New Life In Christ! - Courteney gets baptized and why The Church needs the disabled!!!

Wow ladies!...I am simply beaming!!!  My sweet daughter, Courteney, was baptized this past Sunday, Resurrection Sunday!!!

We decided a few months ago that we wanted Courteney to be baptized.  See, although Courteney is severely disabled and non-verbal, she loves the Lord.  His presence, His power, His mercy, and the Fruit of His Spirit are crazy evident in this young lady's life!!!!


Courteney, as well as many other disabled children and adults we know, have challenged our traditional "spiritual" thinking.  Her life and her relationship with God has caused us to have to simplify The Gospel.  Sometimes we make it so complex.  That statement is not to be confused with thinking that I am saying it is easy....following Jesus is anything but easy!!!! But, the truth is, sometimes we want to hear people say certain words, or perform certain actions, read so much of the Bible, and act a certain way to say that they are a follower of Christ.  God changes us...AMEN!!??  He gives us NEW LIFE!!!!   He gives us a new heart with new desires when His Spirit enters us upon belief!!!!  But, the question I am getting at is this....Do we believe that God is JUST as powerful in the disabled?  Do we believe, that although a child like Courteney cannot declare with her voice her love and dedication to Christ, God is any less active or less Lord of their lives because they can't say a "sinner's prayer" or take baptism classes?  I believe the opposite is true.  I believe God shows up in the weak!!

I see Courteney's life and I am amazed and truly humbled at the evidence of His residing in her heart. There is joy beyond belief (joy that I don't come close to having); there is great faith (as her character radiates a peace and trust in God to supply her needs); there is a LOVE for worship (as she waves her pink pom-pom to praise God or hits her light up tambourine - Courteney has set such an example of delighting in worship and finding freedom in that worship)....the list can go on and on.

A few days before we made Courteney's baptism testimony, we were made aware that there were many theological questions being asked and contemplated by our leaders of our church.  At first, my mama's heart got a little defensive.  Then we received an audio clip from our Pastor of theologian John Piper sharing his view on baptism of someone with cognitive impairment.   In the email Pastor Chad hoped this audio clip would encourage us.  Then the night before the baptism, Dan spoke with the Pastor who was going to be baptizing Courteney.  Not only did they discuss the logistics of the baptism, but Pastor Rick shared his excitement with Dan over this baptism.  We were realizing that our request for Courteney to be baptized was not just being tolerated, but it was being prepared for, rejoiced over, prayed over, and even researched!!  We are so grateful that our church leaders put so much time and effort and thought and prayer into this decision. At the end of this blog is where you can witness Courteney's baptism, as well as our Pastor's heartfelt explanation of why this was a good thing!

See, the truth is, it wasn't the theological questions that made my heart a little heavy, I think it was that I felt like many see her and many know her - but only from a distance.  So, my questions for you today are,  "Do you see someone with a disability only from a distance or do you rub shoulders with the disabled?  Do you know someone well who has a physical disability and/or a cognitive impairment?"  I'll be honest, if your answer is "from a distance," then you're missing something amazing, something life changing. You're missing the beauty.  Oh the Lord may give you glimpses of the beauty from a distance...but without a closeness, you can't experience the revelation that God can bring. This is just one of the reasons that Courteney's baptism was so powerful - it invited the church into her life and to know her.

I know lives are changed when God takes a lot our ideas of what we consider "spiritual" and turns them upside down.  You see, I have had the amazing privilege that I would never trade - this side of Heaven that is - of learning what is truly spiritual.  James 1:27 is a perfect example of when God rocks our comfortable little worlds and tells us that "Pure and faultless religion is this: to care for the orphan and widow in distress..."  Is that really what we consider to be true religion?  Or in Matthew 25:40, when Jesus Himself tells us "whatever we do to THE LEAST OF THESE, we are doing to Him (feeding, clothing, visiting in jail).  Wow.  Or in Isaiah 58 - when the Lord tells us what real fasting is - "spending ourselves on behalf of the poor and the oppressed...giving shelter to the wanderer."  Jesus rocks our worlds and our thinking!!!!!  I am just going to be really blunt here....I find it spiritual to change my 13 year-old daughter's diapers each day.  I find it spiritual to wipe drool from her mouth.  I find it spiritual to find her the very best physicians who value her life.  I find it spiritual to advocate for her in the special education world.  I find it spiritual to pray with her and read the Bible with her.  I find it spiritual to provide her diligent, sterile medical care in our home.  I find it spiritual to go to the mall and walk her around with our heads held up high as almost every person stares at us.  I find is spiritual to manage her pain when she is hurting.  I find it spiritual to pray for her doctors and therapists.  I find it spiritual to not leave her alone when she is admitted in the hospital.  I find it spiritual to kiss her like crazy and tell her how much she is loved.  Do you see how closely intertwined all these are?

You may read that list and think that you would never want any part of it!  And I definitely don't want you to think that I am declaring myself and all special needs parents to be super Christians!  I am going to share with you a little secret - although many parents of special needs kids make life look easy and joyful - most of us never waved our hands to God and said "give me a sick, disabled child, please."  No, most of us were completely caught off guard when we learned that our children would have life long disabilities AND believe it or not, most of us grieved.  The difference in "most of us" is that God gave us something that we never would've chosen and He forced us to get close to someone who otherwise we probably would've distanced ourselves from, stared at, or not even made eye contact with. The Lord forced us, by His GREAT MERCY, to learn what being spiritual really means.  He made us love the James 1:27's, and the Isaiah 58's, and the Matthew 25's of this world and of His Kingdom and His Body!  He changed us and made us into the people that we never thought we could be.  He made us MORE into His image.  He rocked our spiritual worlds and showed us His great heart like we never would've known.

See, in our case with Courteney, He has opened our eyes to the depth of her knowledge of Him, making it possible for me to say she is the greatest Christian that I know.  Why is she the greatest Christian I know?  I think I know why... her simple little heart makes a perfect home for her Savior! She worships Him in spirit and in truth.  She may not be able to do and say the things that we deem as super Christian...but man, I ask the simple question...where else could her strength, her worship, her love, her joy, her forgiveness, her silliness, her perseverance, her beauty, her enthusiasm, her patience, her grace come from other than Jesus??  How else would life so align with the Word of God and display the characteristics that God promises believers would have?  Her life demonstrates to this world, as well as the rulers and powers in the heavenly world - as God sustains her life and gives His power to the weak!  The only explanation Dan and I can come up with is that, beyond our understanding, there has been a relationship started - I don't know when and I don't need to know when, but we just know. We JUST KNOW that "those who seem to be weaker are indispensable" (1 Corinthians 12:22) and "has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith?" (James 2:5).

Rejoicing after her baptism!  

We are humbled that we get to witness Christ unleashed in her life day after day.  I have learned from her what being a Christian really means - it means that following Jesus is worth anything. She KNOWS Jesus Christ - what greater knowledge could we hope for our daughter to have?  Although her life may not seem to have a lot, she truly has everything that she needs in Jesus Christ.

This is why Courteney was baptized - the evidence is astounding - her heart belongs to Jesus and He has given her New Life!!!!

It is my hope that each one of you reading this would do several things... be open to the unseen! God tells us that what is unseen is eteranal (2 Corinthians 4:18) - AMEN???!!!!  And what is seen is temporary!!!  AMEN! AMEN!!  Pray and ask God to give you spiritual eyes and a heart that doesn't miss what moves His heart.  Be comfortable being uncomfortable - one of the greatest things I have ever been challenged with by a dear friend of mine who ministers to the disabled.  God often takes us places or wants to take us places that in our flesh and our humanness we would never want to go on our own - it is often there that we find blessing and see His heart up close and personal!  Let God redefine your idea of what is Godly, worship, and spiritual.  And lastly, do you know, really know, someone with disabilities?  Jesus did.  He touched them.  He healed them.  He forgave them.  He didn't ignore them and He definitely wasn't distant!  What an awesome God we serve!!!!  May we desire to be as He was!!!!  Oh how my heart swells with love for Him even as I type this!  I was beaming with joy over Courteney when I started typing, now I am beaming with joy over declaring to you all that THIS IS MY GOD!!!!!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE COURTENEY'S BAPTISM!!!


Many Blessings!!
Christine

Bloom Where You're Planted

Hello beautiful daughters of God - Think Spring!

Lately, this phrase, "Bloom Where You're Planted," keeps popping up wherever I go or whatever I do.  I open a book and there it is.  I just heard it mentioned in the movie, Facing The Giants.  I always wanted to see this movie, but never seemed to remember to borrow it.  Well, I was at a local library a couple of weeks ago and I decided to browse the movies--there it was!  I grabbed it up and took it home to watch it and about half-way through the movie, there was that phrase!  Also, our women's group met last week and we were discussing a theme for our luncheon in early May.  We decided to use "Bloom Where You're Planted" as the theme for our women's luncheon this year.  It fit in perfectly with the decorations and door prizes that were already purchased for the luncheon.  Isn't it amazing how God works?  Like a loving parent, when He wants you to get something, He keeps repeating it!  

Therefore, I believe God wants me to reflect on this phrase and share with you some thoughts about what it means to me to bloom wherever I may be planted - at home, work, and church.  

Home - According to Proverbs 31:10-31, there are so many ways I can bloom in my home.  By loving and trusting God, I can be more like the virtuous wife.  When my husband and I were married over 15 years ago, I wanted to run everything. I was a single parent for a few years and I got into the mode of taking charge--of everything!  It took some time, counseling, and a Bible study to make me realize I wasn't being very respectful to my husband and I wasn't bringing any honor to God or the marriage.  I guess I thought that if I submitted to my husband, I was weak. But, that is not it at all!  By submitting to my husband and letting him be head of our household, I am doing what God tells me to do.  Wives are told to submit to their husbands at least four times in the Bible (see Ephesians 5:22; Ephesians 5:24; Colossians 3:18; and 1 Peter 3:1). Therefore, this must be important to God (I told you that when God wants you to get something, He keeps repeating it!)   Whether you are married or single, a mother or a mother-figure to someone else, bloom in your home and be the woman God calls you to be.    

Work - When I think of what it means to bloom at work, I think of Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" [KJV].  It may not always be easy to talk about God to others in the workplace.  Some companies frown very heavily on employees who talk about their faith.  However, even if openly sharing your faith is discouraged at work, you can still be that light that shines for God.  How?  Here are some suggestions: 

1. Carry a positive attitude everywhere you go, even if it's only to the break room.  If you have the joy in your heart which is Christ, that joy can't help but overflow onto others.  People will notice your positive attitude and want the joy you feel. 
2. Do not fall prey to gossip.  Don't listen to it and don't spread it.  
3. Watch your language/guard your heart.  Tongues seem to have a way of bringing out the real words in our hearts when we least expect it.  Be aware of the words that spill out of your mouth when you hit troubles at work.  If you cannot repeat those words without feeling shame, it may be time to examine your heart.  Sometimes, when I get upset, I say, "shoe beans."  I'm not sure what it means, but it prevents me from saying something I may regret.  I am trying!
4. Always give your best to God (from Facing the Giants).  Whatever job you do, give it your all!  If you don't understand something, ask questions.  If you need training, look into different options and then present those choices to your supervisor.  Even if the answer is no, you will know that you are doing your best to bloom at work!  
5. Encourage your co-workers and help wherever you can.  If there is a job that needs to be done but it is outside of your "job description," offer to help anyway.  You may learn something new and you may like it!    

Church - You can bloom in the church where God has planted you by sharing your time and talents to serve others:  "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10 [NIV].  God puts us exactly where He needs us to be.  Like a seasoned farmer, He knows exactly where to plant us, how to prune us, and when to harvest us to further His kingdom.  Sometimes, we are called out of our comfort zone to serve in an area that is not something we would typically volunteer to do.  Pray about this new area and see if you are being led to learn something new or grow into a different area.  Last year, I ended up leading a women's Bible study for the first time.  I was not very confident at first about leading the group.  I wanted to find someone else to teach or postpone the study until the lady who originally was going to teach would be available.  However, I dug into it and found that I really liked it and I learned so much more by leading the group.  I am already looking forward to our next Bible study later this year.  If you are not serving in your church already, find ways to share your talents at church.  Let them tap into one of God's most valuable human resources--you!     

In summary, "Bloom Where You're Planted" (to me) means that whatever you do, whatever your age or stage in life, "...do everything to the glory of the One who made you..."   Hmmm, reminds me of a song by Stephen Curtis Chapman, "Do Everything."

Published on [YouTube] Aug 8, 2011

Music video by Steven Curtis Chapman performing Do Everything (Official Music Video). (P) (C) 2011 Sparrow Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable laws. Manufactured by EMI Christian Music Group,

I would love to hear what "Bloom Where You're Planted" means to you.

Blessings!