Like A Little Child

Whenever I look at my grandchildren I am reminded of how different we adults are. These children are full of exuberance, passion and purpose in everything they do. They have a healthy curiousity that leads them to touch, examine- did I say touch? and probe each new object they come across. They greet me in the morning with bright smiles, hugs and cheery good-mornings, while I'm thinking, What's so good about this morning?

But what did Jesus say? "...Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). Little children have the passion and excitement for life that many of us adults have lost. We have allowed the challenges of life to wear us down, to erase our smiles, to silence our song. Many of us don't even have the energy to fulfill our activities of daily living, making us one of the many depression and anxiety sufferers in the United States today.

What can we do to recapture this joie de vivre, this passion for life? Psalm 118: 24 says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." What is there to rejoice about, you might say? We live in a world of turmoil and uncertainty that seems to be getting more turbulent daily. However the apostle Paul said, " Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). In 1 Thessalonians 5:16 he says, "Rejoice evermore."

The apostle Paul was not a man who enjoyed the good things of life. After he became converted, he spent most of his life being flogged, stoned, left for dead and thrown into prison. In fact, he wrote the book of Philippians from his prison cell, and later, just before his martyrdom, he wrote to his spiritual son, Timothy, "Persecutions, afflictions, which come unto me at Antioch at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me" (11 Timothy 3:11).

Can we have the attitude of this beloved servant of God? Can we endure all things for the sake of Christ, who endured so much for us? Can we praise Him even when our world is collapsing around us? Can we rejoice when we don't see anything to rejoice about? As difficult as it may seem, it is what God expects of us. Listen to what Jesus said: "In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Joy is the believer's heritage. When we come to Christ we enter into a new dimension of peace and joy, notwithstanding our present circumstances. If we had been sour, disagreeable and hard to get along with, we should become just the opposite, because we now walk in love and Jesus is love. If we used to worry when our dog caught fleas, we should become lighthearted because Jesus "is our glory and the lifter up of our heads". If we couldn't find peace in our homes, we should have peace because He is our peace.

So if you are a believer and find yourself tormented by depression or worry, turn it over to Jesus and watch Him take it all away. If you are not a believer, why not give your life to Jesus and be amazed at the transformation He will work in you? God bless.

Grace and Mercy

It’s amazing how we can read the scriptures many times over and then one day something jumps out at us that we never noticed before. This happened to me one night as I was reading Psalm 90. This Psalm was written by Moses, appealing to God on behalf of the children of Israel.

For those of you who may not know it, God had sent Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt where they had been in bondage for four hundred years. After many trials, Pharoah, the ruler, finally agreed to let the people leave Egypt. However, no sooner had they been freed, they began to rebel and complain. Their journey into the promised land which should have lasted a few days took forty years to complete. During that time God became so angry at their rebellion, he threatened to wipe them out, and would have had not Moses interceded for them. They were bitten by snakes, and many other troubles overcame them.

The children of Israel suffered the wrath of God. Hence the reason Moses wrote this Psalm. In verse 7 he writes, “For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.” Again in verse 9 he says, “For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.”

I read these verses over and over, then I thought, we are no longer under wrath, but under grace. When Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, He got rid of the curse that we had been under since Adam fell. When Jesus died, He restored us to a right relationship with God, the Father. When Jesus shed His precious blood for us on the cross, we obtained “grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Timothy 1:2).

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6). “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Had Moses lived in Jesus’ day he would never have written that Psalm the way he did, for he would have realized that God hath dispensed with His wrath and bestowed grace and mercy on His people.

And there’s the operative word- His. Those of us who belong to Him through Jesus Christ are assured of His grace, but those outside of Christ are still exposed to His wrath. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). So that’s the key to escaping God’s wrath-accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you will not perish. God bless.

Falling Angels

I watched with sadness as the aging pastor pleaded guilty in a court of law to lying and other indiscretions. In recent times many negative stories about pastors have hit the media, sending shockwaves through the body of Christ. Why is all of this happening? As in everything, the word of God holds the answers.

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us; what shall the end be of them that obey mot the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17-18).

Why is God judging His house?

"Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"(2 Thessalonians 2:3). That day refers to the coming of Christ in glory to receive His church. A church that is to be "holy and without blemish" Ephesians 5:27.

Is that what we are seeing in the body of Christ today? Are we showing the world the way to holiness, or are we simply bending over backwards to accommodate the world so we can have large congregations. Churches today are larger than they have ever been, yet sin and lawlessness still abound, and in some cases, emanate from the top.

What can the righteous do when we observe these things?

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 15-16). It does not matter what we see our leaders doing. We are called to be holy, because one day each of us has to give an account to God for the way we have lived our lives.

Also, we are to "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together" as the Bible has commanded us. Many people use what they see in the media as an excuse for not going to church, however we do need that Christian fellowship, as well as the covering of a godly pastor.

"A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again ..." We have to remember that man will always disappoint us. There are many stories of men in the Bible who fell. Great men of God like David and Solomon succumbed to temptation. Even Peter, who walked with Jesus Christ, fell when he denied the Lord. But God forgave them, therefore we, too, must forgive and not be judgmental.

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). I want to emphasize "in the spirit of meekness". Not in a holier than thou attitude, but meekly, lovingly, knowing that we, too, can be in the same position if we are not careful and seek God's presence daily.

So let's pray for our falling and fallen angels that God in His mercy will restore them to a position of grace. Let's pray for those who are standing firm that they may not fall. And let's pray for ourselves that we may remain faithful to God's call on our lives, so that when we stand before Him we may hear the words "Well done thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).

Let's do some gardening

There was a time when I used to be an avid gardener. I could hardly wait for spring to begin digging, planting and fertilizing. Now that I live in an area where the seasons are more distinct, I find myself not knowing what to plant and when to plant it. Therefore, whenever I go walking through my neighborhood I look at gardens in the hope of picking up some inspiration. Occasionally I see a garden that leaves me ogling with pleasure. Then I walk another block and I see another garden that makes me shake my head.

Two gardens. Two gardeners.

Which makes me think of Adam in the garden of Eden. God placed Adam, the first man, in the garden of Eden, and gave him charge over it to till and fertilize it and take care of the animals. However, Adam gave in to temptation, and as a result the perfect garden was messed up. Thorns and thistles grew up among the shrubbery, broken branches hung from the trees, dead leaves and stems remained unpruned. Chaos and neglect replaced order and caring.

Then along came Jesus.

God placed Him in a garden as well. The Garden of Gethsemane. Here, in a moment of agony, Jesus shed His blood through His sweat and began the task of restoring the damage that Adam had done. It was in the garden of Gethsemane that Jesus prayed,"O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39)KJV. Jesus didn't give in to the temptation of the flesh as Adam had done, but instead He gave his flesh willingly to be tortured and crucified.



What are you doing with your garden today? Have you given in to sin and temptation and allowed your garden to become untidy and neglected? Has the job become too overwhelming for you? Have you thrown up your hands in despair, or are you persevering in faith, pulling up those weeds, pruning those dead leaves and tilling the soil? If you are not, then you need to ask Jesus to come into your life. He will restore your garden and equip you with the necessary tools to keep your garden in good order. Why not ask Him today?

Keep Christ in Christmas

Listening to the evening news is not my usual pastime. Sometimes I feel guilty when others speak of current events and I realize I’m as ignorant as if I lived on the moon. So occasionally I force myself to listen. One evening last week I was taking my unpleasant dose, when I groaned, “Not again.”

The news item had to do with a nativity scene in Paulding County that had provoked the ire of someone, and as a result the county was facing legal action. Several citizens of the county interviewed said they saw nothing wrong with the scene. One elderly lady said, “Without Christ there would be no Christmas.” But what got my attention was when the mayor spoke up in agreement with what the others had said. He took a bold stand for what he believed in.
Many public officials are afraid to do that for fear of the consequences.

This season, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world, let us remember how boldly He confronted the naysayers of His day. He was not afraid to tell it like it was, and neither should we. God bless.

Gifts of Love

We are now in the month of December, and that means that Christmas preparations are underway in all parts of the world where the season is celebrated. One of the ways we celebrate is by giving gifts. For many here in America that means spending a lot of money, maybe even going into debt. Financial analysts say that the average American spends nine hundred dollars on gifts at Christmas. That’s more than a week’s wages for a lot of people. Add to that food and other goodies plus decorations, and the seasonal outlay can be rather large.

Is gift-giving really necessary? Do we have to give gifts every year? True, the wise men brought gifts to Jesus when they found Him, which may or may not have been at Christmas time. But nowhere in the Bible does it say that people brought gifts to Jesus every year, neither did He give gifts to anyone. Sure He gave- of Himself. He spent time with people, teaching and healing. When He did give material things, He gave them food because they were hungry.

I am not saying we should all be cheapskates and not give gifts. I think giving is wonderful. I love to give, and I am also guilty of getting caught up in the shopping frenzy, making sure I have just the right gift. And yes, in previous years, I have gone into debt doing so. But now, I’m beginning to look more at the reason for the season, and if it is to celebrate or remind us of our Savior who came into the world as God’s gift to us, then I think at Christmas time we should give back to Him.

Let’s give to those who can’t afford to give back to us. The beggar on the street corner, the young woman raising her children alone, the elderly person in a nursing home who doesn’t have anyone to visit him/her, those in prison, and I’m sure you can think of others. Better still, ask your family members to join you in giving to these less fortunate members of out society. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40 NIV). Then you will receive bountifully from the One who has everything in His power to give. God bless.

Give Thanks

When I first planned to write this blog, the last thing on my mind was giving thanks. My mind was so cluttered with grief, questions, doubts, fears and even anger at the sudden passing of my beloved daughter-in-law just three weeks ago. I wore my grief like a cloak every moment of the day and even when I went to sleep. How could someone so young, beautiful and vibrant be dead? I had lived long enough, had come across death many times to know that death is a reality. One we hate to talk or think about, much less face. But here we were, face to face with death in all its cruelty and meanness.

Even though, or maybe because I am a Christian, I believe that death is an enemy. It is no friend-not something to be embraced-as some people think. And I base my belief on the fact that Jesus, when He walked this earth, ran death out of town every time He met it. Even on the cross He raised all the righteous dead who were in paradise, and they appeared to many! (Matthew 27: 52-53) However, death is an enemy that has been conquered by Jesus Christ. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesu Christ" (1 Corinthians 15 55-57).

So for those of us who die in Christ, death is a glorious thing, because we have conquered it, and we go to meet our Lord. But for those who die outside of Christ, the sting of death is present because after death is judgement. So I ask the question again, why did a thirty-six-year-old beautiful wife and mother die so suddenly? For answers I look to the cross of Jesus Christ. He was only thirty-three when He died. But He had finished the work that God had appointed Him to do here on earth. I believe Lisa had finished the work God called her to do.

While attending the University of the West Indies, Lisa became a member of Campus Crusade for Christ, telling others about the Lord, but gave it up when she married my son. She threw herself into helping her husband in his business and raising their three children. However, she continued to work for the Lord, and just the night before she died, Lisa prayed with one of her friends whom she had been counseling. Even after her death, she continues to work for Him, leading us through her testimony to greater faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Just eleven days before she died, Lisa began writing a journal. Here’s an excerpt of what she wrote:

"Begin with the end in mind,” somebody once said.
What shall my "end" on this earth be? And is there really an end? Death is the end, but after death is judgement and to_be_absent from this body_is to be present with you, Jesus. So my question should be - what is my purpose for this phase of life — this human phase, this short capsule of time before I pass from death to life and enter eternity?

To lead as many as I can to the place He is preparing for us. We can't miss out! At the end of this phase I want to hear Jesus say, "Well done, thou, good and faithful servant. You have picked up your cross, you abode in me, you loved me with all your heart and you loved others and loved yourself. You told others the Truth, that I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one gets to Our Father, but through me; that their sins are forgiven them - all their sins were nailed with me on the cross and they now qualify to enter heaven for all eternity — because of me".
Jesus, I want you to be proud of me. This is my end on this earth, not to please men, but to please God.

Yet there is the-tug of war in my soul. For I still want the typical, human end - wealth, honour, a nice home for my family, money to pay all my bills comfortably, good cars that I can afford and maintain, well behaved and educated children, a romantic marriage, success and recognition in the local community. Alas, Lord Jesus, I am overwhelmed at the thought of it all. Where do I put myself? Time is short.
But then I hear You say "Delight yourself in me and I will give you the desires of your heart." "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.'' And "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, then you shall ask what you will and it shall be given."..... "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be given to you as well. Cast all your cares on me because I care for you".

Lisa had come to the place where the most important thing in life to her was to do the will of the Lord and to prepare herself and others to be with Him. She had come to realize that all her dreams-the typical human end as she put it-took second place to being all that God wanted her to be. As for me, whenever I think of her, I thank God for the ten short years that I knew her. She was more than a daughter-in-law. She was a friend, a counselor, a bearer of hope.

At the news of her death my faith took a beating, but now, the more I reflect on how she lived and how she died, I have renewed faith in Jesus Christ. I realize that He is with us in our joys and our sorrows, in our fears and our cares, in our todays and our tomorrows. Yes, I do have something to be thankful for. I’m thankful for the love of Jesus.

Home Remedies

I've decided to give out a few home remedies this week. With the flu season approaching, some of you may appreciate this one. Pound a piece of ginger root, pour a cup of boiling water over it, and let stand until cool. You may then sweeten with honey for the cold, or gargle for a sore throat. For insomnia, a pinch of nutmeg in a cup of warm milk taken half hour before bedtime has been found to be helpful. And how about this one for high blood pressure. Add 5-8 drops of apple cider vinegar to a cup of hot water, sweeten with honey and drink early in the morning. It's supposed to reduce cholesterol as well. I remember my mother doing this one with very good results. Boil 5-6 leaves of olive in a cup of water and drink three times a day.

I have only tried the first one and it worked very well for me. Hope it does for you too. However, some people are skeptical of home remedies. If they don't have to go any further than their pantry to get it, they won't put much faith in it. That's pretty much the way Naaman must have felt when the prophet Elisha told him to go and dip in the river Jordan seven times in order to be cured of his leprosy. Naaman felt that the waters of his homeland were far superior to those of Israel, and therefore he refused to do it. But one of his servants came to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?" 11 Kings 5:13.

And therein lay the problem. In Naaman's mind, the prophet's simple home remedy could never work. Centuries later, our Lord Jesus Christ used a simple home remedy to open a blind man's eyes. Today there are many who doubt that believing in Him would give them eternal life. Why so simple? Why not pay huge sums of money to have your body frozen so you can later be brought back to life? Or, perform some mighty works in order to get into heaven. No. The Bible says God has chosen the simple things of this world to confound the wise. "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

That's all it takes. You don't even have to go to Israel and dip in the Jordan river seven times. Just stay right where you are and give your heart to Jesus, and watch Him do the rest. The home remedies given above are not medical advice by any means, and may not work for everyone. You may still have to go to the doctor to check on your blood pressure, cholesterol or whatever, but you can trust the spiritual advice. "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts 16:31.

Crossing the Red Sea

I was watching a documentary this week about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The narrator said that the Israelites walked on dry land through the Red Sea, but no one has since been able to locate the exact spot where this phenomeon took place, or give any explanation for how it could have happened. We can only conclude that the hand of God wrought this miracle through Moses.

This set me thinking about my own life and the times God helped me out of some difficulty. When I looked back, I realized that I couldn't always pinpoint when or where it happened. All I know is that it did, by the grace of God.

So it is with salvation. Some people are able to give the exact date and time when they came to believe in Jesus Christ. With others, like myself, it's a process. I woke up one morning and realized that I was not the same person I used to be. Things that used to interest me no longer do. "All things have been made new." I had crossed the Red Sea and left Pharoah and his armies behind.

If you are in a difficult situation today, or struggling to find your place in Jesus Christ, take heart. Wait on Him. He will part that Red Sea and He'll bring you over to the other side.

Let Us Pray

One of the things I like about traveling is that it affords me the opportunity to read. Nothing like a good book to help you forget you are thirty-something thousand feet in the air with nothing holding you up. After reading the back cover, I chose This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti as my traveling companion, thinking if it did not accomplish the aforementioned goal, it would at least put me to sleep. By the time I’d read the first page, I was very much awake, and knew I was in for quite a ride.

The story tells about a small town which was being overtaken by the powers of darkness, and goes on to show how demons and angels battle it out to gain control. Now the Bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and the rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). However, what is amazing is the role that the prayers of the believer play in determining who wins the battle, something Peretti shows in startling detail.

He also shows why it sometimes appears that God is silent, or that our prayers are not being answered. The solution? Keep on praying, keep on believing, keep on serving. God’s angels are standing by, waiting on the right time to do God’s bidding. The protagonist of the story, a young praying pastor, with the help of other praying souls, was able to defeat the powers of darkness and restore peace to the town.

Whether you are a believer or unbeliever, this book will help you pass the time on a rainy afternoon, or while you’re airborne on your way to some exciting destination. But it will do more than that. It will fascinate, educate or even scare you, but most of all it will increase your faith in the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God. Shall we pray?

Our Father and our God, we thank you for the weapon of prayer and the Name of Jesus with which we can defeat the enemy. Help us, Lord, to not become complacent and take this weapon for granted, but instead to use it without ceasing on behalf of ourselves and others, for we ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen

The Exchange Factor

Some of you may remember the movie Sleeping with the Enemy which was made popular some years ago. I recall feeling traumatized by the fact that this woman was living with a husband who planned to murder her. But as in most movies, his plan did not succeed.

I thought of this movie as I read the story, for the umpteenth time, about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. How could Our Lord, who sees and knows all things, eat, sleep, talk and walk with Judas day after day, knowing his intentions? Jesus knew He came to this earth to die, no question about that. He knew he would be hanged on a Roman cross like a common criminal because that was His Father’s plan of redemption. And Jesus bore His cross willingly. But to be betrayed by a close friend in that manner seemed to be adding salt to the wounds.

And yet, many of us humans also bear our cross every day. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 10:38, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” And again in Matthew 16:24 He says: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

I believe that as long as we are following Jesus, we will have a cross to bear. It may be a marriage, a child, a job, our finances, our health. The list can go on and on. The Christian life is not an easy one, but while we are bearing that cross, if we would keep our eyes on Jesus, He will one day take it from us, just as His Father took His. And God didn’t just relieve Jesus of the cross, He gave Him a crown. He crowned Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We too will eventually exchange our cross for a crown if we keep on following Jesus.

Make God Happy

When we read the four gospels we can't help being struck by the amount of work Our Lord did during the three short years of His ministry. He Himself said in Matthew 20: 26-28: "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, left the splendor of his home in heaven and came down to earth to serve sinful man.

With that thought blowing through my mind, I began praying that God would show me opportunities for service. Last week He answered my prayer in an astounding way. I mentioned to a friend that I needed help getting into my attic to clean my air condition filter. Helpful person that she is, she said she would come and do it for me. Before she went into the attic, we sat down and chatted about our love for God and what He was doing in our lives. Then she said, "I want to serve Him. I want Him to know how much I love Him." My interest grew because I'd been thinking the same thing. She continued, "I want to gather a team of women to visit the sick in the nursing homes, especially the ones who have no one to visit them."

I immediately said, "Count me in." We chatted some more, then she went into the attic. It turned out that my filter was perfectly fine, did not need cleaning. I laughed and said to my friend, "You didn't come here to help me with my filter. You came to bring a word from the Lord."

Isn't it amazing the way God answers prayer? Just ask Him to show you where the harvest is, or where the field is that needs to be sowed, and He'll lead you to it. Then when you stand before Him, you'll hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

ASK FOR HELP

The story of Barak and the prophetess Deborah in the book of Judges fills me with some amusement, as well as food for thought. Deborah was judge over Israel at a time when they had been sold into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan. The commander of Jabin's army was a man named Sisera who cruelly oppressed the Israelites.

Deborah sent for Barak and told him that the Lord had commanded him to take ten thousand men and go up against Sisera, and the Lord will deliver him into Barak's hands. Barak's response? "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." Now I could just picture Barak telling his buddies, "I'm going to fight Sisera, and Deborah is going with me." Their hoots of laughter would most likely ring out across the Kishon River. Then they would sober up and ask, "You're kidding, right?" But Barak's serious face would show he wasn't kidding.

Why would a man abandon his male ego and risk ridicule from his friends to ask a woman for help? I believe it could be one of two things: Deborah was a woman of power. As a judge, she settled disputes and people looked up to her. As a prophetess, her word could be trusted. But the other reason could be that Barak knew the anointing of the Lord was upon her, and he needed that if he was to succeed. But to ask a woman for help still seemed a bit cowardly. Nevertheless, the story goes on to say that Deborah accompanied Barak, and they defeated Sisera.

I think we could all, men and women, learn something from Barak. When we face tough issues, we should not be too proud to ask for help. And if it means asking someone who we might consider beneath us in station, let's do it. However, sometimes we might not find anyone we can ask. But Jesus is always there. He is the Christ, the anointed One. All power and wisdom reside in Him. We do not have to face our battles alone. We can say like Barak did: "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." It's the only sensible decision to make.

Forgiven

Some of the things I hear on the news never cease to amaze me. This week a case was brought before the court against a mother who gave false information about where she lived in order to get her kids into schools in another city. The prosecutor asked that the woman be sent to jail for one year because of this. However the woman pointed out that while she and the kids did not live at that address, her family did, and they would be able to provide after school care for her kids when necessary.

My heart filled with compassion for the woman, and I could see no earthly reason for such harsh punishment. Had the prosecutor ever lied in his life? How many criminals are walking about scot free because they and their attorneys lied? What happened to mercy, understanding and forgiveness? Our court system is based on the laws of the Bible, and I think that prosecutors should consider this before bringing certain cases before the court. I thought about Jesus and the compassion He felt for mankind. He forgave sinners and commanded us to forgive.

I'm not saying that everyone who lies should not face the consequences. What I'm saying is that each case should be judged on its own merit. I'm happy to say that the jury found the woman not guilty on all counts and she was set free. After the hearing the D.A. said his office never intended for her to be sent to jail. So why tie up the court's time with matters that could be settled otherwise? Do taxpayers have time or money to waste? Not with gas prices at over $3.00 a gallon. Are we being told the truth about the reason for those hight prices? Hmm.

A Prayer For Mothers

This is a prayer for all mothers, young and old, single or married, divorced, widowed or otherwise. As long as you are a mother, biological or adoptive, this prayer is for you.

Dear Lord, I thank you for gving me the gift of being a mother, the opportunity to love, cherish and nurture the precious human being you have loaned to me. Help me, Lord, to always remember that I'm not in this by myself. You are with me when I go into the delivery room, when I nurse that infant at my breast, when I sing him to sleep, and when I walk the floors at night. You are with me whether I feel pride at some small achievement, or whether I feel exasparated, overwhelmed or confused.

Help me to remember, Lord, that I am not perfect. You are the only perfect parent. In you lies all wisdom, strength and patience. So Father, when I don't know what to do or where to turn, remind me that you are there. That you see that child when I can't see him, because he is also your child, a heritage from You, and You guard your own fiercely.

So Father God, I thank you for this Mother's Day. A day that celebrates the most priceless miracle of all times - the birth of a human being. I do not take this miracle lightly, and everyday I fall on my knees I say thank you to My Heavenly Parent for the honor of sharing the joys- and the sorrows- of parenthood with You. Thank you, Lord.

One for the birds

Every morning I drive through densely wooded areas on my way to work. Nature lover that I am, this affords me the opportunity to enjoy God's creation in all its virgin beauty. Fall, with its varying shades of orange, red and yellow leaves, fills me with awe, and when the leaves begin to fall off, I feel a sense of personal loss. Winter offers little here in Atlanta by way of snow, so I wait eagerly for spring. This year, however it seems that the trees put out their decorations one morning and took them down faster than we do our Christmas decorations. And with the present drought, color is few and far between.

However, the birds are there. Flitting, swooping, zooming in and out, they attract me with their calls and their swift movements. One of my favorites is the red bird. I don't know the scientific name for it, but it's just red all over. It flits by and is gone quicker than my eyes can follow it. A friend told me she also loves the little creature. She said when her sister had to undergo an operation she was so worried, she prayed constantly that the surgery would be successful. She said while she sat on her porch praying, a red bird flitted by. On impulse she prayed, "Lord, if my sister is going to be allright, let me see another red bird." Not long after her prayers were answered. Since she told me this story, every time I see a red bird I ask the Lord to let me see another. And always, without my thinking about it, I would see another one before I get to work.

What does it mean? Maybe nothing. Or maybe God is just assuring me that He is there. Just as my friend prayed for that sign and God answered, I believe God is telling me, "I am here whenever you need Me. You may not see Me all the time, but I am here." In Isaiah 65:24 he says, "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."

Fess up.

This week a family in Atlanta scored a victory when two policemem involved in the shooting death of a ninety two year old woman pleaded guilty to planting evidence in the woman's house, lying and other things in an attempt to cover up the fact that they had botched a drug bust. I celebrate with the family, although the officers' confession and subsequent jail sentence will not bring the lady back. However it does give a sense of satisfaction to the family and to the community.

This reminds me of a passage I read in the Bible a few days ago in Luke 12:2-3. "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs"(NIV).

Did those officers really expect to get away with what they had done? Maybe. Others have in the past. But God is watching them and He is watching us. We may not commit a dastardly act like these policemen did, but God still sees, and He expects us to fess up before He "proclaims it from the roofs".

So let's ask ourselves, what are we hiding? What have we done that we would not tell our best friend about? Cheating, lying or even murder? No problem. We have another Best Friend we can confide in, and He won't tell anyone. His name is Jesus. He will forgive us and keep on loving us, just as He loves those policemen. And if we ask Him, He will give us the grace to abstain from whatever it is. God bless.

Sound off!

I usually don't sound off on things that are happening in the country, but after the tragedy at Virginia Tech last week, I feel I should say something. Contrary to what the President of the college said, I don't think every thing was done to prevent the massacre. I believe that after the first two people were murdered, shock must have rendered the authorities impotent to handle the situation, because in my opinion more could have been done to offset the massacre that followed.

For the college to remain open after the first two murders is to treat the situation like if someone had just stolen cookies from the cookie jar. Did authorities think the atmosphere following the shooting would be conducive to learning, or teaching? Did they expect to have business as usual after two people had been murdered on the campus? Did they hope to find the gunman on a campus of over twenty thousand students?

However, leveling blame would not bring back that teacher who used his body to protect his students, or those students who left home that morning with hopes of a bright future. My heart goes out to the bereaved families and friends and to the Chos who are hurting in a way we may never understand. But as some have said, let us hope that this incident would spark a lot of dialog as to how to prevent a similar recurrence from happening anywhere in the country.

Be a gold-digger

I recently discovered that the pages of my journal in which I've been writing for years now, are gilt-edged. So, you say, what is so special about that? Nothing, really, except that I discovered it after the pages have turned cream and are not so crisp any more. And as I stared at the gilt edges glinting in the light of the morning sun filtering through my bedroom window, I thought, how many people, situations in my life that seem ordinary are really extraordinary?

Have we searched for the gold in that husband, wife, child, brother, sister or friend with whom we interact day in and day out? The one who appears to have no special gift or value? Sometimes it's only when that person is removed from our lives that we appreciate the valuable qualities he or she had.

Or that job that seems so mundane, useful only to pay the bills, may have some gold beneath the dreary exterior. Maybe it's the friends we've made there or the skills we've acquired, or the fact that they always remember our birthday.

How about that situation that keeps you up at nights, sometimes causing you to reach for the Pepto Bismol? Even there, in that situation, you may find some gold. For the Bible says, "All things work together for good to them that love the Lord, and are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

So take a closer look around you, at the people in your life, the situations, the job, your environment, and you may find things beneath the surface that astonish you. You may strike gold, and when you do, treat it as the precious substance that it is,never becoming obsolete, always increasing in value.

God bless.

Good news

This week I received the good news that the book Cup of Comfort for Mothers, in which one of my devotionals is published, is about to hit the bookstores, just in time for Mother's Day. And why is this good news? Because it's the first meaningful publication I've ever had. This book will be widely circulated throughout the US and possibly abroad.

However, I'm also excited because the book will really be a source of comfort for mothers everywhere. Just yesterday I was speaking to a new found friend, and I told her about a program I listened to on my car radio where a woman was lamenting the fact that she'd brought up her child in church, but the child rebelled, and now she is filled with guilt. The host told her she should not blame herself because God, the perfect Father, created Adam and Eve, put them in a perfect environment, and they still rebelled.

As a mother, I also struggled with guilt over my two younger sons who have also rebelled against my Christian teachings. And that's what prompted me to write the devotional for Cup of Comfort. After I spoke to my friend yesterday, she shared with me her own struggle with guilt over her child. When I told my friend about the devotional, and how I'd come to realize that God never gives up on us, she hugged me and said, "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

It's true. God never gives up on us, no matter how much we hurt Him, therefore we should not feel guilty, neither should we give up on our children. I hope this encourages somebody today, and remember to look for Cup of Comfort for Mothers in bookstores next month. God bless you.