A LESSON IN PATIENCE

Today at work I was trying to find a part for a piece of equipment that went down.  As I placed the call I explained who I was and that I was needing the parts department.  The lady on the other end didn't seem to understand me so once again I stated I needed to speak with the parts department. 

She said, "how do you spell that?" 

I spelled it for her and she said, "I don't think we have anyone working here by that name. 

I tried multiple times to explain to her that I am not trying to reach a specific person that I just need the department in their store that sells parts.  After going back and forth for several minutes I decided it best to just ask for another number.  She gave me the number to the lobby.  Things only got more complicated at that point.  When I hung up I was thinking what it must have been like at the Tower of Babel. 

After work I ran by the grocery store to grab a few items and the Real Bacon Bits were on an end cap with no price.  I grabbed a bag and put them on the conveyor belt.  As the gentleman checking me out scanned them I asked,

"Can you tell me the price on the bacon bits?"

Oh no, not again. 

He reaches in my sack and pulls out the package of bacon I had purchased. 

I gently said, "No Sir, the bacon bits." 

He reached back in the bag and pulled out the pork chops.

"No, No, the B A C O N   B I T S," was my response again, only slower. 

He pulled out the sliced ham. 

I finally said, "Never Mind." 

He was really wanting to answer my question so I finally came around the corner pulled the bacon bits out of the bag and showed him.  He looked so stunned and said, Bacon Bits."  

I exclaimed, yes!

He gave me the price of the item and kept looking at the little bag.

Honestly but this point I was a little washed out.  Walking to the parking lot, I spoke to the Lord and said,

"Lord, you must be trying to teach me patience."

In response, I felt the Lord say, "Sherry, I am not trying to teach you patience, I am teaching you patience.  It's all up to you how fast you learn it.

With that thought I began to think what it would be like if I was the individual that moved to a foreign country and had to get a job and try to communicate with so many people everyday that wasn't patient.  I have always tried to be patient and kind with individuals but I think the Lord showed me today that I can be a little bit kinder and more patient.  I need to show them the love of Christ instead of my own selfish nature which tends to jump out of me sometimes when I am tired.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.  (I Corinthians 13)

WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP?

    
     Have you ever struggled in your relationship and found it difficult to trust someone?  Do you feel like the relationship is totally destroyed?  This could be a relationship with your spouse, your best friend, your child or your parent.  Trust is one of the main ingredients in a relationship of any kind.  Even the relationship at your job involves the need for someone to trust you and also you in turn be able to trust those you work with   

     For those of you that feel your trust has been broken.  Maybe it's been a long time since you have been able to trust that person and you would like some help restoring that relationship.  If your relationship is stagnant or flat rusty then it's time we move on to the next step. 

     Many people feel their relationships are totally gone, never to be restored.  They have been pushed aside for so long that rust has set in.  There is only one thing that can take this rust and restore it to trust and that is the cross.  Notice inside the word rust is two letters.  Those two letters is US.  The rust didn't set in on it's own.  It took two people who moved in different directions and allowed the rust to set in.  In order to get past that we must allow Christ to move in and lead the way.  There is no way on our own that some relationships can be restored but whenever we allow Christ to be in the front of our lives he can lead US and restore the rust back to trust in our broken relationship. 

     May the Lord help each of us to make him the number one priority in our lives.  If one person is keeping Christ from becoming number one, than that trust can't be restored.  It takes both of US allowing Christ be lead in order to be restored. 



Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths.

PROVERBS 3:5-6

It takes TWO to have a Godly relationship/marriage/friendship/partnership. Is your relationship R..US..TED? Can you be TR..US..TED? It takes ....US....working together 

WHEN THE HEART DOESN'T HEAL

     Recently there has been much discussion about our country being on a downhill slide.  We are seeing weekly children being posted on Facebook and television as missing.  I was listening to an interview on the radio with the founder of Traffic911.  She was sharing her heart about the many children being abused and sold into sex slaves.  My heart broke for not standing up and doing everything I can possibly to in order to get pornography put out of business.  She stated that of all the people they arrest when they find these children, Ninety percent of them started out viewing pornography as a young person. 

     Did you hear that?  They probably would not be where they are today if they had avoided this one thing.

     I have been helping a group of woman deal with some issues on this topic and I have heard many opinions on this matter.  I would like to share with you some of the opinions and hopefully help others understand the devastation pornography causes.

•      I have decided that my parents fought over this subject and it caused a lot of marriage problems and emotional problems with us children so I plan to avoid the subject in my marriage. 

• I believe it's something that will never really cause an issue in my marriage as long as I am not asked to participate in it.

• It's something that my husband needs as he is getting older and having a difficult time with his sex drive.  It enhances our marriage. 

• I just never expected him to get this deeply involved in it.

• I think younger men grew up seeing it as being a regular part of life and so it's something I have to accept if I plan to have a marriage relationship.

     Each of these ladies is now weeping on a regular basis for their marriages and for their mates.  What people need to realize is pornography is like a drug.  Once a person begins to inhale it the drive gets stronger and stronger.  The more you give into this drive the stronger it becomes.  Pornography is an addiction that is destroying families. 

     We have swept this matter under the rug for so long that the rug can no longer conceal it.  It is creeping out the sides and we are seeing it wound the innocent children of America. 

     Pornography will always, always, always leave a scar on someone's life.  You might say, "I have never physically wounded anyone by looking at pornography."   I must say, "Oh yes you have."  You may have never raped an individual but you have left some scars on lives of your children, your wife or husband or your parents, when you continue to partake of it. 

     We have thousands of young teenage girls cutting themselves because they can't meet up to what is being plastered across magazine covers and on every grocery checkout counter.  Many of them would never try to meet up to that but yet their hearts break because they feel as a young teenage girl that their husband-to-be will never think they are beautiful.  Some people have given up on relationships because we are all so messed up now days. 

     I am writing this article to warn others of the devastation this addiction causes.  To the person involved in the pornography it doesn't seem to be that large of an issue, but for those living around that person they will tell you a different story. 

     I am going to share with you three stories of women broken by this addiction and hope it will either help other women dealing with this topic or it will help some gentleman realize where this addiction can lead to. 

     Note:  I keep using the word addiction because pornography produces the same craving as heroin, cigarettes, and alcohol. 

     The families affected by pornography live the same lifestyles as the families that has an alcoholic parent.  People will spend all their time, money and thinking process focusing on this topic instead of their family and work.  If it's caught early, it's easier to take care of but if it's an issue that the person has gotten by with for a very long time then it will be harder to be set free.  They need to seek guidance on how to be set free.  There are plenty of Christian Counselors available to help with this topic.  Julie Dozier is a longtime friend of mine and has just opened a practice in Abilene to help families cope with this subject. 

     I am going to call my first friend Jennifer.  Jennifer was one of the most beautiful ladies I had ever met.  She had an angelic voice and loved the Lord with all her heart but always seemed to have lots of medical problems and struggled with depression.  Many times she would stay in her room for days upon days.  As the years passed I found out her husband was involved in pornography and then I realized why Jennifer never understood how beautiful she was.  After several years her husband fell deeper and deeper until it finally destroyed their marriage completely.  As her husband grew older he developed a disease and had nobody to care for him.  Deeply wounded and broken, my dear friend Jennifer goes regularly and cares for the person who totally destroyed her self esteem and her life. We think it should be easy to regain that self esteem but until you walk in these ladies shoes you will never know the deep horror and pain that eats away on the soul and body.  Jennifer is the perfect example of forgiveness.  We don't have to embrace and stay united but we do have to forgive in order to move on in life.  If your forgiveness involves ministering to the one who hurt you the most than we pray a special blessing over your life. 

     One day, the Lord may set Jennifer free from caring for him but as for now, she needs our prayer for strength and endurance.

     The second person was a young beautiful blonde who would have loved to be a model.  She was very gifted and also had an extremely beautiful voice.  She was easy going and loved life.  Her husband began to view pornography and they talked about it often but it was something available on the coffee table to him growing up so it was a way of life.  As the years passed she began to see things that lead her to believe he was getting involved deeper.  Again confrontation with the end results being the same.  As a few more years passed she began to find things that scared her and wounded her deeply.  There is no marriage relationship and this woman with the greatest of all self esteem sits broken and dying inside. 

     The last woman shared her story of the painful depth pornography causes.  As she found out her husband was looking at pornography she felt hurt but felt it was something they could work through.  Later she found out he was drawing pictures of friends she was acquainted with and was staying up late watching movies with nudity.  Her self esteem began to drop.  All she wanted to do was to die. Instead her husband requested she began to fix herself up and dress sexy for her him so he could get away from the other desires.  This went on for years only to find out that he was deeper than before in his addiction.  She began to abuse her own body thinking the clawing of her skin would relieve the deep emotional pain.  She cried out to ministers for help, read books and researched everything she could to help them get through this problem.  She would wake up shaking all over with trauma.  Her nerves began to be so destroyed that her husband even felt like she needed to seek mental help.  As the addictions grew so did the trauma and emotional problems with this lady.  She finally decided that if she just got as far away from him, most of the time, and still hold their marriage together she would at least not know what was going on and therefore be able to cope.  This worked for a period of time, until she found out he was falling deeper and deeper into the depths of this addiction.  As she explained, her pain began like a tiny sore, each time the sore became larger and larger until finally the sore wouldn't heal.  The sore became so deep that cancer set in and the body began to eat away.  This was the feeling of total devastation with a heart that doesn't heal.  God is the only one that can take her body and make it whole again.  To restore this deep wound back to what it was before.  

     What most people don't realize is you can try everything yourself and get no results.  All three of these woman were told by their Christian husbands that if they would do such and such it would help them break the pattern.  This pattern can only be broken by the person with the addiction so if you are out there and going through this, don't try to fix it by meeting up.  Don't try to look prettier, sexier, cook better, have a cleaner house, make the children obey better or become a sex goddess yourself.  All these things will only bring devastation to yourself and in the end, your mate will still have an addiction.  The bottom line is, HE first has to admit HE has the addiction, then HE has to reach out and get help to overcome it. 

      We are seeing young men posting woman posing on Facebook and making it look and sound so wonderful.  Why don't you start interviewing these men after they have lost their wives, children and jobs because of this addiction.  It will leave you alone, empty and longing for more.  So why do we keep pushing it out there into everyone's face and making it look like the best thing ever?

     Here is a scripture that was brought to my attention this past week.  I think it's time we allow God to have the reigns once again if we want to live in a land that flourishes instead of a land that is dry and broken.

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.  As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.  Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.  A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.  God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.  O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

CLOTHED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

 It's when we take our unworthiness and cloth it with his righteousness

that we become vessels for his glory.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
(Isaiah 61:10)







IT'S IN THE VALLEY YOU HOLD MY HAND

     This past weekend I began to pray once again about publishing my second book.  I began to share my heart with the Lord.  Prior to writing, Digging a Well, I didn't feel I could or would ever do such a thing.  With the prompting of Jonean and the Holy Spirit it was accomplished.  I shared with Jonean that I wouldn't write a book unless the Lord sent me to the mountains to do so.  Within a few short days, the Lord did that very thing. 

      As I was praying about getting the next book published, I was praying that the Lord once again allow me to go to the mountains to write.  Gently I felt the Lord speak to my heart, "My dear child, it's in the valley that you learn to hold my hard.  If you keep going to the mountain you will be tempted to venture off into the beauty of nature and run in the fields of flowers."  That's when I realized my first book would be published with a mountain top experience and the second would be published during my times in the valley. 

    May each of you keep me in your prayers as we start moving forward to getting it published.  Pray I will have the time to pull this project together while I am holding down a full time job. 

      The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalm 23)

 

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR LOVE?

    
     Recently life has changed for me.  Life was always lived with my neighbors being the same color and speaking the same language as myself.  Friends, we just don't understand what the song means that says, "Jesus loves the little children" when our lives have been surrounded daily with our own nationality. 

     The Lord is truly testing Christians in the 21st Century to see if we truly believe what we teach our little children. It's easy to teach them the cute little song if we are thinking about sending someone we are acquainted with out onto the mission field into another country. 

     No! that is not the lives we live in the 21st Century.  During this time the mission field moved into your neighborhood, your job, and your church.  Asking you this question!

     "What color is your love?"

     With our recent move, a new job, new church, and new neighborhood was implemented.  With this change a new world was opened up to me, one that I have pondered much about over the last few weeks.  My job and new neighborhood consist of many Christian men and woman who let their faith be known to me.  I am thankful for this taking place but I am saddened by the amount of Christians I have met in the area who are not willing to except God's children the way he excepts them.  When they see I am walking and talking with other nationalities they make it a point to let me know that certain people are not welcome into their group. This in turn tells me, that I am not welcome either, and you know, that's alright with me!

     As Godly men and woman we are not to judge people by their skin color.  It's not my lost friends that are saying unkind remarks about different nationalities.  It is people who tell me they are Christians. 

     Is it possible that the ones Christians are shutting out of their circle actually know how to love better than people who profess to wear the name of Christ?

    Last week as I spoke in Midland Texas, Carla Smith who is an African American brought the house down as she was anointed by the Almighty God and she allowed Christ to use her in a powerful way.  My plan is to put Carla in my back pocket and take her with me wherever I go! 

     Is it possible that in your segregated circle you have actually shut the door to the anointing of the Holy Spirit?   

     Wouldn't it be sad to walk through the gates of glory and find out that the derogatory post and comments about brothers and sisters with different color skin had actually shut the anointing of God out of your life?

     Many people feel they would be shutting God's anointing out by accepting people of different countries and nationalities.  My friend, I am here to tell you that it's time to examine who Christ is and stop telling others you look like him when in fact you don't. 

     Have you ever thought that you, the one posting tacky comments about other nationalities are just a sojourner in this land yourself. 

     What if God's Facebook page said this about you? 

     Oh no, don't let him through my gates because he is from another country. 

     If we truly want God to accept us into his presence with open arms then we need to start accepting others the way we want Christ to accept us. 

JUST SAYIN

 

For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. (Duet 10:17-21)


FEET LIKE YOURS

     Recently I was scrolling through Pintrest and looking at all the wonderful ideas a friend of mine had on her page.  Looking at one of the photos I decided I would definetly implement the idea with my grandbabies.  Instantly I realized that each of us do this every day that we live. 

     The photo was a picture of flip flops and someone had glued rubber stamps onto the bottom so that when the child walks it will stamp their name and a picture into the sand.  Once the child looks back they can see imprints of where they have been in the sand. 

     This is my prayer, that the steps I take will leave imprints in the pathway for others to see that I walked with the Lord.  It would be so easy when we are going through tough times to leave prints that others could be lead astray by.  Only through resting on the Lord are we able to leave prints of love, joy and peace during those rough times.  May we take the time to have feet like yours Lord; that would lead others in the path of righteousness.
   
     And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:15-18)

THE WILDERNESS JOURNEY ISN'T OVER

     As I was preparing to speak this past week at Wilshire Park Baptist Church in Midland Texas I felt the Lord lead me to speak on the topic, "Your Wilderness Journey".  I was alright with the topic and the scriptures the Lord was giving me until Thursday morning.  As I began to struggle with what I was feeling the Lord was leading me to do, I began to look harder in a different direction on the topic.  I guess I must have been thinking that the Lord might change his mind.  Guess what!  He didn't.  He changed my mind.

     On Friday morning getting dressed to catch my airplane out to Midland, standing before the bathroom mirror I shared my heart with the Lord.  I spoke out loud and said, "Lord I have published a book called, Digging a Well.  I have shared in the book about struggles in life and which well we should drink from.  I should be able to stand before the ladies and help them as they have their struggles in life now.  I should be past the most difficult times in my life since I've published a book about it. 

     The Lord knowing that I am speaking on Moses and the wilderness instantly speaks to my heart and says, "Did Moses stay in the wilderness for 40 years drive his carriage to the promise land, send a letter back to Egypt telling the children of Israel how to cross the wilderness?"  I gently said, "No Lord, he went to Egypt gathered the people together and walked them by foot through the wilderness”.

     I think I understand that I am not to drive a sports car, Cadillac or live in a nice fancy home with all the luxuries of life.  What the Lord showed me by asking that simple question was, I am going to get my feet dusty, there may be thorns in my path, and I am going to get thirsty.  The path may be rough but I am still to keep helping his children understand the pains and sorrows of life and how I can personally get through them leaning on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

     I would much rather tell you Moses' story instead of mine but when the Lord leads us, we should follow.  It may be painful sharing things in my personal life but I am trusting in my willingness to share my heart, others will be able to enter into the promise land and enjoy the riches of God's glory and grace. 

And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.  And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.  And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. (Exodus 4:10-18)