I had an early morning radio interview scheduled this week, so naturally I waked-up to ask the Lord what I should share. That day, I thought I was especially fuzzy-headed. Maybe I always am but I don't notice. This time I knew my brain needed to engage and my attitude needed to quick-charge before I contacted the DJ. Somehow I needed to get in touch with the Lord. It just wouldn't do for the stories in my book to seem so distant and lifeless to me, but I know I can't breathe life into the remembrances. The Holy Spirit is the One who does that.
I had awakened with plenty of time to prepare before calling the station. However, time was passing and my every thought seemed blah and emotionless.
I remembered years ago hearing a speaker talk about how God's miraculous grace had saved his life and started him on a new path. I was so irritated when the meeting was over I raved to my friend, "If God really saved His life why doesn't he act like it? I've never been so bored by the miraculous power of God in my life!" I didn't want someone to say the same thing about me.
So, I did what I could. I prayed, I sang worship songs, I read a Bible passage and yet nothing seemed to break through the fog in my mind. After an hour or so, I asked the Lord to show me what to do. How do I connect with You if You don't reveal Yourself to me, I wondered?
Immediately, a passage of scripture came into my mind. In the first chapter of Second Peter, the Apostle was assuring his readers that Jesus had given them everything they needed for life and godliness. Then he encouraged them to strive to develop godly virtues. Finally, he warned in verse nine that anyone who doesn't "is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
As soon as I began to think about who I was and what my life had been like on the day I encountered Jesus I began to connect with Him again. Suddenly, memories of specific moments that have happened over the years began to flow through my mind and heart. Quickly, I felt the hope began to rise that I would experience God's mercies and grace one more new day as He had promised. Finally, I was caught up again in the excitement of the adventure a daily walk with Jesus has always been. After all, who can remain unemotional in the face of that reality?
My book is: Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living
To find it, click on: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Spring, Season of New Life
Last week at our Bible study, my friends and I got into a discussion on the suffering Jesus asks of us and the admonition of the Apostle Paul to seek to know Him in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. (Phil.3:10)
I've always thought Paul was talking about the suffering we experience in our quest to share the good news of a life committed to God with those who don't know Him. I believe it's the suffering I encounter when my labor is motivated by love for those Jesus loves not the suffering that results from mistakes, error or trials.
My daughter, Chrissy, is a missionary to Mongolia and she is a teacher in the Bible School that she and her husband founded there. One of the classes she teaches is Evangelism. She sent an e-mail message this week describing the end of class projects she participated in this year. Because a portion of the students had decided to have a special children's service they, along with Chrissy, struck out into the community to invite all who would attend. Here is the account in Chrissy's own words.
Half of our students did a children's service outreach. The whole project was a battle. I struggled physically the whole time. Somehow on our first visit, we were in a ger (one room house, tent) and as I sat on the bed, I was attacked by bugs and got bites all over my one hip. There were struggles the whole time. The last day I had a woman that tried to pick a fight with me out in the ger district as we were inviting the kids to come to the service. Then , I had a drunk man chasing me around. (The good thing is that I can still outrun drunk men, ha ha)
However, the children's service went incredibly well. There were 80 children that came. I estimated that 50 of them stood indicating that they had never been to church before. Many of those children prayed to receive Christ. The children's church leaders at the church were so encouraged and excited to disciple these new believers.
As Paul seemed to say, we never know what we will encounter when we step outside our church walls, but there is no suffering that can outweigh the great joy of being apart of someones new birth in Christ.
As in nature, new life in the church seems to spring forth abundantly in the Spring. Every mother will attest when she holds her baby for the first time after suffering through labor, "It was all worth it!" Don't let any hindrance keep you from experiencing this joy for yourself!
I've always thought Paul was talking about the suffering we experience in our quest to share the good news of a life committed to God with those who don't know Him. I believe it's the suffering I encounter when my labor is motivated by love for those Jesus loves not the suffering that results from mistakes, error or trials.
My daughter, Chrissy, is a missionary to Mongolia and she is a teacher in the Bible School that she and her husband founded there. One of the classes she teaches is Evangelism. She sent an e-mail message this week describing the end of class projects she participated in this year. Because a portion of the students had decided to have a special children's service they, along with Chrissy, struck out into the community to invite all who would attend. Here is the account in Chrissy's own words.
Half of our students did a children's service outreach. The whole project was a battle. I struggled physically the whole time. Somehow on our first visit, we were in a ger (one room house, tent) and as I sat on the bed, I was attacked by bugs and got bites all over my one hip. There were struggles the whole time. The last day I had a woman that tried to pick a fight with me out in the ger district as we were inviting the kids to come to the service. Then , I had a drunk man chasing me around. (The good thing is that I can still outrun drunk men, ha ha)
However, the children's service went incredibly well. There were 80 children that came. I estimated that 50 of them stood indicating that they had never been to church before. Many of those children prayed to receive Christ. The children's church leaders at the church were so encouraged and excited to disciple these new believers.
As Paul seemed to say, we never know what we will encounter when we step outside our church walls, but there is no suffering that can outweigh the great joy of being apart of someones new birth in Christ.
As in nature, new life in the church seems to spring forth abundantly in the Spring. Every mother will attest when she holds her baby for the first time after suffering through labor, "It was all worth it!" Don't let any hindrance keep you from experiencing this joy for yourself!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
He Hears Our Calls
Sometimes something happens that brings a scripture verse to my mind with such stunning clarity it rolls around my head like a marble. That is what happened to me last week when I listened to a young woman's testimony of God's deliverance.
Her story was one of spousal abuse so intense and evil it rivaled any fictitious tale of horror and suspense out today. This young mother knows how to tell a story! She had me on the edge of my seat as she detailed the harrowing events of a two and a half year period in her early twenties.
As her tormentor's cruelty continued to escalate I thought, there hasn't been a newspaper account or Lifetime movie to top this. And I couldn't help wondering, how did you escape?
My friend's terror continued to grow until she entered a phase where she was compliant and depressed. Having been thwarted by her husband at every turn, she was finally convinced there was no hope and he would do exactly what he threatened...kill her. Facing imminent death one snowy night, however, she connected with God as a person, not a concept. "If anything I've ever heard about You is true, show me!" she begged.
His answer came swiftly a few minutes later! That was when the verse flew into my mind with a resounding, "Tuh-dum!"
"It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24 (NKJV)
I suddenly had a vision of God sitting on the edge of His seat intently watching her every move. His love for her so great that He didn't want to miss the moment she might turn to Him. His gift of deliverance had been prepared long before. He was just waiting for her call.
In that moment, I was amazed all over again by the love Jesus has for us. It's so much greater than we can imagine or understand. Often we are so caught up in our trouble we don't think about why God is waiting. All the while He's waiting for that moment of connection when we call and He can act.
(I'm in the process of writing an account of my friend's testimony of God's miraculous grace. I'll post it on my story group when it's finished. Be sure to look for it. If you're not a member of the group send me your e-mail address and I'll add you to the group or you can join by clicking on: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thegracedgoup/ and follow the prompts under Invite.)
If you're looking for a copy of my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on my website: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell or http://www.amazon.com
Her story was one of spousal abuse so intense and evil it rivaled any fictitious tale of horror and suspense out today. This young mother knows how to tell a story! She had me on the edge of my seat as she detailed the harrowing events of a two and a half year period in her early twenties.
As her tormentor's cruelty continued to escalate I thought, there hasn't been a newspaper account or Lifetime movie to top this. And I couldn't help wondering, how did you escape?
My friend's terror continued to grow until she entered a phase where she was compliant and depressed. Having been thwarted by her husband at every turn, she was finally convinced there was no hope and he would do exactly what he threatened...kill her. Facing imminent death one snowy night, however, she connected with God as a person, not a concept. "If anything I've ever heard about You is true, show me!" she begged.
His answer came swiftly a few minutes later! That was when the verse flew into my mind with a resounding, "Tuh-dum!"
"It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24 (NKJV)
I suddenly had a vision of God sitting on the edge of His seat intently watching her every move. His love for her so great that He didn't want to miss the moment she might turn to Him. His gift of deliverance had been prepared long before. He was just waiting for her call.
In that moment, I was amazed all over again by the love Jesus has for us. It's so much greater than we can imagine or understand. Often we are so caught up in our trouble we don't think about why God is waiting. All the while He's waiting for that moment of connection when we call and He can act.
(I'm in the process of writing an account of my friend's testimony of God's miraculous grace. I'll post it on my story group when it's finished. Be sure to look for it. If you're not a member of the group send me your e-mail address and I'll add you to the group or you can join by clicking on: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thegracedgoup/ and follow the prompts under Invite.)
If you're looking for a copy of my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on my website: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell or http://www.amazon.com
Monday, May 7, 2012
It's All About Him
In 1966 as a twenty-something young woman I entered into a walk with God. As often happens, I'm more grateful everyday that He sent a mentor, Barbara, to come along side me to share her experience, strength, and hope. She taught me to hear Jesus' voice and recognize the path I was seeking. One of the first principles I learned was to daily entrust my life and my will to Gods care as I understood Him to be my guide and Lord.
Many years later I was nearing sixty when I attended a week long conference at my church. There was only one speaker and he only had one message, "Walking with Jesus is not about me, it's all about Him."
As I left the church after the second evening I was bored! How could I sit through a full week of such old information, I wondered? There wasn't anything the man said that I hadn 't heard a million times! Silently, I began to complain to the Lord, "Isn't there anyone who knows You better than I do anymore? Is there any minister who can inspire me rather than plow up old ground?" I was on a roll, waxing more eloquent with each complaint when the Lord spoke to me.
"If you know this so well, why aren't you teaching it?" He asked.
That shut me up! As I pondered the question searching for an answer I realized I had been deceived. Because I had heard the principle, could even quote it, I thought I was living it. But the truth was I had many internal conflicts that were caused by my own ambitions and desires. Many of my thoughts and prayers reflected my discontent and I had not seen it until now.
I repented for my rotten attitude before I reached home and asked God to shine His light on my heart. However, even though I listened with a new hope for the rest of the week I knew I had not had a breakthrough. I was merely more convinced every evening that there was a missing element in my relationship with Jesus and I needed to find it. I bought all of the speaker's tapes when the conference was over.
In the next weeks I completed the move to the Dallas area I had been planning. My job turned out to be about thirty miles by highway from my house. For three months I played those tapes over and over. As soon as one ended, I replaced it with the next. Going and coming from my work I listened and prayed that God was changing my heart so that I could change my mind.
Finally, one day I knew I had it. A friend was dealing me grief, but instead of thinking about myself my prayers were all about how to help her. As Time passed I realized my ambitions and desires for myself were fading while my concerns for those around me were growing.
On one of the tapes the teacher had said, "If we experience the glorious joy of God touching someones life through us then we will become hooked." I agree. Like the old Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson movie, it makes for a "magnificent obsession."
Many years later I was nearing sixty when I attended a week long conference at my church. There was only one speaker and he only had one message, "Walking with Jesus is not about me, it's all about Him."
As I left the church after the second evening I was bored! How could I sit through a full week of such old information, I wondered? There wasn't anything the man said that I hadn 't heard a million times! Silently, I began to complain to the Lord, "Isn't there anyone who knows You better than I do anymore? Is there any minister who can inspire me rather than plow up old ground?" I was on a roll, waxing more eloquent with each complaint when the Lord spoke to me.
"If you know this so well, why aren't you teaching it?" He asked.
That shut me up! As I pondered the question searching for an answer I realized I had been deceived. Because I had heard the principle, could even quote it, I thought I was living it. But the truth was I had many internal conflicts that were caused by my own ambitions and desires. Many of my thoughts and prayers reflected my discontent and I had not seen it until now.
I repented for my rotten attitude before I reached home and asked God to shine His light on my heart. However, even though I listened with a new hope for the rest of the week I knew I had not had a breakthrough. I was merely more convinced every evening that there was a missing element in my relationship with Jesus and I needed to find it. I bought all of the speaker's tapes when the conference was over.
In the next weeks I completed the move to the Dallas area I had been planning. My job turned out to be about thirty miles by highway from my house. For three months I played those tapes over and over. As soon as one ended, I replaced it with the next. Going and coming from my work I listened and prayed that God was changing my heart so that I could change my mind.
Finally, one day I knew I had it. A friend was dealing me grief, but instead of thinking about myself my prayers were all about how to help her. As Time passed I realized my ambitions and desires for myself were fading while my concerns for those around me were growing.
On one of the tapes the teacher had said, "If we experience the glorious joy of God touching someones life through us then we will become hooked." I agree. Like the old Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson movie, it makes for a "magnificent obsession."
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