Me too

We are all struggling. We struggle to manage...to cope...to deal...with guilt and shame and sin.

We hide. We hide away...isolate...despair.

We don’t want to be a burden. So, we pretend...we get busy...we put on our mask.

All alone...suffering...breaking.

Yet, we were not created to walk this walk alone. There is such hope and joy in a couple of simple words from a friend: "me too". There’s the start of healing in those words. Be a blessing and allow yourself to be blessed by those words and a relationship that gets you through the struggles and challenges of life.

"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Keep building your relationships. Seek out that treasured individual or two you can truly trust and whose counsel is Biblical and heart nurturing. Reach out to a friend or two and be the change you want to see in your own life in others’.

Press in and press on,

Giselle

Just Stop

My most recent job was working as a paramedic. To say that it was an interesting job would be an understatement! Like any job though, it had its share of frustrations.

Cell phones are a wonderful invention – and are to our benefit most of the time. I have no doubt that people making a 9-1-1 call from the scene of someone experiencing an emergency of some kind has resulted in the necessary help getting there soon enough to make a difference…however, not everyone who makes that call stays or even stops at the scene. That was one of the frustrations of my job…the drive by caller!

This happened often enough that it really started to irritate me. It seemed to happen most often when slippery roads and poor visibility were factors. Someone driving down the highway would spot a car in the ditch. A call would be put in to dispatch EMS, fire personnel and RCMP. Because the caller hadn’t stopped there would be no way of knowing how many people might be involved, if in fact anyone was injured. More often than not, either someone was patiently waiting for a tow truck or the car had been in the ditch for some time and no one was even around.

I do understand the fear that someone might actually be injured and then what do you do…sort of…

One dispatch that I heard though made me think that this was often not the case - the caller actually stated that he “didn’t have time to stop.”

Remind you of anything? Ever heard of “The Good Samaritan?” You can read this story in Luke10:25 – 37.

The priest and the Levite are a kind of prototype of the ‘drive by caller’ – except they didn’t call…or drive! They certainly didn’t stop…things to do, people to see, I guess.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in our own day. The things we need to do. Responsibilities. Maybe it’s even that others are depending on us to be at a certain place at a certain time and helping someone out whose day isn’t going so well just doesn’t fit easily into the schedule. And yet…what does Jesus say? He says we should show mercy. (vs. 36, 37)

Showing mercy, extending kindness, being a neighbour will cost you something. It will at the very least cost your time. It may entirely hijack your day’s agenda. It might even be messy and seem to be beyond your level of comfort…but showing mercy is necessary. Expected. Because we have been shown mercy.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Does that motivate you? You have received mercy…so extend mercy…

Could that thought, that truth, help us to slow down our day for others…maybe even stop by the side of the road?

Ruth

Reconnections

1 Thess. 5:11 says, "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."

I was recently scrolling through my list of friends on facebook and I was reminded of the many I haven't heard from in a long time. I don't know if you have ever done that with your list of friends, but if you haven't let me encourage you to take some to do that. It may feel like a waste of time and depending on how many friends you have it may take a little while, but I think it's a good exercise to remind us of our friends.

Perhaps it would be a good time to send a message to them individually, or perhaps you could pick up the phone and give them a call - to touch base and reconnect. Or perhaps you could set up a coffee date or shopping date with a group of your friends. I'm more and more convinced if we don't make an intentional effort to stay in touch, life will just happen and we'll find ourselves looking at weeks, months and even years between visits. (Let me remind you to be sure you have appropriate contact with those of the opposite gender.)

If you're not on facebook, perhaps you could take a few minutes to skim through your address book and send a note or pick up the phone and reconnect with those you haven't heard from in ages.

This may seem odd, but it's biblical to stay in touch, to chat on the phone and/or to message each other on facebook. We need to continue to encourage each other and build each other up. I don't need to tell you there are seasons in life which can be challenging and difficult, but there are also seasons of great joy and laughter. We need to be able to share these times with each other as well.

Pray over these re-connections and ask the Lord to guide your conversation. Let's read our bibles with the intention of finding ways to put the scriptures into practice in the everyday moments of our lives.

Jo-Ann

Message Central

I love a good note – written or received. Going to the mailbox is hardly what it used to be. There used to be far more letters and fewer bills. Now, there’s rarely a letter there. I love that I can count on my Grandma to always include a note with her birthday/anniversary cards and even the occasional random letter only. They are a treasure of her thoughts. Truly, it’s an art form that is fading away. I can think back to when our daughter was a preteen and devouring the Anne of Green Gables series of books. It reflected in her writing. She would write her closest friends the most eloquent letters, delighting in penmanship and paper and scenting envelopes. We would make mailboxes for each member of our family recycling two litre milk cartons, individually decorating them, making some paper available and exchanging notes. Sometimes our box would contain a doodled picture, other times a note of encouragement or disappointment if a child didn’t get their way. Sometimes, it would contain a reminder. It was a form of “message central”. Today, there sits a mailbox in our parlour for our six year old – encouraging us to write (and delight) him. However, we neglected to make one for the rest of us. So, guess where our notes are found?

These precious notes can be found at the place where he figures we are most apt to find it. It’s so cute when he eagerly asks me if I’ve found his latest work of love. Mine show up on my bedside table, on top of the book I’m reading, or I’ll find it in the morning by my Bible. Sometimes it’s on my desk front and centre. Where would someone leave a note for you if they really wanted you to find it?

I’m so thankful I know exactly where to look for encouragement from my Heavenly Father - in the Word. It’s now more accessible than ever, in print, CD, electronically and stitched already in my heart. This week, pen a note/drawing or two to your spouse, family member or friend. Have fun with it! Maybe even “pen” it in lipstick on the bathroom mirror. Make them smile!

Then, dig back into the Word of God and let Him sweeten your day with the Word He has for you – His letter of love. Be reminded of just how much you matter to Him. Here are a few I love to read over and over again:

I chose you when I planned creation. 
Ephesians 1:11-12

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 
1 John 3:1

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. 
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. 
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. 
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. 
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. 
Jeremiah 32:40

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. 
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

Remember: YOU ARE LOVED!

Press in and press on,

Giselle

To Do or Not To Do

I think that I may have a kind of love/hate relationship with my to do list. I love the structure that it gives my day. I hate how it can rule my day. And one thing worse than having an uncompleted to do list is misplacing that list!

Regularly, I list far more tasks than can be completed in one day. A glance at the unfinished list before I crawl into bed can totally steal my rest as my mind wrestles with the list and how I will fit today’s undone jobs into tomorrow’s already full day.

God whispers “Don’t worry.”

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt.6:27)

Well, I have proven that verse over and over! If all the worrying that I have done added hours to my day, I would have had all the extra time that I needed to complete every to do list that I have written!

Here’s another verse from the same chapter: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (vs.34)

I don’t mean to be disrespectful – but seriously?! You know the people who always say,”Just take one day at a time.”? (Okay – I’ve said that!) So –is that what this is saying? Each day has enough trouble of its own – so really just concentrate on worrying about today. Tomorrow you can worry about tomorrow. Put that on your to do list!

In among these verses about worry are reminders. God knows. God knows what you need. God knows your concerns. God knows – so don’t worry. Not today. Not tomorrow.

When you see a ‘therefore’ in scripture, it is a good practice to read what came before it – kind of a ‘what’s the therefore there for?’ In this case, the “therefore do not worry…” follows this verse: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Your Father knows – so seek him.

Seek him instead of worrying.

Seek him. Learn of him. Know him.

Then go ahead – try to worry. It won’t work! You can stroke that worry time off your to do list! In its place write “seek first”. Better results. Guaranteed!

Ruth

Ps. 117:1,2

"Praise the LORD, all you nations.
Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love;
the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise the LORD!"

Whatever It Takes Lord

Last Monday I wrote about praying for our young people. I continue to feel stirred and burdened with this. Today I find myself feeling unsettled. I'm more unsettled with what I'm praying for (or not praying for) than I am with the fun, crazy and sometimes goofy behaviour of those a generation younger than me.

Actually, I find myself even more challenged to not just pray a little bit, but to pray A LOT. To intercede for others (especially those younger than myself) for them to have a full-on, life-changing, radical experience with Father God.

You see, I'm convinced that unless each of us has a personal encounter with our Heavenly Father, then we'll constantly find ourselves trying to corral kids into church, hoping they'll want to be there . . . spending their Sunday with God. What if their encounter with God influenced every thought they had? What if our youth and young adults experienced Jesus in such a way that nothing else mattered other than living 100% for God - whatever the cost? What if we were earnestly praying and interceding for this to happen?

I find myself asking the question, Am I willing to pray . . . "Do whatever it takes Lord, but get a hold of their lives."? You see, if we're going to pray this prayer then we need to let God do whatever it will take. We need to remember God loves our kids way more than we can even imagine!

Lately I've found myself hearing speakers, and even more so, hearing God's voice speaking to me about praying for our youth and young adults. Not the kind of prayers to bless them and to keep them comfortable, to pass their tests so they can get a good education so they can get a good job so they can make money so they can live comfortably. No, I've begun praying that God would get a hold of their lives and radically meet our kids (church kids specifically) in a powerful, unique and especially personal way. So their lives would be radically sold out for God and that we, the parents and adults, would be scrambling to keep up with them as they lay their lives on the line for the sake of Christ.

I don't know if anyone else has been challenged to begin to earnestly pray for and to intercede on behalf of our youth and young adults, but I long for God to change them and for the Holy Spirit to empower them, so God's name can be glorified throughout the earth. You see there are a number of countries around our world which don't allow the freedom to hear about Jesus. Someone(s) need to be willing to share Jesus with them. Are you willing to pray for those you know to be the one(s) to tell others about Jesus?

As an adult, and perhaps even a parent, are you willing to begin to spend time before God, interceding for them? Will you pray through the issues of your heart so you can pray for the issues in their hearts?

1 Thess. 5:17 says, "Never stop praying."

Jo-Ann