It's funny to me that those who claim to be atheists or agnostics look down on Christians as emotional or mental wimps needing a crutch to get through life while Christian leaders are warning their congregations more and more often that the Christian life is not for the faint hearted. Since I have followed Christ as best I could for almost 48 years now. I have an opinion. This is not the life for anyone seeking an easy ride and if miracles along your journey do not excite you, then this is definitely not the way for you to go. I've come to the conclusion that the life Jesus asks us to live is impossible without His miraculous power.
There was one event in my life that allowed me to compare life with God and life without. That event was divorce. My husband and I were divorced the first time when we were 25 years old and had been married 5 years. At the time, I thought I was a Christian because I believed that Jesus was the son of God, however, I had not committed my life to Him. I attended church when I chose and didn't want to get too involved with the people. I believed I was in control of my life and should be!
So, opting for divorce as an answer to my problems I believed it was entirely up to me to make my life a success. But why wouldn't I, I was capable, I reasoned. However, I was not prepared for the demons of fear, worry, and loneliness that took up residence with me. I learned quickly that when any of them became overwhelming I had choices of medications...alcohol, food, men, or money. But none of them brought permanent relief and all of them left lingering consequences that brougtht greater misery.
For no reason I've ever discerned, my children who had only seen their doctor for shots and well check-ups were suddenly being rushed to the emergency room with spiking temperatures or bleeding injuries. No matter how long or hard I worked I couldn't get ahead. What didn't go to the hospital went to the baby-sitter or to a member of my own family who took my rent money while I was at work. The men who claimed to be enamored of me quickly proved to be untrustworthy and alcohol was out of the question since I needed to be clear-headed to worry. Yet, I was proud to be in control of my life and decisions.
The result of five long months of that agony brought me face to face with a question of life and death. Nothing short of that seemed to break through my stubbornness. At that moment, to my everlasting gratitude Jesus came to me. My life was redeemed and I was converted.
I remarried my husband and we were married for the next 27 years then we were divorced again. The second time I thought I was prepared for the loneliness, doubt, and brokenness that divorce produces. However, doing things God's way rather than hardening my heart and medicating my feelings was even more painful than before. It was intensely painful to try to keep a tender, open heart toward those who were angry, judgmental, or critical with me. I quoted Psalms 46:1(paraphrased) to myself every few minutes for years. "God, You're my refuge and strength, my ever persent help in times of trouble."
I could never have forgiven those around me if He had not constantly touched my emotions and directed my steps (through others as well as the Holy Spirit). There's no way to describe the heartache of remorse or the despair of dying dreams and desires. However, because God comforted me I've been able to come into peace with every person and I still have friends today who proved to be so trustworthy they walked through the deepest valley with me. There were times I was alone but I was never lonely like I was the first time and every obstacle of potential defeat has crumbled before it could do me permanent harm.
There were so many times I wanted to cut and run from the pain or problem I was facing, but without fail God sent soneone(s) to encourage me to continue. He really doesn't give up and if I hold onto Him I won't either. I learned it takes courage, real courage, and strength of character to lean on Jesus alone when I'm walking in unfamiliar territoy. But it seems like the Lord can only bring about His victory in my life if I follow Him through the flood or fire of traumatic circumstances. That means I've got to be all in with Jesus lest I wound someone by my selfishness.
Thinking about it, I've got to admit the rationales' of the atheists or agnostics make me smile when I hear them. I know what they don't. I have fought (and suffered) to become strong and courageous. That's not something their arguments can take away.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Choose Joy
For the last two weeks it seemed like all my things and many parts of my body were falling apart! None were getting fixed even though I presented each to the Lord every morning. The wreckage just seemed to be piling up.
When God didn't seem to be listening to my prayers I began to hear a good friend's voice in my head. Over and over during this last year she had said, "It seems like my body fell apart in my 74th year."
Alarmed, I asked, "Oh, my God, is this what I've got to look forward to all next year?" (I'll be 74 in a couple of months.) Needless to say, I was getting more impatient, disheartened, and discouraged with each new problem. My burden was becoming heavy indeed.
Then Connie, one of my daughters, called. After listening to my complaints for awhile she said, "OK. I'm going to pray for you." That helped me change my attitude, but it wasn't all the Lord had planned.
A couple of days later, eight of us attended Connie's birthday lunch. Because of our talk she bought everone who attendd a 'Joy Journal'. When I explained the circumstances I was going through several others began to share all the problems piling up at their homes. But none of them had connected their attitude to a lack of joy either.
However, later that afternoon I was listening to an interview with Ann Romney. The reporter asked how she kept a positive attitude in the face of breast cancer and MS. She said, "I learned a longtime ago to choose joy."
Sometimes I'm thick-headed but not that day. I clearly got the message and wondered why I even needed the reminder. I had learned many years ago that the Holy Spirit brought joy into my heart but I had to choose to keep walking in the attitude. Also, even though joy makes me so spiritually strong I can fight any spiritual battle it is so fragile that disappointment, discouragement, and impatience, let alone unbelief, are enough to drain my supply and leave me dry and feeling defeated.
Choosing joy again has totally changed my preception of my life. The problems haven't yet changed but I have. The burdens are no longer heavy and I have no doubt that what I need, God will supply. Maybe because we humans continually need the reminder of others is one of the reasons the writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on..." (The Message, 10:25) Thank you, Connie, Lacey, and Jan!
When God didn't seem to be listening to my prayers I began to hear a good friend's voice in my head. Over and over during this last year she had said, "It seems like my body fell apart in my 74th year."
Alarmed, I asked, "Oh, my God, is this what I've got to look forward to all next year?" (I'll be 74 in a couple of months.) Needless to say, I was getting more impatient, disheartened, and discouraged with each new problem. My burden was becoming heavy indeed.
Then Connie, one of my daughters, called. After listening to my complaints for awhile she said, "OK. I'm going to pray for you." That helped me change my attitude, but it wasn't all the Lord had planned.
A couple of days later, eight of us attended Connie's birthday lunch. Because of our talk she bought everone who attendd a 'Joy Journal'. When I explained the circumstances I was going through several others began to share all the problems piling up at their homes. But none of them had connected their attitude to a lack of joy either.
However, later that afternoon I was listening to an interview with Ann Romney. The reporter asked how she kept a positive attitude in the face of breast cancer and MS. She said, "I learned a longtime ago to choose joy."
Sometimes I'm thick-headed but not that day. I clearly got the message and wondered why I even needed the reminder. I had learned many years ago that the Holy Spirit brought joy into my heart but I had to choose to keep walking in the attitude. Also, even though joy makes me so spiritually strong I can fight any spiritual battle it is so fragile that disappointment, discouragement, and impatience, let alone unbelief, are enough to drain my supply and leave me dry and feeling defeated.
Choosing joy again has totally changed my preception of my life. The problems haven't yet changed but I have. The burdens are no longer heavy and I have no doubt that what I need, God will supply. Maybe because we humans continually need the reminder of others is one of the reasons the writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on..." (The Message, 10:25) Thank you, Connie, Lacey, and Jan!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Easy Mentoring
When my Bible study group was discussing activating blessing streams* our leader, Judy, said she was going to take her granddaughter, Mackenzie, with her. Mackenzie is in grade school and will be spending much of the summer with Judy because her parents both work. "I think she'll really like doing that," Judy said.
Thinking over our conversation reminded me of the year and a half before my youngest daughter, Carrie, started to school. At that time everything about my relationship and understanding of God seemed like new. Instead of reading the latest best seller or watching TV in my spare time I read my Bible, testimony books, or attended classes. I was fascinated by the nature and abilities of God, so I was willing to try any new activity I heard about to get closer to Him. After all, I reasoned, if it doesn't work or I look foolish who will know?
One morning, I was committing my day to God while I brushed my teeth (as was my normal routine) when a thought passed through my mind, "Go into the living room, bow down at the couch and pray out loud." That idea was so startling I sputtered and spewed toothpaste all over the sink! I had quit bowing to pray out loud since bedtime when I was 3 or 4. My average morning devotional consisted of a little reading and a little silent prayer accompanied by a cup of coffee and a cigarette before I dressed for work. However, the more I thought about it the more convinced I was that God must have made the outrageous suggestion...I never would have!
The older girls were already at school. Carrie and her baby-sitter were playing in her room. I seldom saw her until I was ready to leave the house. This is a good time to see what happens, I decided.
I got myself situated at the couch and addressed the Lord. Just the sound of my voice was so intimidating all thought flew from my mind! There I remained with my eyes screwed shut, my head bowed, and my hands folded trying to think of something to pray for anyone that I knew. But my overriding thought was, this is much harder and more embarrassing than I thought!
After mumbling "help her/him" after each name I could think of I called it quits, even though I knew this was going to require lots more practice. I rose from my knees and turned to find Carrie and her babysitter standing behind me. They were staring at me as though awe-struck with their mouths hanging open! Without a word, I lifted my chin, stiffened my spine and proceeded to my bedroom. However, the next morning as I knelt at the couch Carrie silently came to kneel beside me, bowed her head and folded her hands. It only seemed polite to ask her if there was someone or something she wanted to pray for before I stood up. That was how she became my prayer partner.
Driving around from one errand to another seemed like a good time to practice the choruses we were singing at church. They were new to me and difficult to remember. However, when a tune or lyric eluded me I was surprised that Carrie could often insert it. We drove around town singing at the top of our lungs. I don't know if it helped Carrie learn the songs, but by the next Sunday I could sing most of the selections instead of just humming along.
Then, one day I told Carrie about a testimony I'd heard where God directed a woman to a specific house to meet a specific need. "Do you want to practice and see what happens with us?" I asked. Immediately alert, she sat up straight and nodded emphatically. So, we did. Asking and listening, we twisted and turned along the streets of Lubbock until the Lord seemed to say, "Here." I parked while Carrie and I prayed for the people who lived in the house (sometimes houses.) We prayed everything we could think of until we were finally prayed out. Then, we ran our errands, visited friends or whatever else we needed to do.
There were many other 'spiritual games' we played that year. Mostly it just seemed like fun, but through the years there have been times I've thought, if I hadn't practiced that year I wouldn't be prepared to handle whatever was happening now.
As for Carrie, she was a normal kid growing up, but it did seem to be natural for her to hear God's voice. One night when she was 11 we had to take her to our home group meeting. We always got sitters for that meeting but since my older girls had plans we took Carrie along. During the meeting I could see Carrie sprawled on the floor of the next room coloring paper napkins to entertain herself. When we broke for refreshments she came to my side. I thought she wanted something to eat and drink but she said in a voice just above a whisper, "Mommy, God told me something for your group."
"He did?" I asked surprised.
She handed me a folded orange napkin as she nodded. Opening the napkin I found a message printed in her childish scrawl, "Oh, my children I shall love you all of your lives I shall never leave you. My children trust in me all of your needs shall be supplied." (punctuation Carrie's)
*See blessing streams in my blog Let the Church Be the Church posted on June 4, 2012
If you're looking for my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell
Thinking over our conversation reminded me of the year and a half before my youngest daughter, Carrie, started to school. At that time everything about my relationship and understanding of God seemed like new. Instead of reading the latest best seller or watching TV in my spare time I read my Bible, testimony books, or attended classes. I was fascinated by the nature and abilities of God, so I was willing to try any new activity I heard about to get closer to Him. After all, I reasoned, if it doesn't work or I look foolish who will know?
One morning, I was committing my day to God while I brushed my teeth (as was my normal routine) when a thought passed through my mind, "Go into the living room, bow down at the couch and pray out loud." That idea was so startling I sputtered and spewed toothpaste all over the sink! I had quit bowing to pray out loud since bedtime when I was 3 or 4. My average morning devotional consisted of a little reading and a little silent prayer accompanied by a cup of coffee and a cigarette before I dressed for work. However, the more I thought about it the more convinced I was that God must have made the outrageous suggestion...I never would have!
The older girls were already at school. Carrie and her baby-sitter were playing in her room. I seldom saw her until I was ready to leave the house. This is a good time to see what happens, I decided.
I got myself situated at the couch and addressed the Lord. Just the sound of my voice was so intimidating all thought flew from my mind! There I remained with my eyes screwed shut, my head bowed, and my hands folded trying to think of something to pray for anyone that I knew. But my overriding thought was, this is much harder and more embarrassing than I thought!
After mumbling "help her/him" after each name I could think of I called it quits, even though I knew this was going to require lots more practice. I rose from my knees and turned to find Carrie and her babysitter standing behind me. They were staring at me as though awe-struck with their mouths hanging open! Without a word, I lifted my chin, stiffened my spine and proceeded to my bedroom. However, the next morning as I knelt at the couch Carrie silently came to kneel beside me, bowed her head and folded her hands. It only seemed polite to ask her if there was someone or something she wanted to pray for before I stood up. That was how she became my prayer partner.
Driving around from one errand to another seemed like a good time to practice the choruses we were singing at church. They were new to me and difficult to remember. However, when a tune or lyric eluded me I was surprised that Carrie could often insert it. We drove around town singing at the top of our lungs. I don't know if it helped Carrie learn the songs, but by the next Sunday I could sing most of the selections instead of just humming along.
Then, one day I told Carrie about a testimony I'd heard where God directed a woman to a specific house to meet a specific need. "Do you want to practice and see what happens with us?" I asked. Immediately alert, she sat up straight and nodded emphatically. So, we did. Asking and listening, we twisted and turned along the streets of Lubbock until the Lord seemed to say, "Here." I parked while Carrie and I prayed for the people who lived in the house (sometimes houses.) We prayed everything we could think of until we were finally prayed out. Then, we ran our errands, visited friends or whatever else we needed to do.
There were many other 'spiritual games' we played that year. Mostly it just seemed like fun, but through the years there have been times I've thought, if I hadn't practiced that year I wouldn't be prepared to handle whatever was happening now.
As for Carrie, she was a normal kid growing up, but it did seem to be natural for her to hear God's voice. One night when she was 11 we had to take her to our home group meeting. We always got sitters for that meeting but since my older girls had plans we took Carrie along. During the meeting I could see Carrie sprawled on the floor of the next room coloring paper napkins to entertain herself. When we broke for refreshments she came to my side. I thought she wanted something to eat and drink but she said in a voice just above a whisper, "Mommy, God told me something for your group."
"He did?" I asked surprised.
She handed me a folded orange napkin as she nodded. Opening the napkin I found a message printed in her childish scrawl, "Oh, my children I shall love you all of your lives I shall never leave you. My children trust in me all of your needs shall be supplied." (punctuation Carrie's)
*See blessing streams in my blog Let the Church Be the Church posted on June 4, 2012
If you're looking for my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell
Monday, June 4, 2012
Let the Church Be the Church
Some of the major responsibilities of the church are to pass along the encouragement, comfort and strength found in living with Jesus. Today the church is taking a beating and many are saying the church needs to be more proactive. This weekend a scripture verse and a quote have been circling in my thoughts to the exclusion of everything else. I have finally decided that the Lord wants me to share them in order to dispel them.
The scripture is a comment in the verse II Samuel 11:1 "The following spring, the time of year when Kings go to war..." (NLT) The quote was repeated several times by our guest speaker, Charles Fiesel, in his sermon yesterday, "For the church to be the church, the church has to get out of the church."
For many years Christian pastors have been teaching that we fight the war against our enemy, the devil, by praising God. Also, many pastors across our land have become convinced that rather than expecting people to come to us we must go out to where they are if we are going to help them. My pastor is one of those.
Last night we had this year's first 'party in the park' for the park's surrounding residents. It was so much fun! We had food, drawings for lots of prizes, balloon animals, a wonderful variety show, and to top it off an opportunity to accept Jesus and start a new life for everyone who attended. What a blast!
However, as much fun as these parties are, waiting for the next planned event is not enough excitement for me. The day before I had had several errands to run and wanted to complete them early. I was congratulating myself when I realized I had made every stop and it wasn't yet nine o'clock. Then, I had a thought, "Go by McDonald's and start a blessing stream."
I hadn't ever thought in those exact terms but I knew what it meant. There was a McDonald's a few blocks up ahead so I pulled right into the Drive Thru and almost immediately a woman pulled in behind me. For the first time I felt that the simple random act of kindness I planned was more than an insignificant little incident. "Since God suggested the activity He must have brought the person He wanted to bless into line behind me." I reasoned. So, as I waited to reach the window to pay for her order as well as mine, I prayed for her.
As I prayed thoughts began to materialize. What if there were many 'blessing streams' active in town on the same day? What if several people made passes by a Drive Thru somewhere and the receivers decided to become givers to the next person in line? What if, while waiting, each one prayed that the stranger behind them would be blessed by God and his needs met? Would it make a difference in our city? Wouldn't it be fun to see?
If this experiment seems fun to you and you want to start a stream, let me know. I'll coordinate a day. Leave a comment on this blog or e-mail me at: mariannecassell@yahoo.com
If you're looking for my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell
The scripture is a comment in the verse II Samuel 11:1 "The following spring, the time of year when Kings go to war..." (NLT) The quote was repeated several times by our guest speaker, Charles Fiesel, in his sermon yesterday, "For the church to be the church, the church has to get out of the church."
For many years Christian pastors have been teaching that we fight the war against our enemy, the devil, by praising God. Also, many pastors across our land have become convinced that rather than expecting people to come to us we must go out to where they are if we are going to help them. My pastor is one of those.
Last night we had this year's first 'party in the park' for the park's surrounding residents. It was so much fun! We had food, drawings for lots of prizes, balloon animals, a wonderful variety show, and to top it off an opportunity to accept Jesus and start a new life for everyone who attended. What a blast!
However, as much fun as these parties are, waiting for the next planned event is not enough excitement for me. The day before I had had several errands to run and wanted to complete them early. I was congratulating myself when I realized I had made every stop and it wasn't yet nine o'clock. Then, I had a thought, "Go by McDonald's and start a blessing stream."
I hadn't ever thought in those exact terms but I knew what it meant. There was a McDonald's a few blocks up ahead so I pulled right into the Drive Thru and almost immediately a woman pulled in behind me. For the first time I felt that the simple random act of kindness I planned was more than an insignificant little incident. "Since God suggested the activity He must have brought the person He wanted to bless into line behind me." I reasoned. So, as I waited to reach the window to pay for her order as well as mine, I prayed for her.
As I prayed thoughts began to materialize. What if there were many 'blessing streams' active in town on the same day? What if several people made passes by a Drive Thru somewhere and the receivers decided to become givers to the next person in line? What if, while waiting, each one prayed that the stranger behind them would be blessed by God and his needs met? Would it make a difference in our city? Wouldn't it be fun to see?
If this experiment seems fun to you and you want to start a stream, let me know. I'll coordinate a day. Leave a comment on this blog or e-mail me at: mariannecassell@yahoo.com
If you're looking for my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell
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