Fighting Battles Alone?

“He is forcing you to need Him each and every day as you move forward with the faith you will need to be in peace. The easier road, and the one I know I would have wanted to travel, is the one that ended with a great test result, close the chapter, and move on. Instead, God is saying, "I took you through this fire to let you know I was with you then and I will continue to be with you. Trust me."'

These were the words from a dear friend who has been supporting me through my latest trial with words of wisdom and encouragement. As I read her message, I felt her embrace reaching me through cyber space as the visible manifestation of God’s presence next to me. I thought how this is the way of God, and what a marvelous way it is! He uses His children to reach out to us in the hour of our greatest needs. This is how He provides, but placing His representatives on our path. This is how He shows us that we don’t have to fight our battles alone.

My friend showed me this truth not just by her own inspired words, but also by pointing out His Word as she led me to:

Romans 8:26-27 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words can't express. And he who searches our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

She found great comfort in this passage herself, as she goes through trials of her own right now as well.  So meditating on the unfathomable promise of the Holy Spirit praying for us, caused her to pause in praise.

“Even when I wasn't praying for what I needed, the Holy Spirit was. Wow. God knows we won't be strong all the time. He knows we will have many times of struggle but He will never leave us. He has sent the Holy Spirit to be there for us to intercede in our not-so-perfect, failing behavior. When we aren't praying what needs to be prayed, the Holy Spirit is…Blew me away.”

All I have to add to that is, “Amen, sister!”

He is Jehovah Jireh, God the Provider. He is Jehovah Rapha, God the Healer. He is Jehovah Shalom, God of Peace. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

As I receive an amazing show of support from all my friends, I felt convicted since I have not been the friend I should have before to those around me who needed comfort and consolation. But another dearest friend, who also had to walk through intense fire not so long ago, kindly said to me too: “it's your time to take care of yourself and let others take care of you however way they can. This is God's work, sending you help and care. Take it!”

He promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us in our hour of most need. (Deut. 31: 6) Today, I rejoice in the fulfillment of this promise.

Linking with: Simplyhel Hing Him and Whole Hearted Home

A Fire of My Own

Our Heavenly Father in His infinite love and mercy many times spares us from the fire. The interesting thing is that some fires are known to us.  We see them approaching and we brace for them, then we breathe a sigh of huge relief when He delivers us from them.  Some others remained completely unknown to us until the day we get to our eternal home and see the picture in its entirety. There are some fires, however, that we have to go through. It is all part of the process of refining our faith. This process of refining means cleansing.  It involves removing all impurities so the final product is something radiant, like gold. The cleansing, however, is painful for it involves fire. 

So again, even though we don’t go through all the potential fires, God’s perfect plan inevitably includes us going through some. That is the only way our faith is refined and Jesus is revealed in our renewed character. I have been going through my personal fire since May. I thought, last Friday, that part of this particular fire was going to be extinguished, but it wasn’t. I realized today that unlike many others that He has delivered me from, this one I have to face head on. It is my own. It was planned for me. And I have to carry on. 

The good news is that I don’t have to walk through it alone. He is with me inside of it. He is the other person that could be seen through the blazing furnace (Daniel 3) He is the shield that protects me from getting burned. He is my companion in time of trouble (Psalm 46). And at the appointed time, He will walk with me out of it so His presence may be revealed. 

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1: 6-7

So today, in the midst of my blazing furnace, I stand with Him, hand in hand, for after a little while, I will say goodbye to my affliction. I realize that despite the fire, His plan is still perfect.  Even when I try to resist it, His way is always the best.  It is my prayer that all along, the result is praise, glory and honor as Christ is revealed in me.

A Day to Remember

Today is a huge holiday in Panama, where I am from. It is Independence Day! I still remember the thrill of marching in the longest, most important and most watched parade of the year. My heart always beating in unison with the sound of the band playing right behind me. The strong and well syncopated rhythms and tunes heightened my sense of pride in representing my school marching right beside its colors. 

November 3rd has always been a day of great celebration in my family as well because it is my Father’s birthday. He was the principal of our once only High School for many years and that position brought him great distinction in our town. And people never forgot him. His reputation as an incorruptible, strong, strict and faithful leader followed him wherever he went. His birthday was therefore, a day of excitement in our house because people always wanted to honor him. 

I remember as a young girl going to bed excited in the anticipation of waking up to the perfectly orchestrated tune of “Happy Birthday” performed by our beloved High School’s marching band at around 5:00 a.m. every November 3rd.  I remember seeing my Father standing tall, all dressed up in his elegant suit at the front porch of our house, receiving the honor of such a visit in all his stature. I would peek out the front window and see the shine of the brass pierce through the last darkness of the night as the members of the band played their hearts out, dressed in their Independence Day best. 

What a treat that was for all of us. They touched my young heart for many years with their polished notes dedicated to my Dad. Our High School never ceased to be my Dad’s greatest treasured honor, and its Marching Band remained always his pride.

Last November they got to play for my Dad one last time as they honored him at his funeral. Once again my heart was deeply moved as I listened to the melodies they offered to their greatest fan. My Dad was honored by our beloved High School in a way that is hard to explain and impossible to describe with my limited expressions. Today, my family spends a November 3rd under the cover of a thick blanket of melancholic reminiscing, all at distant points from each other, as we see the first Independence Day without our Father. 

The memories of those days waking up at the sound of “Happy Birthday” played in admiring inspiration by a band of kids who sought to offer their best to their Principal will remain in my mind forever. For now, I move on with what life has for me, hoping that one day we’ll get to celebrate again!

My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? John 14: 12

Danny's Wheelbarrow

Since, for me, giving it all to the Lord is an on-going process, today I woke up thinking about the same Scripture from yesterday:

 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5: 7

The image today is, however, a bit different. This image came to me yesterday, actually, as I walked around the leaf-covered campus sidewalks.  At that time, I thought of the autumns we spent at our old house. Back there, fall was a real chore since our back yard was populated by several splendid and majestic deciduous trees. As we know, the “majestic” aspect lasts for a split second and then we are left to pick up all that majesty afterwards. Well, walking among the leaves yesterday afternoon reminded me of looking out the window at my husband wrestling with the fallen majesty at our old house (and yes, I have to admit here that other than looking out the window, I never did much else to help : ).

For years, before he discovered the magic of a mulching tractor, Dan would spend entire Saturdays pilling up leaves on a huge tarp and in his old, rusty wheel barrow. Then, he would drag them around the yard to the burning pile and/or onto another dumping ground reserved for…dumping stuff (the joy of living in the country…sigh…). Over and over again I would see the sign of satisfaction and relief on his face as he would open up that tarp or tilt that old wheel barrow over the dumping pile to see the leaves cascading down to be disposed of. Not that I’d know, but I could tell by the look in his face that he felt liberated. The sense of a huge weight off his back…letting go of a heavy drag…emptying that last load on the pile…it felt good.

That’s the image that came to me yesterday afternoon and today too. I so want to feel the liberation of emptying out my over loaded, old and rusty wheel barrow. I am tired of pushing it around. I got blisters in my hands and it weighs too heavy in my soul. I want to stop at the dump, tilt it up and watch the garbage flow out of it once and for all. I may as well leave the wheel barrow in the pile too, for I don’t want to use it no more. I want to be done!

As it happens, now we live in a well-manicured neighborhood with zero trees in our yard (well, we have a couple of baby ones that could hardly be called trees…Dan picked up the fallen leaves with one hand and put them in a shopping bag…and I’m still not helping : ). We have no use for his old wheel barrow or tarps out here. Perhaps it’s a sign that we are close to being done emptying out the anxiety, fear and other collection of things we’ve been dragging around for years, to finally be free. I pray that’s the way it is. 

For now, though, I will keep the hope and the image in my mind every time the heavy burden of anxiety creeps up on me. I will think of me emptying that old wheel barrow. Each leaf representing each of my fears…all gone to be burned up by His all consuming fire.

Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 

Nehemiah 8: 12

May we rejoice in the clear understanding of Your Word, Dear Lord!

Linking with Be Simply Better

The Ministry of His Word

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5: 7

I am clinging to this verse today for dear life. More than today, this is my life-verse! It sits in a place of prominence in my heart and in my mind, and it comes to me on a daily basis right when I need it…like this morning.

I don’t know about you, but waiting for a dreaded medical appointment really clouds my days. My thoughts take me into roads I should not travel, and I end up in great need for an extra dose of trust. My devotional today offered me just that by reminding me of this verse, and for that I am determined not to let the timeliness of His delivery go unnoticed. I praise Him for my anxiety, though great today, did not cloud my vision, as it would have in the past, and I was able to clearly see His message of peace and love this morning. I call that progress in my book!

Therefore, I resolve, by the power of the One Who Cares for me, to throw ALL my anxiety on Him at this moment. Not only my anxiety itself, but better yet, I will cast upon Him all the sources of my anxiety. I will put them all at the foot of the Cross.  My health concerns, financial/job fears, my sons, my husband, my extended family, my ability to be the person He desires me to be, my feelings of inadequacy, my sense of loss, and all the challenges this life has to offer…they all go to Him today, one by one. I am nailing them to the tree. I hear the clinking sound of the hammer hitting each nail on the head. I hear the sound of the cracking wood underneath. I hear the sound of the redemption and forgiveness that sets me free.

After all, it is for freedom that He has set me free (Galatians 5:1). And this is the freedom, that we would never be slaves to false idols, ideas, our past, our personality, our tendencies, our circumstances, our health, our bodies, our feelings, our emotions, or anything that can snare our will and determination to rest on Him and keep our eyes on the One Who is in control, the One who cares for us.

The freedom that comes from Christ is the one that allows me to toss the sources of my anxiety away from my soul into His all-consuming fire. And for that, all I have to do is say thank you in humility and love, for I am certainly, completely undeserving of His mercy.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 

1 Peter 5: 6

Thank you, Lord, for ministering to me through the power of your Word.

Linking with: Graced Simplicity

Honest Tears

He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. Psalm 126: 6

Well, if I am not the worst person in the world to talk about planting, gardening, farming or the like, I don’t know who it would be…I am SO NOT a gardener or anything like that. The only time I actually planted anything was 2 years ago in my old house. I planted tomatoes that rotted at the bottom and some lilies that got eaten by ants. That is the extent of my gardening experience. However, my lack of skill does not impede me to understand the metaphor. I DO get it! I see the symbolism perfectly. I comprehend the struggle involved in putting the seeds in the ground, to then nurse them, water them, and weed them for days without end, without seeing anything…until one day, finally! A little sprout breaks through the ground. Pure joy!

That’s why I love planting analogies in Scripture. They capture the essence of life. One of those passages from His Word that I treasure is Psalm 126: 5-6. I heard Beth Moore talking about it years ago and it stuck with me. Then, like a week ago it resurfaced in my devotional to once again move my soul.

The prayer in my little book says: “Help me to see that the promise is not made to those who simply have tears but to those who are willing to sow seed in the midst of their tears.”

Reading those lines truly shook me. I have been doing a lot of crying lately, but have I been “sowing seeds” while I weep? The thought convicted me. 

The seed in Scripture usually refers to the Word, as we see Jesus explain it in Mark 4 and Matthew 13. “The farmer sows the Word,” Jesus says to His disciples in Mark 4: 14. In Psalm 126 we are the farmers. We are the ones who “go out weeping, carrying sees to sow.” We carry the seed, The Word, in us, hidden in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). So what are we to do with it as we go out weeping? Are we to keep it stored in our little seed packets until we feel better about ourselves and about life and our circumstances? Not according to Psalm 126. We are to carry the seed “to sow” it. Then, we will be able to return in joy, carrying the harvest of our hard work. Beth Moore went a step further and said that our tears will water the newly planted seed. It is our tears, therefore, what nourishes the soil that will receive that seed and to it grow. 

In the sorrowful and stressed-out-frazzled-state that I currently find myself in, I have to wonder if my tears have watered much else than my pillow. I admit that, sometimes, I have forgotten to do the planting. The promise is so wonderful and rewarding, however, that it becomes the perfect motivation to not let my tears flow in vain. I want to remember that their purpose is to nourish the soil where the seed will be planted further along. The calling is for our tears to have the purpose of preparing the soul of those who will receive the Word as we try to plant it in the midst of our weeping. 

Perhaps now I/we could dare to say that we are all gardeners after all. Our seed may not yield luscious produce or gorgeous flowers. But it will surely not be rotted or eaten away either, for the seed we seek to plant will bring about a crop of eternal value, through the power of Christ and by the honesty of our tears.

Linking with Whole Hearted Home and Simply Helping Him

A Voice Across the Miles

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55: 8

Four years is a long time to not have heard from someone you love. It is time enough, however, to begin to wonder if you will ever hear from them again or ever have them near. It is long enough to see hope begin to wither. By human standards, that is. By the standards of The One Who Rules Time, things work a little different. Sometimes, it is so different that it is almost impossible to comprehend. But it doesn’t matter in the end, for we have the certainty that, even when we don’t understand them, His ways are best.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.…Isaiah 55:9

The phone rings and a voice you thought forgotten travels across the distance and the disappointments, making you believe again. Though still miles away, the hope of a bridge that will close the wide gap carved by pain emerges as a faint promise in the horizon. And you dare to dream one more time.

It is not a dream, however, if it comes from the hands of the Most High. It is just part of the unfolding of His plan, written for each of His children individually, since before we were in our mother’s wombs. He has always known. Nothing surprises Him. The depth of our despair doesn’t repel Him. The extreme of our need and loneliness doesn’t scare Him. There is no place He cannot find us. We are never so lost that the sound of His voice calling our names cannot reach us. He is the Good Shepherd and He watches over us even when we don’t see Him or have forgotten about Him. His plan of redemption is flawless, even when it sometimes includes gaping wounds that we don’t know how to mend. He is in charge of them. He heals them with His touch. He heals them with His love and He makes us whole again.

Four years is a long time to wait to hear from someone. But it may just be long enough for Love to allow the healing to begin.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Linking with: Titus-2sday and Counting Our Blessings