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January 19th of last year…
When I opened my eyes that Saturday morning, my first thought was,
He wants to meet me!
Dan is driving here this afternoon to meet me after I get off work, we’re going to a coffee shop together… What are we going to talk about? What should I wear? Is it going to be the same when we meet in person? Are we going to get along ok? Is it going to be really awkward?
I really do like him. He wants to meet me, does that mean he likes me too?
Have I accomplished anything in getting ready for work? No! Half of my wardrobe is strewn around my closet and room, I still didn’t have an outfit that matches.
(Was that the morning that I spilled my puffed cereal all over the kitchen floor?)
I’m trying to eat something for breakfast, I just don’t feel like it. I leave a note for grandma – to not expect me home until later that evening. Now my cereal is soggy!
I met our neighbor Chris in the hall as I was leaving for work. She was talking about how young and beautiful and sweet I was and how she didn’t know why the boys didn’t flock all around me. Well, I’m very thankful that I never had to deal with “the boys flocking around me”. She continued with how wonderful it was that I visited my Grandma so often. I don’t think she ever understood that I actually lived with Grandma. I think that’s when I started “giggling” I continued to have little giggle fits through out the day. I didn’t tell Chris that I was going on a date that very day.
I was going on a date!
It was a normal day at work, I was able to keep myself fairly busy. I managed not to get too nervous until about a quarter til four.
When Dan came in the store. We both said hi, smiled, and shook hands… Then I said I’d go in the back and get my coat, which I did and just left him standing there.
The drive was a little awkward, but as soon as we got our tea and were in our seats we didn’t stop talking for 5 whole hours.
We talked about our families, stories from growing up, our work… We talked about what it means for us to live for Christ and about our churches…
When we were parting in the parking lot, I was wondering what would come next. I really liked Dan and wanted to see him again. Then he asked me if he could call me sometimes. I must have said “yes” because he did. 
Meet Dan.
This is the man who I have promised to stand beside for the rest of our lives. He is wonderful, godly, and handsome. 
I am so very happy and I love him dearly.
You can read about how we met on this website. www.danandliz.wordpress.com
We will also be updating it during the Summer with pictures and wedding plans.
We appreciate your prayers as we are preparing for marriage.
This past Sunday evening, our worship service was canceled so that we all had the opportunity to attend the installation of a new minister at Faith Presbyterian Church in Akron. Rev. Carl Bogue preached from Ephesians 4:1-16. The title was, Christ’s Gift Of Ministry.
I wish I had still been taking notes when Pastor Wright presented the charge to the Rev. Scholten. One thing I do remember is, “When you sense the congregation’s anticipation… Preach!” then he said, “When you don’t sense the congregation’s anticipation… Preach!” Amen Pastor!
An awful lot of things were said that evening that were very, very good. I have to say, one thing that really stuck in my mind, was the emphasis that Elder Caler put on this phrase; “to the best of your ability.” George Caler presented the charge to the congregation. And part of that was reviewing the church membership vows that are found in the Book of Church Order. This is membership vow # 4, “Do you promise to support the church and it’s worship and work to the best of your ability?” I’ve always found it helpful and convicting when I’ve been called to consider again the things I committed to when I joined the church. This is not something I’ve taken the time to do on my own though. So much more is required of us then just showing up on Sunday morning and giving the tithe.
How many things do we actually strive to do to the best of our ability? What things do we actually strive to do to the best of our ability? Do we remember where our abilities came from? Who gave us our abilities? When we support the church, do we strive to do it to the best of our ability? Wow! That’s really something to think about. 
I fall so short. Most of the time, I’m just trying to get through the day, let alone contentiously working to do my best and to glorify God in it.
This also caused me to think about the fact that so many of us go to church with the attitude that it’s all for ourselves… Yet without remembering that we have nothing of ourselves to offer God in worship. Only the praise that He puts in our hearts and thankful obedience to His word. What an awesome God He is! I can only imagine the added benefits to be had if we consistently take the time to pray and prepare our hearts before coming into the house of the Lord. We need His help to put aside the cares of this world and open our hearts to the word of God preached.
It is good to make ourselves more aware of what is going on in each other’s lives, how we can pray for one another, build one another up in the faith… How can we be more open to others about our spiritual life, no matter if it is dry or overflowing? God gave us the church and one of the benefits I believe is bearing each others burdens. God may have brought someone else through a similar situation and they may be prepared to share insights from God’s word and truth that helped them though that trial.
When we find ourselves in a low place and with little thirst for the word, first of all we need to pray! We should also go to a Christian friend and talk about it, and not be afraid to ask he or she to pray for us! Believe it or not! God will use it in their life too! They will be growing in their prayer life and we will be giving them the opportunity to minister to us. God wants us to minister to one another and pray for one another! We are a gift from God to each other! That’s what Pastor Bogue’s sermon was about. I know that he was addressing a pastor but I think that we can apply this to ourselves to an extent as well.
When we find ourselves overflowing with joy in the Lord and thankfulness to him for our salvation… Why do we keep it to ourselves?? Well, maybe you don’t, but I tend to keep it to myself. I don’t know why I am embarrassed when I have so much to rejoice in!! When we share our joy it gives God glory. It blesses the saints when we tell others what God is doing in our life and what He is teaching us in His word.
We should keep our Pastors, Elders and Deacons in prayer! They are sinners too and in need of God’s grace as they also bear our burdens. We sadly take for granted the availability of God’s word to us today, let alone the studies and efforts of our ministers. It has not always been so. Oh, that we would cherish it, treasure it, and praise God for it. He has given us the ability to know His word and to lay it up in our hearts. We are Christians, we are sons of God, we are bought by the blood of Christ Jesus! How are we to spread the word if we don’t know it?
Before we attempt to criticize our Pastors or Elders, we ought to stop and think for a moment. First of all, we should pray about it. If it’s something that he needs to hear, we need to take time to consider how we might respectfully reprove him in love.
Do you have any ideas on how we can better encourage our Pastors? I know it’s something that I crave, but they need it!
God Bless You!
I think I’ve been just a wee bit consumed with myself the past few days. Thank you, all of you who are praying for me. I appreciate your prayers. This Lord’s day has been a good start to a new week. A week that I hope to be renewed every morning in the blessings and promises of Christ. I will strive daily, to put aside my wants and desires and look to Him in His word for the nourishment of my soul.
“Nothing we desire in this world can compare to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
I showed my Mom my most recent blog post. Mom said that I’m being preachy. She didn’t have anything else to say about it. This bothered me because Guinever had said the same thing to me not too long ago about something else… that I’m being preachy. I took it to heart, because I do become very critical and judgmental towards the people closest to me. I wish there was an easy way to change that, I don’t want to be so.
(Guinever asks why I hold back.) Maybe it’s partly because this is the way I come across when I open my heart to my family. I don’t want to be critical of others. Yet I don’t want to remain silent either. I have been praying that God would teach me to speak to others in love and for some reason I had thought that this post was an improvement. Yes, I do not deny that it comes across preachy, I think that I sort of had that intention while writing it. But I didn’t intend to be critical of my family. When I asked them to look at it, I thought I was showing them what is coming from my heart right now.
I feel so secluded, and it hurts. I do hope that I learn the lesson that God is teaching me. Possibly I can change the wording to make it more clear… that it’s my own spiritual battle. But I was influenced by sermons which could have contributed to the manner in which I communicated in the post. It does I admit resemble a sermon.
When I talked with Guinever on the phone about it she also said that she wouldn’t have read it if it wasn’t on her sister’s blog. That hurt. Not what she said really, but the way I heard it. I was asking for her input and I’m glad she gave it. I don’t write on my blog for people other than my friends and family, I wouldn’t expect other people to care what is on my blog.
I know I should not let the approval or disapproval of others control me so. I should give it all to the Lord. As for being preachy, I do long to be able to minister to others. I want to be an encourager. I have to say that there isn’t hardly anything more encouraging to me then a good sermon that is convicting and points me to Christ. This is not a woman’s place I suppose. That place is for the Pastors, Elders, and Deacons.
What is my role in the church, and yes, in my family also?
Pray for me my dear family and friends!! I love you! Possibly an updated version of, “To The Best Of Your (my) Ability” that just speaks of my own spiritual growth will appear in the near future.
Standing in Christ’s love
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