WHEN GOD'S PROMISES AND REAL LIFE COLLIDE

I started this particular blog in July and life got in the way of posting. Today it seems even more relevant than then. Real life has been hard recently. FOR THIS WE HAVE JESUS!

When God’s Promises and Real Life Collide

Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth,

Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes;

Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”

And they will call them, “The holy people,

The redeemed of the Lord”;

And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.” Isaiah 62:11-12

My best advice to people has always been, “Find a Bible verse, make it your own and hang on to it.” My next advice would be to pray. Pray when you’re happy, pray when you’re sad, pray when you think you can’t put one foot in front of the other to go on. Yet many times, if you’re like me, you may feel bad when the advice you give to people doesn’t seem like it’s working. Perhaps God has disappointed you; your prayers don’t seem to be answered. Is it wrong to feel disappointed with God? Philip Yancey wrote a whole book on the subject. It concerns many stories of real people going through literal “hell on earth” and realistically examines their plights and questions.

“Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." Isaiah 49:23  

For the Christian there are no guarantees on the outcome of a situation. As noted in Hebrews 11 the great faith chapter we don’t all see the conclusion of the things God has planted in our hearts. But we can still look with hope for the promise.

If it costs you nothing, it's worth nothing! Endurance is the

price tag of achievement. Listen, "We pray that you'll have

the strength...not the grim strength of gritting your teeth

but the...strength God gives...that endures the unendurable

and spills over into joy" (Col 1:11 TM)

          Yet even as I write this word of encouragement, I know that many of you have lost hope in perhaps your child who’s gone astray, in your life or even in your future. It is hard to hope in what you cannot see. But just take it a step at a time, a day at a time, even a moment at a time. Pray for the strength to just do the next thing that needs to be done. It may have nothing to do with the child that has gone astray or the life issue that is bothering you. The next thing you may need to do is learn to take care of yourself.

          You may have beat yourself up with guilt over the things you think you should’ve done or could’ve done that you are walking weary and wounded. Learn to be good to yourself. Treat yourself well. The commandment about loving your neighbor as you love yourself applies here. You would be kind to a neighbor, so kindly take care of yourself and those that are right before you. Try to do something each day for someone else that you don’t take credit for. That sort of living sows seeds of love and kindness that will return to you.

          There are some of you in whom the Lord would say, “the world was not worthy of them.” He would say to you that He has seen your walk of faith through the pain of living in this world. He knows you are not perfect in your endeavors but He also knows you have tried. He knows you love your child, and you, His child, are loved with an everlasting love by Him. He sees the big picture that we cannot see. He loves your child more than you can ever imagine although as a parent yourself, you feel that no one could match the love you feel. He will draw a hurting parent close. He does not forget your labor of love towards your child and to Him, your heavenly Father. Continue to hold on to His promises to you until they collide into your life.

This and That

I've mentioned before I want to honor some women in my life on this blog here and there; I'm thinking about my oldest daughter today.

Live ready, I always say to my kids and grandkids. None of us know what a day may bring. We plan our days or our weeks and then sometimes see those plans crumble before our eyes, as a shortbread cookie often does.

Yesterday part of the plan for my day was attending a banquet honoring those who do prison ministry which my oldest daughter, Regina is involved with. I'm so proud that she is paying forward the help she received throughout the years before her recovery walk.

But early morning her sweet mother-in-law, Helen had an appointment to meet Jesus in person, so we canceled the banquet plans. I would've loved to have seen Regina be honored with a certificate for her work, but this was not the right timing as the Lord was ready to spare Helen from the pain of living on this earth. She rests in His Father arms.

But I still would like to say a big, "You go, girl," to Regina. I know that there are a lot of people that she has helped along the way and that will only increase in time.

Sometimes, when we have a "past" ( I do, don't you?) people don't want to acknowledge that good can come out it, yet isn't that what the Bible teaches? Sometimes many do not even want to acknowledge the person who has "paid their dues," in this case seven years of the hard work of recovery.

The Message calls this passage, The Rescue and I'm sure we all can relate:

"All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5The Message (MSG)

Years ago a Bible verse and prayer the Lord gave me for her was:

Psalms 126

When the Lord brought back Regina,
Captive from the world
I was like
A Mother who dreamed.

My mouth was filled with laughter,
My tongue with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for
This mother who dreams."

The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are filled with joy.

Restore our family, O Lord,
Like streams overflowing.
Those who sow in tears
Will reap with songs of joy.
She who goes out weeping,
Carrying seed to sow,
Will return with songs of joy,
Carrying sheaves with her,
To share with the world

Psalms 126 (paraphrased)
(from the Holy Spirit to Donna) 11/15/02

I pray the Lord be your helper and protect you from harm. 

I pray the Lord save up from your affliction and have mercy on your lowliness

I pray the Lord raise you up from where you had fallen

I pray the Lord come to your neediness

Heal what needs to be healed

Restore where you have wandered from Him

Feed your spirit

Ransom what has been lost

Help you to rise up from the sickbed of the past and walk

Straight, firmly and with His strength

So that you may teach the weak and faint-hearted about the

True comfort of His love for you. (As you take words of hope to the jail, this has come true in your life.)

(My version of a prayer written by Clement of Rome 1st Century)

Once when we played the "Ungame" the question was "What princess do you relate to?" I was so sad when my daughter said she didn’t have a fairy tale princess that she could relate to. In my heart she will always be my princess.

As a young girl I always read Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales and so I guess I would say she reminds me of the princess from Hans Christian Anderson’s story, "The Princess and the Pea."

Here's a recap: The story tells of a prince who wants to marry a princess, but is having difficulty finding a suitable wife. Something is always wrong with those he meets, and he cannot be certain they are real princesses. One stormy night (always a harbinger of either a life-threatening situation or the opportunity for a romantic alliance in Andersen's stories),^[1] a young woman drenched with rain seeks shelter in the prince's castle. She claims to be a princess, so the prince's mother decides to test their unexpected guest by placing a pea in the bed she is offered for the night, covered by 20 mattresses and 20 featherbeds. In the morning the guest tells her hosts that she endured a sleepless night, kept awake by something hard in the bed; which she is certain has bruised her. The prince rejoices. Only a real princess would have the sensitivity to feel a pea through such a quantity of bedding. The two are married, and the pea is placed in the Royal Museum. From Wikipedia

So, although we don't always look like a princess to the world, our Father (and mother) always sees the little girl within. You are loved, honey. Maybe next year we will make that banquet.

Got Tears?

Got Tears? We all do, and today we remember Sandy Hook families. Thanks for running my devotional and hopefully words of comfort to the grieving families.

Much love to the families at Sandy Hook Elementary

(On the One-year Anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy)

You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle... Psalm 56:8 NKJV

Looking over the local obituaries it seemed a higher number of deaths than usual were recorded near Christmas. It seemed even sadder when knowing a family personally. But as I view what happened in our nation in 2012, I grieved too. A horrible tragedy occurred with many school children murdered and a community shattered.

Twenty-six people -- 20 students and six adults -- were shot and killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012.

Christmas doesn’t alleviate the normal pains of life that we go through and a tragedy like this is certainly abnormal. We weep anew for them this Christmas season and pray their families are finding peace in the beauty of the season once again. The grief process takes time and we find comfort in the fact that the Lord sees our tears and bottles them in heaven.

Tears have always been a part of Christmas. Mary cried tears of awe at the thought of the holy seed implanted within her. Joseph cried as he felt betrayed by his betrothed before the angel of the Lord came to him. Yielding in submission, they each shed tears of joy at the high calling God had placed upon their lives, to raise the Christ-child. The pangs of childbirth brought tears that the baby’s smiles soothed. Prophetic words allayed the tears of the sword that would surely pierce her heart and soul. God feels our pain and gathers our tears.

In this day and age, we cry too. We weep for dreams that did not come true as we have memories of loved one who have passed before us. We cry our own tears of Christmas.

In the eyes of our Father in heaven the tears we cry may look like liquid diamonds. They are so precious to him that he stores them as jewels that He will uncover within us at the day of His coming.

Some Christmas holidays are painful. When the tears I have cried are stored in His bottle and I am drained, He becomes my Restorer, my Strength and my Hope. Got tears? Yes, we all do, but we will be amazed at the beauty of those glistening bottles waiting for us in heaven. Our tears will be there but our loved ones will be there as well. Trust that God has us close under His wing.
http://christiandevotions.us/?wpmlmethod=newsletter&id=660&mailinglist_id=0&subscriber_id=1709&authkey=d07e70efcfab08731a97e7b91be644de

Ready to be the Word of Healing to Someone?

Have you ever felt like you wanted to feel more "power" when you prayed? Have you ever wanted to be the one to have the healing touch that transforms the blind, lame or afflicted? Once when I prayed for a homeless person, the next time I saw him he said he had felt heat come through my prayer or touch. It seemed to have made a profound memory for him, but I didn't feel anything like that myself. I have always wanted to, though. I know when the lady healed by touching Jesus' garment reached out it is said that He felt virtue go forth from Him and healing power. "But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me." May I say to you reading this blog that many of you have touched me deeply with your heartbreaking stories. I only wish that I had the healing power to help each one of you. You do have my heartfelt prayers for mercy and relief and comfort from our Lord.

 

 Today I read in Job 29:15-17:

 "I was eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame.
 I was a father to the poor,
And I searched out the case that I did not know.
 I broke the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth."

 

I wish my life had this impact that Job's had in his lifetime. No, I don't really want to attain to what is commonly called, "The sufferings of Job" although there have been many times that I have felt a kindred spirit with that suffering. The key verse that stood out to me, was "I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth." 

 

I am thinking about young people today and the trap that the enemy has put before so many, a subtle but evil trap of addiction. It may have started of legitimately with a prescription from a doctor, it may have started off by peer pressure and it may have seemed cool at the time. But they don't realize they are in the fangs of the enemy and it can be deadly. To a twenty-year-old life holds no fears, death is something far off. But it is true as said recently by my oldest daughter, that "Cemeteries are full of twenty-year-old people who thought they would not die." Facebook pages are filled with stories written by the still grieving parents of many of these young, seemingly invincible adult children who took one drug, one time too many.

My prayer today is that many will, through prayer, go into the enemy's camp and deliver those who are in the fangs of the wicked. Their very life may depend on it.

The Treasure Within and what is better than a Hallelujah?

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what the Lord is up to in our lives. That's where the Lean not on your own understanding verse comes in. And of course the Hebrews chapter 11 that has so much encouragement: All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.


And especially: the world was not worthy of them.

Remember the vision the Lord has given you, my friends and prayer warriors. The world is not worthy of the treasure within you but the Lord has chosen to use it not abuse it. May we live to ever praise Him in the midst of tears, pain, heartache, family dilemmas, hardship, lost dreams and broken hearts.

I love the lyrics to Amy Grant's song that I am including:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOHJghBU0XA
Better Than A Hallelujah lyrics
God loves a lullaby
In a mother's tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes
God loves the drunkard's cry
The soldier's plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes


We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah
The woman holding on for life
he dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes


We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing
Better than a choir singing out, singing out
We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah


We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

(Better than a Hallelujah sometimes)

Better than a Hallelujah

(Better than a Hallelujah sometimes)




Songwriters: Hart, Sarah; Hartford, Chapin;

WAPN’s 25th Anniversary Celebration was Awesome!

What a blessing came to me from the Lord when a couple of months ago on Facebook, I got the message that Earlyne and Shellye from WAPN in Holly Hill had just read my story, “The Stolen Car,” in a Guideposts book. Evidently, it really encouraged them to know that Prayerline had made a difference in my life and I was invited to share a bit about the story at their 25th celebration banquet last night at the Sunset Harbor.
What an honor for me, a stay-at-home mom who had been so discouraged thinking that no one ever read anything that she had written. My main claim to fame is being called either Linda’s daughter, Bill’s wife, or the mother of 4 daughters. What Earlyne and Shellye didn’t realize is when you are aspiring to write you may send out hundreds of articles to just be included in a few books. It never dawned on me that mentioning Prayerline in Holly Hill would mean so much to them or I would have told them long ago.
Since I am not a public speaker, and the thought of speaking at a group that large is pretty terrifying to me, I did forget part of what I meant to say so I am including it in this note. To all who think that their work is unseen I say, press on and the Lord will never forget your labor of love.
How can I say “Thank you,” to a ministry that was there for me during one of the hardest times of my life? Prayerline has always been a great blessing to me. I have used it often throughout the years, both calling in and now online.

The story in this book tells only a part of the two-part prayer request.
The first part was about my Mother, Linda Reece Lewis who lived in Holly Hill on Oleander Ave. Her car had been stolen with her purse in the trunk, so she was doubly upset.

This is the rest of the story or as Walter Cronkite would say: "That’s the way it is"
I had felt a burden for my mother on Monday Feb. 2, 1998. Richard Love was facilitating the Prayerline that morning and I called in with a prayer request. I just wanted ask for prayer for my Mama because she had so much on her plate, taking care of an invalid husband and a feisty little 4-year-old great granddaughter. She and little Aubrey had been in a small accident recently when Mama’s blood sugar was way high. She had felt so bad that Aubrey had been in the car and had gotten a little cut on her face. I really felt that the Lord had surely protected them just the same.
But as well as a prayer request but I also wanted to give a praise report. Last week when I asked for prayer for my mother, whose car had been stolen, they had prayed that the car be returned intact and that is exactly what had happened! Nothing was taken out of it and along with the car being returned, my Mama was blessed with a visit from her youngest son, Dale. His family wasn’t able to come this year from North Carolina for Christmas or for her surgeries; he hadn’t seen her in awhile. He had been concerned that she not have anything to drive and brought a vehicle down for her. She had been so happy about seeing him, that it diverted her attention away from the stolen car.”
Brother Love said, “We always love praise reports. How can we pray for her this week?” While they were praying for my mother, he felt he had a personal word from the Lord for her, “Linda, I have not forgotten you, I want to draw you closer to Me.”
Minutes later, I got a call from my oldest daughter, saying she was with Mama and had just called 911. The paramedics were on the way. I left immediately for the hospital, so I could meet them there. It is probably a problem with her diabetes, I thought. I didn’t know I would never see her alive again.
Unexpected death leaves those who are left behind with a sense of “no closure.” My dear Mama had died at home before they made it to the hospital where I was waiting. The Lord not only was drawing her closer, He was drawing her home as the prayer team on the Hotline was praying for her. She was able to die in her own home, in her own bed, as she had always wanted to.

The Lord not only answered my prayer for my Mama but also gave her an unspoken wish to see her son before she died. The Lord went before me to give strength, peace and closure about my mother’s passing.
I will forever be grateful!
I also wanted to mention that I carry within my heart gratefulness to Rosemary Upton my writing mentor. Without her encouragement I would never have pursued publication. She and the Writing Strategies Critiqueshop took the time to work with someone who had no education, credentials or knowledge in the field of writing. The love and bond we shared over the years means so much to me and there are many others that Rosemary has blessed through the years.

To God be the glory!

A Day in the Life

Well, after having an accident where a heavy bookcase lurched out of the van onto my foot, I was very happy that prayers that it not be broken were answered. The heavy bruising and swelling indicated torn ligaments. The doctor said it takes about as long to heal, but I have a much better chance of faster recovery if I will stay off it, as long as possible and keep it above heart level with ice. It also fell against my upper leg and there is a big bruise and when I said I don’t do well on crutches, I didn’t think I would be falling a few hours later scraping my back on a rocker and hard tile floor. I’m feeling some sore muscles back there.
I was so bummed as my grandsons, Austin and Jordan were over for a visit and I was in the ER nearly all of it. There went my plans to take them to the beach. Ashley filled in quite well with them and Shiloh even cooked them shrimp pasta. Isaiah was very loving, asking questions and if he could help.
Bill and the girls are taking good care of me; it is really hard for me, as I have never had to have anyone basically wait on me hand and foot. Since I fell, they are extra careful. Shiloh had been helping me and went to answer the phone, and I don’t know what happened. All I knew is, if I fell forward I would surely hurt my foot worse and there wasn’t anything to brace against or hang onto to my right. She felt terrible for leaving me, but someone had to answer the phone. And of course I had just got off the phone with Amber who thought it was her fault since I had just brought the bookcase from her house. I guess Bill heard the commotion even though he was upstairs. We have decided I may need to use the cane instead of crutches.
It is hard keeping the foot up and iced but then I think of poor Anita, my mentor, whose leg bled for 6 hours when she had a freak accident where her 200 pound son tripped and fell on her. He had a broken toe and she was in a leg cast for weeks. Well, I guess, I will figure out something from this. Makes you wonder why some things happen. Especially when you don't have insurance. But one thing I know from Anita’s teachings is to praise the Lord for all things and the first thing out of my mouth was “Thank you Lord that it didn’t fall on my toes!” It just missed them. Throbbing toes are the pits; I’ve been there before:)
Thanks to all my friends and prayer warriors who have prayed for me.
I am so blessed to have a good book to read today by Charles Brown. It is called, “Papa’s Voice” and so far I can see it is a powerful word from the Lord to His Body. Blessings to you, Charles, for sending this a just the right time, or for such a time as this. Check it out here: www.papas-voice.com Awesome!

Desperate prayers from desperate people.

I believe the Lord is bringing us all back to a life of constant prayer. Whether it is for our nation or a nation devastated such as Haiti, our family or extended family and friends, situations arise that call for desperate prayers from desperate people.
Last night as I was savoring the last chapter of “I Know Why the Angels Dance” by Bryan Davis, the tears came down like rain; I could hardly see to read. What a beautiful example of a Godly family and their reaction to death and pain.

I was thinking this morning about the beautiful prayers written in the book and the example to us all and then as usual, the Lord sent me to another book with an example of praying for those who are suffering from Ruth Graham’s book, “In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart.”

Then the Lord sent me to Lamentations 3:22-24
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“ Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Word doesn’t get any better than that:)
Our desperate prayers end in hope.