Are You Drinking the Dregs of Sorrow

I noticed the moment I saw you that there was depth in your eyes. Not tears, but depth. I sensed that you had drunk deeply from the dregs of sorrow and I wondered how to help. You have known pain and suffering and I sympathize with you for being politely reserved. Our mutual friend later shared a little what you have gone through. I am not the type to push my way into someone else's' life by invading their privacy so this is just to let you know that I care. Long roads of suffering have made me keen to sense pain in others. You are being remembered in my prayers. Prayers for your spiritual and emotional healing. Please don't feel embarrassed, but do feel loved.

You may pass it on to anyone you are concerned about. 

From Behind a Boarded Window

Behind a Boarded Up Window

Good morning, dear one. Did you think I had forgotten you completely? At first, I was picturing you standing lonesomely by a small window and looking up at the stars, but then I remembered, you don’t even have that option. Behind a boarded up window: never to see the cheery sunshine dappling the leaves and making the flowers to look so pretty, never to feel the soft breeze against your skin or enjoy the scent of fresh new growth… Did you think I have forgotten you? No, never. I am sorrowful that our connection was lost, and pray earnestly that it can be restored once again. I pray that you can feel Jesus’ Presence surrounding you and comforting you. I hope and pray that somehow you will be able to see this message. That would be so delightful! And by posting this I am praying that others will become aware of the slavery that is going on behind closed doors. It is my longing and heartfelt desire that through united, fervent prayers girls like you will be set free both spiritually and physically. Have I forgotten you and your companions that I think of as my beloved children? No, never, not for a moment. You are in my heart and prayers. Someday, somehow Jesus will set you free. Keep praying, and I will to. Oh, I do hope this message will get to you. Remember; always remember that I love you and that Jesus’ love is strong and eternal. Keep trusting in Him. ‘They’ can’t take that away. XOXOX

Mommy Loves You!

I don’t know your name, or your exact story, but I do know you’re hurting, sad. Just a few years ago you looked at ‘them’ with wide, uncomprehending eyes. You were a child, innocent, bewildered that people could do such things. Even in your childlike way you know they were being bad. But they kept on being bad, and when you cried they hurt you, too. You were a child, innocent and uncomprehending. For a while you would block it out because you couldn’t understand it anyways, sometimes you would even forget long enough to play a little.

But that didn’t last. As the abuse got worse, and they started to do it to you more and more often, you became afraid, it became harder to forget the cruelty and other things you didn’t know the names for.

After a while you were big enough to go to school. Someone saw your round, horror-filled eyes and they knew. They knew you had seen too much, suffered too much, but they didn’t know what to do.

That happened to me. I saw a little girl on the street once, she looked at me, I looked at her, and I saw. I read the message of pain in her eyes but felt helpless to do anything.

I still feel helpless, and want to do more, so, so much more. Sometimes I cry when girls just like you tell me the terrible things that bad ‘Daddy’s’ do to them.

I know you are afraid to share with me and I know why. You have learned not to trust adults. I want to let you know I care, I will believe you, I will LOVE you. When you are ready you may contact me on Hangouts. Others have. Remember I love YOU and I’m praying for YOU. Will you give me a call so I can show my love, and pray more effectively?

Just call me

Mommy

The others do.

Him? Fight Like a Tiger?

How many of you have read the book Pilgrim’s Progress? How many of you have never even heard of the book?

My husband and I have been reading it out loud in the evenings. It’s an old fashioned book with an up to date message. The part we are on now really jumped out at me. This strong, brave man called Greatheart in the book was leading a group of ladies to the Celestial City, when they came across an old man, sleeping. Did they leave him sleeping? Nope. It was a dangerous place to be taking a nap. 

This book represents our spiritual journey, our efforts to reach Heaven and we need to be diligent if we want to make it there.

Well, Mr. Honesty woke up with a start and old as he was ready to do battle with anything that would prevent him from reaching his goal.

Now this is the part that really impressed me. He told Greatheart and his little band of followers that he would have fought like a tiger as long as he had breath. He was sure he would have never been defeated because a Christian can never be defeated unless he yields himself.

What are you being tempted with right at this moment? Cheating on a test? Giving in to your friends who have been pestering you to do drugs with you? Hanging out with the ‘wrong’ crowd and not let them know you as a follower of Christ? What is it? What is it?  Being disrespectful to your Mom when she is soo exasperating? A Christian can never be defeated unless he chooses to. Do you choose to trust God to see you through your trial one step at a time? He can you know.  And you can ask for prayers.

Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyanwww.prairieviewpress.com

battles, courage, victory, prayers,honesty,

Are You Carrying Too Much?

Hey, did it ever occur to you that you might be doing it all wrong? Okay, I’ll correct that, maybe it’s only me that is mistaken.

(Almost) Too Good to Be True

(Not exactly as illustrated)
 

Oh well, don’t feel bad. I wouldn't have believed it either if it hadn't happened to me. (Last night, at that!)
“Has anyone seen my container of embroidery cotton?” I could feel my stress level soaring as I searched frantically for all those lovely strands of colour and the box they were stored in. In my mind I was measuring the amount of days until the guest room would be needed with how much work still to be done on the Flower Basket Quilt I was embroidering for the bed.
No one knew, and more frustrating yet, no one seemed to care …at that point. After searching every plausible and many not so plausible places for the not so tiny missing item I sank into the recliner and allowed the cat to crawl into my lap. He is jokingly called Dr. Jones for a reason. He seems to know when I am not feeling well. I tried to pray and calm my nerves…
My eyes grew wide then wider

Are You Drinking The Dregs of Sorrow?

,

I noticed the moment I saw you that there was depth in your eyes. Not tears, like in this picture, but depth. I sensed that you had drunk deeply from the dregs of sorrow and I wondered how I could help. You have known pain and suffering and I sympathize with you for being politely reserved. Our mutual friend later shared a little what you have gone through. I am not the type to push my way into someone else's' life by invading their privacy so this is just to let you know that I care. You are being remembered in my prayers. Prayers for your spiritual and emotional healing. I'll leave it up to the judgment of the woman who introduced us to decide whether or not to share this with you. Please don't feel embarrassed, but do feel loved.

You may pass it on to anyone you are concerned about. 

Nightmare World

We live in a nightmare world. I’m sure there are people right at this moment who are surfing the net while trying to block out terrible memories. Maybe they are hiding behind the shame of having been brutally beaten. Maybe they have been verbally abused so many times they half believe the lies that are told them. I know a little girl who is constantly being bullied. I try to help but what will be the long range results of such cruelty? I also know a woman who was physically abused as a child and it carried over into her first marriage. She managed to escape when he threatened to shoot her and the children, but the second marriage was just as bad in different ways. Are you caught in the same sort of trap and no one seems to care and understand?

What are you being called? Do you believe the lies? How have you been treated today, this last week or month? Are you the victim of an alcoholic or someone who is mentally ill? Are you too fearful or ashamed to admit it? Do you have anyone to go to that you feel safe with?

I’m not sitting in an ivory tower somewhere and tossing down bits of advice to you. I’ve been in the gutter also. I have felt the anger, the hatred and depression that comes from being molested. But I have also learned how to forgive and the healing that eventually comes with it. It wasn’t easy. I suffered emotionally for many years because of what happened, but now I am free. Now I want to reach out a helping hand to you and let you know there is a way of escape. There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

To start with I’d like you to repeat these words at least ten times a day.

I am precious in the eyes of the Lord. I do not deserve to be abused. God does not want me to be abused. I am a worthwhile person.

We can’t see the future so from one day to the next it might not seem like anything is changing, but if you trust God to lead you, someday you will be able to look back and see that things have gotten better. And remember I am praying for you.

marilynfriesen.blogspot.com

Building a Bridge For You

Logan I saw you last night. Did you see me? I think you did. I saw you just once, maybe twice, glancing my way. You know I have a mother-heart for you, don’t you. Did you know that I was praying for you? You four young men were singing a powerful song. You have tremendous tenor and bass voices and the song itself was so beautiful, but I noticed the lack, and I’m sure you three brothers felt it keenly. You used to be four dark haired, tall, good-looking brothers who swelled the rafters with your enthusiastic a cappella singing and now there was only three. Your sibling, who you had had been with all your growing up years, had fallen away, and you rounded out—no I mean squared off the quartet with a blond haired friend who also is a good singer.

But it wasn’t quite the same. Lots of us know that you, to, are just hanging on by a thread. When I caught your eye, did you sense I was praying for you? One of your brothers has gone out into the world, but surely you know how earnestly the other two are pulling for you? One of you chose the song about Christ building a bridge the day He died. This bridge was built to cover the chasm separating us from God. From my vantage point I could see how fervently one of your brothers was singing and got the feeling it was for you, Logan.

 One of your brothers fell away but a friend who nearly lost out recovered and was up there singing with you. He found victory, and you can to. We also are building a bridge that’s strong enough for you to reach safety. I know, we all know, at least in part  the reason it seems so difficult for you to live a faithful Christian life, but our prayers are building a bridge for you, Logan.

I’d like to pray for you, _________________whatever your name is. My heart goes out to all the Logan’s and Lisa’s in this world who would like to be Christians, but find that their feet are slipping. You can anonymously send me an email and share a bit of your problem and I’ll gladly pray for you. I’ll willingly listen, also, if you want to ‘talk’. stevenme@hotmail.ca
 Don’t worry. This post will not be recognised by most of my readers.

I Will Help You

It was dark. And cold and here we were skimming along the highway reaching 130kms per hour now and then. If you’re not metric please don’t look it up because I’m not bragging.. It’s just that we had places to go. Fast. The text messages had been coming in rapidly.  They started with this one.

“EMERGENCY. We locked ourselves out of the vehicle and the library closes at nine o’clock.” Well, when our daughters are in trouble we want to help. Of course. But they were nearly an hour away, depending on traffic and weather conditions. So we tried to give long distance instructions. Call AMA. Call a locksmith etc. etc.  One couldn’t get there for two or three hours.The library would be closed long before that kind of assistance arrived.  Leave our daughters standing out in the cold at night? Not a chance. Another company would do it to the tune of $130 dollars but it would be far cheaper for us to grab the spare key and go in ourselves.

        So that’s why we were rushing along the highway, passing all those big trucks, and just a humming along. Of course I was keeping my eyes open for those flashing red and blue lights, but had a feeling most police officers would have been sympathetic to our predicament. And I kept texting back and forth with one of the girls while my hubby drove. To comfort them. Ease that panicky feeling, you know.

Hurrying in to town was a good time to pray. And thank God. I was glad that the roads were dry. It would have been so much worse if they were slushy, or worse yet, black ice. And what if they had been snow blowing in our faces, blinding us as we tried to pass, which we probably wouldn’t have dared to do.

But my prayers were not only ones of thanksgiving. I pleaded with God to help the girls realise how much God loves them. How much an effort He takes to bring them back to safety. When the prodigal son was still a long ways off the Father ran out to meet him. Our daughters were far away, but we gladly came to help them in their distress. Oh that they would call out to their Heavenly Father and discover how willingly He would come to their spiritual rescue. We arrived while they were locking the doors. Their Heavenly Father will

come even if there are only minutes to spare, but I sure hope they won’t wait that long!

I thought of other prodigals also. There’s so many of them. Far too many. Oh, that they will also cry out to the Heavenly Father who will surely help them if they are sincere.

Maybe you know of someone in that situation. Maybe you are yourself. Pray, and pray some more. God hears and answers the earnest prayer. Amen.