Just say Jesus

As I was riding in the car today, deep in thought and seeking the Lord's presence through worship songs, I heard a new song on the radio. That happens occasionally you know.  After the thousandth time they play the same ones, a new one comes a long.  Then maybe weeks later you hear it again. I don't know who sang the song. I don't know what the name is.  I didn't Shazam it so I can't tell you what it was and had I not concentrated my thoughts to remember this line that stood out in the song, it would be forever forgotten due to short term memory difficulties, or getting older.  Whichever.

What I do remember was a simple line from the lyrics..."When you don't know what to do, just say Jesus" (or something like that...)

My heart sighed.

Memories flooded in.

A young girl terrified in the middle of the night.  Hearing from God and calling out.

Young children and foster children, shaking in fear, being told to call out.  Hesitating. Calling out. Being comforted.

Fear is vanquished and comfort floods in when the peaceful presence of the great I AM is called upon, and trusted in.

This young girl, me, woke trembling on several occasions from young childhood through to young womanhood and even now at times.  At some point, The Lord said, "Call out to me. Call on my name. Trust in Me."

I did. I called on his name. As a whisper at first. Then louder. Then more boldly.  The fear dissipated and I felt the presence of his peace covering  and filling the room.  Not because I called on his name as a magical incantation but because at the name of Jesus every knee, every power under heaven, will bow.  His name is mighty.  His being is beyond understanding.

In calling on the name of Jesus in the midst of my fears, I am also trusting Him.  I am believing that He is more mighty than my fears. I am turning my thoughts towards the one who loves and cherishes me. Towards the one who suffered on my behalf to the point of death! He cares enough to be there when I call upon him.

These young children were scared for different reasons.  I believe at the heart of all of those reasons was their need to seek the same master who leads me and comforts me.  When they have been scared I hugged them, prayed with them and gave them a mama's comfort.

They need more than I can give. I have my role as mom, but they need more than that.  My foster son especially needed more as he has lived in anxiety, sadness and fear to the point where it took him months to even receive any comfort from me.

What could I give them that would last beyond me? What would be stronger and more reliable than me?  I give them Jesus.  I tell them, "When you are afraid, call on Jesus. He is mighty and his name is powerful.  He is ALWAYS with you and will NEVER leave you.  EVERY where you go, no matter where that is, Jesus is the one you can count on and the one you can call on. Call on Him!""

Then I have prayed with my children to teach them what it means to call out to Jesus and to ask for His help. I have purposed to teach them that there is One who knows them so well because He made them for mighty purposes.  That the fears they have, and in some cases the situations they have been in, were not things that He desires for them, but that they can always seek Him.

No matter where we are...no matter what the situation is...no matter the lack of words we have in the moment, we can be comforted as we trust in the great I Am, as we call on his name.

Really, it is much, much more than just saying a word.  It is a call of trust.  It is a call of surrender as we give over our fears to receive the peace of something, someone, greater. It is something I need to remind myself of.

When you don't know what else to do, or what to say, it is a good start.  A powerful start.

Just say Jesus.

Philippians 2:10, John 10: 11-15, John 18: 5-6, Exodus 3: 6, 13-14

Book Review : Fatal Tide by Lis Wiehl (Book Three in East Salem Trilogy)

Fatal Tide by Lis Wiehl (Lis - not Lisa), with Pete Nelson

A supernatural thriller where the fate of the world waits on the eminent release of a powerful drug.  And...beasts from the pits of hell. And...an ancient evil plot. And...demons....

This powerful drug would create maniacal super humans - over time.  It has already infiltrated the pond of a wealthy ex-football player named Tommy.  Tommy's home is also surrounded by supernatural, yet corporal, beasts. The same beasts have attacked a teenage boy named Reese who has escaped the elite St Adrian's Academy. 

Reese makes his way to Tommy's place and begins to confide and align with Tommy and his girlfriend Dani.  This couple is already more than aware of much of the evil being carried out at St Adrians, where young men are selected, chosen, and are then tucked away. How will their plans be carried out? What can Tommy & Dani do? Fight demons and save the world of course.

Deep breath....

Ten Things You Can Do to Help - Foster Parent edition

Has your heart has longed to minister to the hearts of hurting people? Mine has. I've particularly desired to be a mama to hurting, abused and neglected children. This passion is a little odd and contradictory personally as I also desire much quiet time and order in the home. 

Yeah, quiet, solitude and order. Caring for hurting children. This doesn't sync together too well. 

Allow me to expand a bit. I began my mothering journey at 19, single and alone. As a result, I've felt that I missed out on the adult single years and longed for them since this birth occurred 22 years ago.  Yet, as much as I had these desires, I also felt that God might lead our blended family to fostering or adopting some day.  If we did, I knew it would require a lot of work and it definitely wouldn't be orderly and quiet! So, I confronted my desire for comfort and faced that God may lead me to something much more challenging, which I also wanted.  I also wanted to love a hurting child, or two. Contradictory desires. My heart and mind wrestled internally and with God.

Ultimately, the desire to serve Christ no matter what and the passion to love others for the sake of the gospel led us to a life altering and life shaking move far beyond what I had imagined. Now my heart is forever changed.

Our journey as foster parents began and ended much differently than I anticipated. We moved our family to do so. That was huge. Then, it wasn't one or two children we would care for, but 13 foster children in a span of 15 months in addition to another teenage boy.  DEFINITELY, not quiet and orderly! Once we took the step, we thought we might stay in this role for several years. But, due to a number of circumstances we moved back and now have two children in the home. By now, I had already borne the greatest pain involved in the initial stages of caring for our hurt children. Now, I wanted to make these children a part of our home forever, but God had other plans for them and for us. Moving back and releasing the children was another God led, life altering move that required great trust.

 (Our 2012 family at Christmas minus a few)

I could look back at our season as a failure, or I could look to it as an amazing opportunity to learn to trust God at an immensely deeper level and as a stepping-stone to the next area of service. I tend to drift towards the former thoughts, but with my eyes lifted to Christ, I choose the latter.  

Now, after an intense season of busyness and an incredible number of trials and obstacles, we are in a much needed season of rest.  It will not be forever. Soon, God will bring us into a new season of serving and it will look much different than the last year and a half.   

As I reflect on our journey, I recall numerous ways that we received help that was such a blessing. I also think of ways that I wish others might have helped, but when people offered, we didn't know what we needed and we really didn't want to ask.

Perhaps you have a friend who is fostering and/or adopting? Perhaps you desire to do so yourself but aren't ready to commit just yet. If so, consider some of the following ways to help and bless others who have made the commitment.  You can still be a blessing in so many ways! Who knows what journey the Lord may have for you!

Ten Things You Can Do to Help - Foster Parent Edition:
(Maybe these are the Top Ten, maybe not. Maybe I'm missing some GREAT ideas that YOU have...if so...please share below in the comments section!)

Book Review : Radical Together by David Platt

Radical Together by David Platt

David Platt's book "Radical" is pretty widely known and has been read by many.  "Radical Together" is a follow up book that may be less known, but I actually preferred this book over the original title. This is probably because it resonates with my desire to see church's, and the member's of the church's, come together more fully for the purpose of the gospel and to live it out in community and around the world.  Though some of the content overlaps with the original title, the topics in this book are more geared to a vision for the church body and its members.

Throughout the book David shares times when he and his church, and he and his wife, have asked hard questions with each other about the decisions they had to make.  Questions such as, "Does this plan best align with the plan of God?" are posed when discussing financial decisions for the church budget, location of evangelism, preaching content and more.  Ultimately, are we willing to take the risks and make changes as necessary to follow the plan believed to be best aligned with God's. Let's ask the hard questions and see what God says and be ready to respond to God's response.

I applaud David for discussing the need to understand a gospel driven motivation behind "works" of various kind.  For example, when sharing a vision for adoption and fostering withing the church, he was clear that he would not use emotional manipulation but a gospel driven approach.  I've seen emotional manipulation used often and it does not promote healthy decision making. He shares that decisions for radical life changes, such as downsizing homes should be gospel oriented as well. David poses hard questions that may lead to dramatic life changes and sacrifices - for the sake of the gospel - while reminding the reader of  God focused motivation.

Kudos to David for pointing out that the Word of God is essential and remains effective in preaching, evangelizing and discipling. Many pastors are stating, directly or indirectly, that God's Word does not relate to issues of today and that the church needs all kinds of programs and great people to draw "seekers" in.  David reminds us that it is God who does the seeking and that a church's plan to reach others for Him must be centered on God. Even if just the Word of God was preached, God's work could be accomplished.

I'm also thankful to hear David share a heart to consider how God can use so-called "wrong" people for His purposes in the church.  David pleas for church leaders to draw out people who may not seem like the prototype for a successful leader in some area, but in God's eyes they are the right person for the task. I was excited to read this as I have often desired to see church members trained in such a way that they could develop God given (but perhaps not easily recognized) gifts and purposes within the church and in evangelism and discipleship.  God used all kinds of imperfect people throughout the Bible and still uses them today.  Let us encourage, train and equip others to rise to the challenge of being a part of God's vision for His world.

The questions David poses, and the perception challenges that are laid out, resonate deeply with my husband and I and the ways we have sought to minister and serve and disciple over the years.  Thank you Mr. Platt for your honesty, forthrightness and yet amicable approach to ask and to pose the hard questions that ultimately seek to serve, teach and evangelize for the glory of the Lord.

For a day like today...God gave me Chugga Dude & Costco

Some days are just hard...emotionally exhausting even. I've had a lot of those, especially over the last many months. Sometimes I feel like I am at a crux where the momentum of life is taking a hard right to a new direction.

Today, I got the chance to come face to face with hard realities in life.  I am confronted with the fact that our children are never really under our control. They are created by our Creator and we are blessed with the opportunity to love and shepherd them for a period of time. Then they begin to make their own decisions and the best thing a parent can do is cry out to God and pray and trust. He made them after all. He had a plan for them long before a mother did.

Days like today make the good and bad memories of years gone by flood to the surface. Days like today remind me of my great need for total reliance on my Father in Heaven. Days like today I don't look forward to, but can later learn to appreciate and be thankful for. 

In the midst, I've been reminded to seek joy in all sufferings. That the rewards in heaven for suffering are far greater than temporal sufferings.  I've been comforted by friends. I am challenged to find things to be thankful for and to rejoice in the Lord despite the pain as I lay my burdens at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to take over.  Um...can I say...Jesus take the wheel?

As I pause towards the end of this day, I have a moment to reflect and to thank God for the little things.  I am thankful for the hug of a faithful friend.  I am thankful for the help of another to assist in something I could not do on my own.   I am thankful for texts from loved ones at just the right time.

And... one of the best things about today, was a little reminder from God to treasure the moments. Moments like seeing my Chugga Dude, my ever creating and non stop wonder, find excitement at Costco. I can relate.  For me, Costco means finding loads of organic and natural items to stock up on.  For Chugga Dude and my little Rose it means so many free samples that the pit stop for lunch before shopping was completely unnecessary.  For Chugga Dude and my little Rose, it also means a place where simple things, like empty boxes mean new creations.  Even a box can let your spirits soar as you imagine the fun your jet pack boy is going to have on his adventures.

So for today...God gave me Chugga Dude & Costco. 

Come on Chugga Dude....let's soar!

Deadly poison or lifegiving nourishment?

When I created the Facebook page for this blog I had no idea what pictures I could use to represent the theme of "His Not So Perfect Housewife".  Really, I'm still not sure what would be the best picture to use and may have to create my own. Unless...someone with a more creative gene than I has a great photo that they would like to offer... I'm not opposed to hand-me-downs.

Anyway, I needed something to use and came across a few botanical photos I had collected.  It got me thinking. One of my "not so perfect" hobbies is herbs. (Note: I have come to terms with my love for herbs as a hobby, not a talent or even an all-out, sold-out passion. A hobby. It's OK.  But I digress...)