Who Will Go?

By Venus Schrader

Who Will Go?

Who or What is this voice I hear?

This rage

This fear

I see the gazelle, she wants to run

Run fast

Run strong

Run long and hard

Filling her lungs with new air

New life

Her heart pumping new blood

The darkness moves swiftly

Shadows try to overtake her

She never looks back

It would mean death

They would capture her soul

Her life would be over

Her body is weak

The darkness knows she is tired

Her legs lose their spring

Her stride is small

She hears a small still voice

I love you

I love you

I will never leave you

Don't give up

Don't brake your stride

Out of the darkness the gazelle sprints

Running

Running fast

Fast long strides

Her head lifted

Her back high

Strong eyes wide open

Full of life

Her heart pumping new blood

New energy

A fire in her belly

The darkness is fading

Over the hills she runs

Through the valleys

Over the streams

She sees the mountains

She runs faster than ever before

The air is clean and good

With tenacity she approaches the mountain

Higher and higher with each step

She is stronger

The top of the mountain in view

The darkness will not find me here

Peace

Quiet

Light and warmth

The sweet smell of LOVE

She looks from the mountain

Courage to look back

She sees the darkness

A consuming ball of smoke

Twisting and twirling

Destroying it's prey

She hears the cries

Loud

Anguish

Who will go?

Down the mountain

She runs

Runs fast

Runs strong

Her heart pumping new blood

When the pressures of my personal life press in on me I ask myself, Am I fit to serve?

The imperfections of my past creep in to challenge my ability to be of use in the kingdom of God.

Before long I feel like this gazelle weak and afraid.

                            Too tired to fight.

                                    Too weak to serve.

Then Jesus reminds me that  he is my strength. Zechariah 4:6 says:

Then he said, "This is God's message to Zerubbabel: Not by might , nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty - you will succeed because of my Spirit, though you are few and weak.”

God's word draws us in to His presence. And like the gazelle, we find our strength in His presence and the darkness fades away. Amen.

The Bible says:

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

God has created each of us for such a time as this.

You can do all things through Christ your strength.

Like the gazelle run your race with courage - your heart pumping new blood.

Your Turn:  In what areas of your life are you like the gazelle?

                   In what ways has God directed your path during the hard times?

Will you go?

Bio: My husband and I, three daughters and one granddaughter landed in Wilmington, NC five years ago. I enjoy spending time with family and friends exploring the wonders of life. As God leads I hope to express this journey of life through the beauty of words.

Are You Denying Christ?

A gate in Galilee, photo by Andy Lee

Written by, Laura Menefee

“You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
 “I am not.” replied Peter.
 “Didn’t I see you with Him in the olive grove?”
 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
 This was the third time that Peter denied that he knew the Lord (John 18:25-27).

A haunting scene. As soon as the denial slipped out of Peter's fearful mouth, the memory of Jesus' words flashed back. Peter had promised he'd follow Jesus even unto death.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers"  (Luke 22:31-32).

Can you imagine hearing these words from Jesus? 

Have you ever had a time in your life when you failed God?  Perhaps you made a decision that you knew He did not want you to make.  Perhaps you face an addiction that you try day after day to break, yet you seem to fall right back into the habit.  Maybe you can’t stand the pressure.  It is just too much at times to fight the fight and live a Holy and pleasing life.  Maybe you secretly long to do just whatever with no thought of the repercussions. 

It is easy to wonder why Simon Peter would walk away from the Lord whom he chose to follow.  It’s easy to blame him and think, “How could he do that?"   

Peter is not alone though. Many of us have failed Christ too.

But Jesus prayed for Simon Peter.  He also prays for you and me.  

I recently went through a time of severe spiritual attack.  I felt the presence of warfare as strong as being on the battlefield.  I felt alone—like no one was there fighting with me.  The truth is that the God of heaven and of earth was praying for me that I would not lose faith, that I would be strong and trust in Him.

I tried and tried to keep the faith and be strong but I failed.  

I no longer feel like I am living in that battlefield.  I feel relief, but I also realize what I lost by giving in. I regret being weak. 

But I’m encouraged by this passage and its truth. It reminds me that God will still use me even when I fail. I love when Christ says, “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 

Simon Peter went on to be used by God in a great way. God still had a plan and a purpose for his life.  He also has a plan and a purpose for us. 

Are you letting a failure in your life hold you back?  Don’t allow yourself to be held captive any longer.  Give what you have and what you are to God.  Let Him do the work to use the heart that you have for him.  Simon Peter did!

Bio:   Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 1998, Laura Menefee has learned to live through very painful emotional times. She shares her experience through writing and speaking, hoping to bring awareness. She lives in Wilmington NC, but is originally from Northern Kentucky.

How to Shatter Bloggers Block: A Poem

Written by, Andy Lee


All day long I've wondered....
"What should I write?"
The blinking cursor on my computer screen
Has mocked me with delight.


I've searched the caverns of my brain
Looking for the perfect story
Crawled through cobwebbed memories
Only to decide they were all boring.

Don't I have something wonderful to tell?
Something that will change a life?
Isn't that the purpose of this job?
Is that holding me back or my pride?

But then I remembered that nothing is easy
Nothing that matters deeply in life.
And yet I often take myself too seriously
I must find balance between grace and strife.

That's when the fear that chained my hands
From tapping on the keys,
Was shattered like shards of glass
And my brain was suddenly freed.

My fingers began to type the first
Sentence of this benign poem
And joy was restored to my heart
As a new blog post was born.

Yes, we write to make a difference
We write to tell a story
But writing has many purposes
Otherwise, it would be boring.

So, the lesson learned my writing friends
When writer's block dumbfounds
Just simply begin typing your first thoughts
And words will abound.

For just the right purposes
Whether laughter, learning or tears.
Trust the One whose called you to this.
He will be faithful all your years.




With Joy,

Bio: Andy Lee is a mentor for Word Weavers International, an inspirational speaker, and Christian Living writer. She's a self-proclaimed Bible study geek who loves to teach others how to dig into the ancient languages of the Bible where it breathes.This Oklahoma girl loves living on the coast of North Carolina with her husband and three almost-all-grown-up children. Find her words of encouragement at www.wordsbyandylee.com. 

Times of Uncertainty Prove God's Faithfulness

Photo by JoAnne Sylvia

Written by: JoAnne Sylvia

Psalm 13 (NIV):

    How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?

      How long will you hide your face from me?

    How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

      and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

    Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

      Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

    and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

      and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

    But I trust in your unfailing love;

      my heart rejoices in your salvation.

    I will sing the Lord’s praise,

      for he has been good to me.

This psalm takes me back to the grief...the pain of separation after being married for 20 years, followed by an unexpected divorce. I believed that my husband and I would grow old together, that when the kids were grown, we would travel across country in an RV like my parents did.

I could not understand how God could have let this happen. I felt deserted and confused.

Even I didn't know what a wreck I was after the divorce, until I woke up from the nightmare of a sick rebound relationship which I often call "The Year of Hell."

In the years that followed, I wondered what was wrong with me, that I couldn't find anyone right for me to date, let alone, marry. It seemed like I was alone for a long time, but in retrospect, it wasn't that long, and I was never alone.

God was with me the whole time. My guardian angel walked beside me, shaking her head in exasperation. And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, was always there, lighting the path of love that led back to the fold.

Jeremiah 29:11 was my life preserver.

    "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give your hope and a future."

Maybe God wanted me to be single so I could accomplish more, because relationships do take time and effort, even the good ones.  And the unhealthy relationships, well, they can be insanely distracting, taking us way off course...

(Or maybe not off course, but learning what we need to change to be ready for the gift.)

What I know now is that I had to work on me, and be a better parent and draw closer to God.  I had to love myself and do what was right for me as a single person.  I kept going to the church where I felt accepted and cherished. I kept working and learning, singing and enjoying creation. I kept putting one foot in front of the other, loving the family and friends who walked beside me.

And God did have a plan!

The Lord has been good to me, with many blessings, including bringing my soul mate to me when the time was perfect.

In times of uncertainty, I must remember God's mercy and let my heart rejoice! 

Photo by JoAnne Sylvia

Bio: JoAnne Silvia has worked as a substance abuse counselor for over 26 years. She is currently working on the memoir, Perfect Timing, Lessons in Love, Faith and Perseverance, with her husband David, her high school sweetheart who found her after 39 years of no contact when the time was right. You can find more of JoAnne’s writing on her blog: “Anything is Possible,” at Joannaoftheforest.wordpress.com

My Little Pony

By Angie Mojica-Barnes

     I was reminiscing with a good friend about all the toys I wanted as a child but never got. I was the fourth of five children in a single parent home and money was always tight. I recalled to my friend that the one toy I always wanted was a My Little Pony horse. I did get the off-brand one once, but to my trained little girl’s eye, I knew it was NOT the real deal. What made it bittersweet was that my cousins, my usual playmates, owned a slew of them. How I loved playing with those ponies, and my cousins too.

     After swapping stories of lost childhood longings, I promptly forgot about the conversation and went to work. During my lunch hour, I walked by a lake engrossed in my thoughts. It was a lovely spring day and I came to stand at the edge of the lake on the grass. Glancing down at my feet, I saw what at first looked like a blur of hairy colors. Curious, I bent down, picked it up, only to discover it was a My Little Pony! It was the real deal, a pink and purple miniature Pegasus; it was lying in the grass waiting for me to find it. It even had the logo on the bottom left leg. I put in in my pocket and walked on, my heart swelling and a lightness washing over me.

     I have often wondered at times if God heard my prayers and forgot me while he was handing out good things to others. It was as if I looked at God through the lens of a broken glass, while he still looked at me as the little girl whom he loves perfectly. God gave me a sweet reminder that day, in the form of purple plastic. I will tuck it away in my heart and remember he does not forget.

Isaiah 49:15 says: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.

What about you friend? What has God done for you that you need to remember today?

Angie Mojica-Barnes is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina. She is a secretary by day and a writer by night. She loves Jesus, dancing and all things encouraging.

Dancing Through the Pain

By Beth Jarrott

In my mid-30’s, I was sick, in constant pain, and weighed a mere 89 pounds.

I sought help from numerous doctors. Only they had no answers.

                                                                      Photo courtesy Sigrid Gombert/Gallery Stock

Pain radiated from the lower left side of my back to under an anomalously, protruding left ribcage. The pain was so intense at times that I could only breathe in quick, shallow breaths. Worse still, was the unrelenting nausea. At one point I was so dehydrated, I had to be hospitalized.

I knew something was wrong.

Horribly wrong.

Over the next four years my symptoms continued. Although the pain lessened some, the nausea remained and I grew thinner and weaker by the day.

I felt helpless.

Comfort came in the form of Psalms. As a child, I’d memorized Psalm 23. Only now did I understand the true depth and breadth of David’s words.

                                                                             Photo Courtesy Kevin Kelly

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

While in this valley of unexplained sickness, I decided to embrace the pain. Lean on God. And dance like David.

I was a member of a Davidic (Hebrew) dance troupe and drew succor from worshipping like King David. One evening while rehearsing an especially difficult maneuver, I twisted too quickly. I dropped to the floor as pain shot through my left side. It felt like I’d cracked a rib. The following morning I called an orthopedic specialist.

 

Dr. Jenkins was young, affable, and seemed genuinely concerned. He ordered a bone scan to assess for trauma or fractures that are otherwise difficult to locate during a normal x-ray.

Following the scan Dr. Jenkins entered the room with a worried expression and asked, “Were you born without a left kidney?”

Both shocked and alarmed, I answered, “No. I should have two kidneys! Why?”

 “Your bones are fine, but only your right kidney appears on the scan.”

                                                                           Photo courtesy Clare Kendall

Immediately, I was whisked to the hospital where a battery of tests determined I did have a left kidney, only it no longer functioned. Consequently, a Nephrologist was summoned where he performed a left nephrectomy (kidney removal).

As the Nephrologist removed the dead kidney it crumbled in his hands. He said it was a miracle it had not turned gangrene. Apparently my kidney died because the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney, ruptured. As a result, it leaked toxins into my body and caused me to become very ill.
 

Were it not for the dance incident, my health would have continued to decline. I thank God for the mysterious way He worked on my behalf.

As for me, I’ll continue dancing through the valleys.

                                                                     Photo courtesy favim.com

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The Lord works on our behalf every day. Can you identify ways He has miraculously intervened on your behalf?

-Beth

Beth Jarrott is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina, where she lives an Encore Life  with her husband, Tom, and their two granddaughters, Grace and Bella. For over a decade she traveled throughout North Carolina providing self-esteem programs in youth prisons, detention centers and training schools. She is also a writer, speaker, lover of Jesus, and in the summer months she can often be found dipping her toes into the great Atlantic Ocean. Visit her blog: My Encore Life of Raising myGrandchildren. (click on link)