500th Anniversary of the Reformation...Why the Celebration?

   This year marks 500 years since the official beginning of the Reformation.
   But what does that even mean? What were our past generations re-form-ing from, anyway?
 The church at Rome, in the 1330's, and centuries after, was a place of some of the world's greatest opulence while the common people starved and continued putting their pennies into the coffers of the clergy; and in the Middle Ages, some of the greatest atrocities against humanity, known as the Inquisition, was carried out by the church in Rome.
   The church in Rome claimed to represent Jesus Christ, but their abuses against all people, including Christians who wanted to honor Jesus Christ and His written Word, the Bible, clearly showed that many in the church at Rome knew nothing of Almighty God.
   The church at Rome had made laws that demanded the Bible be in the Latin language only, giving the excuse that if the common people could read Scripture they would make it ordinary and misused, instead of revered. In reality, If the common people knew God's Holy Words for themselves, they would know how abusive the church had been and the church would lose their income and place of honor.
   The church at Rome, in time, made it a hanging, or burning, offense, to possess even a singe page of the Bible; as one example, a man who was teaching his children the Lord's prayer in English was burned alive.
   Needless to say, the deterrent to disobeying the church at Rome was extreme; there were, however, some who had the courage and will to do the right thing by standing up to the mega monster clergy inside of this church.  We have their names and their stories because they were highly educated, with the Bible as their main source of learning. Their education was far more extensive and deeper than most any we know of today, which included, and was perhaps the majority of their studies, history and the ancient historians of their time, with the Bible in Latin, as supreme.
   The first of these men was John Wycliffe, theologian, seminary professor, and Bible translator. Wycliffe wrote extensively against the clergy of the church at Rome, and against the powerful influence the church had over the kings and queens of Europe and Britain.
   Wycliffe was a strong advocate of translating the Latin Bible into the language of the people. While Wycliffe died of natural causes at age 64, Bohemian Jan Hus, who distributed Wycliffe's writings, was burned alive.
   Wycliffe, the first of the known advocates of having the Bible in the language of the people, and oversaw a translation into the English language, was called the Morning Star of the Protestant Reformation, eventually leading to our great privilege of owning our own copies of the Bible today, and the future cleaning up a great deal of abuse of the Church at Rome.
   This is the beginning of the story of why we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation!

JUST WOKE FROM A DREAM

''If we don't turn around, we will soon be at Graves Ridge!''

Historically, an eclipse has come at a time of great repentance. As an example, Nineveh, modern day Mosul, experienced an eclipse in the days of Jonah, the man who was swallowed by a large fish. We would do well to heed this warning from Almighty God.

Do we have 'sins' that we, in America, need to repent of? Yes, we do. Almighty God does exist, but we have been living, in many ways, as if He didn't. He gave us America as a nation of freedom and to do what is right, but we have turned away from Him and embraced the abortions of His children without ending Roe v Wade, among many other offenses toward our Creator, Jesus Christ.

He has made a promise to us stated in II Chronicles 7:14:

''if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.''

He is asking so little of us; before we experience any more losses due to fires, historic hurricanes, and other catastrophes, let us turn toward Jesus Christ and confess that we have turned from Him, and done what is wrong in many ways, and ask Him to have mercy on America, and heal our land; and then, let us work to do away with what displeases Him.

Personal History Creates National History

   Some years ago this blog (Linkedin) was born to express the journey of care-giving,  then it turned toward the stories of history, thinking to entirely change from one subject to another; however, the two cannot be separated, they are one in the same at different levels on the chart of life.
   Personal and family history are the skeleton and flesh of a nation's history, and to separate the two is incomplete and inaccurate; a lie, a false narrative that takes readers on paths not even on the map.
   I am now living a future history that will make an impact on friends and family for generations to come.  Our ancestors realized this and the passengers of the Mayflower in 1620 were all required to keep a diary of their journey on the ship, and their life in the New World.  Knowing their history makes an impact on how I view life now.
   The history of a faithful, lifelong, Friend has invaded my own, and I'm learning some of my strengths and weaknesses through this journey of seeing Grace, Patience, Self-control ( Oh, my own Tongue, you are such a mischief! ); and I have seen here the Love Jesus has for me.  The whole of this journey seems to be a parable of God's utter abandonment of his own dreams to express His care for me, personally. One on one, Jesus' Love for me is the embodiment, the fullfillment, of my deepest hopes, dreams, and desires; more known to Jesus than to myself. As this Love has come as a Blazing Firebrand on my heart, Jesus has molded my heart to His and I have fallen in love with ordinary people, as we would call them; but we are His Precious Creation He has come to rescue from our own foolishness, and He purposely lives His Love toward others using our own story of His Love in us.  Can there be any higher privilege than to be used to reveal His Awesome care for those He places in our lives?  Will He not, by His own Hand, pick up another and place them within our hearts. Yes, and this is where the enemy of our souls will strike, trying to destroy, using my weaknesses to tear down others! I deeply mourn the wounding I have done to Precious Friends!  But, God's purposes of His Righteousness will stand and endure!
   This personal history is a tiny version of community, national, and world history; everyone's together to form the whole story of humanity. So, history starts with us and our private journey with God, and as we follow Him a step at a time, sometimes into the wild and unseen unknown, He says, ''don't be afraid''; choosing to believe the reality of Proverbs 3:5-6 is choosing to step into what we call unknown, and we follow His candlelight, depending on Him.
   That is the essence of history; it is not meant to be kept in secret, to merely be treasured or used, but to bring what is true in Life, to bring the Sweetness and Majesty of Jesus to others, in Joy!

How do I explain the unexplainable?

 
   I'm in a spiritual battle. I find myself reacting when I truly want to stop and think it through, and it is difficult to explain. Perhaps part of it is being under so much stress that I react before I can think.
   I know for a certainty that God works all things out for our highest good, even when we don't understand.  Judges 2:20-23, God says He was angry with His people and would no longer drive out the strong, immoral, and strong nations where His people were settling; however, chapter 3:4, says that God Himself left those nations to teach the next generation to fight.  The battles are stronger than we realize; often people have given me a formula for fighting the enemy, saying if I will do such and so I will have no more trouble, but that's just not the way it works.
   This sounds strange, but the enemy of our souls has been trying to get me to leave my church, but I can't; recently I asked God to send me wherever He pleased and I was prepared to move on, thinking it even best for all. So I asked Him if I should go, and He gave me I Chron 28:20, telling me to not be afraid or discouraged for He is with me, and will not fail to be with me until His work here is finished.  And Nehemiah 4:14; don't be afraid, but fight for my brothers.
   We have read Scripture through the filter of church tradition and so miss the ways God wants to interact with us, just like Moses, Abraham, and Elisha, with His courage, and trusting Him to lead us. We do have a mortal enemy that has taken down many ministries and pastors, but God is blocking him and his minions at a place where the leadership wants to follow Him faithfully, and not their own agendas.
   Believe God, trust Him, even when others are not trustworthy; there is a war for the eternal lives of many, and we are all in the thick of it.

 My role as care-giver is kicking into high gear again as my husband has been hospitalized 9 days now with no set time for discharge. Mike is not feeling well yet, and he will likely go to a rehabilitation facility to see how he does, if he can improve, if he can gain mobility back, then make appropriate decisions from there, with a nursing home as a possibility. We don't want to make such a decision; he's head of our home, he needs to be here; yet, I'm not fully capable of caring for someone who may well need 24/7 care.
This is very difficult, and not what we had envisioned for the future.....yet, to see the light of Jesus shine through him, even in his condition, is a Beautiful thing to see! Perhaps because of his condition...instead of complaining or becoming bitter or shriveling up into self-pity, he is choosing to press in to Jesus!
Although I have not understood what God was doing in many ways, this past six years has been about learning the voice of God, learning to obey Him no matter what it looks like, and trusting Him no matter what others think they see...it is about trusting God and choosing Him above all, and Mike has been learning along with me.  No, it's much more, it is all about God's Grace and highlighting our own weaknesses, and showcasing God's Abundant Love  To be so utterly helpless as Mike is, yet choosing to believe God has His very best for us is Beautiful!!  It is seeing what Grace looks like, it is seeing God's heart pouring out toward others.  It is seeing what makes life Rich and Authentic.
Some may say God is cruel in all this, but His kindness is seen in the heart of Mike.  God is not cruel, but we choose to step away from His protection when we don't trust Him. His Kindness is seen in a Dear Friend whom God used to reveal Himself to me.  It is seen in God letting me be a part of the transforming of lives through His Spirit.  It is seen in the transformation of my own life as God said to not be afraid.
The only appropriate response to seeing what God has done is Worship in Joy, even in the uncertainties and sorrows,  Praise God, from Whom all Blessing Flow!

The Mystery of Being the Only one; and Being One with All He has Chosen

~~~  Today I want to walk with Jesus.
~~~  Of course, don't we all, that is, all who have known Him as Savior and Lord?
~~~  Yes, but I want to really be with Him, as a child in delight and safety with an adoring parent.
~~~  But more.
~~~  To see in His eyes the love my heart has always dreamed of; to be swept away to a place only He and I inhabit; a place where my being can just be one with Him, where my heart is fulfilled with the most Beautiful of Loves! Where we dance in perfect step, in perfect harmony, each knowing the shared rhythm as we glide in the glory of His Creation, and joy in the rush of His river, in the story of His stars, in the beauty of His flowers, in the majesty of His mountains, and breathe in the fresh air of His heavens.
~~~  He is my Bridegroom, the Joy of my heart, my Sweetest Dreams come true. He is my Reality, the one who paid the Bridal price for me, who paid the price for my sin and gave me His Purity to cover my shame and make me His own!
~~~  I am the Bride, washed White in His Blood! He comes extending His Hand, and I weep with gratitude as I place my finger in the scar of the nail that should have been mine! And, again, I looked into those eyes full of the most Tender Love I have ever experienced, and I fall in worship...then He lifts me up to sit with Him in the Clarity and Richness of heavenly places!! Beauty beyond dreams.
~~~  This is My Beloved; I am His, and He is mine, alone! Then He takes my hand, lifts me to my feet, and we walk together, just Him and I, and we walk the earth the show others this Beauty and bring life to their own Dreams!
~~~  Just Him and me. The two of us, in Love, in Majesty.
~~~  This Love grows and can't be shut up to be consumed by us alone, it must be shared to remain Love. It will always be just Him and I. And it will always be you and them and Him and I.
~~~  The Mystery of being the only one, and being as one with all He has chosen!
~~~  Come, you have accepted His Salvation, now accept His Invitation to Dance, to be Loved as His Adored, to be His one and only! Come, awaken to His Beautiful Gaze. Come, walk with Him and share His Love. Come, let Love wash another in His Blood, and walk with the Newly Redeemed, and let all be Loved with this Most Sweet of all Dreams!
~~~  And I weep in gratitude and worship!

The Greatest is love...

    When children don't know Jesus they grow up thinking that the relationship between a man and a woman is the ultimate experience of love, and when those relationships prove less than had been hoped, their lives can becomes battlefields of great frustration. Media, and other insecure individuals, pile massive amounts of insecurity into hearts which are longing for acceptance and genuine love, and some kids are so destroyed they end their lives. Some kids act out in many destructive ways in a downward spiral; some take a higher road to personal achievements; others plod through life in the best way they know how, compensating for perceived lack of character, abilities, etc.
  What if Jesus was known as a Savior, Lord, and Friend in these early years? What if He could be known as the deepest desire experienced? What if He could be known by children in schools, by children who have no other sources of knowing Him? What if there was a club, unrestricted by government policies, in which kids would be exposed to history that is true, including the knowledge of the foundation of our country, and that the Same Person who led our Fore Fathers to form our nation, could be known by the kids personally, and find the ultimate relationship?
  I'm not speaking of pie-in-the-sky smooth sailing for life, but Someone who loves them with a deep passion and longs to guide them through life in what is the very best for them, and an easing of the struggles of growing up just because He is there.
  Friendships given as gifts by Jesus are closer than those without Him, because He wants His Church to be united by the Holy Spirit, and wants us to have great Joy in Him and each other. In New Testament times brothers were greeted with holy kiss, but we are too afraid of such closeness in our society, and that was accepted then because the Church was to be one Body. Still, Jesus makes friendships with strong bonds, and these precious friendships, through Jesus, are what many kids are looking for today, second only to knowing Him.
  Jesus said, 'don't be afraid'; He wants to bring us these friendships to reveal Himself through each other and to each other; I want to lift up and encourage my Friends, even though I fail too often for whatever reason. Because Jesus wants this even more than we do, I will pursue Him first, and be grateful for His Gift. Marriage, while not the ultimate relationship, is a pattern of Jesus and His Church and to be greatly treasured; while we are afraid to acknowledge that He loves each of us with such a passion and closeness, it is Blessedly true, except His Love for us is all giving, and not self-serving in the least. I pray such a blessing for the kids, now, and as they mature and grow toward Him.
  This is why a kid's history club is in the works, and if only one is helped, then that one is our hearts' reward, and the Great, Great Joy of Jesus!!