Where's Brother Jim???????
Greetings Sisters!
I hope this finds you strong in the Lord and trusting in His promises and they are all in Christ:
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20.
Let us not be dismayed:
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
I had to practice this just the other day, let me share a story with you...
A couple days ago we were traveling through Iowa on a dark drizzly day when I asked brother Jim to let me run into a store real quick to get something for the trip. He dropped me off and said he would go over to the gas station next to the store, then come back and park in the parking lot.
So I go inside the store, get what I want and then come back outside. It was still raining out pretty good so I had my head down as I walked through the parking lot to the van and as I got to the door I looked up and tried to get in the door and found it locked. I then looked at the drivers seat and saw brother Jim wasn't in there and his door was locked as well. So I walked to the back of the van to the trailer and saw that was locked so I went back to the van and knocked on it thinking maybe he was in the back of the van. No answer.
Then I thought he might be in the parking lot witnessing to someone so I walked around the lot looking for him. He was nowhere to be found. So I called on the phone but it went to voicemail. I text and got no response. I called, and called and called but no answer. I started to worry because I was thinking 'He wouldn't do this to me, letting me be locked out of the van and not answering the phone. He would have text me to tell me if he was going to be somewhere else, something must be wrong!'
I couldn't believe it....something bad must have happened because my husband doesn't just disappear without letting me know where he was and since I was just in the store so he couldn't be there. I envisioned the police taking him away or him going to witness to someone and they toss him in the back of their vehicle and take off. I pictured all our enemies, those who hate us because we speak the truth and brother Jim is not afraid of speaking the truth bodly, he will not be silenced when it comes to the Word of God.
I walked around in the rain crying for almost a half hour, asking God what I should do now? Just then I saw a police officer come out of the gas station and get in his car and I said 'God if you want me to talk to him, please send him over this way.' Just that second I turned the other way and saw brother Jim walking across the parking lot with a big smile on his face looking at me.
Here I am crying at him telling him 'It's not funny, you scared me'. His face dropped, he didn't realize I was scared that something happened to him.
Apparently he saw an anabaptist type person going into the store and he jumped out of the van and went after him to talk to him about the things of God, leaving the phone in the van. He thought I would have ran into him in the store as I was shopping but I walked out and never saw him.
This is a dark and evil world and being the wife of an evangelist changes the dynamics of a normal life because we are out in the world with all sorts of strange people and keep in mind that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but the spirits:
I hope this finds you strong in the Lord and trusting in His promises and they are all in Christ:
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20.
Let us not be dismayed:
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
I had to practice this just the other day, let me share a story with you...
A couple days ago we were traveling through Iowa on a dark drizzly day when I asked brother Jim to let me run into a store real quick to get something for the trip. He dropped me off and said he would go over to the gas station next to the store, then come back and park in the parking lot.
So I go inside the store, get what I want and then come back outside. It was still raining out pretty good so I had my head down as I walked through the parking lot to the van and as I got to the door I looked up and tried to get in the door and found it locked. I then looked at the drivers seat and saw brother Jim wasn't in there and his door was locked as well. So I walked to the back of the van to the trailer and saw that was locked so I went back to the van and knocked on it thinking maybe he was in the back of the van. No answer.
Then I thought he might be in the parking lot witnessing to someone so I walked around the lot looking for him. He was nowhere to be found. So I called on the phone but it went to voicemail. I text and got no response. I called, and called and called but no answer. I started to worry because I was thinking 'He wouldn't do this to me, letting me be locked out of the van and not answering the phone. He would have text me to tell me if he was going to be somewhere else, something must be wrong!'
I couldn't believe it....something bad must have happened because my husband doesn't just disappear without letting me know where he was and since I was just in the store so he couldn't be there. I envisioned the police taking him away or him going to witness to someone and they toss him in the back of their vehicle and take off. I pictured all our enemies, those who hate us because we speak the truth and brother Jim is not afraid of speaking the truth bodly, he will not be silenced when it comes to the Word of God.
I walked around in the rain crying for almost a half hour, asking God what I should do now? Just then I saw a police officer come out of the gas station and get in his car and I said 'God if you want me to talk to him, please send him over this way.' Just that second I turned the other way and saw brother Jim walking across the parking lot with a big smile on his face looking at me.
Here I am crying at him telling him 'It's not funny, you scared me'. His face dropped, he didn't realize I was scared that something happened to him.
Apparently he saw an anabaptist type person going into the store and he jumped out of the van and went after him to talk to him about the things of God, leaving the phone in the van. He thought I would have ran into him in the store as I was shopping but I walked out and never saw him.
This is a dark and evil world and being the wife of an evangelist changes the dynamics of a normal life because we are out in the world with all sorts of strange people and keep in mind that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but the spirits:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
So, I try to remember to center myself on trusting in the Lord, knowing that whatever happens has to go through our Father, and if someone takes out my husband I need to know that it's all in God's hands and He will take care of me. Well, the other day was a stark reminder that I had not been preparing well enough for this and I need to do better but we are now back in Wisconsin for a bit and I'm thankful for this time 'in the wilderness' to fortify myself in the Lord and get ready for what's ahead:-)
Let us all remember this:
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
And fully trust in our Father:
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. Psalm 112:7
I really love this life in Christ because all these things that happen are used by God to refine us, how awesome is that!
So anyway sisters, cherish the day you have and those you have with you, giving thanks unto the Lord for all things.
Have a joyous day!
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...