"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your might."
Deuteronomy 6:5
For many years we discussed going into ministry, searched for opportunities, prayed for open (and closed) doors. We went on short term mission trips, sent Brodie to far off places, and sought direction from the Lord to immerse ourselves in full-time ministry vocationally.
All the while, our family grew and thus we absorbed unlimited discipleship ministry opportunities each day. Through adoption, the Lord gave us a lifelong ministry to invest in lives from countries across the globe on a small scale and individual level. Through homeschooling and parenting, He chisels our hearts and spends us on behalf of the lives in our home constantly. And ultimately it's become completely obvious, so God-ordained and we accept...the ministry we've sought is here (and has been all along). I laugh because we always had the sense that the ministry we would acquire would be "strangely familiar" and so it is.
The ministry is here.
It's true that the Lord used every outreach, every experience, every trip to elsewhere to align our hearts more with His. And, it's true that for years we thought we would end up living somewhere different. (Perhaps we still will eventually.) But, it's also very true that the Lord has led our hearts in unison with one another to realize that the season of now is deeply immersed in full-time ministry...right here. Our family, our adopted children, our marriage, and those we interact with IS the ministry we are called to right now and we love it.
It's true that the Lord used every outreach, every experience, every trip to elsewhere to align our hearts more with His. And, it's true that for years we thought we would end up living somewhere different. (Perhaps we still will eventually.) But, it's also very true that the Lord has led our hearts in unison with one another to realize that the season of now is deeply immersed in full-time ministry...right here. Our family, our adopted children, our marriage, and those we interact with IS the ministry we are called to right now and we love it.
The ministry is here.
Shepherding 11 little hearts and caring biblically for one another as spouses, leading our young Godward, evangelizing, training, discipling, disciplining, training, loving, and investing in these lives is our ministry right here, right now and we're in.
The ministry is here. It is.
Shepherding 11 little hearts and caring biblically for one another as spouses, leading our young Godward, evangelizing, training, discipling, disciplining, training, loving, and investing in these lives is our ministry right here, right now and we're in.
The ministry is here. It is.
And if we're to do it well we have much to consider, so we do...thoughtfully, prayerfully, daily. Ministry takes time. Ministry requires sacrifice. Ministry needs vision and follow-through from highly committed participants. Ministry demands much from it's leadership. Ministry logistics should be intentionally considered so that it is as fruitful as possible. Ministry must align with the Word of God as it's plumb line to be sure it stays the course. Most importantly, ministry should honor God and seek to glorify Him in every aspect.
Yes, our ministry is here.
Though not vocationally, it is very much here full-time, embedded in all of life for this season intensely and then beyond
as our children have children. We love this ministry opportunity we've been given! We love this ministry right here!
Lord, thank you for the ministry of parenthood and family. Thank you for confirming where you've called us. Thank you for the many souls you've entrusted to us and all the joys and challenges that come along with "us". Please help us, lead us, guide our steps.
Please use us, spend us, create through our efforts and hold us close when we feel weak or even persecuted because of our calling.
Equip us, Lord we pray, with confidence in only YOU and what YOU can do through the meager empty vessels that we are.
as our children have children. We love this ministry opportunity we've been given! We love this ministry right here!
Lord, thank you for the ministry of parenthood and family. Thank you for confirming where you've called us. Thank you for the many souls you've entrusted to us and all the joys and challenges that come along with "us". Please help us, lead us, guide our steps.
Please use us, spend us, create through our efforts and hold us close when we feel weak or even persecuted because of our calling.
Equip us, Lord we pray, with confidence in only YOU and what YOU can do through the meager empty vessels that we are.
Lord, thank you for this ministry right here.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Deuteronomy 6:5-7
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Deuteronomy 6:5-7
