Mid-Week Message - Comfort From Psalm 116:15

"So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said.  The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place."  Deuteronomy 34:5-6  (NLT)

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 is a day I will never forget.  I got a call from my mother that morning.  When I answered she said, "I can't wake your father."  I asked her if she had called for an ambulance.  She hadn't.  I instructed her to do so and headed as fast as I could to the duplex where they were living.  I arrived before EMS did and went into their living room where I found my father seated in his recliner.  I searched for a pulse.  When I did not find one, I got him onto the floor and began CPR.  When help arrived I was instructed to continue until their equipment was set up then they took over.  While they were working I began placing phone calls because I knew in my heart that my Daddy would never again open his eyes.

As the grief began to set in, I also started asking the Lord to reveal to me how He viewed the death of His earthly children.  Almost all of us have lost someone close to us.  We know the intense sadness of knowing we will not see them again during our time on this planet.  And we know that He endured watching the torturous death of His only Son.  I guess I just wanted to know that even though our lives continue as we transition to Heaven, that when a life ends on earth, it means something to Him.

Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants."  I have read this verse many times during my Christian life.  However, during my time of grief and searching, it took on new significance.  

My father loved the Lord.  During the last years of his life especially, he spent much time in prayer.  After he retired, he had little time to enjoy himself because my mother's health declined and he took on a new role as caregiver.  He did it without complaint and out of love for her but he told me once that he wished he could just get in his van and drive away.  He was tired.  He had his own health problems to deal with as well and his strength was waning.  I believe with all of my heart that he was ready to be done with this life.  I asked him once what he was looking forward to most in Heaven and his answer was, "running barefoot."  As a boy he ran everywhere he went and was usually barefoot because his family was poor.  I found it very touching that, of all the possibilities he could choose, what he really desired was being able to run barefoot once again.  

I know that as he took his last breaths that morning he was not alone.  In today's verse we learn that  it was the Father Himself that buried Moses when he passed away.  It shows great tenderness along with presence and involvement.  Does Almighty God feel anything when a death occurs?  Oh yes.  Just as He is present with us as we live, so He is present with us as we leave our earthly bodies.  I believe my father was met with heavenly rejoicing and that he was able to feel the ground beneath his bare feet as he ran into the arms of our Savior.  

We grieve over what we see as a loss.  But dear ones, those who go to be present with the Creator experience greater joy than we can even imagine.  They are not sad, nor will they ever be again.  As much as I miss my Daddy and wish that I could see him again on this side of Heaven, I would never want him to leave where he is.  How could I ever ask him to re-enter a world of pain and trouble?  But one day, after I have entered the heavenly realms for myself, I will worship at the feet of Jesus along with my beloved earthly father.  God bless you.  

Mid-Week Message - The Shepherd is With Us

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."  Psalm 23:1-3  (KJV)

I was a straight "A" student.  Well, most of the time at least, in all of my classes except physical education.  Oh, how I dreaded that class!  It started in the third grade at South Lawn Elementary School in Amarillo, Texas.  We had begun the tumbling unit.  Now, one thing about me is that I do not like to be turned upside down.  Not for any reason.  Needless to say, tumbling wasn't my preferred activity.  I guess the teacher thought that he was helping me when I was hesitating before doing a forward roll.  He came behind me and forced me over.  It terrified me!  Thus began my anxiety over P.E. 

In junior high, my distaste for the class only grew.  By this time my weight problem was rather pronounced so I was worried about being teased.  It was during these years that after-class showers became mandatory.  I started off the year by complying, however, when some other girls ripped open the shower curtain and laughed, I knew I had to find a way to avoid it ever happening again.  Because the teacher would stay outside the locker room and smell for soap, I would wash one arm.  It was just enough to convince her. 

We all have things in life that tie our stomachs in knots.  Sometimes it is a boss who seems to single us out.  Maybe it is something else, like a fear of crowds.  Whatever it is, I know that each of you can identify with the feelings I had.  It would be wonderful to sail through everything we encounter, but I have never met anyone who hasn't struggled with something. 

The twenty-third Psalm is one that many turn to when they need reassurance.  It is a beautiful reminder that we do not walk through our lives alone.  Our Shepherd is always there and is always overseeing all that we go through.  For all those times of anxiousness, we know that He will also "lead us beside the still waters" where we will not need to fear being carried away by the rapids that try so hard to pull us under.  He will lead us in the way of righteousness if we are only willing to follow Him. 

Several people have shared with me how difficult the last couple of years have been for them.  It seems that turmoil has been widespread in so many lives.  I can't tell you why that happens when it does.  However, I can tell you that hard times don't last forever.  Every battle ends eventually.  The secret to making it through is in knowing Who is in charge and Who to follow.  Just like sheep in the field depend on the shepherd for safety and provision, so we also depend on Jesus, who is our Shepherd, to guide us through harrowing times and supply green pastures so that we may lie down in peace. 

I know many are walking through the "valley of the shadow of death" right now.  Many I know about and many I don't.  However, there is One that sees each difficult step taken and catches each tear that is shed.  He will never abandon any of us.  Hold tight to His hand, little lamb.  God bless.

Mid-Week Message - A Day of Thanksgiving

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever."  Psalm 107:1 (NLT)

The year was 1621.  Those who had made the pilgrimage to what is now the United States of America, had a great feast that lasted three days.  It was a celebration of thanksgiving to the Lord for His provision and protection which followed a time of extreme hardship in which many had died.  None of these precious souls had envisioned the difficulties they would face before they set sail and I often wonder how those who survived were able to show such gratitude after all they endured. 

The holiday of Thanksgiving that we observe each year has become a day that is engulfed in activity that causes tensions to run high.  Rather than a day of praise and gratitude, it is spent exhausting ourselves attempting to fulfill expectations of family and guests.  After the food has been served and the kitchen has been cleaned, men gather around the television and women rush out to shop in stores that now open early to capitalize on Christmas dollars yet to be spent.  

Before we know it, midnight has come and the day intended for giving thanks has ended for another year.  Recipes made once a year are filed away and all thoughts turn to the next big day of festivities.  In all of the hustle and bustle, how much time was actually given to the Lord in appreciation for His great love and care?  

Aside from the necessary prayer at the table tomorrow, will we spend any private time with Him reflecting back on how He has sustained us this year?  Will our hearts be consumed with gratitude or will our focus be on the troubles of the moment?  Whatever our struggles are today will likely still be struggles tomorrow and will be vying for our attention.  Will we choose Him over worry and chaos? 

We are the Lord's first priority.   He is always present.  Always listening.  Always within our reach.  We may not be able to see Him physically with our eyes, but He is always active in our lives.  Every blessing that we receive comes directly from His hands.  He has promised to take care of our needs and to guide us through each step we need to take.  No matter what arises in our lives, His power is greater, His love all-encompassing and He is worthy of our praise.  

This year has been full of ups and downs, some of them have knocked me off my feet, which I am sure you have experienced as well.  However, the one thing we have always been able to count on is that we have a Father that can be depended upon to pick us up and dust us off and help us take the next step, no matter how hard that step might be.  Let's spend time with Him tomorrow letting Him know how much we love and appreciate Him.  Without Him, there would be nothing to celebrate.  

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. 

Mid-Week Message - Trusting That He Hears

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)

I'm sure we can all remember asking one of our parents for something when we were children.  I don't know how it was in your family, but the automatic answer in my house never seemed to be "yes." Usually the answer was, "We'll see", or "I'll think about it," or maybe even "Go ask your father."  Whatever the answer was I felt the need to explain all my reasons for why I needed whatever it was I was asking for.  Of course, I was attempting to convince my parents that they needed to agree with me and decide in my favor.  Sometimes I was successful but quite often the final answer was "no."  

It was very difficult to understand how they could answer negatively when I was so clear in laying out my thoughts and desires.  What I didn't understand at the time was that they knew more than I did and therefore knew if my requests were frivolous or could pose hazards or risks.  Now that I am an adult and also a parent, I am aware that there were probably many times they wished to give me what I wanted but couldn't for some reason that was beyond their control.  Age has given me greater understanding and perspective.  

That being said, I have to confess that I often approach God in prayer the same way I used to approach my parents with a request.  It is something that He has shown me that I am not very proud of.  I have had to learn that it isn't my job to convince the Lord of anything.  Since He is all-knowing, He sees my needs and desires before I do along with everything else in my life.  He knows what is ultimately good for me and what is not and He has perfect timing for the blessings He sends my way.

Some years have been dreadfully hard for my family.  So many things collided that caused us to wonder how we would make it through.  I spent hours before the Lord crying out, asking Him for help, reminding Him of His promises and telling Him what we were going through and what we were feeling.  So many times I forgot about His sovereignty as I begged Him to just listen to our needs.  I failed to recognize that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  I let my heart dictate my words and overpower the knowledge that His timing is always perfect and that He would never fail to take care of His children.  In His great love though, He soothed my soul and assured me that He knew.

One night, after a particularly rough time and as I was drying my eyes after telling Him how afraid I was and asking Him if he was watching and knew what we were going through, I turned the radio on to a Christian station.  I came in right as a song was coming on.  It was "Fear Is A Liar" by Zach Williams.  Then the song right after it was "He Knows" by Jeremy Camp.  I cannot tell you how it ministered to me to know that those songs at that time were not a coincidence.  They were reassurance from above.  After seeing how He brought us through those difficult times I can tell you that I never needed to be afraid or worry that the Father didn't understand our plight as He answered those petitions and turned things around for our family.  Just at the right time.  

Brothers and sisters, our Creator is never negligent.  He is intimately involved in our lives and aware of every joy and heartache we experience.  Though many times have been trying, they would have been much less so if I had remembered that rather than listening to the lies of the enemy and allowing myself to be overcome with fear.  He has always seen me through whatever I have faced and I should have known He would do so again.  His love never falters and He will always be present no matter what we are experiencing.  We have only to trust that His Word is true and look for Him.  

As I thank Him for His extended hand to me and my family, I also lift each of you up and ask for His blessings for you as well.  Life is full of unknowns, so let's hold on to the One who never changes, who always understands and will never leave us to do battle on our own.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Mid-Week Message - Birthdays and Aging

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV)

Birthdays.  Whether we want them to or not, they come every year.  I understand why some are reluctant to to talk about their age.  As we witness our bodies changing as a natural consequence of the increasing years there is a desire to deny time, to hold out as long as we can against the softening and wrinkling skin and gray hair.  

I have to admit that I actually enjoy my birthday.  It doesn't matter to me that my age changes each year.  In fact, I am kind of proud of it.  Of all the gifts that I have received in my life, the ones that mean the utmost to me are those that have come straight from the hand of the Lord.  The average person takes 8,409,600 breaths per year.  As far as I can understand, each one of them is a gift because we are not promised a certain length of life.  That means that as of today I have drawn well over 555,000,000 life sustaining breaths of air since my birth.  Each one is a present freely given by my heavenly Father.

The trick is to remember this each day of the year.  When the hard days come, and there are many, the gift of each moment still needs to be a reason to praise Him.  No matter what, He has still allowed life to continue for a reason.  That reason is to bring Him glory.  There is nothing we will face in this life alone.  Along with each breath comes His presence.  From the moment of our conception He never leaves our sides.  We are here because of His unending and unconditional love which was proven by the death and resurrection of Jesus.  

Aging isn't fun, I will confess.  Aches and pains, slower reflexes and decreasing stamina plague us.  Diseases associated with age may set in.  Loved ones older than us have often passed away and those that are younger are busy with their own lives.  For some it can be a very lonely time but for all of us it can be rather daunting.  We reach the age of retirement in a time when finances cannot be assured to last and the need may arise to downsize our lives or sacrifice familiar lifestyles.  From my relationship with elderly friends I know that at times we may wonder why God allows our lives to continue and our only real desire begins to be going home to Heaven.  

I cannot begin to claim to understand the Lord's plans or reasoning behind how long any certain lifespan is.  But this I do know, His plan is perfect.  No matter how long any individual life is, it is for His glory.  We may not know how many other people are able to see Jesus in us in youth or old age but He will use each of us to touch hearts for His purposes if we allow Him to.  Each and every day is a precious gift.  Each breath a sign of His presence.  Without Him, we would not be.  

I pray that as we each wake up to each new day's sunrise we can say "Thank you, Father.  This day is yours.  Please use all the moments you give me to show others your love."  Have a beautiful, meaningful and blessed week.  

Mid-Week Message - Images From the Past

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

One of my favorite activities is perusing antique stores.  There you are able to actually put your hands on history.  Old furniture that used to belong in someone's home.  Hand-sewn aprons.  Knitted blankets.  Steamer trunks that may have sailed the seas.  Clocks that no longer chime for their original owners.  And photographs.  Wonderful black and white images of faces no longer recognized.  Faces that were loved with names that others thought would always be remembered, but no longer are and are now for sale to strangers to use as decor.  

After our move to Georgia I dismantled some family pictures from a collage that I had assembled for one of my parents' anniversaries many years ago.  The glass in the frame had been broken in our move so it was time to rescue them from sure destruction.  As I was showing them to my husband and telling him who they were, I realized that I didn't know the names of most of my grandmother's family.  Now that my mother and aunt have passed on, I doubt that I will ever be able to identify them.  

Life is fleeting.  Those who love us will continue to remember us and they may even pass on our stories for generations. However, for most of us, at some point all who knew of us will also pass away and our names will be but etches on a tombstone.  Maybe our photographs will end up in an antique store as well.  

There is One, however, that not only will never forget us, but will bring us to live in His own home when our souls no longer inhabit physical bodies.  He has known us intimately since before creation.  He formed us and breathed His own spirit into us making us His own forever.  We never have to worry that we will be forgotten by the One that matters.  Eternity will be spent walking by His side and singing His praises in the glory and splendor of Heaven.  He doesn't need photographs because we will never be apart from Him. 

I have a cedar chest that was made by my father's hands full of images of people that either have already or soon will become just faces without names to those of us still living on this earth.  If they accepted Jesus as their Savior though, they are rejoicing.  If you have not asked Him to be your Savior and Lord, please seek out someone to talk to about that. Or get in touch with me.  What a gift it would be to walk Heavenly streets with you and know your name.  God bless you.

Mid-Week Message - Pain

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9-10  (NIV)

One day in 2012, as I was stepping out of the car, I noticed my left leg was shaking as I straightened it.  There was no pain so I continued doing everything I needed to do. I didn't experience the same thing again so I forgot about it.  Then, a couple of days later, my lower leg began hurting when I was on it.  The pain came and went so, again, I really didn't worry about it.  As the days went by, the pain worsened until finally it was taking me over an hour to make it from my sofa to my bathroom and I was having to lean on a bar stool most of the way.  Finally, I called my doctor who recommended that I go to an urgent care clinic and have it x-rayed.  The x-ray was aimed at my knee and the physician concluded that my pain was from complications of my arthritis.  He gave me a prescription for pain medication and told me to go home and use a walker.  

Two days later, when I attempted to stand, the pain was so severe that I couldn't bear to put my foot on the floor.  Because there was no way for me to get in my car, we called an ambulance.  That day I spent twelve hours in the emergency room.  My husband had brought with us the copies of the x-rays from two days before so the presiding doctor did not do any tests of his own and after twelve hours sent me home with another prescription for pain medication and told me to use a walker.  

It was a struggle to get into the house but my husband finally got me situated for the night.  The next morning, he left to conduct worship services for the retirement community where we were ministering.  When I stood, the pain was indescribable and I couldn't take a step at all.  I called for my daughter for quite some time but she couldn't hear me.  Eventually, I passed out and woke up on my bathroom floor.  After some time, my daughter came to check on me and my husband came home, at which time I called for an ambulance again.  This time, a different physician ordered x-rays of my entire leg and found that my tibia was completely severed.  They figured that it had been broken for one and a half to two weeks.

I apologize for the long story, but we all have them, don't we?  We all have times in our lives where the pain we experience is beyond what we think we can bear.  Whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, pain is a warning signal that something is wrong and needs to be tended to.  It serves another purpose as well, it drives us to the Great Physician and we cry out to Him for help.  

I chose today's verse because Paul went through more in his lifetime that I can even imagine withstanding.  He was ship-wrecked, beaten and imprisoned.  His very life hung in the balance as there were many who wanted to see him dead.  Yet, in all of his suffering, he continued to serve the Lord.  He never let his pain get in the way of his purpose, rather, he used his pain to teach those around him, and ultimately everyone who would ever pick up a Bible, that the grace of God is greater than anything this world might dish out and that when we rely on Christ during our times of weakness, His strength will carry us through.  

I have no way of knowing what you are going through at this moment.  Perhaps this is a painful time and you are wondering how you are going to make it through.  I know two things.  One is that everything passes in time.  But the other is that your Father in Heaven loves you beyond measure. He will supply you with the strength you need and by relying on Him and continuing to praise Him no matter what, He will be glorified and your joy will increase.  We were never meant to carry our burdens alone.  Look up and reach out.  He has a plan and you will be able to look back on this time and see how He was with you.  In all things, His grace is sufficient.  God bless.  

Mid-Week Message - He Will Always Be There

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."  Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

What do you do when your world falls apart?  When friends turn their backs and family no longer wish to be your allies?  When the money in the bank dries up and your health takes a turn for the worse?  When your possessions cease to bring pleasure and you find yourself alone with nothing but the clothes on your back and the thoughts in your head?  

Nothing is for certain in this world.  Sometimes, crops just don't produce and you are left with bills to pay and needs to fulfill.  So you scrounge for other sources of provision, hoping that you run across a solution.  Maybe you have friends or family to reach out to.  Or maybe, when you ask for help, you find they are in the same situation or they just don't want to be bothered.  Great pain comes from the feeling of abandonment and in those times that is what we feel.  

In my years of walking with the Lord, I have come to understand one important thing.  No matter what I am going through, no matter what I am feeling, no matter how difficult life is or how weary I get, He is the One that will always be there.  Nothing on this earth will last forever.  We do not have the assurance of a paycheck at the end of the week, or the promise that there will always be another person to stand with us when problems arise.  But, we have the solemn promise of our Savior that He will never leave us or forsake us.  

Romans 8:38-39 tells us, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

No matter what happens or how difficult the days become, there will always be one place to turn.  We can take His hand and let Him lead us through.  God bless. 

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, Precious Lord
Lead me home  

Mid-Week Message - Nowhere to Hide

"I can never escape from your Spirit!  I can never get away from your presence!  If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.  If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me."  Psalm 139:7-10  (NLT) 

I ran from my mother one time.  One time.  I don't remember what I had done.  I was only maybe four years old at the time.  She came toward me to discipline me and I ran.  When she caught me, the result was far harsher than it would have been if I had not made the choice to run. 

From Daddy, I hid.  I always seemed to get in trouble soon after he left for work in the mornings.  My mother would say, "Just wait until your father gets home."  So all day I dreaded the hour that his car would drive up in the driveway.  When it did, I would hide in one of two places.  Under the bed, or in the closet.  I can remember thinking to myself that the closet was so dark that not even God could find me in there.  Of course, Daddy always knew where I was so hiding never worked.  I am so glad that he always knew where I was.  Not because I enjoyed the discipline that came after he found me but because of the security of knowing that he loved me and was familiar with where I would be.  

One day before he passed away, he and my mother were discussing his collection of business cards.  She asked him what would happen to them after he was gone and he said, "Karla will get them."  She said that I would probably just throw them away, to which he replied, "She'll keep them.  I know my daughter."  And, yes, I still have them almost sixteen years later.  

There is great comfort in the knowledge that our Lord always knows where we are.  As the scripture says, there is no where that we can go to be out of His presence.  One of my favorite quotes from the movie Buckaroo Banzai is, "No matter where you go, there you are."  That is true about God.  Whether we are in the depths of the ocean, upon the highest mountain, soaring in the sky or just hiding in a dark closet, He is there.  

Some days are dark and stormy.  Life can lead us down paths that we never even knew existed.  Fear, confusion, anger, depression, loneliness, addiction, illness, or catastrophe are just a few of the things we can face.  But we can also experience love, joy, peace or plenty.  No matter what condition we find ourselves in, no matter what is before us, we are not alone.  We are never away from His presence.  

Psalm 139 is my favorite chapter in the Bible.  There is so much reassurance of His intimate involvement in our lives, even from conception.  I encourage you to find a quiet place and spend just a few moments reading it.  Take the words in and hide them in your heart.  

I am grateful that I tried to run and hide from my parents because it taught me that they were always there, even when I tried to get away from them.  It was a precursor to understanding the presence of God, although His presence is far greater.  What a wonderful thing to know that I am never out of His sight, or out of His care.  Nor are you.  Ever.  May we all find great comfort in that knowledge.  God bless.   

Mid-Week Message - Help For the Weary

 "Have you not heard?  Have you never understood?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.  He never grows weak or weary.  No one can measure the depths of his understanding."  Isaiah 40:28  (NLT)

Life.  Day in, day out.  One responsibility after another.  This child sick, this bill over due.  Fear of what the doctor is going to say.  Afraid to ask what else could go wrong because you just might find out.  

Been there?  Are you there now?  We all know the weariness of carrying one worry after another.  Everyone has experienced sleepless nights that lead into those days of just putting one foot before the other to keep going.  

For me, three consecutive years come to mind immediately.  In 2007 I was helping to take care of my parents.  I had moved them from east Texas to be near me after my father had suffered a heart attack.  He was my mother's caregiver.  She had been in poor health for many years so it was imperative that they be where someone could help them.  They had been there for a couple of years, then in November of that year, my father got up one morning and passed away in his chair.  Now my mother was my responsibility to see after.  

In 2008 the economy was suffering.  Layoffs were occurring throughout many industries.  One of those effected was my husband.  He called me one day at work and told me he had just been laid off.  The income, and insurance, that we counted on would be gone when his severance package ended.  

In 2009 he continued to seek employment, I continued working and taking care of my mother, and we continued to raise our teenage daughter.  Then in September I got a call from the rehab center where mother had gone to gain some strength that they had found her dead on the floor in the middle of the night.  

I'm sure every person reading has gone through their own times when they wondered how they were going to keep moving.  The weights upon the shoulders grow heavier and heavier until you think for sure you will break.  But somehow, one breath leads to another and living goes on.   

Today's verse is such a reassurance.  We can turn to the One who never grows weak or weary.  Our Creator has always known what joys and hardships we would face in our lives and He already knows what it will take to get us through them.  He doesn't promise us easy lives, but He does promise us that we will not walk our roads without Him by our side.  And it sure does help when we can slide our tired hands into His and allow Him to take the lead.  

I know many who are suffering right now.  I am praying for several who are ill, grieving, battling depression, looking for jobs or are swimming in unceasing tears.  I don't have a magic wand to make all the troubles cease.  But, I know the great I Am, who has all power and can bring rest where it is needed.  

My encouragement is to turn to the Peace-giver.  Go to the foot of the cross and cry out for help.  He never slumbers or sleeps and is never to busy to listen.  There you will find hope and help for carrying your burdens.  

May His mercy and grace be abundant and your heart find relief.  

Mid-Week Message - Comparing Ourselves to Others

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:10  (NIV)   

In the 1984 movie "Footloose" we enjoyed watching actor Kevin Bacon doing some amazing dancing.  The movie was about a teenager who had moved to a new town where dancing was not allowed.  He and his friends set about changing the minds of the adults, getting them to understand that young people wanted to dance and have fun.  

Interesting fact, Kevin Bacon himself has said, "I can't dance."  In large portions of the movie, the dancing was done by stunt doubles.  Although that may not be surprising, it is much more fun to envision that he was the one that performed all the fancy moves.  

It is easy for us to look at people around us and assume that all is well in their worlds.  Certain folks just seem to have smooth lives with everything going their way.  They seemingly have no difficulties and it is easy to begin to envy them.  But we cannot know all that they deal with and things may not be as wonderful as they appear.  

You may be surprised to know that someone else may look at your life that way.  You know the truth though.  You know what you struggle with each day.  How hard you have to work for the money you make.  The tears you shed and how you plead in your prayers.  Although you may not show it to others, you have days when you wonder how to take the next step.  

When God created us, He made us individuals, each with our own talents, gifts, and paths to tread.  His perfect plan was for us to come to Him, accept Jesus as our Savior and live our lives according to His direction.  He knows the hardships we will face and promised to walk with us through them.  

When we spend our time comparing ourselves to others we fail to see the blessings that He designed just for us.  In coveting the life someone else has we are basically telling the Lord that we disapprove of the work He has done in our own lives.  

We all struggle with something.  Be it financial, health related, wayward children, addiction, depression, or the myriad of other issues, no one's road is free of obstacles.  Those obstacles, though, can drive us closer to Him and reveal His grace and mercy.  

No matter how it appears, no one has a perfect life.  But we do serve a perfect God who has a perfect plan for you and for me.  By staying close to His side, we will experience His perfect love in miraculous ways and become more and more grateful for the path He is leading us down.  

May His presence reassure us all as we deal with what is before us.  

Mid-Week Message - A Prayer

 "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 by my victorious right hand."  Isaiah 41:10  (NLT)

Oh, Lord, may your name be exalted and may all worship and honor be yours.  For you have shown your love to us in such magnificent ways.  We are always in your presence, in good times and in those that are sorrowful or full of fear.  

When we are lonely, you are our companion.  There is never a time that we call out to you that you fail to hear our cries.  Though we may not see you, your Word assures us that you will always be with us. 

When sadness befalls us and tears drip from wet eyes, all comfort comes from you.  The arms that enfold us come with your blessing and remind us that you also know how grief overwhelms the heart.  With compassion comes reassurance that there is no greater love than that which comes from Heaven. 

As we face illness and threats of disease to come, how grateful we are that you created us and know each and every cell in our bodies.  You are the Great Physician, the Healer of mind, body and spirit, the One that was with us as we were knitted together in our mothers' wombs.   

In times of great turmoil, we are able to turn to you, and in your perfect understanding you listen as we lay our troubling thoughts before you.  There is no wisdom that will ever surpass that of the great I Am and we can rest in the knowledge that you will guide us in the way that we should go.

During this time when the world around us is changing rapidly and we find ourselves frightened by the changes that we see, your Word reminds us that you will uphold us by your victorious right hand.  Nothing happens that is out of your sight.  You know history from beginning to end so the best thing for us to do is to carry our concerns to you in prayer and stay close by your side.   

You possess all power.  Nothing that we will ever encounter will be too great for you to handle.  

You are able to be with each of us as if we were your only child.  We can't understand it, but we are humbled by that kind of attention from our Heavenly Father.  

Lord, you, and you alone, are worthy of our worship and praise.  There is no way for us to adequately express how much we adore you except to open our hearts and allow you full access.  Make us into who you wish us to be.  Forgive us of our sins and wash us clean so that when you look at us you see the image of Jesus.  

Help us to be mindful that the days of this earth are growing fewer and that there are many around us that are not aware of the sacrifice made to secure our relationship with you.  Your Word says that you don't wish any to perish so give us the courage to open our hearts and mouths so that others might accept the Savior.  

We love you so.  May we never forget your promises and may we never have a day when we fail to honor you.  

In the name of your precious Son, 

Amen 

Mid-Week Message - Life is Unpredictable

 "I remember the days of old.  I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.  I lift my hands to you in prayer.  I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain."  Psalm 143:5-6  (NLT)

Life is unpredictable.  I could stop with just today's verse and my first sentence and have a full message that we would all understand.  

How many times have you faced twists and turns as you go through your day?  We make plans for the evening but the babysitter calls and says she is ill.  We have a mountain of laundry but the washing machine malfunctions.  We are in the middle of a road trip and the car breaks down.  An outside wedding is planned but a coming storm forces a change in plans.  We never know what is going to happen next, but somehow, we keep going. 

Years ago, my husband was contacted by a company in California about a promising job.  The interviews were going so well that we were sure they were going to hire him.  But there was an issue that would make a move very difficult for us.  At that time, my mother was in a nursing home and I was the only family member nearby to oversee her care and visit her.  It wasn't going to be feasible to move her with us so I began praying.  I will never forget my words to the Lord that day.  I said, "Lord, I don't know how you are going to make a way, but I know for sure that you will."  

I meant those words wholeheartedly.  In my walk with Him over the years, I have witnessed Him working in miraculous ways so I had no doubt that He would clear the pathway if this move was His will for our family.  When my mother passed away a few days later, my heart was broken.  Though I had trusted Him to make a way, I did not think it would be through her death.  Then, we got the call from California.  They had decided on another candidate.  

I can remember falling over my bed and sobbing in confusion.  I couldn't understand why He had allowed my mom to pass away when He knew that the job was not going to work out.  

Life is unpredictable.  

God supplied another job for my beloved.  A better one.  But, for awhile, we felt lost as though we were wandering in a desert without signs that pointed the way we should go.  Although we knew God was with us, we couldn't see Him working.  We cried out for direction.  We begged Him to give us some inkling of what our future held.  After a bit of time we felt like the man in the old movies that crawled through the desert seeking water.  We needed the refreshing that only the Lord can give.

When we find ourselves in these moments, it helps to look back and see how God has worked in our previous life quandaries.  Remembering our history with Him provides reassurance for where we are and where we are going.  Pondering His works can calm our uneasy hearts and minds and help us to see that His timing is always right, even when it doesn't coincide with our own.  

Wherever you stand today, no matter what you are facing, take the time to remember how He has provided in the past and how He has shown Himself faithful.  It will help to spend time reading the Bible where you will see how He has worked in lives since the beginning and be reminded of His promises for our future.  None of us faces a life without difficulty but we can always trust that we are not alone and that He will make a way even when there seems to be no way.  

May His holy arms surround you.  God bless.  

Mid-Week Message - Always In His Sight

"I can never escape from your Spirit!  I can never get away from your presence!  If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.  If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me."  Psalm 139:7-10  (NLT) 

I ran from my mother one time.  One time.  I don't remember what I had done.  I was only maybe four years old at the time.  She came toward me to discipline me and I ran.  When she caught me, the result was far harsher than it would have been if I had not made the choice to run. 

From Daddy, I hid.  I always seemed to get in trouble soon after he left for work in the mornings.  My mother would say, "Just wait until your father gets home."  So all day I dreaded the hour that his car would drive up in the driveway.  When it did, I would hide in one of two places.  Under the bed, or in the closet.  I can remember thinking to myself that the closet was so dark that not even God could find me in there.  Of course, Daddy always knew where I was so hiding never worked.  I am so glad that he always knew where I was.  Not because I enjoyed the discipline that came after he found me but because of the security of knowing that he loved me and was familiar with where I would be.  

One day before he passed away, he and my mother were discussing his collection of business cards.  She asked him what would happen to them after he was gone and he said, "Karla will get them."  She said that I would probably just throw them away, to which he replied, "She'll keep them.  I know my daughter."  And, yes, I still have them almost fourteen years later.  

There is great comfort in the knowledge that our Lord always knows where we are.  As the scripture says, there is no where that we can go to be out of His presence.  One of my favorite quotes from the movie Buckaroo Banzai is, "No matter where you go, there you are."  That is true about God.  Whether we are in the depths of the ocean, upon the highest mountain, soaring in the sky or just hiding in a dark closet, He is there.  

Some days are dark and stormy.  Life can lead us down paths that we never even knew existed.  Fear, confusion, anger, depression, loneliness, addiction, illness, or catastrophe are just a few of the things we can face.  But we can also experience love, joy, peace or plenty.  No matter what condition we find ourselves in, no matter what is before us, we are not alone.  We are never away from His presence.  

Psalm 139 is my favorite chapter in the Bible.  There is so much reassurance of His intimate involvement in our lives, even from conception.  I encourage you to find a quiet place and spend just a few moments reading it.  Take the words in and hide them in your heart.  

I am grateful that I tried to run and hide from my parents because it taught me that they were always there, even when I tried to get away from them.  It was a precursor to understanding the presence of God, although His presence is far greater.  What a wonderful thing to know that I am never out of His sight, or out of His care.  Nor are you.  Ever.  May we all find great comfort in that knowledge.  God bless.