Easter 2013 & Baptism

We had an incredible Easter this year. This was by far my favorite Easter to ever experience in my life.

Gregg's parents flew down with Kiddo's favorite cousin, Miss. RC. It so happened that RC turned 16 while she was here on her visit. And if you know me at all, you know that I tried to make it a special day for our Sweet Sixteen year old cousin! We ordered RC's favorite birthday cake - white cake with blue frosting. We also decorated the house for her arrival and then celebrated with all of us going out to the Rain Forest Cafe. The girls had a wonderful time and I was able to get the waiters to sing very loudly Happy Birthday to RC before we left. So much fun!

We were blessed to be able to share in this special time in RC's life. I can't tell you how much we love that young lady!

As special as RC's birthday was for us, and the joyous event of our Savior rising from the grave and accending into heaven, we had another reason to celebrate during this Easter. Violet was baptised on Easter Sunday. My beloved had the incredible honor of baptizing our beautiful girl right after our church's Easter service! Violet made her profession of faith three years ago but we waited on her baptism for a few reasons. First, we were without a church home at that time. And then, while we believed her decision was solid, we wanted to make sure she fully understood that decision.

Easter was an emotional filled day for our little family. My beloved struggled to get through Violet's baptism a few times as his heart swelled with joy over the moment. I stood on the side and was overcome with pride and joy over this special moment in our daughter's life.

Gregg reading Violet's statement of faith to our church family...

Gregg praying a blessing over Violet's life as she continues to grow in faith...

Look at the joy on my baby girl's face as she came out of the water!

Oh, what a joyous day this day was! I get emotional as I think of all the ways God has blessed our family. We've been given an incredible little girl to raise and we can't thank God enough for choosing us to be her parents.

Purposeful Intent

Insomnia. I hate that word and what it means in my life. It is now 3:30 a.m. and I am WIDE awake. I would much rather be sleeping right now. Yet, I cannot seem to shut my brain off.

As I day-dream (or would that be night-dream?) of sleep, I can't help but be reminded of the Bible story where Jesus calms a storm. After spending a day ministering to the people whom he loved, Jesus called his disciples, his trusted friends, and said, "Let's go across to the other shore." (Mark 4:39) Jesus was tired and he had no trouble when it came to sleep. He went to the lower level of the boat, while his friends remained on top, and he slept. He slept so soundly that he didn't wake when their boat was caught in the middle of a big storm. Oh how I would love that kind of sleep right now. This storm was not your typical, everyday type of rain storm. The winds were blowing so strong that it was pushing water into their boat. So much water in fact, that the men thought they would sink and be lost to the storm. They woke Jesus in a panic and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" Wow, that's a question that would wake anyone up immediately.

Jesus response when he woke up was to rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" (Mark 4:39). And the winds and the sea obeyed. Can you imagine what his friends thought? The next two verses tells us that they were filled with a great fear. Fear? Jesus had just calmed a huge storm and their hearts were filled with fear? I can't imagine a safer place to be than to be with Jesus!

And so that is exactly where I am at right now. I am awake at nearly 4:00 in the morning, not a wink of sleep to be had, and I've been studying God's word and spending time in prayer. He has me awake for some reason and so my response is to listen.

I have to be honest though, I am a tad bit envious of how Jesus was able to sleep in the midst of a major storm. I can't imagine the boat was very soothing as I'm sure it was lurching and rocking every which way. I also imagine it was quite noisy on the boat as well with waves crashing against the it and the gusty winds howling by. Yet, he slept. And he slept so soundly that his friends had to wake him up! What I wouldn't give to be able to sleep like that!

Insomnia stinks, especially when you are bone tired. But I refuse to let that beat me. I am taking this time to study and draw closer to my Lord. And yes, that means blogging about what HE has placed on my heart. I hope this has encouraged you as much as this little revelation has for me. Insomnia can be time wasted, as you lie in bed and long for sleep. Or, it can be used with a purposeful intent to spend time with the One who created you. There is a line in the song Blessings, by Laura Story, that says, "What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?" He is near to me and I find great comfort in that.

Tested By Fire

I've been rather distracted lately. Situations beyond my control have nicked at my sanity to the point where I feel broken. It's hard to see something you love literally burn before your eyes. It's even harder when you know people are losing nearly all their worldly possessions - homes, pictures, physical remnants of their family history, the things that tie you to your history. And worse, actual loved ones.

My beloved state of Texas is truly going up in flames. And there is nothing I can do to stop it. This is personal for me because family and friends are being affected by these fires. And it truly hurts my heart to see what people are going through.

Wednesday was a particularly hard day for me. I'd been wrapped up in watching everything on the news, or on the Internet, when something in me snapped. Like twisting an ankle when you fall, it happened that quickly. My heart was broken and I needed a lifeline. So, I called a friend. And it was during that call that I realized I was exactly where God wanted me at that moment in time - because in my brokenness, I was more willing to come to Him in prayer. In my brokenness, I was more willing to ask Him to take control of these fires than to ask Him why. And it was in my brokenness that I realized God knows what the future holds and He can do mighty things through these fires. I need only to trust in Him, the author and creator of this world and all that is within it.

1 Peter 1:6-9

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Exposed

I know that I'm opening up a rats nest of controversy with this post but I wanted to share a few things with you that have been on my heart lately. I read recently of a church in Gainsville, Florida that will be hosting a book burning on September 11, 2010 in protest of the attacks on our country on that day in 2001. You can read all about that here. And it's not just a regular book but the Koran, a book that is considered holy by countless Muslims. While I don't agree with the Koran or the Muslim faith (I am a devote Christian) I don't think burning the Koran will do any good. It is a blatant disregard for a group of people and their faith.

I believe, that as Christians, we are supposed to model Christ to those who don't know Him. Burning someones book they consider holy is not, in my opinion, an action that Christ would be proud of. I can imagine He is shaking his head in wonder of how a group of people would think this is okay. How are we supposed to reach a group of lost people if we're not modeling Christ to them? Where is the love of Christ in the act of burning a book that someone considers holy?

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2

I'll be very honest with you right now. And by saying this I am exposing myself to criticism but that's okay because someone out there may feel the way I once did. I used to be afraid of people who are from India, South Asia, and so forth. Why? Because I didn't know anyone from there. I wasn't trying to be racist. I didn't hate them because they were different from me. But I was afraid of them. My limited knowledge was of the radicals who attack others by using extreme means. My heart was jaded by the media's reports of attacks and terrorism. And I was wrong. So very, very wrong.

Not all Muslims are violent. Actually many believe in living peacefully with people of different faiths and don't strictly adhere to the teachings of the Koran. Not entirely different than someone who calls them self a christian and yet never graces the doors of a church, leaves their bible on the shelf gathering dust from a lack of use, or the one who calls him/herself a liberal. It is the Islamic radicals that are behind all the attacks and they terrorize everyone, even those of the Muslim faith. And, all religions have their own fanatics that will kill you because you believe differently than they do. Muslim, Hindu and Christian alike. But we can't lump everyone together and think they believe the same things just because of the color of their skin or where they were born. We are all unique individuals with different thoughts, opinions, and feelings. Just because we may look like our neighbor doesn't mean we think like them.

We had amazing neighbors who were a living testament to the fact that most Muslims are a group of people who wish to live peacefully with people of all faiths. And, I try to keep in contact with them even though we've moved to the other side of Houston. She was curious about our christian beliefs and I had the opportunity to share Christ with her and her husband a few times. They weren't indignant or upset with me for talking openly about my faith. They actually asked me questions to why I believed what I believe. We visited one another's homes frequently and our daughters played together on a nearly daily basis. I pray that those seeds that were planted will someday come to fruition and that we'll meet again as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ramadan began on Wednesday (11th) and goes through September 9th. Please, check out the 30-Day Prayer Network and pray with me for this group of people. Even though this is a Muslim holiday for seeking enlightenment it is the perfect time for us to pray for them. While they are fasting and asking for visions I ask that you pray they will see Christ and that His presence will be made known. I have heard first hand several stories of how whole families have come to know our Father after seeing visions of Christ during their time fasting and praying. They need our prayers now more than ever and I hope you'll join me in this.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

(All scripture verses are from the English Standard Version Bible)

Rejoicing With The Angels

I have been blessed to experience some extraordinary events in my life. Meeting my husband, falling in love, getting married (hallelujah), graduating from college (Go Saders!), and giving birth to my beautiful little girl. Last week I experienced another extraordinary event, one that is just as precious as all the ones I've already mentioned (if not more so). Last week, my precious little five year old invited Christ in to her heart!

My heart is singing with joy and praise right now. My daughter has put her trust, and faith, in Christ. Violet is now not only a member of our biological family but she is a new member in the family of Christ as well. God is so good!

We have a bedtime routine that we follow each night which includes stories being read. Since Christmas, Violet's bedtime stories have come from the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. And it was after reading from this bible one night that Violet turned to me and said, "Mommy, I want Jesus to live in my heart just like he does in the hearts of the people in the bible." My heart busted with joy! Even as a toddler, Violet has had an understanding and belief in God. Since Christmas though that understanding and belief has blossomed into love. A love and belief that is her own and not just her parent's. So, when Violet said to me that she wanted Jesus to live in her heart, I knew that she understood what she was saying.

I called Gregg into Violet's room and told him what she had shared with me. The look in his eyes is one I will never forget; a look of pride, joy, and love. Gregg asked Violet some questions, making sure Violet understood what she was asking, all the while knowing she knew what this meant. After answering all of her Daddy's questions, Gregg led Violet in the sweetest prayer you can ever hear or say ~ asking Jesus to live in her heart.

As a christian, and as a parent, you child's profession of faith is a monumental moment in your family's life. To actually be there with your child when it happens is extraordinary. This is a memory that I will always hold dear to my heart and thank God for. Mine and Gregg's hearts are swelling with joy as we rejoice with the angels over Violet's profession of faith.