anchored-in-grace-fellowship

Matters of Mary Jane

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:38:29 GMT

Man, if teenage me knew one of the biggest debates on the political floor of our State’s capital these days was whether or not the legalize Mary Jane (marijuana) he would be stoked, pumped, or whatever phrase we used back then for excited. Okay, technically not talking about Mary Jane, but THC a specific psychoactive compound found in marijuana – close enough (at least for teenage me).

Among the debated factors was the concern that many of the products containing THC are packaged in fun and clever ways to attract consumers, specifically our youth. While this was something perhaps better discussed before they let ole’ Mary Jane out of the bag, it is a fact and one to be concerned about.

However, the same could be said about alcohol with its clever names and attractive marketing; while illegal before a certain age, we still hear so many stories of our youth gaining easy access to alcohol before they even get out of high school. And yes, I know alcohol is technically not a drug it can have a mind-altering effect just as Mary Jane.

So, is the debate about health, safety of our youth, or any of us? Or is all this based on the revenue for big business and the deep pockets of medical professionals targeting those who have pain, life-long conditions or even terminal diagnosis? Someone is making money on this, while I personally have never been to a dispensary, I am sure they are not giving it away.

I want to be clear - I don’t dispute the ability of THC to combat chronic pain or even cure terminal diseases. In fact, when my joint pain gets so bad I can barely move I may be open to visiting a medial dispensary and giving it a try. It has not been so many years that I don’t remember how it can be a stress reliever (as well as a munchie maker).

What I am against is the leveraging facts and twisting marketing campaigns that lead people (youth to elderly) down the wrong path. The idea that there is nothing that will make you feel better, there is nothing that will heal you, there is no better option than to dance with the devil.

If we turn to the scripture we find 1Peter 5:8 says, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." I think we can all agree, it is hard to be alert when you are using mind-altering agents.

Whether using THC recreationally or for medical purposes, you must know you are opening a door that can be hard to close. For most of us, after we realize a little can make us feel better we fall into the temptation and before you know it a little more is never enough. We seek comfort in that we have bought (or been sold) when the real reward in life comes when we seek Jesus.

You see Jesus has already overcome. He has the power and He will give it to you (ol’ Mary Jane never gave me anything but the munchies). If you don’t believe me, look at 1 Corinthians10:13 “ No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”

So, as I said, I am not so vested into whether or not Mary Jane is legal or illegal, but I am vested in people. My desire is to see our youth and those who are hurting or need comfort (and everyone else for that matter) seek Jesus. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Now that is a door you want to open and enter with a clear non-altered mind.

If you really want to know who maters it is not Mary Jane, it is not the lobbyist, manufacturers, or the business operators. It is actually not even the youth or sick or elderly who are purchasing the product. It's Jesus – and he is free and fully legalized.

It's Time to Talk to Jesus!

Mon, 06 May 2024 19:42:39 GMT

Our words are a creative force, and the Bible tells us we speak life and death with the

tongue. What are you speaking over your life and who are you talking to? Do you speak

God’s word, or do you allow negative things to be spoken over your life?

I love the way God prayed when he raised Lazarus from the dead. He stated within His

prayer, “Lord, I thank you for always hearing me when I pray.” Might seem odd for the

son of God to reference God hearing him. We might think, of course he hears you,

you’re his son. If we are children of the Most High God, why don’t we spend more time

talking to him about our challenges in life? If we are his sons and daughters, he hears

us too!

We are instructed to meditate upon God’s word day and night. God’s word is a valuable

tool, and many may not know reminding God of his word is a powerful weapon. When

dealing with sickness, depression, anxiety, fear or worry, the solution to all can be found

in God’s word. Some Christians walk around, mad at the world for living, or depressed

because they don’t see better days ahead. We all have something in our lives we need

God to heal or remove.

Part of the challenge we face is we don’t have a personal relationship with God.

Many don’t know him as Jehovah-Jireh (God will provide), Jehovah-Shalom (the Lord is

Peace), Jehovah-Rapha (God who heals), or Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord is my banner,

mighty warrior, victory).

We’ve arrived at a day and time where people don’t really know who God is.

When God says in Isaiah 26:3: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is

stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.” This scripture alone demonstrates how

beneficial it is to know God on a personal level.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

(Psalm 34:8) How many can say they’ve tried God and he’s shown up in their lives?

What ever happened to testimony as being a part of church service? Are we not being

moved by the blessing he’s bestowed in our lives? We look for revival to break out in

our land and it must first start in our hearts. Individually we need to be stirred and

excited for the things God has promised. What you do in your personal walk with Jesus

affects the entire body of Christ.

You want to know why we don’t see power in the church today? It’s because some of its

frontline soldiers aren’t checking in and speaking with the commander.

Checking in with Jesus means you spend time with him, praying and seeking his will for

your life. Asking him Lord, what is it you want me to do for you and your kingdom? How

can I be a better man, woman, or child of God?

Making time to consult with Jesus over the things you do in your life, ensures you’re on

track and prepared to move forward with God and walk in the victory he’s ordained for

your life! We make time to post on TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram, but when do you

make time for Jesus? You’ll spend hours editing a video before you post it, and take

pride in its near perfection, and neglect to give the same attention to our father and his

word.

We have demons in places, running loose and taking over cities, because of the lack of

the true power of God in our churches. There are strongholds that need to be broken,

and curses we have the authority to break, but we don’t see this movement.

If you haven’t noticed, we are in a war. We see the enemy attacking our children,

entering schools, and taking their precious lives. We see the division and spirits in the

land that are tearing this country apart. We look to Congress to fix these problems, but

Satan is running footloose there too! We can’t expect these types of problems to be

solved through physical methods. The word of God says: “For we wrestle not against

flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness

of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). After this

verse, God tells us what we must do to win. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor

of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

(Ephesians 6:13)

The only way to win this war is by putting on the armor of God and taking your place in

his army. Old school churches would sing songs like: “I’m a soldier, in the army of the

Lord, got my war clothes on in the army.” Have you put on the armor of God today?

When we all get in our place and in alignment with the Most High God, there is a

movement of his Holy Spirit that sets up over our land. It’s set up to put chaos in order,

heal the broken hearted, strengthen the weak and drive the enemy out from among us!

The corruption in high places, the fighting and division is all from Satan. The only way

for change is through a real movement in the body of Christ.

We don’t have time to play church. The more we seek God and his kingdom first, the

stronger his presence will be in our lives.

When we show up at church and fellowship one to another, we ignite that flame I

mentioned in a previous blog. Fire isn’t always meant to consume. Some things are put

in the fire to clean up and refine!

When we come together, like minded in Christ and seeking our father, cities are

changed, people can receive true deliverance from many of life’s circumstances, and

we see breakthroughs.

We can’t continue to operate through our education, political beliefs, or what religion

says to do. We must be found at the feet of Jesus surrendering all to his will. We so

desperately need to make time to talk to Jesus.

After we’ve finished praying and talking to Jesus, let us not forget the next step. When

you’re finished talking to Jesus, make sure you wait on his response and listen to what

he has to say in return!

Blessings and Hope

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:15:35 GMT

As we approach the Christmas Holiday, I find myself reflecting on the things I cherish most in life. My relationship with God and my family are my top priority. As I look around my home, I take moments to pause and thank God for all he his has given me. Each day goes by so quickly, and the time I share with my loved ones is precious. Through the good and the bad, through loss and new beginnings, I look to my help which comes from above, and I give thanks for my blessings. Through all we’ve endured I am grateful for my God’s word and his peace. No matter the circumstance, his words remain the same and he gives us direction on how to respond to every situation in life.

In my home, there is a presence of love and peace. It’s cultivated through continuous prayers and the beauty of its decor which my mother is responsible for. My mom loves to decorate and during the Holiday season, she enjoys putting her hands to work displaying her talent for creating beautiful center pieces and other decorative items, throughout our home. For her grandchildren, and those who are kids at heart, we all enjoy seeing these works displayed and remembering the years of Christmas before.

For me, I enjoy this part of the Holidays so much because I see the joy it brings. My mother spends this time setting up our home to welcome in others and enjoy what God has given us. Each of my parents strive to provide a place that welcomes all and when you enter our home, you become part of the family. We enjoy having others over to fellowship, laugh and talk about life. These simple acts of love are what I seek to continue to provide for my daughter as well. When I have the privilege of purchasing my first home, I want to abide there with this same peace. Without peace, it won’t feel like home and peace may seem to be a simple thing, but it has the greatest impact in life.

As a mother, I take great pleasure in watching my child grow and seeing the goodness of God in her life. Children are filled with so much purity and honest love from God, and this is something I treasure. I don’t just treasure it, but I also take time to continue to teach my daughter of what it means to love and be kind. We don’t always get along with others, but we should show love and kindness. When my daughter tells me about her day, she often expresses frustration over some of the other children’s actions. I remind her, no matter how you are treated, always show love and kindness. I let her know it’s not okay to allow others to hurt or misuse you. I tell her to stand up for herself and remind her it matters how you respond to a situation. We all are works in progress and even though we may mess up by responding the wrong way, we can try to do better the next time and strive to show God’s love. This time of the year is a great reminder of just that.

This Holiday season, my mission is to continue walking in love and peace. As the end of this year approaches, it is truly a good time to reflect on our relationship with God. We know this season is to celebrate the birth of Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. The best way to honor him is to draw near to him and his word. I look forward to stepping into a new year with an attitude of gratefulness. I know the plans and works God has for my life are greater than anything I can imagine. Ending this year only means the beginning of another. As I think about this, I am reminded of this scripture, Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

With this, I am taking time to thank my God for living and dwelling in me. Without Him, I am no one and with Him I am everything! I don’t know what tomorrow brings and I understand tomorrow is not promised to any of us. For this reason, I live each day asking my God to dwell in me and I read His word. As I renew my mind through His word, I am strengthened to walk as child of God, and everything set before me is in His hands. This gives me great hope for my future and days yet to come. I am stirred in my spirit because I feel my God calling me to move closer to Him. This world is ever changing and the evil we see will not cease until His return. It is up to use to press in and look to our God for direction in all we do. We cannot remain the same, but we must grow in God and allow him to set up his perfect love in our lives. In doing this, we make our steps as his righteous children and separate ourselves from the ways of this world.

As he pours into our hearts a new hope, we use his word to tell others of the good news and keep ourselves covered in His presence, walking victoriously throughout the rest of our lives. As I write this, I am overwhelmed by his goodness and mercy, that he would yet again look down on me and give me words to speak! I cannot explain how it feels to know God is moving in your heart. It is a feeling of joy, love, and peace. I am excited for what God is doing in my life and I urge you to press in so you can tap into his presence! For each of you reading this I wish you love and great peace. As you spend this time with family and friends, remember our Lord and make time to give Him thanks.

As for me, I am confident in this, I am blessed beyond measure because I seek the one who has it all! I know where my help comes from and because of this I can walk in hope. When I think about his good and all he's done for me, this joy that I feel is hard to contain!

Ignite A Flame

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 21:36:45 GMT

When you read God's word and spend time meditating and praying you ignite a spark!

We are all busy and our lives are full, and we do not always be available for our God. I am here to share some good news on how you can not only improve your relationship with the Lord, but also improve your quality of life.

Let me share with you, how seeking God at the beginning of your day can lead to hidden treasures in life. When you set aside time for the Lord, the reward is instant, and you get more than you ever imagined. Someone is reading this, and they do not understand, so allow me to break this down a little more.

When I start my day off in prayer God hears me and prepares my way so I can move forward with what I need. I also read a few verses aloud to encourage myself and prepare for the day. As I do this each morning, I see the hand of God move. During my day he rises to make provision, he grants me peace, he keeps me from the plans of the enemy and leads me in the direction he would have me go. I am better able to withstand a harsh word or rude behavior. It does not mean I do not feel it, but I am better equipped to handle those situations, and respond in the right way. I see small acts of favor bestowed upon me and I find myself more humble and grateful for the little things. This act does not only affect you, but others as well.

When you start your day in prayer and meditation with God, you invite him to take over. You allow his presence to set up over you. Some of us have a hard time letting go and letting someone else take over. The one we should always allow to take over is the Lord. Once he takes over, he does not just look at today, but he always has your tomorrow in mind as well. If he has your tomorrow in mind, he knows where you are going and what you need to get there. The word of God tells us to acknowledge him in all our ways and he will direct our paths. While he directs our path, he equips us to complete the journey. Reading his word fills you up, feeds your soul, and renews your mind. You may ask with what? His word gives us direction on how to pray, gain favor, obtain wisdom, live a righteous life, increase in faith and ultimately, walk in the promises of God.

His word provides what we need to live victoriously in this evil world. As you read the word not only are you being transformed but he will pour into you an overflow. Some of us need to allow God to fill our cups. This is why we cannot help others; we do not have anything in our overflow. We barely run on enough fuel to get ourselves by. The enemy uses distractions, trials, and tribulations against us all to keep us running on empty, so we do not have anything to give to others.

Letting God fill you up and pour into you more than enough, allows you to reach others. It allows us to not only withstand these evil times but to share the good news with others and strengthen the kingdom of God.

How can we help strengthen the kingdom of God? We are stronger together than we are apart. Attending church and coming together to fellowship and hear from the Lord is vital to keeping us all connected and igniting a flame. As we gather and assemble ourselves to worship in his presence, we are all a part of a spark that ignites a great flame for our God. When our sparks are united, we contribute to a flame that cannot be extinguished and goes on enduring no matter what comes. Like many, you may find yourself tired of struggling and not finding peace. There is a better way, and it starts with giving your life to God. We cannot forget the gift he gave through his son Jesus Christ. What he gave can never be repaid. Once you let go of yourself and yield up to Him, all you need will be fulfilled!

Other benefits of staying in the word:

· You are kept in peace and joy.

· You receive strength.

· You keep yourself in his presence.

· You keep your mind sharp in his word.

· Your prayers are known in his kingdom.

· You are a true light to others, and you connect with God's children already in the kingdom and draw others into his light.

· You are equipped and prepared for any battle you may face.

· You increase your faith.

· You can respond confidently to guide and correct others by using his word.

· You understand the power of speaking God's word over every situation.

You can see the importance of spending time in God's word daily and praying, not only for us, but from one to another. For me, I feel his presence when I pray and speak his word. Reading it in our minds is okay but we know based on what God has to say, words are a creative force. It was by a word we were spoken into existence. Words are powerful and speaking God's word is one of the most powerful things we can do along with prayer! I ask each of you today to take hold of God’s word and allow Him to change your life. Let your spark ignite a great flame and shine a light in this world!

Be Still Mindset

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:14:05 GMT

For years, I have been striving, fighting, wanting to control, fixing, and overstressed. I have recently had some deep setbacks that have made me take this saying “Be Still” seriously. Can you relate to this?

Be Still

"What does a “Be Still Mindset" look like, and is that truly possible?

Lilye Waters

Lilye is inspired by her 20+ years of personal and professional experiences with the mission to encourage others to find beauty in the ashes and refuse to sink despite any obstacle. Lilye is a devoted mom, wife, and caseworker with years of experience in the social service field with emphasis on family and marriage, teaching, adoption, foster care, at risk youth, and mentoring young adults.

Are You a Fixer?

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:14:04 GMT

T rying to fix people’s problems. Even at a young age, this seemed to be the thing I did. It seems to be in my blood, and while there is nothing wrong with supporting and helping, there are bumps that come along the way if you’re not keeping emotional boundaries in check.

Are you a fixer? I have spent my past twenty plus years in my work career helping, supporting, and guiding others and the majority of my life trying to fix people’s problems. Even at a young age, this seemed to be the thing I did. It seems to be in my blood, and while there is nothing wrong with supporting and helping, there are bumps that come along the way if you’re not keeping emotional boundaries in check.

Lilye Waters

Legacy Box

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:08:01 GMT

The other day I had the greatest time spending some quality time with my brother and sister-in-law. Since my parents’ death, we have had to make decisions and gather documentation to get the insurance policy processed, and the list goes on and on.

From this experience, my family has learned how important a will is to have and how true the saying “don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today” means. Over the last few months of 2020, we buried both my mother and father within weeks of each other. Our grief process has been filled with jumping from one task to another. Not having a will in place by either my mom or dad left us to filing for affidavit of heirships, hiring a lawyer to get an estate set up, and so much more.

From this experience, my family has learned how important a will is to have and how true the saying “don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today” means. Over the last few months of 2020, we buried both my mother and father within weeks of each other. Our grief process has been filled with jumping from one task to another. Not having a will in place by either my mom or dad left us to filing for affidavit of heirships, hiring a lawyer to get an estate set up, and so much more.

Lilye Waters

Welcome to the Fear Monster Park

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:07:58 GMT

Fear is an emotion that builds up in intensity. When you think about intensity, what comes to mind? Exercise, spicy levels when eating something hot, or a roller coaster ride at a theme park?

I think of a very intense ride at the coolest theme park filled with mini-parks full of the most insane rides you can imagine. Let me give you a visual so think about this…

You are at the ticket line to ride a series of rides in the Fear Monster Park. The Ticketmaster is waiting to explain that the rides will go to how your fear will intensify.

Lilye Waters

Grief Monster Part 2

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:07:56 GMT

It has been 8 days since we buried my mom and the last time to see her alive 21 days. There are many valleys these days and a void that cannot be replaced. There are moments where I am happy for her because she is in a heavenly place and there are moments I feel selfish wanting her back here with the family. There are days where I feel like the grief is so much I can’t catch my breath and the hurt is like a knife cut.

It’s interesting when you lose someone and maybe it has just been my experience. After losing my mom, I was out and about. At the first stop, I was in the store and a song came on about heaven and loss I fought hard to hold the tears back as the cashier asked me if I was ok. I explained I had just lost my mom and she said “you have been initiated into the grief club”. Then, as I was driving I drove past Hobby Lobby. This is when the tears were uncontrollable. My mom’s first outing after being home (with exceptions of doctor appointments) was Hobby Lobby. Let me tell you, this store has taken on a whole new meaning and to be honest very hard to go into. Last week, I was at HEB and I went past the cans of popcorn. I begin to cry over a can of popcorn because it was one of her requests the week she was put back into the hospital-sadly we could not find the popcorn at the time. Today, I had an appointment at the genetics center in Temple, and let me tell this was by far the hardest. Why? I had to go get bloodwork at the lab being the place I visited many times with my mom during her cancer journey. My anxiety was off the chart and I have to be honest a simple task to get blood taken seems like the hardest task.

Lilye Waters

The Grief Monster

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:07:54 GMT

Side Note: This was written only a few hours before my dad told me it was time to put my mom in comfort care.

At this time in my life, I am on a rocky road of watching my mom dwindle from her battle with cancer and everything else medically. The hardest thing at this time is seeing my mom struggling and not knowing the hour or day that she will not have to struggle anymore. There have been so many before me that have walked this path with their loved ones and so many after me that will walk the same path. These troubles that trouble us are all around.

In these trouble times we can experience many emotions but let us focus on – GRIEF. We don’t know when the grief monster is going to come and the troubles we face don’t always give us a letter of notification. Sitting there yesterday with my mom holding her hand, I thought about all the troubles that have come my way like bullets these last couple of weeks. I received no notification that the journey I am walking now was going to come with a visit from the Grief monster.

Lilye Waters

Toothpaste and Communication

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:07:53 GMT

My favorite illustration of letting my mouth speak freely without a conscious effort to tame my tongue is the visualization of toothpaste. Toothpaste when used can be squeezed too hard, the toothpaste squirts out, and it is impossible to get any of it back into the tube. In one of my workshops, in the past about communication, I have used the toothpaste illustration to let parents visualize how impossible it is to get the toothpaste back into the tube. The harder I tried to get the toothpaste back into the tube, the bigger mess I made. The same is true with our words toward anyone we communicate with. In James 3: 1-11, we see this same discussion about taming the tongue and the outcome of when you don’t as the concept is illustrated through the use of bits in horses’ mouths, ships steered by a very small rudder, or a great forest fire set by one small spark.

Words can lift or words can tear down. As parents and children, this is such an important crucial thing to remember. We have to be careful about how we use our mouths and tame our tongues at all times. Especially in those moments when we are angry or hurt. Before we squeeze the toothpaste we need to just stop and breathe, take a moment to put effort into thinking about what you are about to say before you say it and seek God’s wisdom. We will all screw this up as I know I have with my teen and young adult kids. I had an incident this weekend with a family member that on my part, I sadly allowed my mouth to open freely not taming my tongue. I didn’t put conscious effort into the words I spoke on some parts of the conversation. We have our flaws and moments will happen. However, if we take the time to allow ourselves to take steps each day to be better at taming our tongue this will become a habit, and communication more effective. I always say “Rome was not built in a day”. We will make errors but in those errors, we can make small adjustments that will eventually become big changes for the better. Stopping to think before we speak can help the damage control you need to do from the aftermath being a little less messy.

James 3:1-11

New International Version

Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ² We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.

⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,

⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

¹¹ Can both freshwater and saltwater flow from the same spring?

Lilye Waters

Footprints and Faith

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:51:03 GMT

My mom loves the Footprints in the Sand poem. My mom has recently been diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma. As you can imagine, this has been tough as a daughter, a caregiver, and an admirer of her faith. I was thinking as I read this poem what Bible verses relate well with the message of the poem. I started researching out of curiosity. I came up with a few: Matthew 11:28, Deuteronomy 1:31, Psalm 77:19, and Psalm 55:22.

Below is the first verse that stands out to me as I read the Footprints poem over and over again.

The author of the poem states

One night I dreamed a dream.

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

The author of the poem reflects on how each scene he is seeing two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

But then the last scene flashes before his eyes as the poem goes on to say

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This got me thinking – At the lowest times in our life just as the poem states, we feel like we are on this journey alone but in those times if we can just put our hope in the faith of God’s strength to carry us we see that He is carrying us. Yet, we of little faith just don’t see it!!

Lilye Waters

One Time God Showed Me

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:51:02 GMT

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28

A lot of people have challenges with Romans 8:28. If you are one of them, I want to tell you that you are not alone. I also want to share with how God used a unique and challenging situation to show me that He is in control, and all things do work for the good of those who love Him.

I mean there are just certain things that are hard to imagine as being able to work for the good of anyone or anything. One example would be Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia. Watching someone with a relatively functioning body unable to remember basic tasks required for living is extremely challenging. This can make many question how all things can “work for the good of those who love the Lord.”

My mother-in-law (Kaye -Kaye) died in October 2018. At the time, both she and my grandmother-in-law (Flossie) lived in the same nursing facility. As the family came in and out to spend the last days with Kaye-Kaye there many concerns and fears, one of which was the impact this would have on Flossie. Not only was she dealing with her own health issues, dementia, and other factors, losing a daughter is agreeably one of the hardest things for a mom.

After several days, during one of those “could be any minute” moments, Flossie was brought in to tell Kaye-Kaye goodbye. The room was quiet but it is likely had the same fearful question in their mind – how is she going to respond? She was calm and pleasant, but as we had learned in dealing with this horrible disease , things can change in a moment’s notice.

Kaye passed in the very early hours of the morning and by that time Flossie had fallen asleep. The following day when the news was shared she was sad, but her reactions were not exactly what anyone expected. It was clear she understood what had happened, but what was not clear was how she was coping so well.

Prior to this Flossie had found a “life-like” doll in a mail order catalog . She may have mentioned a few times (or more) how she would like to have it. Well, it had been ordered , and just as God had planned, it arrived the day after Kaye-Kaye passed. While the doll was not intended as a replacement, the hope was it would bring a tiny moment of happiness during a very rough week. As soon as she received it a “childlike” approach to things appeared.

Flossie named her Ashley Kaye and she cared for it just as a little girl would care for a new doll. She talked to her, she dressed her, she showed her to everyone that came by. Flossie even took Ashley Kaye to the funeral. As shown in this picture taken that very day, even on one of the darkest of days God showed her (and all of us for that matter) a little bit of good.

Flossie and Ashley Kaye

In the months after Kaye-Kaye passed, Flossie returned to her normal, age appropriate, personality. She was able to move on from the loss without hindering her own emotional health. God had used this horrible disease to help her maneuver a very challenging time. The old comforting memories of childhood, either her own her perhaps Kaye Kaye’s, kept her company while the memory of the current moment escaped her thoughts.

I am not saying that I understand the purpose or reason God puts some through diseases like this, but I can say that there is no doubt He is in control.

This past December Flossie was called to heaven where she joined Kaye-Kaye and the many other loved ones that has gone on before her. I miss them both but am so grateful the role they played in the lesson where God showed our family that ALL things, even those that are not pleasant and challenging, can be used by Him for good to those who love Him and are called to His purpose.

Momma Knows Best (100% of the time)

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:51:01 GMT

If you grew up in the 70s, you probably remember the sitcom Father Knows Best. It was a show about a dad and his 3 boys who were always turning to their father, who would give them advice and direction. Sometimes they would follow his direction but sometimes they chose not to do so, which always ended up in a laughable situation. If you grew up in the 70s you may also recall children playing outside.

Unlike today, my friends and I would ride our bikes around town all day. It was not uncommon to ride our bikes to the river or go to the city park, as long we were home by the time the street lights came on – it was all good.

One day some friends and I had plans to hit the river and have some real summer fun. For reasons unknown to me, my momma clearly told me not to go to the river that day. She did not explain why or give any more information, she just said “no” and I knew better than to ask questions. So, as you probably imagine we took off and headed directly to the river.

We had done this before, we could all swim, my mom was nowhere around – what could go wrong? I remember climbing up on the dock and positioning myself to make the perfect dive (or cannonball). I could imagine the water splashing up and the feel of the cool water on a hot summer day.

Well, I jumped but I there was more of a splat than a splash. I landed on the dock and then rolled in to the river. So, in two minutes I went from knowing better than my mom to knocked out and drowning. My friends jumped in and saved me. I am grateful that they were there, but I wished none of us had been there.

I wished we had listened to my mom. When I got home we did tell my mom what happened. I am sure she was mad, but I looked so bad she let me make it without any additional punishment (that time). I think she figured I had learned my lesson and man was she right. Realizing how being disobedient to my mom nearly cost me my life really opened my eyes.

God puts people and things in our lives to help us, guide us and protect us. By not respecting my mom I was really disrespecting God. I know God knows all, but that day he showed me Momma Knows Best.

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

A Locked Door Can Open Opportunities

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:51:00 GMT

Life is a journey filled with opportunities.

You start as a young kid, living a simple and innocent life. Then, as you experience various things you grow. You begin making choices, and if you are like me many of those are based on pleasure and what seems fun. For me those choices led to a point where I was burying myself, but instead of climbing out of the hole I just kept digging deeper and deeper. I kept running from life’s problems and landing in a pit, at times it felt like the pit of hell.

Those around me tried to help. At one point my parents had given me a house, fully furnished and ready to move in for a fresh start. My only responsibility was to maintain the utilities. That certainly helped the physical needs I had, but the root of my problem was deeper. I was leaning on my own understanding and putting all my trust and faith in things of this world. It was not long before the electricity, gas and water were disconnected. Leaning to my own thoughts and abilities for a solution I started going to my parent’s house for meals and showers. After all, my parents wanted to help; unfortunately, that help was enabling me to continue with my negative behavior.

One day as I walked up to the house I pulled on the screen door, but it was locked. Being in a small town we never locked our door, but in that moment my mom felt that was the only solution. She came to the screen, never unlocking or opening it, just looking at me through the glass. With a tear in her eye she explained, “you can’t come in here anymore, until you get your life together you are not welcomed here.” Today I look back and imagine that was probably the hardest thing she had to do. But, she knew that she had trained me up in the way I should go, and while I had departed from that for a moment, she was counting on the Lord to bring me back.

My mother was not the only one with a tear that day, I cried all the way back to the house they had given me. I finally asked God what I needed to do. I realized what my family had been doing to help me and how foolish I had been. I waited a couple of days before calling my mother. I explained I needed help and she walked with me through a series of doors, each one opened by God and leading me into a better place. My relationship with my family improved and I was able to experience the love my mother had for me. Even as she explained how I had really hurt her I could see her love and peaceful disposition as she saw me walking with the Lord, door by door.

By the grace of God, my mother got to see me change. She didn’t get to see all that I wanted her to see, but I thank God that I am no longer the disappointment that I was for her, or my family. Life is better, and I am doing the will of God to the best of my ability. I am grateful for my family and my friends but mostly, to the Lord , who have given me many opportunities.

The door of tough love can be heavy and hard to close, but sometimes that is the only way to get someone to draw closer to the one who created them, so that He can lead them through the doors He has for them. As Matthew 7:7 says “keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.”

A Foolish Fool

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:50:58 GMT

Today is a day the Lord has made I am going to rejoice and be glad in it. Amen!

As we know life can be so full of the good, the bad and the ugly. The Lord has surely allowed my fair share of ups and downs. When I think about how things played out over my years, there were some moments of shame, guilt, and just unbelievable stuff. On top of all that there were, some sickening but hilarious moments that were just right down to the bone funny.

I recall I was always trying crazy stuff and I loved to push things to the edge. I used to love showing off too. I recall one day when these things all collided. A friend and myself were riding around, and we were feeling pretty good (you know what I mean – right!) I spot these ruts on the side of the road with a little water in them. Well, you know me – they called out to me as if they were saying “come here close to the edge and go crazy”. And I hear them, loud and clear.

Here we go, I hit it and we go through spinning and kicking up mud like a hog in slop. As I was coming back onto the road the tires grabbed and I found myself pushed into the door. Oops! Wouldn’t you know the latch was broken and needless to say I went right on through. Now I am hanging onto the steering wheel looking at the road, and I was not able to pull myself back in. My copilot was holding the truck straight on the road, but he was unable to do anything else because my body is in the way.

Once the truck slowed down, I was able to push myself out on the road and my plan was to roll out of the way so he could stop the truck. Well, I made it out, and I rolled – but just not fast enough. The rear tire rolled over my right leg before I could get out of the way. Thank You Lord It Was Not My Head! My leg was not seriously hurt just bruised and a little sore.

When a fool is foolish there are consequences that will be paid. Sometimes those consequences are death or prison. Whatever they maybe it has an effect on those who love you. Stop the madness and let the foolish fool in you become a faithful servant. You will be amazed at what you will become and what you will see.

Choices have consequences?

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:12:24 GMT

Life is full of choices. Sometimes we make choices based on what we think we need to do to keep going for the moment, but as I have recently learned – all choices have consequences (even if we don’t feel them at the moment). I want to go back to 2010 where this journey begins. I twisted my ankle, but having done that many times before, I made the choice to just go along with my regular business. A few days later things seemed to have returned to normal, the pain was gone, and I was moving as I had been – or so I thought.

Life is full of choices

Sometimes we make choices based on what we think we need to do to keep going for the moment, but as I have recently learned – all choices have consequences (even if we don’t feel them at the moment).

I want to go back to 2010 where this journey begins. I twisted my ankle, but having done that many times before, I made the choice to just go along with my regular business. A few days later things seemed to have returned to normal, the pain was gone, and I was moving as I had been – or so I thought.

Some time passed before I realized that my left ankle was giving a bit more than my right. I noticed this while wearing shoes with less than stellar support, so I guess a part of me just chalked it up to poor choices in shoes. After time the ankle began to weaken and give way; however, there was still little pain, so I made the choice to continue going along with my regular business.

Finally, I went to see an orthopedic surgeon who determined an ankle replacement was needed but would not do such a procedure due to my weight. He recommended an ankle fusion as an alternate option, but I was just not willing to take that much time off work for recovery. I made the choice to fight through but did incorporate diet and exercise to cut down the weight. I also started wearing an ankle bandage for added support.

Things went along well until 2016 or so when I would notice more pain. While not constant or excruciating, the pain was more often than I wanted. One wrong step or a few paces on uneven ground brought certain reminders of the problem, but I made the choice to keep pushing. Nearly a year later I returned to the orthopedic surgeon asking about additional supports that may be helpful for my ankle. He referred me to a friend who made prosthetics and I had a brace made, but it only worked when wearing tennis shoes. Better than nothing, this worked out fairly well until the shoe began to breakdown.

I did some deep reflection about the situation and my circumstances. While diet and exercise had helped and I had lost some weight, it was not nearly enough for what I was dealing with. While the brace worked (even though it required purchasing new shoes at the first sign of wear), it was only helpful when wearing tennis shoes and a good part of my life is spent in work boots. But then it came to me, when I purchased new work boots my ankle did not hurt as much. The reflection led me to the choice to keep going, purchasing new work boots about every 3-4 months.

So, we are off to the races until 2019 when even the tennis shoe brace and new work boots are not providing much help. The choice was made to try some physical therapy to strengthen the ankle with some exercises. Little did I know I would end up trying an orthotic. That did not work, and I was getting a little beaten down at this point, so I did not even try to return them or look at other options.

The choice to push through the pain was not easy in the past, particularly while wearing boots on the job site. Even so, the idea of being down from work for six months was not something that I could comprehend. Then, it came to me – maybe the prosthetics guys can do something to help the work boot. “I do things like that for people all the time to keep them from walking on the side of their shoes” he said. And even more promising, wouldn’t you know the price to fix the boot was less than the first orthotic I got from physical therapy.

So, I get back in the saddle and am off riding again. I still have pain, but it is bearable. I carry on like this for a good while; alternating between two pairs of boots with an external brace to prevent my ankle from giving away and a large brace to support the ankle when wearing tennis shoes. Having to get the boot brace redone every few months was timely but pretty cost effective and I was still able to keep working. I really appreciated times when I did not have to walk around, but still working, nonetheless.

Ankle X-Ray

Then comes year 2020 – the year of challenges, also the year I make the choice to get my ankle fused. I won’t make it to 65 like this and laying down is not an option (at least not one I want to choose). I did not get a leave of absence, so I was laid off. Due to the ice storm in February we had to delay the procedure but on the 12 ^th of March I had the ankle fusion surgery and it was a success. Made me wonder why I did not make the choice early.

What was supposed to take 6-8 weeks to heal has been more like 6 months. I ended up staying in the hospital for 5 days waiting for a bed to open in the rehab unit. Once moved to rehab I made a choice to work hard, commit to the effort and do my part to heal properly. I met some wonderful people who encouraged me and took great care of me. The days were long and hard, it seemed like March 30 ^th would never come, but I made it to discharge day! Equipped with all the medical equipment a person could need for successful recovery (thanks in part to some great family members), I was headed home for some rest, healing and hopefully a little extra study time with my bible.

The wounds took a bit longer, but by May they were healed, what a blessing. Home health and Physical Therapy continued to build strength and expand my capacity to do more things independently. Being released to get out of the wheelchair more and use my foot (with limited pressure and body weight) made me realize how far I had come. It also made me think about how long I had waited, making many choices that had taken me down many other roads. This road feels like the one to full recovery now. My hope is that with the next visit to the Podiatrist I will be released to walk with full body weight.

I will say this has been a journey. Looking back I realize that with each choice I made there was a consequence. I also look back and realize that God kept me (even carried me) through this time. My wife has been solid since the very beginning. She has shown great resilience and confidence, I can only imagine the relief she will feel when this is all over. We will always press through, knowing that with each choice there are consequences, but trusting in God’s faithfulness to see us through.

anchored-in-grace-fellowship

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Ankle X-Ray