The Real of Brokenness

Linking up with the Five-Minute Friday community of bloggers, the prompt this week is REAL. Learn more about it here.

My sister-friend, Paulette Foster, preached a theologian’s (scholarly) sermon about the woman with the issue of blood. It was eons ago now, she called the woman Veronica. [Traditionally, Veronica came to believe in Christ when He healed her of an ailment that had afflicted her for twelve years: And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and. touched the hem of his garment: (orthodoxwiki.org/Veronica)]  It was the first time I had heard the woman called by name as it is not given in the scriptures.

 

What I want to extract from the woman’s story though is her brokenness. Inspired by our Pastor’s message yesterday, “The Blessedness of Brokenness” (Psalm 51:8), what I know to be REAL about brokenness is it brings you to your knees, recumbent and debilitated before our Savior, Healer, God.

Many of us find ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually, like the woman with the issue of blood, broken by society, stereotypes, people and their judgments, systemic resistance, broken to a state of nothingness. Pastor also referred to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9), how that we are sometimes broken by someone who was suppose to care for us, not of intention, but by an unfortunate casualty. Whatever the circumstances, there are times of brokenness in our lives.

Like the woman with the issue of blood, it was in a state of brokenness that she became most desperate for God. It was in a state of brokenness that in her despair she ignored all the crushing constructs that were very REAL in her life.

She found her way to Jesus, crawling and clambering through the thronging crowd in the dirt and dung to touch The REAL Healer. Weakened in her body, but determined in her spirit, she pressed through her pride, her fear, rejection and prejudices. She pressed through every ‘no’ she had ever been told to reach her Creator. She touched Jesus with all of her brokenness and He touched her with His healing virtue.

“Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” ~ Psalm 51:8

You may also like, https://simplyphenomenal.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/broken-to-be-made-whole/

A Matter of the Heart

Tags

Apostolic, Christian, inner strength, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, Personal Development, Personal Growth, self development, self renewal, Women

I think it is interesting how we construct defenses.

We say, “What others think don’t matter; only what God thinks matters.” Yada, yada.
Truth is it does matter what people think. We all want to be well thought of, approved of others. It matters what the employer or supervisor thinks, what the professor thinks, what that person we admire or crush on thinks, what our spouse and children think, what the person who shows indifference, disrespect, insensitivity towards us thinks. If it didn’t matter, we would not need to respond to it, have it dictate our behavior or introspection.
It is toward people who we claim do not matter (but they do), that we throw out such disclaimer. Persons who exclude us, don’t consider us, disregard or ignore us. The ‘haters’, persons who do not support or celebrate us, do not condone our behavior, or laud our every endeavor. It is of those people that we say, it doesn’t matter, I don’t care. But the attention and response to the opinion of those persons is a clear indicator that we do indeed care.

I guess this interests me because I relate to it so well. I notice sarcastic graphics and posts surface in the FB TL quite often raising the walls of defense. When I see them, I think – the time and attention given to the things and people who do not matter is really amusing. The constant lashing out or buffering from things that do not matter … Why? Because they do.  The responses are erected like cement but really have a soft clay base needing the Refiner’s fire.

What we really need to pay attention to is why, why a response. The question to ask, ‘What is it in me, my inward sensibility that makes me respond and defend against the offenses of people and things that ‘do not matter’?’ Until we answer that question, we will continue to falsely accuse others of what is lacking within ourselves.

Reality check.

Growth and maturity becomes more evident within ourselves when we accept responsibility for who we are, where we need to grow, where we need to change and then do the necessary work to become that person. A person who is not always on defense, but one of a self-awareness that is nurturing and healthy, one who gives light, life and love from a transformed heart, mind and essence that is renewed daily by the love of God.

When we go to God with the broken pieces of ourselves, He really does put them back together. We must give Him ALL the pieces, confess our heart and He promises, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” ~ Ezekiel 36:26

The Faith Challenge

I remember so well a powerful teaching many years ago about the Shunammite Woman (2 Kings 4 and 8). Through a most devastating time in her life, her great faith in who she knew God to be made her exclaim, “It shall be well.”

The ticking seconds, the endless hours, the run-on days and weeks when you’re elasticized only by the strength of your faith.

When no answer comes, no door opens … days pass and there is still no way. These are the times when everything we say we believe really matters.

Life comes at you fast and hard sometimes. Some situations you’re prepared for, many you just are not.

But somehow, you manage to get through. The peace of God which surpasses our comprehension smooths the way. The ‘now faith’ becomes the real evidence of what we cannot see. When the game is on the line and you have no choice but to keep playing. Even when you’re losing, you don’t give up, you have to play it out. There is no perceptible evidence of the outcome, but there is past evidence. Evidence of when God brought you through before, when He made a way, when the miracle happened. So it is our faith that sustains us, knowing that our God is unfailing and His faithfulness prevails. No-thing is impossible with God.

When you are empty of answers, God has the answer, He is the answer.

We must not be confounded by our circumstances, but live above them expecting everything to work for our good because God has promised it to them that love Him.

So the challenge is to let faith work, reassuring God’s faithfulness, stirring up praise and worship that connects your heart to His heart, and operating in the promises of His Word, looking to Him who is the creator and sustainer of our faith. He is in control of our lives, watching over us, caring for us, performing His will and purpose in us and for us. He will not fail.

Lord, I trust You, I will depend on You.

You are the author and finisher of my faith.

I am secure in You.

 

Our Enduring Love

Tags

Apostolic, Christian, Covenant Marriage, dreams, Family, Goals, Jesus Christ, love, Marriage, Women

 LOVE suffereth long, and is kind; LOVE envieth not; LOVE vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. LOVE never faileth: ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

LOVE that is lasting, continuing, patient, persisting, surviving, growing, and enduring.

Thirty-six years ago today, I married my best friend. He loves me unconditionally.

Thirty-six years is a long time. Time that God has given to us, woven by all that HE IS. The essence of Who God is has given sustaining and enduring life to our marriage.  No marriage is perfect, because no two people are perfect; only God is perfect. Enduring Love is what perfects our marriage covenant. Faith, wisdom and reverance for God as the center of our marriage is what has made it an Enduring Love.

Enduring Love is not jealous, is not self-centered, is not arrogant, is not strong-willed, is not selfish, is not controlling, is not impulsive, is not disrespectful, is not revengeful or begrudging, it never gives up. It is not a fairytale.  Enduring Love is all that the Love Chapter proclaims, it suffers long, is kind, is committed, is sacrificing, is giving, is caring, is honest, trusts, honors God, never retreats or gives up, it grows forward, stronger and greater, it endures.

In thirty-six years there have been some tests, some mistakes, some poor judgments, some uncertainties, some challenges. But overwhelmingly there has been a lot of joy and God’s goodness, dreams come true, blessings on top of blessings, lessons learned, experiences and memories to cherish, children and grandchildren.

Some years ago I had the privilege of presenting a seminar for married couples. The conference theme was “The Race of Your Life-Making It To The Expected End” so I entitled the presentation, “Enduring Love Covenant Marathon” (Running With My Mate — A Marathon to The Finish”.  The focus was that marriage is not a sprint or a relay, it is a marathon. A marathon is a race of endurance. Much preparation, training, and conditioning is necessary to FINISH a marathon.  Because at the FINISH is where you receive the rewards, the expected end. The key points I shared was understanding the runners in the race (two, ‘together’, making a team of one) (Matthew 19:5-6); determining and understanding the singularity of your goal(s) (1 Corinthians 9:24-25); conditioning for the covenant marathon with the mindset to win (Romans 8:37); actually running the race, the huddle experiences, and seeing (always in view) your goal, seeing your marriage at its expected end, claiming the rich rewards of enduring love.

“Do you think our love can make miralces? I do.

“Do you think our love, can take us away together?

I think our love can do anything we want it to.” (Allie & Duke/Noah from The Notebook)

[Reflecting now, that was a good presentation.]

So today, we’re still running this race with so much more maturity and wisdom. We’re running it with our enduring love as the wind in our backs and beneath our wings. We’re enjoying some rich rewards too, a life well lived, blessed by the favor of God, children who make us proud everyday, and grandchildren who literally take our breath away and consume our hearts with joy.

Thank You, God, for my gift, my husband, my lover, my covering, my friend, my confidant, my covenant partner, my forever love, Terry D. Lipford.

Thank You, God, for our Enduring Love, ‘ageless and evergreen’.

Love, soft as an easy chair
Love, fresh as the morning air
One love that is shared by two
I have found with you

Like a rose under the April snow
I was always certain love would grow
Love ageless and evergreen
Seldom seen by two

You and I will make each night a first
Every day a beginning
Spirits rise and their dance is unrehearsed
They warm and excite us
‘Cause we have the brightest love

Two lights that shine as one
Morning glory and midnight sun
Time we’ve learned to sail above
Time won’t change the meaning of one love
Ageless and ever evergreen

(Lyrics of one of our wedding songs, ‘Evergreen’ by the incomparable Barbra Streisand.)

Don’t You See It?

Tags

Apostolic, Christian, hope, Jesus Christ

This is what God says,
the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
who carves a path through pounding waves,
“Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? – Isaiah 43:16, 19 (MSG)

An Aromatic Perspective for Life

Five Minute Friday: BLOOM

We live in a world where everyone is consumed with their devices, checking social media, surfing the ‘net, living life through a brightly lit screen.
We’re missing the blooms. The blooms of God. What He is doing, saying, commanding, in and of us.
Even in His Sanctuary, we’re recording and capturing photo moments, scrolling the timeline, texting our neighbor, checking dining menus. Ouch!
He is blooming new things in a realm so much higher and wider than who, where, or what we are or think.
No, we don’t see it. We’re missing it, we’re missing Him.
Every day it seems we’re running, but we’re not gaining any ground; we’re striving, but we’re not increasing … we don’t see it.
We’re taught that vision is not in the eye, but in the mind. In the mind is where we see what God is doing in ourselves and in His Kingdom.
We must be alert and present more instinctively by our spiritual nature to see the blooms (the evidence) of His planting in and through us.
The blooms of His redemption plan for mankind, of His call to holiness, of the great hope He gives us of eternal life in Him.
My son said recently, ‘we must never become a spectator church’, but we must remain spiritually engaged and connected to God, Who He Is, and what He is doing that we may be representative of Him in the Earth and to a world that does not know Him.
The evidence of God’s doing is always in bloom, springing forth, bursting out!
Look UP unto Him, don’t you see it?

My Life Is In YOUR Hands

Tags

Apostolic, Christian, faith, future, hope, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, love, Prayer, Trusting God, Women, worship

Throwing caution to the wind, writing for five minutes, linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday, http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

The prompt for today is HANDS

[This print is the beautiful work of artist/photographer Georgia O’Keefe. I captured it last month while visiting her Museum in Albuquerque NM]

The Choir pulled out an old one this past Sunday, a Kirk Franklin classic.

You don’t have to worry and don’t you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning; troubles, they don’t last always
For there’s a Friend named Jesus Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken, just lift your hands and say

THIS!
I know that I can make it, I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way, my life is in Your Hands
With Jesus I can take it, With Him I know I can stand
No matter what may come my way, my life is in Your Hands

So when your tests and trials, they seem to get you down
And all your friends and loved ones are no where to be found
Remember there’s a Friend named Jesus Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken just lift your hands and say
I know that I can make it, I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way, my life is in Your Hands
With Jesus I can take it, With Him I know I can stand
No matter what may come my way, my life is in Your Hands

Anticipating the birth of his firstborn (our first grandson), I remember something my son said. While contemplating all the things on his plate at the time, decisions to be made and his baby, at that time, still comfy in his mother’s womb past his due date … My son said, ‘there are so many things out of our hands”.
Isn’t that the time our faith pulls us into all that we believe and trust God for, the time when we must realize, accept, embrace and rejoice in the fact that our life is in His Hands. What an assurance that whatever comes our way, our lives are in His Hands. He holds us and all that concerns us in His Hands and we can trust His ability to hold us, to cover us, and to protect us.

With Jesus iIcan take it, With Him, I know I can stand!
No matter what may come my way, my life is in Your Hands.
Listen hear, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzTITwcnT9w

Thank You, Jesus
I’m in Your Hands.

Baby, Fresh From Heaven ~ Handmade by God

Happy Noah Day! May 30, 2014
The call came the morning of May 29, 2014!
It was a beautiful day, sunny and perfect … In God’s timing.
We arrived at Hillcrest Hospital and our daughter-in-Love was doing good through her contractions and the process began.
I watched my son, a Godly man, anoint the delivery room and everything in it, he prayed the prayer of faith and thanksgiving … I’m so proud of him.
What happy moments of anticipation for the birth of their first child, a son for whom they prayed, and our first grandSON.
As the time grew long, I took a walk down to the cafeteria and gift shop. I found the greatest gift too. I really wanted a Superman soft toy for the “Superman Baby” but found a stuffed bear. He’s not all that cute, I thought, but his bib says, “Handmade by GOD ~ NOAH”. Perfect, right? Then when I got to the register the cashier pushed his paw and the bear prays a prayer for Noah in the voice of the biblical Noah … Perfect, indeed.

Well the day didn’t go as we anticipated. It was exhausting to say the least, especially for the birthing mother and expecting father. Unexpected circumstances prolonged the baby’s birth. BUT GOD! Savior, Keeper, Giver of Life, God.
He IS Faithful in all things. Yes, He Is!!

The morning of May 30 was God’s appointed time for Noah’s arrival at 5:44 AM.
Our grandson was born! Tears of Joy … He is God’s gift, fresh from a Heaven, handmade by God.
How GREAT IS Our God!

Baby, Fresh From Heaven

His fresh-from-Heaven arrival is close (but not yet).

His due date (guess date I call it) was yesterday.

Everyone, his young parents (this is their first), grandparents (our first grandson), aunts, uncles, loved ones … we’re all so anxious and excited.

Yesterday, my husband snapped a photo of his car seat already nestled in his Dad’s car.

His mother is graciously managing all the texts and FB posts inquiring of his status, are you in labor, is he here yet, what did the doctor say? She just posted, “Keep Calm and wait for Baby Noah.”

It is so close and yet it is his and God’s timing. It will be perfect, the time when he arrives. He will be perfect because he is being fashioned by the sovereign hands of God and he is being delivered fresh from Heaven.

He is already loved in extreme proportions and blessed by a ‘village’ of family and friends who not only love him, but also love God.

So close, any day now, fresh from Heaven.

“For this child, she prayed.”

Five Minute Friday: CLOSE
Linking to http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

Jehovah-Sabaoth (My Protector)

I have tried to dismiss it, didn’t want to entertain it, but it won’t go away.
Less than a week after I experienced one of my dream adventures of flying in a hot air balloon in Albuquerque NM, there was a tragic hot air balloon crash in rural VA. When I heard the news report, I gasped and exclaimed, Lord Jesus! Then I just didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to think how it could have happened to my flight, that if that accident had happened prior to my flight, I might not have taken it, yada yada yada. Then hearing more details of the accident, thinking how fortunate I was to have had a veteran pilot and that none of the circumstances surrounding the fatal flight were common to my flight, yada, yada, yada.

Lord, forgive me. Shame on me!
Instead of dismissing it, I owe God a praise, a public praise.

God covered and protected me like He does every single waking moment of my life. Like He does for each of us. The routine things we take for granted everyday. There are occasions every single day when our lives are in danger but for God’s mystery covering (as my Pastor says). His angels protect us from dangers seen and unseen.
So, Lord Jesus, I thank YOU!

I thank You, that on May 1, 2014 when I was flying in a hot air balloon along the Rio Grande River in Albuquerque NM, You covered me. Thank You for the experience of a lifetime, but more importantly, thank You for Your protection, for being my Jehovah-Sabaoth (Protector).

When I didn’t think to pray for Your covering, You covered me.
When I didn’t have the foresight to invite your angels to encamp round about me, You covered me.
When I take things for granted each day, You cover me.
When I fail to invite You or acknowledge You in my decisions, You cover me.
So, Lord Jesus, in words that are not commensurate with the magnitude of Your grace, mercy and love towards me, I say, thank YOU!

Lesson: Do not be like the nine, be like the one who turned back and gave thanks. Never take any of God’s blessings for granted. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and everything He does.

When you know to give God praise, do it. He is so worthy!

STRETCH!

My sister taught us in Sunday School this past Sunday that we are “GUSHERS” of promise. That we are pregnant with purpose and impact. She taught us that we cannot be pregnant forever, we must give birth at the time of full development. I am feeling a growth spurt in a very real way. I feel it physically although I know it is a STRETCHing in the totality of who I am, who I desire to be and what I desire to do. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Rubin Hurricane Carter that states, “We must transcend the things and places that hold us” and another that states ‘we must leave or let go of the things that compromise our wholeness’.

While visiting Santa Fe earlier this week I saw a beautiful sculpture fixed in front of one of the galleries along Palace Avenue.  This masterpiece of a Native American woman immediately reminded me of a Greek term my Pastor taught about, Apokaradokia, which means watching with outstretched head; strained expectancy; and eager longing. I love this piece. It is alluring, regal, strong and profoundly engaging. Like her, I am anticipating God with every ounce of my being.
At the Divine Alignment Women’s Conference I attended in Albuquerque this past weekend, Pastor Michelle Beal used the analogy of how when we are in love, we check and wait for a call from our beloved. She told us to check out phones for a call from God or our log for a missed call from Him. I am concentrating on receiving His call, not missing one. I don’t know what it is, but I know God’s blessing is rich and He adds no sorrow to it. I know that what He has for me, is for me. I know that I am blessed in the city, the field, blessed coming and going, my home, my family, the workplace, the Sanctuary, simply blessed, blessed, blessed.
So I am looking out the window, around the corner, and through the open door with outstretched head and eager longing.
What about you? I encourage you again to STRETCH your expectation of Him. Do not sell God short. He can and will not fail, nor will He disappoint you.
O God, my heart, my mind, my soul, every part of me longs for You.
You alone fill my every longing, You alone fill my hope.
With complete openness (withholding nothing) and a tender heart, I anticipate You, I reach for You, I STRETCH.