Help! I"ve Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

Psalm 23

Howdy~
Remember that commercial! I guarantee you the group who came up with that little phrase had no idea that years later people would still be referring to it! For all you youngins out there – that commercial advertised a panic button for the elderly who lived alone. It was a low budget commercial of an elderly person sprawled on the floor with their walker tipped over and out of reach. But lucky for them they had the all-important panic device hanging around their neck. They would simply just speak into it the famous line, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Assistance was on the way in a jiffy! Actually, I think it was a wonderful invention. I hope it’s still around when I’m elderly...
Ever wish you could have one of those now; maybe not for feeling physically helpless, but maybe emotionally or mentally or even spiritually? You know sometimes...a lot of times... we (I) feel cast down. The term “cast down” is used for sheep when they have fallen and somehow end up on their backs. Their stomachs become hard, their circulation is cut off and their windpipe closes up...and if no one comes – they die. They truly are helpless. BUT if they have a good shepherd, he will come and tenderly massage their legs and stomach till the sheep is able to be placed up right again.

Great news! We have a Good Shepherd who tenderly cares for you and me. I love Psalm 23. “The LORD is my Shepherd...he makes me...lie down in green pastures...restores my soul...leads me beside still water...leads me in paths of righteousness... Corrie Ten Boom said, “Never be afraid to trust a future you don’t know to a God you do know!” Well...I needed that today ~

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love
Rebecca

It's Contagious!

Oh Happy Day!

Galatians 6:10

Hey Everybody ~

I had the best day yesterday and I didn’t even realize why until I started thing about what to write…which by the way…sorry this is late. I was having such a nice day…anyway…

It all started with a very simple, common courtesy. It was something that any one of you would have done. I simply let this lady go ahead of me in line (I had to get blood work done and the wait is a pain. We’re all fasting…no coffee or TAB) but only because she was truly there first. You would have done the same thing. But here’s the crazy part. This woman was so grateful to me. She just kept telling me that no one has ever done that before and yada, yada, yada…It felt so good to be nice to someone.

There is a lady who works there at the lab. Every time I go I think, “She is so efficient. It’s much more organized since she’s started working here.” I said I THINK it. I’ve never told her – but it was so fun to be nice to the other lady, I decided to tell the woman she does a good job. She really does.

So as I was leaving, I poked my head in her cubby and told her. Her sallow, tired face lit up like a light bulb…oh this is fun… and so my day was one continual observation of others’ jobs well done and telling them!

Here is the point. I was just doing a common courtesy. But the woman was grateful. Her gratefulness made such an impact on me I began looking for ways to be grateful to others who were doing well or being kind. It was contagious. I think I understand Galatians 6:10 a little better. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith”.

Once again, God’s plan and His words always benefit the one who follows…Imagine if we just obeyed that one verse everyday….Hmmmm…

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love

Rebecca

Pray for God to make you hungry for Him!

You Were Made to Glisten

A Drawer Full

Hello Everyone ~

Growing up in my parent’s home, anytime we needed something sharp we had to hunt through a drawer full of knives to find the one knife that might actually cut something. All the others blades were so dull; we couldn’t tell the sharp side from the smooth side. No doubt, somewhere in the world sharp utensils existed, but somehow they had all eluded the Anderstrom house!

When I got married, imagine my surprise the first time I about lost my finger on the razor sharp edge of the new kitchen knife. I guess I assumed every household struggled with inefficient supplies. What a treat to simply chop and slice with ease! The theory was true. Sharp knives did exist! No more grunting and pulling and smashing to get things done. I couldn’t help but wonder why in the world we had suffered so many years with dull knives. It all seemed so unnecessary.

I thought about that this week when God allowed me a chunk of time with some special women. Without realizing it, I had become dull like the drawer full of knives, giving out to others without being vulnerable enough to receive; a common but costless mistake among those who minister. This left my heart emotionally isolated and perfect prey for the Enemy. I desperately needed someone to speak the truth into my life, just as Proverbs 27:10 says, “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Making time to be with these friends took effort, and initially it felt like a frivolous use of time. But within minutes, the companionship of these ladies revived my thirsty heart like a withering plant brightens after a summer rain shower. Listening to their Godly wisdom and perspectives on life dispelled some of the lies I had started believing. I noticed my mental vision clearing as I voiced my questions and frustrations to someone other than myself. (Isn’t it amazing how much clearer things become when you’re not the only one listening?) Suddenly my blind spots felt like glowing neon signs and I wondered how long they had gone unnoticed.

The bottom line is simply this: I need you and you need me. Don’t allow yourself to be isolated, no matter who you are. Take it from me, you will survive, but you will be dull. It’s not necessary nor is it wise to live that way. So commit with me to engage with others of like mind with whom you can share and pray and learn! Ask God to give you a mentor or a prayer partner ~ someone with whom you can be honest and unguarded. Let God use this person to bring out the sharpness and the shine in you! Anyone can be in the dull drawer. You, my sister, were made to glisten J

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love

Rebecca

Silence...Always Golden?

Silence… Always Golden?

Psalm 37:3-7

Hi Everyone~

Have you ever gone before God with something you urgently needed answered? You go before Him, eyes tightly shut, earnestly praying for directions or an open door or wisdom or something…You know God is able to answer. He’s answered before. In fact, you will not be surprised one bit when you open your eyes (figuratively speaking) to find your answer staring you in the face!

So…you finish your petition – and like the people being shown the first look of their new home makeover by the guest designer – you OPEN YOUR EYES…but all you see is a big, blank, white room with nothing in it! You’ve got zilch…no direction, no supply, no ideas, nowhere to go…you’re just stuck. And to your horror, God is silent.

I’ve been battling that recently. In my Bible study, I read the story about Moses being called up into the mountain to meet with God. He told the people to wait until he returned. They did pretty well at first. But after 40 days of no Moses they began to panic…(Oh no, I’ve never done that before…right) The Israelites decided to take matters into their own hands and make their own god. Sarai also panicked when God didn’t move quickly enough fulfilling His promise of an heir for Abram. She arranged for Hagar to have his baby. In case you’re wondering, those were both – how shall we say it, uh…BAD IDEAS!

This week I came very close to jumping ahead of God. I had just read the Moses story. So I gritted my teeth to wait…guess what? God showed up. He slowly began filling the white room with the things I felt I needed to accomplish the task that HE – for Pete’s sake – had given me to do. The room is still pretty bare, but I’m so glad for His Word that reminded me of the consequences of taking matters into my own hands and jumping ahead of His timing.

Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest thing we’ll ever do. I guess at the end of the day, it really boils down to a trust thing, doesn’t it? “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and verily you shall be fed…commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass…Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for him…” He’ll not fail.

Hope & Glory! to You ~ Love

Rebecca