DECEMBER 25, 2021 ~ GOOD MORNING and  HAPPY SABBATH

 

 

 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name, and glory in Your praise.” Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. Then all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD … 1 Chron 16:34-36.

… and when they praised the LORD saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God … 2 Chron 5:13-14.

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever … Psalm 30:11-12.

More verses of Praise!

Last Sabbath the prophecies declared of the coming of Christ from heaven to this earth,  wise men studied and saw Him grow as a human among them.  Today we have the privilege of knowing Him thru his Word and miracles that are benefited to us each day.  The mornings here, especially have been amazing in their pink glows testifies to His creation and then there is the  generosity of people  that are inspired by his Spirit  too.   The testimony to the greatness of Jesus, even in the weakness of a  newborn babe, He is King and begins his reign.  as Spurgeon says  …..

again testimony to the greatness of Jesus, even as a young child. “Jesus of Nazareth is so potent a factor in the world of mind that, no sooner is he there in his utmost weakness, a now-born King, than he begins to reign. Before he mounts the throne, friends bring him presents, and his enemies compass his death.” (Spurgeon)  https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-2/

Three different responses to the worship of Jesus: 

More important than gifts is the fact that they worshiped Jesus.

We see here three different responses to Jesus; one may say that all people respond in one of these three ways.
1· Herod displayed an open hatred and hostility toward Jesus.
· The chief priests and the scribes were indifferent toward Jesus, all the while retaining their religious respectability.
· The wise men sought out Jesus and worshiped Him – even at great cost.

. In comparing the visit of the wise men to the earlier visit of the shepherds (Luke 2:15-20), we see:
2· Jesus came to the Jew first, then to the Gentile.
· Jesus came to the humble and ignorant first, then the honorable and learned.
· Jesus came to the poor first, then the rich.

. We should learn from the wisdom of these wise men.
3· They were not satisfied with looking at the star and admiring it; they did something about the star, and set out and followed it.
· They persevered in their search and in following after the star.
· They were not discouraged in the search by clergy and doubtful religious leaders.
· They rejoiced at the star.
· When they arrived at the destination the star led them to, they entered in.
· When they entered in, they worshiped.
· They sensed an urgency to worship Him now and not wait until later.
· When they worshiped, it was to give something – not empty-handed adoration.

We see a wonderful pattern: “Those who look for Jesus will see him: those who truly see him will worship him: those who worship him will consecrate their substance to him.” (Spurgeon)

Turn to this song and worship, bring your gifts of praise, persevere in the Word for the coming year!! 

 How Great Thou Art by male quartet

 

 

 

WE STUDY ~ 9:30AM

 

Lesson # 13 ~ The Resurrection of Moses ~ Link

Click on the link HERE to hear the audio version of the lesson...

 

 Sanctuary class on Zoom

                                               

 

WE GATHER ~ 10:45

 

Announcements  - posted below - Len Blabey

MISSION SPOTLIGHT

Music Ministry  - Len Blabey and Lauren Blabey

Offering - Reach BC & Yukon - website

for online giving go to   Online Giving

 

WE WORSHIP ~ 11:00am

Children's Story - an hour long live video of the Jesus Story, from a child's  perspective
SCRIPTURE:  Isaiah 14:12-14  link

SPECIAL MUSIC:  Oh Holy Night ~ Len Blabey and Jonathan Blabey

PRAYER: Len Blabey

SPECIAL MUSIC:  I'll Walk With God  link 

 

MESSAGE: ~ Signs: Does God Know The Future?'~ Dennis Thomsen

Closing Song:   O Come, O Come, Immanuel  # 115  - Link  Link - La Sierra

Closing Prayer -  Dennis Thomsen

 

 

 

 

Sunset tonight - December 31, 4:01pm ~ Sunset Friday - JANUARY 1, 2022, 4:04pm

Greetings to you in the NEW YEAR, May the grace of God fill you and give you peace!  What a better way to end the year than to sing the Lord's Prayer. amen! 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

 

Please note that Lauren is the new editor for the bulletin, info below

 

REACH  BC & Yukon newsletter - a very good childrens program - for our offering today

 

Church services are still held in Zoom until January 10th when further decisions will be made regarding COVID restrictions to return to personal meeting

please feel free to use the passwords : 761454 Meeting ID: 774 005 1987
Prayer Meeting by Zoom 7:30pm every Wednesday

 

PLEASE have all your announcements in to the new editor Lauren Blabey  for the year 2022,  at email address  lblabey@gmail.com  or by facebook messenger by Thursday evening  7:00pm   

DECEMBER 18, 2021

 

 

 HAPPY SABBATH ~ December 18, 2021

 

  SONG

Oh, star bright—the world is pining

For you to turn night into the day;

Oh, star bright—in Heaven shining

Come glow within me

On Christmas day.

 

 

 STAR OF BETHLEHEM

Wise men from a far country thru the descendants of Abraham, children of Keturah, named the Magi, studied the stars, educated in maths and sciences, came to know the prophecies and wondered about the coming of the Christ.  So they were not surprised but held in wonder at the appearing of the Star.  Follow this sermon of Doug Batchelor to hear his knowledge of them……click here


It was not alone upon the hills of Judea, not among the lowly shepherds only, that angels found the watchers for the Messiah's coming. In the land of the heathen also were those that looked for Him; they were wise men, rich and noble, the philosophers of the East. Students of nature, the Magi had seen God in His handiwork. From the Hebrew Scriptures they had learned of the Star to arise out of Jacob, and with eager desire they awaited His coming, who should be not only the “Consolation of Israel,” but “a Light to lighten the Gentiles,” and “for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” Luke 2:25, 32; Acts 13:47.—The Great Controversy, 315.

As the light [of the angels at Bethlehem] faded, a luminous star appeared, and lingered in the sky. It was not a fixed star nor a planet, and the phenomenon excited the keenest interest. That star was a distant company of shining angels, but of this the wise men were ignorant. Yet they were impressed that the star was of special import to them. They consulted priests and philosophers, and searched the scrolls of the ancient records.  Could this strange star have been sent as a harbinger of the Promised One? The magi had welcomed the light of heaven-sent truth; now it was shed upon them in brighter rays. Through dreams they were instructed to go in search of the newborn Prince.—The Desire of Ages, 60.   Ellen White Writings

The prophecy of Balaam had declared......
Numbers 24;17    KJ21
I shall see Him, but not now; I shall behold Him, but not nigh. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy all the children of Sheth.

Isaiah 60:3  a prophecy

What an exciting end to a year of hardship for BC, that we  as "Gentiles", can look forward to the coming of Jesus once again from this prophecy in Isaiah.  May you find blessing in this study inspired by the songs of special music in church today

 

WE STUDY ~ 9:30AM

 

Lesson # 12 ~ Deuteronomy in the New Testament

 Click here

 Click on the link HERE to hear the audio version of the lesson...

 
Jesus didn’t argue with Satan nor debate him. He simply quoted Scripture because, as the Word of God, it is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12, NKJV). 

 

 Sanctuary and Breakout classes on Zoom screen

 

 

WE GATHER ~ 10:45

 

Announcements  - posted below - Russ Webb

MISSION SPOTLIGHT

Music Ministry  - Len Blabey and Lauren Blabey

140 - Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

139 - While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

142 - Angels We Have Heard on High

133 - Now is Born the Divine Christ Child

Offering - Local Church Budget

for online giving go to   Online Giving

 

WE WORSHIP ~ 11:00am

Children's Story - an hour long live video of the Jesus Story, from a childs perspective
SCRIPTURE:   Isaiah  9:6 .........        youtube verse

PRAYER: Russ Webb

SPECIAL MUSIC:   Sunnyside Singers ~ Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

MESSAGE: ~ MESSIAH - THE PROMISE ~ Len Blabey

Promises of fulfilment in old and new testaments

Genesis 3:15 ~ Galatians 4:4

Genesis 12:3 ~ Matthew 1:1

Genesis 17:19 ~ Luke 3:3,4

Micah 5:2 ~ Luke 2:4-7

Isaiah 7:14 ~ Luke 1:26-31

Jeremiah 31:15 ~ Matthew 2:16-18

many more but you will have to contact the speaker!!

Closing Song:  Sunnyside Singers  with Taehue on the violin  ~  Shines the Light

Closing Prayer - Len Blabey

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset tonight - December 18, 4:01pm ~ Sunset Friday - DECEMBER 24, 4:04pm

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Fountainview Academy Christmas Concert - Link

Church services are still held in Zoom until January 10th when further decisions will be made regarding COVID restrictions to return to personal meeting

please feel free to use the passwords : 761454 Meeting ID: 774 005 1987
Prayer Meeting by Zoom 7:30pm every Wednesday

 

 ADRA  website  that has participated in donating help for flood stranded people at Hope

 

PLEASE have all your announcements in to bev  at email address  adelerin@hotmail.com or by facebook messenger by Thursday evening  7:00pm  

 

     

DECEMBER 11, 2021

MAY EACH ONE RECEIVE RICH SABBATH BLESSINGS.....

 

 

The Bible is a casket containing jewels of inestimable value, which should be so presented as to be seen in their intrinsic luster.

 

The use of the word casket is somewhat questionable in this statement, although it was an interesting one. We value the one who is resting in one. so in that way the comparison would be worthy. This next little snippet could also be termed as a similar comparison…..

 

Elegant nécessaires de poche filled with minute utensils for grooming, writing, or sewing were fashionable during the eighteenth century. Made of gold with hard stones, mother-of-pearl, or tortoiseshell, they were the work of a goldsmith and often served as New Year’s presents. Here, an openwork pattern of scrolls, floral garlands, small animals, birds, and dancing musicians in gold is placed on panels of striated agate. The original contents of the nécessaire are missing.    CLICK HERE

 

A compelling read in the following book describes all the jewels mentioned in the Bible. Turn to the link below and read especially the Preface and page 15. An excerpt says:

 

Jewels are very beautiful This is one reason why God calls his people jewels But jewels are VERY VALUABLE and this is another reason why God calls his people jewels It is because of their value that we call them precious stones Very often a single jewel will be worth more than many a rich man's whole fortune You remember the Bible speaks of a man finding one pearl of great price and then selling all that he had in order to purchase that pearl.....

Bible Jewels by Richard Newton

 

 

Ellen G White further explains jewels as people God spends time on....
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/92.366

1. God Spends Time on Jewels—We are God's workmanship. The value of the human agent depends wholly upon the polishing he receives. When the rough stones are prepared for the building, they must be taken into the shop, and hewed and squared. The process is often sharp as the stone is pressed down upon the wheel, but the rough coarseness is being removed, and the lustre begins to appear. The Lord spends not His time upon worthless material; only His jewels are polished after the similitude of a palace. (Letter 27, 1896).

When you consider histories of generations of God’s interactions with man in the world, the work of Jesus coming to this earth from heaven, the death on the cross and the intervention He is carrying out with God for our sakes now,  do we not consider ourselves precious?

 

 

 

WE STUDY ~ 9:30AM

 

Lesson # 11 ~ Deuteronomy in the Later Writings
CLICK HERE

 

Hosea 6:6 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.  

 

Click on the link HERE to hear the audio version of the lesson...

 

 

 

WE GATHER ~ 10:45

 

Announcements  - posted below -Dennis Thomsen

MISSION SPOTLIGHT

Music Ministry  -  Len Blabey and Lauren Blabey

Offering - Adventist Ministries of Compassion Canada

for online giving go to   Online Giving

 

WE WORSHIP ~ 11:00am

Children's Story -
SCRIPTURE:   John 14:18-27 
PRAYER: Dennis Thomsen
SPECIAL MUSIC:  Lauren Blabey ~ Away in a Manger and the Huron Carol

MESSAGE: ~ The Holy Spirit and Me ~  Pastor Kwak

                         Part 2:  I will not leave you as orphans

COMMUNION SERVICE
Closing Song: # 115 - Oh Come Emmanuel  

Closing Prayer - Pastor Kwak

 

 

Sunset tonight - December 11, 4:00pm ~ Sunset Friday, DECEMBER 17, 4:00pm time will stand still for eight days!!!!

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Again our hearts go out to the Shoop-McCreery families as the long battle for life has come to a close for their brother and son Randy Shoop.  Also we pray for Verdell, his wife who will need comforting  in the days to come.

 

With sadness, we wish to announce the passing of our dear older brother Randy Shoop. Funeral services officiated by Michael Harris, Tuesday, December 14th. 12:30 viewing, service 1:00p.m., at the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre Hazelton, B.C… Internment in the 2-Mile cemetery. Potluck finger food tea to follow.

We will be bringing Randy back to Hazelton, from Schraders Funeral Home Tuesday. If you wish to be part of this please be there no later than 10:45 a.m. In respect of his wife and mother, they will be in the first two cars.

Please share this in the community.

The family wishes to thank everyone for their prayers, love and care during this difficult time.

 

 

Communion Sabbath Today December 11, 2021 - Head Elder to deliver emblems as previously done
Church Board Meeting December 13, 7:00 pm Monday by Zoom
 

Address to send Lu a card to make his first Christmas away from Hazelton more special and a little less lonely. His new address is:
Lu Senecal
326-10111 96 St
Grande Prairie AB T8V 1Z8
Canada

Church services are still held in Zoom, please feel free to use the passwords : 761454 Meeting ID: 774 005 1987
Prayer Meeting by Zoom 7:30pm every Wednesday

 

 ADRA  website  that has participated in donating help for flood stranded people at Hope

 

PLEASE have all your announcements in to bev  at email address  adelerin@hotmail.com by Thursday evening  7:00pm  

A NEW POST!

 2021 is about to become 2022

Animals are always better with two.  They marched into the ark two by two.  God created man and woman in two creatures for  companionship.  Where ever two (or three) are gathered there He will be  and there is many more.  I have twin sons.   Here is a list you can turn to.  It is interesting  to note there are two chandeliers in the picture too.

TWO LINK

So this letter is going to be a likeness of the ones i write my kids, hope you like it.  It is to all Ladies and Men if they want to join or listen WOMENS MINISTRY!!

 

Hello Ladies

The year as we all know have brought myriad of disasters and along with it separation and also the heartwarming stories of helping, comfort and support we have for one another.  We are eager to help and create where ever we can.  Our hearts are filled with compassion.  Be it with gifts or writing or prayers. 

This just fills my heart with joy because it all counts and is valued beyond measure. These gifts are the epitome of  Christ and what he puts in us to do in his name.  I find it so amazing.  We may not realize it but looking back at the end of the day we recount the events and there is only two words we can say and that is THANK YOU!  We think of Him and what he has done for us too.  

DEVOTION:  WOW what more can I say to the above link and repeated here:   TWO LINK

I will put my little input here just for addition:   It is a little quote worth repeating as it was in the lesson that we study and also i put it in the bulletin that i have written and here again...... An interesting comment: 

The Bible is a casket containing jewels of inestimable value, which should be so presented as to be seen in their intrinsic luster.  

The Bible is a jewel, We, ladies,  are more precious than jewels as it says in the Bible: 

Proverbs 3:15    She is more precious than jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.

 
So you see you are very important people in the lives of those we meet.  Especially as caregivers/mothers i am beginning to realize that even though there are things we wish we would have done differently, in the end it all works our for the glory of God.  I am so very thankful!!!

RECIPIE:

 

BREAD RECIPIE

I have never seen blue bread before and am bent on trying this sometime because it is made with butterfly pea flower not your ordinary sweet peas but this one here -  LINK HERE

The font above is called Sweet Pea!!

If you want a spread to put on it just use crushed pineapple drained really well.  It is really good and less sugar of course.

CRAFT: 

Retirement has given me time to use up my collection of paper and so i am making cards.  It has been a lot of fun, a little bit of work and best to use the purchased tape i found out.   Some of you have even been the recipient of pictures on facebook of them and also in the mail.  But it is something you can do also.  Ethel in our church makes them as a ministry

Cards it may be in a different language but pictures speak and there are lots of ideas on Pinterest

and yet another craft!!!!  Rock Wrapping     You Tube Video

SONG:

 

Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go...by Cynthia Clawson.....  She was my mothers favorite singer and we would listen for hours whenever I would visit her.  Mom has left many memories that I enjoy now!!  

PRAYER:  

 

God keep my jewel this day from danger;
From tinker and pooka and black-hearted stranger.
From harm of the water, from hurt of the fire.
From the horns of the cows going home to the byre.
From the sight of the television that maybe might change her.
From teasing the donkey when he’s tied to the manger.
From stones that would bruise her, from thorns of the briar.
From evil red berries that wake her desire.
From hunting the gander and vexing the goat.
From the depths o’ sea water by Danny’s old boat.
From cut and from tumble, from sickness and weeping;
May God have my jewel this day in his keeping.
~Winifred Lett (1882-1973) Prayer for a Child

https://barnstorming.blog/2015/05/01/may-god-have-my-jewel-in-his-keeping/

 

CLOSING:

This letter came up in about an hour and that is how God works, He just does things quickly when there is a mind to put Him first and that is what this is and also to inspire not only myself but to you too!!  And there you go - the two too's right there  hahha   Blessings and God be with you all and may your next year be filled with strong impressions from the Holy Ghost and may you find peace from Him in all you do.  

Thank you for reading and thank you for all of you  Amen.

 

International Women's Emphasis Day

 

 

The Woman at the Well

John 4 --  read the whole story here
this story is about the Samaritan Woman who came to the well to find water,  just as I go to the Rock in Two Mile to find water.  Every week I  go and find water pouring from the trough and look up and thank the One who supplies the need that I have.  Perhaps this woman too was searching for water from the  Rock.   She knows He exists.  She knows there is a Saviour but when will He come?   Watch this little video  and hear what she says.  It is a simple act to get water,  but one of trust and need,  faith and for safety on each trip that is made,  this woman makes the same journey to avoid the fear of ridicule in her world. 

She climbs the path to the well every day, going  about the business of filling her jar,  until the Man who was waiting for her speaks.  She does not seem to be afraid of him who is sitting there as she is accustomed to men around her unlike the women she has to deal with every day.  She  speaks  what is on her heart and carries out on the conversation.  Jesus  is searching  her,  initiating communication and tells her who He is!   He was drawn to the well  too,  for water and something within him that drew him to the well for her.  He knows and sees her need and  speaks.
 

 The words of truth that fell from the lips of the divine Teacher stirred the heart of His listener. Never had she heard such sentiments, either from the priests of her own people or the Jews. The impressive teachings of this stranger carried her mind back to the prophecies concerning the promised Christ; for the Samaritans as well as the Jews looked for His coming. “I know that Messias cometh,” said she; “when he is come, he will tell us all things.” Jesus answered, “I that speak unto thee am he.” Blessed woman of Samaria! She had felt during the conference as if in the presence of divinity; now she gladly acknowledged her Lord. She required of Him no miracle, as did the Jews, to prove His divine character. She accepted His assertion, feeling perfect confidence in His words, and not questioning the holy influence that emanated from Him.—The Spirit of Prophecy 2:141-145 (1877). She went forth publishing the news: “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” This woman's testimony converted many to a belief in Christ. Through her report many came to hear Him for themselves and believed because of His own word.—Testimonies for the Church 3:217 (1885).

https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/27.315#329

 As they were conversing,  she observed Him, listening to his gentle words, understanding,  being of one mind to the  gospel  of  creation, relationship, redemption, restoration,  and with honesty agreed  to His claims of her and of Him.  She looked at Him again with new insights and with excitement she forgot about getting her jug full of water but ran with a mission to tell the people she knew of a most amazing person.  Jesus!  He  would  heal them too, just like some of the Jews!!  He had given her grace from all her inhibitions, breaking the barriers of worthlessness, giving her dignity to change.


we wrestle with God  as did jacob  and he had no other way than to resort to God,  his worries got the best of him but God found a way for him to come back to him as He does for the Samaritan woman.  Ask God to find you in your daily walk in life!!!

 

A little bit of history:

Jesus uses Israel's spousal metaphors to describe God's passionate, covenant love for the chosen people. Samaritans had strayed from monotheism and episodically worshipped other gods. Jesus was speaking metaphorically about Samaria's infidelity -- pointing out that Samaria's current "husband" was not a source of living water for the people.
This is because in first century Palestine, a woman could not initiate divorce except in extremely rare circumstances. Therefore the Samaritan woman's five former husbands must have either divorced her or died. This would have spelled disaster for her since women relied on the patriarchal household to survive.

Roman marriage laws stipulated only the freeborn could marry, and then only to another freeborn person. This excluded from legal marriage the millions of freed persons (former slaves) who populated the empire. Living as a concubine could have been the Samaritan woman's only option if she and her "husband" were both freed persons, or if one was freeborn and the other freed.

First, a solitary Samaritan woman approaches Jesus at a public well at the wrong time of day. Since village women normally drew water only at dawn and dusk, a woman appearing alone at noon would have been considered improper. Jesus speaks to her and a lengthy conversation ensues. The woman herself remarks on Jesus' impropriety. Jews disliked and shunned Samaritans and it was considered inappropriate for men to speak to women outside their kinship circles in public.

But Jesus is not deterred.

Second, when Jesus asks the woman to call her husband,  "She went into the village marketplace where all the men are gathered. The narrative does not say 'marketplace,' but from our knowledge of that culture, we would be culturally accurate in imagining males gathered together in an open-air space, such as a marketplace. ..."
The message is clear. The Samaritan woman is as far removed from the proper matrona ideal of Greco-Roman culture as anyone could imagine.

And yet she exhibits remarkable theological acumen sparring with Jesus over where true worship is found. Unlike the respected rabbi, Nicodemus (John 3), who meets secretly with Jesus at night and departs still doubting, the Samaritan woman meets him in broad daylight and departs a true believer. John's Gospel portrays her as the privileged recipient of Jesus' self-revelation as "Messiah" and the great "I Am" hearkening back to Moses pointing to Jesus' oneness with the divine. On her word, "Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him ..." (John 4:39).

For me, the most compelling piece of "good news" in this passage is that the Samaritan woman's search for true worship comes to fruition in her lengthy dialogue with Jesus.
In the encounter not only is she changed, but so is Jesus in that He rejoices one more has found His gospel.

Her joyful embrace of Jesus' teaching slakes his hunger to fulfill God's will "on earth as in heaven." "I have food to eat that you don't know about," says a re-energized Jesus, rejoicing that God's harvest is indeed vast (John 4:32-38).
The woman's search for true worship "in Spirit and in Truth" is at last fulfilled.  The Samaritan woman, she now joins a group of sowers and reapers "gathering crops for eternal life" (John 4:36).

And what about us?
Where do we find true worship?
Where do we gather crops for eternal life?

If Jesus came to your well today, what would he find……

Song:

The Sands of Time:  ACappella song describing the dark times in our life and the hope found in therein.  

References:  All of these just random from on line but still i found some interesting insights.

Clueless preaching about the Samaritan woman misses the point 

 What is Jesus like as a Person

What Was the Significance of the Woman at the Well?

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

 Adventist Women's Ministry Page

RECIPE:

If you are looking for a good drink to have in the evening tonite for the end of Women's Emphasis  Day try this version of Hot Chocolate Vegan Style

 Craft:

WIRE BASKETS - SQUARE

                              - ROUND

 

      CONCLUSION:  the attributes of the woman we met at the well here today, are worthy to follow and to re-access in our own lives every day no matter what age or what our physical appearance is.  Keep on one day at a time and secure this peace that Jesus offers by being open with Him.

                                                So glad you were able to come here and I pray that you will be blest and encouraged.

from me, Bev!

 

 

 

 

MOTHER'S DAY

 

Happy Mother's Day

The words of a song my mother loved.....

When God is near,

with joy my heart is flowing 

The cup of life with gladness overflows

And in the garden of my heart is growing

The power of love more fragrant than

The sweetest rose

 

When God is near

So near I hear Him speak to me

My every need, His boundless grace affords

When God is near

My heart is filled with ecstasy

And all the world's a paradise

When God is near..

And all the world's a paradise...

When God is near.

 

Thru it all ......the ups and downs of life -  I just want to share with you some of the things I have tried to teach in my family of four children,  you can look them up here on line-- some things that mothers... the things we try to instill in our families - success, safety, happiness, salvation.  Its a lot of work and that is why we are celebrating Mothers today!!

 

Lets sit down for some tea and sandwiches before we go on to the next story which carries some intrigue as well!!  

 

 

 

 This is a story I copied from facebook that tells of a woman's life in the mission field.   It had far reaching effects.  

 

THOSE WHO SOW IN TEARS....

In 1921 David and Svea Flood went with their two-year-old son from Sweden to the heart of Africa, to what was then called the Belgian Congo. This missionary couple met up with the Ericksons, another young Scandinavian couple, and the four of them sought God for direction. In those days of much devotion and sacrifice, they felt led of the Lord to set out from the main mission station to take the gospel to the village of N’dolera, a remote area.

This was a huge step of faith.

There, they were rebuffed by the chief, who would not let them enter his town for fear of alienating the local gods. The two couples opted to build their own mud huts half a mile up the slope.

They prayed for a spiritual breakthrough, but there was none. Their only contact with the villagers was a young boy, who was allowed to sell them chickens and eggs twice a week.

Svea Flood—a tiny woman only four feet, eight inches tall—decided that if this was the only African she could talk to, she would try to lead the boy to Jesus. And she succeeded!

Meanwhile, malaria struck one member of the little missionary band after another. In time, the Ericksons decided they had had enough suffering and left to return to the central mission station.

David and Svea Flood remained near N’dolera to carry on alone.

Then, Svea found herself pregnant in the middle of the primitive wilderness. When the time came for her to give birth, the village chief softened enough to allow a midwife to help her. A little girl was born, whom they named Aina. The delivery was exhausting. Svea Flood was already weak from bouts of malaria so the birthing process was a heavy blow to her stamina. She died only 17 days after Aina was born.

Something snapped Inside David Flood at that moment. He dug a crude grave, buried his 27-year-old wife, and then went back down the mountain with his children to the mission station.

Giving baby Aina to the Ericksons, he snarled, “I’m going back to Sweden. I’ve lost my wife, and I obviously can’t take care of this baby. God has ruined my life!”

With that, he headed for the port, rejecting not only his calling, but God Himself.

Within eight months, both the Ericksons were stricken with a mysterious malady and died within days of each other. Baby Aina was then turned over to another American missionary family who changed her Swedish name to “Aggie”. Eventually they took her back to the United States at age three.

This family loved Aggie. Afraid that if they tried to return to Africa some legal obstacle might separate her from them, they decided to stay in their home country and switch from missionary work to pastoral ministry. That is how Aggie grew up in South Dakota.

As a young woman, she attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis. There she met and married Dewey Hurst.

Years passed. The Hursts enjoyed a fruitful ministry. Aggie gave birth first to a daughter, then a son. In time, her husband became president of a Christian college in the Seattle area, and Aggie was intrigued to find so much Scandinavian heritage there.

One day she found a Swedish religious magazine in their mailbox. She had no idea who had sent it, and of course she couldn’t read the words, but as she turned the pages, a photo suddenly stopped her cold.

There, in a primitive setting, was a grave with a white cross—and on the cross were the words SVEA FLOOD.

Aggie got in her car and drove straight to a college faculty member whom she knew could translate the article.

“What does this article say?”

The teacher shared a summary of the story.

"It is about missionaries who went to N’dolera, Africa, long ago. A baby was born. The young mother died. One little African boy was led to Jesus before that. After the whites had all left, the boy all grown up finally persuaded the chief to let him build a school in the village. He gradually won all his students to Christ and the children led their parents to Him. Even the chief became a follower of Jesus! Today there are six hundred believers in that village, all because of the sacrifice of David and Svea Flood."

Aggie was elated!

For the Hursts’ 25th wedding anniversary, the college presented them with the gift of a vacation to Sweden.

Aggie sought out her birth father.

David Flood was an old man now. He had remarried, fathered four more children, and generally dissipated his life with alcohol. He had recently suffered a stroke. Still bitter, he had one rule in his family: “Never mention the name of God! God took everything from me!”

After an emotional reunion with her half-brothers and half-sister, Aggie brought up the subject of her longing to see her father. They hesitated....

“You can talk to him, but he’s very ill now. You need to know that whenever he hears the name of God, he flies into a rage.”

Aggie walked into the squalid apartment, which had liquor bottles strewn everywhere, and slowly approached her 73-year-old father lying in a rumpled bed.

“Papa,” she said tentatively.

He turned and began to cry.

“Aina!"

"I never meant to give you away!”

“It’s all right, Papa,” she replied, taking him gently in her arms.

“God took good care of me.”

Her father instantly stiffened and his tears stopped.

“God forgot all of us. Our lives have been like this because of Him.”

He turned his face back to the wall.

Aggie stroked his face and then continued, undaunted.

“Papa, I’ve got a marvelous story to tell you!"

"You didn’t go to Africa in vain. Mama didn’t die in vain. The little boy you won to the Lord grew up to win that whole village to Jesus! The one seed you planted in his heart kept growing and growing! Today there are 600 people serving the Lord because you were faithful to the call of God in your life!"

"Papa, Jesus loves you. He has never hated you or abandoned us.”

The old father turned back to look into his daughter’s eyes. His body relaxed.

He slowly began to talk.

And by the end of the afternoon, he had come back to the God he had resented for so many years. Over the next few days, father and daughter enjoyed warm moments together. A few weeks after Aggie and her husband returned to America, David Flood died.

And a few years later....

Aggie and her husband were attending an evangelism conference in London, England, when a report was given from Zaire (the former Belgian Congo).

The superintendent of the national church, representing some 110,000 baptized believers, spoke eloquently of the Gospel’s spread in his nation.

Aggie could not help going to ask him afterward if he had ever heard of David and Svea Flood.

“Yes, madam,” the man replied in French, his words being translated into English.

“Svea Flood led me to Jesus Christ! I was the boy who brought food to your parents before you were born. In fact, to this day, your mother’s grave and her memory are honored by all of us.”

He embraced Aggie for a long time, sobbing.

“You must come to Zaire! Your mother is the most famous and honored person in our history.”

When Aggie and her husband went to N’dolera, they were welcomed by cheering throngs of villagers. Aggie even met the man who had been hired by her father to carry her down the mountain in a hammock-cradle.

Then the pastor escorted Aggie to see her mother’s tomb with a white cross bearing her name. She knelt in the soil to pray and give thanks to God.

Later that day, in the church, the boy turned pastor read....

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” Psalm 126:5

 

Read more:

https://www.epm.org/.../Feb/18/story-eternal-perspective/

 

 

As you carry your burdens in this day, know for a certainty that you have friends and family all around,  that Jesus is the only One who carries us thru each step day by day.  Courage Ladies!!!

 

from me

Bev