Will the REAL Superstar Please Stand Up! (or sit down if you need to)

We idolize a lot of people these days. I even saw a news report recently that claimed that young girls have something in their brains (that boys do not have) that make them go wild over young rock stars or movie star boys, Crazy! But, it’s not just young girls who do this. We all make more of these kinds of folks than we should, don’t we? After all, they are just people like the rest of us.

This morning I started thinking about who the REAL heroes are in this world. So many people came to mind. Funny though, it was NOT the billion dollar rock stars with the million dollar cars, the million dollar athletes or even certain government officials that came to mind when I thought about who the genuine life changing heroes are.

These are the people who came to mind…

It’s the single mom who works her fingers to the bones and still cannot make her mortgage payment but still makes sure her precious kids make it to church on Sundays and makes sure that somehow they have enough food to eat every day, even if it means she might not have enough to eat herself.

It’s the women and men who battle the horrible disease of cancer and still keep giving and serving others even in the midst of their own difficult circumstances.

It’s the faithful pastors who pour over God’s Word all week long in order to bring us incredible messages each week. They just keep on doing what they were called to do even if it means criticism or even great persecution for some. Praise God for them!

It is the brave men and women who put their lives in great danger both here in our own country and in far off places, so that we can experience the freedoms that so often take for granted.

It is our strong spouses who work hard every day both physically and mentally, to provide for their families, even though some days, it is hard to get out of bed.

It is the college student who is struggling to finish school so that some day they too can serve the Lord, provide for their families and make a difference in the world.

It is the person who wakes up every day in physical pain, but who keeps on serving with little complaining, pressing on through the pain even though some days, it is hard to open a milk jug or to even get out of bed and walk.

It is the one whose spouse has betrayed her, yet she chooses to stay in the marriage offering grace and forgiveness, doing all she can to hang on even when the pain is so deep she cannot express it.

It is the widow who comes home to an empty house every day who has no one to hug her or ask how her day has been, yet she holds on and does her best to quietly survive without her beloved.

It is the young couple who longs for a precious baby of their own, but they wait and wait and wait.

It is the person who faces physical abuse and does not know how to get out of it.

It is the child who is bullied at school.

It is the teacher who walks into a very difficult school setting every day and does all she can to teach the precious children even though they may not have had a bed to sleep in the night before or food for many days. She prays for them. She feeds them as best as she can. She loves them.

It is the precious friends who believe in you, who see your weaknesses but who love you anyway, who encourage you, who push you out of your box, make you climb tress, help grow your strengths, and overcome your weaknesses, who pray with you, cry with you, celebrate with you, and love you no matter what.

It is SO many other brave souls who wake up each day to a new challenge or the same old challenge, but who face their challenges head on with the strength of the Lord.

You know who you are and He knows who you are, even if no one else knows.

And finally, the ultimate Hero is the One who took on our sin, who was nailed to a tree, who was spat upon, who was beaten and killed so that anyone who would believe in Him could receive forgiveness of sins and gain eternal life with Him...Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

I am so grateful for all of the quiet heroes who keep moving forward, who have influenced my life in so many ways, and especially for the One who saved me. He is my Ultimate Hero. Praise Him!

God bless you today with the strength to carry on in His name no matter how hard it may seem. There is so much more than today. Hold on. You are not alone. He is with you. Call out His name. He will hear and He will answer. He will not leave you or forsake you. He will go before you. May He give you all you need to today to press on toward the reward that only He can offer.

 

 

 

Dancing in Step with the Savior

I enjoy watching some of the dance shows that are on television this summer. One of my favorite shows features lots of different styles of dance including hip hop, jazz, ballroom, Latin, and contemporary. I love most of the styles, but no style moves me more than a contemporary piece that has a beautiful story behind it. The two dancers often move as one and it is so beautiful when they do it correctly. Their hands, feet and hearts move in one motion as if they form one body and spirit. Their faces and bodies tell the story that the choreographer desires for them to tell. The dances often bring me to tears. I’ve always loved dancing and singing. Music and dance has always moved me in some way. When I was a little girl, I would dress up in my Grandma’s clothes and jewelry and I would put on some classical music and twirl for hours.

This all reminds me of a verse that I have been memorizing and meditating on this summer. It comes from the book of Acts, chapter 17, verse 28. It says, “For in him we live and move and have our being…” Just like those beautiful dancers on my favorite dance show, when we truly “live and move and have our being” in Christ, it changes us and keeps us in step with Him. We move in sync with His will. We feel His Presence no matter what our circumstances are. We walk with greater peace and strengthened hope and faith.

This gives me an incredible mental picture of Christ in our lives. The dancers move so eloquently together, flowing beautifully to the music, telling a magnificent story. It can be the same in our walk with Christ. If we pay very close attention, we can move the same way with Him. We can experience this kind of life dance with Jesus, closely connected to the Savior like beautiful dance partners.

God speaks to us in many different ways. He leads and guides us through His Spirit, His Word, other people, circumstances, prayer and in other ways as well. He uses these means to get our attention and to help us walk through this life in a way that is God-honoring. When we walk closely to Him, moving only when He leads us to, life is so much better. It’s like dancing a love dance with our beautiful, merciful and loving Savior. I can almost picture Him going before me, walking beside me and coming up behind me, guiding me carefully as I seek Him, catching me when I slip or carrying me when I am too weak to move myself. What a beautiful dance it can be!

 I so long to “live and move and have my being” in Him. I’m working on it. I’m trying to stay in His Word daily and make sure that it is infiltrating the deepest places of my heart, mind and soul. I want so badly to walk this closely with Him, moving every single step with Him. My deepest desire is to know Him so intimately that I never take a step without Him. I want every one of my steps to keep tempo with His, dancing to the same rhythm as my King, moving through this life with His support and guidance just like two dance partners would dance to a lovely piece of music, completely in sync with one another.

 It is possible I know. His Word says that He knows when we sit and when we rise. He knows everything about us and even knows what we are thinking before we think it. Why would I not want to let Him lead me through each step of life? He is the most wonderful, loving, gracious and perfect dance partner that there will ever be. Even as I write, I feel His loving Presence guiding me to the next step of our life dance together.

 I’m so thankful that I belong to Him. I’m so thankful that He saved me and guides me. I’m so thankful for His love, grace and mercy. Great is His faithfulness! Amen!

 
Thanks so much for reading. I pray that my simple writings encourage you!

 

 

 

God Sightings and the Faith of a Child

Recently I participated in Vacation Bible School at our church. I think this year was at least my 23^rd or 24^th year. I’ve lost track. I love it so much! It is such an awesome experience partnering with 170+ volunteers and hanging with more than 150 children all week. It both energizes me and wears me out, but I keep volunteering every year and I hope to continue until I cannot physically do it anymore. I hope I never grow too old for VBS!

 There are so many things that I love about VBS, the worship is my favorite, but even more than that, it is that fact that I learn something every year. Yes, I know, the kids are supposed to be the ones learning right? Not always. We can learn as much or more than they do if we are paying attention.

This year, I learned something important through what we called “God Sightings”. Each night we ask the children to look for ways that God was working at VBS. Then we had one child come up on the stage to tell us about their “God Sighting”. It was such a blessing to listen to their stories of God’s wondrous work among us!

One little girl’s story really caught my attention. On the first night, we explained what a God sighting is and asked them to all be on the lookout for ways that God would work during the week. The next night, a momma told our director that her daughter came home from VBS saying excitedly that she had to keep her eyes open because she HAD to find a God sighting! She was greatly anticipating that moment when she would see and recognize that God was working right in front of her and she couldn’t wait to tell us all about it! She also asked her mom if she could “use an old one” if she couldn’t find one! Kids are so funny!

The first thing that came to mind after hearing about this precious little one’s faith, was whether or not I look for God and His work with the same excitement and anticipation that this sweet little girl did. Do I have my ears and eyes wide open, looking and listening for Him to speak and act? Do I have faith that He will? When He does, am I excited enough to rush out and shout it from the mountaintops like she was?  

 Most days, I am too busy to hear or see His hand at work, or to hear His voice. Some days, I’m so stuck in my own pity party that I would miss Him even if He moved a mountain on my behalf! Then again, some days, I quiet myself enough that I really, really look for Him throughout my day and when I do, He does not disappoint.

The good thing is that every day we get another chance to wait and watch for Him. Every day, we can start again and look for Him in every single moment of our days. We do not have to divide the spiritual part of our lives from the everyday stuff. We can combine the two and invite Him to be involved in everything we do from laundry to shopping, to work and play. We can open our eyes and search for those God sightings in our own days! He is always working. He never stops. We just stop looking sometimes.

I hope I will remember my lesson from VBS this year. I hope I will start each day anxiously anticipating God’s work and searching for Him with great excitement. His Word says that if we seek Him will find Him. Are you looking? I’m certainly going to try harder to do so from this day on! I do not want to miss those God sightings!

God bless and thanks for reading!

Terry J

Air Bubbles on My Screen Protector

            This morning as I studied and prayed, I asked God for a more joyful spirit. I asked Him to help me shine the light of Jesus to those around me. I asked Him to help me be joyful in spite of how I might feel and no matter what my circumstances are. I read a devotion about joy. I read Scripture about joy. I was encouraged. Then, I tried to replace the screen protector on my smart phone. What a mistake! My joy was quickly zapped! The last time I had a screen protector put on was when I first got the phone and it was done flawlessly by my friend at the phone store. Not so much when I tried it myself this morning. I tried repeatedly to get it on correctly without the dreaded air bubbles, with little success. I let the whole process frustrate me, until I realized that it really does not matter if there are a few tiny air bubbles on my phone screen. It really is okay. IT REALLY IS OKAY!! Why do I let such tiny things frustrate me and rob my joy? Why do I forget how blessed I am? Why do I walk around sometimes like the world has ended? Why am I not more joyful? Good questions.

            Well, that whole experience got me thinking. Quite often, in life, I let the “tiny air bubbles” frustrate me and steel my joy. In fact, lately, I’ve let a lot of little things keep me from experiencing the joy that I have through Christ. Life is SO short and one of my greatest desires is to live life to the fullest, experiencing abundant life and joy, so that I can shine the joy of Christ to others. I am realizing lately that I do not laugh enough, , play enough, dance enough, sing out loud enough or thank God enough for all that He has done in my life. I have so much to be thankful for. I have so much to be joyful for! No, not everything in my life is perfect or even the way I’d like it to be. That is just life, but, I have much to celebrate and much to rejoice over.

            This morning, a friend of mine posted a poem that was read at her brother’s funeral. He died very suddenly and unexpectedly, and today marks the one month anniversary of his death. She shared a very personal post about how he lived his life and about what an example he was to her and others as he lived for Jesus. The poem talked about laughing more, crying less, dancing more, living life to the fullest and making sure that those you love know that they are loved. I do not practice any of these things nearly enough in my life. I strongly desire to stop letting the small things (and the big things) keep me from experiencing the joy that being a child of God offers me.

            So, the next time you hear me complaining about my arthritis pain, or the next time you see me walking around with a sad face, you have my permission to remind me of all of the things that I should be grateful for. Please gently and lovingly remind me to laugh more, to be more spontaneous, to call my friends more often, to dance more, to be sillier and less serious, to cry less, complain less and celebrate life more. Because before you know it, my time will be over and I do not want to miss living life to the fullest while I have the time. It’s not always going to be easy, but it’ll be worth it! No more focusing on the air bubbles of life! And, more focusing on the people and the things that matter most in life!

            In closing, this reminds me of a song we have been singing in Vacation Bible School this week at our church. The song is an older song that has been given a more current, catchy tune. It reminds me of what is to come. Here are the lyrics. This is worth celebrating! God bless and thanks for reading, I pray that you are encouraged by my simple words.

Soon and Very Soon (by Andrae` Crouch)

 Soon and very soon,

 We are going to see the King;
 Soon and very soon,
 We are going to see the King;
 Soon and very soon,
 We are going to see the King;
 Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
 We’re going to see the King.

 No more crying there,

 We are going to see the King;
 No more crying there,
 We are going to see the King;
 No more crying there,
 We are going to see the King;
 Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
 We’re going to see the King.

 No more dying there,

 We are going to see the King;
 No more dying there,
 We are going to see the King;
 No more dying there,
 We are going to see the King;
 Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
 We’re going to see the King.

 

Whispers

            Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about whispers, specifically, the whispers of God. The thing about whispers is that you really have to be listening closely to hear them. You have to be paying attention or you might miss them. You have to have your ears wide open in order to hear a gentle whisper. You might even need to have your eyes fixed on the direction of the whisperer in order to fully grasp what is being whispered. Listening closely is the key.

            I used to be a very shy and quiet person. I know it’s hard to believe, but ask someone who knew me in high school or a friend who knew me in my early adult years. I was so shy and quiet that if a person called on me to speak in a group or to pray out loud, my heart would race, I would almost melt into my seat in fear. Well, I still have some of those characteristics in certain situations, but most of the time, I’m a talker and sometimes I forget to listen. Sometimes I’m not a good listener at all. That is why this whole whispering thing has gotten my attention of late.

            In my early adult years I was so excited about my faith and about growing spiritually that I hungered to hear whatever God was trying to say to me. I was starving for His voice and direction. I longed to know what His plans for me were, I deeply desired to know and follow His ways. I remember that longing and that desperation to please Him. Everything was so exciting! Well, the older I got, the more the things of life seemed to suck the air right out of my lungs at times. I lost some of that hunger. I got busy serving. I allowed life’s circumstances to affect my joy level and my longing for more of Jesus. Sometimes I still do that even today. You’d think I’d have it down at my age! But I am still learning. I don’t ever want to stop learning. I truly hope that I am a better listener today than I was a year ago or even months ago.

            God is trying to teach me again to hunger for more of Him and His Word. It is always an ongoing process. I am learning to allow Him to rekindle that deep hunger in me again to hear Him and to wait on His direction. It’s a little harder on some days because again, I let the darkness of this life hide Him from me. Sometimes His glory is hidden from me by my own sin or the dark things of this world. Thankfully, He never stops whispering. He never stops calling me to Himself. He is always speaking, always working, always the same. He never changes, ever.

            I am reading a book right now about God’s whispers and how they changed and guided one man’s life. I read this last night and it really tugged at my heart. He said, “When the circumstances of your life start to shift…at least consider that it might be due to God. When you find yourself in a state of confusion or curiosity about the way things are going, go ahead and ask him if there’s something he’d like to say to you. Open your hands, open your heart, heighten your attentiveness to any small way he might want to communicate to you, and then agree in advance that you will comply with whatever he says…” (Bill Hybels, The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God. Having the Guts to Respond, 55) There have been many seasons in my life recently and I’ve often wondered what God is up to. At times, I’ve felt like my life circumstances have shifted a LOT! It does cause me to be a bit confused, curious and at times, even a little afraid. I start asking questions like, “What am I here for God?” “What good am I to You and Your kingdom?” “What is next for me?” “What doYou want me to do now?” “What in the world are You doing God?” “Am I of any use to You?” These kind of thoughts make me anxious or even sad at times. I start to let all kinds of lies fill my head and eventually it paralyzes me. And that is exactly where our enemy, the devil wants us.

            Well, according to Hybels, and more importantly, according to God’s Word, if we just take the time to ask Him and then, take the time to be still and listen, we’ll hear from God and He will direct our ways. He will guide us. We do not need to be anxious about anything. We can trust that He is listening to us and hears our pleas. We have to do our part and pay attention. I cannot express in words how strongly I want to get this right. Deep in my deepest gut I yearn to hear the Father’s voice and to obey it. More than anything I want to be walking in obedience. I want to know and live out God’s best. I want to live a life that shows Jesus to others. I want to please my Father and to leave a legacy of faith when I am gone. In fact, I don’t want to wait until I’m gone, I want to live out a life of faith NOW! If you are reading this and if you will, please pray with me that I will open my heart, my hands and especially my ears to hear what God has to say. I do not want to miss anything that He is trying to say. I pray this for all of you as well. I pray this regularly for my adult kids, my husband, myself, my friends and family and for my church. I’m reminded of something I used to say to the little ones I taught in Sunday School many years ago. I would say to them, “Let’s all put on our listening ears now and hear what Jesus is saying to us today.” Well, I hope we have our listening ears on today and I hope God has something very special to say to us. Listen…can you hear Him?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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 (NIV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” 1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV)

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (ESV)

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)

Also see – John 16:13; Isaiah 30:21; Hebrews 2:1

I had to run and errand before I got this posted today. As soon as I turned on my car radio, there was a song playing called, “Help Me Find It” by Sidewalk Prophets. God whispered LOUDLY to me through this song. I had to add it to this post even if it makes it a little lengthy. Give it a listen. It says very clearly what I was trying to say in my post today. Thank You God for Your whispers!

I don’t know where to go from here

 It all used to seem so clear
 I’m finding I can’t do this on my own
 I don’t know where to go from here
 As long as I know that You are near
 I’m done fighting
 I’m finally letting go

 I will trust in You
 You’ve never failed before
 I will trust in You

 If there’s a road I should walk

 Help me find it
 If I need to be still
 Give me peace for the moment
 Whatever Your will
 Whatever Your will
 Can you help me find it
 Can you help me find it

 I’m giving You fear and You give faith

 I giving you doubt
 You give me grace
 For every step I’ve never been alone
 Even when it hurts, You’ll have Your way
 Even in the valley I will say
 With every breath
 You’ve never let me go

 I will wait for You

 You’ve never failed before
I will wait for You

 If there’s a road I should walk
 Help me find it
 If I need to be still
 Give me peace for the moment
 Whatever Your will
 Whatever Your will
 Can you help me find it
 Can you help me find it

 I lift my empty hands (come fill me up again)
 Have Your way my King (I give my all to You)
 I lift my eyes again (Was blind but now I see)
‘Cause You are all I need
 

 

Is There Evidence Against Me?

            This past Sunday we had a guest pastor speak at our church. He said some things that have stuck with me all week. (And I hope will stick with me forever) He talked about the origin of the word Christian, and what that word means. (see Acts 11:19-30) He also talked about what that looks like in a person’s life. He said that if we are believers (Christians) then we should be Christ-imitators. I’ve heard this many times before, I’ve read about it in God’s Word and I’ve tried to live out a life that imitates Christ’s. More times than not, I fail. The good news is that God keeps picking me up and giving me another chance to get it right, by His grace and by the power of His Spirit. Our guest speaker explained that as Christ imitators, others will be able to see evidence that we belong to Jesus and that we will be accused of looking like Him.

            All week I have been asking myself if there is evidence against me in regards to this. Do I look like Jesus? Do I show others “Jesus with skin on” as one of my friends used to say? Is there sufficient evidence against me to convict me of being a Christ follower? It is my deepest desire that this is true in my life. I so long to be different and to act like Christ. When I leave this world for the next, I sincerely pray that I leave a legacy that shows that I lived my life for Christ and a life that I pointed others to Him and reflected His glory. I pray that others will see the fingerprints of God all over me.

            Our guest speaker mentioned a few evidences or characteristics of someone who is a Christ-imitator. He said that Christians who are genuine Christ followers are “going, growing and giving”. This made me think. In fact, I cannot stop thinking about it. What do I really look like? Who do I resemble? Am I “going”? Am I sharing the good news of Christ with those I love and those I meet on a daily basis? Do my words and actions display the Fruit of the Spirit? (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control?) Or, do people see more of me and less of Christ? Am I using my time on this earth to share the love of Jesus? Is my gaze set on eternity or on what I can gain here on earth? Am I self-focused or do I give everything I have for the sake of others and for the work of God?

            Additionally, am I growing? Do I start my days searching God’s Word, talking to Him in prayer and listening for His quiet Spirit to speak to me and lead me? Am I allowing His Word to change me? I can tell you without a doubt that when I start my days out in His Word and when I continue to practice being in His Presence all day long, I am a totally different person. His Word is the only thing that can change me. His Word in me makes me a better person. It teaches me about love and forgiveness and more than that, I get to know God more, and the more I know Him, the more I love Him! That is a very good thing!! It is the most important thing. I never want to stop learning about Him. I never want to stop studying His Word. Every time I open it, I discover something new or something old in a new way! It is amazing! His Word is absolutely the Bread of Life! I hunger for this Bread. I want to be filled up with it!

            Finally, am I giving? My husband and I love to bless others. We try to give a lot of what we have away. We love to feed others, open our home to others, love on others, adopt others, spend time with others, and to help others in any way that we can when we are able to. We look for opportunities to bless others. It blesses us to bless others. Sometimes because of financial restraints or because of my health issues, we are not able to do all that we’d like to do, but we do all we can and God keeps providing. He is so giving. We can never out-give Him! There is one thing that we can always do no matter what is going on, we can pray. I love to pray for others and it means so much when someone else is praying for us. Giving has many faces. It is not always financial giving or even physical giving. It is often just a prayer, or a hug, or just listening and being there for someone. Am I giving? Or do I grow tired of giving? Do I give with the right motives or do I give hoping to get something in return or to receive a pat on the back? I need to examine my motives regularly to make sure that I am seeking only to please my Heavenly Father. I want to live a life that is spent giving for my Lord. He gave His life for me and for you. I give back out of gratitude for this and out of love for Him. He loved us first. Now we can love Him back by going, growing and giving. He does not force us into this. We do it because we love Him.

            So, in closing, if I were put on trial today, would there be enough evidence to convict me of being a Christ-imitator? Oh, how I pray that the answer is yes. I know the truth is that most days I do not get this right. But, praise God, He keeps giving me new days to do better. He keeps teaching me how to live and to walk in a way that honors Him and that reflects His glory. I feel an urgency in my gut today as I write. I so deeply desire to look more like Christ and less like the fleshly Terry. I so want to show others what His love looks like. It’s the only way they will see it, through us, His followers. Please pray with me today, that I will look more and more like Him. Please pray that I will stay in His Word and learn to live out what it says. I don’t know about you, but I need some help with this. I need encouragers alongside me, reminding me to look and act more like Him. I need people to help pick me up when I mess up and to love me back to His gracious arms. And, I need to do that for others as well. Let’s all encourage one another and build each other up in the faith so that we all begin to look more like Jesus. God bless you and thank you so much for reading. It encourages me greatly to know that others read and are encouraged.

 

 

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;  and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." Ephesians 5:1-2

 

 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11

 “ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:4-6

 “ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:1-3

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” I Thessalonians 2:16-17

  “ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

All Scripture taken from the New International Version

 

 

 

Turtle in the Road

            Have you ever watched a poor turtle try to cross the road in traffic? I am horrified when I see one in the middle of the road and I always want to hop out of the car and rescue it, but in most cases that would not be wise. Just the other day I was on one of my favorite roads that runs along a beautiful river and is lined with trees and all kinds of beautiful sights and creatures. It is normally a very quiet, peaceful road to travel. On that particular day, the traffic was a bit heavier than normal and as we were driving and admiring the scenery, we spotted a lone turtle trying to cross three lanes of traffic. I panicked as I watched the turtle try to avoid the huge vehicles passing right over him. Just when he thought it was safe, he would poke his little head out and start slowly moving again, only to find that another car was closely approaching. Poor little guy. I felt so sorry for him. I am not sure if he made it across or not, but it seemed like the odds were against him.

            This little turtle reminded me a lot of life. I immediately started taking mental notes for this blog post. Do you ever feel like a turtle trying to cross the road in heavy traffic? I do! Just when you think you are going along fairly well in life, all of the sudden out of nowhere, a huge obstacle almost runs you over. I am afraid that is life. I’ve always heard that if you are not currently in a challenging life circumstance, you probably have just finished going through one or you will soon be facing one! That sounds a bit discouraging I know, but again, that is life. If you have lived for very long at all, you know that this is pretty true. Life is full of hurdles and obstacles. Of course, there are moments of great joy and hope as well.

            I’m reminded again of some lessons that I have been learning in my Bible study group. I’ve recently mentioned that we have been studying about the life of Joseph in the last several chapters of Genesis. Like the poor turtle, Joseph faced some huge obstacles! But, he never tried to hide from them like the little turtle in the road that pulled his head into his shell every time there was danger. No, Joseph faced them head on. He trusted God to use his challenging circumstances and waited in the strength of the Lord and on His timing. He did not shrink in fear. He pressed forward through the danger. He remained obedient and God blessed him for it.

            Now, honestly, I often react like the turtle instead of like Joseph. When circumstances start to pile up on me, I want to stick my head somewhere in the sand and hide, or I want to run to my family and friends for help and protection. I often want to escape the many valleys and pitfalls of life. I often shrink back in fear like the little turtle does when he sees danger. As a believer, I do not have to do that. I have another option. I can turn to my heavenly Father and trust Him with all of the circumstances of my life. For me that is easier to say and harder to do.

            God’s Word tells us that He does not give us “a spirit of fear, but gave us a spirit of power, love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV) You see, we do have a choice. We can hide our heads like the turtle or we can face our life situations head-on with a spirit of “power, love and self-control”. I’d like to say that I always choose option two, but I do not. However, I pray that I am at least learning to turn to Him more often than I turn to my own fears, my own ways or the help and advice of others. Don’t get me wrong, it is often good to seek wise counsel and to have dear friends to depend on, I do not know what I would do without my sweet friends, but God is the best friend we can ever have. After all, He created us and He absolutely knows what is best for us. He knows exactly what it will take to draw us closer to Him and to teach us to trust Him more than anyone or anything else. I am a very visual person, and the little turtle in the road is a good mental picture that reminds me not to stick my head in the sand at the first sign of trouble, but rather to run to the One who knows and loves me best for help and guidance when I find myself in the tough places of life.

            I know this all sounds easy. I realize that it is not easy. I realize that life throws some pretty hard curve balls. I listen to the news; I hear the horrible stories. I personally know people right now who are dealing with cancer, infertility, surgery, emotional and physical pain and all kinds of difficult life circumstances. I know pain myself. I know grief. I know loss. I know it is NOT easy to turn to Him first. I know it is sometimes not easy to trust Him when things look impossible. But I have also experienced the peace and joy of choosing to trust Him with my life and with the lives of those I love so deeply. I prefer the peace and joy of trusting Him to the fear and anxiety of trying to face things without Him.

            I am no expert at this. I am still learning. I will still fail. I will still experience fear. I will still try to do things in my own strength. I am still human just like the rest of you. I desire to have this down pat, but I think as long as I am on this side of Heaven, I’ll still be learning about this. I’ll still be growing. I still want to live more like Joseph and less like the little turtle with his head tucked in. I pray that each time I remember the little turtle with his head tucked in, that I will also remember that God is right here with me, watching, listening, protecting, guiding, and ready to help me when I face any kind of danger and obstacles. He is so faithful. I can trust Him. So can you.

God bless you and thank you for reading. I hope my simple words encourage you in some small way. Please check back soon. I want to share some beautiful things that I learned while spending some quiet time with the Lord on a recent vacation to the beach.

 

 

Ordinary or Not?

Do you ever feel really ordinary? You are not and neither am I! Lately, I have been feeling extremely ordinary. Recently I saw a commercial that included people who are brilliant scientists, beautiful ballerinas, amazing athletes and other extraordinary people. I turned to my husband and proceeded to tell him how simple and ordinary I felt after watching that commercial. I personally know people who are brilliant like those in the commercial – very smart people - pastors, teachers, scientists, artists, musicians, doctors, computer people, etc. I do not see myself as one who has any extraordinary gifts or talents. I’m a pretty simple kind of girl. My husband always says, “With Terry, what you see is what you get.” I’m simply "me".

For many of my younger years I remember struggling with feelings of inadequacy, not really being able to see anything really special about myself. God continues to work on me in that area even though I am not a “young” person anymore. He continues to remind me that I belong to Him and that He thinks I am pretty special. (Not any more special than the next person, but special.) Through the years, many dear ones have taught me that I am uniquely designed by the same God Who created the Universe and that I am fully loved and accepted by Him and fully pleasing to Him, not because of anything I do but because I am His.

I recently had to have some surgery and I’m still in the recovery stage. I am at that place where I’m still not very useful, (and probably will not be for some time) but my mind is ready to get back into my normal routines and activities. I do not do very well when I have to sit still and miss out on the things that I love most. Even typing this is still a bit painful, but these ideas have been swirling around in my head for days, and I need to get them written before they disappear into the black holes in my brain.

Since I saw that commercial, I find myself going back to some places that I’d rather not go to. I have been letting the constantly changing circumstances of life cause me to believe some lies that I have not listened to for many years. Lies like… “you are not good enough”, “you are too old and you are done serving”, “you do not have enough education” or “you are too selfish, bossy and controlling, etc. The lies go on and on and on in my head if I let them. My dear friend calls these “lies from the pit of hell” and she is right, that is what they are. I KNOW that they are not the truth. I know that I am created in the image of God and that I am His work of art, His masterpiece and His handiwork. I know that He created me for a purpose. (Ephesians 2:10) But, sometimes I let the ugly voices in my head try to convince me that even though I am a daughter of the King, I’m still not enough. I know, it sounds crazy, but I don’t think I’m alone, I think there are others out there who struggle with the same lies.

The last couple of months have been a bit discouraging at times, yet there have been moments of pure joy sprinkled throughout the hard stuff. I’m finding that I am more and more grateful for the moments of joy and that I try hard to thank God even for the challenges of life. Life has its share of both pain and joy. We’ve all witnessed that in recent days by just turning on the news-so much heartache and evil. It’s difficult to find a “happy” story on the news these days, so we have to really keep our eyes fixed above so that we can keep shining light into the darkness of this world.

 I’ve been studying the last few chapters of Genesis and the life of Joseph. Joseph experienced some pretty difficult circumstances, some of which were brought on by others. However, God was in control through each of his circumstances (rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery, falsely accused and thrown into prison and forgotten for years…) God used Joseph’s life and circumstances not only to draw him closer to Himself, but He used Joseph to protect and provide for His own people – Israel. Through it all, Joseph trusted God’s promises and obeyed His commands.

I really want to be more like Joseph. Joseph seemed to be a pretty ordinary guy. Yet God used him for great things. In fact, most of the people that God used to teach us in His Scriptures were pretty ordinary people. They were all just people like you and me. There are a variety of examples of ordinary people who God used in Scriptures – teachers, fishermen, tent makers, homemakers, murderers, prostitutes, shepherds, blind people, short people, male and female, young and old – ordinary people. Joseph chose to be obedient no matter what, even in the most difficult circumstances. He kept on trusting and serving God even when others overlooked him, mistreated him, and rejected him. He must have wondered at times where God was and what He was doing, but he kept on trusting. God blessed his obedience and used him for His purposes.

My deepest desire is to know God and to serve Him until I am taken from this world and walking the streets of Heaven. When I am having a pity party because I feel too ordinary, that means that I am missing opportunities to hear God’s quiet whispers and to join Him where is He is working. If I am wallowing in self-pity and disappointment over myself or the painful things of this life, then I am missing precious moments to sit quietly and wait for Him to tell me what is next. When things do not go the way I would like them to, or when I feel rejected like Joseph did, or when I feel really ordinary, I need to remember that God has equipped me for His good purposes, and that He has given me everything I need for “life and godliness”. (2 Peter 1:3) What I need to do is stop feeling sorry for myself and to set my gaze back on the One who will prepare me for every step of this life. He will use me when, where and how He sees fit. It may take a while, but He is not done with me yet. I may be pretty ordinary to the world, but in His eyes, I (and you!) am His child, created for His good pleasure and purposes. I pray that I will become more and more like Joseph, trusting God and waiting on His timing and plans for my life and service. He will guide me, He will strengthen me, He will satisfy me and He will use me. (Isaiah 58:11) After all, it is really all about Him, and NOT me.

 

Thanks for reading. God bless you!

 

 

Prayer Changes Everything

            Prayer changes everything. I have not slept well the last couple of nights, no particular reason, (well, actually, a lot of reasons). When I do not sleep well, it affects everything. I get weepy, my arthritis pain increases, I just feel miserable, both physically and emotionally without the proper amount of sleep. That was the case this morning, I just felt yucky. I had to be up early to take our fifteen year old dachshund to the vet. That alone is a daunting task. He is so scared of the vet’s office. I’ve tried to convince him that our vet is a wonderful lady. I love her, but I guess that is hard to see from his perspective. I’m always excited to see her, for him, not so much. I always have to hold him still while they are doing their exam and giving him shots. He fights me with all of his strength and it wears me out. Well, it was not a happy experience today. He and I came home exhausted from the appointment, me with a bum shoulder and the pain associated with that, and him, just a worn out old dog. I headed for the couch and he headed for his bed. My pain level was so intense that I started my own little weepy, pity party. I get disgusted with myself when I act that way, but I have to give myself a little slack because I know most of the weepiness today was from lack of sleep.

            Well, after a time, I got sick of my pity party and went to my private prayer closet to talk to the Lord about it. My heart was heavy with several things, including an upcoming shoulder surgery, and my love and concern for some dear friends of ours who are in the waiting process of their upcoming adoption of a precious little girl. I closed the door to my little “prayer closet”, dropped to my knees and wept before the Lord. Remember that I said that prayer changes everything? Well, it does, but what usually changes during prayer is not my circumstances, but the way I look at them, and that is what happened today. As soon as I started praying, my focus went from my pitiful self-focus, to heart-felt, agonizing prayer for my dear friends, my family, loved ones and others. I poured my heart out to God with complete honesty, begging Him on behalf of my friends, asking for His help in every circumstance that concerns me, reminding Him of His goodness and promises and pleading with Him to intervene. Soon, my prayers turned into deep worship and adoration for Him and genuine thankfulness for His goodness. It was such an incredible time. My weeping turned to joy and my fear turned to peace.

            After finishing my prayer time, I picked up a couple of my favorite devotion books, and my Bible and began reading. The devotions led me to several Scriptures that blessed my heart and that spoke directly to what I had talked to God about. I continue to be amazed when He speaks directly to me through His written Word. It really is alive and active in my life! It is always relevant and useful in my life. He uses His Word to teach and guide me. He has walked with us through so many circumstances and He promises that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us and He never does. When I left out of that little quiet place of prayer, my attitude was completely different. My tears were tears of joy, hope, trust and thankfulness rather than tears of pain, fear, doubt and self-focus. He is so faithful. His grace and mercy continue to amaze me.

            Well, just as I requested this morning in my prayer, He gave me courage and strength to get through this day, He gave Me His Word to guide me, He continues to bless, grant peace and show favor to my dear friends who are adopting, He eased the pain in my body enough that I was able to enjoy and complete the tasks which I needed to get done today and He even sent a few people my way today just to encourage me in surprising ways. He is so good. I am truly grateful that He has taught us in His Word how to pray and that He allows us to communicate directly with Him. We even have a Great Intercessor that intercedes to the Father on our behalf. That is incredible!

I’ll end this the same way I started - prayer changes everything, but mostly it changes our attitude. When we pray, our circumstances may not change right away, but, He will give us what we need to walk through them until they do. Have you spent any time quietly talking with the Lord lately? He is waiting for you. His heart is open and ready to listen. He loves to hear from us. I’ve included the Scriptures that He sent me this morning. I hope that they encourage you. God bless and thanks for reading!

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” 2 Corinthians 4:17(NIV)

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today… The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14 (NIV)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

Laughing all the way...

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since we’ve talked. There has been a LOT going on, some good, some, not so much. A friend told me recently that she noticed that my blogs had gone a little “dark”, and honestly, she was right (it did cause her to pray for me because she knew something was up). My writing usually reflects where I am at the time. Sometimes I struggle with how and what to write, depending on what is going on. I love sharing what God teaches me as I walk through this life, but sometimes I do not have the courage to share as honestly as I’d like to. Sometimes I need time to process life’s happenings and other times, I just feel like I’m not really “qualified” to write at all. But, I’ve got to keep writing. It ministers to my soul and by God’s grace I pray that it ministers to yours as well.

I told another friend recently that if I were completely honest with you all, I have not written because I sometimes fear that God might just ask me to walk through what I am writing about if He has not already asked me to do so, or in other words, that He might ask me to really, really practice what I preach. Well of course I should practice what I preach! I hope I do. I try to. It is the desire of my heart. My friends answer to this all was, “Terry Bob, (her nick name for me), just write about your fears, be honest”, and so here it is. (Side note…I’m SO thankful for my friends)

There have been so many challenges lately. They have included a two and a half month long cancer scare (which turned out fine, Praise God! Thanks to so many for your prayers!!), family challenges, and because of the cancer testing, no arthritis meds for several months. That has not been a pleasant experience. I have learned the hard way just how much I really need those meds. I call them “poison” and I’m sure that is what they are but without them, I have little quality of life. Sometimes I feel like all I do is complain. Sometimes, I feel like I am no good to anyone because my pain level prevents me from doing things that I once did easily. Well, today, I do not want to complain. Today I want to choose joy! Today I want to be thankful! Today, I want to LAUGH! Yes, I said laugh!

Earlier today, when I was returning home from one of five doctor appointments this week, I was taking one of my favorite routes home. I started thinking about writing a blog about seeing the beauty of God’s creation even in the dead of winter. I could tell you about the beautiful little blue bird that has been visiting our feeders recently and talk about how we can find God even in the winter seasons of life. Instead, God filled my head with the idea of a funny blog. I’ll warn you, I’m not a very funny person, but I decided to go for it anyway. While driving down this scenic route that meanders along a local river, I spotted a majestic bald eagle perched in a tall tree. If it was summer time, I might have missed it. There I go again, spotting beauty and reasons to smile even in the dead of winter.

For some odd reason (you’d have to know me), that eagle took my mind from thinking about  beauty in the winter to the idea of finding humor even when every inch of your body hurts with the exception of your knees. I just do not laugh as much as I used to. I thought about it and decided to laugh rather than to cry, which frankly, is what I felt like doing after having five different shots, physical therapy, 5 doctor appointments and an infusion this week! Anyway, back to laughing. A mental picture flashed into my tiny brain. It looked something like this, so try to imagine it with me. I am over the hill (yes I really am), flying down that hill rapidly towards old age, and with every bump that I seem to hit, I injure or wear out another body part! Yes, I know, it doesn’t sound funny at all, and no, it really is not, but what can a girl do? What good is crying going to do at this point? I’m also picturing my friend, literally laughing at (or with) me as I roll down that hill as fast as I can go, out of control. (Reminds me of my first skiing trip)Yes, she is that kind of friend but that is one of the many things that I love about her. I can hear her laughing now! After all, she did make me climb a tree one time, and she taught me to dance in the rain. I used to be the kind of girl who would never get her hair wet, but now thanks to her, I love dancing in the rain. If it were raining right now, I’d go out and dance in her honor!

And, so, today, instead of complaining about pain and about getting so many shots this week, that I’m going to start leaking, I choose to laugh. At least for now, I’m going to laugh out loud about the picture of me climbing trees and dancing in the rain with my friend, and even more hilarious, me dressed in my pink active wear suit and tennis shoes, rolling down the hill of life with as many bumps as a mogul ski slope, eyes and mouth wide open, laughing all the way. That picture may not make you laugh. It might even frighten you! (I warned you…I’m not that funny!) But it sure feels good to laugh! I do not know what tomorrow brings. I am hoping for less pain, and less doctor appointments, but if that does not happen, I hope that I will still choose to look up, keep my eyes on the prize and smile.

I hope that if you are rapidly rolling down a bumpy hill of life today that you will also be able to focus on something beautiful and smile, or better yet laugh if you can. You are not alone. If you are a child of the King, then He is with you. He knows and feels your pain. He loves you and He is smiling over you.

God bless you and thanks for reading!

 “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

 

Waiting Games (not games at all)

            My husband likes to tally up how much time we spend in our lifetimes waiting at red lights, standing in grocery store lines, or waiting for the internet browser to pop up on our computer screens. He can predict nearly the exact time we will arrive somewhere before we even get started and be correct almost to the minute, even on long trips! He can tell you how long we wait for practically everything we do. He loves to calculate those kinds of things. He even tries to get the rest of us in the family to play along in his calculations, but I do not like those kinds of waiting games. I figure that guessing is not going to change the arrival time or the experience of my waiting. I’m not really good at waiting in general. I’m trying to do better.

             As human beings, we are always waiting. We wait in line in a store, we wait for our paychecks to be deposited, we wait for our favorite TV show to come on, for our loved ones to arrive home safely, for medical test results to come back, for the sun to come out, for the rain to stop, for our kids to be born, to grow up, and then we wish they were young again, we wait for more things than I could possibly list on this page. Wait, wait, and wait.

            I have been thinking a lot more lately about waiting. I find myself in a season of waiting right now, and I have to say, it is not easy to wait. In fact, it is pretty challenging. As I wait, my mind goes to many different places, not all of them pleasant. Sometimes I wait patiently and with courage, but at other times, waiting causes me to fear, worry and to be very anxious. But, there is a better way to wait and I deeply desire to wait in that way. Scripture teaches us to wait on the Lord. I have been pondering what waiting on the Lord looks like. How should I feel as I wait? How should I behave?

            I believe that Scripture teaches that we should wait with faith, confidence, trust and hope. We are to wait on God with patience. We are to wait, knowing that He hears us and will answer us and wait with confidence that God is Who He says He is. A new friend (actually one of my doctors) shared something with me recently while trying to encourage me during a phone call that I received from her. She said we are to wait on God with “confident expectation”. I love that! It is so practical and so true! She took about twenty five minutes of her very busy time to encourage me with these wise words. How often does that happen these days? I’m so thankful for her. (and for others)

Waiting is not easy, nor passive. Waiting on the Lord should be active. As we wait, we can talk to Him and trust that He hears us. We can read and study His Word. We can listen and we can seek the wisdom of those wiser than us who can walk with us as we wait and help to point us to Him. This kind of waiting is much better than the kind that leads to fear and anxiety. I’m not saying it is easy, but it is well worth it. I am preaching to myself here more than anyone else. Trust me, I need to hear this right now. As we wait, we can also remember God’s faithfulness to us in the past. As I contemplate His faithfulness, I am overwhelmed by His goodness and mercy towards me. Remembering His faithfulness also leads me to be thankful, thankful that I do not wait alone and thankful that I know that whatever the results of my waiting turn out to be, He is with me. He goes before me.

            If you also find yourself in a time of waiting, please look with me at the verses that God has been giving me in this tough season of waiting. Spend time in His Word and look for other verses that may encourage you as you wait. (I’d love for you to share your favorite verses in the comment section below!) God bless you as you wait. I pray that as we wait together on the Lord, we will find strength, peace, patience, comfort and hope, and even more than that, let’s wait together with “confident expectation”.

Isaiah 40:31 – “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (ESV)

Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (ESV)

Psalm 130:5 – “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord.” (NIV)

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.” (NIV)

Psalm 25:4-5 – “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God…” (NIV) “Cease striving and know that I am God…” (NASB)

Titus 2:13 – “…waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”

 

 

 

Little Yellow Flowers

I have not written in a while. There are times when my heart has a difficult time getting the words down on paper. This has been one of those times. I want to write, but the words will not flow. So I wait. I listen and when the time is right, it comes. I was writing a newsletter article recently about the hope that sometimes comes with a new year. I even struggled to find the words for that, but I finally did. I thought about re-writing that for my blog, but I decided to write about a different kind of hope – hope that comes out of deep struggle.

A couple of weeks ago I woke up, got ready for the day and headed out for some extended time with the Lord in the Pink Room. Instead, I decided to stay in our bedroom and sit in one of my favorite chairs. It is a small lady-sized chair that belonged to my husband’s parents. I have it covered with a beautiful pink blanket that my sweet sister-in-law made for me a few years ago. It is a very warm and comfortable spot to sit right by our bedroom window. That morning, I opened the blind to let in a bit of sunshine and to my surprise, there was a beautiful little yellow and orange daffodil right outside of our window. One little stem of flowers standing strong against the cold winds of winter. That tiny flower pushed its way up through the hard soil of winter. Everything else in our front garden has died or gone dormant. It stands alone fighting to survive the chilly days. Normally this type of flower blooms much later, around early to mid springtime. It is not normal for it to bloom in the dead of winter. In fact, it has never bloomed before. It also belonged to my sweet in-laws and we’ve had it for a few years now, but it never bloomed until now.

            Every morning when I open the blinds, there it is, smiling at me, in all its splendor. It makes me smile. It is so bright and colorful against the dreary appearance of winter. It is standing tall and strong against all odds. It gives me…hope. Its happy little face reminds me to praise God and to have a thankful heart even when I do not understand the tough things going on around me. I want to be like that little daffodil. I want to stand strong in my faith, I want to trust God in ALL things. Even when I face what feels like a cold, dark winter season in my life, I want to cling to the One who loves me most and who knows me best. I want to persevere, but more than that, I want to press on in joy, just like that sweet little flower.

            None of us know what the next hour will bring in our lives. I certainly do not, but God does. Recently, I asked a friend to pray for me and for my family in a time of intense testing. Her words were short, but so encouraging. She said, “God goes before you.” What a beautiful reminder of God’s presence in the lives of His children. He goes before us. He is all around us. Psalm 139:5 says, “You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.” (NIV) He does not abandon His children – ever. When life overwhelms us, it may seem like He has left us, but His Word tells us that He never leaves us and I believe His Word is truth.

            The day is at an end now and it is dark outside. I cannot see the little yellow flower right now, but I know it is still standing tall and strong even in the dark of night. I believe it will still be there in the morning when I open the blinds again. It is the same for me and for you. Even in the darkness, we know our Heavenly Father is with us. We might not see Him, or even feel His presence, but He is there. He will be there when I lay down my head tonight. He will be there tomorrow when I face life’s challenges and He will be there when I walk through moments of joy. He is faithful. HE IS FAITHFUL. May God richly bless you. Thank you for reading.