Learn it!

I'm coming to the conclusion that the more we know, the more there is to learn. I know this isn't a new thought, but for some reason it feels new to me right now. 

I remember years ago, praying to be used by God. Didn't have a job in mind when I started praying this, cuz I wanted to be open to God and what He had for me. So He put me in the soup kitchen. I thought at first this was a crazy mistake, but I went with it. The best job I have ever had! During this time my husband (pre-Preacher man), got his calling to go into full-time ministry. Again, I thought this was a crazy mistake. The best place, school, and learning we could have ever received! 

Now, we find ourselves in the wilderness and it's got to be a mistake! How can we work for God like this? It's dry and lonely and cold and lonely and did I say lonely? 

I'm learning that God is still God and I am still one of His beloved, but I'm at a new and different place with Him. It's hard because I haven't been here before so I don't know what I suppose to do. I've had people tell me pride goes before the fall that have no idea what we're going through. As much as I want to answer that with my words of wisdom straight from the 8th grade, I don't. So this morning, you know what this silent God showed me?

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

but the Lord tests the heart.

~Proverbs 17:3

So, no matter where you find yourself today, know that God is calling you to more. More of Him. It will be or is, difficult. Know that to begin with. When God calls you to more, it's not a cake walk, it's a narrow path but it leads to Him.

Press on! Let the crucible your in burn away the flux that holds you back from being more. Let the fire of the furnace be turned up so that the glory of God shines right through you! And remember that the Lord tests the heart. 

Peace Out!

Oasis in the Valley!

Libby Landing on the Little Red

We have decided to call this place Oasis in the Valley, what do you think? Our reasoning is pretty simple; the name of our Non-profit is Oasis Ministries in Arkansas and we are living in the Valley. (It makes me think that rocket science can't be all that hard! Or is it brain surgery?) It's a lot shorter than Oasis Ministries in Arkansas on the Little Red River in the Valley! I'm lost just writing that much down!

Preacher man is out with Dad getting a load of firewood. We are going to have a few days of crazy cold weather for Arkansas, like lows in the 7's! So I informed the birds they needed to eat up and that I would not forget to put out the black seeds that they love so much! The weather service said we might receive some snow. I loved reading this, "Temperatures are expected to drop quickly and be significantly colder than this area has experienced in several years." Oh yeah, yet again the Workman's bring dramatic weather wherever we go!

When we moved from Rogers to Sherwood, the church didn't have anywhere to store their lovely furniture, so we had to sell ours. Hence, we now have make shift furniture. The pillows you see to the right is the couch. We have lawn chairs we are also using and when we have friends over, the chairs give the place a "I still live in a frat house" feel!

Needless to say, we are making progress on the unpacking and settling in. I just have to stop doing it ever now and then or I'm going to give away everything that doesn't fit in a place!

There have been interviews and chalk tests, yet we still feel God calling us to ministry. Do we know what it looks like yet? No, not really, but we know who does! All we can really do is pray and walk through the doors that He opens. We know something special will be happening here at Oasis in the Valley and we look forward to that with great expectation!

Through all of this the one constant has been God with us! Emmanuel! It was the only way to get us out of the UMC so that we could be in real, true ministry. Truly, God called us out! We are at a place where our faith is growing and becoming deep. We are learning that good things do come to those who wait on God.

So if you need a place to go and BE, you are welcome here at Oasis in the Valley, aka Alex and Kim's place. We'll keep the fire going for you and feed you some homemade soup. 

Peace Out! 

Burn Baby Burn!

Holy Moly Batman!!!

I don't say that lightly! Sometimes it's Wow! Today, I believe it's both for me. Almost a Beatcha-by-golly-wow! I just gotta say, Jesus is the only way!

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver ~ Malachi 3:3

Can I get a witness? 

Preacher man and I are going through the fire. Not against each other, more like as a couple, which means it's getting pretty stinken hot around here. I opened up a devo book that I had laid down sometime ago, and Malachi was the scripture it had for today. Then it went on to say these words.

Our Father, who seeks to perfect His saints in holiness, knows the value of the refiner's fire. It is with the most precious metals that a metallurgist will take the greatest care. He subjects the metal to a hot fire, for only the refiner's fire will melt the metal, release the dross, and allow the remaining, pure metal to take a new and perfect shape in the mold.

A good refiner never leaves the crucible but, as the above verse indicates, "will sit" down by it so the fire will not become even one degree too hot and possibly harm the metal. And as soon as he skims the last bit of dross from the surface and sees his face reflected in the pure metal, he extinguishes the Fire. 

~ Pierson 

We are that precious metal. God is the refiner and He knows what He's doing. It is for our good and His glory that the dross (a waste product taken off molten metal during smelting) must come out. It's out junk, waste matter, refuse. It's so much a part of us that it takes a really hot fire to bring it to the surface so that it can be skimmed off. Without the fire, well, it stays right where it is. 

Do you know people who hold on to their bitterness like it was a precious metal? I have been holding on to my dross for dear life, but today, I'm done with it. God is refining me for more and I had forgotten that. The enemy of my soul had me blinded and preoccupied but no more. I remember it's Gods hand that holds me here and He is looking at me, expecting to see His reflection and I do not want to disappoint Him.