Monthly Archives: October 2016

Works of Darkness

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We all know what’s approaching: Halloween. 

Why is it that crime scenes and graves are used in yards to “decorate” them? What would the owners think if the crime scene was real, and one of their loved ones was the victim? They’d be horrified. Then why would someone glorify wickedness, evil, and demons?

In a world where sin is glorified and pureness is mocked, may we as Christians stand boldly and without waver. May our hearts be broken for our country, and may we use opportunities during this month to pray for those who glorify wickedness. And if our hearts break for those who need Jesus, think how much more His heart breaks. After all, He died for them. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

“… whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things.”
(Philippians 4:8)

Love,
Sarah

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
Ephesians 5:11

Apples … Everywhere!

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Nathan and crew have been making applesauce lately with bushels of apples. Don’t you just love fall? Those crisp days, vivid blue skies, and apple-pumpkin-salted caramel everything?

Nathan was very creative and set up most of the canning process in the garage and used a camping stove for the canning. This was their second Saturday canning, and to date, they’ve canned 120 quarts. Way to go, y’all!

They still have some apples left, and they’re hoping to can apple pie filling. Anyone have an awesome recipe? If so, please leave a comment below.

Love,
Sarah

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Mary washing apples with Bethany.

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Melanie worked in the kitchen cooking the apples until they were soft.

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“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son:
but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.”
Proverbs 10:5

County Fair Report, Part 1

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((Sarah’s apologies due to the lateness of this.))

While we had a brief county fair report, we wanted to give you a more detailed one. Our family spent much time preparing for the fair with family prayer meetings, banner design, balloon twisting, and face painting practice. For several weeks before the fair, Anna was daily twisting balloons, and Mary was heading over to practice face painting on nieces and nephews.

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Anna had learned some complex balloon animal twisting so it often took her as long to make a balloon as it did for Mary to do a face paint. Mary got to where she could do most face paints in 3 minutes and more complex ones were up to 6 minutes. We had a bulletin board with the children’s options for face painting.

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As Anna twisted balloons, she talked to children. After each balloon animal was finished and each face paint, the children were sent off with a child’s evangelistic tract. If they weren’t old enough to read, they were encouraged to ask their parents to read it to them.

One family came back a second night and told us they had begun to read the tract to their daughter until the grandstand noise had become too loud, but they were planning to finish it.

Each night, we would go out into the fair grounds and hand out coupons for a free face paint or balloon animal. Then we would go back to our booth and watch the line. When it began to diminish, we would go back out again. Usually that was only necessary two or three times an evening, and then the line would remain.

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The girls were busy from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday evening and from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, except for a late afternoon half hour dinner break on Saturday.

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While the parents were in line waiting for their child’s turn, we would talk to them and give them a Gospel tract too.

Some of the other vendors in our building told us that they really liked having us in that booth because we drew so many people to the building.

We are praying for spiritual fruit in people’s lives from that outreach ministry.

Trusting in Jesus,
Teri

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“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

Teri Maxwell’s True Woman Report, Part 1

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My family blessed me with a generous and exciting Mother’s Day present—a trip to the True Woman ’16 conference titled Cry Out. I greatly enjoyed being part of 7,000 Christian women, who were worshipping the Lord Jesus and crying out to the Lord on behalf of everything from our own hearts to the state of our world.

My favorite session was Nancy Wolgemuth’s Friday session called Brokenness. I had actually found that message from when she originally gave it many years ago. It is a powerful call to repent of pride and walk in brokenness. She did a superb job of contrasting pride with brokenness. I saw myself in way more of the proud examples, and I loved the challenge to set pride aside.

Friday night the whole session was prayer. We were led in prayer as speakers prayed. We were directed in prayer as they had us get in groups of 3 or 6 and pray for specific prayer points. For over 3 hours, 7,000 women at the conference plus thousands of women around the world who had put together prayer groups for the live simulcast were praying. It was moving.

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I try to listen to Nancy’s Revive Our Hearts podcast every day. I learn from her teaching, and I think you would like it too.

If you want to listen to the messages from the True Woman ’16 conference, here is a link.

Trusting in Jesus,
Teri

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider ye, and
call for the mourning women, that they may come;
and send for cunning women, that they
may come: And let them make haste, and take up a
wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears,
and our eyelids gush out with waters.”
Jeremiah 9:17-18

Open Your Mouth for the Speechless

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Last Sunday, we had the joy of participating in standing for life here in Leavenworth. Cities across the nation joined together on Sunday, October 2nd, to pray for abortion to end.

Did you know that over 3000 abortions are done in the United States every day and 125,000 worldwide? Our hearts grieve over this terrible atrocity.

I captured the hour with pictures. It was an amazing time to stand with others for life.

Love,
Sarah

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“Open thy mouth for the dumb
in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.”
Proverbs 31:8

Debt-Free Series: What is Our Example?

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Our children are watching us and our example is being imprinted on their lives. We must ask ourselves, is it really about teaching our children to be debt-free, or the more important commitment, to love the Lord Jesus with all our heart, soul, and mind and obediently follow Him? I endorse the latter.

At the heart of our walk with Christ is whether we believe Him. Obviously, believing in Him, Who He is, and what He has done for us on the cross is essential for salvation. However, believing His Word is essential for abundant life in Christ. Do we truly believe what His Word says?

It is one thing to believe He has saved us for eternity with Him after we die, but does He provide and guide us while we live? If so, am I really willing to follow Him? Could it be that our willingness to trust and obey Him in life is an indication of our real trust in Him? Do we actually believe something if “it” doesn’t affect the decisions we make?

In the garden, Satan led Eve to sin by “encouraging” Eve to doubt what God told them. “…And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said…?: (Genesis 3:1). As a result of that exchange, sin entered and passed to their children and down through the ages to us. Foundational to teaching our children to be debt-free is for them to observe parents who truly believe God and follow Him.

Scripture is very clear on whether God will provide for us. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Is it true? Of course. Do we believe it — always? most of the time? some of the time? none of the time?

Our actions are determined by our decisions. We make decisions based on what we believe to be true. If we believe that God will supply all of our needs, what do we do when we don’t have money for something?

Do we first seek the Lord as to whether He considers it a need or a want? God will not supply all our wants, but He will supply all of our needs in His time.

Our children are watching. They remember our actions. We set the example. If we justify wants as needs, they will also. Then when God doesn’t supply money for their wants, they will borrow like everyone else.

Are you content in Christ? Are you trusting Him to meet your needs? Are you teaching, by example, your children to walk in faith, obediently following Jesus?

Steve

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 
1 Corinthians 11:1