Spirit Lead Me

Hillsong recently came out with a great song called “Oceans.” The chorus of the song says, “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of savior.”

That’s an excellent chorus and I think it has a lot of different meanings to many different people. As a Bible college student training for a life in ministry, at first it meant to me that I was asking that God would lead me wherever he wanted to in the context of ministry. It meant that if he wanted me to be a Bible smuggler in China and do crazy things out of my comfort zone, that I would do it. And that can certainly be one meaning of the song.

But recently the song has taken on a deeper meaning to me. Now it is not only a pray for God to lead me wherever there is ministry to be done, but it is a prayer for God to lead me wherever life in general takes me. And no matter what storm may come my way, I will continue to trust in him and have my faith be strengthened because of it. It has become a prayer for my life, not just for ministry.

When I sing this song now, I’m telling God that I will follow him into the unknown areas of life and I will trust him even when there seems to be waves crashing all around me. I will step out of that boat, onto the waters, to follow Jesus and put my trust in him alone even when the storm rages on in the background.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, if that means leading me into a new season of life where I remain in the same place but most of my friends move on, let it be. I trust in you. If that means going back to my home town where life is harder to manage and a little lonely, let it be. If that means surrendering my family’s health to you and remembering that you are eternal even when are not, let it be. If that means fulfilling a role that requires people to dislike me so I can be able to help even one, let it be. If that means being exhausted because of serving you, let it be.

Lead me wherever I must go to learn to trust you and rely on you more. Lead me wherever your divine and perfect will would have me go. Let me step out of that boat of comfort and stability, and have the faith to follow you to the scary places. Let me have the faith to step out of the boat onto the stormy seas so that I will learn to call upon your name instead of focusing on the waves.

And as a result, my faith will be made stronger. I will get to know you on a deeper level. I am yours, and you are mine. Spirit lead me through the trials of life, across those stormy seas, and use it to bring me closer to you. I will trust in you.

Oceans isn't just about Isaiah 6:8, "Here I am, Lord send me." It's also about, James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Trusting God's Sovereignty- Ecclesiastes 11:5

I started a media ministry with the intention of reaching people using social media back in July 2012. I recently started sending out a daily verse and message as a branch of that ministry and this was the verse and message for today.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”

"Possibly one of the most difficult things to do in life is trust in God’s sovereignty when life seems crazy. But this verse is telling us that we cannot understand the works of God because his ways are so high above our ways. When your life is faced with tragedy or hard times, the last thing we naturally want to remember is that God is control. But while it is hard to remember, it is also the main thing that can give us peace! The God that holds the universe is also holding your life and cares about you. And while he might guide you down crazy paths that make no sense, he is in control. The fact is that God can see the big picture that we cannot, and he has a plan and a purpose for every twist and turn he takes us down in life. So when God starts to do things that you are having a hard time understanding, remember this verse. God is the maker of all things, he chooses the path that the wind takes and formed you in your mother’s womb. Even when you can’t understand what he is doing, he is good. Rest in that assurance today."

It’s so cool to see how often God ministers to you as you minister to others. Because I needed this message just as much as the people I sent it to do. It is so good to remember that even when life is uncertain, crazy, makes no sense, or is all over the place… God is still good. He is the maker of all things and he is in control of life’s craziness. He may lead us into things we cannot handle but only because of his beautiful design and only so we turn back to him for help. It is such a blessing to know that the same God who created and maintains the universe, is also the manager of my life. And in that knowledge, there is peace. Praise God.

By the way, if you’d like to receive a daily Bible message like this, send me an e-mail at openconnectionsmm@gmail.com and I’ll add you to my list!

CEF Greater Pittsburgh Support Letter 2014

Dear Friends and Family,                        

Not many college students are able to have jobs they love. But I have been so blessed to be able to work in ministry as a part time job while I prepare for a lifetime career in ministry. After two summers of working with Child Evangelism Fellowship in 2008 and 2010, God brought CEF back into my life in January 2013. I was hired part time with CEF of Greater Broome County, New York have enjoyed working there during the school year. Through working with CEF again, God has re-ignited a passion for working in children’s ministry. This summer, God has opened a door for me to work with CEF of Greater Pittsburgh as the Summer Ministries Coordinator.

I am very excited to tackle this job and see what big things God has in store for the summer of 2014 with CEF Greater Pittsburgh! Child Evangelism Fellowship is an international children’s ministry. I love CEF because their ministries are intentional about taking the gospel into the communities, not just waiting for lost people to come to the church. During the summer, CEF’s main ministry is 5-Day Clubs, which is similar to a small-scale vacation Bible school. A 5-Day Club includes memory verses, Bible lessons, songs, missionary stories, games, and a gospel presentation. CEF recruits and trains summer missionaries to spend the summer leading local neighborhood children at these 5-Day Clubs. As the Summer Ministries Coordinator, I will be making contacts and scheduling 5-Day Clubs at various locations around the Greater Pittsburgh area. I’ll be in charge of coordinating and leading the summer missionaries. This will include helping them as they complete their training and guiding them in their ministry during the summer.

There are three ways you can help me in my ministry with CEF in the Greater Pittsburgh area this summer. The first way is by praying for me. Reaching children for Christ in the Pittsburgh area is a big job! I am not going into this blindly and am anticipating that it may be a challenging summer. More importantly than anything, I need you to lift me up in prayer this summer as I serve in ministry in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

Secondly, if you live in the Greater Pittsburgh area, you can help me by giving me any leads on possible locations for 5-Day Clubs. My goal for the summer is to have clubs as many different areas in the Greater Pittsburgh area as possible. We can hold a 5-Day Club pretty much anywhere they will let us: homes, backyards, parks, churches, youth centers, etc. We are even willing to partner with churches in a VBS setting. If you have any ideas for a good place to hold a 5-Day Club or are willing to host one, please get in touch with me as soon as possible.

Thirdly, you can support me financially. Being the Summer Ministries Coordinator is my summer job. Since I am also a full-time college student, a majority of my income for the year comes from working full time during the summer. I am stepping out in faith and trusting that the income I need for paying other bills will come even though I’ll be working in ministry. The CEF Greater Pittsburgh chapter has committed $1500 for the position. But I have the opportunity to match that salary by raising support so I can earn more for my work this summer. I know that times are tough, but I would ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting me financially this summer. I have found in my own life, that even when I did not feel like I had money to spare but gave willingly back to God, he was always faithful to provide for me. I am sure God will do the same in your life. I need to raise support by May 31. Any support that comes after that will go towards general ministry funds for the summer.  If you are willing to support me financially this summer, please make your check payable to:  CEF of Greater Pittsburgh and indicate "5-Day Club Coordinator Support" on the memo line.  Checks should be mailed to: CEF of Greater Pittsburgh, Box 122, Wexford, PA  15090.

Thank you in advance for any way you are able to partner in this ministry to children in the Greater Pittsburgh area this summer. Please be sure to let me know if you are supporting me through prayer. I want to keep you up to date on the events of the summer if you are going to support me in any way. I will likely be blogging throughout the summer to keep you all up to date on what God is doing! Thank you!

Blessings,

Lindsey Sutton

Matthew 19:14 “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”

Forever Faithful

When the world around me changes,

You are faithful and never will.

When my life is but shifting sand,

You are my solid rock, standing still.

When people may enter my life,

You are the one that has been forever.

When people may move on or go,

You are my constant, forsaking me never.

You remain. You are good. You will never change.

Faithful one, forever love, you will stay the same.

When beautiful lives enter the world,

You are the wonderful, sovereign creator.

When beautiful lives may exit the world,

You are in control, you are still greater.

When I have the heart to laugh and sing,

You are the one that gave me a song.

When my heart breaks and tears may come,

You are the one I’ll still praise all along.

You remain. You are good. You will never change.

Faithful one, forever love, you will stay the same.

When life is smooth and good times flow,

You are great, the giver of all good things.

When life is hard and trials come,

You are still good, the giver of many blessings.

You remain. You are good. You will never change.

Faithful one, forever love, you will stay the same.

"A Little Broken" Explained

I recently wrote a poem titled, “A Little Broken.” I felt like it needed a little more explanation, so here’s the explanation.

This issue with the church has been on my heart a lot lately. I hate that Christians feel like we need to put on a show for the other believers around us. I’m not just talking about putting on a mask and pretending to be perfect, though this is along those lines. But we play the role of being so perfect so well that we will even try to deny that we want to sin. How shameful it is to admit that we are human and have desires to do things that displease God! We trick ourselves into believing that we can’t admit to our flaws, and we especially can’t admit that we sometimes actually WANT to sin. We’re supposed to be perfect right? We’re supposed to put on a show and pretend that we never want to displease God and we only want to live for him.

That lie is destroying the church. The more we deny the fact that we are broken, the more broken we are becoming. Because we are too proud to admit our desire to sin, and try to hide it so we are not judged by others in the body of Christ, we are more prone to fall into sin. What if we got over ourselves? What if we stopped judging each other? What if we admitted the sins we commit and even the sins we want to commit? What if we put it all on the table and started holding each other accountable and helping each other instead? Then the church would actually be doing what it was supposed to be doing all along!

God never wanted the church to be a building for people to come into and pretend to be perfect. He wanted it to be a place where sinners (you know those prostitutes and tax collectors that Jesus hung out with?) can come and admit their brokenness. Not so we can be proud of our brokenness but so we can admit it to each other and find help! So that we can admit that we are broken so that then we can begin a healing process. But how can we begin to heal if we are too ashamed to admit we are broken in the first place.

 
I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I go to church regularly. I am tired of this masquerade the church is putting on. I am a sinner. I still struggle with desires to sin. But I am tired of denying that. It’s time the church learns to be able to admit that. Then maybe other broken people won’t feel like they have to fix their lives before they come to Jesus. I am convinced that the church will continue to be handicapped in our fulfillment of the great commission until we learn to be open about our brokenness with each other.