Be Encouraged and Keep Perspective!

When I was a little girl I remember one Fall evening when Dad was absent as mom, my brother and I carved our annual pumpkins.  As I began to complain about Dad being gone, mom reminded me that I needed to be thankful that my Dad was actually coming home later that night.  You see, he was with a family who had just lost their Dad and the children were about our age......perspective.

I have battled some difficulties with my eyes over the last 7 years and a few times during those years they have been a source of depression for me. One such time was a number of years ago when they were particularly bad and my vision was altered until they got better.  I remember feeling depressed and sorry for myself when the Lord brought to mind a dear mother and wife who was dying from a terrible disease.  I remember being struck with the thought of how she would probably give anything to trade me "problems" just to have more years with her family.......perspective.

Currently, I find myself complaining about my husband's dirty socks, or my loads of housework, when I am reminded of my dear friend whose husband is living with terminal cancer.......perspective.

I think many times we all get so focused on our own problems that we forget about others who suffer and many who suffer much greater trials.  My grandmother used to tell me that when I felt discouraged, I should do something kind for someone else in need.  She was very wise! She was helping me get my eyes of myself and every time I tried it, it worked!  We are never alone in our suffering.  There are so many others who experience the same trials and even some who suffer greater trials than we do.  2 Corinthians 4:8-10  Even if no one can identify with our trials then we know that Jesus Christ still can!  Be encouraged and keep perspective!!!!!

The God of the Trial

I really enjoy a fresh slice of key lime pie, especially on a hot day somewhere at a ocean-view restaurant!  It is so rich in taste and refreshing.  My husband jokes that there are no desserts too "rich" for my tastes, and he is right!  This is how God's Word has been to me, so rich and so refreshing!  I have found myself anticipating my few minutes of each day where I can study His Word.  My reading today happened to take me to the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness with God's people.  Exodus 16:4-17 tells us the story of the food God provided for His people.  God sent them just enough for each day.  God sent it to them miraculously.  God consistently sent them food.  I was struck as I read and studied how God sends us spiritual food every day in His Word and it is consistent, supernatural, and sufficient!  Just as the Israelites went out each day and gathered the manna, so we must go into the Scriptures each day to study!  How nourishing His precious Words become to our weary soul.  Lately I have been "climbing mountains", bearing burdens, and "facing giants" and in this "wilderness" I have seen God more clearly than ever.  I have even come to the point where I am so thankful for my trials because of the sweet fellowship it offers with my Savior.  I have no idea what burden you bare as you are reading this, or what giant you face, but know that in your trial you are positioned in very unique place; a place to experience God on a deeper level.  Count this trial as a gift; the gift of rich spiritual nourishment and refreshment! Don't waste this time! Just like I would never waste a cool creamy piece of key lime pie, don't waste a perfectly good trial by focusing on the trial and not on the God of the trial!

Little Excuses.....Big God

God called to Moses from a burning bush and told him to go to the Pharaoh to ask Pharaoh to release God's people.  Now if we think this was an easy task then we are wrong.  You see Moses had grown up in the palace with this Pharaoh.  He had known him as a child and had probably spent time with him.  So Moses was going to have to approach a "family member" with this command from God.  Now maybe you can see why this task was so frightening for Moses.  Also, Pharaoh was the leader of the most powerful empire of that time and Moses was going to ask him to set free all of their "free labor".  I explain all of this to help us understand that this was a huge task for Moses! This was a mountain he was facing and was fearful to climb it.  Moses basically argues with God and makes excuses for why he cannot do this.  In Exodus 4:10 Moses pleads with God claiming that he cannot speak eloquently and therefore cannot go.  I absolutely LOVE how God responds to him in Exodus 4:11-12!  Who made the mouth? God asks Moses.  And then He tells Moses that HE will be with him the whole way.  I don't know about you but God always seems to call me to a task or a job or a ministry that I feel like I can't do and I start in with the excuses.  But isn't that EXACTLY where God wants us to be? Rid of ourselves, weak in our own strength so that His glory can be shown.  After all He created the mouth, the eyes, the ears, the hands, every part of us and He can use us if we are empty of ourselves!  What is God calling you to do? If it is Him that is calling, I can guarantee it won't be easy.  Don't make excuses with God just let Him lead and the things that will happen will blow your mind.  How exciting it will be to see the big things that God will do!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Sometimes we feel like we spend our whole lives waiting! We wait to finally be a teenager.  We wait to get our driver's license.  We wait to graduate high school.  We wait to get out of college.  We wait to get married.  We wait to have a family.  We wait, we wait, we wait!  I think we often are guilty of living only for the "big events" in life and we miss the day to day.  Joseph in Gen. 40:23-41:1 had to spend 2 years waiting for what he had been promised by the cup-bearer and those 2 years of waiting were spent in PRISON!  I know I often think that my "waiting" is difficult but I can't imagine having to spend those days in a prison.  I wonder in those two years if Joseph got angry, discouraged, or depressed? The Bible doesn't give us Joseph's thoughts or actions during that 2 years, it only gives us 1 verse stating that he waited 2 years.  However, Scripture does give us one small insight into Joseph's character during this waiting period.  In Gen. 41:14-16 when Joseph is finally called up to the Pharaoh's presence to interpret the dreams, Joseph gives all the power and credit to the LORD! Joseph makes sure that Pharaoh knows that the interpretation of these dreams did NOT come from him but from God, the same God that had made Joseph wait in a dark lonely prison for 2 years.  Oh the character that Joseph had.  There is no doubt in my mind that while Joseph was waiting for God to deliver him, he was spending time in fellowship with God and was trusting God to bring him through.  What are you waiting for?  What is it that you are praying for God to deliver you from?  What's next on that life list of events that you have to wait for?  Be encouraged! While you are waiting remember God has big plans for you!  Be faithful to Him in the waiting and give Him the glory when it's over! In chapter 39 of Genesis "God was with Joseph" is used 8 times.  The same God that was with Joseph is the same God that is with you!

What's on top of that mountain?

Overwhelmed with what lies ahead, we often retreat, quit or move forward in our OWN strength.  Faith is a difficult thing because it means that you have to go against what might come naturally or you might have to step into uncharted waters.  Movement towards faith can be scarey, especially for people like me who are "planners"! This is where I have found myself, faced with a decision to step out in faith or stay comfortable with where we are.  God has been burdening me about a ministry in our church that reaches out to children with special needs.  So few churches have ministries like this.  If we believe what Scripture says, then we need to obey Mark 9:37.  The first argument that we all battle with is: "how can we begin a ministry that needs so many workers, when we are sometimes short staffed in the other areas of children's ministry?"  Here is where the FAITH comes in! If God calls, then He will provide.  AMAZINGLY the very day that I wrestled with letting go of these "fears" I turned to my study and it was in Genesis 22:1-15!  God told Abraham to take his only son Isaac up to the mountain and offer him as a sacrifice.  Yes, you heard that right! God told Abraham to KILL his only son! Wow! Abraham started up that mountain in faith that "God would provide a lamb" v. 8.  He followed up that path without knowing how God would provide but knowing that He would! So in faith our children's ministry steps out.  We don't know exactly what God is going to do on that mountain.  We just know that it is our job to climb and see what He has in store.  Have you ever taken any steps of faith? Real faith? Steps that are scarey but can only be ordered by the Lord?  There are things that God gives, that God shows, that God does on the top of the mountain but so many are too fearful to take the journey! 

Return to Eden

This 10 week class is meant for marriage enrichment.  My husband Jeremy and I are burdened for families and marriages!  We have found common struggles and common areas of neglect in marriages today.  In this class we explore what the Bible has to say about our marriages and how we can make the most of the marriage God gave us.  This class is for everyone! From those who are soon to be married to those who have been married many many years! We never stop growing and we never stop learning.  Even as we teach this class, we grow and learn each session.  This class is on Wed. nights at 7pm at Lewis Memorial Baptist church.  For more details contact me at r.shaffer@lmbc.or or my husband Jeremy at j.shaffer@lmbc.org.

Exhausted?????!!!!!!

Exhausted?

Do you stay exhausted? Do you ever feel like the leader of a country (i.e. your life/home) who has many borders? You run as fast and as hard as you can to solve a problem or handle a situation on the North border when suddenly you hear word from a messenger (usually one of your kids) that there is a crisis on the South border.  You spend all day everyday running to repair, clean-up, tighten-up, and protect your borders when you really just want to go to the capitol city and take a nap!  
Matthew 11:28-30 is a famous passage that we often hear or read but never apply!  2 oxen are connected by a yoke then hitched to the plow.  Jesus compels those who are weary to come and be "yoked" with HIM.  His yoke is lighter than the yoke of this world.  Often we choose to go at it all alone and so technically we are pulling the whole plow by ourselves! We need to be "connected" to our Savior who will give us rest.  I have found that in the midst of my greatest burdens, I find peace and rest when I am reading my Bible or spending time in prayer.  It's like pressing the "refresh" button on my day.  Most busy, burdened people think they don't have time to stop and spend time with the Lord but in fact they don't have time NOT too!  Try it! Try resting in the presence of the Savior! I guarantee the first time God speaks to you from His Word, you will be charged up like the energizer bunny!