TEARS OF JOY

“SOME SOW AND SOME REAP”

( *Names are changed to protect the privacy of others.)

“I planted, Apollas watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”  (I Corinthians 3:6-7)

We arrived at this beautiful native resort called “Beehive”,overlooking one of the gorgeous Bohol Beach Coastlines of the Philippines, where the conference that Jim would be speaking at was being held. As I awoke the next morning I remembered that our room had a balcony. It overlooked the clear water before us with its blue and green colors.

The sea sat still, resembling as a picture of my feelings of peace and quietness before the Lord. So many good memories of our days in the Philippines rumbled my brain in thankfulness to God. This moment allowed us the opportunity to come back here again after so many years. We had lived on this same island for thirteen years.

Later that day we soaked up the moment and memories thanking the Lord. Some delicious mixed fresh fruit, like sweet mangoes, papayas, bananas and others greeted us for our breakfast. Nothing like fresh tropical fruit!

Then we proceeded to our first meeting session. As we walked in, Melinda*, my aerobic exercise coach from 17 years earlier, stood leading in worship along with a whole worship team.

When we lived and served on this island, I had joined Melinda’s* exercise class with one other friend whom had just become a follower of Christ at that time. We decided to take this class so that the two of us could work not only on our health, have time together as friends to grow in God but also so I could teach my friend Sharon* how to share her new found faith. I love making friends and connecting them with others but especially introducing them to my best friend Jesus Christ.

During our year with Melinda*, our team also used her place for a children’s ballet recital. Our kids along with neighborhood children had a ballet class at her place. The last day of the class, we invited the parents and friends to come to see an “end of the year” performance. We wanted our own kids to have as normal a life away from the States as possible, since this was our home now. We didn’t want them to feel like they were missing out on anything if we ever went back to the US for any reason. We wanted to use anything we could to build relationships with the community too. We were thankful for Melinda* to let us use her place to host this event.

Melinda* and her husband had not met Jesus personally when we left some 17 years ago. We had grown a great friendship relationship with them. We went out to eat, went to movies, invited them to Bible Study party events etc. We would often have great conversations centered on spiritual things but they weren’t ready to enter a Bible Study group themselves before we left.

As we were leaving the Philippines to come back to the States for good, after 13 years, we introduced them to our other co-workers to continue the friendship. Eventually they did join a Bible Study and soon became followers of Jesus. Today she stood up leading in Worship. Wow! A flood of memories came rushing back from our days on Bohol.

The minute I saw Melinda*, my heart leaped with Joy. I didn’t know she had become a follower of Jesus, through our c0-worker’s Bible Studies so to see her up front leading us in songs to Jesus it brought tears of joy to my heart in praise to the Lord. To hold my tears back I immediately went to the rear of the room to be with Jim. The Lord said, in my mind, you should just go over there and share it with her.

As I approached her after the worship time was over, I hugged her and expressed my delight to the Lord and the reasons for my tears. She hugged back and we wept together. It was a God moment indeed, in celebration to Him for what He had done in the lives of two people, hers and mine, many years ago until now.

After a few moments of this she looked at me and said, “It was you Sterling that planted the 1st seeds of Christ in my heart when you asked me a question at exercise class, do you remember?”

No!” “What?

You said, Do you realize the words of your music you play each day in class? Or Do you pick the music for the beat?

At that moment I remembered asking her that question but forgot the rest of the story. However, not for long because she proceeded to tell me what happened next. In asking her this question my hope was to find out where her heart was for spiritual things and then have a point of entry later for a conversation that might lead to things of God.

She said:

Sterling, after you asked me that question, I went home, listened and realized all was on sex and lust. It got me to thinking about my life and God. It was soon after that I joined the Bible Study and came to know Jesus as my personal Savior.

We both gave glory to God….

The apostle John says,

that there isn’t any greater joy than to see my children growing. (I John)

I can relate to the apostle John again on that day after seeing Melinda*. There are many Sterling’s, Co-Workers and Melinda’s out there, some plant, some water  but God gets the glory. So don’t lose heart!  God doesn’t miss a beat and uses all.  Loving, being present in listening to people, and asking good questions to draw out what is in people’s hearts, the Holy Spirit can use even when we don’t know it. Keep looking to Him as your author and finisher of your faith, as you go toward people and serve others well. May you point them to your best friend Jesus.  

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: What thoughts stirr within you as you read this story? Can you expound them? How are you connecting to people to make the place you are serving home and share Jesus? How are you walking alongside of others? Please share any comments.

From One Pilgrim to another together on the journey,

“Consider how you may spur one another on towards love and good deeds….. encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

“ Intentionally journeying alongside women in order to encourage them to see God in their story, moving them closer to Jesus, and to discover their place in God’s Kingdom”

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2017

May it be the best Christmas and Year Ever

                                       

Our Family would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas from our Home to yours!!!!

May it be the best Christmas and Year Ever

!

Whatever your life’s journey or wherever you find yourself this Christmas, remember God love’s you so much He came down as a baby. Jesus, lived, grew in wisdom and stature, died for your sins, and rose from the dead, so that you might have life and life more abundant, eternal life. He was tempted in every way as you are but without sin. (Hebrew 4:15) May He encourage your heart and help you remember what’s important even when things may not be as you expected or would like. You are blessed to be a blessing. 

Our Christmas’ have changed since my husband and I’s first one together 37 years ago, but one thread has been a constant for us, to seek to emulate Christ to others around us. For example let me share three thoughts: Patience, Lowering our Expectations, and Memories with Extended Family.  A free gift at the end. (more…)

I DON’T LIKE TENNIS!

We Plan But God Directs

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

When you were young was there a sport or hobby, or a skill you were made to participate in or develop that you didn’t like? Or something you were working hard on but it didn’t turn out the way you felt it should have, wasting all of your time?    

When I was young, tennis was something my grandmother and aunt played and desired for me. It was the known game of the “elite” (those with more financial means, usually those with power and influence or privilege). I didn’t consider myself “those people”. I thought, to be “one” of them meant you weren’t friendly to others less fortunate than you.

But because I loved and was taught to respect my grandmother I took the tennis lessons she paid for. I learned the basics of tennis but never really developed my form. Oh how my grandmother would be smiling today if she were to see me. Presently, Jim and I play several times a week. I’ve come a long way since those formative years. (more…)

THE BABY SHOWER

Teaming up with God

     I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 

(I Corinthians 3:6)

Indie, horrified that she gave birth to a Down Syndrome baby girl, now carried the burden of what people might say about her. On our island, generally the Filipino’s believe if a baby is different in any way it is because the sins of the parents have been passed down to the child. Many parts of the world believe this too.   

So when their little girl was born with Down Syndrome, people seemed to talk in the community. They said it was because of Indie’s sins, that God was angry and was passing judgment on her and her family. She was now being ostracized by her own culture.

How would one move in, team up with God and share Christ and His love in this context?  (more…)

DOES LIVING OUT THE GOSPEL BRING TENSION?

2 things I practiced in Crossing Cultures

Mark 4:26-28a:  “He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—…(NIV)   

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As a disciple of Jesus I am His witness, a mission worker, a church planter, a mother of four, a wife and later a grandmother. I have had to learn to live out the Gospel in all these areas which often causes tension. I also have had to learn to live in another culture all at the same time.

How about you? Do you experience tension living out the Gospel in the many roles God has assigned you?    

While still in college, Jim and I married when I was 21. As we were raising support to serve overseas, one of our co-workers asked me:

“What do you have to offer the Filipino’s: what skills or talents do you have, Sterling?  What are your passions?”

“UHHHHH, I like people, I love Jesus, I can teach them to type?”  (At that time there weren’t laptops). “I have a minor in Secretarial! So I know how to type,” I responded sheepishly.

“Can you sing or play the piano?” he asked.“Uhhh!  No!”  I said. This really bothered me. Just what could I offer the Filipino people?

Before I married Jim, I thought I couldn’t be a good pastor’s wife because I couldn’t sing or play the piano.

In response, God gave me I Thessalonians 5:24, “Faithful is he that calls you, that will also do it.” I then dedicated my life to serving God full-time, and was later called to missions.  

After arriving in the Philippines, we asked ourselves: “How do we penetrate the soil in order to share the seeds of Christ, the Gospel, and have it bear fruit?” In the meantime, I found out I was pregnant with our first child, thus adding “mother” to the list of what I was called to be..

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