I read the following article by John Piper this morning on Desiring God. This is not the whole article but it struck me as I have been thinking about such things. In light of the "great" work of things like "American Idol gives back" in which millions of dollars are raised to help the worlds most needy people, I have been wondering about how best to give to the needs of others and this instruction of giving in Jesus' name keeps coming to my mind. I have a lot of excess items from the coupon shopping that I am praying about how to distribute. I really want to be able to,unrestricted, go and give to the needs of the children in my own community and do it in Jesus' name and not the name of the state or even a good organization like feed the children.I just really want to find a way to do it so that the children's needs are met and God gets the Glory for it.I thought this was an interesting short clip of the whole article that I would recommend anyone to go read on the Desiring God web site




Two Utterly Crucial Elements to Caring for Children

Two things are utterly crucial in caring for children. One: is it done in Jesus' name? "Whoever receives one such child in my name . . . " Ministering to children in any way but in the name of Jesus, does not fulfill the will of Jesus. And the second crucial thing in caring for children is that we do it with a longing to experience more of Jesus and more of the One who sent him, God the Father. "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me and whoever receives me receives not me but the One who sent me."

Why does he say this? Why does he bring everything to a focus on God and the value of receiving more of God? Do you ever want to say to Jesus, "Lighten up! Does everything always have to be theological?" The answer is yes, it does. For Jesus everything has to do with God, or it is fundamentally distorted.

How to Serve Children Best and Why

And if someone asks, What about the children? Aren't you supposed to serve the children because of the children? Surely the answer of Jesus here is this: you serve a child best when you receive a child and care for a child and spend time with a child and hold a child NOT in the name of the child, or in the name of mankind or in the name of mercy or in the name of America's future, but in the name of Jesus, the Son of the living God. And you serve children best when you receive a child not merely because your joy is first in the child, but first and finally in God.

Why is this the best way to serve? Because the most important blessing you can give to a child is the all-satisfying centrality of God in life. And, believe me, this is caught more than taught. And that's why you must serve them in this way; you would lead them in this way.

Awesome Interview

many of you have been praying for Caleb's high school football coach Ryan Keith that was recently diagnosed with ALS aka Lou Gerrigs disease. Caleb told us about an awesome video interview that occurred at the chapel service at the school and I have included a link to that video that I would encourage you to watch.Please continue to pray for this young man that God would be Glorified in his life.Keep in mind this interview took place just 2 weeks after his diagnoses.
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http://evajax.com/Video/Keith_Interview.wmv

Can't Get Any Better Than This!

There is little else that gives me as much joy as a bouquet of dandelions brought to me in the hands of one of my children. I had the enormous privilege this morning to get two bouquets from the best 2 little boys in the world. God is good and spring is beautiful!
Becky

GREAT NEWS AND NEED

The great news is that Caleb graduates from the Air Force Academy Prep School in less than 5 weeks. We are so proud of him for making it through this very difficult year.We are going to make the 19 hour drive straight through to Colorado in about 4&1/2 weeks from now. After he graduates on Tuesday he will be flying to Jacksonville to start a summer job there.The need is for him to have a car to get back and forth to this job. He has a couple of options one is to rent a car but that will cost 1000 plus about 1000 in insurance for just 6 weeks. The other option is for him to get his own insurance and buy a car for about 500 that will last him until the end of the 6 weeks.He can not have a car at the Air Force academy for a couple of years yet so a permanent purchase is unnecessary. If anyone that reads this in Jacksonville knows of a VERY used car that he could purchase please let us know as soon as possible.This job is at an Athletic Training facility called Titus where he will be running some summer camps and have the privilege of working out 3 hours a day himself for free.This is such a great opportunity that I would hate it if it did not work out for him.Thanks!
Becky

We must not miss opportunities to express our love to one another

AS I got my mother dressed to go to the Dr's office today she stopped and grabbed my hands and could hardly get the words out that she appreciated me so much for what I do for her and she ended up getting so choked up she had another episode of reflux but regained her composure quickly. I was struck in that moment of how when we were there in that moment we both understood how short time could be for us on this earth.I am not at all implying that she is dying but we all are dying and we need to make sure we say the things that are necessary to express before it is too late to express them on this earth.She expressed to me that she felt like a worthless toad unable to due much that she considered useful.To all that know her they know how many useful things she actually does.I reminded her that she has the privilege of entering into Christs sufferings unlike most of us then she proceeded to tell me that she is not suffering which is so predictable of her to say.If I could not walk ,talk clearly,eat for 13 years,sew,crochet,knit,get in the shower myself,dress myself, have multiple surgeries to keep my eyes open,be unable to turn my eyeballs,unable to close my eyes completely, drive anymore,sing,talk on the phone,call for help,take a walk in the woods,or if I had been brought back to life 3 times or if I had to be on a ventilator and then suffer with the constant problems that a trache involves for 2 whole years or if everyone I met stared at me or talked to everyone else but me, or thought I was retarded or thought I was unhappy because my face doesn't work and no can see the smile that is there on the inside, or be accused of being drunk years ago because of an unsteady gate.I think I would call that suffering.She is amazing the way that God has enabled her to see past all of these things and not consider it suffering.That is a testimony of Gods goodness that I will take into the future.I have never heard her say why me or please heal me she has accepted this as Gods providential work and that He purposed it to be this way.I am sure she has prayed for healing but has accepted Gods answer.May we learn from the legacy of such people like Lynn Lapp and Joni Erickson. Don't get me wrong my mother is looking forward to getting rid of the wheelchair and to eating a very big Thanksgiving dinner as soon as she is in the presence of the one that enables us to live with and in suffering.Healing will come to her as she says when she is dancing in heaven with pretty shoes LOL. She has had to wear ugly braces and shoes so long all you ladies will understand that hope.Please continue to pray for her and all of us.The following is one of my moms favorites and truly can only be fully understood by those that have entered His sufferings.
Becky

Encouraged my heart

As I see my mother suffering so much, I ran to hear some of Roberts messages that in the past have so pointed me to embrace suffering... of course we don't ask for it if we are smart LOL.He preached a whole series on suffering and the one I listened to this morning really is not about the same suffering that my mom is experiencing but it clearly encourages me to be strong and ready myself for suffering the hardship that is to come.


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Please Pray

My mother goes to Clifton and she and my dad are in the process of joining. She is in a wheelchair and they sit in the back of the church when ever she is well enough to come.She has a rare form of muscular dystrophy called Ocular-Pharyngeal dystrophy.This disease first shows up in the muscles of the face and spreads to the limbs.It is very slow progressing and the disease itself should not shorten her life but complications can.She has suffered greatly in recent years from the complications.She can no longer walk and is bound to the wheelchair.She has had a feeding tube for the last 13 years and in that time has received all of her nutrition via the tube as her swallowing muscles have been affected. She has had numerous hospitalizations including a trache that was recently removed. Her biggest problem is that the sphincter muscle in her esophagus that closes when we cough or strain or bend over has deteriorated to where it does not work at all and she has constant possibility of having reflux of her stomach contents that she ends up aspirating on due to the fact the other sphincter muscle that closes off the esophagus to the lungs also has deteriorated so that when anything comes up towards the mouth it first goes into the lungs.She had an episode of this happening last Friday and has not recovered well from it.She is very weak and is going to the lung specialist tomorrow.Please pray for compassion and wisdom for the doctors.Please pray for Gods plan to be clear. Please pray for peace for all of us as we go around an unknown corner.My mother is the strongest person I have ever known.She has been a constant example of Gods strength being shown in our weakness.She is a very giving intelligent,kind,thoughtful woman that is ready to meet Jesus.If you see her in church don’t mistake her frown for sadness.The muscles cannot reveal the joy that Jesus has put in her heart.Don’t mistake her quiet voice for shunning for if she could she would tell you of all the wonderful ways God has reveled Himself to her through her suffering but she would never call it suffering.My father has been a perfect example of unconditional love.They celebrated 50 years of marriage this year and he shows his love for her everyday as he gently and carefully cares for her.Sorry to have gone on so long I just wanted my church family to know something about my mother.