Moving Forward

"Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Here by Thy great help I've come."

~Robert Robinson

Dear praying friends,

I felt led to write a brief update on where the work is on Herrnhut, the place of rest that the Lord has called us to build here in Wisconsin. 

We have removed the old barnboard that was on half of the outbuilding, stripped the building down to the old beams, and added plywood to front, back, and sides, as well as framing in windows. My husband, brother-in-law, and nephew have been working on these things throughout the summer in their spare time. My nephew was also able to frame in and install three windows on the part of the Missionary House where the barn board had previously been removed. 

The next step after this was/is to dig around the compromised foundation under about 2/3 of the outbuilding (it is currently on stone columns that are pretty old and need reinforcing). Last week, someone came to dig around the columns, and we are now waiting for the concrete to be poured this week, the Lord willing. 

After this step, my nephew will be able to install the rest of the windows into the remaining portion of the Missionary House, as well as install the front and back door. Things are beginning to shape up, and we are grateful to the Lord! 

Our hope is to be able to housewrap and apply siding to the Missionary House before the really cold weather comes, sometimes quickly here in Wisconsin. We are trusting in the Lord's timing and moving forward step by step. 

To keep in prayer:

• That concrete would be poured this week so that the project could move forward in a timely fashion.

• That the Lord would continue to bless us with good weather while my nephew, husband, and brother-in-law work on the Missionary House.

• For a part time worker for our property; I continue to pray that the Lord would bring someone to help me with the upkeep of the property as I need help with some of the heavier work. 

Praise:

• That the septic system supporting our home and the Missionary House was finally installed after a very long wait and that the water line was brought to the Missionary House during this process. 

• That the Lord has provided family members with skill and willingness to do much of the work on the Missionary House; I am so grateful for this. 

Please continue to keep this project in your prayers! I am greatly encouraged by the way in which the Lord has removed so many roadblocks along the way and parted waters that seemed irremoveable. I give all of the praise and glory to Him. The Lord will build His house. 

And as always, I am so grateful for your prayers. 

"Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure." ~D.L. Moody

~Rebekah 

Forward

It is only beyond what is humanly reasonable and possible that we see the glory of God.

~Lilias Trotter

~~~~

There are three stages to every great work of God; first it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.

~Hudson Taylor

I feel like I've been standing on the banks of the Jordan for a long time. The water has been washing over my sandal-clad feet and I smell the fresh clean breeze of change around me. 

I'm ready to step in, Lord. Lead me. But I need You to part the waters.

 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward (Exodus 14:15).

I believe that the Lord led us here; He never leads us to leave us. His name and reputation are at stake. 

The Lord will part these waters for us.

We will go forward. Because of Who He is. 

Is the work God's work? Has He called you to do it, and equipped you for it? Be sure on these points. Take time to consider and pray and find what the will of the Lord is. Then when the difficulties have been considered and the needs fairly measured, and the clear conviction remains that God calls you to rise and build, then put your hand to the plough and never look back (Streams in the Desert). 

Please pray, dear friends, for wisdom and direction in going forward. 

I had shared a little while ago that we had decided on adding on to our home with a living space for those who came to Herrnhut rather than focusing on renovating an outbuilding on our property. We had come up against opposition in going forward in the former direction regarding the building and residency codes in the county in Wisconsin where we live. 

Please pray for wisdom in how the Lord wants to lead us forward now. We need His direction and guidance.

Another need that has been upon my heart is the need for someone to help to take care of the grounds here. I do much of the work myself with the help of my children, family members, and the help of a local boy. My husband works long hours doing construction and driving for an Amish crew, and so his time is taken up with that. 

I am unable to do some of the "heavier" work here, especially with the upkeep that I am already responsible for. I am praying that the Lord in His timing would send someone to help with the grounds. This is just a need that has been placed upon my heart; I am not certain how or when the Lord will supply this need. Please pray for His guidance and provision. 

We are grateful for your continued prayers. Our God is merciful and faithful to provide our needs. This work is His. We commit it into His hands. 

For Jesus,

Rebekah 

A Ministry Update ~~ As Promised! :-)

 Oh, that I had in the wilderness

A lodging place for travelers . . .

Jeremiah 9:2

~~~~~~

We should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried. The more I am in a position to be tried in faith, the more I will have the opportunity of seeing God’s help and deliverance. Every fresh instance in which He helps and delivers me will increase my faith. The believer should not shrink from situations, positions, or circumstances in which his faith may be tried, but he should cheerfully embrace them as opportunities to see the hand of God stretched out in help and deliverance. Thus his faith will be strengthened.

~George Mueller

Dear friends, 

As many of you are aware, I've been asking for prayer for many months now. Our family has come up against great difficulty in going forward in renovating the outbuilding on our property for the ministry of hospitality that the Lord has called us to in the Midwest. 

We learned that according to the zoning ordinances in our county, we are not permitted to have what the county labels a "second residence," even though it would be used only for guests as part of our ministry. We have petitioned the board, asked many questions, and spent much time in prayer over this roadblock. 

We believe at this point that the Lord is leading us to build on to our home instead of renovating the outbuilding that we had planned to renovate. We intend to create a living area (general room/sleeping area/bathroom) for missionaries, pastors, and other believers who desire to come apart for a time of rest and refreshment in the Lord. This would eliminate the "roadblock" of a second residence and enable us to go forward as the Lord has called us. We are committing this to Him in prayer and trusting His perfect plan. 

Please pray for us as we move forward in this direction. We are very grateful for your prayers! 

He always makes a way--and He is able--the doors that He shuts no one can open and the doors that He opens no one can shut. 

We trust in Him and know that we will see His goodness in the land of the living as we wait for Him. 

Thank you for your continued prayers. 

For Jesus,

Rebekah 

*To learn more about our ministry, click HERE. 

A Month of Mercies~~March 2021

Morning by morning, new mercies I see . . . March 2021

Instead of sharing a weekly update on this blog's Facebook page as I've done in the past, I decided to share a monthly update HERE instead. I had been telling about how the Lord had moved and worked in my life in words and pictures every week, but it has been difficult to keep up. Therefore, I felt led to do this on a monthly basis on my blog instead, and then to share it with you all! I pray that it is a blessing to you. Truly, it is good to give praise to the Lord--this practice lifts my heart and reminds me that the Lord is at work in His people's lives in both great and small ways. Blessed be His name!

So without further ado, this past month the Lord has blessed me and spoken to me through~

~Starting my flowers indoors with my children . . . this always brings gladness to my heart as we push the tiny seeds into the soil and wait for the Lord to cause the light of the sun to shine upon the plants and to cause them to grow. There is so much of the grace and mercy of God in planting . . . 

~Remembering that HE is our strength and our song through all of the trials and difficulties of life . . . this world is not our final resting place~~

~We celebrated the Passover at our church this month; what an incredible blessing~~ these were the cupcakes that we brought to share for dessert after we celebrated the Passover meal. 

~Daffodils blooming near our home . . . and the anticipation for waiting for our "row" of daffodils to bloom.

~A friendly Robin sheltered on our front step during a late snow . . . 

~And finally, work HAS BEGUN on The Missionary House (a piece of our family's ministry here in the Midwest). More details to come on that later :-). This has brought great joy and hope to my heart in the midst of a very difficult year of sorrow over the direction that our country has taken . . . 

 Praise the Lord; He lives! He moves and works in our lives. I pray that you will have a very blessed Easter . . . I would love to hear about how the Lord is moving in your life as well . . . the Lord bless and keep each one of you . . . 

Ministry Update

I wanted to share an update on our ministry in the Midwest as well as thank all of  those who have been faithfully praying for us. 

Our view outside 

Right now, we are in the throes of winter and eagerly anticipating spring. We have extremely harsh winters here, which makes us all the more thankful when the sweet spring days come. Just recently, I was reading about lilac bushes, which apparently are able to thrive in extreme conditions. There are many, many lilac bushes in Wisconsin! And they flourish, despite the bitter cold winters that we experience here. This fact about lilac bushes reminded me that believers are called to press into the One who is the cleft of the Rock during the harshest times that we face spiritually. We may trust Him to bring life after the chilling winter winds have threatened us with despair. Just as the lilac bush is one of the most beautiful sights in the springtime, so may our lives gracefully reflect the glory of Christ through adversity and hardship. 

Hummingbird near the Missionary House drinking honeysuckle

O Christ, He is the fountain,

The deep, sweet well of life:

Its living streams I've tasted

Which save from grief and strife.

And to an ocean fullness,

His mercy doth expand;

His grace is all sufficient

As by His wisdom planned.

~Anne Cousin

I've shared with you before about an outbuilding on our property which we have affectionately named "The Missionary House." We've been focusing our prayers on that building, asking the Lord to provide the means to renovate it for guests to stay in. 

Last summer, I felt that Holy Spirit was asking me to take a step of faith in using all of the earnings from our small farm stand that my children and I run during the spring/summer months toward the renovation of the Missionary House. We usually use this money toward pint-sized projects/our families needs when things are tight, and so it was a step of obedience for me to trust in the Lord to set it aside. I took a large pickle jar and began putting all of our earnings in it as the spring and then summer wore on.

Next, I set a goal on paper and in my mind to complete "Phase 1" of the Missionary House. This would be part 1 of 4 parts--the storage area that is leaking and needed to be re-roofed and framed. I was hoping that what was set aside during the summer would be enough for that particular project. 

Unusual things began to happen after I had made the decision to use the money from the farm stand for Herrnhut. I hadn't shared that I would be using this money for our ministry with anyone other than my husband and a few very close immediate family members who I asked not to tell anyone (that was what I believed the Lord had laid upon my heart to do). 

My sales in young spring perennials that I dug early in the season went way up. Many people stopped by to buy hollyhock plants that I started in the house. And on two separate occasions, neighbors knocked on my door, one of them asking to buy a hanging plant that was just a decoration on the farm stand! It confirmed to me that the Lord was indeed blessing the earnings of the farm stand and had indeed led me to put them aside.

At the end of the summer, I was hopeful that we might have enough to begin the project. And yet, we fell short. I brought this to the Lord and waited. Miraculously, in answer to prayer, He unexpectedly provided through gifts that were given toward Herrnhut over the winter months, as well as a gift from a family member that was not designated for Herrnhut but that we decided to use toward this project--exactly enough to complete phase one in the spring. 

We praise God for His provision and for His faithfulness to answered prayer. We are waiting at this point for our Amish friend to contact us when he is ready to begin the work in early spring. And we praise God! 

South side of the Missionary House

I am hoping in the next update to share photos with you all of the work that will be done on the Missionary House. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I am always amazed at how the Lord provides for us exactly in His perfect timing. 

We continue to be grateful for your prayers. The Lord bless each and every one of you. 

Quiet Joys

This is my story; this is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long . . . 

~Fanny Crosby

The Summer is already ripening toward August and I thought that I would share some pictures with you of the quiet joys and scenes from our lives here over the past few weeks. . . :-) These are some of the things that have brought happiness to my heart or just some happenings here . . . there is joy in knowing His presence in the quietness in a very precious way --

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him
He also will hear their cry and save them.
Psalm 145:18-19 NKJV

Zinnias from the garden . . . their bright faces gladden my heart . . . 

The strong, steadfast beauty of the sunflower, lifting its great face toward the sky . . . my sister planted these all around her tiny house last year and she inspired me! :-)

Corn and the other vegetables ripening remind me of His faithfulness to provide for mankind . . . 

My daughter eats these little cherry tomatoes as fast as they ripen! :-) I have to beat her to them! ;-)

She will eat these too as soon as they ripen; she loves to bite into them like apples .. . :-)

. . . then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Leviticus 26:4 NKJV

The cone flowers delight me and remind me of my Mom's beautiful perennial garden back in RI . . . she placed a love for the beauty and preciousness of flowers in my soul . . . 

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:8 NKJV

These little ground squirrels love to eat underneath our bird feeder--the ones below are part of a litter of baby ground squirrels . . . 

But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?
Job 12:7-10 NKJV

I love Autumn; it is one of my favorite times of year, so in anticipation we planted a lot of pumpkins :-). Now if only the resident groundhogs don't eat them all . . . ;-) 

My Mom planted a cherry tree for the birds . . . unfortunately a raccoon also likes it and the fruit is just too tempting for him ;-). He broke the trunk twice now--we are trying to protect it with this fence . . . 

Last year, there was a soybean field across the street from us; this year it is corn. Truly, all of creation points to a merciful Savior . . . may He give us eyes to see it . . . 

Have a blessed week, dear friends! 







You might find me on these link-ups:

Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Messy Marriage,  Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, SHINE Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup, Writer Wednesday, Tea and Word

My Eye is Not On the Density of the Fog

A very dear friend and man of faith wrote to me and my husband recently. His simple, sincere words of encouragement reminded me of a story that I had read about George Mueller a few months ago. It was a story that "stuck" with me and that challenged me to hold fast to the Lord, even when circumstances seem to contradict His leading and clear direction. Such a situation happened to me about a year and a half ago when my husband and I were seeking the Lord in His opening up a place for the ministry He has led us to pursue (you may read more about that HERE). This is the story that I read about George Mueller. 

When I first came to America, thirty-one years ago. I crossed the Atlantic with the captain of a steamer who was one of the most devoted men I ever knew, and when we were off the banks of Newfoundland be said to me:

"Mr. Inglis, the last time I crossed here, five weeks ago, one of the most extraordinary things happened which, has completely revolutionized the whole of my Christian life. Up to that time I was one of your ordinary Christians. We had a man of God on board, George Müller, of Bristol. I had been on that bridge for twenty-two hours and never left it. I was startled by some one tapping me on the shoulder. It was George Müller:

"'Captain, he said, 'I have come to tell you that I must be In Quebec on Saturday afternoon.' This was Wednesday.

"'It is impossible,' I said.

"'Very well, if your ship can't take me, God will find some other means of locomotion to take me. I have never broken an engagement in fifty seven years.'

"’I would willingly help you. How can I? I am helpless.'

"'Let us go down to the chart-room and pray.'

"I looked at that man of God, and I thought to myself, what lunatic asylum could that man have come from? I never heard of such a thing.

"'Mr. Müller,' I said, 'do you know how dense the fog is?'

"'No,' he replied, 'my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.'

"He got down on his knees and prayed one of the most simple prayers. I muttered to myself: 'That would suit a children's class where the children were not more than eight or nine years old.' The burden of his prayer was something like this: 'O Lord, if it is consistent with Thy will, please remove this fog in five minutes. You know the engagement you made for me in Quebec Saturday. I believe it is your will.'

"When he finished. I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. "First, you do not believe He will; and second. I believe He has. And there is no need whatever for you to pray about it.' I looked at him, and George Müller said..

"'Captain. I have known my Lord for forty-seven years, and there has never been a single day that I have failed to gain an audience with the King. Get up, captain, and open the door, and you will find the fog is gone.' I got up, and the fog was gone!

"You tell that to some people of a scientific turn of mind, and they will say, 'That is not according to natural laws.' No, it is according to spiritual laws. The God with whom we have to do is omnipotent. Hold on to God's omnipotence. Ask believingly. On Saturday afternoon, I may add, George Müller was there on time."

~Herald of gospel liberty, Volume 102, Issues 27-52

My eye is not on the density of the fog . . . these words have been playing over in my mind this week. When God calls us to do something, to believe that He will do something according to how He has led us and spoken to us, it will come to pass. This is what my friend wrote in his e-mail, this is what the Word of God strongly teaches us, this is what the Holy Spirit presses upon our hearts even when human logic seems to contradict His leading. 

The hand and voice of God led my husband and I out to the Midwest from our comfortable, cozy, coastal New England residence. 

He opened the door for a place to begin our ministry here, after living in a drafty, dingy rental house for a little over a year--and after seeking Him in prayer for over 16 years (yes; 16 years)--at the time when every single door appeared to be shut to us and I felt like my prayers were pounding on the iron door of Heaven. 

It was at the point when I let go of human logic and wisdom and what seemed to be the wise, prudent thing to do (to buy a temporary house in town while we were waiting for Him to open up a permanent place of ministry--maybe in the years to come, I thought) that I quietly humbled myself before Him in prayer. He led me to pray and fast in a specific way for 21 days and at the end of that period of time the door opened in such a miraculous way that I sensed His Presence and direction so surely and perfectly that I could only sit in the quietness before Him and thank Him over and over. 

He is God. He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above and beyond all that we ask or think. We limit Him through our unbelief, through our logical assigning of what we think He is able and willing to do. 

If God has truly called you to something--for me and my husband it was to create a place of rest for God's people--He will do it--be sure of your calling--pray, seek Him diligently--it is usually something that you don't feel qualified to do! But He is able. And as the friend that I mentioned at the beginning of this e-mail reminded me and my husband many years ago, He does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. 

Are you called to raise children well--with a Godly foundation and heritage? Do it, and don't be distracted by the things of this world. Are you called to serve in a certain capacity in the church and you feel weak and unable to step forward? Take the first step, by the grace and power of Almighty God. Are you called away from your comfortable home to go to an unknown place, called to uncertainty and trial? Press into His calling and you will find His sustaining grace and the everlasting arms beneath. 

There is nothing too difficult for the Lord. And what we see as difficulties are only the places where He makes His glory shine brightest. 

So trust Him--and place your eyes upon Him, not on the density of the fog. 

You might find me on these link-ups:

Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Messy Marriage,  Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, SHINE Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup, Writer Wednesday, Tea and Word