A Recycled Post

(Originally written 1/25/07)

Last night, Taylor started working through a devotional book that he got for Christmas. The first section is called "All About Me" and the first exercise was a look into the meanings of our name and how, when we become believers, God gives us a new name: Christian.

In the Bible, names were of great importance. A name was treasured and its meaning typically described the person or their character. I knew that Taylor's first name, "Joshua" was a very strong biblical name meaning "Yahweh is Salvation" or "The LORD Delivers." I have big dreams for Taylor! He's so intelligent and full of knowledge that I know God can do ANYTHING with him. More importantly, though, I just want him to grow up to know, love and believe God.

But as I was thinking about Lindsey I realized that I really didn't know what her name means.

Lindsey has always been a very strongwilled child and one with a mighty little temper -- if you can even imagine. She's so tiny and angelic looking in many ways, but she's got a fire in her that if undisciplined she would be a mess! I've prayed and prayed and prayed for her that God would get a hold of all of that passion and turn it into a fiery love for Him. As her mother and being very jealous for her and her future, I've wanted this to happen instantly! I know that He can do that, but I want you to hear what I found out about her name and what God taught me just this morning in Bible study.

Lindsey's name means: "A tree or trees near the water." When I read this I immediately thought of Psalm 1:1-3:

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers."

I was so grateful that God gave me a scripture that I could pray specifically for Lindsey and all the many challenges she faces in controlling her emotions. I could pray it just like this:

"God, be with my sweet Lindsey. Plant her firmly by Your streams, Lord, of Living Water. Make her strong, firm and help her not to fall away or wither. Prosper her."

I always wanted to follow up that prayer with, "Do it NOW Lord!"

Then today in Bible study the DVD lesson brought us to this scripture and I saw what I had been missing all along! That tree that is planted by streams of water yields its fruit IN SEASON -- in God's perfect time -- not necessarily when it is best for me, but when it is in the timing of God's perfect will and plan. God has a huge calling for Lindsey, I'm sure, but no amount of begging and pleading on my part is going to make it all come together for her any sooner than when God has it planned and mapped out for her on His Kingdom calendar. As much as I love Lindsey and want the best for her, God loves her far more and has way more planned for her than I could ever dream or imagine!

"However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him...'" I Corinthians 2:9

That doesn't mean that we give up praying for our children because "God's gonna do what God's gonna do!" No! It simply means that we lay all of our dreams and plans and desires for them at God's feet, giving up any claim we feel we have to them, and ask Him to work mightily through them in His time and in due season.

Love them, pray for them, and give them over to God -- every minute of every day -- that's the greatest responsibility to our children that we have been given.

I love you, Taylor and Lindsey! Be strong...be courageous...be bold!

Love, Mom

Saturday...

• House is clean...company came in from West Virginia last night.



• Cooked breakfast -- bacon, sausage, biscuits, panckakes! Butch said, "We need to have company more often!"



• Wondering how to get my house to stop smelling like a Cracker Barrel...a friend was no help! She couldn't understand why I wouldn't want my house to smell like bacon! :)



• Son is off taking his first ACT...yes, he's only 13! Duke University invited him to take it. Can you believe colleges are already looking at my child?



• Company is off to Nashville to see a college for their son.



• More company coming for dinner tonight.



• Cooking today -- ham, hashbrown casserole, brownies.



• Lovin' my new living room color! "Kraft Paper" by Martha Stewart



• Thinking about the "Verse of the Day": "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. (1 Peter 3:3-4 NLT)



• About to sit down with Esther, Day Two!



• Love Saturday mornings!

So blessed...

Blessings,
Dori

It's a Matter of Trust

I've been thinking alot about trust lately. I think it is because God keeps bringing up the topic in Bible study, on television, in my quiet time, in my devo books I read. It's His theme for me right now.

Something profound that I heard on Life Today this week was this question: Do we really trust God or do we trust Him to do what we tell Him to do? For example, when I pray am I really praying for God's Will or am I giving God a list of my problems and them telling Him the ways that I want Him to solve those problems.

But interestingly enough, He doesn't give us the guarantee that this world won't have problems. In fact, He assures us that "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33. I love how The Message translates this entire verse:

"I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."

The truth is that "for the joy set before us" we can endure anything because our God is in control and we trust that everything He is doing in our life -- everything that is allowed, the good, the bad, the ugly -- is all part of His divine plan to bring us to Himself. We can walk through the trouble that this godless world holds and we can do it standing tall, unshaken, full of blessed assurance and with a ton of peace because He is in control and He is greater than anything that the world can dish out. Job learned this and said that every life is full of a heap of trouble. But I love this quote from my homework in Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman Bible study this morning:

"When we trust our lives to the unseen but ever-present God, He will write our lives into His story and every last one of them will turn out to be a great read. With a great ending." ~ Beth Moore

For the joy set before us, let us trust Him and persevere to the end of our story with our blessed King...a happily ever after!

Blessings,
Dori

Esther and a Room Full of Estrogen

It's Thursday, February 5, and that means it is BIBLE STUDY TIME IN TENNESSEE!! More specifically, it is time to study Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore!

It kind of snuck up on me but when I got out my Bible study tote this morning and started putting everything in it, I got that familiar butterfly feeling in my stomach. I get that way for a couple of reasons.

One is that I am completely ill-equipped to do the job of a facilitator! I've been doing this thing for over 10 years now and each time I ask God why in the world He gives me the privilege when there are people who are way more qualified and gifted to do it. I get nervous about standing up in front of people. I worry about whether there will be too many women in the class or too few. I get nervous and start telling things that I probably shouldn't...like today's vasectomy story! Oh, yes I did! :)

Secondly, I get the flutters because I just love studying the Word with women! I doubt our men get this way. Women just feel everything so deeply and so when God's Word jumps off the page onto the red hot pavement of their life and they are changed by it they just can't keep it to themselves. Even if they never say a word, I can just tell by the look on their face that are getting it -- that it is speaking to them and they are ready to go and walk in the truth they are learning.

"So thankful" was all that came to mind as I entered our beautiful new Equipping Center. I've led Bible study in some pretty rough surroudings. The last three sessions have been in some pretty old, musty portable buildings. I once led a study down in the youth party room at our church -- complete with walls painted dark blue and stars and planets painted on the walls -- no windows. But today? Well, today was my first time to lead in our new building. I must say I was so grateful! We had a nice big 42" flat panel to watch Beth on, the chairs were comfy, the room was clean...it was awesome. (Incidentally, my pastor's wife and I joked that we are the last two people we know that still have the 32" televisions that weigh about 1000 pounds and are about 4 feet deep!)

But it isn't about whether or not the room is clean or that the television is new or that the chairs are comfortable. Its about women coming into the presence of God to study at His feet. And, boy, did they come. There were 25 of us there this morning cracking open our new Bible study workbooks and maybe even opening our Bibles for the first time to study the one book in the Bible that doesn't mention God's precious name one single time!

And yet He is there...

Something so profound that Beth shared in the introductory session was that we need to have the anxious expectation that God is working whether we see Him or not and no matter whether or not we feel Him He is smack dab in the middle of our life and can make an appearance at any time!

She also reminded us that there are no coincidences. The things we call coincidences are those times when God moves and just chooses to remain anonymous.

And without spoiling too much for those of you who are starting your study next week, there is this quote from the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (which I HIGHLY recommend):

"In His providence, God attends not only to apparently momentous events and people but also to those that seem both mundane and trivial...Indeed, so all encompassing is God's attention to events within creation that nothing...happens by chance."

Nothing happens by chance...

25 women...
all ages...
all walks of life...
backgrounds that are wildly unique...
all coming together...
not by chance but brought together by God...

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!

Blessings,
Dori