Warning** Do Not Do the following or allow your children to do this!
Frazzled, shaken, unstable, wobbly and obviously fluffed! This is what my poodle Angel looked like after coming out of the dryer. Not the blow dryer either! When I was a young girl I had two brothers Doug and Keith. Keith decided one day that he was going to give Angel a little ride in the dryer. He did have mercy and put the dryer on fluff. It wasn’t long, but long enough that when she came out after her ride, that she stumbled around like a wobbly newborn deer. All she wanted was to get her balance back!
Have you ever felt like that? I know I have!
Maybe it was the trauma or she was just a little strange but she never seemed to ever get her nerve back. Every time she would see Keith or get near the dryer she would start to shake. Obviously Keith felt bad, and so I had to forgive him and show him mercy.
It’s been a while since I’ve thought about Angel. but, As I listened to the message in church this morning I realized like Keith, we all do things that sometimes we regret. Like Israel we get caught in situations where we either lose our way or we stumble and shake and lose our nerve. In this case Micah was called to share with the people how they had forgotten all the wonderful things He had done and they got caught up in their own delights, or as in Angel’s case, her own bad experience.
“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say.
“Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel.”
Micah 6:1-2
The religious priests were the worst! Instead of pointing them to the only one who could save, deliver and heal them, they were telling the people what they wanted to hear in order to increase the offerings in the temple. Does this sound familiar in our pluralistic, self-centered and abusive society?
Justice – Hebrew word Mishpat “The way prescribed, rightful action.”
Mercy – Hebrew word Chesed “Kindness, goodness, loyal deeds, compassion.”
God is so relentless in His pursuit of us. He sent Micah to tell the people the truth. They had taken the wrong road and were pursuing things other than things that were unrighteous and deceitful. They had become cold, uncaring for the less fortunate, mean and arrogant.
There are times when I find myself in situations where if I’m not careful I begin to do and say the wrong things. I don’t set a good example of justice and mercy. In my mind, I can put people in the dryer and intenionally turn the temperature to high heat.
God wants us to be humble and upright before Him. He wants us to exhibit His character and to help those in need, the widows, the orphans, the backslidden and distressed. He wants us to love our enemies and not expect anything in return. The amazing thing about God is that He knows we can’t do this on our own. So when we come to Him and ask Him for help, He is faithful to supply and empower us with His love. This is what Micah was trying to get through to the people.
“God opposes the proud but shows favor tothehumble.”
I’m sure some of us can say, can’t believe this happened to me! Our world gets rocked and shaken. We are trembling, fearful, and weary. We are out of balance and maybe we can’t even think straight. We need to help one another to get back on God’s track. We need each other.
God has got us! He is pursuing us relentlessly, no matter what. The enemy is defeated and there is no way he can overcome us if we abide in Jesus.
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. 19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.
As I pulled down the storage shed door, “I wondered if I would ever see any of my belongings which held so many precious memories – again?”
This is what it must have felt like for the early missionaries who packed their belongings in their coffins and said Goodbye to family members, heirlooms, friends, etc.
Not only did I say goodbye to stuff that day, very soon I would say goodbye to my sons, their wives and my grandchildren. I was off to Alaska – The Last Frontier!I remember the moment years ago when I sang so emphatically:
“Lord, here I am send me to the nations.” Little did I know that would be to many nations– all in one state!
Alaska Facts You could fit Florida in to Alaska 10 times! One-fifth the size of the Lower 48, Alaska is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined.
Alaska is also far-flung: 5.3 times wider (east to west) and 3.2 times taller (north to south) than Florida. From north to south, Alaska measures 1420 miles, the distance from Denver to Mexico City, and east to west 2500 miles, the distance from Savannah, GA to Santa Barbara, CA. Florida has 262 times more people per square mile.
If Florida’s population density were the same as Alaska’s, only 64,996 people would live in Florida rather than 17,019,068 (based on 2003 data). Alaska has 8 times as much inland water (in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers) as Florida. In fact, Alaska has 3 million lakes over twenty acres big. Alaska has more than 50% of the entire U.S. coastline, or 6,640 miles. Florida has 1,350 miles of coastline!
On numerous occasions when I shut storage doors; I knew that someday I would return, unpack and set up a home where food, fun, Bible studies and laughter would eventually be shared again with family and friends. The past few years in Pensacola have been joyfully shared with family and dear friends, however I was never able to unpack and set up camp.
It has been a little like the Israelites in the wilderness. The Israelites had to move on when the cloud by day or the fire by night prompted them to follow. So in planning for this change, I felt a shift as I shut the door – it was different. All of the makings of a home; furniture, dishes, sheets, blankets, curtains, decorative pillows and cooking utensils were now gone and I feel a new season ahead! As my friend Debby calls it, “You are a tramp (I prefer the word “traveler”) for the Lord!”
I am also saying goodbye to family, friends, my church home, and a climate that is very palatable year round. The comforting peace of the Lord has helped me through the emotional – letting go of these precious moments in order to say;
“Yes, Lord, I’ll go…. Send Me! I’m excited to meet and greet my new friends and family!
The nostalgia of this moment reminds me of the words to the song Elvis would sing, “Memories pressed between the pages of my mind.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord say to me,
“It’s enough.”
I questioned, “Your grace?” He said,
“Yes, My Grace is enough but Jesus’ sacrifice is enough to carry you on through the next season, rest in Me and in the provision, purpose and power that I will provide for you.”
“I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their minds I will write them,” Hebrews 10:16b
HE HAS ALREADY PREPARED THE HEARTS AHEAD!
Jesus sacrifice contains the provision and the grace for what I need for the journey ahead.
A few months ago I received two very confirming words:
1) I would be a mother to the nations, and
2) I would be fully satisfied finding the treasures God had planted in the people and the path ahead. Isaiah 54:11b-12 says;
I’ve been asked several times from friends and family… What is a crisis and trauma care missionary and how will live?
What is a missionary? mis·sion·ar·y ˈmiSHəˌnerē/
We are all called to “GO” – The Word Missionary is not a scriptural word, but is used to explain how the disciples and others followed Jesus’ command to “Go” and make disciples. As a believer and disciple of Christ, we are all under the same mandate. The method of our “going” may look different, but whether it is here in America or a foreign field, the mandate to share the gospel, teach God’s Word, and equip or mentor others is the same!
“The Lord Jesus did not express His commission as a desire or a wish or a premonition of what might happen in the future. He spoke it as a command. He ordered, “Go . . . make disciples . . . baptizing . . . teaching”. These words were not an option to be considered among other options by those to whom He spoke. He here was presenting His marching orders for His disciples which were to be obeyed, no matter what the result might be. And failure to obey these orders would rightly bring into question whether one truly was a follower of this Master.” David Merck: Pastor
Missionary – noun
a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a missionary or a religious mission.
“missionary work”
So, my commission is to go where God says to go and do what He tells me to do. This is a daily, hourly and even sometime minute by minute process. Crisis and trauma strikes when we least expect it, or even sometimes in the middle of great men and women of God who are working hard to follow God themselves.
It is important working in the midst of caring, to self-care. Please pray that I will take my own advice! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers!
For those who are interested in supporting us financially, whether monthly or one time donation, here are some information on how to do that: One Time and Recurring Monthly Donations Online: www.give.gme.org and search Marlene Hoenig Mailed Donations: can be sent to Globe International at PO Box 3040 Pensacola, FL 32506 Notated for “Marlene Hoenig Missions” *Checks also made out to Globe International *Tax Deductible
Thank you again for all of your support
Marlene
Cinderella Released
from ashes to beauty….to declare His glory!
When I was in Kenya last year and ministering with Pastor Laban and Pastor Mary Johnson from Voice for Jesus Ministries, I observed one thing about several of the pastors and ministers there. They all encouraged one another and came out to support a visiting pastor or minister. The “team spirit” was very strong. Whether you are part of a mission, evangelistic, crisis & trauma care team, or belong to a team in your church. These thoughts and tips can help!
Some beginning thoughts about being on a team…
It’s like being in a marriage – it takes being comitted to one another.
Financial problems will be one area the enemy trys to divide your team.
Cultural adjustments must be recognized and not judged as being right or wrong.
Ripe fields only come through fertile ground. Creating fertile ground takes teamwork!
Why do people quit a team?
Impatience on waiting for results or God to move.
Inability to adapt to culture – a desire to remain in a bubble.
Lack of fruitfulness.
Be careful of the vows you make.
“God doesn’t care.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Teams take patience and perseverance. A dreamer doesn’t persevere, but a visionary perseveres till the end. Quotes from L. M. Montgomery – Anne of Green Gables… that will help you to have a healthy and happy team.
“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
“True friends are always together in spirit. (Anne Shirley)”
“Oh, it’s delightful to have ambitions. I’m so glad I have such a lot. And there never seems to be any end to them– that’s the best of it. Just as soon as you attain to one ambition you see another one glittering higher up still. It does make life so interesting.”
“Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.”
In closing, if you want a healthy and successful team… remember the “e” in team includes “everyone.” There is no “I” in team….
