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Have you ever considered what special purpose God may have in a vacation you plan to take? Several years ago that idea was planted in my head as my husband and I were making plans for an epic road trip across country. Our main goals for that three-week journey included lots of sight-seeing and a family reunion in Georgia, my birthplace. The details of planning that kind of trip were daunting enough, yet a niggle of an idea kept nudging its’ way in as we charted our course and made hotel reservations. God seemed to be telling me that I should ask Him what His special purpose in our trip might be. 

So, after I bowed my head and asked God if he had some added purpose for our vacation, the clear message He whispered back was: Pray for all the believers you meet along the way. Although that trip began with a major set-back that nearly derailed the whole vacation, God used it to His purposes. The results of applying that special added purpose to our trip brought an anointing throughout the vacation with thrills and blessings that are immeasurable.

After that blessed experience, we determined in our hearts to always ask our Lord what His purpose for our travels are before we leave for vacation. One such trip followed with its’ own set of surprises and delays that revealed a unique purpose that only God could’ve tailored for us. We were set to travel to Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, but it wasn’t until we were fully on our way before God revealed what His purposes were in that journey.

Knowing there were no straight flights to our destination, we chose to fly to Denver then rent a car and do some sight-seeing on route to Rapid City, So. Dakota. However, our flight was delayed by and hour. While patiently waiting at LAX, a young woman sat next to me and a conversation ensued. I learned very quickly that she was at a spiritual crossroads in her life. She was trying to decide if she should become a missionary or nun. God whispered to me to just listen. So I did. We had a wonderful chat and though I mostly offered my ears and a few short comments, it was clear she felt relieved by the end of the hour’s wait.

Then at the car rental in Denver, there was another hour’s delay towards our six-hour drive. Needless to say we got a late start that nixed any time for site-seeing on route. At around 8 pm, we found ourselves, feeling bedraggled, famished and in a very small town with only two restaurants. We picked the one that looked the best and entered at a late hour for dinner. Our meal took longer than it should’ve because they discovered the fish in my order was spoiled. By the time we got served and finished eating, we were closing the place down. As Larry got up to pay at the window, a young woman whom we hadn’t yet seen, came out and began bussing the tables. 

It was then that I heard the Lord whisper: “Compliment the young woman.” I observed this stranger closely trying to figure out what I could say. Then I knew. As she got close to our table, I asked: “Did anyone ever tell you that you look a lot like a girl who was in a famous painting?”

“No,” she said, “But I like to paint.” Wow! Obviously God knew we had something in common—art.

So a conversation about painting began, but before I could say “Vermeer, a Dutch artist.” this young woman began to open-up her whole life to me. She had a very tragic story of molestation and abuse by an older brother which was magnified by the denial of the rest of her family.  Added to that, she’d been bullied mercilessly at every school she’d attended.

“If my grandmother hadn’t sent me a plane ticket and given me this job, I don’t know what I would’ve done.” She proclaimed. Then; “You see that guy sitting at the table behind you?” As she pointed, I turned to see a young man eating his dinner. “He’s my fiance’. Well, you might as well say we’re married.” She went on. “Because we just had a baby, but the baby died.”

Although I didn’t know this beautiful young woman, my heart ached for her. “I don’t even know you, but you’re gonna make me cry.” Indeed, tears were already brimming in my eyes. “Would it be all right if I prayed for you?” I asked.

She humbly nodded yes. We stood in the restaurant and held hands while I prayed out loud for this beautiful child of God. At the “amen,” and in timely fashion, Larry returned to the table having paid our bill. She looked up and said something sweet about me being a “treasure.” 

I felt humbled and honored to be used by God in the young stranger’s life that day. As we drove on, towards our destination, I began praising Him for all the delays that made it possible for that meeting and the meeting at LAX. But it wasn’t the last one of that nature to happen. Another divine appointment occurred two days later. It also involved a long delay getting somewhere and a waitress. Of course, by that time, I was pretty much expecting God to do it again. And He did. The next encounter also revealed a young woman with a tragic life’s start but a happy ending. 

As she sat us at our table, she commented, “You’re here at the perfect time.” I knew she meant that we’d get better service since it was late, and things were slowing down. But, of course, by then I knew that it was God’s perfect timing. I also knew she’d probably have some extra time to share with us. As we finished up and paid our bill, I asked how long she’d lived in that area. Not so surprisingly, it opened another deep tale of a troubled childhood. Because of abuse, she had been taken out of her home by authorities when she was very young. But happily, she was adopted by a wonderful Christian couple and it was evident that she was now a happy and well-adjusted young woman.

• Adding a humorous note and reminder of God’s Sovereign hand in all things, not long after the first encounter with the waitress, we made a wrong turn and missed a speed limit change. While waiting to see if the police officer was going to give us a speeding ticket, I nearly laughed out loud as I realized it was God’s way of telling us to slow down and trust in His timing. We may have been on our way to Mt. Rushmore, but He wanted us to Rush Less. God had His own purposes set-out for us on that trip, we just needed to slow down and look for them. Oh, and thankfully we did not get a ticket. 

So, as you prepare for a vacation this summer, I hope you will consider one other important matter—God’s purpose in it, then pray and ask Him what it is. If you’ll be traveling with children, you can get them involved too. They may even want to ask God if He has some special purpose in it that’s just for them. Then be on the lookout for opportunities to apply that added purpose to your travels. Watch and see if your freshened focus brings any new and exciting dimensions to your vacation.

If you’d like to read more of the story that led us to ask God what His purpose in our travels were, you can purchase my book “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected.” Order it right here on my website “books” page, or through Amazon. I’d love to hear about your purposeful vacations too. So, leave a comment here or let me know if this post inspired you. 

#Journeys #Purpose #Godly purpose #vacation #Mt.Rushmore #Divine appointments #God’s timing #Art #Painting #Dutch artist #Vermeer #travels #sightseeing

There’s an old saying that always brings a smile to my face: “Never pray for patience or you just might get something to be patient about.” Well, I wouldn’t say that I’ve specifically been praying for patience, but for the past several weeks, I have asked God to fill me with the fruit of His Holy Spirit and patience happens to be one of them. So, naturally, when I had a chance to practice patience at a recent family gathering, I was tested.  

You’re probably thinking my patience was tested by a family member, but that wasn’t the case. At least, not this time. No, my patience was tested by a waitress who was serving our large group of fourteen people. Although I didn’t get boisterous and rude, I did get expressively annoyed with her and my impatience that day was not the testimony I wanted to exhibit to my family—particularly those who are not believers. 

The guest of honor, my graduated grandson, along with his parents, had been held up in their arrival by unexpected long lines as he officially checked out of San Francisco State University. Our son had texted to tell all of us to proceed with ordering our food and drinks since they were running late. The waitress had taken my order, and one other person’s, then stopped for some reason. Another hour went by, our grandson and his parents arrived but by then I was getting Hangry. Being a little hypoglycemic, my body tends to get very shaky if I push the limits of eating too long between meals and I was trying hard to be patient. But when it became obvious that my order was going to be the very last one of all fourteen served, despite the fact I’d ordered thirty minutes before everyone else, I was steaming hangry. With a sharp ungracious tone, I let the waitress know I wasn’t happy about it. 

My prayers for God’s Holy Spirit to fill me with His fruit earlier that day had turned into: “Give me patience and give it to me now!” I might have laughed at myself had I thought about my attitude as being like that, but sadly it didn’t come to mind then. 

It’s interesting how we handle some things with patience better than others. Painting is one activity that seems to encourage a patient spirit within me. No matter how long a particular painting might take, I remain calm. The painting you see pictured at the blog starting point, was quite large, (about 6 feet long by 4 1/2 feet) and it took me a few months to complete. Sometimes I’d work through lunch, but not once during the process, did I get anxious or impatient.

So, on that day of celebration, contemplating my failure to handle that small fruitful challenge, further drove home the reality that I need to let God’s Holy Spirit handle it for me when I do get anxious. Instead of vociferously expressing my displeasure with the waitress, who was probably overwhelmed at the size of our group, I should’ve silently prayed for God’s Spirit to help. Or perhaps I should’ve done what Jesus did after forty days of fasting in the desert, when Satan tempted him to “turn these stones into bread,”—he quoted scripture to the devil. 

In my studies over the years, I’ve learned that using God’s word, when we’re being tempted or tried by the evil one, is how we can effectively use the Sword of the Spirit as mentioned in Ephesians 6. So, maybe, if I’d used that tool against the hunger and shakiness within me, I would have been more effective and certainly a better witness to others. Undoubtedly, I had acted more in line with what Paul said in Romans 7:19: “the good that I will to do, I do not do, but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.”  Thankfully we also know, by God’s word in Romans 8:1, that “There is therefore, now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” 

#fruit #HolySpirit #Christian #painting #Christianart #tempted #art #Jesus #sword #witness #testimony #Bible #patience #scripture #hangry

What do you think of when you see a dove? I think about peace. Just this morning while walking my little dog Caeser, I saw a dove sitting calmly on the hood of a neighbor’s car. Looking at Its’ restful position, I imagined that it was anointing the car with a special blessing. One that would ensure the family’s safety and peaceful guidance in all their travels. Of course, that was just my imagination. But I’m guessing that like me, many of you think about peace when you see a dove too.

Another thing that inspires peace for me is calm water. Ironically doves and water are often paired in the scriptures. There’s the story of Noah and the Ark when, after the storm, the dove returned with olive branches in its’ beak indicating things were once again peaceful. And in John 1:32, John  testified to what he saw when he baptized Jesus, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” 

As a professional artist who has painted many hundreds of pictures over the years, it has blessed me to commonly hear people comment that my paintings are serene, or “peaceful.” While I have never set out to paint a peaceful painting, it somehow comes through in my artwork. Some might say it’s because I frequently paint calm water scenes, but the other subjects I paint, also seem to emit a peacefulness. So, about fifteen years into my art career, I decided to use Psalm 23:2 as my signature theme on all my paintings. It says:”…He leads me beside still waters…”  

Galatians 5:22 says: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.” So, as I consider that peace comes from the Spirit of God, I can only give the Glory to Him for any, and all of the peace that may be reflected in my paintings. And this verse reminds me that the closer I draw near Jesus, the more peace I will have. It was that verse that inspired my poem, “The Fruit”, that you can download for free through the link at the end of this post.

This also brings to light something I touch on in my poem called “The Fruit,” where I say: “We can’t make this sweet fruit on our own, No straining or effort will make spiritual fruit be grown…” In other words, these qualities cannot be drummed up by our own efforts. No amount of striving, practice, or work can produce the true fruit that God’s Holy Spirit can. The only thing we can do to have more of that kind of fruit is to consistently stay close to the source—God. Titus 3:5 states that gaining these qualities is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but through…the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” In other words, we need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 

Even more exciting is the promise we see of several other wonderful qualities that come from God’s Holy Spirit. With all the turmoil, upside down woke ideas, hatred, anger, out-of-control people, violence, and crazy new laws manifesting in this world today, Galatians 5:22 gives us the best remedy and guarantees that “against such, there is no law.” 

 As a special “thank you” to all who join my email list, I’ve designed a beautiful rendition of my poem, “The Fruit.” This download printable is free to my current email subscribers, AND to all who register to receive my monthly emails. Click on this link: https://mailchi.mp/iriscarignan/fruit-poem-printable to get your free beautiful & printable copy of the poem. I hope it blesses you!

#poetry #fruit #Holyspirit #peace #joy #gentleness #Kindness #goodness #selfcontrol  

Spring has always been my favorite season. Just a couple of weeks ago I was happily surprised to see beautiful flowers had grown from the forgotten bulbs I’d planted last year. With cheerful color, the flowers that bloom and sprout from bulbs as we near Easter’s celebration, seem to echo God’s joyous reward for our hope. Reward that comes after months, or years, of a wintery cold season. And like the sorrow and pain of thousands who witnessed Jesus being crucified, that cold winter of disappointment must’ve pierced their hearts. But the resurrection of Jesus became an unexpected Springtime joy when He rose from the soil of death three days later. 

Isn’t it amazing how Spring seems to miraculously coincide with God’s timely and universal plan of redemption for mankind? And every time it arrives we feel like all the wintery months that preceded it were worth the wait. As I reflected on this astonishing “coincidence of nature”, I thought about a story I wrote about in my book “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected.” So thought you might enjoy reading part of it here today. 

BUT FOR THE JOY

“While on my usual morning walk, something caught my eye. It was a tiny palm tree growing most amazingly through the black asphalt of our street. The little seedling was barely 3 inches high. As impressive as its fortitude was, the shadow it cast was larger and more interesting because of its shape— a cross. The irony struck immediately with clear prophetic meaning.” 

The pint-sized plant seemed to be forecasting a reminder and fate from the past. It stood proudly proclaiming the former glory of its use on a particular day of celebration— the Triumphal entry of the King and Messiah into Jerusalem. Its baby leaves stretched towards the sunlight like the loving arms of our Lord and their shadow predicting the coming crucifixion. It almost seemed that it was doing its best to compensate (in a small way) for the turn-about. What had begun as a joyous celebration and laying of palm branches, as a carpet for the coming king, had so quickly turned to condemnation, cursing and hanging on a tree. 

“…Seeing the enduring strength of this baby plant that had triumphed over the stubborn hardness of asphalt spoke to my soul. Its victory over struggle, beautifully modeled some of the pain, suffering and resistance Jesus experienced prior to the cross.”

“Jesus tried to warn his friends about his coming death… He knew His time was drawing near and soon He would face the ultimate enemy-death. Hundreds of years before Jesus the Christ came to earth, another prophet foretold of the messiah in a similar way.  Isaiah 53 most notably prophesied the Messiah as one who “grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  ……He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering….Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted…. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Wow! I thought as I re-read this story. Then I reflected on an account I read just days ago about how Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday as we call it), was foretold with uncanny accuracy thousands of years before that day. The article said that on the Jewish calendar, the day of preparation for Passover when Jewish households were to select a lamb for an offering, was called “Nisan 10,” It was also referred to in Exodus 12:3. We know from other scripture that the week leading up to Jesus’s Crucifixion was during the preparation for Passover too. The article went on to tell that according to the Chronological Aspects in a study done by Dr. Harold Hoehner, Daniel 9:25 predicted that Messiah would be presented to Israel as the Messiah King 483 years after the period of Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem. And that day was on March 30, AD 33 (Nisan 10). So the prediction of Jesus triumphant entry when palm branches were laid down at the feet of the donkey he rode on, was exactly right in to the day, (483 years) as it was predicted to be.

Take a few minutes this week to read all of Isaiah’s words of great prophesy alongside the Calvary story and be prepared for God’s amazing foreshadowing of redemption and grace.  I pray you will have a blessed Easter and your eyes will be open to see God’s blossoming miracles.

#Easter #Hope #PalmSunday #Spring #blooms #bulbs #flowers #Messiah #redemption #prophecy #Passover #triumphantentry 

While staying at our favorite vacation spot, we rose early the first morning expecting to enjoy the usual spectacular view of the harbor. However, a shroud of thick fog had done a disappearing act over it all. The charming little boats, bobbing seabirds, shoreline shops, and their mirrored reflections were invisible. The only thing breaking through the murkiness was the revolving light of the lighthouse. When the fog continued throughout that day and into the next, we began to wonder if we would ever get to see the view on this vacation. It seemed as if it had just disappeared. That it was gone! I grumbled in complaint.

Thankfully, another day later, the fog began to lift revealing the stunning harbor was still there with all of its’ sparkling beauty. Of course, we knew it hadn’t gone away, but the fog had clouded our memory of just how beautiful it truly was. We’d forgotten so many of its’ colorful details that are doubled by their reflections and create a peacefulness that’s hard to beat. Worst of all, my own fogginess had become moody doubt and despair.   

This moment of clarification made me realize how often I find myself in a spiritual fog. How I can let the things of this world cloud my memory to all the wonderful things God has done. Then, just about the time I start to feel down and doubtful, He reveals Himself in all His spectacular glory. It might be in the joyous laughter of a baby. Or it might be like the kindness I saw in the toothless smile of a homeless woman. Happily smiling as she received a free cell phone from a nonprofit program, she told me she was concerned about a certain group of homeless people and wanted to offer them some of her money. I was humbled beyond words at her generosity and joy.

However it happens, and whatever He uses to lift the fog from my spiritual eyes, He breaks through my haziness. And like the light in the lighthouse that never stopped shining through, God reveals that He is always there. 

Is it just me, or do you also find that the storms in your life, or even plain old worry, tends to cloud your memory of God and the times He was there for you? Perhaps He even did some amazing thing or answered a long-held prayer, yet most of us struggle to remember the feeling we had when His answer came like a flash of lightning. And in case you haven’t noticed, the difficult times we face are when we need faith the most. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Despite my own dark and murky view of His presence, when I manage to keep my trust and faith in the Lord those are the times when I realize that God has been there all along. That it was my own foggy notions that had kept him hidden and at bay.  

Yet, we shake our heads in appall at the memory lapse of the Israelites after all the amazing miracles they’d witnessed? Spectacular miracles like the parting of the Red Sea, or the angel of death passing over their houses, yet they forgot them only a few days or weeks later? They even began to imagine that their lives were better off as slaves in Egypt. Moses frequently got frustrated with them. Perhaps they were still wearing the clouded vision of slaves—physically free but emotionally and mentally still captive in many ways.

With a hindsight look through the lens of Biblical history, we might criticize their lack of faith, yet we do the same thing. Only, for us, much of our foggy thinking comes from today’s captive culture in the form of social media, unsettling politics, and confused, distorted values—a different kind of slavery. 

As I considered that wonderful emancipation story, an irony occurred to me. The Israelites were instructed to follow a special cloud by day and the fire by night as they ventured away from Egypt towards the promised land. When attempting to understand the concept of the trinity I’ve often thought about water, which can be liquid, solid, or gas and yet at the same time be water. If we think of God in the spirit form, it reminds me of the vaporous substance of clouds.

Hebrews 12: 2 tells us to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross.” So, the Israelites were told to look at a cloud and we are told to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. How do we as believers keep our focus on Jesus in today’s world? How do we best keep the foggy haze of our world from clouding our memory of God’s power and interaction in our lives? 

Stop by my blog next week for a few suggestions on ways you can keep your spiritual focus clear. You’ll also read a new revelation God gave me that will enlighten your view of Easter with joy and encouragement. So, tune in next week to see my four ways to keep a clear spiritual focus.

If you’ve had a blurred view of God that you’d like to share, leave a comment here and perhaps it’ll be an encouragement to others. Or just comment so I know you read it. And don’t forget to check my blog post the week of March 26^th. 

#fog #focus #Jesus #emancipation #author #artist #joy #clouds #inspirational #faith #trust #encouragement #spiritual 

Do you get bored easily? As an active person who loves to stay busy, if something slows me down for more than a few days, I find myself looking for meaningful things to do. So, after three weeks of recovering from foot surgery, I couldn’t help myself. I just had to do something besides lay around, watch tv or read. Looking around as I propped my foot up again, I noticed how messy my office was. So, I got busy cleaning up my bookshelves and desk area. The surprising payoff turned out to be more than just a neat office space— I discovered some hidden treasures that brought rejuvenation and joy to my spirit. While rummaging through some old articles and story ideas, I came across a story I’d written before I got my first computer. Typewritten on my electric typewriter, I read it with special interest and delight. 

“Have you ever had any miracles happen to you?” The account began of a time many years back while visiting relatives in Georgia. My uncle had asked me that question as he sat elevating his injured foot that hot summer day. Ironically, he was probably feeling some of the same pain and boredom I was coming out of now. 

I pondered his question as all of Georgia’s humid heat seemed to collect in my brain fogging-up my desperate attempt to recall some thrilling tale that would quench Uncle John’s thirst. He’d just finished reading a book I’d given him about trusting God in the trials. It was filled with stories of miracles, and I sensed he wasn’t convinced they were all true. 

“Well,” I said, “there haven’t been any really big ones, but there have been plenty of little miracles and small favors.” I told him as a look of disappointment crossed his face. “There was one time, though.” I began and swallowed hard trying to focus while pushing back the heat. “It was about two years ago, and it was pretty amazing.”

“He sat up with interest now. Of course, there wasn’t much else he could do, with his foot perched high upon a nearby chair to alleviate the swelling from the deep gash in it.” No doubt tedium had set in for Uncle John that day too. After-all, “it was supposed to be his vacation and like the rest of us, he had come to ‘the Camphouse’, as we called it, “for some rest, relaxation, and fishing. The unfortunate accident had rearranged his plans and eliminated his favorite part—fishing.”  

I didn’t know much about Uncle John. It was the first chance we’d had to get acquainted since his marriage to my aunt Valeria a few months before. I had assumed that he was a Christian too, but something told me a lot was riding on what I said next. 

“It happened when Larry and I made our trip to Maine so I could meet his parents.” I began again. “Since we were newlyweds, we were on a pretty tight budget then, you know.” 

“Uh huh!” He nodded.

Thinking back to that day as I told him the story, I recalled how I was a little nervous about meeting my in-laws for the first time. Larry’s father had been too ill to make the trip out from Maine to California for our wedding and his mother needed to stay and care for him. I knew beforehand, that I’d like these two dear people that I’d already grown to love through Larry and the many calls and letters we’d exchanged, but I wasn’t sure they’d like me. I was, after all, the Baptist blonde who had snatched their Catholic son from them fresh out of the Navy and before he’d had a chance to prodigal his way back home from the “wild life” of California. 

If my husband had any doubts about my acceptance by them, it hadn’t shown. He had other things on his mind. #1 What would his parents say about his conversion from the Catholic church to my Protestant beliefs? #2 Could our tight budget handle the strain of an expensive trip?

“We had decided to take five hundred dollars in cash from our account to use for spending money. I’d put half of it in my purse and Larry put half in his wallet. It was the first time I’d spent Christmas away from my family, but I was excited to see a white Christmas and my love for Larry had glossed over any fears and doubts I had about anything else. We decided to use the airport limousine service from Boston airport to South Berwick because there had been a lot of snow that week. To my Southern California eyes, renting a car would mean seeing a beautiful scenic drive, but to Larry’s experience the limo would alleviate a dangerous two-hour risk.” I informed my Southern uncle. “So, after we got our luggage, Larry went to see about getting a ride.” I went on. 

“A man who seemed to work at the airport flashed a friendly smile at Larry and offered to help us get a limo ride. But when Larry reached for his wallet to give the guy a tip, it was gone. Larry told me to stand guard by our luggage while he went to report the missing wallet. As I did, the same friendly stranger approached me. He started asking questions and giving me advice about the necessity of using travelers checks. His unwelcomed, talkative, and dilatory advice was anything but consoling to me. As you might imagine.” I checked to see if I still had Uncle John’s attention. 

“But, when the man suggested I go over to a certain official counter to report the missing wallet and he’d ‘be glad to watch our luggage,’ an uneasy feeling came over me. He’d also asked: ‘Was all your cash in your husband’s wallet?’ Thoughts of that comment stopped me in my tracks. I quickly pivoted back around, deciding not to leave my post.”  

“Smart thinking.” Uncle John affirmed. 

“We finally gave up looking for the wallet and went to catch our ride. I remember walking out of the airport that day with suspicious thoughts and mixed feelings about the guy.” Uncle John nodded again. “But just before reaching the door, I turned and wished the man a Merry Christmas. I remember the startled look he gave me and in that instant his face became etched in my memory. Larry was very upset about our loss, but I was determined not to let it ruin our vacation.” 

“Larry’s folks were just as I had expected them to be—warm and loving, just like him. There were a few homesick moments but over-all our stay was very enjoyable. While we were still there visiting, word had reached my parents and church family back home and they were all praying about the lost wallet. I too had continued to pray for its’ recovery, mostly that Larry would get his identification back. The money, I figured, was too big a miracle to expect.” Uncle John shifted his sore foot to another position and I continued. 

“Well, would you believe, about two weeks after we had returned home, a letter came in the mail from American Airlines. It said they had found the wallet and would be sending it by package. Enclosed with it was a check for the full amount that had been in it, $249.50.”

“Really?” Uncle John brightened. “That’s truly amazing.”

“Yes.” I confirmed. “But that’s not all of the story.” I went on again. “We had a chance to meet that suspicious man again. It was almost exactly a year later when we made the same trip again. This time for somber reasons. Larry’s father had passed away and we went back for his funeral.” 

Thinking back again, the dreary skies above and muddy slush under our feet were a fitting welcome to that mission of grief and sorrow. That flight to Boston had been a difficult one as I struggled to hold my emotions in check. Tears won out several times as I thought of this dear father-in-law, whom I’d just begun to know, passing away at the young age of fifty-nine. The weight of my four-month pregnancy strained my emotions further as I thought of lost relationships. He would never have the chance to see our firstborn and our children would miss the love of their paternal grandfather. The value and timeliness of affections exchanged is rarely realized so quickly, but I was thankful we had made that previous visit. 

“When we arrived at the airport that second time, we saw the same suspicious man from the previous year. We found out he wasn’t an employee there and never had been. Although not as friendly this time, I recognized him immediately. Tapping on his shoulder to get his attention, I asked if he remembered us. I refreshed his memory by telling him about the lost wallet the year before. And, to our amazement, he said he not only remembered us, but that it was he who had found the wallet and turned it in. ‘In fact,’ he said, ‘I found two wallets that day and turned them both in.’” 

“That’s a pretty miraculous story, alright.” Uncle John remarked. “You know,” he put his foot gently back on the floor, “I never was a very religious man, but I guess there just might be something to all of this.”

That all happened many years ago. Since that day many more little miracles and small favors have occurred. The returned money, which we likely would have spent on frivolous souvenirs if it hadn’t been lost (or stolen) that day was banked for more important things like baby accessories. We never knew for sure if it was a real or sudden case of integrity in that man’s heart that brought Larry’s wallet and cash back to us. But that amazing experience somehow seems insignificant and more of a small favor now as I compare and reflect upon two other precious moments during those days.   

The memory of my father-in-law’s glowing face and bright smile as he said proudly to Larry’s mother: “Did you hear that? She called me Dad!” is a valuable souvenir I will treasure forever. Especially since he only lived one more year after that visit. Aside from the returned wallet and money, another miracle that happened back then, was reported to us through an even more exciting letter. My Uncle John wrote us a few weeks after our conversation and said that after his return home, he and his entire family had received Christ as their savior. Oh, what joy!

Since that day, the verse: “For we know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.” Romans 8:28 and “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5, have never been more meaningful to me or applicable than they were during those incidents of adversity—the lost and found money, the gain of precious memories during grief and loss, and John’s injured foot that led me to an opportunity to share a small miracle resulting in his whole family’s salvation.

On top of those joyful discoveries, finding this wonderful story happened as a result of my own boredom and sore foot, much like my Uncle John’s that day. It rebooted (No pun intended) my joy in the midst of my current melancholy doldrums. Who would’ve thought a sore foot and a mundane chore could lead to untold joy?

Have you ever discovered something special while going through a trial or mundane task? Tell me about it here in the comments.

#joyful #joy #Scripture #Weeping #reboot #spiritual #rejuvenation #foot #purpose #treasures #inspirational #miracles

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Are you looking forward to having a little chocolate this week, or are you going to be “good” and have some fresh fruit instead? Being a chocoholic, as some call it, the only way I want fruit on Valentine’s Day is if it’s part of a chocolate dessert. But there is another kind of fruit that I do crave every day—the fruit of the Spirit.

Galations 5:22 tells us that the “Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.” It’s a wonderful fruit salad isn’t it? It’s not only healthy, it’s helpful and CALORIE FREE. And since we are celebrating Valentine’s Day this week, I’d like to focus on the fruit of “love.” Similarly, I Corinthians 13:1-2 tell us that love is the best of all fruits to have. That even if we have all kinds of other spiritual gifts, like prophecy, or speaking in tongues, or even if we can move mountains, without love we are “nothing.” 

From the time we are born, we all crave love. Just look into the eyes of a newborn as it stares at his or her mother and you’ll see it. I Corinthians 13: 4-8 goes on to say that “love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy: love does not parade itself, is not puffed up: does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil: does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 

WHEW!  That’s quite a list, isn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been able to consistently express all of those qualities towards anyone. Certainly not at all times— even those I love the most. Just this week I experienced an upsetting squabble with one of my dearest friends. And though I know she is a strong believer and we both have the Holy Spirit, in that moment of conflict, both of us failed to demonstrate godly love towards one another. And being married for many years to a wonderful husband, does’t exempt us from times of failure in God’s test of love.

How is it we all have struggles and failings with some of those characteristics when it comes to relationships?  And when we do fail, is it an indication that we don’t really love someone or that we don’t have the Holy Spirit?

Let’s get back to the verse in Galatians. It tells us that love is the fruit of the Spirit. I believe it is telling us is that all of those kinds of loving qualities like joy, peace, and kindness etc, flow out of God’s Spirit and love is at it’s best when it comes from God’s Holy Spirit. So, when we do something hurtful and harmful to someone, it means we probably weren’t letting God’s Spirit work through us at that moment. Instead, we were likely letting our own human desires, perspectives, emotions, and weaknesses fuel our actions instead of God’s Holy Spirit. 

Worse, still, when we allow God’s enemy, the devil, to use us for his evil purposes, we fail every time. We know that Satan is the enemy to all true fruitfulness, especially love. That he wants to divide us, create hate and destruction to relationships. And it’s evident by the kind of hateful things occurring in this world today, that his works are the kind of destructive fruits he is working extra hard to produce. 

And while there are many things that can lead us away from being spiritually fruitful, there are also some things that can lead us towards failure in love. They can make us particularly vulnerable to the enemy and impede God’s effectiveness for good. Ephesians 5:18 says: “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation: but be filled with the Spirit.” The use of illicit drugs and abuse of alcohol are two very real spirits that NEVER bring the fruit of true love. In fact, the use of either of those, even in small amounts, can often lead to terrible failures, distortions of love, destruction, raunchy or terrible behavior, and even death. They fuel our failure and enable the influence of evil. Yet, how often do we depend on that spirit to calm us, make us “happy” or help us in any way versus a dependance on the Spirit of God? Even if it’s just a little, those spirits are not going to help us exhibit love. While I occasionally have an alcoholic beverage, I mostly avoid it because I know it interferes with God’s Spirit and His effectiveness in me.

I am happy to report that the “squabble” I had with my longtime friend was resolved in a loving and forgiving way. Though we both struggled for a few days over our own feelings and understandings, after praying, God gave us reconciliation with one another by placing kindness and forgiveness into our hearts. It was truly an example of letting God affect our hearts towards love. But I know that I will continue to have conflicts in relationships as long as I am still in this imperfect world and wonder when they will end. 

Looking for answers to that we read further in I Corinthians 13: 9-13 where, it says: now “we know in part… but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away….For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then we shall know.. and we should continue to “abide in faith, hope love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.”

As you continue in this week of love and Valentines, or even in the everyday expressions of any relationship, it’s my prayer that you will allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead you and fill you with His true fruit. 

In my next post I’ll be offering one of my original poems that speaks about the fruit of the Spirit, so be watching for it. My poem- THE FRUIT, can also be found in my book Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected. I’d also LOVE it if you’d leave a comment here below this blog post.  And don’t think it didn’t get through to me if you don’t see it posted immediately. It’s just that I have to approve of the comment before it’s published.

Have a Happy and fruitful Valentine’s Day!

#Valentines #Love #fruit #Holyspirit #chocolate #truelove #poetry #God #relationship #friends

#failure #believer #Fresheyes #drugs #alcohol #faith #hope #scripture #prayer #abide #HolySpirit

February is the month of Valentine’s Day which brings thoughts and expressions of love to mind.

What kind of relationships do you think about when you consider love? Do you think mostly about romantic love, or the love between a parent and child or between friends? And what do you imagine are the best demonstrations or expressions of love in those kinds of relationships? 

In Zephaniah 3:17 God brings new perspectives and dimensions to the meaning of love that you may not have considered. “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

My heart is overflowing with joy today because of that kind of love. The kind of joy that can only come from God’s expressions of love to us. Just a few days ago my husband and I were blessed to participate in the delight that God has for his children. We were blessed to witness the demonstration of God’s mighty hand to save a lost soul and rejoice with God in it. And amazingly it all came to fruition within a short time. 

My husband and I lead and teach a small Bible study group in our home each week. Last November a new couple joined our group. We were thrilled to have them but noticed that the gentleman was especially shy and detached in his behavior. However, as they continued to attend and we continued to love on them some surprising things began to emerge. Rudy started opening-up to us. 

Then one night, just a few weeks ago, he confessed his struggles with an addiction and how it held him captive. So we placed him in the middle of the room, gathered around him, placed our hands on him, and prayed fervently for God’s Holy Spirit to help him. 

The following week, Rudy returned as a new man. As he entered our home, we observed a bright new change to his countenance. His wife was also beaming with a new joy.  Rudy told us that after our prayers for him he went home and poured his heart out to God asking for His help and forgiveness. He said that God gave him a peace he’d never had and revealed a scripture to his heart. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13. It was a wonderfully appropriate verse that dealt with his battle against drug addiction and his need to turn it over to the Lord.

Now, just days later, we marvel at God’s grace and mercy even further. Two days after Rudy revealed his conversion, both my husband and I felt a strong urge to suggest he get baptized. Yet we knew it wouldn’t be easy to orchestrate one even if he agreed. Our church wasn’t planning to host a baptism for at least a month and in less than a week Rudy and his wife would be moving to a new home across the country. To our delight and without our asking, he expressed his wish to be baptized. We were more than happy to help organize it. However, we were out of town visiting relatives in Arizona, that weekend and wouldn’t return until two days before they planned to move.

How could we possibly make it happen before they left? There was a lot that needed to come together in order for it to happen in timely fashion and we only had a few hours to do it in. We needed to find a heated pool or spa for this impromptu immersion during the middle of winter. We also needed a pastor who was available on short notice. 

“With God, all things are possible.” God whispered in my ear. So we got busy texting and calling for help as we took turns driving home from Phoenix. Sure enough, God showed up in style. He found a backyard spa that was graciously offered for our use by two strangers who’d been referred to us. They even promised that it would be toasty warm on that cold Tuesday morning. At the last hour God also gave us a wonderful pastor to officiate in the baptism.  

So, the very next day, 1/31/2023, Larry and I, along with Rudy, his wife, kids, and a pastor it all came together. After a beautiful explanation of the meaning and importance of baptism was provided by pastor Curtis, we all ventured outdoors, then stood in the cold morning air, brimming with excitement and anticipation. Rudy’s wife, stood by the spa watching with tears of joy rolling down her cheeks as he was immersed. We can only imagine how many hopes, prayers, struggles, and tears of disappointment had preceded this day of redemption. “Dead to sin. Alive in Christ!”, we all shouted joyfully as Rudy came up out of the water. 

Through the nearly miraculous expediency of organizing a baptism in less than two days, we experienced how God delights in us when we come to him. It was one of the most intimate and joyful baptisms we’ve ever experienced. And I’m sure God, along with lots of angels, were also singing over Rudy and his family as he demonstrated his new faith through the obedience of baptism. 

I would also bet that it was a unique expression of love that most of us would not imagine or plan for the upcoming Valentine’s Day. For me, though, it brought new depth and dimension to God’s perspective on love and how our relationship to Him, and to others, all works together for true joy. It also demonstrated how we can be strengthened and blessed when we turn our hearts towards God.

It’s so easy to miss God’s delight and love for us in the midst of our daily routines. Take a few minutes to quiet your heart today. Pour a cup of your favorite hot beverage, go on a walk, or grab a pen and paper. LOOK and LISTEN for how God delights in you and shows you His love. 

I pray God reveals His love for you in a fresh and beautiful way during the month of February. 

#hearts #love #Valentines #baptism #God #prayer #fresheyes #redemption #miraculous #strength #possible #author #writer #inspirations #inspirational #delight #joy #God’sdelight #romance #friendship