Thoughts on Deployment

Lee leaves tomorrow for his six month deployment. I have a few more thoughts.

First, our church body isn’t a military church, so they don’t have much experience with deployments. But they are believers, and they take seriously God’s commands to lift each other up practically and spiritually. I plan to visit my parents, but I also don’t want to take away the blessing of the church functioning as a body. Once again, God is showing me how important it is to be a part of a local body, not just attend services somewhere. This is important to me, but also to my children. There is no substitute.

Second, it’s great for people to minister to the kids and me, but I also need to find ways of ministering to others, too. I can sense that it will be easy to become too self-focused, when instead I should be thinking of how I can serve. With my evenings free, I can babysit for families in our church. There are single women I can spend some more time with. I’ll show my children how these things keep my eyes off myself and on the Lord. That’s the place of perfect peace, as a friend thoughtfully pointed out recently.

Third, many people have expressed great concern for our children. We appreciate the prayers immensely! But we are trying to remember that God is our refuge and strength. It is an opportunity to show them that because mommy and daddy know God, we are comforted and strengthened. It is an opportunity to share the gospel with them: they do not have the same kind of help. We are praying that God will use this deployment to draw our children to Himself in salvation. God’s grace is sufficient for our children as well as ourselves.

How can you pray for us? Pray that we will continue to seek the Lord in His word passionately, consistently. Pray that we do not become complacent and waste the time God has given us apart by spending it on idle and worthless amusements. Pray that God will use this time to strengthen our marriage and family. Does it seem strange that God can do this?  He can. Pray that we will use the situation God has given us as a tool of testimony. Many unsaved military members do not understand the resources available to believers. We have an opportunity if we do not squander it.

When I look at how I’d like to be prayed for. I realize that these are things I can pray for you. Every person has a unique situation that God is using specifically for his or her sanctification. Deployment is hard, but so are the many struggles that each person carries. Everyone is facing something difficult, not just me. Nobody has it all together. We all need prayer and encouragement.

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What’s the Bible Word for Goals?

Yesterday afternoon I started to think about what the Bible has to say about goal setting.

I searched for plan in Bible Gateway. No returns.  Goal. Not there, either. I’m most comfortable with the King James Version, so that’s how I search, but I then remembered the ESV does have a word translated goal.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:14

That seemed a good place to stop at, since I’m drawing a blank on other passages. I’m sure there are places in Proverbs that are relevant, and I’ll look there later. For now, this whole passage gives me some good ideas about goals and goalmaking.

  • Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
  • Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Philippians 3:12-21
  • First,making goals doesn’t mean I’m perfect or what is accomplished is credit to myself. I haven’t made it on my own, as Paul says. I must remember that there is no contradiction in personally striving for mastery, and allowing God’s grace to work in my life. And God gets the glory, always.
  • I must not fret about the past. I do that when I make goals. The whole reason I’m making goals is that I’ve failed in some area to some degree or another. It’s hard to press toward a mark when I’m looking behind me.
  • I’m also going to consider that reaching goals is hard work. We want the life of ease, and the Christian life is about effort and discipline.
  • Surrounding oneself with others who take the Christian life seriously is important.
  • So is remembering that I am a citizen of Heaven. We keep our eyes on our Saviour, which is where the power for change comes from anyway.

Now, what goals to have?

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Did I Forget All My Goals?

I thought for sure I had written about goals for this last year, but I cannot find them written down anywhere. I did a search for goals and resolutions, and nothing showed up, either.

The one goal I’ve been working on is the chronological Bible reading plan. And on that [...] Continue Reading…

Popularity: 9% [?]

Why Make Goals When I Fail?

I mentioned to a friend that I enjoy making goals. I like the process of evaluation.  I like the feeling of starting fresh. I like dreaming about accomplishing good things.
But I also have found that I fail. I fall short of my goals, nearly every year, and then I’m [...] Continue Reading…

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Broken Nativity Set

Long ago, before we had children, we were given an inexpensive nativity set. We discovered after we had children that the pieces were quickly broken. I’d have thrown it away this year, but Bethel is delighted with the set and plays with it nearly every opportunity she gets.
When I [...] Continue Reading…

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Is Heaven Better than Christmas?

The last few weeks, we have talked quite a bit about giving and receiving presents. We’ve talked about the motivation for giving gifts (love) and how the only way we can truly love others is by God’s grace in our lives. We have talked about receiving gifts with a [...] Continue Reading…

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Teaching Babies the Bible

The other night came across a journal I kept right after I had Bethel, when David was 16 months old. What struck me the most was the intensity with which I wrote about teaching David spiritual truths.

In the past, I’ve shocked a few people with “low expectations,” because I [...] Continue Reading…

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Clothed with Humility

I’m still feeling under the weather, but it’s been a good week nevertheless. I’ve had to adjust my expectations of some things I planned to do, and I feel like I haven’t said a coherent word to my husband all week, but it still has been a good week.

In [...] Continue Reading…

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I Don’t Feel Like It!

Today was a really hard day. I’ve been fighting a cold of some sort, and even with the vernors and ice cream my husband brought home I am still feeling draggy. It doesn’t help that I’m at a “low point” hormonally.

My kids are probably not feeling well either, because [...] Continue Reading…

Popularity: 28% [?]

Enemy of God?

In Children’s church yesterday, Lee asked whether a person who is not saved is an enemy of God. This really bothered one of the children (who to my knowledge, has not made a profession of faith).

The thought occurred to me that a child who knows he is not saved, [...] Continue Reading…

Popularity: 26% [?]

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    • I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog, but my greatest desire for my audience is that they would be inspired and motivated to search the Scriptures for themselves. God promises to give wisdom to any believer who searches for it His way. Here are some Bible study links I have found of interest and help.

    Chronological Bible: ESV
    Read the Bible chronologically. The first time I read through the Bible in the order everything happened, I learned so much and gained an incredible understanding of the big picture of Scripture. If you've never done it, you should!

    Bible Gateway
    From this website you can search for scriptures in a number of versions and languages by key words, phrases, or references. I use this website often when I post Scripture on my blog, so then I don't have to worry about typing in the verse accurately.

    Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
    This is a fantastic online version of a classic reference tool. Basically this is a list of cross references based on particular passages. Simply click on the verse or passage you are studying, and you will find other references to other relevant Scripture.

    Bible Commentaries Online
    A list of classic Bible commentaries. Sometimes they're hard to understand, but they can be helpful when you're wanting more insight into a passage you are studying.

    More Bible Study Resources
    This is a page of links for articles and audio on the topic of studying the Bible. Some are not easy to read, but they are helpful. The rest of this website has a tremendous amount of resources that may be of interest.