Life Inspiration – Page 69

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

It’s not “if” I’m Guilty…

Written by talk2shari Published April 22, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

So this morning I wake up to several prayer requests, a few burdens of my own, and the Lord speaking to my heart through His word and through His people to “keep it real Shari.” I’m such a faker! Upon the rare occasion that I have broken down and shared heartaches with a friend it’s gotten to the point of absolute despair, I just don’t do it… please do not follow my example, I assure you it’s a rough row to hoe in this season of planting. And it does sow seeds that require reaping.

I recently added a song to my repertoire of music by Aaron and Amanda Crabb titled “If I’m Guilty.” What a blessing this song has been in my life! It’s simply says, “If I’m guilty let me be guilty of too much mercy, if I’m gonna be wrong, let me be wrong for treating someone else right.” Those words need to be printed on a tee shirt, and inscribed on my brain every day. I need to pass a billboard sharing that thought and make it a part of my life’s passion. Because Jesus certainly did, except He was never guilty of anything.

If I wanted to keep it real this morning and tell you how many times a day I need the mercy of the Lord, you’d run out of time and I’d run out of breath. That song opens by saying, “It’s so easy to criticize when someone else fails, it’s so easy to see faults in them when we overlook ourselves.” How true is that? The plain and simple fact is we all need the grace of Jesus Christ, and we all should be sharing that same grace and mercy with the world.

That loud obnoxious person in your life that gets on your last nerve just may be needing someone to see that they need a little attention in a positive way. That stand offish teen that won’t give you the time of day, may need to know how close you’ll stand. That elderly person that has given their life to serving people, and doesn’t know how to be served, may require patience when learning to accept help. We all need stability in our lives when this world is so wishy washy and busy! People will stand for right, until it gets uncomfortable, and then it’s easier to walk away. We halfheartedly say we’ll lift each other up in prayer and then halfheartedly (if at all) pray about it. We say we’ll be there… but then “there” isn’t in our calendar.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you know I’m guilty.

At our ladies fellowship last night the Pastor’s wife gave a devotion on Matthew 6. She didn’t know it was some of my favorite verses. Verses that I’ve clung too day after day and year in and year out. It’s my last resort verses… The one’s that I turn too when I have failed to keep it real, and pretended that life was perfect, until it was not…

Matthew 6:25-34

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

In keeping it real, I have to remember that no matter how many times my “not so perfect” life falls apart, no matter how many times I let God down, right outside my window is a reminder that God has the world under control. The flowers still bloom, the birds lack nothing, and He love me so much that He gave His Son in my stead on the cross of Calvary. He’s certainly not going to let this world swallow me up as my fears tell my heart today.

Posted in Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Grasshopper Christianity and the Giant Slayers

Written by talk2shari Published April 18, 2015April 18, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Numbers 13:20

And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.

I could not help but think back to the nursery rhyme, “Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean, and so between the two of them, they picked the platter clean.”

Moses in this verse is directing the twelve spies as they prepare to go spy out the new land that the Lord has given them to possess. Moses was Israel’s greatest cheerleader; he believed in them, but more importantly He believed that their God would do as He said. But as human nature would have it, two spies returned in jubilation and ten spies in defeat. The battle had not even begun and they had receded. I’ll give you two guesses on who had the greater influence over the entire congregation and the first guess won’t count. And so that pattern continues in the church today. Of a congregation of one hundred, you likely have twenty giant slayers and ten of those are waiting for someone to bring out the sword. And then you have that eighty, the eighty that drive me crazy! You have your fearless leader and Pastor standing before the congregation, cheering them on to win souls for Christ, and you have the ten or so behind him shouting glory to God, we’ve got this! And crickets and grasshopper in the pew saying the battle is over, let’s just wait till Jesus comes back and He can sort this mess out.

Why did they not listen to Moses’ words, and why do we still not?

Whether it be fat or lean…

Pick the platter clean boy and girls! They’re out there. The fruit of the land is there even in the most barren of circumstances. Right now it looks as if the world is filled with giants against Christianity. The Muslim faith is growing leaps and bounds, the agnostics and atheists are consuming our government, and a thousand little do nothing religions are popping up in every town because everybody knows you need something to believe in. If Joshua and Caleb were here they’d look across America and say “Look at that fruit!” All of these souls searching for something and we have the answer.

But the grasshoppers in the pew look at the other religions and say they’re too many, they’re too powerful. And Moses would ask, “Did God not create them all and can He not destroy or save them all? Be of good courage.”

Satan does not care about grasshopper Christianity. The pew sitting people of God who show up at 11:00 sharp and leave at 12:00 dull. He will let them set in their pew and rot. But the ones who come to church to sharpen their sword… Satan is all over them. That’s why you need courage, because you’re in the frontline of the battle and you’ll have giants in front of you every day. But the same God Who created it all, is the same God Who can remove them from your path, or give you the strength to knock them over.

Fight on child of God, and the leave the grasshoppers to God. This message was written for me… chief grasshopper watcher.

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures, salvation

The Old Man is Dead!

Written by talk2shari Published April 16, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Romans 6:6^~Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

I may not recall the first time I heard the song, “The Old Man Is Dead,” but I can recall that every time I hear it my soul is deeply stirred within. It’s a powerful message for the believer when they understand that their guilt is buried deep in the grave of the past, never to be remembered by the Savior. David said in Psalm 103:12 ~ As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. And yet I see so many children of God living in defeat day after day. I’m not talking the occasional “oops” that can happen to any of us at the drop of a hat, but I’m talking about a continual drifting away from God until He is so far removed the conviction is nigh on gone… but not quite.

There’s something about the scars of a crucifixion that run deep. And even though ours is a spiritual crucifixion, not a literal one as Christ bore, the scars are still there. That day of salvation when reminisced upon cannot help but bring with it a desire to be that clean again. For those who have gotten themselves away from Christ, and are back out in the world of sin it’s like the zombie apocalypse in your own life! The old man was dead and you resurrected him (or her as the case may be.) Now you’re walking around with your sins hanging out all over for all the world to see. They can’t be in you, because the Holy Spirit dwells there, you’re forgiven! But because you’ve chosen to go back into the world you have this dead junk hanging all over you, dragging you down day after day, bringing no pleasure whatsoever but you’re stuck. You know the world sees you as a sinner, not as a saint; and if you go back to church they’ll see you as a hypocrite. So Satan has you where he wants you, hanging out with zombies.

So what’s the answer?

There is only one answer to getting rid of the zombie crowd and that’s the blood of Jesus Christ. It miraculously will wash away the sin of alcohol, sex, drugs, and any other immoral act you could have possibly committed when the zombies reigned. But don’t try to go it alone. You knew it was coming… you need church! There’s a reason Christians hung out together in the Bible and they still hang together today, because there’s safety and encouragement in numbers, and you’re in need of both. You’ll need the safety of their prayers and the encouragement of their company.

I pray you’ll hear the message today whether you stumbled upon this blog, or if someone sent it to you because they know you’ve been hanging with zombies. Have you distanced yourself from God, but you can still hear His faint cry… come home. Or perhaps you’ve never gotten rid of the old man at all, and you’ve got sin inside and out. Christ has got that covered too. When He was crucified He went to Zombieville and took the keys to death, hell and the grave. All that junk and heartache you’ve been carrying around will just fall off when you speak the name of Jesus, and ask Him to save your soul and come into your life. It’s true!

Tell the old man to get packin’… you’ve got new friends!

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

Pressing and Posting

Written by talk2shari Published April 15, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Philippians 3:14

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Another day, another diet, another goal… life seems to always be filled with a purpose driven passion that can turn on a dime to another failure and leaves me wishing every day were Sunday. It’s such a day of encouragement for me, I love listening to preaching and singing and serving the Lord, but even it can turn into frustration when I get my eyes off Christ and onto people. I have somewhat become un-enchanted with social media over the past few weeks, I’m sure I’ll be back at it soon but felt the need to take a hiatus for a few days to “detox” from many of the posts I was reading. Political and personal rants have become the norm, and what used to be common sense flew out the window. Freedom of speech should sometimes be best used by the freedom of not saying what you could.

Several months ago, I either read or heard a statement that was a game changer for me regarding what comes out of our mouth. Satan and his band of troublemakers are not all knowing, only God has the ability to be the discerner of our every thought. But Satan doesn’t have to be a mind reader he only has to be a listener, or a reader, because we’ve laid out the stick for him to stir with plain and clear when we air our frustrations in our status posts. Perhaps it’s the era I was brought up in or more than likely the family, but we just didn’t make our troubles public, and yet today people not only make them public but wear them as trophies and care not that their friends and family know how very messed up their lives are. I guess this is a rant of my own of sorts… but it’s written to encourage my fellow servants of Christ to press on, not down.

Negative posts do not encourage positive living. You can quote me on that, that’s good stuff! The seeds that we plant in our life is what we harvest… I know that’s a no brainer, but it must not be, because there’s plenty of people sewing garbage and wondering why their life stinks.

Here’s just a few that I’ve noticed on social media on a pretty regular basis:

Satan may or may not have known that “so and so” got on your last nerve, but following that Facebook update he did. And now he has another avenue clearly marked in your life to making you miserable.
Nobody knew what a terrible mess your life was in until you went on that rant about it and now every time you walk on the street you feel as if you’re being judged, or so Satan says.
You posted your opinion on a matter that few agreed on and now you feel attacked because someone aired the opposite opinion on your status, welcome to America.
Let’s attack our family and make it a public spectacle and then wonder why nobody enjoys a family reunion, except Satan… he has a hayday!

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! That’s why I needed a few days to regroup. Not only do those post affect the person who posted negatively but everyone who reads it. By the same token a positive post creates a positive atmosphere. So here’s my challenge for you today. Ten positive posts and if you care to you can use this blog as one! And zero negative… not even bad news. Press on Pilgrim, it’s a happy day!!!!

Posted in Church attendance, Eternity, Heaven, Life Inspiration, salvation

Breaking up is hard to do

Written by talk2shari Published April 12, 2015April 12, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

How quickly people fall away from the Lord and call it a “new direction” or perhaps they just don’t call it anything. They just ignore the fact that they are out of fellowship with God and pretend that they’re decisions will have no ramification in eternity. If I began to make a list of the friends and family who have fallen out on God I would soon run out of lines on a sheet of paper or perhaps I could write a book about each one and what a difference they made in my life at a crucial time in my spiritual growth, it would be easy to write because it would be truth and my days with them seem like yesterday and yet also another lifetime away. How exactly does one go from standing and testifying about what the Lord has done to walking out on God? And how does it not scare the pants off of them because at one point they knew what God had saved them from. They had a burden for the lost in their family, they cried out at the altar of grace for God to save their children and their family and then one day that just didn’t matter. It makes me nauseous and ever conscience that I could be there tomorrow.

Matthew 24:42-43

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

There is a bluegrass song about Matthew 24 that I used to sing with friends and it was always a reminder of the need to be ready; a favorite sung at revivals and funerals. Revivals and Funerals – the opposite ends of the spectrum. One speaks of new life and the other of death, and yet if the death is that of a saint of God their eternal life just began. Both of those services draw us into the realization that changes could possibly need to be made. Nobody likes the separation that comes with death, but it serves to remind us that it comes to all lest Jesus returns before it and we need to make preparation; not only for us but for those we influence. It’s funny how Jesus is welcome at Weddings but not in the marriage, He’s given the glory for the blessing of a child but then those same children are not raised to know Him. His Name is spoken often in the message of a funeral but how often was His name spoken by the one who died? Someone’s family member is sick or injured and prayer requests abound but few or hollow praises are heard when the heartache is done and all is well.

Yes I’m going there this morning.

I’m frustrated and this is my only place to vent without going toe to toe with someone I love, or perhaps I should. Maybe it would knock some sense into them. Being the Jesus Chick doesn’t always get you a fan club, sometimes people would like to club you. They tolerate my saying grace over dinner just so it doesn’t lead into dinner conversations that lead into guilt. Oh, glory to God, now I’ve begun to meddle. I just need to get this off my chest and throw it out there in hopes that somebody will read it and determine to get themselves ready.

What spurred this thought this morning and broke my heart was the closing words in verse 43 “and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.”

So let me ask you… if Jesus comes back today will your house be broken? If the decision to claim Christ as Savior, Lord of your life has not been made by you or members of your family then your house will be broken. That’s where the rubber meets the road. Children don’t just magically get saved one day, seeds need to have been sown, life doesn’t always get better, sometimes it’s the worse that leaves you longing for the better of Heaven. This morning was not just a reality check for you, but for me. I need to do more, say more. Nobody will care if I talk about Jesus when we’re all in Heaven, but they’ll certainly care in Hell if I didn’t.

Continue on weary soldier…

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

From the couch of purgatory

Written by talk2shari Published April 10, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Let me first be clear to say that I do not believe in purgatory, but if I did, (and I don’t) I’m relatively sure that I just lived through it. For five days I lay lifeless on the couch. If I rallied for more than 30 minutes I would collapse back into a slump, feeling pain in my body like I’ve never felt.

I felt the Psalmist’s anguish when he wrote in Psalm 88:14-15 “Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.”

That might be a little more dramatic than my bout with the flu, but it was close. My throbbing head would not allow me to use my eyes for anything that would require focus, such as the computer or Bible. My body ached to the point that I was a “point A (bed) to point B (couch)” kinda gal. I was in too much pain to even listen to Satan! I was just in limbo… i.e. purgatory. Waiting for God to come and fetch me out. I missed Church on Wednesday night which broke my heart because I missed being with the teens and the over all experience gave me a reason to get back in the saddle and ride for Jesus again this morning.

I need ramped up. Perhaps you do too! It doesn’t take the flu to get you away from God. Just everyday life can take its toll. It’s so easy to get lackadaisical about serving Christ when you’re in purgatory. We often count on someone else to “buy” us out by giving us an encouraging word or allowing us to live vicariously through their zealous service. A friend messaged me yesterday to say that they had 7 saved in their revival this week, that’s exciting stuff! But I played no part… I want my own trophies of grace to lay at the feet of Jesus. I want to tell somebody what my LORD did for me, and rev up their soul to be saved. I want to walk down that Roman’s Road of Salvation with a new friend in Christ and put a few new mile markers of my own in the dirt.

What about you Saint of God?

Revival fires start with just a little kindling. What are you doing today to ignite that fire? I have sat on the couch for 5 days in a heap of wet wood. Today’s my day and here’s the game plan. Meditate on Psalm 85:6-7 ~ Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.

We have but to ask in sincerity and God is faithful to provide. My heart needs stirred, and so I’m asking.

Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Grace, Life Inspiration

Incarcerated by Life?

Written by talk2shari Published April 6, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

My friend Chief Eisley was about to preach the Word of God at a State Dept. of Corrections facility after I had sang and listened to the DOC Choir. My heart was full and overflowing. I love these guys because they love Jesus. It’s not jailhouse religion it’s an honest to goodness meeting with the Holy Ghost in a “controlled environment.” With God in control! As Chief began to preach I realized that my Bible (which is on the same iPad my soundtracks are on, was on the platform. One of the inmates who had ran the sound for me realized I didn’t have my bible and motioned for me to use his that was on the pew beside me. I can’t tell you how blessed I was to see its well-worn cover and pages. Regardless of whether you are in Dept. of Corrections facility or a beautiful house in the suburbs the walls can be that of a prison. I’ve known wonderful people on the outside of a prison who were bound to the world and didn’t have near the freedom that the fellas last night did. It really can’t be told and do it justice, it has to be experienced to see the gladness in their hearts and on their faces. As we traveled back to our car one of the inmates carried my guitar and spoke candidly about his gratitude for being in that place. Because it was in that place that he had returned to Jesus where he found true freedom. That freedom is found in the Word of God!

Why is it that nobody cares to argue what Buddhist’s, Islam’s, and New Age religion are spouting off? Because their words do not cut like a sword. They have no power. But let someone speak the Word of God and you’ll have a multitude up in arms because Satan and his band of demonic menaces will make sure of it. The Word of God transforms lives! Prior to my salvation I would read the Word and it might as well have been Greek. I could understand the basics but the vast majority of it just seemed over my head. But then that Sunday came…. When I met Jesus and asked Him to come into my heart and fix my troubled soul. And all of sudden, what had formerly been Greek suddenly became the plainest English I could read and O Glory did it satisfy my thirsty soul!

Following the service inmate after inmate came up to me to shake my hand, talk to me about the music and encourage my soul. They handed me poems they had written and just thinking back on it causes me to weep. They’re like anybody’s sons, uncles, dads, and friends who are incarcerated. They’re paying for their crime but they are also Brothers in Christ. And they have a freedom that those who are not saved by the blood of Jesus do not have. The freedom in knowing “It is well with my soul!”

John 8:30-34

As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Posted in Easter, Life Inspiration, Peace

One more day…

Written by talk2shari Published April 4, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

At 2:30 this morning I awoke to the thought… one more day. I couldn’t sleep and several prayer matters were heavy on my heart. I scrolled through Facebook on my phone to see if there had been any updates, and there were but it wasn’t good. Families facing critical reports, people hurting; the faces just kept pouring through my mind. And the realization that we’re all a phone call away from that kind of news on any given day. It’s just by God’s grace…

Then my mind turned to the weekend events. Easter! Resurrection Sunday. One more day. And that was my prayer for the people on my heart, “God grant them hope for one more day.” Sometimes we can’t think about days and weeks ahead, just one more day.

Matthew 27:59-63

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

I would venture a guess that the day of Jesus’ crucifixion the disciples and Jesus’ followers were living minute to minute. They weren’t thinking about day 3. Jesus had told them, “I’ll rise again!” but they didn’t get it. They were scared for their own lives, they’d lost the best friend they’d ever known, and the world was shaken up! Literally. Earthquakes, the temple veil torn in two from the top to bottom, rocks falling, and the graves were opened up and the bodies of many saints were walking through the city. I’d say the city was shook! And those who crucified Jesus, they were definitely shook. The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate concerned that someone would “steal” Jesus’ body. Or perhaps after what they’d just witnessed they were more than a little concerned that He’d do what He said.

Pilate said in verse 64 ~ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

So the last error shall be worse than the first… Their error was God’s design and what a difference a day made. The disciples were heartbroken but their grief was about to turn into great joy! In the book of John 20:20-22 we read the Victory speech of Christ for all believers.

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

One day turned hopeless into a happening! And because of that great resurrection morning we have hope today and peace of mind through the Holy Spirit, so that when our world gets turned upside down we can hold onto hope one more day.

Posted in Easter, Life Inspiration, salvation

What Makes Good Friday Good?

Written by talk2shari Published April 3, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

The year was 1996, and it was my very first Easter as a baby Christian. Everything was new to me, even though I had likely heard it for 34 years. But the tradition of the nails in the cross during Good Friday communion was definitely a new experience. As I recall there were 100 or so folks attending the service and invited to take communion as a family or group of friends. But prior to their taking of the bread and drinking of the cup each family member would take a long heavy duty nail and pound it in to the old rugged cross on the platform of the church. Again and again the hammer hitting the nail echoed as soft music played in the background.

Clang…. Clang… Clang….

Each family or group that went forward was a testimony of what the Lord had done in their life. Sobs could be heard throughout the building as the heaviness of situation laid on hearts. Christ wasn’t on the cross, but every nail was a reminder that we each were accountable for the crucifixion of our Lord. He did that for me; it was my sins that nailed Him to the cross, and it was His love that brought Him down and His resurrection that allows me to live with the hope of victory over death and the grave.

Good Friday. Not a good day for Jesus that year, but a great day for Shari Johnson. The sacrifice of sin was too high for me to pay. What piddlely little sacrifices I make are nothing in the scope of eternity. Thousands of lambs were slaughtered in Old Testament days but were only a symbol of the worthy blood that would spill on the cross of Calvary.

The Price of Victory

Victory over death…

Corinthians 15:55

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Victory over circumstances…

1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory over the attacks of the world…

1 John 5:4

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

There is nothing that was not covered on the cross that day. Yes, it was our sin that caused the crucifixion, but it was His blood that fixed the sinner. If we are born of God, born again as Christ described to Nicodemus in

John 3 [Full Chapter]

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. …

Then we are to live in Victory! It’s us who live in defeat… and that’s not a worthy attitude for what Christ did. I pray today finds you with an attitude of Awesomeness! Because Christ believes you are. And that friend makes Good Friday Good!

Posted in Christian Service, Easter, Life Inspiration

He’s got you covered

Written by talk2shari Published April 2, 2015April 2, 2015 Discussion Leave a Comment

Oh good grief… my mind bounced from one subject matter to another this morning like a pinball in a pinball machine. I picked up the fiddle and glanced at the guitar, went for coffee, thoughts pinging between the Bible College and Victory Baptist Church, the teens and the women’s ministry, the upcoming speaking engagement then back to the guitar… perhaps breakfast, I wonder if that jacket fit the little girl at church, taxes, there’s a melon on the counter in the kitchen calling my name, Chloey’s wedding, Brad’s wedding, Arnoldsburg Elementary today at two p.m.… STOP!!!

Welcome to the life of Shari…

But just for a few minutes I want to slow down today, perhaps you need to as well. I wanted to focus on something that always brings me to a screeching halt. Those scars…

John 20:27 [Full Chapter]

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

They had witnessed those scars being inflicted just a few days before. They’d run scared, sure that they would be next. They’d deserted Him and left the women minister to Him as He died on the cross. Those scars were a testimony of the very real death, burial and now resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I can only imagine Thomas’ reaction as his finger ran across the palms of Jesus’ hand and then suddenly dipped into the crevice where the nails had been driven. His knees weakened, stomach somersaulted, and tears welling in his eyes. Flesh that Jesus could have just as easily restored to new before returning, but chose to leave it as a reminder that those scars tell a story. The story that Christ died on the cross of Calvary so that our relationship with the Father would be restored and we could have the promise of eternal life with a Holy God, the Creator of all the earth… including me.

Me with all my scars…that will stop me in my tracks. I usually just hide my scars. For a couple of reasons and not ones that you might imagine. The first being that they’re not as deep as most. Yes, I’ve been hurt, I have had issues and made mistakes; but in the speaker realm… mine are miniscule compared to what causes most speakers to get up and share their story. My story is much like my morning thought process… pinging from one adventure to the next, never lighting on anything for long. I do a lot… and finish less. I’m an organized person’s worst night mare. I fly by the seat of my pants and appear to have a plan and although it would break my heart if my plan fell through and I let people down, I really don’t give it much thought as I’m following my pants… So what am I wearing? Just scars.

Not mine, but His. His scars have me covered. The other reason I don’t show my scars is because it makes me relive them. And for me that’s not healthy. By reliving those hurtful moments that formed those scars I get angry again at the scar maker. Sometimes that is someone else and sometimes that’s me.

When Christ showed Thomas His scars it wasn’t to make Thomas feel bad… although I’m sure it did. But it was rather to show him that those scars were proof that Christ’s life meant victory for everyone. Victory over every failure in life. Every time the ball didn’t go exactly where you intended and you lost the game, Christ won the tournament.

This morning I needed the reminder of my Savior’s scars. When I’m pinging through what feels like one failure after another, Christ is at the end of the day with palms up saying, “I’ve got you covered.” Today I needed to hear it at day break…

Be not faithless…I’ve got you covered