Dearest Sisters ~
It’s been a number of weeks since I last wrote and,
lest you think I’ve forgotten you, I assure you I’ve
not and regret the length of time between letters,
for it still remains my sincere goal to encourage
you weekly! Today I’d like to revisit a topic I’ve
shared with you in the past. The topic was
originally inspired many years ago in the reading of
Joshua 4. I happened to notice a stone in my
garden… and marveled at the Hand of the LORD in the
years since I first wrote on that stone. I then
thought of the numerous other ways in which the LORD
has worked… all while I wasn’t looking… all while I
wasn’t meddling in His way… all while God was
working all things together for good. I pray for
you, each one, to be blessed and that the LORD will
show you some of the great stones in your life. May
God bless you in your home — and may the stones in
your garden bring much encouragement to you and much
glory to Him.
Stones
Significant to me are the milestones in my life that
were either turning points or celebrations or
decisions. Some of the turning points were simply
changes in direction of thought or action; simple
things like: from this day forward, I will________.
I have marked many of the “I will’s” in my Bible or
on stones in the garden or in journals I’ve kept
over the years. Sometimes I didn’t realize that
specific decisions would have such strong or lasting
implications---nor, did I realize that God would use
decisions as springboards for others. But I do now.
Only looking back do I see how some of the actions
or decisions were used; decisions that were really
insignificant at the time were used as the basis for
some great changes or great work.
I recall the day I decided to always —everyday—
without fail: make my bed the very first thing in
the morning. Insignificant, maybe, but the LORD
used a woman (when our first two babies were very
small) to help me through a difficult time. It was
that help that would lead to countless other
personal disciplines and/or decisions. I felt
overwhelmed. Yeah—I know—only two children at the
time! Phew! But in my state at that time, I was
overwhelmed and under-inspired. There were very
few “hands-on” helpers in my life at that time bcz
of where we lived and bcz of my mindset, I suppose.
But then the LORD began to show me that there *were*
helpers, there *were* encouragers, and He was
walking with me — I just needed to open my eyes to
those facts and I needed take what was being offered
to me — whether it be advice, actual physical help
or simply to watch what they were doing and
*emulate* it in my own life. It was a tremendous
period of time — it was a turning point in my life.
Another turning point was when I realized that God
had a marvelous plan for my life and that He was and
had already been working everything together for
good (Romans 8.28) and that no matter what things
looked like or how they seemed, He was in control
and all those things mattered to Him and would be
for my good. I couldn’t always see it. I didn’t
have faith to believe it---but then I began to pray
for faith---faith to believe what I couldn’t see and
faith to trust what I couldn’t understand. It was
in those days that God would begin to show me a
glimpse of His purpose for my life as a wife and
mother. I knew at that time that He was truly LORD
of my life, LORD of my marriage, LORD of my home and
LORD of my womb. Even if I wavered in faith, God
never changed---He was and has been utterly
faithful. (Romans 3.3 “For what if some did not
believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God
without effect?”)
Then, another stone was set in place… the stone of
faith. There was another turning point time when I
knew that the LORD has His hand on me—on my life—on
our family. I don’t mean that in a particular sense
of a mark or a calling or whatever. I simply mean
that it was a definite time: a demonstration of His
“ownership,” if you will, of all that we were or
would ever be. He called us to faith.
Hebrews 11.6 “But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.”
It became apparent that He would continue to work in
many similar ways through the years. He would bring
about circumstances that would both challenge and
inspire our faith — circumstances that would set us
in awe of His magnificent glory as He demonstrated
His “watch-care” or provision in our lives.
“Last-minute” provisions became or are so “normal”
or frequent, that I feel like I practically stand at
the window watching for His provision. I know my
help/our help only is of His Hand. All the weights
of the bag are His work—He only is the balance. He
is utterly faithful and the pile of stones marking
His faithfulness is becoming as a mountain at the
gate of my heart.
He taught us to walk and work in a manner as to
totally yield our hearts to Him—trusting for every
day, every provision, every child, every need, every
dollar, every sunrise, every sunset. In our
marriage, He’s brought to our remembrance our
commitment of trust—trust in God and trust in each
other. The stones in my rings are as stones of a
monument of trust—no matter how things look, seem or
feel at the time. God has worked and reworked our
hearts to be to each other what God has designed.
It is in faith that we demonstrate this toward one
another: love followed, emotion followed, romance
followed and faith is strengthened by years.
Reading through the Word and coming to the book of
the Song of Solomon, I was reminded over and over
again that married love is timeless; the wonder of
it being old is that it can yet feel fresh and new
as Spring and yet as solid and secure as an old
oak. The diamond in my ring reminds me of the
strength of God and the gold: His refining power.
I have stones in different gardens around our home.
Now, rarely does a child come to me and say: what
mean ye by these stones, mama? But every once in
awhile one of the children asks the significance of
a particular quote or the meaning of a few words
printed on stones or rocks in the garden. The
children love seeing their names and birthdates on
stones. They love seeing dates on stones —
anniversaries of significant dates and events. I do
this so that they won’t forget. I do this so *I*
won’t forget.
More another time on the significance of stones.
With sincere love, pamela
http://www.AChristianHome.org
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2007 |