The Most Difficult Becomes the Best

By Lydia Chorpening

The hazy skies pressed their relentless heat upon me as I left my familiar world of San Antonio, Texas. Heading into Wisconsin’s northern zone left me less than excited. I was leaving, not only my familiar, my past, my three teen-age daughters, but also what I thought was a call of God.
Needless to say, although I left skid marks from my emotional heels digging into Interstate 35 all the way north, this was the place that God had brought me to—a place of being stripped bare of my identity, my glowing crown of being an overseas missionary. I had no beautiful daughters to push ahead of me as I stepped into a new world and into a new church.
Of all the many moves we had made prior to this one, none seemed as difficult to me. Leaving Iowa, living in Missouri, owning a home in Florida, the on-campus life in Texas and even the moving about in the Philippines had not prepared me for this challenge.
Russell, my husband, saw the job opportunity and the privilege to get out of the big city. I stepped unwittingly into the opportunity of working with developmentally disabled adults. Even though it took me years to respect and embrace this new ministry it proved to be a God-place.
During this time period God begin to pry open my heart to the clutter I held onto. As I was released from the bondages of fear, legalism and a failure mentality, God miraculously showed me new avenues of ministry. One of those is through writing. God has given me many pieces of poetry and so far two books to write.
The first book, The Seven Robes of Joseph, Steps to Fulfilling Your God-given Dreams, helps the reader find himself in the life of Joseph, leading them into Bible study and finally into the reality of their destiny. The book is now translated into Spanish and can be ordered online.
Bigger than Impossible shows the passing vapor of impossible, while establishing the God-possible. It is an incredible read, packed with personal experiences. It helps the reader turn their impossibilities into God-possible! This book can be obtained by contacting the Author: Lydia Chorpening.
Summing This Up: when you’re at the end of your road in God’s Kingdom, you’ll find that you’re at the beginning of God’s brand new opportunity.

America, the Beautiful

This writing has been modified by Lydia Chorpening and adapted from the great works created by Katherine Lee Bates. The music was produced by Samuel A. Ward. As a child I would sit in our shabby front yard in the Missouri countryside and sing the words of this song heavenward. I now sing them modified and through tears. Sing it again with me and turn it into a heart-felt prayer.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain,
For purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain.
America! America! God shed his grace on thee...
But you have turned your face from Him-denied your liberty!

Oh beautiful for pilgrim feet. Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness
America! America! Amend your every flaw
and turn thy soul again to God and His eternal law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy hearts refine
Till every soul, in righteousness, bow to Christ's cross divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years
Thy alabaster cities dimmed, by sinfulness and fears
America! America! God shed His grace on thee
He calls for us to follow him to Calvary's rugged tree.

Let your voice be heard for liberty and life!

I Am Amazed

God's goodness is limitless.
His mercies are new every morning.
He creates all thing for his glory.
He thoughts are loving, true and righteous
He is everywhere present.
He is always near to help those who call on Him.
He is the first, the One present before creation.
He is eternal. That means:
He will never end.
He will never die.
He will never be outdone or defeated.
His love is fathomless.
His truth is unsearchable.
His righteousness is established
His mercy springs from His heart.
He is authentic, always trustworthy.
He is doubtless and credible.
Let us reverence Him!
Let us respect and fear Him!
Let us bow our heads before Him in praise and submission!
He is Lord, and without Him, we are nothing!

Ashley Katherine Damsgard

God really does ordain the births of our children. Back in August, 2009 after I learned that both Bonita and Lacinda were pregnant, I was standing at my kitchen counter and the Lord gave me a vision. In a second I saw three little girls. The one I saw the clearest was a dark-haired beautify sitting on a white fence. She looked a little bigger than the two little ones that stood in front of the fence. I could not see those, I just knew they were two little girls standing in front of the fence. The vision came so unexpectedly that I just said out loud, "Three little girls!" I had no question as to what sex the two unborn babies were. Bonita found out that she is having a girl, and Lacinda didn't want to know what she was having, so i just logged my vision. God has not confirmed it by the birth of this new little life. Ashley arrived Sat. evening about 1/2 hour after they arrived at the hospital. She is a beautiful 7 pound 15 oz gift from heaven!
As I held her, I was so in awe of this beautiful miracle! thank you, Lord Jesus, and thank you, Chris and Lacinda

The Focus

The cross is the central theme of all Scripture. When I say "the cross" I include also Christ's resurrection from the dead.
In Exodus 12 we see the work of Calvary depicted through the blood of the passover lamb on the door posts of the house. Isaiah 53 describes Christ's pain and punishment for our sins and transgressions.
There are many distractions in life, things that try to keep us from approaching the cross in the first place for our salvation, but even after we have come to the cross, it is difficult to keep our eyes glued on this object of love.
My latest work of art was created to depict our need for the focus on the cross and to show the infilling of God's Holy Spirit afterwards. The empty tomb depicts our death, burial and resurrection. This is where we receive power to live an overcoming lifestyle.
We must keep our eyes on the master. I pray this picture will help us do just that.

Why Read the Bible?

Not too long ago I was listening to a conversation by some folks a generation younger than mine. I did not speak up, but I have been searching my heart since than.
Why do I read the Bible? Do I read simply to prove a point, to convince myself or someone else that I am right, or do I read it so that I might become transformed by it?
I am sure there are times in which I read the Bible to confirm that I have God's mind on a matter, but I realize that the Word of God is the power of God. The truth of God's Word is meant to transform us. Romans 12:1,2 tells us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by renewing our minds. The only way our minds will truly be transformed is by the Word of God.
We recently had a grandchild here who came to the dinner table with a dirty little face. Some water on a wash cloth soon transformed her face. Ephesians 5:26 tells us that we are to be washed by the water of the Word. Even rocks, in their hardened conditions, become transformed by time and water flowing over them. This is what God wants His Word to do for us.
God doesn't just want us to prove a point with His Word. He wants that Word to first and foremostly transform us. According to Ephesians 1:18 He wants to enlighten, to illuminate our eyes and our understanding by the acceptance of His Word.

Re: My Mother

The past two months have made big changes in my mother's life. I want to post an update to my last November 11th blog.

On December 3rd my mother was placed in a nursing home. She loves her little home. The nursing home staff fixes her 3 Reliv shakes a day. She was soon off of oxygen, which the medical profession thought would never happen. She was restricted to walking only in her room, but now the restrictions have been lifted and she can walk the hallways.

The other day when she was out she met up with a woman who was trying to wheel her way to the dining room. Mom said that she was going so slowly! She pushed her to where she was going. We thank God for this turn-around. We thank the nursing home staff for providing her with her shakes. We also thank Reliv for coming up with such a product.