Christian Filling Station

I grew up in a little church that people often referred to as "The Filling Station." I was pretty young at the time and wasn't sure what they meant. How could our church be compared to a gas station? So I asked my grandmother what they meant by that and she explained it to me. She said those people who visited our church on Friday nights usually had their home church they attended on Sundays. Ministers and laymembers alike would come to our church and say the same thing. They always felt like they could get refueled at our church.

Now our church was nothing fancy. We didn't even have an indoor bathroom. That didn't make any difference to those who stopped in to fellowship with us. The real reason they came was to experience something that few other churches offered...a real encounter with God! Don't get me wrong, I am not saying our church was the only church who had it right, but many churches had their rituals and routines. So often formal churches schedule everything into the service except for God to have His way. Members know when to say amen, what hymns to sing, and can even follow along with the minister as he gives a sermon. I believe you have to have order and structure because you will create chaos and confusion if that is lacking and God will not be able to work in that situation. I Corinthians 14:33 says "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." But there's something wrong when you walk in the door of the church and right back out after service is over and you are not changed. There needs to be something more than a gathering of individuals with similar beliefs meeting at the same time each week and going through the same motions time after time and no change takes place.

Our church believes in the power of prayer. We know that prayers changes people and prayer changes things! God is in control of everything! If He allows us to go through a trial or set of circumstances it is for a purpose. He is trying to help us to grow and become the men and women of God He wants us to be. Sometimes when our brothers and sisters from other churches were weary from the spiritual warfare they were battling in their own lives, it was a source of refreshing to come to our church and lay their burdens down. The atmosphere was a little more casual and the focus was on God not each other.

I was at the gas station pumping gas when the Lord started speaking to me about how He wants His church to be a filling station for Christians and non-Christians alike. I want to share what He spoke into my spirit as I filled up my gas tank and I hope you will be able to take something away from this and maybe turn your place of worship into a filling station as well.

First of all, God reminded me of the times I had seen the gas stations so full that each pump had cars lined up waiting for their turn to fuel up. What caused the rush to that station? Generally it was because the cost of gasoline was dropped significantly lower than the competition. It was advertised on a big sign for all to see. What kind of advertisement does our church have? What signs are we holding up in our day to day lives? How are we living our life at work, with friends, at family functions, or even when we think no one is looking? We should live our lives in such a way that others would stop and take notice. They would see something unique and special about us, something they would want for themselves.

When those gas prices drop low, I will admit I quickly call/text my close family members and tell them where I got gasoline and how cheap it was. I encourage them to hurry on over and fill their tanks up, too. It's a great value and I don't want them to miss out on it. Do we as Christians ever do that? Do we ever call or text a friend or family member about the amazing life-changing things God is doing for us? Do we encourage them to walk with God and be saved? Are we telling them how wonderful our Lord is so that they don't miss out?

Next, God showed me how people were patient enough to wait in line for something they felt was worth waiting on. They weren't sure when they would be able to get gas for themselves, but they wanted it bad enough to wait for it. They could see the pump ahead of them and they could count the cars in front of them, yet they didn't move because they didn't want to lose their place.

It reminds me of the five foolish virgins in the Bible. Do you remember that? Matthew 25:1-13 where it says: 1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6. And at midnight there was a cry made, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.' 7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8. And the foolish said unto the wise, 'Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.' 9. But the wise answered, saying, 'Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' 12. But He answered and said, 'Verily I say unto you, I know you not.' 13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. The wise virgins didn't want to lose their place in line for the bridegroom. They are like the people who want to get a good deal on the gasoline prices. They want to wait their turn.

Another thing God dealt with me about is that we are all at different levels. When we are the gas station some people just want to top off their tank. They are not even close to running out of gasoline but they want to make sure they have a full tank for whatever journey they are on. Some may not be able to afford a full tank of gasoline so they just get whatever they can to make it as long as they can before needing to refuel. Others are skimming by nearly on fumes. They just hope they don't run out before it's their turn at the pump.

Christians are a lot like that. You have some Christians in the church who just seem to have a full walk with God. They wake up reading the Word, praying, and asking God for direction for their day. They fill up first thing in the morning so they can be sure they won't run out of gas regardless of where their path leads them. They are wise.

Some Christians are struggling along. Maybe they haven't been saved long. They don't understand a lot of scriptures, but they want something from God. They aren't running on a full tank but they are trying. They are in line. They see the value of walking with God and they want to get to the point where they are filled to overflowing.

Then there are those in the church who are fair-weather Christians. Blowing by life without taking the time to properly fill up. They rarely look at the gas gauge to see if they need to fill up or not. Barely getting by on fumes, running until they are just about out of gas, and then start praying they can make it up to the pump to get more. They are the ones who constantly pray at the altar for deliverance under the conviction of God, but turn around and they live however they want through the rest of the week. God will not always strive with man. It will be the time to make a decision one day and they should hope they do not wait too long.

Our filling station should not just be a church. It shouldn't be a one time each week experience. Each day we should talk to God through prayer. We need to hear from Him and that is done by reading God's Word, the Holy Bible. Throughout the day we need to be monitoring the condition of our heart (looking at the gas gauge). Did we offend someone when we said something in anger? Were we rude to the person ahead of us in line? Were we salt and light to the world? Did we think to pray, or start our day in a hurry and left God out altogether? I remember a poem that really makes this point clear:

No Time To Pray

I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day;

I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,

and heavier came each task,

"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered.

He answered, "You didn't ask."

I wanted to see joy and beauty,

but the day toiled on gray and bleak;

I wondered why God didn't show me;

He said, "But you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence;

I used all my keys at the lock;

God gently and lovingly chided,

"My child you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning,

and paused before entering the day;

I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.

Author Grace L. Naessens

In order to stay fueled up, we must read God's Word. We must study it every day and pray fervently. We will grow much closer to God if we will take the time for Him. I read a sign one time that said, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you were thankful for today?" What if God would give you the same amount of time that you give to Him. Would you find yourself being ignored? Would you ever cross His mind? Would you have any time together? God loves you so much that He sent Jesus, His only begotten Son to die on the cross at Calvary for our sins. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Pray and get filled up. He will meet your needs. He is much greater than any need you will ever have.

~Bridgett

Before & After

For some reason I always enjoy watching shows or looking at pictures that show what something looked like to begin with and then later reveals what the person or thing looks like after. I am fascinated with this!

Once I saw a talk show where they had a special guest on their show. They showed a picture of this guy and he was really scruffy and dirty. His beard was long and bushy. His hair hadn't been cut in years. He looked as though he might be homeless. So they took this guy and did a transformation and what a difference they made! He did not look like the same man at all. He was clean shaven, hair washed and cut, and they had nice clothing on him. He looked years younger and like a completely new man!

I often watch those television programs where someone takes a house that is a complete wreck and flip it. One show I watched featured a house that was so gross I did not see how they could find the potential in it. There was broken windows, stained up walls and floors. The carpet was nasty. There was spray paint all over everything. Someone had taken cement and poured it down the toilet and bathtub drains. It was a disaster! But this young couple bought the home and saw the vision for it. They hired a team and they actually turned that house into a beautiful home. It was like a diamond in the ruff!

This morning as I was getting ready for the day, I was listening to the Bible on my cell phone. It kind of just came to me why I like those kinds of before and after stories. I am one of them! So are you if you are a born again believer! Look at this verse:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

That is a reason to rejoice! What did you used to look like? Did sin have a hold on your life? Were you that dirty and scruffy person who the world took one look at and gave up on? Were you the outcast? Were you overlooked because society said you weren't enough? We all have to face that person in the mirror and recognize we need a savior. We were all born into sin and have fallen short of God's glory.

Romans 3:23 (KJV)

For all have sinned,

and come short of the

glory of God;

You may be a wonderful person. Maybe you are a volunteer in your community. Perhaps you donate items to your local food bank and Goodwill store. You may do the very best you can but if you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then you are lost and and you need a Savior. Jesus sees your worth. He sees your value. He knows He can take you and work on you and make you shine like gold! You have to accept Him.

John 3:16 (KJV)

For God so loved the world,

that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in Him

should not perish, but have

everlasting life.

For the one who has been set free from sin but you are struggling because you do not feel like you quite measure up. Maybe someone has spoken negative things into your life and you have received it. Don't be discouraged. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14 (KJV)

I will praise Thee;

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

marvelous are Thy works;

and that my soul knoweth right well.

Stop listening to the enemy. Walk in newness of life. Trust that Jesus will complete the work He has started in you. You are His masterpiece.

Philippians 1:6 (KJV)

Being confident of this very thing,

that He which hath begun a good work

in you will perform it until

the day of Jesus Christ:

Follow Him! You will love the results! The after is so much better than the before! God bless you!

~Bridgett

The Empty Chair

Have you ever noticed someone get up from their chair? Maybe it's their favorite chair and they just got up and went to another room in the house. It is no big deal, because maybe they have done this dozens of times before...maybe hundreds! It's just a seat, right? So, why does it become the empty chair when they are gone?

My dad had a favorite chair. He had a stroke in January 2012. He was given 10% chance to live through the night but we all prayed fervently for Dad and God answered our call. Dad survived that night to the amazement of the physicians but they did not hold out much hope for us. The doctor told us that he would be bedfast. My mother's faith was very strong and she said, "No he's not! These doctors don't have the final say!" He was in Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana for one week and then sent to IU Health Bloomington Hospital in Bloomington, Indiana for rehabilitation. The stroke had left Dad without use of his right side but he did well and God continued to answer prayers and perform miracles for my dad. God continued to keep the healthcare providers amazed and shaking their heads in confusion. Mother knew Dad would soon be able to come home from the hospital and she purchased my dad a very nice, comfortable recliner. This became Dad's favorite place to sit and when he could not rest in bed, he was able to find comfort in that chair.

Dad, Christmas 2012

I did not know when I took that picture of Dad at Christmas that year that the clock had already started to wind down quickly. Sure I knew he had colon cancer and that it had spread to his liver. We found out in July 2012 that he had stage 4 colon cancer with mets but God continued to do so many things for my dad. Doesn't he look so good here?

Do you know how many times my dad got up from this chair to go to the restroom or to go lie down on his bed? I cannot count the times I watched him do that. I saw the chair without him in it and it was never an empty chair, just maybe unoccupied, but I knew he would eventually walk back into the room and situate himself on the cushion and prop his legs up to rest. The chair was not ever "empty" to me. I knew he would be back.

Today my dad's chair sits empty. It is the empty chair. I know my dad will never walk back into the room and sit down to visit with his family. I know that if I stop by after school like I used to do that I will be gazing upon an empty chair. You see the chair is empty because my dad is gone. He has a new home and he doesn't need this chair anymore. He won't ever need it again.

The empty chair is a promise to me. The empty chair means that one day I can leave an empty chair behind, too. It means that no matter how much I miss my dad and how much I long to see him again, that the chair is empty because he is somewhere else waiting for me. I imagine him to look across the Jordan River that he used to tease me and say it was lapping at his feet, and I can imagine him looking at the horizon, waiting for me to cross that final river and lay my anchor down. I can imagine that he will be so happy to see me there and we can hug each other and tell each other how much we love one another and this time there will never be another empty chair to look at. We will never have to say goodbye and we will be together forever with our Lord and Savior who died for us. Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day so that we could have eternal life.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18

For the LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I do take comfort in these scriptures. I believe every single word of it. I know that one day Jesus is coming back for His people and no matter whether I go by way of the grave or the Lord catches me away in the clouds, I am going! I am going to see Jesus and I am going to thank Him for what He did for me. I am going to worship Him for all of eternity! I am going to see my many, many loved ones who have gone on before. The best part is that there will be no empty chairs. Jesus will be sitting on the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords and so shall we ever be with the LORD.

~Bridgett

Hear and Do It!

     Do you ever experience dry skin, especially in the cold winter months? I do. Sometimes it feels so nice after a warm shower to moisturize my arms and legs with a great-smelling lotion. First I put the lotion into my hands and rub them together to warm it up a little bit. Next I apply it to the top of my skin but as I rub it across my arms and legs, the lotion begins to sink in. That reminds me of God's Word....

     Sometimes I get so busy with my life that I don't take a lot of time to really absorb the Word while I am reading it. It just kind of stays on the surface of my mind and never sinks down into my heart. The Psalmist says:

Psalm 119:11

King James Version (KJV)

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

     Have you ever really thought about that? We can read God's Word over and over and still not hide it in our hearts. We can memorize scriptures until they are as familiar to us as our favorite song lyrics but not fully grasp all that God wants us to get from His Word.

     

     It is not enough for us to go to church once or twice a week, listen to someone quote some Bible passages and go home. There has to be more to it! Why else would God have taken the time to give us an entire book of promises and hope if we were not supposed to apply it to our lives? We can find all about this very subject in James! Let's take a look at what the Bible says:

James 1:21-25

King James Version (KJV)

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

     I realize that is a lot of food for thought, so let's break it down. Shall we? Let's take verse 21. I think we can understand that "lay apart" refers to removing something from us, and we can understand filthiness as something we would definitely not want to be a part of us. But what does the superfluity of naughtiness mean? According to Merriam-Webster, superfluity means more of something than is needed. So what the first part of this verse is saying is to remove all filthiness and behaving badly in such a way that it is more than is needed. Let's face it, we are all human. We have bad thoughts or take bad actions from time to time. This is suggesting there was an abundance of this behavior happening and it had to be addressed. So in James it says for us to stop doing this!

     Staying in that same verse, let's continue. We are to receive the engrafted word with meekness. Meekness refers to being quiet and gentle; not wanting to argue with people. If something is engrafted, it can be thought of as joined or held together in order to function normally. So here we are instructed to receive the Word of God with gentleness so we can function normally as followers of Christ! I love that!

     The last part of this verse tells us why we need to make the change from excessively bad behaviors to gently accepting God's Word without challenging others. It is able to save your souls! Wow!!! Isn't that powerful? When we change from our sinful nature to a more Christ-like way of life, we can then open our hearts to receive Christ as our Savior!

     Now, you may be reading this as a Christian and think to yourself, 'What about those of us who have done that?' Well, great! That is wonderful and I am so thankful that you have accepted Jesus as your Savior but it doesn't end there. Now it's time to apply our lotion! Let's read on.

     James 1:22 tells us plainly what we must do. It says that if we just hear the Word it is good but not enough! We must DO IT! Nike had a slogan for years, "Just Do It!" And I think that is what James is saying here. Do not just hear the Word but DO IT! Apply it to your life and really let it soak in so you can LIVE the Word. If you don't, it says you are only deceiving yourself. If we do not obey the scriptures after we have heard them, we are lying to ourselves about our walk with Christ.

     In verse 23 and 24 he expounds on this. He really wants to drive home the point that we must let the Word of God transform us and change us into something more like Christ. He says if we just listen to the preacher or Sunday school teacher share the message of hope and life but we don't ever act on it, it's like we are looking at our own reflection in the mirror and once we walk away we forget what we even look like. Do you see that at church our ministers are supposed to hold up these big spiritual mirrors so that you can really look at yourself and examine your inner man? But if you look at yourself in the reflection of God's Word and you see that you aren't measuring up, but you walk out the door and continue to live your life the way you always have been, then you have not allowed God's Word to change you at all. You are lying to yourself. You know if you are doing what God wants you to do or not. He wants you to see the places you need to improve and ask Him to change those things about you: make you stronger and better than you ever were before. Don't just listen to the Truth, obey it!

     Last verse in this passage, verse 25 gives us a beautiful promise! Ready for this? It says but whoever looks into the PERFECT law of LIBERTY. It's perfect! The law of God found in His Word is flawless! But it is also liberating! There is freedom in the truth. There is power to change in the perfect law of liberty! Note that it doesn't just stop at looking into the law. It says BUT CONTINUES IN THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY! See that? DOING it makes the difference! It says the one who looks into the law, continues in it, AND doesn't FORGET IT! Don't think it's too hard, too painful, too much trouble and just walk away. Remember what you saw in the mirror and work on changing it. It says not a forgetful hearer but a DOER of the work, this man shall be blessed! You will be blessed! There is your promise!!!

     Do you want to be blessed of God? Do you want to please the LORD? Let your life be meaningful. Make your days count. Live your life DOING what you have HEARD the Bible say. Look at the perfect law of liberty and don't just look at it, but remember it and DO IT. You can do it! It's not too hard for you. Remember, this verse?

Philippians 4:13

King James Version (KJV)

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

     It takes a willing heart and a desire to leave behind the selfish, sinful nature to walk in the Spirit. You can look into the mirror of God's Word and be transformed when you start DOING what it says and don't ever forget what you look like without God at work in you. Ask Him to help you and He will! You can do this as Jesus Christ strengthens you.

     My prayer each day is this: "Lord, help me to be more like You and less like the world." And every day I see another change that He is making in me. I am not perfect. I have to keep examining myself daily. Sometimes I blow it big time but I know how to make it right again. I can repent and He will forgive me and He will help me to do better the next time. You can live in this liberty, too. I pray God blesses you and encourages you today with these words!

~Bridgett

Preparing for the test...

I got accepted into the nursing program this fall. My summer class is half over now and I have been thinking ahead to the fall. I am so thankful that God has helped me get this far. I have talked to friends of mine that are nurses and I have read various things about preparing for the nursing program, and then I decided to watch a YouTube video about preparing for the program. I came across a video about things that nursing students say. One thing in particular caught my attention. This man repeatedly turned down offers to family functions and outings with friends in order to study and prepare for an upcoming test. And that got me to thinking...

How wonderful would it be, if we could be so in touch with God, so aware of the importance of our "seat" in the Kingdom that we would do everything we could to prepare ourselves for the journey? What would family and friends say if we start declining a few invitations to events that really aren't going to help us walk closer to God? What kind of reaction would others have if we said, "You know I would love to hang out with you and watch a movie but I need more time to pray. I need more time to study God's Word."

The Bible tells us that we are to be prepared for the second coming of our King because we do not know when He is coming. We do not know when He will call us home. Where will we spend eternity? How much did we prepare for our spiritual journey while we had the chance? The book of Matthew tells a story of how we are supposed to prepare ourselves for that great day.

Matthew 25

King James Version (KJV)

25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
³ They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
⁴ But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
⁵ While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
⁶ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
¹¹ Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
¹² But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
¹³ Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

We must prepare ourselves for the Lord's return, but we also must be ready if God calls us home. We will leave this earth and all of the things we have treasured will rust and pass away. But if we have prepared our hearts for our eternal reward we will not be like the foolish virgins. We will have our lamps trimmed and enough oil to last through the night. You see the oil is the anointing and if we have invited Jesus into our hearts and became a Christian, we are anointed with His Spirit.

Why do you think the oil ran out from the foolish virgins lamps? They had lamps with them. They thought they had enough but they didn't check. They didn't stay in tuned with God's Word. They were not watching and waiting. Instead they hoped they would get close to other Christians that had more oil than they did. That way if they ran out, someone would just give them some of theirs but that is not how salvation works. It is not a group policy. Just because your grandmother prayed for you and your daddy tried to lead the way, and they both make it home, does not mean that you will. You have to have a personal relationship with Jesus and let Him help you on your journey towards home.

The Christian walk has been compared to a race. You can ask any champion runner and they will tell you they didn't just get up one morning and decide they would like to run a race and happen to win it. They have to make a decision to run. They have to commit to the race. They have to train hard to get their muscles in shape and learn breathing techniques so they don't fatigue in the middle of their stride. They have to work hard one day and harder the next. Always pushing themselves to work harder, go further, and run faster. The Bible is full of examples of men and women of God who went before us, running the race with all of their might and receiving their prize.

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Philippians 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

So let's run this race! Don't be afraid to give up some of this world's pleasures for more time with God. Pray more, worry less. Read the Bible more and put down the newspapers. Stop listening to the gloom and doom of this present life and open up the Good News of God's plan for your life.

~Bridgett

My Strength Comes From God

My life has been a whirlwind of trials and troubles lately. I am a sophomore in college and while I have a goal to become a nurse, I have grown weary this semester with the tests and papers. My dad has been through so much with the cancer and chemotherapy. He is living beyond the six months they grimly offered him. God has been blessing my dad with many wonderful answered prayers but there is still much to pray about and the journey is far from over. My husband has a kidney stone and is needing to have a procedure done this coming week. I started a new job and getting used to new people and new computer programs has been a challenge. My schedule is random and makes things difficult to plan. I have childcare issues and problems with family who have said hurtful things about me behind my back to people that care about me. My laundry room/craft room has been gutted and s-l-o-w-l-y getting set back up. I feel like I have hardly any time to work on the house or get any tasks completed because I meet myself coming and going. Often I just hold all of this inside and try to figure it out on my own. But God already has it under control and if I will trust Him, He will see me through. I saw this picture on Facebook recently and immediately posted it to my wall because it definitely is my heart's cry.



Tonight I just vented with two of my dear college friends. They were so sweet to endure the cold temperatures as I poured out my heart to them. They were kind to give me warm hugs and words of encouragement. They are praying for me and on my way home, Darian sent me a text message that said, "God only gives you what you can handle; you're just really strong." That sweet message brought tears to my eyes. As I traveled the winding road to my dad's house, my mind wondered back to last night when Paul and I were able to spend some time alone together having dinner. One of the large screen televisions on the wall caught my attention as a woman who didn't appear to be very large in stature approached a big bar with heavy weights on either end. She picked the bar up and lifted it to her chest and then hoisted it above her head before returning it to the floor. She repeated this several times and appeared to almost bounce with each action. I thought how incredibly strong this lady was and I told Paul that I wished I could get some upper body strength. God used that moment to teach me some spiritual lessons that He wanted me to know.

Just like the body builder I saw on television, getting stronger is a continuous process. I know that this woman did not just wake up one day and think she would just start bench pressing a huge amount of weight. She most likely had to train consistently and work hard to reach her goals. When she built muscle tissue and was able to lift a certain amount of weight with ease, she could add more weight. This is how she could get stronger. God does that to me, too.

When I go through a battle, He watches me and helps me and trains me. He conditions my mind to think good thoughts.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

He helps me to stay focused on my goals. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

He shows me examples of others who have made it to the end, endured the trials of this life and have come forth victorious, so that I can be encouraged to finish strong.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1

The sweet message God sent me through my friend Darian reminds me that He is my strength and He is my helper. I spoke with a professor tonight about some concerns I had with my fall schedule and his advice was for me just to wait a little longer. It was great advice and very helpful. Just like the scripture reminds me to wait on God.

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

I want to please the LORD and I will trust Him to see me through. He is my strength.

"Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD Jehovah is everlasting strength." Isaiah 26:4

My heart says, "I will love Thee, O LORD, my strength." Psalm 18:1

My prayer is, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him." Psalm 28:7

~Bridgett

I once was blind but now I see

I took this picture today.

It is symbolic of the way I feel. The lamp posts in the photo are not turned on. The Bible says, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105) I have been reading the Word of God a lot and reading scriptures but I have not actually been letting it shine on my spiritual path so I can see better. The road is winding here and I cannot see where the road will lead me. I know where it takes me because I have driven on it many times, but symbolically it is like my life. I am navigating around some curvy roads in my life right now and I cannot always see where the road will lead me. This is when I am supposed to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) The trees are bare and seem dead on the outside. No leaves are budding, but it is winter season so the trees are not supposed to have blossomed yet. The sky is overcast with threatening clouds of rain which did eventually start to fall on me.

So what does this mean for me? I will break it all apart so I can get a better understanding. This is the way God teaches me things. I have been praying for clarity and am in a very fragile state right now. Good friends have offered sound advice and my husband has been the rock I can lean on but I am still uneasy inside...unsure. So I think this is God's way of helping me see what is happening in my own life and hopefully if you are going through a difficult time in your life, it will help you, too.

So I want to talk about the sky first. The sky looks overcast and gray, looming clouds above threaten of rain because it is going to rain. Duh, Bridgett! I know but sometimes I miss the obvious. You know? Like instead of just saying it is a gloomy day, it really is a perfect day for rain. Right? The circumstances are great for a rainy day. I love sunshine and blue skies but I cannot forget the summer of 2012 and how important it is to have rainy days, too. So even if rainy days seem a little sad and dreary at times, it is necessary. Maybe the situation I am in seems bleak and obscure but it is also necessary. Without these times of "rain" in my life I wouldn't grow as much as a person. My faith might not be as strong if I didn't have to encounter difficult situations where relying on my faith is all that I have.

What about the trees? Well, I think the most profound statement I can make is that it is the season for bare trees. My life is made up of seasons. I go through times of rebirth, renewal, refreshing in my spring seasons. Sometimes I have reached a point of full maturity and growth in a particular area of my life and I am in my summer. I seem to enjoy the length of my days and the experiences I am having. Fall is my favorite season of all on the calendar but it is a great time in my spiritual life, too. I am able to harvest a lot of blessings from the planting season and the hard work of learning lessons and taking chances and believing God when I had no proof that it was going to be okay. But now is my winter. Winter is hard. Winter is about dying. Winter is about releasing things and letting them go. Winter is lonely at times and harsh at times and sometimes the cold rain comes. I am in my winter and it is okay that I am bare and empty because if I don't let go of some things in my life I cannot be free to enjoy my spring time.

So where is the road going? I don't really know and I think that is supposed to be the way it is. I think God wants me to have fun in the "not knowing" phase although He knows I hate this part. I like to know what is next. I want a list. I want steps. I want to follow a plan but being a Christian means that sometimes we have to just go where God leads because He loves us and knows what is best for us. He doesn't want me to worry about the traveling arrangements, He only wants me to enjoy the journey. You know when I was little we would take car trips to Florida to see my dad's family and I would get car sick so my mom would give me medicine to pretty much knock me out. I would wake up a few times on the long journey there and I would look at bright city lights, large bodies of water, or maybe a traffic jam we were stuck in and then I would just doze back off. I never remembered feeling stressed out or unsure we were going to get to the destination. After all, my dad was driving and he is a walking, talking Atlas! If I get stuck anywhere and call him, he just wants to know what mile marker I'm on and he can navigate me anywhere I need to be. I am just the opposite. I am directionally challenged and my close friends and family can attest to the fact that I get lost pretty easily. But I need to just sit back and relax right now in this winter time because God's got this! He is not surprised about anything going on in my life right now. He is walking beside me and He knows where we are going!

And now we get to the dark lamps. Sometimes there is not enough darkness around for those lights to come on. As Christians we avoid the darkness, right? We are to be children of the light. (Ephesians 5:8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: So why would I need to be surrounded by darkness if I am not "of the night, or darkness." I think it is because I need to get to the point in my life when all that is around me is God. When all I can see is the light of His love drawing me closer to Him and leading the way so I don't stumble. There is all kinds of light that we can surround ourselves in but if it isn't from God, it's just artificial and it is not good for us. It may seem okay and maybe have a purpose for our life in a small way but if we are so surrounded by this light that we can no longer tell the difference between the fake light and God's light, then we may need to go somewhere darker (away from the fake light...darkness is just an absence of light) so that all we can see is the true light...the light from God.

The Word of God is a wonderful light and if I apply the scriptures to my life and search for God's truth in them, not Bridgett's version, but the real truth found in the living Word of God, then the lamps will come on and I can start to see what I am supposed to do. It's kind of like I have God with me but I put Him in the back and off to the side...always knowing He is there but waiting until I have to rely on Him alone in order to reach for the Bible or really pray in earnest from my heart. His light is reaching out beyond me but it is so far from my direct path that it really isn't showing me a clear vision of where to go. That is why I have to have Him in the center of my life because He will show me the path that I am supposed to walk in. Have you ever held a flashlight out before you and let it illuminate a large area? You can see a lot of stuff but it's not as bright as if you shine the light closer to the area you are walking. Right? That is why most of us carry the flashlight in front of us and point towards the path we are walking on...so we don't stumble and fall. 

Wow! I feel a lot better. I am really ashamed that I have not seen this before. I am sorry that I don't put God first and foremost in my life all of the time. But you know what? When I repent of this behavior and ask God to help me do better, He will. He is faithful and just to forgive us and He cleanses us and makes us righteous. (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I am not sad that the sky is darker and the rain has fallen, because now I know that I am where I am supposed to be. I will finish out this season with a better perspective on what God has planned for my life and I can start fresh with a new direction and purpose. I thank God that I have my vision back. You see we are not required to have sight, just a vision. (Proverbs 29:18) Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

~Bridgett