The Wilkes Team

The preciousness of each individual member within a family is all too often overlooked until they are absent for even a short time. Jennifer has been absent for the past couple days for a time of service to a dear family down south. The picture up above shows her plane’s current position as of 10 minutes ago, and my are we excited! A special meal featuring one of Jennifer’s favorite dishes has been postponed until we arrive back from the airport. As many as possible will be piling into the van to greet and her at the airport with a good old Virginia welcome!

This brings to mind the importance of never taking for granted the meaningful years spent all together as a family. Some friends up in Connecticut have recognized the brevity of life and so are encouraging others to invest time and energy into those things so many wished to have accomplished earlier in life – like the building of family relationships and memories.

4 Comments » | posted in Family News, Tid Bits

We rejoice over the work of the Lord in 2009. It was a year full of changes for our country. A year full of Providential encounters. A year full of opportunities to recognize that God is still Sovereign over the affairs of men. As one dear uncle put it, He is not up there wringing His hands over what is taking place on the earth.

The year 2010 comes with an abundance of anticipation, wonder, and excitement. As God’s children, we have been entrusted with the Truth, life changing principles, and inspiring testimonies for to share. We are living stones of remembrance that should spark questions and wonder from the world around us so that many may be drawn to Christ.

With the advent of a new year, many are filled with aspirations for improvement and change. Goals are good, but what will be the steps of action unto the completion of the goals. How do these goals line up with the Word of God, the family vision, and God’s specific call upon your life?

Over this next week, we are looking forward to, as a family, reviewing the goals of last year and setting the sights for 2010. Last year, we found this time to be of great benefit and would encourage every family to spend at least an evening or two planning out definitive goals with as much specific steps of action as you can. It takes time and effort but the rewards are well worth the investment.

Here are two earlier posts that help provide some direction on family goal making:

Ponder, Prepare, Perform

Show me a way to get more things done.

as well, a list of questions for you to review the year with as your finish up your 2009 journals.

May the Lord draw your family closer together this year. May He strengthen your relationships one with another. For as families draw close together around Jesus Christ the church is unified and the world glorifies God.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35).

May each of our families be tools in the Master’s hands unto the proclamation of His name unto the world!

Happy New Year

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It is Dec. 18^th 2009 just before the big snow storm that is supposed to dump 10 to 15 inches on Northern Virginia. This morning I went out to make sure we had enough milk, bread and eggs, just in case we ended up being snowed in for a few days. Feeding eleven people three times a day means frequent trips to the grocery store to keep the fridge and pantry well stocked. I took my 8 year old Mark Christopher (also known as Mighty Mark) with me. Upon our arrival at the grocery store around 7:45am I realized that I was not alone in my desire to be prepared. The parking lot was full. Mark and I went in to find shelves diligently being stocked and diligently being emptied. We quickly worked together to get our groceries, found a line that was not to long and began to wait.

One of the things that I have taught my sons is that they are responsible for what they look at and think about. It never ceases to amaze me the junk that we are bombarded with in the check out lines at grocery stores. This time was no different, the magazines and articles presented on a majority of their covers were clearly indicative of a culture that is confused with what is right and wrong and important. We are as a culture fixated with looks, sex, popularity and how we feel. We get caught up in new fads and ideas without any thought as to where they come from or whether they are right or wrong. We have lost our moral compass.

Mark took one look at the shelves and turned away guarding his eyes and his thoughts. I reached out to him, got his attention and praised him for his self control. We talked for a few minutes about the battle we are in as individuals and as a culture. It is a conversation we have had many times and will have many times again. When I talk to my children about their responsibility as moral beings I often remind them that the freedom we have been given is not the freedom to do as we please but the freedom to do what is right.

In our time of talking together I shared with Mark a portion of scripture that I have been trying to memorize and meditate on, it is in Proverbs 2

1…..if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;3 Yea… if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;4….. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;5 ….. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

It was then that I noticed the clerk, there at the end of the line checking out the customers before me. She was hard to miss and I observed her with much curiosity. When it was our turn to go through she immediately smiled at Mark Christopher and asked him if he had found everything he needed. He said yes and they went on to have a short and fun conversation. She turned to me, said hello and began to ring up our groceries. I smiled at her and said “I have noticed something about you in the few minutes I have had in line here”. She paused and gave me an inquisitive look. I continued “You are a joyful person aren’t you?” She let out a full laugh and said rather gently “Yes I am”. I followed up, “What makes you so joyful?” She again paused, looked straight at me, lowered her voice so she would not share what she about to say with those who would not understand ”My relationship with God” was her answer.

The world we live in offers many things that it claims will bring satisfaction, joy and peace. I in much regret have tried many of them and found them to be unfulfilling at best. It has only been with Jesus Christ that I have found true peace. Yet it is not peace as the world gives but it is peace that only God can give through His Son Jesus Christ. It is a peace that passes all understanding and it is a peace that is given not earned. It is the assurance that you can be forgiven, it is the assurance of hope, it is the assurance that life has meaning, it is the assurance of eternal life, it is the assurance of unconditional love.

People, things, governments, money, houses, health, churches, denominations, political parties, careers and so on will fail us. Jesus Christ never will, in fact He loved us so much that He gave His life for us.  A bumper sticker I saw a few years ago stated Christians are not perfect just forgiven. I fit that description very well and if you don’t, ask Him to forgive you. He will. May the true peace that Jesus Christ gives to those who ask Him be yours in 2010 through out eternity. Wise men still seek Him.

4 Comments » | posted in On the Issues, Tid Bits

How often have we looked forward with great anticipation towards a scheduled event only to have plans suddenly changed. Of course – we all have! It is in such circumstances that we call to remembrance God’s promise to work all things together for good – He always writes the final chapter.

The ALERT Men’s Chorus traveled from Texas all the way to Washington D.C. area this past week for a series of several local performances, one being the White House.

Last night we had the privilege of hearing them sing at a church in Leesburg. Attired in their Dress Uniform, all 18-20 ALERT men sang a collection of beautiful hymns and carols with passion that spawned great inspiration and joy for all in attendance.

Through our discourse with them, we learned that their group received a potential trial of faith when the opportunity to sing at the White House was lost. Feelings of disappointment were assuredly worked through, but God orchestrated events. He opened up an avenue wherein the choir was able to sing in the rotunda of our Nation’s Capitol and aboard one of the few ships that actually returned fire upon Japanese airplanes in Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Joy was further realized when an opportunity afforded them to sing for a 95 year old WWII veteran.

Last night was their final performance on this tour and the joy and passion with which the ALERT Men’s Chorus is known shone through unhindered. An example of great inspiration!

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!!!!NEWS FLASH:

Matthew was the only member of the Wilkes Team not present last evening at the performance. His location is currently classified info . We are finding his absence most noticeable and are eagerly awaiting his return which will bring with it great joy to our hearts and an abundance of thrilling reports on theWilkesTeam.com – stay tuned for details!

3 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports, Tid Bits

Have you taken the time this week to really think about where you have come from and how much you have been given?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, our morning Bible reading came from two different chapters: 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 and Psalm 105. Written on the occasion of Israel moving the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, they are beautiful reminders of how much we have been given and to not take what we have for granted.

1 Chronicles 16:15 says,

“Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;”

What was that covenant which was given to us through Abraham?

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3).

The Lord has truly blessed and given us so much. He has given salvation, health, family, homes, hope and the list could go on and on….. But as 1Chronicles 16:15 says we must be mindful and not forget what we have been given. For when we forget, we loose our heavenly perspective on life.

See things from God’s perspective because He works all things together for good! We serve a Lord who brings peace and comfort to one’s heart. He is one who gives hope to the faint hearted. He strengthens the weak then enables them to press on in this faith walk.

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving! May it be a season of rejoicing over what God has so graciously given to you as well as a time of remembrance of where you have come from!

5 Comments » | posted in Tid Bits