Breath of Life

"Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says:  Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'"  Ezekiel 37:9  (NIV)

The other day, I heard a story where a person was saved because someone began CPR on them.  CPR has always amazed me.  One person can save another person's life by pressing on their chest and breathing into their mouth.  It's one of the many reasons I respect our EMTs, firefighters and police officers.  As soon as they arrive onto a scene where someone could be dying, they perform, what I would call, miracles.  They actively make life-saving decisions, including CPR.

With that, I was drawn to the story in Ezekiel of the dry bones.  God gives Ezekiel, the prophet, a vision where there was a valley of dry bones.  He commanded him to give life to the dry bones, and in front of him, the bones connected to become living humans.  The breath of life, in this case, was the word of God that was breathed into death.

I have been there in my life.  There was a time when life seemed very desperate.  Between enduring cancer, my marriage crumbling and my dad's passing, I felt that hope was far from me.  It was a very dark time in my life and it was very difficult for me to see the good in any day.  I got up, I tried to smile, but each day proved more difficult than the one before it.  I am eternally grateful for those who provided to me a "breath of life".

No, it wasn't direct CPR, but it certainly could have been.  Through prayers of others, through notes and letters, through acts of kindness and words from God, my life began to change.  I could feel life re-enter my soul, and I believed that my life could have more meaning.  Life was coming back through the breath of others.  I had felt like the valley of dry bones, and today, I am blessed with a life that God has richly blessed.

I seem to look around and see so many people who may be in the valley of bones.  Life is so very difficult these days and many people need our help.  I ask all of you, if you know anyone who is in the valley, give them the CPR of God's goodness and riches.  Take a look at the gifts He has richly bestowed upon you, and see where you may be able to breathe life into someone else.  We can all help someone.  A kind word, a note of grace, a call or visit, all of those simple things can breathe hope into others.  Don't wait!  God is with you.  He has prepared you for these moments.  Just take a breath and do!

Dearest Father, we thank you so much for the wonderful story of the valley of dry bones.  It is such a vision of what the word of God can do in someone's life, bring them back from despair to hope.  Please provide each of us an opportunity to be the breath of life to one in need.  Give us the courage to speak your words of hope.  In your life-giving name I pray, Amen!

Repurpose

"But the Lord said to him, "Go because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel."  Acts 9:15 (NIV)

It's a little table, but it has great meaning.  When I was dating my husband, I had decided to gift him a cherished item, a stained glass lamp my father had made.  After giving it to him, I realized he really didn't have any place for the lamp to stand.  So I bought this table that was unfinished and I stained it so it would go with his other furniture.

Throughout the years, the little table has been in different parts of our home, looking for its purpose.  As I changed the color scheme in our home throughout the years, the table remained the same.  Today, it was time to repurpose the table.  Out came the paint and paintbrush and the table was revitalized for a small, perfect corner in our home.  Away went the dingy stain and along came the fresh and pure white finish.

The entire process made me think of how God has repurposed many people, self included.  We look to our original purpose and throughout the years, we can see God's hand in repurposing our lives.  I don't think there is a better example of this than when Saul, who shared murderous threats to those that followed Jesus, was transformed into a true believer (Paul). As we see in our verse today, God specifically chose Saul, who had mistreated and murdered so many who were believers, and completely transformed him to spread the Gospel.  Just like my little table, away went the dingy behaviors and on went the pure white finish.

It's hard to imagine ourselves as anyone but who we are.  Although I have always had a faith in Jesus, I never would have believed that I would have taken that faith to a weekly blog in His name, to put myself "out there" for Jesus!  I was a quiet believer within the confines of our home.  Today, I have been repurposed by God.  He has shown me that I can do more with His strength and guidance.  I would never have known this if I wasn't quiet and listened.  Just as Saul was blinded for three days and could not see anything, there have been times when I needed to be quiet and just listen for God's words (not an easy thing for me to do).

How about you?   Have you been repurposed for God's will?  Think about your life - has it changed for the purpose of our Dear Lord?  Maybe it is time to put on a new coat of paint and see how we might be able to define a new purpose for our lives.  Be still and listen - close our eyes and reflect - give thanks and praise for what God shares with you!!

Heavenly Father, we thank you that you don't give up on our dingy behaviors, but paint us new and fresh with a greater purpose for you.  Help us to be still and reflect on how YOU want us to move forward in your name - bringing a higher purpose for our daily lives, lives that are lived out in your name.  Bless us Jesus.  Amen!

Hands Up

"When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady till sunset."  Exodus 17:12 (NIV)

Destruction.  Devastation.  Disaster.  This weekend has seen its fair share of events with all of these words.  Hurricane Florence made landfall around Thursday/Friday.  Since then, it has been wreaking havoc on the East Coast, leaving a trail of ruin and death.  As we watched the news, we were seeing how people were preparing for this catastrophic event.  People from around the country were going towards the area in order to help and assist.  With all the negative that surrounds a situation like that, it always warms my heart to know that people continue to help people.

Those of us in New England were also struck with destruction this past weekend.  The towns of Andover, North Andover and Lawrence, Massachusetts, were struck by gas explosions in homes.  Unfortunately, this event could not have been prepared for and the scene looked, as someone explained, like Armageddon.  These were not a string of homes in a row that were effected, but seventy random homes throughout these three towns.  Evacuations began swiftly, but death and destruction also resulted.  

Both of these situations left me wondering, "What can be done, what can we do, what can I do?"  I remembered this story from the Bible, and it brought me to a solution.  In Exodus 17, we find the Israelites at war against the Amalekites.  Joshua was ordered by Moses to engage in this battle, and Moses, Aaron and Hur would go to the top of the hill.  As long as Moses had his hands lifted up, Joshua and the Israelites were winning.  When his hand lowered, they would lose.  Therefore, Aaron and Hur helped raise Moses' hands for victory for all.

It made me think of what we can do for all those effected by this terrible destruction.  It is time to be Aaron and Hur, to lift up the hands of those who are hurting!  As these people face overwhelming circumstances, they may feel defeated, as Moses was feeling when his hands were lowered.  Help by holding up the hands of those around us.  May we give them the will to fight and win - to overcome the devastation with hope and peace.  There are many ways we can help lift our hands up.

• The quickest response is to lift all those effected up in prayer.  Ask our Dear Lord to provide for all those who are dealing with such trials.
• Get on websites and find out what the needs are for people.  If we all give a little, the amount will be great.
• The Red Cross is accepting donations for both situations.  Hop onto their website for details.
• Ban together with others and donate a couple of hours to help those that need help - revitalizing their homes

It is hard to watch people go through these situations.  Let us be their Aaron and Hur - let us lift up their hands in victory.  Our Lord will always give us the strength that is needed.  

Heavenly Father, we reach out to you for help.  So many need help right now.  They need to feel your loving arms around them.  They need to feel OUR loving arms lifting their hands up in victory.  Please provide to all those in need.  Give them strength and courage to live another day in you.  Help us to see how we can share the gifts you have given us to provide hope.  In your loving name we pray, Amen!

New Travels

"See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."  Isaiah 43:19  (NIV)

This entire adventure started about 13 years ago!  When Juan and I decided to marry and blend our families, we made a commitment to our children first.   Our time, we knew, would come, but it was all about our family.  So our honeymoon was a family vacation and we have been working hard to take long and short vacations all along.  Fast forward about 12 years.  Our children are grown and have moved on with their lives.  As hard as I tried to schedule a family vacation, it just wasn't working.  So about 6 months ago, with the children's blessing, we decided to go on a couple vacation.  We knew we wanted to explore areas we had never seen before - so off to Europe it was, London and Scandinavia.  That is why there was no blog post last week.  I thank you for your patience!

As each day unfolded, the awe and wonder of this beautiful world we live in came alive.  It's so strange for us Americans.  We think, I think, that by going to Boston or Washington DC, we are seeing such history.  And we do see great history.  Yet, the immense amount of history abroad was incredible.  From buildings that date back almost 2000 years (and are still standing!), to cultures we have never experienced, Juan and I had new experiences and new travels every day.  As we stepped off the cruise ship each day, we were excited about what was ahead of us.

All of these new experiences opened my eyes to this wonderful passage.  Taking new steps, in our relationships, careers, homes and yes, travel, means we are traveling to areas that are new and different for us.  Sometimes we are forced into these changes, other times we gladly step into them.  These new steps help us to see new things, things that we never would have been able to experience without the guiding hand of God.  Our Dear Lord is making a way for us.  Although where we may be journeying may not be a wilderness, it is unchartered territory for us.  The best part to remember is that God is making that way for us, the way to be able to experience His love and awesomeness.

New and different can be exciting.  It can be scary.  Either way, it is filled with blessings, the blessings that our Heavenly Father bestows on us for the future.  So let's take that step of faith, into new travels for our lives.  With some Simple Faith and God's guiding hand, we truly have the world ahead of us!

Dearest Father, we thank you for the journeys that you lay ahead of us.  May we gladly step into them, knowing that we don't step alone.  Help us to have the simple faith that you know what is truly best for us and that we may step forward in boldness.  Help us to appreciate all that you have given to us, for we know it is exactly what we need.  May our new travels bless us greatly.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen!