Have you ever been somewhere you felt totally out of place? I mean, since high school..we all had our moments there!  But just a job, an event, a group….anything that made you feel alone and different?

Me too!  When Robert and I lived in Denver, CO for two years, everyone wanted to hear us talk…because of our accents…and inevitably we heard “you must be from Texas!”  As in, you don’t belong here because you don’t talk like us.  And also in Denver, I attended a training class to help tutor Native Americans at the Denver Indian Center to help them pass their GED’s.  About an hour in, it was made VERY evident that I was the only non-Native there, and that I would not be welcome to comment or question…I was being tolerated!

When we moved to Moultrie, GA, in 1999, I discovered a new way of saying “you’re a stranger, and not welcome here”.  It was “you ain’t from here, are you?”  Now there were several variations on that…different words accented, sometime a sneer added, sometimes eyebrows raised.  I got SO tired of hearing it and SO exasperated that I finally would say to the rudest, “no, and proud of it!”  Honestly.  To me then and now, it is one of the snobbiest, most condescending statements around.  It is also a statement of exclusion, that creates frustration and rejection in the one who it is spoken to.

UNLESS.  Unless you are a born again Christian, who believes in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For those believers, “ain’t from here” is a beautiful, wonderful statement of fact about their lives!  Because the MINUTE you surrender your heart and life to Jesus, you AREN’T from here anymore!  The Bible says it this way, “For our citizenship is in heaven…” (Philippians 3:20) and “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16).  In other words, we become citizens of a new Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven.  We have new priorities, wants, and dreams.  We have a new King of our hearts, and we are driven by wanting to please Him and do His will.  Our lives are totally changed, and we are no longer participants in the ways of the unsaved world.

The only problem with this?  We have forsaken our true citizenship.  We have given in on so many fronts.  We talk like the world a lot.  We live like the world A LOT.  We give in to peer pressure or social media pressure or Hollywood culture pressure, and we begin to look and act a lot like the world we supposedly left.  And our witness of the saving grace and salvation of Jesus is muddied, smeared and totally confusing.  Why have we done this?  Because of this verse: “If the world hates you, you know it hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own…but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this THE WORLD HATES YOU.” (John 15:18-19).  And we cave in at the first sign of hate or rejection.

What’s the solution?  I believe we have to remind ourselves daily, hourly, and every minute that we are NOT of this world.  We have to continually immerse ourselves in the Truth..the Word of God…and fellowship with His people who have the same goals, dreams, and desire to walk in His way.  And maybe, just maybe, we will get to the place where we can truly and honestly say, without any rudeness, when accused of being weird and not from here, “No, and I am proud of it!  And I can tell you how to live the same way!”  May this be our goal from now on.

I heard an amazing statement on the radio the other day, and it struck me so much that this post is a result. “God is writing your story..so stop trying to steal the pen!”  Well, wow! I have never thought about God’s direction and work in my life in quite those terms.  However, after the last month of losing a family member to Parkinson’s and a great friend to cancer, it makes a LOT of sense.  Let me explain:

If I were writing my life story, it would look nothing like what my 58 plus years actually have been.  And I bet neither would yours.  Mine would have gone something like this:  “Beth was one of the most beautiful and fair babies, who grew from childhood into a petite and lovely young woman, with long flowing blonde hair.  She sailed through school, mastered a college degree, all while meeting her perfect match and marrying after college.  As her life progressed her family grew, her children were almost perfect, money was never an issue, and no one had yet to get sick or die.  She was loved by all, and able to achieve her goals at abnormal speed.  She was fluent in three languages, and capable in seven different ministries in her church….”

Are you cracking up yet??  Me too! Because the REAL life of Beth is NOTHING like that, lol! I have had some victories and triumphs, true…and I have married my perfect match and am madly in love with him still.  But that’s about where the comparison ends!  And I know I am not alone.  Which is what this statement says so profoundly:  I am NOT authoring my story.  Absolutely not.  I have NEVER written one chapter, one paragraph, not even one sentence.  GOD has been the creator, producer, director, choreographer, and final authority over this life.  And why do I know this is true?  Keep reading.

If the pen were in my hand, there are lots of things I would never have written.  I would not have included being average looking and a nerd, with great test scores but no popularity in school.  I would not have included NOT attending college until I was 40, or some of the awful minimum wage jobs I endured to gain experience in the office work world.  I would not have written in that my perfect match would be divorced with two children, and that I would never have my own biological children…I would not have been able to see how that could EVER be the perfect fit for me, but it was…over and over and over again.  I would not have written of imperfect churches, imperfect people, and frustration in ministry.  I certainly would not have written in the deaths of grandparents, friends, and other family members.  I would not have put in the death of my father at age 66 fifteen years ago, or the death of Robert’s sister and niece within 7 months of each other last year.  All of these, and countless others, are things that I would have considered detrimental and horrible and unnecessary, and I would have been wrong.

AND YET!  I ALSO would not have put in a lot of my blessings!  I would not have known how amazing my love for my husband and my stepchildren and their children could EVER have fulfilled my life the way they have.  I wouldn’t have known the joy of victory and accomplishment in ministry, because I would never have put the failures in there.  I wouldn’t have also probably ever believed that God would use me to teach a Sunday School class, much less go to Nigeria on a mission trip…because I wouldn’t have seen His faithfulness in growing me through rejection and hardship and discipleship.  I would have missed SO many important truths learned through failure…and trying again..and more failure…and finally getting it right.  I wouldn’t for sure have put the people in my life that have aggravated me, humiliated or taunted me, rubbed me wrong and been just plain ornery…because I would not know the value of those people in making me patient and gracious and sometimes loving!

So that’s the point of this blog, and the saying I opened it with.  We cannot write our stories like God can, because we are not HIM.  We are not all knowing, all seeing, and all powerful.  We barely have plans for today, much less plans for our whole lives, and how they mesh with the lives of others.  We are NOT capable.  And therefore, STOP.  Really, just stop.  Stop trying to grab the pen, and just trust the Author.  Amen!

This is one of my favorite pictures of my dad ever. My stepson had just hit a major growth season, and was WAY taller than my dad. Not to be outdone my dad grabbed a kitchen chair and there you see the hilarious results. My dad was one of the funniest people I have ever known, and I miss his humor to this day.

He was also a yard sale nut..both going to them and having them. He was convinced that true treasure was waiting to be discovered at a sale, or that his financial windfall was going to happen at HIS next sale. With that in mind, he and I planned a sale for March 2004, changed it to April, and changed it back to March. And I have shared the story of how his congestive heart failure caught up with him on March 18 and he wound up in the hospital.

Pause there for a minute and think about this: my dad was 66, had some heart issues, had survived a quadruple heart bypass, and was in fair health. He was frustrated by a lot of things he didn’t feel like doing anymore, but was still semi-active and expecting a to live longer. Thus the choice of March or April seemed tiny..but had profound meaning just days later, when my dad died on March 28th, had his funeral here (Moultrie) and was buried in Atlanta ON THE FIRST SATURDAY in April. The day we thought we had as an option for a yard sale. The day we thought would be followed by many many others together.

So here I am today, March 4th, and the 15th anniversary of his death is fast approaching..15 years. And as with every March, I spend a lot of time thinking about him and how his life seemed cut off too early. This year, however, I have learned something new. My dad packed an awful lot in those years! He enjoyed life..and LIVED it. He was curious, spontaneous, and always planting something new in his flower beds. He laughed..a lot. He yelled when he was angry..a lot. He was the one always looking for mischief and humor. And he loved…a lot! In other words, by and large, he lived in the present..and it showed. And as the years began to add up, he saw what I do now..that whatever age you are, there is always someone who died younger. Especially as a pastor, he buried enough people of all ages that understand this main principal..aging is not promised, but should always be appreciated!

In other words, don’t “age gracefully” as the saying goes. And don’t fall for the lie that “come grow old with me, the best is yet to be”..because it isn’t always and we don’t always grow old together. Therefore, the title of this post..age GRATEFULLY. I am losing three friends right now to cancer, one younger than me and two my age. I also have amazing friends in their 90’s who have been married 60 plus years and are still dancing, and one set of friends in their 90’s who are painfully dealing with major health issues on both their parts. But there is a recuuring theme among them all..gratitude. They have all seen, sometimes too many times, those that haven’t had even their amount of days..and they know it.

So as I look back again on my dad’s life and his death, I know one thing..he was always grateful. My goal is to join him in that legacy, and honor the Lord in my doing so!

I am not big on social media quizzes. You know the type I am talking about..”what profession should you have??” and “what’s your life color??” etc etc. When I am especially bored or they have an intriguing subject, I will go for it, often with hilarious results. The other day, however, I saw a new one and took it, and that’s the reason for this post.

I don’t know when this trend started, but it is a current thing to replace New Year’s resolutions with one word for the year. When I first heard about it I loved it, and tried to pick a word that described my focus or my direction for that upcoming year. One year I was successful..reminding myself of the word, meditating on it, and seeing how focusing on it enhanced my life. However, last year was a total failure. We ended 2017 losing a very good friend to cancer, followed by the loss of my sister-in-law in January. I was so scattered I didn’t focus on anything, much less a word. The rest of the year was challenging to say the least, and I was not unhappy to see 2018 come to an end.

Somewhere toward the end of December I saw the quiz mentioned above. It was from a Christian publishing company, and it was about a “word” for 2019. It was easy and short..and when I got my results I was astonished! God gave me my life verse in 1995, when we were in a year long, intense discipleship at our church. At that time we were under incredible stress and financial strain, and there seemed to be no end to our continuing disputes with one particular person. Every single issue or skirmish ended in defeat for us, and gloating for the other party. And yet! God brought me to 2 Chronicles 20:15 “…be not dismayed nor discouraged by reason of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but GOD’S”. Let me tell you..I clung to that Scripture then and every day since.

So after taking this quiz, my word for the year was…courage! Isn’t that so cool? Last year was tough..frightening..scary and full of unexpected obstacles. So what did God do? He took me right back to my roots..right back to where my life verse was..”be not dismayed”! I started two new ventures last year but hadn’t at that point fully committed to either one, kind of hanging on the sidelines. There’s another one I have yet to start. Somewhere along the way “good enough” became my motto, or my contentment level. I wasn’t excited about really pushing hard in either, with all kinds of excuses. This blog is also another one of those..it’s been almost two months since my last post..but not for long!

Why? Because God has challenged me to do more that just adopt a word. He has directed me to HIS word, and I have begun reseaching every verse that has the word courage in it..and journaling about it. I will eventually move to those verses with afraid, fear, etc, but it will take awhile with the first group! The Lord has also confirmed my study by sending me people, one here, one there, who are also struggling with fear and dismay! I have been able to share my verses and what I have learned, and its very humbling!

Now I will stop right here and say this: there is nothing “magical” about a word for the year. I know some out there claim victories of health, wealth, and happiness from “embracing the power of a word” and what it will do for you. I know those who have theirs embroidered, put on jewelry, write it everywhere, and more. That is as off track as any other false thinking. After all, “courage” is still what is has always been..just a word, made up of 7 letters, of the English alphabet. No more, no less.

And yet! In God’s plan, with His guidance and using His Word, I believe that He can take a current fad and use it mightily for His glory. And I believe that just as I spend time meditating on the names of God (words) or the attributes of God (more words!) and praising Him through it, I can add one more word and He will bless it and use it to teach me and grow me in Him. So..gotta word yet? Try it!

The other day I woke up not feeling well at all..congested, headache, etc. I was aggravated because it felt like a cold was coming and it’s my favorite time of year..I did not want to be knocked out by a cold. Our go-to remedy is oregano oil..two drops under the tongue at the first sign of a cold will knock it right out. So I found the bottle and did the two drops, and sure enough about an hour later I was feeling much better, and by the end of the day I was symptom free.

I went to work and was telling a coworker about it and she got a very unhappy look on her face. She said, “I know I didn’t just hear that! You’ve watched me battle a cold for almost two weeks , but no, you never said a word to me about oregano!” And I stopped in my tracks and was so embarrassed! She was totally right! When it was her cold I was sympathetic and told her I hoped she felt better, several days in a row. BUT I NEVER told her about the cure I had! Not until it was MY cold did I decide to share what I knew!

Well guess what God said to me?? That He had noticed that was exactly how I treat His command to share the Gospel with the world! I was so eager to hear it when I was younger, and respond at age 8 to God’s moving me to accept Him and be saved through His blood. And throughout the years, as I have grown, slid back some, grown again, repeat..I have always been so grateful for His love and mercy. But my sharing with others? Sometimes really great, a lot of times sorely lacking. And unfortunately I am not alone.

It is so easy these days to see people suffering and do everything EXCEPT tell them about Jesus. Need clothes? We will donate. Medical bills out of control? We’ll set up a go fund me account and raise money. Can’t afford to pay your heat/ac bill? We’ll ask for benevolence money from a church. If we see those we know at church or at Walmart or at work that webknow are suffering, it is too easy to say “I’m praying for you”, maybe even give them a hug, move on, and not remember it past that night. And of course social media provides praying hands, etc to post on someone’s post and move on.

None of these things are bad, they are usually heartfelt expressions of our concern. But here’s the reality of the Christmas season..more people are receptive to the Gospel than any other time. Because Christmas music, ads, commercials, and everything else emphasizes how happy the season is, how happy everyone is, and that everyone is surrounded by family and friends. And scores of people around each one of us are NOT experiencing that. I have 5 friends this year that lost a parent. I have 3 friends that lost their husbands this year. I have 2 friends who have parents on hospice that may not make it to Christmas. And for all of them and their extended families, this is not a joyful time..it is a reminder of their losses, and it is full of grief. And then there are those from two hurricanes and one raging wildfire that are facing Christmas with nothing, no homes, no cars, etc.

These are the people we know, love, see in the store, or work with. And they need hope. Not superficial presents under the tree hope. Not Christmas party hope. Not decorations and pretty lights hope, or joy. They need Hope in the person of Jesus Christ! They need to know that there is a source of true comfort, true help, and true peace! Santa will never fix any of that..and they know it better than ever. They are hurting and realizing how cruel this world can be in ignoring them, which makes them open and receptive to the Good News of salvation!

One of my favorite Christmas carols is “Go, Tell It On the Mountain”..I have always loved the evangelical message behind it, and I look forward to singing it every year. But this year, in light of the rest of this post, it should probably say, “Go! Tell it in the suburbs, in the office, in Walmart!” Not as catchy, and doesn’t sing well, but it works! Why don’t we renew our commitment to doing that this Christmas? There are hundreds of opportunities during this time of year, and hundreds of people we will see that need Jesus..let’s make this the Christmas that we spend more effort in giving the Gift of Life than any other gift!

A few Sundays ago, during our Lord’s Supper service, our praise team sang a song I had never heard..and it hasn’t left me since then. Part of the lyrics go like this:

“This life is not my own, oh this life is not my own. I am His, and His alone, this life is not my own. I was bought when Love was slain, what I cost, to pay death’s wage. Now ransomed, I am freedom’s slave, my Jesus raised me from the grave.” (by Selah)

Thursday of this week, we had a tragedy in our community that I posted about, and my post apparently hit a nerve because in just a few days its gone viral. I’ve never had that happen, and I was startled and overwhelmed by it. It was a tragedy because a woman made a horrible decision to pass a stopped school bus, hit two brothers, and one of them died. It has been tough…very tough. That one decision on her part has altered the lives of so many different people that it is staggering. And that lead me to this blog.

This life is not my own. I am sure many of you were taught the same thing I was as a child. Actions have consequences. Always. There is no escape. Bad actions generally lead to bad consequences, and vice versa. And like most people, I didn’t appreciate the wisdom of that until years later when I experienced it in my own life..usually through bad decisions, but sometimes through good ones. I am not alone. The vast majority of us have come to terms with this, and are fairly wise in our choices and actions. We make sacrifices, and give, and help others. We put ourselves second, third, etc and live in service to each other.

However…this life is not my own. If you are not a born again child of God, the meaning of this statement stops with the paragraph above. But if you are, it has a whole new meaning. Jesus died for us, and therefore we are NOT our own. We belong to Him, and that brings us into a whole new way of living. Our perspectives change, and we begin to understand Who we live for, and Whose we are. And Who, in today’s terms, is #1..and it’s not us!

“I an His, and His alone”. There are so many days when I get tired of myself. Tired of my struggles, my plans, and my abilities to live this life. So many times, at the end of the day (or week) I see where I have been selfish, preoccupied with what I want, and striving for me and my plans. And because I am human, and not God, and because I am subject to my own failings and shortcomings, I end up frustrated, tired, and empty. And then I realize that I have not been living for the One that owns me.

Which is why I love this song. And why it has stuck with me. Another part of the lyrics say “this world is not my home, my home’s been made at Heaven’s throne.” That is a true statement. Every Christian has an eternal home, with the Lord, and some days I just can’t wait to get there! There is great peace and calm in knowing that. There is also encouragement in realizing that some day I will be on the other side of this life, and it will all make sense.

But. Until then, this life is not my own. It belongs to Jesus. I owe Him my life, my plans, my dreams, and my full attention to His plan and purpose. And just like this bad decision this week has devastated our community, the decision to live my life for Him and His glory can totally change my community for ultimate good, and hopefully, prayerfully, point others to the same Owner..to begin their own relationship with Him.

I want that. I crave that. I so long to think that after I have left this world, that God will have been glorified by my being here. That He will be pleased that He created me, and that His death on the cross, resurrection, and giving new life to me through Him was what people saw the most, and remembered the most.

Did I mention that my post went viral? And that over 90,000 people now know this woman’s name and what she did? How about if our lives go viral, and hundreds of thousands of people find out what HE did! Wouldn’t that be amazing??

It took forever..really..but it finally happened. Someone finally took one of those aggravating, unrealistic, sayings and turned it on its head with the Word of God. And I am very, very excited to share it. I’m not sure when this particular one started..I could probably research it and find out…but that’s not the point of this blog.

Because here’s the reality. Yes. YES. Yes, He does. YES He does give us more than we can handle. Regularly. Often. And maybe just in my life, I don’t know, but…usually! There are very few days that I feel like I only have just enough to handle..very few. And that, believe it or not, is just how God intends it.

The theory behind this saying is not all bad. It’s a statement generally used to encourage..especially for those facing great moments of trial and suffering. I’ve had it said to me, and in the past I’ve said it to others. But then..God allowed me to see the error in it. He used a sermon on depending on Him, and a Bible study also on dependence to open my eyes and my heart. And this is what I learned..that if He never gives me more than I can handle, why do I need Him??

Isn’t that amazing? I had never thought about that. I had never been shown what it looked like from God’s perspective…and I was stunned. I grew up in the 70’s, when it was all about independence..especially for women. “I am woman, hear me roar” was the battle cry of feminists, and they were everywhere. I waa taught to be self-dependent, a hard worker, and not to be reliant on much for my life. And unfortunately, it was also accepted at church.

Now that’s not all bad. But somewhere in the midst of all that, dependence upon and trust in God got very very blurred. And for a lot of people, it has remained that way. A very prominent viewpoint today is “I am in control of my life, I make the decisions, and even though I am a born again believer, I really believe God just wants to consult and offer guidance in my life”. Which is EXACTLY what this quote reflects. It basically says, “I am handling my life, therefore God will never give me more than I can handle”. And that is SO wrong.

For the purpose of this blog, let’s just deal with the biggies..illness, death, financial loss. In the past year I have known many, many people who have been slammed by one or all of these. Perfectly healthy people (they thought) dying or being diagnosed with terminal illness. A friend who has worked all their life only to lose their ability to work and now faces financial ruin. A friend whose husband left her with the kids and the bills and one salary. Another friend whose son drowned on a fishing trip. These are things that are “more than we can handle”..especially when more than one comes together. Anyone who tells you they aren’t is fooled. How does this quote fit that? And how does it make God look? Like He doesn’t care? Like He made a mistake? Or like He’s just being super vindictive towards that person?

Scripture assures us this is not the case! All through the Bible God’s purpose for our lives is made perfectly clear..we are created in His image, and made to bring Him glory. Period. And the only way Scripture says we bring Him glory is when we are fully surrendered to His will, and desperately dependent on His grace and mercy. It is only when we are weak that God can be strong in us. And it is only when He is strong that He can really use us. If not, then we are handling our life and its issues on our own..with our pitiful, limited resources..and completely ignoring God, His plan, and His power. And usually WE are the ones getting the glory!

So..do you want to believe that God will never give you too much? And that you are fully capable of dealing with everything on your own? I don’t! I am the child of a great big God. I don’t have to be responsible for handling my life..I fully surrendered that to Him at the cross. I know that HE will keep me, guide me, and lead me through things I cannot imagine or cannot forsee. He WILL give me too much..and then HE will deal with it, and carry me through to the other side. Then HE will get the glory, and I will have the privilege of praising Him!

I never cease to be amazed at how easy it is today to find bad news.  It used to be just TV or newspaper, but in our awesomely tech world it is around every corner.  Literally.  Just go to any social media, news, or even “neutral” site (like shopping pages) and you will see stories about things gone wrong, or in the last case “ads” for stories about things gone wrong.  Unfortunately this is also true in Christian/conservative sites…the focus is on attacks on our country’s morals, values, or conservative views, rather than on good news.  Even if your personal world and life are going well, it can be depressing.

The last two weeks have been that way for us, especially as we have experienced the death of our 45 year old niece by a heart attack.  Things that make sense – not dying young, not experiencing loss after loss – are nowhere to be found.  Instead, we are faced with what we consider the abnormal, the unfair, the tough stuff.  And it’s not just us, not by a long shot.  Which makes it even harder to understand. In the best movies, the good guys win, the bad guys lose, and lives are blessed because of that. In our dreams and sometimes expectations, it’s the same way.  All is well.  No one dies.  The world is a great place to be.

And yet!  Still!  God is on His throne, and no one or no “thing” here on Earth can change that.  California attacking Christian values again, this time over a Bible picture on a bulletin board? “If the world hates you, know that it hated ME before it hated you.” (John 15:18)  Tired of the arguments over guns, safety, terroristic threats? “Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.  Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” (Psalm 27:3)  Feel like the bad guys are winning, and the good guys are losing? “A little while and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.” (Psalm 37:10). And my favorite, in our current circumstances, the promise of Heaven and eternity, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain…” (Rev 21:4) Isn’t God amazing??  And there are countless other scenarios and Scriptures that can work together to encourage us.

God is STILL in charge.  Nothing will change that.  As born again believers in the Lord, we are secure in that knowledge, and safe in His arms.  Things that are new, startling, sad, scary, heartbreaking…these are not news to God.  He knew about them long before we did.  He knows about the ones in the future that WE can’t know.   And yet! All that the world has to throw against us will never be enough to snatch us from His hand…including death.  If it all blows up and blows apart tomorrow…..STILL.  If I prosper tomorrow, STILL.  If I suffer tomorrow, STILL.  If the liberal left takes over the country tomorrow, and I am persecuted endlessly for my belief, STILL.  If the bad guys win every single battle between now and the end of time….STILL.  The battles may feel significant, and bad, but the WAR is over, and God won!

So the next time fear creeps in, or sorrow overwhelms you, or depression overcomes you because of whatever you face, just remember:  STILL.  Love, worship and praise the One Who is STILL.  It will make all the difference in your world!

These photos are precious to me..more precious than they’ve ever been. They are of Robert’s sister Ferna (top) and her children Wayne and Katie (bottom). Of course they are years old, but they are the only ones I could find on short notice…this post I need to write.

As you may remember, Ferna was a single mom who struggled her whole life, but raised her family, had a good job, and did the best she could. She retired two years ago, but last year she was diagnosed with cancer, and we lost her this past January. Katie lived with her, and she and Wayne have still been living with their grief and trying to carry on. Ferna’s birthday was July 5th, and this year was the first one with their mom in heaven. Three days ago, Katie began to feel bad, experiencing horrible heartburn/indigestion that would not go away. She went to sleep in spite of it but the next morning her boyfriend found her unresponsive, called 911, but Katie passed away right after that. She was 45. They believe it was a heart attack.

Wayne is now the only member of his original family left (his dad died years ago). He is struggling mightily to get through each moment right now, plan Katie’s funeral, and somehow move on. Oh, and Katie’s birthday is August 29. He will face that day also..this time by himself…at 43.

And why am I blogging about this? To elicit sorrow and compassion and pity?  Absolutely not!  I am writing because of our AND YET God!  Church this morning was amazing, and our pastor said exactly what I needed to hear.  With Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I have hope.  And not just ANY hope, but a living hope! Because of Jesus, Wayne can stand.  Because of Jesus, Robert and I can stand, and minister to Wayne and Katie’s family.  Because of Jesus, the rest of the family can also stand through this…and grow stronger in the process.  Because of Jesus.  And only Jesus!

This verse explains it all:  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to A LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved for you in heaven.”  I Peter 1:3-4  Wayne has had SO much taken away from him…his dad, his mom, and now his sister.  But the promise of God is that there is MORE.  Much more.  There is an eternity with God in a place called Heaven, filled with His presence and glory, void of any pain or sorrow.  There are mansions and streets of gold, and the promise of no more separation from our loved ones!

Since we got the news of Katie’s passing away, my heart and mind have been filled with thoughts and memories of her.  I have been stunned by the suddenness and finality of losing her at the age of 45…the same age as my stepdaughter.  It is so hard to grasp it, but I know that it’s true.  And yet!  God is on His throne, and His plan is greater and more involved than I will ever know.  Even before we are born, He writes down the number of our days (Psalm 139:16).  Ferna’s death, Katie’s death, my own eventual death…these are not surprises to Him.  He has ordained these lives we live in His time, for His purpose, as part of His great plan to bring Himself glory, and to allow us to be used by Him and participate in His work!

So how do we get through these difficult times?  By trusting the verses in I Peter, and others.  By acknowledging that we are hopeless and helpless, and that there is NOTHING on this earth that will comfort us.  Jobs can be lost, possessions can be taken away, relationships can end….but the LIVING HOPE that we have in Jesus is that when all is said and done, and it may even appear that we have lost everything, He is there.  And He has promised His children-His born again by the blood of Jesus believers – that more is coming!  Better.  Far superior.  Riches of an eternal nature that are “imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away”.  God is still on His throne, His plan is still in place, and we have the promise of eternity with Him.  And that is enough.  Amen.

Meet our new kitten!  We adopted her a few weeks ago from our local animal shelter, and she is wonderful.  We lost our two other cats…one to age, and one to a snake bite..and we were devastated.  After having cats on our screened in porch for 15 years, we were lost without one.  So off we went to the animal shelter, and found ourselves faced with SO many kittens/cats that there was a huge room full, in cages, and a cage full of kittens in the front office.  It was overwhelming, and that didn’t even include the huge inside area where they keep all the dogs.  We walked through the room, looking at this cat and that one, letting them lick our fingers and try to attract our attention.  I was asking questions to the attendant that was with us…how old was this one, was this a male/female, etc, etc.  I specifically wanted a female, and not a kitten, but not too old.  The female request was because the my cat that had died from the snake bite was only 3 years old, and male, and he would not stay at home…I found him dead in my yard the Wednesday before we went to the shelter, and was not willing to have another wanderer.

One of my granddaughters spotted this cutie, so I asked about her.  They gave me her statistics, and because they name all the animals they take in, I asked about hers.  It was Joy.  Joy!  After the heartache of the previous few days, I knew this was our cat!  So we began the paperwork, and as we finished, they asked me what I was going to name her.  There was no hesitation on my part, as I told them her name was perfect and I wouldn’t dare change it.  A few minutes and $75 later, she was mine, and they put her in a temporary carrier and off we went home.  Thankfully, it was a short drive…because she was not even close to happy in that box.  She clawed and chewed and about the time we got home, the box was torn in several places!  After unpacking her, she made a beeline towards the closest “safe space” she could find – behind our freezer – and refused to come out.

Fast forward two weeks later, and I have the happiest kitten in town!  She slowly learned that the porch was her new home, and that we were people she could trust.  She stayed behind the freezer at first, coming out only when we went out, but stayed out longer each time.  Then she began exploring…a little here, a little there…and began eating more.  Her little sides began to fill out, and her personality emerged.  She now leaps and jumps from loveseat to chair to ground, and plays with all her toys.  She continues to find new areas…the wooden ledges between screen panels is her new discovery…and she is relaxed and “at home” completely. Her world has expanded from a cage and small building, to a huge porch and eventually the whole yard.

So why am I blogging about her?  Glad you asked!  Her backstory is why, and the spiritual analogy is unmistakable.  Joy was born in the shelter…her mom came in pregnant, and all Joy had ever known was the shelter and a cage.  She didn’t ask to be born that way, it just happened.  But she was a prisoner for sure…destined to stay there and eventually be put to sleep if she was not adopted.  Her surroundings were not happy…cramped, crowded, and full of the constant noise of other animals in her condition.  Her present was at best tolerable, and at worst her future was hopeless. And without us paying the adoption fee and taking her home, it was.

Sound familiar?  It should.  Every one of us, without Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are in the same boat!  We were all born into a world that we didn’t create…we had no choice about that, just like Joy.  And also like her, we didn’t choose to be in an imperfect world..crowded, noisy, miserable, and bleak.  It is hard to accept for some, but we were also born in a cage – sin!  Although Joy had moments of peace (when she was bathed) and happiness (when she was let out to roam or be petted) those were never permanent.  She was always placed back in the cage, to wait for another opportunity to be let out….and those were few and far between.  It was an unending cycle, sad and filled with the same thing, day in and day out.

The lives of people without Jesus are the same way.  They are born in the cage of sin, and trapped.  They are occasionally “let out” by some temporary happiness or moments of peace..marriage, the birth of children, new jobs, promotions, achievements..but life eventually reverts back to a pattern of sameness and despair.  And just like Joy, after a certain period of time (a lifetime) if there is no change, the end is certain death.  But then…they meet Jesus!  While we paid for Joy and took her to a new home, HE lived, died, and rose again to take us to a PERMANENT home!  Our payment was $75, but His was the giving of His very life.  And like our kitten, when adoption happens by the blood of Jesus, our whole world is changed! We are given a new “home” – one outside the cage of sin.  We are free to roam, grow, explore, and really live.  Peace becomes regular, as does life without the constant worry about what happens next.  We have a permanent “new family” – the family of God, with Him as our Father.

So what does that mean?  As Joy continues to grow and explore, there are hurdles.  She falls off things a LOT.  Her little paws are not sturdy enough yet to hang on to everything she manages to climb.  Her body gets bumped, and the way is not smooth.  When she begins to go outside, she’ll find even more hurdles and obstacles.  I can’t take those away, but she will learn that she can ALWAYS come home and be safe and comforted.  Same with us.  As we learn and grow in our faith and walk with the Lord, He does not take away the painful parts…He just gives us a safe place (His arms) to come to, and gives us Someone to comfort us…the Holy Spirit.

Does this describe your life?  Or are you like our Joy, who was once trapped and lost and hopeless in her life?  If you are, please know that Jesus is the answer…and that He’s not far away if you begin to seek Him.  He will change your life, adopt you, and set you on a new path to freedom in His name.  Amen.