One more quick post this morning. I just found this song this morning. It is from Steven Curtis Chapman. It was written about a school shooting in Steven's home town but it reminds me of his daughter "Maria" who passed way to be with the Lord a few months back now. It is playing in the background.
Let's all remember to continue to pray for this family, especially with the Holiday season coming. I cannot even imagine the emotions that they must deal with every day of their lives.
-Bill.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Decision Update!
Hi all, I'm back again. I now have some direction. In my last post I hinted to the fact that I feel I have been called into some sort of ministry work. Well, long story short I have come full circle back to China, Orphans and Bring Me Hope. I feel that God is calling me to play a larger role in this organization and after several "LONG" phone calls with David it has all been confirmed.
I will admit that I didn't see this opportunity as a "Mission" but then I remembered the verse that says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - James 1:27 (NIV). I have read this verse for years now but I never thought of it as a calling but then I realized that all of God's work is a calling. From the secretary at a church to the man in the mission field in India. In God's eyes there are no small tasks that bring glory to his kingdom.
Isn't it nice to know that God's ideas and definitions are so much greater than our own?
I will ask for prayer during this time as the Deceiver has tried to make me feel unworthy of service. We all have sin in our lives and we all struggle with it. I have been so focused on thinking that I must be perfect to do God's work but I was reminded by a friend last week that if I was truly perfect I would most likely not be on this earth anymore but be sitting next to our Saviour in Heaven. I don't think God is done with me quite yet - I hope!
So here's the sales pitch - sign up to go to camp. It WILL change your life forever. BMH Camp - click here
More to come... Bill
PS - Martin, if you are reading this, thank you for being such a good friend. I appreciate your comments and encouragement more than you know.
I will admit that I didn't see this opportunity as a "Mission" but then I remembered the verse that says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - James 1:27 (NIV). I have read this verse for years now but I never thought of it as a calling but then I realized that all of God's work is a calling. From the secretary at a church to the man in the mission field in India. In God's eyes there are no small tasks that bring glory to his kingdom.
Isn't it nice to know that God's ideas and definitions are so much greater than our own?
I will ask for prayer during this time as the Deceiver has tried to make me feel unworthy of service. We all have sin in our lives and we all struggle with it. I have been so focused on thinking that I must be perfect to do God's work but I was reminded by a friend last week that if I was truly perfect I would most likely not be on this earth anymore but be sitting next to our Saviour in Heaven. I don't think God is done with me quite yet - I hope!
So here's the sales pitch - sign up to go to camp. It WILL change your life forever. BMH Camp - click here
More to come... Bill
PS - Martin, if you are reading this, thank you for being such a good friend. I appreciate your comments and encouragement more than you know.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Hi Everyone, I'm back.. for now?
First off, Hello to everyone out there who had followed my blog. I have to apologize for not writing in such a long time. A lot has been going on with me and decisions that I am trying to make. In short I believe that God is calling me into the ministry. I am not exactly sure what that means. It could be church work or possibly mission work. As you all know I have a very strong heart for those in China, along with my family. Ever since the trip to the camp a change took place in my life. A verse that has stuck with me since is Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Never before has this verse meant so much to me.
I use the analogy of wearing a mask to describe how this verse effected me while I was in China. The short of it is that when I was there, surrounded by strangers, I felt as though I was wearing a mask and I could do things that I wouldn't normally do. There was no fear of rejection or judgement simply because I didn't know these people and did not think that I would see most of them once the camp was over. The realization that I took from this was that, it wasn't that I couldn't do something but that I wouldn't do something out of fear, pride or whatever the excuse would be behind the circumstance. God spoke to me on that trip and has been speaking to me ever since. He has let me see that the life that I have been living was not furthering the Kingdom and in the end that is all this life is ever about.
I would ask for prayers during this time as God reveals to me the exact path that I am to follow. In the meantime I have decided to jump in and volunteer whenever and where ever I can. I would challenge all of you out there to do the same. There is so much more to life than money, work, television... and the list goes on. There is always someone out there in a worst situation than we are and we can help and make a difference.
I will apologize again for not writing for a while and will make it a goal to write more and let everyone know what is going on in my life and the life of my family.
I use the analogy of wearing a mask to describe how this verse effected me while I was in China. The short of it is that when I was there, surrounded by strangers, I felt as though I was wearing a mask and I could do things that I wouldn't normally do. There was no fear of rejection or judgement simply because I didn't know these people and did not think that I would see most of them once the camp was over. The realization that I took from this was that, it wasn't that I couldn't do something but that I wouldn't do something out of fear, pride or whatever the excuse would be behind the circumstance. God spoke to me on that trip and has been speaking to me ever since. He has let me see that the life that I have been living was not furthering the Kingdom and in the end that is all this life is ever about.
I would ask for prayers during this time as God reveals to me the exact path that I am to follow. In the meantime I have decided to jump in and volunteer whenever and where ever I can. I would challenge all of you out there to do the same. There is so much more to life than money, work, television... and the list goes on. There is always someone out there in a worst situation than we are and we can help and make a difference.
I will apologize again for not writing for a while and will make it a goal to write more and let everyone know what is going on in my life and the life of my family.
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