Who Is Smart?

By Pat

"Do not be wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord and shun evil." (Proverbs 3:7)

I am not a very educated person, I admit, and I have often wished I had gone farther with my schooling. I feel easily intimidated when I am talking with someone I feel is smarter than me, but oddly, the older I get, the more I realize what true wisdom really is.

I may not know all the world capitals and the directions on how to get there, but I do know the greatest capital of all is Heaven, and God made the instructions for safe arrival very clear for all of us in the great map called the Bible. I doubt I could name all of our presidents and other country leaders, past or present, but I can tell you without hesitation that the ultimate leader, the unmatchable ruler, the final judge, is God. I need not know more than that. It's very unlikely that I could recite the rules contained in the Constitution and the various amendments, but I have memorized the Ten Commandments, and I try very hard to follow them. I know that the rules Jesus taught us are much simpler, way fewer, definitely harder to follow, but much more worth learning; to love, forgive, and to serve God tirelessly.

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Feeding Sheep

By Pat

In John 21:15-19, Jesus is having a conversation with Peter. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. Each time, Peter answers yes, and each time Jesus commands Peter to "feed his sheep."

It's easy to proclaim our love for Jesus, but the true test is the feeding of the sheep. Are we obeying Jesus? Reaching out to others in need, offering a word of comfort or encouragement? Giving unselfishly, sharing our faith, and praying with genuine concern for our brothers and sisters? These are just some of the many ways in which we feed His sheep.

Following Jesus requires more than lip service. Faith requires movement, and love requires action. We need to find a way each day to feed God's sheep, to minister to a world greatly in need of kindness and love. We need to take every opportunity to feed the sheep around us, in whatever way it can be done. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, and therefore must take action and touch the world with God's love. Telling Jesus we love Him is great; showing Him is even greater!

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

Praying For God's Will

By Pat

I was talking to a friend of mine a few days ago, and he told me about an old friend of his who had recently fallen on hard times and serious health issues. It was to the point that his friend was not expected to pull through, but miraculously, he did and is now recovering. Many people had been praying for this man, and yet my friend told me that when his friend's health crisis took a turn for the better, he was shocked.

I admit I have often felt that my prayers have fallen on deaf ears. I have some serious issues that I am presently facing, and am praying for various friends and family and their problems as well. So often it seems to be in vain-but could it be because I pray for my will to be done rather than God's? I allow myself to forget that just because a prayer seems to go unanswered doesn't make it so. God is Sovereign...He is all-knowing, perfect. And if we give our cares to Him and ask that they be answered HIS way, be will never be disappointed. The only expectation we should have when we go to God in prayer is the expectation that our prayer will be heard and answered. Maybe not today, and maybe not the way we want, but it WILL be answered, God's way. Failing to approach prayer in this way minimizes our trust in God.

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Better With Age

By Pat

I have recently re-established contact with a couple of friends I have known since childhood, both of whom are devout Christians. In the past several months we have been praying for one another about the various problems we are facing now, and it has been just wonderful to connect with these ladies. I am so thankful that God has orchestrated this reunion. We are so much the same in many ways as when we were young...and yet so different. And the big difference is...age.

Society places so much emphasis on youth that it has become almost an embarrassment to show signs of aging. We are encouraged to buy expensive wrinkle creams, have our gray hair colored, and exercise to the point that we exhaust ourselves in our attempts to have the bodies and faces of young people. There are some women who become almost unrecognizable due to the many surgeries they have had so that they can maintain the appearance of youth, and I think it's very sad.

The things that make me where I am today in my faith walk and enable me to be more effective to God, are the experiences I have had along the way, and the struggles I have faced, the fears I have conquered, and the reliance on God that has grown stronger and stronger. My friends are the same way. We can now reach out and help one another in a much different way than we could have when we were younger. Our age has taught us valuable lessons, and we can now share these with one another in a richer, deeper way. We have learned patience, and that God's timing and ours do not usually coincide...and that's okay. We have learned that prayer and faith are the keys to getting along in life, and that the bond of friendship is one of the most wonderful gifts God has given us.

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Little Things

By Pat

Sunday was the first day of spring, my favorite season! To see the trees begin to bloom, watch the daffodils say goodbye to winter, hear the glorious song of the birds, and smell the delightful fragrance of flowers fills me with joy. It's those little things in life I live for.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the little things in life, the ones that cost nothing but the well-spent time it takes to stop for a moment, take a deep breath, appreciate them, and thank God for them. And not only them, but also for the gift of eyes to see, ears to hear, and nose to smell. They are precious things we often take for granted. Shame on us that we sometimes fail to fully take note of the beauty God has placed all around us. I truly feel sorry for people who pay little attention to the glory of nature and feel the true joy of a warm breeze or a mockingbird singing in the middle of the night.

My problems do not go away, but they certainly slip further into the corners of my mind as I realize that these wonderful treats are touches from God, reminding me that He is in everything, and He is everywhere. It has brought a smile to my troubled heart more times than I can count, and reminded me to keep things in perspective and to look for the little ways in which God can and does sooth.

Every season, every day, brings gift after gift of little blessings, all created by a loving God and given to us with joy, along, of course, with the most wonderful gift of all, our Savior Jesus! So from the little things to the great gift of salvation, I say...thank you, God! Thank you!

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.