My oldest son, Jonathan, was raised in a Christian home. I was his pastor for most of his life, however when he was in his late teens he rebelled against God. For several years it appeared as if his life would be lost. I must admit I waivered between strong faith and despair. However through a set of circumsatnces I was able to spend time with him. God began to draw him back, and he rededicated his life to Christ. My youngest son never rebbelled to that extent.
Jon now teaches history at
Riverview High School in Riverview, Florida. He also was hired as the varsity
girl’s basketball coach and he brought on my youngest son, David, to be his
assistant and to coach the girl’s junior varsity squad. Because he was new, the
three best players transferred to other local high schools. They were ranked
among the last in the division before the season began.
The regular season ended this past
Wednesday and Riverview finished first in the division and received the only
bye for the post season. Both of my sons not only worked tirelessly with the
girls, but they served as bus service constantly since many of the girls have
working mothers. Jon has tutored some of the girls in their studies as well.
But the thing of which I am most proud is that these girls got to hear about
Jesus as well as see what a life that follows Jesus should look like.I want to encourage all you who have children or grandchildren. Things in the natural may seem bleak, but keep praying because the Spirit's ministry is never bound. You have no idea how far my son went into the world, and what Christ did for him He can do for your loved ones. Keep looking up!! Pray without ceasing!
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19 comments:
Praise God! It is so exciting to hear this. There are never coincidences and there's a verse, like, God is the author and finisher of our faith.
I have two sons, one, the man of science, and the youngest, who gave his life to Jesus and was filled with His Holy Spirit. God knows the number of hairs on our children's head and he knows their hearts, and when it seems like they won't ever turn, I love to hear and believe they will.
Anonymous, you just described my family. My oldest the atheist and my youngest who gave his life to the Lord, but now seems to be going back.
I pray for them every day. Thank you Pastor Rick for hope. I am so glad the Lord has blessed your family. A blessing you must be truly thankful for.
My sons are Jeff and Cory. Jeff is 25 and Cory will be 21 in March. Please lift them up in prayer. They are good people, no drugs, alcohol etc. but being a good person, as you know, doesn't save you.
Jeff is the smart one who unfortunately got lied to in college (science and philosophy) that took him away. Cory left the church when I did after he got belittled by the Pastor for standing up for the youth program. They allowed scream bands from the local high school in the church and he spoke out against it. He, I am afraid is a bit disillusioned at the moment.
My husband, well, he was never one for the truth of God and fights it every step of the way. He still believes he is better than most. Yeah, the "I'm a good person" mentality.
But I still have hope, because with God all things are possible, but it is also a reality that they may not come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. I guess someone has to be at the Great White Throne Judgment. It makes me cringe to even write that, but to not face the possibility would be a lie. I just pray with all my heart that the Lord sends someone since it may not be me to water the seed planted years ago. Revival in my house, Lord willing.
I keep walking and talking about the Lord. If I error I repent and ask for forgiveness and hope they see the change as well as the love for the Lord as I Praise Him for all He has done and continues to do in my life. I am truly undeserving, and sometimes my expression of gratitude seems not enough, but it is all I have.
Thank you in advance for your prayers and God bless you all.
Sorry for the lengthy comment, but this is a topic near and dear to my heart.
To God be the Glory!
Cherie c.
It is with a heavy heart that I am not going to comment anymore on this blog.
I read the comments from Kelli and Shannon and it broke my heart.
Please let me know when the internet fellowship will begin. I look forward to your teachings on Youtube. I am sorry if I said some things that weren't right. I did not intend to hurt anyone. I will miss the fellowship, but I cannot take the meanness that is sometimes posted here. It makes me sad, and there is too much sadness already. This sort of stuff seems to follow me. I thought I was doing right by using scripture. Perhaps I just don't get it. I really thought I had found something that has been missing in my life; brothers and sisters in Christ. He told us to not forsake gathering for our edification because we need one another, but what happened on the other post hurt. Ganging up on a person is not right, and it is hurtful. Sorry for the term ganging up, but that is what it was. No matter, if I don't forgive then I won't be forgiven, but I don't want to be subject to that again. Sorry Kelli and Shannon, I won't bother you anymore.
Please let me know about the internet fellowship via email. I also signed up for the newsletter and I look forward to it. God Bless.
your sister in Christ Jesus
Cherie c.
Cherie c, I haven't been following this blog for a while as I have been very busy. I do know that you share from the heart and are like a breath of fresh air. We need you to stay to keep blessing us with your honesty. I am sure that you know that we all, Chritian and non-Christian get clobbered by other people's comments. I spend a little time on non-Christian sites and they say all sorts of emotionally hurtful stuff, but I continue to plant God's seed there because it gives them a chance to grow spiritually. You are a courageous woman. If you decide to persevere posting here I know that God will reward your courageous decision.God bless you!
Dear Cherie,
I have often thought that your comments reveal you to be a sweet and humble woman, and have enjoyed your contributions. I'm sorry that you and the other ladies had an unfruitful discussion. Sometimes the tone of online posts is lost or inaccurately conveyed, leading to misunderstanding or hurt feelings. I hope that you and they can be reconciled; I would miss your thoughts here.
"In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity."
Hi Cherie,
I don't comment often but want you to know I am blessed by your posts. Please don't stop posting on this blog. By the way I'm praying for your family. :) take care & thank you for being a blessing, Noel (sparrow)
Cherie, I also would like to continue seeing your posts as well. You have such a love and passion for the Lord. I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability that you share. I too continue to lift you and your family up in prayer. You are loved dear sister, so keep sharing with us.
Cherie: I'd like to keep hearing from you. If you need to pull back for awhile, I understand; but would be glad if you don't go away forever.
I too am very sensitive to what others write in response to my posts, and have gotten hurt or angry, I hate to be misunderstood, and have sometimes vowed to leave the keyboard permanently. Other sites I have left totally. This site, however, is my "home" site and the spirit here is very edifying.
I am very careful on any site though; many times I write a long post, then decide to delete the whole thing, because the tone sounds questionable (even if my heart isn't), or my motive is wrong. Sometimes I write and save a response in a Word document, and if several hours later i still think it's worthy, then I'll post. It's humbling for me to restrain my "mouth" and examine my words, because I often want to blurt out my feelings, opinions, beliefs; and the Lord is helping me with that. "Let our speech be seasoned with salt that it might minister grace..." "Whatever things are true, right, praiseworthy, etc.--think on these things."
Frankly, I only skimmed that series of posts with you and those others, but I couldn't see what the bruhaha was really. I'm so grieved that it hurt you and got others defensive (or offensive.) Accurate communication is difficult online when non-verbals cannot help convey our hearts, so words are sometimes taken wrongly. Even in person with my blood sisters, we occasionally get prickly with one another for no obvious reasons--it's merely that irritating little thing one of does that annoys the other--but we've been through so much that our real love for one another endures it and covers it and we go on without even wrangling over it.
It will be a blessing to fellowship with you on line in future.
With prayer and affection,
Victoria
Dear Victoria,
Everything you wrote is spot on. God Bless you :)
Noel (sparrow)
So agree with Victoria's wise post at 8:45.
Isn't it true that our typed words on blogs don't carry our intended tone with them. They just appear as words without emotions, or feelings, so it's hard to understand how the person is expressing themselves.
I've often wondered about how the church has changed because of the internet. It's added a new twist to the modern church that the apostles and disciples never had to deal with. Everything they did had to be endured with extreme patience, and determination. They had to speak to people face to face, which put them in harm's way. I can imagine they put up with a lot of mockers in their crowds, and pranksters, or people harassing them and following them doing harm or trying to run them out of town.
Today, more and more we're holed up in our bunkers typing our thoughts and opinions on christian blogs and I always wondered why I didn't feel spiritually edified. Everyone has an opinion, and commenters either agree or disagree.
And some of us, like myself, aren't college educated and I sometimes have a hard time to express myself and my true feelings don't come out on the page. I want to say everything in 'love', but it for some reason doesn't read the way I meant it to. I guess there's a protocol in the "world" in posting comments today, and most people are hard-skinned and don't care if someone disagrees. But we as christians who've been spurned and hurt and maybe are still spiritually thin-skinned, need to be addressed with more tenderness. I'm asking the Lord to give me a heart of tenderness and writing skill that can show His heart through pages.
Anonymous 11:31 AM said:
"I'm asking the Lord to give me a heart of tenderness and writing skill that can show His heart through pages."
Ditto.
Satan uses things like "hurt feelings" and "feeling sorry for ourselves" to keep us out of fellowship with others. It seems wisdom to me to stop bickering, start praying and go forward. God wants a united body; hurt feelings bring no glory to God.
Can you be more specific and elaborate on your comment please, Kim?
Thanks, Shannon
Anonymous 11:31 AM said:
"I'm asking the Lord to give me a heart of tenderness and writing skill that can show His heart through pages."
Ditto. :- )
Victoria
Back on topic...
Rick, thank you for this encouraging post. I have an adult daughter who has been enticed away from her First Love by secular humanism. Sadly, she is in a position of influencing youth like your sons but Jesus gets no glory. I will keep looking up and never stop praying.
CONGRATS to Jon and David for an awesome first season!
There is nothing to elaborate on. I said exactly what I meant.
Hi mrs. k.
In brokenness we tend to forget what praying in the Lord's Will is for and about. As I posted here about my two sons, I remember what God's Word says about His Will.
I tend to forget the following:
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
All should come to repentance. We are told at times to pray in His Will; this is His Will, so I pray for my sons and husband everyday.
I will now include your daughter in my prays. God Bless you mrs.k.
your sister in Christ Jesus,
Cherie c.
Thank you for your encouragement and prayers, Cherie. You and your loved ones are in my prayers as well.
Pastor Rick, Josef, Diane, Kim, mrs.k, Robert, Mike and all my brothers and sisters in Christ, your kind words of encouragement and your posts are a blessing to me. This is what fellowship is all about; a great teaching by a Godly Pastor, and edifying fellowship on what we just learned, lifting each other up, and keeping one another is prayer. This is so needed in these last days. I don't know about you but I cannot wait for the internet fellowship. It will give us more time to share the Word of God. God bless you all and thank you for all the Godly love. Please know I will keep you all in prayer before the Lord.
your sister in Christ Jesus,
Cherie c.
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