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Archive for the ‘Encouragement’ Category

What’s Your Sign?

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Fruit of the Spirit, Humility, Long-suffering, Love, Meekness, Obedience, Servanthood, Teen Read, Uncategorized on March 31, 2011| 2 Comments »

photo credit: The Gorilla Foundation

Back in the eighties, it was common for young people to ask each other, “What’s your sign?” They honestly believed that everyone’s “sign” revealed a lot about them.  I never bought into any of that, but I did learn a lot about people by just watching them. I’ve always believed that non-verbal communication often speaks louder than words.  Perhaps that understanding is one reason why the Lord called me to deaf ministry.

My sign today (or should I say sign language) is A.S.L, which stands for American Sign Language. I love the ability to communicate with hearing impaired individuals, and I enjoy watching the expressive way they “speak.” Knowing sign language has come in handy many times; sometimes in rather unexpected ways. For instance, I recently had a unique experience with a gorilla. Of course, we didn’t carry on a lengthy conversation, but he did tell me he was sick.

Let me first explain, some gorillas do know sign language. Have you ever heard of Koko? She is a Western Lowland Gorilla who was born at the San Francisco Zoo in 1971. Placed under the tutelage of scientist Francine Patterson, Koko has learned over one-thousand signs in which to communicate with humans. She wasn’t the first gorilla to learn sign, but she has certainly excelled at it. Because of Koko’s accomplishments, scientists continue to pursue inter-species communication through the use of sign language and they are having good success.

Whether or not the sick gorilla at our local zoo had ever been formally taught sign language or not, he was clearly communicating with sign. Every time I visit the zoo, I linger at the indoor gorilla enclosure for a while and sign to those intriguing primates just to see if I can actually elicit an understandable response.

One day, as I stood there signing “How are you?” one particular gorilla caught my attention. He fixed his gaze on me and I am almost certain he was frowning. “How are you? I asked again. The gorilla then clearly signed, “Sick. Stomach-ache. Headache.” To be sure I had understood him correctly, I signed back to him, “You sick?  “Sick- stomach ache- headache,” the gorilla repeated. A closer look at the precious gorilla revealed that he did have a runny nose and puffy eyes.

I wanted very much to find one of the zoo keepers, but there wasn’t one available. As the next best option, I gave the information to one of the general staff. The message probably never got passed-on, which saddened me greatly because this gorilla was asking for help and I couldn’t give it.

There have been several times I felt that way while at my children’s high school. At one particular event, I took the time to really ‘see’ those teenagers. And rather than being disturbed at the obnoxious hair colors and styles, piercings and tattoos, and the repulsive clothing, I was able to see them through the same eyes with which I watched the gorilla.

Many of these young people were desperately trying in their own way to communicate. They weren’t using sign language, but with their body language and body image, they were clearly shouting: Look at me! I’m hurting neglected, scared and so on. I stood there wondering, how many of us are really “listening” to these young people.

Koko has many critics who insist that she may have learned to imitate some gestures but has no concept of their meaning. Likewise, there are lots of adults who look at today’s teens and think, they are not conveying any particular message; they are just a reflection of their culture. That may be the case with some, but there are a great many that are desperate for someone to notice –someone to care.

There are also countless others out there who seem to be happy and have their lives in perfect order, but looks can be deceiving. If we looked through God’s eyes, it is quite probable that we would see everyone quite differently.

When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).

As God’s children, we are to have the same love and compassion as our Heavenly Father does. I pray that we all continuously strive to gain a slightly different perspective; one that will cause us to alter our perceptions in such a way that we are more aware of the needs of those around us.

Most importantly, when we do detect that someone is hurting neglected, scared and so on; may we always be quick to show them the love, mercy and compassion of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The world can sometimes be a very dark place, and there are times when we all need a ray of light to bring hope.  Jesus is that light!  Will you be the one He shines through to brighten the lives of others?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlRK1vqcuvg

postscript: Koko has her own website. You can learn all about her and the Gorilla Foundation here:
The Gorilla Foundation -Koko

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“Self, I said…”

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Strength on February 10, 2011| 1 Comment »

Genevieve was without a doubt one of the most eccentric characters I had ever met. This Seventy–year-old woman would frequently recount details of her past exploits, which were every bit as strange as she. Every now and then she would tuck tufts of bleached-blonde hair back into the nest piled atop her head then gently reshape it. Heaven forbid she should recap an adventure without looking as august as possible.

There was nothing stately about her voice though; it grated on me. She spoke with the hoarse voice of a smoker and her laugh was just as raspy. Even so, her stories always amused me, especially the parts in which she began with the words “I said to myself –Self, I said…”

At this point she always waved her quellazaire slightly as though she were a Hollywood celebrity. I never actually saw her inhale smoke from the thin brown cigarette it held, but I must admit, this little ploy did add to the dramatic effect and held my attention. I was always interested to hear what she said to herself and how those words impacted the decisions she made in the midst of her then current exploit.

Truth be known, I never considered her talking to herself to be one of her eccentricities. I do it all the time. (I even answer myself, but don’t tell anyone). It’s true I occasionally mumble to myself about trivial stuff but mostly I encourage myself in the Lord. Hey, King David did that, so I figure I am in pretty good company (I Sam 30:6).

There is little doubt the Apostle Paul did too. In fact, he told us to be filled with the Holy Spirit — Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). He goes on to say that we should always be giving thanks. Elsewhere, he says to rejoice always. I don’t know about you but I do a lot of that out loud.

The general populace might think I’m a bit crazy but I’m not always talking to them anyway so what does it matter? Sometimes I am talking about them though. For example, “Bless that person Lord,” or “Praise God, it is so good to see someone with such good manners in our day and age!” They don’t usually seem to mind that sort of thing.

Let’s not forget that the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life (Proverbs 10:11). That being the case, perhaps we should all talk to ourselves (and to others) a bit more. We should be reminding ourselves constantly about what God’s word has to say. After all, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17).

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “All truly wise thoughts have been thought thousands of times; But to make them truly ours we must think them over again honestly (and long enough), until they take root in our personal experience.”

I don’t know about you but I learn the written word best by hearing it, which is why I read my Bible out loud and/or listen to the Bible on cassette. I even pray better out loud. I agree with von Goethe’s statement though I prefer to hear what I am thinking.

You should try it sometime. These days you don’t even have to feel like a nut to do so. If you are in public and a scripture or a prayer comes to mind, don’t be afraid to say it out loud, people will just think you are talking on some kind of hands-free device or something anyway. I do recommend, however, that you not answer yourself in public — that might draw a stare or two.

Finally, here is a fun little perk for you to try the next time someone asks you something like, “That must’ve been awful. How did you manage to get through it?” Look them straight in the eye, smile and say “I said to myself –Self, I said….”

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$95.2 Million Worth of Ugly

Posted in Beauty, Devotional, Encouragement, God's Goodness on January 30, 2011| 7 Comments »

I don’t mean to offend any of you art connoisseurs, but this Picasso painting, Dora Maar, is downright ugly in my estimation. However, it is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I guess that’s why someone paid 95.2 million dollars for that painting at auction. Truthfully, I dislike most of Picasso’s work, yet some of it has sold for more than 100 million dollars. As they say, to each his own.

As for me, I would rather have a Thomas Kinkade. His artwork may not be as famous or as costly as Picassos’, but it is far more aesthetic. Known as the “painter of light,” Kinkade offers us a more realistic and pleasant portrayal of the world. Even so, his paintings only sell from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.

Even if I had ninety-five million dollars to spend on a single painting I wouldn’t, especially not a Picasso. He may be considered an artistic genius but I just can’t get past the grotesque appearance of his subject matters.

I can’t even begin to imagine why someone would choose a ‘disfigured’ painting like Dora Maar over one that is serene, such as Kinkade’s Stillwater Cottage. Then again, I can’t imagine why my Lord, Jesus Christ, would find such value in me. If not for His grace, my life would still look more like a Picasso than a Kinkade. It wouldn’t matter though. Ugly as my life was, Jesus paid much more than $95 million dollars for me; He paid for me –and for you – with His own life.

Like the Picasso, I may not seem attractive to some. But again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It doesn’t matter if I like Picasso’s work or not, he will always be considered a great artist and his work will always be highly prized.

Likewise, it doesn’t matter if others like the way my life looks or not –and that includes my physical appearance – because I was created by THE artist who created the heavens and earth and colored our world with beauty and splendor. As long as my life is one of the ‘paintings’ in God’s gallery, I will continue to have value beyond what this world can afford.

The same holds true for you too, dear reader. Don’t ever let anyone devalue you. Even if you feel your life is a mess, you aren’t finished yet. You are a work in progress. God knows all your shortcomings and inadequacies and He still thinks you are beautiful. That’s all that matters!

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)

Rays of Light Volume I now in print.
Click here to order book

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“I Talk!”

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Servanthood on January 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

My husband and I were once exiting a restaurant with our four small children in tow when we realized one of them had wandered off. After a quick scan of the crowded dining room, we spotted her at the table of an elderly couple. She and the woman were chatting away like two old school chums.

Back then our little golden-haired beauty was a real people-person whom didn’t know a stranger. She had walked right up to the couple’s table and began to entertain them with her natural charm.

Just as our small clan reached the table, I heard miss sunshine say, “Watch what I can do!” In an instant she turned and did the splits right there in the aisle. My heart skipped a few beats because one of the wait staff was walking towards her lugging a huge tray of hot food. Fortunately, her daddy was able to scoop her up in the nick of time, to the amusement and giggles of all.

It was quite obvious that our little girl had brightened the day for that motherly old woman. Turning her gaze towards my baby boy, she sweetly asked, “What do you do, you cute little thing?”

Without hesitation he replied, “I can count to ten in Spanish. Uno, dos, tres……”

“Splendid!” she chirped. “And what about you?” she then asked my oldest.

“I can count to ten in French. Un, deux, trois…”

My oldest daughter, anticipating her turn to impress the friendly couple, was already thinking. “What do I do?” she responded, as though asking herself the question. After a brief pause, her pensive look melted into a toothy grin.

“I TALK!” she proudly answered.

Periodically, a friend will say to me, “I really want to do something special for the Lord, but I don’t have any special talents or gifting.” First, let me say that I believe everyone has some type of spiritual endowment with which to bless others, even if it is not easily recognizable.

Second, and this is very important, everyone has the ability to share their faith. You may not be the outgoing, social type but that’s okay. Even an introvert can find occasion to talk to others about the Lord.

This may be very surprising to those who know me personally, but I used to have great difficulty talking to anyone. However, it eventually occurred to me that I could better serve my Lord and Master if I were a bit more sociable (okay, maybe a lot more). I prayed about the situation and asked for help in taking steps towards this goal.

Slowly, but surely, the Lord not only enabled me to talk to others, but to enjoy doing so. Now, by the Grace of God, I too am a people-person who does not know a stranger. I engage others in conversation every chance I get and look for opportunities to speak an encouraging word into their lives, especially those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

If you, dear reader, are uncertain as to what your spiritual endowment is, pray about it until you know then serve with confidence. Each of us have a different job to do, but every laborer is valuable and every job important. Finally, remember, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23 NIV).

Above all, let us all continue to share the Gospel with others. Jesus said if we don’t praise Him, the rocks will cry out. I’m sure the same is true about sharing our faith. No matter what, the Lord will find someone who is willing to speak out on His behalf. Will you be the one to say, “I TALK?”

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Humpty Dumpty said Amen!

Posted in Brokenness, Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Healing on January 6, 2011| 6 Comments »

Photo: Cake Picture Gallery

Once upon a long time ago, I was reading Christian nursery rhymes¹ to my children. This Mother Goose adaptation really caught my eye:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Humpty Dumpty shouted, “Amen!”
God can put me together again.¹

It really is that simple –not easy, but simple.

For those of you who have suffered through heinous circumstances and might be convinced that you can never be whole again, I want you to know that I wholeheartedly understand. Truthfully, if it had not been for the grace of God I would have killed myself twenty-five years ago. I was already dead inside, disposing of the rest seemed only logical.

However, I had been conditioned from birth to believe I couldn’t do anything right. Those degrading remarks replayed in my head like a broken record until I was convinced that I would botch even suicide and leave myself in a far worse condition. So, I prayed to God to take my life. I did not know God or if He even listened to the prayers of men. But if He did, I figured He could do a far better job of getting rid of me and my messed up life than I could.

Praise God, He did take my life, but not the way I expected Him too!

You can read about how the Lord Jesus came to my rescue and gave me an entirely new life on the ‘My Testimony’ tab at the top of this page.

As a child I used to listen to the Humpty Dumpty rhyme and it brought me great sadness. I could relate to the poor egg. Whenever I heard the rhyme, I felt like I too was an egg (a rotten one) which had been boiled in the heat of hell and then cracked beyond repair. It’s a shame I did not know THE King back then.

“All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put…” me (or Humpty) together again, but THE king Himself did so! He made me whole, and He has given to me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that I might be called a tree of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
(Isaiah 61:3)

The King longs to do the same for you because you are His child, even if you don’t know Him. He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

You may find, as I did, that emotional healing is a long journey. Nevertheless, the King will walk with you every step of that journey if you allow Him to. And He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

I too would like to walk with you through your journey. If there is anything I can pray with you about, please use the contact button to leave me a private note and I will add you to my prayer list.

Life is too short to live it broken and wounded. It is time to say, “Amen, God put me to together again!”

¹Ainsborough Decker, Marjorie.  The Christian Mother Goose’ Book of Nursery Rhymes.  Distributed by: Christian Mother Goose Communications – P.O. Box 330 – Beggs OK 74421 – (918) 267-5230

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Cloudy With a Chance of Meteors

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness on December 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Photo Credit: Getty Image via CNN

This year’s Geminid meteor shower was hailed as the best of 2010 and I missed it. I was more than willing to bundle up like an Eskimo and head to the observatory to watch the show, but it was just too cloudy. What a shame! Sky gazers in other parts of the country reported seeing as many as one-hundred-twenty meteors an hour during this peak time; it must have been spectacular.

Even so, I can certainly understand why most people have little interest in staying up half the night to watch a bunch of meteors streak through the cold December sky. Truth be known, now that I am older I find it harder to stay awake for these things myself. Still, it would’ve been cool to watch the shower because I have always been fascinated with every aspect of creation from the microscopic to the cosmic.

I was one of those nerdy kids who could sit for hours and marvel at plain, ordinary rocks or admire the uniqueness of a single tree. In that respect I haven’t changed much. The difference is that when I look at the various things in the world around me now, I marvel more at the Creator than His creation.

God is awesome and all of nature declares His glory, especially in the heavens. Psalm 19:1 states: The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies proclaim his craftsmanship.

I believe that God created the universe in such a way that we would see these meteor showers as a reminder of how awesome His creation really is. The Geminid shower lasts for days and lights up the sky with fireballs which can be seen from almost anywhere on Earth. And, according to Nasa astronomer Bill Cooke, the Geminid showers “defy explanation.”

God does lots of things on a grand scale that defies explanation. It is His desire that, when we see these things, we turn our thoughts to Him.

The morning after I missed the meteor showers’ peak I was somewhat disappointed that I missed the ‘shower’ and there would only be a trickle of meteors over the next few days. For some reason, probably because of the term shower, I found myself thinking about a passage in the book of Ezekiel that describes a time when the Lord will bless His people with abundant peace and provision. He promises that there shall be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26).

I couldn’t help but think about the many blessings that God is pouring upon the earth even now. Sadly, though, too many people fail to recognize some of them because their ‘vision’ is clouded by the storms of life. We may not be living in the fullness (showers) of God’s blessing just yet, but his blessings continue to rain down on upon us whether we see them or not; and His mercies are new every morning.

I know that the world is very dark now and people are hurting, but like the Puritans, let us pray, “…let me find Thy light in my darkness.” Your circumstances might not change immediately, but God is more than capable of moving those clouds so that you can see His glory rip through your darkness with more ferocity than those fiery meteors which pierce the night sky.

It may be too late to look up and see the meteor shower, but it is never too late to look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28b).

Credit: Wally Pacholka / AstroPics.com / TWAN.

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Can Coon Stay?

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Love, Servanthood, Uncategorized on December 9, 2010| 3 Comments »

Nestled snugly on a mountaintop in the Tonto National forest, is a small, cozy house which I had the privilege of calling home for one summer during my youth. There, the Arizona sky is swirled with turquoise and tangerine, and the ever-present fragrance of fresh air and pine exhilarates the senses. It is no wonder that so many Native Americans and pioneers chose to settle this area and never leave.

I had plans to attend college in the fall or else I might have planted my roots there as well. Being an adventurer, I could have easily spent every moment of every summer exploring the vast display of nature’s treasures throughout Tonto’s three-million acres.

Admittedly, winters would have been a little more challenging for an outdoorsman like me because there isn’t much to do when you are completely snowed in. I would have managed quite contentedly though. Until one has experienced first-hand the solitude of living apart from the pandemonium of this world, it is hard to imagine the inexpressible tranquility that such a quiet life affords.

I had never experienced the harsh winters of the mountain, but my grandmother told me many stories about them. Tonight, as I watched orange and amber flames dance atop the logs inside my fireplace, I fondly recalled one of them.

Each night, after the dinner dishes were cleared, Grandpa would build a fire large enough to thoroughly warm the house until long past bedtime. The house had electricity but it was always turned low during sleeping hours. Nestling under two or three hand-made quilts atop a feather bed usually kept everyone warm, but I’m told that stepping out of bed into the frosty morning was rather unpleasant.

One morning after a particularly heavy snow, Grandpa awoke to find a big raccoon curled-up on the rug in front of the fireplace. How it got there was a mystery at first. He wasn’t an especially feisty coon, though. Grandpa simply opened the door and the coon walked out without a fuss.

The following morning the coon was back on its self-assigned rug in front of the fireplace, and the next morning, and the one after that. Each morning, just like the first, Grandpa opened the door and the critter headed outside as if he were a beloved household pet merely going out for his morning business.

The mystery was solved by day three when Grandma noticed little ashy footprints coming from the fireplace. Apparently the coon had waited for the fire to go completely out then managed to work his way down the fireplace, leap over the hot ashes and settle in for the night.

Because of this, my grandparents nicknamed him “Jack” from the old Mother Goose rhyme:

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick.

A simple metal mesh would have thwarted the cunning houseguest, but apparently he had become such a welcome diversion to the monotony of winter he was allowed to continue his nightly visits.

Jack slept in the house for about three weeks then stopped coming around for reasons unknown. Knowing my grandparents, they would have let him sleep on the rug for the rest of his life because they were very warm and caring like that. After all, they welcomed me there for a whole summer when I needed a place to stay.

I guess that is why I sometimes think of that old raccoon story. My world at the time was as bleak and cold as a frozen winter and yet, like Jack, I was offered a warm place to rest my cold, weary soul with no strings attached. Beyond that, I was loved and cared for by people I barely knew.

A great many summers have passed since the one spent on the mountain and most of my memories of those days have faded. Even so, in the same way that the old coon was able to stay warm by the ashes of those long-ago fires, I still have enough memories remaining to warm my heart when I think-back on them.

Dear reader, never underestimate how deeply a kind word or deed can impact others. There are many people in today’s world who’s hearts have grown cold -wounded souls looking only for a warm place to rest. Let us be swift to offer them that refuge.

> Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.(Matthew 25:34-40)

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A Wedding Gown for Mandy

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Love, Mother's Love on December 1, 2010| 1 Comment »

Mandy’s heart leapt for joy when she viewed herself in the mirror. She looked very pretty in her wedding dress and she knew it. Her mother, Linda, knew it too.

If there were tears in Linda’s eyes, they were undoubtedly bittersweet. On the one hand she would be overwhelmed to see her precious daughter standing there looking and feeling so beautiful in her wedding gown. On the other hand, heartbroken at the knowledge that her daughter would not be getting married that day, nor any other for that matter.

Though Mandy stood adorned in white, she did not do so to show forth the purity of body in which a woman is supposed to present herself to her beloved on their most cherished day. No, Mandy’s innocence was of a different nature. Her body was unquestionably pure, but it was the simplicity of her child-like thoughts that made this day so very special.

Born with autism and mental retardation, Mandy’s thoughts remain in a perpetual state of childhood –playful and imaginative. Somewhere deep inside, she probably dreams of getting married someday even though she doesn’t really understand what that really means. But on this day, she only wanted to play dress up in a wedding gown so she could feel pretty and special.

Linda always attested to Mandy’s specialness, but not because of her disabilities. Every mother’s daughter is uniquely special because of her mother’s love, which is unconditional. Linda certainly acknowledges Mandy’s disabilities, but it is her great love for her child which motivates her to bring as much joy into Mandy’s life as she can. And so she headed to the second-hand store for a play dress.

The gown was not expensive, but to Mandy it was priceless. She gazed at herself in the mirror and began to happily sing, “Oh so pretty!” Linda was delighted. As pride welled-up inside her heart she thought “Mandy deserves to look and feel beautiful just like all girls do!”

The occasion turned into outright fun. Mandy continued to play bride and Linda was able to play mother of the bride. Just like any other ‘wedding day,’ pictures were taken and Linda would always have the memory of what her daughter would look like if she had ever been able to marry.

“Oh so pretty!” Yes, Mandy was a beautiful bride that day. She may not have walked down the aisle of a flower-filled church to wed, but she was a bride just the same. Linda proudly admired her daughter and tenderly assured Mandy that she is beautiful. Then, she aptly told her, “You are the bride of Jesus!”

Indeed, Jesus does liken his love for us as that of a bridegroom for His beautiful, virgin bride. We are all terribly flawed and “disabled” but He looks past that, embracing our uniqueness and our specialness because His love is pure and unconditional.

Someday, our bridegroom will come for us and take us to the eternal home that He has prepared. Till then, may we all be “dressed” and ready. And may we know that we are “Oh so pretty” to our Lord because we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: (Psalm 139:17,18a)

~Thank you Linda and Mandy for permitting me to share your story. I know that many of your friends were deeply touched, as was I, and I am thankful for the opportunity to help you touch other hearts by sharing your special mother/daughter experience with them. I know, Linda, that in recounting the details you said, “I’m the one that got blessed!” because you saw how happy Mandy was. I’m sure Jesus is also touched by the great love you show your daughter. Mandy is truly blessed to have you as a mother.

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Walking Upon Impossibilities

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Spiritual Strength on September 29, 2010| 2 Comments »

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” Thomas Carlyle, Scottish Historian.

Sitting in a crowded waiting room this past week, I watched a very young girl make her way slowly across the room. Tears pooled in my eyes at the thought that this crippled child would have to use crutches for the rest of her life. But she wasn’t the least bit sad. From the sweet, careless smile which lit her innocent face, it was quite obvious that she didn’t give her legs a second thought.

I was reminded of William Pitt the Elder, a British Politician, who was an extremely influential figure during the French Revolution. What Pitt lacked in physical strength, he more than made up for in determination. The concept of limitation was a foreign one to him.

Though he rarely delegated duty, he had at some point during the war given a direct command to one of his officials. When the man balked at the impossibility of the task, Pitt reprimanded him by pointing to his crutches and confidently declared: “Sir, I walk upon impossibilities!”

There is no question that all of humanity is currently facing difficulty and hardship. The future holds many uncertainties and without God, I believe, little hope. With God, however, there is much hope because with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Whatever you are going through right now, dear reader, remember that we may all lose a few battles, but we will most assuredly win the war. Now is not the time to give in to discouragement; there is too much work to do. It may be difficult, but let us all rise to the challenge.

Marie Currie, French physicist and Nobel Peace Prize winner summarized this well. She said “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that…. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”

It is far too easy to allow circumstances to cripple us. And when they do, we can choose to accept them as insurmountable, henceforth hobbling on emotional crutches. Or we can look them squarely in the face and declare, as Mr. Pitt did, “I walk upon impossibilities!”  Let me remind you again, with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).

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Gift of Love

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Love on August 21, 2010| 1 Comment »

A few days ago my husband and I joined the ranks of those who have been happily married for twenty years. Though it will be a bit late, we are planning to celebrate the occasion with a romantic getaway in the fall. Still, we wanted to do something cherished on the actual day- something that would be especially meaningful to our years together. We knew exactly what that would be and I was so looking forward to the spiritual and emotional closeness that our private little tradition brings.

Sadly, rather than spending this milestone anniversary day with my husband, I spent it in bed revisiting the “in sickness and in health” part of our vows. For two days I mostly slept, but it was a feverish sleep which caused me to drift back-and-forth between coherence and mental gibberish.

At one point I woke long enough for my thoughts to linger on the beautiful little gift box that has been on my dresser for more than twenty years. My sweetheart gave it to me before we were married and I have cherished it ever since. He had wanted to give me a special gift to show his love and devotion; a gift from the heart rather than a material one.

The idea was not original and we don’t know the author, but the little gift box has a laminated card attached with the following popular poem:

This is a very special gift
That you never can see,
The reason it’s so special is
It’s just for you from me.
Whenever you are lonely
Or ever feeling blue,
You only have to hold this gift
To know I think of you.
You never can unwrap it,
Please leave the ribbon tied,
Just hold the box close to your heart
Because it’s filled with love inside.

I don’t know why I thought of the little gift box during this illness; I guess my subconscious was focused on my loving husband. Snuggling with him always makes me feel better, but nasty little germs were not what we wanted to share on our special day so he stayed at arm’s length. I drifted back to sleep thankful that he was near and that he loves me.

Later, during another coherent moment, my Bible caught my eye. Though I was sluggish, my thoughts connected my husband’s prettily wrapped gift box to my Bible. That may seem like a big jump, but God has given us His word, and that is a wonderful gift of love in itself.

I cannot see God any more than I can see the contents of my little gift box, but I know He is with me. And whenever I feel lonely or blue, I can pick up my Bible to find comfort in His words. I know too, that He is always thinking of me:

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand (Psalms 139:17,18)

And unlike my gift box, my Bible is not sealed with a ribbon that cannot be untied. On the contrary; it is meant to be opened every day. Within the pages of this precious gift are countless reminders of how much we are loved by our Heavenly Father.

God’s unconditional love towards us is one of the greatest gifts we can ever receive. But He has so many other gifts He is longing to lavish upon us. I sometimes wonder, though, how many of His gifts are just sitting there unopened.

I am reminded of a story I heard years ago:

A man had a vision in which an angel escorted him to heaven. He was then taken to a large room filled with small, plainly wrapped packages. With great wonder, the man watched myriads of angels coming and going; they entered the room empty-handed but left with armloads of packages.

“What are these packages,” the man asked, “and where are the angels taking them?” “These are all gifts that are being delivered to God’s children,” he replied. “See what joy it brings the angels; this is because it pleases the Father’s heart to give His children many wonderful gifts.”

Then the angel led the man to a second, much larger room. This room was filled with beautifully wrapped gifts stacked floor to ceiling. “Are these gifts for God’s children as well?” asked the man. “Yes, these are the better gifts,” replied the angel. “Then why are these angels weeping?” asked the man. “And why are they not leaving the room?”

With sadness, the angel explained. “The Father has prepared these gifts to exceed anything that His children could ever ask or think.” A tear rolled down his cheek. “They only need to be received, but sadly, the gifts in the other room are the only ones His children will accept.”

I don’t know about you, but I am ready to embrace any gift that God wants to impart to me. I may feel unworthy to receive such wonderful blessings, but my Heavenly Father loves me unconditionally and He wants to shower me with His love.

He wants to shower you with love too, even if you do not know Him. Dear reader, if you have never read the Holy Bible, or haven’t done so lately, I want to encourage you to do so without delay. It is a wonderful gift from your Heavenly Father. And like my little gift box, it too is filled with love inside; see for yourself.

Happy Anniversary Bryan! You are my soul mate and I love you dearly.

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