God is so wise. Not only is He always steps ahead of us (as well as with us), but His mercies are also new every morning. I must admit, I don’t always see those mercies, especially when it seems as if God isn’t working. I’m sure that we miss most of them in our struggles. […]
Keep Watering — Pippi’s Poetry
We Never Know Who Is Listening
Yesterday I was at my alternate coffee shop and saw someone who I met at my other coffee shop. We talked for a few minutes catching up with each other. She asked me how my classes are and how my book is coming. She shared with me about two trips she will have in July.
After our conversation, I joked with a young man sitting at the table next to mine that tests are a celebration of knowledge. It was obvious to me that he is a university student who was studying to final exams. He asked me what I teach and I told him I teach English Second Language.
At another table close by a young woman was sitting alone working on a paper. She smiled at me when I got up to get a second cup. After I sat back down, she came over to me and said, “I heard you teach English. Can you look at my story I wrote for my class?”
We talked for a while and I agreed to look at her short story. I also had an opportunity to share with her about my book and what it is about. We will meet this afternoon at my alternate coffee shop to talk about her short story.
We never know who is listening and what opportunities to share will come. It reminded me of 1st Peter 3:15
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
We never know who is listening/paying attention to us.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Story Time- Pesky Details
Details details ugh. If you want to drive a creative personality crazy pester them with details. I finished submitting everything for my book Jesus Understands Trauma. KDP, Kindle On Demand Publishing, emailed me saying the cover needs to be adjusted to accommodate the bar code.
So I did the only sane thing to do which was to email my friend Ellen, who designed the cover, asking if she can help. 🙂
This whole experience has given me a new appreciation for the fact that God has designed/created/gifted each of us differently and yet like a symphony conductor sees how it all blends together. That was really driven home for me last Friday when I was panicked somewhat about finishing uploading the e-book version and hit some snags only to see Ellen come and take care of it with no problem.
As for me, if I was ever a secret agent, the only thing that would need to be done to get me to spill all the secrets would be to make me focus on task oriented details for a prolonged period of time like a few hours.
Ask me to meet people from other cultures with little information about them beforehand- no problem. Ask me to travel alone to other countries for a ministry trip-sign me up. Ask me to write drama scripts, in my blog, or books-yes definitely yes. But ask me to focus on detail oriented task type stuff and I am looking for the nearest exit out of fear my inadequacy will get in the way..
So major respect to those of you who are gifted in handling details. I would not survive without you. 🙂
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Shame/Condemnation
Reflecting on the stories of two women this morning, the Samaritan woman at the well, the woman who was caught in adultery. Their stories are different but they share something in common.
The Samaritan woman we read about in John chapter 4. She had five husbands and was living with a sixth man not her husband. The woman caught in adultery was dragged to Jesus as a test for Jesus to test his adherence to the Jewish law to which Jesus said, “he who is without sin may cast the first stone.”
So what do the two women have in common? Their names are never revealed. We have no idea of who they were. Yes the people around at the time knew their names. Jesus knows their names. But their names are never recorded.
Likewise people like the thief on the cross, who came to faith in Jesus while being crucified next to Jesus, his name is never revealed.
Instances like these in the bible underscore the truth of Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
It also underscores for me the truth of Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Jesus came to free us from the shame and condemnation from sin. He did not come to put us to shame. He came to free us from sin, shame, condemnation.
So if we are feeling shame or condemnation, it is not from Jesus. Conviction yes, shame and condemnation no. Conviction, feeling convicted, about our sin is not the same as shame and condemnation. Feeling convicted leads us to Jesus and positive change. Shame would have us trying to hide. Feeling shame or condemnation would have us feeling like giving up or like there is no hope. But with Jesus, there is always hope.
Just a few thoughts I have been reflecting on today.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Music Mondays- Believe by Iveth Luna
In this life we have times of waiting, of not seeing the future, not seeing the outcome. We can face obstacles, experience difficulties, and perhaps struggle with doubt.
Yet Jesus still has all power. Thar will never change. We walk by faith, but we do not walk alone. Jesus walks with us.
That is why we can face the difficulties and struggles knowing we are not alone.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Happy Mother’s Day
It is Mother’s Day here in the USA, so I would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to the moms who read and follow my blog. The mothers whose blogs I follow inspire me and I believe Proverbs 31:28 applies to you:
Her children arise and call her blessed
You bless your children with your love and guidance. You also bless us by taking time out of your busy lives to write your blogs 🙂
May your Mother’s Day be a blessing to you. Some of you are on my prayer list such as:
Hannah who is struggling with serious health issues.
Patty who is a mother of an adult son with special needs.
Dawn who is grieving the loss of her mom.
K L Hale who is battling cancer.
Abigail who is battling cancer.
Alicia who had a recent bout of cancer and who is working through some things that she has shared in her blog.
Panda Mom who is experiencing family love now that she is a mom and wife. She had not experienced it before as a child.
The list goes on and on Tangie, Georgetta, Deborah, Brenda, Beverley, Renee and many many more.
Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Hope For Us Even In Difficulties
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. During May there are also awareness days for chronic illnesses like Celiacs, Lupus, Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia and Asthma. Out of those five, I live with three-Celiacs, Fibromyalgia, and Asthma. I also live with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis. It is fitting to have awareness days for chronic illnesses during Mental Health Awareness Month because living with chronic illness can certainly affect mental health.
What keeps me going is summed up in one word, one name- Jesus.
I do have days that fatigue hits and hits hard. That is usually towards the end of the week on a Friday evening or a Saturday. There are some Saturdays that I spend most of the day lying down and watching movies and end up ordering delivery food because I don’t have the energy to cook.
I do have pain all of the time it is a matter of how much. I have lived with chronic pain for thirty years. Sometimes pain wakes me up at night and I do some stretching.
But with all of that, I still teach my classes, have my weekend ministry groups, spend time with refugees/immigrants, blog, and have divine appointments in the coffee shop all because of Jesus who gives me strength. Jesus gives me hope, eternal hope, knowing that this life is temporary and that eternity with him will be pain and fatigue free. 🙂
Doctors can help. Nurses are wonderful. But I do not derive hope from them. My hope comes from Jesus. I love what Romans 15:13 says:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Love that God is described as the God of hope. It is eternally solid hope that we have in God because that hope depends on God through Jesus. Nothing can take that hope away from us because Jesus has all power.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
One of my dogs, Tucker, has separation anxiety. He thinks he should always be with his Mom and Dad. When we leave him home, he might bark, whine, howl, sulk, or all of the above. He seems to have a fear that we are abandoning him. Perhaps he wonders if we will ever come back […]
Surrounded by God’s Love — Bridget A. Thomas
Almost Ready- Thanks to My Friend Ellen
This morning I came to my coffee shop to finish my book Jesus Understands Trauma for publishing. I arrived a few hours before my friend Ellen from my church office came to help me. While trying to do it, I got lost, couldn’t figure stuff out and thought it was not possible. Thoughts of giving up were in my mind.
Then Ellen came. 🙂
How quickly things turned around. She is a wiz with figuring out tech stuff. She is also the one who designed the cover for me, As she was working, I asked her questions like, “I can be clam now?” and “I can breathe now?”. Thanks to her skills with tech stuff, the e-book version is finished. She will finished the paperback version from home where she has faster internet.
It has been quite the journey writing the book and preparing for publishing. It has been trudging through two minor heart procedures, two bouts of bronchitis, a bout of pneumonia, a bout of pericarditis, and a bout of strep throat. The finish line is in sight now. Hopefully next week, I will be sharing the links for the book.
The rest of the afternoon will be relaxing at the coffee shop. I am so thankful that Jesus brings the right people at the right time to aid us on our journeys.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
An Encounter At The Coffee Shop-Book Update
Yesterday I was able to spend time at the coffee shop between my morning and afternoon classes. My intention was to catch up on blogging due to a busy schedule and getting behind on the blogs I follow. That was accomplished. A wonderful “chance encounter” happened for me too.
As I was sitting in a comfortable booth, a woman who works with a non-profit walked in. I had met her a few times before. The non-profit is I’ve Got A Name. Their work is to help young people and women who have been sex trafficked in my city and state to be free of that and start new lives.
One thing I plan to do is donate $1 from each book of Jesus Understands Trauma sold to a ministry/non-profit that serves people who have suffered trauma. I’ve Got A name is one that has been on my mind to do so with.
Yesterday I had an opportunity to talk with her, share my idea, and let her read part of my book. She liked my idea and we will communicate more after my book is published.
The encounter encouraged me to message with my friend who is Executive Director of Love Justice a Christian organization that intercepts victims of trafficking in various countries. He also likes my idea and I will get back with him once Jesus Understands Trauma is published.
I love how Jesus arranges the details like “chance encounters” to confirm an idea.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
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