Walk On With Me

When I came to know Christ as my Savior I could not wait to go and tell people of the great joy and peace that Christ had given me in that wonderful new birth that had happened in my life.  I was consumed with a passion to share the great news of the “Gospel” that was now a reality for me.  The message was not about anything other than the transforming power of having the Holy Spirit live in me.  Thirty nine years have come and gone since that day in October of 1971. Each new episode in my life where I experience Christ proving to be all sufficient brings a new testimony that I have to share of His wonderful faithfulness and his gentle, loving-kindness, mercy and grace.  At 15 I lost my oldest brother in a car accident and the pain was so difficult, but God was there with me in the tears and the heartache. I was just barely 2 years into my new life with Christ and He was assuring me that He would never leave me and He was giving me comfort as I grieved the loss of a part of my flesh and blood, part of my family.  Indescribable is the only thing that comes to mind when I think of how He was able to bring soothing words of comfort to mind and joy in remembering times with Ricky that were so special.  God showed me that He had orchestrated the timing of Ricky’s visit home the weekend just before he was killed and this left me with a precious memory of fellowship with my brother that allowed us to say “I love you” to each other one last time.  I was so thankful to God for that.  Ricky was a sophomore in college at the University of Arkansas and we lived in El Dorado, Arkansas and we had spent very little time together in the year and a half prior to his death.  God knew.  He is so tender and kind.  At 42 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and again the orchestrating of placement of people at my side and perfect timing of events that worked to bless me and encourage me were so clearly ordered by my Heavenly Father.  I can tell you in all truthfulness that the peace in my heart, as I faced this time of uncertain future was complete and so precious.  My soul was at rest knowing that I may suffer and even my family may suffer as we walk through this time but God will work all things for our good.  My final home is with Him and I can face anything with Him.  He gave me so many opportunities to share that testimony as I went through the process of surgery, treatment and recovery.  I had been working as a nurse at the very hospital I was admitted to on the Oncology floor and I returned to that job in just a few short weeks with a new understanding of what my patients were truly going through.  God knew.  He is so tender and kind.  There have been countless other events in these 39 years as a Christian that I have had grace, mercy and love abound when I have been obedient to Him and asked for His promises and trusted completely in His provision and power.

I wish I could tell you that I have been as strong in my faith throughout all the events of my life but the truth is it is the small things that reveal my lack of faith and my frailty.  The Goliath’s in my life have been challenging but I have had victory in them because I look at their enormous size and I know that I cannot do this alone so I cry out “Abba Father, stand in front of me and save me.”  Then I walk safely through the huge battle and overcome by His strength.  I wish I could answer the question of why I try to walk the everyday rugged road without asking my powerful Father to be my strength in ALL the things that I will face.   He is teaching me and shaping me into a newer creation every day.  Thank the Lord for his grace.  He is patient and slow to anger.  Pray that I will live what I believe in a more consistent way.  Pray that I will stand on my belief and walk in the truth of God’s Word.  I believe that the provision for Esther’s House and the many projects that are there to be funded do not depend on my American Board or the well-wishers across the globe that will be signing up to sponsor a child or a missionary or a project.  God is the ultimate provider of everything that is needed here.  Psalm 146 tells us in verses 3-10”Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-the Lord, who remains faithful forever.  He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.  The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.  The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.  The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  Praise the Lord.” So I must stop letting the idea that I have to supply the needs for Esther’s House be what is controlling my mind and making me grow weary.  If I believe God provides, then my faith should be what is on my mind and then my strength will be renewed daily.  Now you know how you can pray for me as I have been honest about my weakness.  God is teaching me that His call on my life is to face every day as though I am facing Goliath and let Him handle the battles every step of every day and then I will go through the trials with a joyful spirit that will serve as a testimony to His Great Name. The road ahead continues to be uphill and steep so I need prayer for strength and prayer that I will obey God’s Word in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Jesus said, in Matthew 9:37-38,” The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.”  Jesus knew that what the disciples needed to do was PRAY for the workers.  With prayer comes power and with power comes victories.  So pray with me, for the Lord to call out supporters to help with His harvest here in Malawi.  There is a need for people to come and work and a need for people to sacrifice and give.  The God of the harvest is sufficient to meet the needs.  I want to share a few of pictures of what we are doing here and how Malawians live.  These people are often times trusting in witchcraft and idols to deliver them from their condition.  They need the God of the harvest to deliver them.  Lord, use me to point to You.

 

We parked in a pass between the mountaintops and climbed up to the top to reach the village of a woman we heard about.  We went to see her because we had been made aware of her great need.  She is raising her deceased sister’s two sons as well as her two children on her own.  She was afraid of us and ran away when we arrived.  When her fellow villagers coaxed her out of the thicket to come and hear from us she came and said she did not want our help.

                                                               

The woman, 4 young children and several goats live in this thatch hut.  She has been in need of  the Lords deliverance from false beliefs about herself and her worth.   She remained on my heart all night and as I prayed this morning I asked God what to do.  He led me to return to her village and just tell her about Him and His love for her.  We went back and many of the village leaders and adults joined us.  There were nearly twenty people present as I shared with her about Christ’s love and God’s provision for her salvation. In the end 13 people prayed to receive Christ including the woman we went to see, the village headman and 11 other adults.

Please be praying for them as they will need discipling.  I will be looking for someone in their area who is able to teach Bible lessons for them.  Several of them walked us back to our car and thanked us over and over again for bringing this “good message” to their village.  Praise God for His deliverance.

 

Malawians work very hard plowing their fields by hand and cooking meals in outdoor kitchens over a wood fire.  As we assist these orphans we can provide a good education and help them be trained for good jobs.  Then they can help their families improve the living standard.  

 

These are the faces of the future of Malawi.  They are so full of joy and promise.  God has called us to make a difference by taking the gospel to the unreached through sacrifice and obedience.  Maybe He is speaking to you about this people group.  Who are you reaching with the truth of God’s word and the testimony of what He has done in your life?  If you haven’t found a place to get involved, consider getting involved in Esther’s House Ministries.  Go to www.puremission.org and find out all about the projects, the children, the missionaries involved in short term and long term work here.  Partner with Esther’s House by praying for the needs and if God leads helping with support.  The Lord asks for us to all sacrifice for His sake and that doesn’t mean giving from where we have spare funds or resources.  That mean sacrificing from the resources that we have in a manner that says we trust Him to provide in the absence of that resource we are giving away.  We trust that He will supply the needs we have even though by man’s economy it does not add up.  There is great joy and reward in giving out of a thankful heart for all that God has done for you.  You will never find yourself standing in God’s presence with Him telling you you should have kept more for yourself.  Yes, I borrowed that one from one of my modern day spiritual leaders but it is so true and it speaks loudly.  I thank you for your prayers and for your interest in Esther’s House.