Always Near
When Happiness turns into depression
and I’m swallowed up by despair,
I open my eyes and remember
that you will always be near.
When I’m fighting a battle with evil
and I’m scared I’ll give way to sin,
I turn my head to you, Lord, because
I know with your help I will win.
With you by my side, I need not worry.
With you by my side, I need not fear.
All I have to do is remember that
You will always be near.
* This is an original poem that I wrote when I was 16.
Posted in Poetry | Tagged God is near | Leave a Comment »
The Poet
Wonder of words
a poet’s puzzle
coming from inside the heart.
Words of sadness, pain and sorrow
slowly tearing the poet apart.
A poet’s mind,
a work of genius,
finding words for every scene.
A poet’s heart,
unlike any other,
finding words to fill a dream.
*This is an original poem, written when I was 17.
Posted in Poetry | Tagged a poet's heart, poetry | Leave a Comment »
Ezekiel 37:1-10
37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
There have been two specific times when I felt like I was living in the valley of dry bones. The first time, I was 15 and had been placed in foster care. I was in foster care for 3 years and I felt like a zombie during this time. I went through the motions of life, but I was lifeless. I was living in a group home when I was 17 with five other girls, we were all made to take a psychological test. You know, the one with the ink blotches. When my test report came back, I was allowed to read it. It said that I had schizoid tendencies. No one explained what this meant. I was left believing that I was irreversibly flawed. I thought I was schizophrenic. Many decades later, I now know that being schizoid simply means that you withdraw from social situations. You don’t seek social interaction. You have very few close friends, not trusting anyone to be close enough to hurt you. Understanding this now, I can admit that this was me. I withdrew from the world. I had a couple of close friends, but I became someone else. I would not let any one in. I had become dry bones.
The second time I lived in the valley of dry bones was after my divorce in 2000. I went through the motions of life, but inside I felt like I was dying. I had kids to take care of and this kept me going, but I longed to pull the covers up over my head and just sleep until the pain went away. This lasted a few years, until I found my heavenly Father and He breathed life back into me.
Ezekiel 37:14
“I will put my spirit in you and you will live.”
God brought me back to life. There are still days when I am tired and feel like I can’t go on, but I AM ALIVE! I have life, because God breathed life into me. His spirit is in me and I live. We all go through times when we feel like we are living in the valley of dry bones. If you are there now and you are crying out, God hears you and He WILL breathe life back into you. Let Him know what is on your heart and let Him comfort you.
If you don’t know how to reach out to God, but you want to live again, then contact me. I am here for you, my friend. You don’t have to live in the valley of dry bones any longer. Choose life!
Posted in From My Heart | Tagged choose life, encouragement, to live again, valley of dry bones | Leave a Comment »
In the chaos,
I miss your voice.
Disconnected,
sad,
I am alone.
In the silence,
I hear your
voice.
Calming me,
leading me,
encouraging me.
I run to you,
Abba Father.
I hear your voice,
in the silence.
Posted in Poetry | Tagged hearing God's voice, in the silence | Leave a Comment »
Psalm 39:6
“Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.”
According to http://www.dictionary.search.yahoo.com, a phantom is: 1. Something apparently seen, heard, or sensed, but having no physical reality; a ghost or apparition. 2. An image that appears only in the mind; an illusion.
I find myself rushing around, impatient for God’s perfect timing. I try to control my own purpose, my own destiny. You would think that after years of getting nowhere on my own, that I would learn to stop trying to control everything and allow God’s will to be done. No, I still find myself trying to control my purpose. I cry out to God, “Why can’t I serve you full-time like I want to?” “What’s wrong with me?” “Why don’t you want to use me?” I admit to throwing an occasional pity party for myself. When I hear other people talking about how God is using them in this ministry or that ministry, I get a bit envious. Yep, the green eyed monster rears it’s head and God has to gently rebuke me and bring me back to my senses.
Do I rush around like a mere phantom? Sometimes, I do. Taking online Bible classes, jumping into another ministry opportunity, trying to look more “religious”, so those in leadership positions will see what a great christian I am. It isn’t material wealth that I try to heap up, it is religious acknowledgement. I am trying to gain attention for myself. It doesn’t work and no one has noticed, because I am focused on the wrong thing. I am focused on me and I need to let go of everything and simply sit at the feet of Jesus. This week I have gotten back to the basics:
Morning:
Writing in a prayer journal using the Lord’s prayer as an outline
Reading a daily devotional
Evening:
Reading a daily portion of a Read the Bible in a Year program
Journal about my day, if anything has happened that I feel I need to journal about
It is this simple. Simply focusing on my relationship with God and letting go of my need to find my purpose. My ministry is where I am right now. My ministry is this blog. My ministry is my job. I have surrendered my need to control things and am learning to slow down and enjoy where I am. I can hear God breathing a sigh of relief and saying, “finally!” I am simply taking life one day at a time. No more rushing around for me. I am going to focus on serving where I am and on God. This is an ongoing battle, but I know with God, I CAN win it!
Posted in From My Heart | Tagged back to the basics, closer to God, stop rushing | Leave a Comment »
Posted in From My Heart | Tagged broken vessels, God can use you, grace, imperfect people, mercy, purpose | Leave a Comment »
Micah 7:19
You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In my 44 years on this earth, I have acted in ways that I am now ashamed of. I have said hurtful things to the people I love and I have done things to tear down relationships when I should have been acting to restore peace. I have sinned. I am a sinner. I will continue to sin in one way or another until the day I die, because I am human and imperfect. I have to accept that at the core of my soul, I am not a very good person. I am selfish, needy, unloving, judgmental and can be downright hateful. Hey, I’m just being honest here!
I’m am overwhelmed with gratitude for a God that can look into the dark corners of my heart, gently remove all the meanness in my spirit and hurl it all to the depths of the sea. Not only does He hurl our sins to the depths of the sea, He completely removes our transgressions from us! WOW! We don’t have to wallow in guilt and shame, because our sins and bad attitudes have been removed from us. That is so AWESOME!!!
Not only does He empty us of the ugliness, He refills us with all joy and peace. He empties us of our sins, so that we may OVERFLOW with hope. I have hope, as I trust in God, that I can be that generous, loving, compassionate, peace-filled, and joyful person that I long to be. It is a day-to-day process. Sometimes minute-by-minute, but I have hope, that as I confess my deepest, darkest secrets to a loving God that He will take them and destroy them and I will be filled to overflowing with the goodness that is Jesus.
How can you take the sin and replace it with joy and peace? How can you begin to overflow with hope?
1. Confess– Confess your sin to God. Let it all out. He knows it all anyway. Search your heart and make sure it has been swept clean.
If you can, confess your sin to the person/persons you have caused injury to. If you can, make restoration for the sin. Everything needs to come out. Lay your heart bare before this person. They may forgive you or they may not. This is about you coming clean and the condition of your heart.
2. Surrender– Surrender your heart to God. Allow God to perform open heart surgery and replace the old ugly heart with a heart filled with joy and peace and hope.
3. Let Go- Let go of the guilt and shame that often comes with the sin. It is done. You’ve confessed it and God has removed it. Move on. Don’t let the guilt and shame overwhelm you. God wants to fill you with His love and joy.
4. Daily Maintenance- If you find some of the old junk trying to sneak back in, you will have to make sure that you do not leave a door open to your heart. If you are faced with the temptation to sin, give it to God immediately and ask Him for strength. He will give it. He will help you be victorious. On a daily basis, fill your heart with praise, prayer, God’s Word, kindness, compassion, peace and love.
Sin has destroyed relationships, companies, nations, and people. It doesn’t have to, if we give it to God. We all sin. Never think that you are the only one. If you are struggling with sin right now and you want to find joy, peace and hope, all you have to do is pray to a compassionate God who hears us and restores us:
Dearest Father,
I am a sinner. I hate what I have done and want so much more for my life. Please forgive me and throw my sins (confess the details of the sin) into the depths of the sea. I am asking you to refill my heart with joy and peace. I want to overflow with hope. I believe that you love me and will restore me to wholeness.
Amen
May the joy and peace and hope found in Jesus be yours for eternity.
Posted in From My Heart | Tagged Forgiveness, guilt, hope, joy, peace, restoration, shame, sin | Leave a Comment »
I am church homeless. I am a christian. I love Jesus with all of my heart and do my best to obey God in all things. However, I do not go to church. Why? I work most Sundays, so it is really hard to get settled in a church. If I am being completely honest though, it is because I haven’t found that one thing I am looking for, JESUS. I want something MORE! Where can I find a church that is right out of the book of Acts?
I have become disillusioned. I have visited a number of churches, some for many months, even years, but there are some things that are deal breakers for me. I know that churches are full of people and people are NOT perfect. I understand that. I have to follow where the Holy Spirit guides me and if the Holy Spirit is telling me that there is something not right, I have to believe that. Every person has their own deal-breakers as far as when to leave a church. You have to go with your gut and do what you feel God is telling you to do. If for any reason, you find yourself without a church home don’t get discouraged. There are ways to stay connected to the God who loves you:
1. Have A Daily Quiet Time- Find a time to get alone with God. Find a quiet place, turn off anything that will be a distraction, take a deep breath and focus on the one who really matters: God. Use this quiet time to study the Bible, how can you apply what you are reading to your life? Use this time to pray, pouring out your heart to God and listening to what He has to tell you.
2. Get Online– There are tons of church websites with full sermons you can listen to. There are online Bible study tools to help you dig deeper into God’s word. There are also, interactive Bible studies that you can be a part of. Take the time and research, just be careful and make sure that the websites are teaching the Bible.
3. Bible Study– find a local Bible study that may not be attached to any particular church. If there isn’t a Bible study in your area then maybe you should start one. You never know, as you get to know the other participants, you may end up finding a church you do like.
4. Serve– Find ways to serve in your community. There are food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens and other ministries that need volunteers to keep them going. You will be helping those in need and also getting to work with other Christians.
5. Start A Home Church– Home churches are started every day by Christians who simply want to be a part of a church like the church of Acts. Starting a home church is not hard, but you need to be a mature Christian, a leader and somewhat organized. A house church can go wrong fairly quickly if the leader/leaders are not strong Christians. This is not for the faint of heart.
God can use this time to mold you into a stronger Christian that depends only on Him. Being church homeless does not mean that you do not love God or that you are not a true Christian. God has used this time to draw me closer to Him than I have ever been in my life. You have to be intentional in your relationship. You have to make the decision that God is worth the effort. If you do make the effort, I can guarantee that God will draw you closer to Him than you could ever imagine.
If you are church homeless, contact me. I am there and I can help you find ways to connect with God. Don’t give up!
Posted in My Daily Life | Tagged Church homeless, connecting with God, following Jesus | 2 Comments »
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
I don’t remember a time in my life when I couldn’t recite the Lord’s Prayer word for word. I don’t remember ever attending a church where it wasn’t recited on a regular basis. Over the years, it became rote and meaningless. This was not the way Jesus intended it to be. Jesus never intended this passage to be a prayer in and of itself. He gave it as an outline to use as a guide in your prayer life. To recite the Lord’s Prayer in the mechanical way that we have become accustomed to does not do it justice and we learn nothing from it. There are 5 parts to this outline:
The first 2 parts are all about God and His will:
1. Praise and Worship– Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We acknowledge who God is to us by praying, Our Father in heaven. This establishes our relationship with God. According to http://www.merriam-webster.com the definition of hallowed is holy, consecrated, sacred, or revered. This tells us that God’s name is holy, sacred, and to be revered. We don’t have to use these exact words in our prayers, but we do have to give praise and spend a moment in worship of our heavenly Father. Jesus put this part of the prayer first, because it is the most important part. To give praise and worship to our God is the most important thing.
2. God’s Will– Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We are to pray for God’s will in ALL things. I know how easy it is to slip into self-satisfying prayers, or prayers that push our own agendas instead of God’s. Jesus lived His life doing God’s will, seeking God’s will and obeying God’s commands. We need to do the same. It is okay for us to want things, but God knows what is best for us and we need to seek His will in ALL things.
In these days of unrest and evilness, it is important for us to be in prayer that God’s kingdom will come and we will live as God intended, in peace and harmony with each other. There is an urgency and we need to pray for an end to injustice, oppression, and hate. We need to be in prayer that all people will know God’s heart and that this world will be transformed by the love of God.
The last 3 parts are about us and what we need:
3.Our Daily Bread– Give us today our daily bread. Jesus is telling us to pray only for what we need today. This is consistent with God’s command not to worry about tomorrow, as found in Matthew 6:34.
For Ourselves- What needs do you have TODAY? Don’t waste your time on worrying about tomorrow, focus your prayer on your immediate needs for today.
For Others- What needs do family and friends have TODAY? If you know someone or a situation that needs immediate prayer than pray for that person or situation. I’m sure that Jesus prayed for the disciples and God wants us to pray for each other and events in our lives.
4. Forgiveness– And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. If there is anything on your heart that you need to confess and ask forgiveness for, then you better do it. Nothing keeps us separated from God more than unconfessed sin. Confession is good for the soul! So is forgiving others when they have wronged you. I admit that I have a tendency to hold a grudge. It is hard for me to forgive people who have hurt me. Sometimes the words, “I forgive you” is said between clenched teeth and God has to give me an attitude adjustment. We have to forgive others. Hanging on to the hurts of the past will only hurt us in the future. Let it go, give it to God and live the life you were meant to live.
5. Temptation and Evil- And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. This is so important and Jesus knew how much we would need protection from Satan. Temptations hit us from every side and we need to be prepared. We can not face them alone. Only with God, can we face down temptations, before they take us down. This part of the passage shows just how much God loves us. He knows that there is no way in the natural realm, that we will ever be able to face the evil one on our own. He will deliver us, if we ask Him to.
Remember that Jesus intended this passage to be an outline to guide us in our own prayer time. Expand on each part as God leads and see where God will take you in your prayer life. Prayer is how we communicate with God and He has shown us how to do that in His Word. Our journey in prayer is an ongoing process and always evolving, so don’t give up. Keep pressing in and God will bless you abundantly!
Posted in Prayer | Tagged a prayer outline, Forgiveness, Gods will, Jesus, Prayer, the lord's prayer | Leave a Comment »
I have recently read 2 passages of scripture that are very similar in context. I believe there may be more than these 2, but I decided to focus on these 2 passages for this post.
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I was struck by the similarities in these 2 passages and realized that if God is repeating himself, then it must be important. These passages had 3 common instructions for every day living:
1. Rejoice– According to http://www.vocabulary.com, rejoicing is celebration or festivity. In Thessalonians 5:16 we are told to Rejoice always. I know that this is not easy in this day and age. On a daily basis, we are dealing with the demands of work and kids, all while trying to get everything done on a to- do list that’s a mile long. Believe me, I understand. As I was thinking about this concept, I realized that if “to rejoice” means “to celebrate” than rejoicing is simply a celebration of life. I don’t have to like some of the aspects of being a single mom. I don’t have to like when my kids act up or the car breaks down, but I will continue to rejoice and celebrate this life God has given me.
2. Pray– Philippians 4:6 tells us that in EVERY situation, by prayer and petition, we should present our requests to God. We are also told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we are to pray continually. How often do you pray when you are at work or running errands? Do you remember to pray for that annoying co-worker, the guy that cuts you off in traffic, or that cross cashier? Do you remember to pray when you are in a traffic jam or when things aren’t turning out the way you expected? Honestly, I forget to pray for the people that irritate me. I forget to pray for patience while standing in a check out line. I forget to pray for God to use frustrating situations to mold my character, so that I can be the woman He wants me to be. I have found that I have to be intentional about praying in every situation. The question I ask myself is, “Why is it so easy for me to run to my kids to complain about so and so or this and that, but not communicate with a God who wants to hear about every aspect of my day?” It is something I need to pray about and change so that I am in obedience to God.
3. Give Thanks– Philippians 4:6 tells us that by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we should present our requests to God. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to give thanks in ALL circumstances. I have to admit that sometimes I find God’s commands downright hard to obey! Give thanks when my kids are screaming at each other? Give thanks when my car has a flat and I am flat broke? Give thanks when the roadways are iced over and I have to go to work? Are you kidding me, God? You expect me to give thanks? Yes, He does. Honestly, I would much rather complain about my circumstances, but where does that get me? Feeling miserable, negative and toxic. I don’t like feeling like that. I give thanks that I have 5 kids with healthy lungs. I give thanks that I have a car in the first place. I give thanks that I serve a God of unlimited resources. I give thanks that I serve a God that has a legion of angels that protect me on the roadways when the roads are one slick sheet of ice. I am so thankful that I serve a God that is in control of all things!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us that these 3 commands are God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. We live our lives seeking God’s will for us, but never bother to look in the one place where He actually tells us what His will is: the Bible. I’m guilty of this myself, so I’m not pointing fingers. If you want to know God’s will, read the Bible!
In Philippians 4:4-7 Paul, also gives us 2 other principles to apply to our daily christian walk:
1. Be Gentle– Philippians 4:5 tells us to let our gentleness be evident to all. I have always tried to teach my kids to be gentle with their belongings, with animals, and with their younger siblings. As a mom, have I been that model of gentleness that I want them to see? I hope so. I know there are times when I have failed miserably, but I try. Knowing that God gives us a direct command to be gentle, I will try harder to be that role model of gentleness that not only my kids and grand kids need to see, but the world as well. We live in a world of harsh words, hate crimes, and evil intentions; we need some gentleness in our lives.
2. Do Not Be Anxious– Paul tells us not to be anxious about anything in Philippians 4:6. Living in a world of terrorism, war and evil, it is hard not to be anxious. My kids are growing up and going out into the world and I worry about them. At the end of the day, I know that there isn’t anything going on in the world that God doesn’t know about. My worrying isn’t going to help anything. I have to let God be God and live my life knowing that He is in control. I can hear Him telling me, “Go on about your day, I’ve got this.”
When we obey God’s commands, He has promised certain things:
1. He Is Near– Philippians 4:5 tells us that the Lord is near. In every situation and circumstance that we find ourselves in, the Lord is near. He knows intimately our heartaches and our joys. He is near when our children leave home for the first time. He is near when we find ourselves broke and homeless. He is near when our loved ones pass away and we are drowning in our grief. He is near. He knows what we go through on a daily basis and He wants to walk through this life with us.
2. We Will Have Peace- Philippians 4:7 tells us that when we obey the commands that God has given that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. When we rejoice; when we pray; when we give thanks; when we practice gentleness; when we give our worries to God: God promises that we will have a such a peace that we will never understand it and this peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. I know there are days when I could use some peace, how about you?
I hope I have given you some food for thought, as you discern who God is to you. We each have our own unique relationship with Him and He relates to each of us differently, as I relate to each of my 5 kids differently. In this relationship, our heavenly Father does have certain commands that He wants each of us to follow for our own benefit. He loves us and doesn’t want us to suffer needlessly. We make rules for our children, because we love them and want to protect them and God makes rules to protect us from the harshness of the world.
He never expects us to walk out His will alone. He is always with us and He gives us others to help us up when we fall. If you need a hand up today, let me know. I am here for you as you seek God’s will for your life. I am here for you as you start to implement God’s commands into your life. You never have to walk alone. How can I help you? How can I pray for you?
Remember always, that God loves you and so do I!
Posted in Prayer | Tagged do not worry, give thanks, God is in control, God is near, Gods will, pray, rejoice | 2 Comments »
Patti Burris 