In the Lion's Den Again

 

How many times have you been in a situation where you felt that you were surely going to fail? Perhaps you had no knowledge, didn’t get training and/or didn’t have the tools that you needed to do the job efficiently. At my age, it has been quite a few. Perhaps that is why I am diligent about taking notes and creating instructions. It has been a necessity in life.

I remember, years ago, I took a contract position with a hospital in Phoenix. It was a training position. I am not a doctor, nor have I played one on TV. 😊 In summary, the job was to train doctor’s and nurses how to use a software system while they were performing their jobs, including surgery.

Well, long story short, they had a packet 4 inches thick for us to learn in just two weeks in a classroom with nurses and medical technicians. Oh, I forgot to mention that our trainer quit in the first week. They had not planned for that. There was no one else and none of us knew what to do. You could feel a kind of division in the room initially. One tech was not shy about voicing why they would pick non-medical personnel to train others on medical software. This immediately worked on my insecurities, and I asked myself what in the world I was doing there. But I knew why. I loved training and I needed the job. I always taught my kids never quit a job unless you have another one.

After a week of spinning our wheels, trying to learn the material separately, no leadership and some obvious attempts at taking the wheel, we started working together. I began asking the medical personnel about things in the material that were medically related, and they began asking us about aspects of the software. Each learned the other’s strengths and weaknesses and we helped each other become better. Together, and without a trainer, we improvised and worked with what we had to become a powerhouse training group. I even had to overcome my weakness of going into the operating rooms and seeing blood in order to show the doctor how to administer blood to the patient in critical situations. When lives are on the line, you tend not to worry about anything else. I learned so much respect and appreciation for those who work in the medical field. They truly are warriors on the battlefield of life. I could NOT have done the job without letting go of my pride, insecurities, fears and humbling myself to acquiesce to others. Some of us are still friends to this day.

Like Daniel in the Lion’s den, we didn’t have any worldly weapons. We had the tools that God gave us to do the job.

2 Cor 12:8-10: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Or maybe, in the middle of the chaos of your work, when you think you won’t possibly get it all done, someone needs you right now for something and you must stop to handle it. You feel overwhelmed, and maybe a little frustrated at the timing of it all. Someone else’s needs always seem to be more important than what you are doing.

I have felt that way so many times in life. And I must admit that there were times that I know that my stress showed through. I have had deadlines and paperwork and tried so hard to fit what I needed to do in a neat little time slot with no wiggle room because I just couldn’t afford the time to waste. I am a bit of a control freak and am self-motivated. I am the one that can work from home with no supervision and get the job done and take on extra if need be. But in that realm of finances and must do’s, I tended not to leave a lot of wiggle room. People were the distraction, not the purpose.

Life, and this ministry, have taught me so very much about wiggle room. I remember when I first started working here, I was too busy learning and doing the finance job to stop. There would be baptisms and special events but I would assume that I was to stay at my task. They would always tell me to join with everyone else because fellowship is more important. We are about the students and work can wait. It took a while to adjust to that. I always felt that I had to confirm it each time. I had to learn to relax my worldly standards. And the one thing I have learned best is that I must always, and I do mean always, stop in my tracks to love on those around me no matter what.

Phil 2:1-11: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ...”

I can tell you that in those chaotic moments, when nothing seems to go right, abrasive people seem to test you, your work isn’t getting done, students are in crisis, and you don’t have the tools that you think that you need… God is working.

My main regret in life is in the way that I have failed others, not in what I didn’t get done. I know what it feels like to be rejected and cast aside. I know that every one of you knows exactly how that feels. The last thing that I want is to ever hurt someone like that.

The students are why we are here! I cannot tell you how many times… yes, I can, EVERY time that someone needed me and I stopped to love them, it was worth every minute. I will go one further and say that I even got done what I was supposed to get done without much stress because God showed ME that He was working through me to help others.

But more than THAT, He is working in me too. I NEED that time with students and staff just as much as they do because it ignites my Light and refuels my soul to the fullest. God works in us and blesses us when we love others before ourselves. ALWAYS.

I know there were even times when I was not where I wanted to be. I grew anxious and grumbled about that as we tend to do. In all my wriggling to get free of it, I discovered that I wasn’t there as a punishment, but I was there because there was an underlying reason why He put me where I was. Either to stretch me, to help others or to protect me. But trust me… NO, trust HIM, there is a reason.

Acts 20:35: “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

My point is, when all chaos hits the fan, it isn’t that you can’t work through it. God gave you the tools for that. He is asking you to trust Him in those moments and continue to learn and grow where you are planted. There is something in that moment of time that He is showing you. When you stop trying to wriggle free and figure out how to work through it, He can bless you where you are.

But most important than anything else, when people need you, STOP and LOVE on them! That is ultimately why we are here on this earth, in this ministry and as a Christian.

1 Pet 4:10-11: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Bone tired and battle worn

Yesterday, I saved a bunny. I thought I was freeing it from a log that fell on it but it wasn't that simple. I heard this horrible screaming coming from the log pile when I went to check on our chickens. It was unbearable so I went looking for it. I saw a bunny beneath a log and a piece of bark struggling to get free. I moved the log and told him to go. He still screamed and struggled. I said, "Honey that bark isn't holding you down, run!" But he continued. Then I saw it. A red ringed tail twitching underneath the bark. Tom warned me about red tailed weasels. They are vicious and will attack anything. I was afraid it would turn against me but still, I had to save the bunny but I couldn't lift the bark with my hand or it could bite me. I took the log that I had picked up and slammed it on the part of the bark that the weasel hid under. It promptly let go of the bunny and both ran away. Much the same way, we battle it out for each other, side by side, because our enemy is always working on one or all of us. We got to fight for each other! We got to hit him with a log, a rock, with scripture and spiritual warfare. We gotta recognize that even in the quiet, the people next to us are screaming for help and too proud or too weak to say it. We gotta see with His eyes and fight with His love! We gotta be ready, regardless if we are battle worn and bone tired, to help those that aren't strong enough.... because one day it may be our time to scream. I am always here for you all. This sermon on YouTube of Priscilla's speaks volumes to me. I think ya'all need to hear this. I love the way she approaches our battle with the evil one! WE are family... we are warriors... we battle to save each other as well. Priscilla Shirer-Protecting Your Spiritual Lifeline

Trip over life and spill your tears again?

You aren't alone, you know. Most of us struggle with feeling defeated, less than or just tired of the way things are. I am here to tell you that there is so much more to life than this. For all of us... not just the pretty people with life all wrapped up in a neat bow... or pretending it is. But there is something more for those of us who come running through the room, looking for their other sock and spilling coffee in their wake. Us. Those who stumble on life's issues frequently and have to get back up and dust themselves off and aren't ashamed to admit it. Us. Those of us who have lived a horrendous life and still mistakenly think that it defines us. Please, give yourself a chance. Maybe I can help. Come back soon and share this with others that are hurting. If you need to chat with someone immediately and anonymously go to Groundwire.net and go to Online chat

Dogs to vomit - Peanut allergies

I would like to be humorous, but I can’t this time. I have seen too many lives run back to the vomit they escaped from as if the glorious blood of Christ who died for them was not strong enough or powerful enough to save them. They fail to see how the evil one lays the simplest of snares to entice them back in.

Worse than that, it seems to be a domino affect in which all of the players simply choose to lay their lives down rather than do what it takes to save their own lives, and the lives of their friends, to maintain their salvation and integrity. People that we deeply love, die. 

1 Pet 5:8: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

When someone has severe allergic reactions to peanuts, they must do whatever it takes not to inhale or ingest even a minute part of the peanut for the rest of their lives. If they are exposed to peanuts in any way shape or form, it can be life threatening to them. It isn’t a matter of likes or dislikes, it is a matter of life and death to them. If you have ever seen someone lapse into anaphylactic shock, it is horrific.

Once they have been diagnosed, they live their lives around the fact that they have a peanut allergy. Because peanuts are everywhere, people who are allergic know that they must alter their lives accordingly. They must be aware of the various triggers or catalysts that can take their life, quite literally, at any given moment.

Triggers are the catalyst to life or death in this situation. A catalyst is defined as “A substance that causes a chemical reaction to happen more quickly” or “A person or event that quickly causes change or action.” You see, a trigger or catalyst can be a substance or a person... and often is exactly that.

If you have a peanut allergy, you don’t ingest peanuts. But further, you avoid peanut farms, any place that prepares food with peanuts or near peanuts. You do whatever it takes to avoid dying. Furthermore, there is no shame in telling people that you are allergic to nuts. People around you understand this, and it is quite simple to keep peanuts out of the ‘mix’ when associating. (Okay, tiny pun.) Most people understand it is a matter of life and death.

I recall years ago, when we were hiking with a few of our grandkids and our Chihuahuas over a rocky hill at Girl Scout Mountain. Trinity and I lagged behind, while Tom, Rikayla and Michael were ahead of us with the dogs. They made it to the top, but just then, Africanized bees attacked Tom and the kids. He grabbed the kids one by one and ushered them down the hill calling at us not to come up and to get back down. At the same time, he called our dogs to follow him but one of them was too scared to move or had trouble. He went in after her again and received dozens more stings for his trouble. But he brought them all to safety. Unfortunately, we discovered he might have been allergic because his face, ears and body were so swollen that you wouldn’t even recognize him. He was in agony. If he had had a worse allergy, he could have died. Guess what? Given the chance of running into those hostile bees again, we avoided the area. In fact, one might say avoiding bees in general would be wise. Common sense, right?

Most people with allergies have common sense about it. So do the people who love them and don’t want them to die. People with allergies learn to adjust their lives around the fact that they are not healthy and must avoid triggers. It is simply necessary to change the way they live, to live longer.

Alcoholics know that they not only have to avoid bars, but they end up having to avoid friends who love bars. They understand what their triggers are and have discovered that they have to avoid friends who host get togethers with drinking, smoking and/or drugs. For many alcoholics, when they just smell a cigarette, it makes them want a drink. It is a trigger’ a catalyst if you will. Some people have family who revolve every family event around having a few brews. For this reason, even a person’s closest family and friends become toxic for them. It isn’t a simple matter of preference here, people. It is life and death.

So many people have trouble understanding how severe the alcoholic’s desire to imbibe is and they say things such as “Please come. You don’t have to drink just because we do. Come on! It will be fun.” And, to avoid seeming weak, or to avoid offending those that they love, the alcoholic may agree to come. They literally put themselves in harm’s way and risk losing all that ground that they gained, rather than having to explain.

Unfortunately, and we know this firsthand, many people, rather than NOT have alcohol, drugs or smoking present, just expect the alcoholic to be in a sea of temptation and not partake. I would never say that people are intentionally trying to cause the person to stumble and possibly die from their ‘allergy.’ However, people are simply and truly ignorant to the hard core pull of alcohol and drugs to the addict, especially to the triggers that make them want to partake. Even a party by itself can feel foreign to them without alcohol or drugs.

Common sense dictates that EVERY former alcoholic or addict MUST live their lives as if they are allergic to it, or anything associated with it, to save their own lives. And yet, as is the case with too many, they clumsily, or maybe even on purpose, expose themselves to the allergen or the peanut pusher, so to speak, as if they have nine lives.

Please know that many a recovering addict and alcoholic have died because they failed to protect themselves from the catalyst that would send them back down the path to utter destruction and death. I am a firm believer that satan rules the world of substance abuse with the sole purpose of destroying your life and holding you all in chains. It seems he has mastered the art of creating idols for you to worship but even more, of causing good believers to be sucked back into it by using situations, family, and friends to tempt you back in.

Mat 26:41: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Rather than continue with devotions, networking with healthy friends and family, finding healthy activities to distract you, you have been drawn back in like a dog to its own vomit.

2 Pet 2:20-22: “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.””

You are someone with a severe allergy. If it helps, think of it like a peanut allergy. As such, you must live your life accordingly. What are your triggers? Who are your catalysts? What situations make it harder to avoid? Who do you want to impress to the point of not admitting that you have a problem?

1 Cor 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Staying alive means having the strength to say no and turn away from even your closest friends and family to save your life. (Whether they fail to understand out of ignorance or simply refuse to alter their lives to save yours.) Put it this way, if it were a peanut allergy, would you go on a tour of the peanut farm with your friends? Would you sample the peanut brittle knowing that you will die?

Jam 1:12-16: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”

Furthermore, what kind of friend or family can they be if they entice you to partake in nuts knowing that you already almost died from it? Do you WANT to associate with people who put partying over your health or life? Unfortunately, the catalyst is often is someone you love dearly… but is that moment worth dying for? That person or substance is the catalyst for quick change and possibly death.

Jam 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

God gave you the tools to win over temptation and to live a free and healthy life. Yes, you are free in Christ and yet you choose to be in bondage to the evil one. When you turn from God and seek your idol, your drug or alcohol, the thing that you worship, you essentially are choosing to become a sickly, craving, sin ridden minion to the evil one.

As family or friends of those struggling with addiction, it is your responsibility to lovingly help them overcome temptation. If you are unable to alter your lives to exclude triggers like smoking, alcohol or drugs to help save a life, then ask yourself if YOU have a substance abuse issue.

1 Cor 15:33: “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

 

Broken Vessels

 

God has given me an image of a broken vessel and how the light can shine through the cracks to create a thing of beauty. A beacon of hope and light for others. It is still a broken vessel, imperfect and fragile and yet, He can use it to His greatest glory.

As a human and ‘Christian’, I recognize that there is, and always will be, a great disparity between how I am and how I should be. The battle wages inside me every single day. And, as time passed and God freed me from what I considered serious human sinfulness, I realize that the battle to refrain from those physical and/or visible sins was not half as hard as the inner battle that rages every day. Now, doing the work that I do, I see that all of us suffer from the same thing.

2 Cor 10: 4-5: "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

It seems that there are, essentially and for the sake of simplicity, two camps. There are those of us who will always see ourselves as flawed and human, struggling against our own human nature and never achieving perfection. We never quite feel that we have achieved the status of “Christian.” (I will explain, don’t panic) That is to say, we are believers and give our whole hearts to God, but we recognize, inside ourselves, the raging battle between good and evil. We can never be totally at peace in this world because we see our own imperfections and want to change. I am, and always have been, my own worst critic.

Rom 7:15-20: “ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

I have learned to be candid and transparent with others about my struggles because I want them to recognize that I, like them, am still fighting the fight and it is a lifelong issue, being human. One of the more difficult hurdles to my becoming a believer was the fact that I saw those who tried to save me as ‘perfect’ and unflawed … with no struggles in life. I knew that I could never be like them. I felt that I would never be good enough to stand with them. I never want to portray that type of “I have made it and am fine” perfection to anyone in this world. I am and always will be a awork in progress.

1 Pet. 5:8-9: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

There are those who wear the label like a crown and proclaim themselves fully healed with nothing more to attain. They are not transparent with their own sinfulness but portray a simplistic view of Christianity that sets themselves apart. They are uncomfortable with admitting their struggles. Perhaps they don’t even see the battle that rages inside or how the thoughts we have can destroy them and take them out. Being ‘Christian’ to some, can be like obtaining a promotion in the workplace. They have ‘made it’ and feel that their work is done. Either they deny the battle that rages inside them, or they become blind to their own humanness and comfortable in their hidden sinful nature.

Prov 3:7: “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

My own brokenness is so evident in how I live my life and my thought processes. In my past, my vessel was filled with dirt and debris… sin, essentially. No light could shine through because I had none in me. I sinned against myself, others, and God with little thought to consequence. I was broken in so many ways and, to fill that brokenness, I became impulsive and self-centered. I heaped more and more dirt and sinfulness into that vessel until it became the darkness.

As God fought with me, and I became a believer, He guided me to wash away the visible/physical sinful nature. It was a struggle that took many years. Not because He isn’t capable of miracles, but because I was human. In my humanness, I could not see His Godliness or understand His power. I doubted His ability to transform ‘someone as unworthy’ as me. I believed it for others, but not me.

Seriously, He chased me like He is chasing you now. If you take the time to stop and listen, you will hear Him guiding you and giving you the strength. But YOU must let go of the idol in your hand and heart and TRUST Him to walk you through it. We ARE our own worst enemy. The first time that I had the strength to trust Him and fight my flesh and then, ultimately win, I cried like a baby. That first time filled me with His power and love and I KNEW that He had heard my cries. From then on, I learned to trust Him completely.

1 Cor. 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

As He took away each temptation, the light began to shine through. Each crack in my vessel, my temple, began to allow the Light, His light to shine through to others. As others saw the Light change me, it gave them hope. As others began to trust Him and shine their light… well, the ripple affect is real.

I am reminded of my daughter, Brandy. When she gave herself to the Lord and my son saw her for the first time after that, he said, essentially, that she glowed with a joy he had never seen in her before. It was inspiring.

Rom 2: 6-8: “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”

In fact, from her addiction and ultimate salvation sprung a well of healing and salvation that rippled through our entire family(s). I truly gave myself to God in a tangible way and no longer rode the fence. I started this blog as a result and then I became a licensed minister. My husband, not a believer at all, gave himself to God and to ministering to the broken. Almost all of our kids have found or strengthened their faith. It continues to transform lives to this day.

So… think about it for a moment. Doesn’t the Light shine best in total darkness? God uses the cracks and brokenness to shine His eternal Light through impure unperfected humanness to give other broken people the Hope and strength to fight through their sinful nature.

It isn’t through our feigned perfection and ‘Christianity’ but through others seeing the miraculous and powerful transformation in our lives. Our humility and loving nature.

Col 1: 13-14: "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

I know that you can hear Him calling you. He chases you in the darkness and tries to save you from yourself, from the enemy who tries to dominate. One step of faith. One thing at a time. Let Him in.

The devil drives a sports car

 

Around the time of my last post, my granddaughter, who I speak of quite often, came into program as a partial agreement to deferred prosecution. Twenty years old, 80 lbs soaking wet, 4 foot 11 with the beauty of an angel. Her heart, to me, was always scarred and broken but open and desperate for love. Her drug of choice is fentanyl, though not her only one. She has been homeless and addicted for a few years now.

After a 45 minute fiasco in the airport looking for her, we found her on the still secured side of the airport, not knowing that she was supposed to come over to our side. She was high as a kite and just listening to her music.

It was Heaven spending time with her on the hour-long drive to Watsonville. True to form, she sat in the back with her nana (that would be me) and laid up against me… so happy to be with us again. I held her boney frame as we talked about anything but her life as an addict. Though, surprisingly, she was quite candid about how 'bad it is now compared to years before' when we tried to help her.

The rules are that when the ‘student’ is in crisis, they are in blackout. That means no contact with anyone outside of crisis, including family. Her tiny frame slept mostly, getting up to eat and bath and sleep again for about five days. The staff watched her, lovingly putting extra blankets on her as she slept on her tummy with her feet in the air over her back… how did she ever sleep like that? They loved on her and said all the right things. But, by the fifth day, fentanyl true to form, she lost her battle of withdrawal and left early that morning. No id, no phone or clothes, she wandered as a complete stranger, out into California, completely unprepared.

My dear friend Maria said it best. She said, “the devil waits outside the door of [adult &] teen challenge and looks like whatever they need him to be.” I don’t know what he looked like that day. He surely took several forms.

1 Peter 5:8: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

She called from several different cell phones, not her own. She landed two hours away in San Francisco. One of the times she texted her mom she told her that ‘more bad **** had happened to her in California in two weeks than happened to her back home in Arizona in five months.’ Mind you, in Arizona she had been raped, beaten, strangled, stolen from, mixed up with all the wrong people and just as homeless. God only knows how many times that happened in CA.

Once she texted, she would ghost us again and not answer our texts. Then a few days ago, she said some guy took her to a town called Hanford. He had promised to take her back, more than 3 hours away, but as most of the men in her life, he got what he wanted and abandoned her there. Last we heard, some friends from AZ got her a greyhound ticket back home. That was the 25th. We haven’t heard from her since. We have no idea if she even got on the bus.

People, the evil one is real. He and his minions can be your best friend. They can be that free ride to another town, another high or another world, if you aren’t careful. They can be that ‘Christian’ friend who means well but talks you out of doing what is right, what God has compelled you to do. They can be the pastor who steps over the line, shakes your faith and causes you to stumble or run from God. They can be the parent who fails to raise their child to know Him. Or worse, the one who violates a child’s innocence.

He may not really drive a sports car. He may just send you someone who has great drugs for the price of your soul. Or will teach you the ‘tricks of the trade’ to keep you in debt and in drugs. He will promise you a life of fame for your vanity, or position for your ego or power for your submission. One way or the other, he will do his best to get you to sell your soul for the thing that you can’t live without. But I guarantee you that he won’t be leading you to eternal salvation and redemption or that life of peace we all crave.

If you want to know all about how to recognize evil when you see it, I have this book. It’s free.

What I can tell you is this:

1 Cor 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Often in times of struggle, we are so busy looking at the open door that we fail to see the window. Get to know all about the good and evil in the world so that you can recognize when you see it. Open the Good book. Use the weapons that He has made a way for you to overcome evil with good. Look for it.

Listen, you have the answers right there in front of you.

 

While You Linger-Addict's Plight

 I hear the stories of your fate; 

the worst that one must bare

and still you linger in the dark

for hell to hold you there.

We've chased you over these few years;

we won't give up the fight

But somehow, even though we pray,

Free will  must be your plight.

You know we try to reach you, still,

but efforts are in vain

Our reach is just not long enough-

Our broken hearts remain.

I've no idea what you see

when your reflection peers at you.

I've no idea what you feel

or the hurt that you subdue.

I do know, and you won't believe,

that NOTHING you can do,

will ever change the love we have

or how we look at you.

You've only to agree to fight 

and we'll fight by your side.

You're stronger than you realize 

you do not have to hide!

For all this life has thrown at you

you fail to see the good

We'd fight it all and die for you

if only that we could!

There is no shame in falling, child,

we all have fallen prey.

You'll find the strength in God and us,

if you simply turn away.

But just for now, until you do,

please let us know you're there.

All we desire is to know you're fine

and we'll keep you in prayer.