The Trials

Satan seems to attack in the most personal ways. Our time in Lubbock seemed to be filled with going to the doctor. Austen got braces, was allergy tested, and started shots weekly. He seemed to have other health problem that Shane and I could not understand or get control of. I won't get into details to protect Austen's self esteem (which is also another issue). It seems that he was on so much medicine and not much of it was helping. Austen also had anger issues that we didn't know how to deal with either. We really felt like the Lord was telling us that it was all a spiritual attack. We had our small group praying with us for wisdom and then we had several body of believers pray over Austen, several times. We then stopped all of the medications and put our trust in God to show the way. Austen's health started to improve and since we have moved, there has been some situations, but over all we feel that the Lord delivered Austen.

Shane came to me one evening said he wasn't feeling very good, by eleven o'clock he could not stand up and was almost having black outs. I finally convinced him that I could not carry him to the car and that I needed him (with my help) walk to the car so I could take to the ER. My mom stayed with the kids. His heart was racing. We stayed in the ER for hours, but they would release him because he could not stand up with blacking out. His heart was in an erratic rhythm, so they tried medication to try to stabilize him, but that didn't work. They finally admitted him into the hospital and I went home to sleep. The next day, they decide that Shane would need to have the defibrillators used to get his heart back into normal rhythm, but they would schedule it for the following day. Again, I went to our prayer partners all over the U.S, and asked God to Heal Shane. During this time, I had also asked God to show me a true miracle, you know the kind you hear about but never witness. I wanted to see God do a miracle. But really what I wanted was for God to Heal me... That night, I had a dream 2am and awoke gasping for air and shot straight up like someone had wakened me suddenly, I sensed a presence but immediately thought of Shane. Not knowing what was going on at the hospital, I settled down and fell back asleep. The next day I needed to be at the hospital at 8am for the procedure, so I was hurrying getting the kids where they needed to go and talk to Brent Cox( our small group leader). Shane's Dad calls me and asked if I had talked to Shane yet, very confused because he sounded like he knew something I didn't, I thought something was wrong. He just said that I needed to talk to him. I called Shane and he said he was ready to leave the hospital, that he didn't need the procedure. I was mad at first, I guess the emotional part of getting ready for a serious medical procedure, then all of the sudden he just gets to go home. I hung up on him. When I got to the hospital, he told me that around 2am he felt different, then at 6am when the doctor came to do a EKG before the procedure, his heart was in normal rhythm, and the doctor couldn't explain it but that he was fine. So we left, went to lunch and Shane's heart has been fine since. So God DOES still do miracles! And even though I wanted him to heal me, I am so glad I could witness my husband's healing. I also learned how precious Shane is to me... you see Satan was also attacking our marriage. That is a story for next time....

Other things we did in Lubbock

As well as managing a small apartment complex, we also experienced "A Walk To Emmaus". An awesome way to know Christ's love. Each month we met and had communion, worship, and prayed for others as they also had the experience. I really can't tell you much but if you want to know more, I will give a link.
We also, got a scholarship to attend a study on "The Perspective on World Missions". Amazing study that will take you on a ride through the Bible, the history of Christianity, and where you belong in missions. I believe our purpose on earth is to spread the gospel. The truth, according to the scriptures, so that everyone has the opportunity to the precious gift, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Christ's return is contingent on this very thing-this mission. What are we doing to be part of that mission? Right now, I am teaching my children and other children in AWANAS, being a testimony at my work and praying. What are you doing? Would you like to know more about "Perspectives"?
Another thing I loved doing, was be part of a mission that was started by a wonderful friend, Judy Cooper. Mission Lubbock has served hundreds of families by having a food pantry, clothing, and various household items for the less fortunate. Judy and I worked together to reach families in need and provide resources in many different areas. Judy was also involved in a house church. We would invite and provide transportation to the meetings each week. A month before we left Lubbock, we joined services so that Heaven Bound Church members would have a new place to worship.

Learning by Trial

As the months went by, we learned that the people could not hear if their stomachs were growling. So, we asked our "mother" church to help with expenses and we provided a meal before each meeting. Within one year we had grown in attendance to averaging 40 people. Half of them were children of the ages infant to 12 years. We also saw the need for help in the children area. I was doing it all by myself and there wasn't much order because of the age differences and so many of them. We went back to our "mother" church Indiana Avenue Baptist Church and asked the singles group if they would be interested in volunteering. The next week four people showed up. We divided the children up into two groups, preschool and school age. We would take the kids outside so they could have the space run and do games. This also allowed the adults to be separated from the kids while they learned. Thanks to the volunteers, they did a terrific job and stayed for a year to help. Shane taught the adults very basic teaching, how to use the Bible through reading and understanding. He answered questions, made it interactive, and challenged them each week with some kind of action required and then respond the next week. For instance, one week they were to go to Walmart and make effort to say "Hello" to the greeter. Then come back the next week and tell how they felt about it and how the greeter responded. Another week, they had to show an act of kindness to a person they did not know... Another...Read a whole chapter in the bible(particularly what they were studying). Each week we would see changes in their faces, their walk, and their talk. Eventually they started participating in preparing the food for dinner, set-up and break down, tithing, ending the meeting with prayer, and singing the worship songs. Every summer we would do a back yard VBS in the courtyard of the apartment complex. We would invited everyone in the neighborhood to come. Activities included simple games, crafts, music, story telling, and of course food. We would do it for three days, and on the average have 50-80 people coming not including all the volunteers from the church helping.
We saw though that like most people, their lives weren't changing outside of church. It made them feel good, someone was paying attention to them and we loved them in spite of what was going on outside of our weekly meetings. Living on the property caused us to be more involved in their lives than just on Tuesdays when we met for Bible study. I really felt like I was already on the mission field (my childlike vision of what it was supposed to be like on the mission field). Submerged in a culture that was not normal to me(mostly Hispanic). Lived, breathed, and ate with the people. None of them went to church before we came. Our friends outside the complex, we hardly ever saw. I felt alone and discouraged because I didn't see dramatic change in the people, I was tired because we were working full-time managing the apartment complex as well as ministering to the people 24-7. But, every time Satan would beat me down, God would lift me up. God would use His people, our prayer warriors and Christian comrades, to send us on several weekend trips away, brought gifts to us for Christmas and birthdays, and prayer walk the community. Every time we had a personal need, God ALWAYS has been there to meet it.