man, who he had heard had paid 8 cows for his wife. He was interested in knowing why this man paid 8 cows for a plain Jane. The man who paid 8 cows heard this man had been in his wife's hometown and asked if he had heard about him. The man said sheepishly, yes. He wondered what he had heard. He wanted to know why he paid 8 cows for a plain Jane. After this question, a woman came into the room carrying refreshments. She was tall and carried herself with pride and was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The man who paid 8 cows for his wife introduced this woman to the man. It was his wife. She left the room.

There are many different things we can learn from this story. What I picked up on was how much God loves us! He paid way more than 8 cows for us. We should walk with pride and our head held high and shoulders back and not be ashamed of the God we serve. In 1 Timothy it says, "nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

Ladies, remember that God loves you and gave his only Son for you!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

SECOND CHANCES

All ladies present at the "Walking in the Spirit" event were blessed. Our speaker, Tina Holland, encouraged us to be ready to walk where God directs us.

I have learned that God gives us second chances. I am not sure if "chance" is the right word, but it does fit.

This morning, I was driving to work and my car broke down (this time it was my hubby's car as he is trying to fix the other car). There I was on the street and my car just died. I was stuck in the middle lane, cars buzzing past me! There was no way I could get out of the car. Due to the morning lighting, the hazard blinkers were ineffective. I prayed and cried to God. Finally a gentleman came and pushed me to the side, but I was still in the line of fire. I do not think I have heard so many cars and trucks honk in my life. When I finally settled down, I called triple-A and explained the situation. They asked me if I was in the way of traffic, and I responded, "Yes". Therefore, they put a rush on the tow truck (30 minutes). So for 30 minutes, I sat in my seat, praying and pushing the brake. I honestly thought maybe this was the day I was going to heaven.

The sight of a tow truck never looked so beautiful! Especially, when Kevin, the tow truck driver from last month, stepped out of the driver's side. I said to God, "Okay, I will share the gospel with him this time." When he saw me, he remembered me (I was the one who fell out of his truck). He said, "Let's make this quick, the cars and trucks are not slowing down." Amen to that.

I pulled myself up to the passenger seat and Kevin hopped in and started driving. He told me he lived close by and we drove by where his baby was buried. I asked him about his wife, Marie, and he shared they had just found out they are having another boy. His face was glowing.

As we ascended on to the freeway, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me. This time, I listened and obeyed, "Kevin, God wants me to talk to you, if that is okay," I said. He let me know that there was no place for him to go, so he would listen. I shared with him that Jesus is the only way to heaven, and he stopped me and said that he believed in Jesus. He quoted John 3:16. He could have not have gone through losing a baby if he did not believe in Jesus. I told him I just wanted to make sure that he knew the truth. He does have some misconceptions about the Bible and I hope that after our conversation he will search the scriptures for himself. I am considering sending him a gift for the baby and maybe a New Testament.

Thank you God for giving me this second opportunity to share with Kevin!

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10-11

Sunday, April 29, 2007

BE READY

God's has taught me so much in the last few weeks. I lost a job and started a new job, all in a three-day time period. God is faithful!

After losing my job of 16 years, I was not able to see the hummingbirds fly away from their nest. Of course, I was pretty upset about losing the job, but I really wanted to see those baby hummingbirds fly. I watched them hatch and grow, but never saw them leave the nest.

Our walk with the Lord is similar to the above. We share the gospel with someone. We have varying responses - some reject, some accept, some delay. We do not always get to see the harvest of our sharing. Someone else in another place gets to reap what we have sown. At times we get to reap the harvest of what others have sown. I want to be there when a person accepts Jesus as their Saviour. I want to see them grow and fly!

One thing I do know is that God wants us to share the gospel. I wish I could say I was always ready to share the gospel, but this week an opportunity passed me by. My car broke down, and I called triple-A. The tow truck driver was a very talkative guy. He shared with me about losing a baby last year, and I sympathized with him. He also shared with me about his wife being pregnant, and I rejoiced with him. I did ask him about his spiritual background, but when he answered that he believed all faiths were good, I did not take the bait. God opened the door for me and I should have said, "Well did you know the Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life". When he dropped me off at home, I did tell him I would be praying for he and his wife and their baby. I pray that God brings someone else into his life to share the gospel with him.

I am more determined now to be ready in season and out of season - 2 Titus 4:2.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

SPRING IS HERE

Spring arrived this week! God shows us Himself through His world.

The past couple of weeks, I have been watching a hummingbird build her nest. She is so diligent about protecting her eggs. She is out and about each day collecting leaves, spiderwebs, etc. to use in the nest for the protection of her eggs.

Today, a wasp tried to get to her nest and she put her beak down and faced that wasp and he flew away.

The other day when it was raining, she made sure that she stayed close to the nest and would only leave for a few moments. She always arrived back with something in her beak. She would use it for the nest, presumably to protect the eggs from the elements.

God wants us to be diligent about protecting our hearts and minds. How can we do this?

By reading His Word and praying daily.

In Philippians it says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And in 2 Timothy it says:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who
does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

As I anxiously await the hatching of the eggs, how much more should I anxiously await the coming of my Lord and my time with Him each day.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

WELCOME LADIES!

As women, we love to converse. This blog can be used as a tool to reach women in their homes and workplace.

Today, MidCities hosted a Beth Moore workshop called Loving Well.

The four main points:

1. God is perfect love.
2. Nothing can separate me from God's perfect love.
3. God pours His perfect love into my imperfect heart.
4. Accessed, I can love anyone through anything.

Accessed is referring to accessing the first three.

The theme verse: 1 John 4:7-8

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loves is born of God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God for God is love."

Ladies, reach out to the people of our church and community and show them what real love is!