Fullness of the Holy Spirit

My car tells me I need gas with a little gauge, a little light and then a little chime and the chime repeats itself when I ignore it.  I’m like “I got 40 miles til empty! Quitcha chimin’!”  I don’t talk to my car, but I think about pushing it to the limit. 

 

What I’ve heard is that isn’t good for my car.  It’s not good for the engine.  Besides hurting the car, running that low on fuel could put me in a precarious position.  What if I am stuck in traffic?  What if I have to take the long way home?  What if its winter and I crash and it’s sub-zero?  If I’m low on fuel all of those scenarios could be very costly and potentially deadly.

 

The same could be said for my lawn.  It needs water to stay green, it needs regular replenishment.  I can’t water my lawn for one night and expect it to stay green all summer.

 

Same goes for the holy spirit, within us.  We need regular replenishment.  God didn’t anoint us with the Holy Spirit one time to be content with that fill.  We need regular replenishment!  Maybe you were baptized or saved and were “on fire! (en fuego!)” for the Lord.  Maybe that fire has diminished.  Maybe circumstances of life have caused you to lose time for prayer, for his Word, for the company of Godly friends.  Maybe you are overwhelmed with kids, marriage and work.  Maybe you are asking God Why me?  Why now? 

 

Maybe the truth is that you are running on empty.

 

I know I’ve been there.  I’ve lost sight of his words.  Literally, because I didn’t open my bible for a week.  Or two.  Or for as long as I can remember.  There have been times when I couldn’t remember the last time I sat in silence with Him, praying.  I was going to Him only when I thought I needed him.

 

The Truth is evident and it is clear.  We always need Him.  In all circumstances.  Not the good.  Not the bad.  Not the middle.  But always.  The Hebrew word for “always” translates as “regularly.”

 

So how “regularly” are you filling up on the Spirit?  Do you hear your spirit gauge chiming?  Are you feeling far from God?  His mercies?  His love?  His connection? 

 

I know sometimes I can find myself in this position so I want to encourage you with just a couple of verses and help us all fill up our Holy Spirit tanks.  The best news is that its $0.00/gallon. 

 

The refilling of the spirit comes to us when we PRAY to God for More all in Jesus’ name.  Acts 4:29-31  “29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

 

We can’t be content with one prayer filling us up.  We can’t rest in that singular act.  James tells us also that we don’t have it because we don’t ask for it!  James 4:2 “ You have not because you ask not.”

 

Jesus also tells us in John 14:12 … whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing … “ The power of Jesus and his disciples came through the fullness of the Spirit. … because Jesus was ever-full of the Holy Spirit, he and those first believers understood what it meant to effectively preach the word of God. 

So my prayer for all of us today is that we continue to ask God for the fullness of the Holy Spirit to be within us as we carry out all our wordly duties, in His name.

 

John 7:37-38 says “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  38 Whoever believes in me, as the the scripture has said, streams of living water will from within him. 39 By this he meant the Spirit …”

 

How full is your tank?  Are you running on fumes? 

 

My prayer for all of us was to be consumed by His desire for that fullness within us and for us to make time, for those regular fill-ups, so that we might preach in effective ways, to the family, the community and each other.

 

Hope you guys have a great day!

 

Peace and Love,

5 Ways to Pray for your Spouse

I took this from www.fiercemarriage.com


1: Their Heart
I don’t mean their physical heart, but their general softness of heart toward God and the Holy Spirit. Pray that they will be receptive to conviction (teachable); that they would continue to hear God and respond. Also pray that they would be refreshed by God – being constantly given new joy, hope, peace, and love.

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Ask God to protect their heart from attacks and temptation (Matt 6).

Just knowing that Selena covers me in prayer for my purity of heart (lust, financial idols, stress) gives me great confidence that she’s in my corner, fighting for me.
2: Their Mind
Wisdom and discernment. God has given us these incredible organs called “brains”. We can think, reason, and decide. Everyone makes decisions every day; pray that your spouse makes wise decisions big and small. Pray that they have a renewed mind, one that perceives and considers choices through God’s lens.

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It could be said that the mind sees options and outcomes, but the heart chooses the right one (see #1 above). Pray for your spouse to have clarity of thought and focus as they go about their day – whatever task they’re putting their hands to, may it be completed wisely and diligently!

3: Their Health and Safety
Your spouse may be fighting off a sickness or working a perilous job. Pray for protection and health. Also, make sure to give God plenty of gratitude for when health and protection are evident! (Actually, give thanks ALWAYS, no matter the circumstance).
4: Their Concerns
When Selena is dealing with something difficult, I cover her in prayer. We often pray together when facing a tough time, but I have to remind myself to contend for her with God on my own. This is what compassion is all about: taking on someone else’s situation and burdens as your own.
Go to God on your spouse’s behalf, taking on their concerns as your own.
5: Their Purpose
Selena and I are one, and our purposes overlap quite a bit. By God’s grace we are working together toward a common goal… most of the time.
Selena is also a unique, special, gifted, and annointed woman with purpose specifically tailored to her. In fact, she’s God’s child before she’s my wife (whoa, heart check!). As her husband, it’s my role to support her in her God-ordained purpose by encouraging her, watching her back, offering counsel, and most of all, praying.

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Now, Boldly Pray

So we’ve briefly covered some principles of prayer. It’s safe to say my review is not exhaustive. Make sure to dig into God’s word on your own to build up your prayer life, your faith, and your understanding about why you pray. You don’t need to know every theological detail about prayer to participate.
Just talk to God – He’s your loving Father who loves to hear from you. Ask God to show you how to pray, and remember your role as a prayer. As you pray, also remember your role as a spouse. You are in covenant with your husband or wife, and you are in covenant with God.
There’s power in the covenant you have with God, and one of the most beautiful aspects of that covenant is the ability to pray.

Adoption Update - Our heart is in India

So, when we started investigating countries and praying over the adoption process and where we should begin our search, our prayers compelled us to adopt from India.  We have spent the last few months learning about India, the food, the customs, the culture, the religion and what a child from there may look like.  The more we learned, the more we really started getting excited about and loving our Indian child.


We initially started down that track, but we were guided (very recently) by our adoption agency to look into South Korea, because the openness we showed on our wellness checklist (a form you fill out that asks you what birth "defects", known disabilities, family history, etc. that you are open) wasn't lending itself well to receiving a child from India, because they see kids from India with needs that are mild to severe and based upon our checklist, it might be years before we saw a child referral.


We weren't hoping for a healthy infant, by any means, but after speaking to a couple of physicians who specialize in wellness checklists and reviewing health charts of children who are going to be adopted, we found that things we thought were scary are pretty typical and can by fixed with surgery(s) or maybe even outgrown.

Almost within the same week that we were told we should look at South Korea, we were sent this article from a friend:

https://blog.compassion.com/compassion-international-ending-operations-in-india-march-15/ 

We felt this might be a good sign that things in India were getting tumultuous and maybe we shouldn't be looking to go there, adopt there, deal with the government and just avoid the bumps or roadblocks that might await us.

It didn't make it easier, but we did feel that it was a point towards the right direction. 

Our hearts had been softening to a child there already, so that was difficult to make that transition to a new country, to start and refocus and grow your heart there.

So, after speaking with the physicians and re-filling out the wellness checklist and opening up to more needs that the child might have, submitting the new checklist to our social worker and adoption agency, they said that based upon our updated "openness" we could proceed with South Korea OR could also have India as an option!!!

We were thrilled!  Even with the news story about Compassion International backing out of the country, we just always felt that our call was to India.  We have not felt so much peace about the adoption process, until that moment.

So, we are back on track to India and we are so thankful for the support we've received thus far in prayers and donations from family and friends.

We set up a YouCaring fundraising website if you haven't seen it already, find that here. 

Please keep our family in your prayers, share our story and if you feel led to help us in anyway, we will forever be grateful.

We are adopting!

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know our family’s story has been filled love, loss, grief and the abundant goodness of our God. 

In January of 2013, it was with immeasurable grief that we mourned the loss of our daughter Kate, who was stillborn at 7 months. 

If you have experienced a loss like this, we would highly recommend Angie Smith’s book "I will carry you: The sacred dance of grief and joy".  Angie and her husband Todd also faced the hardship of loss when they lost their daughter Audrey, just hours after birth.  Please read their story here.  Todd is part of the trio that is the amazingly talented Christian group, Selah.  www.selahonline.com +Selahonline angiesmith19  
 

We were humbled and will forever be grateful, as Selah dedicated Audrey’s song  "I will carry you" at a concert we were attending, just a month after we lost Kate.  I had emailed the tour manager prior to the concert, but never knew what was in store.  It was an emotionally packed, God ordained evening for everyone at the concert.  There was healing in our hearts and no doubt many others in attendance were blessed that evening. 

One year later we were blessed with our son, Cullen Isaiah.

Isaiah 61:3 “and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”

After Cullen was born we were “feeling good” about our family size and having 3 beautiful children to raise here on earth. 





(L to R: Caden, Kristen, Reese and Cullen making Kate's 4th heaven born birthday cake!)


In October 2015 we felt God speaking to us, specifically that we should be open to more children.  We didn’t know it, but we were a couple of weeks pregnant at that time. 

We were both very excited to have heard God’s word and the kids were especially thrilled with the expectations of another member of our family!

It was another difficult season in our lives, when Kristen had a miscarriage 13 weeks into the pregnancy.

For the next few months, we wondered what all that “openness to more kids” was really all about. Maybe we heard wrong?  Then on Father’s Day of 2016 Kristen said “Maybe we’re supposed to adopt?”

We were amazed and overwhelmed with God’s timing as our sermon at church that very morning was on the book of James and more specifically, adoption. 

There were many verses that God spoke to us through that day, but James 1:27 captured our hearts, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

That was the moment we knew we were to pursue an adoption.

God’s love for all His children is near and dear to His heart and we are so grateful for His calling for us and this journey, which has led us to adopting from South Korea.

This brings us to the here and now.  Most of you know that adopting a child into a family can be a costly endeavor.  We simply do not have the funds to fully finance an adoption. Yet, in the next month, we will have our homestudy completed and soon we’ll begin reviewing referrals from our adoption agency.  We know full well that embarking on this journey could take months and maybe years, but are stepping out in faith that He will meet all of our needs.

First and foremost we ask for your prayers.  There is no greater power than that of prayer and we covet them.

Second, we would humbly ask if you feel led, to make a financial gift to help make an immeasurable difference in the life of our child. 

We greatly appreciated any contribution you can make and no gift is too small!

paypal.me/TheCroweFamily 


This is a link to our agency South Korea Adoption Flyer 

Please check back often as we’ll update our funding status as we continue to raise money through applying for grants, having garage sales, silent-auctions, pancake breakfasts and maybe even a Chick-fil-a sponsored dinner!

Our ultimate desire is to bring God glory throughout this process.  We know that God is able to provide and we desire nothing more than to show the greatness of His love for us and the love he has for all of his adopted children, through this process.

We would love your prayers in the following areas

• God’s provision in our fundraising efforts
• Our preparation for parenting our adopted child
• Preparation in the heart of our adopted child, to receive us as parents
• Our children’s spiritual, emotional and mental health
• Safe travel to and from South Korea
• The people of our adoption agency (Children’s Home Society / Lutheran Social Services)