A Word For My "Mama" Friends

Special moment for me in church yesterday. My heart was blessed by a special touch from the Lord, as my son played & sang a worship song he wrote for the Lord. He then came and humbly sat by me for the rest of the service (usually chooses to sit with friends). There are times when every mother of young teen boys asks "Lord, am I gonna make it thru this age?" (absolutely been there) or (better yet) "Will this child of mine survive this age?". My James ("the just") is a VERY active/adventuresome, compassionate (yep its there), competitive, independent, and very funny/quick witted young man - all of which are great when guided by the Holy Spirit (and at moments, very weary-ing). Seeing this "worship" side of his heart overwhelms me with gratitude to the Lord. Thank You Lord for the work of your Holy Spirit in his life. Truly He is "the Lord Who Sees" (Gen. 6:13). I am especially thankful to a woman the Lord sent to me at the Missions Conference in Austria Summer of 2013. We met only briefly, as I was talking to someone else in their group (they were servants from CC Modesto who came to minister/serve us missionaries). This woman came up to me the next day, sometime after breakfast - it was a still/beautiful morning at the Castle, and she said "The Lord wants you to know, that James is going to be okay" (tears of gratitude flowed). She then prayed with me, to entrust James into God's care; that's all. I have carried that Word in my heart since. I am praying for each mama that reads this; for God to speak a special Word to minister to you at this moment regarding that child you are concerned/heart breaking for (regardless of age). May He overwhelm you with His presence as you seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13-14)

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”. Matthew 11:28-30

He wants you to get into His presence and give that child to Him; let Him speak His truth into whatever the situation is. Ask to hear His voice and have the grace to do whatever He asks of you in your specific situation (even the "hard").

"For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." (Jesus) Matthew 7:8

Obedience in the little and the BIG

I am writing this post in obedience to the Lord.  He spoke something to me and has prompted me to share it.
Tuesday I did some grocery shopping and I usually purchase a case/box of milk that has 12 - 1 liter cartons (we are on metric here; and milk costs about the same price here as in the U.S.).  I got the case of milk from the shelf, checked out - and the cashier takes one of the 12 cartons and just times it by 12 in the register for my price.  I get home, and James put the milk away for me and told me that in the center of my box of 1.5% fat cartons are about (4) 3.5% which costs extra.  I definitely didn't feel right in my inner being about not having paid for something I received, it cost more than I paid, but I wrestled with whether or not to say anything when I went back this morning; mainly because it can just be more confusion for them and I didn't know if I should even bother with it (a little inconvenience ;) ) .  I planned another trip to the same store this morning, and I prayed again about this situation with the milk; I felt prompted by the Lord to tell the store - especially for His witness.  I also asked JeJe what he thought (God just about always uses him for confirmation) and he said "Tell them when you go, and it's their decision what they do about it".  On my drive to the store, the Lord gave me this verse:

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."Luke 16:10

I walked into the store and headed to the Customer Service counter, the gal working it was distracted by the phone ringing and the store manager walked up and asked how he could help me.  I told him I would explain the best I could, in my not so good Romanian, and told him the story.  By now, the girl behind the counter was finished with the phone call, and both he and she smiled and thanked me; both insisted I not worry about it.
As I walked away, the Lord spoke to my heart the importance of building of our witness for Him.  The way we handle even the smallest of things, speaks "volumes" as to who we are and bears witness of Him.  I am not always on my best game for things that fly my way; people taking cuts in line (happens all the time here), aggressive drivers (I grew up in LA but that didn't prepare me near enough for driving 5pm traffic in downtown Cluj) and I need to "choose" to "put on" Jesus every day - He is my best accessory.
The other side of this He spoke to me, was that when He prompts us to do something (from small things like speaking up about the milk, or big things like sharing Christ with someone or doing something in serving Him) - if we don't do what He is asking/telling us to do; are we being disobedient? (I know my answer).  And if we aren't willing to listen to Him in the small things He brings before us, why should He give us the big? Some of us don't want to be bothered with big, but then we are really missing out on what He really has for us (even blessings); and the bottom line is obedience.

"Lord, help me to not only hear your voice but to act in obedience to You, with complete surrender to Your authority; To do Your perfect will and trust the results to You."

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1