Month: June 2018

As Thanksgiving 2017 became Christmas, and Christmas became 2018, my cousin Danny Williams and his beautiful wife Arellia began numerous journeys to Arkansas’ Children’s Hospital.  Their young daughter Piper had been complaining of pain that could not be relieved.  Tests revealed a green slime, aka cancer, eating away inside her little body. 

In the days and months since Piper’s diagnosis and the road to healing, cluttered with treatments, pain, sores, fevers, hair loss, tears, exhaustion and questions began, I have seen two completely normal young adults become extraordinary examples of Christian love. Long before they created a family together, Danny and Arellia dedicated themselves to the LORD.  When they had children, they made a direct path to the Throne of Heaven and dedicated them to the providence of God. Cancer didn’t change this. There, they remain.

Arellia began “Pray for Piper,” a Facebook blog, to keep family and friends updated. She shares her heart and the things God reveals as she sojourns this uncharted path.  The following is an excerpt from her entry on May 31, 2018.  (I would encourage you to read it in its entirety). With her permission, I am sharing her insights. They not only speak to those facing daily trials, but for those that struggle with seasons of depression, her words point to our source of hope.

Piper needs prayer for her sores to heal and her bone marrow to bounce back. We will be here until the weekend. She also needs so much prayer for her neuropathy. It flares periodically throughout the day, and there seems to be nothing I can do to help. I remember once when she was a baby, she writhed in pain for a long time from constipation, and I swore I would never be back in that position. I controlled her diet and just ensured she didn’t get constipated, so I wasn’t in the position of not being able to comfort her. This is much like that except I can’t hold her. I can’t rub it nor touch it.

I want to pray for it, and I don’t, because it “feels” pointless.

Then yesterday, I read Psalm 146 verse 1,”Praise the LORD, Praise the LORD, my soul.” And I remembered a devotional that pointed out how David repeatedly “preaches to his soul”.

“ ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God. ˆ

We must learn to fight despondency — the downcast spirit. The fight is a fight of faith in future grace. It is fought by preaching truth to ourselves about God and his promised future.

This is what the psalmist does in Psalm 42. The psalmist preaches to his troubled soul. He scolds himself and argues with himself. And his main argument is future grace: “Hope in God! — Trust in what God will be for you in the future. A day of praise is coming. The presence of the Lord will be all the help you need. And he has promised to be with us forever.”

Please join our family as we Pray for Piper, Danny, Arellia, and little brother Lincoln.

Love,

Gretchen

LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. Isaiah 33:2

The nation of Israel has been ravaged and pillaged by Assyria and now the capitol city is under siege. These are terrifying days for the residents of this fortress, the beloved City of David. In the midst of these days of darkness Isaiah remains calm, reassuring the children of Israel that God will take His revenge on the enemy.

God does not desert, He defends. God does not bring plague, He heals. God does not judge with ill intent, He is just, and pardons and forgives.

Those whose faith is in God remain unshaken in times of distress. Where God reigns, all is well.

It is Well With My Soul,

Gretchen

Yet the LORD says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 29:5-6

On the eve of entry into the Promised Land the Laws that God has given His covenant nation are being repeated by Moses. They are also being reminded of God’s love, leadership and provision on their journey from slavery to freedom. When these people cross the river they are home, in a country with geographical boundaries. They will have to live in community with each other and those around them but most of all, they must choose to worship and commune with God.  This repetition of things they’ve seen and heard for forty years is for victory, not failure.

Moses pleads, warns, and encourages the people that have followed him for the last forty years.  A generation has come and gone and this group has lived solely under the guidance of God. Their life of freedom is just getting started, but disobedience will end it quickly.  Peace and well-being rest on the right relationship with God. It is the only prescription of success.

Life under the leadership of the One True God is extraordinary. As Moses’ words tell, you can’t find logic in God’s loving care, but you can depend on it. Follow Him and you find life. Follow other gods and the result is death.

Love,

Gretchen

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. I Corinthians 13:12

This verse is taken from a passage generally considered to be the Love Chapter of the Bible.  Christian love is the model given by Jesus. These words of Paul paint a word picture of the One that loved us so deeply and completely that He died for us. There is only speculation and educated guesses as to what Jesus looked like in physical form, but there is no doubt about His heart.

A mirror is a very important household tool. I know of no one who does not check their outward appearance before they greet the world on the other side of the front door. Then, throughout the day a store window reflects your image as you walk by, the smooth, still waters of a pond have been know to stare back with truthfulness. But a reflection only shows what it can see or comprehend. If you look to the front, you see the front. Man’s perception and comprehension are just a limited as the mirror’s.  But there will come a day when we shall see Jesus completely as He is, face to face, heart to heart. Until then, we have this portrait of perfect love.

God is love. Until we rest fully in the presence of this God of infinite patience, kindness, protection, and hope, we have a faith that’s foundation is built on this reflected image of our Savior. Be His mirror image.

Love,

Gretchen

“If anyone causes on of these little ones-those who believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

Wrongdoing matters!

The disciples had just experienced the transfiguration. They heard from Heaven, in the presence of Moses and Elijah, that Jesus was the Son of God. In addition, Jesus’ conversation begins to turn toward His impending crucifixion and the aftermath for those who have followed Him.  He begins teaching them to live in community and defend Righteousness. His friends do not understand and often misinterpret His words because they define the Creator according to the created rather than the other way around.

The spiritually mature have a tremendous responsibility to those who are growing and learning. It is easy to say, “I don’t take responsibility for your sin.” And rightly so. We all have our own free will and an accounting of our choices. But God will not tolerate careless/selfish behavior from those that know better. Our example should strengthen and enlighten, not cast questions and darkness. Defend what is right in word and deed.

Hurt a child, it won’t go well.  Hurt a fellow believer, it won’t go well.  Hurt an unbeliever, I don’t want to go there. Love one another because we are all called to have the heart of a child; trusting, joyous, and faithful.

Love,

Gretchen

He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of Heaven , who made the sea and the dry land.” Jonah 1:9

Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, a world power that was annihilating the Jewish nation of Israel when God called Jonah to go and save the very people who were destroying His home. Is it any wonder He didn’t want to go? 

Tarshish is thought to have been in Spain, so it you look at a map, it is clear that Jonah, already a prophet and statesman, had no intention of going anywhere near the hated place God called him to. However, his identity was solely as a Hebrew who worships the LORD.  Jonah’s boat ride to Tarshish was caught in a turbulent storm and Jonah knows why.  He voluntarily allows himself to be thrown overboard where he knows God’s plan will proceed one way or another.

God wanted Assyria to repent, thus, ending their blood lust for conquest and possibly preserving Israel as a nation. Jonah wanted the citizen’s of this hated nation to suffer the full wrath of God. He had no compassion for them!  God……….wanted peace among His beloved creation and salvation for ALL men. Jonah’s personal grudge and prejudice had to be put to rest.

It is difficult to have enemies when you realize how badly God wants them to know His love. And like Jonah, you may be the only way they will ever hear learn.  Then consider; a world with no enemies is a pretty sweet place to live.

Love,

Gretchen

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

The Temple area, the sacred place of worship, representing God’s presence among His people, had been made into a shortcut to town, a convenient market place and currency exchange where a chosen few were able to prosper at the expense of the less fortunate. With tremendous authority Jesus cleared the temple of these evil doers.  People obeyed and the Pharisees and Jewish counsel took offense.  They believed that the foretold Messiah would be a political conquered, not a humble servant of mankind. This Jesus just wouldn’t do, so the rejection began.

There was a man named Nicodemus, a prominent citizen, a Pharisee. He had observed Jesus quietly and in the night, discretely went to ask questions that his educated mind couldn’t reconcile. He was not turned away because of his secrecy and cowardliness. Instead, he heard the human voice of God’s own Son speak the most wonderful words known to man. “You don’t have to perish, come, have eternal life.” Nicodemus chose to believe.  Years later he stepped forward and away from his own colleagues who had just had Jesus crucified, and with a friend named Joseph, asked for their Savior’s body. They took Him to a tomb He would only need for a weekend.

John 3:16, the first scripture I ever committed to memory, because somebody cared enough to inform me that I was heir to the greatest, most profound love I would ever know, and when all other imitators of love had very nearly destroyed me, this Love saved me.

Go Share This Good News,

Gretchen

 

Here is a republish from the early days of my blog.  I hope you don’t mind the summer rerun.

One of the most difficult things I’ve experienced as an adult is the realization that my parents are mortal. My eyes were opened several years ago when my mother suffered a terrible heart attack. Not recognizing the early signs of heart disease, mom concluded that she felt just fine because she couldn’t expect to feel 21 when she was 67.  However, the day came when mother decided she might need to seek some medical advice (she didn’t have a doctor by the way). Having a high standard of hygiene and personal appearance, mom took a bath, shaved her legs, dried and styled her hair, put on some makeup, then did her finger and toe nails with bright red polish. A few hours later dad came home for lunch and found her sitting quietly in her chair, all fixed up and lovely but out of breath, gray and dying. 

The next hours brought life as I knew it to a grinding halt and humbled me with a lesson in how quickly life goes from predictable to unbelievable.  Mom had emergency bypass.  She met several medical obstacles. Her survival was a miracle.  My three siblings and I were scattered out across state lines and many miles, attending to our lives and those that depend on us, but we stopped and turned toward home. As we gathered, the Lord placed His hand over us and gave us comfort and safety as well as wonderful support groups to help us keep our lives and families going.

During the most frightening moments of my life I saw the absolute best that God had to give through community and fellowship. A group of people from my uncle’s church in Texas were passing through Arkansas and went a few miles out of their way to come and comfort us. Our church families, a very diverse group, never left us lonely.  Extended family and friends stood vigil and held us up when our strength was spent.  Even today, in these words, I am so very grateful.  God is good.

The point of this story though is this:  My dad became the ultimate super hero.  He never left my mom except to bathe, eat and take care of their personal business that couldn’t be done by phone.  As mom lay unconscious and we awaited news from the doctors, dad assured us “He was the daddy and he wasn’t abdicating anytime in the near future, we’re going to be okay.”  He also said as he gazed at mom’s still form hooked to wires and tubes, “She’s just as beautiful today as she was the day she became my wife.” Preserving her dignity became his supreme objective.  As mom healed and came back to us he assumed some duties that others were expected to perform, even paid to do.  Why?  Because they were intimate things and he didn’t want his bride to be embarrassed. He protected her self-respect at all cost and constantly reminded her that she would forever be his precious girl. 

Love does not dishonor others, it always protects, hopes and perseveres. Love never fails.  Paraphrased from I Corinthians 13:5, 7 and 8.

Love establishes and maintains dignity. It is a gift worth giving and receiving. Mom and dad, thanks for everything!

Love,

Gretchen

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;” Romans 3:10

Hebrews, actually a sermon, was spoken to Christian Jews who seemed to have a degree of formal education. Persecution was the experience of early converts across the Roman Empire in the years before Jerusalem fell.  Their faith was wavering and they were considering a return to the traditions of their youth, Judaism. The author of Hebrews tells that Jesus is the fulfillment of the ancient Priesthood, making the perfect sacrifice once and for all, Jesus the Lamb of God.

The speaker compares these people to the Hebrew children of the Exodus, who see God do miraculous things, but at the first sign of discomfort or insecurity, they forget their faith and fail to trust and obey.  For these there was no promised land, no place of peace and rest.

Traditional Jews depend on their strict laws and the act of circumcision (the physical attribute that sets them apart from all others on earth) to assure them the favor of the LORD. However, it is not these things, but the fact that they were given charge, or keeping, over God’s word.  He told them, and showed them, His love and character so that they could bless all nations.  Their Righteousness does not derive from who they are by birth, but who they chose to be in rebirth.

There is no way to Heaven other than faith, which brings Holiness and perseverance.

Happy Weekend,

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. Psalm 1:1

“Blessed is_________.” The opening words of Jesus from His sermon on the mount. This is a Beatitude.  It is not a suggestion, but a direction that will keep your life on the right path.

The way of the wicked is a person’s life’s choice:  The things they do, the places they go, the words they say…… the manner in which they engage with their spouse, and children, and neighbors…….It’s not an afternoon lunch date with a little venting on the edgy side, it is their ideal, their life’s standard, and it will end in destruction.

This Psalm contrasts the way of the righteous and that of the wicked.  There are two ways, not three, no road down the middle with a little of the best from each side blended in. The enlightened trail blazers from the beginning of humanity till now have tried to build one but it is not to be. Chose the path of righteousness, it is already full of faithful footprints and fellow sojourners that will encourage you, lead you, walk beside you and sometimes push you up a hill, but they will be with you until your journey’s end.

Love,

Gretchen