The Inspection

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Christian growth • Tagged Alesa Lewis Miller, behind the parsonage walls, Connecting everyday life to Christ, depression, disappointment, discouragement, fear, Friends, loneliness, perfectionism, Romans 8:28, Thanksgiving, The Inspection, trust God, unconditional love • Leave a comment

Do you have any traditions in your home? Oh! I mean, more than just what you do at Christmas, or Thanksgiving? I mean the subtle things that happen and you may not even realize it. These things come from who you are deep inside and often from your habits and the standard of which you were raised.

We have one of those at our house, it is now in the 3rd generation in our family. ,You see, my father-in-law Trammel Miller was an amazing contractor and his standards were so high all that worked for him called him the “piano man”, because if you tune pianos you have to be a perfectionist and that is exactly what Trammel was.

Thus, when he came to our home, after Jeff and I were first married, if there was something that was not maintained to Trammels standard, he would give Jeff that, “I am disappointed with you son” Look. The look may be followed by a few intriguing questions of exactly why it wasn’t this taken care of up to the “Trammel Miller Standard” .

The funny thing is, there was no handbook that told my husband that this inspection would come, no official notice was sent ahead of time, verbal or otherwise. My husband just knew, if his dad was coming over to visit, he would rush around, getting those last minute honey do list items I had for him done. Sometimes he would go back over and check what he had done, to assure it met the expectation of Trammel Miller.

And even funnier thing today, is that Lee Miller now does the same thing his father did, all those years ago when we were first married. Trammel is now celebrating his anniversary of being in heaven 4 years this month, and we all know he is running the construction crew of angels, who are building our mansions in heaven, because that is just Trammel Miller, and God needed Trammel up there because of his perfectionism.

See when we now call our son to let him know we will be visiting, his family in Tulsa, it isn’t uncommon to hear Lee tell his dad. “Well, I’ve got to go so, I can get done before you get here to make sure I pass inspection when you come. ” We often laugh about it as a family but the premise is the same.

You see there as been a standard set that my sons automatically knows their father expects of them and that got me thinking, isn’t that just like our Heavenly Father?

There is a standard that has been set by our Heavenly Father who will soon be coming to visit, and if we don’t meet that inspection, we are not gonna pass, and we won’t make it to heaven.

The difference is, we have been given a handbook with every detail we need to know of what He expects and it is called the bible. We have even been given a family to help us understand what He expects and that is called the church. God has even sent a helper called the Holy Spirit to help us while we are here on earth to help us choose to do the right thing.

So the bottom line is, we have no excuse for not following the directions, God has laid out for us. Everyone of us can pass the inspection that is coming, but it is up to us.

My boys could not care, what their father thinks when he comes to visit. They could ignore standards they have been raised with and choose to walk away from. But they realize their father loves them and wants the best for them. They know, their dad would give his life for them and only expects these things, because he wants the best for them and believes in them and loves them. Because of their fathers age, he has more knowledge and wisdom then they do and can often tell how things are going to turn out, because he has had the same problems, been in the same situations, and doesn’t want his kids to go through what he has been through.

The same is with our Heavenly Father. God loves you and He wants the best for you. He has given us all the tools we need. The question is, are you using them? Will you pass the inspection with your Heavenly Father when He comes? Take the tools He has given us and use them. Don’t hesitate to ask your Heavenly Father for help. After all, that is what a good good Father does!

When You Feel Like You Don’t Belong!

Posted on March 9, 2019 by Alesa Miller • Posted in encouragement, fear • Tagged Alesa Lewis Miller, behind the parsonage walls, Connecting everyday life to Christ, connecting everyday life with Christ, depression, disappointment, discouragement, fear, God, grace of Jesus, loneliness, perfectionism, trust God, unconditional love, When you feel like you don't belong! • Leave a comment

I got to attend a church conference this last weekend with Jeff. It included Assembly of God ministers and their congregations from all over the south central and western part of our state. Several of these Pastors were people my husband and I have known from the 30 yrs we will celebrate being in Kansas this coming October. Although I was born here in Kansas, I attended 9 different schools in 5 different states in the 12 yrs of my education. Jeff was born and raised in the same town in Alabama, in fact he lived on the same street all his life, and I met him when my father was pastoring his home church. Then after marriage, Jeff and I lived in Alabama and Georgia before moving to Kansas.

Needless to say , that much moving around doesn’t give a girl much security. I still battle anxiety going to these types of meetings of our peers. You would think after all my experience in meeting new people, it wouldn’t bother me anymore, but it does. Our teacher at this particular event was a former pastor and district leader of our denomination. He was a co-worker in the ministry that in the past years we had spent a lot of time with. Actually, Jeff and I were just barely wet behind the ears in our own ministry, when this man was a leader, so of course we looked up to him and appreciated the time he took with us.

As I sat around that room this weekend. I looked around and saw many of those pastors and their wives that were in the district when we first came to Kansas. Those were the people that Jeff and I have looked up to for so many years thinking “Maybe one day we will be as awesome as they are”, “Maybe one day, we will be able to help others, like they have helped us”. Looking in the mirror now, there is a few more wrinkles in all of our faces.

When we looked around that room, it wasn’t just our old friends that were there, but there was a whole new crew of younger, newer pastors in that room. And if you look closer, many of the pastors we looked up to are now gone. The funny thing is, these new pastor are starting to look at Jeff and I , like we looked at our old friends, when we first came to the Kansas District Council of the Assemblies of God all those years ago.

I have to say, it was quite a weird and yet awesome experience I had this weekend. It was weird to me because maybe for the first time, I felt like I belonged, I felt like I was in “The Club”, the club of a group of people who could sit around and talk about memories they have, of the fun days they spent together at church camps and ministry events, and the times we have prayed for each other. There is a bond between us that is like no other I have ever had, except when we lived in the Kansas City area for 13 years. In both cases, we had experienced things with our friends that built a bond between us, that you don’t get by going to 9 schools in 5 different states in 12 years, and I have to admit it felt good. If felt good to belong to a group again.

You know, all this got me thinking….. It is a proven fact that we all have a need for security and significance. We all desire to be loved unconditionally. We want our lives to have purpose of something greater than ourselves. Of course we who are followers of Christ know that He is the only one that will be able to fill that need. But we also have to know that there is a group of people in this world that will never care about hearing what we have to say, if we don’t make them feel like they belong. If we don’t invest time into their lives and love them by making regular deposits in their relationship banks.

For to long, the church has made people feel that you have to believe like we do before you can feel like you belong to the church. Why is it that we separate ourselves as Christ followers from the very people God told us to “Go into all the world and share the gospel” ? (Mark 16:15)

I think if we could learn to love the people around us with the love of God, like we have been called to do, there would not be a church pew in the County that would be empty on Sunday mornings.

I can’t tell you the people I have talked to that say the reason they don’t go to church is because they don’t feel welcome. They say things like “They ignore me when they see me in public or “They wouldn’t even speak to me in church”.

How can we, as the church, even call ourselves the church, if we fail to do the most important thing Jesus said we were to do and that is to. “‘…Love your neighbor as yourself ” Matt 22:39 Christ called this part the most important commandment.

So how about we change all that. First off, if you attend a church this week, make sure you welcome everyone in the building and be friendly to those outside the four walls, despite their past. We never know what just a smile and a handshake can mean to someone.

Then, Secondly, if you don’t go to church on a regular basis, and you have been made to feel like you don’t belong in a church, how about you rise above that feeling and follow what the bible says “Love your neighbor as yourself” There aren’t too many people I know that can’t forgive themselves of something as simple as not saying “Hi” or shaking hands with someone, then get up and go to church this week.

Let’s all make an extra effort to make those around us feel like they belong. In a small community like this, it is easy to let past hurts and offenses keep us from being kind and friendly to others. But if we are going to follow what God tell us to do, we need to love those around us, as we love ourselves. (Matt 22:37) So how about this week, we do just that. Let’s make people feel like they belong, even if they don’t believe or live the way we do.

After all, Paul told us in Romans 5:8 “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. If we are really gonna be like Christ, let’s die to our old ways and those old feelings of being better than someone else, and let’s show everyone we know, the same love, compassion, and forgiveness that has been given to us. Because I firmly believe, “Those who can’t forgive, have forgotten what they have been forgiven of” So lets make sure people know they belong here no matter how long they have lived here, or what we may or may not know about them. Let’s be Jesus’ hands and feet this week.

Clean Dirt

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Christian growth, encouragement • Tagged Alesa Lewis Miller, behind the parsonage walls, change, Clean Dirt, Connecting everyday life to Christ, disappointment, discouragement, faith, loneliness, trust God, unconditional love • Leave a comment

I don’t know about your house, but it has never mattered what home I have lived in or what brand of dishwasher is in that house. On occasion, someone in my family has pulled something out of that dishwasher that, had just been ran, that still had some piece of food left on it, to which my family member will say something to this effect “The dishes are still dirty” and I will reply “ It is clean dirt, it has been washed” We will usually laugh and then wash the item by hand.

You know that little scenario got me thinking. How many of us think like that in our own life. We think the little bit of dirt in our life, is “clean dirt”, after all we are good people. We don’t mean harm to anyone and are just doing the best we can. We justify what we see in our lives often times, all the while condemning what we see in others.

But the truth is, what we think about ourselves or others really doesn’t matter, it is what God thinks that really matters. In fact, His word is the ultimate authority. The question is how well do you know God’s word? God’s word is His son’s dying wishes for our life. Just think about it, the creator of the Universe left you a letter, with directions He wants you to follow.

Oh! I know some people say “I have tried to read the bible, but I just don’t understand it” to which I would reply “That is why we have churches and bible studies” It is important that each of us read those true stories in the bible. Those are lesson we can learn through others lives that have lived before us. We also see Jesus as He walked this earth and can learn from His stories as well.

One thing we all need to remember, past the 10 commandments, there is 1 commandment we all must follow, in fact Jesus said it was more important than any other, and that is found in Luke 10:27 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

You know if you love someone with all your heart, and I mean REALLY love, then you want to please them, but there is no way to please God if we don’t know what His word says. So how about this week you do 2 things, take just 5 minutes and start reading the Psalms and Proverbs each day in the bible, then throughout your day, show that love Jesus talked about in Luke to those around you.

Because if we don’t do these things, then can we really say we have surrendered our life to Him? It’s really like saying you’re clean dirt when you don’t. We all know that doesn’t make any sense in anyone’s book, and the fact is, we can’t wash ourselves on our own or by what we do. God’s love is unconditional and His grace is free ,but it is only when we receive that unconditional love that we realize how much He loves us, and in turn wants to give that love back to Him, by living a life for Him and sharing that love with others. So let’s stop trying to hand wash our lives in our own ways and follow what the Jesus says.

10, 2 and 4 Baby

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV, 10 2 and 4 baby, 10%, 2 and 4 baby, Alesa Lewis Miller, anxiety, behind the parsonage walls, change, children, Christ, comfort, Connecting everyday life to Christ, depression, disappointment, discouragement, faith, fear, loneliness, perfectionism, trust God, unconditional love • Leave a comment

I have always been a night owl and hated going to bed. I think it is because I was afraid I would miss something. I remember my mom used to call me her 10, 2 and 4 baby because I would wake up at 10pm, 2am and 4am. I think I finally wore my parents down because, by the time I got to be a teenager my father made me a deal and told me that as long as I got up the first time he called me in the morning. I could stay up as long as I wanted at night. So as soon as I would hear my dad call my name in the morning I would jump up out of the bed as quickly as possible calling back to him “ I am up! I am up!” just so he would know that I was up, and I wouldn’t have to go to bed early the next night.

I will never forget one night, as a teenager, my parents let me have one of my friends spend the night. About 2am we decided we were hungry so we started cooking. Of, course my parents had long been in the bed but I didn’t think they would mind. So, my friend and I looked in the refrigerator and discussed what were were going to have and we debated about eggs, but went with something else. I don’t remember what we decided, but whatever it was must’ve started smelling good, because my dad showed up from the other end of the house, in the kitchen half asleep and as he opened the door to the hallway that separated the kitchen/family room from the rest of the house, he hollered out at us “ I am gonna break you from sucking eggs” and with that my friend and I looked at each other and said “ I thought we decided not to have eggs?” as we burst into laughter my dad turned around and went back to bed. I still believe to this day he must of been talking and walking in his sleep.

Of course, it was a weekend, so I didn’t have to get up early the next day. But that didn’t stop me from making sure when my dad did call, I was right out of the bed as soon as I heard his voice the next Monday when it was time to go back to school.

All that got me thinking, Do you have your ear tuned in listening for your Heavenly Father’s voice? Are you looking for His return and ready to go as soon as He calls? The bible tells us that Jesus will return one day to take us to heaven, but He will only be taking those who are looking and living for Him. The bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

I don’t know about you, but I want to always be ready to go when the Lord returns. I want to be listening for His voice. Just like I was listening for my father’s voice when I woke up every in the mornings. I wanted to be ready and not late because I knew if I missed it, there would be a consequence to pay. Just as there will be if we miss Jesus return.

But how do we make sure we won’t miss HIs return? Well, Romans 3:23 tells us that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”It is as simple as A,B,C Admit that you are a sinner, (Romans 10:9-10) Believe in Jesus Christ and Commit your life to Him. start, going to a bible believing church, start making Him a part of your everyday life, by talking to Him in prayer and letting Him talk to you through His word.

It is only when we know, Christ then we will know His voice. We can’t hear Him if we don’t know His voice. I knew my daddy’s voice and I listened for it. We need to listen for our Heavenly Father’s voice so not only when He calls us to heaven, but every day He talks to us too and has a plan for our life and that plan is more than give your life to Him and go to Heaven.

There is something He has planned for us everyday. He wants us to be a part of our everyday life and has a mission for us here on earth before He comes back. For some it is to love others that can’t be loved, for some it is to give more to help others, for others, it is to make a difference in someone else’s life. We won’t know what He has in store for us until we get to know Him and we can’t get to know Him until we surrender our lives to Him and choose to follow after Him.

See, I knew my daddy I spent time with my daddy, and I did everything I could to please my daddy. So, the question is, do we do the same for our Heavenly Father, If you haven’t I highly suggest that you do because you don’t want to miss His voice when He calls you to come to heaven. I think you want your answer to Christ to be the same as mine to my dad “ I am up! I am up!”

” I Need to Go to the Bathroom, Get a Drink of Water and Blow my Nose!”

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Christian growth, encouragement • Tagged ! Thessalonians 4:16-1, Alabama Football, Alesa Lewis Miller, Alesa Miller, anxiety, behind the parsonage walls, change, Connecting everyday life to Christ, depression, disappointment, discouragement, fear, God, loneliness, Luke 17:26-30, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 25:13. Luke 12:40, protector, Romans 8:28, suicide, trust God, unconditional love • Leave a comment

Every family has their routines, anytime you have a family larger than 2 people, and you are planning on going together to an event somewhere, if someone asked anyone in that family, they could probably tell you which one, is going to be ready early, which family member is going to be late, and which one will be heading the group and getting everyone out the door.

When my children were at home, I have been known to begin a countdown about 30 minutes out. Now, of course I would have given the family plenty of warning well in advance before that , sometimes even days, but when it comes down to about an hour out, I would start mentioning to my kids what they need to start doing to be ready, and about 30 minutes before we need to leave, my voice gets a little louder as I start walking around checking on where everyone is and how much longer it will be before they will be ready.

Then about 10-15 minutes out, I am going to start hollering out as I walk down the hall. “10 minutes, 10 minutes we are leaving in 10 Minutes” which is the sign to my children and husband they better be getting their last minute things on and start heading for the car, then “5 minutes, 5 minutes we are leaving in 5 minutes” at this point my family knows they better be finding their shoes and start getting in the car, because if there is one thing I can’t stand, it is being late. I think it is disrespectful to the people who planned the event where ever we are going and personally, I believe in the old adage, “If you are 5 minutes early you are on time, and if you are on time you are late”, even if that means I arrive somewhere and sit in the car for 5 or 10 minutes before going in. That doesn’t bother me, in fact I kind of like the opportunity to not be rushed and just take a deep breath before going in somewhere, instead of rushing in somewhere all disheveled .

My whole anxiety about being late probably stems from my mother. No, not that she ever cared about being on time, it didn’t matter how much notice we would give my mom about what time we were leaving. It never failed, when the time came for us to walk out the door, She would say ”Okay, wait just a minute, I need to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, and blow my nose.” I lived at home for 18 years before I moved out, and cared for her another 23 or so years before she died and it never failed the story was still the same every time except as she grew older, it took longer for her to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water and blow her nose, the older she got the later we were. That is why I started telling her we needed to be where ever we were going 30 minutes before we actually had to leave, because I knew if I didn’t we would of been even later than we were. In fact momma was known for being late so often, that my father used to say we are going to bring her casket in 30 minutes late, just to keep up her tradition when she dies. (we didn’t by the way but it was tempting)

You know this got me thinking, my mom is a lot like a lot of people today. They have been warned that Jesus is coming back, they have been told that they need to live their life for Him so they will be ready to go, but they procrastinate and don’t do it, just like my mom procrastinated getting ready to go somewhere. They are all busy just doing what they want to do, when they want to do it. Not concerning themselves, with anything but what they want. They can even see the warning signs that the bible tells us about, similar to me hollering out to the children and giving them the 5 and 10 minute warning, they ignore all the signs of the crazy weather, the brother hating brother, the world being more and more like Sodom and Gomorrah (Luke 17:26-30) , and all the issues happening in Israel.

All these are signs that Jesus is coming back again, to get His children, just like He said he would in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” He also warned us “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:13) Now I am not naming any dates or times because I know the bible says “ No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.: (Matthew 24:36) But doesn’t that verse alone tell us that we need to be ready because it could be any moment and He tells us in Luke “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Luke 12:40)

My mom always had an excuse why she was late, she always justified her reason, but when we stand before God excuses won’t matter He has given us ample notice. With many opportunities to get it right. It is time we stop making excuses.God isn’t looking for perfect people to come to Him, He is looking for people who are watching and waiting for His return.

Many times people think they need to clean up their act before they come to Him. But God told us in His word. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

God wants us with all our baggage disheveled mess we are in. He calls us daily to come to Him. The question is, will we come? Because the 5 minute warning call is about to come and unlike I did for my mother, God hasn’t given us an extra 30 minute cushion. Once He calls come to get us, that is it. There is no one let in late to heaven. We may get by down here with going to places in our own time frame, but we have no control of when Jesus will return to take His children home.

So won’t you get ready today? To make sure you are ready, all you need to do, is as simple as A, B, C, Admit that you are a sinner, Believe in Jesus Christ and Commit your life to Him. start, going to a bible believing church, start making Him a part of your everyday life, by talking to Him in prayer and letting Him talk to you through His word.

That is what that scripture is talking about, If we will come to Him, and follow Him as 2 oxen in a Yoke, one more experienced than the other,we will learn from Him and we’ll find rest for our souls, And we won’t miss the most important event of our life, Heaven!

Because I am Mimi, But God is God.

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Love, Uncategorized • Tagged Alesa Lewis Miller, Because I am Mimi but God is God, behind the parsonage walls, Connecting everyday life to Christ, Dying to our will, grands, john 15:13, littles, manipulations, trust God, unconditional love • Leave a comment

So, last week I told you about the innocence of our almost 2 yr old grandson praying, while we got to spend sometime with his sister’s when they were sick. What I didn’t tell you about was what the girls did as they started feeling better. Our 8 yr old found the buzzer to a game they had. So she decided that anytime she needed something from Mimi, she would just buzz the buzzer. Which the better she got, the more often she buzzed that buzzer. She buzzed it because she needed a drink. She buzzed it because she needed something to eat, she buzzed it because she wanted her stuff bear off her bed (the top bunk of the bed which required me to get a broom just to try and reach it) and 5 minutes later, she buzzed it for her stuffed cat that was also on the top bunk which again, required more unique maneuvering because this Mimi isn’t climbing on the top bunk of the bed.

Her older sister wasn’t quite as annoying with it. But she had her own special kind of manipulation going on. As I fluffed the pillow I had just bought for her, pouring on some sympathy for her just for affect. I asked in the most empathetic tone of voice I have ” Can Mimi get you anything to drink or eat” as I check her head for fever and kissed the top of her head, to which she responded in an equal empathetic voice, “No, but a crisp twenty dollar bill would be nice” that is when I almost took the pillow and smothered her……. all in fun of course! We had a good laugh and I told her maybe next month ( For her Birthday)

Oh! But that isn’t the funniest part! Our 8 yr old, informed me during our visit that, I had forgotten to give her a dollar the last time we were together because I had asked her to do something and had forgotten to give the promised reward. The story didn’t sound completely untrue, I mean I did remember there have been several times I have told the kids if they do this, or that I will give them a dollar. But I really didn’t remember doing that at our last visit. But I went along with her request and assured her I would take care of it before we left. Now remember, we were already there for her Birthday and we always give money for our grands Birthdays so, she knew she was getting money already.

Fast forward to the day she opens her presents and as she opens up her cards and counts her money it is $41. When her mother asks “Why is it $41” (because it was an odd number). At that point I explained my forgetfulness with a twinkle in my eye and a smile on my face, so our daughter-in-law asks our 8 yr old grand “What did Mimi forget to pay you for” to which Viola responds with a huge smile on her face and pride in her voice “Nothing, I was just playing a trick on Mimi” The whole family roared in laughter as I explained. I was pretty sure I was being had, but thought I would play along, (after all a dollar wasn’t going to break me)

Now as you can see my Grands are not perfect! They can be as ornery and manipulating as some adults at times. But, as ornery as my little’s can be, they still believe when they are told they are loved. In fact that is probably why they push the limits at points because they know they are loved. They know Mimi would do anything for them. I know from the story above, it sounds like I give into them all the time. But there are some times I do say “No”.

Now they don’t like it when Mimi has to say “No”, in fact the almost 2 year old breaks down and cries anytime he is told, “No”. And I wonder if it is possible that he does so, because he feels loved so much and he doesn’t want to disappoint us, or is it the fact he knows if he cries we might give in, or maybe, the fact that he just doesn’t want to submit to the will of those in authority over him. My guess is, it is probably all of those at one time or another.

If we are honest with ourselves, aren’t we all just a little like my grands. We to often want what we want, when we want it. We to often think we can tell stories to our Heavenly Father, in hopes to get our way, when He knows everything anyway so we aren’t fooling Him. We may promise to go to church, if God will just heal our loved one. We try to convince Him we need this or that, because without it there is no way we will be able to make it. We have our own little buzzer we try to push when we want something from God. But, what happens when we don’t get what we want? Do we cry because we don’t want to submit to His will? Do we cry because we hope God will just give in. Okay, we probably don’t cry, but sometimes we whine, we pout. We get mad at God and act like children.

Dying to our will is something we battle with everyday? But see, there is a difference between us and our children. It’s age, because of our years of experience, we actually have the ability to look back at our lives and see the many times God has been faithful. In this town especially, we can see the hand of God and how He took what satan met for bad and turned it to good.

So why don’t we trust Him again, when the hard stuff comes? Why don’t we rely on Him because we know He has our best interest at heart? Look at what this town has already went through, remember where you have come from??If we will just look around we can see the hand of God’s faithfulness and how much He loves us.

But all to often we get angry and bitter when things don’t go our way. The years have worn calluses on our hearts to the point we have harden it toward anything that might not fit into our agenda or when God doesn’t answer our buzzer.

My grands wanted what they wanted and yes, I passified them while I was there, because I can, because I am Mimi. But we have to remember God is God and as much as I love my Grands, God loves us more and if they had asked for anything that wasn’t in their best interest I would of denied them their request. Why? Because I love them. Lets not forget, God is watching out for you. Trust that love. Remember there is no greater love than His. Read John 15:13

Alesa Lewis Miller is the Pastor’s wife of Lighthouse Worship Center, in Greensburg KS, Mom, Mimi, Creator of the Blog “www.behindtheparsonagewalls.com“, Speaker and Columnist.

I Came Kicking and Screaming All The Way To Kansas

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Alesa Miller • Posted in encouragement, Kansas, Uncategorized • Tagged Alesa Lewis Miller, Atlanta GA, behind the parsonage walls, Connecting everyday life to Christ, Gen 30, God has a plan, I know the Plans I have for you, Jeremiah 29:11, Kansas, trust God • Leave a comment

We were living in Atlanta at the time and marrying a southern man I never expected to live anywhere else but the south until, that infamous phone call came. It was so long ago, telephones hung on your wall. We call them landlines now, and if you lived back then, you might have had one in several rooms of your home. We had one in the front of the house in the kitchen and another in the back of the house in a bedroom. My parents had two as well in there home where they lived in Kansas.

One day my parents and Jeff and I were having what we would now call a conference call when each of us just got on one of those phones connected to the wall in our home and we all talked to each other. In the process of the call my parents once again invited us, or maybe it would be better described as begged us to move up to Kansas where they had retired. Being raised an only child and now having the only grandchild, my parents were desperate for us to move closer to them. But I was confident that was never going to happen. I knew our fate was destined to stay in the big city. I was completely okay with that because I had been to Kansas (as my grandparents and extended family lived there) and there was nothing there I wanted.

Once again my parents were asking, but I was convinced that I would, as my parents had, live so far away from my family that we would simply only see each other once or twice a year. Until, Jeff told my parents “Well, I tell you what, if you find me a job up there we will move” I didn’t say anything while we were talking to them on the phone, but as soon as we got off I asked Jeff “You were just pacifying my parents right? We aren’t moving to Kansas, are we? To which Jeff responded ” Yep! We’re moving!” I immediately reminded him that Kansas was in the North and we lived in the South. Because I was certain he had lost his mind for a moment. In my attempt to bring him back to reality I reminded him of all the reasons why we would need to stay in Atlanta, before moving back to the forgotten world of this place they called Kansas.

Finally, after much aggravation on my part, Jeff just said ” I feel like God wants us to move to Kansas” Well, Now I was confident not only had my husband lost his mind but so had God. Because this was not in my plan and if you looked at our bank account, as I informed my husband, there wasn’t enough money for us to get down the road, let alone move from Atlanta GA to Kansas. Jeff assured me he believed this is what we were supposed to do. Still, in disbelief, I informed Jeff. Okay, I will go but only if God provides the money and you know it will take at least $2,000 to move. Confident that I would not have to worry about it happening because it was such an outrageous idea, (now I wish I would have said $10,000) I am certain God was sitting up there saying “Oh! ye of little faith” because in 2 weeks we were pulling up in a U-haul to my parent’s driveway. Miraculously, in that time God provided the money and we moved. (and that is another story)

See none of that was in my plan, and even after God proved himself by providing the money for us to move, I was still in doubt and confused as to why God was taking us to Kansas. Frankly, I did not want to move here even though it is my birthplace. But God began to uncover His plan for us just 6 weeks later. When my mother, in the middle of the night, called out to us from my parent’s bedroom as we slept in the next room ” Alesa, Jeff come quick your daddy is dying” As Jeff and I raced to my daddy’s side. I got to experience something I had prayed for. You see many years earlier I had prayed ” God, Please don’t let me by like my parents and live so far away that when one of them is dying we have to hurry and drive thousands of miles away just praying we get there in time.”

As Jeff and I talked after daddy’s death. He revealed to me that while he was working in Atlanta one day. He was under a house and felt like God had said ” If you want Alesa and Lee to spend any more time with her family, you need to move to Kansas and you need to move to Kansas now ” Jeff said he knew that something was gonna happen and he wanted to make sure I was with my family. There was just something about what he felt God was saying that Jeff knew we had to move. Jeff didn’t know the prayer I had prayed. But God did!

Last week I shared in this article, about how circumstances that come into our lives, might not be what we expect or even want but we can trust the one who brings them to us. Just like Joseph did as he told his brothers that God used the bad things they did, for good. (Gen 30) I can look back now and see what God was doing, and how my dream that Jeff and I being the original Chip and Joanna Gains was not in His plan! He had a greater calling for us. Kansas is where our ministry began, Kansas is where the miracle of last 2 children came, and for the past almost 30 years we have loved and lived in Kansas.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God said ” I know the plans I have for you” notice that word plan is plural. My daughter reminded me of that the other day. So that means God has multiple plans for us to do. If Jeff hadn’t listened to God or worst yet if he had listened to me and we had stayed in the south. I am not sure what would have happened, but I am confident of one thing, our lives would not be the same, we would not have been touched by the special people we have met here in Kansas and I hope somehow we have touched peoples lives here as well. I am so glad we can trust God’s plans for us. As we enter into 2018 let us resolve that we will trust His plan even when we don’t understand it and especially when we dislike it!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Posted on May 27, 2017 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Parenting • Tagged family, find they made a turn forgetting what they learned, Happy Birthday to me, Just be there, Successes, trust God, what good does it do to win the whole world for Jesus and lose our own families souls • 1 Comment

We recently spent sometime with my kids in honor of Mother’s Day and My 51st Birthday since the dates are just 2 weeks apart. We went to one of those break-out/escape rooms, and then sat around a table at a local restaurant and just chatted and reminisced. As I sat back and looked at each of my kids I see the adults they are becoming and I revel in each and everyone of their successes.

See I had many opportunities to do my life differently from what I have, but I don’t believe I would change a thing. See, I could have finished High School, before I got married, but I didn’t. I could have chosen to go to College right after High School but instead I choose to have my first son. I could of chosen to have a musical career when a famous christian artist offered to write songs and produce an album for me, But I didn’t. I choose to stay at home and be a mom. I could of been an ordained minister like my mother who was one of the first ordained woman in the Assemblies of God in the state of Oklahoma, but I didn’t, instead I choose to stay at home and minister to my kids. I could of continued in a successful career as a Assisted Living Director, but I choose to focus on living with my husband and assisting him in every way I could.

Many would say I have given up a lot. Some would even say I sacrificed myself for my family. See to me, none of my successes matter, if I don’t have a family to sit around and enjoy it with. Jeff and I made a commitment a long time ago, truth is, it is our family motto. For we committed, that “What good does it do to win the whole world for Christ, if we lose our own families soul”. Now I know some would say I could’ve had it all and perhaps I could have, but one thing I have learned in this half a century of life, is you can have it all, but something in that equation always has to sacrifice and I wasn’t willing to take a chance that it might be my family that did.

I wouldn’t give up, being up all hours of the night with my babies, dinners around the family table, family nights, friday field-trip days, or piles of dirty laundry for any of it! (okay, maybe the laundry haha!)

See because as I looked around the table and saw each one of my children and the amazing adults they have and are becoming. That is my successes.

My oldest who is an amazing father, who married a wonderful young lady, and has a Master’s Degree in Family and Marriage Therapy. He is a Psychologist making a difference in young boys lives in a boys home everyday. He is beginning to make his way in the political world as well as serving as the online campus pastor at his church and he will forever be the future forward thinking farmer. That is my success, with each success he has, it is my reward as well.

My daughter the up and coming Graphic Designer, on the Dean’s list the last 2 yrs of school, member of Phi-Thetta-Kappa, she has been an Intern and Personal Assistant to the Senator, Amazing Nanny to 8 kids under the age of 11 that she has helped homeschool. Assistant to the online campus pastor at her church, where she led people 2 and 3 times her age. That is my success.

And my youngest son, Who is growing into an amazing adult. Passing all his classes last semester, the hardest working teenager I know. The kid with a heart as big as he is, who will always be my protector, I know God is going to use him in a mighty way, more then just behind the pulpit, he will use him to share His love with others in so many ways. His life is already a testimony and the way he has chosen to live his life. That is my success.

Then there is the up and coming grands, oh what will the future hold for them? I do not know. But, with each of their success it is my success. Because I am confident that because I

Have poured myself into my children, therefore when they pour themselves into their children it is part of me pouring into the grands. Whether my kids choose to teach them similar values and traditions or they choose to go in a totally different way, either of those choices reflect what I have taught them.

Has our lives been perfect, No. Do we fight and argue, Yes. But I am thrilled to know when I look in the eyes of each of my family members, I get to see a love for Christ and a desire to serve Him with so much passion that I know it runs to the core of who they are and for that, I am very thankful. Because what good would it of been for us to win the whole world for Jesus and lose our own children’s souls?

Do I think we are home free and I don’t have to worry about my children any longer? Not for one minute! I pray for them regularly, the older they get the more prayers they need and the more I worry about them. And if somewhere along the way any of them find that they have made a turn forgetting what they learned, on their journey in this relationship with God. I know that He is forever standing there with His arms outstretched, waiting for them to come home. Because they know, that all I expect of them is to be there! (Heaven) Because none of their successes matter if they aren’t.

But I do trust in the one that gave them to me and I have chosen to believe that He will honor the choices I have made in raising them and because I thoroughly believe, I did what He asked me to do, to the best of my ability and so I have no regrets as I tip over the half a century mark, and I am thankful, that I still only feel like I am 29 on most days!

The Ananais Complex

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Christian growth, encouragement • Tagged Acts 22:12-16, Acts 9:10-16, Ananais, Conversion of Paul, Conversion of Saul, Disheartedned, ministry, Never give up, Paul, Ready to quit, Saul, The Ananais Complex, Tortoise and the Hare, trust God, you win • Leave a comment

You are in ministry. You have given your life for the call of God. That means doing things like staying up late at night with strangers because they need to talk; maybe missing a meal with the family because a parishioner is in need. It means getting a late night call and running out to be with the family of someone who was just in an accident. It means surprise guests for dinner; driving someone to the next town because they have no other way there. It means sometimes spending your family’s budget more on the ministry then on your family. It means you probably drive a used car and live in a house where you have no say as to what color it is or where it is located.
Well, that is ministry in the “traditional sense.” You know, the one where it is just understood that the Pastor is the only one who can tell someone about Jesus because, after all, he has the degree and gets the pay check.
Often times in ministry, whether in the “traditional sense” or not, those of us who tell others about Jesus have felt like, “Why should I even keep doing this? I am not appreciated; and I am not doing any good?” We are the unmentioned in the Bible; you know, the kind who do what they are supposed to do but never really see great things happen in their ministry, like thousands coming to hear them speak! No, we are that rural pastor in the town of two hundred, faithfully serving His community and church of twenty souls. We are the faithful turtle in the Tortoise and the Hare story; just plugging along, maybe working a secular job simply to make ends meet. Why? – Because of our passion for Christ and desire to serve Him. We wait and listen for that still small voice so we can do what God has called us to do, to be some instrument of His will.
Recently, I was reading the story of Saul’s conversion and something jumped out at me I had never noticed before and it got me thinking…..
Acts 9:10-16 New International Version (NIV)
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

When people read this story, their focus usually is on Saul, but today let’s looks at the other main character in this story: Ananias. Not much is said about Ananias. In fact only this and one other verse comments on him in the whole bible.
Acts 22:12-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. 15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

It says he was “a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews” . . .
That’s it! A devout man . . . having a good testimony! That’s all the Bible says about him. Nowhere else in the Bible is this man mentioned.

Perhaps Ananias was a faithful pastor or maybe just an ordinary follower of Christ, giving his best to God every day. Probably feeling like he wasn’t making a huge difference in his community. Possibly feeling some days, like “What’s the use? I am not making a difference.” It is very possible he never really knew, in this life, the impact his obedience to God had when he went and prayed for Saul. Little did he realize what Saul would go on to do and the tremendous impact Saul would have on the world. I seriously doubt that Ananias ever thought Saul would write almost two thirds of the New Testament when he spoke the words, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know . . . For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard . . .” I am pretty sure Ananias was only considering the healing that had just taken place in Saul’s body and had no idea of the magnitude of what this guy, who was later called Paul, would do for God. Little did he know that the Bible, which Paul was a huge part of writing, would still be being sold over 2000 years later. WOW! Talk about IMPACT! So many times we get focused on the “here and now” and forget that God’s vision is so much bigger than the “here and now!” His thoughts are eternal!
I don’t know what you are feeling today, but you need to know that, as long as you are following what God has called you to do, you are not a failure and you have no idea of what impact you are making on those around you. We don’t know who the “Paul” may be, in your life. So don’t be disheartened; don’t give up; never quit! Just trust in God. Continue to do what He has called you to do. You may feel like the tortoise in this race of life, but remember: in the end, the tortoise wins!

Reasons your daughter should not move out of the house!!!

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Alesa Miller • Posted in Christian growth, encouragement, fear, Grief, Parenting • Tagged all things for our good, Best friends forever, changes, dying my hair, fingernail polish, God supplies all our needs, God works all thing for our good, her clothes, Kansas City, leap of faith, move out, my closet, Reasons your daughter should not move out of the house, trust God • Leave a comment

I am a firm believer in helping others in this walk of life. I believe we are all on this journey together and as I walk my path of faith, I need to look back and hold out my hand to encourage someone who may be behind me. In the same way, I believe there are others further along on this journey who reach back to me and pull (and, let’s face it, sometimes they DRAG) me along!

Because of that I am compelled today to write about this whole empty-nest thing that my husband and I are experiencing. Granted, we still have our 17-year-old (gulp – can’t believe he is that old!) son at home. But, for this week we have been empty-nesters. You see, our son has been at camp for two weeks and during that time we moved our daughter back to Kansas City to attend college. So, for the past week we have been practicing empty-nesting.

I have to say, it is quite different than what I expected. My overall view of it is that, while I have gained an almost-perfectly-clean house for the first time in 29 years, it is WAY too quiet! I have to honestly say, as much as I ranted and raved about keeping the house clean when the kids were at home. I would give it all up to hear them laughing in the other room or break out in song while driving down the road.

There have been some specific disadvantages to our daughter’s absence, that I didn’t feel the effect of when our oldest son moved out over 10 years ago. (Yes, there is 10 years difference between our first 2 children) While lamenting to my husband over the fact that our daughter was leaving, he responded to me, “What am I, chopped liver? I will still be here.” To which I replied, “Are you going to go shopping with me, paint my nails, and dye my hair for me?” To which he promptly retorted, “Nope, not me!”

There have been some other disadvantages of her leaving as well:
1. She took HER clothes out of MY closet! How rude! I thought possession was 9/10 of the law!
2. She took the good fingernail polish with her! The fact that it was HER fingernail polish to begin with is beside the point! Couldn’t she have left me a parting gift? (Smile!) 
3. She is/was my right hand in almost everything I did. And now that she is an adult, I can say with full confidence, we are “BFF’s – BEST FRIENDS FOREVER! Therefore, I miss her terribly!

Amy’s closet looks awful empty

Yet, with all the changes – and my selfish reasons for missing my daughter – I am so thankful to hear the joy in her voice when she calls; to know the excitement she feels when returning to the comfort of what she calls home. I draw peace from the fact that she has a huge support system with our church family back in KC and I am confident that, as much as I love her, there is a Heavenly Father who loves her more than I do, and He is watching over her.

Oh, I know the next few years will hold many changes for me and for our family but there is one thing that will remain the same: the steadfast love of God. He is faithful, and He will never leave us. I know that I can call on Him whenever I have a problem and He will always be there.

And in those times when I feel alone and afraid, unsure of what the future holds, I rest in the confidence that I know who holds the future! When I have that desire to be in control and try to figure it all out on my own, it is in those times I must learn to sit back and lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus because He is my rock, my fortress, and the only one on whom I can depend

A friend posted these words on Facebook this week and they are absolutely true. “I know that God always supplies our every need according to his riches in glory. I’m starting to understand that walking with God is just one leap of faith after another. I don’t think it ever gets easier, I just think we learn to trust God more.”

” I’m starting to understand that walking with God is just one leap of faith after another. I don’t think it ever gets easier, I just think we learn to trust God more.” January Lare

”Isn’t that the very basis of our foundation in Christ – “Trust”? We have to trust or there is no foundation for our faith walk. And that is what this life is, whether you are a new mom, empty-nesting mom, or unsure if you will ever be a mom. It all comes down to trust. If we have truly surrendered our heart to Him, it is just one trusting leap of faith after another.

My daughter states there is one phrase that has helped her keep it together through this time of transition for her and it is this: “If your dreams do not scare you, then they are not big enough”

” If your dreams do not scare you then they are not big enough ” Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

I hope today, that whatever dream God has put in your heart, it is so big it scares you to death! Because, I know there is a God who is right there beside you, ready to hold your hand and walk with you. He cares for you and wants to see you succeed in everything you do. Sometimes it can get scary, getting to the place where He wants us to be, but we can rest on the fact that He is working “all things for our good !”……..

Won’t you trust Him today?

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB

Behind the Parsonage Walls (Connecting Everyday Life to Christ)

By Alesa Lewis Miller

Tag Archives: trust God