Final Message for 2009

I just read this scripture from the Message Bible and I knew that I needed to share it with you.

"If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs....These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting dimishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting.

Those of you who attended Billy's funeral, heard his recorded voice blessing our grandchildren.He said to them..."Tyler, all creation is straining on tiptoe to see you come into your own.Trevor, all creation is straining on tiptoe to see you come into your own." He continued to bless Seth, Joshua, Gracie, Ava, Cole, Kaylah, Gabriel . I want to add to his blessing today. First Brett, all creation is straining on tiptoe to see you come into your own. Hayley, Richard, Brad, Heather, Jeff, Shanna, Nicky, David, Jaime, Michelle, Carol, Gene, Leslie, George, All my blogging friends: You are soon ready to be everything that God wants you to be. Come Lord Jesus.

Good News - Bad News

It seems that 2009 has delivered numerous bad reports. I have friends who have passed away and some have received cancer diagnosis, while many others have lost jobs and income. It seems we are all one phone call or diagnosis from life-changing events. At this point, we point to God and say, "How can a loving God let this happen?" Every time my grandson Seth comes over, he begs me to read him a certain book about a grandmother and grandson who take a trip to the Grand Canyon together. They have many strange adventures and are separated, rescued and reconnected. All through the book, the question is asked,"Is it good or is it bad?" I love the quote from Richard Wormbrand's book,In God's Underground."What we call 'bad' is often simply unfinshed good." My problems get worse when I try to define a particular event in the presence of the pain. Please don't tell anyone in the presence of pain that this is for their own good. It is NOT comforting. What is comforting?1. Hugs, Hugs, and more Hugs. 2. Sincere listening. 3. Not trying to fix the problem.4.Prayer. Ascending any mountain is difficult, but the view from the summit is exhilerating.

Encourage

This will be short. I just want to thank all the people that comment on the blog. Even if your answer has been a simple "Yes". It feels like food to my spirit that has been so worn down with grief.Steve Meeks (pastor at Calvary Church) preached today on How to Love God. I have been so focused on trying to see how He is loving me that I forgot Mark 12: 29-30.The Message Bible: Jesus said, "The FIRST in importance is, Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one;so love the Lord God with all your Passion and Prayer and Intelligence and Energy. And here is the second : Love others as well as you love yourself. There is no other commandment that ranks with these. My friends, I believe that as we put our desire and wills to loving Him, he will give us the rest and encouragement we need to keep on, keeping on. I love you, Jennifer

Reflections

It is good to Reflect and Examine your last year before the new one starts. At least that has been one of my beneficial habits. So today I am looking over my journal from this last year trying to see where my Papa has taken me and the things He has revealed to me. Just as I made the list for gifts for others this Christmas, I will list these revelations for me. I encourage you to do the same.
1"Jennifer,I know you are thirsty. Come to the water,buy from me the things that cannot be purchased. You don't need anything but desire."
2.He is collecting my tears. That is how much He loves me
3.He is lifting me up with His strong arm
4.He takes away the reproach of the widows
5.He daily takes away my burdens. His mercy is new every morning
6.The righteous ( those who keep their mind on Jesus) will flourish in the courts of the Lord and will bear fruit in old age
7. In visiting those in prison, He is releasing me from my prison of loneliness.
8.God's grace has allowed me to: Change churches; let go of Billy's clothes; sign a contract for the book; rearrange my house for Jeff and Shanna, Ava and Cole to move in; Start a writing class; Enjoy the arrival of the Book; Give talks and start a blog and sell the book and most of all have some success in waiting with hope for the future. Only God can give any of these things.

Christmas Memories

I have a house full right now and it is wonderful. There were 8 children playing in my yard this afternoon. We have "dress up", football, swords, bikes, wagons and you name it. We have had laughter and card games with some driving around looking at Christmas lights while the children sang loudly. I know that God loves to see families give and receive His love. I know that He wants us to look to Him and honor him as the giver of all good gifts. I know that He loves all the effort we put into the baking, wrapping and serving each other as well as those who have less than the best circumstances. I have talked to you before about the powerful tool of being THANKFUL. It is always easier to remember what is missing, what was better before this problem or that problem, what hurts, what isn't with us (Billy). I think God mostly appreciates when we are thankful even when we don't think that we have much to be thankful for. I am thankful for Billy's wonderful faith in Jesus and how he read the Nativity Story to the children. I am thankful for all the funny games he had us play on Christmas Eve. Ask Richard to tell how he riped open the box in the box in the box and consequently destroyed the check with his name on it. But, I must tell you with tears that I really am thankful that he is spending Christmas with Jesus and that he is praying for us and encouraging us to look forward to the time we will all be together again. I want to encourage everyone to remember that you are blessed because someone is praying for you.

Stand and Watch

The hardest thing to do in any battle is to stay put and wait for victory. It is human nature to take matters in our own hands and try to fix any and every painful situation. But, we can't stand without hope because then we quit looking for that something more. That something that brings peace and joy. I am working very hard today to keep my mind on the good things that God has done for me and trust Him to provide a good plan for my future. I am fighting the ghost of Christmas past that wants to fill me with sadness. So, I put on some worship music and began reading a book by Chuck Pierce: GOD'S UNFOLDING BATTLE PLAN. Billy read the first part of the book. How do I know this? He always underlined books with a yellow pencil. He would underline the sentences that were meaningful to him. When I read page 9 in this book, I saw the familiar yellow highlighted words and felt like they were straight from Billy, God and Chuck Pierce to me, Jennifer. Chuck writes that he felt the Spirit of God was saying this to him." There will always be wars and rumors of war. There will be many battlefields that unfold in the days ahead. Your future will be determined by how you trust Me on the battlefield. Lean not on your own understanding. In the midst of your conflict, I have a plan! There are some things that are still hidden from you. Trust Me so that in My perfect timing I can manifest why I called you to stand." He is saying to me today. " It will all come together in My timing. I love you, Jennifer, Brad, Carol,Hayley and anyone else that reads this blog. It WILL all come together. It will ALL come together. Just stand and watch and see the salvation of the Lord." I must respond to the Lord. "Yes, Lord I will trust you on this battlefield and all the ones that you send me. I know you won't give me more than I can handle."

Let It Snow

If you were in Houston on Friday December 4,2009, you probably smiled a lot as you watched the beautiful and unusual snow falling. The children found hats and carrots to dress the snow men and tried to catch the snowflakes with their tongues. But, today December 9,2009, as I watch the news, I see many people across this country struggling to move cars and trucks buried in snow. Their winter is miserable. NO SMILING. A lot of hard work is required to survive this kind of winter. For those of us who are missing our loved ones, the memories are like the snow, beautiful, difficult, and especially lonely. I have been reflecting on the ways that the Lord has brought me through difficult times in the past. Relief and new life always came. ALWAYS!!! So now I need to focus on HIS Faithfulness and Love for me. One way that I did that this week was to read through the Song of Songs in the Bible. Chapter 2 verse 11 went deep in my heart. It says "My lover spoke and said to me,Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See the Winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land." Just as Spring has always followed Winter so will love and joy come back into my life. I have it now with the invisible presence of the Lord speaking into my heart that He is always with me. He is my lover and my friend. He is filling the deep seed of love that has been sown into me through His and Billy's love. Remember a seed goes into the ground and is sometimes covered with snow, usually a winter season and then as the spring comes then flowers appear and singing is restored. Faith plants the seeds and waits believing. Do you believe? Say, yes and wait with hope that the Spring is coming.

Family

On November 30,2009 the family of Redeemer Church came together to celebrate our love and support for one another.We were celebrating the life and home going of a brother in Christ. In the past we gathered for happy occasions such as weddings and sad occasions such as funerals. All were giving Glory to our God and thanking Him for the resurrected life we are all living and will be living when we are united again in Heaven. Remember, this is the church that helped restore our marriage and surrounded me at Billy's funeral. The church was full and the family was surrounded with hugs and faithful words and worship. All churches are called to be family so what does family look like? A family of Christ FORGIVES. A family in Christ APOLOGIZES when someones is hurt by unloving words or actions. A family GATHERS together to support one another in celebration and in crises. Most of all a family in Christ follows the commands and words of our Savior to Love, Love, Love. The Message: Mark 3: 31-36.....Just then his mother and brothers showed up. Standing outside, they relayed a message that they wanted a word with him. He was surrounded by the crowd when he was given the message. "Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside looking for you." Jesus responded, "Who do you think are my mother and brothers?" Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him he said, " Right here, right in front of you...my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God's will is my brother and sister and mother." The question is for each of us. Do not question anyone else but ASK am I a sister, brother, mother or father in Christ. Am I obedient to the words and commands? ARE YOU?