Yesterday a man came to see me for the first time. He is someone I’ve known for 30+ years. He and his wife have been married over 40 years. He is seeking help because their relationship is like “roommates” as he described it. Their only togetherness is connected to their grandchildren. He wanted to know how to generate love and affection at this stage of life? He knew about love languages and he had been applying his love languages to her all their married years. She applies hers to him the same. But, their own love languages don’t speak to the other one. I asked him to bring this topic to his wife and just let her speak to it while he listens and not listen to defend, but listen to understand. Only seek clarity for what he hears.

So often in our later years of life we just settle in to the ruts of life together. This man and wife had done this, but it isn’t fulfilling emotionally and it was even affecting his spiritual life. The richness of relationships (marriage) can grow into a much deeper love and respect if we keep in mind our spouse rather than ourselves. This selfish nature of man spills into every aspect of our daily living. Staying awake to it does need reminders.

I appreciated his coming and seeking help. It reminded me that I can easily do the same for I am a “rut person” liking routine. Kathy is not and likes variety. I enjoy variety also once I get there but I need someone to remind me. Respecting differences rather than battling them is key. Satan loves to keep the battle alive while Jesus says to keep our eyes on Him and He will never lead us into battle for He has already won the battle!

Obeying the Holy Spirit within us is such an eye-opening experience. I’ve written about this, spent a year journaling to Him, talked about this topic many times over the years, but, this time the topic stays. I’ve never had a list before me of ways to stay focused as this new curriculum is providing. Worship is the first item on the list. I know that Worship is more than singing, but singing/a song is the best door to my own spirit and connecting it to The Holy Spirit.

Since making this commitment I endlessly have a song going through my mind. Even when I was mowing the lawn yesterday I couldn’t just have it going through my mind, I needed to sing it. I needed to thank Jesus as I was journaling this morning for this gift of song/music. The words of a worship song are integral to it. The music awakens my spirit and the words then make me so grateful for what Jesus has done and who He is. An example would be: “Jesus is the sweetest name I know and He’s just the same as His lovely name. And, that’s the reason why I love Him so for Jesus is the sweetest name I know.”

If I want to live fully for Jesus 24/7, worship will be my best way to focus and stay focused.

Yesterday, after church, I went to visit Lois, my prayer warrior. What a blessing it is to have someone who keeps you in their prayers and if you don’t keep updates coming, you get reminded. My heart is blessed each and every visit! My main reason for going yesterday was to give her updates on others she is praying for in our ministries. One of my big blessings is her telling me how God speaks to her. She says our hearts are joined together. I believe this and deeply appreciate it.

As this new week begins I don’t want to lose sight of last week’s commitment to stay on the path of righteousness with The Holy Spirit as my only lead. It is so easy to stray away only to find oneself wondering how I got here? The Holy Spirit lives within me 24/7 and I want to be awake to HIm the same. What a tremendous GIFT Jesus gave to each of us as we accepted Him into our lives!

Today is my oldest granddaughter’s birthday. She is a vibrant messenger for God’s love and mercy. She teaches in a neighboring school district and makes me so proud! Happy Birthday Faith!

Yesterday morning after finishing my message here I began to work more in the workbook focused on The Gift–The Holy Spirit. It is so powerfully written having the participant not only find the immense amount of scriptures regarding The Holy Spirit, but helping us see the value of Him in our lives when we do surrender fully to Him. All day long I was being reminded within myself of Him. This morning I continue with this same important sense. God’s Holy Spirit awaits our total obedience. Yes, we can live our earthly life having Jesus as our Savior, but, I just can’t live another day not surrendering to Jesus as Lord and desiring to obey His Gift to us–The Precious Holy Spirit. I know this is a daily surrender. I’ve lived too long not taking this daily step and falling prey to my own selfishness and Satan’s temptations.

God is so AMAZING. He sent His Son Jesus to model Himself in flesh form. And if that weren’t enough, when we accept Jesus as our Savior, He gives to us Himself to live within us–The Holy Spirit. All this God has done for each one of us! What LOVE!

If you have ever needed to grieve something that happened to you, you already know how that grief owns your every emotion. One moment you are crying, the next you are angry, the next you are laughing over something that is hardly funny and on and on. Our emotions are on edge–all of them and one just can’t seem to control any of them–they just show up and one might wonder where in the world did that come from?

When I went through my years of PTSD therapy I needed to allow myself to grieve what I would never let myself admit–how much the hurt had damaged me. I had always said that I was stronger than all of that abuse. Only when I did admit that the damage was real and that I was not stronger than it did the healing begin–little by little. As I work with those coming for help through counseling, I find this pattern over and over in the lives of those coming.

This morning I just can’t get this grief off of my mind and just how important it is to help others find the healing and learning God has in store for us through the process of “grief to freedom”. So many times we get to the level of facing it and becoming angry it happened and then we bury it all over again not wanting to admit just how much it controls us. Oh, how well I know this cycle! It can’t be rushed, it just has to be found no matter how long it takes. I was 59 before this started for me. By that time my counselor told me “I was ripe for the harvest”. All the previous help I’d had only woke me up to the depth of the hurt. I still wanted to not believe the depth of ownership it had over me so I’d temporarily bury it again.

The amazing thing today is how God has taken all of those abuse memories and made them tools for His use. I can talk about them–yes, I remember the pain, but it doesn’t own me any longer. This is the miraculous healing God offers each and every one of us. And then, only then, can we let our mess become God’s message as is taught in Celebrate Recovery.

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH, Nehemiah 8:10. Finding the strength of God in the midst of one’s struggle/battle is not necessarily an easy thing. But, the promise of God that this quote from Nehemiah states is not just a statement–It is GOD’S LIVNG WORD.

Of late I’ve been working with several individuals in counseling sessions and Celebrate Recovery to see/find this Strength for themselves. In some cases, the individual needs to stand up to someone who is trying to control their every step; in other cases they need to find the strength–power to step away from an addiction that has owned them and the list goes on.

As I’ve personalized this for my own self I find the truth in the Gift Jesus gave us when we invited Him into our life. This Gift is The Holy Spirit. He alone is God for God is Spirit. The Spirit’s Voice speaks to us in times of trial, temptation reminding us He is there. So often I hear the message, but I want to do what I’m facing my way thinking it will be just fine. Only afterwards do I recognize fully how I should have listened and obeyed at the time the message was given.

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength when I choose to obey Him/His message/s. Joy is always found in obedience to God, not obedience to our own will–our spirit of flesh. God’s Holy Spirit wants to be the Voice of our Spirit which will happen if we daily surrender our will/spirit to Him. Oh, what JOY awaits this surrender!

Little did I know how much counseling others would be good for me. It brings such joy to see someone walk away with hope, clarity, assurance when it wasn’t there before. Along with joy, God is giving me insights I’ve not had. One gentleman who wanted to grow his walk with God is going through the Blackaby material called, “What’s so Spiritual About Your Gifts?” I have never been any more challenged than I am going through this and being enlightened about God’s Holy Spirit–Christ’s Gift to each one of us who have asked Him into our hearts. The intimacy of God is found in The Holy Spirit and I so appreciate this.

The additional blessing to all of this is the opportunity to talk through one’s growth, one’s mysteries and confusion. Yesterday, the man I’m going through this with, said, “The Holy Spirit has always been a mystery to me and I best respond to something understandable. This material is taking the mystery out of The Holy Spirit and making Him tangible and I do love it.” I join this statement heartily! Having a trusting relationship with The Holy Spirit is having a trusting relationship with the very God Who created you and me.

Yesterday morning I had a call from someone I hadn’t talked to in 35 years. She was married to a roommate I had for 2 years while I was in college. Their marriage ended after 20 years and she moved away. She is now a widow having lost her 2nd husband. She wanted to reach out to old friendships from earlier years when life seemed more simple. I doubt that our paths will ever cross in person, but the conversation did bring closure to several things for her and for me too. Before we ended the call I asked if there were any unresolved items she had hoped would be disclosed from the call? She said she was simply glad we were able to connect.

As I was journaling this morning and asking Jesus what He wanted me to know from Him for today, He said, “I have brought you through your tough times in life and I am simply doing this for another. You don’t need to wonder if there is more to do for I am the one who will do ‘the more’.”

I find it so amazing how God works. I truly want to be a good and faithful servant to Him and I’m forever thinking there is more I’m to do. Yet, this morning I’m reminded that if there is more, He will nudge me. I don’t need to wonder if the assignment is complete.

I was with a friend last night who lost his wife last winter to cancer. Four of us went to dinner together and then to see the Reagan movie (which is very good, by the way). We were very close friends with him and his wife. It is painful to watch him hurt and grieve through this time. This morning I just can’t get this off of my mind and the Holy Spirit has brought so many others to my mind who have lost their loved one/s over the years. In praying for them it brings to mind that this will someday be a role I will likely need to play. I’m not being fatalistic, it is just a reality of living life. Having lost my own parents, Kathy’s parents and several siblings plus friends, I know loss and the hurt of it, yet I can see them very clearly in my mind rejoicing in heaven. It makes me so happy for them,

It is so important that each one of us takes seriously the nudges we get from God’s Holy Spirit as we are prompted. For me, my family members are at the top of my list. I can’t fathom spending eternity with one of them not with us. The beauty of God’s prompting is that if we are being prompted, God’s Holy Spirit is also working on the one we’re prompted to talk to.

I know this message is a little different from most I post, but it is definitely on my heart this morning.