What a Friend

I have this friend who is unlike any other. She has a birthday tomorrow and yesterday I considered writing a post all about her.

This friend has been such a blessing in my life I felt that you all needed at least a piece of her. The problem I encountered however, was my lack of ability to truly represent her before you. There is so much to be said about my friend, and I knew I could never share her with you in words alone. So I scratched the idea and decided to just enjoy her myself this weekend surrounded by thousands of women being washed in the Word together.

And then I stopped by Lisa-Jo's Five Minute Friday. And what do ya know… today's word- FRIEND. I'm working on hearing God's voice and knowing when He prompts. I think this was a prompting. Several promptings actually.

So, Five minutes writing all about my friend, Tresta- here goes-

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It all started when I was nineteen, newly married, and a confused, lost, lonely new mommy. By miraculous happenings, I went to church. It was a teeny tiny little body but the people who filled it had large hearts with wide open doors. And she was one of those people. I knew she had something I didn't. Something I needed.

Flash forward to months in Mexico and returning home with nowhere to live. We were 'missionaries' and God was calling us back. There she was again- welcoming us in like we were a part of her family. She never wavered in opening her heart and her home.

When I struggled to homeschool and knew I was incapable, she reeled me in, ministered to me and helped me minister to my children. She taught me to teach and she listened to my fears and doubts. She cried with me and prayed with me. She was a light that lit the way to the One who could really strengthen and guide me.

Today she is a mom, wife, friend, and disciple I look up to and praise God for. She's the kind of woman that you get to know intimately- to know the real behind the outside shell- and come to love more and more.

I don't get to see her enough, but I follow her written thoughts regularly and never cease to be blessed, encouraged, and challenged by her thoughts and convictions.

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That was five minutes, and I was right- I cannot do this friend justice with keyboard and simple words. I think she'd be okay with that though, because she's a simple girl herself and wouldn't want me to spend more than five minutes shining the spotlight on her. Please visit her at SharpPaynes.com and be filled!  

Lisa-Jo offers the challenge week after week: take a measly five minutes and write. No over thinking, no backtracking, no ‘wait, that’s not spiritual enough, and I can’t share that in cyber city’ mentality. Only writing. Writing for five minutes and risking the outcome. {and don’t forget to spend some time commenting on the post of the person who linked up just before you.}

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The Power of Relationship Part II

If you haven’t read The Power of Relationship Part I, go there now.

Yesterday I compared the electricity running through a city’s electrical lines to the power we find in relationships. Today I want to talk just a little more about these relationships and a thing called discipleship.

When we think of disciples, our minds automatically envision the twelve close followers of Jesus: Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Lebbaeus (also known as Thaddaeus), Simon, and last (and certainly least), Judas Iscariot. This word disciple appears 268 times in 252 verses in the King James Bible and is defined by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance as a learner or pupil. If we were to look at all 268 uses of this word however, we would see that Jesus had far more than twelve disciples. Luke 19:37 reveals a multitude of disciples rejoicing and praising God, and Acts 9:36 tells us Jesus’ disciples were not just men, but women, in this case Tabitha. Finally, in Matthew 28:19 Jesus commands His disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Conclusion- Jesus had many disciples and we are commanded to make more.

The fellowship I attend focuses heavily on discipleship locally and globally. One of our elders shared his passion regarding discipleship using the idea of a checker board and grains of rice. He explained that each square on the board represents one year and each grain of rice represents one individual. This individual

takes two other individuals, spends time fellowshipping together, praying together, teaching about developing a quiet time, and about sharing the faith. This process is called discipling. After about a year, each of these two individuals go and do likewise with two other individuals. If this process were to continue until all 64 squares were covered, you would have enough grains of rice to cover the entire state of Oregon 13 feet deep! In fact, he goes on to explain that by the 33^rd year (or square) you would exceed the number of people on the earth!

Do you see how much power there is in relationship? Do you see how effective discipleship is? Jesus left us with a command that is not only vital to the church but completely doable. If each of us takes the time to share our faith, our testimony, our time with two others, we have the potential to reach the world for Christ in less than 33 years! We have the ability to make a difference in our town, our state, our country, the world, and most importantly, the Kingdom of God. I would love to hear how you are discipling others and what your fellowship does to encourage  discipleship. Please share your vision with us. And if you need prayer in this area, as I certainly do, leave a comment and I will pray for you.

“Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, a foal of a

donkey.’” So the disciples went and did as

Jesus commanded them.

-Matthew 21:5-6

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The Power of Relationship Part I

Have you ever wondered just how much power runs through these lines? Sometimes when running, my brain begins dwelling on things that wouldn’t normally receive a second thought. After all, as long as I can turn on lights, blow-dry my hair, watch Food Network, and run the microwave, I’m good to go. Lately however, these darn little lines have been on my mind. And not just when I run anymore, but as I’m driving, walking into a store, even when I open my fridge and miraculously have cold food awaiting us. This whole power thing is pretty amazing really! So, back to my original question: have you ever wondered just how much power runs through these lines? Haha, I thought so!

If you do a little Googling, you will find that neighborhood street lines run about 330V of power through them.  You will also discover that under the right conditions a 9V battery could kill you. The whole death issue pretty much depends on something called amperes, or amps. Now, I’m no rocket scientist, but if a 9V batter has the potential to take human life, what will a 330V power line do? Well, power a city, that’s what! And this leads me to my rabbit trail because, when I consider these power lines, my brain somehow concludes that they work a lot like people. And not only people, but relationships.

God is all about relationship. He desires that we have a relationship with Him and with each other.  And these relationships must be person, to person, to person.

Relationships don’t happen on Sunday morning, in the Mega Church, or even meeting for a bible study once a week. Relationships are intimate, raw, and real. They are daily. Another word for these relationships is DISCIPLESHIP. When I think of Jesus’ relationship with His disciples, I imagine them walking for hours together, eating three meals a day together, praying daily together, healing people together, preaching the word together, even getting into a boat and fishing together. These guys did everything together! Their life was each other.

This is what relationships are. I think this is what God’s heart for His people is. After Jesus was crucified, resurrected, then raised into heaven, the result of these relationships began to manifest and in one day three thousand souls were added to God’s kingdom (Acts 2:41)! Talk about power! My mind envisions 330 volts charging through the electrical lines above my house, and I begin to get a little freaked out. As I consider the incomprehensible power of the Holy Spirit at work in relationships, I start feeling anxious and overwhelmed. This is some serious power.

Because we rely so heavily on electricity, the city takes great measures to assure nothing obstructs its path. However, disaster does strike, leaving our power poles and lines in a heaped mess. When this happens, thousands can be left with no power resulting in dangerous situations for hospitals, the elderly, and those with no other heat sources. Electricity is vital to our everyday life and sometimes we don’t even realize it until we are without.

Likewise, relationships are vital to our everyday life and we must take great measures to assure nothing comes between us and those we are to be in relationship with. We may need to cut something out of our busy schedule, or set an alarm everyday reminding us to make a phone call. And like the electricity in our homes, sometimes we don’t realize the power of a relationship until we are without. This is where I find myself today, and I am convicted that I need to take action and make changes in my relationships. However, I know relationships take work, and time, and sometimes they are downright inconvenient. Please pray for me, and if you are in a similar struggle, leave a comment so I can pray for you.

Stop by tomorrow for The Power of Relationship Part II.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

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A Little Goes a Long Way

These last few days I’ve been pondering the work of God and others in my life. As I reflect on my past; where I come from and where I am today, I am overwhelmingly thankful. I recall being a new wife and mom just out of high school, not knowing the first thing about cleaning, cooking, or caring for a family. I place no blame on my parents, this was a result of my own rebellion. The first time I attempted to mop resulted in floors soaked with an inch of soapy water and no clue what to do next. “How do I get all this water up?” You think it sounds funny, and maybe it does, but I was stumped, frustrated, and too embarrassed to

ask for help.  I simply refused to mop my floors again (for a while anyway). We lived on Hamburger Helper, Macaroni & Cheese, Top Ramen, and anything else I could instantly heat up without much trouble.  Can you believe I obtained a cooking job at the local restaurant? I think the Lord thought it time I learned this particular skill, and I suspect my husband agreed.

A few years later, I had two friends from church step into my life and teach me to not only cook, but to can! I became a canning freak for a few years (totally over it now).  Whenever I discover something NEW I am capable of doing, I kind of go overboard. Looking back, I am reminded of countless women God placed into my life as encouragers and teachers. These women saw things in me I could not see in myself. They spurred me on and supported me, bringing out gifts and abilities that otherwise may have remained dormant indefinitely. Because of these women, I gained confidence to teach others, move to a foreign country, home school my kids, mentor parents seeking to regain custody of their children, pursue a college degree, start a blog, and so much more. Where would I be without these women?! A little goes a long way!

Unfortunately, there have also been individuals in my life who have discouraged me, dampening my drive, and dissuading me in numerous areas. It’s amazing what power one individual has. It is astounding that one conversation, one sentence, one word, or simply one look can dishearten the soul. Why is it that numerous people can compliment you, encourage you, stir you up, and lift your spirit, and then one person comes along with that condescending comment and all previous encouragement immediately dissipates? What is it about discouragement that has so much power? A little goes a long way!

In Numbers chapter 13, Moses sends twelve spies to search out the land of Canaan; the land promised by God. Moses persuades them to “be of good courage” (vs 20). However, upon returning, ten of the twelve give the Israelites a bad report (vs 32), discouraging with tales of strong, fortified cities, and inhabitants as large as giants. And then there’s good ole Caleb and Joshua. Oh how I adore these two. The lone spies who took God for His word and spoke truth and encouragement to His chosen children, proclaiming “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it” (vs 30) and “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us” (14:8). The verses immediately following reveal all too well the power of discouragement as the people spoke of stoning Joshua and Caleb, until the Lord Himself intervened.

Are you an encourager? Are you a discourager? Do you have brothers and sisters in your life that have supported you, cheered you on, or truly sought to advance and promote you in God’s kingdom? Or are you constantly burdened by disheartening individuals and discouraging words? A little goes a long way! A little encouragement will guide a friend straight into their destined promised land. A little discouragement will stop one in their tracks, causing even the strongest of soldiers to fall as a corpse in the wilderness. Be an encourager! A little goes a long way!

But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

-Hebrews 3:13

There is a Friend who Sticks closer than a Brother

 Upon arriving at the gym this morning, my cousin and I slowly forced ourselves onto the elliptical. We did our customary 5 minute warm-up and, rather than our usual routine, decided to stay on the machine longer.  As time S-L-O-W-L-Y crept by, we would think of something, anything to talk about that would expedite this whole ordeal.  We eventually got into a groove and at times weren’t even aware of the slow tick of the minute hand. Don’t get me wrong, there were moments she would say, “If you weren’t here I would be getting off this thing” and I couldn’t have agreed more! Regardless, because we were able to push and encourage each other, we stayed on that machine for a full thirty minutes. No, we were no Jillian, getting in each other’s faces yelling and cursing (Jillian never would have accepted a meager 30 minutes); most of the time we didn’t motivate each other with words at all. We were simply two likeminded women with similar goals who were there for each other.  Neither wanted to be the one to admit exhaustion; neither wanted to let the other down, both wanted desperately to reach that 30 minute mark. And we did, triumphantly!

As we walk, or jog, or run (heck sometimes we even have to crawl) through this life we call the Christian walk, I have experienced firsthand how important having likeminded friends and sisters are. There are times I want nothing more than to sit in my little house with my little family and be left alone because that is where I am most comfortable.  And, sadly there are seasons I do just that. However, the times I force myself to take that step, to have coffee with a friend, or get away for a weekend with a group of ladies, or commit to a weekly bible study, are some of my most encouraging stages in life.  These are the moments I am pressed, challenged, and motivated to push on in areas I never would on my own.

I am thankful God has given me my cousin for this season of life and that we hold each other accountable to simply put those tennis shoes on and get moving. I am thankful for the many likeminded sisters that spur me on to good works, encouraging me sometimes without a word, but simply by their presence. A dear sister recently posted on her blog regarding loving her children the way God desires; the way she desires. She concluded with the realization that she can accomplish this daily by simply praying for them. I was so encouraged by that!  So often I feel disappointment and regret with my lack of parenting skills, but this is something I can do daily! This is a way I can show and act out my unconditional love for them. This sister doesn’t even know it, but she spurred me on and encouraged me as a mother that day.

When I get a glimpse at where I once sat, and where I stand today, I thank God for the sisters that have held my hand and, when necessary, made me put my big girl panties on! We’ve laughed together and cried together; we’ve had times that were exhaustingly difficult and raw. I thank God for every moment and anticipate many more! Do you have one or more of these sisters?  Please share!  I would love to hear your stories of how God has moved in your life and brought you where you are today J

As iron sharpens iron,
So a [wo]man sharpens the countenance of [her] friend.

~Proverbs 27:17