God Is...

This morning, the Chicago area woke up to snow falling.  This is when I remember who is in control of all that happens on the planet.  It has to be God.  No little spec of bacteria could ever produce snow, rain, flowers, fruits, animals, peoples, natural gases, oxygen, electricity, water and so on.

God is the Creator of all things in the past, all things in the present and all things yet to come.  (see Genesis 1 - 2:22)

As the Creator of all things with breath, he created them for a specific purpose.  Jesus told us this purpose in Matthew 22:36-40  “Sir, which is the most important command in the laws of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.’ 

Beyond those commands, we are here as an extension of God's service to His people in the church and outside the church.  Below you will find how we are linked to God in this calling of servitude.

In 1 Cor 12:1-11, Paul wrote about what the Holy Spirit gives to us.  Here's an excerpt from verses 4-7:  "4 Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. 6 There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in and through all of us who are his. 7 The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church."

Even if we feel we've fallen into a pit of despair and depression....
Even if we feel utterly useless because of our disability or mental illness.....
Even if we feel dirty and ugly because we were a victim of one or more abuses.....
Even if we feel guilty for the pain we caused in the lives of loved ones.....
Even if we feel sad for not being able to have the one thing or person we'd love.....
God's message stays the same.

A message from God (This happens once in awhile):
I created you.
I sent my one and only Son for you.
He taught what I wanted you to know about Me.
He laughed so you could see I laugh, too.
He had a job so you could see I work, too.
He cared for his mother so you could see I care for yours, too.
He taught My scriptures so you'd find peace in troubled times.
I asked Him to die an excruciating death for your sin.
When he asked me to take away that cup, 
He said, "Your will be done."  He died for me.
He died for you.
Beyond His death are new days.
When you ask my Son, Jesus, into your heart and to forgive your sin, all that was stained red becomes washed away and is now white as snow.  As far as the east is from the west, your sin will be no more.
A party has broken out in Heaven which is where you will be for eternity.

The choice is up to you.

Are you ready to lay all your burdens and all your sin down?
Are you ready to let me help you heal - REALLY heal?
If you are, let me in.
Trust me.
It's the best decision you'll ever make.

Love God

Weird Symptoms

I've been having symptoms that are a little weird.

Throughout all the medications I've been taking, I've never had the top of my head go numb.  I've also never had the numbness travel down to the bottom of my ears.  I've never had both of my hands go numb.  This was last week.

Because these symptoms are new, I took myself to the emergency room.  I was given at CT scan.  The results were clear - no swelling, no stroke, no tumor.  If it happened again I was supposed to return to the ER.

Monday is when my hands went numb for most of the day.  The numbness did not move up my arms.  It simply stayed in my hands.  The people I told automatically said carpal tunnel but I've never had any symptoms of carpal tunnel so it would be weird for it to come out of the blue and be in both hands on the same day.  It eventually went away on it's own.

Tuesday, as I was going for a long walk, the top of my head went numb again.  I didn't freak out.  I told myself there was nothing wrong with me.  The CT scan was clear.  I could go have an MRI but because of my medical history, my doctor and the ER docs were cautious about exposing me to more radiation.

I spent some time taking inventory of my life.  I talked with God about all areas to see if there's something I'm missing that's adding an element of stress I've missed.  Everything was good to go.  I can't figure it out.  Even as I type this the upper right hand side of my head is getting a little numb.

Unfortunately, Faith was out sick today so I couldn't talk to her.  I thought she could help me brainstorm some possibilities as to why this is happening.

Maybe I should just go to the ER.

Healthy Helping

I was scrubbing part of my kitchen floor.  From time to time I'll imagine myself in front of a Women of Faith conference audience.  I'm on stage getting ready to preach a message.

The person preaching inside of me is filled with enthusiasm for what I'm about to say.  I know God has placed this topic deep inside my heart.  Only He can fill me with the kind of energy I'll need to talk in front of such a large audience.  I am an introvert, after all, so this would be a bad time for an all out freak out.

"I want to talk to you about a topic we don't talk about often enough.  It's not because we're afraid to or because we don't know how to.  It's because it's uncomfortable which is where I like to go.

I'm talking about you having a friend who calls you.  She calls you to tell you her husband is hitting her, again, and he's hurting the kids, again.  He promises not to do it anymore, again.  He's crying and apologizing, again.

What should she do?"

You're getting tired of hearing the same story, the same excuses.
Your compassion is running on a candle and the wick is about to go out.

What do you say?

Most of us, myself included, want to help people in distress.  The problem with us helping them is that often times, they need a lot more than we are capable or qualified to give them.

Some of them need emergency shelter access.  Some need police protection.  Some need long-term therapy. Some need a combination of services.

We have to admit, to ourselves and as their friend, that we don't have the answer for them.  We can help them find the right help and help get them connected to the right agency but beyond that, we need to leave it with God and the professionals.

What do you say?

I love you.
I'm praying for you.
I'm here to support you.
I can't do the work for you.
What can I do to help you?

And then....we let go and let God be God.

Praise You In This Storm

I think I used this song recently.  I love it so much.  It's my promise to God that I will do my best to stay with Him no matter how hard the storms are that pass through His hands.  That I will praise Him no matter how challenging the healing process will be.

We had a torrential downpour yesterday.  It was the first of the spring season.  It was so loud and the rain was heavy and blinding.  I was safe in my home.

Two of my female cats were outside minutes before it started.  I was calling for them but they weren't coming.  I walked onto my patio and called for them again.  I looked under my bushes and found one of them chilling out.  She was tucked in pretty good so I knew she'd have to come out on her own.  The other one came flying out of nowhere as if to say, "Hey, Mom!  What's up?  Can you scratch my belly?"  I picked her up then the other one followed us in.

It was less than a few minutes when the downpour hit.  Being in a metal mobile home amplifies rain, hail, wind and flying debris.  Thankfully my girls were safe inside and all we had was rain.

The storm reminded me of how powerless I am in some of life's events.  Like the weather, some things happen with little to no notice.  That means I need to prepare (best I can) ahead of time so that the stress won't be too high.

For example, I bought enough pet carriers so I can get them out of the house safely.  I have candles that burn a long time in case of a power outage.  I have gallons of water, flashlights and a battery powered radio so I can hear what's going on.  Simple things like that decrease my stress and help me feel prepared for something that's probably never going to happen -- but might.

I believe God wants me to praise Him in the storm.
I believe God wants me to plan for the storm.
I believe God wants me to be prepared for the storm.
I believe God wants me to pray throughout the storm.

God wants us to be smart.
To listen to His Holy Spirit guiding us.
And yes, to be praising Him for all He's going to do for us in the storm.

Happy Mother's Day

A Mother's Day wish for you:

Whether you birthed them, adopted them, foster them or babysit them,
Whether you change diapers, teach words, change behaviors or school them,
Whether you have one or two or three or multiples of them,
This Mother's Day wish is for you.

I wish you big hugs when celebrations abound.
I wish you great joy when what's lost is finally found.
I wish you abundant prayer until their feet find solid ground
.
I wish you God's peace in the midst of the storms.
I wish you God's patience when filling out those forms.
I wish them God's safety while living in their dorms.

In all of this I wish for you,
In all of this I pray comes true,
For you're a Mom who gives her all,
Not just on one day but on them all.

Happy Mother's Day!!