Scripture Memory

As we begin a new year, many of us have set all sorts of New Year's resolutions. Anything from losing weight, exercising regularly, eating healthier, stop smoking, being more thankful, etc. Unfortunately many of those New Year's resolutions last until the middle of January or maybe to February if we are lucky. I am the same way. Unfortunately. I do want to make it through the entire 2010 keeping my resolutions. That takes discipline, and I do not have any quick fixes for it. So I will try with God's help to keep them. Maybe some of our resolutions aren't the end of the world if fail by the end of the month. But I know that many of us are resolving to read our Bibles more and memorize scripture. Both are absolutely necessary in the Christian walk. A little while ago, a friend posted on his blog here, some tips for scripture memory, so I wanted to pass those helpful tips along. I also wanted to put a plug in for a CD that friends of ours have made. There is actually a whole curriculum that you can buy, which I would like to do a post on someday because it is absolutely wonderful. But the foundation of the curriculum is scripture memory, memorizing God's Word. Passages are put to music, made easier to memorize and meditate on. The CDs that are available for purchase now are based on God as the Creator. It is absolutely amazing. My kids (and myself) have memorized as much as 10 - 12 verses a week, just by listening. The music is not kid music, either, like Row, Row, Row Your Boat. It is music that captures the emotion of the passage. And it sticks with you, so you find yourself singing it throughout the day. Kinda like when you hear an 80's song and can't get it out of your mind, but this is God's Word. And you remember it for the long term. (which I think should be the goal of scripture memory) Anyway, I highly recommend the CDs. You can check out the CDs here. You can even scroll to the bottom of the page and listen for yourself. I have to say there is no greater joy than to hear your kids around the house singing scripture. But of course, it isn't just for them. I have memorized it right along side of them. It is truly a blessing.

Please Pray

***Edited: I wrote this post this morning. This evening another family in our church received a call that their youngest son died this weekend. He was in his late 40s or early 50s. It seems that it keeps coming. But we do have a mighty God who is with us. Who loves us. Who comforts us. Who gives us strength. Even in times like this when we say 'What is going on?' 'How much more can we take?' We know that he will not give us more than he will give us the strength to handle. But please pray for us. Specifically the families that are directly touched. ***

This month has been amazing. Not a month I would like to repeat, but still, I have seen God so clearly. A friend from church and I were talking earlier last week. It seems like our little church is a lot like Job. We are a small church and have been hit very hard with pain. But if I look at the story of Job, I know that God is right there. To give you a little background, in the last month we have had one of our three elders diagnosed with brain cancer, a family in our church take their 10 month old son by ambulance to a children's hospital for several days, not knowing whether he would live, once that trial was mostly over and they were able to take him home, they came home to their 6 year old needing to be taken to the ER. On Monday, another family in our church lost their 25 year old son suddenly. That is on top of a few ongoing trials that other families are facing. It has been hard. But I have to say, we have felt God's presence through it all. I would be lying if I said we aren't tired, but God has continued to sustain our church family and the leaders as we face these trials. And through it all I think we are all still rejoicing in God's goodness. I am praying for God's glory to be magnified through all of this. And that we would continue to lean completely on Him as we face each day.

Please pray for the families that I mentioned above. Please pray for God to continue to give them the strength that only he can give and the comfort that passes all understanding. There still is hurting. Also, pray for the Elders as they lead and care for our church family. As you saw in the post below, Jathan is sick, the bug is in our house, but he has gotten run down, so please pray for healing for him so he can minister with full strength.

Please also pray for my sister, Mandy. Right now she is in the hospital, unable to walk and in a lot of pain. She has been sick for over a month, the doctors still do not know what is causing all of this. Please pray for healing and strength.

Lamentations 3 verses 19 through 24 says, 'I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'" Praise God! He is everything, He is all we need. Those that are called by his name can look to Him with confidence and know that he truly is our All in All.

Good things come to those who wait

Three years ago we began the job search. Jathan was ordained and the resumes went out. We started off excited to see where God would lead us. Then after several months, our excitement died and we began to question. Are we looking in the right places? Is this really what God wants us to do? With the encouragement of our church family, we pressed on. After 8 months of looking, a church in CA called us to come out for an interview. In August of '07 we loaded a Penske truck with all of our earthly belongings and drove the 2300 miles from Indiana to California. As the green fields of the Midwest turned into dry desert land of the West, I soon realized, just how far we were going away from home.

Fast forward to last Saturday. Drew and I dropped off Jathan and the other two kids at soccer practice and headed to the farmers market and the grocery store. Trying to hurry to do both stops before the game. Thankfully, I didn't need anything that needed to be kept cold, so we were able to do both errands before the game instead of dragging everyone to the grocery store after. As I was going down an aisle I passed a family with two Asian kids. She looked hard at Drew and myself and said quietly "Is he adopted?" I said "yes" and she said "what country?" I told her Korea. Found out that her two were also adopted form Korea. As we talked she said that she had only been in this town for two years, I told her that we too, moved here two years ago in August. She told me that they moved in August too. Then came to find out that both of our husbands were pastors. Kinda weird the similarities. As we were talking she asked me if I too thought it was hard moving here. I had to honestly say no it wasn't.

I have thought a lot about the conversation. We waited and waited, sometimes we were patient other times we were not, but God knew what was best. We came to a church that was a perfect match. They are our family. I can't think of one time that I have regretted the move. From the moment we came we have been showered with love and support. We have grown spiritually more than ever before. I had a conversation with someone at a fellowship meal at our church a couple of weeks ago. She is new to the church and had just found out that we had only been there for 2 years. She began to ask if it was hard moving here. A dear friend interjected "When they weren't here it was like a part of our family was missing, when they came we knew they were the family that was missing"

Good things do come to those who wait.
We are blessed to have our church family.
I thank God for them!