An Anchor for the Soul

Anyone referring to the “patience of Job” must have skipped some pages while reading the book of Job. Job lost everything—his children, his possessions, and his health. In his great suffering, he questioned God quite sternly.

“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” (Job 7:11

Trials come.

The unthinkable happens. The unbearable lands on our doorstep. We get the news or the call no one ever wants to receive. Tragedy hits with a blow that knocks not only the breath out of us but the life out of us too. Our hearts break so much that they physically hurt.

It is tempting in those times to turn our backs on God, to blame Him, and to be angry. How can a loving God allow such terrible things to happen to good people—people who serve Him, who love Him with their whole hearts?

Let Your Emotions Out.

Scream, jump up and down, gnash your teeth, cry, punch something, throw axes, target practice with an AR. There have been times in these last 10 months since my 21-year-old son, Bradley, died in a freak skateboard accident, that I have wanted to do all that–sometimes all at once.

I have learned that it’s okay to let God know. He can take my anger, my frustration, my hurt, my despair, my brokenness, my sorrow, all of it. In fact, He is the only one who can do anything about it. Though still hard, He can help me bear it.

The Lord Is Faithful.

The Lord shows us patience and love, and brings healing to our bodies and our hearts. His best comfort for Job was His presence, and the Bible says He brought more than total restoration to Job’s life. I still don’t quite understand because Job lost his children. But the Bible says it, so I believe it. Only God.

No matter what His children go through, God is always there for us. If we will trust and lean on Him, we can receive His unimaginable comfort in our worst pain. I have experienced His peaceful presence that is beyond all comprehension in the midst of the greatest storm of my life, losing my child. Truly, peace is not the absence of the storm, but the presence of Jesus in the storm.

Step Out of the Boat.

I’m reminded of Peter, who often gets a bum rap. He is remembered for taking his eyes off Jesus while walking on the water in the storm. Peter took a step of faith that the other disciples were afraid to. He got out of the boat. They missed the blessing of walking on the stormy sea while, eyes locked, Peter felt the presence of the Master and what it meant to be totally held by Him. That has to be one of the most intimate experiences of Jesus with a human during His time on earth.

God’s Got You.

God is sovereign. Words cannot describe His love. He knows about suffering and understands about losing a son. He gave His only Son Jesus to die a painful death in our place.

I know that Bradley was truly always God’s and never ours, and on November 10, 2021, He took Bradley home to live in Paradise with Him in eternal bliss and joy. Scott and I were blessed to be Bradley’s parents for the 21 years that he was on this earth. As his grave marker reads, he is “a wild-at-heart adventurer now home safe in the arms of Jesus.” This truth gives me peace. One fine day I will see my Jesus in Glory and be reunited with Bradley and my parents too.

The Journey Home Continues.

Until then, the storms of life are always raging. As I submerge myself now with life and serving my Lord; in my peripheral vision, I see hideous clouds of a monster storm swirling as the days of Fall come and the anniversary of Bradley’s death approaches. Soon after will come the painful holidays with Brad’s empty chair and without his hugs and laughter and his “helping” me in the kitchen. Then will come year two. Moms who have walked my journey tell me that year two is worse than year one. How can that possibly be?

The Anchor Holds.

I love the old prayer hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. In a support group meeting last night, I was reminded of this part of the prayer that sings such hope directly into my heart.

“Oh, to grace how great a debtor, Daily I’m constrained to be.
Let Thy goodness like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.”

A fetter is a leg shackle like a prisoner might wear. I fully realize that I desperately need Jesus to hold me fast to Him. My strength alone is not enough to anchor me. The only way I can survive and walk the rest of the stormy journey chosen for me will be in the peaceful presence of my Jesus, eyes locked, being held completely by the One who loves me most. My Jesus.

Hebrews 6:19-20 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf… 

Are you hurt? Are you angry? Do you feel like having a Job Chapter 7 conversation with God? I promise you He can take it. He loves you like no other. Has He provided you peace that passes all understanding and strength for your journey? Please share your comments, experiences, observations, and encouragement for our readers.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blog post today. May God hold you close through the storms of life, and bless you continually with His love, mercy, and grace. Till Jesus comes to get us or we go to Him, let us cling with all our might to the hope that we profess for He who promised is faithful. (Heb. 10:23)

My Thanksgiving Blog This Year: My Son Bradley’s Last Day

November 10, 2021 was a beautiful, sunny Fall day. I am positive my son, Bradley, woke up that morning with a song in his heart. If I know him, it was probably something like Southern Nights by Glenn Campbell (one of his favorites). I am sure he was singing in the shower that morning, loudly and joyfully.

He was thankful he had the day off. He was thankful his honey, Georgia, did too. They made plans to spend time together that afternoon, eating (of course, which was his favorite thing to do), and skateboarding. Then at 6:00 pm, they were planning to go to East Pickens Baptist Church to join me to pack Operation Christmas Child boxes. He was excited about that too.

On their way to Joe’s in Easley, he and Georgia stopped by the house. It was out of their way, but Bradley wanted to come, and see if I was home. I am so thankful that he did. His visit that day was such a blessing that will bring joy and comfort to me for the rest of my life.

Around 3:00pm, I was sitting at the island in my kitchen having a phone conversation with a young woman about our women’s mentoring program when he burst through the door. He started loudly, “Hey, Mama, what’s up?” I smiled and immediately put my finger to my mouth to shush him while I finished up. 

He stood there grinning by my refrigerator, arms crossed, rocking out and back with an excitement he couldn’t contain. The second I hung up, he stomped through my kitchen with arms open wide, threw them around me and gave me one of his huge bear hugs that I have come to love so much. During the hug, he continued his rocking back and forth with me in step. He was so alive and happy.

I said, “I thought you were coming tomorrow while I have Levi.” Levi is my 5-month-old precious grandson and Bradley’s only nephew. He said, “I decided to come today too.” He told me he loved me so much, and I told him the same back. He said that he and Georgia were headed to Easley. He was just beaming. He was the happiest I have seen him in a while.

We chatted a minute, then I wanted to go see Georgia who was waiting in the car. He bragged on her skateboard being a Cadillac. He told me his was worn out. I looked at it, and sure enough it had a small crack in the tip of it. I fussed that he didn’t need to ride it. He quickly dismissed with an “it’ll be all right” comment, then changed the subject. He was joking and teasing with me about him and Georgia crashing on my couch and watching movies. I said that would be great with me, as long as they didn’t mind me working while they did.

He went into the house again to use the restroom while I continued to talk with Georgia outside on the beautiful Fall day. Then we heard a loud musical noise. He was banging chords on my piano so loudly in the house that we could hear it outside. We both died laughing. He was so happy. He came back outside and told me he had had a great talk with his brother, Taylor, the night before. He said, “I love that boy.” I said, “You know he loves you too!”

He gave me one more hug, told me he would see me tomorrow and was excited to come play with Levi. As they drove off, I watched them and remember thinking, “What a sweet visit!”. We had had many encounters through his life that were not that great. But they day was different. I could tell he was happy to the soles of his feet. He had finally found the love of a wonderful woman in Georgia, and it gave him a spring in his step and an indescribable joy. He was enjoying life to the fullest that day. Usually he cranked the radio to the max, but that day they just talked all the way to town. I am so glad they had that time.

They went to Joe’s in Easley where he had a chili cheeseburger, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, with half and half. He was a “with and all the way” kind of guy.  She giggled through lunch and he laughed so loud the whole restaurant heard him I’m certain. Then they stopped into the Uncle Sam’s Antique Store across from the police station before going to the Doodle Trail to skate.

They entered the Trail across from the Easley Police Department and carried their skateboards to the top of the hill. They passed Danny Merck, Superintendent of Pickens County Schools, who was there praying his usual Lord’s prayer and other prayers for the county and the children in the schools that he does every week on the Trail. He told me later that Bradley was making Georgia laugh walking passed him up the hill.

Side by side, Bradley and Georgia hopped on their boards. Bradley on the right, Georgia on the left. They started down the hill. He took off quickly, but she was a little more timid and realized she probably couldn’t do the hill. Her board was wobbling a bit. She didn’t ride as much as Bradley, and was a little unsure. She jumped off and chased her board as it bumped the left curb of the trail. She then looked down the hill to see Bradley fall and tumble. He hit his head. The ambulance arrived and took off with him. My Bradley went into cardiac arrest shortly after they got him into the ambulance. They worked on him for a long time, but could never get him back. The Lord came for him on the way to the hospital that day.

I know that he skated down that hill and skidded sideways in a cloud of smoke into Heaven. I am sure he was shouting “Wow, what a ride!” Then I can envision him grabbing Jesus in a bear hug and laughing the loudest laugh he ever laughed, and I know he has been laughing with joy unimaginable ever since.

He is in Heaven today because of one simple decision he made in the midst of all the battles with the devil in his life.  He accepted Christ as his personal Savior. Our hearts are crushed because we have to try to figure out how to live in a world that has no Bradley. I mourn him, and our grandchildren he probably would have had if he had lived. Georgia mourns the future they were planning. God’s grace has been amazing for us all as we have gotten by one minute at a time. I praise God that Bradley made that one simple decision that changed everything. We will see him again. Sweet memories and that promise is what we have to cling to with each other. God’s grace is enough.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

The Lord has been so close to me during this time, and the Holy Spirit has met me with encouragement each morning since Bradley has been gone. He has reminded me that eternity is endless. Nothing can be added to something that never ends. So Bradley has lost nothing of time because he will live forever.

God is sovereign and Bradley’s life was completely fulfilled in 21 years. He finished his test, and I am certain the Lord told him, “Well done my good and faithful servant!” This revelation from the Lord has greatly comforted me in these last two weeks. It challenges me to want to arrive in Heaven like Bradley did, hearing the same sweet words from my Jesus. I will spend the rest of my life sharing about what God did for Bradley, and what God did for me through Bradley. I am so blessed to have been chosen to be this precious young man’s mother.

Our lives are a test. It is about making the decision to live forever or not through accepting or rejecting Christ’s precious gift of His blood-shed sacrifice on the cross for us. The only thing that really matters in our lives is that we make that one simple decision. Abundant life is also about surrendering to the Lord, and doing all we can for Him while we are here—telling others about His saving grace and love.

The only thing that will live forever will have Christ in it. I praise God that Christ’s love was firmly planted and thriving in Bradley’s heart. He only had 21 years, but that was enough time for him to accept Christ, and now he is in glory.

The last pictures that Bradley took were in the antique store before he died. All the pictures from that shop seem surreal and certainly remarkable. The very final one speaks to me so loudly and brings me great peace, and is the main picture for this blog. The first thing at the left edge of the picture is the old clock. You cannot see the time on the top. That is significant to me because of the hope the Lord shared with me that this life does not add to eternity. Time doesn’t matter. The light in the center of the picture is amazing.

I went back to the shop this Tuesday. I stood where Bradley stood when he made that picture. The bright light in the center of the photo seems to be coming from a reflection. I wanted to see what reflected that light and buy that item.  There is nothing there to reflect it. It seems to be a vertical rectangle and the only thing there is a small rack of glass shelves that could not possibly reflect that shape or hold anything that could.

I asked the store owner what he thought was reflecting that light. He said probably a car from outside the window. If you study the photo, you will see that there is a kettle on the front wall of the shop that shows that it was not coming from a parked car outside. The streams of light don’t go in the direction of the windows suggesting the light source was from outside. Could it be an angel that was lingering near my boy for that last hour? Or is it a door into Heaven? I don’t know, but the picture gives me peace that he and Georgia were not alone when he died. It also affirms that it was his time and nothing could have changed that. 

This Thanksgiving, tell those you love that you love them. In Bradley’s honor, please give them a bear hug. You never know when you are with them for the last time. Life is so fragile. Choose Christ during your short opportunity to do so to insure you can have endless life in Heaven with Jesus. Do all you can for Christ while you are here.

We have so much to be thankful for even in the midst of our sorrow. I know I will see my boy again. Do you know where you and your family will spend eternity? Are you doing all you can for Him?

Thank You, God, for loving us, for hearing our baby boy’s cries in Ukraine and wanting him for Your very own. Thank You for answering our prayers for another child. You want the unwanted and you bless the barren woman with children. Because of you and the blood that was shed on the cross, I will see my son again, and live in glory forever with you and all my loved ones who have gone on before.

Lord, please bless all those reading this. May they too find this peace that passes all understanding that only comes from You and Your great love. Happy Thanksgiving, Lord! I give all my thanks to you as humbly as I know how! Amen

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I was lost in sin and needed a loving Savior… He found me, and His amazing love saved me. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

God reveals His greatness to me… right after I’ve shown an ungrateful heart. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

A beautiful sunset breaks through the clouds… and encourages my broken
heart. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

He’s faithful to me… when I’m not faithful to Him. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I’m so unlovely … He showers amazing love on me. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

His grace falls on me… when my world is falling apart. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I have no answers… He is the answer. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I feel so ugly from all the scars of my physical battles with cancer… He reminds me I am His beautiful daughter, a treasured daughter of the King. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I am so weary of the spiritual and physical battles of this life… I am reminded that this world is not my home. He has prepared a place in Heaven for me. While I am here, He has things for me to do though.  …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I need a friend…what a friend I have in Jesus! …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When the world says I am not enough… I can do all things through Him, because He strengthens me.  …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I question who I am, and why I’m here… His Word gives me all those answers challenging me to remember who I am in Him, and, more importantly, whose I am. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

I had a debt I could not pay…He paid a debt He did not owe. It was all because He loves me so. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I am weak… His strength is made perfect in it. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When I feel I don’t belong… He says I am His. He has redeemed me, and called me by my name. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

When my burdens are too heavy to carry… I can lay them at His feet, and He will take them from me. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

In Christ… I find my worth and my identity. …Grace… Grace… Grace…

HIS GRACE IS AMAZING! And, I am so U N W O R T H Y!

When I’m cut off in traffic, …Grace…uh…Grace…uh…Grace…

When I’m so late and I can’t find my keys making me later, and then my car won’t start, …Grrrrr… ace… uhm… Grrrr… ace… Grrrrrrrace…

When someone is unkind and hurts my feelings, and all I want to do is hurt them back, …Grrr… ace… uhm… yeah 

When I’m craving a chili cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard and pickles, and I arrive home to find out that the girl at the drive-through gave me a grilled chicken sandwich… plain, …Grrrr…. Grrrr…. Grrrrrrrr…

Well, let’s just say… He is God and I am not! I want to be like Jesus. I have a long way to go. I am definitely a work in progress. I’m so thankful He doesn’t give up on me.

Thank God for His amazing grace! GRACE… GRACE… GRACE!

How It Feels To Have Covid

Covid-19 spilled into ‘20, and now here we are in ‘21. Like you, for almost a year, my husband and I have lived a sanitized life trying to avoid the virus. Well, despite all my best efforts, it landed on my doorstep. While I thought I knew what it would be like, there are some things that I have experienced while sick with covid that I wasn’t expecting.

Covid is a terrible illness that fights to take over your body. I am on Day 11 now, and I hope to be getting to the end of the quarantine time before long. I want to be done with it forever. Unfortunately, that is not the reality. Once I am out of quarantine, I will go back to wearing my mask, washing my hands, and staying 6 feet away from people. Could I get it again? They don’t really know. Could I still spread it to someone else if I am exposed again? They don’t really know. Am I better off for having had it? Probably, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. When will the vaccine be available? Will it be completely safe to take? There is much confusion, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

During the worst of it, it was a constant fight against it taking over your body. So many times I felt it taking my breathing. I would have to take strong breaths filling every part of my lungs to push it out as hard as I could, only for it to come back and try to smother me after I relaxed. I had to keep pushing it back, breathing deeply in through my nose and out through my mouth. There has been a tiredness that I cannot remember ever having before with covid. I can see how someone who has underlying health issues or who doesn’t have an iron will could lose their battle.  I know my case has been mild, and for that I am so thankful. For others who have had it more severe, my heart breaks.

The virus has affected my nerve pain illness making the nights even harder to rest because my pain is so intense. Being still and going to bed is the worst thing for my nerve pain illness. But with covid sometimes you just can’t help it, all you can do is rest in bed.

“Don’t lay flat of your back or you will “smush” your lungs. Sleep on your stomach or your side. If you sit, sit up straight.” It would be scary going to sleep thinking what if I roll over on my back and wake up so sick that I have to go to the hospital. The nurse told me not to get so sick that I have to go to the hospital because they have no more room. What if…

Take zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C. My husband and I have been taking these for months. Still it came for me. 

The emotions that I have felt during covid have been overwhelming. I have felt such guilt for getting it—guilt that I have brought it around my family. I felt guilt that I was negligent in some way, non-caring what it could do to my family. The isolation makes you feel like a leper too–contaminated. I have been waiting for my call from DHEC to explain to me how to protect the world around me from contaminating it.

There has been deep dread as I waited the days for my husband to become sick after being exposed to me. I felt worry that my in-laws would get sick because I was around them the first day I had fever. They are older and both have fragile health. My husband has been tested, and he is waiting for his results. More than enough time has passed now since all of them were exposed to me, and none of them have symptoms.  Praise the Lord! But who else was I around? What if…

The isolation is hard. I have spent very little time with my husband in person in 9 days now even though we live in the same house. I have pushed myself to walk a mile every day except one since I have been sick. On 4 of those days, Scott has walked with me. He would walk on one side of the road, and I on the other. At least the walks give us an opportunity to see each other. We also facetime inside the same house.

He spends most of the days in the basement away from me. He is working from home because he was exposed to me. I took our bedroom and our bathroom. We share the kitchen. Every time I use it, I frantically wipe everything down because I am afraid that this will be the time that he gets the virus. He sleeps in the den. I try not to be in that room at all because I know that is where he is sleeping. I don’t like to live in fear, but what I do affects him. He has type 1 diabetes, and if he gets covid, it is very bad. What if…

This sickness is definitely different than anything I have ever gotten. I feel better, then I feel worse again, and have to go back to bed. It is a roller coaster of ups and downs. 

While we have all focused on not getting this virus, there is a spiritual battle for our emotions going on all around us. If we don’t keep our eye on that and keep giving that back to God, it can definitely sneak up on us. It is as bad as the physical struggle of covid, maybe worse.

Why am I telling you this? Because covid starts with little c, and Christ starts with a Big C. There is so much uncertainty with covid, but there is certainty with God. God is bigger. He can, and He will carry us through this time of this terrible disease. There are lessons we can learn. I pray we learn them. While I have felt isolated from people, I have never been alone as the Lord has been with me every step of the way. He is giving me a better understanding of what it means to be sick with this terrible illness so that I can have more compassion for others who are dealing with it.

Through this adversity, I pray we will learn to reach out to others even more than before the pandemic. I pray that we, as His children, will emerge on the other side of this pandemic a more caring people. Is that God’s intent in the first place?

Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:4 

I know for me and my house, this will pass. Praise the Lord! The sun will come out tomorrow. For so many others, they haven’t weathered as well. Some have lost loved ones. Some are dealing with effects even weeks and months after being sick. I know it is hard. I also know that God is there, and He can and will get us through one day at a time if we look to Him.

Dear Lord: Thank You for getting me and others through this illness that so many have experienced and are experiencing now. Please touch those that are sick now and bring them healing. Please comfort those who are brokenhearted who have lost loved ones. I pray that You will take away this illness from our world. In the meantime, help us one day at a time to trust You and lean on You. You are our Hope and our Protector. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14

Please share your experiences and comments to encourage our readers. Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May God bless you and keep you and your family safe and well as we journey through these days of the pandemic. 

Be The Light in 2021

Last Monday just after sunset, the world searched the sky for the beautiful alignment of Jupiter and Saturn that scientists were calling the Christmas Star. Scott and I gathered at Pickens High School along with families in a hundred or so other cars to watch. The sky turned from beautiful oranges and purples to grays and dark, then the beautiful star appeared. It was the first day of Winter, Winter Solstice, the shortest day, and the longest night of darkness of the year. Isn’t that just like God to pick the night with the most darkness, to show the brightest light in the sky?

A Dark Place

Have you ever been in such a dark place that you could not see your hand in front of your face? I have, and it can be a little unsettling. I am reminded of a trip I took with my husband to Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel in Oconee County, SC. It is an incomplete railroad tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad of SC in Sumter National Forest.  As I walked deeper into the mountain and into the deep darkness away from the light, it felt cold, lonely, and isolating. It was neat to experience, but I definitely would not want to stay there.

When it is pitch black, it is amazing how much light comes from striking just one match. When you do, you can see all around you. No matter how hard the darkness tries, it cannot put out the Light.

John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The Light of the World

Just like when Jesus was born, now is a chaotic, turbulent, violent time when the World is looking for hope. The world can be a very dark place, a place in desperate need of light. Jesus, the Light of the World, illuminates the darkness.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

God Ignites the Light in His Children

Jesus wants to ignite that light in each of us so that we can share it with others.

2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

There are so many hurting people all around us who are lost in darkness. What a difference we can make in their lives if we let the Lord shine His Light through us into their lives! In this time of political correctness, Christians are expected not to offend anyone. And, all too often, that is just what we do—not offend anyone, not speak up, not shine our light.

According to Rick Warren, there are two reasons that people do not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior: 1) they have never met a Christian, or 2) they have. What a sad statement. Is it possible that we are missing opportunities everyday to shine our lights?

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. —Edith Wharton

Allow the light of Christ to be steadfast in your life. He is the Light. Shine where He says shine. Go where He says go. Pray our hearts will be broken for what breaks His. In a world of hostile darkness, He has called us to light a candle of love. Although it is not always received as we hope, being faithful in this way can produce more favorable results than we can ever imagine.

Let Your Light Shine

Don’t tell people how bad the world is. Tell them how good God is. This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Dear Lord: You are all Light. In You, there is no darkness. Thank You for shining Your light into our dark places. Help us to take the light You have shone into our lives through Jesus Christ and to seek out the helpless, the confused, the hurting, and the weak. Use us to light the world. Amen

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28

Go Light Your World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsM5lt9tCFo by Chris Rice

Have you had opportunities to shine your light into the lives of others? Or do you have a story about how God used someone else to shine light into your life? I would love to hear your experiences, thoughts and comments. Please reply below.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May God shine His light brightly into your life and through you into the lives of others in this new year. Resolve to take your candle, and go light the world.

Don’t Keep the Change

A friend of mine once told me that, even though she did not have a lot to give at Christmas Season, she has found a way to still make a difference.  On the way into a store each time she Christmas shopped, she emptied her change purse into a donation kettle.  Then whatever change she got from her Christmas shopping purchases inside the store, she gave to the kettle on her trip back to the car.

Since she shared that with me several Christmases ago, I am reminded each time I pass a kettle of how a little donation can add up. Each one of us can make a difference by not keeping our change, but giving it away.

When I look at all the blessings the Lord has given me, I realize that they are so much more than I deserve, and more than enough to meet my needs.  He gives His children extra, and it is not by mistake.  It is on purpose, for His purpose. 

So, what am I going to do with the change from the extra He has given me?  Am I going to keep the change or will I give it away? 

1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

But what can I give?

Time

Anyone can take a few minutes to call or write someone and share an encouraging word,  to listen to a hurting friend or to say a prayer on behalf of a brother or sister in need. 

James 5:16 reminds us, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ”

Talent

Talents come in many forms.  We can use whatever talents God has given us to bless others. 

Romans 12:5-10 describes some of them. “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” 

Treasure

It is simple, we are called to help the poor.

Deuteronomy 15:11 says, There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”

After all, God taught us about giving when He sent His Son to save us some 2,000 years ago.  We celebrate His precious gift described in John 3:16 at Christmas time.  

“For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

Yes, Jesus was the greatest gift of love ever given to those with the greatest need of all … uh, yes, that would be all of us.  You see, the greatest need that anyone can ever have is the need for a Savior. We needed saving from death because our sin separates us from God. 

When Jesus gave, He gave it ALL.  He died on a cross for each one of us personally to remove the sin that separates us from God.  Christ gave His life for ours because He would rather die for us than live without us.  He shared His love with the world and has changed it forever! 

In fact, He is still changing lives today!  He came to Earth equipped with so much more than any mortal man.  He alone had the ability to save us and He had unconditional grace, unimaginable mercy and sacrificial love.  I’m so glad that ‘HE DIDN’T KEEP THE CHANGE’!!!  He gave it ALL for you and for me! 

Dear Lord: Thank You for sending us the greatest gift of all, Your Son Jesus, on that first Christmas morning to show us how to live, to show us how to love. Amen

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:40

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:21

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38

Thank for reading and sharing my blogpost today. Please share your comments, experiences and thoughts. May the change made in us by our Lord and Savior be the change that we share with others this Christmas Season.

Thanksgiving Thorns

This time of year, I love sharing my favorite Thanksgiving story with my family and friends. It is a sweet reminder that, even through hardship, I still have so much to be grateful for. I hope the story blesses your heart as it does mine. 

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her ease. 

During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren’t enough, her husband’s company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come. What’s worse, Sandra’s friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. 

“She has no idea what I’m feeling,” thought Sandra with a shudder. 

Thanksgiving? Thankful for what? She wondered. For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an air bag that saved her life but took that of her child? 

“Good afternoon, may I help you?” The shop clerk’s approach startled her. 

“I….I need an arrangement,” stammered Sandra. 

“For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving “Special?” asked the shop clerk. “I’m convinced that flowers tell stories,” she continued. “Are you looking for something that conveys ‘gratitude’ this Thanksgiving?” 

“Not exactly!” Sandra blurted out. “In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.” 

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, “I have the perfect arrangement for you.” 

Then the door’s small bell rang, and the shop clerk said, “Hi, Barbara…let me get your order.”

She politely excused herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses; Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

“Want this in a box?” asked the clerk. 

Sandra watched for the customer’s response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.

“Yes, please,” Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. “You’d think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn’t be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again,” she said as she gently tapped her chest. 

“Uh,” stammered Sandra, “that lady just left with, uh….she just left with no flowers!” 

“Right, said the clerk, “I cut off the flowers. That’s the Special. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet.” 

“Oh, come on, you can’t tell me someone is willing to pay for that!” exclaimed Sandra. 

“Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much like you feel today,” explained the clerk. “She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major surgery.” 

“That same year I had lost my husband,” continued the clerk, “and for the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel.”

“So what did you do?” asked Sandra. 

“I learned to be thankful for thorns,” answered the clerk quietly. “I’ve always thanked God for good things in life and never to ask Him why those good things happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I have always enjoyed the ‘flowers’ of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God’s comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we’re afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others.”

Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her. “I guess the truth is I don’t want comfort. I’ve lost a baby and I’m angry with God.” 

Just then someone else walked in the shop. 

“Hey, Phil!” shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man. 

“My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement…twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems,” laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator. 

“Those are for your wife?” asked Sandra incredulously. “Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that?” 

“No…I’m glad you asked,” Phil replied. “Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord’s grace and guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she learned from “thorny” times, and that was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific “problem” and give thanks for what that problem taught us.” 

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, “I highly recommend the Special.”

I don’t know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life,” Sandra said to the clerk. “It’s all too…fresh.” 

“Well,” the clerk replied carefully, “my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God’s providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don’t resent the thorns.” 

Tears rolled down Sandra’s cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. 

“I’ll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please,” she managed to choke out.

“I hoped you would,” said the clerk gently. “I’ll have them ready in a minute.” 

“Thank you. What do I owe you?” Sarah asked.

“Nothing; nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year’s arrangement is always on me.” The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. “I’ll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first.” 

It read:

“My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the life I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.”  Amen (Prayer by George Matheson)

Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. — Author Unknown 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 106:1

Do you have burdens and heartaches this Thanksgiving that are too heavy to bear? Give them to Jesus and let Him carry them for you. Nothing is too big for Him. He loves you more than you could ever imagine.

I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and comments by replying below or feel free to contact me privately.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost. May God bless you and your family with a beautiful Thanksgiving!

A Lesson on Faith From The Woods

Last week my 20-year-old son, Bradley, hiked 76.2 miles on the Foothills Trail. He had a great time, and he said he met with God in the woods. He wasn’t the only one who had a spiritual experience last week. I think the trip was about as much about God working in my life as it was in Bradley’s. I will explain.

The Plea

I begged Bradley not to do the hike alone in the weeks before the trip. He assured me he would be fine. Still I went through the list of all the things that could happen—getting lost, bears, criminals attacking him. He assured me he would be fine. Afterall he is your typical bullet-proof young man. Before he became an Eagle Scout, he served as a guide for many Boy Scout hikes. He has also gone hundreds of miles on trials like the Appalachian.

All of those other hikes were with other people. I did not like the idea of Bradley’s hiking alone from the start, but I knew that Bradley had to do it. It was a man thing that a mom just can’t fully grasp.

The Hike

When I found out that his friend had decided to go with him, I was so thankful. He hiked with Bradley for the first two days and decided not to continue. So on the third day, Bradley started out alone for the last 50 or 60 miles of the trip. He told me on Wednesday that he would text me. I understood that he expected to text that evening. He had shared his location with us on GPS so we could follow where he was.

The Worry

Wednesday night came and there was no text or blip on the map. I figured he must be out of range as he hiked through the Jocassee Gorge, and surely the next day he would reach a place where he had a signal. Thursday came and went and no sign of him. By Thursday night, I was worrying. I prayed for him every time he crossed my mind which was pretty often. By Friday afternoon, 48 hours with no blip or text, I was a hot mess.

In my mind, he had lost his way and was running out of water. A bear or a wild boar had attacked him. He had wandered in the night and had fallen. Someone had hurt him and stolen from him and left him out in the woods. I had it all figured out. Any of these things could have happened. From this experience, I can now write a book on the perils of hiking. Each chapter has already played out in full color in my mind.

I gave him to God like Abraham gave Isaac, but then I would pick him back up. I was having internal arguments with myself. Why wasn’t I trusting more?

I have been through so many trials in my life—a brutal divorce, caring for my sick parents until their deaths, a betrayal by my best friend when she embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from me, two cancer battles, ongoing pain every day from my breast surgeries, to name a few. Every time when I have asked God to show me what He was teaching me through those trials, He has always responded with two words, “Trust Me”. And in every trial in my life, He has been faithful. His track record is impeccable.

Now here I am all these years later, sick with worry over my grown son taking a walk in the woods. Wow, had I not learned anything? I thought I had grown more in my faith than that.

The Lesson

I had cried and prayed, and had finally reached a peace about letting go of my worry about Bradley on Friday afternoon. God knew where he was, and that had to be enough. Just as I felt that peace, my phone beeped and there was an aerial shot of Bradley at White Water Falls near Cashiers, NC about 40 miles from where he started at Table Rock. I have never seen such a beautiful aerial shot in my life. I was dancing and squealing and praising God in my kitchen. Once again, like always, my God had been faithful.

I got a real lesson that day from 2 Corinthians 5:7. For we live by faith, not by sight.

The Peace

Bradley was a day ahead of schedule. He was halfway through. For the rest of the trip, I didn’t worry even though at times I could not see where he was. God knew, and that was enough. Bradley made the rest of the trip easily and finished two days ahead of schedule that following Monday. The next time he hikes like that, I don’t think I want access to his GPS. Knowing when he is unreachable makes me worry more. 

He later told me what an incredible experience it was. He said he felt a closeness to God out there that changed his perspective. They had conversations.

God is always right beside us, but, in the noise and busyness of life, we often don’t stop to acknowledge him. Bradley said it was definitely different from hiking with another person. He was hiking with God.

He was surprised he didn’t see any bears. I told him I wasn’t surprised because I was praying he wouldn’t. Sorry, (not sorry) I guess that hampered the experience a bit.  He had a great trip, and his smile in this photo says it all.

Like all the other times in my life when I have sought God in times of despair, once again I could hear the Holy Spirit whisper to me, “Trust me”. I know He must think I am such a silly girl. I fully admit that I am a work in progress. This trip humbled me. God taught me the same lesson He has over and over in my life—a lesson I thought I had learned a long time ago.

I can trust Him in all circumstances. He is faithful. It is all under His control. He loves me and my family more than we could ever imagine. These are things I know like the back of my hand, but knowing and walking out these beliefs are two very different things, especially where my children are concerned. I’ve asked around, and worry seems to be a recurring theme with us mothers.

I cannot promise that I won’t worry the next time a trial comes along. But I hope that the lesson He is so consistently trying to teach me finally sinks in. Maybe he is teaching you this lesson too. Here it is in all it’s simple glory.

God is in control, and that is enough.

Still He whispers.

“Trust. Me.”

Dear Lord: Thank You for proving to me once again that You are always faithful. You have the whole world in Your hands, that includes me and all my problems. It includes everyone who is reading this prayer and all their problems too. Help our unbelief. It really is simple. You have it all under control. There is no reason to worry. We just need to be obedient to do our part, and leave the rest to You. In all things, we thank You that You are enough. Amen

Have you ever been surprised by your lack of faith in a situation even though you knew you could trust God? Do you have stories about His faithfulness, and how He has brought you out of a trial? We would love to hear your comments and thoughts to encourage our readers.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Why It Is So Important To Not Give Up in 2020

A few weeks ago, I took a short hike with my son, Bradley, to Twin Falls in Sunset, South Carolina. This was not my first trip there. This time, like the last trip, I was intrigued by this tree growing along the side of the path. The tree sits on top of a sizable rock with roots draped over the rock reaching up from the soil. My mind short circuits trying to comprehend how roots from different sides of this rock could grow and join in the middle to form a perfect tree. The only explanation I could come up with is because God wanted them to.

This marvel reminded me how hard some things in life are, how impossible they seem. There is hard, and then there is unachievable. Unachievable, yet here stands the miracle right in front of you.

When I think about this crazy year 2020, my mind does a bit more of that short circuiting I mentioned. 2019 seems light years ago at this point, doesn’t it? What happened to normalcy? 

You know just being able to walk into a store and smile at the cashier and not have masks on and plexiglass between you? You remember, running up to friends you haven’t seen in a while and throwing your arms around them? 2020 is the year the world has all but shut down, making normal life impossible. We need relationships with other people in the midst of it all. 

2020 is the year the country abrupted with a hate storm. A senseless killing happened in May. Months later many of our major cities are still war zones of civil unrest. First responders were cheered in April for their heroism with Covid. Now many are being condemned as racists and murderers. Hurt and anger that runs so deep in our country are now bubbling to the surface. The country needs healing, and to come together as one race—the human race.

Our country has never been more politically divided. 2020 is an election year. We are in a battle for the soul of our nation. Neighbor against neighbor. Brother against brother.  America needs reconciliation and to turn back to the principles it was once founded on—God.

When the world turns upside down, it can be easiest to just sit down and give up. It’s enough to make you want to crawl into a hole, and pull the hole in after you. We cannot do that. As Christians, we have to set the example. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ. Love is the answer. Jesus is the Answer. People are hurting. They need the love that can only be found in Him. If not us, who is going to show them that love?  Who is going to share the truth?

We are often afraid that we do not have the tools we need to face or conquer the spiritual, physical, or emotional giants in our lives. But God has given us all we need. We just have to trust in the gifts and talents He has given to us. God never wastes any trial that we encounter. He uses the struggle to make us stronger. He is working a plan. We have to do our part.

I am reminded of the story of little David from 1 Samuel 17. King Saul gave David his armor and sword that were too cumbersome for him. David removed them and collected 5 smooth stones from the stream, and placed them in his pack. He headed out with his sling, the stones, his shepherd’s pack and his staff to face Goliath, the 9 1/2-foot Philistine. Here is where the short circuiting that defies common sense starts to happen. David was a little boy. Goliath was a giant. Oh, to have the courage of little David.

David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 1 Samuel 17:45-47

Like that tree along the path that day, the miracle of David defeating Goliath happened because God wanted it to. You see all we have to do is try. The obedience is our part, the victory is God’s part. But we must never give up. It is always better to try and fail, than to fail to try. We cannot just stop living. We have to figure out a way to stay connected, to have relationships, to attend church, to go to work, to have school, to live life, to show love to others, to be used to heal hurts, to bridge the gap, to show the world the Answer—Jesus.

Never give up. Let’s do our part. I promise He has the rest covered.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

Dear Lord: Thank You that You never give up on us. Help us to keep our hearts and our eyes focused on You so that we don’t give up either. Give us courage like little David to not be afraid, but to be Your hands and feet and to do what You call us to do. Please bring a revival and healing to our nation and the world that comes through the repentance of Your church. We need forgiveness, love, grace, and mercy that can only be found in Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen  

Please share your thoughts and experiences to encourage our readers. Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today.

May God encourage your heart today to never give up. He reminds us in His Word that He did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  May we be found faithful. Above all, He is faithful!

Who Told You That?

You are not worthy. You are worthless. That is something you could never do. Bad things don’t happen to good people. It is all your fault. You’re not qualified. You’ve made too many mistakes. Your family is not the right family. Success will never be yours. You are not enough. Other people are better than you. No one has ever had it as tough as you have. You cannot overcome that so you may as well give up. God could never use you. Who do you think you are?

Do any of these sound familiar? Boy, I cannot tell you how many times many of these statements have danced and turned cartwheels in my mind through the years. Some have even camped out and stayed awhile.

Are you believing any of these statements about yourself right now? If so, I have one question for you. “Who told you that?”

In the beginning…

Since the beginning of man, the devil has been trying to tear us down with lies, to trip us up with deception, and to terrorize us with fear. If he can get us to believe we are ineffective, then we are. When he steals our self confidence, we won’t even try. If he can get us to doubt the truth, we won’t share it with others. He wins sometimes, and we let him. It’s a sad truth that should make us angry.

In Genesis 3:11, The Lord spoke to Adam and Eve, And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

If you know the story, you know that the serpent tempted Eve with eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was the only tree that the Lord told Adam and Eve not to eat from or they would surely die. Way back then, even in the Garden of Eden, the devil (the serpent) was stirring up trouble for man.

Adam and Eve were naked and they were not ashamed. Then the serpent got involved, Eve ate the forbidden fruit and shared it with Adam, and you know the rest.

Time for a disclaimer.** Please know that I am making absolutely zero excuses for Adam and Eve. They sinned, and they disobeyed God. They listened to the serpent when they should have been listening to God. Man is unworthy of God’s mercy and His grace. But I am so thankful that He showers it on us anyway. It is not because of who we are. It is because of Who He is.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

What about you? Who are you listening to?

Next to “Are you a born again Christian?”, “Who told you that?” is probably the single most important question a Christian can answer. Because if the answer to “Who told you that?” is ultimately anyone other than “God”, then you are living in a state that is less than your full effectiveness for God. In essence, if you are living your life out of a misguided perception and you are making decisions based on that, then you are falling way short of the abundant life God has planned for you, and you are missing out on the full service that you could be doing for Him.

How can you know the truth? Funny you should ask. It’s all written down for you right there in the Holy Word of God.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When you doubt, when you feel worthless, when you feel guilt heaped upon you so heavy that you cannot carry it, ask the Lord for truth. Pray and ask God for direction and validation.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

Make sure you are listening to the right voice that is speaking truth into your life. Listening to the wrong voice can shut you down, and you may not even realize it. 

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

The next time you are feeling uncertain, remember, ask yourself, “Who told you that?” The truth of that answer will surely set you free.

Dear Lord: Thank You for the truth of Your Word, and that You are always there for us when we pray. Help us to see when the devil is trying to trip us up and tear us down. On the other hand, help us to see in humility that our true worth comes from You and not from anything that we do on our own. Grow our desire to know You more, and to seek Your will always first for our lives. We thank You for loving us and for sending Your Son Jesus to die for us. Thank You that through Him You give us the grace that we need each day for our journey through this life.  Amen

Have you felt at times like you just don’t measure up? That you’re not enough? Have there been times when God has picked you up above the despair and loved on you as His precious child, and made you feel worthy? I would love to hear about your experiences. Please share your thoughts and comments to encourage our readers.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost today. May you be assured of God’s love for you today. It never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.