Hello to all. I am back to continue the lesson I received and shared in Part 1 on “Grieving the Holy Spirit.”

Before I get right to it, I want to share in our joy of receiving some much-needed rain! Not only did it rain enough to measure,😊, but it brought much cooler weather. More fall-like for our typical Northwest Arkansas weather. Just in time for my sister Karen, my niece Magan, and family friend Galen’s visit. We had much “deck” time, and appreciated it.

As I continue in Part 2, I do hope you read AI’s definition of writer’s block and my statement following: “Now I will tell you about an experience I recently had that exposed another cause for this condition from a Holy Spirit perspective.” If you haven’t listened yet and would like to, the YouTube Podcast that gave rise to this “writer’s block” blog is “The Holy Spirit is More Sensitive Than You Think,” with Dr RT Kendall and Preston Morrison on the Leader’s Cut. Dr Kendall is 91 years old at the time of this Podcast last month.

Dr. Kendall’s question was, “What if the easiest thing in the world to do is grieve the Holy Spirit- and the hardest thing in the world is to keep from it?”

Wow! Tough question, right?  The podcast revealed something I was doing that needed correction to prevent  “writer’s block,” and it had everything to do with grieving the Holy Spirit. Another question: “Do you know what grieves him?” Dr Kendall says finding that out will change everything. I say finding it out, and with His help, correction changes everything. Grieving the Holy Spirit can be very condemning, but His conviction is for correction, never condemnation. You will see this in his stories.

In Part 1 of this blog, we looked at how we grieve the Holy Spirit in the story of the missionaries’ dove in the eve of their house. And in Ephesians 4:30-31, we see the command not to grieve the Holy Spirit and the adjustments that we need to make. We choose!

In this part, we will look at Dr Kendall’s story where he talked about an incident that brought about his inability to write a sermon. But first, he began with his testimony of God, through the Holy Spirit, revealing to him that he is saved for eternity, not a “mess-up and you lose it” doctrine of men. It is good that he clarifies this before going forward. He talks about the dove, the “Holy Spirit,” flying from us. He is not talking about losing our salvation here either, so please don’t mix these up. We keep it in context by focusing on the topic at hand, “grieving” the Holy Spirit.

Then he tells his story that, in his opinion, best proves this teaching. ( I’m using it as Part 2). During his time as senior minister of Westminster Chapel, he had to preach four sermons a week, all fresh.  If he did not have the start of the sermon on Monday evening, he would worry that he wouldn’t be ready by Sunday morning. It only happened once during one week when he was so busy preaching all over England. By Saturday morning, he had nothing for Sunday morning. (Do you see “writer’s block”, as I do?) He “had the text (the Bible) but nothing more”.

I will take the liberty of quoting his process, as it is a process we don’t want to miss…

“And it was Saturday morning, and I prayed, Lord, please let there be no interruption today. No phone calls, nobody at the door. Please. No sooner had I said that I got into an argument with my wife, who’s here today. She remembers the story, and I got so angry. I say she was horrible. I slammed the door, went to my desk, opened my Bible, I had a blank sheet of paper and a pen, and I just turned to the text. I said, “Now, Lord, help me. Jesus, deal with that woman.” And I was so mad. It was now 10:00, blank sheet of paper. Lord, help me. Please help me. It was now noon. Blank sheet of paper. Nothing was coming. Nothing. It was 2:00. I remember saying, “Lord, please, you know that what I say tomorrow morning will go all over the world. You’ve got to help me.” Nothing. At 4:00, I closed my Bible, got up, went in, and I can remember Louise standing next to the refrigerator, and she was crying. I said, “Honey, I was wrong. I’m so sorry.” She said, “Well, no, it wasn’t all you.” It was partly my fault.” I said, “No, it’s totally my fault, and I’m really sorry.” We kissed and hugged. I went back. I promise you, Preston, I went back to the same desk. Within 45 minutes, I had everything I needed for Sunday morning. What normally would take several days took 45 minutes. I could not write the thoughts fast enough. It taught me the ungrieved spirit. That’s the key. Yeah. Don’t grieve him. He’s no respecter of persons. He’s a jealous God. He will not bend the rules for anybody. And when I got right with Louise, the thoughts came, and it just showed me that when we live in the realm of the ungrieved spirit, we hear from God. We’re pleasing him. And so insights are going to come from Him”.

Interestingly, I began by defining “writer’s block” by using AI, and Dr Kendall ended this segment of teaching with a warning to people who use AI  today to get sermons. As he says, “That’s just bypassing the Holy Spirit”. And I say this pertains to more than sermons, right? I’m sure he would agree. By looking closer at what grieves the Holy Spirit, we can see the most important cause of writer’s block. Then, as we stay in obedience to His Word, He reveals to us areas where we have bitterness by arguing and unforgiveness: “Let all bitterness, anger, clamor, and speaking evil be put away from you.”

He took responsibility for his actions by confessing that he was wrong. He was genuinely sorry. I see the hug and kiss as the seal of forgiveness. The offense was removed, along with the “block” to write. Let us not overlook V32 in Ephesians 4 that goes on to say, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” NKJV.  Here I will quote myself again… “Now I will tell you about an experience I recently had that exposed another cause for this condition from a Holy Spirit perspective.”

If you are following what I’m saying, you won’t have to guess what I saw myself doing that causes the Holy Spirit to fly away. Writers’ block from a Holy Spirit perspective. Again, conviction for correction, and I thank God for it.

Dr Kendall goes on to say that “when we start to experience the beauty of encountering the Holy Spirit, we don’t just want the dove (Holy Spirit) not to leave; we want to go beyond that and adopt a lifestyle that says, ‘I want to know what pleases You most. “It’s life-altering.”

Life-altering indeed, through the working of the Holy Spirit and our obedience to… “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”. James 1:22 NJKV

I will close by saying that now that I see what grieves the Holy Spirit, I choose to make the corrections (adjustments) needed to prevent the “dove from flying” and “writer’s block”. If this has spoken to your heart, I hope it helps you do the same and share it with others.

In my next blog, I will share what followed immediately after this YouTube podcast. As I quoted Preston in Part 1,  “God said, ‘Preston, I’m helping you understand what grieves me because I am trying to teach you that which most pleases me.”  Remember God’s way is always the better way!

Glory to God,

Reba

Hello, good day, and thank you for being here. As we continue through mid-September, experiencing drought and heat, I will get right to my mission…

Although most are familiar with the term “writer’s block,” I will begin with AI’s (Artificial Intelligence) definition and then move to a deeper understanding of it.

Writer’s block is a temporary psychological condition or creative slowdown that prevents a writer from producing new work or progressing with a piece of writing. Common causes: Perfectionism, Performance anxiety, Stress and burnout, or Procrastination.

Now I will tell you about an experience I recently had that exposed another cause for this condition from a Holy Spirit perspective.

As the Lord would have it (He never wastes a second of our time with Him), after some time praising Him in song, a YouTube title caught my interest. The title is “The Holy Spirit is More Sensitive Than You Think,” with Dr RT Kendall in a podcast with Preston Morrison on the Leader’s Cut. Dr Kendall is 91 years old at the time of this Podcast last month. To say this man is “well preserved” is an understatement, for certain. 😊

The podcast is an hour-long episode, full of wisdom from his walking and fellowshipping with the Lord for seventy-plus years. His question was, “What if the easiest thing in the world to do is grieve the Holy Spirit- and the hardest thing in the world is to keep from it?” Wow! Tough question, right?  The podcast revealed something I was doing that needed correction to prevent “writer’s block,” and it had everything to do with grieving the Holy Spirit. Another question: “Do you know what grieves him?” Dr Kendall says finding that out will change everything. I say finding it out, and with His help, correction changes everything. Grieving the Holy Spirit can be very condemning, but His conviction is for correction, never condemnation. You will see this in his stories.

In Dr Kendall’s story, he talked about an incident that brought about his inability to write a sermon. I will give you a condensed version of the cause of his “writer’s block” and his lesson in it. I paraphrased where needed and italicized what Dr Kendall and Preston said in the podcast. I added my own understanding of what they said and added some of my own thoughts as I wrote.

Before we go forward to answer his questions about grieving the Holy Spirit, he first began with his testimony of Salvation. God, through the Holy Spirit, revealed to him that he is saved for eternity, not a “mess-up and you lose it” doctrine of men. It is good that he clarifies this in the beginning, because he talks about the dove, the “Holy Spirit,” flying from us. He is not talking about losing our salvation here either, so please don’t mix these up. We keep it in context by focusing on the topic at hand, “grieving” the Holy Spirit.

He uses a story of a couple that perfectly fits the idea of the Holy Spirit flying away. They were a British couple assigned to be missionaries in Israel. They noticed that after being there a while, in the house they had been given, “there was a dove that came to live in the eve of their roof. But they noticed that every time they slammed the door, the dove would fly away. And every time they would get into an argument and start shouting at each other, the dove would fly away. They realized that either the dove would adjust to them, or they would adjust to the dove, as they did not want the dove to fly away forever.

Although the couple’s experience was with a physical bird, they chose to adjust to the dove to keep it in their house. It changed their lives just to keep him there”. There it is…as God reveals much-needed correction (adjustment). How not to grieve the Holy Spirit! Who are the real benefactors and beneficiaries here? We do have a choice, as this couple did, whether to adjust or not. When we adjust to the benefactor, we and those around us are certainly the beneficiaries.

 According to the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is much the same. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (sealed for the day of redemption is eternal salvation). And the very next verse, Eph 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice”.

Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit will adjust to our sinful nature and disobedience to the Word. How can we be transformed into the image of Christ if not by our obedience to the Word of God by the Spirit’s guidance? Do we see why the Holy Spirit will never adjust to us? We would never be transformed into Christlikeness, or better yet, how could we glorify Christ if we consistently cause the Holy Spirit to “fly away”? Again, the benefactor and the beneficiaries I. I hope you see this, as it is the prelude to writer’s block from the Holy Spirit’s perspective. It is a lot, I know, but let’s not stop short!

I must move on to how we avoid grieving the Holy Spirit. There are two main teachings in Dr Kendall’s story.

Total forgiveness and desiring what pleases Him the most:

“Number one is total forgiveness, but grieving the Holy Spirit leads us to this life-changing experience”. He defines spirituality as closing the time gap between sin and repentance. How long does it take you to admit you were wrong? When we begin to say something that is dishonoring to the Lord or the person we are speaking to, we need to stop mid-sentence instead of letting stubbornness and pride hold us back for days, weeks, or for some even years. “Doing this will close the time gap between sin and repentance. This is part of spiritual maturity”. It comes from being in the Word and obeying what He says. This kind of relationship with the Holy Spirit does not expect Him to “adjust” to our ways.

The conversation led to Preston. I quote him: “God said, ‘Preston, I’m helping you understand what grieves me because I am trying to teach you that which most pleases me.”  Talk about life-changing!

We looked at how we grieve the Holy Spirit in the missionaries’ dove in the eve of their house. And in Ephesians 4:30-31, we see the command not to grieve the Holy Spirit and the adjustments that we need to make. We choose!

So here I am again:

As I continue in my effort to complete the valuable lessons in this podcast, I realize it is best to divide this into multiple blogs. Meanwhile, you could benefit by listening, if possible, to Dr Kendall’s conversation with Preston Morrison. (The title is “The Holy Spirit is More Sensitive Than You Think,” with Dr RT Kendall in a YouTube podcast with Preston Morrison on the Leader’s Cut).

Part 2, we will discover how this applies to writer’s block. And go beyond not just wanting the dove to stay, as the Lord said to Preston, “Because I am trying to teach you that which most pleases me.” The benefactor and the beneficiaries.

As usual, I have a story of my own. But for now, if you have benefited from what I have written, please share it with others. I do appreciate your comments when the comments page works. 😊Countless lives have been changed by this 91-year-old saint who is still sharing his story, walking closer with the Holy Spirit, and running the race for the prize. How incredible! Stay with me for his and my upcoming stories, and see if you agree.

God bless and keep you,

Reba

Here I am five days later, as the heat and drought continue. We did have a very brief, light shower that didn’t even wet the ground. But life continues, just as He planned, as we rely on Him through whatever comes, no matter sight, circumstances, or our emotions.

As the “Stars” portion of my dream and subsequent blog came to mind, I thought, “I must sit down and write!” But this morning gave me the purpose for the delay, as more time with Him was needed. I am now prepared and eager to write!

Don’t miss the first part, “Trees,” because I will pick up on the dream from there. 😊

As I wrote in Part 1, we stepped out from the umbrella tree, still covered in the same sense of peace, protection, calmness, pure joy, and wonderment. But that’s not the end…

Continuing past the umbrella tree’s cover, I no longer had my cat, Mango, in my arms. Maybe he was enjoying the tree too much to continue with me. 😊 I was suddenly in another place I had never been before. An unusual place, but a continued sense of peace and even awe came over me. Then, again, my gaze was drawn upward. I was encompassed by a black sky with more stars than I had ever imagined, nor had any astronomer ever seen. (Distinction: An astronomer is a scientist or specialist who studies outer space celestial objects like stars, planets, and galaxies. They are experts or researchers focused on the universe outside Earth, using empirical evidence and backed by scientific data. In contrast, an astrologer studies the positions and movements of celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and planets to interpret how they might influence human character, relationships, and future events. It is considered a pseudoscience (a collection of beliefs, practices, or claims presented as scientific but do not follow proper scientific methods). This is why I used the word astronomer instead of astrologer.

So, as I continued, totally awestruck amid my surroundings, I remember saying in my dream, “ I have never seen anything like this before!” And then I awoke! Honestly, I would have loved to stay there in the stars or under the umbrella tree. But then, God has greater plans for me now.

1Corinthians 2:9 KJV “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.” We cannot fully imagine or picture the wonderful things God has planned. These things are meant for those who love God. V10 explains that God makes these deep truths known to believers through His Holy Spirit.

So, as you could guess, my scripture search moved from “Trees” to the “Stars”, just as I moved in my dream.

Here we can go back to the beginning and the first mention of stars…THE HISTORY OF CREATION in Genesis 1:16: “Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.”

Although stars are not mentioned as often as trees, they are a common occurrence in the Bible, again, from Genesis to Revelation. Genesis focuses on creation and God’s covenant with Abraham, and Revelation focuses on end-times prophecy and spiritual symbolism. Stars show God’s power and serve as symbols of His promises, and as spiritual signs and wonders. Is it any wonder that my dream had me encompassed in stars against the darkened sky?

Genesis 15:5 God told Abraham to look at the sky and count the stars, promising that his descendants would be as numerous as them.

Psalms 147:4 He tells the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names and places them where they belong.

Psalm 19:1 The starry skies declare the glory and handiwork of God.

In Numbers 24:17, Jesus is prophesied. A star shall come out of Jacob, pointing to the future arrival of Jesus.

Matthew 2:2: The wise men saw Jesus’s star in the east and followed it to Bethlehem to find the newborn King.

Revelation 22:16: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

Notice that He said I am the Root and the Offspring of David meaning that He is the source, creator, and origin of King David’s life and royal line. The tree’s roots in my painting are exposed, depicting the Divine Source as God; Jesus existed before David. He is the foundation from which David’s entire family line grows. The Old Testament connection is Isaiah 11:1, which says, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse (David’s father); from his roots a Branch will bear fruit”. By calling Himself the Root, Jesus is telling us that He is the promised Messiah.

And in the center of my painting is the glowing cross. Some see it as a star: Jesus, the bright Morning Star. This metaphor points to hope, signaling that the dark night of this present world is ending and Christ’s new kingdom is dawning.

If you consider the center of the tree in my painting a glowing cross, it all comes together. The Cross of Christ, the Divine Source, our Messiah, the Coming King, His Covenant, Royal Lineage, His Power, His Promises, and so much more!

When you put the trees and stars together, I can hardly take it in.

Thank you for joining me again as I continued seeking Scripture following this incredible dream. I will never look at trees and stars the same again, nor at my new painting. 😊

1Corinthians 2:9 KJV “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 am reminded of my poem, “More Than Words,” in my first book, Inspire Me, page 33. It begins with “Do I love You, Lord, more than words can say? I trust You alone to show me the way…

Thankfully, I got to see a glimpse of the things God has prepared for those of us who love Him. By my sharing, I hope you did too. Someday I will hear of your glimpses.

God bless you,

Reba

PS: Two more quick notes: Against all expectations, my painting was free! What a surprise blessing! And I added the blue to tie in with our decor. In the Bible, the color blue primarily symbolizes heaven, the divine presence of God, and obedience to His commandments. Now I see the blue in my painting as having a much bigger purpose. 😊

Good morning, I hardly know where to start on this second day of September. We continue to experience near record-breaking temperatures and extremely low rainfall. When I pray for rain and rain doesn’t come, I am reminded that I can trust God hasn’t overlooked anything in all His creation. Where we have drought, there are floods. Can He not use it all? Only if we trust Him in His Sovereignty. He helps me move from selfish thoughts, my brown grass, and withering trees to those who rely on rain for their crops, livestock, and overall livelihood. That is the bigger picture, right? Relying on Him through whatever comes, no matter sight, circumstances, or our emotions.

So, the mention of withering trees brings me to another dream I had a few weeks ago. This one was short and packed with meaningful symbolism. I have wanted to write about it, but the timing wasn’t right, as the Lord has added so much to the theme of trees. With His help,  I will tell briefly what this experience means to me.

In this dream, I was walking in a place I had never been. I had Mango, our older cat, cradled in my arms as I walked. I came to a huge tree that is difficult for me to describe. If I were an artist, I would attempt to paint it, but the Artist painted it in my mind. My best description is the largest umbrella tree imaginable; a tree shaped like an umbrella. Remember, I was in a place I had never been. 😊

As I entered the space under the tree, a sense of peace, protection, calmness, pure joy, and wonderment covered me. I continued to walk under this vast span slowly to soak it in, and I looked down at Mango. He was cradled like a baby, face up. His expression is hard to describe, but I felt he was experiencing the same as I was. As we moved closer to the other side, Mango tilted his head back to continue his gaze.

Then we stepped out from the umbrella tree, but still covered in the same sense of peace, protection, calmness, pure joy, and wonderment. But that’s not the end…

What God had next will be in Part 2, “Stars”.

But for now, we will explore what God says in His Word about “Trees”. As I mentioned earlier, with His help,  I will write what this experience means to me.

I have no doubt you have your own experience and revelations from the Lord, but I hope you will gain something from what I have received. Holy Spirit will guide. 😊

In the beginning… THE HISTORY OF CREATION in Genesis chapter 1:11-12 we come to the first mention of trees: “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. V12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” In Chapter 2, after the story of creation, we read about LIFE IN GOD’S GARDEN, V8 “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He formed. V9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. NKJV

Then God gave man instructions about two specific trees, V17 “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”(meaning be separated from Him, not die physically.)

Therefore, we see the importance of trees in the beginning. Other than God and humans, trees are the most mentioned living things in the Bible. What they represent is vastly significant. We will look at a few by doing a simple internet search. Needless to say, there are lengthy Bible studies on this topic for a much deeper look.

As we can see, the Tree of Life in Genesis, found in the Garden of Eden and later in the last chapter and the last book of the Bible, Revelation 22:2, symbolizes eternal life and God’s presence. Trees from the beginning to the end and many verses in between.

God also planted the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. Choosing its fruit represented human rebellion following the lies of the enemy (deception) and the introduction of sin.

In summary, the Olive tree symbolizes peace, the Holy Spirit’s anointing, and God’s covenant people. His anointing oil is from the fruit of the olive tree.

The Cross is referred to as a “tree” in Acts 5:30 and 1 Peter 2:24, where Jesus’s death transformed a symbol of execution into the source of eternal life. The wood of execution functions as the ultimate reversal, transforming a symbol of curse and death into a new tree of life.

The Fig tree is often used as a prophetic sign for Israel and spiritual fruitfulness.

The Cedar of Lebanon was used to build Solomon’s Temple and represents majesty and power.

Proverbs calls wisdom a “tree of life”, and righteous people are described as trees planted by streams of living water that bear fruit 3:18.

 Humans and trees are frequently compared, evaluating whether their lives yield good fruit or barrenness.

In my dream, the tree being shaped as an umbrella brought me to this…

What are umbrellas used for? Heavy-duty models for wind resistance. Rain protection to keep you dry during downpours. Lightweight parasols to block sunlight rather than rain. Sun-shading to block rays to prevent sunburn. No wonder the tree was shaped like an umbrella!

So what does the Bible say? When individuals in the Bible are vulnerable, exhausted, or fleeing danger, God often uses a tree as a designated place of sanctuary and supernatural care.

In this moment, I think of my cat, Mango. We rescued both our cats (Tango also) from local shelters. Mango shows signs of trauma and fear. I can only imagine the times he found a tree for shelter when he was vulnerable, exhausted, or fleeing danger. Under this umbrella tree, I felt he was experiencing the same as I was: a sense of peace, protection, calmness, pure joy, and wonderment covering us. Now he has us and our home to help him heal. God gave him and Tango to help us heal from losing our pet dog, Howie. Mango was cradled in my arms as the Lord cradles us in His loving arms as He protects us and heals us. Oh, the goodness of God. How He cares for us!

Ok, so back to trees. 😊Trees are mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible, with the exact count ranging from 200 to over 300 times depending on the specific translation and whether you search for the plural word or the singular and specific species. Oh my, there is so much for us to search in His Word and for Him to reveal!

I hardly knew where to begin this blog, and I hardly know where to end. But I will end with this: thank you to God and to you for joining me in exploring some of the scriptures for the meaning of the “tree” in the first part of this beautiful dream.

Remember, “stars” are next.

Until then,

Reba

PS I searched for a painting to replace the old one we had hanging over our new Loveseat (small sofa for two people). When I found this painting months ago, I thought it was ideal. When I received it, it had no blue, as it appeared in the photo ad. Therefore, I got brave and added my own touches of blue. As I said, I am no artist. Months later, I had this dream of the tree. My painting is not like the one in my dream, but look how it is “rooted”. In our hot, dry season, are we watering our roots by growing deeper in His Word to bear fruit in its season? Or have we withering trees with shallow roots without nourishing on the Word of God? Shallow roots cannot weather the storm, and there is barrenness for the next season.

Well, here I am to tell you about the final event of a day full of heart-searching questions. I’m so glad you have joined me to discover the Spirit-led answers.

  Beginning in Part 1 with my including “Blue Skies, Butterflies,& Battlegrounds”   along with my Bible for time with the Lord. I know there had to be a song, probably multiple, somewhere during that time, but it escaped me since my thoughts were so quickly redirected to you and my mission statement. The humbling thought that you would gain something of value from my writing explained why I included my book and read these three specific poems and scripture references: “Gain”, “Liking Stuff”, and “Distractions”. I was also faced with the question, “What would I gain from my time with the Lord this morning?”

As I thought of you and read my poems with scripture, answers to some of my questions began to stir me. As the day unfolded, I realized the Holy Spirit was doing the stirring and guiding the day’s script.

In Part 2, I told of a South Korean Pastor’s powerful testimony, which caused a much-needed examination of my own life. Not to compare his life to mine for condemnation, but to draw me into a deeper understanding of a fully surrendered life and what is truly gained thereof. There it is again, “What is gain?” And as we moved on to his testimony, questions in my poems with answers in the scriptures, we see …

“By laying it all before Him, abiding Helper in me,

I gain everlasting bounty by giving all to Thee!”

Then there was…

“Souls won for heaven, now that’s more than enough!

And…

“Equipped each day with His plan of action,

Victorious lives, with God the attraction!”

 The scripture references brought it all together into a picture of God’s answers to these questions. But He wasn’t finished with this day’s script!

That same evening, after settling in for a relaxing time, we were searching for a television program to watch. We had nothing in particular in mind, so David was scrolling through titles. As the Holy Spirit would have it, a program (documentary) about Hurricane Helene was offered. We selected it to watch, knowing the tragedy it brought to our fellow Americans and wanting to see how they survived it. This film is titled “Scars on the Mountain”. We viewed it on our Angel app. It tells the real-life stories of a rural Appalachian community that held onto their faith when virtually everything else was stripped away by Hurricane Helene. There I was thinking again of how my day began and the verse I had written in “Gain”,

“If I gave my all to Him, what would I gain?

If I laid it all before Him, what would remain?

Or suppose all was stripped away, instead of laying it down,

Could my faith remain with nothing else around?”…

We had the example of the South Korean pastor gladly laying his life down and being persecuted to glorify God and protecting freedom to worship and freedom of religion. He came with a warning that it could be stripped away here in America by our complacency and our failure to surrender all to Jesus. And then the day ended with it all being stripped away in this unlikely natural disaster, Hurricane Helene. ☹

As they interviewed various victims in these small North Carolina mountainous communities, their feelings were still raw, as this occurred only two years ago next month. Late on September 26^th, 2024, Helene made landfall at peak intensity in Florida near the city of Perry. (I might add that Perry, FL, is my birthplace, 72 years ago next week.) They lived three hundred miles from the coast, and yet the hurricane was ravaging.

Overall, the people of Appalachia live humbly, simply content with what they’ve been given and an enormous appreciation of God’s creation. They have a love for family and community, and are true patriots. With each story, my husband and I got a sense of “the way things used to be in America”, but there, it still is. We agreed we felt a nudge causing a desire to move there. 😊No, we don’t believe that was a “Holy Spirit nudge”, just the desire at the moment to live in a more simplified, slower-paced community.

Each interview included heart-wrenching stories of unimaginable trauma. And with each trauma were stories of survival, faith, strength, and courage. Their faith in God, their hope for their future, and their strong love for each other would give them the strength needed to carry them through.

The landscape was forever changed. Some family homesteads no longer have the land their forefathers’ home was on. All, including the land, was swallowed up and washed away by the flood waters. One lady known to be a pillar of the community perished as she was carried away while trapped in their home. In anguish, her husband found it impossible to rescue her. The stories of rescue workers, emergency responders, and many community servants didn’t know if their homes and/or family members survived as they absorbed themselves in their duties assisting others first. One man told of a misunderstanding of the rescue process causing him to euthanize his beloved pets out of mercy for them. He later found that his pets would have been rescued with him. Can you imagine this terrible turn of events? You can hear the pain in his voice as he tells of the emotional suffering this late discovery brought him. The struggle to forgive himself was a difficult road amid the disaster everywhere. His broken heart was healed at the end of the story when he and his wife rescued a homeless dog. Healing came through helping another.

The long-lasting impact on these lives changed them forever, including everything around them. But the change, oh the transforming change, has been positive in building their faith, hope, and love in a greater measure.

“Would this be the only way to the good He has for me

Removing all I thought was gain so I can clearly see…

Only these will last forever… faith, hope, and love (charity)

Love is my hope and only way to true prosperity’

As I did in my previous blog, I ask myself, would my testimony be as steadfast and true as theirs? “What is gain?” and “What Would Remain?” continue to clarify the importance of my relationship with the Lord. I desire to stand before Him someday and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21 NKJV. This verse of scripture is the climax of Jesus’s Parable of the Talents. It uses a story about money to explain how God evaluates a person’s life, faith, and responsibilities.

How about you? Would you join me in this commitment to let the Holy Spirit search your heart with these revealing questions? We do not know what our future holds, but we know who holds our future. When we know Him and surrender our lives to Him, we are ready to not only face hardships with strength, but “come share in His happiness”. After all, this is the ultimate goal of a faithful Christian life: an intimate, joyful relationship and celebration with God. Giving Him the honor and glory, adding to His Kingdom.

God bless you in whatever form of hardship you are facing, knowing “what will remain”. Someday we will all gather around His throne and worship Him together. What a glorious day that will be!

Reba

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Thanks for joining me today. I hope you read part one of these two blogs (maybe three). It is the “kick-start” to a series of events that help me keep time with Him as my priority. By prompting me to include my book “Blue Skies, Butterflies, & Battlegrounds” in my early time with Him, the Lord used my poems, “Gain”, “Liking Stuff”, and “Distractions” again for some more soul-searching and answered questions. I hope these events will do the same for you.

So, my next big event of the day was to listen to the testimony of a South Korean pastor. He and his family are prime examples of a life totally surrendered to the Lord. His testimony itself was the catalyst for a deep examination of my own life. This pastor spoke of the dangers of the people allowing government control that chips away at our freedom of religion in particular. You can view the entire message on YouTube @RealLife.JackHibbs THE HIDDEN PLANS OF THE ENEMY.

Although South Korea is still considered a “free” country, this pastor recounted the battle he faced to keep his mega church open during COVID. This battle included 40 hearings over six years. Later, he was indicted on 12 charges for criticizing the government for trying to pass laws promoting immoral acts and plans to shut down churches and alternative schools that teach Biblical truths. He was sent to jail. As he described his cruel environment, it was difficult for me to imagine. ☹Picture in your mind a prison cell, single confinement, less than three feet wide. There is no chair, no mattress, only bugs! How inhumane! Animals live better than this!

The most incredible part of his testimony was his statement about being persecuted for Christ. During his incarceration, he made this statement that I will do my best to quote…

“In my heart, sincerely and genuinely, I was so grateful and happy being able to be persecuted to glorify God and protect freedom to worship and freedom of religion. It’s something I always dreamed about.”

He is now out on parole and does not know what his future holds, but this man is so grounded in Christ that nothing will shake his faith.

Now, how many of us will stand up and fight for freedom and Christianity like this man? He reminded us that all of us who are free enjoy it because someone fought for it and won. Our freedom came with a price. And I want to remind us that Jesus fought for us to be free from sin and death. He won the battle, and it came with a price! Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

As I considered this question again, “What would remain?”, my thoughts returned to verses in my poems I referenced in Part 1.  I looked at the scripture references after my poem “Gain”. I chose a few to share.

Matthew 16:24-26 NKJV  “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

I’d say this pastor has denied himself, has taken up his cross and followed Jesus. He lost his life (worldly gains) for Christ and found eternal life with Him! Taking up our cross means fully committing to following Jesus by giving up our own selfish desires, accepting hardship or rejection for His sake, and being ready to sacrifice our own plans for life or even physical life if needed.

And the next scripture that stood out to me was Mark 10:45 NKJV: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  

There again…“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

The next poem that came to mind in Part 1 of this blog was “Liking Stuff”. In Matthew 6:19-20, the Lord is telling us where to and where not to store our treasures and why. 6: 21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. There is no doubt where this South Korean Pastor’s heart is.

I would be remiss if I didn’t answer that question for myself. Does this remind you of Psalm 139? V1 “Oh Lord, You have searched me and known me.” How about you?  Should I continue? I believe I should because it is good that we are examined under the Light of God’s Word. It is Light Unto Our Path and the Bread of Life. And oftentimes another believer’s testimony is the catalyst for this examination. So stay with me, please.

The last poem I referenced was “Distractions”. In Proverbs (also known as the book of wisdom), verses  4:20-22 say, “My son, pay attention to what I say, turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body”.

Isn’t this a better understanding of the importance of His Word and making time with Him our priority? We never know what we will face in the future. We desperately need to hear this man of great faith’s testimony and warning here in America and, in my opinion, in every free nation in the world. But be not hearers only, but doers of the Word.

This day continued to bring examples of life situations that sparked the realization that all could be stripped away…

“Or, suppose all was stripped away, instead of laying it down,

Could my faith remain with nothing else around?”

I am eager to tell in Part 3 of the following occurrence this incredible day.  There was a lot to consider in one day. So I hope you will continue to ask yourselves with me these questions… “What is gain?” and “What would remain?” Knowing this… we do not know what our future holds. Could our testimony be as this South Korean Pastor’s? “In my heart, sincerely and genuinely, I was so grateful and happy being able to be persecuted to glorify God and protect freedom to worship and freedom of religion. It’s something I always dreamed about.”

Father God, forgive us for taking our freedoms for granted. Help us fight to keep what others fought so hard for. Especially Your Son Jesus, for it is in His Holy name that we pray. Amen

Reba

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Greetings, my friends.

In the past, I  mentioned that I have an app  I can use to see where my blogs are being read. I am so humbled to think that you would gain something of value from my writings. It causes a deeper desire in me to fulfill my Mission Statement: “To glorify God through writing, sharing His Word, and my life experiences, communicating the love of Jesus Christ to add to His Kingdom”. So as I checked stats, I saw there are 33 countries and counting. 😊

Occasionally, I pick up one of my books and read a poem I have written and scripture I have referenced in that poem. Yesterday morning was one of those occasions. As I picked up my Bible and notebook (I am definitely a note-taker) to head to the deck for early-morning quiet time, I included my book “Blue Skies, Butterflies & Battlegrounds”.

As I sat in the dark stillness of the morning, my thought was, “What will I gain from my time with the Lord this morning?” Since I have some “Martha” tendencies, I have an endless list of tasks to be done. An unrealistic list, of course, but good intentions (like Martha), nonetheless. The story of Martha and Mary is found in Luke 10:38-42. The lesson for us all is that our chores and serving are good, but time in the Word and listening to Jesus are more important and should come first. I choose, as Mary did, to sit at Jesus’s feet and listen to His Words.

This blog and the next will tell of the thought-provoking and soul-searching events of that day.

After asking myself my initial question, “What will I gain from my time with the Lord this morning?”, my thoughts turned to my poem “Gain,” and its scripture references. I quickly realized why I was prompted to include my book. Pages 127-128…

What I live for, instead of God, keeps holding me back,

Desirous pursuits that lure me off track.

Seemingly good, but void of eternal value,

What He gave for me greatly devalued.

If I gave my all to Him, what would I gain?

If I laid it all before Him, what would remain?

Or suppose all was stripped away, instead of laying it down,

Could my faith remain with nothing else around?

If my Lord and I were all there was remaining;

The gain I thought I once had is not sustaining?

Would this be the only way, to the good He has for me

Removing all I thought was gain so I can clearly see…

Only these will last forever… faith, hope, and love (charity).

Love is my hope and only way to true prosperity

Skipping several verses, I end by saying…

By laying it all before Him, abiding helper in me,

I gain everlasting bounty by giving all to thee!

This poem itself answered the all-important question. Only these will last forever… faith, hope, and love (charity). I gain everlasting bounty by giving all to thee!

But read on, there’s so much more.

My thoughts went back to my opening paragraph. Thinking of you as I considered what each of your lives might be like and what you could possibly gain from your time with me.

Examination of my motivation brought me back to my mission statement.

My poem previous to “Gain” is “Liking Stuff”. Here are a few verses that lead to what motivates me to write… liking the right stuff!

Now the Lord is teaching me, I like the wrong stuff.

I need eternal treasures that are more than enough.

He gives me what I truly need and even more to share,

So I can store real treasure with Him up there,

The lasting stuff that won’t be stolen, rust, or get rotten.

The kinds of stuff that will never be forgotten.

The souls that are won by investing in them,

The ones I help, leading them to Him.

So, it’s good to like stuff if you choose the right stuff…

Souls won for heaven; now that’s more than enough! (That’s you, my friend!)

And my poem immediately after “Gain” and its narrative is “Distractions”. Right back to Martha, Mary, me, and you with the choices we make as we begin our day.

“Distractions” ends with…

Listen to Him; He’s won the battles that come our way.

Meditate on His Word; focus on what he has to say.

Distractions of this world won’t really matter

Peace with God, overcoming noise and clatter,

Equipped each day with His plan of action,

Victorious lives, with God the attraction!

Next, the Lord brought the testimony of a South Korean Pastor and a movie/documentary of Hurricane Helene. From before daybreak to bedtime, my day was full of answers for “What will I gain?” I do hope you will join me as I move on to answer the question “What Would Remain?

May God bless you, my friends, with the words that I write and the things He gives me to share. It is truly a blessing to have you join me wherever you are.

Reba

Hello again to my loyal readers and newcomers. I’m thankful that you joined me and excited to share how my day started yesterday.

This day began with the song “Thank You” by Don Moen playing in my mind. After feeding the cats (they think their stomachs are a priority😊), I grabbed a cup of coffee, my Bible, notebook, and my phone. My destination was our deck for my time with the Lord before daybreak. This morning was cool with a slight welcome breeze for these hot July days.

I used my phone to play the song that kick-started my day. I love the song so much that I decided to write out the words. I will share just a few, but I suggest you listen to the entire song.

“I come before You today

And there’s just one thing I want to say

Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord,

For all You’ve, given to me

For all the blessings that I cannot see

Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord

With a grateful heart, with a song of praise, with an outstretched arm,

I bless Your name… Thank You Lord. I just want to thank You Lord…”

Don’s song continues by naming key things he is grateful for. It wouldn’t be hard to continue a lengthy list, but instead, I will share a couple of things for this day by telling you what happened next.

After the song finished on YouTube, up pops a teaching by Adam at Fatihlabz Ministries. Adam takes key words from verses of scripture and translates them from the original language to explain their full meaning. Our multilingual friends probably understand the limits of the English language we speak here in America, especially when compared to Hebrew and Greek. That is why I appreciate Adam’s work.

So the title of Adam’s message today was “The Lock You Can’t Pick”.

Adam’s scripture focus was the Hebrew word patach in Psalm 116, the testimony of a man who almost died. He begins with verse 1,

NKJV: “I love the Lord because He heard My voice and my supplications.

 V2 Because He inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”

Adam points out the pain, trouble, and sorrow the writer was in; how close to death he was. He was trapped, caught, bound, and “brought low.” Then, in verse 4, He calls on the name of the Lord. He doesn’t pick the lock. He calls on the one who has the key.

Adam continues through the verses to point out Scripture where the word patach is used. With each example he gives, we understand that patach means to open or loosen someone from bondage. The Lord is the one who has the key to free us when we call out to Him. He rescued him when he was still at the bottom of the pit, not after he climbed out. Verse 8 names the three things that God rescued him from: soul from death, eyes from tears, and feet from falling. The question is, “What’s the lock that you’ve been trying to pick in the dark?”

Then Adam moves to verse 16:

“O Lord, I am truly Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds.” There it is: he was bound, and the Lord loosed him. There’s our word patach, to open/loose. The Lord opened the bonds for him.

The word patach appears over 100 times in the Bible. It is the word for opening wombs, eyes, ears, and lips. It is even the word God uses to test His own generosity in Malachi 3:10: He will open the windows of heaven for you. All of this leads us to understand that the free person is to open his hand to the one who is still bound. After we are set free, we choose which master we serve, the one who set us free or the one in the bondage of darkness.

Adam’s second question was, “Whose bond could your freedom open?”

It is a wonderful teaching, and of course I hope you can listen to it. Adam takes it much further and asks more soul-searching questions for even more clarity of the word patach.

So now, I would like to go back to verse 1. I was reminded of an experience I had about 15 years ago while searching for a new church home. We knew no one in this congregation, including the Pastor. The most amazing event was at the end of the service, during the closing prayer; the Pastor walked down the aisle and straight up to me (we were sitting closer to the back of the sanctuary) and said, “Ma’am, the Lord wants you to know He hears your prayers for your family.” He hears your prayers!” I was brought to tears! These were good tears moved by the Holy Spirit because I knew for certain that God was speaking directly to me through this pastor. The peace that came over me was beyond my understanding and still is today as the Holy Spirit reminds me of this event and His Word. As in Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

No wonder my song this morning was, “ Thank You”!

“For all You’ve given to me

For all the blessings that I cannot see”

And immediately following the song is Psalm 116:1-2 : “I love the Lord because He heard My voice and my supplications.

 V2 Because He inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”

And the teaching of the word patach assures me that the Lord is the One who picks the lock for all of us when we call out to Him to release us from our bonds. Then, by serving the Master who set us free, we are to open our hands to the one who is still bound.

So, I hope that by sharing my morning with the song of thanksgiving and Adam’s teaching on patach, the bond loosener/opener, and sharing His supernatural assurance that He hears my prayers, this will answer the question “What’s the lock that you’ve been trying to pick in the dark?”, and call out to the One who does patach. And for those of us who have and are free, ask, “Whose bond could my freedom open?”

V1-2 “I love the Lord because He heard My voice and my supplications.

 Because He inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”

V16 “O Lord, I am truly Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds.”

I bless Your name, Lord; thank You! And I do thank you, every one of you, for joining me, wherever you are in this great big world… John 3:16 NKJV “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Reba

Hello, my friends. July is in full swing here, meaning it is hot and humid in Northwest Arkansas.

Most of you know that we had a major birthday to celebrate; our nation’s 250^th. David’s and my celebration was very different than in the past. Our plans changed when we got the unfortunate news that my brother, Kenneth, was sick, so he and Suzan couldn’t come for our cookout. God took our disappointment about our plan change and made it His appointment to bless us with unexpected surprises. We saw more fireworks than usual, and the Lord added some occasional lightning for a dramatic backdrop. At one point, it got too close for comfort, so David and I scurried inside and watched the celebration on television with the added drone displays. The drones were fascinating and beautiful. David and I had a relaxing, safe, and enjoyable evening. Our disappointments can be His appointments to bless us when our attitudes change. 😊 We trust that He did this for Kenneth and Suzan as well. Speedy recovery!

Attitude change, yes, that is what a poem I wrote in April 2020 has done for me toward difficult times (still working on that 😊). As I’m certain you will recall, this was during the COVID pandemic. The title, “Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds,” also became the title of my second book. It contains a theme that I am reminded of consistently. I want to explain why this is so, hoping it will help you see your battlegrounds differently.

I began this poem by thanking the Lord for a few of the simple and wondrous things in His creation that I take so much pleasure in.  But what came next made me pause. As I wrote the next verse, “But my thanks are most of all when storms prevail,” I had to stop writing! I confessed from my heart that I have not lived those words. I knew the Holy Spirit does not want me to be dishonest with Him, you, or myself, only to get words on a page. Thank God most when storms prevail! Are you kidding me? So, in my pause and confession, I knew I was to keep writing, and I would discover why.

The rest of the poem reveals what I discovered…

I summarized sections so as not to write the entire poem in this blog. Hopefully you will read the poem and the narrative in my book, which you can purchase from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and online bookstores.

My summary of several verses…

This is not my home; it is where good and evil collide. Enemies are pressing in on every side. Do you feel this at times? His Word tells us that when we are weak, He is strong. When we are battle-worn, we draw Love, strength, and faithfulness from Him.

 “You grip my hand, guide me through, the very One I am desperate for.

While drenching me in Your cleansing power,

You’re transforming me even more!

Now pure as blue skies, I glide with butterflies

Amid the beauty of You.

Thankful through life’s battlegrounds, I’m

homeward bound, beyond the sky so blue!”

The Scripture references I used in my book confirmed this entire theme and why I could be honest and continue writing this poem. The Lord went ahead of me for the assurance I would need for the rest of my life. He is transforming me and teaching me to trust Him more as He grips my hand and guides me through, for He is truly the One I’m desperate for! And “when” I slip, He is always there to pick me up and set me back on my feet again (His firm foundation).

Here are six of the eight Scriptures I referenced:

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.” Psalm 28:7 NKJV

“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.” Psalm 73: 23 NKJV

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 NKJV

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” James 1:2-3 NKJV

“He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength” Isaiah 40:29 NKJV

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. ’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me.” 2Cor 12:9 NKJV

This is the Living Word. I thank God they are not just words on a page and that the Holy Spirit consistently reminds me why I continued to write after my pause and confession. He had so much to reveal to me that I can stand on for the rest of my life.

You can fully trust Him in the same way, and I do hope this has encouraged you to stay in His Word every day.

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.”

Who doesn’t want peace in this world?

If this has helped you, please share it with others. Remember, if you aren’t in a storm, you are either going into one or coming out of one. In the storm, there is His cleansing power to transform us. Thankful through life’s battlegrounds, we are homeward bound.

Thank you for joining me, taking time to read what I have written.

Until next time,

Reba

Hello, on this soggy day in June. I dare not complain about the rain. It has made everything lush, green, with splashes of colorful flowers blooming everywhere. And in August, we will be saying,” Where has all the rain gone?” 😊

I’ve had a slack period in writing since my “Let’s Soar” blog. Funny how time seems to go more quickly as I grow older, just as my parents used to say.

Today, as I settled myself to write, there has been a rush of topics to write about, but this one thing has crossed my mind repeatedly for a considerable time now. I wrote the title in my notes years ago. Apparently, today is the day.

Riding on coattails is an idiom that means achieving success, popularity, or advancement due to an association with another person or their accomplishments, rather than through one’s own hard work or merits.

For today’s application, I am using it in reference to our salvation and spiritual growth ( association with another person or their accomplishments).

Forty-eight years ago, I was facing some major challenges in my life. I was the “ripe old age of twenty-two” 😊 We had bought our first house in Goose Creek, South Carolina, discovered we were having our second baby (a pregnancy with complications), and David’s time there was cut short by orders to board a ship that would soon deploy for a six-month cruise.

Life’s storms were plenty, but God was, as always, faithful to get us through everything we faced. And the tough things we had to face kept rolling in with the news that my husband’s ship would return to a new port in a different city and state. So, by the grace of God and my determination to be there when my husband returned, I put our house on the market, rented a house in Jacksonville, FL, and moved our two daughters (one 4 years old and the other six weeks old) and me.

It was a whirlwind of challenges to get moved with little ones and settled in two months, but when his ship pulled into port, it was all worth it. We took David home, and it looked as though we had lived there for a year. For Navy families, that is a long time. 😊

So here we are in Jacksonville, FL, with everything I could want except the main thing… connection with friends and church family.

These events occurred during a period of being disconnected from a church family. I had a deep desire to reconnect, and I made a special request to the Lord to meet one special friend. The Lord granted both! My new friend was found quickly, and she is also a Christian who desires to connect with a good church. I wrote about this meeting and the new church home in my narrative for my poem, “Friends”, in Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds.

So she and I agreed to seek a church home together. The second church we visited was the largest in Jacksonville, the largest city in Duval County. We had never seen anything like it! As I was pondering how we found that place, I think I looked in the yellow pages of the phone book for Baptist churches in the area. I know, that was fifty years ago, so many of you have no idea that the yellow pages were ever a “search engine”. Lol! The jingle was, “Let your fingers do the walking through the Yellow Pages”. There’s the search engine… our fingers.😊

There, my newfound friend and I  were with our four little ones in tow, plus diaper bags, purses, and Bibles (we must have been a sight), eager for the Word of God and connection with other believers. We had each other for accountability and for when the battle was raging on Sunday morning. The enemy was certain to show up and throw as many obstacles as he could. But we had each other and our Lord, so of course we won! It reminds me of the cord of three strands in Ecclesiastes 4:12: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken”.

Since neither of our husbands was attending with us during that time, we joined a ladies-only Sunday School Class. I have precious memories of this God-given friend, this church, and the connection with this group of ladies as we grew in knowledge together.

Which leads me to “Riding on Coattails”. Bet you thought I had forgotten by now. I felt this background story was pertinent for telling of my first real look at this idiom as it applies to Christians.

Our Bible Study leader was the best. She was gentle, kind, wise, and open about her walk with the Lord. She was raised in a Christian family that was prominent members of their church and community. Because they were known as a Christian “family,” she believed, from a young age, that she was a Christian as well. She married a Christian man, had children, and served as a Sunday School Class Leader at the church they had always attended. They were “good” people who, as the traditional saying goes, “didn’t drink, smoke, cuss, or hang around those who did”. So surely they were Christians, and God would grant them their place in heaven.

Until the day…

She told of the revelation she received during a sermon her pastor delivered one Sunday morning, amongst all the people she had known most of her life.

The Holy Spirit revealed to her that she was not saved. Salvation is through Christ alone, not due to an association with another person or their “Christian family” reputation,  or through one’s own hard work or merits (riding on coattails). As the Holy Spirit moved in her heart, she knew she would have to go forward, accept Christ as her personal Savior, and make her public confession of this now without delay.

But how would she do that? What would everyone say and think about her, the “good” daughter from the Christian family? The good wife, married to a Christian man, is raising a family in church. Not only this, but teaching Sunday School Classes! That was a lot for her to break free from, but by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit with her, she took her first step and then the rest to move herself down that long aisle to the altar. Praise God, she was free from riding on the coattails of her family and received the robe of righteousness by the merits of Christ’s blood sacrifice. She became a member of the family of God, where we are all saved by Grace, not by our own goodness, hard work, or anyone else’s but Jesus’s merits.

And as for the concerns about what others would think, those who knew the Lord rejoiced with her. And for those who didn’t know the Lord, they could be awakened and stirred by the Holy Spirit through her humbleness before God and the whole church. Either way, I see this as a great testimony to reveal reality for our own lives. God does not want us to be deceived into assumptions about where we stand with Him.

As we humble ourselves before Him, He will do the searching of our hearts. He will reveal that the only coattails we enter into heaven by are the coattails of Jesus Christ. It will be only by the merits of Christ’s blood sacrifice for our salvation. That’s a testimony that will declare the love and goodness of God for all eternity. Know for certain where you stand with Him today.

I do hope that my sharing the testimony of Mrs. Lynn Swain, almost fifty years ago, will resonate with you as it has for me.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,  Says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6b NKJV

And by the word of my testimony,

Reba