I love to sit and watch the sunset, the sunrise, or anything else on the mountains. The range is so mesmerizing to me. I thought I’d share today…
Max Patch, NC
Cosby, TN
This world needs hope. There is nothing more strengthening, nothing more encouraging, and nothing more unifying than HOPE.
Hope is not found in politicians, and it’s not found in world events. It cannot be found in personal agendas, and it can’t be found in people. These things might bring temporary hope, but this isn’t the hope to which I’m referring.
I’m talking about a Hope that can bring peace, a Hope that can bring love, a Hope that can bring healing. This is a Hope that can bring Light to a darkened and desolate world.
This Hope is Jesus Christ. He wasn’t just a man who roamed the earth. He wasn’t just a good prophet who had some nice things to say, and He certainly is a God who died and is still buried in a tomb.
No, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the God who was and is and is to come. He is our Prince of Peace.
His Hope does not have to be earned. His grace does come with a price. His love is unconditional and free for all who ask and believe.
He is standing with His arms open wide. Just come to Him today. Let His love wash over you and redeem you. He longs to give you the Hope of Who He Is.
rhondaerb.com
This world seems to be losing its mind. It seems there is more deceit, more destruction, more hatred and more death than ever before.
If you consume your days with the news and the happenings of current affairs, it feels overwhelming, almost suffocating. Quite frequently, I have to step back, away from it all, or it’s tempting to just let fear, grief and even anger and disgust overshadow my heart.
Yet, the Psalmist reminds us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) Through all the turmoil and amidst all the evil, we need not fear. We need not be consumed with worry for our God is with us!
He has promised to remain, and He gives us hope in Romans, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” We have nothing and no one to fear.
For we have something this world does not possess, and it is the very thing this world so desperately needs: HOPE! Hope for change. Hope for peace. Hope for light in the darkness. This Hope can only come through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). We must give this light, this Hope to this world. We must be this Light in tangible, human flesh to all those around us. If we call ourselves Christians, it is our calling. It is our purpose. It should be our passion and our desire to reach them for Him! Let’s give HOPE away today…
I don’t usually post anything on Fridays other than the New Angle game, but in light of last night’s tragedy, my heart is heavy today, and my pen longs to bleed…
The screams of “our lives matter” and demands for justice for the death of brothers, with the resulting applause for the stealing of the lives of the very men sworn to protect all, reveal a heart of hypocrisy.
Your life doesn’t carry significance simply because of its tone or contrast. One life is not of higher quality due to its origin. The value of your life is just that: because you are a living, breathing human being.
The lives that were slaughtered near the midnight hour on July 7 were not lives of value because of their skin color, and they were not wielding swords to kill their assassins. They did not throw fiery darts just before the bullets pierced their ashen skin.
No, these men and women were standing watch on a wall. Sworn to defend and protect the innocent lives who stood in protest. Doesn’t matter if these fallen soldiers were or weren’t in agreement with the march; their oath was to defend, to protect, and to shield the innocent from harm. Yet, while they stood as pillars of strength, men of cowardly hearts came with evil intent and annihilated the very strength on which our nation stands.
This strength does not come because of the color of skin you were birthed nor does it remain because of the hues you now have gained. This strength comes from fighting day in and day out for the cause of the innocent. This strength is birthed in the chambers of integrity, love and a desire for peace among all. This strength is paid for at all cost. For life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not so easily won. It is not simply obtained because you wish it so.
Do we really believe the hypocrisy in the killings will bring about peace and restoration? Unbridled anger never resolved anything with any person. I’ve heard it said, “Anger makes room for the unthinkable.”
This was proven on this night, the 7th day of July. Anger has brought division. Division has brought unbridled anger as it has led to hypocrisy and injustice. Injustice will continue as the innocent are killed for the sake of retribution. For unbridled anger will never bring peace, only more blood shed and the loss of freedom, peace and any hope for restoration.
God, please forgive us and heal our nation. Please bring unity and rest. Protect the innocent and open the eyes of all. For You are the only One who can save us! We must reach out across the aisles. We must lay down our agendas for the sake of our future. We must seek a higher call than ourselves and selfish ambition.
“A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.” Proverbs 19:19
“Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.” Proverbs 22:24
“A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.” Proverbs 15:18
I was reminded the other day of an analogy I shared with youth camp workers many years ago, and I thought I’d reshare it with you today…
In every situation, you hold in your hands water and gasoline. The one you choose will determine the outcome of the given situation.
For instance, if you find yourself in the middle of a gossip situation, and you’re wondering what you should do, you have a choice. You can pour gasoline on the flames to fuel the stories, or you can pour water to put them out.
If your child comes running to you in fear, whether it be a dramatized fantasy or a realistic paranoia, what you do in that next moment matters. Sometimes, it will determine the growth of courage or a lasting lifetime fear. Do you throw the gasoline or water?
If your co-worker is infuriated with your boss because of a legitimate injustice being served, what do you do? You hold water and gasoline within your power.
If your friend is in desperate need of a life change. Maybe you know Christ, but you’ve been a little intimidated by their rejection of this saving grace. You know what peace you have found in your moments of fear, of anger and of brokenness; yet, you’ve hesitated to share your story. You hold water and gasoline within your grasp. Which will you choose??
“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Sometimes, you just need to get alone in the quiet. Steal away to feel the calm of the breeze and the song of flight.
Be still.
Listen.
Breathe.
Can you hear Him calling you beyond the trees?
He can heal you. He can restore you. He can make you whole.
He will love you. He will strengthen you. He will set you free.
I promise, you’ll feel better than you came. You’ll leave a little lighter, and you’ll long for a soon return.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 46:10
source: pinterest.comThere is so much in the news these days about this group hating that group, those people wanting to wound or even kill the people in another “club,” and this one and that one can’t speak, or it’s considered hate speech. Now, please note, I am NOT about to go off on a political tirade, or a politically correct debate, nor am I even about to discuss my own opinions and standards. That’s not what this post will be about.
I just want to say something, and I want to make it eternally clear: Just because I disagree with you DOES NOT mean I hate you!! Ok, I’m glad I got that off my chest. I almost put the whole sentence in all caps, but I don’t want you thinking I’m shouting at you; even though, I would like to shout this from the rooftops.
Source: pinterest.comI am so tired of the false allegations from so many in today’s society who scream “hate speech” when you simply disagree with what someone else is doing or how they are acting. I know there are those who wear ‘the same hats’ as I do, and they may have really meant for their words to be filled with hatred, and this has paved a hard road ahead for me. Yet, do you have to punish every good person with every nut case?
Yes, I am a white, middle class, conservative, American, Christian woman, and I am very proud of my God, my country and my family. I will defend these and stand by these until the end, but that does not mean that I hate the next person simply because he or she disagrees with me, because he is of a different race, because she is of a different political persuasion, or because he has more or less money than I do. Just because we are different doesn’t mean we can’t live civil. It may mean we agree not to discuss our differences all the time, especially if one or both parties can’t handle too much. It may mean we voice our beliefs with truth and confidence, but give some space for others to do so. That’s called living. That’s called being an individual. … or at least, it used to be.
Do I believe my way is the right way? This may come as a shock to you; so, wait for it… NO! Do I believe the way of my God, the Creator of this universe, the Savior of my soul, is the right and true, very best way to live? YES! Am I going to share my faith, hoping you find the same unconditional love, unspeakable joy, and unfathomable peace I have? YES!
This does not mean I hate you when I disagree with what you are doing or how you are living. When I state my standards differently than you, it doesn’t make me better than you nor does it make you better than me. When I see things differently, it simply means I want to see better for you.
The whole new motto trend of “live and let live” bothers me, in that, if we simply let those around us live as they choose, and we live as we choose, with no moral authority guiding us, we all will, eventually, encounter dangers that could have been avoided, or we will begin infringing upon another with the “new found freedom” we believe we have. This becomes an unfair and dangerous approach for all involved.
Do you realize that confrontation is the highest form of love?
When my friends are doing something that I can see might harm them, I try to tell them the danger ahead. It may not change what they think, but I am responsible for speaking up. If my kids are playing in the street, and a car is coming around the corner, I’m going to run and holler for them to get out of the street, not because I’m trying to display my hatred toward them, but because I am trying to prevent them from being killed! If my colleagues are standing too close to the cliff when we’re hiking, I might say, “Hey, that slope is real slippery. You might want to be careful.” If I don’t speak up to any of these situations, and one of them gets killed, I am partially responsible, because I could have helped them remain among the living!!
I will speak up, because I care enough about their well being to confront them. This confrontation doesn’t always have to be loud, abrupt or even mean, but it does have to be truthful. It does have to be authentic, and it does have to be spoken from a heart that is genuinely concerned and filled with love.
Does that mean I’ll never mess up in my confrontations? Does that mean I will never get passionate about my beliefs and debate why I am standing by those beliefs? No. As I stated earlier, I have several high priorities in my life, and I will defend these. I will hold true to those things I cherish but that still doesn’t mean I am filled with hate.
Let me put this on a more personal level…My sons are 10 and 14 years old, and there have been times when I have had to confront them for their actions that had brought harm or pain in some situation; yet, when I spoke to them, even if I was upset and passionate about what I had to say, I never once hated them! I confront, because I love them, and I want to help them get to a better place in life. Christ did this very thing on so many occasions. He always confronts those He loves, and I am called to be more like Him and so much less like me.
So, if you and I ever disagree on a subject, especially if we have forged a friendship before this given time, please know my speaking up is never out of dislike of you as a person. If I love you, I pray I will always have the courage to confront you, and my hope is you would care enough to do the same. 💗
Daily Prompt: Disagree
For our relationships to be healed, mended and restored, we must speak up and be heard, but we must also shut up and listen. Sometimes, what you are assuming leads to misunderstanding and confusion. Sometimes, what you are avoiding leads to brokenness and pain.
Proverbs 17:27-28 tells us, “He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.” Maybe, you need to slow down and listen more. I had a teacher in my young life who said, “God gave you two ears and one mouth. Learn which one He wants you to use more.” This has really stuck with me through the years.
Maybe you contend that it’s easier for me to stop and listen than it is for the next guy. Maybe my introverted personality affords me more latitude. This doesn’t mean the next guy is necessarily excused from the need, from the expectancy of others. This doesn’t mean he has a better excuse than I. No, it just simply means he might need to work a little harder to open his ears and shut his mouth.
Other times, it’s better to speak up and be heard than to remain silent. In just a few chapters later, in the book of Proverbs, this instruction is given to us, “Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Sometimes, when you remain silent, what you are feeling is not simple discomfort, it is pure conviction for what you are observing, hearing and the situation of which you are allowing yourself to be a part. When you remain silent, your actions further condone what is happening. If it is wrong, speak truth. Stop violence. Stop harm against the innocent. Stop evil with your bold speech.
I could argue that, maybe it’s easier for you to speak louder than it is for me. Maybe your extroverted personality allows you more fortitude. This doesn’t mean I am excused from the necessity of expression, from the desperation of the wounded. This doesn’t mean I have a better excuse than you. No, it just simply means I must put more effort in the articulation of my voice.
The perfect balance comes between the tension of knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. It comes from the acknowledgment for the need of both and seeking the right one at the perfect moment. It comes in knowing our own weaknesses and strengths and drawing from them both for the courage to do right, and finding our passion in one and releasing our will for another.
That is the beauty of conflict and the harmony of perfect peace.
Sometimes, you just have to get in the flow. The flow of traffic, the flow of harmony, the flow of God. Some people work so hard to work against the flow that they never find peace, because they’re always fighting, pinching, clawing their way against the norm that they never can just find rest in the flow.
Now, I’m not saying the flow is always the place to be. If it’s a controversial issue, and you find yourself on the opposing team, fighting for the right, by all means, keep fighting. If it’s a societal push to tolerate things which shouldn’t be tolerated, by all means, don’t remain silence for peace sake. If the innocent are being placed in harm’s way, by all means, stand up and be a voice before all is lost.
Never stand by silently simply for the desire of harmony. Never go with the flow simply for the attempt to bring tolerance. Sometimes, a war must be fought before peace can be found. Sometimes, the storm get stronger before the sunset shines through the clouds.
Yet, there are times, in all of our lives, when we need to be more flexible and go with the flow.
Like this week when I came down with the flu. I haven’t had the flu in years. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I had the flu. It started with chills and high fever and put me to bed for three whole days. I tried to fight it, and when my fever broke on Thursday morning, I thought I could conquer the world…only to find myself back in bed a few hours later, because I had jumped too soon.
I realized I was just going to have to go with the flow and rest until this thing passed. It was aggravating. It was boring just laying around when I needed to get things done! I sure didn’t feel good as aches and pains ruled the day, but for the betterment of my health, and for the protection of my family, I just had to go with the flow and let that sickness pass.
I learned during that time that our boys can actually get their lunches together and get out the door on time without my constant reminders. I learned my husband and son can do the dishes and even save my baking stones that can’t go in the dishwasher. I, also, learned my husband can take care of the house and the boys just fine while I lie in bed with a high fever and aches and pains. All of these things, I really knew to be true, but watching them play out in reality sure was reassuring. 😊
Sometimes, when you decide to slow down and go with the flow, you learn to rest. You learn to grow stronger, and you learn the world (and your family) can make it while you get better! 😉
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My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
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