A letter to school …

One of my college friends is in a very bad situation.

She had to divorce her husband due to abuse and is now a single mother. She lost her job and has not been able to find one for many months now. On top of that, her husband stopped paying for child support, and hence a case is going on to retrieve funds from him.

She has been somehow managing to live with help from friends and relatives, but the major hurdle is paying her son’s school fees. She wants her son to get the best education to secure his future and so does not want to downgrade his school.

I was sad that there wasn’t much I could do to help her since the only major help one can give her is a job, which is not within my capacity. So, when she asked me if I could help her write a letter to her son’s school asking for time extension to pay fees and to let her son write his exams, I was happy to help. The real happiness came when she got back to me saying that the letter conveyed the message she intended and that her request was granted.

It was such a simple thing, but it made a huge difference to her. I was very happy that this very small effort on my part helped and I pray that she will get a job soon as well as child support.

My father always tells me, “Do whatever you do for others as if you were doing it for God. Do not expect anything in return. When you or your children need any help, God will arrange someone for you. It may not be the person you helped, but God will take care of you.”.

Thank you, Lord God, for giving me the opportunity to help. Help us to always have the heart to love and care for others.

A Time to Think
Your prayer for someone may or may not change them, but it always changes you. –Craig Groeschel, pastor
A Time to Act
Concentrate on helping others and grasp every opportunity to offer encouragement.
A Time to Pray
Father, may my prayers for others be as constant and natural as breathing.
Daily Scripture & Reflection, Gudeposts

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Step by Step

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Many times, when things didn’t go my way, I felt frustrated. My mind kept dwelling on these issues and how I could have changed my reactions, responses and decisions for a better outcome. However, eventually the result would be a good one making me realise that although things seemed negative at that time, it was for the best. God guides me in the right way even if I cannot see the whole picture.

My experience with God shows that taking life forward one step at a time, trusting God to hold me and carry me over any broken step is the right thing to do. Whatever the state of the staircase, God will take us to the top to land at the place ultimately planned and prepared for us by Him. This applies to our worldly life here as well as to our spiritual destination. He will be there guiding us step by step.

Moving forward in life with this faith can give us a sense of peace and well-being.

Saying this, it does not mean that I am able to keep my mind from worrying. I do worry, but then God’s small, inner voice reminds me to leave it to Him. When I entrust it to Him, I am able to get through without over stressing.

Thank You Lord Jesus for guiding me throughout my life. I am sorry for the many instances when I worry unnecessarily. Thank you for getting me back on track each time. I don’t know how I could have gone through life without you. Thank you so much Lord Jesus.

A Time to Think
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. –Martin Luther King, Jr.
A Time to Act
Believe in God’s power to transform you and situations around you.
A Time to Pray
Dear Lord, guide me towards Your plan. Help me to take the first step.
Daily Scripture & Reflection

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Time Alone with Him…

It’s been a long time since I wrote.

I have been too busy running and running, trying to finish this and that – so muddled up that even while praying, my mind was distracted with things to do.

Blogging also kept getting postponed.

God has been prompting me during the last week to get things in order. So finally, today I was able to focus. My time with God this morning was more fruitful and helped me analyse my feelings and see the futility of messing up my mind with insignificant concerns. They can wait. Time with and for God are more important. The rest can wait and happen as and when they should.

Surprisingly, the article below that I read today is also about time alone with God and reminded me about my priorities and how more focussed time will help God do His work in me.

When I prayed today, I realised how much I had missed this time with God where my mind was for Him rather than running wild about pending work issues. I used to feel so content every morning after my time with God, assured that He is in charge.

Dear Lord, thank you for reminding me that it's time I got myself back into my well organised life starting with my time with you focussed on you alone so I can listen to your guidance. Thank you for the peace and assurance you give us. Thank you for bearing with me during my quick prayers, during times when my thoughts were elsewhere during prayer time. Thank you for holding on to me when I seemed distant. I don’t know what I would have done if you had just let me go in my own way without your support and prompting. Thank you so much Oh Lord Jesus!

Have You Ever Been Alone With God?
When they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples. MARK 4:34
Our Solitude with Him. Jesus does not take us alone and expound things to us all the time; He expounds things to us as we can understand them. Other lives are parables. God is making us spell out our own souls. It is slow work, so slow that it takes God all time and eternity to make a man and woman after His own purpose. The only way we can be of use to God is to let Him take us through the crooks and crannies of our own characters. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We do not know envy when we see it, or laziness, or pride. Jesus reveals to us all that this body has been harbouring before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look in with courage?
We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves, it is the last conceit to go. The only One Who understands us is God. The greatest curse in spiritual life is conceit. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we shall never say — “Oh, I am so unworthy,” because we shall know we are, beyond the possibility of stating it. As long as we are not quite sure that we are unworthy, God will keep narrowing us in until He gets us alone. Wherever there is any element of pride or of conceit, Jesus cannot expound a thing. He will take us through the disappointment of a wounded pride of intellect, through disappointment of heart. He will reveal inordinate affection — things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. We listen to many things in classes, but they are not an exposition to us yet. They will be when God gets us alone over them.
From My Utmost for His Highest Classic Edition

It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence.
Wisdom from Oswald Chambers, From Baffled to Fight Better, 51 L

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Roses or Thorns?

It’s been a long time since I wrote.

Our family has been busy with our move to a different city. Our daughter has joined College at the new place.

Our new location is different. It lacks conveniences of city life, but is quieter. The apartment is an older one and so lacks a few of the conveniences of the previous apartment. However, it has many other positive aspects. Besides, we are the owners. We had bought the apartment many years back as an investment.

Adjusting to the new situation has been a strain for us. With the packing/unpacking, refurbishment work and decisions to be made (with differences in opinion), we tend to lose our patience with each other.

Added to that, our daughter’s online classes have begun and she is going through her own stress having changes at home and college to cope with.

While complaining/arguing about small issues, we keep forgetting about the innumerable positives in our new situation. My daughter’s happy with her online classes. We have furnished our apartment quite well. In many aspects our new place is much better than any of our previous apartments.

Blessings are abundant. God guided us to buy this apartment for just this day. It’s through God’s Grace only that we own such a lovely place when there are so many people who are homeless.

I read the article below just in time so I can remind myself to look at the “roses” and not the “thorns”.

I am sorry Lord Jesus for being so ungrateful. Thank you so much for your abundant mercies and blessings. Thank you for guiding our lives and bringing us to this point in our lives. Thank you for our wonderful home. Thank you for my daughter’s college admission enabling her to do the course that she likes. Thanks a lot, Lord!

Seeing Beauty Instead of Pain
“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” Luke 8:14 (NIV)
My life hasn’t been a bed of roses.
What an odd statement. It’s supposed to mean that I haven’t lived a life without snags and hurt. However, think of an actual bed of roses. Doesn’t it have both thorns and flowers?
My aunt grew roses for years. She’s the one I lived with for almost a year when I was in middle school and my family was falling apart. I remember her telling me not to run through her rose garden. After all, she had what seemed like hundreds of other acres that unfolded in wide open fields. I could run there.
But I didn’t want to.
I only wanted to run through the rose garden. I wanted to spread my arms wide open and run between the rows, brushing my fingertips across all the velvety blooms. I wanted some of the blooms to burst and shower petals all around. Then I could gather the petals and spread them along my path.
As if I could carve a new place in this world lined with beauty and void of adult words like divorce, rejection and hate … I wanted my world to be soft, pink and lovely. I didn’t want to think about my dad leaving our family. My heart couldn’t process how he not only didn’t live with us anymore, but also he was slowly pulling back from participating in our lives altogether.
So, I took a running start with my arms outstretched, only to be shocked with searing pain within the first few steps.
Thorns. Big, mean, vicious thorns. Thorns that ripped my flesh and opened up the flood of tears I’d been so determined to hold back. Suddenly, I hated that bush. I wanted to chop it down and beat it into the ground. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bring myself to destroy something that produced such beauty.
I stood back from the source of my pain and wondered, Should I call it a bush of thorns or a bush of flowers? Really, it could go either way.
Suddenly I wasn’t just staring at a bush. I was staring at my life. My life. Such a bed of roses.
Would I see the hurt, or would I see the beauty?
Luke 8:14 says, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” The seed being referred to here is the Word of God. Isn’t it interesting that people who are choked by life’s circumstances and never mature are referred to as having thorns in the soil of their soul?
Yes, life sometimes hands us thorns, but we have the choice to park our minds on the thorn or on the beauty it can eventually produce in us, if only we’ll cling tightly to God’s Word. How a person thinks is how they will eventually become.
If we dwell on the negative in life, we’ll become negative, and God’s Word will have a hard time taking root in our souls. If, however, we acknowledge the negative but choose instead to look for the good that can come from it, God’s Word will take root in our souls and produce a lush crop of beauty.
It all comes down to choice. That day in my aunt’s garden, I chose to be aware of the thorns but park my mind on the beautiful roses.
And over the years, I have come to the place in my life where I realize I can focus on the hurt my dad’s absence caused or choose to focus on other things in my life. Beautiful things. To focus on beauty isn’t to deny the pain. It’s just refusing to let it steal anything else from me.
It’s been more than 25 years since I’ve seen my dad. That’s hard on a girl’s heart. But where he fell so short, God has filled in many gaps. I don’t have to be the child of a broken parent the rest of my life; I can be a child of God. Loved. Truly loved.
And that is a beautiful truth I can let flourish in my heart.
Dear Lord, it can be really hard to focus on the petals rather than the thorns of life. But I want the soil of my soul to be healthy and ready to receive Your Word. Will You produce beauty in my life despite the thorns that have hurt me? In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2020 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries

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Entrusting our unknown future to God

Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7

A Time to Think
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. –Corrie ten Boom, author
A Time to Act
Rejoice, the future is full of promise.
A Time to Pray
Father I hold tight to Your truth and trust You to work in my life.
Daily Scripture & Reflection, Guideposts

The above message is exactly the assurance I needed today.

With God’s help, my daughter was able to score well in her final school exams although she had not been well for more than two months before her exams.

Now, she has been able to obtain admission for a very good course which she is interested in and will give her a career that she should enjoy.

However, opinions are coming in from many quarters, making us wonder if the college is the right one for her or if the course might be too tough.

Each time we come to a conclusion, after a lot of research and thought, that this is good, something comes up which makes us wonder.

Today’s message to never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God reminds me that we do not need to worry about the future. God has brought us so far. He will take us through. He will not let us venture into anything that is not right for us.

Thank you so much oh Lord Jesus. We trust that you will ensure the best for our daughter, spiritually, emotionally, physically and career-wise. Thank you!

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Am I humble enough?

[Christ Jesus] made himself nothing.
Philippians 2:7

While reflecting on the devotional below from Our Daily Bread, I remembered the time when my pride led to a lot of stress at work especially when I was working in Kuwait.

I had this feeling that I was better than some of my colleagues who were given greater consideration due to their nationality. This made it difficult for me to accept insignificant work from them which were not suitable to my post, but I was forced to do since that was the work culture there.

At other times, I generally had a feeling that I was good at work and did not consider some of my colleagues capable of doing as well.

This attitude led to a lot of mental stress and complexes. I did not need to think like that. I could have done my work as I would have done for God and ignored any other issues. I could have also considered that all of us have something positive given by God irrespective of our differences.

Even now, I have the habit of arguing thinking that I am right when it is equally possible that the other person is right.

Our Lord Jesus humbled Himself so much for us when He had all the power in the world. He had no ego, pride or issues when He was mocked at and crucified.

When He humbly accepted His situation, how silly it was for me to stress over such petty issues.

Thank you Lord for showing this to me. Help me to change my attitude and to be humble always.

As the American Revolution concluded with England’s improbable surrender, many politicians and military leaders maneuvered to make General George Washington a new monarch. The world watched, wondering if Washington would stick to his ideals of freedom and liberty when absolute power was within his grasp. England’s King George III saw another reality, however. He was convinced that if Washington resisted the power pull and returned to his Virginia farm, he would be “the greatest man in the world.” The king knew that the greatness evidenced in resisting the allure to power is a sign of true nobility and significance.
Paul knew this same truth and encouraged us to follow Christ’s humble way. Even though Jesus was “in very nature God,” he “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage” (Philippians 2:6). Instead, He surrendered His power, became “a servant” and “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death” (vv. 7-8). The One who held all power surrendered every bit of it for the sake of love.
And yet, in the ultimate reversal, God exalted Christ from a criminal’s cross “to the highest place” (v. 9). Jesus, who could demand our praise or force us to be obedient, laid down His power in a breathtaking act that won our worship and devotion. Through absolute humility, Jesus demonstrated true greatness, turning the world upside down.
REFLECT & PRAY
Thank You, Jesus, that in Your most destitute and (seemingly) disgraceful moment, You demonstrated Your true power and greatness.
By Winn Collier

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Amidst pressures and stress…

Sometimes in the midst of pressures and stress, our minds can start spinning out of control. We find ourselves creating problems that don’t even exist, doubt and worry can overwhelm us and take control. Pray that God will help you to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ, that you would choose to set your thoughts on him, that his peace and rest will guard your heart and mind in Christ.
Find Hope in the Storm, Crosswalk.com

For our daughter’s college education, we have taken the decision after a lot of prayer, to move to another city for her to take a course that she is interested in.

Although we have been praying a lot about the decision, I still keep worrying if the course is the right one for her, if the college is good and if staying in the new city would be good.

I keep worrying about the psychological impact on her due to the change especially since she has been struggling a lot emotionally during the last two years.

I even wake up at night in panic.

I wonder where my staunch faith has gone when I never worried about anything.

I wonder when I became so mentally weak.

The above message has come at the right time for me.

Lord Jesus, please keep my thoughts centred in you. Please let your peace and rest guard my heart and mind. Help me not to waver in my belief that all things will work together for good for us since you love us and are taking care of our lives. I submit my daughter, her life and her future entirely into your hands. Guide her and strengthen her spiritually, mentally and physically. Protect and guard her at all times oh Lord. Help me rest assured that she is safe in your hands. Thank you so much oh Lord God, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit for carrying us through. Thank you so much!

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Taking loved one for granted …

A wise man’s heart guides his mouth.
Proverbs 16:23

I definitely take my husband and child for granted.

I do not consider their feelings and emotions as much as I do for others.

I do not keep adjusting for them as much as I do for others.

I am guilty of “split vision” as they call it.

Outwardly, I am a kind, patient person with a smile on my face. No one can guess the pain and exhaustion that I endure due to my fibromyalgia.

However, when my sister pointed out this character in me, my daughter told me that I am indeed such a person to others, but not so much at home in front of her and my husband.

I was ashamed of myself on hearing this and today’s article reiterates the need for change.

If I am able to be patient with others, I should be able to be patient with my family also.

In saying so, let me say that I am not very nasty or rude at home, but I do need be more patient.

Below is the message that inspired me.

Split Vision
Isn’t it curious how in the midst of a nasty family argument we can shake our bad mood the instant the telephone rings or a neighbor knocks on the door? Have you ever been brought up short by a small voice questioning such a sudden turn to peaches and cream after twenty minutes of fire and brimstone? Sometimes we treat those we love the worst, and kids are quick to recognize this hypocrisy.
Mark Hatfield, a longtime senator from Oregon and the father of four, said his wife once stung him by saying, “I just wish you were as patient with your children as you are with your constituents.” He isn’t alone. We’re all guilty at times of what might be called “split vision”— treating acquaintances with forbearance while losing patience or even heaping contempt on those under our own roof. We assume the worst. We pounce on every shortcoming. We never miss an opportunity to harangue. In the process, we wound the people we care about most.
It’s time we cut one another a little slack at home. If we say our spouses, children, and parents are the most significant people in our lives, we can prove it by showing them the same kindnesses we would bestow on our most honored guests.
Just between us…
Are we as patient with each other at home as we are with guests and strangers?
Why do you think we can be so hard on each other?
How can we encourage each other to avoid this kind of “split vision”?
Father, open our eyes to see one another the way You do. Forgive us for the laziness and selfishness that so easily sour our family relationships. Help us guard our words and actions so that we may be pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson

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Saying “sorry” before saying “good night”

“Be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
2 Corinthians 13:11

When I read the article below about conflicts in marriage, I felt relieved to know that we are not alone.

Fights and temper tantrums do happen.

Disagreements will arise.

However we can get through them and keep our marriage together when God’s love binds us together.

One rule that my family follows is to not “let the sun go down” on any fights, arguments or disagreements. We apologise to each other before saying “good night”.

I feel that this has helped us a lot in our married life. We follow the same with our daughter also. She cannot sleep well unless she apologises to us for any adolescent back answering.

Although remnants of resentments may get carried over to the next day, they clear up faster.

Thank you Lord Jesus for giving us a heart to forgive, forget and understand and for guiding us.

Because of our family ministry and Jim’s background as a psychologist, I sometimes wonder if people think that our marriage is somehow “different”—that we live in a dreamlike state of wedded bliss where conflict doesn’t exist. Believe me, that’s just not the case. We do our share of fussing and face the same struggles you do, whether it’s motivated by fatigue, worry about the kids, not communicating our expectations properly, or something else.
I recall an incident after we were engaged that seems funny now, but wasn’t so amusing at the time. Jim owned a 1949 Mercury convertible called “Old Red.” It was a disaster. The top wouldn’t go up or down; the electric windows didn’t work; the lights sometimes went out unexpectedly; and the engine had a habit of dying regularly. Every Sunday afternoon we took it out for a push. Worse, the front seat had springs sticking out at odd angles that snagged my clothes and made for a most uncomfortable ride. I hated that car, but Jim didn’t want to go into debt to buy a new one.
The coup de grace came the day Jim picked me up for an important job interview. I was wearing my best outfit, a black suit. As we sped down the road at fifty miles per hour, the convertible top suddenly blew off. Bits of string and canvas beat at our heads as dust flew everywhere. The remnants of the old top hooked onto the back of the car and flapped in the air like Superman’s cape.
Jim was so irritated at the car that he wouldn’t stop. He just kept barreling down the highway with the ribs of the top glistening above us. I screamed at him from under the dashboard, where I was crouched to escape the pieces of Old Red that were still flying about. Between his car falling apart and my screaming, Jim got even angrier.
Somehow we survived the day when both of us—and Old Red—blew our tops. Jim bought a newer car a few months later and, more importantly, we didn’t call off our engagement!
That’s how life is when you climb into the marvelous vehicle called marriage. You’re in for a long and wonderful ride. Expect the unexpected to happen. It will probably rattle your nerves and set you at odds with each other, and the top may even blow off every now and then. But if you share a committed love, you can survive those unexpected and unwanted conflicts. We have—for forty years now.
Shirley M Dobson
From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson

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Encouraging each other …

“Let us encourage one another.”
Hebrews 10:25

Reading the below message made me wonder how many times I have failed to encourage my husband or to express my appreciation for his support and encouragement.

There are many instances in my career when his guidance has helped me take wise decisions.

However, I do take his support and advice for granted. In fact, sometimes I even find his instructions a bit nagging.

On the other hand, I have irritated him many times with my opinion in matters that are his responsibility.

This message is a reminder that we both should patiently listen to each other, respect each other’s opinions and take non biased decisions.

I am reminded to stop and consciously work on my thoughts, words and actions to express my gratitude and encouragement to my life partner chosen for me by God.

It’s been said that behind every successful man is a great woman. The wife of one of the most famous names in literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne, was probably one such woman. Sophia Hawthorne secretly set aside a few dollars each week, a savings that eventually grew large enough to support them both for a year. You see, Sophia believed that her husband would one day be a great writer. When Hawthorne came home and announced in disgrace that he’d been fired from his job in a customhouse, Sophia presented him with the money, saying, “Now you can write your book!” Her confidence and encouragement led to one of America’s classic novels, The Scarlet Letter.
Then there was the corporate chief who, while traveling with his wife, pulled their car into a rundown gas station. They discovered that his wife had dated the gas station attendant in high school. “Boy, are you lucky I came along,” bragged the husband after they left. “If you had married him, you would be the wife of a gas station attendant.”
“My dear,” replied the wife, “if I had married him, he would be the chief executive officer, and you would be the gas station attendant.”
It’s certainly true that one spouse has tremendous influence on the success of the other. Jim has supported me in my spiritual life, in the raising of our children, and in so many other areas. Likewise, I have attempted to bolster him however I could and have seen God’s blessing on his work and ministry. And Jim lets me know he appreciates my encouragement. He has said more than once that I believed in him before he believed in himself. Of course, we’ve fallen short of this supportive ideal on more than one occasion—and you probably will, too. But if you consistently strive to bring strong and steady encouragement to your mate, you’ll both reap lasting rewards.
Shirley M Dobson
From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson