Be Thankful in Prayer

As many of you know, my friends and I are getting ready to endeavor upon an out of the country missions trip to Roatan, Honduras. We will be ministering to young women, ages 12-25 (approximately). In our training, we are learning scripture, how to share our testimony and how to leave our comfort zones. At yesterday's training, I grew in my faith from all the sharing and exchanging that went on between my friends and I. It was so powerful to green from everyone's confidence and interpretation of what God is doing in their lives and how they want so much more of Him. It's a powerful thing when you see others seeking the Lord, because, in the best case scenario, it usually causes you to operate in a deeper desire for Him, as well.

In light of the tragedy that is swooping over the whole world, we as Christians have a very unique opportunity to not only pray for those who are hurting and less fortunate than ourselves, but to also lift up our hearts in thankfulness for all God has done, is doing and will continue to do in our lives. There is no telling what my friends and I will encounter in Honduras. There is no telling how truly horrific the lasting affects of the attacks in France have left it's citizens. There is no telling how every day people are suffering in their circumstances, confused in their purposes or weary in their well doing. There is no telling because, in reality, we are truly only ever capable of completely understanding our own situations. We can empathize with people, but we are not mind readers. We cannot assume the issues of others and interpret everything the way that particular individual is interpreting their own situation. We can really only handle our own hurt, confusion, frustration or disappointment. Yet, in spite of where we are or where we may recognize others to be, we have so much to be thankful for.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Sometimes, even though we know in our heads to be thankful, it takes some effort to practice thankfulness from our hearts. So how can we push through the need to complain or fight our feelings of being unsatisfied? How can we ignore our pain that can seem to overwhelm us at times, or how do we overcome our own frustrations and disappointments? How do we forgive world tragedies, like

what's happening in Paris, and really trust that God has it all in control? Well, first, we must recognize that it's normal to have these moments and feelings; it's normal to forget to be thankful. This is why the Bible reminds us, in Colossians, to be thankful in prayer (Colossians 4:2). There are times where we must pray! There are times when all hope seems to be lost, when we cannot stand any longer, when anger wants to swell up within us and when life just seems to be unjust. So, we must pray! For us, for others and for the world! But in our prayers, we must be thankful.

Scripture says that "this world is not my home", (Hebrews 13:14). It's easy to get uneasy and fidgety when you are homesick. Our hearts cry out for more than this world can offer, but while we are in this world, we must realize that God has and will continue to provide for all that we need, in every area of our lives- physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, and so on and so forth. He does not have a blind eye to our existence. He sees it all and He cares so greatly. His desire is to give all of His children good things (Matthew 7:11).
No, this does not mean that God will remove all our hard times. More than likely, He will not drop a million dollars in your pocket, or propel you to the top of your career instantly; neither does this mean that the man of your dreams will magically appear and fulfill your every dream and wish. In the experience of life, there will be tears and doubt, but God is love! His provision for our lives consists beyond the material. He wants to provide us with more of Him- more love, peace, patience, grace, mercy, wisdom, worship, truth, joy, light...ect. All these things are summed up in our relationship with Jesus and He longs to give us so much more, if we but only ask! We are not eradicated from the troubles of this life, but through the troubles, God is there and provides what we need in the midst of every storm and season. These provisions allow us to persevere through this life and in this world, that is not our true home. As we continue to grow and pursue Christ, we will live a more thankful life, produced in our hearts out of Love for our AMAZING God and result in prayers that will change what we ourselves cannot! So be thankful, in good times and in trying times, because God is mighty and a constant friend. He will not abandon us in our hour of need.

Yes, the whole entire world seems to keep flipping itself upside down and in spite of our humanitarian efforts, our global donations, our walks for this cause or that cause, even our well intended hugs with friends who need us most, we are of no excuse to loose hope. Life my be chaotic, and things may not always go our way, but we have everything we need in Christ, and therefore, we must choose to be thankful in all things; remembering those who are hurting, of course, and lift them up in prayer.
As we continue living in thankfulness that our God is always there, we are better able to serve and aid those around us who need to know His love! After all, that truly is our purpose: to love people and point them to the God who loves them more. We have a unique opportunity to not only help the physical situations, but to help in the spiritual as well. The truth of the matter is that there is evil in this world, and it's obvious. Its not a person or a particular group of people, it is just the enemy of sin and it  wants to defy God and take away our hope, our love and our attitude of gratitude. But we must be strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10)! We must remain in faith and in His love, because there are people who are counting on our prayers. We must remind ourselves, even in the trials, that God is faithful and will never break His promises. We have so much to be thankful for, because we have a God who loves us!

Here are some scriptures to remind and encourage us all to give thanks, often and sincerely, for all the Lord has done... and really, just because He is! As these scriptures encourage you, let's all continue to pray for the hearts that are hurting in Paris, and all over the world for that matter. In spite of such tragedy, God is still near. He is not ignorant to what is going on. He is not busy doing other things. He sees the pain and He hears the cries. He loves us through our darkest moments and His light will shine when all else fades. I am so thankful to know a God who will one day right all wrongs. If for nothing else, I am thankful for His love, not just for me, but for the entire world.

Ten Reasons Why Christians Should be the Most Thankful:

1. We have been adopted as sons and daughters by the King of the universe (Galatians 4:4-6.)
2. We have been saved from the penalty of sin (Colossians 1:13,14.)
3. We have true security and significance in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10.)
4. We are part of a global fellowship of spiritual brothers and sisters (1 Peter 5:9.)
5. We are being saved from the power of sin (1 Corinthians 1:18.)
6. We have a cause, THE CAUSE, to live for here on earth (Matthew 28:19.)
7. We are engaged in an epic struggle against a dangerous arch enemy…so life’s never
    boring (Ephesians 6:10-12.)
8. We will be saved from the presence of sin someday soon (Philippians 1:5,6.)
9. Our movies are getting better (they had nowhere to go but up…I wish I had Scriptural
     support for this point.)
10. Because Jesus has conquered death we will too! (1 Corinthians 15…the whole
      awesome chapter!)
List provided by Greg Stier, from his website, Gregstier.org.

Helping Hands and Giving Hearts

For 2 months, Pearls of Hope have been collecting items for a women's shelter in our area. Many of us felt the call and challenge to be more giving, to remember the less fortunate and to share with others from the many blessings that we receive, yet often take for granted. It's very humbling to realize that a tooth brush and white socks are items that many people in our own country struggle to acquire on their own.

Scripture says, "Give generously and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." - Deuteronomy 15:10

We so long for the Lord to bless our efforts and our small group. We so long for the Lord to touch the lives of our families and friends and to use us in a mighty way within our community. But, before we can receive, we must learn to love to give. Before we can pray for ourselves, we must practice obedience in serving and giving to others.  We must learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. This truly is the work of ministry!

Please be in prayer for us, as we begin to research other areas in which we hope to have the opportunity to serve and give. Pray that the Lord will be pleased with our efforts and we pray that you will begin to practice the obedience of giving within your own communities!

Give Cheerfully!

~Pearls

PS: please visit the Events Page to see photos from this project! :)

In and Out of Season

The curtains of summer are beginning to draw in closure, as the world makes ready for the crisp and lulling of fall beginnings. The malls have already begun to display autumn fashions and even the Sun is making it's exits a little earlier, as of recently. Yes, the world is preparing for those quiet months of gusty winds and whispered nights; of cool afternoons and the sound of crunched leaves, lingering behind each booted step. I savor the summer months, because I dread the cold, yet in my region of the world, it has been a particularly mild summer. Not at all typical of a North Carolina.
Yesterday afternoon, I noticed that the Sunflowers beside the freeway were drooping and half naked, from fallen off petals. Normally, Sunflowers bloom and last until late September. I figure, the humbling sight must be due to a lack of sunlight, as it has been cloudy as of late. I was disappointed to see how my golden beauties, usually standing proud and tall this time of year, were colorless and stooped over, instead. A part of me felt sad somehow, for one reason or another, and I began to think about how we, as Christians, can sometimes allow the unexpected cloudiness and circumstances of our lives to hinder our growth and display of Christ, amidst our surroundings.

Even in an environment where growth is suppose to be taking place, we can find ourselves feeling as if we are withering away. We can pray, yet have a sense of disconnect; we can worship, yet feel powerless between the spaces of each word we sing; we can read our Bibles and recall scripture, yet feel as if our lives are some how exempt from promises expressed in certain passages. Sometimes, in our Christian lives, there are signs of Autumn or even Winter, in what should be our spiritual Summer.

As of lately, I've felt that way in my prayer life. See, in my opinion, I am in my spiritual Summer: my Bible Study group is growing (in number as well as in confidence), my marriage is a dream (if you overlook the inclusion of the NFL, NBA and the World Cup), our new Church is sincerely feeding us the meat of scripture and my extended family is happy and successful. I feel loved, I'm busy, I'm happy... but I'm also unsatisfied. I'm unsatisfied with believing Him for answers, yet feeling as if I'm talking to the pots and pans that I am scrubbing. I feel like my prayer life is hibernating, when it's clearly Summer time!
Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever experienced so much blessing in one area, yet at the same time, felt a disconnect in another? If so, it's normal. It's life.

Psalm 9: 10 states,
"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you".

To me, this scripture brings "Summer" back to my heart. There are times when our moods and experiences don't reflect our spiritual state. There are times when our circumstances overshadow what we know to be true. There are even times when Sunflowers droop, even in the middle of summer. But it doesn't change the season. Even if all the flowers died and all the leaves on the trees turned brown in July, it would still be Summer. Even if you feel far away from God, or you feel unproductive in your relationship with Him, you are still His child and His promises are still effective in your life! All He asks us to do is simply trust and seek Him! Don't loose heart. If you feel as if your prayers are disappearing, even as you are uttering them, continue to pray, anyway. If you feel as if your worship is in vain, lift your hands higher and your voice louder. If you feel as if your attempts to live a pleasing life is backfiring, don't quit-keep going! The Lord will not forsake you! He has given us His word! We must believe, and eventually, spiritual summer will come to us in that area, and then in the next one and in the next one.

Let's be faithful, in and out of season!
Trust God!

~Pearls

Join the Movement!

We are currently in the process of creating our YouTube page! (Stay Tuned for that!!!) This morning, I was looking/surfing around for similar organizations such as ours (Pearls of Hope) and I came across this video that was just amazing! It really touched my heart and it confirmed a lot of love lessons that we've been learning throughout our study of Crazy Love! Maybe you've seen this video, maybe you haven't. But as you watch it, consider your own heart and any way that you can focus more on loving others- not based on their behavior, their differences or their beliefs- just simply and purely loving others, like Jesus!