God’s work is not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.                                                                                                               Zechariah 4:6
Good morning, my dear one,
          I pray that this week will be filled with blessings for you.  As for me, these blessings will not necessarily be a boatload of money, a job promotion, or any earthly wealth.  The daily blessing that I long for is to hear the “still small voice” of God. 
            This specific reference of a still small voice is found in 1 Kings 18.    Elijah had a dramatic victory over the prophets of Baal.  Told by Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, that the king of Israel, was seeking to kill him, Elijah ran into the wilderness and collapsed in exhaustion.  God sent an angel with food and water to strengthen him and told him to rest.  Then the Lord sent a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire, but His voice was in none of them.  After all that, the Lord spoke to Elijah in the still small voice.  A gentle whisper.
              My life is quaking.  Lots of circumstances causing me to fear and to want to hide under the covers and safety of my bed.  I can hear the rumble.  My greatest blessing, however, is that I have learned to recognize the still, small voice of my Savior even when the enemy is shouting in my ear. When I am still, I hear God saying, I’ve got this.”  Stop trying to control an earthquake. 
            Dear one, I don’t know what particular life event has you running in circles.  Causing you to fear.  To hide.  Please know that God sees you and will tend to you.  He will send an angle to strengthen you.  He tells you to rest, dear one.  And he tells you to listen.  He’s whispering to you “I love you with an everlasting love.  I hold you in the palm of my hand.  Cast your burdens upon me and I will give you peace.”  What amazing blessings!   Provision.  Rest.  Love.  Peace.  I long for nothing more.
                            Be still and listen, He’s speaking.     Linda

​Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits…who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. —               Ephesians 3:19 (NIV)
Hello Dear One,
            Did you ever receive news that knocked your socks off?  My prayer is that your news was wonderful:  a marriage proposal, a new baby, job promotion, an unexpected windfall of cash.  Well, praise God for all his benefits.  And its easy when the news is exciting and joyful.  To praise God, we say, sometimes rather flippantly, “Thank you, Jesus,”
            This week, we got a call from the doctor about Jim’s health that knocked my socks off, scared me to the core, and destroyed my emotional balance.  My fear sent me into panic mode for two days.  Anxiety tore through my body and panic coursed through my veins.  Those who know me well understand that I am a great believer in signs.  To distract my mind from  distorted thoughts, Jim and I were bing watching tv.  The lead character in this fictional show said, “Look to the future with the possibility that everything will turn out well!  Trust that better days are ahead.”  Praise God for that wonderful message.  I know it was for me.  My faith went into warp speed.  God can redeem our life from what seemed like the darkest pit.  And he does so with love and compassion.  I humbly ask for your prayers for the complete healing of Jim’s body. 
            Friends, when life throws you into the pits of despair, do whatever you need to do to recenter your mind and heart on God.  Give yourself grace, you are human and will experience the breadth of emotions, including fear.  But don’t allow yourself to dwell there too long.  Be aware that God is looking for ways to speak faith into your soul, even if its through a quote from a fictitious character on tv.  Be well, dear ones.  When life is great, praise God from the mountaintop.  And when life’s challenges throw you deep into the pits of despair, know that God is throwing a lifeline to you, grab on and allow God to lift your head.  Better days are ahead.
                     Join me in prayer this week for Jim, love you all.    Linda  

Teach these new disciples to observe everything that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always {remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstanc and on every occasion}.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Matt 28:20 The Message Bible
Good morning dear one,                                                                                                                                                          
          This week I am presenting you (and me) with a challenge.  You see, as I was cleaning my office, I found on old bracelet with square little blocks of silver with the letters WWJD.  For those of you as old as I, you will remember that many years ago it was quite the Christian thing to do to wear one of those bracelets.   And they went out of fashion, hence my bracelet was packed away only to be discovered yesterday. But the message, that critical message, should never be tucked away.    So, my challenge is simply this:
What would you “do” if you were absolutely confident that God was with you on every occasion, in every moment?
          Would your language change?  Your style of clothing?  Would you hang out at that bar/strip club?  Would you really watch that video if you were absolutely confident Jesus was beside you? 
          Would you really say those words of ridicule or distain if He were with you?   Would you talk about others as “sinners?”  Would you be so quick to judge?  Would you have the same friends?  What would change in your life if you were absolutely confident that God was with you.  Because He is!!!
                                                                             Linda

​When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, and to us, “Put out into deep water and prepare for a catch.”  Luke 5:4
 
Hello dear one,
            Did you ever go white water rafting?  I did once and it was quite a life lesson.  You see not long after starting down the river, Jim, Todd, and I lost control of our raft and flipped, losing our paddles in the process.  Our guide had to fetch our paddles while we made our way to the riverbank and once again climbed into our raft. With both hands, I clasped tall weeds on the bank and refused to let go despite a few choice, not so kind or repeatable words from Jim.  He reminded me that going on this trip was my idea in the first place and to buck up!  I could hear the next set of rapids roaring ferociously. 
“I choose to stay here,” I pronounced quite firmly.  Then, the guide told me I could choose to walk through the woods alone and there were lots of snakes and critters there, or I could continue down the river to the waiting bus to take us back to our cars. I chose to let go and tackle the rapids again.  Would love to tell you the rest of the trip was uneventful, however, we hit a double waterfall, overturned the raft and, this time, in quite deep water.  Jim was rescued first, the kids next, and because I’m a somewhat strong swimmer, I was lassoed to a tree till they could get another guide to save me.  However, about noon, we came to calm waters and a picnic on the riverbank.  Such joy I have never experienced.  Such beautiful calm water for a lovely swim.  A peace I joyfully embraced.
            Life is such an adventure.  We can hold tightly to the shore, but we miss the experience of trusting the process.  And we never discover the calm, promised peace until we go deeper into the waters of life.  It’s a faith journey.   Let go and experience the breadth and depth of all life.  There is no joy in grasping tightly to the shore, but there is a blessing waiting for you, a catch in deep waters.  Let go and discover yours.
                                                                    Linda

​But Jesus said to them, “You feed them.”  Matt. 14:16      
                    
Hello my dear one,

          This morning’s message is a head scratcher.  You could Shelah, (take a sacred pause and contemplate the message) or think to yourself superficially, “I do that!”  Or, “I don’t want to hear or do this.”  I don’t have any skills, possessions, or enough time.   I have nothing to give.  Yet, Jesus said, “You feed them.”  So, I ask you this question, “What’s in your lunchbox?”  For the little boy who offered his lunch to Jesus, it was five loaves and two fish.  And five thousand people were fed.  What a miracle!!!
          When we offer ourselves and what we have to God, God’s power can work through us and divine miracles happen.  A little child reminds us to have faith.  A child reminds us to share.  He reminds us of what it means to be a disciple.
​
      “One day as Jesus was walking along the shore, he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew who were fishing for a living.  Jesus called out to them, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers for men.”  They left their nets at once and followed him” (Matt. 4:16-19).  He did not say, “Believe in me.”  He implied “follow my example.”  So how do you fish for men?  Share!  Your time.  Your compassion.  Your forgiveness.  Even maybe your lunch.  So, I ask you again, “What’s in your lunchbox?”        
                                                                      I have decided to follow Jesus.  Have you?
                                                                                                            Linda

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.   Eph: 4: 31-32 The Message                                                                                   
 Good morning my friend,
        Let’s have a chat, grab a cup of tea, become quiet and give ourselves a moment to ponder the above scripture.  Another translation says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger along with every form of malice.” Three times, count them, three times this week, once in a class I am taking, another time in a sermon I was listening to, and, oh my gosh, it popped up right there in the text on the page of the book I am currently reading.  Not once, but three times, God spoke loudly.  I have been pondering my life and where this scripture applies.  Holding onto past hurts, past mistakes, anxious and fearful thoughts, etc. clutters the mind and spirit. We can become a prisoner of own thoughts.  And the burdens of these emotions are heavy weights to carry.  Wouldn’t it be much easier, dear one, to just lay those burdens down?  We can’t live life constantly looking into the rearview mirror.  We can’t put our lives in reverse and get a do-over.  But we can move forward.
          And while we are letting go of our mistakes and forgiving ourselves, wouldn’t it be such a relief to cut others some slack?  Forgive all that unresolved stuff from the past and move on.  Drop the burdens you have been carrying.  You can stand taller, walk faster toward your own destiny without all of the stuff:  resentment, anger, jealousy, and bitterness weighing you down.  Forgive as quickly as God forgives us.  And God remembers our sins no more.   Let’s enjoy today.  Find joy in this very moment.  It’s easier than you might think to let go.  Trust that always God gives you and others a clean slate, a fresh start, a safe place to begin again.  Love this gospel message.  Hope you do also.                                                                                                                                                                   Linda

Even though I walk through a valley of deep darkness, I will not be afraid because you are with me.                                                                                       Psalm 23:4                             
Hello dear one,
          David, who wrote the above words, is one of the best examples of our complicated human nature.  Even in darkness, he felt God’s presence, but he was both a hero and a villain, a good guy and a bad guy.  He was a man after God’s own heart, but he was also cruelly self-interested. Did he not sense God’s presence when he was tempted by Bathsheba?  Did he not hear God’s still small voice? Sometimes it is hard to reconcile these two sides of David.  How could a man of such faithfulness and courage act so cowardly and selfish? 
          Looking at David’s life, we see an example of our own very complicated human nature.  There is a little David in all of us.  And in every person, there is a potential for sin and goodness and an opportunity to experience God’s grace and forgiveness. I am saddened that labeling continues in our culture and the labels stick and we don’t allow for spiritual growth and redemption.   We are quick to categorize people, democrat or republican, villainizing each other as good or bad, liberal or conservative, radical or passive, gay or straight, saint or sinner.    God has not given us the right to judge.  Only God knows what is deeply hidden in our hearts.  God walks with us through our dark valleys and is also the light beckoning us onward.  Let’s you and I become an encourager instead of judge.  Let’s offer mercy.  See the good in others.  Love others as Christ has loved us, unconditionally. 
                                               Linda
          

​God knows the secrets of our hearts.                                                     Psalm 44:21
Hello Dear One,
          I know many of my friends are addicted to Facebook. Sometimes I am also.   Such smiling faces.  Glowing reports of kids performing perfectly.  Winning trophies.  Getting scholastic awards. Glorious vacation pics.   Only once in the while someone will post a prayer request for a sick relative or friend.  I get it.  No one wants the world to know that their heart is breaking.  That their marriage is in trouble or their kids are on drugs.  No one wants to post about their financial woes.  But here is a warning:  don’t let these posts persuade you that somehow their lives are perfect.  We all put on a brave front.  Truth is: we are all living in the middle of a mess.
          Jesus warned us that “in this world you will have tribulation” (John 16:13).  I am not recommending that you share your pain on Facebook.  I am suggesting you confess your pain to Jesus and one or two trusted friends. Finding a safe place of authenticity where you can be real is your true path to hope and healing.  Only then will you find the peace you so desperately need to experience. 
                                      You are so loved just as you are. 
                                                       Linda
 

​Good Morning friend,
          Sometimes I find it difficult to speak what I feel in my heart.  It is difficult to share my truth when I know that my experience may not coincide with your beliefs.  Yet, if we are to experience real connection that is exactly what we must do—be brave and vulnerable enough to risk rejection.  When I view the world from a distance, I see division.  We are divided from one another in almost every area of our lives—the sorting I was writing about last week and according to experts, the predominant cause of this sorting seems to be fear.   Friends, we need real, honest connection.  We must come out of our sheltered homes and bravely reach out, speak out, and act with moral integrity. No name calling.  No judging from afar. 
          Last week, I was impressed with Liz Cheney.  She overcame her fear of vulnerability, of getting hurt, of the pain of disconnection and rejection. Her fear of criticism and conflict did not stop her and she was able to stand alone bravely for her belief that the election was not stolen. She lost political power and connection.  She did not toe the party line and did so with grace.  Later she was called, “a bitter horrible human being.”  You may not agree with Liz’s political views and that is okay.  But admire, you must, her moral integrity and courage.  If we want to bring the world together, one nation under God, we must see the face of God even in our adversary.  You and I may not be able to influence Washington politics, but we can be brave and reach out to those whose race, gender, faith, etc., may be different from ours. Listen to their story—their pain—their faith journey.  Share your wounded places and what you’ve learned.   It’s hard to hate up close and personal.  Jesus not only said to “love your neighbor,” but also “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). 
Come on, people now                                                                                                                                                     smile on your brother                                                                                                                                           Everybody get together,                                                                                                                                              try to love one another right now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Linda

Good Morning friend,
          I love writing to you once a week about the thoughts that are roaming through my mind.  Our physical health.  Mental health.  Our faith journeys.  Even though we are separated from one another I somehow feel connected to you in a closeness I cherish.
          This week I was reading about the cultural phenomenon of sorting. Not our laundry—the whites, the colors, the delicate, etc.  In Brene’ Brown’s book, Braving the Wilderness, she writes about the sorting that is happening in our nation.  Americans are sorting by gender, race, political affiliation, religion, to name just a few ways. We are divided from one another in almost every area of our lives.  Very few people are working on connecting.  We have grown more extreme in our thinking and consume only facts that support our beliefs.  We support politicians, strangers we don’t really know, barely believe, and definitely don’t love.  
          Friends, we need real, honest connection.  Your senator is not going to drive you to chemo.  Your congressman is not going to watch your children or prepare you dinner when you are ill.  Let’s get real.  We need community.  What comes to my mind just now are lyrics from the Youngbloods:
                                              Come on, people now                                                                                                                                                         smile on your brother                                                                                                                                                        Everybody get together,                                                                                                                                                     try to love one another right now.
          Let’s, you and I, reach out to our neighbors today.  Don’t put it off. We need each other.   Jesus’ mandate is that we love one another.   Support one another.  Lift up the fallen.  Feed the hungry.  You know how to do it—to love.  Let’s be Jesus’ hands and feet in a hurting world.
                                                        Linda