Church Pressure

During His ministry, Jesus held a particular posture towards those He taught and discipled.
By posture, I mean His spiritual position, His methods of teaching and His heart toward
those that He discipled and taught.

His authority was one of a definitive nature as His teachings presented a final solution of
absolute truth. He was the embodiment of the fruits of the Spirit. The manifestation
of the heart of God.

As He walked in the authority given to Him by His Father, He mentored and befriended
those around Him. He was a leader. He was a servant.  His relationships were based on
love, trust, and honesty. His motives were to disciple men to bring them to the truth.
He taught to equip them to accomplish the purposes of the Kingdom, the will of the
Father, not His own.
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A recent conversation with a young friend has again brought a serious concern and
question to the forefront. Her frustration  and confusion were evident as she shared
her experience. The local church was applying pressure and expressing their
expectations toward her family.

My friend is not a shirker, a drafter, or lazy. She and her husband are in agreement
that for this season, God would have her focus her efforts on her family and women
who need encouragement in their roles as wives and mothers.

As we are in conversations with pastors, evangelists and friends, this concern seems
to be a prevalent, common cord throughout the body of Christ.


Here is the question. Is it appropriate, is it scriptural for church leadership to apply
pressure to people in their congregation? Should people in the church be pressured
for the purpose of bringing them to a place of commitment to service in the church?
After doing some research, I came to understand that the word pressure can
sometimes be interchanged with abuse.

I have put off approaching this subject for a considerable amount of time. It is not
my wish to sow seeds of contention or to stir up strife but to bring an awareness.

Our family was very involved in and supportive of a church for many years. We felt
the Lord leading us into a new season. A new season of ministry as well as of rest.
The leadership was not supportive of the ministry or of the rest that we needed.
It was a very traumatic time for our family. We sought the support of a Christian
counselor. There was a lot of confusion and battling with guilt. After many months
of being unable to come to an understanding with the leadership, we were encouraged
by the counselor to leave our place of fellowship. With much sadness and prayer,
we resigned.

I considered expounding on the meaning of pressure. I decided against it. Allowing
others to ponder their own circumstances and come to their own conclusions is
often more enlightening.

How much control does your church leadership try to exert in your life?
(This is not the same as submitting to your spiritual authorities.)

If you have a question, comment or opinion on this topic, please feel free to share.
Your input is valuable to us.
If you would like to send us an e-mail, we would love to hear from you. 

(In the near future, I will be sharing some signs of a healthy church relationship.)

Our Friendship Tea

Plant a seed of friendship;
 reap a bouquet of happiness.
 Lois L. Kaufman





When you have wonderful friends, you want to give of yourself to serve,

 bless and encourage them. The Bible teaches us to practice hospitality.

This isn't difficult for our family; we feel it is our privilege and

honor to share what God has so graciously given to us.

And we just love people. Serving others brings us so much joy.

So to honor some of our friends and rejoice in the relationship

that God has given us, my girls and I hosted a friendship tea.

It was a blessing to see them apply some of their gifts to create

beautiful designs for the decorations. They were excited to use their baking

skills to make something special

for their friends. Combining the work and the fun of preparation is

part of the blessing. There is a golden thread that is

 woven into our relationships

 as we put our hearts and hands together to

work for a common purpose.

We'd like to share some photos of the wonderful time we had.

A banner that speaks of love, friendship and family.

Such a joyful little flower!

                                                      

A table ready to receive our guests.

 A beautiful spring tulip.

The accompanist.

                                                                                        

                                                   Sweet voices singing                                                 

 How Deep the Father's Love For Us

Cucumber and chicken salad sandwiches with pecans, apple and thyme.

The fruit kabobs were graciously contributed by a friend.

Aren't they lovely?

They were delicious!

Heart shaped scones~

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.

His love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

Everyone is served.

My girls and I~

My sweet girls~

Enjoying one another around the table.

 We wanted to share a craft. It was decided that felt bags

with appliques would be fun, fairly quick and useful. Each one chose

two colors of felt. Cookie cutters were used to create the appliques.

There were several themes to choose from. 

The running stitch, blanket stitch and whip stitch

were demonstrated to allow each one to choose the finished look

 that they wanted to creat for their bag. It was a lot of fun while

 learning a new skill as well!

********************

The time that we spent with our friends that afternoon

will always be cherished.  It was a delight and blessing

 to be in such special company and to share encouraging words.

 We enjoyed this quiet afternoon of sweet fellowship

around worship, simple foods and working with our hands.

All Nature Declares the Glory of God~

All Nature Declares the Glory

of God ~

I'm sure it seems strange to some of you that I would be

posting photos of snow. This was my experience. It is part of the charm and beauty

of living at 7500 feet in the mountains of Arizona.

Last week, on May 10th, we had freezing temperatures.

We were blessed.. yes blessed,

with 4 inches of snow in the surrounding mountains.

*********************

The drive was one of the most beautiful that I had ever remembered.

I slowed my speed.

Each side of the road was lined

with Spruce and Fir stretching toward the sky.

The needles of each branch laden

 with frosty white. It seemed as if God had embraced my world with

His pristine touch.

The forest was perfectly silent accept for the

wildlife that was stirring; An elk ran across the road.

It stopped only for a moment

to gather it's feet for one graceful bound over a fence.

Snowy powder was blowing from the trees in clouds of white.

My heart was overflowing with gratitude and praise.

 I was engaged in His goodness. In awe of His creation.

Overtaken.

I wanted to stay in that place.. where His

presence was gentle yet so all-encompassing.

 I drove out of the snow and back to reality.

Training Children~Following Through

As a parent, I have spent a whole lot of time reading books, observing and seeking God
about the details of the subject. I have learned so much from others and from my
own mistakes. Considering and evaluating the heart and delivery of my parenting is
a daily practice.


Being a parent is a wonderful blessing and privilege; there is so much joy packed
into a day with my children. AND there's a bundle of challenges as well.


Building good habits into their lives takes a lot work; It is not easy. But it is worth
the effort. The results will be a blessing to them and those whose lives they touch.


One of the most important ways we can help our children is by following through
with the actions that were framed by our words.


Being consistent can make the difference between a happy child or one that is very
insecure. When we back up what we say, our children learn that there are boundaries and
that the boundaries are meant to be observed and respected. Children with firmly and
lovingly held boundaries feel protected and valued.


We model integrity and instill trust in the hearts of our children when we follow
through. They may not appreciate the actions taken but they are learning that there is
strength of character in one who does not shirk their responsibilities; That person
is someone they can depend upon.


When children know what to expect from their parents, there is little confusion.
There is a lot less turmoil and conflict in hearts, relationships and homes when
boundaries are clearly established. Children who understand that, we as parents,
will be sure to follow through, will more quickly comply with family guidelines.

Sometimes it's difficult to know where our weaknesses are. Here are some symptoms
of a home where the follow through is most likely weak.

*Children try to negotiate rules
*They talk back when given instructions
*Obedience is the exception, not the rule
*Parent's frustration levels are high
*Frustration seems normal
*Nagging is used to motivate
*There is bitterness in relationships
*The heart of the home does not seem healthy

Do you feel that you have not been consistent in this area? If so, regroup as a family.
Use this opportunity to display humility to your children. Work with your children in
re-establishing rules. Remember, we can't expect our children to whip into shape
if we have not been faithful to establish boundaries.


Accept God's grace. Forgive yourself and move on. Ask your spouse to help you.
We all need help and accountability.

Enjoy your children. They are a blessing. Keep positive, remembering that God is
for you and He will help you to succeed. We all have areas to grow in.


If you have a victory or struggle, that you would like to share, please do.

When "School" Isn't Working~

This past month of school has been somewhat of a mystery. The smooth running days seem
to have disappeared. The heart motivation has retreated to a place unknown. Eagerness
to get it right has faded into a distant look.

We have been living and loving this lifestyle, this conviction, for years. This pilgrimage was birthed out of love for our children and concern for the foundations of their faith

                                                         pil·grim·age (plgr-mj)

n.

1. A journey to a sacred place.

2. A long journey or search, especially one of exalted purpose or moral significance.

intr.v. pil·grim·aged, pil·grim·ag·ing, pil·grim·ag·es

To go on a pilgrimage.

We find ourselves praying for wisdom and direction; We can't see the way clear.

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What happens when "school" isn't working? When the facts, like a butterfly, linger
only for a moment and the mind seems to be as saturated as the seashore when the
waves spill back into the sea?

It's time to revisit the purpose and the plan. You see, in our hearts and minds, sometimes
intent gets buried in the mentality of getting through the seen thing. The things we see
not the things that God sees. We have to work extra hard at staying focused on what lasts
forever; the Treasures of Heaven.

The purpose is to teach our children, disciple them, and pour, pour, pour into them the
good things, the GOD things.. the truth of His Word. Deuteronomy 6 tells us when to
do this and how to do this. By teaching all the time and being living examples throughout
our daily routines. All things must lead to Him. The Way, The Truth and The Life.


The plan is to allow God to reveal how He weaves everything together in His Master
plan. We want His plan of love, abundance, mercy and compassion to be flowing from
hearts of gratitude and obedience.


If we are demanding our way, our children are not seeing God and we have elevated
our desires above His commands.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another. Ephesian 4:32

What learning looks like and what the end result is, is not always within our understanding
to determine. (Though we have a responsibility to educate our children.) Letting go of pre-
conceived ideas and allowing God to transform our minds and hearts is an ongoing process.
But we do know that He should be in heart of it all.


God has created everyone of our children in His image. He has a plan for their life
and He is extending His grace and helping us to trust Him in that. His Word says that
He orders their steps. Psalm 37:23



We don't always know what is best for our children and how to direct them; But we know
the One who does. And as we grow in trusting in His divine plan for their lives, we
will give them more opportunity to schedule their time.

They need the opportunity to seek God for the answers to their questions.
Big and small.

Time to explore the wonders of life's curiosities.

We listen to them as they share their dreams and passions. We are supportive and
do our best to help provide the resources that will enable them to accomplish what
is in their hearts. God does this for us as well. (Nehemiah had a vision to rebuild the wall
and God was His source for all that He needed.)


We never stop asking for His wisdom to illuminate our path.

God's ways are bursting with life; Whatever we allow Him to touch will
be full of that life as well. That includes the way we teach.

As we seek The Teacher, He will be faithful to enable us to see through His eyes.
His plan and purpose will be made clear.

He will be faithful to enable us to be fruitful in every good work (teaching and
training our children is definitely a good work) as we grow in the knowledge of Him.
Colossians 1:10