The World Didn't Stop For My Broken Heart

And I wondered why.

I wondered why everybody seemed to be able to go about their merry way, doing their normal activities, thinking their normal thoughts when I was just trying to get my bearings for a new season in life that would not include my father.

That was almost 20 years ago. And, just recently my husband had to walk the road of losing his father.

Death is part of life and is inevitable, just like taxes. So, why do we get surprised when someone departs from this earth especially after living on it for nearly 80 years?

Pain, I suppose. Change, probably. A new normal, absolutely.

Regardless of the sadness my husband, his mother, his five siblings and the rest of us are enduring, I can guarantee you this: We are not grieving as those who don't have hope.

We all know Whom we have believed in. We know Who holds the future in His very capable hands. We know that His Spirit will comfort us like no person or possession ever could.

Wherever you are, whatever you've been through, whatever you will walk through in the future...God loves you and wants the best for you.

Of this, I can promise.

The Promised Highway...

Upon thinking that 2010 is here, I wanted to share a promise from our Savior Jesus Christ for us as believers! I don't know about you, but 2009 was one of those years that will never be forgotten! As a family, we were talking and sharing the challenges and the victories of 2009.

Through our family sharing with one another about all the Lord has had for us this past year the Lord laid it upon my heart to remind each of us of the road that we will eventually be on for eternity! I hope it will encourage you and give you umph as it has me! Remember the Road of the Redeemed!

In Isaiah 35:1-10 it says the following to us so let's read on!

"The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it. The excellence of Carmel and Sharon They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellency of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees, Say to those who are fearful-hearted, Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing, For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

A highway shall be there, and a road. And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness, The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others, whoever walks the road, although a fool Shall not go astray.

No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there; But the redeemed shall walk there.

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

I don't know about you but I can't wait to be on that Highway promised to us His redeemed!

Close and Personal:

1. Have you ever read this passage?

2. Will you remember this as we go throughout 2010?

My Dearest Savior, Thank you Lord for your sweetest reminders of where our hope is and our eternal rest will be with You in joy and happiness! May we keep You and Your promises close to us as this new year begins! Father may we be mindful to remember that our trials and tribulations that we will encounter are just temporary in comparison to "The Highway of the Redeemed!"

We love you Lord Jesus!

Swirly Life

Life gets pretty swirly sometimes, doesn't it? For me, more often then not, I find myself feeling like the person in the infamous painting, "The Scream"; feeling that myself and my life are bending in too many directions - things swirling around me, confusing, chaotic.

This is similar to what we in the education field call, "a sensory overload day"; too much going on too quickly with not enough resolution to those things swirling around us, and not enough resources, time, money, etc, to process what is coming at us, fast enough. Children react to sensory overloads in a way that we adults, more often then not, do not; they holler, scream, push things and people away, cry, retreat, or even sometimes, seek out even more of the behavior that is making them upset in the first place.

How does it feel for you when life gets swirly?

On any given day, we have a thousand things going on in our own lives, as well as within the world around us. We have jobs to go to, houses to clean, kids to shuttle here and there, meals to prepare, financial woes, health issues, aging parents, husbands stressing us out, ministries to run, and the list goes on and on.

Yet, because we are Christians, we are expected to "keep it all together" so that we can present this image of "perfection" to the world, that we have been made completely (note the word "completely") perfect by the fact that we put our faith in Jesus Christ. Yet while it is true that, "All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21), we have to remember what we are saved from: sin, hell, eternal damnation. Is there a promise anywhere in scripture that ensures us that because of our faith we will no longer have stressful days? That troubles won't come? That something magical will happen and poof all our troubles away when they occur? No!

In fact, there are more scriptures that state just the opposite - they promise that trials will come and that people will fail you and that you will face days, or even an entire lifetime of sensory overload. Not the best marketing campaign to pitch to a nonbeliever, is it? I know when I came to faith in Christ, I thought that He would magically make all of my troubles disappear (I think I was looking for a "fairy godmother" character, and not a redeeming Christ!), but they never did.

The promise Christ give us is this; "Come to Me, all who are heavy laden [stressed, burnt out, throwing temper tantrums, feeling like they are in sensory overload] and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).

How many of us want to rest?

How many of you feel like you have a hiking pack strapped to your backs full of stress that has your knees buckling, your limbs shaking, tears and sweat pouring down your face...you feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually weak - or even completely spent?

Good - you know why that's good - because that means you're not broken in two to the point where you can't go on - you're not dead, in the ground, crushed by the weight of the world. However, there is something you can do with that pack on your back - you can let it make your legs collapse, resulting in you falling to your knees where you will cry, "Abba, Father!", and the promise of help from the Lord will come. God doesn't break promises for anyone - anyone, and that means you! Let the Lord take that pack off your back as you read this Psalm:

"I lift my eyes up to the hills -
where does my help come
from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He
will not let your foot slip -
He who watches over you will not
slumber,
indeed He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor
sleep.
The Lord watches over you -
the Lord is your shade at your right
hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord
will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will
watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore."

- Psalm 121

How awesome of a promise is that?

How awesome to know that when everyone and everything around you is crumbling, Jesus Christ, God, the Maker of the universe, will come to your personal rescue because He loves you and cares for you personally. That's pretty amazing if you ask me!

So next time (or even right now!) when life around you gets swirly and you feel like you're being bent in too many directions, scream...but scream on your knees, in a voice of honest desire for the Lord's rescue - and my friends, be patient, our God is faithful, He is mighty to save! So scream...scream to the Lord...on your knees, He will rescue you, He alone will give you guidance, peace, wisdom and strength to endure, eventually lifting your chin, then taking your hand, lifting you up, helping you to stand tall again - ready to face the world head on as a light of His promise of redemption unto all the world! Amen!

"Do you not know?
Have you not heart?
The Lord is the
everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow
tired or weary,
and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength
to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired
and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the
Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like
eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be
faint."

- Isaiah 40:28-31

The Circle of Three

It was a typical Sunday morning in church. The pastor told a funny story, challenged me in my walk with God, gave me much to consider and then closed with a heartwarming story about a homeless man. He gave the invitation to salvation and we bowed our heads to pray. We sang the obligatory hymn for the alter call. I considered deep, meaningful issues -- where are we eating lunch?


He walked down the aisle, his leather vest, biker gloves and bandanna-wrapped head made him stand apart from this Sunday morning crowd that is much more comfortable in an SUV than on the back of a bike. As he stood at the front and spoke to our pastor, the tattoo on his bicep caught my attention. I couldn't make out the words in the three circles, but I wondered about them. What do they mean? Are they a code? A creed? Who is he?



I loved that he was here -- in my very traditional Southern Baptist church. We don't get many bikers... okay, we don't get any bikers. And edgy is not something we see in these parts. I loved it. This was just what I wanted to see in the church -- different people. My heart soared -- and then it shattered. As I watched these two men, one young, dressed in leather and the other older in a suit, there heads together almost touching -- one slightly graying, the other wrapped in a bandanna, my heart broke.


As much as I talk about wanting to break out of the box, I don't do anything to reach out to those who are different. I don't ask people who cross my path about God in their lives. I don't ask them to come to my church. I don't ask God to use me to reach others for Him.


I just don't ask.


Do I not ask because I'm afraid of the answer? Am I afraid that God will use me? Or am I afraid He won't?


As I looked at those two men, heads bowed together, each with one hand on the other one's shoulder -- one leather biker glove, the other with a single gold wedding ring. So very different, these two men, but joined together before the God who created them both, the God who loves them both and the God who sent His son to die for both.


What an incredible picture and the tattoo? I never did make out the words within the three circles. It doesn't really matter, because to me, that image represented the three who stood at the front of the church -- my pastor, the biker, and my Savior. Two I saw in the flesh and the other I felt in my spirit.


Are you stepping out on faith? Believing God for miracles? The love of Christ is beyond our comprehension and it's this love that conquers all -- even death.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. -- Eph 3:14-19 (ESV)

Sisters, trust God to do a mighty work! Ask Him to do that mighty work through you and in you. Believe God!


In Him,

Mary



Visit my blog at Adventures in Faith & Friendships!

7 Abominations

These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

~ Proverbs 6:16-19

‘Mom, look at that lady!’, my daughter smugly exclaimed, ‘she’s smoking a cigarette!’. The statement pierced my heart as I saw the ‘face of unsure’ upon the woman’s countenance. I know she heard my child’s blatant expression of disapproval. The LORD quickened my spirit, as well as my tongue. I herded the children into the vehicle and turned and smiled apologetically at the woman. I then explained to my daughter that our LORD deeply loves this woman created in His image - just as He loves us - even while a cigarette hangs from the woman’s lips.


‘Do you remember the seven abominations that our LORD hates?’, I asked my daughter who had recently memorized that particular verse due to abomination number two. ‘Smoking is not one of them....but a proud look is’, I said.


After this incident, I realized that my sweet daughter’s childish retort is not far removed from many in our congregations today. I asked our Heavenly Father if this is what He sees in His children more often than not. The legalistic religious crowd had Scripture memorized, too, but their lives were void of The Spirit of Love. Therefore, their lives turned away and condemned many from the very God of Love they professed to follow.


Sweet Daughters of The Most High, do any one of these seven abominations rule your life? Only one abomination is needed to begin our walk away from our Redeemer and LORD.


What do your face, your tongue, your hands, your heart, your feet, your witness and your actions reveal about your standing before our Great Judge? Peter reminds us that judgement begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). I find it so amazing that Peter goes on (2 Peter 1:5-11) to reveal in The Spirit SEVEN Godly attributes that we are to ADD to our faith:

‘...with all diligence, add to your faith, virtue (goodness), to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly-kindness, and to brotherly-kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.’

May we add these to our faith today and may we each remember those things our LORD delights in - “lovingkindness, judgement & righteousness in the land, in these things I delight,” says The LORD (Jer. 9:22-23).

There is abundant grace and hope available for the smoker and the proud alike. Blessed be The Name of ADONAI forever!

I'd love your company at Women of the WORD!

In the Palm of His Hands

The Cafe is thrilled to introduce our Guest Barista of the day, Ruth Wood!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

“Forget it! Why even talk about it anymore,” my husband shouted and slammed the door.


I stood rooted to the floor, reeling against the wave of questions sweeping my imagination. Were we teetering on the brink of divorce? My husband and I had been fighting more and more about issues that seemed to defy resolution. This last argument was off the Richter scale. How could I start a new life with two little boys to support? I couldn’t bear to think of them shuttled between parents.


All this turmoil made my throat and chest hurt so much I could scarcely breathe. For several days I walked around aimlessly and forgot appointments, neglected my work and barely comprehended conversation. In despair and desperation, I cried out to the Lord. He brought to mind the words of Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”


To combat my paralyzing fear, it seemed I needed to repeat this verse every five minutes the first few days. So I composed a simple melody to help me remember the words. Singing pried my thoughts away from circumstances and lifted me into the presence of the Lord. In this way I clung to hope and controlled my panic.


Other passages in Isaiah also ministered to me. “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,” God says. In fact, His great love for me compelled him to lie down on a cross and offer his hands to the executioner’s nails. How could my family and I not be kept safe in such hands?


Eventually my marriage recovered, but I learned an important lesson—regardless of the outcome of circumstances, I have a God who holds me safe in the palm of his hands.


Prayer:

Lord, thank you that I need not struggle with my fears alone for you are with me. Today I choose to rest in the palm of your hands. In Jesus name, Amen.
Putting it into action:

Memorize Isaiah 41:10, 49:15-16; and Philippians 4:6, then meditate on these passages throughout the day. For a deeper understanding of these truths, try rewriting the verses in your own words. Then express your response to the Lord by composing a poem, painting a picture, or writing your own song based on these verses.

In Him,

Ruth


Song: Palm of His Hand, written by Ruth Wood, available to listen at
http://www.indiependencemusic.net/albums.php?artistId=677

©2007 Ruth Wood. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

BIO:
Ruth Wood is an award-winning songwriter and editor of www.Comfort-Cafe.net, an online magazine bringing hope, help and healing to women facing difficult life challenges. She and her husband have been married over quarter of a century, have two grown sons, a delightful new daughter-in-law, and one rambunctious grandcat. She may be reached at ruthywood@gmail.com.

A Mouse's Story

Please Welcome Beth Pittman back to the Cafe as today's Guest Barista!
(otherwise known as Mrs. Human)

Sometimes, God reminds me of his promises in the most surprising and unusual things…

His steely little eyes shifted back and forth as he sat huddled on the floor.

The humans had left the house and, now, in the quiet, he realized he had the whole house to himself. “What to do?” he asked himself.

He recalled the room with the swinging door that he had visited the night before. There had been something tasty in that room and the thought of it now set his mouth to watering. “That’s it”, he thought, “I’ll go back there.” He scampered across the kitchen floor and headed for the room protected by the swinging door. It didn’t close tightly so he sucked himself in and squeezed through the crack that was left as the door stood ajar. And then, he saw it! The vision of the trash can from the night before that he had pushed into the far regions of his brain was now a reality staring him right in his whiskery little face. This was too good to be true.

He had seen Mr. Human take out the trash can earlier that morning. Now, it stood before him, tall and majestic. He looked up but there was nothing bulging out of the top of it like there was earlier. That was interesting, he thought to himself. Maybe there was something that he couldn’t see still in there….but how was he going to get to the top to find out?

There on the floor beside the trash can was a broom. Mrs. Human hadn’t sat it completely back up in the corner and it was at just the perfect angle for him to crawl up and take a peek inside. His little feet quickly shuffled over to the broom and he carefully picked his way along the handle – slipping once but correcting himself so that once again he was balanced on the broom. He sniffed and shuffled, sniffed and shuffled until finally he had arrived, but then, his worst nightmare was realized! He found himself staring into the deep, vast emptiness of the trash can. He pointed his little nose down towards the bottom – sniff, sniff, sniff – nothing!

But wait!

What was that in the bottom of the can? His eyebrows raised and his tail twitched. He bent over a little further on the slippery broomstick and sniffed again and again. Yes, there was something gooey down there but he just couldn’t tell what. If he could only get just a little closer. He perched on the edge of the broomstick handle and clutched his tiny paws around it, and then he leaned in. Just a little bit closer, he thought. The scent of the gooey substance set every sense in his tiny little body on end. He strained to get a better whiff when all of a sudden the broomstick started to slide away and with that, his view of the inside of the can began to slide away as well.

What was he to do?

It was either hang on for dear life as the broom made its way to the floor or jump.

Jump?

That would be like jumping off the Empire State Building. The drop would probably knock him silly but, but … he would be there in the bottom of the can with the gooey treat. He only had a split second to decide as his stomach growled. The decision was made – he made a giant leap into the can. The broom noisily fell away and he couldn’t tell if it was the sound of the broom hitting the floor or his head hitting the side of the can that was keeping such a racket. Dazed, he sat for a moment, but then he realized he had survived.

He opened one eye and then the other. He blinked and then he opened both eyes, wider this time, and there in front of him was the goo that he had risked life and limb for. He sniffed and slowly inched closer and closer. His nose was almost touching it when he realized that it no longer smelled like what he first imagined as he was leaning on the broom handle.

In fact, it smelled like…. flowers? Maybe he had died after all. He shuffled another inch forward and touched it with his nose this time. Oh, it wasn’t goo at all!! It was a fuzzy lintball that looked like yummy goo from the top of the can.

Oh, what had he done?

He looked up at the four steep walls of the can - there was no escape. He jumped, he flipped, he slid, but the sides were too slick and too steep. He jumped and he jumped and he jumped until he was exhausted. He would never get out of this mess he had gotten himself into. Discouraged and tired, he backed into a corner of the can and sat… and breathed and sniffed. His eyes became heavy and soon he succumbed to blissful, worriless sleep. He dreamed of a big block of cheese that kept moving away from him and then, suddenly, he was jarred awake.

It was Mr. Human talking to Mrs. Human. Mr. Human was looking into the can! Oh no! He had been discovered – his life was over!!

Mrs. Human said something that sounded like “flush him down the toilet”, if you can understand such things when they are squealed. Mr. Human picked up the trash can and started out of the cozy room where all the fun had began into the bright kitchen. His fate was sealed. His last moments would be spent staring at the inside of a toilet bowl.

But what was this?

Mr. Human walked across the kitchen to the door that led outside. Could there be hope?

Could it possibly be???

The door opened and Mr. Human with trash can in tow walked outside. He walked and he walked and he walked and then finally he stopped.

He tipped the trash can over and gave it a hoist and out the little mouse flew. He landed softly on the soft thick grass. He had been saved. But why?

He was just a stinky little mouse who had made a lot of really bad decisions, who had taken what Mr. Human had without even caring what kind of mess he made of things. So, why then would Mr. Human spare his life when he deserved to be flushed down the toilet? He sat and he sat, he pondered and he wondered. And then, it came to him. A tear came to his eye as he sat there in the grass. It was a wonderful, miraculous thought. Mr. Human didn’t want him to die. To Mr. Human, there was more joy in the saving than in the dying. And with that thought, the little mouse ran with glee into the comfort of the nice, safe, warm barn.

Moral of the story: Don’t let temptation cause you to wander where you think you belong but really don’t, and when you do, remember that there’s Someone much bigger than you waiting to set you free.

"But when God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior." Titus 3:4-6

In Him,

Mrs. Human

Mrs. Human, whose name is actually Beth, is a wife and mother of 3 grown children and has been married for 30 years to Mr. Human, whose real name is Steve. The mouse in this story doesn’t have a name but was actually quite real and was found in the bottom of Beth’s trash can very much alive and so the inspiration for this story. She believes that God uses the even the little things in our lives to speak lessons to us. Beth was raised in a Christian home with loving Christian parents, but it wasn’t until she was 32 that she really understood that Jesus loved and died for her and what that meant for her individually. Her life has never been the same since. She would love to have you visit her at her blog “Lifeboat Moments” at www.lifeboatmoments.blogspot.com

When the Wheels Fall Off

Everything was packed.

Everything was checked off the to-do list.

We even arrived at the airport with time to spare!

That's when it happened. The wheels fell off. The wheels of my suitcase just decided that they'd had enough and popped off just in time to reach "Delta Check In." The bag was barely under the 50 pound limit and it was heavy...too heavy to carry. There was nothing to do but send it off onto the conveyor belt, hoping that it would arrive at it's destination in tact.


On the other end, the fuchsia bag appeared on the conveyor belt and I was euphoric! Damage had been done, another wheel became a casualty and clothing was hanging out, but it had arrived. It became quickly evident that I was in need of a new bag, as soon as possible. We were able to find a store and we purchased another piece of luggage, and I began to transfer the contents of the broken bag into the new bag.


I stuffed.

I pushed.

I smashed.

The new bag just wouldn't hold all of it.


It all sounds so familiar. It sounds so familiar to my faith walk.

I come prepared. I show up early and in complete control only to find that the unexpected is certain to happen, the trials in life, and before I realize it, the wheels fall off. ("Consider it pure joy, when you face trials of many kinds. James 1:2) I'm left stranded with only one place to go.

I place it all on the conveyor belt. I send that broken baggage to Him, and I hope in the promises that it will arrive and be cared for, even when I can't see it. I see glimpses of Him, at the other end, where although damage has been done, it's not all lost. Trusting isn't easy, but sometimes it's all we've got left.

Then I am given a chance to have a "new piece of luggage." What do I do? I cling to all of the things that caused the wheels to fall off in the first place. I try and stuff it into the corners, hoping that no one will notice.

Only HE does.

He won't let me shut the new suitcase. I have to let go of some things, those things that put too much pressure on the wheels. The control, the pride, the unforgiving spirit. The new luggage simply won't hold it all. I have been given this gift of a "new suitcase," and if I don't want the wheels to fall off of this one, I've got to make some changes. I've got to lighten this load.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:30

It's not easy, but without letting go, I will not be going anywhere. I came across a translation in The Message that just spoke to my heart. It was just so God to place it in my life to confirm the lesson He was teaching me in my broken suitcase.

"Now I'm glad ~ not that you were upset, but that you were jarred into turning things around. You let the distress bring you to God, not drive you from Him. The result was all gain, no loss."
2 Corinthians 7:9

Isn't that just like God? To bring about a life lesson in a broken suitcase.

A lesson that I needed... in a broken suitcase?

What's in your suitcase?

Mine needed a bit of re-packing...

Father God,

You have given me the gift of a new suitcase. It replaces the broken baggage of my life. Help me to surrender to YOU, what I need to pack into that bag of my life. Help me to unpack those things which keep me from you and from serving as your Son, Christ taught me to serve. Thank you Father for getting my attention in the daily details of my life. Help me always keep my eyes open to you. Thank you Father for traveling always with me.
In Jesus' name,
Amen






join Lori daily at her personal website,all you have to give, where she finds herself constantly packing and repacking, with a God who never tires of traveling with her.

An Unshakeable Hope

When I began praying about what I would share for my next Cafe devotion, little did I know at that time God would give me an opportunity to share with you a very personal story.

Two weeks ago, my son Jordan started complaining about arm and leg pains. At first this didn't alarm me. I simply gave him some Motrin and went about my day. However, as time went on it continued to get worse.

After three days, I got a call from Jordan to come pick him up from work. He was now in serious pain. His arms and legs were swollen about twice their normal size. At that point I knew something serious was going on. So, what did this woman of faith do? I started to panic and immediately called his doctor.

After bringing him to our local hospital for a battery of labs and tests, the waiting game for the results began. Thank God, everything came back negative, except for his muscle enzymes, which were elevated.

His doctor believed it was a viral infection attacking his muscles. I was relieved, and we were asked to come back in a few days to have his labs rechecked. What I didn't expect was Jordan began to feel even worse. His enzymes continued to rise and we were then referred to a rheumatologist.

In the midst of all this, I suddenly realized that God was testing my faith and calling me to put down my anchor of hope. In times like these we need to know that God wants to teach us how to hold on. He is a very strong foundation in whom we can put our complete trust.

In the book of Hebrews 6:19 (amplified version) it says:

“Now we have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil.”

God has given us all we need to stand strong in face of every trial. Jesus is an anchor that is sure, steady, and unmovable. My faith was being tested even as Jordan’s counts continued to rise. In fact, I am still awaiting the results of yet another test to decide what new direction we may have to take. Still I am at peace, because I know that my anchor is in Christ, and He is completely upholding us.

Although things in this natural world are often very uncertain, God is not. He is steady, sure, and a solid rock on which we can stand. God never promised us an easy ride. He warned us that in this life we would face trouble, pain and grief. Yet He also promised to give us the tools to overcome in the midst of every trial.

We read in Hebrews 10: 23:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Also in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NLT) the Bible says:

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

So hold on to your Hope, for it is the Anchor of your soul.

******************************
Something’s to ponder:

Are you learning to take hold of God in your time of trouble?

Is your anchor holding steady in the midst of your storms?

Think about the last time you had nothing else to hold on to but God? How did things change when you did?

My prayer for you today;

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Join Susan daily at her personal blog,

The Sunrise After The Storm

Have you ever gone outside right after a tornado has passed? Living in Tornado Alley most of my life has allowed me to. While I’ve yet to actually be in a tornado, they have skirted passed me on many occasions.

After a tornado has cleared it’s path, there is much devastation left behind. Shredded homes, shattered windows, murdered livestock, and even asphalt being torn from the ground, if the severity of the storm is an F-5, are some of the results. But, another effect of such a tumultuous storm is the beauty you’ll see afterward.

The skies of blue. The gentle breeze. The dry air.

It’s absolutely some of the most beautiful weather you’ll ever find. And it comes right after the storm.

Isn't that the way life is sometimes? We get knocked down and torn to shreds and wonder how we'll ever survive such a situation.


But then God.


He comes in and can make a horrific situation absolutely breathtaking.


Don't give up hope...the hope we have in the One, True God…the Great I Am…the Creator of the universe.


He is for you.



Visit Cindy daily at her personal site, CindyBeall.com

Image from http://www.sxc.hu/home

Hope in the Lord

"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey."

- Stephen Covey

"If you fear God, you won't fear humans."

- Albanian Proverb

"[God says], do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

- Isaiah 41:10 (New International Version)

"For I am mindful of the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. You call upon me and come and pray to me, and I heed you. You seek Me and find Me: Now you seek Me with all your heart and I am at hand for you, says the Lord..."

- Jeremiah 29:11-14a; Matthew 7:7

I don't think there is one person reading this who hasn't seen the turn that our nation, and even our world, is taking. On every news channel we see reports of unemployment rates skyrocketing while the value of the dollar drops and signs of a “New World Order” become more and more obvious.


Maybe you yourself have been laid off, maybe you don’t even know where your next meal is coming from, or maybe you’re reading this from a homeless shelter.


I don’t know your situation, but God does.


Regardless of how you are or aren’t being affected by the situations in the world, we have all been in places in our lives where we didn’t know what was going to happen next, or how we would handle it when it did. Have you ever felt like you’re just waiting for “the shoe to drop?”


My fiancé is like that; he likes to prepare for the worst and expect the worst. I, on the other hand, I used to feel like that, but, in recent years, now consider myself to be a bit of an optimist. You see, I went through a period in my life where I sincerely didn’t know if I was going to make it to the next day.


My depression crippled my life, forced me into a reclusive state and caused me to teeter on the brink of self-extinction on many an occasion.

Are you in that place now?

Do you wonder to yourself, "Is this life even worth it?"

"How do I really know that there is a heaven?"

"How do I really know that all this pain, suffering, heartache is going to be worth it in the end?"

I have an answer for you: have hope. The only thing (let me repeat, the only thing) we can depend on in this life is the hope that is offered through a belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Think about it: your family can and will let you down, your health will eventually cause you issues, our government is unreliable, and money, well, we all know about that one. The only thing we can rely on is the hope that has been given to us through Christ.


This past presidential year, both candidates used “change” and “hope” a lot in their campaigns. Yet, the change and hope that was offered is, at best, a Band Aid – a temporary fix to a permanent problem. The state of the world has always been in unrest. There has always been violence, crimes, hate, poverty, etc, and we all know those conditions aren’t improving. However, when all earthly hope seems lost, we pick up God’s Word and, from cover to cover, the potential of hope increases.


The great heroes of the Bible eventually only find their strength in the Lord; their hope increasing as their dependence on the world decreases, turning fully to the Lord for strength. In their lives, and in our own, the only way hope is achieved is when we stop putting hope into the things of this world, and placed instead, fully, into the Lord and His promises. Think of it this way – which would you rather invest in now – Wall Street, or the streets that are promised to be paved with gold? Which would you rather place your hope in the hands of – bankers or hands scarred with nails that paid the debt of our sins? The choice is yours. Let us place our hope in He who has sustained us from birth. Let us hope in He who sits on Heaven’s Mercy Seat. Let us place our hope in He who is the shepherd for our wandering spirits.

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:18-22)”

Let’s Pray:

Father God, we thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the hope that we can cling to in times when the weight of the world feels like more than we can bear. Send Your Holy Spirit to surround us with His presence to be our ever present helper in times when we are weak. Help us to truly lean upon the ever lasting arms of Christ when we no longer have the strength to walk on our own. Truly, we place all our faith in You Lord, our only reliable source of hope. It is in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Brokenness? I CAN Live Up to That/ Speaking Thru Me Spotlight

Over the next few months, the Internet Cafe Devotionals will feature a few guest devotionals from the ladies at Speaking Thru Me ministries. This unique ministry seeks to provide churches and groups with a professional speaker who feels called into ministry and are willing to be "sent" to share the good news of Christ. The ministry reaches out to churches of any size and offers a FEE FREE speaker service. For information on Speaking Thru Me, visit their site here. Several of our own Internet Cafe Team Writers are involved with Speaking Thru Me.

Today we are thrilled to introduce one of the women involved in Speaking Thru Me,
Karen Hossink

Have you ever read Mark 6:30-44?

That's the story of the time Jesus fed five thousand men (plus all the women and kids!!!) with five loaves of bread and two fish.

The disciples and Jesus were on a hillside with a large crowd. Rather than sending the people away to find their own food, Jesus told the disciples, "You give them something to eat." Though they protested, Jesus simply told the disciples to go and see how much bread they could find. So they did. They came back to Him with five loaves of bread, and two fish – just in case the five loaves weren't enough!

As the story goes, everyone ate and was satisfied. But how? How did Jesus make that offering enough?

Clearly, the bread (as it was when the disciples gave it to Jesus) was not enough to feed the hungry crowd. There is no way 1,000+ people were going to gather around one of those five loaves of bread and all eat of it. Not gonna happen! So how did it work? Was it some kind of magical bread?

No. Jesus had to do something to it first. He took the bread and after giving thanks, He broke it. And somehow, in the breaking of the bread, the power of God came in and made it enough. Every person seated on that hillside ate and was satisfied, and there were twelve baskets full of left over pieces. Is that not amazing???

The thing that really spoke to me when I was studying this passage was Jesus' ability to take something which didn't seem to be anywhere near adequate, and make it enough.
And I realized that is exactly what He does with me.
Jesus takes me into His hands, breaks me, and makes me enough.
Enough of a mother.
Enough of a wife.
Enough of a friend.
Enough of a sister.
Enough of a daughter.
Enough.
Do you know what happens when I come am confronted with my brokenness? I come face-to-face with the reality that I, on my own, am not enough. I am not strong enough, wise enough, experienced enough, charming enough, or capable enough. I cannot do any of this life on my own.
In the face of my brokenness I recognize my imperfection and my complete desperation for God. I am reminded of the Truth that I can do nothing without Him. But with Him, and by His grace alone, I can do anything.

As I admit my need and relinquish myself to God's power through my brokenness, He makes me enough. And, I have found brokenness is such a good place to be because when I am there, I am in His hands.

Sure, I would love to be perfect, to have it all "together," to be confident that I am enough. However, I know perfection is not going to happen this side of heaven. But brokenness? I can live up to that!

In Him,

Karen

Karen Hossink is a wife, mother, speaker and author. She and her husband, Brian, have three children: Elizabeth, Joshua and Matthew, and they make their home in Okemos, Michigan. Karen's book, Confessions of an Irritable Mother, offers the hope that God uses the hard times in our lives to make us more like Jesus. Karen is a speaker for Speaking Thru Me Ministries, a fee-free event resource for churches. You can find more information about Karen at:

www.speakingthrume.com

www.surviving-motherhood.blogspot.com

Greatest Hopes and Greatest Fears—Two Sides of the Same Coin

Scripture Reference: Mark 8: 31-35:

Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, "The nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. He will be rejected and killed, but three days later he will rise to life." Then Jesus explained clearly what he meant.

Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. But when Jesus turned and saw the disciples, he corrected Peter. He said to him, "Satan, get away from me! You are thinking like everyone else and not like God."

Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said:

If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me and for the good news, you will save it.

“Cosmic irony,” the difference between the outcome of an event versus what was planned or hoped for, is a concept that works great in literature and movies but is not so amusing in real life.

When I was a teenager, I was chosen to wear the back-to-school line in a local style show. I selected three outfits from a trendy store and was told to show up on rehearsal day.

From then on, I daydreamed about “modeling.” I told my family. I told my friends. I practiced walking and turning in front of my bedroom mirror.

On rehearsal day, the director informed us that as we made our way around the stage toward the exit, we would have to stop and dance at three specific spots.

Ah, the moment of cosmic irony: Dancing was not part of the original deal.

Suddenly, there were strings attached to the gift that had so miraculously befallen me. Just as suddenly, the very last thing on the entire face of the earth I wanted to do was the thing I had looked forward to for weeks because dancing, for me, is akin to singing a solo in public. I didn’t just fear that I would look foolish; I knew I would. Thus, my greatest hope at that moment in my young life was ironically tied to my greatest fear.

That’s the way it often goes with human experience:

• We hope for a great career after earning a degree, but we fear not finding a job or the right fit.

• We want to get in shape or get organized, but we fear not completing our goals.

• We want to write a book, but we fear it will never be published.

• We desire a mate, but we fear we’ll make a mistake or be abandoned by that mate.

• We desire children, but we fear dealing with terrible twos and teenagers.

• We long for deep, meaningful friendships, but we fear being fully known.

• We want to serve others, but we fear being burdened with endless needs and demands on our time and resources.

• We desire our faith to grow and be proven, but we fear the life-changing trials.

Peter, who more than anything desired a Messiah, was disheartened when Jesus told him that, “… the Son of Man must suffer terribly. He will be rejected and killed, but three days later he will rise to life.”

Oh, the moment of cosmic irony for Peter: Death of the Messiah was not part of the original deal. In fact, Peter took Jesus aside and told him to “stop talking like that.”

But Jesus fully accepted the strings attached to his messianic mission. And he encouraged his disciples to let go of fear and follow him.

He said to them: “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.”

Forgetting about yourself may mean recognizing that in this life you will have fear, often well-grounded, reasonable fear. The challenge (forgetting about yourself) is to let go of both your hopes and fears. Fear causes us to withhold, to clench things tightly in our fists.

Jesus asks us to loosen our grip on that which holds us back, to offer our hesitations and hopes to him. He encourages us to take heart, for he has overcome our greatest hopes and fears—indeed, he has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Questions:

1. Finish this statement: “I truly, deeply desire ____, but I fear ____.”
2. What is one step that you could take today to loosen your grip on that which holds you back from trusting Christ?

My personal thanks to Pastor Matt who inspired me to write this.




Please visit Linda Crow at her personal blog:

"I've Been There"

God astounds me.

God takes things that I think are meant for others and uses it to get my attention.

My Girl's Bible Study is doing Vicki Courtney's, His Girl and that week I shared with my girls Bible Study class Hebrews 4:15-16 with them.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

We spent some time talking about the Jesus that they have in their lives. How THIS Jesus was human and HE was tempted in ALL the ways that they are tempted....

He was tempted to cheat.

He was tempted to lust.

He was tempted to stay mad.

He was tempted by jealousy.

He was tempted to let things steal his joy.

He was tempted IN EVERY WAY, not just in a few ways, EVERY WAY.

I reminded them NEVER to think of Jesus as a "guy" who walked an "easier" path then they do. He didn't. He faced EVERY temptation that they do. "It doesn't say SOME," I told them, "it says EVERY."

Bible study class ended but I took that lesson with me, and it resurfaced in a mighty way.


Jesus was tempted in EVERY WAY?
He was tempted to have a pity party, tempted to get bogged down with life's circumstances, tempted to turn away and take matters into His own hands, tempted to be aggravated?

The other night I was lying in bed praying at 3:00 a.m.
The list went on and on....


Prayers for a friend and fellow dancer of my daughters' who has been diagnosed with leukemia.
Prayers for a grieving friend.
Prayers about a family decision.
Prayers for another grieving family.
Prayers for a friend facing uncertain health issues.
Prayers for a friend whose son phoned her to tell her that one of the men in his Platoon had died in his arms.
Prayers for what apathy in the world.
The list went on....until somewhere around 5:00 a.m.

My spirit weary and my soul sad, I was tempted to let the sadness invade my spirit and keep me from going BOLDLY to the throne. Tempted to greet the day with a cynical view rather than with a spirit of hope and joy. It was sometime that morning, after a talk with my husband about how my spirit felt burdened, that this verse came flooding back to me.

"I've been there sister," Jesus whispered. "REMEMBER what I told you? I've been tempted to let the enemy steal my JOY, tempted to see the glass half full, and tempted to give up hope, tempted to take matters into my own hands and not let the Father lead. I've felt it all, remember I told you that in Hebrews 4:15 -16?"

I smiled with tears in my eyes.

That little reminder changed my perspective.
It changed my day.
It changed my Spirit.
What a gift we've been given. Our Savior FELT each and everything that we feel.

Because of that, He "gets" me.

In that HE gets what I'm feeling, because somewhere, sometime, HE felt it too. That makes me so thankful. Thankful that MY SAVIOR feels and understands me in ways that I can't put into words.

I cling to that.

I pray to one who has felt those very feelings that plague my soul and I leave restored and full of hope. I am ready to face whatever comes at me; praying unceasingly for those who need it.

All because Jesus took the time to remind me that HE felt it all too. He understands.

wow.

Father,
Simply I say thank you. Thank you for sending your Son to live and walk in complete humanness so that HE may understand my heart. In times when I am burdened, HE walks with me. In times when I lose hope, HE picks me up. In times when I feel the enemy stripping my joy and saddening my Spirit, HE whispers to me. Thank you Father for the gift of your Son, Jesus, the Jesus who understands.
Amen








Join Lori daily at her personal blogspot, where she continues to astounded by the graces of God.

Hope and Faith

Then touched he their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it unto you." (Matthew 9:29 KJV)

Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you;" (Matthew 9:29 Amplified)

Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” (Matthew 9:29 NLT)

I woke up today thinking (worrying, pondering, over-analyzing, strategizing, etc.) about the same situation I went to bed thinking about. It wasn't difficult to imagine that the far reaching implications of the situation could result in pain and loss for someone - maybe several someones.

It wasn't difficult to imagine at all. Anyone who's been walking with the Lord for a number of years has seen the fallout before. We watch as people in our lives make decisions that take our breath away. In our mind's eye, we instantly see the outcome, (because we have our OWN experience with unwise decisions to remind us,) yet we feel helpless to address the situation. Such is the way when the unwise decisions are being made by someone else. We don't control all the "someone elses" in our lives do we?

So there I was, waking up knee-deep in the "what ifs" of what could ultimately happen. I found myself hoping that God would choose to be merciful and intercede in the results of the immature decisions I was watching unfold. I was hoping that any small bits of wisdom that I had had the chance to interject previously would be remembered. I was hoping that God would remember that the burden of responsibility for this person's actions wasn't theirs alone. I was really hoping that today I would find extreme favor with God, so that maybe He'd dish out a special favor because time was of the essence. I was so hoping that He was paying attention.

Then it hit me . . . .

HOPE is not FAITH

HOPE: the feeling that something desired may happen (cross your fingers!)

FAITH: confidence or trust in a Person or thing; the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures.


Obviously, hope is not a bad thing. I hope everyday. I hope that my mail isn't getting drenched in my mailbox right now. I hope that my college son is getting enough sleep. I hope that my husband remembers my Starbucks order (Venti, 6 pump, non-fat, no water, extra hot Chai latte). Hope is the "wish" that I have regarding certain issues that pop up from time to time.

But HOPE is not FAITH.

Faith is the confidence we have in the person of God.

Faith is not simply "hoping" that God will come through for us. It is the absolute belief in the fact that - in all things - He knows what He is doing, despite what our eyes see and despite what our minds think they understand. It is the understanding that God is Who His Word says He is.

He is faithful, all knowing, loving, kind, just, able, and overwhelmingly willing to move in any situation, according to His Wisdom and our need.

Faith is knowing, that the God who gave His only Son, so that YOU and I could spend eternity with Him, did so out of a love so deep and abiding that we can scarcely grasp it this side of eternity. THAT love is what we trust. THAT love is what our Faith hangs its hat on. THAT love is worthy of our absolute TRUST. THAT love cannot ever fail. We don't have to HOPE that God hears us or that He may move in our "situations". We can know! Because our FAITH is based on the immovable, unshakable, everlasting LOVE of the most powerful Being in the universe. And YOU and I are the object of that Love.

There is really only one requirement on our part. We are required to believe!

"Be it done to you ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Father, we ask you to reveal Yourself to us, your children. Show us Your Ways. Teach us your Kingdom principles. Lead us ever toward You so that we may intimately know You - The One in whom our Faith is grounded - The Author and Finisher of our FAITH. In Jesus Name.

In Him...



Visit Darnelle at her personal blog: All Things Work Together...

A Season of Hope

The Internet Cafe is thrilled to welcome Susan Dollyhigh!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6.

As we sat around the kitchen table at the homeless shelter, we lit the purple Advent candle that symbolizes hope and talked about the great reason Christians have to hope. We talked about the hope the prophet Isaiah gave the world when he foretold the birth of Christ. We talked about the eternal hope that Jesus gave after he came to earth and promised to return and take us with him. We talked about how that eternal hope surpasses the condition of our lives on earth.

Even the condition of illness.

Even the condition of job loss.

Even the condition of domestic violence.

Even the condition of just being released from jail.

Even the condition of struggling with an addiction.

All of the conditions that lead to homelessness.

We made lists of things that we want and things that we hope for. We talked about the things we hope for this week, this Christmas season, next year, and for the rest of our lifetime here on earth.

We talked about our next life in Heaven and what it will be like to see Jesus face- to-face. We tried to imagine what it will be like to go where He is. We talked about the hope that believers have that someday Christ will take us to our permanent heavenly home where there will be no more illness, no more job loss, no more sin, no more homelessness, and no more death.

As we talked, the peace that passes understanding replaced expressions of worry on all the ladies faces.

And it was then that an uninvited guest showed up. He loves to do that. He loves to ruin a party. He loves to steal our joy. He loves to remind us of sins that our Father tells us He has forgotten. And he did just that as he reminded one of the ladies of her past sins. And her expression of peace melted away as her face drooped with sadness.

In a small voice she shared, “I know I’ll be there. I know I’m going to Heaven but I have a feeling I’ll be in the back of the crowd and won’t be able to see Jesus. I’ve just done too many bad things in my life."

And then another lady chimed in, “Yeah, me too. I’ve done too much. I know I’ll be in the back too.”

“Why would you think that?” I asked. “If all the sinners have to be in the back of the crowd, that won’t leave anyone to be up front with Jesus! He’ll be all alone.”

They slowly smiled. They just needed a reminder as do we all in this season of Advent. We have hope. We have the good news of great joy that is for all the people.

In the town of David, a Savior was born and He is Christ the Lord.

Father, thank you for the hope we have because of the wonderful gift of your Son, Jesus Christ.

In Him,

Susan

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh was born and raised n the small, quaint town of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Mount Airy (better known as Mayberry), is Andy Griffith’s hometown and the place that inspired The Andy Griffith Show. Susan and her husband reside there still today and have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Susan uses her inspirational stories as teaching tools at The Shepherd’s House, a homeless shelter for women and children. Susan has a passion for the homeless and for the last four years has taught a Bible study at the shelter.

Susan never intended to become a writer. She never intended to write even one story. But God intended for her to share her life and personal experiences as He restored beauty from the ashes of her life. She is very humbled that God would chose to use her to share the message that His power is indeed made perfect in weakness.

Susan is a free-lance writer and columnist. She was recently announced as the grand prize winner in Women of Faith’s Shine the Light Contest and the story appeared in September/October issue of Connection Magazine.

Please visit Susan at her website: www.InspirationfromMayberry.com. (Currently under construction)