JUST CALL ME PETER

Just call me Peter.  Oh no, not Peter at his best but Peter at his worst, most agonizing time.  Peter, when he realized he had denied Jesus three times and he was shocked at himself and devastated by his behavior.

Yes, that would be the Peter I am identifying with today.  At one point, I even thought about never writing another post for the blog.  Who am I that God could use me to help others find hope and encouragement when I failed so miserably?

It all happened last night. I failed my God and I failed my son. I too was devastated.  There was an argument. Our voices got louder and louder, more out of control.  I spoke in anger what’s worse, I acted in anger.  It all happened so fast I don’t even know how it began or why I let myself go forward in such an ungodly manner.  I would take it all back if I could but what’s done is done.  Fellowship was broken with Chad and with God.

I knew immediately what I had to do.  I confessed to God the wrong I had done, yes, being very specific as the Bible says.  I did not feel any different but I know God heard and answered my prayer.

I then apologized to Chad.  I felt terrible about the whole mess.  It will not be easy for all things to be forgotten but I did try to apologize. I haven’t gotten to talk to him so I am not sure where we stand but I pray he will forgive me.

Sin always brings consequences. We will have to work through restoring our relationship one day at a time, one word at a time, one hug at a time.  Pray with me that God will be working in us to bring us closer than ever before.

 

1 John 1:9   (KJV)

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

Romans 8:28   (NLT)

²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

 

 

CHANGE

What does change mean?  For me change is many things.  Allow me to explain some of the little changes and big changes since the first of the year.  But, first I must say that if you know me at all, you know I do not like instant change or surprises.  I like to know what’s coming, pray about it and prepare for it if it is going to be a hard change and enjoy it if it will be a positive change.

Life doesn’t always happen that way in my neck of the woods.  An instant change happened about mid-way through January.  I hit a deer about half mile from our house.  It came down off the left wooded hill and was in front of me before I could even register in my mind it was there.  Thus, I found myself in a rental car for two weeks.  The very two weeks the snow storm and bad weather hit this area.  The rental car was driven only three times the whole two weeks.  It was a small change yet a big deal to me.

The second change was shortly after this and much harder.  Our beloved dog went missing on a Monday afternoon.  When he wasn’t back the next day we became concerned.  He was the community therapy dog.  Mostly he was a home body but at times he would stay different places overnight depending on who needed a friend for the night.  Everyone loved him.  It wasn’t that Buddy lived at our house, it was always said we live at Buddy’s house.  Then, on that Friday we found him on his favorite path, in the woods between our house and the neighbors.  He had died from an apparent heart attack.  Just two weeks earlier the vet had given him a clean bill of health.  Our friend and constant companion was gone after 13 years.  This was a major change in our lives!  We are still adjusting to this one.

This past week our son, Chad, came back from Ohio to begin a fresh start here in Virginia.  He is in the process of finding employment and has been working tirelessly in the yard as he loves landscaping.  It’s another big change for all of us to say the least.  Having had time to prepare and pray about this change, we have ask for God’s wisdom, direction and favor in the day to day happenings.

While one child comes home, another leaves.  Cheryl is on the road right now to Florida where God has already been gracious in His provision for her.  We are thankful for new opportunities for her but saying good-by for a time is always hard.  Today, I pray for her protection as she makes that long trip down the east coast. I pray God will clear a path before her and keep her alert and strong.

We have God to hold us altogether as a family even though far apart.  The children and grandchildren are all over the country – Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina and now Florida!  That’s spreads us out pretty far as a family but God is as near as a prayer to anyone of us at any time.  He keeps us together in the palm of His hand through prayer.

Change!  Yes, changes in our lives are many right now but I am thankful that Jesus never changes.  His love and care for us never changes.  God is ever-present, all knowing and all powerful.  I can trust Him to be with those He has given me when they are very near or far away!

Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 16:5 (NLT)

⁵ Lord, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.

 Psalm 139: 1-6   (NLT)

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
² You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
³ You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
⁴ You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
⁵ You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!

My God knows not only me in the way Psalm 139 describes His knowing me but He knows all of us this same way!  He is ever present with us! He never changes! He guards all that is mine! 

WHAT A MIGHTY AND AWESOME GOD WE HAVE!

 

THIS I KNOW

I look to the Lord
He is my focus
I have His perspective
And all my life falls into place

I remember His Word
I live in the Truth
I know His promises
And I have hope

I live in His Presence
I need not be fearful
He is always with me
And I have peace

I walk in His Spirit
I know His power
I see His protection
And all I need is provided

I rest in His unfailing love
I know I am His child
I have His forgiveness
I see His faithfulness
And He gives me eternal life and unending joy

LYN MCKOWN

BAD DAY?

I thought about mid-day that today is yet another “bad day”.  Seems like there have been a lot of “bad days” lately when almost everything that could go wrong does and I just can’t get anything to come together.

Some days it is one thing after the other that happens way different than I planned it and somedays what I hope to accomplish never happens and I end up going in circles instead. Then there are the frustrating days when I have time to do something but I don’t have energy!

So, I was talking to God about it today and things began to look different.  No, there wasn’t any change in circumstances but when I listened to what God was saying to me through His Word there was a change inside me and my perspective began to change too.

The conversation in my mind went something like this:

“I just don’t understand, Lord! Another bad day!  Why can’t I get anything to come out right.  Why does life have to be so frustrating and so many trials and dead ends.”

It was like He was saying, “Really? Is it a bad day?  I made the sun come up and My creation is being sustained as it is every day.  And, you know, I AM still in control!  Think about it.”

Then God’s Word came alive as it always does when I focus on God and not the problems and circumstances. Read on and see how the Word comes alive!

Psalm 11:4   (NLT)

⁴ But the Lord is in His holy Temple;
the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth.

Psalm 118:24   (NLT)

²⁴ This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 32:8   (NLT)

⁸ The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.

Psalm 18:28-32   (NLT)

²⁸ Lord, You have brought light to my life;
My God, You light up my darkness.
²⁹ In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
³² God arms me with strength for the battle,
and He makes my way safe.

The verses go on and on.  Psalm 37:23 tells me He cares about the details of my life!  Psalm 38:9 tells me He hears my every sigh.  Psalm 16:8 tells me He is always with me!

He knows, He cares, He understands, and He is ready to strengthen and help me if only I will ask Him to!

1 Peter 5:7   (NLT)

⁷ Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

Psalm 46:1   (NASB)

46 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

Romans 8:31  (NIV)

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

And everything comes into focus again!

God is on my side and by my side.

God is with me. God is ready to help me.

God is ready to hear and answer my prayer. He even bends  down to listen.

Psalm 116:1-2   (NIV)

¹ I love the Lord because He hears and answers my prayers
² Because He bends down and listens,
I will pray as long as I have breath!

PAIN!

Once again there is pain in our house.  Due to my own clumsiness, I fell in the kitchen yesterday.  I fell so hard it knocked the wind out of me. I have in much pain in various parts of my body.

Through the pain I wanted to shout, “What is going on here?  I take one step forward and two steps back!  Just when I think I am on level ground, I am down again.”

I have physical pain but there is so much other pain that many are facing… pain of a broken heart, pain of grief, pain of loneliness, pain of bitterness, pain of consequences, pain of longing for days gone by, pain of hunger, pain of sickness…

Are you in pain? Did I hit your pain?  What do you do with all that pain?

^{It’s sometimes hard to understand but the Bible says:}  

^{1 Thessalonians 5:18  (KJV)}

¹⁸ In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

That’s not thanking God that I fell but knowing God is in control:

Romans 8:28   (NASB)

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God did not cause that fall but He causes all things to work together for our good and His glory.  As a child of God I have this very assurance in my own life.

So what is this “good” that comes out of these painful experiences we have in life?

For me, I first had to refocus!  Above when I was questioning what is going on, that was seeing things through my eyes. When I refocus, I see things from God’s perspective.  Immediately my thoughts change to “How are you going to use this in my life, Lord? What do you want me to learn?”

Pain can either bring us to defeat and despair or it can bring us closer to God as we look to Him, talk to Him and search His Word for comfort and direction.

When we turn our focus to God, we grow stronger in our faith and our trust in God is strengthened. Our priorities are in line with God’s will and He will work in and through us to use us for His glory as we minister to others who are experiencing that same pain we have known.

It doesn’t matter why we are in pain or where it is coming from, when we look to God, He takes control and we are strengthened to carry on in His will.

I recently read these quotes by Corrie Ten Boom:

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.

‘If you look at the world, you‘ll be distressed. If you look within, you‘ll be depressed. If you look at God you‘ll be at rest.’

Focus on God and rest, even in the pain.

 

MY NEW YEAR’S DAY PRAYER

WORRY AND WONDER

Andy and I were in the car yesterday talking about the next few weeks and months.  He was saying he wasn’t sure how we would handle certain things and what will we do about this or that.  I told him not to worry things work out.  I reminded him that when we obey, God takes care of the rest.

Later, I was telling my daughter, Cheryl, about the conversation and Andy’s concerns.  I told her that I had assured him he was not to worry because if he was worrying he couldn’t be praying.  Those two do not mix at all.

Of course we do have to give Andy a little break here, after all, he is still on quite a bit of heavy medicine for pain. He is not quite himself.

During my conversation with Cheryl I started to tell her I had been wondering about – and before I could finish she said, “Mom, you just said you told Dad not to worry.” At that point I tried to explain to her the difference between worry and wonder.

Worry and wonder are two opposites.

Worry says:  Oh my goodness, what am I going to do – How on earth am I going to fix this – I don’t know how this is going to work– I have to figure out a way out of this – I can’t see how … – I need too…  Worry just goes on and on.  The complete focus is on the problem and how I am going to deal with this or that.  It eats you up trying to know what, when and how to do something.  It takes over your thoughts and can easily consume you. It wears you down and in the end one is worn out, frazzled, confused – nothing accomplished, nothing changed.

Wonder says: What are you up to God?  How are you going to use this in my life?  Where is this leading?  Which path are you taking me down?  Is it a new one or are you just stretching me and growing me?  What do you want me to learn from this?

Worry is when the person is depending on their own resources and human perspective. Worry is I focused, problem focused. Worry is looking inside trying to figure it all out in advance, expecting and anticipating problems that may or may not happen. Worry is a waste of time and energy.  Worry can lead to panic and stress.

Wonder is when the person looks to and depends on God.  Wonder is GOD focused – period! Wonder is looking for God’s perspective in what’s happening. Wonder knows God is in control and has a plan and a purpose for all things.  Wonder is living though an exciting adventure that just expects God to do the unexpected.  Wonder knows that God knows the beginning from the end.  Wonder watches with peace and confidence as God leads.  Wonder always leads to peace and hope.

Worry is man’s way, wonder is God’s way!  Which way are you going?

Deuteronomy 31:8   (NLT)

⁸ Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

 

Psalm 37:5   (NCV)

⁵ Depend on the Lord;
trust him, and He will take care of you.

 

Psalm 32:8   (NLT)

⁸ The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.    I will advise you and watch over you.

 

Psalm 121:5   (NLT)

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

 

Psalm 33:22   (NLT)

²² Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in You alone.