Where God Leads He Provides!
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For Update Information about the Stearns go to our
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For Update Information about the Stearns go to our
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We were so blessed and honored to be guest speakers and share our testimony with Freedom of Christ Church today! Many heartfelt thanks to the Senior Pastor, Pastor Mark who allowed us to speak to his congregation. Through this opportunity God answered a prayer that we had before we left for our missions work that we would be blessed to share our experience with others. Jesus is SO faithful! ...And on our anniversary and Thomas's birthday! Praise God!
If you would like us to come to your church to share our experience as well as the importance of the Great Commission contact us at [email protected] or call 484-469-0116.
You can hear the full message here on our first podcast below.
Who knows that doing the right thing isn't always easy? I guess that's why the bible compares the Christian walk to a battle and even a race of endurance. However, despite our knowledge of expected difficulty, somehow it still seems to catch us off guard or by surprise. Let's face it, we all would love to enjoy an easy life, free of problems. Nobody desires life to be tough. Yet, when we decided to make Jesus our Lord and Savior, we signed up for good times as well as tough times. We picked up our proverbial cross to follow Him. But life WITH Jesus is so much better than life without Him. Life is going to be hard regardless but when we're walking with Jesus we can actually enjoy the journey and learn a lot about Him, ourselves and others along the way. It's understanding this very process that makes this thing we call life so wonderful. Just like everyone else, we too are figuring life out as we go along. So, "What's going on with the Stearns?" you may ask. Well, as we spoke about in our last video blog, we are currently staying with family in the Pottsville, PA area. God is continuing to use us in the lives of the people in this town. We have a budding new ministry called the C.L.U.B. - Christ Loving Unchurched Believers, which meets once a month. Also, we are doing a lot of personal evangelism. During this season we are learning a lot about what Godly love really looks like. If you would of asked us at any point in our marriage before this, if we thought we would be living in the small town of Pottsville for any amount of time, we both would have simultaneously said "NO." But God did something to us when He sent us to Thailand. I'm sure that I can speak for my husband when I say that Jesus gave us both a new perspective on evangelism. When we moved to Thailand in October 2016 we were geared up for a new level of ministry. God had given us the gifts of faith and grace to give up everything for Him. All we knew was that we wanted God to use us to a greater degree, so we made ourselves available to be used. Since we made that decision, God has been faithful. One huge lesson that we have learned among the many, is that our idea of ministry isn't always God's idea of ministry. Sure, once He filled us with His desire to bring people to Himself, we wanted to do it on a large scale. Our daily affirmation for years has been "thank you Lord for using us to bring multitudes to Jesus." And we continue to believe for that however, it's the "how" that we often get stuck on. This experience of being back home after living abroad has shown us that the way Jesus evangelized was the best way possible. If you think about Jesus' life once he began his ministry, it was a traveling one. He walked away from his home, family and business of carpentry and started a traveling ministry. All of His disciples did the same. Now, as we approach one year in October of full-time traveling ministry, I understand to a greater degree why he chose to live that kind of life. First, let me say that it isn't an easy life. Even though we have been tremendously blessed with a lovely family and home to stay in, it's still difficult at times not to have our own. However, it forces us to press into to God like never before and I consider that a blessing. It has shown us what it's like to depend on Him solely. This season has also revealed to us the things that we really value in life and by contrast, the things that God values. In God's eyes, relationships are first place. There's nothing more valuable to Him than showing the love of God to someone. I believe that simple act means more to him than all of the "work" we subconsciously do to earn His blessings. We've also learned to a greater degree that material things come and go. So, this season of having very little materially has actually made us appreciate all of the spiritual riches we are blessed with. When God overwhelms us with His perfect love and peace, we are moved to give it away. We get to see people through God's eyes. His love for this world is unbelievable! And I believe that He desperately wants His people to lay down their own interests and desires for worldly possessions and positions in exchange for the truly valuable things of God. Think about it, when a person is lying on their death bed, they could care less about their bills or bank account. The only thing they truly care about is being surrounded by their loved ones. We feel so blessed to have learned this vital lesson before we reach that point. Simply put, God wants to show love to us and through us. Do you have to give up everything to learn this important lesson? I don't know. But for us, it has been worth it. Simplifying our lives has made the most important thing stand out - LOVE. Even though that word is grossly over used and improperly used, the true meaning of it is powerful. Love and God are inseparable. He is the very meaning of that word which means that His love can really conquer everything, including our own harmful desires for a comfortable life. We had to ask ourselves, what were we sacrificing for the American Dream? Were we building God's kingdom or ours? But as I mentioned before, it's not an easy path. However, the other morning on a prayer walk through the park, the Lord showed me a beautiful illustration of walking with Him. I was walking along a nice, evenly paved walkway through a wooded area. The air was fragrant and woody and there was a sweet, gentle breeze as I spoke to the Lord. As I strolled along, off to the side I noticed a foot path into the woods. It was so inviting that I decided to step off of the paved pathway. As I walked along this path, I noticed large roots that broke up the soil and looked almost like steps along this path that was steadily inclining. My once casual stroll turned into a winded climb but as I took my attention off of the rugged pathway, I noticed that I was surround by a beautiful canopy of trees. There were all sorts of wild flowers and plants growing all around me. Then I caught a glimpse of something bright red. First, I saw one shiny red cap and then like a trail I was led to a large tree stump that had big, red, shiny mushroom caps growing up it's side. It's unexpected beauty delighted me and I began to feel something like Alice in Wonderland lost in the beauty of this place. As I left that special spot and wandered back to the wooded pathway I heard the Lord speak to my spirit. He said "Your life now is like this beautiful wooded path. Sure, it's more difficult and requires more effort but look at the beautiful gifts I have hidden for you. You are learning to appreciate the beautiful side of life through the difficulty. And even though it's harder, it's worth the climb. Many of my children prefer the easier paved road but the ones who venture off the beaten path with me are blessed beyond their wildest dreams." That morning in the park will always stay with me. I love it when God speaks in such powerful ways through such simple circumstances. So, today I invite you to step off the beaten path with the Lord. The climb will make you stronger and the surprises along the way will outweigh the difficulties. As you hold onto the hand of our Father, He'll shape you and mold you into the person you were created to be. And as you transform under His gentle touch, you can't help but bless the ones around you with His perfect love. Where are the Stearns now?? Watch the video to find out! Also, stay tuned for a big announcement. Our prayer is that our journey of faith inspires you on your journey and you begin stepping out in faith more and more. |
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AuthorJennifer Stearns is a fun-loving, devoted wife, pastor and mother of three. Spoken word artist and first female recipient of the Talitha Cumi Communications "She Has Arisen Award," currently serves as a pastor and missionary in Thailand along with her loving husband, Thomas Stearns. Archives
July 2017
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