Change - Part 6, Almost Home

It's official, we turned in our "move-out" notice and we are ecstatic! April 30th is the big day. All the necessary decisions have been made that need to be made. I'm pretty sure that our contractor is through with the questions. At least, I hope so.

As you know from my previous posts, it has been an overwhelming process for me. This life event has been, well, a learning curve. Here is what I have learned because of the fire:

  1) Don't hang on to stuff you don't need. That "one- day-I-might-need-it" day, almost never comes!

  2) Be prepared to share that little bit of information that we don't really want to announce like, what size clothes you wear, especially if that last 10 lbs. is still hanging on.

On a more serious note:

  1) Don't take anything you have, for granted. Even the small things become big when you realize you don't have them anymore.

  2) Don't waste time thinking about what you will grab should your house catch on fire while you are home. (ok, maybe a pair of shoes, if you're not wearing any.) In actuality, "things" never crossed my mind.

3) Don't push people away who want to help you. God gave each of us a need to feel needed. That was a hard one for me. I want to be the giver, not the receiver.

4) Don't question God as to why. He will show you in His time. One day, we will understand. Just trust that He is in control and will bring you through your battle when you lean on Him.

Even though things will look different than before, I still can't wait for the familiarity and comfort of Home Sweet Home!

God is good, all the time!


Be blessed,
Dawn

Come

Matthew 14:28-30 " Lord, if it is you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."  "Come, he said." Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But, when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out loud, "Lord, save me!"

There are a few things we can learn from this passage and I would like to break them down and share my thoughts on them. 

1) Obedience -  Then Peter got down out of the boat... Peter, first, had to obey the word of Jesus. He did not step out onto the water without calling out to Jesus first. He knew if he stepped out on his own, he would have drowned.  

2) Faith -  ...and he walked on the water... Peter acted in complete faith that Jesus had the power to hold him up. He did not let the fact that the water was raging, and he could have easily been pulled under by the currents, keep him in the boat.

3) Distraction - But when Peter saw the wind... For Peter to see the wind, he had to take his eyes off of Jesus. He, instead, focused on the fact that he could have drowned. 

4) Emotions - ...he was afraid... Peter let the fear of drowning override his faith in the One who was reaching out to him. 

5) Rescue - he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Even though he was sinking, Peter did not let his lack of faith keep him from calling on the name of Jesus. 

So often, we let fear keep us from proceeding with what God is telling us to do. We tend to live in the what-ifs more often than we should. What if it's just me and not the voice of God? What if I step out to (fill in the blank) and no one responds? What if people try to pull me down?

What if? What if? What if? The what ifs are ok but we just can't stay there. When we let them take control, then we will miss out on what God has for us. There are blessings in obedience.

In order to increase our faith, we must spend time in God's Word. Romans 10:17 says, Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.  Our faith increases as we spend time with the Lord. God wants us to be in relationship with Him on a continual basis. It is easy to praise Him when things are good, but when things are not so good, we can lose our faith if our eyes are not fastened on Him. 

So, when you feel yourself sinking, just call on the name of the Lord. He will always be there for you. He simply says, "Come."

Be blessed,
Dawn

     

     

Medicate on the Word

Let me preface this by saying that this post is NOT about taking- or not taking- medication. I am dependent on a daily dose myself. This is intended to encourage you and to show you that God's Word is alive and powerful! 

Proverbs 4:20-22

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. 

Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 
for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.

Yes, you read that right! I said MEDICATE.  You have probably read the scripture in Psalm that says, "I will meditate on the Word day and night."   There are so many scriptures in God's Word that pertain to what each of us goes through from time to time and it is up to us to search them out and apply them to our everyday lives.

I will be listing a few of them here as we go along. You may want to jot these down and keep them handy. Index cards are great to use because you can keep them with you or post them around the house, in the car, etc.

A lot of times, we get discouraged because we don't know how to pray about things. The problem lies in the fact that we can allow ourselves to become intimidated, or even believe, that our prayers will not change anything. The best way to pray effectively is to pray scripture. Yes, we read them but when we speak them out loud, they become more powerful.

Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue..., so, as believers, we need to pray the Word of God. Speak life over every area of your life. God wants us to walk in victory, not defeat. Don't let the enemy keep you in despair. 

Here are some scriptures to remember when you are feeling:

Overwhelmed - 1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Sick/ill -  1 Peter 2:24, ...by His wounds, I have been healed.

Hopeless/depressed - Psalm 42:5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Fearful - 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

Anxious - Phil. 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

                                                                                                        ...plus many more.

Whatever you are struggling through, you can find a scripture that you can pray to help you. Use the concordance in your Bible, or you can use search engines online. You can also ask others to share a favorite scripture with you. Then speak or pray them out loud. 

Romans 10:17, So then, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through preaching Christ. (GNT)

So increase your faith by praying the Word and preaching to yourself!


Be blessed,
Dawn

Between the Ash Heaps

Today was rather surreal. I was honored with the task of transporting the ashes of a very dear friend back to his home. What his wife and I both thought was a just a trip to pick up copies of the death certificate, turned out to be a final transport home. Neither of us had prepared ourselves for that. 

Last week, Mr. William Lucas passed away at the age of 75. He had not been feeling well for quite some time. Since his wife doesn't drive, she called a friend and asked her to take him to the ER. Once there, his condition quickly took a change for the worse. By that evening, he had become unresponsive and was put on life support. What they found was that he had an infection in his heart. The doctor told his wife he had probably had it for a while but just didn't know it. Less than 48 hours later, he was gone.   

He and his wife have become very dear to me. He loved to write poems about everything and was quick to quote them to anyone who would listen. How he remembered all of them, I don't know. A lot of them were limericks that he would think up on a whim.

Genesis 2:7

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Genesis 3:19

By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust, you will return.”

So, what do we do between the ash heaps? From the moment we all were even thought about, God had a plan in place. His divine plan for each of us is that we would love and serve Him all of our days. 

We should live our lives in such a way that honors God and His design. He has given us a great commission in Matthew 28:19-20;

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Be blessed,
Dawn

Change - Part 5, Moving right along

Last week my husband and I met with the lead contractor who will be rebuilding our home.

We met with him at Home Depot. Thankfully, they already have new patio furniture out to sell because that is where we brainstormed - right inside the front entrance, sitting at a patio table. Fortunately, no one was interested in looking at patio furniture since it was below freezing with snow on the way.

So, we opened our trusty binders and started spreading them out on the table. The contractor’s contained the insurance quotes and estimates for each and every item in the house, right down to a bag of Easter grass they found tucked away in a closet. (Can you believe, they gave us $.31 for that??)  My "New House Ideas" binder; full of paint samples, color schemes and such, all divided by room. (Don't be too impressed. I'm so wishy-washy that I can't seem to narrow ANYTHING down.)

After we had discussed everything and narrowed down some options, it was time to do some shopping! We walked through the store, picking out doors, windows, and a few other things.

A few days later, we went furniture shopping. We bought a bedroom suite, living room furniture, and a dining room set all on the same day, AND stayed on budget! Whew! The stores where we bought them are even going to hold it all for us until we are ready for it. We were prepared to rent a storage unit but, praise God, that is one expense we didn't have to incur.

As we continue on our journey of Change, we are constantly reminded of God's love toward us. He is using this life-changing event to draw our family closer to Him and also to bring us closer to people we are surrounded by from week to week. Our prayer through all of this is that our Heavenly Father will be glorified and that we can be an encouragement to others who are faced with struggles that just seem too great to overcome.

Philippians 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.

Be blessed,

Dawn

Change - Part 4, Our old things will become new

Today, Bill and I met with the contractor and several other men who will be involved in the rebuilding of our home. I was shocked to see how many men got out of the three trucks that pulled in behind us. I was prepared to meet with just the lead contractor to get the ball rolling, so to speak. I had no idea that they would all be there at once; the electrician, the insulation guys, the cabinet maker, and one or two others. (I'm not too sure of their roles in it all.)

Bill spent most of the time talking to all but one, the cabinet maker. He and I stood in the kitchen area for about an hour, discussing all the options we have. While Bill and I had in our minds what we wanted, Mr. Cabinet man starts giving me all of these suggestions! And they were good! Now, what do we do? I decided to ask the rest of the guys their opinions (including Bill's) and they all agreed with Mr. Cabinet man.

Although I do love the ideas, I'm still a little afraid that it will be the wrong decision. I'm not a visionary when it comes to decorating. I have a hard time "seeing" the end result. Maybe I'm just too afraid of the commitment that it will be, especially in the kitchen. A new coat of paint that turns out to be hideous is an easy fix, but replacing kitchen cabinets is not!

Fortunately for me, he is going to show us a 3-D rendering of all the options we discussed so I will be able to SEE it. I can't wait. I know I am going to love it. Whatever IT is.

I am grateful for all the experts who know what they are doing. If they depended on me to tell them what to do and how to do it, then nothing would get done.

So, to tie it all together, Jesus is our expert. He has written it all out for us. Even the end result is very clear in His Word. When we seek His face and then wait for Him to answer, He will. The only thing that limits God is our unbelief of what He says. Jeremiah 33:3 tells us to call on Him and He will show us great and mighty things.

Don't let fear take over in your life. If you do, it will paralyze you and will keep you from becoming all who our Heavenly Father desires you to become. Listen to Him and follow His commands, and I promise, the end result will be better than you could have imagined.


Be blessed,
Dawn

Victim Mentality

  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Were you a victim in the past or are you a victim of the past?

During our lifetime, we face many experiences that are life-altering. We have good times and bad times; times of great sorrow, and times of great joy. When we think about the good times, they usually put a smile on our faces, and then we continue with day to day life.

However, when we think about the bad experiences, we tend to dwell on them longer. We rehearse the events as we remember every little detail about what happened. This can often cause us to question ourselves as to how or why that happened to us. Why did I have to go through that? 

God wants us to let go of the past. Is that saying we should forget the struggles or trials that we've been through? No, but we should not live there anymore. We have to learn how to let go of what is holding us back so that we can move forward with the plan that God has for us. 

You have to change how you think about what you have been through. Don't let it consume you so much that you can't see yourself in the light of who God says you are. You are a child of the One True King!

Your yesterdays do not have to determine your tomorrows. God wants to heal your hurts, calm your fears and set you free from what has held you down for so long.

So, what now? Change your focus. Purpose in your heart that you are no longer a victim of the past but you are a victor in the present. God wants you to live victoriously!


Be blessed,
Dawn

Change - Part 3, Transition

Transition

After the fire had been extinguished and the crowd cleared, we went to a hotel. For ten days, we had to wait until our insurance company found a place for us to live while our house is being rebuilt. The room was a suite which was nice and big. In a matter of a day or two, much of that spacious room was filled with some things we were able to salvage from the house, as well as things that people were so gracious to give to us. We were truly overwhelmed by the generosity of people we know, and many that we have never even met.

After the first night, the reality of being "homeless" really hit me. I could not control my emotions at all. The feeling of being displaced had overtaken me. Bill and Christopher were holding up so well! Why was I falling apart? I have never experienced the sadness that had reared its ugly head. I could hardly speak to anyone without crying, including the hotel staff.

After just a few days, we got a call from our insurance company letting us know they had found an apartment for us. So, we drove over and looked at some different units in the complex, and then made our choice. We had to wait a few more days for furniture and household items to be delivered from the rental company. They supplied everything from furniture right down to a toilet brush.

Even though the apartment is just a few miles from our home, we feel like we are in a foreign land.  Things are the same outside of the apartment complex but inside these four walls, is just not home.

Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 

Be blessed,
Dawn

Change, Christmas Eve

Well, today has been a difficult one for me. The tears started not long after I got out of bed. Some were from feeling overly blessed by all that has been given to us, and some were over the fact that the fire took away the comfort and familiarity of celebrating Christmas in my home.

My feelings of displacement today are probably based on the fact that I am not able to do the usual things I do on Christmas Eve like prepare the traditional foods for our meal for tomorrow. The recipe book that I had put together with family recipes was destroyed in the fire. I do remember some of them, but the thought of not having my binder any longer was a reminder of what I have lost.

Another difficult moment was while I was out doing some last minute shopping. As I watched people, I could not help but think about how their family traditions will carry on tomorrow and that mine wouldn't. While most seemed to be in a hurry to finalize their shopping, I was in no hurry at all. I had no need to rush back home and start on, well... anything.

Please don't get me wrong. I am extremely grateful for what I still have, my family, being the greatest, but the thoughts of what I have lost are winning today.


Despite it all, God is good!


Be blessed,
Dawn

Change - Part 2, The Aftermath

The Aftermath

The day after the fire, we were able to go back into our home to assess the damage. I was heartbroken at what I saw. So many things were destroyed; things that may not be valuable to anyone else, but were invaluable to us. 

My son's room was the only room where the ceiling did not collapse, however, a lot of his things were smoke damaged. The other bedroom held most of my pictures but thankfully, they were protected by the plastic storage box they were in while tucked away in a closet. 

There are things that we lost that I have been wanting to replace for a long time. But, being the frugal person that I am, I couldn't justify replacing them while they were still useful. For instance, Bill and I bought the washer and dryer set when we first got married, almost 24 years ago. I also had an ironing board for that long. But those things burned because they were close to the garage where the fire started. Needless to say, I am not sad about having to replace them!

While looking around, my son came across a small, record-able picture frame that had his picture of when he was about two years old in it. I had recorded him saying his name. At that age, Christopher was a big word for a toddler to pronounce correctly. He said it in a way that was just too cute. I will never forget the way he said it, of course, but realizing I still can hear it was an awesome surprise. 

Another item is a picture of Bill and his mother of our last Christmas with her. It was on the fireplace hearth, still standing even though it was covered in debris.  It was in a thick, glass frame that had protected it from damage. We cleaned it up and it is now sitting on the tv stand in the apartment where we are living until the house is rebuilt.

One other very special item that survived, believe it or not, was a ficus tree that was given to me as a wedding gift all those years ago. It had part of the ceiling laying against it and a small limb was broken off but it was mostly okay. The couple that gave it to us was very special to me, and have both since passed away. How I have managed to keep it alive, I'm really not sure. Although, there was one time that I decided it needed some sun and so I set it outside, in the summer heat. Even though it showed its disapproval for a while, I was able to nurse it back to health. It is currently serving as our "Christmas tree."

That little tree is a simple reminder to me of the following passage, which says:

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers.

Be blessed,
Dawn

Change - Part 1, The Fire

I have learned that praying for change is like praying for patience; you just don't do it unless you are ready to go through the trials that will take you there.

For the coming months, I will be writing about the changes that my family is walking through. Please feel free to share my blog with others. My goal in this is that God will be glorified!

The Fire

On December 3rd, our lives were changed dramatically. You see, our home caught fire while my son, Christopher, and I were still in it. My husband, Bill, wasn't home at the time.

It had been a typical day; just the usual routine. That evening, since Christopher was in his room and Bill was not home, I decided to watch a little TV. Right after Wheel of Fortune went off, the lights in the house flickered and then went out. I looked out my back door and saw a red glow. (The blinds were still open, which is unusual once it gets dark.) When I started toward the door to see what it was, I could smell the smoke. I yelled for Christopher and grabbed the dog. As we were scrambling to get out, I heard a loud pop.

In a matter of minutes, the garage was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, we live close to a fire department so their arrival time was short. They arrived in time to keep the entire house from burning. The garage and everything in it was completely destroyed, including my vehicle.

The rest of the house suffered severe water and smoke damage. The ceiling collapsed from the weight of the water. Almost everything in the house was destroyed with the exception of a few things. We were able to salvage some important papers and mementos, including pictures. PRAISE GOD!

Needless to say, walking through the house the next day was very difficult. To see all that you have worked for and accumulated through the years just sit there, totally destroyed, was heart-wrenching.

But... through it all, God is good!

Be blessed,
Dawn

Abiding in the Shadow

Psalm 91:1  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, 

shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I remember as a child, I would hide behind my mom's leg if something or someone scared me. I was very bashful and I felt uncomfortable in certain situations. But, I always felt safe when I stood behind her because I knew that she would protect me.

That is how the Father wants us to be with Him. When we dwell (live in or inhabit) in the secret place (spending time with Him in study and prayer) THEN we will abide (rest) in the shadow (shelter) of the Almighty.

Isn't it good to know that we have a shelter to run to? Jesus longs for us to run into His arms, dropping all the things that hold us back, and allow Him to protect us; just as a child who has been frightened will drop whatever is in his hands, and run into the arms of a trusted adult.

There are many things that can keep us from abiding in the shadow; doubt, fear of rejection, feeling inadequate and undeserving of His love, etc. Don't let the devil try to convince you that you are not worthy of God's love and protection. Jesus gave His life so that you can live with Him eternally and that makes you worthy of His protection!


Be blessed,
Dawn

Seasons

I stand in awe of God and His Majesty. His creations are beautiful and purposeful. Recently, I have become more aware of all His work that surrounds me. Even the leaves that are falling from the trees during this time of year catch my attention.

As a tree grows, it becomes more and more noticeable. I was driving past a business recently and could not believe how big the trees that were planted there just a few years ago had become. They had not stopped growing after they were planted, I just had not paid attention to them. Sometimes, we don't realize how much we have grown in our faith because we don't look back to see where God has brought us from. 

As believers, we are kind of like trees. We go through seasons in our lives. We have some seasons where we feel extremely blessed. Everything seems to be just perfect. God is answering prayers left and right, and we feel close to Him. 

Then, there are seasons where we feel like God has left us wandering in the desert alone. We are drying up and withering away. The leaves are falling off of our branches, leaving us feeling alone and afraid. This doesn't happen overnight; it happens slowly when our prayer life has diminished and reading the Word becomes a drudgery. We even tend to miss church services here and there.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, we find there is a time for everything, good and bad. God ordains the hard times just as much as the good times. If things were great all the time then why would we need Him? We need to keep God as the center of our focus in good times and in bad times. 

I do know that God loves all of us, and even though we don't see the big picture, He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. We have to be plugged into His Word and spend time with Him in prayer so that we can grow closer to Him each day.


Be Blessed,
Dawn

...In Jesus name, Amen

As believers, most of us end our prayers with "in Jesus' name, Amen."  Why do we do this? Because that is what we have read in the Bible and have been taught to do, right?

Three times in John chapters 14 - 16, Jesus tells us to ask in His name.  In chapter 16, Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then, the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

When you go in someone's name or in their stead, you go in their character - representing who they are. When we pray in the name of Jesus, we are representing the very character of Jesus in full realization of who He is. 

Don't let this prayer ending become just a habit. Recognize the power in the name of Jesus. Spend time reading God's Word, searching for verses that pertain to the things you are asking of Him. Then, pray in the name of Jesus, believing that He will hear and answer your prayers.

Col 3:17 

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus, 

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Be Blessed,
Dawn

Need a lift?

How often do you feel like you are crawling on your belly, just trying to make it through the day?

James 4:7-10 gives us ten points on how to change our altitude.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1) Submit yourself to God. That sounds easy enough. I don't have a problem with authority. But, the struggle can sometimes be in the fact that I can't "see" who I am submitting to. 

2) Resist the devil. Stand firm against him, and he will flee from you. That one can be hard if we are not rooted and grounded in the Word. We need to know what the Bible says about how to resist temptations that the devil throws at us.

3) Come near to God and He will come near to you. Recognize that you are a sinner then turn away from the life that is not pleasing to Him. Then, run into His open arms that are waiting for you.

4) Wash your hands, you sinners. Realize that you have been a disloyal, wavering individual with divided interests. 

5) Purify your hearts. Ask the Lord to show you where you need a heart adjustment. Sometimes, we let things or thoughts that are displeasing to the Lord, creep in and blur the truth of God's Word. 

6) Grieve, 

7) Mourn,

8) and Wail, or weep over your disloyalty to God and His Word. Recognize that when you sin, it grieves the Holy Spirit. 

9) Change your laughter into mourning, and your joy to gloom. Have a heartfelt sadness over the sins that you have committed. This does not mean that Christians shouldn't be happy. It just means that we should be remorseful for what we have done. 

10) Humble yourselves. To be humble means to be marked by meekness, to be modest in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.

When you feel very insignificant in the presence of the Lord, He will exalt you. 

He will lift you up and make your life significant.

Be blessed,
Dawn