Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Life Experiences’ Category

Sing It

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on March 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Recently, this verse was part of my daily devotional readings.
“Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Ephesians 5:18-21 (ESV)
sing-praises-to-god-2_coloring_page_png_468x609_q85 (1) 

I love to sing, except I can’t. I never learned to play anything but the radio, even after painful months of guitar,piano and ukulele lessons. I don’t read music. I have no idea how to make a high C or a B flat. I don’t even know if I am a soprano.

I recall going to a sing-along of Handel’s Messiah (my all time favorite)  with my niece. The choir master said if we didn’t know our voice range, perhaps we’d just better not try  to sing-along, but instead sit back and listen. Heartbroken, I did.
But my car is more forgiving. With the windows rolled up, I zip down the road with the Christian radio station on, singing praise songs to God. It lifts my spirit, soars my soul. Nothing alters my mood more than a foot-stompin’ hymn or a hand clapping song about my Lord. Some touch my heart as if they were written just for me. A prayer answered, a heavenly message received in the fifteen or so minutes I happened to tune in. Totally a God-orchestrated moment that would drop me to my knees if my foot wasn’t planted to the accelerator. Music is my worship catalyst.
If you feel the negative grouchies oozing into your day, turn on a Christian radio station. Mine is commercial-free, listener supported,  88.3 The Journey out of Keane, Texas. If you are not blessed to live near Fort Worth, TX to receive it through the airwaves, you can stream it live on your phone or computer.  Forget the songs about heartbreaks and cheating, or the angry lyrics about what is wrong with our world.  Instead, fill your mind with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. It make “giving thanks always and for everything” a lot easier!
​
picture from: http://twistynoodle.com/sing-praises-to-god-2-coloring-page/

Read Full Post »

Winds

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on February 18, 2016| 3 Comments »

Today it is very windy in North Texas. We are under a Wind Advisory. As I notice the tree branches outside my window, I think of my life.

ID-100210229

There are times when, like the branches, everything seems still. Calm.

But other times, things shake up a bit. I feel bent in a new direction. Jostled.

However, as with the trees, I have firm roots… I call it faith. I have learned to dig my to spiritual toes deeper into the soil and hang on during the windy days in my life. I pray nothing will topple me. I can almost feel God holding me up as events whip around me.

Wind does some good things for trees. Wind shakes off the dust and pollen. (Yes, a lot of us are sniffling because of that.) Leaves and tiny twigs fall that are either dead or perhaps too thick, not allowing light in.

During those times in my life, is the same thing happening? Are some bad habits being swished away as I rely more and more on my Savior for strength and stability? Perhaps I shake the dust off my routine prayer and mediation time to read the Bible more – really read it, inwardly digest it, and put into practice its truths.  A few dead things I have been carrying around with me fall to the wayside.

Today is a windy day. Thank you Lord for reminding me that is a good thing. Shake me up a bit today. I think I need it.

Read Full Post »

New-trients

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , on January 21, 2016| 2 Comments »

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.  Romans 8:11 NIV

germs-no-noLately, I have read a lot about nutrients, or actually the lack of them in our modern American diets. Chemicals, preservatives and soil depletion play havoc with our digestive track, leaving it sluggish and prone to store fat. We need probiotics to supplement our diet and boost the little nutrients we are digesting. Otherwise nasty bacteria build up that actually makes us crave carbs and sugars,  leave us bloated and produce irregularity. The problem seems to be that these bad bacteria gobble up the good bacteria God placed in our bodies to help breakdown the foods for proper absorption.  And these bad bacteria trick us into thinking we are not full and persuade us to eat even more unhealthily.

More and more nutritionists are stating that our lack of willpower is due to these messages the bad bacteria are sending to our brains, and the addiction to sweets and carbs can become ten times stronger that that of heroine. We need help in the form of supplements. Trouble is, commercialism has boarded the bandwagon and there are some pro-biotic supplements being sold that are not as nutritious. The ingredients are watered down, and some things like sugars and carbs are added in to make them cheaper and more palatable.

Today’s society can act similarly on our souls. Secular appetites are craving more and more diversity and immorality. One you give in to a little, it is difficult not to give into a lot.  Click on one provocative email “just to see” and you inbox blossoms with them.  View one show on TV with bedroom scenes, and you trick your mind into thinking, well it’s airing on prime time so it must not be that bad. Let a few colorful adjectives slip from your tongue while around the guys, and your vocabulary begins to deteriorate little by little.

Eventually these bits of unhealthy living invade your life and your mind begins craving more. You become sluggish and fattened by the fast-food, instant -gratification desires instead of waiting on the Lord’s timing and being satisfied. Your willpower weakens.  Looser morals become more tolerated and in the back of your brain the voice whispers, “Everyone else is watching it, doing it, liking it. That’s our world now. No big deal.”

As our bodies need pro-biotics to combat the effects of modern living,  our spirits need pro-soulotics: new-trients offered by the Holy Spirit for our new spiritual bodies. We need doses of good  each and every day to help combat the bad that seems to be growing around us in massive numbers. Trouble is, some new-age religious practices are not providing the correct dosage. They offer a watered-down version of the Truth to make it more appealing.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17

 

Daily amounts of Scripture, prayer-time and fellowship with other Christians can help restore the balance in our lives. Have you had you daily dose of the real Truth?

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Waiting for the Word

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , on January 5, 2016| 1 Comment »

Today I found God’s message on my computer screen. I play Words with Friends©, an interactive computer game where you place tiles on the board and build

words off each other. Some tiles are worth more than others. Often times, I find myself waiting several rounds for the right letter so I can complete a word and score big points. If only I had another e, then I could spell “quieter”, hit the triple word square, and score 63 points. I discovered when I do, I settle for making less valuable words in the interim and may miss an opportunity to use the ones I have to the best advantage.

God whispered to my soul as I pondered my next move on the game with one friend, “Are you doing the same with my blessings?”

Oh.

I had decided my word for 2016 would be “Rejoice”–in all things. To be thankful for what I have and look for the positive spin, no matter the circumstances, trusting God knows best. Part of that rejoicing is to accept what God has already given me and using it to His glory, and the best of my ability, instead of praying for what I think would be best. To eliminate the “if only- then” thoughts.

If only I had more income, then…

If only I could lose weight quicker like other people do, then…

If only just one book would sell enough copies to break through and become a best seller for more than two days on Amazon, then…

If only my back didn’t ache every day, then…

If only (family member or friend) could (whatever), then…

If I rejoice, and give thanks in all things, then I won’t be focused on the “e” I don’t have–waiting for God tot give me what I think I need, or want, or desire. Perhaps, this year I will “see” the great “words” I can make if I concentrate on the “letters” He has placed in front of me now.

Read Full Post »

Leveled

Posted in Christian, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 1, 2015| 3 Comments »

 For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God. Baruch 5 :7

ID-10082551This passage in my daily reading hit me in the way a punch in the gut snatches your breath. Scripture talks of making paths straight. What does that mean? I am learning.

Earlier this week as I headed for my apartment complex just south of one of the busiest malls, the traffic mimicked rush hour in Los Angeles. Trying to merge into the mess,  after waiting for several minutes my foot slipped off the brakes and my car edged forward to “kiss” the back bumper of the one in front of me. A very belligerent young woman jumped out and began to confront me.

I hate confrontation. Being raised in a family of perfectionist lawyers, I used to be the first to jump to defend myself. Then I’d stew for days over the injustice of being confronted. No, make that months, sometimes years.

But this time I profusely apologized and suggested we move to the parking lot to exchange information. She agreed, but as soon as I put my car in “P” she started in on me again.  The more angry and cutting she became the quieter and more calm I  became. She refused to tell me her name or give me her info, so I quietly took my phone to the back of her car and snapped a few shots of it, showing proof that no damage had occurred. Then I took some of her to record her ranting movements in case she claimed whiplash. The whole time she  scolded me to put it away and challenged why I  wouldn’t obey her.

I quietly and sweetly replied I did it to record everything for my insurance agent. Finally, I guess because I wouldn’t confront her or escalate the nasty mood she tossed in my face, and because I wouldn’t hop on her roller coaster ride of  anger and bullying,  she finally shut her mouth. She glanced at the cross around my neck, scoffed, and peeled out into the parking lot back into the snail-paced traffic. I bowed my head and prayed for her, my heart hurting that such a young person could already be so soured and skeptical, bitter and unforgiving. I asked God to touch her.

A whisper responded, “I just did, through you.”  I realized how the Holy Spirit had guided me into a peaceful state despite her emotional tirade. In the midst of biting verbal abuse, I remained like the old deodorant slogan- calm, cool and collected. No mountainous surges of  hurt and anger at her stabbing words. No blood pressure rises and plummets at her derogatory name calling. Over the past month I had begun to steadily read, study and pray more in the morning before starting my day. I guess it has altered my perspective.

God worked in me to level my emotions.  I walked safely that day, strong and upright, and gave God the glory.

ID-10056738We are entering what many consider one of the most stressful times of the year. Funny, how it began as a way to celebrate” Peace on Earth and Goodwill Towards Mankind”, isn’t it?  Yet with the holidays come  not only joy and frivolity, but economic worry, the unrealistic expectations of a greeting card time with family, and an onset of blues over the ones who are not here to join us this year.  Couple that with not eating right, over-partying, and dashing around to find the perfect gift for everyone, and it can become a time bomb waiting to explode.

Or not.

I hope you recall my tale when your day threatens to roller coaster. I pray you will take time out to let God level your emotions so you can reflect His loving light this season. Let Him lower your hills and fill your valleys with His mercy and grace so that no matter what, you walk confidently in a quietly in His shadow. May He make your paths straight and envelop you in His peace, despite the chaos swirling around you. And may that leveled attitude draw others to realize you have something they want. That is the perfect gift you can give this year.

Read Full Post »

STOP!!

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on November 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

ID-100126659Have you ever been stopped – without warning? A door slams shut, a hand goes up, a tragedy halts your path.  Your breath disappears. Your heart races. You are dazed for a moment as your brain screams, “What just happened?”

I believe, because it has happened to me a few times, that God uses this dramatic interruption to jolt us.  Like being t-boned from the side in an accident, we are trapped, shaken and helpless.Our lower lip quivers and the tears begin to trickle as the built up pressure crashes through the dam of normalcy we’d built. Then, with all our strength drained, we wail in distress, “Why?”

Does God hear? Yes. Does He want us to dig our heads into His shoulder and cling to Him? Absolutely. But, do we?

Not always. Some folks turn to drugs, alcohol, food cravings, reckless adrenaline adventures or sex to try and adjust to what has happened without warning. Maybe you have tried one of these things first. Like digging a deeper hole, right? Eventually you shovel so far around you the ground lets loose and you slide into it. It’s called hitting the bottom. And you stop – because you have nowhere else to go.

Someone once said, when you hit rock bottom you discover Jesus is the rock.  I have learned not to go that far. As soon as I begin to slip I look up, find His nail-scarred hand and take the faith-chance to grab onto it. I stop and let Him “go”, knowing He will never let go of me.  Inevitably when I do hold on, helplessly dangling and dependent on His strength,, the purpose and lessons become a bit clearer.  He carries me through the emotions of bewilderment and hurt, and begins to pull back the darkness as my eyes readjust to the light.

And, having gone through the process, I learn to trust His way instead of trying mine. By the time the light turns green again, I am stronger, wiser and more gracious.

There are many things to be thankful for this year. My books are selling, getting great reviews, and I am excited about the next five contracted, which are in various stages along thethankful-page-001 (2) path to publication. I am grateful when one of my devotionals or articles or blog posts touch a heart.  I am blessed to know so many wonderful folks who support me and love me.

But most of all, I am thankful for a God who cares enough to stand by as I trip and fall, but never moves out of hand-grabbing reach. I am thankful for the times when I have whopped into the stop sign and He has guided me into wisdom by redirecting my attention. And, I am thankful He cared enough to die in order to draw me into life.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:57

 

Read Full Post »

Dusting

Posted in Christian, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on November 6, 2015| Leave a Comment »

My niece often exclaims , “My Aunt Julie’s house is always clean.”  Well, it looks that way, but…

Living alone (whereas she has three kids,a husband, a dog and two guinea pigs) I guess it is easier for me to keep things picked up and presentable–you know, just in case the Queen of England drops by for tea.

Seriously, I have always liked things in order and everything in it’s place– in my home and my life. But life on earth is not orderly. It gets messy sometimes and things accumulate in the corners where we often do not look, just as dust settles in the nooks and crannies of our house.  I decided that the one Saturday in a month I was not IMAG0357dashing to a conference or to do a workshop, I’d dust. Yuk. That cloth  on the wand found all sorts of fuzz and dirt.  Achoo.

Our lives can get that way, can’t they? Dirt, no matter how clean we try to lead our lives, can stick. This place called earth is a dirty place and we live in it. After all, Scripture says we are dust and to dust we will return.  But there are times it seems dust returns to us, and stays!

Every once in a while we need to stop and take time out to give our spirits a thorough cleaning. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to be the cloth wand to help us reach into the tiny crevices of our souls will little lies, negative thoughts, jealousies and grumblings have hidden.  It is called confession- the spiritual duster.

Have you dusted around in your soul lately? To the world you and I may look like the perfect, all in order, clean Christian. But deep down, if we stop and take a look, we know there are little specks of dirt cluttering our place that Jesus says He has come to dwell. He is standing at the door and knocking. Better get busy!

 

Read Full Post »

A Treasure Box

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 20, 2015| 1 Comment »

IMAG0345Several years ago, the women of St.Matthias gave me this treasure box with a fall arrangement in it as a thank you for giving a talk. I truly do “treasure” it, and the memories of those lovely ladies I see way too little as they are in another city from me.

As I stared at it on my dressing table, I realized that during the fall season we often decorate with “fallen” things. Dead leaves, spent pine cones and acorns, twigs, dried grass.  We arrange them in vases, weave them to wreaths, and yes, glue them into a treasure box.

 

 I had to ask–what are some of the dead things I am displaying in my life? Or even treasuring like a memento of the battle?

Now I am not much of a gardener, but I do know if you want a plant to keep blooming you pluck the dead blossoms off the branches. My father always told us the reason he had us rake and bag leaves in the fall was because the grass would die underneath if we didn’t. It would not become lush and green in the spring. I know people put their leaves in a compost pile to decompose as fertilizer, transforming what is dead and useless into something to revitalize and feed what begins to grow later.

God brings us through seasons just as He does in nature. Sometimes, the old things need to fall to the ground and be swept away so after a period of void and dormancy ( our learning and readjusting time when we draw closer to God) new things can spring from the ground and grow.We always talk of spring cleaning, but spiritually speaking, perhaps I need to do some fall cleaning.  How about you?

I need to let go of some anger, angst, hurts and thoughts that should die in Christ so, when I go through a wintry period, they won’t thwart the seeds God is planting deep inside me. I should rake these dead things up in a pile for Him to mercifully transform into forgiveness, understanding and tolerance to His benefit, and mine. Sort of a spiritual compost. After all, isn’t our Lord in the business of taking dead things and making them new and purposeful?

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions… (Ephesians 2:4b-5)

Lord, help me to gather up and give to You the things that are now dead so, when the renewal of spring comes, I will be ready for the seeds You have planted and nurtured deep inside to spring forth from Your rich mercy.  Let me not hold onto past hurts and bitter lessons learned, but offer them to You so You may use them for Your glory. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Germ Warfare

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , on October 2, 2015| 1 Comment »

‘Tis the season for germs- flu, colds, bronchitis…your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. But what about the spiritual germs lurking about, ready to weaken your immune system?

Last week I picked up a virus, most likely among the 500 authors I was in close proximity to for three days at a conference. Bam- within two days of returning home it had invaded my tired, worn-out body to the point that I felt the $30 copay for the visit to the doctor was warranted.

Yep- bronchial pneumonia has settled into my lungs. Steroid inhalers and antibiotics were the key to helping my body defeat these germy invaders.  Warfare was waged. At first, it looked like my lungs were losing. But after a few skirmishes, the meds kicked in, the fever lifted, and my hacking eased. My lungs began to expel the gunk – victory!

In the spiritual realm, we can pick up little germs as well. None of us are immune. They may lie dormant for a bit, but soon we realize we in and of ourselves are too weak to combat their influence. Sin can invade us in so many ways. It is everywhere. You can’t avoid it combating your ears and your eyes, much less your thoughts. Even the Apostle Paul admitted this in his letter to the Romans.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. (7:19)

We need help. Holy help. And the Great Physician is ready to send in the troops. Through a prescription of prayer, Spirit guided thoughts and Scripture, we can defeat those sinful germs and slowly expel them from our souls. God provides His strength in us. War is raged and the treatment is assured because Christ has already won the battle. Proven, tried and true, the prescription works.

However, when it comes to being on a routine of antibiotics, nutritionists will tell you you need to re-plenty your body with the good germs through probiotics. Same with our souls. Don’t let there be a void. Refill with the  good stuff- the Word of God. Cram it in so tight the nasty germs of sin will find it hard to invade. Paul also gave the Romans this advice: Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (6:12)

So, take your  soul meds, folks. Stay strong in Christ, absorb His Word, go to Church and pay your copay in the offering plate with thanksgiving that He has the cure. You may get through this germy season unscathed.

Read Full Post »

Go Deeper

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Author Erin Taylor Young smiled and said, “It was against it’s nature to go deep. But that was the only way out.”

At the American Fiction Christian Writers Conference, September 17-19,  Erin told us an analogy to not being afraid to go deeper in your faith. She noticed a moth mothcaught between the window pane and the screen in her home. It’s predicament wretched her gut. But she also saw a lesson, one that helped to form her website theme.

It kept trying to fly up to get out. That is it’s nature.  However, it forgot it got in through the dent in the bottom of the screen’s frame as it flew towards her bedroom light.

Now, to get out, the moth had to go against everything it had learned.  It had to go deep into the dark corner of the window and walk at an angle through some cobwebs to reach that dent again.  Against it’s instinctual tendency and through a bit of danger. It could get caught up in the sticky web remnants. It could crash.

For several minutes the moth kept flying towards the top of the window, only to whack into the top sash each time. Over and over it tried. It’s little wings flapped as hard as they could. Same path, same result. Over and over and over.

Erin asked us if God is calling us to go deep. Are we flitting around trying to reach His  light by still following our own instincts, or will we hear His call to fly down and discover the one way out into His will? It may be dangerous, and a test of faith. It may get a bit tough, and the devil may put up obstacles. But, if we stay true to God”s course and follow His will, we will experience freedom, peace and the reward when we trust and obey.

Is God calling you deeper? Are you willing to say, “yes” and follow His path, even though it seems convoluted and not the normal way of doing things? It maybe keeping your cool when you want to yell back. Perhaps it is turning the other cheek. Maybe forgiving someone who has deeply hurt you. Or taking on a ministry in which you feel totally inadequate. Facing a tough circumstance like a death of a family member, a divorce or the big C diagnosis. Your instinct may be to escape the easy way. Let your human nature guide you. Rely on your own know-how, experience and strengthen.

Or, you can give in and follow God’s promptings, even if they seem contrary to everything else.

By the way, the moth finally caught on. It slipped through the dent in the screen frame and went on its way. No longer trapped.

Will you follow the moth?

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »