SelahV Today by hariette petersen

When Someone Needs Our Prayers

I was posting and reading statuses on Facebook tonight when I got a private message from a lady I'd known several years ago when I owned a newspaper in Owensboro, KY.  She reminded me of who she was and also shared that I had done a story on her niece when she was Kentucky's Teacher of the Year.  My mind reeled.  A decade-plus had flown by since then.

Beth Critchelow was a precious young teacher.  She loved her students so much.  She was full of enthusiasm and excitement.  Her desires were that no child would ever fall through the cracks without learning what they needed to know to move forward in the educational system.  She was one of those teachers you wanted your child to get every single year of they went to school.  Suffice it to say, Beth touched my life.

Now, her aunt was asking that I pray for Beth's husband Jerry.  He has lung and pancreas cancer.  He is a veteran who lives in Hawesville, KY.  They have the pancreas under control at the moment but he must begin chemo and treatment for his lungs.  Would you join me in praying for this young 49-year-old vet?

Beth's aunt Jane asked me to share this prayer request with every Christian I know.  So here I am.  Coming to all of you.  I have a soft spot in my heart for military men and women.  I know they've sacrificed so much for us to be free.  Today, all I am asking is that you'd give a little time...a few moments to lift Jerry in prayer that he might be free from the cancer that seeks to destroy him.  Thanks so much.

Father, in Heaven, we honor You and give You praise for all You are.  We know that we are but vapors in this world and our lives are in Your care.  We know You are the Great Physician.  We ask that You be with Jerry and Beth and their family in this time of dire need.  Give him strength for this battle.  Give his family comfort and peace.  Let the treatments be successful that You may be glorified.  Amen

When You Aren't Perfect

You see things in yourself you do not like to see in others.  You fail to be all you should be.  You lose control.  You say things you regret.  You walk away from a situation and wonder why you are the way you are...how could you have stooped that low?  You question your faithfulness.  Your mind races like a white mouse in a mudhole; each thought splatters the other.  Conviction claims your heart and nothing seems right anymore.  You struggle to get back the person you were the moment before you lost control... before you stumbled and fell.  But you cannot find that person for the fog of shame.  You replay the moment.  You cannot undo those seconds...those minutes.  Your testimony for Christ is tainted, your flaws exposed.  You feel a bit naked.  Bare.

And small.

Shame spreads throughout your mind and your spirit feels weak.  You cannot sleep.  You cannot relinquish the incident which brought you to the reckoning of your baseness or the realization of your imperfect condition.  You are surprised to find you are lesser than you believed.  And worse?  You are shocked-- shocked you could treat another with less consideration than you expect to receive yourself.  You recognize how others lose control and stare humility in the face.  It is not a good feeling.  You cannot rationalize away your sin, nor find words to explain your behavior. Illness, the headache, medications, stress, frustration?  No. No. No.

There is no excuse to be less than you could be.  There is no infraction upon ourselves for which another deserves to be treated poorly. 

When you apologize you do not feel any better for the words you utter.  Apologies are not enough.  Even if the person releases you from the offensive actions or words, you still know that wrong was wrong... no matter how many times you say, "I'm sorry".

In time, you learn how to forgive yourself.  You resolve to extend every mercy that is shown to you in your weakest moment.  It is the least you do.  Understanding.  Patience.  Tolerance.  Kindness.  Forgiveness.  You learn from your mistake, and vow to never forget the lesson. Ever.  selahV

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." Romans 12:16-19

A Future To Embrace

We can be assured in these days of unrest.  We can take comfort in the promise of days to come.  We can rest in the steadfastness of our Lord.  Fear not, my friends; fear not.  For...

"Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed." Isaiah 55:14

 

When Things Go Wrong

Sometimes I wonder why.  The question floods my mind and takes over my entire being.  I suppose the worst time this occurs is when we lose someone we love or watch a person we care for face turmoil and disasterous consequences because of a poor choice...  because of a foolish decision... because they fail to follow the guidance and directions and warnings we give.

In these times I find no pleasure in being right about my warnings.  I gain no satisfaction in watching my predictions come true.  "I told you so" lies tasteless on my tongue. It is still a troubling thing to witness the fall out, the collateral damage when things go wrong for others.

Oh that we would seek the Lord and heed His words and follow His ways and remember His directions.  Oh, that we would... selahV

Pleasure At Your Fingertips

Sometimes the things which pleasure us most are the least noticed until they are removed from our lives.  Water, fresh air, electricity, comfortable temperatures, sunshine, rain.  When storms and turmoil rob us of these physical comforts, we tend to place higher value upon them than we do when we have them at our fingertips.  When it is routine to have them without question, we hardly notice.

This can be true of relationships, also.  Often we take for granted the smiles, the laughter, and the wit and wisdom of someone who is dear.  We let a joy they give us go unrewarded.  We fail to express gratitude, to reciprocate or acknowledge how much they mean to us.  When we lose the familiarity of their smell, their touch, their presence, we are overwhelmed with regret and sadness.  When I consider the people I've lost in my life:  my son, my dad, and friends, I mourn their passing. No longer can I pick up the phone and call my dad and hear his voice and get his advice.  No longer can I invite some friends over for tea and share troubles or celebrate achievement.  No longer can I feel the bear-hugs and see the brilliant smile of my son as he talks about his little girls.

Loss limits happiness and leaves us with lingering desire to make amends, to call back the moments, to retrieve that which we cannot retrieve.

All the more reason to appreciate the constant presence, the unfailing steadfastness, the fullness of joy I have in the Lord. 

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joys; At Your right hand are pleasures." Psalm 16:11

The path of life is filled with loss and gain.  In the presence of Christ we have the fullness of life--we have His joy ...His peace... His goodness  ...His mercy and grace.  In Christ we sit and rest at the right hand of perfect pleasures.  At His fingertips we experience enough... enough joy to strengthen, enough grace to meet each need. May we not take these for granted.  selahV

A Few Thoughts OR Many...

are always limited.  They are flawed. 

My thoughts, no matter how lofty, grand, or loving--they are never enough to meet the least of God's thoughts.

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

Ultimately, even the most sacrificial thoughts I have still need God's purifying touch. The most descriptive word, the most profound phrase, the most knowledgeable statement I utter is nonsense in comparison to the wisdom of God.  Each of my acts, no matter how kind, generous, or merciful, are far less than the perfection of God's.  In this I know, it is God who seeks the best for others.  It is God who reaches beyond the stars, above the universe, and whispers this earth into being.  His word will never come back empty...void...without power.  His thoughts will reign higher than the great beyond man seeks to explore.  And for all this I am grateful to know that life is not up to me, struggles are not mine to fix, questions are not mine to answer, turmoil is not mine to still.  In Christ I have my peace...in Him I rest.  selahV

When Depression Invades A Life

...even chocolate is tasteless.

Seriously.  Few things seem as colorful as they once were.  Little seems to amuse.  And even things that once annoyed you, are less irritating than a fly in your face.  Depression is like a shadow that will not leave in the room.  It's an invasive sort of thing.  It robs one of motivation, interest, or enthusiasm.  It sucks the humor out of every situation and magnifies the specs on a rosebud.  The sweetest fragrance makes one sneeze and reject its pleasantry.

So what does one do when depression wiggles its way into a life and takes up residence?

For me, it takes time.  It takes time to figure out why the cloud of sadness sticks to everything I touch.  It takes time to dispel it's hold on my mind.  I spend a lot of time reading scripture... a lot of time praying... a lot of time listening for the laughter of children... a lot of time watching for butterflies, blue skies and joy in another's face.  I know that in the days of shadows that God has not left me alone.  I know that the world is not as bad as I feel, nor any worse than anyone else endures.  I know the Spirit within me is greater than the enemy outside me.

When depression comes knocking, I refuse to answer the door.  I count the blessings of my life and count them again.  I consider the works of the Lord and the marvelous goodness He bestows upon me and mine.  I seek Him and Him only because only He can restore the joy of His strength and lift me from the stranglehold of self-centeredness.  I begin to pray for others.  I look beyond myself and, before long, depression loses interest in my company and closes the door behind itself.

"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Isaiah 25:1