"Go!"

For other inspiring and encouraging posts, please visit Spiritual Sundays if you haven't heard about this special place hosted by sisters Charlotte and Ginger. Thanks to both of you.


As I’m typing this, I am closely listening to incoming phone calls from my work.

I woke up with 2 messages flashing in our answering machine. They were from the day charge nurse at our main facility [where I usually work]. She was wondering if I could float to another facility, because I could get to go home at 6:30 in the morning, instead of the usual 8:00 a.m. Sounded so good! But the catch? I needed to be there at 6:30 p.m. tonight which I couldn’t work to avoid hurting my neck [a result of the neck injury I sustained in 1997]. I was the only one working 8 hours among the rest of the staff.

Another down side…I haven’t been there in a long time. I might remember a few things. But it wouldn’t be comfortable.

I called my work. She was disappointed I couldn’t go early. But she advised me to wait for her calls. In case, she still needed to send me to cover that facility for the night.

“That’s fine. Thanks,” as I hang up and a little uneasiness started within me. Not of fear. More of uncertainties of what to do in case something comes up kind of thing. And I know more likely, I would be floating, as no one else would want to.

“18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ~ Matthew 28:18-20 [ESV]. [emphasis was mine].

Isn’t that His command? To “GO”…But some choose to stay within the church and be confined only in that place. No one wants to get out of their “comfort zone” and be willing to reflect His light in the darkness. To share the Good News to those who haven’t heard about it.

Lord, I’m feeling anxious to go to my work tonight. But by Your grace, Your protection and guidance, I will go! Just like the way You want me to share You with those who hasn’t known or acknowledged You. Forgive me for those times that I want to just stay in my “comfort zone” and not be wiling to suffer for Your glory.

Update: Yes, I got that call that I'm floating tonight. Please pray for me, precious friends and Intercessors. Thanks to all of you and God bless.

Brokenness

He came, with the unit’s deputy walking behind him. He was holding a book with his left hand as he carefully placed a painful right hand, resting on top of the book.

“What happened?” I queried.

“I was practicing my karate chops this morning, Ma’am, when I woke up. I swung pretty hard and accidentally hit the metal frame of the bunk bed. I hit it so hard that my right hand feels so much pain. I’m scared to move it so I have this book to make it just rest on top,” he softly answered.

“I can see that, the moment you walked in. But…I don’t see any deformity nor swelling. There is also no bruising. So, I hope that it’s good,” I answered as I carefully palpated the radial pulse to make sure there was a good circulation flowing to the right hand. There was.

“Sir, since there’s no doctor at this time, I’m going to wrap your hand with a special dressing to support it and make it not move as much. It may hurt you as I do so. But when I get done, you will feel relief,” I reassured.

“Do what you have to do, Ma’am. I think it’s broken,” he said.

“I don’t think it is. I can’t tell you the symptoms when there is a fracture. But to be on the safe side, I will still put you for the doctor and it will be up to him to order an x-ray,” I uttered. [I don’t disclose symptoms to inmates because sometimes, they tend to come back and fake the severity of their illnesses or injuries and they start saying the symptoms if they are told].

After using an Ace-wrap bandage and giving him something for pain, he slowly got up…

“Thank you, Ma’am. Ahhh. You’re right, it does feel better. But I'm still gonna' use this book,” he replied as he smiled.

“Hope you feel better…I know you need the doctor if it is broken,” I responded.

We all practice our “karate chops”, too [self-reliance] but when we break our will as we face many trials, that’s when we realize we need the “Doctor” and we become totally dependent of Him. It seems like when God has a greater plan for a person, the greater the brokenness that occurs. The apostle Paul both endured great power along with great brokenness. But he never said that his “brokenness” was a punishment nor a failure. He asserted that his sufferings were a result of his service to Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:5 ~ “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” [ESV]

Blessings go with brokenness? That’s hard to take! How can we feel blessed while being broken at the same time? But all the pain, all the hurt brought about by a loss of loved ones, of divorce, of being trapped in substance abuse, of being financially broken, bring about that potential to discover the richness in living that otherwise, we would never know. It is through brokenness that we experience God’s greatest blessings…

It is only through brokenness that God’s power works in us. Our self-reliance is replaced with His desires and good intentions for us.

In the end, we discover spiritual maturity, a deeper relationship with God, His divine wisdom, more power to minister to others, strength, peace, etc…etc…

Lord, I’m broken!!! Ahhh…But You’re right. I feel better…Because of my brokenness, Your healing and restoration come forth…

Let us stop fixing our "brokenness" in our own terms. Let's bring it to Christ...

The Best Gift

¹If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 [NIV]

Give the Best Gift you can give to yourself and others...Jesus. He is love. For God is love.

His love and grace can break any barrier. Can bring light to the darkest places. Can wipe sorrows with joys. Can change ashes to beauty. Can bring life to what is dead.

This is the only change we all can believe in...Nothing else...

Praying that you all will have the most meaningful celebration of Love this year. May God bless and protect us all.

Urgent Prayer Request

This was posted at sister Denise's blogs: [Her husband needs our prayers]...Please pray for sister Denise, too.

Free To Be Me

Shorty Bear's Place

Prayers Go Up, Blessings Come Down

Eddie has had a stroke and is in hospital under observation. They were unable to get the stroke medication in time. So far they have done a CAT scan and a MRI and other test are being awaiting . His leg is effected. He is able to speak. This is written at 9:30 p.m. TN timeHe is in Memorial Hospital Chattanooga TN. She is alone so if any friends are able please cons ider coming to her side. He is being moved to room momentarily.