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My Seven Most Favorite Thanksgiving Bible Verses

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Over the years, I have only missed one Thanksgiving with my mom and/or my dad. That was the year we moved from Kingwood/Houston, Texas to St. Peters/St. Louis, Missouri in November 1992. If you knew my age, that is a lot of Thanksgivings spent with my parents. My mom’s house has been the “go-to house” for all our family holidays.

Being the photo enthusiast that I am, I have multiple pictures of Thanksgiving food from various occasions held at my parent’s home. Today, I am thankful I can share these pictures of our Thanksgiving meals, along with my special Bible verses.

You see, Mom just turned 93-years-old. I am thankful our family still has her as our matriarch. My father passed away three years ago.

In addition, I am grateful for all the good family times we have had over my lifetime celebrating Thanksgiving—even when we lived in England!

Mom, in your honor, I share your love of cooking with the world!

I love you and thank you for everything you have done for your family.

1. Let us come to Him with thanksgiving . . . (Psalm 95:2)

2. I have not stopped giving thanks for you in my prayers. (Ephesians 1:16)

3. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

4. I thank my God every time I remember you. (Philippians 1:3)

5. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good . . . (1 Chronicles 16:34)

6. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

7. Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. (Isaiah 12:4)

Happy Thanksgiving my friends. Thanks for being part of the Greene Pastures Blog Family.

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Our Motives, Intentions and Attitudes [Toward Others]—Part 2

I’ll never forget it. My first thought was, “What was his motive or motives for such a horrendous act?”

In 2009, the New York Times reported that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a military psychiatrist, shot and killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others at the Fort Hood Army base in Central Texas. ¹

Last week, I wondered about the motives of whoever was sending package bombs to media and political figures around the country.

Fortunately, the police and FBI arrested Cesar Sayoc, 56, of South Florida as the prime suspect in the bomb mailings. Based on evidence collected so far, his motive appears to be extreme hatred of left-learning politicians and public figures.

Being a sociology major, I am extremely interested in what makes people tick. Crime shows fascinate me. In these shows, the question of motives always comes up either in the show or within my own mind.

Why Do We Want to Know a Person’s Motive?

  • To indulge our curiosity;
  • To know how to prevent future civil or moral disobedience;
  • To judge others;
  • To know how we can help solve others’ problems through acts of kindness; or
  • To pray for them.

In my blog titled Our Motives, Intentions, and Attitudes – Part 1, we discussed how to analyze our own motives. In Part 2, we will be looking into how we judge other people’s motives and whether it is right or wrong to do so from a Biblical perspective.

As we approach this topic, let’s remember that as we look upon the motives of others, they are looking back at us with the same inquiring mind, wondering, in turn, what our motives might be. Sometimes it is obvious; other times it is not.

When we judge (or try to analyze) the motives of others, our own belief system, personal experiences, desires, and other peripheral factors always come into play—affecting our perception of others.

Are We Judging Others When We Look at Their Motives?

It depends!

Motives can be good or bad, so we must balance how we view motives very carefully: we can’t always determine the motives of a person just by their behavior, deeds, or talk.

I must admit, when I was in my early twenties, I went to Sunday School to learn about God, but I had a double-motive. I wanted to find some dating possibilities. My motivation was what most Christ-followers can accept—the desire to find and date someone with like spiritual beliefs. While not 100% pure motives were involved, most accept and understand my dual motives.

Scrutinizing others’ motives should entail looking at our fellow human beings with the goal of glorifying God. Our words and thoughts should be gentle and humble—always seeking the best outcome for the other person. In this scenario, we would be looking at others in a righteous manner.

When we look at motives in an unrighteous way, our judgments are usually inconsistent with the way Jesus looks at us. Rudeness, roughness, humiliation and deviating from looking at others through the eyes of our Lord is prevalent today. Just look at many of our current political debates where intolerance and a lack of respect exist.

In 1 Chronicles 19, David was fleeing from King Saul and he received help from the Ammonite King Nahash. Nahash and David teamed up and together took on Saul and his army. Nahash eventually died and David, who succeeded Saul as King of Israel, tried to reach out to Nahash’s son King Hanun, but Hanun and his advisors became leery of David’s motives.

David’s men tried to express sorrow for Nahash’s death. Instead of accepting David’s offer of peace and alliance, Hanun humiliated the envoys by shaving their beards and cutting off their garments in the middle.

If Nahash would have taken the time to confirm David’s intentions, things would have turned out differently. Instead of harmonious relations, war broke out between them, and Israel defeated Nahash’s kingdom in Aram.

It didn’t take long for Hanun to decide that King David was insincere in reaching out to give consolation regarding his father’s death. But, he was dead wrong in his analysis.

King Hanun was easily influenced by his princes. Just like Hanun, we allow our friends, spouses, employees and previous experiences to color our attitudes, knowing full-well that adhering to God’s Word should be the primary motive in guiding our actions. Hanun’s princes should have given him time to think through and evaluate David’s kindness.

Instead they asked:

  • Do you think that David’s servants came to Hanum in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him?
  • Did you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you?
  • Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?

In these questions, we see an unreliable group of people who probably had their own motives and agenda in mind to influence the King.

When we look at others, our mind, soul and spirit should be in alignment with the mind of Christ. Seeking God’s perspective on our psyche, spiritual life, and experiences guides us to a true discernment of a person’s motives; this helps us assist them in becoming in tune with God’s ultimate will for their lives.

Through prayer, the Holy Spirit’s guidance and a deep desire to live in the spiritual realm, we can gain an understanding of the intentions of others—most of the time!

The Bible says,

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” (Luke 6:37)

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)

What Does the Bible Mean When It Says, “We Are Not to Judge Others”?

In an article titled, What does the Bible mean that we are not to judge others? by GotQuestions.org, it says:

  • The Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean there should be no mechanism for dealing with sin. Christians are often accused of judging or intolerance when they speak out against sin. But opposing sin is not wrong.
  • The Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean we cannot show discernment. Jesus is giving us permission to tell right from wrong. In Matthew 7:15-16, Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them”—the false prophets.
  • Jesus gives a direct command to judge: Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly. (John 7:24)
  • We are always to be gentle toward everyone. Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. (Titus 3:2)
  • Self-righteous judgment is wrong. We are called to humility, and God opposes the proud. (James 4:6)
  • Untrue judgment is wrong. The Bible says to slander no one. (Titus 3:2)
  • Believers are warned against judging others unfairly or unrighteously, but Jesus commends right judgment. (John 7:24) ²

When sin is involved, discerning the motives of others might be the difference between leading a person back to the Lord or letting him continue in sin, thus having him miss out on God’s best for his life.

One time, a prominent member on the school board of the Christian school where I was employed either didn’t like me or misunderstood my motives. Unfortunately, it resulted in me losing my job. Being unjustly criticized (without recourse) by another purported Christ-follower was an extremely painful experience. In a situation like this, a discussion of the situation would have been very helpful in my understanding the member’s motives and, eventually, my forgiving this action. Instead, long years of speculation have occurred.

Another time, one of my best friends misunderstood why I did not congratulate her and her daughter when they “walked down the aisle” upon her daughter’s acceptance of Christ. I was oblivious to the hurt feelings my friend experienced and how upset she was with me. Providentially, my friend called me up and brought my attention to her hurt feelings; thus, reconciliation occurred immediately.

In the first situation, there was no room for discussion, and years and years have passed where I am still haunted about what happened regarding “being let go” because there was no resolution.

In the second scenario, motives were discussed, handled, forgiven, and we were able to move on to a life-long friendship which is deeper than ever because we learned the correct way to handle it.

Discerning the Motives of Others

Reading others’ motives is a skill.

It’s important to remember that not all people’s motives are bad. Many motives are downright positive, e.g. wanting to help someone be all the Lord wants them to be.

In How to Read People’s Motives by Western Mastery, this article discusses why we might want to discern the motives of others.

Their reasoning is because when we know the motives of others, it helps us to know their intentions, helps us to gain insight, how to respond, and how to address their behaviors; ³

When we want to help others to yield their lives to Christ and to His character, discerning their motives might be just the catalyst the Lord wants to use to change their lives.

Misreading the Intentions of Others

On the other hand, it is extremely easy to make a snap judgment about someone or their behavior. Misreading others’ intentions is quite probable. We can misconstrue why people are jealous, fearful, and/or lazy.

We must be extremely careful not to undermine a person or their behavior without cause.

For instance, jealousy can cause a person to question a comrade’s motives because they might feel that their comrade is taking a rightly-earned place or position which the person believes should have instead been his own. Tragically, misreading motives could lead to future scheming, avoidance or even feeling unduly threatened or resentful in the comrade’s presence. In the workplace, this could culminate in a co-worker believing they deserve the promotion or the higher-paying position when, in fact, they do not deserve either one.

What Should We Do When We Question the Motives of Others?

Let’s face it—we are human beings and we sometimes wonder about the motives of others. It may be a cursory glance or a scrutinizing in-depth evaluation.

Some tips are:

  • Don’t rely on a preconceived notion about others. People change. God DOES change people;
  • Don’t depend exclusively on first impressions or our intuition;
  • Find out all the facts before judging a person’s motives (and especially before addressing them);
  • Put yourself in someone else’s shoes; and
  • If you have misjudged someone, apologize and reconcile as soon as possible.

A person’s background, personality, and life experiences may clash with yours, but that doesn’t make you right all the time and them wrong.

Being raised for most of my formative years in London, England or in the northeastern part of the United States, I may not think like some of my friends who were raised in the deep South. My life experiences and spiritual experiences are different than others, but I hope and pray that my friends and acquaintances will look at me through the eyes of God—instead of through my idiosyncrasies.

And especially not in a judgmental way.

When we depend on the Lord, our thinking about others and their motives will be guided by His light and in His wisdom. When we pursue God, He will show us any behaviors or actions He wants us address. Christian love and compassion should rule in our hearts—not negativity or criticism.

In his blog entry about motives, Joshua Kennon warns: “A final word of caution: I would urge you to consider keeping your thoughts on another person’s motivation to yourself.” ⁴ Until Jesus gives you the spiritual wisdom to discern where a person is coming from, keep your ears and eyes open for when, how or even whether you should speak.

When God gives us His wisdom, He will also give us guidance to know how to spur a person to hear God’s voice and experience a deep passion to follow Christ’s will.

Now, that is not being “judgmental”. Far from it!

It’s being a servant of God.

Bible Verses:

All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives. (Proverbs 16:2)

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word! (Proverbs 15:23)

I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds. (Jeremiah 17:10)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I am prone at times to wonder what the thoughts or motives are of others are. I also understand that people, even those I consider friends, question my motives every now and then. I occasionally need my motives questioned and confronted in love. God, please give me Your mind. Give me Your discernment. Give me Your patience. Give me Your ability to speak only when You have led me to do so. Let my life be a replica of You. Lord, I want to represent You in all I do. I really do.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

All Bible verses use the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Edited by E. Johnson

Works Cited

¹ McFadden, Robert D. “Army Doctor Held in Ft. Hood Rampage.” The New York Times, 5 Nov 2009. www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/us/06forthood.html.

² “What does the Bible mean that we are not to judge others?” Accessed 8 Oct 2018. https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-judge.html.

³ “How to Read People’s Motives.” Western Mastery. December 28, 2016. Accessed 2018.8 Oct 2018. http://www.westernmastery.com/2016/12/28/understanding-the-motivation-behind-peoples-actions/

⁴ Kennon, Joshua. “To Have a More Successful Life, Understand the Motivations and Motives of Yourself and the People Around You.” Accessed 20 Oct 2018. http://JoshuaKeenan.com/motives-and-motivations-matter.

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Pray and Speak Like Moses

As I write this blog, I am dealing with some annoyances—frustrating dental and ophthalmological annoyances! To ensure you that we can still speak for God amid provocations, like Moses, read on!

Dealing with a toothache the day before you go out-of-town is no fun. Then, when I called my dentist to try to remedy the situation, I was told she is on vacation until next week! Okay, I can deal with that. I might just need to see a dentist at my “respite” location!

Furthermore, I am dealing with a floater in my eye. To be specific, I feel like a mosquito or gnat is flying around my right eye all the time. I have even found myself slapping the right side of my face only to find it isn’t a bug flying around, but my floater. Fortunately, I was able to see an ophthalmologist and he said I have a vitreous detachment.

The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a vitreous detachment as, the “separation of the posterior part of the vitreous body from the retina due to contraction of the vitreous body that occurs as part of the process of aging and may occur sooner in serious cases of myopia, that is usually accompanied by the presence of floaters often seen as spots or structures resembling cobwebs, and that may result in a torn retina or in retinal detachment.”

The good news—it isn’t a retinal detachment, which may cause a permanent loss of vision. All I have is the separation of the posterior part of the vitreous from the retina.

“It’s caused by AGE”, the ophthalmologist said. GREAT, just another age-related thing to add to my list! He said, “Sometimes these floaters never go away; might go away, might become dull or you just get used to them.”

I found none of those scenarios acceptable! I wanted to hear, “take these drops and the floater will dissolve and disappear in a day or two.”

My eyes are totally important to me. I am a reader. I read all the time! I really mean it—I totally read all the time. I read church bulletins, I read the Bible, I read sermons, I read music lyrics, I read blogs, I read newspapers, I read Facebook, I read Twitter, I read books, I read tombstones, I read obituaries, I read pamphlets, and sometimes I even read instructions. Now when I try to read, I can’t concentrate because this “big black mosquito-like” floater is roaming around my right eye.

Now, on to the main topic—I wanted direction on how to pray for some upcoming speaking opportunities, so I went to my Bible, picked up where I left off, and the good Lord gave me directions on how to pray in the second and third verse I read—eliminating a vast period of “mosquito reading.” But as happens so often, God shared His wise and sound wisdom with me. I just love it when He shares His Word in such a personal way.

Deuteronomy 32:2-3 said,

Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
As the droplets on the fresh grass
And as the showers on the herb.
For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
Ascribe greatness to our God!

These verses are part of The Song of Moses. Moses worked hard and consistently for the Lord up until his dying moment. In Deuteronomy 31:23-30, Joshua is commissioned and was told that he should bring the sons of Israel into the land which God swore to them. Then in the assembly of Israel, Moses shared a song—some say a prayer—appealing to the heaven and earth concerning the important things he was about to say as he was closing his life and earthly ministry for the Lord. Moses did not want his final words to be his words. He wanted them to be God’s words—from the Holy Spirit of God. For that, he prayed.

Quite in contrast to previous speaking engagements, Moses’ brother Aaron was his spokesperson. This time around, Moses prepared this final talk fully aware that he will be speaking directly from his own mouth and not from Aaron’s. Moses’ sister Miriam and his brother Aaron had already passed away when this prayer was formalized and spoken by Moses.

Just as we speak for our Lord, let us pray that our words will be words from God. As we witness for Him, as we teach our Sunday School classes, as we preach our sermons, as we uplift our neighbors, and in whatever unique situation the Lord puts us, we must proclaim God’s greatness in all we speak.

Did I mention previously that I read commentaries too? I do!

From Deuteronomy 32:2-3

Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew.

Benson’s Commentary says, may “his words which were sent from heaven to them, sink into their hearts and soften them, as the rain doth the earth, and so make them fruitful in obedience.”

Moses wanted his “speech”; some versions call it “doctrine” to refresh like the rain. For that same reason, God wants our words to refresh others, so let’s pray for that.

As the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states, that the tender herb and grass, “may denote the multitude of persons to whom the Gospel would come, and be made useful . . .”

For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!

Moses wants the people to know that all the important things he wants to share with them before his death are spoken in order to give complete honor, glory, and prominence to the LORD.

From here Moses proceeds to speak God’s words by the power of the Holy Spirit. Moses absolutely wanted the people to know that the song/prayer he was about to say were God’s words spoken through Him.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if every time we spoke and/or represented Jesus Christ, we knew our words come from God’s spirit?

Main thoughts from John McGill’s Commentary: Deuteronomy 32:2-3

To whom was Moses speaking?

  1. Those needing salvation
  2. Sensible sinners
  3. Tender consciences / Newborn babes . . . little children; who are just springing up in the grass
  4. Righteous people
  5. Perverse and crooked people

When we speak to others about the Lord, let us remember to whom we are speaking to and guide our words to meet their needs.

Why did Moses compare his last speaking engagement to rain/dew?

Because . . .

  1. Rain comes from Heaven
  2. Rain is a gift from God
  3. Rain falls by divine direction
  4. Rain represents the Lord’s will and pleasure with a fulness of spiritual blessings and promises
  5. Rain moistens and softens a hard heart
  6. Rain refreshes and revives the drooping spirit, and
  7. Rain makes the barren souls fruitful

How humbling would it be, if when we are called to speak for the Lord, that our words would provoke peoples’ hearts to be refreshed, revived, and softened as if by rain or dew?

What attributes did Moses have when speaking to the people?

  1. He proclaimed the name of the Lord
  2. He ascribed greatness to God
  3. He shared openly and publicly
  4. He shared faithfully
  5. He wanted people to know that the words he was about to speak were coming from God, not himself

Let us claim boldness and confidence when we share God’s word with others. Cleanse yourself, commit yourself to the Lord, and ask Him to speak through you.

Conclusion

In this “speaking engagement,” Moses knew he was close to the end of his life as he spoke words of truth to the people. He knew only God’s words would do.

Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he, with Joshua the son of Nun. When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word, you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.” The Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:44-52)

The next time you are called on to speak for our Lord, pretend it is the last time you may have the opportunity for God to use you and pray to be filled to the brim with His Holy Spirit. Pray that your words will fall upon the congregation, class, friends, and family in such a powerful way that idle words will not proceed out of your mouth—only words that will lead the listeners to God’s truth, holiness, grace, mercy, and salvation.

I am praying this for my next speaking engagement. I want to renew my mind, use my spiritual gifts according to the grace given to me, love who I am speaking to, and as my pastor recently said, “Serve with excellence and passion.” (Read Romans 12)

Unfortunately, I will probably still have that annoying floater in my eye the next time I speak. My prayer for that is that if my annoying mosquito-like flash shows up, it will block out the person who might have fallen asleep during my talk!

Oh yes, that is quite probable. Have I mentioned I speak from 2:45-3:45 p.m. after a big lunch? Yikes!

Bible Verses:

And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8)

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me. (John 15:26)

Prayer:

Lord, I dedicate my life to You. Allow me to speak Your words and only Your words as I have opportunities to speak for You. Take away all pride and self-centeredness from my heart. Give me humility and sincerity. Thank you for providing each and every opportunity to speak and let me recognize them as privileges from You. Thank you, Lord. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

____________________

Works Cited

Biblegateway. Benson Commentary and Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. Biblegateway.com. Accessed 17 July 2018.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. Vitreous Detachment. m-w.com. Accessed 17 July 2018.

NASB unless otherwise noted.

Edited by E Johnson

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Kindness: A Fruit of the Spirit

Many of us have no idea how to treat others with kindness. As a Christ-follower, following Jesus’ example in the New Testament demonstrates a worthwhile goal to pursue. When Christ’s love and His Holy Spirit indwells us, kindness begins to permeate our thoughts first and then our actions.

When I look back at most of the people I have known in ministry, it is the trait of kindness that sticks in my mind. Many times, I personally received a direct outcome of their kindness or I saw them showering kindness on others.

But, come to think of it, kindness is the trait I look for or it finds me in my relationships with others. (Okay, I value honesty too!)

The trait that you look for or find may be different. It may be another fruit of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

While not exhaustive, some of the pastoral kindnesses I have experienced are . . .

  • The pastor who preached the gospel when I turned from my sin and believed in my Lord Jesus Christ. [Bill Lawson/Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Houston]
  • The pastor who counseled me and baptized me. [Dr. James Harris/University Baptist Church, Fort Worth]
  • The pastor who gave me the best marriage advice ever. [Dr. John Bisango, First Baptist Church, Houston]
  • The pastor who filled in to marry us when our intended wedding pastor had to cancel marrying us two days before the wedding. [Dr. James Riley/Former pastor @ Second Baptist, Houston]
  • The interim pastor who loved our 6-year old daughter and led her to Christ and baptized her that very same day. [Bob Harris/Interim @ First Baptist, Humble]
  • The pastor I saw sweeping and cleaning up the kitchen after our daughter’s wedding shower which took place in his church. [Jerry Howe/Second Baptist Church, Levelland at the time]

And, I could go on and on! Fortunately, my husband and I have been recipients of being in wonderful churches all throughout our married life. Each unique in their own way. Praise God!

Kindness from Christ-Followers

But, it’s not the kindnesses I have received just from ministerial people that have impressed me. I have also been the recipient of individual Christ-followers’ kindnesses, like . . .

  • The ladies who brought meals to me after my children were born.
  • The college professor who gave me a passing grade when I shared difficulties I was having grasping the subject matter in his class.
  • The friend who consoled me after a horrendous breakup.
  • The elderly churchmen and churchwomen who mentored my husband and me when we were young adults by their examples and “invitations to have lunch with them.”
  • The friend who rejoiced with me when we bought a home while she lived in a small, rundown apartment with four young children.

Kindness was the trait that attracted me to my husband. When we dated, he was kind (and nice) to me. Need I say more after 39 years of marriage?

The Bible urges us to be kind to one another.

Honestly, I don’t think of myself as a particularly kind person. [Oh, I do not like saying that, but I desire to be a kind person.] When I see my rough and jagged edges, I don’t like what I see. That’s why it surprises me when I receive notes from my friends as I received recently.

One of my friends wrote,

You found me hiding pains and helped my healing: I am the vibrant woman I am today because you stopped where I was stuck, you became the step I needed to climb up and out: I am eternally grateful for your loving kindness.

I cherish comments like this. They encourage me to do better, to strive to be more kind and loving. And I appreciate those who refrain from telling me my bad characteristics until they are told with kind words—words that only the Holy Spirit can place in their hearts.

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro knew how to show grace and kindness when it came time to lead Moses to a better life when Moses was overloaded by all his pastoral duties.

Jethro said,

The thing you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.  Then he began to counsel him and teach him how to handle disputes by having the difficult decisions brought to him and having the minor decisions handled by the judges. (Exodus 18)

Now, that’s kindness in action!

Kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. When speaking about walking by the Spirit, Paul states the following, concluding with kindness being one of the fruits of the Spirit:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.  

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another (Read Galatians 5:16-26).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. (Galatians 5:22) GreenePastures.org
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Why Should We Be Kind To Each Other?

  • As believers, we are commanded to be kind. (Colossians 3:21)
  • Be kind so that the word of God may not be criticized or attacked. (Titus 2:5)
  • Because the Lord is kind. Psalm 145:17. (Titus 3:4)
  • God tells us to be kind because he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:35)
  • God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. (Romans 2:4)
  • If you are kind, you will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)
  • The Bible tells us that servants of God should be kind to everyone and not quarrelsome. (2 Timothy 2:24)
  • The Bible tells us to remember people kindly. (1 Thessalonians 3:6)
  • We should be kind to one another as God in Christ forgave us. (Ephesians 4:32)
  • You benefit yourself if you are kind while a cruel man hurts himself. (Proverbs 11:17)

Conclusion

As Christ-followers, no matter what we encounter in life, we are faced with many different situations and personalities. Obviously, sometimes we don’t feel like being kind. Fatigue, restlessness, and/or sin may cause our focus to shift away easily from God and His attributes.

Faced with our sometimes unkind attitudes, we should repent daily and pray that our lives will reflect the love of God in all we do—including being kind. Being kind involves loving others, being patient, and seeking God’s wisdom in all we say and do.

And, when we fail, let’s confess our harsh and callous hearts to God, and start over—even if it means addressing and apologizing to those whom we have hurt.

Bible Verses:

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. (Acts 9:36)

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. (Luke 6:35)

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, I so want to be kind. Help me each day to seek Your face and become more like You. Show me how to be kind to both my friends and enemies. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide me to situations where I need to shower others with kindness. Where I need to seek forgiveness, show me how to confess. You are holy and kind and I want to be like You in all I say, think, or do. In Christ. Amen.

God Bless,

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Edited by E. Johnson

Bible Study, Christian Living, Friendship, GreenePastures.org, Patti Greene, The Bible

All Because of a Janitor and “One Another” Verses

ALL BECAUSE OF A JANITOR

I attend a weekly Bible study. This week my group met for a casual lunch to love on “one another” and fellowship since we are off for the summer.

May I mention that I am the youngest person in the group (and I’m not telling how old I am.) The age range of the women is probably between 75-95 with me being the exception. You might wonder how I ended up in a group with women so much older than me.

It was all because of a janitor!!! 

On my first day to attend this class, I did not know where the meeting room was located so I asked the janitor—my big mistake or so I thought. He had no idea where I should go or what I was talking about. He just wanted to chat and speculate with me.

Finally, three lovely women walked by and asked if they could help. Long story short, I ended up in their class even though there were about seven or eight different classes in which one or two probably included women close to my own age group.

When I walked in the class that first day, I saw canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. Within a few minutes, I learned there were women there possessing hearing aids, cancer ports, and living with dementia.

I tell you all this to say that God always knows what He is doing. During my  1 1/2 year involvement with this class, I wrote a book titled Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending. Not that the book was a direct result of this class, but it did give me a little more understanding and compassion for the elderly!

The janitor doesn’t know it, but his elongated speculation and chatter on room location provided for God’s timing so these women could “arrive on the scene.”

I love the ladies in this group and the Bible study. And, I think the group has accepted me (the strangler who invaded their already established group)—at least they acted like it yesterday!

Because of this class, I am a big fan of the books of the Bible we have studied together—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, and 1 Corinthians!

Now I am eagerly awaiting our next study on the book of John this fall. Awesome!

Moving on . . . 

This week I was listening to a Christian radio program and the speaker discussed the phrase “one another” from the Bible. So, being a curious person, I looked up the phrase and saw that the phrase is mentioned 153 times in the Old Testament and 146 times in the New Testament.

Faced with reading all 299 verses, I opted to read the 146 verses in the New Testament. Many of the verses had to do with speaking to one another, reasoning with one another, calling others for discussion, arguing with one another, and more.

But, for this blog, I decided to pull out some Christian advice and admonitions that are personal attributes for us to remember. I hope you enjoy them and notice how often we are encouraged to love one another!

“One Another” NT Verses

Mark 9:50
Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
been wasted?

Luke 23:12
Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.

John 5:44
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 15:12
[ Disciples’ Relation to Each Other ] “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

In John 15:12, “[Jesus says] I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.” Oswald Chambers
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John 15:17
This I command you, that you love one another.

Acts 4:15
But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another,

Acts 21:5
When our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, escorted us until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another.

Acts 26:31
and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.”

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Romans 13:8
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Romans 14:13
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.

Romans 14:19
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

Romans 15:5
Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,

Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

Romans 15:14
And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.

Romans 16:16
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

1 Corinthians 11:33
So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

1 Corinthians 12:25
so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Galatians 5:15
But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Galatians 5:26
Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

Ephesians 4:25
Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Ephesians 5:19
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

Ephesians 5:21
and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Philippians 2:3
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

Colossians 3:13
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

1 Thessalonians 3:12
and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;

1 Thessalonians 4:9
Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:13
and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 10:24
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

Hebrews 10:25
not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

James 4:11
Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.

James 5:9
Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

1 Peter 1:22
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

1 Peter 4:9
Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

1 Peter 4:10
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 5:5
You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.

1 John 3:1
[ Children of God Love One Another ] See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

1 John 3:11
For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

1 John 3:23
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

1 John 4:7
[ God Is Love ] Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:12
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

2 John 1:5
Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

Verses:

See above.

Prayer:

Dear heavenly Father, Please help me to put one or two of the verses above into action this week. Show me how I can serve others. Give me wisdom so I can know you better and be a person who uplifts Your holy name. I love you, Lord. Now let me fervently love others in the power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless,

Works Cited:

BibleGateway.com [NASB version]

Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest. https://utmost.org/love-one-another. 11 July 2018.

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Bible Study, Faith, Guest Bloggers, Prayer, The Bible

Hope and Encouragement From the Word – GUEST BLOGGER Shelley Jarl

Have you ever put thought into how much you appreciate the Word of God? Or, have you ever prayed to thank God for His Word or for the numerous benefits we receive from it? The writer of Psalm 119 certainly did.

With its 176 verses, Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the entire Bible. Many people attribute this Psalm to David although the author is not revealed.

The writer had an incredible appreciation for the Word of God. Throughout the Psalm, he uses many words to describe the Word of God, including; word, law, statutes, precepts, testimony, ordinances, commandments and judgments. All in all, the word of God is mentioned in at least 171 of the 176 verses.

It is evident by a few verses in this Psalm that the writer was dealing with some trials in his life.

  • Verses 86+87 “They persecute me wrongfully, Help me. They almost made an end of me on the earth.”
  • Verse 143 “Trouble and anguish have overtaken me.”
  • Verse 150 “They draw near who follow after wickedness”
  • Verse 157 “Many are my persecutors and my enemies.”

Although we find him in the midst of trials, he continues to live a life of faith as he leans on the Word for comfort, guidance, hope and more. He reveals trial and trust, seamlessly, one after another as though for him they were part of the same package. In verses 87-88 he says, “They almost made an end of me on earth (talking about his enemies), but I did not forsake Your precepts. Revive me according to Your lovingkindness . . . ”

Trials are inevitable; they are part of life. We often have no control over whether we will face certain trials. We do have control over how we respond to them. Sometimes we can get so caught up in a situation that our relationship with the Lord suffers. This writer didn’t let that happen.

How do you respond to trials? There is much we can learn about journeying through the storms of life by reading Psalm 119. I encourage you to read it on your own and underline any sections which stand out to you. Read it slow enough to enjoy the beauty of the language the writer uses to express his love and appreciate for God and His word. Notice the depth of understanding he has for the importance of the Word in his life, it’s truly remarkable.

While I read the Psalm, I took note of the things the writer did in his own life while dealing with trials. There are things he did to find hope in the Word of God and we can apply these examples to our own difficult situations to find hope ourselves.

Here are just a few of the things I found the writer did. There are many more examples, but I’ve only listed some of them.

Take Time to Praise God Even in the Midst of Trials

When we praise God we are taking the focus off our situation and placing it on the Lord. This serves to glorify God and can also serve as encouragement to others as they see a trust in God during the storms of life.

  • Verse 7 “I will praise you with uprightness of heart.”
  • Verse 48 “My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments.”
  • Verse 54 “Your statutes have been my songs.”
  • Verse 111 “For they are the rejoicing of my heart.”
  • Verse 162 “I rejoice at Your word.”
  • Verse 171 “My lips shall utter praise.”

Do Not Forsake the Practice of Praying and Meditating on the Word

During trials, it is very easy to skip your scripture reading or prayer time. Don’t let this happen. Reading the Word brings comfort and peace, and it uplifts you and can encourage you.

  • Verse 15 “I will meditate on Your Word”
  • Verse 23 “But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.”
  • Verse 27 “So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.”
  • Verse78 “But I will meditate on Your precepts.”
  • Verse 148 “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.”

Take Delight in and Hope on the Word

How exactly do we take delight in the Word? For me personally, this happens when I study a passage and apply it to my life. Or I delight in the Word, by having scripture posted around my home so I see it regularly and it encourages me on a daily basis.

  • Verse 70 “But I delight in Your law.”
  • Verse 74 “Because I have hoped in Your word.”
  • Verse 81 “But I hope in Your word.”
  • Verse 113 “But I love Your law.”

Memorize Scripture

Have scripture memorized so you can recall it when you most need it.

  • Verse 11 “Your word I have hidden in my heart.”

Continue to Share your Faith and God’s Word

Talk to others about God’s work in your life. Share scripture with others to encourage or bless them. This, in turn, will bless and encourage you as God’s Word saturates your life.

  • Verse 13 “With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.”
  • Verse 172 “My tongue shall speak of Your word.”

Be Careful Not to Backslide. Make Corrections When You Find Yourself Backsliding

Each and every person has certain things they struggle with. If you find yourself swaying off course in your walk with the Lord make corrections immediately.

  • Verse 59 “I thought about my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies.”
  • Verse 69 “But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.”
  • Verse 101 “I have restrained my feet from every evil way.”
  • Verse 157 “Yet, I do not turn from Your testimonies.”

Shelley Jarl, author of “The Humidity Makes My Hair Frizz and It’s Really Starting to Stink in Here”, is a mom, Christian, entrepreneur, business owner, author, and lover of all things creative. She strives every day to embrace the abundant life God has given her. As a self-proclaimed warrior, she has put on the armor of God numerous times to overcome tremendous adversity in her life. She can be found living down the end of a ridiculously long driveway, in the mountains of New Hampshire. As proof of her insanity, she owns Weimaraners. But, most importantly, she is a sinner saved by a loving Savior, Jesus.

Shelley can be found online at www.becauseliada.com where she encourages people to find their God-given adventure, whatever that looks like for them and live out the abundant life God intended. She can also be found at www.faithfulbloggers.com where she helps Christians connect and get equipped to impact the world with their faith story.

Book Link:

The Humidity Makes My Hair Frizz and It’s Really Starting to Stink In Here

Social Links:

Faithful Bloggers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaithfulBloggers/

Faithful Bloggers Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/faithfulblogger/boards/

Thank you, Shelley, for sharing these words of wisdom with us.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Bible Verses

But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:28)

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. (Romans 1:8)

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Please give me a heart that is pleasing to you. Give me faith, Give me a desire to study Your word. Give me hope. Thank you for being who you are. I love You. In Jesus’ Name.

Amen.

Books by Patti Greene; Available on Amazon

Click here to preview and/or purchase.

#bgbg2, Caregiving, GreenePastures.org, Patti Greene, Testimonies

Christian Caregiving: Behind the Scenes

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My newly released book, Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending, was published in May 2018. To me, this is exciting news! I am amazed at how God worked in putting this book together, so I want to share some background information about how this new release came about. So, humor me for a few moments!

Here Goes My Story

Once upon a time, not so long ago, my church* asked me to teach a class on caregiving. When I was first asked to teach this class my first thought was, “Why in the world would anybody ask someone to teach a caregiving class while they are in the midst of it?” However, after pondering and praying, I felt the Lord say, “Go Ahead!” I had no curriculum to follow. The class was put together by my own research, prayer, my living circumstance, the Holy Spirit and by my husband who was willing to stay with my mom (with whom we live), so I could go to the church to teach the class.

I taught the class not just once but twice.

Just as I don’t know how to express my gratefulness for this teaching opportunity, I don’t know how to express my gratitude for how this book came into being.

I had no intention of putting the highlights of the class into a book until way after I finished teaching the second class, but then again God impressed me with His words, “Go Ahead.” Each of the chapters overviews one of the six class lessons taught at my church.

At the same time as God’s “Go Ahead” words impressed me, I was asked to teach a couple of classes at Houston’s First Baptist Church at the Inspirational Writers Alive Conference in August 2018. One of the classes I am teaching is titled Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing. This opportunity was another big catalyst for this book because if I were to teach on self-publishing I wanted to experiment with how publishing with Amazon was done so I could share it with the class. Thus, this book was created through Amazon. I published my other books differently.

As with all new ventures, there is a learning curve. I  learned how to purchase an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) on this publishing journey. In addition, I found out that companies can format books specifically for Amazon Print, Kindle, Smashwords and more.

I had an awesome editor. He’s the best. He tells me when what I write doesn’t make sense; he corrects my incomprehensible grammar, illogical expressions and unreasonable comparisons. Wow. I couldn’t do this without him. He lives in Michigan. (He’s probably reading this newsletter now, cringing and in tears!)

I was so excited to be able to use the photograph of a friend of mine on the front cover! The cover shows her with her mom in a facility while caregiving. [This is a good place to say that this wonderful person also designed the covers my other three books.]

But, with this cover, I just went with a pre-formatted cover using a photograph she sent me. I am so grateful to her. She lives in New York. And who else can put together someone from New York with someone from Texas! Can I mention that I have never met this lovely woman? That’s a God thing.

It is always scary to push the “SUBMIT” button on a book one has written, but I did. A week after this book was published, it was brought to my attention that I didn’t handle something correctly.  I was made aware of it and just in the nick of time, I was able to correct a serious problem. This issue cropped up because I totally ignored a major plagiarism rule that I knew and have taught to others for many years. It made for some tense days, but God worked it out perfectly by me being able to delete my book off Amazon and resubmit it with the needed adjustments.

On my first submission, I ordered 30 books which I assumed would come with the first submission’s printing, but miraculously when they arrived, they had the issues corrected. God even prepared me through my former career as a librarian. I didn’t realize I had to type up the publication page — the page after the title page — since I didn’t do it for my other books, but with Amazon, I had to. My librarian experience taught me how to prepare that page with ease. Now, that’s specific! And, God knew long ago that I was going to need to know how to figure out Library of Congress subject headings!

I say all that to say that what is available on Amazon is the “best copy” I could do!

And one more thing: discovering the identity of the front cover picture’s photographer came late, but it came just in time and I was able to get the release I felt comfortable with in using the lovely picture on the front cover.

My Final Remarks

God is good and when we obey Him, He makes things all work out. And, even when I faced those stressful days between copy 1 and copy 2, I felt very peaceful that He was working it out. I didn’t know how He would do it, but He did. I feel like it was like turning the water into wine. Just miraculous!

If you are in the caregiving phase of your life or you know someone who is, I recommend this book to you. My prayer is that it will be very beneficial to you, your loved ones, and your friends.

God is good and when we obey Him, He makes things all work out.
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Here Are Some Fun Facts To Know About This Caregiving Book!

The hardest part of putting this book together was the Endnotes and Bibliography.

My husband wrote the paragraph describing the book on the back cover. I didn’t put his name on “his” paragraph. Sounded too nepotistic for me. Ha.

My picture on the back cover is five years old. I am now in the process of trying to become a blonde. Yes, you heard me correctly! But, it’s not turning out too well.

The book is now available on Amazon.com for purchase both in print and e-book format. If you have Amazon Unlimited, the book is a free download. The book retails for $8.95 and the e-book version is $4.99. I think if you purchase a print book, you can get the e-book for 99 cents.

Thanks so much for reading my story. My readers are my lifeline and guide to my writing.

With so many adult children facing caregiving questions, this book may be the answer to most of their questions. I am asking you to share, forward and repost this article to your friends and family members.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

CHRISTIAN CAREGIVING: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending by Patti Greene

ISBN-13:                                978-0692115381—Christian Caregiving—Print/Softcover

ISBN-Kindle:                      0692115383—Christian Caregiving—Kindle

Quotes:

Patti Greene’s book, Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending, is an excellent resource. It addresses the key points in what you need to prepare for. Written from a Christian perspective, it gives prayers and Bible verses to provide comfort during this difficult time. If you have read any of the author’s other books, you know she has a heart for God through her many years of prayer and journaling that led to her books. This would be a great resource for churches, caregiving groups, and anyone that has aging parents.

—JT, St. Louis

Christian Caregiving is a clear and concise resource for those of us who want and desire to care for our elderly family with the love of Christ. I have found the basic suggestions and information to be invaluable. Many of us who find ourselves in this season of life sometimes are simply overwhelmed with the magnitude of life decisions that have to be made. Knowing that this book has simplified topics and clear directives on what caregivers should do, consider and execute, has made the process much less daunting. Reading this book and taking note of the suggestions that Ms. Greene has so carefully put together has helped ease my concerns during my family’s caregiving season.

—AR, Houston

Bible Verses:

Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3)

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever. (John 14:16)

Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:2-3)

Prayer from Chapter 1 in Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Dear Lord,

Help me to be the best caregiver possible. Give me wisdom and a desire to honor You in how I serve. There are so many issues. You know my time and my schedule. Let me experience joy as I honor my loved ones. Let me seek knowledge. Let me be wise in my dealings with others. Let me be generous with my hugs and kisses. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Edited by E. Johnson

*Bear Creek Church, Katy, TX

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Death, Life Issues, People in the Bible, Salvation, The Bible

Anthony Bourdain and Suicide

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Last night I watched “Remembering Anthony Bourdain”—CNN’s television show honoring Anthony Bourdain. Known as a good-looking talented man, author of many books, a culinary genius, and a travel documentarian, Bourdain was discovered unresponsive in his Kaysersberg, France hotel room having hung himself by suicide. Recently, his “claim to fame” included his trips around the world documenting the cuisine, politics, people, and cultures in his show titled “Parts Unknown” for CNN.

As I watched the show, I was drawn to our similarities.

  • We both enjoy/enjoyed writing. I’m a novice, and he was a professional journalist.
  • We both enjoy/enjoyed social issues. One of my college majors was Sociology while Bourdain enjoyed all things sociological like culture, customs, countries.
  • We both love/loved the beautiful North Atlantic coastline.
  • We both stretch/stretched ourselves by asking people questions because we are interested in their lives and we like/liked to know what makes people tick.
  • We were both born in New York City.
  • We both came from a Catholic/Jewish background.
  • We both attended good colleges. Baylor for me; Vassar for him although he left after two years to continue his education at The Culinary Institute of America.
  • He loved to learn and so do I. In educational terms, we could both call ourselves lifelong learners.

On Bourdain’s arm is a tattoo inscribed with the sentence, “I am certain of nothing.”   As I ponder his life, his achievements and his personality, I believe he could have been used greatly by God. I’m not one to judge people as to whether God’s grace is a part of one’s life or not, but his fruit was probably evident that he rarely thought of God or God’s provision in his life. He battled demons on and off his entire life: drinking, drugs, profanity, brashness, and more.

I say all this to say, it is very sad that Bourdain committed suicide. It’s a hard pill to swallow when we realize that just a word, a touch, or an encouragement may have swayed his decision.

What would Bourdain’s life have been if he had believed that God was the source of his strength, the guidance of his career, the love of his life? Only God knows the answer to that question. But, I bet he could have been an outstanding Christ-follower. I even ask myself, “What would my life have been if I had not believed in Christ?” Not good, that is for sure.

Because there have been so many suicides recently in the news, republishing my article titled, “Suicide: 7 Reasons People Committed Suicide in the Bible” seems like the right thing to do. May it give my readers some thoughts to mull around and hopefully gain a renewed interest in God and what He can do in your life or in the life of a beloved friend or family member.

If you are contemplating suicide, “DON’T!” Call a friend, family member, or the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.

____________________

Suicide: 7 Reasons People Committed Suicide in the Bible [Reprint]

I  once went to the viewing of a young adult who committed suicide. When greeting the parents, I experienced something I will never forget—the big, long hug from a desperate mom—the deep cry of a distraught wife—and the complete agony of a father.

It is the father’s furrowed face I want to keep etched in my mind—for no other reason, but to recall how awful suicide affects those involved. As I looked into the face of the father, his eyes penetrated mine. I’ve never seen such despondency, hopelessness, and despair before in my entire life. Although his eyes were empty, his countenance was reaching out for me to tell him the reason he was sitting in that funeral home pew was a bad dream and that what had just happened really didn’t happen. But, I couldn’t and neither could anyone else.

Suicide affects the family, friends, and acquaintances. It even affects those who have no connection to the suicide through reading about it or hearing about it. It is a tragedy that brings sadness to so many. The “why” question dwells in the minds of all. Thoughts swirl in the mind of those who knew the victim.

“I wish I would have kept in close contact.”

“What could I have done to prevent this senseless act?”

“Why didn’t I see it coming?”

“Why, why, why?”

In questioning this tragedy, I decided to research suicides in the Bible. I found seven people who committed suicide. This list may not be exhaustive, but it gives a glimpse into the workings of the human mind and maybe, just maybe, it will help others.

____________________

  1. Regret

    Judas Iscariot hanged himself.

Judas was one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. He was the treasurer for the disciples. He was responsible for their funds and distributing them as needed. He betrayed Jesus by leading Jewish officials to him in order to receive 30 silver coins. Once he discovered that the Jews were going to kill Jesus, he brought the money back to the Jewish officials and threw it on the temple floor. Many say Judas’ motivation was greed. No matter what his true motivation was, it was obvious he regretted his action. Not knowing how to handle that regret and remorse resulted in him hanging himself.

And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:5

Examples of Present Day Regret: Not having enough confidence in oneself; regret in chosen occupation; breakups; loved one passes away.

  1. Humiliation

    Abimelech, Son of Gideon ordered his armor-bearer to kill him.

Abimelech ruled Israel for three years. Some say that he should not be counted as a king because he was not anointed by God. During his reign, he destroyed the city of Shechem. After that, he attacked the city of Thebez. During that siege, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, wounding him. He was embarrassed that he would be known as being killed by a woman, so he asked his armor-bearer to kill him. And, the armor-bearer did.

Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. Judges 9:54

Examples of Present Day Humiliation: Embarrassed by friends or family members; depression; lack of self-confidence; embarrassed by abuse; bullying; mental illness; feeling of hopelessness; shame.

  1. Bullying

    Samson caused a disaster and killed himself along with others.

Samson was a Judge of the tribe of Dan. He was chosen by Jewish leaders before Israel chose to have Kings. Due to being a Nazarite, his life was dedicated to God. He was known for his Herculean strength. He is most famous for his Philistine wife Delilah who continually betrayed and humiliated him. She eventually shaved Samson’s hair off and the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. He was put in prison. He was called out of prison to be made fun of again. He was tied to pillars and he pulled down the entire temple. The temple collapsed destroying both his life and the lives of many others.

And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. Judges 16:30

Examples of Present Day Bullying: Friends making fun of each other; being laughed at; being bullied for one’s weaknesses (appearances, intelligence); being made fun of behind one’s back; being nagged.

  1. Fear

    King Saul fell on his own sword.

King Saul was Israel’s first king. He tried to overtake the city of Bethsham. He wanted complete control over the trade routes. But, the armies of the Philistines fought against the men of Saul. They killed Saul’s three sons: Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. Saul was wounded in the battle. He asked his armor-bearer to slay him, but he wouldn’t, so he fell on his sword.

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.  And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 1 Samuel 31:1-4

Examples of Present Day Fear: Desire to be free of pain; terminal illnesses; fear of being mocked, fear of possible abuse, actual verbal abuse; actual physical abuse; sexual ridicule; mocked for being poor, handicapped, judged; fear of mistreatment.

  1. Witnessing Violence or Death

    Saul’s armor-bearer fell on his own sword.

The purpose of an armor bearer in the Bible was to be by their king’s side during dangerous times. Armor bearers were chosen by kings because they were supposed to be known as very brave people. Possibly, Saul’s armor-bearer could not deal with the guilt of disobeying King Saul’s command to kill him or maybe he couldn’t accept that he just witnessed the violent death of someone else – King Saul.

And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 1 Samuel 31:5

Examples of Present Day Witnessing Violence or Death: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; witnessing abuse (domestic or otherwise); being traumatized by witnessing natural disasters; being traumatized by witnessing another suicide; guilt they could have made a difference in someone’s decision to take their own life; terrorism.

  1. Powerlessness

    Ahithopel planned his suicide, put his house in order, and hanged himself.

Ahithopel was King David’s counselor. But, at one point, he deserted King David and went to serve King David’s son Absolom. Hushai was known to be Absalom’s friend and trusted counselor.  Absalom valued Hushai’s counseling skills more than Ahithophel’s skills. That disturbed Ahithophel, so he went home to Giloh, put his house in order, then hanged himself.

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. 2 Samuel 17:23

Examples of Present Day Powerlessness: Being insulted; not being viewed as worthy or important;  jealous of other people (co-workers, family members, peers); elder abuse; being talked about behind your back; inability to break a drug habit; not being respected.

  1. Distress

    Zimri killed himself and others by fire.

Zimri was a chariot commander. He murdered King Elah and all his family in Tirzah. He succeeded King Elah as king, but only for seven days. The army elected Omri as king instead of him. He wanted power and was distressed that the army was going to besiege Tirzah. He was unable to cope regarding the besiege of Tirzah and the loss of position so he set the palace on fire killing himself along with many others.

And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire and died. 1 Kings 16:18

Examples of Present Day Distress: Loss of job; unemployment; grades; death of a family member or someone close; divorce; injury; being abused; being neglected; trouble with the law; alcoholism; not getting into the college of choice; pressure to be someone you aren’t; moral distress; comparing your situation to others.

To all who are reading this article, remember that all problems can be fixed. The only problem that can’t be fixed is suicide.

Every problem we face or that we see others facing can be fixed. The only problem that can’t be fixed is suicide.
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If you recognize any of these examples in your life or in the faces of those you come in contact with, please get help. Don’t wait. It may be too late, and we don’t want that. And, if for some reason, you do encounter a suicide and are having a hard time dealing with it (which happens to a lot of people), please get some counseling. Talk to a friend, spouse, parent, mentor, minister, or professional counselor. Let’s try as much as we can to help others so we don’t have to experience the despondency, hopelessness, and despair in the faces of those left behind.

God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-2000x655

Bible Verses: Above

Prayer: O LORD, suicide is tough. It’s so final. Lord, help me to always realize that there are always ways out of my problems and impress upon me that Your Holy Spirit and love can be my source of hope. Let me never be on the receiving end of a loved one’s suicide, but if I am please give me Your strength to deal with the situation. I pray for those in the midst of this suffering. I lift their heart and soul to you. Give them your comfort and love as no one or anything can. Keep my soul healthy in you. Let me call out for help when I need it and let me recognize those who need my help before it is too late. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Losch, Richard. All the People in the Bible: An A-Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, and Other Characters in Scripture. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2008.

Miller, Stephen. Who’s Who & Where’s Where in the Bible? Uhrichsville: Barbour, 2012.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]

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The Geometry of Spiritual Maturity

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Spiritual maturity and spiritual growth manifest in a Christ-follower’s heart from the moment a person accepts God’s gift of salvation through faith in Christ until they meet Jesus face to face.

Are you becoming more spiritually mature? Does delight break out within your soul when witnessing to a maturing Christian? Does sadness surface when spotting a stagnant Christ-follower choosing the wrong path?

Believers come in all ranks, from those just saved to those who are glorifying God right up until their final days.

In the Army, the rank one holds decides their pay grade and how much responsibility he is given. While a corporal may be responsible for a small group of soldiers, a major might command 10,000—15,000 soldiers. In all branches of the military, one can fast-track their career by taking advantage of added training and educational opportunities.

This same pattern arises once a person follows Christ as his or her Savior. Upon salvation, Christ-followers are automatically enrolled in a fictitious class titled “Spiritual Maturity.” Individuals decide how far they choose to progress with this never-ending course. Barely passing the class or excelling to a high degree of competency is a personal choice.

Line Segments, Lines, Rays and Angles

In Home School Math, the lesson Lines, Rays and Angles gives four geometric definitions. 1

Spiritual Maturity and Geometry
Spiritual Maturity and Geometry

1.  A line segment occurs when two points are connected with a straight line.

2. A line has no beginning point or end point. It continues indefinitely in both directions.

3. A ray starts out at a point and continues off to infinity. We can show that by drawing an arrow at one end of the ray.

4. An angle is made up of two rays that have the same beginning point.

But, how does that relate to spiritual maturity?

Line Segment: When a person is born physically, they embark upon their life journey. Their journey starts when they are physically born and ends when they physically die. Their lifeline is from Point A to Point B.

Line: Many religions live on a line; their beliefs imagine there is no true beginning and when they physically die they are either morphed into an animal/insect or are physically born again, i.e. phrases like “in my next life I’m coming back as a cat, a dragon, a New York Rockette, an anesthesiologist, etc.” may be heard.

Ray: When a person accepts Christ, their spiritual journey begins, and they are automatically enrolled in the Spiritual Maturity course. This class begins at one’s spiritual birth and continues forever.

Angle: vertex point X – represents Christ for both types of believers. Christ-followers have a choice in which ray they want to follow: the easy laid-back Christian life or a more progressive path. It’s interesting to note that the angled center (called a vertex) represents Christ for both types of believers.

One ray strives for a life filled with the fruits of the Spirit, growing in love for Jesus Christ and with the anticipation of living an eternal life in Heaven with the Christ-follower’s first love: Jesus. This person’s love for Jesus becomes stronger and stronger as he anticipates reaching Heaven one day and spending an eternity with Him.

The other ray represents a choice to either stagnate or lean towards a sinful lifestyle—always fighting the flesh. Unfortunately, some of these souls may believe they are Christ-followers but have never received the gift of grace God has offered them.

So, in “mathematically” defining a progressive spiritually-maturing believer, they are rays striving to start at the vertex, where the two paths diverge and follow the Godly ray.

As a student in the Spiritual Maturity class, your spiritual timeline may include peaks and valleys. However, to be moving in the right direction, the ray should be resting on an inclined line always progressing to a higher level until it reaches Jesus in Heaven.

When I look at my own spiritual ray, I have many peaks and valleys. The peaks are times of extended growth, heightened dependence on the Holy Spirit, glorious worship and Biblical promises all coming to life. The valleys include breakups, fears, disappointments, spiritual attacks, confusion, and pain.

But, when my mind has stayed on Christ during the valleys, God always comes to my rescue in time. Sometimes I can look back and see how God orchestrated that valley to increase the slope of my incline to be closer to Him. Even when I cannot humanly see any good coming out of a trial or temptation, Biblical principles have taught me to trust Him even if He never shows me His purpose until Glory.

Missing Out: On a Level Plane

I don’t understand why some believers are content to sit back, believing they’ve done all they need to do for God. My inability to understand it is because when I accepted Christ, I hit the road running. I’m not saying I didn’t fall back, down, and twirl around some, but fortunately, I was able to pick myself up quickly. It was like two steps forward, one step back; okay, to be honest, maybe sometimes there were four or five steps backward!

But over the years in my Christian walk, I have seen church members who attend church every Sunday, sing in the choir, take their children to every church activity available, and still remain stunted in their spiritual growth. I ask myself why all the time!

I hate to use the word lazy and Christian in the same sentence, but I wonder if it isn’t laziness on their behalf.

They sit in church Sunday after Sunday just to feel good about going to the House of God. Or maybe they are there to make a work connection. Some don’t seem to grasp the principles they hear at church or Bible study—rarely applying them to their lives. I don’t understand how, in a 168-hour week, they can’t find time to open God’s Word. How can they disregard daily (or even weekly) prayer? Why do they only pray in a crisis? Why do they ask others to pray for them over and over when they don’t take the time to pray for themselves?

I frequently wonder what people miss when they are not desirous of God’s presence. Lookers-on may be identified by many “ranks” of spiritual maturity they hold using Army terminology—a golf course private, a pew-sitting specialist, a Bible teaching corporal, or a “fanatical” Major.

Sometimes I am awed by their lack of personal commitment. But at the same time, I am so cognizant that one day even I might fit into one of these categories. I could easily become a “they.” With all sincerity, humility, and prayer, I pray that never happens, but nobody in this life has reached the point of perfection and that includes me, your parents and even your pastor. All who have accepted Christ occasionally experience cold hearts, judgmentalism, prayerlessness, or selfishness in themselves.

Making people feel bad by approaching this subject is not my style, but I do believe addressing these facts openly and honestly encourage a dormant disciple to become a vibrant follower on the way to a deep spiritual maturity.

Tips to Mature in Your Faith

  • Be Still Before God.

By praying, reading, meditating on His Word, and being quiet before God, we are filling ourselves with His presence. We are making time and room for God to speak to us, share His wisdom with us, and grow each of us into the person He intended for us to become from the start.

  • Allow God to Work Through Your Sufferings and Trials.

Too many believers avoid God because they blame God for their ordeals. Many nominal believers don’t want to undergo suffering; they believe by avoiding God that troubles will evade them. Their understanding is faulty because sufferings prepare us to be used by Him and our trials can draw us into a deeper relationship with our heavenly Father. Through our pain and affliction, we are directed to His principles, which allow us to see glimpses or outright directions for His purposes.

  • Pray for a Deeper Faith.

By praying for a deeper walk, one learns more about the One who cares for us more than anyone else in this world. It’s easy to sit back and listen to the undertakings others have achieved for Christ when you aren’t interested in asking God what you can do for Him. Many don’t want to serve Christ; they believe they already have His promise for eternal life and that is enough. But O dear soul, if you only knew what you are missing!

Two Character Traits to “Hold at Bay” while Deepening Your Faith

  1. We must not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We must remember that it is God who decides the measure of faith each person possesses at each interval of spiritual growth. Let us pray for humility by praying fervently, not boasting, realizing how weak we are, count others as more significant than ourselves, and help others succeed.
  2. Do not be afraid to allow God to fill you with His presence to the point where others will notice a change in you.
When our faith is deepening, we may not see how our relationship with Christ is growing, but others do. GreenePastures.org
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Ten Powerful Characteristics of Spiritual Maturity

According to Frank Powell, the author of “10 [sic] Marks of a Mature Christian”, there are indicators we can use to gauge our maturity as a Christian:

  1. The highs and lows of life don’t impact your relationship with God.
  2. You find value in the “daily-ness” and trivial seasons of life.
  3. You are at peace with situations beyond your control.
  4. You don’t allow disciplines to take a back seat.
  5. You maintain a childlike sense of wonder and awe.
  6. You do not compare yourself to others.
  7. You listen to others who have a different viewpoint … with the goal of growing and not correcting.
  8. Your heart breaks for the poor and marginalized.
  9. You understand Christianity doesn’t have an on/off switch.
  10. You have a sustainable rhythm to your life.

Adding a #11, Powell also mentions that spiritual maturity is not about age, achievements or appearances. ²

Benefits Available to a Follower Fully Committed to Christ

As a fully committed Christ-follower, we have [the]:

  1. Ability to become so closely aligned with God that He becomes our entire reason for living
  2. Ability to develop the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
  3. Access to God, His guidance, and His Holy Spirit through prayer and Bible study
  4. Capability to see and feel His presence in both the mundane and the exciting times
  5. Capability to know His will
  6. Joy seeing God move in the lives of our friends and family
  7. Power to effectively communicate with Him (in total honesty)
  8. Protection from the “evil one” when we “put on” the full armor of God: Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes of the Gospel of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, and Sword of the Spirit (Read Ephesians 6:10-24)
  9. And, the list could go on and on.

At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson won the 100-meter sprint finals to great fanfare (and no small amount of boasting!) defeating what was easily the most competitive field in the sports’ Olympic history. Unfortunately, he was stripped of his gold medal one day later when drug tests showed he had used performance-enhancing steroids. Five years later, Johnson was caught doping a second time and banned automatically from competition for life by the International Amateur Athletic Association.

While we don’t like hearing stories like this, it is a reminder to us to consistently model Jesus Christ and to follow His principles because, one day at the end of our lives, we will be accountable for the path (the ray) we have chosen in this life.

Reaping Spiritual Gold

When we enter God’s presence on that day, let us hear as the faithful servants heard in The Parable of the Bags of Gold. (Matthew 25:14-30)

In that parable, a master entrusts several of his servants with various amounts of gold. The servants who received five talents and two talents each used the gold they were given to reap commensurate returns, but the servant who received only one talent hid it in the ground.

When the master returned, he was quite angry with the servant who buried his talent. “You wicked, lazy servant.”

By contrast, he said to those who generated a return on the master’s gold, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

The master then took the one talent from the servant who buried his and gave it to the one who had received five gold pieces.

Like the servants in the parable, and using the geometric analogy we developed earlier, we find ourselves continually at an “angle vertex” decision point at every moment of our lives.

YOU ARE HERE

Let us do as the servant did who delighted his master, and “invest” the time, talents and treasures we have been given in this life to reap “spiritual gold” in return. This can include coming alongside others in kindness and fellowship, praying deeply for others without recognition, or even leading others to salvation through Jesus Christ!

Our Master in Heaven would be quite pleased.

“The work of the gospel is only fulfilled when we invest what we have received into the lives of others.” Aaron Morris, Ministries Pastor, Bear Creek Church, Katy, TX
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God Bless and please share this message as an encouragement to others.

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Christian Women’s Speaker, Member Inspirational Writers Alive #IWA; Bible Gateway Blogger Grid Member #bgbg2

Bible Verses:

Therefore, leaving the teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. (Hebrews 6:1)

Brethren do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. (1 Corinthians 14:20)

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. (Philippians 1:9-10)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I know so many people who are inactive in their faith. My prayer is for them to have a change of heart and a desire to serve and love You with his or her entire heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Works Cited

1“Lines, Rays, and Angles.” Home School Math. Web 23 May 2018.

https://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/g/angles.php.

²Powell, Frank. 10 Marks of a Mature Christian. Web 20 May 2018.

http://frankpowell.me/marks-mature-Christian.

Edited by E. Johnson

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The Coumadin Confessional

From my lips, to God’s ear. He had His answer ready long before I even asked.

Guest Contributor Ellsworth Johnson

If you were raised Catholic, like I was, chances are you spent some time in a confessional.

When I was in the fifth grade, growing up deep in the boroughs of New York City, my mother put me in a program organized by our local church called “Release Time.” On Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. I, my brother and about 50 other kids from local elementary schools got to leave early, walk the half mile to Sacred Heart and spend the afternoon (and, often, into the evening) in classrooms being lectured by the nuns on various topics, attending services in the sanctuary and, occasionally, indulging in my least favorite part of the whole experience: going to confession.

Oh, how I hated the confessional! Not only did we have to wait in long lines, to visit one of what were essentially small closets built into the wood paneling which lined the sanctuary’s walls, but once there you closed the door behind you and, in the darkened space, had to bare your sins to the priest invisibly on the other side of the porous cloth partition.

I often found myself confused. Embarrassed. Fumbling for things to say to a perfect stranger about the bad stuff no one knew about but God and me (“should I mention THAT one?”).

I had forgotten that agonized feeling from my childhood — until last Tuesday, when it came back full-force.

The apostle Paul reminds us many times to trust that God already has things mapped out for us:

… for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Currently, I am under medical care at home. Jackie, my nurse (not her real name), comes by once a week to take my vital signs and do a procedure called an INR, where she pricks my finger to draw blood and uses a portable device to test how well and how quickly it clots.

One of the medications I take is called Coumadin®. It is used to control the blood’s clotting ability. I had been prescribed to take one pill a day, but twice a week I had been advised to take an additional half a pill to further inhibit blood clotting.

Well, that was the plan, but… cut a pill in half? How on earth was I supposed to do that? With a knife? Scissors? Chisel? How do you keep the pieces from flying to Kingdom Come when you split the tablet? It sounded like a huge hassle, with the possibility of making a mess and chasing pill fragments all over the room, so I decided to just take an extra whole pill (instead of half) on those days and be done with it.

(DISCLAIMER: Do NOT try this at home, or anywhere else! This was a VERY BAD thing to do, and I thank God that it didn’t result in any medical harm. Always take your medicines exactly as prescribed!)

There were consequences, though.

“Your numbers are way up. They are about as high as they should be. We should look at lowering your dose.”

Oh no! My blood was way thinner than expected. Jackie was considering making medical recommendations under false pretenses, and I was the source of the falsehood!

The numbers from the INR test were at the upper end of the acceptable range, probably because of the additional whole Coumadin® pill I was taking instead of cutting it in half as directed.

Jackie was sitting in the chair across from me in my office, busily entering information into the tablet computer she brought with her to manage all my patient-care data. Should I tell her? She might freak out and get mad. On the other hand, it would explain the result, and allow us to make decisions based on reality and, hopefully, get the expected outcome.

Contemplating Confession

I stared out the window, flipping the issue over and over in my mind, evaluating possible eventual reactions (in increasing order of severity):

#3: Jackie getting mad

#2: any medical consequences

#1: wife clubbing me senseless

I took a deep breath. “Here goes,” I thought to myself.

I told Jackie what I did and braced myself for her response.

She did not even look up from her tablet.

Experiencing Grace

“That’s OK,” she said in an even tone. “I have an extra pill cutter out in my car. You can have it.”

WHAT?

She continued.

“I bought it for another patient some time ago. It turned out he didn’t need it, so I’ve been carrying it around in my car ever since. Here… let me go get it for you.” I watched her as she put down the tablet and left the room.

Can you say “grace”? The way it was all once explained to me involved blatantly speeding and a cop car pulling you over. “Justice” is getting the hefty ticket you rightly deserve. “Mercy” is overlooking the infraction, though you were obviously very guilty. “Grace” is where the cop says, on top of letting you slide, “Oh, and here are ten courtside passes to the next Lakers home game for you and your friends.”

“Mercy” is overlooking the infraction, though you were obviously very guilty. Ellsworth Johnson
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My mouth hung wide open. Jackie’s calm and grace-filled reaction was TOTALLY unexpected! I was completely flabbergasted at the astronomical coincidence which had just taken place.

Rationalizing God’s Provision

My rational mindset about putting together the sequence of events which must have taken place in the non-specific past to bring this all about:

  • One of Jackie’s patients needed a pill cutter.
  • Jackie bought the pill cutter.
  • The patient ended up not needing it.
  • Jackie left it in her car until now.

Just as important are all the things that did NOT happen, each of which is entirely plausible:

  • Jackie could have, at some point, for any reason (or no reason) taken the pill cutter out of her car.
  • Another patient could have needed it.
  • Jackie could have forgotten it was there or remembered yet not mention it.

This is hardly a complete list, but only the more obvious things. “Less obvious” is that the car could have been in an accident and been unavailable, or even a different nurse than Jackie showed up at my house that day.

Or… I could have chickened out and not said anything.

Appreciating God’s Care

 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Yet again, I am amazed in my humanness that God had it all under control, and that all the pieces fell together as He had obviously planned. And, yet again, I remind myself that I shouldn’t be surprised, considering who God is and where He sits in the scheme of things.

He has the whole universe under His dominion, yet He saw fit to make sure that I, Person #3,975,467,002 on this one obscure rock out of a trillion planets, with nothing special about him and much worthy of condemnation, still got what I needed.

Not only did I end up getting it, but He also arranged events (and non-events!) in other people’s lives to bring it all about.

I should indeed not be surprised. That’s who He is.

And I praise His name forever.

Thanks for the pill cutter.

Amen.

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