Silence Can Be Precious

I have to apologize for the lack of blog updates lately. Honestly, I have enjoyed my break from habitual technology. There have been so many things going on with our family and ministry that the blog, Facebook, and everything else has just seemed like a bother. Often times when I run, I write blogs in my head...I wish that I would take time to jot them down and post them to keep everyone informed of things that are going on good and bad. Lately, in the midst of great things there have been hard things that our family is praying through and dealing with.
A blog is no place to air dirty laundry or judge someone's behavior or thoughts. More importantly, we are instructed NOT to judge another man's heart.

"Therefore no one is to act as your judge..." Colossians 2:16 

 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2

I say all of that to say this. The Lord has been really teaching me and convicting me of being judgmental in my own heart towards people that I love and call friends. It is hard sometimes to admit that we are judgmental and my goodness, can you believe that a missionary is admitting that they struggle with something?? As missionaries, we are not perfect. We all sin. We are not to be put on a pedestal. We struggle with living holy lives and taking off the things that Colossians 3 reminds us to take off, and we have to ask the Lord to help us to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience among other qualities of a holy life.

I am the type person to speak up when I think that something is wrong, injust, rude, or just plain sinful. Recently, during my time of silence, Kendall and I have had some rough times. I wanted to get on the phone and just chew some people out because of their behavior and words. Kendall reminded me that the Lord's vengence is more than anything we could say or do. Incredibly, the next morning, Lily's Bible Study was from the book of 1 Samuel 24. David spared Saul's life, he cut a piece of Saul's robe to prove to Saul that he could have killed him but didn't.

 "He said to David,'You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you. You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely? May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day." 1 Samuel 25:17-19

I was humbled and reminded that I can say mean things (but I know that slander is something that I am to put off) and I can tell everyone that these people are rude and not following the Lord (but I know that I am not supposed to gossip) but the Lord will deal with them in His own timing and that I am not to judge anyone's heart because my heart is filthy and I have planks in my own eyes.

Is it easy to keep my mouth shut? No. Is the blog a place for that? No.

Therefore, silence was practiced. Prayer and time with the Lord was increased and blogging decreased. The Lord has been truly working on our hearts and changing us to become more like Him (sanctification). Is the process easy? No. It hurts. Words hurt. But I have to remember that in this world, we are to be salt and light. I want to be more like David and less like Saul. Recently David Jeremiah said this, "Jesus is the door to salvation. Make sure your life welcomes others into the presence of Jesus." Are you a door or a wall to Jesus? I pray that I am door that is always open and welcoming.





Pray for Kendall and I as we walk down a road we have never been on before.

Pray that no matter what God's Word would be spread and the Gospel preached throughout the world.

Pray that we would be non judgmental, joyful instead of complaining, and always prepared to share Christ.

Pray that in the hard times we would cling to God's Word and seek His face more than man's.