Searching?...

"May all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you." ~Psalm 40:36a

I am not sure all what was taught this last week since I missed the sermon being downstairs with the kiddos, but I think part of the idea was the question "do you have the desire for a relationship with God?" Well, do you? Do you search for him? Seek him? Long for him? I hope and pray you do. The benefits of searching for him are so numerous, resulting in finding the prize- a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Today as I read the verse up above I began pondering my desire and search for a relationship with God. What I have came up with is that in my walk with God, each path you take is different. Confessing now that at different times I am searching for Him more than others. There have been times when I have gone months without reading the Bible and other times when I can barely put it down. I have also seen this same pattern in others around me. I assume that we all have our moments of searching to no end for God and other moments of kicking up our feet saying we are tired and we will search tomorrow. Do you also notice the difference in how you handle the world around you in those 2 different situations? When you are searching and find yourself close to Him, isn't it true that really nothing can take your joy away? No matter how bad things seem to be falling and crashing around you, you are filled with joy and gladness because of Him. And then also isn't it true that when have decided that you are to tired to search at that moment, those same troubles seem to hit you harder and you find yourself in a joyless and lost state?

So what to do? To tell you the truth I am not sure of the answer but, I do believe it all goes back to the balance of VU VI VO (vision up, vision in, vision out). When you find yourself in a place that you can't smile and the joy is gone out of your life, something is out of kilter. You are unbalanced in your walk with God. Examine your life and ask yourself, have I stopped searching for God? Have I been to tired to try? If you find yourself in that spot don't delay in asking for help. Isn't that what your church family is for, to help you start that walk again. We are holding out our hands to help you stand back up and encourage you to continue your search. There is also another side of this for us as the family of Christ, we need to be more aware of our brothers and sisters and having more boldness to start encouraging those who have stopped searching to grab the hand we are holding out and grasp the strength from Jesus, he so freely gives, to continue that search.

Love Steph

From Cold To Hot...

The weather around here is crazy sometimes. Last night milking was 20 degrees warmer than the night before, which was wonderful. This got me thinking about how this is similar to our life with or without Jesus. Without Jesus we are wandering and lost in a endless cold land of death. No matter how many layers of clothing you put on, the cold still seeps into your body and ultimately brings death. However, this can change in an instant. Accepting Jesus in your heart, is accepting the eternal warmth, the fire of the Holy Spirit into your life that can never be extinguished giving you power over death. Giving you eternal life. "So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. "~ Romans 5:21

How awesome is that. Thank you Jesus, is all I can say.

However, just like a wood burning fire you need to feed that flame to let it grow and become more effective in warming you up from the cold. Yes, you could always have a small flame to just get you by, but don't you just crave more? Don't you want a stronger relationship with Christ? That is how you build your fire and keep it burning strong. You fan the flames and feed the fire. Dig into the word, pray, listen, and live out who Jesus is in you. "This is why I remind you to fan into the flames the spiritual gift God gave you..." ~ 2 Timothy 1:6 If you stop and come to a point when you look around and find that fire is not keeping you as warm and life around you is all cold. Fall to Him, and lay it all out and redirect yourself to start feeding that fire again. And you will find that even when the cold surrounds you, it can cannot penetrate Jesus.

Love Steph

The power of testimony

    As Zach was teaching today on Luke 1 and the differences between the responses of Zechariah and Mary when confronted with Gabriel who bore a prophetic message for them, the words in verse 1:36 leapt off the page and began swirling around in my mind.  Both Zechariah and Mary received a prophecy about something that for each of them was equally impossible by earthly standards, a barren woman becoming pregnant and a virgin becoming pregnant.  Both Zechariah and Mary had questions about these impossible tasks with one difference.  While Zechariah asked for proof of what Gabriel had told him,  verse 36 tells us that Gabriel told Mary of Elizabeth’s miracle, her impossible pregnancy.  When Mary is asked to respond to her prophecy of another impossible pregnancy, she responds with “let it be done to me according to your word.”  These were huge words of extreme faith from one so young.

     Could some of the reason for Mary’s response of faith have been a result of the testimony of what God had already done for Elizabeth?  Mary didn’t need to ask for proof because she had just heard about Elizabeth’s miracle.  John was called to be a forerunner of Jesus, to prepare the way for Him.  Could his ministry have started while still in the womb, as a testimony of God’s ability to do the impossible, to a scared young girl who was being asked to be part of an impossible assignment?  How different might her answer have been had she not had the testimony of Elizabeth’s miracle?  

     As I was pondering on these questions, I could feel God impressing on me the importance of our testimonies and the power that these testimonies have to not only strengthen our faith as we retell them but to strengthen the faith of others who may be facing similar challenges, questioning whether this is actually from God, and wondering how to respond to the impossible thing that He is asking of them.  How blessed are those who have had a forerunner that has gone before them to break the ground and prepare the way for the impossibilities of God to become a possibility that we can accept with the swift, calm assurance of Mary.  

     We have all heard the stories of the Biblical heroes of faith, Abraham, Noah, Ruth, Esther, Joshua, Paul, the list goes on.  Do we really view these people as living, breathing people who were asked to do impossible things by God or are they just stories in a book?  How much more powerful is it when we hear stories of God’s prophecy, His promises, His provision from people we sit beside in church every Sunday, work with during the week, or who visit in our homes?  What if we actually started believing that God is still speaking and performing miracles in and for His children?  What if we started taking God at His word, expecting Him to show up, to answer our prayers in ways that are beyond our comprehension or imagination?  What if we actually began to be open and transparent about our stories and how God met us where we were, touched us with His love and grace, transformed us into victors instead of victims?  What if we viewed our testimonies as the miraculous touches of God they are and began telling others about what He has done for us and wants to do for them? 

        It is my prayer this Christmas season that we will all begin to look and act like forerunners, people who are preparing a way for others to find Jesus, by saying Yes to God when He asks of us the impossible and then walking in faith until it is accomplished.  My mind is reeling with the possibilities of unleashing the God of the impossible on this hurting and lost world...What if????

Merry Christmas 

Lori

Give Thanks

Yesterday afternoon Zach and I were able to sneak away for an afternoon just the two of us.  We stopped into Starbucks and got to use a gift card which someone from Hillside so generously gave to us a couple weeks ago.  We were chatting and watching the rain come down.  I looked up and saw a gentleman, arm in arm, with his wife who is blind, walking with a stick.  Starbucks was full of Christmas decorations, the lights on the trees were twinkling outside, and my heart stopped for a moment as I watched these two come inside. The thing that struck me was that she had the biggest smile on her face and yet, all she can do is hear, taste & touch.  I was enjoying watching Zach, whom I adore and could watch for hours.  I could see the Christmas decor, I could see the people breezing past, I could see the clouds, I could see my coffee and I could see her smile.  My heart instantly filled with extreme thankfulness.  When everything shakes out, we really have nothing to complain about.  Sure things don't go our way, sure we have bills to pay, sure we have to work hard & harder than others at times, sure we didn't get good sleep, etc. But we have life.  Life abundance.  Life from Jesus which produces joy in our hearts and love overflowing.  My hope this week is to keep in perspective this lady and what she misses out on each day, but the joy she carried even without sight.  I hope if a stranger sees me walk past, that the look on my face shows of God's love and thankfuless...  Let's GIVE THANKS...

Love,
Cammie

A Lesson For All...

My wife, Cindy, and daughter, Stephanie, had a shopping day this last week.  My grandsons stayed home with their daddy and hung out on the farm with me.  As they were leaving, Maxson says, "Bye mommy and grandma."  Aiden then looks up and starts running towards the car with both arms up, crying big tears, saying "don't leave me mommy."So Rick goes and picks him up and brings him back.  Here then the lesson begins.  Maxson puts both hands on Aiden's shoulders and looks into his crying face and tells him " don't worry Aiden, mommy will come back, she always does."  Aiden still was having a hard time so I asked him, "do you need daddy to give you a four wheeler ride?"  "Yes, daddy, four wheeler ride," was his answer.  After daddy, Maxson and Aiden had their ride the day was a sucess for us all.

Like 3 year old Maxson knew his mommy was coming back because his mommy told him so, we must remember our heavenly Father will be coming back because He also told us so.  And let us not forget every now and then everyone needs a four wheeler ride or a little help.  It may be a family member, church member, co-worker, or friend but be ready and willing to give that ride if and when they need it.  I did not do this for a family member and everyday it bothers me.  So, please if you need a ride, call us here on the farm and Cindy, Rick, Stephanie, Matthew, Abbie, and myself are ready and willing to help you get that four wheeler ride. 

What a friend we have in Jesus
Jack
503-961-5542

Love the Lord your God

A couple weeks ago at Bible study we were reading through the Bible (of course). :-) We read a part of Deuteronomy which I love and hadn’t read for awhile… a long while actually.


Deuteronomy 6:5-9

5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

I am so thankful for our girls and feel blessed to get to shepherd them through life. What a great scripture to learn from and use as a guide. I pray, as parents at Hillside, we all continue to impress truth upon our children, talking with them always about Jesus, in the mornings, throughout our days and into the nights. May our homes be filled with His light and love.

Choose you this day whom ye will serve…

But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

Blessings to each of you,

Cammie

When Troubles Come Your Way...

This week at church I was talking to a very wise women (thanks Julie :-)) about her experience with sorrowful and troubled times. We also talked about her joyful times and how they go hand in hand together. In her mind they can't be separated. (It is so true how we really don't have one without the other.) A few years back she had sat in with a group of ladies and was heart broken in how they viewed life. They all felt that they couldn't wait for better/more joyful times and were tired of living with troubles. I guess it depends on how you look at your troubles. You can take it as just a icky, horrible point in your life and wish for happier times or you can take your troubles and see the joy or growth that comes from God by living through them and actually live those happier times. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." ~ James 1:2-4 Talking about this and thinking this all through made me think of this book I read to our boys called "The Person I Marry" by the same author, Gary Bower, of the book called "There is a Party in Heaven." Both are great, adorable books. Anyways, here is the quote that had me thinking:

All days won't be sunny; and during the rain,

my partner and I will be slow to complain.

We'll stick together the way that we vowed

no matter how dark and looming the cloud.

We'll look on the bright side. All hope isn't gone.

Our Lord just decided to water our lawn.

In loosing our little one last year we learned so much from God and how true His word is. I have probably spoke about this before but here is another reminder, how we can have joy in our troubles. Rick and I know this to be true, we experienced it first hand. We could have just looked at our whole situation as a sorrowful pit that we couldn't get out of (the heart break sure hurt enough) like the ladies only seeing their problems. But instead letting God into our lives and letting Him guide us and be there for us, we were able to find His joy, a joy that comes from growing in Him. If you look at your troubles as a horrible storm or rainy days, it is like having a garden or lawn, without the rain or water your garden or lawn would die and would not grow. I believe that our walk as Christian follows the same pattern. If we didn't have these troubles how would we ever grow and learn more about our loving God. Rick and I both agree, if we had never experienced loosing a child and going through a miscarriage we definitely would not have as deep of a relationship with our Lord, as we do now. We trust Him and have faith that He will guide us with that overflowing joy and peace in our hearts. "We are strong enough" with God, to have the endurance to go through the troubles of living in this world because of sin, with joy and needing nothing else but God and the love of Jesus. That is my prayer for myself and for you as my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Love Steph