The 5.2 Project

Through the Fire

2009-05-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

By: Lauren Beckner

Isaiah 43:1b-2
"Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee…"

I don't know how much experience you have with fire. Most everyone has enjoyed a good bonfire at some point in their life. Fire can be beautiful. But it can also be very scary.

This past winter, we were enjoying a roaring fire in our wood-burning fireplace. It was toasty, the wood was crackling and popping, and I was thankful. And then a giant gust of wind came down the chimney, and it forced the fire out of the fireplace into the room. In a matter of seconds, the beautiful fire had turned into a destructive, consuming, threatening mess. The flames had taken hold to the mantle and were quickly climbing the wall. I grabbed my child and headed outside while my husband extinguished the fire with quick thinking and several buckets of water. Our house was only on fire for two or three minutes, but in that time the entire mantle and part of the wall had been burned. Our home had been filled with ash, soot, and smoke. It smelled for days. My husband had to rebuild the mantle. We spent the better part of a week ridding our home of the damage done by the fire in a very short amount of time.

I don't know about you, but I don't like to endure anything. Sometimes I get downright irritated when I have to go through something hard. And I've had my fair share of hard situations. Sometimes I think…, "but I'm following Jesus… this isn't fair!" I fell into that trap this past week. I was reading in Isaiah and drawing comfort from the verses above that promise that God is with me. And then I was struck by something I'd never noticed before. Wait, was that right?! I read the verses again. And again. Yep, it was right there.

"…When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned…"

Now that’s weird. It doesn't say we WON'T walk through fire. Nor does it say IF you walk through fire. It says WHEN you walk through fire. I'm not real fond of that part. But then it goes on. It doesn't stop there, my friend. It says that we won't be burned.

Fire is intense. Its destructive. It can be very painful. But we will not be burned. We may have to walk through it. We may have to fight it. We may have to endure. But we will not be burned. Our eyes may sting from the smoke. It make take time to recover. But we will not be burned.

That’s what I know. And so…

Opportunity

2009-05-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

Opportunities may only come once in a lifetime, maybe twice

Opportunity for greatness, or a chance to lend a helping hand

For I have never been more excited for another opportunity

This is my opportunity to take a stand

We all have the opportunity to spread the good news

To save a dying generation, or just one heart

To show compassion for the weak, and support the strong

For those who’s been waiting to make a difference; it’s never too late to start

God gives us all the opportunity to play a part

Just listen to him for guidance

Of course there will be ups and downs

But everything will eventually make sense

I want to praise God for his greatness

Something that is unmatched

For the opportunity to praise him and spread his word

I pray we all can make a big splash

For when people are down and in need of help

Your conscience will tell you how to react

For the greatest gift given is the gift of life

I just want to praise God for that

Eternal life is given to those who believe

I pray for those unsaved

For making it into heaven

Will turn my struggles into praise

Its now our opportunity to praise our loving God

To let everyone have the opportunity to experience his greatness

For his greatness has done so much for me

An opportunity is what I have, and for that I am truly blessed

- Scott Overstreet

I KNOW God leads me.

2009-05-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 20:24A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can any man understand his own way?

For a long time I've been working on keeping my big mouth shut using discernment. Proverbs often reminds us that it is wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silent. Sometimes I have something that I'm positively itching to share... and I do.. and it's a catastrophe. I wasn't in communication and looking for discernment with God. I didn't say anything wrong... but I didn't ask my King first. Other times I'm afraid to speak.. yet I know that He's urging me to. I've often said I "know" (knowledge) that God will lead me... but then I just act and do myself. I don't talk to Him about it. Therefore it's only knowledge. Know ING means I will act directly as a result... even if I'd rather not.

Last night a situation arose where I felt like God was prompting me to speak with an individual who I greatly respect, love and admire. I was intimidated and felt inadequate. I remembered this time my desire to LIVE what I KNOW... that God promises to direct our steps. I hesitated and the person I needed to speak to left the building. I walked out to my car praying that the Lord would give me clarity to know what to do, and no sooner did I finish praying than I looked up and saw the man drive up, stop the car, and roll his window down. Wow. Talk about awesome. Finally I didn't wonder if I should have spoken.. or cringed for not keeping my mouth shut. I obeyed and God made it happen. I KNOW that God leads me... and I don't ever want to step off of this incredible path. It might be narrow, but there is no safer... more peaceful... joyful... or fulfilling place to be. love, mary

He Answers

2009-05-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

I had a friend with great medical concerns... it was scary. We prayed, test results came back clear. God is so kind! - Anonymous

My Portion

2009-05-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

By: Katie Naff

Why should I feel discouraged?

Why should the shadows come?

Why should my heart feel lonely? And long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion. A constant friend is He.

His eye is on the sparrow. And I know He watches over me.
(from the hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow”)

Surely I am not the only one who gets discouraged with the way life is sometimes. What’s even more interesting to me is that, in recent months, I have been discouraged even though I am living the life I dreamed of- being a stay-at-home wife and mother. It’s truly amazing to me that Satan can creep in and discourage even when a person is living her wildest dreams come true. Amazing! Amazingly frustrating! (And how much more does he creep in when things are going badly!?)

My husband and I have been living in our current city for several years now but have yet to make any strong friendships here. As I’ve mentioned before, my husband works a lot and is in school while I stay home with our daughter. We only have one vehicle so unless we coordinate well; I am at home car-less. Sometimes I think I am going to go nuts being in the house with her all day, every day. It gets lonely. Since we don’t have many friends here, I long for my friends “back home.” Yet, at the same time I know they are not the answer. I would not find satisfaction there.

A second car is not the answer. Finding a wonderful group of friends here is not the answer. Nothing this world can offer me is the answer. I would not and could not find satisfaction there, wonderful as those things may be.

No, Jesus is the answer. It is only Jesus who is able to satisfy me. For He is my portion. He is enough.

When I’m tempted to despair – He is my portion. When I’m tempted to complain – He is my portion. When I’m tempted to feel overwhelmed – He is my portion. When I’m tempted to run – He is my portion. His grace is sufficient. His love is unending. His mercy is unfailing.

He is enough.

Thanking God for Baby Stellan

2009-04-28T03:17:00.001-07:00

We prayed for the Lord to bring baby Stellan through an extremely risky heart surgery... He did. We prayed for his SVT to be controlled without another (immediate) surgery... and it is. We prayed for strength and peace for his family when they were told Stellan would have to remain in the hospital for another month. He is heading home TODAY... only 3 day later. God is so good! Thank Him.. and don't stop praying when you see His goodness, pray all the more!

Update: "... Condemnation"

2009-04-28T03:15:00.000-07:00

GUESS WHAT GOD DID?!?!My husband went by our formerly condemened / carefully fixed/ much loved / flooded kitchen (see post below for details)... former home to check the progress of the floor drying and to pick up the estimate from the insurance company. To our utter crazy-delight, this check is enough for...

- repairing the kitchen floor ourselves
- paying off our ENTIRE LOAN that we had to obtain in order to repair our house!!
- exactly. no more. no less.

Recap:Bad situation in the world's eyes - found out our house was condemend. Had to move out.- Through God: THIS was the situation that revealed the reason for my health problems that would not have otherwise been discovered... and I am after 3 years doing so much better!Bad situation in the world's eyes - without a home- God provided a wonderful place for us to stay!Bad situation in the world's eyes - kitchen flooded- Our Great God - used this situation to pay off our loan... and bring us full circle!ONLY GOD could have orchestrated these events so perfectly... and so completely. There is no other explanation and I'm forever thankful! He is so good... above and beyond all I could have asked for! Please thank Him with me... and keep praying for the sale of our house. We'll wait with eager expectation to see what He will do! Thank you for praying! Love, Mary

Today

2009-04-25T19:11:00.001-07:00

Today I prayed for strength when mine was gone. Then it was given to me. God answers prayer... He got me through the day! - Anonymous

A Story of "Condemnation"... and Amazing Grace - Today.

2009-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at a wonderful way God has shown Himself to be so real and so powerful in my life. I have cut and pasted a couple of short updates that I wrote to friends as things happened... so you can follow the journey. God is so good!Monday, January 12, 2009
Hi Friends!I wanted to let you know of the latest adventure of our family as it will immediately be taking us from our present address. Two days before Christmas a man knocked on my door and told me that ... he had condmened our house in 2003. Yep. He was so bewildered that we were living there (let alone had it on the market) he said he'd check things thru over the holidays and get back with us. We figured it must be some kind of mistake. Well.... last week we got word that the only mistake is that it was condemned TWICE.... again three months before we purchased it, no repairs were made, and the condition of the house was hidden from all future parties. So... again flying past countless details we will be staying at our church's missions apartment beginning tonite - and after that we aren't quite sure. We have some possiblities but as a result of the fraud by the previous owner, the negligence of the building inspector, the cover-up by several parties, and the mistakes of the title company........ there is so much confusion that needs to be sorted through. We do have a wonderful Christian lawyer who is going to help us sort through the details that are beyond our expertise, please pray especially for our meeting with him on Wednesday morning. I'll still have my cell number and we will only gradually pack up our house until we know where we go next (hopefully within the next 2-3 days.) I can't thank you enough those who have already offered to help us move... until we know more details we really have no idea what's happening and we'll keep you posted. I'm thankful that I dont have to know all the answers. But that I can trust and follow God... and just wait with you and see what He's going to do. I've already tasted and seen that the Lord is GOOD. :)I hope you each have a wonderful week!!!! love mary
Wednesday January 14, 2009
Hi again!We met with our PHENOMENAL lawyer this morning. Unfortunately it appears we were taken pretty badly... the case is pretty deep, he called it "civil fraud." Unfortunately there are quite a few loopholes in the system and it looks like we were taken by some smart, and already "lawyered up" people. I won't add details on here as there is still a great deal of work the lawyer is going to do but you can feel free to ask. :) We are not able to move back into our house as it is and we will not be able to look for another place... so we're staying where we are in the church apartment until assessments and repairs can be made. Sooo yes I know that's not much information. :)ALL we need to know right now is that we are following a great, powerful, wonderful Father God and we are right EXACTLY where He wants us right now... it just doesn't look the same as some other people, and that's ok! I'm so thankful, safe, and blessed to be able to walk with and trust the Lord one day at a time. It's a great adventure :) To my praying friends ;) please pray for all individuals involved to be able to see God for who He really is. Again... thank you SO much for your encouragement and friendship! It's so awesome to have people to "travel" thru with ;) Feel free to come and see us!! The apartment is NOT condemned!!! :) :) :)love maryApril 23, 2009Hi Friends!I'm so sorry that I have been so slow in posting an update. I'm SO much more thankful than I can say for you prayers and friendship. REALLY. no. REALLY.A smart person would have re-read their last post before trying to update. A motivated person would risk re-starting to do it. But.. *ahem*. ...Suuuurely the last I posted was when we were leaving suddenly to stay in the churches apartment. We had a great experience there being close together and close to the church and school!! We ran into several obstacles.- The lawyer said we "were taken good."- The city, and all people involved were so afraid of the situation we were in constant hang-ups to get permits to even start work...So we stayed put for about nine weeks.Get this. Since contracting typhoid fever over three years ago, I have remained sick and have not fully been able to kick typhoid from my body. Upon starting repairs on my house we found mold... (ick) hidden in the rafters of our house where a leaking problem had created a hole in the ceiling and the previous owners left it and covered it with pretty white drywall.Ahem.I was tested for mold allergies... DING DING DING ... toxic mold poisoning as well. THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY. wierd, maybe... but after three years I have answers and something I can do about it.LOOK WHAT GOD DID FOR ME. If this hadn't happened... I might have never known why I'm so sick.no seriously. Let that sink in. It's a big deal. That only God can do.hmmm. you might even say that in my house being condemned... three years worth of prayers were answered and my life might have been saved. hmm. maybe my three little ones as well.Do you ever hear people say that bad things happen and God can do good things through it. Well friends, chalk this up.We were able to obtain a loan... and get the house "un-condemned." It's really a shame to have such a big bad word on my little home. :) It was mostly all hidden stuff... it's a cozy little house. :) Thankfully there wasn't anything structural, basically neglect.After 9 weeks in the missions apartment my wonderful father in law (who lives in florida) offered us his house that's sitting empty... 7 minutes from Jake's school :) The deal is that we fix it up (which has been great fun) and live in it. If our other house sells, we can buy this one. If not, his house is now ready to go on the market. (Did I mention the house has HUGE fencedin back yard.. and... a swimming pool?!?!) After all God has brought me through... I KNOW He cares. I KNOW I can trust Him. I KNOW it doesn't matter where I live. really.I know this can still be called " an impossible situation." Bring it on. That's my God's specialty. I don't mind putting it out there for you. He is good. We don't often see things the same way. Bad things happen. They just do. My God has NEVER been anything but good. I could go on and on with the wonderful things have have risen up and suprised us as a result of this.One final thing... fresh news-flash. :) Will went to the house yesterday to meet the wonderful realtor who's excited to sell our house. (You know... the finally fixed "un-condemned" house...??)The kitchen flooded.The entire floor is a total loss.Guess what. I KNOW God is in control. We're just following along....Guess what. Insurance just called and said that they would cover it. :):) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) : ) : )Guess what. I KNOW I shouldn't say I told you so. (ahem.) I'm so amazed that a God who does impossible things cares about our smallest needs. That as one might call me homeless I'm finding wonderful little old tables ... paint for 75% off... painting white pirate ships all over the walls with my children.... (don't worry, i covered them up after a little fun :) and watching my EVERY need be met. Provision when our money (*"has been needlessly wasted on this disaster..." ) Joy and peace when they should be the last thing on my plate. Know why that makes me excited?i can't do that. I even get annoyed when I step in the bright blue toothpaste that sam drops on the floor.REALLY annoyed.But I've asked God to direct my steps.He has and SO. MUCH. MORE. He has blessed ABOVE AND BEYOND ALL I CAN ASK OR IMAGINE. "Taste and see that the Lord is good..."Please dont' stop praying.Please thank God for something today. Because He's God. and He's amazing.... Anyone want to buy a house??!?!giggle giggle.snort.*ahem.*GOD IS SO GOOD.

Thank You

2009-04-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight I spent the evening with the family of a beautiful, healthy baby girl. We prayed hard for her when she was born with complications. God answered our prayers by giving her good health!

Learning Curve

2009-04-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

By: Lauren Beckner

Have you ever prayed for patience? And then experienced a trial? Well, if you pray that God will show you how to know what you know... you might find yourself in a situation where you have to do just that (but its pretty cool, trust me)!

My sweet girl, Savannah, is dealing with some health issues right now, which I briefly wrote about on the prayer wall if you want to check it out. Basically, we have no idea whats going on - all we know is that she is losing weight and having big tummy problems.

But I wanted to take a minute to share what God is showing ME this week through our adventures. And I'd LOVE for you to pray with me.

Savannah goes on Friday for a big procedure/testing at the hospital under anesthesia. And as her mommy, I have more than a few nervous thoughts about that.

In the face of uncertainty, it is easy for me to focus on the things I don't know: how the procedure will go, what the results will look like, how I will be able to handle handing my baby over to a team of doctors to be put under anesthesia... and when I think about what I DON'T KNOW, it is easy to get overwhelmed. So instead, I've chosen to concentrate on what I DO KNOW.

2 Timothy 1:12, "This is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I KNOW whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him for that day.

I know that God loves Savannah. More than I do. And I know He is good. So whatever the outcome, God will bring good through it. And things will work for His glory. Its not about us - its all about Him. And I know I can trust Him. With anything. Whew. Isn't it so much easier to concentrate on what we KNOW? Now, just keep reminding me of that principle, because I'm fairly confident that I'll forget it at some point (Friday morning in the waiting room!)!!!

If you'd like to join with us in prayer, here are some specific things to pray for:
1. That the procedure would go smoothly with no complications.
2. That she would recover from the anesthesia quickly.
3. That the results will be clear and the direction we need to take with treatment will be obvious.

Thanks so much for praying with us - and for letting me share what I'm ever so slowly learning!

Love,

Lauren

My Story for God's Glory

2009-04-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

By: Lauren Beckner

Have you ever experienced that moment? You know, the one where you feel like your whole world has come crashing down? You're standing there, and the blackness is closing in, and half of you wants to fight it as hard as you possibly can. You want to stretch out and push it away and take a giant gulp of fresh, clean air. And the other half just wants to quit fighting… to give in to the blackness and let it swallow your heart whole.

That moment came for me on October 25, 2003. I remember standing in my bright yellow bedroom, looking out the window and fighting the darkness closing in around my soul. I knew who my God was… or did I? As I watched my dad drive up our driveway for the last time, suddenly I wasn't quite so sure. What was this monstrous disaster that had taken over my family and when would it go away? The ugly truth stared me in the face. But no, that couldn't be true. It went against everything I knew, didn't it? My family didn't believe in divorce! Surely the nightmare would end. It was just a misunderstanding. I would just go to sleep and when I woke up, we'd pretend that nothing had ever happened.

But the white truck never came back down the driveway, and the months wore on… I began to deal with the repercussions of terrible decisions. And the blackness closed in more. I held tight to seeds that had been sewn…bitterness, anger, resentment, and despair. I watched the incredible pain my mother and brother experienced and tried to be strong, all the while letting the darkness eclipse my own heart. I didn't want to cry, I didn't want to fight, and I certainly didn't want to pray. I just wanted to be mad at the world. And quite frankly – I wanted to be mad at God too. He allowed this to happen to me, and I didn't hardly think it was fair. I was angry and frustrated for quite some time.

I'm honestly not sure how it happened, but I remember coming to a point where I realized that I couldn't go on being so angry… it was consuming. I remember thinking I needed to let go of the blackness before it swallowed me whole, and that was terrifying. I'd become quite comfortable in the dark shroud, and I didn't want to open up my heart to the love of God once more.

Know what you know.

What did I know? What was true, no matter what I was feeling at the time? What was constant, regardless of my circumstances?

God is love. He loves me. He allows sin and consequences, but that doesn't change His love. God is faithful. God never changes. So He will always love me. No matter who I am or what I'm going through. No contingencies, no requirements, no threats of leaving. Just because things don't turn out the way I want them to… just because I have to walk through something no person should have to go through – that doesn't change what I know to be true.

Live what you know.

Could I do that? Could I let go of the blackness? Could I open my tightly clenched fist and just…love? Oh, it was going to hurt. The black wall had been my source of protection, but in the process it was eating me alive. Did I have another choice? Live what I know. I had to do it. I braced myself, took a deep breath, and ripped the band aid off of my heart.

And the pain was real, fresh, and intense. I had to face those emotions I'd been avoiding all of that time, and it was horrible at first. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't almost more than I could bear at times. I clung tightly to what I knew. God is love. God is faithful. God has promised not to give me more than I can bear. And over time, it became beautiful. My dark, black, angry heart slowly began to soften and I just fell hopelessly in love with One could heal me completely. I can't count on love from any one person in this world, but there is someone who loves me far more than anyone else ever could. He knows me, He understands me, and He loves me unconditionally. In spite of myself. No questions asked. And after knowing this love, I'll never, ever be the same again. Really.

Share what you know.

Jesus Christ has turned my life upside down. There is no one that can love me more completely, more fully, more wonderfully. You need to know that He is absolutely amazing. And I know it is hard to believe. And I know I sound crazy…but if only you knew…I can't keep silent.

We live in a fallen world and people make massive mistakes, and maybe, like me, you are a victim of the choices of others. And believe me, I know what an awful position that is. Maybe you've made bad choices yourself. Maybe you're fighting mad. Or maybe you've lost all desire to fight at all. But you need to know… you don't have to stay there in that dark place. You have a choice to make. Are you up for the challenge? Can you open your heart to be loved like never before? It is completely terrifying, but definitely so worth it.

This is not about my story…it not about me. It is about God. He can make a way when there is no way. He can do this for you. But you have to be ready.

Can you know what you know? Can you live what you know? Can you share what you know? Because, if you do, I can promise your life will change forever.

Bowing Down.

2009-02-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

Thank you my God for loving us.
Thank you my God that you let us talk to you any time that we want to.
Thank you my God that you are the same God who led the Israelites through the Red sea... and you have time for even me!
Thank you my God that you are completely worthy of our trust.
Thank you our God that your way are higher than ours and your thoughts higher than ours.
Thank you that you give us right what we need... and just when we need it.
Thank you my God that you call us your own.
Thank you my God that you are ALWAYS with us. Thank you that when I hit my knees I know you smile.
Thank you Jesus for preserving little Levi's life.
Thank you for providing for needs.
Thank you for being in the hospital to guide, direct, protect, comfort and guide.
Thank you for teaching your children to love as you love, and to be a family for one another.
Thank you Savior that you know us by name, that you hold Levi and his family in the palm of your mighty hand.
Thank you, Great King that you "know the plans you have for us... plans to prosper and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future."
Thank you Abba that in times of suffering we learn so much more about you, see more of you, and have so many more wonderful things to tell others who do not know you.
Thank you Savior that the harvest is plentiful, that so many are open to seeing your glory.
Thank you great God for your patience in our weakness.
Thank you O Lord that we can ALWAYS sing a new song to you, OUR Almighty King.
Thank you that you are a God who doesn't throw us out.. but that you are a REDEEMER.
Thank you that you are the healer of broken families.
Thank you that you are the author and creator of life!
Thank you that you promise to lead and direct our every step... and that you always do!
Thank you that your promises are trustworthy and without limit.
Thank you, Abba Father for giving us laughter!
Thank you, Our King that you make us "more than conquerors."
Thank you Our God that as we go into battle.. you go BEFORE us... we follow as you direct our steps and as we claim victories that have ALREADY been won for us!
Thank you Jesus that you inhabit our praises... what a mindblowing and wonderful gift to know that the more we thank you for the great things YOU have done... the more we see your face!
What is man that you are mindful of us...?

What If...

2008-12-24T11:15:00.000-08:00

WHAT IF………….
by Maria Hartman
What if this Christmas our focus was on
Praising the Lord for the gift of His Son?

What if instead of songs about snowmen
Our hearts bowed in wonder at the presence of God-Man?

What if instead of the rush to buy more
We sought out the Giver who holds eternity sure?

What if we lived like we KNEW this was real
And not joined with the throngs who just want to feel?

What if this King was our reason for being
Would others take notice that it’s Him they are seeing?

What if we wept with repentance and sorrow
That though He is here many wait till ‘tomorrow’?

What if we purposed, committed, and vowed
That this Jesus the Christ would be spoken out loud?

What if His children with a passion anew
Chose not to compromise on what is Holy and True?

What if my precious Lord right now did return
Would He be pleased with my heart, oh how it does yearn

For life to be all He wants it to be……
For my children to see its not about me.

For others to move from their empty traditions
For the Word to be treasured above all other ambitions

For this gracious Redeemer to be first in our hearts
For the old and the young to know how great Thou art

For then when the trees and the lights are away
Disappointment won’t come, Hope will now stay

For our Savior has come, He’s LORD of all nations
Praise God Almighty, this is the Christmas celebration.

Because I Know

2008-12-12T16:27:00.000-08:00

Hi friends, I thought I’d share what God has taught me this week through one of His precious children and through His Spirit. These past 2 ½ months have been a huge challenge for me. I have tried to see Him through it all, and many times I have. But there have been many other times where I have experienced just flesh and seen what only human eyes can see.

I have had to stop and think about this ‘know what you know’ idea. What do I really know? And is that what I think about most often? The answer to the second question was clearly a ‘no’. So during my quiet time yesterday morning, something different began that I think will be a great blessing to me. It is my prayer that it will be for you as well. That is why I share it.

There are times when it is so hard to pray, so hard to know where to start and how to begin. Yesterday, I was there. And as I tried to read the Word, I still was just far away. It was here where I felt like I really needed to investigate ‘what I know’. Oh I know a lot of things pertaining to God and the Bible, and I don’t want to make light of that. But I’m not talking about God loves me, Christ died for me, etc. I was really digging for much deeper; what do I know today that can overthrow all I feel? What do I really know right this very moment that is real and true? Of course Phillipians 4:13 came to mind and I looked it up but I couldn’t move past the first word………..finally Maria, whatsoever things are TRUE. So I made a list of 10 things that I know are true for me right this very moment. I won’t list them all, but they all pertained to what I needed most.
My life is not my own, it is His 2. There is power and victory in the name of Jesus 3.He is the only One who will never leave me or die.
I placed a list of my 10 on the center of our frig and decided that maybe my kids would like to see what mom ‘knows’. I will place a new list here every day or at least a few times a week as I take the time to purpose what I know, and then think about that instead of so many other unproductive things. God also made something else very clear: I cannot live a life of honoring and glorifying Him personally unless I really settle this issue daily. Also, how powerful can my witness to others be if I am not steadfast in my mind as to what I know with all certainty?
I will collect these as I replace them and put them into a journal book to keep as a reminder to me of all I really know. And as I do, my faith and dependence upon my Lord will grow. Doubt, fear, and pain need no longer dominate my thoughts because…………………I know.

The Great I AM

2008-12-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

I'd like to publicly worship the Lord by rejoicing in the fact that He loves us so much to personally take time and interest in our lives. I was half-reading, half-sleeping through reading the Psalms one early morning this week and suddenly was very deeply convicted. I was convicted that despite how incredibly the Lord has revolutionized my life, I could skim through Psalms describing and praising the Lord for the indescrible things He has done and that He IS. I realized that I had just been on my knees (with my feet trying to stay under a blanket as a partial focus.. it's cold on the floor after all.... ) to THE God who parted the Red Sea. SAME God. And I... was trying to keep my feet warm before I skimmed the Psalms. I KNOW there is a God. yet my life was showing my own box and picture of God and not looking at the God who we cannot help but fall to our knees in awe-struck water at the thought of. This same God... cared enough to correct me, to convict me, and to still speak to me. He began to open up His word and show me that in the Psalms... the constant stream of giving thanks is the same as claiming what we know. And it is so pleasing to God. Psalm 118 says that thanks is the "gateway" to righteousness... it is the gate that opens our lives to the Lord! We are claiming what we know of who He is.. and who we are. But we have to take our words on with action in order to understand Him in a more full, rich, and wonderful way.
I am literally overwhelmed that this same God is working among us. I am amazed at how many times today the Lord brought people into my life who needed to also be encouraged by the same verses I had needed that morning and that without being humbled, disciplined, and corrected I would never have broken through my half-hearted skimming to the overwhelming joy of really knowing the Lord was speaking to me and asking me to share with others. I am humbled now to realize that yes... HE IS who HE IS. So much bigger than we can comprehend. I know that He is ready and willing to open the floodgates of revealing Himself in a far bigger way than we've ever seen.. but He's waiting for us to express our genuine, through and through desire and devotion and willingness to really, really know Him. And I CAN'T WAIT to see more :) Mary Wall

God is so good!

2008-12-10T06:36:00.001-08:00

This reminds me of the song we sang at our meeting: 'God is so good; God is so good; God is so good; He's so good to me! Anonymous"

Thankful

2008-12-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

This week has been challenging start to finish. But as I start the day on my knees I'm more and more aware of who God is... and my times in the Word become more alive and exciting and it's been such an amazing experience!

I HAVE to share something that the Lord did for me today in particular. I was praying about a particular financial need that has been very heavily weighing. I stopped this morning to pay for some groceries and when I opened my wallet to pull out my credit card... there was 40 dollars in it. My wallet was EMPTY last time I looked. I suppose some incredibly giving person did this for me... yet I had told nobody about the need. I KNOW that the Lord is taking care of my every need and I can't believe that the God who made this world would care about even me. - anonymous

"...Seeing God!"

2008-11-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

I was saved just a little over six years ago and the life and person he saved me from I will never be able to thank Him enough for. My life before Christ was full of emptiness, I used and drank alcohol from about the age of 17 and had become addicted to them. I was very depressed and really thought at one point that I would be doing everyone a favor if I ended my life. I had become a mother at the age of 19, I loved him very much but I was not the mother to him I should have been and I still felt even he would be better off without me. One night I had been out and had drank too much alcohol to the point I passed out in my car and I woke up in the hospital, God had allowed me to fall asleep in my car instead of driving because I know I would have died being as drunk as I was. I scared my family so badly that it was a wake up call for me and I saw how much of a problem I had. About a month later Jesus brought me a message through a friend of mine who had recently been saved. That message was of a Love beyond any I had ever known, that God loved me more than I could ever imagine, He had His son Jesus die for me and that He was willing to forgive *ME* with all that I had done and that He loved me even though I had done all the horrible things I had and He wanted to forgive me, He had a plan for me and I was important to Him. That night I prayed with all my heart to receive His forgiveness and ask Jesus to live in my heart and He did just that. God is an awesome God and He loves us all even if we have done unspeakable things, He wants to forgive us and live within our hearts if we will truly repent of our sins (we are all sinners) and we believe that Jesus died for us and wants to live within our hearts. God has done so much in my life and I don't want to live without Him being in control, without obeying Him, without His love and without that wonderful relationship I can have and that He desires from all of His children. I have gone where I didn't surrender myself to Him and wanted to go about it my way, but I was miserable. There is no joy, no peace, no true meaning of what life is for without God being in control. I have learned that I can do nothing on my own I have to give it to Him and He is so trustworthy. When you put your relationship with God on your own shoulders you will fail but when you just give it to Him and admit you can't do it and give Him complete surrender then you will know what life is all for......* it is for HIM!* When you completely rely on God in everything, giving your all to Him he will give His all to you and you will not want anything else. God is growing me in my faith, He has brought me and my family to a complete reliance on Him where we are dependent on Him even for our next meal, but I don't want it any other way for there is great joy when *GOD *is in control and you are not concentrating on self but on God's kingdom and His plan and purpose for your life, worry isn't there just faith in an awesome God! I look forward to growing in the knowledge of Him and in my relationship with Him, I want to love Him more than my next breath and have faith that moves mountains. I am so excited to see God's hand in my life, to see His hand moving in the church, in other peoples lives and in this new ministry. I am also happy and excited to start growing new relationships with other women and also to continue growing with the relationships that have already began to form. T

What is The 5.2 Project?

2008-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

The 5.2 Project is based upon John 6:1-15 , a story that is most prompted in our memory of the small boy who offered Jesus his lunch of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Our wonderful Jesus in turn took this offering of worship and multiplied it into a full meal with overflowing baskets to spare for thousands and thousands of people! What a wonderful Savior! The 5.2 Project is a lifestyle of worship. Our freedom is not meant only for freedom itself, nor is worship a burdensome task, but our ultimate goal is to bring glory to God through worshipping Him in every area of our lives. The more we learn that our thoughts, attitudes, and actions and service should be offered as worship to our Lord the more we will focus upon Him, love Him and be affective for Him! The founding principles of The 5.2 Project are: "Know what you know, Live what you know, Share what you know." The 5.2 Workshop will further explain what our Father has revealed about worship ... and it is THRILLING. Please come and give it a try! You will see that the Lord is wanting to bless us far more than we can imagine! The workshop will further facilitate real, simple, and tangible ways of worshipping the Lord through service in the company of fellow servants as we meet once a month. We will learn together to understand what "Our 5.2" is... understanding that He has made us just as He has for beautiful purpose that can be fulfilled just as we are, as we worship Him together. You will be ministered to through an exciting work of the Lord and fellowship with others... and you will leave having already ministered to others through the workshop. You will also leave better equipped to facilitate The 5.2 Lifestyle in the lives of your children and families! We are looking forward in eager anticipation to see what the Lord is going to do!

JOY

2008-11-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

I am a follower of Christ. I have been from a very young age. I have loved Him, given my life in service to Him, taught my family about Him, tried to reach others for Him… and yet now I realize that I have spent a great deal of my life doing so in my own strength and self-sufficiency. I knew He was real, so I formulated an action plan and executed it, often doing so without bowing my life, my thoughts, and my actions before His throne. My works were not wrong, and they were approached from a motive of love, and yet I continually found myself burned out and exhausted, doing everything I could to serve and yet still feeling like I could never be of much use. Too busy to rejoice and understand the love of the God I was serving. But in His incredible grace and mercy He has opened my eyes to seeing that He has truly called us to be clay – and He is the wonderful potter who shapes us to the perfect form for His use! Now I understand that He has designed us each to be unique and different. His love for us is beyond our understanding. His plans for us are far reaching and equal a “hope and a future! (Jeremiah 29:11)” His promises begin with His asking us to seek Him and respond accordingly – the rewards are too wonderful to express. I want more of Him!!! He has revolutionized my life. His perfect and complete love for me has taken away the fear that I have battled much of my life even as I have walked through difficult circumstances. His word has reached so deeply into my daily life that I have learned that joy and peace are NOT dependent upon our circumstances, but upon our God! I have experienced the thrill of finally worshipping Him as my King on my knees and learning to bow my life in reverence to Him, and experiencing answer to prayer as He has opened the floodgates that I simply had not asked for before! I have learned to trust that while we may think we know what is best and should pursue that, we can ultimately and completely trust in whatever God ultimately deems is best. I have watched Him work in the lives of my children as we together incorporate worship in every aspect of our lives and our focus has truly and naturally become more and more on Christ. I have watched this worship provide the security and purpose that I have prayed for in my children’s lives. One of the most exciting things I have learned is that all of this is NOT about me! That’s the beauty of it all! Such joy and strength IS unattainable for me in my weakness and humanity, and therefore I get to see HIM in my life! WOW. Finally over the last few months as the Lord has introduced and taught the concept of The 5.2 Project to us I have been OVERJOYED in my explanation of it to see the eyes of others light up and their hearts spill over as they express the way that God has been teaching them the same things at the same time! I KNOW that the Lord is doing something great, and I know that I want to see more of Him! I am humbled, amazed, and thrilled that He has continued to reveal more of Himself… and I want more of Him! Mary Wall

Windex

2008-11-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

I'd like to praise God for how He is moving in my life and making it clear as to how He wants me to serve Him. Instead of a general awareness of my need to reach out to others, God has put His finger on a couple of specific areas which He is calling me to be a part of. The amazing thing is that one area He has laid on my heart, (which I have heard over and over in the past), has 'clicked' as never before. It's as if some supernatural 'Windex' was used to open my eyes to a view I was literally unable to see. I am very excited to know that God has specific plans for me and is ready to bring them about. What is even more exciting is that other ladies I know are experiencing such similar things right now. I stand amazed that God would allow me to be a part of His work, and I often feel so unworthy and so inadequate. But I know with all my heart that through His Spirit and by His grace, great and mighty things can and will be accomplished in the name of Jesus Christ. Maria Hartman

Exciting Times

2008-11-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

After months of planning, praying, and preparing we are excited to share an awesome new project! As God has worked in our lives we have seen many exciting things happening even in the ground work. The thing I pray over and over is that my family will see God at work in a mighty way. That we will not just hear stories of what He does, but we will see His work in a real and personal way. I do not want my children growing up never seeing the GREAT GOD of the Bible.
This project is bringing God to the very forefront of our lives, and in every aspect of our lives. I have evaluated how I worship and serve as well as how I am helping my young children worship and serve by taking what we already do and using these things to worship and serve the Lord.
I am very excited to say that I am seeing God at work in a mighty way. I am blessed to be apart of this awesome ministry in which God is showing us Himself in a neat way.
Through this may we worship and serve Him together so that we can encourage each other, and reap the blessings together.
V.H.

Beginnings are wonderful!

2008-11-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

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