Remedy for a Broken Heart

                I have considered writing about this many times, but I usually change my mind. Part of me feels like no one will really care. Part of me feels that no one will really understand. Part of me believes that my pain should be kept to myself because I do not want it to be burden on anyone else. But maybe, there is someone out there who does care, someone who does understand, or someone who needs to hear about my heartache to help them realize they are not alone. So, that is why I have chosen to share this in such a public manner.

                Here’s the short summary of my story: In November 2018, I met a man. He swooped me off my feet with his smile and his kind words. We flirted, we had deep conversations, we hung out and played cards, and most importantly, we did devotionals and prayed together. He helped me get through my parents’ divorce. I treasured his companionship and his insights. He was everything I wanted. There is so much more, but I won’t go into all the details. Then, around February and March of last year, he started cutting me out of his life. He stopped the devotions, he stopped inviting me over for cards, he took away the key he gave me to his house, he stopped responding to most of my texts, and he would often give me the cold shoulder when we saw each other in person. The worst thing about all of this is that we were never officially in a relationship, so I guess he felt he had the right to take everything away with no explanation, no closure, nothing. It’s like he took me on this amazing trip, then abandoned me in the middle of the desert with no map and no water. It breaks my heart all over again just thinking about it.

                I’m not asking for sympathy. I know I’m not the first person to feel this pain. I’ve gone through all the stages of grief multiple times. I can’t really say that I’m angry with him for breaking my heart into a thousand pieces, I did offer it freely to someone who never made a commitment to me. Be careful who you give your heart to, it’s not something you can just take back without scars. That is one lesson I have learned through all this. But, there is a more important lesson.

                A lot happened over the last year: heartbreak, family issues, work issues, and Covid, among other worldwide events. Through it all, there has been one, and only one, constant in my life. That is Jesus Christ, my Savior. When literally all else seemed lost, He was there. When I was crying my eyes out, face down in the floor, He was there. When I felt as though I would never find hope on this earth again, He was there. This has given all new meaning to the word, Emmanuel, which we often hear around Christmas. God with us. God with me. I would not be able to get up and go without God’s presence in my life. Under the circumstances, I could never find peace and hope on my own, but He has truly granted a peace beyond understanding within me. Yes, I have my up and down days, but I will keep pressing on because I know that I am not alone.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

Flashback Friday: When the Magic Fades

           **I have not done a Flashback Friday post for a while, but I was thinking about this subject while I was at work the day after Christmas. Then, I realized I had already written a post about it before, so I thought it was worth a reshare.**

When the Magic Fades (Originally published on December 31, 2012)

         Christmas can be a magical time of year. Children are excited, the weather changes (for some), beautiful lights and decorations flood the stores and streets, and many people seem to be in a merrier mood. Of course, this isn't always the case. Some people do not enjoy this time of year-and to them I say bah humbug!  For those of us who are Christians, we have an even greater reason to celebrate. I know we have all heard this a lot, but it is important to set aside time to remember how God sent His Son to earth to take on an earthly body as a little baby boy, knowing He would one day sacrifice that Son to save us.
This year brought an amazing Christmas Day for my family. After a fairly hectic month with work, doctor appointments, and crowded shopping, that day was so peaceful. My brother and I took charge of making the dinner, and he even ground up the turkey and stuffing so my mom could enjoy it since her jaw isn't fully healed. We enjoyed gifts and filming the cats (our children) with their new toys. Then, as my dad was reading about the nativity, it started snowing! It was a great day that we did not want to end.

Christmas Day 2012

         After such a wonderful day, I was deeply saddened as I started at work the following day. Despite the weather, many people decided to take advantage of the clearance sales, so the store was crowded. But I expected that. What really got to me is that after such a magical day, everyone was carrying on business as usual. Customers were frantic and impatient. Drivers on the slick roads were the same. My coworkers were discussing grievances about the job. It was like time was frozen in the snow that one Christmas Day, and then it unfroze and life forgot it. It seems that the music, lights, joyful spirits, and goodwill all faded in an instant. Why do people allow themselves to forget so quickly?  Why do we change back to our normal glum selves when the family goes home and the decorations come down?  Shouldn't we have those joyful feelings and kindhearted nature all the time?  And what about those who don't feel that way even on Christmas?  I don't believe God meant for us to get so caught up in our day to day busyness that we become grumpy, depressed, stressed-out, or inconsiderate.  We need to not only look at Christmas through the eyes of a child; we also need to find that childlike faith all year long.  So, as we enter a new year, don't allow the Christmas spirit and its true meaning to fizzle out. If you are too busy to reflect on the joys of each day, then you are too busy!  Let us not forget the things God has blessed us with. As my pastor says, if God doesn't bless you beyond your salvation, you still have a reason to thank Him. And if you are not saved, please consider God's gift, it's the best Christmas present of all! 

“But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’”   Luke 18:16-17 (NIV)

Flashback Friday: Witnessing a Miracle

            **It's the last Friday of the month, which means it's time for Flashback Friday. Participants repost an old post that needed more attention, that you're very proud of, that you think is still relevant, etc. It was hosted by Michael G D'Agostino, but he has opted out. You can still find a list of previous and current participants on his blog. It has now been two years since the accident I mentioned in this post and Victoria's progress continues to astound me.**

 

 

Witnessing a Miracle (previously posted February 25, 2016)

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)



Victoria, Sam, Aleigh and Lucas with their parents and grandparents

 

            This past Sunday, February 21, 2016 marked one year since Victoria Turner, two of her siblings, and her maternal grandparents were in a terrible car accident. Today Victoria, or Tori, as she’s often called, is a living, breathing miracle. I have shared her story before, but I haven’t given an update for a while. So, I thought I would share my own personal reflections of those months last year.

On February 14, 2015, I had the privilege of babysitting my friend’s three precious children while she was with her husband at our church’s sweetheart banquet. I absolutely adore her kids and consider them like family. One week later, late in the evening, those three children were in a terrible car accident with their maternal grandparents. The middle daughter, Aleigh, and grandparents were fine (which was a miracle in and of itself), but the oldest son, Samuel, and youngest daughter, Victoria, were critically injured. Samuel had a fractured ankle and pelvis and Victoria had multiple skull fractures and brain injuries; they didn’t think she was going to make it. When I heard the news the following morning at church I was struck with such a sense of hopelessness and concern. I had just held Tori and read to her the previous week, what was I to do? There wasn’t anything I could do except pray. So that is what I and my church did.     

Samuel was released within a couple weeks, but Victoria took a turn for the worst. She got pneumonia due to her weakened immune system, and had to be put on life support. So, in the weeks following we continued to pray for this precious two-year-old. There were so many ups and downs during those critical weeks when many people, including myself, checked the Facebook page repeatedly throughout the day hoping for good news. Eventually, the miracle we were praying for came and Victoria survived! After months of therapy, a transfer to a hospital closer to home, and slowly being weaned off the oxygen support, Tori was finally able to return home in June. One of many amazing things about all of this is that during her time on life support, the doctors were not able to treat her skull fractures, but when they finally took an x-ray they found that the fractures had healed on their own and no additional surgery was necessary.

This picture was taken the day I went with Victoria, her mom and little brother to her check-up
 

She is still undergoing speech therapy, but she communicates her needs fairly well with her limited vocabulary. I have had some opportunities to observe her at play, I even got to let her sit in my lap and read to her again, and I think she seems just as bright and eager to learn as ever. I was watching her run and play with another three-year-old at church the other day and every time she laughed or smiled I was reminded of what a miracle and a testimony her young life has already been to so many people.

My church was strengthened in prayer during that time. We came together as one body and the power of prayer was shown in a way that most of us will never forget. And we were not alone. The church has somewhere between 200 and 300 members, but the Pray for Tori and Sam Facebook page has over 9000 likes. It amazes me that so many people beyond our church were willing to pray and show support for Victoria and her family, and all of those lives were impacted by this tragedy. Prayer is powerful, but things may not always turn out the way we want them to. Even if things had gone the other way with Tori, her parents said they would still believe that God works out the good in all things. Of course, it is better to always be in prayer, whether we are in the midst of disaster or delight, but as incomplete works in progress, we probably lapse in our prayer time once in a while, especially if things are going smoothly.  Just remember that God is always just a prayer away and He wants to hear all of your needs, your desires, your worries, your fears, your praise, and your worship.

 

 

 

You can find more information about Victoria's journey on the Pray for Tori and Sam Facebook page, and the pictures I shared in this post are from that page.

Regaining Energy

            “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (NIV1984)

            That verse has so often applied to my life, especially this summer. I thought I had some great posts planned out and ready to be scheduled during the past few months, however, the summer turned out to be a lot busier than I thought it would outside of the blogging community. In the last eight to ten weeks, I have had two, maybe three, full 24-hour days spent at home. I have been constantly on the go to work, church activities, shopping trips, and outings with friends and family. In early August, I went to an amazing youth conference as a youth worker/leader, and I am really glad I decided to go. Besides my job, I do enjoy all these aforementioned activities, but my introverted self is in desperate need of some alone time to recharge my energy. Without being recharged, I feel strained socially, mentally, and emotionally. If you have come across me, whether in person or online, I apologize if I seemed cross or unpleasant; it may have been one of those completely drained moments.

An important part of the blogging experience is the community, and I enjoy reading comments and posts from my fellow bloggers. Even though it is a lot easier for me to interact with people in writing, I do still consider blogging a form of social engagement and it has been hard to get into an interactive mood lately. So, what have I been doing with those seemly few hours I have at home? Mostly, I’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching. I’ve been thinking about my personality and how it affects my choices and goals. I’ve been thinking about majors I should have picked in college, like psychology, neurology, or journalism. I’ve been thinking about my dreams and desires and wondering if some will ever be reached, like marriage. I’ve also spent a lot of time in prayer during this introspective process. I think God did use this socially-overwhelmed time to help me to spend my leftover time away from communicative activities and more into studying and learning by myself. I cannot say that this process is over, but I am ready to attempt to get back on a regular blog post schedule. I have been trying to get this particular post written for the last month, and here it finally is! The thing that has bothered me the most is all the work I put in to visit and meet new bloggers in April’s A to Z Challenge seems to have fallen apart during the summer. That is another area I should work on, consistency. Thanks to those of you who continue to bear with me! You are great friends!

The Struggle is Real

            Well, it’s time to come out of hiding and return to the world of blogging. I have been procrastinating this post because I felt a little guilty for not making any visits since the A to Z Reflections posts. I wanted to and I even read a few posts on my phone without leaving a comment because my phone makes commenting too complicated. I have been a little burnt out from my job and the overall lack of sleep in April. I was just going to post a quick update with some pictures today, but I felt compelled to go a little deeper. I gained a few new followers (if you’re still following after my hiatus) during the A to Z Challenge and I thought I would tell you a little bit about myself and this blog. This should be a little different even for those who have been following me longer.

            Lately, I have been dealing with some struggles. Even before the challenge, I was having trouble balancing things in my life. I am a procrastinator and a night owl, which leads to many late nights, which in turn, leads to a zombie-like wakeful state. I am also an introvert and most likely struggle from undiagnosed social anxiety. I work in a retail pharmacy, which is definitely not a good job for someone with my disposition. When I get off from work, my energy levels are nearly drained and it is hard to find motivation to do anything at all until I unwind for two to three hours. By that time, I should go to sleep, but as a night owl, I try to get some things done, which inhibits my sleep and the cycle begins again.  I like to put thought into my posts and my comments on others’ posts, and that usually comes in the moments of higher energy or on my days off from work. My blog has the word “random” in the title for a reason. There are just times when my thoughts get all mangled during the course of the day and I still feel the need to get a post up, so it ends up being pictures or something very short and not as well-worded as I would like it to be.

            In the midst of all this, there is still one thing that remains constant in my life, and that is the presence of God. I may not always mention Him in my posts, but God is the one who keeps me stable when everything else seems to be in chaos, and He is constantly working in my life. Even with my issues in balancing time, I have managed to keep up with the reading the Bible in one year program I started in January. I can only attribute that to God prodding me to keep at it, although there were times when I was not paying enough attention to what I was reading and I still do not pray as often as I should. Before I joined the blogging community through the A to Z Challenge last year, most of my posts were about the lessons God was teaching me in my life. At that time, I only posted once a month, but I did put more thought into those posts. With my decision to post once a week, I do not always find the time to write the thought-provoking devotionals I used to, but I still have a long list of ideas for those types of posts. So, I am hoping to get back into writing posts about what God is teaching me at least once a month.

Baby Sawyer was so little :)

Wow! I guess I took too long of a break! I have more I could write, but I think this post is long enough and it is getting late (procrastination strikes again). I will probably continue this train of thought at a later date. Until then, I will try to set aside some time this afternoon for visiting (with comments) and I will be back here next Wednesday with the monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group post.

Witnessing A Miracle

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)



Victoria, Sam, Aleigh and Lucas with their parents and grandparents

 

            This past Sunday, February 21, 2016 marked one year since Victoria Turner, two of her siblings, and her maternal grandparents were in a terrible car accident. Today Victoria, or Tori, as she’s often called, is a living, breathing miracle. I have shared her story before, but I haven’t given an update for a while. So, I thought I would share my own personal reflections of those months last year.

On February 14, 2015, I had the privilege of babysitting my friend’s three precious children while she was with her husband at our church’s sweetheart banquet. I absolutely adore her kids and consider them like family. One week later, late in the evening, those three children were in a terrible car accident with their maternal grandparents. The middle daughter, Aleigh, and grandparents were fine (which was a miracle in and of itself), but the oldest son, Samuel, and youngest daughter, Victoria, were critically injured. Samuel had a fractured ankle and pelvis and Victoria had multiple skull fractures and brain injuries; they didn’t think she was going to make it. When I heard the news the following morning at church I was struck with such a sense of hopelessness and concern. I had just held Tori and read to her the previous week, what was I to do? There wasn’t anything I could do except pray. So that is what I and my church did.     

Samuel was released within a couple weeks, but Victoria took a turn for the worst. She got pneumonia due to her weakened immune system, and had to be put on life support. So, in the weeks following we continued to pray for this precious two-year-old. There were so many ups and downs during those critical weeks when many people, including myself, checked the Facebook page repeatedly throughout the day hoping for good news. Eventually, the miracle we were praying for came and Victoria survived! After months of therapy, a transfer to a hospital closer to home, and slowly being weaned off the oxygen support, Tori was finally able to return home in June. One of many amazing things about all of this is that during her time on life support, the doctors were not able to treat her skull fractures, but when they finally took an x-ray they found that the fractures had healed on their own and no additional surgery was necessary.

This picture was taken the day I went with Victoria, her mom and little brother to her check-up
 

She is still undergoing speech therapy, but she communicates her needs fairly well with her limited vocabulary. I have had some opportunities to observe her at play, I even got to let her sit in my lap and read to her again, and I think she seems just as bright and eager to learn as ever. I was watching her run and play with another three-year-old at church the other day and every time she laughed or smiled I was reminded of what a miracle and a testimony her young life has already been to so many people.

My church was strengthened in prayer during that time. We came together as one body and the power of prayer was shown in a way that most of us will never forget. And we were not alone. The church has somewhere between 200 and 300 members, but the Pray for Tori and Sam Facebook page has over 9000 likes. It amazes me that so many people beyond our church were willing to pray and show support for Victoria and her family, and all of those lives were impacted by this tragedy. Prayer is powerful, but things may not always turn out the way we want them to. Even if things had gone the other way with Tori, her parents said they would still believe that God works out the good in all things. Of course, it is better to always be in prayer, whether we are in the midst of disaster or delight, but as incomplete works in progress, we probably lapse in our prayer time once in a while, especially if things are going smoothly.  Just remember that God is always just a prayer away and He wants to hear all of your needs, your desires, your worries, your fears, your praise, and your worship.

 

 

 

You can find more information about Victoria's journey on the Pray for Tori and Sam Facebook page, and the pictures I shared in this post are from that page. I have also written these posts about her: Prayer, Encouraging Updates, and Victory in Jesus.

Unexpected Accomplishment

                So, the New Year came and I was almost feeling slightly motivated. Then, wham! I get hit with a sore throat on January 2^nd. Then, another hit the same day with a substitute pharmacist at work who was unfamiliar with our regular processes and with it being a New Year, just about everyone’s insurance changed and only half of them had a new card. And who had to fix all of the insurance problems and make the phone calls? Me! And I hate making phone calls! So, my sore throat turned into a raging fire by the end of that day and I think the stress was too much for my immune system because I have been having cold symptoms and congestion since then. Did you know that feeling ill is not very motivating? So, I have spent most of this year so far sleeping and resting when I wasn’t at work. As I stated before, this is part of the reason I don’t make resolutions, because you never know what’s going to hit next. At least I don’t have any failed promises to cause disappointment, but I still feel a bit unaccomplished since I haven’t really worked on any of my goals for the year yet. The other day as I was coughing and pitying myself, I realized that I was overlooking something. On my days off so far, I have been spending an extra hour sitting in my warm, cozy bed and reading the Bible and looking through some Bible study and devotional books. I still need to work on the mornings when I have to go to work, but I now have a plan laid out to start the day off right when I’ll be home all day. I used some of my downtime to write down lists of things I would like to accomplish in different areas of my life. I also took a Sunday afternoon nap the past two Sundays, which was nice and relaxing. I still have some congestion issues, but maybe God has used this slight ailment to help me slow down and really consider my goals and plans for the year. I may not be entirely motivated to conquer some of my goals yet, but breaking them down and making a more detailed plan has helped me see them as more manageable. At first, I didn’t think the year was starting out well, but when I look past the physical roadblock, I now see that spending more time with God and allowing Him to guide my plans is the greatest thing I could accomplish this year!

 

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (KJV)

P.S. I am trying to set up a more routine schedule for this blog and I hope to have something ready to present next Wednesday. Have a great week, everyone!
  

When You Leave the Mountaintop

            The youth from my church have been at church camp this week, and since the camp is in our town, I went to the evening services on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.  There has been some good preaching and a lot of decisions of salvation and rededication have been made.  I have helped as a camp counselor a couple times in the past and it is amazing to see God working on those kids throughout the week.  Although I haven’t been highly involved this year, I know that God is still working in their lives.  The catch is that they eventually have to go back home.  A very common problem that we have all probably faced at one point or another is having those mountaintop experiences, and then returning home and forgetting what happened or just falling back into the same habits from before.  Sometimes, it’s an emotional high, and the decisions made are not truly genuine.  Sometimes, a real commitment is made, but no effort to follow-up.  Either way, these kids need our prayers.  Ever since I was their age, I have watched teen after teen get saved or dedicate their lives to the ministry and they appear to be on fire for God.  Some of them do go on to serve God in missions or ministry, but more often than not it seems that many eventually fall away from the church.  This deeply saddens and troubles me.  When I see someone on fire for God, I want them to stay that way, especially since I have been working with these kids on Wednesday nights for the past eight years.  Watching them spiral downhill is hard because I committed some of my time to help them and I want to see them succeed in God’s kingdom.  I know there comes a time in everyone’s life when they must make their own decisions, but I hate it when those decisions lead down the wrong paths.  Sometimes, they will return to the church after a while, but there may be some scars they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.  Sorry, if this sounds a bit discouraging, but I have watched this happen so many times.  The youth from my church are going home today, so keep them in your prayers.  Not just them, but all the kids, counselors, pastors, ministry leaders, missionaries, or any other adult that makes a decision to follow Christ.  Pray that their decisions are genuine and that they commit to following through on the choices they made.  Because the struggle is real and Christians do need to commit themselves daily to following Christ, especially when they leave the mountain to go back into the valley.

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  Luke 9:23 (KJV)

Yield

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13 (KJV)

In Joshua 24, the people of Israel had conquered the Promised Land and divided it up among the tribes.  Joshua challenged them to “choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15, KJV)  The people chose to serve God, so Joshua directed them to get rid of their foreign gods and to yield to the Lord God.  Sadly, they did not keep their promise very long.  After Joshua died, we find that the Israelites repeatedly turn back to their idols, then God would send judgment, and then they would turn back to God.  How often do we fall into a similar cycle?  We may be doing well, serving and seeking God for a while, but then, temptation hits.  Do we yield to the temptation or continue on the straight path of serving God?  Unfortunately, we often give in to the sin.  God sends retribution for our sins, it may be immediate or it may come over time; and like the Israelites, we turn back to God after a time of rebellion, begging for His forgiveness and mercy.  Thankfully, we have Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to cleanse us of our unrighteousness.  But, as it says in Romans 6, we should not use God’s grace as an excuse to go on sinning.  If we choose to yield to God and plant ourselves firmly in Him, then we can yield good fruit. “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8 (KJV)

 

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I am currently participating in the Blogging from A to Z April 2015 Challenge. My theme is life lessons from the Bible. You can find more information about the challenge by clicking on the badge to the right or click here for a list of participants. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have enjoyed finding and visiting other blogs. If you are a fellow participant, thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!

New

“You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV

What really gets to me in these verses is the part about being new in your attitude. Most people who accept Christ into their lives know about the “big” sins that need to go, but what about all those little habits or even the outlook we have on life? 1 Corinthians 5:17 states: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (KJV, emphasis mine). As fallen creatures, we cannot become new on our own. We must allow Christ in first, but it is still a daily struggle to live outside of the ways of this world. One thing I’ve heard that has really helped me look at it differently is that if you give something up, you need to replace it with something else. Whatever that “something” is. It could be your attitude; replace negative thoughts with positive. If it’s a negative thought about another person, put yourself in their shoes and pray for them instead. It could be a bad habit. It could be an idol in your life. When I was spending too much time on Facebook, I finally decided to delete it from my phone for a while. I got back into reading again and I replaced the Facebook app with Rosetta Stone. By making these exchanges, we can help improve our lives and strive to be that new person. I would recommend reading Ephesians 4:17-5:1 for a further explanation of what that new creature looks like.

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I am currently participating in the Blogging from A to Z April 2015 Challenge. My theme is life lessons from the Bible. You can find more information about the challenge by clicking on the badge to the right or click here for a list of participants. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have enjoyed finding and visiting other blogs. If you are a fellow participant, thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!

Knowledge

“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.” Proverbs 18:15 (NIV)

God wants us to have knowledge of His Word; to study and meditate on it. In 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) it says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” My pastor often says that we know the Bible as well as we want to know the Bible. Studying God’s Word can be exciting, in fact, I’ve already written about a time when my enthusiasm was renewed in my post called The Greatest Story Ever Told. Not only should we seek out knowledge, but we should share that knowledge with others and pass it on to our children, teaching them also to study the Bible. If you want to read and study God’s Word but don’t know where to start, Proverbs is full of short sayings and advice. It even states in Prov. 1:1-7 that its purpose is to give knowledge and insight. Do you have a favorite passage or book in scripture that you have studied?

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I am currently participating in the Blogging from A to Z April 2015 Challenge. My theme is life lessons from the Bible. You can find more information about the challenge by clicking on the badge to the right or click here for a list of participants. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have enjoyed finding and visiting other blogs. If you are a fellow participant, thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!

 

Fruit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

Galatians 5:16-26 and Matthew 7:15-23 both talk about fruit. Just as an apple tree should not bear oranges, Christians should not bear bad fruit. We can’t live perfectly, but our lives should ultimately reflect what we are. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20, KJV) If others look at your life, do your actions and attitude show the fruit of the Spirit? As it says in Galatians, we should walk in the Spirit because He can keep us away from the temptations of the flesh so that we can bear good fruit.

 This short and sweet post is not my first time to tackle this letter, in fact, one of my favorite posts was titled Brought to you by the Letter F.

Deer

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1 (NIV)

 Imagine that you’ve been out in the hot desert sun all day long without a drop of water and you finally come to a fresh stream and take in that wonderful, clear, soothing water. That is how the psalmist in Psalm 42 felt about hearing from the Lord. We also should be like this deer he mentioned. We should crave the living water of the Lord as much as we crave and need water for survival. Whether we feel downcast and disturbed like the psalmist or if we are experiencing God’s greatest blessings, we should put our hope in God and thank Him for the things He has done. Not only should we cast our cares on Him, but we should also seek Him in joy and in despair, for He is our water of life (John 4:13-14).

Armor

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 (KJV)



What better way to start off this month and this blog challenge than to put on our armor? Armor is used as protection or defense from outside penetration. Without armor, we are left venerable during an attack. Those of us who are Christians are under attack by the devil every day and we need the armor of God listed in Ephesians 6:11-18 to protect us from these attacks. It’s a choice we make each morning, do we start the day in prayer that we can stand in truth and righteousness and take up the shield of faith and the sword of the Word of God, or do we carry on with our own business and go out ill-prepared? I know from personal experience that it is far better to seek God and put on His armor from the very start of the day than to look back on a day full of regrets or bad decisions. So, my challenge to you today and each day this month is to put on the armor of God that we find in Ephesians.

How Do You Function?

            I forgot my phone one day when I went to work a couple weeks ago. Until then, I hadn’t realized how much it had become an extension of myself. My phone has become a part of my daily functionality. I was sitting in my car during my lunch break and decided to go straight into reading my book, since I couldn’t check email or Facebook. I came across a word I didn’t know and started to dig for my phone to look it up; wait, it’s not there. I got bored with reading and started wishing I could look up grocery ads for my shopping trip the following day. I thought of something I wanted to take note of and I had to dig through my glove compartment trying to find paper. I saw something interesting outside the window and wanted to text my brother about it, I even felt an urge to text him about how I didn’t know what to do with myself without my phone! Of course, I survived, but it was so strange how I felt like a part of me was missing.

            Can you imagine if we felt that way about God? What if we allowed Him to become such a huge part of our daily existence that we could hardly function without Him? God wants us to seek Him throughout the day; to hunger and thirst after His righteousness. I think of the words to a hymn I heard recently: “I need Thee, oh, I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee.” I find myself asking: Do I acknowledge God’s presence each and every hour of the day? God is always there, He is always with us, and yet there are moments when we disregard His presence and fall into worry or regret. If we would only seek after God each moment of the day, maybe some of the most stressful days would not be so bad. Maybe you can’t always get down on your knees and close your eyes in prayer, but you can say silent prayers as you go about the day. Maybe I should do that more often instead of allowing anxious thoughts to take over my mind. So, the next time you “need” your phone for something, think about the One we truly need to function in this life.

“My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.” Psalm 5:3 (KJV)

“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” Psalm 25: 4-5 (NIV)

“On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:6 (NIV)

Curiosity Can Kill a Cat

           My cat, Sawyer, gave me a scare the other night.  Ever since we lost 2 cats last year who were indoor/outdoor cats, I have been exceptionally over-protective of my 3 indoor cats.  We often let Sawyer have free range of our screened-in porch, and that night, he was out there.  I was checking to see if he wanted back in, when I noticed the back door was open!  So, I hate to admit it, but this cat lady-in-the-making panicked!  My brother came out because of all my woeful calls, and I poured out all my worries and fears for my darn cat.  He gave me this look of utter disdain and told me to calm down.  He immediately heard Sawyer’s meows and we found our cowardly lion hiding nearby.  When we first brought him in, Sawyer was so scared, but within about 10 minutes, he was meowing at the door wanting back out.

            Isn’t life a lot like that?  Our parents or pastors try so hard to protect us from the outside world, and we always wonder what’s out there.  Then, when some people give in to their curiosities, the temptation to go back out there is even harder to resist.  That is part of the reason why so many young adults turn away from God once they go out on their own.  King Solomon decided to explore all the world had to offer; he had access to all the riches and pleasures he desired, and here’s what he had to say:

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
    nothing was gained under the sun.” (Ecc. 2:10-11)

 

So, instead of trying to get to the other side of the fence to see what the world has to offer, shouldn’t we be offering our lives to God?  It is not easy, the world likes to sugarcoat sins, and whether we have tasted them or not, the temptation never goes away.  But our God is stronger than temptation.  He gave us this promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

            When Sawyer went outside, the porch door was still open.  He had a chance to come back in to safety on his own instead of being reprimanded by his humans.  Don’t be like my cat, if God leaves a door open for you to get out of something, use it!  Remember that sin is only pleasurable for a season and it does reap consequences.  Obey God and seek His will for your life to avoid the pain of regret and discover His blessings instead!

Misplaced Time

            Pastor Clay preached a very convicting message this last Sunday.  It was about how we, as Christians spend our time.  He said it’s so easy for Christians to ignore the critical and focus all their attentions on the frivolous.  He read John 19:19-24, which talks about how the soldiers were casting lots for Jesus’ clothes as He was hanging on the cross, dying.  They got so caught up in their game, that they did not realize the significance of what was taking place behind them.  Clay spoke of misplaced passion and asked “What do you care the most about?”  Our passion is evidenced by how we spend our time.

            Of course, I have heard messages or read devotionals on the subject of time before.  But, at this point in my life, that message really hit home.  Lately, I have found myself highly interested in (aka: addicted to) an online game.  Those who introduced me to it will know what I’m talking about.  I found myself making all kinds of excuses for spending so much time playing: “My friends might be/get on,” “I had a hard day at work and need an escape,” “Just one more hour, I need to finish this mission,” etc.  In fact, let’s just focus on that work excuse, I tend to use it a lot to explain away wasted time on TV, gaming, reading, and music.  These things are not bad in and of themselves, but when they consume most or all of your free time, that’s when they become a problem.  Instead of trying to escape the stress, I should be turning to God at the end of each work day.  I should use that time to pray about the specific things, at work or elsewhere, that make me feel that need to escape. 

            As human beings, we have a tendency to be passionate.  Think of the sports fans cheering when their team wins or the readers who cry when a book character dies.  Christians should have that kind of passion for God.  We should desire to read the Bible and talk to God, to serve Him and bring honor to His name.  Once we are saved, that should be our passion and purpose, but how often do we find ourselves focusing on the things of this earth?  Col. 3:1-3 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”  Enjoying something, such as a movie, a football game, or a good book, is not bad; but just remember that these things hold no significance in light of eternity, so don’t let them consume you.  We should build our lives around God and doing His work.  Although, it may seem difficult at first, when you spend enough time with Him, you start to realize just how important your relationship with God is.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:11-13 (KJV)

When the Magic Fades

         Christmas can be a magical time of year. Children are excited, the weather changes (for some), beautiful lights and decorations flood the stores and streets, and many people seem to be in a merrier mood. Of course, this isn't always the case. Some people do not enjoy this time of year-and to them I say bah humbug!  For those of us who are Christians, we have an even greater reason to celebrate. I know we have all heard this a lot, but it is important to set aside time to remember how God sent His son to earth to take on an earthly body as a little baby boy, knowing He would one day sacrifice that Son to save us.
This year brought an amazing Christmas Day for my family. After a fairly hectic month with work, doctor appointments, and crowded shopping, that day was so peaceful. My brother and I took charge of making the dinner, and he even ground up the turkey and stuffing so my mom could enjoy it since her jaw isn't fully healed. We enjoyed gifts and filming the cats (our children) with their new toys. Then, as my dad was reading about the nativity, it started snowing! It was a great day that we did not want to end.

         After such a wonderful day, I was deeply saddened as I started at work the following day. Despite the weather, many people decided to take advantage of the clearance sales, so the store was crowded. But I expected that. What really got to me is that after such a magical day, everyone was carrying on business as usual. Customers were frantic and impatient. Drivers on the slick roads were the same. My coworkers were discussing grievances about the job. It was like time was frozen in the snow that one Christmas Day, and then it unfroze and life forgot it. It seems that the music, lights, joyful spirits, and goodwill all faded in an instant. Why do people allow themselves to forget so quickly?  Why do we change back to our normal glum selves when the family goes home and the decorations come down?  Shouldn't we have those joyful feelings and kindhearted nature all the time?  And what about those who don't feel that way even on Christmas?  I don't believe God meant for us to get so caught up in our day to day busyness that we become grumpy, depressed, stressed-out, or inconsiderate.  We need to not only look at Christmas through the eyes of a child; we also need to find that childlike faith all year long.  So, as we enter a new year, don't allow the Christmas spirit and its true meaning to fizzle out. If you are too busy to spend time with God, then you are too busy!  Let us not forget the things God has blessed us with. As my pastor says, if God doesn't bless you beyond your salvation, you still have a reason to thank Him. And if you are not saved, please consider God's gift, it's the best Christmas present of all! 

“But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’”   Luke 18:16-17 (NIV)

The Greatest Story Ever Told

            About a week ago, I finished reading a book that was set in Biblical times. More specifically, it is a fictional representation of the life of Jacob's daughter, Dinah. Even though it is fiction, that story made me want to compare it to the real story from the Bible. The next thing I knew, I was pouring through the pages of Genesis and looking at the maps in the back of my Bible tracking the locations and directions of the people. Isn't it funny how it takes a work of fiction to peak my interest in reading God's Word? When I read the Bible before, especially the Old Testament, it seemed like just a bunch of names and rules, and it was like a chore to get myself to read through those lists. Then, every once in a while I came across one of those stories that my Sunday school teacher used to put up on a flannel board. But, there is so much more to it than that. It's all a matter of perspective. You can find stories of victories and defeat, love and loss, good and evil. There are songs, poems, letters, and parables. Those study Bibles have a concordance, maps, and notes for a good reason, so maybe we should use them.

            What's interesting (but certainly not coincidental) is that the morning after I finished reading that book, I came across this devotional from Our Daily Bread. Basically, it expanded on what I had just come to realize. Like the writer of that day's devotion, I went through a process from reading out of duty to reading for enjoyment. The Bible isn't just a history book, it is a book about life with God. We can learn lessons from the people in the Bible. They may have looked different and used different customs and protocols, but their thoughts probably weren't so different from ours. They were real people with their own traits, doubts, fears, and struggles. Many of the Old Testament laws are still used to govern us. There are psalms that address joys and sorrows that modern-day Christians can relate to. The New Testament letters address issues among the first believers that churches still deal with today. And those are just a few examples of how relevant and alive God's Word is in our lives.

            So, if your scripture reading feels like more of an obligation than a delight, then maybe it's time to find a way to peak your interest. There are commentaries and dictionaries available that can help with words or concepts that are hard to understand. You can use maps or look up information on the background of those times to get a better perspective of how the people lived and where they were located. Most commentaries tell you who wrote the books and the audience they were addressing at that time. Just remember that the Bible is more than just a good story, it's more than just a record of laws and prophets,  it is God's Living Word to us.

Love and Marriage from a Single's Perspective

            Normally, around Valentine’s Day, well really the first couple weeks of February, I am very anti-valentine. I have worn black, recruited single friends, and I even once posted a picture I made proclaiming it was S.A.D. (Singles’ Awareness Day) on my Facebook profile. But, something is different this year…maybe it’s because of the unusual blizzard we had this month, maybe it’s because more of my close friends are now married, or the fact that I’ve been writing and reflecting on my thoughts more often, or maybe it’s some of the books I’ve read recently. Whatever it is, I don’t feel as much hatred toward this holiday as I used to. I am still very aware of my singleness, I’m reminded of it almost every time I go into Wal-Mart with its flood of balloons and flowers. But if we lay the commercialism aside, the purpose of Valentine’s Day isn’t so bad. It is a celebration of love; a time to show your loved ones how much you care for them. True romance and chivalry are dying breeds and should be recognized even more than just on Valentine’s Day or a couple’s anniversary.

            Personally, I cannot claim to be an expert on marriage, although I have learned a few things over the years from observing the couples around me. I may not have an in-depth understanding until I gain some experience, but I have an idea of what it takes to have a healthy marriage. So, in honor of the holiday, I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned through my observations. The first key is to love and honor God. Many of you have probably heard the acronym for JOY: put Jesus first, then Others, and then Yourself. If you are in a relationship with God through prayer and reading His Word, then your relationship with your spouse will benefit. I have seen prayer work in many marriages. Relationships have been healed, struggles have been taken care of, and lives have been changed through the power of prayer. For singles, building a relationship with God is the best investment you can put into your future. He can carry you through your worries and trials and bring a sense of peace if you allow Him to have control. In marriage, you should love each other as Christ loves the church.

            Another key to marriage is trust. I have seen relationship after relationship fall apart because of a lack of trust. The best way to build trust is to be honest with one another. Don’t hide the past and let your husband or wife know when you make a mistake. If you try to bury the things you’ve done, there is always a chance that they will become unearthed. And I’m not just talking about sexual immorality, there are other things couples hide from each other. Poor financial decisions, taking sides with their kids, and sometimes even illnesses are examples of things that are kept secret that shouldn’t be. Another key to marriage, which is also a good way to build trust, is communication. One of the first things I’ve seen many couples do when they’re angry is shut each other out. Sometimes you may need to cool down from a heated argument, but fuming over the issue and giving each other the “silent treatment” is not going to fix anything. If a problem is not addressed immediately, it will probably come up again or escalate into something far worse. Communication isn’t just about settling arguments either…couples should also express their ideas and interests with each other. Talk about your childhood, participate in each other’s hobbies, discuss how to discipline your kids, share your worries, and the list could go on and on. When couples are communicating well, they will be able to handle things better if an area of conflict or an unexpected trial comes up.

            I am speaking with a voice of inexperience, but I believe with God as the foundation and trust and communication as part of the building blocks, a strong marriage can be built. And as with any building project, it takes a lot of work, but it’s worth it when you see the results. There are so many scriptures that cover love and marriage, here are some I’ve found if you would like to do some “homework:”

            * Proverbs 31:10-31 (a virtuous woman)

            * 1 Corinthians 7:10-15 (divorce)

            * 1 Corinthians 13 (what is love?)

            * Ephesians 5:20-33 (roles of husbands and wives)

            * 1 Peter 3:1-9 (more on marriage roles)

Also whether you’re single, courting or dating, or married these are some good books I’ve read or heard about on the subject of marriage or preparing for marriage:

            * Preparing to be a Help Meet by Debi Pearl

            * The Five Love Languages and The Five Love Languages for Singles by Gary Chapman

            * Karen Kingsbury’s Redemption series, which includes Redemption, Remember, Return, Rejoice, and Reunion (I know they’re fictional, but she worked with a relationship expert named Gary Smalley to write these books that address major issues and troubles that come up in marriages and families. I really enjoyed reading them and may have learned a thing or two in the process.)

Happy Valentine’s Day!!