If you’ve ever met me or read much of my writing you
will know I am obsessed with Paul’s
idea of the Body of Christ. I love the notion that God made us all unique so we
would perform different functions of
the same Body in order to achieve the
same goal—enlarging the Kingdom of
God and giving Him glory. Many people give lip-service to this idea and yet
they still don’t understand a person’s lack of one skill, giving credit for the
gift of another. They seem to want people in their church to look like them,
talk like them and minister like them. Yet Paul tells us this is not how we
were made.
Though I have always been intrigued by the Master
Creator’s integration of many gifts into a whole, the name of this website
(Living the Body of Christ) was inspired by my son. My son has a form of autism
which makes it impossible for him to speak as a typical child his age. He
cannot communicate through words. And yet he is an expert at communicating LOVE
in ways that are more meaningful. He is my teacher. I hope I do justice to his
lessons. Many would call my son deficient. But what does Paul say about those
members of the body we call “weaker?”
They are indispensable!!! (1 Corinthians 12:22)
Is this website for those with Special Needs and the
families who care for them? Yes, and MORE. It is for the person who is looking
for purpose, but wonders if she has any. It is for the person who feels he has
no gift to offer the Savior who died for him. It’s for the person who feels she
doesn’t fit in or even the person who just needs a little encouragement to
carry on when things get tough.
It’s for the person looking for his or her place in
the Body and needs a nudge to live
that place to his or her fullest. That’s where the “Living” part of the title
comes in. We don’t just find our place and take a seat. We find it and then get
busy. We were created for a purpose.
You will find lots of testimonies on this site. Each
one different from the one before, but you will see a common thread—God reaching
out to His children, holding them when they need it, and then patting them on
the back and saying “Get busy, my child. I have work for you.” I hope you find
one you can relate to. Read their stories AND their bios at the end. God is
using these people in ways they’d never have dreamed before they felt His
calling.
We live in a time where many have fallen away. Some
because they don’t feel they fit in with the Christian “culture.” What is that
anyway? We don’t have to look the same or like the same music to believe in
Christ and do His Will. Some because of a bad experience at a church. This isn't about being part of *a* church, it's about being part of *the* church--The Body. Some have fallen away because of the empty promises from
“The World.” Eventually, they will see the emptiness for what it is. Where will
you be when they do? I hope you will
be beside them, listening, relating, understanding and encouraging a better
way.
God's Way!
Now, find your purpose and get busy for Him!
Note on Autism:
Whenever I write or talk about my
son and his giftedness in heart, I feel I need to caution readers who do not
experience the effects of autism on a daily basis. Yes, I can see my son as a
gift from God. His autism has made him quiet and even serene. His particular
gifting is in how he seems to read the emotions of others in a room better than
the average person. Others struggling with this disorder have a very opposite
experience. Their affected child may speak and understand, read and write, but
are emotionally distant, and may engage in violent behavior. If you know someone
struggling with the effects of this disorder in their homes, please do not press
on them how they should see autism as
a gift from God. Though I truly think God can reveal Himself through their
struggles and their child is also a gift, this kind of intrusion can only leave
the afflicted feeling alone and misunderstood. Pray for them … and in any way
you can, help to bring them relief!
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