Monday, November 21, 2011

More Than Enough

“They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”   ~ Romans 1:19-20 

Augustine asked two questions of the world:
"If there is no God, why is there so much good?"    
and...
"If there is a God, why is there so much evil?”

There are many people who spend a lifetime asking only the second question. Those of us who have faith and believe that God’s goodness is all around us, can sometimes get caught up in “accepting” God’s goodness, but “forget” that what He has bestowed into our lives, is not ours to “store up” but has been entrusted to us for sharing. 
Our abundant God gives us enough love, enough mercy, enough grace...all provided with a salting of enough beauty and enough wonder. Enough for a whole world to see and experience all these things. What would happen if we were to share these things God has given “enough” of? Would we not have enough love...enough good?

The answer to the second question is one that can be revealed in that the problem of evil in this world isn’t a problem at all of proving, “Is there a God?” The evil that is done in the world points out the problem is found in our own hearts...hearts that are turned inward to accommodate “self”. Amazingly... when we turn our heart outward... we in turn bear testimony to the loving existence of God! 

I just love how God reveals Himself through the world and people He created. He didn't have to, but He allows us to be a part of what this world craves to see and is questioning to know about Him. He lovingly chooses to allow His Son to be seen in us...His children. 
Thank you Father. All glory, honor and praise is Yours. You are more than enough....

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Never Alone

...though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, ...You are with me...
~ Psalm 23:4


Sometimes I feel alone and discouraged. Life has...well, not taken the course I thought it would when I made my plans years ago. Truth is... I can’t get the plans I made this morning to “work out”! Yikes!




I didn’t expect so much difficulty and heartache to continue in my life once I made the decision to surrender my will and trust God’s. I somehow imagined my obedience to follow God’s plans for my life, would bring me a lot of “through the meadows” kind of walks in my remaining years...you know... “heaven” here on earth.


Instead...I still have too many days of “uphill climbing”. I’m cut by the hard jagged edge of unkind words and stumble over the rocks of difficult circumstances that bruise my tired soul. I look up... but I can’t see “the top”! Yet, I know my Guide is just ahead of me because I can feel the tug on the rope of faith that is firmly tied from His Spirit to my own.



The voice of my Guide can be heard over my loud gasping and crying out for “a moment please, just a moment” (or two), of rest. I hear Him encouraging me to take my next step when I suddenly feel a lifting of my feet off the ground. Ahhh...thankful, I decide that tough "spot" was easier than I thought it would be. This brief reprieve is just long enough for me to regain some needed rest and strength before once again returning to the surface of that mountain of life I’m climbing.  


Along this tough journey my Guide lets me catch up with Him and His presence fills me with joy. We sit together along side a hidden stream nestled inside a remote part of the mountain. I see my Guide bend down by the water's edge and place something into it. He once again sits down beside me and as we look out over the clear water before us, I see many beautiful stones along it’s edge, some look like gold and others appear to be precious jewels.

I ask my Guide if I may take a few with us... He laughs and tells me that each of these pretty stones were once the hard jagged edges and big stumbling rocks I encountered on our climb here. He tells me that He carried each one of them to this place and it is in this stream they became transformed into such beauty and were given their great worth. He tells me that even though I may not have noticed, each time I experience the cut or pain these stones caused me, He saw it all and poured over me His healing balm. He said He sees my every struggle and hurt along the way. I’m told it’s best to leave these pretty stones here and recall their beauty instead of being weighed down by them as I continue on our journey together. I decided to name this lake; Beerlahairoi, "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees".

As we got up from this pleasant resting spot, I asked my Guide if we could just remain here and not travel any further.” I told Him, “I like it here with you and this place is so beautiful!” I never imagined a place more wonderful than this. Please...I begin to plea... “I’m tired of climbing and I don’t like it when I can’t see you. I’m weary of having to do this alone. Why do I have to go on?”
My Guide smiled as he took me by the hand and helped me up from where I sat. As He tighten the cord that bind us together He spoke these words; “This place is not the place I have promised you. I have something better in store for you...a perfect place. Come...just a bit further. I am always with you...you are never alone. Keep looking up and listen for my voice and I will make my presence known ever step of the way. In the moments of your deepest need I promise to always provide. You see, you call me your Guide, but I am also know as Jehovah-Jireh, "The-Lord-Will-Provide". 

You know..loneliness comes to all of us. Remember that God sees you, and He will provide.
When God seems absent from us, He is often doing His most important work in us.
~ Author Unknown

Kathy 

About Me

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My life in Christ came a bit late in life.I grew up in a Christian home and was baptized at age 9. I enjoyed a long career as a flight attendant (1973-2005). I met my husband Brad, in 1984 while living in Tampa Florida. At the time, we both were living a lifestyle that was not pleasing to the Lord. We married in 1986, but it wasn't until early 1992 that I knew the Lord was calling me to Him. God placed this same desire in my husband's heart. As Brad and I grew in faith, so did our desire to serve God in ministry. In late 2002 we moved to Virginia Beach where the Lord called Brad to serve as a Worship minister. In 6 short months, Brad was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I found my greatest moments of weakness came when I placed my thoughts on all the things that could go wrong and allowed fear to take hold. We were given 5 more years to share together. God is faithful and to His glory I serve Him through writing devotionals and inspirational article for this blog as well as a published writer with the writing team of A Widow's Might ministry. Our Devotional Books are titled: "For The Love of Her Life". I am also an Inspirational Speaker.