You Are Not Alone!

 

God will always “bee” with you! (*Giggle* Couldn’t help myself!)

There are times when we all can feel alone. Sometimes you can even feel lonely in the middle of a crowd! I’ve felt that way more than once, lost in my own musings.

Just a year ago, during what was shaping up to be a prolonged journey, I began a new chapter of my life on my own. A week or two in, I felt quite alone, until the Lord reminded me that He would never leave me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Although at the outset, this reassured me, I thought again that we can’t see God. We can’t simply run up and give Him a hug like we do flesh and blood human beings! The next moment He brought to mind a broader truth: He is not some distant God who watches from afar, sending help and strength in our souls when we need it. On the contrary, the Lord is omnipresent. In other words: everywhere at once. As His child, I am blessed to have God the Father watching and looking for ways to bless me. Christ Jesus the Son walking with me not only as my Savior, but as my Friend and Brother. The Holy Spirit, Who has been indwelling me ever since I made the decision to trust in Jesus for my salvation, and gave Him control of my life.

So God is with me – He is One in essence, expressed in three Persons – therefore I can say that wherever I am, there are actually FOUR of us!

I wrote a poem with this perspective in mind. This may also help those who may not fully understand the Trinity to at least identify how God works in our lives through each of the three Persons.

“Not Alone”

I’m not alone, for You are with me;
even more, it’s not one on One.
There are four of us along life’s path:
Me, God the Father, Spirit and Son.
You’ll never leave me or forsake me
Grace and mercy are new each day.
I’m in awe of Your care and provision;
I love You more than words can say.
Father God, You watch over me,
Jesus, You match every stride.
As I journey, the Spirit indwelling,
You are my peace and my true guide.
In the midst of the uncertainty
on You, three in One, do I rely.
For only by Your strength and wisdom
will I overcome, not merely try.
Powerless and fallen on my own,
I freely offer my all to You.
Thankful You are working for good
everything that I’m going through.
No, I’m not alone, but so very blessed
–Daily You hold my life together
Joined in Your perfect fellowship
You’re with me and I’m Yours forever.

1-23-16
©Ladeena Ashley

A Heartbeat Away
We are not alone. Wherever we are, through Christ we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28). We can trust that no matter how we feel, nothing will separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39), and He is as close to us as the air we breathe. Perhaps closer. He knows us inside and out, right down to the number of hairs on our heads. (Matthew 10:30). When you stop to ponder further, it’s pretty amazing that He knew what our struggles and failings would be, and He made us anyway.

Sometimes when we don’t sense Him near us, it’s because we’ve strayed or are holding on to something we shouldn’t. But God doesn’t leave us, He’s waiting for us. When we repent and turn it over to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us if we’d only ask (1 John 1:9). Other times He seems distant for no apparent reason – perhaps a test, trial or a dry spell – but even then He’s always a heartbeat away.

Faith Notes
Rest in the knowledge that when you trust in Jesus, you are never alone; and then rejoice in His unfailing love!

Here’s a great song that I sing to myself when I’m tempted to feel lonely, especially in the midst of this season of waiting:
I Am Not Alone – Kari Jobe (Note: Link will open in new window.)

God’s Word on His Presence
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.”Acts 17:24-28a

Psalm 139:1-18
Matthew 28:20
John 14:16-17
Jeremiah 23:23-24
John 10:27-30
1 Corinthians 3:16

One Final Thought (semi-spoiler alert)…

“The Shack”, a movie that will be released in theaters soon, addresses loss and God’s sovereignty and love through a very visual depiction of the Trinity. Though it is seen by many as blasphemous and idolatrous to show Father and Spirit interacting with the main character while in human form, it is a work of fiction, and I believe it should be received as such. I humbly suggest that when and if you watch it, your focus is upon the truths we can glean from it and not the flesh and bone in which they appear. If not kept in perspective, this limitation can serve to diminish the indescribable greatness and all-encompassing power of our God, Whom the intent is to honor through the movie.

Blessings to you, this day and always!

©Ladeena Ashley
All Rights Reserved (blog content and photos)

Frozen or Free?

 

For some folks, this time of year is difficult. Hearts can feel as frozen and cold as the ground, and the crisp air can easily feel stinging instead of refreshing.

Several days ago, the northern Willamette Valley was graced with several inches of snow. It was beautiful, and still is; however the lingering cold front quickly turned a winter wonderland into dangerous conditions for travelers. It reminds me of a Christmastime in my not-so-distant past.

2003
My husband and I were visiting his family in Washington state for Christmas. It snowed while we were there. In fact, we were having so much fun with family members (some we rarely saw), that the decision was made to stay an extra day to romp in the deep snow. I remember talking with my father on the phone. He’d been especially vocal about wanting us to come back to Oregon and spend more time together. My dad was quite disappointed that we weren’t returning just yet; however we still ended the conversation on good terms.

About an hour into our journey home, Mom had called, asking me to phone when we arrived. We happily discovered that it had also snowed a bit there, so as I stood by our front door, looking at the other-worldly landscape, I called. She let me know that Dad had remained in bed all day, and had passed away peacefully in his sleep a few hours earlier. Mom had checked on him a few times before realizing the final time that he wasn’t breathing. This was three days after Christmas. Sadly, not everyone could make it to the funeral, due mostly to the hardened snow and ice that stubbornly coated the roads that whole week.

Thankfully, my father and I talked and spent time together during the months leading up to Christmas. He’d been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (from inhaling fumes during a truck electrical fire) the previous year, and had been using oxygen for a few months, but it was still somewhat of a shock. Though I sort of regret not returning more quickly to see him for a few more moments, we had already talked things out the best we could, and I had shared my faith with him. We had made peace.

Sadly, some souls may not have had that privilege, and may muddle through the holidays with a palpable emptiness and bitter regrets. Many others try to ignore unresolved differences with estranged family or friends.

The good news is, we don’t have to live like that!

Hope & New Life
The gift of Christmas is for all time! Hope came in a manger, Jesus bore our sin and pain on the cross, and then the promise of a powerful new life sprang from the tomb!
Put another way, if we come to Him with hope and faith like a child, trusting that He knows and has taken on all of our sorrows and mistakes, then He creates beauty out of the ashes of our life!

No matter what you have been through, whom you have lost, or how badly you might feel things are messed up, there is ALWAYS hope, ALWAYS forgiveness and ALWAYS renewal available through Christ!

Forgiveness
If you have been hurt, just remember what Christ did for you. He endured pain and all kinds of temptations, ultimately taking the punishment for all of our screw-ups, on the cross. Our sins did not put Him there, but in awesome love, He willingly gave up His life for ours. Nothing anyone has done or could ever do will come close to that. We have forgiveness through Christ, so we must forgive others. Before we even come to the manger or “go tell it on the mountain” and offer praises, “if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you” (Mark 11:25).

If you get along with all of your family members, count yourself especially blessed! If that is not the case, do what you can to pursue reconciliation and patch things up. Just remember: In the end, you can only do what you can do. The rest is up to the Lord. We are each responsible for our own choices and ultimately accountable to Him.

In Summary…
All of us know folks who have lost loved ones. Show them extra patience and love.
If someone has hurt you, forgive them. (You’re really releasing yourself!)
If you hurt someone, ask for forgiveness. (Humble yourself by taking responsibility for your part.)
Like Jesus, they may reject us. Love them anyway. (1 John 4:11)
They may not accept forgiveness. Forgive them anyway. (Romans 12:20)
Don’t let the winter snow chill your heart. Let His love melt it and make a new start!

The greatest gift of Christmas is love.
Don’t wait! Claim it, embrace it and then double it by sharing it today!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

©Ladeena Ashley
2016 All Rights Reserved (content & blog photos)

Transformed Through Prayer

A few more thoughts about the first “R” in my TRANSFORMED acronym: Repent & Pray…

What Is Prayer?

Put simply, prayer is talking with God. A link with the origin of love, and Love itself. A conduit with the Holy Spirit. It is a continual conversation with the Creator of the universe, who intentionally created us out of His unimaginable love and with fellowship in mind. Prayer is our response to that love, and as in any relationship, it’s a combination of both talking and listening. I’ll share more about discerning His voice in another post.

Repent

One component of prayer is repentance. It’s not saying we’re sorry because we feel guilty. True repentance comes when we get honest with ourselves, voice our failings and wholeheartedly seek to change. No holding back or waiting for a sign. No distractions or preoccupations with the frivolities of life. Just us and God. He is the only one to whom we are ultimately accountable. The good news is: All of our sins were paid for by Christ on the cross; the moment we turn from our sins and look to the Lord, He hears, knows our intentions and is quick to forgive (1 John 1:9). However, it isn’t a “one-and-done deal”. We’re not talking about religion, but a growing relationship with the Lord. In order to keep our hearts right and to be effective followers, daily submission is essential. With hearts laid bare before Him, He lavishes His love on us until it overflows, spilling out into the lives of those around us. Daily prayer maintains that flow, keeping our focus outward and honoring to God, living transformed lives as a form of worship (Romans 12:1).

Our Closest Friend

Every moment of our lives we are blessed with the opportunity to converse with the One who is simultaneously our Savior, Almighty God, Father, and closest Friend (John 15:15). God knows all, hears all our thoughts (Psalm 139:1-4), and looks straight into our hearts, so it’s best to just humbly be ourselves. There is no need for special lingo. We can talk with God wherever we are. A great phrase I’ve learned is “Stop and Pray”.  When blessings come, I just look up and say, “Thank You!”. When in need, I often pray, “Lord, I need You!”, and He is right there. In daily struggles, I reaffirm out loud, “I trust You.” In other times, when words escape me and I don’t know what to pray, I lift my troubled soul heavenward, and the Spirit prays on my behalf, pleading for mercy and help on deeper levels than I can comprehend (Romans 8:26-27).

Here’s a poem I wrote about my relationship with Christ, and how prayer time can end up feeling like a spiritual hug:

“The Warmest Embrace”

Whenever I am feeling down
and there’s nobody else around,
there’s one person who holds me tight,
lifting my soul up off the ground.
He’s the one I fully confide in –
and who’s promised to never leave;
His arms are always open
if a hug I will just receive.
He’s a friend unlike all others
with whom I can simply talk,
who speaks directly into my heart
as through life’s valleys I walk.
My friend is never too busy for me
– I won’t ever feel ignored;
For the best and warmest embrace of all
is from Jesus, my Savior and Lord!

6-19-92
©Ladeena Ashley

Attitude Is Everything

That all being said, an undercurrent of reverent awe should always carry every prayer. God is still the Almighty One, no matter how familiar we become with His ways. We should never be flippant with our words or take God for granted, attempting to use Him like a magic genie or personal concierge. That is only asking for trouble; God will not be mocked. Besides, He loves us so much that He doesn’t always give us what we want. Yet He always gives us what we need, as we yield to Him (Matthew 6:25-33).

A Thankful Heart

On that note, I believe every prayer should begin and end with thankfulness. It reminds us that everything we have or enjoy is from God (James 1:17). In addition to thanking Him for family and friends, a job, a vehicle and a roof over my head, I often thank God simply for who He is, and for His love, grace, mercy and patience with me. Then after praying for others’ needs and my own, I also often end prayers with thankful expectancy, praising Him for how He will answer (Mark 11:24). There’s power in proclaiming that trust out loud.

Pray For Our Country

We live in a chaotic, jaded world, to say the least! The enemy is the prince of this world, but God is still in control. Please join me in praying for the nation, and for the election: for all of those who are and who will be in leadership roles, locally, statewide and nationwide. Ask God to intervene on our behalf, that the right people will be elected and the right decisions will be made.

Peace, Hope and Power

No matter what happens, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). He will help us have peace in our souls as long as we stay focused on Him (Isaiah 26:3). We can do that mainly by reading His Word and by praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16:18) as we go about our daily lives. There is forgiveness, hope and transforming power available every day, every hour and every minute, if we’ll just plug in and remain connected to the Source!

Faith Notes

A current song that I love is The God I Know by Love & The Outcome. It touches on many of the points of this post. I invite you to “throw your hands up, worries down” as you listen. (Note: Link opens up in new window.)

©Ladeena Ashley
2016 All Rights Reserved (content & blog photos)

Be TRANSFORMED!

 

In my last post, I spoke of being transformed by the grace of God. Recently the focus at my church has also been on that very topic (God is on the move!). Certainly, with world events unfolding as they have been, the need for personal transformation is more imperative now than ever. If we’re to have any lasting impact on our world, we all need to be transformed daily into the likeness of Jesus. In fact, for some we may be the only Jesus they see.

In looking back on my own journey, pondering and praying about how it happened, I felt led to share the progression more specifically with you. God inspired me to list out the main areas of growth, strength or change in the form of an acronym, using the word “transformed”. I hope and pray that these thoughts will inspire and help you grow in your own journey of transformation.

Trust Jesus – Although I trust in Him for salvation, it is only the start. True trust means trusting completely that Christ is who He says He is, and that day in and day out, we choose His ways over ours. To do that, every one of the enemy’s lies must be replaced with the truth of God’s Word. For instance, when I’m tempted to focus on my shortcomings or succumb to fears about the future, the Lord reminds me that I am His beloved child and His plans are good for me (Jeremiah 29:11)! For me, one of the most simple but powerful words to pray are: “Lord, I trust You.”

Repent & Pray – Many things can hold us back from being that “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1), and become idols or stumbling blocks to transformation. For me, it is too easy to plop down in front of the TV instead of spending time with Him. Temptations vary, but forgiveness and peace are always available when I daily claim His forgiveness and seek to change. Through Christ we are sanctified (made clean and set apart), but it’s important to “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:12) by intentionally choosing Him each day. In struggles, we must accept His correction, even if it’s difficult.

Accountability – This is a tough one. Being vulnerable with God is one thing, but letting others into the most deepest, darkest parts of inner life is another. We all need one or two special people in our lives for perspective, encouragement and yes, sometimes conviction to stay on track. “Two are better than one…if one falls down his friend can help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). I’m thankful that during this past year, God has brought the right people to speak into my life, greatly enriching my faith journey.

Never Give Up! – Some days I don’t feel God’s presence as strongly as other days, but thankfully faith is not a feeling, but an action! Despite my fickle emotions, I trust that He will never leave me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 3:6), and I can do all things through His strength (Philippians 4:8)! One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” For me, just knowing that the creator of the universe knows and loves me is at once humbling and empowering. That thought alone has sustained me during many trying situations.

Serve Others – The most powerful thing you can do in the midst of your own troubles is to come alongside others through theirs. Sharing some of my story and poems with the women at Simonka Place (shelter for women and children, through Union Gospel Mission) has been an incredible blessing and source of holy joy for me. It gets my mind off of myself and makes my problems seem minuscule in comparison. Plus God is using me to bless people – which is definitely a win/win!

Follow His Word – To follow what the Lord says, we must read it, meditate on it, and memorize it. “I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11). Wisdom and grace come in surrender to God through His Word. It comes alive through His Spirit in me: lifting me up, emboldening me and shedding light on those areas on which I need to work. Growing up in the church and knowing many passages of Scripture is no excuse; there’s always something new He can show me.

Order Priorities – Long ago, I learned another acronym: JOY (Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last), and it is a wonderfully simple creed to live by. Balancing life’s demands – work and service with rest and play – is practically an art form. Even as comparatively simple as my life is, I haven’t quite mastered it. I’m getting there. I do what I can, then rest in His grace as I look to Him each day, knowing He’ll direct my path (Proverbs 3:6).

Remember His Faithfulness – In other words, count your blessings! The Lord actually longs to be gracious to us (Isaiah 30:18), and He’s proven it over and over again throughout my life: that perfectly timed song, sage words of a good friend, and many other blessings! Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Look for God’s grace everywhere, and you will find it. When we recall what He’s done, we can worship and sing praise even in hard times, because He carries us and loves us so perfectly.

Mentor Others – True transformation compels us to share what we’ve learned with others. We all have a story; the lessons and insight gained might be exactly what someone else in a similar circumstance needs to hear. For me, this blog is a form of mentoring. Befriending others or deepening existing friendships can be a great blessing to both parties. Taking a younger person under your wing and sharing your wisdom might steer them away from the mistakes you made. We have all been blessed to be a blessing (2 Corinthians 9:8), so don’t be stingy with His grace!

Encourage Others – The transforming power of God moves me to be that city on a hill (Matthew 5:14), shining His light and love wherever I go. The Lord expects nothing less than our all, but with so many blessings we can’t help but share the reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15), and boldly so, as the Spirit directs!

Destroy Strongholds – Especially as violence erupts and tensions flare worldwide, it’s never been more obvious that we are engaged in a spiritual battle, one that isn’t against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Changed hearts effect more change in the world – one life at a time! Trusting in our Commander, we, as His soldiers, must fight the good fight – on our knees, in prayer. Only by His power will we demolish strongholds in Jesus’ name (2 Corinthians 10:4).

In Closing…

So that is what the Lord has impressed on me to share. I don’t claim to have all the answers, and this isn’t a definitive list, but my prayer is that some of the points hit home with you. If we ever hope to effect change out there, it begins with transformed lives within. Christ never changes; He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), but His love and grace changes us. By believing and actively trusting in Him through these and other spiritual disciplines, we might just start a revival!
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

© Ladeena Ashley
2016 All Rights Reserved (blog content and photos)