Welcome to Holland / Mrs Charissa Andrews

 

Mrs Charissa Andrews

Pastor's Wife

Amazing Grace Baptist Church

O'Fallon, MO

 

"Welcome to Holland"

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sure most of you, if not all, have already read this little allegory. But I ask you to read it again. 

 

c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved 

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...... 

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. 

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." 

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." 

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. 

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. 

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. 

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. 

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." 

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. 

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland. 

  

I recently took a trip to Holland with my very dear friend. We're still here, in Holland. We are still attempting to find our footing and gather our wits. The wind still feels like it has been knocked out of us on some days. We are having to learn and use words we never had to before. The scenery is completely different than what we are used to. Sound familiar? It's not the first time I've taken a trip to Holland. It probably won't be the last time, either. As a matter of fact, I believe we have all been to Holland. Each and every one of us. Oh, maybe not specifically with a child that has special needs. Perhaps your Holland was losing a spouse at a much too early age. It could have been a medical diagnosis: epilepsy, autism, diabetes, heart disease,maybe the big 'C' word. It could be that your Holland journey started when your church went through a horrific split. Your Holland could have come by way of false accusations. I know several ladies that have found themselves in Holland because of a child rebelling and running from the Lord. You know the feeling. You shake your head in disbelief, look around and wonder, “How did this happen? This must just be a bad dream. This isn't the way we planned.” 

 

When you find yourself in Holland, here are some things to remember. 

 

Allow yourself some time to grieve. It is completely normal and human to grieve what feels like broken dreams. It doesn't make you less spiritual. It doesn't mean you don't have enough faith. It doesn't mean you don't trust God and His wisdom. It means you are human. Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” 

 

Journal, journal, journal. God is going to teach you things about yourself, life, others, Himself...things that you will never ever be able to learn anywhere else. Not in Italy, Germany, France or even Hawaii. You are never, ever in Holland “just because”. There is always a purpose for everything that God does or allows. There are other wives, husbands, teens, pastor's wives, best friends, single moms, and children out there that will need what you have learned. Keeping a journal also helps you to see and recognize the milestones, the victories, and the miracles that will happen during your stay in Holland. So often we write our hurts in cement, we don't forget about them easily. Yet we tend to write the miracles and the blessings in the sand. Use a journal to be a shining testimony of God's faithfulness. 

 

Find you a promise!!! 

 Every promise in the Book is mine 

 Every chapter, every verse and every line 

 All are blessings of His love devine 

 Every promise of the Book is mine!! 

God's Word is full of promises. Promises that sustain, that give hope, that give life, that will carry you through. I have read that there are over 365 promises in the Bible. That is enough for a new promise every single day. I think sometimes we can't claim God's wonderful promises simply because we don't know about them. My promise verse this year is Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost”. 

 

Determine to find beauty in Holland. It's not the place you expected, or even wanted, to end up. It's not what you dreamed about. But if you'll look, if you'll purposely take the time to search for it...you'll find that there is beauty to be enjoyed even in Holland. 

 

Ask God to show you His love while you are in Holland. Every. Single. Day. Satan is a master deceiver. He is oh so good at his job. He will try to convince you that since you're in Holland, God might not love you. I remember during one of my Holland trips I would beg God to show me His love every day using one of my 5 senses. He was so full of grace and would remind me clearly every day that His love hadn't changed. Psalms 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” 

 

Lastly, remember that Holland is not an eternal destination. You don't stay in Holland forever. The Master Potter works on the clay, chipping away parts of our lives so that He can shape us into the image of His Son. Sometimes the chipping and molding and reshaping hurts. Badly. But for the child of God, every storm...every Holland, always comes to pass. The words “come to pass” are found over 200 times in God's Word. 

 

Of all the times I've been to Holland, I never would have volunteered to go. I wouldn't have chosen it. But of the ways my Saviour loved on me, and sheltered me, and allowed me to know Him in such a special way...I wouldn't trade those Holland visits for anything in the world. 

 

 

Trust God / Mrs Amy Sapp

 

Trust God

Mrs Amy Sapp

O'Fallon, MO

 

Many of you know I tested positive for the "BRCA1" mutant gene.  My latest update...  Yesterday I went to meet with my new OBGYN that will be performing my Hysterectomy.  As I sat in the waiting room I started feeling down.  I am just beginning this "new" journey.  This is my "new" life.  In and out of doctors frequently, downing vitamins like it is nobody's business.  Seems like the days that I have doctor visits are the hardest days on my spirit.  As my husband and I sat and spoke with the doctor.  He explained to us, that the abnormal spot on my left ovary, if it is still there when I go to have my next ultrasound done, that ovary may have to be removed.  I cannot have a hysterectomy until age 40.  I have 2 doctor appointments next week.  My husband is great, but honestly sometimes I think this is harder on him than it is on me.  He has a hard time comprehending a lot of it. 

I am keeping a journal, writing different things down, different dates, just so I have a record of things that are going on.  At the end of each entry, I write the words "Trust God".  God has a reason for allowing things to happen...  We may never understand His wisdom but we simply have to trust His will.  Over the past few weeks, I have been trying to adjust to my "new normal".

There are several goals that the Lord has given me.  There are things that He has laid on my heart, there are things that I know He wants me to accomplish.  And as I think my life is changing and in a matter of speaking it is.  Lots of ups and downs, lots of emotions.  Those goals that the Lord has put in my heart, they remain.  The fact is that when the Lord established those goals for me, HE already knew my "journey".  HE already knew the direction that my life was headed.  So as I go through this "journey" I will still keep on pressing forward trying to accomplish the things the Lord would have me to accomplish.  And along the way, I know I am going to have down days....  But I will never let those down days steal my JOY.  Not ever...

Yesterday, I was asked if I could choose someone else to carry this gene instead of me, would I?  Absolutely not.  This is what the Lord has for me.  I am praying that the Lord will use this situation in my life to be a help to others.  This is not exactly the plan I was expecting, nor was it the plan that I chose.  But it is God's Plan, it was from the very beginning.  I am here for the long haul.  My God is so BIG so STRONG and so MIGHTY!!  Trust God, always always always Trust God. 

I'll Take the Flowers..... and the Showers! / Mrs Robyn Bachman

 

 

"I'll Take the Flowers...and the Showers!" 

 

 

This past week I heard a familiar saying, "April showers bring May flowers" and then, I heard someone say "well, I want the pretty flowers, but I just don't want to deal with all those showers!".  For some reason this stuck with me through the remainder of the day and, I thought to myself,  isn't that the truth about how we view life...we DO want the flowers, but we would prefer to pass on those nasty showers that come our way.   We are quick to bemoan the bad things that come our way. We grumble about the storm clouds. We complain about the rainy days.  However, it is after these storms that we see rainbows.  It is after the storm clouds that we see clear skies.  It is after the raindrops that we see the beautiful flowers. Yes, in life, we will face those "rainy, cloudy and stormy days", but they will be followed by blue skies and sunshine if we stay the course and "weather" the storms. 

 

If I may, allow me to share two simple things that can help us through those "showers" of life.   

 

Have you ever noticed how being around someone who constantly praises the Lord can lift your spirits and encourage you?  It's true!! When we focus on how good God truly is and when we praise Him, it will help us get through those difficult times in life.  Does it mean that the storm clouds are invisible or will never come? No, but when we praise God through the storms, we allow Him to be our focal point rather than the storm itself. This is my first point: 

 

1. PRAISE HIM   

Psalms 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at ALL times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." vs. 3, "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us EXALT his name together..."  

 

No matter what we go through, we must find something for which we can praise Him.  He is good all the time even in the storm. We must keep His praise constantly in our mouths! Also, we should praise Him with others...find someone and share the praise of His goodness.  By doing this, we can be encouraged and we can be an encouragement to others. 

 

Next, I don't know about you, but when I am driving and there are torrential downpours of rain, my hands are generally clutching the steering wheel. Why? Well, because I can't see what lies ahead and my vision is blurred due to the blinding rain.  I have to keep my eyes keenly focused on the lines placed on the road for me to follow.  If I don't, I will lose my way.  This brings me to my second thought: 

 

2. WALK with HIM through prayer and the Bible 

Psalms 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  

Psalms 119:97, "O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day." 

Psalms 63:1, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee..." 

 

When life seems to be blinding and we aren't sure which way to go because ahead all one can see is storm clouds, it is especially during this time that we  need the Word of God to guide us. The Bible and His words will "light" the path and help through these difficult times.  We must be reading His word and hearing His word through preaching and teaching.  We must also be praying and allowing Him to speak to our hearts.  It is through our time of prayer that we can be still and allow Him to calm those raging seas in our lives.  It is a must that we seek God through prayer and that we read His Word daily and allow it to saturate us preparing us for what lies ahead in life. 

 

All around us are hurting people who need to know that those "May flowers" are coming.  They need to know that Christ is there and He will help them through the storms of life.  We need to be anchored in Him through PRAISE and PRAYER ready to help others and able to survive the storms that He allows to come our way.  

 

There have been many things in my own life that I thought would be impossible for me to face, but each and every time that I chose to weather the storm and stay the course, God was always faithful to show me the "flowers of blessings" that came from those "showers of rain".  Someone needed me to stay the course; someone needed me to weather the storms; and someone needed me to keep going through the rainclouds...it hasn't always been easy, but with His help I am continuing to learn in my life to say, "I'll take the April showers if it helps someone else to see those May flowers".  I want to be a blessing to others and I want to be blessed by God.  

 

Remember, sweet lady, when those April showers (or storms) come, hang on because those May flowers are just around the bend...I promise!   

 

 

From my heart, 

Robyn 

Pastor's Wife to Jack Bachman 

Calvary Baptist Church of Memphis, TN