Bethany and Jeremiah are doing well and are at home now. Here are a few pics.
Showing posts with label Paul's Ponderings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul's Ponderings. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Jeremiah Ransome
Rejoice, unto us a son has been given!
Jeremiah Ransome was born @ 2:20 PM on December 28, 2011.
He and Mom are healthy and strong. Mom is exceedingly joyful as well as Papa.
He weighed 8lbs. 15oz. and was 22 in. long.
Pics will come later, I left the camera with Mom.
Jeremiah Ransome was born @ 2:20 PM on December 28, 2011.
He and Mom are healthy and strong. Mom is exceedingly joyful as well as Papa.
He weighed 8lbs. 15oz. and was 22 in. long.
Pics will come later, I left the camera with Mom.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Alive in Christ - By Paul
Bethany has been sharing quite a lot recently about what we are going through. I have a strong push to share as well.
We are going through this journey together. It is so rich and meaningful. God has become so much bigger to us. He has broken down the walls that we erected up around our hearts and flooded us with His love. He has invaded the dark places of our hearts, the places that we tried to keep Him out of. I am talking about those places that seem in our own understanding too dirty and messy to give Him access to. We have recently discovered that Jesus has already been in those dirty, messy places of our hearts.
Consider these texts:
Yesterday we had communion, and the pastor emphasized the fact that Jesus bore our sorrow, guilt, and shame. He also emphasized that he bore our iniquities. As I contemplated these things and listened as the pastor expounded on the profound significance of these things I was filled with great joy and happiness. As I recognized for the first time that Jesus knows exactly what I feel in my inadequacy and sin. He took these things upon Himself at the cross. Jesus had already broken into the messy places of my heart, but now I recognized that he was not a stranger to what was in there. He took that upon Himself long ago at the cross. This is heavier than words can convey. You know the significance of having a friend or relative come alongside and make provision for your weakness when you are in need. You especially find comfort when they say “I have been in your shoes before and I am no stranger to your pain.” That is precious and sweet. Yet their consolation and help only reaches so far. Then, along comes Jesus, He gently and powerfully speaks to your heart in ways that no one else can. He offers comfort and provision for your need. He reaches down into the depths of your heart and says, “I know exactly what you feel, I bore that sin, guilt and shame upon my cross and all of heaven will remember it no longer.” Then He speaks words like, “I have begun a work in you and I will bring it about to completion, you will prosper in the path I have set your feet upon, I have made provision for you and will continue to do so.” Upon hearing these things, all of a sudden the springs of living water flow from your innermost being and you will never be the same again. Christ is in me and I am in Christ and Christ will prosper. That’s good news.
Consider these texts:
As you can see, Beth and I are entering into a renewed freedom. We are learning to walk once more with Jesus from a renewed reference point, the place where we first started. Consider: Rev 2:4-5 (NASB)'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first’
It is great to be alive again. More to come . . . .
We are going through this journey together. It is so rich and meaningful. God has become so much bigger to us. He has broken down the walls that we erected up around our hearts and flooded us with His love. He has invaded the dark places of our hearts, the places that we tried to keep Him out of. I am talking about those places that seem in our own understanding too dirty and messy to give Him access to. We have recently discovered that Jesus has already been in those dirty, messy places of our hearts.
Consider these texts:
2 Cor 5:21 (NASB) says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”.
Isaiah 53:4-5 (NASB) states, “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well -being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:12 (NASB)”Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.”
Yesterday we had communion, and the pastor emphasized the fact that Jesus bore our sorrow, guilt, and shame. He also emphasized that he bore our iniquities. As I contemplated these things and listened as the pastor expounded on the profound significance of these things I was filled with great joy and happiness. As I recognized for the first time that Jesus knows exactly what I feel in my inadequacy and sin. He took these things upon Himself at the cross. Jesus had already broken into the messy places of my heart, but now I recognized that he was not a stranger to what was in there. He took that upon Himself long ago at the cross. This is heavier than words can convey. You know the significance of having a friend or relative come alongside and make provision for your weakness when you are in need. You especially find comfort when they say “I have been in your shoes before and I am no stranger to your pain.” That is precious and sweet. Yet their consolation and help only reaches so far. Then, along comes Jesus, He gently and powerfully speaks to your heart in ways that no one else can. He offers comfort and provision for your need. He reaches down into the depths of your heart and says, “I know exactly what you feel, I bore that sin, guilt and shame upon my cross and all of heaven will remember it no longer.” Then He speaks words like, “I have begun a work in you and I will bring it about to completion, you will prosper in the path I have set your feet upon, I have made provision for you and will continue to do so.” Upon hearing these things, all of a sudden the springs of living water flow from your innermost being and you will never be the same again. Christ is in me and I am in Christ and Christ will prosper. That’s good news.
Consider these texts:
Phil 1:6 (NASB) For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 53:10 (NASB)But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring , He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
John 7:37-39 (NASB)"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.' " 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
As you can see, Beth and I are entering into a renewed freedom. We are learning to walk once more with Jesus from a renewed reference point, the place where we first started. Consider: Rev 2:4-5 (NASB)'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first’
It is great to be alive again. More to come . . . .
Monday, June 27, 2011
Paul's Take
If you read Bethany’s earlier posts, you are aware that we have been delivered from the bondage of legalism. The legalism that we speak of is not often recognized as legalism. Our legalism was the kind that says, “You are in the Kingdom of God, but you still have work to do to earn the favor and blessing of God. You have to strive to be really loved by God.” I know that some will say, “Where did you come up with that?” To be honest, I am not really sure myself. It is not in the Scriptures. Looking back we can see were discontent and not happy in God. So we believed that we could somehow work to get content and happy in God. (Oh, wait, some of you may think God does not want me to be happy, just holy. If you think that to be holy is not to be happy I feel sorry for you) Anyway, with each effort to make ourselves more content and happy in God we drifted farther away from Him. We would often cry out to God, “What are we doing wrong, what do we have to do to get you to bless us?” Bethany was often angry with God. She was trying so hard to make God happy with our family and we were always coming up empty. We were trying to keep up on our end and feeling we were getting nothing back from God.
On top of that, we had all the legalistic groups that were always vying for our adherence. They would scream out to us, “If you are not like us, you are falling short, God is not happy with you.” I could give quite a list. Some of these groups are so cultic and demanding of their adherents that I would go out of my way to not run into them if was not walking the line. There was so much fear and self loathing. I believed I was the worst husband and father and Beth believed she was the worst wife and mother. Yes, there are husbands, wives, fathers and mothers that beat their kids commit adultery and do all manner of evil and vice, But, we were worse, because we had been enlightened, so to speak. To top that off, every seemingly bad thing that happened to us was the discipline of God, and He obviously was not happy with us, as we were sometimes told. If we tried to open up to others, we would receive no help just condemnation. I could go on and on.
But, praise be to God. He delivered us. Before He delivered us, we were involved in a home church group. That was the last attempt at making God pleased with us to the point of blessing. In was in this group that God gave me the revelation of His grace. It was in this group that I saw the polarity of those who love grace and those who seemingly hate grace. I was forced to choose grace and peace over fear and hate. I chose grace and peace and have not been the same since. It was after this that I realized that God loves me in spite of me.
Whoa! What a feeling! I am finally free from the yoke of slavery! I do not have to work anymore! I have been redeemed! Get, this, GOD LOVES PAUL WOODS. GOD LIKES ME. GOD WANTS TO BE WITH ME. You know what makes this AMAZING? I did not lift one finger to get His love lavished upon me. Now that’s amazing!
Next time I want to talk about what this freedom is and what its implications are.
On top of that, we had all the legalistic groups that were always vying for our adherence. They would scream out to us, “If you are not like us, you are falling short, God is not happy with you.” I could give quite a list. Some of these groups are so cultic and demanding of their adherents that I would go out of my way to not run into them if was not walking the line. There was so much fear and self loathing. I believed I was the worst husband and father and Beth believed she was the worst wife and mother. Yes, there are husbands, wives, fathers and mothers that beat their kids commit adultery and do all manner of evil and vice, But, we were worse, because we had been enlightened, so to speak. To top that off, every seemingly bad thing that happened to us was the discipline of God, and He obviously was not happy with us, as we were sometimes told. If we tried to open up to others, we would receive no help just condemnation. I could go on and on.
But, praise be to God. He delivered us. Before He delivered us, we were involved in a home church group. That was the last attempt at making God pleased with us to the point of blessing. In was in this group that God gave me the revelation of His grace. It was in this group that I saw the polarity of those who love grace and those who seemingly hate grace. I was forced to choose grace and peace over fear and hate. I chose grace and peace and have not been the same since. It was after this that I realized that God loves me in spite of me.
Whoa! What a feeling! I am finally free from the yoke of slavery! I do not have to work anymore! I have been redeemed! Get, this, GOD LOVES PAUL WOODS. GOD LIKES ME. GOD WANTS TO BE WITH ME. You know what makes this AMAZING? I did not lift one finger to get His love lavished upon me. Now that’s amazing!
Next time I want to talk about what this freedom is and what its implications are.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Desperation(Paul)
(This post was written by Paul, when we were trying to move out of a moldy house that was making me lose my mind and physical health. Our daughter Lydia was also very sick. We were desperate for a way out of the chaos! We moved in October 2010 to a much better home.)
Dear family and friends,
We are in desperation mode. Bethany has not conveyed the depth or the extent of what our household is going through. She cannot and will not. If you could witness the atmosphere of our home from day to to day you would think we were insane. So please, I beg you, pray more earnestly than ever. We need God to break into our lives in a big way.
Also, a friend of a friend offered to let us stay in their home in Columbia. We don't know much at all about this family. I went to college with them but we did not hang out. We visited a church Sunday and this family just happened to be members there. It seems that God would have us to know them, but is he asking us to stay with them for a while? We are scared to take such an offer. We are a family of seven, they are a family of six. We would really take up space. It just seems odd to move in with folks we barely know. Are we just being proud?
Sadly, we are are losing faith here, literally. At times you would think that we were not Christians, to our shame. I know God provides, I am just scared because of what I am seeing unfold before my eyes. Please, for the sake of my wife and children ask the Lord to show us the way.
Paul
Dear family and friends,
We are in desperation mode. Bethany has not conveyed the depth or the extent of what our household is going through. She cannot and will not. If you could witness the atmosphere of our home from day to to day you would think we were insane. So please, I beg you, pray more earnestly than ever. We need God to break into our lives in a big way.
Also, a friend of a friend offered to let us stay in their home in Columbia. We don't know much at all about this family. I went to college with them but we did not hang out. We visited a church Sunday and this family just happened to be members there. It seems that God would have us to know them, but is he asking us to stay with them for a while? We are scared to take such an offer. We are a family of seven, they are a family of six. We would really take up space. It just seems odd to move in with folks we barely know. Are we just being proud?
Sadly, we are are losing faith here, literally. At times you would think that we were not Christians, to our shame. I know God provides, I am just scared because of what I am seeing unfold before my eyes. Please, for the sake of my wife and children ask the Lord to show us the way.
Paul
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Josiah Eugene Woods
We are glad to announce the birth of our newest family member. Josiah weighed in at 9 lbs. and was 21 inches long. He is doing quite well. Bethany is healthy as well. She is recovering a little slower than usual, but recovering all the same. Please continue to lift her in prayer. When Bethany and Josiah get home she will fill you in on all the other details. Thank you for praying.
Paul
Paul
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)