Wednesday, August 1, 2012

"Chaos in the Family" and the Journey to Prague continues...

Before I get to our Chaos in the Family portion of the blog today, I want to give a big thank you to the ladies in England, Arkansas where Lisa, Faith, and I traveled Monday night to do a follow up time with the ladies there that invested in praying, sending cards, gifts, and financial support for our Dominican Republic trip in May. Thank you so much for your sweet spirits and hospitality. But most of all, thank you for having a heart to minister to missionary women overseas by praying, going, and giving.

As we continue to prepare on our journey to Prague, we have 18 women registered as of today. Continue to pray as the word gets out that the exact women God wants to be there in October get signed up. Thank you already in advance for the prayers, because where it all takes place is in the heavenly realm. In fact, as I was typing that last line this thought ran across my brain . . . “Ask them to make prayer deposits, Vickie”. I like that, because I can actually visualize people doing that and you don’t even have to leave the house! Ha, ha, ha! Would you please be willing to support this trip by making a prayer deposit daily or weekly? And encourage us by letting us know what some of those deposits are!

We added one last person to our team Monday night. All spots are filled and overflowing! Pray for me as I listen for God’s direction for how to best utilize each one of the team members on this trip and to place them where I truly believe God is directing so that He may be glorified!

Chaos in the Family

For those of you who are just joining us, I began addressing the issue of “Stopping the Chaos in the Family” several weeks ago. Please go back and read those blogs (http://purejoyinternational.blogspot.com/2012/06/chaos-in-family-series-and-prayer.htmlto catch up with us.

Last week I ended our blog by asking you this question: Do you feel that your husband is taking care of you? Does he see you as a gift that God has brought into his life?

Today, I want us to look at the flip side of that coin before we look at the first time chaos entered the world. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” That helper was Eve.

Now let me ask you this question: What are helpers and what do they do? They come alongside; they help us be successful, to accomplish a job, to give insight, etc. In short, a helper truly becomes a blessing to our lives. Would your husband be able to say about you that you are a blessing to his life?  May I ask you another question? What was Eve helping Adam do?

Go back to Genesis 2:15 and we will see that God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. So Eve was helping Adam take care of that which God had given them together! Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” There was no ‘mine’ or ‘yours’, but ‘ours’ and ultimately HIS! Genesis 2:25 goes on to say, “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” Translated from the Vickie commentary, “life was pure, it was content, and it was peaceable.”

Adam and Eve together as one were serving God and exercising watch care over His provision.

Are you functioning as one? Are you mindful that all that you have is from Him?

The answer to how chaos entered the world is in Genesis Chapter 3. In fact, Genesis Chapter 3 is so full of practical principles regarding the chaos in our lives today that I am going to ask you to read that chapter every day between now and the next blog. Pay close attention to every word you read. Ask God to give you an understanding of this chapter in a very personal way. Watch Eve’s conversation with the Serpent. Watch Adam’s conversation with God. Watch God’s proclamation to Adam, Eve, and the Serpent. Question what the heck Eve was thinking!! Question Adam’s ridiculous responses to an All-Knowing God’s questions. See God’s compassion to give Adam and Eve the opportunity to repent instead of cover up their sin. This is some good stuff, girls!!! Don’t blow over it.

And, by the way . . . none of the above would have taken place if the following commandment had not been given to Adam in the garden in Genesis 2:18. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘you may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”

IN SHORT, CHAOS ENTERS OUR DAILY WORLD WHEN WE DISOBEY GOD!!!

Enjoy your read of Genesis Chapter 3 this week!

I love you all Mucho!

His,
Vickie

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