I’m stunned tonight.
I just posted about him on Veterans Day!
My “lost” brother.
Terry- homeless and broken from so much hurt, last I knew, in 2000.
Tonight I read his obituary.
I hate “finding” people on these pages, but...
It reminded me of things I had forgotten about him.
Like he was a heck of a boxer!
I remember that now.
He loved to fish and hunt and was super good at sports!
I remember that now too.
Those memories made me smile.
He passed on the 1st of November at
71 years of age.
But... as I read on....
He had a home!
He had hobbies!
He had a wife and a family!
In 2009 he had started over, welcoming in more kids and grandkids to his life... 😭
My feelings are all messed up right now.
He started a new family
and left behind the one he had.... brothers, sisters, kids, grandkids...
That hurts my heart-
But somehow-
Knowing he wasn’t alone anymore...
That someone helped heal his heart in some of the places...
That he wasn’t wandering anymore...
That heals my heart 💛
I’m sorry you’re gone brother... I’m sad I missed you ... And... pray you knew Jesus
I’malways reminded this day - #veteransday of my Brother Terry- Older than me , & going off as a #marine when I was still a toddler...
A #vietnamveteran whose young life was so terribly effected by his service, that alcohol and substance abuse became the new demons he fought ... Last I saw him, as a #homelessman ... Was in 2000. And my heart broke.
I think of him nearly every day
and pray in Jesus Name
That his life is not too far gone-
That with God,
No person is behind too many walls
And no one is too lost that the love of Jesus can't see, touch, reach and restore!
My prayers to you my brother ...
And my grateful love and respect .
I’m sorry the wounds of war were not mended when you got Home.
I’m sorry family didn’t understand your need
And that your Country didn’t meet them either.
I’m sorry that walking this Country became your new war but I pray somewhere along the way, someone showed you kindness, met you with Jesus and became a difference maker in Your life...
Your life matters
Your service mattered
And you
Matter
I hurt for all you were as I remember you- vibrant and young and fun loving
and wonder if any of that is left in you.
War stole you...And yet, you freely gave in the name of #freedom ..
Some people talk of the ones lost in war...
and in service... and even tho you “came home”, you were still lost to us ...
And So each year,
This day, I think of you and honor you.
You served well, and in my opinion, still do.
Where ever you are Terry, I honor you and you are #brave .
Veterans ....
Thank you for your service and your sacrifice .... I understand from first hand experience - this day is a hard day for me but I am so so #grateful and I salute!
••••
#freedomisntfree #neverforget #semperfi #patriot #veteransupport #veterans #somegaveall
It’s an anniversary celebration and I’m blessed to be a part of sharing it with you!
#oneyearold!
Friends, if you haven’t made @joyfullifemagazine a part of your everyday on social media,
Nows the time! Click follow in alllll the places and then run to get in on their anniversary sales!
The magazine, the devotions, the store , but mostly.... the people... are allllll packed with #joy and I can’t say enough about them!
The Wonder devotion for the holidays is about to get going and I’m doing it to! There’s always a Facebook group to join and it’s such a great way to connect with like minded #jesusgirls and dive deeper into His Word...
Will you go check them out? Help spread the word? Get your orders in; shop for gifts to give
and let’s dive deeper together!
•••••
#joyfullife #joyfullifecommunity #joyfullifemagazine #devotionwriter #prayerpartner #pastorofprayer #writer #shewritestruth #hopewriter #hope #hopewriterlife #hopewriters #christianwomen #christianmagazine #writersread #whatdoesyourheartneedtohear
Today’s devotion from #first5 @proverbs31ministries comes out of Isaiah 25 and the writer makes two points that leaped off the page to me based off this verse :
Isaiah 25:9 (ESV) "It will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
1) Patience. “We have waited” the verse says.
Sometimes that’s a longer season than I like. And sometimes it does feel as if there is a cloud of doom and gloom that lingers during that wait...
But that’s why I love the next point sooo much!
2) Praise. See, I decided awhile ago that I can either look at my circumstances through the lens of who I am, what’s happening around me and how it’s affecting me,
or
I can look at them through the lens of who God is.
And that’s the comment the author made today : #praise came based off the Character of God.
THAT’S how we praise “in advance!”... by looking at who HE is,
What He’s done,
And all He promises!
But instead...
We often look at our cloud don’t we #sis ? We look at our own circumstance, situation, hard thing, dark gloomy moments and we can’t find our praise.
We can’t find anything to be rejoicing about!
That’s understandable ... if you’re only looking at the “mess”. But today’s teaching & scripture encourages us to look outside that-
Get our focus off that-
And on to where we’ve seen Jesus reign, redeem, renew, and recompense us in the past ... and then exalt THAT character of Him in our now!
In our #messyplaces , in our cloud covered dark and gloomy spaces... Rejoice in who He Is
And wait with expectancy!
“In advance” means- before. We can praise Him in the before spaces because of WHO He is and really, that sets us up for the after place where His promise rushes in and removes that cloud! Praise is the portal that ushers in Power preceded by Patience.
We have a part to do in the gloom=
#bepatient & praise. ••••••
#joyfullife #joyfullifemagazine #joyfullifecommunity #joy #hopewriters #hopewriterlife #hopewriter #hope #joyandhope #jesusgirl #homesteader #writer #writerlife #shewritestruth #proverbs31woman #whatdoesyourheartneedtohear ?
Two things stopped me in my tracks yesterday.
One was the display of the season right here in one of my favorite homestead spots. This tree, it’s fallen leaves, the welcoming bench, all beckoned me to take it in and then tuck it’s memory into my surplus tank of gratitude. I couldn’t get enough of the sunlight and light blue sky bringing the old leaves to life. I soaked it in for a good while, appreciating the ministry of the #ordinary being reframed in this moment and my appreciation for it went deeper.
The second thing was this verse. I’ve read it a ton of times, but yesterday when I read it I said, “Whoa- This is the season I’m in now too.” And a new appreciation for it birthed in my spirit.
#rejoicinginhope #perseveringintribulation and being #devotedtoprayer . You see, there is so much I’ve been hoping for, but found I was getting #anxious about it, rather than remaining hopeful. Conviction set in and I renewed my mind... #rejoice in Hope! Hope is a miracle in the making, a promise in the waiting and when I change my mind to rejoice about that my whole #perspective changes.
Life has also been one trial after another and I have learned that the leaning into Him is where my perseverance flourishes!
And lastly...this is a new season of prayer for me.... deeper, longer, peppered with praise and speaking the word, and it’s becoming more than I’ve ever had before. It’s a new season. And it’s “colors” are beautiful - and taking me to #outoftheordinary places and I’m becoming undone by its beauty and the ministry it’s opening.
What if we asked for more out of the ordinary moments? Simple reminders that #seasonsoflife are treasures and noticing them can take you to deeper places your soul craves.
Take time today to notice. What season does the Lord have you in? Can you put #romans1212 to test there? ••••
#joy #joyfullife #joyfullifemagazine #joyfullifecommunity #hope #hopewriters #hopewriterlife #hopewriter #jesusgirl #womanoffaith #warroom resident #whatdoesyourheartneedtohear ?
#nightmares are a thing I’m used to.
I’ve had them my whole life and I’ve learned to take them - upon waking- to a place of prayer and a plea for anyone in those situations I just dreamt - a #prayer
to be covered - protected- released- saved- redeemed... and that always ushers in peace for me after a fitful wake up.
It’s like the enemy loses because I can turn it around from a thing of fear to an opportunity to pray.
I think it’s for this reason that I haven’t been having as many. Lol - the enemy doesn’t like me praying and standing in a gap and turning it into spiritual warfare on behalf of another.
Last nights dreams though, were crazy.
But something shifted in last nights nightmares...
I woke from the first nightmare of being surrounded by wolves and I could feel my heart beating in my chest like mad!!! What I realized tho was as I was waking from the nightmare , was that “someone” was in that wooded area with me, and about to fire into the pack... and as I woke, I was quoting scriptures of protection.
Wow. I didn’t pray at waking for someone else in that kind of situation tho, like normal ...
Instead- I pondered.
Where did that verse come from?
I didn’t even know I knew it.
I fell asleep again only to wake again, sweating from running and from being chased by a brown bear... and again, I saw “someone” in the wooded area about to shoot the chasing bear just as he was about to take me down.
As I woke, I realized again a verse of rescue was being said, was repeating in my mind. I think I was even saying it out loud.
And again,
I didn’t pray. Instead I pondered.
Last dream I woke from was of demons.
And #terror felt real but I was in the dream turning and facing each attack and pointing at the demon, as I screamed a scripture at it; and it would vanish! I’d turn at another attack and the same thing. And another. The same thing. And another... and so on, like a video game gone bad and my pointing and screaming verses was my “weapon”
When I woke from this one , I was silently crying and singing the song “I will rescue you”, from @lauren_daigle . Not out loud, but it was on repeat in my head. (Continues in comments)
