What Do They See?

Our actions truly speak louder than our words.  Brennan Manning once said that "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle."  As believers, we're called to live above reproach.  The Lord instructs us in Ephesians 4 "to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."   Then in 1 Peter 2 we're reminded to "Keep our behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation."  My heart is grievous over the continual actions of Christians that live outside of Scripture.  While this doesn't mean we won't sin, because we will, our day to day walk should follow the humility of Christ, showing growth and change, as we become more and more like Him.

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."  Ephesians 5:2

I'm reminded of a story that I read about a missionary in India. This missionary was holding a bible study in her home to non believing Indians. At one point, one of the non believers got up in the middle of the study and left the room only to return later. At the end of the study, the missionary asked this woman why she left and then returned. Her reply was that as she was listening to the gospel, she was wondering if this missionary really lived as she preached. So she got up and went to speak to the maid that was employed by the missionary. A maid is the lowliest of the lowly in that country and typically the most mistreated. When the maid had nothing but praise towards the treatment she received by her employer, the missionary, the woman returned. She told the missionary that when she heard the words of the maid, she returned to the study, as she wanted to hear more about “this Jesus” that was being talked about. This woman did not just preach the Gospel, she lived her life in such a way as to be His light.

As followers of Christ, we need to ask the Lord for a teachable heart, a heart that is transparent and humble, a heart that can be transformed into the image of Christ as we continue to study the Word of God and seek to become more like Him.  But when we ask for that transformation, we need to expect that the Lord will provide opportunities for us to exercise what we've asked Him for.   I'm so thankful for the Spirit of God that abides within me, knowing that where I'm weak, He's strong, because in my own strength I'd be incapable of walking in His footsteps.

 

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Walking in Obedience - Growing in Faith

Our walk with Christ is a journey.  Ultimately it's all for His glory, but we also reap what He's sowing in us - if we choose to walk in obedience to Him.  The Lord constantly gives us opportunity to respond in obedience - we always have a choice, but there are consequences for not heeding to His perfect will.  He's the One who is molding us to His image and I cannot think of another that I'd rather be more like than Him.

As we're planning for our overseas departure to take place in August - only five months away, we're also waiting for His provision in order for our plans to succeed.  It's always interesting to walk by faith and not by sight, but we've had some practice over the years as Wesley's self-employed and I stay at home to raise and school our children.  God has given us the opportunity to see His hand of provision in the most miraculous and unexpected ways as well as perfect timing.  It's not been easy, but it's been well worth the growth.

The Lord has brought to mind two examples of His provision from Scripture as a reminder to us that while we're waiting, we're also to walk in obedience to Him, trusting Him as Jehovah Jireh once again.  While the funds we need to get us to East Asia may seem like an intimidating amount, nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). 

The first story comes from 1 Kings 17.  This story came to me twice in a matter of a few days - first from a friend who taught from this Scripture on a recent mission trip and then a couple of days later in my quiet time while reading through the Old Testament.  It tells the story of how the widow and her young son were desperate for food, as a drought had occurred in the land.  The prophet Elijah comes to her as she's gathering sticks asking her for a drink of water and a piece of bread.  All the widow has is a handful of flour and a little oil - just enough for her and her son, but not enough for them to live for very long.  Elijah tells her to go home and bake the bread, but first to bake him a small bread cake, "For thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.'"  The woman chose to believe Elijah's word from the Lord.  She responded in obedience and in faith and was rewarded for her response.

The second story came this morning during our devotion with our children.  We just began the book of Matthew.  Chapter 4 tells the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.  At the end of His 40 days and nights of fasting, Jesus is weak when Satan comes to tempt Him.  Though Satan attempted to use Christ's physical weakness to his advantage, Christ stood firm in obedience to the Lord using Scripture - God's powerful word - to His defend Himself.  After the devil left, the Lord provided angels to minister to Christ.

The Lord has given us amazing peace that He's not only called us, but that He's going to provide in ways we cannot even imagine.  These two recent passages were just reminders of His faithfulness as we step out in faith and obedience.  Sometimes He provides for us in ways that go beyond our narrow definitions and expectations.  Faith is the step between promise and assurance and, sometimes, miracles seem so out of reach for our feeble faith.  But every miracle, large or small, begins with an act of obedience.  God's provision is not given in order for us to rest upon it, but in order for our faith to grow as we learn to constantly depend on Him.

Our Story

For those of you who've known us for a while, we hope you've seen many changes in our lives which have been prompted by our love for our Lord.  If you've only known us for the past four or five years, you may not know much about Wesley and Kimberly's past lives.  Sounds a little mystical and scary at the same time.

We suppose most would consider us fairly "simple" people and that's just fine.  We hope that you see beyond our "simplicity" and actually SEE God working in our lives to transform our ENTIRE family into HIS image.  We desire for people to see Jesus in us.  Even if you've just had a brief encounter with us, we pray that somehow, you're able to see Christ living in us.

But this was not always so.  While we're not going to go into many details, we want you to understand a little about how our God entered our lives, transformed us instantly; and yet, we find that He DAILY desires to sanctify us and transform us more and more into the people He desires us to be.  It's all for His glory that "we have been set free from sin, and become slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:18)

So, back up a few years and look at a young couple striving for the "American Dream."  Nice house, nice vehicles, Kimberly with an excellent career, nice restaraunts, nice clothes, the list goes on and on.  We were certainly living for self.  Can we say "materialistic" and "self focused."

By the world's standards, we had it made.  Yet, we were both striving for things that brought only temporary satisfaction.  A good old country boy married to a city girl.  A man who loved the outdoors and sweated anxiously if in the mall for 10 minutes.  A man who didn't know how to "communicate" as a husband and just wanted his time in the woods or on the lake.  A man with a history of drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse.  A man who didn't really know or even care if God existed.  A woman who, though brought up in a Christian home, became involved in the occult.  A woman who thought climbing the corporate ladder was an added notch in her ultra feminist mind.  A woman who tried to find her security by attaining beautiful things and accomplishment.  A woman who loved all the American life had to offer.  The marriage struggled, the man withdrew and the woman became an emotional wreck. 

Enter God (though we can look back and see His hand ALL throughout our lives).  Kimberly became pregnant with Hannah and was on partial bed rest.  Oh, how the Spirit worked.  It's amazing how He works - like a sudden light in the midst of darkness.  Kimberly began to attend church with her girls and she began to pray for her husband who was antagonistic to the Gospel.  The Lord made it clear that she could not serve two masters, so she took steps to gather all occult materials, even secular books and music that would hinder her walk with her Lord.

Soon after Kimberly's conversion, Wesley became convicted of his life apart from Christ and his need for a Savior.  Again, we see the blinders removed to see Christ clearly for the first time and a transformation take place.  Think of Saul's conversion in Acts (though not quite so extreme).  Soon after, as Wesley began to seek and serve God, he was released from the bondage of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.

And God renewed the marriage.  As we began to study and hunger after the things of God, He transformed our thoughts and our ways.  Jehovah in His infinite kindness and mercy saw fit to take two people with tons of baggage on the road to destruction and turn them into His vessels for His glory.  There are no words to express our gratitude for the Sacrifice He's made for us.  How can we not follow in obedience to Him!

The testimony of our salvation isn't the end of our testimony, it's only the beginning.  We could tell you how the Lord brought Kimberly home from a promising career (she's the one with the degree), to live by faith on a much lower single income.  How the Lord has taught us to be more frugal and better stewards of what He's given us to help make every penny stretch.  We're living testimonies to His great Hand of Providence in more ways than we can count.  If we hadn't stepped out in faith, we would never have seen Him work the miracles He's performed before our very eyes.

And continually, we find that the Lord is moving us to "step out in faith" to trust Him more, to let Him take control of our lives - constant transformation, i.e. sanctification.  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

As mentioned earlier, our testimony continues.  We pray we'll always be able to look back and testify that God once again brought us closer to Him, as we seed to follow hard after Him.  "If you then have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."  Colossians 3:1-3 

Welcome to our our first blog!

While reading blogs is not a new thing for us, posting and maintaing is another story.  As time permits, we will attempt to keep our friends and family appised of what's happening with our progress toward moving overseas.  Due to the secure nature of our location, we will be guarded in what we say and how it is said on this public site.  However, we may share what the Lord is teaching us, which is something that never stops, along with the strides in progess we make toward the vision which the Lord has given our family.

Thank you for taking the time to follow our journey, for praying for us and for encouraging us.  We pray that somehow you will be blessed of the Lord as you join together with our family through "Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles (Central Asians), for His name's sake."  Romans 1:5

Bondservants of Christ Jesus,
The Pages