The Ray Family
Dawn Ray • July 31, 2020
"It doesn’t really matter where the boat goes, there are needs all around us, the important part is getting in the boat with Him. " -
After the sermon on Sunday, I couldn’t help but think of all the storms we weathered since we said yes to the adventure of following Jesus overseas. I found myself looking back at His faithfulness and smiling and crying at how thankful I am that I said yes those many years ago.
There were many storms. A few that come to mind are: learning how to be a single girl living in a Muslim country far away from my family for the first time. After Billy and I met and married, we had storms of our office being broken into; our things stolen; death threats left for us; and feelings of constantly being watched.
We had a friend get beat up and left for dead because of his faith and had to wrestle through all of those emotions.
We had storms of major issues with our kids leaving us in a place desperate for a miracle and coming to a deeper place of total surrender.
We walked through the dark night of the soul when all our dreams seemed to die.
Now, we have had a chance to glimpse at that time to see how how that formed us into different people that prepared us for the next step the Lord had for us. We took another leap of faith into the boat, and found ourselves back overseas.
There were years of getting used to ‘uncomfortable’ issues like long periods with no electricity; limited water supply; just a lot of energy to run a house; and homeschooling with limited resources. We walked through storms of ISIS; political unrest; evacuation; being kicked out of our house; learning to deal with the hard cultural things; isolation; exercising our faith muscle till it hurt and being willing to surrender over and over again.
Oh, but I don’t regret a bit, so many words He spoke to us in those storms. This life is full of storms and I would rather be in the boat that Jesus is in!
I saw Him calm the waves in the midst of a personal burnout, and speak specific words that carried us through many difficult crisis. It just makes me all the more confident in my Savior who is in the boat with us!
Just because we lived overseas for 19+ years - I realized in some ways when confronted with the future, the easy thing became to stay for me. But we had to stay in the the posture of holding it all with an open hand, and say “yes" to following the Lord moving us to Rockwall, Texas!
It doesn’t really matter where the boat goes, there are needs all around us, the important part is getting in the boat with Him.
We will never ‘arrive’ this side of heaven, it is a constant surrender, constantly stepping into the boat again-- knowing that there will be storms.
But after you have stepped into the boat over and over again, there is a joy that can’t be compared to that feeling: you know that there are storms, but you have complete confidence in the Savior who is right there with you and you know this next boat ride will take you that much closer and more dependent to Him.
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Dawn Ray and her husband, Billy, recently landed in Rockwall after living and serving overseas for the past 19 years. They have three sons: Peter (17), Andrew (15), and Jonathan (14).
The Rays became members our church during the pandemic (...in case you haven't met them yet!). They say thank you to everyone for the warm reception!
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
