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.

Many years ago it was foretold that there would be a time that a hunger would grip the nation. Most people did not seem to heed the warning just like a previous time in history. It was once revealed that a great famine would spread throughout a certain region to a man who was in prison from a false accusation. The governor of the state was very impressed with this man’s faith and abilities, and therefore put him in charge of preparing for the great famine. The famine did come, but because of the faith of those who believed the revelation there was plenty that had been stored up for all to partake of.

The hunger that is now gripping a nation is not due to famine. For a famine is when there is a scarcity of food and it is reported that there is an abundance of “this food” in the nation, but it is that people are choosing not to partake of it. Many people are choosing to try and fill themselves by different means. However, a recent poll showed that what they feed upon only brings temporary fulfillment.

A banquet table is spread with the true Bread of Life for all to come and find the ultimate nourishment. Once this nourishment is given to those who choose to partake of this Bread it has been reported that they will receive special abilities to produce fruit. There have been many eye witness accounts that those who have taken part of the Bread of Life have begun to produce a fruit that many seem to desire such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

It has been demonstrated that those who seek to find fulfillment elsewhere have a difficult time producing any of these. Recently there have been new developments to this story. There are several who have taken part of the Bread who are no longer producing the fruit that they have the ability to produce. The One who gave the Bread is the One who owns the vineyards. He came to the One who cares for the vineyards and was disheartened to find that on many of the fig trees there was no fruit being produced.

The Owner of the vineyards explained to the Caregiver that for three years He had been coming looking for fruit on the fig trees only to find none. The Owner decided that those not producing fruit should be cut down and thrown into the fire. His thought is reported as being, “Why should those not producing fruit take up the space of the ones that will?” The Caregiver replied that those not producing fruit now should be given one more chance.

The Caregiver agreed to work with those being unfruitful for one more year. He explained that He would give them special attention and fertilize them well and then if they produced fruit by the next year that would be great, but if they didn’t then they would be cut down. This hunger that has began gripping a nation has already began bringing devastation to many. Those with hunger pangs seeking elsewhere for their fulfillment and those who refuse to produce fruit after being specially cared for are close to being cut down.

Hopefully, you will find yourself in the category of one of those who continually partake of the Bread of Life, being like a fig tree that produces fruit that helps others. This fruit from the F.I.G. tree will only come by having Faith, Inspiration, and Godliness. Then the grips of hunger will be loosened and rays of hope will be seen as a nation’s soul is nourished.

Originally written in September 2000 based on Genesis 47 and Luke 14.

~TRS

Walking through her apple orchard Ellice took in the fragrance of the fruit of the trees she had once planted as tiny seeds. As she walked the aisles of trees she came upon one of the apple trees that needed immediate attention. Several of the apples on the tree were beginning to rot. She picked off some of the rotten ones that she could reach and examined them. Each one that she had to discard brought a feeling of sorrow to her. Some of the apples she could tell had once been ripe, but something had gotten a hold of it to make them rot before they had a chance to be picked and used for their purpose. Some of the other apples were smaller, but had already began to rot.

Ellice’s heart was saddened that these apples would not get to mature and be enjoyed. She could imagine and almost taste how good they would have been in one of her homemade apple pies. Walking back to the house Ellice heard someone driving up. As she walked around to the front of the house she saw her seventeen year old granddaughter getting out of her car. Ellice could tell that Acacia was bothered. She hated to see her granddaughter upset, but she was thankful that she had a good relationship with her that when she was upset, Acacia knew she could come to talk with her grandma.

They met in the driveway and after hugging they ended up in the porch swing where Acacia began venting her frustration and anger towards her mom, Ellice’s daughter. Her anger was over her mom’s demand that she stop hanging around this new group of “friends” she had recently made. Acacia’s parents were attempting to raise her in an environment that respected good moral conduct and Christian values. Acacia’s new friends were quite the opposite of what she knew her parents would approve.

Acacia never had any intentions of actually participating in the activities such as drinking, smoking, drugs, and fornication that her new friends did regularly. She just wanted a taste of living rebellious and careless. She had thought that this might break her “goody-toe-shoe” image and become more popular. She tried explaining to her grandma what she thought her mom just could not understand. She believed that just because she hung out with them did not mean she would be like them. At this moment Ellice asked Acacia to walk with her out to the orchard.

As they walked in the shade of the apple trees with the aroma of apples filling the air Ellice began telling Acacia of something she recently read in a book that dealt with friendships. Ellice explained that a person’s friends truly help to shape and influence who we are. She also shared what she had heard A.W. Tozer observed, “There is a law of moral attraction that draws every man to the society most like himself. Where we go when we are free to go wherever we want is a near infallible index of character.”

Acacia’s frustration began to rise again when she believed that her grandmother was taking the side of her mom, and not understanding that she was not like her new friends just because she hung out with them. By this time they had walked up to the tree that was bearing some rotten fruit. Ellice asked Acacia if she wanted to pick an apple to eat. Acacia looked up at the tree they were under and saw some of the rotten apples and then walked over to another tree to pick a ripe, delicious apple.

Ellice explained why Acacia did what she did. She pointed out that even though there were a few good apples on the tree with some rotten apples, because the good ones were close to the bad ones, Acacia perceived the good apples to possibly be “no good” either. That was why she went and picked an apple from a tree that was surrounded by other healthy looking apples. Ellice shared that she would have to prune away the branches causing the rotten fruit, or else the entire tree would have to be cut down. The remaining good apples on the tree will be infected by the others if they remain around them.

Acacia began to understand the analogy her grandmother had shared. She realized that no matter what her beliefs were that if she continued to hang around her new friends she would eventually be drawn into making the same bad choices that they were making. Ellice informed Acacia that one of the meanings of her name means, “a blossoming tree that can symbolize resurrection” and that in time she would blossom if not infected by the bad choices of others. Acacia would have to make the decision of who an what to put into her life. But, as a reminder, Ellice let Acacia know that it is the apples that not only look good on the outside, but are good on the inside that make the best apple pies.

Originally written: August 16, 2000

~TRS