SelahV Today by hariette petersen

IS IT REALLY A WASTE OF TIME?

Sometimes I wonder where in the world did 62 years go?

After today, I know what happens with about 4 hours.

It's making sure a hubby (if you are a woman), take his medicine before he leaves the house.

It's babysitting grandchildren and teaching them befriending an Iraqi family is more than a ministry--it's love.

It's visiting McDonald's, filling cups, finding straws, and handing out five Happy-Meals while simultaneously opening toys and distributing little ketchup cups.  It's insisting kids eat their chicken nuggets before they get a chocolate chip cookie, or go to the play area.

It's putting on shoes and taking off shoes and putting on shoes, at least 6 times in the course of events.  Two hours after ignoring whines, but paying special attention to boo-boos and blisters, we hit the Public Library to help an immigrant apply for a library card. 

It's keeping two four-year-olds, and one six-year-old occupied while my Arabic-speaking friend tries to find a book (out of a gazillian), to practice reading English.

It's guiding (uh, manipulating), children to choose appropriate books for their reading levels.  It's reading a book about Rotten Ralph's rotten behavior (three times), while overseeing two kids playing the Arthur game on the library's computer.

Sixty books and two more hours later, we're checking out 8 books and filling out library forms.  I'm trying to get out of the building before one of the three kids gets knocked over while playing tag on the playroom area rug.  When Abodda starts crying, I am praying a prayer of thanksgiving that (before the day began), my four-year-old Kinsey insisted I read one of Disney's Princess books, where Belle showed Chip how to practice patience (I figure God strategically placed that one in my life to forewarn me of things to come).

Between seeing my hubby off to work and going to pick up my grandchildren for our McDonald's/Library adventure today, God also had me write devotionals on measuring words, and being filled with strength, and praying for power in our weakest moments.

I also had just enough time to read my new-found blog-sister's post Putting On The Brakes, and realize now, how providential her words were to my own situation.

After making round sandwiches, having a tea-party, attending to potty breaks, answering emails, and consoling long-distant grief-stricken friends, I found another message for my wearied time-worn frame:

My life is probably not much different than anyone else's. Everyone is busy.

My four hours had far more situations occur than I lay before your weary eyes, today.  Suffice it to say, I realize that all the little things, which seemingly rob us of important moments of life, are really the big things that restore the time we think is misspent.

For at the close of day, I am reminded of the bear-hug I received and the thank you voiced by my Arabic-speaking friend.  I still see Abodda's tear-streaked face because he didn't want us to go home.  I am content in knowing yesterday's four hour portion of my 62 years, was spent exactly like my Lord wanted it spent.  And as I consider what today holds, I shudder a bit, yet find myself believing it's never too late when you invest your time in another's life for God's glory.  selahV

Hey...don't rush off.  Am I alone?  Do you ever think the little things are too little to count? 

Save

my FUNDRAISER for MICHAEL SPENCER of iMonk

[UPDATE:  I have sent ONE SET OF THE BOOKS DESCRIBED BELOW in this post.  Another person sent money directly to Denise and Michael and asked that I sell the set again.  Therefore there are still TWO sets of books for sale.]

I am so blessed and privileged to write for Devotional Christian, a subsite of Tony Kummer's. When I write, I am rewarded with books from WTS Bookstore.  I have a fondness for books that can be given to new parents.  Also, I find that the books I choose make great gifts for children.  Today I thought this might be a great way to use the blessing God gives to me to bless someone else.

Does your church have a library?  How about a Children's Ministry in Need of Books for their Preschool Department?  The books I am offering for sale are a great buy and a super blessing for any church or home.  They are super for the grandpa and grandma to read to their grandchildren when they come to visit.  Mine would much rather I read them a book or story than to watch endless videos on television.  Consider this as you continue reading after the photo break.

I do not know Michael Spencer.  I do not know Denise.  I only know that they are going through one of the most trying times of their lives.  Michael is at peace with his life at this time.  But make no mistake in believing that just because Denise is showing grace, courage, and dignity with this part of Michael's journey with the Lord, that she is without heartbreaking pain.  Having been through an extremely difficult financial time in our lives when my husband had his heart attack and 5-bypass surgery, I am fully aware of her financial demands.

I cannot imagine being without my husband.  I love him beyond words to describe.  I know the pain of loss from losing my 33-year-old my and other loved ones.  It is mind-numbing.  Without the grace of God, and the full knowledge that His love is all we can depend upon, I could not even be writing this today.  With tears streaming down my face, I want you to know...that love is of God, and only God could stir me to do this tiny little thing for Michael and his family.  I am entirely too selfish and self-centered for this to be of me.  With that I ask you to consider purchasing the books I offer below to make a small contribution to the Spencer's need.  I will pay for the shipping to you.

You get FOOL Moon (reviews link) and the Jesus Storybook Bible (reviews link) for 20.00.  I can only offer 3 sets at this time.  But if you will send, Denise a donation of $20.00 or more (link here). I will send you a set of these books. Be the first to reserve a set by commenting here so I can email you for your shipping address.  Once I verify the money has been deposited to her account, I'll send you the books.  In the meantime, please pray for them. selahV

BAPTISTS DETAINED IN HAITI CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING

Morris Chapman, SBC Executive Committee President, wrote an article requesting prayer for the Baptist detainees in Haiti.  It breaks my heart that this Christian group who wanted to help these children are being slapped with charges of child kidnapping by the Haitian government.  As I read through Dr. Chapman's article in the Baptist Press, I couldn't help but wonder if this terrible situation could have been avoided if the International Mission Board had been involved in their ministry--if only in an advisory capacity--from the beginning.  The SBC has so many people who know the ins and outs of regulations and laws with our Disaster Relief teams and boards, that surely, they could have helped this ministry group from facing such a situation.  See Chapman's article HERE.

May God intervene and have these volunteers released soon.  May His comforting spirit be with them and their families in the United States.  May the children of Haiti find someone to help them through this experience.  selahV

RESPOND TO HAITI

Some missionaries have gone and returned from Haiti.  People are still going, giving, and praying.  While millions upon millions of people donated to the Hollywood Celebrity telethon, all the millions of dollars are tied up in some bank in the U.S.A. awaiting some future date to release help.  Meanwhile, Southern Baptists are working there.  The Commission has released a wonderful video worth taking about 5 minutes of your time to view.  Go HERE.  Below the video is inspiring written commentary.

Texas Baptists are there or going there. Read a Baptist Standard report.

Florida Baptists are there or going there. Read a Florida Baptist Witness report.

As we pray for the people in Haiti to recover from this devastation, remember the workers and the thousands of people who will return again and again to help rebuild their lives.  Pray for safety.  Pray for Haitian hearts to be open to the gospel.  Pray for missionaries to help educate and lead them to Jesus.  Pray that the stranglehold of injustice is broken and that good supercedes evil.  Pray that our workers not grow weary in their efforts.  God is at work in Haiti.  Our prayers can go where our feet cannot take us.

For a place to give with confidence that your money will be going to help in the relief of Haitian people NOW, go here:  selahV

HAVE YOU SEEN FAITH IN ACTION LATELY?

You may have missed this story.  If you're tired of reading negative stories about youth, watching train-wrecks in blogville, and hearing bad news on television.  This story can lift your spirits. 

Senior youth reburbish an elementary school as one of their mission projects for the community. 

Take your mouse for a walk over [HERE] and see what some youth count important in Lawton, Oklahoma.  selahV

ARE YOU VULNERABLE? Part 6...MINISTRY PITFALLS & PROMISES

To be sure, as ministers [or even Christians in secular work], we can often have a myopic view when it comes to the thing that claims the greatest amount of our time.  We not only see ministry as "doing" what God has called us to do, but also His provision by which we supply our family's needs.  Recognizing the weight of responsibility a minister feels for not only his family but the flock the Lord has given him to tend, he can be overwhelmed with the details of carrying out his responsibilities.  It's not easy to balance time between family and ministry obligations, especially if the minister has the gift of servanthood.  All too often he will find himself giving of himself so intensely that he fails to even recognize the needs of his family.  And the family, in an attempt to share him because he is called of God is torn. They have difficulty dealing with their need to have him with them and knowing that he is "serving" God.  Who wouldn't want to set themselves aside for so noble a calling?  What child wouldn't feel selfish to expect him to attend their ball-game when Dad needs to be with church members going through a family crisis?

Pitfalls begin when the balance weighs heavier on one side than the other.  When this happens, we can find ourselves dealing with underlying feelings of resentment.  The minister resents the position he finds himself in due to the demands of his church and the needs of his family.  The wife or children resents the church for demanding so much of their minister that all they get is leftovers.  If allowed to build, this resentment turns upward towards God because, after all, He is the one Who has called the minister to what he is doing.

Other pitfalls:

~~When a pastor is a micro-manager of every detail and cannot find the humility to relinquish tasks, to delegate to others to make more time available.

~~When lack of time (due to micro-managing every detail of church work), robs him of quality personal devotion time, and sermon preparation time.

~~When poor time management makes it difficult to schedule vacations or family time off.

~~When the pastor allows his church to abuse his schedule and interrupt his plans for anything they choose.  (One pastor always took the phone off the hook during dinner.)

~~When a pastor allows members to dictate what role his wife has in the church rather than God.

~~When a pastor feels it is necessary to know everything.  (One pastor shares: I have absolutely nothing to do with the handling of the money.  As pastor, I serve as an ex officio member of the finance committee.  I do not count offerings, handle deposits, write checks, etc.  I always provide full accountability for any budgeted funds I may spend in the way of supplies, travel expenses, etc.  I do not know what each church member gives.)

~~Fails to keep a confidence, or shares complaints about members with one particular member in the church.  (One minister shares, "I am as transparent as possible with the people in my church as well as my peers in the ministry.  But I do not go from meeting to meeting sharing all the details of every problem, slight I may have with a member.  Some areas of my life are intensely personal, but for the most part I don't exclude others from my life in general.)

~~Fails to recognize limitations.  (There are some things I cannot do.  I refer membership to professionals for counseling in finances or psychology when it is clear that their problems are beyond my scope of expertise or Spiritual gifts.)

~~Minor on the details...some details should not be ignored.  (I try to maintain integrity with people.  I try to be punctual with appointments, return phone calls, etc.  I strive to present ideas, agendas and plans within the established framework of the church's polity.)

Other suggestions offered:

~~Christians maintain a spirit of reconciliation at all times (remember that our spouses only choice was to marry a sinner too), likewise--our churches' only choice is to call a sinner, too.

~~Keep a reality check on expectations of yourself, your church, your family and community.  (Some things need time to pursue or implement...be patient; allow God to work in His time.)  Resentment often arises from unmet expectations.

~~As for God, expect He will act with surprising, and sometimes confusing,
sovereignty. Usually we will not understand His ways.  Guard yourself from discouragement because things don't go your way.

~~As for detecting spots of vulnerability.  Christians need to consider
everything a vulnerable spot.  Never believe you are strong in any area of holiness. 1 Cor. 10:12.  Warning signs of impending struggle include anxiety, self-pity (I deserve more
than I am receiving), harshness, anger.  Temptation to blame others.

Ministry for Christ is always met with trials, tribulations and attacks.  Always.  That is Satan's job to impede, curtail, confound, confuse and destroy the forward motion of any Christian progress.  His job is to create an atmosphere of discouragement, fear, and weariness.  It is vital for ministers to understand that any church they serve will have problems and face problems.  But God is in the details and "faithful is He Who has called you Who will also do it."  There is nothing God is calling you to do that He will not provide a way for it to be accomplished.  Remember, not all ministries within the church are necessary...and any ministry that is necessary, God will provide a person to lead it and the means by which to do so.  It's not all on your shoulders...let go and let God.  Practice what you preach and trust God...He is trustworthy.  And when ministry seems overwhelming and you wonder why you are doing what you are doing, remember He is worthy.  Very worthy, indeed.  selahV

FROM GOD'S CALL TO GOD'S SANCTIFICATION

The following post was entirely too long to print in one blog.  So I edited it down with this being the portion of God's call on me as a minister's wife.  Yeah.  God calls us, too.  The rest of this story is at sbcIMPACT today and I'll post the link later.  I've included a portion of IMPACT's post here for clarity of my "call":

It made no sense.  I'd been born-again all of 8 months.  I sat in an auditorium in Ridgecrest, North Carolina listening to Bertha Smith challenge us all to pray for the Lord to bring forth laborers for His harvest.  That tiny gray-haired lady charged us to pray that people hear and heed the call to missions, to ministry, to evangelism.  She exhorted us with Isaiah's words: "Here am I, send me".

I prayed for others.  I asked God to call men to ministry.  Then I heard a voice say, "You."  I'm hearing things.  Bertha Smith must have said that. 

But it wasn't her.  Everyone was praying.  I peeked.  I resumed praying for God to call men to missions and ministry and evangelism.  Again, I heard, "You."   I questioned, "Is that You, God?"  In my heart I heard what made no sense to my mind:  the Lord is speaking to me.  And it wasn't just about the everyday service I was already doing as a Christian.  It wasn't about going to Sunday School, taking parts in WMU (women's missions') programs or Training Union (discipleship training in Southern Baptist doctrines).  It wasn't serving in VBS recreation.  No.  And it wasn't visiting the sick with my preacher's wife and taking meals to homebound members.  It wasn't attending this Ridgecrest conference on missions, either.

God was calling me into full-time ministry.  And it was ludicrous!  I'm having an emotional high.  I can't be in ministry without my husband!

I decided I had to be hearing what I wished were possible if I were good enough, smart enough, wise enough.  If my husband was educated enough, experienced enough and bold enough.  Otherwise, it made not one iota of sense to me.  My husband was a precision gagemaker.  He honed and polished metal gages the size of a human hair which measured spaces and sizes for high-tech aircraft parts.  He hadn't even been to college--much less seminary.  Furthermore, our lifestyles prior to our recent faith in Jesus as Savior were so far the opposite of Christianity, it bordered on insanity to think we'd be fit to serve God in such a way.

It was simply impossible.

Months and months lapsed before I shared my prayer experience with anyone.  Even though my minister's wife had become my best friend, I considered what she did as something far beyond what I could ever do.  In fact, I didn't like what she did.  It called for tremendous tolerance of which I had little. It called for sacrifice of which I was not at all willing to give.  And it called for my husband to talk.  To people.  Lots of them.  When I finally shared it, she smiled, "Oh, but with God all things are possible.  I've known for a long time that God has set Bob apart for something special."  What did she know that I didn't?

When my husband first went to Sunday School, the teacher instructed them to open to the book of John.  He was totally disheartened.  He had only purchased a Bible.  He didn't know he needed another book.  That is how little understanding my dear hubby had of all things Christian.  He had no traditions nor theology from which to draw upon.  He'd been baptized Catholic because his paternal grandmother was Catholic.  He'd never gone to church at all.

I, on the other hand, had gone to church all during my childhood.  Even though I stopped when I became a teenager, I did know that the Bible had multiple books inside it---John being one of them.  My knowledge of what they all instructed was another story entirely.

However, from the moment I heard the Voice say, "You", I buried myself in Bible studies, and books by Oswald Chambers, Watchman Nee, Manley Beasley, and Clyde Francisco.  I devoured books by missionaries.  And I waited.  And I prayed.  I waited on God to change me and work in both our lives.   I became restless and impatient.  I wanted to see God move faster.  I often questioned the validity of that Voice.   But God kept working on me, sanding down the edges, humbling me.  Cleansing me, establishing my walk.

He tested my obedience.  He put unlovely people in my path who I learned to love without condition.  He placed burdens upon our family which added strength to my faith.  He placed mountains and walls and seas beyond my control to bring me to Him for His sufficiency.  He repeatedly showed me everyday mini-miracles and manifested Himself in ways I found difficult to explain.  Years passed and my husband was still a gage-maker.  He did not have any desire to go to college.  He was thirty-three.  We had two children and he was the sole supporter of our family.

I finally concluded that the call had not been real.  We were extremely happy serving Christ, teaching, leading and following wherever He led us in our lives in East Hartford, Connecticut.   My husband was an ordained deacon working a Deacon's Family Ministry plan.  We were co-directors of Children's Worship.  I was speaking throughout New England with WMU.  We were part of lay-led revivals in various churches.   I actually gave up the thought of full-time ministry.  Then unbelievable things began happening to us.  Too many to share in one post.

Three years after I'd heard Bertha Smith's challenge, my husband surrendered to the call of God to go to Boyce Bible School in Louisville, Kentucky.  He was scared to death.  The intimidation and fear of studying books, writing papers, and passing tests were only surpassed by the terror he held at the thought of standing in front of people to speak any words worthy of a pure and Holy God.  Suffice it to say, my quiet husband's entire month's worth of conversational communication could be written double-spaced on two sheets of paper.  He just didn't talk that much.  He still doesn't.

Our lives are pretty much a miracle when we look back on them.  In fact, every time I watch my husband preach, I see a miracle of God.  Every time I think about my role as his wife, I am overwhelmed.  God has taken us through many valleys and led us up many mountains.  For more of this story, follow the link to sbcIMPACT.   selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]

FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW

I've been writing as long as I can remember.  I recall the first time I took a big fat pencil and wrote my first letter "A" on a piece of paper.  It was a magical moment.  From that leaded stick came the marked evidence of an image within my mind.  It was amazing.

Since then I have written a few award-winning essays, articles, and published the same.  I've owned my own newspaper that reached a readership estimated at 25,000 on a monthly basis.  I've wondered through the years why the Lord gave me so much inside my heart and mind that I had to pour it out on paper.  I've wondered what I could possibly say to compare with the volumes of wisdom and humor and edification of others I read.  I've wondered.

When my friend Peter Lumpkins insisted I begin writing on a blog he created for me when I was in the deepest of depression and grief from the loss of my 33-year-old son, I again wondered what in the world I could offer.  I was so broken.  So empty.  What could come from my pain-ridden heart, my short-circuited brain?  And how could I write again?  I hadn't written in over ten years.  Hardly had I even journaled a thought.  But when my son died, I began by writing letters of encouragement to others going through little struggles.  I began writing thank-yous to folks for the blessing they were in my life during my loss and struggle to survive it.

I was so computer illiterate to cyberspace that I was extremely intimidated.  So much information from so many educated people.  I sought answers from them with rather naive questions which at times were considered baiting, ignorant and downright stupid.  I retreated to the only place I knew I had a friend.  Peter and his blog.  In time I made some friends.  But theological debates, doctrinal apologetics, and political ramblings were simply not my cup of tea.  There was no balm in Gilead there for my broken spirit and grieving soul.

I began a blog called GRIEF MATTERS.  And in it I shared the way I was experiencing grief and thoughts of my son.  That blog spoke to numerous people.  Just this week I received an email sharing how much it has helped her with processing her own grief.  It helped others who were also suffering the loss of my son in their lives.

Since 2006 I've written well over 500 posts in one place of another on the blog-circuits of Blogtown.  Yet, as I said in recent posts on this blog, I had reached a point where financial strain was shutting down my little influence within a world of millions of blogging people.  I shared that struggle with my readers and the next thing I know I'd received the amount I needed to continue for one more month.  Then I received two computers to replace those which were totally obsolete in this new age of technological progress.  Today I want to tell you of another miracle.

The person who was led of the Lord and yielded to His voice and sent me the 60.00 I needed, asked if he could share my struggles with some other people.  I was elated to have the prayer support.  For to me, nothing in life can do more to accomplish the Lord's will than the prayers of His people.  Intercessory prayer is the most valuable privilege we have as Believers in Jesus Christ.  Through prayer we move mountains, destroy the enemies stronghold of hatred and bitterness.  Through prayer we call down the blessings from above that only rest in the hands of God and can be directed by His holy voice.

On the day I came home from receiving a computer with a printer, flatscreen monitor and was elated to show it to my husband, we received a letter.  Bob handed it to me and said, "Before you float away about that, you need to read this."  The thought raced through my mind that we were getting another disappointing notice from the Social Security that negated the hope we'd been given by our representative.  Another thought of a debtor whom we owed would no longer accept the pittance we were forced to offer for their services rendered.  Then I said, "No.  I will not let satan rob me of the joy I am experiencing at this moment from the generosity of a virtual stranger!"  I read the letter.

In the letter from a well-known church in Houston, Texas, of which we had absolutely no affiliation other than being a fellow Southern Baptist, was enclosed a check.  The pastor of that Houston church shared how my first benafactor of 60.00 had contacted them and lovingly shared how our finances had caused real challenges in our life.  He further shared how they wanted to help with my husband and my ministry of devotional writing and along with the ecnlosed check was a promise to send a like amount on the first of each month from now on.

Can you comprehend what I am saying?  Let this soak in.

God in His divine plan for me and my writing took a basically unknown author, used a caring compassionate friend, a stranger who'd enjoyed reading my comments and writing on the blog circuits, two other virtual blogging strangers with a desire to keep my ministry going, and a church who'd never read a word of my writing and blessed me with the ability to continue writing.  This is an awesome responsibility to say the least.  God has so supplied my needs with His riches through His convicting Spirit and response of His people that I am honor-bound to write words to glorify Him in every sentence.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

When I have the permission of the church who so generously has given this blessing to us, I will write an entire post sharing their ministry and purpose.  It is a church we in the SBC could and should model ourselves around.  I will look forward to sharing their story.   selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]