Sunday's Tow Truck

Pow! "What was that?" Craig said. "I guess there was something in the road that I didn't see."

This Sunday was a typical preaching out weekend for us. We were only 1 hour away in Lewisville with Pastor and Sister Sales. Generally, by the time the last Amen is said on a Sunday night, I am ready to head for my bed. Yesterday was no exception, and as is normally the case, I was the 'mean ol mom' that said "no" to going out to eat with the pastor after church.

We had only been on the road for 5 minutes when we heard the loud "Pow!" We continued to exit the highway in search of a Taco Bell drive thru (they were 'starving to death' you know.) As we came off the exit ramp, the car began acting really strangely. The lightbulb came on in Craig's head and he said, "Oh, I know what it is, we blew a tire!" We pulled into the first parking lot we could find, got out, and sure enough, there it was--flat as a pancake!

Not to worry, though, we had a spare tire in the trunk and two strong, capable men to change it. (The directions folded up in the case of the jack didn't hurt anything either.) We girls just stood back and watched the men do their manly work. It all would have worked out great...if the spare had air in it. Ahm...

Not to worry, though, we have kept up our roadside assistance insurance since our trailer traveling days, and now we were going to get a return on that investment. (There went my goal of being in my own bed by 10:15.) Craig made the phone call, and then came back and told us that it could take up to 45 minutes for the tow truck to arrive. I took the pins out of my hair, shed my shoes, and curled up for a nap. I was jarred awake by the door slamming, and the bright emergency lights of the tow truck. We all got out of the car, and I plopped down on the sidewalk in my Sunday Best as we all watched the 20 minute drama of hoisting my dream car onto the bed of the tow truck. Craig's plan was to go to a nearby gas station and fill the tire with air, and then be on our way home. This was not to be. Apparently, one must fill the tire with air BEFORE putting it on the car.

NOW WHAT TO DO??? All 6 of us piled into the cab of the tow truck and bounced 50 minutes home. (Sorry Craig about your legs.)

Sunday

Wow! What a full day this was! Today was Tessa's baby dedication, and all went well without a hitch. It was beautiful.



Dawn and Doyle Kennedy came to visit our church--we hadn't seen them in a very long time, and it was quite a treat. After church, we went to Souper Salad, our favorite place to meet them, and caught up on the happenings in their lives.




The day ended with the best. This morning, Rachel, one of our Deaf young people prayed sincerely for the first time. She spent the afternoon with us, and on the way to church let us know that she couldn't wait for church to be over so she could go to the front and receive the Holy Ghost. She was fully expecting it to happen. And...God didn't disapoint her. God rewarded her by washing over her with his spirit, and before long, she was speaking in tongues. It truly was a beautiful transformation to watch.

Girls of Grace

Bethani and her friend Melissa



There is a precious woman at our church who has a deep love for the young girls in our church. Cheryl Vaughn has made it her ministry to mentor train and teach our 10-12 year old girls how to gracefully transition from that awkward stage we call adolescence to godly young ladies. This past weekend she and her staff pulled together an incredible sleepover conference at our church. They went all out decorating and making this a very special time for everyone involved. There were various booths set up to teach the girls on coordinating and stretching their wardrobe, hair care, preserving character, crafts, and even dress up clothes (hence the picture.) From what I am told, there was pizza, and snacks and fun well into the night, and then more food at 8:00 in the morning before devotions. There was a very special speaker who ministered to them on their level.

I am so thankful for a church body that cares enough about this upcoming generation to invest their time, energy and resources. Thank you so much to all who helped to make this possible, and thank you Sis. Vaughn for loving our girls.

Nothing More Precious

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

III John 1:4

The Drunk Church

These men are not drunk as ye suppose seeing it is the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.
Acts 2:15-16

Craig preached an awesome message recently about the church becoming intoxicated on the new wine, the Holy Ghost of "Joel's Bar." He used some thought-provoking parallels:

A drunk man never gets enough.
(The more Holy Ghost you get, the more you want.)

A drunk man is not choosy
(A drunk Christian doesn't care who is preaching, or what song they are singing)

A drunk man doesn't care what people think of him--many times he acts foolishly.
(A drunk Christian worships unihibited not caring what people think.)

A drunk man doesn't feel pain.
(When I am full of the Holy Ghost, you can't hurt my feelings.)

Oh that I would be so full of God's Spirit that I could say with Paul, "None of these things move me."

Home Missions

This weekend our family headed 3 hours south to Temple, Texas (just south of Waco) to minister in two home missions churches. It was a very humbling experience. I was once again reminded of who the real heroes are among us.


Saturday night and Sunday afternoon we were at Abundant Life Church with Bro. & Sis. Carter. They started this church just 3 years ago, and already have a building and about 20 people.

Sunday morning we drove north about 20 minutes to be with Bro. & Sis. Wolfe. Because of sickness in their church, there were only 8 people besides our family. After church the Wolfe's invited us to their mobile home for dinner before driving south again to the Carter's church.

I was so thankful to have our kids with us. Saturday night Bethani boldly stood and testified (something you don't hear of much anymore--especially in a large church setting.) Tiffani and Jeremi joined me and we sang a trio. (We teased Jeremi that this was his debut). My kids so generously 'shared' their 'sick germs' (as one of them used to call it when they were little) and after the first night, I was unable to sing at all. Tiffani stepped up to the plate and sang while I played on Sunday. Both churches were without music, and we did our best to help with the worship services. It was such good experience for my kids. Jeremi even got to play the drums! Craig delivered his heart to the people, and built their faith. They said that we encouraged them, but the truth of the matter is, we were the benefactors. We left humbled and inspired.

Both of these couples have young children, and are working secular jobs and working in their communities in order to cultivate the church God has called them to plant. They are spending the prime years of their lives sacrificing to build the Kingdom of God. Wow! These are the unsung heroes and my hat is off to them.

By the end of Sunday afternoon's service, we realized that, if we would hurry, we might be able to make it for the last part of our home church service in Dallas. The message last night was powerful and called each one of us to do trust God and step out in bold acts of sacrifice. I do believe God is trying to speak to me.

Oklahoma

Last Saturday Craig and I took the two youngest 'fruit' to Oklahoma City. (Tiffani had a solo in the adult choir and wanted to stay here with Jason and Amanda) We went to minister to a couple of dear friends, Bro. and Sis. Kevin and Desise Borders. For the past 9 years, they have been growing a solid UPC church in Norman. Here is a picture of Denise and her daughter in love, Amanda.


Denise has won the cancer battle, and we are so thrilled about it.

We first met Kevin and Denise back when we were both evangelizing and living in tin cans. (Most people refer to these as RVs.) We evangelized just 9 years, but they stayed on the field 15!! Wow, my hat is off to them.

Our weekend was short, but fun. After we arrived, the temperature dropped, and it started sleeting. How nice it was to wake up in the warm evangelist quarters, hear the sleet pounding on the outside windows, get dressed, and walk downstairs into the sanctuary. I really felt bad for all of those who had to get out in the weather.

After church, however, we did have trouble getting the frozen car door open to drive to the restaurant. The kids had fun rolling down the window and punching the ice out. We all laughed and laughed when Craig would come to an intersection and have to open the door and look out before making a turn. Who would have thought to bring an ice scrater. (We don't get much of this kind of weather anymore now that we are in Texas, and we had fun with it.) Pastor Borders had to cancel church Sunday night because more freezing rain was coming in, and so we took the opportunity to get out while we could. (I did briefly entertain the thought of spending the night hoping to get iced in. The evangelist quarters were so comfortable; not even one window in our room allowing us to sleep until...)

XMTX

Extreme Mountain Top Experience

Brought to you by SALT:

My teens are involved with SALT: Student Action Leadership Team. It is a group that trains teens to minister. SALT has challeneged my kids to rise to the occasion and take ownership of their generation. It has motivated them to pray, fast, and focus on ministry.

For the past 2 months, we have been driving our kids back and forth to SALT practice in preparation for a huge production. Last week was the event. The SALT team put on an outstanding program for kids called Extreme Mountaintop Experience. Tiffani together with Tiffany were clowns trying to make it to the top of the mountain. Jeremi, playing the devil's advocate, convinced them that they needed alcohol, dirty magazines and videos in order to make it to the top. They soon realized that their load was too heavy, and they needed to get rid of the worldly 'stuff.'

I am proud of my kids. I know that God has a calling on their lives, and if they continue climbing, and never give in to satan's deception, they will make it all the way to the top.

UPCI Annual Deaf Conference

What a great week this has been! The Annual Deaf Conference for the UPCI met right here in our backyard this year, and we took advantage of it! It started out with a picnic in the park. Natalie, Amanda and I went and met so many wonderful people.


Luther and Gail are some of the most precious people I think I have ever met in my life! Everyone enjoyed Luther's funny antics.




Monday night started the conference, and we took a van load of people from our church. It was beautiful to see Dawn beaming in church, surrounded by old friends and a host of capable interpreters. The service was in her language, and I enjoyed watching how much she enjoyed it.



The Deaf Mass Choir sang Wednesday night, and brought the house down! What an awesome presence of God came in when Deaf saints of God from all over this country came together to lift up His name! It was an honor to have Bro. Haney as the night speaker on Wednesday.

It was, for me, a brand new experience, one I will never forget. I have truly fallen in love with this language and culture.


Tuesday through Thursday were day classes, and Tiffani, Amanda and I soaked up as much information as we could. We were challenged, motivated and inspired. The Holy Ghost really moved on us in Thursday's class, and we bought the DVD.




These are the people that received the Holy Ghost Friday morning (most of them deaf). Faith was so high in the sanctuary! I think the total count for the week was 9 people!

The girl in the front center is the daughter of one of the Deaf leaders. They have prayed for their wayward daughter for a long time, and God has heard their prayers. Praise God!




My faithful mother flew in with Grandma to stay with Jeremi and Bethani while Tiffani and I spent the days away. Morgan, my only niece, was here with them, and they enjoyed each other's company.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of all of this. I feel God doing a work through me. I want to do my part to educate myself in order to have the ability to work for Him with excellence.

VBS

This week has been VBS at our church. Bethani was the only child young enough to register, but the SALT (Student Action Leadership Training) team worked with the adults to make it a smashing success. There were about 120 children registered, and I believe 10 children received the Holy Ghost. In our family, however, the most exciting thing was how SALT transformed my teens. They were forced to rise to the occasion, and rise they did!

The second day into VBS, after the children went home, the SALT team had practice from 3:30-5:00. Jeremi called me around 4:30 and said that they had started with prayer before practicing, and they were still praying!! They hadn't yet gotten around to practice. He was so fired up about how God was moving and ministering to him and his peers. When they got home, Tiffani was bubbling over with how God had used the Gifts of the Spirit to speak a specific word to them, and it was the teens who were operating in the Gifts!


The week continued in this same way everyday this week. God used Tiffani in the Gifts of the Spirit. I encouraged her not to seek after the Gift of the Spirit, but to seek after the Fruit of the Spirit, and the Gifts will naturally follow. It is awesome to see their enthusiasm and love for the Lord.

Sunday night, the entire youth group rallied around one another, and it was a beautiful thing to watch them pray and support each other. For a while, they set aside their differences, and worked together for a common goal. They asked Jeremi to stand and tell what he felt about the week. He talked about unity and working together to achieve a common goal. I saw the man he is becoming, envisioned the minister he will be, and I felt so proud of him.


Raising Godly fruit can be a long and tedious process. It seems that the fruit will never grow, and then when it does, it seems it will never ripen. I have to confess that there have been many occasions recently where I have wondered if any of what I have been trying to teach is actually getting through to my children. It has at times truly felt FRUITLESS! However, it is the times like this week that I am so thankful that I have not given up. "For in due season, we SHALL reap if we faint not." Thank you Jesus for giving us a hopeful peek into our children's future.

The Altar Call

I would venture to say that there are few things that grab at a mother's heart than to see two of her offspring genuinely loving and helping each other in need.

This picture was taken last Sunday at our church. We were having a great service when one of the young people went up to the front to pray with her brother. Then two sisters walked forward hand in hand to pray with each other. The next thing we knew, the altar was filled with young people praying for each other. I motioned to Tiffani that Jeremi was praying, and immediately she came to pray with him. Within a few minutes, both of them were crying and pouring their heart out to God. Sis. Kathy, the principal of the Christian school came down, took Jeremi's hand, and led him and Tiffani to the front of the church--right in front of the pulpit. He continued praying fervently, speaking fluently in that Heavenly language for a very long time. When Bethani spied what was going on, she made a beeline for her siblings, and joined in the combined effort. Together, they were a picture of unity. Bro. Murell said to Craig and I (who were standing a comfortable distance nearby) "You must be one proud daddy!"

Now, before you get any lofty 'Little House on the Prairie' ideas, let me assure you that they are normal siblings, complete with rivalry. That particular day had been an especially rough one around our house. It can be rough getting through adolescence. When I told one of my friends that Jeremi was definitely 12, she responded, "And he is good at it?" Well said.

Wow, God knows just when to show up. This was exactly what our home needed, and I thank God for stepping in and helping us along the way. Things have been better since then. I know there are more rough roads ahead, but the same God who has seen us through to this point will be the same God who sees us all the way to the end. I know that God has a very special plan for Jeremi. His sweet, sensitive personality just lends itself to ministry. I can't wait to see what God molds him to be.