Shelter In Place And Shelter In Him

facing fear

Are you afraid of COVID-19?

It’s okay to admit it.

We’re human.

The isolation from our loved ones and friends is very difficult.

Every day we face rapidly changing news about the shocking spread of this cruel virus.

It’s understandable for anyone to be apprehensive at times.

The shelter-in-place mandate now covers the entire month of April.

People are still hoarding baby wipes, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer.

The fear of the unknown looms above us like a black swirling tornado.

Why does it take so long to get a vaccine, and what is going to be in the ingredient list?

Why are some politicians and celebrities, and even a national news magazine laying blame at a time like this?

“That sure is helping!” said no one ever.

The seemingly nonstop news coverage, the lecturing, the virtual signaling, the branding of “the new normal” – all of it is frustrating.

I say turn it off and take a break from it during the day.

It’s okay to be tempted to fear, but please don’t stay in that gloomy mindset.

Complete Trust

Do you remember that encouraging Bible verse that goes like this,

“Trust in everything but the Lord with all your heart, and lean not . . .”

Whoaa stop! That’s fake and absolutely not how it goes.

Here’s the real verse, affirming God’s mercy and grace towards a sinful world.

Shelter In Place And Shelter In Him

Shelter in Place and Shelter in Him

Trust in the Lord!

God is absolutely ahead of Covid-19

He is still on His throne

He hears our prayers

If you find yourself on that dusty road to Emmaus today, and the circumstances in your life have left you confused and depressed, I have a word of counsel for you. Never assume God’s silence or apparent inactivity is evidence of His disinterest. Let me say it again. Feelings about His inaccessibility mean nothing! Absolutely nothing! His Word is infinitely more reliable than our spooky emotions. Rev. Reubin[sic] Welch, minister and author, once said, “With God, even when nothing is happening—something is happening.” It is true. The Lord is at work in His own unique way even when our prayers seem to echo back from an empty universe.Dr. James Dobson.2

Remember the sparrow?

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7, (NASB).3

you are more valuable than many sparrows

There’s a beautiful and beloved hymn written back in the 1800’s that I think applies perfectly here. The Christian vocal group, Selah, did an outstanding version of it.

I hope it blesses you as well during these uncertain times.

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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 Dr. James Dobson quotation, courtesy of Dr. Dobson’s blog. “God Makes Sense Even When He Doesn’t Make Sense.” n.d., para. 15. Web. Accessed 25 March, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.drjamesdobson.org/blogs/dr-dobson-blog/dr-dobson-blog/2018/03/09/god-makes-sense-even-when-he-doesn’t-make-sense-part-1?sc=ALP

3 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.
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Happy New Year 2018

Dear Friends –

I hope your holiday was filled with a sleigh-full of Christmas joy and love. (If you’re one of those folks who had a “White Christmas”, please don’t tell me, I just might get jealous.)

Christmas in Texas was happy and fun, but it flew by way too quickly.

It seemed like one minute we were putting up the tree and getting together with friends, and then the next, it was Christmas Eve.

Christmas 2017

Alas, we had no snow, but it was sweater-wearing, wear-your-hat, cold.

Brrrr!

We hunkered down, played games, and lit a cozy fire in the fireplace.

We didn’t roast any chestnuts, though. (Does anybody really roast chestnuts, or have we been duped by that song all these years?)

Christmas movies took over our TV.

I’m not sure how it happened. They just took over, like they do every year. (wink, wink).

Feel free to call me a Hallmark Channel addict. I can always figure out the romantic endings before they happen, but who cares? (as long as the guy gets the girl)!

Goodbye Christmas, Hello New Year                 

Can you believe 2018 is here?

A New Year can bring with it exciting opportunities.

We’re already working on our list of “things to do,” which by the way, includes several more trips to the gym.

Darn all that Christmas food. No one can eat just one.

Christmas goodies

How about you? Do your New Year’s resolutions include losing some Christmas pounds?

Or maybe pursuing a new job?

Planning for a new baby?

Considering a fun vacation?

There’s so much to look forward to and yet, along with the good times, no doubt, the year 2018 will also have its share of challenges.

Challenges Will Come

Challenges are a guarantee. (Sorry about that, but the Bible tells us so.)

Please allow me to help.

Here’s my number one, please-pass-it-on, don’t-forget-it method to help you face the New Year with more confidence.

Trust God.

That’s it.

It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are. Keep praying for His guidance.

Trust God.

Two words packed with meaning. (It’s in big print, because it’s so important.)

He knows what He’s doing. (also important).

I know, I know, as humans we sometimes think we can do things better and faster.

Father, forgive us when we try to get ahead of You.

There’s a big difference between asking God “why?”, and blaming God.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor, knows a lot about suffering in life and yet, with great humility, she yields her trust to God.

Corrie Ten Boom

Wisdom From Proverbs

We may not like some of the challenges to come.

It’s human nature to want them all to be over with. (like, yesterday).

I get it.

We should trust Him, even when we don’t understand, and our hearts are downcast.

Going forward, we’d do well to commit Proverbs 3:5-6 to heart.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6, (ESV).

When you look in the mirror each morning, remember that you are loved.

Bumps and bruises will come as you learn life lessons in patience and perseverance.

Please don’t lose heart.

In a topsy-turvy world where words like “Compassion” and “Grace” are sometimes lacking, as Christians, we know the living God Who created those very words in the first place.

Trust Him, and He will lead.

Happy New Year 2018, and thank you for stopping by!

Happy New Year

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*Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

**Corrie Ten Boom quotation, as quoted from Christian quotes.info

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Trust In The Lord Even When You Hurt

Trust in the Lord Even When You Hurt

It can be hard to trust in the Lord when you feel like your life is falling apart.

trust in the Lord even when it hurtsBad things happen.

  • A car plows into your vehicle and sends you to the hospital.
  • Your spouse says he or she has had an affair.
  • A friend is given a cancer diagnosis.
  • Your teenager is addicted to drugs.

These are huge wake-up calls and this small list doesn’t even cover what some of your friends and family may be going through.

It hurts a lot sometimes.

In my own family, there’s divorce, the loss of a child, the loss of a job, health concerns, and atheism.

Difficult questions come to mind when you wake up and get some bad news.

Where are you, God?

Don’t You care about me?

What did I do to deserve this?

When Did Life Get So Out of Control?

The hard fact is, no one ever promised us an easy life without cares and concerns. In the book of James 1:2-4, Scripture tells us that we’ll experience various trials.

Notice that the word “trials” is in its plural form.

And yet, we are still told to trust Him.

There was no exception to that command.

The Bible doesn’t say, “Trust in the Lord, except when __________(fill in the blanks with your particular circumstance.)

Is unshakeable trust in God an easy thing to have?

We’d like to think so, but not always. We’re not perfect. We have the very human, knee jerk, “fix it now” mentality and can rush headlong into finding a quick solution, all the while forgetting to pray and ask God for His strength and guidance to see us through.

God Loves usAlways Remember, He Loves Us

The wonderful truth is that God loves you. Nothing or no one can take that away from you. You are His child.

He knows your past, present, and future. For His reasons alone, He allows certain things to take place in our lives.

God may appear to be silent at times, but you and me have to trust Him and that means in good times and in bad. If we pray or even talk to Him quietly in our thoughts, He will listen.

A Christian Perspective From Georgia

I asked a good friend of mine about her favorite Bible verse. Kim M. from Georgia chose Proverbs 3:5-6.

*Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make straight your paths.

missing puzzle piecesHere’s what Kim had to say about why this verse means so much to her:

“Our understanding and logic is not the same as God’s. We work hard to put things in a way that seems logical to us, only to find that there is always that piece or something that is missing. With God, He can see the whole picture so there are no missing pieces. If we place God in charge instead of us trying to be in charge, all of the pieces will fall into place, in accordance to His will and His timing. Trust God completely.”

That is so true.

Learning to Cope

How can you learn endurance to get through the hard times? There are a lot of options.

  • Pray. God is listening.
  • You can read and memorize Scripture, especially the verses that encourage you the most.
  • You can listen to some great Christian music. I have links to some great contemporary artists on this website.
  • You can attend a Men or Women’s Bible study. Once there, you can meet some of the most amazing people who have struggles of their own. The friendships often become lifelong.
  • You can help someone less fortunate than yourself. As sad as you may feel about some of your own trials, there’s always someone who is worse off than you. That will help with your perspective.
  • Lastly, you can get together with some of your Christian friends. You can lift each other up with support and love. Some day, all Christians will be in Heaven together where there is no more suffering and sadness.

That will be a very happy day.

Do you feel this article may be helpful to someone?

Please feel free to share it with them.

*Bible reference: English Standard Version. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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