I’m Back!

As an 18-year-old youth I was a registered Democrat. In my twenties the Peace and Freedom Party took hold of my young, pliable mind. My thoughts were deeply entrenched in the thoughts that liberated and freed my cerebral branches. I had a mind with God in the shadows, a mind on its own path. I was taking in anyone who would listen, not realizing back then that I had a gift to influence others with seeds of toxic ideologies that had taken hold of my soul. I believed in women’s rights and all that their agenda represented. No man was going to rule my life. This mind had only room for self; my views settled comfortably, and they controlled me. I was angry, but not really sure why.

“There is a way which seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.”  Proverbs 16:25

The Republican Party

As far as I was concerned the Republican Party was evil, hated minorities and only represented the rich. My jaded thoughts were steeped in my heart;  my entire family were registered Democrats; our thoughts were one; we ate the same manna laced with relativism. We had a picture of President Kennedy in our living room, he was our demigod.  Our mother loved him and taught us to respect and love our Commander in Chief. President Kennedy will always rate high in my heart.

Mothers Do Know Best

Our mother always had a political influence on me, and up to her dying day she exercised her right to vote. I loved and respected this lesson that she instilled in all of us. She was a patriot and always rooted for the underdog. I honored her dedication to always be heard.

The Transition

Imagine being part of the Peace and Freedom Party and then becoming a Born-Again Christian (I am now Catholic). This was a paradox and the two forces collided with only one winner. During these formative years at Biola University the Word of God was taking hold of my heart, and I could no longer be angry surrounded with so much peace. The growth in my beliefs superseded all, and nothing was more important than  pleasing God. My life was finally on track; this gradual but gentle change caused me to see things in a different light. Understanding the meaning of life, the purpose of why I was born, and how God chose Mike as my helpmate was part of His plan. As I surrendered my will to God, my mind was maturing to understandwhat was expected of me as a Christian.

President Trump

I voted for this man because I knew he would make changes. We may not all agree on the fast pace he is taking,  but, in reality, he only has four years to clean up the mess. In the usual manner I will continue to pray for God to guide President Trump in every decision.

Immigration

I pray for all undocumented immigrants who have been in our country for many years, the ones who are law-abiding, God-fearing good people. We need to protect them and develop a system that will help them to become citizens. I understand the protest, but what baffles is that they’re  flying  flags from their countries. Am I wrong to think that Americans like myself feel that this approach is not helping the matter? I can almost guarantee that these protests are organized by Americans, not undocumented individuals. Regardless of  our different opinions, immigration must be conducted in a humanitarian manner.

He was successful in business and in life, blessed with great wealth that took a lifetime to achieve but he did not know God. His wife of over 40 years served God as a Catholic and remained steadfast in her belief. Together they built their dream home high on a hill over looking the rest of the world, they planned to spend the rest of their lives there.

With his deep love for his wife, a celebration was planned to renew their wedding vows; a priest from out of town did the officiating. The man liked the Godly priest and welcomed him in his home.

Shortly after the celebration came the startling news that the man had cancer… a bad type of cancer. The family did all they could do and agreed to an aggressive treatment. Things seems to look better for a short while but the malignancy came back with vengeance to attack his body.

At  our Bible study one of the ladies shared his plight and we prayed because he did not know God.  Every week would come a new report on the man’s condition and it was despairing news, we prayed special graces for his wife and their children but mostly for him to turn to God. The man bravely and honorably fought but it was not to be.

Last week I attended funeral services for the man that did not know God. His children both shared heart-rending stories about their loving father. His beautiful poised granddaughter spoke eloquently about her grandfather and the love that they shared. The loving wife was left numb by his absence but she never gave up on him, she was the families’s silent spiritual backbone.

At the memorial the same priest that renewed their wedding vows, would also eulogize the man. This priest and the man had formed a bond and the man called upon the priest to help him prepare for his death. The man  asked the priest if it was too late for him to know God and the priest answered “No.” As the priest shared his story of how a person who was given so much and gave so much of himself to those he loved that the mercy of God came to save him. These words represented the man’s gentleness and his free will that lead him to God. The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) was the missing link for the man that did not know God. I listen intently as the priest connected the parable to the man, the priest reminded us that it was a year of mercy and that the Lord allowed the celebration with close friends and family with the renewing of their vows because God knew that the man’s time was short.

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle,[a] and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

The hours of the workday correlate to stages in life when people turn to God, Christ in his vineyard, where they harvest much fruit for God before the sun sets on their earthly life . It does not matter if the conversion is early or late in life, we are all awarded the generous and equal gift of eternal life.

What a beautiful end to the story of this man; all the prayers from his family and strangers lead him to know God and he will forever be remembered as the man who walked in the arms God. Yes, that is how easy our maker makes it for us!

I remain, a faithful servant of the most high, praying for all who stumbles across these writings.

When an athletic trains for a race, the training is for a win to reach the goal for the prize that they worked so hard for.  Just as your body can be conditioned to win, so our minds must be trained to win in battles. Some of us have many crosses to bear;such as, serious illnesses, addictions, loss of a love ones, finances,etc. God allows these trials to make us stronger and he will never give you more than you can handle (1 Cor 10:13), God will always give us a way out. We need to stand our ground and use the Word of God as our main weapon against the destructive tactics of the enemy. Maybe you received a bad report from the doctor, what you do with this information will set the standards on your recovery. If you allow fear to come in then you have personally invited the enemy to take hold of your thoughts. Fear is a spirit and a stronghold, you have the authority to bring it down (Rom 8:15) God did not give us a spirit of fear, so that means it comes from Satan. When we operate in fear we are weak in our prayers because trusting God is no longer effective. So you pray but with the lack of faith, your prayer is in limbo. Yes, God hears you but you lack three things to get you through your trials.

1. Encouragement
2. Wisdom
3. Faith

   

Without encouragement you feel empty (nobody cares, why me?), without wisdom you do not have the guidance of God, Without faith you cannot pray. All this keeps us in bondage and Satan has you right where he wants you, defeated. When I was told by the neurologist that I had Parkinson’s it was not easy for me to pray, I first had to get over the initial shock.  I cried but then I prayed. God allows us these times of sorrow to bring us into His trusting arms. From every trial we experience, we are to draw from Him and understand that all is in His control, not ours. If we doubt, we are being double minded, such actions holds back from a complete trust in God because inside we waver between conviction and doubt.  God wants us to trust in Him more than ever, and I know that for some of us this is a huge step to take.

A very dear friend of mine is suffering from stage four cancer and in treatment with no signs of remission as of yet. She is trusting God and battling for her life and she should be afflicted with pain but has not had any signs of it. Why? I cannot answer that, but I can share with you that she is a strong believer and servant of the Most High God. Her attitude remains positive as she focuses on a miracle. Will she get this miracle? God answers every prayer with yes, no and wait. As my friend waits, in the interim she is trusting God and that is a remarkable attribute to instill in others.  Whether  her report is negative or positive, she remains focused on the prize at the end of the race.

My Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I cannot do this alone, I am tired, angry, and want to give up! Please Lord help me get through this, I can no longer continue this battle on my own. Dear Lord I cry out to You for Help. Please hear my cry and deliver me from this affliction, help my unbelief and walk me though this darkness.  Thank you Father for caring for me. Please help me in every area of my life to trust in You.  AMEN

Remember you are never alone! He cares and I do too!