The Power of Words

Words.

We use them everyday.

We speak them.

We type them. 

We think them.

But do we always take time to analyze our words? Do we realize that there are times when words can make or break a person? Did God intend for us to use them as weapons or for His glory?

I have heard and seen a lot of words this week that have been good; as well as, bad. I have seen people break down the Kingdom through words and I have seen the Kingdom built up because of words...all within a matter of 7 days. So, in honor of our summer of repeating I decided to share a little about Peter...again. For those of you who may not have been around when we studied the disciples in Faithfully Fit, Peter was known as the disciple with the "foot-shaped" mouth. Yep... you read that right. He was always sticking his foot in his mouth. Words...ugh!

In Matthew 16:16, we find Peter speaking some powerful words.."You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!" But in no time when Jesus began speaking about His destiny and what He must do to fulfill God's plan, we find Peter rebuking the very Messiah (Matthew 16:22). Peter's words became a stumbling block and a product of the kingdom of darkness.

Psalm 34:13 says this "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech." My husband, Justin, said it best this week - For Christ has offered us more grace than we will ever be able to understand, so why as Christians are we not offering that same grace to others?

Words.

So what are you gonna do with your words today?

What are you gonna do with the words that you heard or spoke this week?

Well, I am going to move past those "not so good" words and focus on this...17 kids coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior this week because they heard THE WORD! 

But more than that..one of them just so happened to be my baby boy, Austin.

As I sat in our living room last night, I listened as my husband and my son talked about Jesus and then I listened as my son prayed to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior and I thought...ahhh such beautiful words!

As Christians, may the words of our mouths match what Jesus has done in our hearts..so that we can be the Jesus that people need to see.

 ~ Donna

Christmas and VBS?

Six months until Christmas.
Really?
Well, that is the enthusiastic statement I read on social media yesterday.

The funny thing is that while I did not have that exact thought earlier in the day I had a similar thought. I was riding out to my mother's house to take some medical supplies and my mind wondered. What is today's date? After missing several days of work to help take care of my mom I had lost track of the actual date. Then it dawned on me...the month of June is almost over. Summer feels like it just started. But here I am, one week away from our families summer vacation, one month away from my son moving away for college and apparently six months away from Jesus' Birthday!
SIX MONTHS UNTIL CHIRSTMAS.
But let me back up. Let me explain why I would even share this here on our Faithfully Fit blog.
Something huge usually happens in the month of June in my life. And it's still happening.
But for the first time in over 16 years I am not participating (a tear is forming).
Vacation Bible School. Or more affectionately known as, VBS.
VBS is taking place at my home church and I am missing.
I am missing the children run in each night with smiles on their faces.
Missing the contagious songs that get stuck in your head and won't leave you alone at night.
Missing the tired feet after a long week of standing, running, walking.
Missing the stories of Jesus from a child's voice.
Thankfully, God has given me the great joy of participating through prayer. And also the great treasure of showing me how He answers our prayers.
You see, over a year ago I began praying about my involvement with VBS and what it should be in 2014. I knew that my life would be a little different with a son graduating high school and I know that balance is  an important part of any life and in Christian service. So I began to pray to see the path God needed for me to take.
I'm good at multi-tasking.
I can do so many things.
But what Lord? What? What would you have me to do?
His answer was for me to bow out of VBS in 2014.
Honestly, it was not the easiest of choices for me to make.
Thankfully, God spoke and I listened.
You see as I stepped out on my patio this morning to hear the birds a moment He spoke again. He said, "I knew where you needed to be long before you did".
I knew that one month before VBS I had a huge Women's event to not only plan for but also to speak at with my faithful sister Donna. God is just starting a work in the ministry we call Faithfully Following. I knew that my son and my niece would be graduating from high school and there would be many activities, family gatherings and events happening. But I did not know that my husband would have surgery nor that my mother would have surgery.
He did.
God did.
And God knew that I would need to help with their care. And He also knew that He had plans for others to step up to VBS. His work would be done. And it's ok that it was without me (ouch).
And yesterday "six months until Christmas" was not the only thing I read on social media.
I read, "We had 8 kids come to accept Christ in our class last night" (Happy tear!).

Lindsey Walker and Freddi Davis, mother and daughter serving together in VBS!

So this morning I praise the One is always present to hear my prayers.
Always answers in the right and loving way.
The One who knows all the moments of my day.
Always overseeing what is best.
I praise my Father, God in Heaven, Lord of lords, and King of kings as He brings the little children into the Kingdom!
~ Jodie

Passionate Pieces

It's funny how God pieces things together sometime.

Recently, I had a thought.
I wondered what would my life look like if my passions were the same as Christ's passions? And furthermore, what if my burdens were His burdens. I didn't want to lose my thought so I quickly wrote down two words in my journal, "Passions/Burdens". From that point on I began seeking to see what God wanted to speak to me about these two words.
It did not take long for me to see God piecing together things.
First, I felt God saying to me, "Be passionate for Me. You have been passionate about many things in life and good things have come from your heart's desires but focus on your passion for Me and see great things flow for Me."
It's true. I have been passionate about many things. I was passionate about college and pursuing my nursing degree. Then I was passionate about getting a nursing job and learning all I could about my new profession. I was passionate about becoming a mother. Passionate about being a good mother. Passionate about helping in church and in schools. None of these are bad but without Jesus being my first passion they were always lacking something. These things are out of order without Him first.
I heard God say, "Let me be first."
God continued to show me His wisdom.

It's funny how he pieces things together sometime.

While attending my son's high school graduation services a high school student delivers her address to the audience and speaks about her pursuit to find her passion. And it caused me to reflect back to when I was in high school. I believe I did the same thing as this graduating student. I looked for my passion. I remember being passionate about different subjects of study and different topics of debate in my classes and then, well, you have the list already. Nursing school, career, motherhood, ect.
Often Jesus was in the mix. But was He my passion? Did I share His passions? Were my burdens His?
And God did it again. In that funny way He put a another piece together for me.
I sat out on my patio and studied a Sunday school lesson and then somehow I ended up turning to the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah.
And there I became engrossed in the pages describing the King's cupbearer and His determination to restore a wall....His determination to do God's work....His determination to pray for God's people.... His determination to stand firm in the face of adversity....
His passion for God. His burden for God's people.

God said, "linger here and learn from Nehemiah".
God is still showing me the pieces.
I am digging deep. Paying careful attention.
Sitting at His feet.
Listening, lingering. Learning.
May my passion be Christ. May my burden be His.
~ Jodie
Lord, Let my passion be Christ, let my burden be the Lost. Let me be eager to share my passion with those I am burdened for! Amen

How is your vision?

Well, it is a big day in the Fender household today...Austin got his first pair of glasses! He was so excited when we got the call that they were in...we quickly packed our things and left the pool so that we could get cleaned up and head to the eye care center. All the way home he kept looking over his glasses and then through his glasses saying...fuzzy, clear, fuzzy, clear. I am so relieved that he is embracing this new addition with so much joy and excitement, because I hated my glasses and had a much harder time adjusting. But it got me to thinking....how many of us need our vision checked and we don't even know it? We just assume that which we see is well.....normal?

Well, God offers an eye care center like no other! He can not only make your physical eyes see more clearly but He can correct the eyes of your heart as well!

Are you lost and can't see which way to go?

Does your life seem dim and dark?

Are things a little fuzzy?

God has given us corrective lenses to use.... through the Bible. God can help you through day to day life without having to struggle to see. His word gives us answers and reveals His will for our life...but just like regular glasses you have to "put" on the Word in order to see. Just having the Word sit beside you is about as useful as having your glasses on a side table.

So how is your vision? Do you need a check-up? You can do this!!!

Donna

I can do this!

I can do this!

Yesterday I drove to a college campus with my oldest child. My little boy. College.
While he took placement tests I roamed the isles of a shopping outlet with his sweet girlfriend.
Looking for pants and shirts, just like I did when he was truly little.
After testing we meet with an admissions counselor.

I can do this!

We leave and continue looking for a few clothing items. The shirts in the men's department are tricky and still overwhelm his slender body. We make a quick purchase and venture out to meet a potential roommate and look at a house.
A house.
My little boy, leaving the nest soon.
I can do this!

I have done many difficult things throughout my life. Some were by my choice and some were not.
Moved from place to place between parents.
Started a new school at the age of 15.
Completed nursing school.
Moved away from home.
Looked for employment.
Given birth.
Prayed with dying patients.
Held my children at night when their eardrums ruptured.
Bathed frail bodies of sick people.
Watched a husband get on a plane for military duty and waited for his return.
Sat by the beside as my granny took her last breaths.
Ran races.
Suffered loss.
Said no when my heart wanted to say yes.
Started ministries from the ground up.
Stood in front of hundreds of women to speak.
And now...it's time to watch my firstborn fly!
I can do this!

Never once have I been alone.
Do you feel like you are alone in your struggles?
With Christ you are never alone. 
Never once have I been without the strength of someone stronger.
With Christ there is strength. 
Never once have I been without encouragement, hope, love?
With Christ we freely receive all of these. 

Whether you are watching a child prepare for college, struggling to hold together a marriage, looking for job, overcoming an addiction, caring for a dying loved one, wondering where your next month's rent will come from, whatever you may face today, look it straight in the eye and say,
"With Christ, I can do this!"
Say it, REPEAT it, believe it!

The very One who gave his life for you is there is see your through to the other side!

With Christ, you can do this!
Jodie

Soul Mates

I just dropped my "baby" Cailee off at Camp Willow Run for the first time. It will be the first time she has been away from us for a week. The most she has been away is about 3 or 4 days but that was with Mimi so, she was not responsible for her own care. I could not help but giggle a little when I noticed on the "chore" chart that her cleaning duty for tomorrow is toliets! Man, I love this camp already! LOL! Cailee, however, was not amused! She is growing up so fast.....and turning into a beautiful young lady. While we were packing the subject of modesty came up....one of many conversations that I will have with her about boys....oh my! (hang in there...the point is coming!)

The theme this summer at Camp Willow Run is "For the King" and is based off a wonderful scripture...the Faithfully Fit girls should know it...1 Corinthians 10:31.."So whether you eat or drink; or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." They are learning about what it looks like to live "for the King"...I wonder if the subject of being modest will be a part of that? I wonder if I am living my life as an example of what it looks like to live for the King? How do we live "for the King?" Hmmm, sounds like a lesson worth repeating.
I think that the answer is simple....to live for the King, you must be in love with the King. That's right, not just love the King, but be in love with the King.

Let's review. John 3:16 says " For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life." God LOVES you, and me, and Cailee, and Jodie, and the world!  He completes us. I love my husband very much, but does he complete me? Not the way Jesus does... and the best part? Justin is ok with it! Living for the King means to be in love with the King...for He is already in love with us. For God is our "soul mate" and He will love us more than any human on Earth ever could. And a good husband...or boyfriend......will not look to "complete" a girl. He will be a man of great character, who wants to share life together, working for God...for God is his soul mate too!

So, as I pray for my Cailee this week, I will pray that she will learn to do everything, to live, "for the King". That she will fall in love with Jesus and that He alone will make her complete. That she will one day find a mate who is complete in Christ and that they will serve Him together. That she will repeat her love for Christ daily and learn to not repeat mistakes. That she will know - have a heart knowledge - of John 3:16.

As I was walking away towards the jeep, this verse was posted at the exit of the camp...

JOY! I have Joy that Jesus is mine! And I have more Joy that Jesus is available to all!

Donna

Embracing Treasures in the Trash!

Taking out the trash.
Washing the dirty dishes.
Cleaning the grimy kitchen floor.
Dusting away the cobwebs.
Reorganizing the laundry room shoe closet.
Vacuuming up the cat hair.

These are just a few of things that I did yesterday that I know I will do again soon.
Without fail the trash will accumulate again. The clothes will pile into dirty loads again. The kitchen floor will become sticky again. The cobwebs will reappear. The shoe closet will become cluttered with things that are not shoes. And the cat hair will most assuredly accumulate! Why is that cat not bald?

My life and most likely your life are full of things that we must repeat on a daily and weekly basis. I used to spend time getting upset over this. I still catch myself wanting to get upset about these things. And then I do my very best to remember there is Joy in laundry! You heard me right. Joy in the dirty, smelly soccer socks. Joy in the clothes I know my daughter tried on once and then tossed in the dirty pile because she did not want to put them back away. Joy in the three sets of clothes my son wore in one day. The school clothes, the gym clothes, the golf clothes.
There are Joy in each of these repeat tasks when I take time to see the Joy.
The joy in being a wife to a husband who needs clean socks. (I would have said underwear but that's totally embarrassing, right?)
The joy in being the mother of an 18 year old son who will soon be leaving the nest for college and bringing me back his dirty golf shirts. (I just know it; it's what his dad did in college.)
The joy in being a mother to a 16 year old daughter who wants to try on a few things until she finds the outfit that fits that day's mood. (And trust me she is a mini-me so you never know what that mood may be.)
There is joy in the laundry. Every piece that I fold reminds me of blessings God has given me. Precious people he has given me to care for, to love and to cherish. Not to mention a home to keep clean.

So I will embrace the opportunity to do the things that I know will quickly be undone.
I will treasure these things from Proverbs 31:
Having a husband who has confidence in me.
Being able to work with eager hands.
Providing food for my family, even when it is takeout!
Planning my days work and having the strength of a healthy body to work diligently.
Keeping my light on all through the night to be available for whatever need may arise.
Offering help to those in need.
Having peace that my family is protected by the Lord.
Studying the word and sharing it with all!
Knowing that the blessing of embracing the treasures given to me in the things I must repeat far outweigh the bags of trash I will take out, the loads of laundry I will wash and the cobwebs I will clear.

Embrace the Joy in the Laundry!
Jodie