My Beacon of Light

I remember those 12 mile drives home from my newspaper job in Kremmling, Colorado. The normally beautiful drive became terrifying when I drove through blinding blizzards, struggling to stay on the road and not sure where my Gore Pass turnoff was. As snow blasted my windshield and blew fiercely in front of my headlights, I knew that ahead there was "my beacon of light." I trusted that street lamp would be there for me to show me where to turn.

Today, my heart hurts. My brain feels damaged. I can barely breathe. I struggle to sleep or eat. This grief of losing my loved one is nearly unbearable. And yet, through it, I know whom I have believed. And yes, He is faithful.

He is my rock and still my joy. I would never have had this revelation had I not gone through this pain. God is indeed with me. Jesus holds my heart.

In my life I have known His favor, His promises, His healing. I have known His love. Yet in this time, all this has gone even deeper in me than I ever believed possible.

These past weeks have been another type of blinding blizzard. But in it I have recognized God to be my beacon of light - for He is showing me the way back to life and light and truth and hope.

Sadness in Colorado

As I write this, the television coverage of last night’s tragedy continues to describe the horror. Children dead and critically injured, a married couple dead, more than a dozen killed and more than 50 injured at the hand of a seemingly intelligent young man who had no previous criminal record. President Obama wonders what could possiblly move a person to hurt another human being. Candidate Romney has put in his thoughts about the living God bringing comfort. People all over the world are listening. People all over the world are praying.

What does motivate something like that? Incomprehensible. Tragic. Horrific. All words that continue to be uttered as witnesses and reporters describe what happened.

My heart is so sad. So sick. Everything within me is wanting to fight, yet what are we fighting? The only answer to President Obama’s question is - no human being could do something like this to fellow human beings. Pure evil is as real as our living God. It is a battle that has waged, according to the Bible, from before the foundations of the world. How do we respond as humans?

We can talk to the One who is able to bring the only comfort, peace, truth, light, life, healing, and love, that can transcend the pain of this time. Prayer works. Intercession works. Allowing Him to love others through us works. Times like these make us hold our children closer; count our blessings; and bond even with strangers. God is with us. He loves us. He loves Colorado. He is present. He will prevail. He is good.

God bless Colorado.

It's Time To Fly!!!!!!

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galations 5:1 (NIV)

Free at last, Free at last!!
My cast is off! Yes - those of you who have gone through this with me know how hard it was for me to have the restriction of a cast. Never have I so appreciated all my working parts! Never have I so honored my left hand and all it is capable of normally doing - like supporting my right hand, typing, lifting, washing dishes, shaping guitar chords, cleaning, doing laundry, buttoning my jeans, squeezing the toothpaste...you get the picture. So you can imagine my joy when the cast came off last week. My "wing" was again able to help me fly.

Truly alive!
This experience I liken to my spiritual experience. I have had times when I was injured - rejected -  by someone and my feelings hurt - or times when I tried something and failed, or when I behaved badly and was ashamed, causing injury to my mind and heart. In those times I actually put a "cast" on my pain - a protective cover to help it to heal. Some people call it a "wall." We unknowingly build them to not only help us heal, but protect us from future hurts. The thing is - when we are healed and strengthened in that area, we often forget to remove the cast. It stays on - and the result is we are limited in our abilities to do things - like really love; really show compassion; and receive the same from others. Our walls keep us "safe," but prevent us from truly living.

Life, joy, freedom!
My prayer today is that we can enter life and freedom, and bravely remove our casts and take down our walls - and see that God has healed us - He will protect us - and His desire is for us to be free from anything standing between Him (our true life, joy, and freedom), and us (with hearts so desperately thirsty for that life, joy, and freedom).

The Joy of SOZO
Can you do it? Yes. It's time. If you need help - seek it. So many ministries are out there to assist in helping you find that freedom. SOZO is one of them - now offered through many ministries and churches. I have posted a link on my blog to the left. Check it out.

Blessings and joy to you today!!!!