I will go....proclaiming freedom.

My heart is full of joy

Betsey — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:51:34 +0000

as I write this. Sunday I had the privilege of being present for the rebirthing of a soul, for the beginning of new life. And let me tell you, it was sweet. And it had absolutely nothing to do with me. Wanda, a precious lady that I’ve been visiting with some over the past few months, came up for prayer at the end of the service downtown. I asked her how I could pray for her, and she said to me, “I am sick of living this way. I just want Jesus to change my life!” It was so obvious to me that the Holy Spirit was working in this lady’s heart. I told her that I wasn’t going to put words in her mouth, but that if she truly desired, she could settle it right then and there and ask Jesus to be her Savior and Lord. Immediately she began praying loudly, with tears, confessing belief in Jesus and asking him to take over. I was so amazed. After she finished praying I began to pray over her, freedom from every bondage of sin in her life and that Christ would make all things new and lead her, guide her.

After a year and a half serving with this ministry, this was a first for me. I am beyond excited. A new member of the family, a new servant of Jesus, a new life! I pray that she will grow into woman of God to be reckoned with, a warrior for the kingdom of light. I believe that He has beautiful things in store for her, and I can’t wait to see what they are.

Give the winds a mighty voice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free; highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

No servant….

Betsey — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:33:05 +0000

….is greater than his master. The Lord has been impressing on me lately my need for more humility in serving Him. Tonight we talked about what it means to truly be a servant. We read Philippians 2:3-8 :

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!

Tonight in a new way I grasped the incredible humility of our Lord Jesus. If anyone has a right to expect to be served, it is Him – yet never once does He do this. Instead, He leaves the glory of heaven, joins humanity in all our struggles, ministers to the lowly and unclean, washes feet, and ultimately gives up His very life for the salvation of souls who can never truly comprehend His sacrifice.

If Jesus, who deserves all praise and honor and glory, set it all aside to serve – where does that leave me? God, forgive me for not having the attitude of Christ Jesus. For thinking of myself more highly than I ought, for my failure to see others as You do, for coveting the praise of men instead of laying it all at Your feet, God…only You are worthy. Change my heart, O Lord.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. – Mark 10:45

The battle is real…

Betsey — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:27 +0000

….and we are on the front lines. I am sitting on my back porch enjoying a few moments of peace before a hectic day. I hear some stirring on Barksdale Street below (I live on the second floor) and look to see Kevin, a homeless man who is a regular around here. He is holding a tall bottle, nearly empty now, and digging through our garbage, all the while uttering profanities. I watch him for a while, seeing no harm in what he is doing – it is trash, after all. Suddenly Kevin grabs a garbage can and scatters its contents all across the street. Before I have a chance to venture down the stairs and speak to him, the garbage truck is turning down the street, its driver honking and screaming at Kevin. The commotion draws the attention of Mrs. Amy, who is instantly on her back porch as well, and begins to talk with Kevin. Kevin is angry, furious even, in a senseless fit of rage, now raising his voice to make his resentment known. He cleans the debris he’s strewn, then takes his bottle and proceeds down the street, all the while shouting back at us. “Y’all sure do preach a lot – but the Holy Spirit has no power here! Jesus isn’t even real!” As he continues, I can only stand there speechless. Never in my life have I heard the devil speak audibly. Never before have I seen a person and had no doubt in my mind that they were absolutely possessed by demons. As words flowed from Kevin’s mouth, something inside of me turned upside down. My prayers have not been the same since.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6:11-12

Her smile could light up a room.

Betsey — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:33:40 +0000

Precious. What a fitting name for such a sweet spirit. We sat on her back porch in the shade just soaking in her stories, tiny fragments of a life I long to understand. It’s amazing how open people become when you step into their worlds, their homes. It is intimate. As I looked at her beaming face, I couldn’t help but imagine how much more radiant she will be when she truly meets Jesus. Now He is just a name in the pages of an ancient book, but He will come to life for her….and she will shine. This is my prayer as I think of her tonight.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

Her question for me

Betsey — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:30:10 +0000

was this: “Why are some people homeless and have to eat out of the dumpster and live on the street?”

Apparently the mention of loving the homeless had not slipped by ten-year-old Madison. How do you answer a question like that, a question that truly boils down to – why do people suffer? Isn’t God supposed to be good?

This is a question that everyone wrestles with. I really don’t know how to answer it to the satisfaction of others. But I know that in my heart I have peace, because I love and trust the One who best understands the problem and who alone sees the solution. I pray that as she sees suffering, she may also see Him who bore it all, and rest in knowing that He is good.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. – Isaiah 53:5

From the mouth of babes.

Betsey — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:43:45 +0000

This summer I have the privilege to be with the older girls’ class at Mission First – and it is quite a change from the kindergarteners! Every morning Becca and I do Bible study and prayer time with the girls. This can be challenging because they don’t always listen, and sometimes they even try to go to sleep. But some days they truly amaze me with their insights, their questions, and even their prayers. Last week ten-year-old Secret ended her prayer this way: “…and God, you’re amazing! You’re doing such a great job, just keep doin’ what you’re doin’. We love you! Amen.”

I know God smiled when He heard that one.

Her prayer was beautiful, heartfelt and, well, childlike. That kind of faith is what God desires from me.

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” – Psalm 8:1-2

Visiting Jesus

Betsey — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:16:24 +0000

The first thing he says to me is “I love you.” I fight tears as I assure Chris, this man I hardly know, that I love him, too. Laying in the hospital bed, barely coherent, Chris manages a weak smile and a few mumbled words before dozing off again. I sit in the chair beside his bed, hold his hand and say a prayer of thankfulness because Chris is alive. For a while I watch him sleep, then silently slip out, whispering a promise to return tomorrow.

Last night I visited Jesus. And His first words were that He loves me.

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:40