Fearless faith does not mean nonchalant, foolish carelessness about what is going on around you.  Indeed, faith means that we are prepared to walk through the valley of Baca (the valley of tears) filled with thorns, sorrows, pitfalls, and vipers because at the other side is our city of refuge and the tabernacle of God.   It is remembering that God is with us every step of that journey as pilgrims through the valley of Baca, guiding each step.  It is understanding that He is in control. 

God Provides All You Need In the Midst of the Desert Valleys

photo courtesy of Sarah Barba ©2013

Psalm 84 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

7 They go from strength to strength, …

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

The valley of Baca was a harsh desert.  Refreshing water came only as God provided it.  Those passing through had to rely upon God to supply their needs each step of the way.  God had placed

Continue reading Fearless Faith-From Valleys of Tears to God’s Glorious Tabernacle of Joy →

So as promised, let us begin a series on fearless faith.  What is it?  What does it look like?  How do we find it? We know that throughout the Bible, God has said; "Fear Not".  Yet, we humans are always filled with stress, worries, fears and doubts.  We doubt ourselves most of all.  Last week at my going away party, Dr. Reddy had spoke about my faith in God being unwavering and that was one of my greatest assets.  Then Dr. Bajaj made the remark that my faith made me fearless.  Fearless, not the person I see when I look in the mirror nor the person who is on her knees pleading that God show her the next step before she crashes in defeat.  So perhaps, the key is just that; faith takes our eyes off of ourselves and off of our circumstances to focus on the only one able to perform and to clear the pathway before us.  Then and only then does the Glory go to God as the provider of all things.

Fearless Faith is Remembering Who is Going to Catch You.

photo Courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/heatheralvis

It is because of who He is that we are able to march forward through life without fear for our future.  He, sitting beside me in that big truck cab did not clear all the obstacles from before me; yet, He guided me safely through each obstacle that I faced.  There is a distinct difference there.  We lean harder into Him, long more for His presence, and praise Him louder when we face obstacles and we

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So, I made it to just shy of Birmingham.  I need to press on.  Yet, having not written any of you my friends nor posting on my website; I did not want any of you to be worrying.  I have not had internet for several days since I had it shut down at my house.  I then worked long hours on Saturday and Sunday, my last weekend with Florida Cardiology.  Monday, loaded the truck and yesterday took off on this new journey and adventure.  God has guided every step, at times in the back ground preparing the way.  At times, I didn’t understand some of the preparation; but, I didn’t need to understand, only trust.

So, with all the timing working out perfectly.  New job starts next Monday and ice storm that passed through Kentucky (my route) should be melted as I cross through today.  The sun will remain present through Thursday and snow predicted for Saturday across the Midwest in the USA.  God’s timing is so perfect as He arranged the time of my travel over three months ago.  I soon want to start a series for you on fearless faith; but, this morning just wanted to give you an update on my progress and to let all of you know that I am thinking of you.  Also, I have time during my travel across the USA with only God and I in the cab of that truck to pray for each of you.  We having been having a wonderful time of talking.

The other voice in my truck is my GPS

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Last night, I was blessed by a going away party hosted by Florida Cardiology. Whenever God asks you to go and leave behind so many people who have become family to you; you often wonder about the memories that they will have 5 years or 10 years from now.  I tend to look back and remember the times I got things wrong, the times I spoke too quickly, the times I misunderstood or the times I wore my feelings on my sleeve. We do the same in our family relationships.  We sometimes misunderstand and we sometimes are misunderstood.  We sometimes disappoint and we are sometimes disappointed. 

photo courtesy of © istock

Yet, the one thing that stands at the end of the day is love.

So my question to myself became did I demonstrate enough my love for each and everyone I have met on this part of my journey.  Last night I was privileged to hear reflections of how I am remembered.  The only verse I could find that would adequately describe how I felt was:

Proverbs 27: 9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

Thank you, Florida Cardiology for letting me

Continue reading Hearts Joined with Memories–Forever Friends →

Today, as I turn 59; I am preparing to move to Missouri with great expectation and great hope for all that God has planned.  Yet my thoughts have turned to Mom.  For the past ten years, she has lived with me.  I have watched as she has aged over that time period while I have tried to urge her to hold onto hope.  For a time, I must leave her behind in a nursing home; something I had sworn I would never do.  Yet, over the past ten years and particularly the last three years, I have become her memory and her decision maker.  For the past six months she has asked to be in a "rest home" , because she wants to just rest and "never have to do dishes again".   During that time, I asked her to wait because I wasn’t ready to let her go there and I needed her here to proof read my blogs, to listen to me prattle on at times, and to be my prayer warrior. She has grown weary of life itself.  The therapist says that her decision making skills have so deteriorated as to make her unsafe to be at home alone and they will be working to help her regain those.

Mom Holding Me as a Baby and Mom now.

Perhaps the natural progression of aging as was described in Ecclesiastes as the writer urges us to worship God in the days of our youth before "the days of trouble come."  My plan is to as soon as possible return for her.  Before I do, I must prepare her a safe place to live.  My hope is to bring her into my home again; but, I must face the reality that her decision making skills have so deteriorated that it may be necessary only to transfer her to a nursing home near me. Perhaps, I will be able to find a day care for her while I work.  Either way, I will bring near to me as soon as is possible.  I have no fear; because I know that God is with her.  After all, she was the one who taught me about Christ.  She gave me life and she

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