Wellspring Women’s Ministry Blog and Online Community

Whatever happened to the “hazy, lazy days of summer?  I think they ended for me the day I became a grandmother!  I remember when my four children were growing up and school was out during the summer and most days were spent sleeping late, just being a around home and staying up later than usual.  Now, with no children at home and 11 living grandchildren and 1 great grandson, I must go to bed early so I can get up early and be ready for the parade of grandchildren that will bless my home all summer long!

The privilege of living close enough to all of our grandchildren so that we can be a fairly regular part of their lives is awesome!  Three of them live an hour and 45 minutes away, three of them live 30 minutes away and the rest have always lived just a few miles from us.  The Lord has blessed Wayne and I in such a way that we have been able to have close relationships with most of them and many opportunities for Godly input. 

Our grandchildren range in age from 23 down to 4 and our great grandson is 1 with a little brother on the way!  Here are just a few of our summer activities.  Our oldest granddaughter, Cathy, is home with her little one while her husband is deployed.  What an absolutely wonderful opportunity to be with them at least 4 months out of each year.  We take an exercise ballet class together with her mother every Monday.

Her brother, Michael, 18, has been away at Nation Guard boot camp all summer.  We have missed him and we are looking forward to his graduation, August 21st, in Ft. Jackson, SC.  He will leave immediately for Arizona for 6 more months of training.  Our family is ever changing.

Our next in age is Ashleigh, 17.  She has been on a missions trip to Scotland with TeenMania for the past month.  It, too, is her first time far away from home.  We are missing her like crazy!  She returns on August 6th.

Her sister Melinda, 15, has been away at War Cry and a Christian music camp near Ashville with Marion Jones and her family.  She has returned and is continuing to finish up her home school Algebra class with Granddaddy’s tutelage.

One of my favorite events of summer is VBS.  I always attended as a child, my children always went and now the grandchildren.  It feels like I went from learning as a child in VBS to teaching VBS as an adult.  We had our son’s 3 children with us all week for that, Lucas, 8, Strider, 7, and Emma, 4.  That week also included a trip to the Museum of Life and Science, working at our church food pantry, treasure hunts and getting sprayed with the hose.  Our blessing cup was overflowing at the close of that week!

Our 12 year old, Rachael, came next and we did her favorite thing, “shopping for her birthday present.”  It was also a week spent with cousins and sewing 2 new skirts.

Strider, 6, was next.  He had a good time playing with Gracie,5, his cousin that comes to my house almost every day.  He also was a hard worker at our food pantry.  The Lord gave us some precious one-on-one time while he was here, which is what I really look forward to.

Next to arrive will be Michael D.,10, and Lucas, 8.  They are best buds and really enjoy playing together and having a nice break from their siblings.  Treasure hunts, playing in their fort and sword fighting (all with Grandmother included) will be a few of their activities.

We will still have 2 more to work in for their one-on-one time with us, Hannah, 6, and Emma, 4.  Playing with American Girl dolls, tea parties and dress-up (all with Grandmother included) will keep them very busy.

I am reminded of 2 scriptures as I contemplate the wonderful privilege we have of spending time with our grandchildren even though, sometimes it is exhausting and I have put on a few pounds from the PB&J sandwiches and cookies that I seem unable to resist, our prayers for more grace are always answered.

Psalm 22:30-31 – “Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord.  They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn – for He as done it.”

Psalm 102:12 – “But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.”

The opportunity to pass on the Lord’s renown to the next generation is a gift I am very grateful for.

Please look up and read these passages too:

Deut. 6:4-9; Deut. 11:19-21; Prov. 17:6.

I hope that each of you has as much fun and as many blessings as I have had this summer!    Love, Saundra

This is just a little enouragement for those of us who have been diligently praying for the return of prodigal children and relatives. It is an excerpt from a book I have recently been reading. I would highly recommend it to those of you who are praying for the salvation or return of loved ones. It is “Praying for Those You Love”, by Jack Hayford.

“The Promise of Return.”
“The next Scripture passage is a beautiful prophecy. It addresses the desire that our children come into the Kingdom. ‘Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” Thus says the Lord, “Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, and they (that is, your children) shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future, says the Lord, that your children shall come back to their own border.” Jeremiah 31:15-17.

To the weeping parent whose children could not be found, the Lord said, “Stop crying. Your work shall be rewarded. Your prayers, your sowing of the seed, your introduction of the leaven will be rewarded. Your children shall come again from the land of the enemy and enter into their own border.” (Chapt. 5, pg. 52-53).

We serve a mighty God who always keeps His promises! We should remain diligent in our prayers and hopeful in the promises of God.

I have just returned from spending 24 hours with 6 of the most amazing women I know!  Since my return home I have been humbled to tears by the beauty of Christ in each of them.  These women are handmaidens and servants of the Most High God in the truest sense of the word.  There is not one of them that would want to be, or allow themselves to be, exalted or honored above our precious Lord Jesus to whom their very souls and lives are submitted in sacrificial love and service.  I want you to know a little bit about the beauty of Christ that I see in them and to know how much they love you and long to serve you, dear sisters.

First and foremost is Gloria Cotten, our fearless leader!  Most of you know Gloria and what is on her heart because of the many teachings she has shared with us, but a lot of you have not had the privilege of experiencing her devoted and loyal friendship, her ability to make you feel approved, accepted, and beloved.  She is a most gracious hostess and her exuberance, zeal, and dedication to the women in the Body of Christ is like no other I have ever seen.  Her love for you, dear ladies, is pure Jesus!

Vicki Faircloth – oh my!  What a precious, humble, gentle woman of God.  Vicki’s love for the Lord exudes from her pores and helps to keep us all in a place of humility before the Lord.  I believe , because of her sincere humility, the Lord has exalted her to a position of great influence and service in her job as executive administrator to the president of Trans World Radio.  Even more importantly, is her devotion as a mother to her daughter, Ashley.  Vicki is the first one God gave the vision to for Wellspring and she carries it, faithfully, with as much clarity and devotion as it was when the Lord first gave it to her.

Marion Jones, “my other daughter.”  I have known and loved her since she was 9 or 10 years old.  She is one of the most godly women I know.  She is a devoted wife and extrordinary mother of 5.  Marion has that rare quality of being able to juggle a “1000″ things at one time and do everyone of them well.  Because of this, she has become Gloria’s personal assistant this year.  Her heart’s desire to see young men and women live godly lives is played out in her home, day after day, where the door is always open to her children’s friends to receive the love, acceptance and guidance of the Lord.

Sue Alspach, an incredible woman of God!  How I do admire the path this woman has taken.  After the death of her husband, 12 years ago, she has faithfully raised her 4 children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and has maintained, with the grace of God, a pure and godly lifestyle.  Sue has a love affair with Jesus that is extraordinarily beautiful.  She has a heart for intercession and encourages and leads others to do the same.  She heads our intercessory prayer team that prays all year for you and the Wellspring Conference.

Queen Smith is new to our board this year.  I have known and loved her for a long time.  We have been privileged to worship and fellowship together for many years in the same body of  believers.  She is a phenomenal woman of faith, grace and accomplishment.  Queen brings to us, not only her level of  love and devotion to the Lord, her husband and daughter, but also to prayer and administration.  She is a nursing professor at Duke University and above and beyond that, she is a strong prayer warrior in the Army of the Most High God!

Sheri Cox is also new to our board this year.  I have not known her well but in this first meeting I sense a deep, abiding love for our Lord and Savior in her.  She is a pastor’s wife and has 3 grown children.  Her level of enthusiasm and desire to help, wherever she can, is welcome at Wellspring.  I also believe that the Lord has put in her a strong desire to see you, His daughters, set free of the encumbrances of sin and deception so that you may worship and serve Him freely.

I have only touched the tip of the iceberg with these incredible ladies.  Their depth of devotion to the Lord, their knowledge of the Word and their accomplishments, are too numerous to mention.  They are like most of us, who have persevered through life’s many struggles and obstacles, and with the help of the Lord, have come out on top.  There are many women in Biblical and secular history that we should admire and desire to pattern our lives after, because of their godliness, but the women I have described to you are history here and now. They are the kind of women we should all long to emulate and follow as they humbly lead us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus.

I am both privileged and honored to be counted among them.  These are your Wellspring leaders.  I hope you will take the opportunity to get to know them and experience the sincere love and devotion they have for our Lord and for you.

I want to tell you about my friend, Elizabeth Krynski. We have had quite an adventure together this past week. Elizabeth will be 93 in February. She lives alone in her own home near downtown Durham. She moved there with her beloved John about 40 years ago. Elizabeth uses a walker to steady her slowing pace but she is still driving and loves to tell about her trip to the DMV last year to renew her license. “They are so nice there”, she says, “they kept telling me what a great job I was doing. You know, they love to see you do well, there.”

Elizabeth was a school teacher and still loves to read and teach. We have had many good conversations about books and the wonderful experiences of 93 good and healthy years. She is incisive and articulate and a pleasure to converse with. She is a committed member of our Women of Titus Two group and has always brought an interesting perspective to our discussions.

I count it a privilege to have been there in 1989, when she and John visited our church for the first time and received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour after Paul Gordon gave an invitation. Paul and John were friends from political activities and shared the same Jewish heritage. She tells the story about how John took her hand and led her to the front to answer the call. She said it was so unlike John that she wasn’t sure what was happening. Of course, the Lord knew exactly what was happening! He called John home to heaven 3 days later. Elizabeth says, “John didn’t have much time to practice being a Christian.” She loved and highly respected her husband of 37 years. He was the only child of Polish-Jewish immigrants who came to this country to escape the horrors of the Nazi invasion of Poland during WWII. He was a professor of Slavic languages at Duke University. She still misses him and talks about him frequently. Did I forget to mention that Elizabeth is a published poet? Here is my favorite poem she has written about John:

To M.J.K.

Your names flash through my years

Like white milestones

Measuring off my life.

Magnus, John, Jan,

Janek, Johnny, Janeczeck,

and nicknames -

Cryptic, private

not made for

Cold linear print.

My own life rests

On the scaffold of your names.

I cling onto the hook of J

Stand on the slant of K

Seek shelter in the tents of M

Your names

Like a flurry of

“cartes des visites”

drift through my life.

I was also privileged to be at Elizabeth’s baptism in the Atlantic Ocean in 1989. What a joyous moment seeing her face as she emerged from the water! Now that you know a little bit about her, let me tell you about our adventure.

Elizabeth had arrived at the church last Friday for the WOTT meeting and was attempting to remove her walker from the trunk of her car. She stepped back, lost her balance and fell face down on the asphalt. Her fall resulted in two lost front teeth, 9 stitches in her lip, bruised hands and scratched glasses. There was so much blood that we were all a bit alarmed! Again, the Lord granted me another privilege concerning Elizabeth’s life – we went to the ER together for a long ordeal and to the dentist to have one of her cracked teeth removed (she still has all of her own teeth – now minus 2). She has yet to complain!?! I was being mentored in the art of “attitude while growing old gracefully!” Of course, she was a bit worried and every now and then a little fear would overtake her, but she would just shake it off and remember all the good things God had done for her. Always, thankful for the smallest thing and especially that she did not break any bones! I have spent a night and a couple of days with her, as have some of the other women, until she regains her confidence and starts to mend. What a treat to beable to sit with her and talk and laugh about so many things; to be able to serve this incredibly positive woman. I have been so blessed and encouraged about gratitude, humility, courage and determination.

“Thank you, Lord, please continue to bless and heal my dear friend, Elizabeth.”

In the stressful world we currently are a part of, we are bombarded daily with more information than seems possible to process. Overload would be a good word to describe it. There is much to rob us of our peace and keep us from entering the rest of God. However, in spite of all that goes on around us and effects us, we must enter the rest of God.

Hebrews 3 talks about the children of Israel hardening their hearts in rebellion and God declared an oath in His anger, “they shall never enter my rest.”. Then He speaks to us through Paul that it was because of their unbelief, and our own, that keeps us from entering in. “And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter because of their unbelief.” But in chapter 4, he tells us that the promise of entering His rest still stands. 4:3 – “Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,. . .” Psalm 91:1-2: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will REST in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

Jeremiah 6:16 – “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find REST for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” In this verse Jesus is telling us to, “learn from Him.” He always trusted in the Father completely, therefore He was at rest and in perfect peace.

The scripture in Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

This is how Jesus did it – He had such constant communion with the Father that everything was made known to Him and He trusted the Father and so there was peace and rest. That same promise is for us.

With all that is coming at us, whether in our personal lives or through world events, we have the example of Christ to follow. Rock steady in His trust and faith in the Father, even in the face of death, He continued steadfastly in His faith and communion with His Father. Always knowing and never waivering in the fact that God’s Word is true, “He is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

I want to tell you about my friend, Elizabeth Krynski.  We have had quite an adventure together this past week.  Elizabeth will be 93 in February.  She lives alone in her own home near downtown Durham.  She moved there with her beloved John about 40 years ago.  Elizabeth uses a walker to steady her slowing pace but she is still driving and loves to tell about her trip to the DMV last year to renew her license.  “They are so nice there”, she says, “they kept telling me what a great job I was doing.  You know, they love to see you do well, there.”

Elizabeth was a school teacher and still loves to read and teach.  We have had many good conversations about books and the wonderful experiences of 93 good and healthy years.  She is incisive and articulate and a pleasure to converse with.  She is a committed member of our Women of Titus Two group and has always brought an interesting perspective to our discussions.

I count it a privilege to have been there in 1989, when she and John visited our church for the first time and received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour after Paul Gordon gave an invitation.  Paul and John were friends from political activities and shared the same Jewish heritage.  She tells the story about how John took her hand and led her to the front to answer the call.  She said it was so unlike John that she wasn’t sure what was happening.  Of course, the Lord knew exactly what was happening!  He called John home to heaven 3 days later.  Elizabeth says, “John didn’t have much time to practice being a Christian.”  She loved and highly respected her husband of 37 years.  He was the only child of Polish-Jewish immigrants who came to this country to escape the horrors of the Nazi invasion of Poland during WWII.  He was a professor of Slavic languages at Duke University.  She still misses him and talks about him frequently.  Did I forget to mention that Elizabeth is a published poet?  Here is my favorite poem she has written about John:

To M.J.K.

Your names flash through my years

Like white milestones

Measuring off my life.

Magnus, John, Jan,

Janek, Johnny, Janeczeck,

and nicknames -

Cryptic, private

not made for

Cold linear print.

My own life rests

On the scaffold of your names.

I cling onto the hook of J

Stand on the slant of K

Seek shelter in the tents of M

Your names

Like a flurry of

“cartes des visites”

drift through my life.

I was also privileged to be at Elizabeth’s baptism in the Atlantic Ocean in 1989.  What a joyous moment seeing her face as she emerged from the water!  Now that you know a little bit about her, let me tell you about our adventure.

Elizabeth had arrived at the church last Friday for the WOTT meeting and was attempting to remove her walker from the trunk of her car.  She stepped back, lost her balance and fell face down on the asphalt.  Her fall resulted in two lost front teeth, 9 stitches in her lip, bruised hands and scratched glasses.  There was so much blood that we were all a bit alarmed!  Again, the Lord granted me another privilege concerning Elizabeth’s life – we went to the ER together for a long ordeal and to the dentist to have one of her cracked teeth removed (she still has all of her own teeth – now minus 2).  She has yet to complain!?!  I was being mentored in the art of “attitude while growing old gracefully!”  Of course, she was a bit worried and every now and then a little fear would overtake her, but she would just shake it off and remember all the good things God had done for her.  Always, thankful for the smallest thing and especially that she did not break any bones!  I have spent a night and a couple of days with her, as have some of the other women, until she regains her confidence and starts to mend.  What a treat to beable to sit with her and talk and laugh about so many things; to be able to serve this incredibly positive woman.  I have been so blessed and encouraged about gratitude, humility, courage and determination.

“Thank you, Lord, please continue to bless and heal my dear friend, Elizabeth.”

     In the stressful world we currently are a part of, we are bombarded daily with more information than seems possible to process.  Overload would be a good word to describe it.  There is much to rob us of our peace and keep us from entering the rest of God.  However, in spite of all that goes on around us and effects us, we must enter the rest of God.

     Hebrews 3 talks about the children of Israel hardening their hearts in rebellion and God declared an oath in His anger, “they shall never enter my rest.”. Then He speaks to us through Paul that it was because of their unbelief, and our own, that keeps us from entering in. “And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not those who disobeyed?  So we see that they were not able to enter because of their unbelief.”  But in chapter 4, he tells us that the promise of entering His rest still stands.  4:3 – “Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,. . .”  Psalm 91:1-2: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will REST in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” 

     Jeremiah 6:16 – “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find REST for your souls.”

     Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  In this verse Jesus is telling us to, “learn from Him.”  He always trusted in the Father completely, therefore He was at rest and in perfect peace.

     The scripture in Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything  by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

     This is how Jesus did it – He had such constant communion with the Father that everything was made known to Him and He trusted the Father and so there was peace and rest.  That same promise is for us.

     With all that is coming at us, whether in our personal lives or through world events, we have the example of Christ to follow.  Rock steady in His trust and faith in the Father, even in the face of death, He continued steadfastly in His faith and communion with His Father. Always knowing and never waivering in the fact that God’s Word is true, “He is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man, that He should change His mind.  Does He speak and then not act?  Does He promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).

     “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

We have talked about this idea of the “mother heart of God”, the passion with which we pray and where it comes from and not allowing it to cross over into the sin of anxiety and worry.  Now let’s look at another woman just like us from a long time ago.

There are seasons in a woman’s life when the intensity to have children can be almost unbearable.  When I read 1 Samuel, I see such a desperate woman in Hannah.  “In  bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.” (1 Sam. 1:10).  “And she made a vow, saying, ‘O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life . . .” (1 Sam. 1:11).

The Lord did give her a son and she named him Samuel saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.“  After the boy was weaned she took him and dedicated him to God.  He was given to Eli the priest to live and serve in the temple always.

How was she able to do this?  Can you imagine yourself taking your child at the age of 3 or 4 and leaving him with an old man, who hadn’t proved to be such a good father to his own sons?  A person that you didn’t know all that well living in a big and drafty old temple. To live there with him and serve God all of his life. This was her only son whom she had wept and prayed for.  How could she know if God would give her more children?  She didn’t at the time.  Her devotion to God and her integrity of a promise given and a promise kept was strong in her.  But how?  God had a plan from the beginning.  She could not have known the mighty man of God her Samuel would become.

Hannah had determined from the beginning and was committed to the dedication of her son to the Lord.  She had made her mind up from the start that she would let him go.  Part of this was coming from her immense gratitude toward God for answering her prayers and from the importance of a vow kept, a promise given.

When we dedicate our children to the Lord in front of the congregation when they are babies, are we not doing the same thing?  Are we not promising God that we will be a good steward of the child He has given us?  That we will teach him/her the ways of the Lord. To fear, praise and honor Him.  To live for and serve Him all the days of their lives.  We do this ceremoniously and symbolically.  But do we do it from our hearts with the passion and dedication that Hannah did?  Or, for that matter, the way Jesus did for us?  Part of honoring our vow to God not only has to do with teaching and training, but has to do with giving them up, letting them go into the hands of God to fulfill the plan He has for their lives.  It requires a sacrifice. It requires our trusting God to know what’s best for our children, no matter what it looks like with our eyes.  After all, does He not know them better than we do?  Didn’t He form them in our wombs?  Every atom, molecule and cell, knitted together in the secret place.

I believe the Lord gave me this word as much for myself as for anyone else.  It’s okay to have this passion and concern for your loved ones. There have been times when I have beat myself up, and the enemy has too, for the anquish and passion I have had for my children to walk with God.  For the incessant and devoted prayers, the praying without ceasing, the weeping, the holding God to His promises - but I now know that I am simply a reflection of my Father.  In the midst of all this fervent praying He has and is giving me, and will give you , the grace to let go.

     We know from Genesis 1:27 that: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  Since God created mankind in His image and part of mankind is female then it would stand to reason that some of His attributes and characteristics are female in nature. 

     So, we are born female with certain characteristics, physical and emotional, that are decidedly different from males.  However, in addition to that, when we come to know and accept Christ and we receive the Holy Spirit it seems that we also receive an even stronger impartation of those same characteristics.  An intensifying and enhancement of those characteristics of God’s nature – compassion, mercy, love, nurturing, teaching, comforting, leading and guiding.  All of these so desirable, good and neccessary for the wellbeing of the human race.  However, when you couple that with the not so wonderful characteristics of the female flesh – manipulation, control, easily deceived, a tendency toward being lead by emotions and feelings, you’ve got a crazy combination that seems to be warring against each other constantly.  Thereby causing much conflict and anxiety in the soul of a woman. Because of this we must be continually surrendered before the Lord.  These spiritual and fleshly characteristics must be brought under the Lordship of Christ in order for them to function properly. This is not to say that men don’t have these Godly characteristics as well, they do.  However, for the most part, when they are filtered through their maleness, they can look and manifest differently than in women.

     There is a passion and fervor that wells up in us as women when we are interceding for our loved ones and I believe it is the same passion that Jesus expresses in John 17.  As Christ prays for His disciples and us in John 17:6-25, you can feel His passion for those He loves to know the Father as He knows Him, to be protected from the evil one, to make it through this world with all of it’s temptations and dangers, knowing the love of the Father as Jesus knows His love, being intimate with Him.  “That they all may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”  It is this very passion translated through us by the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to pray effective prayers for our families and the Body of Christ.  “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  James 5:16.

     If we look at the definition of some of the key words in this verse we can better understand the kind of passion that I am referring to.  The word fervent means earnest, sincere, heartfelt and focused; very hot, glowing ; marked by great warmth of feeling; ardent.  Ardent means, passionate, zealous, devoted, fiery, hot, glowing, shining.  Effectual means, producing or able to produce a desired effect.  Righteous means, acting rightly, upright, according to what is right.

     Of course, we know that this righteousness is not a determination of our will, but a gift from our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let’s look at some verses:

     Titus 3:5 – “. . . He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” 

     Philippians 3:9 – “. . . and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

     II Corinthians 5:21 – “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

     Romans 5:17 – “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”

     We have talked about this passion we have for the dear ones we are praying for and Who it comes from.  Now, we need to talk about how we must not allow this beautiful passion to turn into anxiety and worry.  In this next section there are a few things I wish to quote from Joyce Meyer’s book “The Battlefield of the Mind”.  I will indicate them with (JM).

     Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiviing let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

     “God has given us His Word, use it!  Learn Scriptures like this one and when the enemy attacks, counter his attack with the same weapon Jesus used: the Word! (JM)

     When we are praying for others, especially our children, with passion and deep concern, it is easy for our minds to play the “what if?” game.  Vain imaginings can lead to much torment, steal our peace and cause us to enter into unbelief.  II Corinthians 10:5 tells us:  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

     “When thoughts being offered you do not agree with God’s Word, the best way to shut the devil up is to speak the Word. (JM).  This was the same tactic Jesus used in the wilderness each time Satan tried to tempt Him.  “As it is written.”  (Matthew 4).

     “The Word coming forth out of a believer’s mouth, with faith to back it up, is the single most effective weapon that can be used to win the war against worry and anxiety.” (JM)

     “I Peter 5:6-7 – “Therefore humble yourselves (demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”  When the enemy tries to give us a problem, we have the privilege of casting it upon God.  The word “cast” actually means to pitch or throw.  You and I can pitch or throw our problems to God and, believe me, He can catch them.  He knows what to do with them.  This passage lets us know that to humble ourselves is not to worry.  A person who worries still thinks that in some way he or she can solve his/her problem or the problem of the one he is praying for.  Worry is the mind racing around trying to find a solution to its situation.  The proud man is full of himself, while the humble man is full of God.  The proud man worries, the humble man waits.  Only God can deliver us, and He wants us to know that, so that in every situation our first response is to lean on Him and to enter His rest.” (JM)

     We have talked about the idea of the “mother heart of God”, the passion that fuels our prayers and Who it comes from and not allowing it to cross over into the sin of anxiety and worry.  In the 3rd and final segment, in September I want us to look at a woman, like us in many ways, from a long time ago.  Hope this is not too long?!?  Just have a lot to say.  Love you all.  Saundra

     How many of you, in the past or at present, have someone you love or care about very much?  Someone that you have been praying and interceding for?  This someone could be a husband, a close relative, a friend or a child.  You may be praying for their salvation or perhaps they have been saved but are not walking with the Lord in the way that they should and they are missing out on the blessings of God because of their sin, woundedness, stubborness or rebellion.  Perhaps this person or persons needs a healing or they are in a very bad situation and they need to be delivered.  Whatever the need this dear one has, the point is, that you have the deepest love and concern for them.

     Your prayers start out with great faith and belief that God will hear and answer in just the way you have asked.  But the answer doesn’t come as soon as you had hoped for and, in fact, the situation seems to be getting worse, much worse.  Your cries to God become more desperate and emotional.  Your soul is in anguish over this precious one or ones.  Now, in your inner being, the longing you have to see this dear one saved, healed, delivered and enjoying life has changed from interceding to interfering.  All well intentioned, of course!  That intense desire to nurture, teach, lead, guide, direct and correct becomes overwhelming and the next thing you know, you’ve said too much, had one too many “helpful” suggestions, pointed out one too many scriptures and perhaps have rescued them one more time out of the hand of God.  Those of you who are mothers, have you ever had a time when Dad seemed a little too harsh or unreasonable when disciplining your child?  So, being the compassionate nurturer you are (oh, and don’t forget “just and fair”), you stepped in the middle to save them from their “big bad Daddy”?  After all, he couldn’t possibly understand your child the way you do, he didn’t birth them or spend all that time with them like you did! Ha!  Sometimes, we find ourselves doing this very thing with a loved one that God is dealing with.  And sometimes the Lord is directing us to have input into this person’s life in the ways I have previously mentioned.  After all, as females God has wired us in such a way that these attributes are part of who we are, aren’t they?

     There has  been a longing stirring in me for sometime to understand more fully this calling of “motherhood” that is on my life and the lives of other women.  Not only for my own children, their spouses and my grandchildren, but also for the many brothers and sisters in Christ He has called me to disciple.  I don’t always understand this intense desire to mentor, teach, nurture and correct that rises up in me and other women who are blessed (sometimes it can feel like a curse) with this gift of a “mother’s heart.”  I know in the depth of my being that, for the most part, it is a good thing but sometimes when it is filtered through my flesh it can feel like a negative, destructive thing. Many times it is difficult to distinguish between the two.  Sometimes the desire to show these dear ones the way to truth and intimacy with our Jesus becomes so intense that I fear my emotions overshadow the desire and intentions of the Holy Spirit. Is that intensity me and my emotions or is it the Holy Spirit?  Sometimes I’m not sure.  Especially when the person’s reaction is one of offense, anger or rebellion.  I know that in spite of the Lord’s mercy and compassion He many times offended and still does those He is speaking to.  I want to examine more closely what the Word says about all of this.  Perhaps, I can come to a greater understanding and intimacy with the Lord on this subject.

     “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”  3 John 4.  Like the Apostle John, I too desire that those I have and am discipling, including my own children, would, at all times, walk in the truth.  “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commands us.”  2 John 4. 

     There is so much talk and teaching about the “Father heart of God”, and I do understand and relate to that, but I wonder, is there something to this “mother heart” idea in the person of the Holy Spirit?  I don’t want to, in any way, take away from or demean the authority of God found in Him as our Heavenly Father and Creator, or attempt to feminize Him, as some have tried to do.  But rather, explore the idea of the nurturing, compassionate, hovering and brooding over aspect of His personality that seems to be described in the person of the Holy Spirit.  These aspects of His nature may help to explain the intensity with which a mother broods over her children, natural or spiritual, and especially a wayward child.

     Genesis 1:2 – “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

     Webster’s definition of hover – to hang fluttering in the air or on the wing; to remain suspended over a place or object; to move to and fro near a place; to be in a state of uncertainty, irresolution or suspense; to brood over.

     Webster’s definition of brood – to sit on eggs in order to hatch them; to cover young with the wings; to think anxiously or moodily on a subject.

     Think about the following scriptures in light of a hen sitting on her eggs and even after they  have hatched.  The mother hen will fluff herself up and extend her wings and feathers over her eggs or young when threatened.  If the chicks are out of the nest and the hen senses danger she makes a sound and all her chicks comes running up under her wings.

     Psalm 17:8 – “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.”

     Psalm 91:4 – “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

     Matthew 23:37 – “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”

     Have you ever wondered where that tendency to brood over your young came from?  We see from the Word that it has come from the Father from the beginning.

     I would like to continue this topic in my next blog, in August.  I will pick up with how our female characeristics, in the context of having a “mother’s heart”, are part of being created in His image.