Writing and Art From A Life Redeemed by Jesus Christ

What are you doing? I fell asleep with this sentence dancing across my mind last night. This tango of thought was center stage due to the ordering of my life. All my life I have had a well rehearsed plan of action that I danced around to the tune of someone else's beat. There comes a time when you must take the lead. And for me...that time is now. Thus the question. What are you doing? Ah! What am I doing? A question to which I am not sure how to answer. The doing part I can manage quite well, since laziness has never been an issue. I have had many others, such as procrastination, fear, selfishness, and the list goes on. But not true laziness that caused me to waste time, money, or effort on the behalf of someone else and their interest. But the dilemma is when I am doing something for or about me. But, I digress! The question still awaits an answer. What am I doing? So here I sit......thinking. As I mentally walk around this question I have to view it as though I am advising some...

The older I become the more I value faithfulness. Repeatedly, it is a virtue that is needed on a daily basis. Life has a way of throwing curve balls and it is necessary to have someone watching your back, your front, and your sides! There is a blessing that one receives from being faithful. The Lord promises that if you will be faithful in little that He will promote you to greater authority or ruler over many things. In the natural, the first thought is that promotion is realized in the physical realm. But as you think on it and experience the reward of this you come to realize it is a spiritual reward as well. The act of faithfulness in any area cost you something. Yes, there is a price to be paid. Faithfulness requires commitment. If not to the person or situation, then most certainly to God's word. Matthew 25:21 ends with joy, but the process of faithfulness usually starts with tears or anger. It is hard to be faithful. To continue to believe the best, to do the best, and to ...

Our Cross Take up your cross and follow me. I for one am glad that His cross is empty and that He is risen! But today I am contemplating "my cross" as His disciple. What about that cross? He carried His cross and rose in victory to sit on the right hand of the Father. But we are still here. My cross. Well on all accounts that just sounds awful! Who wants a cross? Oh, yes, a beautiful ornamental cross that we can display as a jewelry accessory. But a cross that I need to carry and not even on a trail of my choosing? Wow! Sounds like that might be difficult. As followers of Christ we each have a cross to bear that is ours in particular. And even as the man conscripted to help Christ carry His cross to Golgotha we too have help when the load is too much to bear because of the task set before us. Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. My cross appears to be the things in life t...

Are You Thirsty? © Debbie Turner Chavers Sometimes life seems like a marathon. On some days I train hard and yet forget to eat and drink. I find my strength is feeble and the road seems too long. And yet....there is a cool spot of shade and running water just ahead. There is a spring of living water that beckons and with the last of my resolve I push through until I fall in an exhausted heap of need beside the still water of His presence. My soul hungrily devours His presence, until peace replaces my need and strength floods my soul. I have watched others running with all their might toward a goal of dubious value and yet they knew they had to train, and strengthen their body's endurance to last until the finish line. There are people who will stand on the side lines to cheer them forward and hand off a cup of water to help them on their journey. There is an inner urging to keep moving toward the finish line. A focused intensity. There is a need to focus our intensity. I...