"So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom" Psalm 90:12
No longer taken for granted
"So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom" Psalm 90:12
Chipping away at the stone
This too will pass
It has been humbling.
A clean house makes me happy
I think this true in my own life anyway. When my house runs smoothly and is in order, I feel in control but when it is disorganised or dirty, I feel irritable and unhappy. It is true that most people don't notice housework until it's not done, and that in itself doesn't bolster the home keepers' spirits. However, I have learnt to focus on the end result. It helps me get through the mundane cleaning.
There is a scripture that says that without a vision the people perish and I often equate housework with this verse. Unless we visualise the finished result of a clean house, we will often neglect doing it and miss the mark completely as regards of being a good home keeper. Like it or not, good housekeeping creates happiness. If we lose sight of that, we will be people without a vision!
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Where [there is] no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he. Proverbs 29:18
Seeking Him in a meltdown
It's poppycock!
I won't lie and pretend that I haven't been fearful, but I make myself remember God's promises to be with us no matter what, and I can bring the fear into the captivity of Christ.
We must cling to God and His promises if we are to have any peace about world events. We have to run to Him and not from Him.
Some people feel that if a Christian is afraid that they are not truly saved. That is a lie from Hell. It is just another way that the enemy gets to us when we are down. God does not turn away from us if we feel fear. He wants us to run to Him. He's a loving Father.
In running to Him, we will be comforted and have peace and that is something the evil one does not want. Those who judge the fearful Christian by saying they are not saved because of being afraid are doing the evil one's bidding: causing defeat, misery and false guilt.
The Word says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd.
And our Good Shepherd laid down His life to save us. He's not going to turn us away because we are afraid.
To suggest that a moment of fearfulness means we are not saved is dangerous. It denies our humanity. It presumes to judge. It spreads falsehood. It negates the work of God. It upholds the work of Satan. It seeks to nullify the Blood of Christ.
I am sure that God would approve of my judgement of this false teaching and nonsense by using one word to describe it: poppycock!
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Faithful in the end days
- 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 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.
- 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.
For such a time as this!
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God...
The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him, to all who call out to him sincerely. The Lord will rescue me from every evil action and will save me for his heavenly kingdom. Whenever I’m afraid, I put my trust in you — in God, whose word I praise.
I trust in God; I won’t be afraid. What can mere flesh do to me? God is indeed my salvation; I will trust and won't be afraid. It’s far better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust any human. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever.
God didn't give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares about you. This is why we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper, and I won’t be afraid. What can people do to me?Those who know your name trust you because you have not abandoned any who seek you, Lord. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul...
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also""These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
"Don't fear, because I am with you; don't be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand"
“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."
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7
A compilation of scriptures for such a time as this by Glenys
Sometimes you just have to move to another beach
My beloved husband, Chris has just turned 71, and I was reflecting on our 23 years of marriage and I was quietly thanking the LORD for him.
As often happens, my mind reflected on the different ways this marriage has blessed me, and it suddenly dawned on me that the reason for my divorce was not that I was a bad wife to my ex-husband.
You probably already know that I had a very violent 25 year marriage and it resulted in such trauma and loss of self esteem and confidence, that I seriously thought I would remain single for life.
Then three years after I left my ex-husband, I met Chris. He is an answer to prayer, and he tells me I am to him. A year later, we married. It is so very different from the first marriage, but I am basically the same type of wife to Chris. And he loves me.
I wondered why I was so detested and disrespected by my ex-husband, especially as my behaviour was loving and respectful to him. I prayed constantly for him, went to marriage counselling at church by myself, and believed that one day he would love me and not take his anger out on me. Yet, no matter how much I tried to please him in all things, he never was happy.
Truly, I think over the years, I wore more food than he ate, and cooking for him was nerve wracking. Yet Chris finds my cooking good and never complains. So it wasn't that.
Often I would try to find out how I could please my ex-husband and he would never tell me what was wrong. He would tell me how awful a personality I had and that I had to change, and when I asked him what specifically annoyed him for me to change and ask forgiveness for, he wouldn't give me an answer.
This not only led to anxiety/panic attacks, but seriously eroded any modicum of confidence I had after my traumatic childhood.
Such was my morbid introspection, that I ended up unable to eat and eventually unable to stop shaking. I spent a day in a psychiatric hospital where I was diagnosed with extreme stress/anxiety and advised to leave my errant husband.
After years of telling me I was crazy whenever I reacted to his abuse and punches, he had the gall to demand I come home as I wasn't crazy and didn't need hospitalisation. I was discharged into my GP's care and left my ex-husband after another 7 years of trying to win him over and have a happy marriage.
The night before I left, I told him how unhappy I was. I also asked him to go to marriage counselling with me or I would be leaving in the morning. He told me he wasn't going because he had done nothing wrong and it was all my fault that he hated me. He said I could divorce him but he wasn't going to pay for it. I did.
That morning after he went to work, I filled two garbage bags with my clothes and baby albums and Bible, and left. I was shattered and heart-broken that he wouldn't take any responsibility and when that happens, it is pretty certain that their heart is no longer in staying married.
I went to business college and later got a job, a nice home and some confidence. But the trauma and head messing left me empty, and sad that I had invested 25 long years in a marriage where I was never loved or even wanted. It left me afraid that he would be proven correct in that I would live alone forever, without even knowing what was wrong with me. It also left me with PTSD.
With a very happy marriage of 23 years this coming Sunday, my conclusions are that no matter how much you try to appease an abuser, no matter how much you turn yourself inside out for answers to improve yourself, no matter how you look, or talk, or cook, or save, or mother, or clean or love, you will never do enough to please them. And you can't ever please them because they don't want to be placated.
Sadly, sometimes to save yourself, you just have to pick up your beach umbrella, shake off the sand, and move to another beach.
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
I'm afraid of the dark.
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Nothing can separate us from God's love
It would behove us all to remember to be Christ-like to these suffering Children of God and comfort them, pray for them and encourage them. Those of us who suffer like this are prime candidates for panic attacks and meltdowns. We should do unto others as we would have them do unto us: pray for them, help them back on their feet and never judge them. Anxiety and panic are no respecter of people: but by the Grace of God, go I.
Mercy. Grace. Compassion. Love. Prayer. All are healing balms for the poor one having a meltdown. We need to tell them there is hope and there is healing and that nothing can separate us from God's love.
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Coping with anxious thoughts
We’ve been in semi-isolation because of covid19 for 4 weeks today. It is very similar to how we live our lives as older, semi-retired people. So, we’re not doing too badly here. I do miss my children coming ’round and I miss all the sweet little grandchildren being here.
It is a little harder for my husband who is newly without a job from being laid off. I say newly, but he’s been without work for 6 moths now. Still, it’s new for him, he has worked all our married lives and longer. So, I think it is a little harder for him to adjust. I, on the other hand have been ‘at home’ for over 35 years.
Since I am an old hand at being at home, I have a work flow, a way of doing things and getting things done, resting, participating in hobbies, chatting with friends online and then doing more work, that he is just now developing for himself. But in all, we’re staying busy.
This is the key to being content during this strange time in our world: staying busy. You remember of course that old saying that idle hands are the devil’s workshop? I also believe that an idle mind is his workshop.
But by staying busy I don’t necessarily mean work, work, work til you drop! What I mean is, your mind needs to be occupied with noble thoughts and good things instead of worry and sin.
It is possible to go sit under the tree outside and rest and still be busy with positive and good things.
Don’t dwell on tomorrow.
Don’t worry about yesterday.
Don’t stress that you can’t do more today.
Just do what you have in front of you to do.
It might be dishes, preparing a meal. It may be reading a book or drawing a picture.
Write that letter.
So, stay busy friends. Find some project that you would like to have done at your house or in your self and work on it. Whether it is a puzzle that has sat on the shelf for too long or cleaning out a room, starting a new Bible study or weeding a flower bed, now is the time to do it.
This will all end and you’ll be able to do more, go places and enjoy friends again. In the mean time, do what you can and do it well.
It's all poppycock!
I won't lie and pretend that I haven't been fearful, but I make myself remember God's promises to be with us no matter what, and I can bring the fear into the captivity of Christ.
We must cling to God and His promises if we are to have any peace about world events. We have to run to Him and not from Him.
Some people feel that if a Christian is afraid that they are not truly saved. That is a lie from Hell. It is just another way that the enemy gets to us when we are down. God does not turn away from us if we feel fear. He wants us to run to Him. He's a loving Father.
In running to Him, we will be comforted and have peace and that is something the evil one does not want. Those who judge the fearful Christian by saying they are not saved because of being afraid are doing the evil one's bidding: causing defeat, misery and false guilt.
The Word says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd.
And our Good Shepherd laid down His life to save us. He's not going to turn us away because we are afraid.
To suggest that a moment of fearfulness means we are not saved is dangerous. It denies our humanity. It presumes to judge. It spreads falsehood. It negates the work of God. It upholds the work of Satan. It seeks to nullify the Blood of Christ.
I am sure that God would approve of my judgement of this false teaching and nonsense by using one word to describe it: poppycock!
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Relax... God's got this!
So grateful tonight
His Cloak of Peace
Grace and mercy starts with us!
In order to avoid going into the Pit of Despair, I have to recognise that I am not only under physical attack with my illness, but spiritual attack. If the evil one can get me to listen to my thoughts of defeat, self-condemnation, grief and sadness, then he has won. He has ruined my day.
It is at times like these that I have to put on the Armour of God and after that to then bring these negative thoughts into the captivity of Christ. I need to remember that God loves me no matter how fast I spin my wheel.
And this is a BIGGIE: God only requires that I love Him with my whole heart, mind and soul, that I love justice and mercy and that I walk humbly with Him. It's nothing to do with limitations brought on by illness or disability or our lack of energy to do things.
It's never been a case of what I have done or do, but rather what He has done. We don't earn our salvation: it's a free Gift.
So in line with this, is the fact that we survive solely on Grace. God's Grace towards us is unfathomable. But do we impart grace to ourselves when we live as chronically ill women?
We are called to love mercy, but are we being merciful to ourselves when we are incapacitated with chronic illness? Listening to negative thoughts is not showing mercy or grace to ourselves.
We need to remember that we are still walking humbly with God, even if that walk is with a walking stick, frame or wheelchair. For we walk by faith- and in God's Sight, there is no mobility aid or even disability. We are walking in the Spirit, and that is a priceless thing that is eternal.
Therefore, as God loves us where we are at, let us lay aside the lies of the evil one and fix our gaze on God and His promises to us.
We may or may not be healed before He takes us Home, but whether we live in health or not: we are the LORD'S. Let's remember that, especially when we are in our worst flare, and be gracious and merciful to ourselves. Grace and mercy starts with us!
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8