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Aspects of Prayer
By Laura Rempel and
Kathy Spicer
Sharing your heart with the Lord
Laura:
What does it mean to share one’s heart with the Lord? Why bother, you may think; He knows everything
anyway.
Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him:
God is a refuge for us.” [emphasis added] This verse was such an encouragement to me when I faced a disappointment in my life.
Too often we pour out our hearts to people, and are hurt and offended when they don’t understand us. But God does! That’s why He
wants us to share our hearts with Him, because only He can meet our needs and desires.
What are some reasons why we would not share our hearts with the Lord? I would like to share
three reasons with you. There are more, but these are the three that came to mind when I thought about prayer.
First, we may have the wrong view of God. Some of you may see God as only a judge with a big stick
just waiting for you to mess up! Oh, that is just what Satan wants, for us to have a warped view of our loving Heavenly Father.
God loves you so much! Read 1 John 4:8-10 to see just how much He loves you. He wants to have sweet communion with you.
When we have the wrong view of God, we tend to think He would not be interested in our little
problems and daily activities. But He is, so very much, in fact. It is amazing just how interested God really is. I
challenge you, sisters, to begin (if you haven’t already) to talk to the Lord about everything that is on your heart, and you will
begin to see how God changes things, answers prayer, and more importantly, changes you!
Secondly, we may not share our hearts with the Lord because we have unconfessed sin in our life,
and want to keep it. Do you harbor jealousy in your heart? Are you angry with someone? Have you been hurt or offended and refuse
to forgive? Then it is quite difficult to talk to the Lord with this serious hindrance, called sin, in the way. Psalm 69:5
describes it well: “O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.”
We can’t hide our sins from God! “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear….”
– Psalm 66:18. In order to share our hearts openly with the Lord, we need to confess our sin and once again be restored into an
unhindered, right relationship with Him.
The last reason we may not share our hearts with the Lord would seem almost silly if it weren’t so
true. We don’t share our hearts with the Lord simply because we are lazy and lack the discipline to spend time with Him. Probably
most, if not all, of us are guilty of this. I know I am. Satan would rather have us doing anything – even good things –
than spending time with our precious Lord. “Abide in Me,” Jesus said (John 15:4). This means always, all the time, anywhere.
Sharing your heart with the Lord does take discipline. But God rewards those who want to. Pray for
it – ask God to give you that desire to spend unhurried time with Him, pouring out your heart to Him. He will answer!
Confessing sins in prayer
Laura:
To confess one’s sins to the Lord takes true humility only Christ can give. Is it merely saying,
“Please forgive my sins…”, and then going on our way?
No, it is much more than that. We need to acknowledge our sin – seriously. It is an offense to God!
It is what nailed His Son to the cross. We need to identify and specifically name our sins before God. “If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9.
One day I was really struggling with self-pity, and was skirting the issue with the Lord. But
finally I just came out with it and confessed to the Lord that I was indeed feeling sorry for myself and wanted Him to deliver me
from it and forgive me! And you know what? He did. I felt so free and clean and forgiven – only because of the precious blood of
Jesus that washes all our sin away.
It is vital to our relationship with the Lord to confess and name our sin to the Lord and leave it
there. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” – Proverbs
28:13. When we don’t confess our sin, we live in pure misery!
To have sweet fellowship with the Lord, we must confess all our known sin. Oh, the joy and
blessedness of knowing one is forgiven! We only need ask, and He will do it.
Using a prayer list
Kathy:
Do you ever feel as though there are just too many things that need prayer? I know I do! We all have
family members, friends, needs, and situations for which to pray. And if we have a missions mindset, we want to pray for our
neighbors, our nation, missionaries, and people groups around the world who have not heard of our Lord Jesus Christ and His
precious gift of salvation.
I find that writing prayer needs down on a prayer list helps me to remember to pray for them on a
regular basis. So what are some needs we can put on a prayer list? Here are some ideas:
- Family and extended family: There are seven people in my immediate family, so I pray for one each
day of the week. I also pray for
my relatives, whether they are believers or not.
- Unsaved friends and neighbors: Pray for their salvation and ask God how He could use you to minister to them.
- Those to whom we have ministered (or are presently ministering): Do you teach a Sunday school class or help with some
kind of ministry? Pray for the people with whom you interact. Pray for their salvation and spiritual growth. Ask God how you can
best reach them and help to meet their needs.
- Ministries: Perhaps you know of ministries doing an excellent work for God’s kingdom. We can choose one, or even
several, ministries to lift up to the Lord in prayer.
- Missionaries: Pray for the ones your church supports. They need God’s help with language training, crossing cultural
barriers, finances, keeping healthy, and so many other things. We must keep them in prayer so their outreach will be fruitful. Ask
them for prayer requests so you know how to pray for them.
One caution, though: we mustn’t stick rigidly or mechanically to a prayer list.
Ask God to guide your prayer. He can bring forgotten things to your memory.
Also, let’s not forget to pray throughout the day as we do our other duties. God is always there,
not only during the time we have set aside for our devotions!
Laura:
“There are so many needs, I can’t possibly pray for everyone, everywhere, all the time!” Have you
ever felt like this? I have. Prayer can seem so overwhelming that one is tempted to do nothing.
I want to encourage those of you who feel overwhelmed by all the prayer needs to have a plan.
Following is a list I have adapted for myself from the Bible School I attended. I have found it a great help in giving me
direction in my prayer life and keeping me accountable to pray.
- Sunday: I pray for my church, pastor, deacon, Sunday school teachers, and the different people who serve in the church
(ushers, janitors, committees, members, etc.) I also pray for other believers who will be gathering this day.
- Monday: I, along with three friends from Bible School, agreed to pray for each other every Monday. I pray for them, and
for the Bible School I attended.
- Tuesday: I pray for missions – both overseas and here at home. I have picked specific ones and keep updated on requests
and praise.
- Wednesday: I pray for my immediate family members individually.
- Thursday: I pray for my friends with whom I correspond. I also pray for salvation for a friend and her family.
- Friday: I pray for our government at all levels. This then helps me to find out what is happening in our government to
be able to pray more specifically for them.
- Saturday: I devote to praise and recitation of God’s character and His mighty acts (past, present, future) and
thanksgiving for all He’s done.
This list is not the law, but rather a guideline and perhaps a starting point for
some. You are free to change it to suit your needs and as the Holy Spirit directs you to pray. As new and more urgent needs arise,
they can be added to the list.
I hope this will be just a stepping stone for you to have a more meaningful time with the precious
Lord Jesus, and to begin a life of praying without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).
Praying with others
Kathy:
Our church has a Bible study/prayer meeting on Wednesday evenings. I used to have excuses why I
should skip it, such as that it would run too late and I had to get up early for school. But when I began to attend it more
regularly, I started to see the blessings of praying in a group.
As people shared their requests, the number of people praying for that request was greatly
multiplied. I learned to rejoice with those who rejoice (as praise reports and answers to prayer were shared), and to weep with
those who weep (crying out to God with those who were suffering or grieving) – see Romans 12:15.
I’ve also realized that I should not be shy to pray with other people. At first, it is hard to break
the “sound barrier”, but praying together unites us.
And best of all, Jesus is there with us when we pray in a group: “For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:20.
Prayer testimony
Kathy:
George Muller was the founder of an orphanage in Bristol, England in the 1800’s. For many decades he
kept prayer journals. On one side of the page he would enter a request, and on the other side he would write how it was
answered.
Before he entered anything in his prayer journal, he would pray for the Lord to show him if he
should even enter the request at all. Only when God confirmed that he should, did he write it in his journal and faithfully
pray.
Over 50,000 requests were entered in Mr. Muller’s journals during his lifetime of more than ninety
years. When he died, every one of his requests had been answered, except two. He had prayed for more than fifty years for two
unsaved gentlemen. At George Muller’s funeral, both men gave their hearts to God. Praise the Lord!©
Sweet Hour of Prayer
By Lisa Bode
This morning I woke up on the “wrong side of the bed”, so
to speak. I felt uncertain about the future, concerned about upcoming decisions,
overwhelmed about the day’s responsibilities, upset about disappointments. The
whole day seemed down the drain.
But within a few hours of waking up, my burdens and concerns
were lifted, and I found the confidence, faith, and even excitement, to live
today the way God wanted me to.
What happened? What in the world could have saved what would
have been such a bad day?
Prayer.
Imagine this change taking place in your own life. Imagine
that this time next week, nothing in your life situation has changed, but your
burdens feel lighter.
Your Bible reading schedule has stayed the same, but
you are finding more application in the passages.
You haven’t attended a special seminar, but your
relationship with the Lord has reached new heights.
You haven’t become more involved with what seems like
active ministry, yet you have a new sense of being used by God.
You have the same family, but your relationships with them
are improving unexpectedly.
Prayer could make such a change.
Why should I pray? It may seem futile and even boring to
take the time out of your full schedule to tell God things He already knows. So
why does He tell us to pour out our hearts to Him (Ps. 62:8), to pray without
ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)?
God’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). His purpose
is not to throw a kink in your schedule or bore you with the meaningless reading
of a prayer list. He wants you to pray for His glory and for your own benefit.
Consider the results of prayer I’ve underlined in
these verses:
Jeremiah 33:3: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty
things, which thou knowest not.” Proverbs 16:3: “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Matthew 7:7 : “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you” James 5:16: “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Which would I choose? 24 hours a
day of spinning my wheels in the mud, feeling frustrated with my own efforts and
disappointed with the lack of results – or 23 hours of living out God’s
will, abiding in Him, and knowing His blessing and direction?
I think all of us would say the latter, but many of us,
unfortunately, choose the former.
Are you willing to give one hour a day to prayer? It may seem
fanatical, impossible, or silly, but one hour of prayer can make the difference
I just described.
I have decided to spend one hour of prayer a day, three
days a week, at a minimum. I often try to spend close to an hour in prayer
every day, but making this minimum habit of three days a week has forced me to keep going, even
when I am unusually busy or simply don’t feel like it.
It’s hard to sit down in my room and pray when piles of
work are waiting for me! But I have not accomplished any less – in fact, I’ve
accomplished more – by devoting an hour to prayer. I’m learning that prayer
is one of the most important things I do, and that the remaining 23 hours of my
day are much more effective and sweet when I set aside one hour for prayer.
Why don’t you try this habit, of one hour in
prayer three days a week – even for just one week to start with – and see if it doesn’t do the same for you.
How should I pray? I believe that if you go into your
room, shut the door, and purpose to really pray for an hour, God will not fail
to guide you and bless you as you follow Him. “And ye shall seek me, and
find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah
29:13. So don’t worry that you aren’t a “prayer expert”. I’m certainly
not either!
Let me share a few ideas with you – most of which I’ve
gotten from George Muller, sermons at church, and my recent experience.
I’m learning that prayer is a conversation between
me and God. I try not to spend an hour rattling off my requests to God, because
I also want to hear His voice speaking to me through His Word. To me, Bible
reading is an essential part of prayer.
I used to pray first, and then read my Bible, but I had a
difficult time focusing my thoughts, sometimes wasting the first several minutes
daydreaming. Now I read the Bible first, on my knees, and then pray (an idea
from George Muller).
So let me walk you through my prayer hour, though it’s far
from perfect. I spend a few minutes in the early morning in prayer. (My family
starts housecleaning at 6:30, and though I could wake up around 5:00 and fit my
whole hour in then, I’ve found that early morning prayer isn’t that
effective for me personally. I usually doze off or feel muddled J.)
Around 9:00 a.m., I spend about fifty minutes in prayer. I
usually start by reading and studying a psalm. Next I spend time in confessing
sins, in worship and thanksgiving, in going through my prayer list (my family
members plus about ten other requests), and in committing to God that day’s
activities. Then I spend further time in Bible study – a section of the Old
Testament and a section of the New.
This is all on my knees to give me the attitude of hearing
from God, and also of framing my requests around His Word, claiming His
promises, and praying His Word back to Him.
Some days I need to reschedule this prayer time to the
afternoon or evening, though I far prefer mornings. Then, right before bed, I
spend a few minutes in prayer and in reading a section from Proverbs.
What if I’m interrupted? Maybe an hour of prayer seems
impossible for you because of the interruptions you’d face. Phone calls,
appointments, deadlines, other people in the home – I face these, too!
I used to become extremely frustrated when something or
someone interrupted my quiet time. But God has been teaching me lately to simply
accept interruptions – with a smile J
– as a part of life. (I’m not quite there yet, but I’m working on it!) If
someone has an urgent need for counsel, or starts being wild in the hallway, or plays Tchaikovsky on the
piano, or needs my car keys, or the telephone rings, that’s okay. (Of course that kind of thing never happens at my
house … J.) I’m
sure Jesus was interrupted during His quiet times, too!
Ideas that could help: carefully schedule your hour around
the needs of your family; split your hour into smaller segments throughout the
day; be willing to switch your “prayer closet” location; ask other people in
the home to try to avoid interrupting you until you’re finished; use an
answering machine; and try to schedule other appointments around your
prayer time.
This is how God has led me right now – to a simple hour of
talking with Him – but it does affect every other hour in my life. It takes
discipline and commitment, but it is worth it.
Kneel before God today. Ask Him to lead you to your own plan
and schedule. Seek Him, and you will find Him. Listen, and He will direct you.
Walk uprightly, and He will not withhold from you any good thing. ©
Not My Will
By Misty Richardson
The other day, I was listening to a song and sang along. As I
reached the end of the chorus, the words “Lord not my will, but Thine be done”
echoed through the house. Suddenly I stopped singing with a start. I realized
that I had mixed up the words of the song. I had just sung, “Lord not Thy
will, but mine be done!”
“Oh, no,” I thought, “I would never say
something like that!” I knew that I wanted God’s will for my life, and not
my own.
Just then I sensed God’s still small voice say, “Do you
really, Misty? Do you really want to follow My will over your own?”
God brought to mind the parable that he told in Matthew
21:28-31a. “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to
the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' And he answered,
'I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the
second and said the same thing; and he answered, 'I will, sir'; but he did not
go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”
I began to think about which son I was like. I knew that I
would never say that I wanted my own will over God’s will – but did I
truly do His will? Or was I like the second son who said, “I will, sir”
yet did not go?
I began to think about some of the clear commands God gives
us in Scripture – obviously His will for all of us to obey. I began to think of some of those things, and
examine my own life.
1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In every thing give thanks: for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Philippians 4:11: “Not that I speak in respect of want:
for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
God commands us to be content in our present circumstances.
How often do I look around and groan or think, “If only…” Do I give
thanks in everything? Am I truly content?
Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
We should do our best in everything we do. We should be doing
it for the Lord, not for the praise and appreciation of men. How often do I do
my chores half-heartedly? Do I only do my best when others are watching me? Am I
truly striving to work as unto the Lord and not unto men?
Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.”
God gives us clear guidelines for our thoughts. Do my
thoughts qualify? Are they all pure, or of good report? Are they honest, just,
or of praise? How often do my thoughts fail to meet God’s standards?
James 1:19: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every
man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”
How often do I speak the first words that come to my mind? Do
I take time to listen to the whole situation before I interrupt or give my
opinion? Are my words ever spoken with anger?
1 Peter 3:4: “But let it be the hidden man of the heart,
in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God of great price.”
God is more concerned about our inner beauty than our
outward. Do I truly have a meek and quiet spirit? What beauty do I take pleasure
in, the inward or the outward? Am I striving to make my inward beauty abound?
Ephesians 5:2: “And walk in love, as Christ also hath
loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour.”
Most of us are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13, where God
describes true love. Does my love suffer long? Does it avoid envy? Does it
endure all things? Do I love others as Christ has loved me?
Ephesians 6:1-2a: “Children, obey your parents in the
Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother”
Colossians 3:20: “Children, obey your parents in all
things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”
How many times do I disregard what my parents tell me? Or do
I only obey half-way? How often do I obey in action, but not in attitude?
Philippians 2:14: “Do all things without murmurings and
disputings”.
God disciplined the Israelites over and over for their
complaints. They had to face many consequences as a result. How often do I
murmur or complain over the things I must do? Even if I don’t voice my
complaints, does my attitude reflect that a complaining spirit is in my heart?
As I thought about these different things, I realized that I
wasn’t following God’s complete will for my life. I often fail in many of
these areas. I was like the second son in the parable.
God convicted me of my wrong attitudes and I wanted to cry,
“God, help me! What can I do?” As I carefully examined the true condition of
my heart, I saw myself saying, “Not Thy will, but mine be done”,
over and over through my actions. In many circumstances, my will was taking
precedence over God’s.
What should we do when we fail? We should
try again! We should repent and get up. Praise the Lord that we
serve a merciful God! With His help, I am learning to truly follow His
will for my life.
Each day we should ask ourselves, “God, what would You have
me do today?” Before we speak, we should ask Him what He would have us to say.
We should judge all of our thoughts by His given guidelines.
My life is becoming like a journey – a journey to seek and
to do God’s will. I make this my prayer: “Lord, not my will, but Thine be
done.”©
Fruit of Labor: The Joy of Womanhood
By Holly Hageman
We have been probing into Proverbs 31 to find the hidden
treasures of wisdom that will strengthen and encourage us as we seek the Lord
and walk with Him.
In “Virtue: The Excellence of Womanhood” (Vol. 5#4), we
studied the meaning of virtue. Virtue is a gift of strong influence, given to
the Church as she gives herself wholly to Christ – even though it means
suffering as the Church is refined.
“Riches of Grace: The Treasure of Womanhood” (Vol. 5#5)
opened to us the beauty and treasure of God’s loving grace that provides,
protects, and strengthens us. His covenant grace produces in us a steadfast love
for Him.
In “Works of Faith: The Strength of Womanhood” (Vol.
7#1), we discovered how trading the pursuits of the world for the pursuit of the
eternal things of God, allows our hands to be filled with plenty, to supply the
needs of the (spiritually) poor. Jesus, our Blessed Redeemer, has given Himself
to us, clearing our debts, making us His own – giving us the grace to
surrender our lives to Him, to obey, and to know the strength of womanhood.
In this fourth article, we will be looking into the purpose
of work, the joy of laboring with Christ, and the fulfillment we find in knowing
and walking in the will of God for our lives.
“She maketh fine linen, and selleth it….”
Fine linen was a cloth that was produced from the fibers of
the flax plant. Flax was carefully combed and re-combed to the finest texture
and then woven into linen cloth. Fine linen was worn by priests, royalty, and
the wealthy. It was a precious gift, and was also used as a burial cloth.
“Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no
ointment.…Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there
is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou
goest.” – Ecclesiastes 9:8,10.
Since the Garden of Eden, work has become boring, bitter, and
frustrating. The book of Ecclesiastes talks much of work, and how work alone
cannot satisfy. “Vanity of vanities,” cried the writer, who had created
vineyards, orchards, and gardens, who possessed servants and searched after
wisdom. This was a man who, focusing on work, had rejoiced in his labor until he
saw the vanity of working hard for work’s sake – doing the right thing for
the wrong reason.
His work became a frustration, because ultimately he got
nothing out of it that he could keep eternally. His work became bitter, because
he had to leave his works behind for someone else to enjoy. He couldn’t take
it with him into eternity!
Our lives are as a candle. Once a candle is lit, there is a
specific amount of time it can burn before it expires. Let us call that time our
stewardship of life.
Will we invest that life wisely into that which matters for
eternity? May we always use our resources of time, energy, and money wisely as
investments surrendered to God’s use.
“…and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.”
The purpose of a girdle (sash or belt about the waist) was
for strengthening and supporting clothing, especially when readying oneself for
work. A common phrase in the Word of God is to “gird up the loins”, which
refers to taking the extra length of robe and securing it in preparation for
intense work, exercise, or battle. The girdle is used figuratively in Scripture
to signify gladness, truth, and readiness. Priests and warriors were to be “girded”.
We are instructed to prepare ourselves in the armor of God
for battle against the enemy: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt
about with truth…” – Ephesians 6:14.
We are to prepare ourselves for action by feeding our minds
the truth of the Word of God:
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind…” – 1 Peter 1:13.
How important it is to store the Word of God in our minds, so
that we will be prepared for battle and not be caught in un-readiness!
Memorizing Scripture is an important discipline for the army of God, entering
into the battle for the souls of mankind.
“Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to
come.”
In the book of Esther, we read an account of a young lady who
surrendered her life into the hands of the Lord, and triumphed in that surrender
by uncovering a plot to destroy the people of God. Looking at the story from the
perspective of her cousin, Mordecai, is very interesting.
When Esther was made queen by King Ahasuerus, Mordecai would
sit in the King’s gate and observe numerous happenings there. But it seemed
that numerous happenings began to find him!
Haman was promoted to the highest seat next to the king, and
secured his high place through the works of his pride. All the king’s servants
that were in the king’s gate bowed to Haman because the king had commanded it.
But Mordecai would not bow.
The king’s servants in the gate wanted to know why Mordecai
didn’t obey the king’s commandment. When Mordecai wouldn’t answer and
justify himself, they told Haman, and also revealed that Mordecai was a Jew.
Haman became very angry and determined that he would destroy
Mordecai and the entire Jewish population. His plot developed with power and
authority granted by the king.
I’m sure this was a difficult time for Mordecai as he stood
on the principles of God and refused to bow before a proud man in place of his
God. It put him in great danger, and also a place where he was rejected and
mocked by the fellow servants, I’m sure.
Through prayer, fasting, and petitions to the king, God
upheld His people and His servant Mordecai. God delivered His people from the
hand of their enemies, and destroyed their enemies, including the wicked Haman.
Where do we find Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, as the “smoke”
of the battle begins to clear? “And Mordecai went out from the presence of
the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and
with a garment of fine linen and purple… The Jews had light, and gladness, and
joy, and honour.” - Esther 8:15, 16. God prospered him.
When God’s people suffer, God is their defense. He will not
allow the righteous to be moved. As surely as refusing to bow before man’s
pride brings man’s wrath, it brings the favor of God as we stand in obedience
to Him, worshipping Him alone. God’s promise is that no weapon formed against
us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
God gives us strength (salvation) and honor
(the blessing of the favor of God) as our clothing and protection while we wait
for the deliverance of the Lord from our enemies. Surely we shall rejoice in
time to come, as we watch the delivering hand of God working on our behalf!
“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou
hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory
may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” –
Psalm 30:11,12.
“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of
kindness.”
Words can be used to destroy and to tear down. Or they can be
used to build, strengthen, and encourage. “Heaviness in the heart of man
maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” – Proverbs 12:25.
There is a process to speaking good words! “…out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” – Matthew 12:34. In
order to speak good words, we must ask God to cultivate His wisdom in our
hearts.
Specialize in right thoughts! Developing right thoughts will bring forth right words.
Filling our minds with the Word of God is how we can prepare ourselves to speak
good words to those who need encouragement. Words are powerful, and we need to
have our words guided by the Spirit of God.
As our words are surrendered to the Lord, He will use them to do His
work in the lives of others. “A man shall be satisfied with good by the
fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto
him.” – Proverbs 12:14.
“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of
idleness.”
“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s
husbandry [garden], ye are God’s building.” – 1 Corinthians 3:9.
Often as we work, it is easy to get discouraged,
discontented, and unhappy – from unpleasant circumstances, failures,
disagreeable co-workers, siblings that are feeling out of sorts, overwhelming
responsibilities, or demanding tasks that we may not even know how to begin.
It is so important that we do not focus on our work.
That is when discouragement, discontentment, and unhappiness easily set in. The
temptation is to run and quit, or to become bitter.
If we lift our focus to the Lord and pray for Him to lift our
spirits, to encourage us, to provide an oasis in a dry land, and to give us
wisdom and guidance to perform our work to His glory, He will answer our prayer!
Our work becomes exciting when we begin to see answers to
prayer, if we wait patiently on Him to do what we have asked of Him.
Strength and encouragement will come when an impossible task
or overwhelming responsibility faces us and we begin to worship and praise the
God for whom nothing is impossible! God can and will give us the wisdom we need
as we trust Him. If we turn our hearts to sing while we set our hands to work,
what joy we receive while God answers our prayers!
We are co-laborers with God in His service. If we focus on
our work when things are looking good and prospering, we are in danger of being
lifted up in pride. How often have we gone from the heights of excitement one
day while being proud of our work, to discouragement the next day because
something didn’t meet expectations! Being lifted up in pride is a snare, and
places us in danger of a fall.
God is doing His work through us. No matter the
discouraging or exciting prospects. He is in total control, and our labors for
Him are not in vain. When we work for the glory of the Lord and not for the
recognition of man, we are building an enduring structure.
As we work wherever God has placed us, doing whatever He has
placed into our hands, accomplishing whatever He has called us to do, we will be
blessed. Work done for God’s glory always pays off! God keeps the records of
your labors for Him. He will reward your work!
I heard a story once about a man in a country overseas, a
pastor who was arrested for preaching the Gospel and sentenced to a labor camp
for years of hard labor. Many years passed as he worked daily at his task of
making doors. As the years went by, this man fashioned many doors, with care,
tears, prayers, and love.
“Dear Lord,” he would cry and pray, “my life was so
fruitful for You in my pastoring as a young man! I don’t understand why You
have placed me here. But to You I offer my life, my labor, my love, within this
confined environment, as worship to You. I pray for my people; I pray for my
captors; I pray that my life would be a reflection of You in the things I do and
say each day. And, Lord, I give to You these doors. May they be a testimony of
Your work in my life. And may each door I fashion with these worn hands open to
receive the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!”
He was an old man when he was finally released from the labor
camp into freedom. He had spent the flower of his youth in captivity. One day he
was slowly and painfully walking up a worn path to a large public arena. The sun
was shining, and he began to offer a prayer of thanksgiving and praise.
“Thank You Lord, for this day! Thank You for my freedom!
Thank You for Your love and for life! Thank You for Your precious Gospel, for
Your Word that I am going to hear today with many of my people! I give You my
life, I give You my praise, I give You…”
He stopped short in his steps and stared for a long while.
Then he began to weep. There, just in front of him, were two massive, elegant
doors – doors he had fashioned with his own hands in the years of toil and
labor in the camp – doors that were a testimony to the work of the Lord in his
life – doors that were, in answer to his prayers, opening to receive the
Gospel in a land where doors had been closed to the Gospel for so long!
How faithful God is to us as we give ourselves to whatever
work we are called – work in our homes, work for others, work for the glory of
God. He will give us the fruit of our labors and we will have much joy – the
joy of womanhood!©
Satisfied Only
in Jesus
By Rachel Eldredge
Even though I have been happily married for over a year now,
I was blessed by your feature on singleness (Vol. 8#1). I believe it is so important
for young ladies to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit (1
Corinthians 7:34), and to be willing to give to Him our natural desire for
marriage.
Laura Rempel’s article on contentment was an excellent
reminder – in whatsoever state we are, to be content! If our relationship
with Christ is the treasure we seek, contentment in any circumstance will
result. I have a wonderful husband J,
but Tom is not the source of my contentment. He can’t meet all my needs; only
my loving Heavenly Father can.
Before one is married, it’s so easy to assume everything
will be rosy and all one’s longings answered. Marriage is a beautiful
gift, but you will be greatly disappointed if you are basing your contentment on
that alone. Jesus says, “Seek Me first!” I think Amy Carmichael, single
missionary to India, learned during her life the depth of contentment found in
Christ alone. She shared this thought:
“Thou hast not that,
But thou hast Me.
And am I not
Enough for thee?”
Are our longings satisfied only in Him?
I married younger than most, but that was God’s perfect
timing for me. He has a unique plan for each of our lives! When I speak of the
importance of dedicating our single years to the Lord, I hear phrases like, “That’s
easy for you to say! You were married young; you don’t know what it’s like.”
I do. And it’s not always easy! The two years preceding my
marriage were full of growth for me as I struggled with issues such as
contentment, the uncertain future, and so on. I knew the Lord was calling me to
a deeper level of commitment and trust than I had previously known.
In the fall of 1998 I wrote in my journal: “I really
believe that He wants my heart, wants my eyes focused on Him, my desire
surrendered to Him, my heart content. He wants me to ‘give up’ marriage to
Him and trust that He will lead me in the paths I should go. May I have an ‘undivided
heart’ – Psalm 86:11.”
One of my favorite verses at that time was Hosea 2:19-20: “And
I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in
righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will
even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.”
(Emphasis added.) My heart’s desire was to know the Lord.
In June of 1999 the Lord brought to my attention a quote by
Elisabeth Elliot: “Don’t strain your eyes to see the future – for you will
not be able to see clearly what God wants you to see now.” Over and
over again He was reminding me to trust Him completely and rest content where He
had placed me, serving my family. I couldn’t see the future, but He held
tomorrow in His hands!
Dearest sisters, the Lord loves you so much and desires to be
the keeper of your heart and your most intimate friend. Your days of singleness may hold many uncertainties, but you can rest content
knowing that He knows what is best. “…[H]e who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” –
Philippians 1:6. May our response be as Mary’s: “Behold the handmaiden of
the Lord.”©
Humility
By Lacey Klump, Elizabeth Perron, and Lisa Bode
Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me….” Have you ever
pondered this verse and wondered what it really means? How can we be crucified
with Christ and still live?
The old man – our self, our sinful nature – has been put
to death, but the new man is living. This verse presents a beautiful picture of
one who has completely emptied herself of everything. It is after this emptying,
like the pouring out of a jar, that Christ comes in to fill the space, and works
through her to reach those around her. This is only possible by means of a
difficult but important quality: humility.
Humility recognizes that God is responsible for
our achievements. It’s so easy to think that it
is because of our talents, spiritual maturity, good character, etc., that
we achieve what we do in life. Humility is realizing that without Christ we
would be nothing. The help of others has also been crucial in our reaching the
level we have.
This does not mean that we are to hate ourselves and think
that we are something terrible. It means that we are to give constant thanks to
God for delivering us from our sin – even considering us worth the life of His
Son! – and always remembering that without Him, we are nothing.
1 Cor. 4:7b reads, “What do you have that you did not
receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” This
verse is asking us what we have to glory in, since everything is given to us by
God. We have no reason to be proud of our attainments or performances; all that
we have, are, and do that is good is because of the rich and free grace we
receive from God.
True humility comes when we turn ourselves over to God. We
cannot be filled with self; we must turn our selfish desires over to the Father
in order to develop humility. Humility is losing the desire for self to be
foremost, and instead thinking about others. A grateful, humble heart is vital
for a servant of the Most High.
One of Christ’s last lessons here on earth was to teach his
disciples humility. When Jesus the King of Kings got down on His knees to wash
the feet of His disciples – lowly sinners – that was the ultimate example of
true humility. Jesus must have thought a humble spirit was quite important – something He surely wanted us to remember.
Jesus’ life was one of humility. “[He] made himself
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to
death – even death on a cross!” – Phil. 2:7-8. If Jesus was humble, I
want to be humble, too. Don’t you?
Often when people hear the word “humility”, they
immediately think of a weak person. They think of someone who is shy, can’t
really make decisions for herself, and is a bit insecure. But really, a humble
person is strong, in the sense that she has the strength to overcome the power
of the flesh – the power of pride. Humility requires great strength of
character, and thus few Christians have it!
A person who is humble has a submissive spirit. This spirit
shows itself in cheerful cooperation and obedience. Humility is also shown by
submitting to instruction and having a teachable spirit. We can show humility by
serving and honoring one another. Often it is our pride that makes us resent
being told what to do or having to serve. A humble person is anxious to learn
and help! Humility will result in action.
The parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:9-14)
exemplifies the contrast between pride and humility. When two men went to the
temple to pray, the Pharisee thought only of himself: how good he must seem, the
brownie points he had earned, etc. The lowly publican thought of how unworthy he –
a sinner – was to come and beg mercy from God Almighty. What a lesson of
humility to us all!
The Bible is brimming with stories of saints clothed with
Christ’s humility, all of them put there for our benefit. “…God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” – James 4:6. And
God admonishes us to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). I was rather surprised at
how many verses there are about humility and pride. Each day as you read your
Bible, notice the many examples of humility.
Humility doesn’t come without making an effort! Ask the
Lord continually in faith to give you His humility. Look for
opportunities to serve, learn, and show gratefulness. Give up all of your own
desires, and Christ will become alive in you, making your actions and
countenance reflect His humility.
“…[W]hoever humbles himself will be
exalted.” – Matthew 23:12.©
How to Begin and Operate Your Own Bread Business
By Melanie Kool
When I think of a bread business, I think of fresh-ground
flour dusting my apron – of a delicious aroma filling the kitchen – of warm,
golden loaves lining the counter. I think of walking through a quiet stretch of
woods to our neighbors’ house with a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread – of
managing my way through double doors with my cello and a bag of bread for my
teacher – of checking my records and realizing that this is a rewarding home
business.
I have been selling homemade bread since last April. On the
first day, I took thick, buttered slices of whole wheat bread and cinnamon
raisin bread around to some neighbors. I decorated paper plates to put the
samples on, and attached handmade business cards. It was so much fun!
Three neighbors became regular customers. Now I sell bread to
a few other people as well. When I first started, I thought I might keep
expanding my business, but since then I’ve become busier and it’s stayed
small.
Preparation. . .
High-quality bread is the key to happy customers. I practiced
making bread for my family, improving my recipe, and gaining more experience,
until I was ready to start selling it. A friend told us about two ingredients
that have really helped – liquid lecithin (a soy product available in health
food stores), which improves the texture, and vitamin C, which helps it stay
fresh longer.
At a bakery supply company, we buy wheat berries, white
flour, canola oil, yeast, cinnamon, and bread bags. I grind the wheat berries
into fresh flour in our grain mill, which gives the bread a much better taste
and also makes it healthier.
You will need a kitchen scale to make sure the loaves are all
the same weight. I just use our simple hand-held electric mixer to mix the
dough. A friend of ours who has sold bread for eleven years uses a Bosch, which
does all of the mixing and kneading.
The bread. . .
Being able to make beautiful loaves of delicious bread is an
excellent skill to carry through life, and having a bread business gives you
plenty of opportunity to perfect this!
Making two batches takes me at least five hours, allowing
time for the loaves to rise, bake, and cool. I use 8½” x 4½” bread pans.
Greasing the pans with a mixture of liquid lecithin and oil helps the bread come
out easily.
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Yield: 6 loaves
Combine in large bowl:
6 cups whole wheat flour
3 tbsp + 1 tsp instant dry yeast
2 tsp salt
500 mg. capsule Vitamin C, opened and sprinkled in (or
crushed tablet)
Set aside. Combine in pan:
6 cups water
½ cup canola oil
1 tbsp liquid lecithin
½ cup honey
Warm on stove – not too hot or the yeast will be killed.
Pour liquids into flour mixture. Beat with electric mixer 3 minutes. (This step
helps develop the gluten and shortens your kneading time.) Add until dough
reaches good consistency:
1 cup whole wheat flour
10-11 cups white flour
[The dough reaches a good consistency when it stops sticking
to your hands and to the sides of the bowl. – Ed.] Spread a little oil on
the counter and knead dough for a few minutes. Sprinkle more flour on dough if
needed. (The dough shouldn’t be too dry; it’s better to err on the sticky
side.)
Divide dough into 6 equal portions, weighing for accuracy.
Roll out each portion firmly with a rolling pin to remove air bubbles.
Form into a flat rectangle. Roll up with your hands to form a loaf,
squeezing as you go. Pinch ends shut and tuck under. Place in greased bread
pans.
Cover with cloth and let rise until bread is 1½-2” above
top of pan. Preheat oven to 375. Bake until loaves are golden brown (not dark)
and sound sort of hollow when tapped. [We bake our bread for approximately 30
minutes. – Ed.] Let cool completely before putting in bread bags.
The wheat bread won’t bake evenly if all six loaves are
crowded in one rack, so I often make one loaf into rolls and bake them on the
next rack down. (Take the rolls out sooner so they don’t burn.)
[We divide our batch in two and let the first three loaves
rise and bake while the last three loaves rise twice, the first time in a bowl.
– Ed.]
Cinnamon-Raisin Bread
Yield: 5 loaves
Combine:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp + 1 tsp instant dry yeast
Warm in pan on stove (again, not too hot):
½ cup oil
4½ cups water
1 tbsp sugar
Pour into flour mixture. Mix with electric mixer 3 minutes.
Stir in until dough reaches good consistency:
2 cups raisins
9-10 cups white flour
Knead. Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Mix separately:
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
Roll out loaves with rolling pin. Sprinkle on cinnamon-sugar.
Roll up with hands to form loaves, and pinch ends shut and under again. Place in
greased loaf pans; let rise. Bake in preheated 375 oven.
I always make the wheat bread first. One day soon after I had
started selling bread, I made the raisin bread first, and since the wheat bread
rises faster, both batches were ready for the oven at the same time. I placed
the raisin bread in the warm oven to help it rise faster, and then took it out
again when I saw that the wheat bread was ready. (Never take bread out of the
oven until it’s baked!) As the wheat bread steadily baked in the oven, the
raisin bread subtly fell on the counter. I discovered my mistake only after it
was all sold, and in dismay called up my new customers. I explained, apologized,
and brought them fresh loaves the next morning. I fully sympathize with you if
any mistakes happen – but at least I can say that honesty in fixing mistakes
actually helps a business.
The business. . .
I really enjoy the business part. I sell bread to neighbors,
my cello teacher, my grandparents, and occasionally some of my dad’s customers
(he’s a self-employed carpenter).
We know some other people who sell bread in different ways.
One lady takes bread and other baked goods around to offices and shops in a
small town nearby, as well as filling orders for a bed and breakfast. She has
gotten her kitchen licensed, which she said was very simple. Another lady makes
and sells bread at a Christian school. She used to put a “Fresh Homemade Bread”
sign out by the road in front of her house.
I ask $2.50 for the wheat bread and $2.75 for the
cinnamon-raisin bread (in March 2001). You can come up with your own prices according to your
area. I pay my mother a certain amount for each loaf to cover the cost of
ingredients. This way I can just use my family’s supplies instead of buying
everything separately.
Psalm 90:17 says, “And let the favor of the Lord our God
be upon us; and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of
our hands establish thou it.” The Lord will help you and bless you as you
commit your business to Him. Have fun!©
The Best Place to Be:
A Story
“And a comb, and a brush…” Beth glanced out the window as
the sun slipped beyond the horizon. Her heart seemed to sink with it.
“Keep reading!” Little Joey sat beside her on the couch,
kicking his legs.
“And a bowl full of mush,” she finished wearily. All day
the atmosphere at home had been oppressive and annoying, and she felt like
crawling into bed and crying herself to sleep.
“I’m sick of ‘Goodnight Moon’!” Abigail
fumed from the other side of the couch. She was not much older than Joey, but
considered herself far too grown up to do anything he liked. “Why can’t we
read something exciting? I have an idea!”
She scrambled over the couch and pulled another book off the
shelf, glancing over to see if her older sister Sarah, who was supposed to be
reading her history lesson, would notice. She did. “Abby, that’s my book!
Put it down right now.”
“It’s not either yours!” Abby thrust the book behind
her back. “You think everything is yours.”
“Beth, make her give me back my book!”
Disgusted, Beth glanced out the window again, hoping to see
Dad’s car turn down the driveway. Why are they always arguing? No one else’s
family seems as bad as this!
The ripping of pages snapped her back to reality. Abigail and
Sarah glared at each other in horror, each holding part of the book. Sarah was
the first to speak. “Beth! Look what she did to my book!”
“It isn’t your book and I didn’t do anything,” Abby
retorted, looking guilty and worried. “She tried to grab it from me, Beth.”
Beth’s nerves snapped. “That’s enough! It doesn’t
matter whose book it is – you know not to play tug-of-war with it!”
“Beth, read me ‘Goodnight Moon’!” Joey whined from
the couch.
“Be quiet, Joey! Read it yourself.” Trying to stay
calm, Beth turned back to her unrepentant sisters. “Now give it to me, both of
you. Abby, go get the tape.”
“I don’t know where it is! It’s not my fault.”
Sarah burst into tears. “She ruined my book and you aren’t
even getting her into trouble! Mo-om!”
“What’s happening, girls?” Mom came in from the
kitchen, drying her hands on her apron. Abigail and Sarah erupted into angry
accusations and Mom looked at Beth. “Honey, I know they’ve been difficult
today. Just try to keep them happy a few minutes longer. I’m almost finished.”
Beth sighed. “How am I supposed to keep them happy?”
“Try being patient.” Mom looked down at Abigail and
Sarah. “And you girls stop arguing. Beth will fix the book.”
This is how it always is! Beth thought. The kids fight
and I have to fix everything. “Sarah, bring me the tape,” she said
tightly. “Mom, where’s Mary anyhow?”
“Why don’t you find her and ask her to help?” Mom
offered. “Nicely.”
“Beth, read me ‘Goodnight Moon’!” Joey demanded,
still kicking his feet.
Beth felt as if she was about to go mad. “Joey, I told you
to be quiet. Sarah, read to Joey please. No – no excuses. Abby – where’d
Abby go? Abby! I want you to sit down on the floor and play with those blocks. Quietly.”
Beth hated the drill-sergeant sound of her own voice, and she
knew from their faces that they did as well. It made her even more angry with
them for making her angry in the first place.
Beth walked up the stairs and into the room she and Mary had
always shared. At ages sixteen and thirteen, they were supposed to be good
friends. But in times like this Beth felt far from friendly. Sure enough, Mary
sat at her desk with her nose in a book. “Mary!”
“What?” Mary’s dreamy eyes came up from the book. She
snapped into focus. “Hmm – do you need something?”
“Do I need something!” Beth grabbed the book from her
hands and slammed it shut. “The kids are down there fighting like cats and
dogs – you’re up here with your nose in a book – and – and…” She was
so annoyed she lost her train of thought.
“Beth, you lost my place,” Mary complained, holding out
her hand for the book.
“So what? You’re always escaping up here and leaving me
with all the work.”
Mary sighed. “I do not leave you with all the work;
and when you’re so cross all the time who wants to help you? Can I please have
my book back?”
Beth slammed the book down on the dresser. “Why do you have
to be so – ” The phone on the desk rang. She cleared her throat and picked
it up. “Hello? Mrs. Smith! How are you?”
Mary rolled her eyes. Beth looked away. “I’ve been
meaning to call you these last few days; it’s just been so busy. You know how
it is. I’ll see you Sunday, right? Let me get my mom for you. Just a moment.”
She set the phone down and glanced at Mary, whose face was
brimming over with disgust. “You are such a hypocrite,” she said evenly,
keeping her voice low so Mrs. Smith wouldn’t hear.
Beth opened her mouth to argue, but Mary walked out of the
room. “Mom! Mrs. Smith’s on the phone for you!”
Beth let out an angry breath, shut the door, and flopped down
at her desk – disappointed with life, disappointed with her family,
disappointed with herself. She stared out the window into the empty darkness and
flicked on her lamp. There on her desk lay her Bible, open from this morning.
She remembered that sweet half hour this morning, when the
house was quiet, when she had sat at her desk and watched the sun rise, full of
new hope and resolutions for today. She’d read in Isaiah and circled a special
verse: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.” It seemed like such a contradiction of what
the day had been like.
Suddenly she felt hot tears on her face and slumped over her
desk. Oh, Lord, why? Why? I started off today so excited – wanting to keep
my mind stayed on You, to make this a good day. And look what happened!
She grabbed a tissue and angrily mopped her face. All her
resolutions this morning had come to nothing. She was upset with herself and
knew everyone else was, too – from Mom down to little Joey still waiting for
“Goodnight Moon”.
I’m not as hateful as they think, Beth thought. Anyone
would crack under this kind of pressure. If only I could go somewhere else –
be with other people – I could keep all the wonderful resolutions I make in
the morning. I could be a new person…
“Dinner time!” Mom called from downstairs. Beth glanced
in the mirror and dried the rest of her tears.
* * *
“And how can we pray for you, Beth?” Mrs. Smith’s soft
face spread into a smile.
Beth savored the quiet relaxation of Sunday afternoon Bible
study with Mrs. Smith. “Well…” Her mind went over the nightmare of the
past week. “I guess that I would be more patient. My brothers and sisters
drive me up the wall.”
Her friend Hannah, sitting beside her, started laughing.
“No, I’m serious!” Beth shook her head. “They fight
all day long. I can’t stand it.”
Mrs. Smith cocked her head on one side. “We will be praying
for you, Beth. But I know,” she continued in her slow, gentle way, “that God
has put you where you are for a reason. I’m sure He wants to teach you
something through this.”
“Oh, I’m sure – teach me how to endure insults,
arguments, and false accusations all the time!” Beth swallowed. That hadn’t
sounded good. She tried to put it in a better light. “They really aren’t
that bad. It’s just been a hard week.”
Hannah patted her arm. “Hard weeks come to everyone.”
Beth bit her lip, wondering if she should really say what was
on her mind. “I mean – I guess I don’t understand something. I never have
any trouble getting along with all of you and my other friends and the people at
church. But then when it comes to my family – I don’t know. It just seems
like they bring out the worst in me.”
Mrs. Smith laughed. “You’re not alone, Beth! Jesus uses
our families to teach us so many important lessons. When the heat turns up and
things get difficult at home, all the dross rushes to the top. The refining
process.” She smiled as if the “refining process” were something
wonderful.
“Then being away from home must be so easy!” Beth
commented.
“Let me tell you from experience it isn’t,” Mrs. Smith
said. “When we don’t learn what God wants to teach us at home, He’ll use
harder circumstances somewhere else.”
Beth wasn’t so sure, but Mrs. Smith continued on. “One
thing you can be sure of, Beth. God’s will – and for you right now, it’s
at home with your family – is the best place you could possibly be. Discover
God’s purpose for it! Treasure this time!”
Beth only wished it was as easy at it sounded.
* * *
That evening Beth sat on the couch across from Mom and Dad,
picking her fingernails. They’d called her in for a talk, and the serious
atmosphere made her nervous.
Finally Dad broke the silence. “What did you think about
the missions presentation at church this morning?”
Surprised at the topic, Beth thought for a moment. “Oh, yes
– about Mexico. It was pretty interesting.” She wondered where this would
lead.
Dad scratched his chin and thought for a moment. “You heard
about the trip John and Patti are making this summer, right?”
“Um… I think so.”
“They’re hoping to organize a group of young people –
from our church and others they’re connected with – to go with them, to help
with service projects and things like that. It’s only for three weeks. Your
mom and I thought it would be a good opportunity for you.”
Beth sat stunned. Mexico? She’d never even considered it
– certainly never thought Mom and Dad would want to send her. And for three
weeks, no less. “You want me to go?”
“Only if you’re interested,” Dad said quickly. “If
not, that’s fine. We just thought it would be a good opportunity and wanted to
throw it out as an option for you.” He laughed. “We could probably
manage to spare you for three weeks this summer.”
Beth’s mind spun. Three weeks – three weeks away from
home. Hadn’t this been the chance she’d been waiting for? It didn’t matter
whether it was Mexico or Siberia – this was her opportunity and she would take
it. Three weeks of no “Goodnight Moon”, no arguments, no irritations. “Well,
yes, I’m very interested,” she said. “I hadn’t considered it before, but
I’d love to go.”
“I’m sure it will be a good experience, especially with
John and Patti heading it up.” Mom sighed. “Three weeks! We’ll all miss
you.”
Beth tingled with sudden excitement. She was sure she would
not miss them!
* * *
Beth sat up in her sleeping bag, shivered in the chilly
morning air, and reached into her bag for her Bible. This was only her first
week away from home, and she was having the time of her life – to be alone and
independent, to see exciting new places. Now she was down in the heart of
Mexico, staying in a little tent that she would soon share with a roommate.
She was kind of nervous about the roommate. Most of the other
young people were already there, but of course her roommate would be among the
last to come. Beth had heard her name was Sherina and she was from Texas.
Hopefully she would be lots of fun, and a really good friend.
Beth flipped in her Bible to Jeremiah and spent a few minutes
stumbling through the chapter. A sweet voice interrupted her. “Howdy! Are you
Beth?”
Jerked out of her reverie, Beth glanced up, wanting to make a
good first impression. “Uh-huh. You’re Sherina? Come on in – here, let me
move my stuff out of the way.”
“Thanks!” Sherina crawled in and Beth eyed her closely,
trying to guess what kind of roommate she would be. She was short, with a round
freckled face and striking blonde hair. She pulled two huge bags behind her.
“I hope there’s room for all my stuff!” She laughed.
“My mom says I’m a horrible packrat and my room at home is a horrible mess,
but it seems I can’t go anywhere without my things. Do you know where I could
plug in a curling iron? Well, never mind, it’s not worth bothering you about
now. You’re from New Jersey, Patti said. Oh, isn’t Patti the sweetest? I’ve
never been to New Jersey. Do you live near the beach? Oh, I interrupted your
Bible reading, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. Keep reading.” She unzipped her
first bag and dumped all the contents on the tent floor.
Beth looked down at her Bible to keep from staring, too
preoccupied to read. She wasn’t sure what to make of Sherina.
But it didn’t take long to form an opinion. For the next
few days Beth listened to Sherina’s incessant chatter as she woke up in the
morning, as she tried to concentrate on her Bible reading, as she worked through
the day, as she fell asleep at night. She longed to get a word in edgewise once
in a while. She knew all about Sherina, but knew Sherina knew nothing about her,
and apparently didn’t want to stop talking long enough to find out.
But Beth was determined to make the best of it. She squashed
her irritation and played along, pretending to enjoy Sherina’s chatter and
laughing along with her from time to time.
One hot afternoon Beth escaped to her tent for a rest, only
to find Sherina in there already. “I have the worst headache you could
imagine!” Sherina began, seeing Beth at the door. “You don’t happen to
have an aspirin, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” Beth retorted, wishing she could escape
to somewhere quiet. Then she felt bad. “I hope you feel better, though. It’s
probably just the heat.”
Sherina shrugged her shoulders and smiled mischievously. “I
saw you talking to Jonathan this morning!”
Beth nodded. “Yeah, I know him from church.”
“Don’t you believe in courtship?”
Beth swallowed her annoyance and attempted a smile. “Of
course I do. I was just talking to him. I know him from church. That’s all.”
Sherina giggled. “I just thought it looked kind of… well…
hmm. I think you and Jonathan would make a great match.”
Beth felt her face turn hot. Her parents never allowed this
kind of teasing at home. She tried to make light of it. “Oh, Sherina. Don’t
be silly.”
Sherina just giggled and lay back on her pillow. But that
wasn’t the last word on the subject. For the next several days, Beth listened
to Sherina talk and giggle about Jonathan from morning until night.
Beth pretended to brush off her comments with a laugh, but
inwardly she fumed. Sherina’s ridiculous teasing tormented her constantly, and
no hints or denials could stop it. Beth started wondering if her sister Mary had
been such a bad roommate after all.
Finally only seven days remained before returning home, and
Beth was determined not to let Sherina’s stupid teasing spoil the rest of her
trip.
That day at lunch Beth sat with the other girls, enjoying the
fresh air and relaxation. Sherina broke the silence, as she usually did. “Oh,
girls, I have the funniest thing to tell you.”
Of course everyone was interested. Sherina leaned over the
table and lowered her voice. “Beth likes Jonathan! Isn’t that just perfect?”
Some of the girls looked embarrassed, and the rest laughed as
if it was a good joke. Beth felt her face grow hot as everyone watched for her
reaction. Inside she felt humiliated and angry. But she forced a calm smile and
said quietly, “Oh, Sherina, you know that’s not true.”
Sherina laughed. “Then why do you talk to him all the time?”
She turned to the other girls. “They go to the same church in New Jersey.”
The others giggled.
Beth stood up from the table, her appetite and composure
gone. Never in her life had she felt so annoyed – no, not even with her little
siblings at home. Here, away from home, she had no reputation and no close
friends to back her up, and she felt irritated – insulted – past the
breaking point.
“I do not ‘talk to him all the time’ and you know it,”
she said in a steely voice. The innocent gaiety in Sherina’s blue eyes were
like fuel to the fire inside Beth. “You have no right to be spreading this –
this stupid slander about me. You might think it’s funny – well, I
don’t!”
Silence.
Beth wheeled around and stumbled in the direction of her
tent. She parted the door, threw herself inside, and collapsed on her sleeping
bag, ready for a good cry. She had tried so hard to gain the acceptance and
admiration of the other girls, to be thought of as one of the best with the
highest standards. And Sherina had just ruined it, making her out to be a stupid
flirt.
But before she had time for tears, Beth heard someone enter
the tent. It was Sherina. Beth sat up, head erect, waiting for the apology.
None came. Sherina just stared at her, looking crestfallen
and confused. “How could you do that to me?” she broke out finally, dropping
onto the floor. “In front of all the other girls! How could you just start
yelling at me all of a sudden?”
Beth was too shocked to say anything.
Sherina waved her hands helplessly as tears spilled over. “I
was just having fun, and we all knew it! If you didn’t like it, why didn’t
you ever tell me before? You just laughed whenever I teased you. How was I
supposed to know you were so mad about it?”
A heavy silence followed. Beth had no idea what to say. How
could Sherina be mad at her? At her! As if it was her fault!
“Don’t you have any sense of humor?” Sherina asked. “I
couldn’t believe you would say that to me – in front of everyone!” She
blew her nose dramatically.
Beth had been slammed long enough. It was her turn. “Don’t
you have any sense of decency?” she demanded. “I couldn’t believe you
said that about me in front of everyone. There was nothing funny about it.
Did you even think about my reputation?”
Sherina sat frozen, staring at her. Beth had more where that
came from. “What a stupid idea! I only laughed before because I didn’t want
to hurt your feelings.”
“You didn’t want to hurt my feelings,” Sherina repeated
sarcastically. Then she stood up and left the tent.
Beth stared after her, then threw herself down for that
long-awaited cry. Waves of homesickness swept over her. If she could only see
Mom, Dad, any of her little brothers and sisters again. None of them were
perfect, but they knew her and loved her and would have helped her right now.
Instead she was alone and stuck in a mess.
“Excuse me, can I talk with you for a moment?”
Beth grabbed frantically for the package of tissues in the
bottom of her bag. “Um – yes. I’ll be right there.” She quickly wiped
her face and leaned out the tent door.
It was Patti, the girls’ supervisor. She eyed Beth
carefully.
Beth swallowed and attempted a smile. “Yes?”
“I just talked to Sherina,” Patti began, sounding
concerned.
Beth’s stomach tightened.
“She seems to be very offended with you. She asked if she
could switch tents and be with someone else for this last week, and I told her
that would be all right.”
Beth felt like crawling into a hole and never coming out.
This – this – after she had tried so hard to win Patti’s approval,
after she’d meticulously followed all the camp rules. And now this.
“The unity of the workers here is very important to us,”
Patti continued. “I’m sure there’s a side to this story I haven’t heard.
But I would like you to try your best to smooth things over with Sherina and
avoid any further conflicts. She’ll be coming by this evening to pack up her
things. Maybe you could talk to her then.”
Beth felt lower than the ground. “All right,” she heard
herself say. “Can I rest this afternoon? I’m not feeling well.”
Alone in the tent, she sat sullen, staring at Sherina’s
stuff all over the place. Oh, Lord, why? Why did this have to happen? What
did I do to deserve this? Her thoughts raced. She’d come here to escape
the problems and conflicts of home – and yet this was even worse.
What did I do wrong? Leaning back on her pillow, she
closed her eyes against the hot tears. Mrs. Smith’s unheeded wisdom from a few
months ago came back.
“When we don’t learn what God wants to teach us at home,
He’ll use harder circumstances somewhere else.”
And Beth knew now she was right. The same faults that had
caused conflicts at home had followed her all the way to Mexico.
At home she’d been too proud to admit when she was wrong.
Here it was the same.
At home she’d admired her high standards and ignored her
heart attitudes. Here it was the same.
At home she’d been impatient and angry, quick to blame
others, slow to forgive. Here it was the same.
If only I had listened to Mrs. Smith, she reflected.
If I’d looked at home as an opportunity to learn, instead of just wanting to
escape – I might have avoided this.
In a few hours Sherina would come back to the tent, and Beth
was expected to make things right.
In one week she would return home, a place that suddenly
seemed like heaven on earth. She wanted to discover God’s purpose for putting
her there. And maybe even – could she treasure her time there?
Oh, Lord… She rolled over and hid her face in her
pillow. Forgive me – for my attitude at home, my attitude to Sherina…
Beth looked up at Sherina’s piles of clothes and pairs of
silly shoes. Help me to put up with Sherina – oh, Lord, to not just put up
with her, but to love her. And next week help me to love my family at home. Help
me to see that in Your will is the best place to be!
She took a deep breath and reached for her Bible.
* * *
Home! Beth’s heart pounded as John and Patti’s car turned
around the bend, and that beautiful, familiar place came into sight. It seemed
like months – even years – since she’d seen it last. She remembered what
Patti had said that morning. “I’m so glad you came, Beth. Thanks for your
help – and for fixing things up with Sherina. I’m glad she decided to stay
with you.”
Beth was glad, too. Sherina had been difficult right to the
end, but Beth wouldn’t have traded her for anyone else there.
They pulled up the driveway and Beth got out of the car. The
front door burst open and all her family swarmed onto the porch. “Beth! You’re
back!”
“Our room seemed so empty without you!” Mary called,
running down the steps.
Sarah reached her first and tugged at her skirt. “Beth, I
made a welcome sign for you, but Abby ripped it.”
Abby stomped her foot. “I did not! We both made the sign
and it was Joey’s fault it ripped.”
Joey squeezed in and looked up at her with his big eyes. “Can
you read Goodnight Moon to me, Beth? Please?”
Mom and Dad caught up with the rest and smiled. “We’re so
glad you’re home,” Mom said, wiping her eyes and giving her a hug.
“We were hoping Mexico wouldn’t be so exciting you wouldn’t
want to come back!” Dad teased.
Beth laughed. “It was exciting, but I’m glad to be home.”
Home’s not perfect, she thought, glancing at Abby
and Sarah, who were still arguing about who ripped the sign. But I’d rather
be here – rather be in God’s will – than anywhere else on earth.
She was glad to be there. ©
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