Always Where Your Crown / Mrs Laura Faulk

Mrs Laura Faulk
Pastor's Wife
First Baptist Church
Groton, MA

Always Wear Your Crown

The annual change of the calendar often calls for reflection and preparation of our hearts for the coming year. 

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Personally I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions because I know that I’m not very good at keeping them! I also don’t usually choose a verse for the year but recently the Lord has really impressed upon me Psalm 65:11 – “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.” Particularly I am concentrating on the first part of the verse “Thou crownest the year with goodness.”

God says that He crownest the year with thy goodness; this literally means “a year remarkable for the manifestation of kindness; or a year of abundant productions.”

God enthusiastically crowns or adorns our year with His goodness. We are confirmed of this in Ps. 84:11, “the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

A crown by definition is a decorative object that is shaped like a circle and worn on the head of a king or queen for special ceremonies; something that imparts splendor, honor, or finish.

Just think of a beautiful queen or princess walking forward with a diadem on her brow. When a queen or princess wears her crown, you know she is royalty – she is special! There is a certain “air” about her and the things around her. She is proud to wear that crown, she is honored, and not afraid to show the world who she is!

Have you ever seen a queen or princess, while wearing her crown, acting like “woe is me”, or “I’m just so stressed” or “My world has just crumbled” or “My problems are the WORST in the world”, or how about “Nobody understands what I go through”? Even during times of distress a queen/princess holds her head high.

I’m sure that every one of us could justifiably act like and relate to these people I just mentioned but is that really the way someone acts who has their year crowned with God’s goodness? 

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Are we consciously looking for and seeing all the goodness that God has bestowed on us each and every day? 

Yes, perhaps you do have reason to mope, cry, scream, hang your head BUT Ladies God has crowned your year with goodness!!!!! There’s so much in our world as Christians to be thankful for and so many reasons to hold our heads up high and proclaim to the world and other Christiansthat we are royalty!  I believe we would get a lot more done for the Lord if we remember that we are wearing a crown of royalty which flashes and glitters all of God’s goodness to those around us! 

In every situation and season of life, you can and should expect to proclaim the goodness of our God everywhere you go and to everyone you see. In Ps. 27:13 David says, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” During David’s time of trial he HAD confidence in God, and BELIEVED that He would uphold him. He believed he would always see the evidence of God’s goodness and mercy while on the earth. 

David responds with jubilant praise in Psalm 103, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;

It would be good for us to read over these verses of blessings that David is mentioning from time to time!

As you read this I hope you are imagining your crown on your head! While you’re adjusting and securing your crown, let me remind you of a few things that the Lord has crowned you with:

C - ​He Called us into His Work – Ladies God has called you into the greatest business in the whole world. 

Rom. 10: 15, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How ​beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Ladies if God has called your husband to the ministry then he has called you also! There’s no getting around it! What an honor to bring glad tidings of good things! What an honor to be doing the work that God has created you for! What an honor to be doing the work that God himself would love to be doing here on earth!

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Rom. 11:29 states “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” That means that God does not change His mind – He has called you into His ministry and He will never regret or renege on that calling! You are a daughter of the King and you are a Pastor’s/Preacher/s wife – there could be no higher calling for you than that! Now wear your crown like you believe it!

R - ​ He Remembers our sins no more! Is there anything more wonderful than knowing that God in His infinite mercy remembers our sins no more once we confess them? We don’t have to feel guilty or carry that weight of sin because God has already paid for that sin or sins! It’s done, its finish, and it’s over! Hallelujah! “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. What a wonderful burden has been lifted from us! When God thinks of us, He sees no unrighteouness, he doesn’t see the ugliness of sin in our lives. Now that’s a lot of glitter to add to our crowns!

O - ​He Opens His arms wide for us to receive Him. What greater joy or blessing could we ever receive from our Lord than eternal life! God waits for us to rush into His open arms of forgiveness and accept what He has done for us so that we could live eternally with Him in Heaven one day! I John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Just think of the impact we could make if our crown flashed the joy of our salvation everywhere we went and to everyone we talk to!

W -​He Wipes away all our tears! Rev. 21:4 says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Do you see and hear the hope, relief, joy, excitement in this verse? Can you even imagine walking on streets of gold with no pain, no sorrow in life, never crying again, never having to say good-bye to a loved one? One day this will be our life, our blessing, our bounty from the Lord. How can we ever read this verse and not know God’s goodness to us? How can we hear the hope & joy in this verse and not rejoice in His goodness to us? How can we read this verse and not shout for joy!

N - ​He will Never leave us! Heb. 13:5 says, “. . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

​Do you live as though you have the King of Kings as your constant companion?

​Are you really conscious that the Lord is with you through every moment of every day?

​Do you believe with your whole heart that He will never leave you?

Let’s remember that God is with us day and night, in the valleys and on top of the mountain , when we’re happy and we’re sad, when we’re going through a deep trial and when we can’t sing “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy” enough! Let’s wear our crowns knowing that He will never and leave us or forsake us!

None of these points are new to any of us but we need to not just knowabout these blessings God has bestowed on us, but to really KNOW them in our hearts!

God has designed great things for you in 2015. Believe and receive His bounty in faith. Remember “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness. . . “

I hope this verse brings as much cheer to your heart as it has to mine? I pray that, along with me, you will make this year a year that you will constantly see and look for the abundance of blessings in your spiritual life, your church life, your home life, your school life, and your work life.

Ladies Always Wear Your Crown!!!!

Tomato Soup (Gluten Free) Recipe / Mrs Beth Spilger

         Tomato Soup
          (Gluten Free) 

                     Mrs Beth Spilger

                     Pastor's Wife

                     Grace Baptist Church

                     St Louis, MO

Ingredients:

           
             1 Quart Tomato Juice 

2.  2 Cans Diced Tomatoes 

3. 3 Tbsp Olive Oil, More if needed 

                  2 Carrots, Thinly diced or chopped (optional) 

                  1 Onion, Finely chopped 

                  1 large Garlic Clove, Minced 

1.  1 small bunch Basil - Dried Basil Works Well, Cut into strips 

            ½ tsp Oregano 

           Red Pepper Flakes, To taste 

           Salt, Pepper, To taste 

           ½ to ¾ cups Heavy Cream 

2.  2 Tbsp Corn Starch, heaping tablespoons 

Directions:  

In a medium sauce pan sauté the carrots (optional), onion, and garlic in 3 Tablespoons olive oil. Sauté until tender-do not brown. Add 2 cans whole tomatoes to 1 quart of tomato juice (reserve some of the juice for the corn starch). Add basil and oregano, red pepper flakes, then salt and pepper to taste. With an immersion blender-puree the mixture until no lumps appear (you can also place the soup in a blender and puree–be careful, the soup will be hot) return the soup to the sauce pan and slowly add the heavy cream–stir to mix thru. If you like a creamier soup, add more cream. Mix corn starch in cold tomato juice and add to mix, stirring until hot.  Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. 

You Decide! / Mrs Janelle Dignan

 

Mrs Janelle Dignan

Pastor's Wife

Bible Baptist Church

Jefferson City, MO

You Decide!

Did you make any new year resolutions this year?
This year, more than ever, I want to make each day count for Christ. I want to make each day a " good day". The more time I spend having "bad days", being depressed, stressed, worried, and having pity parties, the less time I have to live for Christ and make a difference in my sphere of influence.
Isn't it amazing how circumstances can affect and control us? We wake up to a dark, rainy day so we are grumpy and down in the dumps all day long. You woke up late, you woke up " on the wrong side of the bed", you don't feel well, the kids were fighting all morning, your daughter spilled her milk all over the floor, your husband tracked in mud all over your freshly mopped floor, you got a flat tire on the way to work, etc. etc. These and many more are bad moments that we transfer and change into "bad days".
John 10:10 "...I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." So many of us are just trying to cope through life. CHRIST came to give us a life abundant.

I have met people going through terrible trials who have had the most amazing, positive attitudes. While I've met others, who have stubbed their toe on the bedpost the night before and they just don't think they are going to make it. What is the difference?

I believe the difference between these two groups of people are their focus.

Here are a few tips to help us keep our focus on the right things and to help us choose to make each day good:

1. Start each day in God's Word. Read and apply God's Word to your life.

Psalm 119:16 "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."

2. Pray. Do not just read down a list and monologue to God. Have an open conversation and listen to His Voice. Maybe just be silent for a time.

Matthew 6:7 "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do..."
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

3. Be thankful. Each day, for about the last decade, I have written some things down from that day for which I am thankful. Some are big things for which I am thankful and some are very small. Even if many things went wrong that day you can still find something for which to be thankful. It is amazing at the end of the year how I can look back through my journal and see how blessed I have been. This brings even more gratefulness. This has helped me to keep my focus on positive things. Never forget to be thankful!
You will find this theme in principle from the beginning of the Bible clear to the end: be thankful!
Thankful people always go further in life.

Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

4. Meditate. This is a very key element in the Christian's life. Meditation is so difficult because of the mind discipline it requires and because of the busy day and age in which we live. Psalm 46:10 says to "Be still and know that I am God..." Meditate on God's power and His Majesty, meditate on His justice, mercy, and grace. Meditate on His goodness! Meditate on the blessings of God. Meditate on what You can do for God. Meditate on God's Word! Meditate on the cross! The list could go on and on. If we could just incorporate this one thing into our daily lives, it could make all the difference in the world. A survey was given to many successful businessmen and many of them had one thing in common. Each of these men would meditate 10-15 minutes each day on being successful.
How important Biblical meditation is to the Christian!

Psalm 1:2
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."


Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:..."

So, tomorrow morning when you awake, incorporate these tips into your life then, you decide.
Am I going to choose to make today a "good day" or a "bad day"?

You decide!

 

 

Carrot Souffle Recipe / Mrs Laura Faulk

 

Carrot Soufflé  

Ingredients:   

1-3/4 lbs. peeled carrots, chopped Powder sugar  

3/4 cup sugar  

1-1/2 t. baking powder  

1-1/2 t. vanilla  

2. T. flour  

3. eggs, well-beaten with elec. mixer  

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened  

  

  

Directions:  

  

Steam or boil carrots. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  

  

While carrots are still warm, add sugar, baking powder and vanilla. Beat with  mixer until smooth.  

  

Add flour and mix well; add whipped eggs and beat well. Add  margarine and beat well.  

  

Pour mixture into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until top is light golden brown. Sprinkle lightly with powder sugar over top before serving.  

  

NOTE: I like to put the warm cooked carrots, sugar, baking powder, and   vanilla in my Vitamix blender for a creamier mixture. Transfer to a  bowl to add eggs and butter.  

 

Mrs Laura Faulk

Pastor's Wife

First Baptist Church

Groton, MA

 

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Get in the Ash Heap / Mrs Amy Vassak

Mrs Amy Vassak

Pastor's Wife

Northeast Baptist Church

Danbury, CT

 

Get in the Ash Heap

For most of us who are married, we view our husbands as our rock, our stability, and what keeps us together in this crazy world.  There are occasions, however, when this stability is taken from us.  It could be a calamity caused by God, or a collapse caused by sin.  In either case, we as wives must be prepared to handle those times when necessary.  It is some of the most difficult waters a wife could ever navigate.

Four years ago, my husband stepped on a sea urchin in the ocean in Narragansett, RI.  The creature left bacteria on the bone of my husband’s left foot.  His bone became infected and soon my husband was fighting for his life.  In order to try and spare his life, nearly half of his left foot was amputated.  

In the days preceding the amputation, we were instructed to soak his foot in a solution of peroxide and water.  We did this two times a day for twenty minutes.  The liquid would immediately begin to bubble from the infection.  On one occasion late at night, I tripped while trying to pick up the container we were using.  The tub flew into the air and almost all of that disgusting liquid fell on me.  I had hurt my leg in the process and really couldn’t move.  I slammed my hand on the floor and said, “Really God?!”  My husband was so weak he couldn’t move, but wanted me to come to him so he could comfort me.  He had been completely bed ridden for a couple of days by that point.

I crawled over to where he was, and he threw a blanket around me.  We stayed there for a while, just sobbing together.  It was a definite low point for me.  I was scared.  All of a sudden, I heard a voice speak to me in my heart.  The voice said, “Now you’re where I want you.  Your husband is in his ash heap.  He feels weak.  I want you to know what that feels like so you will stay there with him.” I recognized the voice of God immediately, and I knew what He meant.  This was my husband’s trial.  But, it wasn’t his alone. It was my trial, too.

The Bible gives us many details about the trial Job endured.  One of the glaring details God reveals is that Job’s wife felt that what Job was enduring personally, had very little to do with her.  I’m slow to criticize Job’s wife because she endured so much heartache and loss.  But, the Bible gives us the details it does so we can learn from them.  Job 2:7-9 says, “So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal: and he sat down among the ashes.  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.” Job’s wife viewed him as “alone” in his ash heap. It was not “theirs.” It was “his.”

What can you do to stay in the ash heap with your husband?

1- Get as strong as you can spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

My husband is my spiritual leader, but there were a few days when he couldn’t give me spiritual perspective.  My husband is emotionally solid, but he was emotionally raw and spent during that time.  My husband is brilliant, but was incapable of making decisions before his surgery.  My husband was Superman, and was rarely ill, but now he was on the verge of going to Heaven.  I had to be strong for him.  It was my turn.  

2- Get in the ash heap.

The Bible almost gives us the feeling that Job’s wife paused long enough to speak her mind, and after Job spoke his, she just walked on by.  I wonder what would’ve happened if Mrs. Job had sat down, picked up a piece of potsherd and gave him some relief?  We’ll never know, but we do know that there is no more mention of her while Job’s friends were there.  Perhaps if they had seen her helping Job, they wouldn’t have had the courage to do what they did.

3- Be encouraging.

Telling your husband things like, “You probably deserve what’s happening,” or “You can’t possibly still believe God after everything that’s happened!” is not productive for him, but it isn’t productive for you, either.   When you say something, you’ve already thought it.  Negative thoughts can stay in and go away.  Negative words are forever.

4- Don’t give in to negative emotions.

Negative emotions lead to “poor me” thoughts.  When a wife begins to feel sorry for herself, she will say and do almost anything to feel better.  I can guarantee you that Job’s wife felt better for the first five minutes after she told Job to curse God and die.  She had finally given in to the emotions that had flooded her heart in a destructive way, and she was soothed for a short time.  It probably didn’t take her too long to realize the damage she had caused, and the guilt that followed must have been dreadful.

5- Listen to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer is key to handling the ash heap.  You won’t make it without a constant line of communication with your Comforter.  He will speak to you in ways that can’t be predicted.  He will give you what you need when you need it.  You will have wisdom and strength beyond your capabilities.  Connect with Him often.

In some ways, my husband is still in the ash heap.  He will wear a walking boot and deal with pressure point wounds for the rest of his life.  But, He doesn’t have to worry.  He has God.  He also has me sitting right in there with him, holding a piece of potsherd, telling him we can make it.