My 500th Post! Wowza!

I realized my 500th post was coming up for awhile now.  I find it crazy that I have written this many blogs; because I use to hate writing...I mean really hated it. I guess this means I don't hate it as much as I thought. LOL

 I have been pondering what to write.  My life has gone in a much different direction the last few months and that is why I have very few posts.  I decided that this post would be about God's plan.  

I always like to know where I am going on a trip before we leave.  I have a great photographic memory in regards to maps.  All I have to do is study the map and we are good to go. I like to have the directions all laid out before me and then I can go to my destination in confidence. That is how I like my life as well.  I like for God to tell me where I am going, how long it will take to get there, and what I will like for the journey.  

My life has been pretty simple like that.  I knew God wanted me at Bible College.  I knew that I would marry John.  I knew that God called us to each and every ministry we have been involved with thus far.  My life has been very plainly mapped out....and I liked it that way!  Predictable. Safe. Easy to Trust. Dependable.

Recently, we had our map all figured out.  We were going to plant a new church.  Our GPS was set and we were on our way.  We saw the path clearly in front of us.  

In May, God decided to show us a different path He immediately wanted us to walk down.  I did not like that path.  I could not see the directions.  I did not have a map.  The path looked really scary.  The path looked rough, hard, and not easy to manage.  I did not want to go down that path at all.  It meant stepping away from ministry for awhile...a long while.  It meant putting church planting on hold...that was not on my itinerary. 

But, since when do I get to decide what is God's best for my life.  Who am I to question what He wants to do?  Who am I that I should say, "Don't you think my way is better?"  Who am I to say that God cannot help me go down that rough road?  Who am I?

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

All I know that I am God's child, and if I am His then He is going to take care of me.  God never promised that our lives would be easy, He only promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.  He promised that He would provide all our needs according to His riches in glory.  He promised that what was meant for evil, He can make it for His good. I will trust in His promises.

Isaiah 55:8-13

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁸ “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
⁹ For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

So, with this new journey God has us on I have to trust God in a whole new way.  You know what?  That is okay; because it means God is going to teach John and I things we did not know.  It means we are going in the direction He really wants us to go.  It means that I will have to let go and truly let God manage my life.  It means that ultimately God will be glorified in us; because of our obedience.  It means that we will walk in true victory and freedom!  So, we will drop everything, our old ways, our old thoughts, our old ideas, our old plans, our old securities, and just follow Jesus. 

Matthew 4:20

New Living Translation (NLT)

And they left their nets at once and followed him.

 I will drop it all to follow You, Jesus!  And when I do I will....

GET JOY!

Jeremiah 29:11

"Get Joy" Book Verses!

My next all time favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11! I think this verse so clearly tells us what God wants for us. Sometimes when I am confused or seem disoriented this verse can so quickly focus me back to where He wants me to be.

I picked this picture because it is my favorite of John and me. But I also picked to go with this verse. God has had a plan for me before I was even conceived. He had a plan for my future and a major part of that future is John. God picked him for me and me for him. He knew that we would bring three wonderful little people into this world. He knew that He was putting together a team that would share the love of Christ. He also wants our marriage to be a picture of His relationship with the church. What a huge responsibility but a great privilege!

Little did I know in the Fairlane School Cafeteria near the pop machines at the ripe age of 15...God would be beginning the makings of something amazing. John came up to me and asked me to marry him...and I thought he was crazy!




God's plans for us are Peace, Hope & and Future. Knowing that I am in His plans gives me such joy! Today, I will....

One Decision

When I was going into the first grade my mother decided that she wanted to switch private schools for me. She has told me that she cried for a week regarding the decision. I was going to one Christian school and had made two friends Jenny Stanislawski (Jenna) and Colette Christmas. My two friends decided to go to another Christian school (Fairlane Christian School); but my mom was not so sure about this new one. Those Assembly of God people could be very different and she was not sure she wanted me around "those" people. LOL Somehow, God spoke to her and gave her peace about the transition. From that one decision I can show you how we are right smack dab in the middle of God's plan....

• I met my best friend Renee Rigley at that school; she went to Brightmoor Assembly of God.


• I was the second person in my family to be filled with the Holy Spirit at that school.


• I was called into full time ministry while at Fairlane.


• During the 8th grade my parents decided to change churches and I begged them to go to Brightmoor.


• At Brightmoor, my parents met Phil and Sherry Pfaltzgraff.


• During 9th grad at FCS I met a guy named John Johnson.


• I started dating John in 10th grade.


• In the 11th grade I went on a mission's trip to Mexico and God confirmed my calling into ministry.


• 12th grad John and I broke up, He went off to Central Bible College.


• I visited CBC, didn't want to go, but God told me to.


• Went to CBC in the fall of 1994.


• John and I got back together, got married and graduated.


• Our first position was at Petoskey Assembly of God working with Phil Pfaltzgraff.


• The first summer there we went to camp and met a youth pastor, Brad Withrow.


• We later went to Sault Ste. Marie and youth pastored there, after two years we felt released to leave and was asked by Pastor Brad Withrow to come and youth pastor in Gladwin.


• We have been in Gladwin for 6 years.


• Excited to see where God will take us next on our journey through this life.

It is kind of funny that I can point back to one decision that my mom made when I was going into first grade that would lay the path for my entire life of decisions. It is so neat to see that my mom's decision began the ground work of who I would meet as I grew up. Why have I told you all this? Simple really, as parents we need to realize that every decision, every plan we make needs to be taken to the Lord in prayer. My verse that I have posted over on the side is a life verse for me, Jer. 29:11. God know the plans He has for us. As parents, we need to seek God's wisdom for our children and the choices that they will be making. We need to direct them to God's path. Of course they must choose whether to walk on it or not; but lets give them every opportunity to get there.
There is no better peace than knowing that you are right smack dab in the middle of God's plan. Especially when the storms come and the water rises, you know that God is in control. Let's remember to bring every decision, even the ones that seem small, to the foot of the cross.

Then we will...
GET JOY!

In the picture above, Mrs. Harpan's first grade class at Fairlane Christian School. I am wearing the white dress with my hand raised. I am sitting to the left of Colette. Jenna I think is sitting behind me.

Proverbs 13 "Black and White"

Some things in life are just simply, "Black and White". There are no shades of grey; even though we may pretend there are. Here in Proverbs 13, we find that "black and white" we sometimes dread. I think sometimes it is hard to choke down such finality; because in America we like to have it "Our Way". God's way can seem so intolerant and unbending. Yet in the truest sense, when we release ourselves to His will, we have freedom. It is a strange phenomenon, that when we obey all God's precepts we are freed from the bondage of sin. It is hard for some to understand that when you follow rules it frees you rather then binds you.



I started to look at this passage with the agenda of finding some nice "make you feel good about yourself" verse. What I saw today is, "Righteous people do this, Wicked do that".

Heed your fathers instruction, a Mocker does not listen

Watch your tongue, He who speaks rashly comes to ruin

Hate what is false, Wicked bring shame and disgrace

Take good advice, Prideful breed quarrels

Be prudent with your finances, Dishonest money dwindles away

Learn from wise people, You will pay for it if you don't

Discipline your children, Those who do not discipline hate them.

It ends with this verse,

25 The righteous eat to their hearts' content,

but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

We are talking about spiritual food here. When we do not nourish our self with God's Word, we become empty. When we fill our lives with His words and then we act on them, our spiritual minds begin to work properly. The school is always sending me notes about making sure my kids come to school on a full stomach. There is evidence that when they eat a healthy, well rounded breakfast, kids do better in the classroom. This is true of followers of Christ. If we do not dig into God's word than we spiritually deplete ourselves of His good nutrition.

I have to be honest here, I think I have been running on "E" for quite awhile. Oh, I have my excuses, "I just had a baby, I'm not getting enough sleep, there is not enough time in the day, to much laundry, Blah Blah Blah!" Somehow, I always make time for real food; yet, I can't seem to make time for God's food. The food that saves my soul. The food that renews and refreshes.

So, this walk through Proverbs has been like standing under a waterfall. My heart feels lighter. My soul feels more full. My heart yearns for what God will show me tomorrow. I feel no chains, these precepts free me. They call me to do the will of God, so that I may glorify Him.

When God is "Black and White" it is like a clear path for me to walk on. I do not have to guess where He is taking me. I know exactly where I need to go. It is very "Black and White".

When I can see the clear road ahead then I will be able to...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 13!