In many respects 2019 was one of, if not the
most confusing year of my life. When
Piper was alive, I was always pretty focused, goal orientated, enjoyed dreaming
about our future and knew what I needed to do and did it… especially
when I was caring for her 24/7, over the last eight years of her earthly walk. After her passing though, I found myself
confused and lacking in much of the personal confidence and focus that had been
driving me. Now as the year is coming to
its end, I am finding some of that confidence, focus and peace returning to me. I am beginning to see 2020 as a literal year
of new beginnings as I have suddenly found myself walking a path in this life
that I neither expected, planned or have walked before.
Now I am settled here in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. I’m living
in a new house that I own and am getting ready to see what each day of this new
season has for me to experience. In some
ways its very daunting, but in others it’s quite exciting… which in itself
seems to be my biggest problem right now! Throughout this last year I have found myself
repeatedly bouncing from one opposite emotion to the other! Excited about what’s ahead one moment and
then finding myself concerned and somewhat empty and lost when I consider existence
without my life-long, spunky wife at my side.
Going back in thought, previous to 2019, it’s easy to see
that the last two decades were a time of drastic change for Piper and I and
our family. Some good and some not too
positive! I was laid off in 2002 from my
twenty-year tenure with Hewlett Packard and their spin-off company Agilent Technologies
when the electronics industry in the United States suddenly crashed and burned. Following that, our two older children got
married and I received the unmistakable call to attend Bible School while we were attending a conference at Rhema in Oklahoma in 2003. Our two younger children would follow suite
in meeting and marrying the love of their lives (at Bible School) when they later attended after I did.
We moved to Oklahoma in 2006 to go to school with the
dream of coming back to California and pastoring our own church. That desire came to a screeching halt when
Piper began demonstrating increasing physical symptoms of something a lot worse
than what was thought to simply be the passing effects of menopause. Once we began
her medical investigations and tests, we entered a course of life that would become
totally consuming for the next eleven years.
After graduating and with confusing results from the
various brain scans and other multitude of tests that Piper had in Oklahoma, we
decided it best to return home to our former life in California. But as I’ve chronicled in the literally
hundreds of blog posts that I’ve written since 2010… things didn’t quite
turn out as planned. The former life
we had wasn’t there when we returned! Almost everything we had come to depend on in
our past was no longer in operation. But
we bounced back. We slowly learned
who we could depend on (or not) and developed a new network of family
and friends that we could trust and be with in our time of desperate need.
Then in 2014, after months of prayer, we (read that “I”)
packed up our belongings and moved us to North Carolina to be closer to three of our
four children and their families. Plus,
it afforded us the opportunity to purchase the home of our dreams in the
country with about an acre of property. Those five years on the East Coast were sweet,
had their moments of joy, were filled with lots of miracles, but was also the
most trying as well as physically and emotionally straining and draining time
that I’d ever experienced in my life. At
the end of 2018, we lost the physical battle for Piper’s life and I found
myself in an empty house, without the most important, wonderful and cherished
person that I had ever known.
… And then 2019 began to appear on the horizon! Following a few months of feeling like an
absolute zombie, I flew to Oklahoma to spend Christmas with most of our kids
who now lived there. After my return, I threw myself into the task of preparing our dream home for sale, sold
it and then moved myself and the dog to Oklahoma… where I am now.
I am truly hoping and believing that this is the last move
for me. That this is home! I have a ton of plans for upgrades on the
house, have returned to my adult Christian roots at church at Rhema, get to see
our girls and their families in Broken Arrow on a regular basis and for the
first time in who knows how long… live in the same time zone as our boys who reside
in Oklahoma City and Mount Juliet, Tennessee!
As 2019 comes to a close and the new decade begins, I am
beginning to feel the gears of expectancy turning on the inside of me. I sense dreams formulating deep within my
heart and even though it may seem daunting… I feel that warm and familiar
trust in the truth of God and His word returning to my soul.
God reminded me the other morning of Whom I
need to be listening to as I begin this new adventure. While the warm water beat down on my back (I
love the shower head and amount of water pressure this house has!) I heard that all familiar “still small
voice” on the inside of me say, "Have I not commanded you Jim? Be
strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for I, the LORD your God am
with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 NASB) “I will never neglect you or abandon you.”
(Joshua1:5 God’s Word ©)
So, need I say anymore?
I have my marching orders… pretty much the same ones He gave me back
in 1975 soon after Piper and I got married.
Sure, my life has dramatically changed… but He is still the same as He
was in every century that you and I have been alive… and many, many more
before that!
In 2020, trust in Him, seek His directions and then follow
what He says! Simple right?
I’m expecting an exciting new decade of life… How about
you?
I was listening to the DJ on the local Christian radio
station this morning when he started talking excitedly about the coming of the new
decade. He called it a time of
new starts and new life. I’m not sure
why, but his comments also got me excited!
The thought of it being the beginning of a whole new decade
seemed to make it even more interesting to me.
Over the last few weeks I have been increasingly sensing
that God has some special plans for me beginning in 2020. And while I firmly believe that He had
nothing to do with Piper’s early exit from this world, I firmly believe that He
knows my future and plans to be very much involved in it!
I am also beginning to have some hints about how He is
thinking about doing it. For example,
I recently realized through a series of happenings… coincidences… some
may say, that I need to return to my spiritual roots at Rhema in the new year. It dawned on me that the very foundation of
Piper’s and my adult spiritual and resulting physical lives began when we
connected to that ministry way back in the mid-1970’s.
As I’ve stated before, the practical teaching of faith
literally turned us on our ears! It
ignited a fire deep inside of us that was fanned to white hot flames throughout
the next 40 some years. It was the
understanding and reliance on the Word of God that got us through the roughest
as well as the most blessed times in our lives.
It is that same unmoving faith in God’s Word that got me through the
last years of Piper’s life when her lovely self was slowly stolen from me, our
family… and the rest of the world!
And now… as I enter into a totally new adventure in life
without her… I need that same foundation continually building inside me to
freely move on to fulfill whatever it is that He has for me to do for Him. Truth-be-known, I most likely need it
more than I ever did before! Many things
are and will be different for me in the coming days, months and years… but
my life’s foundation… the strong foundation of my faith… will stay the
same!
I also burst out laughing earlier today, when that same DJ
told how he inadvertently left his Bible at church after the recent Christmas Eve service. He related how he received
a call from his Pastor yesterday telling him that he had found the Bible and
had it in safe keeping. Then he stated
how the Pastor nonchalantly mentioned how he had gone through the book and
highlighted several unrelated verses just so that when the DJ had passed, that
his kids would have a good laugh as they looked through the book and tried to
figure out the things that he was studying!
That caused me to giggle because I many times, think the
same thing when I underline or write notes in my favorite Bibles (I have
well over 50 translations!). That
thought has been magnified when I go through Piper’s Bibles and look at her
notations and highlights. It just makes
me feel closer to her as I try to imagine where she was and what she was thinking
when she made them.
When I finally got to concentrating on my Bible Study and
not the antics of the radio DJ this morning, I honed in on 2 Peter 3:12-13
where Peter wrote about the last of the Last Days events on this earth. He said, “Daily expect the Day of God,
eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down
that day— but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other
way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all
landscaped with righteousness.” (The Message)
That statement got me to thinking about the way faith is
supposed to work in us Believers. We are
to be more focused on the results of what God promises than in the physical
circumstances that surround us at any given time. (Read through the so-called
“Roll Call of Faith” in Hebrews 11)
That’s the lifestyle of Piper’s and my faith that got me/us through
those last eight years of her life. I wouldn’t
and couldn’t afford to get lost in what I saw happening right
before me with Piper’s mind and body, nor with the looks and/or words of unbelief,
fear and utter defeat emanating from those I came into contact with,
in person or on the phone on a daily basis!
Peter tells us that in the last of the Last Days, while
the world is panicking over the terror that’s physically going on around them…
that the faith-filled Christians will “hardly notice!” because the focus
of their faith is on God and His promises to them. We’ll all be excitedly preparing for what’s
next according to His Biblical plans for us!
Pretty cool wouldn’t you say!
So, the way we live our lives today… is the way we’ll live
our lives when the end of life as we know it today, comes to its God planned
conclusion. That’s why I plan to stick
to my roots!
What roots do you have that keep you grounded when the
terrors of life attempt to encroach on your lives? Something to think about as this decade comes
to a close and a new one begins… wouldn’t you say?
Have a great New Year’s weekend, and as you do, think about
this post and spend some time personally talking with our Heavenly Father
concerning the wonderful new adventures that await you ahead in 2020.
As I sit at the kitchen table looking out upon the fairway
of the golf course outside my window, I find myself lost in memories of
Christmas’ past. Sounds of “It’s
Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas♫” drift from the stereo speakers
throughout the house and I can’t help but think of the endless pictures I have
swirling around my mind, beginning with those very first presents that Piper
and I opened up in the living room of my parent’s house way back in 1970, to
the many Christmas Eve’s we spent wrapping presents late into the evening for
our children’s glee the next morning.
Then there were the countless Christmas mornings where we sat around the tree
while the kids tore open their gifts as Piper looked on with her get-up-quick
tussled hair, sleepy eyes but yet contented look of peace and joy on her face… dressed
in the fluffy white bathrobe I gave her in the early 1980’s.
I was so exited when I purchased that bathrobe for
her. It was a big deal for me at the
time as I went to Macy’s to get her what I hoped was the best robe around. I went on my evening lunch break from my
supervisor’s job at Hewlett Packard and when I returned to my desk my whole
crew was waiting to see what I had gotten her!
When I opened the box, they began to prod one young lady
who worked with us to model it because she was similar in stature to Piper… You
have to understand that this work team was like an extended family to us. They all knew Piper and we even had them over
to our house for an authentic Italian Bagna Cauda fondue type dinner one
weekend… We all laughed so hard that evening as she paraded around the
floor, turning and posing like a runway model!
It is interesting to note, that many years later, her husband became
our youngest son’s basketball coach at the Santa Rosa Christian School… just
coincidence ya think???
Earlier this morning as I made the bed, I glanced up at the
grouping of photos of Piper that I had recently attached to the wall and
couldn’t help but stop and stare at one photo in particular, where she is leaning
against the fence post in front of our room at the Fort Ross Lodge sometime in
the late 1990’s. She was wearing one of
her skirt/shorts outfits that I loved to see her in as it showed off her pretty
legs and she just had a sweet, what I would call “Jimmy” smile on her
face… that was a smile just for me… that said “This a good pose,
isn’t it!”
I began to pray at that moment and commit this Christmas to
the Lord. I prayed that the Lord would
help me through this second Christmas without her and help to fill the huge
caverns that were left open in me when she went home to Jesus. I prayed about all the wonderful things that
she did for me as well as what she meant to me.
I also thought about all the monstrously big miracles that the Lord did
for us through those 48 years together… and then I immediately thought that
since He hasn’t changed, that I can expect those same kinds of miraculous
workings done in our past… in my future as well!
As far as I know, Philippians 4:19 where Paul wrote that, “my
God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ
Jesus” (KJV) can still work for me today, tomorrow and forever.
I closed my morning Bible study with I Peter 5:6-7 where
Peter encouraged his readers saying: “So be content with who you are, and
don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right
time. Live carefree before God; (for) he is most careful with (& for)
you.” (The Message)
So… that’s my Christmas 2019 prayer for you and me. That we can be at peace and live with
consistent joy as we trust HIM for our every need, be content with who
we are in HIM and thereby live a carefree life… without worry or fear…
as we trust in HIS ability and resources to care for us.
Have a blessed Christmas Eve, Eve, and as you do, take a
moment or two to thank the Lord for His goodness and grace shown toward you
this last year and then look with anticipation of His grace to come in the New
Year!
I had originally planned to only do what was minimally
necessary to live comfortably in my new house until after I painted some walls
and then had new carpet installed. So,
like I mentioned in the last blog post, I only moved what I had with me in my
small apartment where we lived for about six months before moving here. That meant that the majority of my life’s
belongings… including Piper’s piano are still in storage.
But after being in the new place for a week, I realized
that the house just looks too sterile and empty! It is not a good feel… especially when I am
still dealing with the absence of Piper during the Holidays. Therefore, I decided while on one of Fiver’s
and my daily walks, that I was going to take dominion over the inside of my
house! The verse of scripture found in
Genesis 1:26 popped into my head during that brisk adventure strolling along
the golf course, where God told Adam and Eve to take “dominion over the fish
of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the
earth…” (KJV)
I decided… “Why not?” I can decorate with what I have on hand right
now and can always change it later… right? So, for the last few days I have been hanging
pictures, favorite posters and even a painting or two around the open kitchen
and living areas, my bedroom and even in the guest bath. You wouldn’t think it would make a big
difference… BUT IT SURE DOES!
Suddenly I feel like we are in our own special home and not just
residing in someone’s house!
I started studying in the New Testament book of I Peter
this morning and had barely gotten through the first few verses when one
scripture jumped off the page to me! I
could only smile and audibly utter “Wow!” as I read I Peter 1:7 where
Peter wrote to his readers concerning the high value of “genuine faith”
declaring, “When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold,
that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.” (MSG)
That one thought brought back a flood of memories as it
perfectly summarized the focus of the lifestyle that Piper and I sought to
live… right up to her last breath.
It was a decision that came with countless blessings, some tough times and a
fair amount of friction from those who disagreed with our chosen
direction. As I listened to parts of
Piper’s sermon from the early 2000’s that she entitled “The High Places,”
I realized that her faith was not only the most important thing in her life,
but that she literally lived, breathed and talked the Word on a regular
basis. It's just who she was… who WE
were.
And at the end of her time on this earth as I continued to
see the sparkle of His joy in her eyes up until she departed for heaven… I
knew that we had chosen right. I
could visibly see the “evidence of his victory!” in our bedroom on that
day, at approximately 5:30 in the morning on September 2, 2018.
So, anyone would be hard pressed to try and change the way that
I will continue to live my life during the final days of 2019 and throughout
2020. How about you? How important is your faith in God and His
Word? I know that I push that point a
lot… but it is a point that has proven itself to be true over and over
and over for me… again, again and again! So why change now?
Have a terrific weekend, and as you do, take a moment or
two to thank the Lord for His goodness toward you over the last year and then say
with me… “I am expecting to continue to see the goodness of the Lord in
2020… as I keep my faith solidly in Him and His Word!”
“Twas the week before Christmas when all
through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with
care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be
there…”
I do have to admit that it is pretty quiet around my neighborhood,
both night and day. Although I imagine
that come summer vacation and he warmer weather that accompanies it, that
things will liven up a bit! Being as we
live in the cul-de-sac at the end of the block that terminates in the golf
course next door, we don’ get a lot of traffic either.
The only creatures that tend to stir during the day is those
in my back-neighbor’s yard. They have a
few dogs that like to bark anytime someone walks by the trail outside their
see-through fence or the golfers who stop their carts to tap their balls into
the nearest hole.
As far as Christmas decorations go… I am
doing better than last year as I have at least put up my small tree that never
saw the light last year. I just wasn’t
in the mood back then with Piper’s recent passing a few months before the
Holidays. But this year is
different. Somewhat worse in the
emotions department than last year as the full understanding of what happened has settled in over the last fifteen months, but stronger in the burgeoning
desire to move on to the new things that God has in store for me.
The tree was actually the only thing from our Christmas
boxes that was easily accessible in my storage locker. I only moved the furniture and other supplies
I had in the apartment over to the new house due to the fact that I plan to put in new carpet
after the Holidays and don’t want to deal with moving things out of the rooms.
So, I have a tree and no ornaments or other
decorations! But that wouldn’t do, so I
went off to my new Super Walmart only a mile or two away from my place and
bought a mixed box of ornaments and a couple of special ones that I thought
would be special to my Granddaughter.
Then when I got home, I decorated the tree, flipped on the light and
discovered that the very top no longer lights up! Therefore, a small set of lights is on my
shopping list for later today!
I keep sensing in prayer, that 2020 is going to be a
breakout year for me. I also believe
that it is important to God, as to how I finish off the last few weeks of
2019. I’ve already received directions
concerning some changes that I need to make at the beginning of the new year,
with the charge to jump into those changes 100% with gusto, rest, peace,
praise… and lots of confidence!
That last part… the part of “with confidence” is the
one that tends to alarm me though. To
bluntly put it, I just spent the last 48 years experiencing life with my one
special, loving, encouraging and boldly confident wife at my side. We were a strong team and tended to do most
things in step, hand in hand and in total agreement in our stands of
faith! Now… well now it’s just me…
although I still clearly hear her voice of encouragement and love in my head!
In fact, some of the changes I mentioned above were
confirmed when I listened to a teaching tape of hers from twenty years ago, or
as I looked at pictures of her standing (with a big smile on her face)
in front of some local landmarks when we originally lived here from 2006-2009.
But if I learned anything over those wonderful 48 years
with Piper, it was to always follow through and “DO” whatever it
is that we felt assured the Lord instructed us to “DO” while
seeking His will in prayer. I can look
back over the years and vividly see that when we did “DO” what He
said, that we were blessed beyond measure… maybe not immediately, but almost
always eventually!
The wise Pastor of the church in Jerusalem tells us in
James 4:17 that, “…if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that,
for you, is evil.” (The Message) As
Piper and I stepped out to “DO” many of the things that we felt
led of the Lord to “DO”, like to move all the way to Oklahoma to
attend Bible School, and then when we returned home and her symptoms
accelerated, to quit my secular job in order for me to personally care for her
24/7, we simply knew it was the right thing to “DO” and better
yet… that we HAD to “DO” it in order to stay in
God’s perfect plan for our particular situation.
At the time, I never thought that disobeying Him would be
considered “evil,” but I knew that it would be wrong for us to not
be obedient. The bottom line for Piper
and I was that it was much more important for us to follow what
we believed to be God’s directions than the few who vehemently came against us,
thinking that we’d totally lost our marbles!
And in the end, we were blessed tremendously by following
His plans. As a direct result of those
leadings, we were able to participate in various benefits programs, receive the
best medical care available for her from experts in San Francisco and be financially
able to not only pay for her out of pocket medical expenses (well over $60,000)
but all we needed to live comfortably as well.
So, I guess that this is my week before we celebrate the
birth of Christ message to you today!
That in the midst of all the activity of the season, that you don’t forget
to seek Him, get His plan and then simply said… follow
through and “DO” it!
I may have some reservations about my future, but I have NO
DOUBTS and NO RESERVATIONS about how
important and successful it is to “DO” what He says to “DO!”
It’s that thought and the personal experience of that truth that gives
me the confidence to expect God’s best throughout the rest of 2019 and into the
new adventures in 2020!
So… Who’s with me today?
Well, you guessed it… this
is the first official blog post from my new home in northeast Broken Arrow, OK! The Five and I were awoken early this morning
around 4:45 by a rather loud peal of thunder followed by a deluge of frozen
rain. We weren’t expecting the thunder
so the boom took both of us by surprise.
When out on the lawn there arose such a
clatter,
That I sprang from the bed to see what was the
matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
Being as we’ve barely been in the house a week, I haven’t
yet familiarized myself with the unique sounds of the home and neighborhood and
to be perfectly honest… my first thought was that the water heater blew up! So, there I am, with the dog in tow (brave
of him to stay tucked behind me…right?) running into the dark kitchen,
shirtless in my pajama bottoms and flinging open the garage door! Smart move eh? Like what was I gonna do if I found what I
was thinking in my half-dazed, sleepy mind?
By the time I opened the door from the kitchen to the
garage, some more thunder sounded and I finally figured out what was
happening! I closed the door and took a
quick peek out the kitchen window out to the front yard and didn’t observe,
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Giving the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
in fact it was quite dark and overcast outside.
And thank God that to my wondering eyes there didn’t
appear,
A miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer… I
think that I might have lost it if I saw anything like that!
So, the big brave Fiver and I plopped back into bed… me
in mine and him on his on the floor and twisted and turned for another hour
or so. When I took him out back at 7:00
the ground was wet and there were ice pebbles lining the wooden framing on the
fence. When we went out for a walk a few
hours later, the temperature was still sitting at 30 degrees with 19 mph winds
from the north. That equated to a wind
chill of 19 degrees. By the time we got back from our walk, I thought my face had frozen!
And that my dear readers is the state of the union or of
the neighborhood from my new neck of the woods! I spent a good amount of time yesterday
praying for the plans and the purposes of those plans that the good Lord has
for me to passionately pursue in the final weeks of this year and throughout
what I firmly believe to be a brand-new frontier of faith for me in 2020.
I was reading in James 2:23 this morning that, “The full
meaning of ‘believe’ in the Scripture sentence, ‘Abraham believed God
and was set right with God," includes his action. It's that
mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named ‘God's friend.’" (The
Message) I couldn’t help but to stop and
nod my head in agreement to that statement.
I strongly sense that this new year is going to include a lot of new and
at times… out-of-my-normal-comfort-zone actions on my behalf, if I am to
accomplish the plans that God has for me in this new land and new life without
Piper at my side!
But hey… that’s the way Piper and I
lived our life in the past, so there’s no reason to stop now right? What’s that saying… “If it ain’t broke don’t
fix it!” I keep thinking about and confirming
in the Word, the need to stick to my unique Christian roots… and that’s exactly
what I aim to do!
I hope everyone who reads this is joyfully getting into the
Christmas spirit and is able to pass HIS joy onto someone else as you
endeavor to navigate the hustle and bustle all around you! Then, as you fly out the door and jump in the
car to grab that last-minute present, someone might just hear you say as you
drive away:
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A
GOOD-NIGHT!
One last thought: What are you expecting this
Christmas and New Year?
I spent the latter part of last week and most of this week
so far, preparing for my upcoming move in a couple of days. Fortunately, I do not have a lot to pack
since I’ve been kind of living in a minimal mode since I moved from North
Carolina almost six months ago. As it
turns out, I needed pretty much that whole six months to make this week’s
move. The house and the previous owner’s
Reverse Mortgage situation sure threw a wrench into my plans to slowly prepare
the new house for my eventual occupancy.
Now the plan is to only move the things in my apartment and then paint and
get the new carpets before unloading the storage bin where most of my stuff
resides! But that’s okay, as it will
give me the time to create the look I desire while actually living in my new
home.
But that doesn’t mean that repacking the relatively few
things in my apartment didn’t bring to light more than just a few poignant and
sometimes painful memories of Piper’s and my past. Late yesterday afternoon I sat on the floor
in front of our entertainment cabinet, opened the bottom doors and sighed as I
looked over our collection of mostly Christian record albums that we amassed during our dating and early marriage days… before eight tracks, cassettes
and CD’s came into existence!
As I began to thumb through the large collection, my heart
began to ache as I pulled out a couple of albums that had “Piper Canevari”
written on the top right corner. They were
from her personal stash that she had begun to collect when we delved into the
burgeoning contemporary Christian Rock scene during our college years. Just looking at the covers of those albums
and the many others that we had purchased and almost wore out during the early
to mid-seventies, brought back a flood of happy times listening to music at
each of our homes, going to concerts around town and attending some of the
regular concerts of new and upcoming Christian bands at a ministry in the
Sacramento, California area called “Warehouse Ministries.” Ah… those were some especially good times!
Piper always had such a strong spirit of life about her
that seemed to infect everything and everyone around her. While sitting on the floor packing the
albums, I couldn’t help to think of the first dance we attended during the
first week or two of our Senior year in high school. I guess you could say that this was our first
official date! We planned on meeting at
the activity in the school cafeteria and then spending the rest night at the dance together.
I got to the dance before Piper and danced one number with a mutual friend
of ours before Piper arrived. My dance
partner and I stood on the side of the dance floor when the song ended and were
talking about something when she looked out into the crowd and said that she’d
better go now because Piper was here.
It was then and there that I fell hopelessly in love with
my future bride and lifelong companion. As Piper walked across the dance floor, I
couldn’t help but notice how radiant she looked and something just clicked
inside of me… and I knew, as a young seventeen-year-old teenager, that I
would never have eyes for another women again!
The joy and the life that shined about her was unmistakable…
and it never left. Even when her lovely
exterior features became contorted with the growing onslaught of the Alzheimer’s,
if you looked closely… you could still see the brightness of that joy,
inner peace and life in her eyes.
Those memories and many more coursed through me yesterday
with almost every box, picture or record album that I packed. And they got me to thinking about how
important it is, to always look for the positive, the joy and the life in
everyone we interact with throughout each and every day. It caused me to recall all the wonderful
people that came into our lives to support us through the last eight years of
Piper’s life and it made me cry over the few who seemed to fall into a trap of
deception when it came to the lifestyle of faith and joy that Piper and I
always strived to live. It deeply affected
me to see the absence of hope, faith and joy in their lives when it came to
Piper’s situation.
Revelation 12:9 calls the enemy of our souls, the devil, “the
deceiver of the whole world…” (KJV)
Every time I turn on the news, I see the deception of the enemy running rampant
in the world. I see very intelligent and
most likely good people falling for his tricks and believing his lies and therefore missing out on the hope and joy that Jesus gives to us… especially during this
special Holiday Season.
I would encourage each of you this season, to stay alert to
the deceptions that the enemy puts out.
To go the extra mile to love those among your family and friends. To look past what your physical senses are
telling you, and to look deep into the eyes of those you interact with on a
daily basis. Look for the good, spread
the Good News and rejoice in the truth of God and His Word.
Have a blessed week, and as you do, say with me… “I am
expecting to look for and spread the joy and life of the Good News today!”
I was watching a holiday movie the other night where in one
scene, the older Mom is working on a project with her visiting grown daughter,
when the daughter comments that the traditional family activity that they were
involved with reminded her of her Dad who had passed a few years before. Then after a moments hesitation, she softly
asked her Mom if there are things that reminded her of him as well, and without
a second thought, the Mom replies, “I see your Father in everything!”
At the time, I was sitting on the leather couch with the
dog comfortably snuggled up against me with his head on my leg and I
immediately raised up my left arm with a closed fist and exclaimed, “I hear
ya there Sister!” The dog lifted his
head and looked up at me, and as I patted him gently, I told him
with a tearful nod, that I too see Piper in everything… especially as
the Holiday Season has come upon us.
In many respects this Holiday Season seems to be harder
than was the first one without Piper. As I looked back to the end of the last year, I realized that I was in
shock during the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations since it had only been
a few months since Piper’s homegoing. I
had spent Thanksgiving alone with the pooch and then was able to fly to
Oklahoma to spend the Christmas week with three of our four children.
Don’t get me wrong in that I had a wonderful time with our
children and can’t imagine going through that first Christmas minus Piper,
without the loving support of our kids surrounding me. But this year… I have had a lot more
time to think about it, have had a lot more time to experience the emptiness
that has settled into the pit of my heart without hearing Piper’s familiar voice,
see the familiar smile that would instantly melt my heart on a daily basis and feel
her love in the encouragement of the words that regularly flowed from her sweet
lips.
But much growth has also occurred over the year since her
passing. I moved to Oklahoma, purchased
a beautiful new home into which I am moving next week, have found a wonderful
church, and get to spend time weekly with our kids, their spouses and our
granddaughter!
So, what more can I say on this Thanksgiving Day? I suddenly understood this morning as I was
studying in my Bible, just how good the Lord has been to me… not only through
the hardships of the last few years… but throughout ALL of my
life! I had to put down my Bible, grab
my notebook and jot down that “I am thankful for all the marvelous,
wonderous and miraculous things that God has done in my life… things like my joyful
upbringing, my outrageously wonderful life for 48 yeas with Piper, our
children, our granddaughters, Piper’s and my ministry together, seeing our
adult children’s accomplishments and lives of faith, my new house and for my
new future!”
Picking back up my Bible I read from the end of 1Timothy
were the Apostle Paul is encouraging his son in the Lord Timothy… and as you
read this right now, personalize it by inserting your own name and pray
it as a declaration of your faith for this Holiday Season and for the upcoming
New Year as well, saying:
“But I, ________, as a man or women of God: Run
for my life from all this. I choose today, to pursue a righteous life—a life of
wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. And to run hard and fast in
the faith. To seize the eternal life, the life I was called to, the life I so
fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.” (I
Timothy 11-12 MSG)
Sure, my life has changed drastically. It has turned a direction that I, in my
wildest dreams, would have never imagined.
But my extreme comfort and joy comes from the FACT that HE
hasn’t changed. Hebrews 13:8 tells us
that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (God’s
Word ©) His Word is just as powerful and just as truthful for me… and for
you, as it was yesterday, is for you and me today and will be into our
futures!
Colossians 3:15 tells us to “let the peace of God rule
in your hearts… and be thankful.”
So, I choose on this THANKSGIVING DAY… and I pray that you
will as well… to let His peace rule or be the “umpire” in my life as
Robertson’s Word Pictures defines the word “rule” in this verse, and be THANKFUL
for all the things that God has and will continue to do in my life!
How About you?
Have a blessed, fun and enjoyable THANKSGIVING
today as you celebrate with family, friends or even if it’s just you… for you’re
never alone with HIM, for HE is ALWAYS
at your side!
- Jim
I have a confession to make… I
played hooky today and stayed home from church.
And let me tell you… for someone who has practically lived in church for
the vast majority of their life, it wasn’t an easy task to accomplish! But I have been in sort of a tailspin this
last week with all the new house goings-on and it seemed to be the only logical
break that I could take before resuming my super-busy schedule tomorrow.
Since last Sunday, I have been getting up and out early
everyday, in order to get everything done.
Yesterday morning, I had the honor of leading the discussion at the men’s
Connect Group from the church that I have been attending for a few months. It was quite the blessing and I couldn’t help
but spend the time on the drive home from the restaurant loudly praising and
thanking the Lord for His ability, peace and anointing to accomplish the
job! I was so excited and tired when
they handed things over to me that I had a hard time deciphering my handwriting
on my notes and had to stop and explain how busy I’d been all week. Then everything focused, the anointing hit
and off we went… what fun!
Once I returned home and took Fiver out for a long walk,
the rest of the day was like a foggy dream.
My daughter and granddaughter picked me up around 1:30 and we went
grocery shopping for a couple of hours.
It was really strange though, as I kept feeling like it was much later
in the day than it actually was. But we
made it through the store, Fiver and I got another couple of walks in and the
evening went off well… although I turned the light out at 9:30 after dosing
on the bed for a half-hour!
So, today I got up before 7:00 AM, took Fiver out for his
morning constitutional and went back to bed! My plan for the rest of the day is to do absolutely
nothing… but knowing me, I doubt that this will actually happen. I’ve already started a couple of To-Do Lists
for the week, am making a move plan and am thinking about starting to pack!
I was telling one of my daughters last week that this new
home is different from the last two houses that Piper and I purchased over the
years. After searching all around our
home town and one of the neighboring towns for houses, we purchased our first
home north of Santa Rosa and got to watch it being constructed. Then we built parts of the back fence, poured
the cement patio (with the help of many friends from work) and planted
the front lawn. And except for needing
window coverings, that’s about all we had to do on that home.
The second home in North Carolina had many upgrades and was
ready to move in and enjoy! The previous
owners had recently done some remodeling in the kitchen and master bath and replaced
just about all of the light fixtures with fancy fan lights. Then one of their parent’s passed away
suddenly and with the tax laws in North Carolina, they found it to be more
cost effective to sell their home and move into their father’s which was just
down the street! With our situation,
that house was perfect because I didn’t have much extra time to do any major
changes. Therefore, I got to enjoy
myself and work off my stress at the same time by working in the yard!
This new house is like a blank canvas. It was built in 2008 and has had one owner
who moved in when she was in her eighties.
And let me tell you, this place is immaculate! From what I can tell, everything is original
except for a few of the kitchen appliances.
It reminds me of the 2009 Mustang we bought that looked brand new with very
little miles on it, even though it was over six years old at the time. The one thing I did notice on Friday as I
spent a good portion of the afternoon there, waiting for the water company to
show up, was that except for the bright colored kitchen walls, the paint scheme
for the rest of the house makes it look like its an old lady’s home… which
is exactly what it was!
So, like my oldest daughter agreed when I conveyed this observation
to her, I have lots of times of creativity and painting ahead… to which she
added “Well, it’s a good thing that you’re surrounded by a creative family
who can help you out!”
You know? I am
happy, excited and thankful for all the fun projects ahead! In many respects, it’s like the Lord is
telling me that the story, character and ambience of this home will be
created alongside and in agreement with the story, character and ambience of
my new life here in Oklahoma!
I found a portion of scripture that seemed to perfectly
express my feelings on this new adventure ahead during my Bible study today. It also confirmed the fact that although
Piper had no physical input into the selection of this home, that she is
looking down upon me with a huge smile.
These verses are the perfect portrait of the way Piper lived her life
and is the way that I have tried to continue to pursue mine now and into my
future without her.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “Be cheerful no
matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. (for) This
is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” (The
Message) So, yeah… I’m being cheerful, I’m staying in an attitude
of prayer and I’m doing my best to be thankful in
the midst of everything. According to
the Apostle Paul, this is a winning attitude… and if I learned anything from
spending 48 years on this earth with Piper, it is to ALWAYS keep up this
winning attitude in everything, during everyday and in the midst of every event
that we experience in this life!
How about you?
Have a great week!
You may have noticed that I’ve been way off my normal Monday, Wednesday,
Friday posting schedule, and it’s probably gonna be that way for the rest of
the year with the upcoming move and settling in. But stick with me and I’ll get out posts and
or updates whenever I can! In the
meantime, say with me… “I am expecting to be cheerful, prayerful and
thankful in the midst of any experience ahead!”
I was thinking this morning that one of the reasons that I have
come to enjoy Southern Gospel music since our move to the south in 2014, is due
to the beautiful harmonies by many of the groups. I am not sure what it is, but something in me
just goes “ahhhh” when a majestic harmony is perfectly executed by a
musical ensemble. It is just a very
moving experience for me.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn into
the melodies and sort of mystic of music.
I must get that from my mother as my Dad couldn’t hold a tune in a
bucket… but he didn’t let that stop him from singing at church or even in jest when
my Mom played the piano at home when I was young!
But it wasn’t until Piper and I started singing together that I began to gain a greater understanding and love for beautiful
harmony. When we would practice for a
special that we had been asked to sing at church, she would stop in different
places and say… “try singing it this way” and then demonstrate a great
sounding harmony that blended in perfectly with the notes she was singing and
playing. Many times, she would point out
the notes on the music or write out the notes if not already written down, of
the harmony that she was suggesting as she sang it to me. She had a way of encouraging me to stretch the
little bit of talent I had and make me sound good… so that I thought that I
knew what I was doing!!!
At the end of Philippians 4:9 the Apostle Paul tells us that,
“…God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent
harmonies.” (The Message) As I read that verse this morning, I paused
for a moment in contemplation thinking that since Piper’s homegoing, my life
has definitely felt like it has been “off-key” or “out of harmony”
from the way it used to be. And to be
honest… it doesn’t feel real good… kinda like after Piper sang a harmony
for me and then I’d try it with her singing the melody… and be slightly
flat! Uhhhhhh! It tends to leave one with a sour taste in
their stomach… and a slight irritation in their ear!
But then, just like Piper, who would be very gracious and complement
me anyway, saying “that was good, you almost got it. Listen to me and then sing it again with me,”
I believe that God is working His patience and graciousness with me while I flounder
around a bit, until I get my life back in harmony with His
current picture for my life.
I’ve also realized that many of the actions that I have
been taking lately, have simply been out of habit from my Christian training
and the lifestyle of faith that Piper and I lived… but now, without much
feeling or understanding. In many
respects, I’m just doing what I know to do… the things that I have heard,
learned and practiced over the previous 49 years of my Christian walk. But maybe that’s not a bad thing?
Previous to Paul’s talk of being in God’s “most
excellent harmonies” he tells how to achieve that goal by explaining that
the first action one has to take is to, “Put into practice what you learned
from me, what you heard and saw and realized…” and
after that, “God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his
most excellent harmonies.”
So… while I may not have a lot of feeling and/or
understanding of everything that’s currently going on around me… I am assured
that if I keep doing what I am doing… that eventually my life will get back in
sync… or flow into a new synchronization that produces “His most excellent harmonies”
once again in me!
And those harmonies are beginning to form even today as I
did my final walk through on our new house and close tomorrow! I really sense that this home will prove to play
a foundational role in my new life out here!
If anything, it is causing an excitement in me that I haven’t felt for a
few years now! I went to the Lowes near
the new house yesterday and looked at carpet samples, paint and other supplies
for many of the ideas that have been percolating in me for a few weeks. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever feel that way again…
How about you? Are you possibly in a dry place? My advice… is to do what Paul said and do
what he has taught us in our Bibles… whether you feel like it’s doing any good
or not! From my experience, you don’t
have to feel it but just know that God is working behind the scenes…
doing something deep inside that will one day show forth for you!
Have a great week, and as you do, say with me… “I am
expecting God’s Word to work for me as I work it in my life!”
I had the pleasure of taking our oldest daughter out to
breakfast in honor of the birthday that she celebrated earlier in the week. We went to a ‘50’s style restaurant called “Tally’s
Good Food Café” in south Tulsa. As
soon as you walk in the door there is a life-size statue of Elvis to greet you
and along the walls are period pictures of well-known movie stars, sports
figures and other items that make you wish that you could have lived in that era! One of the booths near the counter is built
around the front of a 1957 Chevy! It was
a pretty great experience.
Near the end of our meal there was a sudden “boom” followed
by what sounded like the breaking of dishes and glassware coming from the
kitchen. Many of the patrons immediately
jumped up and ran to the back to see what happened. Then we quickly found out that a truck had
run into the building… and that NO one was hurt, inside or outside of the café. As we were walking out to our cars afterwards,
Jamie and I talked with the owner of the café while he was taking pictures of
the damage to his building and the two vehicles. It turns out that an older couple was driving
into the restaurant parking lot and instead of hitting the brakes, the driver pressed
the accelerator, hit a parked truck and pushed it into the building! I am so glad for God’s protection and that
everyone was okay.
It was fun catching up with Jamie. We shared all kinds of good news and looked
again at the pictures of the gorgeous house that they are closing on this
afternoon! It is a beautiful two-story
brick and wood siding home in Broken Arrow, that sits on a large attractive
piece of property that backs up to a creek.
The backyard looks like a park! And
I’m happy to report that my favorite riding mower has found a good new home in
the family! My new yard is too small for
it and their spacious lawns and tree filled yards will be happy to see the
mower and maybe even more so… the attachable leaf sweeper! While eating breakfast, I got the call from
my realtor giving me the good news that my home purchase was finally approved
by HUD and that we’ll close early next week!
Isn’t God Good!
That last phrase… “Isn’t God Good” seemed to thread
itself into almost everything that Jamie and I discussed yesterday. She shared about their new place, the church
they are attending, her husband’s great new job and many other positive items while
I shared some of the blessings, I’ve recently heard of from her three siblings
as well as some of my own good news.
I shared with her of how all of the good family reports
that I’ve been hearing have practically brought tears to my eyes on multiple
occasions. For it had suddenly dawned on
me when hearing of a big financial miracle that our youngest daughter shared
earlier in the week, how exciting and meaningful it was for me to see our kids
receiving many of the same types of God-sent, God-expected miracles as
did their Mom and I throughout the years!
I told JoAnna that I pictured Piper dancing in thankfulness
and glee in front of the throne of God in heaven! While she was with us, reports of God’s miraculous
workings would quickly set Piper off into rejoicing… and I am sure it is no
different now as she watches over us from above.
I came across another “You Know” verse in the
Bible this morning. But opposite to the “You
Know” that we discussed in my last blog post, which talked about us knowing
when something isn’t right for us… this verse talks about what YOU
should KNOW and EXPECT to happen when you believe
and actively trust in God and His Word!
In Ephesians 3:20 in The Message Bible, Paul boldly and
with great emphasis declares:
“God can do anything, you know—far more
than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does
it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and
gently within us.”
I mentioned to Jamie that if our children learned anything
from their Mother and I, it would be to fully EXPECT the
things that you have prayed over and are actively believing God for… and you know…
it warms my heart tremendously, to see the fruit of the life that Piper and I
always strived to live before our children!
Isn’t God Good!
I can’t help but get excited when one of the kids calls and
begins the conversation with something like: “Guess what God did for us…” What do you think about that? What is the legacy that you’ve left and/or
are currently building for your family to be a part of?
Not sure? Well, I also
happen to personally believe that it is never too late to start building
or planting the seeds of a legacy of faith for your family…
Have a great weekend, and as you do say with me, “I am expecting
to expect God to do far more than I could ever imagine or guess or
request in my wildest dreams… today… and every day!”
I got to smiling and tearing up yesterday morning as I was
shaving… not that I have much to shave since I’ve grown my beard back, so I
have to think fast… that Piper was ushered into glory, walking with me on
the frontiers of our faith! I also
learned that it is not wise to get emotional while wielding a razor blade in
your hand… Ow!
But putting that painful mistake aside… It
dawned on me that almost every step we took during those last eight years of
her earthly existence were done in faith!
From quitting my secular job and going it on my own by doing yard work,
fence repairs, putting new roofs on sheds and rebuilding a deck or two so that
Piper could be with me, and then moving to North Carolina to be closer to the
majority of our children… and everything else along the way… each step
began with prayer, obeying that small-still voice on the inside and then walking
each and every day in faith. It also
took much diligence in keeping the Word of God ever before our eyes, in our
ears and coming out of our mouths! After
all that… I can honestly report that Romans 10:17
where it says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God.” (EMTV) really works!
I also realized that as soon as we took our very first
step, that the enemy of our faith immediately came in and did his best to steal
and/or simply muddle our faith through the fear of others! I read a few verses in Galatians chapter five
this morning that seemed to perfectly sum up what we went through. Paul was upset with the churches in Galatia
for falling into the mistruths of a different gospel than he had originally
taught them. In verses seven and eight he
bluntly stated, “You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting
you from the true course of obedience? This
detour doesn't come from the One who called you into the race in the first
place.” (The Message)
I had to pause after that statement as I said “Wow! That’s exactly what happened to us!” When we sought to follow His call into the
race that He had for us to run, we quickly were hit with seeds of doubt,
unbelief, intellectualism and fear from others who didn’t or couldn’t see
things the way that we did.
The next verse really brought it home for me today
though. Galatians 5:9 tightens up his
thought saying: “And please don't toss this off as insignificant. It only
takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire
loaf of bread.” (The Message)
By the time we left Oklahoma in 2009 to return home, Piper
and I knew that we were literally in the fight for her life. We knew that with no medical cure
known to man for the dreaded disease of Alzheimer’s, that God was our only
hope! So, we were ready to follow
His course, His plans, and the dictates of His Word… and not those of anything
or anyone else who stood contrary to what we believed was His will. Therefore, we took nothing that was said lightly! We stayed alert to the deflection of others
and were well aware that it only takes a little bit of yeast to permeate and
destroy our faith.
I think a key phrase that Paul used in verse nine was “YOU
KNOW!” Paul was telling his
readers that deep down inside, they knew that the lies that they were
falling for were wrong! Have you ever
had someone tell you something that sounded really good, perhaps quite logical
and maybe even right… but yet wrong for you?
I had that happen just a week ago. I heard someone sharing something that was
really positive, made a lot of sense and was a good plan… but yet I just
couldn’t shake the uncomfortableness that kept popping up in me! The next day I went to the Lord in prayer and
asked Him why it just didn’t set right with me.
After awhile I sensed Him saying that while everything that was shared
was right and good… it just wasn’t the right time for me to join in on the
plan that was being proposed. You
see, the words and ideas were great… but yet I KNEW that it
wasn’t right for me… and when I finally realized it, my entire being was
flooded with peace!
Piper and I KNEW back then that the contrary “advice”
that we were receiving was not right for us and the plan that we KNEW
that we were to follow… and by not doing it, we stopped that attempt to muddle
up our stand of faith. And looking back,
I can’t help but rejoice that we weren’t “deflected” off His course
because of all the miracles we witnessed along the way!
I bet that you KNOW a lot more about the
right and wrong things to do than you will admit. The real test comes in following
that KNOWING! Are you up to a
good challenge? I have to say that from
our experience… the results are very much worth the effort!
Have a great rest of the week, and as you do, say along
with me… “I am expecting to be more confident in following what I
KNOW on the inside of me!”
Brrrrr… Fiver and I just came in from his semi-long walk
for the day. I decided to take it earlier
than normal as the temperatures outside are dropping like a rock! When I took him out first thing this morning before
7:00, it was 41 degrees with 14 mph winds from the north… which means that
they are cold winds coming down the plains from Canada.
When we went out again at 10:15, it was 34 degrees with 25
mph winds, compete with a winter mix of sleet and snow. According to my weather app, that equates to
a wind chill factor of 20 degrees. Yikes! But you know?
It really didn’t feel that bad as long as we kept moving. Fiver tends to thrive in the cold
weather. He loved the snow in North Carolina
and seemed to be enjoying the icy rain this morning! Of course, he is part Great Pyrenees and has
that extra thick coat. My young neighbor
across the stairway from us calls him “Fluffy!” She has a Huskie/Wolf mix who is about the
same size as Fiver called “Zeus!” So far, he and Fiver seemed to get along well.
I had a pretty good weekend, how about you? I went to a men’s event at our church on
Saturday morning and then the regular church services on Sunday. It’s feeling more and more like home there. Afterwards I went to the apartment and picked
up the dog and had lunch at JoAnna, Jeremiah and Sarah’s. Then we came home for a short nap. Well at least I tried to nap! But nevertheless, I guess I rested a
bit. My sleeping patterns are still way
off, although I am beginning to wake up less at night.
After the nap I pulled out my DSLR (digital single lens
reflex camera) that I bought before moving out to North Carolina and dusted
it off. I had been thinking about
hobbies while laying on the bed and instantly recalled my love affair with photography
which goes back to my childhood. When my
favorite photo subject got sick, I lost my inspiration and creativity that
having a camera in my hands, always evoked in me.
I especially have had a fondness for black and white
photography. I had my own darkroom for
many years, first in a shed in my parent’s backyard, then in the second bedroom
of our first little apartment and we eventually purchased a bigger shed and erected
it in the backyard of our first home. I
enjoyed the color wedding photography and the outdoor portraiture that we did
on the side for years, but my heart has always been with tones of black, white
and grey! I now regret donating all my darkroom
equipment before we moved to Oklahoma in 2006 and have often though about
looking on eBay for some good deals on used equipment.
But that’s where the DSLR comes into play. I recently bought a comprehensive book on
digital black and white photography written by a professional photographer I am
familiar with and thought that this just might open up a whole new world for
me! So, I’m excited about delving into and
expanding into a new phase of this hobby again!
And speaking about a whole new world… I’ve
been learning a whole lot about Jim Berruto these last five months in
Oklahoma. When your world is totally
turned upside down because the one you’ve always associated yourself with since
you were a teenager is gone… it definitely gets you thinking about what’s
left and/or who you are… today! In Galatians 2:16 Paul says that, “Convinced that no human being can please God by
self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set
right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good.” (The
Message)
When I first read that this morning, my initial thought was
“Who was I in my past?” and “Who do I want to be in my
new world?” Paul was talking about
people depending on their own ability to improve themselves in
order to please God and I was wondering if I did the same in my past? I’m finding in my day by day, one step at
a time progress over these last few months, that I don’t want my will for my
new future but His. I’m also discovering
that this means that I have to let go of my way and yield my everything
over to Him. And you know what? On somedays that seems like it’s taking WAY
too long! I want it all to happen RIGHT
NOW! I’m sure that I am the only
one that feels that way though… right?
I realized late yesterday afternoon as I drove home from the
Braums restaurant across the street from my apartment with a juicy burger, fries
and a diet coke on the seat next to me… and an excited dog in the back, salivating between
the seats while looking at the bag of food… that there are some signs of things
that are beginning to slide into place in my new life. I can most definitely see the hand of God continuing
to guide the direction of my life in this new season! So yeah, maybe its not moving as fast as I
think I want it to but that’s probably a good thing! When I really look at it, I can see how He is
changing parts in me that need changing, healing parts that have been pretty
raw, and slowly preparing me for each step ahead.
I’m realizing that He knows better than me… what’s
best for me and when! I always felt
that Piper knew me better than I knew myself and I can be fully assured that God
knows me a lot better than she did! So,
if I’m gonna trust anyone… it would make sense that it be Him… in His
perfect timing and in His perfect settings!
How about you? Where
is your trust… in your own ability to improve yourself or your situation or in
His?
Have a terrific week, and as you do, say with me… “I am
expecting to slow down and put my trust completely in Him!”
