Devotional with thoughts

My wife is so incredible…though she may seem quiet, when it comes to affirming those around her she is the first to step up. Her Devotional (Word for You Today) that she shared with me is below.  WOW-there is so much to dig into here, I barely know where to start.  Perhaps I will just keep it simple.  What is your dream?  What do you believe God is telling you to do or abandon?  Are you willing to abandon it knowing that some of those closest to you will not only not understand, they will want you to stick to memory lane…if you do this-are YOU missing out on His destiny for you.  Will you follow Him with reckless abandon?  He has promised us that He will not leave or forsake us.  What are you afraid of?  If He is for us, who can be against us?

I was taken aback by my friend Rick when I shared the news with him that we were moving to Africa.  His reaction was one of excited surprise!  He really “got it” and in just a few simple words “Wow, I hate to lose you, but I am SO excited for you.  After all, all of this (points around him) is temporal anyway”  WOW- that is THE reaction of someone that knows that ministry can not be caged and has no bounds.  He is someone that did not try to convince us otherwise, just jumped on board with immediate support by his affirmation.  That is the response I desire to have to those around me that do something that “I” don’t understand…to trust that they know the Lord and are doing what “He” understands. (thanks Rick)

Here is the Devo:

Don’t let others hold you back…

Joseph’s brothers resented his dream so they sold him into slavery.  David’s family didn’t consider him worthy of being king.  The people who knew Jesus during His first thirty years said:  “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter’s son…So they were offended at Him”  You must realize that some of the people who knew you “way back when” didn’t know you now, because they’ve “slotted you.”  What should you do?  Do what Jesus did; He moved on.  What else could he do?  He refused to allow others to keep Him stuck at a stage in His life that was past and gone, and you have go to do the same.  If you allow others to keep taking you down memory lane, you’ll eventually set up house, stay longer than you should and miss your God-given destiny. It’s wonderful to have people in your life who know where you’ve been and can relate to where you’re going.  But if you have to choose between then and now, sacrifice then for it can’t be rewritten, only replayed over and over.  Stop rehearsing your beginnings and write the rest of your story.  The future is yours – seize it while you can.. the story’s told of a hacker on a golf course who kept swinging at the ball and missing, repeatedly hitting an ant hill.  Finally one ant took charge and said, “Follow me.”  Another ant yelled, “But where are we going?”  He pointed to the ball sitting in front of them.  “There.  If we don’t get on the ball, we’re going to die!”

Good stuff eh?  Now- I challenge you to do what it is that He has been telling you to do for sooooooo long!---if you don’t, who will?

Do Everything without Complaining!

(this was today’s devotional from The Word for You Today…sure stepped on my toes-how about yours?)

 

“Stop Complaining and Start Gaining!”  Php 2:14

 

You say, “ but isn’t it possible my complaint might be legitimate?”  Yes.  Injustice, abuse, betrayal, robbery, gossip, libel, prejudice, physical harm against you or your family, etc. are legitimate causes. “And if I don’t do something about these, wouldn’t I be failing in my responsibility?”  Right again!  You are called to be salt and light in this world, resolving problems that arise by practicing spiritual principles in your daily life.  To do nothing at such times makes you irresponsible and disobedient to God.  But complaining about it is not DOING something, not by God’s definition.  You say, “All right; since God is against complaining, how do I handle legitimate complaints?”

1-DO NOTHING TILL YOU’VE FIRST TALKED WITH GOD.  You’ll make the right moves if you take time to gt the right counsel.  Prayer clarifies your options and adjusts your perspectives.  It defuses your anger, restoring you to objectivity and rational thinking.  Your second move is more likely to succeed if your first move is to seek God for Wisdom (see Jas 1:5)

2-BEFORE YOU SAY OR DO ANYTHING< DO AN ATTITUDE CHECK.  Stop and ask yourself, “what’s my real agenda here? Is it to show them that I’m right and they’re wrong? Is it to come away looking good while I make them look bad? Is it to win a personal victory or to solve the problem in a way that glorifies God?”  Before you speak, check what’s in your heart, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (mt 12:34). When your heart attitude pleases God, you’re ready to handle any legitimate complaint

 

First of all- THANK YOU for your prayers and support.  We are truly humbled by the responses we have been seeing this past month since we first announced that we were going into the mission field.  We are honored and blessed by you…more importantly, we believe that Christ is honored and blessed by you!

 

Click the attached JPG document for the December newsletter and update!

 

Blessings to you!

 

 

Mitch and Charlotte Hildebrant
Missionaries to Swaziland Africa
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