The Weakest Link

"Parents of gay or transgendered children are the weakest link in the church."

Well, that is what Kathy Baldock author of "Walking the Bridgeless Canyon" said to me during her discussion at Truckee Meadows Community College in the Spring of 2015. She was invited to speak for about an hour on her book. She wants to help build a bridge between the church and the LGBT community. She gave some history about how the church has treated the LGBT community over the last several hundred years and how it has changed so much in the last couple of decades. The church is still very far behind the world's view.

I thought at first that maybe this could happen but it really can't. It is not that the church is against the LGBT community but it is one group that says die to the flesh and live for God and the other says be true to yourself and you should be able to express how you truly feel. One group says, "less of me and more of Jesus" and the other group says. "I have the right to do what ever I want and you have to accept that."

It is a bridgeless canyon for a reason. There is not meant to be a bridge built by man from one side  to the another. The bridge is Jesus and what he has done on the cross. You can see and then use that bridge when you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.

What Ms. Baldock said at the end of discussion when I pressed her about the different bibles she was using was that it wasn't about the bible. Well if it is not about the bible then how can a profitable discussion occur about God's love and mercy to mankind. That is a Christian's guide and source of wisdom. It is not antiquated, it is the living book that God uses to speak to us.

She also said that the weakest link in the church is the parent of a gay child. That statement caught my attention. It took me a while to process that. So I am weak. Hmm...really. It made me instantly think of the verses about being weak.

"To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak:

I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

I Corn. 9:22 KJV

Is God putting me in this position for a bigger reason? Can I be a help to other Christian parents that have a gay or transgender child? How can I be blessing? I do not have the answer to those questions yet. I know through prayer and searching the scriptures the answers will come.

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,

in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

II Corn. 12:10 KJV

 

 

Is it just me or do you find that when someone says something negative about you, you make a choice of determined effort not to be that? Well, I knew for sure that I was not going to be weak and I for sure was not going to be the weakest link when it came to supporting God's Word in the church house.

 

I have a lot to process about these verses. I will leave you with verses that have been such an encouragement to me since I left that meeting.

 

 

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

 

I Corinthians 1:25 KJV

 

"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

Consequenses

I  chose to make a very difficult decision in my home a couple of weeks ago. It seemed  that it hurt me more than it did the child. It actually broke my heart. I felt like I was in mourning about it for several days. But I know that I did the right thing. I hate making the hard choices. I hate calling out one of my kids. I hate being the enforcer. I want to be the good guy too however that is not what I am called to do. I want children that know that there are consequences. That there is a price to pay for your actions. I want my children to learn that while they are here at home where it is safe instead of when they are older and out in the world where there is no safety net.

I pray for wisdom and God's word says it will be given liberally to me however at times I think that if this is my with wisdom than I can't believe how completely inadequate I would be with out it. I need God all the time. Every day and every moment.

I have doubts. Isn't that part of being a good parent? Making sure you are going in the right direction. Seeking wisdom and counsel so that you stay on track. It is not easy being a parent. No one can parent my children better than me. I am the best parent for them. Even when it is hard. Especially when it is hard.

Right Hand - Day 44

Psalm 109:1 - Psalm 134:3

          David is very graphic in his prayers. He really wants his enemies to suffer for what they have done to David and/or the Lord. David wants a wicked man to be as his enemy's god and Satan to be at his right hand.

 

 "Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand." Psalm 109:6

 

          Wow, I want to stay on David's good side.

 

 

 

 

 



Prayer - Day 23

II Samuel 12:11- II Samuel 22:18

          We start this reading out with David's family having some sever problems. But David did not take any of these situations to the Lord.

          David does go to the Lord when it comes to preserving his Kingdom.

"And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." II Samuel 15:31

          David waited three years before he went to God about the famine in the land.

"Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites." II Samuel 21:1

          Chapter 22 is a song written by David to the Lord.

          Did David think that some problems did not need to be taken before the Lord? Maybe David thought he could handle family problems but when it came to the kingdom, those types of things, he needed to take to the Lord.

          David chose not to go to the Lord about the famine for three years. Why did he wait so long? Why did it have to get so bad to get him to inquire of the Lord about it?

          I have learned I need to take everything to the Lord. I am not going to make good decisions until I seek God first. Why should I wait for things to get worse? I need to take everything to the Lord in prayer.

Pray for America Day 2

Genesis 17:1-Genesis 28:19

          As the Lord is preparing to pass severe and complete judgement on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham is drawing nearing to him. He starts to make a bargain with the Lord about the cities and the people that live there. Abraham asks the Lord if he would destroy the wicked with the righteous. What if there were fifty righteous? Would he destroy the fifty with the wicked? The Lord says no. Abraham keeps asking all the way down to 10 righteous people. If there were 10 righteous people would the Lord destroy the city? (I think they both knew that this was a stretch). The Lord said that if there were 10 righteous he would not destroy the city. (Genesis 18:22-23)

          Well, we all know that the city gets destroyed with only Lot and part of his family being yanked out of there. Still in the end, Lot lost his wife and is only survived with two of his daughters.

           Am I praying for America this way? Am I asking God to spare our country from punishment? Our country needs God's hand upon it; blessing and guiding us in wisdom.

           Am I living a life that is righteous and set a part for the things of God? I have to live in this world but I do not have to be a part of things that would shame the name of Jesus.

           I learned in this reading that I need to pray for mercy on America and live a life of righteousness. Not perfection or a "holier than thou" attitude, but a life that will draw people to know Jesus.

          I also learned that I need to be more bold in telling others about the saving power of the Gospel. There is hope and there is an answer to the void in people's life. It is Jesus. I need to tell the others that the answer to their question is Jesus.



Do What to my Enemy?

I had this great blog I was going to write about praying for your enemies and how difficult it is to find the words that God would have me say. I go to look up the verse about “praying for your enemies” and it doesn’t say I have to pray for my enemy... it says I have to LOVE my enemy! I am sincerely struggling with just praying kind words and thoughts for my enemy and God says in his Word that he wants me to love my enemy. I am floored. I can tell you the truth that it seems real easy now to pray for my enemy.

”But I say unto you, Love your enemies," 

Matthew 5:44 KJB

Prayer



          God tells us in Matthew 6 how he wants us to pray. There are some do' and don't's about praying.

God does not want us to do it in public.

He does not want us to be repetitive in our words.

He further does not want us to fast so that other people will know we are fasting
.
          All these things God does not want us to do because we are seeking favor with man. We are trying to impress others with our outward appearance instead of looking toward God for approval.

          In Matthew 6:9-13 God even gives us a sample of how we should pray. At the end of the verses I put in parenthesis what God is showing us to do when we pray.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Praise)

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Asking)

11 Give us this day our daily bread. (Asking)

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (Asking)

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: (Asking)

     For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Praising)

          I see that God wants us to ask Him for things. He knows we need Him. He wants us to realize we need Him. God knows who we are:

          Psalms 103:14 We are dust.

          Jeremiah 17:9 Our hearts are wicked and we have no idea how bad it is.

Journaling

Journaling is therapeutic; it’s a good spiritual and emotional self-measuring tool, its accountability.

I can journal what I did during the day or the weekend. I can journal what I got out of my Bible reading. I can journal my walk with the Lord. I can journal what is stressful in my life and ways to manage the stress.

I feel like I am getting my emotions out and on paper. I find it a stress relief. Sometimes I just keep writing. Those thoughts that keep coming back or negative thoughts that haunt me. I write them all out. I just keep writing until I am done. It can be emotionally exhausting. It is cleansing. It is refreshing. It takes work. It can be like a work out.

I do not dig deep every time. I do write just about every day. I have been journaling for years and did not realize how good it was for me until recently when I looked back on the last year and a half. Oh, how God was there, carrying His little girl through this mine field of a year. Going through it, I must admit it I didn’t feel like God was there, though I knew He was because I believed me Bible and not my feelings. I saw Him on those pages. Day after day, guiding, leading and comforting.

There are so many good reasons to journal. If you have never kept a journal before, you can start anytime. There are some journals that are so pretty or you could just use a notebook, whatever fits how you want to journal.  Here are some tips about journaling that I have learned:

1.      When I get a gem from my Bible reading, I will write that in my journal. I want to remember the special things that God is giving me personally from my time alone with Him. The Bible is a timeless book that applies to me today. I want to keep track of verses or stories that stand out to me and then apply them to my life.

2.      If you are going through a hard time, it is a good idea to write in a journal. Getting your feelings out on paper is good for your mind. Putting down on paper all the hardships that you are going through may be difficult, but again very therapeutic for you.

3.      It may also help you to be thankful for what God is doing in your life. You do not have to be going through a hard time to journal. By journaling you can see how good God is in your life and be able to thank Him for those things. Try starting with three things a day that you are thankful for and you will see there will be days that there will be many more things to be thankful for.

4.      A journal is a good place to keep prayer requests. Remembering people’s prayer requests is a sign that you care. How many of us hear a prayer request and then do not write it down. This means we do not remember to pray. Our brothers and sisters in Christ need our prayers. Pray for others. Writing their requests down in a spot that you go to often will be a tremendous help to praying for others. If your church has a prayer page then use it like a book mark in your journal so you can remember to pray for your church family.

Don’t make your journal complicated, just one book for everything. I keep my journal next to my Bible on the table by my bed because that works for me.

Do what will work for you; just journal.

It Will Change You

The hardest thing you will do.

The easiest thing to do.

A little whisper or whimper.

A shout or a cry.

The Lord is nigh unto us, waiting to hear from us. That is what I believe the bible teaches. I have also experienced it in the last several months. I have been through a trial so hard and quiet that I even wondered if God was any where near me. Did he know what I was going through? Did he understand that I needed answers? Did he see that my heart was being broken and I was hurt and confused? Yes, he did. He was there all the time. Showing me tenderly that he heard me and he was there, right there going through this hard and quiet time with me.

He was teaching me.

Teaching me to lean on him and to trust him. He knows what is best for me and what he wants for me is just around the corner. Right out of sight. He was teaching me to keep doing what I know to do and the blessings are on their way. He taught me to be patient and wait.

He is teaching me to be thankful. To look around and see the blessings in my life. My well being is not defined by one area of my life but the full picture. I have wonderful friends, good health, healthy children.

He is teaching me to pray. Prayer. People smarter then me have written books on prayer and have preached on prayer but it doesn't seem real until you know that God heard you. He heard what you said. The Almighty God heard me. Me. Little ole me. That is pretty remarkable. I learned a lot about prayer.

I learned how important it is to pray. Pray about everything. What you think is little and the big things too. I can not guarantee that praying will change what you are going through but I can say it will change you. I was changed by praying. My situation has not changed and it is going on so long but prayer has changed me.

I guess  I should explain now why that blue Fj Toyota is the picture for this post. In the past our family has had things that reminded us that God loves us. For example, I have a Schwan truck, Hannah has horses and Josh has a FedEx truck. When we see those things we rejoice in the love of God for that person. The blue Toyota was a reminder to us to pray for a certain person. Whenever we would see that car we would know to pray for that person. For the past 4 or 5 months I have seen that car around a lot. I have resented to pray for that person. Did I really want good for that person? Did I want God's blessings on that person? Really?? At first I struggled with those questions and others that seemed to haunt me. What did I believe? What kind of person did I want to be? Do I just want to do the easy things or did I want God to use me even for the hard stuff.

As I argued with God when I saw that blue Toyota I learned that God still wanted to hear what I was saying. I was learning about me. Things my Father already knew about me. I did want the easy things but I wanted the hard things also. I want to be a strong Christian and a good daughter to my Heavenly Father. As I prayed I cannot tell you if it changed that person or not but I know for a certainty that it changed me. I pray easier for this person and I do not cringe when I see the blue Toyota like I used to. Some days are easier than others but I still pray.

Through this hard and quiet time God has taught me several things and the most important one so far is to pray. Just keep praying. He is listening.