Who Do Your Worries Belong To?

I was just thinking about something that happened, another way the Lord intervened when I was a child.

My grandparents used to come visit a couple times a year, driving up from Albeq., NM. As you can imagine our lives changed dramaticly for the few days they were visiting. My sis and I gave up our beds. We had different kinds of meals. We'd even go out sometimes, when primarily we were used to staying home.

There was also a lot of strife that came with them. My grandma Agnes was great, but my mom and granddad used to do a lot of yelling. He was quite domineering and believed that he could treat any home he was in as his own.

One thing they fought the most about was the refrigerator. He really liked beer, cold beer. So he developed a habit of removing the food, milk, meat or whatever, to make room for his beer cans in our small fridge. Of course, having two small girls, with a VERY small income, this made my mother furious!

Since by this time, my father had died, she really had no defenses or recourse. She finally realized that, since her blood pressure was going up even at the anticipating of his coming, it was time to turn it over to Jesus.

She prayed and said something like this: Lord, I'll give You the refrigerator. If You want beer in Your refrigerator, that's up to You.

She was tired of fighting. She layed it all down. She was at peace. And she never said anything to her father about it.

When he came to visit, he never said a word, but brought a big styrofoam cooler in with him and took it right to the room where he slept.

From that day on, not one drop of beer was ever again in "God's refrigerator." And not only was peace greatly increased in our home, but that refrigerator lasted for over 20 years!

Psalms 91:14 The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.

The Annointed Cat

Needing help for almost every task in my daily household routine, I've been believing God for a special care-giver who would help set our home in order and would be kind. We've sort-of been "getting by" since Jeanne retired in Aug '07.

In Mid-Jan '08 the ad was placed and Delana was hired. We were concerned that even though she seemed a perfect fit, she was very allergic and we have a cat! After a few visits, she was OK and we didn't think much of it again. Saturday night Delana didn't hesitate to help out a friend who had 2 cats. Delana ended up in the ER even tho she never saw, nor touched a cat that night!

It hit me so profoundly that when God does something, when it's truly His providence and we don't just "work-it-up" or "settle-for" what doesn't work, all the pieces are in place! Delana is STILL highly alergic to cats! But God put Delana here, so she's NOT allergic to our cat! "The Blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and He adds No Sorrow to it." - Proverbs 10:22 "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you." -Mathew 6:33

Darkness to Light - A Brief Testimony

In September of 1968, I was born with a congenital birth defect called “Brittle Bone Disease.” Over the course of my life, it has caused several hundred, or possibly a thousand fractures to my bones. This has also prevented much growth and has created the need for a wheelchair. (As you may see, I’m a little short for my age. :) Despite, or possibly through these physical challenges, the Lord has shown the power of His grace in my life in so many ways. He has proven repeatedly that nothing is too hard for Him.

Psalm 18:28 and 2 Samuel 22:29 say, “You O Lord are my Lamp, you turn my darkness to light.” It seems like no matter how dark a thing, or situation looks at the beginning, the Lord always manages to shine His Light in there somehow. When it’s over, it’s never quite as dark as it once appeared. That is if we learn to look up, instead of down, around, or behind us. Once we turn our eyes from our dark situation onto the glorious light of His Face and see the brilliance of the Love in His heart, we can never be truly lost, or covered by the darkness again. I really like the New Living Translation’s way of putting John 8:12 Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Raised by a wheelchair riding widowed mother, in a very Christian home, I witnessed first hand the awesome goodness of God and how He cares so faithfully for His children. My earthly father died when I was five. My ‘big’ sister was only seven. Shortly after his passing, I had dreams that my daddy would be alive again. These made me sad in a way, but I almost believed it would happen. After all, Jesus did it for Mary and Martha when He raised their brother Lazarus. Why not our family? Soon, I gave my life to Christ and He came in and filled me with His Spirit, though I didn’t understand that then, I felt Him in me and with me powerfully. He changed me after inviting Him in. After that, the dreams immediately stopped, Then God became my Father, in every sense of the word. However, I still had much to learn about a Father’s Love. Many times growing up, He provided in miraculous ways for the needs of our little family when there was no one else to turn to. He kept us through fire and flood. He gave us food and a place to store it. He even paid for 12 yrs of Christian school for my sister. Usually one miraculous month at a time. He truly has held to His Promise in Psalm 68:5 “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.” Made as another member of our family, Jesus truly dwelt with us. My mom had Him make all the decisions and He never let her down.

At age 18, after calling Jesus my Savior and “Best Friend” for many years, I met someone who truly knew what it meant to call Him Lord. Seeing how Jesus was everything to this person, I began to hunger for more of God in my life. That year I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and began intensive training in the “School of the Spirit.” Though there were many days that seemed dark and empty after this good friend moved away, the Lord showed the Light of His Love brighter than ever before. He came and filled in the empty places left in my heart and caused me to be able to say, “Jesus loves me” and truly believe it, for the very first time.

Through many trials and tests, over the years since then, the Lord has drawn me ever closer to Himself. Revealing His unconditional, everlasting Love for even the likes of me. For even though I was different from everyone around me, though He did not have to, He proved He loved me just the same. More than any Human ever could. Repeatedly He showed His faithfulness in ways that I could have never anticipated.

One example, despite my physical limitations, is the move into my own apartment. Many told me it would be impossible, However, what is impossible for Man is nothing for God! For five years I lived on my own, but never alone, or without Help. He taught me in my own home, just like for my mother, my help comes from the Lord. Then in 2003 He brought the greatest physical example of His Love, my dear husband Bill, in whom I’ve seen a true reflection of the Heart of Christ.

I've never seen an example of unconditional love, like I've seen in my husband. His love and compassion and selfless behavior reminds me of my Savior everyday. I can only aspire to emulate the reflection of the Lord that I see in him. Not only that, but the fact that he chose me for what was on the inside, not for how I looked. In the Scripture, it says that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart. Once again, my husband reflected the heart of God. And not too puff up my husband, because he wouldn't take it that way. This is merely to demonstrate the physical reflection that we can see. This is to show the seeds of His own heart that God put into my husband and allowed the roots and the fruit to grow. Feeding them with the word of God and watering them with many tears.

Not only has God allowed me to see His wonderful gifts He brings to those He loves, but also the indescribably beautiful Heart of Love He has that lies behind each and everything He does. Now He truly is my Father, my Lord, my Dearest Friend, my Love and my Life.

My prayer is that the hearts of God’s people would be set FREE and set on fire for God and the things associated with Is Kingdom. Shining brightly with the Light of His love. Then we will stop worrying about what is wrong in our own lives, but surrender ourselves as instruments of Grace in the Hand of God. I pray that the power of that Love would illuminate the hearts of this darkened world. That alone will transform the lives of the lost and the lonely, the wounded and the dying, and all those who all their lives long to see and to know a real, pure love. Which only comes from God through his people. We can be that example, once we know the awesome power of God’s Love for ourselves.

Seek Him & His Love will find you.

by Rebecca D Thames 3/2/2008

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(For a Whole Collection of These Type of Inspiring Writings, Please Consider My Book, "Songs and Poems from the Heart.")