I'M SO THIRSTY

I was thinking about worship this morning and how spiritualy thirsty I am today... and one verse that although it does not reference worhip it always comes to my mind when I think about thirsting for God...it is found in Psalm 42:1-2…it say’s, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? The two things that I most relate to in these verses are, “As the deer pants…and …when can I go and meet with God?”

Have you ever craved a certain food? Maybe… some chocolate? I have craved chocolate so bad that I would cut into a chocolate cake before I even got it iced, with only one thought as I was cutting into the warm chocolate sweetness of that cake, and that was simply to devour it as soon as possible! I’ve seen people and animals alike crave after food or drink.

I’ve seen deer as they craved water so bad that they would look at my barking dog as though she was an idiot dog and pass her by just to get a drink from our pond because they were so thirsty for water. Those same deer come to our pond daily to quench that thirst. No one has to lead them there, because they have drank from its water before, and their thirst is what always leads them back. Like my craving for chocolate, they crave the cool refreshing water that the pond provides them. They know that my barking dog is no match for their thirst and nothing will keep them from returning time after time to be refreshed.

Some days my craving for the Lord is equally as great as that craving for chocolate. As I see the deer return to the pond to quench their thirst, I am reminded of Psalm 42:1-2 and that the meer fact that I thirst or crave for the Lord is a sign that I belong to Him and that no other person, nor other thing on earth can quench the thirst that I have. I know that because He has quenched my thirst in past times. As a matter of fact, I have never left His presence thirsty. I have tasted and I know it is good…and so I shall always return to His well… that never runs dry, to quench me when I am spiritually dry and weary for a fresh drink.

How bout you? Do you thirst or hunger after God in this way? Is the thirst or hunger there because you’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good and know that He alone can satisfy it?

A. W. Tozer describes that panting, taste or craving, as a "piercing sweetness"... he said that he had tasted God’s goodness, and it both satisfied him and caused him to be thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need, he said… I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made thirsty still." Now friend...that thar is some good stuff!

Jonathan Edwards described panting as… a longing to be satisfied, while Charles Spurgeon saw this craving as a sign of growth… saying, that the un-renewed man pants after anything other than God: . . . It proves a renewed nature when you long after God; it is a work of grace in your soul, and you may be thankful for it." I love that last part….”…and you may be thankful for it!

Paul craved after the Lord as well. You can tell in statements that he makes in the scriptures like the one in Philippians 3:8, where he says…What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…think about that, he considered everything a loss compared to his knowing the Lord….yeah, he knew about panting for the Lord, that you can be assured!

Hebrews tells us that God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him….so He will not fail you if you pursue Him or go to meet with Him like that latter part of Psalm 42:2 says. He will rush to meet you and to satisfy your desire. Which brings me to my point of worshiping... If you are like me, there are times that you so long for the Lord….to be in His presence face to face fellow shipping with Him and only worship takes us there (God inhabits the prasie of His people). There is a song that I love that actually talks about that verse in Psalm 42 concerning the deer panting after the water….it goes something like this…

As the deer pants for the water
So my soul longs after You.
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You.

You alone are my strength, my shield,
To You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You.

I want You more than gold or silver,
Only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy-giver
And the apple of my eye.

You're my Friend...,
Even though You are a King.
I love You more than any other,
So much more than anything.

While Jesus does fill me every time I go….I know that the thirst is allowed to keep me coming back, just like the deer…we both know where to go when we are craving a drink, because our thirst always leads us there! Jesus said that His Sheep hear His voice and know Him…. if you are thirsting...let it draw you to Him!

Oh sweet friend, run to Water of life….He is there waiting….even now!
Loving on you today,
Bren

WHAT FRUIT ARE YOU BEARING?

Jesus has told us that He is the tree and we are the branches....He also told us that He will prune the branches (us) so we will bear more fruit. Fruit that reflects His Charater. To be a branch is a real good thing. Because the branch is where the fruit grows. Not the trunk or the roots....but on the branches. However, while the fruit comes out of the branches, the roots and nourishment determines the fruit. So if we are not rooted in Christ we will not bear His fruit. Some may bear a counterfiet fruit, fruit that resembles His, but I assure you if you could cut into it and put it under the microscope of the scriptures it would not be His fruit; unless it comes from Him.

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us what the fruit of the Spirit are....check them out and see what you are bearing!

•Love will enable us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and, of course, our family, and others around us. Love is taking the initiative to build up and meet the needs of others without expecting anything in return. John 13:1; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:3

• Joy will allow us to enjoy His creation, others, and our circumstances with an expression of delight and real, authentic happiness and harmony with God and others. Proverbs 15:13; John 15:11; 17:13

• Peace is surrendering and yielding to the Lord’s control, regarding to our circumstances... for He is our ultimate peace! It is allowing tranquility to set our tone. Once we make real peace with God, we will be able to make and maintain peace with others. Matthew 5:9; Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7

• Patience is showing tolerance and fortitude to others, and even accepting difficult situations from God knowing that He is in control. Matthew 27:14; Romans 12:12; James 1:3,12

• Kindness is practicing benevolence and a loving attitude towards others, even when others mistreat us. Ephesians 4:32

• Goodness displays integrity, honesty, and compassion to others, and allows us to do the right thing. Matthew 19:16

• Faithfulness is the fruit that will preserve our faith and the other characters of the Spirit as well as identify God's Will so we can be dependable and trusting to God and others. Matthew 17:19; 25:21; 1 Cor. 12:9; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Thess. 5:24

• Gentleness is the character that will show calmness, personal care, and tenderness in meeting the needs of others not judging their motives or situation. Isa. 40:11; Phil. 4: 5; 2 Timothy 2:24; 1 Thess. 2:7

• Self-Control will allow us to have discipline, and restraint with obedience to God and others. 1 Thess. 5: 22

May the Lord show us all the true fruit in our lives and then prune off the bad, so that we can be better servants and wittness'es for His sake....

Loving you today,
Bren

A LITTLE HUMOR

The shopkeeper was dismayed when a brand new business much like his own opened up next door and put up a huge sign which read BEST DEALS. He was horrified when another competitor opened up on his right, and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, reading LOWEST PRICES. Though troubled, the shopkeeper did not panic, he simply used his disadvantaged to his advantage….he put a sign bigger than the other two over his own shop that read... MAIN ENTRANCE


In the supermarket was a man pushing a cart which contained a screaming, bellowing baby. The gentleman kept repeating softly, "Don't get excited, Albert; don't scream, Albert; don't yell, Albert; keep calm, Albert." A woman standing next to him said, "You certainly are to be commended for trying to soothe your son, Albert." The man looked at her and said, "Lady, I'm Albert."


A lady was walking down the street to work and she saw a parrot on a perch in front of a pet store. The parrot said to her, "Hey lady, you are really ugly." Well, the lady is furious! She stormed past the store to her work. On the way home she saw the same parrot and it said to her, "Hey lady, you are really ugly." She was incredibly angry now. The next day the same parrot again said to her, "Hey lady, you are really ugly."
The lady was so angry that she went into the store and said that she would sue the store and kill the bird. The store manager replied, "That's not good," and promised the parrot wouldn't say that again. When the lady walked past the store that day after work the parrot called to her, "Hey lady." She paused and said, "Yes?"…The bird said, "You know..."

I love you and hope that you have a wonderful week....
Bren

CHANGING YOUR PERSPECTIVE

Do you ever question God? How about questioning the motives of others….ever done that? For the most part I think that we all do at times on both. Often times, changing our perspectives about something or someone can steer us away from the grief and burden that those questions can bring. While going in the opposite direction of what we may want is never easy, sometimes, it is a must!

Chances are you have done this before without being aware of its benefits. Think about something in your past that you were particularly embarrassed about; and when you look back months later you can laugh about it. The facts and the events have not changed but your point of view of it did. Having that different point of view can then create a different understanding; and it results in a different experience or feeling about it. If we consciously applied this concept every day in every challenge that it brings, we then could be much better judges of ourselves and others. We would also have more peace with God and less struggling over why things happen the way that they do!

Change will happen as we begin to practice doing it; changing our perspectives that is! You see basically all of us compare our own perspective to what we can see, what we can observe. If we are in a valley our sight is limited to the things that are happening on the ground. But someone who is high on top of a mountain may observe something quite different; for they have a different perspective, because their view is different than ours. If we will only take the effort to look further, to put ourselves in someone else’s position, we may see something quite different than our own experience. If we climb the mountain where they are, or they come down to the valley where we are, we both are able to understand each others point of reference or point of view…..I use that big word because I learned it in college….

I am for the most part, a person that sees things as black or white. So, the Lord has had to teach me and “still is”, I might add; to see things in color. That means that things are never black or white unless it is some great Truth from the mouth of God. No matter how terrible a situation may look from our perspective; that same situation may be the source of joy and happiness if we only knew the full picture and only knew the end result that may come from it, like the Lord does.

When a retail store goes bankrupt another one will seize the opportunity. When someone looses a friend, someone else will gain one. That co-worker may be difficult to get along with on your job but may be a terrific mother to her children. She may even be, giving you pats on the back to others behind the scene… that you are unaware of, and that is the point. It is what you are not aware of that can draw your attention or affections away and cast doubt and fear on your situations.

Because things are not always what they seem; remember that what may seem unpleasant at first may be a blessing in the long run. Unless we have the full perspective, it is always difficult to judge any situation. That’s why it is so important to pass judgment with curiosity and compassion. Once we realize the limitations of our own perspective, we can start changing it; and everyone will benefit from our change!

Even this very week the Lord showed me something that I had been struggling with as to why He allowed my work situation to change a month ago from where I was to where I now am at. In His great wisdom and kindness He had known about some news that I was going to be receiving at a later time which was also this past week….and He was behind the scenes making preparation for that change in my life. A change that I might add was a very serious one.

You see He had my best interest in mind. He knew the whole picture, what was ahead of me. All I had to do was to put my trust in a loving Father that I knew… that I could trust….and simply wait it out, until the answer that I was looking for came to pass. While I was trusting in Him, knowing that He would work it out… I had become disappointed in the fact that my situation had changed and I was unhappy with the change.

Sadly, my disappointment in the change was overshadowing my faith to trust Him. While I was saying on one hand, “I thank you Father for making another way” for me to be able to continue to work period…..I was also saying, “But I really want to be back where I was”. You see you can never go ahead with God until you let go of the past…in anything!

As I was whining (and that is exactly how God sees it) about my situation…God was working on another situation that was far worst than my current one. He was getting ready to make a way for me to change my other situation that had come up… that was more serious, by first allowing my original problem. When I realized all of that, I just wanted to shout! I wanted to beg God to forgive me for once again, not trusting His long arm to reach down and through all my situations to work them out for my best interest in and through it all. WOW….what an awesome God I live for and serve! Yep….He did it again! He made a way when there was no other way for me!

Sweet friend, you and I can change our perspective on things, we go the other direction….dare I say, that we must change on some things. Who knows, God may be trying to do something great in your current situation….but because like I had been, you are struggling with Him about it. Please be willing to let it go, and see things from His perspective….for He is trying to work things out for your good! Don’t be discouraged….know there is a bigger plan, and trust that plan no matter what!

Ti's so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word!
Loving you today,
Bren

CAN YOU SLEEP WHEN THE WIND BLOWS?

I read a story once about a farmer who owned some land along the Atlantic seacoast. He was constantly advertising for hired help. Many people were reluctant to work on farms around and along the Atlantic coastline because they dreaded the awful storms that came across wreaking havoc on the homes, barns and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals once they found out where the job would be located. Finally, a short, thin middle aged man, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by his answer, the farmer desperate for help hired him.

The little man did a fine job working around the farm. He was always busy from dawn to dusk and the farmer was very satisfied with his work. One night the wind picked up and howled loudly as it passed over the farmer’s home and land. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and ran to the hired man’s room where he was sleeping.

He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly to the farmer, "No sir. It’s like I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm and to his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.

The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant when he said that he could sleep when the winds blow.

Oh sweet friend, let us too learn how to sleep when the wind is blowing around us because we know that we have done what needs to be done….we are prepared for whatever may come our way. …

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair…”
2 Corinthians 4:8

Praying peace in the midst of your storm today….and loving you right where you are!
Bren

EMBRACE FORGIVENESS - FLEE GRUDGES

Have you ever heard these statements, "I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here.” or "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go". These are humorous statements that many of us can laugh at because if we are honest about it... we often relate to them from time to time. Life provides us many encounters with people of different backgrounds, personalities and philosophies. Some folks we just connect with, while others seem to cause traffic jams in our lives.

The scripture tells us in Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” The most important point in this devotion today, is that there are times that having peace with everyone is not always going to be possible. Sometimes no matter how we try and make things right by reaching out to others, there will be someone that is unwilling to cut the string of indifference and agree to disagree with each other in love.

We all fall short of being perfect and are all very capable of having hurts and holding grudges against others: and furthermore, there are times when others have hurts and hold grudges against us. Yet, God’s Word tells us to make every effort on our parts to be at peace with them.

If we have done everything we know to be at peace with someone then we have done our parts. But being at peace sometimes may mean, to simply love them from afar. God knows our hearts and He knows if we harbor ill will towards someone and He will hold us accountable for it. Yet He also understands that for peace sakes, we may need to avoid possible circumstances that could develop if we put ourselves in a situation with someone that we have had conflict with in past times. You have heard the statement “Stay the course”, well, in some case’s we may need to “stay the distances” meaning “keeping some distance between you and another possible bad situation”. But in staying the distance, we need to be sure that we bare no grudge or ill will with anyone.

Some people find it very hard to surrender their grudges and simply choose to hang on to them. They will actually pamper it and find comfort in fueling it. Grudges are long-standing resentments that carry with them deep-seated feelings of spite, jealousy, bitterness and hostility. They have a way of oozing ill will, infecting relationships, and can cause guilt, anger and even pain.

Allowing grudges to fester in us destroys our peace of mind and leads to misery and suffering, both physically and spiritually for ourselves as well as our family and friends. The more grudges we carry, the more cranky and unloving we become and don’t think for a moment that other people do not see in us the sin that it really is! We can commit to letting go of our grudges by first admitting that we have them and that can be very hard for some to do. If we can only see the fault in others and not ourselves, then someone may need to lend us a mirror so that we can take a closer look.

The source of our grudges does not matter as much as what we do about them. We can build case’s against anyone if we are building them from our own perspectives, and yet, that only adds more pain and confusion. We can alleviate a grudge by deciding to focus on the future of that relationship and not the past. Most of the grudges we hold on to are too old any ways.

The act that hurt or offended us may always remain a part of our life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on us and help us focus on other, more positive parts of those relationships. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of compassion, understanding, and even empathy for the one who hurt us. Walking in someone else’s shoes can change our perspective about things and give us a much better understanding as to why others act and think the way they do.

Forgiveness doesn't mean that we deny the other person's responsibility for their actions, and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong that we feel they may have done. But never the less, we can forgive them. And, if we don't practice forgiveness, we will be the one who pays most dearly. By embracing forgiveness, we embrace peace, once again have hope, feel gratitude and have our joy restored.

If we dwell on hurtful events or situations, grudges filled with resentment, vengeance and hostility will take root. Let’s move away from our role as victim and release the control and power that the offending person and situation have had in our life, and as we let go, our lives will no longer be defined by how we've been hurt, and in this way we will find as well as show others that we truly can love and live the life that Jesus died for us to have, if only we will embrace forgiveness and flee our grudges.

…as far as it depends on us….let us make every effort to live at peace with everyone! Life is short and the world will know that we belong to God by our love for each other…

Loving you today!
Bren

SHIPWRECKED BUT NOT HOPELESS

A former survivor of a shipwreck told the story about being washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he would scan the horizon to see if help was coming… but none seemed forthcoming.

Weary of heart and exhausted from gathering his resources to prepare for his grim future, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of some driftwood that was to provide him shelter from the elements, and to store what little possessions he had. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived back at his meager little hut to find it in flames. Oddly, the smoke was rolling up to the sky as if someone were fueling it.

The worst that could have happened; had… everything was lost. Shocked with grief and anger, he cried out, "God, how could you do this to me!". Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the little island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied!

Discouragement hits it’s hardest when we are already down because of other happenings in our lives. But we should never lose heart, because God is always at work, even right dab in the midst of the worst of it all. Just remember, that the next time you find your little hut burning to the ground….don’t loose faith…it just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace and mercy of God to your need.

Never let your circumstance dictate your joy…you may be shipwrecked …but you are never hopeless...and never not loved! Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the Lord….my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

Loving you today,
Bren

THE LOVE OF A SHEPHERD

The life of a Shepherd has always intrigued me and caused me to write many times about him and the relationship that he has with his sheep. I love to read about them as well. I read once that a Shepherd of sheep should never get married, because they don’t really go with a house. What that statement means, is that a true Shepherd loves his sheep, and knows that they need his constant attention and that it is very hard to devote all his time to the sheep and still have the kind of time that a family requires.

For some Shepherds, their family lives and travels with him wherever he may go. Actually, Shepherds do have a home! It is the land and fields in which their flock feeds and rest. Their contentment is in the simple things of life, like the comfort and warmth of their campfire, as they eagerly attend it for both themselves and their sheep as the light of the day diminishes and the darkness of the night surrounds them. The simmer of the coffee pot on the hot coals after a long day of walking and worrying over the sheep, defending them from whatever prey may have been about them. His bed is always close to the sheep and often times are made of soft leaves and branches. His comforts are set aside because his priority is for his sheep.

Most Shepherds have a quite dignity and privacy about them that comes from spending so much time alone. His physical appearance is often rugged, rough and even at times hard looking. For the most part they live in solitude with only the friendship of the sheep to keep them company. They are men of the mountains, valleys and often times wilderness. They go wherever their sheep can feed on good pasture. His sheep follow him and know his voice when he calls them. The Shepherd knows each one by name and is tender to his sheep no matter how rough and tough he himself may be. The sheep love him and are comforted by His soothing voice and gentle spirit.

The scriptures tell us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-16) to the sheep that hear His voice. When I think about it, I realize just how wise God was when He decided to liken His own children to sheep on so many levels. His plan was a great one. You see the Bible says that we will know Jesus by His voice, when He speaks if we are His sheep we will know it is Him and not a false shepherd. It was not to be his appearance that we recognize but His voice. The only description of Jesus’ physical appearance that we have in the scripture is found in Isaiah 53:2 and says this….“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” This verse blows every picture I have ever seen out the window concerning what I thought that He look like. Who else but God would have conceived a philosophy where salvation would come through believing that God would come to us as a helpless baby, born in a stinking stable, a peasant among a despised, subjugated people in an obscure land, and would later be nailed up to die like the worst of criminals.

You see God knew that there would be times of darkness in our lives and that only His soothing voice would give us the comfort that we would need during those scary cold dark times of our lives. When I think of my own Daddy, it has never been his face that I long to see, for I have many pictures of that….but oh how I would love once again to hear his voice and him say to me, “honey, I love you, and I am here….it will be alright”! Somehow just knowing that Jesus is around me, gives me the greatest of comfort. I hear His voice every time the faith in me says….you can trust Him Bren….though you may not be able to see Him…He is not absent in His silence ….He may just be seeing if He can trust me to stay in the fold or wonder out because I think that He is not watching.
John 10:11-16 “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. "
“As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”

Sometimes sheep can be very stubborn and equally unwise if they decide to venture out on their own, apart from the Shepherd’s fold. For the most part, the Shepard’s keen eye is ever on the sheep. But unlike Jesus, the Shepard is not all knowing and is limited to seeing all his sheep at all times. In order to maintain and watch over them properly, he places them in folds. These folds are man made circles that have boundaries that protect the sheep from their ever present enemies and limits them to where they can go. This keeps the sheep from wondering off to places that they have no business wondering off to.

A good shepherd will even leave the fold trusting only the keen eyes of his dogs (angles) to keep an eye on the flock while he is away to find a lost sheep… as some are known to wonder off. But, it is he that goes and finds the sheep….he never ask a friend or one of his trusty dogs….but he goes himself to retrieve that which is lost. Matthew 18:12-14 and Luke 15:4-7

I love my Good Shepherd, I hear His voice and I know Him. He comforts me when I am afraid and rescues me when I wonder….oh the love of the Shepherds!

Praying that Jesus is your Good Shepherd and that you graze on the good pasture that He leads you to and you are nourished and satisfied!
Loving you today,
Bren

THE LONELINESS OF AN EMPTY NEST

There is a photo that sits on the sink in my bathroom now that has replaced a picture of what once was my two daughters. It is a picture of my two grand boys. I see that picture everyday as I pass by the sink to brush my teeth or fix my hair. There are times that I will pause and even shed a tear or two because I miss them so much and my heart aches to be with them. I have had many heartaches in my lifetime and some of them have been because of a loved one that was once an ever present companion but moved on in their life and left a void in my own.

I recall the time when my younger sister move to another state because of her family situation and it left a huge hole in my heart even though I knew it was better for her that she go. I also recall a time that my older sister moved away from me because of a better job situation. Her moving away from me tore a hole through my heart like you could not imagine. I recall standing in my back yard, looking up to the sky, crying and begging God, asking Him why He had allowed her to move away from me at that time in my life. I had felt very alone and almost abandoned.

But I have never felt loneliness in the form of pain like I did when my daughters left home to begin their own lives and families apart from their Dad and me. While I might not had planned to build my life on my children, I must tell you that after they were gone, I realized very quickly that I had built my life all around them. Their happiness and protection was what I lived for. I was a determined mother with a cause and a plan. But there was one problem with that plan; I found that I had not made very good plans for a future after they were gone. Oh, I might have joked about it by saying things like, “When my kids leave home, I am going to do such and such”….but I had only dreamed and talked about it, as I busied myself living my life with and through them.

At first it was all good and fun as we packed them up and moved them into their new homes to begin their own new lives apart from us. Besides, Charles and I had been raising them to be on their own ….I was the one that would end up having a problem of being apart from them…They were busy starting their new lives apart from us and enjoying it. While I can remember them calling me at times saying that they missed us and later on, even missing the home that they had grown up in….they never dealt with loneliness like I did, nor did my husband and I must tell you that I am glad, that they didn't!

What I soon began to realize, was that I was going to have to learn how to overcome that loneliness and shake it off, because it was paralyzing the parts of me that once was vibrant, busy and even lovely. I mean the part of me that attracted others to the Lord. I could feel myself climbing into a shell. I never wanted to go anywhere, do anything and I found myself for the first time in my life, not wanting to be around people. You see the loneliness was taking me over. I felt like it was controlling my life; and it was! It was one of the toughest challenges of my life to face the fact that my daughters were no longer around... to run to town with me or go up to the Church as I worked on some project. I was by myself…I worked during the day, Charles worked at night and I was alone. That sad loneliness filled the empty void that was in my heart and it became the replacement in the girl’s absence…it had become my dark friend.

In the few years that came and in the midst of dealing with the groping pain of loneliness from missing my daughters, divorce hit our family and devastated us all... it's repercussions were felt by our entire family as well as my life and even within my own personal ministry. My youngest daughter went through a horrible divorce that made me understand God’s love in more ways and levels than I could ever begin to tell you about. And while we have seen God restore what satan has tried to destroy, I must tell you that the pain of it all, was overwhelming at times. It always came in waves that hit me when I was least expecting it. Yet, I was determined not to be moved by it, no matter how it tore at me. While I did not understand so much of what was happening to me, because it was all coming at the same time, I was determined to stay the course, develop the tenacity to stick to what I knew and not to worry about what I did not know; and understand that in time the Lord would work it out….and He did and He is!

I found that, as in times past, only the Lord could give me the comfort I needed. As I looked to friends, no one had any special words to say to me that could relieve the anguish in my heart during those days. For the most part the ones that I did turn to had never gone through what I was going through; while others would not admit to their own pain and lived in denial as to the fact that their children had never gone through what mine was going through, and the pain only grew as I felt like a failure and blamed myself for it all. I actually felt worse when I sought their comfort, compassion and understanding and swore if I ever got through those days (and I knew that I would, through Christ) I would be a towering lighthouse to those that hurt and felt alone.
Well, joy truly does come in the morning; after the darkness passes. I have learned that I must bear with it until it passes and that with God all things are possible. We can not appreciate the light until we have understood the darkness; and sweet friend, I can promise you that you can not understand that darkness until you have passed through it. Until you have felt the cold dark arms grip you in it’s vice and hold you tight until you feel like you could pass out. I am talking about the kind of darkness that hides in the closets of our loneliness and self pity. Its presence will lure you in by making you think that there is comfort and pity for you there. But friend you will wake up one day only to find that you are alone and worse off than you were before you entertained it’s invitation.

Coping with loneliness is only a byproduct of facing life's challenges. Your friends may not always understand what it feels like to be in your situation unless they've been in that circumstance themselves. Perhaps they don't comprehend your challenges or are unwilling to face their own struggles and may not know how they can help you with yours. Therefore, you can feel like your friends are letting you down. But may I remind you that Jesus is a constant friend in whom you can confide and find resolve. Run to Him….your faith will guide you as you go!

In retrospect, I can now see that God had moved on my behalf, in all of the events that took place during those deep, dark valleys in my life. At times, I was struggling to hear God's voice and seeking to see Him work.....and some days I could and in those days that I could not, I chose to trust Him; because sometimes His answers were not what I was seeking or expecting at the time…but in the end, they all proved to be what I needed; And that is what I mean by “joy does come in the morning”…it is all in God’s time. We forget that while we are busy raising up our children, God is busy raising us up spiritually; and in order to grow up we have to be stretched and moved away from where we are.

I even felt that my spirituality was being judge on the level of where I was… by some people… and in my defense all that I could do to encourage myself was to recall scriptures and be encouraged through them and what I knew was the truth, not what I perceived others to be thinking of me or my situation. Scriptures like Proverbs 5:21: "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines His paths." Erroneously, the world far too often equates health and prosperity with God's blessings; and suffering and pain with God's judgment. When many times, we simply go through trials for the experience, to be able to help others…not because of some sin that we have committed.

As I was dealing with and coping with my loneliness and pain at it’s very deepest level; I was reading my Bible and one day one of the scriptures that I read reminded me that the same thing happened to Jesus…. in His darkest hour in the Garden of Gethsemane his friends had deserted Him and He was all alone Matthew 26 to work it out by Himself. A light bulb went off and for the first time in that situation I really felt like someone understood the place where I was at... He had to go through those dark days alone….why….because no one else really understood what He was facing. No one could give Him advice, He had to do it alone; and alone He did face it; and that is why He now understands our loneliness and pain, because He too suffered it. Jesus met me at my point of need, at my point of pain. He too felt abandoned for a while… so He is all about our sufferings….because He too suffered!

I found great comfort in the fact that Jesus experienced everything that I experience, and He knows exactly how I feel. He can comfort us, because He's been there too. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. He promises to stick closer to us than a brother. He says that if we call for help, He will say, "Here am I!" So right now….run to Him! Ask Him to take away your pain and loneliness of that missing person or relationship; and after you have ask Him to take the pain away, be willing, ”really willing” to give it to Him….that is the key….to give it to Him. I am not sure that we will ever escape being tempted to be lonely…because I still feel it when I look at those two boys in that picture sitting on my sink….yet now I know because of my past experience with my daughters that I can move on to another place, if I am willing to run to the source of my strength to get what I need to make it through whatever I may have to endure.

God provides us with an awesome sense of worth when we trust Him and run to Him. When we give Him our loneliness and self pity…He says in Isaiah 46:4 “I will be your God throughout your lifetime …I will carry you along and save you.” The Lord is here to help us enjoy our future years, have peace in them, and find the perfect balance in the next stage of life. Like me, you too will have to find your own way, because its part of life’s lessons….but remember, you are not alone, seek the Lord while He may be found, because He is what and who your soul is looking for! He is that refreshing drink that we all thirst for!
Loving you and praying for your joy to be complete as you turn to Him,
Bren

THE WRONG IN ME JUDGES THE WRONG IN YOU

Sometimes the wrong in me judges the wrong in others and I have no right because I am worse off than they are… so Jesus says…

In Luke 6:39-42 Jesus told His disciples a parable, he said, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

Because of the sad and pitiful condition of the blind, the Mosaic Law prescribed kindness and assistance to those that could not see, forbidding anyone to place a stumbling block in their path Lev 19:14 and Deut 27:18. This kindness was practiced and understood to the Jews and so when Jesus was speaking about judging others, he knew at just the right angle to come from for them to grasp the meaning of what He was telling them.

We are all born judges….our sin nature provide us with that desire. Yet, if we judge someone before we have judged ourselves and conclude our decision not based on love and forgiveness we have failed miserably in our judgment. We may not think that others know our hearts, but oh sweet friend, if we judge them wrongly, they can see….they may not see clearly, but oh they see or feel our judgment.

Just picture yourself walking up to a friend, family or fellow church member, all puffed up with the assurance that you are about to do them a favor by revealing to them some great sin that they have committed…(taking the splinter out of their eye for them) …..And you end up knocking them down with the huge beam in your own eye as you bend over to take their splinter out….that beam in your eye becomes a stumbling block to them at that point. While you may think your intentions are good, you had better be very careful or you will end up hurting yourself along with inflicting un-needed pain on them! More times than often, simply praying for someone can bring conviction, repentance and change to others far better than anything that we can say to them or do.

You can imagine how well that goes! The brother or sister with the splinter is offended and the one with the beam does not understand why they are so unwilling to come to grips with their sinful eye splinter! The whole time the one with the eye splinter just sees the big old beam in the eye of the one try to help them as just unrepentant hypocrisy; and they are easily turned off and turned away.

It is not that God can not use us to point out someone’s weakness or even sin. We just need to be mindful about it and do it the right way in a spirit of love, removing first our own sin and then we can genuinely help them with their eye splinters as we first recognize our deficiencies, prove our own work, remain humble brothers and sisters; and then we can look more carefully to help others with their difficulties. When thy realizes that we do not feel that we are better than they are, our attempt to assist will have much better results.

However, when we refuse to recognize our failures, we deceive ourselves, and it is easier for us to treat other people contemptuously. That is precisely why we must recognize our failures, even though it is very uncomfortable at times; it forces us into humility, understanding that we are really no better than anyone else, and that will allow us to show compassion and mercy to others and be like Christ to everyone we meet.

Loving you in the light of His truth!
Bren