JUST A WORD

      Recently, I awoke on a Sunday morning. Even before I could stop and think about the news or anything concerning my family, I had a strong wave of anxiety and fear loom over me like a heavy cloud of doom. I could not shake it.  
     It is my custom to get up, get my shower, and prepare for church, but I had this nagging sensation about the idea of even leaving the house. I stopped to consider if it was a warning from God, but all I could think of when I asked, “Is this you, God?” Was the phrase, “Do not forsake the assembly of yourselves together.” In other words: go be with others for worship. So, I got up and headed for the shower. I prayed trying to rid myself of the negative feelings that enveloped me. Yet, the sinister thoughts still bombarded me to stay home and relax. A voice kept telling me that I deserved a break to vacate from my routine while my husband was out of the country.
     It was tempting to my flesh, especially since I am an introvert. I am comfortable in my own company and group settings tend to tire me out. This was a real struggle, but I resisted since these feelings were  unusual for me. I marched out into the garage, entered my Fiat, and drove to church.
     I sit alone most of the time anyway since my husband volunteers to work in the entry of our church, so as I looked around, I felt drawn to sit in the same row as a couple that looked like visitors. The worship began.
     The words of the worship songs soothed and comforted my troubled soul. I felt the presence of God and his encouragement that he knows all that is happening and that he is able to care for me. Nothing is getting past God’s notice, now or ever.
     God moved on the pastor to ask the congregation to come up front if they wanted prayer for healing. The woman near me stood up hesitantly and moved forward. 
     God impressed on me some words of encouragement to share with her, so I wrote them down, and at the end of the service I went to talk to her then I handed her the paper with the words I written.
     We exchanged introductions and then she read the message and tears flowed down her cheeks. She thanked me, explained she was going through a health crisis, and placed it inside her Bible.
     On my way home I recalled that I loosed peace, love, and all the fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:23), as well as justice, morality, integrity, and truth, and compassion over our nation the night before. Whether the enemy attacked me that Sunday morning due to my intercession or just for me to be lazy, just look at the opportunity that I would have missed out on if I had stayed home.
     This lesson impressed on me to test my feelings to be sure I was not being led away from a good opportunity. I was grateful that I listened to God rather than being swayed by my feelings. Engaging in life fully is rich. Interacting with others around me is vital. It gives new insight, new understanding, shared experiences, and shared joys and shared burdens as well. 
     Choose to live proactively rather than reactively. Be the positive out there in the world.  

     Surrender each day to God because he sees what is up ahead. He can guide with his wisdom through the ups and downs of life. With God, we can more calmly respond and get through unexpected circumstances knowing that there is a purpose here if I only trust and see through God’s lens what it is that I am there for.
     Of course, that is the ideal. Being only human, I don’t always respond perfectly, but my heart desires to be used this way because when I ask for God to show me the way, sooner or later God gets me back on track.
     I shared this today to encourage you. Embrace each day with gratitude and expectation. See what God opens up for you to experience. We are the positive change that will spread over the whole earth when we walk listening to the Spirit of God. Make a difference on this earth, one person and one conversation at a time. 

Jeremiah 29:11  NIV

I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 5:1-2  NASB

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.

WWJD

     These four letters, WWJD, have been my mantra throughout my life. What Would Jesus Do? I ran across them when I read a fiction book in my early twenties. 

     In His Steps, written by Charles M. Sheldon, is the compelling story of a content, self-satisfied pastor and his congregation living in the Midwestern United States. When the congregation witnesses a visitor to their church, a homeless man, suddenly die in their midst during a Sunday morning worship service, they realize their failure to love the lost and reflect Christian character in their daily living.      After much soul searching and reflection, the pastor presents a challenge to the group. Before deciding how to respond to business deals, personal choices, and relationships in their lives, some members agree to pledge to live their lives for one year, asking themselves, "What would Jesus do?"

     As far as a literary piece, it is a bit simplistic in the presentation of the plot and mostly very predictable. Yet, its impact on my life has been significant as it made me reevaluate my life's decisions and reactions and helped me dig into the Word of God to see what it can teach me about God's truth and his ways.

    Read the red letter edition's exact quotes from Jesus in the New Testament. Read the teachings of the men who wrote the New Testament after spending three years of their lives witnessing the beauty and consistency of how their rabbi lived. They viewed the character, compassion, and love that Jesus demonstrated daily. The teachings were a part of the mission of Jesus. Not only for us to know how to live and do things according to God's desire, but for us to learn that initially, at the time of Creation, there was a standard of the Kingdom of God intended for all humankind to enjoy. 

     The heavenly standard and lifestyle are warped by sin, greed, hatred, perversion, witchcraft, and tyranny. These evils crept into our world after the fall of Adam and Eve. By Adam and Eve's disobedience to God's command not to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they handed over God's gift to them of dominion on the earth to our arch enemy, Satan. They gave up their daily walks and close relationship with God.

     I must quickly add that the mission of Christ specifically was to destroy Satan's power over all humanity and the earth through his sacrifice on the cross. Jesus' death on the cross, the blood sacrifice, satisfied the eternal death sentence placed on all humanity separated from God. Now we can choose life and freedom. We now can have fellowship with God and know that we will spend all eternity in heaven rather than hell. 

     Believers wake up to the significance and extent of dominion we possess over the enemy. We have much more to learn about the positive side of our authority on the earth.

     Have I perfectly lived up to my mantra, WWJD? Sadly, no. Like you, I am pretty human, but for much of my life, I can say that by asking myself what Jesus would do in a situation, I came out much better in the long run.

   When put to the test, these four words, What Would Jesus Do? can work you over. They challenge you and me to get past deceptive emotions, selfish desires, inflated ego, and fear of man. Once applied, these four words shape you into a stronger person willing to step up to a higher plane of living.

1 John 1:6,7

6-7 (MSG) If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth— we're not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin. 

6-7 (TPT) But if we keep living in the pure light that surrounds him, we share unbroken fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, continually cleanses us from all sin.

NOT ALL ANGELS HAVE WINGS

 

     Now, I know that angels intervene in our lives and I can recall times when my kids were spared death or terrible traumatic injury in accidents and a time when a stranger stopped to pull my daughter out of a smashed car that might have started up in flames only to disappear as soon as the police arrived. I attribute angels with the credit for watching over them even in their adult years, but there are also special “angels” who have blessed my socks off with their kindness, generosity, compassion, and financial blessings.

     It’s funny how just glancing at one sheet of printed paper while cleaning out old files can register a myriad of thoughts and emotions. Thirty-seven years ago this paper was the contact information for an attorney I received. This attorney was the first of many angels who ministered to me in a great time of need.

     After finding out that my husband of thirteen years, a pastor, was leaving me for his mistress, I crumbled. I had been a stay at home mom raising our four children, baking bread, cooking from scratch, taking care of other children for some pocket money, and the pastor’s wife; loving every minute. I just didn’t know how I would afford an attorney to represent me or where I was going to live when we left the parsonage.

     The new pastor who took over the church talked to a friend of his and connected me with an attorney in Brownsville, Jim Odabashian, who offered to take care of me pro bono. This was such an answer to prayer. I had told God I trusted Him and asked for help, but I am still to this day always surprised at how He answers and takes care of me. 

     A couple from the church where we had pastored made wooden doll house for my girls and wooden barn with animals for my boys for that bleak Christmas. The church gave me $500. to buy gifts and groceries for Christmas goodies and a feast that I would not have dreamed was possible right after my husband packed up and left.

     I discovered a four-bedroom house for rent just blocks from the schools and when I contacted the landlord, he and his wife decided to just charge me $200. a month for rent! This was unbelievable and such a miracle because I only had $450. per month to live on at that time and needed to go to the university for three years before I could teach school and make a decent wage.

     I started attending a different church with younger families and friends I’d known from before. One couple, Daryl and Grace, loaned me a VW Rabbit for three years to use while I commuted to UTRGV as a single mom with four children. I had a Lincoln Continental that would have strained my budget. They changed the oil, kept in touch to encourage me, and loved on my kids.

     Daryl was also my pastor and the church treasurer gave me $200 a month for the duration of my education as well as taking on a huge repair on my Lincoln and paying off surgery for my six year old daughter’s tonsillectomy. This helped me with my daycare expenses and kept healthy food on the table.

     I remember another time when I was going to spend spring break without any of my children. I was struggling emotionally to fend off depression and Connie, the art teacher from school, asked if I wanted to accompany her on a trip to New Mexico for the break and all I had to do was to pay for my meals, that she had relatives for us to stay with and she already planned to drive alone so not to worry about any gas. 

     That was such an uplifting time for me. I love road trips and to travel past the mesas, to visit her family for a baptism and dinner at their horse ranch. Then visiting her elderly aunt along Route 66; eating in a diner car. Then staying in Albuquerque with her sister and visiting with all her friends who came to hang out. Up we drove to Santa Fe to enjoy art studios, the architecture, food, and stunning views. Then west to inhabited Pueblo dwellings on a high mesa that was a cultural experience. Renewed. Restored. I was ready to tackle the hard stuff again.

      Today I am grateful for our dear neighbors and friends who come and step up to help us with odd jobs, mowing our lawn, looking in on our parents when we are out of town, and all of the wonderful donors who make our mission trips to Costa Rica possible these days. I am thankful for the freedoms we still continue to enjoy and the brave souls who fearlessly speak up to keep us on track as a nation.

     So many wonderful people. 

     I trust that I encouraged a child while teaching, or that some teen found out how significant their life was, or that as a family member, neighbor or friend that I was one of those wingless angels to these others that I encountered throughout the years. That’s what this world needs more of. 

     I challenge you to be that person. Look for ways to pursue random acts of kindness each day for your loved ones, friends, yes, and for strangers when you get the nudge. Your life will be full and joyful as you extend yourself to bless another human being or animal.

Hebrews 13:2 “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (NIV)

I also like the MESSAGE version:

“Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!”

     

Photo credit

Archangel Gabriel's Messages in Dreams

thoughtco.com

BLOWING

 

Air tumbles in wave after wave over me. Gently stirring at first then suddenly whipping up dust devils.

The once silent breeze begins to howl as it races right past to greener pastures.

Particles from volcanos, the beaches, the high and low lands, the forests and jungles, a busy avenue, an alley where cardboard protects a lonely soul with only a countdown to look forward to.

Rushing on past three spent colts bedding down for the night, then sneaking in where men eagerly stack shish-kabobs while trying not to drool.

Whirling and twirling between the wheels beneath soccer moms heading out to fetch home their favorite star. A brief pause to watch and admire the happy reunions, not understanding entirely but quite aware that this ritual adds power to the earth.

An invisible gust wears a lacy dress that shows off its billowy self as it speeds through the screens.

Taking bits from here and there and dropping them in place of something new.

Drying skin and clothes that dance or maybe they are attempting to escape the pins. Stealing a cap, balloons, then sending seeds of dandelions that soar into oblivion for a new start.

Challenging a father who strikes endless matches in his fight to grill for his family. 

Then just as quickly as it all started up. All is still.

CREATED TO FLOURISH

Psalms 139:13-14 (TPT)

You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother's womb. I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!

1 John 3:1a (NIV)

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!

Enjoy this beautiful poem and song by Misty. Sit back, close your eyes, and meditate on this.

Garden, by Misty Edwards with lyrics

#created #womb #garden #love #fatherlove #creation #born #purpose