I want to share my testimony not to convict, condemn or even persuade, but so that if any bit of this might help even one, I pray to the Lord, that it will.
You see, I might know a tiny bit about suffering, joy, peace, and consuming love.
In my "Life" testimony, which I will not share today, I have faced more kinds of suffering than the average human being. I know that may seem hard to believe but I assure you the things that I have endured in this human body should be enough to cause bitterness, anger, resentment, frustration, and I am not even talking about my current situation faced with illness.
I will start as Paul would start, full of Thanksgiving for each of you (1:3) . You have remained in my heart and prayers even though I have not been able to be with you. I am so thankful for the provisions you have provided for me and my family and do not take for granted the time and effort you have spent in sending your love and care.
I sit here and reflect on my life events and my current situation: bed bound, hungry for friendship, lonely for companionship, in a body that is weak and broken and think of how I "should" feel. According to the world's standards, I should feel disappointment, frustration, anger, pain, and loss. But assuredly I share with you that I rejoice that I do not live by "this" world's standards but the standards of the one true King and I am content to lay in bed, understanding that even in this, there is an opportunity to learn and share the gospel.
While Paul was in physical chains, I am in chains to my body. While Paul was suffering because of his belief in Christ, I am suffering because of an illness, but believe that through the suffering, I too can be used.
Paul asks the early church in Philippi to unite, looking after not only your own needs but the needs of others. You might ask, how am I possibly serving the needs of others, while constantly thinking of my own needs and illness?
Several months ago, a plea went out through our church. It was a plea I had heard time and time again, "We need Sunday School teachers". While selfishly serving my own wants and needs at the time and my complete and utter lack of desire to serve in Sunday School, I turned away. I made excuses, other's would surely "FEEL" called to step up and out and serve in this area. After all, I knew I wasn't feeling called. Not only was I not "feeling" called, I simply didn't want to do it either. And of course there is always the great excuse, " I already serve in so many other areas, let the children's ministry find those who aren't serving already... I would sure hate to rob someone who IS feeling called of the blessing of working with the children" No, I wasn't going to do it.
I don't know what happened, or why, perhaps it was Paul's amazing example, but mid summer when the cry and call went out again to our entire congregation, I said yes. It was small and quiet and honestly, was a bit resentful, but it was still a yes. Not a joyful, shout out kind of yes, but still a yes. I figured, I could "get through" a year. What I failed to see at the time was that while "I" was not being specifically called, our church; Weddington United Methodist was calling all of us to unite and help, putting the needs of our children above our own needs. I tell you, humbling myself so that resentment did not boil over, was hard. Why couldn't others step up? Why did I have to do it? At the time I didn't know that I was going to be going through my treatments. A few weeks after making this commitment to our Church and our children, I found out I would be undergoing 42-48 weeks of intense liver treatment. It would have been so easy to walk away. I wanted to be obedient to our Lord, but the excuses crept in. I was scared. I was scared of the unknown. I was scared of not being able to be who I wanted to be, or do what I want to do. Thankfully Paul reminds us that we are, "to continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose" (2:13)
Yes, I was scared but in continuing to work out my salvation, God was working within me to prepare me and equip me to lead these children even with the unknowns of my treatment looming before me. I decided to stop complaining and arguing with myself and to "hold out the word of life" (2:16) to reach the hearts of the children God was placing in my future. You see, it was easy to look out for my own interests (was I going to be too sick, was I going to like the kids, was I going to even enjoy being with children in general) but doing the work of Christ was what the church was asking of me. (2:21)
As Paul reminds us to not put any confidence in the flesh of this life, and all confidence in Christ Jesus, he reminds us of the intensity of his old way's. He also reminds us that though his life has been completely altered by being a follower of Christ, he remains imperfect (3:12)
As did Paul, so do I. Doing my best to forget the past and straining toward what is ahead. Notice, he doesn't say, "easily and joyfully and without burden running toward what is ahead". He say's straining, straining toward what is ahead. Reaching with all of his might to press on toward the goal to win the prize!!! Yes, that sounds right. (3:13-14) Straining, reaching, pressing forward. On towards the goal and the prize, eternal salvation!!
Paul also calls us to live up to what we have already attained, what do we know to be true? Unite, serve, love, forgive, bless, be blessed, surrender, press replay and try again.... we all have this option.
My favorite passage from Philippians is 4:4-9 and is my life verse and is a beautiful part of my testimony. "4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
"We are to Rejoice in all things! When we are anxious we are to pray and present our requests to God....I am living proof that the Lord does indeed provide a peace that transcends all understanding. Ok, I may still be working on my fear of flying, but he has provided peace in more situations that I can list in this summary. Prayer, it works! Petitioning God for our needs, it works!!
In this relationship, we are to put into practice what is noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent and praiseworthy. I think this is what I was missing when my still small voice said, Yes. I wasn't looking at our children's ministry as right, pure, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy. Yet what could be more pure and lovely than that of our children? Those we are tasked to raise up and lead from this generation to the next?
I am thankful for the many gifts you have provided to me and my family during this time of need. I am still learning to be "content, whatever the circumstance" (4:11) I do however, count on the promise that, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength" (4:13)
I would like to sit here and tell you how easy suffering through this illness has been. I would love to tell you that teaching between 25-38 children every week has been a piece of cake. Let me tell you what I have learned.
Not by my strength but through the Unity of being part of the Body of our Church, I have learned...
1) Every child deserves to have an opportunity to learn about our great Lord. Growing deep roots now, while they are eager to learn will help them either remain in the faith (as my father taught me) or to return to the faith as so many often do after college.
2) Children want to love you and want to be loved. It is pretty simple like that. While I would never consider myself to have a high tolerance for silliness, the wiggles, roaming hands, etc... I have learned that God grants great patience to those doing his work. It is rare that I am frustrated with the children in my class.
3) God has given me strength. It would have been easy to walk away during my treatments, however, God gives me the will, want, and physical strength to stand before those children and teach every week.
4) In the struggles of my illness, I have been forced to be still and quiet. Can you imagine? Me? Still? Quiet? It is true my friends. It sure makes it a lot easier to find peace, patience, understanding, and yes, even a love for children that are not your own, when you can more clearly hear Him.
5) You don't have to feel personally "called" to answer a United "call" from our church. God has blessed me in so many ways through these children. I will tell you this, it is easier to preach and teach the word to open and willing children than to try to share the gospel with closed minded adults!
Believe it or not, this is not a plea to jump into children's ministry, this is my testimony and mine alone. You, however, may have other things that have been heavy on your heart. I promise you that when you sit in the will of God, you will be blessed beyond measure even if you do so while suffering.
Press on my sweet friends and do so joyfully. Even if you have to dig deep to find that Jesus joy, it is there, I promise you. I have always had a healthy dose of Joy, but I am starting more to appreciate a joy that can only come from obedience to our Lord. While my joy has been altered these last 33 weeks, it has not been stolen.
Finally, a mother of one of the children in my Sunday School class said this to me: " I love that you don't consider it as 38 children to teach, but 38 hearts to reach" Wow! There was nothing more powerful than that statement. I am reaching hearts for Christ, while my body is suffering. I pray that it will continue to be a fruitful ministry.
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