"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."
The past 7 months wasn't something I ever thought I would experience... nor had it ever crossed my mind to be part of, but God knows how to bless us even when you don't see it coming. I hadn't considered ever taking into my home a complete stranger, let alone a teenage girl from a foreign country but God knew that we both needed one another at this time. You see his plans are greater than our own.
Emma came to live with me through a student exchange program. It was a last minute decision for me to take on the care of her when I realized I had more home than was needed for just myself. The house just felt empty until she arrived and made a house a home. She brought with her a different world, a different culture and a different view of life along with a messy room! She was 16 and I was well lets just let something be a secret, shall we? :) Since her arrival we have had a home filled with laughter, deep conversations, adventures and vegging on the couch movie binging. We have shared so many cups of Starbucks that I lost count and we've shared life where I've introduced her to my world and she allowed me into hers. We've spent quiet time together, we have done homework on Sunday afternoons, we've gone on walks and long drives. She has become like my own and I didn't even know how much she would grow to mean to me.
God has blessed me the past 7 months with Emma along with her buddies... I call them the International Brigade. I've met other students from different countries and have enjoyed them as well. They have showed me that in this great big world, we may have differences but there are some things that we share in common and that is that we need one another to feel complete. God knew before the world began that we would be designed to rely on one another, to learn from one another and to feel a small sample of the love that he has for us through our relationships. You see he had a plan for us and we didn't even know it.
After losing my son and then going thru numerous disappointments of trying to have more children, I felt my dream of being a mom was over. I couldn't understand that... the Bible tells us that God grants us the desires of our heart and yet my desire had always been to be a mom. I wrestled with this scripture for many years and couldn't understand why the one thing I had desired, was the one thing God didn't bless me with after losing Nigel. I tried to come up with explanations such as... I did get to be a mom, just didn't get to keep him long. Then I began to realize, there have been kids along the way that needed me. I got to give what every mother gives... big hugs, advise and unconditional love along with guidance and pointing them to Christ.
This time with Emma has allowed me to again be a temporary Mom to a very special young lady who I will love for always as a daughter. She will move back to Italy and I will miss her terribly but I will know that she was brought into my life for a purpose and fulfilled in me the desire of my heart... to be a mom again. God fulfilled his promise to give me the desires of my heart. I never specified how I wanted to be a mom and his plan was far different than what I imagined but I have been so blessed.
I could have been content in this house and never opened that door up to the unknown adventure that was about to take place, and I would have been robbed of a great blessing. In life we sometimes fear the unknown and instead of reaping the harvest of the reward we lose out on what God promised us.
What about you? What blessing is God still waiting to give you that you simply haven't opened that door to yet? What heart desire do you have still lingering? Have you looked around to see if you've some how missed it or are you about to miss it because fear holds you back? God has plans for you... so what do you say? Got plans tonight?
Under His Wings,
Heather
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Addiction; Philippians 2:14
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing." I bet you are a bit confused right now why I would choose this scripture with the post title being "addiction". I've watched social media, listened to countless conversations, seen such non-sense on the news that it turns my stomach as we become a society that has become a nation of chronic complainers... people who have become addicted to grumbling, complaining and all around negative thinking and talking. Its become an epidemic!
Do you know that the word "joy" is found 218 times in the NIV Bible? JOY! Not grumbling or complaining or bad mouthing one another but for us to have JOY! I don't know about you but I would so rather have joy in my spirit than a spirt of grumbling. I would rather look around to find the good in people, to find how we are alike and can share in a responsibility to make this life a life filled with joy, laughter and peace. What I find though is that so many are looking for allies who share in their addiction to grumbling and complaining. That has to grieve the heart of God. Did you know that God actually commands us to shout joyfully to the Lord and all the earth?? We are commanded to serve the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful singing! Be glad in the Lord and rejoice! I could go on and on... but I think you are getting the point.
So why is it that we choose to grumble and complain and be disheartened? I know life is a challenge, believe me... I've had more challenges to overcome than many know but I still count it ALL joy for the Lord continues to bless me and grow me into something more beautiful. I'm not talking a physical beauty, but I am talking about a heart that finds joy even in the small things, that finds peace in the quiet of his spirt and finds love when I least expect to find it. I can still find something each day to say Thank You Lord for blessing me with.... fill in the blank. Or thank you Lord that my family and friends are still here today or that I got out of bed or that I have a new challenge that is going to continue to define my character and create a heart in me that is after my heavenly father. Will it be easy... NOOO! But if it were all easy, would we ever really grow? Would we ever truly appreciate the blessings we have? Our human nature fights us at every turn and will look to find a reason to grumble even if we truly have no reason to grumble... why? Because we have become a nation addicted to drama and grumbling!!
Over the years I have had many comment that they seldom see me without a smile on my face. Its not because I'm not facing hardship, sickness or issues, but its because I have the joy of the Lord residing in me and I know deep in my knower that all will work out. I have the smile on my face because it is well in my soul, maybe not in my life...but in my soul.
I challenge you as you read this right now to pray against the spirit of grumbling, complaining and being negative and to spend the next 30 days finding a blessing each day, to refrain from letting anything that resembles a grumble to escape from your lips. Are you willing to take up this challenge or has your addiction become too much of a strong hold on your spirit?
This challenge may require you to turn away from social media, it may require you to turn off your TV and radio. It may challenge you to look at others differently. This challenge may cause you to look at yourself differently. This challenge may defeat your addiction to grumbling and allow joy to be your companion again even during difficult times. I promise you, you won't regret saying yes. You may find a new addiction in its place...An addiction of sharing joy with others, of being a positive influence to another or simply finding peace within your soul.
Who is with me? Can you do it? Can you lay down the grumbling and accept joy? The world around you may not change during the next 30 days while you fight against your addiction of grumbling, but then again it may...one person at a time.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Do you know that the word "joy" is found 218 times in the NIV Bible? JOY! Not grumbling or complaining or bad mouthing one another but for us to have JOY! I don't know about you but I would so rather have joy in my spirit than a spirt of grumbling. I would rather look around to find the good in people, to find how we are alike and can share in a responsibility to make this life a life filled with joy, laughter and peace. What I find though is that so many are looking for allies who share in their addiction to grumbling and complaining. That has to grieve the heart of God. Did you know that God actually commands us to shout joyfully to the Lord and all the earth?? We are commanded to serve the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful singing! Be glad in the Lord and rejoice! I could go on and on... but I think you are getting the point.
So why is it that we choose to grumble and complain and be disheartened? I know life is a challenge, believe me... I've had more challenges to overcome than many know but I still count it ALL joy for the Lord continues to bless me and grow me into something more beautiful. I'm not talking a physical beauty, but I am talking about a heart that finds joy even in the small things, that finds peace in the quiet of his spirt and finds love when I least expect to find it. I can still find something each day to say Thank You Lord for blessing me with.... fill in the blank. Or thank you Lord that my family and friends are still here today or that I got out of bed or that I have a new challenge that is going to continue to define my character and create a heart in me that is after my heavenly father. Will it be easy... NOOO! But if it were all easy, would we ever really grow? Would we ever truly appreciate the blessings we have? Our human nature fights us at every turn and will look to find a reason to grumble even if we truly have no reason to grumble... why? Because we have become a nation addicted to drama and grumbling!!
Over the years I have had many comment that they seldom see me without a smile on my face. Its not because I'm not facing hardship, sickness or issues, but its because I have the joy of the Lord residing in me and I know deep in my knower that all will work out. I have the smile on my face because it is well in my soul, maybe not in my life...but in my soul.
I challenge you as you read this right now to pray against the spirit of grumbling, complaining and being negative and to spend the next 30 days finding a blessing each day, to refrain from letting anything that resembles a grumble to escape from your lips. Are you willing to take up this challenge or has your addiction become too much of a strong hold on your spirit?
This challenge may require you to turn away from social media, it may require you to turn off your TV and radio. It may challenge you to look at others differently. This challenge may cause you to look at yourself differently. This challenge may defeat your addiction to grumbling and allow joy to be your companion again even during difficult times. I promise you, you won't regret saying yes. You may find a new addiction in its place...An addiction of sharing joy with others, of being a positive influence to another or simply finding peace within your soul.
Who is with me? Can you do it? Can you lay down the grumbling and accept joy? The world around you may not change during the next 30 days while you fight against your addiction of grumbling, but then again it may...one person at a time.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Monday, September 5, 2016
Pure Joy; Psalm 126:2-3
"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."
This weekend I listened and watched as my niece, my exchange student and friends joined me at a bonfire. I saw beautiful smiles spread across their faces and laughter that brought them to tears of pure joy. To hear them, to see that on their face is priceless. The memories that were made will be everlasting. Its these moments that the rest of the world and all it has to offer both good and bad are shut out and for just a few moments there is nothing but pure joy to be experienced.
As I sat in my chair Saturday night and watched the girls just be girls and not worry about anything but the fun they were having, I had to say thank you to a God who gives us moments of timeout from the storms of life. In those evening hours under a blanket of stars, cicadas making songs in the trees, the crackling of a warm fire and the smell of the burning wood... in that moment my entire world was perfect and joy-filled. My girls that I love and watch over were happy, safe, and were just enjoying being young and carefree. No cares of school, boys, social media or what anyone else thought. They were just in the moment loving what nature provided. I am sure God was watching and smiling as he watched his little princesses dance under the light of the stars and moon, laughing from deep within their souls. My soul was filled to overflowing with pure joy of having this moment with them.
While we were going over the rules of "snipe hunting" (many around my age will know EXACTLY what this is) there were others that I love deeply enduring and pressing through their storm of life. While I was asking my girls not to google what snipe hunting was (would ruin the whole game), there were others near to me that were doing all the research they could to find answers to their storm. While my girls were out in the darkness listening and seeking out "snipes", my other loved ones were listening to professionals, sitting in a darkness and seeking out possibilities and options to deal with the oncoming storm and how to survive it.
Its a storm I'm too familiar with and its one that I wish I could guide them through and provide them with hope and a claim to joy at the end of battle that lies ahead. God knows the answers and he uses the good and the bad for his glory but we don't always understand his plans that get us to where we need to go...but I share with my precious loved ones... God will restore your joy again. This is the only thing I know for certain and the only bit of hope I can give as you step through your storm. Hold onto his mighty hand and rest in the knowledge that "you know the Master of the wind, you know the maker of the rain, He can calm the storm, make the sun shine again.... you know the Master of the Wind."
Many of my loved ones are struggling through hard times, not sure from day to day what the answer is but simply pressing forward trusting God to take care of their needs and meet them where they are. We all are either in a storm, about to go into a storm or just coming out of one. I think for many of us the sight of a rainbow beautifully reminds us that God promises us a hope after a long rough battle on the seas of life, after the storm has cleared. Have you ever noticed the air after a storm? Its fresh, clean of all the garbage we pollute it with. I love the smell of the air after a good rain. It refreshes my whole being. Its in those moments I breathe a bit better and appreciate the sun as it begins to peek through the clouds that start to pass by. The storm clouds sometimes last for a brief moment and sometimes they stick around for a while...but they always give way to the sun. Our struggles and trials sometimes stick around for a while but they ALWAYS give way to the SON. Jesus went to that cross so that we could have pure joy again.
What storms are you facing that you need God to show you a sign that his promises are everlasting? When is the last time you just stopped for a breath and looked up to the heavens and just gazed at his beauty he has created for you? Even if you are in the middle of a storm, there are still moments to cling to that will sustain you til the storm clouds pass again.
Under His Wings,
Heather
This weekend I listened and watched as my niece, my exchange student and friends joined me at a bonfire. I saw beautiful smiles spread across their faces and laughter that brought them to tears of pure joy. To hear them, to see that on their face is priceless. The memories that were made will be everlasting. Its these moments that the rest of the world and all it has to offer both good and bad are shut out and for just a few moments there is nothing but pure joy to be experienced.
As I sat in my chair Saturday night and watched the girls just be girls and not worry about anything but the fun they were having, I had to say thank you to a God who gives us moments of timeout from the storms of life. In those evening hours under a blanket of stars, cicadas making songs in the trees, the crackling of a warm fire and the smell of the burning wood... in that moment my entire world was perfect and joy-filled. My girls that I love and watch over were happy, safe, and were just enjoying being young and carefree. No cares of school, boys, social media or what anyone else thought. They were just in the moment loving what nature provided. I am sure God was watching and smiling as he watched his little princesses dance under the light of the stars and moon, laughing from deep within their souls. My soul was filled to overflowing with pure joy of having this moment with them.
While we were going over the rules of "snipe hunting" (many around my age will know EXACTLY what this is) there were others that I love deeply enduring and pressing through their storm of life. While I was asking my girls not to google what snipe hunting was (would ruin the whole game), there were others near to me that were doing all the research they could to find answers to their storm. While my girls were out in the darkness listening and seeking out "snipes", my other loved ones were listening to professionals, sitting in a darkness and seeking out possibilities and options to deal with the oncoming storm and how to survive it.
Its a storm I'm too familiar with and its one that I wish I could guide them through and provide them with hope and a claim to joy at the end of battle that lies ahead. God knows the answers and he uses the good and the bad for his glory but we don't always understand his plans that get us to where we need to go...but I share with my precious loved ones... God will restore your joy again. This is the only thing I know for certain and the only bit of hope I can give as you step through your storm. Hold onto his mighty hand and rest in the knowledge that "you know the Master of the wind, you know the maker of the rain, He can calm the storm, make the sun shine again.... you know the Master of the Wind."
Many of my loved ones are struggling through hard times, not sure from day to day what the answer is but simply pressing forward trusting God to take care of their needs and meet them where they are. We all are either in a storm, about to go into a storm or just coming out of one. I think for many of us the sight of a rainbow beautifully reminds us that God promises us a hope after a long rough battle on the seas of life, after the storm has cleared. Have you ever noticed the air after a storm? Its fresh, clean of all the garbage we pollute it with. I love the smell of the air after a good rain. It refreshes my whole being. Its in those moments I breathe a bit better and appreciate the sun as it begins to peek through the clouds that start to pass by. The storm clouds sometimes last for a brief moment and sometimes they stick around for a while...but they always give way to the sun. Our struggles and trials sometimes stick around for a while but they ALWAYS give way to the SON. Jesus went to that cross so that we could have pure joy again.
What storms are you facing that you need God to show you a sign that his promises are everlasting? When is the last time you just stopped for a breath and looked up to the heavens and just gazed at his beauty he has created for you? Even if you are in the middle of a storm, there are still moments to cling to that will sustain you til the storm clouds pass again.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Monday, August 8, 2016
Tears Never Stop Flowing; Psalm 30:5
"... weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
Some years the pain is just deeper and stronger than others, this year happens to be one of those years. People often ask if I'm ok on "special days", an anniversary or a birthday and most times I say yes even when everything in me is breaking and crying out that I am anything but ok. Why then do I say I am ok?? Because I know that joy will come in the morning. It may not be the next morning or the morning after that...but the joy will come in the morning.
I'm going to be real with all of you for a bit and just put it all out there. We all experience loss in our lives. Friends, family, co-workers...its all part of the circle of life and its the part that we wish we never had to experience, but we do and somehow we pick up the pieces and we move on and find new strengths each day. There are times even now that I think I can pick up the phone and call my mom because I know she would have the answer or she could give me a comforting word or just the right encouragement I need to press through a difficult time. Then I remember, she too has gone home to be with her Jesus. Losing her was a hard day but it was a day that I also rejoiced for her because she had suffered for so long with illness and pain. I was happy for her release from a broken body but was sad for all of us that would have to keep living without her and her amazing way she loved and supported us through that love. She was a once in a lifetime lady and no one could ever replace her in my life or those that knew and loved her. But even as much as I loved my mom, the pain of losing her didn't even come close to comparing to the pain I felt losing my son.
As a parent, there is just something about that bond that is quiet unexplainable. The moment that life begins the bond does as well and it never goes away even after death. I've heard so many well intended people tell folks that in time the pain will ease. That is total BULL! It never eases...but we learn how to find ways to deal with it each day and sometimes we find ways to deal with it each moment of each day. My son's bday is coming up on the 10th, Nigel would have been 26 years old. Its hard for me to wrap my mind around that since he left us when he was only 3 1/2. He would be a man with his own dreams, his own goals. Perhaps he would have his own family or be off on great adventures. Whatever he would have been doing, I would have remained his biggest cheerleader and number one fan. I sometimes sit and think of all the things that my little guy could be doing right now and how much I know this world would have been better having someone like him around but that wasn't the plan for his life. He got to influence many in his short 3 1/2 years in ways that those of us who are "older" never will be able to.
A dear friend lost her battle with cancer last year. She and I hadn't seen each other in many years but we got a chance to visit before she past. She shared with me that her battle with cancer had been made a bit easier because she had watched how Nigel had championed through his battle with a smile on his face and a joy in his heart that she never forgot. His body left this world...but his spirit never has. He lives on through the lives that he touched while he was here. That is why there is joy in the morning. God created a beautiful life within me named Nigel. He lived... He loved... He was an example of all that was good. He taught me the true meaning of love and how that it never dies and it never goes away even on the days when everything inside you feels broken, alone and so full of pain. Love remains. The Bible tells us that Love is the greatest gift of all. You see... our children, they are the greatest gift of all (they are love manifested in us).
Birthdays, anniversaries they are all part of me now as well. Memories shared and held close to heart. But there are the every day moments too that I have that I smile randomly about. If you ever are with me and a movie or program ends with a "to be continued", you will see me smile because Nigel hated those! He would look at me and say "Oh NO Mommy! Not be tinued!!" He may have gotten his impatience from his mother. He knew what that meant...he would have to wait. I guess that's how I feel. Oh NO, not be tinued, I don't want to wait for my story with my son to have to wait but I do and some days, that's just harder than others. Our love story has a "to be continued" written on it right now until the author and finisher of our faith finishes writing it.
I read and see so many of you share your joys with your gifts (your children and grandchildren) and my heart is so happy for you but it stings a little too. I don't say that for you to feel bad or to lessen the joy you have... I just want you to know as a parent who has lost their child that sometimes we hurt even on "non-special days" because the pain is always there somewhere and we are just trying to figure out how to deal with it at the moment. So if you ask if I'm doing ok, know that I may not be at the moment but I do believe in the joy that will come in the morning. Never take for granted the moments you have and that joy of being in the moment. Put your cellphones down, shut out everything else sometimes and just enjoy the gift of life that you embraced upon their entrance to this world. They may sometimes upset you or disappoint in their decision making...but that's how they grow and mature and learn. Be there in the moment and appreciate not having to think about what might have been but love what is.
What can you do today to spend a bit more time with your loved ones and put the busy stuff of life on hold? Life passes so quickly.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
What Child Is This; John 1:14
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
What child is this who laid to rest... I've sang these words during the Christmas season since my childhood and not until this year have they taken on new meaning and revelation to me. We ask the question in this song of who this child is and because its a Christmas carol we know the answer is Christ the King, or do we? Some only refer to him as the Christ child. Some may refer to him as just another Jewish boy born to a woman and man. There still may be others that simply feel he is a character in a book that tells stories and means nothing. I know this child to mean the gift that was given to all, the gift of love and a gift of sacrifice, a gift that was full of grace and truth.
The question isn't just what child is this, but the question goes deeper. What child is this who laid to rest. This year I am thinking about the last few words of this question. When we talk today of one who has been laid to rest, it normally isn't about a newborn living, its about one who has died. This child that was born into flesh came only to teach us to love and die so that others may live. God gave us the greatest of gifts in a way that many can accept... through the innocence of a child. I'm sure in the early days Jesus was treated as any other infant son. He was nurtured, looked after, taught the basics just as many parents do but can you imagine being the mother of the savior of the world? That's a pretty big responsibility. As parents we aren't to treat one child better than the other, but come on... this was JESUS! Can you imagine being the sibling of Jesus? I could just hear it, "Heather, come on, why can't you be more like your brother Jesus? Why can't you walk on water?" I joke a little at that, but I can't imagine as a mother how Mary felt. I know with my own son I felt so inadequate at times in being his mother. Can you imagine how she must have felt? How many times she perhaps questioned how she was to raise the son of God? Can you imagine the incredible love that was between them? He wasn't just her little boy, he was her savior, her king. Jesus was the word that became flesh through her womb. I can't imagine this mother who bore this beautiful son, who fed him and cradled him and ran her fingers through his hair knowing that he was going to have to do more than she could ever begin to imagine to save a dark and sinful world. Her son was going to have to be the sacrifice needed, the lamb to be slaughtered so that others could live. I wonder if she knew while she held her newborn son that she would have to lay him to rest? I wonder if she ever asked God for him to choose someone else, not to take her son, not to make him the sacrifice? As a mother who laid to rest her own son, I can't tell you the pain that Mary had to feel knowing that her son was not only to die, but he was to suffer.
We all have a mission, a purpose to fulfill. No, nothing quite like Jesus had, but we have a mission none the less. As each of us is born, one could ask What child is this? What will your story be? Did you step out in faith and do as God the father has asked of you? What will be said when it is your time to be laid to rest? You may not have walked on water, but I pray that at some point you met the man who did and accepted him as your savior, as Christ your king.
Under His Wings,
Heather
What child is this who laid to rest... I've sang these words during the Christmas season since my childhood and not until this year have they taken on new meaning and revelation to me. We ask the question in this song of who this child is and because its a Christmas carol we know the answer is Christ the King, or do we? Some only refer to him as the Christ child. Some may refer to him as just another Jewish boy born to a woman and man. There still may be others that simply feel he is a character in a book that tells stories and means nothing. I know this child to mean the gift that was given to all, the gift of love and a gift of sacrifice, a gift that was full of grace and truth.
The question isn't just what child is this, but the question goes deeper. What child is this who laid to rest. This year I am thinking about the last few words of this question. When we talk today of one who has been laid to rest, it normally isn't about a newborn living, its about one who has died. This child that was born into flesh came only to teach us to love and die so that others may live. God gave us the greatest of gifts in a way that many can accept... through the innocence of a child. I'm sure in the early days Jesus was treated as any other infant son. He was nurtured, looked after, taught the basics just as many parents do but can you imagine being the mother of the savior of the world? That's a pretty big responsibility. As parents we aren't to treat one child better than the other, but come on... this was JESUS! Can you imagine being the sibling of Jesus? I could just hear it, "Heather, come on, why can't you be more like your brother Jesus? Why can't you walk on water?" I joke a little at that, but I can't imagine as a mother how Mary felt. I know with my own son I felt so inadequate at times in being his mother. Can you imagine how she must have felt? How many times she perhaps questioned how she was to raise the son of God? Can you imagine the incredible love that was between them? He wasn't just her little boy, he was her savior, her king. Jesus was the word that became flesh through her womb. I can't imagine this mother who bore this beautiful son, who fed him and cradled him and ran her fingers through his hair knowing that he was going to have to do more than she could ever begin to imagine to save a dark and sinful world. Her son was going to have to be the sacrifice needed, the lamb to be slaughtered so that others could live. I wonder if she knew while she held her newborn son that she would have to lay him to rest? I wonder if she ever asked God for him to choose someone else, not to take her son, not to make him the sacrifice? As a mother who laid to rest her own son, I can't tell you the pain that Mary had to feel knowing that her son was not only to die, but he was to suffer.
We all have a mission, a purpose to fulfill. No, nothing quite like Jesus had, but we have a mission none the less. As each of us is born, one could ask What child is this? What will your story be? Did you step out in faith and do as God the father has asked of you? What will be said when it is your time to be laid to rest? You may not have walked on water, but I pray that at some point you met the man who did and accepted him as your savior, as Christ your king.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Bind Us Together, Matthew 24:35
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
Bind us together with love.
Do you remember singing this song? Do you still sing this song or has this song lost its meaning somewhere along life's journey? I still sing it and probably even more today then when I first sang it as a child. Its a song that most Christian denominations sing in their churches and around church campfires and yet I'm not sure that many take the time to recognize the words being sung. Somewhere along the way we have begun to focus on what divides us versus what binds us together. I can't imagine God the father looking down at his children and being happy about the division that is taking place in the hearts of his precious ones.
I watch as insult after insult is flung across social media pages and by some I would have never expected to see them from. I don't sit in judgment but I sit in bewilderment because to me my Bible, God's word, is an incredible love story written for us to learn from and not repeat the mistakes of our people. Yet, here we are 2015 and we are doing the same things that caused such pain, chaos and destruction that we read about in the scripture. We fail to grasp the love that can bind us together and focus instead on all things that can tear us apart. I can differ in my opinions and beliefs from another and still love them for the heart that beats inside them. I don't have to agree or support someone's ideas or lifestyles to accept and love their heart and the part that they play in this life. God sits in the position of judge when each of us makes that journey home and I for one am thankful that I don't have that responsibility because we are a hot mess of a people.
1 Corinthians: 4-8; "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." These words are often shared at weddings as we turn our focus on the couple being "bound together in love" but these words apply to each and everyone of us in how we too ask God to bind us together in love. God's word IS love which is the whole point of the song we sing....bind us together Lord in your word, in your love. Its there where we find truth and answers for living life as Christ followers.
I encourage you this week to focus on what binds us all together and not on what tears apart. Instead of focusing on how you differ in your beliefs and thoughts, try to find common ground because its there we can begin to bridge hearts to bind our nation under God again. Its in our unity we find strength and in our division that our enemies find our weakness and exploit it. Let God be God and his word which will never pass away be our guide. I want to have a heart of love that others will seek out and ask about this God that I serve in love. I am to be his hands and feet but in order to do that, others have to see his heart in me...in you. Find again that love that binds us together with cords that cannot be broken.
Who can you reach out to this week in love instead of judgment? Who can you share the heart of Christ with instead of the darkness of hate and condemnation? Can Jesus count on you today to show his love or have you become a resounding gong or clanging cymbal as talked about in 1 Corinthians 13:1? You can be Christ's mouthpiece, but that means you must do so through his love.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
Bind us together with love.
Do you remember singing this song? Do you still sing this song or has this song lost its meaning somewhere along life's journey? I still sing it and probably even more today then when I first sang it as a child. Its a song that most Christian denominations sing in their churches and around church campfires and yet I'm not sure that many take the time to recognize the words being sung. Somewhere along the way we have begun to focus on what divides us versus what binds us together. I can't imagine God the father looking down at his children and being happy about the division that is taking place in the hearts of his precious ones.
I watch as insult after insult is flung across social media pages and by some I would have never expected to see them from. I don't sit in judgment but I sit in bewilderment because to me my Bible, God's word, is an incredible love story written for us to learn from and not repeat the mistakes of our people. Yet, here we are 2015 and we are doing the same things that caused such pain, chaos and destruction that we read about in the scripture. We fail to grasp the love that can bind us together and focus instead on all things that can tear us apart. I can differ in my opinions and beliefs from another and still love them for the heart that beats inside them. I don't have to agree or support someone's ideas or lifestyles to accept and love their heart and the part that they play in this life. God sits in the position of judge when each of us makes that journey home and I for one am thankful that I don't have that responsibility because we are a hot mess of a people.
1 Corinthians: 4-8; "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." These words are often shared at weddings as we turn our focus on the couple being "bound together in love" but these words apply to each and everyone of us in how we too ask God to bind us together in love. God's word IS love which is the whole point of the song we sing....bind us together Lord in your word, in your love. Its there where we find truth and answers for living life as Christ followers.
I encourage you this week to focus on what binds us all together and not on what tears apart. Instead of focusing on how you differ in your beliefs and thoughts, try to find common ground because its there we can begin to bridge hearts to bind our nation under God again. Its in our unity we find strength and in our division that our enemies find our weakness and exploit it. Let God be God and his word which will never pass away be our guide. I want to have a heart of love that others will seek out and ask about this God that I serve in love. I am to be his hands and feet but in order to do that, others have to see his heart in me...in you. Find again that love that binds us together with cords that cannot be broken.
Who can you reach out to this week in love instead of judgment? Who can you share the heart of Christ with instead of the darkness of hate and condemnation? Can Jesus count on you today to show his love or have you become a resounding gong or clanging cymbal as talked about in 1 Corinthians 13:1? You can be Christ's mouthpiece, but that means you must do so through his love.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Friday, May 15, 2015
In The Silence, Job 6:24
"Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong."
There is so much that can be learned while being silent, while being still. Its often one of the hardest things for me to do but its also the time where I learn the most of what God is calling me out of or into. Stop what you are doing right now, stop everything and just sit in total silence for 60 seconds...longer if you can. Was it difficult for you to just sit still and be quiet? I know some of you are like me and its a daunting task to simply be quiet. For those that know me personally, I am a pretty outgoing chatty chick. Yes, I said it and admit that I can be a little on the noisy side. But, when I need to recharge or need to find peace you will find I am the first person to retreat to solitude and shut out all the noise around me.
This past year has been a challenging year, one that has shown me much about myself and one where God has quieted me purposefully to remind me of who he is and who I am. Too often we can get ourselves so busy and so self-important that we begin to take our creator for granted just as we do in relationships. We get so comfortable that we forget to take the time to sit at his feet as Mary did, listening. I think the first clue that something is amiss is when we hear ourselves doing a whole lot of "I" talking and less talking about the father. When we begin to call ministries our own, when we begin to try to take on saving the world instead of taking care of our own family, when we fail to give credit to the very one who placed us in the position that we are in... all signs that we are starting down a very dangerous path. When our health begins to fail and our stress levels surmount to levels greater than we can handle and the doctor wants to medicate you just to reel you back in... signs pointing out that we are beginning to work less from the spirit and more from the flesh. Its these moments that we need to be silent and allow God to minister to our spirits. Life is full of challenges, heartache and events that are beyond our control. It is also full of joy and times of celebration but who or what are you celebrating?
One of my favorite devotionals is "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I've read through it a few years now. This coming Sunday she writes (God has such amazing timing to remind us of his message for our lives):
"As you sit quietly in My presence, remember that I am a God of abundance. I will never run out of resources; My capacity to bless you is unlimited. You live in a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce. Even if you personally have enough, you see poverty in the world around you. It is impossible for you to comprehend the lavishness of my provisions: the fullness of my glorious riches.
Through spending time in my presence, you gain glimpses of my overflowing vastness. These glimpses are tiny foretastes of what you will experience eternally in heaven. Even now you have access to as much of me as you have faith to receive. Rejoice in my abundance---living by faith, not by sight."
When we begin to think about God's abundance and how limitless his gifts are to us in meeting our every need it can begin to overwhelm us. Instead of being overwhelmed, perhaps its time to just sit at his feet in silence and soak in the blessings of his goodness for our lives. Maybe its time for us to quiet our busy lives for a few moments and focus on the important things and begin to weed out those that are just robbing us of our joy and peace of mind.
Is Jesus calling you to be quiet, to be still, to be patient or to simply be patient? Are you resisting because you have a desire to be needed, to be important or simply to avoid the hard task of letting go of what you need to let go of or cling to something you need to keep hold of? Jesus is calling you into the silence to hear his voice, are you willing to be still and know that he is God and you are his beloved?
Under His Wings,
Heather
There is so much that can be learned while being silent, while being still. Its often one of the hardest things for me to do but its also the time where I learn the most of what God is calling me out of or into. Stop what you are doing right now, stop everything and just sit in total silence for 60 seconds...longer if you can. Was it difficult for you to just sit still and be quiet? I know some of you are like me and its a daunting task to simply be quiet. For those that know me personally, I am a pretty outgoing chatty chick. Yes, I said it and admit that I can be a little on the noisy side. But, when I need to recharge or need to find peace you will find I am the first person to retreat to solitude and shut out all the noise around me.
This past year has been a challenging year, one that has shown me much about myself and one where God has quieted me purposefully to remind me of who he is and who I am. Too often we can get ourselves so busy and so self-important that we begin to take our creator for granted just as we do in relationships. We get so comfortable that we forget to take the time to sit at his feet as Mary did, listening. I think the first clue that something is amiss is when we hear ourselves doing a whole lot of "I" talking and less talking about the father. When we begin to call ministries our own, when we begin to try to take on saving the world instead of taking care of our own family, when we fail to give credit to the very one who placed us in the position that we are in... all signs that we are starting down a very dangerous path. When our health begins to fail and our stress levels surmount to levels greater than we can handle and the doctor wants to medicate you just to reel you back in... signs pointing out that we are beginning to work less from the spirit and more from the flesh. Its these moments that we need to be silent and allow God to minister to our spirits. Life is full of challenges, heartache and events that are beyond our control. It is also full of joy and times of celebration but who or what are you celebrating?
One of my favorite devotionals is "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I've read through it a few years now. This coming Sunday she writes (God has such amazing timing to remind us of his message for our lives):
"As you sit quietly in My presence, remember that I am a God of abundance. I will never run out of resources; My capacity to bless you is unlimited. You live in a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce. Even if you personally have enough, you see poverty in the world around you. It is impossible for you to comprehend the lavishness of my provisions: the fullness of my glorious riches.
Through spending time in my presence, you gain glimpses of my overflowing vastness. These glimpses are tiny foretastes of what you will experience eternally in heaven. Even now you have access to as much of me as you have faith to receive. Rejoice in my abundance---living by faith, not by sight."
When we begin to think about God's abundance and how limitless his gifts are to us in meeting our every need it can begin to overwhelm us. Instead of being overwhelmed, perhaps its time to just sit at his feet in silence and soak in the blessings of his goodness for our lives. Maybe its time for us to quiet our busy lives for a few moments and focus on the important things and begin to weed out those that are just robbing us of our joy and peace of mind.
Is Jesus calling you to be quiet, to be still, to be patient or to simply be patient? Are you resisting because you have a desire to be needed, to be important or simply to avoid the hard task of letting go of what you need to let go of or cling to something you need to keep hold of? Jesus is calling you into the silence to hear his voice, are you willing to be still and know that he is God and you are his beloved?
Under His Wings,
Heather
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