When The Walls Are Crashing In

Have you ever been in a deep dark pit? So deep you couldn't see a way out? I have, at different points in my life. As a teenager after a horrible trauma I didn't think I could possibly survive.  Also when I became chronically ill with Addison's Disease and then other co-existing illnesses, knowing life would never be the same, I was grief stricken.

I lived in Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina. I was in Central Mississippi so we didn't get the devastation of the coast or New Orleans, but we got hit hard. At that time I worked hardships for the state retirement plan, and after hearing all the stories from the coast all day long, I would go home at night and cry, at least in the beginning. But you know what? I watched the stories change. From shock and grief to unity and a new hope...where there is God, there is always hope.

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. It is also when Hurricane Irma will be hitting the Southeastern United States. Please know that whether you have evacuated or stayed, whether you are in a bad situation or hurting, no matter what your circumstance, or how dark things look, it can and does get better. You are never alone. I can say this because I have been in that dark pit. We can't always do it our own, sometimes we need help. There is no shame in needing help. We are not built to be perfect or completely independent, no matter what anyone has told you. Please if you feel like giving up, don't. Reach out. If not to someone you know, I will have some contacts below. And I want to share something that helped me. Please share it with anyone you think it might help. God never leaves us, and is a source of great comfort and peace.

I promised you some contacts. You can always contact me. For some anonymous contacts who are trained to help people that are hurting and people that are thinking about giving up here are some numbers and web addresses:

1-800-273-TALK (24/7)
1-800-SUICIDE
Crisis Chat: http://www.crisischat.org/chat/
Textline: Text home to 741741

Please, never give up when the walls are crashing in.

What Would Jesus Do?

Last December when I was wrapping up Christmas shopping, I had a real scare. I pulled into a parking space and I had someone pull up by me and run out of his truck, yelling obscenities at me, telling me he was waiting for my space first. He pulled his fist at me and stood over me, threatening me. He had his wife and kids in the truck with him. I had never even seen the truck. This man really scared me and I ended up leaving not only that space, but that store because he scared me so much. I really thought he was going to hurt me.

We live in a culture of anger and hate. People get angry so fast. I have watched people get out of cars and beat up each other up. I have seen virtual strangers beat each other verbally online. Things happen so fast, misunderstanding becomes jumping to conclusions, and so many things become about taking a side. Unity seems to be a word that doesn't exist anymore. Understanding and compassion are replaced with a "me first" attitude. So many want to judge who deserves what and what is fair, even when not fully informed and even within the church. One wonders "What would Jesus do if he were here now?"

Do you remember the bracelets that were a fad for a while that said "WWJD?" They stood for "What would Jesus do?" I think that is a good question to be asking ourselves now. I hear many people talking about the problem but that won't solve anything, not without something behind it. It is very easy for anyone to get caught up in it, but then that makes us a part of the problem too, doesn't it? When we respond in kind, we are part of the problem.

We all need to be part of the solution and that mean taking action. We fight darkness with light. We fight hate with love, and anger with kindness. We go back to the things we learned as children. For instance, The Golden Rule- Treat others as you want them to treat you. We love because He first loved us. We need to show the world that love. The love that gives and is kind and gentle. People learn by example. We are the face of Christianity, and we need to remember that more than ever when we are in the world dealing with people that aren't Christians. Jesus wants to save the sinners, and he wants us to help him do it. It starts with remembering that we are all sinners, even those of us that he has already saved. Kindness speaks a language everyone can hear. Next time you have an opportunity to show someone the love of Christ just ask yourself this question- "What would Jesus do?"

Dear Lord, Thank You for showing me such love, patience, tenderness and care every day. Help me to do the same, and please forgive me when I fail. I want to do better. Help me to always pause, and ask myself what Jesus would do. Thank you for working in me and convicting me. Help me to be one who people can look at and see You in me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.  ~Ephesians 4:32

The Light Side of The Moon

We just had a momentous occasion- a solar eclipse.  When a solar eclipse occurs, the moon crosses between the earth and the sun and actually covers the sun for a short while. When that happens, everything looks different. The sun is covered, completely for a few minutes, and everything looks dark. The sun is still there but it is covered up. What we can't see changes how everything looks. 

That can happen in our faith lives. Isn't it true that real faith is believing in what we can't see? That isn't hard when things are going well and the way that we want them to. What about when the future is unknown? What about those times when we feel like we're on hold and just waiting? And what about when the storms in life don't seem to end?

Faith can be worn down pretty quickly when we aren't letting God do soul work in us. It is in our weakness that He is strongest. In fact, it is in the hard, uncertain times that He will do the most work in us but we first have to invite Him in. Instead of grappling for how to gain control of one's situation, we need to seek the power and wisdom of the the great I Am. The more willing I am to let go and let Him, the more I can perceive to just believe and know that the sun is still there. Even if I can't see it, even if it's not shining, the sun will shine again for me. 

With God's strength, power and wisdom, all things are possible. When I am in Him, and not in my own limited strength, I can see more clearly and be renewed daily. Thank You Jesus.

Well I will walk by faith

Even when I cannot see it

Well because this broken road

Prepares Your will for me

~ Jeremy Camp

I Will Walk By Faith

True Friends

One of the great gifts that God gives us is that of a true friend. God sometimes puts a person in our path that can be a helper to us here on Earth, someone to walk us through the hills and valleys of our journey.. All of our relationships are not true friendships, but the ones that are meaningful are most certainly blessings worthy of special care and thanks.

The qualities of true friendship can be found within prominent friendships found in the Bible. Jonathan loved David as himself and displayed self- sacrifice and unwavering loyalty to him. (1 Samuel 18.) He was able to give him the strength he needed to go on to do the great things he did in Israel. Aaron became Moses' public voice for him as Moses' was afraid of speaking (Exodus 4.) He was a friend who bridged one of Moses' shortcomings.. Elisha found an older, wiser mentor in Elijah and stuck by him (2 Kings.) And when everything went wrong for Ruth and Naomi, instead of doing what would be most beneficial for herself, Ruth stuck with Naomi so she wouldn't be lost and alone (Ruth 1.)  Ruth was loyal, selfless and unconditionally loving.

As I seek  to become more like Jesus through God's word, I am greatly humbled when reading about these model friendships in the Bible. I do know that I have good, Christian friends that stick by me in spite of my own shortcomings! I couldn't be more grateful for that! I love that we help each other through and don't pretend to be something we're not. We admit how we feel and are real with each other. My friends help me to grow and become a better person. I hope and try to do the same for them. I even have had a few friends that I don't see anymore. Not everything is forever, but instead for a season. The love will always be there, and I will always have the gifts they gave me in my heart and my memory.

Thank you Lord for the gift of true friends.

Fertile Ground

When I planted my flower bed this year, I prepped my soil well. I planted flower seeds, and had the ideal light, a good fertilizer and watered just the right amount. I ended up with many more flowers and plants than I was supposed to have and they got much taller than they were supposed to. My flower garden thrived because it had everything it needed from the ground up to do it's very best.

Had I just thrown my seeds onto the ground this would not have happened. The ground had to be broken and nourished. Just like the soil, we have to be broken up and cultivated by God in order to be fertile ground for His seeds to grow in.

I can see this to be true in my own life. It wasn't until I invited God into my mess and opened my heart widely to Him that He was able to do good work in me. In order for my faith to become deeply rooted, I had to be broken and open; for me that didn't come until I was ready. He could only go as deep as I let Him! Oh how I wish I had realized this sooner!

This soul, now so fertile, became so ready for what God had for me. I remember saying that I felt like I had a direct line to God. Do you ever feel that way? I want you to. I want you to know that you have nothing that you need to hide from God, nothing that will make Him leave you or love you less- nothing.

Once one lets Him in, they will never be the same again. His love is so moving and transforming. To be able to feel it and know it deep inside, you have to let Him deep inside. I know I had such a hard time trusting, that it was hard to trust Him fully, but I am so glad I did! Now there is no turning back for me! God's unconditional, agape love is nothing like human love. He is faithful without fault. Full of mercy and grace, He will add unique and lasting beauty to your garden.

Are you ready? Do you have fertile ground? Do you have ears that can hear? Can your heart comprehend? I pray that you are willing and ready for all that our God has for you!