Book 3. Disagreeable and Contentious “Rejected for Good”

CHAPTER 1
Outside in the Hall

Chapter 1
Outside in the Hall

Do you remember reading On the Rock, “Set Apart” when Erin’s desk was moved out into the hallway as punishment? Well, Erin spent a good portion of her school years—rejected. And even though no one wants to be rejected, God chooses the rejected to build ministries and missions.

Instead of being with everyone else, Erin was rejected and set apart from her classmates. At her private school, students were only permitted to talk when they were outside during recess—never in the classroom, washroom, or hallways.  

Remaining quiet all day was difficult for Erin, who was blessed with a God-given passion for communicating. But like all God’s gifts, they’re reserved for His good use—not to feed our flesh and make us feel good. Feeding our flesh is human nature but it falls short of our spiritual nature designed for us as His princess. 

In the hallway, however, Erin wasn’t alone, nor did she feel alone. Remember how she’d learned to be with the Lord, who was closer than a Brother? Sadly, many never realize that the Lord is right next to us—just by inviting Him into our hearts—as I hope you read in My First Love "Closer than a Brother." This means Erin could talk all day long, in her heart, to her Prince of Peace, who rescued her from ever feeling rejected.

CHAPTER 2
SELF-Love??

Chapter 2
SELF-Love??

Feeling alone is a clever scheme the enemy uses to make us believe the lie that our heavy hearts are because we need to learn to love ourselves. The keyword is SELF. When God sent His Son to live on the earth, He came for many reasons. The first was to break the chains of death so we can live eternally, living forever with Him. Another was to leave us an example to how to live. The Good Lord describes Himself by saying, “I am gentle and humble in heart” and when we live like this, humbly, we are promised to find rest for our souls. He also says that living humbly means we are yoked or connected to Him, and it will be both easy and light.

The Good Shepherd, our Prince of Peace, came to save the lost. He lived His life in such a way that He never thought of HimSELF. Instead, He lived humbly so we could follow His example and think of others as more important than ourSELVES. As His Princess, we never need to be concerned about anything since God promised to supply all our needs—nothing close to what we could get from anyone or anything on earth!! 

As we pour our lives and love into others, He pours everything into us! It’s just like the Creator designed our hearts to work since we are fearfully and wonderfully made in His own image, in the image of God!! God designed the heart to pump and give oxygenated blood to every part of our body, and then the blood returns back to the heart to receive more oxygen. Each beat pumps or gives more oxygenated blood to every part of our body so we can live! Imagine if your heart didn’t give, and you thought only of yourself?! Another lie is that we will be happier if we are independent and become self-sufficient. 

CHAPTER 3
SELF-Sufficient or Servant of All

Chapter 3
SELF-Sufficient or Servant of All

God’s Word says that we are His body, one body, very dependent on each other to function harmoniously, not INdependently from one another. Our true dependence is on Him, being the branches as He is the vine! Apart from Him, we can do nothing. As one body, He showed us we are happiest when we serve, not focusing on ourSELF and SELFsufficiency but for true happiness being a servant of all. A wonderful way to serve is by doing your family's laundry. 

Erin always enjoyed serving her large family of nine and while on their farm, she did the family’s laundry since she was a worker@home and the laundry room was connected to her office. And the way she has been able to keep a grateful and thankful heart when she is becoming weary in whatever she does is to always go to Him and ask Him to remind her of someone else who has it worse than she does. Often she recalled how God had reminded her of the millions of people in the world who don’t have a washer and must walk miles to wash their clothes in streams or other bodies of water! So anytime you need anything, go to God and ask Him.

What’s wonderful too is that you’re never too young to serve your family. Erin’s daughter, Tara who you will remember from Horses Hoped For (who has traveled all over the world meeting and ministering to women and who co-wrote A Wise Woman in Waiting for young women who are not yet married but long to be) began serving when she was very, very young! Tara began doing her family’s laundry when she was just 3-years-old!! 

One day Erin noticed Tara on top of the washer but before telling her to get down, she watched her reaching in, grabbing some wet laundry, then sliding down and putting it into the dryer! Then Tara climbed back up and started the dryer. But before pushing the basketful of clean laundry into the living room, Tara started a new load of laundry for their family of 8 (since Macy wasn’t born yet). It was Tara’s older sister who taught her and ever since this time—Tara loves to minister and serve others!!   

So as His Princess, offer to serve others—offer to do the laundry for your family or another task where He leads you to serve! God says that if we want to be first, we need to be last and be a servant of all. God says to find the greatest among you, look for the one who always serves others. Is that you?

CHAPTER 4
Amazed and Baffled

Chapter 4
Amazed and Baffled

When Erin was ten years old, her mother decided to plan a trip driving around the United States and then go north through parts of Canada. They’d just sold the family’s beach house so this was how they were going to spend the summer. Ever since Erin had started finding her way back home alone (as you read in My First Love "Closer than a Brother") her favorite place was being at home where she felt safe and peaceful. 

When Erin was older, she also realized this was her nature, the way God designed her, so that later He could use this for good. God formed and created Erin and you, shaping and weaving all your traits together in a secret place, in the safety of your mother’s womb, carefully and skillfully each of us was made!

The skillful way God designs us is so that He might reveal many amazing things others will witness and be baffled about. Those who knew Erin’s nature were the most baffled when God called her to travel around the world many times and actually had no “home” to return to! When people are amazed and baffled, it is when they seek to know God, and we can introduce them to their Savior, the Prince of Peace!

Driving around America was challenging for Erin because for 3 months she didn’t see or talk to her father, who she adored, and she couldn’t be at home where she felt safe. Nevertheless, she didn’t voice her feelings to anyone but her Heavenly Father because she’d learned to trust Him and this increased their closeness even more.

About halfway through their trip, after they’d traveled all the way from the West Coast of California to the East Coast, they got to stay awhile in the tiny seaside town of Ocean Gate—a house by the shore that had been in their family for generations. It was there that Erin had her first experience rescuing someone. No, not spiritually or emotionally rescuing them as you read in On the Rock but physically rescuing a teenager—becoming his only lifeline.

 

CHAPTER  5
Disobedience is Dangerous

Chapter 5
Disobedience is Dangerous

That day Erin had been swimming all morning, jumping off of a very long pier when she noticed a group of teenagers who were teasing a boy. She couldn’t hear what they said, but the next thing she heard was a splash and noticed this boy was on the bottom and wasn’t coming up! Right away Erin could sense he couldn’t swim!! Hoping there would be someone to help, Erin watched the group of bullies running away. The lifeguard hadn’t noticed what had happened—and was much too far away to help. Erin knew she was this boy’s only hope of being rescued or he’d drown. 

Erin was very aware of the real dangers of drowning because Erin’s mother, Grammy (who you read about in Macy's Barn Cat) told her and her siblings one story many times. It was the story of how Grammy and her younger brother had disobeyed their parents by playing in a rowboat tied to a dock. When she noticed the boat had started drifting far from shore, Grammy, whose name was Grace, told her little brother, Richard, to wait in the boat. Grace said she would swim to shore to get help since she was a good swimmer but Richard was just learning to swim. 

Sadly, when 7-year-old Grace got help, Richard wasn’t in the boat. He had disobeyed not just his parents but also his older sister and didn’t wait for help. While trying to swim back to shore Richard had drowned. Disobedience is dangerous. This is what Erin taught her children each time she told the story of how her mother, Grammy, grew up as an only child, losing her only brother when he was just 7-years-old. Grace and Richard heard from their Quaker aunts that children are to obey their parents in the Lord, for this is right and so that they would live long on the earth because it’s not God who says the good die young but the world.  

So when Erin saw this boy on the bottom of the very same bay, she quickly swam to the boy, stood on the sandy bottom, and pushed the boy up to the surface to get air! Erin hadn’t learned any lifesaving skills but when she grew up and became a lifeguard, she taught these skills to very young children—one was a little girl who saved her younger brother— a boy who was younger than Richard. This little girl was awarded a medal for saving her little brother and Erin’s reward was seeing this little blonde-haired boy very much alive at his summer swimming lessons where she taught swimming!!

So having no skills, but trusting God, ten-year-old Erin began walking along the bottom holding the teenager's legs, as she kept walking towards the ladder until she couldn’t hold her breath any longer. That’s when she’d let him go, resurface for more air and then swim back down again to lift the boy up to get air while she continued walking towards the ladder.

After repeating this several times, she finally reached the ladder, and thankfully, the lifeguard was there to pull the boy up out of the water. Erin also noticed there was a large crowd watching as she clung to the steps, coughing from swallowing so much water. Embarrassed, Erin assured everyone that she was fine, as she slipped past everyone and began hurrying back to the house, not wanting the attention or the praise.

This is one of the many benefits from receiving the unjust corrections you read about in On the Rock —God uses unfairness for good so that we are trained and no longer affected by criticism—nor praise—which can easily make us proud. And though the world says being proud is a good thing, God says the opposite. He says having pride comes before destruction, and being arrogant before a fall.

When Erin got back to the house, she never mentioned what had happened to her mother or aunt. But by the end of the day, everyone in town was talking about it but didn’t know who the little girl was who saved the boy. When Erin’s aunt asked if the little girl was her, she nodded and her mother only tearfully smiled and said, “Erin you did a good thing today” no doubt thinking of her own brother.

CHAPTER 6
On a Mission

Chapter 6
On a Mission

It’s important that we learn that our weaknesses are what He longs to use for GOOD and it’s where we gain our real strength, spiritual strength. It’s our trust in Him that helps us not be SELFconscious. It’s only when we focus on others that the SELF in us will fade away. Rather than worrying about what others think of us, follow His example and put others first, make sure they are the ones who feel at ease. 

Being set apart means we are often put in uncomfortable situations so we gain a better, closer relationship with our Forever Best Friend and find the comforting protection of our Heavenly Father. Once Erin met her friend Liesel who you read about in On the Rock, the next year and the next and the next she went to a new school where she knew no one. At one new school, she ate alone for six long weeks and determined once she made friends that she would never ignore someone eating alone! 

Erin’s mission would be to walk around the cafeteria and the courtyard at lunchtime looking for anyone who was sitting alone. She’d simply walk over and say, “Hi, I’m Erin, would you mind if I eat with you?” and then agree to meet them the next day. That day Erin would suggest eating and meeting some of her “friends” whatever friends were most like her new friend. 

In each difficulty, each challenge and each of our trials there is a hidden pearl—an opportunity— once we believe in our hearts that God causes all things to work together for good. God created each calamity to allow us to bless someone—becoming our mission, our calling which comes directly from the Father.

What’s funny is that most people believe that Erin is outgoing and has a lot of SELF-confidence, but the truth is that she simply looks out for others, because He looks out for her and her assurance is the best assurance anyone could have! The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen because her hope and trust IS the Lord. 

If you’ve been rejected, take heart—you’ve been rejected for good—and as you look to Him and trust Him I promise it will turn out for you and as you serve others!

 

 BONUS 
YOUR PROMISES

💝 BONUS 💝
HIS PROMISES

“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5 ESV

"Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants." Romans 8:5 GNT

”so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11

"For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps,” 1 Peter 2:21

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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 SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11:28–30

“For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:30

"I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”John 10:14-15 NKJV

“And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 

 “for I am gentle and humble in heart....” Matthew 11:29

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3

“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

"I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:14 

“And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38

“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” Colossians 3:15 AMP

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

“‘If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.’ ” Mark 9:35.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:2).

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” James 1:5-6

“I came not to be served but to serve.” Matthew 20:28

“The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others.” Matthew 23:11

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about his present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 50:20

“My frame was not hidden from You When I was made in secret.” Psalm 139:15 

“You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 TPT 

“You even formed every bone in my body when you created me in the secret place; carefully, skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something.” Psalm 139:15 TPT

“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere” Acts 1:8

“Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? [each one heard them speaking in his own language.]” Acts 2:7 NET

“Rescue everyone you can of those being taken away and killed, and hold on to those innocent souls staggering toward their own slaughter. If you excuse yourself, saying, “Look, we didn’t know anything about this,” doesn’t God, who knows what you are really thinking, understand your motives? Isn’t your Protector aware of why you aren’t protecting the innocent? Will He not repay you in kind?” Proverbs 24:11-12 

“God, hurry to help me. Run to my rescue! For you’re my Savior and my only hope!” Psalm 38:22 TPT

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3

“Submit to one another out of reverence to God.” Ephesians 5:21

“If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people, because of his unfairness to her.” Exodus 21:8

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about his present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 50:20

“God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time.” 1Pet. 5:5-6. 

“Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 

“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 

“The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.” Isaiah 45:7

“There’s another witness standing in My corner who is greater than John or any other man. The mission that brings Me here, and the things I am called to do, demonstrate the authenticity of My calling which comes directly from the Father.” John 5:36 Voice

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust IS the LORD.”  Jeremiah 17:7