A Friend's Personal Storm

Tomorrow my friend is having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor on her colon. The stage of her cancer and future treatment is unknown until after the surgery. This friend is the most faith driven woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. She lives and breathes for her God and as confusing as that is for me at times, it's something I've always admired about her.

She wrote this today and I wanted to share her words:  

"YIKES!!! Tomorrow at this time I will be heading into surgery! Not going to lie, I get a little scared when I think about it. But with that being said...My sister and I were talking the other day and I told her, that if something does happen and I don't win this fight, that I don't want anyone to be mad, angry, or upset. You see, I signed up for the army, Jesus's army. As a soldier of His, I must go through battles and circumstances just like my nephews have done and are doing in their service with the military for our country. When there are causalities of war or broken bodies, they are Heroes. They still believe in what they stand/fight for, and they would do it again. It is all for something greater. So, again if I become a casualty of this war, be proud, and know that I gave it my best and I am proud to serve in this army where Jesus is my Commander. He will use this for something greater. As you read in my daughter's post yesterday, I have been through some battles in my life and look at the good I have now.  I love you all soooooo much it makes my heart hurt. I will fight, and I will fight for you! I am strong...I am woman... a woman of God! Now, go make every MINUTE of your life count, be happy, hug more, kiss more, PUT down your PHONES and talk to your family and friends, look in their eyes and tell them you love them!! Thank you all again for being my "army" buddies and being here for me! My "coffee" cup runneth way over the top! Ha! Praise God!"

Wow!!! After reading this I went and sat on my deck crying and listening to the wind and talking with God and then it started to thunder...uhhh...not quite sure what to think about that, but one thing my friend has taught me is a little bit of thunder is nothing to be scared of.

If you're so inclined, please mail her a note of encouragement, a card, or anything to brighten her upcoming days.

J.S.

500 Lincoln Avenue

East Alton, IL 62024

In her words "He brought me to it, He will bring me through it" ❤️

In support of my friend and colon cancer in general, I wore blue today and will continue to wear blue until my closet runs out.  Here's a picture that I snapped this morning (maybe the thunder was God telling me to put down my phone?) and sent to her just after the thunder incident.  She loved it and said she was laughing out loud.  She not only has a strong love for God, but an incredibly great sense of humor.  Just another reason why I love her!

By Jessica Dudley

I've Never Had the "Lighting Bolt" Moment

For years I listened with envy to dramatic testimonies and wondered what was wrong with me? How did I miss this? People could list the date and time they opened their hearts to Jesus and they were saved. This had me wondering, “Was Jesus not really in my heart?” “Why was I not saved?” I grew up in the Methodist church; I attended Sunday school every week; I sang in the Children’s Choir; I was baptized and confirmed; I was even an acolyte. How did I miss my moment? The personal accounts of how God brought them to their knees and their heart was filled with the love and joy of Jesus…all in a lightning bolt moment. Where was my lightning bolt? There was a time when I was in grade school; Reverend Carlton cupped my chin in his hand, and he stroked my cheek with his thumb. I honestly felt like Jesus was touching my cheek, and I was lost in his loving gaze. I don’t think I washed that cheek for a week. Was that my moment?

Thankfully, God guided me to a room full of beautiful Christian women, who over the years, would mentor and mold me into a loving sister of Christ. And in this room, God allowed me to ask about the “lightning bolt” moment. As it turns out, I do have Jesus in my heart! You see, there are just as many of us who aren’t brought to our knees on a specific date and time. Instead, Jesus just slowly takes hold and is quietly there…always there. And we just know it. I’m kinda hoping to still have some type of lightning bolt moment, but until then, I will just carry on with Jesus and be happy knowing he truly is right here in my heart.

By Deb Ellis

The Curse of the BFF

I used to have a school days book that my mom recorded all of my keepsake information in about school from K-12.  Starting in Kindergarten, the question was asked "Who is your best friend?"  I remember even from when I was really young always feeling pressure to have a best friend, a BFF.  Growing up in a fairly small school district, I always had a group of close friends, but always longed for a best friend.  It seemed like everyone around me had a best friend.  Someone that she always hung out with, talked on the phone with, someone to be inseparable with.  As I've grown older...much older...this desire to have a best friend has never left me.  I've always had close friends, and some that I considered my best friend, but then something always happened and we ended up drifting apart.  It is something that has been a constant longing in my life.  Lately I've been reflecting on how many great friendship moments I've missed out on because of my longing for a "best friend."  Why do I feel like my life is lacking something because I do not have a best friend?  What's wrong with having lots of great close friends? 

 

Now in today's culture the terms BFF and BESTIE seem to be everywhere.  My three young daughters are no strangers to the terms.  However, I have found myself being very careful with letting them label their friendships.  I do not want them to fall in the BFF trap that I have been lost in since Kindergarten.  I want them to appreciate all of their great close friendships and not get caught up in having one BFF.  I want them to look around at all of the great girls in their lives and count them all as blessings, instead of feeling left out because they do not have one specific BFF.  I feel like as a culture, we are setting our kids up for disappointment with stressing the BFF or BESTIE terms.  Maybe that's too negative of me, but I'm just trying to be realistic. 

Just recently I've come to terms with a lot of stuff in regards to this matter.  I've had numerous people trying to be sympathetic attempt to encourage me with things like "Jesus is your best friend," or "Your husband is your best friend,"  or even "Your mom is your best friend."  And while there may be truth in each of those statements, they are not the same as having that BFF that everyone is talking so much about.  So, I'm choosing to be grateful for the amazing group of people that I am blessed to call my friends.  God has brought SO many wonderful people into my life through so many different circumstances.  And those true friends, the ones I know would be there for me at the drop of a hat, that pray for me, and would never turn their back on me, those friendships are the ones that mean more to me than some BFF title.  I prefer to think of that term now as Blessed Forever Friends.  Because my life has been blessed forever because of those people who I can truly call my friends,  I refuse to get bogged down with negative feelings about myself because I do not have a BFF.  And I refuse to let my daughters grow up feeling that way about themselves.  I want to break the curse of the BFF for myself and my daughters. 

By Lisa Powell

Garage Sale-ing for Jesus

Today, our small town hosted a community-wide garage sale. You could see folks preparing all week, laboring into the night in sweltering garages, pricing ugly clothes and neglected toys. The meteorologist promised and delivered a magnificent day with a hint of Fall in the air and Betty Davis blue eye skies.

At the crack of dawn, or so it seemed, the long-awaited sale kicked off with only slightly less excitement and anticipation than an Olympics opening ceremony. I was out walking the dog when a vehicle resembling that of Jed Clampett barreled around the corner, discharging three overly caffeinated women in front of a neighbor’s home. They jogged up the driveway and immediately began elbowing their way through the crowded garage, hoping to find a long lost Picasso and a slightly battered Coach purse, both for a quarter. In the next two minutes, three other vehicles screamed to a stop in front of the same house. The drivers hurriedly threw down their GPSs and garage sale battle plans and entered the fray. I looked up and down the street where I could see the madness repeating itself at other homes, as tires squealed, toddlers peddled watered-down Kool-Aid, and ordinarily timid homemakers arm-wrestled for gotta-have bargains.

It may sound like I don’t like garage sales. On the contrary, I think they are a terrific way to unload all that stuff we no longer want, while making a little cash so we can go out and buy more stuff we won’t want next September. They are also a great place to find cool bargains so we have more disposable income to buy more things of which we will soon want to dispose (this is what happens to a sentence when you don’t end it in a preposition).

I had two share-worthy revelations as I was pondering the whole idea of garage sales. First, wouldn’t it be great if we had that much enthusiasm for not only buying Jesus but also selling Him?! If we got up early on Sundays so excited about spending time with Jesus and hearing the Message that we jogged to the church doors?! If we worked into the night, praying and prepping new ways to sell, that is share, Christ with others who are seeking a “great find”?! He is, after all, the ultimate “find.” Christ’s promise of grace and salvation is absolutely free, and once you have Him in your life, you won’t want to dispose of Him next September. The second garage sale lesson revealed to me is that once you know Christ, He will encourage you to get rid of all the unnecessary clutter in your life on a regular basis – the worry, the stress, the regrets, the anger, the jealousy, the self-loathing, the guilt. That is, all of us need to clean out the closets of our hearts and minds and regularly unload the “junk” which negatively affects our relationships with others and with Christ.

Who knew there was so much to be gleaned from a neighborhood garage sale? Happy shopping for and selling both jeans and Jesus, and giving Him all the junk in your life!

by Sue Busler

Jesus Loves Me This I Know

What I've never understood is when people are told about the love of Jesus and how much He wants us to love Him and give our lives to Him, a lot of people will say "I'm not a good enough person." or "I've done too many bad things." ......But that's the whole point of the gospel!!! Jesus looks beyond all of that! He doesn't see us as we see ourselves. He looks on us with an incredible love that we cannot even imagine the depth of! He knows that we make mistakes. He knows that we have flaws and weaknesses. He knows that we will do things to break his heart. He knows everything about us. He knows us better than we know ourselves! AND HE STILL LOVES US and wants us to be His children and follow Him.

Lately I've really been struck by the significance of Jesus Christ's love for me. So I know that Jesus loves me (the Bible tells me so) and I know that I am supposed to live my life the way Jesus would want me to live it. So, shouldn't I show Jesus' love to others? Not just people in my home, or people I love in my life, but everyone? Why don't I??? Why do I judge people negatively in the instant that I see them, instead of trying to look at them as Jesus looks at them? This is one area that I am REALLY working through right now. I want to see people and love them the way Jesus loves them. I want to see someone in need and help them in any way that I can. I am a very blessed woman. God has given me so much, and lately I have really felt this desire to give to people in radical ways. I'm not going to list what I've been doing, because I want that to remain between me and God. As I've started giving more, I just felt like there was something missing. And lately, as I've thought about it, I think what's been missing is the love of Jesus. I can give and give and give, physical things; but if I am still looking on strangers with judging eyes and scoffing thoughts, and not in love, then what good is my giving?? I want to see people through the eyes of Jesus; to see people the way Jesus sees them. I want everyone to know that there is NOTHING that you have done or said or thought about that Jesus doesn't already know about....AND HE STILL LOVES YOU!!! He still wants you to love Him and give your life to Him, so that He can greet you in Heaven some day! No matter what you've done, no matter how many bad choices you've made. No one is perfect. Not even me.....

Romans 3:23 For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:39 Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 4:7 Let us love one another, for love comes from God.

1 John 5:2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.


Lisa Powell