Eight months as cajuns

This post is an update on what we have been up to:

Michael and I moved to New Orleans this past summer so that Michael could begin his M.Div in Christian Education. To know more about our journey to New Orleans read New Orleans Living

We live in a TINY apartment in a somewhat sketchy apartment complex in New Orleans. We don't live on campus because we have our dog, Charlie. At first, we were very upset that we couldn't live on campus (for safety reasons), but now we see that God wanted to put us in the middle of this very lost and hurting city to cultivate us, and for us to be share His love. Living where we do was all in God's plan. The first few months, and still on occasion, I was so fearful! I had trouble sleeping (some nights for legitimate reasons; our neighbors have an unhealthy relationship), horrible pain in my back from being tense, and the only time I felt safe was when I was with my husband, our dog (no one in our complex had ever seen a big dog, and were scared of him) or if I was on NOBTS' campus. The Lord revealed to me, through my husband, that I was not trusting, nor having faith that God would take care of me. I can look back at every event in my life and clearly see the hand of God! Why in the world was I doubting Him!?!?

I am taking the ministers' wives classes, which I LOVE! Michael is currently in his second semester at NOBTS and is amazing me everyday at how he balances his growing relationship with our Father, being a quality husband (I'm a lot to handle ;) ), being our LifeGroup leader and working. At the end of the summer he will have completed 32 out of 92 hours of classes. I love my husband very much and I'm SO proud to be his wife. GOD IS GOOD!!!!

We are always very busy, which has taught us to be intentional about making time for each other. The most difficult part of living in NOLA is being away from our family. The last time we saw any of them was Christmas, but I'm very thankful to have technology that keeps us in constant communication. We have been blessed to have family members who have encouraged us from the moment we told them God wanted us in NOLA, and even now, when they miss us very baldy. God is always good and should ALWAYS be our number one priority!

It's a New Year!!!

I am so happy to see 2011 go and 2012 come. 2011 was a year filled with trial after trial, but now that I’m on the other side of it, I’m so glad that the Lord allowed me to experience those trials. God taught me SO much during this past year and I am very grateful.  Below is a list of some of the things that God taught me in 2011:

• I should be a servant of God and not a servant of myself or others- “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

• My security is not in jobs or money, but rather my Father in heaven who loves me enough to send His son to die for me so that I may have a personal relationship with Him. God has always provided for me in times and ways that make no sense. When Michael and I had no idea how we were going to eat much less pay our bills, God provided!

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” Luke 12:22-24

• God has deepened and widened my love for my husband. When Michael lost his job, I began to notice that a lot of people watched to see how I would respond. I’m still not quite sure why, but I definitely noticed. It probably was because our family had become use to people leaving relationships when things became difficult or complicated. I’m NOT a perfect wife at all, but I understand that I am one with my husband and I am his helpmate. I pray everyday for God to strengthen our marriage, to grow Michael as a man of God and the leader of our home, and for me to be a loving, caring, prudent and submissive wife that God has formed me to be. 

“House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord” Proverbs 19:14

“Wives submit to your own husband, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Ephesians 5:22-24 

• I have questioned myself in asking, “Do I love God or do I love the blessings of God?” Tough question! In asking myself that question I have fallen more in love with my Creator, Savior, Father… GOD! The following passage, written by David, has become an ongoing prayer of mine to God.

“O Lord you have searched me and have known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it all together. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” Psalm 139: 1-6

New Orleans Living

Michael and I have been official New Orleans residents for two weeks now! I can honestly say that I never thought that I would be living in New Orleans! This chapter in our story started about a year ago when we moved to Augusta. We had been living in Michael's childhood home while his parents were living in Florida. Last August we were called to serve at a church on the outskirts of Augusta Georgia. We were SO completely excited and had a vision for our ministry at this church. We bought the cutest little house that I turned into our home.

We had been at the church six months when Michael's birthday rolled around, and we were also celebrating his mom's 50th birthday the day after his. We took a weekend vacation to go Michael's home town to celebrate his and his mom's birthdays. When he returned to work that next Monday he was asked to resign from his position at the church. That morning God impressed on me that something was wrong. Michael called me, as soon as I answered I said, "were you fired?" He took a quivering breath and said, "yes!" I told him that I loved him and that I was so proud of him. I told him that I was proud of him because he had done exactly what God had called him to do. I will be proud of my husband if he loses every job he has from this point on, if he is being faithful to what God has called him to do. Galatians 1:10 says, "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? If I am still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." I immediately contacted Michael's brother, sister-in-law, my mom, and my brother and sister. I knew we needed people lifting us up in prayer.

Michael made his way home, walked in the door and fell into my arms. He told me that he was sorry. I stopped him and said, "please don't ever say that!" Michael, me, and our dog, who had come running in because he was excited that Michael was home, sat in the kitchen floor holding each other. It amazes me that our crazy dog knew at this moment to snuggle up to Michael. God gave me such an amazing peace! I know that the Lord equips us for each step in life, He completely equipped me to minister to my hurting husband. Later that day I received a call from a private school in the area, they wanted to hire me to finish the school year teaching first grade! God provides!!!!!
    
We spent all of April praying about what we needed to do. We had enough money to make it through July, and my new job was not enough to cover our bills after that point. I have a wonderful mentor who was encouraging me and praying for us during this time. Michael and I met with her and her husband, who is my home pastor. He encouraged us to visit New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. We took his advice because we trust his guidance and wisdom. We made the trip, and knew that God wanted us in New Orleans to go to seminary. We put the house up for sale knowing that the market is horrible. The house sold in four weeks!!! (as you are reading this go ahead and praise God!) We were out of there June 30th, yes that is right before we were going to run out of money! (go ahead praise Him again!!!) Now, I needed a job in New Orleans! We couldn't move without either of us having a job! I applied for two jobs, and was brought on as a teacher at Calvary Baptist School. I absolutely LOVE working there! We also needed a place to live. We couldn't live on campus because we have a dog. We were able to get a cheap apartment that would take our big dog! And... guess what... we didn't even know that it was a mile away from where I am working!!! God is good! A few days ago Michael got a job at a school supply store and is working as I am typing this.

God has provided us with everything that we need! We have been so blessed by people who have given us money, taken us out to eat, prayed for us, and loved on us. We would not have made it without these people!!! They all say the same thing, "God put it on my heart to do this for you." They have all impacted our lives more than they know!

Lastly, in what is most likely the longest blog entry ever, Michael starts his Masters of Divinity in two weeks! I will be taking ministers' wives classes, free of charge!!!!! I'm so excited!!!! God has taught us so much during this journey, but that's another long blog away!
 

Denial

           Everything seems so perfect when our plans, dreams, and goals are working out for us, but is our plan God’s plan? Is it possible that we have convinced ourselves that what we want out of life is the same as what God wants of us?

Mark 8:34 says, “And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

            The phrase “deny himself” has been ringing in my head all week. It doesn’t say that we can have it our way, or that we can have it part our way and part God’s way. We have to completely deny ourselves and adopt the will of God as our own. This week I have been asking myself the following questions:

• Am I trying to please myself by disguising it as pleasing God?
• Are my plans my own or God’s?
• Am I surrendering my own desires and ambitions because I want to be used by God?

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 says, “ For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

            I have been on my face before God this week asking forgiveness for not always denying my plans, my ambitions, my selfishness, and myself. We all have to make a choice to live for the glory of God, or for ourselves. What a freeing blessing it is when we decide to deny ourselves and follow Him.

Michael has started his new ministry position! This new chapter in our lives has started, and we are excited, nervous, and just ready. He is already in Augusta, and I move down this weekend. Sitting here I have been thinking a lot about how blessed I am to be Michael Wang’s wife. For those of you who don’t know the inner heart of my husband, you are missing a great blessing. His one desire in life is to serve and follow the Lord. He doesn’t dream of earning lots of money, or owning expensive things. His prayers consist of praising God for providing, and asking that we always have what we need. The love that he has for me comes from the deep love that he has for the Lord. Oh, how I am blessed! Michael is not at all perfect, but he strives everyday to be more like Christ. I could go on-and-on about what makes my husband amazing, but the best way to put it is by simply saying that he is a man of God.




*If you are a man reading this, do you think that your wife could say that you are a man of God? Do you lead her in the word of God, cherish her with the love of Jesus Christ, and stand as the Godly head of your home? Be who God has called you to be!

Waiting

It is truly amazing how God teaches His children in times of waiting. Recently I have categorized waiting as an emotion/feeling as well as a verb. What I mean is that waiting is emotionally and spiritually hard. Waiting is never fun, whether you are a child waiting to open a present, or you are an adult waiting on a job that you have always dreamed of. The great thing about waiting is when it's over. I think back to when Michael and I were dating, we knew that we were going to marry each other, but we had to wait until we were finished with college. The wait was painful on so many different levels, but when we were finally married, we knew that the waiting was worth it. 

Lately, I have really been reflecting how God has developed me in times of waiting. 

This is what I came up with:

1. Going through the emotion and action of waiting has developed my faith in trusting God.

2. During any time of waiting I am acutely aware that God is in control and not me.

3. Waiting brings Michael and I even closer because we are reaching out for God together.

4. Waiting reveals the Lack of faith- I have found that when God has me wait, I tend to try and control the situation instead of trusting Him.

5. Waiting makes me really appreciate what the Lord has already done in my life. 

It is comforting to know that our brothers and sisters have also grown from a time of waiting. I am reminded of Abraham and Sarah waiting for a child. Abraham knew that he had been promised to have descendants as many as the stars,  Yet he and his wife, Sarah, still doubted. 

"I will bless her (Sarah), and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be the mother of nations, kings of people will come from her. Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, 'will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah who is ninety years old bear a child?' Genesis 17:16-17

I completely relate to Abraham's response! He laughed at the thought that he and his wife, at their old age, could have a child. We do know that after a long period of waiting, Abraham was given a son by Sarah. In our own times of waiting we must remember that God is at work in us, and He knows exactly what He is doing.

He Made Me: Free verse poem

He Made Me

By: Ashley Wang

My ivory skin was painted by His hand.

He placed the freckle at the end of my nose.

The indentions that are my birthmark are my unique design.

He placed every hair in its place and said, “Let it be deep brown.”

He fine-tuned my voice to be pleasing to Him.

He said, “Let your eyes be green with flakes of gold outlined in

navy blue.

He placed His hand to my heart and said, “Beat.”

I was made in His image.

Then He formed my real beauty.

He placed compassion, sensitivity, love, hope, determination,

and laughter inside of me.

He looked at me and was happy and filled with love.

No one will ever love me like Him.

He formed me in the midst of sin,

but He had planned me all along.

He said, “This flesh that I give you is your temporary home.

One day I will call to you and offer you the

greatest gift ever known.”

In the womb He kissed me and said,

“There is one who will try to take you from me,

his ways are not My ways.

he will try to consume you so that you

will forget Me.”

With a tear in His eye and a ROAR in His voice he said,

“The one who does this WILL BE PUNISHED,

but know that my spirit is always

with you.”

He took a deep breath,

held me tight,

and brought me into the world.

He chose to make me, and He has won the battle for me.

Now I must choose Him.