Coleman's Body is Welcomed Home to the US

For those of you who have been following the story of Coleman Hinkefent, I thought you might appreciate this video coverage of his return to the US, and all of the veterans riding in his honor.

Please continue to pray for the Hinkefent family. 

Coleman's memorial service will be on Tuesday. If you'd keep them in your prayers for that day, I know that their request would be that God's glory will shine forth, and that the Gospel will be presented in Spirit and in Truth.

Please pray for many to come to salvation through Jesus Christ that day.

Many thanks for your precious prayers. 

http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=9584838

Celebrating Hanukkah

We are celebrating Hanukkah in our home again this year, and I thought I'd share a picture from the first night with you.

I love the story of Hanukkah because in it, I see God's faithfulness to His people. I see His love for Israel, and how He moved on her behalf through a small band of people, for His Name's sake.

I love that God still works miracles today, just as He did for His people Israel during the time of the Maccabees. 

I love the whole story of Hanukkah, and I want my children to know the miracle of Hanukkah. It's important to me that they understand what God did for His people...and how very much He loves Israel to this day.

What I love about it the most about the Festival of Lights is how much of the celebration of Hanukkah points to Messiah Yeshua...to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World..and how the lighting of the candles is a picture of what happens when we as believers allow His light to shine in our lives...how darkness flees when the lights shine brightly.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Psalm 43:3

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; 

Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling places.

It's Christmas night here, so I'm not going to make this any lengthier. I just couldn't resist sharing this precious picture with you!

Christ the Lord has come, and He is risen indeed!

Praise God for sending the promised Messiah!

Merry Christmas. 

Happy Hanukkah.

We'll see you soon, Coleman. :)

Thank you to all who have prayed for the Hinkefent family. While our hearts break for them, we know as they do, that Coleman is right where we as Christians all long to be. And, his healing is absolutely complete. 

The apostle Paul said, in Philippians 1:20-24 

".. but {that} with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

But if {I am} to live {on} in the flesh, this {will mean} fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 

But I am hard-pressed from both {directions,} having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 
yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 

Coleman has gained today...he is with Christ. We grieve, but not as those who have no hope. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of {the} archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 

Therefore comfort one another with these words. 

We are comforted tonight, by the Word of God and by His Holy Spirit.

If Coleman's life and death have made you question who Jesus Christ is, and why Coleman and his family could have such assurance of eternal life in Him, know that my family and I are here to help answer your questions through God's Word. 

There could be no greater tribute to Coleman than a life changed by the Lord through his testimony. 

You may e-mail us at any time by using the address listed in the left sidebar of this blog. 

Thank you again for your many prayers. 

Merry Christmas. 
Happy Hanukkah. 

Jes

A Song of Praise ...

As I've been thinking about my friends the Hinkefents today, this song has been on my heart.

It's funny, when I was brand new believer, all I wanted to listen to was contemporary Christian music. I still love a lot of it today, but I find that the longer that I walk with the Lord, the more I am drawn back to the hymns that I used to hear my mother and grandmother sing in praise to the Lord. One of my favorite memories is of my mom singing, "Oh, How I Love Jesus!".

The doctrine in these hymns is so strong..they are written from precepts that come straight from God's Word. 

This one is wonderful! If you want to hear the melody, click the link below and you'll be able to listen to it. 

But, take a minute and just soak in the truth of the words...I love where the author says he found the inspiration for this amazing hymn.

Singing this as a prayer for the Hinkefents today...

Thomas O. Chisolm wrote this hymn in 1923. CyberHymnal.org says, "According to Chisholm, there were no special circumstances which caused its writing—just his experience and Bible truth. 

Here are the words to this precious hymn. I can remember hearing my sweet grandmother singing these words...oh, how she loved the Lord and His Word!

---

---

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Dear Friends...

Thank you so much for your prayers for Coleman. So many of you have e-mailed to say that you're praying.

You could give Coleman and his family no greater gift. Thank you!

His situation looks dire right now. We ask you to continue to pray tonight...to pray fervently.

We trust in God's perfect plan, and will praise Him no matter what He chooses for Coleman...for either way, Coleman will be healed. One healing would be temporary (here on Earth) one will be eternal (in Heaven with the Lord for all eternity).

We do pray, though, that the Lord will allow him more time here on Earth. We pray that he'll be able to stay with us and fight the good fight as a foot soldier in the army of the Lord.

There are praises tonight through all of this...

1. God moved for Eric and Belinda to get passports in 2 days so they could be with Coleman.

2. The doctors in Germany have been the very best. They've listened to Eric, explored all options, and have even been responsive to looking at research that the family has provided.

3. Eric and Belinda have been able to be by Coleman's side around the clock. Initially, they were only given an hour a day.

4. Some precious believers in Germany found out what hospital Coleman was in, and one of them (A Calvary Chapel pastor) went to see the family and prayed with Coleman. Eric and Belinda have contacts of others believers in Germany, should they desire company through this tough time. Regardless, they are not alone...they have the ministry of the Holy Spirit with them each moment.

5. Multitudes of people across the world are praying for Coleman and his family right now. Thousands have been united in prayer.

6. The plan of salvation has been explained on Coleman's blog...more than once. The gospel is going forth! This is the best news of all!

Again, thank you for your prayers. Please keep them going up...

In Jesus,

Jes

For Coleman, from Caedmon - age 8

My sweet little boy just brought this to me, and then crawled up into my lap and cried his heart out for Coleman. He has such a tender heart. He just kept crying and asking, 

"Why, God? Why?"

Aren't those the sentiments of our own hearts so often? 

What a treasure it is, though, when God finally brings us to the point of being able to say..

"OK, God. OK. You're sovereign. We trust in You."

As I held Caedmon's long, lanky body in my arms, I thought about you, Belinda, holding Coleman. 

Through my tears, I am thanking God that He worked everything out so quickly for you to be able to be with your son...to be by his side and whisper your love to him like only a Momma can. To tell him how much you love being his mom, and what a joy he is to you. And, I know without question  that you are reading the Word of God to him and praying many prayers over him.

What a blessing you are to your family as well as to the family of God!

I can't help but wonder how many nurses and doctors are witnessing the Scripture come alive through you and Eric, right before their eyes. How amazing God has you is in the very land where men tried in vain to try to make people believe there is no God of Israel!

He never ceases to amaze us, does He?

Shine, sweet friend. Shine. Shine for Him as He shines through you!

You know, Belinda...last night as I sat staring at my Christmas tree, just thinking about you, the thought hit me... You've left nothing on the table when it comes to your children. You've always been such an awesome mom. You've let your light shine before the rest of us, and you've used your life to teach us by example what is most important to God, that a wife and mother makes her family and her home her first ministry.

I remember when you all left your lovely home and moved out to the country... I didn't understand it at all. I couldn't "get" why you'd choose to do that. All I could think was,

"They are going to the Boonies and leaving this beautiful house!"

I "get" it now. Oh, how I get it! Oh how I'd LOVE to have the Boonies to offer my children right now!

I've thought of you so many times with regard to that decision, and as the mother of a young man now, I understand that you sacrificed to give your boys what they needed the most....a place to run and scream and shoot bb guns, and ride dirt bikes, and get dirty, and learn to be young men.

Oh, how I hope to follow in your footsteps on that one day!

The past few days, I keep replaying in my mind a conversation you had with me about 6 years ago or so. You all had just lost a young friend to a motorcycle accident and you shared the story of how the mother of that young man had called one of your boys over to her at the funeral and had taken them by the casket and told them that she knew without a doubt that her son was with Jesus at that very moment. She had shared that her son had lived life fully, and that he wouldn't want your sons sad for him. She told them to rejoice for her son...for he was with his Savior.

I've thought about that story so many times. What a huge testimony that mom must have had to your boys. What a woman of grace she is! What confidence she has in Jesus Christ!

You're just like her, Belinda. You too are pointing people to Christ Jesus, even through your heartache. What a precious woman of God you are.

Praising God again for your lives, and that He moved so that you and Eric could be right with Coleman. There could be no better advocates for him here on earth!

We love you all, and are praying for you without ceasing,

Jes

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does {anyone} light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Urgent Prayer Request

Dear Friends,

I write to you tonight begging you to go before Throne of Grace for one of our soldiers, Coleman Hinkefent from Tulsa, OK.

He was serving in Iraq and became very ill. He is now fighting for his life in a German hospital, having been diagnosed with acute leukemia.

Coleman and his family were friends of ours when we lived in Tulsa. His mother is such a faithful student and teacher of God's Word...she is always thinking about the lost, and focused on equipping the saints.

Her name is Belinda and her husband is Eric.

You know how there are people in this world who minister to you by their example? Belinda was that person for me when I lived in Tulsa. Without even knowing it, she was discipling me through her own life. They are just wonderful people...she led a whole kids program through "Wrong Way Jonah" and directed it as a play. 

They have set up a blog with updates on Coleman. It is rootingforcoleman.blogspot.com

Would you please pray for him? He is having hallucinations due to his liver being so toxic right now, and although his parents are now in Germany with him, the hospital is only giving them an hour a day with him....his parents can hear him screaming from his room in ICU, but can't go in to hold him or help him.

I've no doubt that this precious family will glorify God no matter what happens, but my mother's heart feels like it's breaking for my friend.

Thank you for your prayers..

Amazing "Coincidences" With God

I had a night to myself tonight for the first time in a really long time. I'd been to see a rheumatologist and Shane was gracious enough to give me all the time I wanted after the appointment was over.

To use however I saw fit. :)

Good man! I have a very good man! (Thank you Lord Jesus!)

I know you'll ask, so I'll tell you...the Doctor's appt. was a real let down. Still no real concrete answers. His first words to me were something along the lines of,"Wow. You really need to see a Neurologist for this." UGH!

So...I leave the office, and all I can think is "FOOD! I NEED FOOD!" I was all the way in Glendale, and although I thought about calling my friend Davina to see if she wanted to have dinner on the fly, I really just needed some time all by myself. (Plus, she would have still been in the car traveling home from work...and she's been feeling yucky (please pray for her!)...so I figure she'll give me a "bye" in grace.) :)

I pulled into "On the Border" and snuggled into a warm booth and had a DE-LIC-IOUS burrito filled with fresh veggies and avocado .... mmmmm....and I enjoyed just sitting and reading through some chapters in Romans. (If you don't have the Bible on your Palm/Blackberry...it's easy to get...just go to OliveTree.com . Mine even links with the Strongs definitions in Hebrew and Greek. (Does Greek rhyme with Geek? 'Cuz if so, I guess I've officially made it!) 

After resting through my dinner, I found the energy to do about 1/8 of what I had planned to do. (I will be so HAPPY if I'm ever myself again!)

But,to top of my list was a trip to a thrift store. I am such a tightie...if I can find it on the cheap, that's where I'm going to be found...digging through other peoples' clothes and books and vacuum cleaners ( I desperately need a vacuum cleaner!).

Tonight's mission included:

Jeans for me - Yippie! Everything in my wardrobe is getting too BIG!

Khaki kick about pants for me.

Slacks for Shane for work - I'm looking for Wool Gab...mmm, love that stuff on him!

Games for the kids for Christmas.

Computer games for kids - they don't know it, but they're getting a used computer from Shane's company. They'll be so excited! And I will be too! (Homeschooling is about to take on a new dimension!)

HOWEVER....I am completely incapable of going into a thrift shop and spending any less than 1/2 hour in the books section. I love books...I love reading...I love that my son now loves reading and that my daughter is chomping at the bit to really be flying with reading too!

Yet, tonight, before I even thought to go to the books section, and as I was walking through the store I stopped to pray. It went something like this:

"Lord. You know my heart. You know I'm not in here just to buy a bunch of junk we don't need and won't use. Lord, I want to be wise in my purchases. Would you please guide me in wisdom in here? And Lord, I don't even know for sure what I need the most...and I'm tired, Lord...so I don't have much in me right now...Lord, would you please point me to what is here that I'll be able to use for my family...oh and Lord, I'd love to have some really good books. I pray this according to Your will, Lord...and in the name of Jesus."

I'm almost certain that by now you are thinking I've flipped out. I mean, who prays in the Savers store?!

Yes, I found a pair of IZOD jeans...cute ones! $7.99

I found some jeans for Brennan too $3.99

And some Gap cords for Caedmon $3.99

I found a few Christmas presents for my family, but gotta keep those hush-hush. :)

But, here is where I was floored by my Lord. Hey! That ryhmes!

As I turned a corner in the book section, I quickly realized that they had these books sorted by category, and I was smack dab in the center of my favorite one...books about the Bible! 

I found an awesome book by George Barna about the importance that children must hold in the body of a healthy church. Whew! Can't wait to read it!

But here was the one that I was really excited about...I found a book by the late Ray Stedman, a respected teacher of God's Word. I was so excited to find it, and I liked the title "Let God be God" . 

That was all I needed...Ray Stedman letting God be God..I'm set. 

Book in cart...check. 

Book paid for...check. 

Book made it home...check.

Here's where the amazing "coincidence" comes in...as I was telling Shane about the book, I told him that the subtitle is "life-changing truths from the book of Job".

Wow! Goose-bumps all over kind of wow.

You see, I've been in such a hard place spiritually lately. I'm reading the Word.

I'm praying. 

I'm trying to remember to praise the Lord even in the midst of the storm...but still, it's been such a hard and painful time that seems to have no real answers for "why?"

Is it Spiritual Warfare, Lord? If so, help me to recognize it as such so that I can stand firm in You.

Is it just that I'm not pushing myself hard enough?

Is there sin in my life that I'm not seeing, Lord? Please...convict me of it..stick it right up my nose if you have to, Lord!

And then the really hard questions that assail me...

"Lord, are you pleased with me at all?"

"Father, have I failed you?"

"God, will I ever be my old self again?"

"God, what does everyone think of me?" (UGH!)

"God, what is my response supposed to be right now? How do I dig out of this?"

When I bought the book, I didn't care what it was about,I was just drawn by the title and the author, so I didn't see that it was a study on the book of Job.

Once home, I thought to look also at when it was published. You see, Ray Stedman has been dead since 1992. 

So I flipped to the first page to see...published in 2007 by Elaine Stedman.

Goosebumps again...here God had answered my silly prayer by pointing me right to a book that I've no doubt is going to answer some of my deepest heart cries in the coming days and weeks...and although it was written over 16 years ago, it was only published last year.

I'm going to get to "sit at the feet" of a faithful saint who knew God's Word and taught it in Spirit and in Truth...and I'm going to hopefully learn what God has for me from the very book that has been pressed on my heart for weeks...."Job".

I am ever amazed at how deeply my Father loves me, and at how He provides for me just what I need, at the moment that I need it.

"I love you, Father. Thank you for the sweet kiss of love tonight."

Your loving daughter,

Jes

Have You Ever Read the Entire Bible?

I just found the coolest site! It's run by an online friend of mine, who is from South Africa. 

Hey Gaby!

It's a site designed to help people read through the entire Bible. It's called Bible Journey, and you can easily join the journey into God's Word!

You'll want to get a Chronological Bible...or, you can go to her site daily, and just click the appropriate link for the day you're on, and the text will be printed out right there for you!

If you're more of an auditory learner, you even have the option of clicking on the speaker, and LISTENING to it!

HOW COOL IS THIS?!

I love it!

There's even a place on her site where you can journal about what you're learning...and some great image files to help bring the Bible to life. I just looked at one of an artist's rendering of Solomon's temple, and was so in awe that my breath escaped me!

It's such a neat site...I think you'll love it.

I just joined the "journey"..why don't you grab your bags and come along with me!

Think of it as the most AMAZING RACE you'll ever enter! :)

Here's the link: Bible Journey

Love to you today!

Jes

Thoughts on the Election

I've been trying to formulate my thoughts about what I wanted to write regarding our recent election.

I just keep thinking, as a country, we've gotten what we've begged for...not unlike Ancient Israel when they refused God as their King and begged to be like all the other nations. God answered their prayer, and it ended up in years of heartache for them.

Israel was created to be a people for God. They were to live lives that pointed others to God. They were to be set apart for His glory.

As Christians, we too are to live lives set apart for God's glory. We're to live in such a way that others KNOW that we are different...even if that means that we endure persecution for it. We're not to live to our glory, but to God's.

Yet in our country, we've called evil good and good evil.

We've allowed Hollywood to define our moral values, instead of turning to the Lord and His Word to teach and instruct us.

We've aborted our babies in massive numbers, and called them tissue.

I know. The world formed my viewpoints for 29 years of my life. 

Just last night, Shane and I were talking about abortion, and he was expressing his frustration over the fact that so many people who call themselves Christians, do not believe that abortion is a sin.

He was pretty fired up about it, to be honest.

I told him this story, about myself when I THOUGHT I was a believer, but was so very lost.

"When I moved to Wisconsin (1995), I remember going to a new church one day. I was so excited to have found a Bible church!  (It was an Evangelical Free Church..they type I now am a member of, but this was the first time I'd been to one.)

I remember walking in and seeing all of these grown men with little lapel pins of feet. I thought it was the oddest thing...like their wives hadn't had the courage to tell them how stupid a "feet pin" looked. I was like, "don't they wear flag pins here?!" and then "lapel pins are tacky, anyway".

The service began, and the pastor started teaching on the "sin" of abortion. I put sin in parenthesis, because at the time I didn't think it was one.

Well, the longer I sat in the pew and listened to him teach, the madder I got. There were several times throughout the sermon that it was all I could do not to pop right out of my seat and yell, "THIS IS NO PLACE TO BE SPREADING YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS!

 TEACH THE BIBLE TO ME, BUT DO NOT TRY TO IMPOSE YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I'm not kidding when I tell you, I was FURIOUS!"

What a contrast to today, to the person that I am in Christ today...to the way that I THINK today, and to how my moral values are defined today.

I look back to that time and I see a young woman whose thoughts and life had been molded by the culture, not by God's Word. And, by the false teaching of a pastor who was so wrong...so Biblically off!

This is where our country is today. We've allowed anyone and everyone and anything and everything BUT the Lord's Word to tell us what is ok and what is not.

When I looked at President-Elect Obama's precious little girls in the picture that I saw online of his victory walk, my first thought was, "I wonder how many of his grandchildren he will lose to abortion." 

Oh, I hope and pray that the answer to that question will be zero. I pray God's hand of protection and grace upon both of them.

I also pray that he and his whole household will come to know the Lord in a deeply personal way. Granted, I don't know his heart...only God does. But, I know that the stance that he's taken on many things is completely contrary to God's Word. The fruit is not in keeping with someone sold out to Jesus Christ.

Yet, I think about my own salvation. I went from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light in an instance...in the privacy of my own home when the Lord Himself drew me into complete surrender to Him.

From the moment that I repented and surrendered my life to Jesus, He began ordering my footsteps, and teaching me how to walk in obedience to Him.

I will pray no less for President-Elect Obama. 

Let us pray for his salvation. Let us pray that he comes to know the Word of God,  and lives as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that he will seek the wisdom of the Lord.

Let us pray for his wife and children, too. 

Please Read Joel Rosenberg's Post -

Joel Rosenberg has written an eye-opening piece on how the Epicenter is responding to Obama's victory. I encourage you to visit his site and read it.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 

Pray for President-Elect Obama.

http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/

Today's Encouragement from God's Word

This morning, Caedmon and I had some time in prayer together for our nation. He felt led to read Psalm 9, and I was blown away by how applicable it is to today.

[[To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David.]] Psalm 9:1 I will praise [thee], O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
	Psa 9:2	I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
	Psa 9:3	When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
	Psa 9:4	For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.
	Psa 9:5	Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
	Psa 9:6	O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.
	Psa 9:7	But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
	Psa 9:8	And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
	Psa 9:9	The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
	Psa 9:10	And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
	Psa 9:11	Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
	Psa 9:12	When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
	Psa 9:13	Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble [which I suffer] of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
	Psa 9:14	That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
	Psa 9:15	The heathen are sunk down in the pit [that] they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
	Psa 9:16	The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
	Psa 9:17	The wicked shall be turned into hell, [and] all the nations that forget God.
	Psa 9:18	For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall [not] perish for ever.
	Psa 9:19	Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
	Psa 9:20	Put them in fear, O LORD: [that] the nations may know themselves [to be but] men. Selah. Blue Letter Bible. "Psalm 9 - King James Version." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2008. 4 Nov 2008. < b="Psa&c="9&t="KJV">

Proposition 102

My friend Laura has a written a wonderful blog post regarding Proposition 102. It gives much to consider.

I encourage you to click here and read it: Laura's Blog .

There's a video that accompanies her post...it's amazingly eye-opening. Please take a few minutes to watch it.

If you're going to vote according to God's Word today, PLEASE...go and vote.

If you're going to vote against His Word, please...take a long, long nap...one that begins about 6am and lasts through the night, uninterrupted. :)

With Love from Us

I realize I haven't been posting much lately...believe me when I tell you that I long for the day when I feel up to it again. I'm learning so much from the Word right now, SO MUCH! I wish like anything that I had the energy to sit and share it all with you.

HEY! Here's an idea...why don't YOU share with me instead?! How about if you post in the comments section and tell me what you've been learning from God's Word?

OH! What an encouragement that would be...to read that you all are studying and growing in the knowledge of the Lord and His Word! It would be a super get-well soon gift to me! The best, actually!

I thought I'd post some pictures...my friend Shelly tells me that she can't see our picture very well, so maybe this will help, Ms. Shelly. :)

For all of you who are going to the Women's Conference this weekend..have a wonderful time! Give lots of big hugs to everyone for me! Wish I could be there with you...I'd love to see my sweet friends whom I've "met" via this blog..one is traveling all the way from South Africa!

Love you all!

Here we go....

Serious girls:

Silly girls:

I can't BELIEVE that Brennan can do that with her eyes! She must have inherited a trait from my family, because she can also look straight ahead with one eye, all the while moving the other from left to right. (My brother can do this, and so could my mother's father....made for good story telling!) Ugh! Makes my eyes hurt just thinking about it!

She was so cute the morning this picture was taken...it was cold here in the desert, and she wanted to wear this little dress with stockings, boots, and pigtails..so she could be like Laura Ingall's Wilder....I kept calling her "Half Pint"..she just giggled and giggled.

I love this little dress...it has beautiful smocking all around the bodice...so precious! 

Have a super day!

Jes

Have You Blessed Your Pastor Today?

Tonight Shane and I had the great priviledge of meeting with our new pastor to share our testimonies and be considered for membership in our new church.

As I sat there with my beloved, across from this pastor for whom I prayed, I was awash with thanksgiving to the Lord.

Since coming to Arizona, we have had the opportunity to be in many churches, in our search for home. I can look back at the time that God had us in each of them, and can see His hand in all of our searching. 

Yet, I still kept longing for home. I think you just know it when you find your church home...and while we'd met some PRECIOUS people of God, and even heard some great sermons, we just were not home.

I spent HOURS on my face before God BEGGING Him for our home church...PLEADING with Him to raise up a Bible church in our area. CRYING out to Him for a church that wouldn't dumb down the Word for our kids, that would welcome family worship, that would not exclude our children from communion, and that would teach us the Word of God in Spirit and in Truth. 

Oh, I have to admit, I also prayed that the church would be close enough to our home that we could be a true part of it, and that it wouldn't have 1,000s upon 1,000s of members. (personal preference)

I truly can see His hand in every place He had us over the past 5 years...and I can even see His timing in why we had to wait so long to find home. I know He's sovereign. I know He had a plan in everything.

Yet, I have to say...it's good to be home! :)

It's good to know that we're where God has ordained for us to be. It's good to know that we're in a body of believers that is small enough that our gifts can be used to edify the body, and that we can get to know the fellow saints on a personal level.

It's good to see my children ecstatic about the thought of going to church!

And, it's exciting to me to know that both Shane and I will be able to learn TONS from our pastor, because he is a diligent student of the Word of God.

I made a comment to him tonight about how an idea I had might help with regard to marketing (that's my background)....and he gently corrected me..."Our focus is on the Kingdom. God will take care of the marketing. He'll bring the people."

Oooooooh! I knew that! I knew that!   

I hate it when I say stupid things! I especially hate it when I say stupid things that I knew better than to say. I think sometimes that my tongue has tennie shoes on....it runs so much faster than my brain does!

The only thing that I don't like about our new pastor (and I'd appreciate it if you not mention this to him) ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ .....................................................................................................................................................................................................is 

He's a Cowboy's fan!    (UGH!)  

 I wonder if he could be converted? 

Think I could get him to wear a cheese-head? :)

I might just have to keep my eyes open for one at Goodwill...could make a great Christmas present!

Oh...and that he talks faster than I can think! 

He's from Boston, and I'm from Texas....it's not that Texans ARE slow...it's just that we process slowly. ;)  Shane's only hope is that he's exceedingly smart...otherwise, he'd be hopeless due to the speed/processing issue...he is from Tennessee for goodness sake! (Do I have to explain this?)

So, I'm hoping that after sitting under our pastor's teaching for 6 months or so, I'll be quick as lightnin'! Brain sharp as a thunderclap! Faster than a speeding bullet! 

 (Hey! One can wish!)

If you have a Bible teaching, Kingdom focused pastor...I encourage you to ask the Lord how you might be able to bless him and his family this week. 

I know how tired I get just being a Bible study leader....and how much warfare I deal with. I can't begin to IMAGINE what truly Godly pastors have to deal with on a weekly, even daily basis! They need to have the saints lifting them up in prayer and serving them through good works.

How can you bless your pastor this week?

• A meal?
  
• A card?
  
• Airline tickets for he and his wife?
  
• Babysit his children?
  
• Cut his grass?
  
• Let him use your vacation home for a week of rest?
  
• Pray for him? (You do this every week, right? Especially on Sat. nights and Sun. mornings!)
  
• Treat him to lunch after church this Sunday?
• What about simply telling him how much you appreciate his dedication to God's Word, and to his flock? That could mean so much to him...to know that his labor is not in vain.

OK...I was inspired to write this...inspired by an answer to a 5 year long plea before the Lord.

Hope you were encouraged.

Tomorrow, I'll write about Kings & Prophets. (Sorry I'm so late on it, Deb!)

Love you much....

Jes