Category Archives: Loss

Finding Joy in Final Moments

Bible Passages

Read John 14:1-4

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Devotion

A friend of mine, suffering from a serious illness for a very long time, texted me one night a few months ago. He wanted me to know he’d checked himself in to hospice care at the local hospital. I immediately prayed for him, then texted back for details so I could go visit him the next day, which I did.

He was in good spirits. He’d had several visitors before me, mostly family. He assured me his affairs were in order. His dog, his only companion since his wife died, moved in with his daughter. His will was finalized. He’d taken care of the myriad of minutia of his 70+ years, save a few things he handled from his hospital bed.He could no longer fight the disease consuming him, since it was too painful to eat. His meals came in liquid form, but he still didn’t eat or drink much.

I visited him every day. Every day I offered to pray for him. Every day, he told me he and God were good, and he didn’t need any fuss. When he would drift off, I’d sneak in a prayer anyway. On the fourth day, I felt him slipping away, so I prayed harder. As I lifted my head (he thought I was napping too!), I was suddenly filled to overflowing with joy. In fact, the whole room was filled with God’s love and joy!

As I opened my eyes, I saw and felt gigantic white wings encircle both of us! It felt like the room was full of angels. I could almost see them. I was witness to a miracle I’m still trying to sort out in my mind four months later.

I left shortly after that, knowing I’d never see him again on this earth. But the joy that filled me in that hospital room was strong and persistent. I drove home with tears running down my cheeks and a smile that stretched from ear to ear! I went to bed still overflowing with God’s love and joy.

The next day I went to the hospital as usual, but this time I stopped at the nurses’ station first. Yes, he had passed away.

I was so honored to have been invited to visit him during his final days. I was speechless and amazed that I was allowed to witness his moment of transformation! What a privilege it was.

That was such a special moment, and God allowed me to be a part of it. I will never forget how marvelous it felt. That joy starts welling up inside me all over again every time I relive that moment. Just thinking about it conjures up eager anticipation for my own special moment of transformation, once my work on this world is complete.

Prayer Focus

Those living or working in hospice care.

Prayer

Faithful and Heavenly Father, Who comforts those in distress, we ask You for Your comfort and peace when we fade from this earth. Remind us and those around us that this world is our temporary home. Our forever home is in heaven, where You have prepared a special place just for each of us. Hold us in Your mighty arms of protection and give us Your peace and joy as we make the final move into Your home. Comfort those we leave behind. Let them know we are not touched by death. Help them grieve, and fill the void in their hearts with Your love and joy.

Final Thought

This world is our home for just a short time. Our true home is in Heaven, where we will spend all eternity with the God who created this world and the entire universe! He loves us. He wants us to be happy. When we’re right with God, we will be filled with happiness and joy forever.

I Will Give You Rest

In this passage in Jeremiah, you are given God’s assurance that He loves you and He will do all the heavy lifting. Trust in Him.

Finances, family drama, drugs, alcohol, bullying, sex, jealousy, abuse, illness, physical challenges, mental challenges. All the things which burden you, don’t burden Him. Fixing these might take some time while He gets all the players and pieces lined up. It might involve earthly helpers like doctors or lawyers or accountants or friends. If we wait for His perfect timing, He will work all things to our good. Why? Because He created us. He loves us. He wants you to rely on Him for everything. He wants you to come to Him about everything.

What you eat, what you wear, where you go, who you trust. All these things are provided by the God who made you. He wants you to lean on Him, even in the small stuff. He doesn’t think of you as a pest. He thinks of you as His child. Yes, YOU are a child of God! Isn’t that amazing?!

Worry Cancels Prayer

Worry Cancels Prayer

Bible Passage

31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For it is the gentiles who seek all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:31-33 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Devotion

I grabbed these wonderful words of wisdom from Joyce Meyer’s repeat broadcast this morning.

If I’m gonna pray about something and worry about it, too, then my worry cancels out my prayer. The act of prayer says, “God I trust You,” and worry says, “God I don’t trust You.” Worry chokes the Word and keeps it from being fruitful, according to Matthew 13. “Some seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.” [verse 7]

Joyce Meyer Enjoying Everyday Life – Worry and Anxiety (4 Aug 2021)

Worry is one of the hardest things to give up. As part of growing up we learn to take control of our circumstances. We learn about responsibility. We learn about consequences.

Many of us learn, at some level, about prayer. We learn thankfulness. We learn to pray for others. We learn to pray for outcomes. We learn to pray before meals. We learn to pray at bedtime.

Some of us learn how to pray in conversation with God. We learn to talk to Him like a friend standing beside us, going through our day and continually discussing it with Him.

Very few people learn how to handle the part after the ‘Amen.’ Prayer means we are giving our worries to Jesus. He already knows what’s on your heart. He’s waiting for you to hand him the reins, LET GO, and let Him take care of those things.

One of the hardest things to learn is to hand our worries and fears to God and let it go. Once we learn to let go, we give God permission to fix it. Until then, because He created us to have free will, He is waiting for your permission. He wants to heal you, fix you, take care of you, and prosper you. Give Him permission to do what He does best. Show Him how much you love and trust Him. When you do, He will show you how much He loves and trusts you!

Prayer Focus

Letting go of fear, doubt, and worry

Prayer

Almighty God, He who bears our burdens for us, help us to rely on You more and to give You our heavy hearts, tortured minds, and burdened souls. Help us to keep our focus where it belongs, on You. Thank You for loving us so much! Amen.

Final Thought

Freedom lies in the path of the Lord. Give Him all your doubts, worries, and fears. He will make your path straight, your burdens light, your mind free, and your heart full of joy!

God Is Always With You

God Is Always With You

My all time favorite poem is “Footprints in the Sand.” If you’re not familiar with it, I hope you look it up. It’s one of the most popular poems out there! It reminds us that God is always with us, especially in the hard times.

This poem has helped me through a LOT of hard times. My husband even gave me a beautiful poster of the beach which had this poem on it. I still cherish it, not only because it was a very thoughtful gift from my life partner (who I miss dearly), but it was also a gift from the God who loves me. They both knew I need a gentle reminder that I am loved by the God who created me, the ocean, the stars, and everything!

The author is probably one of about a dozen people who hotly contest that honor for themselves, presumably because great piles of money they would make from it. I do know that all the people who claim the rights to that poem KNOW whether or not they actually did. Perhaps only God and the actual person will ever know who penned this poem. What a sad statement about the world we live in, where greed and jealousy even taints this beautiful poem.

Thank You, God, for giving this poem to the world. No matter the person who put words to paper, You actually wrote it. To God be the glory! Amen.

Glory, Glory, Alleluia!

Photo by @claybanks on @unsplash.

God is Great! God is Awesome! God is Mighty! God is Amazing! “With God, all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26) Praise be to our God, who will never let us drown! He will always reach out to us in times of trouble. He pulls us out of the stormy sea. He allows us to endure difficult circumstances so He can teach us things He wants us to know.

For months, I have been given one message: Persevere. Now, finally, I have been told to let loose and share my joy in Christ at a more personal level than ever before. Here is a taste of what’s been going on in the physical world for me.

I’ve been playing chicken with Satan! So far, I haven’t blinked (flinched a couple times, though). It is now a matter of hours before “my things” are gone and I am evicted. Praise be to the Almighty Father!

Photo by Delaney Dawson @delaneykate_ on @unsplash

God put this ministry in my heart. I wrote a book on the Ten Commandments, available on Amazon, and am working on a second book (on the Beatitudes). I blog and post inspirational messages. I am also writing various materials for workshops, study groups, retreats, and conferences. I donate to worthy causes, tithe, do for others what is asked. Jesus told me to persevere. I have tried very hard to be as faithful to the Lord as He is to me.

Photo by Alex Alvarez @a2_foto on @unsplash

As I approach the countdown to this physical meltdown, I have finally been given the go-ahead to share what I have endured. I believe I was green-flagged so I will have witnesses to my miracle when it arrives.

I took care of my dad around the clock, so I have no job. My bank account is currently overdrawn. I’m behind on rent and expenses. I’m even out of dog food and toilet paper! Roughly $5000 all told so far.

Photo by Joe Caione @joeyc on @unsplash

My dad’s estate, out-of-state, has to be probated, and will probably cost around $2000-3000. There are also several outstanding medical bills I haven’t yet sorted out. His mortgage keeps threatening to go into foreclosure, but his credit card has been put on hold, thankfully, until the property has settled.

This ministry requires money, in order to be taken seriously. I need up front money plus an advisory board willing to help me take this ministry to the next level and beyond. I need to draft a vision statement and a business plan. That’s at least another $2000.

I constantly keep in mind that on the other side of great obstacles are great works. I believe great things will happen as a result of this ministry as long as I persevere! Therefore, I rebuke Satan and I refuse to blink.

Glory to God! Praise Him! Shout His goodness and mercy to all corners of the land! I will sing my love for Him with my last breath on this earth! God is Great and Good! Best of all, He loves me and He loves you! Please pray for me and my miracle. THANK YOU! I will post an update when it comes.

MY REQUEST: I need witnesses for my miracle, in whatever form it takes. Please hit the LIKE button if you have read this post and are willing to pray and be a witness. It would be awesome if you’d SHARE with others, too. The more witnesses to a miracle, the greater God’s glory will be revealed when it arrives!

Acting On a Dream

Photo by Mike Horton.

Bible Passages

13 Why do you complain against Him that He does not give an account of all His doings? 14 Indeed God speaks once, or twice, yet no one notices it. 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when sound sleep falls on men, while they slumber in their beds, 16 Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction, 17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct, and keep man from pride; 18 He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing over into Sheol.

Job 33:13-18 (NASB1995)

“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

John 16:33 (NABRE)

Devotion

I have a friend who is a struggling Vietnam veteran. He hasn’t had a good night’s sleep since he arrived in Vietnam. He was wounded, and pain flares up at times. He has also been a widower for only a few years. He misses his wife every day. He suffers inwardly much more than he lets on outwardly. He has told me several times that he lives in hell.

An ordained minister, he left the church after an incident in Vietnam. Fortunately, he never left his relationship with God. He is still very religious, and prays often. This has saved his life many times as he faces life’s difficulties.

Now retired, he makes and sells birdhouses, just to have something to occupy his mind and body. He does other woodworking projects from time to time, too. He makes beautiful furniture and decorative pieces. He is very creative and talented.

One day, he acquired a burled piece of wood he really liked, but had trouble figuring out what to make out of it. After it sat on a shelf several weeks, staring at him and begging him to make something with it, he asked God for help. That very night, he actually had a dream about it. God showed him exactly what he needed to do with that piece of wood.

With the help of an artist friend who painted the backdrop, he created the crucifixion scene pictured here. He added the crosses, but had trouble figuring out how to do the blood on Jesus’ cross. God whispered in his ear. Obedient, he grabbed a nail and pierced his own finger. He used his own blood as paint, letting it drip on the four places it was needed. He added the landscaping features and sealant. It looked just like the one in his dream.

Crucifixion scene in natural room lighting. Photo by Mike Horton.
Photo by Mike Horton.

He then brought it to his shop and put it on a display shelf. A couple of people asked him about it, but he could not part with it. A few days later, he decided to bring it home. He put it on a table in his living room, next to a scented lamp. He’d enjoy it when he passed by, but he didn’t really think much more about it than that.

Last night, he decided to light the lamp sitting next to it. Later, he left the room and turned the light off, forgetting to turn off the lamp. When he came back in the room, the cross grabbed his heart. Out loud, he exclaimed, “Whoa!” He got so excited, he took these pictures and sent them to me. Then he called. He just had to share the profound effect this had on him!

He actually got over 8 hours of sleep last night! A peaceful night’s sleep.

I believe God is using this to help him heal. By giving him a vision and a direction, God instilled in him an immediate love for that piece. Working on it gave him a new sense of purpose. His heart would not let him part with it. Now, having fully realized what he created, he is filled with a new sense of awe and wonder at God’s plan for his healing.

Side-by-side comparison of both photos.

I believe he’s going to be okay. It will take time, but he’s on the road to recovery. Obedience to God is vital to healing. Because he listened, he was rewarded with a new peace, which is beginning to settle in his soul.

Prayer Focus

War veterans

Prayer

Gracious God our Father, thank you for being there during our darkest moments, holding us tight and seeing us through to the dawn of a new day. Amen.

Final Thought

You will be amazed at what God can do when you obey.

Hard Times

Man sitting on bench waiting. Image by mykyta-martynenko on Unsplash.
Image by mykyta-martynenko on Unsplash.

Bible Passages

Read Matthew 18:10-14.

Read Luke 15.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

Devotion

Before you were born, God set a special path, designed just for you and only you. He created you to be the perfect person for that path. Only you can travel your special path. If you stay on that path, it will be easy and fun (mostly). Along the way, He will hold your hand. He will carry you through the difficult parts, the challenges, the tests.

The Bible is full of examples of people who went through hard times and came out with more blessings than they imagined. Joseph, Moses, Jonah, Abraham, Hannah, Noah, Ruth, Isaiah, Job, and most notably Jesus, to name but a few, showed us how to follow Him. They showed us how to be godly, happy, and blessed. Even when they fell into darkness, God was with them. We remember them because they held tightly to God’s hand through the bad times and the good times. We remember them because we love to hear their stories over and over. Their stories put our own troubles into perspective, and give us hope when we’re going through dark times. They remind us that God loves to take us out of our lowest moments, and bring us to our highest moments. Just like the dark nights makes us appreciate the sunrise, our dark moments make us appreciate God’s blessings with praise and gratitude.

Joseph was on top of the world as a child. His family was prosperous. He lacked for nothing. His father favored him above all his other children, but his siblings were jealous. They started a series of events that should have made him crumble. Joseph endured all the many hardships set before him, praising God all the while. Joseph’s faithfulness to God paid off and God’s plan for him was fulfilled.

Job did everything right and was doing quite well, but lost everything anyway. Through no fault of his own, he lost his wife, his children, his livestock, and his crops. Through all his losses, Job kept praising God. Job knew God still loved him, even though it didn’t always seem that way. Try as he might, the devil couldn’t get any traction on Job. Job was loyal to God. He never cursed God. The devil finally gave up trying to tempt Job away from God. That’s when Job’s rewards kicked in. He got back more than double what he had before. Job got a new wife, twice as many children, and his crops and livestock were more than doubled.

We aren’t always as faithful to God and Joseph and Job. Sometimes we lose our way. Think of the parable of the lost sheep, in which Jesus reminds us that no matter how far from God we stray, He hasn’t forgotten or abandoned us. He sends messengers (human and angel) to remind us of His love. Like Joseph and Job, we need to grab onto God. He is waiting for that. When we do, He will carry us through the brambles and rocks and other rough patches to bring us back to the flock. Just by reaching out to Him again, He will rescue us from our troubles and bring us home.

When we return to Him, just like the father of the prodigal son, He will joyously run to greet us and welcome us home. He will throw a party in heaven in our honor, complete with a live band and a spiritual buffet. We will feast until we overflow with His love and grace. He will bless us in heaven and on Earth. We don’t all get the same rewards, but they will be the rewards we need in that moment. We will be delivered and free, forgiven and comforted, rich in spirit and happy in our hearts, safe under His protective wings.

Follow where He leads you. He will provide almost everything you need to succeed. The only thing missing is you. God gave us free will, the ability to choose for ourselves what we do with our lives. He wants you to give yourself, fully and completely, to Him. When you do this, the results will amaze you!

Prayer Focus

Those in danger of turning away from God.

Prayer

Heavenly Shepherd of the lost, thank you for keeping me in Your loving arms. Help me stay focused on You. When I stray, help me find You again. Gladden my heart with Your love and grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Final Thought

God is waiting for you.

Where To Start

Open Bible closeup.

Bible Passages

Constantly remind the people about these laws, and you yourself must think about them every day and every night so that you will be sure to obey all of them. For only then will you succeed.

Joshua 1:8 (TLB)

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalms 119:105 (NLV)

The man who reads this Book and listens to it being read and obeys what it says will be happy. For all these things will happen soon.

Revelation 1:3 (NLV)

Devotion

Lots of people are hesitant to start reading the Bible, for a variety of reasons. Some just don’t know where to start. Others are put off by the fancy, Shakespeare-like wording or all the begats and references to people and places that don’t seem relevant today. If you want to read the Bible, there are a lot of options you may not know about, designed for regular people like you and me who just need a little help.

There are many translations which use more modern language than the traditional King James Version. You might try the Living Bible (TLB), the New Life Version (NLV) or the Modern English Version (MEV). These are easier to read, and don’t contain ‘thou’ or ‘knowest’ or ‘doeth’ words. They still contain a lot of people and places. You can skip over those for now, when it gets too dry. One day those people and places will become more important. Until then, just skim them and move on. Pick the version you think will work best for you.

If you like, you could start at the beginning with the book of Genesis and work your way to the last book, Revelation. Another approach is to pick an easier book such as Psalms or Proverbs or one of the Gospels. Ask your pastor for advice. Nobody, not even God, expects you to understand everything you read, especially if it’s your first time through.

God knows that some passages are hard to read. He built in many layers of depth and richness of meaning. The more you study and discuss a passage, the better you will be able to grasp what God is saying. You will begin to see the deeper meanings. It sometimes brings up more questions than answers. That’s okay. It’s how the Bible is designed, so that it never gets boring or repetitive to read the same passage over and over. You’re supposed to ask questions. You’re supposed to dig deeper.

When you run into something you don’t understand, your pastor or priest is a great person to ask about it. After all, pastors are very knowledgeable on the subject. If you don’t belong to a church, call or visit one nearby. A good pastor will be happy to help you, even if you’re not a member of their flock. Your pastor might not know all the answers to your questions. Discussing the Bible with someone allows you to ask follow-on questions in real time, as they occur to you.

Another great source is the library or bookstore. Whatever the passage, someone has written something about it to help others wrap their heads around it. Many people have written explanations of specific parts of the Bible. Some books dive deep into one particular book or chapter. Some are written specifically to help us read the whole Bible.

Go online. There are lots of sites devoted to Biblical topics, some more formal than others. Some sites are set up in classic printed Bible format, which provide footnotes to the passages as you get to them. Others are less formal, and provide the passage couched in a paragraph or two of the writer’s perspective.

Watch movies about the Bible. I find myself inspired to read for myself about what was shown in a movie. Some movies are more biblically accurate than others. It’s fun (for me, at least) to fact-check those movies.

As you get more involved, you might want to look for resources that explain the origins of the passage. The term ‘lost in translation’ refers to the difficulty of picking words in the new language that carry the same meaning. For instance, it would be hard to translate an iceberg into a language used by people that only know about deserts. Some books even go into the cultural settings, giving you the perspective of the average person of that time and place.

Follow journeys on a map. Some Bibles include maps, and make it easy to find the places of that era. It gives you an idea of distance, direction, and terrain.

There are so many way to approach reading the Bible, and so many fellow travellers eager to help you find your own approach. Tell God, out loud, that you need help with it. He will put the right people and resources for you into your life.

Prayer Focus

Someone struggling to read the Bible.

Prayer

All-knowing Father, who created the heavens and the Earth, who breathed life into me, and who provided a guidebook for me, give me the tools and people I need so I can study Your words. Lead me to follow the path You want me to take. Help me use the Bible, so I will be prepared for whatever You have in store for me, and know how You want me to act in any situation. You are my God, and I want to do what pleases You. Amen.

Final Thought

Knowledge is power. Righteous knowledge is righteous power.