Growing up my mom had this funny habit. Every time she would talk to our family in the midwest on the phone (or anyone with an accent for that matter) she would take on their accent as her own. She would be talking completely normal and then as soon as my grandparents would call she'd start using her crazy twangy voice. My siblings and I would all tease her because it sounded ridiculous. But my dad would always respond by telling us that she did it subconsciously as a way to help people feel comfortable.
Recently I went back to Missouri to visit my grandparents and celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday. The day after I got back I told Jason "I'm fixin to go to the grocery store," he said "What did you say?" I guess I had picked up my own twangy accent without even knowing it. He laughed, and asked me why I was talking like that. Without even thinking about it I defended myself (like my dad had done all those years) that I did it to make people around me feel comfortable.
As I thought more about it God began to show me that this is actually a Biblical principal.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 says
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Although my mom and I do this subconsciously, this attitude of accommodation is an attitude I believe that the Lord wants us to strive for. In a country where self expression and independence are highly valued, our attitude should be one of submission. Submission to the will of God and to the needs of others.
So today I'm thinking about those around me that don't know Christ. Do they need a friend, a listening ear, a good time, someone to mow their lawn. What can I do to help them feel comfortable(and more willing to hear the Good News)? Who do they need today? I choose to be whatever they need so that I(or in reality, Christ) might save some.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Friday, July 8, 2011
Two roads-my miracle story
For as long as I remember I have always wanted to adopt. I never really knew where the desire came from, it was just always there. When Jason and I got married we would talk about having kids, how many we wanted, when we should have them, how we would raise them. If you know me at all you know that I am a planner by nature. I can't help but plan everything in my life. On our vacations, I even plan what we will do to relax each day (which as you can imagine is a real treat for my husband who is not a planner). So when it came time to talk about children, I of course had a plan. But God had another.
Proverbs 16:9 says We make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.
My plans seemed right at the time. We had prayed about them and went ahead trying to fulfill what we thought was God's plan. But as the time came for us to start having children, we found out that without a miracle we could not have children on our own.
What a crushing blow. So as we prayed about what to do we decided to do In Vitro Fertilization. This was a huge financial weight to bear but the Lord provided. So we did our first round, we got pregnant but miscarried twins very early on, then another round, and miscarriage of twins. With each round the cost of this procedure weighed heavy, but the Lord always provided. On our third round we got pregnant with our miracle Kellan. 10 months later we met our baby boy. He is God's gift to us, a miracle in every sense of the word. He is a daily reminder of God's faithfulness to us. Even talking about God's goodness now, I cannot hold back the tears. His plan might have been different than ours but I am so convinced that it is better than anything I could have planned myself.
Along the road I have learned so much about faith, trust and how God speaks. I trust Him more than I ever would have, should we not have gone through all that we did. I’m sure that was God’s plan all along.
So fast forward 2 years and here we are today. As we pray about the next step in our family God has brought back to the surface the dream of adopting that I had all those years ago. I never knew why the adoption had been so heavy on my heart but now as I realize the challenge for us to conceive naturally I have started to understand that again, God’s plan is so much better than ours.
Just recently we have started the process for adoption. This weekend we are attending our first training. Again the financial cost of this process seems daunting but I know that this is just one more opportunity for our God to show himself faithful.
This is never the way I would have planned to have a family, but it was God’s plan and not mine that brought us our sweet Kellan and will someday soon bring another gift into our home.
Proverbs 16:9 says We make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.
My plans seemed right at the time. We had prayed about them and went ahead trying to fulfill what we thought was God's plan. But as the time came for us to start having children, we found out that without a miracle we could not have children on our own.
What a crushing blow. So as we prayed about what to do we decided to do In Vitro Fertilization. This was a huge financial weight to bear but the Lord provided. So we did our first round, we got pregnant but miscarried twins very early on, then another round, and miscarriage of twins. With each round the cost of this procedure weighed heavy, but the Lord always provided. On our third round we got pregnant with our miracle Kellan. 10 months later we met our baby boy. He is God's gift to us, a miracle in every sense of the word. He is a daily reminder of God's faithfulness to us. Even talking about God's goodness now, I cannot hold back the tears. His plan might have been different than ours but I am so convinced that it is better than anything I could have planned myself.
Along the road I have learned so much about faith, trust and how God speaks. I trust Him more than I ever would have, should we not have gone through all that we did. I’m sure that was God’s plan all along.
So fast forward 2 years and here we are today. As we pray about the next step in our family God has brought back to the surface the dream of adopting that I had all those years ago. I never knew why the adoption had been so heavy on my heart but now as I realize the challenge for us to conceive naturally I have started to understand that again, God’s plan is so much better than ours.
Just recently we have started the process for adoption. This weekend we are attending our first training. Again the financial cost of this process seems daunting but I know that this is just one more opportunity for our God to show himself faithful.
This is never the way I would have planned to have a family, but it was God’s plan and not mine that brought us our sweet Kellan and will someday soon bring another gift into our home.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
You've got a friend in me
Today brings a challenge I've never known, watching two 1 year olds. My friend's father is in the hospital, so her daughter is over for the day so that she can spend time at the hospital. It is amazing how much more work two babies are than one. As I went about my morning, I began to notice 2 things.
#1 Together they seemed to find trouble much faster than one of them would alone. I turned around for just a second and a glass was broken, turned around another second and they were both halfway up the stairs. Alone they were pretty well behaved, but together they seemed more comfortable with their decision to disobey.
#2 They express love and compassion without restraint. At one point Kellan had fallen and was crying, seeing Kellan's tears Laynie broke into tears herself. She couldn't help but cry with her friend in distress. At another point Laynie was frustrated that she couldn't climb up on the toy she wanted and Kellan came running to try to help her.
So these observations about young friends brings 2 questions about the friends we keep as adults.
#1 Do we surround ourselves with people who make us feel more comfortable with our disobedience to God or do we surround ourselves with people who bring out the best in us?
Proverbs 13:20 says He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Our friends can either bring out obedience to God or a compliance with sin. Sometimes the familiar, comfortable choice is not the best. Taking up our cross and following Christ was never about comfort, it was about obedience.
#2 Have we chosen friends that will be there for us when we really need them? Are our friends the kind that will weather the storm with us?
Proverbs 17:17 says A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
Our friends, like our character aren't really shown until we are going through a storm. If these past few years has opened my eyes to anything it has been what a true friend looked like. I was amazed at how my friends (you know who you are) have comforted me, brought out the best in me, challenged my thinking and loved me through it all. I pray that the Lord will help me become the kind of friend that they have been to me.
Now back to changing diapers and wiping faces.
#2 They express love and compassion without restraint. At one point Kellan had fallen and was crying, seeing Kellan's tears Laynie broke into tears herself. She couldn't help but cry with her friend in distress. At another point Laynie was frustrated that she couldn't climb up on the toy she wanted and Kellan came running to try to help her.
So these observations about young friends brings 2 questions about the friends we keep as adults.
#1 Do we surround ourselves with people who make us feel more comfortable with our disobedience to God or do we surround ourselves with people who bring out the best in us?
Proverbs 13:20 says He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Our friends can either bring out obedience to God or a compliance with sin. Sometimes the familiar, comfortable choice is not the best. Taking up our cross and following Christ was never about comfort, it was about obedience.
#2 Have we chosen friends that will be there for us when we really need them? Are our friends the kind that will weather the storm with us?
Proverbs 17:17 says A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
Our friends, like our character aren't really shown until we are going through a storm. If these past few years has opened my eyes to anything it has been what a true friend looked like. I was amazed at how my friends (you know who you are) have comforted me, brought out the best in me, challenged my thinking and loved me through it all. I pray that the Lord will help me become the kind of friend that they have been to me.
Now back to changing diapers and wiping faces.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Day 1 of the new adventure
Had I been in this position (unemployed, with no job-ministry position on the near horizon) 5 years ago, I think i would have had a nervous breakdown. But here today, on the first day of this new adventure in life, I find myself in a state of anticipation. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.
I feel more equipped to handle this new, but scary, adventure than every before. There is nothing like being faced with trial after trial and dark day after dark day that will teach you more about trusting in Jesus. Not just trusting Him when the road is smooth and faith comes easy, but trusting Him even when you can't see the road ahead.
Over the past 4 years, I have seen more dark days than I could have ever prepared for, but I have learned that through the storm, we become who we were meant to be.
Lisa Bevere says, "Who you are in hard times is who you really are."
Until I went through rough times, I didn't even know who I really was. It wasn't until I saw the Aubrielle who is going through the storm, that I really discovered who I am. As I head into another season of uncertainty I prepare myself again to make even more discoveries about who I am, what drives me and my flaws that push me to Jesus. This time as I step into a new season of transition, I have come to this realization, this isn't the end. In fact, it's just the beginning.
I feel more equipped to handle this new, but scary, adventure than every before. There is nothing like being faced with trial after trial and dark day after dark day that will teach you more about trusting in Jesus. Not just trusting Him when the road is smooth and faith comes easy, but trusting Him even when you can't see the road ahead.
Over the past 4 years, I have seen more dark days than I could have ever prepared for, but I have learned that through the storm, we become who we were meant to be.
Lisa Bevere says, "Who you are in hard times is who you really are."
Until I went through rough times, I didn't even know who I really was. It wasn't until I saw the Aubrielle who is going through the storm, that I really discovered who I am. As I head into another season of uncertainty I prepare myself again to make even more discoveries about who I am, what drives me and my flaws that push me to Jesus. This time as I step into a new season of transition, I have come to this realization, this isn't the end. In fact, it's just the beginning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)