Trusting God's Character

John Knight of the BBC Disability Ministry is a great example of trusting God's character as a parent of a child with disabilities. His writings are always transparent and God-glorifying. He doesn't mask the suffering that he endures, but he allows God's sovereign hand of grace to shine through his pain. He & his wife, Dianne, are sweet gifts to the disability community. Here's a recent post that truly encouraged me.

Me, influenced by the feminist movement?!?!

The Women's Ministry from my church had its annual Spring Conference this past weekend. We had such a blessed time! Martha Peace, the author of the well-known book The Excellent Wife was the speaker. She spoke three sessions, but session 2 was the most impacting for me. She started out by giving us a historical background of the feminist movement. Then she explained how we have been influenced by this movement and how we can change. I plan on sharing all 12 of the points over the next few days.

How We Have Been Influenced - 1. Women don't have to be in full-blown rebellion against men to have been influenced. Ex. "I'm going to do something for me."

How We Can Change - 1. Counter this by turning your focus from yourself to God. (Rom 12:2, Phil 2:3)

How We Have Been Influenced - 2. We think and say things like "What about me?" "What about my needs?" "What about my rights?"

How We Can Change - 2. Understand that the "needs" theory is unbiblical. A God-honoring thought would be "It can be tough at times living with other sinners but whether I have my way or not, I can glorify God. Through Christ I can learn to be content and I can be grateful to Him and delight in Him." (2 Peter 1:3, Phil 4:11-13)

How We Have Been Influenced - 3. Submission of a wife to her husband is an outdated concept. Today, the emphasis is on mutual submission.

How We Can Change - 3. "Being submissive to my husband (unless he asks me to sin) is a primary way that I can serve the Lord Jesus. This may not be popular today but this is how God has chosen for me to glorify Him." (Eph 5:22-24, Col 3:18)

Fight Songs

My hubby has always been an athlete and I have always been the one waiting for the game to be over…lol. He still remembers his High school “Fight” Song which actually ends with, “Fight, fight, fight!” Being the nonathletic person that I am, I asked him why it was called a “fight” song. He said that the song stirs the players up to overcome the opponent. As everyone sings it, you get charged up because you know that the whole school (staff, students, players, cheerleaders) are all behind you encouraging you to overcome the adversary and win.

Well, we weren’t playing in a game on Sunday night but we definitely felt encouraged to keep “fighting”. Kempton and I went to the Chris Tomlin & Israel Houghton concert (or should I say worship service). Boy, was I charged up! What an awesome time in the Lord! One of my favorite “fight” songs is Chris T’s “How Can I Keep From Singing”.

Spiritual fight songs champion the hope we have in God. They encourage us to overcome despair & defeat. They also help us to offer praises to God even in the midst of pain & trials. As we sing these songs with other believers, we all are recharged to press on and finish strong. No wonder the longest book in the Bible (by chapters) is the Book of Psalms which is a collection of songs, hymns, and prayers. Take a look at Psalm 28:7, 68:4, 98:4, 147:1, & 149:1. The list of Psalms can go on & on, but there are also other references to singing; such as Eph 5:18-21 and Col 3:16. As you can see, singing to our Lord is a big deal!

Praise the Lord for the ministry of those (like Chris T. and Israel H.) who write and sing songs that God uses to sustain our joy and hope in Him.

So, what are some fight songs that you like???

Something Special for Dads

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. Hebrews 3:12-14

God has made husbands the head of their wives and their children (1 Cor 11:3, Eph 5:23, Col 3:18-20). The husband's role is very important and many times very difficult if the family has been affected by disability. Do you know that 80% of families affected by disability experience divorce? Since the husband is the pillar of the family, it is the church's responsibility to equip, exhort, and encourage them in this vital role. I praise the Lord for how The Barnabas Ministry is reaching out to families of children with disabilities. They will be hosting a breakfast event on April 18 for dads of children with special needs. My hubby will be speaking and sharing about our precious son, Christian. If you would like more information, go to the web site and scroll down under the title, "Something Special for Dads". Registration ends April 9. Please pray for this event!

They Be Jammin'!

What an interesting ministry! It's pretty cool, tight, crunk (or whatever they're saying these days :-)! It is simply...

10:31 Sermon Jams...Why did it start? 10:31 Sermon Jams was made to bring sermons and music together. They were created to bring life changing truth, and the good news of Jesus Christ to the current culture.

Who are we? We are Bryan and Caleb, and our mission is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all people. This ministry is based on 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Our main focus is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to make His name famous. Our goal is to take biblically saturated sermons and turn them into mini clips for edification for the household of faith and tracts to unbelievers.

(Taken from the website - "About Us" page.)

They actually have put 2 of my hubby's (Kempton Turner) sermons to jams. Click here so you can be jammin' too!

One of my Heroes of the Faith

"I'd rather be in this wheelchair knowing Him than on my feet without Him."

~Joni Eareckson Tada

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For over 40 years, Joni Eareckson Tada has been confined to a wheelchair. A diving accident at the age of 17 left her paralyzed from the neck down. I have never met her, but God has used her ministry through speaking, books, & family retreat to greatly encourage me. The one passage that immediately comes to mind when I think of her is 2 Cor 1:3-11. Here's why:

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1) She strives to bless "the God of all comfort" at all times. (v. 3)

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2) She allows God to comfort her in all her affliction. In return, she has been used to comfort millions with the same comfort that she receives. (v.4)

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3) She is transparent about her suffering, difficulties, and pain. She doesn't paint a picture that life is all good and happy. But she beautifully displays a life of satisfaction and joy in Christ. She has been an example of "relying not on ourselves but on God." (v. 8-9)

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4) She continues to set her hope on God and has devoted her life to telling others about this all-sufficient God of hope. (v.10)

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5) She humbly asks for prayer for herself and for the ministry that God has entrusted to her. (v.11)

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Thank you Joni for 30 years of ministry to people with disabilities and their families across the US and around the world! I praise God for you! You are truly a gift to the body of Christ!

H3G

On Saturday, our church Bethlehem Baptist Church hosted “H3G” (Hoops, Hip-Hop, & the Gospel). Kempton & several other leaders from BBC had the vision to have this event to reach Minneapolis inner city for the Gospel. What a God-blessed time we had! We praise God for the fantastic weather (it never rained as was predicted), basketball tournament, plenty of food, & worship through the gospel hip-hop music of FLAME & J’son.

I have to admit that for many years I did not like gospel hip-hop (rap music). It just wasn’t my preferred choice of music. That is totally okay. The problem is when people take their choice of preference and think that it’s the “right” way. Many people have a negative opinion about secular hip-hop and YOU SHOULD (you should actually hate it- Psalm 97:10). On the contrary, don’t carry those same feelings over to genuine Gospel Hip-Hop which actually glorifies God. Once I started truly listening to the lyrics of some of these rap songs, I actually liked them because they pointed me to my Savior. After listening to them, I realized that many songs were more theologically sound than many sermons I have heard.

For example, check out the lyrics to FLAME’s Song “Joyful Noise” based on Psalm 95. To watch the video, click here.


So, I would encourage everyone to:
1) Replace any secular rap with God-exalting rap (if you need names of these artists, let me know).
2) Purchase God-exalting rap for those you know who like this style of music; especially someone you are evangelizing or discipling.
3) Pray for the ministry of Gospel rap to reach the hearts of the lost in this hip-hop culture and that it will be used to bring others to the Saving power of Christ. This may be the only avenue that many will hear about the Lord.