The Name

Another bus ride on Africa time. One hour.  Which could mean anything but ended up to be over three riding through the hustling city of Kampala, Uganda, the city of Bombo Town, and eventually into the rural countryside and inward to the tucked away village where Ekubo Ministries lies.  Our mission team with Visiting Orphans was split into smaller groups to be the most effective for this unique ministry passionately spreading the gospel and showing Jesus to the people through various avenues of community development.  My team first followed one of the directors on a home visit and interestingly enough I was cut loose in the African bush with a machete! We were taking landscaping to a whole new level as we cleared bush around the borrowed house a Ugandan woman and her son lived in.  We gave her some food, prayed with her, hugged her tight, and listened to her burst out an almost tribal sounding shrill of joy for our visit, she was more of a blessing to my soul than we could have possibly been to her, seeing her joy and praise in the midst of her poverty and dire circumstance; I'm thinking:

 "Lord I'm beginning to see a light in all this non-stop extreme poverty I've been swimming in."  It's just not about the stuff, the comfort, even the knowing where your food is coming from. It is solely just about you Jesus...Teach me more.

He did. We walked the trail back through the corn fields and grasses until we reached the ministry site again.  Not sure what our next assignment was we stood around waiting for direction in the middle of school going on for many children, women making baskets and jewelry and witnessing a line of maybe 150 people or more waiting to be seen at the clinic.  The clinic. To my knowledge consisted of a nurse from America that had been there 6 days and another that had been there a few weeks, and a few of our team members with a medical background.  While waiting for further instruction a team member came up and said"Please start praying,we have some really sick kids."

We did.

On the red dusty path in the middle of the village. Asked Jesus to come and heal the sick kids.  Soon the nurse said to our group I need more hands.  Before I knew it as kids were being triaged by severity of fever, a little boy with a fever of 103+ was sitting in my lap. There was no medication, no bed to lay him on, no cold wash cloths for his hot skin.  I quickly removed my t-shirt thanking God I had dressed in layers that day and dunked it in the water bucket next to me I began calmly wiping his hot black skin and praying in my soul just the name, Jesus.  His name more; of an SOS cry and plead for myself not to fall apart, and a crisis 911 to the Almighty to intervene because this "Unskilled, unschooled, ordinary" team of people were sinking. Someone gave the little pumpkin on my lap a syringe of a water/sugar/salt/ solution and I just continued to wipe his skin and say The Name.  It's funny looking back because I was saying Jesus name and thinking all at the same time...Why didn't we bring our supplies today, where is the Ibuprofen, these kids need IV's, antibiotics, everything that I'm used to having when rocking my own sick babies in America..A comfortable rocking chair, the remote, the first nurse on speed dial, my mom's advice, Popsicles, ice packs, rotating Ibuprofen and Tylenol. A clinic in an actual building with a Dr. who would fill out a paper,which would be your ticket to get a pill that would alleviate the illness, and send you on your way. There was none of that there.  The only thing I had was my soaking t-shirt and Jesus name. I was doubting, because at home I could fix and finagle kids fevers along with a little help from my friends. How was this ever going to work out for these kids? Fear entertained my thoughts and  I began to think, "Some of these little ones aren't going to make it"...There were fevers of 105+.  I continued to say The Name...Jesus.  And I began to realize that is all I had and that it was going to have to be enough.  So I began to not just say it in my soul but to speak it in a quite whisper as I laid my hand on the little boys bald head and continued to wipe his fevered body calmly and soothingly as the Holy Spirit began to flow out of my soul.  I just wiped his skin and said Jesus name and someone came around and gave him another syringe.  His fever broke and he was placed on the other side of the yard under a shade treat where kids had been triaged with fevers under 103.  Now beside me were four kids laying on a borrowed sheet on the ground not moving.  Their skin was obnoxiously hot to the touch. One little girl who appeared to be about 10 years old and hideously thin yet adoringly beautiful with her black bald head and little pinafore school uniform was the sickest. Her eyes were mostly closed but would sometimes come half way open and roll back into her head.  Little bubbles came up to her lips and formed around the corners of her mouth and ever so slightly but quickly her body trembled.  Flies swarmed around her feet due to the open wounds and jiggers that had imbedded themselves under her skin.  Another team member sat at her feet and covered them. I sat at her head and did what I had done for the little boy.  Spoke the name of Jesus over and over, believing it this time.  I lovingly and gently wiped her heated shriveled skin and prayed.  I knew Jesus was there. He was thick and undeniable and I prayed to The One who had seen all of this little girls days' before one of them ever came to be.

We were soon told to move the kids to a shadier area where it would be a little cooler. I was not fond of thinking about moving her and a friend helped to move her stiff body to the shadier spot. Laying there her little heart raced attempting to fight off the infection desperate to have her.  I wiped and prayed and waited for Jesus to come and heal this girl weather by life or by death; I knew he would.

 What seemed to be forever, sitting in the middle of this chaotically- messy- beautiful gospel being lived was only around 20-30 minutes.  Soon the little girl opened her eyes and sat up! She began speaking her native tongue which I did not understand. I tried to hold a cup up to her mouth to give her a drink but she shook her head no! A translator came over and said, "She's asking to go behind the house," which means she had to go to the bathroom!  Quickly we began to help her up a little too late, behind the house turned into all over the missionaries; we didn't care.  She was awake and speaking! What a miracle.  We cleaned her up the best we could and her teacher took her to get some lunch! That was it Jesus had healed his child.  And not just her but all of the little ones on the borrowed sheet. And just in time the rain clouds rolled in and the crowd of waiting mamas and their babies cleared back into the bush.  I was in shock; a joyful shock.  I had witnessed God heal hearts over time, people through surgeries, medicine, I've experienced a little of the unexplainable but I had never seen it like this. Jesus supernatural power of healing came down and touched the sick at Ekubo ministries that day.  Little did I know that morning when I woke up what a divine appointment to witness the unlimited power of Jesus name I had.  Jesus didn't need me but he did choose me to use my hands as His hands as I wiped the hot black shriveled skin. All I did was show up.  That is the kind of Jesus I serve.  The creator of the world who does it so marvelously on his own, yet chooses limited humans to fulfill his divine plans, gives us his Spirit without limit, and demands us to Go into all of His world and preach this powerful live giving Gospel promising that He will be with us even to the end of the age.

At Her Doorstep

I've seen her before on the enlarged screens at the front of the sanctuary where she has been documented well amongst intentionally thought out graphics while an inspiring song plays in the background to tug on my heart. I've seen her before when the postman delivered her in my mailbox amidst the bills and credit card offers, asking me to respond to her extreme need. I've seen her before as I sip my morning coffee, where a traveling journalist has eloquently captured her in words in a magazine on how she lives on less than two dollars a day. I've seen her before on the screen of my laptop where someone has posted her picture to Facebook with a quote or a bible verse underneath her picture and I glance at her there as I scroll down my news feed. I've seen her before many times in many different ways; the face of the little girl living in extreme poverty. But I had never seen her this way. Today when I saw her it was different.

I was at her doorstep.

There we were this precious girl living in extreme poverty and me along with 31 other muzungus (white people). I stood there in my comfortable brand name tennis shoes that contoured my feet well for the uneven terrain of red bumpy soil we had walked to find her home. She stood there barefooted. I stood there in my clothing choice of the day to best suite what I had been prepared for by guides and trip coordinators to be most comfortable for the walk. She stood there with a tattered dress that I guess used to be an off white color but now more closely resembled the same hues as the dirt under my feet; one button was missing on a side of the little jumper so the strap of it hung off her shoulder. I've seen her before and my heart felt drawn in a distance sense of the word to feel love for her but today standing there at her door it became so different. It was close because she was given a name Vanessa. And she was given a story. Her life of 6 years consisted of her father dying of AIDS and her mother Dora who was also HIV+, left with four children to care for. Her three other siblings had been sent out of the village and into the city because her mother had become week and could no longer parent them all. Vanessa had been chosen to stay for she was the strongest so she could aid her mother in the care she needed. Her mother had recently become I'll and had to stay in the hospital, Pastor Samuel said Vanessa stayed there by her mother's side as he shared the short but wrenching story of Vanessa's short life. We gave her mother a bag of beans and flour. A team member prayed for Vanessa and her mother. As we began to depart we hugged their thin bodies. Vanessa held out her hand and I took her sweet little hand in mine, pulled her into an embrace, and squeaked out the words Jesus loves you before I walked away. Walking away was the hardest part. When this was all at a distance I could click to another site when it became to overwhelming, turn off the TV, put down the paper, throw the request in the trash never to bee seen again. At a distance the big screen in the sanctuary would eventually take her face out of view and replace it with the sermon outline. But now here in the village outside of Kampala, Uganda, I could not turn away. It was everywhere I had been for the past few days and everywhere I would be over the course of two weeks. I felt so small as one woman engulfed in the specific physical poverty Vanessa lives through every moment of every day. To be honest I felt really angry. "God why am I here for moments of this precious child's life dropping off food that will be gone tomorrow?" I not only felt helpless in being unable to forever relieve Vanessa's material and physical poverty, I felt the poverty of my humanity a small woman with a small impact in the midst of great need that I can't even get my head around. "Why did you bring me to Vanessa's doorstep today God?" I asked this question continually as we walked through the slums of the village that day. My heart swelled with the overwhelming sense of burden and smallness and the poverty of my humanity. As my spirit continued to ask the question, the Lord began to speak to my soul. "I sent you to the doorstep of Vanessa's home today, but I arrived at the doorstep of Her heart long ago. I allowed you to touch the softness of her precious little hand, I created that precious hand. I allowed you to hear the heartbreak of her life story, I died for the heartbreak of her life story. I made her and you as I wanted you to be strong and filled with purpose and value and agenda for my kingdom's sake. The smallness and helplessness you felt as you left her doorstep is where you life and hers know no difference. Two small fragile daughters of mine with limited human abilities who I fill daily with My Spirit which gives without limit, created by a Father who will redeem all that is broken within His children and restore all of creation back to the right state I created it. Child do not fear for I came to Vanessa's doorstep and knocked before you did, just as I came to yours. And just as I have not left of forsaken you nor will I ever leave her. Remember your darkest night falling asleep alone and you felt me hold you close? I also hold Vanessa close. So child smile the same way Vanessa did as you left her doorstep today and allow my light to beam forth out of you."

We need your Help...

Dear Friends & Family,

We hope this finds you well and enjoying the beautiful spring season!  We are writing to tell about a calling the Lord has placed in our lives. 

Recently, I have been taken on a journey with the Lord through the bible, prayer and study about what it means to be a disciple.  One truth I am being taught is to Go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). I used to think that was a verse only for missionaries in full time service; now realizing it includes me.  The second truth that God has pressed into my heart is James 1:27 “True religion that God our Father accepts is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”  I have not arrived and am just scratching the surface of discipleship. It’s exciting, freeing, yet very difficult and messy. With that said, I am heading to Africa in June with a group; Visiting Orphans.  We will visit the countries of Uganda, a land beginning to rebuild from war left with 2 million orphans and an HIV crisis, and Ethiopia, a land filled with an estimated 4.6 million orphans some living in the city dump in Korah.  We will be working with different ministries that are involved in relief of critical needs and rehabilitation of long term development in care of orphans and the communities they live in; from feeding programs, education, health care, community development and most importantly teaching the word of God and living out the gospel message of Jesus Christ. 

During trip preparations, my son Collin began to ask to go. My initial reaction was; that’s impossible, we can’t afford that, I just don’t see a way.  His heart did not withdraw from the position God was giving him.  Last week it all clicked when I heard a speaker who through a Divine experience is now called to encourage others to make their dream come true.  The speaker challenged the audience to think of one person to build into helping them accomplish their dream.  Collin immediately came to mind.  I went home and asked him if he had a dream for his life what would it be?  He without hesitation replied, “I would buy the old abandoned resort in Jamaica we saw when we were at the orphanage this winter and turn it into a place where parents could come when they are adopting kids and where mission teams could stay so there is more room for kids to live.”  This shocked me; his usual response would be a sporty car, a faster snowmobile, or a recreational toy.  I knew that this was not “His dream,” but a dream that had been planted in him.  His heart is open to missions now and in the future. This has not come easy; he is prone to desiring stuff and having the creature comforts of America just like the rest of us.  Collin’s reasons for going to Africa in his words, “I love working with kids and I really want to learn from the African people how to live without the love of things and stuff.”

This calling is bigger than we can handle on our own and we need your help.  We are asking you to cheerfully give and be part of this mission.

 

Ways 2 Donate:

Financially: Donate to Collin’s cost of the trip ($3900.00)

Resources: Help us stuff our suitcases with vitamins, over the counter medicines, baby formula, cloth diapers, and other supplies we will take over as the ministries inform us of their needs.

Prayer:  For the whole team (33 Americans) and all that the Lord will accomplish. For people to come to know Jesus as Savior, safe travels, provision of financial needs, spiritual, emotional and physical strength, and for God to do what man is incapable of doing; more than we could dream, hope or imagine. More than anything that Jesus Christ be glorified!

How to donate:

1.      MAIL: 2453 220^th Street Blairsburg, IA 50034.
2.      ON-LINE: www.visitingorphans.org  click on the donate tab and follow instructions (Fund category is Ethiopia/ Uganda June 21-July 4), specify the team member, (Collin Foose).
3.      RESOURCES: purchase items and drop off at Whoop-Ti-Doos or our home.
4.      STUFF: We are planning a garage sale if you have gently used items to donate we will come pick them up! (In WC area)

Questions on Donating:

Joy Fopma: 515-720-7766

Collin Foose: 515-720-3164

Address: Home: 2453 220^th Street, Blairsburg, 50034   Whoop-Ti-Doos: 626 2^nd Street, Webster City, 50595 

E-mail: whooptidoos@gmail.com

Contact us on Facebook!

More Info on the Mission:

Ekubo ministries: http://www.ekuboministries.org/

Canaan Children’s Home: http://www.canaanchildrenshome.org/

Amazima Ministries (Katie Davis, Kisses From Katie): http://amazima.org/

Return Ministries: http://www.returnministriesuganda.org/

Project 61: http://www.sixtyfeet.org/

Thanks for taking the time to read this letter! Blessings on you!

To Make Much of Him,

Joy (Fopma) and Collin (Foose)

I'm Doomsday Prepping...

OK, I have to admit it the National Geographic programmers drew me in hook, line, and sinker…My boys and I have watched quite a few episodes of the reality TV show…Doomsday Preppers.  My husband has even walked through the room and become intrigued.  Basically it showcases various individuals or families across America that are preparing themselves for the end of the world and /or economic breakdown in our country that makes The Great Depression look like a vacation.  They have stock piles of dehydrated foods, large gardens, basements, cellars and even secret hidden storage units filled with canned goods, medicines, and of course ammunition and weapons of self-defense. Some have built their homes in the wilderness secluding themselves from the outside world and the coming chaos, while others live in apartments across from the capital in Washington to keep abreast on the latest developments.  Families have emergency plans and practice them on a consistent basis for keeping the family safe and secluded when the time comes. Children are taught survival methods in the wilderness and many have wardrobes of camouflage to hide from the enemies that will come in and steal their plunder. Much time is spent in their prepping; one woman even stated that she spends upwards of four hours each day preparing herself.  Many have spent any and all extra funds in stockpiling necessary supplies.  One couple has relocated and purchased an abandon underground missile sight that they live in.  An out of the box contractor has cashed in on doomsday prepping by drawing up a plan of building secure living communities that will in fact run like a town but secure from the chaos and unfolding of the Armageddon events outside their walls.  He is drawing in the wealthy and elite to his idea. As I view the different scenarios of real people living in real time my first reaction is to chuckle at their alarmist motives.  My second response is I really can’t disagree with the fact that our country is in a place where economic ruin is not a far of fantasy. But my question is this: What is the driving force behind doomsday prepping for these people?

Fear.

I read this quote today, “Fear is rooted in the desire to protect ourselves from judgment, pain, or suffering. Fear operates by getting people to put their attention on themselves.  It causes a person to focus on self-preservation and reject anything that threatens his or her self-interest.  Fear causes us to hide. Deny truth. Flee the presence of God. Fear will rob us of our destiny. The very walls you build up out of fear to protect yourself will be the very prison that ensnares you.” –Steve Foss

The people that have become obsessed with preserving themselves are living for a moment that may or may not ever happen in their life time.  Living the reality of their lives for a what if moment or period of time. Fear has deceived their perception.  Now every life moment they spend is perceived through the possible event of a coming chaos, of the powerful America ending. While the world and their lives go on.  Let’s say on best case scenario for them America’s power does crash.  Let’s say the book of revelation in the bible that reveals the end of the world as we know it comes to an end a season worse than the great depression occurs.  At best they will perhaps survive a bit longer than the unprepared…at best and for what?  In the end we will all draw a final breath and whatever doomsday prepping that had been done will not have an effect on the fact that we will all die. Will they look back and say I’m so glad we spent all of our time, energy, money and resources on the possibility of the end coming or will they look back with regret…If only I had truly lived instead of fearing the possibility of an imminent death?

Unless… (As one of my favorite authors, Dr.Seuss, would say...)  Unless, our doomsday prepping perhaps is drastically different from that which can be viewed in high definition before our eyes. 

 

In the Word of God, Jesus said this, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Matthew 6:19-21 

As I watched doomsday prepping it sparked a motivation in me. A call to action.  Not to just sit around and laugh, judge, or be complacent.  The Holy Spirit in me called me that I too also need to begin storing up.  Because there will be an ultimate end to America, the world as we know it, the earth itself. Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” God in his word states the end.  It’s not pretty when it comes, but produces something more beautiful than I can comprehend. I may or may not live to the end of the age, but there is one thing that is not in question one of two things will happen: either this world will die or I will and so will you. When one or the other comes into the reality of my breath, your breath where will our treasure be?  

No I don’t have stockpiles of food and ammunition in my basement, but what about my heart?  How many times have I, do I, operate out of fear and self-protection.  Have I hoarded and stockpiled things for myself in this life?  Things that I thought would better me?  Such as hiding from deep hurt, avoiding things too painful in my life and running to the next thing to console my bleeding heart.  I have realized that I have a pattern. I am a professional “runner” who sprints, flees, flies the coop when things get tuff. If you ask me flight or fight, I, with plane ticket in hand, bags packed and trip itinerary run to get to the plane that will send me out of miserly, conflict, sorrow, or pain in general. I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not a rare breed.  Sometimes our flight is a flee other times it’s a denial and an avoidance that leaves us living fake, half transparent and hiding.  Running in instances is a panic of “Get me a quick fix”. A gallon of ice cream. A long night of mixed drinks and “great” sex with a stranger.  A marathon slide of the credit card at the mall. A counselor, maybe many counselors until we get to the one that tells us what our aching ears want to hear…it’s OK...it’s not your fault…time will heal. (All of which can be helpful. But not when real pain should first be run to instead of run from) For some it’s constant something…exercise, work, laughter (just laugh it off), drinking, gambling, meth, busyness (God forbid that silence and stillness swallow us alive and reveal the pain we think we have conquered in the fast lane of our, “Hi, how are you?” life!) I have much junk “stored up in my heart” the very things that I thought would bring me freedom from the pain, bound me a captive and in prison more and more to it (pain), and the secondary addiction as well(name your kryptonite). Well then, here we are with this divinely uncomfortable revelation…what to do now?  It gets deeper. For me I realized why I run, avoid, flee.  For me it shows a lack of trust and an authority problem.  And that is sin. 

I am a sinner.  I was born that way. A rebel if you will.  I was so stubborn in the birth canal and refused to come out that placenta previa occurred and I came after! I was so unwilling to obey authority, at four years old after getting a spanking I would look my mom in the eyes as she fought back tears and say in a sing song voice with a little hip swing to go along with it, “Didn’t hurt mom!”  I was born with a main dish authority problem and a spiced up side of strong will to compliment it.  Thus you will not tell me what to do or how to do it and if you do I will buck you.  Thankfully, over the years I have come to some good realizations in my life such as laws are to be followed for our best interest, rules mostly have a good purpose, and there is a reason people are in authority…I learned this lesson best when I myself became a mom (who knew?!). Learning these things has been helpful but the one choice I made at 16 years of age changed everything.  That strong willed, stubborn girl had grown into a strong willed, stubborn teen who worked diligently at controlling her life and the people around her which caused a habit of perfection and people pleasing. This led to a very sick cycle of inward defeat.  When you live in a fallen world where things do not always turn out as planned and people do not always do as you hope; expectations are continually not met. This is overwhelming to the one working so hard to be the one who saves face for everyone.  My life was spinning out of control, but secretly I learned one thing I could control.  I developed an eating disorder. Bulimia. I could eat to my heart’s desire and then purge the food before it digested and not gain an ounce. I was in authority… until my secret was brought to light. I was admitted to a treatment hospital in Dallas, Texas called Jehovah Rapha (which means, our God who heals) it was there in the middle of that big city in a dark sanitized hospital room that I made a decision that would change everything.  After a day of saying good-bye to my family and being left behind locked steel doors with video cameras and a security system. After an afternoon of being stripped searched to make sure I had no weapons or drugs on my person to harm myself or others and my belongings thrown out onto the floor of my room where a nurse sorted through my things and took what could be a possible threat (razor for shaving, blow dryer, etc…) let’s say I came to the end of me.  My grandmother had given me a bible before I got on the plane.  In desperation that night I picked it up and said these words, “God if your real, I need to know it and I need you to show me and come in and save my life.” My bible fell open to this verse “Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”  -Proverbs 3:5,6. That was my moment of salvation; I gave up the authority and control I had worked so hard to protect. My heart filled with hurt and unmet expectations let go and it was filled with a Holy presence, a forgiving Savior, and a peace that surpasses my understanding.  I was instantly healed of my eating disorder and have never purged or starved myself since that day July 1, 1990. I love God.  I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.  My name is written in the Lamb’s book of life.  This is good treasure that I began storing up even at a young age where I didn’t know at the time the deeper unseen meaning of it all. My eternal destination changed that night from hell to heaven. Life since then has been far from perfect or easy.

I still have a lot to learn; a lot of sin to throw off that so easily entangles me.  And so I am throwing out this entangled sin in my heart that I have stored up.  I don’t like weeding. It’s such a chore.  But there is now beginning to be room for me to store up something else.   As the fear and self-protection are exposed in the heart, the Holy Spirit shines a debilitating dose of his light into our darkness that kills the weeds of addictions and self-preservation tactics. We are left naked, undone, open and bare.  Which if dealt with in the hands of a loving God; Perfect Love, replaces the empty space; all of it to overflowing.   I John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, Perfect Love casts out all fear.”  We are set free from the chains of fear and we come into deep repentance regarding our authority issue and face our deepest fear, The Living God.  Who casts out all fear with his perfect love.  Our biggest fear, submitting to God’s authority when done, diminishes all other fears.  We can then begin doomsday prepping like no other. Storing up in freedom...to love him and others with the perfect love he gives.  The message of self and the world is self-protection. The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is self-denial.  Having an others focus, an oozing joyful love that’s not based on circumstance or others attitudes, beliefs, or decisions.  We love much because we know we are a people who have been forgiven much.  Out of deep repentance comes deep reconciliation. Weather through life or death we can now make choices to bring glory to his name and look forward to the day we will stand in his presence with our stored up treasure that moth and rust could never destroy.  We have not been made perfect yet as it states in Philippians 3:12 “ Not that I have already obtained all of this or have been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of for me, brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 

What the world thought would be doomsday becomes the best day when the saved soul takes up residence in the perfection of eternity in Heaven with Jesus.  When the day comes to your life and you stand before the living God with nothing left uncovered what will your treasure look like?  Will you stand in regret with only things that moth and rust destroyed? Or will you stand with the deep unseen treasures of Heaven: Jesus, The Holy Spirit of the living God who worked his resurrection power through your heart and life with jewels of witness, giving, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, a laying down of your life for others? Times a wasting what are you prepping?

"Behold, I am coming soon and my reward is with Me and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." -Jesus Revelation 22:12

Bloom

It’s been through a lot.  Two and a half years ago a deep trench was dug around the foundation of our home. All livings things and systems were uprooted.  Dirt was then replaced back into the trench after the foundation had been tiled.  The soil was tampered and hard pressed to even the ground.  Next the landscaping tarp was laid over the dirt to prevent weeds and other non-wanted plants to grow in awkward unplanned places.  A brick border was laid around the foundation of the house. Finally, tons of rocks were hauled in and dumped over the landscaping tarp 5 inches thick. Even after all this upheaval, misplacement, and covering, the tulip still blooms.  For the past two springs it has pushed through the rock, tarp, and brick. It springs up through the ground where it receives sunlight, warmth, and rain.  It’s blooming now.  The wind gusts. The temperature drops.  Yet it remains alive; showing its beauty amongst the rock.  It blooms even though it looks unmistakably awkward and out of place.  Not only does it keep blooming, this golden sign of spring speaks to my soul.

It speaks about the kind of work God does with the heart of a human. When planted in the rich soil of his forgiveness and healing a blooming miracle occurs.  We are dug up out of our sin state and tossed out of the destruction path we were headed down. We are replanted or as the bible refers to “born again.” The world, Satan’s schemes, and our own selfish desires try to hard press, bury, and cover us with heavy burdens of shame, fear, doubt, worry, and defeat. The lies from the devil, the rude remarks from others, and our own self- doubt cover us with heavy rocks that seem insurmountable.  Yet with the help of the Holy Spirit inside; we grow. We push through the pressed dirt, the tarp covering, the brick, the rock, and we grow deep roots in the rich soil of our Savior’s love and desire for us.  Nothing can stop us from blooming. We must. We have to. We do.  Even in the most awkward of places, even in the most debilitating circumstances, even in the deepest places of brokenness we grow a bud that must burst into a bloom and come alive. Just like the misplaced tulip that rightly belongs in a garden amongst manicured landscapes planned out by a Master Gardener’s plan, we too are alien blooms splashing color on the dark backdrop of fallen life in this world.  But yet we bloom. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. -2 Corinthians 5:17

Where are you planted? Bloom There.

And Then It Gets Personal......

It was Friday afternoon. I was sitting in our office talking with my husband while forming our plans for the weekend and conversing about the day.  My phone rings. I wasn’t prepared for the conversation that would transpire over the next few minutes, so I was glad I was already sitting down.

If you have read my blog the Lord has been taking me on this uncharted journey; pulling me out of the American Dream lifestyle and planting me in the “Take up your cross daily and follow me,” one.  In that journey we have set plans in faith alone to coordinate a missions trip to an orphanage in Jamaica over the upcoming Christmas break (anyone interested there are still spots open…message me).  I first talked with the girls at Whooptidoos, the little eatery we run in town.  One of the girls was ecstatic and said yes I want to go and bring my kids.  Awesome!  

A little back story, this is a single mom with two kids.  She works a total of four jobs which are her sole means of income. She does not skip a beat as a mom and sacrificially gives her kids every opportunity she can. Not only that but she is a giver and the first one to step up when someone needs a hand.  She did not know financially how it would work out for her and her family but in faith she said yes.  Her enthusiasm did not waiver only grew in the coming weeks as I would get texts about her looking on the website and dreaming about the kids. Her son received $10.00 as a Valentine’s gift and he gave it to his mom to put in their fund.  She was beginning to rub off on everyone around her in such a great way including me who would tend to dream big about doing this and then be overwhelmed at all the details.  Each time I think this is way too big for me sure enough a text arrives in my inbox like “I’m planning a garage sale to raise money for our Jamaica trip!”  SWEET!

So the phone call on Friday was this hardworking- give- her -all single mom who had a story to tell.  She said, “Joy you’re not going to believe this I am in shock I can’t believe this just happened!”  She was fighting back tears and excitement and trying to be able to communicate between the emotion and elation of the good news she was about to share.  She proceeded to tell me that she had come to the conclusion that if they were going to be able to go on the mission trip to Jamaica she was going to have to take on another job, things were just getting tight and that was the only solution she could think of to fulfill her passion to go in December.  

Until….

She arrived home from work that afternoon to find a package waiting for her to open.  The contents of the package revealed two thousand dollars in cash from an anonymous soul!  Her next words with happy tears were, “We’re going to Jamaica, I don’t have to get another job!”

We reveled at the awesomeness of this very specifically personal miracle God had allowed to come into her life together in shock and awe and sheer delight!

With this woman’s permission I am compelled to share this delightful story of good news and great hope because on so many levels it speaks.

1)      Webster City, Iowa….The God of all creation is STILL very much alive and working in the heart beat of our community!  This is good news! Life is hard. Everything does not always work out as planned or the way we want, that is the reality of living life in a fallen world filled with sin. But there is hope.  When we step out in faith alone believing in someone bigger than our self, bigger than our abilities and resources that is when God can show himself in mighty ways to you, to me, to a mama who wants to give to others and be an example to her kids. There is a scripture verse that sums it up pretty well…”For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” -2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)

2)      When we give what we don’t have God provides.  Having the honor to watch this woman being willing to go and give when she herself has need reminded me of the parable Jesus told about the widow’s mite…” Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—only two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all." -Mark 12:41-44(MSG) It is easy for me to give things I no longer need or will not miss.  But when you ask me to give up something “I can’t live without” I squirm.  Have you ever stepped out giving of your time, resources, money or talents and it costs you something, something that you did not know how you would do without?  How did God provide?  Is God calling you to do that in your life now?  Maybe it’s giving up your fight of keeping God at a distance and surrendering to him realizing he is the Good King you need to rule your life in this really hard world.  Be like the widow and give your all, your everything. Life will not be perfect.  God is not a genie in a bottle that you can rub on as needed to get your wishes met.  He is however the best provider, sustainer, and fulfiller of dreams you will ever know…try him!

3)      GOD IS LOVE and he allows us meager humans to show his love. In so many ways this story shows God’s love.  The anonymous giver who generously out of love gave to a single mom looking for nothing in return and no recognition. The single mom who out of love can’t wait to get her hands dirty, roll up her sleeves, love on and care for little ones who do not have a mama that does that.  God’s love for me when I doubt that I can do great things for him. He by the means of others actions make a statement of “Follow me, I got this, you are not alone!”, and hopefully sends a love message of encouragement to you in your life where you are at right now that will strengthen your faith or encourage you to believe for the first time.

………LIFE IS HARD….GOD IS GOOD…ALL THE TIME…….

BTW HERE IS AN AWESOME VIDEO OF THOSE SWEET BABIES WE ARE GONNA LOVE ON!

www.robinsnestchildrenshome.org/

(click on this link and watch the you tube video)

Church

So there I was frustrated angry, hurt, and in those moments I allowed that spirit to fester…bitterness grabbed at my attitude, judgment desired to spew out of my lips as comparison danced its enticing salsa moves in my mind and defeat pressured my stance while I began to sit in the lies hoping to have me.  The church had done me wrong. I was enraged.  I was grieved.  The flesh and spirit fight battled in my body, heart, mind and soul, for days.  

What I heard.

“Look in.”

I heard the Lord say.  “Don’t look out look in.  Look inside you.  Be still child and look.  Because the church is you.  I live in you and I am building my kingdom through you.”

I am being called by the certainty of The Holy Spirit in me to this holy inward radically unnatural look during a time I would rather look at the specs in others eyes without giving thought to a plank in mine.  The message is everywhere inside me and everywhere I seem to turn.  I say yes, not because it’s going to do me any good -like make me a shinier vessel and get me a well done at the meet and great in heaven (although I eagerly await that day) I just say yes because, “King I love you!  I have chained myself to your gospel. I want to be a fool for you. I want my heart to be a home where you can live; I want to be like the poor who have found the true riches.  Jesus I just love you. You’re a Good King who is trustworthy every single time. 

So Jesus is softly speaking to my heart, “Look in…this is where the church is.”  As I look in, I see two things: 1) the disgusting wretchedness of my sinful and shameful ways.  I live my life a lot of the time as a spiritual sleepy head! Ugh!  And then I see the other part during this inward look.  2) The Spirit.  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me and continually makes me more and more like him as I fan into flame this gift of God.  Thank you God for your spirit that is like the full time butler to my ever needy withered human soul.  In ward I look while quieting my ever expressive soul and listen ….

“Child stop looking out and pointing fingers, thinking maliciously...No matter what is going on around you I need you to have a laser focus on me.  The fire is heating up around the world but I want to refine you and burn off in you all that is useless to my kingdom. I am making you more and more into the reflection of my son, Jesus.  My Spirit does live in you and for resurrection power to be yours, death must happen.  My word says if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray  and turn from their wicked ways then I will come to them and heal them.  Church, (insert name) humble yourself.  Where is your pride?  Where is your arrogance, where is your superiority to others including other believers .  Church when did you put levels at the foot of my cross?  Church when did you only enlist those who dressed like you or conformed to you?  Church, (Joy) get over yourself! Church what have you put before me?” 

(Lord personally speaking this is sick but I have put the dumbest things like mascara before you if I am going to be transparently honest, ice cream, getting my way, or God have mercy, the sound of my own voice during a worship song. Ugh! Thanks Jesus for loving and forgiving me.)

“Church humble yourself, repent, and turn from the wickedness of comfort, hoarding the gospel, hoarding your time, hoarding your talent, hoarding  your gifts, hoarding your treasure, get rid of this lifestyle even if you must sell everything you own to do so.  Turn away from addictions, habits, rituals, comfort, usual, and normal. Wake up . Turn! Roll over shut off the snooze button and get out of your bed arise my darling for there is a wedding to prepare for! The invitations have not all yet been received. I don’t need you but I want you. I desire to commune with you.  Will you stop sleeping and be with me? You are my bride, I am crazy about you, don’t miss our wedding day.  Will you rub the sleep out of your eyes and wake up from your hibernating state.  You filled yourself and fell asleep.  Sleep is good to an extent but the time for rest is over it is time to come out of hibernation and feel the hunger pains of a dry church needing my living water, my daily bread to fuel a divine fire of revival which I need you to GO! Get outside the built up walls.  Feed and rescue a dying going to hell world.  I am building my church. I am building you.  Stop being a spiritual zombie, reading my word as a ritual and checking it off your to do list. Allow it to sink in, change you, and share it with someone.”

As I here this message from the beautiful Church Builder constructing His church in me, I with a dry mouth, a cough and the smell of spiritual morning breath say, “Lord I’m in. Show me how “in” looks and what to do."

What to do?

I am learning that for right now it means feeling squeamishly uncomfortable most of the time, being willing to have awkward moments, making relationships with others I would have previously passed by…relationships, friendships… not projects, clients or prospective church memberships, just people that God wants me to love like I love myself. Myself does not want to not know about Jesus love and die  and live forever in hell so I get a little more willing to go and spend me on them because I could be them if it were not for the great mercy and love The Spirit prompted others to show me.  

 For right now it means forgiving authority in my life. 

For right now it means in humility putting myself out there with the transparency of this writing with my laser focus on Jesus and not my easy, what is everybody else going to think about it, excuse card. For now it means continuously being humbled and turning from my wicked ways so I become less and he becomes more.   

For now it means waiting on the Lord for logistics and connections that he will show me to bond with other believers who want to live on the Kingdom’s front line locally and globally. 

For now it means pleading with the generation that is in front of me to not drop the baton.  I need you.  If it were not for your faithful and consistent obedience to Jesus I would be a lost soul. Don’t stop now your purpose is not over. Take my hand don’t cross your arms at the style I am freest to worship in. For now it means I will stop viewing your hymn book as stuffy and irrelevant. Take my hand and pour your eternal wisdom into me that I can pour into the next generation.  Take my hand and show me how to be a Godlier woman; share your story with me. Take our hands as we are in the middle of raising the up and coming generation. You have done this. We need your wisdom, love, authenticity, transparency and guidance.  Thank you to those of you who have bought into the ministry of mentoring. Spread the fire and the blessing. For now this means I kneel, I weep, I roll up my sleeves, and I might even dress a little crazy sometimes for the ones coming after me. Oh Church they need us more than ever. 

For now it means looking at everything “I have” and realizing it was never mine.  For now it means giving more… stuff, money, time.  For now it means rethinking what is really a need and a want.

 For now it means admitting, I need your help I cannot do this alone.  For now it means offering help to my sisters and brothers in Christ…and any soul in need of a Savior, I’m awake if you need a hand. 

For now it means open hands unclenched to me, control, my way and instead turned up, lifted up to Jesus.

 For now it means not giving up hope on the Church in America. For now it does mean to not conform. For now it means being willing to be unpopular, disliked, and labeled a fool if necessary. For now it means believing I am the Church, you are the Church if you know Jesus. We are the church, his bride, and he is jealous for us. We need not give our love and devotion to another, for our coming King is enthralled with us. 

For now it means I say, I am sorry world looking in if I have given you the perception that I am better, have arrived, or know more…I’m not and I don’t. For now it means I say I’m sorry church has wronged you, it’s wronged me too but Jesus never has.

For now it means being OK with not being perfect yet and loving, serving, and serving others who have not been made perfect yet either but loving and serving anyway. For now it means having a sacred ache for home that doesn’t leave me discontented and home sick but drawn to action for my homeland of Heaven.

It’s been an imperfect look with fallen eyes that struggle and wrestle with the flesh. I get caught up in sweating the small stuff; I mean put me in a shopping mall and my eyes are enticed. The worldly stuff calls my name. I instinctively call out, “Yes oh bedazzled blue jeans!”  Lately though, put me in a shopping mall and I feel miraculously out of place. The blinders have been taken off.  Not that I should never shop or will never again but, I see the stuff as stuff that will actually burn…eventually. Thus stuff you have lost  your stately position when put against the true riches of heaven’s kingdom with things like feeding the hungry, loving the broken, looking after orphans, and weeping with the widow.  Clearance racks cannot hold a candle to the reality of knowing that God’s word says if I overcome all this earthy stuff and keep a fire for him, not only do I get to spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus because of his grace and mercy for me, I will get to sit on his throne! (Rev 3).  To a girl who has lived most of her life daddy less, this is super motivating I can’t wait to snuggle up on my Father’s lap on his throne!!! ……………………………………………………...............……...….............................. sorry, I was having a moment.

What does it mean for you, Church?

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in who the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. - Ephesians 2:20-22

But Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. -Hebrews 3:6