“Dig Deep. That’s All. Dig Deep.”

I haven’t posted here in a long time, but today something is gnawing at me and I’m led to write about it.

How many of you still have your moms? I had mine for forty-six years before she went to be with the Lord. I didn’t know while I had her how wise she was. I wasn’t paying attention when she set seeds of wisdom in my heart. It took time for those seeds to grow, but they have and I’m forever grateful.

Mom never said anything bad about anyone. I never heard her criticize others. She didn’t swear, was always soft spoken and humble to a fault. She considered herself an introvert, and she was. Everyone who knew her liked her, but I don’t think they ever really knew her. She was friendly but quiet and kept to herself. She loved God. Mom read voraciously (especially the bible), and she spent a lot of time praying for others—especially me. “I’ll pray you through,” was something she often said. She prayed me through my rebellious years until, finally, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. She never pressured or lectured me in that regard. She just prayed me through.

One of Mom’s favorite seeds of wisdom was “dig deep”. If I were critical of someone or something, she’d tell me “dig deep”. Nothing more.

As a young woman, I had no idea what she meant, but as I’ve grown older I understand. I have learned (am still learning) to dig deep.

We live in a time when scripture is misquoted and taken out of context to promote a particular cause or viewpoint. I hear my mother’s voice: “Dig deep.”

We live in a world rife with clashing viewpoints and criticisms. Headlines pull quotes out of context, facts are lost in opinions. As I read and listen, I hear mother’s voice tell me, “Dig deep.”

My mother didn’t have the Internet to rely on to ferret out the facts, but she used the library. She dug deep, careful not to put too much faith into what others said. She believed in getting to the very source, the facts in context. Before she formed an opinion, Mom had one last checkpoint: scripture. She knew her bible. She knew God’s words in the context presented there. Her decision always was to follow what He said as the absolute truth. Mom didn’t often share her opinions, but when she did she had good, solid, God-centered reasons to back them up.

These past several months and especially the past ten days have been rough for all of us. We’re drowning in conflicting information, opinions,  pain, and especially anger. If you know me, then you know that it takes a whole lot to make me angry, but this week I got there—and then I heard my mother’s voice: “Dig deep.”

When anger enters our hearts, its goal is to push God out. When anger fills our hearts, it creates a cacophony that shuts God out.

If my mother were alive today, I know what she would tell me.
I can hear her voice:

“Dig deep. If ever there was a time to dig deep, it’s now. Dig deep through the anger and pain until you find the Source of All Truth. Dig deep into scripture to be sure you haven’t misunderstood God’s words. Dig deep into your criticisms and feelings toward others to determine if they are pleasing to God. Dig deep, Jean, Dig deep.”

Thank you, Mom. I hear you. I miss you.

___________________________

If you are on Facebook, Check out my page
where I post articles and inspiration for writers.

_____________________________

*NOTE: Any ads appearing in this post were not put there by me nor do I endorse them. WordPress sometimes posts ads in exchange for hosting this free blog.

Where Does Freedom Come From?

I did a DNA test, and it confirmed what I already knew—I’m a Mayflower descendant.

My eighth great-grandfather was Edward Doty. He sailed on the Mayflower from England as a servant to a man named Stephen Hopkins. Edward’s story isn’t the most positive of the Mayflower passengers. He was a rebel. He stood up for what he believed, and sometimes that got him into trouble.

Edward was the first of my family’s long line of freedom fighters. My relatives served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam . . . They proudly served America and protected its citizens’ rights and freedom. I’m proud of them, each and every one!

November 11, Veteran’s Day, is a day set aside for honoring all who served in our armed forces. But it’s more than that. It is a day to reflect on the idea of freedom.

From the beginning, God allowed humans the right to choose. The first example is when He let Adam choose names for all the species of Earth’s animals (Genesis 2:20). Then God gave Adam and Eve a perfect garden in which to live and just one rule—not a dictatorial command that must be obeyed, but a rule carrying the flexibility of choice.

. . .the Lord told him, “You may eat fruit from any tree in the garden, except the one that has the power to let you know the difference between right and wrong . . .”
(Genesis 2:16–17)

Given the freedom to choose, Eve and Adam chose wrong. They disobeyed and unleashed evil into the world. Still, God didn’t take freedom away from His humans. He continued to allow people to choose how they want to live. He wanted (and wants) us to willfully desire Him and to choose right over wrong.

Thank God we live in a country where the idea of freedom is honored! Today and throughout America’s history, men and women have fought to keep our citizens free. It’s a God-given right. Precious and worth defending.

On Veteran’s Day and every day thank those who have served. But remember also to thank God, not only for women and men who stand against those who want to take away our freedom, but also for allowing us the freedom to choose.

My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.
(Galatians 5:13 CEV)

_____________________________

Are you on Facebook? Check out my page where I post about my books along with daily articles and inspiration for writers.
_____________________________

*NOTE: Any ads appearing in this post were not put there by me nor do I endorse them. WordPress sometimes posts ads in exchange for hosting this free blog.

 

How God Wove a Tragedy Into Something Good.

Officer Michael Michalski’s funeral happened exactly one week after he was shot and killed while trying to make an arrest. The details of his murder aren’t important. What is important is what God did next.

Officer Michalski, a born-again Christian,  was saved only five years before he died. Salvation changed him. He stopped hating the criminals he arrested, and he decided that just like them he was a sinner. When he made an arrest, he prayed for that person.

“Every person, every person that I am involved in arresting, I pray for them, I pray that while they’re sitting in that jail cell that they seek the Lord,” —Officer Michael Michalski

In 2016, Officer Michalski shared his testimony at a southside Milwaukee church. No one knew then that his video-recorded speech would one day “go viral” . . .
No One except God.

Soon after the officer’s death on July 25, 2018, stories of his faith emerged. Michalski’s testimony video started trending on social media, and secular news channels shared stories about his faith.

“Salvation is the most important thing in the world, both now and hereafter. If you are not saved, nothing really matters.”—Officer Michael Michalski

Only God knows how many were saved, or will be saved, from personal encounters with Michalski and also through his legacy.

At the beginning of Officer Michalski’s funeral, the sun shone brightly on Grace Community Church in West Allis, WI. But, afterward, while his casket was wheeled outside to the awaiting hearse, a passing shower became a passing storm. Rain poured hard from the deep, purple sky and so did a quick burst of pea-sized hail. As the hearse, followed by countless law enforcement vehicles, started toward the cemetery, the rain stopped. God set a rainbow in the sky, the angry, gray clouds broke into the shape of angel wings,
[Click here for photos.] . . .

And as a saluting officer stood at attention honoring his fallen comrade, a blue butterfly landed on the holster holding that officer’s gun.

God doesn’t make mistakes.
While we might think the messy details of life are worthy only of the compost pile, God sees them as something beautiful—and recycles them into His plan.

_____________________________

Are you on Facebook? Check out my page where I post about my books along with daily articles and inspiration for writers.
_____________________________

*NOTE: Any ads appearing in this post were not put there by me nor do I endorse them. WordPress sometimes posts ads in exchange for hosting this free blog.