The Gift of Rainy Days

Winter said its “goodbyes” but what lasting impression it left to the drought-stricken land! It brought many days of much needed rain, even exceeding the amount needed to recover from drought. 

I have never seen our trees yield so many flowers and what a beautiful sight to gaze at! I am anticipating a greater harvest of plums and nectarines this year!

Along with this awesome result comes the down side. With many different flowers popping up on roadways, hills, valleys and mountaintops, surely people with allergy are prone to being affected by these pollens and other kinds of allergens in the air. I am one of those people and already armed myself with nasal sprays and a tablet I can take each day if I need to counter such effects.  I dread it sometimes because I don’t like the sinus pain that may come with other symptoms. Like itchy eyes or runny nose or just feeling tired sometimes. 

But I choose to concentrate on the positive side which is to take each day at a time and enjoy the gift of rainy days winter dropped in the season of my life.

nectarine tree; ©offthebeatentrek2019

 

plum tree; ©offthebeatentrek2019 

I pray Paul’s prayer for me and for you:

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” – Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT)

The Lion and the Lamb

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." - Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

 

I looked at the art hanging on the wall up on the loft again. The verse spoke out loud despite the silence all around me. This particular art with God's Armor reminds me each day that as my eyes open each morning, the battle is real. Each day. From sunrise 'til sunset. I chose this particular art after going through a spiritual battle back in 2003 when I was a baby Christian. God showed me that the unseen battle was real but through that, He would help me and guide me and that, He would never leave me alone like He promised to those who trusted and believed in Him. After a lot of weird "goose-bumps" producing occurrences, He showed me the sWord. His sWORD. I would never forget the first verse as I opened the Bible and asked Him what should I do at that moment when the spiritual enemy was throwing fear and confusion, not only to me, but to my family. It was:

"Stay strong with the Lord's mighty power..." (Ephesians 6:10)

 

I was a witness with my physical eyes how the unseen enemy fled like a rocket at the utterance of the Lord Jesus' Name. I knew, it wasn't my power. It was His. But I couldn't imagine what happened in the spiritual realm. My fear though was replaced with awe and courage from God's grace.

As I went back to work after that short leave to the prison, the more I had witnessed that the Lord strengthened me through that brief battle as more unseen battles came in the prison, working as a Correctional Nurse at that time.

Sometimes, there are many moments we are involved in that don't make sense. But if we put all events under His light, that's the only time we will recognize that the Lord uses each event for our advantage, even some may not seem pleasant and some that we don't like at all to occur or be in. No matter what circumstances we are in, I just know that God gives His Armor for His church not to be put down. As a Christian, I must be on guard in all of my ways, never letting any opportunity for the spiritual enemy to gain anything in my life. It isn't easy.

So much evil around us. So much lies and spiritual deceptions. I pray that believers will wake up and draw nearer to God. To have His gift of discernment.

God has given us the power and all the weapons to deflect anything hurled unto us by the one who roars like a lion. However, I know that the victory already belongs to the true Lion and the Lamb!

Difficult People

 

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23)

This man who asked my friend why I was visiting at the hospital when I wasn’t a family member came rushing past towards me and my car I had just backed in, into my friend’s driveway so we could unload the stuff I had shopped for her. I always offered before visiting so to lighten her load on her, caring alone for her aged mother and knowing how difficult it was for her to go get supplies they needed as she couldn’t leave her mother alone. From the tense moment of me not saying “Hi” verbally the last time to just motioning my hand, I knew he was baffled why I didn’t acknowledge his presence as much at that time. This time, I felt he was waiting for my reaction upon seeing him. 

“Hi ‘T”,” I finally let out from my mouth. He said "hello" back but continued walking in a fast pace up the sloping driveway. To my contentment as I was the type not great with hiding feelings or emotions. I would say things as they were, whether they would hurt or not. 

That has been my struggle. To find honest or sincere people. To feel genuine love and care from others. When they ask me questions, either they are just curious or like to compare. If not, to make me well aware that they are better than me. It’s not only from people I meet. People I used to work with. Friends. Worst of all, these individuals can also come from my own family. Or that of my husband’s.

Many times I cry out in prayers for the Lord to show me ways in dealing with such people. But also starting with my own heart. To always probe my heart and cut what doesn't belong there... There are times that even if it hurts too much, I have to cut a relationship. Not as an escape. But for my own health and sanity. I have learned that those people who knowingly or unknowingly cause pain don’t care and I am the one on the receiving end who gets wounded despite me showing genuine love and care. I always seek the Lord’s guidance for I know that whatever I do, it will only be effective if they are done with His grace. At times, I have put boundaries either by staying away from such “toxic people” and if I can't stay away from them, I just don’t give in to their manipulative ways. But what relief!!!

I always ask the Lord to help me deal with true love that comes from Him, patience and how I need His grace! 

How do you deal with difficult people?

2019 Prayer

 

Lord, another year is here. Though there will be uncertainties, give us courage and increase our faith, knowing that with faith and trust in You, then, there's no room for fear and worries no matter what comes our way. I believe Your faithful and true promises to always be there with us up to the end of the age. Guide us Lord and give us Your discernment especially in these times where there are many spiritual deceptions. For Your ways and thoughts are higher than ours. Expose the lies in our lives under Your light and help us commit our ways to You, Lord. To live holy lives as You command for You are a Holy God!

Thank You Lord for the hope You give us in this dark place. For shining Your Light to show us the narrow path that leads to salvation. For being the Way to eternal life. For being our Everything knowing that apart from You, we truly are nothing.

Help us Lord this year to overcome any unseen obstacles that come our way in our journey. Thank You Lord for loving us first. Thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy. Help me Lord to reflect Your light in everything that I say or do. Remind me that the best New Year's resolution I can have is to love You first. To seek You first each day. I love You Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen.