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Running on Empty: Fumes for Thought

We've had some great trips lately - quality time with people, adventures, and lots of other blessings. Honestly, I feel like I'm running on empty, though. I am always either tired or behind on my to-do list or both. So I have to dig deep. I don't have time to refuel by taking much alone time to do things I enjoy. I have to turn to my true source, Christ. When Jesus had fasted 40 days in the wilderness, the devil tempted him, saying "Tell this stone to become bread" (Luke 4:3). By refusing, Jesus was not simply being ascetic; He was looking to God for His strength, for Deuteronomy 8:3 says, "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." The previous verse specifies that God was testing the Israelites to see what was in their hearts. I consider all of life’s difficulties tests – because where you turn for strength says a lot about you. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says that trials test our faith so that its genuine proof may result in praise, honor, and glory in the end. We worship and serve a God of miracles, a good Father who wants you to succeed. Are you turning to Him, or are you filling up on something else?
-Noah Smith 8/2022

It's not all on you!

Often when I look at my planner, I think “Wow, I need to be Superwoman today!” The demands of being a mom, wife, woman, housekeeper, missionary, and people-pleaser can really pile up. I often feel like there is no way that I can pull off the miracle of getting it all done. The blessing is that God doesn't ask us to do miracles. Often God asks us to do things with Him, but never without Him. When God calls Moses (Exodus 3), God calls him to join in the work God is already doing. He doesn't ask Moses to free the Israelites; He asks him to talk to Pharaoh. God doesn't ask Moses to split the Red Sea; He only asks him to raise his hands. I would like to share a few lessons that I can apply to my daily life from Exodus 3 in hopes that they help you too!

1. In verse 4 Moses has the correct response. - “When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.”

When I see God at work, and I pursue Him, my response does not need to be “What can I do?” or “What do you want from me?” but instead just a simple “Here I am." God asks us to be WITH Him!

2. In verse 8 God tells Moses His plan, and it is too big, too impossible, and too amazing to comprehend. He also says that He is going to do all of it. He plans to give His people a rescue, a land that is rich, and freedom. It’s not until vs 10 that we even see Moses’ part in the plan. He is being sent to lead the people. I know that is no small job, and we are often asked by God to do things that feel too big (like move to the other side of the world). However, none of the things He asks of us are as big as what He is already doing. He also promises to give us the strength, wisdom, favor, and all else that we need.

3. He is already doing the work. He has asked us to join Him. The second half of the chapter is God telling Moses all the things that are coming, all of His planned responses, and how He is going to bless His children. Moses has question after question (much as I often do), and God has not only answers, but gives Moses even deeper insight than he asked for! He reveals himself in new and more full ways and shows His awesome power. I serve a God who is doing big and mighty things, and chooses to let me join Him.

I hope that you find encouragement in this, as I did. He is a great God, calling us to be with Him and work in His plan. I don’t need to be Superwoman, I just need to be a woman of God.

-VickiLynn Smith 8/2022

Rocks in your Pockets

I like to pick up rocks when I am outside. Whether hiking or camping or just being out, I always pick up rocks. I love the unlimited diversity in textures and colors and shapes. But ultimately, they do nothing for me. They just come home and get transplanted into a flower pot. They often are dirty and make me messy. They weigh me down as I walk around. I pick them up not for any particular reason, but compulsively when I see one that catches my eye.

I do not know if God does this with you, but He likes to use things like that for me as object lessons. He reminds me that I do the same thing when I do not forgive someone. They do something that hurts or upsets me, and I decide to hold a grudge. Maybe it was a big thing, maybe a set of identical things, maybe something incredibly small. Just like the rocks, there really is not a reason to hold onto them except that I do so compulsively.

Colossians 3 is a great chapter when you have a bad attitude and need a kick in the pants. It says to focus on Christ. Do not dwell on Earthly things but remember that your Life is in Heaven with Christ. If that is not enough, it calls out our evil nature like sexual sins, greed, idolatry, anger, rage, malice, and filthy words. We do this because He has made us NEW. He loves us and calls us to “Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (not my go-to's when I am upset). But verse 13 really hits home. “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

I know that I should forgive and give up my grievances, but instead I tend to hide them in the dirty corner of my heart that I do not like to show to anyone. But all they do is make me dirty and weigh me down when I need to do God's work. As I work to forgive those around me, I ask that you forgive me and work to see all those around you as He sees them! Each person is a beautiful creation in the least, and in the Church, a child of the KING! May we all clean out our dirty corners and shine the light of the Gospel around us.

-VickiLynn Smith 2021

For Such a Time as This
(A Great Leap of Faith)

God led us to a Wycliffe training in Spring of 2017. We learned how great the need was for Bible Translation, how many languages and people don’t have a Bible they can understand. It was also obvious that we fit in. God spoke to us and said, “I made you for this; will you do it?” We knew it would be a leap of faith. We would have to disown the American dream to move overseas. We talked and prayed. We said yes!
We don’t do things halfway. We were asked to start school in January, before which we must complete partnership development. When the opportunity came up to live with Vicki Lynn’s parents and focus full-time on Wycliffe, we jumped. We quit our regular jobs, sold our house, moved, and dove in! The Lord has blessed this journey of faith every step of the way!

Ephesians 2:10 NIV
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

            Esther was called by God to a daring task: asking the king to change his mind. Even the act of going before the king uninvited was dangerous. But Mordecai persuaded her. God could save the Jews another way, but He had chosen Esther for such a time as this. Would she do it? It was a leap of faith. She would be throwing comfort and security to the wind. She said yes!
            What is God calling you to? What good works has He prepared in advance for you to do? I guarantee you God has chosen you for such a time as this! Maybe it’s sharing the gospel with someone – how much He loves them. Maybe it’s partnering with our Wycliffe ministry – investing in Bible Translation. Maybe it’s forgiving someone who’s hurt you – remember how much God has forgiven us!
            There may be risks involved in following God’s calling, but the rewards will always outweigh them. The greatest reward is simply being close to the Lord. Let us seek Him above all else! If you have questions about Wycliffe, Bible translation, or our ministry, I would love to answer them. Please reach out to me at noah_smith@wycliffe.org or 706-297-9674.

Servant Leadership

Jenifer Stasak wrote an excellent blog for Wycliffe in 2019 entitled 6 Qualities of a Servant Leader, which I encourage you to read.

It stuck out to me, because the Lord has impressed on me recently that He wants me to be a leader. Specifically, He has called me to lead my family spiritually: to intentionally direct myself, my wife, and my son to love Him and worship Him more and more. He has also called me to be a Bible Translator, where I will lead local partners in translation efforts. These locals most likely have a different sense of what constitutes a good leader than Americans typically have. In fact, leadership varies dramatically between cultures.

But there must be some objective standard to leadership; it can't be 100% culturally relative. I absolutely love this quote from the blog:
"Leadership isn’t about making our names known. It’s about making God’s name known."
This focus is refreshing for me, just like realizing that when I am serving the Lord, it's His work, not mine. So, I just give my best and leave the results to Him.

Jesus said of leadership: "But among you (Christians) it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:26-28)
So Christian leadership is fundamentally different from non-Christian leadership in two ways: the goal is the glory of God, and the means is service instead of power.

Ask yourself how these principles apply to you. You may not think of yourself as a leader, but I challenge you to! Everyone influences those around them and thus leads those around them in some way. Remember that we do not need to seek glory, because all the glory is God's, and we share in His glory. Remember that we do not need to seek power, because all the power is God's, and we share in His power!