Not Exactly a Fairy Tale

Guest Post by April Knapp

I've been convicted of two things lately: one, that I run from difficulty and two, I am incredibly selfish.

If you think about  it, it really all comes down to that I am incredibly selfish. I run from difficulty because I want to be comfortable. I want to be comfortable because I am selfish.

Amusingly, I thought I was a pretty selfless person...that is, until I got married. Just a little over a year ago-oh how blind I was! But, God is using marriage to break me of my selfishness and make me more like Christ. It is painful, but also worth it!

Looking back on my singleness, I realize much of my desire to be married was selfish. Sure, I knew in my head that marriage isn't a cake walk, that I was called to serve my spouse, that it wouldn't cure my loneliness, etc. But in my heart I still believed that marriage would be great because it would cure my loneliness-at least mostly and I would always have a BFF and someone to talk to and hang out with and cuddle whom would protect me. Basically, I wanted to be coddled.

Don't get me wrong. Marriage is great and Jeff is my best friend and we enjoy many moments of cuddling, laughing, hanging out. But, marriage is great for different reasons than I thought- it's great because it is making me more like Christ. And though that is great, it is also painful. So, marriage isn't for the faint-hearted or for those who want to be coddled.

God is SO GOOD. Had I known this fully about marriage and had I known the depths of my selfishness, I probably would've ran the other way. I would have thought I wasn't ready. But, obviously, God thought I was ready because He made it very clear to me that I was supposed to marry Jeff. SO He is gracious to have kept me subconsciously and blissfully ignorant!

And He answered my prayer-not just my prayer to be married, but a different prayer. When I was about 23 years old, I heard a speaker talk about singleness. She challenged us to pray this prayer: "Lord, do not take the gift of singleness away from me until You have done all You can in and through me with my singleness."

It terrified me. But,what if God NEVER is done using my singleness? I had to come to terms with the truth that that would've been OK. I could be happy and content with singleness for the rest of my life. And no, that is not when God brought Jeff to me. (I HATE it when people say stuff like, "When I learned to be content, that is when I met my husband!" bleh.)

There was no "arriving" at any level. Every day I prayed that prayer. Some days, I truly meant it and some days God had to work in the depths of my heart to lay my desires to be married on the altar. I had seasons when I was content and joyful and LOVED being single- and seasons when I really struggled and just wanted to be married badly.

And then God brought Jeff to me-in the midst of the seasons. Even that took a while-a building of a friendship and some silly conflict-for both of us to love each other and see God's will for us to be married.

Now I see how God really did answer my "Singleness Prayer." He was done using singleness in my life to make me more like Christ. It was time to use marriage.

It's not exactly a fairy tale, but it's my story that God is writing. I love it because I love the Author and because He is so good and perfect and knows exactly was is right for me. I am thankful for my time being single and I am thankful to be married to a man who loves God and is stumbling after Him with me though both of us are far from perfect.

And I am thankful that I can be thankful and that my heart is in a place of gratefulness today. Now onto that selfishness...

Read more on April’s Blog here: www.reflectionsofasojourner.blogspot.com

Refresh Women’s Getaway

Last night I had this crazy dream that I was in a big fluffy robe next to a fire pit and outdoor heated pool. When I listened closely I could even hear a waterfall in the background. The dream was so beautiful that I didn’t want to wake up; until I saw Mike Mehaffie and Bob Horner crash our party by walking out in Speedos and swimming goggles saying they wish they had been invited to Women’s Getaway. I awoke with a start.

Okay, while the second half might not be a reality, the first part of my dream can come true! We are so excited to share with you that the Refresh Women’s Getaway will be back at the lovely Grove Park Inn and Spa in Asheville, NC Sunday February 10^th – Wednesday February 13^th. Cost is still being negotiated, but will run approximately $320 (maybe a little more). Before all you new staff who have never been begin to gasp and faint, take a little look at this link:

http://www.groveparkinn.com/

This Getaway has been a favorite of many. For one, the Inn is beautiful and yet has a laid back atmosphere. In February it’s peaceful and chilly outside. There are big fireplaces with rockers to sit and spend time with the Lord, as well as get to know other staff women in our region. I think God really enjoys seeing us enjoy Him and one another in such a beautiful space.

Another highlight is getting to hear from a speaker, along with testimonies from different staff sisters from all walks and stages of life. Walking away from the conference I feel refreshed by what I’ve heard from the Lord and from heart to heart conversations that take place over the course of the week. Of course, a day in the spa doesn’t hurt either. In the past, the spa has been a huge draw for many of our staff women and I encourage you to look at the pictures online. We are not talking about a walk in the front door and sit in a steam room and that’s it kind of spa, but a world famous spa. I bet you anything that Jesus loved him a bath house. Can I get an amen?

I know it is early to be writing to you, but believe it or not, the Grove Park is adamant about getting a room count from us. Currently we have space for 54 women. However, if more than 54 sign up then we can expand it for a limited time. I sound like an infomercial, but it really is true. And if you are anything like me, you might just be noncommittal and say, “I’ll wait until closer to February” and think you are the exception to the “let us know now” rule. I’m guilty!!

But here’s what we need from you.

This week we want you to pray about joining us at Refresh and by this time next week we will hopefully have the CRS Registration site up and running for you to register. Even if you are just 90% sure you are coming, go ahead and register. We are only guaranteed more rooms at the discounted rate for a limited period of time, so jump on it like it is Celine Dion’s last concert. Okay dear women.

Love you so and hope to see you in the hot tub.

Beth Wayland

The Paralytic’s Friends

  Greetings from Mary Wallace for the Women’s Council~

Luke’s story of Jesus’ healing the paralytic has captivated my attention (5:17-26). I can picture these men, the paralytic’s friends, strategizing how to get the stretcher into the house. I wonder which man was the engineer who had the bright idea to remove the ceiling tiles and lower the stretcher right at Jesus’ feet?! They were a determined bunch – whether for the love of their paralyzed friend or from confidence in a supernatural man – they were going to get their friend to Jesus one way or another. Do you think they were perplexed when Jesus initially chose to forgive the man’s sins rather than heal him? After all, the men brought their friend to Jesus for physical healing. The paralyzed man got a double blessing in that his sins were forgiven AND his legs were healed! Jesus knew what was in the hearts of the Pharisees (doubt/contention), but he also knew what was in the hearts of this man’s friends – faith. Jesus chose to forgive the man’s sins as a result of his friends’ faith. (v. 20) Jesus eventually healed the man in order to prove His authority as God’s Son to the Pharisees. Verse 26 tells us how the story ended:

“Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled
with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.””

The paralytic’s friends were on an assignment: They were intent upon getting their sick friend to Jesus for healing. Crawford Loritts talks about God’s assignments in his book, Leadership As An Identity. Crawford comments:

“God’s assignments involve changing your life as a leader just as much as they involve changing the people you want to reach. God is constantly at work in building your character – making you more like Christ. He wants to build your faith as He works through you and as you encounter Him.”

The paralyzed man reaped the benefit of his friends’ faith and their persistence. Don’t you know his faith was strengthened in an incredible way that day?

Our MidSouth Women’s Council took time at our meeting Wednesday to pray for you. It was our privilege to “lower you at Jesus’ feet”. We are excited to see how God is going to move among us this year. God is at work in ways that we cannot even imagine! He wants us to minister out of pure hearts, but He also wants to free us from the things that paralyze and keep us from being effective for His Kingdom work.

~What assignment are you on that is making you more like Christ?

~ What remarkable things have you seen in your life today that only God could do?

~ How is your faith inspiring those around you?

Please share your response as a comment below. Thanks!

Erin Smith- My Corner of the World

A Shelter in the Storm

July 29th is a day our family will never forget. It was a day that took us by surprise, the day we found out our pregnancy was in trouble and our son would be born in the next 24 hours. I was only 27 weeks pregnant and Harrison would be born at only 1 lb 8 oz.

As I think back on the emotional past 7 months, I’ve started to think about the day before that day. The day where everything was normal, where we were enjoying time vacationing with Josh’s family and taking in the beauty of Colorado. Except for the beginnings of a headache for me, it was a great, normal day. Josh, his brothers and his dad had gone out to play golf that afternoon but were driven inside by a sudden thunderstorm.

I had forgotten about that storm and really that whole normal “day before” until about a month ago. As I’ve revisited those days, I can’t help but be struck with what an interesting illustration that thunderstorm on July 28th was. Little did we know the storm that was coming our way the next day, and that that storm would continue in many ways through the next 3 months in the NICU. Those stormy days were scary. They were overwhelming at times. They were filled with the joy of holding our sweet child, but the heartbreak of leaving him at the hospital each night. Those days were not what we would’ve wished for, not how we wanted Harrison’s birth story to go. The storm came rolling in and we weren’t expecting it. But we were oh so thankful for our safe shelter.

One of the places in scripture I kept returning to during those Colorado days was Psalm 27. My friend Jeanette mailed me a devotional by Paul Tripp called “A Shelter in the Time of Storm” which walked through this Psalm. As literally everything around us seemed so scary and uncertain, what sweet promises these were to read. In verse 5 of the Psalm David writes, “For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.” One thing that struck me is how “in the day of trouble” is a given. To be honest, I probably skim over that reality, hoping trouble won’t happen to me. It is not an option of whether or not we will face trouble. David did and we will too, and sometimes, it will hit us out of nowhere. But what a beautiful promise in the midst of that hard reality. When those days happen, he will be our shelter. When things around are scary and uncertain, we are invited to run to him for protection, life and his very presence. As Tripp writes, “You can be sure of this- your day of trouble will come. Yet, in your trouble God hasn’t’ left you alone. What is it that he gives you in your trouble? He gives you himself! He is what will keep you safe.”

It’s been 7 months since that crazy July day, but even this long after, it is still hard many days to trust these promises. Before this pregnancy we had a miscarriage, as many of you know. So to lose that child and have so many days fearing the lost of this child, it has been an emotional roller coaster. Many days I do trust the Lord; some days it seems hard to do so and fear takes over. Some days I can fully rejoice and be in the moment just enjoying Harrison. Some days I still look back with lots of mourning at the path God had us walk. But I am so comforted by the fact that whatever emotion the day holds, God hasn’t left me to walk through it alone. He is with me.

Thank you again for your prayers these past 7 months for our family. We have felt so loved, encouraged and lifted up by you. As for an update on Harrison, he is doing well! He weighs 11 lb 12 oz as of his last check up. His lungs are doing great, developmentally he is where he should be and doctors are giving him good reports! One thing we would love your prayers for is his little digestive track. He is meeting with a GI specialist and nutritionist to try to figure out why he isn’t tolerating the solids we’ve tried to feed him so far. They don’t seem overly concerned but we’d love to see this issue resolved soon so he can keep gaining weight well. Thanks again for your prayers MidSouth family!