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$100 Potty Accident

July 9, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

100 dollars

And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Proverbs 13:22b.

I’m pretty sure that the foolish blunder of a certain young man is not what the LORD had in mind when He inspired the psalmist to pen those words. Still, I can’t help but think of this verse every time I think about an incident that happened at my home one summer evening.

This is a true story –everything on this site is.

It so happened that my family and I, and a house full of guests, were wrapping-up a really awesome Bible study. Even the smallest of children were very much involved. Truthfully, I was always awed by the insight that small children have in spiritual matters, and even more awed by that simple, child-like faith that Scripture speaks of –-the kind of faith that would be put into action that night.

During prayer time, the men gathered around my husband and prayed for healing. He had injured his back and was hurting rather badly. Everyone in the study group knew that my beloved had already missed a great deal of work, and trusted that he would be healed and able to work again soon, but they didn’t realize that my husband’s employers don’t offer any paid sick days. Needless to say, we were really feeling the crunch of missing a few paychecks, but we didn’t mention it, knowing that some of those assembled would offer us money they could not afford to spare. None of our friends knew that there was no money for groceries that week.

Even so, one of the little girls, a precious three-year-old with the faith to move mountains, suddenly declared, in her cute little drawl, “Well, I’ll jus’ pray for Y’shua (Jesus) to give you some money.” And pray she did!

I’ve never seen the Lord answer prayer so fast. In no time at all, there was a commotion outside our house. Being closest to the door, I was the one to check it out. Without being too graphic, let me just say that a car full of drunken young men had parked out front and the driver, who was apparently afraid of having a potty accident in his car, decided to water our lawn instead. My timing was awful. Not only did I see what the young man was doing, my presence at the door gave him cause to behave even more indecently and obnoxious. Of course, I didn’t stick around for the show, so I didn’t see what happened next. Somehow, during all his stumbling, and fumbling with his clothes, he accidentally dropped a $100 bill.

After things quieted down, my boys went outside, which was highly unusual because we were getting ready to fellowship and nosh (snack). But my youngest son insisted that he needed a breath of fresh air and his brother wanted to join him. Normally, they would have gone out back, as we rarely use the front yard, but God had a plan, and we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).  Thus, the boys found the $100 bill almost immediately.

There is no doubt that the bill was dropped by the drunken young man; he came back to look for it later that night. Everyone had long since gone to bed when I heard the unfamiliar sound that caused me to look outside. The same young man, this time alone, had parked his car in the same spot as before, and was frantically searching for the money. However, before I could react, he staggered back to his car and drove away. I could not have returned the money even if I had wanted to.

I’m just guessing here, but once the young man realized what he had done, he probably regretted his lewd and irresponsible behavior. After all, $100 is a pretty big chunk of change to lose for such a foolish act. But this was a Proverbs 13: 22 moment; the young man was reaping from the seeds of iniquity he had sown, but my family, on the other hand, was able to go grocery shopping and pay a small bill.

Did I feel badly for the young man? Yes. But at the same time, I rejoiced in God’s provision. I would never have guessed in a million years that the LORD would have provided for my family in such a unique way, but perhaps God used that young man’s indecent behavior to provide for him as well. After all, valuable life-lessons, with their consequences, can be just as profitable to one man as a financial blessing is to another.

Dear reader, I pray that this will be a week of blessing for you as well, no matter your need, or how God chooses to get that blessing to you. May this be a week to expect the unexpected.

Posted in Devotional, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Inspirational, Money, Religion, Testimony, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Feeble Weeble

June 27, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

ezgif.com-resize

Like many of my tenacious, long-suffering friends, I’m a Weeble. If you are young enough that you’ve never listened to an eight-track tape or watched ABC’s After School Specials on television, you probably don’t have a clue what I’m talking about- in which case I will explain. Weebles™, created by the Hasbro Company in the 1970’s, started out as small egg-shaped toys that were made to look like people. Because they were weighted on the bottom, you could push them over but they popped right back up. Just about every child growing up in that era knew that “Weebles™ wobble but they don’t fall down.”

I keep that little motto tucked somewhere in my repository of coping techniques for those times when I am unexpectedly knocked down by life. I occasionally face problems with bulldog tenacity and say, “It’s going to take a lot more than that to keep me down- I’m a Weeble!”

I’m not always that unbending though; sometimes I am  more of a feeble Weeble; I still manage to get back up, just not as quickly or as easily. During those times I have to consciously remind myself that although my burdens may have weighed me down, I can choose to let that work for me, not against me.   In the same way that the heavily weighted portion of a Weeble toy  allows it to spring back up, the same principle can apply to us human Weebles.

How so? Our suffering usually causes us to rely upon God even more; I have even seen self-proclaimed atheists cry out to God when the burden was too heavy. It is human nature to allow our exceedingly heavy afflictions, and our heavy hearts, to knock us down. In this condition, it is never easy to get back up. Nevertheless, when we put our trust in God and His promises, we begin to see things in a whole new light. We begin to realize that: …this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17 NAS©1995).

Notice that it is eternal glory that is weighty (in a good way), not the affliction. The burden may knock us down for a short while, but understanding God’s incredible promises, like the one above, lightens our hearts. It is the contrast of this lightness in the midst of heaviness that gives all “feeble Weebles” the ability to  spring back up.

Paul is in no way trying to minimize the crushing blows that we all face in our lives from time-to-time time. Rather, he is reminding us that our afflictions are really not as devastating as we first perceive them to be when compared to the glory of eternity. In fact, our afflictions serve ultimately for our benefit.

Peter explains this well:

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold–though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (I Peter 1:7 NLT©2007)

Having said that, next time you are knocked-down by life’s blows, why not face that problem doggedly and say, “You can’t keep me down; I’m a Weeble.”
weeble father

 

[p.s.  You may or may not see advertisements following this post. Because Rays of Light is primarily an archived site, I haven’t yet paid to have the advertisements removed.  Any adverts that do appear are supposed to be appropriate for this site. However, please let me know if you encounter any that you find to be inappropriate or offensive, as I have absolutely no control of what is shown.  If any of you experience discomfort at any of the adverts, I will change this site to a non-advertising site.  Thank you for your understanding.]

 

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, Inspirational, Perserverance, Trials and Temptations, Weebles | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments »

Time For a Talk-About

April 13, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Someday, Lord willing, I would love to visit Australia to experience first-hand her rich culture, rugged beauty and unique wildlife. Of course, one of the most pleasant rewards of a trip to the ‘land down under’ would certainly be the informative chats I would have with the folks living there. Meeting people of other cultures and learning of their rich heritage is, in my opinion, both fascinating and rewarding.

Too bad all Americans don’t feel the same way. Our country is so culturally diverse that we need never board an airplane to “travel” to nearly every country in the world. Yet, all too often, folks never venture too far from their own little circle of family, friends and social groups; especially when doing so would place them outside their own cultural comfort zone. If only people understood that embracing others, despite any differences they may have, is a true blessing.

Let me tell you, for example, about my most recent talk-about. If that phrase is not familiar, it is because it is one of my own. Borrowing from the Australian “Walkabout,” I dubbed one of my purposeful pastimes as a “talk-about.”

Before I explain what a talk-about is, let me assure you that I was extremely introverted in my youth. People that know me well have trouble believing this, as I am quite the talker now, but I can only attribute my affable nature to the Grace of God and the many challenges He has helped me to overcome in my life.

So what is a talk-about? It’s not a gossip session, I can tell you that. Ephesians 4:29 warns: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths. But this Scripture goes on to explain that we should speak only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And thus, the idea for the talk-about was born.

Having noticed the obvious disregard people seem to have for each other these days, I purposed in my heart to make occasional trips to various stores in our area with no other intention than striking-up conversations, and letting others talk about whatever is on their mind. If the subject of God comes up, then all the better, but it is never my intention, on these quests to proselytize. Often times, a Christian can show the love of Jesus more by just listening, and showing concern for someone, than we can by thumping them over the head with our Bibles.

And now, back to my last talk-about. It so happened, I didn’t even feel like going; that was one of those times when the Lord was more interested in encouraging others than I was. Still I went, expecting to bless someone.

Truthfully, there have been days when people were very happy  that I conversed with them, but other days they reacted with anything from rudeness to contempt; or suspicion at the very least, as though I had an ulterior motive. My last talk-about was really a mixture of both.

The best of my encounters that evening was with a man I came upon in Aisle 7 that was loudly singing –yes singing right inside the store- “It’s a beautiful morning…” It did not matter to him that morning had long since passed, or that the remaining sunlight was obscured by dark rain clouds. And it didn’t matter that his wife, for whatever reason, looked mad as a hornet and glared at him with scrunched eyes, having her arms tightly folded, and lips pursed.

“Beautiful indeed!” I verbally agreed, “Even if it isn’t morning.”

At that he laughed, and we began to chat about nothing in particular. We enjoyed such a pleasant conversation that his wife soon joined in, having exchanged her frown for a beautiful smile. Whatever her previous concerns, they melted into peace. And finally, the two walked off, arm-in-arm.

This beautiful couple was as American as apple pie, but our lives were obviously as culturally contrasting as our skin colors. But that did not matter to any of us. We three stood there, in Aisle 7 just enjoying each other’s company, oblivious to the frigid indifference prevalent in today’s world.

Dear reader, should you ever decide to try a talk-about, it is not altogether different than the Australian “Walkabout.” Theirs “is not an aimless activity but a deliberate and focussed journey connecting Aboriginal people to their traditional lands and spiritual obligations.”¹

Similarly, the Christian walk is not aimless either. It too is a deliberate and focused journey striving to connect people –in this case, all people- to their traditional land (God’s kingdom) and spiritual obligations.

May I encourage you, therefore, to never let the opportunity to bless others with a kind word or two pass you by. You never know how a single, brief encounter might change a person’s mood, their day, or even their life. Remember, you are the only Bible that some folks will ever read.

Be blessed on your journey.

¹Tourism Australia 2013. http://www.media.australia.com/en-au/factsheets/default_1438.aspx

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, Fruit of the Spirit, Humility, Inspirational, Racism (anti), Religion | 1 Comment »

Hot Flashing

March 13, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

volcano

Granted, my life is dancing around the edges of its autumn season, but I haven’t quite reached the flash point yet –hot flashes, that is. Although, just the other night, I did get a taste of how awful that must be.

Surely, you have also experienced this kind of night at some point; a night spent riding the fever-and-chill rollercoaster. If so, you can sympathize with my frustration. Sleep was sporadic. About the time the mercury in my thermometer was about to pop, I would throw my blankets off, in agony. I was so hot, in fact, that my only relief was the overhead fan, which whirred quietly overhead despite the wintery chill of evening. But then, as quickly as my overly-fatigued body gave way to sleep, it awoke abruptly, shaking at the sudden coldness. And so it went, hour after hour, long into the early morning hours.

At one point, I lay there, clothes damp with sweat, thinking that the hot flashing part was surely similar to what my menopausal friends experienced all the time. I thought about the cartoon I had seen earlier that week. It featured three snow women, the first was sharing with her friend that, “Mildred,” who had melted into a puddle, had “just had a hot flash.” After which, I grumbled to my sleeping husband that I am NOT ready to start hot flashing. He didn’t hear me, of course, but I just thought he should know that I have firmly decided to skip the whole hot flashing thing altogether!

About that time, my thoughts took an entirely different turn; they somehow jumped to the third chapter of Revelation, where the Lord speaks, through John, to the church in Laodicea: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth (verses 15, 16).

I Guess I’m safe then, I lightheartedly reminded the Lord, because I am definitely hot –then cold –then hot –then cold ……….

Feverish humor aside, spiritual comfort is the very thing that the Lord warned His church to avoid. But I always wondered why He would prefer cold to lukewarm. I think Matthew Henry sums it up pretty well in his Whole Bible Commentary:

Lukewarmness or indifference in religion is the worst temper in the world. If religion is a real thing, it is the most excellent thing, and therefore we should be in good earnest in it; if it is not a real thing, it is the vilest imposture, and we should be earnest against it. If religion is worth any thing, it is worth every thing; an indifference here is inexcusable: Why halt you between two opinions? If God be God, follow him; if Baal (be God), follow him. Here is no room for neutrality. An open enemy shall have a fairer quarter than a perfidious neuter; and there is more hope of a heathen than of such. Christ expects that men should declare themselves in earnest either for him or against him.

Frankly, I would love to tell you that I am never lukewarm in my faith, but that just wouldn’t be honest. I don’t ever consider my faith to be ‘cold,’ but there are certainly times in my life when I feel as though my spiritual fervency comes in waves like menopausal hot flashes; and it is during those weak moments that I have to remind myself that I am NOT willing to tolerate hot flashing.

I’m sure that there are others who have felt the same way on occasion. In fact, one of King David’s prayers was, Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). David, who was a “man after God’s own heart,” was not ashamed to acknowledge his weaknesses and ask the Lord to rekindle his flame.

Dear reader, I pray that we are quick to do the same, so that our flame continues to burn brightly enough and consistently enough, that we are able to help those who walk in darkness to find their way!

God’s Flame

The candle’s flame extinguishes
in a pool of molten wax.
Likewise does my spirit dim
when time with God is lax.

Too often, while life is tugging,
God’s time is pushed aside,
till trials deal such crushing blows
that my faith is severely tried.

I can barely face another day
in difficult times like these,
until my strength is again restored
by time spent on my knees.

It is then my Father reaches out
with gentle outstretched hand.
“Though you’ve waned,” he says,
“I’ll give you strength to stand.

All you have to do my child
is praise Me with all your might.
Then I will reignite your flame
and thus restore your light.

Then I will take that light
and place it high upon a stand
so that hurting folks can see it
throughout this darkened land.

And they will know that it is I
who makes the darkness flee
from all who yield their heavy hearts
and put their trust in me.”

                                                                         God’s Flame © Susan Shimkovitz

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Peace, Preparedness, Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Strength, Zeal | 1 Comment »

“Danged ole Yankees”

February 26, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

civil war canon

“It’s them danged ole Yankees,” he grumbled while passing the phone to his “maw-ma.” Yankees? I was fairly certain we had just crossed the state line, but apparently we had involuntarily slipped into some kind of time warp in which the young man was arrogantly stuck more than one-hundred-twenty years in the past. Someone needs to inform him that the war is over and the slaves have been set free.

Come to think of it, some of us need to tell our adversary -that nasty, vindictive devil- the same thing. The war over humanity has already been won and we, his slaves, have already been set free.

Nevertheless, the devil and his cohorts refuse to acknowledge defeat; they are somewhat like the relentless kamikaze pilots of World War II. It has been said that even after proclamation of the war’s end, the kamikazes continued their suicide missions and destroyed several more Allied warships, with full knowledge that their country had already been overthrown and they had been ordered to stop attacking.

Indeed, the whole host of evil has already been defeated, yet they continue to attack humanity on every front. This accursed enemy, driven by fierce anger and hatred, unleashes their fury unceasingly against mankind despite this defeat. At present, God is allowing the adversary this latitude, but He has fully equipped His children to victoriously overcome every difficult challenge or circumstance that comes our way and to prevail over every attack of our dreaded foe.

Even so our faith, like a pendulum, often swings back and forth in the winds of adversity. One day we leap effortlessly over giant obstacles as if they were only small hurdles, only to stumble the very next day over the slightest uncertainties. Aware of our propensity towards weakness and inconsistency, our adversaries are lurking in the shadows, eagerly awaiting any, and every opportunity to kick us while we’re down.

We know in our hearts that God will never leave us nor forsake us for any reason. Still, if we’re not careful, we can sometimes allow circumstances to beat us down and weary us until we lose sight of the fact that God has already provided the way out. All we have to do is utilize it.

World War II provided an interesting example of this mental bondage. While the kamikazes were busy blowing-up ships, the Nazis were busy destroying lives. The concentration camp prisoners were so horrifically abused that they couldn’t grasp freedom even when offered. As part of their psychological studies, the Nazis placed some of the prisoners in front of a door which led to an open field and offered them the opportunity to walk through it. There were no guards behind the door, they said. And anyone who chose to walk through the door would continue on to freedom with absolutely no penalty; they would not even be pursued.

Of course the prisoners believed this was just another sadistic trick. Certain that they would be mowed- down by gunfire outside the door, the prisoners, like statuary, stood frozen in fear. In reality, the Nazis had told the truth. They were willing to allow prisoners to go free, but only because they were fully convinced that none would be brave enough to walk through that door.

Similarly, it is reported that many of the southern slaves were offered freedom towards the end of the Civil War, but like the Nazi’s prisoners, they were also mistrustful and therefore chose to continue in the confines of their slavery as well. I sometimes wonder how many of them gazed at some of their would-be liberators and quietly cursed those, “danged ole Yankees” because their minds had been poisoned by their cruel masters.

That’s a good picture of how the devil works. He poisons our minds with doubt. We know in our hearts that God is our liberator, but too often we allow overwhelming circumstances to deceive us into hopelessness. As a result, we fail to enter into the freedom that God has made available to us.

Nevertheless, presence of doubt doesn’t necessarily mean that we are without faith; sometimes we are simply in a season of weakness. In those times, when you can’t quite muster the strength to fight life’s battles on your own, it is important to seek others who are willing to stand in the gap – those who will go to battle for you. Likewise, if you are in a season of strong faith, please encourage your fellow man and spiritually fight on his or her behalf. We need each other.

Toward the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln gave an address to the nation. Though it was delivered to the battle weary citizens of 1865, we would do well to heed his advice. He said:

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan-to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”– Abraham Lincoln
Second Inaugural Address March 4, 1865

 

[archived post 2010]

Posted in Devotional, Faith, Spiritual Strength, Victory | 2 Comments »

“Epically Amazing” Victories

February 13, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

She bounced up and down with such zeal, that buckets of powdery red dirt flew from her clothing onto my freshly scrubbed floors. “That was EPICALLY AMAZING!” she whooped. My precious athlete looked as though she had worn half of the softball field home, but nothing new there. She was scraped-up a bit too. Typical mom that I am, I hurt for her when she comes home with even the slightest injuries, but she never gives them a second thought because she learned a long time ago that victory has a price.

Disappointed that I couldn’t be there, I listened intently as she joyfully recounted her triple play, stolen bases and especially her “killer” dive into second base. Her team happened to “smoke” the opponents this time, but my daughter always has great sportsmanship win or lose. To her, the real victory is not in the scoreboard, but in the challenge of getting out there in the heat of the battle and giving it her all, knowing that if she does her best, she is a winner no matter what. I only hope that she will remember to keep the same attitude during her roughest battles in life.

After her play-by-play, my daughter ran off to shower. I remembered all the dirt that she would be washing off (because the shower was freshly scrubbed too) and thought about the refreshing that comes after a hard-earned victory.

This led me to reminisce about some of my own past victories. To be honest, I’m about as athletic as a three-legged elephant, and equally agile, but I know what it’s like to face life’s battles and triumph victoriously against all odds. If you have read my testimony, His Invisible Hand, you will know that I encountered God in an incredible, supernatural way, which has caused me to have great faith. Consequently, there have been certain battles which I conquered with barely a sweat broken. Other battles were not quite as easy. I walked away from some of those feeling injured and weary, needing much healing and reassurance afterward.

Still other battles raged in my life with such unrelenting ferocity that I stumbled, and questioned whether my faith was enough. I am being completely honest with you in admitting that one such battle nearly destroyed me, even as a believer. Had it not been for my loving, super-supportive husband, I might’ve stopped trusting God to see me through that particular battle.

I reminded God of His promise that He works all things together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. And then I adamantly insisted that “nothing good could ever come of this situation, never!” (Disclaimer: arguing with God, can be harmful to your spiritual health.)

Thankfully, I was wrong! Terribly wrong! It took me more than five years, but I was finally able to see how much good actually did come from that big, ugly mess. And, it took me that much time to wash away the grimy bondage which resulted from the deep wounds incurred. The people that wronged me (beyond belief) have never apologized nor changed their behavior in any way that I am aware of, but God used the situation to change me. He made me a far better and exceedingly stronger person.

I’m sharing this today because I have so many friends that are going through some pretty epic battles; perhaps you are too. You might even be feeling hopeless and doubt whether or not you have the faith to keep up the fight.

Let me encourage you that it is in your weakness that God makes you strong. It is in your failures that you learn to succeed. And it is in the face of overwhelming battles that you will face your most epically awesome victories. Remember, victory comes at a price. It may be a high price, but your Father in Heaven will never leave you or forsake you and He is, even now, stepping up to the plate on your behalf.

[archived post 2010]

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, God's Goodness, Victory | Leave a Comment »

Knights in Daze

January 22, 2013 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Photo: © Jørgen Erik Christensen

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:13).

Like any good soldier, I put my armor on daily –at least most of it- but this old armor is dented, scratched and tarnished from battle. Come to think of it, so is my husband’s. I can only look back with amusement to those long-ago days when I, like most foolish schoolgirls, dreamt of my very own knight in shining armor whisking me away to the land of happily ever-after.

My knight did finally come along –and he was tall, dark and handsome- but his armor was certainly not fancy or impressive. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Yes, I could have settled for some dazzling knight in shining armor. Nevertheless, by the time my would-be husband entered my life I had matured enough to realize that true warriors were experienced in battle and their armors were well-worn. The Lord had sent me a man who was quiet and unpretentious on the outside but spiritually robust inwardly. I knew that whatever battles we would face in life, my rugged knight would be up for the fight.

That is not to say, however, that we have never been injured in battle. The Bible says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, the battles we face are often arduous and exhausting, leaving us battle-weary and dazed.

Consequently, putting on the full armor of God is absolutely essential if we are to overcome these forces. Scripture instructs us to put on the armor so that we can withstand (resist) in the evil day, having done all, to stand. The Greek word for stand, pronounced his’-tay-mee, is speaking of abiding in steadfast faithfulness.

In other words; if we clothe ourselves in our spiritual armor each day -which is truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation- we will be equipped to overcome every battle –never faltering in our relationship with the Lord and never retreating from His service.

The whole concept of medieval knights has been greatly glamorized over time, but in reality the average knight, although well-respected, rarely achieved the fame and status that modern legend has portrayed. Though born of nobility, they were very hard-working soldiers who were trained in battle from the earliest days of their youth. They devoted their entire lives to serving their lords and protecting the general populace, laying down their own lives when necessary. The knights of old, like soldiers of Christ, never retreated from service.

Furthermore, the average knight rarely wore a shining, unblemished armor. Those who did were generally the lazy, uncaring men who flaunted their wealth and self-professed superiority. These men loved to don their most elaborate armor and participate in exhibition events. Not much has changed. There are a lot of folks walking around in shiny spiritual armor. They may look the part, but I would much rather be surrounded by the soldiers in God’s army whose armors show signs of use.

Why? Because there are times when I need other warriors to fight on my behalf. Sometimes “I drop my sword and cry for just awhile, ‘cause deep inside this armor, the warrior is a child. Unafraid because His armor is the best, but even soldiers need a quiet place to rest…” (Twila Paris song, The Warrior is a Child)

What about you? Do you feel that life’s battles have left you battle-weary and dazed? Jesus lovingly admonished: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

The seasons of rest we now enjoy may be temporary, but always remember, someday soon the Lord will return to whisk us all away to the land of happy ever-after. I can hardly wait. Till then, I plan to keep this battered old armor; it has served me well.

Posted in Armor of God, Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, God's Provision, Preparedness, Spiritual Strength, Victory | 5 Comments »

Broken Shard (A Holiday Gift)

December 10, 2012 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Photo: Rodney Dodig
Cahuachi-Pottery-Shards

Through the years, I have given a unique end-of-the-year gift to those who could use an extra word of hope or encouragement.

This year, I invite you, dear reader, to share this same gift if you like. Simply print the following poem on an appropriate holiday paper (letter size), fold using a business fold and insert into a decorated envelope with a shard of broken pottery. There you have it, a thoughtful, non-traditional gift which will (hopefully) be a blessing to others. (Thank you for including the copyright information.)

From our Heart to Yours

You may think it odd that we give you
this little piece of broken clay;
but we give it with sincerest hearts,
and this is what we pray:

We pray that as you hold this little shard
gently in your outstretched palm,
you will remember that Jesus, in the same way,
holds the world and brings us calm.

Yes, you may have had moments of shattering
throughout the year, or years, gone past;
and you may have felt a bit like this shard of clay–
broken from a vessel that just didn’t last.

You may even feel that this busy holiday season
leaves you feeling weary and broken;
thus we pray you have the genuine peace
of which Jesus, Himself, has spoken.

For He not only holds the world in His hands,
He lovingly cradles each human soul,
gathers-up each broken shard
and makes us completely whole.

After all, our Lord is a masterful potter;
He only needs one small, surrendered part
with which to re-create a beautiful vessel
and restore a broken heart.

Knowing this, we pray for you the very best–
a season of abundant health and cheer;
relaxation and restoration;
abundant blessing throughout the coming year.

As Jesus’ return quickly approaches,
may you find great strength in each passing day;
that you may become all He wants you to be.
This is what we pray.

                                           ©Susan Shimkovitz 2001

Posted in Brokenness, Chanukkah, Christmas, Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Holidays, Inspirational, Peace, Poetry, Spiritual Strength | Leave a Comment »

Shouting, “Jesus!”

October 31, 2012 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

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!

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

A brief hello

October 9, 2012 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Greetings to you all.

Although I have taken some time off from posting due to a health issue, I am anxious to share my heart with you all once again.  Thus, I am writing this brief note to let you know that both Rays of Light and Polished Pearls will be returning sometime this week.  Till then, may God bless you all.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

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