The Little Man

Delicious aromas wafted through nostalgic oldie songs, the growl of grinding coffee beans, and buzzing octaves of conversations. Within this happy cacophony, a tiny, blonde boy swayed to his own tune, his sneaker-clad feet carrying him towards a glass door. What did he see? A bright grin lit his face, and his eyes sparkled. Absorbed in his own adventure, the little man marched with an air of confidence, seemingly unaware of his father’s close footsteps behind.

Sitting in a plush chair a dozen feet away, the boy’s mother watched. Suddenly, the young one pivoted, boomeranged straight back to her, and climbed into her lap. After his father spoke a few words and strode towards another part of the coffee shop, the little man abruptly slid from his mother’s embrace. Unwilling to be left behind, he pattered after his father, and his mother shadowed him.

The coffee shop brimmed with patrons mingling and chatting as they waited for their orders. Some precariously balanced rimless plates of quiche or bags of pastries as they sipped frothy drinks and claimed cushy chairs. Others settled at small round tables, or sat working at designated computer stations. Every few minutes more people came through the door, and though the little man bobbed like a cork through his engulfing sea of tall folks, few acknowledged his presence.

Undeterred when his father disappeared from view, the boy focused as if searching for his daddy’s invisible footsteps. Each time he veered off course, his mother gently turned his shoulders to redirect him. Always without fuss, he’d swivel and traipse on, grinning with anticipation. Then, with his mother in tow, he wobbled around the corner out of sight, following in the wake of his father.

What joy to watch this delightful family and their wonderfully intent, curious, obedient child. A microcosm of love, protection, and trust, they reminded me of God’s ever-present love and care for His children, of one journeying in faith through this busy world, and of the inherent joy found in simply following the Father.

When I consider my own journey I’m curious about yours. How has God shown up in your life? Where have you seen evidences of Him? Though we might struggle and wobble trying to follow our Father, He abides with us. We are never alone.

~~~

LORD, thank You for Your amazing love and grace. For Your personal care, provision, protection, and guidance every day. Thank You for being close, no matter where we are. For rejoicing with us, and for comforting us in our distresses. Thank You, Abba Father, for Your patience, the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit, and Your Son to show us the way. Grant us, please, hearts of obedience, anticipation, and gratitude as we follow after You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Psalm 32:8 NIV “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Psalm 23:6 NLT “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

Receding Snow

Day after day sparkling white blankets covered the world, and gave the earth permission to pause. Now the pristine mounds of white are nearly gone, soaking silently into the earth, and chasing soiled slush down grated drains. Is winter melting away, the long-awaited snow too soon relinquishing its place, receding and signaling the earth to slowly turn from its needed rest? Are these disappearing mounds the last moments of this winter’s dream?

I’m reluctant to let go of this beautiful blanket. Its familiarity, the precious memories it brings are being jerked from me, leaving me exposed to lifeless, ugly, hidden, weedy things. Will winter snows return and cover me, insulate me again from my present griefs? Or from winter’s repose will I, too, be yanked into high gear, forced to race speeding lawnmowers as the earth pushes and the sun pulls tender grasses higher? Will I, too, be pushed and pulled, and then beneath life’s whirling blades, be cut off, thrown aside, left as mulch, thrown away? With the world’s ever-increasing clamor of a falling sky, will I, too, find myself barely escaping Foxy-woxy, fleeing to my Henny-penny nest to fulfill my simple purpose?

Leaving me flat, like the spent Hosta leaves splayed under the junipers, the evening’s grey fog sucks more air from my flagging mood. Gazing at the truth before me this late-January week, hope slowly lifts me to see through my losses and the loss of the beautiful, long-awaited snow. There are lovely things peeking up. Greening grass, the promise of flowers, and the unseasonal appearance of flocks of robins. Rising warmth and gently soothing rains are washing the streets clean again. So what if ugly raises a hoary head or weeds begin to grow? New beauty proclaims life, and hope still wins over the unlovely things.

Holding the blessings of this brief winter’s dream, I’ll remember with the earth…rest and snow will come again. God holds the earth, the sky, the snow, the rain. He is my rest, my hope, my safety nest, and the One who tends my everything.

~~~

Thank You, LORD, that we may find our rest in You no matter the busyness, demands, losses, or challenges of our days. Thank You for being with us every moment and for teaching us to trust You. Transform us, please, to walk in Your ways, rest in Your peace, find safety in Your everlasting arms, and share Your Hope and Truth in this hurting world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Job 37:6-7 NIV “He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ 7 So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor.”

Exodus 33:14 CSB ‘And he replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”’

1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV ‘For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”’

Psalm 4:8 NKJV “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

A Snowflake Lesson

January’s weeks of storm watch, snow on the ground, and arctic freeze has kept much of the Northern Hemisphere poised for winter’s worst. Recently I stayed up late, anticipating the huge blizzard predicted for our area. Remembering picturesque winters from the past, I couldn’t wait to see beautiful, large snowflakes fluttering down. While putting away our Christmas decor, I left the white lights and angel on our artificial tree. Their cheer and ambiance warms these long winter days with prisms of promise, like snowflakes.

Finally the blizzard arrived. From our window the flakes were minute, only rain-like movement proving something was falling to the ground. What happened to the magnificent Snowflake Show? Disappointed, I trudged off to bed.

The next morning’s sun exposed unexpected blessings. Dazzling diamonds sparkled everywhere in the powder, more so than after previous snowfalls. And when the K-3 Patrol (our grandchildren and son-in-law) graced us as sidewalk and driveway keepers, the deep, powdery fluff was easily pushed and scooped with their shovels.

Considering snowflakes (the quantities, sizes, and unique designs) inspires me to consider the abundant blessings God showers on His creation. Blessings, individual like snowflakes, may be expected – like the sun rising every day – or surprising; are of different sizes; are innumerable and beyond our control; are unique, pristine, and reflective of God’s light; are a covering, insulating, and transforming; and melt deeply into our soil of need.

When the heavy drudge of chronic sadness and weighty concerns, like unrelenting dreary weather, takes a toll on hope and joy, gratitude can become buried. Yet, beneath the heaviest snowpack, the Light and Water of Life are working.

Does eclipsed gratitude prevent me from rejoicing in the myriad blessings God provides every day? Am I looking for evidences of God’s blessings, even when they’re hard to see? Am I desiring relationship with the Giver more than His gifts? As I battle disappointment or waning gratitude, I’m reminded to keep my eyes on the Giver of Blessings rather than on my wants or expectations. God is good all the time. May I have spiritual eyes to see how incredibly blessed I am. There are innumerable diamonds of joy hiding, waiting with promise to be revealed. Look! See! There are some right there glistening in the snow! And in God’s timing, crocuses will bloom.

~~~

LORD, thank You for Your unfailing Love. For knowing us better than we know ourselves and caring for our needs. Your gifts are far beyond what we could ask or imagine. Forgive our grumbling and disappointment as our understanding or expectations fail. Thank You, Creator of Forgiveness, for Your patience. Give us eyes to see the blessings You give every day, and grant us hearts of gratitude for Your great Love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. 11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Leaving Lo-debar

New Year’s Day 2024 dawned with the promises of new starts and resolutions. Yet, as I reflected on the state of the year left behind, I wondered at that growing, kicking child of strife and unrest silently waiting to emerge from the world’s contracting womb.

A glance out the window revealed a fog of environmental inversion graying the bright day. Trapped cold and polluted air dimmed the light and dulled my view, painting a misty picture…much like the world’s shifting from community to isolation to disconnect silently tries to permeate our lives.

Could it be the brightness of the New Year has been tarnished by a type of crippling, everyday PTSD from contentious political and media voices, the fracturing of families, the pressures of trying to stand and see clearly how to proceed in a challenging and laborious world?

In 2 Samuel 9, Lo-debar (meaning “not a pasture”), was a town east of the Jordan River where Mephibosheth, the crippled grandson of Israel’s King Saul, lived, not in his own home, but in the house of a son of a powerful Transjordanian tribal chief. King David, appointed by God to succeed King Saul, sought to restore Mephibosheth’s inheritance to him after his grandfather and father, Jonathan, died in war. David also offered him a permanent place at the king’s table.

Mephibosheth, considering himself “a dead dog,” was amazed the king would show him such kindness. Yet, to eat at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons, Mephibosheth had to leave Lo-debar, a place of desolation and turn his eyes towards the king.

When I try to catch my breath from the tiresome traumas of the past, and long for that place of everlasting peace, reconciliation, and the healing of whatever ails me, I, too, am called to leave my Lo-debar to come to the King’s table. Only then can any crippling of my soul, or the strife of the world, find healing, resolution, and relationship through the King’s invitation, made available through His only Son, Jesus Christ.

Can I let go offenses? Brave the steps through the fog? Leave my familiar cocoon of isolation to share community with other healing souls? Leave whatever diminished place I might be and take my seat in a place of favor? Accept such grace from the King? And dwell there? Or, do I choose to live as a spiritual orphan, refusing to come to God, my Father, who has provisions for every need?

In an increasingly messy milieu of a hurting world, the KING ABOVE ALL KINGS offers His presence. May each of us have the courage to accept His offer of kindness and saving grace. And like Mephibosheth, leave whatever is our Lo-debar to dine permanently at the KING’s table.

~~~

Thank You, LORD, for rescuing us! Still our arms from flailing as You save us from drowning in our personal or worldly infirmities. Let us rest in the strength and assurance of Your embrace. Lift us from desolation, oppression, and offense into reconciliation, freedom, and acceptance. Thank You, LORD, for Your amazing Love and Grace, and for lifting us from every Lo-debar. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

2 Samuel 9:7-8, 11b, 13 NLT “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”

11b “And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons.

13 And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.”

*Check out this inspirational read by Chad Norris (that prompted this post) for leaving your Lo-debar and coming to the King’s table. God bless you!

Your Mess is Your Message: How God Can Use Your Brokenness to Help Others.

https://a.co/d/1GAqRpw

Christmas Repose 2023

Lights on a slim Christmas tree illumine the darkened room, a pyramid of white stars cascading from beneath shimmering angel wings. To the right of the tree, a small vintage cane-seat rocker cradles two new black-red buffalo plaid blankets. To the left, from the speaker beneath the television’s silent image of a Yule log’s dancing flames, mellow Christmas carols, hymns, renditions of the Nutcracker, and instrumental seasonal tunes fill the air. Listen! Do you hear what I hear…the drums, the flutes and horns, the piano and organ, the strings? Can you feel the warmth of the virtual fire washing over dear hubby and me as the furnace, in seeming synchrony, offers its welcomed whoosh?

Now later, in the wee hours of Christmas morning, I linger, happily caught in this ambiance of Christmas, the angel-star-Yule log glow. Having just enjoyed Christmas Eve with family celebrating the amazing gift of our Savior and of one another, I am not yet sleepy.

Imagine that dark, silent night so long ago, when shepherds warmed themselves before fires, were amazed by the Star of Bethlehem, were awestruck by the hosts of angels singing. Tonight a tiny reflection of that Holy Night has reached here to this lowly living room in a small city, in a large country, in a century far far away…the warmth, the starry light, the angel music.

Like the televised old dog struggling to keep his eyes open while basking in the warmth of the fire, I, too, must give in to sleep. Yet, I’m reluctant to leave this cocoon of Christmas peace. Then comes a thought as gentle as that Holy Baby’s breath…though decorative lights and music of the centuries fade, the blessings of Christmas, God’s gift to all who would receive Him, never cease. May the glory of the Light of Christ shine into and warm our hearts every day. And may we forever join His angels’ songs of praise.

~~~

Thank You, LORD, for the gift of Jesus. For times of reflection and rest; for Your presence and peace; for being with us through all we face. Thank You, Immanuel, for dwelling in our past and in our present, and for being the Life and Light and Hope of our future. In Your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Matthew 1:23 NLT “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

John 16:22 NKJV “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”

Hebrews 10:23 NKJV “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

Christmas Lights

While quiet stillness reigns about 
In the dark of night
Lights a’glimmer everywhere 
Shine with all their might Twinkling, twirling, flickering
Some a steady glow
The Christmas lights all colors bright 
Reflecting in the snow

Ambiance warms outside 
And deeper cold within 
The shining lights beckon us  
Look here, look here again  
Trees wrapped red- or green-and-white 
Down the streets do march 
And firmly stand guarding close 
Decorated yards

Reindeer, snowmen, Santas tall 
Frolic then harken 
Limos driving people by  
Photographing them  
Snowflakes dance across the walls
Of festive houses lit 
Lawns display nativities 
And giant ornaments 

No matter soon our sleeping hour 
We drive on and on 
Mesmerized by Christmas lights 
Rejoicing season’s songs 
Then around the bend we see
A form of Christ the King 
Arms outstretched for all to come 
He lights Eternity 

Rejoice oh lights with us now
Remember why you glow 
Commemorate, n’er forget 
The Star of long ago
Light guiding still 
Through dark’s despair 
Calling while we plod
Illumines paths, brightens hearts 
Lights our way to God

~~~

LORD, thank You for bringing and being the Light in this darkened world. Amidst our busyness please draw us into Your presence, peace, and rest. Give us hearts of hope and trust in You as we celebrate You this Christmas time. With praise and thanksgiving we pray in Jesus’ holy name. Amen. 

Psalm 119:105 NLT
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

John 14:6 NLT
“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

John 8:12 NLT
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”

The Melting Snowman

When it feels like life is melting
Despite sunny days 
When storms and rains lash fiercely 
Drain strength fast away 

‘Tis then our God our Father 
Creator of our days 
Is catching all the drippings 
Tears coursing in a race 

And like the melting snowman 
Whose face beams joy and play 
In blessing or in melting 
There’s hope and cheer always 

~~~

Thank You, Father, for holding us in every way and circumstance. Turn our heart’s eyes to You, LORD, and let us see You in every moment. Bless us as we trust in You today.
In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV 
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”

Holiday Book Gift Guide 2023

Hi, friends!

An author friend recently compiled this Holiday Book Gift Guide 2023. Numerous Christian authors of Fiction, Nonfiction, Kids Books, Inspirational, and Journals are included.

Check out the link below for book info and links to purchase. My two books are listed in the Kids Books section: Little Bit in the Great Wide Forest and Buckie the Bull and Other Short Stories.

May you find nourishment for your heart and the hearts of your loved ones!

Blessings to you and yours this holiday season!

https://yourauthorhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Holiday-Gift-Guide-2023.pdf

A Tiny Ember

A sweeping illness blew through me 
Snuffed near out my candlelight  
Yet in my fainting heartsick low
A tiny ember glowed in sight 

Breathe oh Breath of God on me 
Gently fan anew my life
Bring once more Your steady flame
Let my soul again burn bright 

Tamp not out this lantern’s use 
Hover healing Breath o’er me 
And others wounded in this fight 
Bring life back to their souls please 

Help us shine Your tending ways 
Let nothing snuff or cause the fall 
In us or lanterns where they be 
For You’re the One Who lights us all 

~~~

LORD, You are the Source of Light and Love. Only in Your mercy and grace may we recover from mistakes or assaults, weather life’s storms, see clearly the way to proceed. Only You can restore one’s breath, flame to life one’s brokenness, stitch and heal gaping wounds, resuscitate dying relationships. Thank You, LORD, for giving us Your light and strength to wait on You, and to overcome. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

“Oh God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

“O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home”
           -Isaac Watts
                          

John 12:44-50 HCSB
‘Then Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. 45 And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My words and doesn’t keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects Me and doesn’t accept My sayings has this as his judge: The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak. 50 I know that His command is eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”’

See full Hymn here: 
https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/O_God_Our_Help_in_Ages_Past/

Thanksgiving Week 2023

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? Like thousands of pickup sticks falling into some sort of exquisite, balanced conglomeration?

This fall and winter holiday season has blown in as suddenly as a gusty wind. How can it be less than forty-eight hours before Thanksgiving Day?

I smiled at a friend’s Facebook post: “It’s only 8:00 am, and I’m already tired!” My exact sentiment yesterday as I dragged myself out of bed for an eye appointment. Slightly overwhelmed while wrangling all the necessary still-to-be-done holiday preparations, I wondered if I could reschedule. Or has my time come for cataract surgery? One more consideration crammed into this holiday week.

After leaving the doctor’s office (my dilated eyes shaded with sunglasses), to-do things popped into my mind. Parked in front of a book store, I joined a zoom meeting by phone, rather than racing home, so I could accomplish those other do-it-now, out and about errands afterwards. Later, after pulling into our garage, I finally figured out how to unlock the hood of my car (the latch hiding in not-so-plain sight), and gave the totally empty windshield washer reservoir a long, blue drink. Swept up in the do-it-now momentum, the leaves on the garage floor were also swept away.

It’s fun to watch holiday preparations unfold. Who knew this afternoon cleaning my desk would become a priority in the forty-eight hour countdown? Oh…and laundry…yep, gotta have clean necessities for the week!

What happened to that tired gal from yesterday morning? By God’s grace and gentle guidance, peace, order, and strength infused each next tiny step. What joy! My thousand pickup sticks somehow delicately, precariously remained intact.

I pray during this holiday season God blesses you with peace and hope amidst your busyness and concerns. May goodness result as your plans…especially those surprisingly necessary ones…come together. And if your holidays are filled with things weighing you down, may God’s rest and presence fill your heart.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

~~~

LORD, thank You for being present in the details of our days. “Fear not…be anxious for nothing” applies to even our smallest concerns. You are with us, closer than the air we breathe, available to lead, guide, direct, bring peace, no matter the challenge. Thank You, LORD, for offering us Yourself. There is no greater gift. Help us to be truly thankful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Philippians 4:6 NLT “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

Isaiah 41:10 NKJV “Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Luke 1:37 NKJV “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Buckie the Bull and Other Short Stories

If you enjoy animals, have a youthful heart, and struggle at times to make sense of life, check out my new book, Buckie the Bull and Other Short Stories. Written for ages 10 and older ((fifth grade reading level), these sixteen faith-based short stories of a farm family, their friends, and their animals will warm your heart. Bible verses, journal prompts, and pages for writing and drawing are included with each story.

It’s available in print version and e-book. Read the beginning chapters in the “Look Inside” feature of the e-book.

https://a.co/d/1yAqU6U

One reviewer shared this:

Buckie the Bull and Other Short Stories” is a treasure trove of stories that embrace the complexities of life through the experiences of animals. Stories offering comfort when afraid, acceptance, and being found when lost are just a few of the delightful tales included. With its rich vocabulary and thoughtful prompts for reflection, this book provides opportunities for intergenerational bonding and conversations. It’s a book that will be enjoyed by families and readers of all ages. —-Tammy from TN

Another reviewer wrote this:

Life lessons learned from farm and forest animals.This wonderfully readable book would be great for bedtime stories for younger children or a daily devotional for young teens. Each endearing story is a life lesson, with space after each chapter to write what was learned or enjoyed. The Bible verses highlight how God’s amazing creation is displayed in everyday farm life. Great for home schooling or Sunday Schools. Delightful! —-CK

May you and your family enjoy Buckie the Bull and Other Short Stories. Join Buckie, Squawkie Cluck, Moo-lasses, Jasper, Horsie Girl, Mr. Boots, and others for inspiring adventures.

Here’s to happy reading, precious family time, and encouraged hearts!

God bless you!

https://a.co/d/1yAqU6U

amazon.com/author/sherryvycitalyork

Tap Tap Tap

Tap tap tap
Do you hear my call
Tap tap tap
When will it fall 
Tap tap tap
Am I breaking through 
That wall surrounding you 

Tap tap tap
The world’s voice is strong 
Tap tap tap
Will you hear my song
Tap tap tap
Will love be received 
Or are you rejecting me 

Tap tap tap
My love will never cease 
Tap tap tap
Let fears be released 
Tap tap tap
Hear my tapping please 
And return to me 

~~~

LORD, help me believe You will answer my prayer. The waiting seems so long, the evidence so bleak as my heart yearns for those who reject me. Yet, how long You wait for me! Help me forgive as You forgive. Help me learn the lessons of waiting, and in the waiting praise You for the patience of Your love and mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Matthew 7:7 NLT
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Ephesians 4.32 NKJV 
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Lamentations 3:22 NLT
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.”

A Brooding Heart

Sadness creased the elder’s face 
Thoughts of children dear to heart 
No longer sharing time and space 
Though not living far 

Turned away from heart of home 
To explore the worldly realm 
Left behind a beating heart 
Chose instead a heart of stone 

Yet the heart of home still beats 
Wrings with anguish and with love 
Prays “Oh, God, our children keep
Turn them back to home”

Home not just this fire’s hearth
But to the Source of Dwelling Love 
To that place where home did start 
With the Father God above 

To listen to His Spirit speak 
Who presently dwells within 
All who open their heart’s door 
To walk in life instead of sin 

Sin? What’s that, you might ask 
Old fashioned, so can disregard? 
No, dear hearts, ‘tis very real 
Steals our intimacy with God 

God’s brooding heart of Love does give 
Wisdom how in life to live 
In, but not of the world protects 
His childrens’ hearts and homes 

~~~

LORD, the sadness in a parent’s heart, for those who’ve turned away from You, is but a reflection of the sadness Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, well acquainted with our grief, experienced as He wept over Jerusalem. Please pour your Love into the children You have given us. Turn their hearts of stone back into the beating hearts they once possessed. Give them a desire to return to You, LORD, Source of life, love, and breath. Open their eyes that they may see Your glory. Save them from gaining the world and losing their own souls. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Psalm 119:18-19 NKJV
“Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.”

Proverbs 15:32 HCSB
“Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense[a]. 
[a]Lit acquires a heart

Mark 3:36-38 NKJV 
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

A Frantic Chicken

After an intense two weeks of good things, hard things, challenging things, a weird sense of overwhelm descended and I tumbled unexpectedly into exhaustion. As my enthusiasm and energy drained away, the old adage of “running around like a chicken with its head cut off” came to mind.

How often do we humans race into compounding factors, find ourselves overwhelmed, frantic to control and find answers while trying to wrangle our disrupted lives back into order? Like a frantic chicken running in a cloud of dust, are we as disjointed, erratic, and futile?

Certainly change is part of the warp and woof of things. And while I’d been on a meaningful and satisfying roll, minding business at hand, helping loved ones, like the chicken, I did not see the abrupt change coming. Happily, unlike the chicken, my head was still intact.

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” Everywhere I looked stood a thick wall of fatigue. I was stymied. No place to go but hunker down, endure the perplexing experience, take one day at a time, wait and see, then take the next careful step. “There are no atheists in foxholes” rang true…what could I do but walk gingerly forward in faith as the fog began to shift?

Praise God, the only One who can stabilize my shaken ground is also my safe landing place. A firm foundation as I learn to pivot, or just hold on. Pure breath to breathe, living water to drink, consolation to keep. I hope as you navigate this off-kilter world, God will be your strong tower and your anchor, too.

~~~

Thank You, LORD, for being the anchor of my soul, and my strong tower. No matter the state of my existence, You hold me in the palm of Your hand. Your trustworthiness is without measure, Your promises never-failing, and as I wait on You to lead and guide me, Your presence and compassion guards my heart. Thank You, LORD. In You, I will not be shaken! May You be glorified as You rescue and save me in whatever state I’m in. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Proverbs 18:10 NKJV “The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe.”

Psalm 61:1-3 NLT “O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help
when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge,
a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.”

Isaiah 54:17 NKJV ‘“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.”’

Hebrews 6:18-20 NLT “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

A Grain of Sand


Who are you small grain of sand 
Lost ‘mongst trillions in the sea 
Washed and tossed and swirled around 
Gulped, spit out repeatedly 
And yet you’ve stuck somewhere fast 
Encapsulated in your world
‘Til light shined on opened shell 
Look! What wonder! You’re a pearl! 

Had you ever barely dreamed 
Beyond confines of tiny frame
To become one day so fine 
After years of hidden strain 
Lost within a great unknown
Never knowing you could change
With joy to find you’re carefully wrought 
Beyond yourself and tiny spot 

Glory to the Gracious King 
Whose plans, designs beyond our ken 
Surprise, delight when radiance brings 
Luminance to once dull things 
Purpose filling every one 
Fashioned deftly by His hand 
Reaching from the vast unseen
Even to this grain of sand 

~~~

LORD, thank You for Your great mercy. For rescuing us from our brokenness, rough and destructive edges, emptiness, failure, and obscurity, and transforming us to reflect Your goodness and glory. As cherished children who esteem and bring honor to their parents, may we glorify You, LORD. Thank you for treasuring us above jewels of highest worth. Oh, to properly accept such great a gift! Thank You, Father, for loving us. Help us show our love to You and to one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Psalm 139:15 NKJV
“My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”

1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

Psalm 16:5 NKJV
“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.”

Opening A Door

Tears streamed down her face. How could a few chapters of a book pierce her to the core, open a door to a locked room she knew not existed? How could this be? And what would she, could she do about it? At this moment in time…nothing. Her life path was chosen, ruts worn deep. No way to climb out of them, or so it seemed.

This new revelation would take time to mull. It was hard and deep, pulling up regrets, painful reminders of things lost, never to be regained. Even so, much had been received in good measure. Blessings were abundant. Yet, grief welled up, and demanded attention for who knew how long.

“Let me remember all Your filling, LORD, and not just the closed doors as I finish out my days. I am thankful for all You’ve given…my cup overflowing, not drained dry.”

She finished the book with a sigh, and sat stunned in the quiet. After puttering with a few things on her desk, reminding herself to live in the moment, she grabbed several projects-in-process, and wandered to the living room. Just after 6:00 p.m. Maybe there would be an inspiring movie to watch. It seemed learning to be an observer over the years brought her to this place of watching and waiting.

Somewhere along the way her verve for life had dimmed, along with her years. Was it the loss of family involvement, less volunteer work, her own content to enjoy peacefulness in a chaotic world? Was this how her mother felt as she aged, less the hub of family as she once had been? It was weird and painful and poignant, all rolled into a ball of mystery. Not frightening. Just a point in time where she could do nothing but…watch and wait…before knowing how to proceed.

Life review was a trip. Really. A journey through all the things, places, decisions, wondering about the roads not traveled, and how all the choices landed her where she was today. Normal, aging stuff. Yet disconcerting in many ways. When would her body fail? Had she neglected it? Was there time to change? Did she even care?

She clicked on the TV. Thankful for a family friendly movie, she slid into its safe pond of fantasy and happy endings to let her mind and emotions mull and steep, as the truth began to percolate to the top. Her heart, raw with emotion, quietly bled.

“All things work together for the good of those who love God,” the movie character exclaimed. That was no fantasy! The door of Truth remained open. Just what she needed to hear. Resolution would come eventually. This pain was but the creak of a rusted door opening another hidden place to the light of healing. Somehow a broken place was about to be mended.

~~~

LORD, thank You for never failing us, even when we feel uncertain, unsure, or wondering how our life measures. Thank You for Your redeeming Love, the hope given through Your promises, and the assurance of Your saving grace through Your death on the cross for our sins. For working all things for the good of those who are called according to Your purposes. Help us to rely on You, LORD. To seek to learn all You are teaching us through life’s trials, trusting You never lead us astray. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Revelation 3:20 NKJV “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

John 14:26 NKJV “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

A Random Conversation

A meeting had been set for ten o’clock. No texts had come since last week to confirm the time. Still she went. “LORD, please guide me if there is anyone You plan for me to meet today,” she prayed, then quietly stepped into the coffee shop. Had her appointment arrived, come and gone, or was the meeting forgotten? Coffee in hand, she sank into her favorite chair. Waiting was a good time for writing.

A young woman joined her briefly, then flitted away, commenting, “I hope your friend shows up.” With thanks and a smile, the oldish woman wrote on, the noise of the busy shop a happy soundtrack.

Later, a couple entered, placed their order, and plopped down in the comfy chairs near her. “May we join you?” they asked. “Of course. Please do,” she smiled, and somehow the random conversation began.

The elder’s spirit began to quietly vibrate. Not nervousness really, but a sense of walking into a holy space as the two strangers initiated the conversation and began opening their hearts to her. “LORD,” she silently prayed, “help me listen well. Let my words be Yours.”

She was amazed the two wanted to converse. (How cool was that!) As she listened she shared bits and pieces of her story, interspersed here and there in response to theirs. Of God’s great grace, and His many touch points in her life. The mundane-made-miraculous with God’s hand directing her steps. Hoping they, too, would want to know this Person Christ Jesus. Not some “old time historic figure,” nor some empty religious philosophy, but He Who Is Alive.

It was a beautiful experience. Strangers from another state visiting on business, wondering about where to relocate, stopping here for coffee before driving north a couple hours to a mountain town. As the chat continued, doors opened more. Beliefs and questions were shared, hurts revealed, confusions and confessions brought to light, histories given, lessons exchanged, laughter and love and connection experienced. A deeply personal, timeless interchange between two sojourners who randomly (?) met another at a coffee shop.

It was hard for the old lady to say good-bye to these new friends after this momentary touch point in time, the honest and open sharing of souls, koinonia, true fellowship. Another pair for whom the LORD sacrificed His life that they, too, might live with Him eternally.

D and R, may you personally come to know God Who Is Love. The One who makes you whole, forgives and heals, and never leaves you. I shall always remember your own Velveteen Rabbit story, of the sharing, and of the loss. In every loss, may Jesus comfort you, as He once comforted me: “I Am the One in him you loved, and I Am still here.”

Love is still here…with His arms opened wide to hold you! Thank you for sharing time with an oldish woman whose eternal spirit is “living at high noon!”* May God bless and keep you forever on your way.

~~~

LORD, thank You for the divine appointment that unfolded today. A random conversation that traversed barriers of age and worldly boundaries into the honest meeting of souls. For the joy of listening, and the joy of being heard. For blessing and receiving, of experiencing the presence of Your Holy Spirit in our conversation. For “doing church” together…reveling in the intricacies of Your incredible creation, and seeking to truly know You. Oh, LORD, how magnificent is Your Name! Please bless and keep these precious seekers on their way, and bring them home to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1 John 4:16b NLT “God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

Isaiah 41:10 NLT “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5 NKJV “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”

*Living at High Noon: Reflections on the Dramas of Mid-Life by Gordon MacDonald (1985) is a book the LORD brought into my life about twenty-five years ago. When I turned fifty, hopelessness engulfed me. I could imagine only darkness and nothing more when considering the not-so-laughable idea of being “over the hill.” The concept of living at high noon, in the full brilliance of God’s Light, still inspires me. Though the earthly body deteriorates and dies, one’s spirit reborn through Christ continues to mature, and lives eternally. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. What joy! I feel I am but a toddler on the brink of eternity…just getting started! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT “Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

1 John 1:5 NKJV “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

Fields of Roofs

In 1954 my hometown boasted a population of 12,500…or was it 25,000? My memory has blurred, yet the contrast with today’s 470,000 census is stark. Our wide agricultural valley is slowly turning into urbanville. Endless neighborhoods, sprawling subdivisions, and acres of multistoried apartments cover vast fields once known for prime pheasant hunting.

The longest part of a trip home from the hills, or from out of state, is hopscotching through city traffic lights, enduring road construction, and dodging endless vehicles before finally reaching our driveway. How blessed we are to have lived in this great valley before these congested times. And to dwell still in this place where remnants of the old ways remain.

A visit to a family member’s home recently took dear husband and me high above the valley floor. Up, up, up we drove, winding past urban homesteads, new build subdivisions, and private acreages dotted with pastures, horses, and gardens. We passed beautiful new homes and high end mansions perched on the hillsides. A bright blue circular above-ground pool glistened in a bright green lawn, the color contrasting with the surrounding dry, brown, timeless, sagebrush-dotted hills begging for rain. All we saw was a dramatic testament of what was…history of old days…and what now is.

A few turns after beginning of our forty-five minute return trip home, we crested a hill, and the sad evidence below us of urban crawl convicted itself. Within a few months, the new subdivision had burgeoned. Only the street-side walls of the boundary homes were visible. All one could see now were slate grey roof tops – gutters nearly touching – undulating in waves for acres. Grey…no green showing in between.

Where were the yards for children to run and play, chase dogs and balls, build a fort or treehouse? Were the spendy houses built just so for high density tax revenue? As sterile and stark as they appeared from above, I could not help but imagine glorified boxes to incubate wireless connected brain-frames…devoid of life.

We jostled our way home through the congestion, construction, and confusion reminiscing about simpler days, and wondering, in the tradition of grandparents, what our grandchildren would experience in the future. May the beauty, essence, and lessons of the old ways remain.

We pulled into our tiny spot of nature in our green-scaped neighborhood, and as we opened our house door, no barking dogs, purring cats, or goldfish greeted us. Only the familiar shapes, sounds, and messages of the small, large, larger, and largest screens welcomed us in. Would we turn on the wireless things? Hmmm. Seems we, too, are testaments of what was and what is.

~~~

LORD, from whom all blessings flow, thank You for Your provision. Give us wisdom to keep our eyes on You, Truth, and wholeness in our fast paced world. Show us Your way in an ongoing idolatrous society where things, achievements, pleasures, and pride compete, congest, and confuse for our allegiance, obedience, and worship of You. Help us see clearly, guide our choices, light our paths. And let not the beauty of Your holiness fade from our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jeremiah 6:16a NKJV “Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls.”

Psalm 19:12 NLT “How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.”

James 4:10 NLT “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”

1 John 1:9 NKJV “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Overcoming Guilt and Shame

Even in my elder years, remnants of guilt and shame bubble up from somewhere deep inside, life-long shadows of mistakes and hurts. Although Jesus Christ has saved me from the penalty of my sin, my facing, forgiving, and accepting myself has been an ongoing process.

Recently, a friend shared definitions of guilt and shame: Guilt means I made a mistake. Shame means I am a mistake.

As remorse repeats its accusations, how can I turn off the convicting noise? How many excuses, denials, or beating myself up over consequences before the judge and jury set me free?

Where do the voices of guilt and shame originate? Who am I listening to, after all? Why the ongoing taunts to drag me down? How do I overcome the shame-driven lies that I am a mistake?

This world, the domain of the father of lies, is bent on defeating me with guilt and shame. Yet, like a caterpillar trying to squirm its way off the ground, even if I climb as high as I can, I still cannot fly while tethered to condemnation. Only by inviting the power of God’s Perfect Light into my dark cocoon, may I die to my convicted self, and be transformed into a new creation.

I need not wait ‘til physical death to be rid of these internal griefs. The Father of Life continues to free me from the effects and penalty of sin…separation, guilt, shame, death. When guilt and shame bubble up, Truth debunks the lies when I honestly come before the LORD, embrace the Truth of who my Creator made me to be (my real identity), and receive, through transformation, new life spiritually in my present body.

God is my Final and Righteous Judge. He teaches me now how to right my wrongs, holds me through my tears, reshapes and restores me. And always throughout the process, He loves me.

Restoration, forgiveness, and freedom are exhilarating! How like a caterpillar am I, a small earth-bound creature with an innate desire to fly. What delight, snipping the fetters of guilt and shame, receiving new life, and flying even now in God’s Eternal Kingdom.

~~~

LORD, thank You for Your saving grace. Thank You that though our enemy masquerades as an angel of light, he quickly loses power when facing You, Eternal Truth. Refine us, LORD. Renew us as we come honestly before You confessing our guilt and shame, and trusting You to lead us through the transformation of forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation. Thank You, LORD, for freeing us from condemnation to become all You created us to be…Your exquisite creation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1 John 1:5 NLT “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

Romans 12:2 NLT “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Psalm 139:14 NKJV “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.”

Far Too Long

It’s been far too long since we’ve talked 
Since grandkids came and books were read
Since dogs and cats and our goose 
Chased our children in the yard 
And frogs sang ‘neath the house 

Since children played long night games 
Laughing, running bush to bush 
Who would reach the front porch first
Avoid the tag and not be “it”
Ready to play again 

It’s been far too long since childhood 
Was a time of innocence   
When living in a good, safe world 
Was the norm most parents sought
To protect their precious ones 

It’s been far too long that evil’s curl 
Has crept and slithered in this world 
Knowing that its time is short 
Its brazen shouts and taunting flaunts 
Fester before our eyes 

It’s been far too long my ear’s been deaf 
To hear the cry, to heed the call 
To understand or meet the need 
To realize where my part is
To stand against the fall 

Oh, God who gives all good we have 
Clear our vision in these days 
Protect, release all those enslaved 
Redeem their innocence some way 
Bring healing to their souls 

Whether slaves to masks or men 
Confusions or some unknown sin
Shine Your light so darkness flees 
Lies, deceptions, entrapments cease 
Let Your Truth make free

~~~

LORD, hear the cry of all who are enslaved. Avenge the souls of those who have been abused, harmed, their lives taken by evil-driven people. Let Your Spirit pour upon the earth. Redeem the time the locusts have eaten. Restore our souls and our land. Only You, LORD, have the power to defeat the evil one. Strengthen us to stand with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Psalm 94:3 NLT  “How long, O Lord?
How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?”
Psalm 103:17-18 NLT  “But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children                                18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!”

	


	





	

		
The Refiner’s Fire
	


	
	

		

Gold born in crude earthen condition 
Impurities girdling, invading within 
Confining hardness needs to be broken 
Release contaminants’ hold 

Mere specks of glory hidden beneath 
Wait for refinement to be revealed 
Heated to melt, burn not away
The gold, but all that is not 

Cast in the fire of sanctification 
Dross bubbling up into confession 
Bars of imprisonment melting away 
The process and time seem so long 

Cries of distress and pleas for release 
Transforming lessons learned in the heat 
Under the hand of the Master Refiner 
Tended with Love in His fire 

With wisdom and skill the refining goes on 
Gold tested, stirred, heated again 
Becoming reflective as Christ’s holy face
Searches deeper the heart 

Will gold dissolve, vanish completely 
Lose all of what makes gold the gold 
Or find as the fire’s turned even hotter 
Gold shines more in the heat 

Oh, joy for refining to escape from 
All that would dull the gold’s brilliant shine
Thank You, Refiner, for Your loving hands 
Holding us safe through the fire

~~~

LORD, thank You Your refining fire leaves us not in our impure, encrusted state. Thank You for Your Word where instruction and solace may be found. May we read it as a child would, with an open heart to hear anew and receive Your quenching, living waters to soothe our hurting souls. Thank You, LORD, for prayer, personal conversation with You. For Your presence, hearing and guiding us, never leaving nor forsaking us…no matter how we feel…as You sanctify and purify us. Thank You for conquering the power of sin and death that we may flourish now and live eternally with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jeremiah 5:3 NLT
“Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.”

Roman’s 12:2 NLT
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

1 John 1:9 NKJV
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

	


	





	

		
Salmon Run
	


	
	

		

Small fry wriggling in delight 
Through rocks and pebbles of stream bed
Form a school born up high 
In mountain waters fed 

Growing slow yet rapid still
Cruising shoals and waterfalls
Avoiding spears and fishing hooks 
Eagle talons and bear jaws

On t’wards the sea to be 
Full of life robust and strong 
‘Til the day the mountains sing
‘Come back now where you belong’

Bodies sleek flagged in red 
Mature and ready for return 
Guided by determined will 
Begin their upstream run 

Battle worn they fortify
Rest in eddies calm and deep 
Renew to swim yet again
Up and up, on and on

Our old days our salmon run 
Reaching aged maturity 
Surviving ever growing years
Demands endurance too

Oh, God who gives the salmon strength 
The will and way to endure 
Fighting rapids, jumping high 
Keeping on to overcome 

As we face like forces fierce
Intent on pushing us away 
From the blessed resting place 
Keep us keeping on

Give us strength to swim our stream 
The river rapids where e’er we be 
Bring us fully home again 
Complete, our final rest in Thee

~~~

Thank You, LORD, for examples in Your creation of the design and provision You have for life, including joy of the journey with others, gifted direction and insight, protection, provision and rest, purpose in all. And no matter how long or short our journey, Your presence with us and over us all the way. Thank You, LORD. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Psalm 107:30 NLT
“What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor!”

Psalm 48:14 HCSB
“This God, our God forever and ever— He will always lead us.”

	


	





	

		
Meeting Forgiveness
	


	
	

		

The wound had been healing for years. It was hard to keep track of time, the calendar flipping like frenzied numbers on an old clock radio. All the woman knew was the ongoing cry of her heart…her whole, easily bruised being physically hurt. 





“You really need a counselor,” she was told. That broadsided her. She thought she’d been doing all the things, holding together pretty well through the long fractured relationships. Now this declaration thrust a spear. Seems you’re the only one who needs help, the spear tip mocked as it sliced through her armor. Fleeting disdain tripped across her brow, and yanked at a root of bitterness. She stood, walked away, and grudgingly made the call.





It was hard reopening painful wounds. To poke and prod, re-inflame tender places. To resurrect the pain already examined, cried over repeatedly. Conciliatory words of “It might be too late; Let go the hope of reconciliation,” chided her, a scalpel dissecting, severing, and dropping her anchor of hope into the deep. Convicting words paralyzed and plunged her under an endless tumultuous sea, the undertow dragging her deeper and deeper. This blow, hitting harder than the initial wound, compressed the feeling of life from her as the spear, thrust now by more than one, sank further into deeper wounds. 





Faith proclaimed she could believe even still…hope was forever bound with faith and love…another three-strand cord that could not easily be broken. She must get past her hopeless feelings, somehow patiently hold to the process of faith, survive the riptide, refuse to drown.





Bitterness festered like a tiny, hidden, putrid, poisonous abscess. Was it holding her hostage, a result of her failure to fully forgive? Was this whole painful mess the result of what she’d sown? Had she injured, or held a punishing spirit t’wards those who’d injured her? Could she pray again, say again, “I forgive you…please forgive me,” then be released from this besetting despair? More words shouted, this time from a page, “Sometimes you just have to feel the pain.”





The pain did its burning work until she was numb, empty, at the end of herself. She’d been at this place before, facing the abject ugliness in herself, her absolute hopelessness…just before she first met her Savior. How many times must one grieve their own shortcomings and failures, forgive daily oneself and others? It really mattered not others’ choices…her responsibility was to bring her transgressions before the LORD, trust His transforming grace. Would learning to more carefully listen be an olive branch from which to build a bridge of reconciliation with others?





Was it too late? Could she survive pulling up this nasty yuk again? It was a costly choice, one her own LORD demonstrated by forgiving fully all who crucified Him. Was she mocking His sacrifice for her sins by stuffing her bitterness, withholding full forgiveness of others for a life’s worth of emotional pain? “LORD, help me,” she cried. “I cannot accomplish fully forgiving without Your help…every day!”





Behind her closed eyes, a lone white horse walked towards her. The dirt road was dry, yet no dust swirled beneath the steed’s feet. This was no ordinary horse…she could see Majesty, Knowledge, Understanding pouring from him as he came closer and closer. She was speechless. Was Forgiveness coming to raise her up on His wings? Oh, let it be! Love hopes all things, endures all things, bears all things. The cinch of pain was indeed a small inconvenience if through it Forgiveness would give her hope again. Was this a promise of her learning to fully forgive others, rip out her own taproot of bitterness? To, finally, fully forgive herself, and be rid of her censoring guilt? Hope, carried on the mane of Forgiveness, fluttered into her heart. Oh, to clutch Hope and Forgiveness and rise, again, fully free! Her heart began to sing. 





~~~





LORD, thank You for bringing hope in the way we need…forgiveness, encouragement, Your presence as we stand against hard things that want not to heal. Thank You for sending strength to carry us, for the reminder to be still and wait for Your guidance and provision. Thank You, LORD, that nothing separates us from Your Love, for Your promise to never leave us, and Your purpose to free us from the sickness of sin to make us whole. Thank You, LORD. You are Love. You are Forgiveness. We praise and exalt You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.





I Corinthians 23:13 NLT  “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”





Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT  “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”





Psalm 30:5 NLT “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

	


	





	

		
Church Hurt
	


	
	

		

Hurt caused by people within the Church comes close to home. An in-law’s deep disappointment when not supported during great family need; hypocrisy of church members souring another’s faith; a young one misunderstood, ridiculed, and ostracized for a different personality; others deeply wounded by non-biblical choices of leadership taking matters into their own hands, moving in their own assumed authority and judgement, resulting in years of eroding division and estrangement. All these are but snippets of church people falling woefully short of the glory of God.





Sounds like real life, doesn’t it? People hurting people. For all the bad rap “the Church” has endured, I must remind myself as one of the wounded who has inadvertently wounded others, we who are Christ followers are indeed, like every human on the planet, a ragged, needy, imperfect, still-struggling-with-our-sin-nature bunch, desperate for a Savior. 





Christ died and rose again so all could be made new; turn from wrong behaviors, thoughts, and practices; learn to walk in new ways. To receive forgiveness and learn how to forgive; seek to right the wrongs caused to others; practice loving others even though selfishness would like to hold court. To enter into the life-long process of becoming spiritually whole, within and outside of the church building.





The Church, not a building or institution, is the worldwide Body of Christ made up of His followers. We, too, are wounded, His hands and feet pouring out love, bringing good news of His salvation and hope. A band of ragged but redeemed, broken but mending, hurting but healing, learning-to-be-real, hopeful people charged to share the good news of His truth with the world. We are imperfect in ourselves, yet Christ is perfect, complete, whole. He walks with us on His path to freedom and healing, each of us on our personal journey with Him, His peace given to us to share with those around us.





Do we miss the real point, so caught up in our lives and institutions, orchestrating and running things that we neglect the essential of knowing Jesus personally? Does ours pride, self importance, delight in the gifts a gracious Heavenly Father showers on us turn our eyes toward the gifts and away from the giver Himself? The enemy of our souls uses any means to deflect our eyes away from God, caring not how far we miss the mark…just that it is missed.





This is not the “I sat in the pew and did all the things” kind of thing, but that internal coming face to face, spirit to Spirit with the Living God and realizing there is no other place to go. “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28a), from the beginning to the end of ourselves, and through the offered open door to eternal life here, now, and beyond. God is not a vending machine…He is better…He knows what we need more than we do, and freely gives Himself. 





If you have been hurt by people in “the Church,” please do not throw Jesus away, nor turn your back on Him. He is alive. He is personal. He died for you. He never changes. His love is always available, even if some of His followers have not loved rightly. In your woundedness please keep seeking the Savior. Talk with Him about it. Ask Him and His Holy Spirit into your life to teach your spirit His truth. Orient yourself towards healing rather than victimhood. Open God’s Word realizing growth is a process. God instructs us to learn together…“iron sharpening iron.” Cling to hope, expect goodness, let the wind of forgiveness blow resentment and bitterness away. Become stronger and wiser, asking God for positive truths to contemplate. Turn your mind to praise as you work through the pain. Be lifted up!





God is trustworthy. He is able to hear your anger, hurt, confusion. Stand in honesty before the LORD-who-wants-to-heal-us. He-who-already-knows-our-hearts leads us in His wisdom. Please do not let the sins of imperfect people turn you away from the Savior. He is Love.





~~~





LORD, thank You that a personal relationship with You brings true freedom in every way. Please give us each the courage to stand before You, honestly pour out our hurts to You, and listen to Your counsel. You are Love. Redeem and grow beauty from our ashes, renew our hope and joy, heal our wounds. Forgive us for our sins and any ways we have harmed others. Help us to forgive those who have sinned against us. May we gratefully praise and thank You for Your mercy and grace as You transform us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.





Romans 3:23 NKJV  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”





1 John 4:8b  “God is love.”





To learn more, please see this link:http://peacewithgod.net

	


	





	

		
Under the Hosta
	


	
	

		

Axel scurried across the lawn, the early evening breeze a tail wind. Snakes and mice and squirrels, oh my! Such a long day of hunting and chasing. In need of a break, he crossed Swat’s well-worn path and ducked under a large hosta leaf. The size of the plant accommodated his full-grown length and girth, the low-hanging leaf covering the entry to his private hideaway. The broad-leafed hosta was the larger of two varieties growing under old, arched, massive juniper shrubs. It was cool there and today the soil was not quite damp; perfect for a cat nap.





For some ambiguous reason, Axel‘d done his best to avoid Swat. Perhaps the cat’s intimidating name, perpetually mussed long gray mottled fur, or daily measured march around the neighborhood gave a foreboding air. Axel’d rather give a wide berth, or hide in his napping spot, than meet the wizened cat. Avoidance, part of his prism of defensiveness was an early-learned survival technique, one that could lead to isolation. Within Swat’s worn, aged, ragged body resided a kind face and heart. Perhaps one day, the younger cat would have courage to see and not run away. 





The breeze ruffled the hosta leaves, a dull lulling sound. Swat soon forgotten, Axel slipped into a deep sleep, and tumbled into a vivid technicolor movie of memories. The cat fight when he was but two months old. The matted, angry cat responsible for the scar across his nose and the missing tip from his ear. Swat’s brother? The mottled fur and measured walk…the resemblance was uncanny. No…no need to go there again. In his dream Axel fled his attacker, howling his pain. Would he ever get over it? Other cats didn’t intimidate him…just ones whose looks or behavior poked at his early kitten trauma.





Thunder boomed, startling Axel awake. He streaked t’wards home, the fresh image of his long-ago attacker inches behind him. The cat-door flapped shut as he raced to his cushy bed and curled against the curved corner. This was his happy place, the hosta hideaway a close second. Heart pounding, he sighed heavily with relief. He was home again. Safe from the bully. Safe from the fighting. Safe from the fear. Safe from the shame. Safe momentarily from being hurt again.





~~~





LORD, thank You that You know and understand our deepest wounds. No matter how long those hurts chase us, we can find healing and restoration through Your transforming grace. Help us to overcome all that would rob our joy, impair our relationships, isolate us in our hurts. Revive us and restore us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.





Psalm 147:3 NKJV  “He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.”





Psalm 38:21-22  “Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, be not far from me!            22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!”