Combining Blogs

Just to let my Blog followers know. I will be making some changes in my blogs. As many of you know I have two blogs. I have decided to combine them into one. Simplifies life a bit for me! I will do it under my Reimer Memories blog. So now that one will be about family stuff, my spiritual journal, and I will add camp updates as well. (If you need that address let me know!) Thanks for reading and God Bless!

Snowflakes and me

I was driving to town the other night and had a God moment. Something I really needed that day. Darian got sick that morning and threw up twice. This is not something I handle well at all. I start to worry. I don't deal with sickness well at all. Cleaning up after the kids is a huge dread to me. I worry that it will spread in the family and that I will get it. All day I struggled with this worry and trying to put my trust in Jesus. It was after 9:00 in the evening and I was on my way to town to pick up emergency diapers. I was waiting at the stop light on the highway and this absolutely beautiful snowflake landed on my window. I love snowflakes. I admired it and thanked God for the awesome work He puts into creation. Later, I asked God for some assurance that I would be okay whether we all got sick or not. It was then that the snowflake popped in my head. God put so much work in creating that snowflake. It's design was intricate, delicate, and breathtaking. He showed me that He put so much into the snowflake that lasted a minute on my windshield, and how much more He was putting into me. How much more work and love He is creating in my life. I last longer and in the end will be more beautiful than the snowflake with His grace! So, when the sickness challenge is in my house He will carry me through because I am more important than that snowflake. I don't know if this makes sense to others. It was one of those moments that I needed specific enouragement from God in that moment and He was so loving to give that to me. For me, it was just what I needed and I wanted to record it here so I would not forget that moment. (This is why on my "Reimer Blog" I now have a slideshow of snowflakes.)

Lessons I am Learning

Right now I feel like God is calling me to learn so much in my spiritual life. However, I am not totally sure how to process it or put it all into words. I just feel thirsty for Him and like I want to take so much in. He has put a lot into my head through various sources. But how does it all work together and is it all related? What does He want me to learn and apply?

It all began when I was in the hospital He lead me to start reading Psalm 119. What a long chapter of total love and surrender to God's law. It is a chapter of worship and acknowledging that God and His way is sovereign. I finished reading the chapter this morning and feel like I need to start over again. I desire for it to penetrate my heart so that I can become like the author who loves God's way above all else. I live in a world of distraction. Worldly possessions, hobbies, tasks, and family distract me from my walk with Jesus. I want these verses to take over that my worship and love for God would be before these things. "Lord, please continue to soften me and take over my life. Be before all things and in all things. Lead me in prayer and worship throughout the day and not just at the beginning and end."

Next, I just finished the book "Joni" written by Joni Earickson. (Not completely sure of that spelling.) I started reading the book at the end of my pregnancy because I didn't know what to do with myself and this was one way to pass the time. I had decided to give the book away once I was done. However, now that I have finished reading it I want to keep it! It became like a devotional book to me. She was so open about her acceptance of her handicap and her spiritual journey on the way. The way she wrote the book it was easy to apply her lessons to my life. She pointed out that we all have "handicaps" and need to decide how we will deal with them. She chose to allow God to work in her circumstance. She even came to the point that being in a wheelchair for the rest of her life was "something better" that God had for her than being able to walk. She pointed out that God does not intervene in many people's lives in that way. He allowed an accident like hers that left her paralized so that she would have to seek Him in a deeper way and surrender completely to His plan for her. Most people are just allowed to keep on through their lives. Grow up, get married, kids, going through day to day life and often forgetting about God even if they are believers. I wish I had underlined things as I read the book. I feel like I need to reread the book now to learn the most from it. The lessons she shared as she grew spiritually and to accept her circumstance were deep and challenging. It makes me want to think on it more and figure out what my circumstance is in life and what my "handicaps" are. Then see how God wants me to be dependent on Him and grow in my spiritual life.

The third thing that has struck me is our sermon at church yesterday. I had not been in church for a month due to pregnancy and having a new born. I was so excited to be in church again and to be able to sing again! We had guest "preachers" from the Bunker (a drop in youth center) from Winkler. I was really reminded to discern what my daily ministry is. This was such a good reminder because I have felt lead to step back from being involved in official ministries this year. I felt like God wanted me to just be with my family and discover what my personal ministry is to those around me. I have plenty of opportunity for that by living at camp. However, it is so easy to just become focused on my life at home. Getting through the day with 3 kids and keeping up with the house work. It was good to be challenged again to keep my focus outside of me and my life. What is God wanting me to do to encourage and challenge others? (Interesting to note that sometimes when we don't want to be involved in something, God still places that in our laps! This summer I did not want to be involved with people in the summer program. However, there is someone who has attached herself to me and I know there is opportunity to minister to her. I don't have any idea how, nor is my heart in it yet. Please pray for me to be obedient. Sometimes ministry does involve challenges and sacrifice! :) ) So, I do look forward to this year discovering what God wants me to do. Maybe I will need accountability to keep up with this commitment! Feel free to ask me how my personal ministry is going! It will take effort to continually seek Him to see what He wants me to do. But, I think it will be be exciting to walk closer with God through it!

Totally for Jesus

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26-27

Jesus never hid from us the cost of being His follower. In fact with statements like these it was quite the opposite. We are to take seriously our commitment to Him and decide what we are willing to give. Jesus expects our total selves. It is not today I will follow Him and tomorrow I will do what I want. It is not keeping possessions that Jesus would not have in His house. Sometimes it is not necessarily acts of obedience like this but it is allowing Jesus to have the control and loving Him before all else.

I have often read stories about revolutionists. Their whole lives are surrendered to their cause. Even in danger they sacrifice to further their cause. In the Daily Bread this morning there was a quote by Nechayev. He was a 19th century disciple of Karl Marx and had a role in the assassination of Czar Alexander. He said, "The revolutionary man...has no personal interests, no business affairs, no emotions, no attachments, no property, and no name. Everything in him is wholly absorbed in the single thought and the single passion for revolution." This really put it in perspective for me! The revolution I live is in Christ. All my thoughts and passions are for Him. (At least I am working towards that! ) I have no personal interests, no business affairs, no emotions, no attachements, no property, and no name. I release these things to God and they are all for Him and about Him.

It is a sacrifice worth making. The fullness of living for God and loving Him above all is rewarding! Jesus also speaks of the reward. "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10. I only have this fullness when I become a revolutionist for Him!

Closing challenge

I finished Acts today. Paul was a man who let God completely take over his life and heart! In the most desperate situations he never quit being a witness for God. He did not become self focused or pitied himself in the hardships he went through. When he was under house arrest in Rome he welcomed all who would come to him and he would teach them about Jesus. He closed the Book of Acts with this challenge:

"Go to this people and say,
You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them." (Acts 28:26,27)

(He was quoting from Isaiah 6:9,10)

May I open my ears, eyes, and heart to Jesus. May hear and see what He really wants to be to me. May I do this sincerely with out just trying to get something in return. May my motives be pure and my love real for Jesus. May I have understanding to Jesus' truth.

A Must Read!

I have been reading an action thriller lately. It is great and a must read book for everyone. Let me tell you a little about it. I have not finished the book yet but am so taken with it that I thought I would share about it already.

The book starts out with a powerful once in a life time event. It is witnessed by only a few people but it is through these people that a new movement begins. After seeing this event they were so moved spiritually that it completely changed their lives. The book follows some of these men and their happenings.

It begins in a time when the Holy Spirit was so powerful that it would shake buildings where believers were meeting! There were many healings and casting out of demons. Even the shadow of one man would heal people!

It is a story of risk takers. They would boldly talk about what they believed in public places. This took place in a time when this could result in death and even did for one man. The men who killed him gnashed their teeth and covered their ears while yelling. That was an intense chapter! These men thought it was more important to obey God rather than men. They stood up for the truth! These were good "risk takers" and can be an example to us.

There are also some other "risk takers" in the book. They lied to the Holy Spirit and died on the spot! That should be an example to us not to manipulate God!

It tells the stories of some men who were the "hardened" type. It tells how they came to see the truth through understanding, bright lights, and a Voice. These chapters were so good as they showed what victory Jesus is! These stories got me excited!

Like I said this book is intense, packed with high action chapter after chapter. It really is a thriller and a book I recommend to young and old, male or female. I haven't finished reading it yet so I won't ruin the ending for you!

If you haven't guessed - it is the Book of Acts found in the Bible!

Sacrifice for God

This mornings Daily Bread really hit me. It was the story of Abraham going to sacrifice his only son Isaac. (The story is found in Genesis 22.) I have known this story for so long but I had one of those moments when it strikes me in a new way. To me it is a powerful story. Abraham waited so long for his son and must have loved him so much. I think he would have done anything to protect him and even would have died for him if that is what it would take to protect him. Then God asks him to sacrifice his son. Abraham obeyed. What a love and obedience he had for God! He had his priorities straight and put God first in his life. I can only imagine how Abraham must have been weeping when he bound his son and took the knife. When God told him to stop he must have fallen to the ground with relief and held his son to assure Isaac of his love.

A powerful story to me to put God first. What have I waited for and have that I hang onto too tightly? Do I put God first in my life? Or are my plans, tasks, even hobbies first? What does God call me to sacrifice? This last question is a soul reflecting question to me today. It requires honest prayer. Do I want to know the answer? To be closer to God I need to.