Orlando: Equip-Weekend

I would like to call this picture "The Calm Before the Storm."  It never actually stormed yesterday, praise God, but it looked it was going to.

Yesterday, we got up and went our morning class.  We only had class until 10 then the rest of the weekend is ours.  Class yesterday basically consisted of us practicing our 5 minute Wycliffe speech. I did mine in 4 minutes, 57 seconds. Woo hoo!

Then Steve's mom,  Step-dad, and baby picked us up and we headed South to Vero Beach. We thought the weather would be better a little South of Orlando. It was a gorgeous, very relaxing day.  It was Julie's first trip to the Ocean, so I took her down to the water and put her little feet in the sand.  We dodged some waves to and I got a little wet preventing her from getting wet.  By little, I mean really soaked.  How nice of me?

Then we drove a little more South the West Palm Beach to visit one of Steve's cousins that I hadn't met yet.  We spent some time with them and then went to bed. It was a great day.

Psalm 34:18 - The LORD is close to the brokenhearted

^{Psalm 34: 14-18}

¹⁴Turn from evil and do good;
   seek peace and pursue it.
 ¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
   and his ears are attentive to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
   to blot out their name from the earth.
 ¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
   he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
   and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Equip: Tuesday/Vision 2025

Vision 2025: In 1999, Wycliffe committed to the mission of seeing a Bible translation program started in every language still needing one by the year 2025.


Do you remember the first time you read God's word? Millions of people around the world can't answer that question, because they don't have the Bible in their language.  God speaks best to people in their "heart language." But there's hope.  Through the work of Bible translation, God is touching the marginalized people of the world with His message of love in the language and form they understand best.

---

AFRICA

Number of known living languages: 2,108

Languages with no translated Scripture: 805

Number of active language programs in place with Wycliffe involvement: 458

There is much more work to be done. If God's people work together though under His direction, a translation for every group that needs it can be started by the year 2025. Soon we will be looking for people to partner along side us financially as we work to bring the Bible to the Cameroonian people.  Most importantly, we need people that are willing to be prayer warriors with and for us.  Please consider how you can pray for us and for the Cameroonian people.

Equip: Monday/Spiritual Warfare

The central theme of the Bible is relationships.  Jesus didn't do life alone and He doesn't want us to either. The best way for God to get His mission accomplished is through relationships.  If someone spends years and years working on translating the Bible for a people group, but he never meets the people so they don't read it, what was his purpose.  That is why Satan attacks relationships so much.  Satan knows that if he can destroy the relationships with gossip, busyness, disagreements, discouragement, and conflict, then he can distract them from their mission.

Satan's favorite relationship to break down is your relationship with God.  If he can make you angry and discouraged with God, then he can keep you from doing what God wants you to do and make your ministry ineffective.  All Satan has to do is make you busy, so you don't time to spend with God and then put you in crisis.  Then he can take control of your mind, heart, and strength.  He just needs one major crisis to prove to you God doesn't care or that He doesn't exist or that the work you doing doesn't matter, or whatever other lies he wants to fill your mind with.  I can tell you that's this is the truth.  For the last three months, I have been in a spiritual battle.  I think Satan knows that Steve and I about to step out in faith and join the mission field and he wants to stop us.  I know it's been a battle and it's one that I am determined to win.  Satan is trying to take me out. He wants to make me feel alone and unworthy of His love, so my ministry will be ineffective and, to be honest, if Steve wasn't my rock he might have succeeded in doing that.  I'm still in the battle. I don't believe that I at a place where I can say that I'm done with it.  I am learning some things about the character of God that I knew before, but didn't fully understand.  I need to keep my defenses up.  God's goal is to give us love, hope, and faith.  Satan's goal is destroy those.

If Satan can't destroy your relationship with God, he will go after your family or your friends.  He needs to break down the relationships around you, so you will less effective.  He will make you busy with work, even God's work, so you neglect your family.  The ideal order of priorities is God - Spouse - Family - Work - Friends.  Satan's goal is mix that priority list up.  If he destroys your family, he destroys your ministry potential.

We are in a spiritual battle.  It is not something that we can ignore.  Spiritual warfare is not just casting out demons.  Every thought, deed, and attitude occurs in a spiritual battle field. Even as we struggle with trials and temptations by the enemy, we must keep in mind that God is simultaneously working in these same struggles to transform us into a person more like Christ.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

God doesn't cause bad things to happen.  But He will use them for His glory.

Orlando!

Everything went so smoothly today.  All our flights took off and landed on time. I felt so at peace and not anxious today. It was almost like angels were directing us. I even found a penny while boarding the Orlando flight.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers.

I Found a Penny Today

I Found a Penny Today

I found a penny today
Just laying on the ground,
But it's not just a penny
This little coin I've found.

Found pennies come from heaven
That's what my Grandpa told me,
He said Angels toss them down
Oh, how I loved that story.

He said when an Angel misses you
They toss a penny down,
Sometimes just to cheer you up
To make a smile out of your frown.

So don't pass by that penny
When you're feeling blue,
It may be a penny from heaven
That an Angel's tossed to you.

Easter Weekend

I think Easter is my favorite holiday.  Easter is about celebrating the resurrection of Christ.  Without the resurrection, we have no Christianity.  If the story ended on Good Friday with Jesus on the cross, then Jesus was just a great teacher.  But the story didn't end there. 
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)

 Steve and I both had to work on Saturday, but after work we had dinner with some friends.  It was nice to leave the house and spend time with people outside of work.  Overall, it was a good Saturday.  Sunday, we got up for church like we always do.  There is always something special for me about Easter Sunday at church.  After church, we ate some lunch and cleaned the house to get it ready for our visitors.  Then we went over to my parent's for some Easter dinner.  I really do have the greatest family on the planet.

Monday was my dad's birthday, so after work we met for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings and went bowling.  It's probably years since I've been bowling.  I scored 93.  I was nice to get out of the house again.  Third time since I've left the house for something other than work or grocery shopping in week or maybe months.  I'm looking forward to a hopefully relaxing and healing vacation next week. Overall, it was a great weekend.

I Need a Change

I woke up yesterday morning with something I haven't had much of in the last few months; hope. I woke up feeling rested and feeling ok.  I almost felt weird.  I am been exhausted for so long.  I got up, went to church and work, then came home and had a somewhat productive evening.  I worked on some online class work and did some dishes.  I even made dinner for Steve when he got home from work.  Last night was probably the first time I actually cooked a whole meal for dinner in months.  I know that sounds weird but with our busy schedules and not being home much for dinner together and the stresses of life, I just did not feel up for cooking or eating actually.  Then we even went out to see some friends watch WWE with them.  I haven't left the house except for work or grocery shopping in quite awhile.  I never would have guess wrestling would the first thing, but these are great friends.  I felt like the fog that's been weighing me down was lifted off.

I don't think this means that I still won't have my "bad days".  This doesn't mean that I understand God's plan now.  I decided that I need to make some changes though.  I decided that it's time that I really make the commitment to get healthier, not just physically but spiritually too.  I'm going to make a real effort to exercise on a regular basis, eat healthier, and drink more water.  I need to get into the word and pray more, so I don't give the Devil a chance to take me down again.  Will getting healthier change the results next time? I don't know but something happening once is a statistical change, but twice is a pattern.  Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the definition of insanity and right now I'm on the precipice of insane.  

I owe it to those I love to become better.  I'm ready to see what God has in store for the future.

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1

This is what I know

I know: God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

I know: God has a plan for each of us. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

I know: God knew each one of us and had a plan for us being we were even born. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. " Psalm 139:13-14

This is what I know, but sometimes I just don't understand.  I am holding on these promises because I don't have anything left.

He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Philippians 4:19

God Did Not Give Us a Spirit of Fear

We have pretty nerve racking things in store for in the next coming months and years.  This year so far has been filled with so many ups and downs.  I have been able to hold it together pretty good think considering everything that has gone on.  I'm looking forward to new adventures that we have in store, but I'm fighting the urge to get very nervous.  I know that no matter what happens that God's strength will get us through it.


For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

Palm Treo 700p for Sale

I have a Palm Treo 700p for sale.

It includes a wall and car charger, a leather case, and USB cord for syncing, and software.

I want $75 for all of it.

If interested, please email me at bethelgal42@  yahoo.com.

60 days into 2012

So, we are now 60 days into 2012. This year so far has been quite a whirlwind of emotional ups and downs.

Habakkuk 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Strong Enough by Matthew West

You must
You must think I'm strong
To give me what I'm going through
Well, forgive me
Forgive me if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not strong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough, strong enough
For both of us

Well maybe
Maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up
Cause when I'm finally
Finally at rock bottom
That's when I start looking up
And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not strong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough, strong enough

Cause I'm broken down to nothing
But I'm still holding on to one thing
You are God and you are strong when
I am weak

I can do all things through Christ who
Gives me strength
And i don't have to be strong enough (2x)

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not strong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough, strong enough
(fade to end)
[- From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/matthew-west-lyrics/strong-enough-lyrics.html -]

Cameroon, Africa

 

We will be where the black STAR is!

We are Officially Wycliffe Members

Cameroon Link:

We are officially Wycliffe members. It was a really long application process, but we are finally accepted. The country of Cameroon has invited us to serve with them. We will be living in the capital city of Younde. "Cameroon enjoys relatively high political and social stability. It also has a more prosperous economy than most of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, exporting raw materials such as oil and timber, as well as abundant agricultural products including coffee, cotton and cocoa."

"The tropical coastal areas of Cameroon receive copious amounts of rain, in some years the rain has exceeded 30 feet. In the northern areas, yearly precipitation amounts are much lower, averaging near 30 inches. Drought is a way of life in the far north.

Daily highs in the mid-80's are commonplace, and overall, mean temperatures average in the high 70's; slightly warmer in the south, and a bit cooler in the western mountains."

Some Fun Facts about Cameroon
* Population: 18,897,957
* Capital City: Yaoundé (1.4 million)
* Largest Cities: Douala, Yaoundé, Garoua, Kousséri
* Currency: CFA Franc
* Languages: French (official), English (official), and other African dialects
* National Day: 20 May, Republic Day
* Religions: Christian, Muslim, traditional beliefs

Monsters Inc: Fighting the Monsters Within You

I have learned that when bad things happen to you, you have two choices. You can become bitter and angry at God and the world or you can become better and stronger. I choose to become better. There are monsters all around us that want to steal our joy: impatience, hurt, anger, envy, bitterness, greed, loneliness, guilt, etc. The trick is to call them out and find ways to combat them. I find that worship music, the old hymns, really helps me.

You have to tell the voices in your head, that seem so loud, to be quiet.  I wish it wasn't so hard. I find myself failing a lot. I have found that if you are not careful that impatience can turn into anger, angry can turn into bitterness, and bitterness turns into envy. Envy is a horrible emotion. Envy not only steals your joy, but it robs you of feeling joy for someone else.  Guilt speaks loudly in your ear when you are alone.  What did I do wrong?  You go through every moment in your mind and wonder what you could have done differently.  The Devil would love it if I gave in and let him win.  He would love it if I got anger at God and walked away from His love.

I have chosen to lean in to what God is teaching me. If we don't learn something during life's trials, then the situation was wasted. It had no purpose. What is God trying to teach me? I don't know that yet. Even when I feel alone and just want to scream, God is there. While I try and find an explanation, God is there telling me He has it under control. Have I hit the acceptance stage? Hardly. Do I feel better today than I did yesterday? Yes, so far.

I am choosing to become better. I am choosing to move forward and not live in the past.  I am choosing not to let the monsters steal my joy for one more day.

2 Cor. 12:9-10: My Grace is Sufficient For You

2 Cor. 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Philippians 3:12-14
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,d but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Do I truly believe this? I am made stronger in weakness.  Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It sounds good and I want it to be true.  But do I really believe it? I am looking forward to God's plan for us this year.  The best is yet to come.
Psalm 40:5

Isaiah 40:31: They will walk and not become weary

* Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31

CONTENT; CONTENTMENT
kon-tent', kon-tent'-ment (ya`al; arkeo): To be free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one's own. The Hebrew means simply "to be pleased." The Greek brings out the full force of the word in 1 Timothy 6:8 Hebrews 13:5. Contentment (1 Timothy 6:6) is more inward than satisfaction; the former is a habit or permanent state of mind, the latter has to do with some particular occurrence or object.

* But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

* I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

You're Still God by Kathy Troccoli

You're Still God by Kathy Troccoli

Jesus,I love you
And I believe all that you've said.
I know your promises,they are true
Beyond my questions
And times when I just don't understand
Help me remember Lord
The answer's in your hands
So I sit at your feet and I listen
For your ways are much higher then mine

Do what you want to do,I give my all to you
Whatever you ask of me
Lord fill me with your grace.
Do what you got to do,I surrender my life to you.
I'm never whitout a prayer.
You're hope inside my heart.
I know you're still God

Jesus,I need you
I have been wandering in the dark.
Whenever I call your name
There you are
You have been faithful
Even when I have I have turned away.
I've seen your mercy
Always light my way.
So I sit at your feet and I listen
For your ways are much higher then mine.

Every storm you lead me trough
I will put my trust in you
Give me grace to carry on

The Snow is Coming...Maybe

Thursday Forecast: "Cloudy with snow showers early and steady snow likely later in the day. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected."

According to weather.com, we are under a Winter Storm Watch from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning.  The article claims that this might be the biggest winter storm of the season.  The worst of the lake effect snow is supposed to come Thursday night.  So we will just have to hunker down and wait to see how bad it.  The local forecast is only calling for 1-3 inches of snow.  We shall see who is right.

Year In Review: 2011

Goals for 2011

I can't believe that 2011 is over already. I can't wait to see what adventures God has in store for us this year. I suspect that our lives will change a lot this year with starting Wycliffe training, getting our house ready to sell, and preparing to maybe move down to Texas. There is so much up in the air when it comes to a time line. I'm trusting that God has it all in control.

We actually paid off about off more debt than we did last year, so we did make our financial goal. I didn't think that we would with all the pay cuts. We have leave the credit up to God, because we did not do it on our own. God has really provided for us this year. I could not be happier with the way things are right now.

The year started out with us remodeling our bathroom. It looks really nice. Steve did a really nice job. We replaced the last two windows in the house this year too. That was basically all the major work we did on the house this year. In February, it got a little stressful in our house when I lost my job at the mall Sears. We scrambled to adjust our budget while I looked for another part time job. God provided me with another job at the new Sears Hometown Store the next week. Then Steve transfered down from the Electronics Department to the Hardware Department. That was a huge blessing, because Hardware does quite a bit more business than Electronics. So when the YWCA cut his hours back again this summer it was easy for him to work for hours at Sears and make up the loss in income. In the Spring, we took a trip to Tulsa to visit my best friend and her family. It was an eventful trip. I was happy with my Lizzy and her parents though. That part was a good part of the trip.

Steve and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary. I'm looking forward to another 80 more. Before we even got married, I knew that he wanted to work with Wycliffe and do Bible translation. This June, we got to the point financially where we could start the application process. I didn't realize how long of an application process it was going to be. In November, we were finally accepted as members and now the process continues. We have to find a place to serve and wait for that country to send us an invitation. We have been in talks with both Chad and Cameroon in Africa.

My sis and I turned 30 this year. I'm looking forward to what the next decade has in store. We had another baby boom in our family this year. Two of my cousins had kids this summer. For my cousin Joe and his wife, it was there first son. Little Chris is an absolute cutie. My cousin Pete, his wife Gina, and their son, Isaac welcomed a little brother named Eric. He is a cutie too. So far, I have three little "second cousins" and they are all boys. Our family needs some little girls. Steve's family grew too. His mom decided to adopt a baby this year to help out one of her students. Her name is Julienne and she is precious. I know it might sound crazy, but I think that little girl is going to be blessed. God pulled her out of a life of generational poverty and put her into a huge loving family. God has a special plan for her.

We were blessed beyond belief this year. I am so thankful for the amazing friends and family that we have. I'm so looking forward to great adventures 2012 will have in store for us.