Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

Fire Alarms and the Tremendous Danger of Deadened Senses

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1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Avoid every kind of evil.”

Dear Kids:

Our minds and bodies can adapt to a lot. This can be a very good thing since we can’t always choose our surroundings. But it can also create the tremendous danger of deadened senses.

Deadened Senses Bring Trouble

Every day you will come across situations where you will need to make a decision. The world is full of vices that are not healthy – what God calls sin. It may be tempting to dabble in these as you face them on a daily basis. Your mind will give you the age old excuse: “I need to know about this so I can make informed decisions.” At first, these vices may be shocking and you will feel great horror at the wickedness that you see and hear around you. But over time you will develop deadened senses and that is when your trouble begins.

The other day our company was having our fire alarm system tested. I was quietly sitting at my desk while the repair man ran his diagnostic tests in the other room. Suddenly, without any warning, a screeching sound pierced the air penetrating my ears and caused me to jump out of my seat. I grimaced and clasped my head tightly as I was sure one of my eardrums had been broken. For what seemed like quite a few minutes the blinding lights and shrieking siren continued. But a strange thing happened! After I got over my initial shock of this huge disruption, my body adjusted to the lights and sound. All of sudden the harshness wasn’t as painful as the first blast had been. Soon the noise stopped, but if it had continued for too long my ears could have been damaged.

This is the way it is with things of the world. The first time you watch a movie with foul language your whole body may grimace. But soon the obscenities will not sound so bad. Over time you may even slip and repeat one of these vulgarities in a tense situation.

The same thing will happen with immorality. The graphic love scenes so prevalent in our entertainment today will cause discomfort and embarrassment at first, but soon, with repeated viewings, these scenes will become normal and natural. The usual awkwardness will recede and soon even your ability to stand firm in personal tempting circumstances will dissipate.

Avoid Every Kind of Evil

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree they thought they would gain great knowledge – and they did. The problem was that they did not have the moral ability to use the information wisely. Today we also struggle with this. The things we come in contact with can affect us greatly. The Bible tells us to avoid every kind of evil. While we cannot fully extract ourselves from the things of this world, we must be careful to guard our hearts and minds carefully. If we allow them too much exposure to harmful vices they can adapt to the stimuli around them, develop deadened senses, and cause great harm.

So next time you hear the alarm go off because you find yourself in a situation that is not pleasing to God, find a way to make your exit as quickly as possible. Because if you don’t your heart and mind will adjust. And before you know it your senses will be deadened, your decision making skills will suffer and you will find yourself in a very dangerous and harmful situation.

Love,

Mama

A Prophet’s Warning to Consider Your Ways

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 Haggai 1:7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Consider your ways!’” 

Dear Kids:

There are certain things a person can never quite get rid of. These particular habits are often the byproduct of our childhood and become ingrained in our minds. These peculiarities sometimes come out at the craziest of times if we are not paying attention.

An Unexpected Regression to Childhood

The other day Abigail and I were having a conversation when suddenly Abigail burst into peals of laughter. We had been reminiscing over a particular TV show we had recently watched together and I had repeated a monologue given by one of the main characters. The words spilled effortlessly from my lips with a spot-on New York/New Jersey accent causing the unexpected eruption of laughter. I am not usually a very good mimic, but these words flowed effortlessly because they were spoken with the accent of my childhood.

Over the years my speech has changed and conformed more to the Ohio dialect where I have lived for 25 years. But every once in a while, when I am not expecting it, dog becomes dawg and water becomes wauter.

This particular phenomenon of regression can easily happen to Christians, too. When we accept Christ we become God’s child and everything changes for us. We become new creatures with a new way of thinking, living, and talking. Our sins have been forgiven and buried in the deepest sea. Our lives reflect our new family and our new heavenly home.

But while we are still here on earth the old mindsets and patterns of living can easily resurface when we are not careful. We can get so caught up in our every day affairs that we forget to make our heavenly Father the center of our lives. Soon we have slipped back into using our old “accent” from our previous life. This is the reason it is so important to “consider your ways.”

Haggai, the Prophet Encourages Israel

Haggai, an Old Testament prophet, had to remind the children of Israel of this very thing. They had returned from exile to their home in Jerusalem and had started rebuilding the temple, the building that represented God’s presence in their community. Discouragement caused them to set the building project aside and focus on their own homes and businesses. Soon they forgot to Whom they belonged. God was displaced as the center of their lives and this left them open to sin.

Fortunately, the Israelites heeded Haggai’s message and did consider their ways. They gave God the reverence He was due by obeying and started working again on the temple project. In short order they finished the job and restored appropriate worship. God was pleased, promised to be with them, and restored many blessings they had missed out on by displacing Him.

Old Habits Die Hard – Consider Your Ways

Old habits die hard! While Abigail and I got a good laugh out of my childhood accent creeping back so easily into my speech, it is no laughing matter when the sinful patterns of our life before knowing Christ make an appearance and threaten to rule our lives.  That’s why every day we must carefully “consider our ways” to make sure old habits and peculiarities don’t resurface. Consider your ways. As God’s children we have been given a new life and a new home. Let’s work hard not to let the world’s “accent” creep back in.

Love,

Mama

Spiritual Blessings for You (Not Just Your Neighbor)

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Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ . . . .”

Dear Kids:

Have you ever received a gift and  found out later it wasn’t for you? I have.

Spiritual Blessings

The FedEx truck that mistakenly brought me flowers!

I saw the FedEx truck turn into our lane soon after coming home for lunch. “Who ordered something this time?” I wondered.,

It isn’t strange for delivery trucks to show up unexpectedly to our door. I don’t always know when you kids have ordered a schoolbook or other item from an online store,and regularly I find a package lying on the porch. This time, to my surprise, the delivery man handed me a long rectangular package and, with a pleasant smile, announced that someone had sent flowers.

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash

My heart leapt and swelled as I realized that Dad, my wonderful husband, must have ordered me a bouquet. I read my name, “Sandra,” prominently displayed on the accompanying card. Imagine my disappointment, though, when I read our neighbor’s (who is also named Sandra) last name. I sheepishly revealed the error to the FedEx driver, who I believe felt even worse than I did. He reclaimed the box and apologized profusely before turning his white van around and heading back down the lane in a cloud of dust.

Spiritual Blessings for All God’s Children

God has a whole storehouse of spiritual blessings that He freely gives. He presents anyone and everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior with these gifts.  Some may be tempted to think that God’s greatest blessings are only available for vocational ministers, full-time missionaries, or some other super-spiritual type of saint. “Those blessings are not for me. They are for my neighbor who has more rights to them than I do,” a misinformed believer may suggest. But this could not be farther from the truth.

All believers in Christ have full access to every spiritual gift that God has to offer. We can reach out and claim them.

So what are some of the spiritual blessings available to all believers?

  1. We are children of God with all the rights and privileges of children.
  2. Our Father planned for our salvation before the creation of the world.
  3. He makes us holy and blameless in His sight.
  4. He forgives all our sins and grants us freedom from guilt through Christ’s blood.
  5. He has given us the Word of Truth to explain the great mystery of His will.
  6. He has given us the eternal inheritance of heaven forever.
  7. He has marked us as His with the seal of the Holy Spirit.

Our Father, the Giver of All Good Gifts

These and many other blessings are ours to enjoy forever because we belong to our Father in Heaven, the great Giver of gifts. There may come a day when the FedEx truck will mistakenly deliver a package to your home. It happened to me! But  you  never need to fear that God’s gifts are meant for someone else. God planned every spiritual blessing in Christ with you in mind, dear child of God. So open the package and enjoy. These gifts and many more are all for you!

Love,

Mama

When Good Things Get Messed Up – Dealing with the Consequences of Sin

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Ezra 9:6 “O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our head and our guilt has reached to the heavens.” (From the prayer of Ezra)

Dealing with sin's consequencesSometimes good things get messed up! Recently, I took a walk in our local park. I had been sitting at my desk for a number of hours, and my tight muscles suggested I take some time to stretch. As I strolled along the winding path by the creek I quickly realized I needed to pay careful attention to my steps. Ahead of me were at least thirty-five geese lazing in the grass, and strewn around was evidence that they had made this place their home. The grass and path were covered with hardened and fresh droppings making hardly any room for walking. This beautiful setting was certainly messed up!

Ezra Finds Out Good Things Have Gotten Messed Up

Ezra, God’s chosen leader, had led a group of Israelites home to Jerusalem. Their disobedience to God’s law had resulted in their removal from their homes and the exile in Babylon. There was much excitement and joy as the displaced people finally made their way back into the land that God had promised their ancestors. The temple had been rebuilt and dedicated. Many sacrifices had been made and Passover had been celebrated. But Ezra hadn’t been home very long before it came out that some of the good things had gotten messed up.

The resident leaders approached Ezra and gave the bad news that the people, including some of the priests and Levites, had not kept themselves separate from their idol-worshipping neighbors. In fact, a number of them had intermarried and started families despite God’s clear command to remain detached. These foreign marriages had caused many to walk a path polluted by the corruption of detestable practices.

Ezra was devastated by this news. Tearing his clothes and pulling hair from his head and beard, he bowed down before the Lord in grief. God in His mercy had given the people of Israel a second chance after their great unfaithfulness by restoring them to their promised land. But now they were again headed down the same path of disobedience.

Dealing With the Consequences of Sin

The people gathered around their weeping leader and were soon convicted of their great sin. Deciding to make things right, they agreed to put away the foreign wives who did not follow their God. Despite the great agony of broken relationships, these men made amends and committed to doing the right thing before God.

Today God’s people can also find themselves in the midst of a lot of muck. Good things get messed up when we or others around us choose to disobey God’s commands. Often the consequences of sin are very difficult. But there is a way through the mess we have made.

God is always ready to hear the confession of a grieved heart, and a change of action is what proves a change of heart.Humbly ask for forgiveness, change your actions, and despite the difficulty it might entail God promises to respond. When good things get messed up He will still hear.  He will always forgive. And He can redeem those who call and turn from their wicked ways.

Love,

Mama

The Foolishness of Answering Your Own Prayers

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Ezra 8:22 “For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”

Dear Kids:

Do you ever try to answer your own prayers?

I hate to admit that sometimes I do. I will have a heavy burden on my heart and will set aside a time to talk to God about it. The tears flow as I express my utter helplessness in a difficult situation. I thank God for His faithfulness and communicate how I am trusting Him to come through. I rise from my knees feeling like a heavy burden has been lifted. And then . . . I begin . . . to try and answer my own prayers.

I am naturally a problem solver. My brain is constantly thinking about how to be more efficient or how to fix things that are wrong. So immediately after praying I often rehash my difficult circumstances over and over trying to find a solution to the equation. Not only does this bring my anxiety level up again, but it is dishonoring to the Lord.

Ezra Trusts God to Answer his Prayers

Ezra understood this natural tendency to want to answer his own prayers. This scribe and priest was leading a large group of Israelites on a journey back to their national city of Jerusalem. They had been living in a foreign country for many years, and God had opened an opportunity for them to go home. All the pieces had been falling in place. But as they prepared for the 900-mile trip, Ezra starting thinking about all it would entail. There were whole families making the journey and lots of possessions that needed to be transported. With women and children on board they were likely to be sitting ducks for all sorts of thieves and enemies. How would he keep everyone safe and healthy?

There was the possibility of asking the king of Persia for protection. After all, Artaxerxes had offered to supply anything necessary for the trip. But this solution didn’t sit right with Ezra. He had confidently said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.” By asking Artaxerxes to send soldiers to protect the travelers, Ezra would be answering his own prayer for protection instead of letting God provide the better answer.

God’s Faithfulness in Answering Prayers

So, instead, this wise leader of Israel proclaimed a fast so that the travelers could humble themselves before God. They asked Him to provide protection for the families, the children, and the possessions. And guess what –  God came through.

Ezra divided up the valuable furnishings for the temple among the returning priests and charged them with guarding the items carefully. Then they set out along the road. God’s hand of protection was upon them leading and guarding them from all the dangers lurking in the shadows. Many days later the entire caravan arrived safely in Jerusalem. Sacrifices of thanksgiving burned on the altar as the people blessed the Lord for His provision. The nation learned a lesson in faith, and the Lord was honored.

What about us? We are foolish when we make requests of our heavenly Father and then try to answer our own prayers. I know because my solutions never produce the fixes I hope for. The anguish of uncertainty leaves me drained. The outcomes are never very good. And my testimony of faith in God’s power and goodness is blemished.

The alternative is clearly to respond the way Ezra did. Humble ourselves, ask for God’s help and then trust Him do the hard part!

Love,

Mama

RADICAL Measures for Dealing With Sin

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Dear Kids:

Whenever you get one thing under control it seems that a number of other things pop up to take its place. This happens in all areas of life especially in dealing with sin.

Apache alert and ready to chase bunnies on the bike path.

Do you remember the summer nights when we would sleep with the windows open and hear coyotes down at the creek? The lonesome howling would send shivers up my spine. We were so careful to shut the chickens up safely in their pen, as well as all the other livestock that needed to be protected. Well, I haven’t heard the shrill barking recently. It seems hunters have taken care of this problem. But now we have other issues!!

The Disappearance of Coyotes Created Other Problems

With the disappearance of the coyotes, our newest problem has become bunnies. I know that bunnies are cute and harmless, but they replicate quickly, and a whole swarm of them have taken over the fields around our house. Every day I count numerous babies crossing the road and darting into the corn.  And those are only the ones I see.

My morning walks have become a regular tug of war with Apache as she becomes alert to every movement in the brush beside the bike path. The tug of the chase is in her blood, and it has taken all my strength to keep her under control sometimes. Needless to say, my walks are not very relaxing. Of course, the muscles in my left arm has gotten much stronger!

It got me to thinking how we often pay attention to “big sins” in our life. We know we shouldn’t murder, commit adultery, or steal, and often we feel we have gotten those “coyote sins” under control. But unbeknownst to us, our “small sins” start reproducing and take over our life. These are things like greed, jealousy, unjust criticism, bad attitudes, self-centeredness, gossip, gluttony . . . the list could go on and on. Somehow these sins are comfortable, soft and cute, like the little bunnies. They become familiar, and we don’t see them as a problem.

But they are!!

Sin is sin!

It needs to be dealt with . . . and often with RADICAL measures.

RADICAL Measures for Dealing with Sin

Reading God’s Word – God convicts us through the Bible.  “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Alertness – Our adversary, the devil, longs to trip us up. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”  (1 Peter 5:8)

Determination – We must determine to obey  fully all that God says. “Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law and keep it with all my heart.”  (Psalm 119:34)

Inclining Your Ear – Listen for God’s voice. “Now, therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Joshua 24:23)

Confession – “He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” (Proverbs 28:13)

Accountability – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16)

Longevity– The plan needs to be for life. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end.” (Proverbs 119:33)

Walking with Apache down a road hopping with little bunnies is not always enjoyable. Experience has taught me I need to stay alert if I don’t want to be yanked off my feet.

Likewise, sin of all types can take you unawares. Make sure you don’t get lax thinking you have life under control just because you don’t hear any howling coyotes. Instead, put these RADICAL measures in place, and nothing, not even seemingly harmless sin, will jerk you off the path God has for you.

Love,

Mama

Johnny Cash – Do You Walk the Line?

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Joshua 1:7 “Only be strong and courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.”

Dear Kids,

In 1956 Johnny Cash wrote and recorded the song I Walk the Line. The famous lyrics express the determination of a previous womanizer, to remain faithful to his true love.

As I drove home from town the other day, another man, standing in the middle of a busy road, was being directed by a police officer to walk a different imaginary line. In both cases, walking a straight path without any deviations was the goal.

Walking the line is the best path for all of us. It can eliminate fear and it can bring great joy and peace.

After Moses, the great leader of Israel, died God called Joshua to take his place. This task of guiding such a young, large, and inexperienced nation was daunting. The journey ahead would not be easy. But God spoke to Joshua and told him to be strong and courageous. God would be with Him wherever He would go and would fight for Israel as long as Joshua would walk the line.

God encouraged Joshua, “…be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left . . .” Obedience and strict adherence to the instructions God gave through Moses would be Joshua’s ticket for success in everything he did.

Successful Followers of Jesus Walk the Line

If we are to be successful followers of Jesus we must also walk the line. This is not about following a prescribed list of rules that will hopefully please God. It is about allowing God to mold our lives to be more like Christ. He teaches us His ways as we prayerfully study His word and choose to follow what He commands. As we determine to follow without turning to the left or the right, we begin to understand God’s ways more clearly and develop a deep, trusting love that desires His presence. Fear of punishment dissipates and only peace and joy remain.

This is the best way to live. God’s children, like Joshua, can be strong and courageous in an uncertain world by living according to God’s ways. The enemy will constantly try to throw us off course. But by carefully doing the things God commands, we will learn to trust His wisdom and grow to love Him. Then we can enthusiastically sing our own version of Cash’s lyrics, “Lord, because you’re mine, I walk the line!”

Love,

Mama

The Power of Encouragement on the Down Days

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1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

Dear Kids:

Everyone has down days. You know, the kind of day when nothing goes right. First thing in the morning you stub your toe on the shoes you kicked off by the side of the bed the night before. Then you find out the milk is sour after you already poured it on your cereal. As you run out the door to rush to an important meeting you remember your car is low on gas. These and many other more distressing occurrences can sometimes cause feelings of defeat or failure that follow us through the day. But isn’t it interesting that these “down days” are often softened by a single word of encouragement.

I have a confession to make. I have on my work answering machine a message I received over a year ago. It is from someone I don’t even know. When I am having a “down day” I skip back through the work messages so that I can again hear the perky voice of a stranger who took the time to leave me a word of encouragement. She liked me. She liked my writing. And she took the time to tell me! Sometimes her brief message is what keeps me going on a “down day!”

Aren’t we all like that sometimes? Life gets messy with big or small discouragements, and sometimes we may consider giving it all up and moving to anywhere else to start over again. But then someone will smile, click on your instagram post, or speak a word of encouragement. Suddenly we feel that we can go on. Somebody likes me! Somebody cares!

How much more important encouragement is with spiritual things! We live in a world that, for the most part, doesn’t care about things of God. Truth has become an individual decision with no standard for right and wrong. “Do what feels good to you as long as it doesn’t impede on what feels good to someone else,” worldly wisdom cries. Those who seek to follow God’s ways are often considered judgmental and politically incorrect. Holding firmly to the truth portends some “down days” where our integrity will be on the line.

God knows this and through Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians commands us to encourage one another. “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

In the uncertain days ahead we will need a word of encouragement more and more. So why not start now? Write a card. Send an email. Stop by to see someone. Or leave a message on an answering machine! Whether it is just a “down day” or a real spiritual crisis, your word of encouragement may be just what is needed to help a brother or sister go another day.

Love,
Mama

The Makings of a Good Leader

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Ezra 7:9b-10 “. . . the good hand of his God was upon him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” 

Dear Kids:

Leadership is a highly sought after position. We dream about it, spend hours preparing for it, and train our children to achieve it. Often we ruthlessly push our way forward, trampling anyone who gets in our way. Recently Abigail observed that many who call themselves leaders are really just bossy individuals who like to be up front and in charge. So what really makes a good leader anyway?

Powerful Traits of a Good Leader

A Forbes.com article suggests a number of powerful traits of successful leaders. These include such things as: self-management, strategic thinking, effective communication, goal setting, and flexibility, to name a few. All of these are crucial to successful leadership. But when it comes to Christian leadership there are a other necessary traits to become the type of leader God desires.

Ezra, a good example of a strong and godly leader, exhibited many of the Forbes.com traits, but he also had something else going for him. This priest and scribe returned to Jerusalem from Babylon where he led the people of Israel in a much-needed religious reform. He was very successful not only because he was good at self-management, communication, and many other leadership skills, but mostly because God was with him.

Scattered throughout his book Ezra gives credence to the fact that “the hand of God was upon me.” This benefit caused Artaxerxes, the king of Babylon, to grant all Ezra’s requests. God’s hand gave protection over 900 miles of travel. It strengthened him when times got hard. It provided a strong support staff for all that needed to be done. It provided protection and deliverance from enemies and ambushes his group faced along the way.

God’s hand upon Ezra’s life was not something that just happened haphazardly; God chose this man to be a leader, but Ezra determined to do things God’s way. He didn’t force his way into the presence of King Artaxerxes and demand that he be put in charge. He didn’t summon up all the force of his personality and trample on others to get his way. Instead he devoted himself to three things.

Preparation to be a Spiritual Leader

First, Ezra prepared himself by carefully studying the law of the Lord. In order to be a good spiritual leader he needed to be well versed in what God commanded.  Secondly, he humbled himself in order to personally obey all God expected. Only then did this leader attempt to teach others what God’s call for them was. This humble servant-like attitude is the reason that God’s hand was upon him. And these were the reasons for his successful leadership.

In today’s world everyone is striving to be a leader. Even within a church setting our goals are often to be up front teaching, leading worship, and making decisions. These are not bad desires but our way of realizing them is crucial. Successful leadership is not solely dependent on our personality, giftings, or ability to get things done. True successful leadership can only be realized when God’s hand is upon us. Like Ezra, we must set our hearts to study God’s Word, determine to live it, and then out of the overflow we will be able to humbly and successfully lead others.

Love,

Mama

Help For Times of Loneliness

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Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Dear Kids,

Loneliness.

Even the sound of this word creates an unmistakable twinge in the pit of my stomach. It is a feeling I have felt many times over the years and one that we all have to deal with from time to time. As a child the feeling would sometimes come over me when I visited the ocean or a large lake. Looking out over the wide expanse my eye would catch a colorful buoy bobbing up and down in the water. Though I knew it was an inanimate object, something about it looked so small and lonesome bouncing around in an unforgiving sea.

Loneliness does not occur only when you are completely alone. It can happen even when surrounded by crowds of people. It can rear its ugly head in the midst of a marriage, a family, or a church. The need to be noticed, accepted, and loved is built into each human. Without these things we become like a buoy bobbing around in the world, doing our job but feeling very isolated.

Lonely times are not always bad

Often isolation causes the sufferer to reach out beyond their comfort zone to God and others. People may not always respond to our cries for help, but God longs to fill the void with a meaningful relationship that we were born wanting and needing.

My seventh grade year started a chain of lonely experiences. I had recently switched schools and I was forced to try to find connections in places where I was a newcomer. This was not easy for an introvert, and often I felt very alone. But it was during those times that I began to develop a deep friendship with my heavenly Father. Regularly, in the midst of my discomfort and loneliness, I found myself having conversations with the One who heard my every word and saw me in the midst of the unfamiliar crowd. The Lord became my greatest confidant, comforter, and encourager as I bobbed my way along in each new ocean I entered.

Each of you will also live through times of loneliness. You may be physically alone or, though surrounded by lot of people, feel that you don’t belong or are misunderstood. Take heart, you have a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He promises to always be with you. He hears your cries. He understands your heart. And He knows your need for companionship because He made you with that desire.

You are never truly alone

Use times of solitude to reach out to Him and you will find He is very near. He will strengthen you. He will help you. He will uphold you with His mighty right hand. And in time, as you push past your comfort zone and extend yourself to others He will enrich you with other meaningful relationships that will satisfy and bless you. Life’s ocean may always be vast and foreboding, but unlike a lonesome buoy, with God as your Father you are never truly alone.

Love,

Mama