Be A Light

You can be a lighthouse illuminating a clear path for the weary life traveler.  When those around you are complaining, cast your light into the darkness so that they may find gratitude. When someone is shrouded in sadness, shine your light with a flicker of hope of better days to come. When someone is discouraged, be a light of reassurance and encouragement. Be a light all day, everyday and let yourself stand out from the crowd.  By nature, people are more inclined to follow the light than to wait in the darkness.  

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

Here is a short story.  Marilee lived each day as if there were a dark cloud hanging precariously above her head.  Do you know anyone like that? 

Marilee was certain that nothing was going to work out for her in her life. She worried about everything and always expected the worst from life.  For the most part she always got exactly what she was expecting.  She lost her job, her marriage, her home and her friends abandoned her. She worried about her daughter but felt that she was better off without her. She thought that she was not good enough at anything or for anyone.  She ended up on the streets a homeless alcoholic.  

One rainy night as she crouched under the freeway overpass, shivering of cold she saw a stranger; a man climbing up the embankment toward her.  She became frightened because she was all alone and helpless to defend herself.  “This must be the end” she thought with a sigh.  Finally, her poor miserable life will be over and she tucked her head under the blanket to wait for the end.

To her surprise, the man crawled up under the overpass and sat down next to her and said,  “Hi Marilee.”  She looked at him shocked that he knew her name.  He was dressed in blue jeans and a black pullover shirt with no shoes. His hair was long and stringy, but he had kind eyes, which set her mind at ease.  “What do you want?” she said meekly.  He sat next to her without a word shivering in his damp clothing.  She took the wool blanket she had on her lap and wrapped it around his shoulders.  She reached into the plastic bag hidden behind the rock next to her and took the last of her food supply, a piece of dry bread wrapped in brown parchment paper from the mission, and offered it to him.  He ate it quietly, savoring each bite. 

When he finished, he pointed to the valley below at the lighted cross on top of the local church and said, “Someone is looking for you”.  She laughed and thought he must be mad.  She leaned back and closed her eyes briefly and when she opened them, the man was gone, blanket and all.  The bright light on the cross came back into view and for the first time since she was a child, she had a sense of hope.

It was dawn and the rain had stopped. Marilee gathered her things and started to walk toward the cross, still dimly lit in the dark early morning sky. As she approached the church she saw a familiar figure sitting on the steps to the sanctuary.   “Mother!” the woman cried out,  “I have been looking everywhere for you.”  

Marilee hugged her daughter and through her tears asked, “How did find me?” 

"I received this strange letter with no postmark yesterday”, she said unfolding a familiar piece of brown parchment paper. 

The note said, "Your mother is looking for you and you can find her on the steps of the church tomorrow.  Please tell her thank you for the warm blanket and food. She was a light for me in the darkness”.    

When the man approached her under the overpass, she thought it was the end and but as it turns out, it is just the beginning.  

There are many things in life that can’t be explained, but God’s light will shine in and through us, if only we let him.  Have a beautiful week!

   

      

Be Present Be Alive

Staying alive is more than eating healthy, getting exercise and supporting yourself financially.  Certainly these are all factors that contribute to a healthy and happy life, but without confidence in God, yourself and others, we live a shallow and over time meaningless existence. 

I have observed too many people who simply give up on life long before it is over. Circumstances of life cause self-doubt, defeat and resolve that they will never accomplish more than they have today.  Merely existing and going through the motions of responsibility and routine is not living life as God has intended. We are never too young, too old, too sick or too lost to start truly living life of fullness and abundance.  

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me" Phil. 4:13

It makes me sad when I talk to people who retire from their jobs and at the same time retire from life.  They were caught up with the routine of existing and when the routine is gone, there is nothing left.  Existing is passive, God wants us to be active and present and give us so much more!  

It is easy to let our circumstances influence how we view ourselves and our capabilities of living a fuller more rewarding life. I admit that I am guilty at times of putting limitations on myself, when I know that God has opened the door to limitless possibilities. There are a million excuses.  I don’t have the money, I don’t have a degree, I am not smart enough, I haven’t been trained, I might fail, I might disappoint others and so on.  I am sure you can help me add to this list.  God doesn’t care about these things, he only cares about your belief, faith and trust in him.      

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32

God has planted within our hearts and minds a spirit of passion and given us each the talent to fulfill his plan.  If you feel uncertain, I recommend that you read the scripture, books on faith, meditate and keep an open mind.  Gods plan for your next job for him, regardless of your age and position in life, may be much bigger and broader than you think is possible, but by His grace, you can do it!  

Live each day with passion and expectation until the day the Lord finally and graciously calls you home to be with Him.  Each day is precious, live with purpose, be present and be alive!  

“Every individual forms his own estimate of himself and that basic estimate goes far toward determining what he becomes. You can do more than you believe you can.  You can be no more than you believe you are.  Belief stimulates power within yourself.  Have faith in faith.  Don’t be afraid to trust faith”.  Norman Vincent Peale

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win but think you can't
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost.
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a fellows' will.
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Author Unknown

On Eagles Wings

There is a song called “On Eagles Wings” written by Michael Joncas.  It is a beautiful and comforting song, especially during times when we feel like we need a lift.  Here are some of the words:  

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,

who abide in His shadow for life,

say to the Lord: My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!”

Refrain: 

And He will raise you up on eagles’ wings,  

bear you on the breath of dawn,  

make you to shine like the sun,  

and hold you in the palm of His hand.


Life would not be full or whole, if we did not have struggles and loss.  God gives us free will and quite often it is the choices that we make that cause our disturbances and sorrow.  I don’t believe that God causes bad things to happen to us to teach us a lesson or anything like that, but I do believe that he uses such situations as teaching moments.  He is a loving Father and I know that he is always there to pick us up when we fall.  He will use these  moments to teach us resilience and how to make the right decisions as we travel the journey set for us.  

When we are hurt, confused, tired, stressed, depressed or anxious, it generally means that we are about to break through and transition through some change which often times leads to spiritual growth.  This is part of how we mature in our relationship with God. 

Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. 
They will soar high on the wings like eagles. 
They will run and not grow weary. 
They will walk and not faint. 


Today, if you are feeling out of sorts with life and frustrated and perhaps angry, I encourage you to seek out the Father and ask him to raise you up and hold you in the palm of his hand where he can restore your energy and confidence in the future.  Give him a chance to make you shine like the sun!  

Dear Father, 

I reach out my hand to you for strength so that I may run and not grow weary and walk and not grow faint.  I put my whole trust and faith in you Lord, to guide my path so I may live my life as you intended.  Don’t let me lose site of the blessings in my life during a few moments of anxiety or stress.  I know that you are always with me and will lift me up so that I may do your good works.  

Amen.

Here is a beautiful version of the song on youtube.  I suggest that you have some tissue close at hand when you watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvpjxfWrjzY&feature=related

Without a Doubt

James 1:6 (TNIV) ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

There are many things that I don’t doubt in life. I don’t doubt that I will have to pay my property taxes. I don’t doubt that I was born and I certainly don’t doubt that I will die. I don’t doubt that there are four fruit trees growing in my yard and that there are tomatoes growing and ripening on the vine in my garden. With that being said, there are times when I am filled with doubt and need to step back to evaluate. 

By nature we have a tendency to believe in what we can see, touch or have experienced. Most times we want proof in order to believe something. To believe that God is in control of our lives and that he loves us and wants the best for us, is sometimes difficult, especially when we go through difficult times and the future seems uncertain. When we have doubts about anything, we are in a state of distrust and are vulnerable to Satan’s attacks, for he feeds on our weaknesses. Living with doubt is very uncomfortable, like being blown and tossed in the wind and a complete waste of energy and time.     

Matthew 21:21(NLT) ²¹ Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.

Seeing is believing right? The apostle Thomas refused to believe in Jesus resurrection until Jesus appeared to him and let him touch his wounds. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me.  Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  (John 20:29) 

Doubt is a weakness in our faith and indicates that we don’t believe or trust in God. Faith comes from believing in what we cannot see. God wrote the book of our lives and he knows how it is going to turn out. Be confident in yourself, your future and in Him. He has confidence in you.     

I have learned that it is best to turn all of out doubts and worries over to him and he will clear the path according to his plan. We need only pray for what we need and believe; really believe and God will answer. People will always disappoint us; God never will. 

Mark 11:24 (NLT) ²⁴ I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.  CS Lewis 

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, fearing to attempt.”  William Shakespear