A Wake-Up Call--From God!

Two fawns frolicking in our backyard

The deer in the woods by our house represent God to me. I know they are there, but I don’t see much of them. Last summer a doe and two fawns visited our yard from time to time, but most times I see no evidence of deer. Neighbors, however, sometimes tell me they glimpse deer crossing the street. I notice a shrub that deer like to munch on become more straggly as winter progresses. And we see deer tracks in the snow. So I KNOW the deer are around. So it is with God. At times I see evidence of his work in my life, but more often than not, I live by faith; I simply KNOW He is there. 

One morning last December I awoke early, walked into my kitchen and flicked on the light to the backyard. There stood a gorgeous doe, looking right at me. We stared at each other for a few minutes until I turned off the light and backed away from the window so as not to frighten her.

What startled me about seeing that doe was that that morning I had awakened very heavy in my spirit. I was asking myself, “Where is God in all this?” You see, it was the morning after the Sandy Hook shootings. Weren’t we all asking ourselves, “How could a loving God let something so horrific happen to precious children?” But that morning, that doe reminded me that God is very real and very present--even in the worst of times.

God works through the emergency personnel to restore order. He touches grieving parents through the arms of compassionate friends. He speaks through pastors and people of faith. He cries, too, through us who are saddened that evil has touched the innocent. I will never forget the peace that came over my soul as I watched that doe and such thoughts came to me.

We’ve recently witnessed more heartbreaking events in our nation—the Boston bombing, the Texas explosion. So I just want to remind us all that God is not absent or silent and neither should we be. Wherever evil abounds, he stands for truth—through us. Wherever people hurt, he brings healing—through us. Wherever people despair, he offers hope—through us. What a privilege it is to represent him in a hurting world.

                                                                                 

What symbol might represent God for you? Find something—a piece of wall décor, something from nature, a certain object. And notice how often God brings it to your sight and your mind—just when you need it. If you already have such a symbol, leave a comment and share with us what it is that reminds you of our Wonderful God.

This Saturday Friends of the Heart kicks off our Mother-Daughter Banquet season at Grace Community Church of Willow Street, Lancaster, PA. Check www.friendsoftheheart.us to see our schedule of six events this month. Just send me an e-mail (sbrosius@epix.net) if you would like to attend any of them, and I’ll give you contact information. Our theme for most events is “That Face in the Mirror: Who Do You See?” And we’d love to see YOU. J

A God Moment

Have you ever had a God moment? I had one just last month.

Earlier this year our choir director asked me to narrate our Easter cantata. I was surprised. I am not a choir member, and my voice is not strong. I always need a microphone for speaking engagements. However, I try to walk through open doors the Lord puts before me. Since I had no reason to say no, I said yes.

The experience was truly a God moment. I had imagined myself reading a paragraph between songs, and at times I did. But much of the time I needed to read during a song’s introduction. If I correctly paced myself, I ended just as the choir started singing and the composition flowed.

The narration was sooo meaningful as it pointed to Christ as the Lamb of God. I enjoyed pausing for emphasis, speeding up to show excitement and in general showing emotion through my voice.

The evening of the event, I joined a community choir to present “The Song of the Lamb.” Can you even imagine? Here we were of various denominational persuasions, setting aside our differences to praise our Lord. I felt as though I was before the throne of God, joining with the multitude to lift up the name of Jesus.

I write this to encourage you to take advantage of opportunities God brings your way. Accept opportunities to serve your church, even though it means stepping outside of your comfort zone. Pursue an interest, even though it involves risk. Who knows what special moments the experience may hold?

If you have had a similar experience you can share, please leave a comment at www.shirleybrosius.blogspot.com. Let’s encourage each other.

A busy spring season of speaking awaits. Visit www.friendsoftheheart.us to see if we’re in your area.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andymorffew/7159326732/

Book Review: The Light Between Oceans: A Novel

With an intriguing plot, M. L. Stedman begins her story as a childless couple rescues a baby from a boat that lands by their home. If you enjoy novels, this book is a page turner—right to the end. It’s hard to say more without giving it away, but it will tug at your heart, enlarge your understanding of life as a lighthouse keeper and cause you to ponder the hard places of life where people sometimes find themselves. It will also make you consider the ultimate impact of the choices you make on a daily basis. I heartily recommend this one. A little salty language here and there, as befitting for the characters, but other than that, it’s a five-star read.

There's a Time to Redecorate

A faded living room carpet started all this. If I buy new carpeting, I certainly won’t replace it with the same mauve color, especially after the carpet man told me that shade is the most apt to fade. So I must also change the window treatments, which were so faded a friend thought they were beige instead of pink.

That’s how it started. Here’s how it’s unfolding. Since I’m redoing the living room, I need to redo the dining room, which shares the same carpet and window treatments. And the stairs too--that lead upstairs to my office, with its 35-year-old yellow carpeting. So while the carpet men are here, let’s go the whole nine yards.

This morning my wonderful husband dragged three large bookcases from my office to an attic area to get them out of the way. And his work continues as he ponders how to move a large desk, two file cabinets, a printer stand and my computer itself, the latter, fortunately, on a rolling cart. What a project! But it will be worth it all when we stand back and say “Ahhhh” a few weeks (or months) from now.

While I’m at it, maybe I should also check to see whether my life needs a remodeling job. Is my devotional time fresh and interesting or as faded as my living room carpeting? Does my Bible reading and prayer motivate me to grow deeper in my faith? How are my relationships? If I were to set aside a day to rendezvous with God, what would I want to talk about?

First of all, I would look back. Am I dragging behind me feelings of anger, guilt or resentment? Am I harboring bitterness left over from past experiences? Are there sins I need to confess? Just like my faded carpeting, such things need to go.

Then I would look around. What is my age, my stage of life? What do I like about it? What would I like to change? My eating habits? The use of my time? My devotional habits? In A Guide to Prayer For All Who Seek God William Paulsen is quoted as saying “It is unlikely that we will deepen our relationship with God in a casual or haphazard manner. There will be a need for some intentional commitment and some reorganization in our own lives.” That is so true about every aspect of life; we must become intentional and plan to exact change.

Finally, I would look ahead. What would I like to see a year from now? Five years from now? Ten years from now? What must I do to insure that will happen? Join a gym? A Bible study group? Learn a skill?

Recently I discovered a set of college courses called “The Great Courses.” I am thoroughly enjoying learning more about writing, public speaking, nutrition and how the brain works. The professors are top notch. All courses are discounted over the course of a year. So visit their website: www.thegreatcourses.com and see if any appeal to your need for self-improvement.

Well, I’ve given myself a lot to think about. So until next month . . . enjoy the journey. And step out in faith. If you receive this by e-mail, visit www.shirleybrosius.blogspot.com to share what you’re going to do. Let’s hold each other accountable.

Book Review: Journeys to Mother Love

Journeys to Mother Love, a compilation by Catherine Lawton, tells the stories of mothers of all ages, from all walks of life, in their own voices. But these women have faced demons from the past and challenges of the present by opening themselves to God’s grace. They tell their stories of hurt and healing to guide others down similar paths to freedom and forgiveness.

If you felt neglected as a child, suffered abuse of one sort or another or had to deal with a complicated mother/daughter relationship, the book is for you. I plan to pass my copy on to someone whose life today is complicated by past experiences. I could especially relate to one woman’s story about a mother with Alzheimer’s because I have an older sister with serious memory loss, but I recognized issues from my own life in most every story.

Each chapter ends with a short bio and photo of the author, and it was interesting to note how negative experiences can turn into ministries. All the women testify to the faithfulness of God regardless of circumstances and offer inspirational reading at its best.