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KATHY WIDENHOUSE |
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PROFESSIONAL COPYWRITING SERVICES |
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Articles |
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The Bible League 16801 Van Damm Road South Holland, IL 60473 1-800-334-701 www.BibleLeague.org
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East Gates Ministries International P.O. Box 2010 Sumner, WA 98390-0440 (253)-770-2625 www.egmi.org |
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The Gideons International P.O. Box 140800 Nashville, TN 37214-0800 (615)-883-8533 www.gideons.org |
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PRAYING FOR PRUDENCE (first appeared in The Annals of St. Anne de Beaupré, October 2004)
“I have a request,” Prudence announced to our weekly prayer group as we gathered around the table. “Please ask God to give me a job.” When her husband received a job transfer the previous June, Prudence resigned her elementary school teaching position in their former county. Now, school had started again, but she still did not have a job in our district. No sweat, I thought, as we began to pray. There was a shortage of teachers in our booming area. I knew that Prudence had a master’s degree in education and more than 20 years of classroom experience. My “this-will-be-a-quickie” attitude lasted several weeks. But when the weeks became months, I realized that praying for Prudence would entail much more than a few appeals to God and a tidy fix from above. Instead, it became a series of lessons on perseverance in prayer as I interceded, long-term, on another’s behalf. Along the way, I learned a few things. Pray about the need – not the answer. I fabricated my own logical solution to Prudence’s request, and then asked God to supply it. There was a personnel deficit; Prudence was qualified and eager to fill it; I envisioned an automatic job contract -- especially if we prayed. Not so. Our Lord holds true to the words in Isaiah 55:8: “ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.’” When a call for Prudence from the Board of Education did not quickly materialize, my thinking began to change. Perhaps my agenda did not line up with the Lord’s plan. Mentally, I started over, and assumed only this: God will answer. But the answer would arrive according to His timetable and in a divine manner -- not mine. Pray repeatedly. “I lay my friend Prudence before You, Lord,” I prayed. “Open the doors of employment for her.” Many days I felt silly praying a prayer I had prayed hundreds of times. Yet Jesus taught the disciples to “always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). It would be wrong not to pray repeatedly. Praying with the group motivated me. On days when I wearied, Prudence’s bowed head across the table reminded me of her need. The burden was on God to fill that need – not me. But it was my responsibility to pray. Pray through frustration. My impatience with God’s silence escalated, and there was no point in sugarcoating how I felt. “How long, Lord?” I whined privately. “I don’t see Your hand here. Could we have a little encouragement?” Prudence applied to be a substitute teacher. One day, she shared this news: “I worked every day this week.” Her expertise and dependability catapulted her to the top of our county’s substitute list. Admitting my crummy attitude had been a release for me. It allowed me see that God was answering – just in a different way than I had anticipated. Pray with praise. Substitute work ferried Prudence to nearly every elementary school in our district. “This has been a fantastic experience,” she reported. “I am getting new ideas from working in so many classrooms. Each teacher has a unique way of doing things.” We praised God that Prudence continued to hone her teaching skills. We gave thanks for the opportunities she had had. In keeping with the command in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances,” we even expressed gratitude that she did not yet have a full-time job of her own. Soon thereafter, Prudence received an unexpected call. Would she finish out the school year for a teacher who was going on maternity leave? The principal had specifically requested Prudence as stand-in. We praised God once again. Pray deeply. As the months melted into years, our prayers deepened. We no longer simply asked God to “give Prudence a job.” Instead, we prayed that she would know the Lord’s presence during this period of uncertainty. We asked God to use her in whatever situation she was placed. Our prayers became more detailed. When Prudence filled out an annual county employment application, we asked God to put it in the right hands. When she was in a long-term substitute position, we prayed for the struggling students in that class. We lifted up their parents to the Lord. We interceded for administrators. Pray after answers come. One summer day nearly four years after her first request, Prudence hurried into our prayer room. “I need prayer,” she said. “I have a job interview at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning with the principal at Beach Elementary School.” Gasps and cheers rang out around the table, but I sat rooted in my chair. A coincidence? I wondered. My children attend that school. At 11 o’clock the next morning, my telephone rang. “I got the job!” whispered Prudence. When I hung the phone up, my prayers tumbled out in a rush. “Thank you, Lord, for opening this door for Prudence,” I prayed. “Help her be organized for this responsibility. Place the children in her class that You desire to be there.” And on it went. Now that Prudence’s request had been answered, suddenly there were dozens of new things to pray about. Pray and see surprises. A month later, class assignments were posted on Beach Elementary’s front doors. I drove to the school with my children to find out who their teachers would be. Standing on the school steps, my hand flew to my mouth. The computer-generated printouts unveiled a startling, yet personal, answer to my season of persistence. There, my daughter’s name was listed on a sheet titled, “Mrs. Prudence Walz – Grade 3.” The likelihood that this would happen by chance was minuscule. Our county has 12 elementary schools, comprised of hundreds of classrooms, which service thousands of elementary-aged children, yet my child was one of 25 placed in Prudence’s first class. Among the many lessons I learned from praying for Prudence, the biggest was this: God honors the sacrifice of persevering prayer.
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THE GIFT THAT GIVES TWICE (first appeared in Discipleship Journal, November/December 1999)
One Christmas my sister was on a limited budget, but she wanted to give my husband and me something meaningful. Her solution? She donated several Chinese Bibles in our name to a missions organization. A gift of Bibles in honor of another is purposeful and unique. It has significance. Research shows that about one-tenth of all Christmas presents given in the United States can be labeled as “dead end” gifts – meaning they “possess no intrinsic, lasting or socially redeemable value,” according to Alternative Gifts International. In contrast, a Bible is a gift that can change a life for eternity. It gives twice. Your initial recipient will be thrilled to know that Scriptures are in the hands and hearts of those who cannot buy them themselves. The beneficiaries of the Bibles will now have access to God’s life-giving Word. It fills a need. In parts of India, there is only one Bible for every 100 new converts. The Bible League estimates that to keep up with the explosion of new Christians in Southeast Asia it must provide 4795 Bibles a day. It is affordable. Giving a Bible is inexpensive – it costs $4 or less. It mobilizes others. When you give a Bible in a friend’s name, you might inadvertently recruit a Bible donor. Because of my sister’s thoughtful gift, my husband and I now regularly donate Bibles in honor of those we love. As you make out your gift list this Christmas, consider these organizations:
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BE A BARNABAS TO YOUR PASTOR (first appeared in Focus on the Family, September 2000)
In a recent article in Good News magazine, John Maxwell related a story about his tenure as senior pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church near San Diego, California. Although his schedule was packed during his first few weeks, he agreed to meet with Bill Klassen, a layman he did not know. “John,” Bill said, “I believe God has called me – a layman – to disciple, encourage, and pray for pastors. And the reason I came here today was so that I could pray for you.” “I wept at the knowledge that God would send someone just to pray for me,” Maxwell later admitted. Klassen persisted in prayer for Maxwell. His encouragement bore much fruit. During the next 14 years, Skyline Wesleyan tripled in size, and Maxwell became a national leader in the church growth movement. A similar scenario took place centuries ago. Around A.D. 47, the apostle Paul embarked on his first missionary journey. By his side was a faithful companion, Joseph of Cyprus, nicknamed Barnabas, or “Son of Encouragement.” Why the title? Because Barnabas stood with Paul through shipwrecks, stonings and rejection. Who encourages your pastor? Christian pollster George Barna has discovered that “pastors are the single most occupationally frustrated professionals in America.” Yet that needn’t be so. Scripture makes it clear that we are to give special affirmation to our spiritual leaders. In 1 Timothy 5:17 we read, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” (NIV) You needn’t risk life and limb to be a modern-day Barnabas to your pastor. Instead, there are some simple ways you can encourage him all year long. Attend church. In another Barna survey, only 40 percent of the American public claims to attend church every Sunday. Only 60 percent of Christians are part of those weekly congregations. “The empty pew has an eloquent tongue,” said one writer in Gospel Banner. “To the preacher, it says ‘Your sermon is not worthwhile.’ The empty pew is a weight. The occupied pew is a wing.” Pray. Many pastors pray regularly for members of their congregations. Who prays for those in ministry? “I am most grateful for each layperson who has ever prayed for me,” says longtime pastor Terry Teykl in Your Pastor: Preyed on or Prayed for? (Bristol Books, 1994). “Only through their spiritual support has my ministry been able to endure its darkest days. When a layperson told me that he or she was praying for me, I felt sustained.” Volunteer. Tracey had just begun attending a new church and decided to call on the minister. “Put me to work,” she said. “What do you need done around here?” The pastor’s jaw dropped. His reaction was understandable. Only about one-third of all Americans donate their time and talents to their church home. In a Gallup poll, pastors cite this apparent lack of commitment as one of their biggest frustrations with the ministry. Share your spiritual growth. Perhaps a particular sermon convicted you in a way you didn’t expect. Or your pastor pointed out some Scripture passages during a time of crisis that became a lifeline. Tell your pastor how his ministry has impacted your walk with God. Better yet, write it in a letter so he can re-read it. Invite a friend to church. “Most people are intimidated if a clergyman invites them to worship,” my pastor says. “They are more likely to come if invited by a friend.” A leader is buoyed when he sees his congregation reach out and grow. Criticize privately. Don’t spout your criticisms to others in the church. The Rev. A. Frederick Walz Jr. of Smithville United Methodist Church in Dunkirk, MD, frequently asks this of his congregation: “If I am doing something that bothers you, please come to me. I need to hear it from you, not from someone else.” Take your concerns to your pastor directly. He’ll appreciate your honesty and the opportunity to share perspectives. Befriend his family. According to a Fuller Institute survey, 80 percent of all pastors feel their jobs have a negative effect on their families. Pastors’ wives and children often feel isolated and pressured by high expectations. Small gestures can ease this burden. Write to your pastor’s kids at college. Invite his family for a meal. Offer to baby-sit his preschoolers so he can have some private time with his wife. Pastors and their families are people -- and people need friends. Remember him on special days. Pastors celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. These are wonderful opportunities to acknowledge your spiritual leader with a card, note or gift. Mobilize your congregation to express its gratitude to your pastor during October, Clergy Appreciation Month. Consult a copy of the Clergy Appreciation Month Planning Guide (Focus on the Family) for suggestions of ways to encourage your leader. Said an Illinois pastor after one such celebration, “I have never heard of a church going to such extremes to show gratitude…I’m ready to go for a long, long time.” Be an advocate. “One of the saddest times in my career was when a beloved parishioner turned his back on me,” a 30-year ministry veteran said. “Yet I can remember the affirmation I felt from one member who stood by me when others sought my demise.” You needn’t agree with your pastor on everything. Yet as your spiritual leader, he deserves your steadfast encouragement, especially during difficult times (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, NIV). Say “Thank you.” A pastor is not just a preacher. He is an administrator, teacher, fund-raiser, janitor, counselor, arbitrator, leader and visionary. He works in a high-expectation environment in which his performance is constantly scrutinized and rarely applauded. It costs nothing to say, “Thank you for everything you are doing for our church. I can see the Lord working through you.” But those words are priceless to your pastor.
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