Easter Decor Has Meaning

With the passing of winter and the hope of spring, we enjoy seeing signs of new life inside and outside our homes. Crocuses pop out of the ground, daffodils shoot up and wave their pretty faces at us as we pass by. The grass turns green and leaves begin to sprout on the limbs of trees. Inside, we put away all the snowmen and bring out the Easter decorations. I love to decorate my mantle with the meanings of Easter.

This week is called Holy Week as we look to the things that happened to our Lord Jesus more than 2000 years ago. It is the culmination of why he came from heaven in the form of a baby and was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Events of the week included the Last Supper, the washing of the disciples feet, the betrayal, the trial, the walk down the via Delorosa and up to Calvary's Hill where Jesus was crucified between two thieves. He willingly laid down His life for our transgressions.

Here are the things on my mantle and their meaning:

Cross - Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” I Peter 2:24, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds we are healed.” It is by Jesus death on the cross that our sins are forgiven, we are made clean by his shed blood and we are promised healing by the wounds he suffered. What a Savior!

Light – John 8:12, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 9:5, “I am the Light of the World”, 12:46, “I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” 

Lilies - “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley.” Song of Solomon 2:1 Lilies are white, signifying purity. The flower has a drooping head and retires behind the shade of its broad green leaves; an emblem of lowliness or humility which is Jesus Christ.

Lamb – John 1:29 John the Baptist announced Jesus saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” And in verse 36 John repeats his statement, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Exodus 12:21-27 The pascal lamb was offered by every family in Israel at every Passover. John declares that he is the great sin-offering of which all the lambs slain on Jewish altars were the types. “He takes away the sin of the world” - he is the great sin bearer, not for a single generation, but for all time, not for a single family or race but for the world.

Lion - Revelation 5:5, “And one of the elders said to me, Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Jesus was born in the lineage of David, He was worthy because he was slain. He conquered sin, death and the grave. In Isaiah 11:6 we read; “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” This is referring to the good days to come when the Jews return to Israel and the Messiah comes. It means that everyone will live peacefully together.

Angels - Matthew 28:1-7 “an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples; He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.” I find it interesting that angels have foretold the birth of Christ, were very present at the tomb and will also herald Christ's return. Matthew 24:31, “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” I Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.”

Dear Jesus, I am so thankful for the plan of salvation that provided an escape from the wages of sin and has given me a new life in Christ. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins and for being my Friend. I thank you for the spring time and all the signs of new life we can see outdoors. But I am also thankful for your continual mercies to me every morning as I seek you. I love you Lord.

The First Good Friday

 The other day I was thinking one thing and said another.  I referred to the Friday before Easter as Black Friday instead of Good Friday.  This happens to some people as age creeps in!  But it got me to thinking that it was a black Friday to some people.

Jesus – although Jesus knew the plan of the Father from the beginning of time, on the Mount of Olives Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:42-44 This was Maundy Thursday; Jesus had been betrayed by Judas and it was a black day.

Mary the mother of Jesus – Can you imagine how the mother heart of Mary felt as she watched her son being beaten, and eventually put upon a cross? But Mary knew this man was not just her first born son. She knew He was God's son. And she may have been dismayed to see him be crucified, wondering how the plan of God would work out. Although as a good Jewish girl she may have remembered her Old Testament teaching, she also had the words of Simeon when she took Jesus to the temple. He foretold that a “sword would pierce her heart also”. Even though Jesus told John the disciple to take care of her after he was gone, for Mary, this was a very black Friday

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, were with Jesus' mother at the cross. They had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Luke 23:49 They even accompanied the body to the tomb and later went back at dawn and saw the empty tomb. They wondered who had stolen the body when an angel appeared to them, telling them that he had risen. These women loved Jesus and on that Friday they thought he was gone for good. And it was truly a black Friday to them.

Peter, James and John – these men were known as the inner circle. They had the most intimate interaction with Jesus those last three years and here was Jesus hanging on a cross! It was a black Friday.  

Pontius Pilate – was a Roman governor under the emperor of Tiberius in the first century. He is best known as the judge of Jesus' trial. He unwillingly handed Jesus over to the soldiers to be crucified. His heart was burdened and he washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.” Matthew 27:24 It was a black Friday.

Heavenly Father/Almighty God – Because the Son had taken sin upon Himself, the Father turned His back. One commentator said, “Somehow God was separated from God.” Jesus cried out in anguish, ”My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” It was a black Friday.

With the exception of God the Father and Jesus, His Son, all these people were unaware that “it was Friday, but Sunday was coming!”  It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming is a link to an awesome version of Tony Compolo's classic sermon by Don Buck P Creacy. You see, this “black Friday” was really a Good Friday because of what Jesus did on the cross. I John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” When Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished”, the price for our sin was paid.

Luke 24:1-7  But on the first day of the week at early dawn, they went to the tomb . . .they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Jesus was alive and they ran to tell the good news! So we know the Friday before Easter as Good Friday because of the death of Jesus, who gave His life that we may have life more abundant. John 10:10

A chorus to the hymn, One Day, gives us the gospel in a nutshell.

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

Buried He carried my sins far away;

Rising He justified freely forever;

One day He's coming – O Glorious Day!

Learning to Pray

He was what a teenager would say was an old man. Small in stature, unassuming. Quiet. But when Charlie Sites prayed, he was a giant! As a teenager I attended St Johns Evangelical United Brethren (now United Methodist) Church. It is a small church out in the country near my home. On Wednesday evenings people gathered for prayer meeting. And we prayed! It was customary for those who could to kneel during the prayer time. And most often Brother Sites would pray. He often used the words, “Gracious Father” as he addressed our God. And he prayed about the needs of the people of this church. And it gave me a glimpse into this faithful man who obviously knew his heavenly Father intimately and also gave me a lesson in the power of prayer. Brother Sites prayed so naturally it made me think that I could actually pray out loud in prayer meeting. So one evening when Harold and Hazel Wise took me home from prayer meeting, I said to Harold, who always led the prayer meetings, that I would pray if he called on me. It was a gutsy move but I felt led that I should and could do this! And the next Wednesday, Harold called on me and I prayed. Remember, it was Hazel Wise (you can read my blog about her here) that taught all of us teen girls how to pray sentence prayers. This was just another step in my Christian walk, a step of obedience.

I went to Bible College for two years and prayer was a big part of my life there. We learned to pray specific prayers for specific needs and to exercise faith. Every March a week of classes were canceled to allow us to pray for requests that were sent in to the college. Eighteen years as a pastor's wife was also a good training ground for learning to pray.

So with all this “training”, why is it still a battle to have a consistent prayer life? I believe it is the enemy of our souls, Satan, who tries to keep us from praying. Someone has wisely said, "Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” We can even be busy doing good things for God but this doesn't preclude a prayer life. In fact, anything we do for God is always done better with God's help. John 15:7, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

It amazes me how many adults are not comfortable praying out loud in public. I hope that doesn't sound like a judgmental statement. I truly don't mean it to be. But I would like to give some encouragement that it isn't so difficult to pray in public. The Lord desires our hearts, not perfect words.

Here are some things I have found that help me:

In your private time, begin praying out loud. It will help you to hear your own voice and it will also bring emotion to the surface. Begin by praising God for all the blessings He has given you. Name them. One by one! Praise Him for Who He is. Tell Him the innermost secrets in your heart. Ask Him for His guidance. When necessary, ask for forgiveness. God also knows our thoughts. So you can also pray silently. It isn't always conducive to pray out loud, depending on where you may be. I heard someone say that the devil doesn't know our thoughts, but he can hear us pray. He is aware of the power of prayer and the power in the blood, and the power of praise. I think it is vital that we give voice to our praise to let the enemy of our soul know whose side we are on!

When you hear or read a prayer request, pray right away. Don't wait or you may forget. That doesn't mean you won't pray for that request again, but at least you have brought it to the Lord and it may be a timely need.

When you are alone, driving down the road, etc. ask the Lord, “Who should I be praying for today?” And He will bring to your mind some of those requests/people that need prayer. You can pray anytime, anywhere. It doesn't have to be your regular devotional time.

Write some of your prayers. Journal. You will be amazed how in tune with His Spirit you will get as you write to Jesus. Write just like you talk. And know that He cares and understands and will give you the longings of your heart. James 1:5, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. There have been a few times as I was writing a prayer that God revealed my heart and other times when I realized the answer!

Pray God's Word. I recommend a book by Beth Moore, Praying God's Word Day By Day. This book is about “taking prayer and The Word and igniting them with faith in what God says He can do.” - Beth Moore.

Dear Jesus, I pray that those who read these words will be encouraged to begin or restart their personal conversations with You. Help them to realize they are talking to their Friend, Jesus and to Abba Father. May they feel your Presence near and may they experience a sweet communion as they pour out their hearts to You, their loving Savior. Amen

The secret of all failure is our failure in secret prayer.

Stop Holding On

“We are hanging on”, is the answer a friend gave me recently when I asked how he was doing. It brought to my mind a contemporary Christian song by Casting Crowns, Just Be Held. I have been enjoying this song and the messages within it for a few weeks. In my minds eye I see a person holding onto the end of a rope with a look of desperation on their face. (you can hear the song here.)

One line in the chorus sums it up: I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held.

God is still on His throne and He is in control. He is in control of the world, as well as our lives. We don't need to fear. We can trust Him in the little things and the big things. Some things happen in our lives that are not pleasant and we wonder why? We live in a fallen world and sin abounds. Some things He allows for our good or growth. But some things may happen as a result of our disobedience or sin.

So what should we do? This song says, “stop holding on.” To me this means surrender. Surrender to God's plan, surrender to God saying, repent. Surrender to your selfish desires. You have probably heard the phrase, “Let Go and Let God”. The old time phraseology was - die to self. Why is it so hard to surrender our will to God's will? Other than the fact that we are sinful people, I think it is a lack of trust. Why wouldn't we be able to trust a loving God who only wants the best for us? So, the key is to know the Father's heart and realize we can put our trust in him and surrender our lives to him. Psalm 37:5, Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act. Psalm 9:10, And those who know your name will put their trust in you; for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

So picture this person holding onto the rope in despair, and then letting go of the rope. But instead of destruction, he falls into the loving arms of Jesus! In this life! It is a safe place. It is a warm, comforting place. It is a place of peace. John 14:27, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you, Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. I love this verse found in Zephaniah 3:17, The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

My prayer is that you will remember that God is on His throne. Remember to let go of your plans and trust God's plans. Remember to rest in His arms, feel his love surround you and just be held.

"Just Be Held"

Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on

And when you're tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There's freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

If your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and I always will

And not a tear is wasted
In time, you'll understand
I'm painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where you'll find Me
And where you are, I'll hold your heart
I'll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won't let go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held (stop holding on and just be held)
Just be held, just be held, just be held, just be held

Photo courtesy of nuttakit at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Story of Two Fathers

A few weeks ago while eating with friends we were talking about water heaters, of all things. And I said, “We didn't have a water heater in our home until I was out of the home, married and had three children.” And my friend was astonished. He said, "Did you heat water and dump it into the tub?" And I said, “We didn't have a tub!”

I went on to say that we didn't have a furnace, curtains at the windows, a telephone or indoor plumbing. We did get a black and white television around 1956. Why didn't we have modern amenities in the 1950's and beyond? My father was born in 1899. He was 50 when I was born. He had seen World War I as a soldier and had recently gone through the Great Depression. His childhood was not easy being the seventh child in his family when his father died before the baby was born. He told stories of being “farmed out” to a neighboring family to help tend sheep. His payment was a new pair of jeans plus his room and board. His oldest sister was his teacher in a one room school house. He only had an eighth grade education but he was a whiz at mental arithmetic and was a skilled carpenter. He worked as an electrician on airplanes during World War II.

There were at least two sides to my father. If I woke up early enough I would sit on his lap on a weekday morning before he went off to work. I remember him going sledding with me as a young child. Good memories. When I was in second grade my parents began hosting foster children and he would sometimes tell me there was a treat in the garage for me, usually a candy bar. I think he felt I needed a special treat occasionally. One day we got a new boy and he was shy and scared being in a new home and wouldn't eat. I remember seeing my dad feeding him spoonfuls of soup and talking to him gently. He told him if he ate his soup he could see a pretty picture in the bottom of the bowl. This was a very strange side of my father for me to see as I had seen a sterner, stricter side most of the time.

My dad was very authoritative and demanding. When he said to do something, we all knew to obey. And I learned very early that telling the truth had its rewards. No spankings! He was very impatient and wanted things to be done quickly. I remember being sent to the tool shed many times to look for a tool I knew nothing about. If it took me too long to find it, he would come to the shed and swear. I would often run into the house even before I looked and get mother to help me so I wouldn't have to hear him swear and feel his displeasure.

I remember having to sit at the table until I ate everything on my plate and choking down food I didn't like. This is so different from him feeding soup to a little boy! We children were taught to work and I do appreciate my father teaching me to enjoy working. But we worked under some extreme circumstances, like a grainery which had no ventilation. We children were to take turns during harvest by standing in the middle of the grainery and shoveling the grain toward the back.  His neighbor man was shoveling the grain in toward us and the dust was so thick and it was hard to breathe. I used to dread this job days before it arrived. We ground corn for the cows to eat which was also dusty. We had to carry the ground meal to the barn.

A lot of Saturdays our job was shoveling manure into the spreader. In the fall we spent many an evening and Saturday husking corn. Dad didn't want a picker to harvest his corn because it left a lot of waste so his neighboring farmers would help him cut the corn with a sickle, put it into shocks and stand them up in the field. In the fall we would push these shocks over, kneel down in front of it and husk each ear off the stock. We would throw the corn onto a pile which we had to pick up later and throw into a wagon. Occasionally we did this in the snow and there were many cold mornings. We also pulled weeds throughout the corn field during the summer. He would give us a certain amount of rows we had to do while he was at work.

Remember the primitive conditions I mentioned above? My father didn't have a bathroom in our home because our land wouldn't perk but the other things he withheld from my mother didn't have such a good reason. He would say, “There will be no curtains at my windows. Windows were meant to see out of.” I used to lie in bed at night dreaming of when I would be able to provide these comforts of home for my mother. I wanted her to feel cherished and special as a woman. And God gave me that opportunity the last three years of her life.

In my teen years after I became a Christian I wanted to attend evening service at my local church. I found out that if I asked Dad if I could go he would say, “What do you want to go to church again for? You were already there once today!” And it was a hassle to get permission. But if I just went without asking, there was no punishment! My father who wanted nothing to do with religion shocked me when I came home from Bible college for a visit. I had been praying a silent grace for over a year at meals and all of a sudden he had me pray aloud the blessing on the food. What conflicted situations!

All these mixed messages and a desire to please my father would eventually lead to years of depression and lack of self worth, especially after his death. That might be a topic for a future blog.

But I am so thankful my heavenly Father loved me so much He gave his son, Jesus, to be my Savior. John 3:16. But many people, like me, have needed healing in our image of God. These verses are just a few that show the heart of the heavenly Father.

Psalm 103:8 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Ephesians 1:4-5, He chose us . . .to be adopted as his children.

I John 3:1 “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God.”

Luke 6:36 “Be merciful just as your father is merciful.”

Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.”

Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba Father!”

I have a heavenly Father who is a Good, Good Father. I love this song by Chris Tomlin. You can listen to an audio of the song here.

Oh, I've heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You're like
But I've heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You're pleased
And that I'm never alone

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

Oh, and I've seen many searching
For answers far and wide
But I know we're all searching
For answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need
Before we say a word

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

Cause You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it's love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
Into love, love, love

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am
You're a good good Father

You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways

Mother's in Israel

As a young girl nearing the teen years my mother stopped going to her church in town because my father complained about traveling seven miles to town when there was a church “in our back yard”, as he would say. It was actually about a half mile the way the crow flies but a mile by car. So Dad would take us to this nice country church and drop us off.
 

As a child living in a nominal Christian home I was at a cross roads, spiritually speaking. I needed a Mother in Israel. This phrase is not used much in our modern vernacular. To me it means a woman who shares her life and love with a needy person. A woman who leads by example. A woman who invests her time and energy into helping, encouraging, and praying for a lost, needy soul to come to a fullness of knowing Christ and to help them know how to live for Christ here on earth.

The phrase, Mother in Israel comes directly from Scripture in Judges 5:6-7 where Deborah identifies herself as a Mother in Israel. This happened after a great military victory led by Deborah. Jubilation gives rise to a song, which celebrates the exciting events and captures them for posterity. You can read more of the Old Testament story in a blog by Michael D Green Jr. here.

As a teenage girl my Sunday School teacher was Hazel Wise. Class was held in the last pew on the left side of the sanctuary. A large class of adults used the right side of the sanctuary. So we girls would sit in the last pew and Sister Wise would stand in front of us. She was so nice and sweet. She taught us how to pray by having us pray sentence prayers. That was less formidable or threatening. She was an awesome teacher mostly because we knew she cared. She loved us. It was Sister Wise who asked me one night in revival if I wanted to go to the altar and become a Christian. It was that opening of a window into my soul that God finally penetrated that night as I was laying in my bed. He wouldn't let me sleep until I said Yes to Him. Sister Wise's influence and friendship continued into my adult life and she was the caterer for my wedding reception!

Carol Ogburg and her family were neighbors to my parents and when I came home from college for a visit Mother told me I should get to know her. Carol was not much older than me but she was wise and caring, plus a lot of fun. She was a Mennonite who lived her faith everyday and she took me in under her wing. She taught me many things and we did lots of projects together. She was a listening ear to me during my engagement year and helped in wedding planning. She and her husband hosted the rehearsal meal since my in-laws were from out of state. Carol went to be with the Lord way too early. She was 39 when she lost her battle to ovarian cancer. She took many of my secret thoughts and struggles to heaven with her. She was a wonderful friend and perhaps even a Mother in Israel to me!

Eleanor Slagenweit and her husband were deacons at their church when we were pastoring our first church at Canoe Creek Brethren in Christ near Hollidaysburg, Pa. I am not sure how we first got acquainted but we connected. She was so caring and had a great listening ear. She made me feel welcome to go to her home and spend a good part of a day with her. We would often do something like canning fruit or vegetables while we talked. Well, I talked and Eleanor listened. But then she would give good council and pray with me. She was just what a young new pastor's wife needed. And she was also a good “grandma” to our babies too. She kept our one year old son when I was in the hospital with our newborn daughter. This friendship continued over the years and Eleanor and Mark had become the pastoral couple at Canoe Creek a little while before we began pastoring in Altoona, a few miles away. So now we had fellowship and connections as pastoral couples. We enjoyed many good times in their home and appreciated their friendship. Five years later we finished pastoring at Altoona and actually attended Canoe Creek church for a year and now Mark and Eleanor were our pastoral couple. Eleanor was my rock in a troubled time and I could call her or visit with her and she would give good council and pray with me.

There were a few more that I could mention, like Leah Young, a Bible teacher, prayer warrior and friend to many. Barb Wirrick was a peer, but she was always ready to offer help when needed. I spent many a day sitting at her kitchen table talking and trying to figure out life, love, and me! Norma Horst, is an encourager and confidant; whom I refer to as my Forever Friend. Of all these women, Norma is the only one still living and she is the proof reader for my blog.

So, do you have special people in your life that have been a Mother in Israel to you? Give special thanks to Jesus and to them for speaking into your life. Have you ever thought about what an influence and Kingdom builder you can be as you give your time and heart and invest in the spiritual lives of people?

I am so thankful for all these ladies that were in my life. I am rich in friends and in all these women who have gone on to their heavenly reward. Now it is my turn to pay it forward and invest in women who need an encouraging word or hug or comforting hand on their shoulder. It is my turn to tell them of the victory that can be won through Christ. It is my turn.

Surprised by A Song . . .or Two

It was an ordinary evening as I sat in my chair looking at Facebook over a year ago. I saw a link to a story that I thought may be interesting and began a journey through a blog written by Kelli Haddock.  Her story is quite heartbreaking and yet inspiring.  Over ten years ago while traveling with her husband and 14 mo old son, they were in a horrible traffic accident which took the life of her husband and left her son with many injuries.


I next followed a link to her music (Kelli is a singer/songwriter) and was listening to some of her music while reading the stories behind the songs.  When the song, “Is It Enough”* started to play, I immediately burst into tears.  And not just tears but sobs.  This is so unlike me.  I can sometimes tear up, but not often do I break out sobbing. And that is what happened when I heard these words: “Is it enough to simply come with nothing in my hands for you?  Is it enough to simply say that there's little to be said to you?  This is where I am today. My busy mind needs to quiet down.  I need to stop and listen, I need to hear you say, It is enough for me to come.”

Why did this touch me?  Because I had been too busy.  I had not come to Him in a few weeks.  And this was after a season of really searching and meditating in a concerted manner for more of the Presence of God and here I was, not even spending much time with the Lord.  Of course, I had been in touch “on the run”!  So I sobbed and cried out to the Lord.  I was so happy to realize anew that it was “Enough to simply come to him and rest and sit a while with Him”.  It was ok not to have words.  Not to make excuses.  Just to be.  And to understand that He was ok with that.  And that He is ok with me.  He just wants me to sit a while with Him. To listen.

Fast forward a few weeks to a concert by Frances Drost, another singer/songwriter.  I feel so blessed to call Frances a friend.  I was enjoying the Portraits of White concert immensely.  Near the end of the evening, Frances sang the song, “You With Me”**.  She asks the question, “What does a lonely soul have to do to be unlonely at the busiest time of the year?” (Christmas)  Then the chorus says, “God with us is you with me, his hands and feet are in my reach. I know he cares when you are there.  God with us is you with me.”   The next verse ends with the question, “Is there anyone here loving me?”

For some reason, my mind linked these two songs.  Both are hauntingly beautiful.  Both bring me to tears.  Both bring me to Jesus.  Frances ends the song with these words, “Jesus came down to earth to live with us and touch us.  His love carries on when we give our love to each other.”



*Kelli Haddock’s story can be found on her website:  kellihaddock.com
 The song, Is It Enough?  is on the album, Leave the Light On and can be found on the website and also iTunes

**Frances Drost can be found at: francesdrost.com
Her song, You With Me is on the album, Portraits of White and can be found on You Tube and Spotify.