Category: Articles

“God, increase My faith! Increase my faith!”
Is this your cry? Usually not when everything is going our way-this is a cry we have during crisis! “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”(Hebrews 11:1).
In crisis things get slippery! And sometimes that includes our faith! Christians today worldwide are in crisis! What is ‘evil’ is spoken of as good. And what is ‘good’ is spoken as evil! “Increase our faith Lord!” is our cry! “Increase our faith! Overwhelmed in this life –  is our cry!”
“Wait for the gift My Father promised,” we’re the words that Jesus spoke to those who were followers of Him as He walked this earth.( Acts 1:4).
It was a time back then with misunderstanding and confusion and furious rage. If you don’t remember read about the stripes on the back of Jesus and the yells of the crowds in those days, in the pages of Matthew Mark, Luke, and John!
‘He (that, being Jesus),  said to them, “it is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority…”(Acts 1:7).
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(Acts 1:8).
Waiting! Waiting! Waiting in faith – is what we who believe on Jesus Christ must continue to do! But I read these words and need to write them down so I can withstand the wait and focus on the the Lord:
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place, they were all with one accord in one place.”(Acts 2:1).
I can’t go further! This is how we must pray: Christians we MUST have unity, and prayerful, faith-ful hearts!”
Today, today, we must wait on the Lord, with one heart and one purpose to be not only ‘filled with the Spirit’ in believing on Jesus , but we must not quench His glorious Power, we must all ‘get out of the way’ and unify in  prayer to our Father in heaven Who gave us His Son, and BELIEVE all His promises and re-read them and know them and come together one by one.
Today, we, believers in the true and living God must ask in these last days to be anointed and empowered by the Spirit of God in unity and prayerfulness and fruit- ful-ness, ( the fruit of the Spirit is love), we must put on love! We must courageously  lift the name of Jesus to all who will turn their eyes from the world and be empowered to turn these end times around so that ‘suddenly there will come again a ‘rushing mighty wind’ ( Acts2:2) but this time to usher the Bride on Home!
Let us live today for Jesus! He is coming so soon! May His Bride be found waiting with the oil of the Holy Spirit filled in the lamps and may we wait with a song and our hands out to help others who might not be sure- “Yes He is coming! Prepare to meet Him soon. He is Someone worth waiting for! “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and lift up your everlasting doors; the King of glory shall come in.” (Psalm 24:7).
” Wait on the Lord!” I encourage myself and you! And you ask, what is His will? What do I do as I WAIT? “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything , give thanks!”(1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17). We must rejoice and wait in hope and faith! Our Jesus is worth waiting for!”

‘Rejoice in the Lord!’ We can ‘rejoice in the Lord always.’ And even again, I can say, ‘Rejoice’.
“You don’t know my troubles, you don’t know my losses. You don’t know the deep, deep hurts and the heavy crosses. How can I believe in God at a time like this? Isn’t He supposed to be ‘Love?’ Well, I don’t believe, I only believe – He’s gone a-miss.”
“This is true. I don’t know anything about you, but I know Someone Who walked a path rocky and steep with a heavy beam He was made to balance and keep. His eyes were on His Father, and I speak because  it’s true, His heart was on me and it was on you too.”
“I’m tired of all the ‘religion,’ It’s just words all the same…”
“Whether you believe or not doesn’t change God! This Someone, this Man, Whom the Story is told, had to hear words of hatred and scorn and even bear being spat on to His face, and have His beard even ripped off and torn! This Man, Jesus, He knows trouble and pain and great suffering- Yet to free us from our own agony, He came…How can I write in present tense and past? Because He came and died to pay our huge debt, whether or not you believe – He still loves you the same.”
“With each step He walked upon the Via Delorosa, He was mocked, He was ridiculed, He was absolutely HATED. The very ground that He created, they crucified Him on. Even the men on each cross beside began to curse, but Jesus, from the beginning Knew all along that His Father so loved this broken and ‘sin-cursed’ world that He was given as the ‘gift’ to pay the price…the shedding of His own blood, as the Lamb of sacrifice.”
“Jesus, the Man, the Son of God Who was given,  endured greater suffering than any human will ever know. He is the One Who Loves you completely.  He took the curse and was lifted on the cross, He laid down His life that you might be healed. Believe in the Lord Jesus! Die to your pride and ‘self-absorb-sion’ – He is the Life and resurrection!”
“Even now, He loves…He loves…yes- YOU completely. Personally, intimately, He knows and He cares. This is the Truth. Please turn your attention to Him Who has died. He paid the penalty for all the sin from the beginning. He is Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning, and the End. And my dear fellow man, please know, He is Risen!”
“For God so loved the world that He gave,…He gave… It was our SIN that ‘took away’! It was our SIN that ‘brought the poverty and shame’. It was ‘our sin’ that brought sickness and disease. It was ‘our sin’ that made this great mess that we see!”But God, He gave, His only Son- not to condemn the world as the enemy lies about continually- but that the world, made up of you and the people of all nations and tribes and me- might have life, and that ETERNALLY!”
“God gave us ‘choice’ because He wants us to ‘choose Him’!  He is God Almighty, All sufficient,  He is LOVE. He has power to save, He is able to deliver…but we  must Look upon ‘Him Who was pierced’ for our debt, believe in the Son that the Father has sent. Call out to Him and confess to Your Father: “Forgive me Lord,  Can You wash me a-new? I want to turn my eyes off myself  and on to Jesus. To no longer be unbelieving and empty and bitter- to see that You willingly walked the way to the cross that I might live in Paradise and no longer be lost!
Just as the thief who died next to You that day, who changed his mind and chose to believe! I once was lost, but now… I SEE!”

1. Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
   Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
   Jesus ready stands to save you,
   Full of pity, love and pow’r.
   • Refrain:
     I will arise and go to Jesus,
     He will embrace me in His arms;
     In the arms of my dear Savior,
     Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
2. Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
   God’s free bounty glorify;
   True belief and true repentance,
   Every grace that brings you nigh.
3. Come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
   Lost and ruined by the fall;
   If you tarry till you’re better,
   You will never come at all.
4. View Him prostrate in the garden;
   On the ground your Maker lies;
   On the bloody tree behold Him;
   Sinner, will this not suffice?
5. Lo! th’ incarnate God ascended,
   Pleads the merit of His blood:
   Venture on Him, venture wholly,
   Let no other trust intrude.
6. Let not conscience make you linger,
   Not of fitness fondly dream;
   All the fitness He requireth
   Is to feel your need of Him.
7. (Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy by Joseph Hart)

“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder , consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars…”
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art.”
The stars that I see are not heavenly beings in the night sky.  I’m thinking of bodies terrestial, I’m thinking of human stars –
Daniel 12:3, Amplified, “And the teachers and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness -to uprightness and right standing with God [shall give forth light] like the stars for ever and ever.”
…’shall give forth light – like the stars for ever and ever’.
I’m thinking of the stars that ‘shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father’. Matthew 13:43.
Those who faced trials and pain with courage and strength and even …joy. And those who ran to their Refuge in times of trouble, their Jesus- their hope and stay.
Oh, these aren’t people in robes or standing behind pulpits. They never had great speeches. Their LIVES were the speeches! They trusted God and when troubles came, they ran to Him and then… they ‘walked’ a life of hope and joy even in great weakness and pain at times. Their lives were like the ‘stars’ that shone each day you saw them, like a shining sun: Which “rejoices like a strong man to run its race.” (Ps. 19:5).
I am sure that you have these ‘stars’ in your life as well. The ‘stars’ that shine bright in my life are, Carol and  little Suzanna, and Nick C, Robin, and P. Gary, Paul, Jenny, and Michelle, and Mary B., some I knew well, others only through their story, but nonetheless, they still ‘give forth light like the stars for ever and ever’. Dan. 12:3, Amplified. I am sure you have a ‘heaven of stars’ in your heart as well!
And today, we remember Carol. She is another ‘star’ in my heavens, bright as the sun to me. She did shine with joy and grace and warmth and encouragement and giving always- with every breath!
She was an inspiration to me, even though we only had moment upon moment together chatting at the front desk of the Y. She made an big impression on me and she splashed ‘joy’ into my day! Thank you Carol for splashing joy in my life, even though I did not know you real close. We just shared ‘cancer’ and the Lord and family and both lived ‘life’.
I am sad Carol was so young to go home to the Lord. And it makes me think of another ‘star’ in my heaven that was only 4, only a child- and I only knew her story- but she lives on in me, splashing hope- just as Carol will live in me to ‘splash joy!”
Little Suzanna was only 4. And I didn’t even know her, only her story told through her father as she battled a rare form of cancer. She is my teacher, (‘and the teachers and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament’). Why? Because of her simple faith and trust in God as a little child. And she ‘shines like the brightness of the firmament’ to me. What if her father didn’t write  her story? I would have never had the opportunity to see this star.
I will share only one little story that I remember time and time again. Suzanna’s father noticed that while she was playing a simple game of freeze tag, she would always pose in positions that pointed to God. Susanna would freeze with her arms and eyes up, or with praying hands or kneeling. And this was at a time when she was battling a life threatening disease. She was teaching us how to worship! Her heart was united to God.
I always felt like Carol had an attitude of grace and joy. The pose Carol made continually was a pose of ‘joy!’ These are my stars!
1 Cor. 15:41-43, Amplified, “The sun is glorious in one way, and the moon is glorious in another way, and the stars are glorious in their own (distinctive) way; for one star differs from and surpasses another in its beauty and brilliance.
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. [The body] that is sown is perishable and decays, but [the body]  that is resurrected is imperishable -immune to decay, immortal.
It is sown in dishonor and humiliation; it is raised in honor and glory. It is sown in infirmity and weakness; it is resurrected in strength and endued with power…”
Suzanna shines bright even still. And so our dear Carol as well. Peace and comfort are knowing that these loved ones are resurrected in strength and endued with power – no more pain and suffering.  We ‘joy’ in God’s truth and it sets us free indeed! May we let the ‘stars’ in our hearts continue to  illuminate all of their ‘gifts’ to us each and every day.
The word glory means ‘outshining’.  Oh, and how they shine. “I see the stars,” and I can hear the stars sing,
“Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art.”
“Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation.
Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” 1 Chronicles 16:23-25.
So today, I will see my teachers, and we might  be inspired to pray:
“O Lord, that my life might shine for You, even in the simplest of ways, this day. Fill me with Your Spirit as we have ‘stars’ in our life to illuminate all You are – Hope and Joy and Peace and LIFE EVERLASTING with LOVE Himself – forever! (And forever…is a long time!” In Glory and joy!
Thank you my dear friends for shining so brightly in my heart everyday, continually…

Amazing grace…HOW SWEET the sound:

A poem for after the floods of life. by toni
“Hoping in God is what we must always keep doing. “Increase my faith!” Is the prayer I must cry!
God holds the Umbrella, His Spirit  to me, that I may choose to finally step out of the comforts of despair, and take the first steps to dance even if its still raining. There’s no time for moping, one must always keep hoping.
He holds out a promise to cover and protect, but sometimes I choose to reject it as I remain sitting in a big mess – with my head down and my eyes on the puddles, He bids me to ‘look up’ and see the hand of His Son, the Prince He has sent, whose eyes are on me (?), OH How can that be?
‘Come to Me,” He calls me even  by name. He waits and longs that I choose to dance in the rain –
to cast off the pain, to lay down the shame, to lift up my eyes to the One who paid the price of my ticket, my debt in full.  He took my whole punishment upon His own flesh, so that I might begin (once again), and have…this everlasting dance with Him!
He forgives all the past and makes all things new, He pulls me out of the the rough and the thicket, that I may learn what life is a-fresh! He holds out His hand…
that I may finally stand and put my eyes upon Him and gain the strength that is needed.
He provides me new garments, off with the old, torn and dirty! He clothes me, renews me, forgives me and then, He smiles as I take hold of His righteous right hand, with the Umbrella shielding us from the  cold and the rain, we take our first steps to dance in the rain!”
 

Remembering the vows and choosing to keep dancing that 1st wedding dance, over and over again… Keep on dancing, ol’ marrieds who’ve just been through the flood, “whatever the weather, you have each other, and that’s how the story will end.” (Forever Like That, Ben Rector).
For those of us who’ve been married – through the better, and who’ve seen the worse too. And for those of us who have been married through the health but also through the sickness too, and for those of us who know riches, but are well familiar with poorness too – For those who are married through the days upon days, months upon months and years upon years – who have smiled for pictures yet have also  wept on closet floors.
I have to share a song. Played with a guitar and two simple voices as the bride and the groom sang along  on their wedding day floor- oh yes, we’ve got to learn this song – all us old marrieds- because we’ve been stepping right and leaning left and have kept on singing through all of the years, the smiles, the tears… and we keep taking the next breath and even keep choosing to put simple melody on each day’s tune.
So perhaps we all learn to sing a song that’s already written- by someone young and dreamy – but we will sing it with ‘great depths of meaning!’ Perhaps we sing it in our little ‘ol kitchens when the kids all gather for holiday! Perhaps we teach our children that marriage is …forever, ‘Forever like that!’ 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, just like a waltz, we sing or we say:
“Well I’ll be your rainy day lover. Whenever the sunny days end.
And whatever the weather, we have each other.
And that’s how the story will end
Well I’ll be your shade tree in summer mmm.
If you’ll be my fire when it’s cold.
And whatever the season, well, we’ll keep on breathing.
Cause we’ll have each other to hold.
I’ll hold you- I’ll sing.
I wanna love you, forever I do.
I wanna spend all of my days with you.
I’ll carry your burdens and be the wind at your back.
I wanna spend my forever – forever like that.
Well I’ll be the words on the pages.
If you’ll be my sweet melody.
And the tune can keep changing, cause I’ll keep arranging.
And this is the song that we’ll sing.
We’ll sing ooo
I wanna love you, forever I do.
I wanna spend all of my days with you.
I’ll carry your burdens and be the wind at your back.
I wanna spend my forever – forever like that.
When the rain comes, I’ll be your shelter.
When the wind blow, we’ll be together.
When the storms they rise, I’ll be right here by your side.
And I’ll sing-
I’m gonna love you, forever I do.
I’m gonna spend all my days with you.
I’ll carry your burdens and be the wind at your back.
I’m gonna spend my forever – forever like that. (Forever Like That by Ben Rector!) (! Exclamation point, mine).
To my husband, Mike,
It’s been 29 years, 11 kids, miscarriages too, schooling and colleges, with a ton of ‘stuff’ in the middle, and lots of music and art too, for better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. I have not always been great at carrying any of your burdens, but I’m so thankful we both have Jesus, ’cause He took hold of them all when we couldn’t even lift our heads. But we pray and ask God to help us obey. Jesus has been the glue that has kept us together, ’cause He helps us get through the rough and tough days, and helps us keep dancing this waltz ‘no matter the weather’.
And He let us watch that sweet and beautiful bride and groom just the other day, and we shed a tear in the depths of our hearts, because the song they were dancing to – is the same song that we’ve been singing…each year, through…
“And I’ll sing – I’m gonna love you, forever I do. I’m gonna spend all  of my days with you. I’ll carry your burdens and be the wind at your back. I’m gonna spend my forever, forever like that!”
I love you Mike. And I pray for all of us ‘ol marrieds, that we remember that “whenever the sunny days end, and whatever the weather, we have each other…and that’s how the story will end.”

I bring a little guitar into pre-school and sing to the little ones so God can teach ME! Oh yes, the children -red,brown,yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight…’ THEY are precious in His sight… Jesus loves the little children…But there is so much to do, there’s money that needs to be made, there is only so much time in a day! – Jesus loves the little children – (young and even the very old), Jesus loves, Jesus Loves, JESUS LOVES me this I know – for the Bible tells me so!
God uses little children to teach me the BIGGEST things I must remember and know. Have you watched a little child as they busily go-go-GO!  We learn VERY quickly that the LOVE comes from GOD and that we just don’t have it by ourselves, oh no! No! “NO!!!”
The wiggles, the noise, the mess, the TIME! These are just words on a page as you read, but try to live hour by hour with children- “Come to the table kids, let’s take time to eat…”  We come for a snack, for a small ‘retreat’, and God has a way of showing  you and me…our hearts cry, “I need a Helper!”  And He says, “Remember Me!”
Why does it seem, that the choices that are made, (in children that are young), seem to be quite often  – loud and in the wrong way! “Remember Me!” “Remember Me!” “Remember ME!”
“Where is the Love?” A little voice rings through my head, when I  grow tired and weary and seem to  have used every last bit, of my ‘own’ patience that is stored up to get me through, but then -“That’s IT!” Oh MY! I fail often when I quickly  ‘react’ instead of ‘maturely respond,’ and then shamefully think, “you’re the adult!” Oh, how I fail so very often!
So immediately I become ‘broken’ and very ‘poor in spirit’, but I hear gentleness speak, I hear Love speak to my heart, to help lift up my eyes when I choose to hear it:
“I was broken and poured out, I was willing, you see. I am LOVE and I am the Beginning of all that you seek. Let Me be your Shepherd, you will have all you need. Including the Love and patience, kindness and (even) gentleness – yes, let My Spirit empower you and fill you and show you the way. I, Jesus, love you. I love you…I love you forever, and your children – they are only loaned to you for a very short time. Seek My face and let go of the fear, and let My love envelope you, and walk each day very near – Be near to Me, My love. I love you completely and  I will keep your children- now and for all eternity!
Call out my name, and they will follow your example. Never stop singing those old precious songs.
Because ‘your Father who art in heaven is holy and faithful and ever remains’ and if you ‘read your Bible, pray every day – you will grow, grow, grow!’ And your children, they will remember, that I love them…yes, they will know –because the Bible – it tells them so!
Cast all your care upon Me, because I care. Remember Me, I am with you. I am with you, I AM here, and everywhere! Just call My Name, and I will lead you into the Way, and the Truth and the Life. I AM Love everlasting, My precious children, you are My princess, you are My knights! I will come quickly, so be ready My dears! Do not fret, instead let My LOVE cast out all you fears! 
I didn’t say, when you pray, pray:  “Dear Sir, or “Dear King” or “My Reverence!” NO! Remember I told you to pray:  “Our Father! Yes, My Father knows what’s it’s like chasing ‘kids’ that ‘go in the wrong direction’, He knows! Yes, He KNOWS! Yet He is LOVE- And He sent Me to you, that you would forever know that My Father, He LOVES YOU.  He so loves the world, all the children you see, ‘red brown, yellow, black  and white, yes, they are precious in His sight, So He sent Me to you that My hands would be spread out wide, that you might someday and forever remain by My side.”
“I love you, please Remember and KNOW, and if you forget, My Word tells you so!”  Remember Me, Remember I Love you, My Father sent Me to you,  I am Yours and You are Mine, My name is Jesus and I love you so, read your Bible to re-discover that it is so! Yes, you  – will –  know!”
_______________
 Hebrews 4:15, 16.   “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points, tempted as we are, yet without sin.”  “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Now may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing”…believing that ‘Our Father’ cares, believing that He sees what’s going on, believing that He loves us,  believing that He will deliver us, and forgive us,– and forgive us again, because we haven’t REMEMBERED that He is ‘Our Father’  and that He ‘sent His only Son’ that we might again have hope, yes, “that we might  (even) abound in hope”…
“Lord Jesus, I come to You, to Your Table and Remember You were broken for me, fill me and fill me and fill me again with the Power of Your Spirit to love, over and over again, that we, Your children, young and old and older,  might abound in hope, ‘in the power of the Holy Spirit!” (Romans 15:13, exclamation point mine, exclamation point, MINE!)

There is not one ounce of weakness in one who chooses Christ,
it’s the opposite, quite frankly – it’s easy to run to a ‘vise,’
‘any dead fish can float down-stream’
but we must remember that it takes ‘one who is alive’ to dare to swim up current and to believe!
Blow off the dust from the Book that is True and walk with Jesus for a chapter or two.
Don’t just listen to people’s opinions of Him. Seriously take a look for yourself, and even personally – ask Him!
‘He was, and is, and is to come!’ The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, three in One. He is the Creator, He is ever present, He is Love, … but you will never know- until you seek Him with your eye, …
and with your ear, and with your broken heart – then He, Himself will show you, that He sees your every tear.
And with the Breath of His Spirit, He breathes a ‘courage’ that is ‘not yours’, to ‘die to yourself’ and be filled with Life a-new!
The courage comes from Him! Deliverance comes in surrender!
Don’t say you can’t believe anything you can’t see –  open those eyes and dare to be wrong… The Power of God is seen every day – in the heavens, the sun,  in the ocean currents, the bird’s song,
BUT EVEN GREATER than the beauties of nature -OPEN YOUR EYES and KNOW GOD IS SOVEREIGN, OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, yes, EVER PRESENT- when young people  will STAND, in the midst of great evil-
yes,  STAND, when they know that life here on earth might end quickly,  when they STAND up for JESUS, with strength from His Hand,  to meet their Bridegroom right there, right then, the DOOR immediately opened-  and immediately in His presence, they, His beloved Stand.
Believe THEIR witness – they KNEW God! They are with Him, in Paradise, In HEAVEN! We are left here, with time to consider, each, our  own position! This is the song those who STAND for Christ express.  Can you hear them now with great courage, address:

1. “I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.
2. Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
   Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
   Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.
3. The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   No turning back, no turning back.
4. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   Though none go with me, still I will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.”

COURAGE has a new definition. COURAGE is those who will STAND for JESUS:

1. “Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   No turning back, no turning back.”

I have been moved by their witness, you see. I will decide each day a-new, to follow Jesus – “Yes, I believe!” He met me when I was torn up and battered and a mess all inside. He healed me and He filled me with His Spirit beside! I am not courageous on my own, not one bit- but I will make the decision to stand, and take hold of His hand and walk one step, by each step! I will not be paralyzed by fear, nor step back – I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back!

Words have been written, and I dig them up from the past, because through time and ages, they speak – for me, for you –  bringing comfort to last.
God allowed hard times for the man who wrote this hymn – Charles A. Tindley, a ‘prominent, powerful, persecuted American-African. He wrote through the pain in 1851, – not in anger or in hate – but in power and love with faith -of faith in a God Whom he could not see, but with eyes focused and believing on the promise… of eternity!
1.”We are often tossed and driv’n on the restless sea of time, rolling clouds and howling tempests oft succeed a bright sunshine; In that land of perfect day, when the mists have rolled away, We will understand it better by and by. By and by.”
This hymn was written and recorded and often sung, not asking, “Why?, Why God Why?” but instead, “We will understand it better by and by. By and by.”
“By and by when the morning comes, …We’ll tell the story how we’ve over-come; And we’ll understand it better by and by, by and by.”
There is hope and there is trust in a God that is great. There is patience and  quietness and rest while we wait.
2. “Trials dark on ev’ry hand, and we cannot understand, All the ways that God would lead us to that blessed promised land; But He’ll guide us with His eye, and we’ll follow till we die, We will understand it better by and by, by and by.”
Words written of wrestling, yet of surrender to God’s plan. Power is in surrender and taking hold of God’s hand.
“We’ve over-come; And we’ll understand it better by and by, by and by…When the saints of God are gathered home, we’ll tell the story of how we’ve over-come; And we’ll understand it better by and by, by and by.”
We’ll Understand it Better By and By , Charles A. Tindley – tells us why. Perhaps in our present day we should be resurrecting words spoken in  1905!
 

You are the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. “Jesus, You are my Song”.
You are the giver of life, my very first breaths,…and my very last breaths will be
“Jesus.” “You are my Song.”
You were born in me when I invited You in, I called out Your Name on that day –
You saw the chaos inside me – the sin and the shame –  yet Your hands were stretched out still…
“Be Still, and know that I AM God,  I AM your strength and your Song.”
So in response to Your love so amazing, I will proclaim Your Name from my lips, and tell the world what You’ve done for me,
“Jesus,  You healed me, You filled me, You breathed life in me again. And even sweeter than honey, dear Lord, my God, You gave me a melody of Joy in my heart and the miracle of a genuine smile, and the power to forgive, again and again.  “I do! I Do!””Jesus, You are my Song.”
If anyone asks me ‘of whom do you belong?’ I will stand and say “Jesus, He is mine! He is my Song.
“I Do” stand for Jesus! All prepared, I am His Bride!” He comes for me now, to Paradise…F-o-r-e-v-e-r by His side.

Today, I remember Jenny. ( I often remember Jenny because God used her to ‘show me’ that His grace is sufficient!’NO, even more than that, God used Jenny to help restore ‘joy’ in my life!
I must record a moment in time, because God wants me to remember the very last song we sang…
First, the ‘we’- Jenny and myself (and my friend Gail and a man from Jenny’s church). Second, ‘the moment’ – Jenny, the friend God gave me to help lift my ‘pity-ful’ thoughts out of the ash heap to soar in a sky of blue. Yes, the friend who suffered so many great losses, even the loss and ability to feel or move any muscle below her neck for close to 6 years. Yes – Jenny was paralyzed within a 24 hour period from some unknown ‘virus’ at the age of 35, completely from the neck down, along with a respirator to help her to breathe for an unheard of 6 years! Jenny was a living miracle!
(Take a moment and imagine losing the feeling and ability to move anything below your neck for even one day, let alone almost 6 years!) Anyway, back to the moment- God knew – but we didn’t- that this moment in time was to be our last day to talk and sing. This moment after being in the hospital almost 3months, separated from her home and her beloved 3 daughters and her  husband because the ‘home health care benefits expired’- this young 40 year old woman beamed with joy when I pulled out my ‘baby Taylor’ to play the hymn, “My Jesus, I Love Thee.”
This was no performance to be remembered for perfection, but this was a moment of precious and purest of praises. None of us knew this would be the last song. But God did. And unless I write this down today and record this moment, it might be forgotten, but God wants me to remember…
He wants me to remember so I can be reminded forever that He is in control. He is the Great Conductor. God knew that about 15 hours later, Jenny would suffer lack of oxygen and go into a coma for a short time, before going on home to Him. God’s the only One who knew, but we can know the song…we can know the song that she had on her mind, because we sang it together on that day, and God was with us because He inhabits pure praise:
“My Jesus I love Thee; I know Thou art mine. for Thee all the follies of sin I resign. My gracious Redeemer, My Savior art Thou. If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, ’tis now. (William R. Featherston)
To think that the ‘Great Conductor’ had Jenny and I reading together the  few visits before in the Song of Songs, the Song of Solomon where we both discovered just how great His love is for us.
No words can describe how rich and personal and remarkable our times together with God and His Song of Songs were! We sang the words, “I know Thou art mine” in a most deep and rich way. Like two school girls that had been ‘kissed’ by Jesus:
“Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold you are fair! You have dove’s eyes…” (Song of Sol. 1:15). “
I will never forget, Jenny struggling to speak after I read those words.  She said, “Jenny ! My name means ‘FAIR ONE!’
God brought us together to hear Him speak so gently, so intimately:  “The voice of my beloved! Behold He comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills…behold He stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice. My beloved spoke to me: “Rise up, my love,my fair one, And come away. For lo,
the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. the flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come…” (Song of Sol 2:8-10).
God spoke so clearly.He speaks so tenderly and timely, He IS a very present help in times of trouble!  Speaking directly to His ‘fair one’ His Jenny and even me! She was no longer in a hospital bed, her Prince had called her by  her name!
So, back to that last visit and the song : We sang on that monumental day: “I love Thee, Because Thou hast first loved me, And purchased my pardon On Calvary’s tree. I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow, If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, tis now.”
Jenny and I, through our previous times together were touched by the Lord, and to even sing about the thorns on our last song together, Oh how He knows about our thorn!
“Like a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.” (Song of Sol 2:1).
And here on our last time together, and with friends we sang words giving thanks:  “I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow,...” and we meant every word as we sang, “If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus,tis now.”

These were not just words, they were spirit and we were worshiping our Lord in Spirit and in Truth and He was with us on that monumental day. He inhabited that amazing praise on that particular moment and He enveloped us all in His love, especially my dear Jenny!
All glorious! This moment tucked away in the ugliest hospital room ever, with circumstances dimmer than the darkest grey- was all Glorious- because the Lord was with us- and especially my dear Jenny!
The next two verses are so amazing, in that of all the hymns, this is the one that God chose for me to bring on that precious day! God is in control:
“I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death. And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, “If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus ’tis now.” Only God knew that the last breaths were approaching.
But this brings me the greatest of comfort, that God chose this song, because I will always wonder, “Lord, was Jenny hearing this song in her coma? So much mystery that only You know, Lord.”
But here are the words of the last verse we sang, so amazing, beyond glorious -truly God’s on the Throne: “In mansions of glory And endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee In heaven so bright. I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, “If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, ’tis now.”
I’m thankful that God had me bring my guitar that day, I’m thankful for the song He chose. TO think that He was willing to wear that crown of thorns so we could wear a ‘glittering crown on our brows’! And when we get there, we will lay those crowns down at the feet of Him who loves us so.
So, if God has you go ‘outside the box’ and grab that hymn book, psalm, or even to grab that guitar ,to bring to someone whose been broken,  you might just witness, as I did that day, a monumental moment that you will  record in the journal of your heart forever.
God brought healing to all of us on that day! Especially for my dear Jenny!
‘In His presence is fullness of joy’ the Bible teaches! No matter what happened in the past or is going to transpire in the future-God has a plan, and it’s something we can hold on to!
Lord, I miss Jenny so much. But I thank You that she is whole and alive forevermore. Soon and very soon we will be together again. Thank You for her life. Thank You for Yours! “If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, ’tis now.”
I have the wrong title on this ‘book’ (I suppose I could write a book about all God did for us in bringing us together for a short time…). This story should be called: God’s Amazing  Love!

We are in the storm already. Each breath we take, each step we make however, is seen by our Father who is in heaven. for us who choose to believe this day. He is ‘A Shelter in the Time of Storm’.
A hymn written by Vernon J. Charlesworth sometime in the 1880, has power to change worry to calm. Oh the power of the hymn, the power of the Psalms, the power of God’s Word:
Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.” Psalms 32:7.
A Shelter in the Time of storm: “The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A shelter in the time of storm.”
“O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land; A Shelter in the time of storm.”
“A shade by day, defense by night, A shelter in the time of storm; No fears alarm, no foes affright, A shelter in the time of storm.
“The raging storms may round us beat, A shelter in the time of storm; We’ll never leave our safe retreat, A shelter in the time of storm.”
“O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, A shelter in the time of storm; Be Thou our helper ever near, A shelter in the time of storm. O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land; A shelter in the time of storm!”(Vernon J. Charlesworth)
It doesn’t matter all the ‘conflict’ going on beside, when we have the Name that is higher than all Names by our side. If fear overtakes us in the midst of the storm,  we call on Jesus! Even though we may walk in the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil, because ‘in Him’ we reside!  He is a Shelter in the Time of storm, and  – in Him – we hide!
Think on these things, think on these things: “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.” (Philipians 3:1)
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:4).
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6,7).
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true,…
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -… 
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things… and the god of peace will be with you.” (Phillipians 4:8,9).
He is a ‘Shelter in the time of storm!’
Wait on Him, He is Faithful and true. Wait on the Lord, He is jealous for you, and me TOO!

So many lessons in just one little story! Worship God, walk carefully!

by tonirypkema