Young friend your daughter's age and
Discover she is as excited about
Writing and
Worship, and
Prayer, and
Ministry as much as you,
Perhaps even more,
You pump your fist into the air and
Exclaim, "Thank You, Jesus!"
When you have breakfast with a
Young friend your daughter's age and Discover she is as excited about Writing and Worship, and Prayer, and Ministry as much as you, Perhaps even more, You pump your fist into the air and Exclaim, "Thank You, Jesus!"
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It's been almost a year since her husband
Suddenly died, and she's held it Together, Not crying often, Trying to be strong. But when she and her daughter searched Through bags of her husband's clothes, she Pulled out a favorite shirt. Holding the garment up she saw beyond the Shirt to the one who once wore it and she Mourned. The floodgates opened. As her daughter consoled her the Widow released the millions of tears she Had stuffed inside. "I realized it's not weakness to cry," she Shared. "It's openness and stability." And for my friend, it's one more step to Healing. I suspect that I'm not the only one
Who makes comparisons. Often I'm not even aware that I'm Comparing my hair, My weight, My wrinkles, My shoes, My simple vacations with Folks who cruise. I notice that others get tons of "Likes" on Facebook or that they Post pictures of spacious homes. I'm conscious of my marital status and My ministry assignments. Sometimes I see myself favorably and Other times not. I destest this tendency in me to Compare, and I pray for fortitude to Curtail the habit. When Peter asked Jesus about the Future of his fellow disciple John, Jesus asked him, "What is that to you? You follow me." * If my Father doesn't compare me with Others, why should I? My role, My goal is to follow His path for me. *John 21:22 Reading the story of Jonah again I realized the
Run-a-way and I have something in common. While the prophet was swallowed by a Big fish, I was swallowed up by grief. But because of our afflictions we both Cried out to God. In sunny times it's tempting to think I'm Doing fine with just a little help from Jesus. But when my husband died I realized How totally incompetent I was, and I Called out to Him for help. Just like God answered Jonah in his distress, He answered me. Scripture became alive. Prayer became my life line. Knowing Him became my "chief end." I've had lots of afflictions since, but BECAUSE of them I run to Him, Cling to Him. Do you suppose that's why God Sends them? "I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me..." Jonah 2:2 At the check-out I noticed the
Cashier's name tag: "Heavyn." Wow! What an opening! "How did you get your name?" I asked the Young pretty gal. "I don't know why my dad chose it. He is an atheist, and he named my Sister 'Trinity.'" We laughed at the incongruity of his Choices. "But my grandma was religious," she Added, "I went to church with her." "What are you?" "I'm an agnostic." "That's great. It shows you have an Open mind. You should start reading the Gospel of John." I added a gospel bracelet to the two Already on her wrist and gave her my Tract that describes the time in my life when I gave up on God. "I came back to Him because I needed a Purpose for living. I didn't have enough faith To believe I was an accident," I explained. "You've given me a lot," she said, and Thanked me. Yes, she's well supplied. Now I pray that she will search for Herself, That she will believe the truth and that One day I'll meet Heavyn in heaven. I pursue God.
My assignment is to imitate Him. But as I follow in Christ's footsteps, He Knows that I will fail time after time. And yet He also expects me to learn from My failures so I will make progress. I'm convinced that Jesus doesn't want me To constantly feel defeated. Indeed, He delights in me. He applauds my efforts when I resist a Temptation or I trust instead of worry. I believe my loving Father stars my Correct responses and doesn't highlight my Errors. And when I do stumble, He picks me up, and Dusts me off. And then He cheers me on as I continue to Follow hard after Him. "To have God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love..." A.W.Tozer "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psalm 37:23
As I was headed down the highway I
Noticed that the beat up truck in Front of me had an almost flat back tire. Interestingly, we both pulled into a Speedway station, and when the driver Pulled up to the pump I told him, "Your tire is almost flat." "Thanks," he answered, "I stopped to fill it up." Inside the store we smiled at Each other. The man appeared to be a laborer with Paint staining his pant leg. When we walked out the door at the Same time I wondered, "Should I hand him a tract?" My brain wavered. As I opened my car door the Man pulled his truck up to the air Compressor. I simply had to approach him. "Every day I pray for a divine appointment And I believe your're the one for today." He seemed pleased. He told me his name was David, and I gave him My tract and told him I would pray for him. The man asked for my name, too, and as he Knelt by the tire he looked into my eyes and Said, "Thanks, Ms Dorothy." And we went our separate ways. The man is facing a fiery trial right now as
His son battles a serious illness. Only God knows the outcome. But the dad's fierce faith is on Display. When he walked into the hospital room where A nurse was tending to Isaac, She sensed my friend was a pastor. Why? She observed the father's calmness, Not a typical response to such a Trying situation, and together they Prayed for the precious teenager. When a believer faces tribulation with Trust and hope rather than with Turmoil and despair, it shows.
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Dorothy Kalb Hsu Seitzinger
Writing poetry has helped me process and express my sorrows and joys, my concerns and blessings. "Life is hard, but God is good!" Archives
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