Saturday, September 20, 2014

GOD'S GROWING A KINGDOM! 9/21/14

I KNEW a little toe headed girl who was a preacher’s daughter; one who could laugh at the sun. She grew up in the Sunday School and we were able to watch her grow from a gangly little girl into a tall, lovely blond. Now as blonds go, Connie had her moments of being off the wall, but she showed all of us what kind of metal she was made of, as she grew into womanhood. She was becoming the kind of woman God created her to be!

CONNIE married a young man she had met in school and I bet she was just as surprised as the rest of us were, of the match she made, because they became missionaries! Todd, with his pilots license and later on medical skills, along with Connie and her experience as a dental surgery assistant, became valuable to the mission field that began in the 80's, on some small islands in Micronesia.

FROM THERE, they found themselves in Africa and today the Philippines. Because they were here close by, we saw them. Connie and Todd are amazing! Although their two girls and their adopted sons are now grown with one of the girls being married and almost a Mom, they are still excited about their call. Although they are not novices, but seasoned in their field, their enthusiasm is still full of vim and vigor! After seeing them again, I couldn’t help but remember the Morning Glory I had written in 2009, which was not long after I started writing!

LET ME share one of her stories again. "I was pregnant with my second daughter," Connie begins! "When it was time, Todd had flown the only American Doctor to Guam, through a tropical storm to save a young man who fell from a coconut tree. The Island Doctor was the only one left and he is like our EMT’s and he looked a little like Bozo the clown. Short curly hair that went straight out the sides and bald on top. He always wore a pink striped shirt with maroon corduroy pants, every time I saw him. I had a lady lawyer friend with me when I went to the hospital. There was no power or water on the island because the storm had knocked it out. There was just a trouble light hanging from an extension cord that was hooked up to a generator which was out on the lawn. There were huge bugs! The walls in the hospital only went down, part way, and chickens along with other things were running around. The old saying; "Were you born in a barn" is something my baby would be able to say yes to; complete with the chickens and bugs. The Island Doctor did come in to deliver my baby but he waited and waited to come in because I wasn’t screaming and he said; "all white women scream when they deliver, so I didn’t think it was time yet. However, the Island Doctor did deliver Courtney!"

MANY MISSIONARIES go into the field not fully realizing all that will be demanded of them. But they do it anyway! They worry and fret, but they choose to continue! Our Connie, our little blond, who grew up under our watchful eyes, had become so courageous and unafraid because God said; "I will be with you even to the end of the age!

AS I WATCHED these two the other night, I couldn’t help but be pleased to see them once again in person. "As she sang her song about being one little candle, chasing away the shadows, I could still see some of our little Connie, rushing here and there! Only God could corral this energy and place it around the world to make a difference in His kingdom. Only God can take a life and plant the desire to step out of the box and into His plan!

"SHOUT joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us and we are His people and the sheep of His pasture." Psalms 100:1-3 God does amazing things through those who are willing to go into the world. Connie says; "It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus!" What is your mission?    By Jane Ann Crenshaw    (8/12/09)   9/18/14

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