Where In The World Is The Love That Your Heart Needs?

September 14, 2015 Effie Barba

She was the only one going to the well at this time of day. The lonely drudgery of the walk was worsened by her sense of brokenness. One too many times she had hoped to find someone who would truly fill that void; but, her hopes had been dashed with each divorce, each rejection, and each broken heart. She was truly an outcast—a Samaritan woman with an undesirable history. As she carried the heavy buckets, she knew that the water from the well would never quench the thirst deep within her heart. Nothing short of a miracle could satisfy the longings of her heart and soul. All hope had died long ago. As she neared the well she lifted her head and saw a man sitting there at the well. He was a Jew and the Jews didn’t walk through Samaria—it actually was dangerous after all the years of bickering. Besides the Jews thought the Samaritans were “half-breeds”, who had wandered too far from the scriptures and any association could “contaminate” their righteousness. Yet, there he sat and she had come too far and had too much need of water to turn around now.

PURPOSE AND MEANING IN HIS JOURNEY

Jesus “³left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. ⁴And he must needs go through Samaria”. (John 4). It was the shorter route; but, all Jews knew that there was another route that could be taken to bypass Samaria. So, why did John 4 say that Jesus “must needs go through Samaria?” I dare to say as the chapter unfolds, it was with great purpose and meaning that Christ must go to Samaria to meet a woman of great thirst. He then leads many other Samaritans to believing faith after they saw her new vibrancy and joy. He had to go through Samaria because the Father had sent Him there to save this woman.

[bctt tweet=”Jesus is willing to seek us where ever we are to quench our thirst with living water.”] It is with great purpose that Jesus reaches out to each of us. He is willing to travel to where we are to extend His invitation to come and drink from His fountains of living water. Having drunk, then we are to go and to tell others to come as well.

Continue reading Where In The World Is The Love That Your Heart Needs? →

Christian Poetry

POETRY SUNDAY- YOUR GIFT SO GRAND

September 13, 2015 Effie Barba

Faith is a gift from God and to God. Even our faith comes through God’s building it up in us and filling our hearts with visions of His beauty. Sometimes it is through dark sorrows and trials that we become emptied of all the things that we are clinging to; then, with such Grace and Mercy He gives us His faith to cling to.

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“Hope itself is like a star- not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. ”
― Charles H. Spurgeon

YOUR GIFT SO GRAND

By Effie Darlene Barba

As I look back o’er yesterday

So oft I knew not what to pray

Alone I sat in dark despair

Burdened by a load of care

My heart cried forth in agony

My guilt and shame consuming me

You came-Your precious gift so grand

You brought me faith so I can stand

Rivers of life within me flow

Such joy, and hope and love I know

Amazing grace Your love for me

From chains of guilt, I’ve been set free

Glory and Grace so rich, Divine

Into my heart, your light did shine

You caused my blinded eyes to see

My faith in You, You gave to me

A treasure rich and oh so rare

Nothing else could ever compare

And now I know Your love for me

That never fails eternally

To cover me with love and grace

And let’s me see your lovely face

Your beauty then to fill my soul

That by Your Will, I am made whole

“Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and looks out the windows which hope has opened.”― Charles H. Spurgeon

The artist that drew the picture “A Broken and Contrite Heart” featured on my header, Ultimate Inspiration as featured today. and who designed my logo is Ronald Barba. To obtain your own portrait, logo, or art design please contact Ronald Barba at the email below. If you can dream it, he can draw or design it for you. Do you want to surprise someone with an extraordinary special gift of a personal portrait? An idea for a book cover? Or a new logo? Feel free to email him at Ron@Barba-Art.com to discuss any art projects.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Christian Blog

How to Respond When Your Heart Is Heavily Burdened

September 11, 2015 Effie Barba

How to Respond When Your Heart Is Heavily Burdened

As I lay there awake with the rustling of the wind outside and the rumbling sounds of thunder in the distance, I realized the true storm was the one inside my heart and mind. I cannot say why this restlessness of the soul; yet, there it was. So, finally I get up and head to my chair of prayer. I got out my Bible. Its pages are worn and have writings scribbled through the margins. Most of those scribbling written during moments just like this one. I reached out for my prayer journal to pray for family, friends, work, the nation and myself. Each page listed with scriptures to pray—a strategic battle plan against Satan’s attack. Yet, the only words that came from my lips were “Lord, I need you now.”

SEASONS OF JOY AND SEASONS OF SORROWS COME TO ALL

This journey of life leads us through many seasons. Sometimes those seasons are filled with great joy, moments of strength, and wondrous answers to prayer. It would seem that we are floating on mountaintops high above all the trials and tribulations. Then there are those moments when our hearts are heavily burdened with great care and pain; although, nothing in particular has changed. After all, God is still on His throne. The truth of His promises have not changed. Yet, a heavy heart of despair leaves us wondering what is wrong. Sometimes, there is nothing to pinpoint as the triggering factor. No major catastrophe that has occurred. We feel a sense of loneliness as though we have lost our best friend. [bctt tweet=”When discouragement, loneliness, and despair creep into our hearts, our only hope is to seek God.”]

Continue reading How to Respond When Your Heart Is Heavily Burdened →

Christian Blog

Did God’s Love of the World Cause Him Agonizing Pain?

September 9, 2015 Effie Barba

Did God’s Love of the World Cause Him Agonizing Pain?

It was the summer of 1997 when the call came at work that my son had been in a bad wreck and the ambulance was in route to the hospital. The dispatcher couldn’t tell me anything except that the car had rolled over many times and was totaled. They couldn’t tell me if Ron was ok; but, they said the ETA of the ambulance was about 20 minutes. After all, it was a rural area. As I quickly said a prayer for Ron, I called my supervisor to find someone to take over my patients and I made my way to the ER to wait. When he arrived, he was ok; except for a compression fracture of the thoracic spine. He was in so much pain that his body trembled, he was very pale and covered in a cold sweat. I urged him to let them give him something for pain; but, he refused. He said, “I deserve the pain—my fault, I took the curve too fast.” He had only been driving for a few weeks and had misjudged the curve on a dirt road. My heart bled for him. If I could take the pain from him, I would have gladly. If I could just bear the burden of his guilt, I would have. That was only one example; yet, I could tell you many more. I would gladly carry every pain, every heart break, and every burden for any one of my children; if only I could.

So, imagine this. If I, with this human heart that fails sometimes can love my children with so much love; how much more does God love His only begotten, perfectly righteous son? [bctt tweet=”What agony must God have felt as He watched His son be rejected, beaten, and hung on the cross.”] What depth of sorrow must have been His to watch Him suffer!! He could say, “Enough” at any second and hurl all of mankind into eternal hell where these selfish hearts deserve to go. Yet, He held His hand and turned away in silence as His son took on the sins of the whole world along with all their guilt. He did it out of love for this His creation—a creation who turned their back on Him. A bunch who chose to worship self instead of Him who had made them.

Continue reading Did God’s Love of the World Cause Him Agonizing Pain? →

Christian Blog

What is the Heart and Truth of Amazing Love?

September 7, 2015 Effie Barba

What is the Heart and Truth of Amazing Love?

Love—perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of human emotions. We seek love, desire love, and search for love. Yet, do we really even understand it? Is it some emotion that for a fleeting moment elates our being into a sense of ecstasy? We so long to love and to be loved; yet, so often we find that we are disappointed by love. We find that our hearts are broken by the very thing we so desperately long for. Or so it has been for much of my life. As though love is some illusion that cannot be fully obtained. Perhaps we hope that somehow love will validate us—make sense of our existence or provide a purpose for all the humdrum activities of our day. We are told then that what we really need is to learn to love ourselves. So we primp and we search deep within only to be disappointed all too quickly. Television, movies, books, and advertising all promote this idea that we desperately are in search of love. What if I told you that we were honestly created to be lavished with love?