Arrow Mama Talk Blog

Praying God's Will

There was a time not too long ago when I would not pray for God’s will to be done in my life, or anyones life. It was a scary thought to me. I really didn’t even like saying the Lord’s prayer because of the “thy will be done” part. Eeee! I didn’t know what His will was. What would he use to teach me - sickness, injury, death, more life challenges? It makes me sad now thinking back to how much I didn’t give God credit for, and how the things I gave Him credit for were not of Him. The difficulties I have faced in my life, so many were brought upon by myself and my own bad choices. Some were choices of others that directly affected me. Some were straight up the enemy. The glory though is this. Looking back, I can see clearly that He was the one who delivered me from every single negative, difficult, ugly thing in my life. And he continues to. He takes every bad thing and pours His goodness and glory over it. Turns every ugly mess into something beautiful. I could give you so many examples. Negative things in my life, by the grace of God, that He somehow laced with His goodness. My parents divorcing, my mom remarrying a man who was not a good man, having to move to a new state and new school, my real dad not seeing us again after my mom remarried, getting kicked out of my house during my senior year, a horribly bad decision I made in college…these are ones that stand out because I can see now how He turned events that would have crumbled me, into events that He wove into major blessings. Psalm 24:6 “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” You see that. He pursues us with his goodness and unfailing love. YES!!!
I can’t pinpoint the exact time that my fear of praying for God’s will changed, but I do know the thing that made it change. His word. Getting to know Him through His word and seeing His true nature. There are so many verses that renewed my mind in this regard. One that specifically comes to mind is Hebrews 1:3 “The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly…” Isn’t that amazing!! Jesus is the exact representation of God. You see Jesus and you see God. I see God’s marvelous love for us in the way Jesus healed everyone. He never denied healing to anyone that asked, so I see that God wants us well! It is his will to heal! I see God in the way Jesus loved everyone. Rich, poor, young, old, sinner, saint - he welcomed and loved all of them. He welcomes and loves us in spite of who we are, not because of who we are. We very literally are His children and His love for us is immeasurable. Think of the love that you have for your children. Think of the goodness and love you want poured out over your child’s life. Think about how that no matter how many times your child fails, makes bad choices, and is just an independent, rebellious, little stinker - your love for that child never wavers. That is the same love that our God desires to lavish upon us. So praying His will over your life is the best thing you could ever pray for. Being in the center of God’s will is the best and safest place you will ever be. 
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Guest Blog - Leah Beidler, Director of MakingRoots.org

Making Roots is an organization that functions through the local church 180 Degrees with the purpose to see holistic transformation in the lives of the Haitian people through sustainable relationships that serve and empower them. 
 
Making Roots was established in 2008.  We have many "branches" to support Haitians living in Cite Soleil and Passé Cataboise, Haiti.  During the summer we provide employment to young adults and youth.  Working together we facilitate a summer program for children ages 6-14.  Summer camp provides creative arts, sports enrichment, breakfast/lunch, music, and bible study with theatre.  Workers support this camp by leading and helping the children during camp. 
 
Employment is absent in these two locations and we believe by providing employment we are able to support youth and young adults financially.  We also believe in providing employment, as we are encouraged and thankful to have a platform in which the community can support their children and youth.  Following camp we hire young adults and teachers to hold workshops that are facilitated for youth ages 14-16.  The workers have identified a skill/art that they think would be beneficially for their youth to comprehend and learn.  Making Roots employs these teachers to work with the youth and teach this skill or art.  We currently teach weaving, sewing, jewelry making, crochet, art/painting, English, and metal work. 
 
We serve over 150 children for summer camp.  We serve over 350 youth with the workshops.  We are energized to see the commitment and leaderships that comes forth from the communities and workers. 
 
Along with our summer programs we support 12 children/youth with their education.  While we would like to grow this number we have found education in Haiti becomes very costly and we want to be able to support these children to the end of their education. 
 
We are thankful for the opportunity to be working with these communities.  God continues to provide through finances and opportunities that allow Making Roots to be present in Haiti.  We are prayerful to grow this ministry/work by expanding camp/workshops to serve more children.  We are also hopeful in that we want to employ teachers in Cite Soleil to facilitate workshops on the weekends.  We are being faithful with what the Lord has given us and prayerful to see Him expand our borders.  
 
How God Moves
Cite Soleil is the poorest part of Haiti.  Plagued with gang violence, poverty, illiteracy, the environment can often seem overwhelming, and strips your heart of joy.  But camp/workshops have been so beautiful in that the energy is pumping.  The community is working together in one accord.  Youth/children are not in the streets.  Adults and youth from all walks of life are working together.  Youth that are in school, a mother that is in the church, a gang member, a father, a youth trying to earn money for his education, elder cooking, all the hands are working and thriving to pour into their community and their children/youth.  There is a saying in Haiti, “Mache pou kont li ou fèb, Mache ansanm nou  fò.” (Walk alone you are weak, walk together we are strong).  Making Roots continues to “walk” and passionately serve with Haitian communities and people.  We are prayerful that God continues to expand the borders of the work/ministry that is being done.  We are thankful for the energy that the community pours, but more thankful as we watch God's redemption and restoration pour into the hearts and streets of Haiti.  
Pictures from this Summer:
From top to bottom: Jonathan, sweet boy that came to the second week. We sang one day and he just danced and danced. Jumping rope! They whip that rope so hard that sometimes it knocks kids over! Sun after a rainstorm! Louvenet (youth workers) helping one of the kids color his emblem for his Haitian flag craft. Our theme of the weeks was, "We love because he first loved us." The heart was a craft to represent the theme. Last two pictures are of us playing drums! Throwing down and jumping up!
Leah Beidler
Director of Making Roots
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Tags: 1 John 4:19, Haiti, Making Roots, Ministry

2 Corinthians 6:18

I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:18

I am thankful for new days. A fresh beginning seeking Christ . I am thankful that he answers prayers, even when the answers and corrections He gives are difficult to receive. I know that He corrects me because he loves me. I am a daughter of the one true king. Nothing I do could ever make him take his love away.

I am learning that my worth is not who I am in this world. It’s not in the perception of others, though too often, that is what I make it. My worth is not who I am married to, or the things I buy, or the things I wear. My worth, my treasure is in Christ alone.  I am a daughter of the one true king.

Chero’s and my father was an alcoholic who loved the Lord. Not a combination you hear about very often. The last time we saw him was right before Christmas when I was in 4th grade and Chero was in 1st. Our parents had just gotten divorced and our mom was about to get remarried. We went to spend the weekend with him at the ocean. He loved the ocean. We were sitting in the back of his van in the hotel’s parking lot, he was drinking his Coors light. He always talked to us like we were capable of understanding more than what we could in our little first and fourth grade brains. I remember him telling us, “Don’t call me dad anymore. You have one Father, and that is your Father in heaven.” Umm, ok. From that point on I called him Kiah. From a distance though, because we never saw him after my mom got remarried. At the time, I took it as more of an act of dismissal, of unlove. Is that a word? I felt like I was being unloved by him.

Let me interject quickly. I feel the need after telling that story, I need to tell you one more about him. This is one of our mom’s stories about him. It was back in the 1970’s. They had just gotten married, bought their first (and only) house together, and had me. Both were very hard workers. My dad came from a large family. Proud Cherokee Native Americans. They grew up very poor in Oklahoma, in earthly terms, but oh so rich in Christ. Well, his brother came to visit with his family a bit after Christmas. Kiah’s brother gave him a poncho as a gift. Kiah went upstairs and came back down with the beautiful ski coat my mom had given him for Christmas and gave it to his brother. Well, as you can imagine my mom was so mad! After they had left she said, “Kiah, I can’t believe you gave him the coat I bought you! Don’t you know how expensive that was!” And my dad responded, “Debbie, don’t you know that I wouldn’t give my brother anything I didn’t love?” 

It was maybe 5 or so years ago, the Lord reminded me of that last conversation with Kiah. Not that I ever really forgot. I just didn’t dwell on it because it was painful. The Lord, the Holy Spirit, gave me an understanding of that conversation that I had never had before.  I feel like Kiah knew it was the last time he would be seeing us and he was laying us down at the Lord’s feet. After having children of my own, I know that as painful as it was for me, it was oh so much more painful for a father to say to his daughters. It was too painful for him to be around us, with our mom’s new marriage, with his struggle with alcoholism. So he did the best thing he could for us at that time, in those circumstances, he gave us to the Lord. I know that it was because of that and because of his prayers for us. I do know that he prayed for us and I attribute those prayers to us surviving our teenage and college years. Because honestly, it was a sin filled time for me. And for both Chero and I to end up with two amazing, loving, supportive, understanding husbands is a complete miracle and gift from the Lord.

Chero and I did try finding Kiah on several occasions. We just wanted him to know how much we loved him and forgave him for leaving. That we understood and were grateful. But that great reconciliation we hoped for never happened, as we weren’t able to track him down. So that is something we get to look forward in heaven!

So knowing that I am a Daughter of the One True King is something that I need to remind myself of a daily basis. My worth is in Him. I am invaluable to him and immeasurably loved. What does this verse mean to you, sisters? 

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Tags: 2 Corinthians 6:18, Daughter of the King, Daughter of the One True King, Faith apparel

Pointing Our Little Arrows Toward the Cross

So thankful for supportive sisters in Christ. So awesome to see Brady & Cohen wearing their #arrowson tees. Love these boys and their sweet mama. And the best news...Cohen accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour last week, in the shower, all on his own. And that's what it's all about, isn't it? Pointing our little arrows toward the cross every chance we get. I love that we can do this with every moment, not just the pretty ones. His grace and glory shines in our messy lives. Let your children see how you falter and mess up, and them let them hear you say "mommy shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. Will you please forgive me?" Let them watch you get down on your knees as you lay it all at His feet. Let them see you lean on Him and pray for all things. Big and small. And let's joyfully and expectantly watch them as they fall in love with Jesus.

#raisingarrows #arrowbaby #jesusloves #jesussaves

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Tags: arrow baby, jesus saves, jesusloves, psalm 127, raising arrows

Our Mission, Vision, and What Psalm 127 3-5 means to us


I was recently asked what was the mission of Arrow Baby, what was our future vision. The quick little blurb in response I gave didn't quite satisfy my soul. There is so much more to it; so much more meaning to Psalm 127: 3-5 for my sister and I. Especially so, because we are moms.

To me, this verse helped me claim the powerful God-given role we have as mothers. We're not JUST moms. We have got a real live 24/7 ministry going on! Amen? We are raising up warriors for Christ.

For so long, I wondered what can I do for The Lord? How can he use me? I'm not really doing anything for Him right now. What are my spiritual gifts? Wah wah wah. Psalm 127 3-5 opened up my eyes to the fact The Lord decided that for Him, there is nothing more important for me to be doing right now than to be raising His Arrows. This goes for all of us, Mamas.

When we serve our children, our husbands, we are serving Him. I'm constantly praying to be a joyful servant in my home. It's not easy. But as I sharpen those little arrows, they are sharpening me 10 times over. Thank God for that! It makes me smile when I think how much these little ones have taught me, have grown me, have unconditionally loved me. It's God's perfect way for me to become more like his own son, Jesus. Still a long, long way to go, but I'm thankful I'm not where I was!

So many of you have already learned this already and and are intentionally living it out. We have got beautiful little disciples standing at our feet every single day just waiting to soak up our teachings. They are learning from every step, every misstep, every word, every action, every reaction. We are sharpening them to become mighty arrows of God; mighty arrows FOR God. I'm not sure if it is the times we live in, but I have always felt I am raising warriors. They are going to have to be fierce and courageous warriors for Christ. It may be a battle for them just to serve Him. So, let's continue on in our ministry field mamas, ever so boldly for Christ!

Arrow Baby, as you know, was born from Psalm 127 3-5. Our goal, simply, is to bring Him glory. To do our little part to share the love of Jesus Christ and build his kingdom! We have had so many ideas over the years that have come and gone, started with a bang, went out with a fizzle. None of those ideas were the right ones and it wasn't the right time. I don't know why. But He does. He burned a path for Arrow Baby and filled it with signs of encouragement & sometimes a "come on & get on with it, ladies!" when we needed that extra push. He wants these Tees out there. And whether or not we sell 10 tees or 100 tees, it makes no difference. Because it's His vision. It's His glory, not ours. We are just grateful to be a part of it.
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