I'm hungry, Lord. Feed me.
I need prayer. I need some good teaching.

This weekend God reminded me that the best way to get fed...is to feed someone else. Feeling lonely? Find someone lonelier than you and befriend them. Then neither of you will be lonely. Need some good Bible teaching? Volunteer to teach somewhere, and you'll get some good teaching. Need prayer? Pray for someone.

God's economy is totally upside down. The best way to get is to give.

So tonight I'll be getting to know the third grade girls...praying for them, reading the Bible with them, laughing with them, crying with them...being a teacher and a learner all at once.

Thanks, Lord, that your economy is totally different from the worlds. Equip me to both teach and learn, to minister to and be ministered to. Thanks for this opportunity, and may the investment have eternal returns.

Word Filled Wednesday--Provision

And to this day it is said,
"On the mountain of the LORD
it will be provided."
Genesis 22:14b



This is the view out my window right now. What a testament to God providing!

God provided a great husband who encouraged me to go.
God provided an obvious childcare provider for Hope so she can be with me.
God provided funding through a travel grant.
God provided a friend to drive me to the airport.
God provided me not only a pack and play, but also a ride to and from the airport!
(And now I'm trusting him to provide a ride home from the airport.)

Thanks, God, Jehovah Jireh, when you make your provision for me obvious. Thanks for the opportunity to be here and marvel at the wonders of Your hand and participate in this meeting. Help me trust that you do provide, even when it's not as obvious.

Word filled Wed--Scattered

Dandelion seeds are scattered to spread, well, dandelions.

Sometimes I think God scatters the church to do the same. Though I'm sure it was traumatic to the early Christians who were scattered at the beginning of Acts 8, it served an important purpose in spreading God's word in the "beyond".

I've recently met with some of the people who have been scattered from the donut church. While it's no fun to be scattered, God definitely had a purpose. One is being used in amazing ways with youth, and growing leaps and bounds. Another has had opportunities to lead in ways that would have never been possible at the donut church--too much history followed them there. And another has a much greater appreciation of other church leadership styles. They learned important things, were healed of baggage, and grew at the donut church, but they had to be scattered to really take root.

These meetings are bittersweet. While I'm happy for those who are planted and growing, I also have a twinge of "why not us?" Someday...

Crying

Babies might not be able to talk, but they definitely can communicate. Hope has several different cries. There is the "I'm so tired, I just want to go to bed" cry, which is distinct from the "I'm hungry" cry and the "I need to be changed" cry. She's recently added a strange, inhaling cry which means "I see something I want but can't get it" and the "where did you go?" cries.

We think we grow out of that, but I don't. I read Psalm 77 earlier, as I was pondering ths. I cry out to God for the same reasons Hope does--I'm hungry, God. I'm dirty, I need you to clean me and change my heart. I can see your kingdom but can't reach it. I can't see you right now--show yourself to me.

Maybe that makes me a baby Christian. Or maybe it just makes me human. But either way, the psalmist gives some good suggestions when I'm crying out to God. I can remember all the good things God has done in the past. I can testify to his past provision and His mighty arm. I can trust that His love and compassion unfailing.

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint.

You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Lord, change me. Feed me through your word. Show me Your face. I thank you for all the ways you have provided for us, and for teaching us through our children.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:11-13

Word filled Wednesday--harvest

"He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2






Bring spiritual fruit into our children's lives, Lord. Raise them up to be harvesters of souls, not just strawberries, even now.

Word Filled Wednesday

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105


Henry got a Bible of his own on Sunday. Tonight I asked Henry to find a book to read...and he picked his Bible. He really wanted to read Ephesians, chapter 4 (this is the exact passage he read). I'm pretty sure he picked the passage from a Bibleman reference, but it is soooo cool to see God working in your child's life!

Lord, thank you for working in Henry's heart and giving him the desire to read your Word for himself. Thanks that you promise that it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Help us to nurture that, and thanks for letting us see it.

See more Word Filled Wednesdays HERE!