I would not send this without permission, but I want to share a little about John and his family. You may remember that John lived with us the first months of his life as his mom Terri completed a jail sentence. Terri then came to live with us a while before moving to Monroe, where she has lived with her daughter, Blake, and John, who is now three years old. Her son Nick lives with his father Roger in Cobb County. We have a close relationship with this family. Terri is kind of like a daughter, John is kind of like a son, and Blake, Nick, and Roger are like extended family. God’s grace has been poured out on us all and His faithfulness has been evident day after day.
With God’s power and with encouragement from many brothers and sisters in Christ, Terri has been drug-free for over three years. We are proud of her, but Satan does not rest as he schemes to tempt and destroy. Nine months ago, Terri shared some news that floored us – she was pregnant. Needless to say, such a revelation turns many worlds upside down, but we have learned that God is able to walk with us through any storm – even storms of our own making. This past Friday, August 24, Leesa Elizabeth Turner came into the world weighing seven pounds seven ounces. Terri, Leesa, and John are staying with us a while as Terri recovers and John adjusts to not being the baby in the family.
It is the hope to overcome that keeps us looking to Jesus in our journey on this earth. Terri is learning that walking in the Light is the only way to freedom. She feels she is far from being one that people will point at saying, “You see that lady… God has done incredible things in her life. If you knew what she’s been through and the wrong paths she has taken and now see who she has become, you’d be amazed.” But I know God has done incredible things in Terri’s life and I know that He has plans we can’t even fathom. What do we do when we hear His heart spoken to us? “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
There is the part God plays to bring about these plans and there is the part we play… which is basically to trust and obey. If we don’t believe with the type of faith that involves action, we can’t enter these plans. James used the familiar example of Abraham to teach this truth, but he followed with another example that may seem a little surprising. “Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As a body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (James 2:21-26)
This is how Rahab entered the plans God had for her. When two Israelites came into her house she said, “We have heard of your God and our whole city is melting in fear. The Lord your God is the one true God. I know he has given you this land, so please show kindness to me and my family.” This woman, who worked as a prostitute in a wicked city, believed in God and this faith led her to risk her life to hide the spies and arrange their escape. Read Joshua 2 and notice her boldness. The king sent messengers to her house to search, but Rahab did not flinch. She had embraced a new God – the Lord of heaven and earth.
When Jericho was destroyed Joshua sent the same two spies to rescue Rahab and her family and they began to live among the Israelites. We agree this is a wonderful story of faith and courage as this family was rescued from sure death, but the plans of God were far from over. We’re not sure of all the details, but I’ll propose a scenario that concludes with what we do know. Rahab encountered a huge culture shock as she left an immoral occupation to live among God’s people. But she believed in God and she knew his ways were right so she separated herself from old thinking and old habits and embraced godly living. One day a nobleman from the tribe of Judah named Salmon noticed this non-Jewish lady. He became interested in her and eventually took her to be his wife. This couple was soon blessed with a son. Rahab was a good wife and a loving mother and she and Salmon raised the son they named Boaz to be a man of character who became well respected in his community. Boaz ended up marrying another non-Jewish lady named Ruth (you can read their story in the book called Ruth) and they had a son named Obed. And Obed was the father of Jesse and Jesse was the father of David who became a great King of Israel. In this same family, many generations later, a child was born who was often called the Son of David. And this Son of David named Jesus died for our sins and all who call on his name shall be saved and his Father will say to his adopted children, “For I know the plans I have for you…”
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord… Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:8-9 & 15-17