94- A Message That Became Prophetic

December 1982 Dan was asked by our pastor to speak one Sunday morning. These are my notes:

*self-centeredness is against God’s heart and God’s gospel

*Christ died for the church, for the kingdom, not just for me

*Romans 5 – Christ died for us

*Ephesians 5 – Christ gave Himself for the church

*Ephesians 1 – The church is the fullness of Him who fills all in all

*therefore we are not to love for ourselves

*be a servant, even if you work for a difficult taskmaster

*care not for ME

*do everything heartily as unto the Lord

Three months after this message we invited a family from our church to move into our home.

Belinda and I had been prayer partners, fasting once a week and praying for our husbands and children and other people in the church. Our husbands were both out of work and neither family was making it financially.

March 30, 1983 Having our friends as house guests is challenging and very special. Thank You, Lord.

April 1, 1983  I had a talk with Belinda & Jim about some of the kitchen arrangements, child discipline, etc. They offered to leave and yet I was able to say that I felt we were all doing just what God would want us to do. It is LOVE IN ACTION with them living here. I was able to ask them to tell me if had I offended them and overstepped my bounds, because I am such a strong personality. They both said that they see me as mellow and meek!! Wow! It’s is YOU, Jesus, coming through me, that’s for sure. Jim also said that was a blessing just to be here because Dan and I are so disciplined in the Word and in life, etc. What a compliment. Lord, thank You for this opportunity to be in close fellowship, to depend on You for it to work out. Debbie is bringing a turkey for us for my birthday present and for our Easter Sunday dinner! PRAISE GOD. I am overwhelmed by Your love and generosity. 

April 4   The exciting part of having this family for house guests is the victory I personally am having over the flesh. Thank You, Jesus. There is so much grace being poured out on me to move around in. We have some differing attitudes about disciplining the children and it is awkward to keep attentive to what I believe sometimes, but I am only walking by faith and not claiming to have all the answers. It is also awkward because the devil is busy accusing them to me and I’m sure he’s accusing me to them, and that makes me kind of paranoid, but I’m taking victory and authority! I WILL NOT hear his taunts, but insist on loving and keeping right continually before Jesus and trusting they are loving me as it appears they are.

And thank You, Jesus, for $105 in birthday money and probably $10 coming from Gramma tomorrow.

June ’83  The biggest problem has been to love them without regard to what they do or don’t do, or what they use of ours or break of ours, or how they run their lives. It’s a matter of living for Christ or for myself, believing this is a situation called by Him to bring Him glory as we obey Him, seek Him, love each other through it.

SPOILER: I have realized that our friends in the church were seriously praying that this experience would work out for all of us. So God’s grace was flowing big time. B&J and their 3 children were with us for 5 or 6 months. Then they began spending the weekends in another town where they hoped to eventually move, and that took some of the pressure off of living in close quarters. Since then we have had several different people living with us—friends of our sons for short periods, 52 foster kids for twelve years, one of my good friends (for over a year), and an international student (for a school year). There are always stress points when living space and items are shared. Clear and consistent communication is one of the keys to making it work –and to remaining friends after it is over.