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Jan 302010

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. I Peter 3:8-9

Dear Abba Father,

In this season where we celebrate romantic love, fill me with the true, supernatural relentless love of your heart. Forgive me when I do the right things with the wrong attitude. Give me sympathy for those I don’t understand. Help me to live in harmony with others. Fill me with your compassion, your humble heart to serve and give. Father, there are people around me who insult me and put me down. Strengthen me to forgive and bless so that I can inherit the blessings you have for me. I need fellowship with Your Spirit so that I can overflow with the fruit of the Spirit that I may nourish those around me. Remove anything between You and I and keep my heart tender before you. I love you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Journey of Transformation, Part 8

Jesus Answers, Life Happens, Life Happens Jesus Answers, Real life stories, Testimonies

Jan 282010

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Unexpected Loss

After my first ob/gyn visit I went home still unsure what to think. The 10.5 week old fetus seemed normal but it had developed only to 9.5 weeks and the doctor’s incongruent words, tone, and body language suggested there could be a problem. With that I trusted God with the pregnancy knowing His will would be accomplished.

During the next week I continued studying my Merck Manual to read about risk factors and possible symptoms to watch for. The days progressed without incident until Friday, April 20, 2001, when as a precaution I called the doctor’s office to inquire about the light spotting I noticed.

The nurse on the other end of the line encouraged me to get checked even though the symptoms were insignificant. So I ended up at the doctor’s office at 9:30 a.m. I patiently sat in the waiting room eating an egg and a banana not expecting bad news. According to the Merck Manual my symptoms seemed harmless.

A nurse came to take my vital signs and weight. I had lost a couple pounds but certainly wasn’t trying to, especially during pregnancy. I commented on the weight loss and the nurse said many women lose weight during the first several weeks. I latched onto her reassurance like a security blanket as she led me into an examining room and asked me to change.

In short order a female ob/gyn came in to perform a sonogram. I remember lying on the table looking at the screen oblivious to the whole process. It looked different from the sonogram the week before but I still thought everything was normal. Then the ob/gyn called someone else into the room. I don’t know who this other person was. She was wearing scrubs and didn’t look like a doctor. There was no introduction and she never looked at me. She simply looked at the screen, shook her head, turned and left the room.

Perplexed, I observed all this activity without a word from anyone. Then the doctor had me look at the screen. All I could see was a white shadow. She pointed to where the heartbeat should have been and said, “There’s no heartbeat. The fetus is no longer viable.” Denial set in. How could this be? Did the equipment malfunction? How could this sonogram picture be so strikingly different from the first one? How could this fetus go from a live, active, kicking baby to a white shadowy blob in just a few days? There had been no cramping, no bleeding, no symptoms whatsoever except for minor spotting. How could this much destruction happen without any sign at all? I thought they must have made a mistake. Questions railed against the sides of my brain but I was too stunned to ask them out loud.

Shock began to set in as I laid back down on the table. Grief gradually enshrouded me with a blanket of sorrow and the atmosphere in the room grew silent and dreary. No one said anything. The male tech shoved a couple pieces of tissue in my left hand as if to declare, “I know what’s coming!” Then he and the doctor stepped out so I could get dressed.

One would think I’d just been shot in the chest or struck with a two-by-four. I was dumbfounded. But something rumbled deep in my soul that was soon to erupt.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES …

Remember, in this new day of a new month in a new year and a new decade, God is doing a new thing, and He always has the best in mind for you no matter what your circumstances might be (Isaiah 43:18-19; Romans 8:28-30). People change and things change, but Our Lord is steadfast, faithful, and unchanging. As you walk with Him this year, rely on the truth of Scripture. Rely on His consistent love and grace. Rely on His strength and stability. But most of all rely on Him.

For those of you who are new to this column, I’m in the process of sharing my personal journey of transformation that has occurred over the last decade. You can get caught up from the beginning of the journey by accessing previous entries in Life Happens – Jesus Answers under “categories.”

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“Life Happens – Jesus Answers” is a weekly column addressing the challenges we face in life, coupled with the presence and grace of Jesus, our One True Source of hope and peace. The column’s author, Laura Firtko, can be reached by email here: LifeHappens@pwoc.org

Busy

Real life stories, Testimonies

Jan 272010

Submitted by Tracie Warren, PWOCI Assistant Curriculum Development

Life can be busy. I currently find myself in a season where busy is an understatement. There have been nights I would lie in bed mentally going through the coming day’s to-do list trying to determine which tasks could be pushed off to another day, because I knew, before the day even began, that I would not get through it all. Ever been there? It is exhausting – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Tired of being tired, I went to the One I knew could help. I cried out to God, “I’m doing many things but I’m doing none of them well. Please, show me what I need to release, what I need to lay aside.” I felt that I had surely stepped beyond God’s will for my life and had taken on things He had not called me to. Isn’t that what we so often do…assume that because things are uncomfortable or difficult we must have made a mistake somewhere? Imagine my surprise when God’s response was simply, “some seasons are busy.” Some seasons are busy? “But God, isn’t busy bad? Isn’t busy Satan’s ploy to keep us ineffective?” I felt God speak to my heart, “Sometimes, Tracie. Sometimes busy is bad, but other times, busy is exactly where I’ve placed you.” As those words fell on me, this thought came to mind – sometimes we battle busy and sometimes we are busy in battle.

God showed me that right now, He has placed me in a busy season and my problem is not in what I am doing, but in how I have been doing it. I have been trying to do my to-dos without Him. I’ve not been relying on Him and His guidance. God taught me that, as with Martha (Luke 10:41-42), there is only one thing I need to do, and that is seek Him first. When I look to Him first and foremost, He will guide me through, not only my to-do list, but every aspect of my life. When I focus on Him, He will strengthen me and lead me in accomplishing all that He has called me to do.

I have learned afresh that if we will seek God first, He will equip us for every good work. We really can do all things through Christ, and sisters, we can do them well, but only when we determine to rely on Him, to follow Him, and to allow Him to guide us and lead us and walk beside us.

Dust and Deity

Devotions

Jan 252010

I am dust. Actually, men are dust, women are rib bones. Come to think of it, bones turn to dust when exposed to extreme heat. So, it could be said that all humans are dust. After all, God did create the first man, Adam, out of dust. Then He proceeded to create the first woman, Eve, from a rib taken out of Adam’s side (Gen. 2:7, 2:21-22). It is God who put us here on earth, and without Him we would be as worthless as the dust from which we came.

I appreciate the visual image this truth creates in my mind. It fosters feelings of humility and gratitude while reminding me of my humanity and dependence upon God. I can’t help but acknowledge God’s incomprehensible majesty while recognizing my insignificance before Him.

Yet, as important as it is for us to keep this perspective, it’s equally important for us to grasp a life-changing truth we might tend to deny or forget – the astounding worth and value that God ascribes to us. Not only do we have immeasurable value in God because of who He is, but also to God because of His endless unconditional love for us.

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever (Psalm 52:8).

Each one of us was specifically, individually, uniquely created by Almighty God (Psalm 139). Think about it. Considering the fact that God created mankind from the dust of the ground, it’s remarkable that this all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful God would regard us with such high esteem. But He does. He chose to create you. He chose to love you for eternity with a love that cannot be quenched and will never change. Embrace this life-giving truth as yours and ask God to make it more real to you each day.

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me — a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42:8).

Prayer points for January 24-30

Prayer Points

Jan 222010

He has showed you, woman of God, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To do justice and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Dear God,

Forgive me for the expectations I place on myself and others. God, you only require me to do justice and love mercy and walk in humility with you. I require myself to do it all perfectly, keep all the balls in the air, to have perfect children and a perfect home and perfect baked goods for every function. I require my husband to be on time, perfectly patient, meeting every need. Father, I lay all these false expectations at your feet. Forgive me for placing these yokes on myself, a daughter of God, and my family that you have given me to cherish. Help me to guide and train my children to do acts of justice, to cry out for your mercy for themselves and the lost and hurting. Help me to respect my husband and to extend to Him the mercy I so freely receive from your hand. Grant me humility not to judge and compare myself with women around me. I surrender to You today. I have been out of step but today I choose to walk humbly in step with You. I receive your forgiveness and mercy to get back on track. I love you Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Prayer for Haiti

Prayer Points

Jan 222010

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24

God, pour out your mercies, your great love, your compassions, your faithfulness of the island of Haiti. God, we ask for your order and alignment to come into the distribution of aid. Oh, God, comfort those mourning their dead. Soothe the fears of those experiencing trauma as aftershocks continue.

We ask for your sovereign protection for the many women and children living in the streets. Lion of Judah, roar the roar of justice over the widows and orphans who are nightly confronting the lion that prowls and devours. Be with men who have lost their homes, their jobs, and their livelihood. I pray for heroes to rise and shine!

Father, we ask that the mercy being poured into Haiti right now would be reveal Your Kindness that leads to repentance. God, we pray Haiti will renounce unholy covenants and turn back to You, the Living and Righteous King. Establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven in Haiti. Remove corruption and deception. We lift the Precious, Holy, Wonderful Name of Jesus over Haiti. Restore Haiti from the inside out.

God, we ask your protection and grace over soldiers deploying to Haiti. Protect every service man and woman who steps off a plane onto the ground in Haiti. Protect them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Give grace to their families and meet their needs during the separation time.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Journey of Transformation, Part 7

Life Happens Jesus Answers, Real life stories, Testimonies

Jan 212010

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Confirmation and Concern

The first week of April 2001 Steve and I returned to Clarksville, Tennessee. Within days he headed west to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for the last phase of school. Although friends invited me to stay with them, I chose to stay home. Besides, I had news I wasn’t willing to share yet, and I needed time to myself.

I visited my primary care doctor to verify the pregnancy, and I clearly remember the moment he returned to the exam room with test results. He handed me the printout so I could see it for myself — “Positive for HCG” — the pregnancy hormone. This doctor, the same one who suggested my autoimmune symptoms were psychosomatic, now asked an important question: “Is this good news?” “Yes,” I replied, “but I don’t know what to think. What about the lupus?” He attempted to reassure me that many women with lupus deliver healthy babies and he added a sincere “I’m happy for you.”

I walked through the hospital out to the parking lot, opened the door to our Plymouth Voyager minivan, climbed inside … and sat there. Bewildered, I prayed, “Lord, I’m happy but also concerned and confused. The timing is strange. This would be good news under better conditions, but I just don’t know what to think.”

At 35, with risk factors and a mysterious autoimmune disease, I was referred to an OB/GYN who specialized in high risk pregnancies. During the days leading up to my appointment, I read through my Merck manual to learn more about pregnancy risks in case something happened. At this point, Steve still didn’t know about the pregnancy. I wanted to tell him in person and expected the opportunity to arrive in subsequent weeks.

On Friday, April 13, 2001, I arrived at the OB/GYN’s office. I sat in the waiting room looking around at the other pregnant women, some with husbands by their side. I was the oldest in the room and felt conspicuously alone. This wasn’t the first time I was alone during a significant event nor would it be the last. So, I experienced the wonder of prenatal sonography by myself.

Floating around in amniotic fluid inside my womb was an active baby at 10.5 weeks. I could see the shape of the head, eye sockets, nose and mouth. The little arms were lifted up with hands together in a praying position. The heartbeat moved up and down gently. The legs and feet were clearly defined, kicking energetically as the baby rolled back and forth. I sensed he was a boy because he had a wide, strong back. Everything looked normal but his frantic kicking concerned me. The doctor said some babies are really active. But when he pointed out that the fetus had developed only to 9.5 weeks my heart sank. Showing no signs of concern, the doctor took a couple quick sonogram pictures and my appointment was over.

As I walked past the doctor’s desk toward the door, he spoke, “This is going to be a healthy pregnancy. Everything is going to be fine. It’s going to be good.” His tone was dull and his words were flat. It was as if he was trying to convince himself while mindlessly uttering false hope at me. I turned to look at him but he didn’t make eye contact. The incongruence of his words, tone of voice, and facial expression betrayed him and I wondered what he really thought. Still, I believed that if there was something I needed to know, he would have told me, and his words evaporated … until later.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES …

Welcome back to Life Happens – Jesus Answers in 2010. For those of you who are new to this column, I’m in the process of sharing my personal journey of transformation that has occurred over the last decade. You can get caught up from the beginning of the journey by accessing previous entries in Life Happens – Jesus Answers under “categories”.

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The Air I Breathe

Testimonies

Jan 202010

Submitted by Mary Crow

I haven’t been writing much lately due to preparing for a PCS. Many of you have been through this before, and many of you have not. I have one ETS under my belt as well as many civilian moves, but no PCS to date. The interesting thing about this is that I am not worrying about anything. I owe it to Jesus, because there is no explanation for why I only ask for information instead of nagging until I’m blue in the face. I know that it will be difficult, but that is because I’m leaving my home. This home is my Christian birthplace. It is where my husband and I built our first home together. I started PWOC here for the first time. I started attending church for me, not because my parents were taking me or making me attend. I made dear friends. My husband deployed twice from here. I was baptized here. I found a place to call my church home and became a member for the first time by personal choice (husband led, of course!). I am such a different person. I wouldn’t even recognize me if I saw myself on the street!

All of these changes, and how has it happened? The answer is as simple as the air for each breath I take. Jesus. It was all because of Jesus. He guided me to my husband, held my hand through the rough patches, and molded me into the person I am now. I also know that this move is so that he can continue to shape me until he calls me home. Jesus is the reason that I have peace about this PCS, but it is more than that. Here, I have taken many bible studies. I have learned much, and the basics are the most important. Equally as important, however, are the names that I have learned. God’s names. I have much to learn, but the more that I learn, the more I know I need to learn. I now know that my prayers have more impact when praying for my sick Grandmother if I call upon Jehovah Rapha, The Lord our Healer. During a PCS, it’s nice to know that I can receive what I need from the Lord of Peace, YWHW-Shalom. Even if I don’t know all of the Hebrew names, I can call on him as I am in need (The Lord our Provider!). The Names of God are something that I plan on focusing more with my studies in the near future. For now, though, my focus is on boxes.

I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. – Psalm 22:22

Green is the new Black!

Tech Tuesday

Jan 192010

Going Green, or Environmentally Friendly, is all the rage now. It’s more than a little late but in some things, late is better than never. As our lives become more and more digital, being green becomes increasingly difficult, especially when you’re unaware of how big your energy footprint really is.

About 80% of U.S. homes now have a personal computer. Extract homes of U.S. military families and the percentage would probably increase, perhaps substantially since most of our deployment communication is made possible through personal computers (email, Skype, etc.). With communication in mind, my guess is that most military families keep their computers powered on indefinitely, especially since broadband and DSL make online access effortless. All of this translates into a rather large energy footprint.

My husband recently forwarded a notice he received from the Network Enterprise Center Team (aka. Computer Guys for the Army).

“Did you know that your computer uses an average of 134 watts of power
continuously when you leave it on at night and weekends? By simply turning
your computer off it will use 73 percent less energy – saving the government
~$119 a year and depriving the earth of 1,405 pounds of CO2. Turn off your
screen, printer, and other peripherals that the saving compound.”

These figures represent the savings when only one computer is powered down at night and on weekends. How much more impact when multiplied by the thousands!

So families, do your part for the environment and power down your equipment when not in use. Your great, great grandchildren will thank you!

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“Tech Tuesday” is published every Tuesday. To reach Tracy with comments or questions, email her here.

Resolutions for 2010

Devotions

Jan 182010

During the Christmas/New Year season each year I find myself evaluating my life in terms of what God calls me to do. I ask myself, how am I loving and obeying my Savior? Also, how well do I love my husband, my children, and my friends? As I look towards my ability to keep the particular resolutions, I’ve often gotten discouraged when I think of my past success in keeping them. Where does the strong resolve I need to keep them come from so I don’t end up dropping them by the 2nd or 3rd week?

First, I need to aim high, because following God with unwavering obedience will lead me to new heights. Psalm 119:106 reads, “I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.” An early Puritan once said, “A soldier unresolved to fight may easily be defeated.” Psalm 119 also shows the Psalmist making vow after vow couched in constant dependence on the Lord to help him.

Second, the only way such high standards can be fulfilled is by His grace. My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in your weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). When I come to the end of myself and my ability to keep God’s laws (or any resolution I make before the Lord), I confess the sin to the Lord and then experience complete forgiveness and the gift of Christ’s perfect righteousness. He continually gives me the overwhelming grace I need for every single moment. Most important, He gives me His abiding presence that I can know and trust in the midst of any circumstance. This is what scripture and life are all about.

Love inspired by the mercy of God in Christ is what will most powerfully and persistently compel me to pursue righteousness. May we all echo what Psalm 27:4 says “To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” every moment of 2010.

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