Category: Love
Moms Against Hunger
Dr. Gayla Holley is a wonderful friend to me. She grew up as in Zimbabwe while her parents were missionaries there. She played along-side the children there, was educated there and has a very special place in her heart for the people there. That is her adopted country. You can see the love she has for the people there when she recounts her stories of her childhood.
Her life has been spent helping others. She is not your average Pastor’s wife dealing with her local church and funding missions. She has made missions her life purpose. This year she started Moms Against Hunger. Her God ordained task is to send food worldwide. With her ministry Role Models Of America she has not only fed, clothed, moved medicine and building materials worldwide, she has been involved in being a first responder to the catastrophes of Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Ike, just to name a few. So she has the experience to get this done.
Currently, she has 150,000 meals ready to ship from La Porte, Texas to Zimbabwe Africa. Zimbabwe has agreed to waive the tariffs. Because of her connections there she has people on the ground that are ready to get this food starving people. The food is purchased and ready to go. She needs $10,000 for transportation costs to get the food there. $10,000 seems like such a huge amount but if each of us gives up our Starbucks or McDonalds meal for the week, we can make this happen. There is a small window of opportunity where the government is being cooperative.
Oasis and TLC are proud to be a small part of getting this food shipped. Can you help? If so, please click on her link above and give your help. If we all do just a little we’ll be able to make a small dent in hunger in the world.
If you aren’t familiar with what is going on in Zimbabwe click here to learn more.
Thanks for all your help and may the Lord richly bless you!
Death Is A Hard Pill To Swallow
I just found out an old friend of mine died. We were close at one time, in our 20’s. Now, not so much. I guess I always figured that we’d have time to catch up. Our lives drifted in different directions as we grew older. I don’t know why her death has hit me the way that it has. Perhaps because she was vibrant and alive and fun and we shared a lot of good times. Perhaps because she was kind, blunt and a mother and a daughter and a sister and I am all of those things too. Perhaps, it’s because it’s hard to conceive of someone my age dying of anything other than accidents, but having some health issues I am working through these days, perhaps seeing the possibility of my own mortality hits me as well.
As humans we weren’t created for goodbyes. Before the foundation of the earth we were created for eternity. Adam and Eve killed that option for us here on earth, Jesus came back and restored us to Heaven but nevertheless at the core of our being we are created for forever. Death seems like a foreign concept to us because it is. We don’t understand it because we have no built-in mechanism for the understanding of it. Our God is eternal, thus our author thinks on a limitless realm. That is ingrained in us and no amount of death among us changes our core belief that things are supposed to live forever. Rationally, those of us who believe in a life after mortal death, know that one day we will see each other again, but even then, we can’t wrap our brain around it because it doesn’t make sense to us.
We move on, we put our memories of our loved ones in little compartments of our heart but because we were built for relationship and eternity we don’t get over death. If those of us who believe that we will see each other again have such a hard time with death imagine what those who don’t believe in a life hereafter must feel? How much worse their pain? I can’t even imagine.
Who Are We America?
You’re A Pastor?
Talking to people about normal daily things is something I do all the time. I met a man recently at the car wash and began chatting. Nothing terribly outstanding. California weather these days, the economy, just general talk. When the man asked, “So what do you do for a living?” I said, “I’m a pastor at Oasis here in town.”
“You’re a pastor? Really? Like at a Christian church?” “Yup.” “Man, you don’t seem like a pastor.” “Really? (me: smiling) What makes me not seem like one?” “I don’t know, I mean, you’re normal. You’re not all makeup and hair and you don’t act like you’re above it all.” “Well, I’ll take that as a compliment.” “Oh, it is. So, where is your church? I’ve lived here six months, maybe I’ll come check it out.” “That would be nice, you’d be more than welcome.”
Often, I don’t know what people think of us followers of Christ. I chatted with a brand new mom and her sister recently, about her newborn 3 week old son who was, A DOR A BLE! At the end of my conversation I said, “You ladies have a blessed day!” They smiled and thanked me and as I walked away I heard one of them say, “She’s nice and said God bless you. That’s sweet.” Seeds people. Leave seeds everywhere you go. You just never know what will bloom.
Baptism
I am a complete sap for seeing people baptized. What do you do when your church’s building catches fire and you are holding service in a store front and all these new followers want to be baptized? We had a list of 10 people. What do we do?
We called friends with a pool and they gladly accepted. It was new, it was fresh and instead of a baptistry it was a swimming pool on a day when the temperature was 96 degrees. What a sweet spirit was there. Steve showed up with his guitar.
Pastor Doug gets in the water. He loves, loves, loves this and considers this his highest honor.
“Who wants to go first?”, Pastor Doug asks. Isabel raises her hands quickly, “I will!”
She gets buried! Her life starts again today!
We all rejoice!
Next is Mariana and then goes Steven
Then there’s Jeronima. She is really new to our church. She is so excited, she got her haircut the day before because she said if she were starting a new life, she wanted a new hairdo!
Steve plays and the onlookers rejoice with the angels in heaven!
Life is good, as the great commission goes on and people lives are transformed. Hallelujah! We praise you the King of kings and Lord of lords. You are GOOD!
Thank God For Stepmoms!
In every species!
Fighting The Pharisees
A couple came to visit our church recently. They volunteer in other ministries around town that we are also involved in, so they weren’t strangers. We welcomed them, as you do with any guests. After service, they asked for a meeting where they asked us if we would film their music video for them. Naturally, we said yes and were happy to help them.
We have a new group of early 20 somethings in the church and I’ve fallen in love with this group. They are hungry, they are alive and they are fun to teach. There have been times when they are asking so many questions about the bible that we’ll spend a few hours with them, bibles in hand, teaching not even conscience of the time. I remember those days so well, it was nothing to study the bible until 2-3 a.m. I came to Lord at 28 so maybe this is why I feel such an affinity to them. Most of them are younger than that. About a dozen of them from 20-30.
Matthew 28:19. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
A couple of them come from working in the music industry and so they know how to video and how run sound. They quickly volunteered in the audio/visual department and we quickly accepted. So the day the couple was to film their video, these guys volunteered and all was well. Until we got these two groups together.
The couple, decided that it was inappropriate for one of the guys to wear a baseball cap in the sanctuary as he filmed them. They decided to tell him that he was a poor representation of Christ because he has tattoos. They decided to cut him to pieces one by one never recognizing the favor he was doing them. They never asked the guy how long he’d known Christ because if they had they would have realized that he was extremely new. They never asked why he wore the cap because there is a specific reason for it. They never asked anything about him. They judged him and condemned him. They simply took it upon themselves to correct him without love, without compassion and without any sense whatsoever. These “godly” people damaged a little one with no concern other than their own opinion and feeling of self-righteousness. You can’t make doctrine for a baseball cap or tattoos in the sanctuary, there is no scripture for it.
Romans 8:32 If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? 33 And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? 34 Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us – who was raised to life for us! – is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. 35 Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
The cameraman went home, threw his cap away and tossed and turned all night. Feelings of inadequacy, feelings of not belonging, feelings of failure, frustration and anger tormented him and sleep alluded him. I’m sure the Pharisees would call this the conviction of the Holy Spirit but since I know that God did not come to condemn, I know that this was simply Satan himself. The difference between me and the cameraman is that I’ve read the word and have enough time under my belt to get it. He doesn’t YET but I know that he will. That’s the greatest part of being under a great teacher like my husband is.
Romans 8:36 They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. 37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. 38 I’m absolutely convinced that nothing – nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, 39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable – absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
By the grace and mercy of the Lord we were able to love on this new Christian and talk to him about Pharisees. By the grace and mercy of the Lord he listened and because he is on a search, he will soon have scripture in his mouth and these types of people will not be allowed to torment him anymore.
Jesus fought so hard against this mentality and said everyone is welcome in the kingdom. He made no other condition but love and no sacrifice was too great. Yet, here we are back to square one and all I can say sometimes when I am so deeply disappointed in those who call themselves believers of the way is “Jesus save me from your people.”
Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?” 37 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ 38 This is the most important, the first on any list. 39 But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ 40 These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
When The Rubber Meets The Road
Dear Pastor Susan,
I just read your blog about not awakening love before its time. I’m a college student and I believe I have met the man I will marry. We’ve talked about it and have a plan. As soon as school is over and we find jobs we will be getting married. We are both Christians and were raised in Christian homes. We knew better but things went a little too far once and I just found out that I am pregnant. I didn’t know what to do and I was scared so I told my mom. She was really mad but now she thinks I need to have an abortion and not tell anyone even my boyfriend. She says she hopes I’ve learned my lesson and can go back and finish school and put this all behind me. This does sound like a good way to go but why do I feel so bad?
I’ve edited your question a little to keep everything anonymous because you aren’t the first girl to find yourself in this situation and you won’t be the last either.
I want to say this as carefully as possible but I can’t find the words exactly to be as tactful as I want to be. So, let me just get this out there. Your mom is wrong. I know it sounds good, to just get this situation behind you and move on but the fact is you won’t ever be able to put this behind you. You’ll always think about the “what-ifs” and because you know Jesus, you’ll find that it will be hard for you to find forgiveness for yourself. You have three decisions to make and they are all forever decisions.
The first decision is to have an abortion. Trust me, when I tell you that I understand your mom’s perspective. She is trying to save you and the family the shame and heartache. Only you can’t undo decisions. See, God can and will forgive the indiscretion of a night of fornication but the consequence stands as is. A child is on its way. If you decide to abort, you’ll live with the decision forever and it will have lasting effects on your life. There is no way of getting around this.
The second decision, and my choice if I were you, would be to put the baby up for adoption to a two parent established home. This will be the most gut-wrenching decision you will ever have to make but the most profound act of love as well. Rather than drag this child through the mess of single parenting, daycare, finishing school and all the drama that will ensue, you will lovingly place this child in the arms of a family who is prepared to love and care for a child. You will satisfy a baby hunger in a couple’s lives and yes, this too will have forever effects on your life.
The third option is to keep the baby, hope your boyfriend does the right thing and try to make a loving home. Your chances of divorce are high, given your age, but nothing is impossible with God. Without jobs, life will be difficult, but not impossible, and if you are both committed you’ll walk it through. Keeping God as the third strand in the cord that binds your marriage together, will be critical. Either way, this is a lasting effect on your life as well. Dreams will have to be altered and a new path made.
These moments of decisions are what I call, Where the Rubber Meets the Road moments. These moments tell us whether we believe the word of the Lord, and walk in faith, or we throw out what we know about God to feed our flesh. While your mother’s suggestion sounds good, the feelings you have are the prompting of the Holy Spirit. God will never force His will on you and yet, He awaits your decision. Do you and your family believe that God will never leave you or forsake you or is it a nice thought? Submission is only submission until we disagree.
Finally, as a woman who found herself in your shoes, in her youth, I understand your heartache. I wasn’t intimately acquainted with the Lord back then and I dragged my son through a series of youthful ignorant mishaps. I love this child more than breath itself and would lay my life down for him, if it is ever required, but he inappropriately bears the scars of my mistakes. There is no easy answer. Each decision will leave lasting impressions that you will have to live with. My hope is that you allow God to guide you through this process and that you are open to His will. My heart goes out to you and I will be praying for you.
These Are The Threads Of Our Lives
Have you ever realized how many people you touch each and every day? I don’t mean physically touch but I mean touch by a word, or a smile or a not so friendly hand gesture in traffic? Part of being a human being on the planet is that we are interconnected and those little things we do matter.
Saying thank you, holding a door open, stopping to actually listen when you ask someone how they are doing are all ways in which we touch each other’s lives. Here is what God asks for us to do,
Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
I know it’s hard to like those people who drive you up the wall but we have to try. We never know the impact we make on a person. Someone, whom I’ve known for years said to me recently, “You know what I like about you? You are always the same. At church, at the gym, at the grocery store. You never change, you’re just you and you stop to talk to people even when we know you are busy.” I thought it about it afterward and had to say a little prayer to God as a thanks that he has given me a place in my heart for caring about others.
Doesn’t it just make you feel better when you are out running errands and out of the blue someone “honors” you by saying something sweet or holding a door open? Doesn’t it give you a boost when you are behind someone in line at the grocery store and their basket is overflowing with groceries and you have three things to pay for, they look over at you and NOTICE YOU! Then they further make your day great by saying, “Please go ahead of me in line, you only have a few things.” Wow! That doesn’t happen often does it? Or the person who randomly says, “You look great today.”
As transformed people, let’s make sure we are cognizant of those around us and take time out to notice people and to find a positive thing to say or do, if nothing else, a smile goes a long way!
Pastor Susan 
