Fellowship

Well my 40 days came and went! I had hoped to blog more about it but our internet has been down for several weeks! We have enjoyed a lot of fellowship with family and friends this past month and I am so greatful for all those that God has put in my path.  My biggest issue is that I just wish I could be around everyone all the time!  God's blessing to me this past year, Paul Robert Derby, turned 1! Wow! Where has the year gone?

So what did 40 days teach me? Oh so much! I may need to take several posts and write what I would have written these past few weeks! Today I will write about fellowship though.

I was fortunate enough to get to work at Bair Lake Bible Camp for a few years right out of college.  I think most people who work in camp ministry for any length of time absolutely love it...but why? It is nice to know that you are making impact but I think it is more about the fellowship you experience there. I think that it is a piece of what God designed us to be like and a piece of what Heaven will be like. (How's that for a camp ministry plug!) ;) When I joined my former church, Mt. Pleasant Community Church, back in 2000, the pastor talked about the Acts 2 community.  Here is a piece of what he was talking about (although I recommend reading the whole chapter for context).

"Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe...they began selling their property and possessions and sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:43-47

Why was this "church" so fruitful? Why were so many coming to know Him? I think that when you can feel the love of God through people, it helps you see Him more clearly. This world tells us that we are worthless mess-ups. That we will never get it right.  Many Christ-followers, including myself, wrestle with the feeling of never being good enough.  I have learned that I focus so much on how not perfect I am and so little on how very perfect God is.

FELLOWSHIP. Isn't it our hearts deepest longing? I know that it is mine. I long for friends to have dinner with or trade babysitting with or take a walk with. I long for fellowship of kindred spirits. I whine a lot about this to my husband. I just don't make friends that easily and so moving is a VERY hard thing on me. It takes years to just get one friend. Ug. We've been going to a home church once a month and the fellowship is so much better than at a standard "church." I miss doing life with people.  I long for a community of believers to just simply live life with. But in all of this, with all that I long for in these friendships...how much do I long for fellowship with the Savior? I am fairly convinced that God keeps people away from me so I will run to Him. 

Setting aside 40 days to commit to running to Him has changed me. I did not complete all that I wanted to.  The chaos of life snuck up on me for a while but I stuck it out. And the beauty of it is? I don't have to stop! There is a fierce battle within me for my heart. More and more I am learning about TODAY. Just run to Him today. Don't worry about all the times you didn't run to Him in the past, don't worry that you will mess up tomorrow...just run to Him today. Fellowship with the one true Almighty God today.

Run (don't walk!) to Him today. He is longing for you to know Him.

-kristin

Chaos

Well the past few weeks have been a bit chaotic with Thanksgiving and such. It was a blessing to have the whole Derby family with us though! They all stayed the night (aren't we glad that God blessed us with such a huge house!)

 What a bunch of crazies we are! But I can tell you that they are one of the biggest blessings of my life. They are loving and caring and silly as ever. They make life fun and interesting and I love them to pieces.

 Meet the Derbys! From Right to Left (Bottom): David, John (Jonathan), Caleb, Joel, Seth, Ben; (Top) Joy, Esther, Hannah, Rebekah, Bethany, Ruth, Lydia

"God has called us out of chaos into order" -Acey Martin

Acey has been a great mentor for 10 years! Most of the time I feel like I live in chaos. I have three children, 12 hens, a huge house, an emerging business and working husband. Busy hardly describes my life. Choas is a better term. I try and fight it, really I do. I make lists and now my lists have become weekly lists. I set aside time to clean...and clean and clean. I try to do preschool with the kids each day. After all of that, I still feel like I live in chaos. Every time I look around, the dishes are piling up (didn't I JUST do them?!), the laundry needs to be folded (I swear I just put those away!), there is dirt piling up everywhere and the children are screaming because someone took the other's toy. *sigh* Things are never complete and the task-oriented person in me goes crazy! Chaos. I feel defeated. I sit down and my heart sinks. "Is this all life is supposed to be?"

40 days is a little more than half over. I am learning that God calls us OUT of chaos. When I start my day with HIM, there seems to be more order. Not so much that the dishes get done or the kids aren't screaming, but that I have more peace and calmness in my soul. I am learning that "apart from God, I can do nothing." Really, nothing. When I put myself in charge, there is one ending: CHAOS! When I let God take control, and submit to Him throughout the day, life is so much more pleasant. Hmmm...

Do you live in chaos? Are you desperate to get out of it? Come to Jesus. Meet with Him today. 

-Kristin

Fear or Peace?

Well, here I am on day 10! I am happy to report that I lost three pounds! Woo! It hasn't been easy, but I knew that it wouldn't be.  As I let go of my comfort (food), it peels back the layers in my heart that I've been shielding myself from. I've noticed that since I've started this, I've become more paranoid and fearful.

I used to struggle with fear when I first got married. After my husband would leave for work in the morning, I would instantly be afraid. I would double check all the doors were locked and even lock my bedroom door. Then I would stuff clothes under the door just in case. I finally started taking it to the Lord and he helped me overcome my fear. I read in the Bible about David and how he was being pursued by his enemies who wanted to kill him, yet he wasn't afraid.  I thought, "well, David ACTUALLY had people trying to hurt him and he WASN'T afraid, and I don't have people trying to harm me and I AM afraid. I can overcome!" and with the help of the Lord and memorizing David's words, I overcame! It is interesting how it is starting to surface again. Hmmm...

I wonder if not putting God first for so long made me lose my trust of Him? Today part of my verse memorization is, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts." Oh how this speaks to me today!

Do you struggle with fear? Do you trust Him with your WHOLE life?  Let us choose today to trust in an Almighty God that knows our name and is taking care of us.

Derby Delights

Well here is my very first blog! I have a farm blog which just keeps everyone updated, but this blog is just for me! I haven't decided what it is going to be. I am sure that it will morph over time.  I am on a journey...to find passion.  I think when most people think of passion, they think of a strong feeling between a man and a woman. Passion is so much more than that though. What are you passionate about? And so the journey begins...

My husband went to visit my long time mentors, Acey and Sarae Martin, and they are all about passion. It is why we love being around them! They encourage us in our passions. Over the years, getting married and having kids, I feel as though I have lost my passion.  Maybe I never really took the time to find it in the first place.

So, I am embarking on a 40 day journey of transformation.  I am committing to focus on me and getting my life back in order. I have become a victim of life with an excuse for everything and I need to change.  I am committing to specific goals for my mind, body and soul.

Here is my challenge, maybe you will consider challenging yourself in those areas that you need it:
MIND
-Write something you are thankful for each day in your journal
-Complete 4 different personality tests
-Read 1 book
BODY
-Follow 4-Hour Body diet plan
-Exercise 30 min 4x/week
-Take vitamins everyday
SOUL
-Memorize Col 3:12-17
-Do daily devotions
-Find and write one verse to stand on each day

Today is DAY 2 of my adventure and it is going well! I have not realized that I haven't been spending any real time with God. I am doing a Precept study on Exodus and it is amazing to me the behavior of the Israelites! But deep down, I know that I am not that different from them.  God removed His presence from them because of their disobedience.  I have learned that the more we commune with and obey God, the more we will KNOW Him.  We will sense His presence and have peace. That is what I long for and that is what I am running after.   40 days of transformation...I am excited for what God will do in me! I'll keep you posted!