In the midst of the fire!

Many feel it is just a cliché to say “pray about everything and worry about nothing,” but I beg to differ. In order to maintain a good relationship with anyone, communication is key! You can’t be married to or in a committed relationship with a person and never talk to them; can you? Well in order maintain a good relationship with the Lord, it is important to communicate with Him. Prayer is a very vital form of communication when it comes to our Christian walk.

The Bible gives us several examples of great prayer warriors that deserve to be mimicked.  Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego were three young men who are known for standing up to King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. Their bravery to disobey such a powerful king is notable. They knew by that they were risking their lives to honor their God by not bowing to the king’s idols. They knew that they would be thrown in the midst of a burning fiery furnace that had been turned up seven times its normal temperature just for them.
Everyone around them was succumbing to the will of the king and rejecting their own convictions. Yet they still not only chose to stand up for what they believed in and trust God, they chose to pray in the midst of the fire.  How many times have we been challenged in our faith yet choose to bow in surrender or defeat instead of in prayer? How many times have you seen others submitting to evil all around and been tempted to follow the crowd?
Many including the king thought the fate of the three friends was sealed when they were sentenced to the furnace. But because of their faith and determination to keep their prayer life and worship pure, they went into the furnace bound but were set free in the midst of the fire.  What I like about this is, God didn’t wait until their trial was over to deliver them! We should follow the example of the three Hebrew boys and bow to the Almighty God who can change any circumstance and deliver us in the midst of the fire! It may be cliché but trust me; prayer changes things! Think about it!

Second Time Around!

If you have ever been in a long term relationship, whether it led to marriage or not, you know that when it ends, whether sour or mutual, there are most likely some hurt feelings involved.

I vividly remember the day I left the courtroom, after signing my final divorce papers and crying in my car as my ex and I drove off our separate ways. Tears of mixed emotions, shame of having hurt him, worry for my little girl and to be honest, relief that it was over.  I never asked him how he felt that day. But as I write this I remember the look on his face as we waited on the Judge in the hallway silently together and at a loss for words. And I remember how emotionally drained he sounded when he spoke before the Judge. As I sat in my car that day, preparing to pull off and start life without him, I thought “It’s going to be weird having a different last name from my child.” In all her then four years of life, I never imagined her father and I would not be together. Now I was faced with so many different obstacles and challenges.

I went from high school where I had lived at home with my parents and sisters, to college where I had had roommates, straight to marriage. Now I was about to be alone, really on my own, for the first time. I had my child but she was a dependent, not the type companion I was used to.  Over the next year or so, I coped with a lot, mostly feelings of shame, since I was the one who had “cheated” in the relationship. It took me quite some time to forgive myself. I would soon find out that many around me would need even more time forgiving me. (And I’m not talking about my EX!)

When my current husband and I started dating, my entire past was rehashed, embellished and thrown back in HIS face on MY behalf! I couldn’t believe how fellow church members, who thought they knew my story, were adding to the “he say, she say” drama, trying to discourage him from giving me a chance. Now I’m a writer, but let me tell you, some of the things people dreamed up and accused me of were far better than a lot of the situations I have had in several of my plays! (LOL) Here we were trying to get to know one another, and everyone around us was so busy concerned with what we were doing, I’m certain they neglected some events in their own lives.

But we worked through it because we saw things in each other that told us we belonged together. Now I’m a firm believer that you NEVER share your entire past with anyone, especially your partner. It’s just unnecessary baggage. The important stuff, vital to a relationship, you share those things but every little gory detail I don’t think that’s needed. (Maybe that’s just me) Nevertheless, I was honest with him and he was with me when we had questions about each other’s pasts. Once the questions were answered that was that, we promised there would be no constant digging and prodding.  The more you dig the more things you don’t want or need to find, you’ll find.

Our feelings for each other grew and we knew we wanted to be together, forever. We had so much in common. We have very similar career goals. I know the old saying “opposites attract” but it feels real good to have ninety percent of your likes in common with your spouse, (for me anyway, I was married to my opposite the first time.) Don’t get me wrong it was not all doom and gloom in my first marriage, but we were more like roommates than soul mates. For me, hubby #1 and hubby #2 are polar opposites. My first husband is a good man and great father, just as I have said many times over, I just discovered he was not the man for me. Thankfully we have a great friendship and open line of communication when it comes to our daughter, and for that I’m very grateful.

I said all that to say this, once my new hubby and I moved passed everyone else’s opinions and leaned on God, we found He would supply all we needed in our union to be successful. I feel that now I am experiencing what marriage is really supposed to be. I spoke to a friend of mine who is also in her second marriage and feels she got it right this time. After a life of painful in-law blues and a spouse who was a pretender, my friend is now enjoying her “second time around” as well.

If God is a forgiving God why can’t we be as quick to forgive one another? Why not be happy for someone who is finding happiness in their second marriage instead of scorning or branding them as a failure, because their first marriage didn’t work out to your liking? You never know where a person has been until you have walked a mile in their shoes. I think it would behoove us all to be more compassionate with one another, especially, when we are going through marital issues. Be grateful that it’s not you and your spouse considering divorce and certainly do not condemn the couple. Who knows, getting divorced and remarried may be the best thing that ever happened to them. 

Think about it! 

"The SWEETEST Praise"

Early one cool, breezy Tuesday morning I was headed to work. As soon as my children and I got into the car, my favorite song came pouring sweetly out of the radio. The song is called “Awesome” by Pastor Charles Jenkins and the Fellowship Chicago Choir. The song begins “My God is awesome, He can move mountains, keep me in the valley, hide me from the rain.” I love this song because it reverences God in all His awesomeness.

As we drove along, I sang along with the song like I do every time I hear it. Hearing my next favorite line, “Our God is awesome, Savior of the whole world, giver of salvation, by His strips I am healed, My God is awesome, today I am forgiven, His grace is why I’m living, praise His holy name,” brought a smile to my face. My soul and my heart sang along with my lips.

Then I heard a little voice in the back seat singing along as well. My three-year-old daughter was singing along with the choir, “He’s mighty, He’s mighty, He’s mighty, awesome, awesome.”

It touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes just to hear that she had memorized the song and was singing praises to the Lord.  Then I began to think; if hearing her sing and praise touched me this way, what affect was it having on God?  Before I left the house, I had looked for a scripture to use as my daily meditation. I didn’t find one that really stuck out to me. After hearing my baby sing so sweetly like that, a scripture immediately came to mind- Psalms 150:6 (NKJV) “Let everything that has breathe praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”

I looked up the word praise in my Bible’s concordance and found the perfect scripture for that day’s meditation- Psalms 147:1 (NJKV) “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and praise is beautiful.”

So the next time you are feeling low or things just don’t seem quite right in your world, take time out to sing praises to God, even if you have to make up your own song.  Better yet, when things are going well and your mind is consumed with worldly cares and concerns, take the time out to sing God’s praises, because He loves that.  Psalms 22:3 (KJV) says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.” Think about it.

Rap Sheet!

Imagine you were raised in a strained under privilege home. Your mother is now elderly and your father has passed. However when your father was alive he was somewhat of a well-known gangster and vigilante. You feel the need to uphold his legacy especially since you were named after him.

As a teen you didn’t make the best choices and now as an adult you feel oppressed by the society in which you live and you are determined to do something about it.

The company of men with whom you travel have great respect for your craftiness. You are known to “get things done”. The fellows look up to you and your ability to thieve and create anarchy when and where needed.

To you, it feels like the government, and everyone around you is against you so you are determined to make a change. And if you can’t cause change you will at least cause uproar and get the attention of your oppressors. You are not one to idly stand by and be mistreated by anyone even if they are people of power.  

Then, one day, you find yourself in court. Accused of many crimes as well as government conspiracy, and you know you are guilty. While you are being processed and sentenced another man stands trail that day as well.

Just before you are sentenced to death, you are told that you are free to go, that someone else will be executed in your place. Astounded you leave the prison and wonder how in the world you, an admitted guilty man, have been released.

The “you” in this story is Barabbas. The Bible doesn’t really tell a whole lot about him but what we all know is that he was a known criminal, guilty as charged, yet he was set free and replaced by an innocent man, Jesus. Barabbas deserved to die for his crimes according to the laws of his time. Could that have really been you, or any of us? What is it that we deserve? For the lies we have told, for the things we have stolen?

You say “I’m not a liar or a thief”, ok have you ever been late for work but adjusted your time because no one saw you? Have you ever taken a few supplies from the closet at work that you didn’t pay or ask for? Have you ever told someone you didn’t do something that you know you did do, just trying to spare their feelings? Have you ever robbed your family of your time and attention? Have you ever murdered anyone with your words or a mean glare?

Even before you were born, before your parents knew each other…for that matter before they were born, an innocent Man died for your sake.

Much like Barabbas you have been given a second chance. The Bible doesn’t go into detail about what Barabbas did after he was set free. We don’t know if he was able to thank Jesus for his great sacrifice, in word or in deed. We don’t know if he ran out, rejoiced and let people know how much he was appreciative for his life! He could have become a great preacher or he could have returned to his life of crime. You see that’s the thing about God, He allows us to choose.   So, what will you do, to repay Jesus for giving you a second chance? Because if you have sinned in anyway even once, which we all have, (Ps. 51:5) He has given you a second chance just by allowing you to wake up and read this article.

He already took your place, He died so that we may live, and it’s not just a cliché.

He shed innocent blood for us all to have eternal life, you don’t and never will have enough money to repay Him for that. He wants your life, your devotion. But guess what when you give Him your life to repay Him, He continues to give you more! Peace, love and joy are just a few of the benefits of living for Christ. Wow, an innocent man died for me and all I owe him is my life, yet after I pay Him that, he continues to give to me!  And get this, He doesn’t just give to me, He pours down his blessings even on those who don’t deserve them. (Matt 5:45) Yet, how much more will He give to those who live upright before Him? 

What man do you know that would do all this? (John 15:13)

HE gives us all this and only asks us for one thing…to serve Him.

SO what’s on your rap sheet?

It doesn’t matter how bad it seems, Jesus already took the rap for you! 

Think about it.

"TWISTED"

Sometimes the smallest unexpected things can turn your day upside down.  I am a stickler for being on time! Recently I was preparing to host a couple’s dinner at my church and I was pressed for time. The guests were soon to arrive and I still had about three tasks to attend to before I would be free to greet them. While finishing my tasks, I needed some string to tie around the top of a few prizes.

 

The only string I could find was really thin, but since I was pressed for time, I had to make it work. I quickly grabbed it and headed to the prize table. As I began preparing the prizes, some of the string got twisted up. Knowing my guests would be walking in any moment, my frustration mounted as I tried desperately to untwist the string.

I began frantically yanking on the twisted string and guess what happened, it got worse! Frustration turned into panic and hurriedly I continued to try to untwist the string to no avail. Mind you it was twisted not knotted, but as I continued to yank, it was becoming knotted. And suddenly I heard a voice say, “slow down, take your time and it will work out.” So I took a deep breath and stopped for a second. I closed my eyes and refocused my mind. When I opened my eyes, I looked down at the twisted string then calmly, patiently began to take my time and untwist it. Before I knew it, I was done. I finished my tasks and was ready for the event to begin on time.

So what’s the point of my sharing this story? Well it’s simple. That twisted string really threw me for a loop just like twisted circumstances in life can.  There may come times when you just don’t expect things to get all “twisted up,” but they do. It is at those times we must call on inner strength and patience. Sometimes we just need to stop and refocus on what’s going on and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. He can bring calm and peace in the middle of twisted situations.  Often times we allow troubles in life to make us become so frustrated and distracted that we forget to calm down and look to Christ for peace.

In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

So the next time your life feels all “twisted up,” look to Jesus for Divine strength and peace!

Think about it!