PEACEFUL PONDERINGS

Lysa TerKeurst has faced the realities of suffering in her life, from physical to emotional betrayal. She expresses these in seeing beautiful again. 

It's not always an easy read, but she weaves hope and peace in her entries.

• In the midst of struggles, others watch our reactions. (CONVICTION, mine) Responding in gentleness is a better reminder. (Philippians 4:5) (p. 48) Responding in peace is always preferable.
• When  something moves our focus from right to wrong....a slight and seemingly innocent amount of skewed thought can take root. (p.50) Skewed thoughts will rob us of our peace. (DAL)
• Your hurt will not be wasted. (p.56)
• Though others hurt you deeply, allow peace to flood your heart. "Peace that allows you to live like you are loved." (p. 62) God's word reminds us of that in Zephaniah 3:17.
• "Fear, pain, and insecurities can really do a number on our hearts." (p. 64) As Jesus said to the disciples,  "My peace I give you." (John 14:27b) As His present day disciples, we have access to this peace as well.
• THERE IS A PLACE TO ATTACH OUR HOPE, BUT IT'S NOT TO OUR DESIRE FOR CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES, Mark 14:36.... ends with strongest statement of trusting God that I can find in the whole Bible: Yet, not what I will but what you will. (p. 70)
• When TerKheurst wrote of her emergency colon surgery she learned that, God loved her through the life-saving pain. God's silence was part of the rescue. Psalm 145:18. (p. 75-76) Relief is a peaceful response.
• "His words are a lifeline to me. A whisper from my God. A personal note. A treasure......More important than just reading (just, my addition) His words, we must choose to receive them and live them! (p. 77, 80)  (emphasis, mine)

May these words and scriptures bring you peace and comfort this weekend.

ALPHA-BITS

11/22/09 This ABC emphasis was giving me fits and I was only on "A." But God….had my Batesville bud, Carolyn, e-mail me about a youngsters’ choir in Jackson, MS known as the Alpha-Bits. Ah-ha! That was it----I could recap all the A words that flooded my mind with just a little info, if some was pertinent, and still finish within a “reasonable” time frame. Plus, my readers, who really should be bloggers themselves, can offer input on those important words they might have included and give their reasons.

Disclaimer---I am somewhat of a nomenclator---I create my own terms---but blog readers already know that; i.e. decaDANCE, (misspelled according to grammarians but used by me to make a point) or Answerer (11/19 entry) as a way of personifying the noun. BTW, spell check doesn’t like nomenclator but I didn’t make that one up--- I’m sure it’s at least in an unabridged dictionary. Humor me. Maybe even share some of your own.

“Answerer” addition---Ann P., a student in one of the university classes that I taught in the 80s would write Jer. 33:3 at the top of each of her exam papers. Though I know it by memory now, I had to look it up at that time. “Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” (KJV) I wrote “in red” on her paper that I hope she at least did her part by studying her notes rather than relying on these weekly “answer” miracles. She indeed knew the Answerer. She accepted my joke and we built on that spiritual connection. She actually was a good student and we have kept in touch via others for several years. She even honored me by “placing” a brick in my honor at the “main” city of Memphis library.
Awesome—alluded to in praise chorus of first “A” blog
All in All---You’re my strength when I am weak. You’re the treasure that I seek. You’re my “all in all.”(Thanks Sam & Lo for partial lyrics from this Point of Grace song.)
Ephesians 1:23…the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Alpha and Omega---omitted at this time because I’ll probably end with that one.
Anchor---The night before my first surgery my brother, whose daughter, Allyson, died in a car accident, called me to touch base and tearfully told me that he wished he had my faith. I reminded him that he did. He just had to hold on to it. It’s the only anchor that holds. I’ve never known pain like his but in the pain I have known, it’s been my faith that has anchored me. The "author and finisher" of that faith is Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2)

All of us know pain---it’s universal, whether physical, mental, spiritual or emotional. But not everyone has an anchor.
Even in times of my deepest emotional pain the Lord anchored me. He was my hope when the world seemed dark as if the very windows of my soul were tinted with a blackness.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19)

Alpha Bits---sounds like a cereal that would be good for the soul if you considered one of the Lord's attributes each morning with your “cuppa” praise.