Friendship Making an Eternal Impact

This is a story that my mother (Kay Smith) wrote about how she came to know Christ:

I grew up in a home where neither Mom or Dad or my sister attended church.  My grandmother would come each month and take me to Sunday School.  She later gave me a Bible for my 16th birthday.  I had a neighbor who attended a church nearby and constantly invited me to attend church with her.  I did not pay much attention to her constant invitations but decided one day to tell her that I would go with her if we invited other friends in the neighborhood.  We decided on a Sunday and all of us walked to church with her.  I remember that the first thing that caught my attention was the choir singing and later the congregational singing.  I don’t remember the sermon but we all enjoyed the music and decided to repeat our visit in future Sundays.  

The preacher seemed to emphasize salvation by grace in each service and gave an invitation  to accept Christ and become a Christian.  One Sunday morning in January I realized that I had never taken that step and thought about it all day.  That evening we all returned to the church and I stepped out into the aisle to go forward and make a profession of faith in Christ.  In fact, my friends followed me to the front of the church and we prayed and accepted Christ and were baptized that evening.  

That was in January, 1955.  My life changed spiritually from that day forward and I thank God for a friend who did not give up on inviting me to church.  Thank God for churches that preach the Gospel and reach out to all those who are willing to come and listen.  Thank God for good music in churches which was the first thing that drew my attention and made me want to return.

Psalm 145:16 You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

This picture was taken of my mom and me in Ardales, Spain overlooking the lake in 2022.

Crazy People

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go...Genesis 28:15a 

The Bible is full of crazy people according to the worlds standards. To name just a few, let's look at Noah who was building an ark to prepare for a flood in an area of the world that had never seen rain. Joseph who took care of his family in spite of being sold into slavery by them when he was young. Moses who gave up all the comforts of Egypt to lead the Israeli nation into the wilderness for 40 years. There are so many stories in the Bible about people who looked like losers but died winners.

God has created us to be winners not losers. The one thing all of these "crazy" people have in common is that their natural ability played a minor role in their success, instead it took courage & faith. These individuals had supernatural success. When God is with us, we cannot fail. It does not matter who we are, what we have gone through, or what others think of us; what matters is that God is with us, in us and for us.

Kay Warren writes in her book, Choose Joy: At Saddleback Church, sometimes we repeat this sentence together as a congregation: "I'm broken, but I'm not crazy." You can sense the release  and relief that washes over those gathered as we affirm this truth to one another.  

 A picture I took of one of my grandkids, December 2013.

Be Considerate Of Others

“Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourself.”  Phil. 2:3b

Can you imagine what kind of world this would be if people would treat others better than they would treat themselves? It would change all relationships within our community, the church and our nation.

Instead we disrespect, mock and treat each other as if we do not value each other. When I hear someone make fun of another person (especially if it is towards one of my kids) my heart grieves. I have made it clear that I HATE sarcasm and the excuse I get from people is.....oh, it's just their way of joking, it doesn't mean anything or my favorite reply, "don't be so sensitive." My answer is, what gives you the right to treat me or someone else with such lack of respect? It's no one's right to criticize or humiliate another person for a laugh!

 This is a picture I took of the water from our backyard fountain.

Joy Killer or Builder

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 

Each day we have the opportunity to either be a "Joy" killer or builder to those around us. For some of us it will depend on our personalities and for others it will depend upon the circumstances. Romans 8:28 tells us that everything will work out for the good if we give it (the problem) and us (doing His will). 

Joy can be killed in us and in others around us by negativity, criticism and bad behavior. Joy can be built in us and in others around us by being positive, building each other up and trusting God in all our circumstances.

The scriptures are full of God's promises that no matter what is said to us or no matter what the circumstances that He (God) is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think within us according to Ephesians 3:20.

Joy comes when I let go of control for my life and give God the control. 

My prayer: Lord, please forgive me for killing any "JOY" in myself or those around me with my attitude or words and please help me to always be a "JOY" builder instead. 

This picture was taken by our office.

Happiness or Joy

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

What is the difference in happiness and joy? ~ Happiness comes when circumstances are good and joy can come in good and difficult circumstances.  It is God who gives us joy even in the midst of something difficult. 

How often have I heard someone say, "I just want to be happy!" They begin to pursue what they believe will make them happy but most of the time pleasure seeking in the wrong places.  Some pursue sports, hobbies, traveling, dancing, shopping, home improvements, wealth, status, alcohol, food and drugs. These will fail except for a brief moment!

We cannot find true joy just by seeking pleasurable excitement. The best and longest sustained joys come from pursuing things God's way and His working in our life.

Jesus slept in the boat during a terrible storm. 

We need to learn how to sleep in the storms too. 

God wants us to let Him take control during our storms of life!

This picture I took of my sons youngest daughter at a festival November 
2012 as she watched her sister and cousins riding the swings.

Taking Pictures of Life!

Written in 2022:

There is nothing in this world that I enjoy more than taking a picture of something or someone. The pictures that I take now or have taken many years ago encourage me in my daily life. They were all taken at different phases of my life that I am so thankful for and all good memories. I love looking back at the good times and I look forward to the good times ahead. No matter what time in my life that I look back on my pictures I remember more the joy of that time than the difficult circumstances because of those pictures.

We don't take pictures of the ugly or the mess of life but instead of the moments we want to cherish forever. The pictures we take are wonderful reminders of the joyful times. When I look at pictures of my kids when I was a single parent and all their smiles and our celebrations together, it makes my heart smile. We struggled then financially and emotionally but we still had fun too! The things we did together then are priceless memories that I love to reflect on again and again.

My pictures are a constant reminder of the joy then and the joy now! I thank God for my dad who recorded my entire childhood to remind me of the good family times we all had together. I am also thankful to be able to take pictures of my own kids and grandkids to cherish all our memories together. Most of all I am thankful to God that as I grow older I have become more forgetful of the less than joyful moments of life!

Psalm 30:5b Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

 This is one of my grand~girls popping bubbles on Easter 2014.

Listening

 ... a man of understanding holds his tongue. Proverbs 11:12b

Do I take time to listen? In my own life I look back and wish I had been listening more and talking less. I wish those who misunderstood me listened and heard what I was saying instead of what they thought they heard.  For me personally, talking has gotten me more in trouble than listening ever could. 

I took this picture of a Halloween Pennant Dragonfly while we were watching the sunset across the water in front of our camper.

Leadership

These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the divisions in Israel. Numbers 1:16

God spoke to Moses in this chapter and orchestrated the first census to prepare them for battle. It describes exactly how they were supposed to go about it to see what each person was capable of doing. Tribes of people were chosen for battle and tribes of people were chosen just to protect the tabernacle. The leader was Moses and then there were leaders of each tribe. Everyone knew their position and their job to do in order for victory.

This is how I see the church, the role of our pastors and the leadership. If people believe that God has ordained them with the future and decisions of the church and don't follow the leadership of the pastor then it will not lead their church to victory. Our job is not to conjure up our own ambitions and missions for the churches we attend. We are to follow our pastors and his leadership. If we feel they are wrong then it's our job to pray for them because I believe God can make any wrong be right.

God has given us political leaders, parents, bosses, etc. and if this same truth is applied it will bring blessing!  

 This is a picture of a young girl leading the elephant at the circus that I
 attended with my grandkids on November 9, 2012.

Land Mines Of Life

 When I was a young woman, I remember fearing certain losses or death of a loved one. Wondering if I had enough faith and trust to endure the land mines of life that I would see others having to deal with themselves. I would imagine some scenario in my life and think I don't think I would be able to go on if.......and filled in the blank. 

Looking back, some of those things did come to pass but many did not happen. Other things happened that I didn't or couldn't possibly have imagined and I realize that God did and will sustain us. It is difficult to imagine the grace that God has for us in the middle of what we would have thought would have destroyed us otherwise.

There have been moments in my life where we have been crippled but not defeated. We can't always understand what is happening or why but we can see God carrying us through the land mines of life!

This picture was taken of the brightest full moon 

I have ever seen over the ocean, October 2013

Life’s Losses

Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. II Samuel 1:11-12

David experienced great grief in the loss of Saul and Jonathan in this passage. David had spent years running from Saul who wanted to kill him. He did not rejoice in the death of an enemy. 

Today death is so trivial because people are watching it every day on television or reading about it in the news. Experiencing losses comes in many forms: death, moving away, broken relationships, loss of a job or health, etc. A defense mechanisms that many people use in handling loss is to minimize its significance. We convince ourselves that the loss is not a big deal or get into some busyness to forget. 

Others are going to hurt us intentionally or unintentionally and we will do the same to them. It is so difficult to not dwell on the pain that causes us emotionally and physically. David was able to grieve not just for his best friend, Jonathan, but for Saul who had been trying to kill him for years. David refused to get stuck in the past hurts that Saul had caused him.

This picture was taken on one of many walks I shared with my youngest daughter 

and my nephew James after school in 1996. James was killed in an accident at the age of 21. 

My Love Life

 Written April 2, 2016

“Which is the most important command?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. ‘This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.” Matt. 22:36-39

Life is all about learning to love and God gives us a lifetime to get this commandment right. We fill our life up with so many other things and even good things. For example, the first thing we do when we have a child is accumulate all that is needed for that child. The crib, the layette set, the diapers and all the beautiful little things we see in the baby stores for our little ones. We focus on accumulating the money needed to bring up that child, our careers and our children's education. All of these things are important and well meaning in life.

At this stage of my life as I look back and realize now that all those things and all those concerns were not really where I needed to focus. The best use of my life, my time and my energy for my husband and my children would have been a life of Love. Yes, of course I loved them all but was it really my primary focus each day? As parents, we do the best we know how to do but humanly speaking it can lead to much disappointment.

If we really understood God's redeeming love for us then everything else would be fine. Why? Because if we believe in a God that is all about "Love & Grace" then we will reflect that same "Love & Grace." Do our children see our love for God and our love for others in our daily life? What would our children say was our focus? A million other things? 

Do I write this because that is exactly what I did or do now? No, I write this because I didn't get it right at all and want others to learn from my own mistakes. My blogs need to expose me for all my own sins and my own mistakes, not the sins of others. There is much to be learned from just my mistakes, trust me! Thank God I am redeemed at the cross for ALL my mistakes in the past and ALL my mistakes in the present and future. 

Romans 7:18-20For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

This picture was taken many years ago of our family when we stayed in the Cumberland Mountains ~ wonderful memories!

Genesis 3 The Fruit

 

This chapter took place before records were being made so it is called pre-history. Also, it doesn’t specifically tell us how long they lived in the Garden of Eden. 

This chapter continues to discuss, God, Adam & Eve. This is the introduction of the serpent who is described as a deceiver. 

Verses 1-7: The serpent came to Eve and asked her what rules God made about the trees. Eve explained which tree and what would happen. The serpent deceived her by telling her that wasn’t true at all but instead eating the fruit would make them more like God. Eve ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband. Immediately they felt shame for being naked.

Simple Things

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I Thessalonians 5:23

God is constantly ministering to our spirit in some way. A touch, a sentence, a scene, a flower, an animal, a person, a sunrise, a sermon, a sunset, the ocean, a lake, a stream, a sweet memory and the list goes on. There are so many ways that God lifts our spirits and fills us with joy each day. I seem to find His touch in the small and simpler things of life!

One of the most amazing revelations of God comes when we learn that it is in the commonplace things that the Deity of Jesus Christ is realized. ~Oswald Chambers

I want to take time to notice how God is speaking to me today and may it guide my day differently! The scriptures describe that God speaks in a still small voice which I believe can be drowned out in the clutter of my every day life. Where will God reveal himself to me today? 

I took this picture of my husband and grand~girl last week during their play time together....I enjoy watching these two.....they are soul mates and understand each other....

He Will Keep Us From Sinking

 written by Tracey Schultz Graham 4/1/15:

This morning as I was journaling my time with God, I wrote down on my index card Matthew 14:30-31.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was frightened; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

As I was writing I focused on the words "frightened" vs 30 and "immediately" vs 31. There are times I become "frightened" just like Peter, then I start to doubt and just like Peter, I begin to sink. Then I feel guilty because of "my little faith." This verse tells us that although we start out with good intentions, sometimes our faith falters. But this doesn't mean we have failed - failing would be staying in our doubt. True faith is calling out to Jesus to save us, to keep us from sinking, knowing that he's the only one who can. 

Then I focused on the word "immediately" vs 31. Jesus "immediately" answered Peter's cry for help! How awesome to know that God will "immediately" save us no matter how many times we fail him. He may not change our storm right now but he will keep us from sinking. 

Sunset over Lake Okeechobee on one of our camping trips 2021.

Genesis 3 A Deceiver

  

This chapter took place before records were being made so it is called pre-history. Also, it doesn’t specifically tell us how long they lived in the Garden of Eden. 

This chapter continues to discuss, God, Adam & Eve. This is the introduction of the serpent who is described as a deceiver. 

Songs of Faith

Growing up in church and with parents who sang together, I learned so many wonderful songs that I taught my own children. They are now passing on those beautiful songs to their own children.

Music is our way of expressing joy, good times together, and worship of our God. Some times a song is a good reminder that we are being "held" in the midst of all circumstances, no matter how dark or how difficult. Through joy and sorrow a song can penetrate the soul deeply in many ways. 

The songs of faith that I grew up with are a reminder to me even today of God's goodness and love in everything. Some days when nothing else makes sense a song carries the message of hope and healing.

This picture was taken in Charleston, South Carolina when I visited in

March, 2016.

Negative Emotions

 And the king took an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, I Kings 1:29 

Looking back on King David's life we know that God had delivered him from much anxiety, sorrow, pain, anguish, suffering, agony, torment, heartache and heartbreak. These are many of the same emotions we all experience in life at one time or another. We can trust God as David did with all of our emotional stresses. If anyone had a right to nurse a grudge it was David towards Saul who attempted to kill him. He trusted God with his life and knew that it would only do harm to himself and God's purpose in his life.

The root of anxiety and stress in my own life is always my own lack of faith. I am constantly repenting to God for my unbelief. Sure I have blamed a million and one other things or other people but when I finally am honest with myself it is always by my own doing, my own sin, my unbelief that God has taken care of everything for me. 

I took this picture on April 15, 2008 on a walk on the beach.

Serving: The Ultimate Adventure

 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Serving in the church is like a spiritual defibrillator - it jumpstarts the heart and brings new life! I've discovered that everyone has a secret desire to serve, but sometimes they just need a little nudge. That's where I come in - I'm a "serving evangelist" who loves to recruit others to join the journey.

The enemy tries to whisper lies that we are not worthy or qualified, but I believe that everyone has a role to play. So, I invite friends, family, and fellow church members to join me in serving. I've even invited neighbors who don't attend church to join me in activities like special events, greeting or cleaning - and they love it!

People are hungry for purpose and meaning, and serving together is a powerful way to build relationships and make memories. I've seen unsaved friends find joy and connection through serving, and even go on to become leaders in the church.

My approach is simple: start small, start local, and start together. Whether it's folding bulletins or pressure cleaning, there's a place for everyone to serve. And when we do, we'll discover that serving is not just a duty, but a delight.

So, let's shake off the martyr complex and the lies of the enemy, and embrace the joy of serving together. Let's create a culture of volunteerism and watch as our churches and communities transform. Serving is not just for the saved - it's for anyone who wants to make a difference. And when we serve together, we'll find that it's not just about what we do, but about who we become.

In the trenches of church service, I found two kindred spirits, Kammy and Shannon, who shared my heart for making a difference and my passion for serving with excellence.

Genesis Chapter 32

  

In this chapter Jacob is returning home to see his own family. He will face his brother Esau who he hadn’t seen in 20 years and at that time wanted to kill him for his deception

Verses 1-21

After making a treaty of peace with Laban, Jacob now plans to return home to Canaan and face his brother Esau.

In verses 1 & 2 God gives Jacob a glimpse of the spiritual realm of angels that are there for protection.

Remember he left on bad terms after deceiving his father and taking his birthright and blessing from his twin brother Esau.

He was afraid how Esau might respond to his return.

Jacob sent Esau a message and Esau came with 400 men. Jacob was afraid that they would be attacked so he split his family in two directions so that one group may survive.

Vs 7 Although Jacob has God’s promise and has seen God’s protection he responds in fear. (How many times have we done the same thing?)

In verse 10 he prays with humility saying I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies.

Jacob prayed thankfulness for how God had taken care of him in his life but also prayed for protection during this encounter with his brother, Esau.

(This is the longest prayer recorded in the book of Genesis)

Jacob sent gifts ahead to his brother and told his servants to refer to him as the servant of Esau. He humbled himself because he wanted reconciliation.

Verses 22-32

Jacob sent his family ahead of him to be alone.

He wrestled a man being God all night and Jacobs hip socket was put out of joint when the man touched his hip and now he walked with a limp.

Jacob thought he was winning and demanded a blessing from this man.

The man blessed him by changing his name to Israel.

Israel means “Ruled by God.”

Because God changed Jacobs name to Israel his future descendants became the Israelite nation we read about in the scriptures ahead.

In this world the idea of reconciling with people is not something that the world talks about but God wants us to be reconciled to one another and love each other and not be bitter. The worlds view is to write people off but the most important thing in this life is relationships. 

Let forgiveness take over our hearts and see what God does with restoring not just the relationships but restoring our hearts in the process.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called the sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Jacob and Esau had a rough beginning. Jacob set out to reconcile with his brother.

God was preparing Jacob for what He had prepared for him!

and

God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us!

“Here I am, Use Me”

 I’ve discovered a timeless truth: no matter what life brings, God can transform our willingness into something wonderful. From a young age, a spark within me longed to serve in ministry. As I grew, the flame of my calling burned brighter, guiding me to stand alongside my pastor and his wife in faithful service. With two little ones by my side, I embraced every opportunity to support our church family- from preparing the sanctuary to singing a spontaneous solo when needed. My heart was always ready to say, “Here I am, use me!” Without being asked, I’d arrive early to ensure everything was in order, just as I would welcome guests into my own home. My dedication earned me a sacred trust - the key to the church buildings - and eventually, a place on the payroll, doing what I would have done for free, but with a newfound sense of purpose and belonging.

My dream job was my holy grail, the place where God’s purpose and my passion converged. But life had other plans. Divorce and single motherhood to two tiny tots thrust me into a new reality. I traded ministry for a secretary’s desk at an HCA hospital, struggling to keep up with the demands of my new normal. Stress, anxiety, and self-doubt crept in, whispering lies that God’s calling was lost forever. How could I serve Him with a heart in shambles? Yet, in His grace, He proved me wrong. I discovered that my weaknesses didn’t disqualify me; they made me relatable. Our strengths inspire, but our weaknesses give hope. Hallelujah, indeed!

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“ He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

This picture of me with my two littles was taken when I was a single mom, working full-time and still doing ministry in the 80’s.