Exhilarate- means to enliven, invigorate, stimulate, make merry or cheerful. I wonder what it’s like to ride along the wild currents of a river filled with twists and turns and ups and downs that would, truthfully, take my breath away- for real- and I would die.  I think of extreme sports like bungee jumping, sky diving, or hang gliding that I am also convinced I would die doing. I watch the Olympics and see down hill skiing, figure skating, cross country horseback riding, etc. Such thrilling activities that would be ‘exhilarating.’ In the end, all I do includes sledding on small hills in the neighborhood in the winter time. Pathetic really.

When I was  a young girl, I read books about horses – the Black Stallion series by Walter Farley were my favorite. I am sure reading books allows most of us to enjoy experiences we will never actually participate in. As for the horses, I actually did ride and jump and race across fields at full speed on those gorgeous creatures I have always loved. I can say, there is nothing like the real thing. Don’t get me wrong, reading is and has been lovely, but really riding has made my life terrific.

My favorite author is CS Lewis. In the movie made of him and his soon-to-be wife, Joy Gresham, there were conversations about real experience v. reading about experiences. She felt personal experience trumped reading. He asked her if reading was a waste? She thought about it and said, “No,” however, she still felt if one had to choose, real experience was more valuable than just reading about experiences of others.

That being said, I know I will never run an army mission into enemy territory, so reading someone’s account of their experience helps me enjoy the memory and times experienced. I also do not think I will visit Paris or Vienna, but enjoy reading about them and dreaming of maybe visiting one day. So, I like to do things, but also like to read about things I find interesting.

I feel that friendship is something enjoyed more in real experience than to read about famous friendships like Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccolo. Their stories inspire me to be a better friend, but I treasure the friends and relationships I enjoy. I have the greatest friends and family that have been there for the good days and the difficult days, celebrated the wins and cried with me in the losses. They talk when I need someone to listen and I find it is wonderful to be a friend to them also.  I can talk about my friends all day long, but until you meet them, they will still be strangers to you.

The Bible talks about real experience as well. In 1 John 1:1-2, it tells us  ‘….(the followers of Jesus) are writing about the Word of Life – in Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our own eyes, Whom we have gazed upon for ourselves and have touched with our own hands. And the Life -an aspect of His being- was revealed (made manifest, demonstrated), and we saw [as eyewitnesses] and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life in Him Who already existed with the Father and Who [actually] was made visible (was revealed) to us – His followers….’ 

The most exhilarating experience I have ever had is knowing the Living God. I can share experiences over and over and, the truth is, He wants all of us to have personal experience with how exhilarating He is. He is real, He is waiting, and He wants to show each of us how Great and Wonderful He truly is.

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I am thinking I sound like a broken record these days-all about loving the struggling ones and walking an extra mile when the ones we love need us too. I have even had ‘comments’ about the repeated content in my blog comments. Not sure how to change the record at this time. Seems to be the topic on my heart and the one God seems to keep giving me.

But, that being said, I love this photo. The image is dear to me. A picture truly is worth a thousand words, and I can think of a thousand words. In fact, I made up this little story that I think of when I look at this picture:

A little girl in Thailand cares for her younger brother. They start each day with her making him breakfast- maybe nuts and some fruit. Then, she readies him for their day. First, she helps him clean. Then she dresses him in a little yellow hat, a blue and white shirt and red and blue colored shorts. Since he is too little to walk long distances and since he doesn’t have shoes to fit his little feet, she straps him to her back and carries him.

Off to work they go. They laugh and talk as they walk down the long dirt road that takes her to the fields she works in each day. Sometimes they sing songs. She never complains, she has just accepted that this is her ‘normal’ way of doing things each day. Her deep love for her brother makes carrying him seem like no work at all.

When finished, they walk home together. She carries her green stems in her hands and, again, her little brother on her back. He tries to play with the ends of the stems. She just keeps walking. They arrive at home, where she unstraps him from her back. They share their evening meal, play some, get ready for bed, and tell each other they love each other and are so blessed and glad to have each other. They rest and start the next day doing the same things as they do most days.

Yes, I could add dialogue and the games played and the meals made. I could add where their parents are, or are not-maybe they are cared for by Grandma. I could add the weather- sometimes fair, sometimes inclement. You can also add those details. The details I capture when I see this photo is the love of a little girl for her brother. Her dedication to him and tireless work that she does at such a young age. She teaches me about love. I hope you feel it too.

Another reason I love this photo is because it reminds me of all the times Jesus carried me. I have been no stranger to seasons of need, that’s for sure.

“I could be the greatest person in the world with many talents and give to the poor and sacrifice beyond human comprehension… but if I do not have love, I am nothing….. now there is faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love…”            1 Corinthians 13.

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I would guess that most of us have small lives. We muddle through life mostly unnoticed by the world, but we are noticed by God. In fact, in God’s economy, the least on this Earth are the greatest in the Kingdom of God (Luke 9.48) and blessed are the poor in spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5.3)

This is the exact opposite message of today’s world. The rich and famous make the popular list. But I know God sees us ones who feel insignificant and unnoticed – let me tell you about Louie. When I first gave my heart to Jesus, I wanted everyone to know Him. My heart was captivated by the Creator of the Universe Who came to Earth so I could know Him and have the most wonderful friendship I could have ever imagined. Jesus called me ‘friend.’ (John 15.15)

I was just a young girl, but my zeal caused me to ride my bicycle seven miles from my home to a college town to share my new found faith with several students there. I went on and on about this Jesus of mine and how wonderful He is and how He wanted their hearts too. In frustration, one man, Louie, said to me, “Where was God when I prayed to Him and I was in the gutter with no food, no home, no money, and I prayed.”

To be honest, I was speechless. What do you say to someone who really wanted help from God and prayed and came to the conclusion God let him down? I went home dejected. It seemed he won, God did not come through as hoped and Louie was not about to give his heart to a God Who could not be trusted. When I began to pray that evening, I asked God, “Where were you when Louie prayed?” As I sat quietly, God spoke to my heart and said, ‘I answered every one of Louie’s prayers.’

Stunned, I began to realize how God had done superabundantly above and beyond all that Louie had prayed or even hoped- just like He promises in Ephesians 3.20. God showed me that Louie was in this really great private college for free- he was on a football scholarship – had a roof over his head- free- and food in his tummy- free- and was accomplishing an education to take care of things as he completed his education. How good and faithful God is.

Now, it is true, an angel did not come down with a tray of food and word that there was money under the plate and keys to a hotel room….. But God did hear Louie and did answer. Louie missed it. I never saw Louie again to tell him what God showed me, but I have always prayed for God to show me how He answers us and how He has an endless supply.

The Earth is the Lord’s and fullness thereof. Psalm 24.1. He owns all the jobs and all the cars and all the houses and all the everything. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. (Luke 12.32.) He sees and hears you and your prayers for help and family and people who come into your lives in need. Continue to pray. Continue to believe. Ask for eyes to see His answers and always remember to thank Him.

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As we look ahead to the New Year, many of us, or ones we love, will face many challenges. I always look to the Bible for help.

Sometimes I think many people consider Jesus and God as weak or so meek that He is not up for today’s challenges. In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as a Lion and a Lamb. Without a doubt, there is a huge contrast between the two. I must admit, my personal experience with Him has been Him as a Lamb- the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world- but also, I have found Him a Lamb because He is always gentle and kind to me. He knows I cannot bear harshness or feelings of overwhelming condemnation for not being able to be the exact person I would like to be.

However, he has been a Lion as well. He is ferocious in wanting to protect us and our loved ones from harm and defend us in every way. I believe there is nothing He won’t do for us. Some areas of scripture make me think this as well.

For instance, this is  how God reacts when He hears us calling – “In my distress … I cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears. Then the earth shook and quaked, the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He was indignant and angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, … He bowed the heavens also and came down …. and He rode upon a cherub (storm) and flew; and He sped on the wings of the wind... The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice, hailstones and coals of fire….He reached from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters…..” Psalm 18.6-16.

WOW- what a reaction in the heavens by God when we cry to Him for help. I pray for all of us to have eyes to see and understand how God reacts when we think our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling -eyes opened the way Elijah’s servant’s eyes were opened so he could see that the mountain was filled with chariots surrounding the man of God to help and protect him – more with him than were against him.  2 Kings 6.17. The same is true for each of us.

We are no strangers to need. Ones we love are struggling. Some with financial worries, job needs, family alienation, addiction, poor choices, compulsive behaviors, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and other struggles? If we could do the work ourselves, prayer would not be necessary, but we pray because we need a miracle. And miracles happen.

I am so glad God is a Lion when it comes to coming to us and the ones we love to  rescue all of us. And I am glad He is a Lamb that will be kind and gentle with us in our fragile state of human hood.

I pray for our eyes to be open to see the heart of God and how He is fighting for us and our loved ones in our struggles. I pray for us to pray. Ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking, for the ones who ask will receive and the ones who seek will find and the ones who knock, the doors will be opened for. Matthew 7.7. God promised.

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Here we go again, another New Year! In 1966, the year 2018 seemed like something in a science fiction movie, but here it is.

Dickens inspires me- If I talk of New Years Past, I vividly remember one New Year’s Eve in Cleveland, Ohio. While employed with the city ambulance, and transporting patients to and from the hospitals, I noticed a man pushing another man in a wheelchair in the street. He was pushing him from one tavern to another. I chuckle as I write this because I chuckled when I saw it. The site of these two pitiful men oddly enough touched my heart. The man in the wheelchair was quite large, and the man pushing was struggling- dedicated to making it to the next tavern. He chose to push the wheelchair through the streets because the sidewalks were snow covered. I remember thinking- what a friend. After their New Year’s Eve activities, I imagined the man pushing would return the man in the wheelchair to his home, help him to bed, and be done with the night. Although I have never consumed an alcoholic beverage and do not condone it – especially on New Year’s Eve, the act of friendship and camaraderie was impressive. Would I go to such lengths to help someone else?

Here is New Year’s Present. This year is filled with memories of the past year and all that has been accomplished and all that has been lost. Auld Lang Syne for sure. New employment opportunities have come my way, new books published, new friends made. Finances have been less of a struggle. Also, new adventures have happened – including a trip to my favorite Sea World. In addition to all the happy events, we lost my brother this year. This New Year’s Eve he celebrates with the King and we miss him. A mixture of sad and happy seems to be the usual agenda when it comes to memories.

And, we have New Year’s Future. Most of us are excitedly looking forward to what will happen this year? Will we have more new adventures, meet new people, experience new employment challenges, have better finances, beat that addiction, see our children prosper? I did not consider any resolutions because I never keep them, but I do want to make this a new year of opportunities to help family members and friends make it through another year with happy moments. I want to do my best to pray for the ones I love and know are having difficulties as well as share happy moments with others. This year will be another year to make memories that will last a lifetime for us and the ones we love. I am certain this year will be like all the others- some will welcome new members to the family and friend list, some will say good-bye to ones they love. Some will find new jobs or make new lives in another place. Some will marry and some will begin an educational adventure. Some may be lonely.

We all share one thing- we will all walk through the New Year. We can make it extraordinary. We can take opportunity to see the good in all those around us and make it a great year for everyone.

To friends and family- Happy New Year and God Bless us Everyone!

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And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2.8-14.

.. Then the shepherds went quickly and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Luke 2.15-16

Jesus is the reason for the season we celebrate now. May Jesus fill your homes and hearts with the truth that He was born so many years ago to live, die, and raise from the dead so you and I can receive the greatest gift- God with us. The gift of real life here on Earth and eternal life and knowing Him. All our answered prayers, deliverance from struggles, happiness, peace, having our names written in the Book of Life in heaven and more.

Merry Christmas. God Bless us everyone.

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I think many wonder what they can do for God? After all, we can’t change people and God is the great and powerful and able One. We may feel like the small cub in the picture- essentially powerless or inadequate to help, but God – like the cub’s mama –  is always with us to help and protect. God chooses us to work with Him- imperfect or inadequate as we may be.

I find the ones Jesus chose to be a motley crew. James and John were the ‘sons of thunder’ -having tempers it seems (Mark 3.17), Peter denied Him (John 18.27), Paul was Saul and was a murderer (Acts 7.58), Thomas doubted (John 20.27), David had an affair and was a murderer, (2 Samuel 11), Jonah ran from God (Jonah 1.3), Gideon required a sign from God, (Judges 6.36) and on and on the list goes. I think they are included to let us know we are not alone when it comes to imperfection. (We need to keep trying though.)

I once told God I was not strong. He said He did not come for strong people. I said I was not well. He said He did not come for well people. I said I was not even good. He said the story is not about me. I smile as I write this, because the story truly is about Him and not me. 2 Corinthians 4.7 reminds me- we possess this Precious Treasure – the Good News of Jesus- in our frail selves, so that the greatness can be seen to be from God, and not ourselves.

John 21 tells that after Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead 3 days later- just like He told His followers  – His disciples went back fishing. What were they thinking? I can only assume that they felt the One they loved and followed was now dead and gone and they had no life to live but the lives they knew before. Jesus didn’t hold this against them. They were His boys and He went to get them. I can see Him that day on the shore, making breakfast for them, inviting them to come– waving them in- my mind hears Him saying, ‘Come on boys, I’ll explain it one more time…”

In Matthew 28.16-20, the passage tells that after Jesus rose from the dead, He and the remaining eleven disciples went to the mountain where Jesus ascended to heaven. They fell down and worshiped Him, but ‘some doubted.’ How could they doubt? They walked with Him for three years watching Him turn water into wine, raise the dead, heal lepers, give blind men sight, feed thousands with a few loaves, saw Him alive after He was brutally crucified, and more.

I have no stones to throw. I have walked with Him for over forty years and have seen Him do more miracles than I can say, but, I am ashamed to admit, I still doubt. He still loves me. His love never fails.

His message is the same today. He still comes for us no matter how many times we think we cannot do something or that we miss the road or we think we are forgotten or got it all wrong. We are His. He loved that motley crew so many years ago and He still loves and uses imperfect, weak, doubting, people today. He wants us to do His work. He’s counting on us.

So, what can we do for God? We can give a cup of cold water in His name. (Matthew 10.42) We may not preach to millions and convert thousands, but we see people every day that need our smile, a pat on the back, a hug, listened to, time spent with, a few dollars for a meal, a ride somewhere, shopping for them. Yes, we can all give a ‘cup of cold of water.’ We can all do work for God every day as we help those in our lives. I may not be able to change the struggles my loved ones face, even though I desperately want them to be well, but I can help ease the suffering they feel each day and continue to love them.

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This is the season of love. We celebrate Jesus being born and God coming to us- Emmanuel. The Bible tells us ‘the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.’ John 1.14. Thankfully, He stills dwells among us.

What does it mean for Him to dwell with us? He is with us to teach us, guide us, help us, and many other things. One of the most important things is to love us. The Bible wonderfully tells us in Ephesians 3.  “…may God grant you… to be rooted and grounded in the amazing and endless love of God  and able to comprehend … the width and depth and height, and length of this love. .. ” WOW! What a prayer for each and every one of us. To be loved. I am convinced that each and every person I know just wants to feel loved.

One of the great attributes of love is forgiveness. We all know the Lord’s prayer- forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Sometimes the chains that bind us to addiction, depression, eating disorders, compulsive behaviors, and other struggles, do so because the difficulty is rooted in unforgiveness. It does not mean that what the person who hurt us did is suddenly a justifiable thing. Some hurts and offensives truly do seem unforgivable. I can think of stories I have heard of severe hurts in this lifetime that never should have happened. Most of us can identify with this. But, our emotional and mental health depend on forgiving the ones- even the unforgivable. Everyone has a free will and some choose to do bad deeds instead of good deeds. This is our fallen world.

Not to be too preachy (probably too late for that) – is the parable Jesus told in Luke 7.41-49. He said there was a man who owed millions of dollars. He could not pay and begged for relief from his debt. His debt was forgiven. But then, he was owed a few dollars and took the man who owed him by the neck and demanded to be paid – he refused to forgive the little he was owed. When the original man who was owed millions of dollars heard of the forgiven man’s behavior, he was angry and asked him why he did not forgive the little he was owed when he was forgiven an enormous debt? This parable applies to us. We have been forgiven a debt we are unable to pay. So it is with us, we cannot be free unless we forgive. It is not for the benefit of the one who needs forgiving, but the one choosing to forgive.

I encourage you to make a list of the debts owed to you, thank the Baby Born in Bethlehem for forgiving you, forgive the one who owed you, nail that debt to the Cross, and be free. This is not meant to be trivial. It takes much determination to forgive and the hurts can be very real and very big to us, but it is the Light that takes us out of pain into the freedom that God intends for all of us to enjoy.

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Just finished a phone call with a cherished client. She has an appointment to see me in the veterinary office in two days. She tells me she’s looking forward. When I asked how her Rufus is, she responded, “He is lovely. I look at him and he is always fabulous to me. I have been so blessed to have him and Bumbles in my life.” Bumbles is her other lovely pet.

I was touched by her words because Rufus is struggling. She loves him. She doesn’t see him in a negative light. His liver is hurting and he is losing weight. His owner and I do not know why his liver is struggling, but we know it is. Testing can be costly and may only lead to answers and not solutions. He gives the best kisses, though. He is happy and when he wags his stump of a tail in the office, his entire body shakes. Rufus is one of those pets you wish you could give tons more years of happiness to their owner.

There are times for puppies – many will be added to lucky families this season and through the New Year. And then, sometimes, there is cherishing every day being spent with a beloved pet as time goes by. Cherish the moments they greet us and love us and keep us company. Another client is just trying to have their kitty through the holidays. I am hoping the same for them.

I have been there. I suppose many of us have – not only with our pets, but our loved ones. It’s true, we look at our loved ones – like our pets-  through our biased hearts. I know the people I love in life always look superb to me and I want others to think they are wonderful as well. I want them to know I will love them perfect or imperfect- it matters no difference to me, I see them as valuable and lovable and worthy.

Additional family members are not with us this Christmas and it is a challenge to continue to enjoy the season sometimes.  I want to cherish the ones I have still with me and celebrate a Baby born for all of us. I hope the same for all of you.

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The day of thanks is here again. There is always something to be thankful for. Sometimes it’s difficult to find that something, I realize. When I was struggling, my “Thankful” jar was empty. I could not find one thing to be thankful for. This is a shame-on-me thing because the truth was, I had many things to be thankful for.

Maybe the car doesn’t work, anxiety is overwhelming, thoughts of quitting or hopelessness plague, bills are mounting, loneliness is discouraging, the kids aren’t behaving, health issues are worrisome, things aren’t going the way hoped, the addiction is unbearable, and more. I could name a hundred things that seemed to be going wrong.

As I prayed and kept trudging ahead, I began to make a choice to offer God a ‘sacrifice of praise ‘ as in Psalm 27.6. I felt better when I did. I started by being thankful for living free in America, having great friends and family, God with me, and every simple thing I could think of to try to find at least ONE thing a day to be thankful for each day. Eventually, the list began to grow.

I am sorry to admit that being thankful was a sacrifice for me because my tendency is to only see the difficulties and not ‘count my blessings’ as often spoke about. I was a ‘glass 1/2 empty’ glass kinda girl. As I studied to help with the struggles I faced and what I share with others I know struggle, the scripture 2 Corinthians 10.4 became meaningful. This tells us- ‘ the weapons of our warfare… are strong and mighty…’

I find that the struggles we face are sometimes attacks by dark forces. We are in a battle whether or not we or our loved ones want to be. I wondered what ‘our weapons’ were. I realized one of my strongest weapons against the depression and struggles-and I know are helpful with addictions, compulsions, eating disorders- any struggle – is praise and a thankful heart. Being thankful is a form of praise.

The most difficult thing I experienced was the thought of being thankful for the struggle I faced. I never thought I could be thankful for the pain. The Bible tells me to be thankful in all things. (1 Thesselonians 5.18) Over time, I did begin to thank God for the pain I experienced and the situations I felt were bad and could never be considered good in life. Now, I am thankful to God for having sent the struggles into my life because they served as my pathway to Him. I know Him in a way I would never have known Him without them. Also, I became free of the struggle as the days continued.

George Mueller refers to Ro. 8.28 when he reminds us, ‘In 1,000 trials, it is not 500 of them that work for the believer’s good, but 999 and one beside.’  All things in our life work together for good. Even the broken things and pain and discouragement and struggle I faced and we all face.

I pray for any struggling person-no matter the struggle, to find something to be thankful for and to have eyes to see that the struggle they are in can be their pathway to the Living God and become good for them and others they will eventually help in life.

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