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(1) Madison Suzanne, (2) Morgan Gail, (3) Mallory Nichole, (4) Meghan Elizabeth (5) Joshua Spencer, (6) Stephen Nicholas, (7) Meleah Grace |
A Baseball Team? A Soccer Team? Kid's Little League?
No. May I introduce you to our Mission Field and our Discipleship Group. We just happen to all be on the same team! Right now it is the team that makes up our family. The Boggs family. Prayerfully as they grow and mature and the Holy Spirit draws them, we will all be on the same Faith team!
It wasn't too long ago that the days were long and wearisome. Constant training and disciplining. A whole lot of whining and complaining. Selfish and sassy attitudes. Huffs and puffs of all sorts. Why are our kids (and myself included) acting this way??!! What am I doing wrong? We should be farther along than this. This is not a picture of the Lord Jesus in our home. I wanted to throw my hands up and wave the white flag of surrender. Certainly I didn't want to quit, did I?
Not too much later the Lord gently reminded me that this was in fact a picture of a battlefield. I was dealing with eight people who had a sin nature that wanted their own way! He reminded me that this was my mission field. There are several little ones who have some growing to do. They don't know Christ as Savior. My mission field. There are several older ones who have stated that they want to follow Christ. These are my discipleship group." Be strong and of good courage", the Lord told Joshua several times after Moses had passed away. He had an even bigger group of people to lead! "Be strong and of good courage, Nichole". I know He is with me and I know this is where He wants me. I wave the white flag of surrender, "Yes, Lord".
So, joyfully and prayerfully we will open up God's Word to 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and recite the truth about love. I encourage the children that this is how we treat each other and this is how we should love. It reminds me of a ball team teaching the fundamentals, the basics. We may have to read it every week until they are grown and married, but I believe and trust that His word will not return void. You know why? Because we want numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6, and 7 to WIN!
Nichole
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| L-R: Maleah, Stephen, Joshua, Meghan, Mallory, Morgan, and Madison |
Blessed is the man... to say the least!! When I look at those numbers on the back of those little shirts, the Lord speaks a Word of inspiration to me that I sometimes forget... blessed is the man. In Proverbs 20:6, there is also a powerful question that is asked... But who can find a faithful man? The next verse is verse seven, a verse many of us have heard quoted, The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him. If there is one place I want to win, it is at home. I want to win at home! I want to be a faithful man at home.
When I think about my wife and children, I cannot say that I am the one who is responsible. No, God is responsible and He is the One who has blessed me with a godly wife who goes the second, third, and forth mile on a daily basis depending upon the power of His Holy Spirit. The children all have the same mother and father and for now (in this season) we all wear the last name 'BOGGS.' We are all different as night and day; black and white, but we are one family put together along time ago by God's providential plan. Thinking about my wife and my children and our family, I am reminded of Psalm 139:14-17...
-Psalm 139:14-17-
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
Our desire as a family is be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in our season here on earth. Pray with us that we will be a family tree where our leaves do not wither and whatever the Lord allows each one of us to do for His Name prospers!
Keith
