My Hope

While we were in Lebanon, we got to spend some time reaching out in ministry. Tommy and I went with a team to Horizon's newest ministry center. It didn't even have doors installed when we arrived but we still were going into the refugee camps to invite families to a service the following day.  We split up into three groups, each with 20 vouchers for food. It was a drop in the bucket in meeting the needs, but it was all the space would hold. I was paired up with a Horizons teammate who could translate and off we went.   We were warmly welcomed into the first tent and began sharing a little. As we visited more and more people came in until the tent was overflowing. The original plan was to visit multiple tents passing out the vouchers but we didn't even have enough to give to the people in the first tent. Some of the people who didn't receive one became upset and it was difficult and heartbreaking to turn them away.   Empty handed, we were still welcomed in...

I’m a mother and one of the things that my kids can do that bothers me most is direct disobedience. When I know I’ve made myself clear and they choose to ignore or defy my command it troubles me and there are usually consequences for them. If I’ve been unclear about my expectations in a new situation, I’m much more lenient.   God expects obedience out of us, and He has made His expectations abundantly clear.   7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.^8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (Jos 1:7-8 NLT) We read in Joshua 1:8-9 to study and know His word… that we might obey it. God does not expect us to follow instructions known only to Him. We see this throughout script...