Foundation

"My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord." Psalm 26:12

In a movie I saw this week, there was a scene of children walking along the grass, in a beautiful field...and the next minute they were gone, dropped down through the ground into an underground mineshaft. The foundation "looked" secure; the grass was growing and green and there was nothing suspicious about the foundation. However, it really was no foundation at all. As soon as the feet stepped onto the area, the ground broke under them...and into a pit they fell.

I thought about the foundation on which we build our lives. Is it strong? Is our foundation secure? Or is it a pretty green patch, that has the "look" of a strong foundation, but it is only a facade? How firm is our foundation? Will it hold up under storms and winds of change and trials? These are questions we need to ask ourselves in these days....In Luke 6:46-49 Jesus gives tells us a parable (a story to explain a truth). Most of us know it well. There is one man who builds his house on a rock (he dug down deep and laid a strong foundation). Another man built his house upon ground (without a foundation). When storms come and torrents struck, the house on the rock was not moved, because it was well-built. The house that was built without a foundation collapsed and was utterly destroyed when the storms came. Life is characterized by torrents and storms; no one is exempt.

I hopped on a website to check out "sinking foundations" of houses. Here is the question to ask: Was the foundation built on "fill" or disturbed soil? A sinking foundation can lead to major structural damage to your home; structural deterioration. The usual causes are bad drainage, ground movement, or poor construction. Take a look at your house. Do you notice: gradual slanting, misaligned doors or windows, or cracks in basement or sheetrock? These could be signs of a sinking foundation. The solution: steel piers~ these give support and stabalization of your foundation's walls.

So, let's ask that question:
*Was your spiritual foundation built on "fill" or disturbed soil? How was the soil of your heart when you began your journey with Jesus? Is there any "tilling" that needs to happen to provide good soil for the foundation? One of the men in Luke 6 dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. The other man built a house on the ground without a foundation (fill).
*Have you noticed any structural damage to your "home"? Any misaligned doors/windows? (that would be noticable from the outside)~ What happens when the storms come?
*Causes~ ground movement/poor construction/bad drainage. How would you describe the construction of your house? What happens when the torrents strike the house?


The solution: get support and stabalization of your foundation's walls. We all need to have support and stabalization as we build our house. No one is to walk this life in Jesus alone....the storms come and waters rage, and our house will stand firm on the rock. But even in storms, friends help make the storms "not so scary". Let's be the man who hears God's Words and puts them into practice~ that's how to make the foundation strong (Jesus says), so when the storms come (and they will), our house will not shake because it was well built.

I'm Coming Your Way

"You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart, with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice." Song of Solomon 4:9-10

We, the beloved of Jesus, are His bride. We have been chosen by God since before the creation of the world. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, "Long before He laid down the earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ." (Message Translation) He chose me! He chose you! He is in love with His bride. He longs to catch us up in His loving arms~ to embrace His bride; to speak tenderly to her; to share His secrets with her. Do you realize that you are His beloved? If you know Jesus, you are betrothed to Him. This may be a new concept to you, but this "bridal paradigm" is where He wants us to remain. That we would see ourselves as a bride, betrothed to our Heavenly Groom, awaiting His return to take us to heaven with Him.

In a traditional Jewish betrothal (during Jesus' day), after the betrothal ceremony, the groom would return to his father's house. He would go to prepare a place for his bride in his father's house. (Doesn't that sound familiar to Jesus' words in John 14:2-3, "Now I go to prepare a place for you in my father's house. And I will come back to take you to be with me.") The rabbi set forth that the place to which the bride was to be taken must be better than the place she had lived before. The bridal chamber was only complete when the father of the groom said it was finished. So, the groom didn't even know the exact time when he could go and get his bride! During the betrothal period, the bride would prepare herself, so she would be ready when her groom came to carry her away! This betrothal period is known as, Kiddushim, meaning "sanctification" or "set apart". This period is different than our "engagement", for once a young man & woman were betrothed to one another, they were considered married (except there was no physical relationship). The betrothal period lasted approximately one year. It was a surprise to the bride when her groom would come, so towards the end of that time period the anxious bride would sleep with her bridal gown on, for she wanted to be ready & waiting for her groom. How are we, the bride, using our betrothal period? What should we be doing to prepare the return of the groom? Repentance, humility, worship, prayer, loving our groom more than anything else, keeping our covenant promises. Are you ready?

The groom's goal was to be unexpected on the arrival of the wedding day. He wanted to surprise his bride. At night, the groom's bestman would call out through the village, "Behold the bridegroom comes!" Villagers would join the wedding party as they made their way to the bride's home. As they got closer, the group would hush. The groom would call out to his bride, "Arise, come darling; my beautiful one, come with me." (Song of Solomon 2:10). She would put on her light, grab her veil and go into the dark night to meet her husband. The first stop would be under the huppah to confirm the wedding covenant made at the betrothal ceremony. This ceremony was done at night, under the stars as a reminder for the bride and groom of God's promise to Abraham of descendents as numerous as the stars in the sky. In the ceremony, the bride receives a ring which is placed on her index finger of the right hand, the finger used to point out Scripture in the Torah. The wedding celebration would last for 7 days with feasting and gifts. The bride and groom would emerge from the bridal chamber to greet the guests...

The wedding supper of the Lamb to come. Jesus told his disciples that he didn't know the day or hour of his return (Matthew 24:32-36), only his Father did. Will we hear a voice from heaven that shouts to the whole earth, "Behold the Bridegrooom comes!"? And our Heavenly groom will gather His bride, "Arise, come darling; my beautiful one, come with me." Revelation 19:7 says this of this event that is to come, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding supper of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready." Let us be the bride who is ready for her groom. You may want to read Matthew 25:1-13 to see the loving warning Jesus gives. This is an exciting time, our betrothal period. Jesus, I'm coming your way!

*Below is a video where you can see a bride & groom who present themselves to one another without a stain or blemish...a pure bride and a pure groom. As you watch this video, put yourself in the place of the bride and picture your glorious Jesus as the groom. What a day that will be when we see Him face to face. He removes our veil & tells us the we have stolen His heart. What a day that will be.

Will you help me find my daddy?

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else i will come and strike the land with a curse." Malachi 4:6

This summer, after attending the morning session at the Desperation conference (New Life Church, Colorado Springs), our team went to a fast food restaurant to grab lunch. The session title was "Are you an orphan, slave or son?" The theme that ran throughout the teaching was that spiritual fathers and mothers need to rise up to call out the destinies over the young people whom God has called them to "parent". So many of the youth who are in desperate pursuit of Jesus need mothers and fathers in the faith to believe in them, encourage them, call them up higher, challenge them, and to live radical lives in Christ that will be a model for these young people. Paul tells Timothy to "Imitate me". Paul could say that because Paul imitated Christ, so if Timothy was imitating Paul, he was really imitating Jesus. My husband and I know that God has called us to be a spiritual father and mother to kids that God has put in our path. While we were driving to the restaurant, we were talking over the ideas presented at the session. With tears we understand the blessing and responsibility it is to be called to "parent" these amazing young people. Upon entering the restaurant, a prophetic experience (confirmation) happened for me. I want to share it, because I believe it is a call for many in the spirit.

We waited in line (which took awhile, because it was very busy~ we weren't the only ones from the conference who chose this restaurant to visit) and ordered our food. Gathering our food bags & sodas, I stopped at the condiment counter to grab ketchep, straws, etc. A little boy (maybe 4-5), grabbed my hand and said to me, "Will you help me find my daddy? I can't find him. I don't know where he is." I handed my armful of lunch goodies to one of the kids with me, and grabbed this little one tightly to me and said, "Of course honey. Let's go find him." As I mentioned, the restaurant was very full, so there were people everywhere. From this little boy's perspective, all he saw were legs! So we walked around, my hand in his, looking for his daddy. I asked, "What does your daddy look like?" "I don't know. He's big," was his response. We made our way through the restaurant and finally he saw him. "DADDY" was his call! "I didn't know where you were. I couldn't find you," he said. "Well, I was right here," responded his daddy. "A lady helped me find you," continued my young friend. As soon as he saw his daddy, he let go of my hand. His dad was in his sight and he didn't need my help any longer. When I saw that he was in daddy's hands, I met my team and shared this experience. It certainly didn't take more than a second for me to understand that this was a prophetic act. What I was doing in the physical was what the Lord has asked of me to do in the spiritual.

How many young people are asking, "Will you help me find my daddy?" Are we willing? Am I willing? It just takes my hand joining their hand and sharing my life with theirs....and we will then lead them to daddy. Sometimes, we have to go through the "whole restaurant" until they can let go of our hand....to hear those words, "Oh there's my daddy...." What we do know of our daddy, is that we may not know what he looks like physically, we do know that He is BIG! And when we lead the young ones to Him, He says, "I was right here." I want to be counted as a faithful spiritual mother to those who need to find their daddy. I want to be one who calls out the destinies in those who I physically and spiritually parent.

What about you? Who is God calling you to be a spiritual father or mother to? Can you hear the question calling out, "Will you help me find my daddy?"

Transition

You may find yourself in this place of transition....I had a strong impression from the Lord this weekend that many of His willing ones (the remnant) are in transition. This is what the Lord gave me:

Trasition~ this is the stage of labor (physically) before a baby is born. This is the hardest part of labor. It usually doesn't last too long, but it is the most intense part of labor. Physically the pain makes you want to quit (we know the reality is that you can't quit), but it is so hard and so painful that a laboring mom may say, "I can't do this anymore" or "I want to go home". There are helps offered to a mom during this intense time...

1) focal point~ she has something to focus on; to be centered on; to concentrate on; an object to look at
2) breathe~ at Lamaze classes, the mom has learned how to breathe in short breaths & she has practiced it...during transition, she gets to put it into real life practice!
3) coaches~ she doesn't go through transition alone; her husband is there next to her, at least one nurse is there, sometimes a family member of friend joins the labor team too! The job of these coaches is to cheer her along; "You can do it", "Not much longer now", "I'm so proud of you", "You are doing so well"~ words of encouragement are given & the coaches help the laboring mom breathe correctly and stay focused!
4) necessary~ transition is necessary in order to birth a baby! There is no skipping transition!

What does this have to do with the people of GOD (His remnant)? What do we birth? A new thing...a new paradigm...new wineskin...new vision...new revelation...new assignment....new marching orders...

Many of us are in transition. We may feel like giving up or thinking this is just too hard. There is good news! We can take the physical "helps" that a laboring mom has & apply it to us as we spiritually labor!

1) focal point~ have you had a word of revelation that God has spoken to your heart? A prophetic word spoken over you? A scripture that has become "rhema" to your spirit? A dream that God has given you? Hang onto that! Let that be your focal point. Do not give up! Labor on!
2) Breathe~ For us in spiritual transition, we need to breathe easy; rest in Him. Don't make it happen in your own strength. When we breathe, allow God's Spirit to come in...give Him time to do what He wants to do in this transition.
3) Coaches~ God has given us a company of warriors to "coach" us through this hard laboring time. They help us breathe and keep us focused and offer encouragement!
4) Necessary~ this is necessary in order to birth this new thing!

If the Lord has you in this place of transition~ REJOICE! A new thing is coming. Don't give up! Don't say it is too hard. Gather some warriors & encourage one another.....the birth of this new thing is almost here!

Change

Last weekend our family was visiting our friends in Kansas City. One of the highlights was the NARNIA exhibit. This is a traveling exhibit, that will visit large cities around the US. My son, Jonathan & I are fans of all the Chronicles of Narnia books and of course, the two movies based on the books. As we entered the exhibit, through the wardrobe a sign greeted us "Everything you have known is about to change". For the Pevency children, their world definitely changed...as they entered a new world and experienced great adventures. I read the sign and thought how true that is for the world in which we live right now, for everything that we have known is about to change (if it hasn't already).

Change. I drove my son to guitar lessons today and the McDonald's which has stood on the corner for the last 12 years was gone! Demolished. Only dirt. Last week it was there. This week it is gone.

Change. Our family getaway to KC last weekend, consisted of my husband, son & I....our girls were working and couldn't join us. This was the first time of the "new" family arrangement. Our girls are older and just couldn't get away with us. So, instead of 5, there were 3.

Change. This world is changing in front of our eyes; faster than ever before. We can't keep up with the change~ the good and the bad.

Constant. One thing is certain. Jesus never changes. The phrase from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe "Everything you have ever known is about to change" does not apply to Jesus. He stays the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is immovable. He is constant. He is faithful. He is unshakable. He is in control. He is our center. Jesus is the peace in the midst of chaos. Do not be fearful or anxious. Put your trust in Him. Hold fast to Jesus and He will see you through.

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Hebrews 12:28

Water

This is my favorite time of the year~ summer! In fact, I would love to live in a place where summer happens all year long...but alas, I live in the midwest, so our summer months are few. So, now, I am basking in the heat of the sunny days; loving every minute of them...while they last!

With the heat comes the warning to drink lots of water; to keep your body hydrated. I am calling this out to the kids who gather in our backyard; jumping on the tramp, playing soccer or swimming in the pool. I will say, "Have you had water?" or "Who needs water?".

While on a long run last week, in the heat of the day, I was craving water. I didn't bring any with me and about halfway through the run, it consumed my thoughts....and I pressed on with the goal of a cold bottle of water waiting for me in the fridge! In the heat of summer, we need to make sure we are hydrating our bodies...we don't always realize how much we are in need of water until it is too late. I have experienced the sickness of heatstroke a couple times in my adult life~ chills, then hot all over, a headache, not even wanting to consume any water, and an inability to move. So, since that has happened, I know my body and continue drinking water, even when I don't "feel like" I am thirsty. I don't want to experience that sickness again!

So it is in our spiritual walk....the same warning rings true for us in the summer heat: "Have you had water?" or "Who needs water?". Jesus is the LIVING WATER who satifies our thirst. Jesus, when talking to the woman at the well in John 4:14 says, "whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Spending time with the Living Water produces in us springs of water, which well up and spill out. Are you thirsty? Are you going to the right source to quench that thirst or are you drinking from the wells that won't satisfy? Jeremiah 2:13 says, "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." What are you drinking from? Go to the true well, the Living Water to fill you to overflowing with cool, refreshing, life-giving water. Stop getting the water from your own cistern; it won't satisfy for long. The summer heat dries up the water in the cistern quickly...we need to go to the deep well for all the water that gives life and satifies the thirst.

This summer, spend time drinking from the Living Well. Keep hydrated spiritually! Then you can call out to those who are thirsty, "Who needs water?" And you will bring to them the Living Water, because it flows within you, welling up and spilling out.

Closing the Chapter

Two weeks ago my second child, Katelyn, graduated from High School. Since having graduated our first child four years ago, I was a little more prepared for the waves of grief that would wash over me. Hard to believe, because I remember during the potty training years, I would think, "How many more years until she graduates?!" (of course, always said with a smile).

And here we are. Another one of my children on her way! The memories have come like floods, in the days of preparation for the PARTY! Seeing the pictures of childhood, the school papers, the handwriting, the dreams....all laid out (all that money on scrapbooks was well spent after all)! I remember the first days of kindergarten, when I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle Katelyn gone for the whole morning! Wouldn't she miss me? What if she needs me? It was an easy transition for her. She loved her teacher and her classmates~ such a social little girl. Then on to first grade....all day long...are you kidding? What am I missing? I am not the one to teach her things and show her all the wonders in this world. Oh, how quickly time goes by....

first grade~ a love for reading
second grade~ a love for math
third grade~ a love for drama & singing
fourth grade~ a love for soccer, which stays throughout high school
fifth grade~ tried homeschooling for a year~ she didn't love that!
sixth grade~ a love for writing
seventh grade~ a love for changing classrooms
eigth grade~a love for a new school, Concordia
ninth grade~ a love for the Lord; her heart is on fire
tenth grade~ a love for all people & a desire for Africa is stirring
eleventh grade~ a love for the people of Malawi; mission trip plants the seed
twelth grade~ a love for whatever God has for her; a heart open to His plans

And so, we close this chapter. I am waiting with hope in my heart for the next chapter that the Lord will write. The pages are blank. The writer is poised, with pen in hand...for Katelyn, this next chapter is entitled: Twentyfourseven. That is the desire of her heart~ to live a life unto the Lord 24/7. So it begins.......

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Why God Made Moms :)

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions: Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2 Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walking in Freedom

I remember hearing a story from the Civil War period of time....when the slaves were freed, they were released from years of bondage as slaves & told they could go, live their lives in freedom, no more chains, no more slave owners telling them what to do....freedom. It sounds good and yet many of those slaves knew nothing else of their life. What would they do? How would they make a living? Some chose to stay right where they were & continue to serve their masters. They had lived in slavery for so long, even freedom didn't seem to make some of those men, women and children free....

The Israelites spent so many years in bondage and slavery by the Egytians that when their freedom came, they did not know how to live as free men & women either. Bondage had been all they had known.....so freedom didn't seem to make the Israelites free....

What about you? What about me? So many years in bondage to sin; slaves to sin and yet, we have been set free~ for those of us who are disciples of Jesus. We have been set free...Galations 5:1 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." This is the truth of what has happened to us (just as the Israelites had been set free or when the slaves in the US were set free)...the truth needs to be walked out. So, are you hungry to be free? Because it is a process; freedom is a lifestyle; we have to walk it out. In John 8:31, Jesus is talking to "church" people and the Word says, "To the Jews who had believed in him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

Freedom is the ability to live without bondage to sin!

God's desire is that we live in freedom. He has already set us free; now we have to live it out! So here are a couple principles in "walking in freedom":

1) Freedom begins with a new focus~ Seek Him First; Eyes fixed on Jesus (Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first His kingdom)! When we focus on Jesus and His kingdom, we stop focusing on our sin.

*What you are paying attention to defines who you are.*

2) Freedom begins with a new identity~ This is a new focus to...Galations 2:20 tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I am a new creation when I receive the gift of salvation~ I have been moved from darkness to light, the old has passed away & everything is new, Jesus is my life now....Who is living in your body? Flesh? or the Holy Spirit? Galations 5:16 reminds us to live by the Holy Spirit!

*Freedom is not what you've been set free from, but who you've been set free to become.*

The reality is that we have been set free....now we need to walk in the freedom we have already been given.....

Oh, Baby!

On April 6th, we had the privilege of going to the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling for an opportunity to bless the center with clothes, toys, diapers, and other baby items for the “baby store” they have. What happened that night was a mutual blessing and we were blessed by hearing, seeing, and experiencing what the center does for women in need.

The center has blessed the Omaha area for over twenty years. “We started out doing pregnancy tests, and referring women to places in the community that could help them the most. We have grown into a full service advocate for women facing unplanned pregnancies, which includes a wide array of medical services” (www.aaacpc.com).

After being at the center and going through each “step” they provide for women there, I can tell you that they do so much more than offer medical services. They have true passion for the babies involved, but what is remarkably beautiful is the passion for the mothers. They truly counsel these women. They care about them. They love them. They establish relationships with them. They want them to know every option available so that each mother can make the best choice she can.

They even go beyond just a humanistic view of love and offer the love of Jesus Christ to those who will receive it.

That is what this love is all about.
That is what this life is all about.
His love is what changes lives!

At the beginning of the evening, I was expecting to simply bring a few baby clothes for those in need. I was not expecting to be blessed by what I saw, but my heart burst open inside of me that night. As I walked out to the car that evening, the brisk April air hit my cheeks and the deep breath I took in was a fresh burst of life in my lungs and my heart.

I saw a true example of the body of Christ in action that night! What an opportunity to gather as sisters in fellowship, fun, and a night that blessed so, so many! Thank You, Jesus!