The fact that Jesus emptied and limited Himself when He came to earth, makes me wonder exactly how much the human part of Him grasped the extent of His imminent suffering. Jesus eagerly desired to save the world, but as the end drew near, as Jesus talked to His Father in a garden reminiscent of the one where the first Adam hid from His Father, as Jesus prepared to absorb in His sinless body all the sins of the world, all the wrath of His Father… His heart picked up, His hands trembled, blood-red beads of sweat awakened the raw …
Everything Happens For A Reason?
“How can it be possible that everything happens for a reason? Some things are too painful!” Has a hurting friend ever said this? How did you respond? [box] “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15[/box] As Christians, our hope isn’t based on feelings and circumstances; it’s based on God’s character, Sovereignty, and unshakable love. The bright Jewel of heaven went through hell for us. Why? Because He’s all about redeeming our broken places. Look How …
Secrets & Mysteries
I love talking to God in the morning when everyone’s asleep and it’s quiet, except for my husband’s snoring, (which reminds me how much I need to talk to God in the first place! <grin>) You can’t put a price tag on prayer. We get to connect with the God of the universe ~ the mysterious Father who gave us the Son who gave us the Spirit so we can connect back with the Father! “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” Job 11:6-8 Millions of books have been written on God, …
A Word to the Dying
Cindy Finch Suffering from roller-coaster emotions? I wish I could tell you some sweet little words that would make it better. But I can’t. You are on a long, hard journey. But you are not alone. When you’re reduced to nothing but grit… and even that is diminishing, God promises to hold you in His tender care and stand tough on your behalf. Watch His light shine brightest in your darkness. To the Terminally Ill: Hold hands with God; He knows the way. Do everything you know to do; then leave the rest to the all-powerful One. Let Him choose …
King of the Sewer
Crisis When my friend, Cindy Finch, was pregnant with her youngest son, Brandon, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. “You’d be dead in a few weeks if you didn’t come to see me,” her oncologist told her. When doctors gave Cindy the most aggressive cancer treatments available, they said, “they’ll either kill you or save you.” Cindy became sick beyond functioning; but by a miracle of God, the medicine worked! Five years into remission, Cindy was thrust in another test: The treatments had caused her to develop serious heart and lung failure. Open-heart surgery removed the damaged …
God Never Wastes Pain
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROz6m7DP5oc[/youtube] Whatever you’re going through, Christ sees the purpose beyond your here and now. In 2005 He arranged my friendship with a young wife and mother who was dying of stage four lung cancer. Chantale invited me into her world for regular visits. I was nervous because I didn’t know what to say, but God reminded me of my gift to write poetry. When Chantale said it brought her peace, I kept writing these home and hospice-delivered gifts. What started as poetry in obscurity has become a faith-building gift book. Because God never wastes pain, A Friend in the Storm …
Letter to the Old Me
I grew up in a home riddled with tension. That’s why I thrive on God’s invitation to peace: “My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 If I could start over, I’d assure that little girl it’s ok to trust God, even when things don’t make sense. I’d remind her that since she belongs to the Prince of Peace, both Christ and His peace dwell in her, and no one can steal them away. I’d tell her to try to …
Pregnant with Empathy
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Isaiah 53:3 Hundreds of years B.C., the prophet Isaiah predicted Christ’s gruesome suffering. Unlike Christ, we humans rarely choose pain. We flee from it. Mothers accept pain to produce children, but have you ever noticed pain doesn’t stop then? Physical pain turns emotional when our beloved children make poor and costly decisions according to their “free will.” Jesus was pregnant with this type of pain as He gazed over the city, crying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to …
When Life Falls Apart
Struck by dread and endless questions, in the thick of instant night, tears and fears consume me empty, shred my grit to stick the fight.