GodandMe2theMax

Trying to see through the fog for a 20-20 vision!

“I do believe!  Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!”  Mark 9:24

Last week, I blogged and begged for your prayers for our family and our ministry.  Specifically, we were asking God for clear direction, wisdom, and provision.  If you committed to pray for us, THANK YOU!  When we counted up all the prayer partners who notified us that they would be praying, we were far from our goal of 300, but our very wise 16 year old daughter reminded us that David faced and defeated a giant, and it was just him and God, so we weren’t discouraged with not meeting our goal.  We are so grateful for all your prayers and for those who invited others who don’t even know us to pray as well!

The last week has been a tough one, to be honest. As a family, we have felt the weight of the world on our shoulders as we’ve begged God for these same things I asked you to pray for.  My husband and I have renewed our commitment to pray together more intentionally.  We’ve talked.  We’ve brainstormed.  We’ve cried.  Alot.  We’ve begged God to show us what His plan is, renew our vision, and provide for us.  We’ve asked God to not let us take one step outside of His perfect will and to show us what that is.

On a side note, last Friday, I had my 3^rd eye surgery.  Five years ago, I had lasik in both eyes.  I came out of the surgery with perfect vision in my right eye and legally blind in my left, thanks to the parameters being set wrong on the laser. Three months later, they tried to fix it, but for the last 5 years, I’ve been “living” with extremely blurry vision in that left eye.  It took almost a year to schedule and plan (and re-schedule several times) but I finally had another surgery to try to correct the loss in vision.  This surgery was a different procedure from lasik, and I won’t know if it’s truly successful for about a month.  Up until last night, when I tried to see out of my left eye, all I saw was a fog and blur – I couldn’t even read the top line of the eye chart.  But this morning, I can tell that I see a little more clearly.  The fog is a little less, the blur not quite so bad.  To say that the surgery was a success at this point would not be a good deduction, but hopefully soon, I’ll actually be able to bring things into focus.

And that’s how I feel about the situation in our family and our ministry.  We’ve been in a fog, if you will.  Our request for prayer last week was and is one of urgency, but it’s not a new one.  If you are involved with me in any way, you know that it’s been my one and constant prayer request for several years. As the economy has declined, so have the individuals who have supported Maxpoint.  Because the support for the ministry was declining, we thought maybe God was leading my husband to look for another ministry job – one that comes with a paycheck so we can pay our bills.  He’s been doing just that – applying and coming down to the final candidate for ministry positions over and over.  But when all is said and done, the rejection inevitably has come.  “Thank you for your interest, but we’ve found a more qualified candidate.”  You know, the old, “Thanks, but no thanks” letter.  Yes, we’ve been in a fog, just like my left eye.  God’s perfect plan has not been made clear to us.  To be honest, it still isn’t.  But I do believe that just like my eye, little by little, God is lifting the fog to reveal a 20-20 vision for our family and for Maxpoint. There’s still a lot more healing to take place in my eye, and the same goes for God revealing His will for us and the future of the ministry. 

I was reading in Mark this morning, where the father of the demon-possessed boy told Jesus, “I do believe!  Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!”  (Mark 9:24)  This says it all for me, so I ask you to continue to pray.  I know God has a plan, but living through the fog while it becomes clear is not the easiest thing to do.  (I think that’s something called “patience” – and Lord knows, it’s not my best virtue, although after the last several years, I must say that He is working on me in this area!) 

Thank you again for praying, and please continue to do so!  Please continue to pray for our family, clear vision, wisdom, and for God’s perfect provision.  We have some very serious decisions to make, and are begging God for His answers, not ours. And if you’d like to throw in a prayer for continued healing of my eye, then by all means, do so!  We all need some clear, 20-20 vision!

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Tablets of Human Heart...

“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?  You yourselves are our letter,written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.  You show that you are a letter from Christ,the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as minister of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter kills, but the Spirit give life.”    2 Corinthians 3:1-6 

My friend Sam Ingrassia sent me an encouraging email last month, and in it, he mentioned the impact this passage in 2 Corinthians had recently had on him.  I was already in the middle of a study, so I set it on the back-burner and added it to my “things to do” pile, which during this time of year is increasing daily.  This week, I felt like God was saying it was time to dive-in and study Sam’s suggestion. I love God’s timing – it’s always perfect – because it really encouraged me to move forward with an area I’ve been praying about for the last few weeks.  More on that later…

Take some time to go read the passage.  Verse one starts out with Paul asking if the people in the church of Corinth needed to carry letters with them to authenticate who they were.  Apparently, there were some false prophets in the day that started forging letters of authority to try to convince others that their “message” was real. 

I can definitely relate to this.  My full time job is arranging airfare for churches, missionaries, and non-profit organizations.  My company has contracts negotiated with every major airline to offer some special arrangements to passengers traveling for these purposes.   Believe it or not, there are some passengers who have been discovered through the years carrying false documents, trying to authenticate the purpose of their trip.  I've seen it myself, fabricated letterhead with the name, address, and phone number of a church that doestn't even exist.  Yes, unfortunately, there are some people who represent themselves in life in a certain way who are not “the real deal.”

But then Paul goes on to talk about those that are “the real deal.”  This is really what struck me, and what my friend Sam wanted me to see.  Look at verses 2-3  “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

Paul was basically telling them that they didn’t need a stone tablet / letter to authenticate the message of Christ because their lives authenticated Him. The Lord God could be seen in the tablet of their heart!  In verses 4-5, Paul gave God the credit for this, but just like a proud daddy, he mentioned that God had used him and his ministry to have a part in growing them into that living, breathing authentication.

The application really is two-fold for me as I read this passage.   The first question I must ask myself is this:  Am I living out my salvation so that others could say the same thing about me?  Can others authenticate the Message of Jesus Christ just by the way I am living?  Or do I have to in some way “prove” that I am a Christian, because it’s not apparent in my actions and words.  I pray nearly every day that I will make the choices so that others see “The Jesus in Me” and that I will be a reflection of Him. I pray that I am living that way, but I know I have so much more room for growth.

But the second part of the application is really what struck me and God confirmed in my heart an answer to prayer.  You see, Paul could actually say with confidence (not boasting) that those Christians in Corinth were a result of his ministry.  Paul had invested himself into them, teaching them and helping them grow. He didn’t just live his life as a Christian trying to reflect Christ himself, but he poured himself into others. He had a vested interest in those Christians because he had personally
invested in them.

As I think back over my life, I can think of a few people that like Paul, I can say, “You are a letter from Christ, the result of my ministry.”  But over the last few weeks,not even knowing I was going to study this passage this week, I’ve been asking God if He wants more from me.  I sat in a meeting a few weeks ago and listened as one of my friends poured out her heart about the need for someone in our church to step up and lead a women’s Bible study.  God has been speaking to me about investing myself more deeply into the lives of others, and when I heard her heart, I committed to pray and ask God if this was something He wanted me to do. 

Like everyone else, my life is pretty full.  I work a full time job, anywhere from 40-70 hours a week, depending on the season.  I and am a wife and mother of two teenagers. I serve on our church’s worship team, host a life-group in our home every other week, serve on the women’s ministry leadership team at church, am active with my daughter’s debate team, write Christian music and poems, blog, and of course, if you really know me, you know I also try to bake lemon bars for my friends to encourage them.  Yes, my life is pretty full, and your list is probably longer than mine.   

But you know what?  We all have the same 24 hours in a day.  We all have the same 7 days in a week, and we all have the same 365 days in a year.  The only difference between my time and someone else's is how I prioritize it.  Truth.  As I prayed about starting a Bible study, God just kept telling me that He didn’t want lip-service, He wants action.  He doesn’t want me to just blog about living out my Christian life, He wants it demonstrated in a more tangible way.  The more I prayed, the more He asked me, “How are you investing yourself in the life of others to grow them?”  Like an unprepared student in class, I didn't have a very strong answer.

And that brings it back full circle.  You see, God had already shown me that He wanted me to pour myself into others, then He confirmed it through Scripture and through our dear friend Sam sharing this passage.  Yes, God’s timing is always perfect.  If I had read this a month ago when Sam passed it on to me, it likely wouldn’t have had the same impact.  At that time, God wasn’t speaking to me about investing myself more deeply in others.  (Or maybe He was, and I just wasn’t listening yet!)  Either way, it’s my prayer that I will be the "real deal"...that I will not only be a “living letter” of authentication for God, but that I will also be able to look at others and say with all glory going to God, “You are a result of my ministry.”  May we each be a tablet of human heart!

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

A call to prayer - WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013 - will you enlist?

Brave Gideon had 300 men, the Mideonites had a host.
But Gideon had the Lord with him, and so he had the most.
Gideon had the Lord!  Gideon had the Lord!
He won the fight with the Mideonites, for Gideon had the Lord!

If you grew up in Sunday School like I did, perhaps you know the words to this song and were humming along as you read them.  As I share this morning, not only do I remember this old tune, but for our family this Wednesday, the story of Gideon takes on deeper meaning. 

In the eight year history of Maxpoint Ministries, founded by my husband Frank Banfill, we’ve never had a global call to prayer for our family and our ministry. The time is now.  We desperately are asking that you lift our ministry and our family up before Father, specifically this Wednesday, January 23^rd. (Of course, if you want to pray for us in between, then by all means, do!)

Gideon’s army was facing a mighty battle; one that looked insurmountable to the human eye.  But nothing is insurmountable when you have the Lord, and we know that.  So just as brave Gideon saw a mighty miracle take place as God used him and 300 men, we are asking God to give us an army of 300 people who will commit to pray specifically for our ministry and our family (Frank, Beth, Amber, and Jacob) on Wednesday.  We would ask that you pray for three things:  WISDOM, CLEAR DIRECTION FROM GOD, and for PROVISION.

Please pray as the Lord leads, but here are some of the Scriptures that we will be praying this Wednesday:

“Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
--Isaiah 49:23b

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
--II Corinthians 9:8

“I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”
--Revelation 3:8a

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him.”
--James 1:5

If you will commit to pray for us, please comment on this blog, on my facebook page, tweet “praying” to @frankbanfill, or send me an email. If you prefer to text me, then by all means, do so!  Just let me know in some way of your commitment to pray for us.  We are asking God for that army of 300, just like Gideon’s army.

If you’re reading this, then at some point, our lives have become intertwined.  Maybe we have gone on mission trips together, attend church together or have in the past.  Some of you reading this went to college or high school with me.  And yes, I can definitely think of some who are reading this now who actually attended elementary school with me!  Perhaps our lives are connected because of our 16 year old daughter’s numerous mission trip outreaches and public speaking successes.  Maybe we’ve been able to minister to you through sharing how God’s grace has been demonstrated in the life of our 14-year old son who has overcome so many challenges (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfpKq-1rH4A).   Maybe our lives have been laced together through sharing my cancer story and God's healing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCN2MGSzym4).

Perhaps you’re reading this post because someone has passed the link on to you over the course of time or maybe you just stumbled across it “by chance”.  I truly believe that there are no “chances” with God, and if you are reading this, then God has a reason for it.  I am asking that you pray for our family and our ministry.  We are asking God for an army of 300, just like Gideon had, and I am asking you to let me know that you will be praying. 

Will you enlist, if just for a day, this Wednesday, January 23^rd?

*Pray for Frank, Beth, Amber, and Jacob Banfill
*Pray for Maxpoint Ministries
*Pray for WISDOM
*Pray for CLEAR DIRECTION FROM GOD
*Pray for PROVISION

Thank you in advance for being a part of the army!

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

The Ultimate Gift Challenge...

"Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God." 
I Corinthians 10:31

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works."
Hebrews 10:24

 

A few months ago our church's "Marriage Mentors" hosted a date night where they showed a movie I had never heard of or seen before - The Ultimate Gift.  Truly, it was one of the best movies I have perhaps ever seen.  Although not overtly "Christian" the overtones of how God wants us to live our lives were evident and applicable for anyone looking for them.  The movie has a star-studded cast from James Garner to Bill Cobbs and Abigail Breslin.  When you watch it, you will laugh, probably cry, and if you ask God to soften your heart, you will be moved to action.

Last weekend while strolling down the Sam's Club DVD section, I noticed it was for sale - for only $4.98 - what a bargain!  On New Year's Eve, we watched it as a family, and I think even Frank had a little tear rolling down his face.  Me, well, even though I knew what was going to happen, the floodgates were open.  We finished the movie around 9:00 PM on New Years Eve. 

Perhaps it was the emotional effect of watching it with my children.  Perhaps it was Jacob saying, "This is the best movie I have ever seen."  (What?  Better than Captain America or Percy Jackson and The Lightening Thief?)  Maybe it was Amber giving a thumbs-up at our movie selection and saying it was a home run.  Maybe it was not having a dry eye in the entire room.  Maybe it was the pending new year and wanting to do a family project that would draw us all closer together and closer to God.  It was probably a combination of all these things, and suffice it to say my mind was spinning.  The emotional response within me from the movie was strong, and I wanted to do something more. 

But what?  The website for the movie (www.TheUltimateGift.com) has products you can purchase for discussion and action, but if you know me, I don't like to purchase something and do what someone else planned out.  No, I wanted to try to find ways to focus on the 12 main points of this movie over the next year and let God lead how that looked and panned out in our lives.  I thought about it the rest of the night as we brought in the new year.  I think I dreamed about it throughout the night.  Then I woke up at 4 AM on New Years Day still dreaming and scheming of how our family can incorporate the 12 themes (called "gifts") of the movie into our daily lives in 2013.  Now, these "gifts" are things that we have already been teaching our children.  We have tried to raise them with these very same values their whole lives and watching the movie didn't give me a new "parenting revelation."  My drive for action after watching the movie was wanting to do something intentional and impactful - something my kids will long remember after I am gone.  A challenge.

As Frank snored next to me, I tried to patiently wait for him to wake up so we could discuss my plan of action.  If you know me, you will also know when I get something in my mind that I believe very strongly about, there's usually no stopping me.  Frank figured that out a long time ago.  (He's pretty smart, that Frank!)  So when he woke up, I bombarded him with my plan for the family in 2013 and asked him to support my wishes and lead us as a family in this direction.  It went something like this:

1.  There are "12 Gifts" highlighted in the movie.  Can we focus on one of those gifts every month as a family?
2.  As a family, can we learn a coordinating Bible verse that would apply to the gift we are focusing on for the month?
3.  Can we document what we've done, either in written or picture form so that at the end of the year, I can make a photobook journal of our "2013 Ultimate Gift Challenge"?

Although I must say Frank wasn't completely on board right away, because as I said, the values of the movie are things we've always tried to instill in our children and be present in our family.  But I think he could see the passion in my eyes, and he agreed.  I then talked about my plan with Jacob and Amber.  I wanted to have their buy-in.  If it's a project that mom comes up with, then that's all it is - mom's project.  But if it's a family project, then that's different.  It unifies us.  Both Amber and Jacob readily agreed, and when that happened, I knew this was from God and not just me scheming.

So there you have it.  It's pretty simple, really.  Our family will do "The Ultimate Gift Challenge" in 2013.  If I'm ever stuck for ideas, I can turn to the movie's website for help, but I want God to lead us on this one, not a marketing person.  The more I've prayed about it and thought about it, I do believe this is what He wants us to do this year. 

I Corinthians 10:31 says "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God."  I want to honor God in this "Ultimate Gift Challenge" and I want to invite you to join me.  I will blog once a month about what we did as a family and how God used it in our lives.  Please pray about joining me.  Hebrews 10:24 says "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." (NLT)  This is a perfect way to start out the new year and practically live that verse out.  

Will you join me?  I created a category on this blog for "The Ultimate Gift Challenge" where I will make sure any posts related to it appear.  It doesn't matter if you are married or single.  Have kids in the house or don't have any.  We can do this together.  If you haven't seen the movie, go rent it.  Scratch that - go buy it.  Once you've seen it once, you'll want to watch it again.  If you're in the Dallas, TX area, I can host a "watch night."  Contact me to let me know if you're interested.  But the important thing is, we can do this together and spur one another to love and good works.  

Who is in?

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com