Broken

     I am an avid animal lover. There is like a 2 percent chance that I won't cry if a dog dies in a movie, 98 percent for people.  I know some people think that's wrong but animals are helpless and innocent.  We are responsible for their care. They can't say 'hey, I'm going in for my checkup on Thursday. It's just a short walk but I'll be back by 3pm.'  Neutering your pet is an important part of their health. The shelters are full of dogs and cats that need a good home. Thankfully, you can't adopt one without it being fixed.  A dog or cat that has been fixed will have a longer, healthier life. Puppy mills are horrific.  They are like a 3rd world prison for animals who prey on them for money. 
     Please respect the animals around you.  As Bob Barker used to say 'please spay and neuter your pets.'

Guide Them

     Okay so how many of you are glad that the Christmas break is over and you can send your kids back to school?  I don't have any kids but I'm glad.  It means you can go to the movies or the mall with a lot less chaos and distraction.
     Some people homeschool and others send their kids to public or private school, it's a personal choice.  Either way, learning takes place both in and out of the classroom.  Proverbs 1;8  ''Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.''  You can't expect your child's teacher to take care of your parenting responsibilities too.  An absent parent will reap what they sow.  The public schools have especially taken God out of the curriculum but that doesn't mean your child has to do without.  2 Timothy 3;16-17  ''All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.''  Use God's Word to raise and guide your child daily to keep them on the right track.
     Learning and teaching is 24/7.  Do your part with the Bible as your resource tool.

Strong Enough

     Many of the people who know me now have only known me since I moved back here.  Depending on how well you know me, one might assume that I've always been in a scooter. Well that's not true.  I gave up walking for the most part around the age of 26. You might ask, 'how could you give up something so important?'  Well I did fight the inevitable. I had one of those grocery bag carts that I'd use in the house or to practice walking with up and down the driveway.  I soon realized that all I thought about was not falling and wasn't enjoying going anywhere I went.  I was working full-time at this point and that took alot of my energy.  I wanted to do it all..x, y and z.  My disease is progressive so it's like a pin-hole leak in a glass of water. You can try to refill it a little on the weekend but it soon will be drained empty.  So you make choices.  It was a dream of mine to work so my energy went to that and the scooter was a way to adapt.  I could now go places without fear and at the speed I wanted. Yes, there is a downside of being weaker over time.  If I had fallen tho and broke something, it would have been worse.
     It does take courage to accept a new reality in your life or in yourself.  You adapt but mostly you trust God to see you through it.  If you don't see how this can apply to you then consider if you had to move, or get a hearing aid, or change jobs, or any of life's unexpected changes that will come.

FBF Prayer Requests for January

FBF MISSIONARY PRAYER REQUESTS FOR JAN 2012



TED AND PRISCILLA CLARK

1. Pray for wisdom for us this year, in planning other evangelistic outreaches and considering various ideas for evangelism.  We feel an urgency to focus much time and energy on evangelism this year, as we are convinced that the time is SHORT before the Lord’s coming!

2. Please pray for great wisdom for us concerning the decision about buying a piece of land in Arumbaro to be used for a permanent, central location for teaching Bible studies to larger groups together, holding children’s activities and advancing the work there in general.  The land we were considering, which was ideal, has doubled in price within a few months.  Pray that if the Lord wants us to have this land, the owner would soon return the offer to his original, more sensible price (which was even a little on the high side).

MONICA SERNATINGER

1. Please, continue to pray for Coral. She has decided to follow Christ and to break up the engagement, but he, Mario, does not understand or want to leave the relationship. We need wisdom, and Coral needs strength to continue obeying God.

 

2. Please, continue to pray that the Lord would provide a missionary family to come and continue with the church planting ministry here in Puruandiro.

BOBBY AND NAMATHA AVILEZ

1.       Pray for the Avilez family as they plan a deputation trip to the US this March. Pray for churches and other opportunities to share the House of Hope Orphanage ministry!

2.       Pray that more of our kids would have a born again experience this year!

LESLEY WOLFE

1.       Aaron & Amy Speitelsbach --- current partners.  They will begin their return from Monrovia, Liberia to the village (Freetown, Liberia) on January 5^th (hopefully!) and should be back into full time language study beginning January 9th.  Pray especially for Aaron, that he will make good progress this year in his study and useage of Glaro --- that the Lord will help and enable him to learn, retain, and speak Glaro well! 

2.       Guy and Keyla Burkhead --- our potential partners.  Haven’t heard from them in a while.  They just finished up their training in December, and I know that he was needing gainful employment this year.  So, please pray for this need of his/theirs; and also for the Lord’s direction as to where they should serve --- i.e., w/NTM, and more specifically with the Glaro work; or, stateside in fulltime ministry.

You're an Example

''Sometimes the best thing you can do for others is to be a good example."

     They say the best sermon is one that is lived and not preached.  Others are watching you, whether you realize it or not.  The other day the oldest member of our church, Roy, said to me 'we missed you the other day.'  He noticed and remembered I had missed the Christmas morning service.  Your actions are stronger than your words to alot of people.  Alot of us don't know how or feel comfortable in witnessing to others verbally but the way in which you conduct yourself daily will speak volumes to others.  Others see how you respond to trials in your life, is it with fear or grace?  Others see who you credit your blessings to, are they self achieved or God granted? 
     Whether you're a child, a teen, or an adult, you are an example to others. Have you ever heard or thought 'well so and so did it, why can't I?'  Be a positive influence and example in the eyes and ears of others.

Dreams

     This caption is so me!  I think 80 percent of my dreams have to do with school somehow.  I don't know why since I've been out of school for forever and a day..or 1994.  The dreams are often about being late or not being prepared for a test.  Well I still hate to be late and like to be prepared for things so I guess it relates to things I personally struggle with and don't like about myself.  It does make me anxious when I don't feel on top of things and racing to catch up to where I think I should be on my self-imposed timeline.
     A friend and I are starting the Bible in a year challenge together today.  I know, we're already a day behind..lol.  I've done it before alone but I'm hoping our accountability to each other will help me keep on track.  I want to avoid any dreams of being behind on this task.
     Here's the website, if you want to challenge yourself to read the Bible this year...
       http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/oneyearweekly.php?version=51&startmmdd=0101

2012 Begins

     I've had this caption of this cute lil guy for quite some time and have been trying to figure out what he's saying.  Now I know, it's ''HAPPY NEW YEAR.''
     What does the new year have in store for you?  I honestly don't know myself.  I know there will be trials and opportunities because God has the plan all worked out for me.  Trust and obey is all I have to do to complete His agenda for me in the upcoming days of 2012.
    May your year be filled with blessings and the comfort of His love.

2011 Recap

Psalm 40;1-5  ''I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.
How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.''

Psalm 40;10-11  ''I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.
You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.''



     In Psalm 40, David is praising God for his salvation but I also want to apply it to this past year that I was blessed with.  As most of you know, 2011 has been a year of recovery for me.  At the beginning of the year, I wasn't even strong enough to go to church for an hour. I sent my voice recorder to most of the services so I wouldn't miss out entirely.  Then before long, my hair started falling out.  I learned to become a little less vain through that unwanted trial.  Things began to improve slowly but surely.  I began to venture out in short intervals and enjoy life again beyond these four walls of the basement.  I did have many wonderful friends who visited me during my home-bound months that helped sustain my sanity.  I think it was in June, or maybe July, that we took the motorhome to church camp for two nights and then to Branson for a few days.  I'm not saying my endurance was great but it was a blessing to go at all.  I did do better than expected.  In September, I turned 40 and had a great birthday party with about 40 friends.  What a great show of love and three friends traveled a great distance to be there.  Finally, this Christmas season has been filled with great joy.  Attending all the fun events has meant so much to me.
     This is just a short recap of how God has been gracious to me this year.  As David said His thoughts for me have been too numerous to count this year.  I just want to give God all the credit for not withholding His compassion for me this year.  What a year it has been and I trust that whatever 2012 brings, He is in control and it's for my benefit.  May you put your trust in His hands in 2012 as well.

What's Your Role?

For the church to function fully,
We must all fulfill our role;
While the Spirit’s gifts are many,
They combine to serve the whole. —Sper


     My church, FBF, has had a work week this last week of December.  It is not mandatory to participate but voluntary.  The new sanctuary is still a work in progress but the Sunday school rooms are already in use.  So much gets done during the four days because everyone has different skills and abilities to offer. The variety of the member's skills is a benefit because we don't need 20 plumbers, no electricians and 1 cook.  We use our skills to complement each other and build on them.  Everyone has something to contribute, even me, whether big or small.  I think one of my spiritual gifts is encouragement.  I doubt anyone wants me leaning over their shoulder saying 'you can do it' or 'good job' while they finish their project today.  Instead, I sent donuts to start their last workday off with a sweet bit of encouragement.  I'm sure its true for both men and women but they say 'to get to a man's heart, you go thru the stomach.'  haha.
     Ask yourself the next time an opportunity arises, 'how can I help?'  You really don't have to wait tho, there are opportunities every day to use your spiritual and physical gifts. We just have to open our minds and hearts to recognize them and make ourselves available.

Romans 12;4-8  ''For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. ''

Shhhh!

     Have you ever felt like you have been set up for trouble or failure?  Well I'm going to share with you the story of my arch-nemesis of second grade.  Of all my years of education, this one teacher still leaves a bad memory in my mind.  I can honestly say I probably tested her more than I should have, lol.
     We moved to Stuttgart right before I started 2nd grade.  I had been in private school until now and this would be my first taste of public school. We had small class sizes back then so the desks were arranged in a semi-circle design.  Well my new best friend, Tina Lee, was on the other side of the circle. I don't remember her ever getting  in trouble for talking. I, on the other hand, could be found touching my toes during recess, out in the hall, or writing ''I will not talk in class'' a hundred times as punishment. Being an only child, I got my 'writing' done without my parents knowing there was any trouble at school. I don't think my teacher liked me and the feeling was mutual. This same year at Halloween, somebody had the bright idea for the teachers to dress up at recess as witches and such and come out on the playground. It scared me so much that I ran home and they had to call my dad to bring me back to school.  My memory of this year and the teacher may be a little biased but she did get fired the next year for her harsh punishment. I bet it was her paddle with holes in it. I had heard about one of the third grade teachers that you needed to pray that you didn't get chosen to be in her room, Ms. Bowen.  Well guess where I ended up?  It turned out that she was great and is one of my favorite teachers to this day. I still have the bald eagle made out of colored rice that I made in her class.
     To be a good teacher takes a special gift and attitude.  I hope you had a special teacher in your life that you have fond memories of.  You can thank a teacher because you could read this blog.

Tone

''Listen not merely to what is said but to the tone of voice in which it is said.''


    This may be one of those blogs that requires you to wear steel-toed boots.
    The tone of our voice is quite revealing as to what our temperment is at the moment.  You can say the exact same thing verbatim but it can have quite a different meaning with different tones.  ''Will you take out the trash?'' or ''WILL YOU TAKE OUT THE TRASH?''  If you haven't said this both ways, then you get a gold star.  Jerry Seinfeld says he didn't even know he had different tones till he got married.
     Why do we do it?  Usually because we're exasperated.  Lack of patience would probably account for most of it.  We might think our point will get across without the use of profanity, if we just use a more definitive tone.  Some people use a fed-up tone whether its a 911 crisis or spilt milk.
     Take a moment by yourself and examine how not only what you say but how you say it comes across to others.  If you think it's uncontrollable, think of the tone you use in moments when you're not on pins and needles. So calm down, use that tone and you'll see the trash disappear faster than you would otherwise.

Got His Eye on You

 2 Corinthians 4;17 ''For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.''
2 Corinthians 4;8  ''We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.''


     Do you know that God is always looking out for you?  He always has his eye on you and the protection that goes with it.
     One morning, while living in the duplex in Springfield, I took my dog out to let her go to the bathroom. I was on my scooter in my nightgown with no shoes or braces. I just took Brandi across the street, not too far since I was half dressed. This was supposed to be quick. yea right?  I took Brandi for walks every afternoon after work down this street.  So when I turned the handlebar of the scooter back towards the duplex, she unexpectantly snapped the handlebar with her leash back the other direction to go for a walk. The weight of my body was on my arms and the force threw me off the scooter into the middle of the street. I landed face first right into the asphalt.  Thankfully, the leash stayed on the scooter so Brandi was safe from running off.  I, on the other hand, was stuck in the street with blood pouring out my nose and mouth.  I saw a truck coming down the street.  My first thought was 'I hope he sees me and doesn't run over me.'  As the truck went around me and was passing me, I was stunned. 'Are you kidding me??'  He did stop after he got around me. He got out and said 'you stay right there, I'll be right back.'  Umm, ok..lol..if I could get up I wouldn't be in the street?!  An ambulance finally came after circling the block for ten minutes trying to find my street.  My neighbor put Brandi and my scooter in the duplex for me.  I was taken to the ER to be patched up.  You would think I was safe now but not so.  They left me in a room alone with blood still draining down my throat.  I felt like I was choking and drowning in my own blood. There was no nurse button and I couldn't yell for help.  I was able to wave down somebody and that suction device didn't leave my hand from then on.  My good friend, Georgia, came and took me and my broken nose home.
     I tell you this story to show you how alone I was and without my own devices to help myself and yet God provided for and protected me in each frightening moment.  You are never alone.  His very name, Emmanuel, means 'God with us.'

Politics

     I am not a political person at all.  I think I've only voted twice in my life.  I think it's important to exercise our right to vote and to choose a candidate with similar values but my true trust is not in them.  They are human just like the rest of us and have a sinful nature.  Their campaign 'promises' are often just words that are a means to an end with little value. Our country's future lies in the people turning their hearts back to God as our forefathers intended, not in a smooth talking candidate.
     Aren't you glad that God's promises are faithful and true?  He and His Word are never changing and always guiding us to a future that is good for us.
     I went to a Christmas program earlier this month and I thought the ending was misleading.  It portrayed people's problems in life going away because they chose to believe.  That's not true.  God doesn't promise His children an easy path in life of no troubles. He gives strength and comfort to get thru them. 


From the Daily Bread.....''Don’t ever let your worship of God become an avenue to good fortune.  We worship God because of His love for us and because of who He is, not because loving Him can help our bottom line.''

Expectations

     Well it's Christmas Eve.  I was out earlier today delivering a few presents to friends around town.  I was expecting heavy traffic but to my surprise, it wasn't bad at all. We went thru the Schlotzkey's drive thru and our dog, Jack, wasn't expecting anything but he got a free piece of ham.  It's now his favorite drive-thru..lol.
     People sometimes have high expectations of how the holiday season will be and reality disappoints them. We watch Christmas movies that have the huge tree with countless presents under it and the huge buffet of food at the pleasant family meal. Then we start comparing our situation with that make-believe world. Focusing on what we don't have instead of feeling blessed with what we do have can lead to a negative feeling for the holidays. We can instead make the most of things as Charlie Brown did with his Christmas tree. He was happy with his one ornament on the few sprigs of a tree he had. His positive perspective was from knowing he had good friends that loved him.  Linus even shared with him the real meaning of Christmas.
     Don't set yourself up with expectations on how things are going to be.  Just live in the moment and enjoy it.

Caroling

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     Look at this great crowd of FBF carolers and this doesn't show all of them. Sorry we didn't get the carolers by the door in the video.  There were 40-50 people who volunteered to spread Christmas cheer to me and other blessed folks last night.  They sang Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Excelsius Deo, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. How special and loved it makes one feel to enjoy such a wonderful moment. Showing the love of Christ to others is what Christmas is all about.  Thanks to you all. 

Peace on Earth

     Often when asked, people will say they want 'peace on earth' for Christmas. That is what Jesus brought to us with His birth.  He reconciles us with God as our mediator by paying our debt of sin with His blood on the cross.  His peace comes from your faith and submission to His will.  Anxiety and frustration replace the feeling of peace when we try to do things our way and not His.  Reading your Bible will guide you and get you back on that peaceful track. You can have His peace today, there's no need to wait.
      Here are a few truths about His peace that I copied from intouch.org.     

• God is in control of everything. Without this assurance, the world is a scary place.
• He loves me and will see me through every circumstance, no matter how difficult or painful it may be.
• To have Christ’s peace, I must surrender my life to Him. When I hold onto my ways and plans, I’ll experience turmoil.
• I have a limited perspective and understanding of my circumstances and God’s purposes for allowing them. His goals for me are greater than my immediate comfort.
• The Lord promises to work all things out for my good. He is continually working to transform my character into Christ’s image.
• I must live in sync with God, walking in the Spirit and promptly confessing and repenting of sin.
• Scripture is my foundation for peace. It increases my trust in the Lord’s goodness, assures me that He keeps His promises, and reminds me of His sovereignty over every situation.

Time Flies

     I think 2 and a half is the cutest time of a child.  It's certainly my favorite age. Several of my friends have a child at this age right now.  They're all adorable and are starting to show their own unique personalities. One in particular reminds me of myself and that's a little humbling.  She told her mom the other day, ''Just chill out. You hear me?''  Yes, we have the same sarcastic, blunt gene in our DNA.
     When I was this age, I threw my gum on the kitchen floor.  My mom told me to pick it up. 'No' was my firm reply. She spanked me over and over after each of my refusals to pick it up.  She put me in the corner till I was supposed to be ready to pick it up. I outlasted her patience with me..lol.  She drug me over to the gum, forced me to pick it up and then drug me to the trash can to dispose of it.  This story is according to my mom as I, just like Oliver North, do not recall. It certainly doesn't sound like me at all...haha.
      Although you may be tested to your limits in certain moments, enjoy this all too precious time in your child's life.  As my friend's blog, http://www.underherwings.blogspot.com/ , says time is fleeting for each one of us.  Savor the time with your little one, quiet or chaotic.

O Lord, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! 

Psalm 39:4-5

Come A Long Way

     Okay, I'm going to date myself here but who remembers when Walmart was in the Indian Hills shopping center?  It seems so long ago. Walmart has come a long way since then and me too.  As a young teenager, I used to hide behind racks or go to another part of the store while my mom looked at the clothes.  ''Angelia, come look at this.''  Seriously?  She could have shown me the cutest thing ever and I would have hated it just because we were in Walmart.  My perspective changed when I was on my own and footing the bill.  Ha.  As I'd show things I'd bought, I didn't hesitate to say it was from Walmart.
     The value of a dollar is a good lesson learned.  Kids often think they're going to have their parents lifestyle and pay grade as soon as they move out.  Not so, it takes time and hard work. Where stuff comes from shouldn't really matter, either you like it or you don't. It's all susceptible to moths, fire and wear n tear.  Some things are worth the extra price for quality.  I'd rather tell about a bargain than tell how some brand label took my last dollar.  Manage your money and purchases wisely because there's only so much in the bank.

Go For It

     How many of us can claim to put the 'pro' in to 'procrastination?'  Don't we all look like the top kitten when something like the cluttered garage or the backlog of gifts to be wrapped is mentioned.  You think, yea I know it's there but I'll get to it later. Woah, to the daring soul who might ask you when you're going to start the put-off project. 'When I get good and ready' might be your answer.  Overwhelming is usually the best way to describe tackling such a feat.  When the time is either right or is up, you will get it done.  What a great feeling of accomplishment that comes with it.  Does your smile now resemble the kitten on the bottom as you shout 'woohoo'?
     This time of year can be stressful but don't let procrastination self-inflict it on you.  Get done what you can today, as that happy 'finished' smile awaits to be worn.

His Power

 


     Don't you think we overestimate our own power and strength? Then why do we often underestimate God's power in anything?  Do you pray with the belief that He will make it happen, according to His will?  If you have received an answered prayer, then you know how powerful He is first-hand.  Our own weak minds can't fathom how some things we want to happen can come true so we don't even ask for them. Why do we have to know how?  We don't. We can just know and believe that nothing is beyond His power. 
     A friend of our missionary friends in Mexico has been kidnapped in the last couple of weeks.  Even tho we know he is in the hands of the enemy, we trust that God can change their hearts and release him. As we pray without ceasing for this man, we must not doubt God's power in this desperate situation.
     When we say it's 'impossible', God says 'Im possible.'

Matthew 21;21-22  '' Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”