She's Amazing!

We never get too old to learn from others. Over the past few months, I have been privileged to learn from a very amazing young woman! She is struggling with some things in her life, things that would devastate and have devastated many of us, and yet, she remains faithful, loyal and genuine. Don't get me wrong, she has her ups and downs, but in bad times and good, she behaves like God's woman. She has been abandoned by the one she loves and the past four months have been difficult. Yet, throughout this time, she has not once said bad or negative things about her husband. When most would become "historical", (remembering every single bad thing he'd ever done), she has remained in the present, focusing on the good in him, praying for him to be the man she needs and the father her children need. While others might shirk their responsibilities, she has done the opposite. She has found a job and an apartment. She has made sure her boys know that she loves them and she will not leave them also. She has renewed her commitment to parenting them for the Lord. When others might question God and fall away, she has become even more focused on Him and His promises. She searches the Word for hope and strength and she finds it. When others might become single minded, entrenched in their own pain, believing it to be bigger than that of those around them, she has spoken with compassion and concern about those who are struggling. When told she should not forgive her husband until he comes to her and asks for forgiveness, she forgave him anyway, knowing that forgiveness was between her and God. She is determined to work on becoming a better wife and a better mother, rather than a "bitter" one.

Yes, she cries, and yes she gets angry and confused and tired and frustrated, but when you speak with her she quickly processes those emotions and begins speaking of hope and endurance and forgiveness and grace. Yesterday, she started a new job, 2nd shift so her mother could help with the children. Today, she is moving from a home she loves but can no longer afford to an apartment. She is moving without her big strong husband's help. And tomorrow she will take her boys to worship, all by herself, weary, exhausted and worn out. She will rise to the occasion and will flourish in spite of satan's attempts to crush her spirit and derail her purpose. I have faith in her because she has faith in God.

So tomorrow morning as you worship with God's family, say a little prayer for this family. Tonight as you lie next to the one you love, think about this wife who sleeps alone in her big bed and ask God to giver her restful night.And Monday as you begin your work week, pray again for the single mother, amid moving boxes, loving her young sons and preparing for another week alone. Your prayers will mean so much to her!

I wish you could meet her--she is truly an amazing Christian woman---I am so proud of her. You would be too.

Blessings

Neva

The Conversation

The following is a true story. It really happened to some people you may or may not know. It is shared here simply to say, sometimes things really are what they seem! hahahahaha
Mr husband hands wife a bottle containing an herbal supplement. Wife looks at the price and is shocked.
Wife: "I am not taking this, it costs $35 for 30 tablets."
Husband (with a slight tremor in his voice) : "Pppppplease take it, honey. It is supposed to help menopause symptoms."
Wife: "We don't even know if I am going through menopause."
Husband: "I think you are---one of the symptoms is irritability."
Wife: "Am I irritable?"
Husband (with fear and trembling) : "Um hmm."
Wife: "Really? I didn't think I was. I just thought you were trying to make me mad all the time."

2 months later--wife goes to the doctor, lab work says no menopause.

Wife: "I knew it---Ned, I mean Mr. husband WAS trying to make me mad ALL the time!" (grin)

Blessings
Neva

Attention Seeking

I have been thinking alot about God's people and their history of behavior. Actually, not just God's people but all people. I have been wondering just how far God will go to get our attention. Would He perhaps evict us from a safe place and set a celestial being at guard to keep us from returning? Do you think He might have one of His own people work for years on some giant monstrosity, all the while preaching repentance? Might He cause us to live in a temporary state of confusion, unable to understand one another? Could He possibly cause us to suffer war and pestilence and disease? If we suffered at the hands of our brothers, if we were lied about, abused and cheated, would He allow that if it meant getting our attention? Would He?

In the story of the ten plagues, was God trying to get Pharaoh's attention? The attention of the Israelites? The Egyptians? Why did it take the blood, the gnats, the hail, the flies, the frogs, the darkness, the locusts, the death of the livestock, boils, and even the death of the firstborn to make them notice . . .and believe? Why?

Perhaps people in biblical times were more stubborn than modern humans. Surely it wouldn't take such drastic events to make us focus on Him. Or perhaps we believe that God no longer allows or even causes such things. Perhaps we believe that He isn't really working in our lives or that He somehow has decided against making such an effort for our attention. We know and believe, or at least I hope we do, that God the Father, does indeed seek our attention. He wants us to love Him with all our being. He wants us to think about Him, meditate on His word, love His laws, worship Him, right? All of those require attention! But, being human, we often take our attention off Him. So how far will God go to get our attention now? When He sees us praying less, studying less, neglecting worship, filling our lives with worldly things, behaving ungodly, lying, etc. does it bother Him? How much? Do you think He would allow us to have health problems? Or experience financial struggles? Would He allow us to know the pain of grief or the burden of shame? Could He let us feel betrayed and abused? Would He ?

I guess I really have two questions: Does God desire our attention enough that He will allow us to experience drastic events to get it? And . . .

Why isn't one drastic event enough?

Perhaps . . . the sacrifice of an innocent Son for our redemption?

Just wondering . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blessings

Neva

Choking

There was a time, not too awful long ago that I thought in blog posts, I thought in scripture references, I thought in application lessons. Not a day passed that I didn't think of some new blog post or some great theme for a ladies day or often even a great sermon, the outline of which I shared with my husband. Many nights, I would wake him up in the middle of the night, to tell him what "new" glimpse or perspective I'd discovered. (Usually he very sweetly asked if I could write it down and tell him in the morning) (grin). But the point is that my mind was constantly thinking about ways to encourage, uplift, inspire or challenge my fellow man with God's Word. I was a faithful blogger and wrote several magazine and newspaper articles, several devotionals and numerous ladies day speeches. I loved it!

Lately though, I feel like one of the seeds sown among the thorns that Luke 8 talks about. In the text, Jesus is talking about the word being planted, or shared, sometimes with good results, others with less than acceptable. As He was prone to do, He spoke in a parable and then explained the meaning. In the explanation, Jesus says "the seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures. . . " (Luke 8:14) While I know the parable is talking about Christian growth and the process of maturing, I truly believe that no matter how long we have been in the church and no matter how mature or immature we are, LIFE can choke us. It can rob us of our zeal, cloud our focus and weaken our spirits.

It seems that lately, I haven't been able to focus. I read my Bible but can't seem to hold on to what it says. In fact, if you would ask me an hour later what my study was about, I probably couldn't tell you. I could sit in front of my blog page for hours and be unable to think of something to blog about. I don't seem to have ideas for lessons or applications or blog posts. I sit to pray and can't think of how to do it. Oh, I always begin talking to my Father, just like I've done in the past, but after the spiritual greeting, I don't know what to say! It is so weird!
Because I am a Christian counselor, I of course, tried to analyze exactly what the problem was. Am I concerned about my sons? Do I miss my grandchildren? Is my physical health playing a role? (You see, seven weeks into my recovery, I want to be feeling 100%) Am I grieving with friends who are hurting? Am I a busy preacher's wife/social worker/counselor/etc.? Well, of course the answer to all of those things are yes, but those things are not on my mind all the time either. I think about them in passing but they are not the focus of my day. That is the problem---there seems to be no focus, no sustainable focus in my day. I can't seem to remember what I am supposed to be doing half the time! And I don't like it one little bit! I am not depressed. I am not worried. I am not sad or lonely. I am not unhappy or in pain. I am just feeling like life has a chokehold on me.

I was talking to my mom about this very thing today. She said she'd been through times like that also---times when it took every ounce of her being to stay focused and when merely thinking required monumental effort. We talked about the cares, the pleasures and worries of the world choking us. We talked about the frustration that comes with being choked and how to get out of the chokehold life has us in. I was relieved to know that I am not the only one this happens to and that this is simply a dry time in my life and a very busy one. I don't believe it will last forever and before long I will be back ---thinking in blogposts and lessons, focusing on spiritual things and praying with power. But right now, I will hang on to the Lord's hand. I will continue reading His word, trying to absorb it. I will keep right on praying those long prayers of silence, banking on the promise that He knows already and that the Spirit is saying the words in the Father's ear. I believe my roots are deep and with God's hand, it will not be long before I am no longer choking.

Have any of you ever been there? Do you know what I am talking about? Have any of you ever felt like you were in life's chokehold? What did you do to break free of life's grasp?

Blessings,

Neva