Have you a Friend whose wondrous grace
Lights up with joy the darkest place,
Who to the end will still prove true?
“Tell What the Lord Has Done for You!”*
If the Lord has done something for you, will you not share it with us? We hope to read your testimony soon!
Oh, tell what He’s done for you,
Of His love, so strong and true,
Oh, tell, what He’s done, what He’s done for you,
Others may need Him, too.
Dear Abigail,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)
Praise the Lord that He cares so very much about us! He sees and cares for each tiny, almost unnoticed sparrow, and yet we shouldn’t have any fear because He cares for us more than many sparrows! Isn’t He wonderful?!
… I had received Dear Princess when it was still being published separately, and I am still receiving it in Foundation Truth. Thank you for sending it to me—they have been a blessing….
My main reason for writing you is to say how much I appreciated your calm response to “A Chat Between Two Friends” in the last issue (Vol. 2 Issue 2). I was rather shocked that someone would say the things they did and even send it to you! I had read your “In Conclusion” in the Autumn 2000 issue several times. I don’t believe it was one bit “condemning,” “cultish,” “Pharisee,” like, etc., at all! You just spoke the truth, and in love. You took no scripture out of context. In fact, everything you wrote (with the Lord’s help, I’m sure) was completely Biblical. I agreed with everything you had to say. If I had received a reply like those two girls wrote to you, I would have surely cried.
Like I said, I appreciated your response to them…. It is so important to truly seek God’s will until He has given us a full answer. We should be willing to give up anything the Lord may ask. It doesn’t matter if people think we are strange or weird. Aren’t we “fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Corinthians 4:10)? How I would much rather “suffer affliction with the people of God” (Hebrews 11:25) than to “go with the flow,” and be liked and accepted by this ugly sinful world!
You had written,*
I don’t dress modestly because I feel I must—I don’t wear dresses because I feel the Bible teaches it and I’ll be damned otherwise. I do it out of love to Christ…. and what could seem a duty or bondage, is nothing but a love cord that binds me closer to Jesus.
What a wonderful way to put it! That is exactly how I feel. I do it because I love Christ, and only want to serve Him more. How I want to be so in love with Jesus that I would be willing to give up anything just to draw closer to Him!
Far more beautiful are the eternal jewels of peace, joy, love, a quiet, gentle spirit, etc. that only Jesus can give, than the worthless temporary things of this lost world! I long to be adorned with all God’s jewels.
I pray the Lord will open those two girls’ hearts and that they will gain understanding from Him. If Satan can appear in the form of an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), surely he can deceive people in this area, without them realizing it.
May the Lord bless you for your sweet response to them. I saw no trace of revenge whatsoever. I only pray those girls take it in the right way.
May you ever stay close to your Savior. Keep your eyes on Him always. Thank you again for putting out Dear Princess, and for your response to “A Chat Between Two Friends.”
May the Lord bless you as you continue to seek and follow His perfect will!
I’d like to close with a saying I read once….
“The will of God will never lead you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you.”
Keep looking to Jesus, Abigail!
With Love and Prayers,
A Sister in Christ
Dear Abigail,
Hello! I am writing to renew my subscription to Foundation Truth. It’s hard to believe I’ve been receiving it for a year now, and Dear Princess before that. I really enjoy receiving it, though! I think this most recent issue was a little late in coming out and I started to wonder. I did get a little worried, especially after my friend Rachel Aston in England, to whom I introduced FT, told me she received it and that my letter was in the letter section. It wasn’t till a few days later that I got my issue, but I think it was well worth the wait!
Let me see… in this issue you asked if anybody was reading “Princess in Calico.” Yes, please do continue to print it! I haven’t read the story before and I really like it so far!
What I liked most in this issue was Angie LeFevre’s testimony of how God has been leading her. It encouraged me so much! And it came at the perfect time, even though I’m sure I will keep going back to read it in the future. I remember Angela from an interview with DP in the first issue of DP that I received, I believe. I could really identify with her article because I finished home school high school on Sept. 19, 2001. Even now, I can scarely believe I won’t be home schooling anymore. At least I won’t be a home school student anymore. I know God’s will for me is to stay with my family and grow in the Lord. I know this is such an opportunity for me to concentrate on unique ministries, and to focus on my spiritual relationship with God. Please pray for me….
I also really liked the response you wrote to the two girls’ chat. I’m glad you did it in a Christ-like manner, and set the record straight, too.
In closing, I guess I should mention that I enjoyed all of DP and I read every single word there. (But I also read the whole magazine: i.e. the other sections too!) I look forward to the next issue and am glad to hear you’ll be reviving a few columns. And last, but not least, thanks for your ministry. I picked this card from those I have because I thought the verse was really appropriate—I do appreciate your “work of faith and labor of love.” God bless!
Georgia Ooi
“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
Dear Sisters,
I am writing from my own experience.
About three years ago the Lord started talking to me about my inner sinful nature; the part of me that just got irritated when there were boxes under the furniture and things lying about in our house. I was discontent unless the house was thoroughly gone through and everything but the good-looking necessities were gotten rid of. I would dream of a matching set of dishes and nice dish clothes, pretty curtains, etc. Then the Lord would talk to me and say “organizing is not nearly so important as being a real help around the home.” Something within me would rebel. Basically, my favorite scripture was “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) That was the drive in me.
Well, the Lord started talking to me and showed me that He had a higher life for me to live. I saw the allegory of the children of Egypt and their trip to the promised land. It was me now. I was the one that the Lord had saved from the hand of my enemy (the house of bondage—sin) and now I was nearing the Canaan Land. Would I be like the ten spies who looked at the giants instead of the power of God? I did. I told the Lord that it was “my nature” to organize and how could I change? I wanted life easy, not “with tribulations” like the early Christians in the Bible had (Matthew 16:24; 2 Timothy 3:12).
Sisters, for a long time I was unwilling to give up. I prayed, but there was a part of me that held back, that said “I don’t want to let the Lord have that. If He does, then He might tell me to do something that I either can’t do or something that will just be too hard.” I had a lot of fears, and felt for a while that God was asking too much. Looking back, I can see how good the Lord was to me. When I went and prayed, sometimes I would think that if I prayed enough… maybe two hours or even four, then God would surely answer my needs (the devil accused me of not seeking sanctification hard enough). When I listened to him the result was confusion and despair. Once I vowed to the Lord that I wouldn’t eat any lunch. I thought that would show Him that I was in earnest. Oh, if only I had looked up then and saw how compassionate the Lord was (Psalms 51:16-17). The result of that was that it only put me into greater discouragement. During this time I started getting a picture of the Lord as one who is a stern, hard master, hardhearted, and void of true love. Oh, no, I wouldn’t admit that out loud, but that is what it seemed like. But one day the Lord in His mercy showed me that Sanctification was a “gift.” He wanted to freely give it in His timing. A gift—He wasn’t forcing it on me. That was hard to grasp, but it helped me in further battles. The devil, seeing my sincerity, really tried to accuse me a lot. I believe he tries this on any sincere heart. Finally, I felt like I had given all that I knew of to the Lord and had given to Him all He had shown me. I prayed asking for faith to get the answer. It didn’t come. I kept on praying.
Finally one Sunday morning the Lord dealt very strongly with my soul about getting sanctified. The devil was there also; and I hadn’t learned just to ignore him, so I was quite beaten down. The devil told me that unless I broke in at the middle of service and asked for people to lay hands on me and pray for me (Acts 19:6), I would displease the Lord. So I was burdened all the service and felt so bad because I didn’t have the so-called “obedience” to speak up. Later before lunch I asked my dad to come (understand, I am a quite timid person naturally) and asked him to see if he, Mommy, and some others would all pray for me to get sanctified. It was a hard thing to do. The pastor asked if I felt like I was all clear between me and God. I thought and a few things came to mind. We prayed about them until I felt that all was clear. Then different ones prayed for me. They prayed asking God to send down his Holy Spirit as He had promised. Nothing changed. I felt kind of desperate. Then I decided to pray. I told the Lord that all that I wanted to do was please Him, and that I had given up all I knew how and as far as I knew I was clear before Him. I then claimed His promise, “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any one of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:9-13) I finished my prayer with my usual “and I’ll thank You for it.” Everyone that heard me thought I said, “and I thank You for it.” They were so glad. And then, all at once, I had a peace in my heart and I knew right then and there that the Lord had answered and my sacrifice was accepted. I was so happy! I couldn’t keep from smiling.
Oh, sisters, the Lord does answer prayer. It may take a while. When I prayed it took quite a few months. But He does answer. And with the answer, He’ll give you joy that will be far more than worth the earnest seeking. “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Luke 11:10) No matter what the devil tells you, don’t listen to him. He is your enemy. Set your will to give all to God. Ask Him to show you what you need to give up—don’t listen to what the devil has to say. When as far as you know you’ve given up all you know, commit it to Him. Keep on asking. If He doesn’t answer right away don’t give up. He knows what He’s doing. He loves you, never doubt that. Keep asking. If He delays, then it’s for the best. The devil’s target is those who earnestly want to live for God, especially when we are waiting for something from God. He either wants us to forget to ask or to get discouraged when it takes a while and lose hope.
Be encouraged, sisters: I want your best and you can be sure if I want your best the Lord wants it a lot more. He loves you with an “everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3) When our feelings say it or when they are all against it, when our circumstances are for it or against it—He just keeps on loving us. Remember how, when the spies first went to Canaan, they brought back the fruit of the land. It was a cluster of grapes so big that two grown men had to carry it. Ask God to give you some of the fruits of the Canaan land so that you will be able to have the courage to press out for it. Remember, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) God is able to give that strength and courage to you. We are praying for you.
With love,
Your sister in Christ