Coat Tail Faith

by Frances Crusoe

As a parent, I am often reminded of Proverbs 22:6 which states, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” My constant prayer is that my sons becomes genuinely passionate about Jesus and spend their lives telling other about Him. I strive to practice what I preach to them by serving in the church, loving people, turning away from sin, and applying the scriptures to my own life. It pleases me to see the natural leadership traits peek through my teenager when he is participating in his high school ministry and how much my six year old loves to sing and dance to worship songs.

When my teenager heads out of the door each day, I know that he will be bombarded with different messages and influences. I am not there when he walks down the halls at school or hangs out with friends in between classes. I will not always be there the moment that he faced with a tough decision. I cannot always protect him from making mistakes. I realize that he has to have room to develop his own personal relationship with Christ and not attempt to ride on the coat tails of others to Heaven.

Proverbs 22:6 gives parents a specific command of training up the children we are blessed with. It is not the responsibility of children's church volunteers or youth pastors to train up our children. They are in place to cultivate the biblical morals and values instilled in the home. We must do our part in laying the biblical foundation and allowing Christ to water the seeds we spend years sowing into their spirits.

I firmly believe in Proverbs 22:6. I am a product of it. I had family who sowed those seeds of faith into my heart at an early age. When I was old enough, I made the decision to create my own path that lead to countless mistakes. I assumed that because I got baptized at 10 and had a praying grandmother, I would always be in good standing with Jesus. Yet, Romans 14:12 says that “every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” I would have to give an account of my life, not my grandmother or youth pastors. I would. I couldn't rely on the faith of others to ensure a free pass to Heaven. I had to seek my own forgiveness for my sins and develop my own relationship with Jesus. So do my sons.

I encourage every parent to pray for with their children. Read and discuss the scriptures with them on a regular basis. Be an example for them to follow. Challenge them to live a life of righteousness even when the world says otherwise. Encourage them to develop their own relationship with Christ and give them room to seek Him on their own. Above all else, trust God with their lives and they will not depart from Him.

Single, Motherhood, and Marriage

By Frances Crusoe

As a single Christian woman, not many days go by that I am not reminded of the fact that I am single. From late night conversations with friends, to worried “when are you going to find a man” looks from family members, to the never ending engagement announcements, the topic of marriage is never far off. I don't spend time putting together my wedding Pinterest boards, dreaming about the perfect wedding day, or constantly revising a “list” of qualifications for my future husband to possess. Instead, I spend my days serving others and pursuing God's will for my life. I am more fulfilled and content in my single days than I could have ever imagined. I have traveled internationally on missions trips, ministered to people in ways that I never would have imagined, and have had the most life changing encounters with God during this season. I learned that the more time I spend doing God's will, the less time I have to worry about my relationship status.

I must admit that I have not always been this confident or content in my relationship with God and His promises for me. I am a single mother of two wonderful boys, which at times, has carried the social stigma of being less than; a statistic; damaged goods. I have never lacked attention from men for reasons other than marriage so for a long time, I never thought that marriage would be in my future. Insecurities, loneliness, and carnal desires often keep single mothers bound to the lie that we do not deserve any more that what we settle for. We buy into the lie that single mothers shouldn't expect a man to want to take care of someone else's child, let alone marry their mother. We should have made better choices and not had children out of wedlock. We sometimes go from one bad relationship to the next, hoping that this one will be okay being boyfriend and daddy. In some instances, I settled for the idea of being grateful for whoever thought enough of me to keep me around, even if they were not looking to play daddy.

It wasn't until I stopped searching for love and a makeshift father in men that I was truly able to accept the radical love and affection from Jesus Christ. Even when I was more in love with sin than my Savior, He still considered me worthy to be pursued. My past did not matter to Him and it brought Him pleasure to take on my sins, my hurts, and my shame. Allowing Christ to do a miraculous work in me helped me to put my complete trust in Him, even for marriage. God's word says in Psalm 37:4 to “delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” That promise does not end with single mothers.

I pray that any woman, who made the brave decision to bring a life into this world, without a husband by her side, understands that God has not overlooked her. You are not your past, the labels you have worn or the lies you have believed. You are loved, desired, and worth Christ dying for. You are worthy of His absolute best for your life and His only request is that you trust Him with your life and your heart. Love, nurture, and raise your children in the ways of Christ; continue to delight yourself in Him. There will be stressful days, lonely nights, and tearful prayers, but hold His promised in your heart. God is the author of love, life and all things good, so be patient and allow Him to write your happily ever after.   

Whole Spotlight: Kristina Smith

By Frances Crusoe

For the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure of serving along side Kristina Smith in ministry at Fusion Young Adult Ministry of Victory World Church. She is truly a woman after God's own heart. From her passion for worshiping Jesus through dance and her dedication as small group leader, Kristina's desire to be the hands of feet of Jesus is undeniable. I interviewed Kristina about her recent decision to step out on faith, trusting God completely in order to travel to 11 countries in 11 months serving and spreading the name of Jesus Christ with The World Raceorganization.

1. When did you first know that God had called you to mission work?

I knew after my first mission trip to Nicaragua to serve with LifeLink International in July 2011. Before that, I knew I wanted to support missionaries and eventually go on a mission trip as a means of "doing my part" and crossing it off of a checklist. However, after I actually went on a mission trip, saw the poverty stricken areas, and served the children who were being educated at the LifeLink School, I came back to the states with a different heart. I knew then that mission work was something that God was calling me to.

2. How did you end up applying to become a team member with The World Race?

I applied for The World Race after I told a manager at work that I would be quitting to pursue something that I was more passionate about. At the time, I didn't know what that “more passionate” thing would be, yet, I knew I was following a prompting from God to step out on faith and leave the job (and everything that came with it) behind in order to pursue God's purpose for me. For almost a year, I had a strong urge to leave my consulting career and to move into something that satisfied my heart rather than my wallet. I began praying about where God wanted me to work and to my surprise; I got nothing. I am not one to make emotional or irrational decisions and I felt it would be irrational for me to quit one job without having another one lined up. Month after month, the urge to leave got stronger and stronger, although on the surface level my career is moving higher and higher. Because I wasn't sure what the next step was going to be, I had fear and doubt and contemplated for months before finally deciding to make a move. On December 7, 2012, I felt the Lord telling me that this was the day for me to let my manager know that I would be leaving the company. Personally, I felt that was not a very smart decision, but I knew that if I were going to grab hold of God's purpose for my life, it would require a bold and radical act of faith. I waited until the last minute, but I eventually pulled my manager into a one-on-one meeting and broke the news to him. I couldn't give him any answers regarding where I was going, but I definitely felt relief after taking that step.

That same evening after work, I was talking to a friend of mine about the recent occurrences at work, and she mentioned The World Race to me. She told me that she felt it was something I would be interested in and that I should check them out. I went online to research more about the organization and the mission trip, and the first thing I saw on the home page was "there is more to life than empty traditions, routines, and working 9 – 5." At that moment, I felt like the Lord was finally letting me know what comes next for me, and 10 seconds later I was starting on an application!

3. How have you been preparing for the trip?

I've been preparing for the trip on multiple levels. The 11 countries that I'll be going to are Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Nepal, India, Swaziland, Mozambique, and South Africa. I've been praying for those countries that I'll be serving in during my 11 month mission trip and asking that God prepare me for them, as well as asking that He prepare them for me and my team.

I visit the blogs and websites of world racers who are already on the field to mentally prepare myself as much as possible by drawing from their current experiences. I've also been visiting outdoor sports stores and websites to learn as much as I can about all of the gear that I'll need to purchase. I know absolutely nothing about hiking, camping, or backpacking and there is a lot more to it than meets the eye! My entire team will have a World Race training camp in July where we'll spend over a week together to prepare us on what it takes to live outdoors, to break away from the many comfort zones that we've established, and to meet the people who we'll spend 11 months doing life together with for the first time.

Lastly, I blog and have started a newsletter to get support and to keep my current supporters informed regarding my World Race financial status towards meeting my $15,500 goal by March 2014. Outside of donors, I'll be having a few fundraisers including a car wash, Chic-Fil-A Dine In Day, and hopefully a raffle.

4. What lessons have you learned so far?

Because I've been spending more time in prayer and fasting, I am learning to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and also to trust in God's presence even when I don't feel that He's near. Being still does not come naturally for me, so the importance of waiting on God has been a difficult lesson. When it comes to raising money and choosing a career path, I want to plan events and take matters into my own hands. It feels like every time I try to move in a certain direction based on what I feel makes sense, it ends up not turning out the way I expected or the Lord tells me to just wait ... and that drives me crazy! It's funny to me that I am in a place where I am learning things about God that I thought I already knew like the fact that God's ways are certainly higher than my ways.

5. What advice would you give someone who feels the call to go into missions?

I would tell them to GO! I believe that everyone should go on at least one mission trip. It opens your eyes to what is really going on outside of your bubble and it also draws you closer to the heart of God. If you are feeling called towards missions, chances are that call is coming from God. I doubt very seriously that the enemy would be prompting people to spread the gospel and love of the Lord around the world. However, God's timing is perfect and His plans are very specific, so I would advise them to pray about the details and to be faithful to obey once God does reveal it to them.

Since I've left my job and begun this journey, I've gotten such great feedback and support. To my surprise, I've had a number of people ask me how I got to the point where I was bold enough to move. Many people know that they are called to do something more and something extraordinary, yet the fear of the unknown becomes very real and very crippling. I love sharing my story with these people because I know it helps to build their faith. I advise everyone to seek first the kingdom of God. Chase after His heart, and allow your heart's desires to align with God's heart. Go full force after what God is preparing you for and don't look back. The stirring that God is doing inside of you is not just for you and you can't put a price on inspiring and changing the life of another individual.

You can follow Kristina as she prepares for 11-month journey traveling the globe to spread the Gospel at her blog http://kristinasmith.theworldrace.org/. Subscribe to her newsletter athttp://mad.ly/signups/74625/join.

If you would like to make a donation towards Kristina's trip, please visit here. 

The Titus 2 Woman

By Frances Crusoe

A few months ago, I heard a radio interview with Jocelyn from the popular reality show Love and Hip Hop. I've never watched the show since I am not a fan of women being portrayed in such a negative light, but I have heard plenty of discussions about her from other people and social media. As she bragged about her recent fame, history of stripping and bartering herself for money, my heart ached for her. She is admired by so many women, but under the surface, it was obvious that she was still battling some of her own personal demons. She confirmed my thoughts when she made statements that have stuck with me to this day. Jocelyn admitted that she does regret some of the decisions she made as a young woman, like stripping and relying on men to fund her lavish lifestyle. She also mentioned that if she had someone to mentor her or show her that her body didn't have to be her meal ticket, her life would have been different. As the interview was wrapping up, Jocelyn made a heart felt plea for older women to start looking out for the younger generation.

Women, if we are honest with ourselves, we can admit that we have not done a very good job of looking out for the younger generation.

The bible is filled with some amazing stories of women who are still an influence in the lives of woman today. As they have encounters with Christ, women are shaking off the remnants of a life that sometimes mirrors that of the Proverbs 7 woman in attempts to live up to the expectations of the Proverbs 31 woman. So many have repented of their sins, accepted Jesus as their Savior, embraced a new spirit filled life, married the amazing man of God and had children that will be raised up as the next generation of Jesus lovers. For many, that's the extent of their Christian experience. They do a great job of keeping Christians saved, but often times neglect the very broken women they have been called to minister to.

As much love and praise as the Proverbs 31 woman receives, there is a woman of the Bible that does not receive nearly enough recognition though her instructions are in such a high demand in these modern days. She is the Titus 2 woman.

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.” Titus 2:4-6.

As busy as our lives are, it is so easy to forget that there was a time when we were new believers trying to figure out what it meant and looked like to be godly woman. There was a time when we still struggled with certain sins, still felt the sting of shame and guilt because of past mistakes and didn't always know how to receive God's love. We are all new creations in Christ but we should not forget that there are women in the world that are in the very places we once were. There are still plenty of Jocelyn’s, Real Housewives of Atlanta, strippers, and promiscuous women that need to be shown that there is a better life for them. There seems to be no shortage of Proverb 31 women, yet not enough Titus 2 woman who are willing to putting in the time and energy to mentor and train up other women to be godly wives and mothers. 

I looked at various websites and books on what it means to be a Titus 2 woman. Often times, I was left with images of stay at home mothers who make their own clothes, grow their own food, and home school their children. There is nothing wrong with this type of lifestyle, but that's not a lifestyle that is appealing to the masses. The same principles outlined in the scriptures are still applicable to the many different lifestyles that woman live today.

• There are single mothers who need support in raising their children as well as encouragement to pursue purity until marriage.
  
• There are women in the sex industry who need someone to remind them that they are beautiful, worthy and that God still loves them even in the midst of their sin.
  
• There are middle, high school, and college age girls who need the wisdom and example of godly wives to understand that there is a blessing in waiting on God for a husband and waiting on marriage for sex.
  
• There are engaged and newly wed wives who need the support and example of older wives when it comes to maintaining a home and honoring her husband.
  
• There are young believers who need the support and example of mature believers when it comes to serving and doing good for others. 

Let us not get to busy or too saved that we forget that we were pulled out of our own destruction by the love and blood of Jesus Christ. Take the time to pour into young girls or even peers who may not be as mature in the faith as you are. At some point, a woman with the principles of Titus 2 sealed in her heart prayed for and encouraged us to continue down the path that lead to Christ. Pay it forward and be the same for another woman.  

Checklist God

I am a list person. I try to organize my life by keeping a running tab of things I need to do. My lists are organized into categories like work, home, kids, ministry, prayers, etc. With every item that is scratched off, I feel a sense of accomplishment and relief. One less thing to worry about. I've done what was needed to do in order to feel that sense of relief, that freedom in knowing I got the job done, the reward that comes after the hard work.

I don’t always follow my lists to a T and sometimes I dread the sight of them. Some days, I don’t feel like working on certain projects for work, running certain errands, cleaning and doing laundry yet again, or following up with tasks for the ministry. After I finish having my temper tantrums, I get over myself and start plugging away at what needs to be done. I want the relief, the freedom, the reward even though my heart is not in the task itself.

This past Friday, I was leaving the amazing Catalyst Conference with a friend and she and I starting sharing some of things going on in our lives. It dawned on me that we both tend to have this checklist mentality. We are plugging away at life, crossing off things on our checklist, waiting for the reward and satisfaction that comes with completing the tasks. We realized that we tend to treat our relationship with God the same way. We go through life with our checklist of things to do and not do in order to get that same sense of satisfaction and reward from God. What once started off as a heart felt desire to please God, it has now become a desire to do things for God in order for Him to bless us.

“If I serve in the church, God will be pleased.”

“If I give tithes and offerings, God is going to bless me financially.”

“If I open my home to someone in need, God will grant me extra favor.”

“If I guard my heart and stay away from sin, God will give me a great husband.”

“If I don’t have sex before I get married, I am going to have a great marriage.”

James 2:17 NKJV says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Faith without works is dead. I realized I am pretty good at the works part. I have my trusty checklist of things I do so that God can see my good deeds and bless me accordingly. Yet, I realize, I am missing the faith part. I have allowed myself to feel like I have to work hard in order for God to see me. I have to check off my list of accomplishments so that I can feel like now, I am deserving of this or that. I have reduced God to nothing more than a system of cause and effect. If I do this for God, then God will do this for me.

Faith without works is dead. But works without faith and heart behind it…what’s that?

I welcome this wake up call about where my heart is. It hadn't dawned on me before that I had allowed myself to slip into this works mentality, treating God like a genie who should fulfill my wishes because I was a good girl. I don’t deserve anything. I am not a good girl despite with my completed checklist says. I am a sinner, saved my grace, through faith. Faith. The missing link in my works.

I don’t have to do in order to receive. There is no amount of work on Earth that I could do to repay God for all that He has done and the sacrifices for His son. God loves me despite my sin, despite my checklist of accomplishments. If I never do another good deed again, He will still love me. I can stop trying to earn something that is already readily available. I can stop trying to do this or that so that God will hold up His end of the bargain. He doesn't want me to do for others out of a selfish place in my heart. He wants me to do for others out of a place of love and gratitude for Him. He is faithful in His promises because His heart does not change. My level of sin or service don’t make Him love me any more or any less.

I will keep the checklists that keep my life organized but I can let go of the checklists that keeps me working without faith.