Remember When...

"Dear child of God, if after great mercy you are laid very low, your case is not an unusual one. When David had mounted the throne of Israel, he said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king.” You must expect to feel weakest when you are enjoying your greatest triumph. If God has wrought for you great deliverance s in the past, your present difficulty is only like Samson’s thirst, and the Lord will not let you faint, nor suffer the daughter of the uncircumcised to triumph over you. The road of sorrow is the road to heaven, but there are wells of refreshing water all along the route. So, tried brother, cheer your heart with Samson’s words, and rest assured that God will deliver you ere long." Charles Spurgeon

Each one of us is able to recall times when the Lord has delivered us out of a time of sorrow, sickness or temptation. We who call ourselves Christians know that our Heavenly Father is there looking down and keeping us under His wings.  Yet at times we struggle with faith in the heat of the battle, shall I say... when the tempest is nigh we tend to grow faint and weary from the great war for our souls... The illustration that Spurgeon gives here of Samson is so true to our human nature whether we are young or old.  A victory of killing a thousand Philistines and then doubting God to provide him with a drink...  Oh the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak...

As I watch my children interact with one another, I see this conflict in their everyday life playing out in many ways.  Evan and Aaron can be playing beautifully one moment and then, BAM! "That's mine! Mom, Aaron took my truck!"  ...and so goes the life of a five and two year old.  So, as I take Aaron up into my lap and try to explain to him in a way he can understand, he needs to give Evan back the toy. Sometimes he is very willing and can be 'encouraged' to do so with the presentation of another toy, and then other times there is no way he is going to give it up.  Teaching these two little boys who are obviously at different levels of understanding to be kind and loving to one another is to say the least a challenge! They interact for almost all waking hours of the day and for the most part play beautifully together. 

Isn't that like us... we're going along pretty smoothly, not too many bumps in the road and then suddenly we hit a really big pot hole, and crash! There we are sitting on our rumps with this 'what happened' look on our face.  Questions like, "Why now? What is the reason for this? What am I supposed to learn out of this disaster?" pop up instantly... faith... where did it go? Didn't the Lord just answer that prayer two days ago? Didn't He just this morning provide us with the answer we were seeking after?  Faith... sudden challenges present themselves and what do we do with them?

We need to keep looking up... we need to trust that He does have a plan... we need to remember all the wonderful things He has done for us... remember when...

Until next time,
Jean


     

Distractions

"Distractions may hinder, but once the heart is committed to Him, the attention will return again and rest upon Him like a wandering bird coming back to its window." Tozer

We are wanderers... we get side tracked with the everyday things in life and begin to wander... suddenly we find ourselves in a dark valley and wonder how we got there... we feel alone.  We begin looking around for some familiar thing, some comfortable thing that feels like home... but it just doesn't seem right....

When I was a child I was a wanderer.  When we went on school field trips none of the parent chaperones ever wanted me in their group because I was always the one that got lost. I remember getting lost at The Detroit Zoo, at The Henry Ford Museum and several other places.  It was a sickening feeling as a child... to suddenly look up and there be a sea of faces around and none that you know.  I would start to cry and of course someone that worked there would find me and bring me back to my group.  Now as a parent I have taken my children to these places and I am always so cautious of where they are.  I've told them all my horror stories of getting lost, so I think I have instilled a sacred fear in them.  As a parent it is a different kind of sickening feeling... the thought of losing a child...

When I say lose a child I don't only mean in the physical sense but also in the spiritual sense... they both give me that empty feeling... a feeling I hope and pray I will never know.  There are so many people lost out there today... lost and hopeless.  But they don't have to be... Jesus is there ever waiting with open arms to gather them into His fold... to protect and give meaning to one's life. 

Only He can fill the void that leaves one feeling empty and without meaning...
If you have wandered away... if you are lost and don't know where to turn... if you're struggling with the cares of life... Jesus has all the answers... He is your hope... call unto Him and He will answer... like the wandering bird coming back...

Until next time,
Jean


     

Attitude With Gratitude

"Simple gratitude helps us experience God at work in every moment of every day." Harriet Crosby

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives... most of us have very little that we 'want' for ... 
With an attitude of gratitude we can look on in faith and not allow the distractions in life to move us... We can remain grounded in Him and trust that each wave that wants to crash over the joy cannot move us because we stand on the Rock.  With the Lord carrying us through we can be thankful for not only the good days but be joy filled when trials come as well.

Today being a day that is set aside to give thanks, what do we think of? As I ponder on this I thought it would be enlightening to make a list...

I am thankful for...
My Lord and the salvation that He has provided for me through His shed blood on Calvary...
That salvation through grace was available to a wretch like me...
That no matter how many times I fail in my daily life, I can turn to Him with a repentant heart and know that He is there for me with open arms... 
That my God forgets...

I am thankful for my family...
For the smiles that greet me each morning...
For the cuddles and the hugs from the little ones...
For the 'thanks' and 'I love you too' from the older ones...
For the love and the laughter we share...
For shared dreams and desires... and the tears that are given me with shared inner fears...
For the "I prayed mom..." from those young tender hearts...

Oh that my life would be one that shows all those around me a thankful heart... A heart that is an out pouring of His perfect love in every situation... An example to my children that no matter what He is there for them...

"That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works." Psalm 26:7

Until next time,
Jean

Faith Through Trials...

“After that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”  1 Peter 5:10

Here Charles Spurgeon gives such a beautiful picture of faith... a faith that can help us to remember all that we have had done for us...  a faith that can help us grow in His perfect likeness... a faith that will build trust...
          
    "May your faith be no “baseless fabric of a vision,” but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires earnest. May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you. But notice how this blessing of being “stablished in the faith” is gained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means employed-”After that ye have suffered awhile.” It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you."  Charles Spurgeon

Yes, we all face storms in our lives and they are of course testings that will allow us to grow.  Although too often we look at the storms alone and forget the beauty of life.  Life is filled with sunshine and rainbow's always come after the storms... Those big beautiful rainbows... the promise behind them.   God is good... and life will be as good as we allow it to be... perspective!

Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Until next time,
Jean
     

Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart

"Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

This was the Bible verse in one of my daily devotions today... I love this verse... it gives strength to the weary... faith in times of needless worry... peace when the storms are raging...

Children don't seem to let life's situations get to them too much, especially when they are little... dad and mom will take care of it.  Why can't I say, 'Dad, (God) WILL take care of it?'... I know He will, He always has.  Human nature is so much against faith, don't you think?  We always want to take care of things on our own in our own way in our own time.  But we are told that His ways are not our ways, and our thoughts are not His thoughts... I know this is true.  I am so human and proned to fail, but I know that I can keep pressing on because He is by my side.  When all my friends fail me... when the world around is cold... when family is against me... I have Him always, for if He is for me who can be against me?

We as parents always try to do our very best for our children and sometimes doing our best is letting them fall off that bike a few times till they get the hang of it... because we know they will... just keep trying.  We trust that our children will someday understand why we said 'no' to so many things... because we do know better, despite what they think.  We let them try their wings as they grow older and have faith that they will come back home safely... because they know we care.  This is the way it is with our Heavenly Father as well... we are babes in the beginning and the trials are small and easy... we grow into our spiritual youth and the tests become a bit more trying... but He knows what we can bear... we come into our mature years and the trials of life become larger... because He knows they will help us grow... yet a bit longer and into our later years we arrive, when the challenges we faced in this life will give us the words to encourage others...

He knows and He cares,
Until next time,
Jean




         

Discouragement...

Some days seem longer than others... it's been rainy here the last couple days... thunder and lightening woke us up through the night.  I love thunder storms and I have always tried to teach my children there is nothing to be afraid of in them.  God is in total control over those things.  I have told the children the thunder is like God riding in His chariot... the thunder is the horses hooves galloping over the storm clouds... the lightening are His arrows against evil... God will always come out victoriously!  Too say the least none of my children are afraid of thunderstorms... I want them to know that God is in them... He loves & cares for us, no matter what! 

The challenge can be when the trials in life come upon us... to show that faith in God to our children... Often times one of the children will come and tell me how they can't find this or that, full of worry and fret.  I always ask them, "did you pray?"... sheepishly they will say 'no' sometimes and others they say 'of course'... So they pray and it never fails, the Lord shows them right where it is... Faith.  Although there have been times when they can't find something and they did pray... I tell them, "God always answers prayer... sometimes He says 'yes', other times He says 'no' and sometimes He say's 'not right now'..  Faith...but He always answers!  I remember a time last summer when Ethan was looking for a tool... he can be the one that get's frustrated a bit more quickly... but suddenly he came running over to Neil and I and burst out, "I found it, God showed me where it was!"  Off he ran to finish his 'project'... Faith of a child...

We can never let discouragement get us down... With faith in Him, we must trust Him and believe that He will always mean things for good for us... even when it surely doesn't feel good...

Until next time...
Jean

Thankful

"Everyone needs someone to be thankful for, and each day of life we are aware of this more.  For the joy of enjoying and the fullness of living are found only in hearts that are filled with thanksgiving." Helen Steiner Rice

I am so thankful for so many things... my husband, children, church, friends and even the roof over my head.  Life is filled with so many happy moments that if we can just focus on those things, life would be a much grander place to dwell.  It is a choice though, be gloomy or be happy! As I always try to tell my children, your day will be what you make of it.  You have a choice in allowing others to brighten it or darken it.  We also need to take into consideration how we affect someone else day... it really isn't all about 'me'.  Do we look at our self and ask, 'Did what I say or do make that person sad or happy?' 

Just awhile back I needed to go and make something right with a lady that I was not very nice to.  I felt very bad for my reaction to something she did that upset me.  I made the choice to respond poorly, no one made me.  Praise God that He did not allow me to go on with a clear conscience, and He did not give me peace over the incident.  I did then go back to her an apologize for my behavior and asked her to forgive me.  She graciously did and I was very thankful for that. 

"He chastens those He loves..." I am so thankful for that.  I am also so thankful for the shed blood of Jesus and the forgiveness that it provides.

Until next time,
Jean

    

The Root Of Bitterness...

"When one maintains the root of bitterness, he takes in the poison while waiting for the other to die." 

This was a quote one of our ministers used this past Sunday at Church and it really stood out to me.  So often you will hear people saying that a person offended them by doing something, or they are holding on to a past hurt or a grudge.  This often saddens me because as I think on what they may be saying, in my mind I am thinking, "But you are only hurting yourself."  Most often times when folks hold on to such things, the supposed offender may not even know they had done something, or if they do, they are probably going on their merry way not thinking twice about it.

So what does one do when the hurts seem deep, the wounds are so clear in our minds... Look up, look up, look up.... Remember what He did for us... hanging on that cross, dying innocently.  Is any pain or hurt that we may be suffering from so deep as what Jesus suffered for us?  I think not...

Forgiveness is a choice.  It is the most pleasant, soul healing choice anyone can ever make in their life.  As we have the choice to accept Him as our Savior and experience that all healing grace, we too must choose to forgive our offenders.  Only when this happens can one experience the complete healing and peace that only He can offer.

Until next time,
Jean
       

Tribulations in Life...

"When thou art in tribulation, turn to the Lord thy God." Deuteronomy 4:30

The other day on the way to market we saw a car in the ditch and almost covered with snow.  It did not look nice at all.  I am sure when that person got into the vehicle he/she never intended to end up in the ditch.  It had to be a sickening feeling as they slid and went thump. It  appeared that no one was injured and only the car remained in this unfortunate position.  There are days when each of may feel like we are in a ditch and can't get out, stuck in the mud shall we say.  Tribulations will come and need to be dealt with even when they are unexpected, unwanted and unasked for.  Something has to be done, but what we ask ourselves, what?  When your head wants to hang low... when your shoulders feel to weak to bear another load... when your heart doesn't feel like it can be broken again... when....

So often situations come upon us that perplex us to the point of just not knowing what to do.  We try with all our might to get things fixed or repaired on our own strength, when all we really need to do is cry out to the Lord. He cares and He hears, no matter what...

Until next time,
Jean