I Want That Mountain Part 2

So last weeks lesson was on conquering the mountain of Attitude.
Oh, wow, did God prepare me for this one.
From having a day were everything seemed to go wrong and me having a bad attitude about it, to kids with attitudes, to students with attitudes right before I began the lesson, I am thoroughly convinced attitude is something we work on constantly to keep in right.

I heard John Bishop speak and he said, "God is always good; God is always right."  There is truth to that statement.  Psalm 119:68 Thou art good and doest good....

So to keep a good attitude we need to remember God will make everything work out for good. 


This week's lesson is on conquering anger.
After eating humble pie last week, I thought this week would be easier.
But God has a way of making sure I learn the lesson before I teach it.
Anger is probably one of the biggest mountains to conquer.
And I know I am not alone when I say, I struggle with this.
Other people don't met our expectations and we get angry.
That isn't right.  But what is just as serious is many of us are walking around
angry at God and we don't admit it.
Pain happens in this life; this life never promised to be fair.
But we have expectations and we have our idea of how things should be.
When God orchestrates different, we get angry.

It took me a long time to admit I was angry at God for allowing my husband to not live longer on this earth.  I was angry that he wasn't here for me and the children.  I was angry that God took Jim sooner than I was willing to let him go. I remember the day before our third son was born.  I was an emotional mess.  I woke up having contractions and told my midwife stubbornly that I didn't want to have this child without Jim. Then we discovered I had a lot of water in my basement.  I stormed upstairs. My bewildered parents and sister-in-law stared at me as I shouted, "I'm going to talk to my dead husband!!" I hurried down the steps and headed to his grave.  And there I sobbed and sobbed saying, "You are suppose to be here for this!!!!"  I was so angry Jim wasn't here.  After a lot of tears, I went back inside and told everyone I was ok.  My dad dealt with the basement and my contractions stop.  My poor body probably decided it wasn't safe for the little fellow to be born yet.  Everything turned out ok.  My dad got the water pumped out and after I got the other boys asleep, I talked to the LORD once again.  "Ok, if we are going to do this, let's do it" In the early morning hours, my third son was born.  And I exited the black hole of grief, and entered a different chapter of single mom with three boys.  But emotionally I was kicking and screaming about it  on the inside as loudly as my newborn was on the outside.  I felt cheated.

Many, many difficult things have happened since then.  And God spoke to my heart twice on this.
Once was on my first birthday without Jim.  He simply told me this was best and he loved me and my boys more than I will ever understand.  The other time was in more recent years, when I said once again, "Jim is suppose to be here for this."  And God simply whispered to my heart, "No, he isn't."
Smack!  God's 2x4 cushioned with love smacked my heart and mind.  That is true.  God's plan was for Jim to not be here; it is what is best.  God is all wise and all loving.  He has a plan.  Not just a good plan, but the best plan.

So anger is a big mountain to conquer.  It requires focusing on God and who He is and letting go of what I think I am entitled to.  It is letting go of expectations and trust God to do what is best for me and mine.

Day of Delight

We had cold wind and snow flurries yesterday, today had sunshine and thought still breezy, had warmer weather.

The part to fix the washing machine came early!  We fixed it in record time!

We celebrated with icecream.

Everyone finished school very timely and had extra time to play outside.

We took a little country drive as we ate our icecream.

The power is on so we could continue to pump water out of our basement.
It is finally looking like we are getting somewhere!

The dryer works, so I am finally getting caught up on laundry.

We had money to make hotel reservations for our annual trip before Easter.

We have only garder snakes and not poisonous snakes in our yard, so the boys feel like tough guys and I don't have to fret at the same time.

We live in the country with millions of things to do and explore.  No hearing the words, "I'm bored!"

The snow is all melted!

The breeze is refreshing and whispers, " Another winter is passed"  Amen!

All the boys are healthy and happy.

I am doing good also.

Many, many blessings, some just can't be put into words.

Now several nights ago it seemed like one of those were everything was going wrong!
We've all been there.

I needed to remember that today was one of those days, though not perfect, is full of things that went right.

I Want That Mountain Update 1

So we kicked off our campaign and I dressed up like a hiker with a visor, backpack, and a walking stick the boys cut and worked on for me.  I chose an ibex as our mascot as they are fearless, surefooted and agile.

Our first week was Promises and Mountains:

• God promised Caleb that land. What has God promised you? Our job is to believe God will give it to us and remind Him you are trusting in Him for it.
• Mountains are hard! There are difficult areas in our lives we need to conquer.
• Mountains are big; so we will turn to God and not try to do it in our own strength.
• Mountains are protected; our problems seem tough.  God puts people in our life who have conquered mountains to help us have courage.
• Caleb had to be patient; we need to be patient too.  Trust God and wait on God.

As a friend had a medical emergency, I reminded God of His promise to me, that her health issues would not be unto death.  God was faithful and she got the help she needed.

Our second week was The Mountain of Rejection:

• Mountains either hold us in or we can conquer them and control them.
• The fear of rejection is a common mountain in many of our lives
• A person doesn't fully mature until they learn to give over to God their desire to gain the approval of their parents, friends, and family.
• We commonly respond to rejection by getting anger and bitter. We say we don't care, when we really care deeply. We also run.
• We can overcome rejection when we stop seeking approval of others, and instead seek God's approval.
• We need to choose to believe Christ accepts me, not by what I've done, but because of what Christ says about me after He covered my sins with His blood.
• Why does God allow rejection? So we come to turn to Him, find approval in Him, and let God make you into somebody that is needed and valued.

I have seem multiple examples of people reacting wrongly to rejection. 
Please pray for us as we seek to respond correctly to any kind of rejection.

Our third week is The Mountain of Selfishness:

• Being selfish isn't only about caring only about yourself.  It is also caring for others, BUT caring for what you want and what's best for us above everyone else.
• We need to live for God. Live for eternity and not today!
• We need to seek to make others happy.  But don't compromise Biblical values.
• Serve others.  God puts extremely selfish people in a place where they always have to serve another.
• Give to meet the needs of others. The giving person can be the most unselfish person. 

God gave me the opportunity to give this week.  To give my time to another, to give my prayers, to give my tears of understanding, to give financially, to give a listening ear, to give encouragement, to give a helping hand. I still have much to learn to conquer this mountain completely though.

God's Little Pocket Watch

I have a new nephew.
The boys are excited, another boy!!!!

My nickname for this little guy is God's Little Pocketwatch.
From conception to birth was all God's timing.
A lot of things happened while my sister-in-law was pregnant with him.
And many times she wondered about God's timing in this all.

But he's a precious bundle!
His big brother before him, Prayer Boy, taught us all more about prayer.
His big sister, Little Cup of Grace, was a reminder of God's grace for each moment.
And now God's Little Pocketwatch joins them.

And now my sister-in-law and brother-in-law's quiver is as full as mine.
Three precious souls to nurture and raise up as warriors in the LORD's army.
"A threefold cord is not quickly broken."

God bless you, God's Little Pocketwatch
Many prayers, Aunt Christine

"I Want That Mountain"

Spring is coming and so is our spring Sunday School campaign.
Last fall God did such amazing things, and I missed recording them all.
So I am hoping to do a better job this time.

Caleb said in Joshua 14:7-14
Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

Our theme is "I Want That Mountain" quoting the words to a hymn.

"I Want That Mountain"

Words and Music by Bill Harvey

 

I saw the giant of Prayerlessness upon the mountain high;
He laughed so hard at my unbended knee.
No longer in the wilderness I'll stay, and so I cry;
I want that mountain, It belongs to me!

 

Chorus
I want that mountain! I want that mountain!
Where the milk and honey flow,
Where the grapes of Eshcol grow,
I want that mountain! I want that mountain!
The mountain that my Lord has given me.

 

There was a giant of Laziness who said I wouldn't go,
And witness for the One who set me free.
I'll come from out the wilderness, I'll witness now I know;
I want that mountain, It belongs to me!

 

Chorus

 

One faithless giant upon the crest of Hebron's lofty height,
Has vowed that he's the one to make me flee.
I'll climb from out the wilderness! and trust Jehovah's might!
I want that mountain, It belongs to me!

 

Chorus

 

Let ev'ry giant of distress and unbelief and sin,
Get ready now to vacate, for you see;
I've come from out the wilderness! I know I'm going to win!
I want that mountain, It belongs to me!

 

Chorus

 

The Story before Joshua 14

Numbers 13:23-33 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14:6-10 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.  But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

Purity vs Virginity

Recently I have had several different girls ask me if someone is still a virgin if they were molested or raped. I know I usually don't write on this stuff here but it is on my heart so I must write.

Personally I think purity is more important than virginity.
Why?
Well, let's see.....
There are many "technical virgins" who have never gone "all the way" but who have kissed handfuls of boys and made out with them and don't see any problem with it. They defile their minds with romance books and give their hearts away to boys they text or Facebook.

Then there is the girl who was raped as a young girl.  She is told she isn't a virgin anymore.
She feels defiled and has a choice to make.

She can choose to dedicate her body back to Christ and ask Him to make her pure again.
And ask Him to help her stay pure in body, mind, and heart.

OR she can choose to stay feeling defiled and listen to satan's lies that she can never be pure. She will abuse her body and let others use her body.  She will let her mind be polluted by lies and she will give her heart away to those who don't cherish it. 

Another thing about virginity.
Why is it some boys think they can just walk up to a girl and ask her if she is a virgin.
That is a very private question.  That is a question that a man who decides to court a young lady should ask.  If her virginity was stolen from her, she can then tell him and the choices she made afterwards.

Sadly the statistics are very alarming. Last I knew the reports said 1 out of every 4 girls has been violated  sexually before they are 18. And that is only those that report it.  I think it is more likely a lot higher.  So when we talk about virginity, I think we need to stress PURITY.  These girls that are statistics need to know there is hope that they can be pure no matter what has been taken from them.