As a child one of the games that I really enjoyed playing was follow the leader. For me I LOVED to lead, as I still do today, but often I found it really hard to follow sometimes.
I really enjoyed being the leader and I did not necessarily want to follow someone else. Often I have found that a lot of children more often than not would rather be the leader and not the follower.
Just like as a kid when I found it hard to play follow the leader when I was not the one leading, I find it hard to follow Christ where he leads me.
Many times in the New Testament Christ is saying "Come, follow me." Matthew 16: 24 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.' " That is just one place that Jesus is telling someone to follow him.
Christ calls us to follow him in many ways. Some are called to be foreign missionaries, domestic missionaries, teachers, doctors, and many other places. We are called to follow him and be his light. Though many times it is hard to pick up our things and follow Christ where He leads, it will always be worth it in the end for our joy and His Glory.
When I think about all of this, there are two families that come to mind, the Dyar's and the Pestotnik's. Both of these families were called to go over seas to the mission field. Each of the families picked up and moved over seas. I can't even begin to imagine what kinds of thoughts each of these families had when God called them to go. But what an example they are of following Christ!!
When Christ is calling me to follow Him, I will admit that sometimes it is not where I want to be or what I want to be doing. But it is in those times that I have to remember that is HE is my leader and I am the follower and I am to follow him where ever he leads me!
Are you leading? Or are you following the ultimate leader?
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Cowboy Boots and Pink TuTu's
For the past few years, I have taught three and four year old choir on Wednesday nights at my Church. I got the utmost joy from teaching the little ones! I came home with some of the best stories every week!
One particular week as I was greeting the children as they came in the room, this one little girl caught my eye. I did a double take and there was little miss Anna Caroline in cowboy boots and a pink tutu. I snickered just a little bit and grinned at her and told her I loved her outfit! I truly did love her outfit!
As I watched Anna throughout the class my mind began to wander. As I watched Anna play with her friends and baby dolls, I thought to myself, what if we expressed our love for Christ and shared with others that love like Anna expressed her personality through what she was wearing?
Matthew 28:19-20 says "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surly I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
This verse calls us to go out make disciples. As believers in Christ that what we are supposed to do. But all too often don't we find ourselves not living out the great commission? I know for me I find it hard sometimes to express my love for Christ and live it out in every single task that I do during the day. Sometimes I am afraid to take that step and share Christ with others.
I am gonna jump out on a limb here and say that I think there are many believers that are afraid to take that step and share their faith because they are afraid of what others will think and say about them. Do you find yourself in that place? Afraid to share the word of God?
What a huge lesson I learned from Anna that night! Just as Anna was not afraid to wear cowboy boots and a pink tutu, I want to not be afraid to tell others about Christ.
So why don't we all put on our cowboy boots and pink tutu and share Christ!
One particular week as I was greeting the children as they came in the room, this one little girl caught my eye. I did a double take and there was little miss Anna Caroline in cowboy boots and a pink tutu. I snickered just a little bit and grinned at her and told her I loved her outfit! I truly did love her outfit!
As I watched Anna throughout the class my mind began to wander. As I watched Anna play with her friends and baby dolls, I thought to myself, what if we expressed our love for Christ and shared with others that love like Anna expressed her personality through what she was wearing?
Matthew 28:19-20 says "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surly I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
This verse calls us to go out make disciples. As believers in Christ that what we are supposed to do. But all too often don't we find ourselves not living out the great commission? I know for me I find it hard sometimes to express my love for Christ and live it out in every single task that I do during the day. Sometimes I am afraid to take that step and share Christ with others.
I am gonna jump out on a limb here and say that I think there are many believers that are afraid to take that step and share their faith because they are afraid of what others will think and say about them. Do you find yourself in that place? Afraid to share the word of God?
What a huge lesson I learned from Anna that night! Just as Anna was not afraid to wear cowboy boots and a pink tutu, I want to not be afraid to tell others about Christ.
So why don't we all put on our cowboy boots and pink tutu and share Christ!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Missing Pieces Box
Growing up my brothers and I tended to loose pieces to games, puzzles, and other nic-nacs. So when we wanted to play a board game such as monopoly it never ceased to fail that one of the houses would be missing, the dice would be missing, or something else that you needed to play the game would not be there. So my mom made what we called the "Missing Pieces Box" so that when we would find that lost piece we would have a place to put the pieces.
While cleaning out our game closet a while back, I happened upon that missing pieces box. I opened it up and rummaging through it I found a piece to the game trouble, a lego, a piece to a Dr. Seuss game, puzzle pieces to puzzles I forgot we even had, and there was an array of other things in the box. As I was sifting through the box I was trying to figure out what pieces went to what game. There were so many pieces that it became overwhelming to figure out what was what! I had to close the lid and put the box back for a later date.
Sifting through all those missing pieces made me think of the story in Luke 15 where the woman lost her coin and she searched and searched and searched for that one lost coin and when she found it she rejoiced because she found her one lost coin. Or the other story in Luke 15 about the lost son who wanted his inheritance now and then when it was gone he came back home and his father rejoiced when his son came home!
That is the same kind of joy that Christ has when one of his people come back to him. Many times in life we go off the beaten path and we decide to go our own way and decide that our way is better than His way. Just like the woman who searched and searched for her lost coin, Christ searches for us when we are lost too. Sometimes we don't want to be want to be found because we are happy and content buried deep in our own missing pieces box. But because Christ loves us so much, he won't quit sifting through that missing pieces box until he finds us.
Christ us wants us to be one with him and follow him, so when we go our own way he searches for us and when we come back to him, he celebrates just like the father did in Luke 15 when his son came home.
Just like I would have been excited about finding that one missing trouble piece or that puzzle piece, Christ gets excited when one of his sheep come back to him.
Luke 15:32 " But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
While cleaning out our game closet a while back, I happened upon that missing pieces box. I opened it up and rummaging through it I found a piece to the game trouble, a lego, a piece to a Dr. Seuss game, puzzle pieces to puzzles I forgot we even had, and there was an array of other things in the box. As I was sifting through the box I was trying to figure out what pieces went to what game. There were so many pieces that it became overwhelming to figure out what was what! I had to close the lid and put the box back for a later date.
Sifting through all those missing pieces made me think of the story in Luke 15 where the woman lost her coin and she searched and searched and searched for that one lost coin and when she found it she rejoiced because she found her one lost coin. Or the other story in Luke 15 about the lost son who wanted his inheritance now and then when it was gone he came back home and his father rejoiced when his son came home!
That is the same kind of joy that Christ has when one of his people come back to him. Many times in life we go off the beaten path and we decide to go our own way and decide that our way is better than His way. Just like the woman who searched and searched for her lost coin, Christ searches for us when we are lost too. Sometimes we don't want to be want to be found because we are happy and content buried deep in our own missing pieces box. But because Christ loves us so much, he won't quit sifting through that missing pieces box until he finds us.
Christ us wants us to be one with him and follow him, so when we go our own way he searches for us and when we come back to him, he celebrates just like the father did in Luke 15 when his son came home.
Just like I would have been excited about finding that one missing trouble piece or that puzzle piece, Christ gets excited when one of his sheep come back to him.
Luke 15:32 " But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Dented, Bruised, and Sometimes Busted
I love getting a good deal, especially on a high ticket item. But who doesn't?
Many times stores will discount an item when the packaging is damaged or you see a discount bin when you walk through a store that has items in there that are just missing a label, or the box may be just cut open on the side.
Sometimes life gives us the unexpected. Lessons that knock us to our knees and bruise, dent, or even bust us open in some way. When that happens sometimes we let it remove the label of who we are in Christ. A mother looses her only child it takes away her role as a mother. A divorce can take away the role of a mother or father. When things like that happen in our lives we feel as though we are that discounted item just thrown into the discount bin. With all the dents and bruises that we receive in life, we tend to begin to believe the lie of the devil that we are not good enough and we are no longer worthy to stand before our God.
We all have been damaged in some sort of way. As young children we all dream of what we want to be like as we grow up and when we fail to live up to our own expectations or someone else's expectations, we feel like that item tossed into the discount bin. How often do we look at those items in the discount bin and judge them because of the type of damage it has or because of the missing label. I know that I have done that all too often. How often do we look at others and are quick to judge them and throw them into the "discount bin"? I dare say that we all have been quick to judge someone without really knowing the story.
Sometimes, we end up in that discount bin with all the other busted and damaged items. But, we have hope! We have hope in Jesus who paid the price for our sins and for all of our dents, bruises, and damages. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." That verse provides hope for us that the Lord is always going to be close and near to us even when we feel as though we have been thrown into the discount bin.
Are there people in your life that think they are the damaged good that was thrown into the discount bin? Take some time and pray for them and reach out to them and give them the chance to be taken out of the discount bin and show them the love of Jesus and that he is close to those who are broken and he will restore us and repair our brokenness and take us out of the discount bin and give us a new label.
Many times stores will discount an item when the packaging is damaged or you see a discount bin when you walk through a store that has items in there that are just missing a label, or the box may be just cut open on the side.
Sometimes life gives us the unexpected. Lessons that knock us to our knees and bruise, dent, or even bust us open in some way. When that happens sometimes we let it remove the label of who we are in Christ. A mother looses her only child it takes away her role as a mother. A divorce can take away the role of a mother or father. When things like that happen in our lives we feel as though we are that discounted item just thrown into the discount bin. With all the dents and bruises that we receive in life, we tend to begin to believe the lie of the devil that we are not good enough and we are no longer worthy to stand before our God.
We all have been damaged in some sort of way. As young children we all dream of what we want to be like as we grow up and when we fail to live up to our own expectations or someone else's expectations, we feel like that item tossed into the discount bin. How often do we look at those items in the discount bin and judge them because of the type of damage it has or because of the missing label. I know that I have done that all too often. How often do we look at others and are quick to judge them and throw them into the "discount bin"? I dare say that we all have been quick to judge someone without really knowing the story.
Sometimes, we end up in that discount bin with all the other busted and damaged items. But, we have hope! We have hope in Jesus who paid the price for our sins and for all of our dents, bruises, and damages. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." That verse provides hope for us that the Lord is always going to be close and near to us even when we feel as though we have been thrown into the discount bin.
Are there people in your life that think they are the damaged good that was thrown into the discount bin? Take some time and pray for them and reach out to them and give them the chance to be taken out of the discount bin and show them the love of Jesus and that he is close to those who are broken and he will restore us and repair our brokenness and take us out of the discount bin and give us a new label.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Follow Me???
Follow me on Twitter. Follow me on Facebook. Follow me on Blogger. Follow me on Pinterest. All these things that we now have that we can follow people on. We follow people that we know and love, we follow people who are "celebrities", we even follow people on all these things that we may not even like but we follow them anyway. All to often we find ourselves spending hours upon hours "following" all these things and wasting away our days. If we don't like what someone says or posts, in just a matter of seconds we can move on to the next best thing. Thousands of years ago, someone else said "Follow Me". But when He said this, he wasn't talking about Twitter or Facebook.
When Jesus asked people to follow him, he was not talking about clicking a button and checking out his latest tweet. Jesus wanted them to drop and leave everything and literally follow him. When Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to follow Him, they walked away from their jobs. Others left family, wealth and possessions. He gently turned one away because the young man wouldn't give up riches. But those that followed gave up their rights in exchange for a relationship with the Messiah.
"Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."" Mark 10:21
"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" Mark 8:34
Following Jesus was an all or nothing invitation. There isn't one example in Scripture where Jesus made an exception. And yet too many times I find myself following Jesus with only part of me. In fact, at times I'd prefer the Twitter version of following Jesus. Quick and entertaining, and done from behind a screen. When all the spiritual decorations are removed, the truth is I've tried to follow Jesus with only part of me. I consider His invitation, and I'm happy to follow Him with my mind and hands. And yet I know Jesus wants more. He doesn't want a 140-character relationship with me. He doesn't want my obedience a few times a day when I think about it. He doesn't want my convenient offerings of service. Following Jesus means being His shadow...walking in His footsteps to the leper colony, being a friend of the outcast, facing scorn from the religious community, and standing firm for what is right in spite of the cost. It means following Him in the very essence of who I am: The deep place where I submit my rights to the One who gave them up for me. When I look at it in that light, I realize once again why I want to follow Jesus fully. He gave up everything for me. How can I do any less? My footsteps on this earthly journey following Jesus are not always steady and strong. I've stumbled many times. Yet I know that following anyone else offers only temporary peace and joy. Only Jesus leads me from darkness to light, and from death to life. I don't expect I'll find that on Twitter.
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" John 8:12
When Jesus asked people to follow him, he was not talking about clicking a button and checking out his latest tweet. Jesus wanted them to drop and leave everything and literally follow him. When Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to follow Him, they walked away from their jobs. Others left family, wealth and possessions. He gently turned one away because the young man wouldn't give up riches. But those that followed gave up their rights in exchange for a relationship with the Messiah.
"Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."" Mark 10:21
Jesus called the disciples to follow him, and He has called us as believers to follow him as well.
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" John 8:12
Monday, October 1, 2012
What's been going on?!?!
It has been quite some time since I have posted on here....actually about five months, entirely way to long. So, what's been going on?!?!?
Well, there has been a lot that has gone on in the past five months. When I lasted posted on here, I talked about how the trip that I had planned to go on this past summer had been cancelled. Well, I was able to just switch teams from the Ethiopia team to the Sierra Leone team. I left for the summer June 15th. I was gone for seven weeks. After those seven weeks I was so ready to be back home, but there was a part of me that was left in the country of Sierra Leone. There will forever be a piece of me that is left there. I pray that some day, I am able to return to the country of Sierra Leone and continue to minister to the people of the country. There were so many things that I learned this past summer. One of the things that I learned is to rely fully on God, because I can NOT do it on my own at all. I have to rely on him for all my strength. Those are just some of the things that I learned and things that God taught me when I was gone this summer.
When I returned home I struggled with health problems. Part of it was from a virus that I caught when I got back to America. I was so exhausted, both mentally and physically. There were other things that followed me being sick, but two months after being home, I am feeling so much better. You don't know when Christ is going to call you home, so you need to take advantage of every moment that you have here on earth and serve him. Life is short and you never know when you will be called home. It is a good thing to just slow down and appreciate the little things and appreciate the people in your life.
Since I have been back I have also started school back. Mid-Terms are QUICKLY approaching. Some even this week. My school career is getting much more difficult as I progress in my work, but I am getting closer and closer to attaining my goal. This May I will graduate MCC with my Associates Degree and I am so very excited that I am finishing this part of my goal!!!
There are so many things that I could write about, but time does not always allow for it unfortunately. There is so much that is going on in the world today and there is also a lot that is going on politically. I am looking forward to my later blogs about some of the things that are going on politically in America as well as some other things. :)
Until then....God Bless.
Well, there has been a lot that has gone on in the past five months. When I lasted posted on here, I talked about how the trip that I had planned to go on this past summer had been cancelled. Well, I was able to just switch teams from the Ethiopia team to the Sierra Leone team. I left for the summer June 15th. I was gone for seven weeks. After those seven weeks I was so ready to be back home, but there was a part of me that was left in the country of Sierra Leone. There will forever be a piece of me that is left there. I pray that some day, I am able to return to the country of Sierra Leone and continue to minister to the people of the country. There were so many things that I learned this past summer. One of the things that I learned is to rely fully on God, because I can NOT do it on my own at all. I have to rely on him for all my strength. Those are just some of the things that I learned and things that God taught me when I was gone this summer.
When I returned home I struggled with health problems. Part of it was from a virus that I caught when I got back to America. I was so exhausted, both mentally and physically. There were other things that followed me being sick, but two months after being home, I am feeling so much better. You don't know when Christ is going to call you home, so you need to take advantage of every moment that you have here on earth and serve him. Life is short and you never know when you will be called home. It is a good thing to just slow down and appreciate the little things and appreciate the people in your life.
Since I have been back I have also started school back. Mid-Terms are QUICKLY approaching. Some even this week. My school career is getting much more difficult as I progress in my work, but I am getting closer and closer to attaining my goal. This May I will graduate MCC with my Associates Degree and I am so very excited that I am finishing this part of my goal!!!
There are so many things that I could write about, but time does not always allow for it unfortunately. There is so much that is going on in the world today and there is also a lot that is going on politically. I am looking forward to my later blogs about some of the things that are going on politically in America as well as some other things. :)
Until then....God Bless.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Sometimes God Has Other Plans
As I have gotten older I have made plans for myself, like where I am going to school, what I want to major in, and so on. But, there are times in my life where God has other plans. In my first post, I said that I was headed to Ethiopia this summer, well, that has changed, I will no longer be going to Ethiopia. I am instead, headed to Sierra Leone, Africa. To better explain the reasoning, here is a copy of the email that I received a few days ago....
Dear Britt,
We have had a late developing situation that has forced me to make some changes in our teams. I am sorry to inform you that due to a serious health issue with another mission trip leader, I have to reassign Holly Duke and Margaret Fischer. Unfortunately, this means that we are going to have to cancel the Ethiopia mission trip.
Reign Ministries is committed to providing the highest quality leadership. Therefore, we only allow Reign Ministries staff to lead teams. Normally I would replace Holly and Margaret with other leaders, but with the additional loss of the original leader, Matt Halseth, we simply do not have anyone with enough training to send to Ethiopia in their place.
Therefore, I am going to ask you to consider switching to another team. We have enough spots open on Sierra Leone if everyone would want to stay in Africa. However, we also have openings on the India, China, EuroQuest, and London mission trips, which are also amazing!
You will receive a call within the next day from either Holly or Margaret. They will answer any questions you have and discuss the team options that are open.
One last word of encouragement: I have led teams for 30 years. As a leader, I grow attached to an area, a people group, and the missionaries/churches I work with. In my career I have had to give up where I was working five times to fill in the leadership on another mission trip...and hardly ever to a location I wanted to go to! And even though my heart was set to work in a specific country (especially my switch from Romania to China) I wouldn't trade the experience. Those switch years were some of the best and most transformational in all my years of leadership. I learned two (among many) things:
Lesson 1 - God is not always so interested in where I go, but that I go.
Lesson 2 - Learning trust and faith comes at a cost. God showed me He wants me to trust and praise Him even when I don't get what I want.
I can't promise you how God will work in your life. But based on what I have experienced of the faithfulness of the Father, if you can trust and praise Him in the midst of change, I believe God will bless you beyond what can expect or believe.
Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.
Blessings,
Tom Ives
Director of Royal Servants
Reign Ministries
I was contacted by one of the team leaders the same day that I got this email and we talked and I told her that I would email her within the next 24 hours and I would let her know what I would do. So, I spent a large portion of Thursday evening in prayer. I emailed Margaret and I told her that I would like to switch to the Sierra Leone team. My heart is still in Africa and it always has been, for years, it has been for years.
Sometimes God closes one door to open a better one. He has a plan for me this summer and his plan was not for me to go to Ethiopia it was for me to go to Sierra Leone. Sometimes, God has other plans for us, we just have to listen to his calling and his voice.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Dear Britt,
We have had a late developing situation that has forced me to make some changes in our teams. I am sorry to inform you that due to a serious health issue with another mission trip leader, I have to reassign Holly Duke and Margaret Fischer. Unfortunately, this means that we are going to have to cancel the Ethiopia mission trip.
Reign Ministries is committed to providing the highest quality leadership. Therefore, we only allow Reign Ministries staff to lead teams. Normally I would replace Holly and Margaret with other leaders, but with the additional loss of the original leader, Matt Halseth, we simply do not have anyone with enough training to send to Ethiopia in their place.
Therefore, I am going to ask you to consider switching to another team. We have enough spots open on Sierra Leone if everyone would want to stay in Africa. However, we also have openings on the India, China, EuroQuest, and London mission trips, which are also amazing!
You will receive a call within the next day from either Holly or Margaret. They will answer any questions you have and discuss the team options that are open.
One last word of encouragement: I have led teams for 30 years. As a leader, I grow attached to an area, a people group, and the missionaries/churches I work with. In my career I have had to give up where I was working five times to fill in the leadership on another mission trip...and hardly ever to a location I wanted to go to! And even though my heart was set to work in a specific country (especially my switch from Romania to China) I wouldn't trade the experience. Those switch years were some of the best and most transformational in all my years of leadership. I learned two (among many) things:
Lesson 1 - God is not always so interested in where I go, but that I go.
Lesson 2 - Learning trust and faith comes at a cost. God showed me He wants me to trust and praise Him even when I don't get what I want.
I can't promise you how God will work in your life. But based on what I have experienced of the faithfulness of the Father, if you can trust and praise Him in the midst of change, I believe God will bless you beyond what can expect or believe.
Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.
Blessings,
Tom Ives
Director of Royal Servants
Reign Ministries
I was contacted by one of the team leaders the same day that I got this email and we talked and I told her that I would email her within the next 24 hours and I would let her know what I would do. So, I spent a large portion of Thursday evening in prayer. I emailed Margaret and I told her that I would like to switch to the Sierra Leone team. My heart is still in Africa and it always has been, for years, it has been for years.
Sometimes God closes one door to open a better one. He has a plan for me this summer and his plan was not for me to go to Ethiopia it was for me to go to Sierra Leone. Sometimes, God has other plans for us, we just have to listen to his calling and his voice.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
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