Changes on the outside AND the inside.

Today a very exciting event began at my home.  We are getting new siding, new windows, new doors even a new garage door!  Isn't that exciting?  Our 37 year old house really needed this face lift. And we needed it for our energy bills.  In a short time, our house will look very different from the outside since we changed the color of our siding.  And from the inside we will also notice the new windows in every room.   And we will be warm and comfy this winter.  Yes, quite a change.

Since last Saturday I have been noticing some very big changes within me -not visible on the outside.  But big changes none the less.  As I mentioned yesterday, smiling is a part of this change.   That smile at the future was the FIRST point made by Patricia King.  The second point was "this is the season when Jesus will greatly bless and multiply the seeds that have been sown and the harvest will be amazing"  This is a time to SOW greatly so that the harvest will be multiplied!  You know all those "footprints" blogs that I've been writing over the last week or so?  Well, those are all seeds that have been sown into my life.  And there are many, many more.  I think that one of the main things I have focused on in this blog are the people who have sown into my life and the seeds that were sown.  So when I heard this word on Saturday, something in my spirit just jumped!  There is a reason that the Holy Spirit has been reminding me and bringing to light all of those seeds sown into me and my generations!  It is to prepare for the harvest from those seeds.  WOW!  That's all I can say about that.  At this point I don't know what that harvest will be.  But I am convinced that there WILL be a harvest and it will be much much more than I could ever think or imagine! Suddenly, sowing seeds seems like a very important task.  This has made a big change deep within me.  Call it an excitement or expectation.  Whatever it is, well, it feels GREAT!  And here is the really great news about this!  IT IS NOT JUST FOR ME -   IT IS FOR ALL OF YOU OUT THERE READING THIS BLOG!  I will just have to trust that the Holy Spirit will touch each of you and bring some of this excitement that I am feeling, into your spirit.  I suppose that some of you may be thinking that this is an old message that you have heard before.   But this message is for this NEW YEAR and this NEW SEASON.  Yes, this is a time of new beginnings.

Jesus, thank you for bringing revelation to me that comes with excitement and expectation.  Holy Spirit, touch all who are reading with this message of multiplication.  Thank you for connecting us to our past generations and giving us encouragement to sow into the future.  Thank you for provision for improvements to my home.  Amen

Day 9 - Sowing and watering

This picture is actually from around 1900.  The young man on the right, with his hands on his hips and that awesome hat, is my grandfather (my mother's father) Arnold Toensing.  This farm belonged to his older brother Henry and his family.  It was during this time on the farm, that my grandfather decided that he was not cut out to be a farmer.  That decision changed his life forever.  It was after this time that he decided to go to North Dakota with a friend to open a general store.  It was there that he met my grandmother.  The interesting thing about my family is that there are many, many farmers on my family tree.  The fact that I choose this photo (one of my relatives that was NOT a farmer) is kind of odd!  I have so many great memories of being on the farms of my aunts and uncles. 

This photo was taken at my Aunt Agnes and Uncle Hank's farm in 1957.  I cherish all the memories I have from Uncle George and Aunt Mable's farm.  I am thankful for these experiences.  That brings me to my story today.  (I actually found a couple of different pictures today, that brought me to this blog post.)

 

Well, I was thinking about that time in the prayer group I mentioned in an earlier blog.  We also had a Sunday morning Bible study that was working through the book of John.  There were several people in that group that challenged and argued every line we studied.  There is one week of that study that stands out for me.  I was just the "substitute" leader that day.  The verse was John 14:6

 

Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father, except through me".

 

What a day that was.  There were comments from all sides.  "What about GOOD people?"  "What about people who are following the religion that they think is the right one?  Who are we to judge" For the entire hour all I did was to repeat this verse over and over and over.  Most of the people in the group were not very happy with me.  They did not want to hear this verse over and over.  And they did not want to hear what was behind this verse.  Needless to say, it was a LONG hour for me. 

My mom happened to be visiting at the time of that Bible class.  She could not believe my response.  And she couldn't believe that people DID NOT believe this verse!  I know that Bible class on the book of John was all about sowing seeds.  There were some people in that class that were being drawn into Jesus.  And I was just one of the "farmers" sowing the seeds.

 

For a couple of these people, the next few years was all about watering those seeds.  We continued to meet week after week.  We finished the book of John and moved on to Hebrews.  Over and over there was a challenge to really give their life to Jesus.  Every week we would pray.  And every week we would ask if they were ready to say yes to Jesus.  We poured the water of the Holy Spirit on those seeds.  But, alas, there was not a positive response.  After two years of meeting week after week.  I was privileged to watch SOMEONE ELSE hear the "YES" response from my friend.  I was not the harvester. 

 

I learned so much in this event!  It is not just about the harvest.  It is also about sowing those seeds.  And also all that time of waiting.  Of watering and tending and caring that brings forth the harvest.  I had the wrong idea about "Evangelism".  I thought you could just say the right words and people would all want to say yes to Jesus.  But it does not work that way.  It is the job of the Holy Spirit to work this out for each person in a very individual way.  I am so thankful that this happened in my life.  It has helped me to see that the seed sowing is an amazing gift.  And I have learned that it is only with the watering of the Holy Spirit that seed can grow. 

 

Jesus, thank you for this amazing way that you let us participate in your plan.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your encouragement and prompting that helps us to let your life giving water pour forth from us.  Thank you for friends that stick by us, even when we are not sure exactly what we are doing or where we are going.  Jesus, thank you for who you are and what you have done for us.  Amen

 

 



Celebrating the seasons..

Summer is winding down and fall is almost upon us.  This week the temperature has been really "fall-like".  This morning it was 46 degrees.  That is down right cold for August!  This has been an unusual weather summer.  We only really had one stretch of moderately hot weather.   We are flooded with "back to school" ads and the school supply aisle at the stores are nearly impassable.  For me, back to school means back to work.  While I have enjoyed the summer off, it feels like time to be back at work. 

I have been thinking today about seasons.  I am very grateful that Yahweh planned for us to experience the ever changing weather and seasons.  There is a progression about this that, for me, helps me to know that there is something else coming ahead.  I am  always aware of the fact that my life is a process.  Sometimes this process has seemingly been stalled out (or even seemed to go backwards).  So, when I am living in the change of seasons, it is easier to  hold on to the idea that my personal process is ....... well PROCESSING!  I am so thankful that the Kingdom of Yahweh is always increasing.  And I am so grateful that we are all in the process of going on. The change of seasons reminds me that although I feel stuck and it may seem like nothing is happening, there is a PROCESS going on in my life. 

Last night I had an interesting dream.  There were fields of crops growing all around me.  There were fields of corn, there were fields of beans and fields of grains also.  Everywhere I looked there were just fields and fields.  As I was looking around, I realized that there were no roads, no houses, nothing but fields.  Everything was healthy and green and looked so wonderful.  There was also an aroma of freshness.  And then I heard a voice singing.....   The song was about the coming harvest.  When I woke up, I quickly wrote down the words.............
                    Green and growing, tall and strong
                    small seeds sown in the dark dark ground.
                    Plants sprang up and rain fell down
                    Soft breezes blow, crops all around.

                    Life filled water, flowing from heavenly springs
                    waters all the seeds sown by human hands
                    Sun shine and warmth bring forth great joy
                    Its harvest time all across the lands.

                    Reach out, reach out and find the place
                    Come on and join the race.
                    North or south or look west to east.
                    All around far and near, the harvest is here.

So now I will be looking around for the harvest. And celebrating that Yahweh has great plans for the changing seasons.  This is a reminder that no matter which season we are in, Yahweh is at work.  During the winter he is at work deep in the soil, preparing it to receive the seeds.  He works in the spring time when the seeds are sown.  He works during the summer when the sun and rain water the seeds and he works during the fall, when it is time to harvest. 

Yahweh, thank you for your great creation.  Jesus thank you for working in the seasons and in us!  You are an amazing God that plans everything and then bring revelation to us as we walk through our life.  Help me to see the harvest you are preparing for me and to remember that you are in charge.  Yahweh, please bless everyone preparing for this school year.  Be with the teachers as they are preparing for their classes. And Jesus, thanks for singing to me in my dream!  Amen