Tag Archives: Spirituality

March 25, 2015 · 6:08 pm

God’s Delay on Answering Prayers is no Delay

I had just left my house and was on my way to a walk-in lab for some extensive blood tests the new doctor I began seeing required. I talked to the Lord about my level of frustration, concern, and anxiety over my health issues. As I always do when I drive, I turned on Moody Radio Station KMBI 107.9.  Within a few minutes a new program came on. I’m not even sure which program it was or who the person was, but he was talking about the death of Lazarus, and his sisters’ frustration that Jesus had showed up too late to heal their dying brother.

 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21

I was surprised by what came on next.  The man on the radio said these words: Continue reading →

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December 13, 2014 · 12:32 am

CHRISTMAS: To Celebrate or Not?

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I’ve given Christmas a lot of thought this year as there’ve been articles circulating Facebook and the internet for several months about Christmas being a pagan holiday that originated with the celebration of the birth of a sun god, and that the Catholics broke away from the Roman pagan sun-god roots and declared December 25th a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus instead. And much more. (I apologize for this being a little long, it’s a complicated subject.)

Then there’s the one of a tree taken from the forest and being covered with silver and gold. Of course, most think of Christmas trees, tinsel, ornaments, etc. I read those verses before in Jeremiah 10:3-5 and looked them up again. It speaks of the god(s) of that culture, a wooden statue carved in the image of a being or an animal then literally overlaid with melted silver or gold, and Ta-dah, it’s a god! (Insert tongue in cheek here) These carved images were actually worshiped. I agree, if I did that with a tree, or anything, I would definitely offend God.

I do understand the articles. People who write them have strong convictions and I don’t hold that against them whatsoever as I have my own strong convictions. That being said, I’ve been trying not to rationalize Christmas, but rather weigh out the celebration of Christmas as Jesus’ birthday against not celebrating it at all, and took a close look at what Christmas means to me. Continue reading →

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October 2, 2014 · 11:58 pm

The Locked Gate

imageLife is just like this sometimes. Our path goes smoothly for a while then suddenly there is a locked gate ahead looming large before us, a blockage in our path that won’t allow us to pass without stepping way out of our comfort zone and making some sort of sacrifice. In life we can’t exactly go back to what life was before we arrived at the locked gate; we have three choices. We either give up, or sit by the locked gate and hope someone with the key will show up soon, or we must get uncomfortable, sweaty, messy, and possibly wet. We must get out of our cozy place and get to a place where things are out of sync with our earthly comfort and understanding to get around the locked gate. Continue reading →

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September 16, 2014 · 2:32 pm

Overlooked Everyday Miracles

imageEvery day we walk past the miracles. They are everywhere, all around us, but we barely notice because we are inundated by hurries and worries. And each day, these miracles beg us to recognize them and praise their Creator.

“Look!” In their splendid array of shades and allure, flowers call for our attention.

“Observe us,” every animal, bird, and insect cries out, each with its own unique design and character.

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“What about us?” the fantastic, mesmerizing undersea world beckons.

“Gaze at us,” the stars speak through their brilliance.

In their silent beauty, the majestic mountains, seascapes, and sky remind us they are worthy of our appreciation.

“We are each ingeniously and resourcefully placed on earth for His, and for your, pleasure,” they seem to say. Continue reading →

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August 22, 2014 · 5:54 pm

In the Potter’s Hand

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This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:  “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”  So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.  But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:1-5

Feel like a marred pot?

That you have made so many poor choices that you are beyond hope?

That nothing can make you worthy in the eyes of God?

I have those moments too.

In the verses above God makes a point, using the potter Jeremiah watches, the pot is not conforming under the potter’s hands. What makes the pot flawed we don’t know but we are told that the potter had to re-form the pot into “another pot shaping it as seemed best to him.” Continue reading →

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August 3, 2014 · 6:10 pm

Even God Knows Relationships Are Messy

imageWhen I was a teen I was very curious about love as it was a foreign concept in my home.

At home, the word, meaning, or idea was never ever discussed… far from it. Life there was a string of harsh criticism and heartache.

In my mid-teens I became enamored with the newspaper comic strip called “Love Is.” I carefully cut out each little square and taped it inside my bedroom closet door along with the rest of my collection of Love Is comic strips trying to make sense of what love really meant. I gazed longingly at the little figures; their messages of love seemed so ideal.

I wanted their harmonious, altruistic, and thoughtful ways to be part of my life also.

I genuinely thought these little people represented the true example of love and relationship, and that anything else proved to be lack of love, something to run from. Continue reading →

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July 17, 2014 · 12:21 am

Find Rest in Him

 

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There is someone who loves you enough to not only help you unpack,

but to take your heavy burden off your shoulders and back…

God Continue reading →

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July 17, 2014 · 12:04 am

A Word of Appreciation to God

imageDear God,

Thank You for the stunning world You have given us to live in.

There are countless delightful colors and sounds everywhere we turn.

Your imagination exceeds that of any artist or sculptor,

yet You placed a portion of Yourself in us. Continue reading →

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April 18, 2014 · 4:23 pm

Mission Accomplished

imageWhat are the final words of a tortured, dying man who has just accomplished his great mission?

                            “It is finished.”

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 NIV

Those words alone should be enough to tell us that Jesus died on that cross for a planned purpose.

For 32 years I have suffered from chronic pain off and on because of multiple car accidents. Blinding migraines that give me the sensation of my skull being crushed and an icepick stabbed in my eye (usually left eye), neck aches that feel like I have a screwdriver pushed into the lower back part of my skull, and low back aches that feel anywhere from like my back is on fire to sharp sciatica Charlie horses that last for months.  Too often the pain has been so excruciating, that I cannot imagine dying hurting any more.  If I was to die from the torturous pain I described above, I seriously doubt  “It is finished.” would be my final words.

Those were Jesus’ words because He accomplished what He was sent on earth to do.  Humanity owed a debt to God we had no means with which to repay.  Jesus’ assignment on earth was to be God’s redeeming payment on our behalf.  And He followed through with it; Jesus paid our debt.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13  Jesus’ death was the proof of God’s love for us.

Please let us remember that Jesus’ dying words were for our sakes. Let’s remember that this weekend in humble adoration to the King of kings and Lord of Lords.

Continue reading →

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March 8, 2014 · 5:38 pm

Kindness Matters

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Recently, I was with a good-sized group of ladies. As people talked about their heart-wounds it made me realize that extreme pain and anguish are everywhere. One can drive down any street past rows of houses, and believe it- it’s a sure thing that just about every house is inhabited by at least one or two deeply wounded souls. Continue reading →

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