"God Heard: Samuel's Story"

JANUARY 27, 2015

By Zoe

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him"
(1 Samuel 1:27)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above"

(James 1:17)



Six years ago, on 1/27/09, Martin and I were blessed with a healthy baby boy, who has continued to bless our lives and fill our hearts with joy ever since. This post is not only to honor our son's birthday, but also to honor God for His faithfulness. Thank You, Lord, for granting me what I prayed for. 

After 4 years of trying to have a baby and 2 miscarriages, Martin and I found out that we were expecting a baby. Samuel was an answer to prayer. The name Samuel means "God heard." And God sure did hear the cry of our hearts. 

I was 37 years old at the time and had experienced a prior high-risk pregnancy and emergency C-section, which resulted in delivering a 3-month premature baby girl. Therefore, I was considered to be at high-risk and I was placed on bed rest during the entire pregnancy.

At that time, the Army had relocated us to Newport News, VA, where Martin was stationed on active duty at Ft. Eustis. Due to the demands of military life, Martin was expected to be away from home for long periods of time that year. So after giving it some thought and praying about it, we both agreed that it would be better for me to go back home to Omaha, NE, during the pregnancy and for the delivery. Another factor that contributed to our decision to go back to Nebraska during this pregnancy was the fact that when you are pregnant in the military, you don't have much of a choice on what doctor will be delivering your baby. When it’s time for the baby to be delivered, whatever doctor is “on call” that day will be the one to do the honors. I knew I would have to have another C-section and the thought of not knowing who would be delivering the baby just did not set well with me. I mean, if I have to be cut open, it would be nice to know the person who is going to do it and to feel at ease with that person and the entire process. I am just saying!!

So big-sister-to-be, Isabela, and me went back to Nebraska for the remaining 6 months of the pregnancy, which proved to be the right decision. I was able to be under the care of the same high-risk doctor who delivered Isabela; someone I trusted and who knew all my history.

My pregnancy with Samuel had a whole new set of challenges. I was placed on strict bed rest, but this time not due to premature labor, but instead due to preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure. And for an active person like me, the words "bed rest" were not the words I wanted to hear. But my blood pressures were 200s/100s, so I knew I had to surrender to bed rest and rest in God’s presence.

God sure has a way to draw us to Himself and when He calls us to “be still,” He will get us to be still one way or another! "Bed rest" was God's way of saying to me, "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). He was calling me to rest in Him alone.

I have learned that when God calls me to be still, it is because He is about to do something amazing in my life. What He will do and how He will do it, I may not fully know, but He has a plan and a purpose, and it is all part of the journey. So rather than fighting it, I humbled myself and submitted to being still before the Lord. 

 As I was thinking and reflecting about 6-7 more months of bed rest, I knew then that the only way I was going to get through it was with God's help. So I told Him from the beginning, “my life is in Your hands.”  

God's presence and His Word were my "refuge and strength" (Psalm 46:1) during that time. My Bible was my daily companion. Now, up to that moment in time, I had read through some of the Bible but I had not read all the books in the Bible. 1 Samuel was one of the books I had not read. So one day, as I was getting ready to do some reading and not sure where to even begin, I decided to just open the Bible and start reading wherever it opened. And, yes, 1 Samuel it was! So I read the book of 1 Samuel and then moved on to other things. God, however, had a whole different plan than for me to just read it once and "move on." 

I kept feeling drawn to the book of 1 Samuel. And, mind you, at this time we still had no idea if we were having a boy or a girl. Also, it is important for me to note that if it was indeed a boy, his name was going to be “Martin Alexander.” The name Samuel did not even make the list! So as I would read through the book of 1 Samuel, I was not thinking, “this is going to be our baby’s name.” I didn't think much of it. So throughout the pregnancy, I read the book of 1 Samuel several times and specific chapters and verses over and over and over again! What was happening to me? “Was it my hormones?” I wondered.  

So the day came when we found out the sex of the baby. And the very moment I was told that we were having a boy, it was as if God Himself spoke to me, telling me our boys name was to be Samuel. I remember thinking, “But that name isn’t even on our list!!” Well, the rest is history. Our son’s name was going to be Samuel since before the foundation of this world. 
Finally, the day we had been waiting for arrived. Samuel was not due until the end of February 2009. However, due to the preeclampsia, he had to be delivered a month earlier. Samuel was born on "1/27" and the specific verse I kept going back to in the book of 1 Samuel was "1:27." 

What did I learn? I learned to be obedient when God calls you "to be still" even when it doesn’t make sense.  I learned that when you are "still" before a Holy God, it is easier to feel His presence and to hear His voice and direction. I learned to pay attention to numbers. There is a reason why there is an entire book on Numbers in the Bible!! I learned that God will reveal Himself to those who earnestly seek Him (Matthew 6:33). I learned to keep my eyes on the Savior, not the storm. God does not promise smooth sailing, but He does promise a safe landing. Lastly, I learned that many books "inform" you, but only the Bible can "transform" you!!

          

Glorious and Heavenly Father, thank You that You never leave us nor forsake us (Joshua 1:5,9). Thank You that You have a plan for our lives; a plan to prosper us and to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Thank You for Your promise to carry that plan on to completion (Philippians 1:6). Father, please teach us and give us the wisdom, and the will, to be still and to know that You are God (Psalm 46:10). Help us to humbly go before You, with thanksgiving and a heart of worship, for every good and perfect gift You have given us. Thank You, Lord, for giving us so much more than we deserve. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Lessons I Have Learned In My 43 Years Of Life

“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops” (Matthew 10:27).

On September 2, 2014, I celebrated my 43^rd birthday. I am thankful for 43 years of life. But what I am thankful for the most is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for it is in him that I “live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28). It is because of Him that I am forgiven and have everlasting life. He is the Source of my strength, the fire that burns in my soul, and the Force [Spirit] that drives me daily and hourly. He is my inspiration to live with purpose, to love and encourage others, and to share this with you. Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with much more than I deserve!

My biggest blessings here on earth call me “Mom.”

LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY 43 YEARS OF LIFE

·         I have learned that Jesus is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6).

·         I have learned that the secret to peace and happiness is in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first [above all else] the Kingdom of God, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”

·         I have learned that I have all I need in Christ.

·         I have learned that the things that matter most in this life are not things. What matters most are the people in our lives (especially family) and our relationships with one another.

·         I have learned that, “The power of life and death is in the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Therefore, we must “speak life” into the lives of others. Words are free, but their value is PRICELESS.

·         I have learned that, “I am not called to be successful, but to be faithful” (Mother Teresa).

·         I have learned that is better to lose an argument and win a person, than to win an argument and lose the person.

·         I have learned that “the joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

·         I have learned that the only one I should be concerned about pleasing is my Savior.

·         I have learned to love, to forgive, to be bold, and to never compromise my relationship with the Lord, no matter the cost.

·         I have learned that God is faithful.

·         I have learned that “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples” (Mother Teresa).

·         I have learned that my life may not be perfect, but I am blessed!

 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter,  of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart…Make every effort to live in peace with one another…Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our “God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:1-3,14,28,29).

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your daily doses of humility. Thank You for Your Word, which is Your blueprint for my life. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for my sins, so that I may be forgiven and have eternal life. And thank You for the Holy Spirit, the Wise Counselor, who gives me wisdom, guides me daily, and helps me to stay on the right path. Thank You for teaching me that all I need I have in You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"God With Us"

By Zoe

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever"  (Hebrews 13:8).

In chapter 1 of the book of Joshua, after Moses' death, the Lord told Joshua to get himself and all the people with him (all 1 million of them!) ready to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The Lord then said to Joshua, "As I was with Moses I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you...Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:5,9).

Be encouraged today that as God was with Moses, He is with you!

 

 

 

Glorious and Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the same yesterday, today and forever. Please keep us mindful that as You were with Moses you are with us. Please help us to keep our eyes on You and to grow in wisdom and faith in You. In Jesus' name, Amen and thank You Lord!!
 

Choose Joy

By Zoe

"The joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

Whatever challenges/circumstances you are facing today, you have the power "to choose" your response & your attitude. Easier said than done, but not impossible! Don't give the enemy what does not belong to him, "control of your life." The power to control your emotions/attitudes is IN you and belongs to YOU. Turn to your Heavenly Father, the Source of strength itself.

The enemy is a thief and a liar. He wants to steal your joy because he knows he cannot steal your salvation. His goal is to make you question God's goodness and faithfulness. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). To choose joy is like crushing the head of the enemy because it - JOY - is the opposite of what the wants and expects from you. He wants you to be filled with bitterness and resentment. There is no better way to defeat the enemy than by being intentional to respond in love instead of anger. Choose JOY!


Holy Spirit, please give us the wisdom and strength to choose joy regardless of our circumstances. May the JOY of the Lord be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and may God's Word be our weapon (Hebrews 4:12). In Jesus' name, Amen and thank You Lord!!
 

"Liberty and Justice For All"



By Zoe


"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice" (Proverbs 31:8-9).

 

To the Obama Administration and ALL AMERICANS:

Pastor Saeed is an American citizen, who pledges allegiance "to the flag of the United Sates of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, INDIVISIBLE, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL."

In addition, the Declaration of Independence states that, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are CREATED EQUAL, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, LIBERTY and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it..." "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations (wrongful/illegal action without authority), pursuing invariably the same Object evinces (reveals) a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism (absolute power/control), it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..."
 

 

Whether you are a believer or not - Christian or not - you are an American. The Pledge of Allegiance and the Declaration of Independence clearly state LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL. Yes, I know, the Declaration of Independence applies to the "United States of America" only, not Iran. But the Declaration clearly states that it is our "duty" as Americans to fight for what we hold dear and true: LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL. So when one of our own is in danger and not receiving "these rights," the government must act "to secure these rights" and/or "for the future security" of these rights "for ALL" men/women as it is stated on the Declaration of Independence of the UNITED States of America.

In the words of the late Mother Teresa, "I alone cannot change the world but I can cast a stone across the waters and create many ripples." We must stand UNITED and create some ripples!

This is an urgent matter. President Obama, please take action. Please make direct contact with the Iranian government to release Pastor Saeed Abedini so he may be reunited with his wife, Naghmeh, and two young children.

 

 

For Liberty and Justice,

Zoe Howard, American Citizen
Omaha, NE

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice" (Proverbs 31:8-9).

 

 

 

 

 

Sign Petition: www.savesaeed.org

 

Declaration of Independence: http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/

 

 

"My Holy Discontent"

 

By Zoe

 

Holy discontent, what does that mean? To be discontent means to be unhappy or not satisfied; to want something better. What is your holy discontent? What is something that just breaks your heart and makes you want to weep? Something that you just can't stand by and watch it happen because it is simply NOT RIGHT; for example, social injustices such as human/sex trafficking (an industry where children are 50% of the victims), domestic abuse, homelessness, and poverty to name a few.

 

 

WHAT IS MY HOLY DISCONTENT?

 

My holy discontent, what makes my heart weep, is INJUSTICE of any kind, shape or form. I am particularly burdened by the injustice of human/sex trafficking. I am burdened by the statistics and the knowledge that every day - this very hour, even right now as I am typing this - there are children my daughter's age (8) and my son's age (4), who are being sold and traded, used and abused, against their will for somebody else's benefit, pleasure, and gain (profit). I am burdened by the fact that human/sex trafficking is a $15 BILLION industry.

 

 

"ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

I encourage you to identify what your "holy discontent" is and then evaluate your resources. How could you use your time, talents and/or money to be part of the solution. We can all be part of the solution. We can all serve in some way or another. Each and every one of us has at least one thing or one talent we could use to make a difference. And the one thing we can all do, PRAY! Let's fight this battle on our knees, because God is faithful and He honors those who humbly go before Him and acknowledge Him in all their ways (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

And may I remind you, as I am being reminded by the power of the Spirit who dwells in me, that our fight is not against flesh and blood.

 

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth....breastplate of righteousness....your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace....take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one....the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on ALL occasions" (Ephesians 6:10-18).

 

You may be thinking or asking yourself, "What could I possibly have to contribute? You don't know my situation, I don't have much to give/I don't have time to volunteer at this time. How could little, ordinary me possibly make a difference to change the world anyway?" To me the answer is simple. In the words of Mother Teresa:

 

"I (you) alone cannot change the world, but I (you) can cast a stone across the waters and create many ripples" one life at a time. Every person we reach out to and help, whose life and dignity are restored, is one less person living in captivity; one person set free. One life at a time!

 

Join others who are like-minded and share your holy discontent because we are BETTER TOGETHER!! Alone we can do good things, but together we can do GREAT things!

"WHAT IS 'YOUR' HOLY DISCONTENT?"

 

 

Heavenly Father, You deeply care about all your children. Please break our hearts for what breaks Your heart. We desire to be used by You, to be Your hands and feet here on earth. Give us the wisdom to evaluate and identify the condition of our hearts as well as our resources. Teach us how to use our talents and resources to serve You. In Jesus' name, Amen, and thank You Lord.


Click on the following link to listen to a message on "Holy Discontent" from Christ Community Church's Lead Pastor Mark Ashton: http://www.cccomaha.org/message-media.php?id=122.

My Resolution

By Martin

I just received a great reminder that some things are more important. Too often, I feel that I am not there for my wife and kids like I should be. Because I have that feeling, I know that it is true. Therefore, I need to take steps to better myself for them. I want to be the man my wife can trust to be the leader of our household. I want to be the daddy that my kids can look up to for guidance and stability while remaining humble and generous with my time, my love, and not just my money.

Starting today, I resolve to be the man God has called me to be.

To my wife, I resolve to be a devoted and faithful husband. To love, honor, and cherish her. To guide and protect her.

To my children, I resolve to be a devoted father. To teach them to love God always. To lead them in the ways of the Lord and protect them from the evil one.

I resolve to love my wife and my children with my time. I know that they need me more than the money I bring home.

I resolve to resist the devil's temptations. To remember that God has a free gift for me and I will no longer buy what Satan is selling.

I resolve to smile more and to be happy more. For the Lord is joy and I want others to see His joy through me.

Father God, please send your Holy Spirit to guide me through these resolutions. For it is through Your strenght, and not my own, that all things are possible. I pray that others will see Your love through me. Help me to be the leader You have called me to be. I pray that I will continue to lead my family and be a blessing to them and not be just the man who pays the bills. Father, I know that you have given me the strength to resist the devil's temptations. But, sometimes I forget and so I pray that Your Word will remain on my lips to thwart the devil's schemes. Please lead me in the way everlasting. I love you Father and I thank you for all of Your provisions in my life. For I know that through You all things are possible. It is in the mighty name of Your son Jesus Christ that I pray these things. Amen.

For those of you reading this, I ask that you help and encourage me. We all live in a fallen world and we need each other to stay sharp. Proverbs 27:17: As iron sharpens iron, so one man shall sharpen another. To rely not on my own understanding, but to trust in God. Thank you.