hope

PROPHESY TO DRY BONES

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DRY BONES 2

The hand of the LORD was upon me,
and he brought me out
by the Spirit of the LORD
and set me in the middle of a valley;
it was full of bones.
He led me back and forth among them,
and I saw a great many bones
on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
      I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
Then he said to me,
“Prophesy to these bones and say to them,
‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones:
I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you
and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you,
and you will come to life.
Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ “
Ezekiel 37:1-4

At this time of year children are thinking of what costume they will dress in for what some call Halloween and many Christians call Fall Festival. At any rate, it is the time when stores are filled with skeletons and ghouls and such. As Believers we don’t dwell on the macabre. But there is a wonderful story in the Bible regarding skeletons that is a great story to relate to children or adults in this season.

Ezekiel was a Prophet of God who lived in Old Testament days. The Lord often had the prophets do things that would seem extremely strange to us and probably to the people back then also. If you simply hear something it may or may not make an impression on you. But if you see something, especially something spectacular, you are likely to remember it for a long time. So oftentimes God would have the Prophets give a sort of “over-the-top” object lesson to the Israelites. In this instance, the Lord took Ezekiel to a valley that was filled with human skeletons, the Bible says “dry bones”. Probably it was once a battlefield. Then the Lord asked Ezekiel the strangest of questions. He said, “Ezekiel, can these bones live?” If it had been me I probably would have said, “Of course not, Lord! These people are not only dead, they are fully decayed!” But not Ezekiel! He knew the Lord too well. He said, “Lord, only you know that.” It’s a good thing Ezekiel thought that way because the next thing the Lord said was, “Prophesy to these bones and say, ‘Dry Bones, hear the Word of the Lord. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord!’” The Lord did just what He said He would do and verse ten says, “So I (Ezekiel) prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” Wow!

The scripture goes on to say that the reason the Lord did this was to restore hope to the House of Israel. They were saying, “We feel like our bones are dried up and all hope is gone. We are captives in a foreign land with no help in sight!” But the Lord told them, “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.”

As born again Believers, God gives us that same promise. Do you sometimes feel as if your spirit is a pile of dried bones? Circumstances of life have left you feeling depleted of hope and you’re in desperate need of a fresh infusion from the Spirit of God. You need Him to breathe upon you. Prophesy to your own dry bones and say like David did in the Psalms…

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?
I WILL put my hope in God! I will praise him again
—my Savior and my God!
Psalm 43:5 NLT

AN ANCHOR FOR YOUR SOUL

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The following was written by a Christian Brother…Jeff Bama Ritch
Jeff Bama Ritch

God has given both his promise and his oath.
These two things are unchangeable
because it is impossible for God to lie.
Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge
can have great confidence as we hold
to the hope that lies before us.
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:18-19

There have been a lot of changes in my life since my momma gave birth to me in 1959. These changes have been brought on in various ways: Deaths, births, illnesses, accidents, retirement, altered relationships, job loss, marriage, divorce, stupid decisions, bad choices, good decisions, good choices, accepting Jesus as my Savior, etc. etc. As you can see not all changes were bad but ALL were life-altering. In every situation I had to ADJUST and ADAPT to the change at hand. Change is a part of life and we deal with it the best we can.

However there is ONE THING that never changes and that is the promise of God to give us hope in the midst of the changes we go through! In the verse above it describes this hope as a STRONG and TRUSTWORTHY anchor for our souls. An anchor for our souls …. WOW!! This says to me that no matter what life changes we are going through, relying on the unchangeable promises of God guarantees WE will not loose our minds with worry or depression or suicidal thoughts or want or falling into sin or fear or hate or violence. BUT this hope takes you by the hand and leads you (okay picture it) through the curtain…into God’s inner sanctuary where He can wrap His arms around you, hug you close and whisper in your ear, “you’re home, don’t worry, I got this, I PROMISE, TRUST ME!!!”

Won’t you trust Him today with the changes you are facing. It may be the death of a loved one, a baby that is sick, finances, illness, relationship issues or wants, or it may be a change in ministry or a move you are making. Whatever it is TRUST in God and His promises, that strong anchor of HOPE!!  Shalom

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE?

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MIRROR IMAGENow we see things imperfectly,
like puzzling reflections in a mirror,
but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete,
but then I will know everything completely,
just as God now knows me completely.
 I Corinthians 13:12

This post by my daughter Sherry Crowson Evans

So…how are you feeling today? Feelings can be crazy. One day you are just fine, and the next moment you are swept off your feet again. Despair creeps in stealthily. Insecurities are amplified. Failure seems imminent.

Have you forgotten who you are? Your feelings have deceived you. The deceiver has deceived you. You are a messenger…a messenger to the world. You have a job to do. God has a plan and a purpose solely for YOU. God has chosen YOU to be HIS light.

When you fail don’t crucify yourself. You are too hard on yourself! Look to God for reassurance and continue working. When your plans fall apart, look to Him. He will guide you. When your mind is confused, look to Him for clarity. When you’re depressed find comfort in the One who designed You.
Remember… it’s His plan and His purpose…for YOU…TODAY!

I know it’s hard to believe, but It is the truth. Take a moment… stop everything…find a quiet place. Now, think of your children. Think of all the love, hope, and dreams that you have ever wished for them. God gave you those hopes and dreams. They are a small glimmer of His hopes and dreams for YOU. Think back to all the times your heart has bled for your children. When they are hurting you hurt. You comfort them. You sacrifice for them. They are your hope and your future. You would die for them. God took His only Son. He sacrificed Him for YOU. His heart bled for YOU. YOU are the hope of this dark world because God’ s light shines in YOU! God loves you MORE than you love your child.

Remember who you are today. Look in the mirror…really LOOK…take off the mask. Don’t look at yourself with disappointment, disgust, or shame. Soften your eyes and look at yourself for who you are. God made you in His image. God is proud of you. He doesn’t see your flaws. He doesn’t see anything wrong with you. He sees your kindness. He sees your goodness. He sees you trying so very hard every day. He knows it’s difficult. He knows your struggles. God sees you making progress and He is PROUD! Believe in yourself. You can do it! God is with you. God believes in you and He is cheering you on!

A JOURNEY OF HOPE, CHARITY, FAITH AND A LITTLE GRACE

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BABY - GIFT FROM GOD
The following is a true testimony from my daughter,
Sherry Evans:

“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7

I was saved at a young age but drifted away from the Lord in my teen years. I became a teen mom. My first daughter, Hope, was born shortly after  I turned 16. I went through a period of depression as I was finding my way back to the Lord, but God is faithful and He brought me back to Himself with open arms.
“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22

“Charity suffers long, and is kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4a.

A couple of years later we were blessed with another daughter…Charity. Shortly after she was born, I was given a shot at the doctors office which caused me to be unable to stand. My vision became fuzzy, my thinking cloudy, and my speech slurred. My muscles tensed and would not relax.  No doctor could find the cause or offer any hope. However, I had Hope in the Lord.

Now He had provided me with Charity (love) when I had no control over my circumstances. Over the years my symptoms improved and today simple seizures remain.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.” Psalm 28:7a

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1

Ten years later we became expectant again. However,  the baby was not thriving. We arrived at the hospital to undergo a DNC, after testing revealed no heartbeat and blood tests showed the pregnancy was not viable.

As soon as we arrived, the nurse, on the spur of the moment decided to run one more unscheduled test and found a heartbeat. Thus, we were given Faith, our third daughter, in our time of need.
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Five years later, we were blessed with our fourth child. The baby was diagnosed in utero as having only one partially functioning kidney. The other kidney was an unformed mass of cysts and tissue. Surgery was imminent according to the doctor. The outcome looked bleak.

We prayed for her to have two kidneys at birth. We prayed that there would be no surgery. When Lilah Grace was born she did have two kidneys. However, the doctors said she would need one kidney removed and a portion of the other removed as well. She had cysts in her bladder which could block her kidneys and those must be removed too.  Because of our reluctance, the surgeon agreed to wait and watch the situation. She continued to improve dramatically, astounding the doctors. Today, Lilah Grace has two functioning kidneys. Both kidneys are normal size. As for the bladder cysts, one disappeared completely, and the other shrank to a minimal size. No surgery has been performed. She is on no medication. By God’s grace the doctors say she is very remarkable.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3-22-23

Throughout everything,  God has given us His Grace to hold on to Hope in order to trust Him in Faith, while He wrapped us in His love (Charity). How truly blessed we are!

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

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Tortoiseshell-Cat

Jehovah takes pleasure in them that fear Him,
In those that hope in His lovingkindness.
Psalm 147:11

Do you ever get angry with yourself for doing goofy things…things that you should have known better than to do? Picture me raising BOTH hands! Having a bent toward perfectionism, I am harder on myself than most people. But did you know that even when we do goofy things, God is not the One who is hard on us. As a matter of fact, when we call on Him, He will deliver us over and over again, even when the dilemma we are facing is of our own making. What a faithful, merciful and long-suffering Father we have! And the more we trust Him, the more eager He is to intervene on our behalf.

Now those of you who have been following my devotionals for a long time know that I am infamous for telling on myself. I tell you, because first of all, it’s usually funny and can add a laugh to your occasional mundane day…and secondly it may help you to see that we all do foolish things and God loves us anyway!

The above being my preface, I will tell you what prompted this particular devotional. I am an animal lover and feed a number of stray cats. The three I am feeding now are the grown litter of a stray, two of which are females plus the mama cat. I determined that if I did not do something to control this kitty population explosion I would soon be overrun. I found a place that would do spaying on feral cats for a fraction of the usual cost. I managed to trap the mother cat and one of the now grown kittens and have them spayed. But the one I named Cherise, who is my favorite, was much more wile than the others. One time she even followed the trail of food into the trap just up to the bowl where the spring is set, then backed out without tripping it. I was getting desperate, being aware of the fact that spring is the season of new beginnings and new kittens! I prayed, “Lord, please help me catch Cherise, even if you have to send your angels to put her into the trap.” (Okay, I know it sounds a little far out to some of you! But as I’ve said before, God is concerned with any and everything that concerns us.)

I reset the trap although there was no food in it because it was devoured by the neighbor’s cat who had gone in, eaten it, stepped on the trap and wailed until I let it out. But not Cherise…no, not Cherise!

That Friday I came home from work expecting to see the cats sitting on the steps of the side porch waiting to be fed. The neighbor’s cat was there and one of the others, but no Cherise. “Hum,” I thought. “Unusual. Wonder where she is.” At this point I go inside, put down my things and walk out on the back porch and there is Cherise…IN THE TRAP! There was no food there to entice her, so you figure it out. Now what was it I prayed?

Immediately I said, “Thank You, Lord!” But then the wheels of my analytically programed mind started turning and I thought, “I can’t keep her in the trap until Monday. Maybe I could put her in one of my bathrooms…but all weekend?” And before I could even mentally process the entire scenario, I opened the cage and she ran like a turkey without even looking back! Now how goofy can you get?

I went inside and after trying to kick my own behind for several minutes, I called my daughter to vent my frustrations at my own impulsive action. You can just imagine what I was saying! After listening to me for several minutes she said, “Mother, just calm down. The Lord helped you to catch her once, He can help you catch her again. He knows everything. He knew you were going to let her go even before you did it. Stop beating yourself up. Trust Him! He’ll help you again if you ask.”

Not fully convinced that the Lord would give me a second answer to prayer after I had blatantly thrown the first one out the window, I asked Him to please help me catch Cherise again.

The next morning when I went out to feed the cats, Cherise came up to me to be petted. She had never allowed me to pick her up before, but I thought why not try. The most I can get is a few stitches! I picked her up, stroking her and started toward the bathroom. The closer I got the more agitated she got…but I made it! I serve a God of second, third and fourth chances! From the confinement of the bathroom and with the help of my granddaughter, I was able to get her into a cage on Monday and take her to the vet. God is good ALL the time! Don’t ever think that He doesn’t care about even the minutest details of your life. And don’t ever think that He won’t give you a second chance!

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.
2 Chronicles 16:9a

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS

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JESUS EMPTY TOMB
Click below to hear the song…
THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS
Words & Music by Nancy Gilbert Crowson

[God] disarmed the principalities and powers
 that were ranged against us
and made a bold display and public example of them,
in triumphing over them in Him [Jesus] and in it [the cross].
Colossians 2:15 AMP

For us as Christians, Easter should be the most exciting and popular holiday of the year… even beating out Christmas! You may say, “But without Jesus birth He couldn’t have died and been resurrected.” True…but without His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we would have no sacrifice for our sins, no fellowship with God the Father and no hope of heaven! As a matter of fact, Jesus sacrifice would have been in vain if the resurrection hadn’t taken place.

Let’s go back in time for a moment. Can you imagine how the disciples must have felt when the man they had accepted as Messiah was crucified on a wooden cross like a common criminal? Indeed, He was crucified between two criminals. Jesus had tried to prepare them for this moment, but they hadn’t understood. They just couldn’t fathom such a thing! He was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Savior and Deliverer and NOW He was hanging lifeless on a cross. What would happen to them now…to His followers everywhere? They huddled in an upper room in hopelessness and despair. You could have heard a pin drop as they were rendered speechless by the atrocity that had just taken place. Their Deliverer had been himself delivered into the hands of the enemy. Would they be next? The fear and trepidation in the room was almost tangible. Every movement on the street below was suspect! They stayed confined there the entire weekend…watching…waiting… contemplating…grieving.

He had been laid in the empty tomb of one of His benevolent followers. The women in the group went down early Monday morning to anoint the body with spices they had prepared prior to the commencement of Sabbath. But as they arrived, they were startled to see that the huge stone covering the entrance of the tomb had been moved to the side. They had wondered how they would manage to move it. But stranger still was the fact that a man was sitting on the stone…not just any man, but an angel! He told them that Jesus had risen from the dead just as He had said and commissioned them to go and tell the other disciples.

Filled with joyful excitement and fear they hurried quickly on their way. But as they were going, Jesus met them and greeted them with the firm assurance that only He can give…“Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my disciples to go to Galilee and they will see me there.”

Indeed they did see Him there alive and well! Hope was restored, joy was reinstated, victory was secured, not just for the moment, but for eternity! Satan thought he had done Him in. The disciples thought He was gone forever. But…the mouth of an empty tomb continues to shout the TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, MY FRIEND

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BOOTSTRAPS

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1

A friend of mine said to me this morning, “Nancy, every time I think I have myself pulled up by my bootstraps, someone comes along and unties them!” I started thinking about what she said and thought, “Now that would make a great theme for a devotional! (You know the Lord gives me ideas in the most unusual ways.)

First I looked online to see if I could find the origin of the saying…perhaps some old proverb or witty Southern quip. But the dictionary of phrases said that it had no specific origin. However, the meaning is quite clear. It means “to improve one’s position by one’s own efforts.” It refers, of course, to boots and their straps (laces or pull tabs on Cowboy Boots) and to the imagined feat of lifting oneself off the ground by pulling on one’s own bootstraps. This impossible task is supposed to exemplify the achievement in getting out of a difficult situation by one’s own efforts. It is a great source of pride in this country to say that someone pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps. It usually means that they came from a very humble background and made a place for themselves in the world.

My father was such a man. He grew up very poor. He told of going to school with ragged clothes and no shoes and getting in many a fight because his classmates made fun of him. He told about his mom cooking green apples because there was no food in the house. His father was very irresponsible and to put it mildly had no work ethic. My father quit school at the age of fourteen to work in the coal mines to help provide for his mom and siblings. But because he had such a difficult start in life, he determined that when he had a family of his own, he would never allow them to want for any necessary thing. He kept that promise. He literally worked day and night to provide for our family. I am a third child and by the time I came along, we lived in a nice brick home on 130 acres of land. We were not rich, but we were definitely not poor. I never knew any of the want he suffered. He truly “pulled himself up by his own bootstraps.”

But sometimes because of the circumstances that life affords us, we are not able to do it alone. I have always been a self-sufficient person. I think it was ingrained in me by my father. But there have been times in my life when I just couldn’t make it on my own. As a matter of fact there have been times when I couldn’t even make it with the help of others. I needed supernatural help! I needed the help of my Heavenly Father! The chorus in a song I wrote in one of those difficult times says:

“Lord, nothing less than a miracle will do.
I can’t depend on others, I must depend on You!
I’ve tried to work it out…It’s not enough to see me through;
Lord, nothing less than a miracle will do!”

And thank the Lord…He IS a God of miracles! The Bible is full of people who tried every means known to man to solve a problem to no avail. Then they called on Jesus! One man brought his son who had seizures to the disciples for help, but they couldn’t help him. Then he called on Jesus. Jesus said, “Only believe. All things are possible to those who believe.”  The man replied, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!” Even when we don’t think we have enough faith, we can depend on His faith. And He is always faithful to help us in our time of need. If someone has untied your bootstraps, call on Him. He can help when no one else can!

SAVOR THE SEASON

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RAINDANCE

There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:
Ecclesiastes 3:1

“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest,
cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”
Genesis 8:22 NLT

And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly
and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap,
if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.
Galatians 6:9 AMP

Yesterday I was thinking about the seasons. Actually I was thinking about the fact that fall is almost gone and winter is fast approaching with its dreary skies and cold weather.  The time change has just gone into effect and now it will be dark when I get home from work. To put it mildly…I really dislike winter!  It’s my least favorite season of the year.

But then, I have to admit, winter has its perks…Thanksgiving with its proverbial feast of roast turkey with dressing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Then comes Christmas, the most wonderful holiday of the year when we celebrate our Lord’s birth with gift giving and receiving and fellowship with family and friends. So the dilemma is evident… will I enjoy the season I’m in or will I spoil the good times by dwelling on the bad? The choice is entirely up to me.

It is an indisputable fact that we cannot control the seasons, neither the natural seasons nor the seasons in our lives. But it is also an absolute fact that we can trust the God who created them and who has complete control over them. And He promised, after the great flood described in the Book of Genesis, that as long as the earth remains, the seasons will come and go as usual. And even though there may be one that we prefer, each season has its own joys and sorrows. I love the spring and summer, but along with the sunshine and flowers comes the mowing of grass and trimming of shrubs. I don’t particularly like the winter, but I do like snuggling beside a crackling fireplace with a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate.

I’m certain you get my point by now. Learn to enjoy the season you’re in! Don’t let negative thoughts surface and drown out the positive aspects of each season. I don’t know who originated this saying, but it is one of my favorites…”Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain!” If I had waited for all of the storms in my life to pass before enjoying it, I would have had a dismal existence. In order to survive the storms, I had to learn to dance in the rain…and I’m still dancing! I refuse to let the devil dampen my spirit. He may try to rain on my parade, but I have the umbrella of God’s promises at my disposal. He may whip up the winds and turn my umbrella inside out. But if he does, I won’t miss a step as I continue to dance in the rain!

RENEWED HOPE

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I cried out, “I am slipping!”
But Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubts filled my mind,
Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Psalm 94:18-19

Have you ever felt totally hopeless? I have. I can remember times in my life when I thought it would be a blessing to go home to be with the Lord. I was physically sick and emotionally drained. I just wanted to rest. I felt like that old commercial that the younger generation won’t remember…“Calgon…take me away!”

In those times, my love for my children kept me going. Now mind you, my children were grown and had children of their own, but still my love for them had not waned in the least from the time they were born until now. I thought, “I need to be here for them. I need to be strong for them. I need to be available if they need me. I can’t leave my children. I will never forsake my children!”

I made that statement a little dramatic at the end to make a point. If we, as human parents, feel so strongly about our relationship with our children, how much more does our Heavenly Father feel about His relationship with us, His children…His creation. Do you realize that God Himself breathed into Adam to give him life? “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

This is what the Paul, the Apostle says in Hebrews 13:5, “For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] (Amplified Version) Wow! That’s how much God thinks of you, His child. Think of a father crossing the street, holding the hand of a young child. That child may try to pull away, but the father has a firm grip on him. He will not relax his hold…no way! If you are a born again believer, you are a child of God and He will not let you down. He WILL NOT relax His hold on you! Be totally confident in that today!

THROUGH THE FOG

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…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.  You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin [temptation or trials].

Hebrews 12:1b-3

“This too shall pass.” How many times have you heard people speak those words when they are going through hard times. Or maybe someone has spoken them to you in that situation. Actually the words hold only small comfort if we aren’t looking to a better future after we have made it through. I know you’ve heard the old saying, “They’re just jumping from the frying pan into the fire!” In other words, folks are just passing through one bad circumstance only to encounter something worse! I’ve known people whose lives seem to reflect this philosophy. They never seem to get a break!

When I lived in Florida, some years ago, I was recuperating from a physical and emotional breakdown. I was diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Sounds dismal doesn’t it. Well, it was! My future didn’t appear to be very promising in the natural. But I refused to look at the natural. I spent my days focused on the Word of God and His promises to me. I kept my eyes looking toward Jesus and I knew that He wanted to bring me through. I considered the fact that He endured many things such as I was going through and much, much more when He was here on this earth. And the Bible tells us that when He was on the cross, He took all of our sins and sicknesses upon His body. This is not figurative, it is literal! That means He felt every pain that we would ever feel…physically, emotionally and spiritually. He even ended up losing His life…and I had no where nearly gone that far! He also promised me this…”No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 The Message Bible)

After I was well on my way to recovery, my pastor, a lady who was also my good friend gave me a framed photo that she said reminded her of the trial I was passing through. It was a photo of a pier extending out into the water in Cedar Key, Florida where we had visited several times. The boards of the pier, especially toward the end, were broken and in disrepair. You couldn’t actually see the end of the pier, for over it and the water beyond, was a dense fog. If you were walking on it, each progressive step would be a step of faith into the unknown. There was no way to see through it to the end. You just had to trust that your steps were ordered by the Lord…and “look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.”

Pastor Retha gave me the picture to encourage me at that particular time in my life. And every time I looked at it, I pictured Jesus there with me, holding my hand, guiding me through the fog of an uncertain future. But I must tell you I’ve never completely gotten through the fog. The life of faith is an on-going experience. There may be a time when the fog lifts temporarily, but it will always come back, as long as we’re living on this earth. And when it does, we have to reach once again for the Master’s hand and take one step at a time, totally trusting in His guidance to see us through. We should never worry or fret, but rest in the fact that He has gone on before us and He knows the perfect way for us!