Category: Christianity

Christian Perspective

We who are of the Christian faith have a strong sense of belief that God does indeed love each of us. Our part of the relationship is…to believe it. And with that belief, there is assurance of His love. He never leaves us, never stops caring for us…we are the ones who do that. We are the ones who walk away from His unfathomable love.

Recently I have been faced with the horrors of losing yet another sibling to a dreaded disease – ALS. While my oldest sister was a believer in God, I don’t believe my brother is and it is profoundly heartbreaking. I am praying that deep down in his heart, he remembers God’s love for him.

I am in the process of writing another book of encouragement and this morning after reading my devotions, this story came to me so I am sharing it with you. If you are a believer then you will understand her peace. If you are not a believer, then I challenge you to prove me wrong. For in both scenarios, we could all win.

Renewal

She stared deeply in the mirror at her withering body, her earthly tent. She glanced around her room and turned to walk slowly through her house. It was simple and comfortable, not expansive like some of her friends. She smiled as she walked over to her plants. Their bodies were rich and full, some had buds ready for fragrant blooms.

Fragrant, thought Sarah. Yes, that is what we are told it will be like. Heaven is fragrant. Maybe from the many flowers that are there. It’s a beautiful place filled with love…because He is there.

Sarah’s attention was broken as sweet Daisy wrapped her velvety tail around her frail leg.

“Oh, Daisy,” she said as she picked up her orange tabby cat, “It will be a beautiful place of no more pain, no more disease, and no more fear. Only love.”

“Only love,” she whispered setting Daisy back on the floor. Sarah walked over and sat in her favorite chair. She picked up her bible and turned to 2 Corinthians 5.  She read…

For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down, when we die, and leave these bodies, we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God himself, and not by human hands.

Sarah closed her eyes in quiet prayer. “Thank you, Lord, for the promise of blessed renewal. By G.A. Neal

I hope this reminds you of God’s gracious love for each of us and that even when we can’t see Him, or can’t feel Him, He is still there. Breathe in the peace He offers and remember to be kind to those who may not know kindness.

Acceptance of Love

In reading my devotion from Billy Graham’s Daily Devotions this morning, I learned a new concept of Christ’s love that I never thought of before. Billy Graham said…

A gift is not a gift unless it is accepted. God has given you His Son, but ownership is conditional on acceptance. God does not force His gift on us, but He asks us to receive by faith the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Billy Graham

While I have long ago accepted Christ as my savior, I never really thought about that if you don’t accept Him as a gift, you don’t get to have Him. There have been tangible gifts through the years that I have refused, and I never connected the dots of God’s love, mercy, patience, or guidance as being a gift I would refuse.

A person who deliberately refuses God’s offer of love, mercy, and forgiveness is lost. Most people gratefully receive a gift when given in love. The greatest sin that a person can commit is to refuse God’s love. Billy Graham

I am creating this post not to make anyone feel uncomfortable in their own beliefs but to help anyone realize the beauty, compassion, love, and understanding that is available for accepting the gift from God of his one and only son Jesus Christ.

Remember to always share kindness with others as He has been kind to you.

Strength

Periodically we need to truly understand where our strength comes from….is it our own making or are our burdens doing their magic work from God in making us strong.

This morning’s devotion with Oswald Chambers assured me that God is always with us carrying the heavier part of our burden as we grow in strength to see the joy of His profound love.

The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine. Oswald Chambers

While we don’t enjoy any burdens we know they do have a purpose in proving His love for us.

For His hand is never far from us, filling is with the hope that proves His love.

No power on earth or in hell can conquer the Spirit of God living within the human spirit; it creates an inner invincibility. Oswald Chambers

So rest assured that whatever burden you mat be facing today, God id holding you hand and He will carry you through to the shining glory of His love for you.

Have a great day and a beautiful weekend. And always remember to be kind, even when it is really hard. For kindness shows your inner beauty of love.

Reverent Sadness

Today, for Christian belief, is Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday of Holy Week. It is the day commemorating the Washing of the Feet(Maundy) and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples right before he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.

This night was a very long and painful night for Jesus, not because his torture had started but because of the betrayal and desertion by his followers, the disbelief of Jewish leaders, and the weight of what was to come.

The following day was Friday. We call it Good Friday, not that it was a happy day but because Jesus willingly suffered and was crucified on the cross for atonement of sin. But we must fully understand its purpose. My devotion this morning from Oswald Chambers says it where I can understand it best so I share that with you.

The Cross of Christ is the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. Never associate the idea of martyrdom with the Cross of Christ. It was the supreme triumph, and it shook the very foundations of hell. There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God. He made redemption the foundation of human life; that is, He made a way for every person to have fellowship with God. Oswald Chambers

The cross was not something that man did to Jesus, it was the reason Jesus came in the first place. To redeem our souls. We can’t think of the cross as a cross of man, for it is a cross of God…for man because His love for man is so strong, even when we don’t deserve it.

The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much. The Cross was the place where God and sinful man merged with a tremendous collision and where the way to life was opened. But all the cost and pain of the collision was absorbed by the heart of God. Oswald Chambers

    Let us never forget the extent that God went to to assure that we could remain in His care and ultimately join with Him on that heavenly day with the multi-million voice choir as we praise His name.

    As you go through these next few days of the Easter season, remember the unfathomable kindness God has shown us and try to show kindness to others.

    If Interested…

    Our Real Home is now available at Amazon in Kindle format and paperback.

    This is fictional story of real life characters as they explain how they see Heaven. I made these book marks for a few of my friends.

    The main purpose of this book is encouragement. Encouragement with how the Bible explains to us what Heaven is like and encouragement of just how much we are all loved by God. While the story may make you smile as these characters learn of the beauty that they were made for, it is a testament, according to scripture, of just how much God loves each of us and that he created each of us for a purpose, man and beast alike…so that he could spend eternity with those who love Him. My opening comments of the book…

    Encouragement in God’s Love

    The sole purpose of this book is showing the encouragement we all need by giving a visual perspective of God’s love for everything He creates. God has a special love and purpose for man, who is made in His image, and for animals who possess a special connection with God’s love. This story is written from the perspective of how I believe a dog is created and how a dog thinks. At the base of any dog’s heart, there is an inherent form of love and devotion, given as a gift from God. This gift is then given freely from the dog to his owner, even when that love or devotion is not deserved. The dog knows no different way to be. Hopefully, to anyone who is an animal lover, the love and devotion you have received from your past pet(s) can now be shared with people. Then in time, you may acquire another pet companion – not to replace one you have lost, but to strengthen you further still, and to expand that love you have been shown with others – animals and people. Life on this earth is hard on a good day and can be worse on hard days. It is my sincere hope that this book will be an encouragement for anyone reading it to realize the love, beauty, and patience of God for everything He creates. God’s identity never changes, but how we see Him changes as we follow His Word and grow closer to Him.

    Do you believe in angels…real angels. I do. Scripture speaks of angels as messengers of God. I believe God uses all of creation to speak to our hearts non-verbally….and occasionally verbally of needed. This book takes on the light side of the “what ifs”. There have been many stories about angels…and we have all heard them. What if…

    Regardless of your interest in this book, may you always be encouraged knowing God loves you more than you could ever imagine. Have a blessed day and don’t forget about the beauty of all of creation.

    And remember to always be kind.

    Dittims

    For the last two months, I have been among the missing in the blogging world but I have been very busy. September through December is always a busy time with college football. Go Dawgs!

    Then November we add more busy as we put up Christmas…and there is a lot of Christmas – 5 big trees, 3 small trees and décor everywhere…

    Then two weeks ago was the college football playoffs between four teams…we won our match – Go Dawgs!

    Monday night of this week was the National Championship for College Football…again we won…back to back championships…

    Go Dawgs…super year.

    Then today, after two weeks of intense editing, I was ready to create the cover for my new book. This book has been in the works for seven months and I hope to get it released next month. No, its not about football or Christmas, but it is about a very special dog – Dittims.

    Dittims was a very large Great Dane, 189 pounds, mostly white and as some white dogs can be – he was mostly deaf. And later in life, his beautiful blue eyes began to lose sight. Even though I lost him close to nine years ago, I will always remember the lessons he taught me. Regardless of the issues you may have, you can still find joy and the love of life if you allow it to come in. This book was written as an encouragement for those who may be hurting, have lost loved ones or loveable pets, or just need the hope of Heaven to hang on to. Our Real Home is Dittims’ perspective, along with all the other dogs I have had in my life, to share the beauty of Heaven as they see it with biblical scriptures throughout to help back up some of what they are seeing. Yes, it is still fiction, but it brings about the encouraging hope of what is to come for all of us. It’s a compilation of silly stories the dogs share with each other, stories of aching loss on earth replaced with the joys of Heaven and the hopeful chance of a reunion of loved ones in heaven, man and animal alike.

    The sample market I have given it to seems to have enjoyed it and if you are an animal lover, I hope you will give it a try. I will announce its release as soon as it is done. And if you are not much of a reader, that is fine, just make sure you love on your pets while you still have them. They have wonderful gifts to share with us if we will only listen and watch.

    And as always, I remind you to be kind in all that you do. You never know what angel you may be tending to.

    Christmas Songs

    I have always wondered what in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge sitting up in pear tree have to do with Christmas?

    I saw this on Facebook and though it interesting. Not sure of its validity but felt it worth sharing.

    From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

    -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

    -Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

    -Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.-

    -Four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

    -Five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

    -Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

    -Seven swans a-swimming represented the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

    -Eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

    -Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

    -Ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.

    -Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

    -Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

    So there is your history for today. I found it interesting and enlightening and now understand how that strange song became a Christmas Carol. Share this with others as you wish and have a very Merry Christmas.

    And as always, remember the beauty and power of kindness and share it often.

    Invisible Love

    Hello…remember me?? A person of a certain age…my certain age…should not be so busy that they can’t even do the small simple things they enjoy doing. But alas, that is where we have been for the last six months. But now, I can sit and do nothing…or the small things I enjoy doing. My Christmas decorations of course have been up since mid November so now its just a few presents that need wrapping. Whew!!

    The Christmas season, although busy, is where we seem to share the most kindness to those around us and sometimes we focus this kindness on those less fortunate. The Covid years took their toll on all of us – physically, emotionally and financially. And some of those effects are still lingering creating uncertainty. So I want to share a thought from my morning devotion that kind of hit home for me concerning the true purpose for this season…or any season.

    Why do we celebrate this season….I think the most trustworthy answer in all categories is...LOVE.

    I recently saw a picture on facebook showing pictures of movie portrayals of Mary with baby Jesus next to a picture of Mary crying over the body of Jesus after he was crucified…both pictures reflecting overwhelming gifts of LOVE. God’s gift of baby Jesus for his love of mankind and then Jesus’ sacrificial gift of his life for mankind’s salvation. And lets not forget Mary’s sacrificial gift of raising Jesus, knowing who he was and what his mission was – to save mankind. Colossians reminds us of the visible image and invisible image of God.

    Jesus…the visible image of God’s invisible image. How many times do we say – I won’t believe it until I see it. Even the disciple Thomas would not believe in the resurrection until he saw the holes in Jesus’ hands. And modern man is having a very hard time in believing in a God they can’t see. But I challenge you to look around at the beauty of creation, not just the nature side – which is amazing – but the human side as well. While man can sometimes be persnickety, man can also show a beauty and power through kindness and love towards others that can make us see the beauty and love of our invisible God.

    16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created through him and for him.

    The fact that even in this chaotic world we have the ability to show this love and kindness is proof that the invisible God is still here. There will be a day when He will leave and when he leaves, all the love and kindness will leave as well. It won’t be pretty.

    So share this wonderful season of love – not just now at Christmas but make every day Christmas by reflecting the love we have been shown by our invisible God and His visible Son…and always be kind.

    Limitless Love

    It has been a while since I posted an encouragement, but when I read this morning devotion with Billy Graham, I felt I needed to share his thoughts. There are a lot of storms we face in this life, some weather related and some within our hearts and sometimes they are both. In late September, Hurricane Ian demolished the west coast of Ft. Myers, Florida. Being raised in south Georgia, I fully understood that the late storms of hurricane season were usually the meanest. Now the east coast of Florida braces for a November storm, a rarity.

    Storms of the heart are no less powerful. They can come from misunderstandings between people to down right meanness and we have all faced them, maybe even caused a few of them – whether we meant to or not. The problem is, we are all imperfect. We are all sinners. BUT all of us are still loved. God’s love for us reaches beyond anything we could ever imagine, even to those who do not love Him. But to those of us who do love Him, we feel that love. It holds us on course until the storms are over. He stands right beside us fighting the battle for us when we no longer can. He is our warrior.

    Billy Graham’s message this morning reminds us of the limitless power of God for all of us.

    God can be everywhere at once, heeding the prayers of all who call out in the name of Christ; performing mighty miracles. There is no limit to God. There is no limit to His wisdom. There is no limit to His power. There is no limit to His love. There is no limit to His mercy. Billy Graham

    As you fight today’s battles or this weeks battles, always remember there is simply no limit to God’s love for you. As you stand tall in your battle, remember to be kind. Kindness during battle has an extra power of God with it that has the opportunity to open the eyes of the storm and help it resolve.

    A Rainbow

    Spring is usually the time to catch a rainbow so it is with wonderous awe that we see them in the fall. This one was on my way to work Wednesday and I felt it needed sharing, the picture at least.

    Beauty of the Rainbow

     The beauty of the rainbow, hanging in the sky

    Ignored by many as they hurriedly zoom by

    Its colors so radiant for only a short time

    But a reminder still relevant made for all time

    It was a promise for Noah and all of mankind

    Proving God’s love, even though we seem blind

    The rainbow is beautiful but not really a gift

    It’s a reminder to God, for our spirits to lift

    Anita☺

    As we go through our zooming day, remember to glance around at the beauty surrounding you, even if it seems a gray day. Then let that beauty bring on a smile for you to share with others to maybe lighten their day. And as always, Be Kind.