For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye. Zechariah 2:8
Trump is the undoing of the whole Christian value system we've worked so hard to establish with Biblical principles, and completely defining conservatives as the caricature that the libs have tried to do a broad brush on us for years. This is officially the undoing of a Christian heritage in this country and a Conservative movement that got it's feet underneath it with the election of Reagan.
I'm using this blog to document everything that I have a screen shot of that shows Trump's support for the White Supremacist groups, Nazis, Segregationist, and anti-semites.
First, we just had David Duke endorse him by saying a vote against Trump is "treason against our heritage". Donald Trump has manually retweeted White Supremacist 3 times, and did delete one tweet after he was caught, but never denounced the groups he tweeted. He disavowed after saying he didn't know the groups or who David Duke was. There was a White Supremacist Super Pac that made robo calls in several states saying "don't vote for a Cuban". The following is just some of the documented tweets and twitter accounts I've made screen shots of to date.
This is a tweet that would be innocent in isolation, but the fact it was tweeted from a White Supremacist website along with all the other tweets paints a not so innocent story! To be fair Clinton has some anti-semites who support her like Blumenthal, so I don't support Clinton or her donors (especially those who contributed $100K to her corrupt Clinton Foundation). Clinton though hasn't done these dog whistles to them, & then deleted them, yet not condemned them like this.
David Duke tweets about Clinton's comment about the 1/2 of Trump's supporters are "basket of deplorables".
David Duke chimes in that even after it's changed to a circle their hand of White Supremacy has been exposed.
David Duke tweets about Melania with hashtag #WhiteGirlsAreMagic.
VP Presidential candidate denounces David Duke and says he doesn't want his support, but then refuses to call him deplorable. Says he isn't into calling names when he's on the ticket with the biggest name caller EVER!!
Then David Duke praises Mike Pence for not calling him deplorable. That might be why the media keeps bringing him up because they refuse to completely shut it down!! And continue to blow dog whistles their way. 100% denounce and say that what David Duke has said and done is deplorable as is Hillary for accepting money from KKK or for what she's said in the past about Robert Byrd and her support of Margaret Sanger. SHUT IT DOWN!! But no he gives David Duke the ability to actually praise his wishy washy answer!!
Here are some of the most recent ones that I've updated on July 3, 2016.
Here are many more that I've been screen shooting for months.
He is very proud that Trump has retweeted him & hasn't renounced him as a Trump supporter!! He retweeted this!
He has this video pinned to the top of his timeline on Twitter. First I posted a screen shot of it and the video is here.
Here Trump is just flat out lying!! We can all see in the speech that he's mocking a disabled journalist!
When I think of all of these things it is just outrageous that an evangelical leader would say such a thing about Trump! An unrepentant adulterer is not pro family. Someone who says women should be punished for abortion is not Pro-life!
Many Christians have been lulled to sleep about the truth by the false gospel of prosperity, which is preached by many (even if only subtly) from pulpits mostly with very large congregations. I've heard many people say that if you're financially struggling it's because you're not in right relationship with God. This is so far from the true gospel that tells us to take up our cross daily, and last time I checked crosses aren't exactly comfortable or pleasant!
And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. James 1:3
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:12
These verses, and many more give us at least 3 reasons why God wouldn't give us everything we want financially. The sleepy Christians that have been lulled to sleep with this false gospel seem to be the ones that are falling for the rich billionaire's idea of what defines a Christian and conservative. That's what made this gospel so dangerous, because it causes us to believe falsely that someone so successful must be a Christian if he says he is, is going to build a wall, and is a philanthropist. Those are the only reasons I've seen given to support Trump by Christians. Christians have had their ears tickled with this false doctrine, and it's time to recognize it for what it is! This election is demonstrating the extreme danger that this false gospel presents to not only the Church, it's testimony, but to this country. I know that I wouldn't give to my children everything they want materially if it didn't produce good character, and why would I expect any different from a good, loving, and faithful Heavenly Father? We need to wake up from our sleep Christians and see that we can't support someone just because they've been a successful businessman who happens to have given to a few good causes in his life. God expects us to examine someone's fruits! I used Christians in the title, but I want to narrow my scope to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have made a personal profession of faith, fully committed to make Him Lord of their life, and seek a personal relationship through fellowship, daily prayer, and deep study of God's Word. I will refer to these people as Jesus followers. This blog is for those who truly are Jesus followers, but anyone else is free to read on to know the truth. I believe we will be held accountable for our vote and our stance, and we are being terrible examples to the World about the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We as disciples of Jesus are letting our belief in this false teaching of prosperity gospel show. Jerry Falwell Jr. (who I believe is a Jesus follower) announced that Donald Trump is a Christian because he has given lots of money, been successful in business (making hard decisions), and actually even comparing his life to Jesus. That's not how it works, that's not how it works at all!! That's why for the sake of this blog I'm not using the word Christian, because the word no longer means anything just as Conservative no longer means anything. People say God doesn't take sides in politics, but he does take sides on truth. I happen to think He does take sides in politics or maybe this verse is just a coincidence:
Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41
Don't blame the messenger! Seriously, I would like to be a voice of reason for those choosing to prayerfully consider who they would support. If you're looking for the most electable or successful than this blog isn't for you. If you're really prayerfully considering who has the character to lead this nation than I would love to have a conversation with each of you. No one is perfect, and we aren't electing our pastor or Sunday School teacher in chief (as Jerry Falwell Jr. said), but character certainly matters! Let's look at the fruit of the spirit or what character we see and those we don't see in Donald J. Trump. Shall we: 1) Trump has been successful in many ways in business, but has also had multiple failures as well. Why don't people want to talk about these failures? I know business is about taking risk, but God tells us to be debtors to no man. For him to have had 4 bankruptcies and to not have paid them back is ungodly! He has multiple failures in his business ventures that include: Vodka, Steaks, Airline, Restaurant, University, Mortgage, and several magazines. 2) Just look at Trumps followers to know his character. They say that one way to tell your character is by whom you hang around with, but I think you can tell someone's character by who follows them as well. I know everyone can have shady followers, and shady people can have good followers, but when you've got a large number of certain types of people it makes you start to question why those people are following Trump. On Twitter I can give you screen shot after screen shot of followers/supporters of Trump which include openly Anti-semites that say they hate ALL Jews, White Supremacist & Nazis, as well as the Witches have endorsed him. He retweeted a White Supremacist that he's since deleted. I've documented many of them here. Then there is Ann Coulter, which I can't put the screenshots of the proof of her ungodliness because I don't want to expose possible children to such things. She definitely has been Trump's assassin of character, and put out a tweet saying f-in Jesus Christ. What does that mean to Trump though who has dropped the f bomb too many times to count, s word, p word, and in rallies full of children?
3) Trump lacks any sense of compassion for others. Several Psychologist and Psychiatrist have actually said he has Narcissistic Personality Disorder, in which they have seen several characteristics that are prevalent in this disorder. Trump has an extreme sense of his own self-worth, and has an inability to show compassion and empathy for others. He has mocked a disabled man, called wounded POW's not a hero for getting captured (as compared to his coward draft dodging), mocked an Asian with broken English, and mocked suicide.
4) Trump has disparaged women. He has objectified women by admitting that he has women for trophies by saying "as long as I have a good piece of a@@." He's denigrated many women based on their appearance (Bette Midler, Arianna Huffington, and Carly Fiorina to name a few), called women names like bimbos & pigs, suggested they have issues because of their menstrual cycle, and it seems to be based on the fact that they don't fawn all over him because he's some billionaire. This doesn't even include how he's unapologetically treated the wives he cheated on, & went through bitter legal battles with 2 different wives. The most outrageous thing Trump has said was if Ivanka weren't his daughter he would date her, and commented that "she's got the best body". Everything is always about what women look like on the outside as this man has no substance at all! 5) Trump is pious and lacks any sense of humility. He seems to feed off of humiliating people, when he calls them vulgar names and has been known to yell and humiliate people in front of everyone. He graciously congratulated Cruz, and then came out the next day with a tweet saying he stole the election and his delegates should be removed from him. He shows no humility in loss, just like in anything else. He says he has no need of asking for forgiveness, but he just tries to make it right except his version of making it right is revenge. The Bible tells us very clearly what God requires of us as leaders:
He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? The voice of the Lord will call to the city - and it is sound wisdom to fear Your name: "Hear, O tribe. Who has appointed its time? Is there yet a man in the wicked house, along with treasures of wickedness and a short measure that is cursed? Can I justify wicked scales and a bag of deceptive weights? For the rich men of the city are full of violence, her residents speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Micah 6:8-12
6) Trump lacks good judgement. I could give you many examples of this, but I think there is need of only one for proof. When he had the chance to speak to young people who need sound counsel what he chose to say to them says everything about his lack of judgement! He told the students & faculty at Liberty University in 2012 that they should always get revenge, & never get married without a prenuptial agreement. I wonder if those Jesus followers who support him can point to a Bible verse which says that, but I can point to verses that say the opposite. Revenge is God's, and not for us to repay. The only purpose of a prenuptial agreement is for the protection of his fortune and not his marriage.
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Romans 12:19
And He answered and said, Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate. Matthew 19:5
5) Trump has been unfaithful to 2 wives, and once a cheater always a cheater (especially unrepentant ones). Who's to say he wouldn't be a womanizer in the White House, especially after his current wife ages, which happens to be 25 years younger. He has been a home wrecker to many more than his own home, as he bragged about having affairs with married women, has built casinos with strippers, and we all know that gambling and pornography has lead to many break ups of the family. 6) Trump has flipped on every substantial issue, just name any issue and he's changed it. But the one that bothers me the most is where he stood just a few years ago on partial-birth abortion. He said he was VERY pro-choice. How does someone change from VERY pro-choice to pro-life? I can even try to be persuaded, but I would need some concrete evidence on that. There is nothing in the record but rhetoric to show that he's changed. Sorry, when it comes to protecting human life in the womb I need to see some clear cut proof that you have stood even once when it comes to protecting human life from being destroyed in the womb. Regarding all the other issues, show me the battle scars where you've stood against the media, elites, and establishment on these issues or you're just blowing smoke! Many people change positions on some things, but not everything to such extremes. To switch so extremely from one position to another shows that you have no principle and/or integrity. I remember that John Kerry was called a flip-flopper, and lost the election because of it in 2004. They showed a picture of Kerry wind surfing and I thought of the verse in James about being carried away by the wind. Anyone who said that Kerry was a flip-flopper and supports Trump (especially defending his flips and flops) is a huge hypocrite.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:5-7
7) Trump has slandered, libeled, and maliciously attacked people's character, but when people criticize his record on what he's said and done he calls them a liar. This brings me to the present situation regarding Ben Carson in Iowa. Let's put aside all the other controversy for a minute about Carson leaving the caucus before any votes to get clean clothes, and what Cruz, CNN, Rubio, or Trump might have said or done for a minute. Let's just look at what Trump just said a few days ago verses what he's said about Carson in the past. We can actually prove what Trump said 2 months ago about Ben Carson directly effected him going from 2nd to 4th place in the Republican Primary race. I'm going to put his words in quotes and give linkto watch the video so you can see for yourself.
On the Record with Greta, Donald Trump said "what he did to Ben Carson was a disgrace...what he did to Dr. Ben Carson a very good person...".
This is not at all what Trump was saying just months before this when Dr. Ben Carson was in 2nd place, just behind him in Iowa.
At Iowa Central Community College: "I said that if you're a child molester, a sick puppy, a child molester, there's not cure for that - there's only one cure and we don't want to talk about that cure, that's the ultimate cure. No there's two, there's death and the other thing. But if you're a child molester, there's no cure, they can't stop you. Pathological, there's no cure."
After mocking and imitating an incident that Carson talked about in one of his books when he was in his youth, Trump says this is impossible for this to have happened. Does this sound like someone that Trump thinks is a very good person?
"I have a belt. If someone hits, you not going in, it moves this way, it moves that way, he hit the belt buckle,...try it, believe me, it ain't going to work....And he plunged it into the belt and amazingly the belt stayed totally flat and the knife broke....How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of this country to believe this crap?"
If there is any reason that Donald's sudden best friend Dr. Ben Carson came in 4th place (where he had been polling for 2 months every since Trump disgracefully smeared his character) it's because of one person alone, and that is the work of Donald J. Trump. I have to admit to you that I used to actually defend Trump, because I was fearful of everything going on with terrorism and I liked most of what he was saying about building the wall and immigration. He admitted that he will use the line "build the wall" to stir up a crowd that is quiet. We can't make such important decisions about our life and country because of fear and emotion. Trump knows how to stir those emotions and fears, but God's word says that He hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind. Let's be sober & sound minded, and prayerfully considering who has the right character to lead us. We don't need to vote for a Savior as we already have one of those, and we don't need to vote based on our pocketbook because God tells us not to trust in riches. We should carefully choose who we follow/support, as the country, our children and the world are looking. There really could never be a worse representation for Christians and Conservatives than Donald Trump. He's like the caricature of what every atheist, and liberal has ever said about Christians and Conservatives. Think about all the things I listed above and compare it to what every liberal says about Conservatives, and every atheists says about Christians (Rich, women haters-war on women, hates immigrants, lacking compassion, hypocrites, and liars). Many people have said that Donald Trump is the only "electable" candidate, because many people will cross over to vote for him. Let's just say that's true, even though I doubt it with his unfavorable rating so high, but let's say it's true for argument's sake. What they mean by that is they believe he has the greatest chance of being elected, but for Jesus followers the question should be are his character and values acceptable for POTUS. According to Biblical standards my answer is unequivocally no that Donald Trump is unelectable for President! Many Conservatives came out #AgainstTrump to warn everyone that he doesn't have conservative values and principles. I believe that Christians need to come out to tell why they're #AgainstTrump. The evidence shows that there is no good fruit of Character in Donald Trump, and that's why all Christians should be #AgainstTrump.
You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Matthew 7:16-17
**Words in italics are links for videos that show Trump in his own words.
UPDATE: I've found many websites and would like to add some links to show what a terrible example that Trump is when representing Christians & Conservatives to the Country and the World. When Christians support him it only reinforces everything they've ever believed about who they thought we are as a group!!
I started writing this blog several months ago on Leeper Day, which is a day that we celebrate Homeschooling becoming fully legal in Texas. It celebrates the Texas Supreme Court decision of Leeper vs. Arlington ISD from June 9, 1994. This was a long fight that many fought to get it legal to control the education of our children in whatever parents see fit, including homeschooling. I was not one that was there fighting for homeschooling at the time, and probably was the opposite of helping to fight for it. I wasn't fighting against it for everyone to do it, even though I thought in my heart it was a bad idea for everyone, especially for me and my kids. That is why it's so amazing that I homeschool all 4 of my kids today.
We just started our 7th year of homeschooling this past Monday. It has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! I have threatened many times to send them to public school, and have come very close a few times. It is the hardest thing and the most rewarding thing all at the same time. We've gone from strange looks by many when we tell them we homeschool all our kids to now hearing many young adults tell us they wish they would have had the same opportunities. What I've learned through all of our struggles is that God has issued us as the authority over our children's education, and spiritual instruction and guidance. However our children are being educated, our responsibility and accountability does not end when we drop them off at church or school!
And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 11:19
Recognizing that God has called you to function as his agent defines your task as a parent. Our culture has reduced parenting to providing care. Parents often see the task in these narrow terms. The child must have food, clothes, a bed, and some quality time.
In sharp contrast to such a weak view, God has called you to a more profound task than being only a care-provider. You shepherd your child in God's behalf. The task God has given you is not one that can be conveniently scheduled. It is a pervasive task. Training and shepherding are going on whenever you are with you children. Whether waking, walking, talking or resting, you must be involved in helping your child to understand life, himself, and his needs from a biblical perspective (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). - Tedd Tripp, Shepherding a Child's Heart
We have always tried to gear our kids education towards them and their needs, but found that our kids are square pegs that just didn't fit in the round holes of today's modern institutionalized education system. Our oldest is in 11th grade now, and we've prayed for several years that they would be able to do a dual credit course their junior and senior year. So he just started last week doing an online dual credit course at Liberty University where he will have 30 college credits when he graduates high school. He is thriving in this environment! I thought I would share a little about how we got here, as I came to homeschooling kicking and screaming!
I've always believed in education as our most important responsibility as parents, but mostly to move to the right school district and what teachers they would have rather than the actual participation of it. Here are the things I thought about the education of my kids:
1) Teachers are better equipped for teaching our own kids than we are. They don't want to listen to us, and teachers are educated for that.
2) Schools are set up to instruct kids the best.
3) Kids need to be socialized, and have all the opportunities for the extra curricular activities.
4) Kids need that time of separation from their parents, as that much time together just drives each other crazy. (This was mostly wanting my time away)
5) One of us would end up dead or I would end up bald, as I don't have enough patience to teach my kids.
6) It's just stupid to put that much pressure on all of us when I could be working, and they could be making friends and learning more.
7) It's CRAZY!! People who homeschool aren't right in the head!! (Sorry fellow homeschoolers, but just keeping it real.) I'm a counselor and have had clients tell me they homeschool many times, and I just prayed that I didn't have the "you're crazy face" going when they said it.
So how did I go from all of these thoughts of "I will NEVER homeschool, Uh-UH, no way", to actually homeschooling all of mine for going on 7 years now? Well, it was a long hard road that God took us down to where that literally was the only option we had left. My oldest son started Kindergarten at our local public school in our neighborhood. He had not really talked until he was 3 and so we had tried to put him in different programs for preschool to help him with speech and occupational therapy. I waited a year to put him in just to make sure he could be successful in Kindergarten. I sent him off to school anticipating a great year at our neighborhood elementary school as I had heard many great things, and we knew some of the teachers. It started out great for the first 3 weeks, but they had an interim teacher until they could find a permanent one. I sure wish they could have kept the interim one, because it was a whole lot of bad after the new teacher started. My son was being bullied at school, and the teacher refused to address it. Every time I tried to talk to the teacher she was very negative about my son, and even though I thought she was hard on him I would still address what my son needed to work on and talk to him about it.
This went on for several months, and the bullying got worse. I had witnessed many instances and so I know he wasn't making it up. When the teacher wouldn't address it then I went to the principal. The teacher told the principal that "she didn't need to teach, and if it got too hard she could just quit". What? That's how that meeting went, which wasn't well at all. Nothing got better, and so we withdrew him for the next semester. I took him to a Montessori school for the rest of that year, and it wasn't ideal because they put him with 1st graders and technically he didn't get to graduate as a kindergartener. It was the only choice we had as I couldn't get him into any Christian schools in the middle of the year. We were convinced by others to apply to a very large Christian school where we went to church at the time. I was very hesitant as he had been rejected already for their preschool program, but Ken wanted them to go there.
Most of my hesitancy was that they wouldn't be accepted so we were very happy when they did get into the school, and all 3 of mine at the time started there the following Fall. It started out pretty good and promising. We did have to meet with the teachers a lot about 2 of our sons, but they really seemed to be working well with us and the boys.
After the first month that all changed, and it really got bad when we left for China to get our daughter. We came home to some real issues, and we were called in for a meeting with the Assistant Principal. They had my oldest son's teacher there, the P.E. teacher, and the special ed teacher as well. They were very concerned about my son, but it wasn't really behavioral or even academics. They did think he needed to be in a class where he would get some special help with some of his work, and that was fine. What they said next shocked us though!! They told us they were most concerned that our son couldn't catch a ball in P.E. He struggled in Math, was fine in most other subjects, and excelled in many subjects like reading, but they were MOST concerned about his gross motor skills. They wanted us to take him to an occupational therapist (which we had taken him to until he was 3 1/2). We were paying an absorbent amount of money to send all 3 kids to this private school to get this great education, and now they're telling us we need to pay more to get him additional help. I will pay anything for my kids to get what they needed, but we were already all but mortgaging our house to pay for this school that was supposed to be so GREAT for our son.
I had to leave that meeting as I was pretty upset, and it was mostly the tone they gave especially as Ken was leaving they told him "If you don't do these things than we won't be able to help your son any more, do you understand what we are saying?" Ken told them "I understand perfectly". They were telling us that if we didn't do this than our son couldn't go there.
We left there and immediately began to call a school that a friend of ours had continually talked about where his kids had gone. We called and set up a meeting that afternoon. We went to a small little school that had a country feel to it. We realized we had tried to fit square pegs into a round hole. Our other kids weren't doing well either, but one was behavior issues that weren't being addressed and the other was just falling through the cracks as he did just enough to get by. We started at that school right after Christmas break and loved it for 3 years. It wasn't perfect (as no school is), but they did help my kids that first semester to get caught up with their curriculum and stayed afterward to help them with their cursive writing and math. We really did thank God for giving us that place especially for that time right after we left so wounded from the large Christian school, and just wanted for our kids to feel loved somewhere. It was great for our kids also as they had an after school program where my son got some help with his throwing and catching. They also had a soccer program they would participate in after school.
We did have our ups and downs at this school for the next 2 years, but it was just normal stuff teachers and parents have to work through. Our son Nathan had the most amazing teacher the following year. He is the one that has had the most behavior issues, and he got the Diligence award that year. We were so shocked, but so was Nathan. His teacher just really knew how to handle him, and he really respected her.
The last year was when the disaster happened at that school and everything turned for the worst. There was a huge turnover in the school and the principal was not working with us, as well as the teachers like they had before. Our oldest was failing Math, and then we found out the last day of school that he broke both of his wrist. No one from the school called us, and we were extremely upset. I won't go into all the details as it's extensive what happened with our other son Nathan, but the relationship with the teacher had deteriorated as we put both the twins in one class for the second semester. It was an awful mistake! We found out 2 weeks before school started for the next year that they were having only 1 teacher for the twin's grade, and it was the same teacher moving up. There was no way possible that would work so we began to look at other Christian schools, except none were an option for one reason or another.
We had been going to a church where there was a founder of a school with a home study path. That was where they would do the work at home and just take the test at the school. After much prayer, we decided that was the best option. Actually, that was our only option. So they began doing the home study. It was extremely hard at first, but as the boys got used to it they really did well. We now just started our 7th year of homeschool, and have been on a pure homeschool path several years where they take all their test and do their work at home. So grateful that God took us slowly down this homeschool path. God has blessed us with great organizations like TACA where the boys play Football, and Chloe cheers. There is so much support for homeschoolers now with great curriculum, co-eds, and support groups. I have met the greatest group of people through our homeschooling organizations, and no group of people have had greater positive influence on my kids!
I wasn't in the fight for homeschool in 1994 during the time of the Leeper case! I was in a different fight, and on the wrong side of it. A few years after Ken and I got married as a young 20 year old, I got into a discussion with a friend about Christian school verses Public school. Neither of us had kids at the time, and the discussion got pretty heated. I really felt like if we took all the Christians out of the public school then we wouldn't have anyone to minister and be "light" in the public schools. She was adamant that we can't "sacrifice" our kids in schools that are so much against God. The point of this blog is not to tell anyone they should go to public, Christian, or homeschool. I realize that both my friend and I were wrong! We should continually pray for where God would have us send our kids.
Our fight for our kids is not physical, but a spiritual fight for the soul of each child. Each child has unique gifts, personalities, and issues. Our spiritual fight is for them, and the only way to fight it is on our knees.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
The fight for our kids souls starts with the place they spend the most amount of time from age 5-18, and that's where they will do their learning. The problem is that we just assume that we only have one option whether it's public school, private school, or homeschool. God will make a way for what is best for our kids, as He doesn't have grandkids. He loves our children more than we could ever imagine! I'm so grateful that God showed me personally what was best for my kids despite my own stubbornness. He is so faithful, even when we are faithless!
If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13
Have you ever had something happen that you felt like was God winking at you? Has something happened to you that you know there is no way that it could just be a coincidence, because it was such a specific answer to pray, or such an extraordinary thing that you say "what are the possible chances of that just happening". Did you ever get a wink as a kid from a Mom, Dad, Granddad, Grandma, or close friend that you loved and it you understood that it just meant they were thinking about you? Have you ever seen in a movie where someone gives a wink to someone out in an audience out of everyone there they were looking and thinking of them?
Well, I think God gives us these sometimes. I call them God-winks, because it's just like He gives you a little wink to remind you that He loves you and that He's thinking about you. Usually they come at times that I'm really fervently praying about something, but every so often they just happen so random. It seems to me that He gives them to me the most when I'm uncertain or struggling, and just need to feel He's listening and in control of what's going on around me! It blows my mind to think that the Creator of all of the universe would take the time to give me a little wink! This time it was when I didn't really know that I needed assurance because I didn't feel like I was struggling with any uncertainties. Now that I look at it though I know that I really needed a God-wink, and so grateful He gave me this one!
I didn't realize that I have really been struggling with fears about my relationship with my daughter Chloe. Even though Chloe is adopted, I have often had to remind myself that I didn't give birth to her. As she's growing older, I worry that she would one day not consider me to be her Mom. I've read or heard stories where adopted kids grow up to think there was always a missing piece. I will tell you that my life makes way more sense with my daughter than without her, and she's the exact piece that was always missing for me. I just sometimes doubt that she would always feel the same way!
God just winked at me last night. He just gave me a message to stop being insecure or uncertain about who's daughter she is, because she was intended for me from the beginning of time. I'm assured once again that He ordained it! I tell her all the time that she wasn't born in my womb, but she was born in my heart! There have been many ways throughout the years that God has revealed that she's the exact one that He chose for me, and maybe I'll share them another time. Right now I just want to share the one that happened last night. I was going through some pictures last night to post for our 25th anniversary. I came out of the office to show a picture to Ken, and Chloe followed me back to see what I was doing. She started going through all of our photo albums, while commenting, laughing, and asking tons of questions. She came to a picture of our first dog named Sam. It was a picture with the date we first got him. Chloe said, "Oh, you got Sam the same day as my gotcha day". I looked at it and sure enough we had gotten him November 6, 1993. I thought that was really cool and we moved on.
After she started asking me more questions though I remembered how I had told my Mom that we got a dog. I called my Mom on the phone and told her, "Mom, you're not going to believe it, we adopted a baby boy today." She was so excited and before I could tell her it was a dog she was crying and in the most excited voice saying, "I didn't know you were even thinking of adopting that's so amazing". I did finally tell her and she wasn't very happy with me at that point. I know it's a silly story, but years later after my Mom had passed away we had the 3 boys. I was yearning for a little girl, but Ken wasn't open at all to any more children. I finally decided to pray and fast, and released my desire for a little girl to God. I released my thoughts and ways to Him knowing that His thoughts and ways were greater than mine.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
As soon as I quoted that verse and released it God showed me that we were going to adopt from China. I literally told God that was not possible since my Mom wasn't here to tell so she would never know and I couldn't adopt knowing that I could never hear her response. (I know God loves how I question Him right after I just said His ways were greater than mine, so good thing His faithfulness is not based on my faith). Right at that moment I heard her voice in my head from that day that I told her we had adopted the dog, and I had not heard her voice in my head for many years. God used adopting the dog that day to confirm that we would adopt, and here was Chloe telling me that was the same day I called my Mom to tell her we adopted the dog, and the same date of her Gotcha day 12 years later. That was a God-wink if I've ever seen one.
The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
I like to call them winks, but some might call it God smiling on us. I think I'm theologically sound, but it doesn't really matter what you call it. ;) The phrase lift up His countenance biblically means "to lift up the eyes to look at someone with great regard and tender interest". I love to see God-winks in my life, and to hear them in other's lives as well. May the Lord of all the Universe wink at you, and give you peace today!
While the Church was sleeping the Supreme Court just made Same-Sex relationships equal to what God created between Men and Women in marriage. While the Church was entertaining it's youth, the youth of our nation began to see that homosexuals looked just like the people in the church. They saw that homosexuals were nice, seemed committed, and just as in "love" as the couples in church. This happened while the Church was tickling ears, trying to be socially relevant, being seeker-sensitive, talking about social justice, and making Jesus look like a weak-minded man that was separate from God's character. While the Church was acting like a place where only the happy apply, and not the hurting, the world was the hospital for the sick, and dying.
Am I speaking too much truth for you and you think we shouldn't talk against the church? Well, that's nothing! While the Church was sleeping with other men and women besides their husbands or wives, the world saw that the Church was in the World AND OF IT!
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgement, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. Romans 12:1-3
I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:15-19
Many are talking about how awful the court ruling is and blaming the Supreme Court, but the Church wants to look outward and not inward for what has happened in this country. I've been in 5 churches in the last 24 years, and everyone of them but 1 have had Pastors that have had affairs. One of those we never officially joined, but that Pastor had an affair and committed suicide several years after we left. The other church I will talk about in a future blog post, but I will say that it was all about social justice and had leaders that taught the first 6 chapters of Genesis weren't true. Many have said they're so upset with how others talk about the Bride of Christ, but weren't the Epistles written to the churches and isn't Revelation about warnings to the future churches? The problem is the Bride of Christ has left it's first love, and aren't preparing for the BrideGroom to come!!
I've made quite a list of problems with the church, and want to address them here:
1) The Church has been entertaining it's youth. What is the world about? The world is about entertaining youth, and feeding their flesh. The world knows that if they have the mind of our youth, then they have their mind as adults. We are putting them together with other youth, using the same music and entertainment as the world, and hoping for the best. Meanwhile, the youth have seen that the Church looks a lot like the world, and really don't have a need for it. We have set the bar so low for our youth, and congratulations Church they've reached it! What was the message from Paul to Timothy, the young Pastor he had left in Ephesus, and had been a disciple of Paul from the age of probably around 16?
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 1 Timothy 4:12-13
2) The Church has been tickling ears for generations. They've been playing the Cheers theme song, yes literally I heard that song played in a church. They've been preaching and teaching what people have wanted to hear, instead of what they needed to hear. They have married many couples who are living together without any counsel to how that goes against what God's best is for marriage, and relationships. What does God think when people who get a divorce are isolated and the Church just throws them out? Why throw them out when you didn't teach that fornication is wrong in the first place, and it's the church that made allowance for sin to take root? Then the Church wonders why the world considers it hypocrites today!
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn way their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:2-5
3) The Church has been trying to be socially relevant, but ultimately rendering themselves irrelevant. They've been trying to fit evolution into Genesis for years (because of the fear of what the world will say), and trying to water down the verses on sin including adultery and homosexuality. They have brought the world into the Church, with the most popular cultural things like popular songs, movies, etc. Those outside of the church have been using the talking points of the Church for years to make the case for sin!! We have rendered the Bible irrelevant if the first 6 chapters of the Book of Genesis aren't true, than how can any of it be trusted? Jesus Himself quoted directly from Genesis. It wasn't any different back then either, as He was actually responding to a "trick question" by the Pharisees about divorce.
Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" And He answered and said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? (capital letters are not my own emphasis, but NASB) Matthew 19:3-5
4) The Church has been seeker-sensitive, which is basically the same as tickling ears, but it's just focusing the tickling to try to reach a certain social class or demographic group of people. Many of the churches in the mid '90's were geared toward the Baby Boomers, in order to try to get them back to church. The prosperity gospel is focused to reach the poor/middle class, and black liberation theology is focused toward blacks. Many churches went as far as to remove anything offensive like crosses from the church. The cross is offensive to us ALL, as it reminds us of the brutal punishment we deserved for our sin!
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, and Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3: 10-17
5) The Church has been preaching about social justice, which many aren't aware that it's the code word for the Government's redistribution of wealth. How many people are always talking about Separation of Church & State that actually is not found in our Constitution? Well, this is a way to get into the Church through the back door to have a State run Church. Jesus was extremely clear about this when He said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's. It is the work of God through the church to the poor, and not the work of the Government. We whine about giving to the Church though, and see the government as worthy of our tithes and offerings (while the church has used the tithes for bigger buildings rather than the poor). We have set up the Government as an idol that will rescue us rather than God as our provider and protector! That brings me to the Church asking for permission from the Government to be tax-exempt, by applying for 501c3. A church doesn't have to have a 501c3 status to be tax-exempt, and they shouldn't because then they are under the rule of the government as to what they can and can't teach or preach. All a church has to do is say they have a congregation that follows a religious doctrine, baptize people, marry people, and perform funeral services to be tax-exempt.
6) The Church has been making Jesus look like a weak man that just went around spreading a message for us to love everyone. We have become a red letter Church that only listens to the Words of Jesus, teaching that He was different and separate from God. There are other's that just teach the first 5 books of the Bible as well, but even that isn't as dangerous as taking only the Words of Jesus as truth and not looking at the fullness of God's Word. Jesus quoted the Old Testament over and over again. He also was the very character of God that is taught throughout the Old and New Testament. Have you ever heard those outside the Church say that Jesus never talked about homosexuality? How do you think they got that argument?
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? John 14:7-9
7) The Church has been a place where only the happy shall apply. We have condemned the grieving (well allowed to grieve for a designated amount of time), the depressed, the hurting, and ultimately the lost. We have condemned those who use anti-depressants without having anything to offer instead but "I'll pray for you". While we are called to be a real hospital for the wounded soul, we are actually the ones that are doing the wounding. We have condemned birth control without giving any alternatives, especially not being there when they have multiple kids. This is where a real rebuke comes to the church!! We have been the ones that have wounded, as thousands of those who have been sexually abused haven't gotten the apology they needed, haven't gotten the help they needed, many times have been the ones that are blamed for the abuse, and they haven't disciplined the perpetrators like the Church needed to do! Many who are promiscuous today or have homosexual tendencies are this way because of the abuse that took place by many ministers or members of the Church!
So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:25-26
How can the Church turn this around?:
1) Repent - All Churches, which includes all the members of the Bride of Christ has been a part of this either directly or indirectly! Therefore, don't look at the person next to you at church or the minister on the pulpit when you think of who needs to repent. We must all repent for what we have said, or haven't said that has contributed to the destruction of TRUTH!!
I know you're still saying you didn't do anything wrong, but did you have any type of sexual relationship before marriage, have you seen any porn (which includes anyone nude and having sex on a computer, or TV), did you have an abortion, have you not forgiven others, have you been a glutton, have you gossiped, or have you flirted or thought of others sexually other than your husband or wife? Most of all we have ALL been silent about abuses that have gone on in the Church! This is why the Church looks exactly like the World, and who needs the Church when it's just like the World. The World seems much more loving because it doesn't condemn you for your sin!
And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 2 Chronicles 7:14-16
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10
2) Teach the unadulterated word of God, and be ready to be persecuted for it! Do it unapologetically, and be a student yourself of God's Word and Truth! Don't rely on the Pastor to give you meat, but if your pastor isn't giving you meat then change Pastors. I'm going to step on a lot of toes, but believe me I know this by experience 5 times over. If your Pastor is a story teller, than he's not a pastor. If your Pastor is a figure head, then he's not your pastor. If your Pastor is a public motivational speaker, then he's not a pastor. If your Pastor is on a large screen, but untouchable to you then he's not a pastor.
The word pastor means shepherd, and a shepherd can't help his sheep on a large screen. A Shepherd is with his sheep to lead and guide them through the dangers the sheep may face. We do have the Lord as our ultimate Shepherd, so don't get me wrong that they aren't to replace the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit in our lives. If you have a man or woman that stands up at the front of a building or on a large screen and only teaches/preaches topically about the Bible, but doesn't teach expository or exegesis in which they explain theology text by text of the written word of God then find another Church! If you can't find such a church, then pray about if you should start a home Bible Study/church with families of like minds! You will never grow in the fullness of Christ through topical only teaching!
If your Pastor talks about how many members it has as a good thing, then run! Find a church that is about growing it's members deep, and not wide!
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 5:17
Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness. 2 Timothy 2:14-16
3) Pray without ceasing! How much do we talk before we pray? How much do we try to find other solutions before we pray? Pray first, then second, and then third. Pray because "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" Ephesians 6:12. I read something the other day that said we can't expect God to show up in schools when we kicked him out for 50 years, or something to that effect. I think this is so wrong, because it's the fact that we haven't asked Him into the Church is the REAL problem! We must invite God to come and work in our church on a "without ceasing" basis!
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
4) Parents of the CHURCH, don't leave the teaching up to the church, schools, VBS, or any other institution to teach your kids the truth of the Bible! Teach them continually about the truths of God's Word in every activity that you do and make time for devotionals in your home even if they are just once or twice a week! Pray with your children and for your children, and live it out for them to the best that you can! Pray about who will teach your kids, and where they will be educated! That includes where they would go to college or even if they should go to college as not all need to go to college to use what God has given them. It's about continual education, and we need to instill that into our children!
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Deuteronomy 4:9
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 11:19
5) Don't be discouraged! See this as an opportunity to stand for righteousness, and for the world to really see that the Church is willing to stand even through persecution. The Church of the United States of America is really not even able to compare it's persecution with what is going on with Christians around the world today! Stand up for the persecuted church in every part, as when one part of the Church is persecuted the entire church is persecuted! Give your business to those who are willing to stand up for Truth wherever you find the opportunity! Prayerfully find ways to share the Gospel with boldness! Whether that is through giving tracts, giving Bibles, and giving to other ministries that share the gospel. Let's MAKE the world our mission field again, which includes the hard mission fields. Let's be the first to love the unloveable, and standing up for the defenseless. Whatever we do as the Church let's do it for the Lord! Whether it's playing sports, preaching, giving, parenting, teaching, or whatever we are doing let's give Him all the Glory!
Haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:16-17
I know the title is "While the Church was sleeping", but actually it would have been better had we just had a sleeping church. What we've had in many cases is worse than sleeping, as we've had a hurtful, unforgiving, idol worshipping, and irrelevant Church. If we choose not to repent, and follow these other things than the best wish we can ask and pray for our future generations is to have a sleeping church!
I have read multiple articles regarding the Josh Duggar sex scandal, and all I keep thinking of is the song Amazing Grace. I am shocked and devastated that such things can happen in a Christian family, and then I'm shocked by how shocked I am. Then I'm shocked by how it's being used in the media, and then even more shocked by the self-righteousness of others saying they've never done such horrible things. What is most shocking is that they are shocked by a family that has worked through sin talking about how horrible sin is. We can see in the story of King David the result of not addressing sin because of guilt of his own past sin. It seems Christians are so fearful of what the world thinks, when this is a perfect example we can show the world of how sin is addressed. The bottom line is that we shouldn't be shocked at all, and Christians show our total lack of true belief as the body of Christ in three important messages of the gospel. 1) We are all sinners. 2) Christ death, burial, and resurrection is sufficient for all sin. 3) God judges the heart while we judge behaviors, and they don't always equate. First, I want to say that what Josh Duggar did is horrible, terrible, awful, hurtful, painful, depraved, wretched, and any other word that can denote the worst thing possible. Also, in his words they were "inexcusable". I would never try to downplay what those who suffered went through, and pray for their healing as it was harmful and hurtful. My heart breaks for them. They also are the ones that are the most hurt by the public release of this information that should have never been made public. The one that is also hurt by what Josh did though is Josh, and there is no empathy for him but we should understand why God tells us that all sexual immorality is wrong. Maybe, just maybe, Josh can help us to understand how we all can be redeemed from the most heinous of sin, and even the shame of that sin.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3
Is God's grace really amazing? Can it save a wretch like me? Can it help the lost be found? Can it make the blind see? How long is his hand to reach down into the deepest and darkest of pits? These words have been lost on deaf ears, and now is played on commercials for rescuing dogs. Is that what God sent His son for to die on the cross? We like to rank sin, but what is the sin that caused the fall from "grace" of Lucifer himself? If Satan is any indication, than we might want to rank the sin of pride pretty high when we rank those sins. I can't tell you how many are gleeful at the news of Josh's "fall", and how many have actually said they are better than Josh because they "never molested" anyone. Well, speaking of Amazing Grace. How many know the story of the man who wrote Amazing Grace? His name was John Newton, and he was the captain of a ship used for the slave trade in 1948, when one of those ships was in a violent storm he had a conversion experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. For the rest of his life he observed the anniversary day of his conversion May 10, 1948 as a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. Now how many of us would say that he participated in something terrible, awful, horrible, depraved, wretched...? Yet he went on to write the most recognized hymn, most sung hymn, and most played hymn at funerals of all times. So what does the actions of both John Newton and Josh Duggar remind us about? 1) Look in the mirror! We are all sinners! Our most righteous act is like filthy rags. When you try to say what you've done is not as wretched as what Josh Duggar has done than you better watch out on judgement day. I have not molested anyone, but I assure you what I've done is as wretched as what Josh has done. I just don't have it all in the public. Am I as bad as any sinner? Yes! Paul called himself the chief of all sinners. The reason that Paul and I can say we're just as wretched is because we're not comparing ourselves to John, Peter, or Josh, but to Christ! Sinners include liars, fornicators, adulterers, murderers, gossipers, homosexuals, backbiters, haters of God, disobedient children, rebels, self-righteous, prideful, prostitutes, idolators, greedy, enmity, wrath, thieves, cheaters, child abusers, wife abusers, spiteful, manipulative, envious, and covetous people. We are not self-righteous if we are an admitted sinner who depends on the work of Jesus Christ for our righteousness.
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6
Forgiveness and atonement of sin doesn't mean that the consequences of our sin are gone. There needs to always be punishment for sin on Earth, but true repentance of the heart takes away the ultimate consequence of our sin which is eternal death. When we are young teens our habits haven't been formed like in adulthood, and scientifically speaking the brain of an adolescent is moving from concrete to abstract thinking and then onto metacognition (actively monitoring and regulating thoughts). With a young teen the ultimate goal of consequences is rehabilitation and restoration, and not just for punishment sake.
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
2) Christ death, burial, and resurrection was sufficient for all sins. The more wretched the sin, the more there is a need for a Savior, and the more need for a Savior, the more amazing is His saving grace!! Christ death on the cross was horrible, awful, terrible, painful, hurtful, and violent, because our sin is horrible, awful, terrible, painful, hurtful, and violent. He took all the punishment for our wretched sins! The payment or punishment is equal to the crime. If you need to know how horrible all of our sin is, then look no further than at the punishment Christ took for our sin! That is the punishment that we all deserve. For Grace to truly be amazing than it has to have atoned for something really bad. The foot of the cross is level ground, and we are all in equal need of redemption!! 3) God is love, but He's also just. He is the only one that can judge a repentant heart. I can't tell you if Josh is truly repentant, as I can only judge his behaviors. God is ultimately the one that can heal the ones who have been hurt by this, and judge the heart of Josh. All I know is I can not say I'm better than Josh or any other sinner out there, including all the holy grails of sins in the Christian community of abortion and homosexuality. God's Word says that with the same measuring stick we measure others it will be measured unto us. Those who measure homosexuality, child molesting, or abortion with a greater measuring stick than you measure your own sin should watch out as that is the same measure your sin will be measured! I've heard all kinds of man's ideas of the justice that Josh deserves. What does a judge need in order to judge? A judge needs the truth, and I can't judge what is right in this situation as I don't have all the facts. Only those who were there, and God know the truth. All I can do is to pray that God's justice is done, and I can pray for healing for those who have been hurt through his actions. Now that I've had time to really think about the situation I'm ultimately shocked that churches are no longer the hospital for the sick, dying, and wretched. I'm shocked that we sing the song in our churches every week, but we don't really know that God's grace truly is amazing!! Why? Because it saved a wretch like me!!
As we are approaching Mother's Day this weekend I have a wish for all Moms. I wish that all Moms would stop being so hard on other Moms and STOP making them feel like they're terrible Moms. I wish that other women and men would stop making snide remarks about other Mom's parenting. I wish that every woman would tell other Moms something they admire about them as a Mom, and not just the dutiful "Happy Mother's Day". I wish that they would pray for them to stop thinking that they are terrible Moms, and pray that God would give them wisdom to be the best Moms that He CHOSE them to be for their kids.
Yes, God gave those kids to that Mom and that makes HER the expert of HER kids. Moms have a God-given motherly instinct for her kids, and we need to realize that unless it's putting that child in direct danger our "advice" is probably more detrimental than helpful. There is no worse critic of a Mom than the voice in her head that makes her worry about everything she does as a Mom. There is also no greater and more rewarding job than being a Mom, but it's hard work and it's constant with very few breaks. Women need to stop being so hard on other women, and especially so hard on themselves. The bar these days for what constitutes a good Mom is so high that it's impossible to achieve "perfect" Mom status that we all strive for and seek to achieve.
I thought my struggles as a Mom began when I had the twins, but actually my struggle began like all Moms the moment their first child is born. When Caleb was first born he wouldn't breastfeed, and I thought I was such a failure. The "expert" tried everything known to man, but Caleb wouldn't take it. We began to bottle feed him, and he began to spit up green stuff that was bile. He couldn't breath and was aspirating. They took him to the NICU, and began to pump his stomach immediately. That was so scary as a Mom. They were going to do surgery to remove a blockage, but 20 minutes before the surgery he passed a meconium plug and then filled 5 diapers in 15 minutes. It wasn't me at all, but the "expert" sure made me feel like a failure for not being able to get my child to breastfeed. A few days later he was back to normal and he was taking to breastfeeding. Then 3 months later I wasn't producing enough milk and Ken told me I could start bottle feeding as a supplement. I started crying and said "I can?". Then only a few weeks later I dried up completely and again felt like such a failure, but soon found out I was pregnant with twins. My body literally couldn't produce enough nutrients for me, twins, and breastfeeding. Why as a Mom would I feel like a failure for things I couldn't control?
Besides those issues with Caleb he really was the best baby, and rarely ever cried. He was so easy going, and it was such a blessing. Just as I'd blamed myself for things I couldn't control, I made the mistake of giving myself credit for this sweet baby I had. I thought I was doing everything right, and that is why I had this great baby. I was a puffed up Mom, and ready to give every other Mom advice on how to be the greatest Mom like me. As the Bible says, "God is opposed to the proud, and gives grace to the humble" James 4:6. God decided I needed to be opposed/resisted for my pride and humbled so He gave me two of the most difficult babies a Mom could have. I definitely learned that temperaments of children have nothing to do with their Moms. I learned that I can't think of myself as a failure for the bad things I can't control, but I also can't take credit for the good stuff that I really don't have control over either.
I want to share some other lessons I've learned as Mom these last 16 years that will hopefully encourage some Moms this Mother's Day:
1) Learn to listen to your own instincts as a Mom, and never forget that God chose you as your child's Mom for a reason. Nathan and Noah were premature when they were born. Nathan came home at 3 months old on a feeding tube and heart monitor. I became his nurse, and had to learn everything about feeding tubes and even how to put it back down his nose because he would pull it out sometimes. When he was in the hospital I felt like many things they were doing were causing more harm, and would often question the doctors about what was going on. They would make me feel like the crazy Mom who didn't know what I was talking about and that they were the experts. I learned that while doctors do know a lot on most medical issues there are many things they don't understand like the bonding between Moms and their children. They also don't know about God-given instincts like children need to suck even when tube fed for development, and their drive to bottle feed can be lost. I was telling them they needed to do a barium swallow to see if he was aspirating. Just a few days after I suggested it they did it, but not after making me feel like I was crazy!! They wanted a plan for when he came home, and I told them the plan was to have him eat as much as he would during day and to do a Kangaroo pump at night to get the rest of what he needed. Guess what "plan" they eventually went with, it was the God-given Motherly instinct plan. Don't let the "experts" silence your God-given Motherly instinct.
2) Learn to silence the critics around you with a polite "thanks for your input", and then move on. Learn to silence your inner critic as well, and I'll share more lessons I learned about how to do that below. The problem is that many want to give you "motherly advice" or will make little snide remarks that can get under your skin. The biggest problem though is the critic within. I would have comments about how little the twins were (remember they were very premature so of course they were small for their age), and in my head I would hear "you are a failure because you don't feed them enough". Of course, Nathan wasn't even on the growth chart until he was 9 months old. Again, I was taking it as a failure for something I had no control over.
3) Parenting is not a spectator sport, and we need to learn what our own Mothers taught us that "if we have nothing good to say than say nothing at all". We don't know what another Mother has been through, because we haven't walked in their shoes. We should offer help before we offer criticism!! I'm especially talking about really petty stuff like making comments about if a Mom is feeding her children goldfish.
4) Speak kindly to yourself. See yourself as God sees you, and speak to yourself that way. When you're not sure how God sees you then read Psalm 139 to remind yourself! God created you to be the Mom of your kids, and He chose you to be their Mom for a reason. You are the best Mom because God CHOSE you! Remember always, it has been shown time and time again that Moms are way harder on themselves than kids are on them. The video I posted below is a great example and I hope it reminds you as a Mom what your kids think about you.
5) Pray for your kids, and pray for wisdom to be the Mom that God has called you to be. "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" James 1:5. Every child needs 4 things from their Mom; love, instruction, discipline and prayer. We will fail in all of the other areas, but one thing we can't fail to do for our kids is to pray for them! Whether you believe it or not, there is a spiritual warfare for the soul of your child. Every child needs a prayer warrior. God showed me after I lost my Prayer Warrior in 1996 through the poem below that my Mom's prayers continue on for eternity. May God bless you this Mother's Day!!
The Warrior
This morning my thoughts traveled along To a place in my life where, days have since gone Beholding an image of what I used to be As visions were stirred, and God spoke to me.
He showed me a Warrior, a soldier in place Positioned by Heaven, yet I saw not the face I watched as the Warrior fought enemies That came from the darkness with destruction for me.
I saw as the Warrior would dry away tears As all of Heaven's Angels hovered so near I saw many wounds on the Warrior's face Yet weapons of warfare were firmly in place.
I felt my heart weeping, my eyes held so much As God let me feel the Warrior's prayer touched I thought "how familiar" the words that were prayed The prayers were like lightning that never would fade.
I said to God "Please, the Warrior's name" He gave no reply, He chose to refrain I asked " Lord, who is broken that they need such prayer?" He showed me an image of myself standing there.
Bound by confusion, lost and alone I felt prayers of the Warrior carry me home I asked "Please show me Lord, this Warrior so true" I watched and I wept, for Mother...the Warrior -was you!
