Here I am again to write with so much on my mind to write about. But I know I don’t write from my many thoughts. I write from my heart.

So here we go…

My heart has been heavy. Yes, the attacks of the enemy are heavy. Darkness all around me, but only when I’m looking at the works of the enemy are they heavy. Again, while looking around me, I need reminders of who lives within. The power of the Holy Spirit lives in me and each who believes in Christ for salvation. We must understand that the Holy Spirit never leaves us or forsakes us. This is the “rebirth”. The “born again” spirit. The “new man” inside of us! Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

We just completed our Ladies Bibles Study by Andrew Wommack titled “Spirit, Soul, and Body”. It is a life-changing study like no other I have experienced. That is when I renew my mind and remember these truths. And I thank God for His many ways to remind me. (You can find this complete study at AWMI.net.)

Today instead of continuing with my testimonies of things found (we will save that for later), I am going to share how the Lord is lifting my heaviness. The Lord said in Matthew 11:29-30  NLT “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. V29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.V30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

As I walk in the “battlegrounds” and the Lord pours priceless reminders into my thoughts, He often takes me to what He has already given me, namely His Word, poems, narratives, and life experiences.

This time, and over again, He reminded me of several verses I wrote in my poem Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds (no wonder it is the title of my second book!).

At the beginning of the poem, I was thanking God for all of His wonderful works all around me. Then I quickly progressed to, “But my thanks are most of all when storms prevail”. As I wrote those words I immediately paused and said, “God, I don’t thank You most when storms prevail! Why would I write that?” I knew inside of me that He said, “Continue writing and you will see why.” It still takes my breath when I see where He took this. “For when I’m weak and battle-worn is, where I draw from You, Love strength, and faithfulness when friends are seemingly few. You grip my hand, guide me through, the very one I’m desperate for. While drenching me in Your cleansing power, You’re transforming me even more!” It goes on to say, “Now pure as blue skies, I glide with butterflies amid the beauty of You.” This is where I started in this poem. Praising Him for His beauty all around me! As we go full circle, we begin to see why…” Thankful through life’s battlegrounds, I’m homeward bound, beyond the sky so blue!”

Talk about lifting our burdens! This is how we glide with butterflies and see His beauty all around us again. And this is how we soar on eagles’ wings as it says in Isaiah 40:31 AMP “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power. They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God} like eagles {rising toward the sun}; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not become tired”.

And I am also reminded of these verses in my poem Gain ( also in my second book), ”Only these will last forever…faith, hope, love (charity). Love is my hope and only way to true prosperity…By laying it all before Him, abiding Helper working in me, I gain everlasting bounty by giving all to Thee!”

Why would I even attempt to carry these burdens as I walk in the battlegrounds of life? He has told me, “Reba we will walk this out together.” I wasn’t designed to carry these burdens. He has given me everything I need and even more to glide, soar, and walk in victory over the darkness. Yoke up with Him! So I can honestly thank Him through life’s battlegrounds, I’m homeward bound! After all, this is not my home.

Hebrews 13:14-16 NKJV “ For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. V15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. V16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

I ended my narrative for Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds with this, and it stands true today… “The song, “To God be all blessings and honor, and glory and power. Forever! Amen!” came to my mind, so I was going to play it when I found it on YouTube. I found this scripture and decided it was perfect to end with. Please praise Him with the song also! “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13 NIV. Amen!”

I hope what I am sharing has helped lift any burdens you might be carrying unnecessarily. It helps me by sharing, reminding me, and confirming God’s promises to us. John 16:33 NKJV “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

I hope again, that my mission statement will be used by God to accomplish my purpose in sharing this: To glorify God through writing, sharing His Word, and my life experiences, communicating the love of Jesus Christ to add to His Kingdom.

The words escape me to express the impact of your reports on how God uses what I write. Last week a precious lady told me with tears in her eyes that she reads a poem or two with narratives each night. She has gained encouragement to face her own battlegrounds. Her home was majorly damaged in the May 2024 tornado and they are still dealing with repairmen. Meanwhile, her husband is having significant health problems that require surgery. She explained by my sharing, that she sees my heart for God and how He gets me through.

Then, today, as I was wrapping up this blog, a mutual friend called to update me on a situation with her unsuccessful surgery. She has had to limit her activities while seeking different opinions regarding her options. Through her disappointment in her failed surgery, and while waiting to discover her options, she has been reading the poems and looking up the scriptures in my first book “Inspire Me”. Her words of confirmation that God is touching lives with His Word and my poetry inspire me to keep writing. I thanked her and told her that our mutual friend had said the same last week. Then to my surprise, she said the two of them had lunch together and did not tell each other what they were experiencing from my two books. For them to individually thank me made it even more moving and heartwarming.

God is working in ways we don’t even know! Sometimes, He allows us to get a glimpse. And each of your comments adds to the glimpse and is just as much appreciated. As always, to God be the glory!

May God bless and keep you through your battlegrounds too.

Until our next time together,

Reba