How Does God’s Love Lift Us?

If you have ever sung this song, have you wondered just exactly how God’s love lifted us? Today I shared a story of when our three-year-old son was hurrying to go to church because he knew his grampa and gramma were going to be there. So instead of holding his mom’s hand and walking on the sidewalk, he cut across our lawn, but as he ran, his little toes tripped over tree root. Though he was unhurt, he muddied the beautiful white turtleneck shirt he was wearing from top to bottom. Now Nancy did not spank him, laugh at him or even yell. Instead, she quickly brought him inside, cleaned him up and put a clean shirt on him. Then she gently led him by the hand down to our car and off we went! In the same way, Jesus picks us up when we have fallen in the mud. Washes us with His own blood and dresses us in the white robes of his righteousness. Then He lifts us up and leads us all the way to Heaven. All we have to do to keep holding onto His hand!

It Is No Secret

Though none of our family knew at the time, my grandfather was in Naval Intelligence during WW2. Trained as a radio engineer, he worked with a team of others to decode the Japanese military code. Their operation went by the name of MAGIC and because of those efforts our side was given a huge advantage during the naval battles in the Pacific. But as I tell my friends in memory care, we don’t have to belong to the CIA or any other intelligence service in order to hear from God. Why? Because it is no secret what God can do!

I hope you like this short video we recorded a few weeks ago with my friends. By the sound of their voices they certainly have discovered that they don’t have to decipher God’s code. His love for us in Christ was written plainly in blood on Calvary. All we have to do is return home to Him and with arms wide open, He’ll pardon you!

Marie’s Healing Testimony and Strong Tower

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 18:10 ESV

The Saturday before Hurricane Ian came to call, we had a wonderful time praising God at our monthly Sunshine Village meeting. I had just finished an opening praise song when I was unexpectedly interrupted by Marie. It was a song she vividly remembered because more than twenty years back she had received a miraculous healing from Asthma, while singing it in church. I love her statement, “Don’t be shy to give God the glory!” We are not shy about yelling for our football team or against candidate X – Y or Z in an election. Why should we miss out on giving God all the credit He deserves when He gives us an opportunity? Have a blessed day all and pray for us as our outreach grows a little each month as we share the love and hope we have found in Jesus Christ!

Tchaikovsky, The Who and Me

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

In August of 1882, Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was first performed with live cannons( fortunately for the audience without the cannon balls!) In 1964 Peter Townsend of The Who carried things a bit further when he smashed his Rickenbacker guitar on stage. On the other hand neither of these compare to the moment that our sons laughingly refer to as, “Dad’s first crush.” It all happened one afternoon as I was rushing off to play for my friends at the nursing home. Being late, I rushed downstairs and out the door with guitar in hand, but minus my car keys. The lack of keys I noticed at the trunk of the car when I reached into my pocket and – tada!- no keys! So I leaned the guitar against the back of our car and raced back inside desperately looking for keys. After a few minutes I happily discovered them and, bounded down the stairs, and out to the car. In relief, I jumped in, started up our old Chevy and threw it into reverse. About half way down the driveway a loud crunching sound alerted me to a detail I had forgotten – my poor guitar!

Though I laughed a little as our two young sons joked with me, it was bittersweet, because back in those days the money for a new instrument was definitely not in our budget. But God had plans! Keeping the story quiet in church was impossible. Our boys couldn’t keep it a secret and especially since they thought it was hilarious! But after the service my friend Rocky quietly came up to me. “You know I wanted to learn guitar a few years ago, but gave up. I have a brand new Takamine in the closet. It’s yours if you need it.” No words were sweeter to me that day! I played that Takamine for 20 years before passing on to our younger son who decided he wanted to learn to play.

God has great plans for us, even when our hopes and dreams get crushed under our own car tires. He knows our needs and loves to provide them, especially when we expect them least!