Fatherless

 

 

 

 

Alone and abandoned; the smiles you fake

He brought you into this world, but you feel you’re a mistake

 

Can’t recall when he last held you or was ever truly there

Emotionally he’s absent; he seems to never care

 

You strive for his approval; long for his concern

He lets you down as always; you wonder when you’ll learn

 

Nails of sadness pierce your heart---day after day

You feel forsaken…you hope it will change

 

I can see the emptiness---with you I have cried

I understand the loneliness of being denied

 

I share in the pain of being forsaken

I relate with the nails and the abuse you have taken

 

I want to carry every burden that is weighing you down

I want to give you hope and a smile for your frown

 

I want to assure you, you are here for a reason

These sorrowful times are only for a season

 

You felt you were fatherless, but your real daddy is Me

For I’m the one who formed you before you ever came to be

 

I have great plans for you…I’ll mend your broken heart

If you give your life to Me, I will never depart

 

Sweet child, I love you---more than you can understand

Despite your brokenness, please trust Me and take My hand

 

I’ll lead you down the path of Truth that will surely make you free

No matter what comes down that road, you can always count on Me

 

Though trials come into your life, and it seems there is no way

There is a peace I have for you---to get you through each day

 

Please don’t listen to the lies you hear---that your life is not worth while

For I don’t regret creating you…I’m proud that you’re My child

 

Stages

Dear Alyssa,

 

"Every new stage a child goes through, a mother is going through one too."  Boy, isn’t that the truth?  I remember you starting your first day of Kindergarten at the comfort of our kitchen table.   I loved knowing you were right there with me where I could protect your innocence with what you heard and saw.  I could shelter your heart from the "mean" of the world.  Home was a haven deliberately filled with words of kindness, songs of worship, laughter, and safety. 

 

Seasons later changed.  The teacher hat no longer fit me.   Third grade came.  You were everything cute on that first day of school.  While you hobbled down the hallway with your oversized backpack of goodies, I suddenly was attacked with a backpack full of "mom worries."  This was my time to trust God, in new ways, with my most precious gift: one of my children.  I would learn that you would be exposed to unkind people and ugly situations, and that was okay.  That’s how life works.  No, I wouldn’t be there when it happened, but as soon as school was over, I would be there to kiss the “boo-boo’s” and wipe the tears.  

Then I apparently blinked or something because just like that... another scene change.  Tonight is 8^th grade graduation. You will be a high schooler in the fall.  Wow!  How did that happen?   You truly have grown into such a beautiful, young lady.  You are sensitive to others and to our God.  I am so very proud of you; and not the cliché “mommy goggles” kind of proud. J  You truly are a beautiful person, inside and out.

Alyssa, “boo-boo’s” continue throughout life.  It’s not going to be the scraped knee at recess or a friend who wouldn’t share the ball.  The goodbyes, the transitions, the making of new friends can feel overwhelming.  The challenges with tougher schoolwork, responsibilities, and friendships may seem insurmountable at times.  I get it.   The whole "Every new stage a child goes through, a mother is going through one too” quote – YEP.  I’m feeling it.  I know what you’re going through, and in my own mom kind of way, my heart is walking it with you.  And guess what?  I’m here for you through all these “ouchies” too.  Always.  

 

Love, Mom
 

Lord, I thank You for entrusting Alyssa into my hands - to care for her, to raise her to know You, to help her learn to hear Your voice, and ultimately to one day return her back to You.   I ask for Your help, Your guidance, Your wisdom.  I want to present You with a daughter one day that has made You proud with her life.  I pray for protection and long life for Alyssa.  May Your hand of blessing and favor follow her everywhere she goes.  I commit her once again to You; that she would live a life unashamed of You - a life recklessly abandoned to Your will.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t9u-LOa3OI

Fear

 

 

We are all well acquainted with the emotion that bears a choke hold.  It's ruthless.  It's torment.  It's an enemy to faith, a thief that robs you of life - imprisons you to a false reality. 

Anxiety, depression, doubt, worry, hurt, anger, sadness, low self esteem, unworthiness.  It comes disguised underneath many different emotions, but it all comes down to one thing:

 

FEAR.

 

The paralysis for some is the dread of what could happen years down the road, anxiety associated with an unpredictable economy, and for many it is the torment of what today, the next hour, the next minute will bring. 

"...fear has torment." 1 John 4:18a

Fear is not only an emotion, but a spiritual force. It is very similar to faith in that both have an unshakable belief in an unseen future. Fear trusts circumstances, natural predictions, the enemy's lies, and self.  Faith trusts God and what His Word says.  Fear is negative faith. 

 

Fear is an enemy of God.  It in essence rips Him of His lordship in our lives. We become self focused and not God focused.  We put our trust in the wisdom of man rather than in the power of God (1 Cor. 2:5).  We no longer see Him for Who He is and who He desires to be in our lives...  He solely becomes a gateway to Heaven, but in our day to day living He is diminished to a dusty figure placed on a shelf.   

God is love, and the Bible says that Perfect Love casts out fear.  God is THAT perfect love. 

 

"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but perfect love turns fears out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment.  He who is afraid has not fully experienced His perfect love." 1 John 4:18

Father, we want to know Your love... Your love is our freedom.  Your love removes shackles. Your love delivers us from all fear.  You are not what our circumstances look like. You are not what the latest trends define You as.  We commit to growing in the knowledge of who You truly are as defined in Your Word, and through that knowledge - growing in intimacy with You... We know that in experiencing that intimate love - fear has no more room in our lives. Thank You for Your love and the hope and peace it brings.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8TkUMJtK5k

 

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

Kindness

Every person is fighting a battle of some sort whether it is current issues they are facing or those pesky learned behaviors we all have that can make us pretty darn ugly at times.  That is why it is important to lay aside your natural response to take offense, and love the "unlovely."

We haven't been called to give people what they deserve. God has commanded us to treat others as we wish to be treated. We are also shown in Scripture that whatever it is we do to another (negative or positive) we are doing to Jesus Himself. And YES, this includes our spouses and our children :)  

So before you lash out and choose harshness over kindness, pause and picture Jesus standing before you. All hurt inflicted on another is bringing pain to the very heart of God.

 "Rudeness, yelling, anger, and swearing are a weak man’s imitation of strength." (Author Unknown) 

 

I will venture out to re-word "weak man" to not having matured in our ability to process and communicate.  We need to do this if we want to have healthy relationships.  Through clinging to the Father and allowing the Holy Spirit to work, we can respond and speak in such a way that is honoring to others and to God.

Let's be kind to one another. Kindness makes us more attractive :)

 

(Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 7:12, Luke 10:27, Proverbs 20:3, Proverbs 29:20, James 1:19, Matthew 25:45)

 

Repentance

Oftentimes, we are so driven to a life of perfection and self willpower that our "repentance"  to God becomes a method.  It becomes about us; OUR feeling "a clean slate," OUR feeling "right," OUR success driven thinking to personally have victory over sin.  In doing so, we miss the real point of repentance:  An opportunity to connect with the very One whose heart we grieved.   A time to reflect on Who enables us to overcome.   A turning of direction.   A moment of embrace.   A beautiful occasion to hear, “You and I are okay.”

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYQ5yXCc_CA

Do You Love Me?

 

"Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

 It is an amazing concept that whatever we do to others, good or bad, we are doing to Jesus Himself.  Verbal confession of our love for God is not a true measure of our relationship with Him.  Our level of love and commitment are equivalent in how we treat others!   

Are we kind or sharp tongued?  Do we use our words to build up or tear down?  Do we take time to listen to others or do we tune them out if we deem it irrelevant?  Do we lay down our agenda to help or do we find that doing for others is an interruption to our lives?  Do we have a cheerful heart when we serve or do we grumble and complain when it’s not accompanied with recognition?  Are we quick to give when there is a need or do we hoard what we have?  Do we understand that God blessed us in order to get His blessing to others or do we see it as our hard work and accomplishments for only us to enjoy?  Are we selfless or selfish? 

The Scriptures are clear that God takes an account of everything - down to EVERY idle word we speak!  Is our day filled with encouraging words?  We have only so much time in a day; only so many breaths before our lives on earth are over.  What are we doing with it?  How are we using our numbered breaths that we are so fortunate to still have?

We are expected to exercise self control even when we are offended or irritated by another's actions.  Why?   Because we have to in order to be effective lights for Jesus in a dark world.  We ultimately misrepresent and bring shame to His name when we choose unkindness and mistreatment of others.  It's the love of God that leads men to repentance.  If we can't love others with God's love, we cannot reach them for Christ.   

I think it’s also important to remember, this doesn’t just apply to how we interact with our neighbors, co-workers, fellow church goers, or family we see on occasion.  If you have any dose of  self-control at all, that is fairly simple.  For those who are closest to us, it may not be as easy, however, the reality that how we treat them is how we are treating Jesus is still the same.  The way we treat those living under our same roof affects them greatly.  Our homes should be a safe haven of edification and peace.  A place where our children, when they are grown, can look back and say, “That is my goal for my family.”  Don’t create a life for them that leave them with years of unraveling what childhood did to them.  We as parents will give account one day for this.  Did our actions draw our children to the hands of the Father or did their embittered spirits cause them to resist Him?  We have to remember, our actions bring the reactions in our children, not our words.  If our words and actions line up, this is healthy soil for our children to thrive.  If we are telling them to love God and love others and our actions are not so, our actions trump our words.  Woe to us who would cause them to stumble. Very scary thought really.

"After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love You.”  “Then feed My lambs,” Jesus told him.  Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love You.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.  A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You.”  Jesus said, “Then feed My sheep." 

Our actions mirror our hearts.   Is there enough evidence in how we treat others to convict us of being true lovers of Jesus?  Jesus is asking us the same thing, "Do you love Me?"

(Matthew 25:31-45, Matthew 12:36, Matthew 5:14-16, Mark 9:42, Genesis 12:1-3, 2 Cor. 9:8-12, 1 Cor. 13, Prov. 12:25, Prov. 19:17, Prov. 25:11, Eph. 4:32)

Easter Story

 

Twelve men left all and followed Him

Miracles they had seen

They watched Him heal all who were sick

Those with unclean spirits were made clean

But one follower named Judas Iscariot

Betrayed Him with a kiss

Handed Him over to the chief priests

To be scourged and put to death

He was mocked by those that held Him

Asking Him, “So, are You the Christ?”

“You wouldn’t believe Me if I told you,” He said

For they accused Him of speaking lies

“Are you the Son of God?” they stammered

He responded, “Yes, I am He”

Accusations of blasphemy filled the land

An act deserving the death penalty

They all condemned Him to be put to death

As they struck Him and spit in His face

Even one of His disciples whom He loved very much

Denied ever seeing His face

Carrying Him away; they delivered Him to Pilate

“Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate sneered

“You say rightly that I am a King,” Jesus said

“But My kingdom is not from here.”

Jesus, the Christ, and Barabbas, a murderer

Stood before the multitude

By custom one prisoner could be released

The one whom the people choose

“Away with this Man; release to us Barabbas,”

Insistently the people cried

“Then what shall I do with Jesus, the Christ?”

They shouted, “Let Him be crucified.”

A purple robe they placed on His body

A crown of thorns twisted on His head

“Hail, King of the Jews,” they mocked

As blood streamed from His head

His back took brutal beatings

His head they struck with a rod

Spitting into His face they scorned

“Save Yourself if You’re the Son of God!”

He didn’t fight back to prove who He was

For He knew His hour had arrived

To fulfill the very purpose for why He had come

For a lost people He would have to die

As they drove the cold nails in His hands and feet

His body exposed for all to view

Jesus cried, “Father, forgive them”

“For they know not what they do.”

Blasphemous words echoed throughout

Gross darkness encamped the land

And with His last breath He shouted aloud

“Father, I commit My spirit into Your hands.”

On the third day since His burial

An angel descended from Heaven

The earth quaked; the stone rolled away

The tomb was empty, for Jesus had risen

Two women mourned nearby the tomb

For they thought His body had been stole

The angel approached them and declared

“Rejoice, for He has arose!”

Quickly they fled to tell the disciples

Their hearts filled with great joy and fear

Some of them rejoiced while others doubted

And then in their midst Jesus appeared

They fell at His feet and worshipped

As He blessed them with His hands

“Go into all the world and tell them of Me,

I won’t be back ‘til it’s reached every land.”

“Remember you're not of this world

If you've received Me as your Lord

Be not like the world; keep from all evil

So that you may receive the final reward.”

“It’s time for Me to leave now,

You must carry out My ministry

I give you the authority to be My hands and feet

With My name you’ll set many free.”

“For it won’t be long before I return

For those who live for Me

They are who I will take as My bride

To Heaven for eternity.”

“Keep watch for the hour is so near

Be prepared to meet Me again

For in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye

As I am now, I will appear again.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOY0mjjmx8Y

"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."

 Romans 5:8