THE INNER ROOM - "Learn and Grow - to Maturity". Please read the 1st Post.

[Faithwoman]

Strength

Please feel absolutely FREE at any time to drop me a PM telling me what's not working - I'd much appreciate it!

Just dropping in to say what is working and that is the messages you have taken the time to share, the words of wisdom how to live a Christian life.

Easter Sunday was a huge test of strength. We were to go to my parents home for Easter, but my daughter had called and her grandmother (my ex mother in law ) had not been well and she wanted to stay there for Easter. I told her I would drive down there and come to church there and have dinner with them (all of my ex in laws including my ex husband)

I got up at 5 am and drove the 2 1/2 hours. The grandmother had been in the ER the night before. They gave her shot for pain and sent her home. She has shingles in her right eye- she has no sight in the eye- the shingles are throughout her head as well. She has been losing her strength over the past weeks and was now in a wheelchair and had to move a bed to the living room. My daughter had been in the ER with her all night. When she got home my oldest son stayed up all night with her.

I arrived and she was on bedside commode with my x sitting in the living room. Kids were sleeping. I headed over to church a small church about 15 people there including my x father in law. I stayed for church. Praised the Lord and celebrated the ressurection. I went back to the house and she was sitting in wheelchair at kitchen table. We got her comfortable back in bed. I got busy cooking the Easter dinner. She was horribly sick with throwing up and all. The rest of the family came for dinner including some of her grandchildren. After everyone left, I talked to my x husband and kids and said she really needed to go back to hospital.

My youngest son and I got her cleaned up, got her dressed, got her in the wheelchair and we got her to the car. We took her to the hospital - the one I worked at for 19 years.
She was in bad shape. They did blood work and we were waiting for the results. I explained to the doc and nurses she could not come home. It takes at least 2 people to lift her. My x father in law is in his 80's. My daughter who had been lifting her would be going back to school, and my x husband works during the day. The results came back and her sugar was 253, her white count was doubled and she was dehydrated. I explained I needed to know if she would be admitted as I still had to drive 2 1/2 hours home. She of course was going to be admitted. I got copies of her insurance cards so I can check on future home services and such. I then left late to head home after I knew everything would be ok.

I arrived back home at 10PM. Monday I went to work and barely could make it through the day. Went to dinner with some girlfriends and then off to bed I went.

Hence, here i am this morning. Why do I share the details of this story here with you all? Because it is because of the Lord that I got all the strength that I needed for the day.
It is because of where the Lord has brought me that I could go back and spend a day with x inlaws and a x husband who use to scream at me, who emotionally abused me.
It is because of what God calls for us to love others and care for others and take the focus off of us. It is because of learning of forgiveness and being able to go forth and share of his love. Before I left the Emergency Room, I said to my x mother in law, how much I appreciated what she does for my children and how I knew I was not always there when I needed to be. I then asked her if I could pray with her. I then prayed with her with my x husband sitting there as well.

If you would told me a year ago I would be praying with my x inlaws including my x husband I would have thought you crazy! Please know.. I take no credit for any of this.. it was all our Lord! Praises to him! A year ago.. I would have been way focused on Robin and what Robin wanted..

Our God is an awesome God! He is restoring the relationship with my kids. My youngest son even said he prayed and God helped him! He and his girlfriend were giving the new puppy a bath and he put her ring in his pocket and somehow lost it.. he kept looking and then he finally prayed and he found the ring! He said mom it was awesome! Hey if it took a lost ring to nudge my son to pray that is ok by me!

You see our actions our behaviors truly do make a difference. Just keep praying with your lost family members, keep your own walk upright and righteous.. they are watching and the spirit is slowly moving inside of them.

I have in my heart that I have asked God to open the door to talk to my x husband about what is missing in his life. He himself is very lost.. very depressed and still a screamer.. I just pray that God will keep softening his heart.

So after that long winded story Bondman.. you may make a mistake or two with the technical side of things, but the messages God gives you to share have made a huge difference! Thanks so much!

Faithwoman

 

[Bondman]

Just dropping in to say what is working and that is the messages you have taken the time to share, the words of wisdom how to live a Christian life.

Easter Sunday was a huge test of strength. We were to go to my parents home for Easter, but my daughter had called and her grandmother (my ex mother in law ) had not been well and she wanted to stay there for Easter. I told her I would drive down there and come to church there and have dinner with them (all of my ex in laws including my ex husband)

I got up at 5 am and drove the 2 1/2 hours. The grandmother had been in the ER the night before. They gave her shot for pain and sent her home. She has shingles in her right eye- she has no sight in the eye- the shingles are throughout her head as well. She has been losing her strength over the past weeks and was now in a wheelchair and had to move a bed to the living room. My daughter had been in the ER with her all night. When she got home my oldest son stayed up all night with her.

I arrived and she was on bedside commode with my x sitting in the living room. Kids were sleeping. I headed over to church a small church about 15 people there including my x father in law. I stayed for church. Praised the Lord and celebrated the ressurection. I went back to the house and she was sitting in wheelchair at kitchen table. We got her comfortable back in bed. I got busy cooking the Easter dinner. She was horribly sick with throwing up and all. The rest of the family came for dinner including some of her grandchildren. After everyone left, I talked to my x husband and kids and said she really needed to go back to hospital.

My youngest son and I got her cleaned up, got her dressed, got her in the wheelchair and we got her to the car. We took her to the hospital - the one I worked at for 19 years.
She was in bad shape. They did blood work and we were waiting for the results. I explained to the doc and nurses she could not come home. It takes at least 2 people to lift her. My x father in law is in his 80's. My daughter who had been lifting her would be going back to school, and my x husband works during the day. The results came back and her sugar was 253, her white count was doubled and she was dehydrated. I explained I needed to know if she would be admitted as I still had to drive 2 1/2 hours home. She of course was going to be admitted. I got copies of her insurance cards so I can check on future home services and such. I then left late to head home after I knew everything would be ok.

I arrived back home at 10PM. Monday I went to work and barely could make it through the day. Went to dinner with some girlfriends and then off to bed I went.

Hence, here i am this morning. Why do I share the details of this story here with you all? Because it is because of the Lord that I got all the strength that I needed for the day.
It is because of where the Lord has brought me that I could go back and spend a day with x inlaws and a x husband who use to scream at me, who emotionally abused me.
It is because of what God calls for us to love others and care for others and take the focus off of us. It is because of learning of forgiveness and being able to go forth and share of his love. Before I left the Emergency Room, I said to my x mother in law, how much I appreciated what she does for my children and how I knew I was not always there when I needed to be. I then asked her if I could pray with her. I then prayed with her with my x husband sitting there as well.

If you would told me a year ago I would be praying with my x inlaws including my x husband I would have thought you crazy! Please know.. I take no credit for any of this.. it was all our Lord! Praises to him! A year ago.. I would have been way focused on Robin and what Robin wanted..

Our God is an awesome God! He is restoring the relationship with my kids. My youngest son even said he prayed and God helped him! He and his girlfriend were giving the new puppy a bath and he put her ring in his pocket and somehow lost it.. he kept looking and then he finally prayed and he found the ring! He said mom it was awesome! Hey if it took a lost ring to nudge my son to pray that is ok by me!

You see our actions our behaviors truly do make a difference. Just keep praying with your lost family members, keep your own walk upright and righteous.. they are watching and the spirit is slowly moving inside of them.

I have in my heart that I have asked God to open the door to talk to my x husband about what is missing in his life. He himself is very lost.. very depressed and still a screamer.. I just pray that God will keep softening his heart.

So after that long winded story Bondman.. you may make a mistake or two with the technical side of things, but the messages God gives you to share have made a huge difference! Thanks so much!

Faithwoman

Oh, dear one, how utterly amazing! But then God is a God Who does what we consider impossible. Thankyou so much for sharing this!

That you were able to be with these ex-relatives leaves me in awe at what God can do with a life given to Him. How much MORE can and will He do as we all DETERMINE that we WILL grow further into more righteous and obedient living, making Him the center of our lives instead of ourselves and what WE want, just like you said.

I believe others reading your post will see what appears to be an amazing BOLDNESS you have in your daily life, speaking to people about Jesus, praying for them, and so on. And it is you who has brought this about. Yet at the end of the day we don't have what it takes to be who we want to be, much less who HE wants, do we? "And so I give you praise and thanks, God our Father, for Your Holy Spirit Who our Jesus SAID that He would send. And He DID! And for His love and power in our life I give YOU all the praise and all the glory - and especially at this time for Robin's life! You sure are way way beyond THE BEST!!"

Love you, sweetie. Thankyou for your kind words. Keep walkin' in His Spirit!!!

- BM

 

[Faithwoman]

Yet at the end of the day we don't have what it takes to be who we want to be, much less who HE wants, do we?

Amen to that one! I am struggling with that tonight. Of the course of all the good that is happening and all the changes, I feel well.. I don't know.. not lost.. but something.. I found myself the last few days getting into some old habits.. like tonight.. like binging on food.. and not feeling so well about myself.. it is strange.. I know one thing is I am tired and there is still so much i want to get done and get in order.

I really am trying to enjoy the joy of each day.. but it's just been a bit tough lately.

Hugs
Faithwoman

 

[Bondman]

Reaching Higher #7​

Dealing with Life's Problems​

Ever since SIN entered this world, things have been MASSIVELY messed up! Instead of a Garden of Eden, we live in a world where PROBLEMS abound, and are the norm for all of our lives (and the norm for our local Governments, State and Federal Governments, and all the interactions of all the countries of our World!!!)

It's no surprise then that we may want to throw up our hands in horror, and ask God to please get us out of here! HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS IN OUR LIFE, MOMENT BY MOMENT, DAY BY DAY, YEAR BY YEAR? Rich or poor, old our young, educated or uneducated, we all share in experiencing PROBLEMS both large and small - that can threaten to utterly overwhelm us.

What's the answer? IS THERE AN ANSWER?

YES!!! He stands astride the world, trying to get our attention! Patiently waiting - He wants you to see

THAT.. HE.. IS.. GOD!!!​

That's both our starting point and ending point - and ALL in between. Of course, we can ourselves STRUGGLE manfully, trying to solve today's problems, and maybe even succeed, or succeed to some degree, but ultimately we will have to acknowledge that LIFE ITSELF is too much for us to handle. Makes no difference who you are, whether President or the lowest of the low, THIS IS MAN'S NEVER-ENDING DILEMMA.

But as Christian Believers we DO have a CHOICE here - of ONE of TWO things: we can endeavour to live with the centre of our being focussed on OURSELVES, or we can live our life with the centre of our being focussed on GOD HIMSELF. These are our ONLY two options! We've all tried the first of these, many times with results that were not all that wonderful!! Some of us have dared to try the second of them - AND FOUND ANSWERS, ANSWERS THAT ACTUALLY WORK!!!

God wants to be your personal caring Father to Whom you go with ALL THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE - NOT JUST THE PROBLEMS!! We need to get into a new way of life and living and thinking where GOD IS AT THE CENTRE OF IT, NOT JUST AT THE PERIPHERY (OR EVEN NOT AT ALL...) Go to Him with EVERY PROBLEM, for He cares about every one - because He LOVES YOU!!! But if you get nothing else, PLEASE GET THIS: as you DO THIS, it is NOT about YOU. This is about YOU seeing and TREATING God as (YOUR) GOD!!!!

I wish I could somehow stress that MORE... And please also note that doing so is NOT AN OPTION, but an absolute ESSENTIAL!! Fail to do it and you'll inevitably remain all tangled up with YOURSELF and your PROBLEMS, not living anything like the true Christian life - without true JOY and PEACE, continuing to struggle with SELF and SIN. This is NO WAY TO LIVE!! It is NOT what God wants for you! You can remain WEAK and STRUGGLING and DEFEATED if you wish - or choose the route of becoming an OVERCOMER and a VICTOR IN AND THROUGH AND BY GOD HIMSELF!!

IT'S TIME TO MAKE OUR WONDERFUL AND AMAZING GOD THE TRUE CENTRE OF OUR WHOLE UNIVERSE!

Blessings to all!

- BM and his Love

​

 

[Bondman]

Amen to that one! I am struggling with that tonight. Of the course of all the good that is happening and all the changes, I feel well.. I don't know.. not lost.. but something.. I found myself the last few days getting into some old habits.. like tonight.. like binging on food.. and not feeling so well about myself.. it is strange.. I know one thing is I am tired and there is still so much i want to get done and get in order.

I really am trying to enjoy the joy of each day.. but it's just been a bit tough lately.

Hugs
Faithwoman

We are a people of "emotions" - some more than others. I can relate to what you've described. Life doesn't always go "in a straight line". It can have it's ups and downs, and we need to accept that.

Having said it that way, I think it's ultimately the Holy Spirit Who can and will make the line straighter. These days I don't seem to have anything LIKE the ups and downs like in the past. I'm just quietly walking in the Spirit, with the Lord, trusting Him - and it kind of blows my mind just to be actually writing that! But it is true.

I would have to suspect that this comes with time and Spiritual maturity, but I'm happy to be proven wrong! I believe that the Fruit of the Spirit plays a fair bit in the life stability I have: the deep-down PEACE and deep down JOY I've written about numerous times, the utter assurance of His constant LOVE. I believe these keep me on a rather remarkable 'even keel' in my life.

Meantime, for yourself, I think it could certainly be helpful to talk it all out with the Lord, aloud, taking time to see what thoughts may come as to the cause, and even a solution. That's what I'd do I believe. The fact of needing food, again we understand perfectly: our ill-health which goes up and down has us feeling dreadful so many times, and we may seek what we call "comfort food" (Beloved's is chocolate... *shh, I didn't say that, okay!*)

Rest in His love and mercy and goodness, and VERY NEAR PRESENCE, dear one! Praying,

- BM


EDIT: The way I said about talking it out with the Lord, I actually recline or lie down, and pray aloud with eyes open. It's a time of prayer and 'meditation' for want of a better word. A time of kind of just being with the Lord, sort of 'togetherness' - and by that I don't mean that I'm specifically aware of Him there. More just a quiet acceptance that He IS - BECAUSE HE IS, BECAUSE HE PROMISED! - yet without even needing to think of this.

I don't talk all the time by any means. I'm happy to let my thought 'wander' cos that's the time I'll often get an answer or guidance from the Lord. I do control the 'wandering' to some extent, or else it can turn into a time of just pure human thoughts - but letting my mind just 'meditate' certainly helps me a lot.

 

[Faithwoman]

Thanks for the great message and the post.

A time of kind of just being with the Lord, sor of 'togetherness' - and by that I don't mean that I'm specifically aware of Him there; more just a quiet acceptance that He IS, yet without even having to think of this.

A great reminder! Thanks so much!

Hugs
Faithwoman

 

[Bondman]

Thanks for the great message and the post.



A great reminder! Thanks so much!

Hugs
Faithwoman

Always gives me joy to help wherever I can!

I did an Edit to the post that you may not have seen (I seem to be a great one for having afterthoughts or something... *grin*)

 

[Bondman]

Reaching Higher #8​

PRACTICAL Ways to Become Much Less Worldly! - Part 1 ​

... This is a continuation of Inner Room topics in "You Truly CAN Live 'The Life' - Part 2"

Though I've done a reasonable amount on this lately, THIS ONE is GETTING VERY PRACTICAL ABOUT IT!! Worldliness is maybe not our VERY WORST problem in Western Christianity, but if we can FIX IT, then a whole lot of other things are either going to wonderfully fall into place for us, OR be a whole lot easier to sort out. Now, that's gotta be a good thing, a REALLY good thing, don't you think?

YES IT'S DIFFICULT!​

FACT: pretty much all of us live as PART of a very rich, consumer society, with about everything available that we could ever possibly want! Which sadly puts us way, way behind the eight ball before we even start!! That is, I DO NOT think it's EASY to become less worldly!! Yet we simply MUST do this!!! WHY? - "For if you live according to the flesh [including loving the world], you will surely DIE! But if through the power of the Spirit you are putting to death the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall LIVE FOREVER. Romans Ch 8:13 Amplified Bible (enhancements mine).

So if, like me, you actually prefer to LIVE forever(!), then let's check out some PRACTICAL things to help ACHIEVE this. Firstly, I wonder if you realise that being WORLDLY is an ATTITUDE!! It's not so much what you DO, as what and how you THINK! The Bible expresses a wonderful truth that God looks on the heart, and He does!!1 Samual Ch 16:7b Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. He's looking at our... yep, ATTITUDE!! So the first thing Beloved and me set about doing towards reducing our worldliness was to change our attitude and thoughts and feelings about life - and especially about THINGS ("stuff!!")

FIXING OUR ATTITUDE IS GREAT!​

Second, getting our attitude right ultimately paid incredible dividends for us. Instead of kind of FIGHTING OURSELVES, i.e., constantly trying to FIGHT OUR personal desires and wants and feelings and dreams, and so on (which didn't work!!) - WITH a changed, far more GODLY approach, hey, it started to become a whole lot EASIER to deal with this MASSIVE problem!!

SEEING IT THROUGH GOD'S EYES​

Third, we started working on seeing the world from GOD'S PERSPECTIVE, NOT from ours. Whoo, that made a MASSIVE difference!! All these things around us - I doubt He even notices them! HE'S BUSY LOOKING AT YOU ONLY!! (Came into the world with nothing, go out the same way.) God's view, and persective and vision is all SPIRITUALLY FOCUSSED. Material things are only of value when they SUPPORT the Spiritual!! Go for a major breakthrough: pray and consider, and think - and pray some more, and more still, and CRACK THIS CHANGE!!!

Continued in Part 2 "Is Living Less Worldly Simpler Than We Thought?"...

- BM, with his Lady

​

 

[SweetSurrender]

Thanx, Bondman. That was a wonderful message, both of them.
But, it seems so simple. I like simple. But, I always fret and forget how simple God made it for us. All we need to do in the end is trust as a child does and that is sometimes hard to do.

 

[Bondman]

Reaching Higher #9​

Is Living Less Worldly Perhaps Simpler Than We Thought? - Part 2​

... Continued from Part 1 "PRACTICAL Ways to Become Much Less Worldly"

Thanx, Bondman. That was a wonderful message, both of them. But, it seems so simple. I like simple. But, I always fret and forget how simple God made it for us. All we need to do in the end is trust as a child does and that is sometimes hard to do.

Wow Sweets, this is a wonderful post!!! Thankyou!

A. I totaly agree with you about 'simple'!! Why do we have to make it so complicated?? How stupid is THAT! I think this is why children can often get born again a lot easier than adults: they ACCEPT truth readily and they don't try to COMPLICATE it all!!

"Lord, help us to trust you with the simplicity of a child!"

B. You said, "I like simple," - I just LOVE how you said that!! I suppose we're living the same as the folks around us - cos that's how it is, and always has been for us. And so we just don't stop to THINK... All of which has HELPED ME to see much more CLEARLY what the change of ATTITUDE is that I wrote in my blog. I see this pretty simply:

1. We are living in RICHES like all around us - and we've never QUESTIONED that!!
2. To CHANGE this, all we need do to get started is to DECIDE:

"I will not live like the world any more,​

but will change my ATTITUDE - ​

and start today towards living more SIMPLY." ​

Then start on doing it, of course, and follow through till it's achieved! And in your MIND and SPIRIT never lose sight of the fact that you are doing this SOLELY FOR THE LORD!!!

Thanks so much for what you wrote, hon!!

Continued in Part 3 "Our Personal Journey to Becoming Less Worldly"...

- BM with his Lady

​

 

[Bondman]

Severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferer with memory problems prepared to pay very good money (notice that how MUCH 'good' money is not specified!) for a replacement brain that can actually remember things.

He was putting the cutlery away in the drawer after washing-up, see - knives here, spoons there, etc., (all very efficiently of course) - but found that he did have to ask honourable wife, "Sweetie, where does the potato-peeler go?" The answer he got was, "Same as last time, darling, in with the small spoons!" Said Chronic Fatigue sufferer has no recollection whatsoever of that (and it will probly be the same next time!!) - hence the need of a brain transplant.

Please reply here, with best offer.

- Anon

 

[SweetSurrender]

The Inner Room​

Reaching Higher #10​

Is Living Less Worldly Perhaps Simpler Than We Thought? - Part 3​

... Continued from Part 2b "Here are Some Things We've Done"



Wow Sweets, this is a wonderful post!!! Thankyou!

A. I totaly agree with you about 'simple'!! Why do we have to make it so complicated?? How stupid is THAT! I think this is why children can often get born again a lot easier than adults: they ACCEPT truth readily and they don't try to COMPLICATE it all!!

"Lord, help us to trust you with the simplicity of a child!"

B. You said, "I like simple," - I just LOVE how you said that!! I suppose we're living the same as the folks around us - cos that's how it is, and always has been for us. And so we just don't stop to THINK... All of which has HELPED ME to see much more CLEARLY what the change of ATTITUDE is that I wrote in the 2 Parts of the Messages:

1. We are living in RICHES like all around us - and we've never QUESTIONED that!!
2. To CHANGE this, all we need do to get started is to DECIDE:

"I will not live like the world any more,
but will change my ATTITUDE -
and start today towards living more SIMPLY." ​

Then start on doing it, of course, and follow through till it's achieved! And in your MIND and SPIRIT never lose sight of the fact that you are doing this SOLELY FOR THE LORD!!!

Thanks so much for what you wrote, hon!!

- BM with his Lady

Yeah, but will purposely living simpler, make things much easier? I believe that it will. Less "things" lying around will make it easier to organize and put your hand on things you are looking for. Or in Bondman's case, where things go. . . ;}

Just like purposely dwelling on Godly things versus worldly things should make it easier for us to find where we left off with God. When we discover we have gotten off on the wrong track, and need to find our way back, getting rid of all the "things" we worry about, like "will I make it in the Rapture, or "things" like questioning God's timing or other things that we should just trust in . . . getting rid of all that junk, will make it much easier to have the faith of a child.

If I could just concentrate on trusting that He loves me unconditionally, then I would not have to waste time worrying about other things, or waste my time studying about them. I should just trust that since God loves me no matter what, no matter how much of a failure I feel like, no matter if I don't understand Tongues or Revelations . . . still, because He loves me so much, I will be taken care of & can rest in that truth . . . believe as a child and just fall back, unafraid of Him dropping me . . . into His Almighty arms.

That felt good !!

 

[Bondman]

Yeah, but will purposely living simpler, make things much easier? I believe that it will. Less "things" lying around will make it easier to organize and put your hand on things you are looking for. Or in Bondman's case, where things go. . . ;}


Just like purposely dwelling on Godly things versus worldly things should make it easier for us to find where we left off with God. When we discover we have gotten off on the wrong track, and need to find our way back, getting rid of all the "things" we worry about, like "will I make it in the Rapture, or "things" like questioning God's timing or other things that we should just trust in . . . getting rid of all that junk, will make it much easier to have the faith of a child.

If I could just concentrate on trusting that He loves me unconditionally, then I would not have to waste time worrying about other things, or waste my time studying about them. I should just trust that since God loves me no matter what, no matter how much of a failure I feel like, no matter if I don't understand Tongues or Revelations . . . still, because He loves me so much, I will be taken care of & can rest in that truth . . . believe as a child and just fall back, unafraid of Him dropping me . . . into His Almighty arms.

That felt good !!

SOUNDED good too, hon!! (and who said it was Bondman who doesn't remember where things go? - it was just an anomymous "he" *hahaha!*)

A very thoughtful and thought-provoking post!! I shall be writing in Reaching Higher Messages about points you made here.

For now, you're right about children - kids in a good home environment just 'live', don't they! Mum and Dad are there to worry about stuff. So they live quite SIMPLY - never worrying about the future (what might or might not happen), not hassling about this and that, but just 'being'. Man oh man, does He ever want us to RELAX and just "BE" as well - BECAUSE HE'S OUR POWERFUL, WONDERFUL, CARING AND LOVING HEAVENLY DAD!!

Much love!

- BM

 

[Faithwoman]

If I could just concentrate on trusting that He loves me unconditionally, then I would not have to waste time worrying about other things, or waste my time studying about them. I should just trust that since God loves me no matter what, no matter how much of a failure I feel like, no matter if I don't understand Tongues or Revelations . . . still, because He loves me so much, I will be taken care of & can rest in that truth . . . believe as a child and just fall back, unafraid of Him dropping me . . . into His Almighty arms.

Loved it sweets! Loved the messages Bondman!

Faithwoman!

And hey Paul told me today he wants me to learn to drive the bus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoaaaaaaaaa!! I can't even back up my honda civic with my mirrors let alone a bus! Yikes!

 

[Bondman]

Loved it sweets! Loved the messages Bondman!

Faithwoman!

And hey Paul told me today he wants me to learn to drive the bus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoaaaaaaaaa!! I can't even back up my honda civic with my mirrors let alone a bus! Yikes!

Hi hon!

I can just imagine you hooning around Batavia in the bus!! Wheeeee!! Whoooooo!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! (or maybe I should have quoted one of my dear Mum's sayings, "Hang on Dad, Mum's driving!!!") *chuckles into his breakfast cornies!*

- BM

 

[Bondman]

Reaching Higher #10​

Our Personal Journey Towards Becoming Less Worldly! - Part 3​

... Continued from Part 2 "Is Living Less Worldly Perhaps Simpler Than We Thought?". Part 1 is here.

As I've said elsewhere, we'd both much prefer NOT to be writing this personal material... We are no one special, not doing anything special. I hope some of you are doing BETTER than we are! God's had to work hard with us to get us to where we are. SO HE GETS ALL THE CREDIT!!

Much earlier on I had goals of serious riches, but which God resolutely prevented! The result of this was that we ended up living solely on the income from Government Disability Pensions.

We had not done anything serious about the question of our worldliness and love of the things of the world, even though it was something I was aware of. I was having to slowly move my mind-set (read: 'attitude') from riches (or at least what I considered a 'decent' income and life-style) to MUCH LOWER GOALS!! Yet even on our new low income we still had the SAME ATTITUDE to money and things and all the trappings of a regular Western Christian - just like everyone around us - unbelievers AND Christians alike! How SAD is that....

Slowly though, we started considering our lavish life-style and riches compared to, say, an Indian "Untouchable" Dalit family living in lifetime SLAVERY to higher caste members! Why should WE have all this comfort and ease, and all the things we owned? What we had wasn't all that much perhaps, but compared to people in other countries, well, we were beginning to feel pretty awful about it all.

Persecution of Indian Christians: homes burnt or vandalised, their living lost, their lives so much in danger​

they had to simply flee the area with nothing but the clothes they stood up in...​

And so started our slow progression towards unworldliness. Here's just some simple examples of our approach and attitude to this now. Beloved's recliner chair that she NEEDS to watch TV when too ill to do anything else had an important spring break under the seat. John who I've mentioned in the IR, kindly came and fixed it up with some fencing wire! It's still holding, so it's okay. Our Car is now 30 yrs old, but gets from Point A to Point B just fine.​

Please go to the next post...​

 

[Bondman]

... Continued from previous post

Our micro-wave we have to use all the time because of our health died last night. We replaced it today with the cheapest we could find that would work for us. If we could do without it, we'd NOT have replaced it, but made do with the oven and hot-plates. My watch-strap broke. We thought we'd have to spend (read 'waste') another 25 bucks to get a new one, but my clever Lady figured a way to stitch it back together. Still working fine! I believe you can see that this really IS all ATTITUDE just like I've said! THAT'S the change. We have got materialism out of our hearts, minds, and sprits! It's GREAT! Such soul FREEDOM!! ​

Our TV and DVD were given to us. The TV is partly broken down, but we've worked our way round the problem fairly well, so that's okay for now. Then our carpets are wearing out, but have still a fair few years left in them. So does it bother us that the house doesn't look as GOOD as it did earlier on? It certainly used to, and sometimes still does, but we've slowly got used to living MORE SIMPLY and CHEAPLY and NOT having to have 'the best' (NONE of which was easy of course). So we make do with old furniture. Beloved is very clever at making it 'useable' in various ways, AND in keeping the whole place looking as nice as possible! Our life-style now is that WE SPEND MONEY ONLY IF IT HAS TO BE SPENT. So many times there's a cheaper way round the problem (even if it's a HARDER way!) ​

We live in a nice house that basically the Lord got for us 14 yrs ago in most unusual circumstances (through our State Government). It's actually a little too small for us, given our ill-health and difficulties of moving around, but we could never have expected to have a home like this! - and the HARDSHIPS of it being just that tad too small for our needs we are able to ACCEPT from the Lord! Hardship and difficulty TEACH US MANY GREAT and INVALUABLE THINGS! ​

In Part 4 you may read about the money we save with this wonderfully cheap house and the other wonderful things above...​

Continued in Part 4 ...​

Bless you all!​

- BM and his Love​

​

 

[Faithwoman]

Love the posts! I am praising where God has placed me and the call he has given me to the streets. I have a hard time working at my job at the hospital.. because I want to be out there full time.. God knows my heart.. he is slowly cleaning me up.. and in the meantime I am cleaning up my life and trying to learn to do with less.. I love it!

Hugs
Robin

 

[Bondman]

Love the posts! I am praising where God has placed me and the call he has given me to the streets. I have a hard time working at my job at the hospital.. because I want to be out there full time.. God knows my heart.. he is slowly cleaning me up.. and in the meantime I am cleaning up my life and trying to learn to do with less.. I love it!

Hugs
Robin

Thankyou, Robin, I sure found it difficult to share so much of our private lives - but if it's helps just one person then we figure it's worth it.

You certainly have been blessed with your street work. I understand what you mean about the hospital. Just take care with this. My early enthusiasm, like you, caused me to give up my Teacher Training to go full-time preaching for the Lord. But in my case this was precipitous and wrong. I had to back out of that and go complete my Training.

From there, as an established teacher, I was blessed by being able to start a small Christian work with my pupils, which was very successful and ended up becoming a WORLD-WIDE WORK that today is helping to reach vast numbers of children in countries around the globe. God told me I'd be, "Father to many children around the world" - I had no idea He meant what He actually did!! The scary thought: what if I'd kept up full-time work when I was only a young Christian, and NOT gone teaching, thus blocking God's plans to reach so many children, including Muslims!!

God DOES know your heart, dear one! He WILL lead and guide you - aim to be very, very sensitive to His daily leading. I'm trilled to bits how you're working on your life, letting HIM clean you up inside (wow!!) and working towards simpler living. That you said, "I love it!" excites me beyond expression!! So do we!!!

Blessings!

- BM

 

[Bondman]

Reaching Higher #11​

Our Personal Journey Towards Becoming Less Worldly! - Part 4​

... Continued from Part 3.Part 1 is here.

Okay, on to the most IMPORTANT SECOND RUNG of the ladder in all of this. QUESTION: what do we do with the money we SAVE by living much more simply? -- Tempted to spend it on ourselves perhaps? Actually NO!! We give it to the Lord, very DIRECTLY! The more we can AVOID spending, the more He gets! ​

​

Out of our Pensions, last Christmas we were able to give $1,041 to Dalit "Untouchables" in India (like the two dear little Dalit gals above) AND to Indian Missionary Work there - all via Gospel for Asia (GFA), in our opinion one of the most incredible and astonishing Mission works in the Christian world! Check them out HERE.​

So not only are we more and more OBEYING two of the Lord's great COMMANDS to us all: 1) Minister to those in need, and 2) Get the Gospel to all peoples - we're doing this by becoming LESS AND LESS WORLDLY!! Whoo-hooooooo!!! So again, is all of this hard? Well, yes, it's often difficult, no question, and it can and does 'COST'!! - just as the New Testament says that it will and should! But it's ultimately SO satisfying and feels SO good and SO right - and less and less we consider the difficulties when we think of THE COST JESUS PAID that we (purportedly) remember and seriously consider at Eastertime!!!! ​

In seeking to become unworldly you don't need to do anything the same as us, of course! As you're changing your ATTITUDE, let the LORD by your guide as to what is right for YOU! Oh, and you NEVER lose by any of this. God really is NO MAN'S DEBTOR. I hasten to add that we NEVER ever GIVE so that we can GET (more), like some churches teach (how self-serving and worldly this can be...) But we do keep seeming to have MORE left out of our meagre Pensions to enable us to give more to the Lord. We're now up to $50 a month going to GFA, every red cent of which LITERALLY GETS to the Mission field!! We specify each month what it's to go towards. More on this later.

SUMMARY: Our attitude to all the material things of the consumer society we live in is to do without them all wherever we can!!! This can cost, obviously! - but interestingly it DOES stop us from CONFORMING to the WORLD like most everyone else lives, and we used to also!! - CONTRARY to His commands and wishes! With the money this saves we can give LOVE GIFTS TO THE LORD - to help others! Will we ever go back to before? NO WAY! With every passing month our sights get less and less set on this world, and more and more on the God of all (and being with Him for eternity!)

So finally, this is really, really GREAT for your Spiritual Growth!! (much less 'stuff' to hold it back!) For CHRISTIANS reading this we HIGHLY endorse moving towards a similar ATTITUDE of living - as we live right IN the dreadful and destructive worldliness of our Western World. Bless you as you pray about and consider this!

Continued in Part 5 ...

With ALL our love!!

- BM and his Beloved

​