Posts Tagged ‘Encouragement’

People know what you are by what they see, not what they hear.

People know what you are by what they see, not what they hear.

People know what you are by what they see, not what they hear.

When Wycliffe translator Doug Meland and his wife moved into a village of Brazil’s Fulnio Indians, he was referred to simply as “the white man.” The term was by no means complimentary, since other white men had exploited them of their lands.

But after the Melands learned the Fulnio language and began to help the people with medicine and in other ways, they began calling Doug “the respectable white man.”

When the Melands began adapting the customs of the people, the Fulnio gave them greater acceptance and spoke of Doug “the white Indian.”

Then one day, as Doug was washing the dirty blood-caked foot of an injured Fulnio boy, he overheard a by-stander say to another: “Whoever heard of a white man washing an Indian’s foot before? Certainly this man is from God!” From that day on, whenever Doug would go into an Indian home, it would be announced: “Here comes the man God sent us.”

St. Francis of Assisi one day said to several of his followers, “Let us go to the village over the way and preach.” As they went, they met a humble pedestrian who was greatly burdened. Francis was in no hurry and listened carefully to his tale of woe.

When the village was reached, Francis talked with the shopkeepers, spent time with the farmers at their fruit and vegetable stalls, and played with the children in the streets. On the way back they met a farmer with a load of hay, and Francis spent time with him.

The morning gone, the group reached the monastery from where they had set out in the early morning.

One of the followers, who was greatly disappointed, said to Francis, “Brother Francis, you said you were going to preach. The morning is spent and no sermon has been given.”

And the saintly Francis replied, “But we have been preaching all the way.”
– Prairie Overcomer

Encouragement For The Journey: Journey of Life

Encouragement For The Journey: Journey of Life

“I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the LORD. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NCV

Along this “Journey of Life” as you have stood with me in reaching the lost, I want to stand with YOU that everything God has planned for YOU will be fulfilled: your health, your home, your family, your finances, your dreams, and your God-ordained purpose.

“I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the LORD. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NCV

In this letter of encouragement to you, I feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to focus on you, my precious and loyal partners and friends of this ministry.
First of all, REST IN THIS PROMISE: “I have carried you since you were born. I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has tuned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.” Isaiah 46:3-4 NCV

There is one thing you can count on as an absolute truth: GOD’S PLAN AND PURSPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE WAS SET IN MOTION EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE BORN…..long before your parents were born….long before your grandparents were born…God’s plan for you was already set in motion. WOW!!! Let that thought sink in! HALLELUJAH!

When I was a teenager, I had an opportunity to work for a missionary group in Mexico. This was a group of pilots who had small planes. They would fly into remote areas of Mexico and drop Christian literature over these small villages. Many of these villages were in mountainous areas and places where no automobiles could go. They were called: Airmail from God.

My job was to sit in the back seat and throw out the literature over the villages. The people in the villages would run out into the streets and wave at us. They were always so excited to see us. After landing, we would stay in villages for a few days and have a soul-winning crusade.

As a teenager, this missionary opportunity was very thrilling to me….and it was also dangerous! But when you are a boy, you don’t give much time thinking about the risk. It was just fun. Since this place did not have a starter, I would stand in front of the plane and spin the prop. Sometimes, I would have to do this several times before the engine would cough and the sputter would finally start. It was all part of the Job.

On three or four occasions, when we were flying, the carburetor would freeze over and the engine would stop. While that was exciting to me, it wasn’t to the pilot. I recall him praying loudly and yelling at me to look for a place that was flat so we could set this plane down. On one such emergency landing we took some branches out of the top of a tree.

On my preparation for my second missionary journey to Mexico, I recall vividly my mother’s concern. While I was putting my duffle back into the car, my mother put her arms around me and was praying for my safety. She abruptly stopped in the middle of her prayer and said to me, “Dwight, I don’t have peace in my spirit about this trip.” She continued her prayer with these words, “Lord, protect Dwight and block anything that might prevent your will for his life from being fulfilled.” I kissed my mother goodbye and she stood there waving at me and blowing me a kiss. Oh how I thank God for my precious praying mother and father. Without their love, patience and prayers this story would have a much different ending.

I stowed my duffle bad into the plane. Just as we were making the final flight checks, a pastor walked over to me along with the pilot and explained to me something that would alter the course of my life. He said to me that the Lord instructed him to go on this trip and would I mind if he took my place. I respected his request and went back home. A few days later, their plan crashed and both were killed.

I’ve thought about that tragedy many times. Both of these men loved God and were committed to His will for their lives. Why did God spare MY life?
How many of you even now can look back and recall many “close calls” in your lives? You walk away from that near disaster and wonder why you survived. Many people have told me of the escapes from serious accidents that could have certainly been fatal, yet look back on it now and realize it was truly a miracle.

There is no doubt that these close calls are more than “luck” as the unbeliever might conclude. Nor can we be so flippant to say, “It wasn’t our day to die.” It is very important that we step back and take these “close calls” as “wake-up calls.” God’s purpose for our lives must never be taken lightly.
“Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man will open the door, I will come in….” Each time we neglect His appeal…each time we ignore His knock at the door of our hearts….we continue on the path of our own choosing…not His.

There will always be events that happen that we can’t completely understand, and there have been other events in my life that were “close calls”, but God’s purpose for my life is yet to be fulfilled. “With your own powerful arm you keep me safe.” Psalm 138:7 CEV
As of this writing I am in my 50th year of preaching the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am deeply humbled and most unworthy of our God’s mercy. Let me repeat it again: GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE….His design, His purpose and His will must become the top priority of each of us. Anything that is hindering His purpose must be dealt with and removed with all speed.

Seek the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to go into the secret places of our hearts and cleanse us. Even things in our lives that we are blinded to…ask Him to show you and then remove it.

“Though I am surrounded by troubled, you will bring me safely through them….” Psalm 138:7

ONLY GODS DESTINY FOR YOUR LIFE WILL ALLOW YOU TO REALLY ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

Let me pray for you right now: Father, in Jesus’ Holy name, I pray for your divine and perfect will to be done in my precious partners of this ministry. Anything that prevents the fulfillment of your plan for their lives, remove it in Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Enjoy the Jouney: Encouraging News From Our Granddaughter Alexa

Enjoy the Jouney: Encouraging News From Our Granddaughter Alexa

Our prayer is for God to lead and guide our children and grandchildren.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;

I will counsel you with my eyes upon you.”  Psalm 32:8

 Our granddaughter, Alexa, and her husband, Jaco, are on a journey called…  Life.  They have asked God to guide them each step they take.  I asked Alexa to post this report here on our website.  I know it will encourage you, as it has us.

We have always prayed these Scriptures over our children and grandchildren:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

We proudly share a short newsletter written by our granddaughter Alexa on their new journey:

(You can click here to view the official pdf Newsletter with images or read the text below)

 

  The Gerbrands Upcoming Adventure!

by Alexa Gerbrands

Hello family and friends, Alexa here. July 27, 2007 I came across a quote when deciding if I should take a risk in moving to Florida to attend Fort Myers Masters Commission. That day my mom took me to Berean Book store to buy a new Bible and devotion. I was torn on whether or not I should pursue FMMC or a University. I knew one day I would earn my BA degree; however, I had a feeling that God was calling me to Biblical Studies at this season of my life. While browsing the bookstore with my mom, I was stressing to her my worries about making the wrong decision. My mom told me to trust God to speak to me on my decision to stay or go. At this point in my life I had never really stopped to listened to God and I was not sure how that would happen, but I was hopeful.

That afternoon I was browsing around the bookstore and picked up a random devotion called Streams in the Desert by L.B Cowen. I flipped to the day, July 27th. It started with Malachi 3:10, “Test me in this…..and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it.” That verse captured my attention, so I continued reading…..The devotion talked about God’s ability to perform far beyond our prayers, even our greatest prayers. Then the quote came that was so simple, yet is still brought to my attention daily. “I have asked for a cupful, while He owns the entire ocean! I have asked for one simple ray of light, while He holds the sun! My best asking falls measurably short of my Father’s ability to give, which is far beyond what we could ever ask for,” John Henry Jowett.

You see, this is the moment that I knew no matter how much I tried to plan my life and come up with these radical plans to live for Christ and walk serving Him, my prayers do not even measure up to the plan God already has for me. As many of you know Jaco and I just celebrated our first year of marriage…that’s right marriage! I married the man of my dreams. God came through, once again, and gave me someone that is far more than I could have even imagined and I am so blessed.

Jaco and I currently live in Grand Junction Colorado and love everything about this small relaxed town. Last month I graduated from Colorado Mesa University with my BA in Mass Communication, Public Relations and Advertising. I chose this degree years ago with the goal to work for a non-profit missions organization.

This past year Jaco has been working hard as the Assistant Tennis Coach of CMU, along with many other jobs such as painting, tiling and anything else he can get his hands on. I am so blessed that he took a year off to wait for me to finish my degree before he pursues his goal of earning a Master’s in Exercise Science. While I studied away, Jaco worked hard researching schools that offer his area of study. He narrowed a few schools down and applied. For those of you who have a Master’s you know that process is not easy. Although Jaco was accepted to the schools he applied to, only one came out a winner.

During the application process we always joked about moving to this certain town and looking back now God had given us the answer from the beginning. When Jaco told me he decided to attend Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. I was so excited because that is the place the Lord had already laid on my heart. Knowing nothing about this town I was excited to follow my husband and support his decision. When I told my dad that about our decision, I will admit I was very sad seeing as we are moving to the opposite side of the country. But, my dad reacted with great excitement. He said, “Alexa, do you have any idea what organization is in Boone? I responded with a laugh, “No… I know nothing about Boone.” He began to tell me that Samaritan’s Purse is located in Boone, NC.

From that moment I teared up and knew that our faithful God was up to something. What are the chances that a dream organization of mine would be in this small town we were moving to? So, a few months ago I started researching and applying for jobs at Samaritan’s Purse and sure enough on June 8th I received a phone call and accepted the job as a Media Relations Associate. I start July 17th! I would like to say that I am shocked but that would be a lie. I know God gave me a desire to work for an organization just like SP back in 2007, during my time at Fort Myers Master Commission. The moment my dad told me SP was located in Boone I knew that I would be their future employee.

It is easy to have confidence in the Lord when we realize that his plans are so much bigger than our own. Life with Christ is the most fulfilling, unbelievable adventure and I am so humbled to be moving into this next chapter of Jaco’s life and mine. So the news is out…..We are moving to Boone, North Carolina this July! Jaco will be attending grad school at Appalachian State University where he will be studying Kinesiology with a focus in Exercise Science and I will be working full time under Franklin Graham at Samaritan’s Purse on the Media Relations team!

We are so humbled by the Lord’s hand on our lives and especially our marriage. This first year of marriage has been such a wonderful learning experience in our relationship with eachother and especially the Lord. It is a beautiful thing knowing the more we focus on the Lord the closer He brings us together. Jaco and I are so thankful that we were raised by parents who showed us the importance of a Christ centered marriage. We trust the Lord with this umcoming move for He does immeasurably more than we could ever dream of.

We are looking forward to the great outdoors of North Carolina and this new chapter in our lives. Thank you for your love, support and most important, your prayers!

In Christ,

Jaco and Alexa Gerbrands