Dear Child, let Me lead

Several years ago a dear friend gave me a plague with the following statement: "Dear Child It's Not Following Unless You Let Me Go First".  After we moved into our new office the plague sat on the floor for a while.  Today I put it on the wall and have reflected on it all day.
Isn't it a true statement.  Often we want to be in the lead.  That reminds me of another picture I saw at a conference one day with a couple waltzing together.  It so reminded me of our relationship with Christ.  We are either letting Him lead us or we are walking all over His feet and plans for our life and not following His lead in this dance we call life.
Lord forgive me when I try to lead.  I want to surrender to Your plan and purpose for me, so I rest in Your arms and look forward to our dance together. I want to stay in perfect step, letting you go first.

Praising the Lord

I recently had an hour long conversation with our son and was rejoicing when it ended.  He was sharing how he had witnessed to a friend the day before.  The friend was using some language that was offensive to him and he asked him to stop saying it when he was talking to him.  Now that is truly amazing.
What a witness that will be to his friend and what a wonderful bold step for our son.  He is ministering to others that are having anger and relationship problems.  He can certainly do that because he has been there himself in the past.
Who better to share with us than someone who has been there, right?  It reminds me of the passage in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
I am thrilled to see our son reaching out to someone whether a believer or not and making a stand.  I love it when I am in a group and someone hesitates to share a joke or say words that are not pleasing to my Father, aren't you.  I always tell them thank you.
Lets all look for those Divine Appointments we have and be bold enough to speak out.  It's in those moments that we do that I think the Lord and His angels are rejoicing in heaven.

A Visit to the Youth Detention Center

Several of us who are involved in the On Wings Like a Dove ministry were recently privileged to visit our local Youth Detention Center.  Each time we go I am blown away by what these young people have been exposed to in their short life, and therefore the choices they have made.
Some of them are very open to share their stories of drug use and crime.  It saddens me to the core.  For one thing, it is like going back in time with our own son.  I have also asked God to give me a heart for the lost and it grieves me that most of these young people have not learned about Jesus' love for them and His sacrifice on the cross.
We played the son "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave.  He sings about not being who he used to be because Christ has redeemed him.
We talked in our small groups about what it means to be redeemed.  Here is the definition"

1. Compensate for the faults or bad aspects of something.  "a disappointing debate redeemed only by an outstanding speech."
2. Gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.  "his best suit had been redeemed from the pawnbrokers."
3. Synonyms: Retrieve, Regain, Recover, Get back, Reclaim, Repossess.

Redemption is the purchasing back of something that had been lost by the payment of a ransom.  Christ paid our ransom on the cross as He sacrificed Himself by His blood.  The debt we owed as sinners was not only cancelled but was paid in full.

If you have not made that decision for yourself won't you do it today?

If you have drifted away won't you confess that to Jesus today?  His Word says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.

If you want more information on how to ask Jesus to rule in your heart and life, write us and we will send you some materials.