SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #87 ---- 9/13/99
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
As We fight The Good Fight
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #87 ---- 9/13/99
TITLE: "She's The One"
ANOTHER PRAYER REQUEST:
Please pray for Roy Boudoin and his wife Anita. They are missionaries
with the IMB in Mostar, Bosnia, formerly ministering in Banja Luka. A
recent move to Mostar to jump start a new work there, and an intense
involvement with the Kosovo crisis have taken a toll on Roy's body.
About two weeks ago Roy had a heart attack. Medical equipment
malfunctions and difficulty in getting him transferred to Wiessbaden are
just some of the complications that have delayed treatment. Arrangements
were finally made to airlift him to Zurich. Now Roy is slated for triple
by-pass surgery this coming Tuesday, September 14th. Here is a recent
note. I promised him I would ask you to pray for him, Anita, the family,
the medical staff, and the work in Mostar. Please do.
"Friends,
"Just to keep you updated, yesterday did not bring good results. The
heart catherization I had done shown severe blockage of two arteries and
about 80% blockage in the other. The only real cure for this problem
will be a triple bypass.
"On the other hand things went well today. My scan on the vessels in my
neck were good. The chest X-Ray showed my lungs are clear, I passed my
breathing test, and the veins in my legs look good. As of right now I am
scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday morning.
"I am stable, confident that God will take care of me and am looking
forward to being completely cured. I know with your prayers and God's
guidance things will go well. Thanks for your prayers and support.
"God Bless.
In His Strength and Love,
Roy"
If you'd like to correspond with Roy, you can e-mail him at
<roy@cob.net.ba>.
Several asked about the earlier prayer request for Gary Taylor. He does
not have e-mail, but his regular mail address is #6 Rheims Ct., Lake St.
Louis, MO 63367.
A WORD TO MINISTRY COUPLES:
Over the years Jo Ann and I have been blessed to have helped mentor and
disciple numerous young marrieds, a significant number of whom have
entered vocational ministry. One such couple, who have been a constant
delight, are Steve and Margo, both very perceptive individuals.
Margo, a pastor's wife, understands with great insight the heart of a
woman. She sent the following to me this past week, and I sense that
some man reading my letter today needs to read through this little
article, ask his wife to read it, ---- and then take a look into her
eyes.
When I look in Your Eyes Who Do I See?
By: TentDwellr (Christina)
When I look in your eyes who do I see? Is there an angry woman looking
back at me. Angry at the situation she has been placed into. Angry
because she felt she was not "called" to the ministry?
What do I see when I look in your eyes? Do I see a woman that is tired
of the big church scene, tired of always having a husband that is gone?
Do you feel that the church is his love and not you? Do you feel like
everyone else comes first and you are last on the list?
Are you tired of having to smile on Sunday morning, when inside you are
torn apart? Do you long for someone, someone that you could really talk
to, without any inhibitions? Are you surrounded by people and yet all
alone?
When I look in your eyes who do I see? Would I see a young pastor's wife
suddenly realizing the pain and hardship that comes with the ministry?
Would I see a young woman who is searching for a friend and realizing
there is
none that you feel you can become close to? Would I see the hurt of
being removed from everything you knew, and everything you held dear?
Would I see a young mother who wishes her husband would spend less time
at church and more time with her? Would I see a young pastor's wife
that is tired of being asked to do so many things? Would there be anger
and resentment in your eyes when you think about how other men get to
sit with their wives?
When I look in your eyes who do I see? Would I see a pastor's wife who
is tired of the small church atmosphere? Would I see a woman that has
had to do everything? Would I see a woman that has given so much and
received so
little in return? Would I see a woman that has given so much
encouragement to her husband, because no one else does?
Are you tired of answering all the questions? Are you tired of waiting
for things to get better? Are you tired
of waiting for the church to grow? Is it all you can do to get to church
Sunday morning? Do you consider Sunday a day of work and not a day of
rest?
When I look in your eyes who do I see? Is there a little girl looking
back at me? One who is longing for a father's touch, longing to be
held, longing to be loved? What do I see when I look in your eyes?
This pain that you are feeling has been felt by many, but it does not
have to be this way. We must get to a point where we get our eyes off
ourselves and back on the Lord. The church is not an easy place for us.
However, God is there. God loves us.
He desires the best in us. He knew that we would be called to this
position in life. He knew that you would have things within yourself
that would prepare you and sustain you through this position. He loves
you, and He cares for you.
Do not turn angry and bitter towards God. He loves his little girls and
He desires the best out of them. Yes the road is rough and not for the
weak of heart. Yes there is pain and suffering all along the way.
However, if you look, really look, you will notice there are flowers
along the road.
There are blessings all around us. God wants you to see His ray of hope.
It is there. It may be small and hard to see but it is there. It comes
in a smile, a hug, or a how-de-doo. It comes in a thank you from a
member. It comes in the form of a question from another; "How are you
doing?". However tiny and however small, the blessings are there.
It was God who looked into your eyes and saw so much potential. He saw
love, and tender care. He saw a little girl that desired to know Him
more.
When God looks into your eyes He sees it all, the hurt and the pain.
Please don't turn your back on Him. He wants to help you through the
steps of life. He wants to help you along the road you are traveling.
He knows that it is not easy. He knows that there will be those who
hurt you along the way. He knows that life in the ministry is hard.
However, when He looked in your eyes He said, "She is the one."
He loves you, and you will always be His precious little girl. Find the
ray in everyday. You may have to look very hard, but it is there.
SHE IS THE ONE:
What a powerful comment! I am reminded of Samuel's visit to Jesse's
family when looking for Israel's first king. When he went through seven
sons and found no one qualified or worthy of being king, he asked one
final question ---- "Is this all there is?"
Jesse's short sighted response was typical ---- "Well, . . . . there is
one more ---- our youngest. But ---- you surely wouldn't expect him to
be king material. He's just a boy."
When he saw him, Samuel simply said ---- "He's the one."
Dear lady, I'm talking to you today ---- God has said about you, "She's
the one!"
Why would God say that about you?
For the same reason Samuel said what he did about David ---- "Man looks
on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart."
When God saw you, ---- He picked you.
Why?
Because, while others may look on your outward appearance, your
abilities, your skills, your personality, your strengths and weaknesses,
God looked on your heart . . . .
And Picked You!
You're the one!
You're the one for the man you married.
You're the one for the church your husband ministers in, or where you
yourself minister.
You're God's Number One Draft Pick ---- not second, third, or a distant
fourth.
Even if you have experienced some of the feelings described in the little
article Margo sent, God saw you and said, "She's the one ---- the Only
one for this man, for this family, for this church, for this ministry.
Nobody else is good enough. She's the one. This job is too big for
anybody else. She's the one for the job."
Not only, dear sister, are you the one for the job, but more importantly,
you are the one for . . .
The Anointing that precedes the job.
THE ONE FOR ANOINTING:
One reason many women feel the thoughts articulated in the little letter
Margo forwarded is because, while wives have often taken on the role God
has given them, they may have not yet appropriated the anointing power
and presence for that ministry role.
Remember that between selection and service came a commissioning through
anointing.
Anointing is an intriguing practice in the Bible about which I have
written in past letters. And, I am absolutely convinced that for every
anointing available for a person in ministry leadership, there is an
equal anointing for his or her spouse.
There are numerous purposes for anointing in the Bible ---- anointing for
beauty, for healing, for priestly worship, for authority reign, for
assigned tasks.
So it is for you, my sister.
If you love your husband, even though you may feel caught in the web of
loyalty versus resentment, of joy verses loneliness, of support versus
jealousy, then God's anointing yet unreceived is for you ---- to create a
beauty in your inner woman that will dazzle your husband and the people,
to heal the emotional and relational wounds inflicted on you, to draw you
into the most incredible inner Holy of Holies where is your King and
Savior, to provide you with courage and authority to minister both to
family and to congregation, and to give you power, endurance, and joy for
the ministry tasks God has given to you that only you are qualified to
carry out as a completing part to your husband's ministry.
As I sit here today writing, after 40 years of marriage, I can look into
Jo Ann's eyes and see nothing of the thoughts expressed in that article.
It wasn't always that way, to be sure ---- but for the last 25 years or
more I can say that is true.
You can ask anyone who knows her, and they will all say that, apart from
God's call on my life itself, Jo Ann is the greatest thing there is about
my ministry. One brother, when inviting us for a conference said, "If
you can't come, at least send Jo Ann."
And you are the same to your husband's ministry, though you may not feel
it, and though, tragically, perhaps he has not sufficiently told you
that. Even if he's too blind to see it, I tell you that you are. He
wouldn't be worth a bent bottle cap without you.
(And, brother, if you haven't told your wife that lately, shame on you!
Get with the program! She's the one! She's the ONE! She's THE One!
Stop forgetting that!)
YOU'RE IN GOOD COMPANY:
When Adam saw all that God had made, I can hear him say, "There; that's
done, but ---- is that all there is?"
God tapped Adam on the shoulder and said, "Adam, go take a nap."
When Adam awoke, he saw Eve ---- and said, "Wow!"
God replied, "She's the one."
Adam responded, "She's the one what?"
God answered, "She's the one for you.?
"For me?"
"Absolutely. For you."
"How'd she get here?"
"I made her while you were asleep ---- just for you."
Adam asked, ---- "She's the one? Are you sure?"
God replied ---- "I'm sure. She's the one, Adam."
Adam gulped, took a deep breath, gently took her by the hand and,
caressing it, said ---- "She's the One!"
Throughout the Biblical record God has repeated that statement.
He spoke to Isaac and said, "Rebekah's the one."
He told Jacob, "Rachel's the one."
He told Joseph, "Potiphar's wife is Not the one!"
He told Israel, "Deborah is the one."
He told Hannah, "You're the one."
He told Esther, "You're the one ---- for such a time as this."
He told Zacharias, "Elizabeth is the one."
He told Mary, "You're the one."
Throughout history God has been telling women of ministry, "You're the
one."
Dear sister, believe it or not, like it or not, ---- you're the one.
But don't be satisfied with only the announcement that you are the one
for the job. Believe that you are also the one for God's anointing on
you. Crave and receive that anointing as the absolute affirmation,
validation, and empowering you can surely receive from a Perfect Heavenly
Father.
LOOK INTO YOUR OWN EYES:
If you were to stand before a mirror this very moment and look into your
own eyes, what would you see?
If I were to be there in person right now and look into your eyes, what
would I see?
Hopefully, it would be the same thing I see in Jo Ann's eyes ---- a
serene contentment with her circumstances, a solid confidence in her
calling, and a strengthened commitment to her God-ordained,
Christ-commissioned, Spirit-anointed role.
She knows ---- "She's the one."
So are you. You're the one.
No one else would do. God chose the best ---- you.
There are times when you may feel far from the best, you may feel some of
the very feelings described in the article above.
God understands all of that, and still declares ---- "You're the one. No
one else was on my mind when I picked you. I have no second choices; why
should I, when I have you? You're the one."
I'd like to encourage you to stand in front of that mirror, look yourself
in the eye, stand up tall and straight, take a deep breath, point your
finger at your smiling face, and say, "You're the one!" ---- as many
times as necessary until you can turn around and walk away from that
mirror declaring, "I'm the one!"
Husband, sit your God-chosen wife down and tell her face to face, "Honey,
---- you're the one. God chose you and only you for me because He knew
you were what I needed to make our ministry complete."
My dear friends, I pray with all my heart that the two of you will
cherish the journey, even with all its traps and bumps, as you walk with
the Lord in His garden vineyard serving Him faithfully, loving His people
fully, and clinging to each other fervently.
Be blessed ---- and may your joy be multiplied ten thousand fold over
what you have ever known before.
In Christ's Bond,
Bob Tolliver ---- (Rom 1:11-12)
Copyright September, 1999. All rights reserved.
If this letter has blessed you and you know of someone else who needs to
be encouraged, feel free to forward it in its entirety to all such people
you know.
If you would like a list of past issues which you could receive upon
request, just let us know.
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{ (O) (O) }
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Hang in there! I'm with you!
-------.ooooO--------------- Ooooo--------
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Bob Tolliver ---- Rom 1:11-12
Life Unlimited Ministries
E-mail: lifeunlimited@juno.com
Ph: 417-275-4854 Fax: 417-275-4855
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