Living my life with arms wide open to receive all that my heavenly Father has in store for me
Arms Wide Open
Dear Family and Friends,
First of all, I want to thank you for your prayers, love, and support as I continue to seek the Lord’s plan for my life. It has been quite the journey this past year which has left me with a deeper understanding of what it means to trust in the Lord. As many of you know, next year I will be taking some time off from school in order to pursue a ministry position as an intercessory missionary at Livingstone House of Prayer in Newport News. This is an exciting time for me, as I know that for at least a season, I am called to help further the ministry of day and night prayer, particularly in the state of Virginia.
This being said, after much prayer, seeking God’s will, and wise counsel, I have decided that interning up in Newark is not the best decision for me at this point in my walk with the Lord. I love the community up there, as well as the ministry they are doing. However, due to several unforeseen circumstances which have caused the nature of this internship to change greatly from what it originally would have been when I agreed to be a part of it, at this time, interning up there is not my best option. This was a very hard decision to make, as I do have a heart for the community up in Newark, and wanted to be faithful to what the Lord has in store for that community. I will continue to keep Safe Haven and the members in the community of Newark in my prayers. However, due to all of these changes, as well as a lack of funds, I have decided to go another route this summer.
Instead of going up to Newark, I will be doing the Pilgrimage Internship with Livingstone House of Prayer. This internship will allow me to walk fully in the calling the Lord has given me as an intercessory missionary, and to see what it is like before I begin on staff there in August. In this internship I will be in classes every day receiving teaching on Biblical Theology, as well as spending 2-6 hours each day in the prayer room ministering to the Lord in worship and furthering His kingdom from the place of prayer. I will also receive lessons to further my abilities as a musician in order to worship the Lord in that manner, as well as help serve with the Newport News food bank.
Another great opportunity provided by this internship is that I will go with them to Crisis Response Training through Crisis Response International. Crisis Response International existis to help train believers to respond to disasters when they occur. At the training, they teach on being ready to respond to crisis by helping to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of those affected. They train in caring for the injured, as well as placing worship and intercession as the base from which these crisis responders can go out and help provide relief. This is one way in which we are called to minister to the hurting and the broken, and doing so from the place of prayer.
I am excited to be able to participate in the Pilgrimage this summer. This is the proper season for me to do this, seeing as I will be starting on staff at LHOP in August, and they typically require the Pilgrimage as a pre-requisite of becoming a staff member. I am excited to see what the Lord will do in and through me as I trust in Him and His faithfulness. I know that I am called to be an intercessory missionary, and firmly believe that nothing will change in the natural unless the heavens are shifted through prayer. I also firmly believe that it is right to pour out all that I have, the most expensive thing I can find, at the feet of Jesus. He is infinitely worthy of all that I can give, and if I could give more, I would. He is worthy.
For those of you who contributed monetarily so that I could intern in Newark, I will be getting in touch with you regarding those funds. I can either send the money back to you, or if you would like to allow me to use those funds to help support my new internship, that can also be done.
If you would like to support me monetarily for this new internship, checks can be made out to me (Caitlin Jeffery) and should be sent to :
The Pilgrimage Internship
28 Harpersville Road
Newport News, VA 23601
Thank you for your prayers and support!
In Him,
Caitlin
This is a story about hope. It’s the story about grace. God’s grace. More specifically, Selah Grace.
In 2005, at the tender age of thirteen, I joined up on the Eric and Leslie Ludy forum. I suppose, at the time, I considered myself to be one of great maturity. Don’t we all at our present age? The forum was small. About 250 members. A young lady who went by the name of bekamorgan19 befriended me. Her name was Rebekah, and she had just turned eighteen. She was from Sydney, Australia too, so we had a bit in common.
Like the rest of the members of the forum, she was faithfully waiting for her future husband. I never once heard her complain about the waiting season, though difficult it is for all of us. It was just the way she was. She was beautiful, for Christ was so vivid in her life.
In mid 2006, when she was but nineteen years of age, a young man who went by the username of, “Lostifnot4Him” registered on the forum. Beka, being her normal friendly self, welcomed him into the community. They began to converse on open threads. A joke here, a joke there, a question on the side. His name was Caleb. He was from Alabama, and was undergoing military training.
They moved their conversations (that were getting longer by the post) to private messaging. Over time, they moved their conversations to email, for there was rumours that the forum was to shut down, due to a few members’ unruly behaviour (and thesee rumours were to be true at the beginning of 2008). Cautiously, and guardedly, Caleb began to pursue Rebekah, through immense prayer and intercession.
Caleb did not act inappropriately. He did not lead Rebekah along, and did not state his emotions with no action. He did not flirt, nor play with her heart. He behaved like a man throughout this process. Rebekah, in return, did not seduce or play coy. She kept her heart guarded. They both honoured one another’s purity, and chastity.
Now, I can openly admit that I’m sketchy on the details. I was not in contact with her for almost two years, due to my rebellion against the Lord. I had since left the forum. But what I do know is that Caleb called her parents, and talked to them. I mean, he was a guy from the Internet. And he was someone who was over 5,000 miles away. But he talked to her parents, and Beka’s father gave him permission to pursue his daughter. Despite the distance. Despite not meeting one another. Rebekah and Caleb had faith, for they were both rooted into the Solid Rock.
So when Caleb had confessed his affection and attraction toward Beka, there was no doubts, or questions of what this or that all meant. He was upfront, and boldly told her his intentions. Only then, did she reveal her heart to him. They entered a relationship in 2007.
So what then? Did Rebekah worry about when, and how, and why? Most likely. But she rested in the knowledge that the Lord knew. And He had not scripted such a beautiful tale for it to burn to ashes. She trusted the Lord, and as a result of His sovereignty, they met in July of 2007. Seven months of their relationship spent apart, having faith by grace that the Lord would provide. And He did.
They built their relationship upon Truth, and because of this, there was no awkwardness. Beka still chuckles today at the fact that so many people had warned her about the sheer awkwardness that she would encounter. But she had none for Caleb. Just love.
Caleb stood at the airport, awaiting her arrival with a simply bouquet in his hand. He asked her to marry him by her trip’s end.
And the rest is history.
But believe it or not, this post is not to celebrate a marriage that happened four years ago, though amazing as it may be. It’s to celebrate a new member upon this earth. New life. New joy. A new chapter.
Little Selah Grace entered the world on the 16th of May, 2012, weighing in at 8lbs and 5oz. What makes her precious, other than being fearfully and wonderfully made by her Creator, is the fact that she is a miracle.
Caleb and Rebekah tried to conceive, with little success. After some complicated tests, the doctors informed Rebekah that she would not be able to have children. Ever. Beka, distraught at the news, began to seek the Lord over adoption. Displaying her big heart, she began the process of adoption for one of the 148 million orphans. As she raised money through homemade bracelets, earrings, and other measures, she raised awareness of the sheer poverty that these little ones had to go through.
After months of hard work, Caleb and Rebekah reached the 70% mark of their financial goal. The end was in sight, though the waiting would be the next hurdle. But the Lord had other plans. Big plans.
Rebekah went in to have some medical and blood tests done for the adoption process. Prior to this, Caleb and her had both surrendered their desire to have children of their own flesh and blood. They trusted that He would get the glory in all of this. And He did.
Rebekah was six weeks pregnant. A miracle had been performed.
Today, we welcomed into the world a beautiful, darling baby girl called Selah Grace. To pause and reflect in a moment of praise. And I’m sure Caleb and Rebekah are doing just that.
I tell you this, dear reader, because I wept when they announced the news two hours ago on Facebook. Selah was simply gorgeous. In my flesh, I have never wanted children. In Christ, I’m desperately nervous when it comes to the thought of having my own someday. But looking at Selah—oh my heart. The Lord spoke to me. Someday.
I tell you this too, so you are encouraged that our God is not limited. Do not shove Him in a box, stating that He is not able. He is. He can move mountains if that is what would be required for His glory. He can open wombs, and write love stories more wonderful than the mind can muster. He is able, if we believe.
Glory to the Lord Who gives and takes away. Glory to Him that gives us another day. Glory to the One Who sits upon the throne. Glory to the King of Kings Who has called us His own.
(Source: littlethingsaboutgod)
(Source: http, via set-apartgirl)
“According to Scripture, “I love you” should involve—please listen—serious and permanent responsibilities. I love you is used too flippantly. I firmly believe that you shouldn’t tell someone you love them until you’re ready to marry them. You want it simple: Don’t say it until you’re ready to back it up with action.
There are three kinds of lovers in the world:
1) “I love you if”; and that’s what most people mean when they say I love you.
2) “I love you because”; and that’s what others mean when they say I love you.
3) “I love you in spite of”; that’s biblical love—agape. I am committed to you, period.”
by Paul Washer
First of all, a young woman may pursue a relationship with the opposite sex only after she has embraced adulthood and it’s responsibilities. You’re going to be looking for a woman that’s not just beautiful, because she might just have no character whatsoever, but someone who has embraced adulthood. Biblical adulthood, she doesn’t want to be a child. She doesn’t just want to play with her friends. She wants to follow Christ in the context of a family.
The first thing you’ve got to ask yourself—is she mature in the fear of the Lord? Does she fear the Lord?
Proverbs 31:30: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”
Now, I want you to think about that. You can look, and we can say the same thing about young men, but right now we’re talking about young women. Guys, after a while, a beautiful woman without discretion is like a golden ring is a pig’s snout. It will be the most disgusting, vile thing to you. Because literally, as you grow older, your intimacy in the relationship and everything will continue on, it should grow. But the thing about it is, what’s going to keep your marriage together is her character. To be able to talk to you, to be able to share the same things, to be able to invest in something eternal.
She is mature in the fear of the Lord. Also, she recognizes her role as her husband’s help meet to carry out his divine appointment. I know that sounds so wrong, but I’m sorry, that’s why God created Eve after He created Adam, that she would be a help meet.
I want you to look at something. You’ve all probably heard about biblical submission, how the husband is the head of the home. What you need to understand though, is authority is given to a man not to build his kingdom. Authority is given to a man to serve his wife and children. He seeks to lead his wife and his children biblically, for their greatest eternal good.
Now, if a woman believes—a godly girl believes that she is to submit to her husband and she looks over there and all she sees is an immature boy, who does everything for himself, that is a great way of creating bitterness in her heart.
But if she looks over there and sees a husband that his whole focus is this, “Hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” And he’s using everything he has, all his gifts, his talents, his authority, his place as a husband and father, he’s using it all to bless his wife and children and to bless the church and to bless the world, it’s easy for her to submit to a man like that.
And really, some guys, and I’m not mad at them, but some guys should just say, “I’m not going to marry. I want to be selfish and I want to play with my friends.” Go ahead, do that until you’re eighty years old. But don’t bring a woman into it!
So, she needs to realize, in Genesis 2:18 it says, “Then the Lord said, the Lord God said, it is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Someone who comes along side him, and helps him do the work that God gave him. Not she doesn’t help him become all he can be in this life. She doesn’t help him attain all his selfish goals. She helps him carry out the divine commandments that he’s been given to advance the kingdom of Christ in the world, whether it’s as a missionary or an orthodontist.
He finds his fulfillment in leading. She finds her fulfillment in helping.
Now, something very important that I want you to see. If that young lady does not submit to her father and does not honor her father, she will not submit to you, she will not honor you.
So, it’s one of the things you want to look for. What is her relationship with her father?
She could be a very dignified young lady, but her father is a terrible sinner. So I mean, you need to be very careful here. But if you see a rebellious spirit, which is the boast of people today, run from it. I don’t care how beautiful you think she is, run from it.
Your wife is going to have to be a caregiver, she’s going to have to be a teacher, discipler, and she’s going to have to be a disciplinarian. If she herself is not disciplined, how is she going to discipline the children? Proverbs 29:15, “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.” Most children bring shame to their mother, because their mother does not discipline them. Their father does not discipline them. You live in an age of no discipline and that’s why they run wild. That’s why, in the end, parents end up almost hating their children by the time their children are six years old. Because they do not discipline them.
These are things that you’ve got to think about when you’re going to marry a girl. See most of you, probably if you’re like normal guys, you’re just thinking about “is she pretty, is she nice, do I like being around her?” Look, you’re going to make an enterprise with her. If you’re the boss, a recruiter, or you’re hiring people for a company, you don’t go in and hire somebody because they have a nice personal appearance and you kind of like being around them. You don’t do that. Why? You’re building something that is going to require integrity, talent, ability, everything, on the part of that person. It’s the same way when you’re looking for a wife. You’re not going to sit there and go, “she’s cute.” She may be a moron. She may be so vain, that you couldn’t even begin to even deal with her vanity. She can’t cook, she doesn’t know how to run a house, she knows absolutely nothing.
But see, that’s what they’re taught today. Isn’t it? Most girls are taught, that if you want to be a homemaker, you are a loser. A total loser. If all you want to be is a wife and raise children, you are a loser. You were taught things, and continue to be taught things, that to your grandfather would have be an unspeakable abomination. And you’re taught, and forced to believe every day, “it’s okay.”
If you ever want to read a neat book, it’s “Marriage to a Difficult Man”. It’s about Mrs. Edwards, the wife of Jonathan Edwards. I mean, all that guy did was study. You know he didn’t even know what was going on most of the time. Well, I think their story is told that one time he said, “You know, honey, we’ve got to bring the crops in.”
She said, “Husband, we did that two weeks ago.”
She recognized, that he was given a tremendous gift, unlike very few men that ever lived on the planet. She molded her life around, not him, but what God was doing in him. She recognized that he was one of the greatest Christian scholars that ever walked the planet. And she said, he needs to be locked away in that office thirteen hours a day, or whatever, studying and writing. She took care of everything.
That’s what you’re looking for, guys. That’s what you’re looking for.
