Coastal Callings

Most of us have heard the verse "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6  Many of you have met our sociable, out going, loving child, Duke.  While visiting Carter's parents in Charlotte this past August, this verse came to mind...Not only with how Bob and Mary raised Carter but also how we continue to work with our "baby boy."  I know many of you are thinking, "He's just a dog."  Yes, you are right.  However, we have to take time to work with him and train him so he is a good dog and fun for us (and anyone for that matter) to be around.  This can be challenging because he is still full with puppy energy. (We can't believe he turned one already at the beginning of May.) We still practice his "sit," "stay," and "down" commands that he learned in his obedience class a while back.  We have taught him how to shake, give kisses, and ride on a boat and wave runner as well.  The boat ones took a little longer than some of the other things cause he isn't exposed the those as often.  But he happily jumped on and was ready to go.  (He wondered why he couldn’t just jump off and swim when he wanted.) 

This Charlotte trip, Duke loved fetching the ball or a stick we'd throw into the lake. He would have fetched it all day had we let him. "Fetching," "bringing back," and "drop it" are still in the “working on” phase.  But boy has he come a long way!!!!! Has improved drastically.  Again, we have to train him and work with him. We enjoy training him. We know it will continue to make a difference...a big difference!  

The more I think about it, “Aren’t we all still in training daily to be more and more Christ-like?”

“And because you are sons and daughters, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6

While we had a blast with family at Animal Kingdom a while back, I kept hearing my nephew say, “Grandpa” over and over again.  Guess who was there when he heard his name?  My dad was there to pick up, hold, interact, and love on his grandson.  Boy does Cameron love his Grandpa big time!  Melted my heart in a special way…

God so wants us to call on Him…in good, in bad, when we are frustrated, to pray, just to talk about the day, to ask for advice, to praise Him for who He is, to thank Him for blessings and trials, and the list goes on and on.  When do you call out to Our Father?  Is it just in the tough times?  Is it once in a blue moon?  Is it daily?  Is it several times throughout the day?  

One of God’s many names is “Abba Father.”  Abba translates into “Daddy.”  It signifies the close intimate relationship of a father to his child.  We should be in a dependent affectionate relationship with Our Heavenly Father.  Are you?  “Grandpa” smiled every time Cameron wanted him.  Just think…God smiles when we call out to Him as well.  He’s there every time ready to hold us, pick us up when we’ve fallen, love us, and comfort us… We can honor Him by calling on Him and by making communication part of our daily relationship with Him.  

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10

Ready for another beach story? Whenever we can, we enjoy being outdoors surrounded by God's beautiful creation and creatures.  I really think animals are some of God's greatest messengers.  We had just set up our beach chairs and umbrella, and we were peacefully gazing out at the calm, beautiful, bright-colored ocean.  I looked at Carter and said, "How cool would it be if we saw a dolphin?”  Carter knows how much I find dolphins so intriguing. Just neat animals!  Our time outdoors continued; we enjoyed a beach stroll; and then decided it was time for a swim to cool off.  I was standing tall looking out in front of me hopping around and running in place while Carter was cooling off under the water with his head looking the opposite direction. You probably have already guessed what happened next…  A dolphin swam right in front of me, maybe 10 feet from us! 

At first, I jumped and was a little startled.  Then I told Carter to look.  This reminded me to ask and seek... When we ask and pray for something, why do we get surprised when God answers it?  He answers all prayers in His timing and in line with His will.  No, I wasn't praying for a dolphin that day, but God knows the desires of my heart.

Another woman behind us asked in fear, "You saw that, too?” She immediately thought it was a shark.  How often do we see a miracle or have an answered prayer yet don't believe it and keep doubting things? Also, what are we missing cause we are looking back in the past instead of what's ahead?  Carter almost missed the dolphin because he was looking behind him.

One of our favorite things to do together is to purposely see what God is doing in our lives daily.  God continues to teach us, speak to us, and remind us of what His word says constantly.  We just have to slow down long enough to see/hear it.  Our hearts have to be ready and eager to be in communication with Our Father.

Makes you think, doesn't it? Made us think that’s for sure!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

Early one morning, Carter and I enjoyed what seemed like a private beach.  So quiet.  Relaxing.  Peaceful.  We couldn't believe that we were the only ones out there for a while...just us and a crab.  We sat and watched Mr. Crab work pretty hard as he dug and dug sand out to form his home.  He went in and out repeatedly and kept tossing his claw full of sand.  Over time, the sand was building a mound.  It's neat what God spoke to us while watching this crab.  Mr. Crab peaks, slowly inches out, and then tosses the sand. Over and over and over again.

"Are we digging and digging into scripture daily to see what God guides us to do to become more and more like Christ?  Are we learning more about God’s heart?” As we dig, we are increasing our knowledge of what scripture says like the increasing size of Mr. Crab’s sand mound.  Once we learn more, it's not only helping us grow in our relationship with Him, but it also makes it easier for us to share what He is teaching us/what we are learning with others.

Kristin was asked to write a devotional for Fairview youth, who are doing some local missions this week.  This is a church family that will ALWAYS be near and dear to our hearts!  Five different folks wrote a daily devo that the youth will work through each day during their quiet time.  We figured, "Why not post it and share it with all of our blog readers?"  So...here it is.  Enjoy!

A Story To Tell (Day 1 Devo for the Youth)

Romans 10:15: "And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

First off, hello. We are sending love from Florida!  If you are reading this short devotional, God stirred your heart to go participate in the community missions this week as well as other days to come.  God has sent YOU!  Just like He has sent Pastor Carter and me down to FL now to spread His kingdom, He has sent you throughout the area right there!

Normally, we ask, “Why me?”  “Am I equipped to spread the good news?”  “What is the good news?”  Great questions, huh?  However, we don’t always like how God answers these because we are scared.  God trusts us to be His hands and feet and to get out there and share what He’s doing in our lives.  I don’t know about you, but I am pretty honored that He would call me to do this!  And we all know that if He calls us to do something, then He’s going to equip us with the words and tools we need to succeed in glorifying Him.  Just lean on Him.  Listen to what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do and say.

What’s the good news?  The gospel of Christ!  God’s Word!  “Well, what if I don’t know scripture well?”  Hey, it takes years (actually a lifetime) to learn what all is in this awesome Love Letter to us.  But…that also means we have to take the time to read and dig into scripture so we know what it says.  It’s a lot easier to share the good news when we are aware of what it says, right?  Pastor Carter and I are still diving into scripture daily.  We are still learning…it’s a lifetime responsibility.  We challenge you to jump on board, too.  We can’t wait until we know scripture perfectly because we never will know it all.  We just have to start sharing what we do know RIGHT NOW.  He doesn’t give us His word and a testimony just to keep it to ourselves.  He wants us to get out there and share it with others!  Nothing beats bringing knowledge of The Lord to sinners.  It can save them just like it has for me…and YOU!

We are so proud of you for hearing God’s calling to send you out to participate this week in community missions!   Be confident as you share your story (your testimony) and His word (the Bible) of love, peace, hope, joy…  It’s YOUR story that God has formed just for YOU!  Therefore, you are the only one who can share it.  Most likely, it will be the exact story someone else needs to hear TODAY!  After all, when we are walking with Him, His Word and our testimony fall hand in hand.

We will be lifting ya’ll up in prayer this week!  We are praying for our forever Fairview family constantly.  We love you!

-Kristin Robinson

A few weeks ago, Carter and I throughly enjoyed every minute we had with Dad, Thea, Uncle Alan, Jenny, and Cameron.  Of course like always, this family time flew by quicker than we would have liked.  However, thinking back, we were thankful for the time together, even if it was short.

As we reflected on new memories made with family, God asked, "Do you get that excited with your time you spend with Me?" Whoah. I admittedly can say that I did not used to. Several years ago and even every now and then, making 'God time' was more like a chore.  More than not now though, I get more and more excited and eager about what God is going to teach me during my quiet times and in scripture.  Or what prayers He is going to answer.  Or the closeness I feel when I am singing praise songs (normally in the car...wink.).  Or how awesome the fellowship is during Sunday worship or during bible studies with others.  Or what He speaks to us through Carter's messages.  The list is endless.

Mark 1:35    And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 

Jesus could never seem to get enough time with His Father.  What about us and our Heavenly Father? How’s your daily quiet time with Our Father going these days? Do you cherish that time? What's He sharing with you lately?

While relaxing and enjoying the beach one afternoon, we noticed a dad and his son (guessing the little boy was probably 5 or 6 years old..we’ll call him Ben for the sake of the story) come up and put their towel in the sand.  They began to build sand castles, make “sand angels” (like you do in the snow by lying on your back and flapping your arms and legs for the wings), take a few pictures here and there, and would cheerfully go cool down and rinse off in the ocean.  Over and over again.  (Makes you tired just thinking about it, doesn’t it?)

A couple hours later, Ben was down at the ocean’s edge while his dad was taking a break.  A non-English speaking mother and her very timid son slowly walked down to the ocean, right next to where Ben was playing.  It looked as if this little boy (also about Ben’s age…we’ll call him Sam) was being introduced to the ocean for the first time.  Sam was definitely unsure of the ocean and its waves.

Ben started jumping the waves that were crashing against the shore.  He was laughing and having a good ole time by himself.  Some waves would knock him over, and others he jumped over easily.  Next thing we knew, Sam started jumping waves, too, holding his momma’s hand still.  Ben walked over, tried to talk to Sam and his mother, and grabbed Sam’s other hand.  About 10 minutes later, Sam had let go of Mom’s hand, and just Ben and Sam were playing together…laughing, smiling, making sand castles, running back and forth between where the two families had their stuff, and had a grande time together the rest of the afternoon.

As we were sitting there, God whispered, “How cool is that?  What if we shared our Joy like Ben shared his joy.  We aren’t talking about the ocean now, but what about sharing our Joy of Christ?  Ben couldn’t wait to take Sam’s hand and share the fun of jumping the waves and playing in the ocean.  Our relationship with Jesus is so much more exciting than that so why aren’t we as excited as Ben was to share this gift with someone else?   Why do we let fear or worry get in the way?  Why does “sharing your story” turn into such a big deal instead of easily flowing from our mouths?  God’s word states in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  

The kids made it look so easy that day…didn’t even speak the same language yet they talked through their actions.  All languages exchange smiles and laughter.  Jesus calls us to share Him through our actions, lives, and stories. What are my actions showing others?  Let’s get out there and share our stories with hope of bringing others to Christ!  When was the last time you shared part of your story?  If it’s scary at first (like Sam was to the ocean), know that God will speak through you.