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Posts Tagged ‘spiritual growth’

An IV in One Arm

Posted in The Christian Life, tagged , , , on April 2, 2023| 4 Comments »

Today marks a final countdown to yet another surgery. I thought 2023 would be a healthy, back-on-my-feet-again year. Unfortunately the CT scan done at the point of my motorcycle accident last June uncovered something completely unrelated – a tumor on the pituitary. It couldn’t be dealt with then but now that I’m recovered from the accident, it’s time.

There is one problem with a planned surgery versus emergency surgery. You have lots of time to think about it while waiting. Not a good thing. Not only do you have time to think, but you have time to do what your doctors tell you not to do – Google. So, I’ve googled way too many times and read way too many articles.

I have plenty of time to think and google because I’ve been isolating to avoid all the bugs going around. The last thing I want is a cancellation. In all of my spare time, when I’m not googling, I’m studying scriptures for encouragement. Today I stumbled on Luke Chapter 8 and the story of the woman who was in need of healing. I’ve read the story many times, but this time it was especially poignant.

A few new things jumped out:

  1. Jesus had more pressing matters at hand –
    • Someone very important needed Him – a ruler of the synagogue
    • A young child with her whole life ahead of her was dying
    • A man was crying out to Him for help and there were witnesses hearing his plea
  2. The child had lived 12 short years, the woman had been dying for 12 long years
  3. Jesus heard the cry of the father audibly; He felt the touch of the woman physically

The one thing these two people had in common was the faith connection. The father was bold and confident so he spoke to Jesus. The woman was weak and afraid so her cry was silent. They both believed in His power to heal. That is the connection I will be taking into surgery with me. I’m no more important than any other patient. I don’t have decades of life ahead of me. But I know my God doesn’t care. He cares that I trust Him.

Therefore, as they wheel me down the hall to surgery, one arm will be attached to the IV that gives all I need to medically make it through surgery and heal. The other arm will be firmly attached to the hem of His garment that gives all I need to spiritually survive and heal.

I’m double covered and for that I am thankful.

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” Psalm 119:50

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The Reluctant Retiree

Posted in Choices, Daily Life, Discipleship, Discipline, Friendship, guidance, Life Balance, Marriage, Motorcycling, New Year, relationships, Retirement, Schedules, Seasons, Spiritual Maturity, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , on March 10, 2023| 3 Comments »

I did it – kind of. I semi-retired from my position as HR Director of a 150 employee company. Hands down, one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I loved every minute of that job. Not once did I wake up and not want to go to work. But it was time. My family said it was time. And after a serious motorcycle accident 6 months prior, my body said it was time.

I have kept my hand in the pot by agreeing to work from home part time. This has been a life saver, keeping me in contact with co-workers and my boss who ranks at the top for great bosses. It has allowed me to stay abreast of what’s happening with the company because I still feel ownership and I care about where it’s going.

I’m two months into this new venture and it most certainly has its pros and cons. For instance: Many would count this a pro – there is no need to rise early, shower, get presentable and head for work. On the other hand – my body is ready to go somewhere by 5:00 a.m. So I rise early, shower, get presentable and head for the gym thereby filling up the first couple of hours of my day.

Another pro – I now have time to attack some of those cleaning and organizing and downsizing projects that have piled up over the past years. On the other hand – I am daunted by just how many and how exhausting those projects are. Doesn’t help that we’ve lived our entire married life (56 years) in the same house so the accumulation of “stuff” is overwhelming.

I am now able to spend many more hours in the company of my spouse of 56 years which falls on the pro side. The con side – I am now able to spend many more hours in the company of my spouse of 56 years. Learning to live together again is definitely a challenge.

I have a lot more free time on my hands which is nice when it comes to lunch with friends, quilting, reading, etc. However, I feel a bit frivolous when my time isn’t filled with meaningful work.

I miss my business wardrobe including cute, high heeled shoes. I’m learning casual and comfortable. I miss the social interaction that took place in an open door office with a steady stream of interruptions. You can’t spend the whole day, every day over coffee with friends.

I love that I can spend time with older friends who need my company and my help, be it running errands or fixing meals, or just visiting. There is no con to this – it is rewarding, enriching and enjoyable. And there is no limit to lonely people out there.

I’m a goal setter, always have been. Over my career years many of those goals have been job related. My goal for the next couple of months – set goals that aren’t job related. I’m determined to write more, read more, learn more, volunteer more and do more things that are enjoyable and not feel guilty.

God has been good in allowing us to prepare for these years financially. I know that He will be faithful in helping us adjust to the changes.

In case you are wondering, I did my due diligence and looked up Bible verses about retirement so I could make sure I was scripturally on point. However, “Gray hair is a crown of glory” (Proverbs 16:31) and “the glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair the splendor of the old” (Proverbs 20:29) didn’t thrill me. I was a bit more encouraged by  Isaiah 46:4-5 “… even until your old age, I am the one, and I’ll carry you even until your gray hairs come.” Still – not quite what I was hoping for.

So, I have decided to make Phillipians 3:13-14 my retirement verse: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.“

I wouldn’t call myself a retirement expert yet. But I’m hoping to get there. I may not have a full time job but I have energy, drive and joy to keep me going. And for that I am eternally grateful.

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A Hanky in Your Pocket

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on July 17, 2022| 1 Comment »

My grandma always reminded me to “tuck a hanky in your pocket because you never know when you’ll need it.” And yes, she literally meant a lace trimmed hanky not a tissue. (Unfortunately, I’m that old.) Either way, hanky or tissue, she was proven right many times.

If ever the importance of tucking scriptures in my heart was proven right, it was the morning of my motorcycle accident. I have participated in a scripture writing plan for about four years now.  I find a monthly plan online with a theme that appeals to me and I write out and meditate on the daily verses. Writing it out helps plant the words in my memory. I work hard to never miss a day of planting.

The scripture May 25, 2022 was John 14:1-2 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

That morning my heart was far from troubled. I was carefree, looking forward to a day in the sunshine on the back of our Harley with my favorite guy. That changed at the moment of impact! I thought we were going to die. There was immediate fear, pain, confusion, noise and, surprisingly, these words pushing through – “I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

Many hours later, laying in a hospital room, I thought about God’s perfect timing in planting that scripture. My brain automatically combined fear and death at the traumatic moment of impact but my God reminded me there is no fear in death.  The calm that followed allowed me to hold on, not panic and ride out the few seconds of being dragged along the guardrail by the car that hit us.

It took a while to be clear enough between pain meds to look up the scriptures for the days following the accident. When I did, I was filled again with the goodness of God and how He gives what we need when we need it without fail.

The scripture for the day following the accident was John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

In the confusion of being ambulanced, airlifted, rushed, examined, put on the waiting list for surgery (because in a trauma hospital you wait your turn), and worrying about my spouse who was being treated at our local hospital 200 miles away, it was hard to find peace. It came when I read this reminder. Our troubled time was part of life on earth and there is little earthly peace to be had. As a child of God though, His Godly peace is available to carry us through. As much as I needed the “prepare a place” scripture on the day of the accident, how much greater I needed John 16:33 the day after!

I remember turning to God in great humility to thank Him for strengthening my faith when I needed it most. I breathed in the glory and grace of that beautiful moment and cried with relief. I could let go of the burden of doubt and worry and grief over the hard place we found ourselves experiencing. I could release the days to follow into the hands of the One in control.  It would be a long road to recovery for both of us and He would not only walk it with us, He would lead the way.

Still, I wasn’t prepared for the next day’s Word. Luke 8:48, “Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”  The message translation puts it this way, Jesus said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!”

I remembered calling out to Jesus when the car hit us and knowing beyond a shadow of doubt He was there with us. I did take a risk trusting him, because most accidents on motorcycles end up much more tragically. I trusted him to keep the bike upright and he did. He was assuring me with Luke 8:48 that healing would happen and I could live well and blessed. Not just live, but live well and blessed. I needed His words as I lay in that hospital bed. I need them today as I recover. There will never come a day that I don’t need them.

Like grandma’s hanky, I guarantee you will need a Word from God when you least expect it. Be prepared. Make sure you have it fresh and ready to grab. Tuck it into the pocket of your heart daily. If you miss a day or two like I did, go back and catch up. You will find meaning and purpose, assurance and encouragement. In fact, you will find everything you need to survive and thrive the troubles of this world.

Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

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Turn Your Eyes Toward ….

Posted in Choices, Conflict, Confrontation, Daily Life, Discipleship, guidance, Life Balance, Prayer, school shooting, Spiritual Maturity, The Christian Life, Uvalde, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 10, 2022| 1 Comment »

A quick pre-cursor to this post: my husband and I are recovering from a serious motorcycle accident. I am not quite ready to post about it yet but we are praising God for our life. I am typing one handed and under the influence of pain meds so bear with me. This post was started before the accident and is still pertinent so here goes.

The school shooting in Texas has consumed the news and social media. A horrible tragedy initially that is re-run and re-run until our minds are consumed by it. It causes us to concentrate on the moment of evil and blocks out anything God would offer to help process through the incident.

It’s easy to see evil and turn angry eyes to God for blame. It takes great faith to see evil and turn pleading eyes to Him for healing. The first reaction leaves satan an innocent bystander. The second reaction puts satan right where he deserves to be – the guilty party – giving God an opportunity to be the compassionate, loving and powerful Being He is.

Satan may have the power to hurt and destroy. But he will never have the power to bring people together in love and mercy toward each other. Only God can do that.

Evil exists. Horrible things happen because we live in a broken, sin-filled, dysfunctional world. Society has created a disregard for human life when it cries out for things outside of God’s design, like the right to abort babies or genocide or any number of things being pushed by the world today that stir up hatred and rage. Disregard for human life leaves a troubled heart open to evil influence. And a school shooting happens. Road rage happens. Domestic violence happens.

Our best response after we recover from the shock of an evil event is to pray God into the midst of the tragedy. Let Him do His part. Our part is to love more, respect people more, reach out more. We need to become more aware of the hurting and damaged hearts around us. As hard as satan is working to hurt and destroy, we need to work that much harder to heal and build up.

Every Christian knows this world will be troubled (John 16:33). And every Christian also knows we are the solution, spreading the fragrance of Jesus in a smelly world. (Eph 5:1-2)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in Hs wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.

,

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“Follow” and “Share” – More Than Social Media Buttons

Posted in Uncategorized, Waiting, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 5, 2022| 1 Comment »

I did something very courageous this week – I submitted a proposal to Leafwood Publishers. I’ve been working on the book for two years. Pushing that submit button was like putting my heart and soul on an airplane and sending it off into the unknown.

There is a lot to preparing a book proposal. In fact, for this one, there were more than ten sections that needed to be filled out carefully and thoughtfully before even inserting the sample chapters for review. Much of the preliminary work had do do with social media – what was my platform, how many followers, how do I publicize my work, how will I market my book if it gets published, and so on.

All of that was daunting. I’m not a tech nerd. I really just dabble in the social media stuff. In fact, I struggled just figuring out how to see how many followers I have. Once I did I realized I don’t have a crowd of followers and I almost quit. But as I prayed over whether to keep going I discovered something.

I don’t have a crowd, I have a precious circle. I shared the first chapter of the book with my circle for feedback and it was heart lifting. Here is what I discovered – the thrill of having a book published will never come close to the joy of touching the heart of one sister in Christ. To get the feedback from this small circle of women and know that the writing touched them, felt personal to them, spoke to them and helped them in a time of hurt or brokenness is the greatest compliment I could ever hope to receive.

I don’t write to get famous. I write because God puts things on my heart to share. He wants to use my gift for His glory and there is no greater privilege or purpose.

I’m glad I put my book out there for the publisher to consider. It took courage and commitment. But I’m at peace with however God wants my words circulated – be it to my small circle or a wider audience. If one woman’s heart starts healing because of what I’ve shared, it is enough.

That’s not to say it wouldn’t help for you to “like”, “share” and especially “follow” my page, ladies. If nothing else, it would boost my confidence to see those stats grow a bit.

It’s kind of like pulling a scripture and sharing it with you. God gets a “like” and a “share” and hopefully a “follow” as a result.

“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” John 12:26

May I continue to serve You, Lord, through the sharing of Your Word, and of the words You put on my heart. Amen

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Let Me Go Out in a Blaze of Glory!

Posted in Bible Study, Conflict, Confrontation, Cricifixion, Daily Life, Death, Discipleship, Easter, Friendship, guidance, Life Balance, Miracles, Outreach, Prayer, relationships, Resurection, salvation, Spiritual Maturity, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Easter Sunday is quickly approaching. This was the week Jesus completed the work He came to do. I can’t help but reflect on the path I will walk my last week on earth.

Will I willingly choose to go into a place where I know I will suffer but where I also know I can have great impact? Jesus did. He entered Jerusalem fully knowing the crowd that welcomed Him would soon turn against Him. Hatred would soon permeate the air, and in the midst of that Jesus would perform the greatest act of love in history.

Will I take to time to stand up for what is right, for what matters? Jesus did. He entered the Temple and saw unrighteousness happening in that holy place. He took a stand that was unpopular and added more reason for the religious leaders to despise Him. He did it anyway because the honor of His Father was greater than any consequence.

Will I continue to witness and minister even when if I’m scorned and accused and questioned about my authority? Jesus did. He went back to the leaders who refused to accept Him and continued to teach them about the Messiah who was standing in their midst. He taught about love to those who hated. He warned about hypocrisy to the hypocrites. He cautioned, He predicted, He urged understanding. He used every minute He had left to make sure they understood His Father’s plan.

Will I make time for those most precious to me? Jesus did. He shared the Passover meal with His disciples and made memories they would need to carry on.

Will I make peace with my enemies? Jesus did. He gently and carefully washed the feet of His betrayer, Judas. He forgave before there was anything to forgive.

Will I accept what comes my way even if it’s unfair and cruel? Will I stay as close to my God as I possibly can? Will I speak healing words even as I face death? Jesus did. He prayed. He shared His agony with His disciples and let them see Him lay it all at His Father’s feet. He healed the soldier injured in the fight to capture Him.

Will I make sure my last words are ones that change the world? Jesus did. “Father forgive them …” Every heart in the crowd that witnessed His crucifixion witnessed His grace. The one who delivered the most brutal blows, the one who shouted angry words the loudest, the one who spit on Him – each received the same message – forgiveness.

To say the last week of Jesus was as glorious and impactful as the week of His birth is an understatement. I pray that I can set my soul on the same goal. Let me go out in a blaze of glory – doing what God has called me to do no matter how hard, unrewarding or painful. I long to hear my Master’s words:

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:23

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Spring Cleaning

Posted in Cricifixion, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Funny how the minute March/April arrives the magazines on the newsstands start boasting articles titled – Organize Everything, or Spring Cleaning Is a Breeze.  There is just something about the promise of spring that makes us want to clear out the clutter of winter and breathe in the freshness of open spaces and tidy shelves.

The problem with spring cleaning is – you get into it, you are going gangbusters and then you come across something you forgot you’d kept, or something that brings up a flash from the past – and cleaning comes to a screeching halt. 

You look it over and you remember.  Might be a box of pictures and you have to sit down and thumb through them. Maybe it’s letters you kept and you find yourself reading them again. It could be a baby blanket or child’s artwork and you find yourself standing there with a tear in your eye, reliving a moment in the past.

Memory is a gift even though there are some things we’d prefer to forget – like hard times or mistakes we’ve made or times we’ve acted inappropriately and hurt someone we loved.   

I would imagine the disciples wished they could have forgotten the time they abandoned Christ in His hour of greatest need.  I guarantee that Peter would have loved to have lost forever the memory of denying his dear friend.  But if we remember only the good things – life would be shallow for us.

How could Mary Magdeline have truly embraced the miracle of complete cleansing if she had not first experienced the filth of her previous life?  How could Paul have recognized the miracle of his ministry had he not had a clear memory of his part in the persecution of those he now ached to reach for Christ?

The truth is we must never forget where we came from so that we can glory in where we are.

The story of Christ’s crucifixion, brutal and painful and horrible – that’s where we came from. 

The story of His resurrection – of rising from the ashes, of forgiveness and mercy and love – that’s where we are.

Our sin stood at the cross of Calvary, but our Savior stood in our place,

We were condemned, but He is the one who pled guilty,

We deserved punishment; He gave us a great reward. 

Soon, we will celebrate the exciting, triumphant memory of His resurrection.

 It will only have full meaning for us if we make ourselves dwell between now and then on the memory of his death. 

Open your Bibles this week and read again the tragic story of an innocent man climbing a hill called Calvary to suffer and die for those He loved.  Let yourself be sad and sorry.  Only then will you be in the right frame of mind to be jubilant and joyful on Easter Sunday.

Revelation 1:17b-18a: “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and Last. I am the living one. I died, but look–I am alive forever and ever!”

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Seasons

Posted in Autumn, Choices, Creation, Daily Life, Death, Discipleship, Friendship, guidance, Happiness, Harvest, Leaves, Life Balance, Miracles, Seasons, Spiritual Maturity, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2017| Leave a Comment »

As autumn sweeps over the valley I call home I can’t help but marvel at the beauty and wonder that in all actuality signals the death of summer and warns us that winter is just around the corner. I am a warm weather lover. I don’t shed my jacket until the air hits at least 75 degrees, 80 is better and 85 is perfect. I want to be out in it, inhaling sunshine. But as soon as that pre-winter chill hits, I’m the sit by the fire and read girl, a quilt over my legs and a hot beverage in my hand.

Still – autumn captures me. I love russet maples. I love the sight of trees that rain down gold and yellow. I love the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet and I smile when one lands lightly on my hair or floats past close enough to brush my cheek. Logically I know they are dying. But spiritually, I sense them dancing.

They have accomplished their mission in life, to bud and unfurl and shine lush green, giving shelter to birds and squirrels and frisky house cats. They have dressed the branches in a vibrant veil of life and given the breeze something to tickle. They’ve provided shade for the summer lover, a cool spot to sit and watch bees and butterflies do their thing.

And now that their virile days are over, they don’t go out without making a statement. Oh no – nothing quiet about their golden age. They transform. They get out their catchiest outfits, they wear red, they laugh in rusty tones, they twirl and float and settle soft.
They know the secret. They know that while others might see their purpose at an end, they have much more to offer. Children will love to jump and play in them, friends will enjoy walking through them, couples will grasp hands for warmth and share special moments taking in the beauty they add to the landscape.

Winter will come, snow will cover them until the world forgets they were ever there. But they will still be doing their work, mulching the earth to provide nourishment for the new growth that comes with the spring.

Never forget that like the leaves, God has a purpose and a plan for us at every age. Our mission is to listen, follow His leading, and embrace our value in our current season. Don’t lament the fertile green we once wore when you can dress in a ball gown of autumn colors. Don’t regret the day you find you must rest at the root of the tree when you can treasure the memory of the journey that brought you there and the rich heritage you leave for the new growth that is nourished by it.

“And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come” . Psalm 71:18

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Book Review – Churchfails

Posted in Book review, Conflict, Discipleship, failure, Foolishness, guidance, salvation, Spiritual Maturity, The Christian Life, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on July 7, 2016| Leave a Comment »

51m3BdLgQJL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_[1]Just finished reading Churchfails – 100 Blunders in Church History (& what we can learn from them), David Stabnow, General Editor. This book was provided to me through B&H Bloggers for the purpose of this review. The thoughts and opinions are purely my own. I am not a dedicated history buff and this is not my general choice of reading material. But I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

What a fun and informative book. Written in a most palliative and quick read style, and certainly anything but dry. The churchfails outlined begin as early as 35 AD and continue through to modern times outlining how seemingly intelligent and sane people twist theology and wander off in surprisingly ridiculous tangents.

Each short article gives a one or two line synopsis, a biography of the offshoot leader, defines the main theme of the churchfail, and then gives application for today.  Humor is incorporated in a way that makes us laugh not just at the wrong thinking of the leader but at ourselves and how easily we are led down the meandering path, away from solid theology if we aren’t careful.

Some of my favorites:

Marcion of Sinope who rejected all of the Old Testament and most of the New Testament, keeping only what supported his beliefs. He was the first to bring together certain Christian books and call them the writings of the church. Unfortunately, he selected only portions he agreed with and eliminated anything he didn’t like. As a result he was excommunicated, branded as a heretic and Marcionism died out.  The application for today: many modern day churches do the same – pick and choose what they want from the Bible and ignore the rest. The author points out that “no book, no miracle, and no nation should be left out of our message; the whole plan of God should be preached (Acts 20:27).”

Hippolytus of Rome who “never met a pope he didn’t agree with” and who also became the first in history to work out the exact date of Christ’s return. He met five popes in his lifetime and had issues with each which he was quick to verbalize. The application for today is the warning to avoid being known only for what you disagree with. And of course, for attempting to do what the Bible says is impossible – predict the exact day of the second coming.

Matthew Caffyn who was highly intelligent and decided if his brilliant mind couldn’t fully comprehend such things as how God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit could be one and the same then it must not be true. He disregarded the biblical teaching of centuries and came to the conclusion that he was wiser than the scholars before him. As the writer points out in the application for today, even Solomon, who was considered the wisest man on earth, had 700 wives and 300 concubines! How smart was that when with those wives came 700 mother-in-laws! In the case of Caffyn we are reminded “haughty arrogance regarding ones own abilities leads to one’s downfall.”

Throughout the book we are reminded how foolish it is to veer from scripture and assume we have a new answer or a new theology. There’s a reason the Gospel of Christ has endured – it is true and pure and life giving.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants glimpses into the history of churchfails and a few laughs along the way.

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After Easter – Book Review

Posted in Bible Study, Book review, Cricifixion, Daily Life, Easter, Miracles, Ressurection, Resurection, salvation, The Christian Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on May 10, 2016| Leave a Comment »

4197o3w9xeL._SX355_BO1,204,203,200_[1]I recently read After Easter by Jeremy R. Howard and Doug Powell and this is a review of the book.

This may seem a little late since Easter is long past, but truthfully you could read this book anytime and be amazed all over again by the miracle of the cross.

A new Christian will read this book and journey from the Garden to the Cross, gaining a good understanding of how the whole redemption story came to be. A seasoned Christian will read the book and be refreshed in remembering the significance of why the Son of God had to die. Both will be humbled again by the realization that He did it for us.

I like how this book gives scriptural and scientific evidence for the events that led to the empty tomb, and even gives clear details of how the early church began and took the mission of Christ seriously.

The book can be read in a short period time but that certainly doesn’t indicate it is shallow. Quite the opposite. The depth of detail contained in its 60 pages is amazing. I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to boost their witnessing ability. It would make a nice gift and should certainly be in every church library.

I am a Lifeway/B&H blogger and received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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