John 7:38 by Susan L.

  I have life flowing though me.
  "He who believes in Me (Jesus), as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." NKJV
  "Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'"

   John 7:39 goes on to clarify that the living water is the Holy Spirit.
  South of me on a rural highway there is a building in the middle of nowhere. It was initially designed as a conference hall with Italian style, arched windows. The conference hall didn't survive so the building went on to host a car dealership, a flea market, and a restaurant. A number of other business tried to make of go of it but none remained for very long. I remember driving past it and regularly commenting that nothing ever seemed to last, it wasn't a good location, it was an ugly building, etc.
  Then I became a Christian.
  Driving south, I passed the building and felt a check in my heart. This time, instead of passing judgement on all the negatives of the place, I prayed for a business to thrive. I retracted all my negative comments and asked God to bless the location. There's a now a business that has been there a long time. It succeeded where others failed.
  It was one of my early lessons on speaking life, on giving life as opposed to taking it.
  With early Christian enthusiasm, I tried to bring a dead field mouse back to life, too. No luck with that, at least that I saw. Maybe when I walked away and surrendered this tiny creature to God's will, a miracle happened. Maybe it scurried away to continue doing mousy business into a ripe old age.
  I hope so but I'll never know.
  That's part of speaking life. We never know the end result. We never know how much of an impact we can have on others.
  What I know with absolute certainty is our tongues are an incredible weapon. They can cut someone down to nothing or raise the dead.
  It's our choice on how we wield this power. It's our choice, as believers, to listen to the Holy Spirit.

  Lord, forgive me for the times my tongue got away on me. Let me be quick to listen to the Holy Spirit, the essence of life that flows through my veins. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
 
 
 
 

I am a Light in a Dark Place by Susan L.

  Acts 13:47
  "For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.'" NKJV
  "For the Lord gave us this command when he said, 'I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.'" JCB

  There is much to be thankful for this morning. Tattered, broken clouds tear across the icy blue sky letting the sun shine down for the first time in days. It feels like it's been weeks. Even though the trees are bare of leaves and November gray is the colour of the season, when the sun hits the upper branches as they sway in the breeze, they glow. The poplars, ash, birch and maples create a pallet of shades and hues I never thought gray could be. It's punctuated by the earthy green of cedars and pines heavily laden with milk chocolate pine cones. (I've heard this is a sign of a hard winter. I hope not!)
  This is my corner of the world. Every day the view from the kitchen window changes. It's still the same trees but each season, each day, each hour adds its own subtle nuances to the landscape.
 
  I have often thought about going on a missions trip to some exotic location in obedience to this commandment. It's been thought about but cast aside because I believe that's where Christians go astray in thinking we need to leave home to spread the love of God. There are a lot of earth corners where we live, work, shop, exercise and play.
  There is need and want in my own community. There is poverty. Hunger. Homelessness.
  There is incredible wealth as well. High end stores dot the main street beside second hand shops and pawn shops. High end restaurants snuggle in beside places where a slice of pizza and a soda can be bought for a couple of bucks.
  Tucked in behind the main street is the food bank.
  If all who believe that Jesus is Lord and the Author of salvation spread the gospel to those in need in our own back yards, it wouldn't be long before salvation is found in the earth's farthest corners.  
  Physical wealth has nothing to do with spiritual need.
  I am thankful the Lord called me to be a writer (amongst other things). I am not so great at face to face conversations about faith. I am not so great at conversations period.
  Hmmm. Neither was Moses. Look what he accomplished through faith and obedience!
  Another "Hmmmm."
  And a smile.
  Moses I am not! But I am Susan or Sue for short. Lord, how will You use me to glorify You?
  I need to think about (and be thankful for) how He already is!
  Lord, bless me with opportunities to share of You. Bless me with the words to say in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Teach me to set aside my own reluctance and fears. In Jesus' name I pray.
  I want to thank You for giving me the blog and the opportunity it provides in helping me understand what being a Christian means. Thank You for every individual around the world who, by joining me at the kitchen table, encourages and strengthens this resolve. Praise God that You have given this socially awkward, middle aged woman, a voice.
  Now, let me be a light that is unquenchable. AMEN!
 
 
 

 

I Have Light. John 8:12 by Susan L.

  "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."" NKJV
  "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life."" JCB

  In comparing these translations, I think I prefer the first one. In the JCB version, it implies that Jesus will give us the "light that leads to life" at some point. It comes across, to me, like something that has yet to happen. That life isn't with us yet.
  In the NKJV, we "have the light of life." It's here. It's indwelling. It's intricately wrapped around every particle of our DNA. Or should I say, He is here. Jesus is indwelling. His Spirit is intricately wrapped around every particle of our DNA.
  Oh...right. This conversation happened prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. Jesus is hinting at a promise yet to be fulfilled for all His followers.
  The Bible is a history book as well as a guide. It's good to keep that in mind.
  Maybe that's part of the promise as well. Jesus would have known at some point in the future, His words would be written down for all believers. He knew His Father would inspire the authors to write letters. He knew His Father would inspire someone to put it all together. He knew someone would invent a printing press. He knew His words would be translated into countless languages. He knew His story would be written down so those who don't believe would be able to read about Him and the love of God.
  If Jesus is a lighthouse, the Holy Bible is His beacon.
  And we are blessed by the illuminating wisdom of the Holy Spirit to help us understand His words.
 

 

Romans 8:6 by Susan L.

  I have life and peace in the Spirit.
  "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." NKJV
  "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." JCB

  It was a good weekend. Having worship rehearsal on Saturday morning then playing in church yesterday was wonderful. We were a small but mighty group.
  I was blessed with being able to share my knowledge about trauma and PTSD with one of our congregation members. She works closely with several refugee families in town and has first hand knowledge of the horrific events that led them to flee their homeland. She is concerned for many of them who are struggling mentally and emotionally.
  But that's the nature of a trauma response. In the moment, there might not be any obvious signs of the damage being done to the body, mind and spirit. Trauma responses can take years to show up. It might explode because something totally unrelated  triggers an avalanche of nightmares and anxiety. And grief. That's a huge part.
  Being able to share with her about the personal nature of trauma helped her understand how experiences can affect one person yet might not even raise an eyebrow in someone else. There is no "trauma scale".
  I recommended the "PTSD for Dummies" book because it is a good way to learn the fundamentals of this mental health challenge.
  Moments like this make everything I have gone through worth while. It even makes me thankful.
 
  Still, I always feel a bit chastised when faced with scripture's like today's. Sigh.
  Is having PTSD a mark of sin or due to having a lack of faith and trust in the Lord?
  Ouch. That's an ugly question!

  For sure it's a result of sin. Both my own and others'.
 
  Hmmmm, maybe it's what I do with it that matters. Roman's 8:8 says that those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
  When things are bad, I don't turn away. I run into the open arms of God and He leads me to the shores of the Black River. Again and again and again. He opens my eyes to forgiveness, repentance and plain old gratitude as we unravel the layers of hurt and pain. Together.
  He has brought me a long way. Because I live with PTSD.

  Lord, only You can see the end of this journey or fully understand its purpose. Thank You, that one day, You will wipe away every tear.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Affirmation #159 by Susan L.

  I have life abundant. 1 John 4:9, John 10:10
  "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." NKJV
  "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him." JCB

  "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." NKJV
  "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (Jesus) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." JCB

  This begs the question and it's a biggie...What is life?
  My heart thump-thumping sends the blood rushing through my veins. There's air going in and out of my lungs. Ergo, I am alive. (Yay!)
  This same heart leaps for joy and aches in sorrow. Ergo, I am alive.
  I am watching squirrels chase each across the front lawn. The deliciously rich aroma of a morning coffee fills my nostrils. The smooth laptop keys wait beneath my fingers for the next word. I sense these things without really thinking about them. Ergo, I am alive.
  I forget what applying human characteristics to inanimate objects is called. The laptop keys aren't really waiting because they have no sense of time or self. They are not alive even though they keep putting in typos whenever I write anything.
  That's part of being alive as well: an awareness of self...Hmmm, many of God's creations are alive yet lack this awareness. Like a tree.
  Being alive means I will know death at some unforeseen point in the future.
  Yet, because of Jesus, that death is transformative. My soul will go on to a better place.
 
  There have been many days when I wished for my life on this planet to be over. When the anxiety gets really bad and I am exhausted, it's hard to face another day knowing the anxiety will be waiting.
  I know I am not alone in this struggle.
 
  I think an abundant life is one rich in experiences. Some of them I'd like to have not experienced but I cannot know grace without first knowing condemnation. I cannot know love without first knowing hate. I cannot forgive another without having my own sins forgiven.
  Thank You, Jesus, for having redeemed everything I've gone through. Thank You for teaching me what joy there is in life.

  I feel led to reach out to my readers. This can be a hard time for many as the days grow shorter and we head into the Christmas holidays. If you or someone you love is having thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help. Life can be hard sometimes. We were never meant to struggle on alone.
  I can hold onto hope for you because Jesus brought me to the shores of the Black River time and again. He will do the same for you. If you let Him in.
 
 
 
 
 

I am Liberated. Romans 6:23 by Susan L.

  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." NKJV
  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." JCB

  The lesson this week at church was about major religions to test the idea that all religions lead to God. They were broken down into three categories or combinations of these.
  1. Religions based on thinking. You master the right truths.
  2. Religions based on experience. Having the right mystical encounter.
  3. Religions based on doing. Keeping the right commandments.
  Drawing near the deity is rooted in performance and any sort of position in the after life is earned or not if a person falls short of doing everything they need to do.

  While the sermon focused on helping us understand the basics of faiths compared to Christianity, I am not going to go much further into detail because I feel inadequate to the task. The man who preached the sermon has spent years studying religions. (The Meeting house has his sermon on line as part of the series in Bad Ideas. This is #5. All of them are well worth checking out.)

  What I know for absolute certainty is the God I worship is a God of love and relationship. He is not distant or absent. I know for absolute certainty that one day, I will be with Him in Heaven.
  How do I know this?
  Because Jesus made it possible the moment I chose to make Him my Lord.
  There is nothing on this earth I could do or need to do to earn that place.

  Yes, I am called to live according to a higher calling.
  The highest calling of all is to live in and through the love of God.
  I've read this passage many times and baulked at the first part because it came across as a threat. With fresh understanding, I realize it's simply affirming that to live apart from the love of God (that's what sin is) means I am not living, I am dying.
 
 
 

2 Corinthians 2:14 by Susan L.

  I am led in Christ's triumph.
  "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." NKJV
  "But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume." JCB

  The intangible is a large part of life. It tends to slip to the sidelines in discussions about faith yet faith itself is an intangible. It's there, we feel it, yet it cannot be picked up and touched.
  Burning incense is the same. Once lit, the smoke rises and curls only to vanish. The aroma released remains long after the stick has burnt away. Even though we can't touch it or feel the sweet fragrance, it's there. It's an intangible.
  I love the poetic quality in the NKJV translation. "The fragrance of His knowledge." If we are the incense, Christ is our fragrance. Our knowledge of Him flows from us even if we don't know it's happening.

  Knowledge is knowing. (Bear with me as I think this through.)
  There's knowing then there's Knowing. 
  So, what do I Know?
  I know Christ is with me in all things, at all times.
  How? Because I feel His presence.
  I know He leads me to victory every time I challenge my beliefs, my misconceptions of truth, and seek to grow through an intimate knowledge of Him.
  How? It is the story that began long before I accepted Him as Lord.
  I know He will do the same for anyone.
  How? Because He saved me. Because His love is big enough for the entire world.
  It's why He was born and why He died.