Counting Our Blessings

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how blessed we are to be a part of our church, Golden Plains Baptist Church. It has taken me many years to fully appreciate what we have, as Christians living in Canada, more specifically, in Manitoba. I know just how few churches there are that have what we have.

For instance, we have a beautiful church building, with no debt, on a sixteen acre piece of property that allows us to have many activities without going somewhere else. But more important than that are the families who fill that church; the people who work together for the Lord in so many areas of service.

We have a pastor who preaches the whole council of God, with passion, and with compassion; a pastor who upholds the inerrant, inspired, preserved word of God, as the standard by which we are to live, worship and serve; a pastor who works tirelessly studying, counseling, teaching and preaching, and yet he spends more time than any other man in the church, working physically to complete the building project. On top of all of that, he still takes the time to play ping pong or chess with our kids, or to join the teens in a soda pop tasting contest. I know there are many nights he doesn’t get the sleep that he should, and it’s only in God’s strength that he is able to do all that he does.

But I think there’s another reason that he is able to keep going….the Lord has provided him with an amazing help– his wife. I have watched her enlist help in projects with her infectious enthusiasm and positive outlook, and I’ve heard her respond patiently and sweetly to comments that could only be described as disrespectful. I’ve seen her work as tirelessly as her husband to finish any jobs around the church that she is able to, and I’ve experienced personally, her willingness to help others with projects that are important to them.

I’ve been thinking too, just how much our church does for our kids, to help them to grow spiritually, to learn to serve and to build friendships with other Christians. Every Sunday evening, our church has a time of fellowship, with couples taking turns supervising a playtime for the younger children.. Wednesday evenings, during prayer time, our kids have their own prayer and craft time. This fall, that will be expanded into a ‘kids club;’ a program that will help train our children to serve the Lord, but also a time of fun and games.

Every summer, we hold a camp meeting, where our kids have an opportunity to hear many preachers, as well as meet families from churches across Canada.
Our Juniors also attend camp, and this year we will be adding Daily Vacation Bible School.

As our boys reach their teens, they participate in our ‘Teen Lightening,’ during spring break, and teen camp, in the summer. If they choose to attend college or go on a mission trip, the church helps to make that possible.

After reading this, you may be thinking that we are way too busy at our church, but after many years of ‘nominal’ Christian service, and feeling like we couldn’t serve in certain areas, I couldn’t be happier! I can’t think of a better place for our family to work, play and grow together than at church!

Romans 13:11,12 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Colossians 3:2,4 Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Boldly Come

My heart was heavy laden, with no relief in sight,
when I heard, “Come learn of Jesus, his yoke is easy, his burden light.”
They said he’s meek and lowly, and he would give me rest,
so I turned my heart to Jesus,

asked God’s forgiveness; my sins confessed.
Now I boldly come unto the throne of grace,

knowing Jesus will intercede.
There I find his mercy so great; his grace to help in time of need.
Oh, bring your heavy burden before the throne of grace.
Through the precious blood of Jesus,

you’ll find redemption; your sin debt paid.
A new life, he will give you; your sin, he’ll wash away,
When you turn your heart to Jesus,

receive forgiveness, then you’ll proclaim,
Now I boldly come unto the throne of grace,

knowing Jesus will intercede.
There I find his mercy so great; his grace to help in time of need.

How thankful I am that Jesus came and took my heavy burden of sin and that he is always there, ready to intercede on my behalf. As I continue on this journey, I pray that I will not forget the many people who cared enough to bring me the message of God’s forgiveness. May I not only come boldly before God’s throne of grace to plead for other lost souls, but may I speak boldly to them of Jesus’ mercy and grace as others did for me.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us.

My Book

I interrupt this series of Mother's Day posts for a very important announcement.

I GOT MY BOOK TODAY!!!!

They only sent me four copies for now, but the rest will be here very soon. Can you tell I'm excited?! I am so thankful that the Lord led us to this printing ministry. They have been so helpful, and I'm amazed at how quickly this has all happened. Now the hard part....sharing my baby with the world. Now that it's here, it's a little scary to think about people reading my thoughts and knowing my heart...but then that's what I'm doing here, isn't it?....But somehow paper and ink seems different than cyberspace!

For those who don't know, my book is a devotional called, "Stepping Stones Along My Journey," and it's pretty much what the title says...the different stepping stones I've encountered as I've made my way along this journey...from those first baby steps of learning to trust the Lord, on to the joys and responsibilities encountered along the path of motherhood, through the valleys and mountain tops experienced along this sometimes rocky path....but always on an upward path of following my Lord and Saviour to higher ground; learning to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones, and understanding the importance of how I live each day. May it be for His honour and for His glory.

So...please pray for me as I take this next step...or should I say leap into the water! Thank you!

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Christ Did The Work

Christ shed his blood so willingly;

went to the cold dark tomb for me,
Then he rose again, with power on high.
It’s Christ now who lives in my heart, not I.
Christ did the work on Calvary;

secured my place eternally.
By the power of God my faith shall stand,

and not in the wisdom or might of man.
I will stand fast in liberty;

no more the yoke entangles me.
I have been set free to serve in love,

until I am called to my home above.
I will give thanks each day I live,

for blessings that my Saviour gives.
I rejoice in Christ and sing his praise;

all glory and honour are due his name.
God forbid that I should glory,

save in the cross of my Lord, Jesus Christ,
for all of my works avail nothing;

a new creature, in him, I’m alive!

I am so thankful that Jesus did all that was necessary to purchase my salvation at Calvary. Aside from accepting this free gift there is nothing I can do to earn my way into heaven, and nothing I must do to keep myself saved. There is no work of the flesh that will change my destination, or get me inside the doors of the New Jerusalem. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” he had paid it all. There is nothing I can add to the work of Christ. To him all glory and honour are due.
I am just as thankful that there is no sin in my past, my present or my future that Jesus blood cannot fully cover. It’s all under the blood. When Jesus saved me I became a new creature in him. Praise the Lord!
How sad it is that there are saved people who think that they can do something to add to the work of Christ, or that there is some sin in their past that can keep them from fully serving the Lord today. Jesus came to free us from the bonds of the law, and though we still have to live in this sinful flesh, in Christ Jesus we are already seated in heavenly places.

1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not tangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 1:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Count It All Joy

Shortly after we began home schooling, it seemed that we were overwhelmed with financial problems. One day in particular, things were looking pretty hopeless, as I stood at our door, listening to an inspector inform me that our entire septic system would have to be replaced to meet the municipal requirements. Brian had been working night shift and was still sleeping, so he was unaware of the situation. I broke down in tears and began to cry out to God for help. Suddenly the words ‘count it all joy’ came to my mind. I had been saying, “Why do you keep letting these things happen to us? Why don’t you help us?” I began to praise my Lord for bringing his words to my remembrance. We had so much to be thankful for! I realized that God wanted us to learn to live above our circumstances. We can find joy even in the face of problems if we just surrender all of our cares to Jesus and let him take control. I knew that if we just put our trust in him, somehow he would help us through this financial ordeal.
There still remained one problem. God had shown all of this to me while Brian slept peacefully in the other room. It was time for him to get up, so I went in and sat next to him on the bed. When he awoke, I began talking to him about all the things that we had to be thankful for; salvation, our children, good health, a home of our own, and anything else that I could think of! I then asked Brian if he would pray with me, and thank God for all of these things. After we prayed, I proceeded to tell him about the inspector’s visit, and then the portion of scripture the Lord had given me. I’m not sure that Brian was quite as excited as I was about all the Lord had shown me, but it was next to impossible for him to get upset about a bill, having just spent time thanking the Lord for all of our blessings!
Later that same week, while attending a Bible study, I received another blessing when Brian prayed and thanked the Lord even for the difficulties we encounter. When someone questioned why he would pray that way, Brian went on to explain that we are to be thankful in all things; that God can use these trials to mold and strengthen us. We can’t control our circumstances, but we can control how we react to them. We can choose to get upset, or we can count our blessings and draw closer to the Lord.

When temptations come, and I’m bowed down so low;
when my doubts arise and I’m tossed to and fro,
I’ll count it all joy, stand firm in the faith.
I’ll look to the Lord for a way of escape.
When the world says come, and my flesh is enticed;
when I’m drawn away by the sins of this life,
he gives me wisdom and strength to obey
when I count it all joy and patiently wait.
When I face attacks for my faith in the Lord,
then I think of Jesus and how he was scorned.
When I trust in the Lord every step that I take,
he gives me grace for each trial I face.
I’ll count it all joy, stand firm in the faith.
I’ll look to the Lord for a way of escape.
He gives me wisdom and strength to obey,
when I count it all joy, and patiently wait.

As a baby Christian, I never forgot the way the Lord answered my desperate cry with those words, ‘count it all joy.’ That portion of scripture became one of my favorites, and one that I constantly look to when I’m going through a difficult time.

James 1:2,3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Thanks for joining me! ~~~Deb

I Will Call On You

Shortly after I was saved, I read the account of Joseph in the Book of Genesis. As a new Christian, it made quite an impression on me, and it has always been one of my favorite stories from the old testament. Who would have thought that God had a part in Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery? I’m sure when he was going through it all, even Joseph didn’t understand why all these things were happening to him, but he remained faithful to God none the less. It took many years before God’s plan became evident, but in Genesis 45:8a Joseph tells his brothers, “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God:” God had a plan for Joseph’s life, even though it meant that he would have to endure pain and suffering.
I’m so thankful that I learned this early on in my Christian life! It’s so comforting to know that no matter how confusing, or how difficult the circumstances of my life may be, God is in control. He has a plan for my life, and as long as I stick close, nothing can get to me unless God allows it past him. Knowing that makes everything that comes my way easier to handle….and it also makes me want to stay as close to my Lord as I can possibly get!

In joy I will praise you; in peace I will worship you.
In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.
In sadness I will cling to you; in turmoil I will rest in you.
In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.
When things go awry in this world of sin,
I’ll look to you for wisdom and strength.
When all is well, and I have peace within,
I’ll look to you with love and devotion.
In truth I will seek you; in faith I will follow you.
In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.
In doubting I will turn to you; distressed I will trust in you.
In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.
When lives all around are filled with such pain,
I’ll look to you for compassion and grace.
When prayers are answered; loved ones born again,
I’ll look to you with thanksgiving and praise.
In love I will serve you; in hope I will wait for you.
In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.
In gladness I will give to you; obeying I will live in you.
In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.

I wrote the beginnings of this song when I had been saved about a year. It was the end of a bad day, and I had poured my heart out to the Lord, in the form of poetry; something I had never done before. I tucked that poem away, and forgot about it, until ten years later when I came across it. I added to the initial lyrics, but the theme remains the same. It’s the answer I found as a baby Christian when I was overwhelmed by the frustrations of this life: In all I will call on you, my Saviour, my Lord.

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am , therewith to be content.

Thanks for joining me! ~~~Deb

Homeschooling....The Right Thing To Do

Someone has said, “The difference between an opinion and a conviction is that you hold one and the other holds you.” Nothing could be more true. The absolute conviction that our children’s education is our responsibility has kept us going when an opinion could have easily given in. While home schooling has provided abundant opportunities for growth as both a teacher and as a parent, I must admit that at times it has been exasperating, and exhausting. Considering the fact that I never would have chosen teaching as a career, it’s ironic that I now find myself in my twenty-first year of home schooling. When I mentioned this fact to my husband, his response was, “Only twelve years to go!” This wasn’t quite the encouragement I was looking for! My oldest children have all grown up and have long ago left home, while my youngest has just reached school age. I still have a long road ahead of me, and there are days when the road seems to be all uphill!
We know from experience that home schooling our children does not guarantee that they will never stray from serving the Lord. Some of them may not even appreciate the time and effort we put into teaching them. In fact they may complain that they missed out on a proper education. This knowledge doesn’t help to put me in an enthusiastic frame of mind, but none of this discounts the fact that it’s the right thing to do.
So in spite of the struggles, we keep on going, and on those difficult days, I just have to remind myself of all the blessings and the joyous moments I’ve experienced over the years. I am still in awe every time one of my children begins to read, and I wo