The Lord saw her...

Read the following scripture the other night...

Luke 7:11-15 - "Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother."

Did you notice what the mother did when Jesus arrived? Nothing. She did not run to Jesus and ask him to help her. I wonder if she even knew He was near. She was crying and mourning the loss of her son.

Did you notice what Jesus did? When the Lord saw her... She was crying and mourning the loss of her son. When the Lord saw her... His heart went out to her. When the Lord saw her... He said, "Don't cry."

Jesus saw her... He saw her pain, her heartache and her need. He also met her need. Just imagine the joy on that mother's face as she saw her only son sit up and begin to talk.

The Lord sees each of us too. He knows our pain. He knows our heartache. He knows our need. When we don't know how to pray, He knows all... When we see only the circumstance, He sees all... When we feel hopeless, He is able...

Rest in the knowledge that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He sees and He knows.

Sister Ruth McLain

Sister Ruth McLain

Our church lost a very special lady on Sunday, May 20, 2012... Sister Ruth McLain.  The reaction when many heard the news at church was first shock, sadness and then the realization that Sister Ruth was seeing her Savior face to face for the first time. Oh what joy she is experiencing.

Sister Ruth touched many lives over the years she walked on this earth.  She especially touched the children in our community.  Sister Ruth started the bus ministry in our church and picked up children every Sunday.  I've heard stories of Sister Ruth going inside homes to help children get dressed if they were not ready when she came by to pick them up. She loved all the children and treated them the same.

I asked a lady at work if she knew Sister Ruth. She said no but she had heard of her. She remembered that Sister Ruth drove the church bus.  I'm sure that there are many others that could say the same thing. Most may not know that Sister Ruth bought the first bus with her own money.  Going to church was very important to her and helping children get there became one of her missions in life.

I've asked several people what first comes to mind when they think about Sister Ruth.  Most said they remembered her smile. She always had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. They also remembered what good hugs Sister Ruth could give.  

Sister Ruth was a Sunday School teacher. She enjoyed teaching children about Jesus. Tonya Lynn was one of her students. She was telling me yesterday that Sister Ruth would come to her house and teach the Sunday School lesson if she was sick and not able to attend church.  Sister Ruth did this to help the children that wanted to keep a perfect attendance record.  Tonya also rode on Sister Ruth's bus.  Even though Tonya's mom and dad attended church, she wanted to ride with Sister Ruth because it was fun.  She loved being with Sister Ruth.

Pastor Lynn and Sister Daphine both have fond memories of Sister Ruth. They said she never complained. Always had a smile on her face.  She was very protective of the children.  The only times she would get a little ruffled always had something to do with them. She also didn't like to see the children get in trouble.  Years ago during a church renovation, she purchased lattice for workers in the church to build a temporary wall so items could be put behind it. She thought out of sight and out of mind.  By putting the items behind the temporary wall the children would not get in trouble for messing with anything.

At the florist today, I talked with Becky who has especially fond memories of Sister Ruth. When she was growing up, she lived right next door.  Becky said her best memories of church when she was a little girl always include Sister Ruth. She remembered coloring rows and rows of Easter eggs for the big hunt.

I have a very special memory that I shared with Sister Ruth. My son Jared died in 2002. After his death I went to the cemetery every afternoon. I would take a blanket and my Bible and just sit. I would cry, pray, and eventually go back home. One day I was sitting on my blanket and a car drove by and then stopped.  Out came Sister Ruth. I stood up as she walked towards me. She grabbed my hand and just held it as my tears flowed. She had a few tears flowing down her face too. We stood like that for a while. Neither of us saying anything. It was comforting to just be there together holding hands. Sister Ruth then shared with me that she had lost a son many years before. I then understood that she knew my pain. I will never forget that moment.

I know many others have stories about Sister Ruth and how she touched their lives.  We pray that her family will be comforted knowing that she was loved by many. 

Sister Ruth leaves a rich legacy for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We pray in the days ahead that each will be comforted with special memories and the knowledge of how precious they were to her. May they also be comforted knowing that she has reached her destination and is rejoicing.

Sister Ruth will live on in our hearts and our memories. We will miss her.

Matthew 19:13-14  "Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 

Streams in the Desert - May 17

Hi everyone. 

Thought I would share the devotion I read today from my favorite book, "Streams in the Desert".

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"And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness... an angel of the Lord... saying, ... now come, I will send thee into Egypt." (Acts 7:30-34)

Often the Lord calls us aside from our work for a season, and bids us be still and learn ere we go forth again to minister. There is no time lost in such waiting hours.

Fleeing from his enemies, the ancient knight found that his horse needed to be reshod. Prudence seemed to urge him on without delay, but higher wisdom taught him to halt a few minutes at the blacksmith's forge by the way, to have the shoe replaced; and although he heard the feet of his pursuers galloping hard behind, yet he waited those minutes until his charger was refitted for his flight. And then, leaping into his saddle just as they appeared a hundred yards away, he dashed away from them with the fleetness of the wind, and knew that his halting had hastened his escape.

So often God bids us tarry ere we go, and fully recover ourselves for the next stage of the journey and work.

                                                                 From Days of Heaven  upon Earth

Waiting! Yes, patiently waiting!

Till next steps made plain shall be;

To hear, with the inner hearing,

The Voice that will call for me.

Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!

With hope that need not grow dim;

The Master is pledged to guide me, 

And my eyes are unto Him.

Waiting!  Expectantly waiting!

Perhaps it may be today

The Master will quickly open

The gate to my future way.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!

I know, though I've waited long,

That, while He withholds His purpose,

His waiting cannot be wrong.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!

The Master will not be late:

He knoweth that I am waiting

For Him to unlatch the gate.

J. Danson Smith

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It isn't what you know but who...

The Tree

I have a stump in my yard that once was my most favorite tree.  God used this tree to encourage me ten years ago. 

My son, Jared, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in May 2001.  After rounds of chemo, radiation and other procedures the doctors decided that the next step should be a stem cell transplant.  In February 2002, we left for Birmingham not knowing when we would be coming back home.  After the transplant and complications, Jared died on April 10, 2002.  That was a tough day.  The doctors had told us they didn't think he would make it but we had still held on to hope knowing that with God anything was possible.

Jared died in the afternoon.  We left later for the long drive home.  We were all upset.  We cried.  We hugged. We just were.  It was late night early morning when we arrived home.  It had been six and a half weeks.  I left in winter and came back to spring.

We unloaded the car and came inside the house.  We all walked around in a daze.  We listened to music, prayed, and walked around.  I don't think any of us knew quite how to act.

I decided to go outside and walk around.  It was the middle of the night, quiet, dark except for a street light.  As I walked around, I noticed the signs of spring everywhere.  I continued to walk around and then I noticed it.  My favorite tree was blooming.  I've heard some call it a fringe tree.  When it blooms, it looks like soft white fringes hanging from the branches.  This time the tree was more beautiful than ever.  It was full and I couldn't help but admire the beauty.  As I looked at the tree God instilled hope in me.  Even though my son was no longer with me... life would go on.  There would still be beauty in the world.  New life. 

God can always be counted on to give us what we need when we need it. 

There were hard times in the days after Jared's death but God was and is an ever present help in times of trouble and He is the God of all comfort. 

May we always seek Him in our time of need.

Psalms 46:1  "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help  in trouble."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

What If

The other day I had a thought... Funny. I had a thought.  I thought about what life would be like for others if I had not been or in other words if I did  not exist and never had.  Remember the movie "It's a Wonderful Life".  George Bailey, the main character, was able to see what the world would be like without him. After a while he wanted his life back even though he was in the middle of a bad situation. (And no... I'm not in a bad situation.  I just had a thought.)

What about you?  Do you ever have thoughts like that? Wonder what kind of impact your life makes on others. I can answer for you... YOU MAKE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OTHERS.  We all in one way or another make an impact.  We can bring light or not.  We can uplift or not.  We can encourage or not. We can show mercy or not. We can forgive or not. The list goes on and on.

But one thing we must remember is that we are valuable, we are loved, we are special and we do make a difference.  God has placed talents and abilities in each of us that is in no other. 

In the movie, THE HELP, the maid (can't remember her name) told the little girl: "You is kind. You is smart. You is important."  Let me tell you the same... "YOU IS KIND. YOU IS SMART. YOU IS IMPORTANT."

Be the man or woman that God has called you to be.  No one else can fulfill the plan HE has for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Sermon Notes...

Yesterday I attended a local church where my friend was getting baptized.  It was great to witness what God is doing in her life. 

Thought I would share a few notes from the message given by Pastor Todd at Christian Life Church in Foley. His title was LIVE BIG.

Key Thought:  JESUS wants us to make a difference in our world!

We live big by being salt, being light and being available.

Our value is found in what JESUS says about us and not what others say.

SALT

Salt is valuable.

Salt preserves and makes us thirsty.

Salt melts things.  The love of God should melt cold hearts.

Salt heals. It speeds up the healing process.

LIGHT

Light provides life.

We don't run from the dark but to it bringing God's light with us.

We are to be change agents.

For a light to be effective there must be a light source.

If your life is not shining...
1)   You are hiding it
2)   Something is blowing it out... shame, pain, regret, etc.

AVAILABILITY

Rescued people rescue people.

EXTRA:

The church should be a catapult not a container; a battleship instead of a cruise ship.

God does the almighty thru the least likely.

We are not what people say we are.

We don't have to be embarrassed by the past.

We are not defined by a moment.

Satan has a way of making us think we are the only one.


"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be make salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16

Be encouraged knowing that YOU ARE LOVED!!!

Hello Again

WORDS to ENCOURAGE... will continue in the next few weeks.  I keep thinking about my blog but don't take the time to write.  I will try my best to be disciplined and to seek what God would have me share in the days ahead.

This will be short tonight but wanted to get started. 

First, remember... "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)."

Second, "we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)."

Be encouraged.  Keep trusting.  God has your back. He will see you through.

He is always the brightest light in the darkest place.