Toward ~ Day 14 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.” Proverbs 27:1

Toward

Sitting at the stop sign waiting to pull onto the main street I watched the traffic hoping for an opening. One by one the cars passed by. Near the end of the line came an older model and I noticed the passenger side window was down. As it approached, a young man in the seat stretched his arm out the window pointing directly toward my windshield making the image of a gun with his hand. Looking straight at me, eyes locked on mine, he acted out pulling the trigger.

Had the gun been real, I’d have died that day, in my car, at a stop sign, on my way to the Piggly Wiggly. Life is fragile. I didn’t need to be reminded of that with our tiny grandson in the hospital fighting for his life, but, it’s important to remember how easy it is for us to forget that.

Busy days, wrong priorities, self-confidence, and so much more can blind us into thinking we have all the time in the world to get it right. Then, in the blink of an eye, “normal” life shatters into a million pieces and is gone.

“The reality is you have no idea where your life will take you tomorrow. You are like a mist that appears in moment and then vanishes another.” James 4:14 (The Voice)

Jesus also knew the fragility of human life as He carried his cross toward the hill of Golgotha where he would be crucified. Jesus did die in that moment. He died with his eyes locked on you and me and He didn’t look away. Why? Because He knew that His death gives us the opportunity for new life.

“Now the Lord is not slow about enacting His promise-slow is how some people want the characterize it-no, He is not slow but patient and merciful to you, not wanting anyone to be destroyed, but wanting everyone to turn away from following his own path and to turn toward God’s. Knowing that one day all this will come to pass, think what sort of people you ought to be-how you should be living faithful and godly lives, So, my friends, while we wait for the day of the Lord, work hard to live in peace, without flaw or blemish; and look at the patience of the Lord as your salvation.”
2 Peter 3:9,11a,14-15 (The Voice)

I’m guessing you probably don’t need to be reminded how unpredictable this life is either, but maybe like me, you also don’t want to forget how we should be spending every day, moment, and breath now. And so, we must stop living for ourselves and instead move toward God, living faithfully and keeping our eyes locked on the One who stretched out His arms and with his broken body fixed ours, not just for today, but for life eternal.

Redeem ~ Day 13 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“I know my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.” Job 19:25(NIV)


Redeem

Recently, a business failed me. It didn’t meet the high standards it had claimed. My order was  a time-sensitive one, and honestly, I didn’t have a Plan B. Not long after that, a letter came in the mail. As it turned out, the district manager had been overseeing the store that day and regretted the mistake. Not wanting it to effect their reputation, she sent several gift certificates that I could redeem if I wanted to.  I’ll tell you, the way I felt about their future as a store after their slip-up and after receiving the gift certificates was completely different. I think she knew there was little hope of my returning if they hadn’t recognized and apologized for what they’d done. The unexpected gift did change my outlook.

As hard as we might try, we can’t live up to high standards either. Oh we might do pretty well for a while, but then we fail. A lie here, a cross word there, broken promises, heading in the wrong direction, putting ourselves first, and those secret things that would cause our reputations to suffer. Doing what’s right is a tall order, one we can’t fill. Do WE have a Plan B?

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Romans 3:23 (NLT)

Thankfully, we have an Overseer, who does offer a new plan. One of hope for our future despite our missteps. It’s God’s gift to redeem us through the cross.

“and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood-to be received by faith.” Romans 3:24-25a (NIV)

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)

While I am grateful for the gift certificates that were offered, if I don’t use them they’ll expire and I will lose out on their benefit. It’s vital to remember that the very same thing is true about God’s gift of salvation. Unlike my coupons, we don’t know an exact expiration date, but if we wait too long we’ll miss the blessing of eternal life and perish. Haven’t accepted God’s redeeming grace? Do it now! The undeserved gift will change everything!

Everyone ~ Day 12 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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Everyone

⁣
Everyone has surrounded me in love⁣
Friends and family far and near, old and new⁣
Cards, flowers, letters, calls, meals, texts⁣
I’ve felt remembered.⁣
⁣
Everyone looked the same⁣
They had all participated together ⁣
Each one wearing a #SuttonStrong shirt⁣
I felt supported.⁣
⁣
Everyone went above and beyond⁣
Such generosity from our churches⁣
A bounty for the Ronald McDonald House⁣
I felt grateful.⁣
⁣
Everyone found ways to say, “Welcome Home!”⁣
Balloons, signs, silly string, sirens⁣
Celebrating with our family⁣
I felt such joy.⁣
⁣
Everyone praying⁣
Even some I’ve never met⁣
Those prayers sustain us⁣
I feel blessed.⁣
⁣
Anyone can be an “Everyone”.⁣
⁣
“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥.”⁣
𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝟷𝟹:𝟷𝟼 (𝘕𝘐𝘝)⁣
⁣

Above ~ Day 11 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” Colossians 1:13 (NIV)

Above

When this sneaky intruder perched himself above my bird feeders I was NOT happy. Sitting perfectly still, he camouflaged himself silently amongst the branches waiting to trap and eat one of “my” birds. His presence there was also keeping them all from being fed.

You know, there’s a devious adversary who’s hovering over us, too. He’s a master of deceit and disguise. Patient, he lurks and before we know it he’s able to capture us when we’re off guard. I’m talking about Satan, The fallen angel from above. The ruler of this world we live in. (explains a lot about all that’s happening, doesn’t it?)

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

There are few of us, myself included that willingly come within the predator’s reach. But once we’re enticed and snatched from where we want to be, it often takes time to realize it, because as most beasts of prey do, he toys with us for awhile before we are consumed.

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NIV)

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”James 1:14 (ESV)

Deceived, lured, enticed, but wait! My own desire? If we stop and think about it, most often when we find ourselves in the snare of the devil it’s because he was able to convince us to pursue the seemingly harmless things WE long for or avoid what WE don’t want.

It’s a battle. Satan has so many wily ways to tempt us (me), and once we succumb, we find it difficult to get close to Christ and His Word and our souls aren’t fed. That my friends, is when we literally begin to waste away. Thankfully, this is not the end of our story! God has already defeated Satan and provides a defense for you and me.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:10-11

Luckily, when confronted, the unwanted hawk at my feeders fled and the birds returned to eat. The same is true when with God’s armor, we resist the devil. He retreats and we draw near to the One who provides all we need to truly live.

Establish ~ Day 10 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“We love each other because He loved us first.” 1 John 4:19 (NLT)

Establish

This gal LOVES family traditions! So much so, that I’d clung tightly to the ones we’d established over the years (some since my childhood) without much variance despite our children being grown. From new PJ’s on Christmas Eve, to saying what we’re thankful for around the Thanksgiving table, to everyone’s favorite dishes for their birthdays, it was the same every year and that’s just the way I liked it. Then in a blink of an eye things changed.

Life does that…change, I mean. I’m not a fan. Now, not all changes are bad ones. We’ve been blessed to add a new son and daughter to our family. What you don’t really think about though, is that with them comes their own beloved traditions and families to celebrate them with. I never thought I’d survive not being all together on Christmas Day. That transition was hard! Maybe you know all about it.

We’ve all been through it. A loved one is gone, someone moves away, out of nowhere a pandemic hits, or it snows and travel is out of the question. Whatever the reason, the truth is that what WE establish in our world is only temporary. 

That realization set in once again this summer as I sat scrolling through Pinterest. Our youngest grandson was about to celebrate his first birthday. Traditionally, it has been me who’s baked and decorated the boys’ “smash cakes.” So there I was, searching for ideas when reality hit hard. Sutton’s health had changed in a split second and now, he wouldn’t (maybe ever) be able to eat his own birthday cake, or Halloween candy, or Christmas cookies. Talk about difficult…

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)

Learning to let go of MY deeply-rooted traditions has been a process, but surprisingly (to me) doing things differently isn’t so bad after all. Getting together on a different day, sending things in the mail and then being on Face Time together, or thinking outside the box to celebrate in new ways can be just as meaningful as those time-tested favorites of seasons gone by.

As it turned out, I was able to make a cake for Sutton to smash on his birthday. The ingredients were different so that it wouldn’t harm him if he happened to get some in his mouth, but it was made with the very same love that I made his brothers’ with. That’s the thing that change is teaching me, it’s not really the traditions that are important. It’s the love we share.

“Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13

Complete ~ Day 8 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)

Complete

Just a few miles from my house is an example of God’s artistry. Long before it was discovered far beneath the earth, not by human hand but drip by drip, a cavern full of stalactites and stalagmites was formed. Once unseen, now the extraordinary beauty can be experienced first hand. Anyone who knows me also knows that I don’t like closed in spaces like a cavern, but there’ve been times I’ve put on my big girl pants, prayed a lot, and taken the tour. I’m always thankful to make it out the other side!

While on the tour the guide explains the different formations, tells fun stories about their names, and warns you of the most feared thing in the cave. Any guesses? It’s complete and total darkness or as they like to call it, TD. There’s a sign at the top of the stairs leading to the opening in the earth. It warns you not to attempt to enter the cave without a guide and it’s advice to be heeded! When the lights go out it’s an eery feeling. While you know your feet are on the rock beneath them, in TD there’s a sensation of floating. Able to see absolutely nothing around you, not even your hand in front of your face, you loose all sense of direction. As you might predict, my breathing quickens and panic begins to set in. 

But then, an amazing thing happens. The guide turns only their flashlight on and in that complete darkness even a small ray of light illuminates the entire cave! I let out a sigh of relief and feel confident (and anxious) to move forward on the path for the rest of the tour.

Navigating through this often dark world can be difficult, too and sometime’s it seems impossible. We feel adrift, can’t see what’s ahead, don’t know what we might be facing, and panic begins to set in. That’s our “sign” that we should not make our way through life without The Guide.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’” John 8:12 (NLT)

Following Jesus doesn’t mean that our path will always be easy. We may still find ourselves buried beneath grief, smothered by fear, engulfed in deep troubles, and unable to see our way out. But, we don’t have to stay there. When we stand anchored on the Rock we can be confident that even in our darkest times, no matter how small it seems, His Light will be enough to completely illuminate our way, as He leads us out on the other side.  

“I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” John 12:46

Encourage ~ Day 7 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“For I will refresh the weary soul and replenish all who are weak.” Jeremiah 31:25 (BSB)


Encourage

We’ve all seen them and if you’re like me you can look around and see one right now. I’m talking about the mugs, calendars, signs, candles, and more, that are adorned with familiar Bible verses.  “Be still and know that I am God” is lit up right across from me as I type this. These are verses we cling to and have memorized. They give us hope. We turn to them for comfort. Believe me, I’m speaking from experience! In the last months I don’t know how many times I’ve repeated “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

But, I’ve felt anything but strong as we’ve navigated through a devastating health emergency with our grandson. Remembering well-loved verses certainly helped me through my days, but it’s actually been scripture of a different kind, a verse of weakness, that’s encouraged me the most lately. Read these words spoken by a desperate father who brought his son to Jesus:

“The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:24 (NLT)

Honestly, I think I’ve lamented about needing help with my unbelief more than any other verse in recent weeks. How is a verse about a lack of faith encouraging you ask? Because I’ve been there. You too? Wavering faith, like mine and maybe yours, is what prompted this Father’s words, but they weren’t offered up to the Heavens as mine have been, they were spoken directly to Jesus. Think about that. Even knowing all Jesus could do (like we do), He, standing face to face, let his lacking pour out directly to the Son of God!  And how did Jesus responded? He finished what he’d started with the man’s son.

Jesus didn’t abandon them or reprimand the father for needing help to believe. He didn’t say come back when you have it all together or that he had to be further along in his faith journey to experience Jesus.  That my friends, is what reassures me; that in our weakness, Jesus won’t leave us on our own, stranded in our lacking, either. 

Often when our strength is gone there’s another common go-to verse:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’” Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

We often stop there but Jesus doesn’t. He continues in verse 29 to say:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” 

I plead, “Help me in my unbelief.” “Let me teach you,” He says. “Put it down. Learn from Me.” Jesus doesn’t expect us to be spiritually strong all the time. He knows there’s much we still need to know. Instead, He encourages us to come to Him directly, pouring out our unbelief and everything else that leaves us spiritually weary. And then, we can rest in the promise that Jesus, who began a good work in each of us, will continue until He finishes what He’s started. Worth repeating, don’t you think?

Whole ~ Day 6 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-how good GOD is. Blessed are you who run to him.” Psalm 34:8 (The Message)

Whole

“I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!” That was a slogan for Alka Seltzer back in the 70’s and a catchy one at that. I remember people would be heard saying those words at restaurants, around dinner tables, and at the ice cream parlor. I’ve even said them once or twice myself as this picture proves! (The hair? Don’t ask!) Whether finishing an entire bag of potato chips in one sitting, munching through a four-serving bag of microwave popcorn by myself, eating way too much on my first trip to Pigeon Forge, TN (the picture again), or you add your own to the list,“the whole thing” can leave us feeling full – of food or whatever else we’ve partaken of- AND fuller of regret.

There’s one thing though we can never fill up too much on, and that’s God. The Psalmist puts it like this:

“God – you’re my God! I can’t get enough of you! I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains.” Psalm 63:1-3 (The Message)

I don’t know about you, but I often let myself desire chocolate chip cookies and a Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee more than I hunger and thirst for God. That is of course, until life has me stumbling through a dry and weary place, it’s then I finally realize I’m actually starving for Him.

“Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to GOD. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank GOD for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great drafts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.”
Psalm 107:6-9 (The Message)

When trying to fill up on our own, we can easily find ourselves in disbelief because we’ve messed up the whole thing, gotten the whole thing wrong, spent the whole thing, lost the whole thing, been consumed by, or consumed the whole thing. Thankfully Jesus, while in his own desert place, reminds us of what we truly need to really live.

“Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: ‘It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.’” Matthew 4:4 (The Message)

It’s not in a fizzy liquid where we’ll find our relief, but in tasting the life-giving, life-nourishing Word of God, not just a bit, but the whole thing!  I’m believe that once we take it in, we won’t be able to get enough!

“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.” Matthew 5:6 (The Message)

Patient ~ Day 5 ~ 31-Day Writing Challenge

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“Love is patient and kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4a (NLT)

Patient

Introducing Mr. G and Mr. B. They are patient patients sent to the boys from the staff at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to help them learn more about what their little brother would be coming home with. Mr. G has a G-Tube in his tummy and Mr. B, a Broviac Tunneled Catheter in his chest, both supply nutrition to someone who’s body cannot absorb it on its own. 

The reason I call them “patient” is that the boys wanted nothing to do with them and so there the bears sat, waiting for Carson and Owen to get to know them better. They were sent to help but the thing is, picturing what Sutton has been through isn’t something they liked to think about. They wonder why it happened and don’t want to envision all he’s experienced. These bears reminded them of their little brother’s suffering, of how their lives have changed, and so they wanted to keep their distance while they waited for things to get better.

As I put the bears aside, it occurred to me that at times we can feel the very same way about what Jesus endured. He too was sent to help, but often we don’t like to think about all He encountered to accomplish it. Getting too close to Him can remind us of the grief, anguish, and pain he bore so our unworthy lives could change. Instead, we try to keep our distance, just until we’re better, more deserving. Thankfully, Jesus is patient too.

“But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16 (NLT)

“When Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
 Mark 2:17 (NLT)

Sutton is home now (a true miracle) and in spending more time with him, the boys are realizing he’s the same brother they love, are becoming less focused on the wounds themselves and more on the fact that they’re part of a plan to give Sutton life. I’m guessing you can see where this is going.  Yes Jesus, our brother, suffered wounds too but on our behalf. He did it willing as part of God’s loving plan to give a new life to you and me. A TRUE MIRACLE indeed!

I predict that someday soon Mr. G’s and Mr. B’s patience will pay off and they will be welcomed into the menagerie of all the other stuffed animals the boys have. And their tubes?  I think the boys will learn to celebrate them, like Sutton’s, for the healing they bring. Let’s not wait any longer and celebrate Jesus in the same way.

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)

Comfort ~ Day 4 of 31-Day Writing Challenge

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“My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” Psalm 119:50

Comfort

My grandsons each have what they call “Mommy Blankies”. Their blankets are the first thing looked for when they wake up in the morning, clasped tightly when they’re heartbroken, and the last thing they hold on to as they fall asleep each night. Just like they find comfort in their mommy, having their blankets close at hand, comforts them too.

I don’t know about you, but there are times I need a Mommy Blanket. Instead, when I long for soothing I often find myself reaching for food, seeking “things” to add to my Amazon cart, or dropping in on my favorite characters as I binge watch Hallmark movies. None of which really provide the long-lasting reassurance I’m searching for.

Think for a moment about these familiar stories in the Bible: 

There was a woman with a bleeding problem. She’d given up hope until she heard about Jesus. What did she do? Made her way through the crowd so she could get close to Him, then she reached out touching the hem of his robe and she was healed.

Remember the rich man who sought out Jesus to ask Him what he’d need to do to get eternal life? Jesus answered telling the man to give away all his “things” and to follow Him.

Then there were the four friends of a paralyzed man. They were desperate to get him close to Jesus but couldn’t because of the crowd. They didn’t let that stop. They made a hole in the roof above Jesus and dropped their friend right down in front of Him. 

We know that in this world we’ll have troubles just as the people in the Bible did. Maybe you, like me, have been experiencing them now. But, the woman in the crowd, Jesus’ answer to the rich man, the four friends, and watching my grandsons with their blankets have reminded me of what I really need, what we all need, which is to draw close to Jesus and let Him cover us in His solace. 

Some day the boys will outgrow their “security blankets.” As we grow in faith, we’ll also stop  relying on whatever temporary relief we’ve been setting our sights on and instead, begin  looking to Jesus when we open our eyes each morning, clinging to Him when our hearts are breaking, and end each day wrapped securely in the true, eternal comfort of our Father’s presence.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8a (ESV)