In the fast paced world we live in for most we don’t like to have to wait.  Long lines tend to increase one’s level of frustration and crowded waiting rooms blur our vision of the name of the room we are in.  If you are in a season of waiting don’t lose heart and give in but just continue to wait.   It has been told that David had to wait 15 years to be king. Moses waited 40 years to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Rebekah waited 20 years before giving birth to her twins.  Psalm 130:5 encourages us, “I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait and in His word do I hope.”  

What can we do in times of waiting?  We W.A.I.T. on God, which is to Worship and Adore Him.  This is no matter what our circumstances we choose to show reverence, deep love, and respect to God. We then Imitate Him.  If we truly follow after Him we will strive to have the same behaviors and attitude as it teaches us to have within the Bible.  Ephesians 5:1 and 2 tells us that we should imitate and be followers of God.  Finally the “T” in the acronym can help us to remember to Trust in God.   Proverbs 3:5 & 6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths.” Even when things are going on in life that boggles our minds this is when we place more trust in God to work all things out for our good.  

Once we are able to WAIT we can also be blessed once we ask and do.  For instance we can ask for Wisdom and the book of James says that God will give it to us in “generous amounts.” 

If we repent and ask for forgiveness we will receive God’s “Amazing Grace and experience A miracle of mercy.”  When we apply this to our lives then we can have Influence towards others.  We can never make anyone be a certain way or change, but we can definitely influence others.  When others see a positive change in our lives we can be more encouraging and supportive to others.  This will then give us a Testimony of how God has worked in our lives.  

Looking back we will be able to see just how God has worked in our lives and we can store those things and “Treasure” those things within our heart.  So the next time you feel life is getting too hectic just take time to W.A.I.T.

~TRS written Dec 2021

Once upon a time there was a man who fell in love with a woman who had been in many other relationships.  They were together for a while and then she left him and went back to her old life and old ways which was being a prostitute.  She got into trouble and chased after the wrong things but never was really satisfied like she was when she was with her husband.  She said to herself one day, “I will go and return to my husband because it was better for me then than it is now.”  

The lady goes back wondering if her husband will take her back but to her surprise he accepts her back and on her arrival he cooks her a fantastic dinner and gives her an expensive gift that he had been waiting to give her if she ever returned. Not long after this however, she decides to leave again and again.  Finally, after being gone for a long time the husband had heard she had been sold into human trafficking.  He looked for her and found her and bought her back even though she had gone out on him so many times and did not love him back.  

He still showed her love and forgiveness and was willing to show her unconditional love.  We might think this story sounds crazy and that the man in the story is even crazier for continually taking back someone who obviously didn’t know how to show him the same kind of love back.  This is actually a true story found in the Bible from the Book of Hosea.  Hosea was a prophet of God and he was instructed by God to marry a harlot, named Gomer.  Through this broken relationship God would use it as a visual example of His love for His people. 

The people of God were continually leaving and chasing after other gods and religions, or just out doing their own thing out of the will of God.  Yet, God was willing to take them back because of His great love for them.  However, we too need to understand that even though God will give people many opportunities to come to accept His love and forgiveness there unfortunately will be some who no matter what they use their own free will to choose to continually reject God; or believe and live in ways outside the will of God but claiming it to be “godly” and at this point as one can read in the first chapter of Romans God will give them over to a mind-set of (having no principles or morals shown in their behaviors) and on that Day He will tell them, “Depart from Me for I never knew you.”  But I truly believe that God through His great love will attempt many times to get those gone astray to come back.  Just like in the parable of the lost sheep Jesus symbolically as the Shepherd is willing to leave the 99 sheep to go looking for the one little lost lamb.  

TRS originally written 5-1-22

According to Guinness World Records the number one bestselling book of all
times is The Bible, and according to it in Deuteronomy 4:29 it says that “if we seek the
Lord we shall find Him; if we seek Him with our heart and soul.” We do of course have
literal heart that pumps life giving blood throughout our body, but in Biblical writings the
heart often refers to the ruling center of the whole person. It is the “springboard” of all of
our desires, not only spiritual, but in all that we do.
Many times one could look around and see or hear of others often with very good
intentions telling people, specifically the youth to “Follow Your Heart.” With all the
modern technology one could look up online of what does it mean to follow your heart.
Some definitions of it from the sites I visited stated that it refers to, “listening to your
inner guidance; or to do what one would really love to do.” Some even stated that to
truly be following your heart is when you realize that “you are finding healing and
forgiveness with people you never thought you could.”
From the greatest book ever sold we can read in Jeremiah 17:9 that, “the heart is
deceitful above all things.” Therefore, getting to the heart of the matter in relation to our
heart is that we all need a “heart transplant.” All have sinned. No one is perfect. No
one is good when you get down to the heart of it. If you truly want to see the true colors
of someone it doesn’t take long being around them that “from the heart the mouth
speaks.” What we truly think, feel, and how we behave will be a direct result of what is
within our heart.
Often people will “follow their own heart” and be led down paths that only lead
them to greater regrets, temporary pleasures, or greater separation from God. It is only
Christ the Redeemer who can perform this heart transplant. It seems that the wisest
thing would be for the one who created us and knows our purpose would be the one we
would choose to give us this transformation.
When we are advised to follow our heart we must realize that to listen to our own
inner guidance is usually very foolish. It is only when God is “in our heart” that we can
trust the words written in Exodus 15:13, “In Your unfailing love You, Oh God, will lead
the people you have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them.”

~ TRS originally written 6-27-21

A quote from an Orphan’s Tale from Jay Neugeboren states that, “a wife who loses a husband is called a widow.  A husband who loses a wife is called a widower.  A child who loses his parents is called an orphan.  There is no word for a parent who loses a child.  That’s how awful the loss is.”  Only a parent who survives the death of a child can fathom the intensity of such a loss.  Every parent is unique and even two parents who suffer the death of their child will react to it differently.  No one will know exactly how one will feel.  However, those who have experienced such a tragedy can find some hope in the stories of other parents who have unfortunately had the same experience.  

In May 2008 life dramatically changed forever for Christian music artist, Steven Curtis Chapman, his wife, Mary Beth, and their family.  It had been a “normal” Springtime day like many other days with their younger kids playing outside, but suddenly the air was filled with a different sound besides kids playing and laughing.  Mary Beth heard one of the kids yelling and screaming as she ran to the house to meet her mother explaining that the older brother, Will had hit Maria with his car,” as he was coming home and pulling into the driveway not seeing his sister playing outside.  Mary Beth explains in her book Choosing To See that she ran outside to see her son holding his little sister.  She explained a horrific site. “I saw Will near the garage holding his sister in his arms.  There was a lot of blood on both of them” (as she heard him crying for his sister to) “wake up.”  Sadly, Maria did not wake up.  Mary Beth shared that some time later that the spot in the driveway has become known as the place Maria ran into the arms of Jesus.  

The Chapman family will never be the same, yet they are trying to bring some hope to others through their loss.  “The idea had come from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Praise be to God…the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 

From the beginning of humanity there was the sadness of parent’s suffering the loss of a child.  Adam and Eve’s son Cain killed his brother.  King David, a man after God’s own heart, had an infant child to die.  In the Old Testament book of Job we can read that he lost all of his children when a storm came upon the house of his son where all his children were staying and they all died.  Even though they experienced such great losses in their lives they were able to still trust in God and live the rest of their lives fulfilling their purpose.  

It is told that Jesus has experienced each temptation and feeling every human has had yet without sin.  In writing this it made me wonder if this was part of the plan in saving humanity through the death of Christ, then God the Father Himself now too knows the sorrow of losing a child.

~TRS

Originally written for The Wayne Weekly November 2021

Anytime one partakes of Holy Communion we are to remember the sacrifice that the Lord made for all people.  The death and resurrection of Christ reminds me of a story I heard a while back about the little crimson worm.  Others who know more than I about middle eastern culture would be better at explaining and understanding this analogy.  Many may wonder why Christ the Messiah had to give up His life, but He basically from the cross answered the question that He asked that was recorded of Him saying.  

It is written that from the cross while dying a gruesome death Jesus cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?”  In March 2021 Shari Abbott wrote for reasonsforhopejesus.com about “How was Jesus like a worm?’  The article explains that in Jewish interpretation of Scriptures there can be hidden messages or deeper meanings than what one may just see on the surface.  “It is said to be a treasure that is found.” 

In Psalm 22 is what Jesus is quoting from the cross and his disciples would have known He was quoting this verse from the writings from King David.  They may not have realized it in the moment of seeing their Teacher and the one whom they thought would be their savior now dying a criminal’s death.  However, in time they could reflect on one of the last sayings He spoke which was a question that once they read Psalm 22 and got to verse 6 they would understand what was happening.  

Psalm 22:6 states, “But I am a worm…” Why would the Psalmist refer to what would be translated as a crimson-grub worm.  This would be prophetic and what Jesus from the cross would be encouraging his disciples to read when He was crying out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”  For a crimson grub worm when the female is “at the end of its life cycle will attach itself to a tree to lay its eggs.  With her body attached to the wood a hard crimson shell forms.  When the eggs hatch the baby worms feed off of the mother for three days.  After 3 days the mother worm dies and her body releases a crimson or scarlet dye that stains the baby worms in which they will now remain crimson colored their entire lives. On the fourth day the mother worm’s body pulls up into a heart shape that has turned into a snow-white wax that looks like a patch of wool.” 

For those knowing the Old Testament would then also know Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.”  From a tiny little creature we can learn that to be covered in crimson is the only way to find true redemption.

~TRS written April 2022

A 2021 study from Harvard Medical School suggests that those who have “gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, improve their health, and build stronger relationships.” 

Hopefully we have been taught and continue to teach the response of “thank you,” when we are given something, or someone has done something nice for us.  Not only should we say please and thank you but be willing to help others.  

 Some time before the pandemic I was in a high school attempting to leave at an unfortunate time.  The buses had just unloaded and I was going the opposite direction than a stampede of teens.  Not once did any teen stop to ask if I needed through. 

Just a few days later I was in an elementary school in a very similar situation, but with a different outcome.  Almost every other kid, boy and girl, stopped and asked if I wanted to pass through.  It made me wonder besides hormones what happens to kids from elementary to high school.   

Gratitude actually changes our brains making us healthier and happier.  According to the above mentioned study from Harvard people who consciously count their blessings tend to be in better moods and less depressed.  The feeling of gratitude can influence and boosts other positive emotions such as joy and compassion.  These feelings encourage us to look for and connect with the things in life that are good.  

This is why the Bible explains in Philippians 4:8, “whatsoever is true and honest, just, pure, lovely, and things of good report, and things of virtue and praiseworthy…think upon these things.”  Kidshealth.com informs of three ways to practice gratitude.  We need to purposefully notice the good things that are happening around us. Pay attention to the good things even when things are not going well.  Then we need to be willing to express our thankfulness by telling others or at least writing it down.  

John F. Kennedy was quoted as saying, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

~TRS

written Jan 2022

King Solomon reigned in Jerusalem and over all of Israel for forty years and then his son, Rehoboam took the throne.  Even though Solomon wrote many writings of wisdom and was known as one of the wisest of all kings he still was not perfect and made mistakes.  He had turned out to not be such a wise king and had made it extremely hard on the people under his rule. 

The people were courageous and sought to speak with the new king, Rehoboam and see if he would ease up on them.  1 Kings 12:4 says, “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”  This seems like a reasonable request.  

Hopefully you have never had to work for a job/company and the boss makes things worse rather than better.  Most would be loyal to and continue to work for a “good boss” but when the employees are taken advantage of and treated badly the employees typically will find their first opportunity to leave.  Niceness can go a long way.  

Rehoboam did as kings would do and consulted the elders.  The ones who had worked with his father and knew the ins and outs of the kingdom and what would make the people more loyal.  They advised him to lessen the load and to not be like his father.  Verse 7 records the great advice given, “If you will be a servant to these people today and serve them, and answer them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”  

However, Rehoboam did not heed their advice, but rather thought he would go talk to his peers and seek their advice on how to be a king.  The young men who had grown up with him advised him to step it up a notch from what his father did.  They in their young, foolish  wisdom encouraged him to make it even harder on the people and so he did, which made it harder upon the people and consequences were a result.

We need to be cautious of what counsel we seek out.  Growing up we often think our peers know more than the adults in our life; but often when we take our peers advice things get worse.  Seek out godly counsel from those who have experienced life and overcame their own challenges. When it is within your power to do so, be kind and live at peace with others and life will be better for all involved.  

~ TRS 8-15-21 Originally published in The Wayne Weekly

Imagine yourself hanging off the side of a cliff, or trapped inside of a dark cave, or possibly chained up and bound to where you cannot move.  Any one of those scenarios would cause most to feel powerless.  A definition of powerlessness is being “devoid of strength or lacking the authority or capacity to act and being powerless to help.” 

In most cases of those who choose to use substances, including drugs or alcohol and become dependent upon the substance will get to the point of losing control and becoming powerless over the substance.  In the Interactive Journal published by The Change Companies 2007(c) it gives some quotes of real testimonies of people who realized that they had become powerless over a substance.  One stated, “So many mornings I would wake up and say to myself, Today I will not take a drink, today I will stay on track.  But by evening my hand was wrapped around a bottle.”  

One way to look at powerlessness is when the urge to use a substance; or do an activity takes priority over the rest of your life.  The Interactive Journal reports that “when your family, your health, your work, and your social life are put aside because of your using, you are powerless.”   When using drugs, drinking alcohol, playing video games, or staying on the internet interferes with your ability to manage your life, and you don’t quit or can’t even reduce the amount of time doing those things then you are powerless.  

You have lost your strength and self control to handle what you deceived yourself into thinking you could.  Being powerless means that you have loss of control.  One who is at this point has allowed their choices and behaviors to be in conflict with what they really know and believe to be what is right.  The addiction has taken charge.  It has become the master and you are a slave.  It is not until you come to the point of admitting your powerlessness that healing will ever come.  

Honestly looking at those things that have rendered us powerless in areas of our life and having the courage to face it as a problem will be the first step in overcoming what has paralyzed us.  2 Corinthians 12:9 lets us know that God’s “grace is sufficient for you, for HIS power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, or powerlessness, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.”  There is always hope no matter how powerless of a situation you find yourself in.

~TRS 9-25-21 Originally published in the Wayne Weekly

I have been blessed with an opportunity to submit and have published an article in The Wayne Weekly, Wayne County’s new newspaper this  week of June 9, 2021.

I do hope to continue to add to this blog many of my old articles and short stories from The Outlook and will eventually even add more current writings.

If you are a follower of this blog I ask if you want to share and like it. Thanks and God bless. May you be encouraged and find Rays of Hope.

*This was the first article I submitted to Wayne County’s new newspaper The Wayne Weekly

When we start out on this journey of life we never really know where we may end up when it comes time for our journey to be over on this side of eternity.  Some would say that there are many different paths that we can take on this journey.  Some stay close to their roots and never leave their hometown.  Some may take off and never look back.  How we are raised definitely  does impact the choices we make and which direction we may choose to go down, but ultimately we all do have a choice of which roads we are going to travel.  

Our jobs and careers may take us down certain roads that otherwise we may have never went down.  We may meet certain friends or a mate that we choose to follow down a path they are on.  The sad truth is that often tragedy and trauma may hinder the good path we were on to cause us to stray onto paths that if those things had not of happened we would have never went down.  

A question some may think about could be,  “Is it too late to turn around from the place I am at, especially if it is not a good place to be?”  Most if not all people have at some point been on their journey and looked around and seen this was not the best place for them to be.  It is at that moment that we have to choose to take a different path.  There will be struggles to find the right path.  Our past negative choices sometimes cloud our vision of the right path to be on.  Traumas of life may have darkened the path we’re on that we can’t see the light of day on how to get to a better place. We may be bound to others or addictions that hold us back from getting to the road of self improvement.  

The most important thing to remember is no matter where you are on this journey and you know that it is not the best place to be we can take comfort and solace in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” May you trust in Him and in your dark moments on this journey let your faith give you rays of hope to see the path you need to be on.

~TRS 6-3-21

It has been awhile since I have posted a new blog story. For the month of April I have been making and posting via Facebook a poem a day in celebration of National Poetry Month. At some point I hope to have them linked to this blog just not sure yet how to do that 🙂. Once I get back to blogging it will be a story of fiction based upon a true story entitled, True Love Waits. If you can check out the poetry of Devotion series on FB. I will possibly be adding them soon to instagram too.