Category Archives: Direction

Show Jesus you want to be picked up by Him!

Every once in a while, social media gives you a win. Such was the case a few days ago when I was mindlessly scrolling and feeling sorry for myself.

I was just a week out from having back surgery: Basically a REDO of a failed spinal fusion in 2018 of my L4-L5 and L5-S1. Fusion had not taken place and I literally had loose screws causing pain.

Since then, my vertebrae at L3 decided to jump down and lay on top of L4 causing the utmost pain and suffering the last six months and requiring, in layman terms, a lumbar spinal fusion from L3-S1 with cages, rods, and screws, oh my! The surgery went well and everything looks great except for the horrific nerve pain I am having in my left leg. It has caused endless, sleepless nights and nothing has touched the pain, nor do they know specifically what has caused it.

So, here I had landed, wondering what was passing me by in the world when I came upon this post by a sweet friend about her six year old daughter, Haylee:

“On Sunday, Haylee wanted to be in the main sanctuary with me and said, ‘I wanna praise Jesus with you, Mom!’ Obviously I said, ‘Okay!’

And boy did she!!

I let my hands down because they were losing circulation and she grabbed my hand, shoved it back in the air and said, 

‘Mom, you need to show Jesus you want to be picked up by Him!’”

And in an instant, one sentence, one thought can change your whole perspective. And maybe even change your life.

Haylee’s mommy told me that her precious little one was recently baptized; her love for Jesus has grown with every passing day. Haylee has asked her why she raises her hands in the car, at home, at church or even outside just listening to worship music and Jessica replied that it is her way of sending Jesus hugs and receiving His hugs in return! 

“Haylee, when you want Mommy to pick you up, what do you do?”

Her little eyes dancing in wonder and awe, she slowly replies, “Ahhhh, so Jesus picks us up when we lift our hands?!” 

“Exactly!” 

“And now she can’t get enough of lifting her hands and worshiping our Savior. God continues to answer my tear-filled prayers and it brings tears of joy to my eyes to know how much He loves us!”

Wow. This is sermon material that I will not do justice to but I will keep it simple and it will encourage and bless all the same because one little girl, one innocent heart, just believes what she is told, loves what she believes and acts on it. Haylee goes on to say that when she has been scared she just says His name, “Jesus”, and the fear goes away, and in her words, “Mom, it works!”

Yes, Haylee, it works! I have prayed and prayed for relief from pain these last couple of weeks, actually months, make that years, but it rarely comes the way I want it to. Not that God hasn’t healed me before, you can read of at least one of my miracles here. Besides the burn, He completely healed me of migraines ten years ago, I have not had one since. When He does heal me, HE will receive the glory, the miracle will magnify HIM and others will be blessed, encouraged and maybe find their way to the throne!

Even though I still have pain, every time I would lift my hands, He would pick me up, reassure me He was with me, comfort me with the knowledge He had been in my shoes, with even worse pain and He would give me the strength I needed to overcome. 

His Word is His promise, His promises are true, His truth prevails time and time again! 

And maybe sometimes, just maybe, our joy in our pain, our confidence in our God, our trust that He is with us no matter what, the JOY we find in living for Him, regardless of pain and suffering, is a blessing and strength to someone else. You are always being watched, child of God, others are interested in the One you say takes all your fears away. They know you still have pain, but they also see you still praise God, you become stronger regardless of suffering and every day becomes a testimony of His goodness in so many ways.

We may not always receive the instant miracle we are seeking but when we lift our hands and ask Jesus to pick us up, with child-like faith, child sized trust, He will respond with God-sized strength!

When I first came to know Jesus, I heard our lifted hands were like a funnel, “Fill me up, God, fill me up!” I also heard it was a sign of surrender, giving everything to Him in recognition that He is all powerful and we are nothing without Him. 

All  of these are true; whatever you need for your current situation, He is that! If your predicament is physical pain, then hands in the air and call on Him, “Pick me up, Father! Here I am, Lord, hold me, strengthen me, help me.”

Many are fearful of the virus, many others are stressed about being away from those they love, then there is the intimidation and peer pressure both ways about what we should do or what we shouldn’t do this holiday season. Sometimes it is all just too much! So….hands up! Surrender those fears to Him, let Jesus carry that burden that is too big for you then let Him fill that funnel and give you the peace that passes understanding.

It doesn’t matter what your situation, God has the answer; sometimes it is just Him, sometimes that is all we need. He will show us His wisdom, His strength and impart comfort that only He can give.  He will reassure us He is with us in our pain, He has overcome and that same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us! 

Raise those hands today, surrender and let God pick you up, strengthen, establish you and bless you beyond measure.

Jessica and her adorable family!

Enjoy this similar post, Holdju!

Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about!

We all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket. It’s run by a big Eastern syndicate you know. –Lucy

Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about!

Driving down the road today, the local Christian radio station played Christmas Time is Here and immediately I could see Linus reading the Christmas story.

Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year
 
Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share
 
Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there
 
Christmas time is here
We’ll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
 
Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there
 
Christmas time is here
We’ll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year

What makes this iconic television program so special?

Was it the characters? Yes.

Was it the creator? Yes.

Was it the music? Definitely, yes.

Was it the message? Totally,  yes.

If it had not been for Coca Cola taking on the advertising for the program we may not have this wonderful childhood (and forever after) remembrance in our Christmas-time memory bank. Even after its completion, and screening, CBS executives were not overly impressed with the outcome. But they had committed to their sponsor so A Charlie Brown Christmas hit the airwaves on December 9, 1965.

Drawing in 15.4 million viewers, the special placed second in the ratings, following only the classic Bonanza. Just a few months later, Charles Schulz and Producer Lee Mendelson accepted an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program.

One of the most amazing scenes in the show is when Charlie Brown’s friend, Linus, the level-headed one, always comforted and supported by his security blanket, reads the Christmas story for a full minute.

On national television.
During prime time.

This was one of the networks biggest concerns; taking the plunge to actually read from the Bible on national television! But Mendelson and Schulz said if they didn’t do it, then who would?

Exactly.

If we don’t do it, who will?

Christmas-time has changed, dramatically, in the last 50+ years. It isn’t always politically correct to celebrate the real reason for the season.

“Christmas is not only getting too commercial,

it’s getting too dangerous. “-Linus

The vast majority of us will never get the opportunity that Linus had to share the Gospel to millions of viewers at one time; and yet we can do our part. Charlie Brown always thought he didn’t amount to anything and that is a tactic that the enemy uses on God’s people today.

Do we have to stand up on the street corner yelling “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” and making a spectacle of ourselves just because we can?

No, just don’t. Please don’t.

But you don’t have to stop saying, “Merry Christmas” either.

Just continue to do as you have always done,

be who you have always been and share the love of God. 

Your actions speak much, much louder than your words.

When in doubt, or difficult circumstance, speak the Word. There is strength, power and wisdom in those 66 books of the Bible that are God-breathed and inspired. Use them! Memorize them, consume them whenever possible. Then those words will flow back out of us as strength, comfort and life-giving power to those that hear.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year when we keep Jesus first. Love Him, share Him and show His love everywhere you go. Decorate that sad, little tree and remember why He came…and that He is coming back again!

What are some of your favorite memories from A Charlie Brown Christmas? And, how can we better share Jesus this season?

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

 

Go, tell it on the Mountain!

 Did you know that Go Tell It On The Mountain has no published author, because it was passed down from plantation to plantation and never credited properly? John Wesley Work actually published it in 1907 and it has been a favorite Christmas carol for many decades.

He made me a watchman

Upon a city wall,

And if I am a Christian,

I am the least of all.

The story didn’t end for the shepherds, the Wise Men, for Joseph or Mary after the birth of Jesus. It didn’t even end 33 years later after His death burial and resurrection!

Here we are, ready to enter 2021. Did you know that He made YOU a watchman? He made ME a watchman! And if we are Christians at all, and we are friends, we are, we are the least of all, but He put us here to do a job.

So what did He leave us here to do?

Go tell it! Proclaim it everywhere you go!

We are to make His name glorious as we spread the Good News. Jesus Christ was born and it’s more than just a story. It’s not a fairy tale. It is for you, for your children, and their children too. Acts 2:39.

Are we moved with compassion to share this Gospel today? Are we willing in good times or adversity to share the story and our testimony?

Let us not hide it under a bushel. Let us not be so caught up in our plenty that we forget that our purpose on this earth is to reach others, not just to satisfy our earthly desires and wants.

He was born for a reason. He died for a reason. For you, me and all who would believe.

Let’s take this Good News, over the hills and everywhere!

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour’s birth:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

When I am a seeker,
I seek both night and day;
I seek the Lord to help me,
And He shows me the way:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

Psalm 105:1 “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.”

Nannette-Christmas

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