Cultivating Man-cubs

 

breaking beaver dams

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

The ninety acres we own beside the Coosa River is called the Farm, but the only thing we really grow there is grandboys—teaching them to hunt, fish, break up beaver dams, and sing "the Lord is good to me."

Best use of God's green earth that I know of in my humble opinion. 

"How can a young man stay on the right path of purity? By living according to Your word." (Psalm 119:9)

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Opportunity

family nail-pullin'

 

"So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don't be fools; be wise, make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to do." (Ephesians 5:15-17 The Living Bible)

A few Saturdays ago, we had an old fashion nail-pullin' at the farm. Granddaddy had the grandboys pulling nails out of boards from an old dock, so they can build a new treehouse. He paid 'em a dollar per nail-free board. They made the most of the opportunity. Those little rascals (with some parental help) pulled nails from 100 boards!

While praying this morning for some folks I love going through hard times, the Lord reminded me that hard times are opportunities—opportunities for Him to work and for us to trust and obey. 

In hard times, beloved? Make the most of the opportunity. Trust the Lord, find out what He wants you to do, and do it.

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Hope

 

crocus in the snow




"May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with
HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

Recently, my Rebecca snapped this shot of crocus blooming in a cold winter's snow. As a child, I remember Mother watching for those precious purple petals—hope for the coming spring. 

Beloved, have bitter winters of life rendered you hopeless? Watch for signs of the coming King and bloom in the warmth of the Lord's faithfulness—the trustworthy God of hope, joy, and peace!

"The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and His name the only name." (Zechariah 14:9)

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God is our Guide

 

"For this God is our God for ever and ever;
He will be our guide even to the end."
(Psalm 48:14)

This morning, giving a copy of The Schoolhouse to a bank teller made me smile and thank God.

When The Schoolhouse was published eleven years ago, against the advise of Lifehouse Publishing, my wise, God-fearing husband told me to order 5,000 copies.

I did.

Soon after the book released, the Lifehouse Publishing company went under. Thus, The Schoolhouse went out of print faster than a New York minute. But thanks to the Lord and His guidance through Phillip, my supply has not run dry, and I'm still sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through my grandmother's story. 

Need guidance, beloved? Seek the Lord with all your heart.

"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

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Our God of the Lost and Found

our Ben



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

This week has been a story of the lost and found. 

On Sunday after church, a 12-year-old friend lost his brand-spankin'-new Apple watch at the bottom of the Coosa River. We prayed, and Jesus guided Ben to the lost treasure.

Yesterday, I learned that I had given an outdated address to my kind and generous publisher, who had donated 80 copies of my book, Sea Billows, to kids at Palm City Church in Wesley Chapel, Florida. I panicked and prayed and enlisted family and friends to pray. The lost books were tracked down within 30 minutes!

All praise to our God of the lost and found.

Jesus said, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

Paul wrote: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Are you lost, beloved? Call on the Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord!

"I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see!" 1

1 AMAZING GRACE. John Newton, 1779.

 

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Best Line Ever

 

My friend, Eve, and her boys



"Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!"
(Psalm 144:15)

Recently, my beloved friend, Eve, was talking to someone about God. She told them, "But I'm not gonna try to force this happiness I have on you." 

Love it!

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Pray for the Next Generation

 

My daddy and mother with their grandkids
(who are now adults with kids of their own)
Christmas 1985

"...so that you, your children, and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long a you live by keeping all His decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life...Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:2, 5)

The prayer focus on this #13 day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting is pray for the next generation. The most common prayers requested by thousands of students at Church of the Highlands are:

The children:

1. Pray for my parents and family.

2. Pray for my friends at school who are hurting.

The teenagers:

1. Pray for boldness to live out my faith and not be fearful of what others think.

2. Pray for godly friendships that will hold me accountable.

The college students:

1. Pray for me to stand firm and not conform to the typical college life. I am tired of that.

2. Pray for my friend to discover their faith in college, not lose it.

Pray, beloved. Pray often. Pray fervently for the next generation!

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Skilled Swordsmen

 

our grands
Orange Beach
2022

"Do not be afraid...remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." (Nehemiah 4:14)

As I've told you before, a tradition in my family is: 

the kids and grands earn souvenir money for our annual beach trip by quoting Scriptures to Memaw. Normally, I send out 20 Scriptures in January for them to memorize by June. This year, God put a new twist on the challenge:

Each family is to find 20 verses they need to be strong in the Lord and defeat the enemy.

For example, if a family is struggling with fear, worry, anger, apathy, unkindness, defeat, discouragement, etc., they are to find a "sword" to destroy that stronghold and expose the defeat the enemy's lies.

Memorize those swords.

Speak those swords.

Wield those swords.

Become skilled swordsmen, if you will.

What are you battling, beloved? Find your sword and use it!

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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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