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Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Stranded at World's End


Many times, as a missionary, we feel forgotten:  forgotten by friends and family, forgotten by those who have promised to uphold us in prayer as serve so far away, and sometimes (even though we may not dare to say it) forgotten by God.  Living on the other side of the world may make you feel as if you been “stranded at world’s end.”

One of the things I appreciate the most about reading missionary biographies is that they have often experienced the very same emotions that we do today.   Isobel Kuhn’s In the Arena is a favorite.  She is very transparent about her struggles and quick to share how God helped her in those struggles.  Her chapter, Stranded at World’s End, addresses those feelings that can so often threaten to consume us...

“How wonderful to find Him always there, when we have unexpected need of Him!  That living touch with Him is so precious; it makes Him so real; it obliterates the line between the earthly and heavenly; it is so humbling to find Him waiting there.”

“There are many apparently needless trials in life, but the Lord stands with us through all of them.  ‘May you lose nothing in the furnace but your dross,’ said Samuel Rutherford.  The Lord will preserve everything else for us.”

“Stranded at world’s end?  Maybe.  But if we lean back we will find ourselves on the bosom of Christ—sweet, familiar place.
Sometimes on the Rock I tremble,
Faint of heart and weak of knee;
But the steadfast Rock of Ages
Never trembles under me!”
__________

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” -Isaiah 49:15

*Quotations are taken from In the Arena by Isabel Kuhn, pages 178-180.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Father Knows Best

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."  

~~Jeremiah 29:11-13~~


For six months, I had known the date our family would leave our home and head to our place of service to where God had led us.  We had already left our family and the only home we'd ever known to attend language school, but that was "only" for a year.  I could do that.  I had a fully-furnished house picked out before I ever landed in Costa Rica; we had current students assigned to "show us the ropes" once we landed; we had a built-in community of believers; and we had an idea of what to expect.  So, surely I could do this again....I was wrong.

About two to three weeks before we left for the field, my emotions got the better of me.  But, you know what those emotions did?  They drove me to my knees--they drove me to seek the Lord with all of my heart.  I had so many questions my husband couldn't answer.  I had so many fears that were controlling me.  One night, I finally cried so hard I could barely breathe.  I couldn't even pray out loud for the longest time.  I just cried on my Father's shoulders.  I just let Him hold me.  When I could finally speak, I asked two things of Him:  (1) Sing over me (2) Remind me of His promises.

Singing is medicine to the soul.  It is calming.  It is refreshing.  It puts things into perspective.  We can sing praises to the Lord and set our eyes on Him.  But, did you know that the Lord also sings over us?  Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."  He sang over me that night.  One of the main songs he kept reminding me of is "Fear is a Liar."  I was focusing on my fears.  I was focusing on all of the what-ifs that could happen in a new country instead of the truth of what is.  God calmed my soul as He sang over me.

Crying out to the Lord brings peace and perspective.  After my Father calmed my spirit to where I could finally cry out to Him, I asked Him to remind me of His promises.  All my mind was telling me was something bad was going to happen to my kids.  The thoughts swirling through my mind were literally taking my breath away.  I could.not.breathe.  Then, the Lord reminded me of the verse at the beginning of this post:  He has thoughts of peace and not evil.  He has an expected end.  Something bad doesn't have to happen for the Lord to receive glory in our lives.  Yes, suffering is part of the journey.  But, that is not the plan God has for us.  He will use that suffering for our good and for His glory; but He will also use the hilltops for our good and His glory.  I don't have to assume the worst is going to happen--because He's planning for the best to happen!

After calming my soul.  After reminding me of His promises.  I finally told the Lord: "I don't want to go."  It was like I could feel the loving arms of my Heavenly Father wrap around me, pull me close, and whisper in my ear, "Oh, my daughter, I know your heart: you do want to go...{then with a little chuckle} you just want to know all the details before you get there."  Our Father does know best.  He does have our best interest in my mind.  Jesus Himself told the Father three times "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt." (Mark 14:33-40).  God could make a different way, but Jesus knew this was the almighty plan.  And, He willingly laid down His will for the Father's.  When we realize we are walking in the Father's will and that will is far greater than anything we could imagine, we can finally say, "But, even if you don't [keep my children safe, keep me safe, keep our things safe, answer this prayer or that prayer, ___________________], give me your grace to walk through whatever path you have set before me."  Our Father knows best and He will walk with us, carry us, cry with us and rejoice over us with every step along the journey.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Homemade Pie Crust

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Thanksgiving is one of the most fun holidays to cook for! Rolls, gravy, stuffing, turkey, pies! 
Pies are my favorite thing to bake for thanksgiving. We use my grandma’s pie crust recipe, which has never failed us! 

What you’ll need 

2 cups flour 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cups butter or margarine 
(Or you can do half and half) 
1 tablespoon vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 egg 

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. 
Using your finger tips, cut in the butter/margarine. 
In a little bowl, mix the water, vinegar and egg. 
Pour the egg liquid into the flour/butter mix little by little. Stir with a fork until all the flour comes together.
Using your hands, squeeze the dough. 
DO NOT KNEAD IT! 
Once the dough is smooth, you’re ready to roll out for your pies. 

When rolling this dough out, use lots of flour. 
Remember, the more you work the dough, the tougher your crust will be. 

This recipe will make three to four pie crusts, depending on how thick you roll out your crust.

Check out my YouTube channel for pumpkin pie filling made with squash, and apple pie made with zucchini!




Amber Wells
Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving



Happy US Thanksgiving to all you ladies from America!  In our marriage, we have an American and a Canadian.  This means that we decorate the house for Canadian Thanksgiving (the same day as Columbus Day in America), and we keep it all up until the American Thanksgiving.  I really like this tradition, because Thanksgiving is more of a season in our home than just a one-day event.  Thanksgiving is really supposed to be a way of life – a posture of the heart.  

“In everything give thanks.”  

We all know this verse.  Some of us were quoted this verse from infancy.  We know we need to be thankful for everything we have.  Most of us have probably reached the point in our spiritual lives where we can say with honesty that we are thankful for the things that we perceive to be negative.  We can be thankful for loneliness, for isolation, for rejection, for loss, for betrayal, and many other things, because we have sensed more intensely the presence of the Lord and the warmth of His embrace, as He sustained us and held us up with His hand, saying:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

But please consider this quote.  “All that I need, I have.  All that I have, I need.”  This quote has been a great source of conviction to me through the years. Sometimes, I do well at accepting what I have in my life, as all being orchestrated by God with the purpose of making me into what He needs me to be, but sometimes I have a hard time accepting that I “need” whatever it is that is plaguing me.  Sometimes, the circumstances or people in our lives, which are beyond our control, begin to define us in a way that we don’t like.  But we’ve learned to accept those things, because we know that the God Who created us, also has the right to define us.  

How do we do in being thankful for the good things we want for ourselves or for others, but are still lacking?  Do we desire a more fruitful ministry; a more ____ husband (you can fill in the blank there); children who are more dedicated to the Lord; a friend/partner in the ministry with whom we can confide; a more communicative sending church; the salvation of a lost family member; et cetera? Can we be thankful and joyful even though there are still unanswered prayer requests on our prayer list?

Do we make our list of things to be thankful for, and then think to ourselves, “Life would be perfect, if it wasn’t for that one thing I don’t have”.   I could really be used for God in a greater way if   ____  would just happen.  Let’s not stop praying for those good things, and working towards those good things; but let’s not let those unfulfilled, righteous desires keep us from giving thanks in everything.  Let’s not allow that “one thing” to become an idol that blocks our view of our Savior. Let’s apply the truth of these verses to our hearts, and allow them to recalibrate the lenses from which we view our present day realities.  

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:” Ecclesiastes 3:11

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” II Corinthians 3:5

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  
I Corinthians 15:57

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Her Story Silhouettes {#18 Susannah Spurgeon / And So?}

Go to www.sharihouse.com to read more "Her Story Silhouettes"



Hey there, I'm Shari. One of my favorite things to do is read about or study the lives of ordinary women who have done extraordinary things for the Lord.

Their stories challenge me, encourage me, and teach me. My hope is that these "silhouettes" or glimpses of their lives will do the same for you.  

Each silhouette contains a small synopsis of a lady’s service to the Lord, a particular story from her everyday life that resonated with my own, and a short Bible study about a truth that I learned from it. I hope that as you read these posts you might be challenged to find out more about these great ladies, that you might find something that speaks to your heart or helps you in your own ministry, and that ultimately you will be encouraged to remain faithful to your calling.

So grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy, and let me tell you about her story.


Silhouette:     

Susannah Thompson was born in the suburbs of London on January 15, 1832. Her parents raised her in a godly home, and she trusted Christ as her Savior as a young girl. However, during her teen and young adult years, she grew cold and distant to the things of the Lord much like many of the youth in that day. At the age of 21 she heard Charles Spurgeon preach for the first time. He was only 19 but was already becoming quite famous in London, and large crowds would gather to hear him preach. She was not impressed . . . with his manner, with how he preached, or with how he looked. It wasn’t long, though, before Susannah found herself growing spiritually under his ministry. They became friends, and their friendship blossomed into love. They were married two years later on September 20, 1856. They were devoted to one another, and their love stood the test of time through long periods of separation, illness on both their parts, and all that came with being a famous preacher. Charles found in his wife, a faithful companion, a trusted source of wisdom in spiritual matters, and a constant source of encouragement.

Susannah gave birth to twin boys before she and Charles celebrated their first anniversary. Her health was weakened with the birth, and from that point on she suffered from physical ailments that often kept her in bed. There was even one 15-year period of time when she was unable to leave the house. Charles also suffered from gout and bouts of depression that often accompany that sickness. Together though, they faced every challenge and used these difficulties in their lives to draw them closer together and closer to the Lord. Susannah was a devoted mother, and although she was often bed-ridden, she took it upon herself to train her sons in Christian doctrine and things of the Lord. Both her sons grew up to serve in Christian ministry, and both publicly recognized how much the influence of their mother’s example and teaching played a role in their lives.  

Susannah was not only a devoted wife and mother, but she was devoted to the Lord’s work. For years she ran a charity called “The Book Fund” that helped distribute Christian resources to needy pastors and families. This work expanded to include other ministries such as “The Pastors’ Aide Fund” and “The Westwood Clothing Society.” She also authored several books including a biography about her husband, a book about her charity, and several devotional books. Susannah passed away in October of 1903 at the age of 71. For her entire life she remained faithful to the Lord and to His work. She was truly a woman of whom it could be said, She hath done what she could”!


Her Story/My Story:  

After Susannah’s husband had completed a book entitled, “Lectures to my Students.” He asked Susannah to proof it and give him her opinion on it. After reading it, Susannah said she wished that she could put a copy of this book into the hands of every minister in England. The greater percent of ministers at that time were extremely poor and could barely keep their families clothed and fed. There was no money to be spent on books like Bible commentaries, theological books, or like this book her husband had just written that would be a powerful tool in the hands of a minister. Her husband answered her statement with, “Then why not do so: how much will you give?” Susannah stopped for a moment. Her mind had seen the need, but she hadn’t considered that she could do anything about it. With her husband’s simple statement, “Then why not do so:” she felt a call to action. She went to her “money jar” to see how much she had saved up and found out she had enough to purchase 100 copies of the book. She ordered them and sent out an inquiry to ministers to see who might like to receive a copy. She got back 200 requests. Through God’s provision she was able to purchase 100 more and fulfill all the requests. And just like that, a charity called “The Book Fund” was created. Although she never solicited funds, the Lord began funneling money through the charity and once word got out, people started sending books out of their own libraries to be distributed. Susannah received scores of letters every week from needy preachers requesting her help. Her testimony was that the Lord always provided just the amount of funds needed to meet the needs that were presented. By the time Susannah passed away in 1903, she had distributed over 200,000 theological resources to impoverished pastors in England and to missionaries and pastors around the world. It would be impossible to even guess how many lives were changed, how many pastors’ hearts were encouraged, how many families were strengthened, and how many churches were better equipped all because one day Susannah saw a need and decided to do what she could about it.

I had an “And so?” experience a couple years ago. I was continually burdened about what could be done for two young orphan girls that had been faithfully attending our church in Hua Hin for several years. Once I opened myself up to the idea that the burden I had for these two girls might be God’s call to action for me, the Lord led me to start the “Heavenly Treasures Orphan Project.” What started out as trying to provide funds for the girls’ daily meals, school fees, school uniforms, transportation to and from school, clothes, etc. has grown into something much more. The Lord has brought wonderful, faithful sponsors and donors that support the orphan project, and for the past two years we have been able to meet the needs not only of these two girls, but this year we began taking on other orphan children. Donations have also been distributed to needy families who have a particular need, and this year we were able to sponsor 16 children to go to Bible English Camp. This month without any solicitation, the Lord miraculously provided the funds needed to purchase 51 mattresses, 51 sheet sets, 51 comforters, and 51 pillows to be given to 51 children who are Karen and Burmese refugees that live in a Christian orphanage located about 40 minutes from our ministry. I am amazed at what the Lord is doing and how He has expanded this little project that he burdened my heart with. What a wonderful blessing it is to be the one who gets to “stand in the gap.” I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the “Heavenly Treasures Orphan Project.”

Bible Study:  And So?
Maybe one day you saw a need and you thought, “Someone should do something about that.” Maybe the next time that need came across your path you thought, “Someone should do something about that. They could do this or that.” Maybe as this need continued to cross your path and take root in your mind, you thought, “Someone should do something about that. They could do this or that. Maybe so-and-so would be the one to do it.” Many times this is where our thoughts get stuck. . . playing on a loop.

I remember hearing someone say once, “When God calls something to your attention, He is calling you to action.” I wonder if every time the Lord laid something on our hearts and we viewed it as a call to action, how much more could be accomplished for Him.

I always love reading the beginning of King Saul’s life. I’m sure on the day Saul left his home to go look for his father’s missing donkeys, he never imagined he’d return home as the chosen king of Israel. Here are some things we can learn from this part of Saul’s story that would serve us well to remember when our “And so?” times come.

3 Character Traits we see in Saul

1. Saul was responsible.
·     I Samuel 9:3 “And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.”
·     Saul was being faithful and was fulfilling his current responsibility.
·    The Lord rarely uses someone to do something great who isn’t already being faithful in their current responsibility no matter how small it might be.

2. Saul was tenacious.
  • I Samuel 9:4 “And he passed through mount Ephraim . . the land of Shalisha . . . the land of Shalim . . . the land of the Benjamites . . . the land of Zuph . . .”
  • Saul went above and beyond to try to carry out his current responsibility.
  • Tenacity is a common trait found in people that the Lord calls upon to do a work for Him.


3. Saul was humble.
  • I Samuel 9:21 “And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?”
  • Saul was humble and found nothing in himself or his background that would warrant calling on him to fulfill such a great responsibility.
  • A humble person is much more useable in a great work, but we must be careful to not use a feeling of “I don’t think God could possibly use me for such a great task” as an excuse to not do it.


3 Things God did to show His stamp of approval on the matter

1. God put the purpose in Saul’s heart.
  • I Samuel 10:9a “And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart . . “
  • To be the king of Israel had never entered Saul’s mind before Samuel told him of God’s plan.
  • The Bible says God changed his heart on this matter. I don’t know if that means he put a new desire in his heart to be the king or if it meant that God changed his doubt that he could do it to a sense that he could with God’s help accomplish the goal, or both. I’m not sure, but whatever work it was that God did in Saul’s heart, it was the beginning of Saul fulfilling God’s purpose.


2. God confirmed to Saul that this was His desire in Saul’s life, and He was with him.
  • I Samuel 10:7 “And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.”
  • I Samuel 10:2-6 tells us of three things that would happen as Saul returned home that were signs from God to him that He was with Saul in order to confirm this “assignment” in Saul’s heart and mind.
  • Your confirmation might not come as clearly as Saul’s was laid out, but the Lord will confirm the matter in some way if in fact He is in it.


3. God gave Saul a band of men.
  • I Samuel 10:26 “And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.”
  • I love that God was not asking Saul to do this thing on his own. Of course, the Lord was going to be with him, but God also saw fit to give Saul a “band of men” whose hearts were knit with his.
  • Rest assured that once God has called you into action, placed a desire and confirmed it in your heart, and you have stepped out in faith to do the task the Lord has put before you, God will give you a “band of men” to help you if you need them.


1 Thing we need to emulate

1. Don’t listen to the “Naysayers.”
  • I Samuel 10:27 “But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.”
  • Saul didn’t try to defend himself or this action that God had called him to.
  • There will always be doubters – people who think that the task doesn’t need to be done or that someone else could do it better.
  • Don’t give ear to the naysayers . . . even when that naysayer is you.


Next time the Lord calls something to your attention and asks you And so? consider answering with, I’ll do it.”

Serving the Master joyfully,


Shari



________________________________
*Disclaimer:

I have chosen to highlight the life of these ladies because of what they have accomplished for the Lord not because I agree with their doctrinal beliefs.  As with all study of man, our focus should be on the character traits they bestowed in their lives that allowed the Lord to use them, how the Lord used them, the methods of ministry they incorporated that allowed them to be effective, etc.  We do not study man to get our doctrine.  Our doctrinal beliefs should only come from the Bible.  To that end you may find you don’t agree with the doctrine of a particular person that I write about, but I believe there is still much wisdom we can gain from studying their lives.



Friday, November 16, 2018

Finding God's Will

Wanting God's Will

When I was a sophomore in high school, some of my friends and I got serious about serving the Lord.  I wanted to find His plan for me.  Famous preachers would be at youth conferences speaking on "How to Find God's Will For Your Life." Perfect. I would sit with Bible open, pen and note-pad at the ready.  This was it.

Stories were told, anecdotes shared, and some Bible preached. At the end of each service, though, I left with big questions still in my mind. 

Did he tell us how to find God's will? Did I miss it? 

How can I know what God wants me to do with my life?

God, are You hiding Your will from me?



Seeking God's Will

As a sophomore in Bible college, I still didn't know what God had for my life.  When would I get that big "Ah-ha!" moment? One day during my personal time with the Lord, I prayed in frustration something like this:

God, I want to do your will.  I just don't know what it is. 
You have showed me in Your word the big, important stuff.
You made the world. 
You died on the cross, were buried, and rose again. 
Since You have spoken to me about all of those really big things,
could You, would You show me the small things, too?
Could you show me in Your word Your plan for me?

Finding God's Will

After praying that prayer, I stopped being frustrated about not knowing exactly what God had planned for me.  Instead, I started looking for and finding that plan in His word. After all, the Bible is how God speaks to us.  The questioning stopped.  He had written it down for me long ago.  I just needed to read God's will for my life.



A lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path




Mistaking God's Will

On my journey to finding God's Will, I made some mistakes.

1. The Feeling

I heard it and said it. "I feel God wants me to __________."

Not to completely negate feelings, but should we be making our life decisions based on them? I know now that God wants me in missions.  He spoke to me through His word.  Some days I "feel" God's call to missions.  Somedays, not so much.  Just as we anchor our eternal security on God's word, we can do the same with our temporal life. Decisions based on feelings are likely to change, but decisions based on God's word are secure.

2. The Door

Another expression I heard often and stated is, "God opened the door for me to__________."

Sometimes God does do that, but sometimes what seems like an open door is just the easy way out. Sometimes the door we are supposed to go through is actually closed. What then? Ask. Seek. Knock. (Matthew 7 and Luke 11). Ask God if this is the door for you regardless if it is open or closed. Seek for the answer to that question in God's word. Knock in prayer about how and when your are supposed to go through that door. Beware of walking through every open door. 


Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.



3. The Advice 

Sometimes I heard, "My pastor/teacher told me that he believes God wants me to __________."

There is a place in a Christian's life, of course, for godly council and wisdom. For example, let the older women teach the younger (Titus 2). That advice, though, should never replace God's word. It should, instead, help a Christian be a wiser steward and a better doer of the word. Advice should complement what God has already shown us Himself.


If you are looking for God's plan for you, remember that He wants you to know it.  He is not hiding it.  His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). Ask, seek, and knock in both prayer and in the Bible. Take feelings, open doors, and advice into account, but don't base your life on them.

Where can I find God's plan for me today? tomorrow? next week? the rest of my life? 

In the Bible.


Patrick and Vicki Weimer, Iceland since 1999

 


Monday, November 12, 2018

Open wide: be satisfied!

Well, our week has pretty much been filled up with the arrival of our newest family member. I had him pretty much to myself, as my husband had to stay with the other boys because they were sick. More than just enjoying a new baby though, it struck me once again how I am in a relationship with God. He is my Father; I am very much to be like this newborn baby. God promises to provide all my needs (and even desires!) if I will just wholly look unto Him and rely on Him.

One verse especially kept returning to my mind:

"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." Psalm 81:10

Just recently have I been reading this very story in the Old Testament during my devotions. God brings his people out of Egypt in a miraculous way. They are now "newly born" into His care. They have no army. No stores of food. No water. -All they can do is wholly rely upon the Lord as He provides. Again. And again. And again!

Little Paul doesn't know where the food comes from or how it all works. All he knows is to open his mouth WIDE and it is filled. He has to open wide, or it just doesn't work. It's not, open a little and receive a little; it's all or nothing. Open wide, be satisfied.

This simple truth has put me back in awe of my Heavenly Father. I need to open wide to receive His blessings and provision. There's no room for worry. I am incapable of providing for myself sufficiently; that's the Father's job. He has so much awaiting me, if I would only be open. Wide open. Praying. Trusting. Relying. As a newborn baby. This is the way to perfect contentment.


Saturday, November 10, 2018

Her Story Silhouettes {#17 Eliza E. Hewitt / For This Purpose}

Go to www.sharihouse.com to read more "Her Story Silhouettes"



Hey there, I'm Shari. One of my favorite things to do is read about or study the lives of ordinary women who have done extraordinary things for the Lord.

Their stories challenge me, encourage me, and teach me. My hope is that these "silhouettes" or glimpses of their lives will do the same for you.  

Each silhouette contains a small synopsis of a lady’s service to the Lord, a particular story from her everyday life that resonated with my own, and a short Bible study about a truth that I learned from it. I hope that as you read these posts you might be challenged to find out more about these great ladies, that you might find something that speaks to your heart or helps you in your own ministry, and that ultimately you will be encouraged to remain faithful to your calling.

So grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy, and let me tell you about her story.


Silhouette:     

Eliza Edmunds Hewitt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 28, 1851. She was the second child of six born to James and Zeruiah Hewitt. Eliza’s father was a sea captain of notable wealth. She and her siblings received a good education, and Eliza graduated from school as the valedictorian of her class. Upon graduation from school, Eliza became a teacher. She taught for a number of years before suffering a spinal injury at the hands of a student who hit her in the back with a slate. Eliza spent the next six months in a body cast. Although she eventually recovered from her injury, her life was never the same, and she suffered re-occurrences for the rest of her life that caused her to be bed-ridden for periods of time.  

During the six months that Eliza spent in bed, she refused to focus on her inability to do what she loved . . . teach children, attend church, go on walks in the park with her friends, as well as many other normal daily activities. Instead she turned her attention to literature and began writing down her thoughts in poem form. One of her poems found its way into the hands of John R. Sweney, a well-known hymnist at the time, and he asked her to write some more poems for the purpose of turning them into hymns. Soon other musicians started asking her to write for them as well. Sometimes Eliza collaborated with other hymn writers, and her circle of friends included Fanny Crosby, another famous hymn writer, and Emily Wilson, a composer. In total, Eliza wrote more than 1,700 poems during her lifetime. Many of these were set to music, and some still survive today and can be found in our hymnbooks.

Although Eliza could never resume her teaching career due to her injury, she did take an active part in teaching children. She was a Sunday school superintendent at the Northern Home for Friendless Children, and she also worked with the Sunday school program at her church. At one point she had 200 students attending her Sunday school classes. Besides writing hymns, she wrote children’s stories, children’s Sunday school curriculum, and children’s poems. She wanted to reach as many children as she could through her writings and each one spoke of Jesus or the Gospel in some manner. 

Had Eliza never gone through her terrible ordeal that caused her to be bed-ridden, she might never have taken up writing. One of Eliza’s greatest joys later in life was learning from so many people how her songs had brought them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and how they had comforted and impacted their lives. I’m sure she never imagined how her thoughts written down on paper during a time of suffering would still be affecting the lives of countless thousands today. Eliza died on April 24, 1920, at the age of 68. She was born, she lived, and she died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but her hymns reached all the way around the world. She was truly a woman of whom it could be said, “She hath done what she could.”


Her Story/My Story:  

Eliza was thrilled to be rid of her body cast after six long months. On a warm Spring day shortly after that, her doctor consented to let her take a walk in a nearby park. She was so thankful and full of joy to be out of the house and be able to walk around again, that she returned home and wrote the song “Sunshine in My Soul.” This hymn alone has been published in 295 hymnals. Also, the lyrics of her song “Singing I Go” take on new meaning once you’ve learned of the life of pain she lived in.

As for me, I would say I have lived quite a healthy life. I mean there was the time I nearly died from Typhoid fever and the many times I had malaria. I did have TMJ as a teenager, but the doctor said that was caused by chewing too many pieces of gum at once for a prolonged period of time. Oh, Hubba Bubba, how I’ve missed you. Then there was the time I was in the hospital for eleven days with pancreatitis. I knew the situation was serious, but I didn’t think it was life-threatening, so I insisted my mother not fly out to Thailand to be with me at the hospital. When I was finally able to lift my head up off the pillow after about eight days after surgery, the doctor said to me, “You are better, this is not a bad case.” I responded, “This is not a bad case?” I couldn’t imagine someone being in more pain than I had been in for the past week. She said, “Well, you did not die.” I said to her, “I could have died?!?!” She smiled and walked away. I thought to myself, “If I would have died, my mother would have killed me.”

The Lord did, though, once use a physical trial in my life to bring about His purpose. I was a rebellious sophomore in high school hanging around with the wrong friends and getting into trouble. I was headed down a bad path. I traveled with my youth group on an 8-hour trip for a summer camp at the Wilds, a campground set in the North Carolina mountains. I had never been before, and I knew there would be some preaching, but I thought I could endure a bit of preaching in order to have all the opportunities the camp afforded like swimming, hiking to waterfalls, playing sports, doing crafts, and spending time with my friends. The very first day, though, during a tug-of-war competition, I just wouldn’t let go of the rope when my team started to lose, and I got pulled under everyone and dislocated my hip.  It was too far for my parents to come and get me and none of our camp leaders could take me back home. So, I ended up in the infirmary which was at the top of one of the big hills right next to the chapel and away from everything else. Instead of swimming, hiking, or playing games with my friends, I spent the entire day . . . every day . . . listening to preaching. You see, there were several camps being run at the same time. The chapel sessions for each of the different groups were scheduled throughout the day. All I could do all day long was lie on my back and listen to preaching. At first, I was so irritated and couldn’t figure out what the purpose would be for this to happen, but by the last day, the preaching had done a work in my heart, and God’s purpose was fulfilled. I returned home a different girl.

Bible Study:  For This Purpose
Sometimes it can be easy to forget for what purpose we were created. All throughout history discovering our “purpose” has always been man’s greatest quest. The question “What was I put on this earth to do?” haunts many people. Some never get their answer because they are looking in all the wrong places. As Christians, we know we were created for one sole purpose . . . to bring honor and glory to God. As our Creator, God has the authority and the right to bring circumstances into our life for His own purposes. It is we who choose to accept them or to fight against them. If we learn to accept the trial, the tragedy, or whatever it might be, we can find joy in it and bring Him honor and glory through it.

Here are three Biblical examples of times the Lord used difficult circumstances in someone’s life solely for His purpose:

1. Hosea – Hosea was a prophet whose life God used to represent the unfaithfulness of His people. 
  • Hosea 1:2,3 – God instructed Hosea to marry a woman who was an idol worshipper who would be unfaithful to him in order to represent the unfaithfulness of the children of Israel to God.
  • Hosea 1:4,6,9 – God selected terrible names for Hosea’s children. A son whose name meant “avenger of death,” a daughter whose name meant “no mercy,” and a son whose name meant “ye are not My people.”
  • Hosea 2:5 – Hosea’s wife was unfaithful to him, left him, and ended up selling herself into slavery.
  • Hosea 3:1,2 - God did not take from Hosea the heartbreaking love he had for his unfaithful wife, instead he sent him to buy her back from slavery, picturing the day when Jesus would redeem us.


2. Ezekiel – Ezekiel was a prophet whose life God used to represent His judgment on His people.

Ezekiel 24:24 “Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: . . . and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the LORD GOD.”

Out of 48 chapters in Ezekiel, 25 of them contain some form of this statement.  In those 25 chapters, this statement is made 64 times. God asked Ezekiel to endure many things in his life in order to be an example to the Israelites.

 Here are just few:
  • Ezekiel 4:4,5 - God told Ezekiel to lie on his left side for 390 days. . . one day for every year that the tribes of Israel had been backslidden.
  • Ezekiel 4:6 - As soon as he finished the first task, Ezekiel was to lie on his right side for 40 days . . . one day for every year that the tribes of Judah had been backslidden.
  • Ezekiel 24:15-19 - God took his beloved wife away from him and forbid him to show any mourning for her in order to represent that God would also not pity nor spare the disobedient Israelites.


3. A Blind Man – John 9:1-3 
  • When the disciples asked, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” they were asking a question that mankind has been asking for years when a trial or tragedy comes into their lives . . . ”Why is this happening to me?” “What have I done to deserve this?”
  • Jesus’ answer to His disciples was, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

I remember the first time I read these verses and really realized what Jesus’ answer meant, and I remember thinking, “Really? This man had to suffer His entire life for this one moment in time?” It seemed a bit harsh to me. I mean couldn’t Jesus have just made the man have an accident the week before so that he was blind and then Jesus could heal him . . . therefore still having an opportunity to show He had power and was the Son of God. As I’ve gotten older and gone through my fair share of trials, I have learned it is not for me to figure out the “why” of the situation. Sometimes our temporary sufferings allow us to glorify Him more than if our paths were made easy. God had a purpose for this man to be born blind, and he had a choice. . . He could accept it, or he could fight against it. I’m not sure if this blind man did accept the situation or if he fought against it his entire life; the Bible doesn’t tell us. But I can attest to the fact that sometimes I have failed and fought against things the Lord has allowed in my life before finally coming to the point of accepting them.

What “thing” in your life has the Lord allowed that finds you asking the question, “What is the purpose of this?”  Are you fighting against it, or have you accepted it and are waiting for the time when the “works of God will be made manifest” in your life? You may never know your “For This Purpose” in a particular trial that you are going through until you get to Heaven, but rest assured God does have a purpose, and He wants to fulfill it in your life if you will let Him.

Serving the Master joyfully,


Shari

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*Disclaimer:

I have chosen to highlight the life of these ladies because of what they have accomplished for the Lord not because I agree with their doctrinal beliefs.  As with all study of man, our focus should be on the character traits they bestowed in their lives that allowed the Lord to use them, how the Lord used them, the methods of ministry they incorporated that allowed them to be effective, etc.  We do not study man to get our doctrine.  Our doctrinal beliefs should only come from the Bible.  To that end you may find you don’t agree with the doctrine of a particular person that I write about, but I believe there is still much wisdom we can gain from studying their lives.