Ministries Worth Supporting

Sorry it has taken me a while to follow up on this post. I have had several other posts that I needed to share first. Joey and I have discussed our favorite ministries that are worth supporting, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. We are not able to support all of these on a monthly basis, but we do support some of these monthly and other's randomly. These ministries are Biblically sound and Christ exalting. If you or your family are looking for a worthy ministry to support, feel free to check these out or find one on your own that is Biblical. I say "Biblical" because not all so called ministries that name the name of Christ are biblical and sound in doctrine. Be careful who and what you are supporting.

John MacArthur at www.gracetoyou.org (our all time favorite present day Bible teacher)
John Piper at www.desiringgod.org (also one of our favorites)
Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com (ministry to the persecuted church)
Above Rubies at www.aboverubies.org (ministry to home school moms)
Ken Ham at Answers in Genesis at www.answersingensis.org (biblical creation;great stuff)
Compassion International at www.compassion.com (child sponsorship)
Focus on the Family at www.family.org
New Tribes Mission at www.ntm.org (international mission organization)
Bibles Unbound at www.biblesunbound.com (sends Bibles to China and other countries)

Other ministries worth supporting are local ones in your community such as:
The Pregnancy Resource Center
Salvation Army
Local relief mission that helps needy families in the community
Your own church's ministries
Other ministries your community may offer. (mine doesn't offer many)

You may not have much money to give locally or worldwide to many ministries, but you can give of your time by praying and being a volunteer. Most local ministries are desperate for volunteers, especially ones in my community. Even if you are a SAHM (stay at home mom) with small children and can't get out much, volunteer by running errands, being on the prayer team, writing cards, making phone call, etc. There are things we moms (and dads too:) )can do to make a difference. I challenge you that if you aren't involved start this year. Take that first step. The rewards are far greater than you can imagine.

What ministries does your family support? Do you have any ideas that I haven't listed that would be good as well? I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Perspecitve Makes All The Difference

Every creature of God is given something that could be called an "inconvenience" depending on your perspective. The elephant his trunk, the turtle his shell, a man's phlegmatic (laid back, lost to the world) personality, a women's height, etc. What seems like an obvious mistake God must have made, which of course He never does, was thought out before the foundation of the world. Sometimes in our flesh don't we wonder why He created things the way He did and with purpose He had in mind when He did?

I have often asked God why He created me with such a perfectionistic, Type A, over-achiever personality. "Wouldn't it be better Lord if I was more shy, laid back (I can be at times believe it or not,) sloppy, and unconcerned?" "Surely I wouldn't care as much what people think and wouldn't be constantly pulling my foot out of my mouth." Right? Can God possibly use someone that fits the first description? "God, can you use me in spite of what seems like an obvious glitch in my personality?" According to Psalm 139, "He created my inmost being." Guess what? That's my personality, my makeup, my individuality...who I am. You or I can't change it (I've tried) and try as you might to fight against it (doesn't work) you are who you are!!

The Lord calls all "kinds" to use for His purposes; Type A's, Type B's, cholerics, phlegmatics, the unorganized, the lets-label-and-have-a-bin-for-everything kind of people, the short, the skinny, the overweight woman, the feisty red head. Aren't we all part of the body and don't we need each other? Who do you call when you need a project done fast and done right? The organized Type A's. Who do the project people call when they are stressed out and about to be admitted? The Type B's so they can encourage them and say, "Hey, don't stress, it will get done...chill!" Or will it get done, lol!?!

The Lord God made you and me EXACTLY the way He wanted and with a very determined purpose in mind. He can use you... warts and all. Believe me, if He can use me, He can use you if you would be willing to fall under His leadership in your life. Instead of griping and complaining about the way we are, let us thank the Lord today for His work in our life. I do like the old saying,

Lord, grant me the grace to accept the things I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can.
And the wisdom to know the difference.

With His help, we can change those things about ourselves that can be changed (using kind words, thoughtfulness, hard working, dependability, weight etc.), but let's be content with what we can't (height, face shape, body shape, Type A vs. Type B.) All things do really work together for our good and His glory! Let's praise Him for that today. I will end this by telling you a story.

Gladys Aylward, the missionary woman to China has often told of two great sorrows she had as a child. One, that while all her friends had beautiful golden hair, hers was black. The other that while her friends were still growing, she stopped. She was about four feet ten inches tall. But when as last she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary, she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He had called her.
"Every single one of them," she said, "had black hair. And every single one of them had stopped growing when I did. And I said, 'Lord God, You know what you're doing!'"