In Life

11/10/2001

Hi Saints...this is not meant to be all-encompassing, and yet, because “the children” is a subject that we receive questions about regularly—from the four corners of the earth—this may be helpful to you. Throughout the world in this generation, we are seeing the Body of Christ come alive with desire for TRUE LIFE in the Son of God. DAILY LIFE in the Church—a hundred mothers, brothers, sisters, and other intimate daily relationships—is JESUS’ PROMISE to those who abandon their agendas, demands, and desires of this present corrupt age.

Many have not known “where to go” after leaving the empty “traditions of men” “handed down by our forefathers” in “attending” some religious ceremony. After leaving the choreographed show of some assigned “weekly” time and place hosted by a religious hireling or superstar...many have not known “where to go” instead! If we have no “programs” and do not discriminate or segregate any longer by skin color, or education, or social and financial status, or by age—how do we then live?! And, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE CHILDREN??!!

This is a collection of a decade or two of letters, questions, thoughts, and transcripts… from various times and places, cities and countries, for the purpose of lighting the path for those of you who are training the Next Generation to be Poet-Warriors for Jesus!

This isn’t meant to be some cohesive, exhaustive, exhausting literary masterpiece. You have been spared the cutesy anecdotes, the striking metaphors, the tear-jerking stories, and eloquent word-smithing. This stuff has no “author” since (similar to what we call the “New Testament”) it wasn’t written as a “book.” It is simply some pages taken from real Life situations, depositing Truth into families and Churches desiring God’s Heart, in various parts of the world.

Some of these thoughts were written by sisters to sisters in other cities, or to other sisters here locally in the Church—but would apply equally to the men reading these thoughts. OH, for the fulfillment of the prophecy in the last verse of the Old Testament: JESUS WILL NOT RETURN UNTIL IT’S TRUE, by His own Oath!

God’s Riches be upon you, always...

—a bunch of saints in Indianapolis

The Greatest Love of All

(Kingdom Version)

I believe that children are our future.

Teach them well and let them lead the way.

Show them all the beauty they possess inside.

Give them a Rock of Hope—to make it easier.

Let the children’s honesty

Remind us how we used to be.

Everybody’s searching for a Hero;

People need someone to look up to.

I never found anyone who fulfilled my need.

A lonely place to be—

And then I found the loving Prince of Peace.

I decided long ago to live for Him who makes me whole.

When I fail, when I succeed,

I can press on because I’m freed.

No matter what they take from me,

They can’t take away my destiny...

Because the Greatest Love of all is happening to me;

I found the Greatest Love of all inside of me.

The Greatest Love of all is easy to achieve;

Learning to love the SON—it is the Greatest Love of all.

I believe that children are our future.

Teach them well and let them lead the way.

Show them all the beauty they possess inside.

Give them a Rock of Hope—to make it easier.

Let the children’s honesty

Remind us how we used to be.

I decided long ago to live for Him who makes me whole.

When I fail, when I succeed,

I can press on because I’m freed.

No matter what they take from me,

They can’t take away my destiny...

Because the Greatest Love of all is happening to me;

I found the Greatest Love of all inside of me.

The Greatest Love of all is easy to achieve;

Learning to love the SON—it is the Greatest Love of all.

And you should know that special place

That you’ve been dreaming of

Leads you to the Risen King...find your strength in HIM.

—Adapted

As we walk together every day, bearing one another’s burdens, loving each other, admonishing one another, helping each other...MANY practical issues and questions come up. These practical situations provide great opportunities for us all to learn together more and more of Jesus’ heart and thought for every detail of our lives. Following are some thoughts that came out of some real, practical situations related to raising our children. It seems like they might be helpful for others as well.

Please keep in mind, these questions and thoughts offered make the most sense in the context of the Body of Christ that is truly functioning as a Body. Many of these discussions that follow are amongst those that are ALREADY walking daily with one another, as the Scriptures command, teach, and exemplify. They are ALREADY living as a Family—one hundred brothers, sisters, mothers—walking together every day, caring about each other, sharing each others’ lives, sharing the work, bearing one another’s burdens, walking in the light....all of us in love with Jesus, seeking His ways, seeking His Kingdom individually and together for each other, every day. We want Jesus’ standard for ourselves and our children and we know we need each other’s help to see His Highest! But that doesn’t keep difficulties from ever coming up! : ) The conversations that follow came out of some of our steps along this journey.

In the body of believers we are a part of, we realize how VERY privileged we are to have the love, help, and input of so many fellow disciples in the nitty-gritty practicals of raising our children. We also realize that may not be the situation for everyone who reads this paper. You may not have many options of people you can leave your children with and trust that Jesus’ standard will be upheld and good seeds of His life and love will be planted. You may not have the advantage of others’ eyes lovingly looking into your life and your children’s lives and bringing light into your situation. All that to say, it’s our hope that there’s much from this you will gain and be able to apply in your situation...it’s more our hope that you will find other lovers of Jesus to walk with every day and together share the burdens and joys of raising children in Jesus’ ways every day. These thoughts will go SO MUCH further when walked out with others that way! And keep in mind, if you don’t have children, either you will one day, or because of the nature of the Kingdom of God, you will see that you already have children because “you are your brother’s keeper.” No matter who you are, you have a part to play and gifts to offer as it relates to the little ones.