March 17

    Saint Patrick, also known as the Apostle of Ireland, is widely known for his missionary work in Ireland and is celebrated every year on March 17th, the day of his death. Patrick was born in the late 4th century in Roman Britain. As a teenager, he was captured by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland as a slave. During his six years in captivity, Patrick turned to Christianity and found solace in prayer. In his Confession, Patrick writes, "And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God".

    Patrick eventually escaped from Ireland and returned home to Britain, but he felt a calling from God to return to Ireland and preach the gospel to the Irish people. In his Confession, he writes, "I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: 'The Voice of the Irish.' As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: 'We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us'".

    Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary, and his preaching and teaching had a profound impact on the people of Ireland. He baptized thousands of converts and established churches throughout the country. Patrick's message was simple: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).

    Patrick's missionary work in Ireland was not without its challenges. He faced opposition from pagan rulers and druid priests, and he was even arrested and imprisoned at one point. However, Patrick persevered in his mission, relying on God's strength and guidance. As he writes in his Confession, "But I know that I did not achieve it through my own resources. It was the power of God who worked through me and the resistance of many who opposed me".

    Today, Saint Patrick is remembered as a courageous and faithful servant of God who brought the gospel to the people of Ireland. As we reflect on his life and ministry, we are reminded of the power of God to transform lives and change the course of history. As the apostle Paul writes, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). May we, like Saint Patrick, be bold and faithful witnesses for Christ, trusting in His strength and guidance as we share the gospel with the world.

The Love of God

The love of God is woven all throughout the Bible. It is deeply explored and celebrated in its pages. When we read of the love of God, we can see that it is:

A Sacrificial Love

    In John 3:16, one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, we read: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Here, we see that God's love for humanity is so great that he was willing to sacrifice his only Son to save us from eternal damnation.

    This theme of sacrificial love is also seen in Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In other words, God's love for us is not based on our merit or worthiness, but rather on his own character and nature. He loves us simply because He is a loving God.

An Everlasting Love

    In Jeremiah 31:3, we read: "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Here, we see that God's love for us is not temporary or fleeting, but rather it is a love that lasts for all eternity.

A Transforming Love

    In 1 John 4:8, we read: "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." This verse tells us that God's love has the power to change us from the inside out. When we experience God's love, we are transformed into new creatures, with new desires and a new outlook on life.

    In conclusion, the love of God is a powerful and transformative force that is celebrated throughout the pages of the Bible. It is a sacrificial love, an everlasting love, and a transforming love. As we meditate on the love of God, may we be filled with a deeper appreciation for the amazing grace that he has shown us through his Son, Jesus Christ.

To: All; Love: God

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

I never had a conversation with my paternal grandma. Mummo, as her grandchildren called her, came from Finland with her family and settled in Fitchburg, Massachusetts when my father was 12 years old in April of 1958. The rest of the family learned English in school and by watching television, but Mummo never had much of a need for English so she never learned. The church she attended just a quarter of a mile from home, Messiah Lutheran Church, had a large community of Finnish members. She worked as a custodian at a local YMCA which didn't require much interaction with others. Since Mummo never drove, any time she needed to go run errands or visit a doctor, one of her children was always with her. My father was often the one that helped her with errands as we lived close by.

I never had a conversation with my paternal grandpa either, but for a different reason: he passed away four months before I was born. 

But as much as I was around Mummo, I picked up on very few Finnish words. 

I can remember gatherings at Christmas time. Then adults were in a flurry of conversation in a language I did not understand but my sister, cousins, and I were content to play together while communicating English rather than pay much attention to the adults. 

I can remember one Christmas in particular when Mummo handed me a Christmas card. The cover was gold with sparkly gold Christmas ornaments. 

Below is a similar card, but not quite the one as I remember it: 

The words on the front said "To my love". Inside was a flirty Christmas note to a significant other. Underneath, was Mummo's shaky signature. I smiled and with a chuckle, showed my sister what Mummo had given me. 

As I recently recalled this memory, now having tried to learn a foreign language myself, I can imagine the struggle Mummo must have faced. She didn't even have Google translate to help her! No wonder she saw a pretty card and gave it to her granddaughter without even asking herself if the words were appropriate or not. 

Aren't you glad that when you open up the Bible, the message is just as relevant for you today as it was for those thousands of years ago? You don't have to open it up while wondering, "is this really written for me?" Yes! It's God's love letter to us. You can open it, read it, study it and learn from it knowing God has something in it for you, not just for a certain person or a certain group of people. 

Just pick it up in confidence, knowing it's for you too! 

Unlike certain Christmas cards... 

 

What Do I Fear?

 What do I Fear?

Verses about fear: Prov 29:25; 1 John 4:18

2 Timothy 1”7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

1. How can  fear keep me from serving God? We can focus too much on it

2. List the three things (2 Tim 1:7) that God give us to fight fear.

1. POWER (Phil 4:6-7; Col 1:11; Isa 12:2; 41:10) Help for fear of failure

2. LOVE (Is 26:3-4) Help for fear of love - love is a help for the fear of people

3. SOUND MIND  (Phil 2:5; Eph 4:23; Rom 12:2) Help for fear of the future - a sound mind helps for fear of the future

3. Write some practical suggestions for your mind.

1. The battle is spiritual  (2 Cor 10:5).

2. We fear what we don’t know/understand.

3. Put your fears into words. 

4. Remember your mission (Ps 22:15; Jude 22,23).

5. Use your sword.

6. Remember past victories. 

 John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

“Safety is not the absence of danger, but the presence of the Lord.”

Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.”

The above are not tricks to rely on, they are preparation for the battle. It is God who gives victory.”

Who Am I?

Micah Begins Bible College

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 2 Timothy 3:14 

On August 22, our family packed up our home in Texas and drove 1,061 miles to bring Micah to Masters Baptist College in Fargo, ND to begin his Freshman year. We were pulling a trailer which Jason converted into our new deputation home, so we did not arrive in Fargo until Saturday, August 27. 

On arriving in Fargo, we were able to help Micah move in and met one of his room mates. 

Sunday service was hard for this mama. We were to leave the following day to start heading to Indiana. I did not want to have to say goodbye to my firstborn! But the Lord granted me a special blessing! A church member started to talk to Jason and found out he knew hw to do construction. He asked us to stay in Fargo longer to help with siding his house. I was granted an extra 10 days in Fargo close to my son! 

These above photo was taken in April 2015.
We recreated the photo in front of the same water fountain.

Family photo following Sunday morning service! 

Working on siding with a lift!

Getting to spend time in Fargo with Micah!

We met Micah's second room mate after Wednesday service. The church had a gathering where church members could introduce themselves to the students.

God is so good to us! I can hardly explain how excited I was to spend the extra time with Micah before heading to Indiana as well as be a blessing to a family needing help with siding their house! We did not finish the siding- the house was bigger than our time allowed - but we were happy to help with what time there was. 

Home Sweet Home!

The trailer is finally done. Here is just a photo dump beginning with picking up the trailer in Georgia on July 15th to basically making it livable and driving away with it on the only rainy day in Texas on August 22nd. Enjoy.

"Is this really 8 feet wide by 26 feet long?"

August 22nd in Texas - drought all summer and we get this on moving day?!