Prepare for the Unpredictable

I have been reading Psalms 119 for a few weeks now.  I have been touched by the transparency of David.  It’s like he sums up all his life’s experiences in a single chapter.  Granted it is a long chapter, but it is so incredibly powerful and insightful.

This morning as I was preparing for the Love and Respect class that Cora and I co-lead with Tony and Julie, God really impressed on me the thought “Prepare for the Unpredictable”.  I don’t think it was so much for me as it was for the Love and Respect class.

I shared with our friends that God is the God of creation.  God created the heaven and earth.  He is big enough to provide everything you need for a fulfilled marriage.  Remembering that He is without limits we have to assume much of what He does is unpredictable.

That is the challenge.  Knowing much of His work is unpredictable, how can we prepare?  For Love and Respecters it is taking ownership of the principles and practicing them.  Then when the partners find themselves in a challenging situation, principles of Love and Respect will automatically kick in.  You don’t have to struggle and try to figure out how to fix things.

Just admit you were wrong in making your spouse feel unloved or disrespected.  Ask forgiveness and enjoy the opportunity to see God at work.  It is awesome and the payback enormous!  The unpredictable just became predictable.

Miracles Happen in the Interruption

I was watching Larry Jones this morning and was really impressed with his passion for feeding the children around the world. His organization is the 3rd largest nonprofit in the world. I think that is how it was described. He flows $800.000.000 a year through the organization feeding children. That is almost $1 Billion dollars annually. That is incredible!

He tells the story that he didn’t start the effort to feed children with the idea of growing an organization. He started it when he was INTERRUPTED by a street kid asking him for 5 cents to buy food for the day. The child upped the beg by asking for 3 more cents to add butter to the roll. Larry pitched in 20 cents so he could get a drink, also.

As the story goes, a friend asked Larry if he knew where or how God worked miracles. Larry said probably not in the way he was about to hear. His friend said, ‘God works in the INTERRUPTION’. Jesus was on the way to raise a dead man to life when the bleeding woman interrupted Him. The good samaritan story was an interruption. The miracles in my life and told on 37stories were an interruption.

It really drives the point home. Look for the interruption. Anticipate the interruption. Embrace the interruption as never before and be encouraged when God works His miracles as only He can!

Thank you Larry!

The Holly Fawder

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Supernatural Healing

Have you or someone you loved ever been terminally ill? If not, you may not have really thought about the issue of supernatural healing. But one day you will ask the question, “Does God still heal?”

I was diagnosed with terminal cancer years back. The story can be read here. Another time, my dad was diagnosed with leukemia and admitted to a hospital for treatment only to find nothing unhealthy to treat. He was immediately released. Another friend’s child had brain tumors that mysteriously disappeared. Yet, sometimes the most perfect of healings is not found here on earth.

This brings us to the significance of today. One friend has an undiagnosed illness. Another friend has a growth in an area you really don’t want to visualize. Another new friend is waiting for a kidney donor. I take a generic purple pill for GIRD. I’m sure you have something you can add to the list.

Likely, we all want healed. Many of us have asked for God’s supernatural healing hand. Yet, we still find ourselves sick. Personally, there has been a super sensitized interest in healing the last few weeks. I believe it to be a God thing. Anyway, I am treating it as such. Maybe God wants to work and I need to figure out how to either get out of the way or get in the middle of what God has planned?

To that end, I and my friends are praying for healing and studying on the issue of belief and faith. What is belief? What is faith? What is the relationship between the two? We want to know and appreciate a better understanding of how God works in supernatural healings.

This is not a test. But, it is a sincere desire to better understand an element of our identity in Christ. If you have read this far, you are either interested or God led you here. If you might, take a minute and pray for me and my friends as God leads you. If we can pray for you, leave a comment or email me. arhines @ grace point . org (spaces removed).

As this story unfolds and God reveals more of ‘the rest of the story”, I will post in the comments.

Porsche for a Day

Likely, you have had benchmark goals in your life. One of mine was to buy a red new Porsche. I didn’t really need one. I just wanted one. It would make life more complete and an achievement of a goal.

I had a great job. Making a bunch of money as an engineering salesman and felt like my time had arrived. I went to the dealership. Had them check my credit and verify I could qualify to purchase the car on credit. The finance folks said I could buy anything I wanted. Just pick it out and sign for it.

Now you are talking. I picked out my red new Boxster S with black interior and convertible top. It was awesome. Did I tell you I was married? Did I also tell you I hadn’t checked with her if she thought we needed a beautiful sports car? Whoops.

I met her at Starbucks. I in my shiny red sports car and she in her conservative dependable Jetta. She said something like, ‘You didn’t?!’ I suggested she get in for a ride. Nope. I said how about just sit in it and smell the leather. Nope. I said how pretty it was. Nope.

Finally, I did everything I could and she said she hoped I enjoyed it. Because, I would be taking it back tomorrow. I had forgotten one small thing. We had committed to each other that we would never buy anything over $100 without each agreeing on it. BIG whoops.

I was embarrassed to take it back. I was disappointed to not meet a goal. I really thought it would be cool to own the car of my dreams, but you know. I love my wife. She has been faithful to me in all things. To honor her, I cheerfully although bashfully returned the car.

And yes, we are now married 35 years and life just keeps getting better.

Luke at His 6th Birthday

This is Luke. He is my grandson. He is 6 years old. Luke invited me and his Omi to his birthday party this last weekend. He calls me crazy Opa. I try to live up to the name.

Luke had a great birthday party. He had friends over to share presents, eat ice cream and cake, shoot rockets and whack a pinata. Omi and Opa took lots of pictures. If you’d like to view them, surf to:Luke’s pictures.

It was great fun! Happy Birthday Luke!

Opa

Love and Respect Awesome

Thank you Grace Pointers for attending the 1st session of the Love and Respect series. The room was packed Sunday morning and we exceeded expected registration for the Wednesday night session. I know all would agree this is really good material to tweak the marriage or communication with others.

Surf to the Love and Respect Blog for opportunity to comment about each weeks video. This is a great place to share what God is doing in your life. Don’t be shy.

Greenhouse

Greenhouse is a Grace Point organization led by John Walters which serves as an incubator for new church starts. Monthly, individuals meet with Pastor Jeff and share thoughts about startup strategies. God shows up and everyone is encouraged to faithfully run the race.

This week Ken Andrs from Wisconsin connected via an audio link on the Internet. He could take part in the local discussion and also post comments on John’s computer. Technically, it was pretty cool. It sure makes the world small.

This is a picture of his family from last summer when they were just getting started up there. The city newspaper did an article on them and the burned up slab of a building in Superior. They are standing on the slab of the church that burned down, where they will eventually rebuild.

Ken shared that he had made 600 contacts with people asking for their help in starting a church. Two children showed up. He and his family had a church service with his first two visitors. He was encouraged by their attendance. I don’t know Ken, but what an incredible testimony of his faith that God will do a work in the midst of his struggle.

I have committed to pray for Ken and his family when I think of him. I will pray that God graces him with His presence and will do for Him all that he can not do on his own. Will you commit to pray for Ken even as you read this for God to step into the middle of what Ken is doing? Ken’s website is: http://www.lakepointsuperior.com

Thanks! If you would like, post a comment of encouragement for Ken.