One Million Arrows Christian Parenting Blog
- Thoughtful Bible Study for Families-A Review
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Guest Author: Melissa Morgner
- February 26, 2010 | View or add comments |
- Hidden Beauty
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Guest Author: Leslie Reavely
- February 21, 2010 | View or add comments |
- Stanley Clan Moves Downtown
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Guest Author: Rebecca Stanely
- February 15, 2010 | View or add comments |
- At Home with the Couch Potatoes
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Guest Author: Kristin Couch
- February 9, 2010 | View or add comments |
- Cell Upgrade or Orphan?
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Guest Author: Todd Payne
- February 4, 2010 | View or add comments |
Entries for: February, 2010
I think we all have spiritual growth spurts—times where we grow more in love with the Lord and in our knowledge of his truths. My first big growth spurt many years ago was due in large part to the incredible women's ministry at the Bible-teaching church we attended. Our leader challenged, encouraged and exemplified the Lord's love, and yet she was so very real and approachable. It's been years since I've attended there, and she has since moved states away, but the Lord has continued to use this dear sister in the Lord to bless many with her gifts. The resource I'm reviewing today was written by this wonderful woman.
Sherrie Deaton is one of the most amazing teacher's I know. Seriously. She has an ability to encourage and challenge and get right to the heart of God's Word. When she speaks, you know she's spent time with Jesus. She recently launched a ministry called Standing in the Square . The name comes from Ezra 8, where Ezra the priest is in the square reading the law to the attentive people. When he opened the book of the law, all the people stood. And as Ezra read from the law, the people bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord.
After an eye-opening week at World Venture's kids' missions camp, hosted at Camp Jonah, teenage sisters, Leslie and Lauren Reavely, co-founded the ministry Hope 2 Others (H20), a practical help ministry to homeless and panhandlers. Here is one of Leslie's inspiring blog entries!
I couldn't help but take it in...a baby sat in her stroller wailing while her mom dug through a pile of blankets and clothes. Barbecue smoke billowed from behind several rows of hanging jackets. Hundreds of people pushed and shoved to get first pick at the hats and scarves. As they swarmed past and bumped into me, my nose resisted wrinkling under the odor that emanated from their stained, tattered coats.
For the Stanley Clan from the suburbs of Atlanta, walking in obedience to Christ has taken on a new challenge this year of moving to the front lines of their ministry—inner-city Atlanta. This decision began as a result of working a summer ministry camp for inner-city kids, and now they feel a special call to live in close community with the kids and their families.
Rebecca says, "Our journey into inner-city ministry began with the conviction that if we claim to be Christians, we MUST love our neighbors as ourselves. And the children in our very own city are living in poverty amidst violence, gangs, teen pregnancy, and failing schools.
Shortly after our daughter was born my husband, Jon, felt the Lord tugging at his heart to go into ministry. This was no small consideration for our family. We had just moved into our dream home, and Jon had climbed the corporate ladder into a high paying job.
A few months later, we sold our home and moved to another state so Jon could attend seminary. After that he began a ministry called "This Day Ministries," where he uses his gifts to preach expository messages, verse-by-verse from Scripture. Since 2005, we've been traveling many Sundays as a family, filling in at various churches that need help. I have grown to understand the importance of supporting Jon in his call to ministry. It's not an easy life, and sometimes I battle discouragement in not having "roots." Yet when I see lives stirred in response to my husband's teaching, I know that this is not about me, but about the mission.
While orphans are fresh in all our minds with the recent events, I wanted to share an email I received from India today, from my friend, Todd Payne. There's no one who has a greater heart for orphans, than Todd and his wife, Gracy. Every year, Todd works construction for about ten months, saving a big chunk of it. Then he and his wife head over to India where they spend two months and several thousand dollars, traveling the country, feeding and clothing whole orphanages of children in need, and sharing the Gospel.
Todd really inspires to me to do my part, and I thought I'd share his heartfelt update. Understand, Todd is a very humble guy, and the passion you "hear" in his voice stems from his sadness that so many children are not being taken care of. I know many of you are doing your part in HUGE ways, so understand Todd's call is to those who aren't.
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