Sandra Kay Vosburgh's Blog, page 2

Superman’s Message Still Flies

The recent chatter about a certain preacher fallen from grace sent me to my journals. The man had been the keynote speaker at my son’s graduation from Liberty University. Decades have passed, but I enjoyed reading again how the Lord made a way for my husband and me to be in attendance.

It was amazing that the trip to Virginia had ever taken place.

We had cancelled our hotel reservations when Brian said he would not be allowed to walk in graduation. The dean said he could not graduate because his CLEP scores were not in. When I sensed Brian really wanted to take part, I said I would contact the Dean of Academics who had made the decision, and if I didn’t get anywhere with Dr. Stickler (name changed to save him embarrassment), I’d email Jerry Falwell, the founder of the university.  

Being a single mother for thirteen years taught me to ‘be the man’ and fight for my children.

I couldn’t find an email for Dr. Stickler, but I found one for who I thought to be Dr. Falwell. Turned out, I’d emailed my petition to Jerry Falwell Jr. He responded saying he’d forwarded my email to his father and to the college president, Dr. Borek.

Two hours later Dr. Stickler emailed to say Brian could participate in graduation ceremonies. But by now Brian had an attitude. He made a deal with God. If we could get a hotel room two days before graduation, it’d be the miracle-evidence that he should participate. It just so happened Best Western—right next to the campus—had a cancelation moments before my call. Brian would walk.

The room cost $236 for two nights. (That used to be a lot of money.) Brock had a conniption fit about the price. Must be a man/woman thing. I rejoiced at the provision of God, and my husband gets a keel-over pain in his gut. Go figure.

The day of the ceremony, we arrived at the Vine Center one hour and twenty minutes early to find most of the seats “saved.” I determined I’d email Jerry about it.

The speaker was Dr. Tony Evans. I won’t defend him. But I will defend how God used him that day, and I’ll defend the message. Using the analogy of Superman, he spoke to the graduates about being a superman. Clark Kent was transformed when he put on the cape. And we as believers in Jesus Christ are transformed when we put on the Holy Spirit. Kent was from another planet. Our citizenship is in heaven. He used many other parallels to encourage the graduates to rely on the power of Christ and to pursue the course God had set before them.

I haven’t paid any attention to the recent news regarding Mr. Evans. I wasn’t there. I don’t know the man. I read the news with one blind eye and listen to it with one deaf ear since only half of it is true.  What I do know is the Word of God stands forever. The message of the cross will not fail regardless of the failures of the messenger.

We can use the sins of others as an excuse to reject the Bible, but it isn’t the Dr. Evanses we will appeal to in our final day. Not even to the Dr. Falwells. God alone is the one to whom we will give account. With all the gossiping and finger pointing, I prefer to gossip about the message and point my fingers toward the Savior.

As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:27-28).

21 Ideas to Help You Connect with Your Grandchildren

Are you at a loss for ideas to engage your grandchildren and build on your relationship? In this age of nonstop digital entertainment, we need to be intentional in our role as grandmothers. I hope you will find at least one or two ideas that will inspire your creativity and present more opportunities for meaningful conversation.

Review with your grandchildren some of your favorite memories or funny moments you shared together. Try to avoid retelling the same story too often.Share with your grandchildren what you like or appreciate about them in a card and mail it. No matter their age, they will cherish your words of affirmation.Support in tangible ways any special talents or interests that your grandchild has shown. Not sure what interests him/her? Ask.Allow your relationship to evolve. What a grandchild enjoyed at age five is not the same at fifteen. Teens want their time and space respected, but stay involved. They need you, just not in the same way.   Pass down your Christian values by sharing your own life lessons with your grandchildren. They’re interested in your past but may not think, or have the courage, to ask. Stay connected with your older grandchildren by sending the occasional short text to let them know you are praying for them, being mindful not to send it during their school or work hours.Plan a special outing with each child, making sure every one of your grandchildren have their turn at spending time alone with you. Think outside the box. Plan a day trip, a train ride, a mystery dinner theatre, etc. If they are little, a trip to the dollar store with $3 is euphoria.Share any positive similarities between your grandchildren and your son or daughter when they were young. This is a good way to remind your grandchildren that their parents were kids too.Pray for wisdom to handle challenging moments or conflicts with your grandchild, while maintaining a loving relationship. If possible, pray with them about the issue, but don’t preach in your prayer!Discuss and take an interest in your grandchildren’s hopes and dreams for their future. Support them, and encourage them to seek God’s path for their lives.Let them know you pray for them. Ask if there is a specific matter you can pray about. This is especially important in staying connected to your teenage grandchildren.Share the family tree. Let them see they are part of a family of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Giving them an overview of their heritage teaches them that family is important.Read aloud character-building stories that generate faith in your grandchild. Use these opportunities to communicate foundational truths in a way they can grasp and apply.Share godly advice and wisdom with your grandchildren. When they have a question, a decision to make, or an issue to resolve, share the Scriptures that address the matter, and don’t wait to be asked.Be a supportive grandparent while respecting the decisions of the child’s parents. This one can be hard when it comes to discipline or matters of faith. But you have prayer at your disposal.Pass down family stories, traditions, and values to your grandchildren. This will give them a sense of connectedness. And, like parables, your stories will often include a life lesson.Celebrate special occasions or milestones in your grandchildren’s lives. This can be anything you want to celebrate. Be creative.Use opportunities to share how being a grandparent has brought joy and fulfillment to your life. (If you’re grumpy or negative or complaining whenever the grandchildren are around, this one won’t work.)Share with your older grandchildren about your own spiritual journey. It’s important that the relationship is two-way. Let them learn about you, as well as learn from you.      Tell your grandchildren of a time when God met a specific need—physical, emotional, or spiritual. Don’t miss opportunities to brag on God to your grandchildren.Do your little ones ever stay overnight? Pray with each one individually when you tuck them into bed. They will remember and treasure this practice, and likely do the same with their children.

It's Just a Little White Lie

According to the biblical record, Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, was a deceiver. She came from a family of deceivers and gave birth to deceivers who gave birth to deceivers. Because she was a grandmother, I studied her that I might learn from her. I learned what we sow, we reap.

Rebekah had two sons, Jacob and Esau. According to Genesis 27, Rebekah manipulated Jacob, and he deceived his father, Isaac, and stole the blessing from his brother, Esau. When this was discovered, Esau threatened to kill Jacob. Rebekah sent Jacob away to live with her brother, Laban.

Laban also carried the deception gene. He manipulated Jacob into serving him with the promise that Jacob would marry his beautiful daughter, Rachel. But at the wedding, Laban pulled a switcheroo. He veiled his oldest daughter, Leah--the daughter least likely to win the Miss Haran beauty pageant--and passed her off as Rachel. When Jacob woke the next morning . . .  Whoa! There was Leah, clinging to him. Yikes!

The plot continued, and Jacob married Rachel. When Jacob left Laban’s house and took his family, Laban pursued him. Someone had stolen Laban's god, and he wanted his idol back. In the account, we learn Rachel had taken it and deceived her father. Did the man think his seeds of deception would reap integrity?

Then came Jacob’s sons. Two of his twelve sons made a treaty with the men of Shechem. They would all live peaceably together in the land if the men of Shechem would agree to be circumcised according to Jewish custom. When the circumcised men were not in fighting form, Simeon and Levi swept in and killed them all.

We saw again the generational cord of deception when the sons of Jacob sold their brother, Joseph, into slavery in Egypt and told their father that a wild animal had killed his favorite son. Their father, Jacob, the man who had manipulated his own brother out of his birthright and stolen his brother’s blessing through deception, had become the victim of the most heart wrenching scheme his sons could have perpetrated on their father.

Rebekah could not have known the hardship and heartache along the path she set her son on, or the tragic effect Jacob's actions would have on his brother. I wonder if his father's blessing and his brother's birthright were worth the price he, and the generations that followed, paid.

When we interact with our children and grandchildren in the day-by-day of things, we rarely pause to consider how our actions and attitudes will spill over into the next generation. But I pray God will give us grandmothers a “sanctified imagination”—the ability to see beyond the veil, to see with spiritual eyes so that we can, if we need to, alter our behavior and the course of our children's and grandchildren’s future for good.

If you looked farther back in the record, you would see the pattern of deception did not start with Rebekah, but neither did it end with her. Devastating generational traits may not have started with us, yet I pray by God’s grace they will end with us.

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1, NKJV). 

It’s Just a Little White Lie

According to the biblical record, Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, was a deceiver. She came from a family of deceivers and gave birth to deceivers who gave birth to deceivers. Because she was a grandmother, I wanted to learn from her. I learned what goes around comes around, and deception breeds deception.

Rebekah gave birth to two sons, Jacob and Esau. Genesis 27 records Rebekah manipulating Jacob to deceive his father, Isaac, and steal the blessing from his brother, Esau. When this is discovered, and Rebekah has successfully dysfunctionalized—this isn’t a real word but it should be—her family, she sends Jacob away to live with her brother, Laban.

Laban also carried the deception gene. He manipulated Jacob with a promise—he would allow Jacob to marry his daughter, Rachel. There’s a wedding, but Laban pulled a switcheroo. He veiled his oldest daughter, Leah, the daughter least likely to win the Miss Haran beauty pageant, and passed her off as Rachel. When Jacob awoke the next morning …  Whoa! There’s Leah, clinging to him. Yikes!

The plot goes on and Jacob finally gets Rachel. When Jacob leaves Laban’s house and takes his family away, Laban pursues him. Someone had stolen his god, and he wanted his idol back. In the account, we learn Rachel had taken it and deceived her father. Did the man think his seeds of deception would reap integrity?

Then we come to Jacob’s sons. Two of his sons made a treaty with the men of Shechem. They would all live peaceably together in the land if the men of Shechem would agree to be circumcised according to Jewish custom. When the circumcised men were not in their best form, Simeon and Levi swept in and killed them.

We see vividly the generational cord of deception when the sons of Jacob sell their brother, Joseph, into slavery in Egypt and tell their father that his favorite son is dead. Their father, Jacob, the man who stole his own brother’s birthright through manipulation and stole his brother’s blessing through deception, becomes the victim of the most devastating scheme ever perpetrated on a father.

Rebekah could not have known the heartache and tragedy that lay ahead of her son, Jacob—not to mention the tragedy of Esau’s life—when she “practiced to deceive”. Jacob suffered far beyond the worth of his father’s blessing and his brother’s birthright.

When we interact with our children and grandchildren in the day-by-day of things, we rarely consider how our actions and attitudes will spill over into the next generation. But I pray God will give us grandmothers a “sanctified imagination”—the ability to see beyond the veil, to see with spiritual eyes so that we can, if we need to, alter our behavior and the course of our grandchildren’s future for good.

If you look farther back in the record, you will see the pattern of deception did not start with Rebekah, but neither did it end with her. Devastating generational traits may not have started with us, yet I pray by God’s grace they will end with us.

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1, NKJV). 

How to Shop for the Ungrateful People on Your List

There’s a story of a grandmother who never heard from her grandchildren. Every Christmas she would send them a check but would never hear back from them. The checks were cashed, but there came no thank you note, no phone call, no text message to express their gratitude.

One Christmas she changed things up. She sent a check to each grandchild—unsigned. That year, she heard from every one of her grandchildren.

Before I get to the how-to, I will ask you the question I asked myself. Are you one of those ungrateful persons on someone’s list? Your parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts?

Perhaps your employer will give you a small bonus or a ham or some other recognition of the holiday. Do you consider that gift owed to you and receive it with an attitude that conveys your feelings, or do you shock your employer with a thank you note?

Christmas tends to bring out the best in some people. Their generosity shines with donations to charities that serve the poor, particularly those non-profits that focus on children.

For others, Christmas brings out the flaws in their character. They’re into materialism. Their gifts are dressed to impress. They need to outshine and out spend their siblings. Or they are parents who believe the higher the stockpile under and around the tree, the more loved the children will feel. (BTW, this mentality plants the seed of ingratitude, but that’s another blog.)

So, how do we shop for the not-so-grateful on our list?

First, consider what that person would appreciate if they had a mind to. Don’t give what you want to give. Give what you believe they would want or use.  Although it is blessed to give, and it would give you pleasure to give what you want, consider the receiver and their needs.

Next, don’t spend more money with the false belief that if you spend more, they would appreciate you more. Not gonna happen. Nor should you spend so little that your gift is intended to make a statement. (Remember character flaws? You don’t want to show yours, do you?)

Finally, and most importantly, consider Christ. He left His Father’s throne and His kingly crown when He came to earth to be born in a filthy stable, to grow up in a sin-cursed world, to give the greatest gift known to man—His life as the sacrifice for sin.

How ungrateful has mankind been for this gift of amazing grace? They cursed Him, spit in His face, shredded His sinews with a cat o’ nine tails, and subjected Him to the cruelest form of death—crucifixion.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. He did not give us what He wanted to give. Jesus prayed His Father would take the cup of death from His hands. Yet, God gave us what we needed, a sacrifice for our sin, forgiveness, hope, peace, and eternal life in the presence of Christ.

Jesus did not spend more in the hope mankind would honor Him with humbleness of heart. He gave all. He had nothing more to give. Nor did He spend less.

Let’s follow His example, because it really is all about Him.

Merry Christmas.

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

How to Pray for Your Grandchildren

Mountains Move When Grandmothers Pray

Twenty-five years ago, a piece of Gilbert Fonteneau’s heart went missing. Yet, his prayer for his granddaughter, wherever she was, changed the direction of her life and the depth of her faith forever.

The story is fictional, but the power of our prayers for our grandchildren is real. Prayer moves the hand of God, who moves in the hearts and lives of our grandchildren. We are not able to meet every need of each grandchild, but God is able. He is there, and He knows.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us.

And Jesus said, “… if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

Are there mountains blocking the way to your grandchild’s spiritual health and wholeness? Do they seem insurmountable?

The family structure has been breaking down for the past seventy years, but never as rapidly as it is today. The keyword in most family relationships is complicated. As grandmothers, raised in generations past, we feel profoundly the current collapse of this foundation.

How do we push back the darkness?

The most effective way to fight against the darkness engulfing our grandchild’s world is to pray for them.

We pray they walk moment by moment in the light of God’s truth. That God’s Word will be the light to their path and the lamp that guides their feet. We have no greater joy than to know they walk in truth, but this does not lessen our responsibility to pray. Those who follow Jesus Christ are targets for the arrows of the evil one. They will suffer persecution.

Perhaps for you, joy has been displaced. Your grandchild is a prodigal, and sorrow fills your heart. The mountains have stood unmoved for so long that discouragement has set in, and you feel powerless to affect change. But you are not powerless! The evil one is attempting to disarm you.

Prayer is both our defensive and offensive weapon in pushing back the darkness of this age. As long as our grandchild is in this enemy camp, we must never surrender our weapon.

How do we pray?

Pray the Scriptures.

Words may fail, faith my falter, but the Word of God stands sure and steadfast. Make a listing of verses that apply to your grandchild’s needs. Keep it tucked in your Bible, and pray through them often.

When we pray Scripture, we are speaking God’s Word back to Him. He agrees with everything we are asking. For example, pray through Ephesians 6:13-17, and cover them with spiritual protective gear.

Father, I pray that [child’s name] will put on the whole armor of God today, that he would stand against the wiles of the devil. I pray [child’s name] will put on the belt of truth, that he would recognize lies and not be deceived to his own harm. Place over his chest the breastplate of righteousness, that his heart would not rebel against You and Your Word. Place on his head the helmet of salvation, protecting his mind from discouragement and depression. Make him skillful in using the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to overcome every temptation that comes against him today. In the authority of the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Mountains move when grandmothers pray.

Through the Valley

An Interview On Depression

When a friend told me of a recent suicide, I decided to post this interview I conducted a few years back. Unfortunately, the subject seems more relevant today than it did then. My guest shared her experience of a year-long bout with depression. If you or someone you love is struggling with this debilitating illness, I pray my guest’s words will offer you encouragement as well as practical suggestions.  

SV:  You went through a very dark period of depression a few years ago. Looking back, how would you describe that time?

CW:  It’s as David said in Psalm 40, being at the bottom of a pit. Everything is black, and it seems as though there is no hope and no way out.

SV:  We don’t talk much about depression among Christians. Why do you think that is?

CW:  A Christian is supposed to be strong, full of joy. If we don’t evidence these we feel like a failure and we’re ashamed.

SV: What was your first indication that you were not simply experiencing a blue day, that you were in serious trouble?

CW:  When I could no longer control my thoughts, I knew something was terribly wrong. Negative thoughts would bombard me constantly, and I seemed powerless to control them.

SV:  Did you consider medical help?

CW:  I eventually sought medical attention, and a thyroid problem was discovered. Medication brought some improvement. But I also believed it was a spiritual matter. The Lord used this time in my life to settle a lot of questions I’d had for a long time.

SV:  Would you share a little about that?

CW:  I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was twelve. I attended church with my parents until I married. Then I began attending my husband’s church. There, the Gospel was presented in a slightly different manner. Not a wrong manner just one that made me question my salvation. And because Satan is cunning and set on my destruction, he played on my doubts. Fear took over.

SV:  Can you describe what it was like for you, to feel yourself sinking and yet unable to stop it?

CW:  It’s lonely. And dark. You feel like you’re going crazy. Like there’s two people. The one you used to be is still there, deep down, but you can’t grab her and you can’t get her back. You want to and you try, but you just see her slipping farther and farther away.

SV:  It must have been a difficult time for your husband, as well. What was his role during that time.

CW:  He didn’t understand what was happening, but he would come home from work each night and just hold me and pray for me. He was a rock, and he was there. He gave me hope.

SV:  What about your children?

CW:  My husband brought them together and told them what was happening. They were 11 and 16 at the time. Their role was prayer. They went through the valley with me.

SV:  How did your friends respond to your illness?

CW:  Some drew close, others pulled away. I think they were afraid they would do or say something that would make me feel worse.

SV:  When a friend or family member is in the grip of depression, we are often at a loss of how to help them. Is there anything that someone did or said that was helpful?

CW:  A few close friends often called me. They’d make me go to lunch with them, or share an interesting magazine article with me. They were just there for me. The greatest help came from those who had gone through the valley before me and had made it through. Their stories gave me hope.  

SV:  Let’s talk a little about the physical aspect. You were in this state of depression for over a year. What was the effect on your health?

CW:  I had no appetite and went down to 87 pounds. I experienced sleeplessness, heart palpitations, excessive fear, and emotional instability. I cried all the time. I was like a rubber band, stretched to the limit and ready to snap.

SV:  I know you loved God with all your heart before your illness. How did you reconcile what was happening to you with God’s love for you?

CW:  Anyone who’s read the Scriptures knows God loves us. But when we go through something that seems to contradict that, it’s difficult to reconcile. I didn’t feel God’s love, but the Holy Spirit continually confirmed to me that God loved me.

SV:  Did you sense God’s presence?

CW:  No, but I knew He was with me. At times, I felt that He was angry with me but that’s because the depression was distorting my perceptions. I’d lie in bed at night, lift my hand in the air, and cry, “Lord, just take my hand. I need you.” There was nothing except the knowledge that He was there.

SV:  It’s obvious the Lord brought you victoriously through that valley. When did you sense the cloud beginning to lift?

CW:  A young pastor assisting in our church at the time was helping me to see it all from God’s perspective. I began to see my root problem was fear. Only then could I begin to overcome. I had to learn to replace Satan’s lies with the truth of the Word of God.

SV:  Is there anything else that stands out that you learned through this journey?

CW:  I learned what it really means for the Lord to be my Shepherd. When He says He will lead us through the valley, He means just that. We may not see Him or sense His presence or even hear His voice, but we can be assured the Shepherd is there. He has promised, and He always keeps His promises.

SV:  Was there a particular Scripture that gave you hope or comfort?

CW:  Isaiah 40:29, “He gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” Also 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

SV:  When you were in the grip of depression, did you believe any good could come from it?

CW:  Yes, I really believed that. I took a step of faith, and I wrote in my journal asking God to use it. I would even try to imagine how He would use it for His glory, and that gave me hope. The Scriptures overflow with examples of how God brought good out of the bad circumstances in the lives of His people.

SV:  How has the Lord used that time for good?

CW:  Through the whole time of illness, through the struggles with doubt and fear, the Lord showed me His unfailing love for me. He allowed me to receive what I needed most—love, acceptance, personal growth. He emptied me of myself, then filled me to overflowing with Himself.

SV:  Do you ever sense depression settling over you again. If so, what is your battle plan?

CW:  Yes. I believe Satan wants to paralyze me and keep me from fulfilling the plan God has for me. When I sense that happening, I have to put on my armor (Ephesians 6) and go into battle. I have to stand on the truth and resist the lies.  

SV:  Is there hope for those suffering from depression?

CW:  Definitely. God is the Great Physician. He promised to heal the broken-hearted.

SV:  What message would you give to those who are walking through a dark valley?

CW:  Listen to God by reading the Bible. Keep a journal and record what you learn. Trust in Him with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Most importantly, humble yourself and ask others to support you in prayer.

My guest currently serves in her local church and is actively involved in helping others overcome depression.

Ordinary Moments, Extraordinary God

***The ladies of my church hosted a Mothers and Daughters Tea recently. This is a transcript of our speaker’s message. Used with Permission by Valerie Moore.

I will be sharing with you my spiritual journey of some ordinary days and times in my life, where an extraordinary God was moving behind the scenes. Although today I have a close walk with the Lord, it wasn’t always that way.

In my 20’s I began to battle severe depression due to circumstances in my life. I felt like I was falling into a bottomless black pit and there was no way out except to end my life. The enemy had convinced me that my children and family would be much better off without me.

You see, on the outside I could put on a smile—like nothing was wrong—and go through the motions of life. But on the inside I was dying. My life was being suffocated by darkness. Darkness that cannot be explained by words, but it was as Jesus said, the thief comes to steal, and to kill and to destroy.

I’d made a plan. The 4th of July weekend was a week away. I knew my children would be gone that weekend, and I had planned on ending my life while they were away.

I was a stay-at-home mom taking care of my children and babysitting other children, and I had decided earlier to apply for a job. I finally heard from the company. They offered me the job, and my start date was July 2nd.  To accept the job, I’d need daycare.

July 2nd, I took my children to daycare and when I dropped off my son, who was 3 at the time, he said, “Mommy be back” and I told him yes “Mommy will be back”, and on my way to work those words hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that if I went through with ending my life mommy would never be back.

 I remember crying all the way to work and saying repeatedly God help me. God had used my son’s words to stop me from committing suicide. Although I cried out to God that day, I didn’t surrender my life to him.

My dad and mom invited my husband and me to a Christmas play at a nearby church, and we agreed to go. At that Christmas play God moved, and by the end of the show I had filled out a card and committed my life to God. I’m so thankful for my dad inviting us to the play, and for all his prayers throughout the years, as I know they brought me into the Kingdom. Even though I surrendered my life that night, it was sometime before my life began to change.

My husband and I attended a “Purpose Driven Life” study by Rick Warren and during the study I came to realize that my life has a purpose, and that God was not surprised by my birth; in fact, he expected it. And that long before I was conceived by my parents, I was conceived in the mind of God. He thought of me first. It isn’t fate, chance, or a coincidence that I’m breathing at this very moment. I’m alive because God created me. Psalms 138:8 (NIV) says “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me”.

God has made us for a reason, he also decided when we would be born and how long we would live. He planned the days of our life in advance. Psalm 139:16 (LB) says “You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!”.

God planned where and when we would be born for his purpose. God left no detail to chance. He planned it all. Acts 17:26 (NIV) says “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.” Nothing in our life is by chance. It’s all for a purpose.                                        

He has a reason for everything he creates. Every plant and every animal was planned by God, and every person was designed with a purpose in mind. God made us for a reason, and our life has profound meaning.

In the study I also learned that many people are driven by resentment and bitterness, and that resentment always hurts us more than it does the person we resent. Instead of releasing our pain through forgiveness, we rehearse it over and over in our mind. Resentment and bitterness are like poison in our body. It’s the poison we drink hoping the other person will die.

God showed me that I was holding onto unforgiveness, and bitterness, and I knew in my heart I had to let it go, as Ephesians 4:32 says Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Yet in my flesh, I was struggling to let it go.

One day I said to God, “There’s no way I can let go of this bitterness and unforgiveness. You must do it.” In that moment the enemy’s chains of bitterness and unforgiveness were broken, and I realized “who am I not to forgive, when Jesus has forgiven me”. By God’s spirit I was able to let it go.

Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty”.

Since 2020 our family has been in a spiritual battle that started when our grandson JP was born in December of 2020 with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia. JP was born without bile ducts and the bile wasn’t draining from his liver, which caused his liver to fail.

At 6 weeks old he had his first surgery the Kasai procedure. The doctors created bile ducts to help the bile drain from his liver, this surgery has only a 33% chance of working. JP continued to get sick with cholangitis, which is caused by a bacterial infection, and the doctors determined that JP needed a liver transplant.

There have been many times where I have felt beat down by the enemy, questioned God “why” “why does my daughter and grandson have to go through this?” As a mother, my entire being wanted to fix everything for my daughter and grandson.

I continued to pray for strength, strength to stay strong for my daughter, strength to place my daughter and JP in God’s hands and trust Him—which is the best thing I can do for them.

JP had his liver transplant last year on March 15, 2022, and has been flourishing ever since. We saw God move in so many ways and provide so many miracles along the way. God has been so good during this journey. Psalm 136:4 says – Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.

During this battle with JP, I also entered my own spiritual battle 14 months ago. In January 2022 I contracted COVID as many people throughout the world have. My symptoms were very mild and didn’t immediately affect me, however within 10 days I entered what is now known as long haul COVID symptoms.

I began experiencing severe neurological symptoms. I had severe numbness, tingling and pinning pricking sensations throughout my entire body. It felt like pieces of glass were being stabbed into every area of my body. These symptoms made it very difficult to sit, stand or to lay down. I also began dealing with severe spinning, floating, and imbalance issues.

Several times a day whether I was sitting, standing, or laying down the room would spin around like I was on the tilt-a-whirl. I had to hang on to things to navigate myself throughout my house and was unable to drive. My eyes also became affected, as I began having flashes of colored lights, and flickering of lights in my vision.

This all occurred in a very short period. My days of everyday routines and daily activities came to a sudden stop. I was no longer living life. My days were now marked as survival days, since it took everything I had to survive a day.

I continued to work, as this was a driving force that kept me going, but I was no longer living life. My husband, who stood by my side faithfully, and was working full-time, was now doing all the cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I spent most of my time lying in bed trying to get some type of relief from the pain and spinning.

Before my diagnosis I saw several different doctors and had several different tests done. Each time my tests came back normal, which was a relief, but I still had no answer as to what was wrong with me. I felt darkness settling in, only this time it was a different type of darkness than that of depression.

1 Peter 5:8-9 says. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. I literally felt like my life was being devoured.

I reached out to several faith-filled family members and a select handful of people in my church and told them what I was dealing with and asked for prayer, but I felt God tell me to not just ask a select few from my church to pray, but to put myself out on the prayer chain.

I must admit in my prideful flesh there were people that, even though we attended the same church, I didn’t want to know. But God knew this battle was bigger than I could handle on my own and I was going to need them.

You see there was one person who I didn’t want to know. I mean after all, what would she think of me? Which is completely ridiculous! But the enemy has a way of getting into our mind. Now this person is also a very private person, and one day a prayer request came in from this person who was requesting prayer for herself. I can remember thinking, wow, that must have taken her a lot of strength to open herself up and to ask for prayer.

God used me to become an intercessor in prayer for her, asking God to heal her, to bless her summer and give her the ability to do all the things she wanted to do with her family. When our paths crossed in church, I heard God say, “ask her how she’s doing” and before I knew what I saying I said “Hi How are you doing? She kindly answered me, and asked how I was doing?

I opened my heart to her and told her the battle I was in. She encouraged me to put myself on the prayer chain to get more people praying for me. God used her to give me the encouragement I needed to reach out to others and ask them to cover me in prayer, because God knew how big my battle was. She continues to stand faithfully in prayer for me.

During this difficult battle with my health, God has been so faithful and has taught me so much. God has used many different people to stand in prayer with me, to send me cards, books, text messages, videos, worship songs and scriptures that encouraged me at just the right time.

Someone sent me a 45-minute video of scriptures being spoken. I can’t tell you how many days I played those scriptures over and over. Those healing scriptures were a strength to my soul. These scriptures were the light in the darkness of my days, as it took everything I had inside to fight the voice of the enemy and his lies.

Proverbs 4:20-22 says “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.”

Though I’m still not completely healed, and I never want to go through this again, I can say I’m thankful for having gone through it. It has brought me much closer to God and His word has become life to me. I’m grateful for being able to do the dishes, laundry and cook a meal. I no longer take my everyday routine for granted, as each moment of the day is a gift from God.

And I continue to stand firm on the name of God Jehovah Rapha, The God who has healed me. I continue to stand firm on His word, as Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed.”

Maybe you’re facing what seems like an insurmountable obstacle. It might be a problem too hard to solve, a task beyond your ability, unforgiveness or a situation over which you have no control. Facing such things can make us feel weak, helpless, and vulnerable. But always remember that we have an almighty God, and nothing is too difficult for him.

When you think your living in just ordinary days, in those days is where you will find an extraordinary God.

***The above transcript was used with permission by Valerie Moore.

When We Miss Our Children

I recently visited a woman of ninety-five. She wept because she missed her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Three of her four sons have passed away, so she is not unacquainted with grief. She’s a woman of courage and determination, but loneliness often overwhelms her. No doubt, she is loved and valued by loved ones, but in her mind, she is not. To her, she is forgotten and abandoned by those she poured her love and strength into.

According to 99Firms, eighteen billion text messages are sent every day. If only one of them could be sent to a mother or grandmother, what a difference that simple communication would make to her troubled mind and broken heart. To reassure an aged parent or grandparent that they are still loved and not forgotten takes less than thirty seconds.

Preparing for an upcoming Mother’s Day event, I read again the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel, Chapter one. Hannah grieved for the child she wanted. She went to the temple to pray that God would give her a child. Verse 10 reads, And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.

That sums up how I feel when I miss my children and grandchildren. That’s why I’m so blessed and grateful when a grandchild texts or stops in to visit. One grandchild lives in another state and the videos his dad sends are the only means of watching him grow. I cannot place a value on this.  

So many women are missing their children. Like Hannah, some grieve over empty arms. Some mothers have had to surrender their child to death. These women force themselves to keep breathing, to keep moving, to get through the day. And like my friend, many are elderly. Some lie in nursing homes and stare at family snapshots pinned to their personal bulletin board.

Our circumstances are varied, but the universal issue is mothers often miss their children. So, what can we do when the weight of sadness drops heavily on our chests? Like Hannah, we pray and weep. Then, like Hannah, we go on our way rejoicing in the promises of God. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We need never feel abandoned.

And we reach out to those we love. They are busy. Their lives are full—at least, we hope this is the case—and it is their turn to build a life. Yet, they too need the reminder that they are loved and valued. Do not surrender to a woe-is-me mentality. If we are breathing, we are to keep reaching out to others. There is always someone who needs the reminder that we care.

Even a ninety-five-year-old grandmother can send a text message. It may take her more than thirty seconds, but she can do it and so can we.

God Leads His Children Along

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song.

“… no believer has cause to cover his face, in any spot where his dear Lord sees fit to bid him dwell.” Anna Warner – taken from her biography, Susan Warner (pub. 1909) 

Miss Warner’s words could aptly be applied to the widow of hymnwriter, George A. Young.

In the late 19th century, Mr. Young, a carpenter and preacher, served the Lord in rural, impoverished communities. Despite hardships, George was able to build a small house for his family. What joy they must have felt living in their own humble dwelling.

But not everyone appreciated the ministry of Mr. and Mrs. Young. One day, while the Youngs were away conducting meetings, “haters of good” (2 Timothy 3:3) burned their home to the ground. The Young family returned to a mystery that tries the faith of men. Their home lay in smoldering ashes.

Isaiah 61:3 declares, God will give all who mourn … beauty for ashes. God’s presence became very real to George during that time, for he soon penned the words to a hymn that has blessed and encouraged fainting saints for well over a century.

God Leads His Children Along (Excerpts)

In shady, green pastures so rich and so sweet
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet
Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night
Though sorrows befall us and Satan oppose
Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes
(Refrain)

Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

Years after Mr. Young’s death, Hador Lillenas, a renowned hymnwriter himself, having a great fondness of the hymn made inquiries as to the welfare of Mr. Young’s widow. He discovered that Mrs. Young was living in a poorhouse. He set out to visit her.

The interview had a profound effect on Lillenas. In an environment of dark hopelessness, he found Mrs. Young rejoicing that God had seen fit to place her there!

“Dr. Lillenas,” she said, “God led me here. I’m so glad He did, for you know, about every month someone comes into this place to spend the rest of their days. So many of them don’t know my Jesus. I’m having the time of my life introducing them to Jesus. Dr. Lillenas, isn’t it wonderful how God leads!”

The widow of George A. Young felt no cause to cover her face in the spot where her dear Lord had seen fit to bid her dwell. Through the decades, she had learned to trust God’s leading.

We, too, must learn that we can trust our Father’s leading. We will not be exempt from the mysteries that will try our faith, yet we will see evidence of the presence of God. He will bring beauty out of ashes. And He will, if we trust Him to do so, give us a song.