THE FATHER'S LOVE

I watched a touching movie over the holidays titled “The Christmas Bunny.” It relayed the story of a family who took in a foster child. Julia appeared to be about nine or ten years old. From the moment she arrived at her new home she refused to speak or relate to the family. Her surrogate mother and father were extremely patient and loving with her and with great wisdom finally managed to help her learn to be obedient. It became apparent that her behavior was not any kind of medical disorder but rather an expression of her sadness and even anger that she had been taken from her real mother. Unfortunately her natural mother had proven to be an unfit parent who could not provide the safety, protection and provision which her daughter needed.

Julia's foster mother loved and trusted the Lord. Her husband, however, struggled with his faith. He had fallen on hard times and had lost his job. Financial pressure and the stress of raising a very troubled foster child brought him to a point of extreme frustration. Julia's conflict with the family's natural son combined with her pet bunny's destructive habits around the house, resulted in a pretty heated verbal bout between Mom and Dad. When Julia overheard the argument and realized that she was the cause of it, she decided to take her rabbit and run away. She headed out into the woods in the snow. By late afternoon she was essentially lost.

The sun would be going down soon and according to the weather forecast a storm was headed Julia's way. Mom and Dad panicked and called the local authorities for help. Her foster father trekked out into the snowy forest in search of his little girl. As he trod through the woods he called out her name over and over. The intensity of his love for her was more than evident in his desperate cry for Julia. The expression of grief on his face and the utter determination in his steps demonstrated his intense desire to be reunited with and to rescue his wandering daughter. When he finally found Julia, he swept her up in his arms and held her in a warm sheltering embrace. He could now bring her back to safety!

As I watched this moving scene, one thought came to my mind. This earthly “foster father's” passionate quest to find his lost daughter must certainly be a reflection of our Heavenly Father's love for us. There are times when God's own children stray from His umbrella of protection through sin and unbelief. There are the multitudes whom the Lord has created but who do not yet know Him as Savior. These are the subjects of God's relentless and ardent pursuit. Julia's father's search for his little girl gives a but a glimpse of the intensity with which our loving “Abba” seeks us out when we are lost.

Two scriptures came to my heart concerning our Father's devotion to His children.

 Isaiah 49:15,16 says,

“Can a mother forget her nursing child?

Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?

Even if that were possible, I would not forget you!

See I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” (NLT)

Also Matthew 7:11 states,

“So if you sinful people know how to give

good gifts to your children, how much more

will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (NLT)

The pattern of love which the Father has for us is manifest in the natural parents' love for their children. Yet, according to scripture, and surely according to our experience, the Heavenly Father's love for us is multiplied immensely.

How grateful we can be in the coming year

for a celestial love which knows no bounds?

How inspired we can be to emulate that love

and to share it with a lost and hurting world?

By Cathy Friberg

Facing Christmas

Facing Christmas

I shall attend to my little errands of love
      Early this  year
So that the brief days before Christmas may be
Unhampered and Clear
Of the fever of hurry. The breathless rushing,
      That I have known in the past.
Shall not possess me. I shall be calm in my soul
And ready at last.
For Christmas, “The Mass of the Christ.”

I shall kneel and call out His name;
I shall take time to watch the beautiful light
Of candle flame;
I shall have leisure – I shall go out alone
From my roof and my door
I shall not miss the silver silence of stars
As I have before;
And, oh, perhaps – If I stand there very still,
And very long -
I shall hear what the clamor of living has kept from me;
      The Angels’ song!

---Grace Noll Crawford, 1919

From The Radient Quest
        Harper and  Brothers Publishers, 1940

 shared by Connie Clark

Coincidence or God Acting Anonymously?

What do you call it when something occurs in your life, and you wonder how or why did that happen? Like seeing someone unexpectedly you had been thinking about, or receiving  telephone call or text message from someone you had  been wanting to talk with; or seeing a certain saying or something along the street or in your home that especially resonates with you, bringing back good memories, and perhaps even motivating you to some meaningful action.  Perhaps the experience gives you a feeling of being connected, excited, or  inspired  with a feeling that something bigger is happening out there than what we can see or logically explain.

 We may call our meaningful events a coincidence, chance, synchronicity, or God acting anonymously, and perhaps feel  intrigued with the feeling of magic, mystery, and surprise when life hands us something we can’t explain.

 About three years ago I attended a lecture by Carol Lynn Pearson .  She talked about her new book, “Embracing Coincidence”  She tells us when we experience meaningful coincidences that get our attention, they help us contact the magical, spiritual side of our lives, and she encourages us to be open, to pay attention and to have gratitude for each day.

Whenever my sister and I see a coin, especially a penny, on the ground, we always pick it up and say a big hello to our mom.  Our mother died a few years ago, but when she was alive whenever she saw a coin on the ground, she picked it up,  and reminded us in an excited voice, that it was good luck and it was a reminder to “Keep smiling.”

When our mom’s mind was kidnapped by Alzheimer Disease, she would still get a kick out of finding a coin on the ground, and the smile on her face as she bent over to pick up her treasure, was a treat to my sister and me.

It has been a fun and rewarding to me many times over the  past few  years when I have been at a place in my life when I felt overwhelmed, sad, and even vulnerable, to  find a coin on the ground.  As I pick it up , the magic works.  I say, “Hi Mom thank you!”

Talking with friends and family about their experiences with chance, coincidence, or whatever term you choose to label special happenings, is an interesting topic.  A few weeks ago a friend of mine, Greg,  told me a story about an experience he had recently.  He was on a road trip with a couple of friends, and they drove through a small seaside town, and a church with a tall steeple stood out from the other buildings.  Greg’s  father had died a few months ago, and   he had been dealing with the normal feelings of life review and loss, so when he saw the church  he wanted to go inside and say a prayer.  One of the other people with Greg is going through chemotherapy, and she was more than happy with the idea of taking time to visit the church.  They were pleased to find the front door open.  Inside,  they saw a  small altar with an arrangement of votive candles for the offering of prayers.  Greg lit a candle and then sat down to say a prayer.  As he was praying, he became aware of a patch of sunlight streaming in through the tall narrow stain glass windows.  He looked up towards the sunlight, and read the donor’s name at the bottom of the colorful window.  The first two names,  Thomas Robert , are Greg’s father’s first and middle name.

Greg said he felt like he received a message telling him everything was fine with his dad, and he felt  a sense of calmness and love.  I asked him if he told his mother about his experience, and he said, “Oh yes, I called her that evening.”

Carol Lynn Pearson believes that we need to be open and alert for those special coincidences in our lives.  I think the season of Advent is a perfect time for us to be reminded to have gratitude and be more aware of everyday events ,  to be in the moment,  and to nurture the spiritual side of our lives, living our faith. 

If a meaningful coincidence happens to me, and I can’t explain how it happened, that’s fine with me.  I say, take the moment, and wrap your heart around it . 

Terry Tempest Williams states,

“Faith is the centerpiece of a connected life.  It allows us to live by the grace of invisible strands.  It is a belief in a wisdom superior to our own.  Faith becomes a teacher in the absence of fact.”

Blessings,
Connie I. Clark

Let the Christmas Thoughts Begin

THE COLOR OF CHRISTMAS

I recently viewed a delightful video sent to me from a friend of mine. You may have seen it. The video, titled “Colors,” emphasizes the idea that we should be grateful for the gift of being able to see the world in color as opposed to merely in black and white. How very true. There is beautiful music playing throughout the clip as dramatic scene scapes present themselves on the screen. The photographs, ranging from trees, to wild animals, to city images are shown first in black and white. They are slowly and subtly drenched in brilliant true to life color. The contrast between the same picture presented in black and white and then in color is magnificent and certainly drives the main point home. Color adds a whole new dynamic, palatable, and pleasurable dimension to the way we perceive our universe.

As I pondered the significance of this lovely video, I began to see a connection to the early days of my youth. I had what I consider a pleasant enough childhood. A daughter of the 1950's my life was relatively simple and stress free. I enjoyed playing outdoors with the neighbor children. We climbed trees, built forts, played jump rope, hop scotch, dodgeball, hide n seek, red light green light and tag. We had fun family holidays, and even school was “o.k.” I attended church and had a concept of a rather historical Jesus. There was no real teaching, however, or at least not that I understood of a personal relationship with the Lord or of what it would mean to be born again.

Please don't misunderstand. I am extremely grateful for the religious training which I had. We were familiarized with the gospels and learned the ten commandments. We were taught basic principals of morality. We were even given age appropriate specific examples and scenarios of how to apply these precepts in our lives. This instruction, I believe, laid the groundwork for my adult spiritual conversion and acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. However, the rules and regulations which I learned as a child were not sufficient alone, in and of themselves, to comprehend and experience the love of my gracious Savior.

It would be much later on, after the birth of my first precious son, that I realized that I needed a new depth of love and grace in order to minister to my child. It was then that the Lord led me to the right people and, for me, the right church where I would learn how to be born again. I was baptized in water and the journey began. I drank in chapters of the Bible at a sitting. I had never actually read the Bible for myself. I was so hungry and thirsty for the Spirit of God and He was gracious to fill me to overflowing. I was introduced to the concept of “real praise and worship” for the first time. The Bible describes this worship as that which occurs “in Spirit and in truth.” As a young girl, I had sung rote hymns with no real warmth or understanding in my soul. There again, no criticism intended, as my heart had just not yet been baptized with God's magnanimous love. I am deeply thankful, however, that I had some exposure to Godly music as a child.

A fascinating phenomenon occurred after I accepted the Lord and began growing in Him. Like the pictures in the video I described earlier in this writing, for the first time I began to see life in vivid color. The joy which flooded and continues to flood my soul gave me a whole new perspective on day to day existence. I came to understand the term “seeing the world through rose colored glasses.” I began to feel as though I was beholding my universe through the filter of those rose colored glasses. Every aspect of life and every person I encountered took on a new brilliance. Even during times of trial and tribulation, being able to turn to God in prayer and worship brought tides of happiness and joy. In all circumstances, whether negative or positive, life still seemed lovely as I gazed into my Savior's face.

So as I viewed my friend's video recently I was reminded of the contrast between my experience as a literal child and my new life as “a child of the King.” Life as a little girl for me was good. And I thank the Lord for a safe normal passage into adulthood. However, it could be considered as merely black and white when compared to the glorious color of my present life as a born again Spirit filled Christian.

Christmas time is the celebration of God's gift of His Son to the entire world. The Lord sent His Son to be a sacrificial Lamb to die on the cross as an atonement for the sins of mankind. Jesus rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of His Father. He longs for every soul to receive His gift of eternal life. His desire is that all would accept Him, repent of their sins, be born again and filled with his Spirit. (2 Peter 3:9 and I Timothy 2:4) He came to give us life and life in more abundance. (John 10:10) He wants us to see life, not in black and white, not even in just natural color, but in the glowing, brilliant, shimmering supernatural hue of His Spirit.

This Christmas let's remember that the most valuable gift we could ever give a loved one, friend, or even a stranger is the gift of Jesus Christ. Whether we are called to intercede in prayer for the lost or to follow the Holy Spirit's leading in witnessing to others, let's do our best to make this Christmas meaningful. Perhaps the Lord would lead us to bring a plate of cookies to an unsaved neighbor, or visit someone in the hospital. These acts of kindness could soften hearts and open doors to speak the truth of the salvation message to those who need God's love in their lives. Let's seize the opportunity which this yuletide season brings to share the glorious joy of our Lord's everlasting love.

By Cathy Friberg

All Soul's Day

We have heard it said in many different ways,  If we love someone, we will grieve when that love is lost.

All Souls’ Day   commemorates those who have died, and  people throughout the world    celebrate or commemorate the dead, through a beautiful variety of traditions  from placing lights on grave sites, having special meals, dancing, singing, and other ceremonies.

On the Sunday closest to November 2^nd,  in the church I attend, we gather around the communion table and our pastor leads us in a prayer,  and then we are invited to say the name out loud  of  anyone we have lost during the  year.  As I stand there with my eyes closed, I hear the different voices around me speaking the names of people, some I had known, others unfamiliar.  It always takes courage for me to add my voice saying a name, feeling self-conscious about my voice  cracking, and  revealing signs of emotion.  I think I am  slowly becoming more comfortable with myself as I age, and am less  preoccupied with, “me”, as I think   I am getting closer to allowing  myself to be more  present in the meaningful display of  love , loss, and gratitude for precious  memories .

On All Souls’ Day,  I light a candle at home and let it burn for several hours .  The act of lighting a candle and saying a prayer about the people I have loved and lost, brings me a sense of comfort. The burning candle giving off light reminds me of the message it symbolizes; God’s love and presence.

The term “Sorrowful Joy”, was used by a speaker I heard at a conference this last year.  She reminded us that if we have loved someone, when they die we will feel loss .   I know I need to hear this message  again and again.  I  need to embrace the wonderful and loving memories I  have of  people who have  died and to be  grateful to have had them in my life.   

A  pastor   once told  us how he  visualizes the people he  has loved and lost,  as being part of his congregation, and he even places them  up in the balcony.  He shared that he looks at them and feels their presence, caring, and encouragement.   I love his image.

I like the idea of having my own special thoughts of the people I have loved and  have died, and  I have painted  the picture in my mind of them  being gathered around a beautiful lake  having a wonderful and lively picnic on the shores among beautiful, tall pine trees.

When I competed in a swim meet a few months ago, I placed all of my people whom I have loved and lost, up in the stands cheering me on.

Now don’t worry about me becoming too delusional,  it’s just my way of dealing with the reality of loss in a way I can relate, and which brings me a sense of acceptance and gratitude for their love in a lighter and playful manner.

Do I need a special day to think about the people I have lost in my life?  No, but it certainly doesn’t hurt me to be reminded that nothing stays the same, that if I have loved, then I will experience grief and loss when a member of my family, a friend, or a pet, dies.  It can also serve as a reminder to live each day as fully as I can, and to try and not take my family, friends, or my cat, Miss Malcom, for granted.  To tell them often how much  I love them,  and value them being a part of my life.

Having my faith and knowing that meditation and prayer are always there for me to hold on to, brings me comfort and hope.  I do believe that God meets us where we are, and that we do grow from tears and joy.  I feel blessed.

The Buddhists reminds us:  All things are impermanent
                                             They arise and they pass away
                                                      To be in harmony with this truth
                                                                Brings great happiness

I want to share a short paragraph from a great book on spiritual advice, “A Tree Full of Angels” by Macrina Wiederkehr:

“A wonderful gift that human beings possess is the ability to feast even on memories from the past.  Precious moments from our past that were not understood or cherished at the time can be gathered up, like crumbs, for nourishment in our later years.  Thus, lost moments are found again.  They are full of grace and can heal us even now. 
They can be harvested and carried home into our barns.” 

Another beautiful message:

Jesus said:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. . . .
I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me
that you also may be where I am . . .
 the way and the truth and the life.”      John 14

Blessings,
Connie I. Clark

Children of The King designed for Power

As believers of Jesus Christ, we are regarded as Children of  'The King' which entitles us to a rich inheritance into the kingdom of God.  Our Faith in Jesus Christ gives us great authority and power.  It is the great power that Jesus demonstrated by His resurrection from the dead.  It is the same power that He has given to us who believe.  He is now seated at the right hand of our Father.  With that resurrection power it has enabled us to do the same, and we are now seated in the heavenlies with Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father.

 

The question is, are we operating with our resurrection power or are we operating in the flesh with our earthly limited power and authority?  We need to be aware and educated in the word to know the power that is manifested in us in order to live not only a victorious life but one with purpose, divine intervention, driven by His love, peace, discernment, wisdom and knowledge.

 

Since we have the Holy Spirit now living in us we are now born again of the Spirit and have every right to exercise that power.  We have domininion over the forces of darkness and the evil one and all of demonic influences according to Luke 10:9.  We do not need to live a life of defeat.  God did not give us a spirit of fear, but love and power and of a sound mind, II Timothy 1:7.

 

He did not leave us helpleess but has given us the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct and protect us.  We must stand firm and fight the good fight today.  We should purpose to live out our destiny in order to be a vehicle for Him in order that we will be able to execute His plan for our lives.  For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, Ephesians 2:10.

 

We are designed with a purpose, to glorify Him and His name with all that He has given us in order to demonstrate his great love, mercy, and grace and so that we can be a mighty instrument for Him.

 

Use that power today.  Get up each day asking the Lord to fill you with His infinite power, grace, mercy and peace.    Each day we wake up empty until we ask Him to fill us to the brim in order that we do not waste one day, one moment, one second apart from doing His perfect will for our lives.  It may be blessing that person who just needs a smile, praying deliverance for that person who is bound up by the enemy or lending a helping hand when no one else but you can provide or calming a hurting child. 

 

 We should wake up desiring to be empowered by Him, driven by Him, inspired by Him, living only for Him who did it all for us.  He lived a Holy blameless life for us so we could be holy and blameless before our Father.  By His blood we are healed, set free, made whole and are reconciled back to our Father.

 

Don't miss one opportunity to be used by Him.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Our Master, Our Father Our Lord.

 

KCB

The Power of Prayer

Every morning for the past 8 or more years I have made it a practice to get out of bed and go directly to my knees in prayer.  Dedicating the day to the Lord, praying protection for my family, memorizing scripture, doing a little Bible Study and praying that the Holy Spirit to guide me through the day.  This has proved to be such valuable time, and countless times the Lord has intervened in my day because of the surrendering that was done in the morning. 

The power of prayer is so strongly felt.  Scripture says that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much.  The past few months I have been feeling tremendous peace in my life and in my home particularly in my marriage.  I would wake up in the morning and say to myself, "Somebody must be praying for me."  Two

times this  month I have had people who are in my Bible Study randomly ask me how I am doing and that they were praying for me.  I had expressed to them a couple of months ago  that my husband had stopped going to church for about 2 years for no apparent reason.  They took it upon themselves to pray for me although I made no mention of it for a prayer request.  Then I woke up this morning and said again to the Lord, "Someone must be praying for me, I feel such peace, who is it Lord".  Then I had my Bible Study leader call me today and ask me if I would like to get together in prayer with her to pray for each and every one in our Bible Study because the lady that normally does cannot this week.  Then the green light went on and I told her how I have asked the Lord several times who it is that is praying for me.  I had no idea that they had took it upon themselves to go to the Lord in prayer and pray for each and everyone in our Bible Study by name particularly for the marriages of the ladies in our class.

I sincerely believe this is not a coincidence.  The prayers of a righteous man does availeth much.  And it not only blessed me but tremendously blessed those who had been praying to know that I am reaping the benefits of their dedication and prayers specifically for  me.  And it encouraged me to know that when I pray for each and everyone in my family and others that the Lord puts on my heart, that it does not go void and people are reaping the benefits from our taking the time to be obedient in prayer.

We must never think that God is not listening but always have the hope in Him who answers prayer and that there is such heavenly power through Jesus in that prayer.  To wake up each morning and pray for ourselves and others in prayer is an act of obedience and an opportunity that we have to bless others and a chance to be an instrument of the Lord to do good works for Him.

Serving Him Gratefully,

KC

“A Gift From God”

I have to wait just a few minutes for it to be light enough for me to put my boat into the water.  I stand on the small dock all ready to begin my early morning row. As I look out across the lake, I feel  like a young child all set for an exciting adventure.  I find myself taking in a deep breath trying to  capture as much of the delicious quiet and beauty as I can. 

The water is so smooth, so still that when a fish jumps out and does a quick exquisite ballet, the water ripples, and I can hear the small splash.  I put both oars in my left hand, gently step into my boat, sit down, and then slip my feet under the Velcro straps.  I lean over just a little to push away from the dock, and then dip my oars in and begin to (skull) row.  I know that my first few strokes will be a bit uneven, but within a few minutes the rhythm and touch returns,  and my long oars are making full efficient strokes enabling me to glide over the water and watch the dock disappear.

I named my boat, a 23 foot Shell, “Olivette.”   I have her name in large, bright red letters on the bow . Olivette was a woman I met through my church and our Prayer Shawl Ministry.  Some of you may know of this wonderful ministry, but if you don’t, I invite you to check out a web site, www.shawlministry.com.  We knit or crochet prayer shawls that are given not only to people who are going through some type of loss, illness, transition, but also at times of  celebration.  We usually have around ten to fifteen women who meet each month at our church, and there are several other women who may not attend our meetings, but contribute handmade shawls for this valuable ministry.

At the monthly gatherings, we have the opportunity to learn from each other as we share patterns, yarn, stories, and of course laughter and even tears.  We begin our meetings with the lighting of a small candle and a prayer.  Later during our meeting we drape the completed shawls we each have brought in, and often some unfinished shawls, over a stand.  We gather around the shawls with each of us placing one hand on a shawl, and our other hand on someone’s shoulder, as we say a prayer together.  Before a shawl is given to someone, we include a prayer tucked inside.

One prayer, I especially like is:

May God’s grace be upon this shawl…warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing.

May this mantle be a safe haven...
a sacred place of security and well-being,      
sustaining and embracing in good times as well
as difficult ones.

May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.     

                              Blessed be!                                      

                                                                    Author:  Janet Bristow               
                                                                                    2008 All rights reserved.

I so value this display of faith and friendship. I believe that it is a visible sign of what God’s love and caring is all about.  To me, it is an example of “Faith in Action.”  While I work on a prayer shawl, even though I am not a master knitter, I feel good, content, and centered as I knit and pray.  I feel fortunate to be a small part of a group that is serving and sharing. 

My friend, Olivette, crocheted, and we teased her that she was the most prolific of our group as she would bring in at least five shawls she had made during the month.  She would reply in her zesty voice telling us that, being in her 90s, she had more time to sit and crochet than most of us.  I had the privilege of interviewing Olivette about her life.  Our group wanted to have her story be part of the contents we were planning for our women’s time capsule at the church.  I didn’t know Olivette very well before the several weeks I spent with her obtaining information about her life history.  After we had completed her story, I continued my visits with her.  She allowed me to bring her new yarn, and I marveled at the beautiful shawls she made.  Olivette was a kind and attentive listener.   I always felt she took in every word I said, and that she cared. 

She was an unexpected gift to me for the few years I knew her before she died.  A surprise gift from God, Olivette was an outstanding woman who had a wonderful sense of humor, a deep value of  learning,  and  continued giving to others until the day she died at 93 years of age.

I was given one of Olivette’s shawls, and it is one of my favorite possessions.  One day when I was talking with Olivette, I brought up the subject of my wanting to get my own boat, but thought I might be a bit too old to move forward with this wish.  She looked at me, paused, and then said, “Connie, get your boat.”

As I row my boat I find myself always saying out loud, “Good morning, Olivette, let’s go have some fun.”

Yes, friendships and being out in God’s beautiful world is like being cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love.

Blessings,
Connie I. Clark

Shattered Glass

 "Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons and daughters of light." -John 12:36

One Saturday morning while picking up the patio, it was after a late night bonfire my daughter shared with her friends on her birthday the night before, I realized I had tried to hold way too much when a glass seemed to jump out of my hands. There was shattered glass everywhere! I first thought, great, just what I need, more mess to clean up! I went inside to unload my arms and grab a whisk broom, bag and dustpan. Dreading the mess I had to face, as I got down on my knees, all of a sudden peace came over me. I looked and discovered that when sunlight struck the shattered glass, brilliant, colorful rays scattered everywhere. Shattered glass is full of a thousand different angles, each one picking up a ray of light and shooting it off in a thousand different directions. I stared for a long time before I could bring myself to clean it up. It was beautiful and something to be thankful for!

What's true of shattered glass is true of a broken life. Shattered dreams. A heart full of chards. Hopes that are splintered. A life broke in pieces. But given time and prayer, such a person's life can shine more brightly than if the brokenness had never happened. When the light of the Lord Jesus falls upon a shattered life, that believer's hopes can be brightened.

It's the nature of things that catch the light: The color and dazzle of light sparkles best through things that are shattered.

Only our great God can reach down into what otherwise would be brokenness and produce something beautiful. With Him, nothing is wasted. Every broken dream and every fear can be redeemed by His loving, warm touch. Your life may appear shattered, but God has in mind a kaleidoscope through which His light can shine more brilliantly.

Light of the world, may You shine today in dark places all over the earth. May broken people, hurt and disappointed, respond to Your loving touch. And may Christians become true children of light as You brighten their hearts and enlighten those around them. I present to You the parts of my life that are shattered. Shine, Jesus, shine!

Written by Terri Baker

Stop, Look and Listen with expectation

The Lord is sovereign and has a perfect plan for our lives.  So many times we think that we have to act now, make things happen now, and, if we do not do something now, nothing will happen.  I have found that the Lord has a way to make so many things happen all at once.  I can strategically plan so logically how things should be or turn out only to experience just the opposite as the Lord takes charge in His timing, which is always perfect.

Waiting on a job, or for that perfect mate for your child, or for someone to change so your life would be easier, and the list goes on and on.  The longer I live the more I realize that the Lord allows things to happen or does not allow them to happen for our own benefit.  Right when we think things should speed up in our lives, He may slow them down.  Right when we think that things should slow down in our lives, they may speed up.  We need to be sensitive to what is happening around us in our lives and ask the Lord to reveal to us just what it is He wants us to learn.  Everything is a learning experience He has specifically designed for us.  If we would just stop, look and listen, it is right before us.  All of the knowledge, wisdom and discernment that we need is generously given to us by the Holy Spirit which He sent us through Jesus for us to draw from at all times.

May you stop, look and listen with expectation knowing that the Lord is more than willing to assist us in figuring out exactly what He wants us to learn from our life's experiences. Whether they seem good, bad, uncomfortable or indifferent, we can always be assured that "All things work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son", Romans 8:28,29.  And this is what His intention is through all of life's circumstances, for us to become more and more like Jesus.

God Bless you as you continue to be transformed into the image of our Lord as you grow and delight yourselves in Him and His wonderful grace.

KC

A MOMENT BY THE LAKE

I step away from the campfire to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Looking around, the dark shapes of trees emerge against the blackness and boulders begin glowing like shadowy balloons against the dark earth.

Inching my right foot forward, I feel for the edge of the first granite step leading down to the inky blackness of the lake. When my toe finds solid footing, I transfer my full weight and lift my left foot to explore for the edge of the next step.

After four steps I stop to look around. As my pupils dilate, the distant shoreline becomes visible as a solid row of tree silhouettes above a charcoal band of sand, the sheet of wet, black lake broken only by a sparse scattering of rocks breaking the surface a few feet off the near shore.

With my eyes adjusted, I abandon the toe-touch method and walk forward, more confident of the steps before me. I take the last step and feel the soft sand of the beach give away under my foot. I walk to the edge of the water and stand motionless.

The trees are perfectly still and not even a whisper of breeze gives movement to the water. No ripples lap the shore at waters edge. I close my eyes and taste the fragrant pine needles that were knocked to the ground by this mornings thundershower. My nose is filled with the strong smell of damp sand and cool, lake water.

I open my eyes to the night. The stillness is overwhelming, the blackness enveloping. My senses become hyper sensitive, believing they are being deprived of any input or stimulation. In my peripheral vision, I see movement in the water and look quickly left, finding myself staring at a pinpoint of light in the middle of the lake.

As I watch the light dance on the dark water, I become aware of more lights appearing all across the surface of the lake. A haze of lights covers an area to my right and even more bright points are flung across the flat blackness to my left.

The lights slip and shimmer before my eyes, forming patterns and shapes. One shape holds my attention, the shape of a giant ladle. I look up quickly and see the seven stars of the Big Dipper hanging low in the sky.

Suddenly, I realize that the mysterious lights on the lake are stars reflected on a mirror of black glass. The first bright light that caught my attention was Polaris, the North Star, and that haze of lights hovering to my right are the millions and billions of stars and planets known as the Milky Way.

The stars spread before my feet and the heavens wrap around the earth overhead. The disorientation of vertigo takes hold as I can no longer differentiate where the starry sky stops and the reflected lights begin. I focus on the dark tree line to reorient myself, but immediately allow the silhouettes of the trees to fade from focus when I decide the optical illusion of earth and sky united is a more thrilling place to be.

How many times have I stood on the shore of this dark lake and never experienced this display? When have I ever seen such complete blackness of the night sky and such absolute stillness of the waters surface? I have never known a time for such perfect conditions to exist or ever imagined that I would be allowed this momentary glimpse through a window of heaven.

And a window of heaven is what it must be. A moment to see something so overwhelming as to cause my eyes to well with tears. An instant to experience something so profound as to make me stop breathing A split second to feel the perceptible weight of the glory of creation around me. To know, without conscious thought, that I am standing with God.

I am unaware of time passing but start to feel the damp chill of the night air setting into my arms and legs. I am reluctant to leave the spectacle of the stars, afraid if I turn from the lake the nearness of God will somehow evaporate behind me. I walk slowly up the beach toward the campfire, turning to take a final look before climbing the granite steps up the shore. I try to etch the amazing scene into my memory and the emotion into my heart, before my vision is corrupted by the brightness of the flames and glowing embers where my family sits roasting marshmallows.

I reclaim my lawn chair at the end of the fire pit and thoughtfully watch the kids ignite their marshmallows into flaming blue torches before blowing them out and slapping their pieces of sugared charcoal into a graham cracker and Hershey bar sandwich.

Staring into the embers, I think how much our lives need a starlit night by the lake. Our bright city nights, when the lights of life obscure our view of the stars, becomes normal. We no longer look for, or miss, the glory of the heavens in our hurried world. The stars are gone from our sight and we adapt to heavens without lights, life without the nearness of God.

But thankfully, just when one starless night runs into another and God seems as far away as a distant galaxy, an astounding heavenly display silently shouts the stars have not changed, God has not changed, He is here.

Psalm 19:1-4 says:

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

How grateful I am to have heard the stars speak. All in a moment by the lake - an unexpected encounter with creation and the God who made it all.

Romans 1:20

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualitieshis eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Written by Jody Ward

Don't Lose Jesus

In the Bible in the book of Luke is the wonderful story of Jesus' birth. After the birth the Bible speaks of Jesus being lost by His parents, Mary & Joseph, only to be found in the temple. When they found him, He said that He was going about His father's business.

Our pastor Todd talked about what it is like to lose a child. How one could get side tracked and all of a sudden the child is gone. You feel a sense of fear and desperation and are frantic trying to find them. Nothing else matters but to find that missing child. Then when he is found you are so relieved, the anxiety is gone and such joy fills your heart that he is now safely with you.

Then he spoke about our busyness, especially at Christmas time, shopping for presents, all the festivities, opening the presents, cooking, all of the gatherings. He then asked the question, "Have we lost Jesus?" That hit home. Do we even notice that He is missing? If we ask the questions, "Do we have peace? Or are we anxious? Are we living a productive life? Do we have joy? If we can answer those questions we will get a good idea.

Let us not only find Him but fellowship with Him and never lose sight of His guiding leading directing and protecting us or the peace, joy and contentment He brings while we practicing being in His presence. For being in the presence of the Lord brings fullness of joy.

He finished his sermon by saying that we need to practice Corinthians 1:9 our first calling, having fellowship with the Lord, everyday and throughout the day so we do not ever lose sight of Him. What a great message.

God bless you this Christmas season and throughout the New Year as you practicing being in His presence and not losing sight of Him for a moment.

In His presence,

Written by KCB

Perspective on Heaven

After reading "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn my whole perspective on living on this earth has changed drastically. Over and over again it is expressed how the scriptures continually speak about the New Jerusalem that we will be leaving in and what the Lord has planned for us. The life living in the New Jerusalem is the life in whichGod intended for us to live before the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden.

There would be a life of no sickeness, no decay, no sorrow but one of blessings to enjoy thebeauty of all of His creations. A life devoted to worshipping the Lord and being in His presence. The ability to talk with Him and enjoy life with Him. Living inan environment in which you do not have to worry about being mistreated or not trusting or being hurt or hurting anyone. A life of holiness and well being. A life of joy without the dread of worry or concern that at any moment tragedy might strike.

There are times in our rushed life that we wish that we would have more time to spend with those we love or do the things we truly enjoy, but the business of work and trying to make a living and other committments get in the way. Today as I was thinking I was imagining that all unfinished business would get finished. That talk we wanted to have with our mom before she passed away, the love we want to share with a loved one that is just so difficult to love and won't receive it, the burning love that we have inside but seems to be imprisoned because of circumstances of the past and cannot be unleased, that child who left this world way to young, or that tragic accident that took that life when you would have loved to spend more time with them.

I envision a life of total outward expression, unhindered by lack of trust or a defensive attitude as to not get hurt but a total expression of how the Lord would want us to love. We will have the total freedom without the memory of harsh feelings getting in the way. We will have time in heaven that in which we never seem to have enough of here. We will know what is important and our lives will flow from one event to another unrushed, but relaxed and full of God's glory.

We need to strive to have a little bit of that heaven here on earth as much as we can.Until that day we will have the hope of an eternal happiness and glory with our Lord who has promised us just that in His word, which is the truth.

Written by KCB

 

A Mother's Prayer

Every morning hardly and ever missing a day,I start the day on my knees praying for my family, friends and anything else the Lordmay placon my heart to pray for. I look back at the years andit is amazingthe safety, blessings, andthe coverings that have been over my immediate family. Coincidence? I don't think so. All through scripture the Lord makes mention over and over again the value of seeking Him, listening to Him, being directed by Him, not serving other idols or depending on anyone or anything else but Him. He is a jealous God.

He has taught me as I John I states that there is no need for man to teach you anythingfor the Holy Spirit will teach you all things. If we take the time to pray and listen to our Lord, we will soon realize that He speaks to us every day and in every way. He is often just waiting for usjust take the time to fellowship with Him and spend time with Him.

He is a patient God and will wait but will also give signs, nudging us to spend time with Him so He can properly direct us in our lives. As you get up in the morning asking the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct, and protect you and your loved ones, he will graciously not only do that but guide you throughout the day. We just need to take the time to listen and wait on Him.

We must make sure that we pass the torch unto the next generation to keep the fire burning for the Lord and the heavenly protection going through prayer so that He can be glorified through all generations to come and not ever be forgotten.

Always seeking Him in all that we do is the only way to live a life of prosperity, peace and contentment.
KB

Personal Foundations of A Christian Life

The life of a Christian can be like an iceberg, the visible part receives the most attention and is often used to measure success or failure. Yet, its the par that is hidden from view that is of greatest concern to God. Oswald Chambers, who wrote My Utmost for His Highest, said My worth to God in public is what I am in private. The time that I invest in my private time with God has greatly affected my public life and leadership.
If we apply these six practices in our lives they will help to form the foundation of who we are. We need to have a good foundation (Matt. 7:24-27) whether we are alone or in front of a crowd, or these ideas are new or old, they are a worthy reminder to us who have the desire to walk worthy of the call or position God has for us.
Journaling
Its hard to journal everyday, and dont feel guilty if you dont. I carry a small notebook in my purse at all times. The book is mainly for sermon notes from Sunday or other sessions/classes I am attending. But I use the back to write thoughts, quotes, or words that God places in my heart. It is a great help.
Time with God
We should try to follow the example of Jesus in Matt. 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Find a quiet, secluded place so you wont be distracted, and the focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his presence. He is then able to encourage, rebuke, admonish and speak words of wisdom into our lives.
Monthly Assessment
Since the unexamined life is not worth living, we should try to ask ourselves these questions below at the end of each month. For each question rate your current condition. (1 = never, 3 = sometimes, 5 = always)

• Did I pursue regular spiritual disciplines?
• Did I listen to God throughout the day?
• Did I have consistent Bible study time?
• Did I rely more on resource material than on scripture?
• Did I spend quiet time, so I could hear God speaking to me?
• Did I spend time in prayer everyday?

Quarterly Review
I read through my journal (book) to remind me of thoughts or words that God has given me. Significant spiritual insights are often gained from this simple practice. It also reminds me of what God is going to do in my life, and how he wants to use me. It is a great encouragement to be reminded of Gods faithfulness to us.
Semi-Annual Fast
It is helpful to set aside regular time to fast. It may be for just a single meal or for several days to a month, depending on how God directs you. This practice develops focus and personal discipline, and much more.
Accountability
Find someone to be your spiritual mentor. Accountability that grows out of genuine relationship will strengthen you personally as a leader.

If we dont take time to slow down in order to be with God, then He usually catches our attention through a life event that brings us to a standstill. He often unfolds His plan over a space of time while we learn not to rush ahead of Him by applying foundational principals, like these, into our lives. God is more concerned with my relationship with Him than my ministry for Him.
A faulty Christian life, like icebergs, can cause shipwrecks that dishonor God and undermine leadership. Giving due diligence to the hidden parts of our lives will one day conclude with the words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Written by Rhonda Ihrig