Trusting God through the losses of life

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
~  Job 1:21b-22  ~

Loss and the subsequent grieving process seem to always be a part of our lives. We lose loved ones, jobs, our health, our faculties, relationships, material possessions, status and especially our car keys LOL!

Learning to grieve and work through those losses are the most important tasks of our lives, often determining the extent of our spiritual growth and ministry on this earth. Jesus pointed that out when he shared the parable about the kernel of wheat falling into the ground and dying in order to yield a large harvest. (John 12:24)

One of my favorite Bible stories centers around Ruth and Naomi. (The Book of Ruth, chapters 1-4)  Both women suffered heavy losses. Naomi was uprooted from friends and family in Bethlehem to move to a new land where she experienced the pain of being an outsider. Then her husband died, leaving her and her sons to fend for themselves. They were stuck in a strange land because returning to Israel meant a further loss of livelihood – the famine was heavy there, leaving no grazing land for their flocks.

As long as she had her two sons, Naomi felt compelled to be strong – to bear her losses and carry on in this foreign place. She even managed to rejoice and grew to love her new daughters-in-law when her sons married local girls. But when both of her sons died, leaving her virtually alone and unprotected in a foreign place, Naomi’s resolve cracked and a deep depression which had been building up for a long time overcame her soul. She lost her faith in God, allowing the pent up anger and bitterness inside to well up to the point where she wanted to change her name to Mara(bitter).Even returning to her home and friends didn’t help break through her depression.

Orpah coped with her loss of her husband by taking the easier route away from her pain. At the first opportunity, she returned to the safety of her home, despite the fact that she belonged to Naomi’s family through the marriage contract.We can’t really fault Orpah – she was doing what she needed to do for herself to carry on; choosing to be surrounded by family and friends and the potential of remarriage rather than making the drastic life changes involved in staying with Naomi.

Ruth, on the other hand,had discovered something powerful and real through her marriage to Mahlon – she discovered faith in a new God who cared for His people and offered her a way of escape from the hardships of her life in Moab. We don’t know what her life was like before she married Mahlon, but it must have been bad enough to cause her to to be desperate to leave Moab with Naomi, despite the fact that Naomi painted a very bleak picture of the future in Israel for her daughter-in-law.

Through her newfound faith, Ruth embraced the pain of her loss. She worked through it to the point where she accepted the future, no matter what it held, because she trusted God. Sure Ruth keenly felt the loss of her husband, but the thoughts of losing her relationship with Naomi and Naomi’s God hurt worse – a loss she couldn’t bear. So she worked through her feelings of loss with trust in her new God to take care of her even if things got as bad as Naomi said they would.

Her attitude, like that of Job in today’s quote, pleased God. He brought her into a new land where she put down roots and flourished under His care. Her tears were wiped away and her life morphed into more than she ever dreamed it could as she married Boaz, had a son and was welcomed into Bethlehem’s society. God even blessed her by incorporating her into the lineage of the Messiah. Through Ruth’s healing, the lives of all around her were touched. Naomi eventually overcame her own depression and learned to live again.

I wish I could say I always reacted to loss the way Ruth did.But I can’t. I’ve experienced deep depression many times over the course of my life resulting from painful losses. I’ve also coped by taking the easier way out rather than trusting God to walk me through the hard places. But in those times when I have managed to trust Him through the losses, I have seen phenomenal growth and healing in my life.  I have reached some of my goals that I never believed possible!

We all suffer loss, but my prayer for you today is that you might know the comfort, strength and even joy of the Lord through those losses; that you might experience the healing, growth and overcoming power of the Lord to bring you to new heights because of those losses like He did for Ruth and Job. Amen!

Today’s In Other Words is hosted by Miriam over at her blog MiPa’s Monologue. If you’d like to play along, blog about today’s quote on your blog site, then hop on over to Miriam’s blog and leave your URL with the Linky tool

Be sure to leave her a comment so she knows you visited and if you have time, visit the other blogs listed there to see everyone’s take on the quote. You’ll definitely be blessed!.

The Shortcut Less Travelled

“If you don’t change the direction you are going,
then you are likely to end up where you are headed.”

~ ~John Maxwell~

Every once in awhile,  Dan and I enjoy taking a drive off the beaten path, turning onto roads we’ve never travelled before to see where we end up. What a great way to get to know the communities where we live, a chance to see unusual and beautiful sights and  time to chat, uninterrupted by phones or the television.

A few years ago, we headed toward home in Maryland after visiting family in PA. There was no rush to get home and the day was gorgeous for driving so we decided to turn off the Interstate onto a less travelled road that went through a state park. We knew generally where we were and where the road should come out so we opted to take the scenic route. We still had about 30 miles to reach home, but we thought the road might offer us a shortcut. No problem.

At first it was a nice two lane, well-maintained road with houses on either side – a typical country road. Then we entered the state forest land.  The road was still paved, and there were no signs indicating  a dead end, so we kept going. But the farther we travelled, the narrower the road became, turning into  gravel, then a packed dirt road.

Since Dan grew up in the country, he wasn’t fazed by the changes and decided to keep going. After all, we knew that a road bearing the same name came out near our home road.

But soon the dirt road narrowed into a single lane, grassy wooded path. There were even muddy puddles from a recent rain which I was sure could swallow us up and no one would ever find us since there was absolutely no traffic. No signs warned us to turn back.  I got a little worried and wanted to turn around, but there wasn’t even any place to turn around.

Still unfazed, Dan kept going, slowly but surely down the path, navigating  around the water puddles and careful to avoid branches which had fallen on the path. I’m not sure whether the Royal Ranger, explorer side of him kicked in or whether he was just too stubborn to backtrack and make our trip home even longer after wasting so much time on our current path.

Just when I had almost persuaded him to try to turn around, patches of gravel appeared on the path, sparse at first, then more often until we were back on a gravel road. Soon we were back on a real road again, complete with the white no passing stripes down the middle. Whew!

We ended up near where Dan thought the road would come out and with a few minor course adjustments, we soon turned onto our tried and true shortcut road home. It was an INTERESTING afternoon jaunt.

I’ve been on the journey with the Lord long enough to know if He directs me down a certain path, I’d better take it! It might lead me through some interesting, narrow, muddy, tree-strewn places – some places where I’m tempted to bite my nails and feel like turning back, but as long as He’s guiding me, I will come out exactly where He wants me to be.  Thanks Lord!

     Today’s In Other Words  is being hosted by Nina  of Mama’s Little Treasures. If you’d like to play along, share your thoughts about John Maxwell’s quote on your blog today.  Then, visit Nina’s blog  and share a  link to your blog.

Be sure to visit the others who have also written on it and leave them a comment so they know you were there! Happy Tuesday!

A Touch of Mercy–In Other Words Tuesday

“Nothing humbles and breaks the heart of a sinner
like mercy and love.
Souls that converse much with sin and wrath,
may be much terrified;
but souls that converse much with grace and mercy,
will be much humbled.”

~ ~Thomas Brooks (1608 – 1680) ~

A Touch of Mercy
Bonnie Winters © 6/5/2006

A short story based on John 8:1-11 (NIV)

Gritty dust caked on her teary cheeks as she lay panting on the ground where she fell. It mingled with blood seeping from the cut on her mouth where a heavy-handed man slapped her to quiet her protests.

“Get up, harlot. Let’s see how Jesus judges you today.” A rough hand hauled her to her feet and shoved her forward. She willed herself to keep silent against the pain as she stumbled into a circle of leering men. Regaining her balance, she lifted her chin in an attempt at a haughty pose. Her clenched teeth bit back the retort she would have made to the Pharisees who dragged her here.

Fools, she thought, raking the circle with her eyes. She masked her fading bravado as she realized there was nowhere to run. The bawdy crowd blocked her escape, calling for the Master’s decision.

“Stone her. She was taken in the very act of adultery. She is guilty!” A sallow man, dressed in the gaudy robes of richness, stroked his beard with one hand while he shook his other fist in the air. She recognized his beady eyes and harsh features; he was the man who had been spying on her every move, waiting and baiting her.

She spat her contempt in his direction as the crowd took up his accusation. “Stone her! Stone her. It is the law.” She could almost see their fingers twitch in anticipation against the rocks in their hands.

On the fringes of the tense crowd, enterprising young men lay odds on the outcome of the spectacle. Anger and fear warred in her breast as her breathing quickened through her clenched teeth.

The icy bitterness in her eyes focused on the one they called “Master.” Go ahead. Condemn me, just like everyone else. What’s it to you if I die? There will just be one less harlot in the world. Why should you care that a Roman soldier stole my virginity before I was even a woman? You are a man just like all the rest, taking what I offer, then spitting in my face. But at least when I ply my trade, I hold the power.

Jesus met her glare. Like the warm wind of spring blowing over the land, His gaze melted the ice in her eyes. The catcalls and demanding shouts from the crowd faded until He was the only one in her world. Suddenly the air grew thick as she gulped back the tears, trying to steel herself against the searing compassion in His eyes. Her heart burned as though a flame had scorched it - burning away all her defenses, her hatred and bitterness, leaving her soul naked before Him. She pulled her torn cloak tighter around her shoulders, grasping it about her neck. If only she could run and hide her shame from His eyes.

Unable to break the hold of His powerful gaze, images of her life flashed through her mind. She was a cowering child with a tear-stained face, an angry adolescent declaring she would overcome her oppressors, a haughty woman taking control of her life in the only way she knew how. His eyes reflected a frightened and hurting lioness ready to turn back toward her enemy in self-preservation and rip him to shreds. The total love and forgiveness she felt in his visual embrace shamed her to the core of her being.

How can He love me with all the bitterness and hatred I see in my heart? I can never be good enough – never be clean enough to be worthy of Him. She held her body rigid, fighting against His love. The only evidence of her inner struggle was the trembling of her lower lip.

When He turned his gaze away and stooped nearby to write in the dust, the burning faded. The air chilled as though the sun had disappeared behind a gray cloud. Her soul was alone again with its icy bitterness.

She became conscious of the crowd once more. “What is he doing?” Necks craned to read His words. “Why isn’t he doing something?” The crowd began to shift nervously. “He must call for stoning. It is the law!”

When the woman’s accusers continued to badger Him, He rose and met each man’s eyes with a level gaze. “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

“No!” Fear swallowed her last shred of hope as she raised her arms to cover her head for what little protection she could muster. He had deceived her! Lulled her into a false hope that He was different, caring. This Jesus was throwing her to the ravenous Pharisee dogs. She tensed, closing her eyes and waiting for the first stone to pelt her body. But the pain never came.

Nervous feet scuffed the ground, as the crowd dispersed man by man. Silence. She opened her eyes; slowly lowering her arms, daring to glance around her, yet ready to cover herself if needed. The Master still wrote on the ground, but the men were gone.

Her eyes stared at the man drawing pictures in the dust. She willed him to look at her, to face her and explain why – how He could move her heart to repentance in one moment then turn on her the next. But she dare not voice her thoughts. He was after all a man with the power to break her.

Finally Jesus stood and gazed around the empty street. “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

The dragon of self-protection rose in her heart, spewing haughty words. “No one, sir.” As their eyes met for the second time, she flushed with self-condemnation for her shameful actions. She sniffed back the tears. Her lips trembled again, awaiting His judgment.

Why don’t you condemn me? Why don’t you stone me? You know what I am. You know the anger and hatred I feel. Do something! Please don’t just stand there staring at me. I deserve to die.

“Then neither do I condemn you.” He smiled, His understanding and love reaching out to her lonely heart. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

She turned and fled from His presence, running until her breath came in hard gasps. Nausea roiled in the pit of her stomach. Bile burned her throat as she retched onto the hard-packed earth. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Kneeling there beside the road, she poured out her sins and hurts to her God. I am so sorry, God, so sorry. She wept bitterly.

“Neither do I condemn you.” His words reverberated in her mind. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

A feeling of lightness, newness, seeped into her soul. She could never, would never go back to that life again. He had seen the raw nakedness of her soul and showed mercy in spite of it. Behold, He made all things new

***

Today’s In Other Words is hosted by Twinkle Mom at her site SunflowerFaith.  If you’d like to participate, share you thoughts on your blog site.  Then, visit Twinkle Mom’s blog  and share a  link to your blog.

Be sure to visit the others who have also written on it and leave a comment for each one as well, so they know you were there.You will be blessed!

It’s a scrappy life

When I get anxious I know I have gone from God’s time to my time and it’s a waste of time. Charles Stanley

I am an avid card maker. At one time I loved to sew, but can’t do that so much anymore because of my eyesight. Instead, I now merge my passion for paper with my love of quilt patterns to create faux quilted cards.

All that paper piecing! Some think it’s too tedious and a waste of time, but I tell people it keeps me sane. LOL!

Last night I began designing a card with a log cabin pattern in an effort to use up some of my scraps that are threatening to take over my craft room. I chose coordinating colors and began to glue the paper strips onto the card.

When I got done, I wasn’t too satisfied with the results. The card looked plain; just a hodge-podge of paper strips glued onto a piece of card stock.. and I didn’t care for the design at all. It needed “something,” but I wasn’t sure what..

Hmmm. Maybe some faux stitching. I grabbed my pen and added some little stitch lines. That helped.. Next I added some embellishments from my stash .Yes! Now it seemed like it was coming together!

A long time ago, I learned that I can’t judge my cards until I finish them. Often in the middle of the project, I just want to throw up my hands and say, “Forget it! This is UH-GLY!” But if I keep at it, I usually end up with a design I am proud to give to a friend or family member.

My life is a lot like that card. God is designing something wonderful with the scraps of my life, but I can’t see the finished product yet.

I have a tendency to get anxious over the unfinished state of my life’s design. When that happens, I try to add my own design elements to make  things better. What a huge waste of time and energy since He just has to redo everything again according to His plan.

Lord, Help me not to get anxious as you piece together my life layer by layer. Create a masterpiece which You will be pleased to use to bless Your World. Amen!.

***

Today’s In Other Words is being hosted by my dear friend Karen over at In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus. Be sure to pop in and see her take on the quote.

If you’d like to participate, simply blog about the quote on your site then add your URL to the Linky tool on Karen’s blog. Be sure to leave a comment for her and visit the others who are participating today! You’ll be glad you did.

When the timing’s off

“In Other Words” Tuesday

“Learning to wait on God’s timing –
and having the patience to follow his lead rather than running ahead of him –
is essential to those who are committed
to seeing their faith journey through to the end.
God seldom rushes things along.
Getting used to his pace will help you in the long run.”

~ Essentials for Life For Women by Marcia Ford ~

Two of the largest maple trees I had ever seen stood in the front yard of our new home.  Towering over 75 feet tall, their branches provided shade in the summer, helping keep the house cool. They provided a safe haven for many varieties of birds and squirrels and were pleasing to the eyes.

But each time the high winds ripped through our neighborhood, branches littered the ground beneath the trees. At first it bothered me. I worried the trees would eventually become scraggly and ugly with no leafy branches at all, until I realized that those branches on the ground were usually leafless, dead branches which provided no shade or health to the tree. They were almost always dead wood.

Branches which were sap-filled and alive had more flexibility, bending in the wind rather than breaking off.  They remained attached to the tree, following the ebb and flow of the seasons as well as the winds.

Staying spiritually healthy is one of my greatest battles in life. It’s easy to switch back to my old patterns of coping and trying to handle things on my own. But when I do, I’m in danger of becoming a dead branch, one that will snap off the tree  the minute the high winds sweep across the area.

As long as I stay connected to the Tree of Life, I can stand against the unexpected wind storms of life, maybe badly shaken, but still spiritually intact with His life flowing through me.

God, help me to get  so used to Your pace, Your strength, Your life flowing through me that I will survive life’s unexpected storms.  During those clear days when there is no wind, help me to be content to soak up your life and strength for the days ahead – always resting in You!

***

Today’s In Other Words is being hosted by Deborah at Chocolate & Coffee. Take time to think and ponder on  the quote below and share about it on your blog. Then, visit Deborah’s blog  and share a  link to your blog and visit the others who have also written on it.  Be sure to stop by the other blogs and read their take on the quote as well and leave a comment to let them know you were there! You’ll be glad you did.

Feelings are deceiving

“I will never be the same again,
I can never return, I’ve closed the door.
I will walk the path, I’ll run the race
And I will never be the same again.”

~ lyrics by Geoff Bullock ~

Have you ever seen one of those optical illusions that can be viewed more than one way? Try this one from a site called miss optical illusions:

What do you see? A pretty young woman or a stern old Scotsman or an old hag??

They’re all there if you look just the right way!

In one of the earliest scientific books on optical illusions, Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications. Matthew Luckiesh, states that “Seeing is deceiving.”

He attributes our mind’s interpretation of the things we see around us to our “past experiences, associations, desires, demands, imaginings, and other more or less obscure influences….”

When you really think about it, we don’t always get an accurate picture of life based on the things we see around us. Both our eyes and our feelings can deceive us, yet we tend to depend so strongly on them to determine our beliefs about the world around us.

Many years ago when I was a teen, several of my youth group friends got together after watching a Billy Graham movie. As we sat together discussing our salvation experiences, one thing stood out – most of us had an emotional experience when we accepted the Lord. Some felt the burden of sin lift from their shoulders. Others felt a sensation of joy.

One young man gave his heart to the Lord after the movie but doubted the validity of his experience because he didn’t “feel” any different. No matter how many scriptures we shared with him, no matter how many convincing facts we presented, he went home dissatisfied because he had not felt anything. He soon turned away from our youth group activities for those experiences which gave him the feelings he craved.

The same things that cause our minds to interpret optical illusions: “past experiences, associations, desires, demands, imaginings, and other more or less obscure influences…” are the same things that determine how we interpret every day events around us.

The devil understands that and sits on our shoulders lying to us, trying to evoke personal pity parties. This young man succumbed to those lies rather than looking for the truth. Perhaps his father ignored him or failed to give him the love he craved so he interpreted his lack of feelings at salvation to an uncaring God.

No, the resolute life of Geoff Bullock’s lyrics above grows out of a life based on the truth of God’s word. It is a conscious choice to believe no matter what things look or feel like just because God says it is so.

That’s no easy task because we are wounded, emotional beings. It requires daily spiritual warfare:

• open, honest sharing with The Lord about how we see the events and actions of others toward us. “He makes me sooooooo mad!”



• being willing to pour out our feelings of guilt, shame, doubt, fear, mistrust, until we have laid all before the Lord. We really can’t hide our true feelings from God, though we often try.



• taking time to be quiet before Him to listen to His words of comfort, instruction and correction.



• allowing His Spirit to give us a fresh, Godly perspective of what is going on around us – seeing things through His eyes rather than through the illusions of the enemy.



• being willing to act on what He shows us – offering forgiveness to others and to ourselves. Becoming teachable and willing to work with the Lord to change those things we need to change about ourselves.

We must make a conscious decision to seek intimacy with Christ; getting to know Him so well we aren’t fooled by the illusions, lies and memories the enemy dredges up. Then and only then will we be able to say honestly, “I will never be the same again, I can never return, I’ve closed the door. I will walk the path, I’ll run the race and I will never be the same again.”

---

Today’s In Other Words is hosted by Miriam at Miriam Pauline’s Monologue . Take time to think on Geoff Bullock’s quote and share about it on your blog . Then, visit Miriam’s blog - Share your link and check out the thoughts of others who have also blogged about it today. You’ll be glad you did!

The Good day/Bad day Scenario

“”Your worst days are never so bad
that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace.
And your best days are never so good
that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”

~ by Jerry Bridges ~
***

Four-year-old Sam followed his mom as she led the way to the kindergarten Children’s Church class. She turned a corner into his classroom and began talking to his teacher, when something on the wall caught his eye – a small red box.

He looked carefully at the box and read the words, “Fire Alarm Pull Down.” Of course he had no clue what the words "Fire Alarm" meant, but he recognized “Down” because of the arrow. So Sam found a chair, climbed up and pulled the handle down.

As soon as the fire alarm began to blare, Sam put his hands over his ears and sank to the floor. Mortified, his mom found him there just a moment later. She groaned, realizing exactly what had happened. It was going to be a bad day….

Fortunately, one of the associate pastors who knew Sammy, arrived on the scene and learned what happened. He ran back to reassure the pastor it was a false alarm and quickly alerted the fire company.

Because the congregation rented the public school building for their Sunday services, the associate pastor couldn’t turn off the alarm. He had to call the school principal to come and take care of it.

So for the next half hour, the senior pastor valiantly carried on the service, ignoring the intermittent, loud blare of the alarm while the congregation politely endured it all.

As mother and son walked back down the hall to exit the building with the alarm blaring, Sam looked up at his mom in consternation and said, "Too many Pull Downs."

Because of Sam’s age and because he didn’t pull down the alarm purposely as a prank, Sam received grace that morning. Except for the extreme embarrassment that it was their son who caused the ruckus, the school principal, the pastor and the congregation extended grace to Sam’s parents as well.

But every day, Sammy’s mother thanks God for His grace to raise her bright, high energy son. She knows it’s only a matter of time before the little guy strikes again. Like the time he tried to make popcorn by himself, almost starting a fire in the microwave because he pushed the automatic start button twice…. Or the time he didn’t want to go to sleep so he figured out how to open his window and climb out to watch the alligators in the canal behind his house….

The point is that we are a lot like Sam, getting into all sorts of scrapes in our lives.There are too many pull downs - too many opportunities for life to drag us down because of our own sins or the sins of others. Yet, even on our worst days, God is there waiting to be gracious to us. No, He won’t prevent us from facing the consequences of our actions. But He will be there to help us through them, making sure we learn from our failures. He brings beauty out of our ash-heap experiences. That’s God’s grace.

He walks with us and even carries us during the worst days so we will want to walk with Him during the good ones.

Father, please help us to remember your love and grace on those good days when we think we can make it all by ourselves! Amen.

***
Today's In Other Words is being hosted by Jennifer at Scraps and Snippets. Why not drop over and check out all the great posts on this quote. If you'd like to participate, blog about the quote on your blog, then leave a link at Jennifer's site so everyone can share your post.

The Ice Storm

“God loves you.

He loves you so much that He’s allowed this trial to push you to the point where you have no choice but to look to Him.”

~ When Life is Hard by James MacDonald~

I’m not sure what woke me. Perhaps it was the cracking of a tree limb outside the window, an eerie sound in an otherwise silent night.  I lay there wondering what was happening when I heard a loud sizzle-pop and all went dark.

Power’s out again, I thought, rolling over and hoping it would be restored by morning so I could get to the office on time.

Not so. Several hours later with the power still out, I knew it was bad. The battery powered weather radio droned out the news of a catastrophic ice storm blanketing the northeast.

Outside, the yard wore a layer of bubble wrap with each blade of grass cocooned in its own ice bubble. Even the dog hesitated to venture off the porch. No traffic dared navigate the streets because of downed tree limbs and power lines.

As the town’s news reporter, I was one of the first cleared to be out and about. Throughout the week I watched in awe, writing story after story, as people banded together in the face of catastrophe to care for each other.

It forced us as a community to accept the helping hands of others to get through the trial. Electrical linemen came from as far away as Hawaii to replace the downed poles snapped like match sticks by the weight of the ice.

Truckloads of food and clothing arrived to help feed and house those who were forced from their homes because they had no heat against winter’s deep freeze. Local churches, schools and even the local prison became shelters.

The trial of the ice storm caused people to work together, to pool their resources to care for one another. What seemed to be a catastrophe, turned into a blessing as neighbors forged new bonds, uniting their community as never before.

It’s true in the spiritual realm too. When things are going well, we wander through life on our own, not trusting the Lord. It’s during the trials of life when we realize how much we need him to carry us through those devastating times. It’s during the dark times when our faith grows and our hearts forge an intimate bond with him.

Life’s trials change us. Either we admit our frailty and reach out trembling hands to embrace God’s help, or we curse him and die a little more inside our dark and lonely hearts. The choice is ours.

Father help us to choose life during those trying times – to embrace your power, love and help, rather than pushing you away, isolating our hurting hearts. Amen.

 

Today’s In Other Words is hosted by Debbie on her blog, Heart Choices. Take time to think and ponder on  the quote below and share about it on your blog. Then, visit Debbie’s blog  and share a  link to your blog. Be sure to visit the others who have also written on it. You’ll be blessed!

Drowning in complacency

 

" . . . to refuse to bend our shoulders to carry a load is to miss a new opportunity for growth."
J.R. Miller from Streams in the Desert

Several years ago, we visited a water park with our children. The water slides were great, but my favorite thing was the “Lazy River.” Even though I knew it was foolish to stay in one position for too long under the summer sun, the refreshing of the cool water and the warmth of the sun against my body lulled me into complacency. I bobbed along the course several times that afternoon, basking in contented bliss.

I ignored the prickles of heat on the tops of my thighs. I overlooked the slight pink tinge – warning signs that I’d had enough sun. The sunscreen would protect me, I reasoned. As you can imagine, I looked and felt like a boiled lobster later. Ouch!

No one I know wants to suffer pain. And yet crisis and pain seem to be a tried and true tool for producing growth in our lives.  Without it, we bob along with the current of life in a stupor. We get comfortable and don’t want to change or grow. Even  when we recognize the danger signs, we would rather overlook them than leave the place of complacency.

But then the crisis comes. We are jolted from our reverie by the turbulent emotions of confusion, pain, shock. We have to do something or die. Suddenly we feel like we’re drowning so we thrash around trying to save ourselves while sinking once, twice….

These are the times God offers us a chance to shoulder our responsibility for personal growth and change. He knows that until we hurt bad enough, we won’t choose to change – it’s human nature. But He is wise enough to know we can’t make those life changes alone even though we may want to.  So He comes alongside us and offers to tow us to the shore, provided we stop thrashing around, trying to save ourselves.

Drifting and complacency are not the same as resting in Jesus. To rest is to trust. It’s difficult for many of us to stop thrashing around and allow Someone else to be in control.  It requires a conscious choice on our part.

As we make the choice to trust, we are really taking on a load of responsibility to grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally. We learn true contentment as opposed to complacency. We learn intimacy with God and others rather than wearing masks to protect ourselves. And we are buoyed up by the truth about ourselves in relationship with Christ rather than drowning in the lies we were taught to believe from childhood.

Jesus loves His creation too much to let us bob through life singing, “Whatever will be, will be.”  He gives us a purposeful life filled with opportunities to shoulder the load and grow on a daily basis.

The question is, are we done thrashing around on our own?

**************

Today’s In Other Words is being hosted by Tami Boesiger over at her blog, The Next Step.

What thoughts does this quote inspire in you? Feel free to participate in today’s In Other Words by blogging about the quote on your blog site  - then leave a link at Tammy’s site to share with the other participants. Take time to be inspired today by  this great quote.

Savoring Jesus

“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.”
~Frederick Buechner~
Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale


If you popped a Hershey Kiss into your mouth right now, how would ou eat it? Would you chomp it down in one bite or would you let it melt slowly in your mouth?

Personally I'm a chomper from way back. I eat the Hershey Kiss quickly and go back to have half of the bag before I'm satisfied. Then I end up with a tummy ache and feeling guilty for eating so much chocolate.

But over the last few years, I've been consciously working to learn to savor the velvety chocolate flavor of the Hershey Kiss, though it's hard! I've found one Kiss that melts in your mouth is more satisfying than a dozen chomped ones - and I can even enjoy one Kiss occasionally on my diet with no guilt!

When I thought about today's quote, the Hershey Kiss illustration came to mind. I have moved so often as an adult, it was difficult to put down roots - difficult to form lasting deep friendships with those around me. It was like chomping on the Hershey Kiss - enjoying surface friendships briefly, then leaving empty, unsatisfied, wishing for something deeper.

Real lasting and deep friendships take time to develop and nurture. They are the kind that leave you satisfied, even when you are apart and pick back up almost as if no time elapsed when you are together again. Thankfully I do have several friends like that. Even when time passes, our relationship is still full and sweet. They are friends I can pour our my deepest heart to and they still care and accept me - warts wrinkles and all.

The sweetest relationship of all is my relationship with Jesus. I have to admit, I often "chomp" in that relationship, failing to savor the time one-on-one with Him. When that happens, I find myself getting up off my knees feeling unsatisfied. That's when I succumb to the world's attractions and distractions because I haven't satisfied my need for the sweetness of His presence.

I have to consciously work at savoring Him, savoring His awesome presence. It takes time to be quiet before Him, touching Him with praise and listening to His voice and knowing His touch on my heart. After those precious times, I get up from my knees feeling loved, feeling joy and peace. I am full, whole and completely satisfied.

This week, Nina is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” on her blog, Mama’s Little Treasures . Be sure to visit her site and the links to the other women who have shared on this quote.

If you'd like to play along, simply blog about the quote on your blog site and leave your URL in the Mr. Linky Box on Nina's site.

Creative Opportunities Ahead!

Thanks to Amy over at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 for supplying this week's quote for "In Other Words."

Caution: Road Slippery When Wet

Eleven years ago, my husband and I pastored in Northern New York. In January that year, the area was hit hard by one of the worst ice storms they had ever experienced. The Governor declared a state of emergency because the heavy ice toppled electrical poles in a domino effect, causing the area to lose power. Roadways were covered with ice, slush and downed trees. A nearby river flooded, affecting a low income and Senior Citizen complex.

Though the storm crippled the area, some pretty amazing things began to happen. As a reporter for our local newspaper at the time, I wasn't housebound. There was no time for getting discouraged or sitting around waiting for the power to come back on. I had a wonderful job to keep me upbeat and encouraged - I was able to travel around and see firsthand how people were coping, giving and sharing with each other. Then I had the opportunity to encourage my community by writing those stories.

The temperature had dipped to -20 degrees Fahrenheit after all the rain, which forced those without power to seek other shelter. Several of the large local churches, the schools and even the local prison opened their doors as shelters for those without electricity and heat. Others who had alternative heat sources like fireplaces or wood stoves opened their doors to their neighbors. Families shared the contents of their refrigerators and freezers to avoid losing all their food to spoilage. I still chuckle when I remember how our neighbors "borrowed" our shower because we had hot running water.

For me, it was a unique lesson in giving out of our own need. We all faced the same circumstances, but everyone who was able, gave and shared with those who were in greater need. We all learned to get by without TV, without the things we once considered necessities. For me, it cemented the joy of giving firmly in my heart. Even when things were tight, it became an adventure to find creative ways to give and share what I had.

As I see the signs for slippery economic roads ahead, I remember those days of the ice storm and know in my heart that giving is a part of frugal living. I suffer from less stress when I stop focusing on my own needs and focus on the needs of those around me. I am energized as I look for creative ways to help meet those needs. As I found out during the ice storm, writing is an awesome gift God has given me which allows me to give encouragement as well as materially to those around me.

If I were to post a sign on this leg of my life's road, I think it would read:

"Rejoice: Creative Opportunities Ahead!"

If you'd like to share your thoughts on today's quote, simply blog about it on your site, then visit Amy at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 and leave your URL in the Mr Linky Box! Then take a few minutes to read some of the other blogs and leave a comment.

Have a blessed day!

It's healthier to take the stairs!

Thanks for joining us for In Other Words Tuesdays! Denise over at Shorty Bear's Place has chosen this quote for "In Other Words" today:

Making lifestyle changes is like taking the step of faith onto Martin Luther King Jr's stairway in the quote above. Whether it's learning to let go of control and trust the Lord more fully; to reign in excessive spending and live more frugally; or to lose weight, exercise and make healthy food choices, that first step is probably the most difficult one you'll ever take!

It is a commitment that you must make by faith because you can't see the whole stairway. And the neatest thing about it is that once you make the commitment in one area of your life, all other areas will eventually be affected.

Seventeen years ago, I took the first step of faith on my stairway to overcome the depression that plagued me most of my adult life. Though I was a Christian from the time I was 8 years old, I had grown up with damaged coping skills from childhood abuse. I tentatively reached out and took His hand to take the first step on the stairway - emotional healing.

Over the years, I have been amazed at the changes He has made in my emotional and spiritual life. Joy and confidence became part of my inner life and I began enjoying the journey with fewer dark cloudy days. But my life journey was still an upward climb.

Over the last few years, though I was coping much better, there seemed to be one life struggle after another without a break. I found myself dealing with aging parents who were also becoming incapacitated. My husband and I experienced some difficult church situations that wounded us deeply. We made a major move and became "empty nesters" for the first time. It wasn't long, however, before we found ourselves faced with the need to open our home to help our grown children and grandchildren. On top of all that I developed some back problems and severe arthritis in my knees which caused me to retire early when we really needed the income. Then we moved again, leaving behind our 5 sweet-faced grandchildren and faced more loss as my parents both died.

My journey ground to a halt as I stood there on the stairway, hanging onto the golden handrail and breathing hard. Though God allowed me to catch my breath, He wasn't going to let me stand there for long.

This time, He began working on my physical issues - namely weight. He knew I was finally ready to let go of the protective wall of excess weight I had always carried as I took His hand and took another tentative step up the staircase.

My spirit has grown lighter because with each upward step, I'm not only shedding pounds, I'm leaving behind the remnants of that stony protective wall I once built around my heart - a wall which I thought kept me safe, but really only kept me isolated from His Love.

As the staircase vanishes from sight, hidden by the stories above, I know this: Each step builds on the one before it, making it possible for me to take the next one. He is there to support me when the climb gets tough. I can let go of control and trust Him more each day because the staircase has spiralled far above the place of fear and despair where I started. Though I can't see it yet, I know I'll reach the top landing someday and step off the stairs into His home at the journey's end.

Ever wonder why God doesn't have an elevator to heaven? Because it's spiritually healthier to take His stairs - one step at a time!

If you'd like to participate today, Just blog about the quote on your site, then hop over to Shorty Bear's Place and leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box. Hope your day is Blessed!!!!!

Trust is the only option

Today I'm privileged to be hosting In Other Words. I ran across this quote in a Bible Study I'm participating in with several writing friends and knew this was the one I needed to share today.


"Real life in the real world is a tough, nitty-gritty journey that every pilgrim on planet earth must make. Moving to Disney World is not an option. There will be tribulation; Jesus said so. But be of good cheer. He's still in the business of guiding and strengthening and healing and overcoming."

~ When the Glass Slipper Doesn't Fit by Claire Cloninger and Karla Worley~

"Disney World" was always my residence of choice when I was a child.

When I was 4 years old, I used to embarrass my parents whenever we went to visit relatives on Sunday afternoon because the moment they announced it was time to go home, I would throw myself on the floor and have a hideous temper tantrum. I don't remember doing that, but heard my parents tell the stories many times.

Each year when Labor Day Camp came to an end, I grieved inside - wishing it could last forever. When I travelled to Tennessee at age 14 to be a junior camp counselor for a week, I phoned home and begged to stay another week, even though I had no idea how I'd get home.

Homesickness just wasn't in my vocabulary. In the real world, I did anything I could to minimize time spent at home. When I had to be at home, I remember spending hours sitting in a swivel rocker next to our dining room window, daydreaming about running away from home. I had it all planned out - how I'd sneak back at night to get food out of the refrigerator and hide in the nearby wooded area in the daytime.

As an adult who has worked hard through the process of healing for my damaged emotions, I understand why I felt that way now. Home wasn't a safe place. And because I couldn't cope with the things that happened there, I escaped any way I could - either by becoming active in all sorts of School and church activities or by retreating into a world of daydreams.

God knew I couldn't live in my own private "Disney World" forever so when the time was right, He began teaching me how to cope with the real world. I discovered just how tough and nitty-gritty the journey really is and how much I need to trust Him for guiding, strengthening, healing and overcoming.

Trust is the core issue behind the ability to cope with the real world. But how can trust be built or rebuilt once it is damaged?

Learning or relearning trust requires us to become spiritual infants. When a baby cries, it learns to trust its parents as its needs are consistently met. I had to journal about each need the Lord met for me in answer to my prayers. Being able to see His blessings in black and white went a long way toward fortifying my trust that He had met my needs in the past and would continue to meet them in the future.

I also had to learn to empty my heart of all the emotional turmoil inside by praying and crying out to the Lord until all the tears were spent; much like a parent quiets a weeping child. Once all the confusing and hurtful emotions were emptied out, I could hear His voice and receive the comfort He had to give. It was a process that occurred over and over again until trust began to take root.

It isn't an easy fix, but He is patient and gentle as He works to rebuild broken trust. The Disney World way of coping with life won't work for long, but a life of trust will always get you through!

If you'd like to participate today, simply blog about the quote on your site and then leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box below. Please fell free to visit the other great blogs to read their take on today's quote!

Spreading the Light

Welcome to "In Other Words"

Thanks for joining me as I host IOW today. If you'd like to participate, please share your thoughts about today's quote on your blog site, then leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box at the end of this post.

You're also invited to visit the other participants' blogs and leave them an encouraging comment.

*****

“There are two ways of spreading light;

to be the candle or the mirror

that reflects it.”
~Edith Wharton~

Several years ago I was being interviewed as a candidate to participate in a therapy group made up of women who were going through a time of healing from some traumatic life events. One of the questions the group's facilitator asked me was "what will you contribute to the group?"

It seemed like a strange question at the time, but I replied that I was a good listener and would give whatever I could to the group. After all, I was a Martha - a fixer. I could never be content to just sit and soak up the light and healing from everyone else.

At the time, I had no idea how intense the healing process could be. But as we met together week after week, sharing our stories, our hurts, our concerns, our failures and successes, I learned some valuable lessons about being Christ's light as well as how to absorb it into the darkest hidden places in my own heart:

1. A mirror is coated with silver or other reflective coating on the back. It cannot absorb the light shining on it - it can only reflect it back. Like that mirror, I was good at reflecting Christ's love back at others, but I had never allowed His light and love to penetrate into the deepest recesses of my life where the most hurtful memories lurked in the shadows.

It took all the candle power in that room to finally illuminate my hurts. Their words and actions became the candles that burned away my excuses, my denials and unproductive ways of coping with life so Christ could begin His healing work.

2. After I learned to open up to His light, I learned how to better reflect it back to others through the honest sharing of my heart. I found even when I was at my weakest, His strong light was able to shine through like a candle in a dark room. More than once, I was told that my courage in sharing what I never dared to share before had encouraged and strengthened one of the others in the shadowy places of their journey toward wholeness.

3.There were times when each of our hurts seemed so overwhelming there were no words adequate enough to bring comfort. Those were the times when we took turns mirroring Christ's love to each other- forming a supportive circle of light around the one whose hope and strength seemed to fail. A comforting hug, a listening ear, unconditional acceptance and love reflected His light during those deeply emotional times.

Whether we are the candles or the mirrors that reflect His light - we can only give to others what is inside of us. We have to guard our relationship with Christ so that His light glows in us. And when that light dims, we have to replenish it through prayer, His Word and the support of others around us. Now more than ever before, we need Him and each other in the darkness of the world around us. Lord help us to keep on spreading Your the light to those around us and to future generations.

***

In Other Words Tuesdays - The COW Sisterhood

“Hospitality is becoming an almost forgotten Christian virtue in our style of life today… In the New Testament, however, hospitality was a distinctive mark of Christians and Christian communities.”

~Alexander Strauch
from The Hospitality Commands~

I'm not sure what it stood for - I figure it meant "Crafts Or Whatever" - but I proudly wore the stamped "C-O-W" letters to church on my right arm. Whatever the letters stood for, to me, they signified a bonding time together with the young teen girls in our church.

These girls love crafting.

We don't have a lot of programs for our church kids right now and God laid the girls on my heart. Since I have a whole room full of supplies that I use to create cards and other items for sale, I invited the group of giggly girls over to the house for a "play date".

No rules - just be careful with the tools and put one thing back before getting another out so I didn't have a huge mess to deal with later. Every scrap of paper, every tool and every crafting supply was available to use.

What a fun time! The girls quickly busied themsleves with projects and just talked all afternoon. When suppertime rolled around, we carried the fun into the kitchen and decorated pizzas.

All too soon it was over, but before heading off to church, we each received the "C-O-W" stamp on our right arms and a promise to do it again. Of course, the ink smudged and got on everything else, but to me, it became a symbol of bonding with the girls.

I became a Christian at age 8, following an episode of abuse. Throughout my teenage years, Jesus was there, along with other significant adults, to help me through the tumultuous teenage years of the 1960's with the expanding drug scene, free-love flower children and the threat of potential global annihilation hanging over our heads.

It's even worse for our teens today. These girls are precious in God's sight. They are the future of our church, yet what is there to keep them pure, safe and strong in Jesus? It will take open hearts and homes where they are welcome to come when they are struggling with today's issues - for counsel, for acceptance and approval, for guidance and love.

Lord teach me to be hospitable - to have an open heart and home where "my girls" and others can come in times of need and know they are loved -just as You have opened Your arms to me and folded me in the safe haven of Your breast.

***
Today's IOW hostess is Chelsey over at her site Joyfully Living For His Glory. If you'd like to participate, simply blog about the quote on your blog page, then visit Chelsey and leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box.

Feel free to visit the other sites and read all the great takes on today's quote and when you visit, be sure to leave a comment for the writers to encourage them.

Today's Quote Is:

“Still, accepting God’s existence is one thing; honoring his command is another matter entirely, especially if we’re required to go back when we’d rather go forward.”

~Liz Curtis Higgs
from Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible~

***

I don't make a very good patient. Following our car accident several weeks ago, I was told to rest for a few days because of the problems I had from whiplash.

Rest? How could I REST! There were still dishes and mounds of laundry to do. My garden was having a hey-day producing squash and green beans that needed to be picked and put away. I still had children's ministries to plan and prepare for. We had bought a half bushel of peaches just before the accident that were sitting there waiting to rot if I didn't can them.

So I went to work. It was slow going - I was having difficulty focusing on what I was doing and had to reread the directions several times in spite of the fact that I had canned for years. The process took me twice as long as it used to and when I finished, I had a whopper of a head and back ache, not to mention dizziness.

I had accepted the doctor's diagnosis, but didn't honor his commands because I didn't want to waste all those wonderful peaches. After all, that would have been extremely WASTEFUL not to mention that we had spent $16 on the box. So who can afford to dump $16 down the drain these days?

No, I didn't listen to my doctor and I paid for it in physical discomfort. I HAD to rest then.

Now, I have to admit I don't always listen to God very well either. He knows the plans he has for me (Jeremiah 29:11). He always plans things out for my good (Romans 8:28). He loves me and wants the best for me, though sometimes the growing/learning process to get through things is painful. I can accept that. I know it in my head.

But my human nature wants to avoid pain and suffering. It directs me to skirt the issues I need to deal with, to run away from the problems or to bury my head in the sand and pretend they don't exist.

Rather than taking His hand and walking through the circumstantial or emotional fires, I try to press on, avoiding them or tackling them on my own. Of course, I end up falling back and having to regroup with Him before I can make true forward progress.

The whole learning/trusting process is like a spiral. Yes, I still have difficulty honoring His commands, but each time He works through the process with me, my trust is strengthened, the bond of intimacy between us increases and I grow an inch or two toward maturity in my Father.

So will I ever fully honor His commands in my life? Probably not in this lifetime. But through the process, I hope to spiral ever closer to Him.

***

Our IOW hostess today is Miriam Pauline at her site Miriam Pauline's Monologue. Join us there to read her take on the quote and to leave your URL so we can read how you feel about today's quote on your blog.

Healing Laments

Welcome to In Other Words Tuesdays! Loni has selected the quote for today and is hosting over at her site Writing Canvas.

Today's Quote:

“For at least when we express our anger to God, our wrestling keeps our skin pressing into His. God is still present. When we honestly expose our inflammation, express our soreness, we are still staking our commitment to our relationship with Him.”

~Ann Voscamp~

from her blog post,

Even if He doesn’t: Learn to Lament

***

As human beings we frequently get angry with God - anger for the unfairness of life, especially for the things we have no control over - but He does.

"Why did You let that happen?"we rant, shaking our fists at Him. Or worse yet - the silent anger we hide deep in our hearts so He won't see it; the kind of anger that eventually turns our hearts into an icy bitter rock.

It takes child-like trust to vent our anger toward God - to get all the anger and hurt out in the open so He can begin a healing work. It is a necessary part of our growth as Christians. because if we don't, it will cause a rift in the most precious relationship we have. That rift will continue to separate us until over time, our hearts are as solid as the pillar of salt that once was Lot's wife.

If you haven't read Ann Voscamp's blog post where today's quote originated, I would strongly suggest you do. I love her take on "lamenting."

Several months ago, our Sonrise writing group was also involved in a study about lamenting. As we talked about what lamenting was, we were asked to each write a lament of our own. Though it was a personal thing for me, I decided to share mine with you today because it fits with today's discussion:

Oh God, you have known me since the day of my conception. You have planned for me and guided my steps each day of my life.

When I cried out in pain and fear as a small child, You stood at the foot of my bed with your arms open wide, inviting me into the comfort of your arms, offering me a place to forget the shame of my heart. I wrestled with the fear and confusion each day and with the lies it bred.

My heart said, “You are ugly. You are to blame. You are bad.”

Still you came to me in the night and whispered words of comfort. “You are my child, You are my beautiful creation. You can know my goodness in your wounded heart if you only trust me.”

When my enemy enslaved me, You were there, walking with me , lifting up my soul to the heavens so that his yoke would be broken in my heart. When my enemy stood firm in his strength, unyielding toward my pleas for mercy, my heart crumbled within me.

I wrestled with You when You said no man could serve two masters. I wanted the earthly relationship - to be able to touch and be touched, but that led to pain. I had difficulty fathoming the heavenly relationship, the true touching of the soul and Spirit because it was invisible.Though I loved You, my heart was torn in shreds by the claws of the lion.

Yet will I turn to You, though I cannot see you for You are righteous and true. You love beyond measure, though my heart is confused. You have been a Father to me all these years, providing, caring, protecting and encouraging – all the things a father does and yet my heart cried for what I could never know – an earthly relationship with a human father without shame and pain.

You have been the strength of my heart and my portion forever! I will rejoice in you. Oh Lord, teach my heart to seek you. Teach my heart to long after you. Cradle me in your arms and teach me to know your joy – for you are not a God of shame. You will not break my heart in pieces. You will only build it up and encourage trust. Oh that my heart will learn to trust you fully!

Learning to lament - to beat on His breast when I feel frustrated, angry or hurt has helped me trust Him more fully. It has taught me to be content in Him, even when I can't change or control my world.

Lamenting has helped me to accept who I am and to be confident that I am the person I am because of His working in my life through the bad times. When all the anger, confusion and frustration is spent, I can relax in His embrace and know I am loved fully, unconditionally.

I pray for all who read this today - May they learn to lean on You, to trust You fully so they may experience Your healing, loving touch in their lives.

Join us today - blog about the quote on your site, then visit Loni at Writing Canvas and leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box. Be sure to visit the other participants for more inspiring reading and leave a comment so they know you were there!

Kindergarten Pirates

Great to see you here for "In Other Words" Tuesday. Today's hostess Michelle has chosen a great quote to ponder:

“The key to either great purpose or great destruction lies in where we choose to sustain our focus. Knowing this fact should move us to jealously guard our intimacy with the Lord.”

by Bill Johnson
Sr. Pastor, Bethel Church - Redding, CA

(from “Strengthen Yourself in the Lord“)

I was a kindergarten pirate.

From the time I was three years old, my parents were concerned that I had developed some serious vision problems. At first they thought it was humorous because I kept bumping into doorways or chairs which didn't get pushed all the way under the table. But soon they realized the problem was ambliopia - "crossed eyes."

I don't remember it but we made several trips to the famed Will's Eye Hospital in Philadelphia about an hour away from our home where my eyes were examined and I received a hefty prescription for glasses. I was a tiny three year old with glasses the thickness of soda bottle bottoms resting on my little nose.

At the age of five, the doctors decided I needed to wear an ugly black patch over my right eye to force my left eye to focus and to strengthen the muscles so it would become straight.

What a sight I was as I entered first grade. I wore a my right arm in a sling because I fell from a tricycle while playing with my three year old brother and a big ugly black patch over my right eye.

Our eyes, when they work together properly, send signals to our brain in "stereo." Each eye records a slightly different image and the brain puts the two images together to give us a three dimensional picture of the world around us.

Unfortunately, when one eye turns inward like mine did, the images sent to my brain were confusing, blurred and skewed. My brain had difficulty interpreting the conflicting images transmitted by each of my eyes, causing me to run into objects. Often my brain simply "turned off" the images transmitted by my weaker left eye so I no longer was able to see things three dimensionally. That's why I was clumsy and constantly running into objects.

Like my physical well being depended on how my eyes focused as a child, my mental, emotional and spiritual well being as an adult depends on how and where I focus my spiritual eyes.

When I try to focus on things going on inside me, the world around me and on Christ too, it sends my heart confusing, blurred and skewed images. In order to make sense of it all, my heart may "turn off" the less prominent images or sensations. When that happens, all I see are my fears or debilitating memories or emotions because they tend to be the stronger perceptions.

At that point, I need to take time to stop, realize what I'm doing and refocus my eyes consciously on Him. It may mean I have to spend time in deep sharing with the Lord, telling Him how I really feel about things until all my emotions are spent. When my heart is empty, I need to listen to His voice and hear how He sees the situation.

It's like wearing a spiritual eye patch - purposely covering up my heart's stronger perceptions in order to strengthen my weaker God-perceptions. As a child, I had to wear the patch for many months until my left eye grew stronger. As an adult, it means I may have to step aside at times from my "busyness" to get alone with my Friend and Father to focus solely on our relationship. Though I have many excuses, it is NECESSARY for my inner well being.

Thankfully, the glasses I wear today are a lot more lightweight and MUCH thinner (state-of-the-art no-line bifocals with anti-reflective coating and transition lenses that darken in the sun so I don't need special sunglasses. Woohoo!) But the fact remains I still have problems with the way my eyes focus.

As long as I live I will have problems with my spiritual focus too - it's a fact of life that we battle daily with our old nature. But by guarding our relationship with our Friend and Father jealously, and consciously refocusing on Him whenever we realize our vision is becoming skewed, we will continue to strengthen our hearts and walk in intimacy with Him.

***
Michelle is our hostess today. If you'd like to participate, share your thoughts about this quote on your blog, then visit Michelle at her site Because I Love You and leave your URL in the box with the other participants.

Be sure to leave a comment for Michelle and visit some of the other participants as well to see their take on today's quote.
Happy Reading and Writing!

The ministry of hand-holding

Today's Quote Is:

“Dear Lord,I do not ask that Thou shouldst give me
some high work of thine, some noble calling or some
wondrous task. Give me a little hand to hold in mine.”
~Anonymous~
***

We all need a hand to hold.

Last week my husband and I were involved in a little fender bender. I say "little" because I didn't think anyone was seriously hurt at the time and it appeared our car had suffered minimal damage.

We had gone to a larger nearby community to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary at a nice restaurant. Of course, since shopping is limited in our small town, we visited the WalMart first before heading to the restaurant. After we finished, we got on the Interstate to go to the next exit where the restaurant was located.

As we pulled into the lane to exit the highway, a young man hit our car in the back. He was going fast enough to give us a hard jolt, but thankfully it was right in the center of the back bumper so no one spun out or flipped over.

I remember sitting in the car thinking I should go to my doctor the next day because I felt some soreness in my back and I wondered why I was so calm through all of this. From experience, I knew this wasn't a normal reaction for me - I would have been an emotional wreck, having trouble holding back the tears and shaking like a leaf. Apparently I was in shock.

The next morning I followed through, making an appointment with my chiropractor, all the time wondering if I really needed to go - after all, it didn't seem bad enough to bother. But by that evening, the emotions and other symptoms had begun to hit me full force. I began to have a lot of difficulty concentrating, forgetting little things and dizziness in addition to the headaches and upper shoulder/neck soreness.

What I thought wasn't "bad" turned out to be enough to throw me for a loop. I needed the help others could give - both the emotional support of friends and family and the support of my doctor. Thankfully I am doing better and some of the symptoms are easing up.

Through this accident last week, I realize what a healing the Lord has done in me over the last 15 years. There was a time I would have hesitated to ask for that hand because I didn't want to be a nuisance or to "bother" anyone with the needs I considered trivial - even if those needs turned out to be legitimate and big. I would have put on my Eeyore mask and struggled along telling everyone in that slow drawl - "I can make it, I'm all right."

Now I am able to ask for a hand to hold when I need it and I find I have built up a good support network of trusted people to provide those hands.

One of the best things about God's work in my life is that I am able to hold the hands of others and offer support when they need it too. I've found a ministry of support is one of the highest works God can give us to do. There is so much suffering and pain in the world that being able to offer support to those in need is akin to showing God's love in person (or with "skin") to others. It is one of our most valuable witnessing tools as well.

Even when we can't physically hold a hand or offer support, we can pray! That is very similar to holding a hand for someone in need because when we pray, we place them in our Father's Hand and allow Him to hold them, support them and love them.

At any rate, I wonder if the author of today's quote had a low self image because it would seem like she asked the Lord for the largest, most important job in the universe and never even realized it - that of being a support and hand-holder .

***

"In Other Words" is being hosted today by Nina at her site Mama's Little Treasures. To play along, simply blog about the quote on your site then visit Nina and add your URL to the list in the Mr. Linky box! See you there!

IOW Tuesdays - Trust Him to order your steps

In Other Words Tuesdays
Today's Quote Is:

Order my steps, in Your word
Order my tongue, in Your word
Guide my feet, in Your word
Wash my heart, in Your word
Show me how to walk, in Your word
Show me how to talk, in Your word.

(refrain)I want to walk worthy, my calling to fulfill

Please order my steps, Lord, and I’ll do Your blessed will

The world is ever changing, but You are still the same

If You order my steps, I’ll praise Your name.

~A hymn by Glen Burleigh~

***

If God ordered your steps right into a lion's den would you still be willing to follow Him?

Into a lion's den? Whoa - wait a minute God, I've been a good person, I've followed you all my life - I don't deserve to have to go through the pain and suffering of a lion's den. I mean, come on, God. Those lions have sharp teeth and it would hurt if they bit me.

Sure it sounds a little humorous, but the truth is, those who become His greatest servants are those who walked through the fire with Him by their side first. Christians do go through hurricanes and tornadoes and lose everything they own. Their houses burn down and their loved ones pass away through tragic circumstances. Bad things happen to good people.

What makes the difference is the way we handle those circumstances. I've been in some painful situations and my first reaction isn't usually pretty. I get angry with God and rant like a frantic child, beating on His breast because of the pain and unfairness of the situation. Like Jonah, I've tried to run from the uncomfortable places He wanted me to go. But after I cry out the grief and hurt, after I let go of my own desire to escape pain, I reach a place of emptiness.

In that place, He can come by His Spirit and comfort or help me see what He is trying to say to me. I can sense His presence and I get a glimpse of the bigger picture of life. It's not all about me. There are those around me who will be directly influenced by the pain and suffering I experience, both while I am going through it and after the healing has come. It's about trusting Him to order my steps.

One of my favorite scenes is from the book, Hinds Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard. The main character Much Afraid is on her journey to the High Places where she will receive Hinds feet to replace her crippled deformed feet. She has come through loneliness, isolation and disappointment - each time she thinks she is about to start upward into the high places, her path has turned in the opposite direction.

At long last she comes to the foothills of the high places, only to find herself at a dead end. Her heart aches with disappointment as she cries out to the Shepherd. After He allows her to express her anger and bitter disappointment over yet another dead end, He points out a small path that zig-zags up the face of the cliff before her. A path it seems only the deer can navigate.

Poor Much Afraid becomes faint just thinking about it and is ready to turn around and flee home. But the Shepherd ropes her securely to her traveling companions and helps her onto the path. Once she begins her ascent, she realizes it isn't really as treacherous as it appeared from the ground. She had to learn to trust Him to order her steps.

I want to walk worthy, my calling to fulfill
Please order my steps, Lord, and I’ll do Your blessed will
The world is ever changing, but You are still the same
If You order my steps, I’ll praise Your name.

***

In Other Words is being hosted today by Lori at her site All You Have To Give

If you'd like to participate, simply blog about the quote on your site, then visit Lori and leave your blog URL in the Mr. Linky box. Be sure to check our Lori's take on the quote and leave her a comment. If you have time, check out what some of the others have to say too. There's lots of inspirational reading here!