Answers

Today I had two “yes’s” from the Lord.  I prayed that a CD at my Bible study could be found, and it was.  I prayed that my prayer partner would make it through her surgery—she’s 92—and she did!  God is good.  He cares about everything in our lives.

Talked to my prayer partner and she reminded me about all the other answers to prayer we have had.  We prayed that the secretary of our church would be able to refinance her house -- it went through.  We prayed for another man in our church who was having a procedure done -- it was successful.  We are still waiting to see if God will raise up 2 more people for the Bellevue Power Squadron Bridge for next year.  Most of all we are praying that God will pour out His Spirit in a mighty way on our church, state, and in the U.S. and world.

Teen Biblical Illiteracy

The other night on the TV show “Jeopardy” I watched the high school championship competition.  The contestants were answering questions in every category except in the category of the Bible.  No one knew what the father killed in the story of the prodigal son when he threw a feast for his son who came home.  They also had no clue as to what flowers Jesus referred to in his teaching about not worrying.  I’m praying that our teens will read the Bible and study it at least as literature!

Dropping In, Then Dropping Out, Then Dropping In

Our boat Flyaway in Bora Bora.

Chris and I attended college in the 60’s.  We didn’t drink, smoke, do drugs, or party.  We weren’t “hippies.”  But we did want to drop out.  Our plan was to live on a sailboat.  With an unconventional life like this we wouldn’t be required to mow lawns, drive and maintain cars, rent, own, or furnish a house.  We would have plenty of time to pursue hobbies, fun, and relaxation.  So after getting our bachelor degrees and getting married we took off for Santa Barbara, CA.  We would spend hours at the marina in Santa Barbara looking at boats and trying to decide which type we would like to live on.

When we had no money for bills, after paying our rent and borrowing money from our landlord for groceries, we decided to return to school and get our teaching certifications.   Suddenly our lives spiraled out of control.  Chris got a job on the school newspaper as editor and I got a job in the campus library.  I was also a student teacher and Chris was in the National Guard, which required one-week end a month and two weeks in the summer for drills.  Before we knew it we were land locked and owning a house—Chris got a job as a photographer on the daily newspaper in Spokane and I worked as a first grade teacher. 

After the birth of our daughter six years later, and the birth of our son six years after that, and by then living in our third house, we had settled down to mowing lawns, driving and maintaining cars, and all the things we had not planned to do.  But it was all worth it because we now have wonderful kids and fantastic grandkids.  And because of this pressure we needed God.  We attended church and Bible studies and grew in faith.

 God then blessed us with enough to retire young, buy a boat, and we were able to take off on our adventure.   Sailing first to Mexico and then Chris crossing to the South Pacific completed our adventure.  (I was the smart one—no 24 days at sea for me.  I flew over to Tahiti.)  After much sadness on Chris’s part, and much joy on my heart, we returned to land and now live in a condo.

Granted, while we were living on the boat, we had no lawn to mow, or cars to maintain; but I found the isolation of cruising the biggest drawback.  For me there were other problems including having to conserve on water, use the shore facilities, and basically camping out.  At each port where we stayed awhile, I would look for a church and a writing group.  But I would spend as much time as possible on e-mail contacting my friends and family back home. 

God has been very good to us—every good and perfect thing is from above.  We’ve grown and learned that God’s ways are better than our ways.  Sometimes we don’t get to do the things we planned to do; but if we obey God’s teachings, trust that His promises in the Bible will come true, work steadily and faithfully at the jobs currently assigned,  we know that there will be joy at the end of life.

The Cross is the Only Way

As I recall Chuck Swindoll said once that if you can become anything else don’t become a pastor.  James Dobson’s father didn’t want to be a pastor but in the end he did choose to become one.  Now that most careers are open to women some women are choosing to become pastors.  Apparently it is a very stressful yet fulfilling career.  When I think of the jobs of a pastor they would include everything from a shepherd, administrator, counselor, writer, researcher, to a janitor, and more.  The job is never done ---similar to a housewife’s job.

Now there is a debate as to whether a woman should be a pastor.  If I look into the Bible I see Lydia being a leader of women who believe in God and her group meeting at a river to pray. Paul and his companions meet her there and after a conversation with her she believes the good news and her whole household is baptized.  It sounds to me that Lydia was a leader of the church by the river.  Then there are Pricilla and Aquila co-workers with Paul in Acts 18.  They taught the good news and supported themselves by making tents. I Timothy 2:12 could mean that Paul prohibited teaching only by women who were not properly instructed.

If a woman has a passion to see the lost come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, one way to preach the good news, would be to become a pastor.  I’m not a pastor but my family calls me Billy Bob after Billy Graham.  Sometimes I can’t help myself and I preach!