The Jimenez Family

Sadly, there seems to be quite a disconnect today between biblical leadership and the standard of the Word of God. There have been many leaders raised up because of their passion, their zeal, their talents...but because of their lack of depth...their brightness fades and ultimately they crash...taking along with them those that were trailing behind.
As a church, we have put too much importance on those that have acquired followings...secured book deals...accumulated podcasts....and amassed a mega-church. But where has that left us. Do we truly have leaders? Those that will take us into these perilous times and withstand the heat of persecution? Do we have those that will be steadfast in the fury of relativism and uphold the absolute truth of the Gospel? Leaders that remain unwavering not tossed back and forth by the waves...or blown here and there by every wind of teaching and the cunning craftiness? Are we following leaders that have scorned the world and sacrificially stayed true to the message of the cross?

Remember those who led you...who spoke the Word of God to you...

and considering the result of their conduct...imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:7

Spoke the Word of God to you...

First and foremost...the Word of God is essential to leadership. We can come up with our clever one-liners...or our experiential psychology. But it is the Word of God that needs to be spoken over this hurting world. The bookstore has lined it's shelves with helpful theology books that keep our minds thinking and even at times our hearts convicted...but they are NOT the inspired Word. They cannot pierce between bone and marrow...they are not alive...judging the intentions of our hearts. Too often, our leaders reach for the nearest book to propel us forward...to kindle a flame beneath us. But these "book" studies are no substitute for the power that is held in God's spoken Word.
A true leader will lead by presenting the Bible...in it's inerrant entirety. In every situation...every circumstance...every trial. A true leader will exhort us to examine the Word for ourselves...holding us accountable to the standard found therein. A true leader will speak the Word of God to us.

considering the result of their conduct...

There have been quite a few prominent Christian leaders in the headlines lately...and not because their ministries are prospering...or their churches growing. No, unfortunately, it is because they have fallen...hard. Their lives being in the spotlight draw much attention when they do not follow the practices they preach. Purity. Fidelity. Integrity.

As a church, we have come to "excuse" sinful behavior. Disclaiming the standard by stating that "no one is perfect"...thus allowing the role of pastor...teacher...leader to be on par with those they are leading. But aren't we called to hold those that assume this position to a more higher standard? Didn't James tell us that it

is a role that you should think seriously about before entering into?
A true leader will be one that lives his life in transparency before the Lord. Not because he is perfect...but because he has nothing to be ashamed of. Because he takes his role seriously. Because he will say as Paul did, Imitate me, as I imitate Christ.

There is much at stake here. A church that is faltering and flickering in her influence around her...needs strong leaders that daily say no to the temptations of the flesh. Leaders that live out their marriages...parenting...and leading in such a way that those around them are exhorted to do the same. Leaders that cause us to want to grow more...be more...learn more. Leaders that point us to Christ...the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

imitate their faith...

To imitate means to model, emulate, copy. How can we copy something that is non-existent? Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith should be the driving force of our churches. Radical faith that propels us forward to evangelize...sacrificially give...minister to the broken...impact the landscape of our culture. But it seems at times, that some of the leaders of today are content with church attendance...tithe...and a smattering of Biblical truth. We have programs that keep us busy...activities that "plug" us in with each other...but faith? Is it essential to the lives we are living? Is it called upon daily...as necessary to us as the air we breath?

A true leader lives his life in such a way it can only be explained by faith and the Spirit of God. One who is not satisfied with the routine and "sameness" of ministry...but seeks the Spirit to lead and guide in every aspect. A true leader incorporates faith into his marriage...his home...his daily application of Scripture. Taking God at His Word and boldly claiming the truth of His promises.

Biblical leadership.

There are those around us that truly exemplify this standard of leadership. But it has come at great cost...sacrifice...surrender. So remember those who led you. Pray for them. Encourage them. Be thankful for them. And while we all might not be pastors of a church or leaders of a ministry...we all have a sphere of influence that look to us as a leader. Live out this biblical leadership. Choose the standard of God's Word as your measuring rod. Hold your own self to that level and compromise not.

Every Sunday night I begin the ritual of preparation.

I pack water bottles. Check snack bags. Look for ministry books. Grab the blessing bags. Print out a sound permit. Find the ipod. Restock toys and coloring books. Write out verses.

And pray.

Pray again.

Then pray some more.

There is no predictability to the ministry at the abortion mill.

I minister with the same people...on the same sidewalk...with the same resources and materials...

but each person that drives down Latrobe brings a soulful of heartache...different from the last.

So while we have a definite structure and routine to the ministry...there is the uniqueness that comes with it that falls completely outside of our control.

And that is why prayer has become the only one ESSENTIAL in this ministry.

Prayer is where the action is.

Six months ago...I was able to see the power of prayer be put into action.

On this particular morning, I had received several texts from friends and messages letting me know that I had been on their hearts and that they were covering me in prayer.

My friends and family have been so very faithful in keeping me surrounded and protected through prayer on our ministry days...this one was no different.

I saw a car pulling down the road and walked over to see if I could speak with them before they went inside.

They stopped and rolled down their window.

Immediately I asked them if they would like to go to the pregnancy resource center and receive a free ultrasound.

(Not my normal intro...but in hindsight I know that the Spirit was orchestrating everything)

The young man agreed. The young girl was not quite ready.

After a few minutes of conversation she agreed to head over to the PRC.

Once there...we heard their story.

It was a common one...young...in school...not ready to have a baby...pressures...expectations.

But then...Ethan* told his story.

He came from a large, loving family. But sadly, eight years earlier his family had all been killed in a tragic car accident.

Four siblings. Two parents. Gone...in an instant.

He was alone.

As he told us his story...tears rolled down his cheeks. He knew that the sweet little one growing inside Anna's* womb was his flesh and blood. His family.

We talked awhile with him...asked him if he knew of God's plan of salvation...reassured him of the resources we had available to him...exchanged numbers...and then reluctantly left him in the hands of the PRC.

It was so hard to drive away. Not knowing what the outcome was for that precious life...or for Ethan and Anna.

Several hours later I received a text...."we are keeping the baby. I cannot thank you enough for being out there. I know God sent you today to help us."

We kept the relationship open. I encouraged them to plug back into church. To get married. To surround themselves with godly couples.

Amazingly, they did. Several months later they were married.

And then we were able to drive up and bless them with an incredible baby shower through Truth and Mercy ministries.

During the shower, Ethan told me that he had prayed and prayed that morning before going to the abortion mill. He knew that it was wrong but didn't know how to change Anna's mind. Or how else to support her.

He prayed specifically that God would send an angel to block their path...and he said, "there you were".

This past week...their little boy was born. Healthy. Beautiful. Loved. Treasured.

As I drove up to see him, praying for his parents and the journey ahead of them...I prayed.

Thanking the Lord for His passionate pursuit of us...in spite of our sin.

Thanking the Lord for allowing us to be a small part of His intricate sovereign plan.
Thanking the Lord for the saints that spend hours on their knees covering this ministry.

And when I held that precious little guy in my arms...I wept.

Overwhelmed with the reality of contrast between life and death.

Seeing his sweet face and tiny fingers...knowing that his future had been precarious.

I wept at the love written across his parents face.

My presence being there reminding them again of how close they had come.

The power of prayer...the love of a Savior...the conviction of the Spirit...the willingness of the Father...

and a baby was born.

No matter how much preparation I do...how much experience I gain...how much wisdom I collect...there is no substitute for prayer.

On that day in October...prayer radically changed four unique lives.

*I changed their names for to protect their privacy

Easter usually catches me a bit off guard.

Maybe because I am counting down the days till the end of school.

Maybe because the date of Easter changes every year.

Maybe because the weather around me doesn't seem to correlate with the correct season.

Maybe because Spring seems to be synonymous with busy.

Whatever the case may be...I usually remember that Easter is coming...and scramble to put something together for the kids to do to in remembrance.

Not this year.

I was determined to have a week long of activities that kept our minds engaged and our hearts focused.

Every day of the week, the kids had something to do that centered around the Passion week.

One blustery day, we headed to the park for a scavenger hunt with friends.

Each of the kids had a list of items they needed to find...something sharp, something colorful, something alive, etc.

Once they had their collection, we sat down and read through the Scriptures that went with each item.

Something sharp represented the thorns that were placed on Jesus' brow.

Something alive represented our new life in Christ.

It was a cold...but fun day for the kids to tangible learn about the Easter story.

We also did plenty of crafts...when I say plenty it means we did enough crafts to suffice me for the rest of the year! ;-)

We did stained glass crosses...coin covered crosses - because Jesus paid it all....resurrection rolls and several others.

The kids had a good time creating and getting messy.

Saturday before Easter we hosted several families for brunch and egg hunt.

Unfortunately...it rained and rained and rained the entire time everyone was here.

We had people bursting the seem of the house...but everyone still had a great time!

We even managed to convince the dads to endure the rain and hide the eggs for the kids...though given the rain the eggs were pretty easy to find.

The kids ended up soggy...muddy...grassy...and happy! :-)

Sunday morning was spent in beautiful reflection of our Savior's sacrifice.

We were able to have several great conversations with the kids and listened to what Easter meant to them.

It was a fun...memorable week...once again reminding us to keep our eyes on the Author and Perfecter of our faith!

In November I started going out to the abortion mill on a different day. I had been going on Tuesdays for the past year...and we had developed a great team of ministry. But there were several days that only had one family ministering and my heart went out to them...knowing how hard it is to be out there alone. So I prayed about it...and made the switch.
It took some adjusting...of our schedule...our time...and just learning the different personalities that are out there. But God has blessed us on Mondays and now we have several others out there joining us on the sidewalks. We also have seen incredible fruit and had many significant interactions. This year alone..since January...the ministry of Cities 4 Life has seen over 100 women chose life for their babies. These are women that were heading into the abortion clinic. Decision set. Mind made up. And God intervened and allowed them the opportunity to chose life. Praise the LORD!! We are so blessed to be a small part of this ministry...and that God allows us to watch His faithfulness and mercy unfold right before our very eyes.

But there are some days that are hard. Very hard. Last Monday was one of those days. Not long after we had arrived and had gotten settled we saw a woman start walking towards us. She was talking to someone on the phone and we heard her say, "Hold on a minute, I need to talk to these ladies before I go make the worst decision of my life." She was clearly struggling and had tears coming down her cheeks. One of the other counselors, Vicki, started speaking with her and eventually this young mother agreed to have a free ultrasound.

We are very blessed to have a mobile ultrasound unit (a retrofitted RV) that comes and parks on the sidewalk with us. So Vicki and "S" walked over to the unit and those of us on the sidewalk began to pray fervently for her heart to be softened. Not long after, a man drove into the parking lot and began looking around a bit frantically. He asked if he could use one of our cell phones and we asked if he would be interested in taking our literature. He would not. He then asked if we had seen someone and described her for us. We knew he was looking for "S"...and she was on the ultra sound unit. We also knew that there was a high chance that he would be encouraging her to abort...not save her baby. We tried to buy her a few more minutes alone on the unit...but eventually he walked right on..and several minutes later walked off with "S". They began a loud argument that ended with some pushing and shoving. Crying "S" tried to talk with us and we tried to our best to intervene.

The situation only escalated from there...and eventually the police were called. We were worried for "S" and her safety...and we also were concerned that she was being forced to have an abortion.

Once the police arrived they pulled "S" into a safe room and privately asked her if she felt threatened or coerced. Sadly, she negated any concerns and told the police that she was willfully choosing abortion...that it was what was best for her.

In the midst of all this craziness...I felt a tap on my shoulder. To say I was emotionally charged at this moment would be a slight understatement! I was wrapped up in the moment...speaking to "S"...the police...other counselors...getting counsel over the phone from the ministry heads...etc. I was definitely consumed with what was going on around me. But then...the tap. The little interruption.

It was my sweet friend, Jill, letting me know that something was about to transpire. Something that I would definitely want to be a part of! As all of the drama was unfolding, Jill had been engaging the younger two Jimenez kids with her art on the sidewalk. (Jill is an incredible artist!) She had been illustrating the story of Jesus and had culminated with His death and resurrection. Apparently, this had so moved Jackson to the point that he was asking about salvation. She explained what he needed to do...and at that point felt it was time to get Mom! So...on the sidewalk of an abortion mill...with darkness encroaching all around us...my son felt the moving of the Holy Spirit and responded to His call. He asked Jesus to wash his heart and make it clean. With two sweet little tears trailing down his chubby cheeks, he asked if Jesus would forgive him and give him a new heart. It was an incredible moment. A moment that once again reinforced my understanding that it is GOD who wills and moves as He chooses.

I don't want to miss out on these opportunities in my children's lives...simply because I am in the middle of living life. I do not want to be so wrapped up in the moment or the situation that I lose sight of what God is doing in their hearts.

Another of these opportunities recently happened with Amy.

For the past year or so, Amy has been adamant that she has moved beyond "girly" things. She passed her Barbies and dolls onto her younger sister and has been increasingly more vocal about the things the she does not like.

I don't mind either way. She has her preferences and I expect her to have opinions of her own. (Personally I have never been much of a "girly-girly" so I thought she was taking after me!)

But what I did not find acceptable was her comments to her friend this past weekend. She said several things about "girly" things...and those that still played with them...that sounded a bit mean. Almost as if she was superior because of her lack of interest in them.

I let several days go by and prayed about the conversation that was coming up. Usually...I do not approach these situations with the most insight. What I see...or what I observe...tends to be surface level...which does not go beyond behavior. But for some reason, the Lord prompted me to get to the bottom of the "girly" issue.

So I asked Amy...what is the problem with "girly" things? What exactly is "girly"? Why are you so opposed to things that are "girly"? And then we talked. Amy shared her heart. Underneath all of the pretense was a desire to be different. To be special. Unique. Amy had tried to transform her natural inclinations to place her outside of the realm of what was considered "normal". Many tears were shed as Amy tried to verbalize what had been changing her heart. And what an incredible conversation opened up through that transparency. We talked about the danger of conforming. The identity we have in Christ. The value she has in her place in our family. The beauty of her personality and the transformation of salvation.

To be honest...I walked out of her room with an incredible sense of awe in my God. That He would open up this little point in time and give me an opportunity to share with my daughter the truths that I pray will live with her forever. That at nine years of age...we touched on a subject that many of us struggle with all of our lives. That He would equip Amy with the ability to communicate and understand how much this was changing who she is. Who He created her to be.

I am sure that as time goes by this will be a conversation that is revisited. That we will go over the truths that we learned that afternoon. But I pray that as life continues to speed up...that God will stop me and give me a glimpse of what He is transpiring in their hearts. In the midst of life...

Blog Archive

POPULAR POSTS