I would like to start "From the Heart of Carol" this month with a word of praise for my precious Lord and Savior! If Jesus Christ hadn't come into Ken and my marriage in 1973 we definitely wouldn't be celebrating our wedding anniversary this month! Those of you who attend WBC regularly have no doubt heard Ken mention September 18, 1973, many times as the day we both asked Jesus Christ to come into our lives and save our souls. However that day isn't only the day Christ saved our souls…it's also the day He saved our marriage! Our marriage is a living testimony to
Mark 10:27 …With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Honey, I love you and I'm looking forward to sharing many more years with you! Thank you for being a wonderful husband and for loving me with an unselfish love.
How much of God do you want? How much of yourself are you willing to give to God? Do you think it's fair of you to expect God to give more of Himself to you than you're willing to give of yourself to Him? Are you maturing spiritually? What are you doing for God today that you weren't doing last year?
When I was pregnant with Daniel the doctor told me he didn't think the baby was growing the way he should so he sent me for some tests to see if everything was ok. Until I met with the doctor and got the results of the tests Ken and I spent some anxious moments worrying about our unborn baby. If a 2-year old isn't walking yet; there's reason for concern. If a 10-year old doesn't know how to read; there's reason for concern. If a 25-year old won't work; there's reason for concern. If a child stops growing and maturing physically; there's reason for concern. But if that child stops growing and maturing because they refuse to do what they're supposed to do; there's reason for discipline! …make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. II Peter 1:5-7. God is our heavenly Father and He expects us to continue growing and maturing spiritually and when we don't because we refuse to do what we're supposed to do there's reason for discipline! How are you doing? Is there reason for concern or is there reason for discipline? Do you expect your child to stop growing and maturing physically at the age of 2? How about at the age of 10? Maybe 16? When should God expect His children to stop growing and maturing spiritually? Should we expect more from our children than God should expect from His?
I'm reading a book entitled "Abundant Gifts" by Diane Eble. Throughout the book this lady is trying to teach me…and whoever else who will adhere to her advice how to find the many gifts from God in day-to-day life. When something comes into our life we shouldn't resent the trial or the interruption; we should see it as a disguised gift that forces us to focus on taking better care of ourselves…to nurture our body with good food…to get extra sleep…to pray more…to focus on becoming a person with a meek and quiet spirit…to appreciate the many splendors of God all around us…to being the person God wants us to be. The author calls it "building margins" in life…allowing for downtime…making room for Murphy's Law…for friends and family…for life as it really is rather than the high-speed version we so often live. God's plan for us isn't life at such a fast pace that we have no time…quality time for Him! Before the Lord could save Ken and me He had to close the section of the Air Force Base in Massachusetts where Ken was stationed and move the whole squadron to Kansas. What we considered a major inconvenience was one of the greatest gifts God could have given us because shortly after the move we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
So I ask you again; how much of God do you want? How much of yourself are you willing to give to God? If you truly want as much of God as there is to have look for the gifts from God in every aspect of life…in the good and the bad…in the planned and the interrupted…in the convenient and the inconvenient…in the desired and the dreaded. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17. What gifts does God have hidden in the circumstances of your life? Focus on Him and take time to find His gifts to you because they are precious and valuable everyday!
Love & hugs,
Carol
