When I Walked with Sorrow

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

I have to admit, after enduring heartaches, prayer comes more naturally, more of a conversation with my Heavenly Father than prayer. I count my blessings, taking none of them for granted. I rely on God first, rather than myself, turning to prayer before anything else.

Sorrow has also given me more understanding and compassion for those living through similar situations. One devotional suggested those who have gone before should reach back and offer encouragement to those behind them. We didn’t walk those dark paths and deep canyons of heartache alone, and neither will they. Jesus promised he’d never leave us or forsake us.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 emphasizes that everything has its own time appointed by God. A time for joy and a time for sorrow. A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. I’m fortunate to be in a time of joy and a time of planting.

I don’t doubt I will walk with sorrow again. But until then, I am thankful for the blessings of this moment.

My heart and prayers go out to those who are experiencing hardship and sorrow. May God bless them with strength. May he send encouragers. Amen.

 

 

As Yourself

Original photo by the author 

On my last venture out for necessities, people pushed passed me with one, and sometimes two, overflowing carts. Empty shelves forced me to adjust my list to the barest needs. A few of my fellow shoppers were friendly. Others glared or wouldn’t look at me at all. It was easy to determine who my physical neighbors were, and who had come from out of the area. A fact an employee in our local Costco revealed. People were driving two hours or more to other areas to bypass the one-per- customer limit on high demand products.

I overheard one woman tell a friend, “I’m only buying what I need.” Her friend replied. “Not me, I’m buying more than I need.”

Shocked and angry, I glared at a woman in the parking lot with two carts overflowing with paper products. She even had the audacity to display a Christian symbol on the back of her car.

Other Christians proclaimed they would attend services regardless of the recommendation to keep all gatherings to less than ten. Never mind the health risk to themselves and others. God would protect them.

Where was the love for our neighbor?

In answer to this, I saw news reports about Angel Shoppers, college students shopping for the elderly. Another story told about police officers offering to go through drive-up windows and purchase food for truck drivers. I even heard of people donating hand sanitizers and toilet paper to those who had none.

Mrs. Rodgers was right. In a time of crisis, look for the helpers. They are always there, quietly helping others, living out their Christian faith.

In the words of St. Paul, “Put on, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience. Bearing with one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But above all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection: And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3: 12-15.

I may not be hoarding, but my thoughts were not charitable toward others. What if the woman with the fish symbol on her car wasn’t hoarding but buying for the homebound?

After the chastisement came the encouragement.

As my son and I were talking about the radical changes in our lives, and how some changes may persist long after this crisis, a rainbow appeared outside my front window. No sun visible anywhere among the dark clouds, but still it shone, reminding me of God’s love, compassion, and promises.

A friend posted Psalm 27:14 on a social media site. “Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.” Those simple words have carried me through many, many dark nights.

Another passage which offers encouragement during these uncertain times: “Consider the lilies…” Luke 12: 27. No amount of worry will change anything. If God can fill twelve baskets from a few fishes and loaves of bread, He can stretch half empty wallets and shelves too.  (See my post, Lillies, as an example of one of His miracles.)

My devotion, Good Morning, Lord, reminded me to become like a child, confident in God’s love, regardless of my circumstances.

Lord, thank you for your rainbows and lilies and give me faith to trust you in all things. Amen.

What Next?

Photo by Free Photos from Pixabay

That question has been on my mind for the last few weeks. What should I write after I publish the last book in my series? I have several story ideas in mind, none of them in the same genre as the series. Are they what I should write?

The Lions and Lamb series had a purpose. The stories allowed me to share some of my personal experiences while highlighting certain criminals and their crimes. The other stories would be different and not considered Christian like the series.
I prayed for guidance.

Odd coincidences began with Sunday services. First, the opening song was Lion and Lamb. The next song mentioned the African plains. God had my attention, but what was the message?

Today, Good Morning, Lord by Joseph T. Sullivan, had this:

Inspiration

Good Morning, Lord.
Thank you for all the creative people in our world, artists of all kinds: 

sculptors, authors, songwriters, painters, musicians, architects.
They can pick up our spirits and carry us away from the humdrum and routine; 

they can lead us to nobler thoughts.
Help them to use their talents for the noble, the inspiring, the uplifting.
They have such enormous capability for good; their collective influence is powerful.
Inspire them with your creative spirit, Lord.
Help them to show us how to look up at the stars, not down at the mud and the puddles. 

Amen. 

If I doubted the message, my devotional, Living Faith, added this by Elizabeth Duffy: “… try to be governed by those who can still look at the stars at night…”

Those words reminded me of a dream I had a few months before my second husband passed away. Jesus told me I would never look at the stars alone. Now I understand that not only will I not be alone, I am to bring others with me by offering inspiration and hope through my writing and my art. The subject doesn’t matter as long as it glorifies him.

And God Sent Rainbows….

Image by Albrecht Fietz @Pixabay

I mentioned in several earlier posts how rainbows have offered encouragement and hope whenever I have a health crisis. They popped up again this last week when I wrenched my hip. Unable to walk without horrendous pain, I called my doctor.

After an exam she concluded it was most likely bursitis. She gave me a steroid injection and sent me for x-rays to be sure there wasn’t anything amiss.

The x-ray showed an anomaly on my hip and she referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. Knowing bone cancer is often secondary to breast cancer, fear took up residence and refused to leave no matter how much I prayed and reminded myself my cancer had not metastasized. I had not needed chemo or radiation treatment, nor any follow up medications. I was in the clear, but the idea took root and wouldn’t go away.

Rainbows appeared on social media and Psalm 27, verses 1-2, 13-14 was listed in my devotions. “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.”

I latched onto the words, in the land of the living, and tried not to worry.

A friend recommended the book, Noah Primeval (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 1), a fictionalized account of the story of Noah and the flood. References to rainbows once again.

The day of my appointment, Genesis 9:12-13 was listed among my readings. “And God said, this is the sign of the covenant which I give between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations. I will set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between me and between the earth.”

Covenant. Promise.

God was reminding me of His promises.

I went to my appointment believing I’d hear good news.

After studying my x-ray and giving me a thorough exam, my surgeon felt my primary doctor was right. It was a strained or pulled muscles which would heal given time.

Still, in the back of my mind, I wondered about the abnormality on the x-ray was. My surgeon didn’t know what is was, but reiterated he wasn’t concerned. I am sure he has enough experience and knowledge to make that decision.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Psalm 23 was in my readings this morning.

I don’t deserve these beautiful signs of encouragement, but I am so very thankful God sends them anyway. But then, His love isn’t conditional.

Thank you, Lord, for your unconditional love and patience. Amen.

Wobbling

My husband and I have not lived in a house for more than three years. When he started looking at homes this spring, I set down parameters. The new home had to be spectacular — and our last — or I wasn’t budging. 

Well, I’ve agreed to move. He found our dream home, a little slice of country living close to amenities and lots of outdoor recreation — two hours and another city away. None of that mattered when I stepped inside. Home. The word settled in my heart. This would be our last move.

However, as the challenges of selling and buying rose, I wobbled, terrified we wouldn’t pull this one off. 

I turned to my devotions for encouragement.

Living Faith for July 14^th quoted Genesis 46:3. “God said to him [Jacob], I am the most mighty God of thy father: fear not, go down into Egypt, for I will make a great nation of thee there.”

Fitting words considering the new house is south of us. 

The devotion also listed Psalm 37: 3-4, 39-40: “Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches. Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart… But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble. And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.”

Another reading quoted Psalm 91: 1-4, 14-15: “He that dwells in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob. He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust. For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word. He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust… Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name. He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.”

If that wasn’t enough, the Gospel reading was from Matthew 10: 29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.”

In the future, I hope I won’t wobble when faced with a mountain of challenges, but the flesh is weak, no matter how determined the spirit. Thankfully, God has infinite patience, compassion, and resources to rescue me — even from myself.  

Divine Orchestration

 Image courtesy of [nuttakit] at FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

They say, never borrow trouble from tomorrow, today has more than enough. I believe that, yet sometimes the prospect of things in the not-so-distant future can add to today’s burdens, regardless of my efforts not to add to my bank account of worry.

One of these issues is writing. It’s a tough business. Writing is hard work and then not everyone will like what I write. I am fortunate not to have any negative reviews of my first book – yet.  I know it isn’t perfect, but could I go back and improve it? Of course. Should I? I don’t know. 

One reader suggested it could be more powerful if I revised it. But, is it good enough as it stands? As Kristen Lamb said, “You will never write the perfect book.” All I can think to do is pray for discernment on whether to revisit that work now, or after I launch my next book, or just let it lie.

Another issue is actually this blog. The day job keeps me away from home eleven hours a day, and doesn't leave much time for anything, let alone writing or spending quality time with my husband. A few of my followers contacted me recently. They comment how much they looked forward to my posts – and miss them. After some reflection, I realized I missed writing them.

These are my meditations on divine subjects, among other things, and are often a reiteration of His encouragement and promises. I haven’t been spending as much time with Him as I should. Yet, how do I balance this with writing novels? As I have stated in Lions, Why I Write, I need to write. But, how?