Kay E. Thomson, Author of Finding Joy in the Midst of GriefLife – How would you describe your life?Full, Happy, Confident, Completely Satisfied?Lonely, Sad, Depressed, Confused, Uncertain?Family – How would you describe your family?Complete, Happy, Supportive of each other?Broken, Fragmented, Non-Communicative, Non-Supportive?If you are looking for a remedy to a broken, fragmented family or if you believe your life to be lonely, sad, confused, and uncertain, read on.I believe we all have found our life to be off-center and confusing at times; we are human, so it happens. But how do we crawl out of the distressful mindset or life we find ourselves in?My answer always is that I turn to God and ask for His direction. The key to following God’s path is first to accept Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as your Savior and asking Him to change your heart. He will hear you; He will save you and you will have life with Him forever. It sounds easy and far too simple to be real. But I have found that it is true and with that truth in my life I have been able to live through many difficult scenarios in my life as I Grip God’s Hand and Move Forward.My scenarios in my life are not everyone’s business, however they ARE God’s business, because Jesus is my Savior. Through a dark spot in my marriage, loss of a grandchild, loss of loved parents and loss of my husband, by gripping tightly to God’s Hand and His Word, the Bible, I have been able to say I was Finding JOY in the Midst of Grief!Here are some tips for Finding JOY:Live in Him— As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Colossians 2:6 NKJVLive as Him— He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.1 John 2:6 NKJVJ – Jesus FirstO – Others SecondY – Yourself LastTry it – put your life in order with J O Y.

LIFE - WHAT IS LIFE?

FINDING JOY<ul><li>Our job as Christians is to find JOY in the midst of a broken and messed up world.</li><li>Whether you are a widow, single, Republican, Democrat, Citizen or Immigrant this Is a challenging place in which we exist.</li><li>What can you do?<ul><li>Remind yourself (many times a day) “Jesus is with me and for me. Nothing can separate me from His Love” (from Jesus Always).</li><li>So how does that help each of us on a daily basis?<ul><li>We each have a gift that God has bestowed on us .</li><li>God has given you Access to a place(s) – share Jesus Love and Light in those areas He has given you access to</li><li>We can’t be all places all the time – find your area!</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>Genesis 4:12 Habakkuk 3:18 &amp; 19Romans 8:39 Psalm 112:7

FINDING JOY

Where grace is lacking, bitterness abounds.Where grace abounds, forgiveness grows.So let the hands of God wipe away every dirty part of your life.Then look across the room and wash someone else’s feet.Let grace begin and continue in you!

Where Does Grace Begin?

I am reminded of the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples to pray. It has become The Lord’s Prayer. I have never heard it so beautifully sung as in gloria.tv – the link below. Please click on the link and soak in the Presence of Almighty God as the choir and orchestra share His Glory through music.

<a href="http://gloria.tv/?media=" title="http://gloria.tv/?media=">http://gloria.tv/?media=</a><a href="http://gloria.tv/?media=479543&amp;language=3SsSaAhCEfb"> 479543&amp;language=3SsSaAhCEfb</a>

The Prayer Jesus Taught His Disciples

I asked for STRENGTH....God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.I asked for WISDOM....God gave me Problems to solve.I asked for PROSPERITY....God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.I asked for COURAGE....God gave me Danger to overcome.I asked for LOVE....God gave meTroubled People to help.I asked for FAVORS....God gave me Opportunities.I received nothing I wanted....Yet I received everything I needed.

Things I Asked God For

When you woke this morning, did you stretch your arms up with the thought of jumping out of bed to face the day? Or did you sigh and turn over to try to sleep a little longer? Either way, it would have taken a breath or two to move.We often take our breath for granted – it just happens and is often overlooked until we have reason to be on oxygen to help us breathe. In the past months of the Covid-19 virus many have struggled to breathe and while many were able to recover, so many were not as fortunate. Several years ago, I heard the term “While I Breathe…. I Will Trust the Cross”. That new phrase, stuck with me and I began to ponder the question, ‘what do I use my breath for?’ My kids and friends would say I use it to talk a lot! But for each breath I take, does it count for loving and serving Christ? Am I thankful for my breath every day or do I just take it for granted? What about you? I love the Lord with all my heart, yet because I am still human, not every breath I take helps me be God-honoring. I have to work at it as I am certain you do also. What does the second part of the phrase mean ….. I Will Trust the Cross? To me it means trusting all that the Cross stands for. You might ask, ‘what does that even mean?’ To me it means pain, torture, shame, loneliness, brokenness. It also means that The Cross is the place where Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for me and for you. Can I trust all that this Cross represents; great love, compassion, mercy and grace given to me and others who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. If Christ loved us that much, to sacrifice All for us, can we Trust what was wrapped in the Total Cross? If your answer is YES, then with each breath you take each day, TRUST Him to know what is best for you today and every day in the future. As long as God grants you breath, LOVE Him, have FAITH that the Cross covers it ALL and because of the HOPE found in Jesus you can TRUST Him in every step, every day. The verse I use most often is Habakkuk 3:19 “The Sovereign Lord is My Strength”. With Him as the center of my life, I don’t have to be strong. My strength will come from Him for any situation I find myself in. My prayer is that you can say the same, even in the pandemic, even in isolation, even in long days and lonely nights, Christ can bring Peace and Joy, where on our own, we might see only despair and fear. Try it, tomorrow when you wake, take that first breath and thank God for it. Then put your feet on the floor and ask God what YOU can do for HIM that day.

While I Breathe... I Will Trust the Cross

“Love is a many splendored thing” as the 1955 movie with William Holden and Jennifer Jones claimed but for many of us this can be a hurtful phrase because we are single. Each of us want to be loved and have a special someone to love, but life does not always work that way and we find ourselves alone. Being alone can be challenging and very difficult, but being alone on Valentine’s Day can be especially hard. As others exchange flowers, candy and sweet sentiments, we tend to focus on a mindset that tells us: ‘everyone’ has ‘someone’ to eat dinner or lunch with, or to just take a walk or drive with, or to watch a movie with.

Many times, we miss the one who is right in front of us, JESUS, the one who wants to be our closest friend! He does not force us to walk or talk with Him and He holds no grudges against us. He loves us unconditionally. So why do we find it hard to spend time with Jesus? Why do we forget that He is ALWAYS there for us?

Young Joey was having a difficult time with issues at school and with his family. He felt alone and really needed someone to listen and understand him. His neighbor tried to encourage Joey to spend time with Jesus and tell Him what the concerns were. Joey prayed but he wasn’t sure Jesus really heard him. He couldn’t see Him, so how could Joey know Jesus was really listening to him. Joey prayed: “God, I just need to have ‘someone with skin on’ to talk to. Amen.” Then Joey remembered his neighbor and ran to his house to visit and talk things over. God had provided a special friend; someone with ‘skin on’ after all!

Because we can’t physically ‘see’ Jesus or God, I believe He has given us good friends that show His love to and for us. These friends are the ones with ‘skin on’. So, as you may feel alone this Valentine’s Day, reach out to someone else who may be lonely too. You can bring JOY to others by: sending them a card of friendship, taking dessert to a lonely neighbor, or making a phone call to brighten someone’s day as well as your own.

We DO have a Friend in Jesus, just as the song says: (verse 1 below)“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!Oh, what peace we often forfeit,Oh, what needless pain we bear,All because we do not carryeverything to God in prayer!”

John 15:15 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”Proverbs 18:24 “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother

You Have a Friend in Jesus

There is a season for everything in life; birth, death, planting, harvesting, war, peace, sadness and joy. (Ecclesiastes Chapter 3) However the Bible also teaches that while no man knows the hour, day or year that Christ will return for his own, we will see the signs of the season of His return. We all have different reasons to consider when "we" think the Rapture of the believers in Christ might occur. There are many reasons that would cause us to consider that the Rapture of the believers will happen before the harsh Tribulation the Bible talks about; while others may think we are already in the midst of the Tribulation and others truly believe that the Rapture does not occur until after the 3 ½ years of severe tribulation. The important element to remember is this; whether you are Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib or Post-Trib makes no difference to God and His plan. It will happen in His timing. Our part is to be sure we are ready when Christ returns for His children.

Though the world seems to be changing quickly and through the newest technology and world circumstances we might think "We are IN the Season". We truly don't calculate time in the same manner as God does. It can be frustrating that God only gives bits and pieces of the whole mystery of the Rapture, Tribulation, the New Jerusalem and intricate details of the Forever Eternity with Him. However if we knew everything, we would not have any need for trust and faith in a God who knows the big and complete picture. I heard someone say that her mind is small and if she could understand all that God is then her God would not be very big and that is not who God is.

In I Thessalonians 4:16-18 we read "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Whatever your position might be on the Rapture, if you believe scripture then you should be looking forward to the Rapture knowing that when the 'season is right' Christ will make His entrance and the believers will be caught up (raptured) to be forever with Him in Glory.

What should we do in the time we have here on earth? Four things come to mind:<ol><li>Be aware of the opportunities that God gives you to show His love and be a witness to those that cross your path each day.</li><li>Walk daily in the Presence of the Lord. </li><li>Be ready whenever He comes for you either in death or at the Rapture.</li><li>Trust always in God's wisdom because of His great love for you.</li></ol>

What is the Season?

The Light of God surrounds me.The Love of God enfolds me.The Power of God protects me.The Presence of God watches over me.The Mind of God guides me.The Life of God flows through me.The Laws of God direct me.The Power of God abides within me.The Joy of God uplifts me.The Strength of God renews me.The Beauty of God inspires me.Wherever I am, God is!

The Protection Prayer

Faith was the name of my best friend in High School and though the years the miles have moved us 3000 miles apart, however we have stayed friends all this time! Faith was reliable, kind, helpful – all those good traits you wish in a ‘best friend’. But this Faith is not the Faith that we know if following Jesus. Faith is belief in things unseen but with confidence you can believe Jesus will not fail you. People fail you many times over, but through the years and in hard times, I have found that Jesus NEVER Fails His children.

I saw a sign recently that said “Faith is not Faith until Jesus is all you are holding onto.” Consider that phrase – who do you put your Faith in ? Who are you holding onto?

<h2>FAITH IN JESUS IS ALL YOU NEED!</h2>

Faith

<ul><li>They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.</li><li>They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.</li><li>As a child, my Mother taught me to fold them in prayer</li><li>They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.</li><li>They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.</li><li>Decorated with my wedding band, they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.</li><li>They wrote the letters and cards to family and friends.</li><li>They trembled and shook when I buried my Parents and Spouse.</li><li>They have held children and consoled neighbors.</li><li>They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.</li><li>To this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.</li><li>These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.</li></ul>

However, most importantly, it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. And with my hands, He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ, my Savior.

My Hands

Christmas can be either an exciting, fun, festive time for people around the world or it can be one filled with loneliness, sadness, stress and perhaps disappointment in finding the right gift(s) or not having the funds to purchase even one gift.

Today there is death across the globe and intense sadness for families and even fear of the future. While we may sit at a festive table lavished with all kinds of wonderful food dishes; there are thousands without food or water.

So what is REALLY important at this season which brings mixed emotions for all of us?

Roy Lessin penned these words on a Christmas card:

<blockquote><h3>“Jesus ~ the Wonderful One. He is greater than any ruler ….mightier than any warrior….nobler than any king…wiser than any sage…bigger than any kingdom…better than any crown…lovelier than any name…worthy of worship…deserving of praise”</h3></blockquote>

Christmas in 2020 was extremely challenging for all of us as we struggled with the Covid Pandemic! Stores were closed, order online (if you could find what you wanted), jobs were lost, food costs climbed. Where was your focus? Where was mine? I struggled with not being able to have Christmas festivities like 'it use to be.' I found myself focusing on ME and what I couldn't do or couldn't have 'as usual.' Then God caught my attention and I began to focus on what I DID/DO have, not what I was Missing. Once I focused on the real gift of Christmas, I was able to enjoy the season immensely because without the Gift of Jesus, we would not have Christmas.

Whatever the situation you find yourself in this season, remember our circumstances may change and our ‘wants’ and ‘traditions’ may not be quite what our expectations and desire would be but we can hold onto the fact that God Never Changes and traditions are not a top priority to Him. Our priority should NOT be US but should be on the wonderful miracle of the birth of Jesus and our faith and trust in Him is reason to celebrate with Great Joy this Christmas season. The birth of the Christ Child was truly a Remarkable Gift to mankind.

God Bless each of my readers during this Christmas season and may you find God’s Blessings in the New Year.

The Christmas Gift

Are you Irish? Well it is ok if you are not. I am half Irish and half German so in March I love to ‘put out the green.’ In today's world of DNA testing and tracing we can find out so many things about who we are, where our family came from and sometimes even what religious background they had. It an easily occupy hours and days if you really get into Ancestry.

Here Is An Old Irish Prayer:

May God give you, for every storm, a rainbow, For every fear, a smile, For every care, a promise, And a blessing for each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share it, For every sigh, a sweet song, And an answer for each prayer.

After any storm we look for the rainbow and at the end of the rainbow we hope for that pot of gold! When I was young I use to like to imagine where the end of the rainbow was and sometimes if we were driving on our road trip vacations, I would hope my dad would get to the place where I could see the bottom of the rainbow. Not often were we able to find that spot and so my hopes of finding my pot of gold diminished.

As I grew up, I realized that the end of my rainbow was really the place where I learned to be content with what God had given me and to Rejoice by Choice and thank Him for all He had done for me.

Sometimes our life seems so overwhelming and full of unanswered concerns that we miss the end of the rainbow and we don’t learn to be content when we don’t see the next step. One of my favorite writers, Carol Hopson, said “God gives us enough light for just the next step.” We, in our humanness, want more then one step but I have learned that the best way to be content is to ask God, every morning, to show me what my steps are for that day. If you never put your feet on the floor in the morning, how will you know what those steps might be? Knowing that I am trusting God for my total day, I am able to Rejoice by Choice and be content in the situation whether it is what I wanted or not.

Why not try it – ask God: “What are my steps for the this day?” At the end of the day I believe you will find contentment and at the end of the rainbow you will be able to Rejoice by Choice in what God has done. Expect God to break through the clouds of dis-pare, loneliness, fear and confusion and bring light to your situation and your life.

The Rainbow

All of us, at sometime in our lives, have most likely been hurt by others; our parents, a teacher, our spouse, our children, co-workers, and sometimes by both non-Christians and Christians. I have been in that space, so I understand fully how that can devastate us both physically and emotionally. It doesn’t take much for our friends to jump on the bandwagon of gossip and mistrust. Do they have all the facts? Probably not. Do they come and ask you your side of the story? Most likely not. Where does that leave you?

I know it leaves you feeling alone, abandoned and crumbled emotions that go all the way to your very soul !! How does one find self-worth again? Always with a lot of hard work and endurance – not drugs and alcohol. But most of all, when I have been in that trampled position and my friends talked behind my back and never asked me personally what the situation was; I found that people will ALWAYS Fail us – oh they don’t always mean to but they got ‘caught up’ in the drama and gossip. But the upside of life is that GOD NEVER FAILS US ! When you can’t find who to trust, who cares, who is ALWAYS there with us – it is GOD !

Have you found Him with you ? If not don’t despair but turn to Him and ask Almighty God for His help. Once it took 6 years for an apology to come my way but in the meantime, because God never failed me and gave me the courage I needed to keep going, I was able to forgive those who slandered and gossiped. There is nothing worse then a ‘bitter’ heart. Only God can change that. You can seek Him and He will be found.

When we are Hurt by Others

Somehow time moved swiftly from Fall to Winter; from Thanksgiving to Christmas! We barely have time to turn around from one holiday to another. Almost all of us get swept into the mode of decorating, parties, baking, shopping, wrapping and making the never ending list of things still to be done.

By December 24th most of us collapse on the couch in exhaustion. Have we really stopped to think about the reason for all the excitement of Christmas? Little children are excited to see what Santa brought for them. My father was a pastor and I remember very clearly that when Christmas came on a Sunday, we were not allowed to look under the tree at the stack of gifts and no way could we peek at what Santa had left ….. until AFTER the morning worship service! I think I must have been a wiggly kid sitting in the church pew as I wondered how long my dad was going to preach and did the choir have to sing one more song !

Gifts are great (whether they are what we had on our list or not), but do we stop to think about the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that the Wisemen brought? What did these symbolize? They were expensive gifts which tell us of the future of the Christ-Child : King, Priest and Savior. How many know much about the baby in the manger? One young boy told me he had never, never heard the story of who that baby was. The name Jesus was unfamiliar to him.

Do we stop to talk to people about the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior for you and me? Or do we just pass through the holiday season ‘assuming’ everyone knows who Jesus is ?

The year I had entered TWO Holiday Home Tours, I was exhausted and worn out. My energy was gone and I found myself in a pity-party of One ! Not a good place to be. Then the mail came and in it was this card: Be Still and Know That I AM GOD! I knew that but in my magical decorating I put that on ‘the back burner’. I needed to be reminded that in this season – He is Still God! The note inside was hand-written and my friend had some words of encouragement to share and I knew again the reality that God is never early, never late, but ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME. He knew what I needed and when I needed it and He used my friend to remind me to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!

My prayer is that you will take the time meditate on the Biblical Story of the Birth of Jesus as written in Luke, Chapters 1 &amp; 2. Take the time to Be Still and be reminded of Who God is.

Be Still &amp; Know

I had a friend say they thought I would handle the pressures of moving, finding a new church, finding new doctors, etc. because I would handle it all with GRACE. It made me stop and think – how was I handling it all? With no one to really get steady input from, I was making decisions and taking notes on my own. Sometimes we can be our own worse enemies because all we hear is our own voice and thoughts. I did have friends send notes of encouragement and as we know the fact that someone 'out there' cares always helps us all. When I first moved to Roseville, I had a tremendous issue with the way the builder installed the attic vent and I was left to deal with water, water, water. Sometimes in dealing with the builder and contractors, I did not feel like showing GRACE, but there that word was again. In this situation I decided GRACE meant I needed to be kind, understanding of what I was being told, and yet persistent in follow through.

GRACE in the spiritual sense means the unmerited favor of God as manifested in salvation through His Son, Jesus.

If I had listened only to myself, I could have easily second-guessed my thoughts on how to proceed on the watery mess. While I appreciated friends comments, I knew the ultimate decision was mine and I found myself praying and asking God to show me the correct way to behave and to show GRACE and KINDNESS in the tone of my voice and my responses to the workers and the builder. Did it test my patience? Yes, you bet it did but it drove me to God even more. I stand amazed in how much God hears and loves His children.

In this pandemic era we have found ourselves in many situations have made our lives difficult, depressing, and to find GRACE in these situations was very difficult. Perhaps you can relate to how God helped you, kept you from making a mistake or acting badly toward others.

If this is all unfamiliar to you then perhaps you could take a moment or two to seek out who God is and how you can have a continuing relationship with Him. Ask Him to show you His GRACE, forgiveness of sin, and I know He will surely answer!

MAKE THIS A YEAR OF GRACE!