Isaiah 60: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Light shine? Glory of the Lord risen? In me? The dog decided to go out at 3 am. So I crawl back in bed and begin to pray and ponder on this scripture for the day. Then, I hear at 3:30 the microwave and the clinking of a spoon against a cup as Mom clink, clink, and clinks away making her coffee. Finally, silence again as I begin once more trying to focus on the Lord. If I won’t be allowed to sleep why not at least use my time to be alone with God. Finally, the alarm sounds at 4 (usually the time I spend the next hour alone with God); but, instead I get up. Coffee made and I sit down to meditate and write. Then, dog wants to go out, again. I study the scriptures in I Corinthians again and suddenly, Mom is in panic—she can’t find the Sweatshirt that she wore last week and I had washed yesterday for her. She doesn’t want to wear it today she just wants it in her hands to put away in the closet that has at least 40  other sweatshirts.Finally the sweatshirt is in her hands and I go back to try to write to you about God’s Glory shining forth in your life and mine. Got the picture? I wish I could say that I felt no frustration and God’s mercy and grace flowed forth as I went and grabbed the sweatshirt to place in her hands.  It didn’t really; yet, that is Grace—because then after repentant prayer and seeking Him—these words came.

Arise and shine with the light of the Glory of the Lord? How? Yet, that is precisely what we are asked to do. The beauty of the gospel was given us so that we might display God’s Glory and truth to the world. Yet, it was given to us who are such frail vessels—quickly frustrated, distracted, and self-absorbed at times. So again, how does a vessel such as I ever arise and shine forth any light of God’s grace and glory?

Continue reading Display God’s Glory, Me? How? →

My dear friends—there are times that in my writing I must give you a piece of my heart; perhaps, an explanation as to who I am and where I have come from along this pilgrimage journey.  Today’s poem is just that.  When God called me to be His child so long ago all I knew was that I wanted and needed Him in my life.  Every year of this journey, He has so patiently and gently taught me more of His love and Grace.  So many years, I searched for love with a desperate need to find someone to love me on earth as though it was what I needed to be validated as worthy of God’s love or as proof that God loved me.  Still in the midst of it all God continued to perform His transforming work within me and gradually, steadily He showed me of His great and mighty everlasting love for me who had shunned it as though it were not enough to satisfy.  The truth was that it was the only love that could satisfy this heart so that from its abundance I can now love those around me freely without need or fear.  I do not know where you are along that journey; but, let me encourage you that God is about the work of filling your heart with joy, love and hope.  Seek and savor every moment you can with Him.  God has so magnificently displayed for us who He is within His creation.  Look at the beauty of metamorphosis there is in the life of a butterfly-from a grubby, greedy, pleasure seeking worm that then encased in darkness dies to that creature it was and becomes a beautiful creature that flies about freely and bestows pleasure upon all who see its beauty and gracefulness.   That is the promise God has given to all who are His followers—He will complete the transformation so that one day I will look like Him.  I hope you enjoy this poem.

The Song of a Butterfly

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

A little girl had called Your name

Began to feast upon Your word

And like a caterpillar came

To cherish comfort: truth was blurred

I thought that if I did what’s right

You’d give me all my heart’s delight

 

Had I forgotten  it was Grace

That had saved a worm such as I

Pride had in my heart took its place

Then I believed as truth the lie

That if You loved me as Your dear

You’d only fill my life with cheer

 

Above all else my one desire

To find the one who’d love me true

Enduring all I flamed that fire

And there he was, a gift from You

Human hearts come with broken soul

The pain of this did take its toll

 

Yet, willing heart my love stood firm

I bade You, Lord to give me strength

Your love for me You did affirm

Unveiling all its depth and length

And then You took my earthly love

To be with You- Your home above

 

My sorrow came like bitter rain

I searched for love again to find

Attempts to love I did but feign

Until to loneliness resigned

I cannot tell You now the why

Despite Your love I still did cry

 

With Broken Heart-I drew within

And built a hard cocoon like shell

How was it that I thought therein?

I’d safe from pain and sorrow dwell

There within the dark cold wall

I heard God’s voice, I heard You call

 

In darkness there I felt Your Grace

I struggled, Lord Your will to see

And there I saw Your love filled face

This gave me strength to then break free

So where I’d sealed myself to die

And now emerged a butterfly

 

Oh wondrous Joy I know is mine

And Love abounding in this heart

Your Mercy, Grace and Glory Shine

Upon my life You did impart

The broken moments You did will

That I might fly above the hill

 

And now, Dear God; Your love in me

No longer wrought with fear or need

This heart of mine has been set free

To pour forth love in word and deed

To those I meet along this way

And fly with joy in You today.

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any 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 regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The greatest gift that I can give to my family and friends is the gift of the gospel. This is always on my mind; even more as I recognize that I approach my birthday—one less year left to proclaim the name of Christ. Yet, how do I tell the world about my best friend, my Savior without sounding too “preachy”?  Do I tell them about my own failures and a Savior who loved me so much that He came down to save me in spite of all that? Do I tell them that even in the darkest hours of illness or abuse; God’s plan of love lead me to an ever-growing, abounding faith—a faith I could have never imagined I would have? Or do I tell them of all the blessings He has bestowed on me with my children, friends and life? Do I tell them how in the darkest, loneliest hours of my life I could feel the warmth of His presence as He sang a gentle love song over me in the middle of the night? Would they think me crude or a bit crazy were I to tell them? Yet, there is no greater gift that I could give them. How could I fail to give them the only gift that really matters?

Yet, if I see Christ as my greatest treasure; wouldn’t my life’s song echo Him to the world?

Isn’t that what Paul wrote to the Galatians? Perhaps there we might see examples of how a life devoted to Christ might look like.

Continue reading My Greatest Gift to You →

Swept Away by Grace-A Study in I Peter (conclusion)-A Pilgrim’s Fight for Joy

The entire book of I Peter was written to the early Christians preparing them for the battles they would need to face; because Peter knew all too well that to proclaim to be a follower of Christ would mean imprisonment, ridicule, torture and death. He had watched as they had beaten, tortured, and hung his Savior on the Cross; yet, he had seen the risen Christ. Peter had glimpsed upon Glory, had been washed by the fountains of God’s love, had tasted the sweet joy that can only come from a relationship with the Creator of our hearts, and had been swept away by the magnitude of Grace which had been bestowed upon him.

In this Christian Pilgrimage Journey, from the world’s point of view, we too may face a life of trials, tribulations, persecutions and suffering. Yet, in the midst of what the world may consider to be suffering; a mist of glory arises out of our tears which abounds into bubbling streams of love, hope and joy as our faith arises out of the ashes of our fears when we focus on Christ as our greatest treasure-seeking and savoring Him above all else.  Our joy is not based on our circumstances. It is grounded firm in a relationship to Christ—a love story above all love stories.

That is what Peter urged the early Christians to understand. There is a battle that we

Continue reading A Pilgrim’s Fight for Joy →

Swept Away by Grace—A Study in I Peter (part 23)—When Satan Roars

I Peter 5: ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹ Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Roaring Lion? Do we know Satan as such? After all, were he to come at me roaring; I would see the danger, right? I am so aware of Satan’s hissing, whispering sounds of a lying snake. How often have I heard His hissing questions? “What makes you think God could love you, look at you?” or “Surely God could never use someone like you.” Or “Do you really believe that is what God has said?” Or “If God really loved you, He would never have allowed the suffering in your life?” And so the whisperings of Satan go, planting seeds of doubt and feelings of despair; promising that we might have greater joy if we would just………. But roaring?

How does Satan roar? He encircles us with pain. Pacing around us with evil, tragedies, destruction, illness, rejection, and despair. Roaring as he circles—pacing, roaring while inciting fear and doubt. As, he roars “Where is your God, now?” He cloaks himself with the image of Christ as the Lion of Judah; yet, instead of being the protector, he roars forth with anger and suffering until our hearts would faint and our faith would vanish. So how can we ever resist stedfast in faith? How could that ever be possible? “I don’t have enough faith to withstand such an attack?” is our cry. What are the keys to a faith that will overcome such attacks?

Continue reading When Satan Roars →