Weary Pilgrims

April 2, 2020 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

My husband purchased the classic Pilgrim’s Progress for my birthday this year. It is a work that has long been on my “need-to-read” list. As the main character makes his lengthy journey, I find myself wondering, “When is he going to reach the Celestial City? Shouldn’t he be nearly there by now?” But author John Bunyan accurately portrays the Christian life – it is a series of defeats and victories, of valleys and mountaintops, of weaknesses and strengths. Any number of things tries to hinder the pilgrim on his way – the Slough of Despond, lions, Apollyon, the Valley of the Shadow of Death . . . and so it is with us.

It isn’t always easy to travel from one missions conference to another. There are times when I feel the weariness in my very bones.

“I didn’t volunteer for this,” my heart sometimes wants to say.

“Yes, you did,” the Lord whispers in return. “Don’t you remember that day as a teenager, when you kneeled beside your bed? You told me you surrendered all your life to Christian service and that you would do anything I asked of you. This may not feel like ‘missions’ yet, but answering questions, sharing your testimony, riding in a vehicle for long hours at a time, packing, singing, homeschooling on the road . . . this is the ministry that I have given to you, right now! Are you still surrendered? Are you still willing?”

God reminds me of my recent book on the subject of miscarriage, as well. “You’re listening to the tears of others who are hurting. You’re sharing the Gospel and the comfort that is found in Christ. You’re in the business of rescuing souls from the power of Satan’s darkness – Do you think you won’t be fought?!”

How about you, Dear Brother or Sister? Do you, too, feel the battle raging? There are days when we all wish to quit – our jobs, our ministries, our role as “mom” or "dad" . . . “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall . . .” Do you recall the remainder of that verse? “ . . . but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)

God desires for us to “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” (I Chronicles 16:11) The truth is, we can’t live even the “easy” days without Him! We need THE LORD if we are ever to “ . . . run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

There’s an old hymn that reads:

“He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.

To added affliction He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,

He giveth and giveth and giveth again.”

In Galatians 6, Paul writes “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Have you been struggling with “continuing on”, as I have in recent days? Have you found yourself weary, even in the midst of doing GOOD things - the RIGHT things?

May we allow the Lord to help us and enable us as only He can do!

“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.” (II Cor. 12:9-10)

A Channel of His Love

February 20, 2020 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

I am used to saying “goodbyes”. I grew up in a military household, and have lived in several different states during my life. But this huge lump I feel in my throat when the tears threaten – that is something new to me . . . There are times on this deputation journey when it is truly hard to say “goodbye”. When God is at work in a congregation – when people’s hearts are tender – without a doubt, God can knit those hearts together in a truly beautiful, wonderful way.

I John 4:11 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

I have met so many dear Sisters in Christ, over the past few months! I have felt God’s love poured out through the kindness of His people in a way I never could have imagined. Ladies who have taken a genuine interest in me and in my family. Ladies who have shared laughter and godly fellowship. Women who have prepared lodgings, worked nursery, and cooked meals. Fellow “Miscarriage Mamas” who have shared with me their own stories and have encouraged me regarding my book. Sisters in Christ who have told me sincerely that they are praying for us and will continue to do so. There are times in these meetings when my heart just overflows.

Romans chapter 12 shows us that a people who fully gives themselves to the Lord, can then genuinely give themselves to others.

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Romans 12:9, 10 “Let love be without dissimulation . . . Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love . . . ” Not hypocrisy, but true, genuine Christian love!

Romans 12:11, 13, 15-16 “. . . fervent in spirit; serving the Lord . . . Distributing to the necessity of the saints; given to hospitality . . . Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another . . .”

God has comforted me, and I will seek to comfort you. God has blessed me with food and I will share my table with you. God has provided me a home and I will give you a place to sleep for the night.

The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:22, 23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance . . .” It is truly a beautiful thing when you see such fruit lived out in the lives of fellow believers!

I Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

The greatest of these . . . The very best. “Charity” is LOVE – and oh how wonderful such Christian love is! We are a part of the family of God!

This journey of deputation has challenged me! Am I being a channel of Christ’s love today? Do I selflessly put the encouragement of others above my own needs and desires? Am I allowing God to lead me to the hurting, the weary, and the travel-worn? What an honor and a privilege to be used of God in such a way!

John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.”

Special to God

January 23, 2020 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

The world speaks to us often of “self-esteem”. The Bible, however, tells Christians to “esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3) and “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think . . .” (Rom. 12:3). I, Kristen Kelley, am nothing but a sinner, and all my “righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Is. 64:6). I have no worth in and of myself – no goodness of my own – but I was bought with a price: the precious blood of the Lamb of God! Therefore, I am WORTH something to the Lord! My self-worth is found in my Savior!

Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We are special because we are special TO HIM!

What makes you unique? Freckles, fingerprints, facial structure . . . Your talents and abilities . . . Your past . . . Your heart – who you care about and love . . .

God made no mistakes when He gave you life. Psalm 139:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” The texture of your hair, the color of your eyes, your ability or inability to see, to hear, to speak, to walk . . . every detail was chosen by Him. He had a purpose and a plan for each and every one of us, right from the very start.

I have seen so many young ladies who have tried to “stand out” and to “make a statement” in this world. Others so depressed by their appearance that they have sought to significantly alter it. The world can be cruel and unaccepting - our Savior understands that fact. He endured bitter mockery and even death at the hands of jealous, angry men. He was not a man who stood out as being “handsome” by the world’s standards (Is. 53:2), and yet He was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. You may feel as though you are invisible, but you, My Dear, are God’s princess.

You are SIGNIFICANT. Out of the billions of people in this world, God cares about YOU. He formed you and gave you life! He saved your soul! The Creator of the entire universe knows YOU by name! You are God’s child!

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand . . .” (Ps. 139:17-18)

Yes, man DOES look at the external, and they often judge harshly by it. This focus on appearance is evident all around us – plastic surgery advertisements, revealing clothing, expensive make-up brands, quick-fix weight-loss programs, etc. But when God looks at you, He sees your HEART (I Sam. 16:7). He knows every single thing that affects the exterior that others might judge you by – the blemishes, the scars, and the pounds in “undesired places” . . . And He sees you as BEAUTIFUL. Because, you, Sweet Sister in Christ, are HIS.

Praying in the Storm

August 22, 2019 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

It is amazing to me how the Lord sometimes pieces things together in our lives. A missionary friend of mine recently sent me an excerpt from a book on prayer, talking about the beautiful “laments” in the Bible. It also ended up being the theme for our adult lesson on Job, this past Sunday. The class material had a step-by-step explanation of what a Biblical lament included, and a couple of us were asked to write one of our own.

I am currently 37 weeks along with our precious “Rainbow Baby”, and anxiously waiting every day for her arrival. It is a happy time in my life. But there are well over 7000 bereaved mamas in the Facebook groups I’ve been a part of, this past year . . . There are recently-widowed ladies in my church . . . There are friends with dissolving marriages and very serious health issues on my prayer list . . . Every day, all around us, are struggling, hurting, grieving people.

Do we know how to pray to God when we encounter trials in our personal lives? We understand that, as Christians, we ought not doubt our loving Heavenly Father. But is there a RIGHT WAY to talk to Him in our hours of deepest anguish, and to tell Him how we truly feel?

In a “lament”, we don’t doubt our Creator, but, rather we show that we TRUST Him – We trust Him by pouring out our heart; trust Him with our innermost thoughts and feelings; trust that He still hears us when we cannot see His face; trust that He knows what is best in every situation.

If you are walking through a dark valley in your own life, don’t be afraid to pray like Job, like David, like Jeremiah, and like so many others in the Bible . . . Don’t be afraid to pray the very words of Scripture . . .

Perhaps this example will be a blessing to you:

I come before You, Dear Heavenly Father.

I don’t understand why this is happening to me. My heart is so hurt, right now - so devastated. I feel broken and shattered in a million pieces. My circumstances weigh down on my heart like an anvil. A giant cloud has settled over my spirit and I cannot shake it. The words of others wound me, again and again. When, Lord, will I find relief?

Deep down in my heart, Dear Lord, I know that You are in control. You are good and You are God, even when I cannot see Your loving face. Your Word tells me to “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us . . .” (Ps. 62:8) I need Your refuge, Dear Jesus! I lay this burden of my heart down at Your feet, Oh God. I know that I can run to You when I have no where else to turn. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” (Prov. 18:10) I know that You are the Only One Who can truly help me through this trial.

Please strengthen me, Dear God. Please help me not to falter or fail in my walk with You. Please help me to bring You glory in everything I am going through right now.

“I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” (Ps. 22:22) You alone can see me through to the other side, Dear Lord. Please help me on that day to praise You and to rejoice in You, and to not be afraid to share your goodness in my life with others around me.

Thank You, Oh Lord, for hearing me when I pray! Thank You for comforting my heart, and for Your Holy Spirit reminding me that You are still with me and You are still doing a special work in my life. You see the whole picture from start to finish, Dear Lord, even when I cannot. I love you, Lord Jesus!

AMEN

In Psalm 23, David declares, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me . . .”

I encourage you to pray earnestly, My Friend. No matter what you are going through today, you can share the deepest burdens of your heart with God. He created you and He loves you with an everlasting love. You can truly cast “all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 5:7)

https://dinnersintheovendevotional.blogspot.com/2019/08/praying-in-storm-dinner-96.html

CHRIST IS MY CASTLE

March 26, 2019 John O'Malley

CHRIST IS MY CASTLE

December 24, 2018 “The kinglet on the suet. The rays of sunshine flooding the bedroom just so. The pine straw covering the ground outside like a blanket. I reminisce of days gone by when I sat on this very front porch penning historical fiction as a teenager, creating lesson plans for preschoolers, and telling a skinny, dark-haired college boy that I loved him. It is pretty incredible returning to a home where you spent so much of your youth. I never knew that feeling when I was little – we moved often during my younger years. But this was where Dad had his final tour of duty for the Navy. This was the home where he retired. And this is where I return now for the holidays. A place of familiarity. A haven. A refuge.”

Our family traveled over 32,000 miles in 2018. I have learned to enjoy certain aspects of being on the road, but for me, a truly fabulous day is one in which we never leave the parameters of our own house and yard. By nature, a woman’s home is her refuge. With her family and the familiar about her, she feels SAFE. Certainly the schedule can go awry, the laundry can pile up, and the toilet can overflow, but this is HOME. She is the wife, the mother, the queen, and this place is her domain. Deputation, however, takes much of that kingdom away. The missionary wife finds herself without the security of personal decisions regarding meals, schedules, or sleeping arrangements. She has no choice but to hand a million unknowns to her Savior on a daily basis.

This past fall, a pastor’s wife took several of us missionary wives aside and prayed for us, “as they do that which is not natural – leaving their homes behind.” It struck me, as she prayed, that this is why life on the road is so difficult at times. Quite simply, it isn’t NORMAL. As much as I sometimes long for my own routine; for my own stove, and bed, and bathtub; to be surrounded by the familiar four walls of my own “castle”; there are weeks and even months when God is the only fortress in sight.

And the truth of the matter is, HE is all I need. CHRIST is my castle in my changing world. And HE remains ever the same.

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.”

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge . . .”

My refuge; my “strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort” (Ps. 71:3) When my day is hard and my circumstances challenging - over, and over, and over again - I can run to Him and be safe (Prov. 18:10). As the hymn by William O. Cushing states so perfectly, “Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee, Thou blest ‘Rock of Ages,’ I’m hiding in Thee.”

David understood a transient lifestyle. The vast majority of his early adulthood, he was running from King Saul; living in caves; living with the enemy . . .

In Psalm 142:5, David wrote: “I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.”

As we enter another year of deputation, this is my personal prayer – that I allow God to be my REFUGE like never before. “You are my castle, Dear Jesus. YOU are my home and my security.”

Perhaps you pull into the same driveway every day; you check your mail at the same mailbox; you use the same key in the same front door every time. You do not feel you need God as your HOME, in quite the same way as a traveling missionary wife. But we all struggle with the human need to feel SECURE. It may be that there are new health issues on your horizon, or the “sands are shifting” at your workplace. You may find yourself facing many unknowns in the year ahead.

The Bible tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea . . .” (Ps. 46:1-2)

Though the “earth be removed” – though my world be shattered - and though the “mountains” – all my personal strongholds – “be carried” away, God is always with me – “a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 91:1-2 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

When every other fortress seems fallen, He is there for you, Dear Sister! And He is there for me . . . Do you need to cling to God as YOUR refuge in 2019?? May Christ be your castle – your stronghold against every changing wind and every foe. And in every storm that comes, may you find Him to be that Rock that is ever so much higher than yourself (Ps. 61:2-3).

“Oh, safe to the Rock that is higher than I, My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly . . . In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea, Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.”

http://dinnersintheovendevotional.blogspot.com/2019/01/christ-is-my-castle-dinner-94.html

The Top of My List

January 18, 2019 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

As young children, we often thank God for the tangible: “My parents”, “my toys”, “my house”. But as we grow older – particularly as we grow “older” in our personal walk with the Lord – we begin to see beyond the tangible. We start to develop a deeper gratitude for the things we cannot touch with our hands. We thank the Lord for LOVE, for FREEDOM, for MEMORIES. We give praise for those things we know to be true about God – His mercy, His faithfulness, His comfort.

I trusted in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior when I was 7-years-old. Back then, my Thanksgiving list would have been filled with the typical “Mom, Dad, sisters . . .” childhood answers. But time quickly passes, and before we know it, whole decades have gone by. During a recent church service, I began to do the math and suddenly realized that I have been a Christian for 25 years . . . Wow! That is a truly incredible thought!

And while I am sincerely grateful to God for the PEOPLE in my life – my wonderful husband, our four beautiful daughters, the loving pastors and church members who have chosen to support us on this deputation journey . . . There is something on my 2018 Thanksgiving List that may seem rather unconventional.

Helen Keller, both blind and deaf, once wisely declared, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”

The top-most “heart thing” I thank the Lord for this year is SORROW.

Psalm 119:68 and 71 declare “Thou art good, and doest good . . . It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

There are so many things in this life that we cannot learn on the mountaintops. There are so many lessons that God wishes to teach us through tears. In the book Hinds’ Feet On High Places, the most meaningful part to me is when little Much-Afraid finally enters the Kingdom of Love, and she nearly begins to cry for the loss of her faithful companions Suffering and Sorrow. It is then that these friends suddenly reappear – no longer as Suffering and Sorrow, but as radiant Joy and Peace.

Isaiah 61:2-3 “. . . to comfort all that mourn . . . to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness . . .”

If it had not been for sorrow, I never would have known the depth of God’s comfort and peace. If it had not been for sorrow, I never would have known the precious camaraderie there is with other miscarriage mamas. I never would have written “A Letter In Your Loss”. I never would have felt the burden to share God’s love with the bereaved in the hospitals of Virginia. I never would have seen how God could take my small endeavor and multiply it to His honor and glory.

But once further removed from a tragedy, the pains of grief can often take us by surprise. This week, I felt for a moment as though I couldn’t breathe when the strains of holiday carols met my ears. My heart nearly stopped at the sight of the memorial ornaments on our Christmas tree. The thought of Thanksgiving brought with it the memory of scheduling a doctor’s appointment, last year, and of hearing a baby’s heartbeat – a little life now gone to Heaven . . .

Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart . . .”

Oh how beautiful is the nearness of God! I have walked the road of baby loss twice during the last two years. But how many times over have Suffering and Sorrow brought God’s Joy and Peace! This Thanksgiving 2018, I THANK my Lord for the grief and the tears that I have known – for the valleys He has brought me through.

In Matthew 5:4, Christ proclaims,“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

Though I would not wish it upon others; though I would never ask for it again myself; I believe in my heart that I am truly blessed for having known the sorrow of miscarriage. With sincerest gratitude, I thank God for this plan He had for my life.

Romans 5:3-5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope; And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts . . .”

This post was first published at http://dinnersintheovendevotional.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-top-of-my-list-dinner-93.html

Majestic Creator

November 30, 2018 John O'Malley

By Kristen Kelley

Our deputation travels through New England will always hold a few treasured memories for me.

Being a descendant of Hungarian immigrants, I had tears in my eyes seeing “Lady Liberty” for the first time. Standing in the “Great Hall” at Ellis Island made my heart stop in awe. I imagined my relatives – my own grandmother not much smaller than our Charlotte - standing in those massively long lines, reaching out for freedom. That moment for me was pretty incredible.

It was Bar Harbor, Maine, however, that truly captured my imagination. I have been in 28 states on the continental U.S., and, for me, nothing compares . . . The blue-gray water and magnificent pines. The dense fog. The rocks of various hues. The miniature sea shells and colorful tide pools. We took beautiful photographs, and even the photographs didn’t do it justice.

Our surroundings are often a blur, following a deep sorrow. Now 8 months since our second miscarriage, I feel as though Maine was the “wake up” moment for me. Look! There is beauty and majesty in the world! The sun is shining! The sky is blue! The trees reach to the heavens!

Psalm 104:24 declares, “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom has thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

Do you ever stop to stare at the stars? When was the last time you paused to watch a butterfly or captured a sunset in your mind? When was the last time you waded in a creek or picked a bouquet of wildflowers? When was the last time you dwelt upon Our Heavenly Father as Creator of the entire universe?

Psalm 104:34 “My meditation of him shall be sweet. . .”

When we see God for Who He truly is, every trial and difficult circumstance we face pales in comparison.

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee . . .”

Why do we worry and doubt? Our God is more magnificent than the grandest mountain; more powerful than the raging sea; more brilliant than the brightest star . . . And our help is IN HIM!

Psalm 124:8 “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

As the school year begins, I encourage you to take hold of these final days of warm summer and EXPLORE – SEE – OBSERVE the natural world around you – and MEDITATE on the goodness and the glory of our Creator God!

This devotion first appeared at https://dinnersintheovendevotional.blogspot.com/2018/08/majestic-creation-dinner-91.html

Autumn, Please Don’t Come

October 30, 2018 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

I mentioned in my book, “A Letter In Your Loss”, how grief can feel like the waves – the tide coming in and rolling out. Both of our baby losses were in the month of December, and though the spring and summer have been “good to me”, I have recently been shaken by the realization that the colder months are coming around again. In my prayers for grace to make it through the upcoming holidays, I composed this poem. Perhaps it will resonate with others who have walked the road of grief.

Isaiah 26:3 – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

I love the color pumpkin,

Apple red and gold,

The smell of Autumn’s flavors

Baking in the cold,

The leaf that catches sunlight,

Mountains quite ablaze,

Corn rows, saffron yellow,

Growing in a maze,

A glimpse of charcoal hunter,

Furry, fierce, and wild,

The calm of foggy morning

Sleeping like a child.

“Awake now, Golden Season!

Harvest, sing your song!”

And yet my heartbeat whispers,

“Autumn, please don’t come.”

The chill brings sorrow’s mem’ry

Piercing through my soul.

It hints of winter weeping

Tears beyond control,

Of trees soon leafless, grieving

Moaning in their pain,

Dark days and longer shadows,

Howling wind, and rain.

The rose sings, “Farwell, summer!

Garden days are o’er.

Be gone ye wildflowers;

Petals smile no more.

Arrive now blust’ry season.

Thunder beat your drum.”

And thus my heartbeat whispers,

“Autumn, please don’t come.”

I can’t hold sunshine captive;

Heavens blue and white;

Can’t keep October waiting,

Cowering in my fright.

I need you, Dearest Jesus!

Savior, please draw near.

You’ve held me through each heartache,

Days both bleak and drear.

I’ve known your precious Presence;

Comfort, healing, peace.

I’ve felt Your gracious hand when

Sobbing would not cease.

This change I cannot welcome -

Nor sing sweet Harvest’s song -

But by God’s grace I’ll whisper,

“Come now, Autumn, come.”

First found here on Dinner’s in the Oven.

Weary Pilgrims

October 16, 2018 John O'Malley

By Kristen Kelley

It isn’t always easy to travel from one missions conference to another. There are times when I feel the weariness in my very bones.

“I didn’t volunteer for this,” my heart sometimes wants to say.

“Yes, you did,” the Lord whispers in return. “Don’t you remember that day as a teenager, when you kneeled beside your bed? You told me you surrendered all your life to Christian service and that you would do anything I asked of you. This may not feel like ‘missions’ yet, but answering questions, sharing your testimony, riding in a vehicle for long hours at a time, packing, singing, home schooling on the road . . . this is the ministry that I have given to you, right now! Are you still surrendered? Are you still willing?”

There’s an old hymn that reads:

“He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.

To added affliction He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,

He giveth and giveth and giveth again.”

In Galatians 6, Paul writes “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Have you been struggling with “continuing on”, as I have in recent days? Have you found yourself weary, even in the midst of doing GOOD things - the RIGHT things?

May we allow the Lord to help us and enable us as only He can do!

The Blessings of Sisterhood, Part Two

September 28, 2018 John O'Malley

by Kristen Kelley

“All girls?!” I have heard it all my life. The truth is, I went from having only sisters, to now having only daughters! Four daughters, to be exact. They are our beautiful little “stair steps”, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I daily find myself in a world of pink and purple, dolls and dress-up, hair accessories and tiaras. But it’s what I’m used to. It’s all I’ve ever known. God has surrounded me with female relationships, and in so doing, He has given me a rare perspective on the beauty and the blessing of SISTERHOOD.

You see, the blessing of biological sisterhood is very special. The blessing of Christian sisterhood is sacred. We’re adopted into God’s family. We’ve been bought with a price. Our hearts are knit together by a common salvation. And we each have a special purpose in the body of Christ.

Romans 12:4-6 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us . . .”

I Corinthians 12:4-6 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”

My girls are quite close together in age, but each one has a personality entirely her own. God intends for it to be that way! The same is true in the body of Christ.

I Corinthians 12:17-18, 20-21 “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him . . . But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.”

It is so easy for us to look at each other and compare. To complain when other members of the church don’t appear to be doing as much work as we are. But perhaps Sister-So-And-So doesn’t possess the gift of service, as you do. Perhaps she won’t be the lady overseeing nursery Sunday after Sunday. She has been given the gift of exhortation and is writing encouraging letters. Or she has been given the gift of prayer and is interceding on the behalf of every person in the church directory. Who are we to judge and say, “You aren’t doing your part” . . . “I have no need of thee”?

Do sisters sometimes squabble? Certainly! But God desires that, as His daughters, we seek to be at peace with one another!

I Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that she should inherit a blessing.”

Colossians 3:13-17 “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

The Scriptures call for UNITY among the brethren. How much could our loving Heavenly Father accomplish in this world, if His girls would only WORK TOGETHER?!

Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

Philippians 2:1,2 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

“She hit me!” . . . “So-and-so won’t share!” . . . Perhaps our disagreements don’t sound so childish as grown women, but we are prone to aggravate and annoy one another, nonetheless. This is true, even in God’s family!

“The decorations for the Ladies’ Fellowship are horrendous!” . . . “Did you see how short her skirt was on Wednesday night?!” . . . “She doesn’t immunize her children!” . . . “Why am I the only one baking cookies for Vacation Bible School?!”

Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

Philippians 2:3,4 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Caring about one another. Praying for each other. Rejoicing with those who are rejoicing, and weeping with those who are weeping. (Rom. 12:15)

I Thessalonians 5:11 “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today. . .”

Why? Why put forth the effort to “get along”? Because we are the body of Christ!

I Corinthians 12:25-27 “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

The word “schism” in that verse means “a rent, as in a garment, a division”. Imagine a beautiful wedding gown - the beads, the embroidery, the sparkles - but when you lift it out of the box, you find there is a giant rip right down the front. It’s enough to bring any young bride to tears. May the Lord help us as we seek to “hold the stitching together” . . . As we seek to live in harmony, doing our God-given part in the body of Christ.

There is something so beautiful about watching my little girls ENJOYING spending time together. Whenever I happen upon those scenes where the four of them are engaged in some fabulous imaginative play, or where two are snuggled together on the couch reading a book together, I immediately feel the need to grab my camera. Such moments never seem to happen often enough! How much more must God feel that way about us? How must HE smile, when He watches His daughters greeting each other pleasantly in church, painting the backdrop for Vacation Bible School without complaining, kneeling in prayer together . . .

Psalm 133:1 tells us, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

I encourage you to do those things that tend toward UNITY with your sisters in Christ, this week!

This first appeared on Dinner’s in the Oven.

The Blessing of Sisterhood, Part 1

September 21, 2018 John O'Malley

By Kristen Kelley

Ironed uniforms. Taps at sunset. The ear-splitting sound of jets taking off. Airshows. Commissaries. And moving boxes.

We lived in 8 different houses through the course of my military childhood. My parents treated each new duty station as an adventure. Across state lines, the scenery, the brand names, and the accents changed, but my immediate family stayed the same. We were quite close, my two younger sisters and I. People often referred to us as “The Guthrie Girls”. As sisters, we were not only family, but friends and classmates, too. Homeschooling brought a sense of stability to our constantly changing lives, and we loved it.

My sister Jessica is nearly 3 years younger than myself. Being the middle child, my mom used to refer to her as the “Oreo filling.” She was the peacemaker in the bunch. She was enamored with horses and cowgirls, and could definitely look the part. Her outstanding feature was her long blonde hair. Until the time she went off to college, it only saw healthy trimmings. I had thick bangs and waves that went every which way. Jess’ hair curled up and frizzed up in humidity, and tangled horribly in water and wind, but she resembled a Medieval princess with a long rippling sheet of blonde down her back when her hair wasn’t braided. Jessica was lovely. She’s still gorgeous, by the way. But, most important of all, she was sweet. She prayed beautifully. She read Scripture beautifully. She often played the role of peacemaker. And she was nearly always willing to participate in whatever playtime idea her bossy big sister concocted next. All in all, she was pretty amazing. Whether it be Barbie “Olympics” or “orphan trains”, elaborate dress-up story lines or Disney karaoke, Lincoln logs or toy soldiers, Jess was my closest friend.

Ashley was the baby in the family. She’s in her late 20s now, but forever an adorable curly-headed preschooler in my mind. Some of my earliest recollections of our homeschooling days include her sitting at the dining room table with us, coloring or playing with the Math-U-See blocks while we did our school papers. She was learning about “Leif Erikson” and “Erik the Red” right along with us, and for a period of a year or two she had “Luke Skywalker” for an imaginary friend. She was a little firecracker and consequently the one who got annoyed and pestered the most by her sisters. Quite special to me is the fact that our sisterly relationship grew stronger in the years after I got married. Ashley was the member of my family who visited the most often. She came to help me after every baby was born. She was the one who took the beautiful newborn photos, the one who helped get lunch on the table amid the toddler wails, the one who sat on the couch and had long talks while I waited for my husband to arrive home from selling cars. She jumped wholeheartedly into her role of “Auntie”, sending cards for every birthday and holiday, and buying presents to go with every birthday theme her nieces and their mother came up with. She’s a pretty strong and fabulous young woman, and I love her dearly!

Jessica and Ashley are my biological sisters. We memorized AWANA verses together, tent camped together, canoed through alligator-infested waters together, survived eating Mom’s “mush-mush-crumble” together . . . We’ve made hundreds and even thousands of memories, while walking hand-in-hand. Sisters. There’s no other bond quite like it on earth.

But it doesn’t stop there. Our loving Creator has taken a relationship so special and precious – the bond of SISTERHOOD – and has allowed that concept to spill over into the spiritual realm as well. How tremendously beautiful that we can also have Sisters in Christ! We can be members together of GOD’S family!

No two ladies are exactly alike. God has created us with unique personalities, weaknesses, strengths . . . If we are His children, then He has given us certain spiritual gifts as well. We may be as different from each other as night and day, and yet, God in His infinite wisdom has woven us together in a beautiful tapestry of grace; members of one body - the body of Christ.

I Corinthians 12:12, 14 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ . . . For the body is not one member, but many.”

How is this possible? Because when we place our trust in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we are adopted into God’s family!

Galatians 4:4-7 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

No matter the race, the nationality, the background . . .

Colossians 3:11 “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”

Are you a believer in Christ? Have you been adopted into God’s family? Then you, Dear Lady, have sisters! – Beloved sisters in Christ! Do you realize how very special that is?! There are women and girls from every country around the globe united by the redemption that can only be found in the Lord Jesus.

Do biological sisters, by nature, love each other? How much more should sisters in Christ love one another!

I John 4:11,12 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. . . If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”

Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love . . .”

I pray that as you finish reading Part I of this devotional, you’ll thank God for the beautiful blessing of SISTERHOOD.

Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”

This article first appeared on Dinner’s in the Oven.

Return to Candidate School

July 23, 2018 John O'Malley

By: Kristen Kelley

The truth? Last year, I sat at missionary candidate school and I cried as I asked my husband, “Can we really do this? Can we really do this to our kids?” You see, deputation can be a daunting task. Missions conferences all over the U.S., late nights, long drives, strange beds...

Yesterday afternoon, I found myself at BIMI’s headquarters, sitting in the same exact bedroom we had last year. I’ve often thought about the 2017 training session where Mrs. Snyder had all the second-year candidate school ladies share lessons and blessings from THEIR first year of deputation . . . Now, here I am, myself. We’ve only been “full time” since January, but oh how our lives have changed since this time last summer!

What would I say to those following along behind us? What would I share with the missionary mamas who are just about to embark on this deputation journey?

There will be “fewer” – fewer movies and TV shows, fewer possessions that you feel are “must haves”, fewer evenings alone with your husband . . . But there will be “more” too – more restaurants, more opportunities for creative romance, more road trip photos, more friends than you’ve ever had before, more preaching from God’s Word . . . Don’t be afraid to embrace the changes!

Psalm 65:11 “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness. . .”

You’re going to swap overwhelming “Mommy tasks”. Piles of dishes and meals to prepare will turn into packing, unpacking, and re-packing, and organizing things to occupy your children in the car for hours on end.

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.”

Education for the children will switch from “at the kitchen table” to clipboards, and missionary encounters, and totally awesome field trips along the way.

Deuteronomy 6:7 “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Be prepared for days you want to jump out of the van and leave your husband behind - LOL, and moments when you realize you’ve never been closer together as a family in your life. God’s blessings are always there if you look for them.

Psalm 26:3 “For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes . . .”

Open your heart to love and be loved by ladies in churches all across America. Open your heart to love and be loved by fellow missionary wives all over the globe.

Psalm 26:12 “My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.”

Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

Don’t let your guard down in thinking that 15 or 20 “church days” in a month is “sufficient” or “enough” – You’re going to need your PERSONAL time with the Lord like never before. You’re going to need some special-to-you deputation verses to cling to, as well. God is the Only One Who can see you through this journey!

Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”

It is vital that you “love on” your children daily – hugs, snuggles, books, audio adventures, art projects (even in hotel rooms), puppets, funny songs in the car . . .

Genesis 33:5 “. . . And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.”

Be ready to use some God-given creativity. You may be making peanut butter sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls, when the sliced bread is running low. You may be laying your kiddos crossways in order to fit three to a bed, or placing a sleeping bag on top of a deflated air mattress for added cushioning. Make sure you have plenty of Bible songs, and coloring sheets, and washable crayons in your “back pocket”. Ask the Lord to help you be flexible!

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.”

Your children are going to love it more than you ever thought they would! Sure, they’re going to have days when they admit, “I want to go home!” You are too! But most of the time they’re going to be begging to be the next one to push the elevator button, and asking if they can have waffles at the continental breakfast. They’re going to be excited to sit beside the pastor’s wife at the missions banquet, and inviting other children to look at their display table. They’re going to be telling others about cool places they’ve visited, and requesting to see your hostess’ talking parrot as soon as they wake up in the morning. Deputation can be a childhood adventure they’ll never forget!

Isaiah 54:13 “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD;and great shall be the peace of thy children.”

God can take care of any and every financial difficulty you’ll face. You can truly leave every need and every want in His care. You might be running low on gasoline or “Goldfish” crackers, needing a date night with your husband, worrying about how worn your girls’ church shoes are, or thinking how pleasant it would be for them to have a new book to read or a doll to share this journey with them, and the Lord will suddenly provide! Sometimes from a corner you never would have expected . . . When you’re doing God’s will, He truly DOES take care of you! He shows Himself FAITHFUL – again, and again, and again, and again . . .

Matthew 6:32 “ . . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

Are you about to “step out by faith”, as they say? Is the “road to missions” laying before you? Rest assured that the Lord is by your side!

Psalm 121:8 “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

May the Lord bless you, Dear Ladies, as you seek to serve Him with your lives!

Special to God

May 2, 2018 John O'Malley

Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We are special because we are special TO HIM!

What makes you unique? Freckles, fingerprints, facial structure . . . Your talents and abilities . . . Your past . . . Your heart – who you care about and love . . .

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand . . .” (Ps. 139:17-18)

A Channel of His Love

April 9, 2018 John O'Malley