Please pray for the local Chinese in these areas
1. God to raise up seminary trained people to go and teach the Chinese pastors so they will be able to teach sound doctrine.
2. Protect the church there from false teachers and false doctrine
3. Comfort those imprisoned for their faith and provide for their families
4. Strengthen Chinese believers to study and start Bible studies of their own
5. Bless those who stand for Jesus to see much fruit that lasts for eternity
I am nobody special. I was raised in a Presbyterian church family and when I went to college … I rebelled. I became anti God and mocked believers on campus and embraced the ways of the world. At the age of 26, I simply had the feeling I needed to find a church to take my children to. A friend shared the gospel with me and Jesus opened my eyes that day to His saving grace. I found a good Bible teaching church and began to grow in knowledge of Him and not just about Him.
I knew that Jesus gave me the gifts of teaching and evangelism. I boldly shared the gospel freely and frequently with any one He brought in my path. I taught Sunday school for children. I had Good News Clubs in my home. I lead Bible studies and VBS. Over a 2 year period, our family was a foster home for 27 new born babies from a private adoption agency.
I felt we had a blessed life until my husband left and I was suddenly a single mom to my son. The only reason I include this is for encouragement to others. This was a dark time and I could see no joy or good that could come from this.
About 10 years later, God called me to China. What an audacious and ridiculous idea that my God would choose me! By this time I was a 55 yr old, divorced grandmother. I was raising three of my granddaughters . I had never been out of the country. I did not have a passport and had never thought about myself in the context of overseas missions.
My decision to go was based completely on my faith in my God to use me, one of the foolish things of this world, and to equip me to be useful to Him. That step took me to the other side of the world for the most blessed and exciting decade of my adult life.
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—
and give your neighbor no rest!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.
12 A troublemaker and a villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks maliciously with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up conflict.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
20 My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life,
24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot,
and his shame will never be wiped away.
34 For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation;
he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
“Children do in excess what parents do in moderation.” I don’t know who originally said it, but I’ve heard this quote more times than I can count in the last couple of weeks. Always in reference to something bad like drinking or cursing or leaving the sponge on the kitchen sink wet. I’ve definitely seen this to be true in my daughter.
My cat Jo used to make these terrible noises when she was in heat. She scratched at the door trying to go outside and howled like her life depended on it. It drove me nuts. I threw pillows in her general direction and firmly insisted that she stop (read: chunked pillows at her and missed while yelling). I never thought much about it, though. I was just reacting in frustration. I never thought I was teaching while I did that. Oh, was I put in my place.
One day, when my daughter Amelia was a little over a year old, Jo started scratching and howling at the door. My barely walking toddler waddled over to where Jo was, furrowed her tiny little brow, pointed her finger and yelled “AH WA WA WA AH! AH!” Jo was so startled she stopped howling and just stared at Amelia who had turned to me smiling for approval.
I almost broke down crying! My actions had taught my daughter that this was how you were supposed to treat animals, and she was proud of herself for it because she had done what Mommy does! I felt miserable. I jumped up and ran to her. I took her in my arms and told her I was sorry. Then we went to find Jo, who had run off to another room by this time, and we pet her and talked to her. I told Amelia, “We need to be gentle with animals.” It was real eye-opening moment. She was copying me, and it was not pretty.
I’ve since had to correct my actions. The thought never crossed my mind that I was being unkind to Jo. In that moment, though, as my daughter yelled at our cat, I realized I had been teaching her meanness instead of kindness whether I meant to or not. She didn’t understand most of my words, but she certainly understood my actions. Now when Jo gets on my nerves, I take a deep breath and then go pet her instead. Amelia quickly learned to do the same.
I could go on and on about more incidences since then in which she has impersonated me and it was fairly unflattering, but, well, it was unflattering and I don’t want to. So let’s move on.
I realized this week that “Children doing in excess what parents do in moderation” can be a good thing, too. Hubs and I pray at the beginning of every meal. Well, most meals. Well, dinner. Sometimes we pray before breakfast, if we happen to all sit down together, which happens about half of the time. Sometimes, I pray before lunch but honestly, I’m so busy trying to do 15 things at once, that I forget. I would say that prayer before a meal is something I do in moderation, although I wish that weren’t the case. I intend to do it in excess, but it just doesn’t happen. Amelia, however, has caught on that we are supposed to hold hands and close our eyes before we eat. She began by not screaming when I took her spoon from her hand to hold it during prayer. Then she started closing her eyes like we do. Then she started reaching for my hand as soon as I buckle her in her seat. I was amazed when I realized what she was doing. She was taking what I do in moderation and forming a habit. She was “praying” in excess! Today, she bowed her head and closed her eyes before snack, which isn’t even at the table where we normally eat! I wasn’t sitting with her, she wasn’t at the table. I had just handed her a snack cup with Cheerios, and she sat down and bowed her head. Wow!
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
I’ve heard it said that behind every good kid, there is a mom who is pretty sure she is screwing everything up. In the moments when my daughter stands on the scale in the bathroom and shakes her head even though she is so light the scale doesn’t even recognize someone is standing on it, or drops her sippy cup and immediately starts crying because that’s not what she wanted, or shakes her fist at the driver in the car next to us at a red light, I am 100% certain that I’m the worst mom in the world.
Then she bows her head to pray before snack time and I remember who my God is. He fills in where I mess up, and He is using her to refine me. He shows me, through Amelia, that the things I am doing right–talking about Jesus, praying, reading the Bible, having Scripture on our walls and on the radio in the car, loving the Lord with all my heart, soul, and strength as best I can–these things are all good and fruitful. Amelia is getting it, as much as a year-and-a-half old can. Oh, I hope to continue more of the good things and less of the bad things!
Mom's Going to Madagascar 