I Can't Serve Like Hugh--Yet

I know what you're thinking. Kim and Maria are offline and I've gone over the edge. If you only knew. In the middle of a park crying my eyes out while walking my dog, God gave me this post. What I love about Him is He isn't as stuffy as the world makes Him to be. He's funny, and He'll use things familiar to draw us closer to His Son.

Today He showed me servanthood through the eyes of Hugh. You know, hugh at History Channel's Ice Road Truckers.

Actually I don't think it was God at first who was speaking to me. It was a mocking voice that God would not use on His kids. But once I heard the mocking, God gave me the message. And now it gets distributed here. God wins. I love that!

Here is where the mocking came in. Sunday's episode had Hugh, a rough looking, rough talking ice road talker hauling waste. In the Lower 48 (I sound smart don't I) he owns a a trucking company and rules the roads. Now that he's driving the Arctic and so far, there hasn't been a task that was too much for him.

Already we've seen Rick not handle tasks well AND be offended with mundane jobs. Hugh proved himself and gets to haul human waste. Poop, if you will. Hugh called it something else, I'm sure.

The mocking was when I was on my knees crying and scrubbing the floors, the seats, the underwear, the backside, the hands, the things my daughter was trying so hard to reach the potty for and more than not, coming up short elsewhere. After three straight days of constant wiping, cleaning, washing, and to do it over and over, I really did not feel like praising God. My nostrils are still burning. I thought because my words sound a lot nicer than what Hugh spews, I'm the better servant. Then the defeated one laughed, even with profanity Hugh comes off better than me. Because Hugh was grateful to serve, even when it was trucking poop.

Truth is, I'm not better than anyone, nor is Hugh. Sure he's my call if I have to make a trip on ice across the Arctic, but we both fall short of God's glory.

What I'm working on is my attitude. I have a ways to go. I get many nice compliments about my writing online mostly. That honestly doesn't feel like service because I know it's my calling and God tells me what to write and I do it. I enjoy it. Although He keeps stretching the box for me, so far, I'm happy to go where He calls me in that area.

Taking care of kids, one who is a little behind her peers in some areas, especially when it comes to unloading waste, that doesn't come as natural for me. But I know a bit of the potential God has for her, and it's an honor most of the time to sow my calling into hers. The mundane stuff, I struggle, especially after three straight days of the unloading.

But what God turned into good were other acts of service I had not thought of. I am not a natural evangelizer or bold anything. This summer He has called me to halt friendly conversations and ask if I could pray for that person---right there. I speak up more about what I see going on when I pray about stuff, instead of thinking I ate a taco too late and I'll make a fool out of myself for saying so. I sure don't do it because it's easy or for my own glory. I'd rather be watching Ice Road Truckers.

So kudos to Hugh, a great truck driver not afraid to haul our toilet goodies. I pray in your travels you get to know Jesus in a personal way. As for me, I'll try not to grumble and complain when I'm dealing with my own toilet goodie issues with a child God promised in the womb was an overcomer. But I won't let the devil get me down. I'm a serving work in progress.

Just like you!

Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Regular columns are ongoing, check it all out. The best thing you could do with Take Root is sign up for the free subscription feed right to your in box. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. She is the tentative debut interview on surrender/fearlessness for Kathy Vick's upcoming website, Run Like a Girl. To get to know Julie better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

He Gives Me Rest

(Photo taken by Julie Arduini/Clute Park, Watkins Glen, NY)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28)


I have been weary and felt burdened lately, and I definitely need rest. My family and I are vacationing this week, and I am going to rest in Him, and just bask in the freshness of His presence. I have many things on my heart that He has placed there, and I’m laying them at His feet this week, and asking for direction.

So I will update you next week on what the Lord has shown me in my time of much needed rest.

Know you are Blessed,

Maria

Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Regular columns are ongoing, check it all out. The best thing you could do with Take Root is sign up for the free subscription feed right to your in box. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.
Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis.
She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a columnist over with Kim, Julie and other writers over at http://www.takerootandwrite.com/ Maria's column is on encouraging special needs familes.
She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". The book is available for purchase by clicking on the book image on the right side of this blog.
Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

Be Driven

Our sister in ministry over at Take Root and Write, Tara Sloan, is part of a movement that I think will be bigger than could be put to words.

On August 3, 8pm EST, women are going to be part of a free teleconference where participants will pray. Tara explains that so many she talks to are getting hit hard by the enemy (remember, he is the defeated one) attacks. I absolutely agree with her. I am an intercessor tied to a few organizations and movements and not only am I feeling spent right now, most of my sisters have been down right assaulted in attack. These ladies are going to shake some gates and believe God according to Matthew 18:19-20, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

I strongly encourage you to sign up. All information is on the site, so take a look. As I tell others who ask how to know if something they pray for is of God or not---I say...the defeated one is never going to ask you to pray, and even if by the slim chance you didn't hear right, when is prayer ever wrong?

Be driven.

Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Regular columns are ongoing, check it all out. The best thing you could do with Take Root is sign up for the free subscription feed right to your in box. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. She is the tentative debut interview on surrender/fearlessness for Kathy Vick's upcoming website, Run Like a Girl. To get to know Julie better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Do You Think He Likes Polka Dots?

Today I had to go and do one of my least favorite things . . . try on swimsuits. Ughhh!! It is a task I do every year or two and each time my body just does not look any younger.

After I dropped my older children off at VBS I raced to the mall to see what I could find. As I approached the swimsuit department I felt myself getting the sweats. There before me were large colorful displays of gorgeous women in the smallest of bikinis without a wrinkle, dimple, or roll. And on the racks were hundreds of swimsuits made from the tiniest pieces of fabric. With a four year old in tow I quickly gathered more suits than I could count and headed for the dressing room. Yes, the dressing room filled with a large mirror and flourescent lighting, and I began.

Too small, even smaller, you have got to be kidding me, are they really that saggy, and where did that new roll come from? Come on do real women really fit into these? Hmmm . . . wouldn't it be nice to have the body of the woman in the photo on display!

Then I had a thought. A 'WWJD' moment. If Jesus were sitting outside the dressing room listening to me and the other woman in the dressing room on her cell phone telling her friend how much she hated her body what would he say? I imagine him chuckling and saying - silly girls. My Father created you and He loves you as I do. You are perfect. I love every wrinkle, roll, and gray hair. You are my beloved and I would not have you any other way. Ahhh . . . He loves me just as I am.

So I quickly picked a swimsuit, dashed to the checkout, and then raced to the parking lot thinking 'I wonder if He likes polka dots.'

Be Blessed, Kim

Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Regular columns are ongoing, check it all out. The best thing you could do with Take Root is sign up for the free subscription feed right to your in box. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Kim is a woman who loves the Lord and has a burden for the abandoned, the orphaned, and the forgotten. She has been called to minister to the people and children of Romania and will be traveling internationally in the days ahead. At home she cares for her three children and her husband John. She also loves prophetic worship and writing for the Lord. Her work can also be found at Take Root and Write where she wrties with fellow Narrow Gate Girls Julie Arduini & Maria Spencer, among other Christian writers. Kim also maintains her blog http://divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com/

When You Forget Your Best Friend's Name

With one child away at camp and the other attending VBS mornings this week, it's a different pace this week. Lots of writing projects are on the horizon, so I'm trying to crank out as much as I can.

This one, though, I knew was meant to share today.

The counting the days until she is five child made a "best friend" at VBS this week. Yesterday the teacher (the child's daughter) reported that her child and mine were inseparable. They did everything together, right down to holding hands on their way to the activities. What a great thing to hear!

On the way to the car I asked my child, "What's your best friend's name?"

She shrugged.

"I forget."

Seems odd to forget a best friend's name, isn't it? But I'm guilty of the very same thing.

Jesus Christ is my best friend.

But I don't just forget His name, I often forget Him.

I run ahead starting my day and I never look back. I make decisions without talking to my best friend. I don't keep in touch. I don't read His letters or listen to His Words. An hour becomes a day. A day turns into a week. A week melts into a month. Then some crisis hits and I remember.

I have a best friend.

And I forgot His name.


Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Regular columns are ongoing, check it all out. The best thing you could do with Take Root is sign up for the free subscription feed right to your in box. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. She is the tentative debut interview on surrender/fearlessness for Kathy Vick's upcoming website, Run Like a Girl. To get to know Julie better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

True Worship

“Anoint me Lord, this day,
As I go along my way.
Let my life send forth a glow,
Let the oil around me flow.
Anoint me Lord I pray.
Amen.”

These simple words of prayer through music from Christian artist Vicki Yohe seem to be resounding in my soul lately. Her voice is absolutely amazing, and you can hear her love for the Lord through her sound.

I am a worshipper at heart. Music has always had a special place in my life. Before I became a believer, I endured much heartache through lyrics of secular music.

I learned at a very young age that I could express myself through my voice, and song. I came to life when I sang. Then through many disappointments and feeling inferior in the music world, I put my dream of singing to rest.

Then, when I came to know the Lord, I was in awe of the major role music play in worship. Finally, an actual, real reason to use my voice was right in front of me.

…And to think that He actually wants to hear me worshipping Him? That overwhelms me to this day.

In this season of surrender to the Lord that I’m in, I must obey. And He recently has petitioned me to take my gift of worship to a higher level. I’m spreading my butterfly wings, and am ready for Him to carry me in the air.

I’m not even scared. Not one bit.

It is actually exhilarating to read those words on the screen. He called me to write for Him a few years ago, so I write.

Now He has called me to sing.
Not just to sing, but to truly worship Him.

A few years ago, my husband and I went to see a crusade service of Joel Osteen’s, (before my husband surrendered to the Lord), and during the time of worship, I was singing, and afterwards, my husband said, “I never heard you sound that good.” I replied, “That’s because I am worshipping, not singing.”

So I have re-visited my childhood dream of singing, which He placed in my heart oh so many years ago.
And I’m doing it all unto Him, just for His glory…
My prayer is that of Vicki Yohe’s….
That my life will send forth a glow, and his oil around me will flow to others.
What could be better than that?

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.

Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis.

She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a columnist over with Kim, Julie and other writers over at

http://www.takerootandwrite.com/ Maria's column is on encouraging special needs familes.

She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". The book is available for purchase by clicking on the book image on the right side of this blog.

Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

The Non Essentials

Awhile back I heard a radio program that discussed Christian faith. There were two camps of each Christian topic. There is the essentials and the non essentials.

In my opinion, we Christians sure waste a lot of our time on the non essentials.

Although I believe from that Moody radio program I believe there was a book tied in to the subject, but these are my opinions.

Essential---Personal faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible is the Inspired Word of God.

Non essential----the rest.

What rest?

The chit chat during worship.

"He should have a suit jacket on. It's the altar area for heaven's sake."

"Do you see that girl? No one should wear a top like that for church."

"Tattoo? What good Christian covers themselves with tattoos?"

"That song? How can the Holy Spirit move with a rock and roll song like that?"

"That song? How can I worship God with a slow boring old one like that?"

"Did you see he came alone? I knew their marriage was having problems."

"We're having a real service. Not like that church down the street."

Although I'm paraphrasing, I have to tell you I do hear a lot of chit chat during worship by people decades older than me. I don't mean to stereotype but I hear a lot more complaining during a church service and after by those older, rather than the teens who so often get a bad reputation.

I'm not perfect, I fall prey to obsessing on mole hill issues that bit by bit tear down the beams called the Church. But as I hunger and thirst for more things of God I'm tired of the non essentials dividing the church.

If a teen comes to church wearing shorts, I personally wouldn't care if they came or served publically somehow. Maybe they can't afford what we deem appropriate. Maybe they don't know there is a non verbal dress code. Perhaps they are so wrapped up in getting to church to join others in a total sell out to giving to God. Maybe we should too.

Ditto for why don't they stand, raise their hands, shout Hallelujhah, speak with words we don't understand, don't speak words we don't understand, laugh, etc...

I love when the sound system works. I love uplifting music. I love the hymns. I love powerful sermons that rev me up, but I love the quiet messages that transform my soul. I love how God moves. It's essential.

Our commentary? Non essential.

Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Regular columns are ongoing, check it all out. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

A Call Back To Romania

The dates are set and the tickets have been purchased . . . it is time to return to Romania. A country with a past, a future, and a hope.

Many years ago the Lord called me to Romania through a documentary on 20/20. Years later I traveled for the first time to bring home my son. Then in 2007 I traveled again as part of a missions team. And now he is calling me to lead a small team to a remote village and I can't wait!

So I thought I would share a few links during this time of preparation and ask you to join us in prayer as we prepare for the work the Lord is calling us to do:

Children in the Son (The ministry we will be working with and under.)

Billy Graham crusades/Festival of Hope

Stay tuned, Kim

Kim is a woman who loves the Lord and has a burden for the abandoned, the orphaned, and the forgotten. She has been called to minister to the people and children of Romania and will be traveling internationally in the days ahead. At home she cares for her three children and her husband John. She also loves prophetic worship and writing for the Lord. Her work can also be found at Take Root and Write where she wrties with fellow Narrow Gate Girls Julie Arduini & Maria Spencer, among other Christian writers. Kim also maintains her blog http://divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com/