Dear Family

Is that okay? Can I call you family? In my mind, you are. You’re my brother, my sister, my mother, my father. I write with you in mind. No, maybe not by human blood do we share family ties, but by the blood of Jesus whom God calls his Firstborn. And with His sacrifice we become heirs in the Kingdom, brothers and sisters to one another.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

In Mark, Jesus was sitting with a crowd and his mother and brothers came to see him. They couldn’t quite get to him though, so they sent someone to tell him they were there. I imagine maybe they were like “this is our VIP card” saying they were His family. Yet, Jesus didn’t take it that way.

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Isn’t that awesome!?!

Now, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE my biological family. I would do anything for them. But only a few of my family are Christ followers. While I am sure some of them will read this blog from time to time, I am writing for YOU. God has called me to make disciples. My purpose is to use my God given talents, knowledge and passions to educate and demonstrate how to be a Christ-centered, healthy, compassionate, and talented individual to my children and the world.

So I am writing you. I am fairly sure that the older I get the less I know, so I’ll try to pass on what little nuggets I have gained. You can take it or leave it. Don’t bash me for my opinions; they are simply that.

I have another agenda, too. I fear I am going crazy. My brain becomes so filled with thoughts that I can’t sleep, I can’t answer the kids questions, I’m in another world. It is a terrible problem. So you see I must write to you, to clear my jumbled brain; to give clarity to myself.

If I don’t write to empty my mind, I go mad.

~Lord Byron

Maybe this jumbled mess that is my brain will one day guide my children or my children’s children. That would bring me great pleasure!

I hope to write to you again soon. Until then…

Many blessings,

Kara Lynn Becker

He is Waiting

I have tried very hard on my posts to keep them about my life, my trials, my learning experiences. I have tried to not says things like “you should do this” or “you should do that”. My hope has been and is that those who are reading this will be encouraged in their own faith to risk having a relationship with Christ. And it is a risk…God challenges us to do things we don’t want to do and that is scary.

I read today that “the wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.” I hope that I am not making a show but merely sharing my journey of faith. If I am a fool then may God end me now. It has never been my purpose or intent. If you are reading this and you find great offense to my ramblings, then maybe you need to search your spirit as to why. I am not making accusations or judgments on how others live their lives. I am only telling you how we are living ours.

And I am open to questions. If you want to know how we are doing or why we are doing something, please ask. My family has tried to live as an open book. Yes, there are some things that we have not shared on the web as a whole, but we are more than willing to share with those in our confidence. And yes, we are open to correction. We may not like it but who does. I can tell you that correction is going to be much better received by those who have bothered to get to know us, to search our hearts, to ask questions.

We can not go the cross and make accusations of Christ when we have had no relationship. If you do, you will only be met with silence. Only after seeking after God can we know and understand. Same with us. Only after seeking a relationship with us can you know and understand.

Recently in the news, the Duggars announced that they are open to having a 20th child. So many comments have been made for or against their stance. Even though I have 8 children and have been open to God’s leading in our number of children, we decided it was not in our best interest to have more children. We believe that God has blessed us in that decision.  It is different for every couple though. For the Duggars it is up to them and God and not for us to decide. Why do we waste our time trying to tell them what they should do?

I also have some Christian friends who choose to wear skirts only. While I don’t agree, I completely respect their decision. It is between them and God. God has not placed that on my heart (and thank you God, because I look really bad in skirts!).

I also have friends who believe that in sending their kids to public school their children can be witnesses of the Kingdom in a dark world. I say, “That’s great!” I am still trying to get my kids to be aware of the Kingdom. Mine aren’t ready for that. Like I said only they know what God wants them to do. There may come a day when I send my kids to public school but for now God has not called me to do that. (Honestly, there are many, many days I wish He would.)

So what am I trying to say?

If you are worried about the choices we are making, talk to me, get to know my family, have us over for dinner if you are able. Don’t go behind my back to make remarks. If you think I am scripturally off-base, show me, but don’t pretend to be my friend and then walk away.

But most of all I am trying to say this….Know Christ. Get to know Him. Search the scriptures. Eat, live, breathe the Word of Christ.

He is waiting…

Trust vs. Stupidity

It has come to my attention that some were not very supportive of our trip across the country. They thought it was foolish and stupid.

So that begs the question how do we decide what is stupid and what is “trusting God”? I have thought long and hard on this question.

My family loves the movie Bruce Almighty. Toward the end of the movie, Bruce asks God about his praying in the middle of the highway. And God says something like, “You would be crazy to think that you could kneel down in the middle of the highway and not get hurt.” (my paraphrase) I mean, yeah, duh.

Sometimes we hear of a Christian who has made a choice based on trust that costs the life of someone they love. But more often than that, Christians make choices based on “good stewardship”. “No, we won’t give money to this or that…it is too risky.” Or “too many doors have closed so it must not be God’s will.”

I don’t have an easy answer to what is right or wrong or what God’s will is. All I know is that as I read the scriptures, I see time and again God in communication with His beloveds. Abraham led his son to slaughter because God told him to. Joseph went to Egypt because an angel told him to. Jesus only did what the father told him to do. All of them were in communication with God.

So is it stupid to kneel on the highway or trust God to heal your child or travel across the country? That is something only can be answered by those in the relationship. At the end of the day is God saying, “Umm…What’s your name?” Or maybe he is saying, “What’s up, man! How ya doing? Good to talk to you again!”

I am not a biblical scholar. I can’t quote scripture. But I have read it. Not only that, it is very personal to me. Everything I read and experience seems to come down to this one very important point…God wants a relationship with me. God wants a relationship with you. Everything that has happened is because God wants an intimate one on one relationship with mankind. Humbling.

So in answer to the question was it stupid to travel across the country with not enough money and a gazillion kids? No, God wanted us to do it. We obeyed God.

Answered Prayers

Many years ago, I trudged across the parking lot to the apartment complex’s laundry facility. It was such a chore and a pain. I hated it. I prayed that I would someday have the luxury of my own washer and dryer. Twelve years ago, I got my washer and dryer. Hallelujah!

Ten years ago, I lived in a little townhouse with my 3 kids and my husband. Every weekend I would go to open houses. I constantly looked online for the right house…the dream house. We had outgrown our 1400 sq foot home and needed more room to roam. I prayed that God would bless us with a house of our own. I prayed and prayed. Finally on April 30th, 2001, we bought our first house. Hallelujah! What an answer to prayer!

Shortly after moving into our new house, I began praying for a dishwasher. Please give me a dishwasher! After about 3 years, I was blessed with a brand new dishwasher for my  birthday. Hallelujah!

Today, I have already spent about an hour washing dishes by hand since we don’t have enough water pressure to run the dishwasher, and in two days I won’t even have one. My washer and dryer were given away yesterday. My house was sold last May, and we will depart from it in two days.

It all is so unimportant now.

I don’t long for a new washer and dryer. I don’t long for a new house. I don’t long for a dishwasher. All of those things are wonderful, but I don’t long for them. This is what I long for…what I am asking God for…

“The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most — is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.”

And when that day comes, dishes, laundry, and cramped quarters will seem like such silly things to moan about. No, I won’t even give them a thought. I will be rejoicing and singing!  For those who don’t know me, I will be the loud one…LOL.

If only they knew…

Almost everyday, I ask myself, “Are we doing God’s will?”

This past week, I have posed this question to myself and my husband more than ever. A friend wrote, “What if your supposed to stay here? What would happen if you started to think about planting yourself here?”

Another friend wrote to tell me of a local job and that “any place of employment is a mission field”.

Another person talked about “doors” being closed for us.

Oh, if only they knew…

By worldly standards, we have…

• 5 years ago – Tried to plant a church in the local community. Failed.
• 4 years ago – Tried to move to a local community to be active in it. Failed.
• 3 years ago – Tried to move with company to be a more active employee and involved in community. Failed.
• 2 years ago – Tried to start a record label that made a difference. Failed.
• 1 year ago – Tried to make a difference in the local community. Failed.

In the ways that man gauges success, we have failed in every way. But in each of those instances it is my strong held belief that we were doing the will of God. I don’t know why they failed, but I do believe that we were walking in faith. It isn’t up to me to understand. It is my job to obey.

In looking at our current situation, every time I ask God if we are doing His will, the answer is a resounding yes! How do I know? Scripture. Almost every time I read the Word, He encourages and affirms me. Also, my spirit affirms it as well. It is also affirmed in my husband and children. We are all in agreement.

Does it make letting go and saying good-bye easy? No! It was hard to part with our cat after 11 years. It is hard for my son to stop working at the zoo. It is hard for my daughter to leave behind her friends. It is hard for me to walk away from my house. It is hard for my husband to not have the comfort of a steady paycheck. It is hard living day by day, meal by meal…not knowing what tomorrow brings. Does this mean we are not doing God’s will? NO!

God says for those following him the way is not easy. He says it is down right tough!

Logic

Man’s Logic

Facts:

• Man loses a job.
• Job in same industry not available.
• Man has 8 kids.

Therefore: Man gets a job in another industry to provide for family.

God’s Logic

Facts:

• Man is called to ministry.
• Man has a secure job that he doesn’t want give up.
• Man loses a job.
• Job in same industry not available.
• Man has 8 kids.
• God has called Man to disciple his kids.

Therefore: Man moves family into a 300 sq foot RV to travel the country to do God’s will.

To quote my husband, “The logic of God exceeds the understanding of man. It is not for us to understand God but to accept his guidance and follow his lead. As the path is laid before us we have the opportunity to follow or make our own path. When we reach stages in our journey we can look back and realize what we thought was our own path was actually us finally finding His.”

What I hope to gain

My husband, Papa Joe, is an extremely insightful man gifted with wisdom and insight. Last night, while I was having a melt down, he said, “What do you hope to gain from this (full-time RVing, the website, blogging)?

I cried out, “I don’t know. I just want off this property!”

This morning I sat reading the Word. Then words jumped off the page at me. It said, “You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever. Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic! In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds! Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts. The nations fall beneath your feet.” (Psalm 45:2-5)

While I know that this was written for the King, it seemed like it was written just for me and my family. I want for my family to ride out to victory, defend truth, humility and justice! I want to go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds in the name of Jesus Christ! I want God’s sharp arrows to pierce my enemies’ hearts. I want the nation to fall at the feet of the Lord.

This is what I hope to gain.

The Privilege of the Blade

I am so thankful that we now know when we will be leaving our property. I am counting down the days when we will leave and hoping it will be sooner. I am looking forward to the adventure God has for us. I rejoice that I am in God’s will.

Yet…

Every step through my “old” house is like a knife piercing my heart. I walk the yard and see all of my projects that are now taken over with weeds. I see the mold growing on my ceilings. I cry over my water ceasing while I shower. I cringe over the broken door. It is so painful. The blade of what could have been, what should have been plunges deep. I long to be free of this. I long to drive away.

Someone said to me today, “Your not really leaving, are you?”

I don’t think I could bear that.

Do you know that I suffer in this way? Do you know that I am grieving? Do you know of my blade?

I am not asking you to feel sorry for me. I am not asking for a hand out. But would you be willing to partner in my suffering? Would you be willing to pray for my family? Would you be willing to struggle together?

“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past and know that I am still in the midst of it.” Philippians 1:29-30

A Risky Situation

It was a rough day for me yesterday.

I read a post on Facebook that said, “God calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.” Well, I think that pretty much sums it all up.

We are in a situation that if God doesn’t come through then we are screwed.

Even though I am scared, I know that we are doing what God has called us to do. I know without a doubt we are exactly where He wants us. Also, I may not like some of our circumstances, but I would rather be here than there. Where is there? There is living a lukewarm life with no passion, no risk, no life.

Lord, may You light fires in the hearts of Your children. Bring new life and new passion to those who read this. Bring greater understanding and wisdom. And Lord, if we are pleasing to You, please bless us with Your provisions. Let Your will be done.

Know Christ

Arise, O Lord, in anger!

Stand up against the fury of my enemies!

Wake up, my God, and bring justice!

Gather the nations before you.

Rule over them from on high.

The Lord judges the nations.

I read these verses today. It made me think of the times we are living. There are so many things happening around me that I am passionately against. Things that grieve me. Things that grieve my Father. I could go into them, but that might take you away from my point.

I also heard this today…

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

You are right, there is no condemnation for those in a relationship with Christ. God will not condemn you, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t long for you.

If you are in a relationship with Christ then you are learning what He loves and what He is. Christ is God. God is love. Love is patient, love is kind, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no records of wrongs, it always trusts, always perseveres. When you are loving your children, are you kind? When you are loving your spouse, are you keeping a record of wrongs? This is not about judgment. This is about being in a relationship with the One who created you. Do you want to please Him? If so, get to know Him. Figure out what He likes and doesn’t like. This isn’t about sin. This is about pleasing God. And never please God because you have to, but because you want to. This isn’t about salvation. It is about your marriage to Christ.

Christ wants you to “know” Him, and I mean this in the most intimate way.

Know Christ.