January 21, 2017

Greetings My Friends, I have felt for sometime that taking care of those around the world while many are in need around our own country is wrong. I have a heart for caring for the lost around the world and would love to reach out but I believe we always need to start caring first at home. In Matthew 15 today I see a situation where Jesus is speaking to a woman in need, "Lord help me?" And He answered "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said "Yes Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table." I hear Jesus teaching us that the Word first was brought to the Jewish people and then He came to open the door to all peoples. I learned to provide for your own first and then give to others along with allowing myself to be fed by God before I reach out to help others. Sometimes I skip this important step and I wind up way over my head with people I am trying to help. When I was younger I had the energy to minister to young people, to go on mission trips and so much more. Today my health needs to be front and center before I reach out to help others. The work I once did is not what I am capable of today. Each time I thought I was a used up nothing God showed me that there is much work to do only not what I once knew how to do. Part of my lesson has been how important it is to step aside to allow new believers an opportunity to serve and grow in ministry. When we step aside and open the door for new believers, younger believers we open our church to grow for another generation. Recently a church that is a plant of our church is quickly getting ready to close due to the fact there were no new believers to continue the church. It is a simple thing and yet we struggle to let go, to be in the background so the older generation often chokes the life out of the church. Many older churches have also put such a huge focus on attracting younger members to the church that the older members are left out. Church is important to both the young and to the old, to able bodied and to the disabled. That is the wonderful gift of salvation, God wants all to come to Him through His Son. If we follow God's ways and listen to the Holy Spirit the right balance will be a part of His church. We learned from Jesus, then the Apostles to love all people and when they give their heart to Jesus the work of the church corporately is expanded. A growing believer leads to reaching out to others who do various jobs to all believers within Jesus' church. Some are up front speaking like Paul or Peter, some fed the widows, others took care of the money while others sewed and provided for the needs of others. As an older woman who believes that God keeps reminding me He will use me up until my last breath. It was hard to let go of the familiar ways to serve but I have been pushed to reach new goals in ministry. I am a writer, I am a friend to many on line, I have learned much about building a strong Godly marriage through workshops and such. If I insisted on being a youth adviser I would never have learned all of these other skills. I am able to reach young people I meet because I act young and get them giggling so I still am able to minister to the young. It is not the formal ministry of a youth group anymore. I am able to relate to those that have been abused, struggle with cancer, invisible illness' and of course I minister with writing as well. I think we start at home and then move out from there. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet