Well, tomorrow is the big day.......Off to Nicaragua!!!!! Baby girl and I have everything we need and today is just getting last minute things done around the house and getting it all in our carry-on bags!!! My emotions are somewhat all over the place. I am anxious, not in a bad way, but a feeling of anticipation is upon me. I have been praying for a long time about this trip and as the time nears I feel a stirring. Like I know the Lord is up to something big. Like, all those prayers where I ask Him to change me and rid me of myself are going to be answered. And I am a little scared. I hope that resonates with someone out there. Please tell me that I am not the only one who gets nervous that I might just get what I am asking for!! But it is a good scared and I can't wait to see what happens. I have been praying hard for my baby girl too. I hope she is changed forever with compassion and amazement at what God accomplishes through those who empty themselves before Him. What an opportunity for her. Youth - it truly is wasted on the young. :)
Your prayers are appreciated and I will be journaling while gone and sharing everything when I return. Talk to you soon-
Michelle
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
God's Perfect Timing
Baby girl and I were invited by some family friends of ours several months ago to go on a mission trip with them that they have been doing for several years now. We will be leaving this Saturday to go to Diriamba, Nicaragua for a week to serve and minister to the Nicaraguan people. Now, I must be honest and tell you that when we were first invited and I heard the word "Nicaragua" my mind went back to the time I was a teenager in the 80's and all you knew of Nicaragua was the scary vision of gun toting guerrillas on the news. When I shared that with baby girl she thought I meant "gorilla" and said, "what is scary about that Momma? That will be cool to see real gorillas!" I have failed her where history is concerned. I did some researching and am not as anxious now as I was - my own mother is a different story. :)
I kept thinking how great it was going to be for baby girl to see how blessed she is and how so many other people live in the world. Most teenagers don't get an opportunity like this and what teenager doesn't need to see that it is not all about them? We are working with the Nicaraguan Christian Outreach Ministry that began in the early 1990's and has expanded to include two acres of land on which there is a mission home that sleeps up to 28 people, an additional missionary house and a medical clinic. We will be serving alongside the Baltodano family who live there and minister to the people in Diriamba. Our goal during the week is threefold: 1) To disciple and minister to children through Bible school 2) to build a house for one of the families in Diriamba and 3) to conduct adult men and women discipleship groups.
So we have been preparing by getting all our shots - Somehow the international allure is lessened when you hear the words typhoid and malaria! We have been preparing for the items we need to take supply wise and so forth......
Then my new bible study began last week. My, what a providential God we have. I have known for a while Nehemiah was going to be our next study, but any sermons or teachings on Nehemiah that I had ever heard were on leadership so in my mind that is what I was preparing to hear. The introductory video let me know immediately that this was going to be different. As Kelly Minter discussed how the Lord had laid Nehemiah on her heart and revealed to her that not only was Nehemiah a leader, but also he was a man of compassion, I began to feel as though the timing of this study for me was not coincidental. I read the opening scriptures of this wonderful book and heard how Nehemiah was living in luxury in Persia as cup bearer to the king and he heard how his people were living in "great trouble and disgrace", Nehemiah was moved to weeping, fasting, mourning and praying for his people in a place he had NEVER EVEN BEEN TO!!!! His heart was compassionate and devoted to a place he wasn't born in and he loved his people, because they were God's chosen people.
I don't live in a palace in a royal kingdom, but by comparison to most places in the world, I live richly. My attitude about my trip began to change. Still anxious and excited, but something is different now. As though something life-changing is about to happen. I am beginning to ask God, as the song goes, Break my heart for what breaks Yours Lord. How differently the face of Christianity would look if we all prayed that. I don't always. Mostly just bless me and mine Lord. I know I am not going to rebuild a wall around a city, but see the following from Kelly Minter:
"Disgraces, tragedies, and abuses take place all around us - things that should not be.
God's church is to work at setting things right as we seek His kingdom here on
earth. As New Testament believers we recognize that our task is not to rebuild
the physical city of God's dwelling place but to bring restoration to people's
hearts through Jesus Christ who takes away our sin and shame."
I don't know what the week ahead in Nicaragua has in store, or the weeks following when I come home. But I do sense that the Lord is up to something in me and that has me excited. Rid me of myself Lord so that your Holy Spirit can move and work through me.
Please pray for Baby Girl and me and the 26 others who will be traveling this coming Saturday. Pray for the people we are going to serve that they will see the love of Christ and be changed forever because of it. Help them to see the Hope of Glory which is Christ in us.
Blessings,
Michelle
I kept thinking how great it was going to be for baby girl to see how blessed she is and how so many other people live in the world. Most teenagers don't get an opportunity like this and what teenager doesn't need to see that it is not all about them? We are working with the Nicaraguan Christian Outreach Ministry that began in the early 1990's and has expanded to include two acres of land on which there is a mission home that sleeps up to 28 people, an additional missionary house and a medical clinic. We will be serving alongside the Baltodano family who live there and minister to the people in Diriamba. Our goal during the week is threefold: 1) To disciple and minister to children through Bible school 2) to build a house for one of the families in Diriamba and 3) to conduct adult men and women discipleship groups.
So we have been preparing by getting all our shots - Somehow the international allure is lessened when you hear the words typhoid and malaria! We have been preparing for the items we need to take supply wise and so forth......
Then my new bible study began last week. My, what a providential God we have. I have known for a while Nehemiah was going to be our next study, but any sermons or teachings on Nehemiah that I had ever heard were on leadership so in my mind that is what I was preparing to hear. The introductory video let me know immediately that this was going to be different. As Kelly Minter discussed how the Lord had laid Nehemiah on her heart and revealed to her that not only was Nehemiah a leader, but also he was a man of compassion, I began to feel as though the timing of this study for me was not coincidental. I read the opening scriptures of this wonderful book and heard how Nehemiah was living in luxury in Persia as cup bearer to the king and he heard how his people were living in "great trouble and disgrace", Nehemiah was moved to weeping, fasting, mourning and praying for his people in a place he had NEVER EVEN BEEN TO!!!! His heart was compassionate and devoted to a place he wasn't born in and he loved his people, because they were God's chosen people.
I don't live in a palace in a royal kingdom, but by comparison to most places in the world, I live richly. My attitude about my trip began to change. Still anxious and excited, but something is different now. As though something life-changing is about to happen. I am beginning to ask God, as the song goes, Break my heart for what breaks Yours Lord. How differently the face of Christianity would look if we all prayed that. I don't always. Mostly just bless me and mine Lord. I know I am not going to rebuild a wall around a city, but see the following from Kelly Minter:
"Disgraces, tragedies, and abuses take place all around us - things that should not be.
God's church is to work at setting things right as we seek His kingdom here on
earth. As New Testament believers we recognize that our task is not to rebuild
the physical city of God's dwelling place but to bring restoration to people's
hearts through Jesus Christ who takes away our sin and shame."
I don't know what the week ahead in Nicaragua has in store, or the weeks following when I come home. But I do sense that the Lord is up to something in me and that has me excited. Rid me of myself Lord so that your Holy Spirit can move and work through me.
Please pray for Baby Girl and me and the 26 others who will be traveling this coming Saturday. Pray for the people we are going to serve that they will see the love of Christ and be changed forever because of it. Help them to see the Hope of Glory which is Christ in us.
Blessings,
Michelle
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Summer has Begun!!!!
Well, summer finally made it! Whoo Hoo! It is already so very hot here in Louisiana. And we need some rain in the worst way. I know many other parts of the country do too.
We have had a nice slow start to our summer and it has been wonderful. Baby girl and I leave this coming Saturday headed to Nicaragua on a mission trip. Post on that later. For now here is what our summer has looked like so far:
Baby girl ended her sophomore year with straight A's so her daddy rewarded her with yummies from Buttercup's cupcakes. She snatched one before I could snap a picture!
Lots of quiet mornings on the back porch with my coffee snapping pics of my plants. I am weird I know, but I need documentation of how beautiful they are before I am so weary of watering that they shrivel up and my yard looks like the Sahara. This is a shrimp plant. I thought it was cool and tropical looking.
I am quite infatuated with my hibuscus this year because the plant blooms all different colors.
My man and I just celebrated another wedding anniversary and we got some new patio furniture. I just love it. We live out there more than inside during the summer.
Here is my favorite part of summer thus far.... Grandpeeps jumping in GiGi's pool! Over and Over. Bliss for me to have them here and having such a great time.
We are also eating a lot of grilled fish! Our son caught a bunch of redfish and he and sweet man grilled 'em up yesterday. Delicious!
Is he not darling? Love that sweet boy.
He and Great Maw had fun playing in the pool together.
So as you can see, life is pretty rough at our house right now. Hope I can muster up the strength to keep up this pace.
Hope everyone has a blessed day at church today and a good start to your week. I am so thankful for these times of rest during such busy lives that we lead. Thank you Lord for all your blessings.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
We Got Graduated!!!!!
Does anyone other than me wonder at how time just keeps marching on no matter how much we wish it would slow down? This has been another super busy weekend for us. I watched another graduating class leave PHS yesterday. Graduation day always brings me to tears. I never cease to be so proud and humbled to have the vocation the Lord called me to do as I am on that day. Congratulations Class of 2012!
But today was a graduation of another sort. Our sweet grand peep Connor graduated from pre-school today!!! We are so proud of him and so excited as he prepares to go to Kindergarten. As you can tell from the pictures below, his teachers will never be bored!
Could he be any cuter? This GiGi doesn't think so. How he makes us laugh.
His Mama and Brent were proud of him today.
As were his GiGi, PawPaw and Aunt Savannah!
Connor, you are one loved little boy. You have brought us so much joy in these past five years. We cannot wait to see what all is ahead of you. Thank you for your contagious smile and laughter. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Baby Boy is Getting Married!
Our sweet baby boy Josh is getting married tomorrow!!!!! Indulge me if you will.
Dear Josh,
Can you believe the time is upon us? I know no one is more ready than you. You do not like all this froo-froo stuff at all nor do you like the attention. You have been that way forever. Your two sisters make up for your lack of desire in that area!! We just want to love on you a lot this weekend. Indulge us! One of the most precious gifts God has ever given me is bringing your dad, your brother and sister into my life 22 years ago (doesn't seem possible), and then to add your baby sister to the mix just made it all the more sweet. What a joy for you to be married on this Mother's day weekend. I never knew being a mother could bring me such fulfillment. From that first morning as a new family when your precious little voice woke me up announcing your need for breakfast, I have been smitten with taking care of all of you. Watching you grow into the man you are today has been an honor. Not always the best of times, but certainly growing times and necessary times and times that God never let us out from under His wing. What a lesson in faith being a parent is!
It feels as though this has been a long time coming but happened so quickly all at the same time. You have made us so proud and I am so happy for you to marry precious Christine tomorrow night. Know that we will love her as we do you. We already do!!! She is a gift to you of monumental importance. Vow to always know that and treat her that way. I hope you won't mind if I give you some parental advice one more time before the big day (okay I know and you know it won't be the last time, but we can pretend right :) ). A few things your dad and I have learned in our marriage;1. Keep God at the center- ALWAYS. You will let each other down, it is just part of our fleshly imperfections, but God will never let you down.
2. Take very seriously your role as leader of your home. God ordained it and Christine and my future grandbabies will depend on it.
3. Love deeply, forgive much, and laugh your heads off. Be each other's best friend and work hard to keep it that way. Forever is a long time.
4. Choose each day to trust God for everything, and thank Him everyday for His provision.
5. I read something yesterday that I can't get out of my mind because it so true: "Life is hard, the devil is mean, the flesh is weak, but the love of God stays strong." His love never fails.
6. Don't go to bed angry. Not worth it. Throw pride away. Suck it up and get over it. (I know that is your love language to be straight and direct :)
7. You are each other's priority now. The bible says leave your father and mother and cleave to one another. It also says visit your parents OFTEN. I can't quote the scriptural address but will get back to you on it!
We love you both so very much and are beyond delighted to share in your celebration this weekend. Enjoy it all Josh, soak it in and thank God profusely for His blessing. I know I will. I love you to the sky and back Boog!
1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
To what will you look?
Life is crazy sometimes, isn't it? Sometimes it is not just crazy but simply hard. Heart-breaking hard. Lots of things that have been going on around me lately and to people I care about. Things that have had me thinking a great deal.
One thing in particular is all these articles that have been circulating recently about the number of teenagers who have been brought up in a Christian home yet abandon their faith when they go away to college. Disturbing. I have always told my own children and all the ones I teach that if you don't understand why you believe what you do then Satan will knock your foundation out from underneath you faster than you can say, "What just happened?" He will convince you that you don't need that silly stuff your parents taught you - they only want to stifle you and keep you under their control. Or worse yet he wants to make them think they can find a religion that "suits them and the lifestyle they want". Scary for this momma to think about.
Another thing that has happened recently was a conversation that took place in the Bible class I teach. We are never short for conversation topics in that class! The students were asking me if I believed in Karma. I said "No". "Aw come on, Mrs. Cheney, you don't think what goes around comes around? Don't you wish some people would get what they deserve?"
I replied, "Well I do believe we reap what we sow and what WE ALL DESERVE IS DEATH, but thanks to Christ on the Cross those who have accepted Him won't get what they deserve." Then I couldn't get out of mind that these precious kids I teach, who have attended church all their lives, think Karma has a place in their belief system.
Another student asked if I thought bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. Yep. It happens. A darling young lady I have known for many years who went to school with my older children and was good friends with my daughter-in-love is going through the hardest thing of her life right now. Something that seems very unfair.
But I have decided that unfairness comes through the lens in which we in our flesh judge things. We see it as unfair compared to what we want and what we see happen to other people who just might not be in our minds as decent as us. So we end up wondering WHY? So we ourselves have a faith crisis. I don't mean that in a negative way. I mean we all experience things in our lives that cause us to stop and decide if we will trust God is who He says He is or if we will be so blinded by our circumstance we can't see Him. Choices. We spend our lives making them, even in our daily walk with the One who gave His Son for us.
How does all this tie together you may be asking as you read my ramblings? :) I am getting there.
Life is HARD. Circumstances can be HARD. My baby girl is going to face things when she leaves home she has no idea about yet. How do I want her armed? How do I want to be armed? How do I minister to hurting friends? I read this quote the other day, "God can do as He sees fit, we must make the choice to rest in His core attributes." Good stuff. God sees circumstances through a much bigger lens than we do. He sees how things affect His kingdom, not just us. But praise to a Heavenly Father who never forgets about us in our pain.
So Who do we say He is and what is He? I have started sharing with baby girl the following:
God is:
1. SOVEREIGN - Isa 46:9-10
Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
2 . LOVE - 1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love
3. GOOD - Luke 18:19
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
4. FAITHFUL - 1 Cor. 1:9
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
And lastly to remember Romans 8:28
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.
Life is hard, crises will surely come, faith will be tested, circumstances can change in a second. But these things NEVER will change:
God is Sovereign, He is Love, He is Good, He is Faithful and He will work it for Good if we trust Him. And then when our faith crisis comes we will be prepared to know where to focus our eyes - On Him. Not on the circumstance - that changes but He doesn't.
Please join me in thanking Him for that today. May you have a blessed week.
One thing in particular is all these articles that have been circulating recently about the number of teenagers who have been brought up in a Christian home yet abandon their faith when they go away to college. Disturbing. I have always told my own children and all the ones I teach that if you don't understand why you believe what you do then Satan will knock your foundation out from underneath you faster than you can say, "What just happened?" He will convince you that you don't need that silly stuff your parents taught you - they only want to stifle you and keep you under their control. Or worse yet he wants to make them think they can find a religion that "suits them and the lifestyle they want". Scary for this momma to think about.
Another thing that has happened recently was a conversation that took place in the Bible class I teach. We are never short for conversation topics in that class! The students were asking me if I believed in Karma. I said "No". "Aw come on, Mrs. Cheney, you don't think what goes around comes around? Don't you wish some people would get what they deserve?"
I replied, "Well I do believe we reap what we sow and what WE ALL DESERVE IS DEATH, but thanks to Christ on the Cross those who have accepted Him won't get what they deserve." Then I couldn't get out of mind that these precious kids I teach, who have attended church all their lives, think Karma has a place in their belief system.
Another student asked if I thought bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. Yep. It happens. A darling young lady I have known for many years who went to school with my older children and was good friends with my daughter-in-love is going through the hardest thing of her life right now. Something that seems very unfair.
But I have decided that unfairness comes through the lens in which we in our flesh judge things. We see it as unfair compared to what we want and what we see happen to other people who just might not be in our minds as decent as us. So we end up wondering WHY? So we ourselves have a faith crisis. I don't mean that in a negative way. I mean we all experience things in our lives that cause us to stop and decide if we will trust God is who He says He is or if we will be so blinded by our circumstance we can't see Him. Choices. We spend our lives making them, even in our daily walk with the One who gave His Son for us.
How does all this tie together you may be asking as you read my ramblings? :) I am getting there.
Life is HARD. Circumstances can be HARD. My baby girl is going to face things when she leaves home she has no idea about yet. How do I want her armed? How do I want to be armed? How do I minister to hurting friends? I read this quote the other day, "God can do as He sees fit, we must make the choice to rest in His core attributes." Good stuff. God sees circumstances through a much bigger lens than we do. He sees how things affect His kingdom, not just us. But praise to a Heavenly Father who never forgets about us in our pain.
So Who do we say He is and what is He? I have started sharing with baby girl the following:
God is:
1. SOVEREIGN - Isa 46:9-10
Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
2 . LOVE - 1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love
3. GOOD - Luke 18:19
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
4. FAITHFUL - 1 Cor. 1:9
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
And lastly to remember Romans 8:28
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.
Life is hard, crises will surely come, faith will be tested, circumstances can change in a second. But these things NEVER will change:
God is Sovereign, He is Love, He is Good, He is Faithful and He will work it for Good if we trust Him. And then when our faith crisis comes we will be prepared to know where to focus our eyes - On Him. Not on the circumstance - that changes but He doesn't.
Please join me in thanking Him for that today. May you have a blessed week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)