Simplify

S

sim·pli·fy (ˈsimpləˌfī) Verb – Make (something) simpler or easier to do or understand.

I have been focusing in my last two blogs on casting the cares and not being carriers of them. We are still going to be on that same path even with the title I chose this week.

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

The word “care” – Merimna (Strongs #3308) from meiro “to divide” & noos, “the mind”. The word denotes distractions, anxieties, burdens, & worries. Merimna means to be anxious about daily life.

So now that we have done that little word study, let’s move forward with this thought to simplify even deeper. When I talk about simplifying, we could actually take that in so many different ways. It could be in how we are looking at things or how we complete a started task or project. To others it might mean lightening the loads of life. Honestly, the true meaning of simplifying one’s life, is found in them and them alone. We can seek the help of others and we can read all the self help books that are written, but until we first find ourselves, nothing else can eternally be done.

I love Matthew 6:33 (AMP) “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”

The focus is to seek the Kingdom and via that journey, we find His ways. When we find His ways, we too then can find our way and by Grace we can complete His calling for our lives. Life was never meant to be complicated, but by decisions made, it becomes that way. By decisions, we can now simplify that which was made complicated. HOW? By casting the cares, anxieties, burdens, and worries that so easily complicate daily life, if we allow it to.

Please leave your thoughts below.

Ministry Update

What a wonderful year it has been and the best is yet to come!  We are drawing closer and closer to that 32 year mark for the ministry and look what all the Lord has done!!!!  We have seen over 700,000 new births; many of which were one on one and over 31,000 graduates from the Bible Schools in those 32 years.
In 2010, there were 145,448 people ministered to outside of normal church services and not including Bible school classes.  We saw over 20,000 new births from the groups and other such activities and graduated 1,344 Bible Students at our yearly graduation on our campus in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.  During the Shoebox outreach in December, we distributed 12,186 shoeboxes to babies and children in the countries of Guatemala, Panama, and Nicaragua which was combined with over 2,700 new births.
This year, we are believing for more, more, more, more and did I mention MORE?!  In March, we held one of two yearly medical mission trips in Guatemala where we treated 3,313 nationals and saw 347 give their lives to Christ.  In the months of June & July, we hosted our summer mission trips where we ministered to over 8,100 adults and children and saw 4,447 give their lives to Christ.
We are now preparing for our October 17-26 Medical Mission trip, and the December 2-10 Operation Shoebox mission trip.  We would love for you to come and be a part of one of these trips.  For more information, call our US Office @ 903-527-4160 or visit us on the web @ www.livingwaterteaching.org.
Be blessed,
Dr. Keith & Debbie (Zirkle) Spanberger