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 - When Your World Shakes

 "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God."  Psalm 62:5-7  (ESV)  

Our little dog, Jack, is terrified of storms.  When he hears the wind pick up, heavy rain begin to fall, the thunder clap, or when he sees lightning, he starts to shake and needs to be near one of us with our hands on him.  Still, even though he is beside us, he looks at us for reassurance that he will be okay.  

The other evening I was having a discussion with a friend about tornadoes and earthquakes.  Being a Texas girl, I am quite familiar with tornado watches and warnings.  I have never been in one, thank the Lord, but I have been near enough to feel some of their power.  As frightening as they can be, if given the choice, I would choose to live where there might be a tornado rather than where there might be an earthquake because the thought of the earth moving under my feet is more than I can handle. 

Life is full of events that can shake our world, isn't it?  When a loved one is diagnosed with a deadly disease or when we deal with the grief of a death, we wonder how we can possibly take the next step.  Many things may occur that can make the ground under our feet feel uncertain and most of us have been through plenty of them.  

I would love to deliver an encouraging message and say that those times are over.  But they aren't.  Yet.  As long as we live on this tiny orb in space we will face hardships and trials and many of them may take our breath away as we wonder how we can cope, how we can go on.  

Gratefully, the Bible reminds us that there is a place to run to for refuge.  There is only One who cannot be shaken and that is the Lord Himself.  In Him alone will we find hope.  Only by His side will we find the peace that will allow us to continue the journey set before us.  He is the only One that knows the future.  He has already walked the pathway we are on and will take us by the hand and be our guide. 

I know several who are walking through valleys right now.  To them I want to say that there is no place where God cannot go.  There is no situation that He is unaware of or that is too difficult for Him.  Though your world seems dark and unsure, He is the light and He is steadfast.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.  He knows where you have been and where you are going and He will remain by your side, not only during this difficult time, but forever.  Run to Him and allow Him to be your refuge, your fortress.  There you will find security.   

Mid-Week Message - Too Much to Carry

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'"  Matthew 11:28-29  (NLT)

When something heavy needed to be moved in our home when I was younger, I was the child that was called upon to help.  I had an older brother but he never quite seemed to be around when these things needed to be done.  I became quite good at moving television consoles, couches, dressers and anything else that was more than a one person job.  I learned how to move most things on my own even, if I needed to do so.  Where there is a will, there is a way.  

Heavy physical burdens are quite familiar to me.  I know what it feels like to be weighed down and to be so overwhelmed with weight that I have found it difficult to move at times.  One of my favorite things to do is to float in a pool.  The feeling of being weightless is sheer joy!  

The physical weights we carry are easy compared to the other burdens that life places upon us.  All of us encounter times of trouble that drive us to our knees.  In the last several years, two of my closest friends have had to endure the death of a child.  I can't even begin to imagine how difficult that has been for them.  As a mother myself, I can think of nothing worse.  Carrying that grief was crushing for them.  They made it through by crying out to the Lord and understanding that they were not alone to bear the sadness alone.  He was with them in the valley they had to traverse.  

Today's verse refers to a yoke, which is a crosspiece that is laid across the shoulders of two animals to lighten a load for each of them.  We are not meant to bear the burdens of life alone.  Galatians 6:2 tells us to, "Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."  We are to come together to help each other.  When we do not have the strength to continue on our own, we need to be able to reach out to those around us. 

Psalm 55:22 tells us, "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you.  He will not permit the Godly to slip and fall."  We have been created by a loving and caring Creator.  He never desired for us to feel alone.  He wants to be actively involved in our lives.  He cares about everything we encounter.  When we are weighed down, He will be there to lighten the load, to walk with us and to support us.  He can bring healing to the deep wounds that the pain of this life brings.  And He reminds us that a time is coming when we will be free of that pain for eternity.

What are you carrying today that is weighing you down?  Illness?  Financial problems?  Wayward children?  Whatever it is, ask Him to help you through it.  He is faithful and true and will make a way where there seems to be no way.  He adores you and is delighted when you turn to Him. God bless.  

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 - Active and Alive

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."  Mark 12:30  (NIV)   

Each year after Christmas I urge my readers to leave something out that will be a reminder of the miracle of Christ's birth all year long.  Although that time of year is set aside to celebrate His coming, the fact that He left Heaven to be with us on earth is something that should never be shoved into a box and stored in an attic.  

Likewise, Easter is when we praise Him for His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection.  But sadly, once the weekend has passed, we tend to return to the normality of our lives and store away whatever decorations we have used in order to prepare for the next holiday.  

Unlike Santa Claus and the Easter bunny, Jesus is no fairy tale.  The stories recorded for us in the Bible of His existence are real.  He was with God before creation and is with Him now.  Because of the time He spent on Earth, because of what He gave of Himself to accomplish the will of His Father, we have total forgiveness of our sins available to us if we choose to accept it.  Once we believe in Him as the Son of God, receive Him as our Lord and Savior and repent of our sins we have the promise of eternal life with Him in Heaven.  

How it must grieve Him to be put out of our thoughts as easily as we store away snowmen, wreaths and candy filled eggs.  After all that He went through for our sakes, even as He pleads for us before our Father, once our calendar-planned holidays end, too often so do our praises. 

At any time, Jesus could have said no.  He could have called legions of angels to wipe out those who tortured Him.  Although fully human, He was also fully divine and the nails through His hands and feet held no control over Him.  But He didn't say no.  Philippians 2:8 tells us, "...he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross."   Even for Him, obedience was a choice and he made that choice out of His love for you and for me.  

Our remembrance and our praise should be alive and active just as our Savior is alive and active in our lives.  Our hearts, minds, souls and strength need to remain focused on Him at all times.  All that we do, think and say should be influenced by His example as we allow Him to mold us to become more like Him.

Nothing happens in our lives that He is unaware of.  He is always by our side, ready to take our hands and walk us through whatever conflicts, heartaches, fears or tragedies we encounter.  He promised never to leave us and His promises can be believed.  His death and resurrection didn't take away the hard times in life, but they did give us the assurance that we will never be alone and that death, sorrow, pain and sadness will cease when we join Him in Heaven.  

His love and power cannot be boxed away.  Grab His holy hand and walk with Him today.  God bless.  

Mid-Week Message - Heaven Before Us

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  2 Corinthians 1:3-4  (NIV) 

The death of a loved one is a jolt, a searing pain that causes us to forget to breathe for a moment.  The realization that someone who has always been there, who is supposed to always be there, will not be seen on this earth again is more than our minds and hearts can fathom.  It leaves us grasping at air as we try to pull back any semblance of normal that we can.  

This past week I lost my little sister.  Despite having been through the loss of grandparents, parents and friends, I had no idea how traumatic losing a sibling could be.  From almost before I could remember there had always been the three of us - my older brother, me and my sister.  Now there are two and it is hard to make sense out of.  I just keep grasping the hand of the Lord, knowing that He understands fully.  

Each of us experiences moments of intense loss at some point in our lives.  Because of that, we are able to comfort others who go through the same, or similar, situations.  Compassion is fueled by the understanding of brokenness.  Pain is universal.  Everyone will feel it eventually.  

What has carried me through, and what I can offer to those who come after me on this path, is the promise that the hurt we feel now is temporary.  God will ease our shattered hearts while we walk upon this globe, but there will come a day when there will be no more pain, no more death, no more tears, no more fear.  

Revelation 21:4 says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."  

In my own time of grief, what has brought the most comfort is the Truth.  During our time here we will encounter heartbreak and anguish that is impossible to imagine.  But Jesus has overcome the world and if we have repented of our sins and accepted Him as our Savior, then we have Heaven before us where there will be only joy and peace.  One day, not too far away, we will be able to see Him face to face, to worship Almighty God before His throne and never again be plagued will illness, pain or death.  

May the Lord walk with you through whatever you are experiencing today and whatever comes in the days ahead.  God bless.  

Mid-Week Message - Never Forgotten

 "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 'Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;'"  Isaiah 49:15-16a (NASB)

I was the child in our family that never forgot anything.  My parents took advantage of that and would tell me whatever they didn't want forgotten so that they would have a reminder should they forget something themselves.  It served me well in my education and in my employment.  I wish I could say that it was still a trait that I possessed.  But, age has changed a lot of things in my life, and that is sadly one of the casualties.

I must confess that this message almost didn't happen this week.  I have had several things on my mind and, had the Holy Spirit not prompted me as I awoke this morning, I fear I would not have remembered that this is Wednesday and time for a message.  So, as I praise Him for the reminder, I will rejoice that He is not forgetful.  

Though our minds may become feeble, His never will.  There will never be a time that He forgets anything about us.  Scripture tells us that He knows the number of hairs on our heads. Isn't it interesting to think about that?  If we lose a hair, He knows about it.  That is how intimately involved in our lives He is.  He knows everything about us, and will never forget.  

In this season of showing love, let's express our gratitude for the great love He has for us.  Though we may forget Him, He has promised never to forget us.  And I personally am grateful for this lesson today.  I forgot but He did not and He loved me enough to whisper a reminder.  May you be reminded of how near to you He is this week.  God bless you.  

Mid-Week Message - The Assurance of Heaven

 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever."  Revelation 21:4  (NLT)  

Today's verse is one many of us cling to.  In a world where we experience so much sadness, pain and grief, this is a precious promise. To be done with worry, stress, agony and grief is almost too much to even imagine.  We live in a world where these things are all around us and we deal with them almost on a daily basis.  Some of us rarely go through a twenty-four hour period without shedding tears over someone or something.

Where do you find yourself today?  What is happening in your life that is troubling your heart and mind?  I want you to know that though it feels as if you are alone in your situation, you aren't.  Not only has your issue been dealt with by countless others, but you have a loving Father who is available for you to reach out to.  

Today, millions are struggling with financial problems.  The money just doesn't seem to go as far as it needs to.  After toiling day in and day out, the paychecks seem to get smaller compared to the debts they need to cover.  As inflation rises our anxiety over how we are going to continue to provide for our families increases.  Thankfully, the Lord isn't threatened by political decisions that spur hardships with the dollar.  He has promised to supply our needs and He never fails to fulfill His promises.  

According to the United States census, one person dies every eleven seconds.  I personally do not know anyone that has been untouched by the grief of losing a loved one.  Whether sudden or expected, hearts are shattered by the passing of someone close to them.  Be it a family member, friend or a pet, having to say goodbye can be more than we feel we can live through. It is said that great grief comes from great love.  Though that does not make it any easier, we can rest in the greatest love of all.  Psalm 34:18 assures us that, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." 

The list of daily pressures is endless.  I have talked about two of them but there are so many more.  Illness, addiction, wayward children, relationships, fear....the list goes on and on.  We all know that our lives can change at any moment by a myriad of circumstances.  That is what makes the promise of Heaven so precious.  There will be no pain, no tears, no death.  No longer will we have to worry or fret, rather we will be surrounded by joy in the presence of our Savior.  

This world and its afflictions will not last forever.  Until Heaven is our reality, remember that there are no surprises for God.  Before He created you, He knew everything that you would face and He has already walked that path that you are now on.  He knows which steps to take even when we feel lost.  His light will guide us in our darkest moments.  He has promised never to leave us or forsake us and His are the only promises that you never have to doubt.  

May you feel the Lord's arm wrapped tightly around you no matter what you are dealing with today.  God bless.