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Stop, Then Go

May 17, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

Somehow eight minutes elapsed between the time I last glanced at the clock to when I got in my car. Now, I ran behind. Arrgh. I hate to be late.

traffic_light_05Of course the first traffic light I came to turned red just as I drove up. Really? One of the longest lights in my city and I am stuck at it. My fingers tapped the steering wheel as my gaze kept darting from the stop symbol to the clock on my dashboard.

Finally, green. Then, from there on in, I sailed through the next four lights, all on green! Even the left turn one onto the highway. Hurrah! Lo and behold I made up those few minutes I’d spent in frustration waiting for the first traffic light to change.

Oh – another God-lesson seeped into my brain and I slid down in my seat feeling a bit sheepish. Sometimes waiting is good. Okay, I get that.

God may have us halt for a while, but that is because it is in our best interest. It is not yet time for us to move. But when we do, in His timing, then we zip along and everything is a “go”.
Have you had that happen to you? I have. It is if every possible obstacle suddenly parts like the Red Sea. When we are in His will, paths are made straight. Waiting on God to say “Go” is well worth the wait…every time.

The next time I am getting impatient, Lord may I recall the traffic light lesson. Thank you for letting me find You today as I stared at the red, waiting for the green.

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments »

LIGHT

May 10, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

Reading Gail Pallota’s eye-opening novel about dealing with a chronic hard-to-diagnose disease, Barely Above Water, one sentence popped out at me. The alternative doctor told her part of the process of getting well was to bring her issues to light – letting in God’s healing touch.

???????????????????????????????????????Jesus said He is the LIGHT of the world. How many dark crevices do each of us have we’d prefer He not shine into? Areas of hidden shame, character flaws, deep hurts we cling to out of habit, justification, denial, or fear of letting go.  I have a few, don’t you?

“Let’s not work on that one now, Lord. Let’s work on an easier one. It would be too painful to tackle that right  now. I really don’t want to go there.”

But without LIGHT, how can we pinpoint the areas in our lives that are stunting our growth, our witness, our potential to do His will?  Doctors use lasers to help eradicate diseased cells. Jesus’ Spirit uses His healing touch to cauterize the places we secretly bleed.

Like peeling off a band-aid, we need to expose the area to the light so it can fully heal.  That means others may notice the  process. That’s alright. They will see LIGHT at work. And isn’t that what is supposed to happen? Perhaps it will encourage them to expose some areas in their lives.

And remember, scar tissue is tougher. So let in God’s healing touch to that wound, whatever it may be.

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Two New

April 24, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

I found God today in the fact I have two NEW books on pre-order on Amazon.com. Why?

God is sooo good to this lowly writer. Plus, weekend I head to Austin to receive the “Best Religious Fiction 2016” award from the Texas Association of Authors.  I am in the finals for the 2016 Grace Awards  for Freed to Forgive and  Semi-finials for the 2015 INSPY Awards for Legitimate Lies..  His blessings are overwhelming me, and I feel so humbled, grateful and unworthy. Still, I catch myself getting all goose-bumpy and smiling.

I hope you check them out on Amazon.com.

DumpsterDicing

Paperback & eBook launches 6/3/16

http://amzn.to/21aW5Pa       

LoveIs_NavyBlues copy (1)

   

 

 

 

 

 

                                                          

 

http://amzn.to/1Vwe96x

                                                   eBook launches 5/27/16

Posted in Christian | 4 Comments »

Out of the Mouth of Babes…

April 21, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

courtesy Alexiscorvus | Dreamstime.com -
courtesy Alexiscorvus | Dreamstime.com –

An author friend of mine, Anita Klumpers*, posted this on Facebook about her grandson:

Lesson learned from a 37-month-old, trying to control his sad tears: “Liam, how did you stop crying so fast?”
“I made my mouth go different.”

Scientists state it takes less muscle effort to smile than to frown, but often times it takes  a lot more spiritual muscle effort, doesn’t it?  It is hard to stay up-beat, positive and hopeful when the world dumps troubles and strife on our shoulders like buckets of coal.  Yet, as Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians, we are supposed to rejoice, being thankful in all things and steadfast in prayer.  Is that possible?

Yes- if we make our mouth go different.

  • Take a deep breath and move your lips into a smile. It is hard to be angry, hurt or anxious if you can smile, or even drum up a chuckle.
  • Open our lips to only speak good things. Our grandmothers were right. If you don’t have something nice to say….
  • Audibly Praise God no matter what and pray for Him to alter your attitude.

The next time you feel your lips quivering into a frown, ask our Lord to help you make your mouth go different. That is not to say emotions are not valid. There are times we should be sad or angry. Jesus cried.  He also overturned tables in the Temple.

I’m also not insinuating we shove our negativeness down our gullets where it can fester. But, we can change our attitude by purposely altering our body language and our thoughts.  We can choose to brood and be rude, or  make the choice to rejoice. We can give our angst to God instead of spreading it to others and pray for Him to give us the attitude of gratitude instead of stinkin’ thinkin’.

In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,  and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27

Each moment we have an option – be hopeful or despair, trust or distrust, stand firm or melt into a pool of self pity. How will you make your mouth go today? However it goes, your thoughts and attitude will follow.

 

*read Anita’s suspense romance
novella, “Hounded”, along with mine, “Greener Grasses”  in the Love Is Anthology Book One.

Posted in Life Experiences | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Hit the Ceiling

April 6, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

Have you watched a loved one or friend go round and round in circles? You want to help, but they won’t respond. In their anxiousness they keep circling over and over, making the same mistakes and trapped with no way out in sight.

courtesy of Church of the Holy Apostles

courtesy of Church of the Holy Apostles

In the church where I work, there is a meditation garden, called a Garth,  surrounded by a covered breezeway.  My office window looks out onto it. Yesterday, a chimney sweep flew into the breezeway. It circled around and around, flying up to the ceiling and back down over and over. After about three passes, I tried to swing my arms to get it to divert to the left and out into the garden’s open sky. But it just continued on it’s frantic course.  I realized, even  though my efforts were noble and kind, I made things worse.

I worried the thing might die from exhaustion or break a wing as it kept banging against the ceiling looking for freedom from it’s plight. But my presence made it panic even more. My good attempts futile.

Discouraged,  I went back to my desk. And yes, I prayed for the little guy.  Within a few minutes, a juicy bug or perhaps the spring-flower filled breeze coaxed the swift into the garden. It lifted its wings and soared to freedom.

Lesson learned. Sometimes the best we can do is pray and let God coax them out of their circumstances. He knows what will get their attention even when we do not.

And the coolest thing? God made those fragrant flowers or tasty bug long before the swift became trapped.  He knew when they would come in handy to entice the little bird at just the right time. Will he not do even more for those for whom we pray?

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.     Psalm 48:14

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, Nature | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Plan B

March 29, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

My niece, Melissa, texted me about the way God spoke to her on the way to worship one rainy Sunday when her church had big outdoor plans for worship. She inwardly sighed and told God she wasn’t going to stress, and she knew it would be okay because He was in control. They’d just go with Plan B. “It was then I realized my Plan B was God’s Plan A all along.”

PLAN A???

PLAN A???

That struck me as profound. How often do we conjure up our Plan A and then expect God to bless it?  We are doing His will, right? So surely He will nod and approve of the way we’ve fashioned it. The hours we’ve spent on things going just so. Oh please, don’t let anything go wrong…

“We’ve got this, God. We can do it. You’ve equipped us. Reach down, bless it and make it all go according to plan…our plan.”

Uh, huh. Human nature strikes again.

Judas had “A Plan”. Yet Jesus didn’t fit into it the way he wanted. No militant Messiah to defeat Rome.

Abram had “A Plan”. Take a servant as a concubine and produce the son God promised him.

Jonah had “A Plan”. Run as far in the other direction of where God wanted him to go.

Even the Apostle Paul had “A Plan” but admitted the Holy Spirit intervened and prevented him and his companions from traveling to that city after all.

Every once in a while God shakes up the plan I have carefully plotted in my head  n order to remind me that I vowed in my prayer time to let Him be in control. Oh, yeah. I did, didn’t I? Right, Lord. Got it.

courtesy of Michael Shake Dreamstime Stock Photo

He flips my apple cart with all the fruit neatly stacked in rows. I gasp as I watch them tumble. With a whimper I clench my teeth. Why did You let this happen, Lord?  I see chaos with apples rolling willy-nilly, and He sees the path He wants me to follow.

As I pick up each one, it slowly becomes clear. I turn to look back at the cart and see the distance I traveled was purposeful. He shows me Plan B. What seems impossible happens. The apples line up in His pattern, not mine. Each apple  gathered in my skirt is a blessing. The ones on the ground were best left alone.

My frustration, over all the ways my feeble Plan A  went wrong, evaporates and I smile. Like my niece, my Plan B was His Plan A…the right one all along.

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences | 2 Comments »

Tears – No Words

March 25, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

thumbnail[2]It happens every year.  I can’t get through Holy Week without crying. My mourning clutches my chest.

As a church secretary, typing out the Passion Narrative chokes me up.

Maundy Thursday when the congregation goes quiet, the nave darkens, and the priests strip the altar of all adornment, then wash the bare wood, symbolizing the  preparing  for Christ’s death and burial, the teardrops cascade down my cheeks and my throat closes.  When the tabernacle is left wide open and the body and blood of the reserved sacrament is not present…yet, my lips quiver.

I hear my Lord whisper, “Will you not stay awake one hour?”I see His agony in the garden as He accepts the Father’s will. I feel His heart break when Judas kisses him,when Peter denies Him,  and the crowds yell to crucify Him. I hear his lasts gasps of breath on the cross asking God to forgive me. The idea unnerves me and humbles me. He did it all for me. He did it all for you, too.

You can read about the gruesomeness of his torturous death. You can see the films about it. But at one moment during Holy Week, I hope you go beyond viewing to feeling it in your soul. I hope you remember the old spiritual, “Were You There?” and answer as I do.

Through shimmering eyes I gulp my response – “Yes, every year.”

I’ve read the book, and I know how the story ends. But the point is, it never does. Jesus died for those that day watching at Calvary. He also died for me, for you and for the generations to come. His sacrifice is eternal.

Were you there? Are you there? Your Savior loves you enough to be there, hanging in torture. He will continue to love you enough to go into Hell, defeat death and rise again in glory before ascending into Heaven and preparing a place for you.. One day, He will love you enough to return and bring you home.

Have a blessed Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Resurrection Sunday…every year until Our Lord comes again. Maranatha.

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From Salvage…

March 15, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

I’ve been watching a show on Netflix- Salvage Dawgs. They take old things and re-purpose them. What others see as trash, worn-out or useless, they see of value. One of the workers said they take a piece from salvage to salvation. Aren’t we the same way?

Kerrville, Tx cross made out of re-bar iron

Most of Lent is a pensive time. We examine our walk and see where we come up short. What sins have we harbored? What bad habits have we taken up and what things should we release? All this introspection could be a downer, except for one thing. We know Our Lord is in the salvage to salvation business.

Without Easter, there would never have been Lent. Living this side of the Resurrection, we know the Good News that is coming as we weave through the Gospels and journey from Nazareth to Galilee to Jerusalem to Calgary. Sunday will come. We are not lost causes. God sees us not as the junk we’ve made ourselves but as what we can potentially become – a re-purposed work, restored to our originally intended glory through the efforts of the Son.

Guess that old saying is true. God doesn’t make junk. He re-purposes it to His glory into something desired and valuable.

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

Salvage to Salvation. Praise God!

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Umbrella

March 10, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

courtesy of faithshare.com

courtesy of faithshare.com

For the past several days we have had waves of rain in North Texas. Thus, I have been carrying a pop-out umbrella in my purse…just in case.  It caused me to ponder… how’s my spiritual umbrella?

Umbrellas do not stop the rain or even slow it down, they divert it.  They act as a circular barrier. They move with you so, as you go, the rain drenches the umbrella instead of on you.

Now, some  people find it a hassle to carry an umbrella. They dash through the rain trying to stay as dry as possible. Others stroll along as they get soaking wet as if accepting that as their fate.  Not me. I want protection.

Scripture is our umbrella. It will not stop the stormy days in our lives, but it will shield and protect us when they rumble through. God’s Word covers us in a peace that isn’t affected by circumstances. But we have to be prepared. It is up to us to carry it with us. We can choose to dodge the rainstorms of this life on our own, or resolved that we are inevitably doomed to get soaked. Or, we can open up God’s Word and seek shelter underneath it’s Truth.

Look at an umbrella. It is cloth covering spikes that start in the center and branch out. Christ is our center and branching out of Him are peace, trust, assurance, mercy, grace, everlasting life – all the reminders we need when we are faced with a sudden downpour of negativity, hurt, tragedy or despair. His love is our refuge, our shield, our strong cover against trouble (to paraphrase Psalm 46:1).

The next time your life darkens and thunder rumbles, what will you do? Dash to find shelter on your own, trudge through it with a frown, or  pop open the Word of God and be sheltered?

 

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Sing It

March 1, 2016 by Julie B Cosgrove

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!
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picture from: http://twistynoodle.com/sing-praises-to-god-2-coloring-page/

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