Testimony Tuesday - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

For a while I've thought about writing about my testimony. I never figured how it would fit. But God has shown me this may be the time. Forgive any Susan-ness, as I'm typing this late at night.

My multiracial background was once a bane of my existence. The question of "what are you? " usually was met by with a sarcastic remark of "human, yourself? ". Needless to say this was not met with a positive response.

What God had shown me is this quirk was a great gift to me. My multiracial background gave me a racial ambiguity that allowed me to cross barriers that would hinder others and be invisibly visible. So that through me,  He could minister to His people; Invisible to the powers that would deny Him, yet completely visible to those who needed Him. 

 

(This is from Jill.  I talked with Susan on Sunday and she shared with me more about this testimony.  Because of the beautiful woman God created her to be, a woman made up of many different races, she is able to look Japanese to the Japanese, Filipino to the Filipinos, Samoan to the Samoans, etc...  She can be overlooked by those looking to crack down on foreigners evangelizing but she is also accepted and listened to by the same people-group because of her uniqueness.  I thought this was such an awesome story of being all things to all people!) 

In allowing God to use my least liked part me, I was able understand the "purpose and hope" God created me for.  In my weakest, He was truly strongest.

In walking this path with Him I've learned that the quirks He's put into us, shouldn't be a source of shame or embarrassment. But these individual quirks are tiles in a mosaic, that when put together collectively show as a Church, an image of God. Thereby making the fully supernatural, tangible to a lost world.

I hope this made sense.

Have a blessed day,.

Susan Mudry-McDaniel

Testimony Tuesday - He loves all of us so much!

I LOVE how our GOD works!!! Did you know that HE cares about seemingly “insignificant” things like winning a basket of “Dog Loot” at a pet expo??? Let me explain…

About three weeks ago…a friend (and neighbor) of mine, who had recently lost her father to an illness, texted me. This friend knows that I am a Christian and a “church-goer”. Up to now, I have never gotten to the point of talking to her about faith. 

Her text went something like this… “Hello Lynn. I was wondering… You go to The River Church right? Would you know if they have a grief group?” I said that I didn’t know, but that I would find out or locate another one for her. I asked if it was for her (knowing she had just lost her dad). She said she had really been struggling with his passing. 

Fast-forward one week… We were texting back and forth and she shared with me that she had confided in her mom, that her faith had really been rattled since losing her dad. She also shared with her mom that it had been years since she has gone to church. This fact really saddened her mom, because my friend has two young kids (ages 10 and 12).

So…I just threw it out there. “Why don’t you join us at church this Sunday at The River Church? We have an amazing pastor, incredible music, and a REALLY AWESOME kid’s church!!!” (Plus their Director of Children’s Ministry is my VERY CRAZY girlfriend Jen!No…I didn’t say that…but sure thought it though!) ;-) 

We went back and forth texting…answering her questions about service times, location, etc. Then she just stopped texting. “Hmmm??? This one is all yours from here GOD” I thought. So off I went to enjoy a Pet Expo that was being held in town that morning. I made my way throughout the expo, putting my name in for EVERY drawing in the building.

I left to head home to celebrate my hubby’s Birthday. I was about a mile away from the expo when I got a call from a gal at the expo…telling me that I had won one of their main “Doggy Loot” basket drawings! I was torn between heading home to my waiting family or going back to the expo.  I had this “strong sense” that I was supposed to go back to the expo to pick up my prize basket. 

I skipped with giddy delight back into the expo…and WHO was standing right there near my basket? It was my girlfriend, whom I was just texting about going to church that Sunday. She said, “I am so sorry…my phone died. Yes! We would love to join you in church this Sunday.” We talked details and I went to retrieve my basket.

As I was walking towards my “winning” basket…I heard the LORD say this: “I had you win this basket so you would come back and run into your friend.” Now THAT is my kinda GOD!!! 

So, in closing my friend and her kiddos came to church with us and she was clearly really moved by the music. She kept commenting on different songs and various voices. As we were walking out of church, she said, “I have NEVER heard music like that in a church before! That was sooo AWESOME!!! Thank you for inviting us…I really enjoyed it!”

So that my story of why GOD cares as much about is children as HE cares about blessing them! I guess our pooch, Bella, ultimately got blessed to by all of the loot in the basket. Like I started saying, “I LOVE how our GOD works!!!”

Feelin' blessed,

Lynn Deary

Testimony Tuesday - Serving in Missions

From Joanne Reddell:

For years I have wanted to go on a mission trip to deliver Christmas gifts to orphans.  God knew that there was a strong desire in my heart for this type of mission.  In Fall 2010, an announcement was made at church about a 3 day mission to Palomas Mexico to deliver Christmas gifts at Casa de Amor Orphanage.

WOW!  I was so excited!  I signed up right away and traveled with a team of 22 people Dec 10-12, 2010.  I didn't know what to expect so I just trusted God as I stepped out of my comfort zone.  The trip was amazing!  I fell in love with the children and workers at the orphanage and the people of the small town of Palomas.  It was such a joy to serve all of them and I was surprised by how blessed I was by the love and gratitude our team was shown by everyone we met and ministered to.

I was so impacted by this short term mission that I have returned to serve in Palomas Mexico 13 times since that first trip in December 2010!  A few months after my first trip, I knew that God wanted me to become even more involved with the Mexico ministry.  I began to help with various administrative aspects of the ministry like organizing the trips and recruiting team members for each mission.  I've even been the team leader for a few of the trips.

Through my serving with this ministry, I have been blessed in so many ways.  I've met new people, both here and in Mexico, and I've made new friends.  I've been able to use my God-given organizational and administrative gifts.  My Spanish skills have improved.  It's been such a blessing to minister to families who have so little.  Suffice it to say, it's been a joy to serve in this ministry!