I am no one special other than special enough that GOD loves me- ordinary, neurotic at times, loving, angry, ; sometimes forgiving, judgmental, worried, fearful, sometimes smart, mistake-ridden,imperfect me! And if GOD loves me in spite.. HE certainly loves us all! |
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 I, at times, feel cut-off and lonely from those closest to me. And even from my FATHER, in Heaven.
Feelings aren’t always accurate. A lot of the time, they are born of past traumas, misunderstandings, and hurts. I am told that nothing shall separate me from the LORD; neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come! Not height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD. That certainly includes the swirling doubts, lies, and confusion that dances around within my brain. Ahhhh, but by the grace of GOD, I can override my mind’s tricks. Yep! I draw near to GOD and HE draws near to me. GOD draws so close to me that no evil, no doubt, not even death can separate me from HIM! So, we are tight!! And that means, I’m not ever cut-off. I’m not bypassed. I’m not unloved. Even if... I feel that way. #ThankYOUJESUS
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 My faith tells me that I have victory in all things and at all times.
Victory, even in death. A win-win! The real and true win-win! Though I may go through trials, really, really difficult ones, I no longer shall be defeated. There is a always a light at the end of the darkest tunnel. Therefore, worthy is the name of JESUS. Always! “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me; YOUR rod and YOUR staff, they comfort me. GOD will wipe every tear from my eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Psalm 23:4, Revelation 21:4) I raise my hallelujah, JESUS came to save each and every one of us from the agony of life’s storms and the finality of death. LORD, even when my heart is breaking, there YOU are holding it together for me. Even when I mess up, YOU are lifting me up. Even though death is always knocking, there YOU are answering that door for me. I praise YOU FATHER in and through each and every storm! Amen! #ThankYOUJESUS ❤️  I have said way too often that “things will work out”
Actually, it was what I told myself or someone else to create hope that things will work out (the way we hoped they would) Confusingly, some of these “things” worked out completely opposite of the way I hoped they would. I am now beginning to understand that things work for the good of those that love the LORD and are called according to HIS purpose. (Romans 8:28) HIS purpose may not always look to be exactly what I imagine. As a matter of fact, some look completely opposite. However, walking with GOD is accepting that I won’t always get it. And I will have to let go of my own ideas of how things should be. Going through some of the most dire of times in my life, I couldn’t see the nose in front of my face, let alone that my situation will work out and GOD is carrying me. Further... GOD has plans to help me and not to harm me. When time passes and I look back, I scratch my head in astonishment that things not only worked out but even better than I could have imagined. I just had to wait.. keep my hope in the LORD and my eyes off of the circumstances amen! #ThankYOUJESUS  No joke there.
GOD is the authority of everything. Everything. From the tiny little ant to the biggest mountain. The weather... the sky and the moon- all of the heavens and earth and everything in between. We, GOD’s own are commanded to love. First, love the LORD with everything we got and secondly, love our neighbor, as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. This is big stuff! As a matter of fact: the requirement of loving our neighbor is repeated over and over again. Yet, it is one of the most difficult challenges we face. You mean I gotta love everyone? The murderer? The greedy? Those who are just mean spirited? The dad who abandoned me? For me personally, the most agonizing to me; love the one who tortured me as a young innocent child. GOD knew this was not going to be easy. And in that, the only way it is possible is with HIM. Oh, by the way... what does this loving look like? JESUS was tortured, spat on. Laughed at. Whipped until HIS skin ripped away. And then made to carry the cross where HE would later be nailed to and die. And through that, HE asked GOD to forgive them all! Loving doesn’t mean to give big hugs and hang out every day. It doesn’t even mean to be in another’s presence. One of the most powerful ways to love is to pray for each other. I prayed for many who hurt me. It was agonizing at first. I could feel the pain. But with the help of a Christian 12-step program, I am learning to love and forgive. And you know what? That includes my own self! We receive a beautiful miracle when we love. My heart beats differently. I am lighter. My hate, resentment, and hurts are no longer a cornerstone. I am commanded, and demanded to love, first GOD above everyone and everything. And then all my fellow humans. The key... is loving GOD first because without HIM the whole loving others is impossible! #ThankYOUJESUS  Give and it will be given unto you.
(Luke 6:38) How often do we hear Luke 6:38 and think of it as only the giving of things/moolah? I did. Now though, I am thinking it is wayyyy more than that. There is a story in Mark 12:41-44, of the widow who had little yet still placed her last bit into the Temple treasury. Now, mind you, this is after many of those who had plenty put in their offerings. JESUS says “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.” What is it that you have little of? Time? Patience? Love? Forgiveness? You see, I know for me, that I can have little patience and a short fuse. So, those times where I can still serve another with love, even when they can take a toll on my patience; is truly when I am loving like CHRIST. Being giving to those that are easy for us to give to... well, that’s not a huge deal. I mean it’s nice and all. But try loving the unlovable. The ones who you “think” don’t deserve love or kindness. Try forgiving the unforgivable. The ones who you “think” will never be redeemable. Try offering patience to those who grind on your last nerve. Because it is those times we are being like that widow. Those times when we go against our own self to care for another. (I’m not speaking of an enabling heart; that’s when there is something in it for us (OUCH!) If you are like me... you may be saying to yourself... “no way!!” But.... there is a way! You see, when we are weak, JESUS is strong. When we think we can’t, JESUS will. It was faith that allowed that woman to drop those last coins in the basket. Reliance on CHRIST that no matter how little money she had, HE would take care of her. And I need that. I need to give of me even when I feel totally spent because I know that it will be CHRIST that will refresh me, protect me, and love me. And only through the LORD who can change my heart of stone to a heart of flesh, I can change! Amen! #ThankYOUJESUS |
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February 2021
AuthorI am Deni, short for Denise. I grew up in a Jewish home, in a Jewish neighborhood and a Jewish family. In 3rd grade we moved. We moved to a mostly non-Jewish area.... that is where JESUS found me. I say found me because I yet had not acknowledged it, but would find out later.......by grace, HE HELD ME ALL ALONG, just a lil Jewish girl from Philly. |
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