Note: I'm gonna post this instead of a typical Thankful Thursday post - hope ya don't mind :) .
(WARNING: Long post hereafter...)
WOWWWWWW!!!!!!!
God is amazing. I know you already knew that, but - wow - has that been totally reinforced in my mind. God works on every little detail, I tell you... every single one.
Before you think I'm loony, let me explain.
If' you've read my previous post on my Read-a-Thon, you'll know I wanted to read the book Hearts of Fire "optionally". Well, I never got to finish a good part of the Read-a-thon, but I decided to pick up the book Hattie sent me last week. Now, I realize, God must have planned for me to read the book, because wow - it has SOOOO MUCH in it. It's life-changing. For real.
I've already read the first 6 stories, and I have gone back to read the first one so that I can write down prayers as I read. I've asked God to do certain things in my life. I've made promises to Him. I want to rededicate my life to Him. These women have done so much, 2 before they became "legal adults", 2 as single women into "un-marriageable age", and all never flinching and straying from their mission in life.
I also realized how my knowledge and memory of God's word ... fails. It's not hidden in my heart. I'm trying to train the kids at our Friday Bible Study to memorize Bible verses, but I've only been incriminating myself. It needs to change.
This book has banished all thoughts of, "I'm not ready. What do I say?" Why? Because one of the girls, Ling, didn't even have a Bible the first year she was an itinerant missionary, but God still used her mightily. This isn't an old testimony. Ling started her ministry in 1983. Less than a decade before I was born (and at she started at a younger age). China and other third-world countries still have villages and towns and cities with no Bibles and no knowledge of God. But Ling just spoke of what she knew. She poured out whatever God put in her heart. And look at me... I have 3 hard copies (different versions) of both Old and New Testaments at my fingertips. Forget it... I have internet and access to BibleGateway with countless versions and translations of God's word... WHAT AM I THINKING?!?!
I changed my perspective on what's really necessary and what's more personal. Not surprisingly, the difference between necessary and personal is what fulfills the Great Commission and Greatest Commandments, and what doesn't, respectively.
I felt, "What am I doing here? Why am I not doing the LORD's work?" I realized the stuff that's holding me back from spreading the Gospel was no hindrance to these women. They were scared, but so clear and sure in what they believed. Why am I so scared to go up to someone and tell them about the God who saved me from the fiery pit of hell?
They were confident. That's the faith part. Faith is not seeing the results and then doing... it's doing and then seeing the results. That's how God works.
Lord, help my unbelief.
God's word is true. The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few. We need to wake up, and this might just be the wake-up call.
I highly recommend, no I beg you read this book. Be open to what it may reveal is wrong in your life. 'Cause trust me, it's convicting and we need a proactive response.
So- here's my offer: if you promise to read this book (and preferably give me feedback), I will ship mine to you or purchase one for you (whichever is cheaper, I'm not filthy rich :P ). Just leave me a form of contact in a comment. Guys, too... it's not at all girly.
But back on topic - God plans things perfectly. Hearts of Fire was supposedly a book I won "by chance". I think not. In fact, when I first saw Hattie's blog post, I thought, "I'm gonna win this if I enter."
You are now allowed to call me loony.
Honest, though, I knew, I would win if I tried. So, I didn't. Of course, the dear asked me to participate. I couldn't refuse. I entered and won. I was surprised, but not surprised. Surprised I was right, but not surprised I won. Now I know, if I had not entered and won that give-away, I would never have read that book and been completely transformed.
I know this post could come across as snobby, selfish, and ... maybe even sacrilegious O.O (I hope and pray not), but I am so very and truly thankful for how God arranged for this to happen. It's almost surreal. I know God is at work. I pray I would be a worthy and useful vessel for His Glory.
(WARNING: Long post hereafter...)
WOWWWWWW!!!!!!!
God is amazing. I know you already knew that, but - wow - has that been totally reinforced in my mind. God works on every little detail, I tell you... every single one.
Before you think I'm loony, let me explain.
If' you've read my previous post on my Read-a-Thon, you'll know I wanted to read the book Hearts of Fire "optionally". Well, I never got to finish a good part of the Read-a-thon, but I decided to pick up the book Hattie sent me last week. Now, I realize, God must have planned for me to read the book, because wow - it has SOOOO MUCH in it. It's life-changing. For real.
I've already read the first 6 stories, and I have gone back to read the first one so that I can write down prayers as I read. I've asked God to do certain things in my life. I've made promises to Him. I want to rededicate my life to Him. These women have done so much, 2 before they became "legal adults", 2 as single women into "un-marriageable age", and all never flinching and straying from their mission in life.
I also realized how my knowledge and memory of God's word ... fails. It's not hidden in my heart. I'm trying to train the kids at our Friday Bible Study to memorize Bible verses, but I've only been incriminating myself. It needs to change.
And after reading the stories, I realized I had been putting myself in each girl's place. Living those moments... albeit not in reality, but I felt each woman's fear. For the first one, I was on the verge of tears for nearly every page. My head was swimming in circles as I "argued" along with Aida in court as she defended herself as her own lawyer. And guess what? It was appealing... I want to do that. I want to live a real life for Christ, instead of for myself and adding some of God's plans on the side.
I changed my perspective on what's really necessary and what's more personal. Not surprisingly, the difference between necessary and personal is what fulfills the Great Commission and Greatest Commandments, and what doesn't, respectively.
I felt, "What am I doing here? Why am I not doing the LORD's work?" I realized the stuff that's holding me back from spreading the Gospel was no hindrance to these women. They were scared, but so clear and sure in what they believed. Why am I so scared to go up to someone and tell them about the God who saved me from the fiery pit of hell?
They were confident. That's the faith part. Faith is not seeing the results and then doing... it's doing and then seeing the results. That's how God works.
Lord, help my unbelief.
God's word is true. The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few. We need to wake up, and this might just be the wake-up call.
I highly recommend, no I beg you read this book. Be open to what it may reveal is wrong in your life. 'Cause trust me, it's convicting and we need a proactive response.
So- here's my offer: if you promise to read this book (and preferably give me feedback), I will ship mine to you or purchase one for you (whichever is cheaper, I'm not filthy rich :P ). Just leave me a form of contact in a comment. Guys, too... it's not at all girly.
But back on topic - God plans things perfectly. Hearts of Fire was supposedly a book I won "by chance". I think not. In fact, when I first saw Hattie's blog post, I thought, "I'm gonna win this if I enter."
You are now allowed to call me loony.
Honest, though, I knew, I would win if I tried. So, I didn't. Of course, the dear asked me to participate. I couldn't refuse. I entered and won. I was surprised, but not surprised. Surprised I was right, but not surprised I won. Now I know, if I had not entered and won that give-away, I would never have read that book and been completely transformed.
I know this post could come across as snobby, selfish, and ... maybe even sacrilegious O.O (I hope and pray not), but I am so very and truly thankful for how God arranged for this to happen. It's almost surreal. I know God is at work. I pray I would be a worthy and useful vessel for His Glory.
Soli Deo Gloria
~CJ~
It's awesome how God works! And it is so challenging to read stories of people who did great things for God and realize that we have the same Spirit in us that enabled them to do what they did.
ReplyDeleteYES - it's always encouraging and convicting to remember, the SAME Holy Spirit that raised Christ FROM THE DEAD lives in us and gives us strength to do the works God planned for us. :)
ReplyDelete