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“Lord, Why Won’t This Work?”

I am sure that you have been in a situation where you are trying to get something to work.  You have limited time.  The harder you try the more it fails.  The frustration can get so high, you may even get angry at God.

I have needed to get some color copies and since I don’t have that capability I needed to go into to town to do it.  I have been so busy working I have not had time to run into town.  Then I remembered that there is one of the places in town where you can order copies online and then go pick it up.  I went to the sight and tried to log into my account.  That is when the trouble began.  It told me I wasn’t me.  No matter how many times I checked what I had typed in to make sure I had typed it right, it reject my info.  So I clicked forgot password.  I was sent a link and then I changed my password and tried to log in.  Same problem, I didn’t exist.  I finally went to bed.

The next morning, I was finally able to log in.  I electronically uploaded what I wanted printed, made all the choices I wanted, put in a discount that was available and submitted my order, at least I tried.  Again I had problems it wouldn’t let me choose my store location and when I finally got that to work I hit the submit button and it did nothing.  Talk about frustration I was frustrated.  I kept saying, “Lord, please make this work, why aren’t you allowing this to work?”  It seemed that I was being told, “You don’t want it to work” but I was ignoring that, I was so desperate.  I finally gave up and went to work.

I learned a couple of days ago that I was getting close to my 40 hours at work and we are not supposed to do any overtime.  So I was able to get off work early.  I went into town to the store that I had been trying to make copies online through.  They were the least expensive I could find.  I went to the self-serve copy machine and proceeded to make my copies.  I started with just making one color copy so I could make sure it was okay.  When the copy came out I could not be believe my eyes, it was terrible quality.  I can’t describe how I felt at that moment.  Earlier in the week I had gone and got a sample done at one place.  They were more expensive but the quality was good.  So I ended up going back to where I had been before and got better quality.  The fact is, you get what you pay for.

What really hit me is the fact that I had spent more than an hour, collectively, trying to order the copies online and it was not working.  I realized that God was preventing me from making that mistake.  God is so merciful and gracious.  I was really frustrated that He was not answering my prayer.  Here He knew how desperately I needed these done but He was not helping.  When in reality He was but I just couldn’t see it until later.  Gratefully, God is a God of forgiveness.

Why is it so difficult for us to trust God?  He knows the end from the beginning so He would know more than we can possibly know.  When we let Him have control we have to let go of control and it is a difficult thing to do.  Somehow we feel we can’t make it unless we are in control of everything.  I have learned some valuable lessons through this experience.  One thing I have learned is that God is a God of love.  We may make a mistake but He is not standing over our heads saying, “I told you so!”  He just wants to reconnect with us.  Instead of wallowing in self-pity I just asked the Lord to forgive me and moved on.  And I pray that next time I will be more willing to listen.

Dear Father,

Forgive me for no trusting Your ways.  Thank You for Your love and forgiveness.  Thank You for stopping me even though I persisted in my own way.  You were so gracious.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to listen to the still small voice.  Let God lead and don’t get frustrated.  But if you fail remember God is a forgiving and loving God.

Love you all.

Have you ever had an experience where you listened or did not listen to God’s still small voice?  What was the outcome?  I would love to hear your story.

 

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“Get Me Out Of Here!!”

I am being bombarded on every side with sickness.  I have three boys that have been sick and then I go to work and there have been two guys that have been sick.  One yesterday came to work so sick that I could feel it.  After about an hour I started getting a headache that lasted all day and still is hanging on.  It can feel so frustrating and it makes you want to crawl in the corner somewhere until this all blows over.

Then I was realizing something very important.  Is it really because of someone else that a person gets sick?  That is usually what people say.  “Yeah, I got this cold from Mary.”  Really, is that how it works?  The truth of the matter is that no one else is the blame when we get sick.  We get sick because our bodies are set up for it.  If our immune system is in the condition it should be in, we won’t get sick.  We need to take responsibility for our own immune system.  If we give our bodies what they need and eliminate those things that destroy our immune systems we won’t be getting sick.  We can resist.

This made me think of our Christian lives.  We are bombarded everyday with “sickness” (sin).

It is all around us.  It can seem frustrating at times.  You get bombarded at work, at school, in the stores, or driving down the road, it is everywhere.  You cannot totally avoid it.  You can’t control the work or school environment.  You can’t control what the stores sell or what they are playing.  You can’t control the billboards.  So the question is can we blame these things if we get “sick”?  The answer is no.  We need to take responsibility for our spiritual immune system.  We need to give our spiritual “body” (lives) what it needs and eliminate those things that destroy our spiritual immune systems.

First, we need to eliminate the bad that we can.  Just because we have billboards all around doesn’t mean we should purposely put those things before our eyes, like TV advertisements.  I don’t even know what the advertisements are today because I don’t have regular TV but someone recently told me the commercials are really bad and they were going to not have regular TV anymore.  We need to eliminate all those things that we have control over.

Secondly, we need to build our spiritual immune system.  If we are not making sure our spiritual immune system is strong we will get “sick”.  So how do we do this?

  1. Spend time in God’s Word each day.  Just like we need to take in good nutritious food for our physical bodies to stay healthy we need to take in spiritual food.  If we are not taking in good nutrition we will get sick, whether physical or spiritual.
  2. Memorize Scripture. We need to fortify ourselves with Scripture so that when we are surrounded with “sickness” (temptations) we can combat it.  Just like when physical sickness is around us we take extra precautions and take things to keep our immune system up, we can do the same with the memorized Scripture, it helps keep the spiritual immune system protected.
  3. Prayer.  Prayer is another key factor.  We need to ask God for physical as well as spiritual protection.  As long as we are following God’s physical and spiritual laws He can work and answer those prayers for us.

I do have to say some of us have to work harder at this than others.  When it comes to physical sickness I have to work harder in staying well and combating illness because I have had my immune system compromised with a major illness that has damaged my immunity.  There are others that don’t struggle as much because they have great immune systems.

I was very sheltered from the world growing up so I don’t have to struggle as hard as others that were very steeped in the world with my spiritual immune system, for which I am grateful. For some every time they go into a store and hear some music it is a struggle, when for me I don’t even notice it is there.

We are all on this journey and the answers are the same but to what intensity we need to implement is individual.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your protection.  Help us to stay so in tuned with You that we recognize the temptations and that we will be fortified with Your Word so that we can withstand.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Let’s be prepared physically and spiritually every day so that our immune systems are not taken down.

Love you all.

What do you do to help keep your physical and spiritual immune systems healthy?  I would love to hear your ideas.

 

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“You Can’t Climb The Mountain!”

A lot of times we can put walls around ourselves to protect us from things around us.  But no matter what measures we take we are going to be hurt sometime through our lives.

I remember when my two youngest children were going to stay with Grandma for the day.  She let them know that they could not go climbing up the mountain or do anything outside that they could possibly get hurt, like climb a tree.  She didn’t want them getting hurt while they were with her.  Later on in the day I ended up getting a phone call.  My son had run down the hallway, tripped going into Grandma’s bedroom, and hit the edge of her dressing.  He had a pretty bad spot on his head but Grandma wasn’t sure if it was bad enough to go to the doctor.  It was a head wound but wasn’t bleeding profusely, like head wounds usually do.

I finally decided to have them bring him into town and I would meet them at the urgent care.  As it turned out it was a cut that need stitches but it didn’t bleed very much because it was an impact cut.  So much for my mom trying to keep him from getting hurt by not allowing him to do things more dangerous.  It doesn’t really matter where they are if you have a kid that is accident prone they are going to get hurt.

Sometimes we has Christians can try to be too protective of new believers.  We think somehow we have the wisdom to know what is best for them.  Now I am not saying we should not be watchful for them.  But what I am saying is that God reads the heart.  God knows what He needs to allow into a person’s life in order to refine their character for heaven.  We also need to realize that God is a God of power.  He has the protective power that we don’t even process.

I remember when I was a kid and my parents were witnessing to a lady.  She was interested in becoming a Christian.  She came to some meetings at our church and was really enjoying what she was hearing.  Then there was a speaker that was sharing some things that were not good and my parents were cringing.  They didn’t say anything until later.  They asked her what she thought of the meeting.  She said it was great.  When they asked her about what was great she shared and what she had heard was different from what the speaker had said.  God has a thousand ways to deal with issues but we think we are smarter.  No, we don’t consciously say that but we live that way.  We need to remember God can handle it all.  We need to love these people but give God room to work.  Our major role is to love them, pray for them, and be there for them.

Dear Father,

Help us to be the kind of witnesses You would have us be without getting in the way of Your workings.  Prompt us with Your guiding hand.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Let’s make sure we are in tune with Jesus voice so that we can help those around us and not hinder them in their growth.

Love you all.

Do you have a story?  Maybe you have been too protective of someone whether physically or spiritually, what was the outcome?

Maybe you have been the one that has been protected what is your story?

I love to hear the testimonies of others.

 

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“It Sounded Like a Lady Screaming!!”

I remember years ago when our neighbor shared with us an experience she had one day.  She was out working in her yard when she heard the most hair-raising scream.  She instinctively knew what it was.  She went immediately and got her gun to have beside her.  Although, she never did have to use it, which she was grateful for.  She knew the scream had come from a mountain lion.

We never have seen a mountain lion on our mountain, even though she heard one that day.   But some have seen and heard the evidence of them.  At times when you think about it, especially after something has happened or someone hears something, you are more nervous.  But after a while you walk outside of the protective walls of your house at anytime of day and night and don’t even give it a second thought.

It reminds me of our everyday lives as a Christian.  A lot of times we may go through our day oblivious or not even really thinking about that there is a battle going on all around us.  We see evidences of it now and then.  When we see the work of the devil we tend to spend a little time being more cautious.  But then as time passes we tend to become more careless.  We go outside the protective wall that God has provided and not think a thought about it.  Then we are attacked by the devil in some way and we fall.  The sad part is that a lot of us tend to blame God for not protecting us when in reality we chose to step out of His protection.  We want to somehow think everything is fine because we become comfortable and feel no need. Does it mean that every time we are attacked by the devil that we are out of God’s will?  No!  But when we fail we have stepped away from God in some way.  We tend to have this human mentality that we can handle this ourselves, when we really can’t.  We are not strong enough to handle the devil.  Just like our neighbor knew she was not strong enough to handle a mountain lion.  She knew she needed a defense.

A lot of times when we fail it is because there is something in the way, between us and God.  When we fail we need to get right up and ask God for His forgiveness and then ask Him to show us where we went wrong.  He will reveal to us our weakness that may have caused our failure.

So what can we do?  We need to always start our day by fortifying ourselves with the Word of God.  Just like our neighbor got her gun we need to have our Sword by our side, which is the Word of God.  Having our minds loaded with the ammunition of scripture so that when a temptation or trial comes we can fire off our rounds for defense.  If our neighbor went and got her gun to sit beside her, would it have done her any good if she hadn’t loaded it?  No!  She had to have it loaded and ready to fire if she needed it.  She had to do some work first, she just couldn’t grab the gun and be ready.  The same is true of us.  We can’t just grab our Bible and expect it to do some work for us.  We need to load our brains with it.  Then we will be ready to fire off when needed.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your Word that can be our defense.  Thank You for Your love and forgiveness when we fail.  Without You we can not make it.  Keep close to us.  Surround us with Your arms of protection.  Help us to stay focused on staying in Your walls of protection.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to stay fortified with the Word of God.  Load your mind each day in preparation to fire bullets against the devil when needed.

Love you all!

When have you run into a trial or temptation where having ammunition helped you overcome?  I would love to hear your testimony.

 

 

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“The Machine is Jammed!”

Sometimes we can be going along in life and everything seems to be flowing pretty well.  Yea, there are little bumps here and there but they work themselves out without a hitch.  But then there are those moments we go through things and we feel as if we have gone through the wringer.

A few days ago at where I am working we were sending these little papers through a folding machine.  When the piece went through one section it was folded in half and then when it went through another section it got folded in half again.  The papers were so small.  It was either at the minimum or just below the minimum that the machine could handle.  We would get on a roll and it would be going very smoothly and then all the sudden a piece would go wrong and it would jam.  When one piece got caught wrong, there were several other pieces that would come behind and make a real mess before the machine could be shut off.  When the papers were pulled out they were very crumpled or torn up and not usable.  It took some time to clean up the mess and then start again.

It made me think about how our lives can be when we lean toward the minimum.  When we spend minimum time with God, minimum time in prayer, and possibly no time in hiding His Word in our hearts.  When the rough times come it really eats us up.  We get torn and bruised.  We may go through the same trials and hardships whether we are minimizing or maximizing our time with God but the outcome is different.

Believe me, you are not alone in this.  I have minimized so many times through my life it can be frustrating.  I ask myself, “What is your problem?”  It seems like a no-brainer but we can tend to forget.  We are no different from the children of Israel, in ancient times.  I know I have read the story and I have thought many times how stupid could they be.  And then I have to think again and I know I am not any different.  The Lord did so many miracles in their journey but all they could see was the hardships.

It is so easy to minimize.  The question is, “How do I keep myself from minimizing?”  There are no easy answer, or just fall into place answers, it takes making a decision and sticking with it.  It takes purposing in our hearts to not minimize.  The devil is going to find ways to keep you from having the time to spend with God.

Here are 4 tips that I have used that has helped me.

  1. Ask God to wake you in the morning.  I have found that God has no problem waking me when I should get up.  Now I still have to obey.  There have been times that I have thought, “I will just lay here a little longer and pray.”  Bad, bad, bad idea.  I end up going back to sleep.  The amazing part is that when God wakes me up I am wide-awake.  But when I don’t listen and end up falling back to sleep, when I do get up, I feel tired and I do not have the same strength through the day, even though I still spend time with God.  Obey God and get up.
  2. Make sure to have a planned routine.  This is really important.  If you just haphazardly try to do something, it will not last.  You have to have a plan.  A plan of prayer, what you plan to memorize, and what you are going to read.  Spending time in God’s Word is important.  Maybe you want to get a plan to read your Bible through in a year.  There are several plans out there you could use.  Here is one suggestion: http://oneyearbibleonline.com.  I haven’t actually used this plan but it looks like a good direction.  You can choose to read a chapter out of four different books each day so you don’t get bogged down in Leviticus or Deuteronomy.
  3. Write down what you have learned.  Instead of just reading, write down something each day that was an encouragement, something new you didn’t know, or something that is just fascinating.  Keep things alive by making it practical for your life.
  4. Journal.   I have not always journaled but it seems that journaling about our days, what we are going through, and God’s blessings, can be a blessing.  And when we forget how God has led us we can look back more easily and remember as we read through our journal.  You can also do this in prayer form as well. These are not exhaustive by any means but just some of the practical things that have helped me.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your goodness.  For Your willingness to even awaken us for the time with You.  I long for the time when we can be together with You forever.  Continue to walk beside us and prompt us to spend that time with You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember that Jesus longs to have time with You.  It is through this time, building a relationship with Him, that will help you to overcome and manage the trials of each day.

Love you all.

Have you struggled with finding the time to spend with God?  What have you done to keep it going in your life?  I would love to hear your ideas.

 

 

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“I’m Creased Wrong!”

Have you ever felt like you’re creased wrong?  You’re probably asking, “What are you talking about?”  Let me explain.

I am working at a print shop right now and we have a machine that you send newsletters, brochures, cards etc. through and it makes a crease.  After you send it through the machine it is much easier to fold.  There is one thing, though; you have to make sure to put it through correctly.  It has to be flat against the fence.  If it is off just a tiny bit, when you fold it, it will be off.  The thing is, once the crease is in there wrong, you can’t correct it.

It made me think of our lives.  I would say the majority of us have been “creased” wrong.  It is really hard to go through life and not have something that has gotten off in our lives, tragedy, abuse, etc.  It seems to get us off on the wrong foot.  We are going through are lives and we are getting multiple “creases” and there is no real direction.

The amazing part is that no matter how many “creases” that we have had in life God can straighten and clean them up and we can become a brand new “newsletter”, “brochure”, or “card”.  You didn’t know you could be all these things.  In reality we are read by all.  Actions speak louder than words.

I am so grateful that, as we come to Christ, He will cleanse us and clean us up.  It doesn’t mean we will never get “creased” wrong, whether it is choices we make or something comes to our lives that causes wrong “creasing”.  God is a God of healing and forgiveness.

Everything that comes into our lives God uses to refine our characters.  And the amazing part about God is every time He removes a “crease”, instead of it looking “ironed” and messy, we look more perfect.  The power of God, what an amazing thing.

We do have our part to play.  We need to be in the Word, surrendering our hearts to Him each morning, as well as moment by moment.  We also need to hide God’s Word in our hearts so that we don’t sin against Him. See Psalms 119:11.  We need to be much in prayer and if we fail go to God, immediately asking for forgiveness.  If someone does wrong to us we also need to go to God in prayer and leave it at His feet, trusting Him for the outcome.

Dear Father,

You are such a merciful and gracious God, for which I am so grateful.  You can take our lives and take every “crease” out and make us more beautiful than we could ever imagine.  Thank you for your unfailing love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to give everything to God.  Let Him work out all the “creases”.  If we try to do it ourselves our lives will only get messier.

Love you all.

Have you had “creases” in your life that God has “ironed” out and made more beautiful?  I would love to hear your testimony.

 

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“Old, Thin Walls”

When I was a kid we lived in an old, old farmhouse.  It was so old that the insulation wasn’t much to speak of.  I remember, in the wintertime, the wind coming across the prairie would go right through.  Thankfully it was not that way all the time but when it was it was miserable.  We would have our wood stove going and electric heat on to try to keep the place somewhat warm.  We had to keep pipes from freezing and breaking.  You might be asking, “Why in the world would you keep living there?”  Well the price was right.  My folks paid $65 a month for the 17 years that they lived there.  There were reasons why it was so inexpensive.  But it was a really special place to live despite the trials.

It made me start to thinking about us as Christians.  We have the fierce wind of trials blowing at us constantly.  The devil is trying to penetrate through our insulation so that we become cold.  So people may ask, “Why do you continue to be a Christian with all the struggles that come your way?”  The price is right and the future mansions and companionship with God is worth it.

The truth of the matter is I don’t know how I would even make it through this life without God.  We do need to be “insulated” though or the cold wind of the devil will penetrate.  We need to stay fortified with the Word of God.  We need to have the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and the Shield of Faith.  Prayer also will open up the windows of heaven for us.

We need to thank God for the “wind”.  The “wind” is what brings in the “rain”, “snow”, and the “sun”.  Trials are like showers of blessings.  They help us to grow and perfect our character.  Some of the trials are like the cold snow.  It can be a very dark time for us but as the Son of Righteousness shines on us the cold melts away and we are watered, which brings forth life.

The choice is really ours.  We can allow the “cold wind” that comes to us to destroy us or we can allow God to use it for our good.  The devil wants to steal, kill, and destroy but he has no power unless we give it to him.  Now I know that these things are easier said than done.  I have struggled many times in allowing the Lord to use my circumstances to help me grow.  But I can say that as I do, the wind does not seem as cold and strong because God is insulating me.  We only lack the “insulation” to stay warm if we are not fortified in God’s Word and allowing Him full control of our lives.  If He is walking beside us, and even carrying us at times, the “wind” does not seem so fierce.

Dear Father,

Thank You that You are so willing to help us, insulate us, and help us grow.  We struggle so much with trusting You.  Many of us have trusted others and have been hurt so much that we struggle with trusting You.  Thank You for continuing to prompt us and encourage us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to fortify yourself with God’s Word.  Memorize His promises and claim them when the “wind” is fierce.

Love you all.

Have you been through some fierce trials?  What have you learned to do to fortify yourself?  How did God help you through?

Sharing your testimony helps you to grow.  I would love to hear your story.

 

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“I’m Scared!”

We all can look back in life at sometime where we were really scared.  Even just thinking about it probably makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

I remember one time several years ago when I only had two children and they were very young.  They might have been two and one.  My husband was out of the country so I was home alone with my children.  My parents now live next door but at the time they lived over an hour away.

Our front door is an all glass slider.  I had pulled the curtain shut for the night.  I think the children might have been in bed already.  I was about ready to go to bed myself when two police cars pulled into our driveway.  Now this is very unusual because we live out in the country.  The police would not even come to the door.  One of them stood at the end of our porch, which is a distance, and stood to the side so I couldn’t really even see him.  He had his gun drawn.  He asked me if everything was okay.  I told him it was and asked him who or what address they were looking for.  The answer was, “We don’t have time to talk.”  And off they raced.

Now talk about scared.  Here I was home alone with two little kids and I had no idea what was going on.  We didn’t have a lot of neighbors and I knew all of them so it seemed very strange.  I called my parents and they offered to come but I told them no.  I don’t remember what my night was like but I made it through.

I found out the next morning that they had gone to the next three neighbors and at the last neighbor, which was the end of the road; they finely gave what address they were looking for.  I discovered that it was nothing that I needed to be concerned about, as far as my family’s safety.

How many of you see what is happening in this world and have fear?  You fear the future.  You want to protect all the people who you love and care for but you’re not even sure how to do it.  It appears that this world is falling apart and you are filled with fear.

For me, I don’t really know what all is going on in this world.  I don’t watch the news, I don’t read the newspaper, and I rarely pay any attention to news posts on Facebook.  How can you really know that truth about what you read or see anyway?  Every news report is slanted by whatever agenda they want to get across to the people.  So the question is, “What is the truth?”

As I look at it there is only one way to prepare for what ever crisis is ahead and it is not in watching, listening, or reading about the crisis or possible crisis.  It is studying the genuine, the truth.  When training a banker they don’t show them the counterfeit money in order to prepare them for the crisis of counterfeit money.  They are trained on the genuine money and it becomes so much a part of them that when the counterfeit comes across they recognize it.

There is one truth that will always be reliable.  And it is the genuine truth, God’s Word.  You can trust His Word with all of your heart, without fear.  Here is some steps that I have found to be the most important.

  1. Stay in God’s Word.  God’s Word is the genuine and we need to make it such a part of our lives so that when the counterfeits of the devil come our way we will recognize it.
  2. Memorize God’s Word. It is so important to hide God’s Word in our hearts as a defense.
  3. Much in prayer. We need to be much in prayer.  It is only God’s protective power that can keep us safe from any danger.
  4. Be a protective hedge for your family. First and foremost our responsibility is our family.  We need to be preparing our family spiritually for the crisis ahead.  By using the first three steps.  God wants us to have our families in order.  The first mission work is our families.  And as we labor with them God will bless.

Dear Father,

Thank You that You are an ever-present help in trouble.  Help us to not allow the world around us to distract us from the genuine, You.  The devil doesn’t care what he distracts us with as long as he can keep us focused away from You.  Continue to prompt our hearts toward You.  Thank You for Your love and patience.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to keep focused on the genuine, Jesus.

Love you all.

What ways have you used to stay focused on the genuine instead of getting caught up in what is going on around you?

What fears have you had in your life that the Lord has helped you through?

I would love to hear your stories.

 

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“It Hurts!!”

When you have children there is always excitement of some kind, especially with boys.  You never know what your day is going to bring when you get up in the morning.

I remember when one of my boys went hiking on our mountain alone many years ago.  He was quite a ways from home.  There was this tree that had fallen over and down a cliff.  He thought it would be fun, because it went from the top to the bottom of the cliff, to walk on the log down to the bottom.  It would make it easier and a shorter way to get home.  I don’t remember for sure how it happened, I think maybe it was slippery, but he ended up falling.  He had no one to help him so he had to keep heading toward home even though he had hurt his arm and was in a lot of pain.  He stopped at his grandparents because they live closest to the mountain.

When we got over there we knew it was more than just a sprain.  He had his favorite coat on and he wanted to get it off so if his arm swelled they wouldn’t cut his coat off.  We took him in and of course his arm was broke.  They gave him something to relieve the discomfort.  They put his arm in a cast to protect it and allow it time to heal.  The amazing thing about a broken bone is that once it is healed it actually makes the bone stronger.

This has made me think of those who have been wounded emotionally and maybe even physically by someone.  The pain is unbearable.  I can relate.  I don’t know all the answers but I have some thoughts that I want to share.

We need to learn to forgive and that can be so difficult.  But forgiveness does not mean you do not set boundaries.  If your heart has been hurt you need a healing time.  You need to put a “cast” around your heart and allow healing.  Also claiming Bible promises to relieve the discomfort of your heart.  Just like my son was not about to go on the log again unless he knew it was truly safe, you should not reconnect with people who have brought damage to you physically and/or emotionally unless there is proof that they are safe.  God loves you and you deserve to be treated better.

When my son’s arm was healed the cast came off and that bone with time became a stronger bone than before he broke it.  It is the same with the hurts and pains that we go through in life.  When we forgive, set boundaries, and healing takes place, we are able to take the “cast” off and we are stronger for the experience we have had.  And then God is able to use us to help and comfort others that are going through a similar situation.  God gives us a ministry.

Dear Father,

Thank You for the trials.  I don’t always feel thankful but I am because I know that through those trials I am going to get stronger and grow.  I pray that each of us will allow You to use our experiences to help those around us.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

If you are in an abusive situation, it is okay to get out.  Forgive and let the Lord heal you.  And make sure to set boundaries.

I love you all.

Have you been hurt by someone?  How did the Lord help you forgive and set boundaries?

 

 

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“It Is A Rough, Slippery Road!”

We all have experienced rough roads, whether it is driving a road that is not well maintained, driving a dirt road, or hiking.  It may not seem so bad at first but after a while it gets rather tiring.

A couple of days ago our family went for a hike.  I had not intended on going far.  When we got to the location that we were headed to I asked my son, “Isn’t that the top of the mountain?”  He said, “Yes.”  I was thinking, “That isn’t that far and when we get to the top there is a road we can hike on and that will be so easy.”  So we went to the top.

It was great once we got to the top.  We were now on the road and although it would be a long hike back home, it would be easy because we were on a mountain road.  It would have been except for one small detail.  There was family that wanted to take a “shortcut”.  Now it may have been a short cut but it was rough going.  We were going down the mountain strewn with layers of pine needles that were slippery, through bushes, over logs, and across streams of water.  Not what I call very pleasant.  I have to say, though, that when we broke through and we could look into the valley it was beautiful.  If we had taken the easy road we would have missed the beauty.  It may have been easier but the outcome would not have been the same.

It made me think of the Christian walk.  There is the easy road that would be a lot easier to travel.  This road is really no different from the world.  The only real difference is that we claim to be Christians and we go to church.  We give a false appearance.  The road is easy, there is no resistance or any significant bumps in the road.  We are going a long with the mainstream.  It is really easy because we don’t really need to make any changes in our lives.  We just show up to church once a week and we’re great.  We think that this easy road is leading us Home but sad to say, when we get to the end the Beauty is not going to be there.

If we choose to surrender our all to God, the road is going to be rough.  We are not going to be following mainstream Christianity.  We are not going to fit in.  We are going to be stumbling over rocks and boulders that the devil puts in our pathway.  The path is going to be strewn with “pine needles”, with the intention to cause us to fall, which at times we do.  But we keep getting up and continuing the journey Home.  The journey is rough and tiring but when we break through and we see the beauty of what God has planned for us, it will be worth it all.

How can we stay on this rough journey and stay away from the easy road?

  1. Spend time with God each day.  Your time with God is so important.  Don’t allow any thing to distracted you from it.
  2. Spend much time in prayer.  Ask God to stay close to you and keep you from slipping on the rough road.
  3. Memorize scripture.  Being able to claim promises during times of hardships and temptations is so necessary to overcome.
  4. Surrender your life, each day, to God.  You need to surrender your life each day to God.  Even throughout the day, you will need to keep surrendering to God each time there is a rough place in the road.  When you are tempted to take the easy road out claim His promises.
  5. Be grateful.  When you are grateful no matter what comes to you, it makes the road seem less bumpy.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your unfailing love.  Thank You that when the road is rough, You are there to help us, if we just reach out our hand to You.  Give us courage to keep on the journey.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

No matter how rough the road, don’t give up.  Stay surrendered to the One that gave all for you.

Love you all.

We all have experienced rough roads.  What have you experienced and how has the Lord seen you through?  I would love to hear your story.