Please Pray for My Pastor

It is absolutely no secret to you, my dear readers, how much my church means to me.

I moved here just over 4 years ago and when Randy passed away, many asked me if I would be going back to Oklahoma. My Dad is there. One of my son’s and his beautiful wife and 2 of the best grands on earth live there. My brother and his beautiful wife live there. 

BUT...
My church is here. And they have all created their own lives in Oklahoma. So, I need to create mine. And doing that around my church seems the best for me.




We all know that The Church is not the building. (even though I love our church building.)

It’s the people! All the wonderful people that I go to church with. And the staff. I have had my share of different churches in many places and I can say that the staff at Cross Road is the best all around staff I have ever experienced.

Many churches have one personality that really stands out. Our staff melds together so well, it’s hard for me to imagine one without the other!

We have Linda, Doug and Kenny who work in the background and are the basis of the foundation.

Lathanyo  leads us in worship every Sunday. Inviting us to the Throne of God to Worship.

Audra works with early childhood and loves these young ones with a passion that is astounding.

Matt, one of my favorite people,  does such a great job with our youth.

Bob, affectionately known as PBob. Oh my goodness. What a wonderful job he does. It would take several people to fill his shoes!

Pastor Brad. This is the man that every week either holds me accountable, comforts me, or encourages me – sometimes he does all at one time! He breaks open God’s Word every week and speaks truth – he is the reason I’m writing this blog today, dear readers.

Pastor Brad, fortunately listened to his body and knew something wasn’t right, went to the ER and through a Heart Cath discovered he needed open heart surgery. THIS is why I’m writing, please keep Brad, his wife Robyn and their girls and grands in your prayers. His surgery will be Saturday and I want to ask each of you to pray with us for this man and for his medical team.

Thank you! God Bless.

Forgiveness

Wouldn’t life be so much easier if this word was not around. Then we wouldn’t have to forgive those who hurt us. We wouldn’t have to ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt – which to me is often much harder than forgiving others…

I have made so many mistakes in my life.. Big ones. HUGE ones. But forgiveness is one that makes me stumble.

I can move along in my “Christian” walk – at a fairly quick pace. Then I run smack dab into the wall of forgiveness. In either giving it or asking for it.

Forgiveness

 

I’ve been quite stubborn about this at times. – Okay, most of the time.

I have no easy answer for it – other than I just have to tell myself to do it AND THEN DO IT.  Yep, sometimes I have to tell myself on a daily basis to forgive. In asking, I often do it – then try to go back to my old habit of living as if I didn’t. I really am a hopeless mess at times.

I’ve had many people to forgive over my lifetime – 62 years of it. BUT I also have 62 years of having to ask for forgiveness. {sigh}

But I know I can do it – because I have God to help me. I am so very thankful He knows my heart and He helps me daily to forgive and He often reminds me when I need to ask for forgiveness.

You are right, dear readers, forgiving does not mean you go back into the same relationship you had before. Sometimes those relationships aren’t healthy. BUT sometimes you go into a better relationship than what you had! 

God does that for us!

 

Fire Licking at My Heels

This season of my life has not been an easy adjustment. 

When I moved here – and married my wonderful Knight in Shining Armor   it was an adjustment – wasn’t always easy but it was always fun!

But now, this season is not what I wanted at all yet here I am in new territory again. Only this time it’s not fun.

I have been feeling just like this: cold, barren, tangled, confused.

My calendar has been FULL and when it isn’t full, I make things up to do.

For those of you, my readers, that know me, you know this is not me at all. I am a homebody. I love being at home. Being at home is how I thrive! Confusion – well, it just confuses me!!

I don’t know if I have been at home – by myself for a complete day since Randy died. 

This week, it caught up with me physically. It had already been wearing on me emotionally and mentally. I have been on that depression roller coaster – good one day, bad the next, the up and down and sometimes upside down.

I have a propensity for pneumonia. So when I start wheezing, I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO.

Wednesday evening I could barely breath. So, that was it for me. I took care of the one study I was doing with friends on Thursday and then went to bed.

Friday I stayed in bed all day. I read a book. A trivial book. Pure fiction.  The first complete book I’ve read since Randy died. (except for study books)

I feel better.. physically, emotionally and mentally. I do realize that it’s not over. I am pretty sure I will be paying my quarter (that dates me for sure!) to ride on that roller coaster again. But today. I am on solid ground.

I had been running to and fro as if fire were licking at my heels. I never slowed down enough to let God calm me or console me.

I have learned another life lesson.

Be Still and Know That

I Am God.