GodandMe2theMax

Observations from Amsterdam...

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  
Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...
You, my brothers, wre called to be free.  
But do not use  your freedom to indulge the sinful nature;
rather, serve one another in love.  
The entire law is summed up in a single command:  
'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "  
Galatians 5:1, 13-14

 

For those who are my friends on Facebook, you know that I've spent the last week primarily in The Netherlands.  The purpose of the trip was for work, but I had the privilege of going in a few days early with a friend so I could see the city.  
I've been through the airport in the past, but I've never been able to go experience the Dutch culture, and this was my perfect opportunity.  

But as I reflect on my time there, I have some observations to share...

First, most Americans are lazy.  
OK, I really can't fairly speak for the majority of Americans, but I can speak for myself -- I am lazy.  There, I said it.  Over the last week, I walked and hiked more than I have in the entire last year, and that even includes the walking conducted on past shopping excursions (that's a lot, by the way!).  

When I want to go somewhere in the USA, I jump in the car and take off.  I don't use public transportation.  And, I definitely never consider jumping on my bike that is hanging in my garage, probably full of cobwebs, untouched since our move to this house 5 years ago.

But in Amsterdam, a motorized vehicle is a minority.  Bicycles, well they are the majority.  There are multi-level parking garages full of them.  There are no cars in the garages; no, they are 100% full of every kind of bicycle you can imagine.  Old, new, locked, unlocked, and probably some broke ones, too.

 

And that leads me to my next observation.  In Amsterdam, pedestrians do not have the right of way.  Ever.  Although I never saw an accident while I was there, I did experience my friends saving my life time and time again.  Just when I thought it was safe to cross the street, someone grabbed me to hold me back, because a bus, taxi, or more often, 50 bicyclists were about to converge on the same area where my feet were headed.

 

 

Third, Amsterdam has some pretty delectible treats to offer.  
From the Stroupe Waffles I brought home with me, to the breads, and the incredible fresh fruits, combined with the various pastries, well, let's just say that this girls's sweet tooth was pretty content.  My favorite meal was at this place below.  The man in the picture makes fresh crepes with each order. My friend and I each ordered a different crepe and then split them, so we could try them both.  So by the time I left, I had a half of a mozzarella crepe, a half of a strawberry crepe, topped with nutella and chocolate, and then finally, for desert, I had a pastry filled with strawberries, nutella, chocolate, ice cream and real whipped cream.  My taste buds thanked me for taking them.  My hips did not.

 

 

Next observation: Amsterdam is a beautiful city.  Truly, some of the features are incredible and the architecture is gorgeous!  I love the way that parts of the old city has seemingly stopped in time.

On top of that, Amsterdam hosts the Anne Frank house.  I could have spent hours upon hours reading and re-reading the excerpts from the Diary of Anne Frank as I toured the house she and her family hid in.  The outside of the house was under renovation, so the only shot I got was this one below.  No pictures were permitted inside, just like in the Van Gogh museum, so you'll have to go for yourself to check it out.  It's a must see, and you also really need to buy tickets in advance if you don't want to wait forever in line for a timed entrance.

However, as beautiful as this city is, I guarantee you I could live the rest of my life without passing another sex shop or storefront selling "magic mushrooms", and in doing so, I would be fully complete.  

Depending on what list you read, Amsterdam either tops the list of the ten most sinful cities in the world or at least ranks in the top 5.  While I was there, I took a canal cruise, and the recording that told about the sites in the city said something like this, "Amsterdam was founded by a group of citizens wanting freedom.  Amsterdam is not known for its great churches and cathedrals, but rather for its red-light district."  

Friends, from my observation, let me tell you, this is a true statement.  Dispersed between the souvenir shops and restaurants downtown is every kind of immoral site you can imagine.  I saw a sign that said, "The sex workers do not want to be photographed."  I passed by at least one "Sex Museum", probably multiple ones.  Mechanical things I can't really describe in this blog were openly on display in windows.  I walked across a sidewalk with a sculpture of a woman's breasts with a man's hand on one of them, which of course seemed completely appropriate, given the city I was visiting.

In The Fault in Our Stars, John Green wrote, "Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth, it is a city of freedom.  And in freedom, most people find sin."  

As I think about this quote, I realize the depth of truth it offers.  Freedom.  As a Christian, I believe Christ died to give us freedom, freedom in Him.  He doesn't impose His will on me; I have a choice.  I can choose to pursue fleshly desires and live a life of sin, or I can choose to deny self and follow Christ.  And I have to ask, which one offers true freedom?

When you're surrounded by the "norm" being the antithesis of everything you believe in, the freedom of choosing sin over Christ is a real possibility for even the most seasoned Christian.  I found myself quoting Scripture about renewing my mind and taking every thought captive.  When you're in a foreign land, the enemy quickly whispers, "no one is watching."  Now don’t worry, I didn't visit any inappropriate places while I was there, nor was I even really tempted to do so.  But I did find my mind wandering with curse words being the first thought to enter my brain when I would hit my head on a short doorframe, which is quite unlike me.  (Another observation - the Dutch are apparently not very tall people, and I have several knots on my noggin to support that observation!)  In short (pun intended), It's easy to let your guard down without even knowing you've done it.  

I Corinthians 6:12 says, "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything."  So I wonder how many freedom seeking people involved in this lifestyle are mastered by it.  I would venture to say there are many addicted, and the freedom they think they have is really no freedom at all.  In reality, they are slaves to the sin.  The Bible says in Hebrews that sin is fun for a season.  Proverbs 16:25 says "There is a way that appears to be right, but the end is death."  

I Peter 5:8 says we have to be sober and alert because the enemy is prowling around looking to devour us.  So my challenge to you (and myself) today is from these Scriptures:

2 Corinthians 10:5 "Demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ."  

Romans 12:-2  "Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you will be able to prove what is good and acceptable and pleasing to God."

Am I perfect?  No, of course not.  I am a sinner, saved by God's grace.  And please understand I'm not trying to write this with a premise of being a "holier than thou" Christian who does no wrong.  Lord knows that is far from the truth, and if in doubt, just ask my kids who will quickly write an expose on their mother.  

I just want to be the best Beth that I can be in God's eyes, through His strength, not my own.  Even in the midst of the evil, there was so much beauty in Amsterdam that my heart felt a pang about leaving.  But that's how satan works, you know?  Because my final observation is that it doesn't take much for satan to get a foothold on a little piece of your heart, and that little piece can easily turn into a big hunk, and eventually he'll claim squatters rights on a large oversized portion.  His control slowly grows as I let him.

I'll close with one of my favorite songs that I keep on my playlist.  It's by Casting Crowns, and it's called "Slow Fade."  All it takes is for satan to get just a little piece of your heart, and from there, it's a slow fade, so slow, that we often don't even realize it's happened until we've messed up so badly that we hit rock bottom.

Be cautious.  As cautious as pedestrians crossing the road in Amsterdam.  Don't take one step into the street when possible danger (or a bicycle) is headed your way.  Look left.  Look right.  And look left again.  Do a double, even a triple take, because as quickly as bicycles appeared out of nowhere with the intent to run me over, satan himself will attempt to do the same thing.  

 

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray 
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray 
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

 

The Parable of the ugly Crepe Myrtle...

Matthew 13 3-9, 18-23
“Then He told them many things in parables, saying, ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.  It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  He who has ears, let him hear.’
…(Then Jesus said), ‘Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is the seed sown along the path.  The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time.  When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.  The one who received the seed and fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.  But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it.  He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’ “

 

I’ve said it before.  I have a brown thumb.  I have one living plant in my home, it’s some kind of ivy that is only still alive because I’m told you can’t kill it.  It was sent to me from my old employer at the time of my first cancer surgery, and I’ve been determined to never let it die.  Anything else related to horticulture, flowers, plants, etc., I leave to my sweet neighbor friend Ankita.  

 

Her favorite thing to do is dig in the dirt and plant beautiful arrangements of flowers.  Her yard is pretty bright and full, so this year she moved her creativity over to my yard.  She planted a few flowers, and we’ve talked about what we can do (actually, what SHE can do) to spruce up my boring flower bed area.

When we built the house, I told the builder that I wanted red or pink crepe myrtles in the front yard.  The builder told me the trees were already ordered, but he thought that I was actually going to get some crepe myrtles.  Well, I did.  Ugly, boring white ones that are currently overrunning the front of my house.  I know, I know, I’m pretty picky for someone who doesn’t have a green thumb, but I do have an eye for what looks good…and two big white crepe myrtles just don’t work for me aesthetically. 

As I said, I have two white crepe myrtles, and they anchor each side of my house.  Actually, they are taking over the front of my house.  We trim them back, and they grow more.  (I guess that’s how it’s supposed to work!)  Anyway, Ankita and I devised a plan to make me happy.  We were going to dig up the big white crepe myrtles and transplant them into my back yard.  Then I want to replace them with red or pink crepe myrtle bushes, ones that won’t grow so tall.  By doing so, I’ll get the color I want without having the tall, lanky trunk with ugly white flowers.  (Did I mention white crepe myrtles are ugly?)

So I’ve done some research, and it seems that the best time to transplant a crepe myrtle in Texas is after they go dormant, so I’m thinking that’s going to be in late October, early November.  And that’s what the plan is.

But I can’t help but wonder if the trees will make it in my back yard after I transplant them, or will they be scorched when the heat returns because their roots aren’t deep or strong enough to sustain life.  Our lawn guy told me it’ll probably be a 50-50 survival possibility.  But from what I’ve read, they are hearty trees, and it’s a lot harder to kill them, so I’m going with the internet.  :)  I’m just going to hope and pray the soil in my back yard is the “good soil that produces a crop.”

Bringing the verses back to home, obviously, the tree analogy doesn’t really explain what Jesus meant.  When we share the Gospel with someone who has never accepted Christ as their Savior, well that seed sometimes falls on bad soil.  When that happens, usually the person isn’t ready to hear or is so mad at God about something that they refuse to hear.  That’s when the birds eat up the seed or the seed falls in a rocky place where there’s not much soil.

Sometimes we share the Gospel with people and they show an interest in the seed we’ve planted.  But then something interrupts that desire to learn more, thorns that prevent growth.  And then sometimes those seeds take root and allow growth.

This same parable of Jesus can be applied unilaterally to anything we hear, really.  How many times do we get really excited about something new, but we lose interest and the desire falls by the wayside?  How many times do we become determined to lose weight, eat right, and exercise daily (usually around January 1st) but by January 3rd, the seed that was planted has fallen on rocky soil with birds eating it up.

And for Christians out there, how many times does the Holy Spirit speak to us in a still small voice, nudging us to take action on something for Him, only to forget it completely by Monday morning?

My challenge today is to let the good seed of Jesus, whether it's the Gospel or His still small voice take root in my life so that I don't allow thorns and birds to kill my desire to obey.  My prayer is that 1) when we transplant my crepe myrtles in a few weeks that they will live, but much more importantly 2) when God speaks, I will listen and obey, allowing His seed to penetrate deep in my life, taking root that no one can dig up or kill.  I want my life to be an example of a beautiful red crepe myrtle being used to glorify my God!

 

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Creative parenting...

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand…For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks…”  Matthew 12:25,34b

In this passage, Jesus addresses the Pharisees when they accuse him of being the devil himself.  Jesus point blank tells them, “Every kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.”  (Sidenote: This definitely makes me really concerned about the future of the USA with the constant division between republicans and democrats, but alas, that’s not the purpose of this blog…)  

Jesus then goes on to say, “Every city or household divided against itself cannot stand.”  And that’s where I am focused this morning.  The household.  If you know me personally, you will know that my one constant prayer request for about 2 years running now is that we will have wisdom to know how to parent our children as individuals.  Admittedly, parenting is a hard task, and I tip my hat to those who tackle it by themselves.  Unless God puts me in that situation, I can’t imagine ever having to do it.  With our oldest now in college, you would think parenting would be easier, but I’m not finding that to be the case.  At times, I find it overwhelming, especially right now with a full-blown adolescent teenaged boy in the house.

Have you ever built a tower with Lincoln logs or Legos?  Now, truth be told, I haven’t built very many, because my children never really played with those toys.  In fact, Jacob told me the other day that he didn’t play with them because they left nothing to the imagination.  (I thought they were so popular because you could use your imagination to build anything with them!)  Not Jacob, though.  He would rather create something out of paper and tape instead of putting together pre-made pieces that link together to form something.  “That’s real creativity, mom.” 

Top & Bottom Left: A self portrait  Top Right: A set of aerodynamic wings he swears will be able to help him fly (if only he were the weight of a bird)  Bottom right: a net, made from paper and tape, twisted together and tied in knots

Indeed, he has made some incredible things by being creative in this way, and it’s true, even when he was a toddler, he didn’t play with the box of Legos we had purchased.  But if I gave him tape, paper and/or a cardboard box, he would play for hours.  He somehow had a plan in his mind of what the completed project was supposed to look like, and he would execute the plans until the project was perfected.

Top Left - a revolver made completely from tape...not that I'm proud of my son designing a revolver, but you have to admit it's pretty cool.  Top right:  I believe this ended up being transformed into some kind of a shield  Bottom Left: No, this isn't a pitchfork, it's a triton   Bottom Right:  "Rubberband Man", one of my personal favorites, made completely from rubberbands, no glue or anything else.

So if you by chance have played with Legos, imagine working with a partner and laying your foundational Lego pieces.  You begin to build higher and higher, but you realize that something doesn’t look or feel quite right.  You look down and realize the reason is because some of the foundation bricks you laid are no longer there.  Perplexed, you discover that you’re not working with your partner at all to build one big edifice.  You are working together, side by side to build the same thing, but your idea of how it should be done is quite different from your partner, so you end up with two smaller, less stable, very different creations.  Your partner is building a creation and you are building yours. 

When Jesus says “a house divided against itself cannot stand” I can only think of how important it is to be unified as parents in how we raise our children.  This is easier said than done, as I'm learning daily!  Our faith is the first foundation that everything is built on, but then it gets a little tougher.  If you’ve struggled as a parent, maybe like me, you just don’t know what the right answer is.  Do you make them do their homework or do you let them fail?  Are you rescuing them too much or are you being the kind of parent that God wants you to be?  Maybe you’re new to parenting, and you wonder if you should spank your child or if you can correct megative behavior with “time-outs”.  Maybe your husband/wife doesn’t believe in spanking and you believe you should.  Maybe you and your spouse are together building your own Lego creations...separately

As I read this passage, I am reminded that I do not have all the answers.  There are so many “unknowns” in the realm of parenting.  But this one thing I do know, the foundation of parenting must be firmly grounded in Jesus Christ.  I find it interesting that Jesus later says “…out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”  Last week was extremely stressful on me.  Our family was out in California to take our oldest to college, and leaving her out there was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.  My husband stayed an extra week, but I had to come home with our son so he could start his sophomore year of high school.  The stress of getting back in the school groove, combined with a week of single parenting, combined with massive stress at work after being gone for 12 days culminated in a massive outpouring of anger on my son Thursday night. 

After he went to bed, the Holy Spirit nudged me (kicked me, actually) and I realized that although the content of what I said to my son was 100% accurate and truthful, the way I delivered it was in no way a resemblance of my Heavenly Father.  I’m so thankful He gives us fresh mercies every morning, because on Friday morning, the first thing I said to Jacob was that I was sorry for losing my temper with him.  I asked him to forgive me, and he did.  As I look back over last week, my daily quiet time was limited to reading the daily “Jesus Calling” while sitting in the bathroom.  I was going a mile a minute dealing with life's stresses that I pretty much neglected my relationship with God.  On top of that, I don’t sleep well when my husband is out of town, so suffice it to say I was one big mess emotionally, and I pretty much relieved all those stresses on my son.  “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”  Yep, that’s what took place for sure.  Again, I’m so thankful that God is a forgiving God who gives new mercies!

But back to parenting...  “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”  Just like Jacob had a plan for each of his creations, as parents, I'm reminded that we must have a plan.  We must have a plan for discipline, for teaching our kids the Bible, and for preparing them for life.  When our kids were younger, my husband and I used to have an annual retreat where we planned out yearly goals for our kids and our marriage.  It was always a time to evaluate what we’ve done right and wrong and a time to ask God to show us the next step.  We no longer have annual retreats, per se, because at this stage of parenting, those meetings have to come much more frequently as we navigate the tender adolescent teenaged years.  Trust me, they more closely resemble weekly, if not daily meetings, trying to come up with a plan that will help tackle whatever the daily problem is.

Top Left:  Helmet (made to size); he eventually spray painted it gold, his favorite color   Top Right: A working bow and arrow, made from post-it notes, tape, and rubberbands  Middle Left: An army ninja  Bottom Left: turtle spinner

So my thoughts are this:  Do you have a firm foundation in your home and marriage?  In Texas, we have to actually water the foundation of our homes to avoid cracks.  Figuratively, are you watering your foundation with the Living Water of Jesus Christ on a regular basis so your heart overflows His love?   Are you consistent in your discipline?  Do you have a unified creative plan in place for each of your individual children?  Do you regularly have marital staff meetings to evaluate your family and set goals?  Are you working together to raise the kids or are you workig your plan and your spouse working his, hoping one of you is doing something right.  And as you work those plans, are you spending the necessary time in the Word so that your heart is filled with God-thoughts and they outpour through your lips? 

All these random thoughts about family, children, and being creative as a unified parental front do really hit home for me.  Parenting is tough.  Sometimes I want to give up.  Sometimes I feel like I can't find a creative way to fix the problem.  Sometimes I try to tell God this isn't what I signed up for.  (Honesty is the best policy, right?  And I'm just being honest here!)  I'm just so thankful for God's Word and how He allows phrases to jump out and hit home in my heart, right when I need to be reminded of them the most.  I'm thankful, too, for a Godly husband who leads our family but mostly for a loving God who loves me in spite of my sinful outbursts and mid-life temper tantrums.

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

Serving where He calls me...by His design...

"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth.  'Follow me,' He told Him, and Matthew got up and followed Him."  Matthew 9:9 

As I continue my study in Matthew, I have to pause and just recognize God’s intricate and sovereign plans.  We often don’t understand why things happen, but at least for me, that old expression of hindsight is 20-20 usually comes full circle.  God uniquely designed me, every detail, to fulfill His purpose. 

I can’t help but think about this in relation to this passage in Matthew.  Matthew was a tax collector by trade.  He not only collected taxes, but part of his responsibility was also as a record keeper.  How significant is it that Jesus called Matthew to be one of His disciples?  Matthew was uniquely designed to vividly capture and record the accounts of Jesus for us to read generations later.  Yes, I know every word of Scripture written was inspired, but I do believe God often uses us in areas that uniquely fit how He made us, and Matthew was designed for the job Jesus called him to do, for sure.

Design (verb)  To do or plan with a specific purpose in mind

It’s a word that implies creativity. It’s a word that implies forethought.  And it’s a word that implies purpose and intention.  There’s no doubt that throughout Scripture, it’s clear that God designed us.  He knows us by name, and He created us for a purpose.

Psalm 139:1-6,13  “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

I can look back over my life and see how God allowed certain things to take place so that I could be who He called me to be today.  Who would have ever thought that taking a job as a receptionist at AAA would have been the first foundation for my career today?  Within less than five years, I had cross-trained for multiple positions within the company and eventually, I was promoted by a district office manager.  I would have never guessed at the time that God would allow taking a job as a receptionist to set the framework for my life in Texas.

But as I think about my design in relation to service to God, I’m kind of back at a crossroads, doing some serious evaluation.  I recently resigned from the women’s ministry team, at least for a period of time.  I felt as though God was telling me to pull back and re-focus.  I don’t know what that means exactly, but I do know a big factor in that is my need to re-focus on my family.  I may have one going off to college this week, but I still have one at home, and my job isn’t done.  It’s easy to do, do, do because you happen to be good at something, and it’s easy to say yes, yes, yes, because no one else will do it.  But when there’s so many “do’s” and “yes’s”, I think you lose focus and become weary.  And that’s where I was.

In his book Doing Church as Team, Wayne Cordeiro talks about DESIGN.  He uses the acronym to bring focus to where you should be serving in the church.  Here’s a quick snapshot of this great tool:

 

D	Desires or Passions	Ask yourself, “What do I love doing?”
E	Experiences	Ask yourself, “What unique experiences do I have?”
S	Spiritual Gifts	Ask yourself, “What are my spiritual gifts?”  (…And if you don’t know, just google “spiritual gifts inventory” to help point you in the right direction.)
I	Individual Style	Ask yourself, “Am I an introvert or extrovert?”  (Do I get energized by being alone or do I get energy from being in a crowd of people?)
G	Growth	Ask yourself, “Where am I in my spiritual growth?”  (If you’re a new baby Christian, you probably don’t want to sign up to teach a theology class.)
N	Natural Abilities	Ask yourself, “What are my natural abilities and talents?  (ie: singing, writing, making people laugh, playing an instrument, art, etc.)

 

So just like God called Matthew to do what he uniquely designed him to do, I know God is going to bring clarity to my area of service within the church as well.  I know He created me with desires, gave me experiences and spiritual gifts, natural abilities, and has grown me in my spiritual walk thus far to serve Him wholeheartedly.  So now, I just need to wait and listen for His call.  Then like Matthew, I will jump in and serve, by His design.

 

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Salt or Salty?

“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."  Matthew 5:13  

 

 

Having 2 teenagers, I tend to learn a few old words that have taken on new meaning.  In fact, I even throw them into conversation from time to time to help me feel ‘hip and cool’ among today’s generation. (Word to the wise – it doesn’t really work…)  Anyway, one such term is “salty.” 

salty  adjective 
The internal attitude that develops when you find yourself a victim of unfair circumstance and feel like you were given the short end of the stick. 

Maybe you don’t get bitter; maybe you’re even able to work through the situation emotionally, but the moment the subject is brought up again, you’re right there on the salty bandwagon again.  Even discussing the situation stings...like salt in a wound.  When that happens, you’re described as being really salty.

Then there’s the other salty that we are all familiar with - as in salty food. 

salty  adjective 
Tasting of or containing salt; saline

Have you ever met someone who automatically adds salt or pepper to their food before they even taste it?  Maybe you're one of those people.  It's a given, the words “pass the salt” come from their mouth just after hearing the “amen” in the prayer…or maybe even before.  

Well, let’s just say that I tend to be both extremes with these two salty descriptions.  I don’t really get bitter when I’m dealt a hand in life that I think is unfair, but sometimes, no matter how much I try or pray for God to help me, I do get a bit salty about the situation.  Just when I think I’m emotionally healed, something happens, and the thick scab is ripped open with salt being poured into it.  Ouch!  It’s not a good feeling, to say the least.

On the other hand, when it comes to food, I am not one of those salty people.  In fact, although we do own a salt shaker, it usually stays up in the cupboard with the spices, only making an occasional appearance at the dinner table when we have company in need of some extra flavor.  I don’t know if that means I have a bland palate, am a content person, or if I just love to eat so much that I don’t appreciate good flavor.  I’ll let you make your own deductions.

Well, if you follow my blog at all, you’ll notice a huge void over the last year.  Massive time seems to span between posts.  I’ve never really been one to not have something to say.  Ever.  But over the last year, that is not the case at all.  I have countless blogs started, only to delete them and never complete them.  I had a lot of half-thoughts, but not too many complete God-thoughts that I felt compelled to share.  Why?  At times that has been my eternal question to God.  Why do I feel so useless?  Why can’t I even seem to write a paragraph about what You’re teaching me?  Why does this hurt so bad?  As I tried to find answers, the repeated answer I received was that God wanted me to pretty much shut my mouth for a period of time.  When I stop blabbering, then I am a better listener for His still, small voice.

Thankfully, I’ve never had to endure a hurricane, but I do know that when a hurricane is about to hit, you really have only two choices: 

1)  Run for safe cover with your valuables and family
2)  Hunker down and endure the storm

Let’s be honest.  Hunkering down is not easy.  I would much rather choose the option behind door #1.  But over the last year, that’s not what God told me to do. 

He said, “Stay put and endure the storm.” 
He said, “I am your shelter.”
He said, “I am your provider.”
He said, “I am the only friend you need.”
He said, “I am all you need.” 
He said, “It’s not going to be easy.  People will fail you, but I never will.”
He said, “Trust me.  I know what is best.”

So imagine me, huddled up in a ball, protecting my heart, trying not to be hurt by the storms of life, all while waiting on God to show me the next move.  Every so often I would peak out the cracked window hoping to see a shimmer of light, only to realize the waves are crashing in again and it’s not safe to come out.

I don’t know how better to describe it.  In truth, if you don’t have a relationship with the Lord, you may dismiss what I’m describing as just going through “a funk.”  But for me, it’s truly been a year (plus) long massive hurricane of emotions.  It’s been a period of God silencing me so He can work on the deepest part of me.

You may not understand what I’m trying to say.  You see, some people are artists.  They express themselves through painting, and it’s what they have to do.  Some people feel that way about cooking.  I wish I felt that way about cleaning (others in my family may wish that, too), but I don’t.  However, I’ve always felt that one of my biggest ministries over the last few years has been through this blog.  When it comes to sitting down and stringing together random thoughts and simple applications that help point people to a relationship with Jesus, well, that’s my happy place.  And when there are long intervals between spending quality time in your happy place, even if God tells you to hunker down, it’s a tough place to be emotionally.  It’s like an insatiable craving for something you can’t have, even though that object of your craving is right in front of you. 

On Sunday evening, the weariness of hunkering down all these months had just about gotten me.  I felt so empty inside.  Frank and I talked through the whole gamut of emotions I was feeling, then we did the only thing we knew to do – pray.  After we finished praying together, I silently cried myself to sleep begging God over and over to start using me again, to bring back joy, and to not put me on a shelf to collect dust.  (Side note – Philippians 1:6  “I am confident of this that He who started a work in you will complete it!”  I was just too weary to remember this promise when I cried myself to sleep in prayer!)

It’s amazing how a good night’s sleep and some sweet Holy Spirit peace can change your perspective.  Monday morning I began my normal routine and started to have my quiet time, and as I read, my heart started to go to its happy place.  The more I read, the more He showed me, and the more excited I became.  With a glance out the window, the sun was shining, and this time I didn’t sense any big waves right behind it.  The next morning, my experience was similar, except the excitement and burning in me was a little hotter, deeper.  I finally felt as though God was gently blowing the dust off me, promising me He wasn’t done with me yet.

This week I had started reading in the book of Matthew.  I have two pages of observations and applications of what God was showing me in just the first four chapters, and then I got to chapter five. 

Matthew 5:13  “You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Did you catch that?  “If the salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out.”

Good for nothing.  Thrown out.  Isn’t that the same thing as God putting me on a shelf?  My biggest prayer and concern was addressed right before my eyes.  But as I read it repeatedly, I noticed the conditional statement.  It says IF the salt loses its saltiness THEN it is no longer good for anything. 

I read the verse again.  Multiple times.  And as I did, I prayed over it, asking God to show me the truths He wanted me to see.  What He showed me was that I had allowed myself to become a salty person.  And when I’m even a little salty about things, it prevents me from effectively being the salt of the earth.  In essence, the more salty I am, the more I lose my spiritual saltiness and the more useless I become. 

When God would allow one of those salt-water hurricane sized waves to encompass me, it would rip open scabs that I thought had already healed.  Then the cyclical burning of the salt in my wounds would start all over again.  The end result was little by little, I was becoming a salty person. 

But as I read this passage, I realized God wasn’t bringing the waves to make me feel the pain again.  He was allowing them to engulf me so that He could heal the deepest part of me.  Can I say this big revelation from God has brought about 100% healing at the time of writing this blog?  No, of course not.  But I do believe that just being conscious of what He’s trying to teach me has helped me discern His will better.  It’s given me renewed joy, and it’s definitely allowed me to have peace about the situations in my life that He has allowed.

I don’t know if what I’ve written resonates with anyone else but me, but it really doesn’t matter, actually.  What matters to me is that I am confidently reassured that God is not done with me.  He will complete His work in me.  Have I arrived?  Of course not.  He has so much more work to do on this self-imposed salty girl.  But as I daily take up my cross and drop my will for His, as I allow Him to wash and clean my deeply set wounds, He will continue to infuse that spiritual salt in me.  He will transform me into the kind of salty girl He wants to use. 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

God IS a Verb...

He chose.  He guides.  Protects and resides.
He plans.  He gives.  Fulfills and He lives.
God is a verb.

He is.  He was.  Pursues and He does.
He gave. He restores.  Connects and much more.
God is a verb.

As I have spent time with the Lord over the last few weeks, there's been one recurring theme that I have noticed - God is a verb.  Of course, we all know that in English, God is a proper noun.  But as I dig deeper in my reading, all I seem to notice is how much God does.  He's a God of constant action; He embodies it, in everything I see. So for me, at least today as I write, God is a verb.

Back in "the day", English was my favorite subject in high school.  In fact, it was the only subject I felt like I really understood.  The two main kinds of verbs that I remember learning about were called LINKING verbs and ACTION verbs.  I'm pretty sure they've re-defined some of these verbs and maybe even made up new categories to teach kids these days, but those are the two kinds I remember, anyway.

Linking verbs were defined as verbs that didn't necessarily express direct action, but they connected the subject of the verb to some additional information.  The list I memorized encompassed words like IS, AM, WAS, WERE, ARE, BE, BEING, and BEEN.  So as I explored this whole "God is a verb" topic, I started to think about that list.  What does God say to Moses in Exodus 3:14? God says, "I AM WHO I AM...Tell them I AM has sent me to you."  Revelation 1:8 says "I AM the Alpha and Omega...who IS, who WAS, and who IS to come."  You know what I love most about these verses?  He loves me so much that He connects me to Him; He LINKS me!.  He cares about ever detail.  I have no need to ever worry, because HE IS. HE WAS. He always WILL BE.  

Psalm 46:1  "God IS our refuge and strength; He IS always ready to help in times of trouble!"
Psalm 23:1  "The Lord IS my shepherd..."

Revelation 1:8  "I AM the Alpha and Omega...who WAS and IS and IS to come!"

Then of course there are ACTION verbs, and this is what has really caught my eye in my reading.  God is constantly at work.  He's a God of action.  He isn't in heaven on a throne just judging my every move.  No.  He is at work in even the smallest detail.  

Here's a sampling of some of the ACTION God has shown me in my reading over the last few weeks:

Psalm 103  He FORGIVES my sins.  He HEALS my diseases.  He REDEEMS my life from the pit.  He CROWNS me with love and compassion.  He SATISFIES my desires with good things.  He RENEWS my youth.

Psalm 23  He IS my shepherd.  He LEADS beside still waters.  He RESTORES my soul.  He RENEWS my strength.  He's the GIVER of rest.  He GUIDES me along the right paths.  He PROTECTS and COMFORTS me.  He PREPARES a feast for me.  He PURSUES me.

Psalm 119:105  He GUIDES my feet.  He LIGHTS my path.

Proverbs 3:5-6  He SHOWS me the path to take.

Matthew 11:28 & Psalm 91:1  He GIVES rest!

Jeremiah 31:3  He LOVES me with an unfailing love.  He DRAWS me to Himself!

Ephesians 1:5 He ADOPTED me.

I could go on and on.  Read for yourself and make up your own list for a few days.  It's amazing how much my God can do for each of us, simultaneously, and never without letting one of us be forgotten.  He never drops the ball.  Why?  Because He IS.

From time to time, I watch some of those reality shows about survival.  I don't know a lot about surviving in the outdoors, but one thing I have picked up on is that you should never drink from a stagnant pool of water.  If I was stuck out in the wilderness looking for water, the safest water I could find is one where the water is moving.  From what I understand, this means that the bacteria is less likely to be present.  The point is, if God is a verb, then I should be as well.  I can't be stagnant.  Like a gentle moving stream or raging river, ever moving and flowing, I need to keep moving forward in my relationship with Jesus.  Digging deeper.  Reflecting Him more in my actions.  Serving others more.  Drawing closer to Him.  Never being satisfied with where I am, but always yearning for the stream to flow harder and faster, while washing out the impurities.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I'm in the middle of that fast moving water, holding for dear life on to my "floaties", hoping not to drown.  That's when Jesus says, "I WILL SHOW you the path to take."  "I WILL PROTECT you and COMFORT you."  "I WILL SATISFY you."  "I WILL GIVE you rest." And He does.  Every time.  And He lifts me up and keeps me moving forward.  Why?  Because God IS a verb. 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

 

 

Extra, extra hot fudge, please.

"But the one who does not know and does things
deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. 
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
and from thw one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." 
Luke 12:48

 

Any time I order a sundae at Sonic or McDonald's, I order a hot fudge sundae, extra hot fudge.    Sometimes I phrase it, "lots and lots and lots of hot fudge."  Sometimes I'll ask for it with "double-triple extra hot fudge."  You get the idea.  It may cost me a little extra sometimes, but it's oh-so-good.  I'm a hot fudge freak, and you can really never have too much of it on your ice cream.  You do know that, right?  I don't like chocolate sauce on my ice cream - it's too thin and mostly, it just doesn't add the rich chocolate flavor that hot fudge does.  Yes, that's it.  Hot fudge makes it rich. 

Frank and Amber are out in California, looking at potential colleges for Amber.  Jacob begged me to have a friend over, so I thought it would be great to have his friend go to church with us this morning, then come over and play Minecraft afterward.  Minecraft, in case you don't know, is their obsession.  I can't even begin to describe it to you, but all I know is that if it were up to Jacob, his friends and him would be on skype together all day long, conquering the Minecraft bandits, and building new kingdoms, or whatever they do.

Now, I've never met this friend of his, but Jacob met him last year when he attended Cooper Jr. High, and they became fast friends.  I picked him up for church this morning, and like a good mom, I tried to get to know him a little.  After all, I wanted to know what kind of kid my son is hanging out with, you know?  But in the process of learning "who this friend is", God showed me a bit about myself, while humbling me in the process.

This is what I learned... 

This friend has 2 sisters, one older and one younger.  They all have different last names, because they all have different dads.  He wasn't ashamed of this fact.  That's just "life" for him.  He doesn't know any differently.  Me?  I grew up in a hot fudge kind of family.  My parents were married until the day my dad passed away.  I have three full-blood brothers, all of whom are still married to their "one and only." 

He told me he's lucky, because he lives in a double-wide, and some people don't have a double-wide like he does. 

I asked if his mom has a job, and he excitedly said, "She's starting a new business!"  When I asked what it was, he replied she was going to start selling e-cigarettes.

Our Honda Odyssey is a 2005 Odyssey.  It's paid for, and we have no plans to upgrade it anytime soon.  We certainly don't consider it a luxury vehicle, but let me tell you what this friend's perspective was. 

He asked Jacob, "What is that?"  Jacob replied that it was the screen for the DVD player.  The friend then said, "I knew they made vehicles with screens in them; I've seen it on tv, but I've never been in a van that has one!  That's so cool that you can watch movies in the car!"

He then went on to compliment us on the shades for the windows, the adjustable sun roof, the CD player that actually can load and play 6 different CD's, and the automatic doors that close with the push of a button.  You would think I was driving him around in a decked-out 2014 state-of-the-art vehicle.  My reality: I was driving him around in what many would consider a late-model van.  His reality: it was the nicest vehicle he'd ever been in or even seen up-close.  Our van was one with double-triple hot fudge.

I told the boys I would take them to McDonald's after church so we could eat quickly, and they could get home to play their game.  Jacob's friend said, "My family doesn't ever go out to eat.  I don't really know what they have."  He then told me he was really hungry, though, because he didn't eat any breakfast.  I suggested he get a Big Mac and fries, because I wanted him to not be hungry.

We went through the drive-thru, and as we made our way to our house, I pressed the garage door opener.  Squeals came from the back.  "Wow!  I have never seen one of those garages that actually open by themselves!"  Jacob told him that I pressed the button on the remote control, so it didn't really open all on its own.  That didn't matter to his friend, because as we pulled the van into the garage, he made a comment about our garage.  Now, we have a 2-car garage, and we actually have it clean and organized enough to park two cars in it each night. 

It's another thing we take for granted. 

This friend, well, he had never been in a garage.  Truth.  He told me he thinks it's awesome that we have a garage to park our cars in and keep our things in.  Oh, the things we take for granted.  A home (and a garage) with extra,extra hot fudge!

As we went inside, I had to turn our security alarm off, and more innocent questions ensued.  He turned the corner, and he saw our table in the kitchen nook where we eat.  I told the boys to sit right down, and I would get plates for the food.  Jacob's friend thought it was amazing that we had a kitchen table - a place for us to all eat together and sit down.  I intentionally didn't tell him we had a dining room table too, one that we only use for overflow company, craft projects, or for homework when the kids need to really spread out.

I got the plates, and I told the boys, "Let's pray."  Jacob's friend had that "uh-oh" look on his face, and he said, "I'm sorry, I already ate a french fry."  I told him no worries, God understands!  We prayed, and then I watched in wonder as he devoured a Big Mac, and at least a large French Fry, plus more from another carton.  This boy was hungry.  I wasn't sure if he had no food at home or just chose not to eat breakfast; I was afraid to ask. 

As I contemplated the conversations I've had with Jacob's friend today, the things I've seen him marvel at -- things routine, taken for granted, and mundane to this family --certainly not considered as "special", I'm humbled.  By God's grace, He gave me the forethought to invite Jacob's friend to church and then over for "hang out time" with Jacob.  The boys get so involved in their game that it never dawned on Jacob to do some socializing outside of Minecraft, so when I suggested inviting him to church, Jacob thought it was a grand idea.  As we pulled out of our driveway this morning to get the friend, Jacob and I prayed together that his friend would start to understand what it's like to have a relationship with God.  Because he was so readily able to attend church with us, we naturally deduced that he and his family are unchurched.  For the most part, this appears to be accurate. 

But as I already mentioned early on, in part, my motivation was also to "get to know this kid Jacob spends so much time playing video games with."  As I thought about the events of today, I can't help but know that my perspective was so wrong.  Perhaps I should be more concerned with how my children are influencing others for Christ instead of what kind of influence others are having on my children.  Yes, I need to be concerned about both, but they both need to work hand-in-hand, with one not weighing more than the other.  We sometimes live in our perfect little hot fudge bubble, hoping no one will pop it our disrupt our lives by emptying the jar.  We want our toys; we want our 2 cars; we want our 3.14 children in our perfect little family.  (I believe that average is actually now lower, probably so the parentals can have more toys.)

And my point is that God has blessed our family beyond anything this friend has ever seen.  To some, we look rich.  Extra, extra  hot fudge.  To others, we look middle class, just with some hot fudge.  The truth is that compared to the rest of the world, even this friend of Jacob's is "rich". 

And so that brings me back to the verse...  "To whom much is given, much will be required." 

Friends, it's not just me.  We are rich.  Period,  And God, the giver of all hot-fudge riches, is one day going to ask us, "What did you do with what I gave you?"  And I must have an answer.  We all must have an answer.  Just like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, when the master returns, will he say, "Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in a few things, and so I will put you in charge of many things."  Or, will the master say to me, "You wicked and lazy servant." 

In Jacob's friend's eyes, we are probably the richest people he knows.  Yes, having served overseas, compared to African children, I know our family is so rich -- rich in love, in possessions, and in spiritual blessings.  I just didn't expect to be reminded of that fact this morning by a 13-year old boy who lives 8 minutes from my home. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go feed two boys some ice cream.  With lots and lots of hot fudge.  And whipped cream, too.  Because you know, only rich people keep hot fudge in their pantry, for such a time as this. 

"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.  From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from thw one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." 

And now that you know, you, like me, have no excuse.  Think of that next time you order some hot fudge.

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wipe that look off your face!

 "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow, the Lord will do amazing things among you."
Joshua 3:5 

This was the verse that God gave me on Sunday.  I wasn't sure why, but it stuck with me, and I kept being drawn back to it, even after our class moved on further in our study of Joshua.  You know, when you read something like that, you don't necessarily think God's talking directly to you, but something inside me just felt like He might be doing just that.

Ceartainly you've heard the expression "Wipe that look off your face before I wipe it off for you."  Nearly everyone has. Perhaps you've had it said to you, or in the heat of the moment, perhaps you've said it to one of your children.  (No, certainly not the latter with me.  Never.)

If you've ever had it said to you, it's also quite likely you didn't even know you had that look on your face!  You're just simply unaware of it.  But those words (ok not exactly, but that concept!) is what Father whispered to me Tuesday morning: "Wipe that look off your face!  I AM GOD  What do you expect?"

Let me back up.  As you know by now if you've read anything I've written this summer, my daughter and I spent time in Zambia in July, working with orphans.  When I first came back, I was gung-ho about telling each girl's story, hoping and praying God would move someone to sponsor one of them through what is called the "Father's Heart" program.  

But honestly, I didn't feel the love reciprocated.  I knew I couldn't expect others to share my passion for these girls. Until you've hugged them and looked into their eyes yourself, I'm not sure you can fully share that passion.  But I still hoped and prayed that God would provide a way for them to be sponsored. Every few days, sometimes every other week, I would post a snippet about the need for them to have an education on my facebook page.  I talked about it with anyone who would listen, yet aside from a few, most were not moved to action. 

The deadline for sponsorship was Tuesday - October 1st, and both Amber and I have been overwhelmed with grief and emotion, knowing that some of "our girls" will attend school next term, and some in the same community will have to stay behind and watch their friends leave for school.  The thought of them thinking that "Auntie Beth worked hard to find sponsors for the others, but somehow Auntie Beth didn't find a sponsor for ME" has haunted me, honestly.

Monday morning, my daughter Amber left for school with tears in her eyes and a pack of brochures in her hand.  She said she's determined to somehow find a way to get the rest of her girls sponsored.  She had planned to walk the Kroger parking lot after school to tell people about the Father's Heart Program and "her girls" that still needed sponsored.  That was her plan, anyway, until I told her she wasn't allowed to solicit at Kroger.  I just looked her in the eye and told her God knows.  God knows which one of our girls must be in school this year.  And if for some reason they can't be sponsored this year, then maybe next.  I told her we'd done everything we can do, and the rest was up to God.

Yes, to say I had pretty much given up would be an accurate statement.  We both have hugged each other and cried together over these girls that we fell in love with this last summer.  But we were downcast, losing hope.  And God said, "Wipe that look off your face, oh ye of little faith!"  

I don't know why I lose faith so easily sometimes.  He's proven Himself faithful over and over again.  He is incapable of faithlessness.  In fact, earlier in the day on Monday, I had received word that someone was looking for a girl to sponsor and had selected Agness, one of the girls from my group.  I checked my email later in the evening, only to discover the whole story.  You see, the day SNAPS (pictures) were taken, Agness wore a pink Batman t-shirt.  The family who was praying over which child to select was immediately drawn to Agness, because the husband is a huge Batman fan.  They referred to her as the "Batgirl" but they didn't want to pick her solely on the t-shirt, so they decided to let God choose.  They prayed over 3 girls, and then put their names in a cup...whichever one was chosen would be the one God wanted them to sponsor.  And of course, God orchestrated for them to choose Agness' name, aka "Batgirl."  

I don't know when it started happening.  Maybe 6 or 7 PM on Monday.  But I got a message from my friend Susan Kendall, the wife of the founder of Family Legacy.  Unbeknownst to me, she decided to "feature" Amber's girls on her facebook page to see if anyone was interested in sponsorship.

Susan sent me a message, asking for some specifics from Amber about a particular little girl.  Amber and I looked at each other with tears flowing down our face, excited about the possibilities.  Our jaws were dropped to the floor in awe. And God said, "Wipe that look off your face!  I am God  What do you expect?"

We checked Amber's sponsorship page, and within the hour, that one person who had inquired about one of Amber's girls felt led to sponsor not one but two of them.  Within just a few hours, all but one of Amber's girls were sponsored, each with an incredibly unique story of how God moved in the heart of the person to hand-select just the perfect match of a sponsor and child.  And God said, "Why do you sit there with such astonishment?  I am God!  Wipe that look off your face!"

Even after "Batgirl" Agness was sponsored, I still had 4 girls that remained unsponsored.  Truthfully, the older they get, the harder it is to find sponsors.  They aren't as "cute and adorable".  But I can tell you that I spent time with these older girls, and the real beauty is on the inside.  God allowed me to catch a glimpse through His eyes and see these girls as royalty - His princesses.  

I decided to check my sponsorship page pretty late in the evening, but something was different. Memory, the smallest of my girls was moved from the "Needing Sponsored" column to the "100% sponsored" section.  I did a double take to make sure I read that correctly, and indeed I had.  The name of her sponsor:  Sheri Reaves.

Let me tell you, the fact that this "Sheri Reaves" sponsored Memory is nothing short of a miracle, and I must tell her story.  Their story.  It is a God story.

Last week I was in Niagara Falls for a week of meetings with our operations/management team, including some of our international staff.  The President of our company sponsored a blanket for one of the girls from my group, and in return, I had promisted to bring him a picture of the girl with the blanket.  It was the first opportunity I've had to see him since I went to Zambia, so as soon as he was free, I went up to him and gave him the picture.  Of all people, the one girl randomly assigned to the money he donated for a blanket was Memory.  

Our speaker for the meetings was perhaps one of the best I've ever heard, and his name was (is) Chuck Reaves.  Well, Chuck made it clear throughout his presentations that he was a Christian.  There was no hiding it, and no reason to hide it.  He was transparent, and you could tell the hand of the Lord was on him, with incredible wisdom and power.  Chuck just "happened" to be standing right there when I handed Mike the picture.  Mike showed it to him with a big smile on his face, told him briefly about me going to Zambia, and that was that.

Or so I thought.

You see, God has a way of putting people together, and there are no accidents.  It turned out that Chuck had an interest in Zambia and in the past, he's been involved in putting wells there.  We chatted a little, then it was time for the meeting to start again.  That evening, our dinner consisted of a "progressive meal", rotating from restaurant to restaurant at the hotel, including rotating who we sat next to at each venue. And who would God put next to me during the appetizer?  Sheri Reaves, Chuck's wife.

We talked as if we were old friends.  Chuck had already told her that I had worked in Zambia, and she wanted to know all about what we did and the minsitry we worked with.  Of course, I was glad to share, too!  In fact, I'm sure I talked way too much!  Our conversation jumped from her church name (Twelve Stone) to my church name (Five Stone) to my cancer, Zambia, Tanzania, and everywhere in between. We covered the globe, really.  The appetizer was soon over, and it was time to rotate to another location, so Sheri gave me her email and asked that I email her information on the ministry in Zambia so she could learn more.

When I got home, I followed through, sent Sheri some links, and I really thought that would be the end of that.  

Until I saw the name of SHERI REAVES listed as Memory's sponsor.  

I emailed her immediately to thank her and give her more information and pictures of Memory, and what she replied to me was nothing short of a miracle.  

Why did she choose to sponsor Memory?  

Because MEMORY was her grandpa's name.  (TRUTH!  She said they called him "Mem" but his real name was Memory!)  When she saw "my" girl by the name of Memory, she knew God wanted Sheri to sponsor her!

And then God said, "If you don't wipe that look off your face, I'm going to wipe it off for you!"  

No seriously, why am I always so astounded when God does what He promises to do -- be 100% faithful?

I mean, is it by "chance" that there was a little big eyed girl by the name of Memory in my group this summer?  Is it by "chance" that my president was randomly assigned as the sponsor for Memory's blanket? Is it by "chance" that I would choose to give my president the picture in person instead of mailing it to him months ago?  Is it by "chance" that our speaker would be a Christian and would happen to have an interest in Zambia?  Is it by "chance" that I would sit next to his wife and that he would have already told her about me?  Is it by "chance" that Memory would be unsponsored?  Is it by "chance" that Sheri Reaves' grandfather's name was Memory?  

Even an atheist should know the answer to those questions. And when he answers them honestly and contemplates these said "chances", God will say to him as well, "Wipe that look from your face!"

I could share several more stories of God-ordained matches, but blogs are supposed to be 750-1000 words, and I'm pushing 2000 right now.  In case you haven't noticed, I've been working on keeping things more brief, but sometimes, God-stories are not to be told in an abbreviated way.  And this is the case today.  I want to share every detail so you can shake your head with me, eyes glazed over (hopefully in tears) and know God is faithful.  Always. In every detail.

So when you're weary; when you want to give up; when God shakes you in your Texan cowboy boots...
When you stand in awe and say, "I can't believe this!"  Just know, you can believe it.  So wipe the look of disbelief off your face.  Because He is God.  And you just never know what He might do when you take the Word of God literally.  Consecrate yourself, for tomorrow, the Lord will do amazing things."

And He did just that.

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

PS - As of right now, one of Amber's girls and 2 of my girls are still needing sponsorship.
The deadline is less than 3 hours away.  I am believing God will be God.  If nothing else, please pray for 6-year old Melody and 12-year old Jane and Stella, that God will provide for them!  Because, He can and will do amazing things!

Update -
Since the deadline is officially now past, there is a very outside chance that for the next few days, perhaps you can call the ministry and do a late registration for sponsorship. By the grace of God, Melody was sponsored just 25 minutes before midnight, and that leaves just Jane and Stella needing sponsorship!  Please pray for God to provide in His perfect way and perfect timing!

 

 

The Choke Hold...

"The farmer sows the word.  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear it, satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Others, like seed sown n rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life,
the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word,
making it unfruitful.  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it,
and produce a crop --thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown."
Mark 4:14-20 

 

I'll admit it.  When I was a teenager, I was a "Big-Time Wrestling" fan.  I could cite stats on Hulk Hogan, Jake the Snake Roberts, Sergeant Slaughter, Andre the Giant (and a host of others) on demand and sometimes faster than Vince McMahon.  (Only a real fan knows that Hulk Hogan's real name is Terry Gene Bollea...and I knew that long before Al Gore invented the internet or reality TV arrived on the scene.) When I say I was a fan, I mean I was a die-hard fan.  I watched every match, hoping one of my favorite wrestlers would be up next.  

I went to some live matches, too.  I touched Hulk Hogan's shoulder once. He shook his sweat on me as he walked by.  I had Hulkamania posters on my wall; I had a Hulk Hogan "Stretch-Armstrong" doll. You get the idea?  I loved watching WWF wrestling.  No one could convince me it was fake.  Sure, I could see that might be a very slight outside possibility, but I wanted to believe it was real, and therefore, I did. 

Well, thankfully, I've matured a little, and that chapter of my life's obsession is now over.  But in those days, a common wrestling move was called "The Choke Hold."  Real fans also knew it as "The Sleeper." You can probably imagine what it looks like.  One wrestler wraps his arm around the other wrestler's throat until oxygen is seemingly cut off from the brain, causing them to pass out.  (Or at least appear as such.)  

As I read this passage in Mark this morning, I couldn't help but think of "The Choke Hold".  

How many times are we challenged (convicted) by something in the sermon on Sunday, but by Monday, we can't even remember what the sermon was about?  Why is that?  It's because satan's ultimate goal is to put that "choke hold" on Christians.  He can't win the match, and he knows that, but he wants to put the moves on us to make us immobile for the cause of Christ, so he uses the distractions of life to do just that.  

Take a look at verses 18-19:  "...still others hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."

Now, as you probably know, I have a brown thumb.  I have but one plant, and it's one that I'm told you just can't kill.  It was given to me by my boss when I was in the hospital with my 2nd cancer surgery, and it's very special to me.  But aside from that one amazingly still green and growing item in my home, no other plant exists.  My sweet neighbor keeps telling me in her adorable Indian accent, "Beth.  I will teach you."  I just giggle at her and shake my head.  You see, Ankita can try to teach me all she wants, but a horticulturist I will never be.  

A sports fan, though, yes!  That is me.  And sports analogies just work better with my tom-boy, 3-brother/no sister brain.  So when I read this passage, I don't think about the farmer and the seed; I think about a sports event - and in this case - a wrestling ring.  (I don't know why they call it a ring, anyway.  It's very clearly a square, don't you think?)

We are truly in a wrestling match with satan. His one and only goal is to put us out of commission, to put the "choke hold" on us.  The sleeper.  After all, what good are we for Christ when we are just doing nothing?  What good are we when we're distracted by the worries of life and things of the world?  Absolutely no good.  And satan knows it.

But as I thought this through and contemplated the whole scenario and satan's evil tactics, I remembered scenes from yesteryear.  Perhaps you've seen the images as well.  Do you ever remember watching one of those WWF matches and seeing one of the underdog wrestlers just about get beat to a pulp when out of nowhere comes another wrestler to his rescue?  Usually it's one of the really popular ones who has come to stop the slaughter - to be the savior of the day.  Well isn't that what God will do for us?  But the truth is, our tag-team partner Jesus Christ is right there the whole time.  He doesn't have to make an illegal move onto the mat to come to our rescue.  All we have to do is call on Him for help!  At the mention of His name the demons tremble, and the choke-hold is released.

I often wonder how many times I put the choke-hold on myself.  I allow fear to immobilze me from taking a step of faith.  Sure, satan is right there whispering in my ear telling me I'm not good enough, telling me I'm a nobody, telling me to not try because it's a worthless cause.  And it's at that point that I have to realize who is speaking more strongly in my ear.  Satan or Jesus Christ.  Who will I listen to?  Who is King?  And who is the all-time, undisputed, undefeated, reigning champion?  Is it a belly-wallowing serpant?  Or is it the King of Kings who defeated the grave and sin? 

And just like the wrestler, down on two knees, almost ready to concede finds the strength to stand, to defeat the opponent, and to claim the victory in Jesus Name...
Not by might, not by power, but by His spirit, Victory is gained and the choke-hold is broken.

Until the next match.

Be sober, be vigilent, he is walking around looking for people to devour.

 

 --- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

It's a Simple Recipe, Really, it is...

"The voice of the Lord is over the waters...
The voice of the Lord is powerful...
The voice of the Lord is majestic...
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars...
The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening...
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert...
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forest bare...
The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."
Psalm 29

 

If you know me at all, you'll know that for the several school years, I've been a huge advocate of our high school's debate program.  This year, my daughter Amber is the Debate Captain, so I stepped up and agreed to be the Booster Club President.  That may have been a mistake.  Check back with me at the end of the year to see if I'm still fogging a mirror.

Anyway, last night I slept solidly for about 2 hours, at best.   You see, we have a huge fundraiser coming up in a few weeks, and so far, we haven't enlisted enough parent volunteers to get everything done that needs to get done.  I'm not a worrier, mind you, but I am a list maker, and apparently while I was sleeping, my subconscious was multi-tasking, making "to-do" lists, prioritizing other things, and thinking of new things to add to that growing list.  True story...because I woke up with my list complete, wide awake.  One problem: it was about 3:30 AM.

I tried to go back to sleep, but try as I might, sleep was alluding me.  It was pretty apparent that sleep was not in my forecast, but as I deliberated about getting up, the Lord brought to my mind a verse I had memorized long ago:

Isaiah 26:3  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusts in Thee."  (Yes, I memorized it in the King James Version, but if that's a foreign language to you, here's some other versions below...)

The New Living Translation says, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You."

The New American Standard says, "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You."

When I have a lot of pressure on me to get things done, I feel the stress in my joints and upper back. I start to feel as though my body is filled with my old friends Arthur and Itis, and I long for relief from some ibuprofin.  But this morning, the Lord gave me a very clear recipe for the stress relief and peace I need, and it wasn't "take 3 aspirin and call on Him in the morning."  He reminded me that my #1 responsibility is not to Debate, not to work, and not even to my children or husband.  My #1 responsibility is to keep my mind focused on Him and keep trusting Him.  If I do that, He will provide the peace I need.  And you know what?  He's big enough to take care of all the little things on my "to-do list".  In fact, He can even take care of the big ones on that list, too!

What does all this have to do with "the voice of the Lord" and Psalm 29?  Well, over the last few days, I've really been focusing on this passage.  I've been "stuck" on it, in fact, not really feeling the freedom to move on to something else.  I've been enchanted by the power of God's voice, as visible in nature.  I've been captivated by how strong the voice of the Lord actually is - strong enough to split the cedars!  Yet sometimes my voice is so much louder than His that I don't hear Him.  Sometimes I walk around with my earbuds glued in my ears, or maybe even an index finger in each ear, intentionally drowning out anything I don't have time to hear.  I have my agenda, my "to-do" list, and I have my day planned out from start to finish.  I try to merrily go through life with a good attitude and cope with what comes my way, often paying no attention to the voice screaming loudly (and sometimes whispering softly) in my ear.

I re-read the passage again this morning, for the fourth day in a row.  You know what?  I find it a bit ironic that all week my attention has been on the powerful images described in Psalm 29 about "the voice of the Lord"...ironic, because I never even noticed the last verse in the passage:  

"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."  

PEACE.

That's exactly what I need, and it's exactly what God promised me at 3:30 this morning.  Keep my mind on Him, and He'll keep me in perfect peace.

I think it's no mistake that God whispered Isaiah 26:3 to me in the wee hours of the morning and then later had more promises of peace for me in this same passage that has captured my attention for four days straight.

"Lord, may I never speak so loudly that I cannot hear Your voice.  May I tune my listening to Your frequency, so that whether You bellow or whisper, I will not only hear You, but I will listen, and I will obey.  Thank you for perfect peace; peace that only You can provide in the midst of craziness; peace that comes only from keeping my mind steadfast on You."

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com