Dear sisters we request prayer

We are facing a situation in church which is ugly, disturbing and serious. Wrong doing cannot be ignored. Plenty of time was given for them to reform themselves but it was disregarded. In fact the offenses got worse.

The Lord is with us and Christian leaders and community is supporting us.
We ask for the Lord 's
WISDOM
DISCERNMENT
GUIDANCE
SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL EQUIPMENT.
PROTECTION

My mother feels very nervous in a tight situation due to her old age and infirmities. I have to protect her at all times. Physically I feel very weak.
We sincerely covet your prayers.
Amrita

chronic pain

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

 

The year was 1983 and we had just sold our dream house in the country … the one we had dedicated to God and thought we would live in forever … aww, the dreams of the young, eh?!!!  Looking back, it is easy to see that the sale was in God’s perfect time … because, unknown to us when we moved out, leo’s working days would be over - at the age of 29.

 

The sore back turned out to be a broken back …  he underwent a 5 ½ hour back surgery - with a 2 month hospital stay  … a year later he had another surgery which we hoped would ease the constant and increasing back pain … it didn’t.

 

we prayed …others prayed for us … but the pain in his back only grew worse and made life a challenge … there were countless doctors appointments, pain clinics, home remedies … nothing worked … after a number of years,  we accepted the neurologist’s conclusion - there was no cure for intractable spinal arachnoiditis …  not yet anyway …

 

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.   But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  Matthew 10:29-31

 

Chronic pain became the 3rd party in our marriage … it affected leo’s moods … it affected my moods!  Our marriage came close to ending a few times … it is really difficult to be nice when you’re in pain … it is really difficult to be understanding when someone is a huge grouch, because they are in pain … somehow we still managed to listen to the Spirit’s still small voice within us …  God knit us together as a real family unit. 

 

Love bears all things, believes all things .. Love never fails …

 

we were renting a small apartment and I worked term positions - this gave us the freedom to try a winter lifestyle change … we went to Arizona for a few months - hoping the dry climate would give leo  some relief from the chronic pain … it did help for awhile … we found a great church down there and met folks who we are still in touch with (here is the story of one http://saija.blogspot.com/2005/01/story-of-perseverance.html ) … however, life keeps on changing …

 

I loved Arizona, but after 6 winters - the trips were becoming too difficult for leo to make  … what was next? … welllll - a cottage in Manitoba was the answer to our prayer!  A totally different type of life awaited us once again …

 

Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened …

 

the only sport leo could still manage was fishing … and God found us the perfect fishing spot along with the cozy cottage … there was enough room for entertaining family and friends who dropped by … and leo was able to share his faith, one on one, with a number of folks - while fishing the pristeen waters surrounding our home …

 

and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.   2 cor 12:9-10

 

I started blogging in the fall of 2004 (www.saija.blogspot.com), the same time leo’s health decline made us rethink the cottage life … he became less and less mobile, and I was doing more and more of the things needed to keep a house going … after a dozen years in our cottage, we again prayed  “ what/where next, Lord?”

 

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  James 1:5

 

In my blog, I’ve shared much about those question mark days (click here for a recap http://saija.blogspot.com/2006/11/imagine-only-one-more-sleep.html ) …  waiting on the Lord  to sell our cottage and then more waiting to find our new home - it was definitely a growing in grace period … here I thought we had come so far -- but we were still being tripped up on minor details - like finding a roof over our heads when the house suddenly sold!!!  *smiling* …

 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

 

the bible is my road map and love letter from God … everything … as I’ve looked back and shared some of my life moments with you, I am praising Him for leading us - it’s easier to see that at a backwards glance!!!  But more difficult to accept our future by faith … as we daily step into the unknown  … 

 

Many things about tomorrow,

I don't seem to understand;

But I know Who holds tomorrow,

And I know Who holds my hand.

 

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you  Deuteronomy: 31:6

ORNAMENT EXCHANGE MATCH UP!

My "high tech" method of matching names for the 2010 Sister Ornament exchange has been completed and you'll be receiving an e-mail from me today.

(Names in bowl, about to be read and matched!)

In order for everyone to get their ornaments in a timely manner, especially those who might be living outside of the USA they need to be mailed out by November 8th!

Once you receive your ornament from your sister, take a picture and blog about it on the Sisterhood Blog!

blogger is being a mix master ...

blogger's giving me grief re posting my lattest and last post ... it jumbles up the paragraphs ... ?  i have tried a few times ... but i guess i will leave it for tomorrow ... maybe split it somehow if the problem continues ... has that ever happened to anyone?  i've copied the written text off of Word (where i wrote it) ...

blessings on your sunday ... saija

great gains, great losses

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 

 teen years can be rough … but God kept me safe from so many situations, which i am only now appreciating!  we lived in an isolated northern community … which for christian kids - wasn’t a bad thing … our church youth group was small, so we would get together for bible studies with the other evangelical kids (Baptist, Pentecostal, Mennonite, bible chaple, etc.) … even to this day the “official name” of a church doesn’t matter to me - only Whom they worship!

my love for God’s word started back then … in fact, one of the BEST Christmas presents i ever received as a teen, was a scofield reference bible from my mom …

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalm 19: 7-10

summer missionary

the summer after graduating high school was spent travelling Manitoba for child evangelism … i thought that this was something i might want to do full time …

next came bible college … it felt like i was in heaven - studying God’s word all day long!!! … but something happened the second year of bible college … i seemed to lose the joy of the Lord … i had lots of knowledge rolling around inside my brain, but it somehow missed connecting with my heart …

that was the summer i met leo … i had a great summer job (big bucks - enough to cover my 3^rd year) … i had been asked to be a dorm counsellor at college … i was a roll model, doing all the right things (i thought) … but … as i said, then i met leo … leo, who wasn’t saved … i chose to ignore what God said in His word ...  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darknes.  2 Corinthians 6:14.
  
it was a whirlwind romance … we met in May … got engaged in June … married in August … all in the summer of 1974 …

engaged!

leo was born into a Roman Catholic family … believed in God … but didn’t know Him in that “you must be born again” type of way …

during our first 3 years of marriage, i had nightmares of being separated from leo … there was a wide gulf between us that i couldn’t bridge … i knew what the dreams meant and i prayed for his salvation like there was no tomorrow … and God - being more merciful to me than i deserved … answered my prayers …

Glory! What a day that was when leo told me he had accepted Jesus as his Saviour … leo had never said no to Jesus … when he finally understood “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) … he accepted that gift of salvation and got baptized the very next month! he has never looked back!

on top of the world on our first plot of land

now, i thought, life would be wonderful … great … spectacular … we read the bible together, continued in church work … had a kids club at our place … yup, everything was going along as planned … leo and i even started looking at different mission organizations … we wanted to serve the Lord full time …

then … leo developed a sore back that wouldn’t go away … and received his life verse:

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 1 Corinthians 1:3-4

... to be continued ...

the immigrant child

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. Ruth 1:16-17


This verse has always made my eyes water … it reminds me of our little family’s immigration to Canada … the final good-byes to dear ones - some who we would never see again … leaving the familiar behind to face an unknown future in an unknown land … the life of immigrants … always having your heart divided by the land of your birth … and the land of your choice … I’m so glad that our heavenly home won’t include a divided loyalty of any kind!

they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  Hebrews 11:13b　

My parents were only in their 20’s, my brother and i just youngsters, when we arrived in Winnipeg, Manitoba … a prairie city . .. So different from Finland … the land of lakes and midnight sun

We were born Lutheran … most finns are ... the church was the very centre of everything … all family life recorded in the church books … and the teaching depended on the preacher’s own state of grace … but we always believed in God and never doubted that we lived in His creation …

In the new country, we had no church base … or close knit family circle to help a troubled young couple cope with the language barrier and strangeness of the culture … dad’s drinking grew worse …

When we moved to a rough and tumble mining town in northern Manitoba, the fate of my parents marriage was sealed … it ended after 10 years …

At this time, a longing for God was planted in my heart … ( click here for longer story ) … i knew i was a sinner and that Jesus had died for my sins …

When i was 11, Mom married a man who came from an evangelical background … he was open to going to meetings and church … at the age of 12, i went up at a Billy Graham crusade in Winnipeg … it was a long scary walk to the front, from way back in the stadium, but one i am so thankful I made … a hunger for God’s word was born inside of me and we even started attending a wonderful little bible centred church … this immigrant child had finally found her home in the person of Jesus Christ- i may continue to be a stranger and pilgrim here on earth … but Jesus said:   Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  John 14: 1-3

it's arrived!

the scarf sister bible arrived yesterday! ... it did take over 2 weeks to get here, though! ? ?  it must have taken the scenic route from the U.S. to Canada ... *smile*

along with the lovely engraved bible ... there were little momentos from mrs. mac - really a super neat surprise ...

i have been jotting down some verses and thinking of things to share - more later ... saija