Hello to everyone around the world, thanks to a website I never imagined I’d have. I finally purchased a globe to mark the country that you are in. As I look at forty countries so far, I imagine what it is like for you. I see so much hatred, violence, and overall evil increasing day by day in countries, including mine. But this is what the Lord foretold in 2Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, V3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, V4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Wow! That’s a lot, my friends, but there is plenty more about spiritual apostasy,  a rejection of godly standards, and warnings of these behaviors slipping into the church.  We see it everywhere! Even the increase of nations against nations, earthquakes, floods, famine, plagues, pandemics, and more.

But the good news is that God’s Word not only warns us of these times, but He also gives us what we need to live strong and fearless during them. I call it The Word, The Will, The Walk, The Way, and I wrote about it in my blog on September 27, 2024. I hope you will read it and be encouraged. It is full of our hope in all things in life because of who God is and who we are in Him. So no matter where we are or our circumstances, we have a God who created us, loves us, gave us warnings, and whose promises He will never fail to fulfill. Isaiah 26:3 NKJV “You will keep in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Peace in the midst of the storm from the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ. That in itself should keep us from dreading our future, right, my friend?

Moving on…

Since this blog is about the next event in my life after Writer’s Block, I will move on to this story.

After listening to the podcast (in the Writer’s Block blog) about grieving the Holy Spirit, “what pleases Him most” remained in my thoughts.

I sent the podcast to most everyone on my friends list through FB Messenger. One of those friends is a very special lady whom I met over 35 years ago while my husband was serving at his last duty station before retiring from the Navy. She is about 11 years older than me and has been a God-given mentor since our meeting. Her wisdom and experience gained by walking with the Lord helped clear up my confusion about the Gifts of the Spirit (namely, the gift of tongues). I will be forever grateful for her.

After David’s retirement, she and I temporarily lost communication, but reconnected through texting and social media. She continues to send me just what I need for help where I need it.

Soon after I sent the podcast about grieving the Holy Spirit, she sent me a YouTube video by one of her favorite authors, Emerson Eggerich. This video is about his book Love and Respect and the counseling he does based on this teaching. His teaching about the love she desires and the respect he desperately needs is an eye-opener, a life-changer, and a marriage saver. It is all Biblically sound, of course, or she wouldn’t have shared it, and that is what makes it so powerful.

As this dear friend acknowledged, women are taught to submit to their husbands, but in her words, it is a far cry from respect. Yes, we are taught to submit to our husbands, as in Ephesians 5:22: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” Eleven verses later, Ephesians 5:33 states: “Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” She and I were submissive, but both our husbands got their respect in the military. No doubt other men get their respect through different avenues instead of their wives, rather than their wives as God intended.

I was eager to learn more, as I knew this was directly connected to “What Grieves the Holy Spirit” and “What Pleases the Lord Most”. Again, a timely message from the Lord through my dear friend. So I bought copies of the book and workbook not only for me, but for several others.

Day after day, I have sat with my Bible, the book and workbook, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord is revealing the truths in this message, answering specific questions that arise, and helping me continue to pursue and fill the respect my husband needs unconditionally, just as I want him to love me unconditionally. God’s way…always and forever will be the best.

Meanwhile, David and I were led out of the Church we had been members of and served in for 13 years. We didn’t fully understand, but we knew it was always best to obey the Lord’s prompting. He had it all covered as we visited other local churches.

I joined a Ladies Bible Study at a church we have attended for several months now.  We are doing a study on idolatry titled “More Than Anything,” loving God more than anything else. Another timely topic as I seek the Lord and let Him search my heart, more of what pleases Him most. 😊We are only one week into this study. Daily, there are poems, blogs, and scripture references I have written, serving as reminders and confirmations of God’s faithfulness, as Philippians 1:6 NJKV says, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.

As I recognize my lack of writing during the past month, I’m asking you to remember my tendency to be like Martha in the Bible (always the busy one). But in this case, I am doing as Mary did, choosing the better way. God is teaching me so much in these two studies and learning the ways of a new church that it has required more time sitting at His feet, learning from Him, and a little less time writing. He is working on me in specific areas as I am finding more of what pleases Him most, so my life will reflect Him and fulfill my purpose.

Thank you so much for joining me again and for sharing my website, books, poems, and blogs. As I continue to look at where you live, I will continue in prayer and gratitude to our God, who created each of us and loves us all so much that “He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. Meanwhile, He is more than enough to meet every need in everything until the day of His return.

And think, someday we will all be united together with each other (His Church) and Him. What a glorious day that will be! Meanwhile, you can go to my connect page or email me at rebabailes.author@gmail.com.

Until next time,

Reba