Broken hearted...

     Good day to you!  I am happy to say that the sun is shinning in Michigan today, and there is basketball on TV. Does it get much better?
     I think that maybe why my heart is so broken. As I think about what I am going to write, I am so grateful that God has blessed my husband and I the way he has.  If you look back over your life, you will often see times that were so dark you could end up in the worst situation. I see those times, if I am honest with myself, a lot over my early 20's.  I lived in a completely different state from my family, roughly 16 hours drive. And there were lots, I mean lots of days were I didn't have money to drive to the store let alone go home. And yet God sustained me, even in my very active rebellion. There were a lot of dark moments, where I just needed something to fill the empty space inside that only God can fill. I tried with some many other things to substitute God.
     Last night I read and saw pictures of a little girl, that really made me count my blessings. It original post is from http://www.boredpanda.com/drug-addicts-daughter-anfisa-irina-popova/.  I then went to the website from the photographer here...http://www.irinapopova.net/    (If you go to the photographer's website know that there are pictures of a man without his clothes on.) Here is the story in a very bad nutshell. The photographer saw this mom walking down the street after being out partying pushing a baby in a stroller. She then asked if she could come back and take pictures of their life. Document the mom and the dad of this little girl. They are drug addicts who often party at their home with their little girl.
     I'm not here to  judge the parents or the photographer, my last post had enough judgment, and there is another call to action in these pictures.  The photographer and her subjects are in Russia. But I know that Russia is not the only place where children are being raised in families like these.  There is drug addiction here in America, even in the beautiful town that I live in.  My heart breaks for the girl, but also for the parents. Where are the people who can help? And I don't mean the government, I mean God's people?  Where is the church?
     This morning these pictures remain with me in their sorrow and in my sorrow that I can not go over and help. If you knew anything about me it is that I long to help. With not too many miss steps this could have been my life.  And I am grateful God kept me from going down this path, but it is not just an "over there" problem.  It is a here, now, in this place problem!  In our town, it is hidden. I believe pride keeps it from being so in your face, but it is here. Ask those who work with various charities. This winter has been long and hard in Michigan and families who are homeless struggled a ton this year. All the area charities, homeless shelters struggled to provide food and coats to the people coming in for help.
     There are horror stories about living conditions of children in Michigan. I am thankful for friends I have that do foster care. I wish I helped them out more. That is a rough life...you open your home and life. Pour into these kiddos then when they leave you realize how you loved them and how hurt you are by their absence. They do something to your heart, and to the hearts of those around them.  There are many, many children in Michigan who need homes, forever home.  If you live in Michigan check out this site and see if God is calling you to help, in anyway.  http://www.kidsbelong.com/
     The parents of the young girl...I don't even know where to start, except on my knees in prayer. God send someone who can help!  That is my cry if there is someone here in Michigan or living in Russia.  Nothing is more powerful than prayer. This is where I plan to stay until God says move.  Prayer...for a child...for a mother...for a father...a city...a neighborhood...prayer.
     God change my heart, my city for Your Glory for your purpose! Let me, us not miss one opportunity to love someone deeply.
     James 1:27 (GW)
Pure, unstained religion, according to God our Father, is to take care of orphans and widows when they suffer and to remain uncorrupted by this world.

I challenge you because of He who challenges me!
Heather

www.biblegateway.com  for scripture

Really?!?

     Tonight, I am feeling a little passionate.  Not sure why tonight, as some of the thoughts I am sharing I have had for a while or have mulled over with my husband a time or two.  My biggest guess is that I am feeling better after being sick for the last week.  Some energy is coming back and I always get a bit more fired up when talking about God!
     So a few of you might now that MIM (Morality in Media) Dirty Dozen (http://pornharms.com/dirtydozen/) came out recently and I had a number of post that showed up on my Facebook were about how Verizon was on the list. Many of my friends posted that they would cancel their service with Verizon if they used them among other comments. We do have Verizon phones, and I have never watched porn from my phone, but I also know that if I was on any service provider, I could view porn of any title or content. It's pretty easy to come by these days.  But as my husband and I were talking about it, he decided to look up the list and found Facebook was #3 and Google was #4.  He laughed sarcastically and said "So, what does it say for those who used a Google Chrome browser (#4 on the list) to log into their Facebook account (#3 on the list) to post their disgust with Verizon (#2 on the list)." So pretty much all Christians should cancel their phone services, Facebook accounts, and no longer use the Google or for that matter the internet.  Now that seems a little extreme and I am going to explain why I think that is a bit extreme.
     I am all for stepping back from what causes you to sin, if you are a Christ follower. We are to walk as close as we can to how Jesus walked. He even talks about plucking out your eye if it causes you to sin. (Matthew 5:29)  But we are not to judge the world.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13    
 ¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? ¹³ But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.
  And how could we anyway?  We don't actually look much different from those who don't profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Our churches are full of people who look the same as the world, we listen to music that doesn't glorify God, watch TV shows that don't glorify God, we gossip, we have sex outside of marriage, we watch porn from the secret of our bedrooms, we drink, we smoke, the list goes on, and on, and on.  For every one thing the "world" does,  we also do inside the church.  It is sad and it saddens my heart. But it is the truth. And if a church is stepping out and doing the right thing, other Christians think they are weird or have gone to far with the Holy Spirit or what ever excuse we could use to point away from our sins.
     My questions I wanted to post to my Facebook page and I didn't because I love my friends, and in my heart don't like to cause waves, but the questions is, Instead of using words to judge the world of porn, how are your actions changing the world?  Some of these friends are very active in changing their communities, it just seems to me that more than anything "Love always looks like something." (Heidi Baker)
     I get the fact that we want to protect our children. I do too! If that was the only reason I felt this list got posted over and over and over again I might have had something better to say about the list. It is my job as a parent to teach my children, once seen never unseen, and make wise choices. Then pray, pray, pray!
     As Christians we have put on this mask for so long that we have got it all together, and you know what?!? Not a one of us does!!!!  I have struggled greatly with sexual sin, instead of getting to know why I did what I did people from church called me a whore. (Yes, actually happened!) Which of course led me deeper into searching for someone to love me in a way that I understood, physical.  So Church instead of judging those we are not called to judge, see above scripture, why don't we work on getting healthy from the inside out.  Let get to know, really know those inside our church walls, find out what their struggles are and pray with them to be set free. Ask for prayer for your struggles, seek after the King of Kings together as a church. His Words and Breath bring healing. I know, I have gone the long way to healing, but I have received healing.  So when I have a sin struggle now, it is much easier to trust that He is waiting, wanting to heal me.  Once you are healthy it is much easier to reach the world, those outside of the church who are hurting and sinning. You can reach out to them from a place of health and compassion.  Because once you realize all the bondage you are in now, you have compassion in those who walk in the same bondage.  And you can truly love those who are hurting and broken, because you can admit to them that you once were right where they are. You can love them as Jesus love you.
          Fear is the real reason that we as Christians move in ways that are outside of what God is calling us to.  We rant about the end times and all the sin and all the people going to hell, but we are not out there doing anything about it. We sit and wait for someone else to go into the bad parts of town and serve.  Some of that is because we live in defeat of our own sin. If they knew that I struggle with sin how can I help them? It is not about us anymore!  But it should be about them!
Ephesians 5:1-2
      Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
     Actually the whole first part of  Ephesians 5 is wonderful for this topic of who we are called to judge and how.  Friends Let's walk in love, as Christ has loved us!



*If you were one of my friends on Facebook that posted the list, I love you, this is a call to action in my own heart that God moved me to write to others. There is no condemnation, only a harsh look at my life and how little action I have put out there, while I also rant about how bad the world has gotten. But my Jesus is constantly changing my heart and my life for the good of His plan. Praise the Lord!


I challenge you because He first challenged me!!!

Heather


www.biblegateway.com for scripture