Two are better than one

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 
Ecc. 4:9NKJV

Probably one of the most joyous times of being a parent,at least for me, has been watching my own children become parents for the first time.  Yesterday on March 13, 2012, we welcomed our sixth grandchild, Julian Irah Nelson, into the fold.  It was as exciting to me as adding our first grandchild when I watched my son and his wife welcome thier first child.

My son, Justin and his wife Abby, have known each other since they were 15 years old.  It really is a love story they will be able to share with their little boy one day.  They have had their shares of bumps in the road as they have gone along but they have really been steadfast in thier love towards one another and the commitment they have made to each other.  It has been such a pleasure to watch them as they have grown up from their teens into their twenties, getting married and now adding their first little one.  They have done things on their terms and their way, and that has been an important part of their marriage.  I have no doubt in raising Julian, they will do the same.  They work very well as a team, each having their own strengths that they add to their family.  My son and his wife are going to be wonderful parents, this will add a depth to their lives like they have never known.  My heart is full! 

Lord, I am so thankful for all you have blessed us with and I pray that as Justin and Abby walk into this new role as parents, that Your hand will guide them every step of the way.  Thank you for Your daily love and care and for Your provision in our lives.  To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Fullness of Joy

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.  Psalm 16:11


Nehemiah 8 is a story of complete restoration for the people of God. Nehemiah returns to restore the walls back up but in the process is also restoring the people of God. There is a clear understanding of what it means to be restored back into His presence. After the wall is restored and the gates are put back in place all the people gather to read His Word. It had been a long time since the people had all come together, men and women and all who could listen with understanding (Neh.8:2).  His Word was read, explained and understood. 


When we take the time to read His Word with a heart that is ready to receive, God will bring us to a place of understanding His Word.  I will never forget the first time I felt Him speaking to me during my morning quiet time.  It was really the first time I knew He was talking to me specifically.  I was going through a devotional book by Amy Carmichael called, The Edges of His ways.  She was taking me through a passage in her book from His Word and as she gave understanding to what it meant to her it was like a light bulb came on in my head.  I got it, I understood, He was speaking to my heart too.  It wasn't her words that touched my heart but it was her explaining of His Word that spoke to me.  Much like when all the people gathered in Nehemiah and the Word was read, explained and then understanding came.  I had been reading my Bible for awhile, but at that time it was just words on paper, but as I committed myself to an understanding, desiring to hear from Him and daily seeking Him, He spoke so clearly that day, that to this day, I remember that exact moment.


I still have those times when I open His Word and don't always come away with a specific message.  But that particular day when He first spoke to me and I understood, keeps me coming back for more.  And He has been faithful to me over the years always speaking to my heart through His Word;   through times of trials, questions on life, rejoicing.  God has been there for me, through His Word.  It is how He speaks personally to me.


The people in Nehemiah 8 realized what they had been missing in their lives when the Word was opened back up and explained to them.  They were in a place of restoration, their hearts were ready and God spoke to them and they understood.  Their first reaction was mourning, maybe because they had missed being in fellowship with Him and felt bad for being so far away from Him, but once told it was a day of holiness and joyfullness they began to celebrate.  With the celebration of God speaking to them the first thing they did was begin to be obedient to what He was saying. 


God's Word will also do this for us.  It can bring about repentance, celebration, and obedience when we seek Him.  His Word is where we find strength, joy and restoration.  His Word brings life!  Open it up, pray and ask Him to bring understanding and make it a "Daily Thing" to meet Him there. 


Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.  Jeremiah 15:16


Greater is He that is in me, than he who is in the world,
Gina

 

A Good Work

being confident of this very thing, that HE who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

This particular verse has resonated throughout my life after I came to an understanding of what it means to be a Christian. Many times the Lord has had to remind me, HE will complete what HE started in me. And still after some 30 years of walking with Him, I still need this reminder on a daily basis.

My Tuesday morning Women's Bible Study has been going through the book of Nehemiah for the past couple of months. It has been revealing to me in many ways on what it means to be a leader or an example in my home and in my church as I have watched Nehemiah lead the people in rebuilding a wall to protect a city, a place that had been destroyed. Nehemiah had to literally start from the ground up to begin the rebuilding process.

Where do you start when you want to lead in your family, or in your church body or just out in the world? How do you even begin to build up something that has been destroyed or forgotten about?  How do you take your life and make it count for something more than just days on a calendar? 

Well it is good to start at the beginning and as you begin the book of Nehemiah you will realize Nehemiah began his work with prayer.  It all starts with prayer and a surrendering of your life to Him.  Nehemiah was saddened by what was going on in his homeland (Nehemiah 1) and the first thing he did was take his sadness's to the Lord. 

Being a leader in the life of another does not mean pushing yourself or your thoughts on others, it simply means living a life in front of them that they can look at and see the Lord at work.  Nehemiah did not step out to do the work on his own, it was God who led him in that direction.  It was God who opened the doors for him by allowing him to be released from his present duties in the king's palace to go to his people in Jerusalem.  Nehemiah laid his life down, gave it to the Lord and basically said, here I am, what can I do to serve, to help, to lead, to encourage, to build up?  Lord, what can I do?

I found myself this morning in Nehemiah 6, the wall had just been completed, and as I came to verse 16 this is what I read, "when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence, for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God".  The first verse that came to my mind as I was reading this verse was, Phil.1:6, being confident of this very thing, HE who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.  God began the work of the rebuilding of the wall and God saw it to completion.  And He chose a man who's heart was saddened by the devastation to lead in this building or rebuilding of the wall.  Nehemiah's heart was in the right place, Nehemiah knew he couldn't do that work on his own, he knew that the enemy would come in and try to destroy, tear down, or discourage him and he knew he needed God.

Do you know what you need to be a leader in your home, your church, your community?  Do you desire to see change in your family, your church, your community?  Do you face a daily lack of confidence to lead in the place God has put you?  We have an enemy that stands at the door of our heart telling us; we can't do it, we can't lead, we can't build our home up, we can't even live a life that is worthy.  The truth is, in our own flesh WE CAN'T, but GOD CAN!

If your desire is to lead in your family, those in your church or community.. then it starts with prayer and a right heart.  We can't lead anyone if our own hearts are not right.  We can't even be an example of HIM to others through our work or deeds without first committing it all to HIM.  Nehemiah wasn't out to impress others, or make a name for himself in the world. He simply wanted to serve and be useful.  That is my heart most of the time.  I just want to serve my family, I want to be useful, I want my days to count and I want those around me to see HIM at work, not me.  But the truth is, I let the enemy come in at times and tell me things like; "you can't do this", "you are not a leader", "who do you think you are?".  Then God comes in and gently reminds me through His Word...
"being confident of this very thing, HE who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus".

He will complete the work He started in me, I just need to be confident, I need to trust, I need to surrender it all to Him on a daily basis.  When the wall was completed in Nehemiah 6 it says the enemies lost their confidence, for they recognized the work had been accomplished with God!  He doesn't start a work and leave it unfinished, HE completes it!  So let's be confident in our God to help us in our leading in our family, our church home and our community and to complete the work HE has started. 

Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world,
Gina

Me with my three oldest grandchildren. 
Thank you Lord, for the lives I have to love and lead, through You!