****Preface: I wrote a passage this summer that I never posted. I was concerned about the context maybe not being quite what some people would understand about Heaven and loved ones that have passed away. However, I have recently attended two funeral services where the pastor has spoken about how Heaven is not far away. As a matter of fact, he said that it was right here, all around us. He also said that our loved ones never really leave us, that we might feel their presence closer at certain times. This is exactly the meaning behind the passage that I wrote in July of 2011! I don't think that I can even begin to describe how this made me feel, but I will be happy to share the entry with you.*****
WRITTEN ON JULY 15, 2011
Have you ever been missing a loved one lost to death and then have something happen to make you know that they know how you feel? I know this sounds strange, but hear me out as I attempt to explain.
I have lost several loved ones, but this past year and a half, nearly 2 years, I have lost two very special people. Both were strong Christians. They came from different stages in life. One was my 2year old niece and one was a dear friend in his early 70s. They died within one month of each other.
To this day, I miss them so much that it still brings tears to my eyes. Not long after "BJ", as we called our family friend, died, I found myself singing "You Are My Sunshine" to my children one night. Singing to them at night was not out of the norm, but that song I had never sung to them before. It was very shocking to me to find myself singing that song.
BJ was a retired minister who had become like a grandfather to us kids. He and his wife were very special to our family, and thus were special to my family as I began one of my own. He officiated at our wedding and baptized our triplets. He used to pick at me and say that he was going to tie my long, blond hair in a knot. But I knew he was joking. he lovingly nicknamed me "his Sunshine". I knew that my desire to sing that song was like a message from him letting me know he was watching over us.
A few weeks after that, my sister-in-law had come over to bring some pictures for a scrap book that I was putting together in memory of Erynn, my niece. It had been a good but emotional visit. As she left, I went out to the front room of my house and looked out the front door window. At that same time, Liz called me to tell me to look out the window. In my front yard was a large amount of the normal gray ring-necked doves. In the center of them stood one pure white dove. Another message...Erynn had been with us during our visit.
Just this last week, my husband and I renewed our wedding vows. Our ceremony was conducted by my grandfather's nephew in the gazebo on the property where my grandfather and his sisters lived as children. Gathered round us was a small group of family. As John began the service, he spoke of the importance of family. he asked all of them to stand and gather close around Josh and me. Then, on this very unusually hot day in Michigan, I felt a cool, soft breeze.
But, first let me backtrack to my day. It had been very emotional . I have not set foot in a cemetery since Erynn died nearly two years ago. After church this Sunday, my sister drove us all out to to visit a St. Jude friend's grave. She and Layton, my nephew, had become great friends while receiving treatments. Seeing the pictures on her tombstone made me very emotional. I had a rough time with the whole experience.
I could not help but also think of Josh's grandmother, Maw Maw. Our vow renewal was held on what would have been her 94th birthday. I knew she would have been so proud of her grandson. So as the wind gently blew through my grandparents' backyard, I felt the presence of the Lord descend upon our gathering. I choked up a bit as I remembered those lost loved ones but felt that they were there in spirit helping us reaffirm our vows.
It was such a great joy that we were able to reaffirm our vows before our family. But to me, it was that much more special to share it with our children.
I feel like the loved ones I have lost have been very influential in my life. I want to offer the same positive example to our children. I believe that God gives us those special moments (the dove, the song, the gentle breeze) in order to allow us to have our loved ones' spirits felt. In other words, their lives go on inside of our hearts, and moments especially like these allow us to feel their presence within our hearts.
I felt that we had the great privilege of sharing with our loved ones. We were able to share our commitment to each other in the eyes of God, our family, and our children. The raw emotion that I had experienced, the nerves, the planning suddenly did not matter. As I stood facing my husband, I felt the presence of God, of our lost loved ones, and loved ones present embrace the the two of us. I felt my heart fill with such joy and peace. Looking into his eyes, I saw the man God gave to me to support me in sickness and health, through financial hardships, and the rials of life. I saw my best friend. My best friend that has traveled a long road with me, that has brought me closer back to Him who brought us together--God. And God was there with BJ and Erynn and Maw Maw in that gentle breeze.
So, let those surprises carry you through. Let those unexpected events remind you that you are not alone and that our loved ones are not lost or gone. We know exactly where they are--HEAVEN. And they will NEVER be gone for our love for them allows them to live on inside our hearts. I can't help but think that BJ and Maw Maw were proud as they watched us once again promise to hold true our vows we made to each other and God. It was an awesome way to celebrate life and love and God!
Today, as I began to gather my thoughts to enter this blog, I began to hum a song that reminded me of my exact feelings that I experienced this summer--the same feelings that prompted the initial entry in my journal. I will close with this song by Diamond Rio.
"I Believe"
Every now and then
soft as breath upon my skin
I feel you come back again
And it's like you haven't been
Gone a moment from my side
Like the tears were never cried
Like the hands of time
Were pulling you and me
And with all my heart I'm sure
We're closer than we ever were
I don't have to hear or see
I've got all the proof I need
There are more than angels watching
Over me...I believe...Oh, I believe.
Now when you die your life goes on
It doesn't end here when you're gone
Every soul is filled with light
It never ends if I'm right
Our love can even reach across-
Eternity...I believe...Oh, I believe.
Forever you're a part of me
Forever in the hear of me
I will hold you even longer
If I can...
O the people who don't see the most
Say that I believe in ghosts
If that makes me crazy then I am
Cause I believe...Oh, I believe.
There are more than angels watching
Over me...I believe...Oh, I believe.
Every now and then
Soft as breath upon my skin
I feel you come back again...
And I believe...
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
This Is God's Will For me...or Is It?
"If you want to know what God wants you to do-ask Him, and he will gladly tell you." - James 1:5
Have you ever wondered why a particular situation was not going according to your plan? Have you ever wondered why your goals have not yet been met? Perhaps it is because your plan is not God's plan. Perhaps your goals are not in line with God's goals for your life. Maybe you are trying to force things to work out when perhaps they should not. So how do we know when our will is one in the same with God's?
This was one of the questions that we discussed at last week's Bible study session. And, it is something with which I often struggle. I get on a good run in life and suddenly find I have left out one very important factor--GOD!
There are many good things that we could do in life, but not all of them are God's will for us. My challenge in this is figuring out which of those things are in God's plans for me and which ones are not. I have had to re-evaluate my priorities. I have had to take my decisions to God. I have also discovered that I have often been out of line--out of line with God's will for me. So I am working on being in line with God's will for me.
The Scriptures tell me that God's will is perfect not necessarily Sarah's will. God has already made plans for my life. The Bible also offers advice as to how to "figure it all out". There are many avenues to travel in order to seek advice in discerning God's will for our lives.
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed" (Proverbs 15:22). God places people in our lives who could offer us clarity when the way becomes foggy. We really should take advantage of that. you know, two heads are better than one!
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). Sometimes it's a matter of renewing my mind, of getting it out of my head that it has to be just so. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I get something in my mind, I will fight to make it come to be. I will rationalize decisions, rearrange priorities all to try make something happen that maybe should not. Often, if I quit fighting the situations and "renew" my mind, I can see more clearly. The decision becomes easier and the path more in line with God's will for me.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). This is my greatest challenge in aligning my will with God's...not being anxious!
But, I have found that in the simple but very important act of prayer, so many of the pieces of the puzzle fall into place and the road map becomes clear. In bringing my plans to God in prayer, I have an opportunity to renew my mind. And in doing this, I am able to think with God at the center of the plan. This sometimes opens the door for me to be open to advice from trusted individuals. and that often gives me another stance on the whole situation.
Have you ever been struggling with a decision and suddenly felt very uneasy about the choice you made? Have you ever been struggling with a decision and then felt a calm peace wash over you? I have experienced both, and I feel that in both God was trying to communicate with me. I call those gut feelings my "God-feelings". Those gentle nudges and prods we feel in our hearts is the Holy Spirit trying to guide us. But, we have to be willing to follow.
For me, once I have been willing to meet my Savior in prayer and openly as His advice and heed it, my will becomes aligned with His. And once my will becomes the same as His, He grants me an awesome gift--PEACE. It doesn't mean that the will of God is a free ride. I still have to work; I still have to try; and sometimes I even struggle. But...the peace comes in knowing that I have meshed my will with God's; they are the same. I am living out God's will for my life and thus glorifying Him.
Have you ever wondered why a particular situation was not going according to your plan? Have you ever wondered why your goals have not yet been met? Perhaps it is because your plan is not God's plan. Perhaps your goals are not in line with God's goals for your life. Maybe you are trying to force things to work out when perhaps they should not. So how do we know when our will is one in the same with God's?
This was one of the questions that we discussed at last week's Bible study session. And, it is something with which I often struggle. I get on a good run in life and suddenly find I have left out one very important factor--GOD!
There are many good things that we could do in life, but not all of them are God's will for us. My challenge in this is figuring out which of those things are in God's plans for me and which ones are not. I have had to re-evaluate my priorities. I have had to take my decisions to God. I have also discovered that I have often been out of line--out of line with God's will for me. So I am working on being in line with God's will for me.
The Scriptures tell me that God's will is perfect not necessarily Sarah's will. God has already made plans for my life. The Bible also offers advice as to how to "figure it all out". There are many avenues to travel in order to seek advice in discerning God's will for our lives.
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed" (Proverbs 15:22). God places people in our lives who could offer us clarity when the way becomes foggy. We really should take advantage of that. you know, two heads are better than one!
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). Sometimes it's a matter of renewing my mind, of getting it out of my head that it has to be just so. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I get something in my mind, I will fight to make it come to be. I will rationalize decisions, rearrange priorities all to try make something happen that maybe should not. Often, if I quit fighting the situations and "renew" my mind, I can see more clearly. The decision becomes easier and the path more in line with God's will for me.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). This is my greatest challenge in aligning my will with God's...not being anxious!
But, I have found that in the simple but very important act of prayer, so many of the pieces of the puzzle fall into place and the road map becomes clear. In bringing my plans to God in prayer, I have an opportunity to renew my mind. And in doing this, I am able to think with God at the center of the plan. This sometimes opens the door for me to be open to advice from trusted individuals. and that often gives me another stance on the whole situation.
Have you ever been struggling with a decision and suddenly felt very uneasy about the choice you made? Have you ever been struggling with a decision and then felt a calm peace wash over you? I have experienced both, and I feel that in both God was trying to communicate with me. I call those gut feelings my "God-feelings". Those gentle nudges and prods we feel in our hearts is the Holy Spirit trying to guide us. But, we have to be willing to follow.
For me, once I have been willing to meet my Savior in prayer and openly as His advice and heed it, my will becomes aligned with His. And once my will becomes the same as His, He grants me an awesome gift--PEACE. It doesn't mean that the will of God is a free ride. I still have to work; I still have to try; and sometimes I even struggle. But...the peace comes in knowing that I have meshed my will with God's; they are the same. I am living out God's will for my life and thus glorifying Him.
A Father's Embrace
I so very much enjoy my time with "the girls" during our Bible study time. Each week I leave our gathering uplifted and restored. We share our sorrows and our joys; we share time together in the Word. And often times, I leave with at least one new perspective on things in life. The time we spend together has blessed me many times over.
nearly two weeks ago, our lesson was in depth with a review of thirty passages that reassured us of God's promises to us. One particular verse spoke to my heart with its visual imagery. Isaiah 41:13 states,"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." This passage brought some very powerful images to my mind.
It brought visions of a father and a child, the father holding the little girl's hand. and as the two stood together, her Father offered words of encouragement and reassurance. This is how I often view myself with God.
There are a lot of times that I need to be reassured. There are a lot of fears that I need my Father to calm. There are a lot of days when I just need to hold His hand and feel His presence. and if I will just let Him, he would help me.
To me, this is such a powerful image of my relationship with my heavenly Father. It is a comforting view, and I feel that this is the relationship God wants with me. He wants to be there to support me and encourage me. And, even be there to hold my hand if necessary.
This passage also brings images of a dad and his child to my mind. You know, there's nothing more reassuring for a frightened child than the embrace of his/her father. So it too can be with our heavenly Father. He longs for us to turn to Him. he wants to reassure us. he will hold us in His arms if only we will turn and run to Him. He desires that relationship with all of His children.
Recently I have fallen in love with a praise song entitled "Forever Reign". Many parts of the song are especially meaningful to me, but the chorus brings to my mind the images of the Father and His child.
"Forever Reign"
You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
you are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hop, You are hope
you have covered all my sin
You are peace, you are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, you are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
you're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life
In You death has lost its sting
Dear Lord
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, you are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go
Dear Lord
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will never be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
Dear Lord
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will never be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
In those times that I am scared and need reassurance, I do have somewhere to turn...to my Father. Can you see the same picture that I did? When the world is crumbling around me, when I am totally overjoyed,...whenever...I can run to His arms. just as a father scoops up his child and embraces him or her in his arms, so too can our heavenly Father hold us.
He hurts when we hurt; He is happy when we are happy. he feels our disappointments and our sorrows. He rejoices in our successes. And, His arms are waiting to catch me as I run into His embrace. There is no other place like in the arms of my Lord that I would rather be. Like a dad's hug can comfort his child, God's embrace is waiting for you. All you have to do is run to Him.
nearly two weeks ago, our lesson was in depth with a review of thirty passages that reassured us of God's promises to us. One particular verse spoke to my heart with its visual imagery. Isaiah 41:13 states,"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." This passage brought some very powerful images to my mind.
It brought visions of a father and a child, the father holding the little girl's hand. and as the two stood together, her Father offered words of encouragement and reassurance. This is how I often view myself with God.
There are a lot of times that I need to be reassured. There are a lot of fears that I need my Father to calm. There are a lot of days when I just need to hold His hand and feel His presence. and if I will just let Him, he would help me.
To me, this is such a powerful image of my relationship with my heavenly Father. It is a comforting view, and I feel that this is the relationship God wants with me. He wants to be there to support me and encourage me. And, even be there to hold my hand if necessary.
This passage also brings images of a dad and his child to my mind. You know, there's nothing more reassuring for a frightened child than the embrace of his/her father. So it too can be with our heavenly Father. He longs for us to turn to Him. he wants to reassure us. he will hold us in His arms if only we will turn and run to Him. He desires that relationship with all of His children.
Recently I have fallen in love with a praise song entitled "Forever Reign". Many parts of the song are especially meaningful to me, but the chorus brings to my mind the images of the Father and His child.
"Forever Reign"
You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
you are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hop, You are hope
you have covered all my sin
You are peace, you are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, you are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
you're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life
In You death has lost its sting
Dear Lord
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, you are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go
Dear Lord
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will never be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
Dear Lord
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will never be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign
I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever reign
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing
No other name
Jesus, Jesus
In those times that I am scared and need reassurance, I do have somewhere to turn...to my Father. Can you see the same picture that I did? When the world is crumbling around me, when I am totally overjoyed,...whenever...I can run to His arms. just as a father scoops up his child and embraces him or her in his arms, so too can our heavenly Father hold us.
He hurts when we hurt; He is happy when we are happy. he feels our disappointments and our sorrows. He rejoices in our successes. And, His arms are waiting to catch me as I run into His embrace. There is no other place like in the arms of my Lord that I would rather be. Like a dad's hug can comfort his child, God's embrace is waiting for you. All you have to do is run to Him.
Have You Had Your Daily Dose of SonLight?
Well, the kids have struck again, but in a good way. My children have recently been the source of several of my entries and conversations. From their unwavering faith to the interesting, in-depth conversations, the availability of resources seem to be endless!
As we drove to church this past Sunday, my inquisitive Isaac began to question me about his latest series of thoughts. The question came,"Mom, is it always dark in space?" To which I replied, "It just depends on how close you are to the sun and whether or not you are facing the sun."
Satisfied with the answer I gave, the kids began to talk about other things. But my mind lingered a bit on my very basic response. How profound it was to me that the same response could be said to the question of the state of our lives, our hearts.
Very simply put, I could answer the same to the question of ,"Is it always dark in your life our in your heart?" Well, that depends on how close you are to the Son and whether or not you are facing Him. Wow! Is that not simple?! What a very easy to understand analogy!
Let's address the first part of my response--the proximity to the Son. The more we are in the Word, the more we surround ourselves with fellow Christians, the more we pray, the closer we get to the Son. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."
But sometimes being close does not necessarily bring the light. Sometimes, we have to do more--like actually face the Son. We have to lift up our faces to take in the Light. Look at it like this, just being close to the sun offers light. But, if you are facing away from the sun, there will be shadows in the images that you see. Whereas, if you stood facing the sun, the shadows would be cast behind you.
Sometimes, we need only to lift up our face to feel and see the Light. Sometimes our perception is skewed because, while we are close to the Son, we are not facing the Son. When we turn and lift our faces, the Light allows us to see much more clearly. In John 8:12 Jesus states,"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Like we need the sun for our bones to grow strong, so too do we need the Son for our souls to grow strong. Have you heard the latest medical recommendations? sun exposure without sunscreen in very small amounts is healthy for us. But, unlike the sun, our son exposure need not be limited. In fact, we don't even need "Sonscreen"; the more Son exposure we have, the better.
It's when we begin to limit our time in the Son that we find our souls growing weak and diminishing. they become ill and require a visit to the Great Physician. He will probably prescribe daily doses of the Word and plenty of Son exposure. So, as you get your daily dose of sun, don't neglect your soul's daily dose of the Son!
As we drove to church this past Sunday, my inquisitive Isaac began to question me about his latest series of thoughts. The question came,"Mom, is it always dark in space?" To which I replied, "It just depends on how close you are to the sun and whether or not you are facing the sun."
Satisfied with the answer I gave, the kids began to talk about other things. But my mind lingered a bit on my very basic response. How profound it was to me that the same response could be said to the question of the state of our lives, our hearts.
Very simply put, I could answer the same to the question of ,"Is it always dark in your life our in your heart?" Well, that depends on how close you are to the Son and whether or not you are facing Him. Wow! Is that not simple?! What a very easy to understand analogy!
Let's address the first part of my response--the proximity to the Son. The more we are in the Word, the more we surround ourselves with fellow Christians, the more we pray, the closer we get to the Son. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."
But sometimes being close does not necessarily bring the light. Sometimes, we have to do more--like actually face the Son. We have to lift up our faces to take in the Light. Look at it like this, just being close to the sun offers light. But, if you are facing away from the sun, there will be shadows in the images that you see. Whereas, if you stood facing the sun, the shadows would be cast behind you.
Sometimes, we need only to lift up our face to feel and see the Light. Sometimes our perception is skewed because, while we are close to the Son, we are not facing the Son. When we turn and lift our faces, the Light allows us to see much more clearly. In John 8:12 Jesus states,"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Like we need the sun for our bones to grow strong, so too do we need the Son for our souls to grow strong. Have you heard the latest medical recommendations? sun exposure without sunscreen in very small amounts is healthy for us. But, unlike the sun, our son exposure need not be limited. In fact, we don't even need "Sonscreen"; the more Son exposure we have, the better.
It's when we begin to limit our time in the Son that we find our souls growing weak and diminishing. they become ill and require a visit to the Great Physician. He will probably prescribe daily doses of the Word and plenty of Son exposure. So, as you get your daily dose of sun, don't neglect your soul's daily dose of the Son!
Spring Cleaning of the Heart
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10
So, I began a huge project in our "front room" of our house. It is the formal living room, but we use it for many purposes. it is the home office, library, piano room, and part of the kids' play area housing their desks. This room also has a fireplace that, until recently, was covered up by boxes of papers that needed to be sorted and either filed or thrown away. I had been asking my husband for help for ages, but the project remained untouched.
So...I took it on and began the purging of our front room. As I was going through years and years of accumulated "stuff", I couldn't help but see an analogy to my heart. in the same way we had quickly shoved stuff into boxes to "go through later", I have to also put my emotions or hurt feelings or anger into boxes to be gone through later.
But you see, those boxes just get shifted around from place to place and even gather more stuff in them. Those boxes began to multiply in number so much so that they were beginning to encroach upon our space. They had become an eyesore, bothersome, and cumbersome. To accomplish anything, I first had to shift those boxes around, and then move them back.
So it is also with my heart...as I put emotions into boxes to be gone through later, my heart becomes very cluttered and burdened. I crowd it with years of built up "stuff" and make it difficult to maneuver around inside it.
As I sorted through those boxes, I sast contemplating the spiritual meaning behind it. I must have filled 10 or more garbage bags with stuff and shredded papers. I threw away 4 cardboard boxes once emptied. I marveled at the sheer amount of trash that we had been holding onto for so long until "we went through it later". And then I thought about what God wants for our hearts.
We all need to sort through our hearts. it is my feeling that God does not want us to hold onto things until a later date. just as our front room had become cluttered and a burden to clean around, so too can our hearts become cluttered and burdened.
In order to clean, i had to add extra effort to the process to shift boxes back and forth. In the same way can our "boxes" in our hearts create extra work for us. We have to carry them around, move them to make room for other things, and we may even forget what all of them were for to begin with. They begin to crowd out the good and positive things.
I can't imagine that our Heavenly Father would want us to unnecessarily burden ourselves. He wants us to regularly clean out the boxes in our hearts and let go of some stuff and maybe even get rid of some of the boxes! We need to routinely do some sorting and filling and throwing away. just as our front room needs to be regularly sorted through, so too do our hearts. Because let's face it, if I do not keep up with that front room, it will very quickly return to its previous condition. If we do not routinely cleanse our hearts, they too will return to their previous states.
Psalm 51:7-12
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore me to the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
It's our Lord's desire for His children to meet him daily for our clean-up. We don't have to do it alone; we need only ask for His helping hand. So before i become crowded out with cluttered boxes of unsorted emotions and events, i will visit my Father for a little reorganizing and cleansing. Will you?
So, I began a huge project in our "front room" of our house. It is the formal living room, but we use it for many purposes. it is the home office, library, piano room, and part of the kids' play area housing their desks. This room also has a fireplace that, until recently, was covered up by boxes of papers that needed to be sorted and either filed or thrown away. I had been asking my husband for help for ages, but the project remained untouched.
So...I took it on and began the purging of our front room. As I was going through years and years of accumulated "stuff", I couldn't help but see an analogy to my heart. in the same way we had quickly shoved stuff into boxes to "go through later", I have to also put my emotions or hurt feelings or anger into boxes to be gone through later.
But you see, those boxes just get shifted around from place to place and even gather more stuff in them. Those boxes began to multiply in number so much so that they were beginning to encroach upon our space. They had become an eyesore, bothersome, and cumbersome. To accomplish anything, I first had to shift those boxes around, and then move them back.
So it is also with my heart...as I put emotions into boxes to be gone through later, my heart becomes very cluttered and burdened. I crowd it with years of built up "stuff" and make it difficult to maneuver around inside it.
As I sorted through those boxes, I sast contemplating the spiritual meaning behind it. I must have filled 10 or more garbage bags with stuff and shredded papers. I threw away 4 cardboard boxes once emptied. I marveled at the sheer amount of trash that we had been holding onto for so long until "we went through it later". And then I thought about what God wants for our hearts.
We all need to sort through our hearts. it is my feeling that God does not want us to hold onto things until a later date. just as our front room had become cluttered and a burden to clean around, so too can our hearts become cluttered and burdened.
In order to clean, i had to add extra effort to the process to shift boxes back and forth. In the same way can our "boxes" in our hearts create extra work for us. We have to carry them around, move them to make room for other things, and we may even forget what all of them were for to begin with. They begin to crowd out the good and positive things.
I can't imagine that our Heavenly Father would want us to unnecessarily burden ourselves. He wants us to regularly clean out the boxes in our hearts and let go of some stuff and maybe even get rid of some of the boxes! We need to routinely do some sorting and filling and throwing away. just as our front room needs to be regularly sorted through, so too do our hearts. Because let's face it, if I do not keep up with that front room, it will very quickly return to its previous condition. If we do not routinely cleanse our hearts, they too will return to their previous states.
Psalm 51:7-12
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore me to the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
It's our Lord's desire for His children to meet him daily for our clean-up. We don't have to do it alone; we need only ask for His helping hand. So before i become crowded out with cluttered boxes of unsorted emotions and events, i will visit my Father for a little reorganizing and cleansing. Will you?
Never Alone
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."-Matthew 18:20
At one of our Bible studies, we found, as we often do, ourselves wandering off and taking turns sharing and venting. As we finally began our time of study and discussion, we found that we weren't really so far off track. In fact, a lot of what we had been sharing was being addressed in our lesson that night.
As we closed that night, we all acknowledged that our time together had not been coincidental. In fact, we all felt that it was very much intentional! The Spirit worked in and out and through our gathering that night. he worked in our very hearts. What a privilege and blessing it was for me to have been a part of that experience with those ladies! And at another gathering, we found ourselves taking turns sharing our joys, sorrows, and frustrations. We spent hours in the shelter of our group of Christian women.
So many thimes I have left our meetings uplifted and less burdened. So many times I have felt that our group is exactly what God wants for us, his children: the fellowship found only when we gather in His name. there is a peace that cannot be found anywhere else. There is a comfort within our hearts and fulfillment in our souls. This is what God wants; this is what the Scripture tells us. That sense of peace, comfort, and fulfillment comes from the Holy Spirit, God with us. This reminded me of a new favorite song, "Shelter", by Jars of Clay.
"Shelter"
To all who are looking down
Holding onto hearts still breaking
For those who've yet to find it
The place is near where love is moving
Cast off the robes you're wearing
Set aside the names that you've been given
may this place of rest in the fold of your journey
Bind you to hope
You will never walk alone
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (Never walk alone)
We will live
We will live (Your arms are all around us)
If our hearts are turned to stone
There is hope we know the rocks will cry out
And the tears aren't ours alone
Let them fall into the hands that hold us
Come away from where you're hiding
Set aside the lies that you've been living
May this place of rest in the fold of your journey
Bind you to hope
We will never walk alone
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In the shelter)
We will live
We will live (You will never walk alone)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
If there is any peace
If there is any war
We must all believe
Our lives are not our own
We all belong
God has given us each other
And we will never walk alone
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (We will never walk alone)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In the shelter)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live
(In the shelter of each other we will never walk alone - never walk alone)
Imagine the life we could have if we would live each day in the promise of His presence where two or more are gathered in His name. If we surround ourselves with fellow Christians, the joys can be beyond measure. What a gift we could be to one another. We will never walk alone as long as we have each other. and we will all be surrounded by the embrace of our Heavenly Father.
Sometimes I need a pick me up and find myself down and out. Then God places someone in my path. Some days it's a friend, others, it's a total stranger. But always I know that I have been in the presence of the Lord. We should be aware that we may sometimes be the person placed in someone's path.
God can use us for His work as long as we are willing. We must be open to let the Spirit work within us so that we can share God's love with others. We are His instruments. He has given us each other so that we will never be alone. That was His design.
Imagine a shelter: a cabin or a hut or a dug-out, etc. A shelter's purpose is to offer protection. To view the fellowship of Christians as a shelter is a powerful image. It means that in those fellowships we are protected--we find peace, hope, joy, comfort, and rest. We were designed with the purpose of being there for one another. Our Father does not wish for us to be alone. Alone, we are left unprotected, weary, restless, afraid, and down-hearted.
As Christians, we need our times of study and Christian fellowship just as much as we need air to breathe. The more we surround ourselves with each other, the more the Holy Spirit moves in, around, and through us. It is a joy beyond measure and a peace beyond words that i receive when I gather in His name with others. As I close, I am reminded of a saying someone once shared with me:
Shared joys are double joys.
Share sorrows are half sorrows.
This was truly god's plan for us--we were never meant to be alone. As long as we believe and continue to gather in His name, we will NEVER be alone!
At one of our Bible studies, we found, as we often do, ourselves wandering off and taking turns sharing and venting. As we finally began our time of study and discussion, we found that we weren't really so far off track. In fact, a lot of what we had been sharing was being addressed in our lesson that night.
As we closed that night, we all acknowledged that our time together had not been coincidental. In fact, we all felt that it was very much intentional! The Spirit worked in and out and through our gathering that night. he worked in our very hearts. What a privilege and blessing it was for me to have been a part of that experience with those ladies! And at another gathering, we found ourselves taking turns sharing our joys, sorrows, and frustrations. We spent hours in the shelter of our group of Christian women.
So many thimes I have left our meetings uplifted and less burdened. So many times I have felt that our group is exactly what God wants for us, his children: the fellowship found only when we gather in His name. there is a peace that cannot be found anywhere else. There is a comfort within our hearts and fulfillment in our souls. This is what God wants; this is what the Scripture tells us. That sense of peace, comfort, and fulfillment comes from the Holy Spirit, God with us. This reminded me of a new favorite song, "Shelter", by Jars of Clay.
"Shelter"
To all who are looking down
Holding onto hearts still breaking
For those who've yet to find it
The place is near where love is moving
Cast off the robes you're wearing
Set aside the names that you've been given
may this place of rest in the fold of your journey
Bind you to hope
You will never walk alone
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (Never walk alone)
We will live
We will live (Your arms are all around us)
If our hearts are turned to stone
There is hope we know the rocks will cry out
And the tears aren't ours alone
Let them fall into the hands that hold us
Come away from where you're hiding
Set aside the lies that you've been living
May this place of rest in the fold of your journey
Bind you to hope
We will never walk alone
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In the shelter)
We will live
We will live (You will never walk alone)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
If there is any peace
If there is any war
We must all believe
Our lives are not our own
We all belong
God has given us each other
And we will never walk alone
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (We will never walk alone)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In the shelter)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live (In Your arms are all around us)
In the shelter of each other
We will live
We will live
(In the shelter of each other we will never walk alone - never walk alone)
Imagine the life we could have if we would live each day in the promise of His presence where two or more are gathered in His name. If we surround ourselves with fellow Christians, the joys can be beyond measure. What a gift we could be to one another. We will never walk alone as long as we have each other. and we will all be surrounded by the embrace of our Heavenly Father.
Sometimes I need a pick me up and find myself down and out. Then God places someone in my path. Some days it's a friend, others, it's a total stranger. But always I know that I have been in the presence of the Lord. We should be aware that we may sometimes be the person placed in someone's path.
God can use us for His work as long as we are willing. We must be open to let the Spirit work within us so that we can share God's love with others. We are His instruments. He has given us each other so that we will never be alone. That was His design.
Imagine a shelter: a cabin or a hut or a dug-out, etc. A shelter's purpose is to offer protection. To view the fellowship of Christians as a shelter is a powerful image. It means that in those fellowships we are protected--we find peace, hope, joy, comfort, and rest. We were designed with the purpose of being there for one another. Our Father does not wish for us to be alone. Alone, we are left unprotected, weary, restless, afraid, and down-hearted.
As Christians, we need our times of study and Christian fellowship just as much as we need air to breathe. The more we surround ourselves with each other, the more the Holy Spirit moves in, around, and through us. It is a joy beyond measure and a peace beyond words that i receive when I gather in His name with others. As I close, I am reminded of a saying someone once shared with me:
Shared joys are double joys.
Share sorrows are half sorrows.
This was truly god's plan for us--we were never meant to be alone. As long as we believe and continue to gather in His name, we will NEVER be alone!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Have Faith Like a Child
2Corinthians 5:7: We live by faith, not by site.
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Matthew 18:3: And he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Mark 10:13-16(vs. 15): I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
It was bedtime on Sunday, march 27,2011. As per my usual nightly routine, I was lying down with my girls. It had been a rough night with Jacqueline's ears. We had begun to have some problems with her earring holes becoming infected. We had had to clean them very thoroughly, and it had been quite an uncomfortable ordeal for her.
She had gone privately in the bathroom for, what I thought, was her last potty trip. While lying next to me, she asked me why her ears still hurt after she had prayed to God in private (in the bathroom) for Him to heal them. I reassured her that her prayer was heard and that she needed to allow God time to heal her ears. To which she replied with her arms lifted and a huge smile on her face, "I just love God! i believe in Him even though I can't see Him or hear Him."
WOW! That was an absolute affirmation of my six-year old's faith. And...I was able to be in her presence to witness it. What a gift! What a blessing! How I absolution in her faith! In some ways, I envy her solidarity in her foundation of faith.
How often do I find myself faltering in the strength of my faith? I must admit that more often than I am proud to say, I have wavering moments. I never lose my faith, but have moments of doubt and fear. O how much my life could be blessed if I could just have the faith of a child. How many of my worries could be alleviated...How many fears relieved...
I began this entry with the story of my child's testimony as my inspiration. however, true to form, as I began to write, a song entered my heart and began playing in my head. It speaks the words that ring true to the theme of this entry..."have faith like a child". The title of the song is "Let the Children Come". The words are as follows:
The Kingdom of god belongs to such as these.
Have faith like a child for with this our God is pleased,
Our God is pleased, our God is pleased.
With faith like that of my daughter, why would God not be pleased?! We as adults could take some lessons from our children. They have much to offer when it comes to matters of faith! So, the next time I feel my faith faltering, I am going to try to remember to act like a kid again, to blindly put my faith in God and just know that He will take care of me and my needs!!
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Matthew 18:3: And he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Mark 10:13-16(vs. 15): I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
It was bedtime on Sunday, march 27,2011. As per my usual nightly routine, I was lying down with my girls. It had been a rough night with Jacqueline's ears. We had begun to have some problems with her earring holes becoming infected. We had had to clean them very thoroughly, and it had been quite an uncomfortable ordeal for her.
She had gone privately in the bathroom for, what I thought, was her last potty trip. While lying next to me, she asked me why her ears still hurt after she had prayed to God in private (in the bathroom) for Him to heal them. I reassured her that her prayer was heard and that she needed to allow God time to heal her ears. To which she replied with her arms lifted and a huge smile on her face, "I just love God! i believe in Him even though I can't see Him or hear Him."
WOW! That was an absolute affirmation of my six-year old's faith. And...I was able to be in her presence to witness it. What a gift! What a blessing! How I absolution in her faith! In some ways, I envy her solidarity in her foundation of faith.
How often do I find myself faltering in the strength of my faith? I must admit that more often than I am proud to say, I have wavering moments. I never lose my faith, but have moments of doubt and fear. O how much my life could be blessed if I could just have the faith of a child. How many of my worries could be alleviated...How many fears relieved...
I began this entry with the story of my child's testimony as my inspiration. however, true to form, as I began to write, a song entered my heart and began playing in my head. It speaks the words that ring true to the theme of this entry..."have faith like a child". The title of the song is "Let the Children Come". The words are as follows:
The Kingdom of god belongs to such as these.
Have faith like a child for with this our God is pleased,
Our God is pleased, our God is pleased.
With faith like that of my daughter, why would God not be pleased?! We as adults could take some lessons from our children. They have much to offer when it comes to matters of faith! So, the next time I feel my faith faltering, I am going to try to remember to act like a kid again, to blindly put my faith in God and just know that He will take care of me and my needs!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
"Being Humbled Before God"
Here lately, the words of a song in a prior entry have been speaking to my heart. I have received compliments throughout my life in different areas. I'm sure most of you have as well. However, more recently, the compliments, well-meant, have made me feel slightly uncomfortable. I found words that fully explain that feeling. A verse in "Sinner Saved by Grace" goes as follows:
How could i boast on anything
I've ever seen or done
how could I dare to claim as mine
the victories GOD has won
Where would I be
had GOD not brought me
gently to this place
I'm here to say I'm nothing but
a sinner
Saved by grace
Philippians 2:13 states, "God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him." I have recently felt a change in my opinion of my talents/gifts. I have always felt very humble in the direction of my gifts, but never before have I felt humbled before my God for that with which He has blessed me. it is my desire now to give Him all the glory when I receive compliments. it is my desire to use those gifts to praise Him.
I have been trying to use things that I can do in a manner that would be pleasing to God. For instance, my writing ability. I have always know that writing came easily to me. it has served me well academically. However, only now have I recognized the need to use my gift to serve and praise God. i don't feel that I am some award-winning author. But I can't help but feel that there was more of a purpose to my capability than just acing my writing intensive classes. And who better to offer recognition for that talent? Not me, but God. it is because God has blessed me with the ease of writing, not by anything I myself have done.
In the same way, I feel that my gift of music is one that I should use to give glory to God. Maybe I'm not as good as others. I know that I'm not a professional level musician. That's not what God gave me. But, I do know that God gave me a certain level of musical talent. He blessed me with this gift so that I may in turn bless others with it.But, in doing so, I know that I must give credit where credit is due. I know that all that I have is a gift from God.
If there is anything that is good, it is God speaking/communicating through me. It is only with Him, that anything I have accomplished is possible. i cam humbled when I receive compliments, sometimes to the point of feeling uncomfortable. While very appreciative of any compliment, i also feel very unworthy. If I have touched anyone with my singing or my writing (or anything else for that matter), it is only by God's doing that he or she was touched.
My will for my life has changed. My passion in the the things I do has taken new life. i approach life in a different way. i quite often see things in a different light. Do these things sound like victories to you? I think so, but they are not mine. They are God's, for without him, I would have been totally lost long ago. Instead, He has allowed me to see things in a more positive light. he has helped me to overcome my challenges and shortfalls. He has done all of this and more for me. And by Him doing this, my new passion/zest/etc. has grown. By His gifts to me, I can return gifts to Him.
I can offer praise and thanks. I can sing His praise. i can share with you, through my writing, about what He has done in my life. i can do all this and more because of Him. But, the best/biggest thing I can do is to acknowledge that, while I have seen and done some awesome things, while I have had some great victories, the only way this was possible, the only way battles were won, was with God as my pilot. All of this was God.
And by acknowledging this and sharing this, God again blesses me. The more He gives me, the more I want to give Him. And the cycle continues. How can I not share this?! How can I not spread the news of my joy?! I have to do these things, but not for why you think...I have to do these things (sing, write, speak, etc.) because I cannot keep from crying out about the great things that my God has done for me!
How could i boast on anything
I've ever seen or done
how could I dare to claim as mine
the victories GOD has won
Where would I be
had GOD not brought me
gently to this place
I'm here to say I'm nothing but
a sinner
Saved by grace
Philippians 2:13 states, "God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him." I have recently felt a change in my opinion of my talents/gifts. I have always felt very humble in the direction of my gifts, but never before have I felt humbled before my God for that with which He has blessed me. it is my desire now to give Him all the glory when I receive compliments. it is my desire to use those gifts to praise Him.
I have been trying to use things that I can do in a manner that would be pleasing to God. For instance, my writing ability. I have always know that writing came easily to me. it has served me well academically. However, only now have I recognized the need to use my gift to serve and praise God. i don't feel that I am some award-winning author. But I can't help but feel that there was more of a purpose to my capability than just acing my writing intensive classes. And who better to offer recognition for that talent? Not me, but God. it is because God has blessed me with the ease of writing, not by anything I myself have done.
In the same way, I feel that my gift of music is one that I should use to give glory to God. Maybe I'm not as good as others. I know that I'm not a professional level musician. That's not what God gave me. But, I do know that God gave me a certain level of musical talent. He blessed me with this gift so that I may in turn bless others with it.But, in doing so, I know that I must give credit where credit is due. I know that all that I have is a gift from God.
If there is anything that is good, it is God speaking/communicating through me. It is only with Him, that anything I have accomplished is possible. i cam humbled when I receive compliments, sometimes to the point of feeling uncomfortable. While very appreciative of any compliment, i also feel very unworthy. If I have touched anyone with my singing or my writing (or anything else for that matter), it is only by God's doing that he or she was touched.
My will for my life has changed. My passion in the the things I do has taken new life. i approach life in a different way. i quite often see things in a different light. Do these things sound like victories to you? I think so, but they are not mine. They are God's, for without him, I would have been totally lost long ago. Instead, He has allowed me to see things in a more positive light. he has helped me to overcome my challenges and shortfalls. He has done all of this and more for me. And by Him doing this, my new passion/zest/etc. has grown. By His gifts to me, I can return gifts to Him.
I can offer praise and thanks. I can sing His praise. i can share with you, through my writing, about what He has done in my life. i can do all this and more because of Him. But, the best/biggest thing I can do is to acknowledge that, while I have seen and done some awesome things, while I have had some great victories, the only way this was possible, the only way battles were won, was with God as my pilot. All of this was God.
And by acknowledging this and sharing this, God again blesses me. The more He gives me, the more I want to give Him. And the cycle continues. How can I not share this?! How can I not spread the news of my joy?! I have to do these things, but not for why you think...I have to do these things (sing, write, speak, etc.) because I cannot keep from crying out about the great things that my God has done for me!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Challenge in Stopping to Smell the Roses
"This is the Stuff"
By Francesca Battistelli
I lost my keys
In the great unknown
And call me please
'Cause I can't find my phone
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
45 in a 35
Sirens and fines
While I'm running behind
Whoa
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Oh, oh, oh
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff...someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
This is the stuff You use
This song has become my "Hymn All About Me"! I find myself in this mindset quite often. Oh how blessed I am! Blessed beyond description. I have so much for which to be thankful. And, yet, I still catch myself getting caught up in those little things that don't mean much in life. Why? Oh if I only knew the answer to that question!!!
If I could just stop and not get so stressed about it all, I might be able to see the bigger picture. Those things that bother me may be very intentional. God may be using situations for His will. Have you ever stopped to think about that concept? When you're stuck in that line with the slow cashier or you get stuck at a traffic light or, worse, you get behind a traffic accident, do you think about what God's purpose for you at that moment may be?
What if I tried to be the forever optimist? If I could find the good in all those detestable situations, I may be able to see God's purpose for me at that very moment in my life. Have you ever been running late, fussing as You fly out the door. But as you travel on your normal route, you come across a terrible accident. Or, worse yet, you realize that your route at your "on time" schedule was the same route of a natural disaster (flash flood, tornado, etc.).
What if, just what if God's intention was for you to be late?! Have you ever gotten a phone call that you may have missed if you were running on your schedule and not His? His ultimate plan may not be totally clear to us. It may not even coincide with our plan. But, if we are not open to divine intervention, we may miss out on so many of the great things that our Heavenly Father has in store for us.
In our Bible study we are looking at the topic of prayer. One of our lessons encouraged us to find some event that occurs daily (i.e. stopping at traffic lights, tying shoes, washing hands, etc.) and designate that as a time to pray. I encouraged our group to take one event and gradually add another and another to it. Eventually we could be filling those mindless moments with meaningful conversation with God! Oh, how happy He would be!!
Sometimes we need to (please excuse the cliche) "stop and smell the roses". In those moments when we are not finding things going our way, we need to stop and consider God's plans. We can take those mindless moments turned into meaningful conversation and recognize our many blessings. Rather than getting so anxious and irritated and impatient, we could attempt to count our blessings and find the positives.
Imagine how wonderful our lives could be if instead of dwelling on those little things that drive use crazy, we can focus on all the good in our lives. In so many situations, we could be happy rather than sad. We could be excitedly waiting God's next move rather than anxiously recounting what has gone awry. We can find what has one right rather than focus on what has gone wrong. What a challenge for me!! But I can recognize what a little effort on my part can ultimately offer me...peace, joy, happiness, all trust in my Lord. I'm willing to accept the challenge. Are you?
By Francesca Battistelli
I lost my keys
In the great unknown
And call me please
'Cause I can't find my phone
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
45 in a 35
Sirens and fines
While I'm running behind
Whoa
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Oh, oh, oh
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff...someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
This is the stuff You use
This song has become my "Hymn All About Me"! I find myself in this mindset quite often. Oh how blessed I am! Blessed beyond description. I have so much for which to be thankful. And, yet, I still catch myself getting caught up in those little things that don't mean much in life. Why? Oh if I only knew the answer to that question!!!
If I could just stop and not get so stressed about it all, I might be able to see the bigger picture. Those things that bother me may be very intentional. God may be using situations for His will. Have you ever stopped to think about that concept? When you're stuck in that line with the slow cashier or you get stuck at a traffic light or, worse, you get behind a traffic accident, do you think about what God's purpose for you at that moment may be?
What if I tried to be the forever optimist? If I could find the good in all those detestable situations, I may be able to see God's purpose for me at that very moment in my life. Have you ever been running late, fussing as You fly out the door. But as you travel on your normal route, you come across a terrible accident. Or, worse yet, you realize that your route at your "on time" schedule was the same route of a natural disaster (flash flood, tornado, etc.).
What if, just what if God's intention was for you to be late?! Have you ever gotten a phone call that you may have missed if you were running on your schedule and not His? His ultimate plan may not be totally clear to us. It may not even coincide with our plan. But, if we are not open to divine intervention, we may miss out on so many of the great things that our Heavenly Father has in store for us.
In our Bible study we are looking at the topic of prayer. One of our lessons encouraged us to find some event that occurs daily (i.e. stopping at traffic lights, tying shoes, washing hands, etc.) and designate that as a time to pray. I encouraged our group to take one event and gradually add another and another to it. Eventually we could be filling those mindless moments with meaningful conversation with God! Oh, how happy He would be!!
Sometimes we need to (please excuse the cliche) "stop and smell the roses". In those moments when we are not finding things going our way, we need to stop and consider God's plans. We can take those mindless moments turned into meaningful conversation and recognize our many blessings. Rather than getting so anxious and irritated and impatient, we could attempt to count our blessings and find the positives.
Imagine how wonderful our lives could be if instead of dwelling on those little things that drive use crazy, we can focus on all the good in our lives. In so many situations, we could be happy rather than sad. We could be excitedly waiting God's next move rather than anxiously recounting what has gone awry. We can find what has one right rather than focus on what has gone wrong. What a challenge for me!! But I can recognize what a little effort on my part can ultimately offer me...peace, joy, happiness, all trust in my Lord. I'm willing to accept the challenge. Are you?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Here Am I
Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
I think we all ask this type of question at some point in our lives. We are looking for whom it is God is calling when the honest truth is we should be looking in the mirror for that person. We need to own up to that call sometimes in life. There are times that that call is for us. We need to heed that call despite our fears and hesitations about the unknowns. It is okay to be nervous about where God is leading us or calling us to go.
Sometimes God's call leads us to the road less-traveled. Sometimes it's that all too familiar road. Always it is a call to a journey of faith. We have to follow His call trusting that He will provide. This doesn't mean that the trip will be easy. And it definitely does not mean to sit back on our haunches and wait for God to make it all work.
God's call in our lives may change. He may take us from one career to another. His call may lead us to a different hometown. His will may be for us to be right where we are. Whatever the message, we have to be ready and willing to hear it. And, at times, we have to accept that perhaps God's plan for our lives is not one in the same as our own plan.
I feel that there is nothing wrong asking God about His plan for us. But, we must be prepared to hear His answer, whether it is one we like or not.
Have you ever felt those prompts to do things? Take for example this: You have the talent, gift, of singing but have not chosen to commit to singing in the choir. Or yet another: You desire and long for a time of Christian fellowship and Bible study but have not volunteered to set up a study or have not committed to attending one. Another prompt could be the gift and love of working with children but you have not volunteered your services in that direction.
Or, the "prompt/nudge" could be bigger. It could be that you feel the push to move into another career. Or, it could be that the career that seems to have chosen you requires sacrifices: money, time, etc.
These prompts or nudges are not just some gut instinct. In my heart, I feel that they are provided by God as road signs to lead us in the right direction on our journey on the road of life. Just like a journey, we can end up on a detour or attempt some sort of a short cut. And, just like on a trip, we could end up lost.
We need to remember that God provides road maps for us through the Scriptures. He provides gas station attendant assistance/information in the form of trusted Christian persons. He does not send us out on this trip without preparation. He does not turn us loose with no assistance or counsel. But, He also does not do the work for us. He gives us what we need for the journey; we have to choose to use it.
I don't necessarily have a song that spoke to my heart for this entry. The Scripture passage is what grabbed my attention. As I have begun to face many cross-roads in my own life, I am reminded of Isaiah's commissioning. When God asked whom He should send, Isaiah stepped up to the plate and said, "Here am I. Send me!" I am forced to evaluate where God is calling me in life as a wife, as a mother, as a leader, as a follower.
Have you thought of that lately? Where is God calling you in life? Are you listening for Him? And if He calls, will you heed his direction? And one last thought, are you ready to answer as Isaiah did with "Here Am I. Send me!"?
"If you want to know what God wants you to do--ask Him and He will gladly tell you."
James 1:15
I think we all ask this type of question at some point in our lives. We are looking for whom it is God is calling when the honest truth is we should be looking in the mirror for that person. We need to own up to that call sometimes in life. There are times that that call is for us. We need to heed that call despite our fears and hesitations about the unknowns. It is okay to be nervous about where God is leading us or calling us to go.
Sometimes God's call leads us to the road less-traveled. Sometimes it's that all too familiar road. Always it is a call to a journey of faith. We have to follow His call trusting that He will provide. This doesn't mean that the trip will be easy. And it definitely does not mean to sit back on our haunches and wait for God to make it all work.
God's call in our lives may change. He may take us from one career to another. His call may lead us to a different hometown. His will may be for us to be right where we are. Whatever the message, we have to be ready and willing to hear it. And, at times, we have to accept that perhaps God's plan for our lives is not one in the same as our own plan.
I feel that there is nothing wrong asking God about His plan for us. But, we must be prepared to hear His answer, whether it is one we like or not.
Have you ever felt those prompts to do things? Take for example this: You have the talent, gift, of singing but have not chosen to commit to singing in the choir. Or yet another: You desire and long for a time of Christian fellowship and Bible study but have not volunteered to set up a study or have not committed to attending one. Another prompt could be the gift and love of working with children but you have not volunteered your services in that direction.
Or, the "prompt/nudge" could be bigger. It could be that you feel the push to move into another career. Or, it could be that the career that seems to have chosen you requires sacrifices: money, time, etc.
These prompts or nudges are not just some gut instinct. In my heart, I feel that they are provided by God as road signs to lead us in the right direction on our journey on the road of life. Just like a journey, we can end up on a detour or attempt some sort of a short cut. And, just like on a trip, we could end up lost.
We need to remember that God provides road maps for us through the Scriptures. He provides gas station attendant assistance/information in the form of trusted Christian persons. He does not send us out on this trip without preparation. He does not turn us loose with no assistance or counsel. But, He also does not do the work for us. He gives us what we need for the journey; we have to choose to use it.
I don't necessarily have a song that spoke to my heart for this entry. The Scripture passage is what grabbed my attention. As I have begun to face many cross-roads in my own life, I am reminded of Isaiah's commissioning. When God asked whom He should send, Isaiah stepped up to the plate and said, "Here am I. Send me!" I am forced to evaluate where God is calling me in life as a wife, as a mother, as a leader, as a follower.
Have you thought of that lately? Where is God calling you in life? Are you listening for Him? And if He calls, will you heed his direction? And one last thought, are you ready to answer as Isaiah did with "Here Am I. Send me!"?
"If you want to know what God wants you to do--ask Him and He will gladly tell you."
James 1:15
Monday, February 7, 2011
"Sinner Saved By Grace"
The New Testament resounds with the good news--WE ARE SAVED. There is forgiveness found in our Lord through His ultimate sacrifice. That is the message in another song entitled, "Sinner Saved By Grace". It, too, is in the choir's Easter cantata.
Last night during practice, I couldn't help but raise my hands in praise as I sang those words. It was such a truth to my heart. I am very aware of my humanness and short falls. I am NOT perfect, nor do I feel that I am even close to it. I know that I make mistakes, but I also know that I can improve upon them with God's help. I'm just a sinner saved by grace (as the song said).
I do not place myself in the position to judge anyone. Those who have wronged me are afforded the same forgiveness form God as I am. So, why should I not forgive them as well? If we all held the Lord's Prayer in our hearts on a daily basis, it could literally transform us.
Who are we not to offer forgiveness or judge each other? How can we hold others' short comings against them and turn to God and expect forgiveness for ourselves? We can, but how hypocritical of us, right?! The words we pray are "...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are no different than our neighbor. We are all just sinners saved by grace. That should be a very humbling concept for all of us.
I know that I need to work on forgiving. i have a very difficult time moving past the hurt that I felt, and in some cases, still feel. But, Jesus did not hold anything against us when He went to the cross. He simply stood in our place before God. If we ask God for forgiveness, and truly change our behavior, it is given. Why should we not do the same for each other? There is NO reason not to if we are truly honest with ourselves!
We are all humbled before God through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. We all stand forgiven only by the grace of God. We did nothing to deserve it, yet it was freely given to all who would receive it. We all stand the same before our God--sinners saved by grace. Praise God for the gift of grace. Praise God that He forgives!
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7
If you could see
What I once was
If you could go with me
Back to where I started from
Then, I know you would see
A miracle of Love that put me
In its sweet embrace
and made me what I am today
Just an old sinner
Saved by grace
CHORUS:
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
When I stood
Condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom
With each breath of life I take
Loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
How could I boast on anything
I've ever seen or done
How could I dare to claim as mine
The victories GOD has won
where would I be
Had GOD not brought me
Gently to this place
I'm here to say I'm nothing but
A sinner
Saved by grace
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
When I stood
Condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom
With each breath of life I take
Loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
Now I grow and breathe in freedom
With each breath of life I take
I'm loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
Saved by grace
Can you say, "AMEN!"? I can...AMEN!!
Last night during practice, I couldn't help but raise my hands in praise as I sang those words. It was such a truth to my heart. I am very aware of my humanness and short falls. I am NOT perfect, nor do I feel that I am even close to it. I know that I make mistakes, but I also know that I can improve upon them with God's help. I'm just a sinner saved by grace (as the song said).
I do not place myself in the position to judge anyone. Those who have wronged me are afforded the same forgiveness form God as I am. So, why should I not forgive them as well? If we all held the Lord's Prayer in our hearts on a daily basis, it could literally transform us.
Who are we not to offer forgiveness or judge each other? How can we hold others' short comings against them and turn to God and expect forgiveness for ourselves? We can, but how hypocritical of us, right?! The words we pray are "...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are no different than our neighbor. We are all just sinners saved by grace. That should be a very humbling concept for all of us.
I know that I need to work on forgiving. i have a very difficult time moving past the hurt that I felt, and in some cases, still feel. But, Jesus did not hold anything against us when He went to the cross. He simply stood in our place before God. If we ask God for forgiveness, and truly change our behavior, it is given. Why should we not do the same for each other? There is NO reason not to if we are truly honest with ourselves!
We are all humbled before God through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. We all stand forgiven only by the grace of God. We did nothing to deserve it, yet it was freely given to all who would receive it. We all stand the same before our God--sinners saved by grace. Praise God for the gift of grace. Praise God that He forgives!
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7
If you could see
What I once was
If you could go with me
Back to where I started from
Then, I know you would see
A miracle of Love that put me
In its sweet embrace
and made me what I am today
Just an old sinner
Saved by grace
CHORUS:
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
When I stood
Condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom
With each breath of life I take
Loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
How could I boast on anything
I've ever seen or done
How could I dare to claim as mine
The victories GOD has won
where would I be
Had GOD not brought me
Gently to this place
I'm here to say I'm nothing but
A sinner
Saved by grace
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
When I stood
Condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom
With each breath of life I take
Loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
Now I grow and breathe in freedom
With each breath of life I take
I'm loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner
Saved by grace
Saved by grace
Can you say, "AMEN!"? I can...AMEN!!
"Broken Into Beautiful"
That's the title of the latest song to make its way into my heart. I had never heard the song before my choir began its Easter cantata. During a rehearsal as I sang the solo, I found myself fighting back tears. Read those words written by Gwen Smith--
She's smiling on the outside
But she's hurting on the inside
It's getting hard just living anymore
And the shadows she has clung to
Painful things she has been through
Have left her feeling worthless, Lord...but
You change worthless into precious
Guilty to forgiven
Hungry into satisfied
Empty into full
All the lies are shattered
And we believe we matter
When You change broken into beautiful
We live with accusations
Sometimes heavy expectations
That tell us we can never measure up
and yet You repeat with mercy
That in Your eyes we are worthy
At last we see how much we're loved cause
You Chance worthless into precious
Guilty to forgiven
Hungry into satisfied
Empty into full
All the lies are shattered
And we believe we matter
When You change broken into beautiful
Though we can't wee how we can stand before You Lord
And feel valued, priceless and adored
So many times, this past year especially, I have stood before my Lord feeling very broken. I have been there before...feeling worthless, like I can't life up to those heavy expectations. But oh the joy that filled my soul when I finally took my burdens to my Lord's feet. When I laid them there, I left them saying that I could no longer bare them on my own. When I rose from His feet, I was renewed and found strength to make it through the storm.
yes, that was a huge challenge, having to admit I needed help. But, the bigger challenge is facing the fact that I need to admit it on a daily basis. I need to remind myself to daily visit with my Lord.
Human nature is to tend to decrease the amount of time spent in prayer until the going gets tough. Then we suddenly feel so vulnerable and find ourselves panic-stricken. We run to the Lord with our messes and broken pieces. And guess what?! He loves us anyway. He fixes us, cleans the messes, puts the pieces back together. And He will always be there for us. However, don't you think that He would much rather us come daily for our minor repairs than wait for a total break-down?
We need daily renewal. We need to seek His face always. We need to lay at His feet regularly. His presence in our lives and in our hearts will give us the strength to make it through. But for those times when we don't...
Remember that He can always take the bad and turn it around. He can take the worst situation and make something broken into something beautiful!
She's smiling on the outside
But she's hurting on the inside
It's getting hard just living anymore
And the shadows she has clung to
Painful things she has been through
Have left her feeling worthless, Lord...but
You change worthless into precious
Guilty to forgiven
Hungry into satisfied
Empty into full
All the lies are shattered
And we believe we matter
When You change broken into beautiful
We live with accusations
Sometimes heavy expectations
That tell us we can never measure up
and yet You repeat with mercy
That in Your eyes we are worthy
At last we see how much we're loved cause
You Chance worthless into precious
Guilty to forgiven
Hungry into satisfied
Empty into full
All the lies are shattered
And we believe we matter
When You change broken into beautiful
Though we can't wee how we can stand before You Lord
And feel valued, priceless and adored
So many times, this past year especially, I have stood before my Lord feeling very broken. I have been there before...feeling worthless, like I can't life up to those heavy expectations. But oh the joy that filled my soul when I finally took my burdens to my Lord's feet. When I laid them there, I left them saying that I could no longer bare them on my own. When I rose from His feet, I was renewed and found strength to make it through the storm.
yes, that was a huge challenge, having to admit I needed help. But, the bigger challenge is facing the fact that I need to admit it on a daily basis. I need to remind myself to daily visit with my Lord.
Human nature is to tend to decrease the amount of time spent in prayer until the going gets tough. Then we suddenly feel so vulnerable and find ourselves panic-stricken. We run to the Lord with our messes and broken pieces. And guess what?! He loves us anyway. He fixes us, cleans the messes, puts the pieces back together. And He will always be there for us. However, don't you think that He would much rather us come daily for our minor repairs than wait for a total break-down?
We need daily renewal. We need to seek His face always. We need to lay at His feet regularly. His presence in our lives and in our hearts will give us the strength to make it through. But for those times when we don't...
Remember that He can always take the bad and turn it around. He can take the worst situation and make something broken into something beautiful!
Unshakable, Indescribable, Everlasting Hope
There are many times that I don't feel so unshakable. There are many moments that I do not feel so strong, much less hopeful. While I may feel broken, down-trodden, or shaken to the core, God's promise of hope is still there. It is untouched by the rough events of life. It certainly is unshakable.
There are moments in life when we wonder where God is in all of our hurt. Some may even question if there even is a God. After all, how can a loving God, as He is described, allow such horrible thing to happen to His children. How and why are questions that ring loudly for all of us at certain times in our lives. God's HOPE for us is totally indescribable because it is there for us no matter what. We cannot fully explain it or adequately describe the power of it, but it is there AND it is ours to have.
There is no expiration date on God's hope. It is abundant and always available. It has no end. It is eternal, EVERLASTING. And, it's near to all of us.
My recent thoughts of hope have been prompted by a recent viewing of a Louie Giglio DVD. I watched that first part of his message entitled "Hope When Life Hurts Most". His message addressed "real" hurt...hurt that rocks your world, makes you question your faith, wonder if there really is a God. Have you ever felt hurt that deeply? I know I have had experience with hurt that rocked my faith. I asked the infamous question "Why?"
I felt my faith waiver when Layton, my nephew, was first diagnosed with cancer. I felt it begin to crumble as I saw so many other children losing their battles with cancer. How could God let these innocent children suffer so? I forgot most of my doubts and questions as Layton recovered and entered remission. it was not until Erynn, our niece, died that those questions resurfaced with a vengeance. The hurt, the doubt, the anger...they were real, deep, and tested my faith in the hope God has for His children.
But from Louie Giglio, I was able to also see that there is a purpose in our hurt. God can make good from our bad and provide us with the hope He so longs for His children to has. The hope is there. Sometimes the hurt can overshadow it. But remember, it is, after all, unshakable, indescribable, and everlasting. in both of my situations, the hurt greatly impacted me, but the hope I found...WOW!!
In the situation with Layton, there were many revelations of hope. I became connected to other children through their Caring Bridge websites. Through the deepest dark moments of their children's lives, many of these parents became witnesses to the Word of God. They found hope in Christ at their weakest point in life. Through their grief and pain, they brought people to the hope given to us through Christ and His death on the cross.
One particular child comes to mind. I spoke of him in my last blog entry. Dax lost his battle with cancer at the young age of 2. His mom has continued to blog on his website since his death. She has shared her gut-wrenching emotions with all who read it. There has even been a person who said that a loved one had come to know Christ through the blog.
But she also shared her wish, her goal to raise enough money to run St. Jude Hospital for an entire day $1.6 million. She has had large support from her community. Here recently, Matthew West also held a concert in Dax's hometown all to raise awareness for his Mom's cause for St. Jude. How amazing the reach that Dax's story has had. That is HOPE! The hope is there in spite of the pain. The hope is there beyond the pain.
Erynn's short life was not in vain. Prior to her and her twin's very premature birth, their parents were not very active in church. As the girls became stronger, my sister-in-law began to regularly attend church. Shortly after she began regularly attending with their three children, her husband began to go with them. Finally, they as a family were building a life with God at the center of it!! The girls were dedicated in this church. The members of that church became extended family. This was the foundation they needed before facing the darkest days of their lives.
I firmly feel that the miracle of Erynn's and Reagan's lives brought their parents closer. I also believe that God's purpose for Erynn was to bring her parents back to Him. She taught so many of us how to love unconditionally and love every minute of life. The hope here was that the smallest of children brought her parents back to Christ. Think what a difference we as adults could make! What a profound change happened in this family's life--the HOPE of CHRIST through the CROSS!
Hope is real; hope is here; hope will never leave. All we have to do is lay our hurt at Jesus' feet. He will heal us. He will care for us. He will give us hope.
There are moments in life when we wonder where God is in all of our hurt. Some may even question if there even is a God. After all, how can a loving God, as He is described, allow such horrible thing to happen to His children. How and why are questions that ring loudly for all of us at certain times in our lives. God's HOPE for us is totally indescribable because it is there for us no matter what. We cannot fully explain it or adequately describe the power of it, but it is there AND it is ours to have.
There is no expiration date on God's hope. It is abundant and always available. It has no end. It is eternal, EVERLASTING. And, it's near to all of us.
My recent thoughts of hope have been prompted by a recent viewing of a Louie Giglio DVD. I watched that first part of his message entitled "Hope When Life Hurts Most". His message addressed "real" hurt...hurt that rocks your world, makes you question your faith, wonder if there really is a God. Have you ever felt hurt that deeply? I know I have had experience with hurt that rocked my faith. I asked the infamous question "Why?"
I felt my faith waiver when Layton, my nephew, was first diagnosed with cancer. I felt it begin to crumble as I saw so many other children losing their battles with cancer. How could God let these innocent children suffer so? I forgot most of my doubts and questions as Layton recovered and entered remission. it was not until Erynn, our niece, died that those questions resurfaced with a vengeance. The hurt, the doubt, the anger...they were real, deep, and tested my faith in the hope God has for His children.
But from Louie Giglio, I was able to also see that there is a purpose in our hurt. God can make good from our bad and provide us with the hope He so longs for His children to has. The hope is there. Sometimes the hurt can overshadow it. But remember, it is, after all, unshakable, indescribable, and everlasting. in both of my situations, the hurt greatly impacted me, but the hope I found...WOW!!
In the situation with Layton, there were many revelations of hope. I became connected to other children through their Caring Bridge websites. Through the deepest dark moments of their children's lives, many of these parents became witnesses to the Word of God. They found hope in Christ at their weakest point in life. Through their grief and pain, they brought people to the hope given to us through Christ and His death on the cross.
One particular child comes to mind. I spoke of him in my last blog entry. Dax lost his battle with cancer at the young age of 2. His mom has continued to blog on his website since his death. She has shared her gut-wrenching emotions with all who read it. There has even been a person who said that a loved one had come to know Christ through the blog.
But she also shared her wish, her goal to raise enough money to run St. Jude Hospital for an entire day $1.6 million. She has had large support from her community. Here recently, Matthew West also held a concert in Dax's hometown all to raise awareness for his Mom's cause for St. Jude. How amazing the reach that Dax's story has had. That is HOPE! The hope is there in spite of the pain. The hope is there beyond the pain.
Erynn's short life was not in vain. Prior to her and her twin's very premature birth, their parents were not very active in church. As the girls became stronger, my sister-in-law began to regularly attend church. Shortly after she began regularly attending with their three children, her husband began to go with them. Finally, they as a family were building a life with God at the center of it!! The girls were dedicated in this church. The members of that church became extended family. This was the foundation they needed before facing the darkest days of their lives.
I firmly feel that the miracle of Erynn's and Reagan's lives brought their parents closer. I also believe that God's purpose for Erynn was to bring her parents back to Him. She taught so many of us how to love unconditionally and love every minute of life. The hope here was that the smallest of children brought her parents back to Christ. Think what a difference we as adults could make! What a profound change happened in this family's life--the HOPE of CHRIST through the CROSS!
Hope is real; hope is here; hope will never leave. All we have to do is lay our hurt at Jesus' feet. He will heal us. He will care for us. He will give us hope.
Blue Christmas
Several years ago, our church offered a "Blue Christmas" service. This service was designed for people who were not merrily celebrating Christmas. Some people were grieving the recent loss of a loved one. Some were remembering loved ones gone long ago. Some were emotionally not merry about the holidays. Others may have been facing financial hardships, thus making the holiday very depressing. Whatever the reason, the service offered traditional hymns of healing, a comforting message of hope, and a time that these hurting persons could escape the overly jubilant time of the season.
A recent song by Matthew West, "One Last Christmas", makes me remember those who are hurting during this time of year. While most of us are celebrating at gatherings with great joy, some are grieving and hurting deep within their souls. This song was written in memory of a sweet child who lost his struggle with cancer. He absolutely loved the Christmas season. His parents received news that he would not make it to see another Christmas. So, they made the decision to decorate for Christmas in the fall so their son could celebrate Christmas one last time.
My point of this entry is to acknowledge that while most of us are celebrating during this joyous time of year, others of us are struggling--with hurt, with grief, with anger, with loss. We should be aware of others' feelings. We should pray for them. We should respect their emotions, not condemn them for how they feel. Maybe one day, their struggle will ease, and they may be able to enjoy the season for its true reason--God's gift of His Son to us.
I will close with the words of the Matthew West song, "One Last Christmas". It is my prayer for you to either find peace during this season or to support someone who is struggling during this time of year.
"One Last Christmas"
It's the news no one hopes for,
Every parent's greatest fear
Finding out the child you love so much
Might not make it through the year
Now the thought of spending Christmas
Without him just feels wrong
They've been praying for a miracle
Now they're praying he can just hold on
CHORUS:
For one last Christmas, one last time
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas
Middle of September
Still seventy degrees
Daddy climbs up in the attic
Brings down candles
Hangs the lights on all the trees,
Then the neighbors started asking
And pretty soon word got around
First it was the neighborhood,
Before too long they lit up that whole town
For one last Christmas, one last time
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas
Twenty-seventh of October,
His time was wearing thin
Friends and family, even strangers
That they didn't know brought presents in
He was weak but he was smiling
Like there was nothing even wrong
They said he wouldn't make it,
Looks like he got to see it after all
For one last Christmas, one last time
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas.
A recent song by Matthew West, "One Last Christmas", makes me remember those who are hurting during this time of year. While most of us are celebrating at gatherings with great joy, some are grieving and hurting deep within their souls. This song was written in memory of a sweet child who lost his struggle with cancer. He absolutely loved the Christmas season. His parents received news that he would not make it to see another Christmas. So, they made the decision to decorate for Christmas in the fall so their son could celebrate Christmas one last time.
My point of this entry is to acknowledge that while most of us are celebrating during this joyous time of year, others of us are struggling--with hurt, with grief, with anger, with loss. We should be aware of others' feelings. We should pray for them. We should respect their emotions, not condemn them for how they feel. Maybe one day, their struggle will ease, and they may be able to enjoy the season for its true reason--God's gift of His Son to us.
I will close with the words of the Matthew West song, "One Last Christmas". It is my prayer for you to either find peace during this season or to support someone who is struggling during this time of year.
"One Last Christmas"
It's the news no one hopes for,
Every parent's greatest fear
Finding out the child you love so much
Might not make it through the year
Now the thought of spending Christmas
Without him just feels wrong
They've been praying for a miracle
Now they're praying he can just hold on
CHORUS:
For one last Christmas, one last time
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas
Middle of September
Still seventy degrees
Daddy climbs up in the attic
Brings down candles
Hangs the lights on all the trees,
Then the neighbors started asking
And pretty soon word got around
First it was the neighborhood,
Before too long they lit up that whole town
For one last Christmas, one last time
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas
Twenty-seventh of October,
His time was wearing thin
Friends and family, even strangers
That they didn't know brought presents in
He was weak but he was smiling
Like there was nothing even wrong
They said he wouldn't make it,
Looks like he got to see it after all
For one last Christmas, one last time
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas.
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