Not Guilty

This post is something that has been in the back of my mind since February. I suppose in my aging it takes me longer to process things and then actually write them. My mind and my fingers don't always work at the same time these days.

If you read the One Year Bible (OYB) then you know back in February we were reading through Leviticus. Now, I will be the first to admit that I am one that finds it easy to skim over things at times. Yet, I have really purposed in my heart this year to read details. I know there has to be a reason why the Lord put each word in the Bible and it's kind of rude of me not to read them! Can I blame it on having to take a Speed Reading class in High School-you know the class where you learn how to skim over the page and just pick out the highlights!!

One of the interesting things is how many versions of the Bible we have nowadays. My normal study bible is NKJV, but I enjoy reading NLT and of course the OYB is NIV.

Back in February, while reading Leviticus 7, I kept noticing it talked about the sin offering and the guilt offering. After looking at other versions of the same verses, I realized that the term 'guilt offering' wasn't used-I only found it in the NIV. Now, there are always people who spend their time arguing over different versions of the Bible and there are some legitimate arguments. However, I do believe that because God is God, He can speak to us through anything.
Here was this phrase 'guilt offering'. It got me to thinking. I thought how many of us (at least I think there are many of us) would still like it if there were a 'guilt offering'.

Years ago, while still living in Vista, I remember Pastor Rob teaching and saying how many people are in institutions because unforgiveness or guilt turned them into a different person-someone not able to cope with reality.

Most of us, especially we women, are doers. We like to do things, we feel productive when we are busy and doing something. We complain about how much we have to do but I think deep inside it gives us a feeling of satisfaction, a sense of usefulness. Many of us enjoy knowing that something has been accomplished and we played a role in the accomplishing.

As Christians, we profess and believe in the finished work of the cross. Jesus, as He hung upon the cross said "It is finished" Nothing more needed to be done for the atonement of sin. The spotless Lamb paid the punishment for all of our sin. What was left was for each person to choose whether or not we would put our faith in that finished work.

Whenever it was for each of us in our lives to make that decision, we realized that we were in fact forgiven. We were cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. We learned through verses like 1 John 1:9 that when we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us. What a sense of joy, a feeling of relief-knowing that we are forgiven.

Yet, I couldn't help but think about guilt. Maybe I am the only one, I don't know, but guilt is difficult to get rid of. I also believe it is something the enemy loves to throw back in our face-to get us to doubt the forgiveness of God. How can it be that one moment we rejoice when reading 'as far as the east is from the west, so far He has removed our transgressions from us'. Psalm 103:12. How is it that verses such as those can bring such comfort one minute and then some time later this overwhelming flow of guilt comes in about something we have already confessed.

Then, when reading Leviticus 7, even though the phrase 'guilt offering' is in NIV version-it popped out to me in a tremendous way. Oh, I thought, how good it would be to have a guilt offering even now. How much easier would it be to physically offer something-to do something to take away the guilt.

You know, some religions have you 'do something' as contrition. A lot of Christians point their noses down at this, and yet, I believe that there are many Christians who try 'to do' something to get rid of their guilt. 'Oh God, I am going to read this many pages in my bible today, I am going to perform this duty today'. We want to do things to try and make up for the bad we did. We want to make ourselves feel like we did something to make it all better. A guilt offering...yes, Lord-if I could just bring something to be sacrificed, watch with my own two eyes that it was indeed used to atone for my guilt, it would make life so much easier. I could sleep better, I wouldn't be haunted by memories of what I did wrong, I wouldn't have to wonder if I was really and truly forgiven because after all, I saw the smoke, I saw the offering for my guilt.

Ah, but we are called to walk by faith and not by sight! We are called to put our faith in the finished work of Christ, His forgiveness. He whom the Son has set free is free indeed!! Why are those verses so difficult to trust in at times?

I think of Thomas and how he wanted to touch and see before he could believe it was Jesus. Again, it's easy as Christians to look down at someone like this-but if we are honest, how much better would it be to tangibly touch something-God gave us senses...touch, smell, taste, sight...we were made to use them. But, there are those times when we have to put those aside and have faith. Have faith in what Jesus did and continues to do.

Conviction? Yes! Condemnation......NO!!! Consequences? Yes!! Guilt.....NO!!!! We need to learn not to entertain thoughts of guilt for something that we have confessed to the Lord.

I listened to a teaching once about Peter and the rooster crowing. The pastor brought up something I hadn't thought about before-but think about it for a minute. For the rest of his life, Peter would hear a rooster crow. Probably every morning, wherever he was, there was a rooster crowing. Peter could have been crippled by guilt. Hearing that rooster undoubtedly was a reminder of his denying Christ. Peter could have spent the rest of his life in a corner crying and feeling sorry for himself for what he did. But he didn't. He allowed himself to be restored by the Lord. He allowed the blood of Christ to cleanse him from all unrighteousness, all guilt and he was used mightily by God.

Faith is not something we can see with our eyes-it's something we have to believe in. We cannot 'see with our eyes' that our guilt has been washed away, we have to believe it. We have to believe the words of Jesus when He said 'It is finished'. And, in believing, we learn to walk in that forgiveness, we learn, like Peter, that though we have sinned, though we have often times grieved the Lord and probably others, we can be forgiven, we can be restored. Is there a rooster crowing each day that reminds you of something you would like to forget? Give it to the Lord! You have been cleansed, you have been forgiven, allow Him to set you free and walk in that forgiveness, walk in that restoration!! There is no longer a need for sin offering or guilt offering. It is finished!!!

Spring Update

Our Latest Update from CC Padova, Italy :)

Dear Friends and Family

Beautiful Spring greetings to all of you!! I can’t say we have had much of a bad winter this year but we still welcome Spring with all its beauty and warmth. Seeing new life all around us is always a great reminder of the new life that Christ brings.

It seems the parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9 has come to light in our ministry again. In Hungary, the Lord used this verse to encourage Jim and I in the ministry there. Once again, we see that He has used it here in Padova. We are in our 3^rd year now and where as last year we were finding ourselves exasperated and frustrated not seeing much fruit, we were encouraged through this parable to continue on and wait and see what the Lord will do. I suppose in a world where everything is instant and fast we can tend to bring that into our ministries too. Thinking that a year or two is enough and after that if nothing happens….but that is not how the Lord works. It’s tempting to make everything about the visible. If we can’t see it then we can’t believe it. Praising God that He reminds us His ways aren’t our ways!

We have been blessed as a church seeing God begin to add a few new faces to the congregation. As many of you know and have been praying alongside of us the past couple of years for the university students. God has heard all of our prayers and has one by one been bringing a few of them to Sunday service. Recently, a gal from the Calvary Chapel in Hungary started to attend. She is taking a class in Padova and was happy to know there is a Calvary Chapel here in Padova.

With the blessing of students comes the heart ache of knowing that their time here is temporary. Most will be returning to their home countries in June/July. It’s going to be difficult to say good-bye to them but we are thankful for the time we had together.

About a year ago, we really sensed that our church was going to be international and we have seen that come to pass. As much as we continue to pray to minister to the Italians, we are reminded of the parable of the Great Supper in Luke 14 and though we may have a strong desire to invite particular people, they are often found having an excuse why they don’t want to come and so we are encouraged to know to go to the highways and byways and extend the invitation to all who would come. So as much as our hearts want to see the Italians be saved, we realize that God uses us to minister to any and all who are in this area who want to hear His Word and grow in their relationship with Him.

With that, Jim has been meeting with a guy named Obbina for over a month now. Obbina is from Nigeria and recently moved to Padova. Obbina is gifted in leading gospel choirs and plays a variety of instruments. He and Jim have been meeting and seeking the Lord as to how to use their musical gifts to reach the people of Padova this summer.

As some of you know, we had another couple over to our house last weekend. Guiseppe and his wife Stefania and their two daughters. Jim met Guiseppe last year at the park where his band played in Padova. Guiseppe works in a recording studio and is gifted musically. He plays jingles for the radio stations around here. Please continue to pray for their family. They are really nice and we would love to see them open up their hearts to the Lord.

Jim and I will be coming to the states soon. It’s the first time since 2006 we are both traveling together for an extended period of time. Jim usually travels for only 2 weeks. I am going to be gone for 6 weeks, Jim for 5. We are excited to see our family and friends and especially our newest grandson, Dylan, who was born in February. I also am anxious to meet Elijah, our grandson who is 15 months old. I haven’t seen him yet and he is already walking all around!

Marla will be graduating from college May 6^th! We are so very proud of her and all she has accomplished. We can’t wait to hear them call her name watch her receive her diploma. Please keep her in prayer as she now has to find a full time job and a place to live.
We want to spend time with as many of you as we can so let’s try and work out plans and schedules. We would love to share with everyone how you can be praying specifically for the work in Padova also.

We will be in Vista, Santa Barbara, Modesto and also flying to the East Coast to spend time with our dear friends Doug and Rose.

Send me a note of Facebook or by email if you want to get together.

Some things to keep in prayer:

We still need help in Children’s Ministry

Jim scheduling pastors to fill in for him while he is in the states

For God to strengthen our church body

Our summer schedule –events and concerts in Padova

For Easter-it’s a little difficult when you are away from your family to be here and everyone leaves to be with their family and friends for the holidays.

Here are a couple pictures and a few short video clips from Sunday School:

You Have An iPhone????

Sort of a funny title huh!! Well, if you are friends with me on Facebook, then you know that I recently met up with some other pastor's wives and went to Paris last weekend. It was something that some of us had been talking about-the need for fellowship and yes, even some laughs and fun time together and Becky so graciously offered to host all of us in her home. Her husband was a most gracious taxi driver-driving for hours on end and at the end of the weekend, he was still smiling. Now that's what I call a wonderful servant of God :)

The trip brought up an interesting dilemma for me. We all know that when something exciting comes about we want to tell others about it and of course being that we are in the 21st century, we just have to write it as our FB status!! I was preparing last minute things Friday morning before heading out to the airport and realized I hadn't written anything on FB yet. I sat down and wrote out my status, erased it, rewrote something, erased it and tried writing it again. I couldn't get anything to 'sound proper'. Every time I wrote, I had this thought in the back of my head that people would read it and think to themselves "wow, doesn't she have the life" or I pictured some saying...'wow, wish I was a missionary and could travel all over the world". So, I opted to write nothing and leave home for a weekend that only God could have arranged as He did and not share it with FB world. I wanted so much to share the joy but was too afraid how it would come off to others. Yes, I am a worry wart about things like that. I tend to take things more personal than I should and worry about what other people think a bit more than necessary.

But, such is the life in the ministry. It is not limited to those on the mission field, it's not even limited to those who serve full time in ministry. Sadly, we are a people who like to judge others and make opinions based on our own understanding and observations.

Let me back track a bit. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine had a daughter who was going through some rough spots in life. We offered to have her come and stay with us for a month so she could be away from the everyday temptations of life and try to regroup. When she went back to the states, I noticed she left something behind. It was her iPod touch. I wrote to tell her and she told me she purposely left it as a gift for me. Well, I was surprised at such a gift. To be honest, I didn't even know how they worked except you could listen to music on them and use the internet. It took me about 4 months just to figure it out!!!
I went to the states about 1 year and some months later and brought along my little gadget. I used it to check emails and other things. I happened to use it to write a fb status and unbeknownst to me it leaves a little message that says "Sent by my iphone" Well, wouldn't you know that I get a reply.....it wasn't a reply to what I wrote, but 'YOU have an iphone?'. I immediately felt a knot in my stomach! 'No, I wanted to hurry and reply, of course I don't. I am a missionary, I would never own such a thing!' I was too afraid to write something back. Not surprisingly, my daughter responded something like "She so does not have an iphone". Anyway, I never sent another message with my little gadget again. It was one more thing I would put in the back of my 'make sure you never own one of these because you will cause stumbling' mind. (funny side note...they were writing from their iphone!!!)

Oh Margie, you might be wondering to yourselves,,,,what in the world is your point???? Well, my point is that I don't really know exactly how to get it into proper words.

A friend of mine visited last year and was able to meet some of my other missionary friends. After a few days, she said 'do you realize that all of you justify everything you have?'. She said she would compliment us about shoes or something in our homes and each of us would justify where we got it, if it was a gift, if we got it at a second hand place, if we bought it on sale, etc. I never realized it before. It is true though. And again, I don't limit this to missionaries, but that is what I am so I use myself and others on the field as examples.

There are those in the world who take advantage, ministers, missionaries, preachers, etc. They think life owes them something because of who they are or what they are doing. I think those types make it so difficult for those of us who don't take advantage, don't want to offend, nor do we want to cause someone else to stumble.

While we were away this weekend, the scripture that came to me was So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time"...Mark 10:29-30.

I stood at the square where Notre Dame is and just thought "wow, Lord" You are amazing! You took this group of women from different spots in Europe who are away from family, friends, culture, all that was once familiar to them, brought them to a foreign land to serve You, and now You brought us here-Paris! A place where so many dream to go and visit and here we were-all giddy, laughing, and taking in every moment of our surroundings.

We don't know what goes on in other's lives. We don't know who has blessed them financially, whether their husband works very hard and is very diligent with the finances and enables them to have or do the things they do. We don't know if someone has gone without something and saved and saved so they could have a special trip together or if God put it upon someone's heart to bless them so they could do something special or buy something new.

It's easy for people to look at my facebook and make a judgement about where I may have gone or what I may have done. But, in all honesty, they don't know that when I look at theirs and see what they consider unadventurous...the family all enjoying Christmas morning together, when I see my friend holding her newborn grandchild right after he was born, or enjoying a special mother daughter moment together that I would give you my experiences, my ipod touch, my apartment in Italy...all to kiss my grandchildren, to stroke my daughter's hair when she is feeling poorly, to be at the hospital with my Mom while she is having cancerous cells removed from her face.

Of course, I hope noone is offended by what I wrote. It has been on my mind for awhile now and I felt the okay to write about it. If you know me, you know where I am coming from. Again, I am not talking about those who expect stuff and take advantage of others. That's not a good thing at all. My point is that God does give gifts and blessings to His children and often we are overjoyed at what He has done and want to share the joy with others. We don't want to stumble others or be misjudged.

I suppose people can have something to talk about the day I bring my grandchildren to Disneyland Paris, write about it on my ipad :) Just kidding!!
Here's our group of ladies that met up in Paris!! A most delightful time was had by all!!! And yes, God provided so wonderfully for each of us to be there :)

Winter Update

I promise to take some pictures in the next week or two and put them on the blog!!

Greetings to all of you from (finally) wintery cold Italy! We have been experiencing an unusually mild winter but winter has made its presence known in the past couple of days with a mild snow due later in the week.

So much has been happening here in Padova lately. Once again, we are reminded that everything happens in God’s time and not ours. As we have felt like those tossed back and forth with the wind at times over the past couple years, wondering if indeed God was at work here, He has been faithful to carry us each and every step. Through every doubt and disappointment we have had His reassurance through His Word, through the encouragement of others and fervent prayers of many.

This past Missions Conference was one that God used in my own life to break things down that I had let build up-giving Him the disappointments and fears. He also used each teaching to encourage not only us but most of the missionaries as you go about day in and day out working, praying, believing and yet not always seeing the fruit before your eyes. Wayne Taylor talked about doing what you love and doing it with Jesus. So simple yet for me it spoke volumes.

Most of you know that Jim loves music. Well, God has been using that very love to bring us into contact with so many different people over the past few months. We had the Christmas concert in December. It was held in the Catholic church. The Commune picks the spot-well it ‘just so happened’ to be right in the area that the park is where Jim’s band played last summer and where we will have VBS this summer. That spot is the one we feel drawn to to look for a spot for the church. The concert was awesome!! Craig, Silvana , Maria and Jim shined for Jesus in that place! A guy that Jim met, Stefano, who is a really good drummer came and played percussion last minute and he really enjoyed being a part of the evening. He couldn’t believe Craig and Jim were pastors. He thought they were so nice and normal.

Recently Jim has been meeting with another guy from Nigeria. He puts together all kinds of Gospel groups in the area and the two of them are meeting and praying each week to see what the Lord will have in store for the summer.

We have also seen God add to the church. A couple weeks ago a gal named Rafaella came. Greg had met her while teaching English and she told him how she had walked away from her faith years ago but was searching again. She even brought her Mom with her last Sunday. Analisa is her name and she was so sweet and kind to all of us. We don’t know if she was there to make sure Rafaella wasn’t getting mixed up in a cult or if she herself will be back. We do know that Analisa was very accepting of all of us and she was a joy to meet.

We have a couple of college students now attending also. Emilia is from the UK and going to University in Ferrara. She comes with Lorenzo and Bethany since they also live in Ferrara. Aoefie is from Ireland and goes to University in Padova. She is from Cork where some of you have visited in the past. Both of these gals are Pastor’s daughters. Imagine that!! Another guy, Colin, just came last week. He is from Scotland, living in Padova teaching English. He was looking for an English speaking church and Aoefie invited him to Calvary. So great to see God at work!!! We even needed an extra row of seats in the church last week J

I am starting to plan for the VBS in July. We are going to use the Gospel Light Prayer Safari theme. The theme for the week is the Our Father. We are excited about this event and have a lot of planning and work ahead of us to make it come together.

Jim continues to teach through the book of Acts at the moment. It’s such an encouraging book. I am still teaching Sunday School, but hoping to get some much needed help. Please pray we can work a schedule out to rotate helpers. It was supposed to happen this past September, but everyone’s schedules seem opposite so there isn’t always someone to rotate in with me. We also need two workers most of the time because we have one class with ages from almost a year to 11. I haven’t been able to sit in church for 3 years and it would be nice to start! Thankfully there is internet so I can at least hear messages online!

So you see, there is much going on and much to continue in prayer over. We look forward to a busy summer but want God’s guidance and wisdom every step of the way. We don’t want to run ahead of Him and His plans or timing in anything.

We will be coming to the states in May (I’ll probably come in April). Marla will be graduating college. Our new grandson is due February 14^th, and I look forward to holding my not so little Elijah for the first time (he’ll be 16mos when I meet him) and of course Juliet our little princess will be 4 in May so that will be fun to be there for her birthday.

Thank you for your never ending prayers, your love and your support-financially and spiritually. Once again be reminded that all we write about you will see in Heaven! Your answered prayers, how God used your finances, how He worked in the lives you faithfully prayed for, the city you prayed for. It’s real!! You just have to sometimes wait til Heaven to see it J

To God be the glory for the things He has done!

All Is Calm

I didn't think I would be writing again but here I am :) It's Christmas Eve and it just doesn't seem like Christmas this year. It's been difficult the past couple weeks-I avoid Facebook as much as possible so I don't cry seeing all the pictures of everyone with their families, preparing together, talking about what they will do together, etc. Usually I am not so depressed -the first Christmas without Marla was rough but thankfully we spent a couple days with Doug and Rose-hanging out in our sweats and watching movies together. It was a blast!!!

This is the first Christmas we will actually be all alone. Not that I don't love being with my husband, but I am the type that loves being with people during the holidays. Normally we invite people, but this year everyone is gone. Our adopted kids (Bethany and Lorenzo) are back in the states, people are busy with their own families and here we are. I know, I probably sound pathetic....but I can't help it. I am so sad!! Everyone says how Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus and I agree-but everyone loves being around their families too-it just makes Christmas more Christmasy.....ok I will try to get over it! My Marla will wake up in her apartment all alone....ok Margie..STOP!!!!! Poor girl has a bad ear infection and may not make it to the family get together tonight. Praying she feels well enough on Christmas to hang out with Sandy and family. At least we will get to skype and she can open her presents while we watch. Same thing with our grandchildren. We get to skype and they will open their presents from us. Praise the Lord for Skype!!!! It's such a blessing to us and many that we know.

The good thing is that I baked and baked. Every year I make baked goods for friends and my neighbor that lives downstairs. This year I decided to just bake for a bunch of my neighbors. I baked different cookies (gingersnaps, chocolate peppermint with white choc and crushed peppermint on top, Mexican wedding cookies, and sugar cookies). I also made a pretty tile for each of them to display in their homes. I used the scripture Numbers 6:24-26.
I made my way to each of their homes-they were shocked!!!
My downstairs neighbor is always thrilled when I bring them baked goods and they bring over some yummy goodness Napoli style for us.
Afterwards, I came home, tidied up the kitchen and started thinking about their responses. The Lord gave me a little bible study with each of them. I thought I would share it on here :)

One neighbor just kept telling me 'thank you' over and over again. The other-an older lady whose husband passed away a year ago didn't even look out the window-she thought I was a solicitor and said-no thanks. Then, I told her who I was and she came to the gate. She was in shock I tell you! She couldn't understand why I would make cookies for her. She got a little teary-eyed and asked how could she accept them when she has nothing to offer me.

Another neighbor wanted me to stay for coffee. Another one apologized to me for never stopping to talk to me. Her and her husband invited me in, wanted to chat for a bit and then made me promise I will come over often and practice my Italian with them.

When I was cleaning, I thought that these different responses are just perfect in how people respond to the Lord.

Some are just so thankful, don't have much more to say but Thank You so much!

Others feel they don't deserve Him or His love because they have nothing to offer Him. They aren't used to anything for free or without strings attached.

Others are sorry they didn't meet Him sooner-desiring a relationship now that they know Him a little better.

This was a great gift from the Lord. How often we say that when we step out and want to bless others, we ourselves become so blessed. A plate of cookies-it can do wonders. Honestly, I have lived here 3 years now and never felt as close to my neighbors as I did today. I told Jim that none of them will ever just walk by without a little chat from now on. It's like the walls came down. People think of Italians as very open and friendly. It's true in the South but in the North they can be much more reserved. People on my street are not outside much-they work and then close up the windows when they arrive home.

Now, we are excited and want to plan a Mexican dinner and invite the neighbors. Little by little-this is what everyone has been telling me since moving here. Noone usually responds to you for years. They want to trust you first. Well, I think God just opened the way. Let's just hope they enjoy the cookies :)

It's often in the little things that God blesses us and let's us know how much He loves and cares for us. If we weren't here, we wouldn't have been able to experience this joy today. I think this will become a new tradition in the neighborhood-the American girl bakes...oh you should have heard the one lady. She was so cute...Oh, Brava Margie-you made these, oh brava!! How can you not smile!!

I leave you with this beautiful song. There's something about listening to this song in so many languages over the years. Makes you realize that God indeed loved the whole world so much that He gave all of us Jesus, our perfect gift. Every tongue, every nation-we will praise Him!!!

Have a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy your time with your families. Pray for those who for whatever reason aren't able to be with their families this year. Pray for those whose loved ones are celebrating in Heaven for the first time and they are left here to mourn their loss. Pray for those in bunkers and fox holes on foreign soil.

My Soul Magnifies the Lord

This was the theme for the Baja, Hungary Ladie's Christmas Tea last week. It was a joy to be there with everyone again and see their faces, give lots of hugs and see the wonderful things the Lord is doing in the lives of the people there. I miss them so very much. I often say that if I could bring them all here to Italy with me, I would do it in a heartbeat!!!

The Lord had begun to stir my heart about this theme about a month after I knew I was going to be speaking at the Tea. He confirmed it through a message by Nancy Sylvester when we were in Austria this past summer for the Missions Conf. And, in case I didn't get the hint, He was faithful to reconfirm it. I was looking at some photos on FB from Vista and saw it was their theme a few years back!! Love it! I thought I would share a bit of it with you on the blog :)

I was so intrigued by Mary's life-her simplicity and her obedience. She faced fear of the unknown and probably had many questions about what was to be. Yet, she chose to obey God and to trust Him. She didn't need the story laid out before her and know every detail before she said yes-'behold the maidservant of the Lord, let it be according to Your Word'. Wow, what a response! It caused me to think about how I respond to things when God calls me to do something. Most times, I want to analyze like most of us women do. We tend to want to think it over, weigh the pros and cons, are there benefits, and wondering what the cost might be.

After meditating on these verses in Luke 1:46-55 (the Magnificat) you can really see Mary's heart. How much she loved the Lord, how well she knew her God. It showed me that that is what it comes down to in our lives, at least in my life. How well do I know Him, and how much do I really trust Him. Do I trust Him so much that I can abandon everything to Him, to believe without waivering that He will be faithful, that He will indeed work out every detail of the plan as I leave it to Him to do so. She praised the Lord in these verses from her heart, not just with her lips. Her worship wasn't based on how she felt at the time, or her circumstances. It was true worship from deep within her soul.

Another thing that really stuck with me in studying her life was what didn't happen. Here was Mary, soon to be married to Joseph. One might think that from this point on they would live spectacular lives and become wealthy. After all, they would be the earthly parents of the Messiah. Mary and Joseph didn't become wealthy materialistically. Joseph didn't have the biggest carpentry business in town or business cards made up with a fish on them and try to gain from the call on their life. Nothing was about them. They didn't seek to profit nor did they expect that God would suddenly make their lives easier. There weren't some rich guys in the synagogue running over to build them a house or offer them all kinds of neat things because Jesus was living with them.

It made me think about life as a Christian. Life as a servant of God. How many times we can (or at least I can) think that because we are being obedient to God's call our life will benefit. We can think that if we do what we ought, then God will be well pleased with us and He will make life a bit easier, He will suddenly change our financial status, our social status, and other things. I tend to fall in this rut at times. Thinking ok Lord, I am doing this and I know You are in it, I know You called me to this, and so everything is going to work out so well. I realized over the past months that this type of thinking can easily lead to bitterness. Bitterness towards the Lord because we had expected something more than He had promised. Bitterness because you said yes and you are struggling in your life and someone else said no and seems to be living the life of Reilly (who's Reilly anyway???) We need to protect our hearts and minds from thinking that God owes us something just because we obeyed the call. When these thoughts come to mind, I need to run to my Bible and read the accounts of those who said 'yes' and see how easy and pain free their lives were (not) while on this earth.

Mary's obedience cost her much! She would watch her Son be beaten and hung on a cross to die. She would endure listening to the loud, scruffy voices of the soldiers hurling insults at the Son she once held in her arms. She would hear a crowd of voices yelling out to crucify the little boy she watched grow into a Man.

I read this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

"Oh how we ought to rejoice in Him, whatever our union with Him may cost us. Mary did not know what that wondrous visitation would cost her-and it was to cost her much, as Simeon said to her-"Yes, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also," But even though the sword must go through her soul, it mattered not to her, for unto her a Child was to be born, unto her a Son was to be given, who was to be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Might God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

For me, I want the things the Lord showed me in studying for this, to stay with me and not just be forgotten in a month or two. I want to remember that I don't need to know how everything is going to work out, I don't have to be afraid. I can abandon my self to Him, to trust Him, to believe that yes, my God has everything under control. And then, not to just accept what He has for me-but to praise Him! I realized how easy it is to get to that point of acceptance but fail to get to the point of praise.

We do have reason to exalt His Name, to rejoice in our Savior! No matter what the circumstances of our lives are, no matter what or where He calls us to, we can magnify His Name!

A very special guest blog post

Today I have a guest blog poster. As most of you know, my daughter was on the mission field with us for five years until she graduated high school. Marla has unique insight not only as a missionary, but as one who turned 13 a month after leaving California.
The Lord put this on her heart and I asked her to write about it so I could share it with all of you blog readers.

I pray it ministers to your heart as it did mine.

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

I have read this passage so many times. Today, it has almost become a theme verse for missionaries all over the world. As I read it, Isaiah’s willingness stands out to me. He calls out willingly and eagerly: SEND ME! Millions of missionaries have been sent out worldwide to answer the call of the Lord, with this same eagerness to serve and, along with that, remarkable willingness to sacrifice so very much.

As a former missionary, I find myself in an awkward position. I have experienced how difficult it is to be a missionary-but the longer I am in the States, the more I lose that understanding. Because of that, I want to use my unique experience to help other people see through a little window into the life of a missionary.

As a missionary, life is hard. When you are called to missionary life, there are things you know you will have to give up. A fresh reminder of this comes during the holidays. Christmas seems to be a time when you are reminded of everything you sacrificed. I remember my first Christmas in Hungary, trying to adjust to all the differences, but still getting the family updates and pictures. It may seem small but to someone far from home it is a sign that people still remember-especially as a child far from home your fear becomes that over time you will be forgotten. That is why the small things are important, the little reminders that “we remember and we love you”.

It was from these experiences that I came up with the idea of Mail for Missions. It is a non-denominational ministry that gathers the names and addresses for missionaries all over the world. The plan would be to work with churches and missions pastors all over and develop a system where you can pick a missionary by postage amount, country, or family. The card would be addressed and all the person would do is write a message and take it to the post office. The cost of postage would be their donation. In the economic state of California right now, this is a way for people of all financial standings to minister to others.

That was my idea that I wanted to share with you. I am working on implementing it in the church I am working at now and by next year will be contacting the churches of San Diego County.

Although this is in its planning stage, you can still do something this year. Contact your church and see who the missionaries are and send them a card in the mail this year. Try to get it in the mail asap as delivery time can be anywhere from 10 days to a few weeks depending on where it is going. Get your friends involved. If the missionary family has any children, have your children write a little note to them. It means more than you know! Also, please keep Marla in prayer as she works on this ministry.