Tag: heartache

Posted in Life Inspiration

It may be his job… but you can send him packin’

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A week filled to the brim with blessings… a new little sister in Christ,  getting to know our new Pastor & and his family, rekindled friendships, falling to sleep to sounds of children laughing and the Floridian Pastor, outside my dorm room, playing the guitar with camper Connor Boggs and singing Almost Heaven West Virginia, Country Roads, take me home… what a sweet week! But now I’m home… and happy to be so; there’s only so much fun one chick can take, and I think my husband may have missed me a little.

Satan had done his best to steal the joys of the week before, during and after camp. It’s his job and he’s really good at it!

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A verse that should be written on the outside of every suitcase, vanity mirror, coffee cup,  even the toes of our shoes… upon the places we’ll look before, during and after our destination. To serve as a reminder that the joy God has set before you on your journey is on the verge of being dismantled if you allow it. The last thing he will willingly allow is for you to have a joyful time. He’s been on me like white on rice since I walked in the door of the house. Messing with my mind, placing discouraging and attempting worrisome thoughts in my mind.

I determined that I needed to:

Thwart the thief

Matthew 6:19 says – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

He cannot steal what he does not have access to. The joys that I have experienced and that the Lord has in store for me today are laid up in Heaven. They weren’t at camp, they aren’t in my home, car or any other physical place on earth. They are in the spiritual possession of my LORD. What I can do though is allow Satan to get my eyes off of the spiritual side of the blessing and onto the tangible side. The part that moths and rust corrupt. Things break, (hearts included), plans change or fall through, personalities clash, things don’t always work out, but the blessings that God provides in abundance are those joys within our soul that Satan can’t touch!

Take captive the killer

Oh my stars! I don’t know how many times during camp Satan would try to kill the Spirit of the service, or the relationships of the kids and counselors. I spoke to the kids one morning of a vision that God had put into my mind of two wrestlers by the camp fire; the host of heaven on one side and the host of hell on the others cheering the wrestlers on as they struggled on the brink of falling into the fire. That’s what our services were like. Satan did his best, but God is better! Hallelujah!

Dismantle the destroyer

If you want to dismantle Satan’s ill intentions you’ve got to take some pieces out of play.

  • Pride’s got to go.
  • Self has got to go.
  • Your plan has got to go.
  • Your way has got to go.

Those are game pieces that Satan can manipulate on the board to his advantage. Those things take your focus off of the Lord Jesus Christ and put it on to the things of earth, where our treasures are not.

IN GOD THERE IS LIFE ABUNDANT! God is good, all the time. Even in a storm the goodness of God can be found. Stop settling for less.

Following the news of God’s abundance is the news of God’s goodness:

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

He has His life for us so that we could have life in abundance… don’t turn it down.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Idiots are everywhere… Can I get an amen?

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I have several friends who suffer from chronic pain. There are days when my heart physically aches because of their days of fatigue and frustration, yesterday was one such day. I hadn’t heard from one of my friends for a few days and I began to be concerned… so I did what any self-respecting media junkie would do I ~ creeped on his Facebook status’ to see what had been going on. He had posted just a few minutes before and I was relieved that his energy level had at least allowed that. That statement is written in all seriousness because I know there are days he doesn’t feel like hitting the keys. It’s a rather odd friendship his and mine. It was fostered through another social media friendship; two men whom I’ve never met but are as close to me as any church member in my own congregation because the Holy Spirit knows no bounds. It is we who put the limitations on Him.

Today was a moderate pain day for me.  My mostly self-inflicted aches and pains have come upon me because of poor diet, lack of exercise and age… in my heart I know this to be true.  But I’m grateful for the pain. Because of it I know I’m alive and that mine is like a speck of dust on the earth compared to what many others suffer through. If you don’t believe me go on a few prayer sites. It won’t take you long to realize how blessed you are.

But for my chronic pain friends I wanted to give you a word of encouragement.

I don’t pretend that I understand your suffering. And when I hear some “idiot”, especially in the medical field, rail on a person with chronic pain as if they’ve made it their choice to be miserable, I want to show them what pain is and tell them to suck it up and get over it because it’s obviously all in their head. You can click to read more about it. I recently heard an associate say that a doctor had complained about having to treat all the “imaginary pain and illnesses.” And this is an educated person…

The word idiot originates from the Greek word idiotes, which refers to a person disinterested in participating in democracy and public life.  These people were viewed as selfish, contemptable and stupid as they were more concerned with their daily personal affairs than they were of the good of the society.  Later in the Middle Ages the word took on additional connotations associated with being stupid.

How appropriate for today’s blog. I’ll stop ranting about medical professionals and put us back on the spiritual track. We Christians are just as guilty of judgment when seeing that “constant complainer” coming down the street. I speak from experience. And I still have issues with the negative nellies who suck the life out of me. I’m often more concerned about where I’m going and what I’m doing to take the time to find out what’s behind their poor spirit.

Praise God He is not as fickle as us.

Psalm 28:6-9

He Hears “my” supplications.  It’s personal.

6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

He has “my” back. It’s praiseworthy

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

He increases “my” endurance. It’s powerful.

8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

He’ll take me through…It’s a part of the plan!

9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

If you’re the one in pain, I hope God’s word encourages your heart. If you’re not, I hope you’ll put aside your plans for the day and pick up the Lord’s.

Listen… Hallelujah God does!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Refocus! You’re a Child of the King

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You may or may not have noticed my blogs have been scant lately. Somewhere between heave ho and exhaustion I lost my focus. My days were filled with busyness from daylight to dusk the past few weeks and I would literally fall in and out of bed. My time spent one on One with God was brief each day with the exception of the preaching that filled my car as I drove hither and yon down the highway. Okay… enough whining in your ear, now on to tell you why I’m here today. It’s time to refocus and get back into the swing of service, perhaps you need it too. Imagine my surprise when I asked God for scripture along that line and He answered. He is so faithful!

Luke 6

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

What struck a chord in me in that text was ‘that the multitude sought touch Him, but He connected with the disciples.’ Look at verse 20, “He lifted up his eyes on the disciples.” Glory! That put a shout on me this morning. He focused on them, I’m thinking perhaps that they refocused on Him. His eyes are always on His children, but our eyes are often focused on everything going on in our lives and we lose sight of Him. That’s where I’ve been the last few weeks, I’ve lost sight of Him. Praise His holy name He never had His eyes off me.

“Blessed be ye poor” – Money struggles? God’s got a plan His eyes are on you. Don’t give up!

“Blessed are ye that hunger” – Are there things that you desire. It may not be food, but in this flesh we have constant desires that Jesus understands. That desire may not be the will of God, but there may be something you didn’t even know you wanted… God does.

“Blessed are ye that weep now” – Is this a time of sadness and sorrow? Hang on! You’ll laugh again soon.

“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you” – Do you have enemies? What a great tool of Satan to distract you away from your best Friend, Jesus! “and when they shall separate you from their company” – That may be the best news yet. Sometimes we need to Thank God they did walk out on us. “and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” – Are you a victim of gossip? God said if you’re being talked about for His sake, you’re blessed! Serve on soldier.

“Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven:”

JUMP FOR JOY! There’s something about having yourself a holy fit that will refocus your heart on the things of God. I forgot how blessed I was to be a child of the King. I even sing that song!

Below is a really “bad” computer recording of me singin’ that song this morning. Keep in mind that it’s still morning and please ignore the audio quality. Just listen to the words! Hope it blesses ya… if not, just turn me off, I’ll never know.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Do You Know The Cuddler?

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parkers trip home

How precious is that! My Grandbaby Parker Keith arrived home to be greeted by his very excited siblings and cousins as well as a few very excited grandparents! Six weeks after a birth weight of 2 # 13 ounces he now tips the scales at 4 pounds 7 ounces and although I’m certainly glad those weeks of concern are behind us it was as usual a life lesson. Parker has already taught Noni (that’s me) a spiritual lesson I’ll not soon forget.

During his time in the hospital, a 2 ½ hour journey away for us, he spent a few days alone. His Momma had two other children at home who needed care, their families had jobs and responsibilities that would not allow us to spend every day with him and our hearts were torn. Daughter Tiffani traveled every other day to Morgantown, West Virginia to cuddle and bond with her precious new child. But what about the days no one was able to be there? It was gut wrenching to think of him being alone. But it turns out he wasn’t alone. West Virginia University hospital had paid cuddlers! It was their responsibility to spend time each day cuddling babies and providing emotional support to the families. It made my heart a little lighter knowing that someone was cuddling Parker in our absence. Isn’t it awesome that as children of God, we have a cuddler too!

Jesus spoke in John 14:16-20

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Even though God is not physically here with us, His presence is felt in the child of God and what a privilege that is! I need not go through anything alone. Every heartache and sorrow that I’ve faced I’ve had that Cuddler within me speaking peace to my heart. Do you know that feeling? It’s a peace and comfort that only accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior can afford. He died for you, paid the sacrificial penalty for sin (death on the cross) so that you and I would not have to be separated from our Holy God, Who knew no sin. I hope you have that peace today. If not, please contact me and let me introduce you to the saving grace of Jesus or check out the Romans Road to Salvation page on my site. God bless!!! And if you prayed for Parker…. THANK YOU!!!!

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

But what about Monday?

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Psalm 147:1-5

Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

God’s understanding is infinite, ours lasts about twenty minutes; just long enough for the preacher’s sermon to be over. It’s almost as if when the lights are flipped off after the final service on Sunday, so was the message. We go from worship mode to work mode, or wife mode or whatever mode it is that is the next event in our week. Jesus is left in the back of the pew with the dog-eared pages of our hymnal. It’s a favorite spot we like to turn to, but just on Sunday. We have a burden for the lost…on Sunday, we pray for the sick… on Sunday, we study the Word… on Sunday. But what about Monday?

Praise the Lord He doesn’t turn us off on Monday.

Today, at some point, I can almost guarantee you’ll walk past the brokenhearted who feel like an outcast. They didn’t get spiritually recharged at all on Sunday. Sunday may have been spent in one argument after another, or dealing with broken pipes or broken people. They have wounds that are deep and you very well may have the ointment of healing within your words, or just an outstretched hand. The Lord gathered together those of us who were in the house of the Lord yesterday for the purpose of encouraging us to take the message back out of the church to the masses that are hurting just like we were pre salvation. We forget what it was like to have no hope.

I had the opportunity to lead a young woman to Christ yesterday at the altar. She was shouting before I got the scripture out of my mouth. I’ve never experienced someone so excited and ready to meet Jesus. My heart fluttered and my fingers fumbled through the pages as she and I traveled along Romans Road together. Oh my stars! What an exciting day. She met Jesus and found hope, I met a new sister in Christ and found happy!

Today, regardless of the circumstances in your life, your path will likely cross someone who needs to see the hope of Sunday in you on Monday. That message you got yesterday… at least I hope you got it… needs to go out. The preacher gave you some seed to sow today; plant it and watch it grow!

 

Posted in Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

An Anti-Memorial Day for your Enemy!

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I’m generally not a whiner. Really I’m not. At least not out loud. In my head I’m a radical whiner, God knows. And over the past week or so, I’ve been on the verge of whining on multiple occasions; a lack of rest, coupled with concern and stress over the new early arrival of grandbaby Parker and multiple job and ministry related things on my plate have left me somewhat discombobulated spiritually. In a weakened condition as they say. A prime time for Satan to attack. Little things that I would normally fluff off suddenly aggravated me. It wasn’t until this weekend when I came into church with such an attitude of frustration over a Facebook post for crying out loud, that I realized I needed to check that attitude at the door and see what the Lord had in store for me. Woah! Was I ever glad.

Our services on Sunday were beyond. The songs, and testimonies were just what the doctor ordered to fix me up. An opportunity to lift a brother up who’s facing major surgery next week brought back to remembrance that life is fragile, and we need one another. We need an army of God’s soldiers around us to guard our back when the enemy is on attack.

Then came Amalek… Exodus 17:8a

Amalek is the nation that attacked the weakest among the Israelites as they fled from Egypt, when Israel was in a weakened condition; and God didn’t forget, He performed somewhat of an anti-memorial. When, through the power of God, Joshua in verse 13, discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword, God told Moses that he needed to write them down in a book, because otherwise nobody would know who they were.

Exodus 17:14

And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

That’s my God! He makes a note of the enemies of His people. I don’t believe it’s changed. It is believed that the book that Moses referred to was the Book of Wars written of in Numbers 21:14 ~ Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

So the attacks that I’ve felt over the past few weeks didn’t catch God off guard. I believe He’ll use it for His glory when He allows me to minister to another child of God in the future, going through a similar battle that I just went through. And then I can say, “I understand,” and I will because I fought that battle and won! And I may not have seen what God did to the enemy, perhaps nothing as of yet. But there will come a day when God takes care of it. He may still be writing in the book of wars when He tells the scribe, “Make a note of that battle Shari fought today, because there’s coming a day when that enemy of hers, won’t be around to remember.

Glory!!!! I just wrote myself happy.

How about you this Memorial Day; is there an enemy you’d like to forget? It’s coming.

Posted in Life Inspiration

When you’re going through the fire…

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through-the-fire-and-flames-we-carry-on-1

When you have to pray the prayer you didn’t want to pray…

It was that wee hour in the morning phone call no parent wants, your child’s in distress and you’re 2 hours away. Daughter Tiffani just headed in to surgery for delivery of our 6th grandchild. She’s only at 30 weeks. I’m scared, concerned for both her and the baby; needing to hug my son-in-law who is facing it alone. And I hit my knees and gave it to God, who is the Creator of all life. Who alone makes those decisions; and I want to hug Him too. But instead He hugs me.

I do the only thing I’ve known to do since 1996. Go to God and get in the Word.

It is well… He speaks to my soul.

It doesn’t feel well Lord….

It is… I hear again.

Our 2 lb 12 oz miracle came just a little after 5. Breathing on his own, and we are rejoicing.

The reality of that story is the whole time I was praying I knew it was the Creator’s decision.  I didn’t feel well; I knew “it” was well, but I still so wanted it to go the way I wanted. It is with great joy that I can say the Lord answered my prayer. Both Tiffani and Parker Keith came through with flying colors. When my son-in-love called he said, “He’s breathing on his own.” My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t evening thought he wouldn’t. The fragility of life is such that at 2 lbs 12 oz., that was a distinct possibility. God is good!

At choir practice at church on Sunday evening, I belted out the solo to the song “Through the fire.” My neighboring friend Lola said, “Wow, Shari, I don’t even think they’re going to have to ‘mic’ (microphone) you.” I knew what she meant… I have a big mouth. I told the choir there was likely a genetic reason my new grandson came out breathing on his own, God had blessed us with good lungs. But I had a reason to belt that song out, I’d been through a little fire this weekend.

Just a few hours after Parker was born, by beloved and best pal, Sammy the Jack Russell was hit by a car. It wasn’t like Sam to go near the road, but that day he did. And so I went into another spiral of emotions. He was a true companion and there for me so many times, and I didn’t even get the chance to pray. My heart was broken but the day was filled with too many responsibilities to grieve.  And so I handed him to the One Who created Him. And it was again a reminder about the fragility of life. Puppies or people, life is but a vapor.

I’m glad I know the Creator. I’m glad when the fire came, the water that quenched my thirsty soul in salvation also dampened the flames that tried to consume me.

Zechariah 13:6-9 ~ And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.  And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

Those words… what an awesome tale they tell. An Old Testament prophecy that bears the name Jesus Christ.

Sunday morning’s prayer requests at our church were almost surreal. I wasn’t the only one going through a fire, and many of them their flames were higher than mine. But the God we serve was able to bring songs and shouts of praise throughout the congregation, because He’s awesome like that.

Are you going through some flames yourself? Give it to the Creator. He may not put them out, but He’ll carry you through. If you have time today, comment and let me know how the Lord is bringing you through!

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

Is it well?

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praise

2 Kings 4:26

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

If you read the story in 2 Kings chapter 4, you realize that at the time she said “it is well,” her child was dead. Over the past couple of days I’ve watched multiple posts come and go on Facebook. Some of a greater magnitude of devastation than others. But I’m not making light of any, heartache is heartache, and it hurts. But one common thread in so many is that “come what may” – God is good, and it well. If you do not know Him you likely do not understand how someone could speak those words and “mean it” during some of the hardest days of their lives. It’s because they know that there is a day we’re all looking forward to. That day when heartache and sorrow will not exist. And all those trials we went through and glorified God, will be crowns that we can give back to our Savior. He will robe us in Glory and say “Well done my child, welcome home!”

That’s when eternity starts.

No more separation. No more pain or heartache. Just peace and happiness! Satan and his minions will be cast into a pit and will never again have access to our lives.

Do you know our Jesus? The one Who created this world, and will restore it to its perfected state one day. He loves you. He wants you to know “God is good, and it is well.” He’ll put that in your soul if you’ll give it to Him. There is something within you that lets you know there’s something missing in your life. It’s the hole where the Holy Spirit desires to reside. Once you’ve ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, with faith believing that your life is in His hands, it’s then that He’ll begin guiding you to the rest of the knowledge that you need to walk in faith.

Below is a link to what Christians call “The Road to Salvation.” Please read it and pray the prayer, not because it will save you, but because the God of Whom it speaks of will. What it will do is give you the Word of God to tuck down in your heart and marker that this is the day you trusted Jesus. This is the day that you made the decision to believe “Come what may—God is good, and it well!”

https://thejesuschick.com/the-road-to-salvation/

Posted in Easter, Life Inspiration, salvation

The First Easter Bucket

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John 4:9-14

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

I know we’re a few days past the Easter holiday, but truthfully, if we celebrate Christ in our lives every day we’re celebrating Easter; and this thought came into my mind and my heart yesterday and I needed to share it, as I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it since that time. The story of the woman at the well paints such a marvelous picture of salvation for the child of God. An interesting note about this story is that it’s the longest recorded conversation that Jesus has with any one person. And it happens to be with someone He, twice over, should not be talking to according to Jewish law. One a Samaritan, and two a woman. And yet, the Lord doesn’t stand on the formality of religion but rather He goes for the relationship. I love that about Jesus!

So here He stands (or sits, because He was weary) talking to this woman who came to the well in the hottest portion of the day, most likely to avoid people judging her, and she meets the only One worthy to judge. There’s probably a thousand points in this story, but today I’ll mention three.

  1. The Holey Bucket

The Samaritan woman came to the well prepared to get her own water and head back to the house before any of those judgmental people of her city came around. She’d had four failed relationships and was working on the fifth. She’d been let down so many times before, she knew better than to rely on anyone else to take care of her, she could take care of herself. Or so it is that I think of her. And independent woman. Her attitude with Jesus seemed to be almost sarcastic when she says “Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with….” In other words, Mister, You came here without a bucket! How do you plan on getting water?

  1. The Holy Bucket

This is what I love about the Lord, and reading His word. In the Bible according to Shari, the one that plays out in my head when I hear or read the Word of God; the one that sometimes adlibs, I hear Jesus saying… Woman, I am the bucket! I have everything you need to sustain life. You can drink of what this world has to offer for the rest of your days but at the end you’ll die of thirst because you can’t live without me.

  1. The unholy Bucket

And then she realizes there’s something different about this man. He knows her, inside and out. He tells her everything that’s been going on in her life, and yet she doesn’t feel condemned. All the sinful, shameful things she’s been doing, she knows He knows. And she also knows that what He speaks is truth. Nothing in the world has ever satisfied her. She tried everything, and every time it fails. She’s tired of coming to that well ashamed, she want to be clean. She’s tired of carrying that unholy bucket around in her life that has her labeled an unfit woman. So she cast care to the wind and says “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”

I don’t want to come here again.

Woohoo! And Hallelujah, does that story ever put a shout in my soul! If the woman had a name tag, and she doesn’t, it would likely bear our name. She every one of us who comes to Jesus with our unholy bucket trying to cleanse ourselves, and it never works.

But Jesus isn’t at the well any longer, He is the well. Because of the cross of Calvary we now have that Easter Bucket of endless living water that will allow us to live eternally with our Lord, but for now will allow us to live effectually for our Lord. For now we have purpose.

There is so much in this story I can’t possibly do it justice in a blog, but after she finished her business with the Lord at the well, she went back to the city. This time she wasn’t avoiding people she was looking for people unashamedly to tell them what the Lord had done in her life!

So… have you been to the well? If you not… go quickly! If so… tell somebody!!!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Our Greatest Ministry

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Psalm 34:8a

 O taste and see that the Lord is good:

There have been some events in my life that even the very thought of them causes me to crinkle my nose, roll my eyes and a get queasy in my gut. Times in my life that were just not stellar moments either because of something I had done, or something done to me. They’d left a bad taste in my mouth, much like the water that caused the children to murmur against Moses in Exodus 15:23-24:

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

The water was not the only thing that was bitter, so were they. Why had God brought them to this place with a promise of prosperity and then sat them before bitter water? That hardly seemed right. He’d called them His chosen, the favored of Heaven, should not they be drinking bottled water from the finest of springs? I just realized that I blogged this passage two days ago, so obviously God has a message in it for us, what is it about that bitter water?

I spent yesterday at a ladies retreat in Lexington, VA in hopes of reviving my soul. I wanted to drink from sweet fountain of Christ and be encouraged, and at days end I was, but throughout the day my heart was broken for the three guest speakers. Each had a brokenness that surpassed anything I could imagine. Yes, I’ve had my days of marah, but they paled in comparison to the loss of a family to sin, the loss of a marriage to abuse, the loss of a child to death. Inside my head I kept hearing myself say “Stop the murmuring Shari, you’re ridiculous, you’ve got nothing compared to them!”

There were several notable quotes throughout the day, I’m sure someday I’ll make them mine and totally take credit for the genius, but I can’t take credit, nor give credit for the one I’m about to write because I didn’t take down who spoke, it was said in passing and it stuck in my mind like gum to the bottom of a summer shoe.

“Our greatest ministry comes out of our greatest hurt.”

Is that deep or what? Not only deep but true. All three of the women from the retreat were not murmuring, but rahter using the bitter waters that they’d had to drink to pour sweetness into the soul of other hurting women. Other women who had stood before the same bitter waters.

I thought about what brought me to this place in my life, where I feel entitled to call myself the Jesus Chick and blog my thoughts thinking them worthy of encouraging people. “Who am I, Lord?” I’ve not got any great tragedy (thank you Jesus), what do I possibly have to give someone? I have a few bad tastes in my mouth, but not real bitterness… But then I hear “you’ve tasted my graciousness.”

1 Peter 2:3-5

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

I’m not the one found strong enough to face the tragedies  and stand before the bitter waters these women of yesterday faced, although I’m fully aware that day may come, I have no clue what tomorrow holds.  But God clearly said to me, “Everyone’s life has heartache and sorrow… so has yours. But you’ve always chosen to drink the bitter water and call Me gracious for the mercy I’ve shown you.”

This morning I’m so humbled to be a part of that spiritual house in Heaven and the holy priesthood on earth. I hope you understand that regardless of where you are or who you are in life, you are special in the site of God and worthy through His blood that was shed for you.

To “taste” is to experience. Savor the blessings of life and share that goodness with everyone you meet.

“Our greatest ministry comes out of our greatest hurt.”