Day 20

Dear You,

This letter is being sent as if it is a package of seeds.  Seeds that I pray will be planted in your heart and with the Holy Spirit  blossom and bring forth good fruits.

What you just went through was painful, frightening to say the least. But you faced it with all the courage you could find in yourself. Yes, you called upon the Lord and beg, pleaded and bargained. But, you still knew it was up to you to not give in and not give up. It was up to you to have faith and hope in something bigger and more powerful then yourself. 

Did it change you? Did it humble you? Did it reset your priorities?  Did you learn anything?

When we walk through a storm, when we climb a mountain, when we pull ourselves up from a dark pit it can be life changing. But only if we learn from the experience. Only if we find ourselves. Only IF we discover that when we keep God in the center of our deepest, darkest most painful experience it then has great value. 

Yes, without God in the center of our thoughts and our conversations when we share our experiences with others….  Our life is really  empty, nothing but a shell.Because we make it all about “me”.  Life can be pitiful and unfulfilling when we serve ourselves and seek to glorify ourselves. And that is a futile and pathetic life. 

Did you know that God’s heart was broken the day that “Man fell”. Yes,  Man (Adam and Eve) choose to believe a lie that they too could be a God unto themselves.   Don’t we still do that today when we take God out of our thoughts, conversations and plans? We make it all about us.  

There is no challenge we face, no battle or storm that is wasted when we keep God at the center. When we come out victorious and God receives all the Glory.

For the scriptures say “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” “If I gain the world but lose my soul…:

I ask the question.  If what you went through doesn’t bring glory to God than it was for nothing”. If you make it all about you, your strength, your courage, your determination then what???  You should want to direct friends and family to the living God who has the ability to give hope, strength courage and faith to all who seek Him. 

Be HIS light by keeping God at the center of your thoughts and conversations.  That’s all I’m trying to say.

May He help you to grow… in Him.

Love.

Me

 Day 14 

On February 1st I began blogging (journalizing) setting out to sea and seeing a storm blowing in on the horizon.  It was something I just had to accept. It was coming. I knew that I knew that although God has been preparing me for the “storms of life” for some time now… it still was a pain I can’t describe adequately. It felt like when in labor the contractions some on slowing then crescendo and then there is some time of peace and rest.  Incredibly with the prayers of many I surprised myself as I watch myself, like in a movie not just hold on to the mast of the ship as I wrote the storm, but showed up with strength and a woman of faith.  Ok, but on two occasions the emotional storm came to a head and I had to fall to my knees and just weep.  Crying out to the Lord.  Was that an act of weakness? No, but a natural response to express the pain that was pouring out.  Unable to contain it any longer.  The scriptures came to me that the Lord recognizes “there is a time to weep” Ecclesiastes 3:4.  Not a weakness of our faith but a humble reality of our nature. 

I witnessed a miracle during the storm. In the center of the storm HE was with me. In the center of the storm HE gave me comfort and peace. In the center of the storm HE held me in his arms. In the center of the storm HE was enough.  That was a miracle. But the miracles kept coming.  An answer to my prayer was witness before my eyes.  The miracle was talking.  The miracle was moving.  The miracle was smiling at me. Nope it didn’t stop there.  the miracle came home with me the next day. 

It is incredible that the intensity of our emotions in tragedy dosn’t seem to match the intensity of our emotions when we witness a miracle.  Not sure why.  Although we shout praise to God and place our hand over our heart as we hear and see a miracle, it is more “I know in my heart and my mind that I’ve just seen a miracle”.  

Well, the miracle continues to bring me to my knees in gratitude.  I just plead with my self to never be like the children of Israel who after being freed from slavery and walked across the Red Sea on dry land found themselves murmuring in the desert, forgetting the miracles they experienced.  I pray it’s always fresh in my mind and heart what the lord has done. 

In the storm I experienced a miracle.  I don’t welcome the storms but I am not afraid to face them.  

HE WAS THERE WITH ME.  His word says “He will never leave me nor forsake me”.

That is enough for me.

Strength

 Beginning of day.

The Bible states the Joy of the Lord is my strength 

And our Faith is what pleases God so it is logical to have His strength is to first have faith in God. And faith is a fact but faith is an act.  Abraham was the example in the Old Testament of Faith. Laying his own son in the alter - trusting God. What a great ending! His sons life was spared because of Abrahams Faith. 

Negative thoughts that are not harnessed are so harmful in so many ways. But by the word of God they can be harnessed and actually dispelled.

…….

End of day.

Do you sometimes at the end of the feel like overcooked pasta.  Almost to the point of mush.,  Well,

By the grace, mercy and love of God I end the day exhausted. Physically and emotionally.  Today was a day that I found myself fulfilling the word.  “A Time for Morning” “A time for tears”. But Then as I called upon the Lord, “A time for peace”.  It’s hard to wrap my head around what the past 14 hrs did to my faith and mind.  

The Storm is calmed. Although I am still at sea, in a boat.  Hoping to reach land soon.

Ciao

 Day 9

It seems a contradiction to our Christian walk to say “It is all about you”. But in situations of trials (Life’s Storms) this is a true statement.  But it needs a bit of explanation. 

When faced with a tragic life event … it is all about you.  It is about YOU bringing Glory to God. It is about your response after the initial reaction (human response to painful stimuli). 

The famous psychologist Carl Rogers built on the famous psychologist Abraham Maslow concept of the hierarchy of needs for humans by adding Self-awareness.   The world trying to grasp what God laid out for us in His Word.  Self - awareness. What am I thinking? What is my response?   However, without God’s Word  as the foundation for these concepts, these worldly ideas of  self-actualization  are a train ride away from God and centered on the track of selfishness. 

I only brought that up because the foundation of our existence must be grounded in God’s Word. Taking responsibility for our response to heartaches and circumstances that may be beyond our control.  

What we can control is “ourselves”. Bringing it back to the sentence “It is all about me” and my response.

To respond in Faith not in fear.  To respond by claiming God’s Promises.  To respond saying “no matter what happens out of my control, His Grace is suffice to for me.  His Love is all I need. The strength and the courage is centered in His Power. 

So, today I’ll become aware  (self awareness ) and ask myself.  Since it is all about  me , AM I bringing Glory to God with my words and actions today.   Yes, I can bring Glory to God with my thoughts, actions and being by recognizing that “His Grace is sufficient for me….”  I CAN DO THIS AGAIN TODAY. Am I responding as a conqueror or victim? The world would have us believe we are victims of our circumstances.  But, Thank God that   In Christ I am a conqueror of any situation. 

A little rambling this morning….😐

                                                It is about me bringing Glory to God. 

His Promises….

 "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. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. Corinthians 12:9

A beautiful Poem by Annie Johnson Flint: 

God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God hath promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way, Grace for the trials, help from above,   Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

 Day 8

IF my life’s story was made into a book I wonder what would be the title? What would be the chapter number and title that I am currently in.  What I do know is what I want the last sentence of my life story here on earth  to be. “ As she came into the presence of her Savior she heard Him say, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant’ ”.

Yes, that that is what encourages me and strengthens me today.  As I said in an earlier blog, it’s not the journey but the destination that propels me each day to remain vigilant, focused and actually joyful in the presence of life events.

I am an influencer. Those I encounter each day I hope and pray will see the light of God in my life. I pray they are drawn to His Light. Yes, for me to Live is Christ and to die is gain.  My life story. To bring Glory to God. 

Some chapters in my life have been full of peaceful days. Exciting times of “feeling great” and doing the things I love. Being with family. Being a Mom and now a Grandmother. Being an Aunt “Zia Dina” .  Having a rewarding career as a Nurse that I absolutely loved. Then there have been some chapters of intense pain and sorrow. Even a few chapters that are riddled with scary events and frightening, curl up in a ball and lay in the corner, times.  But, isn’t that life here on earth? Those dark and scary times are valuable when we learn from them and we become stronger in our walk with the Lord. The chapters in my life when my choices were (in hindsight) not good choices. Again, all valuable if I learned from them and grew stronger and wiser. No regrets, just lessons learned. And thank God He forgave me for those chapters in my life that, well, lets just say regretful. 

Today, this morning as I am still writing my life story and not certain what this chapter title would be.  I do know I’m hanging on to the mast of a ship being tossed about by an angry storm.  A storm that is trying to take me down and defeat me.  But, I have the Savior, my Savior on board.  I will remain faithful (which pleases God). I will hold so tight to the promises of God that my knuckles turn white and my hands go numb. And although the wind is screaming in my face and I’m being pelleted by the sting of the salty sea sprays, I will not fear in my heart. For my Savior is with me. In His time He will Speak the word and the Storm will immediately respond to His word and Stop. He has done it before and He will do it again. Then, my next chapter will one of dancing, singing and praising God for a time of peaceful seas. Clear blue skies and smooth sailing. 

I sit and ponder on what I just wrote and I am at peace.

Ciao 

Matthew 4: 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”