Embracing the Father's Love

  The facilities here at the Haft serve for different purposes. Sometimes the people that come here are here for a refresher, a break, a time of refocusing. Sometimes the individuals or couples that come need some counseling. Sometimes (like the pastor coming next week) they want to come to write & just want a quiet place to do that. But sometimes they come as a group, like last weekend, for a retreat. Now the group that came last weekend was special because it was five couples who are near & dear to our hearts. So it was so fun to be a part of the retreat that we entitled the "Embracing the Father's Love Retreat". We watched a video series by Jack Frost, teaching about his experience of the Father's Love, & though I had watched these before, I seemed to have gotten more out of them the 2nd time around. Two key phrases that he used, stuck w/ me. The first one was, "The Father loves us the way we ARE, not the way we SHOULD be". Wow!! The 2nd one was this, "Love is a gift, not a reward for service". And of course there were many other things that spoke to me throughout the weekend, but the thought of God loving me in my imperfection is amazing to me. I cannot "do" something to cause him to love me more, & I cannot "not do" something that would cause him to love me less!!! And then the 2nd thought that I mentioned that stood out to me, caused me to think of my children. Do I love them based on performance or do I love no matter what?? Do I withhold love when I'm displeased with them?? See, the way we view the Father's love to us is the way we will react to others. If I think that the Heavenly Father's love is performance based, then there's a good chance that I myself live with a performance based mindset toward other people!!!
  The series was alot to take in in a short amount of time, & I'm still processing it. But I have a deeper revelation of the Father's love for me & a deeper understanding of the importance of loving without conditions. And I was reminded that anything done without love, is nothing! I reminded myself often this week, "If I homeschool my kids, & have not love, I have NOTHING. If I serve, live, give or anything else & have not love, I have NOTHING." You can fit all types of service in that sentence (feed the poor, have a knowledge, raise children etc.)- if you do it without love you have NOTHING!!!
   So like I said in the beginning of this post- there are many different uses for the Haft, they are of course always focused around refreshing, rebuilding, & retooling. And this past weekend was a great time of refreshing & retooling. Learning more, identifying things in our lives, walking thru areas, identifying strong holds & wrong mindsets, so we can have a deeper relationship with the Father. And then taking what we learned & appling it, acting on it. And as we change ourselves & our families, then ultimately we can make a difference in our world.

What's Your Life Purpose

  Ever wonder why on earth you were created? Ever stop to think that maybe, just MAYBE there was a plan for your being here? What specific plan did God have in mind for you before the foundations of the world were made?? Well I can't tell YOU what God's special plan is for your life, but I can certainly search & find what I'm here for. This has been some of the things we've been talkin' about in our weekly coaching sessions. And let me clarify one thing- when I say what have we been called to, I'm not necessarily talkin' about Dutch being called to the ministry & preaching. I'm talking about a "life mission". What are we as a couple & indiviually designed to do to serve God's purpose here on earth. For instance, Dutch is a one-on-one kind of guy. He loves to encourage people. He loves to help people, & if that means getting up in the middle of the night to pick you up somewhere, he will most likely do it. These things come natural for Dutch & when he operates in these things, He feels the pleasure of God. He feels fulfilled. Now me, I'm not geared in that same area, but I'm willing to support him in his calling. Sometimes that means giving up an evening with the family to allow Dutch to meet with someone that wants to share with him. On more than one occassion it meant allowing him to go pick up family or friends at midnight because their vehicle broke down or because they needed a ride. If he can help & encourage people in practical ways, he is in his element. Like I said, this is not my strong area. And sometimes it's easy to just sit back & allow him to excel in his gift & not pursue what God's "life mission" is for me. BUT I think EACH person has a gift & we're all supposed to use it. I like to write, I'm also a promoter, if I believe in something I will be verbal & tell you about it (not sure that that is always such a gift :)). I don't mind public speaking (most of the time) & Dutch says I could sell ice to an Eskimo... well we won't go there- BUT I write all this to say, God had somethng special in mind for every one of us. We were not meant to just "live" our lives for ourselves, but for a greater purpose. You are geared the way you are for a reason, now some of who we've become has been affected by pain in our lives & those are things we need to deal with in order to reach our full potential. But I'm realizing the importance of seeing what you're good at, & what is that makes you feel like you're being useful and then "Live that out everyday". We think admitting that we're good at something or that we enjoy doing something is bragging but that isn't necessarily true. If you're gifted in a certain area- then be all you can be in that. Don't hide who you are & what you're called to be- "find out what you're called to, & live it"!!!