Enjoying the Fruit of Harvest

This past Monday, my husband and I drove to Pullman to take one of our labs for a checkup at the WSU Veterinary Clinic. Our route took us on a two-lane highway curving through prime farm land plentiful with wheat fields. By this time, though, with wheat harvest nearing completion, most of these fields had taken on a scoured look since after combining is accomplished, wheat stubble is often cut and baled for straw. We saw many combines now "parked" and evidently waiting winterization. My husband and I debated if lined up combines in fields near the farmhouses were a fait accompli sign farmer to farmer.

Harvest in reality, though, is just a step in a process. A crop is useless if it is not enjoyed.

 

That is where the wheat trucks traveling our roads come in. And they were very abundant this past Monday. I lost count as to how many we saw.

 

The wheat has to be moved to elevators and/or overflow wheat piles, which look a bit like giant ant hills. (Here's a photo from an internet source.)

It is, then, loaded on railcars or barges to make its way eventually to processing plants, where it is milled into flour. That is subsequently made into product that finds its way to our tables to be enjoyed.

 

That's the point of harvest—the fruit being enjoyed.

 

And, the point of our prayers for our children is not just for a harvest of salvation but for the fruit that comes afterwards that is a joy to the Lord.

 

"…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23

 

Seeing that fruit in a believer's life is what gives the Lord much joy. I think John's words written through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit say it well and echo the Lord's heart.

 

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

3 John 4

 

Our persistent and fervent prayers at work in our children's lives will help keep that fruit fresh and enjoyable for the Lord's enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

Unstoppable, Forever Power

One of my favorite memories as a teen was the time our extended family celebrated Father's Day at Big Springs Campground in the mountains south of Pomeroy, Washington. What stands out in my memory, though, was not the picnic, but a stop along the way to Big Springs.

For some reason, we pulled over and got out of the car at a building that was set back from the road a bit. It looked to be a church as we took a peek inside and saw a pulpit, etc. But everything was in disarray, as if it was in the process of being abandoned or perhaps, hopefully, being remodeled.

 

The reason I remember the stop, though, was not the building as much as it was the field between it and the road. That field was full of wildflowers, particularly one type—bachelor buttons or, to some, cornflowers.

 

Whenever I see a bachelor button now, my memory goes back to that stop on the road to Big Springs. I often wonder if the church is still there or long gone. Perhaps the farmer has since reclaimed both the flowers and the building, turning them into another plowed field.

 

Scripture tells us that man is like a flower, here today and gone tomorrow, "but the Word of the Lord endures forever." (Isaiah 40:6-8) The Hebrew word Isaiah used for "forever" is "owlam." It means of long duration, antiquity and futurity, perpetual, continuous, everlasting, of indefinite or unending future, or for ever. For ever and ever—always going forward.

 

Something that is forever, in essence, has unstoppable power. Paul wrote to Timothy, "Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action)," (2 Timothy 3:16 AMP) Scripture, being of the breath of the Everlasting God, has a power source that keeps on giving.

 

So, when we pray God's Word for our children, as we do in Moms in Prayer, it is a powerful act. With the help of other moms, we are giving them a gift that keeps on giving. And, as we agree in prayer, using a Scripture to "blanket" one child and then another, we are actually doing the same for each other as moms. We are effectively implanting God's Word into our own minds and hearts.

 

Not long ago, a good friend commented to me that because of her time praying Scripture for her children with other moms, she remembers more and more of the Word of God. Her prayer time has become a memory aid to her. And I've noticed that those Scriptures we've prayed have a way of "speaking" to me when my thoughts stray towards worry concerning my children and their life circumstances.

 

Through our prayer times, God's Word makes itself at home within us. It becomes more of a forever part of our thinking.

 

Stormie Omartian wrote, "We cannot live successfully without God’s Word in our heart. We must not only read it, but we must also hear it, speak it, remember it, and ask God to weave it into our soul so that it changes us and becomes part of the fabric of our lives. One of the best ways to see that happen is to include Scriptures in your prayers."

 

What a wise and wonderful God we have! When He gave Fern Nichols the way to do what we do in Moms in Prayer International, He knew the ministry would be effective not just for our kids but also for us. May we always read, hear, speak, remember, and pray God's Words not only into our children's lives but also into our own and each other's as moms.

School Clothes

I recently read a blog by a mom writing about purchasing her children new clothing for the coming school year. I remember my mother doing this for my sisters and me, especially for me as I am the oldest.

One year, my last in junior high, we went to a ladies' shop downtown, one I'm not sure we'd ever shopped at previously, at least not together. My mom purchased several dresses for me. This was not the usual because, by this time, there were six of us girls with all but one in school. New clothes were often birthday or Christmas gifts, and they were most likely purchased as clearance or sale items.

 

Frequently, my sisters wore my hand-me-downs and I received ones from older cousins. I have to note that we did enjoy opening those boxes of clothes and sorting through them to see what "treasures" had been given to us. By high school, I sometimes used babysitting earnings to purchase some of my own clothes. Unlike a good friend of mine, I was not handy with patterns and a sewing machine even after Home Economic classes.

 

Others often helped my parents clothe their girls. One aunt in particular would purchase matching dresses for us to wear for Christmas and/or Easter. Here's a photograph taken of us in 1959. Just 3 of us had matching dresses as the fourth had just turned one year old.

Praying moms, in one accord prayer, as demonstrated in the ministry of Moms in Prayer International, we moms help each other cloth our children with the covering of prayer. Together, agreeing in prayer, we dress them to weather the storms of life. Figuratively, using Scripture to cover them with appropriate clothing, i.e. socks, shirts, pants/skirts; and then our specific requests are like covering them with necessary outer garments, i.e., mittens, hats, scarves, galoshes, and warm coats.

 

Can you get the picture of several moms standing around a child and through their prayers of agreement clothing that girl or boy from head to toe?

 

This type of prayer—agreement prayer—in fact is powerful because Jesus said so. I love how the Amplified Bible puts what Jesus said in Matthew 18:19, "Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven." In conversational, agreement prayer, that is what we are doing.

 

Whatever school my children attended and even now as adults, that was and is their most significant clothing—prayer. It is something that couldn’t be discarded on the playground, lost on the bus, or left at home. My Father sees my children wearing these clothes every time He looks at them.

 

Who is helping you clothe your child?

 

Who are you helping clothe their child?

 

Check out Moms in Prayer International at www.MomsInPrayer.org. If there isn't a group for your child's school, it is simple and easy to begin one. I'd be glad to help.

 

 

 

“Take this most seriously:

A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven.

What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this.

When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it,

my Father in heaven goes into action.

And when two or three of you are together because of me,

you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

Matthew 18:18-20 (MSG)

 

 

 

Family Trees

I've been doing research into my family ancestral roots. It all began because no one could tell me with surety my one grandmother's name. I guess she thought that Marjorie was more pleasing to at least her ear as compared to Edna Merle.

 

My research has been very enlightening, especially after purchasing a six-month subscription to one online service. I've used it to make a multi-branch family tree that so far stretches back into the 1600s. Most branches, even at that date, remain in the United States or the colonies, as they were at the time. Others after just a few generations back venture north into Canada and/or overseas into Europe.

 

I'd like to draw out this family tree using just the Father and Mother members without additional siblings, but I'm sure that would take quite a large sheet of paper. However, now that I've "met" these ancestors, at least by name, I want to remember them.

 

Years ago, one of my relatives on my mother's side had this done and gave each "branch" its own tree on paper. I could follow suit doing a simple paper tree with family member names on leaves.

I saw another idea I liked on Pinterest. It was done with framed pictures attached to a wall mural of a tree—so much more creative than my photos hung on our hallway's walls. Of course, this one didn't include all the different branches going back hundreds of years.

 

What I'd really like, though, is to know more about my past family members' personal lives, beyond just names and birthdates. Through different resources, I've found out some interesting things.

 

I learned that two of my 5^th great grandfathers, one on my mother's side and one on my father's side, helped found churches.

 

One ancestor donated land for a church in Alamance County, North Carolina. His name was Conrad David Low(e) (or Lough or, further back, Lau—spelling wasn't always consistent just as education/literacy wasn't).

 

The other, William Morris, helped start a church in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

 

 

That was significant to me as I wanted to know if faith was an important part of life to any of my ancestors.

 

But, it was interesting, too, to find hints of other's lives. One 4^th great grandfather came to the colonies as an indentured servant, which could have been his status for many reasons one of which was to just get passage to the colonies. A 10^th great grandfather (with his brother) owned a tobacco plantation…and slaves—that was troubling to learn. There were men who fought in wars with the gravestones giving honor to their service. At least one spent time in a prisoner of war camp. Many were homesteaders. One great grandfather was a constable. Most had large families, and many lost children at early ages. And there's still so much more to find out.

 

Investigating my family roots has created a tree that began like a skimpy sapling with few leaves to one now that is full of leafy branches with each leaf bearing the name of a person whose life in the past made the now of my life possible. It made me think of a song from the 1980s, "Find Us Faithful," written by Jon Mohr.

 

The third verse says, "After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone, and our children sift through all we've left behind, may the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the road we each must find." The song ends, "O may all who come behind us find us faithful."

 

That, praying moms, is what we want to be found—faithful. Jesus, in Luke 18:8, asks the question, "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" The example of faithfulness He had just given was the woman persistent before the judge, a teaching on persistent prayer for His disciples and for us.

 

I don't know for sure if Jesus will return in my lifetime, but I do want to be known as faithful. I want those who come after me to see evidence of faith in their quest to discover their family roots. And, if Jesus does come in my lifetime, I want Him to find me faithful in prayer.

 

"When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient.

When you pray, be faithful."

Romans 12:12 (NIRV)

 

 

 

Die Brücke

This past week, my eyes were opened to something so obvious yet not "seen" before, at least by me. Actually, it would have been obvious if I knew German. But, alas, I took Spanish in high school and even that is tucked away somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain.

My German-born step-cousin was visiting from California. We had ventured downtown to enjoy lunch and a bit of shopping and were on our way elsewhere in the car, when she asked about the name of one of Walla Walla's historic structures, the Die Brücke Building, wanting to know how it got its name. I said I didn't know, that I assumed it was a family name. But then she wondered why anyone would name a building, The Bridge. Well, that opened my eyes. I knew exactly why. The building is built over where Mill Creek is diverted underground into an enclosed canal that travels beneath that area of downtown where the creek turns northwest. Quite a bit of that canal is spanned by the Die Brücke Building.

 

Though not where I grew up, I've lived in Walla Walla for decades. I've read the name of this building repeatedly throughout the years, but the obvious was never apparent to me. I'd made a wrong assumption. It took someone else's eyes to open mine.

 

Isn't that the way it often is? We go about our way habitually under certain assumptions until someone points us to the truth. Then our eyes are opened.

 

All mankind walks in darkness including our children until someone or something makes their eyes open wide. As moms, we put God's Word and truth in front of them every opportunity we can. Sometimes early in life they "see" and turn to the Lord. Other times, their eyes remain "blind." What is so obvious, so right there in front of them, is not apparent.

 

That's why we pray. Our persistent, fervent prayers will move the Holy Spirit to intervene, to clear their vision so they see through His eyes. Scripture tells us that it is the Spirit Who convicts them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8).

 

The Pulpit Commentary on John 16:8 describes the world's understanding as "misconceived," like I was about the Die Brücke Building. Misconceived is defined as a condition resulting from a wrong or faulty understanding or idea of something, a condition that is consequently doomed to failure.

 

Yet, the Holy Spirit has the power to correct our understanding or enlighten us.  In the words of Matthew Henry, "Convincing work is the Spirit's work; He can do it effectually, and none but He; man may open the cause, but it is the Spirit only that can open the heart.” Praying moms, it is His power that is the turning point or makes for anyone's defining moment.

 

So, we make mention of our children in prayer, as Paul did of the Ephesians—"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to ___ the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of ___ understanding being enlightened; that ___ may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." Ephesians 1:17-21 NKJ

 

Never stop praying for your children. We pray to the One Who has the power to give eyes that see to the blind!


 

Adding Fuel to the Fire

My husband recently purchased a fire pit for his backyard patio project. He cut up some wood and soon had a nice fire going while he lounged in his chair nearby. As I stood just inside the screen door, I commented that the woodsy smell of the smoke was lovely, reminiscent of our camping days. However, since it was probably still in the 90s outside our back door that evening, I told him perhaps we really didn't need any additional heat!

Fire is dangerous, yet we are drawn to it and even delight in it.

 

The writer of Hebrews (12:29) tells us that our God is consuming Fire.  As such, He burns with indignation against those who stir His anger (Isaiah 30:27) and against anything unholy that enters His presence.

 

Yet, also as Fire, He gives His people light in the darkness for protection and guidance. Exodus 13:21

 

As Fire, His Word has forceful power (Jeremiah 23:29) and is potent within believers to purify and also to reveal the quality of our walk with Him. Acts 2:3; 1 Corinthians 3:13

 

Our God is dangerous, yet we are drawn to the light of His Fire and delight in His beauty.

 

Nonetheless, Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 caution us that God's Fire in our lives can be quenched.  Commenting on that warning, Albert Barnes wrote, "Fire may be put out by pouring on water; or by covering it with any incombustible substance; or by neglecting to supply fuel. If it is to be made to burn, it must be nourished with proper care and attention. The Holy Spirit, in His influences on the soul, is here compared with fire that might be made to burn more intensely, or that might be extinguished." (Barnes NT Commentary)

 

Our prayers for our children are like pouring fuel on the Fire of God in their lives.

—We can pray they will delight in God's Fire.

—We can pray that His Fire will cast light on the darkness around them. 

—We can pray that His Fire will be their protection and guide.

—We can pray they will draw close enough that His Fire will purify them.

—We can pray, too, that they will reflect His glorious Fire to others, that they will be dazzlingly brilliant!

 

In fact, we can stop and pray right now from Romans 12:11 for each of our children:

 

Heavenly Father, Almighty God, I ask that my child, _______, never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; that s/he be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the You, her/his Lord. In the Name of Jesus, amen.

"Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor;

be aglow and burning with the Spirit,

serving the Lord."

Romans 12:11 AMP

Shortest Distance

Years ago, my high school daughter went with a group of classmates for a two-week culture experience in Japan. That's a 9-hour flight over nothing but water. Not even a year had passed since the 9-11 attack. It was prior to our current cell phone glut. It meant leaving her care to two teachers I hardly knew personally AND to a Japanese family I'd never met or spoken with. Talk about my arm being too short!

During her visit, there were sight-seeing and shopping trips. Some with her group and some with her Japanese host family. There were train rides. I'd seen news photos and stories about those trains. AND there was a typhoon with coastal evacuations. Again, my arm was no where long enough.

 

Thank the Lord that His arm is never too short.

 

His word to me was and is, "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." Isaiah 59:1

 

Praying moms, this is so often our experience with our children. They spend a good portion of their days at school. And, then, as they become adults, they take flight from our "nest."

 

But, whether our children are far or near, our arms' reach always has limits. The good thing is that through prayer distance doesn't matter because God's arm of power has never been and will never be limited.

 

When Moses questioned God's ability, the Lord emphatically asked His own question, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?" Numbers 11:23

 

That's the question that needs to echo in our minds when we begin to entertain anxious thoughts about our children. We can answer emphatically, in the same manner as the Lord, "NO!"

 

Matthew Henry commented on Numbers 11:23, "Had [God's] power abated? Was God weaker than He used to be? Or was He tired with what He had done? Whatever our unbelieving hearts may suggest to the contrary, it is certain, that God’s hand is not short; His power cannot be restrained in the exerting of itself by anything but His own will; with Him nothing is impossible. That hand is not short which measures the waters, metes out the heavens, Isaiah 40:12, and grasps the winds, Proverbs 30:4.  That it has not waxed short. He is as strong as ever He was, fainteth not, neither is weary. And this is sufficient to silence all our distrusts when means fail us…"

 

So, when worry comes about your children, remind yourself of Who your God is. And, remember—God's power can never be restrained by anything but His own will. As you pray according to His will, using His Word, He will reveal to you that His arm has not been shortened.

 

"The shortest distance between two people is prayer."

Mark Driscoll

 

 

Rip the Roof Off!

While Jesus walked out His time of ministry on earth, crowds would gather thickly around Him. They had differing reasons for wanting to be in His presence. Some were spectators. Some were seekers. Some were desperate.
 

Three of the gospel writers tell us of four men who were desperate enough for the healing of their friend that they went to extreme measures to bring him into the presence of Jesus. And—"when Jesus saw their faith," He gave healing to their friend. (Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 9:1-8; Luke 5:17-26)
 

How desperate are we to bring healing to children?
 

What are we willing to do to bring them to Christ?
 

Does Jesus see faith in us?
 

In Lamentations 2, we can almost see and hear the writer mourning over the destruction and death around him in Israel, a consequence of rebellious behavior. Children were suffering and needed healing.
 

The solution?
 

“Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.” Lamentations 2:19
 

Our children are living in a rebellious and cursed world with destruction and death all around them. Suffering is par for the course of life, even for those who follow Jesus.
 

Are we crying out to the Lord to lives of our children?
 

Are we desperate enough that we enlist others to help us carry our child to Him? Not only that, do we assist others in the same way?
 

Are we like the four friends doing whatever it takes to get into Jesus' presence? Are we as mothers, not just friends, putting forth the effort to dig through any obstacle to bring our children face to face with Him?
 

Or—are we like the crowd thick around Jesus? Did you notice? Not one came forward to help the four friends or the paralytic.
 

Our faith through prayer has the power to bring Jesus' authority into our children's lives. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all wrote that it was when Jesus saw "their" faith that He spoke forgiveness and healing.
 

Praying moms, our children are born "paralyzed" into this world. They need us to take them to Jesus. And, the more friends we gather around them to assist through corporate, one accord prayer, the better. Together, we can do what we can do to persist through any obstacle so He will do what He does.

 

What are you willing to do?

 

Are you willing to gather others around you to help carry your child to the Lord?

Are you willing to rip the roof off to take your child to Jesus and enable him/her to stand up in this fallen world?

 

Regardless of the obstacles, find a way—rip the roof off!

One excellent way—a simple way—to take your child to Jesus with the help of friends is to join Moms in Prayer International, www.MomsInPrayer.org.

 

Panic Attacks

A few weeks ago, a missionary spoke at our church. His Scripture was Mark 4:35-41, the passage where the disciples find themselves in a boat in the middle of a lake in a great storm—a desperate situation. Jesus was with them…but Jesus was comfortably sleeping on a pillow all the while the waves beat on the boat.

 

In a panic, the disciples awoke Him and said (more likely screamed, I suspect), "Teacher, do You not care that we are drowning?" Appropriate question as the boat was filling with water.

 

Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and sea, and then He rebuked His disciples. "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

 

The disciples panicked; still, they did the right thing. They went to Jesus.

 

But the truth was Jesus was with them in the boat! What if they had focused on Him and His peace and not the storm?

 

This time of summer, we often have thunderstorms. In fact, we had one early this morning. The thunder was booming outside, but we were safe inside. I remember one year when we sat on the floor at the open front door and safely watched from a distance as the lightning flashes caused the street lights to go off and on—great entertainment!

 

A storm is powerful. Yet, when Jesus is with us, we can relax and watch for the wondrous things He will work through the storm. We don't have to lose it like the disciples. We can have His peace that passes understanding. We can trust Him knowing He is with us and, as one song says, we won't be ruined ("He is With Us," Love & the Outcome).

 

Oswald Chambers wrote, "The clearest evidence that God's grace is at work in our hearts is that we do not get into panics."

 

So, the next time you find yourself or a family member in a storm, look at Jesus and don't panic. Instead, put your head on the pillow next to His. He cares!

"Casting the whole of your care

[all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all]

on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully."

1 Peter 5:7 AMP