23

Mar

HalleluYah HalleluYah Sisterhood

Filed Under (Blogs) by Susan on 23-03-2009

I have had the privilege on several occasions these past few weeks to enjoy some time with sisters.  I’ve written before about the Scribblers, a young women’s ministry of Chattanooga Christian Assembly.  These days we have been hearing a call to prayer, and have spent time together praying for and interceding on behalf of our church families.  I believe we are learning to be faithful to do whatever God calls us to do.  Last week, the “older” scribblers spent time in prayer with the “younger” scribblers.  The Holy Spirit intervened and moved in these young girls lives.  I believe the Scribblers will never be the same!  There is a powerful bond in sisterhood, and in prayer with each other.  Please commit yourself to praying for young lives, male and female, living in a difficult, tempting, and deceiving world.
 
Another event I was able to attend took place at Morris Hill Baptist Church.  True Peace, a women’s ministry, held their yearly gathering with guest speaker, Yvonne Comte.  She is a humorous, inspiring woman of faith.  Her topic was holy ambition.  One point she made in her study of the prophet Isaiah was that God gave him a message of repentance.  For 60 years, he preached on repentance, which is not an exciting, and inspiring message.  At least, not to the children of Israel in that day.  However, Isaiah was faithful to do what God called him to do, even if the people chose not to adhere to the call.  I was convicted myself, thinking of the message of human trafficking, specifically sexual slavery.  I’ve been a little disappointed that more has not taken place with respect to rescuing the victims of this modern day slavery.  It has been a little discouraging that more results, more rescuing, more awareness or activity have not taken place since I began sharing this topic with others.  I was reminded that day, I still must be faithful to do and say whatever the Lord puts on me to say, and to do so faithfully.  I’m still learning that one! 
 
The second part to Holy Ambition is learning discernment, or distinguishing God’s voice from the world.  The only way to learn that is to be so familiar with God, that you recognize Him talking to you!!  When we know God’s voice, we can discern His will, and our ultimate ambition. 
 
The fellowship was just beautiful in the church.  The bonding between sisters is strong.  There were a lot of tears, a lot of worship, and I pray a lot of repentance.  We will together come through and return to live in our Holy Ambition.  I believe that though the attacks of the devil on us (as women) are strong, together with God, we will overcome.  Romans 8 reads “if God is for us, who can be against us?”
 
So the time has come to unite our forces, cover each other’s backs, and to remain strong in the Lord and the power of His might.  May God bless and strengthen you, sisters!!
 
Susan
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12

Mar

About Faith

Filed Under (Blogs) by Susan on 12-03-2009

I’ve been trying to understand faith. It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). Faith is climbing up the staircase when you don’t even see the stairwell. Prayer is the key to heaven, faith unlocks the door. There are so many things to say about faith; I just am trying to learn how to apply faith.

One of my dearest friends, younger than me, has been childless for 6 years into her marriage. After a miscarriage, my heart broke for her and the grief I could only imagine in her heart. On a “Spirit of Faith” I bought maternity clothes for her believing that god will bless this loving couple with their first child. I held on to those maternity clothes for a little over a year, thinking I may be crazy or this “thought can’t be from God.” When I finally had the courage to give them to her, unbeknown to me, she was 4 months pregnant!

Now, seeing the fruit of her prayers, I question how can I apply this in my own life? Was what I did with those maternity clothes an act of faith?

Because Every Child Matters!

Susan

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04

Mar

Praise it Up!!

Filed Under (Philip) by Susan on 04-03-2009

As promised in the last blog, there was more to tell you about how the Lord was my strength and my deliverer, (as I quoted from Psalms 18:2-3), over the past week.  Last Friday night, one of our young people from church, Ruby, organized a benefit concert for Siskin Children’s Institute, the school Philip attended for 4 years.  The event, called “Praise it Up!” ,was a part of her senior project, and as her interest is in helping, educating autistic children, she chose Siskin as the beneficiary of her concert. 

Two weeks ago, she asked Philip to share some of his thoughts and experiences from Siskin during the concert.  Philip initially told me, “Mom, I’ll be so embarrassed!”  I told him that I would stand on the stage with him.  He took some comfort in that.

Ruby also asked me to share the vision of LWR as it was birthed in part from our own experiences with Philip.  Needless to say, Philip and I were both preparing for the big event, and were excited.  However, I was a little more anxious than I anticipated, I guess.  All I could think about last week was how much I missed my husband (who was in India during the time).  Whenever we are asked to speak about LWR or share Philip’s testimony, we always spend some time in prayer before the event.  I missed that and felt that I needed help last Friday.  Well, before Philip and I entered the auditorium, I told him that we should just pray together.  I reminded Philip of a scripture that he memorized from Jeremiah 1:4-10.  In it, God tells Jeremiah not to be afraid, because God was with him.  He also told the prophet that “I have put my words in your mouth.”  So as Philip was praying he said, “God please put the words in OUR mouths, mommy’s and mine.”  His prayer so blessed and encouraged me.  Then in the auditorium friends and family came also and encouraged me, stating they were praying for us. 

The concert was like a church service, it was beautiful, and so easy to just praise God in that place.  I thank God for his gentle reminders, and the way He speaks to us, sometimes even from the mouths of babes.

Pray for Philip.  I believe this is the first time he has actually “had a speaking engagement.”  And I believe in my heart, that this event is only the beginning.  We are praying that God would put the words in his mouth, and use Philip for the glory of God.

May God bless you and use you for His glory!

Susan

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