This morning I was reading this morning in 2 Samuel Chapter 9.

It documents the account of David inquiring as to if there was anyone from the house of Saul left alive that he may show favor to. Years before he had made a covenant with his best friend Jonathan, the son of Saul.

David was informed that yes there was a grandson to Saul still alive named Mephibosheth. He dwelled in Lo Debar and was lame in both feet.

Lo Debar – Without pasture (fodder, feeding place)

- Without word, speaking                                             (Concordance)

Lame – Smitten everywhere const.

- Smitten in the feet

- Smitten in the spirit, afflicted                                   (Concordance)

Smitten – Struck with a great force

- Disastrously or deeply affected; afflicted                     (Dictionary definition)

What do you get from the pasture, the place of feeding? My first thoughts are nourishment and a feeling of fullness or satisfaction. I also think of the pasture as a place where many are “feeding” together. The place of pasture also gives a sense of community. In community there is interaction, communication.

So here was Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, living in a place where he is without the nourishment and satisfaction that comes from communication and interaction in a community.

It is said that he is lame. In his case it was stated it was in both feet. The definition of lame also applies to being smitten in the spirit! One who is lame in the spirit has been struck by a great force which has left them disastrously or deeply affected; afflicted!

But David here is inviting Mephibosheth to eat at his table, the King’s table, from that day forward forever more.

What is at the table? There is food. The food brings nourishment, satisfaction and a feeling of being full or complete. At the table there are others who you are eating with. This interaction and communication also feeds, nourishes and satisfies.

King David, because of covenant, called for Mephibosheth to leave the place of Lo Debar and to eat at his table. Likewise King Jesus because of the Covenant has called us to join Him at the table. Another point that stands out to me is that Mephibosheth was invited to the table lame, in both feet! It was not after he was healed or at least had one good foot that he could hop along on. He was lame!

This speaks loudly to me right now because there is a particular area where I see how crippled I am. But Jesus, my King, is saying “I have made a Covenant with you. Come to the table.”

Years ago God gave me a poem titled Heavenly Eyes and I recall it again this morning because it mentions being lame. I quote it often but I make no apology. I truly believe it is something God wants us ‘to gain hold of’ for ourselves as a word of encouragement from Him. I also truly believe that it is something God wants us ‘to gain hold of’ for our viewing of one another. Who do you see that is lame and needs to be invited to the table, to be offered nourishment, relationship and ultimately love unconditional?

Heavenly Eyes

Oh please do not look at me

With your earthly eyes

Try and see me as the one

Who has his throne on high

For where you may see the surface

He sees what’s within

He still calls me his beloved

Although He knows my sin

He understands my weakness

My failures and my shame

He has watched me take my every step

He knows which left me lame

So you may see me as I am

This day, this hour, this place

But He sees me as I can be

Through His love, His power, His grace

Copyright Laura Jean Eubanks 2-24-2002

Yesterday on my walk I had decided to go into the park and towards the river. As I followed the road I came to a point where it was blocked by a gate. Just beyond the gate the road was no longer visible because the floodwaters had covered it.

Today as I prepared to set out on my walk I pondered where I should go. I thought ” it was a good walk yesterday, I will go that way again”. So I am following my same course fully expecting to find the road closed at that particular location. I got close to there and discovered that the gate was open and the road was clearly visible and passable!

Right away I was struck with this “life lesson” -

We often walk through life and come to those places where we have lost sight of the road or the road that we knew was suddenly obstructed. These seasons of obstruction and lack of sight can be very challenging.

Referring again to the natural situation I witnessed -

The road was there all along and in one day it went from unviewable and obstructed to clearly viewable and no longer obstructed … it was even completely dry!

Back to the “life lesson” -

I was reminded of many examples in the Bible where people were in difficult situations and then there was a “suddenly”. There is the deliverence of the Israelite people from Eqyptian bondage. There is the famous account of being at the shore of the Red Sea with an Army behind them with no place to go and seemingly certain death -  to being able to cross on dry ground. There is Joseph one day being in prison and the next being second in command of Egypt.

And yes, I was reminded of the Bible verse which says … “when the enemy comes in like a flood”. It often feels like  that. We go through times when we feel flooded by the challenges and obstacles in life. The great part is what follows in that verse is this …  “the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him”!

So to myself and others I implore you - when you have lost sight of the road and the way you need to go seems impossible and impassable … take heart!

So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.      Isaiah 58:19

“Will lift up a standard” comes from the Hebrew root - nuwc -which means …

1) to flee, escape

a) (Qal)

1) to flee

2) to escape

3) to take flight,m depart, disappear

He - The Spirit of the Lord - will cause the enemy to flee, to depart! He still sees the road and will cause the obstruction to be cleared! We need to be able to see Him and stand in faith.

On Sunday morning March 8th 2009
To the horror of those present and the shock of the town
At the First Baptist church of Maryville, Illinois
Pastor Fred Winters, while preaching, is suddenly gunned down

Through each word of each sentence
In every memorial service and interview,
Came the story of redemption
The love of Christ shone through

There was no denying the grieving,
Yet there was a worshipful faith-filled witness
Of He who dwelled within them
And of His radiant presence

I remember feeling such pride
In their Christ like responses
A powerful example of Jesus words
“Therefore whoever confesses…” (Matt 10:32)

“If this happened in my church”
I found myself contemplating in my mind
“Would this be the character that was found
If we were searched and tried?” (Psalm 139:23)

So here it is the 5th of May
Again, tragedy, due to their testimony
In the Coleman home, Columbia, Illinois
Three are taken down, Violently.

Our beloved Sheri, Garett and Gavin
No longer to be a part of our family, church or town
As we rend our hearts and garments here
They don their “graduation” gowns!

I am walking and praying
I am grieved and bewildered
I am thinking about the grain
That dies as it falls to the earth (John12:24a)

Coals have been fanned to flame
Fires of urgency have been rekindled (Jude 1:23a)
Seeds have fallen to the ground
But we are promised multitudes for each single (John 12:24b)

As I’m carrying these seeds
Securely cupped within my heart and symbolically my hands
I press on towards the river
And think “Yes, they will need water to fulfill the plan”

I arrive at the rivers edge
To find its crest is high and borders wide
Reminding me of the river in Ezekiel 47 (Ezekiel 47:5)
And the fruit bearing trees planted along its side (Ezekiel 47:7 and 47:12)

It says everything in its path will live (Ezekiel 47:9)
As it flows from the temple to the East (Ezekiel 47:1 and Ezekiel 47:8)
You may have gone into the ground a seed
But you will become a nourishing, medicinal tree. (Ezekiel 47:12) *

The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone–a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels–a plentiful harvest of new lives. - John 12:24 NLT

* Sheri participated in Medical Missions!

© Laura Jean Eubanks May 6th 2009

Oh please do not look at me

With your earthly eyes

Try and see me as the one

Who has His throne on high

For where you may see the surface

He sees what’s within

He still calls me his beloved

Although He knows my sin

He understands my weakness

My failures and my shame

He has watched me take my every step

He knows which left me lame

So you may see me as I am

This day, this hour, this place

But He sees me as I can be

Through His love, His power, His grace

Copyright Laura Jean Eubanks 2-24-2002

Where am I?
I am in the USA.

When did I get back?
I arrived here in the end of October 2008 for what I thought would be approximately a 2 month stay before returning to my home in Mozambique. I was praying for the specific date of my return and was pretty surprised when “I heard” that I was not going back right away. I sensed that God wanted me to stay here for a season. It has been six months of mixed emotions. There were plenty of “unknowns” as to the reasons why I was staying but there was one definite ‘known’ - I was supposed to be doing my art.

What have I been doing?

• I have been missing Mozambique.
• I have been painting!
• I have been able to be very involved in the prayer room at my church. (www.destinychurch.org)
• In January we opened a second campus and I have been able to be a part of this by helping with set up and tear down, ministry to the children and worship team.
• I have been able to take part in art clinics on Friday afternoons and am now taking my second class on Monday  mornings with Jerry Thomas, a great artist and teacher in many mediums.
• I am currently teaching a small group/art class for children at my church on Tuesday evenings. I am covering foundational art while at the same time partnering each aspect of the “foundational art” with the “foundations of our faith”. This has been totally new for me and I seek God for my material week by week. It has been great so far! I am very excited because I know that this will be something I can use when I return to Mozambique.

When will I return?
All along I thought that it would be in June, yet all along I also had a sense that things were going to be changing - and I did not know what that meant or looked like. Now I know…

What will I be doing?

…………………………………..I will be “flowing with the changes” … I am moving to Dondo!

Quoting from an email I received April 28^th:

“Dondo missionary structure has changed radically - and we’re looking for people who’ve had experience in this culture and who have gifts which are desperately needed in Dondo – it’s crucial. The main leadership has been changed to involve Mozambicans and missionaries together - and training up some older youth in for example, art, for them to teach others, would be a wonderful expressive, creative and healing program for them.”

I have a real confirmation in my spirit about this although it does not come without personal “cost” - but I’ll address some of those thoughts in my blog and later communications. Let me tell you a little about Dondo. It is a short distance from Beira (which has a reported 35% HIV infection rate) in central Mozambique. It is a much smaller center than Pemba. Currently there are 27 boys between the ages of 8 and 16 for whom this is home. It also hosts a Bible school and oversees food distribution and care of 5,000 orphans in the surrounding areas. If you are interested in more details you can follow this link : http://www.irismin.com/ministryLoc_dondo.cfm

There were conversations of different changes prior to this recent email which I will detail more on my blog to keep this from getting lengthier. http://www.laborofloveforthenations.com/blog

I will share more of my personal vision for the arts and ministry in a future letter.

Where does my support come from?
The only way I am able to do what God has called me to do is through people who feel called to partner with me in various manners. These include …

Prayer – This is foundational to all that I am able to do.

Financial donations – These can be made through my web site. It is tax deductible through Iris Ministries or non tax deductible through my paypal account. Both are accessible through this link
http://www.laborofloveforthenations.com/donate.html

Juice Plus+ - I am a distributor and purchases through my site help to support me.
Because of their dedication to the health of the younger generation they offer free Juice Plus+ for 3 years to children between the age of 4 through college. Both links below go to my site which contains vast amounts of research and information.

• https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/Home.soa?site=le59629
• http://www.lauraeubanks.com

Artwork – Originals, Prints and Note Cards (still to come)
http://www.laborofloveart.com

What are my prayer requests and needs? - Foremost … daily direction!

• I have immediate need of finances for my flights and ongoing need of monthly support.
• I am asking for wisdom and favor over logistics for flights and supplies. I feel a need to go to Beira first to drop off what I can bring from States. I would then need to get a flight to Pemba to move out of my house there, say my goodbyes and head back to Beira . Weight allowances for luggage will be a very limiting factor for the final “in country” flight from Pemba to Beira.
• My Africa cell phone “died” in its ability to send text messages a month or so before I left. Over there text messaging is the main and cheapest way of communicating with others. I can still make calls with the phone but it is very expensive. The other option is to walk all around to find the person you need to speak to.  So, if anybody has upgraded their phone and has a tri or quad band unlocked phone lying around it would be of great help to me!
• Ongoing need … language learning! (Does anybody have the Rosetta Stone Portuguese course?)
• Organization and completion of administrative tasks here.
• I desire greater freedom in the artwork creation process.
• I need wisdom for the reproduction and marketing of the art.

How can I thank you?
This season in the US has “painfully yet peacefully“ proved that my utter dependence is upon the Lord. I so greatly appreciate each of you that He has used in the various ways. Most times I feel inadequate in my ability to thank you. I pray that I will continue on to become the person He created me to be and that the fruit of my life will also be attributed to you. For now a hearty and humble “Thank you!”.

For the Kingdom and eternity … because of love.
Laura