beauty from ashes....

Several years ago, I injured my neck and consequently suffered two herniated disks, one in my C-6 and one in my C-7.
Surgery, I was told, was my only option.
Really...?
Now, I had endured weeks of excruciating pain and I was quite done, to be honest, but, I did NOT believe that surgery was my only option because I serve a God who heals and I believe we, in this country, do not experience the miracle of healing because we do not ask; we simply defer to our insurance policies to take care of our physical bodies, which is great and fine, but, for me, at that point, I was hungry for a miracle.
And so, I got down on my knees and asked the Lord to heal my neck.
He did.
It was miraculous....amazing!
But..... he left behind a reminder; the tip of my right index finger had been numb from the onset of the injury and in His divine wisdom He left it that way...a reminder practically emblazened not only on my dominant hand but also on my most used finger; a reminder which gives me pause a hundred times a day.
GOD HEALED ME-NOT BECAUSE OF WHO I AM BUT TO SHOW WHO HE IS-HE LOVES AND DELIGHTS IN HIS CREATION.
He didn't heal me because I deserve it, but rather He healed me to reveal to me His character.
Isn't that just like God?
I was talking with a friend about some difficult circumstances in her life and she shared how God has brought her through it,though it has taken some time, however, there are occasions when she runs into the others involved in the situation and it reminds her of the pain and difficulty she and her family went through during that time.
I told her about my neck, my healing, and the "reminder" that God left behind and how her situation was really not all that different because those people are her "reminder" to praise God for His healing power in her heart and in her life.
We both left that encounter, I believe, feeling very blessed with the knowledge that no matter what life brings to our table, we are never alone....God is there and he delight in His creation and He knows what is best for us.
I think of Paul and the "thorn in his flesh" that he prayed for God to remove but was told no.
Now, I can honestly say that I understand why; that "thorn" caused more praise in God's direction than it caused pain in Paul's direction and I believe that
God is more interested in building our character into His image rather than making us more comfortable.
Praise be to God who creates beauty from ashes.

an excerpt from Pastor Frangipane......

Approximately two thousand years ago a decree was issued at the judgment seat of Almighty God. It provided "legal" protection for the church against the devil. Indeed, when Jesus died for our sins, the "ruler of this world" was judged (John 16:11). Our debts were nailed to Christ's cross and canceled; principalities and powers were disarmed. In truth, because of Jesus, we have a legal right, not only to be protected from our enemy but to triumph over him (Col. 2:13-15).

It does not matter what nation you come from, the sacrifice of Christ was so complete and the judicial decision from God against Satan so decisive that divine protection, enough to cover every need known to Christians, has been granted (see Rev. 3:10). Christ's death is the lawful platform upon which the church rises to do spiritual warfare; His Word is the eternal sword we raise against wickedness.
Having said that, we must also acknowledge that the church has only rarely walked in such victory since the first century. Why? At least in part, the answer is this: To attain the protection of Christ, the church must embrace the intercession of Christ. We must become a house of prayer.

Indeed, church history began with its leadership devoted to the Word of God and to prayer (Acts 2:42; 6:4). Every day the leaders gathered to pray and minister to the Lord (Acts 3:1). In this clarity of vision and simplicity of purpose, the church of Jesus Christ never had greater power or capacity to make true disciples.

Today, however, our qualifications for church leadership include almost everything but devotion to God's Word and prayer. Leaders are expected to be organizers, counselors, and individuals with winning personalities whose charms alone can draw people.

In Luke 18, Jesus challenges our modern traditions. He asks, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (v. 8). His question is a warning to Christians who would limit the power of God at the end of the age. Jesus is calling us to resist the downward pull of our traditions; He is asking us individually, "Will I find faith in you?"

Guilty...party of one...?

No one likes to feel guilty. It is like an unwelcome guest who shows up at the worst possible time and overstays their welcome no matter how badly you want them to leave.
However the truth is that we need guilt. It is the only proper response to any offense, whether driving over the speed limit, relishing a selfish thought, or even premeditated murder. Even if you aren't a spiritual person you'd want the burglar that broke into your house to feel guilty right? Why? Because he should. Guilt exposes the truth that we wish to avoid: we have sinned.
The bible says: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
But wait, it gets better: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Guilt does more that deliver distressing news, it also unlocks the door to forgiveness, which leads to confession.
Confession works against the worst part of human nature, the part that imagines itself to be better that it really is. How many times have we heard, "well, I'm not perfect, but at least I'm not as bad as so and so."
This mindset always stop short of confessing, it would rather ignore or ease feelings of guilt rather than admit them. Only when we admit that we have sinned, unworthy of God's grace, can we make a fresh start.
I think C.S. Lewis said it best: "no man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good."

Thank you to my friend, Robin, who was so encouraging to me this morning, in fact, it was quite literally salve for my soul.
I sometimes forget how medicinal a kind word can be or a check up phone call, a thoughtful text, even a genuine smile in my direction...all good stuff.
Speaking of that...I'm off to go check on someone who is on my mind.
Pass it on.....

pressing on....

It is well...
It is well....with my soul......
Love that song.
What an excellent reminder for me to press on no matter my circumstances.
And so...here I am...pressing on.....
This weekend I attended the funeral of a friends' mom at our old church which is very conservative and "in the box", so to speak, and the eulogies were sweet and funny, but probably would have been more suited at a grange hall or a bowling alley, rather than a baptist church.
At the end, a friend of the family was asked to speak about....matters of faith, which I thought was good, in theory, and then I began to wonder if this was the best use of the time given or, rather should there have been more testimony about how a relationship with the God of the universe changes us, or how the Love that God shows us makes us more like Him which, in turn, draws the lost to us asking, "what's different about you?", know what I mean?
The whole thing gave me pause....which has caused me to ask myself that same question: am I making the best use of my time?
Does my life give testimony to the One whom I serve?
In contrast, the pastor at our new church was speaking on Sunday morning to a crowded service about that exact thing: how God has changed him since he gave his life to him all those years ago and how God doesn't care about our garbage because He loves us. He wants to take our garbage to the curb and leave it there forever, if only we'd reach out to Him and when we do the joy that floods our souls knowing that God has done all the work and that we are clean...if only we'd reach out to him....yes, there was scripture, of course, but it wasn't....churchy or guilt-ridden....it was just real, which is what people are hungry for in this world.
Real people of faith living out what they believe no matter the cost. Real people of faith who put others first ahead of their own selfish desires. Real people of faith who love in the name of the Lord instead of judging others who don't look like them or live like them, picking and choosing who should come to the Lord, so to speak.
For that is my desire: to love people in the name of the Lord and to be a good steward of the time given by the Lord, which I believe is short.
God has also reminded me that this space is a ministry and that I need to treat it so.
Pressing on....