Monthly Archives: August 2011
Can you ever have too many friends? (Not talking about Facebook friends)
Some people say you can never have too many friends; there are others that say that there is a limit to how many friends you can have. We believe that you can definitely have any number of friends. We predicate our statement on the aspect of learning how to be a great friend. We have heard stories of some people who are “very needy.” They are high maintenance and require constant attention to keep the relationship in good standing. We like to think of ourselves as very low maintenance. We can spend years apart from friends, yet in a moment, pick up where we left off. A good friendship is all about respecting one another. Hopefully the relationship we have with our heavenly Father keeps us grounded and not always in the position of needing ministry and constant encouragement from our friends. Understand, when we go through trials – friends are happy and ready to stand in the gap when we are unable to be strong on our own. Hopefully it is sporadic and not constant. We pray that Yahweh will help us all come to that place of maturity and completeness in Him – strong in His Spirit and always ready to be a source of strength to those around us.
We have no conditions in place in order to be our friends. We do, however, stay vigilant to always step back from friendships that would cause us to violate our own personal convictions. We have had to say no to some invitations. We are strong enough in who Yahweh is in us to be bold and confident. We believe we can be fun and adventurous without compromising the values we hold dear. We do not have to agree on everything to walk together – a great lesson we have learned.
As we have traveled around the country over the past 27 years, we have been given some of the best friends that one could ever ask for. Our friends come from all different backgrounds. Some are conservative, others are more liberal, some are funny, some are serious, but the one thing they all have in common is our love. As we think about how Yahweh takes our lives and shapes us into what He wants us to become, He often uses His Holy Spirit and people to accomplish this task. Thank you to all our friends – each one of you has marked our lives and we are better for it. We ask the Father for a special blessing upon each of you – you are a treasure to us and to Him.
Is there a pattern?
We believe that there are some things that are constant and produce a desired result – i.e. tithing; other situations are so unique that they require us to be able to hear the Father’s voice. We all would like for there to be a clear-cut pattern or road to follow, but Yahweh made us all unique – what might work for you – may not work for us. Yahweh’s intention was to walk with us and guide us by His voice into all that He has purposed for us. The Father states in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” We have always sought to remain in that place where we can hear Yahweh’s voice. There have been times that we have been distracted, tired, or discouraged. Hearing that still, small voice is so crucial to us, when it is not there, we will do whatever it takes to get back to that communion and fellowship – there is life in that place.
Some of our decisions, at times, may have been viewed as unorthodox or unwise. We purchased a home in a subdivision that was struggling. There were only 5 homes built – 4 of which were for sale. Most people would say that it was an unwise decision, but we knew that it was what we were supposed to do. Within two years, the subdivision was built-out and all the homes were sold. Sometimes you may hear a word to do something out of the ordinary – conventional wisdom may go against it – but be faithful to hear and obey – Yahweh’s provision and blessing might just be in it.
Apostle Ball has always talked about the difference between a river and a canal. A river that Yahweh has made will have many turns and bends. A canal that man has made is a straight line – the shortest distance possible. Our life together has definitely mirrored a river. We are sure that people around us have sometimes questioned the turns and bends that we have encountered. We can testify to the amazing adventures that have been at every turn – great new friends, beautiful scenery, and His provision.
If there is a pattern in our lives – it is – “honor Yahweh with our first and our best and keep our hearts a place for His Holy Spirit to abide……”
It’s not just what you say…..
We have discovered that the greatest witness to winning people over might just be in what we do, not so much in what we say. If this Kingdom revelation doesn’t translate into a productive life-changing metamorphosis, why would any one want to accept Christ as their savior and repent of their sins. Being a believer is not about poverty, sickness, and sorrow. A true Kingdom witness is about excellence, wisdom, and integrity. We try to be excellent in everything we do. If it is a project at work, we dedicate the time necessary and try to go above and beyond what is required. We are on time, dressed appropriately, and being blessed by having Holy Spirit abide in us, look to have the next best idea or solution to problems that arise.
The wonderful thing about walking in the Kingdom is that, unlike the world, you don’t have to step on people on your way up the corporate ladder. Yahweh has a better way. Genesis 12:2-3 “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” We are fully aware that this is a blessing to Abram, but we took hold of this word because it is so characteristic of who Yahweh is. This blessing of Abram has marked our life in so many ways. Yahweh has blessed those who have blessed us and many who have set themselves against us have fallen by their own deceptive ways.
The world is looking for an alternative to their chaotic lives. Most have to dull their stress and pain with drugs or alcohol. When they see that we can walk in peace – even in the midst of a storm – they may begin to ask how that is possible. John 14:16-17 “and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He many abide with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither see Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” Holy Spirit has kept us and blessed us on this journey. He has given us insight and has allowed our lives to be marked with honor, blessing and peace.
Our prayer continues to be “Yahweh mark our life in such a way that those around will have to ask – how is it that you are so blessed – even in this troubling time?” 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
Relating….
One thing that we appreciate about our relationship is that we are truly best friends. There is no subject off-limits for us to discuss. We realized early on that if we had a problem with one another, talking with someone else about the issue was not going to change things. By being open and honest with each other, there is nothing hidden. Stress does not build up in our relationship – which we believe keeps our marriage healthy. If one of us struggles with an issue – we purpose to join together to help one another through. It’s another reason we need to be strong in the Spirit and our spirit. If we both keep ourselves in right relationship with our Heavenly Father – as a couple – we can be strength joined to strength. A sign and a wonder.
Yahweh – You Know….
We have always said if we ever wrote a book, one chapter would have to be titled “Yahweh – You know.” Have you ever been treated unfairly? Have you ever had a situation where you believed for one thing, only to have something else be the outcome instead? Have you ever been disappointed? We have had all of the above happen to us. The only response that seemed to come out of our mouth was “Yahweh, You know.” These words encapsulate our thought process of – nothing happens on this earth for us that is not purposed and authorized by our Heavenly Father. Recently we realized that in saying this phrase, we actually are saying – Yahweh – we trust You with our lives – we give the situation and our frustration over to You. The great thing about releasing our anxiety to Yahweh is – in our experience – He has always come through for us in the end. In those times that we have been treated unfairly, in the long run, Yahweh has always made things right for us and in most cases vilified the offender. The times that we have been disappointed – we have often said that we suffered short-term disappointments, but in the long run, Yahweh has always provided more than we could ask or think. When we have believed one thing – by Holy Spirit providing a different perspective – we have seen that He had a better way for us ahead.
Just a word of encouragement – next time things are not going the way you thought they would or you’ve been treated unfairly – instead of complaining about the situation – just say “Yahweh – You know.” Trust and release all your frustration to Him – Romans 8:28 “and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Twenty More Feet….
We were asked by our company to take a three-year assignment to help make a positive change in a challenging area of the country. Believing that we could make a difference, we accepted and set out for the adventure of discovering a beautiful area of the country we had never visited or lived in. We were even met with the affront of someone telling us that “this area had chewed up and spit out everyone who took the position.” Our declaration was “NOT US.” Yahweh had always blessed the work of our hands and we knew that it would be hard, but ultimately – with His help – we would prevail. The first year was ok, the second year pretty bad and by the third year we started to question if we had really heard the word to move and take on this opportunity. Nothing seemed to be going our way – in fact – it was going the opposite way. We would see glimmers of change, but the agony of misfortunes outweighed any hope that this ship was going to turn. In the heat of our perseverance and near the end of our commitment we were faced with a decision – come back home (after all that was the agreement) or request to stay for another year. Yahweh being Yahweh – we were in a church service during this time and one of the ministers (who was building a house) got up to testify about the costs and dilemmas with digging his well. They had reached water, but not his desire to have a certain amount or amount of water pressure needed (can’t remember the details exactly). The man digging the well told the minister that he could continue digging – at a cost of course – but could not guarantee that at a certain number of feet he would reach the ministers desired levels for the water. Agreeing to go twenty more feet – in an attempt to achieve what he was looking for – it only took a few feet and his desire was met. Holy Spirit began to speak to us about committing another year – committing to twenty more feet as it were. We set our face and let the company know that we wanted to stay another year. WOW – in our willingness to go above and beyond our commitment, Yahweh began to bless our area – not just a little bit – we hit a GUSHER! We had such a prosperous year on every level – at our yearly meeting – we were honored to receive a leadership award. To testify further of the blessing of Yahweh, even after we came back home – after that 4th year – that area of the country led the company for several years.
So many people give up in that 11th hour. We learned several valuable lessons:
Your provision maybe just around the corner – don’t give up or don’t give in.
Some things take a little longer, but the end result will be more than you can ask or think.
Stand strong, pray, and persevere – it’s worth it
Keeping things simple
We really should preface this post by saying that we are both somewhat obsessive compulsive – we believe in a good way though. A lot of people feel the need to hold on to things incase there is a “rainy day.” We are sure that this could be a nationwide epidemic – have you noticed people’s garages? They may have things of value in them, but they seem to get lost in the sea of unnecessary clutter. We have a litmus test for the stuff that hangs around our house. If we have not used it within a year or two – it is given away or sent to the Salvation Army. We have to war against this plague though – we currently have too many boxes in our attic. We try to purge often – the kitchen pantry, clothes, household items, paperwork, sports equipment, etc. If you are like us, you have to wonder – how does that junk drawer that I just organized a couple of months ago get so messed up? It is a constant battle, but so worth the fight. Apostle Ball had great insight on the accumulation of stuff – he would recite the to-do list: insure it, store it, maintain it, worry about it, clean it, and move it. When we have accumulated too much stuff, we notice that we start to feel anxious. There is great freedom and liberty in the ability to let go and simplify your life.
Learning how to assess value to something really helps. Unless it has a true sentimental value – and we scrutinize how precious – we have come to the conclusion that someone else could benefit from its presence more than us. By the prompting of Holy Spirit, we have even given away some of those truly special treasures. We try never to get to the place where we hold on to something too tightly – always believing that Yahweh is our source.
It has really helped us to curb our frivolous spending. Establishing a need for something will keep you on track to maybe not buy that shirt that you might wear one day – the price is so cheap – hard to pass up – only to find that shirt a year later in the closet with the tags still on it.
Keeping things neat, simple and organized is so freeing. It takes quite a bit of time and energy, but the benefits far outweigh the alternative.
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