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Mom, It Really Doesn’t Matter

You don’t allow your child to spend the night at that home. You’re a bit hesitant for several reasons. Your daughter – or son – is upset, angry.

I couldn’t understand why my mother was so strict about certain things. I was the “only” girl who couldn’t go. “Everyone else” was going. It wasn’t until years later I heard about the older sister’s boyfriend sneaking in and out of the back door – about the father’s heavy drinking problem, one which caused a fatal accident.

Trust your instincts, Mom. Trust your common sense. God gave it to you. It really doesn’t matter what others think. At least she’ll be safe.

He’s so sick – the doctor said he’ll be better tomorrow. Others call you a “helicopter parent” or insinuate you worry too much. Childhood illnesses build up immunities, they say.

My brother was sick with symptoms unlike typical childhood illnesses. It was “after hours.” Mom called the doctor, an excellent pediatrician, top in his field.

It doesn’t sound like anything serious,he said. Wait it out. 

Hours went by. Mom tried to get her mind off it. She tried to occupy herself with other things – housework, mending. Called the doctor again. 

Bring him in first thing in the morning, he said.

Mom couldn’t sleep.  She cried with worry. Her mind went places she didn’t want it to go. She called the doctor the third time. Bring him in now. Meet you in ER.

It’s Bright’s Disease, he said. If you hadn’t brought him in, I don’t think he would have made it through the night.

Trust your instincts, Mom. Trust your common sense. God gave it to you. It really doesn’t matter what others think. At least he’ll be safe.

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The Cross Still Stands

Our eyes are attentive to our screens, taking in every word, every image. Our hearts are breaking as we watch: Notre Dame Cathedral is burning.

French Catholic Newspaper, La Croix, shows the spire’s collapse on its front page, with the headline: La Coeur en cendres (The Heart in Ashes):

And those words, probably inferring the heart of the church, nonetheless describe our feelings: our hearts are in ashes. We are a suffering people, anyway, our hearts shattered by evil in the world: deliberate killings, deliberate abortions, deliberate hate. Cancer, suffering, disease. We wonder how much more our already-broken hearts can take.

But we keep watching the reports of the fire; we keep listening; we keep hoping.

And we find it. Hope in the final photos – the photos taken after the fire is out – the photos showing what remains. The altar remains, and . . .

. . .the cross still stands! Not only does it stand, but it shines. It radiates. It glows. It reminds us that in this world filled with evil, we have hope – the confident expectation of God’s promises.

Click here to hear the beautiful reminder of what the cross stands for. “It stands to heal and to restore and to comfort those who mourn. . . it stands for hope; it stands for peace; it stands to set the captives free; it’s where the only Son of God reveals love for you and me; It stands to heal and to restore and to comfort those who mourn. . . “

Let the cross bring you hope today. Hope in the very purpose of this Holy Week. Hope in Jesus Christ alone, the Savior of the World.

When your world feels fallen, hopeless, remember – the Cross still stands! Jesus suffered for you and for me. The altar remains open; His arms are open, waiting for you to turn to Him.

Click here to learn how to become a believer.

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Today I Celebrate Her Birthday.

Today is her heavenly birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mama!

When she passed years ago, just one month after Daddy, I thought I might adjust to life without them. Then I saw your Facebook posts and heard your words, spoken as you hugged me at the visitations, written on your cards of sympathy:

“It’s been ten years, and I miss her every day.”

“My dad’s been gone 18 years and I still cry.”

Suddenly I knew. The pain would never go away. It was frightening, overwhelming, to think of living with this dire grief for the rest of my life. I could not go through it alone.

“Jesus wept.” I knew He was weeping for me – with me. I not only accepted the compassion of this Savior, but I pleaded with the Father for it.

Then I started digging. Old photos. Memories. Aprons. Dishes. Walking sticks. Blankets. The sight of his binoculars caused a swelling in my throat; the smell of her Ponds Cold Cream drew flooding memories down my cheeks. How can I ever get past this?

I shared my grief with others. They understood. I was not alone.
Many had grieved. Like me. Looking at them from the outside, I hadn’t realized that their insides had once been heavy and weighted. Like mine. Would I ever appear normal on the outside again, like they did?

I did not find comfort in those common feelings of grief. But I did find comfort in knowing that I grieved much because I had loved much. I had years of memories to carry with me on the lonely, painful path ahead, the path I’m still traveling today. Are the memories worth the pain? Is the pain worth the memories?

I’ve stopped trying to figure it out. I’ve stopped trying to distinguish grief and sorrow from mourning. I’ve stopped trying to figure out what stage of grief I’m passing through. And I’ve stopped feeling guilty or shameful that I’m still grieving after all these years – that others have more reason to grieve than I.

It is what it is. A broken world full of suffering and full of grieving people. Not by God’s design but because of the sin of the first created.

It is what it is. A beautiful life, speckled with pain and grief.

But He is what He is. A beautiful Savior who weeps with us and says, “It won’t be long. I’ll gather you. Let me comfort you until then.”

Until then, Mama, ride your beautiful Buckskin mare down the lanes of the farm. And have a Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mama.

Mom on Gypsy, her Buckskin

If you haven’t yet, please read my book, When Life Roars, Jesus Whispers. To order, message me through this site or on my FaceBook Writer’s page https://www.facebook.com/KathiWaligoraAuthorSpeaker/

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It is finished.

It is finished!

“It is finished. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

He “gave up his spirit.” No one took it from Him. He gave it up.

It is finished!

By the time I read those words in the book of John, Chapter 19, I’ve read of His flogging, the crown of thorns crushed on His head, the mocking of my Lord, the crushing weight of carrying His cross, the humiliating stripping of his clothes, the iron nails pounded through His hands and His feet, the vinegar given at the time of his greatest thirst. Oh how sad those words seem.  My heart is breaking.

It is finished.

He gave Himself. For you. For me. He finished the work. He took your place. He took my place. The perfect Lamb of God was crucified between two sinners, sinners like you and sinners like me. So now, how I love those three words. My heart is full.

It is finished.

Click here if you would like to learn how to become a believer.

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Full of the Holy Spirit . . . led by the Spirit . . .

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, the period of Lent is 40 days. Why 40 days?  Although there are many references to the number 40 in the Bible, the connection to Lent seems to be that Jesus went into the wilderness, the desert, where he fasted and was tempted by the devil for 40 days.

Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist directly preceded His 40 days of temptation. Three of the Gospels report it. I especially like the passage from Luke. There is so much to contemplate, but today, I’m focusing on two phrases in just the first sentence!

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. (Mark 4:1,2a)

full of the Holy Spirit,

led by the Spirit . . .

 

How could I possibly approach any trial or temptation without the filling and leading of the Holy Spirit? I couldn’t.

Will write more later . . .

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Forty Days

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.  (Luke 4:1,2)

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit . . . led by the Spirit.

He had just been baptized by John in the Jordan River. The Spirit of God had descended upon Him as a dove. He was full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit. (My last post was about these two phrases.)

Nearing the end of his ministry, Jesus told his disciples that He was “going to the Father . . .” He said,

And I will ask the father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – “the Spirit of truth.” The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him, nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14: 12, 16,17)

Shortly after this, Jesus suffered, was crucified, was buried, and rose from the grave. Then he walked with – and talked with many people. After he was taken up to heaven, the disciples waited, as he had instructed them:

. . . wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1: 5).

And they waited.

And the Holy Spirit came to them on the day of Pentecost.

And they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.

And that same Holy Spirit indwells each believer!

So especially during these 40 days, I’m looking ahead – toward Good Friday and toward Easter Sunday. I’m thanking God for His Holy Spirit – who descended upon Jesus as a dove – who now is in me. I’m yearning to be filled with and led by God’s Holy Spirit – the Counselor – my Counselor!

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So I’m Speaking “Trust” and I’m Praying “Trust”

Trust.

I’m writing this because I need to trust. It’s not easy for me. I want the joy and peace. I want the overflowing hope. It’s just so hard to trust. Some times more than other times.

So I’m speaking Romans 15:13.

I’m praying it for you.

I’m praying it for myself:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

May God bless us as we trust.

Contact me through this site or on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/KathiWaligoraAuthorSpeaker/

 

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Dig Deep!

“Summon your power, O God; show us your strength,
O God, as you have done before. . . Rebuke the beast . . .” (Psalm 68: 28, 30)
Bad news is frightening. The enemy makes me forget the Lord’s faithfulness; the bad news pierces like a knife into my stomach. I’m suddenly nauseous. Discouraged. The outlook is not good. It’s negative. Depressing.
I dig deep into my heart. Dig deep to remember my heritage–to remember the heritage of my family–the heritage that belongs to my children. I dig deep and I find the Word – the Word, which is near me. It is in my heart. It was placed there when the righteousness came by faith.
And once again, I know the strength He gives–the strength not to fear. I remember the strength He has given me before, I remember His faithfulness, and I remember His promise:
 “All your sons will be taught by the Lord . . . great will be your children’s peace. In righteousness you will be established. Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. See it is I who created the blacksmith . . . who . . . forges a weapon. . . I have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD.” (Isaiah 54: 13-17)
The Word reminds me that because my children have been established in righteousness, they will not experience tyranny and terror, nor will I. The attack is not from God; in fact, any who attacks will have to surrender to us. God created the one who forges the weapon. Their weapons will not prevail. Only what God wants will prevail. I am desperate for Him at this time.
And so I pray, “Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before. . . Rebuke the beast . . .”
Further Reading: Romans 10:6,8
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We, the Voters: A Three-Step Strategy

what do we Christians do?

Are you overwhelmed, frustrated, or distressed by the upcoming election?

You’re not alone!

A September Associated Press poll reveals that the majority of Americans are frustrated and/or angry, and that most Americans feel hopeless in this year’s election. NPR.org reports a Harris online polling for the APA (American Psychological Association), which exposes a statistically equal amount of “significant stress” crossing party lines – both Democrat and Republican. The APA provides sound, detailed suggestions to handle this election-time stress.

A July commentary by Ed O’Brien and Nadav Klein on Fortune.com, refers to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as “the most disliked presidential candidates in U.S. history” and further, the commentators “. . . think that more fundamental elements of human judgment are at work. Each candidate has a well-known past composed of both admirable actions and bad behavior. ” Many of us agree. These are some of the factors that make this election more stressful for us. Those – and social media.

If you’ve “been around” for a while, you might be comparing this election to those in the past – those in which the candidates spent more time conveying their plans for the country to the American people than they spent time trashing each other.  Today we see the residue of that trashing sifting down through the media (those sources we once trusted), dropping into the landfills and junkyards of the office water cooler or the ever-growing social media, resulting in the dregs and residue of half-truths or no truths unreliable, untrustworthy, and unrecognizable. No wonder most Americans are frustrated and/or angry!

Now we are just days away from the crucial and fateful decision of the American people. What do we do? More importantly, what do we Christians do?

  1. First, we pray! We pray for ourselves and other Christians; we pray for our country and our leaders; we pray for God’s will; and we pray for mercy. Remember that God loves our prayers. And He welcomes our prayers (Philippians 4:6). I invite you to link to the Election Prayer Guide, put out by David Butts, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force Board of Directors and America’s National Prayer Committee. Pray whenever you can and wherever you can – unceasingly.

  2. Next, we pray as we conduct our final research! Certainly we should seek counsel from those we respect, but we don’t need others, especially not social media, to decide for us. When you see something on social media, test it – research it to discover truths. We “have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of us know the truth. . . the anointing we have received from Him remains in us . . . His anointing teaches us . . . it is real . . . remain in Him.” (I John 2:20, 27 paraphrased) Trust that anointing. Ask Him to show you. Go to His Word. Dig into His Word. As you research the candidates, compare them in aspects of leadership, morals, and matters of integrity. Because many Americans lack trust in either candidate, some people are voting for the “platform” of a party, rather than the “candidate.”  Do your research and compare the platforms of each of the parties. (Click here to read the Democrat platform – Click here to read the Republican platform) Which platform most aligns with the Word of God? We must pray as we research.

  3. Finally, we pray as we vote! Your voice matters. And your prayer matters before God. As you vote, pray for the unleashing of the Sword – the Word of God – living and active (Hebrews 4:12); pray for Christians to show their faith; pray that the Lord would be pleased with the results; and pray that you will trust in the authority God has established (Romans 13).

 

Be still, my Christian friend, and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10); thank Him and trust that He reigns (Psalm 93).

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Long-standing Prayer

I had written my name inside the book, as I always do, along with the date: Kathleen Waligora, August 2005. I don’t know why I put the book away and never read it at that time. I’m certain it’s an awesome book – Jesus the One and Only – because the author, Beth Moore, is an awesome writer. But I hadn’t read beyond the first chapter, “Unexpected Company.”

So today, I began reading the book – once again.

In the first chapter, I read about Zechariah, the old priest whose turn had finally come to offer the incense at the daily sacrifice – a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was reminded that the time had been ordained by God. I was reminded that Zechariah must have prayed for a son while he was inside the holy place. I was reminded that God’s power is infinite and His grace and mercy have no end. Beth Moore writes that God wanted to meet “the desire of his [Zechariah’s] heart,” that “God was simply waiting for the perfect time.”

It was then that I read on – to the next page – and I saw my handwriting from 2005 (I almost always annotate my reading!) Amber & Jesse, I had written those eleven years ago.

Amber & Jesse.

Instantly I knew where my heart was eleven years ago: It was broken. It was wounded. It was aching. My underlining of portions of the passage further revealed the condition of my heart at that time and the hope I had – in Jesus, the One and Only:

Do you have a long-standing prayer concern? . . . don’t grow weary mechanical. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, continue to walk faithfully with God even though you are disappointed. Walking with God in the day-in/day-out course of life swells your assurance that God is faithful and enjoyable even when a request goes unmet . . . Zechariah waited a long time for God’s answer, but when it came, it exceeded everything the priest could have thought or asked.

I remembered my “long-standing prayer” of 2005 for my daughter Amber and her husband, Jesse – a prayer that had already gone on for many years. Now, looking back, I realized that my “long-standing prayer” continued yet another seven years – until 2012 before it was answered, but like Zechariah’s answer to prayer, when my answer came, “it exceeded everything [I] could have thought or asked.”

I had asked for bits of grace and mercy. I received abundance.

So now, as I continue reading Jesus the One and Only, I will again annotate. I will again note specific prayer requests and passages of promise from God’s Word. And as I do, my faith will be strengthened in remembering that our God’s power is infinite, that He waits for the perfect time. I will find comfort in Jesus, the One and Only.

7-17-2016