Trust and Obey Pt 2

Let me share a little history of how our family first met Josh's family. Our family knew of the Langemann's through mutual friends, the Fehrs. On occasion the Langemann family would come to our area to visit the Fehr's and the Langemann's always blessed our church fellowship with their gifts of music and enthusiasm.

Over the years I was blessed to become acquainted with their second child, Christy. We would not see each other often, but always visited together after church when they were in the area, and I would hear news of the family every now and then through the Fehrs. Though I didn't know the family well, I could see Christ in their lives and there was a respect in my heart for them. In Christy I saw an example of consistent joy and contentment which can be brought only by God's grace. Though side-by-side we are the same height, I still look up to Christy and thank Father for the love that her life displays.


What I did not notice was that while I was happily observing the Langemann family and enjoying getting to know Christy a little bit was that my Dad was observing one particular Langemann, and that was Josh, Christy's older brother. Dad was always blessed by Josh's transparency and sincerity, and would often greet him and visit together any time the Langemann's were with our church fellowship. From observing their family I knew they had a practical love for God and that each of the children were secure in their family relationships. Josh's Dad is one of the most awesome pianist I have ever heard, and I remember as a little girl trying to sit where I could see his hands move across the keyboard when he played piano!

Back to the talk Dad and I were having on the combine that afternoon in late July.... I was astounded when it turned to specifics! I didn't really think we were having “the talk.” I thought it was more just an encouraging “watch and wait” talk from my faithful Dad. As “the talk” progressed I soon learned otherwise, which was a complete delight and overwhelming blessing to my heart. I literally had no words to say when Dad mentioned Josh by name. The first words that entered my mind were directed to my Father “What are Your thoughts?” Before I could answer my Dad, I had to track my memory back a little bit to recall Josh specifically. I realized I had never had a conversation with him, and had no specific remembrance of actually being introduced to Josh at any time. This quite astounded my Dad, but things like that don't really matter when God is orchestrating your song though! I knew enough to trust and to walk the road of prayer and willingness and see what Father would do with it.

It was agreed that our family would travel to Denver, CO, to meet the Langemann's and visit with them for the week of Sept 11-16, 2007. The verse from Proverbs “Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established” was the prayer of my heart for each individual that week. We could not have seen the Lord answer in more amazing and abundant ways! There were seventeen of us in one home for a week, and peace reigned in our midst the entire time.
Much individual and joint seeking of the Lord had been had by Josh, his parents, my parents, and myself, and at the end of that week it was agreed that we progress on a “friendship with intent” and follow God's leading towards marriage, committing to follow only Him and obey Him at any costs as we waited for His timing to be revealed in our lives.

The best picture to which I can liken my heart at this time was that of a channel. There was a supply of pure water flowing through, and it was like I was simply watching from a distance, yet close enough to the picture to know that it was happening to me and close enough to feel Father's hand of guidance and keeping.

Over the next two months Josh and I got to know each other more through email, phone calls, and instant messaging. :o) We simply shared life as it was happening for us, and through that we learned more of who God had made each of us to be. We continued to discover the beautiful unity of God as we shared of our experiences and saw His hand in each of them. It was good to have a friend speak the truth to you when you needed it! What amazed me was that each time one of us would want to encourage the other we would turn to the Friend who sticks closer than a brother and share His words of hope and life with one other!

I moved home from Chicago in October, and was blessed to become part of “family life” again! Then, in November, I went to spend two weeks with Josh and his family, having not seen any of them since the time in September when both families were together. I arrived on a Thursday and enjoyed a weekend with Josh and his siblings. We went to church together on Sunday and I was able to get to know the people there a little better this time! I also got to watch them rehearse and perform a concert with an orchestra Josh and some of his siblings participated in, which was very special for me!

The Lord very specifically directed our course of thoughts and actions over the next two days, and then Tuesday, the thirteenth of November arrived. This was already a special day for me because it is my youngest sister's birthday, as well as Josh's Mom's birthday. However, the day was about to become all the more special!! That evening we enjoyed putting on a birthday dinner for Josh's Mom, after which Josh and I retired to the music room where we sat and studied the Word together for a couple hours. Our time together led into prayer and worship and then, in the context of lifting his heart up to God, Joshua asked me to marry him!

It took me a second to realize that he was no longer praying, and then I joyfully realized the question that had just been asked me! Lifting my head, I looked up into his face hemmed with anticipation and gently said “Yes, I will.” From that point on, we took to calling Josh “Mr. Grin” because that described the state of his face from that moment on! After a few moments it registered in my heart what had just happened, and then I clarified the answer I had given Josh with the words “it would be an honour.” I have always wanted to say those words to the man of God that would become my husband as a purpose of commitment to honour him, for Father teaches in Scripture that this is to be the conduct of wives toward their husbands. (Ephesians 5, 1 Peter 3)

Lord willing, Josh and I are planning to be married May 18,2008 in my hometown of Foremost. Josh is a Canadian citizen, and is looking to re-locate back in Canada sometime in March or April as I am not able to obtain a visa suitable for living in the USA.

The morning after Josh proposed, this was the prayer my heart lifted up to the Lord:

A most precious gift You've given to me,
A gift of love and purity,
In my beloved's eyes Your light I see,
And “Thank You, Father,” is my plea.

“What You began, Father, do complete
O let us be Your hands and feet;
To share of Your love with each one we meet,
Knowing joy at the mercy seat.”

Josh and I were both reading through the book of Isaiah during the time of our engagement, and in closing I'd like to share a few verses that were the lamp to our feet during the time of our engagement.

Isaiah 12:2,3,6 “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy, you will draw water from the wells of salvation... Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

Isaiah 61:3,7,10,11 “To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified...Instead of your shame you shall have double honour, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs... I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

Isaiah 65:18,19,22,23 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in My people, The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying...They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people. And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, And their offspring with them.”

Josh and Erin, engaged November 13, 2007

Trust and Obey Pt 1

“Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.” Isaiah 30:18

This past fall I kept hearing a new phrase overflow from my lips. It was a phrase that for all my life I had believed to be true, and had experienced it in many simple and beautiful things before, but something in my life changed this past fall, and through that change the phrase “worth the wait” has come to mean so much more to me. (see Nov 29,2007 and Jan 26,2008 posts)

A phrase from Ecclesiastes comes to mind, “And He has set eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” As I look back on my life I see the faithful work and preparation and provision of my heavenly Father, and that teaches me to rest in His faithfulness as I also look ahead. Truly His work is far greater than I can grasp, and I am so thankful to be a vessel in His hands.

On September 11, 2007, I met the man God created for me to stand alongside as helpmeet, companion, and lover for as many days as Father sees fit to give us together. The Lord has been preparing my heart for this season in my life, and I have never known more full rejoicing in the Lord's timing than I have through the receiving of the gift of Joshua Langemann, my fiance and hero. Let me now share some of the story Father has been writing in our lives.

This summer I came home to visit my family for two weeks, with the intent to return to Chicago again afterwards to continue serving at the IBLP Headquarters until October. At the end of my July visit, while harvesting winter-wheat on our farm together, my Dad shared with me that he sensed it was time for change in my life. He shared a few specific things of how he saw the Lord's preparation and timing in readying me for a marriage relationship, and that the Lord was indeed leading and providing in that direction for me. With awe and wonderment my little heart contentedly received Dad's words. In sincere trust in the Lord, I breathed a thankful prayer of awe and wonderment up to my Heavenly Father.

Dad went on to explain that Albert Langemann, Joshua's Dad, had contacted my Dad about a month earlier and asked towards the possibility of visiting my parents on the farm to “get to know them better.” A mutual and well-loved friend had been instrumentally used of the Lord in connecting our two families, and now it was time for the Langemann's to meet the Collin's and see what the Lord would do! Mr. and Mrs. Langemann, along with several of their children, were to pay a visit to my parents and brothers on the farm the day after I returned to Chicago, where my sisters were also serving.

As I continued to listen to my Dad that day on the combine, I realized more than ever before how blessed I was to have two fathers I could trust – my Heavenly Father, and my earthly one. I could not have imagined anything more precious than for my earthly father to share with me about the leading from my heavenly Father that was being made reality in my life. What was being asked was that a relationship would begin between our family and the Langemann family and that we would earnestly seek the leading of the Lord concerning how the relationship should continue. When Dad talked to me that day it was for the purpose of having me pray about this along with my parents. The sense Father gave me was one of openness and willingness to proceed and see how He would lead.

Several of the Langemann family did indeed visit our home later that week, during which time the children enjoyed getting to know one another and the parents had time to speak together. Joshua was not with his family at the time of this visit. Dad needed to continue with the harvest, and his cab was now open to another rider, Albert Langemann, Josh's Dad. During that visit Dad tells me they did share together concerning our family's getting to know one another better and to seek the Lord as to the possibility of an specific friendship beginning between Joshua and myself. It was agreed that our family would travel to Denver in the fall to visit with the Langemann's in their home. After the visit in July and much time seeking the Lord, Joshua flew up to visit my parents the first weekend in August, so as to further pursue the heart of God on this matter. I was still serving in Chicago, learning to really wait upon the Lord, and to receive everything from Him. This was a prayer I wrote the weekend the Langemann's visited our farm.
“Rest near thy King, o my soul,
Worship Him who's in control;
Lean on Him, the perfect One,
In sweet communion with His Son.

He, the very God of all,
Is very nigh when thou dost call.
Fellowship He made for thee,
The fullness of the Trinity.

Made for moments come and gone,
For where the Lord will lead thee on;
Believe in thy Saviour's mind,
Joy in His tender mercies kind.

Patience' song, having begun
Must now continue to be sung;
Waiting now reality
Walk with thy God in purity.

Thou hast believed the Author,
Thou art His adopted daughter;
Love Him more with all thou art,
He will finish what He did start.

New beginnings welling up,
More of His faithfulness to sup;
Leading from this chosen place
Deeper into His perfect grace.

Grace in trial has made thee true,
Now trust within His mercies new;
Let Him sing rejoicing's song,
Trusting, for to Him you belong.

Grace sufficient will be there,
What joy on Him to cast thy care,
Leaning wholly on His breast,
In newness thou wilt learn to rest.”
- EBC 7-29-07

My Dad is a farmer, and that day in July when we shared together on the combine, Dad nurtured a seedling Father had started in my heart years ago that was now about to bring forth and bud. My Dad was so happy and confident, and that really gave me reason to “trust and obey” because at this point I did not know Josh at all. However, though I did not know Josh, I knew my Father (Heavenly) and Josh knew Father too! Resting in that knowledge carved a road of watchful willingness on which my feet could walk. My Heavenly Father is wise in His dealings with His children, and does not tempt and tease them, but works for their good because it brings Him glory! How precious it is when brethren dwell together in the unity of their King!



Daniel Langemann, Avery Collin, and Amy Langemann




Mrs. Langemann (Lorrie) and Christy

Waiting

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

The beauty of the Alberta prairies in the winter months can be stunning. Trees which one season ago were stripped of their leaves by the changing winds of fall now stand stately and bare, bravely holding their ground against the frigid temperatures and barren ground. Snow doesn't fall often here in the arid farm lands of Alberta, but when it does the sight is glorious. Endless miles of stubble and prairie grass can look very dismal in the fall, but the splendour and beauty that graces them when the snow falls is simply amazing.

It blesses me so much to see a picture of God's purpose for my life through these simple things in nature. Father Nature touches His creation and gives a different beauty to each of His creatures season by season. Take a tree for example. Come spring, we all will revel in the fresh growth and buds of green that break forth into healthy, vibrant leaves. In summer, we will revel in her shade. When fall arrives we will delight in the palate of earth tones that spray forth from her branches. We will frolic in the leaves as they fall, and perhaps use them to decorate our home for Thanksgiving. But what of winter? What is the glory of the tree? To look at her she looks bare and cold, perhaps she may even appear to us as dead. Her only beauty comes from that which rests on her, that which is given her. The frost that hugs her branches shows the intricate beauty of her strength, for every little sprig on the tree is covered by six-pointed snow flakes that descend from chambers above. When the breeze meets these flakes, they fall to the ground in a dancing shower of diamonds. The tree could do nothing in and of itself to arrive at this state of grandeur - nothing - except to wait and be ready.

I once wrote a poem about waiting. It is something always relevant to life, though her tempo and fervency may indeed change, season by season. Oh how precious it is to have the privilege of serving the King of kings!! In each moment of our lives we have the glorious treasure of Emmanuel being by our side. We truly experience nothing alone – nothing.

While we wait on God in active service “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship” we also wait in patient dependence, for Him to direct and provide. Oh how great the longing when you are waiting! Longing for the Giver as well as for His gifts. The most glorious of all is that Father waits with us. His thoughts toward us are precious, and He loves to give good gifts to His children. He lives in us, and in Him we are to live on this earth. He loves to show His glory in our lives. Just like the beauty He paints on the tree season by season, so He paints a beauty in our lives season by season which brings glory to His name. Sometimes, the beauty is from ashes. Sometimes we may not see the beauty but as long as we are in His hand we can trust that He is making all things beautiful in its time.

"A gift, called, Waiting,
Given to children of the King,
For through it they will learn,
A reason why their God must sing.
The blessing of desire
Calls for a patient, holy grace,
The King longs for His own,
He watches them throughout the race.
His eyes behold each one,
As He fashions beauty within,
And this fuels His longing,
As for Him each one seeks to win.

His love is set on us,
And mercy – mercy is the seal,
Set upon hearts in time,
The ache eternity will heal.
This gift we're called to share
With an omniscient, holy God,
The one who made our hearts
Can keep them on this sod.
In Him we can delight,
When we seek His kingdom first,
He extends grace and hope,
While after His purpose we thirst."
EBC 12-2-06