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Archive for the ‘Spiritual Strength’ Category

Shouting, “Jesus!”

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Inspirational, Religion, Spiritual Strength on October 31, 2012| 3 Comments »

Ghosts are real, but they are not the displaced spirits of those who died and cannot, for whatever reason, cross to the other side. They are something far more sinister than that! I know because I grew up in a home steeped in the occult –a place where things went “bump in the night” far too often.

So you know, even though today is October 31st, this is not some spooky Halloween story. If you are looking for that, you’ve come to the wrong place. In fact, I abhor Halloween –but no lectures, I promise. No, this is not a Halloween story; it is quite the opposite. You see, Halloween exalts all that is dark and evil, but today I want to share with you a very real story of light and of triumph over evil.

The particulars of my childhood are not important at the moment, but I assure you, they were, for the most part, dark and horrific. People have, on occasion, asked me to recount the gruesome details, and I have, but for today, I prefer to jump ahead in the narrative to the first several months after I encountered the Lord Jesus Christ, and the spiritual warfare that ensued.

(To read the condensed testimony of my miraculous encounter with Jesus Christ, click this link: His Invisible Hand)

I have no doubt that the forces of Heaven and hell were engaged in battle on the day that I offered my heart to Jesus Christ, my Savior, but I’ll leave it at that. Heaven won. And though my life was changed instantly, and profoundly, in so many ways, it would still take many years to heal some of the wounds. It would also take several months to conquer some of the demons that invaded my dreams night after night. I have never used the term demons in these pages before, but in this case, the term is very accurate.

You see, even after I accepted Jesus into my life, my dreams were frequently infested with demons. Sometimes they merely frightened me or chased me, at other times, I physically wrestled with them. At first, all of the dreams had two things in common, aside from the obvious warfare; they all started the same way, and they were very difficult to escape because I couldn’t manage to awaken fast enough.

However, something interesting happened early on. One night, in the middle of a particularly horrible dream, I managed to utter the name Jesus. It was barely a whisper, but it was a big accomplishment given the level of fear I experienced during those dreams. Nonetheless, the dream, and the battle within, continued for a little while longer. It’s not that the LORD failed to rescue me when I called upon His name; He was merely teaching me how to effectively combat my enemy and to trust in Him. Make no mistake, He was watching over me every second.

Over the course of time, as I grew stronger in my faith and knowledge of God’s holy Word, I found myself not only calling upon Jesus, but doing so sooner and sooner, until at  last I was able to call upon His name at the very beginning of any such dream so that it would end as quickly as it started.

There is power in the name of Jesus!

Allow me to digress for just a moment. I have many friends who prefer to call Jesus by His Hebrew birth name Yeshua. Our LORD was born a Hebrew, and this is His true birth name. For the record, I prefer to call Him Yeshua also, and usually do. Nevertheless, I know that my LORD speaks every language, and I know that there is power in His name no matter which language it is spoken in.

Oddly, after all these years I still have one of those awful dreams ever so often. Truthfully, I had one a few nights ago. This one was so intense I woke my husband with my thrashing and shouting, “Jesus!” As always, shouting “Jesus!” was all it took; even in my dreams, my enemies are vanquished by that name.

I am writing this today, dear reader, because Halloween is upon us again. Most adults assume that this is nothing more than a fun holiday for kids. I promised not to lecture, so I won’t get into the truth behind Halloween, nor what the Bible has to say about it. I will, however, remind you that Halloween can be a very scary time for kids, especially in today’s macabre culture. If your child should, therefore, become frightened, or someone you know finds himself in a spiritual battle, please remind them that they can freely ask Jesus for help. He is as close as the mention of His name, even to those who have never called upon Him before, and He longs to show them that He cares!

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“Yeah, But…”

Posted in Courage, Devotional, Doubt, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Guidance, Inspirational, Religion, Skepticism, Spiritual Strength on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My parents were not religious people in the least, but there were certain odd rules they enforced religiously. Not surprisingly, cussing meant a swift trip to the execution chamber –that is to say, the bed chamber where my step-father would swiftly execute punishment. I doubt anyone would blame him for trying to teach his children impeccable manners, he was an ex-marine after all, but he was a bit over-the-top, as evidenced by his intolerance of even the slightest hint of slang.

Moreover, excessive no doubt, was his royal decree that no one in the house under five-feet tall was ever allowed to say the word but, and certainly not that loathsome four-letter word c-a-n’-t. A simple “Yeah, but …” was reason enough for a two-hour lecture at best, saying both but and can’t in the same sentence was a felony. That I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, would have been a handy thing to know back then (Phil 4:1).

In retrospect, I can’t help but see the irony in that (shhh, don’t tell him I just used both of those words in this sentence) given the defeatist attitude he adopted after signing-up for one of those multi-level home marketing businesses. If he made money his sponsor pulled in some cash as well, and so on, so naturally,  those above him in the enterprise tried very hard to teach him the techniques that were sure to bring about success, words that fell on deaf ears, skepticism and, you guessed it, a never-ending list of objections starting with the declaration, “Yeah, but….”

With puzzling contradiction, he uttered the words “Yeah, but…” so often, his business sponsor, making a guilted statement, gifted him with a brightly colored tee-shirt with those very words imprinted on the front, words that he took pride in, wearing them as a badge of honor.

Such an inconsistency brings to my mind James 1:5-7: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Dear reader, I would very much like to offer you a profound explanation as to why our Heavenly Father is so emphatic about this matter, but I’m not even sure that I  have an answer to suffice. I am absolutely positive about this, though: faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). We should all, therefore, when we sense those God-displeasing words, “Yeah but…” begin their journey from brain to tongue to express doubt or defiance, rather turn to the Word of God, the Holy Bible, and strengthen our faith within its pages.

I don’t know about you, but I know enough pessimistic naysayers to order some of those “Yeah, but” tee shirts in bulk and hand them out, thereby warning the optimistic to take cover. Problem is, there are days when I don the declaration myself, knowing full well that with God all things are possible, yet somehow doubting, wavering.

Perhaps you have, at one time or another, felt the same way. May I remind you– and me- that there are more than forty Scriptures in the Bible which counter frailty and defeat with two simple words: BUT GOD!

Perhaps I should have some tee shirts printed after all, the message being modified to three powerful words, “Yeah, but GOD!”

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Don’t Glue Your Book To the Bed

Posted in Bread of Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, Guidance, Inspirational, Persecution, Preparedness, Purity, Servanthood, Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Strength on March 19, 2012| 2 Comments »

My raven-haired beauty was only four years old when she glued her library book to the bed.
I’m still not sure how she found the bottle of wood glue in the first place, but I do admire her creativity in solving what she considered to be a big problem. Of course, I didn’t approve of her method, but I had to smile at her reasoning. She explained, “Liz-a-biff kept trying to take my book. I had to stop her!”

Reading has always been an important part of my children’s lives. They were each given their own library card from the time they were old enough to toddle into the library. There, we spent many happy hours searching for just the right story to fuel their imaginations, and the perfect books to expand their knowledge about science and history, and all the other fascinating wonders of life. You see, their father and I wanted to instill the love of reading, and learning, into our children from a very young age, in the hopes that their love of such would be life-long.

Most importantly, we wanted our children to love God’s Word. They each had their own picture Bible before they could even talk. By the time they worked their way up to the good ole King James, all of our children knew more about the Bible than many adults do. In fact, this same raven-haired beauty once climbed a tree and began preaching to the people on the streets when she was only seven.

How I wish I would have been raised knowing God’s Word like that! Sadly, I didn’t learn any of it until I was an adult. But, it’s never too late to start. I have now been a student of the Word for over twenty years, and enjoyed every minute of it. I am so thankful that we live in a country that allows us the freedom to read our Bibles without persecution. Tragically, this may not always be the case. It is quite probable that Americans will soon join the ranks of countless others who have been persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ.

If this ever happens, I can assure you that gluing our Bibles to the bed won’t prevent them from being taken away. However, there is something that we can do -starting now. The psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (119:11). I pray, dear reader, we would all do likewise. After all, once God’s holy Word is hidden in our hearts, no one can ever take it away from us!

I admit that memorizing Scripture, especially long portions of it, can be hard work–especially for us older folks. Even so, there are few pursuits in life that are more rewarding and beneficial. How then do we start, if we haven’t already? Simple, we can learn from the children on this one.

Have you ever watched a young child recite the words of her favorite story book to an audience of stuffed animals without having to look at the book? She is able to do this because she has read it (or had it read to her) so many times that it became a part of her. And because she loves the story so much, she can’t help but enthusiastically share it.

That’s how we should be with God’s Word. Because the Bible is so much more than just words on a page –it is God’s personal instruction to mankind- we should absolutely love to read it over and over until it becomes a part of us. And, we should care enough about our Holy book that we would rather glue it to the bed than let anyone take it from us.

Dear reader, it would be really silly of me to tell you “Don’t glue your book to the bed.” I would like to encourage you, however, to keep the Holy Bible “glued to your face.” If you’re not familiar with that expression, just ask my raven-haired beauty what it means; she still has a book glued to her face most of the time. That’s my girl!

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Stubby Pencils

Posted in Brokenness, Contentment, Courage, Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Solitude, Spiritual Strength on February 28, 2012| 1 Comment »

“I still had this idea that there was a whole world of marvelous golden people somewhere… Sort of heroic super-people, all of them beautiful and witty and calm and kind, and I always imagined that when I did find them I’d suddenly know that I Belonged among them, that I was one of them, that I’d been meant to be one of them all along, and everything in the meantime had been a mistake; and they’d know it too. I’d be like the ugly duckling among the swans.”
― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

As a child, all I wanted was to be loved by my parents and accepted by my peers. I tried in so many ways to make that happen, but my parents had their own issues and my classmates were just downright mean. If only I hadn’t been so desperate for acceptance at school, I might not have fallen so easily into the other kid’s traps.

Some of their taunts were less demeaning than others. The pencil incident might have fallen into this category, except that my foolish error earned me the nickname “Stubby” for most of fourth grade. As I said, kids can be mean.

Normally, I was suspicious when other kids showed an interest in me, but on that particular day, I totally dropped my guard when one of the really popular girls walked up to me and began chatting as though we were long-time buddies. I thought perhaps there were a few “golden people” after all. During the course of the conversation she asked me if I preferred long pencils or stubby ones. “Long,” I answered truthfully, “and very sharp.”

“Me too, she replied. “It looks like we have something in common after all.”

I stood there dumbfounded as she walked away, but I was happy.

Then the unthinkable happened; a second “golden girl” came up and began chatting with me also. I should’ve suspected something was amiss, but I was too busy basking in the moment. This girl also brought up the topic of pencils, but unlike the first, she volunteered that she loved writing with stubby pencils before asking me my preference.

It was very wrong of me, I know, but I wanted to have something in common with her too, so I assured her that I liked stubby pencils as well. “That’s what I thought,” she smugly barked, then walked away. My heart sank as the two girls started their confab, while shooting arrogant glances in my direction.  Naturally, they shared my indiscretion with all the other kids. They all sang their stinging words, “Liar, liar, pants on fire” and “Hey Stubby, got a pencil?”  until I was practically in tears and longed desperately to return to my invisible status.

Little did I know, but I was never invisible to the only one that mattered. Not only did He love me unconditionally, and accept me just as I was –lonely and broken- He loved me enough to lead me to a golden place when the time was right.

O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
~~Psalm 139:1-18 NIV

To this day, I still don’t like stubby pencils. But I don’t keep a beautiful glass jar, full of long, sharp pencils, on my desktop because I have something to prove. They are there to remind me of the power of words. I guess that is one reason I still love the feeling of a pencil between my fingers. Every now and then, I pick-up one of my long, sharp pencils and think to myself, God loves me just as I am, and He has written me in His book.  And that, dear reader,  often inspires me to write words of encouragement to you.

I know that my words, in the midst of the psalmist’s are, as Mr. Yates penned, the ugly duckling among the swans.” Even so, I hope you were encouraged by them in some way.

Postscript: The opening quote from Revolutionary Road does not reflect an endorsement for Mr. Yates, nor his book.  Truthfully, I have never read the book and cannot, therefore, speak to its contents.  I merely stumbled upon the aforementioned quote and felt that it accurately described how I felt as a child, dreaming of far away places where people were kind and underdogs like myself would be accepted.  Mr. Yates’ book, as I understand, is a secular work with questionable themes.  So again, I am not endorsing His book by sharing this beautiful quote.

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Sump Times

Posted in Contentment, Devotional, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Inspirational, Solitude, Spiritual Strength on January 5, 2012| 2 Comments »

Just past a golden cornfield in the middle of nowhere, lies a very quiet, obscure refuge. Though I haven’t been anywhere near the place for decades, it did serve me well during my dreadful teenage years. Life was very bleak back then, almost more than I could bear, so I was very thankful to have my own private “sump” to escape to.

The sump was really a drain-off ditch for the fields during the rainy season. Few people even realized it was there because it was carefully hidden behind a wind-breaking wall of trees. For most of the year, the interior of the sump looked like a dry creek bed strewn with a few fallen trees – those were my chairs, or airplane seats, or whatever else my imagination needed them to be at various times. I spent many hours alone in the sump contemplating the complexities of life or simply crying; it was very soothing. Had I known God back then, I would have spent many hours praying in the sump, but it would be many years before I would come to know Him. Still, looking back, I am certain that He was there with me in that place of refuge even though I was unaware.

Jesus, our Messiah, also understood the need for quiet refuge, especially to pray:

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone (Matthew 14:23).

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed (Luke 5:16).

There are several other Scriptures which indicate that it was Jesus’ habit to go off alone for quiet times of prayer, too many too include here. It seems to me that if the Son of God, Himself, understood the necessity of going off alone to pray, then we, in our human frailty, should do so all the more.

Dear reader, we live in a hustle and bustle world that pulls at us from every direction. It is so easy to become overwhelmed! May I encourage you to purpose in your heart to find more time to go off alone to contemplate life’s complexities, or even to cry if need be. I promise, however, you won’t be truly alone. The Lord, Jesus, will be with you even if you do not know Him yet. He longs to spend time with you and He will meet you there.

I also recommend that you go off occasionally and have some “me-time”  for no reason at all, at least sump-times. After all, there is nothing like a bit of quiet solitude to soothe and refresh one’s soul in a frenzied, hectic world.

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The Proper Ingredients

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Obedience, Preparedness, Purity, Religion, Servanthood, Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Strength, Zeal on November 29, 2011| 4 Comments »

Okay I admit it; a few days ago, I almost mixed dried mustard into my pumpkin pie filling instead of ginger.  It’s a good thing I keep a pair of reading glasses in the kitchen and have the good sense to use them.  Otherwise, our dessert would have tasted awful.  At least I can blame my aging eyes for this near-blunder. 

Speaking of nasty-tasting desserts, I will also confess to you that I still hold first place in the “worst cake ever made” category for novice bakers.  Granted, I was quite young when I made that horrible thing, but that error was one of ignorance rather than limited vision. Allow me to explain:

Because this was the first cake I had ever baked from scratch, I was careful to follow the recipe to the letter.   From its beautiful, golden-brown appearance, the cake looked perfect when it came out of the oven. It tasted awful, though.  Words cannot adequately describe how nasty this cake tasted, or how confused I was by the outcome.  What had I done wrong?

Determined that I would not accept such a failure, I decided to toss the cake and start over.  Again, I assembled all the ingredients and followed the recipe meticulously. The flour was carefully sifted, the butter properly softened, the vanilla carefully measured and every ingredient added in order.  Surely, I reasoned, this cake would be better.

Definitely not!

The second cake was every bit as disgusting as the first; I was practically in tears.  With great disappointment, I informed my parents that we were not having cake that night because I was the worst baker on the planet and both cakes were in the trash, where they belonged.

“What did you put in the batter?” they asked.

I explained that I had followed the cookbook recipe and used only the ingredients listed.  I wasn’t sure why my parents started laughing, but they led me into the kitchen and, pulling a bottle from the cabinet, asked if that was the vanilla I used.

“Yes,” I answered, somewhat confused.

More laughs.  “That’s not vanilla,” they explained. “You used liquid smoke in the cake.”  (Unbeknownst to me, we had run out of vanilla.)

To be fair, the label had come off the bottle some time before.  But even if it hadn’t, I didn’t have a clue what liquid smoke was. Apparently, it’s a dark, liquid seasoning that is used to add a smoky flavor to foods. Trust me; you do not want to eat cake which tastes like it just came out of the smokehouse!

I was thinking about this recently after I listened to a young pastor present some rather “contemporary” suggestions for bringing the unsaved into his church. For the most part, his ideas were pretty good. And if the preacher’s vision to reach the lost had been more firmly grounded in Scripture, the outcome would have been very sweet and desirable.   However (without elaborating on the details), I noted that a few of his suggested “ingredients” for successful evangelism were, in reality, a violation of God’s Word. His vision was admirable, but he simply did not have proper understanding in regards to the propriety of his ideas.

We must remember, when putting together any kind of church outreach, that the proper “ingredients” are absolutely vital!

Although our hearts may be sincere and our motives pure, we must always be careful not to unintentionally substitute the sweet “vanilla” of God’s instruction for the (liquid) “smoke” of “cultural relevance.”  True, our well-meaning efforts might produce something that looks really good, but if we have made substitutions in God’s “recipe” for Christian conduct, (even unknowingly), the results will most likely be distasteful to the Lord.

Of course, we do need to earnestly minister to the unsaved, but it is only the LORD who can effectively bring them into the fold.  He Himself said: No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him (John 6:44).   Programs are nice, and preaching is important, but our primary focus should be to fulfill our divine calling to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that  [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light (I Peter 2:9).

Dear reader, let us   firmly resolve to once again raise the church to the standards of holiness she once walked in, that God may be pleased to dwell in His sanctuary as He did in days of old.  Upon doing so, we will most assuredly have the right ingredients to properly minister to those whom the LORD will send.

And that, my friend, is sweet and desirable to the LORD!

 “Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes.”                   ~George Soros

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When A Pastor Tends to Roses

Posted in Beauty, Contentment, Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Love, Poetry, Spiritual Strength, Victory, Zeal on September 8, 2011| 1 Comment »

In memory of my dear friend, Shiela.

And, in tribute to all the faithful, loving pastors who really care about the hurting.

WHEN A PASTOR TENDS TO ROSES

In the midst of frailty
Where the brier often grows,
God chose to lovingly restore
A beautiful, broken rose.

For her there was no sunshine;
She had known only rain.
Life’s storms had oft uprooted her,
And drenched her life with pain.

Thus, the rose was wilted;
Her natural luster had faded.
She thought her life to be a waste,
And her strength had been abated.

When she could no longer stand,
This rose crashed to the ground
Beneath the weight of her battles,
Which did so greatly abound.

She sought to find the answers
That would end her hellish war,
And give to her the kind of peace
We all are searching for.

At long last, she knelt and prayed,
Lest depression take its toll;
Until the soothing voice of God
Spoke life into her soul.

“Sheila, My child, I love you,”
He compassionately said.
“Your sufferings will come to an end;
There are brighter days ahead!”

“When you accepted me as Lord,
I forgave you of all your sin.
Now, I will fill you with inner peace,
And destroy the turmoil within.”

God spoke again to Sheila’s heart,
“I will send you a gentle pastor.
He will love you through each battle
And help your heart heal faster.”

He knew that Shiela needed support
In order for her to grow;
Until she reached the realms of glory
Where briers and weeds can’t go.

True to His Word, God sent a pastor
To embrace this broken rose,
And lead her back to the fertile garden
Where beauty and wisdom grows.

After only one brief chat with him,
Sheila knew she wasn’t alone
In her efforts to finally rid her life
Of all the weeds that had grown.

The pastor helped nourish her spirit,
And he lifted her always in prayer.
Sheila saw Jesus through him so oft,
She stopped yielding to hopeless despair.

Then, through her pastor’s guidance,
Which he offered with patience and grace;
Sheila understood God’s love and favor
Towards all those who seek His face.

She learned to believe God’s promises,
Of which she became quite zealous.
She clung to the life-giving words of God
Like the rose which clings to its trellis.

Though it took some time and trust,
Sheila was freed from all strife.
Her eyes then shone brightly with joy,
And peaceful contentment with life.

Unquestionably, Sheila had been restored,
And a lifetime of brokenness mended;
With the help of her faithful pastor,
Who loved her as God had intended.

No longer living in constant rain,
Shiela’s life reflected the Son
Until her radiant, inward beauty
Could be denied by none.

This rose had grown more beautiful
In the Master Gardner’s hand.
He then used her to touch others’ lives
In the many ways He planned.

Folks saw what God did for Shiela;
More than words can tell.
Thus, they were greatly encouraged
And turned to Him as well.

But alas, the beautiful rose has left.
She discarded her early vase.
In Heaven’s eternal garden,
She has gone to take her place.

Yet, Sheila will never be forgotten.
For the fragrance of God’s love,
Which flowed so freely through her,
Will linger with us, till we join her above.

To her faithful pastor,
And to all of her family and friends,
Sheila left a testimony of God’s healing
And of His love –a love which never ends!

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A Shocking Experience

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Inspirational, Miracles, Spiritual Strength, Testimony on August 1, 2011| 2 Comments »

Some time ago, I promised to share more of my own personal encounters with the miraculous. This one is truly shocking –literally.

Four-thirty in the morning was just too early for me to wake up and get dressed, except for shoes, then drive my step-father to the commuter lot, but I had no choice. I needed the car that day and that was the only way I could get it. Along the way, flashes of lightning tore through the early morning sky to announce a coming storm. Although my plan had been to drive back home, dive into bed and pick up my dream where I left off, my step-father decreed something more important.

“You need to go home and wake up your mom and your brother, and ask them to help you take down the antennae before the storm hits.”

I only half obeyed. Suffice it to say that I was sure I could do the task myself. Besides, waking anyone else up that early was never a good idea, trust me. By the time I stood ready to dismount the antennae, it had already started to drizzle; there was about one-quarter inch of water standing on the deck. The cool water felt good on my bare feet, but I knew that going back to sleep was out of the question because the slow, but steady raindrops had already slapped me more awake than I wanted to be. That’s okay, I thought, because I love a nice storm and I’ll be awake to enjoy this one. Little did I know that I was about to experience a miracle; one that I would never forget.

The antennae was taller than I was, and just a bit heavy, but I could have capably managed a quick dismount had it not been for the sudden gust of wind that thrust the top-heavy apparatus right onto the power lines. My body went instantly rigid as the electricity flowed right through my body. My mind screamed, “Get it off!” but my body could not physically respond. Aside from the violent muscular jerking, I was paralyzed, unable to let go.

Have you have ever seen one of those cartoons where something disastrous happens in super slow motion? That’s what the whole trauma seemed like. The ball of energy, which started at the power line, worked its ways through both me and the antennae and entered the coax cable. Connected to the other end of the cable was my step-father’s prized Ham radio. The energy ball wrapped itself around the cable and headed straight for it.

The radio was the size of a large microwave and I just knew that it would blow-up. It did!

Everything probably happened rather quickly, but it sure didn’t seem like it. To this day, I remember having enough time to mentally cry out, “He’s gonna kill me! He’s gonna to kill me!”

I didn’t think I had been able to make any audible sound, but at some point I screamed loud enough to wake my family and bring the neighbors running. It was a bit late; the radio had already blown and I was glued to the deck, still unable to move. Oddly, though, once my mother opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside, the antennae came off the power line. I am still quite certain that it lifted itself, without any effort from me.

Once inside the house, I did receive a scolding. “You could’ve been killed!” she shrieked. The whole incident was so surreal that I hadn’t yet thought about the fact that I should have been electrocuted (I later learned that my disaster knocked out the town’s electricity for four city blocks). My only fear up to that point was the repercussions that I would face from an angry, temperamental step-father who treasured his radio equipment.

I was so overcome with worry that I stayed home that day and fretted. The clock, like the energy ball, seemed to creep towards its intended target in slow motion; it was one of the longest days of my life.

At the appointed time, I retrieved my step-father from the lot and explained what had happened. “You were right, I should have listened to you and woke up mom and brother, but…” My body went rigid again as I tensed, waiting for the verbal slaughter.

Instead, to my utter surprise, he cried. That was the second shock I received that day. When I was growing up, breaking a dish was practically a capital offense, but for this grave blunder no punishment was given. He only had compassion and understanding.

Dear reader, I want you to understand that at the time all of this happened, I did not know God. Yet, He still chose to look upon me with compassion and spared my life. It would be many years more before I would accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and thank Him for that merciful act, but He always looked-out for me anyway.

I hope you are blessed by this true testimony of God’s miraculous intervention. If you are in relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, I praise God. But if you are not, I want to you to know that He loves you no matter what, and He is looking out for you whether you realize it or not.

Perhaps it doesn’t seem that way to you. If not, it might be because you are trying to do everything in your own strength; thinking you can get through without help. But that doesn’t generally work. Without God, the winds of adversity will surely blow your way and wreak havoc until something finally blows-up.

My prayer for you today, dear reader, is for you to know that God is with you through every storm. He is merciful and compassionate, and He is a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) because He cares for you very much.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:25,26).

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North is the Front of the Car

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Preparedness, Religion, Spiritual Strength on July 14, 2011| 3 Comments »

Because I am a D.C.D (directionally challenged driver), I often jest that “North is the front of the car.” This means, of course, that I prefer that people direct me to turn left or right instead of north, south, east or west. This may seem odd to some of you but I grew up in Nowhere, U.S.A. There, our idea of a traffic jam was two cars stuck behind a slow-moving tractor. When my family did finally move to the big city, (population 4,000) we didn’t even have stop lights, let alone the nonsensical stuff like one-way streets –which, for the record, are not at all safe for D.C.D’s!

You would think that I, of all people, would have a GPS in my vehicle, but oddly I don’t. One of those gadgets would probably make me crazy anyway; I don’t think I’d like to hear some faceless voice assuring me that she is “recalculating” every time I miss a turn. I did try a dash-mounted compass once, but that only messed me up more –trust me, it’s possible.

Fortunately for me, God blessed me with a help-mate. He frequently prevents me from ending up in Timbuktku —which is in Africa I think— by making me a very detailed, step-by-step map every time I drive someplace new. Normally, I can’t find a lit candle in the dark, but I can follow my beloved’s instructions easily, even if north is the front of the car.

After I married, my husband and I did not just move to the city, we moved to another world (population far too many). To this country hick, everything was foreign and uncomfortable. But I can gladly say that after all these years I finally feel somewhat confident that I can find my way around the place. However, if it were up to me, I would rename this city “Road Construction Ahead.” We wouldn’t even have to spend money on new signs; there are plenty that have those very words on them everywhere you look. And you know what that means; detours. Yep, that’s just what a D.C.D needs.

Then there are the streets that are located in at least three different parts of the city, those nasty one-ways, traffic circles, and worst of all; rude drivers who don’t let you get over into the turn lane until it’s too late, forcing you to miss your turn. Recalculating.

Life can be like that too. We pretty much know where we are heading, but sometimes we simply get confused and don’t know which way to turn, or we get hit with unexpected detours. At times like that, we need a very detailed roadmap. Fortunately for us, God provided us with one —it’s called the Holy Bible. He loved us enough to give us step-by-step directions to help us travel through this life so that we can arrive at our destination (eternity) safe and sound.

Additionally, God knew that some of us would be a little directionally challenged so he gave us a Helper. Jesus promised:

…the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26 NKJV)

Dear reader, if you feel lost or frustrated in your life, I would like to encourage you get to know this helper by spending time reading the Bible. Its directions are clear and easy to follow. If you look on a map, north is ‘up.’ Scripture says to look up, for your redemption is near (Luke 21:28). In the vehicle of life, Jesus is north. That being the case, I am proud to say that north is the front of my car, and I plan to keep it that way.

“Sink the Bible to the bottom of the sea, and man’s obligation to God would be unchanged. He would have the same path to tread, only his lamp and his guide would be gone; he would have the same voyage to make, only his compass and chart would be overboard.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

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The Cash Stash

Posted in Devotional, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Faith, Inspirational, Spiritual Strength on June 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The only sign for miles read Welcome to Hickville –on both sides! Okay, so that’s not really the name of the town, but it really was that small and we were somewhat proud to be called hicks.

The only bank was an hour away if you drove, but very few people owned a vehicle back in the “olden days” when the town was founded. Back then, most folks kept their money in an old tin and buried their valuables in mason jars.

For whatever reason, a few of those hidden stashes were lost or forgotten until someone had the good fortune to find them. As the years passed, a few stories were told of some pretty awesome finds, but none quite as incredible as the $100,000 bonanza stashed in the wall of a dilapidated old farmhouse.

Neither of the two brothers that inherited their father’s property knew anything about the money. They were supposed to split the estate equally but no specifics were given as to how that should be done. Since it’s a little hard to cut a house and outbuildings in half, the elder brother –by right of the firstborn- chose the best fields for himself and allotted the younger son the entire homestead to make-up for the fact that his portion of the land was smaller and less favorable.

But the younger brother didn’t need another house and barn; he needed more farmland. Therefore, he and his family decided to raze all the buildings and plow the acreage (a really strong wind would’ve knocked it all down anyway). That’s when he realized just how green his new property was- $100,000 worth of green.

Though he would have preferred that no one find out about the cash, he really needed some new farm equipment, and that didn’t come cheap. As soon as he rolled into the fields with a brand new combine harvester equipped with all the doo-jiggers and thingamabobs a farmer could ever hope to have (yep, they have doo-jiggers in Hickville), his brother quickly learned that all those stories of hidden money were more than just old fireside tales from the past.

Speaking of the past, I was recently speaking with someone who doesn’t even want to hear the gospel message because she is still living in the bondage of past hurts. While I certainly understand why she feels that way, it is heartbreaking. If only she would tear down some of those walls and accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, He could heal that pain; I speak from experience.

This woman’s situation reminds me of the two brothers’ in some ways. They grew up in a house with all that money right under their noses and they never knew it. Why their father kept the knowledge of it ‘hidden’ is not certain, but he knew that they would eventually find that part of their inheritance, and when they did, it would completely change their lives. But first, they would have to tear down some walls.

Salvation, according to Scripture, is also an inheritance –one that is incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us (I Peter 1:4). But like the farmer’s inheritance, partially hidden behind a wall, the gospel is also “hidden.” 2 Corinthians 4:3 instructs that if the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. What does that mean? In a nutshell, it means that our human minds cannot truly comprehend the fullness of the gospel until we accept God’s free gift of salvation because it is spiritually discerned rather than intellectually. Salvation, therefore, requires a step of faith.

If you, dear reader, have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, there is no better time than the present. Perhaps you have a lot of past hurts and your life resembles that broken-down homestead -ready to topple. The Lord Jesus understands. He longs to help you tear down walls and raze everything that stands in the way of your salvation and all the benefits thereof; you need only to ask Him.

Once you do accept Jesus Christ as Lord, you have this assurance: if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17 –ASV).

I leave you with one more Scripture:

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10 NIV

Chances are you will never find any buried treasure (not even a stash of cash hidden in the walls), but if you will only submit your life to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, you will have inherited the greatest treasure that may ever be obtained –you can bank on that!

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