Beyond Blessings
Yes, Bus 5 held it's own and maintained it's #1 status with only 31 on the bus yesterday. We had two first time visitors. One visitor was a little 5 year old step brother to some of the girls that have been coming for about a month. His dad was very concerned about him staying with his sister for fear that he would panic alone. That little one was so excited about coming and he did VERY well with or without that sister. He wants to come back and this time go to his own class.
The other visitor was a third grade girl that lives across the street from a brother and sister(1st grade & 3rd grade) duo that have been coming now for several months. She is only in the neighborhood every other weekend due to divorce. She was also very excited about coming. I challenged our bus rider to teach her all the songs on Saturday so she would know them when she got on. Evidently she took my advice because the little visitor kept saying, "Mrs. Cozart, when are we going to sing?"
I usually don't start singing until we have everyone on the bus. That is because I can not do two things at once. The kids really do love to sing
The most exciting part was when the invitation began and I saw the door open and in walked the third grade girl who had brought the visitor. She had asked Jesus into her heart. She is such a sweetie, very outgoing and dramatic. I love that kind. You know the ones. Their eyes just dance and if you tell a story or if you talk directly to them they hang on your every word. When she and her brother get on the bus, it is quiet no longer.
I was prepared yesterday because one of the girls told me on Saturday that her boyfriend(7th grade) was going to ride with her on Sunday. So, I thought about what I should say and what rules I should make. The kids have no one teaching them the truth about what God wants in that area.
Do you ever think about how we are bombarded on every side with Satan's plan in the area of intimacy? It is heart breaking to have children get on the bus and brag that there are several children in their family and they all have different fathers. I wonder why they would brag unless some mother has tried to justify her actions by insinuating that is because she is so desirable.
So, I had it planned. I wanted to tell those girls that the fact that they could get attention from the opposite sex was not a great accomplishment. In fact, if they could keep it from happening, they were doing a much greater thing. Oh, I had it all lined out in my mind....you know....how sex is from God and it is a beautiful thing and His plan for it is best. They just don't know these things. No one is telling them!!!
As it turned out, the boyfriend didn't get on the bus BUT would you believe there were four girls that were so excited about the one teen boy that has been riding for years. (I have mentioned Kyle. He is a blessing to me. He has remained faithful and though I know he is not all God wants him to be I do sense a desire in his heart to be right.)
Before it was over, I took the four girls to the back of the bus, as they were the last ones to be delivered, so we separated from the bus driver and I gave my talk...or rather, TRIED to give my talk. I am amazed at what these children think. One was not even going to sit and listen because it makes her sick. I don't know what she thought I was going to say. I was very careful with my words and did not go into it deeply at all. I only tried to give them some basis for understanding God's plan of one man for one woman.
Of course, there were questions about their parent's actions. It is so hard to explain to them that God loves their parents but their parents have made some bad choices. Trying to explain to them that the choices ALWAYS have consequences and that is why there is so much heartache in their lives. Each one of them have experienced no father in their home, different men in their lives, a sense of unimportance and insecurity.
My heart is burdened to know how to reach this generation of kids with the plain teaching of scripture. They are surrounded with movies and TV and video games and sex education in school. One of the girls told me that they have meetings in school where they have to watch a video of a couple having sex. I am horrified by that!!!!! On top of that the girls also said that the school passes out condoms to all. Doesn't that make you mad when they have stopped allowing Gideon bibles to be passed out!! What hope do we have of a godly nation in the future? It is my prayer that God will allow me to have a part in these few lives and that they will trust God to make them godly women and challenge others to do the same. There is such pressure on our children today!
The last few weeks I have been so tired during church services that I can hardly keep my eyes open. I hate feeling like that. I know I am missing a blessing but I am having to take Ibuprofen to deal with my neck pain which makes me sleepy when I sit still.
We had our annual Missions Conference this past week and it was a blessing. Dr. Greg Baker preached some really good messages about Faith Promise giving. We had four missionary families and voted to support all of them.
Well, this week will be busy. Today, I have to take grandma to the doctor and tomorrow we will have our mid-week church service. Wednesday I have my regular hair cut and color. Then Thursday Casey and Maleah and Ryan will be coming over for Thanksgiving. We look forward to that.
A verse that stood out to me today is in II Chronicles 14:11. Good King Asa was doing what was right and good in the sight of the Lord and trying to restore the kingdom back to God. Involved in that were wars. There will always be wars in our life if we are going to live for the Lord because there will always be our sinful nature and the vicious attacks of Satan to try to distract us. Listen to Asa!
"And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee."
Lord, we truly do rest on Thee today, knowing that our strength is weak and our battles are too much to bear. Please keep our eyes on you and forgive us when we sink into the pit of self pity and despair! We love you, Lord for all you have done, giving up your glory to submit to the hands of mere man. Thank you for being willing to do that so that I could have eternal life. Amen
The other visitor was a third grade girl that lives across the street from a brother and sister(1st grade & 3rd grade) duo that have been coming now for several months. She is only in the neighborhood every other weekend due to divorce. She was also very excited about coming. I challenged our bus rider to teach her all the songs on Saturday so she would know them when she got on. Evidently she took my advice because the little visitor kept saying, "Mrs. Cozart, when are we going to sing?"
I usually don't start singing until we have everyone on the bus. That is because I can not do two things at once. The kids really do love to sing
The most exciting part was when the invitation began and I saw the door open and in walked the third grade girl who had brought the visitor. She had asked Jesus into her heart. She is such a sweetie, very outgoing and dramatic. I love that kind. You know the ones. Their eyes just dance and if you tell a story or if you talk directly to them they hang on your every word. When she and her brother get on the bus, it is quiet no longer.
I was prepared yesterday because one of the girls told me on Saturday that her boyfriend(7th grade) was going to ride with her on Sunday. So, I thought about what I should say and what rules I should make. The kids have no one teaching them the truth about what God wants in that area.
Do you ever think about how we are bombarded on every side with Satan's plan in the area of intimacy? It is heart breaking to have children get on the bus and brag that there are several children in their family and they all have different fathers. I wonder why they would brag unless some mother has tried to justify her actions by insinuating that is because she is so desirable.
So, I had it planned. I wanted to tell those girls that the fact that they could get attention from the opposite sex was not a great accomplishment. In fact, if they could keep it from happening, they were doing a much greater thing. Oh, I had it all lined out in my mind....you know....how sex is from God and it is a beautiful thing and His plan for it is best. They just don't know these things. No one is telling them!!!
As it turned out, the boyfriend didn't get on the bus BUT would you believe there were four girls that were so excited about the one teen boy that has been riding for years. (I have mentioned Kyle. He is a blessing to me. He has remained faithful and though I know he is not all God wants him to be I do sense a desire in his heart to be right.)
Before it was over, I took the four girls to the back of the bus, as they were the last ones to be delivered, so we separated from the bus driver and I gave my talk...or rather, TRIED to give my talk. I am amazed at what these children think. One was not even going to sit and listen because it makes her sick. I don't know what she thought I was going to say. I was very careful with my words and did not go into it deeply at all. I only tried to give them some basis for understanding God's plan of one man for one woman.
Of course, there were questions about their parent's actions. It is so hard to explain to them that God loves their parents but their parents have made some bad choices. Trying to explain to them that the choices ALWAYS have consequences and that is why there is so much heartache in their lives. Each one of them have experienced no father in their home, different men in their lives, a sense of unimportance and insecurity.
My heart is burdened to know how to reach this generation of kids with the plain teaching of scripture. They are surrounded with movies and TV and video games and sex education in school. One of the girls told me that they have meetings in school where they have to watch a video of a couple having sex. I am horrified by that!!!!! On top of that the girls also said that the school passes out condoms to all. Doesn't that make you mad when they have stopped allowing Gideon bibles to be passed out!! What hope do we have of a godly nation in the future? It is my prayer that God will allow me to have a part in these few lives and that they will trust God to make them godly women and challenge others to do the same. There is such pressure on our children today!
The last few weeks I have been so tired during church services that I can hardly keep my eyes open. I hate feeling like that. I know I am missing a blessing but I am having to take Ibuprofen to deal with my neck pain which makes me sleepy when I sit still.
We had our annual Missions Conference this past week and it was a blessing. Dr. Greg Baker preached some really good messages about Faith Promise giving. We had four missionary families and voted to support all of them.
Well, this week will be busy. Today, I have to take grandma to the doctor and tomorrow we will have our mid-week church service. Wednesday I have my regular hair cut and color. Then Thursday Casey and Maleah and Ryan will be coming over for Thanksgiving. We look forward to that.
A verse that stood out to me today is in II Chronicles 14:11. Good King Asa was doing what was right and good in the sight of the Lord and trying to restore the kingdom back to God. Involved in that were wars. There will always be wars in our life if we are going to live for the Lord because there will always be our sinful nature and the vicious attacks of Satan to try to distract us. Listen to Asa!
"And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee."
Lord, we truly do rest on Thee today, knowing that our strength is weak and our battles are too much to bear. Please keep our eyes on you and forgive us when we sink into the pit of self pity and despair! We love you, Lord for all you have done, giving up your glory to submit to the hands of mere man. Thank you for being willing to do that so that I could have eternal life. Amen
posted by momlinda1945 | 7:49 AM
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