Sorry there was no post last week, we were in Phoenix at a conference. But through some conversations we had while there, Cami and I have been wrestling through some ideas about authority.
Before I get started I want to say that I am not exactly sure how I want to say what I am about to say. So I hope it all makes sense as I try to share some recent musings with all of you.
The Dream Center is good at many things and not very good at other things, but one area that the Dream Center really shines. This organizations is excellent at teaching its disciples the value of honoring your authority. I have always been a fairly compliant person and have never really struggled with authority issues, so I didn't think I had much to learn in this area (conceited I know) but I have learned so much about what it means to honor authority since working at the Dream Center. And for that I am very grateful. It is refreshing to be a part of a community that values this principle so much.
From my experience, I do not believe that the American church is very good at this principle. Especially when the authority figure is not a Christian, but doesn't the Bible say that ALL authority is appointed by God......I am not sure about you, but all includes non-Christians in my mind. So why is it that if I believe God is telling me to do something: like change positions, or start new programs, etc. (not ethical issues, that adds other dynamics) yet my boss is not in alignment that many would say that I am justified in continuing down the path I feel God has told me to pursue. Do I not believe that God is capable, do I not believe that He can change the heart of my authority. The example of Moses and Pharaoh comes to mind. When it was time, Pharaoh released them and God was greatly glorified. Generations later Rahab said, I have heard of your God and what He can do, I don't want to defy Him. Moses did not leave until Pharaoh released him, until god softened Pharaoh's heart. What has changed? God hasn't.
I am sure I could continue to unpack these thoughts, but I must admit that a blog is a weird place to share such ideas. So I think I will stop for now, though I would love to talk with any of you about this further :)
Oh! But before I go, tomorrow Cami and I get to go "shopping". The Dream Center gets thousands of dollars worth of donations from different companies. Those donations are stored in a warehouse before they are distributed to the community, but tomorrow Cami and I get to go through the warehouse and pick out whatever we WANT. They were very specific that we should not only take what we need, but what we want as well. Just another reminder that God is our Jehovah Jireh!
So here are some pictures of the "nursery" (a.k.a. the other half of our dining room) but more furniture will be added tomorrow!!!
From the living room looking into our dining room/nursery
From the dining room into the nursery.
As you can kind of see in the background there is a nice sized closet in the nursery also.
And finally from the hallway into the nursery
Cami and I spent the entire evening assembling and sorting! YHWH blesses us so abundantly! And as I sat amidst the massive piles thanking YHWH for taking such good care of our child, I realized that we weren't just sitting in our blessing. I was humbled when I realized that we are reaping the benefits of our parents' blessings as well. Both the Potters and Tafallas have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord - as missionaries and pastors. Our parents love to give gifts and have often expressed that they wished they could give more, but as I sat in my living room last Wednesday evening I wondered, "what more could they give?"
