Wake Up

 

me
1958

"Awake, O sleeper,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you!"

(Ephesians 5:14)

In the PT phase of recovery from a broken leg, I'm working to wake up the quad and glute muscles. I believe God is telling me to wake up spiritually, as well.

In Jesus's message to the Church of Sardis in Revelation chapter 3, He said: 

"I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead. Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain...The one who overcomes...I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."

Let us wake up, beloved. 

Wake up in passionately worshipping God.

Wake up in purposefully  reading God's Word.

Wake up in fervently praying.

Wake up in compassionately serving others.

Wake up!

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The Young Church

Grandkids and Bell at the Coosa River farm
Christmas 2022

"Stay alert! Watch out for your enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are." (1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT)

Over 100,000 churches around the globe are in a season of 21 days of prayer and fasting. One of my focuses this year (thanks to my Rebecca's inspiration) is praying for the young church—those who are college age and younger.

At Monday morning's prayer service, our pastor called the young church to the altar to be prayed over. Hundreds of young believers (half or more of those present) came forward.

Beloved, I beseech you on this 4th day of 21 days of prayer and fasting to pray passionately and faithfully for Christ's young church!

May the Lord bless them and keep them. May no weapon formed against them prosper. May they be not wise in their own eyes, but fear the Lord and shun evil. May they hide God's word in their hearts and have it ever-ready in their hands to share the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ and defeat the enemy. May they forever love the Lord, obey His voice, hold fast to Him, and serve God with all their heart, mind, and strength! In Jesus' name we fervently pray!

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Graham Cracker Nativities

grandboys

"Though He was God...[Christ] gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8)

Two of the grandboys made graham cracker nativities this week. Yes, Jesus is the reason for the season.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for coming as a babe.

Living as a man.

Dying as our Savior.

Rising as our King!

"O Come let us adore Him, Christ the King!"

 

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My Friend

 

L-R me, Mary
2017

Sixty-six years ago, God gave me a rare blessing: a life-long friend. Mary Igou Shurett. Born just six days apart in April of 1956 at the Dekalb County Hospital in Fort Payne, Alabama, my Mary and I have been friends since before we can remember.

As preschoolers, we could play riddle-ma-riddle-Marie over the party-line telephone because we knew each other’s house so well. In the basement of Dr. Killian’s office, we went to Mrs. Hulsey’s Kindergarten class together as five-year-olds. The summer between first and second grade, our families camped together at Smokemont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains. We swung on a “Tarzan” vine that Mark found in the woods behind our camper, and we rode a tram to Ghost Town in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

Mary taught me to pray. How? For years, I watched her pray for Bama to win football games.

One time when we were teenagers, I camped with her family at Dudley Creek Campground in Gatlinburg. Mary and I walked to a candy shop and talked to the taffy makers through the front glass window. We told them we hadn’t eaten in three days and would they please give us some candy. When they said they would, we confessed we were just teasing.

In high school, Mary and I were the first girls to letter in wrestling as the statisticians for the boys' wrestling team. Our senior year, we both had parts in the senior play: The Drunkard.

Mary went to the University of Alabama. I went to Auburn, but our friendship endured. She was my maid-of-honor at my wedding. She and her husband (Ben) now live atop Lookout Mountain where I grew up. I feel so happy every time I drive up that mountain and visit my beloved friend.  

Proverbs 18:24 says: “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” May the Lord bless you, beloved, with godly, faithful friends.

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Grandma Got Run Over by a Labrador

 

Our sweet Bell

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (Hebrews 12:11-13)

Well, grandma got run over by a Labrador. 😀 Our sweet Bell was overly excited and ran full steam ahead into my left leg. The good news is that my ACL is not torn, and I don't need surgery. Thank You, Lord Jesus! (The not-so-good news is that my leg is broken, and I'll be on crutches for six weeks.)

The great news is that God uses the school of hard knocks to train and grow His children. Are you in a school of hard knocks, beloved? Trust the Lord, and focus on what God is doing in you more than what is happening to you. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

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God's Road Map

 

Thanksgiving Day
Tree top: our Dan
Mid-tree: grandboy
Ground level: another grandboy

"Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the One who will keep you on track." (Proverbs 3:6 The Message)

Last week, we celebrated our 14th Thanksgiving-to-God Day at what the grandkids call "The Basement House." Recently, I found the "road map" God used to guide us here.

Starting point: 

"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwelling..." (Isaiah 54:2)

We started searching for a larger home for sale.

Point #2:

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths." (Isaiah 2:3)

We drove up Double Oak Mountain and turned into Highland Lakes subdivision.

Point #3:

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord...for he will be like a tree planted by the water..." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

We narrowed the search in the neighborhood to waterfront property only, and found our home.

Need direction, beloved? Read the Bible, God's road map for life!

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All in Your Perspective

L to R: Mark, me, and Rocky
1958

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." (Philippians 4:8 The Message)

Calendar quote: "At night, I sleep with a knife under my pillow. You never know when someone is going to break in and give you a cake."

It's all in your perspective, folks! 😋

 

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The Harvest

Our Rebecca's family
2009

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

For twenty-eight years we prayed, and yesterday came the harvest: a beloved but lost soul was saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

Keep praying.

Never give up.

Don't quit.

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7)

 

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Birthday Rock

Rebecca, Summer the kitty, and the rock

"We were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)

Our Rebecca has always been fascinated with rocks. 

As a little girl, she collected rocks. 

As a teenager, when she drove to Virginia to check out Liberty University, the message rock on campus read: "Rebecca, your Shepherd is here."

Recently, she found an interesting rock at the tree and plant nursery behind her house in Indiana. Her dad and I bought it for her birthday, and the nursery delivered it yesterday.

This morning, she texted: "I just saw it!"

"The birthday rock is the empty tomb!"

The tomb is empty, beloved. Jesus is alive! Therefore, walk in newness of life!

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus!" (Romans 6:11)

 

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I Must Tell Jesus

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." (Romans 8:28)

I signed a contract with Trilogy Christian Publishing, an affiliate of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) to rebrand and market Fish Fry through their 1.8 million-follower social media.

I was so exited!

My kids and grands, however, don't like the new cover (that I approved). They think it looks like Halloween.

That made me sad. 

(Fish Fry is not about Halloween. It's an action-packed adventure that includes a nail-biting trek through a cave.)

So, I talked to Jesus. 

About my concerns.

The only One able. 

To work this for good.

Made a mistake, beloved? You must tell Jesus!

(P.S. The post-production team is changing the cover. Thank You, Lord Jesus.)

 

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Happy Birthday, Buckaroo

 

youngest grandboy
2020

"Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life. . ." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

Happy 4th birthday, little buckaroo. May the Lord Jesus Christ equip your parents in every good thing to bring you up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. May you grow to be a mighty man of God who loves the Lord, obeys His voice, and holds fast to Him all the days of your life!

May you hide God's word in your heart and hold God's sword ready in your hand to proclaim the Gospel and defeat the schemes of evil. May you complete every work God assigns you for His purposes and glory.

Granddaddy and Memaw love you so much!

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My Way

 

Back to front: brother Mark, sister-in-law Debra, and my Phillip

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

At Bible Study on Tuesday, my friend, Robin, said something profound that made us all pause and ponder. She said, "I realized this week that much of my fear is because I'm afraid that God will not do what I want Him to do."

God's antidote for fear, beloved: TRUST in the Lord, your God.

Selah.

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Listen to Him

 

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior." (Ephesians 5:22-23)

Yesterday, I was offered a contract by Triology Christian Publishing to rebrand and market Fish Fry. As I fretted over the decision and begged God for clear instructions, I "happened" upon a message by a young woman from Africa. She said:

"If you are in a godly marriage, humble yourself, listen to your husband, and do what he says."

So I asked Phillip — for the second time — what he thought I should do. (Yes, I confess. He had already answered my question hours before.)

"Move forward," he replied — again.

This time, I listened, and God's peace flooded my soul.

Begging God for guidance, beloved? Has the Lord sent instructions that you ignored? 

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The Old Button Box

Mama's button box



"Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin."
(Luke 15:9)

This morning, I discovered that a button on my autumn "Give Thanks" pillow was missing. I rejoiced!

"And why in the world would you rejoice over a lost button?" you may ask.

Because a lost button is an opportunity to find a matching one in my sweet mother's old button box and that gives me joy.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells three parables of things lost — a sheep, a coin, and a son — and the joy felt when the lost treasures were found. 

Jesus loves and finds the lost and that gives Him joy. And I tell you, there is great rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God when lost souls are found.

 

 

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