"Real life"

In my last post, I ended by saying that this life is not really our "real" life; we are here so briefly.  The life that we will live for eternity is what is most important.  Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."-Matthew 6:19
As for me, I'm not concerned with having treasure there, I only want to be there, at the feet of my Master.
What a privilege it will be to kneel before Him!  Eternity is a long time and what waits for us there is beyond our imaginations.  This world will be difficult:

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, his must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels.- Mark 8:34-38

What is it to lose your life for Christ?  One immediately thinks of the martyrs, but I believe here Jesus is talking about the way we live our lives.  Do we live for Him, making Him and the gospel our top priority, or do we spend the majority of our time on earthly cares and concerns?  Of course we must care for our families, work, etc., but when we lose our lives for Christ, we put Him and His work at the top of the list.

My pastor said something interesting the other day.  He said, "If all Christians lived as you do, what would the church be like?"  Something worth considering, as all of us together make up Christ's body here on earth.

So let us shine the light of God's love at every opportunity.  No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts in under a bed.  Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.- Luke 8:16

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will  never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."- John 8:12

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.- Romans 12:2

I can tell you from my own experiences that when I set aside myself and follow God's will, that is when I have peace even in the most brutal storms life can dish up.  There will come a time when we have no more troubles, no more sadness, no more pain; when we leave this world and go home to where we belong.
In the time we have left let us continue to bear fruit for His kingdom.

Let us also remember that we cannot do this in our own power.  Our salvation is by grace alone, and the power within us is the Holy Spirit.  He gives us strength and courage that we don't have in ourselves.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.  and so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.-Romans 8:1-4

No matter our current circumstances, if we are in Christ, we are not alone.  Nothing can separate us from Him!  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:  For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:35-39  This is one of my favorite verses.  It is such a comfort to know that nothing can separate us from the love that my Savior has for us!

It's so important to remember that his world is not our home...it is a temporary place, a faint shadow of things to come.  Many people worry that we may be entering the last days, but whether that is true or not, we will certainly have a last day of our own...most of us have less than one hundred years.  Every so often it's good to take a good hard look at ourselves and our priorities.  It's so easy to slip into the cares of this world, and it's easy to put off sharing the gospel... we don't want to offend, do we?  Share in love.  Plant seeds.  God will water them, and you just might be surprised at who comes to meet you when you enter the Kingdom that you thought weren't listening.

Here's a beautiful song about what is in store for us when we leave here.  I hope you enjoy it and it brings you hope, because one day there will be a day with no more tears or suffering.

Wishing you blessings.

On His Shoulders

Hello, my friends.

I've been out of the hospital a couple of weeks but I continue to struggle with my health.  The trouble began with bleeding inside my stomach, enough that I had to be transfused with blood and plasma.  Though they got the bleeding stopped I wound up spending three weeks in the hospital, and since coming home I'm having a difficult recovery. I'm having a lot of difficulty keeping any fluid down and all of this has left my body weak and in pain.  I had to go in for IV fluids again just a few days ago.

A friend prayed a wonderful prayer for me, and while praying, he quoted Isaiah 55:8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.  "As the heavens are higher that the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
This verse really spoke to me.  God is doing things behind the scenes that I can't even begin to imagine.

We don't always know the reasons for the trials that we go through.  But our God is sovereign, all knowing, wise, and His plan always is better than our own.  While I don't like to be ill, while I feel like if I had my health back I could reach out with God's love to so many more people, He knows what He's doing in my life...and my job is to trust Him.  There are a million different reasons He could be allowing these trials.
It may be that someone reading this needs to know that trials come not because is angry with us or punishing us, but He is always in the process of working in and through us.  He allows situations not only for the impact they make on our own lives, but on the lives of those around us.

Why does God allow suffering?  For us believers, I believe it is one of the ways He molds us.  And to the unbeliever... when they see us facing our difficulties with an unbreakable hope, perhaps that will be what stirs their curiosity towards our God.  In James, we have a great verse about the suffering we all face:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  James 1:2-5

We can consider this, also; how do we handle our trials?  As we begin to mature in Christ and grow to rely on Him, our ways of responding to trials will change us for the better.  Without any trials or difficulties, how would we develop the perseverance James is speaking of?  It is in the difficulties that we grow.  I'm reminded of my little granddaughter who was trying to do something and wasn't able...she began crying and gave up, running to me for comfort.  I scooped her into my arms and took her back to the task, which we were able to accomplish together.  A few days later, I noticed her at the table doing on her own what she'd needed help with only a few days before.

That's the kind of growth God wants for us.  And when I consider the sufferings of believers in other parts of the world, their lives in danger simply for their belief, I am ashamed of my own complaints.  And I consider the prophets and believers of old, as well:

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.-James 5:11

So:

I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.- Psalm 27:13-14

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.-Isaiah 41:10

This world will continue to give us trouble.  It's a fallen place, but we have more than a hope, a certainty:

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.-Romans 8:18

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:  For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.  No, in all these thing we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:35-39

And as Jesus said, 

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."-Matthew 11:28-30

And when we have finished our work here and our Father will call us home.  I love the description in Revelation 21:

And I heard a loud voice form the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.  They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Let me pray this in closing:

Father, please bless all your children and those who are seeking You.  I pray that You will pour out Your presence on us all and give us the strength and courage do Your will.  Have Your way in our lives, for we know that You are good and faithful.  Please carry us through times of trial and trouble on Your unfailing strength. Thank you for Your love, Your patience, and Your wisdom.  

In the name of Jesus...amen.

If you don't have a personal relationship with God, you can have one right now.  

He is calling you.

To begin a relationship with Him start with a simple prayer.  Just tell God that you believe in Him, that you believe that Jesus is His Son and died for sins.  Ask Him to forgive you, come into your heart, and commit to following Him in your daily life.   For more on this you'll see a link called "Salvation" on the left hand side of the page.

Wishing you all the blessings our Father has :) 

The end of a season

Well, it's been a little bit since I've written anything...I got hit by an emotional curve ball that I truly wasn't expecting and have needed to work through it in my mind.

So what happened?  The last of my four children moved out, my 22 year old daughter.  She has a good job and has been looking for the right apartment for some time.  I've been really excited for her! So why did I fall apart when she left?  I really didn't expect to feel sad at all...but I was heartbroken.

I guess it's because a phase of my life is now truly over.  I liked having four kids; when they were young the house was always full with them and their friends, running amuck and staying the night on weekends.  We went to the river, camping in the mountains, and so much more.  I have so many memories that I cherish.  But like a lot of parents, I wish I'd done some things differently.  I especially wish that I'd walked with the Lord the whole time I was raising them.  I was faithful when they were young but after my divorce I drifted away.  The church we'd loved so much moved to the other side of town and they actually made a rule that children had to go to children's church.  At the time I was working two jobs and I treasured every minute with them.  They were well behaved and not disruptive.  I should have sought out another church, but I just stopped going.  Oh, I regret that.

But that season of my life is over, and the next one beginning. When school lets out for the summer my eldest granddaughter who is seven, will be coming to stay with me for the summer.  I can't wait!  As the others get older I look forward to having them come too.

But you know what will never change again?

My love and commitment to my Lord and Savior.  At times like this I have Him to cling to.  He is my rock.  When I'm afraid, when I'm sad, when I'm feeling lost, He is always there.  As I've cried, I've felt His loving arms around me.  His love and compassion is priceless.

One thing I'll never be is alone.

Father, I thank you for blessing me with the children you gave me.  Help me to be the mother that they need me to be, and let my life reflect Your perfect love.  Please give me the strength and wisdom that they need to see and hear.  Thank you for always being there for me and for all Your children.  
In Jesus' name, amen.

What is your gift?

I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.- Psalm 121:1-4

When I look up at the majesty of the universe, I am awed.  It's so easy to feel small and insignificant...but amazingly, God loves all of us with infinite compassion and mercy.  Though our lives may be as a vapor, he has use for each of us.
We all have different gifts and talents.  I always wished I could sing and glorify my Lord that way, but that is surely not my gift!  Some of us are teachers, some are preachers, prayers, listeners.  But whatever gift we've been given, God in His infinite wisdom has placed us exactly where He wants us.  It's up to us to prayerfully seek out His will for our lives.  Together we make up one body; some of us are hands, some are feet, and so on.
Whatever part of the body you are, working together our greatest task is to tell others of the mercy and grace we have in Christ; that we can be reconciled to our Father through His sacrifice.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.- John 3:17  
How can we not show others God's love in this dark and hurting world we live in, and help them to find a relationship with him?  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!- 1 John 3:1

This world is dying of thirst.  Let us give them "living water."

Let our words give hope.  Let us tell the lonely that the very maker of the heavens and earth loves each and every one of us with an incalculable love.  And because He loves us, He doesn't leave us to fight our battles alone.  Jesus promised to send us a helper, the Holy Spirit, who comes at our invitation.
When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.- John 16:13
In our own strength we can fight and even win some battles, sure, but when we trust our battles to the Lord He will not allow defeat.  He has already won.  Jesus told His disciples, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!"- John 16:33
Whatever trials and troubles we face, we too can take heart, for His Spirit within us cannot and will not fail.
Remember: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me-Philippians 4:13

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.- Psalm 46:1-2

May God grant you peace and surround you with His love.

(I changed the title of this post, so if you've read it before, sorry about that! But hardly anyone read it so I thought maybe this would be better.)

Turning on the Light

Have you ever had a terrible nightmare and wakened sweaty, terrified and shaken? I don't know about you, but the first thing I do is reach for the light.
It floods the room, banishing the shadows and the horrific images fade as I come fully awake and see what's really there in the room with me.
When I think of my life without my Lord it was something like that. It was a nightmare world that I just couldn't wake up from.  But when I surrendered my life to him everything changed; as I studied his word and learned to walk by faith, the difference is like dark and light. As it says in Psalms, Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.-Psalm 119:105  So that's how I know how to walk. His word lights up the path that my feet should take.  It shows me the obstacles that might make me stumble and shows me where the path is that I'm to be following.

To others who are still trapped in their various nightmare worlds, or just wandering blindly along, how can we not share this light?  It isn't just for us to see our own way, we're meant to share it with the world around us.  As it says in Luke, when Zechariah was prophesying about his son John who would prepare the way for Jesus:
"because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."-Luke 2:78-79

Jesus told us, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."-Matthew 5:14-16

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."-John 8:12

When we follow Jesus, read scripture, incorporate it's teachings into our lives, and have an active prayer life, we can't help but shine our light.  When we become involved in ministry, we shine a light.  When we share with others how our lives have changed, we shine a light. :) 

Keep shining your lights for those in darkness to see and be drawn to a life of love and peace that only he can give.

Wishing all of you many blessings!

Follow Me

To the humble, toiling fisherman
He said, "Come, follow me"
They dropped their nets and lives
Never dreaming of the miracles to be
He healed the sick, all who came
He loved and ate with sinners
Treating all people the same
He opened the eyes of the blind
I know that's what he did for me
He opened up my eyes
And at last I truly see
Now like those long ago fisherman
I follow as he leads me along
Be it through the mountains and the valleys
When I am weary, he is strong
And as I follow him
I pray every single day
To become more like my Savior
Loving others the same way
Let me mirror his compassion
The love freely given to me
So others may follow him too
We are captives now set free
Through the dank dark shadows
And in days most brilliant light
I always know that I am safe
As long as my Savior is in sight
His spirit fills me with abundant peace
Though the world is full of strife
I will follow til he takes me home
Into the wonder of eternal life


Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.- Psalm 36:5-9

My friend Sue, who was so critically ill these past few weeks is finally recovering. Many times we thought we'd lose her- though only for a little while; we will surely be reunited with our loved ones in our eternal life.
But it's looking like she'll be with us awhile yet here.

Wishing you all blessings as always!

The very least of us

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you have me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'-Matthew 25:34-40
It's easy to walk on by. Maybe sometimes we drop a few coins or even a dollar in their cup.  But as children of God, we have more to give, something infinitely more precious. Hope. We can stop for a moment and talk with them; look them in their eyes, ask their name, and ask if there is something we can pray for for them.  I usually ask if I can pray with them right there or if they'd be more comfortable if I did it later. If they'll let me, I simply take their hands in mine and pray right then and there. And trust me in this: I'm the one who walks away blessed.
.Every one of these people are children of God.  Remember, love is action: it doesn't take much to offer prayer, and then come back with a sandwich and a bottle of cold water.  We need to see them through the eyes of our Father, and when we do, we'll see them much differently. We'll see them through eyes of love.




He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak- Isaiah 40:29

Father, for those who have nothing...please use us, the body of Christ on earth to continue your work in caring for the poor and needy.

Wishing you all blessings.

Carrying On

One of my favorite verses is: In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  Psalm 118:5-6
What indeed?


As I was reading this verse this morning the part that really struck me was "he answered by setting me free." If I truly trust him, then I am free from fear. Free from loneliness; our Father is kind, faithful, and will give us comfort.  For this an active prayer life is essential.  And most importantly, we're free from sin through the grace of God. In this world we are certain to have trouble and painful circumstances like I'm facing right now. But our circumstances need not dictate our emotions.  Even in the face of incredible loss and tragedy, our Father will carry us through and give us peace that passes understanding.
Truly, we are just passing through this world, and this is our time to grow spiritually.  This world is a place where we prepare for our true life, in eternity.


Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4
I know that's a tall order.  But consider...if life were without trials, how would we grow and mature?  Like an infant determined to walk, we're bound to bonk our heads many a time.  But when we persevere in our faith, we grow.


One other thing I know: when the Lord closes one door, it's usually because he has a different one he's holding open for me.  I just need to search his word and pray to find his will.  As for this life:


Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap of store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lilies of the field grow.  They do not labor of spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.- 
Matthew 6:26-34

If we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, at the end of the road is home!
Wishing you all the blessings our Father has.

The Devil's Playground; Ministry to the Ladies of the Night

On every first and third Friday night I have been going out with a ministry from my church called Magdalene Hope.  We drive up and down the "stroll" and minister to the prostitutes we come across.  Our pastor knows many of them by name and where they hang out, as he started this ministry about three years ago because he felt the Lord was calling on him to help these women.

The first thing we do is put together gift bags.  They contain cards with every number that they can call for help, and we also include a gospel of John, a CD of worship music and other items that will make them feel good about themselves: candy, inexpensive jewelry items, and hygiene items.  After we put the bags together we spend time preparing spiritually.  We read the word and then worship in song followed by prayer. We examine ourselves for any sin and confess it privately and then pray together as a group.   It's essential; we rely on our Father to put the right women in our path and to soften their hearts.  When walking in the devils' playground it's essential to go forth in spiritual strength.

We load up into a van, and so that we don't overwhelm the women, the person in the front passenger seat does the talking.  When we find a young woman working, the front passenger calls to her and asks if she'd like a gift bag.  Most of all we want to get those phone numbers into her hands!  While they are talking, those of us in the back pray silently.

The last night we went out we made a lot of contacts and many allowed pastor to pray for them.  After we leave the woman, we add her name to a list and what she requested prayer for so that we can continue praying for her.  The most common request is for safety and a way out.  We are hoping to have a safe house for them soon.

Please send up some prayers for these women if you feel led to. They are all in desperate circumstances.

The Miracle Truck

Does God work miracles in the lives of believers today? My pastor calls these “God stories”, and he has plenty of them, as do a lot of us. This happened to me this past July.

I walked out my front door and stopped dead in my tracks in amazement. I park my 1992 pickup truck directly in front of my house, and this morning it was gone! Gone. For a minute or so I just couldn't understand what had happened to it, but unbelievably, it had been stolen. It's old and not in the best condition, but it's vital to me. In the mornings I'd been helping a family member who had a brain infection and now through inactivity had deteriorated to the point that she was unable to even get up to the bathroom. Since her husband called me about a month before and told me how bad things had gotten, I'd gone over and spent every weekday morning with her doing exercises. She'd improved greatly, but she would need a lot more help before she'd be able to make it through the day on her own. Then in the afternoons I help Harold and Sue, my former in-laws, with their family business. Harold fixes commercial cooking equipment, and I help Sue with the bookkeeping. I'm glad to help my family in these ways, but without a vehicle it would be impossible. Riding the bus would take too much time to do what I need to do for them effectively.

So immediately I went to my Father in prayer. When I first started to pray, I felt desperate, but as I continued to beseech Him I felt a calm and certain sense of peace fill my heart. And since I know that my Father can do anything He chooses, I began to thank Him and praise Him.

I had absolute faith that he would help me. Either the truck would be found or he would make another way for me.

I called my daughter who had left for work at 6:30 am. “Was my truck in front of the house when you left for work?” I asked her.

“Yeah, of course,” she asked. “Why?”

“It's gone!” I said. “Since you left two and a half hours ago, someone took it.”

So whoever had taken it had taken it in broad daylight. My next step was to notify the police, who took a report over the phone, and then I took off walking to see if maybe it had been dumped near my house, but it hadn't.

I called a friend and we drove around for a bit before he had to go to work, but we didn't find it. When we got back I went to ask Kate, my neighbor across the street, to ask if she'd seen or heard anything. She said she'd heard it start up and go down the street about 8:00, but that she hadn't looked because she thought that it was me, leaving a little bit early. She came and sat with me on my lawn while and we talked about it. We've know each other for some time and she has different beliefs than I, but we talk often about what we believe.

“You seem so calm about it,” she commented.

“At first I was really shook up,” I told her. “But I prayed about it, and felt an overwhelming sense of peace. Either I'll get my truck back, or I'll somehow get access to another. Either way, I felt like God was telling me that it would turn out okay and I won't let the people down who I'm trying to help.”

She looked at me with skepticism, and I couldn't blame her. She doesn't believe in God in the way that I do; she believes there is something out there, but she's not sure who or what. We spent some time talking, and I finally called Sue to see if I could borrow her car to look for mine. I'd have asked earlier, but I had really thought that the police would have located it by now.

They live about thirty minutes away from me on the edge of town. Several miles away the countryside starts, and I thought somewhere out there would be a good spot if someone had taken a joy ride and dumped it. I began my search out there, listening to Christian music and praying hard for guidance. I'd only looked for a few miles when I felt that I was looking in the absolute wrong place. It's not far from home kept running through my mind. So I hopped on the freeway back to my side of town, continuing to pray and worship with the music.

And not a mile from my house, parked in an apartment complex where the parking spots couldn't be seen from the street, THERE IT WAS! My heart hammered in my chest as I parked Sue's car back out on the street and ran back to my truck. Had they stolen parts out of it or would it start? I turned the key on and that beautiful V-8 engine roared to life. I drove home bursting with excitement, praising God all the way. Kate happened to be out front watering her flowers as I pulled up. She came running across the street.

“How'd you get it back?” she asked with a stunned look on her face.

“Found it. I believed all day that God would help me, but I didn't think it would be this fast,” I said. I was stunned myself at the speed at which he'd helped me. I really thought that he'd use the police. But having me find it personally seemed to be such a personal answer.

My daughter had just gotten home from work, so she gave me a ride to pick up Sue's car.

I can only imagine what the thief must have thought! I would have loved to have seen the look on their face when they discovered it gone. Driving it out of there felt like a victory in the wild west!

Even the police were surprised when I called them to tell them I'd recovered my truck. And I made a vow that very day that every time I told the story, I'd give the credit where due: my Father who loves me. My neighbor Kate has said that she's rethinking her opinion.

Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Mark 11:22-24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his hear but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

This doesn't mean that God will ultimately give us everything we ask for. Sometimes he has to tell us no. But we can be assured that he loves us as sons and daughters, and in everything, he wants us to draw close to him, and he will draw close to us.

The cowgirl antenna ball lives on!  If only she could talk....

Not Alone

standing in the icy sea
suffocating waves washing over me
I can't breathe, too much pain
drenching, pounding, pouring rain
and as I stand here screaming "why"
does anyone even hear my cry?
so alone I seem to be
my head goes under
and I can't see

the urge to fight has somehow gone
there seems to be no way to carry on

give up, give up, I think but instead
I feel someone lifting up my head
and swimming me toward the shore
though I don't want to be there any more
on dry land He lays me down
and with tenderness He says:
"I won't let you drown;
don't you know I'm always here?
I'm the One who will rescue you
My grace covers all you do.
When there is no one else at all
I'm the one who'll break your fall."
shame washes over me for my despair
my doubt, my fear, thinking no one there
human I am, and human I fall
thank you God for the grace that covers all

Father, thank you for getting me through another difficult day.  I would ask you to reach down and
comfort and give courage to those who are going through painful times of their own....including me.

Psalm 130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.  Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.                                  
Psalm 25:20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

His Strength is Sufficient

1-31-12

It's been a long time, but it's time to get back at it! I'd thought about giving this up, but you can only share so much on Twitter (which I have also sorely neglected) and I have so much more I'd like to share.

I'm passionate about several things: my faith, my country, and my family. Here is where I share my faith, and the challenges we face here and around the world. Today I'm going to keep it close to home.

I've been tweeting here and there about a critically ill family member. Her name is Sue, and she is the mother of my ex-boyfriend of nine years. When I became ill and no longer able to work 8-12 hours shifts as a Registered Nurse, she gave me the opportunity to work in the family business (her husband and son fix commercial cooking equipment) doing the accounts receivables, while she does payables. It's a great position for me because I am able to be gone when my illness flares, as it often does. I usually spend my afternoons there.

What's all this got to do with faith?

She's an amazing Christian, my best friend other than my own mother, and we may lose her. As of last night, she is deteriorating again. I heard a quote yesterday that really hit home.

When it is the darkest, it is then that our light shines the brightest. (unknown)

I'd love to just curl up in bed and cry; and I have a few times, but it is the strength of our God that keeps me going, jumping in and doing all the things that must be done to keep things running smoothly. I don't think that I could do it without His help. Now, to get over there is thirty minutes each way. Several years ago, I turned my radio to a Christian station and wow! I have one hour built into my day for prayer and worship. This time alone with Him each day makes a tremendous difference.

There's a couple of verses that are sustaining me right now.

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Not some things, not just the easy things, but all things. Not through my own strength, but through His.
No matter the circumstance, He is there. He is with us when we call on Him. And the comfort He provides is a tangible comfort that I can feel in my heart. Another good verse from Philippians is:

Philippians 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.

Some might find it difficult to rejoice in the face of such tragedy. To lose this woman of God will be a tremendous personal loss not just for me, but for their whole family. How do we rejoice? In this situation, I can rejoice knowing and trusting that the God who created the universe has a perfect plan. He will take each of us home in due time. I can rejoice that if she goes home, she will be forever in His presence. And I know from past experience that there is no wound that He can't or won't heal.

This beautiful song by Casting Crowns has given me so much encouragement.  I hope that it will touch you, too, with whatever you may be going through:    Praise You in the Storm

Our Deliverer is coming

My Deliverer- video below

This is a beautiful song by Rich Mullins, who has since passed away.  I hope you'll take a moment and click on the link and watch it.  I had a really bad nightmare last night and I felt a lot better after watching this.  There is so much evil in this world, it can be very discouraging.  But we have a Deliverer, and He is coming.  This world will flash by in the blink of an eye and we will go home, where there will be no more pain or suffering.

Isaiah 41:10: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am you God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

In the video there are some graphic pictures of suffering.  We all wonder why God allows it?  I'm no theologian, but in this world, if there were no wrongs, how would God ever see what we will do about it?
A word about prayer.
Sometimes it seems like saying, well, I'll pray about this or that seems like a trite response.  But think about it for a moment.  What could be more powerful than asking the God who created the universe to step in and help?  We don't need to be eloquent, just sincere.  He hears our prayers that come from the gut.
If it's a person in our life (rather than an issue) that needs prayer, why not take their hand and pray with them right then and there rather than promising to do it later?  Praying together with someone who needs it is a powerful thing.

My prayer for today:  Father, please reach down and comfort those who are hurting. Let us feel your presence today in all we do.  For those who are being persecuted for their faith, would you reach down and wrap your arms around them and give them the strength to endure, and let them feel your love.  In the name of your son, Jesus, amen.