Monday, July 11, 2016

Midwest Ministry Update

God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.
~David Livingstone

Many of you who follow my blog know that my husband and I and our two young children recently moved from New England to the Midwest. We came here in a step of faith and obedience to establish a place of rest/refuge for the Lord's people.
Moving here last Fall was not easy for me.  Next to surrendering college, it was one of the most difficult and painful steps that I have taken in my walk with the Lord, but the joy that has sprung from it has been indescribable. 

When I left my home in New England (after living there for nearly 33 years - I celebrated my 33rd birthday in the Midwest) I felt the pain of death. That sounds like an exaggeration, but it is true. And if the Lord had not spoken to me and called me to come here, I would have chosen to stay - in my beloved New England, with my beloved family, near my friends and those dear to me. 

But the Lord did speak to me, through a message that Ravi Zacharias preached, as I was struggling to come to a final decision about whether to go or to stay in New England at that time. In his message, Zacharias spoke about the missionary and pioneer David Livingstone, and he has become one of my newfound spiritual examples since. If anyone is interested in listening to that message, they may find it HERE and HERE. It is a little lengthy (2 parts) but well, well, worth it. 

You may read more about my decision to come to the Midwest HERE and about the ministry that my husband and I have been called to begin HERE

Recently, I listened to Ravi Zacharias' message again. I believe that the Lord speaks to His people, always according to His Word, but that the Holy Spirit is still actively guiding His people through their consciences as they submit to Him in a living love/trust relationship that is not feeling-based, but truth-based. 

I have a tiny basket in our kitchen that I had filled with "remembrances," and reminders to me of the Lord's presence and mercy to me here. Some shells from Robin's eggs that I've found while walking, smooth stones from one of the great lakes that we visited on our way out to the Midwest, a chestnut from a nature preserve (in Chicago, of all places! :-)), and a shriveled crab-apple from my Mama's beautiful crab-apple tree in RI. A few months ago, a Bible verse came to my mind and I wrote it and placed it near my little basket.  The verse was this one (Matthew 28:20) -

And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.




Well, a few weeks ago, I was listening to Ravi Zacharias' message again with my two little ones. Near the end, where Zacharias addresses David Livingstone and his call to Africa, he used the very verse that I had written and placed near my little basket. At the time that I wrote it, I did not realize that this was the verse that David Livingstone believed God had given to him. Only the Lord's hand could have directed me to the very verse that tied in with Livingstone's life and the call upon my own and bid me to write it down and place it near my little basket. The Lord confirmed to me again in this little way, that His hand is upon our coming here and that He will continue to guide us and provide for us here. 

And this truth that has guided my life for many years remains - that if the Lord desires something to go forward, it will go forward. Men or angels cannot stop it from doing so. If something is truly the will of God, He will establish it. I rest in that confidence and the confidence in the truth of these verses that have also  guided my life - Psalm 27:13-14:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!


So here we are, our little family, waiting upon the Lord in the great Midwest. The corn grows around and all is beauty and stillness and birds and trees and quiet. Through the difficulty of leaving what I have known and loved, the Lord has given me His joy where I thought that there would be barrenness - the kindness of a minister and his wife, a church where the Word is preached uncompromisingly, a little thrift store only about a five minute walk from our home (an unexpected blessing - the Lord knows my great love for thrift stores!! :-) - and I was able to walk to it through the winter when my husband and I were sharing one vehicle), the beauty of His creation all around, and the daily peace of His Presence that passes understanding and that fills loneliness and sorrow with thanksgiving and JOY. 

I praise Him and His strength for all that He has done and continues to do. We are waiting upon Him for further direction, renting a homely little house and praying for his guidance in exactly where and how to establish this ministry that He has placed upon our hearts and directed our lives to undertake - because we know that He will undertake. 

Please lift us up in your prayers as He brings us to your mind; He works through the prayers of His people. 

Blessings and joy to each one of you, beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord. 

20 comments:

  1. Bekki, Such Glory you bring to our Heavenly Father and His will for your life; encouraging us that we will bring Him Glory when we move in His will for our lives.

    I loved hearing about the testimonies of God's sustaining love through this journey; a journey that I believe will lead to a Glorious culmination where you will proclaim, "Come and see what the Lord has done! All praise to Him!"

    I am so thankful that my prayers were answered for kindred friendships and a church where the Word is preached faithfully.

    I continue to lift you all up in prayer trusting God's purpose for your lives and ministry.

    Miss you sweet friend.

    Karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Karen, your words always bring me so much encouragement and refresh my heart . . . I am so thankful for your prayers; they mean a great deal to me. I love you and miss you also--

      Much love through our precious Savior,
      Bekki

      Delete
  2. I love how God does things like that. I love how He uses Scripture to confirm our consciences or orchestrates encounters/sermons/books etc that lead us to know His will for us. We had something similar this year, and after weeks of deliberation where there really wasn't a right or wrong, just what would be best, a simple Proverb struck my heart and I knew the right way to go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Sarah! I love the way that you explained it--when there really isn't a right or a wrong way, and yet His Spirit directs us into His will specifically. Because He is a Person, living and communing with us, directing us and guiding our steps.

      Much love to you and your precious family, Sarah; have a blessed week.

      Delete
  3. I love it when scripture connects with not only our life, but someone else's and ties us all together. God is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes; truly He is, Carol! Have a very blessed week!

      Delete
  4. Love when God speaks to us through His Word. Blessings on finding His path for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes; I do too! He is such a merciful Father in every way! Have a blessed week. :-)

      Delete
  5. Blessings to you!

    I've lived in Kansas for nineteen years and I love it here.

    Change isn't always easy, but God is always faithful! Hallelujah!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes; truly He is, Deborah! Blessings to you as well :-).

      Delete
  6. I'm glad you are finding God's graces in the middle of cornfields and midwestern sunrises and sunsets, Rebekah. I'm a midwesterner--born and bred--living in southern Illinois near St. Louis. However, I LOVE New England and have often dreamt of a day when my hubby and I could call that region our home. But I've recently come to something of a "surrendering" that has me so very content in my ministry and location. I walk near cornfields nearly every night and breathe in that beauty--though quite different from a rolling beachside. But it is still breathtaking and I'm so glad to be alive in it. Hope that you find your contentment and joy growing more and more like that wheat field you captured. Oh, and love Ravi! He's such a powerful theologian and speaker. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beth, your words are so encouraging . . . thank you. It was definitely a difficult transition for me, but one in which the Lord has been pouring out His strength into my days. I know what you mean about the beauty of the cornfields and the sunrises and sunsets! And I love the slower pace--it is good for the soul. And Ravi! Yes! He has blessed me more than words can say.

      Have a beautiful week, Beth; your words lifted my soul. :-)

      Delete
  7. I love your heart and how faith shines through your words. What a blessing to receive to experience God connections through His word and Ravi's message. I will be praying for you and your ministry. I live in the midwest too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mary--I appreciate your prayers and your encouragement so much--they mean so much to me. Have a very blessed week, Mary.

      Delete
  8. Praying that God will lead and direct you every step of your new journey! It's not always easy following where the Lord leads, but His grace will sustain you and empower you to fulfill all the purpose He has for you. I too have had to make decisions that seemed to lead me away from my family, but God gave me a dream in which I heard myself say to my Dad, "It looks like I will have to choose between my family and my destiny. So... I'll choose my destiny for now. And I'll have my family in eternity." It was the reassurance my heart needed to hear in that season. We follow after God with all our hearts, knowing His plan is the best plan. Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, truly Tasha, His plan is best! Thank you for your encouragement and prayers--I'm so thankful for them; blessings to you as well. :-)

      Delete
  9. I live in New England now although it was not always "home" to me. Only as I continued to surrender my life to Him daily did the day come when I knew I was home - home meaning, where God would have me to be. Praying that He would unfold His plans for you and your family. May He bless you in your surrender as you wait!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne, your testimony is such an encouragement. The way that you described it--that home is where the Lord would have us be--that is it exactly. I'm so grateful for your prayers . . . the Lord bless you!

      Delete
  10. Your example of obedience is inspiring. I love the idea of a remembrance basket, too. I'm taking a moment to pray for you now. Thanks for sharing this with our readers at the Literacy Musing Mondays Linkup. I will be featuring you this week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leslie, thank you for featuring my post! And especially for your prayers--I am so grateful and it is such an encouragement to me to know that the Lord's people are praying! Have a blessed week!

      Delete