Are Our Dreams Really the Desires of Our Hearts?

Ah, castles. We've all dreamed of living in one, or at least visiting, after all, they do figure in a lot of fairy tales.

College student, LeAnne Hardy, felt exactly the same way. So much so, she applied to work in a castle in the Austrian Alps. It now served as a Christian youth hostel and conference centre. And she waited expectantly for her acceptance.

It came, and with heart pounding, she tore open the envelope. But it wasn't good news, as they'd already filled all positions for the summer. She tried not to show her disappointment, but what could be better than a castle in Austria? Still, she thought that even if her dream wasn't realized, maybe God had better things in mind for her. So she made plans to attend a month-long leadership camp run by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Cedar Campus in Michigan. However, she was especially determined to avoid any romantic entanglements that would distract her from deepening her relationship with the Lord. (But as they say...famous last words!)

It happened that one evening after dinner, a group gathered around the piano and began singing songs from popular musicals, and a tall guy with curly hair caught her eye. He was turning pages and singing confidently. She loved singing and often sang lead in school musicals.Well, her friend wanted to see if she could sing as well as ever, so she thrust LeAnne to the piano. And sure enough, she joined the tall fellow in a duet...A Stranger in Paradise. (Sometimes a pushy friend is a blessing!)

Although very attracted to him, it didn't distract her from growing spiritually, as she'd listen attentively to all the visiting missionaries sharing their experiences. Also, she knew that after each session, he'd ask her opinion about it. That's when they discovered they were of the same mind with both desiring to serve the Lord on the mission field. LeAnne now admits that God knew what He was doing when she didn't get her dream job in an Austrian castle, for He really understands the desires of our hearts. Psalm 37:4,5.

Did she miss out on a wonderful adventure? Hmm, you tell me. To date, along with her husband, LeAnne has lived in six countries and four continents. She has sipped tea in Oxfordshire, eaten stewed goat (urk) at a Mozambican wedding, and slid down rocks in a Mato Grosso river! (I hope her jeans were Levis.) Her books for children and young adults come from her cross-cultural experiences, and her passion to use story to convey spiritual truths. Maybe you'd like to encourage her by visiting her website at  www.leannehardy.net

Tribute to Stellie Vi

I always feel nostalgic in May because of Stellie Vi's birthday. Born Stella Violet Kinnear, she was always a doer. And the one strength I've inherited from her is perseverance.

When my dad died she took a job in Qantas Catering to make ends meet. But after three years,
Bill Masterton, who had also lost his wife, became the love of her life. They clicked immediately. And I think the whole church enjoyed watching their courtship develop. It was such a happy time, I felt like a mother advising her daughter as their relationship deepened. I guess it was extra special to me because dear Bill had been my Sunday School teacher.

Bill was a softly spoken man but his voice could boom out on occasions. A voracious reader, he loved poetry and could quote reams of his favorite poems by heart. He was a navy cartographer and enjoyed squiring my mother to navy receptions. Oh, the whole thing was pure romance!

When they decided to marry, their best friends opened their house for the wedding ceremony and the  reception. As matron of honour, my biggest fear was that I'd burst into tears with the emotion of it all, but as it happened, I was just too happy for them both. Stellie's gown was a gorgeous jade green and brought out the same shade in her hazel eyes. With love radiating from her whole being, I think she made the most beautiful bride I had ever seen. She glowed!

Since they've both gone to be with the Lord after almost twenty years together, I often shed a tear over the beautiful cards and letters Bill would write to her, even though they were never apart. And one tender line he wrote I included in my book which will be published this coming September. It's this....."My darling, we have something special that no one, no distance, no time can take away; we have each other."

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Darren, George, Jess & Baby Shaniqua

That's what they say, but does it work out in real life? According to a South Australian father and son, it really has.

Darren first came to the Lord as a young child, under my husband's ministry. The combined churches crusade was held in an Adelaide Shopping Mall. He later made a commitment as an adult and following that went to study at the Capernwray Bible College in Canada. As many young people do today, Darren found his soul mate, Jess, on the Internet.

At the time, Jess actually lived in Sydney, Australia, but originally came from South America. Although separated and oceans apart, these keen young Christians felt secure in the knowledge that the Lord had led them together and they married on Darren's return. In time the Lord blessed them with a beautiful baby girl.

Now Darren's dad, Jim, had Irish/Scottish parents and he was born in Chicago, Illinois. When his mum died, he was only two, and some time later his dad remarried and migrated with his family to Australia. In his twenties Jim found a common bond with Betty as both attended their Church's youth group. These young people travelled around to minister in country areas. But with stricter upbringing in those days, pressure was brought to bear and they broke up their friendship. With sore hearts each prayed that if they were meant to be together, God would show them clearly. Many months passed, and then a further two years of separation as Jim attended Emmaus Bible College. Yet their love grew stronger and after they finally married, they felt the call to grow churches. And during some forty years of marriage and tough times in ministry they say the Lord taught them "stickability". They have proved over and over that as they brought everything to God in prayer they could persevere in His Strength.

Is God Interested in Who We Marry?

Still making harmony after thirty years

Al & Judy would say Yes, Amen, and Hallelujah!

Each had a desire to find the partner that God would have for them. Judy was a country pastor's daughter, who moved with her parents each time her dad was called to a new country pastorate. Yet all the while Al lived near the seaside. So these two Aussies were very far removed from each other.

Judy has an outgoing personality and chose a career in teaching. Al will tell you he was quite an introvert as a young boy, yet the Lord led him into a position as Human Resources Manager of a nationwide Mens' Clothing store. When Judy lived alone, she would spend each Sunday afternoon praying for the Lord to let her find someone to love. It wasn't easy to watch, as her friends, one by one, got married and began a new life together. Al also asked the Lord to lead him to the one who would be willing to share her life with him. But it didn't seem to be happening. So what finally brought them together?

The Lord used their musical gifts to link them. Al was fully involved with a Baptist Youth Choir and then The Young World Singers group which regularly appeared for four years on Australian Christian Television. After his stint with them he became involved with leading choirs by invitation in various churches. By this time Judy had moved to the Blue Mountains and at the same time a combined churches choir was formed for the specific purpose of performing a half hour of Easter Hymns on ABC radio. And there she met Al.

A couple of months later Al asked Judy to dinner, and as Judy says, "It was as if we had known each other forever! He was a keen Christian, and that was most important to me. He was a singer and I was a pianist. God's choice and timing was perfect!"

And she goes on to say, "After thirty years and four wonderful sons later, we can only thank the Lord for His abundant blessings. He has done more than I could imagine even in my wildest dreams. We share the closest and most amazing life together. We have gone through life's problems and difficulties, but know the Lord is daily molding us into His Likeness"

True Love - A Mother's Search

  

Shadowed in Silk  Book Cover

Unmarried and heartbroken, Christine gave birth to a little girl she named Sarah. Because she wanted her baby to have a father and a mother, she made the hardest decision of her life. She relinquished the child for adoption through a Christian organization, and discovered Sarah was adopted by a godly couple. She also believed that one day the Lord would bring her back in some way.

She decided to help out with youth at her local church and eventually met David, a young man assigned to be the Student Pastor. Naturally they were thrown together quite a bit, but time passed and on the anniversary of her child's first birthday she could barely hold her emotions in check. This young man saw her distress and handed her a card with comforting words from the Bible.

Christine says she was trying to envision her child in a high chair playing with a piece of birthday cake, but she couldn't even imagine what she looked like now. And she also wondered did the parents ever think of her. But being closed adoption in those days, it was impossible to meet with them. But the Lord impressed on her heart that He knew her pain. Several months later David asked her to marry him. With pounding heart she told him she had something to say first, and if, after hearing it he still wanted to, he could propose again.

Christine Lindsay

In stumbling words, she told him about giving birth to a daughter and then giving her up for adoption. He grew very sad and placed his arms about her. "I'm sorry, Chris, I got here too late. If only I'd met you when you were having her, you'd never have had to give her up."  Those beautiful words healed the hurt she'd been hiding all that time. His attitude was one of true Christian grace.

The Lord blessed them with three children of their own, yet David encouraged her to keep loving and searching for her birth daughter. And when Sarah turned twenty they were reunited. And guess who is on the cover of Christine's debut book? Isn't the dear Lord amazing?

This Canadian author's fascination with the British Raj was seeded from stories of her ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in India. SHADOWED in SILK -  released as an eBook May 1, with printed version Sept 1.  A must read!

http://www.amazon.com/Shadowed-Silk-Christine-Lindsay/dp/0976544490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303427541&sr=1-1

* Leave a comment and Christine will email the eBook to the winner.

Wedding Preparations

Carriage with the bride on the way to the wedding ceremony

The preparations. The endless count-down. The possible design of the wedding dress of the decade has been talked about and opinions given left, right, and centre. Nothing will be left to chance on the Big Day. Rehearsals are meticulous. Security is high.

Citizens from all over the United Kingdom wait and watch. The faithfuls even camp by the roadside for a glimpse of the prince and his soon-to-be princess.

And the bride, herself? She will look at her most beautiful on this day of all days. Her wedding dress will be pristine. Her face will radiate happiness. For on this special day she will be given in marriage to the love of her life, the prince.

After the wedding ceremony a great celebration at the palace takes place. Invitations to this event are highly sought after. Some from humble backgrounds are elated, while others of celebrity status are left out. Yes, by invitation only and many are left wondering just what they've missed.

I'm going to a spectacular wedding one day. I've been invited and have accepted. In fact, I'm a part f the Bridal party. I've been making preparations ever since I took the Lord Jesus, into my heart and life. But I don't know when the wedding will take place, so I need to be ready for when He comes. Revelation.19:7-8 "Behold, I am coming soon. Let us rejoice and be glad, for the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean was given to her to wear,"  He says to all who'll listen.

And another promise, "According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming f the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. After that we who are still alive and left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." I Thessalonians 4:15-18

You have been invited. His special invitation is there for you in John 3:16. Have you accepted?

WHEELS to WINGS - From Indiana to the Outback

One of Martha's many LP records

Raised on a farm in Indiana, young Martha Chastain yearned to be a singer. So when the Macauleys came to town it was providential that they needed a soloist for their evangelistic team. In God's perfect timing she soon became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and within a year sang her way across the United States.

It is ironic that at her graduation she sang "Far away places with their strange sounding names are calling, calling to me" And when the team, by invitation, sailed to Australia to hold evangelistic crusades she met a dedicated young man who played the accordion. Her first impression of Leslie Nixon was that he swung his arms in a swagger very much like John Wayne!

Determined not to miss the opportunity, a smitten Les invited Martha to a romantic cruise on Sydney Harbour before she returned home, And after many letters were exchanged their love steadily grew. Soon Les headed for studies at a university in the United States. Things developed from there, and on spring break he accompanied Martha back to the farm to meet her mother. The bus was packed with standing room only for Les. Yet word somehow got around that an engagement ring was burning a hole in his pocket.

At 1am, the bored passengers needed some excitement and began egging him on. "Go on, propose to her. Do it now!" Letting go of the strap, Les dipped his knee, took her hand, and proposed. The whole rocking bus strained to hear her soft answer, "Yes". The passengers broke out into enthusiastic applause with some even dancing down the aisle!

After their marriage, they returned to Australia to begin taking tent missions throughout rural areas. However, many years of this exhausting ministry drained them and they had to take time off to regain their health. Les realized there had to be a better way to cover the vast distances of Outback Australia. He found a beat up old WWII plane that had ended its previous "Flying Doctor" career. It was perfect for missionary patrol work and he paid for it by engaging in aerial photography. With children at home, Martha was snapped up by Channel Nine on "My Song For You" and "Strike a New Note", and she produced many fine recordings.

This was the beginning of a fruitful time of the aerial ministry known as OUTBACK PATROL. And for the past several years they have enlisted many other gifted folk in this exciting outreach to outback folk.

They have produced an entertaining and educational DVD How We Began in which the beginnings of Christian faith in Australia is traced through narration and with fifty singers and their songs.

For more details go to their informative website for updates at  www.outbackpatrol.com.au