Loving Others as Christ Commands

"Jesus saith unto him,

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Matthew 22:37-39

My husband has been preaching on the words of Christ the past few weeks.  Recently he focused on these verses, mainly the second - Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  This afternoon I came across this blog post - How Can We Possibly Love as God Commands.

Is it possible to love as God commands?

"Jesus beheld them, and said unto them,

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

Matthew 19:26

So, Christ tells us to love God with all our heart, and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.   This seems like a difficult task.  But a few chapters later He tells us with God all things are possible.

Can we love someone who has hurt us?

Can we love someone who has talked badly about us?

Can we love someone who has physically hurt us?

Can we love someone who has no desire to love back?

Can we love someone who is unlovable?

We're not told to tolerate them, we're told to love them.  From the human perspective, we put our guard up and say, "no way!"   When we are hurt by someone, it's easy to put up the walls of protection to be sure we're not hurt again.  But this isn't what Christ wants us to do.   He wants us to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile.

 "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"  Matthew 5:39-44

We read these red letter words, we know they belong to Christ, but do we obey?  James 1:22 tells us
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only..."  The Lord has been working in my heart regarding this topic.  I pray that He will help me to love those that hurt me, those that are unlovable, those that talk badly about me, and those that have no desire to love back. I am going to chose to love, not just tolerate, but to love as Christ loves, because with God all things are possible.

How about you?  Do you find some people unlovable?  Will you join me in choosing to love them?

After all, God loves us, even when we're unlovable.

What I've learned from Sofia*

About a year ago, Sofia started attending our church.  Sofia has a very troubled life.  Her husband is an alcoholic and drinks every bit of money he makes.  Sofia works hard at her job to keep the bills paid and food on the table.  She lives with her husband and three teenage children in a small, one-bedroom apartment.  She has been directly affected (in her immediate family) by teenage pregnancy, abortion, abuse, drunkenness, drugs, and suicide.

When Sofia first started coming to church, she was very unhappy.  She never smiled and would sit in her chair with her head down, and not talk to anyone.  She has spent many hours in Chris’s office with Chris and I sobbing about her life.  Several weeks after she had started coming to church, we began to notice a change in Sofia.  No longer would she enter church quietly and sit dejected and depressed in her chair, but she would smile upon being greeted and she would stay around to fellowship after the service.

 “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10)

Now she enters church with a smile on her face and a spring in her step.  She greets everyone with a smile and enjoys singing the hymns during church.  Did her circumstances change?  NO!  However, Sofia has found the Joy of the LORD!  Sofia told us that she can’t believe the peace in her heart since she “met God’s Son.”  Her circumstances are still the same.  She still works hard cleaning to provide for her family.  Her husband still drinks.  Her daughter is still in an abusive relationship, etc… Her life is still heartbreaking.  She still has times where she is crying in Chris’s office, but instead of despair over her life, she is now praying for the rest of her family to find the Lord as she has.  No longer do we see a sad, dejected woman; instead we see a joyful, hopeful Christian!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith…” (Galatians 5:22)

Sofia has been a lesson to me.  I can’t imagine living the life she lives, and yet the Joy of the Lord shines through her.  Despite her circumstances, she is Joyful.  Happiness is a reflection of your circumstances, while Joy is a reflection of your heart.  How do we who have the Truth portray ourselves and our Savior to those around us?  When people look upon our countenance, what do they see?  Do they see an expression based on our circumstances, or do they see the Joy of the Lord?

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
(Romans 15:13)

*(not her real name)

Encouragement for the Discouraged Missionary Wife

We’ve all been there.  We’ve all had our bad days.  We’ve all had our moments of discouragement.  How do YOU handle discouragement?  Does it send you to your husband to moan and complain about “this hard life,” or does it send you to the arms of your Heavenly Father?  It has often been said that the Father is the Head of the Home, and the Mother is the Heart of the Home.  I’m sure we also can relate to “When Mama’s not happy, Nobody’s happy!"  As wives and mothers, our attitude sets the tone in the home.  If we’re depressed, discouraged and always sad, our husbands and children will suffer.  While there is nothing wrong with taking our burdens and cares to our husband, sometimes it’s best to leave them at the feet of Jesus so we can be the helpmeet our husband needs.  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 5:7) 

There are times when it is a good idea to take a step back and take a look at our lives.  We are serving the Most High God.  The God who loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.  The God who loves the people we are ministering to so much that He sent US to them!  When we get our eyes off the Lord and place them on ourselves it’s easy to hold a pity party and invite the family, but when we turn our eyes on Jesus the things that once bothered us so much before, now seem so trivial.  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, 
In the light of His glory and grace”   “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)

Life on the mission field is very different than our “home” land.  Sometimes those differences are hard to overcome and accept.  Many times things on the mission field are more difficult, tiresome, and so inconvenient compared to life as we once knew it.  The language is hard; the people are different, and the food is strange.   Yet, this new country that we are in is home to the people God has called us to - People that need to hear of His Gift of Salvation.  “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20)  *This verse is a particular favorite of mine since we are serving the Lord at the very top of the world in Greenland.*

The best way to face discouragement is to get in The Word.  Go to your Heavenly Father and pour out your burdens to Him.  Spend time with the Lord Daily.  Talk to others who have been where you are.   Talk to your husband to see if there are things that can be changed to better help you help him. Reach out to those around you; take your eyes off yourself and your circumstances and really look at the lost souls surrounding you. There is nothing wrong with being discouraged; it’s how we handle it that can make or break us on the field!  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord”. (I Corinthians 15:58)

Strange Prayers and Strange Answers

Have you ever prayed for something really, really different? I mean something between you and God that was not exactly “normal”? I know I have. I  have prayed for keys to be found, for lawn mowers to start, for a parking space. (I live in Europe. Very few spaces here!) And, God has answered these atypical prayers with yeses.

It was brought to my attention that the Bible’s people also prayed some really strange prayers.

Here are just a few of them:

Abraham prayed that God would not destroy the righteous with the wicked (Sodom and Gomorrah). He prayed if there were 50, 45, 40 (getting bolder now), 30, 20, or even 10 righteous, that God would spare those cities.

God’s answer: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:22-33)

Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, was sent to find a bride for Isaac. He prayed for God’s choice to give him water and also water his camels.

God’s answer: Before he was finished with his prayer, Rebekah came to the well with her pitcher on her shoulder. She gave Eliezer water and offered to water his camels. (Genesis 24:12-15)

Joshua prayed perhaps one of the boldest prayers in history. He asked God to halt the sun and the moon until Israel could finish the battle against the Amorites. (Right. I mean, ask God to alter the rhythms of nature so we can beat the enemy! This one is really crazy.)

God’s answer: The sun and the moon stopped for “about a whole day.” Obviously, God didn’t think it was so crazy. (Joshua 10:12-14)

Elijah held a showdown on Mount Carmel. He had the people prepare an altar unto God and soak it with water three times. Then, Elijah prayed, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (Verses 36-37)

God’s answer: Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (Verse 38. Story in 1 Kings 18:20-39)

Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, let me walk on the water to You.” (My paraphrase of Matthew 14:28)

God’s answer: Peter did indeed walk on water for a while. Then he got scared, took his eyes off of Jesus, and began to sink. Jesus stretched out His hand and rescued Peter, and you get the impression that they walked together back to the boat. (Matthew 14:28-32)

I am certainly not trying to motivate anyone to pray silly, outrageous prayers, but have you ever prayed for something out-of-the-ordinary? Did God answer?

God says He will answer prayers that are according to His will. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him (1 John 5:14-15).

We usually know His will by the direction we get in His Word, the Bible. Sometimes, His will might be revealed to us through opened doors (or closed doors), those circumstances that show us what is right.

Always, God hears and answers. Sometimes, the answer might be yes. Other times, it is no. And yet other times, we need to wait on the Lord in consistent prayer, asking Him for wisdom and guidance. God’s timing and His will are always, always best.

Dare to pray a “strange prayer.” Dare to ask God for what you really need.

If it is God’s will, you just might see an amazing answer!

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing,

ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22).

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name:

ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:24).

******************************************************************

This was a guest post written by Lou Ann Keiser,

one of the newest members of our missionary group.

Please visit her blog: In The Way.

The Importance of God’s Word in Our Homes - Guest Post

Today's post comes to us from  Anna (Sloan) Lopez

As wives and mothers, we have the power of building up our homes, or of tearing it down. How we struggle day by day to strive to build up our homes! God has given us a very powerful tool in building up our homes: His holy Word.


The Word of God is quick, and powerful…sharper than any two-edged sword…

The Word of God can discern the thoughts and the intents of the heart.

What a valuable tool! How much do we use this powerful tool that God has given to us?

In this day of wickedness and danger, sin abounds everywhere. However, we can raise up children for God and have a stable and happy home because we have God’s Word to purify and guide us.

As one of eight children who were raised on the mission field where the Word of God was a part of our daily lives, I can testify to the fact that the Bible has had a tremendously positive effect in my life. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Psalm 119:9

Every day, before breakfast, we all sat around the table with our Bibles and read a passage from the Word of God and memorized Scripture. At least once a day, the pure and precious Word of God was repeated by our lips for at least 15 minutes (solid Scripture memorization). I say this, not to glorify my parents, nor as a statement of pride, but to point out what a positive effect it had in the life of eight children who matured into adults who are now (by God’s grace and mercy) living their lives in service to Him.

I know that the following was true for our family, and has been true in my own personal life.


The Word of God Purifies. Psalm 19:7-10

Through the Word of God, we can have a pure, clean and sweet atmosphere in our homes.


The Word of God Protects. Psalm 119:11, 105

God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. How God’s Word has brought protection from sin in my own life!


The Word of God Prospers. Psalm 1:1-3; Joshua 1:8
Psalm 1 says that the man who meditates day and night upon the Word of God will prosper. The promise in Joshua says that if we are obedient to God’s Word, our way will be prosperous, and we will have good success.


The Word of God Prevents. Prov. 2:16-20; Prov. 23:29-35

Dad and Mom helped us memorize literally hundreds of Bible verses. I know that in my own life, when I was tempted to sin and do evil, the Holy Spirit would bring to my memory passages that prevented me from doing certain things.


The Word of God brings Peace. Psalm 119:165

Many times the Precious Word of God has brought peace to my heart as I have struggled with different things.

The peace of God which passeth all understanding can rule in our hearts and in our homes today. Are you taking full advantage of God’s Word? Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom….

Using the Word of God to build up our homes is a choice. What a shame it is if we only pick up God’s Word when we are headed out the door to go to church and never open it the rest of the week. Take advantage of this great treasure within your home. Begin today by reading, memorizing, and meditating upon God’s Holy Word. And then teach it to your children, that their lives may be blessed as well.

Grace and Faithfulness ~ Guest Post

Greetings from Teshio, Hokkaido, Japan. I am Vicki Mansell, and my husband and I are in our 30th year here in a rural dairy and fishing part of the country. While I do not feel qualified at all to share with you here, when I saw Jen’s request I remembered my promise to God when we started furlough—God, I will never turn down a request to speak to ladies. And while I was not asked personally, the Lord just seemed to say, "You should contribute." So I prayed and asked the Lord what to share with you, and I hope it is a blessing to someone today.

I have no gift in speaking, actually no love of speaking before people, and my gifts are in helps and listening—so I am a behind-the-scenes person and the busier the better!! When I asked my mother at the beginning of our deputation (a whole other life ago!), what am I going to do when I am asked to speak? She gave me these wise words—BE YOURSELF!! Just talk about what you know and don’t pretend to do anything else. By God’s grace, that is exactly what I did. Yes, I had to write every word out on my note papers (not just outlines) so when I panicked or lost my train of thought it was right there in front of me to read when I needed to. Yes, I had to write everything out because it was so easy for me to suddenly not know what I had been saying! (I now know that various symptoms I have had since I was in junior high were due to extreme sleep apnea which was diagnosed this last year), but I spoke in S.S., in women’s meetings, at women’s retreats and once just briefly in the ladies’ dorm where my daughter was living in Bible School. It is and was God’s grace that helped me with that difficult desire.

So my first thought is what would we do without GRACE! My life's verse is Proverbs 3:5, 6 – "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." As I look back, I can definitely see God’s direction as we sought God’s will for our lives, and I know we were in His will when we were in the youth pastorate in Minnesota. But after we came to Japan, we knew that call was just one of the links for our final work and destiny here in the northern parts of Japan. So by the grace of God we were ‘in the way, the Lord led me…’ (Gen. 24:27). To go along with that verse, I have also claimed the saying (and I know there is a whole poem to this), “The will of God will never take you where the GRACE of God cannot keep you.” By God’s grace I know two things for sure—He has helped me keep that promise to never turn down a request to speak even when it greatly took me out of my comfort zone, to the point of embarrassment a couple times, and has kept us here in Japan—one of the hardest languages to learn in the world and one of the hardest people to reach in the whole world. We have been told by those groups who go to summer or winter Olympics that the two groups who refuse to take tracts or listen to someone talk to them are the Muslims and the Japanese!! I could go into so much detail on how difficult it is to reach people, but I mention it basically to recognize God’s grace to keep going when the going is tough, not one day but every day!

And that brings me to point two—faithfulness! Proverbs 20:6- "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"  In Matthew 25 (and Luke) it says, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” In I Cor. 4 we find “Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord” and I Tim. 1:12 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” Some of you, praise God, are in fields that lend to openness of heart and see people come to know the Lord and follow Him in baptism over and over, and your churches are growing. I do NOT EVER regret you had that opportunity. But I also do not feel our work is any less important. BUT when it comes to writing a prayer letter (which my husband and I work on together each month), pride loves to step in and say, “Well, what are you going to say this month…no new people came; you haven’t seen anyone saved in several years; you have nothing important to tell them.” I have to tell Satan, "Get thee behind me…," for when we search our hearts we know we ARE being faithful: we are sharing the Word with those that will listen both in word and in tracts; my husband preaches to whoever comes to services whether one or many (3 or 4 ;-) and we seek to find those that God is calling unto himself. Yes, it takes a long time—we have been teaching one high school nurse for three years now, and she is SO CLOSE to being saved (has finally admitted there is only one God and not thousands and yes, she needs to be saved) but she is afraid—afraid of her family’s response (In this country, it can be equivalent to emotional persecution and possible family rejection); afraid of going a different direction in ALL ways of life if she gets saved. Even when one gets saved here, you must bathe them in much prayer and encouragement for days and months, and age does not count. A young man who lived far away from home in his early 30’s got saved, was discipled, and desired to be baptized; so knew he should tell his family. We bathed that in prayer, and he told us which day he would do it. We received a phone call right afterwards saying he would never come to church again, did not want to see us, and would call the police on us if we tried to see him. When Ken tried ANYWAY, he refused to answer the door. To this day, we have no idea what powerful words his parents said to him about what he had come to believe or why he responded as a grown man to such pressure!!

We also fight the ‘transfer work system’ here in Japan. Most jobs in this country require their employees to transfer to a different town/city after 3-5 years. No option included. So we know that unless we reach a local businessman or family member, the ones we work with will eventually be gone from the work again. But we need to be here for them as well. Maybe we can plant the seed of hope and salvation so that when they move to the next place, God can use someone else to continue sowing and maybe even see the fruit. So faithfulness is the key—faithful to share the Gospel no matter whether we get results or not; faithful to disciple and teach even if they, as one young lady did after five years of study, reject the final step saying she could not break off the family chain of praying for her ancestors by accepting Jesus Christ; faithful to death, the Lord’s return, or other leading—just be faithful day by day, hour by hour.

There is so much more I could say, but ladies, let me just close with this—if you are on deputation: be willing to go beyond your comfort zone to minister what you can to each person and church you are in contact with. Look on deputation as the first stage of your ministry, not just a have-to-raise-funds trip. Be faithful in the steps of ministering to churches as you travel so they can minister back to you! Are you happy in front of your children and positive about this part of the ministry so they do not get the idea that deputation is just a necessary step in getting to the field of your calling?

Then if you are on the field now, whether in your first term and struggling with all that brings—new foods, new people, new customs (Which can I partake in, and which ones are not a good testimony?), new languages…new, new, new—so much to take in and learn. Or are you in a stable ministry and maybe have even had the joy of turning a work over to a national and moving on to a new location—be faithful again, moment by moment, day by day…when the tears of frustration come over situations – turn them into fountains of rejoicing that God IS FAITHFUL ‘who also will do it’!

Thank you for being faithful to His calling in your lives wherever you are and in whatever you are doing!! That is all God asks for—not numbers, not continual positive moving forward—just faithful in all He asks us to do—first as wives and then as mothers and THEN finally to the people He has called us to.

This guest post was written by

Vicki Mansell.

Read more about her life and ministry at their blog and/or website.

Thanks, Vicki!

Fellowship Fridays

This post was written by Rachel, missionary wife in Estonia.  I had the privilege of meeting her and her family last summer.  She is as sweet as she appears on her blog.  I am blessed to call her my friend.  Please visit Rachel over at her blog, Rachel's Reflections.  I know you'll enjoy it!

 Seasons

Spring has finally arrived!  Do you enjoy the changing of the seasons?  I sure do.  Well, except for winter changing to spring.  This is my very least favorite time of year in Estonia.  After a cold winter with lots of snow,  I long for sunshine, warmth, green grass, leaves on the trees, and birds singing.  But the in-between stage is just not a beautiful season.  The snow that once so beautifully covered the city gets dirty and melts away.  As the snow melts, it leaves the ground slushy and soggy.  Once the snow is gone, it reveals dead brown grass, ugly dry weeds, and trash. YUCK!

However, as I was talking with my kids the other day, I shared with them an important lesson that I have thought about a lot lately. The truth is that whether I like it or not, every step in the changing of the seasons is necessary.  We will never enjoy the colors, smells, sounds, and warmth of summer if we do not first have spring.  Although I wish I could skip the season I do not enjoy, it's just not possible.  The same is true in our lives.  Every stage in life has a purpose.  I find myself wanting to skip the lessons and circumstances that I do not enjoy.  Sometimes God uses our least favorite season to prepare us for the next season of our life.  It is at that point that we must look for the beauty in the season in which we find ourselves. 

So while I am currently in my least favorite season, I do absolutely LOVE getting more and more daylight.  It just "brightens my day" (pun intended {smile}).  

Daylight at 8:30 p.m.  is so enjoyable when just a few months earlier a blanket of darkness covered the city by 4:00 p.m.

The exciting part is that we continue to gain daylight each day.  So as I wait for all the joys of summer to arrive, I'll be thankful for the extra light that brightens my day.

What can you be thankful for even during an unpleasant season of life?

Fellowship Fridays

Let the SON Shine In!

We've recently come out of the winter darkness.  Each year the sun returns to Ilulissat, Greenland, on January 13th.  In order to see the sunrise on that day, one must climb a mountain, and many of the townspeople do.  Because of the mountains surrounding the town, we don't see the sun in town until several weeks later.  Each day the sun rises higher and higher until it peaks over the mountains and shines its glorious light on our town.  When the sun does peak over the mountains, it has a direct line right into my kitchen.  It's always a noteworthy moment the day I see the first ray of light shining through my window and gliding across my floor!  We know that is just the beginning of sunshine… and it will be several months before we need to face the winter darkness again!

"Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:" (Ecclesiastes 11:7)

As the sun hits the window glass, I immediately notice how dirty the window has become over the winter.  Dust, specks, dirt and who-knows-what-else have gone almost unnoticed.  Now, with the sun shining directly through my window, I see all the impurities that have gone unnoticed and untended.   

Each year as I stand there gazing at my dirty window, I can't help but compare that window to the heart.  What impurities, what little sins and wrongdoings have clouded the heart and have come to light when the Glorious Light is shining on them?  We slowly become spotted with the world over time without noticing it, but when we come face to face with the SonShine of God's Son, we see all our impurities.  We realize that we need a good cleansing, a good heart cleansing.  This is precisely what happened when we got saved - the glorious light of the Gospel shined on us, and we saw our sin and our need for the Saviour.  After we got saved, we didn't stop sinning, but hopefully we Sin less!  We no longer need to be saved from sin, but we do need to keep ourselves unspotted from the world.  Sometimes we go through a "winter" in our lives and let doubts, discouragement, depression, duties, etc… crowd out the Light, and we allow our hearts to become spotted with the things of the World.  However, once we let The Son shine through again, He shows us what we need to clean and which areas we need to "work on."  The more Light that shines through that previously dirt speckled window of our heart, the more Joy floods our soul.  Oh, what JOY, what complete and utter happiness arises when the SON shines in our hearts.  Open up the curtain of your Heart and Let the SON Shine IN!!! 

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this… and to keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27)

And let me tell you a little secret… when your heart is full of SONshine, it can't help but overflow and spread around.  Not only will the Son shine in your heart… He will shine THROUGH your Heart!

Open up the curtain of your Heart and Let the SON Shine IN!!! 

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

Fellowship Fridays

The Good Part

38 "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her".

As we read the account of Mary and Martha, it becomes very easy to criticize Martha.  There she was "cumbered about much serving" while Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus and "heard His word."  Martha was busy, too busy to take the time to sit and listen to Jesus, but she was not pursuing her selfish desires; she was "cumbered about much serving."  She was serving Jesus!  Everything she was doing was for the Lord!  She was busy, so busy, but her "busyness" was in the Lord's service.  Yet, Jesus rebuked her and said that Mary had "chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."  

Are we like Martha?  Are we caught up with much serving?  Are we so busy serving the Lord that we don't take the time to worship Him?  Are we so busy serving the Lord that we don't take the time to sit at the feet of Jesus?  As missionary wives, it is so easy to get caught up in much serving.  There is always something that needs done and usually no one else to do it!  This ministry and that program takes our time, so much so, that while we are busy serving the Lord perhaps we are neglecting worshiping the Lord.  

No matter how busy our lives may be as we work alongside our husbands on the field, let's always remember what is needful and choose that good part that cannot be taken away from us.  Let's take time to sit at the feet of Jesus and spend time in His Word.  

Fellowship Fridays - Today's Devotional

Today, I'm sharing a post written by Patty  This post was an encouragement to me as a missionary wife, and I hope it will be a blessing to you as well!

Faithful

It's raining outside, and all is quiet.

The kiddos are in bed, sleeping in the coolness that comes with slow, night-long rains.

My hubby sits beside me reading a book.

And I?

I stare at a screen and wonder.

I think about life and what it is I actually do.
Yes, I'm a missionary.
But what do I do on a daily basis that really makes a difference?


Today I helped my kiddos get ready for the day;
I changed dirty baby bedding, because I didn't get a clean diaper on littlest fast enough;
I dealt with a sisterly show of exuberance that ended in a split lip and blood everywhere;
I calmed my hubby down after he came home to find his files trashed all over the floor by the little one while mommy was cleaning up the blood;
I schooled my girls even though we are all quite ready for a bit of a break; 
I washed six loads of laundry as we actually had both water and electricity today;
I put up and took down all laundry as a storm came in an hour after it all got hung;
I cooked food;
The girls helped me make a treat for Daddy;
We worked on an Easter craft together;
I cleaned up the never-ending mess in the kitchen;
I scrubbed down the stove and the walls behind it and the floor under it as something wasn't smelling very pleasant.
In other words......I lived.


But did I?


Written out like that, it doesn't seem like much.
It certainly doesn't seem like enough to warrant the title of "missionary work."
Anybody could do what I'm doing, right?!?


I'm not famous.
I haven't written any books.
I don't have thousands of people who "follow" me. 
I don't have a house full of orphans.
I don't take care of AIDS patients.
Nobody really knows my name.
I don't think I wear the title Radical like so many are talking about nowadays.


But is any of that the goal?
Is it my goal?

The longer I think about it, the more I'm reminded of what my desire must be....

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

Was I faithful?
Was I faithful to be a missionary at home first?
Was I faithful to love my children?
Was I faithful to speak truth to my family?
Was I faithful to the duties that have been entrusted to me?
Was I faithful to my husband in loving and serving him?
Was I faithful to serve my loved ones with a happy heart?
Was I faithful to give my all and rest in His goodness and grace to work through my failures?


Written out like this?
Maybe it does sound like missionary work.
And maybe I am the only one who can do what I'm doing....
because I'm the one who's been called to this work.


And it doesn't matter if I'm famous.....if I'm faithful.
And I don't have to write a book....to be found faithful.
And I don't need thousands of people to "follow" me.....just those I'm supposed to lead.
And I don't have to take care of a house full of orphans....just those I've been entrusted with.
And I don't have to take care of AIDS patients.....just the dear ones God places in my path.
And no one needs to know my name.....if I'm just a faithful steward.
And maybe that's what being radical is all about......being found faithful to do all that is asked of me.


So I guess I've answered my own question with a question....
It is not, "Did I make a difference?".....
but,"Have I been faithful?"
And only God can help me answer that.