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Coronavirus or Flu not My Greatest Fear

Coronavirus or flu not my greatest fear.

My prayers continue to go out for those all over the world affected by the dreaded Coronavirus. Also, for what we call the “common” flu which can turn deadly if not caught in time.

I stand on God’s promises: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee wherever you go.” From Joshua 1:9

Like you, I have family members working in the healthcare field, or in the public every day. Consequently, I realize their risk level is pretty high.

This centerpiece is on my kitchen table. I wrote names on tiny pebbles and symbolically put each one into the hands of an all-loving, all-knowing Father. I pray for them daily; the Coronavirus, the likelyhood of other illnesses, or accidents on the road are major concerns.

However, I have a much bigger concern; I don’t want any to die without Jesus. I’m selfish on this point: I want every single one of them to be with me in our Eternal Home in Heaven. The Bible teaches, there is only one way–Jesus!

Above all, I pray for their salvation; that they come to know the Free Gift Jesus offers to all.

Romans 8:28-29 reads: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Often, in the darkness of the night, I make my way to the kitchen, light the candles, caress the fingers, and touch the stones. As I sit quietly in the dark with candles twinkling, I remind myself that my family is in Good Hands. I need reminded often. I know I can trust each of them to the Father’s Loving Care.

Do you know Jesus?

Are you sure? Does your family know Him?

Let us pray one for another that God will touch hearts and change lives in the challenging times in which we live.

Let me hear from you soon,

Hugs

Here are some more great Bible verses on salvation.

Learning to Listen with Compassion

learning to listen with compassion In our hectic, busy world, one of the greatest gifts you can give to your family and others in your care is to listen well. Compassionate listening is an art; it takes practice, patience, and time.

Charles Dickens has said: “No one is useless in the world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.” One of the best ways to lighten a load is to learn to become a good listener.

Two critical cautions:

Be careful not to judge another persons reactions to a situation; do not give unsolicited advice. You may not relate to what the person is saying, but it is real to them. Certainly this can be tricky if you are caring for someone with memory issues; however, they need a compassionate ear.

Think about the person you are listening to.

Consider their health and well-being. Have they been confined to a chair, bed, or room for most of the time? Before you hurriedly walk away, remember that you may be the only person that has actually taken a few minutes to listen to their story.

Learn to listen carefully for clues.

Do they seem overly concerned about what should be an insignificant matter? Is it possible that there is more you need to know about the situation? Could there be hidden reasons for their concern?

Learn to give appropriate feedback.

Instead of saying, “I know how you feel,” try saying, “That must be difficult for you.” Or simply say “I’m sorry you are feeling this way.” As I visited with a recent widow this week, I could not say I knew how she felt even though I had experience the loss of a husband. My experience was not hers; I can understand the hurt, but I needed to hear her story, hold her hand and say “I’m so sorry.”

NOTE: Here are some good verses on listening for your study time.

This last tip may seem to be the most obvious.

However, it is often the most neglected. Give a smile and a gentle hug. Smiles have been proven to have tremendous healing effects. A simple pat on the hand or shoulder and genuine smile can make the day for someone. Good medicine for them–and good for you!

The payback for becoming a good listener.

As you take time to really listen, you will reduce tension and build trust. I like to keep a small notebook handy to jot down concerns I have or things I want to remember for the next conversation. I need the reminders — you may not forget as I do!

Take time to talk to our Heavenly Father.

You have a great week and as you listen to others, allow time to listen to our Heavenly Father as well; He is the best Compassionate Listener!

Hugs,

Do you know someone who is a great, compassionate listener? Love to hear from you.

5 Truths-God’s Light overcomes Darkness

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God’s Light Overcomes Darkness

Christian Spencer has captured sunlight filtering through the wings and tail of a black and white Jacobin hummingbird. I believe there are many life-lessons in these photos.

We live in troubled times.

Our friends and our families daily face obstacles we never imagined a few years back. Therefore, we can easily give in to despair, seeing only the dark side of a situation.

#1 Life can often be overwhelming.

The world around us can seem futile and hopeless with no end in sight. Certainly, family issues, broken friendships, illnesses and unexplained tragedies can cloud our view and pull us down.

Think about this: without the light in the photo illuminating the feathers, the hummingbird wings appear solid black or gray. Because the photographer added a bright light behind the bird, we see an entirely different picture.

So it is with our circumstances, no matter how dark and gloomy they may appear, there is hope. We must allow the Light to shine on our situations in order to see clearly.

Jesus said: “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

#2 Our vision is poor.

Our loving Father sees and knows all. He knows our past, He knows our future.

God loved us enough to send His only Son, Jesus, that we might be with Him in eternity. We can trust Him with the dark things in our lives; only He can shine light through them. Trust His vision.

“… we can see and understand only a little about God now, as if we were peering at his reflection in a poor mirror; but someday we are going to see him in his completeness, face-to-face. Now all that I know is hazy and blurred, but then I will see everything clearly, just as clearly as God sees into my heart right now.” I Corinthians 13:12

#3 God is worthy of our trust.

God sees and knows our deepest, untold needs. His love is more than we can comprehend. He alone can be trusted with our heaviest burdens. He alone brings real peace.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

#4 He is waiting to comfort and guide us.

All we need to do is call upon Him. He will always answer. He wants to calm our doubts and direct our paths.

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

#5 A bright future awaits us.

The photo one tiny hummingbird’s wings in breathtaking. Have you thought of what awaits God’s family when we finally get Home?

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” I Corinthians 2:9

My prayer for you is that you know for sure Heaven is your eternal home. That you are prepared to meet Jesus. And, I prayed today for you and your family and your circumstances. My God be more real today than ever before. May you be able to turn all your cares over to Him.

As always, I look forward to your notes. How can I pray for you today?

Hugs,

For more fun facts about hummingbirds, click here.