Jane’s Story: Steadfast Love in Tragedy
This is Jane’s story. And this is a story about love.
You see, even in the midst of tragic events and dark moments, some things will never happen in this life.
Never.
“You’re going to have to explain this to me. I don’t understand why this happened.”
One of the many pleas spoken to me following the death of a young woman in our church.
Jane’s Story
Jane was only twenty-eight, leaving behind a husband and three small children including an infant boy born only days before.
Explain it? How? I mourned and grieved myself. And I struggled to make sense of it. So many people loved Jane.
Earlier that day my husband, Mike, pastor of our church, sent a troubling text to my phone. “Pray! Doing chest compressions on Jane.” I went numb.
In ICU and on a ventilator, Jane’s Bilateral Pneumonia and weak heart made her critical.
A sick feeling came over me. And I paced in my home office, praying out loud. Tearful. Calling out again to the Lord to spare Jane’s life.
Also, I quickly forwarded the text to many friends and people in our church family who had been praying, visiting the hospital, and sitting with Jane’s husband, Trey.
The News Came
July 11, 2014 at 8:29 am | Uncategorized
Formula for Living Water—H20
“Water, water, everywhere…”
There were days and nights,
water was the only thing in sight.
When the ship was out to sea,
as far as our eyes could see.
A family cruise to the Bahamas was the perfect way to celebrate our daughter graduating from college and son graduating high school the same spring. While I enjoyed cruising the ocean, I was glad to get my feet firmly planted back on land—at our ports of call and when the cruise was over.
“Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” Lines from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The sailor is out to sea, surrounded by water on every side, none suited for drinking.
Water. We need a daily supply. Take it for granted until we don’t have it. We can’t live without it—literally. Life cannot be sustained without water—living water. The earth cannot support living plants or vegetation without water.
July 7, 2014 at 10:57 am | Uncategorized
A Hostage Situation—The King’s Ransom
A Hostage Situation
By Karen Friday
My emotions have kidnapped my mind. My thoughts have been taken captive and are being held hostage. The demands are high. The only hope for release is The King’s ransom—pure, undefiled, full truth of the mind of Christ.
The words played over in my mind…I found myself in the same place again—obsessing.
“Obsess,” defined by Google dictionary, means to “preoccupy or fill the mind continually, intrusively and to a troubling extent. It takes control of, has a hold on, and is fixated on; to be consumed by.”
Obsessing fits well with my personality—perfectionist, overly organized, detail driven, and often self-critical. Recently I was obsessing…about ministry areas…about my physical appearance. My thoughts held hostage…
July 1, 2014 at 2:38 pm | Uncategorized
Head for the Hills!
Puffs of smoke billow out of the train’s smoke stack—forming silhouettes against the horizon. The wheels and mechanics are strained to the highest level as it rolls up the railway tracks. Sparks flying from the exertion of metal-to-metal—causing a fundamental force of friction.
A job meant for larger. Bigger. Stronger. A little train engine trying to make it up a high mountain.
The Little Engine Who Could, by Watty Piper is a children’s story that has been around since 1930. Against great odds, a small train heads for the hills in trying to make it up a high mountain. On a mission. A motivational phrase ensues, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”
A story of reaching for greater things. Motivating us as kids to believe in ourselves—we can do it—if “we think we can.” To reach for our dreams, aspire to do great things in life, help a worthy cause, and work hard at reaching our full potential.
While this is a wonderful storyline and true inspiration to many of us in our own childhood; as Christ followers, we believe in God—in His ability.
June 28, 2014 at 1:56 pm | Uncategorized
Do the Math—God’s Comfort Equation
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and source of all our comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
God’s merciful comfort > all our troubles = our comfort ministry to others who are troubled.
Comfort. It’s not overrated. To be comfortable…
- In being rested, “I’m so tired, I need my bed and my pillow.”
- In being full, “I’m hungry, I need pasta.” or “I wish I had a cinnamon roll.”
- In being warm, “I am freezing!” (Or hot natured and you want to cool off).
- In being physically well, “Why can’t I get better? Feel better?”
- In being emotionally well, “Why do I feel so alone?” and “Why are so many things bothersome to me?”
June 25, 2014 at 12:23 pm | Uncategorized
Patient Responsibility = Zero
HeavenCare
By Karen Friday
All charges for benefits are assigned to your Savior’s Network—Jesus, the high priest who has negotiated your contract by his ultimate sacrifice on the cross. You are not responsible for the individual costs on your account, the balance, or any expenses incurred this calendar life. You will not be billed.
Healthcare and medical coverage are not only at the top of news items, but are current buzz words in our country and many of us have experienced the costly effects…
“You are responsible for these medical expenses, Mrs. Friday. Your deductible has not been satisfied.” I heard this statement many times over the course of a year. My son made a trip to the Emergency Room at a nearby hospital. The deductible and out-of-pocket expenses added to a significant amount.
The Lord created us with three vital parts as humans; body, soul and spirit. Have you ever thought about the spiritual care we have been blessed with as believers? The care of our spiritual health and the well-being of our soul?
When we come to Christ, we are automatically enrolled in heaven’s spiritual care program.
June 21, 2014 at 3:14 pm | Uncategorized
Lavender Toss
“Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
I grab a handful of lavender from the basket. The aroma is soothing. Refreshing. Relaxing.
A palm of dried lavender buds. Smelling the fragrance. It is strong—but pleasant. A scent known for it’s calming power.
Waiting for the bride and groom—the processional celebration.
The newlyweds make their way down the path of neatly laid stones. The guests tossing handfuls of lavender. Bidding farewell. A bouquet of sweetness. A happy aroma fills the air. Well wishes for the couple laced with the lingering fragrant night air—full of lavender.
June 17, 2014 at 2:08 pm | Uncategorized
Daisy-Petal Hope
“He loves me, he loves me not.” I plucked the white daisy petals, deciding the outcome of my childhood crush.
Years later during a Sunday church service, daisies on my dress stirred those memories as I waited for my pastor-husband Mike to call me to the platform. He had asked me to share the long journey of praying for my father to come to Christ. First we watched the Billy Graham video “Hope for America—a Message of the Cross.”
As I waited for my cue, the white-and-yellow daisies on a background of black seemed to blossom on my dress. The Lord put in my heart an image of plucking flower petals and suggested the daisies that represented a young girl’s hope—hope for love—still covey a message of hope…hope found in the kind of love that goes to the cross.
As a young girl, I longed for love—especially from a father.
June 14, 2014 at 6:36 pm | Uncategorized
The “Un” Interruptions
“The brew process has been interrupted.” I looked at the screen of my single cup brewing system for coffee and tea. I’m impatient. Aren’t we all at times? In this culture? I want my great hot drink and I want it now. No interruptions please.
Interruptions. A flat tire, a canceled flight, a loss of employment, an illness, a broken relationship…they happen. Sometimes with little or no warning.
We are all on our way somewhere. To a point of destination. Following a dream. A path of educational gain. Business success—climbing the corporate ladder. Making a name for ourselves—fame. Building a family—a legacy—a ministry. The route to fortune—financial freedom.
Paths in life can’t always be predicted or followed with total precision. Why? That’s the nature of life in this world. We can’t always control the process. No matter how much we want control, there are always factors outside of our control.
Whatever the path…we are on our way. The process will be interrupted—when the “Un’s” happen.
June 9, 2014 at 3:44 pm | Uncategorized
Can You Hear Me Now?
“As long as she can hear your voice, she cannot hear mine.” ~Dianne Barker, Author
I have something to say in most any situation. I’m a communicator. I entered my first oratorical contest in the fourth grade. Sponsored by the local Optimist Club. I went to the state competition several times in the northern part of Virginia where my southern drawl was prominent among the contestants. Conveying my speech in a dynamic way to the judges was important to me—hoping the accent was not an issue in getting my topic across.
Engaging audience members with a strong introduction, keeping them “reeled-in” throughout the speech, and wowing them with a motivational closing statement is a love. It’s the place I thrived—elementary school through college. The place I thrive today.
June 5, 2014 at 2:33 pm | Uncategorized