Tag: fear

How Can Fearing God Really Free Me from Fear?

Hear this now, O foolish people,
Without understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not:
Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord.
‘Will you not tremble at My presence. Jeremiah 5:22 (NKJV)

Some would try to say that because God is love and God so loved the world; that our response to that love doesn’t really matter. Many profess that there are multiple roads to heaven; yet, that too is not what God’s own words would say. Others would say if we try hard and do "good" then God will reward us with heaven; yet, what is really good? The older I grow, the more I see of God’s righteousness; the more I recognize those hidden areas of darkness, selfishness, or covetousness that lurk in the recesses of my own heart. How often have I failed even the first commandment which is to love the Lord God with all my heart, my mind, and my soul! Each time I have railed against God’s will because I wanted something or cried bitterly because He did not give me some foolish desire of my heart were proof I did not love Him as I should. This verse from Jeremiah would shout into my heart–"O foolish heart, without understanding, whose eyes do not see, whose ears do not hear; do you not fear Me? Says the Lord, Will you not tremble at My Presence?"

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WHEN TERROR STRIKES

I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Psalm 3:4

WHEN TERROR STRIKES

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

When terror strikes from every side

Inciting fear in every heart

When all I see is torn apart

How can I Lord in You abide?

And rest in peace upon they word

With all the hate and sorrow heard

From wretched men, so filled with pride

I need a place in which to hide

 

I turn and lift my eyes toward You

To search the dark, to understand

How can this be as You have planned?

When all the world seems so askew

By evil hearts so filled with sin

It’s hard to see Your love will win

When selfish hearts themselves pursue

Destruction, death and pain ensue

 

As I gazed there shone forth a light

And reaching forth a steady hand

That held at bay hell’s death command

With sovereign power and such might

It is Grace alone that bids you wait

While justice bids man’s final fate

That one more broken heart contrite

With blinded eyes to then find sight

 

Oh, Lord, please help me understand

That the same love that bore the cross

Is Your love for us when we face loss

That Grace holds firm Your Mighty hand

That every kindness we have known

Is proof Your grace for us is shown

For Justice would itself demand

That darkness, death consume our land

 

So, help me Lord to be a light

To spread your word where e’er I go

Your love, your hope, your joy to show

Your gospel truth to then take flight

Transforming hearts that one by one

They seek and find your precious son

That then your Glory shine so bright

Beams of Grace in the dark of night

[bctt tweet=”As long as there are men who pray, God’s Hand of Grace has steady stayed.” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]We do not know when God will return, so let us labor as if it were today![/tweetthis]

[bctt tweet=”Do not give up hope! Christ’s Final Victory Cry is drawing near!” username=”effiedarlene”]

Picture courtesy of http://www.lifeofpix.com/photographer/stefan-stefancik

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.

MY LOVE IS ENOUGH-Poetry Sunday

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Isaiah 61:1 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18

What an amazing week this has been!  I have had the wonderful blessed opportunity to spend this week with thousands of Christian women in the Proverbs 31 She Speaks 2016 conference.  So many amazing women deeply in love with Jesus and on fire to spread the word.  I could go on and on naming the speakers who so touched my heart and life.  The amazing attendees each with a passion and a story.  We all have stories.  Sometimes those stories are filled with sorrow, pain, and grief; yet, ringing through it all is one thing—God loves me, God never gives up on me, and God’s love is enough to overcome every sorrow.  Friday night as Lysa Terkeurst took the stage, I anticipated a great message.  A woman so anointed as a writer and speaker; yet, I did not expect the raw vulnerability that drew me in. Somehow, we think that those who are so well known in the ministry don’t still have storms; but, they do.  Lysa had recently finished a book called “Uninvited” which is a book dealing with the rejections we face.  Believing all had already been said about the subject, then an uninvited storm came into her life and sent her running in retreat of her own book for comfort.  Sometimes, we feel uninvited and sometimes uninvited storms come in and we feel abandoned, rejected by God.  Ah, but God is right there.  Her talk was raw with emotion, filled with inspiration, and that beautiful grace of God’s sustaining joy in the midst of the storm. That talk inspired me to write this poem.  So if you are hurting, know this God is enough to fill your heart with glee.  Just wait a moment, you will see.

broken

My Love is Enough

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

Trials arise and storms of the heart

Come raging into our life

Uninvited, unwanted they scream

Words of bitterness and strife

 

Into the depth of our heart and our soul

Driving their pain with sharpest of knife

Cutting, bleeding taking their toll

Stripping away any signs of our life

 

Crying to God, I scream for a why?

Didn’t I love enough? Sing your praise?

Wounded, battered I really did try!

All of my life! All of my days!

 

Then I did feel His warmth, His embrace

Oh, my dear child, don’t you now see

Everything, spiraling toward you with grace

Only reveals the truth that is me

 

I had to remove the scars of this world

The dark hidden spots you never reveal

Twisted, resisted so tightly furled

Had come in the night your joy to steal

 

Come deep in my arms, rest for a while

To heal all those scars you carried so long

The Broken Unspoken pain doth beguile

Drawing you far from where you belong

 

I see your heart wounded deep inside

Come my dear Child, Safe you will be

Wrapped in my love, here to abide

Wait for a moment and then you will see

My love is enough to fill you with glee

[bctt tweet=”Wait for a moment and then you will see My love is enough to fill you with glee” username=”effiedarlene”]

I also urge you to order your copy of Uninvited as well at: http://www.p31bookstore.com/

Picture used by written permission of the artist, Ronald Barba.  You may obtain copies at http://fineartamerica.com/artists/ronald+barba  where you may also view other masterpieces of his work.  You may contact me if you are interested in his doing any commissioned artwork for you.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

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.

5 Steps to Victory in Every Battle of Life

Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15

The day finally came for the surgery. I had prepared my mind, my heart and my spirit as best I could. But perhaps that is a problem if I say, the best I could.  I would need much more than my best, I need God to fight this battle in me and for me.  Thirteen hours I was in surgery. I awoke in recovery with excruciating pain as though I had been skinned alive. I could barely breathe, my voice a faint whisper, and unable to move because of the pain. Fortunately, the nurse saw my eyes opened, whispered some words of comfort as she gave me some pain medicine into my IV. Nothing really prepares you for the pain, the struggles, the fatigue, and the total body changes that come with surgery. I needed a God’s battle plan.

stand alone

 

 

FOR GOD IS ON MY SIDE


IT WAS NOT BY CHANCE I WAS AT VANDERBILT, GOD KNEW THE CANCER WAS GOING TO BE THERE AND HE ALREADY HAD A PLAN FOR MY WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST IT. The tumor was large in diameter—about 6 centimeters; but, flat like a pancake. It was a very aggressive form of HER2/neu positive cancer cells. Because I was at Vanderbilt I was placed in two important research studies. The first was to study the sentinel node. Because I was in that study they removed the usual lymph nodes (over 25) from my right arm as well as the “sentinel” node which in my case was located near the center of my chest. It would have been ignored had I not been in the study, since this was a rare location for the cancer to potentially spread. The second study involved the chemotherapy I was going to receive. When I randomized, I was placed in the arm of the study that would receive the most aggressive chemotherapy. In fact, I was going to receive Adriamycin/Taxotere which at that time was considered 2nd or 3rd line therapy. Herceptin was barely being developed so that was not in the potential available drugs.

MY CHILDREN AND I

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What Happens When The Potter Decides To Remold The Vessel?

 

Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:2-6

Life settled in ok. In some ways it seemed this long distance marriage had the benefit of not having to deal with how different we were. Before I married Terry, I had placed one rule. “You do not know the history of all my children have had to face. You will not interfere in how I choose to discipline, raise, or guide my children. If you disagree with what I have done; then, you will tell me in private. I will take your thoughts into consideration.” He swore to abide by this rule and did. Actually, he never even took the time to speak with or get to know my sons.  All seemed well. Comfortable at least. 6767514_l

When the Master Potter choses to remake you, what then?

I began to wonder about getting my Master’s Degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. Maybe then, I could better support my family. When I applied to Vanderbilt, Terry told me, “You won’t get accepted there.  I’ve known too many nurses who tried and that school is too hard to get in to.” But I was accepted right away, and was asked to start in September 1997. I thought about delaying, except Alberto and Ronald both told me to “do it.” They assured me that they could be responsible enough to manage the house and attend high school each day. I trusted them to do just that and told them so.  They were

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