Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Poverty

Jennie asked me right before I had the baby if I would be willing to do another conference for girls in Florence, SC with her in January. I said, 
"No. I don't know.... Maybe."
The reason is that after I have a baby, I struggle. I can't put sentences together. I am exhausted to the core. I am not sharp. It seemed like too much for a mom with 5 little kids and a newborn. But when I watched the Billy Graham special and heard him say the purpose of his life was to get the gospel out... I called her and said yes.
So last weekend, Tim and I took 3 of our children and 3 others in our conversion van and drove 6+ hours to love on 120 girls. 
The conference was at Jennie's Church. It was beautifully decorated (thank you, Laurie Beth!!!).
I got to share my testimony, teach John 3:16: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, John 15, Holiness, Holy Sex!, and on being a godly wife and mother. There were ladies in the Church who had been praying. The spiritual ground had been softened through prayer. It is crazy that I can tell while I am sharing the Word if it is being received or not. The soil of the heart is HUGE. Prayer tills it up. We are so so thankful for all of the people who prayed.
I don't know if it is wise so serve with small children. Sometimes it feels crazy and I understand why most moms don't do it. Yet, there are so few laborers out there and the harvest is CRAZY ripe.
"But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 
 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life."
John 4:35,36

I couldn't stop thinking about this verse all weekend:

"but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
Luke 21:4

Another version says she gave out of her POVERTY. That is what it felt like. I could seriously envision in my mind laying 2 mites at the feet of Jesus. But, what is so neat about God is that He can use our mites (or our bread and fish and multiply them!). Tim and I say that a lot when we are praying at night. Exhausted. Spent. Empty... "God, please accept our loaves and fish and do something amazing". 
God doesn't need our strength or our stuff or our ability. He wants our hearts, our faith, and our obedience. God blessed ME so much this weekend. He even had them play my favorite worship song that NOBODY ever plays. It was playing when I walked in. Only God knew how much I loved that song. As soon as I walked into the Church they were practicing the song I had been playing in the van on the way telling the girls how much I loved it. God is so cool. He was showing me that He was there and that He loves me. 
All we do is teach the Word of God.
God sends it out in power. IT does the work.
"It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it."
Is 55:11

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. 
It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."
2 Tim 3:16










 The worship was out-of-this-world. Literally.
 It is hard to counsel 15 year olds who are having sex with their boyfriends. 
It breaks my heart.

One of the talks is about holiness and how God has called them to be holy. That He has set them apart for holy purposes-- that they have been sanctified.

"God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 
Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways."
1 Thess 4:3-5

Some of them simply don't know that.
They may know sex is wrong but they don't know it is because they are holy!!!
But now they do know what God's Word says. 
There were 2 girls who mocked the Word of God and me and walked out after the talk on Holiness.
I think a long time ago that would have hurt me but now I hurt for them. But, I used to be a mocker and God did not stop pursuing me. The really cool part is that their friend stayed. How awesome is she? Talk about being thrown into a tough situation! 
Way to go, sweet girl. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!! And pray for your friends.
How I want them all to listen and put God's Word into practice. It will change the course of their lives if they respond to truth.
How I wish I would have knows what they now know. That is one of the big reasons I am willing to go and tell them even though I am in a season of poverty. Because I wish someone would have told me what God's Word says about sex, marriage, and motherhood.
We had other moms come and speak to like sweet Erin! She did a session on HOMEMAKING. What a blessing! Abby Arthur rocked the house with her zeal+the Word. Jennie was on fire and Mellette is just beautiful and speaks with authority. I LOVED this passage Mellette shared...
"I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch...

And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth."
Is 62



 Abby shared about the girl that Jesus raised from the dead when He told her to WAKE UP.
"Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!”

And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! 
Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat."
Luke 8

Not only do the girls need to wake up (spiritually) but they need to EAT something! 
They need the BREAD OF LIFE!
She challenged them hard to read their Bibles.
And they listened.




 Jennie rocked the house with her energy and boldness. It is funny because Jennie and I are both so ditzy. I told her I think we are sharing one brain. It is comical that He has asked us to teach His Word in public. We have a LOT of fun serving our Living God together. 

 God is moving. The gospel is going out. He is pursuing the hearts of the next generation. I believe Jesus is coming back for His bride soon. I think I am seeing an outpouring of the Spirit in the last days.
How I want to be a beautiful Bride when the veil is lifted.
Yes, I am in a season of poverty. I don't have anything to give except my "2 mites". If that is where you are, be encouraged. He will receive what you give Him and He sees your heart. That is what He is after. Your heart!
Give Him all you have. 
There is no playbook in life. Don't try to copy someone else's life. Seek God for what ministry He wants you to fulfill.
You have been given work to do.
"do the work of an evangelist, 
fulfill your ministry."
2 Tim 4:5
99% of my work is in the 4 walls of my house.
Working my tail off to disciple my children and teach them God's Word.
And to be a Homemaker. 
What a blessing.
I am simply giving out of my poverty.

"God, please use us TIRED moms who are giving out of our poverty 
to produce a BUMPER CROP for you. 
Let us remember that the fruit we are harvesting is 
PEOPLE BEING BROUGHT TO ETERNAL LIFE.

Starting with the people in our home and engaging in the world around us."
***********************************


If you are still dead in your sins, by the authority I have in Jesus Christ... "ARISE!" 
If you have received Christ and are asleep, "WAKE UP!" 
If you are awake, ... "GET SOMETHING TO EAT!"

We are getting ready to start another conference call Bible Study Monday night, Feb 10.
9 pm EST, we will be start studying Philippians. Line-by-line, verse-by-verse.
Join us!
www.goodsoilgirls.wordpress.com






 On a different note, guess who is about to turn 4???
I love this girl so much. God is shaping her. God is using her to shape me. :)
I still can't believe He gave her to me.
I asked her if she wanted a sister.
She said, "No. I want to be the only girl. I love my brothers".


Be Blessed~
Steph


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your writing is such an encouragement to me!!! Please know that you are ministering to my needy heart. Thank you. Erin Lynn

Mom to 3 said...

Thank you for sharing about His Proposal with us. I also wanted to take a moment and tell you that the music you play on the blog is such a blessing to me. I let your playlist run this morning long after I finished reading your blog post.