Gao Zhisheng Update: Please Continue to Pray

"Commit your ways to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this; He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."

Psalm 37:5-6 

God has answered our prayers!  The whereabouts of Chinese human rights attorney, Gao Zhisheng, have been confirmed!  Through a recent phone conversation with AP and Reuters, and finally with his family and friends, Gao is alive and currently "residing" at a "Buddhist landmark in Shanxi province."  See the following link to read the details:

http://www.chinaaid.org/qry/page.taf?id=105&_function=detail&sbtblct_uid1=1413&month=03&year=2010&_nc=d2a5d6f9016427114026ed11d2a728be 

Through your tireless prayers offered on his behalf, and for the compassionate demands and persistent pressure some of our Congressmen have expressed to the Chinese government for Gao's release, the international pressure placed upon China has forced them to at least reveal he is still alive. 

Although this is wonderful news - God be given the praise! - we need to continue to be in vigilant prayer for Gao.  The Chinese government places "detainees" in camps that are designed to "re-educate" them through labor.  Because Gao's condition and location has been kept secret until now, we have no idea what he has endured or where he was kept prior to being placed in his current location, other than he was "detained" for 6 months and now "resides" there.

The effectiveness of the Chinese government's "re-education" process often breaks the spirit, returning the detainee to subjection and obedience to their God-less government.  Gao had been brutally tortured on other occasions when the Chinese government arrested him for his work.  Because Gao was obviously being watched during his phone conversation, it is clear that he was unable to give specifics to his family and friends.  His statement, "This is a mistake and I want to correct the mistake," is troubling, but perhaps was forced upon him by those holding him in order to give the world the impression he was wrong and his arrest justified.  It is my hope and prayer that Gao's spirit was not broken and that he remains dedicated to giving the Gospel to his people and continuing to fight for their right to worship freely.

Gao's wife, Geng He, and his children were "overwhelmed" with tears when they heard his voice on the other end of the phone.  However, China Aid clarified that they were not necessarily all tears of joy.  Geng He continues to bring attention to her husband's plight and is moving forward in the battle to secure his release.  She has enlisted the aid of  Freedom Now, a non-profit legal organization, to press the Chinese government to allow him to join his family in the United States.  Until that happens, the tears she now sheds will remain tears of sorrow.

Please continue to pray.  Ask the Lord to strengthen Gao's faith and trust Him and to remain true to Jesus Christ.  Also pray that the Lord will reunite Gao with his family in the U.S. and that he will be able to continue to honor God and work for his people here.

No Tears In Heaven

Revelation 21:4

There is a old hymn from my childhood that is not often, if ever, sung in contemporary worship that speaks about how there will be no tears in the new Jerusalem.  In the Holy City of God where He will make His dwelling among us, “He will wipe every tear from [our] eyes.”  Death, pain, and sorrow will be forever replaced with eternal life, comfort, and joy.  Never again will tears be shed over our sinfulness, for we will have regained God’s favor and the reward He promised the faithful will be realized (Jeremiah 31:16).

Although we still weep while we wait for Jesus to return, this old hymn is a encouraging reminder that when our wait is over, eternal and everlasting joy is all we will know.

No Tears In Heaven

by Tennessee Ernie Ford

No tears in heaven, no sorrows given.
All will be glory in that land;
There'll be no sadness, all will be gladness,
When we shall join that happy band.

No tears (in heaven fair).
No tears, no tears up there,
Sorrow and pain will all have flown;
No tears (in heaven fair).
No tears, no tears up there;
No tears in heaven will be known.

Glory is waiting, waiting up yonder,
Where we shall spend an endless day;
With Christ our Savior, we'll be forever,
Where sorrow no more can dismay.

No tears (in heaven fair).
No tears, no tears up there,
Sorrow and pain will all have flown;
No tears (in heaven fair).
No tears, no tears up there;
No tears in heaven will be known.

“Who are you?”

We have all been asked that question in one way or another.  Normally, we reply with a description of what we do, the type of job we work at, or a generic explanation of our life in general.  We respond that we are single, married, parents, grandparents; throwing in details concerning the things we do for recreation, habits, likes and dislikes.  But rarely do we ever answer the question with any depth and conviction.  Most of us would prefer not to wear our true selves on our sleeves.  We would prefer that people walked away with a good impression, instead of possibly seeing a defect we are attempting to hide.

Today’s devotion took the question of “Who are you?” a step further: “If what you do is who you are, who will you be when you stop doing what you’re doing?”  If you suddenly found your life void of all the things that define you on the outside, what would be left?  What answer would you then give?  It is at this critical point in our lives that a choice to answer correctly is forced upon us.  Our true identity, what defines the core of our heart and what we hold the dearest, then becomes the real issue.  We are stripped bare of all the outward accoutrements we once used to explain ourselves and are forced to reveal an identity we may have been keeping secret - our Christianity.

Because I claim Jesus Christ as my Savior does not mean that I always identify with Him as I should when I conduct business or interact with others.  The correct response to the “Who are you” question should always be, “I am a follower of Jesus Christ”.  Not what, but Who that defines our very being should first be revealed to those who ask what makes us who we are.  If I fail to place God first and acknowledge Him as the Giver of all I possess, including my income and the provisions and gifts He has bestowed upon me, then I am deceiving those who ask the question - and deceiving myself.  Being a follower of Jesus should always be my first response.  Everything else that defines me is secondary because, without Him, I would have nothing.

The next time you are approached and asked, “Who are you?”, pause a moment and ask yourself the question.  Are you keeping a secret identity that is only revealed to a certain few insiders?  Or will your response be, “I am a follower of Jesus Christ.  He defines me.”  As today’s devotion concluded, “It’s all the identity I need.”

Recommended reading:

• Isaiah 30:21
• Matthew 11:1-6; 16:13-20
• Mark 8:27
• Luke 9:23; 11:33-36; 22:31-36; 22:54-62
• John 8:12; 10:4; 10:27
• 1Corinthians 13:12
• James 1:23

Persecution: The Unspoken Word

Matthew 5:10-12

“Persecution” is a little-used term in today’s society.  The secular world would rather avoid using it because, if they correctly applied the word to various atrocities that are being committed against others, they would be forced to admit that there are those who are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ.  To use the word in its proper context would drive Him to the forefront where He rightly belongs.  It would perhaps cause people to reconsider the reality of God and His plan for mankind.  In addition, the use of the term would validate the horrible suffering our Lord endured for the sinfulness of all humankind: the persecution He bore before and on the cross for our sake, and the persecution He is being subjected to now through His children.

Persecution upon others can come in many ways.  It can be subtle, like an expression of disgust or disdain.  It can be applied by the use of belittling words, ridicule, slander, or false accusations that attempt to slice through the heart of a Believer, or to cast aspersions on them.  Or, it can be used in its most vicious form by use of physical attacks upon possessions or persons.  Persecution has often resulted in great injury or death and is usually committed in the most atrocious manner.  The history of Christ’s church, which His children represent, is replete with examples, and the extreme violence of those committing the persecution is only limited to their intense hatred and the blackest darkness with which they are consumed.  As I have cited before, it has been determined that since Christ’s resurrection, over 70 million Christians have been martyred for their faith and the majority of them within the last century.

The Apostles understood the true meaning of persecution (Acts 5:17-18; Mark 10:38-39).  With the exception of John who died a natural death approximately 100 AD, each one was martyred for their faith and died in a horrible and excruciating manner (for specific details, see http://www.apostles.com/apostlesdied.html).  Jesus had warned each of them that they would suffer for the sake of the Gospel.  But they understood that their suffering would also bring great honor to Him and even greater eternal reward for themselves.  Perhaps the most recognizable New Testament example was Stephen’s persecution and eventual death by stoning, which Saul of Tarsus, soon-to-be-convicted-and-repentant Paul the Apostle, encouraged (Read Acts 7:1-60).  From that point forward, “a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1), scattering the Apostles “throughout Judea and Samaria.”  Although they were forced to flee for their lives, they “preached the word everywhere they went,” proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ (Acts 8:4), and proving that even in the direst of situations, His Gospel would go out among the nations.   The intensity with which Rome persecuted Christians was evil personified,  but opportunities were opened to preach salvation to those who otherwise may not have heard it.

Although to some it may not be apparent, hope can be found in persecution (Matthew 24:13-14).  It can be counted as a blessing that, in spite of being on the receiving end of  life-threatening trials, Christ’s message is heard (Acts 5:41).  And as Peter proclaims in his encouraging second letter to the Jewish Christians who were dispersed over all of Asia because of Rome’s brutality, their faith with which they held firm was “of greater worth than gold”, and by adherence to this faith, it would bring Christ honor and glory and salvation of their souls (1Peter 1:9).

We want to believe that, because we live in what many perceive as a “civil” and industrialized world, persecution does not exist.  The stories that are reported of organized assaults on ethnic groups in other nations rarely, if ever, tell the whole story.  Car bombings are down-played to “civilian” casualties.  Uprisings and wholesale slaughter of hundreds or thousands in northern Africa and other parts of the world are falsely labeled “tribal conflicts".  And those who are arrested, imprisoned, or disappear and are never seen again for illegally crossing borders in and out of China and North Korea are called “dissidents” or spies.  If we want to know the real truth, we must do our own homework.  We cannot rely upon the secular media to keep us informed of persecution against Christ’s children, regardless of the location on our globe.  We must root out the ugly truth ourselves by remaining diligent and aware.  It is only through The Voice of the Martyrs, China Aid, and other worthy organizations such as these that serve the persecuted church that we learn the truth behind what may seem to be just another uprising or random murder in other nations.

In spite of the fact that the stories of persecution we read and hear about are far from the confines of America’s borders, one day we can expect it here (Matthew 24:12-13).  Jesus warned there would be a time when hatred for Him would spill out upon His followers.  Although the signs are subtle, persecution in North America is increasing: recent church burnings and shootings; the attempt to remove God from our time-honored documents and public places; banning open prayer and worship in our schools and workplaces; prohibiting Christ’s shepherds from preaching God’s truths under the label of “hate speech”, to name just a few.  And because of the Islamic influence and the world’s refusal to acknowledge its violent nature for fear of offending them, there is a blatant attempt, even by many so-called evangelicals, to muffle the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is “political correctness” run amok and  it is only the beginning of more to come.

In light of the fact that Jesus forewarned all His children that persecution would come to them one way or another, are you ready to face it?  Each of us who claims Jesus Christ as Savior must ask ourselves if we are ready to suffer for the Gospel (Acts 5:40).  This means that whatever form of persecution comes, even in the most vile and brutal way, our faith and trust must remain firmly grounded on God’s promise.  (Read Romans 8:31-39).  We are called to endure hardships like a “good soldier”, even under intense persecution, and keep going despite the suffering brought upon us (2Timothy 2:3, 10; 2Timothy 3:10); being “prepared in season and out of season” (2Timothy 4:2); “unswervingly” confessing the “hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

It is imperative that we never think we will be immune to such violence, or that  our lives and those of our loved ones will never face the same type of persecution those in other nation's endure.  We must also never forget those who suffer for their faith.  I encourage everyone to do their own homework.  Get the facts concerning news reports you hear.  Join one or more of the organizations I listed and actively get involved.  It may just be a suffering brother or sister in Christ that you hear about on the evening news.  And when you do discover the truth behind the stories you hear, speak the word "persecution"  loudly and with boldness, never leaving it unspoken, so that others will hear and share in their suffering.  

With all diligent faithfulness, continue to pray for the persecuted church, that they may be bold in their witness, are able to  find forgiveness for their persecutors, and are strengthened to endure what is brought upon them.  And pray also for those who persecute, that they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and have eternal salvation with Him.

Creation Calls. Are You Listening?

Sometimes it is best to just quietly sit back and listen for God's voice.  Sometimes it is best to just quietly sit back and watch as He reveals His majesty.  I hope you are able to hear and see Him in this beautiful representation of His creation.  I believe I did.

Flower of Righteousness

Isaiah 40:7-8

Like the wild flowers that burst forth from the warming earth, we are brought into life.  Our heads break through the darkness of the hard-packed soil of sin with which we are encased, pushing and shoving against it until, at last, the final clod of earthly sin falls away and the glorious light of the Sun falls upon our tender shoot.  And like the wildflower, the Sun’s radiance strengthens the stalk of our countenance, supporting the pregnant bud of righteousness that forms.

As each day passes, the wildflower flourishes and feeds upon the nourishment the Sun provides.  Its roots spread below the loosened soil, providing strength to the stalk that puts forth new branches, and each one forms another bud that reaches toward the heavenly Light.  There are times when certain flowers need assistance from others to open the heavy buds that rest upon their stalks.  But when they do begin to open, their vibrant color and sweet fragrance fill the air and others are drawn to feed from them.  The Hand of Providence that brought forth the flowers offers the same life-giving force to those who are gently lured to receive it.

Eventually, the flower must fade, for that is the way of the cycle of life.  However, contained within the miracle of the flower and its fading life is a surety of continuance.  The seeds which are encased within the heart of the flower’s bud are released upon the soil below its feet.  They are carried on the wings of others and lifted onto the breath of the wind, soaring across the earth and replanted where they come to rest.  Their time was fleeting, but their undying faithfulness is rewarded by the Sun that drew them to life.

Our lives are much like the wildflowers that adorn the mountains and fields.  Although it appears they burst forth without assistance and are scattered across the earth in randomness, there is a Hand that draws them forth from the earthly clay.  They are molded and shaped and crowned with splendor and beauty by a wisdom we can only ponder upon.  Each flower created by God has a purpose in its brief life, as ordained by Him.  They are intended to magnify His creation and reveal Him with color and vibrancy, but are also meant to feed others who come upon them.

We know the darkness of the earth from whence we were drawn.  We understand that, until our tender shoots burst forth into Christ’s glorious Light, life would not begin.  The petals formed upon the bud of righteousness that adorns us are meant to draw others and cause them to wonder.  The Light of Jesus’ presence, the vivid colors with which He clothes us, and the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit within us and that emanates from us will draw those in need of Him.  And as life’s petals fall to the ground, the seeds we bear and that are broadcast upon the hearts of others will guarantee a continuance of life.

I desire to be made into a flower of righteousness, Lord.  Let my fleeting life here, and the beauty with which You have so graciously adorned me, draw others to You.

The Greatest Treasure

Who am I to question God?  Who am I to ask why He appears to bless one and withhold from another?  He is the Sovereign Lord and His ways are His own, not mine to question. (read Isaiah 40:12-14)

It is only the outside of others' lives that are evident to us, not the inside where the truth lies.  In reality, what may appear as a trouble-free life may truly be one of inner spiritual turmoil.  What we see on the surface may defy what is hidden within.  Each one of us has a specific position in life as deemed by the Lord.  A man may be rich beyond his dreams, yet be the most spiritually destitute.  However, the poorest of men among us may be the richest and not know his poverty because of his relationship with Christ.  The reasons behind God's divine wisdom of granting one person wealth and another poverty are solely His.  How He deals with others, in blessings and trials, should not be my concern. (read John 21:20-23)

Ask yourself this question: did Jesus first approach the wealthy, the princes and rulers, the "movers and shakers" of this world?  The answer is that the first to know Him were the common folk whom He chose to be His disciples; and the first to hear His Word were the poor, the sick, the down-trodden, hungry dregs of society (read Matthew 5:1-12).  Jesus condemned the rich oppressors.  He over-turned the tables of their arrogance and pride and taught that it was better to give all one had than to receive more of what one had not earned. 

No amount of money or worldly physical comforts can add a whit of security to what Jesus has already given me.  Although I fail to acknowledge it as often as I should, I am rich beyond comprehension.  My wealth does not consist of money or earthly possessions that "moth and rust destroy" (read Matthew 6:19-21).  The treasure I seek and embrace is based upon the promise God made from the beginning and concluded with His Son on Calvary. 

When I leave this world, I will take nothing with me other than what He has poured in - His Holy Spirit and eternal life with Christ.  It is then that I shall fully know the greatest treasures and rewards, and the paltry things I leave behind will not matter.

*******

I praise you, Almighty God, for Your merciful hand of providence and Your wisdom for knowing what is best for me.  Lord, purify my heart from envy and worry.  Help me keep my eyes focused on You, the Risen Christ, and the heavenly treasures that await me.  Nothing here on this earth can compare to the reward of having eternal life with You, for You are the greatest treasure man can possess.

In Your precious Name, Lord,

Amen

Running the Race

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Acts 21:24

While reading my devotion this morning, it occurred to me that this passage is perhaps one of the most vital in maintaining our service to God.  Like Paul, I want to be a finisher in the race.  And I want to run it so well that at the end, I will know that I have done all I possibly could to further God's kingdom for His glory.

We have been given a "task", and it is even more important that we see it to its conclusion because it is expected of us to do so.  Too many of us merely give lip service to the lost.  We fail to demonstrate the seriousness of man's sinfulness against God and their need of the grace He is freely extending to them through His Son Jesus Christ.  For various reasons, I am just as guilty as the next.  But I am without excuse in my failures and if I attempt to create any, I am only fooling myself and leading others to false and damaging conclusions.

I am striving to adhere to the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not some watered-down, ineffective, and destructive form of it, and to convey it as He intended.  I want to be bolder for Him.  I want to fearlessly approach those who need Jesus Christ and bravely tell them why they so desperately need to accept the work which He performed on their behalf - His selfless, gracious, and far-reaching sacrifice.  And I want them to believe that no work they themselves do will ever gain them a toe-hold of heaven, for the blood He shed was sufficient to please God and to bring man back into His presence.

This is my "task" - this is why I want to run the race well.  One day, I want to hear my Lord and my God tell me, "Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your Master's happiness." (Matt 25:21)  

When I do, I can finally rest knowing that I faithfully ran the race to the finish.

Lord, grant me these things.  Give me boldness; make me fearless for You so that others may also know You and share in Your joy.  Help me run the race to its glorious conclusion, Lord, for your honor and glory!

Amen 

They Are Back!

Late Monday afternoon, I went over to my son's and daughter-in-law's house to refill my drinking water jugs.  I am ashamed to admit that I am a water snob, having been used to delicious, cold and sweet well water from our old home of almost 25 years that we sold a while back.  The water from the well on the lot we are currently renting is full of iron, keeps me constantly scrubbing the stains from the sinks and toilet, and tastes like you are sucking on an old rusty iron pipe when you drink it.  Thus, the reason for getting our drinking water from the kids' well.

As I stepped out of the car, empty jugs in hand, my ears picked up the sound I have been yearning for the last month.  Blackbirds!  Their voices were raised in the distance, announcing their arrival to our mountain valley and their yearly nesting grounds.  Tremendous joy filled my heart as I stood there listening to them call back and forth to each other.  I joined in their revelry, basked in the knowledge that with them comes Spring, and praised my Lord and my God for faithfully returning them at a time I needed them the most.

The return of these small, insignificant birds may sound trivial to some, but not to me.  Their arrival confirmed that God is still present in my heart and life, and He is still in control of all things seen and unseen, even the migratory pattern of birds.  There is nothing too small that He does not notice and tend to its needs.  And the fact they came on that particular day, following a moment of conviction and a reminder of Jesus' great love for all of His creation, played a more important role as the day came to a close.

We must never take anything in God's creation for granted, even the appearance of a bird that is called back to where it will begin new life.  I think this year's season change has taught me that very important lesson.  As I watch the little birds that have been feeding at the suet cages all winter, I can also see changes in them.  The males are donning their tuxedos of  pattern and color to woo the females.  Pairs of males and females are accompanying each other in preparation of setting up house somewhere in the trees.  

And even the squirrels that have feuded all winter over the peanuts I tossed to them are now beginning to allow others to feed alongside them - although, they have not ceased their incessant chatter.

There is so much to look forward to as Spring progresses into summer: the anticipation of the Lord clothing the bare fields with wild flowers; vibrant green leaves bursting from tree limbs, and the earth being blanketed with field grasses.  

The air will be filled with the song of the meadow larks  as they lift their voice in praise to the Lord for ending the long, cold winter.  And I will join them.

Thank You, Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, for Your ever-lasting faithfulness in gifting to us Your creation, to be in awe of each part of it, and to enjoy it every season.  It truly is beautiful and wonderful!

Three Questions

John 21:15-17

I started this blog approximately one year ago with the intention of serving God through it; to bring Him the glory, the honor, and the praise He deserves from me and to, perhaps, reach even one reader who is seeking Him through a simple word or phrase.  Having reached the first anniversary milestone, I was beginning to question myself and why I had attempted such a seemingly colossal task.  Doubt about my ability to write well enough and that I would capture an audience who would continue to return for more also crept in.  No sincere writer wants to bore his or her reader.  Rather, it is their desire to draw the reader into the magic of their story, to hold their interest as it unfolds, and to make them anxious for the dramatic conclusion.  If this is not accomplished, the result is a half-read book tossed into the mountain of unworthy manuscripts.

While taking college writing courses, my instructor impressed upon me the importance of a clean, precise, and well-written paper.  Borrowing a phrase from Lewis Carroll’s, Through the Looking Glass, she said, “Begin at the beginning and go through to the end.”  This sentence has stuck to me like glue as the single most-important factor in writing a successful story.  To me, it became the very essence of conveyance and structure and taught me that to not do so meant I would fail in my attempt to gain my readers’ trust and their interest in what I had to say.

As the last year stretched on, I began to notice that it was becoming more difficult to maintain a steady flow of new and fresh blog entries.  And as the blog’s first anniversary came to a close, the most dreaded experience every writer fears made an appearance: what some like to call “writer’s block.”  For the past month, the words would not come.  I felt as though my mind’s blackboard had been erased of every creative idea I had stored there.  I went to the Lord in prayer and pleadings with my problem, but even had difficulty forming my petition into any semblance of structure.  I continued to watch the traffic counter installed on this blog, its few visitor numbers slowly dwindling to only me and a random visit from perhaps one other person, now and then.  And as this problem progressed, it drove me deeper into doubt over continuing and the thought that perhaps God had fulfilled His purpose and it was time to quit.  It was at this critical turning point that the three questions came.

“…do you truly love Me more than these?” (v15)

My response to the question posed to me was typical of most Christians.  Translated from the original Greek, the word “love” used in the first question is “agape”, signifying volitional and self-sacrificing love.  But I mimicked Peter’s usage of the translated form, “phileo”, which signifies affection and brotherly love, telling Him that, of course, He knew I loved Him more than any other.

Once again the question came in the “agape” form, only this time it was aimed at my heart:

“…do you truly love Me?” (v 16)

As Jesus did with Peter, He spoke directly to me.  And true to human nature, just as Peter did, I once again responded with the “phileo” form of love, reconfirming that, indeed, I did love Him.

But the third time the question was asked, it dawned on me what I was doing and the shame it brought to me equaled what Peter must have felt when he later realized the depth of Jesus’ question:

“Do you love Me?”  (v 17)

The process took over a month, but Jesus was able to finally break through the barrier I had built up around my heart concerning this blog.  As He did with Peter, He turned the question around by using the Greek form we both had used in our response, and it encouraged me to reply with the appropriate one.  My mistake?  I had made the idea of this blog more important than the One Whom it was meant to serve.  It was not intentional, but it happened.  By gently asking me the question three times, Jesus forced me to reexamine my true motives for the blog and to go back to the beginning of its intended purpose:

“Feed My sheep.”

Each time Jesus posed the question to Peter, He followed it up with the command to feed His lambs with His Gospel.  Out in the vast stretches of this world is a flock belonging to Him that needs to be nourished with His Word.  Perhaps even more important, however, is that there are uncounted others who have not yet heard it and who do not know that He truly is the only way to salvation.  

It is in places like this blog that can afford Him the opportunity to convey His message to the lost who may by accident stumble upon it.  However, it is not up to me to determine the number of them that visit here, whether it is one or one thousand.  God will send those He intends to receive benefit from it.  It is not for my glory that the words that are poured into me and then transferred to these pages edifies a reader or draws another.  The honor and praise that emanates from the entries posted here belong solely to Him, not to me or any other.  Neither does the responsibility of choosing what to write on this blog lie with me.  The ideas for the stories you read here have, in the past, always come after much prayer.  He has never failed me when I have asked Him what it is He wants to say on a particular day.  In fact, there are some I write that seem to come from somewhere else than from my own thoughts.  Those are the ones I always marvel over the most.  

As I did in the beginning, I must follow this blog through to the end of the story I am writing here.  God will decide when that time will be, and I am once again confident that the end of the story will be a glorious one.  After all, it has already been written, I have read it many times and never grow tired of it, and I can guarantee its conclusion is beyond our wildest hopes and dreams.

As another year unfolds before me and this blog, I know that as long as I remember those three questions and the reason behind them, the Lord will faithfully provide me with the words He wants written here.  I pray you have been, and continue to be, fed to the fullest as you briefly visit my tiny spot on the internet.  I know my life has been enriched in providing my stories to you.  But I also pray you will long to be filled even more, to hunger and thirst after His righteousness and  truth, and to share with me His unbreakable promises as we await His return.

Oh... and my answer to His final question?

“Yes, Lord.  I understand now.  I do love You.”