Only through God!

When a demanding and chaotic world is so overwhelming, and a woman’s role is somewhat confusing, the result is the ‘depressed housewife’. ‘Housewife’ is a term used loosely, since today’s women are much more than simple ‘housewives’, and their contribution to society is so often taken for granted. 

Most women are confused by their role in life. The feminist movement has empowered the woman to achieve corporate success, while the natural yearnings of her soul lead her toward the security, love, and tenderness of a family-life.

How does this confusion affect the average woman? When ten to twenty percent of the general population is depressed at some point in their lives, and this percentage is made up of twice as many women as men, the answer is so obvious that it hurts.

For the past thirty to forty years, women have been fighting for respect and recognition as more than just ‘housewives’. Women are now encouraged from childhood to put away their dolls and get an education. After the education is complete, a family is started and the woman is in pursuit of her career. She soon finds herself praised on one hand for her accomplishments, and persecuted on the other for neglecting her role as a dutiful housewife!

There is also found a handful of women who cannot ignore their desire to experience the traditionally accepted life of a woman. These are the women who devote their lives to nurturing a home and family. Their aspirations are no doubt cherished by their children, and perhaps even their husbands. However, equal disapproval is shot their way by those who view them as inferior, lacking ambition, and possibly even plain old lazy.

How, in the face of these conflicting opinions, is the woman expected to find her niche? How is her soul, the center of her being, expected to be at peace when it is torn so violently in different directions? How can the devastating reality of the ‘depressed housewife’ be overcome? author unknown.

This article expresses a basic struggle of most housewives who have been blinded by feminist views. How does one overcome? Through accepting Gods' Word about our worth as homekeepers and resisting worldly views of worth.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Christless Christianity

It seems that the Episcopalian Church or Anglican Church in Australia is losing all sense of true doctrine! Over here we have had an Episcopalian Bishop John Selby Spong, preaching a 'Christless Christianity' to packed houses! He refutes the infallibility of the scripures, and Christ's Virgin birth and has been labelled by many (myself included) as a heretic. And this man is still allowed access to the pulpit!

I no longer worship in the Anglican church but in a Baptist church, which is founded on sound doctrine. The Uniting Church in Australia similarly has changed its doctrinal stance on abortion, stating that it is a sad but necessary fact of life...! How repugnant that is to those of us who believe in the sanctity of life!

Some friends of ours who live outside the box and who I have described as nominal Christians have long been touting Bishop Spongs' ideology of a Christless Christianity. Consequently, I have noted a down turning of their faith and a collection of idols around their home. Buddhas, Stars of Davids and Krishnas grace their mantle piece, rubbing shoulders together comfortably. "Just to be sure," they laughed!

During a Christmas meal, we were talking about Christ and these "Christians" informed me that they doubt that Jesus even existed! And the scriptures are not infallible! Not wanting to embarrass my husband, I quietly stated that I believe in a literal Christ and that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.... and we would have to agree to disagree. They told me my God was too small and were rude to me.... I confess that I did not enjoy the evening or their company from then on...

So sad that today's Christians are being blinded to the Truth and listening to these heretics. Still it is prophetic, isn't it? For in the end days, they will heap up for themselves teachers who will tickle their ears with what they want to hear and blind them to the Truth! Scary stuff indeed! O come Lord Jesus!


© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" 2 Timothy 4:3

Let Jesus soothe your soul

There are a lot of faithful Christians who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety.  Although they are usually strong in the faith, when a panic attack hits, and they have a meltdown, their trial turns into a field day for false accusers and Job's Comforters. 

They are often told that they are lacking in faith and to cling to the LORD, when it is chemicals in their body that is causing the problem, not lack of faith.  They do nothing to help but add fuel to the fire. Telling a sufferer of a panic attack to have more faith is like telling a drowning man to swim faster. They simply can't and they struggle just to keep their head above water. To add to their woe, they then fear that they have become apostate or are backsliding.  But nothing could be further from the truth.

The truly backslidden or apostate Christian will not turn to God for help therefore she has no worries of feeling unloved by God but the faithful Child of God will be afraid when she cannot break through the clutch of adrenaline that induces a feeling of impending doom (in this case, damnation) Such feelings are false, and during her life when not suffering an adrenaline rush, she knows this and relies on her Saviour. 

The Bible teaches us not to be anxious, but any anxious person will tell you that it is a fact that anxiety will come for no apparent reason. My point is that Satan will use this hormone induced attack on our bodies to make us feel guilty, alienate us from feeling close to God, and cause us to be more anxious. We know it is written we shouldn't be anxious- but here we are with anxiety and guilt as our companion. 

We know we should trust God but often it's not so clear cut and defined. It does us no good to be told we are sinning when it is clearly a chemistry problem which manifests itself as anxiety. In our stronger moments, we are aware of the scriptures. One who suffers from anxiety does not need to be told they are willfully sinning. We need people's understanding and compassion. It goes without saying, that we always have that from Jesus. 

We tend to forget that most often sufferers of anxiety and panic have often been in the midst of the most horrendous of stresses and trials, often for years, and despite being faithful and clinging to God, they have a meltdown. Trials include all chronic illness such as fibromyalgia and disabilities. 

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

God loves womankind

Women hold a very special place in God's Heart. Many feel that He is a misogynist or woman hater, but nothing could be further from the truth.

God knows that women are entrusted with an eternal purpose of life: to serve Him, love their husband and nurture their children. And to be keepers of the home. "Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house...' 1 Timothy 5:14c

Jesus in fact respected and loved womankind, and entrusted His first visitation after His resurrection to Mary: a woman.Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethrenm and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. John 20:16-17

He interceded for the woman who was chided for breaking forth the alabaster jar of precious and expensive ointment, anointing His feet with it and drying them with her hair. It was He Who said that what she had done for Him would be spoken of forever. Love. Respect. Mercy. Grace. (Luke 7:37-50)

Forgiveness and grace were shown to the woman caught in adultery: respect and love from God meant her life was spared. (John 8:3-12)

He created Woman to be loved, to be loving, to be nurturing, to be protected and to be respected. To us He gave to us the ability to bear a child and then to raise it for His glory.  Any man can father a child, but it takes a loving woman to bear and raise it. No small matter. It takes a woman.

God knows that He can entrust women with eternal treasures, that's why He gave us the protection of marriage and the creating and keeping of a home: godly foundations on which to build a new generation of sons and daughters for Him.

Whilst men go to synagogues in Judaism, whilst men go to work and whilst men go to war, it is the women who carry the home, teach the children and bring them up unto Him. A worthy calling.

It is here that God meets with women in the mundane things of life, for He knows that the mundane is of great value, and so is a woman's service. And from love for womankind, comes a God Who meets us where we live: in our kitchen. In our baby's nursery. In the laundry.

To believe that women are forgotten by God is a gross misrepresentation of His love. It is we who keep the homefires burning and keep it all together when the world falls apart. No wonder God loves womankind.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10

Red meats on Good Friday?

With Good Friday being on us, often the question of whether or not to serve red meat comes up. Basically the tradition is something started from the Catholic church then adopted  and the protestant churches followed... 

Because I have found nothing in scripture forbidding us to eat red meat on Good Friday- or even on Fridays for Christians, I have no problem whatsoever eating it. In fact, when I was worshiping at a Pentecostal church, they held a BBQ after the Good Friday service. 

The answer for our house is yes we eat it on Good Friday- however, if someone is with us who has a problem with that, we abstain for their sake. Scriptures don't tell us not to eat red meat on Good Friday, but they do tell us to respect the conscience and belief of those who don't wish to. I  believe like everything in the Christian life, it comes down to loving your neighbour and fellow man. 

This year because my son is living with us and because he upholds the traditions of his childhood when his (non-practicing) Catholic Italian father didn't eat it, we will be having fish. Likewise our family BBQ for Easter is going to be at my daughters' home, where it will be Easter Saturday... because her husband upholds the traditions of the Catholic church. They do not eat red meats on Good Friday. 

I believe we are to respect other peoples' conscience in our decision whether we serve red meats to them. It is the loving thing to do.. Have a blessed Easter! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

If any of them that believe not bid you [to a feast], and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another [man's] conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 10: 27-31

Everlasting to everlasting!

So many years ago, the earth saw a miracle that blessed humanity for all time...

The earth that saw Jesus'  birth 33 years before, drank in the Blood that flowed freely.... freely running, freely given, freely pardoning, freely saving unto eternal life anyone who would only believe in Him.

The same earth that is Gods' footstool, trembled at the cross alongside the centurions and soldiers and those few of Christs' followers who remained or who watched from a distance....

Unable to withstand the magnitude of atonement and celestial grief, it swayed in its power, reeling as someone in shock...

And utter darkness covered the earth as it shook, highlighting the terror as God turned His Face away from His Son, unable to look upon the sin of mankind that His Son had taken upon Himself...

It violently heaved in the aftermath of a crucifixion that saw the greatest gift of redemption the earth would ever know, releasing resurrection power to many who had died and tore the Temple veil in two.

Then hastily the earth swallowed the body of Christ into its maw of hewn rock, as it had done to men since Abels' untimely death until this day.... yet no ashes to ashes or dust to dust: no decomposition...

And another Sabbath passed, not shrouded in joy and welcomed since the birth of the Jewish people, but bringing with it a desolate cloak of disbelief, shock and despair that threatened to engulf the little band of believers who had trembled at Christs' words... unaware that triumph was already His. And theirs.

Beneath, the earth reeled as Christ stripped Lucifers' hopes of victory against a God Who now presented Himself King of Kings and Everlasting God.- Light of Light, Holder of the Keys of the Kingdom, destroyer of death and sin.... and Lucifer and his minions also trembled.

The earth marvelled at the intensity of the Power of Resurrection... molecules and atoms infused with Life,  vibrant in a way it vaguely remembered at its birth so many aeons ago.... magnificent creative force, God breathed life and Power.... Pulse of God.

Was ever there a time like this as Creation remembered Diety's Touch, revelling in His Footprints as His pierced Feet swung from the burial ledge, and His Hands that held the weight of the world folded the shroud so hastily bound around His lifeless Body 3 days ago?...

An almost forgotten thrill caused the earth to shudder as the Power of Gods' angels rolled away the enormous stone that blocked the burial chamber....

And it sang in ecstasy as the Feet of its' Creator once again walked amongst men.... victorious King, conquering Saviour, merciful God, everlasting to everlasting Prince of Peace.....

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  John 1:25

Staying busy

In the wake of the Corona Virus, comes anxiety and fear for the future and for a lot of us-(let's be honest-most of us), we don't know what to do with our days.

Being at home is both exciting and challenging and it can leave us unsure of what to do and how to  handle it.

My friend, Mrs Sylvia Britton of Christian HomeKeeper is a very gifted writer. She has blessed me so much with writing her Lists for the chronically ill woman. I follow them most days and they have helped me so much for many years now. 

Sylvia graciously allowed me to post her Lists here and on my other blog and I am eternally grateful.

Recently she has written a post which is so very helpful for us concerning coping with isolation and the Corona Virus.  Once again, she has graciously allowed me to share this with you. Thanks again, my friend.

Here is what she wrote: 

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.

Wise words and so encouraging. If you want to be encouraged and are a Christian woman, you might want to join her FaceBook group: Christian Homekeepers

Blessings, Glenys 

Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, “Be of good courage!” Isaiah 41:6

It takes my breath away!

We can be quite sure that when a person is facing death, that their last words and actions will encapsulate their life's work, goals and words. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus washed His disciples feet- even Judas His betrayer, showing us that Servant hood was why He came and was to be a hallmark of the Christian. He shared the breaking of bread and drinking of wine in what we commemorate in taking communion and is known as the Last Supper on that night, and He asked that we do this in remembrance of Him.

Knowing His hour had come and what would happen to Him at Golgotha, He asked that His disciples watch and wait as He agonised in the Garden of Gethsemane. So great was His knowledge of the ordeal He would endure and the separation of Himself and His Father as He took on our sins to die the torturous and cruel death of crucifixion in our place, that an angel came to minister to Him as He sweated drops of blood...

Even when betrayed by Judas's kiss, he ordered the disciples to put away their swords and he healed the soldiers ear that a disciple had cut off... and still as He stood before Pilate in a trial that itself wasn't even legal, He stood silent, as legions of angels waited for the order to rescue Him. But no such order came... and the Lamb of God, Who would take away the sins of the world and bring us to His Father, our Father- was led away as a lamb to the slaughter. With His own cross ripping off what little skin He had left on His back and shoulders... and wearing His only earthly crown.. a crown of thorns.... 

I am reflecting on the greatest act of love and compassion this world has ever known, and the more I reflect, the more I see of the depth of a love so divine, it takes my breath away.... 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Luke 22:19

I see love

Because of  Rona and us being made to stay at home, I have had to ring people instead of going to see them. Although through necessity I had to make a few stops off at places of business this week.

People are keeping well back and practising social distancing at the post office and chemist. There has been almost a camaradie in people I talk to from business people to customers in the chemist.

They have been respectful and maintained their distance but did make eye contact and smiled. Whether in person like that or on the phone, the conversation has always ended with being told to be safe and take care!

I would return the smile and admonish them to do the same, and somehow this interaction lifted my spirits.

Why did it lift me up? you ask. Because in that kind admonition to stay safe and take care, I see the fear that truthfully we all are experiencing in one degree or another. 

I also see that people generally have taken on board the complexity of this hidden enemy and the need to be cautious and careful.

There is concern in strangers' voices as they say this in parting, and it resonates in the spirit like the greetings and admonishment at Christmas to have a happy one.

I see something deeper in these admonishments: I see the milk of human kindness. The acknowledgment that we all are frail against this foe and a wish for each other to overcome and live.

It's a recognition that we are all equally vulnerable but equally precious. It's more than words that I hear: I see love! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2

Are you a delightful cuppa?

Troubling times bring out the best or worst in us. We are all like tea bags sitting in pretty tea cups waiting to be filled with water to make delicious tea.

We all have the tea leaf of our favourite tea in our bag. But add lukewarm water, and we sit largely untouched and of little use or pleasure to the tea maker.

By adding boiled water, we release the flavour that delights the tea maker and is pleasant to the palate.

In our trials, whatever they are, God does not sit aloof but watches with the love of a father to see how we will react. He wants us to turn to Him in our times of trouble and to trust Him.

Because of His great love for each of us personally, His eye of concern is on us and how we respond.  He wants our response to be one of childlike faith. We don't have to understand everything.

It is easy for us to be confident and loving and trusting when little heat is in the water of adversity- but what happens to us when the boiling water of long and extremely harrowing trials come our way?

Do we allow the boiling waters of adversity to steep us in faith, love and trust- or do we give up on our faith and run from God, boiling but lacking tea in our bag?

I don't know anyone who isn't touched by this latest trial in the form of Corona Virus, and I don't know why God allowed it and hasn't intervened. But I can say that even though we are afraid at times, that God is not idly sitting by or caught by surprise.  He is calling us to Him. 

He is watching our reaction, and the world is watching us. How we react to adversity is the benchmark of how much tea is in our bag. Jesus wants us to overcome fear and find our strength through Him.

We don't need much tea: in fact a mustard seed size of faith is enough to move mountains. But we must have tea or we will be useless to others and a misery to ourself because we have no peace.

Let us resolve to keep tea in our bag and to allow the boiling water of adversity to make us stronger! Let's keep close to the Teamaker and be a delight to Him as we lean on Him with the eyes of faith instead of fear.

We want to be steeping in strength through clinging to Jesus!  Are you a delightful cuppa? 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders."  Deuteronomy 33:12

On trusting God: a post revisited

When I was studying psychology, I was required to read M Scott Peck’s “The Road Less Traveled.” It was a secular book but I will always remember the opening sentence which said something like, “Life is painful. When you accept that, then you can start living in joy!” It was a sentence that says it all I believe. Life is a struggle. Even life as a Christian. If we deny the pain or not try to cast it on God, we can miss great lessons from the Master.

I know in my life some of the darkest and longest trials have served to make me a stronger person. I can identify with another’s pain and therefore I pray with feeling, with compassion and with understanding. I learn how to pray for help from the LORD and I can see His Hand at work in my life and the life of others after the event, if not during.

Learning to cast your cares on God is often a slow practice and it comes from years of relinquishing control of your life and realising that only God can control an outcome that is causing us concern or pain. It results in the peace of trusting Him to act out His perfect Will in our lives and then learning to accept it. It is at times extremely difficult to put into practice. This relinquishing of control and learning to trust God to know what is best in my circumstances and to trust Him to do it for me has taken years. But after reflecting on the outcomes of many difficult circumstances and trials where I could not see or feel God’s presence or leading, I have come to the conclusion that He has worked all things out for my own good.

One way that helped me to realise that God had indeed answered my prayers or delivered me safely through a trial or grief was to keep a prayer journal. I wrote everything down. Every prayer, every fear. And I recorded all events. Over the years, a pattern of God’s faithfulness and deliverance was seen. This encouraged me immensely and helped me trust Him more as further trials overtook me- trials of health, marriage problems, financial problems and problems with my children. We have to learn to walk by faith and not by sight. God loves us too much to allow us to walk a boring path of constantly granted wishes with no challenges or hardship! It is only through the path of faith in life with all its attendant worries and challenges that true strength and faith in God can be found.

It is imperative that we purposefully and deliberately relinquish trying to control our life and put our faith in God by praying in earnest supplication – and then to leave God to work it out! It takes courage, humility and strength. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of time to be able to actually get to the point where you can pray and give it to the Father to oversee. But really, what other choice do we have? If we say we believe in God’s goodness and love for us but don’t trust Him in our trials, how can we be true to ourselves or Him? How can we know the wonder of feeling God’s hedge of protection around us, His mighty Love enveloping us during trials or feel the same love and awe at His depth of compassion towards us- if we don’t put our money where our mouth is? Or in this case, our faith where our mouth is!

No trial is joyous at the time- but the benefits of facing up to them and running to the LORD with them far outweigh the negatives. For by denying God the time to work in our lives, and to not lay our problems and cares before Him, we are actually denying Him the ability to bring beauty out of ashes. What have we got to lose? We have so much to gain! He has been our King of Glory: let Him be our Prince of Peace!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

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

She's coming home!

Our granddaughter works as an entertainer on a big cruise ship and has been unable to get back to Australia for weeks. All the passengers have disembarked but the crew had to stay onboard.

With more than two weeks with no one getting the Corona Virus, our granddaughter has finally been given permission to disembark and get a flight home.

But that doesn't mean we will see her soon. Not only are we in quarantine, but she must be taken to a nearby hotel in Melbourne in quarantine for two more weeks.

But at least she will be back in the country. All the family can then breathe a sigh of relief.

It would appear that the curve of new cases is flattening, but there's still a lot of time left to stay in isolation.

We can only do what we are told and pray that God allows the pestilence to dissipate quickly.

Until our granddaughter touches down in Australia, we will be fervently praying that she travels easily without picking the virus up.

With all the doom and gloom, it is heartening to know that she's coming home! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. Isaiah 26:20