You are here: Home / Archives for brother

A Journey of Faith: Settle It Now

February 12, 2013 By
Settle It

Well, the journey Michelle and I have laid out about God’s provision is a life-marking journey–today I am bringing the story to its miraculous closing. Read the stories below for the whole story:

A Journey of Provision
A Journey of Faith | Timing and The Lord’s Provision
A Journey of Faith | The Lord’s Provision & Trusting God
A Journey of Faith: Beginning with Hope
A Journey of Faith: Life that Can Not Be Taken

Our family lines will be greatly marked for good by what God’s allowable will has brought before us.  But you know? Sometimes when everything seems so very wrong and unfixable, focus your eyes on the story God has written all around and over your life.  Recount the times He has done wonders over your life.  Don’t forget to recount the times that something could have happened and didn’t…those times unseen are just as real as the times seen.

So let me bring the story of the painting home to you…

My Chris and I have been married for 22 year this summer, and for good or for bad, we have a marked stumbling point in the area of discipline–be it financial, physical or interpersonal–and follow through.  No excuses, we battle it every single day.  We must choose differently for the circumstances to fall differently.  On the wonderful side of it, we have willing hearts.  We follow God and love Him with all that we are.  So we must bring our willingness to the throne of Jesus every single day to walk well.  And truth be told, we are!  We are breaking some old habits and finding freedom in so many areas.

Amazingly, we had a “too hard for us, but not too hard for God” set-up going on.  Last year, we struggled with all that we were to work hard and make ends meet financially. It was a hard year for us–the hardest, yet. With details left in a mostly vague sense, we were really on the edge all year long.  It all came to a head on December 3rd.

But let me back up two days…our friend Greg had come into town.  We have such honor and respect for our friend and his family.  We had been in the same home group (our church calls them base camps) for a couple years, when we first came to Colorado.  Then God led their family to serve with YWAM in other places. Greg came over to share his heart with us about the ministry that God is doing through their family right now. So we spent a wonderful few hours together and Greg began to speak of India, and some engineering-design needs they have.  I watched my Chris’ face light up.  I knew that he would go with Greg later this year or early next…I knew it, but I also thought, “Lord, how in the world will we ever afford it?  We can barely… (you fill in the blanks, for I had a slew of financial needs come to mind).”

Then two nights later, Greg would spend the night with us.  We picked up the conversation right where it was left on Saturday. That evening, Chris had picked up the mail. And we had a Fed Ex envelope on our front doorstep.  It was a notice of foreclosure.

It basically said unless we did “this” by the end of December, we were out. I was shocked. After Greg left that next morning, he had no idea what God was doing through his story and our own.  That week was filled with calls to our lender.  They had some misinformation (from before bankruptcy) on our credit report, which we had to fix.  Then they worked out a plan of action for us to catch up and keep our home–a plan that would last through June 2013.

The first thing we did was get a working budget in order–something we had lacked for the previous year (fail to plan, plan to fail–yes). We worked through it together as a couple–we still are. We paid a double payment by December–a miracle of God.  The only hitch we saw was January.  It went below the line.  There seemed to be no way for us to make it–we could not figure it out on our own accord. With much prayer, my Chris spoke to our home group men, letting them know our situation and asking for accountability, too. Within ONE hour, a dear brother brought to our doorstep a check for the amount needed, to repay without interest when we could.

I was a puddle of tears.  Poor brother, I know I made him uncomfortable!  But he told me, “We had this extra and we did not even have to pray about it.”  They, too, had been in a similar situation–and they wanted to help us.  What rescue!  Only a Christ follower would walk in such a way.  How undeserved we were.  And how very LOVED.

I closed the door and sat at the table, head in hands, praying…then I heard a gentle whisper in my spirit.  And I knew it was the voice of God.  He said, “It is finished.”  That is all I heard.  And how shall I take it?  I took it as meaning that our financial journey is done.  The fullness of what God wanted for this part our lives was completed.

I knew Chris would go to India.

I knew that we would not go back there again.

I knew that we still had 6 months more of tightness before us, but that we would be equipped for it.

The next day, and by no surprise at all, God pulled out his highlighter with bold print and ALL CAPS!!!! The next day, Michelle’s painting arrived at our doorstep– from Fed Ex, no less. God wanted us to know that He is our Provider.  He will be seen.  And through this very unguarded and transparent story of our lives, I pray you see God, too.

It is finished.  See it here on our wall?

Settle It

God is telling us every day, that we need to settle it in our hearts that He is FOR us and with us.  He is providing–even dividing and multiplying.

When our financial circumstances may hearken back to where we were, sometimes even on a daily basis, my Chris and I must settle it in our hearts–that Jehovah Jireh, the Living Word, who spoke Philippians 4:19 over us, is STILL speaking it. We are provided for.

“And my God will liberally supply, fill to the full, your every need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

In Him, we are so very rich!  And that budget I spoke of?  It is projecting that we will have in our savings over $10, 000 by year’s end. But we do not look to that, no.  We look to, and keep looking to, Jesus alone.  What a turn-around.  What a Savior!

All for HIS Glory,

Holly winter2012

Print this entry

TumblrStumbleUponDiggDeliciousFacebookTwitterPinterestShare
Filed Under: Faith, Foyer Tagged With: , , , , , 5 Comments

Brotherly Love – A Sister’s Perspective

December 11, 2012 By
AMH brothers

Photo Credit: Katy Roberts Photography

I remember the day my dad was shopping with me for a special dress. We had moved to a new town ahead of the rest of the family, so in a mutual state of neediness in Mom’s absence, I was his escort to a fancy dinner, and he was my shopping buddy.

Standing in the busy department store, I slid the hangers along the metal pole. I would hold one up and check for his initial response. A squinchy nose meant: “don’t even bother”, while raised eyebrows and flattened frown indicated:”perhaps, perhaps!”

I have two distinct memories of that day. The first was what Dad said when I walked out of a dressing room with a colorful tea-length dress on. “Oh, you wear that one well!” My father was always very careful with words. I knew he purposely chose NOT to say what most might, “That dress looks good on you.” He chose to make it about me. “I” wore it well. He complimented me, not the dress.

The second memory is of the conversation that followed. I tried to make a comparison of men to dresses. Some men garnered a “don’t even bother” first impression. While others seemed nice enough at first glance: “Perhaps, perhaps.” And eventually one will be just right for me in that my loveliness is enhanced by the relationship.

Instead of extending the metaphor like usual, Dad offered a bit of a rebuke.

“You just seem to be going about this ‘boy’ business all wrong. Statistically, every male on this planet will ultimately be your friend – a brother of sorts. One special man will be your husband. I see you combating the odds. You treat every guy like he might be your husband, and very few like brothers.”

Wow.

He was right. How many last names had I paired with my first – scripted in cursive on spirals over the years? How often had I allowed my emotions to run rampant and race the relationship across the threshold of healthy friendship?

I thanked Dad for his honesty, but chided him a bit for not offering this age-old advice just a decade or so earlier.

Though I had not yet learned the discipline of treasuring platonic friendships, I had spent my whole life enthusiastically enjoying the company of my three younger brothers. My brothers had always provided the purest source of camaraderie. They would poke fun at me relentlessly, be brutally honest, and then unconditionally committed. They told me they love me… and their kind words, quality time and acts of service lead me to believe them.

Today, 20 years into my relationship with my husband, I see even more clearly the wisdom my Dad shared that day. He was right. Only one man has my heart, but several have my back, so to speak. I thank God for the brothers in my family. And I thank Him for brothers in the faith – these men who are friends of my husband, husbands of my friends, partners in ministry, and worthy opponents in the occasional bout of “Words with Friends”.

How rich an existence with access to such provision and protection!

My husband, Philip, is a loving brother to many. He is a good listener and “king of the side hug”. He has rescued stranded motorists, fixed cars in parking lots … he even removed a snake from a mini-van once! He treats others like he wants to be treated.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.  James 1:27

I am not a widow or an orphan, but my dad has been in heaven for 18 years and my husband is sometimes called away to work for weeks at a time. Dads cannot be replaced, but the void of their affection and care can be lessened by a sensitive word or a kind gesture from a Godly man.

I had a pastor, once, who spurred me on and encouraged me just like my dad had always done. “You have a great sense of comedic timing … you should definitely write more.”

One Father’s Day, I sang a solo in church, and an older, portly gentleman, put his arm snugly around my shoulders and tearfully shared what a blessing my song had been and surmised how much my father would have enjoyed it.

Once, while Philip was away, we had a storm blow through that ripped a hole in part of our roof. Philip’s best friend was over at our house immediately, climbing onto the roof and patching it the best he could in the rainy darkness.

Another time my boys – who were preschoolers at the time- were missing their nightly rough-housing with their dad. They had become so rowdy, I could hardly stand it. I took them to the church playground to let off some steam. Our pastor and his family were there also. He purposefully and repetitively threw my boys into piles of leaves and wrestled with them against a mountain of gravel until they were squealing and panting – good and worn. In total relief, I whispered to his wife, “I just can’t rough-house like a Dad can.”

There is an older man in our church who often stops me to look me in the eye and say, “I sure love who you are.” as though he were delivering a message straight from my dad.

My dad appreciated me – no matter the dress I wore or the boy I liked. And he left me a legacy of love and a powerful truth – flowing straight from the Heavenly Father’s will: brotherly kindness.

I want my sons – like so many other Godly men in my life – to be highly skilled at brotherhood. Statistically, every girl on the planet will need them to be her brother. Only one will ultimately be his wife. Godly brotherhood – “unstained by the world” – is a life skill and a relational calling. Men should prepare to serve and protect; and learn how to step in and provide. This is true religion and pure love.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.  1 Peter 1:22

Print this entry

TumblrStumbleUponDiggDeliciousFacebookTwitterPinterestShare
Filed Under: Faith, Family & Friends Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

You are not alone…

February 16, 2011 By
MP900227501

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.      2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“I’m not the first mother to lose a child and I won’t be the last.”

These words said to me, by one of my best friends just a few days after her 18month old son was buried.

I had flown in to the States from Peru, where we were missionaries at the time, for a child’s funeral.  I arrived to a church body grieving and broken, asking deep questions of how a good God could allow such a senseless accident that would take his life, a life loved by a dear family walking closely with Him and serving faithfully in His work.  I must have had 50 conversations that week, all asking the same things.  And these were my own questions as well.  God…why???

But my friend, the child’s mother, while not the picture of stoicism at all, honestly spoke truth that has stayed with me even these several years later.  She was not the first mother to lose a child and she would not be the last, and while that in no way trivializes the trauma, it does speak to our tendency to think we are the only ones suffering a particular difficulty, tragedy, at a particular moment.  And the truth is, there is nothing new under the sun.  Everything that we have gone through or will go through, someone else in space and time has gone through as well and someone else will go through it in the future.  And that comforts me.

None of us live under the illusion that life this side of Heaven is, well..heavenly.  It is hard and frustrating and yes, even tragic at times.  But God, who never said we would not face trials, but instead tells us how to encounter them (James 1), also comforts us in our times of difficulty and tragedy.  He comforts us with His Spirit, and he comforts us, with…us- those of us who have walked that difficult and tragic path have the privilege of serving as comforters to those who are called to follow behind us.  And while we wish no one would have to endure anything so hard, we know that it will happen.  And so we wait, and keep ourselves available, seeking help for our own grief and struggle from those who have gone before us.

A year later, almost to the day, my mother called me in Peru.  My brother had died in his sleep. It was hard to hear, hard to walk, but my friend had already been walking the path of grief, so I knew that while it was a difficult road, it was doable with the grace and comfort given by God through his Spirit and His people.

A few months after that, when we had moved back to the states, my friend and I were walking and she was telling me how she has had several women who have lost children seek her out to talk with.  She told me, “This is not a ministry I would have asked for, but it is a ministry that I now have.”

Yes, my friend, and it is a ministry with which I myself have been graciously served.  And I love you for it.  Thank you.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Print this entry

TumblrStumbleUponDiggDeliciousFacebookTwitterPinterestShare
Filed Under: Front Porch Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment