Carried Home

I have been reading a book about praying for our children and it is challenging to pray with the author's prayers.

"I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime--until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." Isaiah 46:3-4 

The author talks about how we can be carried along and saved by God. That's what we should all want for our children and grandchildren. He talked about carrying his children and how much he treasured those moments even though he felt limited by his own strength-or lack thereof. But God's arms are strong-strong enough to carry each of us.

Each of us can probably remember a time when we had to carry a sleeping or sick child and how much love we had for our baby. It doesn't change, no matter how old they get. Our prayer today is that God will continue to carry them, loving them because He has made them.

Our prayer is that He will continue to carry them, even when we are no longer around, and that He will love them till their final days here on earth.
  

I think this impacted me because, just the other day when I was taking care of my granddaughter when she wasn’t feeling well and she had to go with my to my dr. appt., she was feeling pretty tough when we got home. I unbuckled her car seat and she reached her arms around my neck and said, “Grandma, carry me.” It was almost too much,  as she is getting so big (she's 6), but I would not have said no. As I carried her into the house and into her bed, I thought of all the other times I had carried her, and carried each one of my kids and my grandkids at some point. What a blessing. So I am thankful for God allowing me to do that for my kids and grandkids. And I truly do pray that He will continue to carry each one of one of them, all the way home.

 

It also became personal as I have been thinking a lot about/and praying for my daughter who had her second ankle surgery yesterday and the fact that someone (her cat) that she counted on to comfort her in her recuperation was not there. So I have been praying that she will be comforted by GOD, who is better than any animal in providing the care and love we so much need.

 

 

Are we sharing?

Just reading my devotional this morning in Psalm 145:1-18 and two verses really jumped out at me. The first, verse 3 states, "One generation will declare Your Mighty Works to the next." Are we doing a very good job of that? It doesn't mean just posting a few scripture verses now and then, or even every day. To me it means SHARING God and His Mighty Works with all we meet. And praying for people when we say we will, and sharing with others the answers God generously provides to those prayers.
The second verse was verse 18 which states, "The Lord is near to all who call out to Him with integrity." That means no matter who you are or what you have done, God will answer if you call--with a heart of honesty. If you really mean what you are communicating to God, HE WILL ANSWER.
Why don't you pick up a Bible and read Psalm 145 in its entirety and see what God will have to say to you today.

Letting go!

Let God!

Today in our church service the pastor spoke on Esther Chapter 5. His topic was The sovereignty of God is at work (vs 1-5) with subheadings of Esther approaches the king; The king responds favorable to Esther, and Why didn't Esther immediately inform the king of Haman's plot? Here is my perspective.

The sovereignty of God is at work. God is in control and He will show us a time to act.
      I remember once, many years ago, when I was talking with our pastor (not the same as now) about how we can know that God is at work, how we can know that He is truly in control and how we know what he wants us to do and how. The book of Esther, Chapter 5 talks about Esther coming to the king and how she prepared for that audience. The same can be said of us in going to our heavenly Father. As my pastor shared with me all those years ago, we need to prepare.

     We need to spend much time (daily) in the Word and in Prayer and Communication with God. Although we rarely hear an audible voice when we talk to God in prayer, I believe we hear him; in His Word, in our silent meditation, and in the voices of others. Those were the three things my pastor said to me in response to my question about how to know God's will for my life. Pray, Read the Word, and Seek Counsel of solid Christians. I have endeavored to do that very thing. I am human and I fail, but God never does.
     The king responds favorably to Esther and bids her to come into his presence for an audience. I am so thankful I am not living in that day where the Queen took her life in her hands by going into the hall uninvited by the king. As our pastor shared this morning, Esther probably breathed a huge sigh of relief to know that she did not face immediate death. Yes, I am thankful that ANYTIME and ANYWHERE I seek Him, God bids me to come into His presence without fear.

     The king held out his hand and Esther came to touch the tip of his scepter. All we have to do is reach out and take God's hand, whenever we want. God asks us to do that very thing in His Word. And we can expect a favorable response. We do not need to fear and tremble at what God will do. We can KNOW He is looking to present us with His very best.
     Esther realized that the timing for her to share Haman's plot was not when she went into the king's hall. The timing was wrong. We can know that whenever we seek God, whenever we need to share something, to tell him our troubles, concerns and grief, that he will ALWAYS take the time for us. The place is ALWAYS right. And then God gives us His Divine Wisdom to know what His will is for us.
     God complies when our desires are in line with His will. When it seems that our prayers are not answered, or that God sends us an answer other than what we desire, it is because we have either not prepared ourselves properly, we are not expecting God to answer in His way in His time, or we are asking something that God knows is not good for us and withholds that in our best interest.
     As the pastor wrapped up his message he asked this question, "What miracle of God's grace do you need?" I thought about that, in the context of Esther presenting herself to the king without his request. She expected a miracle and God gave that to her by having the king give her a favorable response and in acquiescing to her request.
     We often think that WE need to be the one to make ourselves perfect BEFORE we present ourselves to God. The exact opposite is what is true. God wants us to come as we are and allow His grace to flood over us. This truly is the miracle.
     I remember what my father-in-law said numerous times when I was first married to my husband and in the years following; "God is in Control." As I grew and matured as a Christian I came to understand and TRUST that God IS in Control. He always has been and He always will be. The miracle that I still need, is to remember that very thing every day. He will hear me, receive me and take care of me. I just need to open my hand and give the control back to the One who holds it best.

What will tomorrow bring?

Sometimes I wish I knew what tomorrow would bring.

There have been many times in my life when I wished I knew what the next day or year would bring. It would be so easy to make plans and figure out where our lives are headed if we only knew the things that would happen.

I Corinthians 13:2-"If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing."

As we begin the brand new year of 2015 we may wish we knew what was just around the corner. In my particular case it might be, "Is there a new job waiting for me?" or "Will I ever be able to have my entire family together at one time in one place again?" We often seek that which is not ours to understand.

I remember once, a long time ago, when I was talking to my pastor and asked him how we were to know God's plans and will for our lives. He gave me this advice. 1) Pray. Ask God to show you what He wants you to do. 2) Read the Bible. It tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that God DOES have plans for each of us. 3) Seek Godly counsel from solid Christian friends and family. 4) Step out in faith in whatever direction you feel you are being pointed.

Reading those steps, it seems so simple. But in reality it is hard, so hard to step out in faith. 2014 was a year of the unknown. I had been without a full-time job for several years and we had been making ends meet but it seems we struggled more and more. We cut expenses as much as we could. But things seemed to be getting no better. I applied for several different teaching positions and other types of jobs but nothing worked out. I kept searching but nothing popped. Finally I came to the conclusion I was supposed to stop looking and let God totally direct.

The one thing I DO know for sure is this. If we follow the steps above and then in every opportunity God presents us with--take advantage of that opportunity and do it with love, He will bless and provide.

Many people make New Year's Resolutions; to lose weight, to save money, to be more available for family and friends, reading my Bible through in a year, etc. I have never been one for doing that as I always have a hard time following through on my resolution---evidence of that is here in this blog which I sporadically publish a new post on. I have been much better at spending time in the Word and talking with my Lord. But it is not about the resolution. It is about trusting God for each tomorrow and showing love to everyone I connect with during that tomorrow.

God's blessings for this New Year. May you seek Him and His plans and trust Him for those mysteries that are before you.

THE STREETS WON'T MATTER!

Revelation 21:21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.


There are quite a few  books now about people who say they have had "after death" experiences and what they "saw" and "did" in heaven. Although there is information about what heaven will be like in the Bible, there isn't a lot. I believe there is a reason for that.

As humans we focus on things in the context of what we understand with our human minds. But I think we have NO IDEA what heaven or anything that will happen there will be like.

I, for one, am anxious to be in heaven, not because I will see streets of gold, or pearl gates, or even the mansion that God has promised to prepare for me. I believe the streets won't matter.

What will matter is WHO is there, and I am not talking about our loved ones who have gone there before us. I am talking about God the Father and Jesus the Son. That is what will be our focus. Nothing else will matter.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says it best.

Although this is hard for us to imagine, it reminds us that heaven is far more glorious than anything we will ever know in this life. Every picture of heaven the Bible paints for us is beyond our understanding but assures us of heaven’s beauty and splendor. This world is imperfect and subject to decay, but heaven’s perfect beauty will never fade. When God gave the apostle John a glimpse of heaven’s glory, his immediate response was to worship (see Revelation 22:8).

The most important truth about heaven, however, is that God will be there. No evil will ever touch us, but we will be safely in God’s presence forever. The Bible says, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb (Christ) is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23). Think of it: In Heaven “we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)!

Is heaven your destination? Do you know beyond doubt that someday you will go to be with Christ forever? You can, by turning to Him in faith and trusting Him alone for your salvation. God’s promise is for you: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).

BEING SIFTED!

The time of sifting is upon us. I can recall those words spoken by Pastor Craig Norwood years ago when I was a brand-new believer. And it is more true today than ever before.

SIFT: examine (something) thoroughly so as to isolate that which is most important or useful.

The word sift in itself is pretty innocuous. We don't really think about it unless we are cooking. But when Pastor Norwood talked about sifting all those years ago, he was talking about God's people--BELIEVERS. Those have built that relationship (not religion) by accepting Christ into their lives and what He did by purchasing their salvation on the cross, dying for their sins and rising again to sit on the right hand of God the Father, interceding daily on our behalf.

Sifting is not a difficult process when you are talking about cooking. You place whatever is to be sifted in the device and turn the little crank or squeeze the handles, depending on the variety of sifter you use. The flour (or whatever is being sifted) comes out the bottom as a fine powder, all lumps or large particles gone.

But when you talk about sifting God's people, it is a more painful process. Think of Abraham in Genesis chapter 22: After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

OUCH! That doesn't sound like it was much fun for Isaac and especially not for Abraham! For those who know "the rest of the story," because Abraham was faithful in doing what God asked, God provided a ram in the thicket to take Isaac's place as that offering.

Are we that faithful?

Are you going through difficult times? James 1: 2-4 tells us: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

and Hebrews 12:4-11 says: "In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."

 We all go through adversity of some type at some time in our lives. No one can ever claim to have it smooth and easy all the time. Even the person who wins the lottery and thinks life is going to be calm waters and smooth sailing, will come to realize that money can't buy happiness, as the old saying goes.

All you have to do is listen to the news, watch the inane "reality" television shows, or read the postings on social media to realize that for the most part people are not happy (and that they like to complain!).

So when you are in your "SIFTING" period, count it all joy, my brothers and sisters. God is preparing you for the kingdom and to be steadfast for him. That word is another that has an interesting definition: "resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering."

That's where I want to be! Resolute and dutifully firm and unwavering in my pursuit of Christ. That others may see that in me. Not that I am perfect and do not fall on my way in this life, but that I pick myself up, dust myself off and step forward again.

And I want to daily be reminded, that in my earthly sufferings, my sifting, God loves me and is in control.

Bring on the sifter God!

Being a better friend

A friend of my cousin shared about her in her blog "My Lackluster Life." I just had to share it here with you today.

Colleen

 

A Better Friend

 

An acquaintance of mine recently died. She was a vibrant, giving spirit and loved by many, many people. Funerals make me uncomfortable even when I was close to the deceased but even more so when I didn’t know them well. I didn’t go to her funeral for me. I went to her funeral as a show of support to other friends that were close to her. I’m glad I did because it was a beautiful service and she was memorialized well by her friends and family.
Speakers made us laugh and cry as they spoke of Brenda and all of her “-isms.” The recurring theme was her enormous heart and her amazing ability to be a friend. She always had time for coffee or a phone call, she always hand-selected the perfect gift, and she was fiercely loyal.
By nature, I am a crier and I hate it. Sappy commercials, weddings, you name it – I’ll tear up. I did a fairly good job holding it together until one of her closest friends began her eulogy. The pain in her voice was evident as she spoke of Brenda’s influence and support, the hilarious outtakes, and the unconditional love for her husband. But what she said next hung in the air and hasn’t left me since.
“She was a better friend to me than I was to her.”
Ouch.
What a confession. What a painful realization. To admit such a shortcoming in public takes an enormous amount of bravery and humility.
I can’t remember much of what followed because I felt such a profound impact from those words. She was a better friend to me than I was to her.

From ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ by Bill Watterson – Universal Press Syndicate

As I walked away from the church, I questioned my own friendship skills and how I had handled myself over the past year. During some fairly significant life changes, I cut ties with several people I felt had given up on me. I still feel like it was the right thing to do but I wondered: had I been a better friend, would they have let me walk away so easily?
Dictionary.com defines ‘friend’ as:

1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard;
2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter;
3. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile;
4. a member of the same nation, party, etc.

This definition tells us what a friend is but leaves a pretty broad spectrum of interpretation on HOW to be a friend. Much like any relationship, we all have different needs so our expectations often stem from what we would or wouldn’t do. For some, being a friend may mean you must be available by phone anywhere, anytime. For others, it may mean that time and distance is irrelevant for picking up just where you left off when you meet again.
Examining my own actions, I touch base to check in, ask how things are going, offer words of encouragement when needed, and always ask how I can help. I’ve never been good and just getting in and doing something when it needed to be done – it’s been something I’ve learned to do over the years. When a friend I hadn’t seen since high school had a heart attack, I didn’t ask, I just brought dinner for her family after she got out of the hospital. I didn’t need anything in return because I knew it was appreciated.
What I’m not sure I ever did was live up to other’s expectations of what my friendship should look like.
Expectations are nasty little vermin that burrow into our subconscious and infect us. They break down relationships and cause fights. Unspoken, they can leave us feeling misunderstood, angry, and lonely. Let’s face it, if you get upset with someone for not meeting your expectations but you never actually verbalized them, you’re going to be awfully lonely. I’m not a mind reader and neither is anyone else.

Snoopy – From ‘Peanuts’ by Charles M. Schulz. United Feature Syndicate.

I think, perhaps, that friendship isn’t so much about what to do but what NOT to do. There are the girlfriend codes, bro codes, etc., that focus on the what-not-to-dos. Never cancel plans with your friends for a boyfriend/girlfriend; keep friend conversations confidential; be supportive and don’t say “I told you so”; if you come together, leave together; and never, EVER, hook up with your friend’s ex.
The definition of an enemy is one who feels hatred towards, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another. So if your so-called friend takes action that injures you, does that automatically make them an enemy? Perhaps.
The bible talks quite a bit about loving thy enemy but I think that energy is placed in the wrong area. Many leadership assessments, like Strengths Finders 2.0, tell you to quit focusing on your weaknesses, start focusing on building your strengths, and surround yourself with people that complement those strengths or fill in for your weaknesses. This practice can apply quite nicely to friendships, me thinks.
I am learning to surround myself with those that have weathered the test of time and continue to show support based not on what they do but what they don’t do. They don’t get mad at me when I’m buried in school work and don’t call. They don’t get upset with me if I don’t confide in the marital problems I’ve been having. They don’t call my ex to get his side of the story after we broke up. Those are going to be the friendships I focus on.

After careful thought and consideration, I’ve come up with my own take on what it means to be a friend and I believe it’s really quite simple: Be there as best as you can.
Conversely, we all need to acknowledge we are limited in our ability to be a friend and recognize those limitations in others. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes we are distracted. Sometimes we don’t know how we’re needed.
I keep Brenda’s funeral program tacked to my wall as a reminder to be a better friend. To not intentionally harm those I love and apologize immediately when I do. I wish I had known Brenda better than I did but I have people in my life I can focus on to be the type of friend she was to others.
Rest in peace, Brenda. May your legacy live on in better friendships.