What Happened When I Said "Yes"
My dad and I went to go look at a bike for sale that we saw in the newspaper. This bike was used but not very much and the price was $60. On our way there my Dad and I were talking about our Bible study that we have almost every morning. My Dad asked me if I could be his best student in the Bible study and I just said: “Yes!” instead of “ummm; I will think about it”. I just said “Yes!”
When we got to Mr. Adrian’s house (the guy who had the bike) he and my Dad were talking for a while. While they were talking I was riding the bike. Mr. Adrian said he was a Christian and he went on a missions trip. My dad told him that we worked in a school project in Nicaragua. He asked if we were missionaries, and my dad told Mr. Adrian “Yes!”
I asked Mr. Adrian how much the bike was and he said $50 instead of $60 because I was a missionary. Adrian and my Dad were talking more and more and I was just riding the bike around. When they were finish my Dad asked me if I wanted to get the bike and I said, “Ummm”. The only reason I was saying “ummmm” is because this bike did not have any shocks, but it was still nice. Then my dad told me to decide, since I was going to pay for half of it. I just sat there thinking, and finally decided that it was worth $25 so I said “Yes!”
Mr. Adrian said to me: “Wait! You can have the bike for free.” We said really??? For free???? And Mr. Adrian said: “Yes for FREE!” It’s a blessing from God for you because you serve Him.” So we just said “thank you” a lot.
Then my dad gave Adrian some coffee and then we left. My Dad and I probably spent an hour talking to Mr. Adrian. It was the first time to know him and he gave the bike to me free.
While we were driving home my Dad told me that God has blessed you with a really nice bike. Then my Dad said that since I just said yes to my dad when he asked if I could be his best student (and that means waking up early and going to bed early), that God had said “Yes” to me.
I just said “Yes” and now I have a really nice bike that I ride a lot. I think that something good happens when you say “Yes” to what God is asking you to do. It is a good lesson for me.
Arielle
"Just Do Your Part"
The winter of 1780-81 was a desperate time for the American Army in the struggle for freedom from the British. In three years of fighting, Lord Cornwallis had inflicted defeat after defeat on the Americans in the south, capturing Savannah (1778), Charleston (1779), and Charlotte (1780). The American forces, a mix of trained Continental soldiers and militia volunteers, had been soundly defeated in battles at Camden and Waxhaw by forces led by notorious British colonel Banastre Tarleton, who allowed many patriot soldiers to be slaughtered after they surrendered during the battle at Waxhaws. The only bright spot for the Americans was the defeat of British Loyalist militia by American militia at an engagement at Kings Mountain in October, 1780.
That January, the new American commander, Nathaniel Greene, split his forces, and sent about 1200 men under the command of a rugged frontiersman named Daniel Morgan inland toward the northwestern corner of South Carolina, for the purpose of gathering more militia. Tarleton pursued the American forces with characteristic boldness, finally catching up to them in an area known to farmers as “The Cowpens”. This was a wooded area with a 500 yard by 500 yard open area that was commonly used for gathering cattle.
Tarleton led a force of about 1,180 British regulars, dragoons, and some loyalist militia. The dragoons were mounted infantry “shock troops” who were used to break through the American lines, and were much feared, especially by the American militia. The American force was formed by Continental regulars, militia from Georgia, North & South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and 82 cavalry under that command of Lt.Col. Washington. Morgan knew that to defeat the British, he had to use his militia forces in a way to draw the enemy into a situation where his Continentals and militia could be most effective. As a result, he planned to place his best troops, the Continentals, who were by Col. John Howard, at the top of a small hill, and have two lines of militia positioned in front. His plan was a simple one, and would result in what military historians consider to be one of the most brilliant battlefield victories in history.
Are you interested in reading on to discover Morgan’s key to victory? Will his strategy have any effect on your battles?
The night before the battle, Morgan walked through the camp and spoke personally with many of the companies of militia. He told them that he only wanted them to do one thing in the battle- fire two shots at the approaching British, and then run away to the right, and reform behind the hill defended by the Continentals. To the cavalry under Col. Washington, their part was to cover the retreat of the militia, and be ready for the final move. For the Continentals at the top of the hill, their part was to fake a “fall back” after the militia ran. They were to appear to the British to be in a retreat. After a few moments, they were to stop, turn around, and face the enemy.
Morgan’s message to his troops: “Just Do Your Part!” The militia volunteers were fearful of the British dragoons. Yet Morgan only asked them to fire two shots. It took the average musket-loading soldier 15 to 20 seconds to reload his musket with powder and a iron ball, ram them in place, pour powder into the firing pan, and cock the flint, and fire the next round. When soldiers are bearing down on you on horseback, this was pressure to the max. That’s why the American Militia often broke ranks and ran before a well disciplined enemy. This is what made the British confident, and Morgan planned to use this in his plan. As he told his troops: "the whole idea is to lead Benny [Tarleton] into a trap so we can beat his cavalry and infantry as they come up those slopes. When they've been cut down to size by our fire, we'll attack them."
On the cold morning of January 17, 1781, Tarleton’s forces caught up with the Americans at the Cowpens. The British had been marching for 48 hours, and had run out of food the day before. Tarleton sensed that he had the Americans trapped between his experienced troops and a swollen Broad River. He formed up his troops, and ordered a frontal attack.
The first line of militia was sharpshooters who did their part. They picked off 15 British dragoons, causing the attacking forces to pause as they turned tail and ran. Tarleton’s troops moved forward into the second line of militia, who also did their part, firing two deadly volleys into the British, killing and wounding many of their officers. This caused astonishment and confusion on the part of the British, as the American ran off the battlefield into the wood to the right. Tarleton thought the Americans were on the run, and ordered the dragoons to pursue them into the woods. As they did, Col. Washington’s cavalry appeared from the woods, and stopped their attack cold. Another surprise! The running militia escaped through the woods, and as ordered, regrouped behind the hill. Morgan had one more task for them to perform.
As ordered, the Continentals troops on the top of the hill fell back, and Tarleton thought that the Americans were retreating, and the battle won. He ordered his main force and reserves to attack in haste. The British troops broke ranks, and chased after the Continental soldiers who were apparently retreating. Suddenly, as planned, Col. Howard ordered the Continentals to “about face”, and they fired a deadly devestating volley of musket fire into the attacking British. They were stunned. Suddenly, the American cavalry charged out of the woods from the right. Those two lines of militia who had escaped through the woods on the British right had now suddenly appeared on the British left! They had run around the entire hill behind the Continentals, to attack the enemy! The American militia and American cavalry joined behind the British, who were now totally surrounded by the Americans!
The British soldiers were stunned! They had been tricked, and now they were trapped! Many threw down their arms and fell to the ground. Tarleton took his few remaining horsemen, and rode back into the fight. There he encountered Col. Washington who attacked him with his saber shouting: “Where is now the boasting Tarleton?” A British soldier rode up to Washington and tried to strike him, but Washington’s trumpeter shot him. Tarleton shot Washington’s horse, and escaped.
But 652 of the British soldiers did not. They surrendered. Over 120 British soldiers had been killed, and more than 200 wounded. Tarleton’s brigade was wiped out! The American had lost only 24 soldiers in the battle, with more than 100 wounded.
The British army was demoralized, while the American cause in the South suddenly was energized. During the next months, Cornwallis lead decided to abandon the Carolinas for Virginia. General Greene took his American forces to Charleston, and over the next months reoccupied all the land the British had taken. By September, Cornwallis’ army was surrounded in Yorktown Virginia by the main American army led by General Washington, and the French fleet offshore. He surrendered his entire army on October 19. This was the final battle in the American Revolutionary War.
It was astounding how the American cause when from defeat after defeat in 1778-1780, but turned around to complete victory in 1781. Where did the ultimate victory for the American Revolution begin? With the two lines of fearful, untrained Militia at the Battle of Cowpens! They were asked to only do their part- fire two shots. That they did, and more, under the command of an inspirational leader with a masterful plan. Do you see any parallels between that battle and the ones we are fighting today?
God has a plan for our nation; for your family; for the school project in Nicaragua. We are facing an enemy that is powerful and obstacles that are sometimes overwhelming. We are hit with fear and with doubts in our own abilities. Yet we follow an inspirational Maximum Leader, Jesus, who has a masterful plan. He is with us, and He only asks us to do our part.
What does He want you to do this month with your family? With your business? Within your community? With our ministry along the Rio Coco in Nicaragua? Are you willing to say “Yes”? Can we have the faith to just do our part, and let Him take care of the rest?
Please pray for the Project Ezra “economic winter” to end.
LAMB BLEATINGS
“My favorite season is winter because I like to keep the windows open and get cold in Florida…”, Arielle declared after being under my covers hiding waiting for Papi to come in. Moselle, Arielle and I were going to surprise him when he came into the room.
“My favorite seasons are summer, fall, winter………………..and spring!”, said Moselle.
“MOSELLE! That’s all the seasons!”, Arielle corrected.
“Yeah, I know….I like them ALL!”
Arielle and I just giggled almost expecting her to respond that way. Arielle added that spring was also her favorite. She was beginning to ponder (as I) the fact that there were advantages and disadvantages to each season. I am noticing the seasons of our lives and pondering how new each one is and how clueless I am in each one that I face. Just a few minutes ago we were deciding if the two older kids were going to dig and move some rocks to a muddy spot in the yard…they kept saying, “it’s going to rain so that is a bad idea.” It looked marginal at the time, but sooner than we knew it, the weather suddenly changed and began to pour down rain in bucket and the wind blew so hard we thought the hibiscus in front of the window would literally blow over. A few moments later, the sun came shining through as if no wind and rain ever fell at all. Such is life and it’s seasons…so hard to predict and “know”.
I often tell myself and my children, “You know, I have never done this before, never been here before. Everything I am doing as a parent is so new to me. I never had a baby before having you, I never raised a little child or two, three or four and I never had teenagers EVER and basically most of the time I don’t know what I am doing, but I do trust God and have confidence in Him that He KNOWS and cares. I am so counting on Him and I am counting on you to stay in line with His program and ours.”
There is divine order. I believe in God’s divine order, seasons and plans for our lives and we attempt daily to exercise faith toward those plans and God’s way in and through our lives. We passionately strive to teach our children the blessing of staying in line and under authority for their own safety, protection and freedom. We have their best interest and our intention for them is purely for them in love….not for our gain, but theirs. God has our backs as well and when we let him be IN CHARGE of our lives and the various seasons of our lives he maneuvers with us in great kindness, care and nurturing concern. He knows our weaknesses and our strengths and is continually trying to develop us gently and wisely. In this, I have often found great comfort in my doubts as a wife, parent, missionary, servant, friend or worker for Him.
There are so many elements of life that attempt to take over and run the show…whether it be circumstantial, health, people, jobs, tasks, messes in the house, etc. It can totally seem endless. One asks in the balancing act of life, “What is important here? What the heck am I doing? What am I supposed to do?” Some teeter on the brink of insanity. I can say that I have grown in my grace toward such teetering. Life seems to come in waves and when we stand beyond the shoreline in the water, we get knocked around by each continuous wave as it rolls in. Sometimes they come in harder than others. At times they roll in gently and we manage without much of a struggle as we let ourselves go with it. There are times we get out deeper and get past some of the wave activity and the water appears calmer and we are not knocked around as much. Yet, there is unseen activity that lurks beneath and risks are present even though the surface remains relatively calm. Undercurrents and other fears (and the Jaws music) begin to play on our minds and create conflict of a different kind. The waves, in the meantime, continue to roll, oblivious to where we might be in the water. Our lives abound with opportunity to respond to every given situation either in faith or in fear. It is always a choice we are given…a true privilege to have. The weather will always be changing right before our eyes. The seasons come and go often bringing brutal effects and other times being remarkably glorious. There are moments of continual questioning, pondering and wondering for it is all so unpredictable and we are never quite prepared for each turn of events. The stabilizing factor remains in the One who actually created the sunrise and the sunset, the One who put order into our planetary movement and the detail into every create being. He is the only One we can know to come back to and depend upon in the midst of each season of life, change and instability we encounter. I rely on His wisdom to direct my feeble path. Truly, the more I experience in this brief lifetime, the more I realize just how much I need my Savior to rescue me and save me not only from myself, but all the elements that attempt to grab my attention and allegiance from MY divine Rescuer who knows all things well and makes no mistakes. He is the only perfect one…ready and willing to give completely of Himself to me. In God alone do I place my trust. Who alone can deliver me?
I have been finding comfort in God’s knowing character and trusted abilities to make the impossible happen in our lives. I have seen Him in operation many times. Yet, there are instances in all of our lives that “taint” this view of “answered miraculous prayer” as we look around perhaps at people we love that are not coming into the full blessings of God. Perhaps we experience a blow of disappointment because of unfulfilled expectations. We thought it “should” have been this way or that, but reality shouts ever so differently. It is of the utmost to come back to the Rock of our Salvation and to cling to His eternal views of life and not our own. Much is beyond our comprehension and to my relief I am confident that God is Sovereign and all knowing. In this, I rest or at least, struggle hard to get to that place of resting and to that place of peace that surpasses all comprehension.
Mikaela, Lukas and a few friends of ours worked out together today. It was a joy for me to be with them in class. It was a tough class and we worked hard. Throughout the class, I kept thinking, “I love this!” and then the next moment I would think just as passionately, “I HATE this!!!”. It made me laugh at myself. I thought, “I will feel so good after this is over, but in the meantime, TORTURE!” Then, I would be back to thinking how privileged I was to be able to move, breathe and enjoy the discipline. Mik said after it was over, “That was so hard….can we come back again? I bet we are going to hurt so bad.” She knew that in the midst of the hurting and hardship she would recover by the next go around and she knew that even though it was hard it was beneficial to her and she was willing to put herself in that position once again. She also realized that she would do better next time because of her experience she gained from her first time. We will all come through many hard seasons of life. May we stand in the shadow and perspective of our Great consistent Stabilizer. He may be unpredictable, but He is Stable and true.
Within the last two hours, the weather has gone from a brief stint of a windy rainy storm to a long beautiful glance of sunshine (no clouds) to a thunder storm crackling under a very dark sky. Thankfully….Jesus is the same today, yesterday and forever…
I am glad to know Him. Laura
The Bagby Bunch Corner
We are preparing for our summer in Nicaragua, and getting excited about what God will be doing in our Family Camp, as well as our time with our teachers. There is a lot to do before we depart, and your prayers are needed as we make our preparations.
We had the pleasure to see our youngest get baptized this past week. Moselle came back from the Youth Encounter “totally changed”. “Everything is different now!” She exclaimed. I thought to myself: “I hope it hasn’t changed toooo much.” She definitely had an experience with God. This is something that we all pray for our kids! She was so ready to be baptized. She gave her testimony before the entire church, and then our youth pastor Steve and I had the privilege to take her down and bring her back up.
We are purchasing the glass windows for the second floor of the Waspam Center, and these steps are definitely “a walk of faith”. We so desire to do all the finish work and move our Waspam office into the second floor spaces. Yet in these economic times, patience is required, as well as sensitivity to hear what God wants each of us to do. As I thought about Daniel Morgan’s words to his soldiers at the Battle of Cowpens (page 1), I realized that it was a word for me– I just need to do my part and walk with God on the rest. He has always been a great provider for the project in Nicaragua, and for our family. We thank all of you who have been faithful in your prayers and giving! In these times, we understand just what that means.
Many prayers are needed this month to end our financial ‘winter’. We always expect God to provide where He leads, but the Bible is full of instructions for us to pray for these things. There are many examples of men like Daniel and Elijah who received words from God that He was planning to do something, and that somehow their prayers were needed to make it happen. When they prayed (and prayed, and prayed), it did happen! This is a good example and instruction to us: Pray for the things you know God wants to do!
Please! Join us in prayers this month for the finances of Seek The Lamb, and the Bagby Family.
Laura & Michael
Rio Coco Bean Coffee
Please join the
Arielle & Moselle Coffee Club
Again this month, we are inviting you to become member of a special club that will be a fun way to enjoy our Rio Coco Bean Coffee, and have it delivered to your door each month at very special prices.
Arielle & Moselle have become very good workers at our roasting room. They measure out the roasted coffee, bag & seal it, and are learning how to roast. They want to help us make some money for the schools in Nicaragua and would like to invite you to join their coffee club.
These are the very best prices for our gourmet coffee!
Please join the A&M Coffee Club! Email us at riococostore@cs.com with your selection of coffee, and your credit card information.
You may change your order or cancel at any time.
Remember, our profits educate children in Nicaragua. Rio Coco Bean coffee is:
100% Humanic Coffee:
Bettering the Lives of humans around the world.
Gifts, Child Sponsorship, & Missionary Support
We welcome your partnership with us in the school project in Nicaragua. Your prayers and financial gifts make all the difference when it comes to paying monthly teacher salaries and purchasing school supplies.
Please click here to got a very secure page to make your gift to the schools, to various missionaries, and the construction projects. Contributions
Remember that Seek The Lamb is an approved 501 (c) (3) charity. All gifts are tax deductible.
Thank You!
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