Veteran’s Day 2022

Veterans Day, 2022 – Please Fly Your Flag

Veterans Day 2022 is almost here.

God bless all of our brave men and women in the military who served, and are serving, to protect our nation’s freedoms.

A thank you also to their families who carry on with responsibilities at home while a loved one is serving in sometimes dangerous locations abroad.

I don’t know about you, but when I watch soldiers’ homecoming videos on YouTube, I instantly burst into tears.

My tears are filled with gratitude for their sacrifice, and also from the wonderful memories that come flooding back of my father who served in the United States Navy.

Veterans Day 2022 – Words of Thanks Don’t Seem Enough

Not that long ago, I had it on my heart to write a poem about a soldier’s homecoming.

Lee Brice’s song, “I Drive Your Truck” sparked my imagination for this.

However, in my poem, I didn’t want the soldier to die.

I wanted him to come home where he could be surrounded by love and support from his best friend since childhood.

Here is my humble attempt to pay tribute.

A Soldier’s Homecoming

I had grass stains on my shoes

Playin baseball, me and you.

Tight as two best friends could be

Life back then was innocent and carefree.

 

Secret handshakes and catchin’ fish

Riding bikes and throwin’ a pitch

Childhood fun I’ll never forget

Those are the memories I’ll never regret.

 

Fell in love with a gal who’s now my wife,

We have a boy, it’s been a great life.

My son – he’s named after you.

He and I – we toss a few.

Just like we did – me and you.

 

You left for ‘Nam to fight the war,

Drivin’ tanks in ’64.

Every letter that you’d send

Reminded me how much I missed my friend.

 

You came home a broken man,

paralyzed legs, a weakened hand.

Lost your spirit in the war,

PTSD and at death’s door.

 

You’re not the same guy I used to know

It breaks my heart, but even so,

Near your hospital bed I’ll stand.

Mannnn . . . this isn’t what we’d planned.

But I’ll place a ball silently in your other hand.

©2022 Gracie Jane  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections

Why Vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections?

Have you ever heard someone say, “My vote doesn’t even count”

Can you imagine if everyone felt that way?

As you may know, the general election is November 8th of this year.

All of the congressional seats in the House of Representatives and 35 in the Senate are on the block.

We are at a critical moment in America. What happens on Election Day this November will have a profound impact on the future of our country. The sanctity of life, religious liberty, and our children’s future are all at stake. In fact, truth itself is up for a vote. – Dr. James Dobson, Founder of Focus On the Family. 1

vote in the 2022 midterm elections

We need to make our voices heard.

Please don’t hold back, give up on, or disregard this important right that is yours to claim.

Why vote in the 2022 midterm elections?

So much is at stake.

Unless we rise up and speak the truth, this culture of lies will destroy our families, our country, and our future. The foundation of morality that upholds our Republic cannot withstand two more years of this maddening rhetoric. If we fail to act now, everything we know to be beautiful and righteous in this nation will crumble and fade away. How utterly tragic it would be if the children born today never fully come to know and understand the meaning of “my sweet land of liberty?” – Dr. James Dobson, Founder of Focus On the Family. 2

Although this country is headed in a very dangerous direction, nothing is a surprise to God.

No matter who is victorious, we need to pray.

We need to pray for our elected leaders to govern rightly, that those in power who are lost, will open their eyes and hearts beyond political agendas to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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1 Dr. James Dobson quotation, “October Newsletter”. Courtesy of Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, https://www.drjamesdobson.org/newsletters/november-2022-newsletter , n.d. para. 1. Web. Accessed 25 October, 2022.

2 Dr. James Dobson quotation, “October Newsletter”. Courtesy of Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, https://www.drjamesdobson.org/newsletters/november-2022-newsletter , n.d. para. 15. Web. Accessed 25 October, 2022.

3 PSA courtesy of MyFaithVotes.org. (2022, October 4). Do Good Go Vote (2022) – [Video]. https://www.myfaithvotes.org/mfvtv?ac_vh_s=link&lwrt=%23%2Fsearch%2Fpfyu6rjrgrgue6t2izddgmctkf3fc3cq%3Fq%3Ddo%2520good%2520go%2520vote%25202022

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God Who Never Fails

The God Who Never Fails

Child of God – remember that you are loved, and that you are not alone even when you cry silent tears.

No matter how bad things appear in your life, we have the words of Jesus to comfort us through our temporary suffering while here on earth.

Know that He is with you through every trial.

God who never fails

We know that verse so well, don’t we?

But, it’s important not to misinterpret what it says.

The promise that God works all things together for good does not mean that all things, taken by themselves, are good. Some things and events are decidedly bad. But God is able to work them together for good. He sees the big picture; He has a master plan. – Got Questions website.

Perhaps you have also turned to this verse in 1 Peter for comfort as well.

We serve the God who never fails, in any and every circumstance.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
– 1 Peter 5:10. (NASB).2

Is There Purpose in Our Suffering?

Through sleepless nights and uncontrollable tears, our desire for resolution of our problems can lead to questions like:

How can you let this happen to me, God?

Why does everything bad happen to me?

Some day, we will know the answers to our whys.

You are God who never fails

The reality of suffering is a tough pill to swallow, but there is a welcoming light at the end of what can be a very dark tunnel.

That light is our great physician, Jesus. In eternity, all of our suffering will be removed.

A man may go to a physician, and be prescribed a course of treatment which at the time is unpleasant or even painful; but if he trusts the wisdom of the man of skill, he accepts the thing that is laid upon him. It is so with us if we love God. But if a man does not love and trust God, he may well resent what happens to him and may well fight against God’s will. It is only to the man who loves and trusts that all things work together for good, for to him they come from a Father who in perfect wisdom, love and power is working ever for the best. – William Barclay, theologian and author.3

It’s difficult for our finite human minds to totally grasp, but we can know that Jesus understands our sufferings – having undergone the worst, most wicked death on the cross.

Jesus is now in glory with the Father and He is waiting to welcome you, dear believer, when it is your time.

Perspectives on Suffering

Have you ever heard the expression that something was a Godsend?

How about in relation to suffering?

Here’s an astonishing idea: Can suffering actually be a Godsend?

Popular Christian recording artist, Riley Clemmons, presents a perspective in her lovely song appropriately titled, Godsend.

No matter what happens in our lives we have a God who never fails.

As our nation fails, as our sufferings increase, our mission is clear: to spread the grace of the gospel.

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1 Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “What does it mean that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)?” n.d., para. 5. Web. Accessed October 21, 2022. https://www.gotquestions.org/all-things-work-together-for-good.html

2 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

3 William Barclay quotation, “Bible Commentaries”. [1706.] Courtesy of Studylight.org., https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/romans-8.html, n.d. para. 46. Public Domain. Web. Accessed 21 October, 2022.

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The Reality of Hell

Hell Is Real

This year I wanted to surprise my husband with a fun “experience” for his birthday.

I promised him that it would be “intense,” so he was a little nervous going in.

Can you guess what we did?

Here are some hints and the rules we had to follow:

  • Water bottle a must
  • Cotton shirt a requirement
  • Closed toe shoes a necessity
  • Sunglasses recommended
  • Hair pulled back tight

Any ideas what we did?

How about a hands-on, authentic glass-blowing class!

If you haven’t done that yet, I highly recommend it.

Here are our finished projects:glass blowing experienceThe whole experience of glass blowing was exciting, and the cool factor was off the charts.

But, it wasn’t cool temperature-wise. (See what I did there?)

One of the furnaces in the studio was heated up to about two thousand degrees!

Some people might say that is “hotter than hell.”

Which brings up an interesting question . . .

Is there really a hell?

Here’s just one of many Bible verses describing the reality of hell.

49 So it will be at the end of the age: the angels will come forth and remove the wicked from among the righteous, 50and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 13:49-50, (NASB).1

Our ultimate authority for us today on the absolute truth of God’s Word is what God says in His Word.

Jesus spoke about hell in the Bible.

Denying the existence of what Jesus clearly said, is calling Him a liar.

The reality of hell some day will be a devastating, eternal, wake-up call for those who doubt the words of Jesus.

The Reality Of Hell

the reality of hellDoes hell exist?

The verse stated above describes a “furnace of fire . . . “

Here are some other frightening descriptions of hell in the Bible:

The book of Matthew describes the “fiery” and outer darkness nature of hell.

Here’s one commentary of note. Notice the finality of the last sentence.

The scriptural descriptions of hell are meant to emphasize the torment and suffering that will be experienced by those sent there. The “fire” may picture the wrath of God that is experienced by unbelievers in hell, whereas the “outer darkness” may picture the alienation from God’s love, mercy, and grace. Whether the vivid language is symbolic or literal, we can be assured that hell is a terrible, terrifying place. Possibly the most terrifying aspect of hell is its duration. The suffering is eternal. It has no end. For us, here and now, the concept of hell should drive us to the cross of Christ. It is only by repentance and faith in Christ that we can be saved from the wrath to come.– Got questions website.2

Many people today refuse to accept the reality of hell.

Sadly, that kind of destructive thinking is to be expected, considering the dark times we are living in. 

Think of this: whole congregations of people are being misled and directed down this dangerous path.

. . . if the culture imposes no consequences, and the family imposes no consequences, the society places no stigma on people for the kind of behaviors that are sinful behaviors, people get so used to sinning without consequences that when you introduce the idea that they will pay in full forever for every sin, that is just alien to their thinking. People sin without immediate consequences, and to try to convince them that there are somehow, down the road, decades from now, if they live, deferred consequences, is a hard sell. – Pastor John MacArthur, Pastor and Bible teacher from Grace To You.3

Aren’t you glad that, through Jesus Christ, we have the way (the only way) out of this torment?

We need to pray for the lost sinners in our lives that they will accept the truth of God’s Word – before it’s too late.

36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. – John 3:36, (NASB).4

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1 & 4All Scripture verses are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation courtesy of Got Questions, “What does hell look like?” Accessed October 15, 2022.  Retrieved from https://www.gotquestions.org/what-does-hell-look-like.html

3John MacArthur quotation, courtesy of GTY.org/library/sermons-library. 4 December, 2011. para. 9. Web. Accessed 15 October, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-376/the-truth-about-hell

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Keep Watch

Are you Ready? Keep Watch

Wouldn’t it be great if we could stop the perversion and despair that has taken over our great country?

If only it were that easy.

The heartbreaking reports of depravity and also violence are not just coming from America.

Nations are in chaos.

But, fellow Christians, keep holding on to God’s guaranteed-to-happen promises!Keep Watch: Are you ready?Our Savior will return at a future date, and we’re instructed to be ready and keep watch.

See the words of Jesus to the disciples (and all of us by extension) in the verse below:

33 “Watch out, stay alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is. 34 It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 Therefore, stay alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 so that he does not come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 What I say to you I say to all: ‘Stay alert!’” – Mark 13:33-37, (NASB).

 

Other Bible translations use the following expressions including:

Watch

Keep a sharp lookout

Watch for My return

Stay awake

Notice these commands are in the present tense.

Keep Watch: The Best Is Yet To Come

Have you ever heard anyone use the expression, “the good old days?”

I may have even said that one myself.

We didn’t have the ramped-up spiritual bankruptcy years ago that we do now.

But, God always keeps His promises.

While the nations rage on, and the nightly news gets worse, stay in His Word.

At God’s providential time, we will one day have eternity with Him.

Complete joy and happiness in the presence of our Savior awaits us.As Christians, we're all “family”

We’ll also see our loved ones and friends again who know Christ as their Savior.

It will be the best reunion you’ll ever experience.

Even if you’re an only child here on earth, you won’t ever be lonely in Heaven.

As Christians, we’re all “family” – brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bestselling Christian author, Susie Larson, has a great reminder of this in her latest book, Strong in battle: Why The Humble Will Prevail:

Eternity with Jesus will take our breath away. Unhindered intimacy with God. Abounding joy with no enemy opposition. Fellowship with our brothers and sisters as we share our awe-filled stories of how God intervened in our lives. Together, we’ll marvel as we learn about all He provided and all He prevented, and we’ll love Him even more than we did before. Jesus’ desire to remember our faith-filled deeds and reward us for them will leave us utterly stunned. – Author Susie Larson.

Are you ready?

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Susie Larson quotation, courtesy of susielarson.com, “Brave, Bold, and Beloved”. From Susie’s book, Strong in battle; Why The Humble Will Prevail.”

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