Well it is that time of year ~ the hustle and bustle in the streets and stores. I have written a Holiday Hub and would love the input of others. So check it out if you get a chance and add a comment. The first step to a change for good is a conversation. Never be afraid to be the starter, the middle or the finisher, even the observer of a conversation. All parts are important to communication. To beginning a solution. If we all just deal with the STUFF in the best way we can. If we stick together and remind one another when sidetracked or if we see a truck of stuff heading toward someone. We really can keep each other accountable. All it takes is a little effort. Well maybe we will need to change some old comfort zones. We may need to take some risks and be a little repenting and a little forgiving. In the long run if we stick together as a force, with or without a lightsaber, I feel confident we can get our STUFF RIGHT!
I have an update ~ this time I posted on Hub page so please check it out ~ this particular post fits hub so well I am so pleased by the folks that enjoy the posts ~ this has been a busy week so for this particular week I am referring to the original Hub as my update this week ~ God Bless and Keep looking for the Falling leaves they are all so beautiful.
Riding A Wave ~An ocean wave is an amazing sight ~ if you are most people you tiptoe into the water inching your way past the break of the rolling barrel. The adventurous will run with reckless abandon and jump or dive right in with a joyful leap. Either route you choose takes you to the same point because you always have to go a little farther to get past the mountain-like wall of water heading toward you. As you face this mountain either head on or tediously looking back in guarded position, your heart will race just a bit. In your mind you know just over that wall is where you will at last reach the calming and gentle sea that will soothingly sway you up and down in its magnificence. Once in this place of calm you must stay focused and alert, for there is work that is ongoing, so as to not be taken out to far where you might be lost at sea. If you find yourself slipping out beyond the waves don’t panic. Look up and in the mass of seagulls find the lone Dove He will guide you back toward the shore. So after the description of this spectacular scene can you see how it resembles our relationship with God? He is so welcoming and ever present. He allows you to choose how to come into relationship with Him. Come as you are. There is no right or wrong way for He is LOVE and it is unconditional. It is so calming once there in His grip. Remember though, that the walls of water, the mountains of life will still present themselves. With your eye on Him you can glide past these challenges and feel His arms of strength in times of trouble. Trust in Him and believe in His promise and you will not be lost. When amongst the waves He will be there to help you stay afloat. If you start to fall away the Holy Spirit will whisper you back in between the green safety flags before your lifeguard God your Father. It is really quite simple when we look at what He has made. He has given us all we need. How lucky are we that His creations symbolize this beautiful reality. The reality is He is there just waiting for you to reach for Him amongst the waves.
STORM ~ so exquisite, even beautiful and magnificent in your chaos. God created YOU this amazing representation of nature and life in a symbiotic dance.
I suppose this statement may confuse many. I am very appreciative of the fear and concern for precious life as the preparation ensues with anticipation as we await your arrival. I understand the severity of possible destruction to our earthly bodies, homes and belongings. I also see a genuine halt to the beating pulse of the materialistic world. I am in awe of these results, the quickness of the shift to survival as opposed to inconsequential abandon. I am blessed to witness a time of coming together in cohesive service to preserve safety. In the path of the unyielding storm it is apparent that people become purposeful, resilient, sometimes stubborn, but ultimately heroic in concern and care for one another. In the panic there is a gentle peace that takes hold. We see Christ ever present and silencing the raging eruption, either within the physical storm or more importantly in our hearts and minds. If we seek Him in the storm we will feel the calmness. If we go to Him we will find the warmth of being wrapped in His love. While the storm rages there is a quiet in the center ~ THE EYE ~ Christ is the EYE in the chaos of all storms. He is peace, love and gentleness. His hands are far reaching as He orchestrates His infinite plan with a skillful hand. The storms can swirl and gust and attempt to shake our foundation. If one stays steadfast in their faith there is a peaceful end. No storm can unsettle us if we believe. We can be prepared and we can come together. We can share the comfort of our faith. We can sing a joyful song. We can praise Him in the storm. We can know God has THIS. God may want us to take a moment ~ STOP ~ REALIZE WHAT IS IMPORTANT ~ UNDERSTAND AS THE EYE HE SEES EVERYTHING AND AT TIMES HE WEEPS ~ OFTEN HE SEES WORKS AND HE SMILES ~ LOVE AS HE LOVES US ~ AND PREPARE FOR ALL STORMS!
Psalms 107: 28 ~31 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Hello Friends ~ today I felt a need to combine two worlds the world of culture and the world of Christian belief. I have a heart for those struggling as we all struggle. I believe the two worlds are not as far apart as one might think. Just look at the music not all, but so much of it can say so many amazing things to us. Try not to close your eyes on the world that is so crazy and chaotic, it will not go away. I know we can look for the good in the chaos. I know I can learn something from everyone in my path. Try not to hide away from the things that make us different. Try to find the good in each and everything. Try to reach out to anyone around you that may have something to say. Try not to be righteous or judgmental in our walks, for we each are on the tightrope of life and even the slightest wind could make us slip. The good news is a good gust of air or perhaps if you will, the HOLY SPIRIT can swoop you right back on and the walk on that tightrope of life and make it stable at that. So maybe you could take a listen to some really great examples of genres coming together in a message of ~ Faith,Hope, and Love and the greatest of these is Love. If I do not go outside my box I may never see you, If I do not open my ears I may never hear you, If I don’t open my heart I might just miss you all together. I will be looking for you ~ I do not want to miss you and I want you to know My GOD ~ HE REALLY IS EVERYTHING !
Sometimes words are hard to say but “SAY WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY”
Sometimes our Worlds collide and we get a little lost and yet we know in our hearts HE is “EVERYTHING”
Sometimes we have to Believe that this world and the next can come together in FAITH “IF WE BELIEVE”
If we could be “FOUND IN HIM STILL STANDING” with our SHADOWFEET
And not to be gloomy but should we all not ” LIVE LIKE WE ARE DYING”
In my last post I made the comment “there but by the grace of God go I.” This is a daily reminder for myself.
Have you noticed lately people are under attack? The more a light shines or even a tiny flame, the quicker a quiet force may sneak up to attempt to put it out. Well, if this is the case, we need to arm ourselves with matches so we can lend a hand to re-light that flame. I have recently been privileged and entrusted with some very honest and gut wrenching trials of others. When we are brought to something in life that shakes our core, it is a time of vulnerability. We need to support our foundations and stabilize the core so we can stand up in the face of the storm. We will be brought together to do just that for one another. Here is the good news it does not all happen at the same time. One day you are on a cloud all things are lifted up then slowly something pulls at you and you fall into a pit or hole and often we are somewhere in the middle. We hold on for dear life in the valleys and soar in the peaks. We as humans are right and wrong, good and bad, thoughtful and rude, concerned and negligent. We are happy and sad, joyful and mean, beautiful and ugly. We are sinners and so we are imperfect. We are also believers in Gods promise and so we can admit weakness, seek atonement, and understand frustration. We can help one another to work though a trial with Christ as our constant advocate. We can remind one another to seek Him in all things. We can remind one another He has our scenes pre-written and He will send the cast partners needed to complete them. When it gets so tough and desperate this is when He comes directly lifts you up until it is time to set you down gently. Here is the best part WE WILL ALL MAKE MISTAKES ~ LEARN FROM THEM AND GROW. I want us to remember people will come forward as they are. Some will be meek, some bold, some will be afraid to show a crack in their armor. Many will present one way and not admit to their own pain or heavy weight that limits their honest struggle in their walk. Some will be young and not trained in the ways of the world. They will attempt to get our attention through actions and even some really colorful words. We all do it. We are like little children sometimes we stamp our feet and scream. Funny though when we scream sometimes nothing comes out. So some internalize their pain. Some have questions they want to ask but they are stifled and afraid or giggle from lack of practice. We can practice together; we can learn to be Christ-like together. We can be honest in our confusion together, but first we must be real. If I mess up I will say I am sorry, if I see you hurting I will reach for you, if you are hungry I will try to feed you. We can be fed together if we TRUST that God wants us to be honest in our faults and real in our walks. We need to be real so we can truly see one another. That way when things get cloudier and darker we will be able to see the flickering lights among the crowds. We then can fuel one another and more importantly share some light with those in the dark. When I forget my words as I have them here feel free to nudge me I promise to nudge you write back. This way we can stay upright on this tight rope of life TOGETHER~
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17-21).
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).
Hello Dear Friends ~ In these Summer months as we enjoy our families my mind and heart goes out to our service men and women. I am grateful and respectful of their service. They are chosen to defend and leave all they love behind. Trusting God will care for them and their loved ones. This is a continual leap of faith on their part. These thoughts also bring me to reflect, as I remember on this day the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. He gave up everything for ME and for YOU how amazing is that? Do not give up now keep reading what will it hurt if you hear my out? No one needs to know you are reading this right? No one needs to know you have questions or doubts? No one can see you reading this, it is safe so keep reading. Okay, by His blood and mercy we are washed clean as He took the brunt and HE suffered for our sins. The sins of the world. He gave us the CROSS. I would like to share for an experience with you. I recently spent a few more days in the Critical care ICU due to my illness and ongoing challenges of a physical component to my own reality. For a brief moment I prayed to go to God I even bargained ~ It went something like this, So God I am lying here in this bed with tubes and needles and … and I really do not care for it at ALL ~ So if you felt like maybe taking me at this moment could it be like well quick and a little less painful? Then after bout five more hours it went something like this. God I am sorry I am a brat, I can not even hold a candle to how you suffered for me why am I such a wimp at this? Then after a few days it went something like this, okay so I see you have some more things for me to do, sorry about not accepting your timing but could you please help me to be better at this and reveal what it is you want for me to do in this STAGE? Then at last and I am not proud it took me so long it went like this. I surrender to you Lord, use me as you will, help me to know your will and perform it with your Grace. Now I do not want to get sidetracked but I have to tell you at times this disease leaves me feeling like I am in a race of hurdle jumps and the finish line seems so far away at times. I jump and jump and slip and fall and jump and fall and get back up and run and jump. Okay, so I have just described everyone’s life. It is a race a continual journey this life we live. Disease as I mention in my book is any hurdle in life. Mine currently is of a physical nature, but I like many of you I have faced other hurdles on this journey. I am so blessed that even in the hardest of times, when I slip and I fall and I get frustrated and jump and fall and get up. I AM NOT ALONE!!! My God my Director My savior is there with me grasping, pulling, carrying, wiping my tears. Regardless of my doubts, angers, concerns, humanness, He is constant! I am so undeserving of His mercy and so in awe of His Grace. Now do not get frustrated. I am not trying to be preachy. To meet me you would know I am not even good at it. I am accepting and open to all people and I am as imperfect as all people. I do not shun those with colorful language although rarely use it anymore, but I have my moments. I am not righteous as I know that “There But By The Grace Of God Go I”. I also know I have not always relied or been so steadfast in my faith and in my belief as I am in the last say ten years of my life. Yes I have been a Christian for many years, I am just a bit more observant in my recent years. I have always loved God and tried to serve others and be good and all that jazz, but my life has been altered by new stages and new roles. I have been brought to a mountain by circumstance, climbed it and fallen down and gotten back up many times with help. I just know now it has never been my mountain that has gotten in my way but rather my lack of true surrender when facing that mountain. I must constantly be open and receptive to Direction from the Holy Spirit and to Gods plan for my life. I must surrender to Him fully and without hesitation. I try so hard as do you. I am also aware I am not HIM. Jesus had it going on ~ He was so amazing in His suffering. Yes He was angry at times in the bible (you should really check that book out ~The Bible it is so …. well anyway back to the point there is one promise). You do not have to read or listen to me it is so okay. But, I am who I am on the inside and I work hard at making that more ME on the outside everyday. Though I face the hurdles of insecurity, and the true realities of my life in this body. I am trying to be real and honest. So you may not find me shouting verses but rather quietly open to learning more and more each day about God and His word. I may not be able to direct you to every answer, but I will lead you to where you can find it. I am just one actor on this stage. Like you all of our parts are needed and I am not good at all parts and neither are you. This is why it takes all parts to make a whole. I do however know the current role I am in. I am a servant, I am imperfect, I am a sinner, I am faithful, I am hopeful, I am a daughter, wife , mother, friend, sister, I am a christian. I am a ME just like you. This past weekend in Church at Bethany Wesleyan in Cherryville, PA., I was blessed to hear a woman speak and share her testimony, her name is Genelle Guzman- McMillan. She has written a book called Angel In The Rubble (soon to be released). Her story is an amazing testimony of God’s direction and script for your life. Genelle was the last survivor to be pulled from the rubble of 911, She was in the first tower as it was hit by one of the planes and eventually collapsed into a pile of devastation. Her description of that day is honest and real. She admittedly was not a believer or following any designed plan for her life. Although she had attended church on occasion and had been raised by a believing mother, she felt this church and following Jesus was not important to her current situation. She admittedly followed the Genelle plan (insert your name here). Then on that Day September 11, 2001. Her world changed, our world changed and for Genelle she was chosen to walk a new path. I will let you read her story as her book comes out next month check Amazon or many other places for it Angel In The Rubble by Genelle Guzman – McMillian. I must tell you my story is so small in comparison to hers, but then again not really as all of our stories are pertinent to Gods ultimate plan and script. You are important and your STAGE is so imperative to the completion of God’s work. Never forget that. You may not feel important or feel like anyone cares or anyone will, but you are wrong. It is not about us on this earth that is important to our journey it is a stepping stone a moment in time. It is about serving God and surrendering to HIS plan for your life. You see, God made you, chose you, loved you, held you, and knows you. On that day of September 11, 2001 our world changed. We can all remember where we were, who we lost, how we felt ~ Genelle remembers where God was! Because on that day He was right there with her. He sent her and angel in the rubble as He was at the same time opening His loving arms to receive so many of HIS sheep. please do not be afraid of loving Him, acknowledging Him and thanking HIM. One day you may be in the valleys of life in your own rubble. He will bring you to the peaks of Joy and Hope and Faith. Just do not deny that HE suffered, died and ultimately has RISEN for you. He knew you would mess up, He knows you will fall, He knows you will be frustrated. He will not let you go! When you choose to follow Him, There will still be hurdles, there will still be rubble to clear away, but it will be so different for He Is LOVE ~ pure, unconditional, and ever-present. You may turn away, He will reach for you. You may cry, He will send a smile or comfort. You may try to decide His plan for you and it will fail as you are not the decision maker, You may waver and He will at last hold you up. He gave us the example, Please, just believe and receive Him ~ TODAY, NOW, Just ask Him into your heart, ask him to forgive you your sins, accept Him as your SAVIOR and believe that He suffered died and was buried and then rose again so that you may have eternal life with Him in His kingdom of Heaven. You may say this lady is crazy and preachy and weird but I promise you if you pray to accept Him that feeling will no longer be there. That feeling of discomfort with people talking about their faith about God. You will be changed by your belief in HIM. Baby steps perhaps but minute by minute as you walk in faith He will reveal knowledge to you. Your knowledge will be specific to your walk as He designs your mission for His perfect plan. You may not be comfortable praying out loud at first or maybe ever. You may not be comfortable in certain service areas. You are gifted for the Lord and He will give you the gifts of the Holy Spirit and you will know what those gifts are and you will know how to use them. He may change those gifts at any given time and challenge you greatly for His greater good. You may be chosen to even use creative communication skills so you can speak to the lost, you may have the gift of accepting people right where they are at so you can bring them closer to God and His plan for their life. You may not feel changed at all at first, but trust in HIM he will reveal Himself to you. Thank you for being you, I hope to meet all of you one day. Until then my prayers are for all of us to be steadfast in our walks of faith as we choose to come closer to our Lord God and His infinite wisdom. I pray we acknowledge Him and take those baby steps and then leaps toward welcoming others into the faith of knowing Him. I pray our conversations become as colorful and as passionate for God and His plan and His word as they are for the media and technology of today. I pray we go out of our comfort zones more each day and stand up and take that step up for God as He stepped up for us. I pray that each time I take a leap of faith and share my real passionate heart for God that one more person says I am going to try to do that too. I am going to try to take a little leap of faith. May your day be blessed. I am changed and I will love you where you are at. I vow to never judge any of you and ask of you the same. If I do slip and I will, I ask for God to place me back on His path for my life. I ask for forgiveness and I ask you my friends and family hold me accountable. If we fall down a mountain we can always seek a rope from a fellow sinner. I will be on your belay team will you be on mine. Hugs and prayers and God bless you today and always ~ ME~ Kathy
Allow your brokenness for in our brokenness we will increase the seeking of God’s will and plan in our lives. When something in our lives becomes a constant companion such as a disease, pain, a family trial, financial stress, anything that cracks our comfort armor, we want to unload it or leave it. This is a normal reaction. What is the lesson? What is God’s plan in this? I realize the questions are normal in the flesh but they are not true surrender. I realize this because in the questions there is no peace. At least without praise at the same time. It is only in these difficult times or even joyful times when I am seeking HIM that clarity comes. I am a faithful and firm believer in Christ and through the cross I know He will supply grace and mercy in times of needs. I know He suffered so greatly and I know I am must surrender to His will. I feel I do that but I suppose I do not. If my prayer leads off with could you, would you I realize I am not surrendering but slipping. In the very beginning of my book I speak of TRUST and the immense power of this word. I comment, “I hope we can trust in times of adversity. I most importantly hope my inner strength and faith are enough in the face of adversity.” I falter in times of great distress but my prayer is never against my Father but I become weak and asking is prevalent. I also just realized something the words MUST and TRUST is so close to the same. They are only different by one letter. I Must Surrender to Trust fully. Difficult YES do I struggle with this at times YES. Encouraged by friends and family I am blessed. I find peace in the Word the stories of the bible. I find solace in Christian music. I thank God for His intervention in our weakness. When the tears are shed and the pain becomes numbing there is surrender and in surrender there is peace. So back to the beginning of this post it is normal to want to unload or leave trials and often that is not possible. We must stay steadfast through the storm and then comes the sunshine. Perhaps our trials are the biggest test of faith because we are under scrutiny. Will they put down their God? Will they leave Him behind? NO WAY ~ I may be grumpy, I may have tears, I may be weary, but through the grace and mercy of my Lord Jesus Christ I am safe in this storm. Thank You this is the day the Lord has made let me rejoice and be glad in it.
I challenge all of us ~ Could we all just move God up a few steps in this negative culture we are allowing? Feel free to ask me about my book ~The Stages Of ME it here http://kathyhenderson.wordpress.com or for more information on the book The stages Of Me see the following link to business page on FB http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stages-Of-Me/177152682317454
Hello Friends ~ Hope is a great word ~ Trust a powerful word ~ Faith is what ties it all together
Hoping your days will be great, Trusting God is watching over all of you and Faithful that He has you in HIS GRIP
Trust and Faith in adversity ~ Help me Lord to remember the examples you have given ~ Dear God give me strength in weak moments. Help me to hold on to your promises. It is a bit tougher to be Christ like when in the trials, but you show me time and time again it is possible. When I am weak in spirit, slipping, grasping ~ YOU gently push me back toward YOUR light ~ my HOPE is in YOU!
JOB ~This was his hope~ Trust God when you suffer. Look to our Lord Jesus Christ ~ He lives and one day he will stand upon the earth and all suffering will end.
The Apostle Paul 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 7So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
