That's where we go from here

 

So it seems we have the world literally upside down with wars and news of wars.  Although we know God has us in His Hands,  it is still a challenge to avoid becoming full of fear.  So where do we go from here?

We discussed spiritually how to overcome fear. We have talked about using basic hygiene and clinging to Jesus in times of trouble. 

We have talked about FlyLady's post on keeping peace in our home.  Today I would like to add some thoughts: things I have thought of doing in my own life....

• Take care of the spiritual daily by reading the Word, praying and worshiping. Play worship songs and hymns
• Take care of your physical needs and that of your family by preparing nourishing meals
• Take care not to speak of your fears within earshot of your children: they understand more than we realise.
• Take care of your home: it is not only your safe haven, but it gives nurture and stability in a world that is anything but nurturing and stable. Follow your normal home keeping routines.
• Take care of your pets and livestock, but particularly your pets. Animals sense fear. Remember to show them love.
• Take care to plan ahead with meals and shopping. Shelves are getting low. Plan to stock enough basic human and animal foods and baby formula, feminine hygiene products and toiletries to last a two week time period should it be necessary to wait out distribution problems. Make sure you have a month's extra prescription medications if you take them. Buy extra pain relievers, bandaids and disinfectant.
• Take care to plan fun activities with the children and strictly monitor what they see on TV or on their ipads etc. We don't need to fill little heads with adult problems. Restrict News programs
• Take care to explain to those who may say we lack faith to stock pile or practise extra hygiene, that we believe in God, but we also believe in following protocols to keep our family safe.
• Take care to give extra hugs to your husband and children. It is beneficial for everyone and a good cuddle helps relieve stress and enhances love in a marriage and family

These days are a trial to all of us, but we can minimise the effects by trying to keep our life as undisturbed as possible. Most disturbance will be out of our control, however, we can control our reaction to it and the smooth running of our household. 

Loving and serving God, our family and putting extra thought into our homemaking will help us on what we can control. Trusting in the LORD to keep us safe.  That's where we go from here.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.  Psalm 90:12

You can rely on His Word

Scripture tells us that we will not know the day or hour that Jesus comes to take His Bride- the Church home with Him. We who are looking for His glorious appearing and being with Christ for eternity are longing for the Day. And so we should be.

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows"  Matthew 24:36

Many of us are experiencing our own tribulations as the world is cast into the shadow of the great Tribulation, and we are tired of living in this sin-filled, ungodly world. We need to keep not only our eyes looking up, but our hearts. 

As in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the final days before the Rapture also known in the Bible as the Harpazo and  Rapturo. (Yes it is mentioned in the scriptures). We need to keep the faith, keep fighting the good fight and keep our spirits and heart in longing for our Beloved to come for us. And He is coming! 

What can we be doing as we wait for Jesus to take us Home?

• I believe we should be in prayer for those people suffering under authorities such as the Taliban and for all those Christians who are in danger. 
• We need to intercede for the Ukrainians who are being invaded as we speak.

• We should be praying for those who are still unsaved. 

• Keeping the faith can be difficult for some, especially as the world gets darker. We need to pray for ourselves too.

How can we overcome the anxiety and depression these end days bring?

• We should bring our thoughts and minds under the control of the Holy Spirit by focussing on good things that are still here

• We must remember that Christ is in control, no matter how bad a situation becomes.

• We must bring everything we see, hear and read in to the light of the Word and we must remember that all these things, though disturbing, are temporary.

• We must maintain an attitude of gratitude for all things in our life and dwell on God's goodness.

• We simply must be a person of worship and praise.

• We must be in the Word.
• We must remember that Jesus has promised to take us Home before the Great Tribulation. 

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth- Revelation 3:10

The end is in sight and we are tired. We long for Jesus to take us to be with Him. We are continuing to fight the good fight. We are running the race and our Saviour cheers us on. 

We are being His faithful servants even in the end days.. whilst watching and waiting. Even so, come Lord Jesus! Maranatha! 

Those who don't know Jesus yet....There's not much time left, my friends. Get on the Ark and get saved now.

He is coming- and soon. Accept Christ now!  God is fulfilling all things and it must come to pass. You can rely on His Word.

 

 © Glenys Robyn Hicks

 

Now is not the time to give up

In light of the state of the world today it is easy to be fearful. Even the believer can be anxious, but now with prophecy leaping off the page at us and the signs of the End Times that Jesus Himself told us to watch for converging and some fulfilled, it is crucial that we keep the faith.

Keeping the faith means clinging to that which you have received in faith through the Holy Spirit Who is our Teacher, Guide and Comforter.

It also means that in order to bring our thoughts of fear into the Captivity of Christ, we are allowing the peace of God's promises to protect us. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; -2 Corinthians 10:5

Prayer is important in helping us overcome fear, and talking to God will give us confidence and peace.

With our race nearly won, it is understandable that we are weary and feeling that we can't go on. But we cannot abandon our faith and give up. We have to push on, remembering that our current afflictions will be nothing compared to the blessings of life in Heaven.

We must put on the Armour of God as He told us and use the tools at our disposal, and be more than conquerors. 

Jesus is coming for His Church soon just as He told us. Cling to Him and the Blessed Hope.

Our redemption is near and these days are short now. Keep the faith, don't fall by the wayside.

We are living in the last days of Grace and the Rapture is near. Live each remaining day with courage and faith, for stopping mid stride is not an option. 

Live in Courage. Faith. Obedience. Hope. For now is not the time to give up.

 © Glenys Robyn Hicks

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

How's your walk with the Lord?

To those of us who love the LORD, we tend to speak of Him among ourselves quite often. Often we talk about our walk with Him and pray for each other. To ask a Christian how their walk with the LORD is going is by no means offensive. Or it shouldn't be.

If you share a cuppa with me, we will be talking about our walk pretty soon into our tea and cake, and to my mind,  as Christians, this is normal. So you can imagine my shock when I inadvertently offended someone who was a professing Christian. 

Sipping on my tea, I casually asked, "So how's your walk with the LORD going?" She immediately recoiled and retorted, "I hate it when people ask me that! I am fine, I have everything I want. I don't need God now!"  Before I could respond, our husbands returned and the conversation died.

The rest of the afternoon, this woman was cold towards me, and I couldn't help reflecting on her spiritual life- or lack of it. Plus, I was worried for her. What will happen when she finds she does in fact, need God? And she will one day. We all do.

As she was a woman who was studying to become a Salvation Army soldier, I took it for granted that she loved the LORD. Or perhaps she did but saw Him as a genie who granted her whatever she desired, to be summoned only when she wanted something from Him. Perhaps this was the result of false teachings.

Certainly if this young woman had made a confession of faith in Christ but had limited understanding of grace and salvation, she would remain saved. Certainly Christ's atoning death would cover her sin if she was born-again but back-slidden.

God certainly would accept her if she in fact was unsaved and if the Holy Spirit brought her to a saving knowledge of Christ. But firstly she would have to see that her promoting herself as Christian and wanting to be in ministry in the spiritual condition she's in presently, is hypocrisy. 

I do think of her a lot, but am unable to approach the subject with her in person. But thankfully, it is not my job to bring her to Christ, or indeed to bring her to repentance. I am not the Holy Spirit. 

My job is to turn my concern for her into prayerful petitions to the Father for her salvation or closer walk with Him. God knows, I have a job making sure I am walking the walk and not just talking the talk!

At least by taking tea with her and asking that innocent question, I am now aware of her need for a deeper walk or a new walk. So I pray for her and leave it with God, and I still sometimes ask others, "How's your walk with the LORD?"

© Glenys Robyn Hicks 

He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8

We must overcome illness

Sometimes it is easy to give into the depression that pain from chronic illness can bring. Especially when we have lost sleep or had an unrestful night. It is so easy to allow the pain that sometimes overwhelms us in the morning to colour our whole day. We must try to overcome that because if we don't, we will make matters worse.

It is true that our thinking patterns dictate how our day to day living is going to be. We can literally talk ourselves into having a worse day than what it is. How? you say... by not clinging to the LORD and taking all of our thoughts into the captivity of Christ. In order to stop the continual downward spiral of depression that pain brings, it is imperative that we try to redirect our thoughts and literally force our focus onto something other than our pain.

We should treat ourselves with the pain relief that our doctor has given us, take our other medications and do whatever else we can to relieve it. Then we must try to focus our attention onto what we can achieve that will lift us up. Because if we don't, we will talk ourselves into such a state that it will exacerbate the pain. Thoughts can and will do that- and serve up a great dish of depression that is hard to shake.

Now please don't throw tomatoes at me for being direct, because I suffer pain in movement and just in breathing every moment of every day. I speak to you on your level and with understanding. That is why I know the reality of pain and its effect on our life. I know that to live a reasonably personally satisfying life, we must overcome the pain by redirecting our focus!

When I am in so much pain that I cannot stand it, I listen to worship music, blog or write my feelings in poetry. Poetry can be a healing medium and a release. Another thing I avoid like the plague is forums for disabled or chronically ill people. Why? Because they force us to focus on others' pain.... this can be too much to bear when we have our own. Believe me, you can dwell too much on your disability and pain and weaken your enjoyment of life.

Enjoyment of life? what enjoyment is there in life? you ask. There is always something to enjoy in life, even in the worst of times. Vision, hearing, touch, love, dear ones, sunshine, birds singing, coffee brewing, soft sheets, warm showers, freshly fallen rain, restful sleep after pain. I am sure you could add to the list. If you don't shift your focus, you will definitely sink into the Pit of Despair. And you *don't* want to go there!

What I am saying is that those of us who suffer from unrelenting pain *have to* make a supreme effort to shift our focus onto something *greater* than the pain. Because pain will be our constant companion, we therefore have to *live* above the pain factor. Easier said than done, you say! Of course it is, but what alternative do we have?

We have to overcome the psychological effects of pain as much as we are able or else our life will be one of constant distress and frustration. Lift your thoughts to a higher place if you can, and lean on God. It will be hard to not make matters worse for ourselves by refusing to accept our illness, but we must be overcomers...

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Psalm 27:8

Chronically ill but faithful

Chronic illness can make us feel that we are incapable of many things. That can be true of physical things which for most of us who are ill or disabled, are now incapable of doing.  But all is not lost as there are still things which are eternal that we can do.

We are told to pray without ceasing and prayer is something we can manage to do. Albeit in a different way to the "normals'" prayers, our disjointed or mumbled prayers are still as powerful and effective.

Just because we are sitting in our recliners, or in our bed, or sitting on a shower chair, in our wheelchair or resting on the seat of our walker- the fervent prayers we offer will reach the Ears of Him Who we serve.

We must never let the lies of the evil one cause us to doubt ourselves and then have us not pray at all. We are never wasting our life when we pray. 

God does not class prayers according to the pray-ers' surroundings. Goodness knows, we have heard of soldiers praying in the trenches under fire and imminent death.  No, our prayers are of equal importance to God. 

Our prayers will drive the enemy away and cause him to tremble, because he knows wherever we pray is holy ground.  He doesn't care about where or even how they are prayed. He hates the fact that we still pray.

Faithfulness is something chronic illness can't take away from us. No matter how hard the enemy tries to convince us that we are wasting our lives, we know he is just using wily and cunning ways to get us to stop praying and therefore serving God.

The prayers of the chronically ill are precious to the LORD, for He knows the battles we face just to be "normal".  But we are more than "normal" as we come against illness and serve Him regardless.

Chronic illness will try to wipe us out physically, emotionally and spiritually if it can: but one thing we sufferers are is not only resilient: we are faithful. 

 © Glenys Robyn Hicks

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

Empty buckets

 

I did an enneagram test for fun the other day. It said I was a 2 which basically is a helper who needs to be needed. It sounds like me. Or the past me.

Always trying to help and indeed, called on often in time of trouble, it has been my pleasure to respond to the call. Until recently.

Since we had so many changes in the last 12 months, I have found my spoons are lacking. I cry easily, both when I am sad and also when happy. I hunger for solitude and just watching the bird life around us. I need time to heal not only from the meniscus tear in my knees and my lymphedema, but emotionally. I am tired. 

I am indeed grateful to the LORD for so much.  I love to listen to the Bible on You Tube and I play hymns in the background most of the day. Prayer is often ongoing for hours and I am gradually finding peace again.

It's good that we are now retired as there are days when the fibromyalgia flares and I can't stay awake, and I now just go to bed and have a nana nap whenever it is necessary. 

It has taken me 72 years to realise that it is true that 

1. I am not responsible for fixing everything or everyone who is broken. But I can pray for them.
2. It is OK to say no if I honestly can't cope with a request. I don't have to feel guilty 
3. It is OK to admit to being over something and not to be stoic and push myself mercilessly

It is important to recognise burn out and to take steps to heal. Taking care of yourself is not being selfish. There will be time after your healing to be a helper again. Not recognising burn out will result in you having a physical or emotional meltdown. And no one is going to benefit if you have lost your joie de vivre or your milk of human kindness is dried up and you have only empty buckets to give.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Mark 6:31

Footnote: since writing this post, I have learned that enneagrams originated from new age practices and automatic writing. I will not be doing any quizzes etc regarding this again. Thank you, Janine for making me aware of this. 

God loves the widow

 

 A few of my friends have become widows. Sad as it is, it is a part of life and I feel for them, but I miss my friends' husbands too, for they were a team and I can't think of my friend without her late husband.

Having widows as friends, I often was asked why God allowed them to lose their spouses and some questioned their faith and were angry with Him. Some even thought that God was punishing them. So in order to help, I decided to do a study on how God sees the widow..

* He is protective of widows.

You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Job 22:9

* He is a defender of widows.

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

“who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Luke 20:47

* He judges those who exploit widows.

And I will come near you for judgement; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien— because they do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:5

You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Job 22:9

To rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. Isaiah 10:2

* He raised the dead because of widows.

Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. Acts 9:39-41

* He honours them.

Honor widows who are really widows. 1 Timothy 5:3

* He provides for them.

Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in Me.” Jeremiah 49:11

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Acts 6:1

* He loves them and wants the Body of Christ to love them..

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

I was glad I did the study because I was able to tell my friends that God really loves them and will be a husband to them and a Father to the fatherless...

For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. Isaiah 54:5

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

A home nurtures a woman

Many a woman can testify to the way her home ministers its comfort to her when she comes home after a day's shopping or visiting. Or for the working woman, when she comes home from a day's work. 

It is not unusual for a woman to come home during her lunch break, taking most of her break up in travelling, yet ministered to so deeply by the comfort of being home that she just spends 10 minutes there before returning to work.

This is how God has ordained a home to be... He says that a home should be a peaceful place, and a place of quiet rest. Obviously, it is not always possible to have a quiet home, but what is meant here is a place of peace that quiets the nerves and soul and that is set apart as an oasis of calm in an often turbulent world...

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; Isaiah 32:18

You are doing well!

If you suffer from chronic pain as I do, do you sometimes feel less worthy as a woman, wife, mother and homemaker because of your illness? At times like these, fibromyalgia/CFS, lupus and heart disease can cause chronic pain, and can become very lonely diseases. And self-fulfilling ones.

It does seem unfair that not only do we have this accursed disease but that we feel obliged to defend ourselves constantly! Sometimes even to doctors! Families can often be the worst with their taunts about being a hypochondriac and demanding we get a job! Why don’t they realise just breathing is a job some days and besides which, your joints and muscles feel as stiff as a statue??

Because I walk in your shoes, may I offer you some advice and comfort? Which I know you need as you bear one of the heaviest loads imaginable: chronic pain and illness whilst trying to be a good wife, mother and home maker.

Are we not the best of loving wives and mothers, homemakers, servants of our family and the LORD? We don’t throw in the towel and give up because we can’t- we have our families and home to look after- but we draw on all our innermost reserves to give to our families what is needed when we just want to crawl back into bed and vegetate. Do we? Not as much as we want!

We show great devotion, endurance, and self-sacrifice with our limited energy and draw closer to God than perhaps most healthy women would do. Why? Because it is harder for us! 

Isn't it more valuable in spiritual terms to deny oneself the rest and ease we would love to indulge in, than to achieve the "honour" of having the most spotless of homes etc with relatively little cost as regards personal denial and physical pain? 

Kind of like Jesus's parable of the widow's mite- she gave all she had and the others gave of their abundance! Do you not see the correlation? We give our all, not just a little of the abundance of our strength. Surely then for us, are we not more worthy of honour and appreciation? I would say so!

And so I would encourage you to realise that you do not have to take the taunts and demands to heart, nor let it settle in your spirit. You do not have to defend yourself incessantly to anyone, because you are doing far more already than most people of lesser fortitude would do. Furthermore, God hears our sighs and pleas, He knows we are but dust and knows our frame- He most of all identifies with our weaknesses!

Will He not say "Well done Thou good and faithful servant" Matthew 25:21  to us who struggle to serve others every day when our flesh cries out for compassion and being served ourselves? In moments like these, I cling close to Christ and let His compassion and grace wash over me afresh- for without His closeness I would never get up some mornings! With the Psalmist, let us rely on God for our strength as we cry, "I love you LORD my strength!" Psalm 18:1 I pray you feel His loving help.  You are doing well!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks