Experiencing the Power of God

Between writing lesson plans and researching for my dissertation, I have found little time to blog recently. However, I want to share with you about an experience I had in Africa.

I was going hut-to-hut sharing the gospel with my friend, Robert. It was time for lunch and we were walking back to the church to meet the rest of the team for lunch. On the way, a lady sitting by the path stopped us. She began sharing about her uncle who was paralyzed and begged us to go and visit him. She had heard that missionaries were in the area and she believed that her uncle would be healed if only we would visit him.

Robert began to share with her about the centurion in the Bible who came to Jesus on behalf of his servant. Robert explained that just as Jesus did not have to go and visit the man to heal him, we did not have to visit her uncle in order for God to bring healing. We then shared the good news of the gospel with her and her children, and they all prayed to receive Christ.

In response to her request, we agreed to go and visit her uncle. When we arrived, we saw a thin man lying in the bed. His legs looked literally like skin and bones, brittle and without muscle. My heart hurt for this family. The niece explained that doctors had told them he was paralyzed and that there was nothing they could do to help him.

One of our translators, Christopher, told the man, "Your niece has faith that if we pray over you, God will heal you. Her faith is not enough. You must believe in the Lord Jesus." He explained to the man his need for salvation and the man surrendered his life to Christ, experiencing spiritual healing. Christopher then asked the man if he believed that God could heal him. The man answered, "Yes!" Christopher then said, "In the name of Jesus, get up and walk."

At this point I had a crisis of belief. Would God heal this man? Could this man whose legs had no visible muscles possibly walk again? I remember thinking, "OK, God. Your name is on the line. What are you going to do?"

Again Christopher said, "In the name of Jesus, get up and walk!" The man began to sit up and his family rushed to the bed to help him. Christopher told the family to let him be. "In the name of Jesus, get up and walk." Slowly the man slid off the bed into a standing position. With Christopher continuing to command in Jesus' name, the man took one, two, three steps.

My eyes had to be huge at this point! He did it! He took 3 steps!

Christopher then said, "Walk outside. In the power of Jesus' name, walk." The man walked outside and turned around and walked back to his home. He then began raising his hands and dancing before the Lord. I watched with tears pouring down my face as his family raced to embrace him. God had healed the lame -- not only physically but spiritually as well. God Did It!!!!

Before we left, I encouraged the man to go and tell everyone he knew that Jesus Christ had healed him. I was in awe as we left his home...there really are no words to explain what it felt like to experience this miracle. Even now as I type, my eyes well up with tears.

What a mighty God we serve!

The man in the orange was the lame man and Christopher is in the plaid shirt. 

Ten Lessons I Have Learned in the Past Nine Years

(IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

1.  I have learned to love God for who He is and not for what he gives me.

2.  I have learned that when I am weak, He is strong.

3.  I have learned that it is not only OK to need others, but God planned it this way. In Genesis, God said, "It is not good for man to be alone." He created us with a need for each other.

4.  I have learned that joy is not dependent on circumstances.

5.  I have learned that God truly does comfort us so that we can extend that comfort to others.

6.  I have seen joy come in the morning.

7.  I have experienced the peace that surpasses understanding and it is a beautifully baffling gift!

8.  I have learned that masking your pain does nothing for the healing process. Healing begins once   our hurts are brought into the light.

9.  I have learned that feelings are neither right or wrong -- they just are.  Knowing this means that there is no guilt or shame when it comes to our feelings.

10. There are no shortcuts in the grieving process. The only way to experience healing is to walk the   path through the pain. Praise God we do not have to walk it alone. There were times when Jesus carried me.

Hopes for 2015

I watched as the sun slowly disappeared behind the acacia tree. As I stood peering over the tall grass, fighting to keep my skirt from blowing up and my hair from flying in my face, I knew that I would never be the same.

When I first started going to Kenya with my church, there were no evangelical churches among the Kuria tribe. Over the years, the gospel has spread not only among the Kuria in Kenya, but also in Tanzania. The zeal of the first generation church there is refreshing.

Seven years ago, I went to Africa thinking that it would be a neat experience. Little did I know that a continent so vast and a people so different from myself would take root as a seed in my heart. Over the many years as I’ve returned, that seed has blossomed into a love and passion that I cannot contain. I longed for the day that I could share this vision God had birthed in my heart with my family…for the day that they too, would be gripped by the beauty of a people who seek to know God and to make him known.

After much prayer, we believe that this summer my dreams of going to Africa with my family could become a reality. We have “put our yes” on the table, and Jeff, Jorjanne, and I all three are planning to go and serve the Lord side by side in both Kenya and Tanzania. This is a God-sized task. While we have willing hearts to go, the costs are high. It will cost approximately $12,000 for the three of us to go.

We plan to host yard sales, sell t-shirts, and do other odd jobs to try and raise our support. We ask you to join us in prayer as we step out in faith and trust the Lord to meet the needs for our trip. My heart is giddy at thoughts of how God will use this trip in our family. He has already radically transformed my thinking and my priorities as a result of past trips, and to think that Jorjanne will have the opportunity to go and learn at such a young age is so stinkin’ cool!

I have taught Bible studies myriads of times, but only in Africa have I taught for hours and hours and had the ladies beg for more from God’s Word. They walk for hours just to come and hear the Word proclaimed. They have a hunger and thirst for righteousness that I’d only read about. Teaching the Bible to African women has been both a privilege and a blessing.

My New Year’s resolution is to know God more and to make him known. I want to hunger for His Word like the women in Africa. When I think of 2015, I am excited about the opportunities for our family to grow closer to Christ and to each other. While I also hope for the traditional things (to eat healthier and to exercise more), I pray that this year our family will long for Christ as the deer pants for the water. We pray that God will use us to point others to the True Joy Giver this year.

Happy New Year!

 

Consider it Joy

I’ve been teaching the book of James in my New Testament classes and several things have jumped out at me. I want to use the next few posts to highlight a few of these thoughts. The first is found in James 1:2, where we are told to consider it pure joy when we encounter various trials. Now I don't know about you, but joy is not my default setting when hard times hit. I want to grumble, complain, and sometimes throw an all-out tantrum. However, God is clear in his message to us that it is through trials that we gain endurance.

I’m a wannabe athlete and have been for a long time. I go through phases when I get obsessive about working out (I love P90X and Insanity), and then I just get plain lazy.  Most recently, I’ve been pretty lazy. Mountains I used to climb with vigor, I now climb with huffing and puffing – why? Because I’ve grown lazy in building my physical stamina.

The same is true of our spiritual muscles. When life is easy, we tend to get lazy. We risk losing our spiritual oomph when our faith isn’t being tested, in the same way that our physical muscles lose strength when we fail to use them.

Now, I don’t want to face struggles any more than the next gal, but I do want to be more like Jesus. I can’t say that I welcome the trials in my life, but I’m learning to consider them joy. I know that they are not in vain. There is meaning and purpose for times of suffering.

So, I’m making a commitment to strive to be better fit, both physically and spiritually, through personal discipline and endurance. Will you join me?

I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy...

It’s been a few weeks since my last entry, because I got married last weekend and so I took a hiatus from blogging. My new name is Natalie Ford, but I’ll continue to write as Natalie Flake so my website will stay the same.

Our wedding day was perfect! The weather was absolutely gorgeous. We were so humbled by the number of guests who came to share in our special day. My groom looked so handsome, and my daughter was glowing as she walked me down the aisle. A friend even told me that as the musicians sang, “Love Song” by Third Day, a yellow butterfly fluttered over the crowd, as if it was celebrating with us.

We are ecstatic about what God is doing in our lives. He truly has turned our tears to joy. Jeff and I have reflected on God’s goodness in bringing us together so many times. This is a year of jubilee in my life!

Saturday night was our first night together as a married couple in our home, and the dog barked all night long. On our way to church Sunday morning, the reason became all too clear. Our pesky neighborhood bear came a callin’.

You see, while we were basking in God’s goodness, the bear was busy digging up our trash. Isn’t this how Satan works? God wants us to experience his joy and peace, but the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy. There have been so many times in the past when I’ve let Satan steal my joy by changing my focus to my “past garbage” or to difficult circumstances. We have to be on defense, meditating on the Word and clinging to Christ.

God has made all things new. He is our Redeemer. He is our Peace. He is Perfect Love. Don’t let the enemy throw your trash in your face to paralyze you from moving forward. Celebrate the greatness of our Father!

2013 -- Year of Jubilee

This month marks the seventh year anniversary of Michael's death. In the Bible, the seventh year was often known as the Year of Jubilee. Many indentured servants were granted their freedom in the seventh year. Many Israelites were forgiven of their debts in the Year of Jubilee, and landowners gave their land rest from farming in the seventh year. The seventh year was a time of rest, release, and celebration.

For the last six months, I've prayed asking God to make 2013 a year of jubilee in my own life. I want to slow down and enjoy life in 2013 (which means letting go of my crazy schedule), and I want to release the past and live in the present. Knowing that I'll be married this year, brings great celebration and I can't help but believe that God is answering my prayer. 

This year, I've adopted Psalm 40:1-3 as my theme verses. 

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord    and put their trust in him." 

God has truly heard my cries for help, rescued me from darkness, and he has most recently put a new song in my mouth. I pray that as others see God working in my life, that they will put their trust in the Lord.

Happy New Year! Salut (cheers in French) to the Year of Jubilee!

O Happy Day!!!

 Joy. Joy unspeakable. Today is further evidence of how God has turned my tears to joy. Six years ago, I began writing a story of undeniable grief and heartache. The tears were gutwrenching and my whole body ached with the pain of loss. I wondered if I'd ever smile again.

Fast forward. Today. My cup overflows. God has been more than good to me. He has once again been my Savior, only this time he rescued me from the agonizing grief, and replaced it with unexplainable joy. (I actually woke up singing this morning, which is rare because I am not a morning person).

As I anticipate tonight's pre-release of Tears to Joy, I do so with a heart of gratitude. Not only do I thank God, but I thank each of you who has walked this journey with me.  I would not be where I am today without the support of family and friends. I will enter tonight with a heart of gladness and invite you to celebrate wtih me. It truly is a happy day!

If you are in a place of pain, trust God in the midst of the pain, for joy truly does come in the morning!

Unexplainable Joy

I love it when a scripture jumps off the page at me screaming, “This is for you! This is for you!” Well, maybe not literally but the Holy Spirit definitely illuminates certain verses at just the right moment. I’ve been praying for someone who is in a situation that is hopeless unless the Lord intervenes. I recently received a letter from him, asking to pray that he would have the faith of Noah and of Joseph,who both faces insurmountable odds. I am praying God would give him faith that surpasses that of both of these men, and that God would give him unspeakable joy in the midst of his suffering. 

As I was praying and seeking the scriptures, three verses seemed to scream at me. Habakkuk 3:17-19 say,
                   
                     “Though the fig tree should not blossom
                
                     And there be no fruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive should fail

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock should be cut off from the fold

And there be no cattle in the stalls,

Yet I will exult in the Lord,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

 The Lord God is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,

And makes me walk on my high places.”

Even when Habakkuk could see nothing praiseworthy on this earth, he still chose to rejoice in the Lord. I am reminded of the lyrics of Matt Redman's song, “Blessed Be the Name. ”

He gives and takes away, but blessed be His name.  

I'll never forget sitting in a worship service in Mexico, three months after Michael died, while everyone around me sang these words. Even though they expressed the cry of my heart, I couldn't even get the words out of my mouth. He had both given and taken away my husband... Would I still choose to say, "Blessed be His name"?

Will we rejoice in the midst of incredible hardships and suffering? I believe it is when we rejoice that we are changed. We no longer focus on our circumstances but on the glory of the Lord. It is then that we find peace. It is then that we experience unexplainable joy.

I am curious about the end of this verse. “And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet and makes me walk on my high places.” I’m going to have to do a little more research on this. If any of you have any insight, I’d love to hear it!

Costly Joy

I just finished reading the book, Kisses from Katie, and let me just say – WOW!  Katie is a remarkable young woman who is living the surrendered life. (You can follow her story at kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com) This is a story about obedience to Christ, perseverance, and sacrifice. Something she said leaped off the page and into my heart. She said, “We must know sorrow to be able to fully appreciate joy. Joy costs pain, but the pain is worth it. After all, the murder had to take place before the resurrection.”

As I pondered this truth, I realized just how accurate it is. Before I really knew suffering, I had happiness in my heart, but I never fully experienced joy until I encountered the power of God in some of the darkest trials. Joy is costly – but so very worth it!

I think this is what James meant when he said to “Consider it pure joy when we encounter various trials…” Anyone can feel happiness at times, but joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is impossible apart from the power of God in our lives. God has chosen to manifest joy in our lives through our pain.

It is after intense labor pains that the joy of giving birth is felt. Knowing that the labor is not in vain, but will give birth to new life makes it all the more bearable. The same is true of other hardships. Our sufferings are not in vain. God wants to make something beautiful out of our hurts, and He wants to create a joyful Spirit in us in the meantime. 

Sometimes I can be so oppressed by life’s problems that my focus is on my circumstances instead of on my Lord. Though my circumstances may not change, when my focus does, then I experience joy. My ultimate hope is that there will be a day when all my earthly pain will be resurrected and I will spend an eternity in the joyous presence of our Lord!