September 11th. I remember it like it was yesterday….as I’m sure all of you feel the same. I was taking classes at my community college. I had Psychology that day at 11 so I was so excited to be able to sleep in. However, my mom called me from work around 8:45 or so and told me to turn on the TV. I literally had just turned it on and was in shock at what I was seeing and then I saw the second plane hit. I was rendered speechless! I didn’t know what was going on!
I got to my class and the professor sort of hesitated before speaking and then just told us “class dismissed. I can’t teach you while our world is under attack. It’s too surreal.”
I haven’t written a poem in quite some time….I used to write them all the time. I could pop them out round the clock! But then I stopped. I guess I lost my creativity for awhile.
So please don’t be too harsh with this poem. I wanted to write….to express my feelings about the anniversary of September 11th. #neverforget
19 Years Ago
19 years ago our world was forever changed 19 years ago nothing would ever be the same 19 years ago we watched in horror As the buildings came tumbling down
Thousands of people Going about their morning Unaware of was what about to happen Unaware of the evil about to take place
So much evil so much hate When will this end or is it too late?
Where were you when our nation was attacked? Where were you When our freedom was threatened?
Were you sitting in a classroom Confused at what you were seeing? The horror of it all unraveling As you tried to take it in?
Or perhaps you were at home Maybe sipping your morning coffee You turned on your TV Just in time to see the second plane…
The world stopped moving That Tuesday morning… But it also brought us together Determined to pick up the pieces Determined to rise up
September 11, 2001 Forever etched in our minds Forever in our heart.
In my heart of hearts I truly believe that Jesus is returning for His Church soon and it burdens me that you will be left behind in the resulting world. You’ll still have a chance to repent and accept Christ during the following tribulation days, but it will be unbearably hard to keep the faith […]
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after every battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, NLT)
***I’ve never had so much trouble writing a post. But Satan knows this message is meant to be shared and he tried everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING, he could to prevent me from writing this. But God wins. Every time, God wins.***
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16, NLT
What does it meant to be a light in the world?
As believers, we are called to be the light in the darkness of the world. But what does it mean?
Jesus is the light of the world. It says so in John 8:12! “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Don’t hide your testimony or be ashamed to take your Bible to work. Don’t be afraid to pray over your lunch at school. Let others know that you love the Lord Jesus.
“For God who said “Let there be light in the darkness” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT)
We can be a light in someone else’s dark world. By letting Jesus be our example, we can reach out.
There is a movie called I’m Not Ashamed that I’ve mentioned before but it’s such a powerful movie that I want to talk about it again.
The movie is based on Rachel Joy Scott, the first victim in the Columbine shootings back in 1999. Her story is so uplifting and moving.
I don’t understand this but for some reason I’ve always been drawn to her story. Her legacy has brought so many people to Christ. I have a couple of books that were written based on her journals she kept. She kept many journals. And guess what? She struggled just like anyone else.
She wasn’t perfect, not even close. She had her share of struggles with all things that most teens struggle with. She just chose to stay close to Christ in order to fight her demons.
Rachel genuinely had a love for others and was so compassionate towards them despite the way they treated her. She showed her love in many aspects of her life and worked hard to be the person God created her to be.
Rachel made the decision to “love people with a heart of compassion and see and love people as Jesus does.
Colossians 3:12-13 says “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.” (ESV)
I want to live a life like that. A life devoted to Christ and serving His people. I want to be able to show compassion towards those that don’t necessarily show compassion towards me.
I don’t want to be ashamed. I want to be that light that shines so bright that makes people ask what is so different about me.
Living Like Jesus
There is a song called Jesus, Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns that I absolutely love. I feel the lyrics say it all.
“The world is on their way to You But they’re tripping over me Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded A plank eyed saint with dirty hands”
How can we live like Jesus if we’re stumbling blocks to unbelievers? How will they see Jesus if we’re not living a life pleasing to Christ?
We must live like Jesus. Truly live for Him, living in such a way that oozes the love of Jesus and His light. So what does living like Jesus look like?
Romans 12:2 tells us “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)
By copying the behavior and customs of this world we aren’t living as a light in this world. We aren’t living like Christ. We are to let God transform us into a new person so that we can shine God’s light wherever we are.
Being a light in this hate filled world won’t always be easy but we owe it to unbelievers everywhere to live a life pleasing to the Lord.
Loving Others
Further in Romans 12 Paul tells us “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying. When Gods’ people are in need be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. (Romans 12:9-13 NLT)
People notice our actions, our words. And by living as a light we have a chance to speak God’s Word without even saying a single word. People will take notice of the way we are living our life and it’s going to make them question what exactly it is that makes us different.
We must love like Jesus.
The light of the world we share is Jesus. As they see glimpses of Him and His truth, they are drawn to Him.
I don’t know about you but I have a really bad tendency to focus on my past. My regrets. My heartache. My disappointments. My failures. You get the picture. I find myself wallowing in what could have been, in what I should have done or said. But what’s the point?
Why do we do that? Why do we look at our failures and mistakes and live in them? What’s that going to do? Absolutely nothing except make us miserable and depressed.
It’s hard to forget the past sometimes. I get it. I have so many regrets. We all do. But I have to believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without those regrets. I have learned from those mistakes. And it’s made me a better person. Does that make sense?
Read what Paul has to say in Philippians 3:13-14, “No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
When we become Christians, our new life begins! We shouldn’t be looking to our past!
Paul reminds us of this in 2 Corinthians 5:17,
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Don’t let your past define you. It’s not who you are. You are much more than your past mistakes. You are a child of God and you are LOVED!
Satan LOVES to drudge up whatever he can to make us miserable. Don’t let him.
Don’t allow Satan to rob you of your future by making you live in your past.
I’m looking at different ways to do the fast, such as the 16/8 method where you have a window of time to eat (8 hours) and then you fast the other 16. So if I was to try this method, I would eat between the hours of noon to 8PM and then fast from 8PM to noon. This method is probably the easiest since you are asleep for a majority of the 16 hour fast.
My weight has reached a number that I am NOT happy with. I haven’t been happy for the longest time.
My medications (at least 4 of them) cause weight gain so losing this weight is not going to be easy but I’m going to give it my all. I didn’t put the weight on overnight and it’s not going to come off overnight, you know?
I have been single since 2008 (wow, 12 years?) I haven’t even gone out on a date.
(eh, don’t feel sorry for me! I’ve embraced the single life and I’m content. If God chooses to send someone my way, then okay! But if decides I am to remain single then so be it.)
As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7, “So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows–its better to stay unmarried, just as I am.”(1Corinthians 7:8, NLT)
Paul was saying that it’s better to remain single because of the opportunities it provides to serve Christ with no distractions.
I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.
1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Not being married, I’m able to do things without the distraction of a husband and children and taking care of them. I can devote more time to serving the Lord.
I am 37 and I’m single. 10 years ago this would have bothered me. But as I grow closer to the Lord I have realized that I don’t need anyone BUT God.
12 years ago I was in a relationship that didn’t end well. He essentially broke up with me because of my bipolar disorder. He said he couldn’t handle it anymore. I remember looking at him and crying, “You don’t have to handle this. I have to deal with this the rest of my life. I just need you to BE there for me.”
Nope, he ran. But you know what I said? Fine. And I moved on without him. I haven’t had a relationship since. Honestly, I have moments, small moments when I wonder if I’ll ever find someone but then I spend time with God and it all goes away. I am content being single. God fills that void.
If I’m being honest, I will say this: I am very self-conscious about my appearance. See, I have very bad dental problems due to my medications causing tooth decay. Fibromyalgia also contributes to my dental problems Half my teeth are falling out. Therefore, I don’t smile much and when I do it’s a closed mouth smile. (One benefit from wearing a mask these days, LOL) If something makes me laugh I cover my mouth with my hand. I WILL NOT take pictures anymore because I just can’t stand to look at myself. I have to get dentures but I can’t afford them since I don’t have a job or dental insurance. (Anyone wanna start a GoFundMe page? I’m KIDDING!)
I think that’s the biggest reason why I don’t put myself out there and try to find someone.
I’ve accepted that this is how I am, this is how I look and everything else doesn’t matter.
GOD is all I need and I’m going to spend as much time with Him as I can and in the meantime, if He has someone planned for me, and I meet him, then so be it! But I’m not looking actively for anyone because I want God first in my life. Maybe I’ll be single forever, like Paul was. Maybe I’m not meant to have a significant other because it’ll be a distraction for me. And as we all know, I get distracted pretty easily. (Stupid ADD)
I will say this again: God has great plans for me….for YOU….for everyone! If only we would stop, be still and listen to His voice. He’s calling for you and for me……NOTHING can change God’s love for you. 🙂
Okay so I am not the best when it comes to confrontation. I tend to avoid it like the plague. I just hate it. I get all flustered and red faced, my anger rears it ugly side. And I don’t know about you but my anger seems to be hardwired to my tear ducts. Seriously! The minute I get super frustrated or angry, here come the waterworks!! Dude, seriously…stop. So if you ever see me bawling my eyes out….it’s probably because I’m angry not sad. LOL
SOOO…with that said I have a question for you all. To avoid confrontation and to hopefully diffuse a situation before it gets worse, would you rather write them a letter?
I am the type of person who expresses my feelings much better through the written word. When I’m forced to have a super serious talk in person, I clam up, I get flustered and turn all red in the face. (Plus it doesn’t help that in the past couple of years I’ve developed this…..I have no idea what to call it…..a tic when speaking? When I am talking, sometimes it’s as if my brain and my mouth have decided to stop communicating and I get flustered and my voice “catches?” on a certain word…. Y’ALL I CANNOT EXPLAIN IT! I don’t understand how to describe it but it’s just annoying as heck. )
So let me ask you all….how do you deal with confrontation? Especially if you, like me, are an introvert and can’t stand confrontation?
Also, could you share some bible verses or quotes that help a person get through confrontational times?
In my devotions I’m reading about the cost of following Jesus.
In Luke 14:25-33 it says,
A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
Luke 14:25-33
Counting the Cost
Before I got serious about Christ, I always had an issue with the verse talking about hating our parents, our family, etc…To me it just didn’t make sense that Christ would ask us to do that. How was I to hate my family? I mean…it’s my family!
However, as I started studying and really getting to know the Lord, and after discussions with others…it dawned on me. Jesus isn’t calling us to literally hate our loved ones. No, He’s just asking that our love for them and even our own life not compete with devotion to Him.
He’s asking to be #1. Our ONLY #1. No competition, no battling it out. Following Jesus requires complete dedication.
So what does it cost to follow Jesus?
Everything
“So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” (Luke 14:33 NLT)
Discipleship
Discipleship is about following Christ and making new disciples. It’s about being invested in following the Great Commission that Jesus set before us. We as Christians are called to make more disciples, to build relationships with others and teach them the Word of God and what it says.
Discipleship is about growing in the Lord and having a close relationship with Him all the while teaching others how to have the same type of relationship.
Discipleship is about carrying on the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Bearing Our Cross
Jesus tells us we must pick up our own cross and follow him daily. Not just when we feel like it. Not just when the time is right. But daily. As in, all the time. Every single day.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Okay, so do y’all remember that song that went like this:
“This is the song that doesn’t end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friends. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was and they’ll continue singing it forever just because…” and then the song would repeat over and over for as long as you felt like singing it or until someone smacked you upside the head for singing it.
It got stuck in your head just now, hasn’t it? My apologies. LOL
But I’m suffering from the worst case of writer’s block and that’s kind of how it feels. The writer’s block just doesn’t end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friends….
Writing used to be fun for me. It used to be a part of me.
And now it seems as if I’ve lost it. I’ve lost that piece of me that would write until my heart was content. I’ve lost that drive to write. I used to be able to knock out page after page of words. The words would just flow right on out.
When I was in high school, it was nothing for me to escape to my room after school and just bang out poem after poem. I don’t know how I did it, I just did.
I would LOVE to go back to that time…
As I’ve gotten older and as I’ve developed that dreaded “brain fog” that comes with the fibromyalgia and bipolar, I have discovered that my writing, to me that is, has become a useless mess of meaningless words.
I literally cannot think of what to write when my brain fog is kicking in full gear. I’ll sit at the computer or with a pen in hand and will attempt to write something clever, something that will catch my reader’s attention and…..nothing.
Writing has become a chore. It’s no longer fun for me and that hurts. I need it back. I need that part of me that would write to escape the realities of this world. (And with 2020 being the nuisance that it is, being able to escape would be GREAT!)
I know what some of you are going to say….”You’re overthinking it” (which is definitely possible, LOL) or “You’re trying too hard.” (again, a possibility.)
The.Words.Just.Won’t.Come.
This edition of writer’s block just won’t go away. LOL
