Merry Christmas everyone.

Like you, our blogging team is going to take a vacation. We will return to blogging on January 4th.

We pray the peace that passes all understanding
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. May you all take time to bow before the King this Christmas in worship and praise for who He is and what He has done!

What is most meaningful to you at Christmas?

For me it is reading Christmas stories to my kids and seeing the wonder of Christmas through their eyes.

Leave a comment and share what is meaningful to you.

No testimony today but here is an acrostic. Who is Jesus to you?
M-Messiah
E-Eternal
R- Redeemer
R- Restorer
Y-Yahweh

C-Counselor
H-Help in times of need
I-Infinite wisdom
S-Savior
T-Truth
M-Mighty
A- Author of life
S-Son of God

This week we have the two Christmas Eve services
5:00-Kid friendly
7:00-Traditional Candlelight

27th-Family Worship at 10:00(NO Sunday School)

Don't forget to sign up for your Day with God.

New LDI classes starting in January.

Have a Merry Christmas

From a missionary: Specifics to pray for
When traveling . . .

* That missionaries will pass effortlessly through customs and immigration lines
* That the planes on which missionaries travel will not encounter mechanical problems or trouble from terrorists
* That our missionaries will make all their connections

Health and safety objectives

* Protection for the missionaries from accidents, crime, natural disasters, terrorists, and dangerous animals
* Protection for the missionaries from sickness
* That missionaries will find time for proper sleep, rest, and exercise
* That missionaries' food and water needs will be met

Spiritual watchcare objectives

* Times of intimacy for missionaries with Jesus in Bible, prayer and worship
* Shielding for the missionaries from dark forces in spiritual realms
* Preservation for missionaries from discouragement, fear, and doubt
* That missionaries will demonstrate purity, humility, boldness, wisdom, patience, love for people, a teachable spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit

Teamwork objectives

* That teams of missionaries will experience and express unity, love, good communication, patience, and spiritual gifts
* That missionaries will resist temptations toward jealousy, envy, bitterness, and pride
* That missionaries will be granted grace for cultural adjustments, dealing with jet lag, being away from family and friends and lack of privacy.
* For missionaries to have wisdom to design and implement effective efforts that will make a long-term difference here . . . and that they will be able to establish and maintain a solid friendships with government officials and other leaders in their chosen land.

Searching For The Savior Saturday

I wrote to Tim and Marsha last week and asked them what I thought would be a very simple question. You always hear of people stating that they have been "called" to go to the mission field. I posed this question to Marsha and ask her if she would respond. I think that so often we think it is typically that exact moment that you will never forget but I have discovered that we have all been called. I have been raised in a Southern Baptist Church since I was in utero and on the Craddle List before I was ever born. Missions is a part of me. It always has been and always will be. When Marsha wrote me back, it was an "Ah-Ha" moment for me. As we focus on our Foreign Missionaries this month, please be praying for them and the work that they do day in and day out. Please read below and continue praying for Tim and Marsha.

“A call to missions” is an interesting term. From one perspective, there can be a clear call to a particular place or a particular work. You know what I mean – a moment in time! From another perspective, the call can be to live a life of giving of yourself no matter where you live. This person is one who is always available to “go” to anyone regardless of the need – no matter where they live. My call to missions was somewhere in the middle of those two perspectives. I sensed for many years that God would send me outside the United States. There was never a moment in time when I heard God and responded to “go”. I clearly heard the “go” of the Great Commission and I responded with a resounding “yes, Lord”. For years, “go” meant short term trips to India, Nepal, Brazil, Ecuador and Ukraine.

In 2007, Tim came to the decision that God was calling us to Ukraine and I didn’t question it. It had been a process and we could see where it was heading. No one was really surprised. But, I also didn’t feel a particular call to Ukraine. I kept hearing people say that you needed to “be sure of your call” or the difficult times on the field would make you doubt whether or not you should be there. A couple of times I asked the Lord if I had missed something. I trusted Him. I trusted Tim to listen to Him. And, I had committed to obey the Lord and follow Tim.

My first call is to Christ. Next, my call is to be Tim’s wife. Christ has called me to be a helper for Tim. He’s asked me to support him and pray for him and make a home that allows him to do what God has asked of him. I’ve taught women for years that their first call after their call to Christ is a call to their husbands. Through this move to Ukraine, God has given me the opportunity to live out every truth that I’ve ever taught. And, I have had the privilege of seeing that if I’m true to Christ, I can trust Him to lead my husband.

During our training, we continued to hear people say you “must be sure of your call”. I’d hear that and wonder if I was “sure”. Almost immediately I knew I was sure, but still no moment in time for me. Then we had several days of training on spiritual warfare taught by Dr. Jerry Rankin, President of the IMB. Dr. Rankin gave us his testimony and shared that he never received a clear call or a moment in time when he knew he was to “go”. But, he put into words the thoughts I had repeatedly thought myself. I had an almost identical experience to him in regards to “a call to missions”. My call was to Christ and the Lord was revealing His will for my life one step at a time.

I’ve now met hundreds of missionaries. I’ve listened to their stories. Everyone has their own story of how they were called to missions. Through their testimonies and my personal experience, I’ve come to believe that our call matches our spiritual “leash-length”. (I think in visuals and this has been a visual I could understand.) Consider that I’m on a spiritual leash with Christ at the other end. God keeps the ones that He can’t trust very close so they won’t wander too far. He allows others to hear His voice and gives them a little more leash-length because they can be trusted not to wander. (That’s Tim). No doubt, someone like Billy Graham can be on a very long leash! Not so with me. For whatever reason, the Lord needs to keep me on a short leash. A short leash reminds me that I’m following Him and doesn’t allow me too much opportunity to choose my own way or wander off. (He tried putting me on a long leash years ago and found out that I’d fail Him every time.)

We’re all called to do particular works (Eph. 2:10). That’s my life verse. But, the ultimate call is to Christ! My call is to Him ….. to be lost in Him …….. to be His hands and feet wherever He leads.

Am I sure of the call to missions in Ukraine? Absolutely!
Have I had times of doubt? Absolutely!
Have I had moments that I questioned Tim’s call? Absolutely!
When things get hard (and they do), I question everything …… everything, but my Lord!
My call is to Him. My prayer is that He will find Tim and I available to be used however and wherever He chooses. At this time in our lives, we have been called to serve the Lord in Ukraine. We do so humbly, with complete certainty that He has brought us here.

A call to missions …… we all received one! Read it for yourself in Matthew 28:19-20. One clear thing I’ve learned is that every nation on earth has its share of lost people who need to know the good news of Jesus Christ. The U.S. is in great spiritual need today and your call may be right where you are! If you’re married, pray for your husband to know God’s will for your lives. Do all that you can to allow your husband to hear from the Lord. Guard his quiet time as much as you guard your own. God will speak to both of you, no matter how long your leashes are. But, when we allow the call on our lives to line up with the authority God has laid out in Scripture, we can be sure of our call and we can go, fully trusting God to lead and provide wherever He sends.

Thank you so much!!!!!!!

Loving and Praying for You,

Pam

Did you hear the one about the woman shopper at Christmas who came upon a nativity scene in the store window? In disgust she exclaimed, "Now look what they're dragging into Christmas. Religion!"

Search you heart and see what you are dragging into Christmas.

I was reading the Christmas story in my Bible and it has the title "Child of Hope" for Luke 2. I hope that in the hustle and bustle of the season you can remember that no matter what the last year has brought, the little baby in the manager is all the hope we need. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus sweetest name I know.
Have a great Thursday.

How is this for just an average Tuesday?

A couple of weeks ago, I really saw God in action. He never ceases to amaze me. I have a friend at work whose children were critically injured in a car accident. I had been praying for them for several weeks, but what do you say to someone who seems to have lost it all? One night when I was doing my bible study ( Me, Myself and Lies) there was a scripture that literally lept off the page. God was speaking directly to me, and I immediately wrote a prayer to my friend and included that scripture. It was Jeremiah 32:17 Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Absolutely nothing is too hard for GOD. That was it.....I finally had the right words for her that GOD provided.

As I wrote the prayer to her, I also copied three other friends that have been a rock to her through this journey. The next morning I received a call from one of the ladies. She was crying and said how much that prayer touched her life. This is a lady that is on shaky ground and had not fully committed to the Lord. I think that prayer was actually meant for her. I was so encouraged by her call, that I began to pray to the Lord. Please Dear Lord, put someone else in my path today that I may help.

When I got to work, another lady whom I am not very close to stopped by my desk to ask me a question about migraines. Another co-worker had told her I had some experience in that area. We first discussed the migraines, but as we talked further I knew she was there for another purpose. She spent an entire hour at my desk (Can you believe I didn't get fired?) and we talked about how she really needed to surrender her life to the Lord, not just going through the motions. After we talked, she called me about a 1/2 hour later and said she went back to her desk and prayed for a better relationship with our Lord. He answered my direct prayer. I specifically asked for him to put someone in my path, and not only did she cross my path, she plopped right down at my desk. How is that for a prayer answered? It doesn't get any better than that. He is so GOOD!

Hillary Myers

Staying with our theme of praying for missionaries

Intercessory prayer support is one of the key things that believers in local churches can do to support world evangelism. "All movements of the Spirit in China, within our experience, may be traced to prayer" -- Jonathan Goforth, missionary

Seven things all missionaries need . . . and which people forget to lift them up in prayer over:

1. Victory over mental stagnation
2. Freshness in prayer and in Bible teaching
3. Guidance in how to present the Gospel
4. Deliverance from the temptation to pride
5. Wisdom in relationships with other missionaries
6. Strength to overcome temptations brought on by loneliness
7. A saving sense of humor

Adapted from WorldTeam's brochure "Praying for missionaries"

Now, to continue our look at Lottie Moon and why we as Southern Baptist give to the International Mission Board to support our missionaries. Some may ask who is she? We looked at some of her writings the other week. This week, let's look at who she was. Get ready....


Lottie Moon
Dec. 12, 1840-Dec. 24, 1912
Lottie Moon was a heroine for today-a woman passionate about a lost world, a woman who didn't hesitate to speak her mind.
Today's China is a world of rapid change. It's home to 1.3 billion individuals-one-fifth of the world's population. Village dwellers flock to trendy megacities with exploding populations. And China holds its own in the world's economy. It's very different from the vast farmland Lottie Moon entered in the 1800s. But one thing hasn't changed: China's need for a Savior.
Lottie Moon-the namesake of the international missions offering-has become something of a legend to us. But in her time Lottie was anything but an untouchable hero. In fact, she was like today's missionaries. She was a hard-working, deep-loving Southern Baptist who labored tirelessly so her people group could know Jesus.
Her missionWhen she set sail for China, Lottie was 32 years old. She had turned down a marriage proposal and left her job, home and family to follow God's lead. Her path wasn't typical for an educated woman from a wealthy Southern family. But Lottie did not serve a typical God. He had gripped her with the Chinese peoples' need for a Savior.
For 39 years Lottie labored, chiefly in Tengchow and P'ingtu. People feared and rejected her, but she refused to leave. The aroma of fresh-baked cookies drew people to her house. She adopted traditional Chinese dress, and she learned China's language and customs. Lottie didn't just serve the people of China; she identified with them. Many eventually accepted her. And some accepted her Savior.
Her vision
Lottie's vision wasn't just for the people of China. It reached to her fellow Southern Baptists in the United States. Like today's missionaries, she wrote letters home, detailing China's hunger for truth and the struggle of so few missionaries sharing the gospel with so many people-472 million Chinese in her day. She shared another timely message, too: the urgent need for more workers and for Southern Baptists passionately supporting them through prayer and giving.
In 1912, during a time of war and famine, Lottie silently starved, knowing that her beloved Chinese didn't have enough food. Her fellow Christians saw the ultimate sign of love: giving her life for others. On Christmas Eve, Lottie died on a ship bound for the United States.
But her legacy lives on. And today, when gifts aren't growing as quickly as the number of workers God is calling to the field, her call for sacrificial giving rings with more urgency than ever.
How much does your church plan to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year?

This year at Cornerstone Baptist Church, our goal is $35,000. We can accomplish this goal. The bigger question to us is, What will I give? Please be in prayer about what the Lord would have you do.
Seeking Him,
Pam
For more information on the International Mission Board, go to www.imb.org .

I love this time of year but it always has a "small" amount of stress. I hope as you shopping and running to get you list of "to do's" done you will remember these stories.

5 lessons to make you think about how you treat people.

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor
gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student
and had breezed through the questions until I read
the last one:

'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?'

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the
cleaning woman several times. She was tall,
dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question
blank.. Just before class ended, one student asked if
The last question would count toward our quiz grade.

'Absolutely,' said the professor. 'In your careers,
you will meet many people. All are significant. They
deserve your attention and care, even if all you do
is smile and say 'hello.'

I've never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her
name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American
woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway
trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had
broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 60s'.. The man
took her to safety, helped her get assistance and
put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his
address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a
knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a
giant console color TV was delivered to his home.. A
special note was attached..

It read:
'Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway
the other night. The rain drenched not only my
clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.
Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying
husband's bedside just before he passed away.. God
bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving
others.'

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve..

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less,
a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked.

'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and
studied the coins in it..

'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the
waitress was growing impatient.

'Thirty-five cents,' she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
the table and walked away.. The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress
came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table.. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had
to have enough left to leave her a tip.


4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a
roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock Some of the
king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed
a purse lying in the road where the boulder had
been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the
person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The
peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness.. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will
save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in
bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,
seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his
face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.

John Ashcroft wrote that in order to clean up New York City, " Rudolph Giuliani started by going after the little things. 'I am a firm believer in the theory that "minor" crimes and "quality of life" offenses are all part of the larger picture,' he explains. Among the first elements to go were the 'Squeegee Men', drug-addicted and shady-looking riffraff who personified New YOrk's rough edge. Armed with a soiled rag and a dirty bottle of watered-down Windex, these men would bully and badger motorists of money.

"Giuliani said, 'We're not going to put up with this anymore,' and he brought this intimidation to an end. He then declared war on graffiti, subway panhandlers, loitering, broken window, and petty vandalism-minor offenses that would have gone unnoticed in days past while the police force was overwhelmed with homicides and violent crime. But Giuliani had a hunch: If you send out a signal that you won't tolerate the minor offenses, people will get the idea that the major offenses will be treated even more seriously...It worked. Giuliani has been successful in reducing crime beyond all expectations."

What if we began the same policy concerning the "city" of our hearts? If we declare war on the "minor" sins, surely the major sins won't be able to lodge in our cities and defile the quality of our walk with God.

Think about it.

I have talked to many young woman who are frustrated with their status of singleness. I asked Joy Peterson to tell her story about her season of singleness. Although it is written with that in mind I think Joy has some good advice for us all. Enjoy. I know it will bless you heart as it did mine.

Seasons of Life
In this life there are basically three seasons: singleness which we are born into, marriage which we choose and widowhood which often comes before we are ready. All of these are a gift from God which we can accept or reject. In truth we are forced to accept these seasons but the key is what our attitude will be in accepting them. Will it be one of gladness and joy or will it be in bitterness and resistance?
Early in my teens, God revealed to me that I could not be trusted to choose the man who would be the best mate for me. God knows me better than I know myself and He knows what is best for me. Therefore I surrendered to Him the choice and ask Him to choose the best man for me.
During college and PA school, I focused on my studies and didn’t pursue any relationships. I knew I couldn’t give myself to academics and give my best to a husband. But once my career was established, I was ready or so I thought. I started looking and examining my prospects. I would present to God “the One” I thought would do. But over and over again He would either say “No” or show me why that one wouldn’t work. So the waiting continued and continued.
After 10 years of wishing and waiting and through various events, I felt that God had called me to singleness. He had never promised me a husband and singleness wasn’t my choice, but again I surrendered to what I felt He was calling me to. I gave up “the hunt” and began to rest in this season of life. In surrendering I found peace and contentment. I began to embrace this life to which God had called me.
Shortly after this time as I was resting in the gift of singleness, who should appear but a man with great determination that I was to be his wife. Well, needless to say, I wasn’t as convinced of this as he was. I had been down this road before and been disappointed. I just kept holding on to what I felt God has called me to. I argued with God, “You called me to singleness. Why is the man here with such persistence? It won’t last. He will be like the others and leave after a while.” But that wasn’t the case with this one. God gave me a peace about Mark and revealed to me how he had chosen him for me. Eventually I surrendered to the call of marriage and married Mark.
If I could give any advice about a season of singleness I would encourage you to accept it with joy and live it to the fullness. Embrace all the opportunities God gives you during this time. God blessed me greatly during my season of singleness. I was able to participate in 5 mission trips. I traveled to Israel, Australia, England, Scotland and visited many U. S. cities. The friendships established in my single season have not been found here in the marriage season primarily because that relationship is to be found in a mate. Not that you don’t need friends in marriage, it is just different here.
In your season of waiting, ask God to prepare you for marriage, to develop in you what will be needed for the season of marriage and to remove from you anything that might injure your marriage. Lay down your expectations about what marriage will do for you. Receive all that God has for you now. Travel, make friends, and enjoy family- embrace life to the fullest. Don’t miss a minute of where God has you right now. Don’t wish for the next season just enjoy what you have right now because believe me it is His best for you today.

This week at Cornerstone

Wednesday, December 9
LDI- 6:15-7:30
College/Career Bible Study- 7:45-9:00

Friday, December 11
Women's Prayer Time-Sanctuary 12:00-1:00


Saturday, December 12
Wrappping up the year with a parents day
Drop off your kids babies-5th grade
Contact church office for more details 665-1944


Hope you have a great Monday.
Tara

This month we are focusing on Lottie Moon on Saturdays, so we will continue that on Sundays with ways to pray for missionaries.

BLESS -- an acronym to guide your prayer for a missionary.

B -- Body Pray for physical health and nutrition.
L - Labor. Pray for their work.
E - Emotions. Pray for emotional health and well-being of the missionary.
S - Social. Pray for their social relations, their families and extended
families. Pray that God will keep marriages together.
S - Spiritual. Pray for their spiritual condition.

contributed by CMA missionary Lisa Miriam Rohrick

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Searching For The Savior Saturday

Welcome to a new month and new focus on Searching For The Savior Saturday. As a Southern Baptist, we have now entered into a season of giving to support the missionaries that we send out, like Tim and Marsha. Some of you may not have grown up in a Southern Baptist Church and maybe wondering "Who is Lottie Moon?" and "What did she do?" In doing some research on the International Mission Boards website, I ran across these awesome parts of letters that she had written to Southern Baptist while she was a missionary. Amazing letters and I wanted to share them with you today. I hope you take some time to read through them. Pray about what the Lord would have you to do during this Lottie Moon Season. Each week we will be learning a little more about Lottie Moon and foreign missions. I hope you enjoy.

"At another house two women learned very fast; I say women, but one was a girl about twelve or thirteen, already married, however. There was a little child about three years old. My sister asked, 'Who is the True God's Son?' The little thing replied, in a very sweet voice, 'Jesus.'"

- Lottie Moon
Tungchow, China
Published in the July 1874 Foreign Mission Journal

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"Our hearts were made glad last Sabbath by the baptism of an individual who has interested us by his firm stand under the persecutions of his ... family. They fastened him in a room without food or water, and endeavored to starve him into submission. Providentially, they did not take away his Christian books. He studied these more closely than ever. The pangs of hunger he satisfied by eating some raw beans he found in the room, and when he wanted water he commenced to dig a well in the room in which he was confined. Chinese houses are built on the ground and do not have plank floors as with us. When the family discovered the well-digging they yielded. They had no wish to ruin their dwelling. The man has shown that he is made of stern stuff, and we hope he will be very useful as a Christian."

- Lottie Moon
Tungchow, China
July 1874 Foreign Mission Journal

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"How many there are ... who imagine that because Jesus paid it all, they need pay nothing, forgetting that the prime object of their salvation was that they should follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ in bringing back a lost world to God."

- Lottie Moon
Tungchow, China
Sept. 15, 1887

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"Why should we not ... instead of the paltry offerings we make, do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of him who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor?"

- Lottie Moon
Tungchow, China
Sept. 15, 1887

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"Is not the festive season when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race, the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth?"

- Lottie Moon
Tungchow, China
Sept. 15, 1887

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"What we want is not power, but simply combination in order to elicit the largest possible giving."

- Lottie Moon
Tungchow, China
Sept. 15, 1887

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"I would I had a thousand lives that I might give them to ... China!"

- Lottie Moon
Zhenjiang, China
August 27, 1888

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"Thirty miles from Pingtu city is a gold mine. Nestled close among low-lying hills are two foreign houses and the buildings over the mine. Several American miners are there in the employ of the Chinese government. These men are living a hard, dull, isolated life, in a remote region, far from home and friends, with the sole purpose of worldly gain. So much for the devotees of Mammon. One cannot help asking sadly, why is love of gold more potent than love of souls? The number of men mining and prospecting for gold in Shantung is more than double the number of men representing Southern Baptists! What a lesson for Southern Baptists to ponder."

- Lottie Moon
Pingtu, China
Feb. 9, 1889

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"It is a great mistake to say that the Chinese are not hospitable. A more graceful, hearty hospitality than that of the Chinese I have met in no land."

- Lottie Moon
Pingtu, China
Sept. 10, 1890

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"When the gospel is allowed to grow naturally in China, without forcing processes of development, the 'church in the house' is usually its first form of organization. God grant us faith and courage to keep 'hands off' and allow this new garden of the Lord's planting to ripen in the rays of the Divine Love, free from human interference!"

- Lottie Moon
Pingtu, China
Sept. 10, 1890

If you would like to read more, please visit the IMB site at www.imb.org .
Laboring For Him,
Pam

A favorite cookie recipe at my house. Kids love to help make these.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

1 bag Hershey kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375'F. Remove wrappers from Kisses.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add sugars; beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a kiss into center of each coolie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.

Enjoy.

Psalm 127:1 says "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stands guard in vain"

If you are a child of God, you can know that whether you live in the heights or the valley, the mountains or the lowlands, the Lord in watching over you.

I hope that is a comfort to you today.

Love
Tara

I thank God for His Indescribable goodness. Enjoy.

What do You want of me, my LORD?

I've shared before about the day I went walking in the park and it was a perfect day. The sky was blue and cloudless and there was a gentle wind, just like today. The lake spread out before me like a mirror catching the reflection of the trees and landscape. It was spectacular. With each step, I praised my KING. That is, until, the disruption happened. It was horrific. Two ducks were gliding across the lake (a male and a female) and one of them was squawking at the other. It was so loud and unceasing that the entire mood of the park seemed to instantly change. I wanted to cover my ears; I wanted to yell at the bird to be quiet. Yet, as they moved across the lake I suddenly hoped that it was the male who was being so utterly obnoxious. But it wasn't. It was the female, the wife. I hung my head. Then I knew it was a picture of how I talk to the LORD (and even my husband at times). OUCH! A one-sided monologue of complaints. How that bird's voice destroyed all the beauty around it; it was a curse and not a blessing. And so on that day, the LORD, in HIS great mercy, began a work in me. A work that continues on today. It is a work of being still at times and listening.

Why is this so hard for me to do?

The difficulty comes in receiving. The difficulty comes in believing. The difficulty comes in hearing and applying. The difficulty comes in being still and not always doing. Perhaps you are here with me. And so our KING invites us to come and speak to Him and then invites us to rest and be silent. The silence is not only so He can speak life into us but so He can touch and heal us in our still surrender to Him. I know that the LORD had me be a part of the prayer ministry so that I would be praying more consistently. He started the noon-time prayer hour on Fridays for women so that we could come together and pray to HIM. We see Him answering our prayers but not until recently did we add a time of silence at the end--to see what He might say to us. He is growing us in prayer.

I'm learning that prayer is not a monologue but a dialogue and that our Jesus wants to speak to us and strengthen, encourage, comfort and lead us. Yet, surprisingly, the struggle remains and I still may sound like that quacking duck--and even avoid the silence, but He waits and reminds me. PRAISE our KING for His love and mercy. PRAISE HIM who teaches us what is best.

Joanne Schulze