Monthly Archives: March 2013

Rebuilding

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“I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work” (Nehemiah 2:18).

Rebuilding

Rebuilding

Until April 7, a group from Colorado is at Bois Neuf. For anyone who wants to go to Haiti, it begins with someone telling about the goodness of God. God speaks through the person telling you about their trip. Then, the Holy Spirit moves and stirs within the people who hear. They link arms and start rebuilding, doing the good work.
Are you listening? What good work might be getting your heart excited? What would you like to rebuild? A good place to start is sponsoring a child through Hope for Haiti. Visit The Children tab to start rebuilding a child’s future.
Or maybe you are hearing about the Colorado team. Another response to hearing is to pray. Will you join us and pray for the team, their health, and the people they will come in contact with today? We look forward to hearing about the gracious hand of God on them. Let’s rebuild together.
By Mollie Bond

Water

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World Water Day

World Water Day

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them'” (John 7:37-38)

Today is World Water Day (March 22).
Cholera, a disease that is caused by bacteria-filled water, is also cured by water. Haitians deal with trying to find clean water on a daily basis.
Jesus spoke to people in a way they could relate. After the festival, people returned to their homes. They needed clean water. The travel caused thirst, and Jesus wanted his parting words to be relevant. The dusty roads caused the Israelites to reach for their canteens, and the flowing water cured their dis-ease. One swallow brought the comments from Jesus to mind, those words ran over their hearts.
Haitians also understand the need for clean water. Let’s pray today they find the physical clean water, just as the Jews returning from the feast would be looking for clean water; but let’s also pray today they find Jesus as the pure water that provides life.
By Mollie Bond

Killing Character

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Another guest blog post! Yipee! Your comments will spur on more guest posts. Thanks for stopping by!

Killing Character

By Liz Bond

I am new to this church. I am excited because I have been asked to play the piano for the Lady’s Retreat. Arrival time is 6:30 p.m. I decided to come early and get set up so I can lead others in singing with the rest of the group.

Mary comes up to me and asks if I could also play some pre-music as the ladies arrive. I said sure, but since I live 30 miles away I don’t have access to my piano books. I go to the piano in the sanctuary to look for music in the piano bench. I see a piano book sitting on the bench. I open it up to see what I could possibly sight read when in the gathering crowd Geraldine yells angrily across the sanctuary, “That book is not yours and you may not keep it. That is my book. It is for the pianist playing Sunday.”

Did she really do that Lord? Did she just humiliate me in front of everyone? She just accused me of trying to steal her book. I don’t have time to think about this because I need to find something to play. I still used the book since I found a few songs easy enough to play.

The night was a success with God present in songs and through the speaker. I am still hurt by the accusing words thrown across the room. These words pop into my mind: “The tongue has the power of life and death,” Proverbs 18:21 states. This means the angry words of Geraldine stabbed my heart. She killed my character in front of all the gathering ladies from church whom I didn’t know. Geraldine passed judgment on me. Her judgment is the same as murder.

I want to hate her. I John 4:20 tells me, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” My thoughts swirl. God, you tell me that if I hate my brother in Christ, yet state I love You at the same time, I am a liar. If I can’t love my brother whom I’ve seen, how can I love You, God, whom I haven’t seen? I know I haven’t been perfect; I, too, have passed judgment.

Lord, help me to be more like you in character. You are holy Lord God; help me to be holy since you live in me. Jesus, you are my standard. Give me strength to control my tongue and not destroy the character of another. Give me strength to love my sister despite the angry words hurled across that crowded room.

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Liz Bond
Liz Bond

Liz Bond is a housewife who holds a degree in music from Cornell College. Her heart was captured by Christ as a teenager. She’s always cared deeply for the less fortunate, and frequently travels on short-term mission trips, especially to Haiti. God blessed her with two grown children, Mollie and Bobby, making her and her husband empty nesters. Her love of mountains keeps her active in North Carolina.

All Their Hearts

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Find All Their Hearts and more on the Hope for Haiti blog.

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
Nehemiah 4:6

All Their Heart

All Their Hearts

The wall for the school in Bataille is half way done.
The Haitians prepared for a group to come and help, so they started hauling sand from the river to use for the concrete blocks. The first day the American group and the Haitians worked so hard, they used all the sand. So the following morning, at 2 a.m., the Bataille people starting going further down river to collect more sand by hand in buckets. The Bataille people “worked with all their hearts” because they know the value of education. Coming alongside Hope for Haiti provides more opportunities to build a school, and ultimately rebuild a country.

By Mollie Bond

Ten Minutes is Enough

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Posted at ChristianDevotions.us. It’s a story inspired by Willow Creek’s Care Center–thank you to my friends there!

Ten Minutes is Enough – Mollie Bond

 Ungratefullness

Ungratefulness

And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. Exodus 36:6b-7

There are ten minutes I dread each Saturday. Pray for me.

The food bank where I volunteer is about someone’s need. The kids shyly build towers with colored blocks while their parents fill out paperwork. Are there toys at home to play with? The parents’ eyes are filled with pain. The pain is about all they bring with them. Some walk for miles for the general public’s leftovers. Then I walk out to meet a mother and son with a shopping cart of produce, frozen meat, and maybe some chocolate-chip cookies (they’re his favorite, I’m told). The smile I see represents freedom from worry.

Later, when I am at my job in a retail store, the ten minutes I dread, happen. I see this place is all about wants. Kids run around unnoticed. They yell across the store, “I want this!” Parents don’t even look up. “No, you just got a new toy!” The mother is busy telling me what a disgrace it is, not having the color she wants. Her eyes look around with empty pain, even though she’s carrying a purse I have to pay for as luggage at the airport. I meet them to check out. She has two carts with kitchen gizmos and enough clothes to supply the state of Ohio. There is no freedom.

When is it enough? Where is freedom?

When Moses started to build the temple, the people gave an abundance. Yet there was a point when Moses said, “You’ve given more than what God asked. Bless your generosity, but keep what you have.” When is enough, enough? There has to be a point in our consumer-saturated culture when we say, “I’ve got enough.” Just to be thankful for a shopping cart of food, and not the gizmos to go with it.

Think about the items you want. Can you do the work God has given you without them? This place is about God. Use the time, talents, and money God has given you to bless others. It will bring freedom.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and Ambro.

Culture Clash

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As seen as EMEVI.blogspot.com.

Culture Clash

“When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!’” Acts 14:11
It’s important to understand the culture and the potential perspectives when exploring a new place. I learned children in some parts of Haiti will not look you in the eye if you are older and talking to them. Their culture

Culture Clash

Culture Clash

teaches them this action. It’s not because I was Caucasian like I thought. My misunderstanding of the culture prohibited me from communicating God’s love for his Haitian people appropriately.

Paul healed a lame man in Lystra. However, the crowd fell on their understanding and their experiences, and deemed Paul and Barnabas as gods. It’s what they were taught. They didn’t know Paul and Barnabas, as humans tapped into God’s power were not using their own power to heal.
What situations do you walk into without doing a little bit of research on the perspectives of whom you are going to see? What is one new thing you can learn today that will help bridge the gap in communication?
The girl in the picture is Izlande SainVil who lives in Bataille. She does not have a sponsor. If your heart is pounding faster because you want to make sure she goes to school and has food, please pray about becoming a sponsor.
 
By Mollie Bond

Angry Words

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A guest post, by a cherished woman (bio below). Liking this post will bring more stories from guest bloggers!

Angry Words

By Liz Bond

I sit by the window looking out to the woods pondering the emotions going through my mind.  Who does she think she is?  Why is Rose so angry at me?  Does she think her angry look and voice tells me what I have done?  My gut says, “Make this right.” I close my eyes tight against the world, wondering what the purpose is for me to be here on earth right now.  I open my eyes and still feel like I’ve misunderstood what God wants me to be.  I listen.  Nothing; I don’t hear God saying anything to me.

Sigh.  I take a short sip of my coffee enjoying the taste yet it scalds my throat like my anger scalds my thoughts.  I guess I had better get down to reading what God has in His Word today.

I open my Bible to Matthew 5:13.  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”  He tells me that I am to be the salt of the earth.  He tells me that if I lose my saltiness there isn’t any way to make me salty again.  Whoa.  Does that mean when I get angry thinking about Rose’s anger, I too, lose the influence of who God is in me?  Yes it does.  It also means that I am no longer an authentic portrayer of my Lord, Jesus. In my anger towards Rose’s attitude as I tell others, I can  lose others to the influence of God since I am not displaying his character.

Lord, help my unbelief of who you are. Help me to be strong in you so I can die to self and display only you. I pray for Rose today.  Love and bless her today and give her peace.  Help me, Lord, to find the right words or action to love my sister.

____________________

Liz Bond

Liz Bond

Liz Bond is a housewife who holds a degree in music from Cornell College. Her heart was captured by Christ as a teenager. She’s always cared deeply for the less fortunate, and frequently travels on short-term mission trips, especially to Haiti. God blessed her with two grown children, Mollie and Bobby, making her and her husband empty nesters. Her love of mountains keeps her active in North Carolina.

Steak and Honey

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A steak-sized shout out to my Word Weaver friends for their tremendous help, and my editor, Suzy, who continues to encourage and inspire The Christian Pulse team.

March 6, 2013 by    

Filed under Daily Devotions

By Mollie Bond-

Sizzling, succulent, scrumptious. In other words, a Brazilian steakhouse. I winked at my friends Tammy, Jennifer, and Callie at the decadent restaurant as the servers slid out the fabric-covered chairs. Slightly drooling, we found our way to at the salad bar, which included raw fish, mozzarella carved from the wheel, and basil salad dressing. The girls waited for me to finish. At the last bite, the real fun began.

“Turn the cards!” Tammy said with much flair as she picked up the card next to her plate. We flipped the card to green. When we needed a moment, we flipped the card back to red. However, I saw most tables had green cards because of what came your way with a green card.

Meat sizzled past my ear. Foot-long skewers of meat came right to my table. The server slid the sharp knife through the meat while the tongs I held keep it from falling. Instantaneously, lamb, beef, chicken, spicy sausage, and

A Brazilian Steakhouse Experience

A Brazilian Steakhouse Experience

filet mignon wrapped in bacon, were rushed to my side with one flip. Just as we started whispering in an un-lady-like manner about how a belt needed to be loosened, Callie said, “I can’t even taste what I’m eating anymore.” It reminded me of the verse in Proverbs that warns about eating just enough.

“What is this?” as her fork held up some type of meat. Defeated, the fork and the meat landed back on her plate. She’s right. The more we ate, the less appetizing meat sounded. Even bacon.

I wondered how many other times in life do I gorge myself? What about in my finances, or my quest for a better job, or my desire for more down time? Contentment, knowing when enough is enough, is so hard to come by in America; especially in American Brazilian steakhouses.

PRAYER: Father, I’m turning my card to green to You. Yet I am leaving it on red for that feeling of discontentment. I’m glad for the many good things in my life, and I’m determined to enjoy them fully.

“One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet” (Proverbs 27:7 NIV).