It's Only a Diamond!

The unthinkable has happened!

As "Mr. Cartwright" and I were out for dinner last night (to watch the first half of the Oregon/FSU game) I looked down and to my horror, discovered my diamond was missing in my engagement ring! I wanted to cry! If it weren't for my boys sitting there with us, I would have. Tears welled up instantly but I was able to restrain them from overflowing.

I could do nothing but think about it last night. My heart was so sad. We just celebrated our 20th anniversary and I kept trying to tell myself ,"it's only a ring". I kept reminding myself that it is a symbol of a love that doesn't fall apart like way the ring has. 

So my head hit the pillow and my thoughts wouldn't stop. 

But God had different plans. I had a dream about being back in Honduras and ministering side by side with our missionary friends. I saw the faces of poor, beautiful people. I sat beside orphans and the unwanted. I awoke from the dream at 3:30 a.m..

I couldn't fall back asleep. I rose with a strong desire to pray and commune in the Word. I read Luke 12. I was struck by the words of our Great Shepherd. 

Luke 12:

29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.32 "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

I prayed for the souls of my children. I prayed for my quick responses of anxiety. I thanked the Lord for his amazing provisions.

6:00 came too soon and I turned my thoughts toward the day. As I was basking in God's goodness under the torrent of water, I proceeded to rub my ring to clean it, which is something I do very frequently in the shower, and I realized I didn't have it on.

I, then, found it quite ironic, that I hadn't had one thought about my diamond. Perspective. That's key.

I still desire to fill that empty space on my ring one day, but I realize there are things in life much more meaningful and eternal. This new year my focus will be on seeking first His kingdom!

"Tied at the Feet"

"Inger", "Marie", and I have been reading through the biography of Amy Carmichael, one of my favorite missionary stories. She was a single woman who believed in God to provide her every need as she led the "Starry Cluster", an evangelistic endeavor in India, and then opened her home to be "Amma" for many orphaned girls. She left her home in Bristol, England, in her mid twenties and never stepped foot there again.

Today as we read our chapter, Tied at the Feet, I was challenged in my view of motherhood. In India when a woman becomes a mother, she is said to be tied at the feet. This phrase can conjure up an image of increasing burden, yet, Amy chose to embrace it as a gift. So I ask myself, "Do I?"

My morning today was one of conflict with my littlest. Lots of privileges relinquished. Lots of defiance.  She struggles so much in school to embrace me as her teacher and I find myself questioning my involvement in this area. (Mostly out of frustration.) My patience was gone and I found myself responding in emotion and feeling intense burden....to be done with this. Thinking, how am I to get through this? It then brings up my sin, inadequacies and areas that need growth. And I'm tied. The knots are tight and I see the marks along my ankles. They even seem to be cutting off circulation. But I find it's my perspective.

After I took this to the Lord, He showed me the beautiful, pink (I choose this color because it's "Ingrid's" favorite) bow that wound itself gracefully at my feet. And I came to the conclusion that it is more like a two legged race. My feel being tied to my Saviors. Making sure I'm walking in sync with Him. Loving my munchkin' with only the love he can give.

I know all children deal with defiance to their parents, but being the mother of adopted children has a rejection dimension to it. Three out of our four children have struggled and strained CONTINUALLY against the parents God has given them. I don't handle that well and the only way to keep loving is to focus on my partner in this race. Hanging on to the Lord. Grabbing Him around the waist, and running this race with Him.

Amy did it without a husband because she had her Savior. She chose to be tied at the feet as she adopted these orphans and loved them through thick and thin of persecution, sickness and joy. What an example she has given to us.

God's Working - A Big Life

A Big Life. This is my newest read on the night table, except for the fact that it has been absent from this very table.  It is one of those books you can’t put down.

As a believer is Christ, one of the things that encourages me more than anything else is hearing how God is working in other people’s lives, especially those around the world.

A Big Life, written by Peter Hone, is an excellent journaling of the lives of two individuals starting at pre-conversion to the amazing growth that the Lord does in their spiritual family. John and Kathy Heerema are two people who have truly made a difference for Christ in this world. Not only have they given their lives in service to Christ, but it is in the places of persecution that this has happened.

As I read this book, the words “Sovereignty of God” kept coming to my mind. God truly had His hand on them for a specific purpose and calling. And they heeded that call. They trusted God in ways most of us don’t understand in this Western World. Not only did they put all their earthly dreams and goals behind them, but they were willing to embrace the impossible.

At the same time, God was preparing the hearts of nationals in India and Pakistan for a providential meeting that would help to orchestrate this mission.  God used “everyday” individuals who were willing to love Him by serving in whatever capacity He wanted them to. They were willing to live by faith and not by sight. They had a deep-seated passion for seeing people come to know the Savior and be free of the chains of sin and satan.

Willing vessels. That’s what God desires in all of us. That’s what Big Life is about.

Book Review - Call of a Coward

I love missionary stories!

They inspire me, as well as, build my faith, so I was really looking forward to reading Call of a Coward, by Marcia Moston. It did both of these things.

Marcia Moston in honest in her journey to Guatemala. There were many times she spoke of sinful attitudes that arose to the surface from the time her husband decided they were going to the end of the book. But, just like all of us, she acknowledged repented and returned to serving the Lord. She does a great job of bringing to light child-like faith along the road of uncertainty. God's hand is seen all the way from home to Guatemala to Vermont. 

They were only on the mission field in Central America for a few months, but those months were the launching point to a closer walk with God. He also used the trip and experience for so many other ministries once they came back to the states.

Willingness to obey Christ. That is the key to effective ministry. Going where and when He desires you to go. Stepping out in faith and seeing God open and close doors. He answers prayers as part of this process as well.

This book is definitely worth reading and may be used as a mirror in your own life. How is God wanting to use you? Are you willing to do what He calls you to do? 

I received a free copy of this book as part of the Booksneeze Blogging Network.

A Special Friend, A Special Ministry

This last weekend we finished up a holiday tradition that became part of the Ponderosa a couple of years ago.

We have a special friend, Laurie Borland, who lost her dear husband, Tim, this last June. Together they have ministered in the prison system teaching Inductive Bible Study to the men who find themselves behind bars...some of them for a very long time. They have been in ministry for 15 years or so with Jesus Only Way Ministry. Since Tim's homegoing, there has been a special man who has taken over the teaching portion of the ministry. We pray for God's direction for our dear sister and friend.

Each Christmas there is a care package put together to give to the men who attend the Bible Studies. We send a Christmas card, with 10 blank note cards and 10 stamps. Things like this we take for granted, but the truth is this is a luxury for many of the people who are incarcerated. Ministries like Jesus Only Way not only make this possible, but also are giving the Bread of Life to many who are very hungry and malnourished. We thank the Lord for those who are sent to the "least of these" and ask God's blessing on them. Missions is taking place in places both far and near.

Fun at Wycliffe Bible Translators

Wednesday, the girls, along with my nieces, attended Wycliffe Bible Translators children's program, A to Z. The leaders and workers were so good with the kids. They said so many life altering things that our children need to hear more often, like, "Be grateful for school. There are many children who cannot even attend school and learn now to read."

We studied the country of Ethiopia. There are 94 languages in Ethiopia, with a little more than 50 that still need a translation of the Bible.

While practicing with the musical instruments, we were told a story. Years ago there was a 12 year old girl who attended a class. She was given a people group to pray for. She diligently prayed through the years. Time came for her to graduate. She majored in translation work and was accepted to Wycliffe to be a translator. They assigned her a people group...and guess what people group this was? Right! The one she had prayed for as a youth. God used her to answer her own prayers. Amazing.

We are spoiled. Bible sit upon shelves in most houses without much use. We take for granted those who gave their lives for the printing and translation work hundreds of years ago. We are blessed.

Windows on the World

Last week, I referenced this book as a tool that we are using during Table Time in school. Windows on the World has been written to educate families on all the different countries and people groups of the world.

Each page highlights these features:

1. The facts: population, language, exports, chief crops, etc.

2. The Religion

3. A story from a child's perspective of life. This includes both positive and negative things. But the authors have made sure to include persecution in a mild form. It is so important that our children see how other children live, the struggles in life that we don't have, and the beauty of freedom that we can enjoy that others don't have. Our children grow up in a time when our freedom is taken for granted.

4. The full color pictures that are true to life photographs help the children to see what life is really like in other parts of the world.

5. The most important section is the prayer box. You are given things to thank God for as well as things to pray for God to do in these countries.

As we open this book each morning we get out the globe and find the country or countries each people group comes from. This helps us incorporate geography as well.

So far we have studied Afghanistan, Albania, the Azeri people, and the Balinese People from Bali. Last month we had a missionary visit our fellowship from Albania, so his presentation came back to our remembrance and we understood a little more of their story.

There are so many lost and dying around the globe. I pray that my children's hearts will be softened towards those who need the Gospel, either next door to the Ponderosa or on the other side of the Globe.