A Summer That Changes Everything

I'll always have fond memories of the missions’ trips our family took because those trips changed everything about the way we viewed what we had, and what we may not have had. It's a culture shock to see how other people live who are not afforded the conveniences, the comfort and the many blessings we encounter daily, and take for granted.

So, to see my grandchildren, Payton Wallace and Alexia Wallace, packing and getting all geared up for their Guatemala trip with over 50 from their church, and to be so excited about the opportunity they'll have to impact people there, was so inspiring to this Nana. Payton amused me with all his “must haves” for the trip: first aid kit, Allen wrench, small “Barbie” fishing pole and tackle (he’s caught some whoppers with that little pole), Papa’s walking stick, lots of snacks and his waterproof “Outdoor Bible”! Alexia carried Papa’s snake skin coin purse. I loved that Papa is getting to go with them (in their hearts, as missions was his passion).

My hat’s off to the youth leaders that are taking these kids – no doubt, it’s a work-out to orchestrate the journey, making sure these kids’ own personal needs are met, and to keep up with each and every one. You know that they know the rewards will far exceed whatever work-out they’ll have. They are having a huge part of giving these kids – not a trip to Disney World for their own pleasure – but to a country where they can be a bright light to darkness, and seeing how these kids’ lives are changed as they are used by God to bring change to others.

Honestly, if you or your children haven’t had the opportunity to go on a missions trip, I urge you to consider taking one. It causes a new perspective of the blessings we have and helps us have compassion and sincere desire to bring change to someone else’s world. It's not about "What's in it for me?", but about "making a difference in other people's lives".

I'll never forget taking a busload of college students to Mexico where we were going to be "Jesus personified" to them. And, as it turned out, we left there being far more inspired and blessed to have encountered people who not only were radically transformed by God's love and light coming from us, but to see how little they had, yet were so joy-filled with the greatest gift they could ever receive -- coming to know Christ as their Savior. Their love for God was so much more than what they could get from Him -- it was about loving God with all their hearts -- because, basically, He was all they had. It certainly altered our consciences from "needing more" to "thankful for what I have".

Though we may not be going on a missions trip this summer, it doesn't mean that we, daily, don't have a mission to fulfill. In fact, when we leave our homes and when we walk through our doors, we are entering our mission field. Missions: an important assignment carried out for going out into the world and spreading faith and good news. Jesus said in Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." And I love St. Francis' words "Preach the Gospel at all times, and sometimes use words".

What is our mission field? I believe it is to everyone that we encounter on a daily basis. The clerk at the store, little children, the homebound, the family next door, the yard man, our own families & friends, our neighbors -- just anyone we have the opportunity to BE A BLESSING to and share the LIGHT of Christ with.

Perhaps, we need to develop a Mission Statement for our lives that keeps us focused on our calling to missions. In Genesis 12, where God makes His covenant with Abram. God tells Abram that He will make him into a great nation and that He will bless him. And then, what God says to him in the last part of verse 2 just may be our Mission Statement, too. "You will be a blessing."

That's it -- whatever we do, wherever we go, whoever we encounter -- our mission is "TO BE A BLESSING". Isn't that a great way to live? On purpose, outside of us 4, and no more -- TO BE A BLESSING in our communities or our school or office building or gym -- BE A BLESSING, and in doing that.....we will be IN OUR MISSION FIELD!!! If we do that....then this will be a summer that changes everything!

Opportunities Often Come in the Storm

I thought about this Christmas cartoon when I witnessed a Texas-size hailstorm last night. LOL! Actually, it was a sight to be behold, and hear pounding on the roof of my kids' home. Just as it was starting to come down (pea-sized), Larry quickly put my car in the garage. Soon after that, the sizes were way over golf ball size as seen in this second photo. Larry timed the hailstorm by recording it. It lasted over 8 minutes with 2 inches reported. It is suspected that many homes' roofs will have been damaged because it came down in heavy winds. Sirens were also going off as a tornado watch was out and one of the kids' friends came upon the hail as he was driving on the highway, lost control of his car and ran into a concrete embankment. Fortunately, he is okay, but his car isn't. Whew! And I thought Oklahoma had weather excitement!

I understand that hailstorms are frequent here in Texas which means that roofing companies get plently of business. A good friend of Larry and Staci has a roofing company and immediately, he was saying, "Thank you, Lord", along with posting his business info on FB. Cominic just might be saying: "Opportunity comes in the midst of difficulty." That is what It's like for a good friend of mine who is a funeral home owner and mortician says "We never pray for anyone to die, but we do pray "When they do, we're here to serve them!" I think Dominic must say the same thing "We don't pray for a hailstorm, but when one comes, we can serve you!"

Dominic, knowing Payton and Alexia are working very hard to earn the funds they need for their Guatemala Missions Trip in July, gave them a call and said, "I'll give you $200 for every referral you can get me to come out and do an inspection and then repair their roof. You should have seen those two kids going into action -- on social media, calling, text messaging and emailing every homeowner they knew! Blessings often come during times of difficulty -- times of storms. Mercies in disguise.

This reminded me of a beautiful song, "Laura's Song". It speaks of the blessings that come during trials of our lives. I know it will bless you to hear it, too. The link is below:

What if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights,
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mmgV6mPvb0

Little Bands of Women are EVERYWHERE!

Payton, my 16-year-old grandson, is going on a missions trip to Guatemala in June, so in efforts to raise the monies to go, he posted in a neighborhood community app that he would do odd jobs for people. So when a lady called and asked him to get some things down from her attic, as well as to put together some boxes for her upcoming move, he earned some nice cash to put towards his trip. When she mentioned that she was going to have an estate sale, he told her about his Nana who once had an estate sale business. She wanted to meet me so Payton called and asked me to come over. I did. We had several things in common. She was moving to the same community where I'll be moving to in a few weeks, she has a Buick Enclave – just like me….and she loves the Lord – just like me. She invited me to her home for her Life Group for single women that meets every Saturday night. Once again, I sensed God smiling at me and throwing me a kiss!

I attended that Life Group last night where 18 women came together for a great pot luck (blessing) meal and then we sat in a big circle and each of us had the opportunity to share a praise report or request prayer for something or someone, or both. There was much laughter, tears of gratitude and tears of heartfelt desire for God to intervene in areas of their lives, and sweet support on so many levels. When it came around to me, I told the ladies that I’m looking up to heaven and saying “Thanks God, because I know it was You that brought me here tonight! He showed me that He has little bands of women everywhere, just like when Jesus walked this earth, He always had a band of women that loved and served Him. God must be smiling big and sending lots of kisses to this group!” Like my home in Tulsa where the precious sisters in my Life Group met, this home, last night, was a safe place and you could tell all of these women were fully devoted followers of Christ who live believing there are NO LIMITS to what God can do in and through us.

In so many places in this world, women are so marginalized and ostracized – simply because they are women. If only our world used the example of Jesus and how He loved and respected us. He really "upset the apple cart" in His culture in the way He related to women. In Luke 8 we see there was a band of women followers who traveled with Jesus and His 12 motley crew of men disciples as He ministered all around Galilee. Those women came from all walks of life, they were single, married, and some had questionable backgrounds, but here’s the common thread – each of them experienced healing through their encounter with Christ. He loved them, taught them and could have cared less about what the pious religious folk thought.

The little bands of women that Jesus touched and loved is a mighty indicator of His love for us. The women at the foot of the cross and at the tomb held a tiny flame of faith that He would rise as He promised. That flame of faith may have burned high, and it may have burned low, but the flame never went out, and their faith was rewarded. Like the women of the Bible, our flame of faith may burn high and it may burn low, but our flame never goes out and because we have faith in His Word that “nothing is impossible with Him”, He rewards us.
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God didn’t waste any time showing me that He is leading me every step of the way on my journey of faith. I’ve said it before, “If you want to have friends, show yourself friendly.” It took getting out of my comfort zone to go to that Life Group last night. I didn’t know those ladies – even the gal that invited me except for a simple conversation a couple of weeks ago. If we want friends, it means we just might have to be willing to get out of our comfort zone. We may find it by joining a community group or small group at our church. We may want to volunteer to facilitate a Bible Study or join a Sunday School Class or a Choir or another group where they're living a life of purpose and destiny. As we trust God with every area of our lives, He will open doors of blessing to us. Perhaps there's a little band of women OR, if you're a man or a couple, a band of believers who are just waiting for you to show up and be a blessing to you, and you, to them.

Being a First Class Noticer

One of my resource books during this 4-week retreat with God, is Mark Batterson’s “Draw the Circle”. I’m a fan of this author who also wrote two other books I love, “The Circle Maker” and “In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day”. For me to say these books have changed my life says a lot because, quite frankly, I don’t call myself an avid reader. For me to recommend books of any kind is a big deal, because it means I read it from cover to cover, unlike so many books I tackle and get only a few chapters through and it goes to my library, unfinished.

Yesterday’s reading in “The Circle Maker” really nailed it for me. I like to think of myself as someone who lives in the moments, is a big noticer of little nudges and signs from heaven quite easily, but Mark Batterson put words to it for me. The chapter, yesterday, was “First-Class Noticer” – someone who is watchful; who keeps watch – those who see things others don’t see. Mark says “When we pray, we become noticers. Prayer is the difference between seeing with our physical eyes and seeing with our spiritual eyes. Prayer turns us into “First Class Noticers”. It helps us see what God wants us to notice. The more we pray, the more we notice and the less we pray, the less we notice.”

As I read that, I remembered, specifically, that I NOTICED. Here’s one of the latest cases in point. I was tucked away here in the guest house last week, had been seeking God, praying, reading and all of a sudden there is that noisy, head-bumping cardinal again. This time, somewhat perturbed at him for interrupting my quiet time, I stood at the foot of the stairs and said, “Okay, God and Ron (cardinals often mean a loved one in heaven is reaching out to us – I like to believe that), what are you trying to tell me today?” Immediately, I sensed I needed to go upstairs where there is a sitting area, game table area, plus a desk and credenza. I walked around the room, just in the mindset of being a noticer, and I stopped in front of the credenza when my eyes fell on something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. Obviously, it had been a gift to my father-in-law from my husband because this is the inscription on a Trinidad/Tobago $1 bill that had been framed: “DAD, Your prayers are being answered. This represents another missions trip that you have been a part of this year. Because of who you are and what you’ve instilled in me and how you raised and trained me, your ministry continues on. Together we will accomplish much more for God. Happy Father’s Day. Your Son, Ron ‘95

I noticed. Ron and Dad had been on yet another missions trip together. I took it in. I meditated on “What does this mean?” And what seemed like another one of the answers to my prayers for this 4-week “seek and find” time, I took in those words my husband spoke to his Dad: “Because of who you are and what you’ve instilled in me and how you raised and trained me, your ministry continues on. Together we will accomplish much more for God.” Just because Dad and Ron are no longer here on this side of heaven, doesn’t mean their ministry ended. Their footprints, their legacy, their heartbeats for missions and ministry carries on and they both wanted me to remember that during this season. I threw kisses to both of them and I, too, assured them “Indeed your ministry is carrying on, through our children, our grandchildren….. and even ME! Thanks for the reminder!”

As soon as I finished typing this message last night….to post today…..up popped a FB post from my daughter on my timeline about my granddaughter heading to Guatemala on a missions trip in June. How’s that for “my cup is full and overflowing” with God’s affirmations and promptings? Yes, Lord, I noticed!

Would you like to join me in being a First Class Noticer? I assure you, it sure makes the journey so much sweeter and so much on purpose to keep our spiritual eyes wide open. We’ll see God everywhere we look. We’ll see the image of God in others. We’ll see His fingerprints on His creation. We’ll see God-ordained divine encounters and surprises all around us all the time. I know I did today!

Love in any Language Fluently Spoken Here

"Love in any LanIn the 70s, my husband was Vice-President of International Faith Bible College and we were the “chosen ones” to lead a missions trip to Mexico which consisted of college students and our two young children….in a school bus. That was our introduction to missions as a family, and it would prove to be the seed that launched our family's love for missions. That first trip to Monterrey, Mexico made for a very long journey, as the bus had mechanical issues along the way, the seats were uncomfortable, and we were a weary group…..but that didn’t squelch our zeal and determination for what was before us. We were excited that we were on our way to make a difference in some precious people’s lives. We were coming with our American-style of worship, praise and ministry to help those dear people. As it turned out, we were the ones who were most blessed and impacted as we witnessed their all-out love for God and their uncomplaining attitudes as they walked for miles just to get to church to worship God. Their love wasn't based on what they could get from God. It was based on their love for the ONE Who gave His all for them.

The message is loud and clear that we are all people who love and need to be loved. Back when my kids played with the little kids in Mexico -- language was no barrier. And I saw that in the photos and reports from Payton Wallace and Alexia Wallace while on their missions trip to Guatemala last week.

We were able to be a small part of that trip because of the free "WhatsApp" technology that kept us in touch with them, despite where they were. WhatsApp is a free app you can download on your phone and wherever you may be, you can stay connected to friends and family via texting and photos. That's exactly what we were able to do with Payton and Alexia. We loved seeing the photos of the kids, along with the quick text messages. They gave skits in costumes and messages that conveyed God's love to the kids and people there. One of their text messages: "Over 300 kids just gave their lives to Christ". Another message from Payton: "I just gave the altar call and it was amazing. Almost all of them accepted Christ." Another message, another night: "The numbers for the message was 79 people showed up; 40+ accepted Christ." Overall, over 3,000 people received Christ because of a group of American kids loved enough to share their love of Christ to them.

What is it that we have in common with people regardless of language, religion and culture barriers? Love knows no bounds. Whether we're in Mexico, Guatemala, Tibet or right smack dab in the middle of our home towns, love conquers all. An arm around the shoulder of someone, a smile, a handshake, and a hug -- are all "I love you's".

I cherish and share the words of Payton and Alexia's proud Mom, Staci, today:
"As I see my kids living the legacy that was set by their grandfather and their great-grandfather, I know that the greatest gift I will ever give them is not a bank account of riches but a legacy of love and a heart for missions. Thank you, Jesus, for this precious opportunity to pour into our children and see them carry-on the greater things of life. We are about advancing the Kingdom of God and I feel so blessed in knowing that my children have fallen in love with the message of Christ and are dedicated to using their lives to making Him known."

Love in any language, straight from the heart
Pulls us all together, never apart
And once we learn to speak it, all the world will hear
Love in any language, fluently spoken here

Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother

Day 161 of Photo Inspirations -- Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother
For several weeks now, my sweet BFF, Sheila Michie​ and I have been going two different directions. She was on a missions trip to Guatemala; I was  on a trip to Northern Europe.  She was in Texas with her new grandson; I was with my 13 & 15 year old grandchildren in Texas.  But yesterday, we reunited and caught up, and it was as though no time had passed at all.  We had a lot in common before, but this precious little grandson, gave her full membership as a card-carrying member of the grandparents club.  She passed her first test:  she was right on queue, pulling out the photos and videos.  It's easy to see that little boy is a genius -- at 5 weeks old he's smiling and cooing and his best friend is Olaf, the snowman character from "Frozen".   You can tell it in his eyes!  Yes, she's smitten. And, I wouldn't have expected anything less.  My gift to her was a book entitled "Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother!" ....and she doesn't.

It's been a long time since those words were said to me.....my oldest grandson will turn 23 this year -- whew!  But, seeing my sweet friend's joy reminded me of that little man that turned OUR world upside down.  We fell madly in love with him at first sight -- when we saw his 8-weeks-in-the-oven ultrasound.  He looked like a peanut. Bear with me -- that's him in the photo.   Each of my six grandchildren, in their each individual ways, have captured my heart. Since I'm an elite member of the grandparents club, of course I need to show you all six (the last photo of us with Papa).  

I talk a lot about cultivating the talents and gifts of our children.  After we've practiced and practiced our parenting skills, then we become grandparents.  It's then that we get to help shape THEIR thoughts and values and help pave paths for them.....even when they're not aware of our doing so. We get to give them the audacity to dream and prepare them to take giant leaps in life by being loving and supportive.  How best do we do that?  We do so in our prayers for them.

I am a "circle maker".  I've drawn circles of prayer around each of my six, plus one, my grandson's fiancee, Ruth Hays​.  As I pray over them daily, I pray those words spoken about Jesus.  "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."  Luke 2:52.   I expect great things from each of them.  The sky is the limit -- that's the way I pray for them. My children and my grandchildren are my greatest assets and these prayers that I pray will live way beyond me....they'll be lived out in even my grandchildren's children.  God blessed my life with them.  And, if you haven't noticed, I'm wearing a crown these days.  "Children's children are a crown to the aged" Proverbs 17:6

How Could I Complain About.....Anything?

So why have I posted so much about our missions trip? And, what is the big deal about going on a missions trip, or even being missions-minded? And why take children with us on a missions trip?

1) It opens our eyes to the blessings we have in our lives.

2) It opens our eyes to the "little things" we take for granted.

3) It opens our hearts to the needs of others -- so much so, that we just can't help it....we just HAVE to give.

4) It causes a "culture" shock that awakens our hearts of compassion.

5) It causes those hard, crusty, dissatisfied and grumpy attitudes that are so easily a part of our lives....to dwindle to softness and appreciation.

6) It causes blinders being taken off to see the needs of others far greater than our own needs.

7) It causes us to re-evaluate spending senseless dollars on gifts for friends and family members that you know will be tossed in a corner or a drawer or even trashed, within just a few minutes or hours of having received them.

8) It causes the mindset of "Thanksgiving" as truly being thankful for every blessing that God has brought into our lives.

9) It causes a hunger to help support the precious people and volunteers do what they do.

10) It causes unmistakable and contagious joy.

11) It causes us to evaluate just WHY we are here on this earth at this time.

I truly get it -- that as we focus on God and His Great Commission, everything will be radically altered—including our thoughts about the world and those in need -- our prayer life, our eating habits (including what things we’re willing to “try”), our disciplines in health and fitness, our family’s stewardship of faith and finances. A missions mindset will impact—for eternity—our focus on our future and their future.

Could it possibly be that God's been waiting on us to live with PURPOSE -- making a difference on a daily basis of other lives?

Let the Little Children Come

Our Missions Trip - Day 3, started early as we were taken to four day cares in very impoverished neighborhoods/areas where the needs are the greatest. And the roads are the most washed out, but now where the little children are tenderly loved, fed three meals a day and given special care so that their single moms or parents can hold down jobs that help make their lives better.

How beautiful it was that the Mexican government built these day cares and then held the work that this beautiful group of volunteers from Perdon y Amistad Church does in such high esteem that they would be asked to oversee these day cares.

The buildings for the day cares were provided, but still they must raise the funding for the overhead and care. Such few toys on the shelves, led us to go shopping before returning to the U.S. to give them more.

Getting to love on these kids, play with them, and pray and believe God's best for them, was truly a highlight of our missions journey. 'Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14